Where the Sunflowers Grow

Chapters

Chapter One - On Unsteady Legs
Chapter Two - A Stranger in the Bed
Chapter Three - A New Friend
Chapter Four - Old Soldiers
Chapter Five - Ad Astra
Chapter Six - Stormy Weather
Chapter Seven - When the Bough Breaks
Chapter Eight - Beyond Civilisation
Chapter Nine - The Gathering Storm
Chapter Ten - Ghosts
Chapter Eleven - The White Witch
Chapter Twelve - The Chocolate Princess
Chapter Thirteen - Where the Sunflowers Grow
Chapter Fourteen - In the hoofprints of the fallen
Chapter Fifteen - Dragons Fall
Chapter Sixteen - To the End of the World
Epilogue

Chapter One - On Unsteady Legs

WHERE THE SUNFLOWERS GROW

CHAPTER ONE

ON UNSTEADY LEGS

It was blissfully quiet, with not even the hoot of an owl to disturb the tranquillity of the moment. The pillows were deep, soft, and just the right temperature - not too warm, not too cold – and carried just the faintest hint of her favourite scent - lavender. Celestia shifted under the covers happily; she’d stayed up with him for hours after he’d finally fallen asleep just to make sure all of this wasn’t some extraordinarily vivid dream she would wake up from at any moment to discover it had all been just that - a dream. He’d been frightened; terrified actually, and in some horrible way, it had been her fault. Pulling him here through the portal had been what they’d both wanted, but their ignorant enthusiasm had very nearly cost Rush his life. Only the quick thinking of the royal mage and the physician had saved him. If she’d lost him, if…if anything had happened after all of that, she didn’t know what she would have done. It was unthinkable! Celestia gave herself a mental shake and rolled over, snuggling into the pillows. It didn’t do to think of dark things like this. What would it accomplish? Had she always been so doubtful of herself? She reached out to touch him…

There was nothing there.

The Princess opened her eyes, “Rush?” A wash of panic sudden began to grip her heart. There was a space on the bed, a still warm spot where he’d lain, and the lingering smell of stallion. Thank goodness, she hadn’t been dreaming after all, but, where was he?

“Bloody hell fire!”

The voice carried to her through the close bathroom door and Celestia lifted her head in concern. “Rush?” she called, “Are you alright?”

There was a barrage of muffled cursing followed by the thump of something heavy,

“Damn it…”

Celestia pulled herself out of the bed and walked to the door, tapping on it lightly, “Rush, I’m coming in…”

“No!” the voice called back, “Don’t! I’m fine, I’m…OW! Damn it all!”

“Rush? What’s going on?”

“Nothing!”

Rush sounded frustrated, annoyed even. The Princess had thought she’d seen most of the sides to him, even in the relatively short time they’d been together, but this was new…and it troubled her. She pressed her ear up to the door; there was the sound of somepony moving, some grunting and snorting sounds, followed by the unmistakable clatter of hoof against tile and a stifled cursing. She closed her eyes, trying to stop herself from forcing the door open,

“Would you like me to send for somepony?” she said trying to keep her voice calm.

“No!” the voice came back. It was quickly followed by a muffled thump, “Yes! Just…make sure he’s a ‘he’, no women!” there was a pause, “Mare’s I mean. No mares!”

“I’ll ask one of the guards.” Celestia called back.

“Please!”

Celestia turned away as the voice called again, more urgently this time, “Quickly!”

Hurrying to the large double doors to her chambers, the Princess poked her head out into the corridor. The two guards snapped to attention; one of them, she was relieved to see, was male.

“Guard? Could you come inside please?” She asked.

The golden armoured stallion replied smartly, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Dutifully, the soldier trotted in, standing stiffly before the white alicorn Princess, his own white coat contrasting with his burnished golden armour and spear. Celestia shook her head; they would have to go - she couldn’t have them banging into things and chipping the porcelain of her newly installed bathroom suite. She held up a hoof encouragingly,

“What is your name, sir?”

He stiffened, “Guardspony Orange Grove, first battalion, second company, Your Majesty.”

Celestia nodded, “Orange Grove, would you please remove your armour? I have need of your services.”

The guard froze, his eyes going wide in surprise, “M…Majesty?” the poor fellow looked almost panic stricken. Eyeing him curiously, the Princess furrowed her brow. Perhaps he hadn’t understood her?

She cleared her throat and repeated her request, “Please, take off your armour.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Celestia smiled to herself. These army types could be so formal, but also a little ‘crude’ at times. She’d overheard their conversations from time to time and they always seemed to revolve around the same topics: partners, gambling, drinking, the various officers they didn’t like, and certain other ‘activities’ she blushed at the thought of. She’d still listened though; you never knew what you might learn that could come in useful at some…

The last piece of armour clanged on the ground, and was rather nervously stacked by the now orange coated stallion standing before her. The magically infused armour which changed the wearer’s appearance was a palace tradition, and one that she had to admit, she was particularly fond of. Orange Grove, a fit and strong stallion in his prime, stood before her looking decidedly nervous. His brown mane and tail, along with his brown eyes made him look just like any other Equestrian. She motioned towards the bathroom,

“Would you mind? My…’friend’…requires your help.”

The stallion blinked in surprise, “Your friend?” he suddenly caught himself, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

She couldn’t help but smirk behind Orange Grove’s back at his reaction to her request. Admittedly it probably did sound a little strange, but Rush needed help and for whatever reason, it apparently required a stallion. In some strange way though, she felt a little unsettled by being snubbed like that; what was wrong with her helping him? Didn’t he trust her?

Orange Grove glanced nervously over his shoulder at the Princess before knocking on the door,

“Hello?”

“Thank the Gods!” Rush’s voice called back, “Come in, but watch the floor.”

“Watch the…?” Celestia began, and tried to peek inside as the door swung open and the guard was admitted. She couldn’t see Rush, he must have been hidden behind the door, but there were towels all over the floor, and water…there was water everywhere! “Rush! Wait, what’s going on! My bathroom!” she squeaked in protest, jumping back as the door slammed shut and the lock clicked into place.

“I’ll clean up.” A muffled voice called back.

Celestia’s heart was racing. What in Equestria was he doing in there? Intrigued, she pushed her ear back up against the door and listened:

“You don’t know how to what?!” It was the guard’s voice.

“I’m…that is, I’ve never…look, it’s not as simple when you’ve…” Rush’s voice faltered in apparent embarrassment, “Look, just show me how to do this, alright?”

The guard’s voice came back a moment later, “I’ve never heard anything like this! But…alright, fine.”

There was the muffled sound of hooves clopping on tiles, more swearing and…

“Right…put your forehooves there. No, not like that, here…there. Now, lower your…not that much!”

There was a sudden and furious barrage of expletives the likes of which Celestia had never heard before, making her blush furiously.

“Right!” Orange Groves voice said, “Try again, but try and keep your balance this time, okay?”

Rush’s voice sounded alarmed all of a sudden, “Is it…is it meant to be like that?”

“You’ve never noticed?!” the guard nearly shouted in surprise, “You…” he sighed, “Never mind. Yes…yes it is.”

Celestia pressed her ear harder against the door.

“What now?” Rush asked.

“Just do what you need to do.” The guard replied, “Or do you need help with that too?”

The Princess grinned. She wasn’t averse to a little sarcasm herself but…

“I’m sure I can manage, thank you.” There was a pause, “Smartarse.”

A few minutes went by with barely a sound.

“Right…” Rush’s voice sounded relieved, “Oh, thank the Gods! I don’t think I could have hung on much longer.” Hooves clopped on tiles. “What now?”

“Push the lever on the right.”

“Right, and then…AGH!”

“Don’t put your hoof in it!”

Celestia listed to the sound of flushing water and held her hoof up to her mouth in embarrassment. So that’s what he was doing?

“There’s soap there, and water.” The guard sounded exasperated, “Make sure you wash your hooves thoroughly…sir.” Hoof steps came closer to the door and Celestia quickly backed away feigning ignorance as the door opened, admitting the guard. He called back over his shoulder, “I’ll send for the maid to clean up the…erm…mess.” Shutting the door firmly behind himself, Orange Grove saluted, “Mission accomplished, Your Majesty. Do you require anything further this morning?”

“This morning?” Celestia glanced out of the window; it was still pitch black outside. She shook her head, “No, thank you Orange Grove. I’ll be sure to put in a good word with the Guards Captain about your assistance tonight.”

The soldier looked a little embarrassed and began collecting his armour, “Thank you, Your Majesty. If you don’t mind though, I’ll put my armour back on in the corridor.”

“Why…yes, of course.” Celestia gave him a wry smile and a nod as he quickly bowed before hurrying from her bedchamber. She settled back on the bed to wait.

The bathroom lock clicked.

Slowly, the door opened once more, followed by the tentative steps of Equestria’s first fully grown foal. Or so the Princess had begun to secretly think of him due to his ponderous gait. She hid her amusement as Rush wobbled uncertainly out of the bathroom. His look of concentration as his legs propelled him forward had her all but biting her foreleg to stifle the laughter; she settle upon hiding her muzzle behind a pillow instead. Eventually, Rush fell into a chair by the fireplace, trying hopelessly to pull and push himself into a comfortable position, while simultaneously dragging at a large towel he’d draped over his back. She stared at it in wonder; was he still damp from washing? How in Equestria did he get his back so wet? Curiosity got the better of her and she got down off the bed to see for herself. Suddenly, Rush jumped in alarm as he saw her coming closer,

“Don’t!”

“Don’t what?” The Princess asked, frowning at his strange behaviour.

Rush pulled furiously at the towel, “Just…don’t look. Please!”

Celestia shook her head, “You’re not making any sense, Rush. Did you bang your head in the bathroom?”

“No!” He lifted a hoof and rubbed at his muzzle, wincing, “Well, yes, sort of, but that’s not what I meant.”

The Princess rolled her eyes in exasperation, “Well whatever it is, you can’t sit there in a towel all night, you’ll catch a chill.” She leaned forward, “Here, I’ll give you a hoof to…”

“No!” He pushed away from her, pulling the towel around himself with a clumsy flailing that kept the Princess at a distance. By the Gods he was infuriating! She’d had enough of this,

“Rush! Will you please calm down?” she said rather more harshly than she intended, “What in Equestria going on? I know you’re confused by everything, but I’m here for you. Have you forgotten that?” She stood tall, every part the ruler of Equestria, but Rush didn’t seem so much cowed by her, as resigned. The brown stallion closed his eyes and sighed,

“Tia…I’m sorry, but…”

“Yes?” She asked.

Rush blushed bright red, “You can…” he swallowed, “you can see…everything.”

“I don’t understand.” Celestia said, genuinely baffled by his words, “See what? Ponies don’t all wear clothes Rush, it’s…”

“That’s not what I meant!” he hissed under his breath, glancing towards the door in case somepony was listening, “You can see…everything!” he waved a hoof towards the towel covered parts of him, “Down…there.” He waggled his eyebrows meaningfully and squeezed himself even more into the chair.

“I…Oh!” The Princess blushed, looking away for a moment. Now it made sense. The alien environment of the human world had been so incredibly different to her own that the fact they’d all worn clothes simply hadn’t registered with her. Clearly this meant far more to Rush than she’d expected; Equestrian’s didn’t wear clothes the way humans did, they had fur to cover them and humans were furless…well, mostly, so it made sense that they wore outer coverings to compensate and keep themselves warm. Still, he was gesturing towards his nether regions and had his eyes shut. The Princess closed her eyes a moment and looked away,

“Rush…are you, embarrassed?”

She could see him blushing furiously, “Yes.” He replied clearing his throat, “Tia, I’m sorry, I didn’t realise everything was…” he took a shuddering breath, “on display.” Rush closed his eyes, willing away the images of the dream where he’d been running through the forest and Celestia was running after him, doubtless able to see…all of him.

“I think you’re mistaking human sensibilities with a pony’s” she said matter-of-factly, “I presume you feel that covering yourself up in clothes is a form of modesty?”

Rush kept silent.

“Did Equines on your world wear clothes?” she asked.

“No, of course not” Rush replied with huff. He stared into the fireplace, “They’re nothing like Equestrian’s Tia, that’s not a fair comparison.”

“But you can still ‘see everything’ cant you?” she raised an eyebrow, “By your definition, I expect you think I’ve been walking around naked and displaying my…’mare parts’, for the whole world to see, yes?”

“No!” he gasped, “Tia, you’re…oh, I don’t know.” He looked like he was going into one of those deep quiet moods she remembered so well from her time with him. She stepped forward quickly, snatching the towel away from him before he had a chance to stop her. Rush gave a startled shriek and tried desperately to strategically move his hooves and legs, succeeding only in…

“Ow! Damn it!” he gingerly moved his hinds legs together and squeezed his eyes shut in pain.

“That may teach you a valuable lesson, Mister Rush.” Celestia said flicking her mane, “I’ll expect more ‘appropriate’ behaviour from you as my consort in future.”

“Your…your what?” he gasped, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Celestia’s eyes glinted in the light, “I can’t keep you locked in here forever, especially as word is more than likely already out about you.” She poked the fire back into life, looking back at him over her shoulder, “I thought it best to introduce you as my consort. That should stop any wagging tongues in their tracks.”

“I don’t think so.” Rush replied trying to wipe the sweat from his face, “I don’t know about Equestrian’s, but you introduce me as your consort and there’ll be more tongues wagging than a dog with two tails.”

“And?” She asked nonchalantly.

Rush looked up, “What do you mean, ‘and’?”

Celestia sighed, “Do you think it matters? Do you think that my people will lose their respect for me because I have a special somepony?”

Rush hung his head and scrubbed his mane, “I don’t know. I don’t understand courts and royalty, but I do know about gossipers though, and the damage they can do.”

“Gossip will always exist as long as there are tongues in ponies mouths.” Celestia reasoned, “Let them talk, you’ll be old news before the end of the week.”

Rush took a breath and sighed, “I hope you’re right, Tia.” He winced suddenly, “Do you mind, you know…looking away while I get off the chair? My back’s killing me.”

“Yes I do.”

“I’m sorry?” Rush stared at her.

Celestia let out an exasperated breath, “Rush, I am going to stand here and you are going to get off that chair.” She lifted her head, her rainbow mane flowing out like a living river behind her, “I am going to stand here” she announced imperiously, “and I am going to watch you.”

“You can’t!” Rush nearly shouted, “Tia, please!”

“The Rush I know is quietly spoken, brave and forthright.” She replied, “A man, or rather, a pony, who fought a demonic beast from another world without hesitation to save his friends.” She stomped a hoof, “You are more of a stallion than you are acting now.” Celestia’s horn began to glow, “Get out of that chair sir!”

In a flurry of legs, his embarrassment forgotten, if only temporarily, Rush shot out of the chair like a cork from a bottle and found himself standing before the alicorn Princess. He didn’t know where to look, but Celestia did. Horrifyingly, her magic glowed, lifting the armchair off the floor and moving it aside leaving him standing in the middle of the rug, very much in his ‘natural’ state. The Princess raised an eyebrow,

“Now, let’s see what all the fuss is about shall we?”

Rush somehow found himself riveted to the spot, and eyed the door longingly. If he thought his new legs would bear him to them, he would…

“Chin up.”

He did so automatically, responding to the Princess’s words as if she were his mistress and he her stallion. He gritted his teeth and let her walk around him, humming and prodding, poking and…she lifted his tail, making his withers shiver. He could hear her muttering to herself, but kept himself standing stiff and rigid until she came around the other side. Celestia walked past him to the bedside table and poured out two glasses of something that smelled fruity and…delicious! Rush’s nose twitched; apparently it was a lot more sensitive than his human nose had ever been. By comparison he’d all but had to shove the thing into something to smell it properly, but this…this was incredible!

“Here.” She floated the glass over to him, “I’ll put it on the table for you, shall I?”

Rush nodded, taking a half step and finding he wasn’t quite as wobbly as he’d expected. Celestia raised an eyebrow,

“It’s elderberry liqueur,” she said in a disinterested voice, “it’s my favourite, and one I only drink with friends.” She gave him a meaningful look.

Rush froze.

The Princess lifted her glass with her magic and sipped her drink before setting it down before her. Sinking to her haunches, she waved a hoof at him to do the same. Now this, he could do.

“You may be surprised to learn, Rush” Celestia said pleasantly, “that you look perfectly normal.” Rush opened his mouth to speak, but the Princess raised a hoof, stopping him, “You are a stallion, an earth pony, and you look physically like every other stallion in Equestria. I don’t know how things are in the human world, I can only speak for my brief stay there, but I imagine you don’t go around staring at each others private areas like…like dogs in season!”

Rush’s mouth hung open in shock, and now Celestia looked just as scandalised as he felt, and yet…she had a point. Was he being foolish? Was he little more than a human’s mind in a pony’s body? But…but he’d known he was different since childhood, that he was meant to be who he was now all along, just…trapped, trapped in a body he was never meant to be in. In his dreams of Equestria, he’d never been embarrassed to run, to roll and to frolic, but…but to be here, like this in front of such a beautiful creature as this! It just…it was…

Celestia lifted the glass to his lips with her magic and let him take a sip. She watched as he closed his eyes while the flavour, so sweet and warming, flowed into his mouth. Rush groaned.

“Good?” the Princess asked knowingly.

Rush nodded, “Aye.” He licked his lips, “Tia, I’m sorry. I won’t lie to you, I’m finding this…” he waved a hoof meaningfully, “a lot to take in. It may take some time for me to find my fee- I mean hooves, and,” he hung his head shyly, “I hope you’ll tolerate me while I do.”

“Tolerate you?” Celestia shook her head in amazement, “Is that how you think I see you, as some sort of annoyance, Rush?”

“Not in so many words,” Rush began, “but Tia, look at me! I can barely stand on my own two,” he shook his head, “four hooves, and I can’t even use the bloody toilet without help.” He closed his eyes and looked away from her, “I feel useless to you.” He sounded distant, lost and alone, “I never wanted…to be a bur-”

“-If you dare finish that sentence and say you are a burden, Rush, I shall bend you over and tan your rump raw!” Celestia watched him with a gaze that brooked no dissent. Wisely, he kept quiet. The Princess smiled gently and gave him a nuzzle, “I know you’re frightened Rush, but this is your home, and this,” she touched his cream mane with her hoof, “is your body.” Celestia stood back and beamed at him, “This is how you should have been born, and you even have your mark. Did you notice?”

“My what?” Rush looked puzzled.

Celestia turned her flank to him and lifted a hind leg, “My cutie mark is the sun, surely you noticed?”

“I always thought it was a tattoo of some kind, like a sort of tribal marking” Rush explained, flushing slightly at the Princess’s gesture, “Are you saying you’re born with one?”

Celestia shook her head, “No, you’re not born with one, but…” she shrugged, “it’s complicated. Think of it as a sort of ‘coming of age’ ceremony, as you said you had in your world.”

Rush tried to get a look at his flank, nearly colliding with the furniture in the process. If he looked carefully, and lifted his leg just so, “There’s a picture there!” he exclaimed, “There’s one on the other side too!” And there was: two identical mirror images of three bulrushes, and…and they looked good too! He found he was grinning idiotically until he met Celestia’s sparkling eyes once more.

“I see you found them.” She tittered.

Rush blushed rose red, his ears burning with embarrassment. Celestia didn’t seem to mind though; she just lifted his glass once again and let him finish it.

“Tomorrow,” she said walking towards the bed with a slight yawn, “I’m going to find somepony to help you. I’m afraid I have matters of state to attend to today, but…I’ll think of something.” She staggered, all but collapsing into the bed before dragging herself atop the covers, “Are you coming?”

Rush nodded, awkwardly walking up to the bed and paused, lifting his hoof and hesitated,

“I’ll…”

“-Sleep in the bed.” Celestia finished for him, “It’s big enough, and you need to keep warm too. Doctors orders, remember?” She gave him one of ‘those’ looks, “Unless you’d rather I slept on the floor instead?”

Rush shook his head.

“Good, now stop being silly, you’re not in that stuffy world any more Rush.” Celestia said, moving the covers aside to let him in, “Here, you can be the pony you want to be.” She smiled sleepily, tucking the covers in around him, “And I’ll be here for you, so long as you need me.”

Rush took a deep breath as a warm sensation surged through his chest. Instinctively, he leaned towards the Princess and pushed his muzzle into her warm fur; she felt so comforting and wonderfully soft…He sighed, quickly forgetting all his worries and concerns; they all seemed so petty now, didn’t they? Gods above, had he learned nothing in his life? Silently he cursed the plethora of restrictive conventions and ludicrous societal rules he’d grown up with - they’d hamstrung countless people in his village over the years and seemed to have been created as more of a way to control their thoughts and behaviour, stifling their growth and creativity, than anything practical. Gods forbid one of the drones actually started to think for themselves! What would the Lord do? After all, wasn’t that why precisely why he’d cast village life aside to live life in the forests of the mountains, to live his life as he saw fit away from those sorts of rules? Dear Gods, even here his past still tainted him, and yet, as he moved into the Princess’s warm body, he couldn’t help but groan slightly at how wonderful it felt to feel his body against hers; his Princess, his mare. By the all the Gods and spirits of his old world and this, how he loved her…

Silently, Celestia smiled to herself, enjoying the comforting feeling of another beside her. It had been such a long time since she’d done this; In fact the only ones she’d ever done this with were mother and…Luna…She closed her eyes and sighed; she didn’t want to think of Luna right now. It was fully dark outside still, the moon riding high in the sky, but it was when it was like this, when it was quiet, dark and still, that her mind wandered unbidden back to that darkest of times, reminding her of what she had done. What she had done…

Beside her, Rush mumbled something and stretched a foreleg over her, snuggling against her back. That simply act, so gentle and loving, instantly dispelled the bitter memories that threatened to intrude into Celestia’s mind. Distracted, she nuzzled the muscular leg and took in his scent: he smelled…wonderful. It was quite different from what she remembered of her time in the human world, which wasn’t that surprising really now that he was a stallion, but regardless, it was still…Rush. She smiled and closed her eyes, slowing her breathing and heart rate as she gradually drifted into a restful sleep. This wasn’t a dream, it wasn’t a fantasy conjured up by her lonely imagination - he was here, beside her, and she would never let him go. Selfish maybe? She grinned to herself - yes, yes it was, and she didn’t care at all. Why should she? She kissed his leg and snuggled herself into him. Celestia, the Princess of the sun, had found her special somepony, and brought him home at last.

Chapter Two - A Stranger in the Bed

CHAPTER TWO

A STRANGER IN THE BED

The orange coated maid trotted up the corridor and nodded to the guards,

“Morning Grove, Felt, shift nearly over?”

The two guards shifted their positions and nodded a greeting to the newcomer. It was a long job, guarding the Princess: long hours on your hooves, most of them intensely boring, but at least it was indoors and both of them could live with that. The two guards had been at River Valley where Grove had served in both the first and seconds battles on that hallowed ground. He would take boredom over watching his friends butchered by armoured Legion monsters any day of the week. Gratefully, he took the offered cup of tea from the maid and smiled,

“Thanks Lilly, you’re a life saver.”

The orange coated maid plopped two sugar cubes into his cup and gave it a quick stir with an effortless glow from her horn while Felt, just glad of a hot drink and a distraction from the monotony, groaned at the feeling of hot tea slipping down her throat. The female guard stretched her legs,

“I’d swear you two were twins.” She said, raising an eyebrow, “Minus the armour of course.” She closed her eyes as the steam from the tea tickled her nose invitingly, “You even look alike now – to a degree.”

Grove rolled his eyes, “Hardly surprising, we are cousins you know. Anyway,” he tapped his head, “no horn, see?”

“Well, magical cousins or not, you’re alright in my book Lilly.” Felt sipped her tea, “You make a mean cuppa.”

The orange unicorn smiled and pushed into the Princess’s room, pushing her trolley in front of her. Moments later, the door closed behind her with a click. Felt glanced at her colleague,

“That was mean, Grove. You should have said something.”

“Said what?” the stallion replied, “Just belt up and have your tea. I think our morning’s about to get a little more interesting…”

Lilly pushed her breakfast trolley up to dining table, just as she did every morning without fail. After so many years it was as natural to her now as drawing breath, and she loved her job. Some of the maids envied her closeness to the Princess, whereas some actually pitied her; they just couldn’t understand how somepony could wait upon one so powerful and not be constantly quaking in the shoes - after all, didn’t she know how terrifying the Princess had been during the war? Her magic could make anypony who displeased her vanish in a poof of smoke, with only a pile of ash left where they had once been. Lilly smiled to herself; she didn’t care about gossipers, she had her Princess to care for and that was all that mattered. She lifted the lid off the tureen and sniffed the hot breakfast muffins - they smelt divine. Nimbly, she lifted off the top of the butter dish, checked the jam pots - two types today - the morning paper of course, and set about arranging the side plates just so. She scratched her head: two plates? The cook must have made a mistake. Not to worry, she’d just tidy everything away when she was finished. Now it was time for a quick tidy up before the Princess awoke. She was still fast asleep by the look of things, so she’d best be quiet.

Lilly shrugged as she carried her cleaning box towards the bathroom; the Princess was normally up by now. Yesterday, what with the memorial event and the dedication of the new monument, it all must have been very demanding for her, not to mention emotionally draining. Lilly pushed open the bathroom door…

She let out an involuntary squeak.

Lilly’s hooves flew to her mouth in shock; what in Equestria had happened here?! There were towels, soap, toilet paper and pools of water everywhere! It was…it was awful! Good gracious, there was even fur there too: great clumps of chocolate brown fur in the sink and long black hairs as well. Some villain had been in here and all but destroyed the Princess’s beautiful new bathroom suite! She backed up towards the door and stopped, took a breath and rubbed her forehooves together with a determined look on her face. Right then! This was a challenge was it? She’d take it on, she’d conquer it, and when she was done, when the Princess was up, she’d report this and have the villain found and see the vile miscreant flogged for such an act of wanton vandalism! Snorting, Lilly ploughed into her work.

Eventually, the bathroom door opened, and the weary but victorious orange unicorn backed out with a floating bundle of sopping wet towels held in the glow of her magic. The clean ones were where they should be now, the porcelain was sparkling once more, and the soap…dear Goddesses, that soap! She shook her mane and sighed; it had been a hard battle, but determination and skill had carried the day. The forces of cleanliness and order ruled once more, and the Princess would be able to use the new bathroom safe in the knowledge that her maid army was on the job. Lilly grinned wearily and pushed the wet towels onto her trolley, noting that the breakfast had already been partially eaten. Good, the Princess was up! She’d apologise for any noise first and then tell her about that mess…

“Good morning.” The voice from behind the newspaper said conversationally.

Lilly curtsied, “Good morning, Your Majesty.” The orange maid froze…

“Just Rush will do.” The voice replied.

She looked up, watching in horror as the newspaper gradually lowered, and a jam and butter covered chocolate brown face grinned back at her,

“Those breakfast things were delicious! My compliments to…”

“GUARDS! GUUAAARRRDS!”

The door burst open and the two armoured royal guards charged in, their weapons readied. Lilly stood on her hind legs, one hoof over her mouth, the other extended towards the bed,

“The…there!” she gasped, “A…an intruder! In the Princess’s bed!”

Rush gave her a little wave.

“You villain!” Lilly squeaked, “What are you doing in here? Get out of that bed! GET OUT I SAY!” she turned to the guard, “Do something, don’t just stand there!”

Slowly, a familiar white head emerged from under the covers, a pair of purple eyes blinking blearily in the early morning light,

“Mmmf…What’s all the shouting? I’m trying to sleep…”

“Your Majesty?!” Lilly looked like she was about to pass out. She stared aghast at the smiling brown stallion currently licking crumbs from his muzzle, to the tired and confused looking Princess, and back to the wide eyed smirk of the shaking male guard. Suddenly she realised…

“You…you knew he was in here, didn’t you?” she hissed at Orange Grove, “You…you knew!”

Grove said nothing, but got a surreptitious kick from Felt who cast Lilly an apologetic look. Meanwhile, Celestia had sat up, and was rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her foreleg,

“As much as I like company,” she said with a yawn, “I’d rather have a little more quiet in the mornings, yes?” She waved to the guards, “You may go.” then paused, “Thank you for your diligence.”

The two armoured ponies bowed and as one, turned and walked out of the room, accompanied by barely suppressed sniggers and snorts from guardstallion Orange Grove. Celestia sighed; she would definitely be having words with that young stallion later by the looks of things. Lilly however, was still stood there, with tears pouring down her face. The Princess shook her head; this wasn’t good…

Celestia pulled herself out of bed and gingerly walked over to the young mare, helping her into a chair before pouring her a cup of tea. Lilly took it without a word.

“Are you alright?” The Princess asked gently. Lilly stared straight ahead silently. “I take it you’ve met the royal consort?”

“The…?” The orange mare blinked, turning her attention to the chocolate coated stallion who’d gone back to reading the paper, “Consort?” She didn’t know what to say! Was this true? Well, of course it was, but…the Princess had never…she didn’t…after all she was the…

Lilly licked her lips nervously, “But you…you’re the Princess!” she burbled.

Celestia nodded, brushing a stray wisp of hair from her maid’s face. “I am” she smiled kindly.

Lilly shook her head, “But…you’ve never…”

“No.” Celestia sighed, sinking to her haunches and pouring herself a cup, “No I haven’t, have I?” She stared into her tea, “We’ve never had conversations like this either, Lilly. I think that on reflection, perhaps we should have.”

The shocked maid took a sip of tea, looking up into her Princess’s fathomless eyes. Celestia looked sad for some reason, and a little distant,

“Nopony see’s me as anything other than the Princess of Equestria do they? The Princess of the sun” she said quietly, “But Lilly…” Celestia rubbed her muzzle sleepily, “I’m still a mare, and…and I don’t want to be alone all my life.” She gave the little maid a meaningful look, “You’re a mare, you understand, don’t you?”

Lilly didn’t know what to think, let alone say, she could only nod absently. The Princess: the unsullied, pure white alicorn, the one she idolised above all others, was with…with this…breakfast thief! She stared across at the thing on the bed who had put down the paper and was…walking towards her! She squeaked and pushed herself further back into the chair in alarm. Celestia shook her head at her behaviour,

“Lilly, I’d like you to meet Rush. Rush, this is Lilly, my maid, and personal friend.”

Rush smiled, “Hello Lilly.” He reached out a hoof, wobbling slightly on his legs. Was he alright? She stared at his outstretched offering and gingerly shook it as if she were holding a snake that could bite her at any moment,

“H…Hello” she muttered.

“I’m sorry about the bathroom.” Rush said, hanging his head, “I’m still a little unsteady on these things.”

Lilly stared at him incredulously, “Things?” she asked. She looked at his legs and his hooves; they all looked perfectly normal. She looked up at the Princess pleadingly.

“Rush, Lilly, I think we need to have a chat.” Celestia said magicking over another chair and yawning slightly, “First though, I need a wash to freshen up. You two get acquainted whilst I get myself ready.”

The door to the bathroom closed, leaving the two ponies looking at each other awkwardly.

Rush cleared his throat, “So…erm…you’re the Princess’s maid then.”

Lilly nodded silently.

“Have you worked here long?”

Lilly nodded.

“Ah…that’s good…yes…” Rush trailed off, his eyes downcast. Suddenly Lilly realised she was being rude to somepony who was special to her Princess and…and…

“Have you and the Princess…?” she blurted and suddenly covered her mouth, blushing furiously. What was she thinking! Good grief, what was she about to say! The chocolate brown stallion was watching her now with a combined expression of horror and amusement - and it was her fault! She took a breath, tried to steady it, but the stallion spoke first,

“Lilly, forgive me. I feel I’ve been rude to you and we may have got off on the wrong foot.”

She peered up at him; ‘Foot’?

“You see, I’m not from this world originally, or rather, I am, but…” he groaned and gave his mane a shake, “Let me start again.” Rush cleared his throat, “My parents are, were, Equestrian. Mum, for certain ‘reasons’ ended up on another world where she was trapped while she was pregnant with me. When I was born there I grew up as a, I suppose, a different being to what you see now.” He smiled, or at least, it looked like he was trying to. Rush continued, “Tia found me and brought me home.”

Lilly’s eyes went wide with shock; Tia? TIA?! Did he mean the Princess? Such…such outrageous familiarity! Only Luna was permitted to call her that and…and… She took a breath, trying to keep her composure. None of this seemed real, and yet, here he was, talking to her. The Princess was in the bathroom, she was sat here in front of the fire drinking tea, and…and…

“I hope we can be friends.” Rush said with a smile.

Lilly looked into his big blue eyes and felt her heart skip a beat. They were so…blue! She licked her lips and swallowed a mouthful of her tea,

“Y…yes!” she stammered, “It’s…it’s nice to meet you…Rush?”

He nodded.

The bathroom door opened, allowing the Princess into the room, followed by a rolling wall of steam. She looked more like herself now; her mane was still a little damp and sagging of course, but it was most definitely the Princess. Lilly looked up at her as if she were a rescuer come to save her from a wild beast.

“Thank you for waiting me, both of you” Celestia said pleasantly, “Now, how about a nice cup of tea and a chat?”

Lilly’s eyes went wider than ever as the Princess began to tell her of her time in the human world. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, and yet the Princess had never lied to her, so why did she find the story so…incredible? If she was trying to explain away finding somepony special, then fine, she didn’t have to contrive such a fantastical story as this, did she? But what if…what if she felt she needed to? Was it because the Princess didn’t trust her any more? Lilly cast a glance at the newcomer and furrowed her brow; she just didn’t know what to think. Could he be this…what was it again, a ‘human’? She’d never heard of such things before!

“Lilly?”

There had to me more behind this story. Perhaps this new stallion had influenced the Princess somehow, and concocted this ludicrous tale at a time when she was suffering from the loss of her sister and that terrible war. Yes! That had to be it. She took a sip of her now almost cold tea; there was definitely something shifty about this ‘Rush’ character and…

“LILLY!” Celestia shouted.

The orange maid jumped in surprise, nearly dropping her cup,

“Oh! I’m sorry Your Majesty, I was miles away.”

“I could see that!” Celestia said, shaking her head, “So, what are your thoughts?”

“My thoughts?” Lilly blinked. So, this thing, this earth pony stallion, was sleeping next to her Princess was he? And by his own admission he was nothing more than a mere commoner, a lowly reed cutter of all things! Something was wrong here; something just didn’t sit right at all. She nodded her head and took a calming breath, “A world of talking bald monkeys.” Lilly said quietly.

Rush looked up from his tea, “I’m sorry?”

“It’s quite a tale.” Lilly said politely, “I can’t imagine what it must have been like, spending my whole life in a world with talking bald monkeys.”

Rush could feel his eye twitching. Why did she seem so…polite? He cleared his throat,

“We’ve told you what happened, Lilly. Whether you believe it to be true or not is up to you.”

“Indeed it is…’Rush’.” She said with a dubious smile, “I’m sure a lifetime of gathering reeds will provide you with an excellent grounding in court etiquette.” She suddenly sneered down her muzzle at him, “There will always be somepony who needs mats.”

“LILLY!” Celestia stomped a hoof loudly making the maid jump in fright, “I will not have you speaking to my guest in that manner! I thought better of you than that. What in Equestria has got into you?”

The orange mare looked like she was about to burst into tears, but stood her ground, “It’s him!” she said pointing a hoof directly at the startled brown stallion, “This fantastical story of his about coming from a planet of naked monkeys? The bastard son of a thief and a…”

“ENOUGH!” Celestia jumped down from her chair and flared her wings in fury, “This is intolerable! Lilly, I want you to go back to your room and think about what you’ve said. Until then, I’m afraid I shall have to ask Amber to act as my maid.”

“You…you’re replacing me?!” Lilly squeaked, her hooves flying up to her cheeks, “You can’t! I’ve been with you since I was a filly!”

The Princess remained stoic, “I’m sorry Lilly, but I mean what I say.”

The orange maid eyes filled with tears and began to shake. Rush took a step towards her, reaching out to…

“-Don’t touch me!” She screeched, “It’s all your fault! You! You’re a fake! A liar! You’re trying to steal our Princess away from us!”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Lilly.” Rush said calmly, “I only wanted to be friends with you.”

Lilly took a step back, shaking her head, “No you didn’t! You can’t trust a…a…” her face took on a look of confusion as a familiar armoured hoof gently but firmly turned her around. The stern face of Orange Grove looked into hers. He shook his head,

“Come on Lilly, you need to leave now.”

“Grove, you don’t believe this do you?” Lilly burbled, “This is ridiculous! He’s probably one of those changelings! A shapeshifting thing from…”

The door closed with a click behind her.

Celestia and Rush both sighed. They could still hear Lilly’s sobbing protests as she was lead off down the corridor. The Princess shook her mane and held her head in her forehooves,

“That didn’t go quite as well as I had hoped.”

Rush gave his legs a tentative stretch, “I don’t think we needed to go into the ‘land of the bald monkeys’ aspect, Tia. I think that’s when we lost her.”

The Princess groaned, “Oh, what I have done?!” She threw herself onto the bed, “Lilly and I have been together for years and now I’ve upset her by telling her the truth!”

“You have to admit, it does sound unbelievable.” Rush reasoned, “Here I am in your bed, and then we tell her I’m from the bald monkey planet.” He chuckled, “I can see why she might think we’re trying to spin her a yarn.”

“But you’re not from the monkey planet!” Celestia said in an exasperated voice, “Not really, anyway.” She pulled a pillow over her head, “I wish I hadn’t said anything at all now!”

Rush walked over to her, and stumbled awkwardly into the side of the bed, “Tia, look, I think it’s just all a bit quick for her really. I mean, I’ve only just arrived and…” he scratched his mane in thought, “I think it might be best if I slept somewhere else until everypony gets used to…”

“-NO!”

Rush ducked as the pillow flew past him.

“I will NOT have you sleeping where I can’t…that is, you need to be where…” Celestia neighed loudly, “The answer is no. You are NOT sleeping somewhere else.” She looked up at him with her large purple eyes, “I…I don’t want you to.”

The Princess’s eyes glistened in the light from the fireplace, making Rush’s heart ache in response. He nodded resignedly,

“I don’t want to either, Tia, but…are you certain about this? The last thing I want to do is cause a rift between you and your friend.”

Celestia shook her head and glanced towards the door, “I’ll talk to her. Rush, whoever I…” she gave a light whinny, “Who I choose to be with is my concern and nopony else’s, ‘friend’ or not.” Jumping down from the bed, the Princess walked over to the table and picked up her brush with her magic, “A friend would understand that.”

“She will.” Rush reasoned, “She’ll just need some time to adjust, that’s all.” He shrugged, “I have the feeling she won’t be the only one either.”

“I won’t be dictated to by anypony!” Celestia snapped, “After everything we’ve been through, I am not surrendering! I will NOT!” She pulled angrily at the brush and hissed in pain as it caught on a tangle. Rush rolled his eyes and trotted over, taking the brush from her,

“Tia, for the Gods’ sake, please…” he raised an eyebrow.

Celestia visible relaxed, letting out a pent up sigh, “I know.”

“Come on, let’s have a look at this then.” Rush raised himself up on his back legs, the brush held in his forelegs as he began to brush out the long rainbow mane of his Princess. Clucking his tongue at the knot, Rush worked at it, being careful to avoid pulling too hard and hurting her. Finally, with a relieved smile, he finally worked it free and continued to brush in long fluid strokes. Beneath his ministrations, Celestia closed her eyes and sighed,

“You have a way of making me see things differently, Rush.” She said quietly, “I don’t care what other ponies think…I need you.”

Rush paused; he didn’t know what to say. He’d never really been ‘close’ to anyone before, not even, as much as he hated to admit it - his late wife. ‘Love’ was something that was known to the people in the human world certainly, but tended to be looked down upon as some kind of mental affliction. After all, people ‘in love’ did strange and inexplicable things driven by a lack of control brought on by an imbalance in their emotional state - or so he’d been told as a youngster by the village elder. That hadn’t stopped the girls of course, and many of them often whispered about who they liked and who they planned on marrying when they were old enough. The boys on the other hand had only really been interested in showing off to one another with their sword fighting skills, and more than one had ended up going home crying over bruises and scrapes from being hit with a tree branch by an aspiring ‘warrior’. Now that he thought about it, maybe the girls had had the right of it all along. Rush shook his head; had he truly never loved his wife? Arranged marriages were the norm in his society, but a couple who chose each other wasn’t unheard of, more so amongst the peasantry of course, but…

“Rush?”

He looked up, “Hmm?”

“When did you learn how to do that?” Celestia was looking at him with a curious smile.

Rush frowned, “Do what?” he furrowed his brow and looked down, suddenly realising that he’d been standing on his two hind legs, holding the brush in his forehooves and…and…

“I…oh, shi-!“

For a split second their eyes met, just before the chocolate brown stallion suddenly overbalanced and toppled forward onto the Princess, carrying the two of them into the table and sending crockery flying in all directions. With a cry of surprise, Celestia found herself buried under upset cushions, assorted crockery and a rather heavy stallion.

The door flew open.

“Majesty!” The guards charged over, roughly grabbing Rush and hauling him off the Princess, “Get over there you!”

Rush blinked in surprise at the razor sharp point of a spear hovering mere inches from his muzzle. By the look in the guard’s eyes, he had no doubt the mare would have used it on him if…

A golden flash of light burst in the room, snatching the spear from the guard and throwing it out into the corridor with a loud clatter. All eyes turned to the Princess, the alicorn ruler of Equestria who was suddenly radiating anger like a thunderhead. Celestia’s eyes glowed with the white hot intensity of the sun as she spread her wings wide, causing the guards to bow low in submission, their eyes staring at the ground. Her chest heaving, Celestia quickly released her magic and leaned down, helping the guards ponies up. They both looked at each other in shock, but remained silent.

“Thank you for your diligence.” Celestia said politely, “It was an accident, that was all.” she gave Rush an exasperated look, “However, in future if I need help, I will call for you. Agreed?”

The guards answered simultaneously, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Excellent…” Celestia paused, “Where is guardspony Orange Grove?”

The guardsmare looked to her colleague who answered, “He’ll be back in the barracks having his breakfast Your Majesty.”

The Princess smiled wryly, “Hmm…”

“Tia?” Rush gave himself a shake, “You’re up to something.”

“Am I?” she replied with a grin, “You know, I believe it is nearly time for my morning stroll.” She let out a sigh, “Once we’ve tidied up.”

Chapter Three - A New Friend

CHAPTER THREE

A NEW FRIEND

Stairs - the terrifying prospect of trying to descend them whilst co-ordinating four legs all at the same time made Rush’s blood run cold. Of course, to an Equestrian born pony it was probably as natural as breathing, but to this newly arrived earth stallion, the mere thought of pitching muzzle first down that flight of marble steps stopped him dead in his tracks. Vivid memories of his first moments in Equestria flooded back into his mind, the terrifying feeling of being in the wrong body, the way nothing seemed to do what he wanted - it was all still horribly fresh in his mind and was now beginning to take on an almost tangible will of its own. Despite his best efforts, regardless of how much he tried, Rush’s legs simply refused to obey him…

“…and of course we have Madam Truckle and her entourage arriving at four, so I shall have to…” Celestia stopped and turned round to look at him, “Rush? What’s the matter, why are you standing there?”

Rush swallowed. Gods in their mercy, how hard could this be? He could walk just fine now, for the most part anyway, but this was… He closed his eyes and tried to calm his racing heart when he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder,

“Come on, let’s do this together.”

Celestia smiled at him gently, her large purple eyes sparkling in the warm sunlight filtering through from the stained glass windows above them. Rush nodded and let out the breath he’d been holding in. He trusted her, he trusted her completely, but his legs? He didn’t trust them at all! Rush gritted his teeth as he willed himself forward, but the bloody things had a mind of their own, and before he knew it, they began shaking like jelly. The whole situation was so unimaginably embarrassing he felt like running off and…running off? He never used to think like that! What the hell was wrong with him?! Shaking his mane, he nodded to himself and took a breath…

“Right…”

He concentrated…Front right…back left, front le…wait, was it back right or…?

“Argh!”

Rush tripped over his own hooves, his legs sending him stumbling into the banister. In a rapid flurry of movement, propelled more by desperation than anything more controlled, he grabbed hold of the marble railing and clung on for dear life. Sweat immediately broke out on his forehead, pouring down his face and stinging his eyes. He could feel his cheeks burning, mostly from embarrassment, but at least he was physically unhurt, just…humiliated… Damn it all! What would Tia think of him now? He was a mess, a hopeless, pathetic mess. How could the ruler of a land such as this think of him as anything more than an utterly useless fully grown child who couldn’t even…

“Rush?” Celestia’s voice spoke clearly and calmly next to him, “Listen to me.” Rush opened his eyes and looked up at her, maintaining his grip on the banister as the Princess continued, “How did you walk on two legs?”

“I…” Suddenly distracted, Rush blinked in surprise at the question, “I just…did.”

“Did you look at you feet when you walked?”

He shook his head, “No, you just put one in front of the other.”

The Princess smiled, “You just did it? You didn’t have to think about balance or anything like that?”

Rush nodded.

“You may think it is strange to walk on four legs,” Celestia reasoned pleasantly, “but most living things in our home do just that. I must say, I found it incredible how humans could walk on just two legs like a bird, and without wings to help either!”

Rush snorted out a laugh, “I think it’s hard enough co-ordinating four legs without adding flying into the equation.” He’d seen pegasi flying over the palace but hadn’t met any up close yet. Presumably they just looked like Tia without the horn.

“You seemed to get on well with Guardstallion Orange Grove.” The Princess said, looking into his eyes searchingly, “I think you two could become good friends, if you spent more time together.”

Spent more time together? Rush shuddered. He wasn’t good with people generally, finding his own company far more agreeable. Still, this was a new world, a new life, and perhaps he should be making more of an effort to be…he grimaced…sociable.

“I don’t think we’ll be needing cloaks this morning.” Celestia said trotting up to the guards by the main doors, “It’s lovely and…”

Rush stopped and stared at her, “Tia?”

“Hmm?”

“I…” he looked over his shoulder, then down at his hooves, “How did I…?”

“The stairs?” Celestia said dismissively, “Oh, you walked down them. Did you forget?”

Rush shook his head in bewilderment, “Yes…yes, I suppose I did.”

“Well, come on then, I want to make the most of the morning before the Chancellor thinks I’ve abandoned my duties.” The Princess gave him a wink and bobbed her head to the guards as they walked past.

Outside, the gardens were, rather predictably, just as magnificent as the rest of the palace. Beautifully crafted statuary, fountains and topiary lent a feeling of taste and sophistication that went far beyond anything Rush had ever seen before in the human world. In some ways he felt a little overwhelmed by it all, and almost…’dirty’ somehow, as if his harsh life in the wooden house in the mountains could somehow sully the sheer perfection of what he was seeing by his mere presence. Watching ponies bow or curtsey when the Princess passed by was strange too, and some of the looks he received from them when they thought he couldn’t see them suggested that not everypony accepted his closeness with their ruler.

Turning a corner, Celestia headed for a gap in the long hedgerow only to find it blocked by a pastel yellow stallion on a stepladder with a set of shears. The grey maned fellow bobbed his head to the Princess and peered curiously at Rush before addressing her,

“Mornin’ Your Majesty.”

“Good Morning Thimble, how are you today?” The Princess beamed.

The yellow coated stallion smiled and climbed down from the ladder, “Very well thanks, Your Majesty. Been tidyin’ a few bits and pieces here and there. Seems to be comin’ along nice.”

Celestia nodded, “Very much so. You’re doing a splendid job.”

Rush could almost hear the old stallion’s eyes turning to him: focussing, examining…

“You must be that Rush fella.”

Opening his mouth to speak, Rush suddenly found himself lost for words. How did he know who he was? Did word really travel that fast around here? He sighed; yes, it probably did. After all, a certain orange unicorn maid had been rather upset with him, hadn’t she? Rush took a breath and nodded to the gardener,

“Yes, sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Mmm” the old-timer raised an eyebrow, “Let me see yer hooves there.”

“I’m sorry?” Rush asked, but before he could blink suddenly found one of his forehooves grabbed and lifted up for inspection.

“Reckon you’re no stranger to hard work, Mister Rush. I always say you can tell the quality of a stallion by his hooves.” Thimble scratched his grey beard in thought, “Yup.”

In Rush’s village, elder members were usually afforded a great deal of respect, their age and knowledge almost revered, even if they could become a little…eccentric in their later years. Thimble himself seemed harmless enough though, and was either a smooth talker or surprisingly observant. Rush nodded to him,

“I used to work with river reeds; harvesting and preparing them ready for sale.”

“River reeds?” Thimble asked curiously, “Sounds like something foreigners do.”

This was going well, Rush thought to himself sarcastically. He smiled at the gardener, “I’m afraid where I’m from there was little emphasis on ornamental gardening, except at the temples.” Rush narrowed his eyes, “Staying alive tended to take precedence over fancy hedges and statues.”

The gardener watched him quietly for a moment and then bowed to the Princess, “Your Majesty.”

Trotting away down the gravel path, Celestia shot Rush a look of displeasure, “Did you really need to bait him, Rush? Thimble has been the royal gardener for years and yes, I know he can be cranky at times, but he’s a kindly old soul.”

“Maybe baiting him is ‘something foreigners do’ too.” Rush muttered. He thought for a moment, “Tia, do I look foreign?” he glanced down at his legs, “I thought I looked like everypony else here – is it my coat colour, my eyes, what?”

The Princess shook her head, “You look like what you are – an earth pony.”

“But do I have strange colouring? What about my cutie mark?” Rush pressed.

Celestia sighed, “Look around you, Rush. Out of everypony you’ve met so far, who looks the most unusual here?”

Rush looked. The gardens had a few early morning strollers, out to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful surrounds, but for the most part it was still fairly quiet. There was a pony on a ladder busy cleaning windows, another painting a doorframe - in fact there was nothing that struck him as particularly unusual, despite how new it all was to him. Somehow, it all just seemed to ‘fit’, as though it had always been there, quietly waiting for him to come along and appreciate it. He looked closer; the painter was a carrot coloured unicorn with white and red striped hair, his cutie was, rather unsurprisingly, a paintbrush. The window cleaning fellow up the ladder was a rust coloured earth stallion with light brown hair, holding a long pole in his mouth with a cloth on the end. Rush couldn’t see his cutie mark under his overalls, but no doubt it would be something ‘appropriate’ like the painters. Overhead, a young pegasus mare flew past carrying a satchel. Suddenly, in a flurry of wings she landed not far away, took out a scroll and trotted over to hoof it one of castle maids who’d appeared in the doorway.

It all seemed…perfectly normal.

Rush shook his head and scrubbed his mane with a hoof; the more he looked at himself, the more he seemed, well…like everypony else really. In fact, the one who really looked stood out was the tall white mare with both wings and a horn…Celestia. Rush looked up at her and then turned away suddenly feeling embarrassed.

“Well?” She asked.

“It’s just me, isn’t it” Rush said quietly, “I’m being foolish.”

“No.” The Princess replied smiling kindly, “You are who you are, as I am who I am. We are all different, all unique, and yet all one people.” Celestia ruffled her wings, “Ponies are inquisitive Rush, and will want to know who you are. It’s up to you whether you can embrace that inquisitiveness and use it to help make new friends.”

“Friends” Rush said quietly, “I was always wary about that word.”

“Is that a human sentiment?” Celestia asked.

“Probably not, but it is mine.” Rush muttered, “Tia, I’m sorry, I’m not used to…’interaction’ with people.” He closed his eyes a moment, “Being sociable is not in my nature.”

The Princess gave him a light nudge, “Maybe not in the human world, but perhaps that was because of what you are.” She lifted an eyebrow, “You did have friends there, and family. They helped you when you needed them, didn’t they?”

“I suppose…” Rush sighed, “It’s a lot to absorb, Tia.” Looking up at her, he gave her a slightly distant smile, “I’ll try.”

“That’s all anypony could ask.” Celestia said nodding, “Whether you make friends or not, is your choice. Just, see how you feel.” She grinned, “You have a whole new world to explore and a whole new life, Rush. For now though, I want to stretch my legs. Do you feel up to it?”

“Um…sure” Rush replied uncertainly.

He shook his mane and walked up alongside Celestia. For the first time he noticed just how tall she really was. In his village he was slightly above average height, but not significantly so and certainly nobody ever mentioned it as being worthy of note. When he’d met Tia in the forest, her height didn’t seem to register with him, and in some ways he’d assumed that all ponies in Equestria were all going to be roughly the same height. Now, standing here beside her, he found himself looking up at her and…

“Try to keep up!”

Celestia suddenly surged forward and Rush was left stumbling in her wake.

“W…WAIT!” He blurted, but the alicorn was already trotting off across the lawn.

Gritting his teeth, Rush tried to pick up speed, doing his best not to think about which leg to move first, to keep his mind blank and just…move... Gradually, and much to his surprise, he began to find his rhythm; by shifting his weight and almost ‘bouncing’ along as he’d seen horses do when he’d worked for the Lord, he found it was surprisingly comfortable, natural, and…exhilarating! He began to chuckle and found himself laughing aloud as he quickly caught up with the Princess. She looked back at him over her shoulder and gave him a beaming smile,

“You have good form, Rush!” she called, “Are you warming up nicely?”

The wind tickled Rush’s ears, flowing through his nostrils and into his lungs. His body still felt a little strange, but…the sheer power! He could feel the dormant strength in his legs, the muscles working and generating a heat that only seemed to make him want do more… He wondered…

“Canter?” he called.

Celestia smiled back and nodded, “If you feel you are…”

Rush neighed loudly and with a surprising burst of speed, shot forward past the startled mare.

“Rush! Wait!” Celestia shouted, “Not so…!”

Wind blasted past him, the grass brushing past his legs, his hooves thundering and driving him on. Dear Gods, this was amazing! He’d dreamed of it, he’d longed for it: the visions he’d had of charging across the beautiful fields and forests of a land he’d never seen…they were real! Rush’s eyes streamed with tears, his heart singing and his soul filled with the final realisation – he was home. His ears flat, he ran even harder, ever faster, the world passing by in a blur of colour as he entered the forest where the tree’s flashed past him in a torrent of green and brown. He had to dodge and weave, avoiding low branches and fallen logs, but it was as natural to him now as breathing and completely exhilarating beyond anything he could have ever imagined.

The memory of his mother and the images Celestia has shown him of her, unexpectedly filled his mind. Was this the world she’d had and given up? No wonder she always seemed distant – to lose something so incredible, so wondrous, must have…must have… He suddenly wondered: if she had come from Equestria, she must have had relatives, right? The same with his father; that must mean that somewhere in this land, he would have…

“SHI-!”

Too late, Rush noticed the fallen tree. He was running too fast, his lack of experience and sudden panic sending him into a stumbling, flailing mass of legs and fur as he crashed bodily into the half rotten wood. There was a sound like a loud gong being sounded and darkness swallowed Rush in an instant, the last view he had of the world little more than leaves, bark and soil.

****************************

“Hello?”

Oh Gods… Rush blinked; his eyes felt like somepony had poured burning sand in them. He groaned took a breath; his hearing, his vision, his body – why did everything hurt so much?!

“Don’t try to move, I’ll fetch the doctor and…”

Who was that? Rush flexed his legs and snorted out a leaf that was jammed in one of his nostrils, “No…no, I’m…fine…” he said, rolling himself upright. Everything seemed to be alright: a few aches here and there, some scratches and bruises, but thankfully no breaks. He knew all too well what happened to equines that broke legs, and…wait…who was talking to him? “Tia?”

“Who?” The peach coloured mare asked curiously. She stared down at him with her large scarlet eyes and tossed her pale green mane, “Are you sure you’re alright? I think you must have thumped your head quite hard there.” She raised an eyebrow, “I heard you crashing through the trees and thought you were a bear!”

“A…a bear?” Rush blinked. She was right, he must have hit his head, he was seeing stars and there was definitely a background ache when he tried to move.

“I think you need to see the doctor.” The mare said, “Here, let me help you up.”

She reached out a foreleg and expertly helped Rush to stand. Horribly, the world lurched around him for just the briefest of moments and he felt a wave of nausea flow over him, but thankfully as quickly as it had appeared, it left, leaving him standing there letting the blissfully cool forest air cleanse his lungs. He closed his eyes,

“Thank you. Miss…?”

“Apricot” the mare replied.

Rush smiled, wincing as a throbbing headache began to run through him,

“It’s nice to meet you Apricot.”

She looked up at him doubtfully, “Hmm.” Fishing in her basket, she took out a small parcel and lifted it up in the purple glow of her magic.

“You’re a unicorn!” Rush suddenly exclaimed.

“Yes…?” she said quietly, furrowing her brow, “Here, chew these, slowly mind you.”

Apricot floated over several pale blue and white flowers with long green stems. They smelled nice, and…tasted nice too! Rush chewed them dutifully and quickly began to feel a peculiar, but not unpleasant, tingling running through him.

“What are these?” He asked around the mouthful, “They’re delicious!”

“Needlewort”, Apricot replied, putting the remainder away, “They should help with your head until we can get you looked at.” She gave him a warning glance, “Don’t swallow them yet though, just keep chewing or they won’t work.”

Rush nodded. Closing his eyes in anticipation of another throb of pain, he paused – the pain had gone! He looked up at her and smiled his thanks, but she was busy putting her basket back in her pannier and began walking away,

“Come on,” she called over her shoulder, “let’s get you to the doctor.”

With apparently little other choice, Rush followed. Physically he still felt a little out of sorts, but it was his head that worried him the most: his mind seemed to comprise of little more than a confusing fog of images and wooziness which he could only hope would wear off soon. Come to think of it, where was Tia? He looked about, but couldn’t see any sign of her anywhere. He sighed quietly; she was probably worried sick about him. What if she was searching the forest for him right now? Didn’t Apricot say there were bears here? He lifted his hoof to catch her attention and stumbled awkwardly.

“What are you doing?” she admonished, looking back over her shoulder, “Keep up!”

“I…” Rush couldn’t seem to string a sentence together; his mouth felt strangely numb and his thoughts kept skittering away from him more and more. He spat the needlewort out of his mouth and licked his lips – the strange tingling was not particularly unpleasant as such, just…strange. He took a breath and resigned himself to following the young mare; after all, what else could he do? He had no idea where he was and Tia wouldn’t exactly be hard to find, would she?

Apricot trotted on, following what looked to be a game trail, down a gentle incline and out into wide open fields where it picked up a dirt road. The sun was high in the sky now, its warmth dissipated slightly by a playful breeze that tugged at Rush’s mane and tail as he walked. Every so often, the peach coloured mare would check to make sure he wasn’t far behind her, but other than that, the two walked on in absolute silence. Rush listened to sound of his hooves as they impacted the ground, feeling the dull thud running up his legs and the strangely therapeutic rhythm they made. In some respects it was almost mesmerising, and certainly took his mind off what was happening. Anyway, at least he was in one piece so he had that to be thankful for, and this young mare had been kind enough to offer him help too; the least he could do was accept her kind offer of aid.

Before long the outskirts of what turned out to be a small town came into view, it’s myriad of brightly coloured houses with yellow thatched roofs far removed from the dour homes he was used to. Here and there colourful banners flew, most of them emblazoned with a representation of Celestia’s cutie mark – a golden sun. He smiled; the flower boxes added a wonderful scent to the air together with the enticing smell of baking bread. There was something else too…the earthy scent of…what was that? Before he had a chance to investigate further Rush pulled up short, narrowly avoiding colliding with the young mare who had stopped in front of a fairly substantial white painted house with a red door. A large white sign outside was painted with an equally large red cross in its centre. She reached out and pulled a lever which rang a bell further inside the property.

A few moments later, the door opened.

“Apricot?” A pewter coloured unicorn mare peered down at them while adjusting her spectacles, “You’re back early, did you…” the mare paused and her green eyes locked onto Rush, “And who is this?”

“His name’s…” Apricot furrowed her brow, “What is your name?”

“Oh, um…” Rush blinked, his mind still a little muddled.

“Needlewort?” The older mare asked.

Apricot nodded, “He had a nasty fall in the forest, Auntie. I’m afraid I used most of the needlewort I found.” She cast a slightly accusatory glance at Rush.

“Well never mind that now, bring him in girl.” The pewter mare sniffed loudly, standing back to allow them entry.

Rush quickly found himself being gently but firmly pushed and prodded into a brightly lit room with surprisingly large arched windows. His hooves clopped noisily on the polished wooden floor until he was finally manoeuvred into a large and surprisingly comfortable chair. The pewter mare pulled open a drawer and took out several peculiar looking instruments which she floated out before his eyes,

“Right then, let’s have a look at you…”

Whatever the mare was doing, Rush had no idea, and decided just to let her get on with it; what was far more interesting was the room itself – and the incredible number of paintings of cats and kittens. Dear Gods, they were everywhere! Every wall, every cupboard and shelf held a picture of one or more of the furry creatures. He was fond of them himself; in fact his mother had owned one when he was a child, but his recollection of the odd creature was far from it being ‘cuddly’, rather it was the terror of the local bird and mouse population. It would sleep on his bed occasionally, but if you tried to stroke it, the beast it would likely remove several pints of blood in the process. That cat had been its own master; it tolerated you, and it kept your home free of mice. Rush smiled at the memory; despite the animals apparent indifference, it only ever slept on his bed, and for that he was grateful, feeling as if in its own feline minded way the furry creature was protecting him.

Maybe it was…

“Ouch! Bloody hell!” Rush’s hoof shot up to rub his ear.

“Hmm.” The odd mare peered at him, “Apricot, get a patch on that please.”

The young mare appeared, floating a small pad of cloth which she held above Rush’s head. He looked up, trying to see, and she tapped him on the muzzle,

“Look down! How do you expect me to reach up there?”

Rush shrugged. He was starting to get itchy feet and… he sighed; hooves, HOOVES! When was he going to learn?! This was beginning to irritate him now; there was just so much to remember, so much he needed to consider, and the way people spoke here in Equestria as opposed to the human world was just one of them. In fact, one of the biggest changes he’d found seemed to be that society itself was, what was the word now…’inverted’? Yes…‘inverted’. Rush nodded to himself and watched the apricot mare who was busy talking with the older unicorn. Females had a noticeably different status here: back in his village they were respected, protected, and worked just as hard alongside their male counterparts as he suspected they did in every village. The upper classes however were very different breed, and females there were more relegated to background roles and the males very much the ‘face’ of power. Here, females seemed to not only outnumber the males, but also take the lead in just about every…

“Open.”

Rush obediently opened his mouth and felt a wooden stick like thing pressed onto his tongue.

“Say ‘Ah’”

“Ah”

The stick was removed.

Yes…it was going to take quite some getting used to…

The older mare returned and sat herself on a stool in front of him while Apricot altered the curtains so Rush wasn’t staring into bright sunlight.

“My name is Cross Cut. You already know my niece, Apricot Crumble.” The mare watched him closely, “What is your name?”

The brown stallion cleared his throat; the taste of the stick had made his tongue feel a little odd. “Rush.” he said with a bob of his head.

Apricot lifted a hoof and started to open her mouth but her Aunt shushed her,

“How do you feel, Rush? Any pain, dizziness or nausea?”

Closing his eyes, Rush tried to sense anything ‘wrong’ with his body. Unfortunately it was hard to tell: everything still felt strange generally, to the point where he’d found that the best course of action was just to ignore the ‘otherness’ of it all and simply get on with things. If you thought about blinking for example, you could find yourself becoming incredibly conscious of the whole operation. It was the same with his legs and hooves – the more he thought about how he actually managed to propel himself with four of the things, the more likely it was he was to going to end up plunging nose first into an embarrassing heap. Still, everything ‘seemed’ to be as it should be.

“No.” he replied, “I feel…fine.”

“Hmm” Cross Cut furrowed her brow, “Good.” She waved off her niece and made some notes in a book held up in the glow from her magic.

Rush watched in fascination. He’d seen Tia using magic of course, not much though due to the lack of a magical field on his old world, and yes, she’d used it since he’d been in Equestria, but for some reason, now it was like he was really seeing it for the first time. The blue glow around Cross Cut’s horn was almost alive, with tiny flecks of silver floating within it while her quill scratched away, depositing its shining ink on the paper. It all seemed unbelievably vivid.

“Here, drink this.” Apricot held up a beaker of something earthy smelling and Rush downed it in one go, nearly choking. “Good Goddesses! Don’t you know how to drink?!” the mare exclaimed.

Wiping his muzzle, Rush gave her an apologetic look, and once again Cross Cut waved her away,

“Rush, have you seen magic before?”

Rush blinked, “Yes…just, only Tia’s.” he winced, “Gods, my head!” A sudden blast of pain bolted through his skull, feeling for all the world like something was trying to batter its way out from the inside.

“I’m afraid that’s the needlewort wearing off.” Cross Cut explained in a slightly disinterested tone, “Chewing it will numb pain but also cause some unpleasant side effects. The Vale Root you’ve just taken should help perk you up, but it will probably be a few hours until you’re safe to go out on your own.”

A sudden thought hit Rush, “I…Wait, no, I need to get back. Thank you for your help, Cross Cut, but Tia will be looking for me.”

“Who’s Tia? Your wife?” the mare asked.

Rush paled suddenly, “No, she’s…” he didn’t know what to say.

“Marefriend?” Cross Cut asked raising an eyebrow.

He didn’t need to respond, she seemed to know already. Rush just nodded.

“Well I’m not willing to let you out until I know you’re fine.” The mare smiled faintly, “Where do you live? I’ll see about getting a message to this ‘Tia’ in case she’s worried about you.”

Rush nodded, “I live at the palace.”

“One of the staff? Or are you one of the guards?” Cross Cut asked.

“Neither.” Rush replied, “I…” Another ache made him wince and Cross Cut leaned forward, looking into his eyes closely,

“Don’t worry, I’ll get a message to them. Is Tia her full name or…” she paused, blinking. Turning to her niece, the mare’s eyes went wide, “Celes…Tia?”

Rubbing his temples, Rush nodded, “Mmhmm.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to say, Auntie!” Apricot hissed under her breath, “The village is abuzz with it! It’s him! The pony from another world!”

Cross Cut squinted curiously at Rush and then turned back to a small brass apparatus on the bench beside her, “Stuff and nonsense” she mumbled, “The blood sample looks exactly the same as everypony else and he looks like every other stallion I’ve ever seen.” She smiled sagely to her niece, “I wouldn’t believe everything you hear.”

“But Lilly said…”

Cross Cut lifted a hoof, “-Lilly’s head is full of cotton wool and larks song, Apricot. That girl has been in lala-land ever since I’ve known her, and this whole ‘working for the Princess’ business has given her ideas above her station. We’re all Equestrian’s and that includes Mister Rush here.” She smiled kindly, “Even Muffins likes him, look…”

On cue, a large grey tabby cat jumped up into Rush’s lap making him jump slightly in surprise, but the curious feline remained completely unfazed. Purring, the warm animal kneaded and prodded its newly discovered large brown cushion until it had made itself comfortable and proceeded to yawn expansively before nodding off.

Rush reached down gingerly with his hoof and stroked the cat’s fur. It was one thing he missed: the sensation of touch. It was ‘sort of’ there, but nothing like it had been with his hands and fingers. He peered at his hoof and let out a breath; he really would need to get used to this new body, and his new home. He looked up to see Cross Cut watching him intently,

“Rush, can you read this?” She held up a board with scratched lines and symbols on it. He shook his head.

“He can’t read?” Apricot asked in amazement, “Where are you from?”

A sudden thought hit Rush and he tried to pry himself from the chair, “I’m sorry, Cross Cut, I really need to go, Tia will be…”

Dizziness suddenly sent him reeling and his stomach lurched. Hurrying with the bucket, Apricot managed to get to him in the nick of time.

Cross Cut stroked Rush’s mane as he heaved, “I will have a message sent, Rush, fear not. The…Princess…will be informed.”

Rush had stopped listening, he was too busy trying to grab onto the sides of the bucket and throwing up his insides. That bloody mare! She’d damned well poisoned him! Gods damn it all, maybe being an Equestrian pony wasn’t all it was…

Cross Cut rubbed his neck as he heaved once again, “Which is why I said to stay here, hmm?”

Sweat soaked into the fur on Rush’s brow as waves of heat and dizziness drew him into a world of misery that reminded him of his first hours here in Equestria. Gods help him, when would this stop?! Slowly, he opened his eyes to see a blue aura filling his vision, a gentle warmth and sleepiness filling his mind.

“Shhh…” the voice said quietly, “Sleep now…sleep…”

Surrendering to the magic, Rush allowed the darkness to take him down, down into a deep comforting sleep, his worries, his fears and pain, drifting away like a leaf on the river.

***********************

Above the forest the white alicorn flew as pure and bright as a star in the midday sun. She’d been searching for him for hours, yet despite her best efforts there just no sign of Rush other than for his hoof prints disappearing into the forest. She’d run after him of course, but for some reason he’d simply vanished without a trace; his hoof prints and evidence of his passing ‘disappearing’ as if he’d just winked out of existence. Celestia closed her eyes, willing away the intrusive and frightening thoughts that were suggesting that maybe, just maybe, that was exactly what had happened. After all, what if Rush’s presence in her world was…NO! Gods damn it, No! Why was she thinking like this?! They’d gone for a run, he’d gone into the forest and got lost – that was all, nothing more and nothing less. ‘Still’, she thought to herself with a shake of her mane, he couldn’t simply ‘vanish’, so how come she couldn’t find him? Taking to the air hadn’t helped much either as it turned out – the trees were thick here and blocked her view of the ground like a green blanket. It seemed that no matter what she tried, Rush was still missing and even her magic was letting her down. Part of her had wanted to put a tracking spell on him earlier too, just in case he ever…’wandered off’, but she hadn’t had she? Now of course, it was too late! She gritted her teeth angrily and flew down to meet the guardsponies who were emerging from the forest’s edge. One of them was waving up at her.

The Princess landed with rather more force than she intended next to the armoured stallion who bowed respectfully.

“Anything?” Celestia asked.

The guard nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty.” He reached back into his pannier and took out a small sickle, “We found this in the forest next to some cut stems. It’s not rusted so we don’t believe it’s been there long. There were tracks too, one set leading into the forest and then out again with another set, heavier: probably a stallion.”

The Princess felt a sudden flush of relief, “Where do they lead?”

“The dogs are following the scent now, Your Majesty,” the guard replied, “but by the direction of the prints, it looks like they’re heading towards Paddock.”

Paddock…The village erected for the families of those lost in the war. It was a haven for those whose lives had been forever changed by the calamitous events of that most dreadful of times in Equestrian history. Most of the scars had healed; the churned and blood soaked ground of River Valley now a sombre place of thick green grass, trees, and the quietly meandering river that gave the place its name. There, on the ridgeline overlooking the fields of death was the memorial to the Equestrians who had fallen there in the defence of their home. Paddock however, was a place where statues and lists of names meant nothing. There were some wounds that time would never heal…

The tracking dogs barked and pulled at their leashes excitedly, leading the party along the forest road, past the curious locals, through the outskirts of the town and right up to the brightly painted front door of the local clinic.

With a heavy thump the door suddenly flew open and a bespectacled mare with grey hair and a pewter coloured coat glowered down at them,

“What in Celestia’s name is going on out here? What’s all this interminable noise?!”

The guards parted and bowed, allowing the Princess to walk forward and stand before the irate mare,

“That is precisely what I would like to know.”

The unicorn mare paled and quickly curtseyed, “Your Majesty…”

Celestia pushed past her, quickly followed by the guards, some of whom had already disappeared further into the clinic.

“Where is he?” Celestia asked levelly, her eyes narrowing.

“He? You mean…”

The Princess lifted her head, her ears twitching, listening for any sound…he was here! She could hear a commotion from the next room, and…

“What the hell’s going on?! Leave him alone!” It was a younger mare’s voice.

Celestia hurried into the room to find one of the guards holding down a young peach coloured mare while another passed her a bottle with a skull and crossbones clearly printed upon it with the name ‘Needlewort’. Lying on the bed beside the bottle was the prostrate form of…

“RUSH!”

The Princess hurried to him and looked down, pulling the sheets aside, looking for signs of… She closed her eyes and took a breath…he was breathing.

“Get out…all of you…GET OUT!” She didn’t look round as the sound of protests and hoof steps faded from the room. With a glow of magic the door closed with a click, leaving the white alicorn alone with the stallion on the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut and gently nuzzled him,

“Rush?”

Silence, and then…

“Mmm…Tia?” The stallion’s eyes slowly opened and he smacked his lips, a slight smile crossing his face, “I just had the oddest dream.”

Long white forelegs reached out and pulled him into an embrace making him chuckle in surprise,

“Tia? What’s…?”

“Rush…Rush, Rush, Rush…” The Princess squeezed her eyes shut and just held him, whispering his name into his fur as she buried her muzzle into his mane.

Rush reached up around her and hugged her back,

“I’m sorry, love. I got lost and bumped my head, and…Mmph!”

Celestia’s kiss took him by surprise and he felt all his recently recovered energy drain away like mist in the morning sunshine. He held her, feeling the tears from her eyes dripping onto his face and crying out to his heart in turn. Rush closed his eyes, and whispered to her,

“I’m sorry, love…”

“I thought I’d lost you.” She said quietly, “I’ve just found you, and then…”

“I know.” Rush said gently, stroking his beloved mare, “It’s my fault, I just…I don’t know, I just lost my head a bit I suppose.” He smiled sadly, “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

She nodded, “What did they do to you?”

“Do?” he asked, “You mean Cross Cut and Apricot? They helped me.”

Celestia lifted an eyebrow, “They helped you?” she released him and picked up the bottle on the workbench and peered at the letters, “Needlewort.”

“Mmm” Rush said slowly pulling himself off the bed, “When Apricot found me she treated me with some of the stems. I used to harvest something similar back ho-” he paused, “back in my old world. It helps with shock and trauma, numbing the…” Rush looked up at the Princess, “What’s the matter?”

“I think I owe some ponies an apology.” She said with a sigh, “Please Rush, would you mind waiting here a moment?”

He smiled, “Of course.”

Rush sat and waiting, eventually pulling himself from the bed and testing his legs. Everything seemed to be working the way it was meant to, and his head felt fine too, thank the Gods. He gave himself an experimental shake, finding everything to be in working order. If there was one interesting thing he’d learned today though, it was that plants here in Equestria could be used for medicinal applications just as those back in his old world. It was surprisingly intriguing. Looking about the room, Rush found numerous books, drawings, charts, and bottles of what were probably medicines of various types. One of the books held pictures of plants too – herbs and other, more curious looking things.

“Rush?” It was Celestia, she was walking in with the two other mares, “How are you feeling?”

Rush looked up from the book, “Oh! Fine, thank you. Is everything alright?”

She nodded, “I’ve apologised to the doctor and her niece. I think I may…did…overreact.”

Cross Cut shook her head, “There’s nothing to apologise for Your Majesty, you were concerned for your friend, that’s all.” The mare smiled at the Princess kindly and walked up to Rush, “He seems a lot better now, and no worse for wear despite his tumble.”

The Princess looked away with a slight expression of embarrassment, “Thank you doctor.”

Rush tapped the book he had been reading, breaking the feeling of awkwardness in the room, “Are all these found locally?” he asked.

Apricot nodded, “Mostly, but some we have to buy from the trader caravans.” She raised an eyebrow questioningly, “Why?”

“My mother taught me some of the ways of the healer,” Rush said turning a page, “I’d like to find out more about these if I may.”

The doctor looked up at the Princess, “Your Majesty?”

Celestia watched Rush staring at the book, a look of absolute fascination in his eyes. He needed time to integrate into this new world mentally as well as physically, so perhaps an interest he was familiar with would help him. She nodded,

“We have plenty of books at the palace on this subject. May I ask: would you be willing to help teach him, Doctor?”

The pewter mare scrubbed her mane a moment, watching Rush intently, “Well,” she said thoughtfully, “a strong back would be welcome, and if he has some skills in the healing arts, I could certainly use them.”

There was a slight huff from Apricot who apparently didn’t quite share her aunt’s sentiments.

“Good. I will speak with Rush more on this before contacting you Doctor.” The Princess bobbed her head, “Now, if you’ll excuse I believe we have intruded upon your time enough today.”

Bidding the two mares farewell, Celestia, Rush and their royal guard set off back to the Palace amidst some curious glances from the local population. Rush kept quiet, feeling more than a little awkward at being ‘escorted’, but then, since he was walking side by side with the Princess, what else could he expect? After all, all this was his fault; he was the one who’d charged off and nearly killed himself and frightened her. He sighed; he just wasn’t used to…females. Back in the village his own wife had been a stranger to him, an arranged marriage that had ended up with two unwilling persons shoved together with expectations that they would somehow ‘get along’. They’d had a daughter, a beautiful creature who had naturally gravitated towards her mother rather than her gruff father. In some ways he felt as if his life as a human had all been little more than a dream, as though he’d never had a family of his own in the first place, and that his marriage were little more than a corrupted memory. It was so long ago, on a different world, and even a different ‘him’ in some respects. Perhaps if he’d been born here in Equestria things could have been different, but then even here the foul spectre of war had tainted this once peaceful land. The conflict sparked by Tia’s own sister had finished years earlier from what he’d been able to gather, but Tia didn’t really talk about it much. They’d spoken of it in passing, on the long dark nights in his home in the mountains, and from what he’d gathered it had been a war between an invading force lead by her sister, Luna, against her own people. In some respects it was unbelievable, and yet in others, especially considering the way he knew humans behaved - almost inevitable. Of course, what was he to know of such things? He was a healer’s son, a reed cutter, and now by some strange twist of fate, the ‘consort’ to the Princess of Equestria. He shook his head; he didn’t like titles, but he certainly didn’t care what people thought of him either. If nothing else he just wanted to be accepted for who he was – Rush, the brown earth stallion, the son of Willow and Silver Spark. His father he’d never known, and his mother, who had always been rather distant with him, now felt more like strangers than ever before. In his heart he wanted to know more about them, but now they were gone, it was unlikely he’d ever discover much more than he knew now.

“Your Majesty!” the Chancellor appeared in a flurry of robes and documents, flanked by two younger ponies carrying scrolls and other assorted writing implements, “Thank goodness! The Elder and her party are becoming quite anxious! I’ve delayed them as much as I can, but…”

The Princess lay a hoof on the flustered mare’s shoulder, “Thank you for your hard work, Chancellor. I will come now.” She turned to one of her guards, “Is Guardstallion Orange Grove on duty today?”

“I believe so, Your Majesty.” The guard replied smartly.

“Would you give him this please? And ask one of the staff to show Rush to the library.” She smiled at Rush, “You’ll have to excuse me, I’m afraid that matters of state wait for nopony.” She gave him a wink, “I’ll see you soon.”

Rush bobbed his head to her and watched her walk off up the main hall with an excitable Chancellor nearly doing cartwheels beside her while the two mares brought up the rear like ducklings following their mother. He smiled to himself and turned back to the stony gaze of the guard,

“After you.” he said politely.

The guard’s expression never changed, and he headed off up a side passage to what turned out to be a small side office. He knocked smartly on the door,

“Blanket Stitch? Are you in?”

There was a muffled reply and then a yellow and cream patched mare appeared, adjusting a thick pair of red rimmed spectacles,

“Yes?” She peered at the guard, “Batch, is that you? What’s up? Who’s he?”

The guard cocked an eyebrow at Rush, “This is the Princess’s ‘consort’ apparently. Her Majesty has asked for one of the girls to show him around the library.”

“Why can’t you do it?” She asked with a sniff.

“Because I’m spending all my time running errands.” the guard said, irritably, “Not that I’ve got anything more important to do of course, but there you go.”

Rush felt like cringing inside. He was already feeling guilty enough as it was, but now it seemed as if he were being viewed as nothing more than a nuisance to these ponies. Still, he was the new guy and he would settle in sooner or later; hopefully ‘sooner’ – the look the mare shot him could have melted stone,

“Wait there, please.” She said levelly.

Rush waited in the quiet corridor until the door re-opened and the mare, now wearing a near hoof-length black dress, emerged, locking it behind her,

“Follow me, please.” She said, and set off without even a backward glance to see if he was following.

Rush let out a breath and followed, watching the swishing black tail of the mare as she walked. The noise it made against her dress was almost hypnotic when combined with the rhythmic clopping of their hooves echoing down the quiet passage. Rush had expected it to be busy here, as the sheer size of the palace suggested there would be a sizeable number of staff to keep everything running, but instead it was surprisingly ‘empty’, and not just of ponies either, but of…well, ‘everything’! Rush was surprised by the starkness of it all and the noticeable absence of decoration. There were no pictures, no paintings, no flower arrangements, in fact the whole building felt as though it had just been built… He paused and thought back to a conversation he’d had over a cup of tea in his old home; he could still remember pieces of it even now. Tia had said the two sisters lived in a castle, and yet she called this place ‘the palace’. What had happened whilst she’d been gone? In fact, just how long had it been since that heart rending day he’d seen her vanish through the portal? Suddenly he felt really…old…

Wood, paper, the smell of flowers and…books…lots and lots of books - Rush’s eyes went wide in amazement. He’d seen books before of course, mostly owned by the local Lord due to the sheer cost of them and many of those had been scrolls, but – dear Gods, there were so many of them!

The maid sighed, “Here we are…sir.”

Rush didn’t answer. The incredible sight of so much knowledge, row upon row of it stretching from floor to ceiling, so high a wheeled ladder had been provided to give access to the higher levels, was breathtaking. Here, unlike much of the rest of the palace, large colourful rugs, paintings, and bowls of potpourri added a sense of homeliness and comfort that suggested that the Princess valued this area more than others. Interestingly though, Rush noted there were no guards here and that it appeared as if anypony could simply walk in and make use of the place just as with the palace gardens. Was Tia really that trusting? He shook his head; would he ever really be able to understand other ponies? Would he ever be able to understand her?

Giving his mane a shake, Rush walked over to one of the nearest shelves and took a book down that caught his eye. The strange text made no sense to him whatsoever, and this particular book didn’t have any pictures on the cover to indicate what it was either. He tried balancing on his hind legs to get a better purchase on the book and attempted to hold it in one hoof while leafing through it with the other. He paused; on second thoughts, he’d better not. If he damaged the book he’d have to explain to Tia what had happened and not only that, but the now rather bored looking Blanket Stitch was likely to tell everypony on the castle staff too. He took a breath and, holding the book in his mouth, walked over to one of the reading tables and sat down. Rush stared at the book for a while and groaned; he couldn’t understand a single word of it! So much for bloody magic then! He could speak the language, understand it too, but the written word…

“Excuse me?” he asked the maid politely.

She raised an eyebrow, “Yes?”

“Are there any books here on herbology?”

The odd coloured mare nodded, “This way sir.”

Several aisles and shelves later, the painfully disinterested maid nodded towards a set of shelves, “There you are sir.”

Rush nodded his thanks and took down a rather promising looking and brightly coloured book. Placing it on the floor, he used his hooves to turn the pages to reveal pictures of...jam and cream scones?

“That’s a cookbook, sir.” The mare said with only the barest hint of sarcasm, “Herbology is the next shelf up.”

Feeling his cheeks flushing warmly, Rush put the book back and reached for another, then paused, “Would you mind selecting one for me miss?” he asked, “With your knowledge, I’m sure you’ll be able to find one that will fit the bill perfectly.”

The cream and yellow maid’s eye twitched behind her red spectacles,

“Of course, sir.”

In short order, Rush found himself sitting before a small selection of books filled with pictures of local plant life. They were fascinating! Full of exquisitely drawn and inked illustrations of the ingredients of the healer’s trade: roots, leaves, barks, stems – some he thought he recognised, but without being able to read, it was all guesswork. He shook his head and sighed; he’d have to see if he could speak to Cross Cut for some help, and maybe even Apricot since she collected some of the plants locally. He’d have a word with Celestia when he could and then…

The sound of talking interrupted Rush’s train of thought and he looked up towards the voices. It was a guard, and he was talking to the maid. He couldn’t quite make out what was being said, but the maid trotted off, only to reappear a few seconds later with another book for him,

“I believe this may be of some use to you sir.” She bobbed her head, “Good day.”

And with no further ceremony the miserable mare left the library, leaving a familiar face in her place. He didn’t look happy.

“Orange Grove?” Rush asked.

“Just ‘Grove’ will do.” The guardspony replied with a pained expression on his face, “I’ve been re-assigned.”

“Oh.” Rush raised an eyebrow. Now it was clear what Tia had been talking about earlier. In her absence she had assigned him a ‘minder’ of sorts. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that really: relief? Embarrassment? Of course, she’d done it out of kindness, but in some ways it just served to make him feel helpless. Still, he’d only been here barely a day or so, and he’d already managed to learn how to walk and develop some basic object manipulation skills, so he couldn’t really complain. What he needed to do now was remain focussed on the task at hoof, and not over think matters despite the prospect of learning all there was to about his new home and his new body seeming impossibly daunting. Gods above, he still felt like he wanted to flex his fingers every now and again, but… He sighed; time…time was all it would take…

Grove walked up beside him and collected a set of panniers that were on a rack next to one of the walls. They were deep, velvet lined, and apparently made specifically for the safe transportation of books. The soldier tossed it onto the table,

“Put them in there and we’ll drop them off in your room if you like.” he said, sounding somewhat fed up, “I’ll need to dump my armour too, I suppose.”

“What are we doing?” Rush asked, pushing the books into place.

Grove shrugged, “Showing you what it is to be an Equestrian, apparently.” He stopped and stared at one of the books and shook his head, “Good reading are they?”

“Mmm.” Rush replied, gripping the strap and tossing the panniers rather inexpertly over his back. Grove sighed and walked over, helping him to adjust them. Before long the two were trotting out of the room and back along the empty corridors to the Princess’s chambers.

“Is the Palace always so empty?” Rush asked as they walked.

“I would have thought the answer was obvious” Grove said over his shoulder, “Where have you been living all this time?”

Rush raised an eyebrow, “I think you know the answer to that already don’t you?”

Grove snorted, “Oh, come on! You mean that bull about the naked monkey world?” He shook his mane, “You don’t seriously think anypony believes that do you? Lilly is a lovely girl but she can still be a bit of a scatter brained moppet at times.”

They reached the chambers, and after a quick chat with the guards, Rush left the books on the bedside table and they set off to the barracks.

“How is she?” Rush asked.

“Huh?” Grove asked, “Lilly? Oh, she’s fine. Still upset about being suspended from working with the Princess of course. That girl worships her…it’s all ‘Celestia’ this and ‘Celestia’ that. Some of the maids think she’s stuck up her own backside, but…” he let out a snort, “It’s just Lilly – she is who she is.”

They walked on in silence for a while until Rush spoke,

“I think it may help if I spoke to her.”

“Ha! I doubt that!” Grove barked, “You’re public enemy number one right now with her. She blames you for ‘losing her job’.”

Rush sighed, “I supposed it is my fault in a way.”

Grove stopped and turned to face him, “Look, we all know what Lilly’s like and that you and Celestia have something going on. She’s jealous of that, can’t you see?”

“Of course I can!” Rush said with huff, “But I’m new here, Grove, and I want to fit in. Good Gods, I’ve only been here a couple of days and all I’ve managed to do is cause trouble for everybody and it’s pissing me off!”

Grove paused and looked at him curiously, “Where are you from?” he asked, “There’s something off about you and I’m not just talking about getting your arse stuck in the toilet again.”

“Oh, for the Gods’ sake!” Rush hissed, “You said you wouldn’t mention that again!”

The soldier grinned, “Well, that all depends on if you get the first round in or not.”

“The what?” Rush asked, his train of thought derailing.

Grove laughed, “Well, I don’t suppose it matters that much in the great scheme of things.” He reached back and pulled out a small piece of paper, “See this? Read it and weep!”

Rush stared at the scratchy writing and closed his eyes, “I can’t.”

“Huh?” Grove replied. He put the piece of paper away and furrowed his brow, “You can’t what?”

“I can’t read.”

“Don’t take the piss!” Snorting back a laugh Grove stopped himself, blinked, and then cocked his head to one side, “You’re being serious aren’t you?”

Rush nodded, “I’m not illiterate; I just…I can’t read Equestrian.”

Grove shook his head in wonder, “I think we both need a drink.”

Chapter Four - Old Soldiers

CHAPTER FOUR

OLD SOLDIERS

The Queen’s Head was one of the larger buildings in Paddock. A white painted building with black timbering, leaded windows, and the seemingly obligatory flower boxes that proliferated throughout the town, the tavern was the destination of choice for a relaxing drink and to socialise for the local population as well as the palace guards when they were off duty. It was also fairly quiet at that time of day, and the two ponies sat in the pick of the comfortable chairs beside the fireplace, enjoying the choicest spot in the spacious tavern. Architecturally, it was a far cry from what Rush remembered as being a typical drinking establishment in what he’d come to refer to as ‘the human world’, but the sounds and smells were all still very familiar.

One of the barmares trotted over with a tray balanced on her back and two wooden mugs of foaming ale were quickly deposited in front of the two stallions.

“Six bits please, pet.” The mare said.

“I’ll settle up with you later, Tint, if that’s okay?” Grove smiled.

She didn’t seem too impressed: “Make sure you do.” she grumbled, “Oak went crazy last time after he saw the tab you and your mates had built up. Honestly Grove, you’re lucky he didn’t bar you after that carry on.”

“Yeah, yeah” Grove replied, waving a hoof dismissively, “It’s all on expenses this time, so don’t get your saddle in a twist.”

Rolling her eyes, the mare trotted off to serve another customer.

“Expenses?” Rush asked conspiratorially.

“Mmm!” Grove grinned, “Look, don’t sweat the details Rush, we’ve got a golden ticket from her nibs here, and I don’t know about you but I’m damned well going to have a bloody good time. I haven’t had a decent session since…” he shrugged, “Goddess knows. Just get that down your neck.” He motioned towards the beer.

Rush sniffed at the mug of ale and took a tentative lick. It was strangely earthy, with a malty taste that tingled on his tongue. He looked up – Grove was smirking at him with that knowing grin of his. Taking a deep breath, he carefully lifted the mug in his forehooves and took a mouthful.

“Well?” Grove asked.

Rush smacked his lips, “Good. Strange, but good.”

The orange stallion leaned across the table, “So, is it true then?”

“Is what true?” Rush muttered, taking another mouthful.

Grove rolled his eyes, “Y’know, about…” he waggled his eyebrows, “You and…her.”

“I’m not sure what…” Rush shook his head and sighed as the realisation of what the guardstallion was asking finally hit him, “You’re asking about my relationship with the Princess aren’t you?”

Grove suddenly waved his hoof in alarm, “For buck’s sake! Keep your bloody voice down!” He closed his eyes and face hoofed, “Look, I’m off duty, okay? But I don’t want to be up on a bloody charge because of…well…you know.”

“No I don’t know.” Rush said furrowing his brow, “I don’t know how things are done here in Equestria, Grove, but where I’m from we don’t discuss our ‘relationships’, and certainly not with people we’ve only just met.”

Leaning across the table again, Grove lowered his voice, “Okay! Bloody hell, I was only asking…damn…” he shook his head and took another pull on his ale, “Well, can you at least tell me something about yourself, or would you like me to start?”

Rush rubbed his forehead and stared into his beer mug – it was empty already. Truth be told he felt like walking out already; this inquisitiveness, the good natured prying, was one of the reasons he’d hated village life and kept himself to himself in his home in the bamboo forest. His ‘relationship’ with the Princess was nothing to do with anypony but the two of them, and if this was how the rest of the evening was going to go, he didn’t want anything more to do with the inquisitive orange guardspony. Maybe he could make his excuses and-

“Fancy another?”

“Huh?” Rush looked up in surprise.

Grove sighed, “I said, you’ve finished your pint, would you like another?” he closed his eyes a moment and sat back, “Look, Rush, I think we may have got off on the wrong hoof here. I’m sorry if I came across as ’nosey’, okay? I’m used to being with my army buddies and we share everything together.” He smiled drily, “I suppose I forget what it’s like to be with more everyday ponies.” Grove sighed sadly, “If you’ve never served, it’s going to be hard to understand, but I’ll do my best to help you.”

Rush took a breath and stared down at the empty beer mug before him. He could already sense his mood sinking into the depths of the all too familiar melancholy that had plagued him throughout his adult life. It was strange…all this time, he’d been alone. First it was in the mountains after his wife and daughter died, at least, before he’d met Tia. But of course, no sooner had he found her then he’d lost her too, only to find her again after countless years of emptiness. He sighed; Life gave and it took away – it was keeping what you had that was the hard part, and the more you had, the more you lost…like friends…

But that was then.

Grove went to stand up, “Come on then, I’ll get you back to-”

Rush put his hoof on Grove’s and shook his head. With a smile he called out, “Two more please, Tint.”

With a shout of acknowledgement, the barmare began filling another two mugs. Grove snorted,

“I don’t get you.” he said shaking his head, “I really don’t.” The orange stallion sat back down and smiled broadly as Tint appeared with two more beers.

“I’m sorry, Grove.” Rush said quietly, “I’m not used to company. I suppose I just got used to being on my own all the time. My social skills are a little, um…rusty.”

“In which case, I’ll tell you about myself and then, if you like, you can tell me about yourself.” The orange stallion motioned to his panniers, “The boss has told me I’m to be your guide and mentor, so it looks like you’re going to be stuck with me for a little while yet my friend.”

Rush laughed, “You took the words right out of my mouth!”

The two of them broke out in laughter and downed their freshly delivered foaming brews, quickly followed by another, as Grove began to regale Rush with the tales of his upbringing in Equestria. Rush listened intently, hoping to glean knowledge and insight into this new world, and, after they’d both sampled a few of the speciality ales, he was starting to feel comfortably relaxed.

Tint put a few more logs on the fire, sending sparks up the chimney and a wave of warmth over Rush. He smiled happily – he could definitely get used to this…

“…and then the bloody thing was on me, screaming and howling like a demon from the pits of Hades!” Grove nodded emphatically, “You should have seen it! Teeth like knives, eyes burning like the fire of hell, and those bones! Dear Goddesses, it was like a living skeleton covered in armour!” The stallion burped, sinking another mouthful of his ale, “If you didn’t find an uncovered spot, you may as well be throw pebbles at the bloody things.”

Rush nodded, “Fighting one of them was bad enough, but I can’t imagine fighting an army of them.” He shook his head in disbelief, “It looks like we got off lucky.”

“What was that?” Grove lifted his head and wiped his muzzle, “Did you say you fought one?”

“One” Rush replied, “Rend his name was: vicious damned creature too. He killed my niece, several of the villagers, and it nearly had Tia and me before we took the bloody thing down.”

“Oh Goddesses, Rush. Your niece?” Grove hung his head, “I’m sorry.” Suddenly his eyes flew open and his head snapped back up, “Hang on…did you say ‘Tia’? You mean, Celestia, the Princess, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

Grove shook his head in amazement, “You, and the Princess, fought a thestral together?”

Rush nodded.

“At River Valley?”

Rush shook his head, “It was on my world.”

“Pfff!” Grove sniggered, taking up his ale, “The naked monkey world!”

“If that’s what you want to call it.” Rush replied with a huff. He didn’t really care anymore, and took another mouthful of his ale. Damn it, was he nearly out again?!

Grove watched the brown earth stallion with the blue eyes and cream coloured mane sitting opposite him as he drained the last dregs from his latest mug. There was a lot more to this fellow than he thought it seemed. When Lilly had come up with some tripe about a fabricated story of Rush being from another world, and that he’d come through a portal with the aid of that crazy old wizard, Starswirl the bearded, he’d laughed it off – they all had. If the Princess wanted a stallion friend, then what business was it of anyponies? Okay, sure, many Equestrians saw her as this ideal and perfectly pure white entity of unimaginable power who could raise the sun, but many of the palace guards had seen her before the battle at River Valley, and how she’d cried, raged and howled down in the depths of the castle. He paused and thought back to that time, to the stories going around about the archway, the ‘portal to another world’. Many of them had thought it was a fanciful tall tale told by bored guards, others that the Princess was losing her marbles due to the pressures of the war, but…but what if they weren’t stories…what if they were true? Grove finished his beer and lifted a hoof,

“Two salt licks and two beers, please Tint, love.”

The barmare duly appeared and deposited two more beers, taking away the empties and leaving two large lumps of salt.

“What’s this?” Rush asked with a slight slur to his speech.

Grove nodded to himself; so, he’d never had a salt lick either, eh? He grinned cheekily, “Try it. Don’t bite it though, just give it a lick.” The orange stallion beamed at his new found friend who leaned down and ran his tongue along the pure white block of salt.

Rush gasped; the taste hit him like a lightning bolt - a jolt of electricity that shot through his body from his muzzle to his tail and made his legs quiver. He blinked in surprise and licked his lips, going back in for another taste,

“Gods” he groaned, “That…that’s so good…”

“I know, right?” Grove grinned, “East Coast White: It’s infused with mint extract. Gotta go easy with it though, it can really blow your socks off if you’re not careful.”

Rush shook his head in amazement. He’d fed horses mint when he’d worked for the Lord, and they’d certainly relished the taste. Naturally, he’d sampled a little himself, but it had little interest to him past being used in herbal infusions and as a pick-me-up. Mixed in with the salt, tasting it now, it was…ecstasy…

“Easy tiger” Grove chuckled, “it’s one per customer, or else you could do yourself a mischief.” He waggled his eyebrows at Rush who gave himself a shake. “So, you really are from another world then?” he asked.

Rush nodded, “Mmhmm.”

“What, they have ponies there too?”

“No. Well…yes, but not like here.” Rush leaned back in his chair, his inhibitions disappearing like the contents of his beer mug, “It was a planet” he began, “…of bald monkey people…”

**********************

The Queen’s Head was rapidly becoming louder by the minute, and Rush and Grove were beginning to have to raise their voices to hear one another. The salt licks had long since disappeared, but the ales kept coming, together with the questions from the incredulous orange earth stallion,

“So wait, let me get this straight” Grove burped, “you were born on another world, to Equestrian parents, but were born looking like one of these…’humans’?” Rush nodded. “Then the Princess comes along and she’s being chased by thestrals, you kill one of them and then she comes back to Equestria?”

Rush nodded again. He didn’t mention Thorn – it didn’t seem like a good idea, despite the alcoholic fuse that was running through his mind.

Grove let out a long low whistle and stretched his legs, “Unbelievable.”

“I’ll tell you what’s unbelievable,” A voice said behind him, “you having the money to pay for drinking my barrels dry!”

Rush froze, looking at Grove who just waggled his eyebrows knowingly. Deftly the orange stallion rose from his chair and hoofed the bulky tan unicorn landlord a scroll from his pannier,

“Read.”

The landlord reluctantly looked at the scroll and shook his head,

“What? Some sort of…oh…OH!”

Reaching over, Grove plucked the scroll from the startled unicorn and pushed it back into his pannier. “Well?” he asked.

The landlord swallowed, “Well…erm, what can I get you boys?”

Rush waved a hoof, “TWO MORE WHEATBEERS!”

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Grove laughed and banged his hoof on the table as the barmare reappeared with another pair of foaming mugs.

“I’ll say this, Rushy,” Grove belched, “I wasn’t sure about you at first, but, y’know…yer alright…” he wiped a smattering of foam from his muzzle, “anypony who can take down one of those bloody things gets my respect.” He took another mouthful, “Damned right.”

“What’s that?” A pink earth pony mare asked pulling up a chair beside them, “Hey Grovey, who’s your new pal? Haven’t seen him around before.”

Grove smiled and clopped hooves with the mare, “Hey Mind, you guys just come off shift?”

Rush looked up and saw a large group of ponies milling at the bar. By the looks of them, they were all off-duty guards from the palace, and sure enough, one by one they were walked over to join their orange coated friend together with his new earth stallion colleague. Now so soaked in wheat beer, Rush just chuckled to himself; he didn’t care…come one come all! He didn’t care at all!

“Yeah, Spar’s boys are on duty now.” Mind raised an eyebrow and stared at Rush, her expression unreadable, “You’re him are you?” she said.

“Uh-huh.” Grove answered, “He’s the one.”

“The naked monkey guy?”

Grove closed his eyes and nodded, “Yup.”

“For…” Rush groaned, “I’m not a naked bloody monkey!” he slurred, “Will you pack it in with that!?”

The pink mare smirked and took a pull on her ale, “Well, you’re the most Equestrian looking monkey I’ve ever seen, friend.” She said, yawning, “Bloody hell I’m knackered…”

“That’s what you get for pulling an extra shift,” A green stallion leaning over her shoulder chipped in, “you’ll be too tired to spend all those extra bits. Tell you what Mind, give ‘em to us and we’ll get the next round in for you – you know, just to save you the trouble!”

“Sod off!” Mind laughed, shoving the stallion away playfully. He just chuckled and joined back in with one of the general background conversations that had sprung up around them.

Rush smiled to himself; this was…different. People back in the village did socialise of course, and there was a local tavern there too, but the atmosphere… He shook his head; it felt so much more ‘natural’ here, like he was…one of them, somehow…

“Hey…HEY!” Grove shouted over the throng, “Don’t worry about that. Hoy! Tint! Next round’s on me and my good pal Rush, here!”

There was a resounding cheer from the assembled ponies and the surprised brown stallion suddenly found himself patted on the back and, rather uncomfortably, the centre of attention. Mind looked him up and down closely,

“Tidy.”

“Huh?” Rush blinked.

The pink mare nodded to herself, “Yeah…I can see why you’d take her fancy.”

“Bollocks!” Another mare barked, pushing in and waving her beer mug, “Sun butt wouldn’t buck somepony like ‘im! ‘e’s too plain.” She smiled at Rush with a toothy grin, “No offence, like.”

“Sure…” Rush muttered.

“Y’know, Siren’s got a point there.” Mind agreed, leaning a foreleg around Grove, “I mean, don’t y’think she’d go for, oh, I don’t know – somepony more…fancy? You know, like one of them highfalutin lords with the poncey manes.”

Siren stood on her hind legs and took on the most ridiculous expression, “Oh my goodness! One appears to have trapped one’s pee pee in one’s pantaloons! Pray help one release one’s errant member, valet! Chop, chop!”

Rush burst out laughing at the green earth mare’s antics. Despite his usual reservations, there was just something so open here, so welcoming, that he couldn’t help but feel as though he really belonged with these ponies. Was this why he’d never felt as if he belonged back in the human world? Tia had said as much, but he supposed that somewhere deep down inside himself, he hadn’t fully believed her - It was all so unbelievable. What a fool he’d been…

“Come on, big fella, let’s have a look at that flank!”

“Eh?!” Rush came out of his reverie with a start to the pushing and shoving of Siren and several others guardsmares who were busy manoeuvring him out of his chair. To his horror, Rush found himself propelled upwards, egged on my Grove who was nearly falling off his own chair laughing while Mind roared her encouragement.

Oh Gods, this wasn’t happening! Hooves pulled him and pushed him this way and that until he was standing, albeit on very wobbly legs, surrounded by very inquisitive mares. One of them, a black and white patched earth pony with a long black mane, poked at his flank making him inadvertently squeak in surprise. This only served to send the mares into more roars of laughter,

“What’s that then?” One said.

“Reeds? Bull rushes?”

“What is he, a gardener?”

“Ha! Bet he knows all about ‘fertilising’ things with ‘you know who’!”

Rush felt like crawling under the table; the banter from the now alcohol soaked ponies becoming a little uncomfortable.

“Hey!” A stallion shouted, shouldering his way through the mass of equines, “Somepony said that monkey guy’s here. Let’s have a look at him.” The pegasus stallion abruptly pushed in. Lighter framed than the earth ponies, but athletic in appearance, the purple male snorted and looked down his muzzle at Rush,

“That’s him?”

From the muttering and snorting, it was all too clear the newcomer wasn’t with the others.

“Not what I expected.” The stallion barked derisively, “You’re trying to tell me he’s the one fettling the Princess?”

“Oh, piss off Yule, who asked for your opinion.” One of the guards said loudly.

The others began to join in:

“What’s your problem? No wings, is that it?”

“Damned posers! You lot are all the same”

“Yeah, sod off and bother somepony else.”

Yule snorted loudly, completely ignoring the comments of the off duty guards, “From what I heard, you aren’t even Equestrian.” he sneered, “The Princess, with a monkey from another world? Don’t make me laugh!” He waved a hoof around, addressing the ponies around him, “You know what I think? I think it’s a joke, I think the whole thing’s some fantasy story made up by orange arse here and his mates.”

Grove shot out of his chair, “Buck off, you feathered freak! Who the hell invited you here, eh? This is a place for soldiers, not for bone idle slackers like your mob.”

The pegasus grinned, “Hit a nerve there, did I? What a damned shame.” He may have smiled, but Rush could see the darkness in the ponies eyes as the his voice lowered to a menacing timbre, “He’s a changeling.”

Silence fell.

Mind shook her head, “You imbecile” she snorted, “Are you trying to say the Princess of Equestria’s coltfriend’s a changeling?” she started laughing, “Any other fairy stories you want to regale us with, bird boy? Maybe he turns into a potato at night, sprouts legs, and runs about making the grass grow?” She lifted a hoof, “Hoy, Tint, what you putting’ in the salt girl?!”

Yule snarled, “Laugh all you like, but I don’t like it. He’s not one of us, and he’s not welcome here.” He took a swig of ale and addressed the others, “The last time monsters came here from another world they butchered our people like they were nothing! They came to take our home and killed our families: every foal, every mare, every stallion…they came to murder us all!” he pointed a hoof at Rush, his yellow eyes glinting, “You’ve bewitched her, and you’ve bewitched our people too! You couldn’t defeat us in war so you’re trying to steal our Princess from us though trickery!”

Grove slammed his hoof down, “Shut up you piece of crap! I don’t want to hear…”

Rush couldn’t listen to any more and rose to his hooves. He fought his own battles, and his fights were noponies but his own. He took a breath, cursing having drunk so much. “Yeah…” Rush stared at the buck and lowered his voice while the rest of the tavern went silent, straining to hear what the new stallion had to say, “I’m from another world.” His eyes never left the pegasus stallion’s face, “My mother was Willow, an earth pony. My father was Silver Spark, an earth pony. They were both Equestrians, I am Equestrian, and this is my home.”

Loud mutterings arose amongst the ponies in the room.

Yule however, didn’t seem impressed. “Ha!” The pegasi’s lip curled derisively, “A dog born in a stable doesn’t make it a pony.” He paused and then his eyes went wide, “Just a minute, did you say Silver Spark? Wait…wasn’t he that disgraced officer? The one who let that thief go after she robbed the Princess?” he shook his head in disbelief, “My Goddesses, it all makes sense now. You’re not a changeling…” Suddenly the temperature seemed to plummet around him, “You’re the bastard son of a thieving whore and a traitor.”

Bellowing in rage, Rush lunged for the pegasus as pandemonium broke out around him and the tavern erupted into a heaving, swirling mass of equines. With a roar, more pegasi, colleagues of Yule it seemed, waded into the fight. Yells, neighs, snorts and shouts filled the air as hooves cracked bone, beer mugs flew across the room, tables were upended and chairs smashed. Rush didn’t care, all he wanted was to beat this scum into paste. Unfortunately however, despite his anger fuelled determination, his assault on his winged antagonist was having no discernible effect whatsoever. In fact, in his drunken state and uncoordinated body, Rush only found himself flailing impotently at the green stallion who was landing more than a few well placed blows upon him despite the heaving press of ponies. As the brawl continued the landlord and staff took cover behind the bar, hiding the money and breakables while their establishment was turned to matchwood by the battling patrons. Earth ponies and unicorns alike threw themselves in alcohol fuelled fury at the equally inebriated pegasi who were finding their agility hampered by the close confines and mass of physically stronger ponies. Meanwhile, lost in a world of their own, Yule and Rush traded blows, but Rush, inexpert in fighting in his equine body, lost his hoofing on the beer slick tiled floor and slipped, dropping his guard. In an instant Yule span and bucked him right under the jaw with a sickening crack that made even Grove wince.

Rush’s world burst with a mind spinning cacophony of light and sparks as the full force of the blow sent him flying into the remains of the table. In moments, Yule came at him again, only to be swallowed up the mass of fighting ponies. Forelegs grabbed him and began pulling him, stunned and woozy, out rear door that Tint was holding open for them. He was only vaguely aware of what was going on, and the words, so garbled and unclear…but…oh Gods, his head!

Outside, the cool air began to bring him round, but it was painfully slow progress until a bucket of water was unceremoniously dumped over him.

Rush nearly screamed in shock, “Gah! B…Bloody hell fire!”

Orange Grove pulled his sodden friend up, “Come on! For bucks sake, Rush, get those legs moving, the bloody watch are coming. If we don’t shift flank we’ll be thrown in the lockup and then it’ll really hit the fan.”

“Gods almighty…” Rush coughed, spitting blood and water from his muzzle, “He really got me good…”

“Could have been worse,” Grove hissed, pulling Rush along, “Pegasi kick like foals. Now if it had been me…”

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, it’s not working.” Rush groaned, forcing his legs to work. He was making reasonable progress despite his painful condition, but most of it seemed to be propelling him sideways rather than forwards.

Whistles, shrill and keening, split the night air.

“Come on, come on…!” Grove whispered urgently, “Move it, Rush! That’s the bloody rips! If they get us, we’ll catch a damn good flogging and I don’t think old sun butt’l be pleased if you end up with stripes on your arse.”

“Who?” Rush gasped.

“Royal Police, mate, ‘RIP’s’ the boys call them. They’re the ones who ‘keep us in line’.” He pulled Rush down an alleyway, “They get us and we’ll be ‘royally’ screwed alright.” He couldn’t resist a chuckle at his own humour.

Rush wasn’t listening. His head was ringing like a bell, but he still managed to give himself a shake anyway and pushed a concerned looking Grove away, “I’m fine, just…just lead the way.”

Grove watched his new friend doubtfully for a moment and shook his head, “Okay tough guy; let’s move.”

The two ponies slipped, or rather ‘staggered’, through the dark streets of Paddock and up to the side gate of the guardhouse. Grove hushed Rush,

“Keep quiet and follow my lead.”

As steadily as they could, the two of them walked slowly up to the gate.

“Halt!” The armoured stallion on sentry duty narrowed his eyes as the two approached and then gradually lowered his spear as they came into the spill of light from his lantern, “Grove? Is that you?”

“Of course it’s me!” the orange stallion called back, keeping his voice as low as he could, “Bunch of those bloody Pegasus rat bags jumped us and battered the Princess’s coltfriend here senseless. Look at the state of him, she’s going to go nuts when she sees this!”

The guard shook his head as he examined Rush’s cut lip, “Damn it! Come on, get your flanks inside. We’ve got orders to arrest any guardspony coming back, but…just don’t tell anypony I let you in, okay?”

“Thanks Jugs, you’re a star!” Grove grinned.

The guard took a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure nopony was coming. “I’ll be in the lockup with you if you don’t shift it!” he hissed.

Back in relative safety of the palace grounds, the two friends hurried through to the ever quiet accommodation wing and then up to the Princess’s chambers.

“Buck me…” Rush gasped, stumbling slightly, “I don’t feel so good…”

“I think you need a doctor, mate.” Grove replied. He gave him a reassuring smile, “Come on, lets get you in and we can have that head of yours looked at.”

They turned the corner into the corridor and, sure enough, there were the usual two guards outside. Thankfully, and apparently expecting them, the two were waved in without a word. Rush all but collapsed on the floor,

“Gods” Rush hissed, “I think I’m dying.”

Grove leaned down and patted him on the shoulder, “Look, stay here, I’ll get one of the lads to fetch the doc and…”

“No!” Rush hissed, “Don’t do that for bucks sake! Tia will…No…no, I’m fine.” He pulled himself groggily to his haunches, “I’m just a bit battered and bruised that’s all. More my damned pride than anything I think.” Rush lifted his hoof to his jaw and winced, “That bloody arsehole; who the hell was that anyway?”

Grove looked over Rush’s head and nodded to himself, “You mean Yule? He’s the pegasus divisional guard commander, and an absolute tool too if you ask me.” He carefully felt behind Rush’s ears, “Don’t think anything’s broken there, but I think you need to stay up and drink plenty of water until we can get you checked out. Mind told me to make sure you keep anypony you think has concussion from going to sleep – otherwise you could be off to the eternal herd before you know it.”

“Your marefriend?” Rush asked curiously.

“Huh?” Grove sniggered, “Well, kind of. We had a fling a while ago, but we’re just friends now. Guardsmares tend to be quite um…’open minded’ about things like that.” He looked up at the wall, taking in the paintings, elegant wallpaper and tastefully carved furniture, “Nice” he said quietly, “very ’girly’ though, don’t you think?”

“It’s certainly not what I’m used to.” Rush muttered, helping himself to a bottle of water from the nightstand, “But it’s Tia’s home.”

An intake of breath, followed by a low whistle, drew Rush’s attention,

“Boy oh boy!” Grove walked over to the long sword leaning against the fireplace surround. On impulse he reached out and paused, turning to his friend, “This is yours…isn’t it.”

Rush nodded, sipping the flavoured water, “Mmm. It was my stepfather’s…well, my ‘human’ stepfather’s to be more accurate.”

“A sword from another world…” Grove shook his head in disbelief, “May I?”

Rush nodded.

With his eyes wide with anticipation, Grove lifted the scabbard in his teeth and carefully drew the sword out with his forehooves. In a surprisingly fluid movement, he was standing on his hind legs, the sword held before him. The light from the lamps glinted along the shining blade and the orange stallions eyes sparkled in the reflected steel,

“My Goddesses…” he breathed, “It’s beautiful.”

“It kills people.” Rush said dismissively. “It has sentimental value more than anything.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Grove nearly shouted, “Look at it! Have you seen the crap we use? How the hell do you make a sword like this anyway? I thought you said there wasn’t magic in your world!”

“There isn’t.” Rush said passing his friend a glass, “It’s made by folding various layers of different grades of metal, lots and lots of times. There’s a high degree of skill and time that goes into make one, sure, but it’s not something you couldn’t make in Equestria.”

“I can’t believe it,” his friend replied, “if we’d had swords like this at River Valley, maybe we wouldn’t have lost as many of our brothers and sisters.”

“Tia told me about the war when she was trapped on my world.” Rush smacked his lips and poured another glass for them both, “She hasn’t mentioned it since I arrived here though, and I didn’t want to mention it myself in case it brought up painful memories for her.”

Grove slid the sword back into its scabbard, a pained look on his face. “We won.” he said with a grimace, “That’s all anypony needs to know. I’m sorry Rush, I’d like to tell you more, but…it’s…it’s hard, you know?”

Rush nodded and looked again at his fathers sword. The dents and scratches on the scabbard held their own story; the blade, many more. He closed his eyes and sighed, “I served the local lord as one of the army healers. Before I knew it, I was fighting for my life.” He shook his head, “War...In my home, my old home, wars, fighting, killing…it never ended. There was always somebody wanting what you had and only too happy to kill you to take it.” He shrugged, “The only way to be safe was to have nothing they wanted.”

Grove’s voice sounded pained, his eyes staring at the sword, “Have you…have you ever lost anypony…close, Rush?” He took a sip of his drink.

“I lost my wife and daughter.” Rush replied. He didn’t normally speak of such things, but here, with Grove, it seemed so easy…

“I’m sorry…” Grove said quietly.

Rush shook his head, “I was the last one of my family left.” he said sadly, “I just wish that there’d been some way to bring them here to Equestria, to see this beautiful land of ours, but…it was never to be.” He gave his mane a shake and refilled their glasses, “What about you?”

“My brother and father were killed at River Valley.” Grove said, wiping his muzzle, “Thestrals hit them hard, pushing them back onto their own reserve line and just hacked their way through everypony in their way. I was with the young ones in the centre and…well…it wasn’t a good place either.” He sighed, “I was lucky.”

“River Valley…” Rush closed his eyes in thought, “That was the place Tia was fighting the Legion, wasn’t it?”

Grove nodded, “Yeah. They kicked the crap out of us big style; got them back though, when the Princess came back.”

“What happened to her sister?” Rush asked.

“Not sure, really” Grove said taking another mouthful of the water, “There was…there was this burst of colour like…like a…” he yawned, “Like a rainbow and…” Grove’s eyes began to sag, “The mare…in the moon…”

Rush got up to walk to the airing cupboard and his head span suddenly, sending him staggering into the bed. Gods damn it! He had to stay awake just in case, but his head was so painful! Trying to focus, he managed to pull out his cloak and couple of pillows, making his friend as comfortable as he could before walking over to the bed. With a groan, he realised he needed to use the bathroom.

His hoof reached for the handle…

**********************

The discussions had finally come to a close, and a relieved Celestia bobbed her head politely with a smile,

“Elder Grisk, Elder Yildin, thank you. I trust you shall enjoy the rest of your stay with us and join us for breakfast tomorrow morning.”

The two long haired ponies nodded dourly and walked out of the hall, leaving the Princess alone with the Chancellor. She rose from her throne and groaned loudly as she stretched her wings,

“I never thought that would end!” She winced at the stiffness in her body and rubbed her eyes, “From now on, Chancellor, we shall be introducing mandatory breaks for refreshments and a limit on how long somepony may speak for. My goodness, how can a pony talk so much!”

The Chancellor smiled, “He certainly did, um, labour the point.”

“A masterpiece of polite understatement” Celestia chuckled, “Now, to bed for both of us I think. I trust there shall be…” She reached the door to see several guards hurrying off down the corridor, “You there, guard!” One of the soldiers stopped,

“Your Majesty?”

Celestia raised a hoof, “What’s going on? Why is everypony rushing around?”

“There’s a fight in the town, Your Majesty.” The guard replied, “It’s being dealt with by the Royal Police and the Paddock watch.”

The Princess sighed, “Alcohol…” She shook her head, “Have the report brought to me in the morning, Corporal.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

She didn’t have time for this now, nor the inclination either: she was tired, mentally drained, and desperate for even just a few hours sleep. Bidding goodnight to the Chancellor, the weary alicorn headed off for her bedchamber and a well earned nights sleep. A thought suddenly popped into her head: where was Rush? Hadn’t he gone into town with Orange Grove? She shook her head; no, that was hours ago, and Rush didn’t drink alcohol anyway…so far as she knew. She froze – what if…Oh Gods! She neighed and picked up her pace. If Rush wasn’t in her chambers and he’d been involved in that fight, he could have been hurt! Increasing her speed she rounded the next corner, her fatigue forgotten, and there, up ahead, were the guards standing smartly to attention as she approached. Not even stopping to greet them as she customarily did, she charged up to the doors, pushed them open, and…

“OH, MY GODS!”

There…there was…she couldn’t believe it…Rush was lying on the floor, covered in toilet paper and vomit beside an upturned chair. Beside him, a glass decanter of her favourite elderberry liqueur lay empty next to an orange coated stallion who was draped across the coffee table at some impossible angle with what appeared to be half a sandwich stuck to the side of his face. The guards tried to peek into the room, but the Princess’s horn glowed with magic, shoving the curious ponies out and slamming the door behind her. Taking a shaking breath, she advanced on the prostrate brown earth stallion, her anger flaring,

“Rush! RUSH!” she bellowed.

There was no response.

In a flurry of magic, Celestia snatched up the flower vase, extracted the fragrant blooms, and dumped the contents of the water on Rush’s head. The effect was instantaneous,

“Wh..WHA!”

The Princess flung the doors open, “GUARDS!” Dutifully the two armoured ponies trotted in. “Put these two in the dungeons, and fetch the doctor to look them over.”

“Shall we fetch the maid, Your Majesty?” One of them asked.

She shook her head, “No…” Celestia glowered at the two ponies, “Once they’ve sobered up, I’ll have a little job for these two…”

**********************

“…and what’s more, you not only fell asleep leaving somepony with concussion alone, you later woke up, swilled the rest of my elderberry liqueur and then proceeded to cause absolute mayhem in the kitchens as well!”

Rush hung his head, partly out of embarrassment, but mainly because it felt that if he moved even a inch, his head would likely separate from his body and drop right onto the floor. He closed his eyes; poor Grove was really copping it now…

“Honestly, Your Majesty,” the orange coated stallion protested, “I can’t remember any-”

“-OF COURSE YOU CAN’T!” The Princess roared, “You were so drunk, the two of you, you probably can’t remember cooking half the kitchen’s supply of haybacon, flooding the scullery and nearly setting fire to the palace, not to mention very nearly drowning in your own sick!” Her eyes flashed like purple fires, “I only found out about it this morning because of all of the screaming from poor Tassel whose kitchens are going to take a week to properly repair! And just to make matters worse, we have dignitaries staying here who were expecting to have breakfast this morning!” She shook her head in dismay, “What in the Gods’ name were you thinking?!”

Grove groaned, rubbing his head under the onslaught, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“That’s it, is it?” Celestia asked angrily, “You’re sorry?” The alicorn began to pace back and forth, her rainbow mane flowing and rippling in the planet’s magical field as if it were alive. Normally it looked beautiful, intriguing even; right now it looked terrifying…

Grove’s voice dropped to a croaking whisper, “I…”

“And I haven’t forgotten about you, Rush.” The Princess said, turning her attention from the orange pony, “You’ve been in Equestria five minutes and then I have half the Royal Guard beating the stuffing out of each other and who do I hear was at the centre of it all?” Rush grimaced. “YOU!” Celestia roared, “Of all ponies, I never thought, I never dreamed you would start a fight in a tavern!”

“I didn’t.” he said quietly.

Tia huffed loudly, “I have a report here that clearly states that you were the one who threw the first punch.”

Rush nodded, “I did.”

“Y…” Celestia blinked, “But why? Why would you do something like that?”

The brown stallion closed his eyes, and took a breath, “He insulted my parents.”

“Oh, Rush.” The Princess shook her head sadly, “Whatever the provocation, violence cannot be-”

“-I am the bastard son of a thief and a traitor” Rush said pointedly, “…apparently.”

Celestia stared at him for a moment and then sighed, looking to Grove who simply nodded, affirming what Rush had just said. So…that was it. The report had stated that the centre of the battle in the Queen’s Head, which had been half destroyed in the process, had been Rush and the pegasi divisional guard commander. What had possessed Yule Tree to pick a fight with Rush was something she intended to get to the bottom of, but still, she had expected…what? More restraint? Now that she thought about it, how long had she known Rush really? He’d lived his entire life on another world in another culture, and she expected him to change just like that? She shook her head in dismay, more at her own intransigence than his,

“Clean up this mess. We’ll talk later.”

Celestia left the room, leaving the two stallions alone. Orange Grove grimaced as the door banged shut, leaving him quietly nursing the bruise on the side of his muzzle, “I think we got off lightly there, mate.” he said with a wince, “She looked really pissed off.”

Rush lifted the mop in his mouth and dunked it in the bucket of hot water; he didn’t know what to say in reply. He’d found in his life that sometimes it was best simply to keep his own council and say nothing, like he should have done last night. This was why he didn’t like interaction with others, human or pony, because of situations like this. Of course, nopony forced him to drink so much, and in reality it was just bad luck that fool Yule had found him there – or was it? When he thought about it, the pegasus had made a bee-line right for him, so there was at least some suggestion there that he’d been deliberately targeted. A throb of pain lanced through his head and he winced; Gods, what a mess! And not just because of what had happened in the tavern: he was battered, bruised, and suffering from mild concussion. The doctor had treated him last night with some medicine and even magic apparently. Unfortunately he’d been in such a mess he couldn’t remember much – apart from waking up in the dungeon! Worst of all, Celestia had been incensed, partly at what he had done, but also he suspected, due to the disruption he had caused in such an idyllic place. Gods above, why hadn’t he just kept his damned mouth shut?

Grove shook his mane and took a sip of his water - real water this time. As it turned out, the ‘water’ he thought they’d been drinking last night had turned out to be anything but.

“There’s magic and potions for hangovers” Grove complained, “You’d think the miserable sods would have given us something for the pain.”

“It’s part of our punishment.” Rush said dismissively.

“Cruel and unusual punishment!” Grove muttered, rinsing his mop out, “Not to mention that this is all that damned feathered freaks bloody fault.” He rammed the mop into the mess on the carpet. Bitterly he remembered the maids had magic specifically to get stains out too, but of course, this was all to ram the message home to them wasn’t it? He sighed inwardly; he didn’t envy Rush one bit! He was single, happily single too, and was damned glad of it. Of course, as one of her subjects he loved the Princess, they all did - she was like the mother of Equestria. But to actually be in love with her? He snorted; no thanks! She was tall, imposing, and insanely powerful. In some respects she reminded him of that duck analogy Mind had told him once: all serenity on the surface belying the swirling chaos below. Celestia would be hard work alright. Perhaps Rush didn’t mind though, perhaps he was the sort of fellow who enjoyed living with a mare who worked all the hours the Goddesses sent and could turn you into ash if you upset her. He shuddered, remembering the dust storms during the battle at River Valley.

It hadn’t been dust at all.

Beside him, Rush rinsed his mop out again and Grove winced as another jolt of pain ran through his neck. Good Goddesses, it was painful even to watch him! “Do you always use your mouth?” he asked.

Rush looked up, “Hmm?”

Grove peered him curiously, “Like that. I mean, why don’t you stand on your hind legs and use your forelegs, like I am?” he looked at Rush as if he was doing something like standing on his head and juggling plates with his feet.

“I’m not very…” Rush paused, “’coordinated’.” He shrugged, “You saw the result of that last night first hoof.”

The orange stallion put down his mop and glanced over to the sword, “You said you were used to standing on two legs as a human though, right? What’s so different?”

“I have four legs!” Rush exclaimed, squeezing his eyes shut as his head reminded him of the excesses of the night before, “I…OW! Bloody hell!”

Grove lay his hoof on his friend’s shoulder, “Everything takes time to learn. I bet you didn’t learn how to use that sword of yours right away, eh?”

Rush snorted, “No.”

“Well, there you go.” Grove smiled, “Look, we’ll go down to the training yards later and I’ll show you the ropes if you fancy.”

Rush looked around at the room. By the looks of it, it would be a lot later. Gods, how had they managed to make such a mess? He couldn’t even remember leaving the room, let alone making sandwiches. Come to think of it, he didn’t know what haybacon was, but even the thought of food was making his tortured stomach do cartwheels. He shrugged,

“Sure”

Minutes, probably hours later, the two of them finally finished up - just in time for the maid to arrive. She gave them a knowing smirk as she dumped the dirty bedding into her trolley and then unceremoniously shooed them from the room.

“Shower?” Grove asked.

Rush nodded, “Shower.”

Fortunately at that time of day the showers weren’t too busy and the two friends were able to walk straight in. Following Grove’s instructions, Rush was quickly able to work out how the levers worked and in short order, had a stream of blissfully hot water pouring over his body. It was like heaven. He enjoyed a bath of course, but Tia hadn’t trusted him to have much more than a sponge bath on his own until he was more stable on his hooves. He didn’t blame her: the thought of flailing around in a bath without being able to get your hooves under you was a frightening prospect. But this…yes…yes, he could get used to this! He groaned and felt his eyes closing, his head sagging. He could just fall asleep, right here under the warm, comforting water…

“Hey, nob head!”

Rush’s eyes flew open, “Wha?”

“Well done getting all of us extra guard detail!”

Grove looked round at the chestnut stallion with the red mane walking into the showers,

“Ginger? What are you going on about?”

“Last night, dummy! The whole of the guard are talking about it.” The big earth stallion turned on the water and gave himself a shake, “Half the guard are in the cells, and the rest in the bloody infirmary. Poor Jazz has four broken ribs and Pulse won’t be able to fly for at least a week.”

“It’s not our fault!” Grove retorted, “That tosser Yule kicked it all off.”

“Not what I heard.” Ginger said with a neigh, “Your mate there launched himself at him and got a bloody good hiding for his trouble.”

“He was pushed, Ginger.” Grove huffed, “You know what that little rat Yule’s like.”

“We all know what he’s like.” The chestnut stallion replied, soaping himself down, “And we all know why he said what he said.”

Grove froze, “What he said…” he looked at the newcomer, his eyes narrowing, “Why did he say what he said, Ginger?”

The chestnut earth pony lifted an eyebrow, “Because he’s Celestia’s new coltfriend, Grove. You been living under a rock the last few days?”

“And that’s an excuse to insult his mother and father and then batter him is it?” Grove snapped.

Ginger scrubbed his mane under the shower, “Of course not, but he went for him first didn’t he?”

“Let me ask you something.” Grove said turning to face him, “Do you remember Silver Spark?”

Ginger nodded, “Who doesn’t? A damned good pony, that one; I don’t know what happened to him, but I heard the rumours as much as any pony.”

Grove nodded, “This is his son.”

“HIS WHAT?!” Ginger cringed as the soap went in his eyes, “Dammit!” Quickly rinsing himself off, his trotted round to stare at Rush, “My Goddesses…is he really?”

Rush said nothing, letting Grove and Ginger do all the talking. He just wanted to enjoy the shower…

“He has his eyes, and his build.” Ginger exclaimed. He shook his head in amazement, “Well, the son of Silver Spark’s alright in my book.” He smirked, “You gotta love fate, eh?”

Grove furrowed his brow, “Huh?”

“His father’s busted for helping a thief escape the palace and then his son’s knocking off the one who did it.” Ginger lifted a hoof to Rush, “No offence.”

Rush just sighed.

“Doesn’t say much does he?” Ginger observed walking back to his shower.

Grove barked out a laugh, “Can’t get a bloody word in, can he?”

Ginger let out a loud yawn, “So what are you doing with him anyway? Old sun butt got yer foal sitting?”

“I…” Grove paused, then turned back to Rush, “No. I’m just showing him around. Old soldiers stick together.”

“What?!” The chestnut stallion re-focussed on Rush who was trying to drown out the words in the sound of the water running over his muzzle. “This guy was in the army?”

“Not our army, dummy, on his own world.” Grove replied.

Ginger raised an eyebrow, “The bald monkey planet?”

Even Grove facehoofed, “Whatever it bloody well was! It doesn’t matter does it!” He sighed, “Look, Ginger, he took out a thestral to save our Princess, doesn’t that tell you something?”

“Well, yeah, o’course, but if that’s the case, how come she couldn’t do it herself? You saw her at River Valley mate, as much as I did; one thestral didn’t stand a chance against the boss: poof! And that was it!”

Rush turned off the shower and walked up to the inquisitive earth stallion and fixed him with his blue eyes, “There’s no magic where I’m from.” He walked off to collect a towel.

“Y’See?” Grove said shoving the chestnut pony in the chest, and followed his friend to start drying off.

“Well, I’ll admit I know bugger all about magic, but…” Ginger shrugged, “I knew who your father was, and he was the real deal alright - a stallions stallion, if you get what I mean.”

Sitting on the bench, Rush stuffed the corner of the towel in his ear. Pony ears seemed to be very good at catching water: he’d have to be careful of that in future. Still, what this Ginger fellow was saying was intriguing; he’d never met his father, and in some ways, painful ways, he’d never truly known his mother either – not really. He looked up,

“What was he like?”

“Huh? Silver Spark?” Ginger frowned and then looked at Grove, “He was...” he trailed off, staring at Rush as if seeing him for the first time, “like you.” Rush didn’t know what to say. The chestnut stallion simply nodded, “Quiet.”

“He was a damned good officer, is what he was.” Grove added, giving his mane a stiff brushing, “Always did his duty, never complained. He just…got on with it.”

“Aye. We couldn’t believe it when we heard he’d let that thief go. Teatime was there, and he saw him just standing there while the thief ran off through that archway thing.” Ginger shrugged, “He got busted for that, but they couldn’t get rid of him what with the war and everything, so he stayed on to look after the youngsters in the central division.”

Grove picked up the story, “They…” he choked back the words. Ginger lay a hoof on his shoulder and shook his head, finished for him,

“The thestrals fell back and our young ones took off after them.” Ginger fixed Rush with a haunted look, as though he were staring through a window into the past and could see everything - every horrific detail of that most dreadful of times, “They cut us down like we were nothing.” He closed his eyes and took a breath, “Silver Spark, your father, died there like so many of our brothers and sisters. He tried to fight the Legion on his own, to help us…run away…” Ginger’s words petered out; the painful memory was just too much for him.

Rush watched the two veteran stallions for a moment. He saw in them the same haunted looks he’d seen before in warriors who’d been in battle, those who hadn’t fallen in love with all the killing, but rather had seen their humanity tainted in the blood, pain and suffering of battle: the stare that said that their world would never be the same again. He’d seen it too often, and maybe, with what he’d seen himself, he had a little of that same look. Had Tia seen it in him? Gods, he hoped not. Of course, he knew Silver Spark was dead, in some ways he’d felt it in his heart long ago, but…to hear from somepony else…it hurt as though he’d just found out he’d…gone.

“Where is he?” he asked.

Grove shook his head, “I’m sorry Rush, we don’t know. After the first battle, the thestrals had the field; all we could do was run for out lives.” He looked up at Ginger, “We…we never found out what they did with our…our dead.”

Ginger put his towel on the drying rack and passed Rush a bottle of water, “I wish I could tell you more, Rush. I guess things were done differently on your world.”

“I don’t know.” Rush took a mouthful of the water and shook his head, “We cremated the dead usually, and held a ceremony to remember them. What ponies do…” he sighed, “I don’t know. I don’t think I want to know either. Not now.”

Grove gave himself a stretch, “We celebrate.” He got up and walked towards the door, “We remember the good times and wish them well in the eternal herd.” He fixed Rush with a look, “Life’s only temporary, Rush.” The orange stallion smiled sadly, “We’ll see them all again some day.”

“Aye” Ginger said walked past them, “Being miserable don’t help nopony.” He gave the startled Rush a nudge, “Chin up! Even Silver had a bright side eh? Otherwise you wouldn’t be here!”

Rush frowned and then felt a smile spread across his face despite his flush of melancholy. Part of him would have loved to have known Silver Spark, to have spoken to the father he’d never met, and just…talked. Rush snorted; perhaps one day he really would be able to do just that. Yawning, he winced as his jaw twinged, the blow he’d taken last night still making its painful presence felt. Grove noticed him rubbing it and smirked,

“Time we showed you how to look after yourself, my friend.”

Outside the day was still bright and sunny, the warmth feeling surprisingly invigorating and helped to dispel the darker thoughts that were threatening to pull Rush down into their melancholy embrace. Grove stood on his hind legs and stretched, a look of sheer bliss on his face as he closed his eyes and smiled,

“Just feel that sun!” He treated his friend to a broad grin and trotted down the sun soaked steps, “Come on, let’s get you tooled up.”

Uncertain of what Grove had in mind, Rush simply nodded and followed the orange coated guardspony across the sandy courtyard to another smaller building. He had to admit there was definitely something in what Grove was saying about the warmth giving you energy and drive: he felt a pleasant spring in his step and a lightness of spirit that made him almost feel like jumping for joy. Whatever the reasons for it, he actually found himself feeling…happy.

“This looks about your size…”

Rush nearly bucked in surprise as a padded jacket was abruptly flung onto his back. Grove smirked at him,

“I’m going to guess you’re not the best at strapping that on yet, so I tell you what: I’ll do mine, and you copy, okay?”

Rush shrugged, “I’ll try.” He sniffed the air, the oddly strong mustiness making his nose tingle, “What is this place?”

“Training area” Orange Grove said, taking down another set of the padded gear, “We use it to keep ourselves fit and practice our fighting skills.” He began buckling on the various pieces, using a combination of hooves and his mouth to manipulate the large buckles into position.

Rush quickly discovered it wasn’t quite as easy as Grove made it look. Most of the pieces of the padded jacket were already attached to one another with a series of belts, and should have been a simple matter of adjusting them into position and tightening a few straps. The problem however was a noticeable lack of fingers; how the hell was he supposed to tighten straps with no fingers?! Rush pushed a pulled at the things, attempting to follow Grove’s example, but now matter what he tried all he was managing to do was, quite literally, get himself tied up in knots.

“Whoa!” The orange stallion trotted over, shaking his head at the tangled mess of padded equipment and brown fur that was the struggling and red faced Rush. “Hang on, let’s get you sorted.” A few tugs and pulls later, the armour dropped onto the floor, much to the attempted wearer’s relief.

Rush let out a loud breath, “Thanks.” Sinking to the floor the brown earth pony felt the heat inside him draining away. “I don’t know how you do it” he said, rubbing the sweat from his muzzle, “You make it look so easy.”

“Nah, just practice” Grove smirked, “Unicorns are the ones have it easy, what with all that magic and whatnot. Us earth ponies have to use our heads and think problems through.” He shrugged, “Sooner or later it’s as natural as having a roll on a sunny day.”

Nodding, Rush turned to leave.

Grove lifted a hoof, “Hey, where are you going?”

“I can’t do this.” Rush said solemnly, “I’ve only just got here, Grove. For the Gods’ sake, I’ve only just learned to walk and I’m already scared to bloody death of stairs!”

A hoof appeared on his shoulder, “If you’d run away from your problems in the human world, what do you think would have happened to the Princess?”

Rush shook his head, “That’s not the same!” He turned to face the intently staring Orange Grove, “I could rely on my own skill back then. I knew my body, I could do things with my hands; here, I’m bloody useless. Look at what happened last night: I was beaten black and blue by that feathered arse in the tavern, and all I could do was stand there while he battered me senseless.”

“I never thought you for the self pitying type.” Grove said levelly.

“You…!” Rush snorted loudly, “I am not self pitying! I’ve been a pony for what, a couple of days? For the Gods’ sake, Grove, I used to have hands, and believe it or not I could use them actually pick things up! What the bloody hell can I do with these things?!” He reared on his hind legs and presented his hooves to the orange coated stallion, “They’re useless!”

“Useless…” Grove muttered. Solemnly, he walked over to the weapons rack, “You know, Rush, I saw my friends gutted and cut down around me by creatures that had hooves, just like us. I saw ponies I’d grown up with, who I’d gone to school with, turned into screaming, crying masses of broken life, by monsters who we had no choice but to fight with these ‘useless hooves’.” He suddenly span round, a long wooden practice sword snarling through the air, held in his mouth. Rush froze as the heavy wooden blade stopped, hovering inches from his muzzle. Grove spat the sword out to land at his hooves, “If you can’t use your hooves, you use your mouth. If you can’t use your mouth, you find something else – anything else. You never stop, you never give up, and you never surrender…do you understand that, Rush? You never surrender!” He reached forward and shoved Rush hard in the chest, “Now you put that damned armour on or I’ll knock you down and do it myself!”

Rush blinked in surprise; this didn’t seem like Grove, he didn’t-

“I SAID PUT IT ON!” Grove bellowed.

Spurred into action, Rush found himself shrugging into the training armour, using his hooves to hold the ties, his teeth to bite onto the ends and slip them through the fasteners, pulling it all into place with just the right amount of force. In fact, the less he actually ‘thought’ about it, the easier it all seemed to be. It was as if his body already knew how to do these things and his brain was simply getting in the way. Finally he rammed his head into the helmet and looked down at the sword. With a shake of his head he leaned down and picked it up with his mouth.

Grove was already standing outside in the training arena.

“Ready?”

Rush closed his eyes, feeling the sword’s grip in his mouth, and nodded - just as the guardspony’s blow connected with the side of his head. He staggered; the impact was hard, very hard. Blue sparks of light burst in Rush’s vision; his head, still sore from his beating by Yule the night before, now felt like somepony was banging a gong in his skull. Staggered, he looked up into the chestnut eyes of the orange coated guardspony who was glaring at him in cold fury.

Grove huffed and growled low in his throat, “Fight me.”

Rush gave himself a shake and hefted the heavy practice sword. Leaning back, he swung it awkwardly at his opponent. Grove didn’t move, the wooden practice sword hissing past him harmlessly. The next blow connected with Rush’s muzzle, the dull impact taking him off his hooves and sending him to the sand strewn arena floor. Grove was standing over him in an instant,

“Get up.”

Rush struggled to get his hooves under him.

“I SAID GET UP!”

The brown stallion awkwardly pulled his legs underneath himself, pushing his body up as Celestia had show him, only to see the charging orange guardspony bearing down on him like an avenging spirit. Foam flying from his muzzle, Grove’s sword was coming straight for his throat. Rush tried to twist away, ducking, attempting bring his sword up and…

Grove’s sword thudded painfully into his chest. Despite the padded armour, regardless of how blunt the blade was, it damned well hurt! He snorted and spat, glaring at the maniacal orange stallion.

“What’s the problem, human?” Grove snarled, dropping into a low stance, “I thought you’d bested a thestral?”

Rush grimaced, trying to push the aches and pains he was already feeling to one side, and faced his opponent. Grove wasn’t holding back, but…what had he called him? He felt a sudden and unexpected surge of emotion burn through him from muzzle to tail that made his muscles twitch,

“I’m…not…human.” he growled.

Grove sneered at him, “Bull, you’re still human, I can see it in your eyes: the way you talk, the way you think…” he spat his sword out into his outstretched hooves and reared, balancing himself on his hind legs. “The son of Silver Spark?” Grove sneered, “He must be spinning in his grave…”

Rush felt his hooves digging into the sand, “Shut your damned mouth…!”

“Maybe Yule was right.” Grove said, his eyes boring into Rush’s, “Maybe your mother really was a thieving wh-”

Rush’s sword hissed past Grove’s neck, the orange stallion just that bit faster than his antagonist.

“Come on, human!” Grove yelled, “COME ON!”

Rush bellowed past the sword’s grip in his mouth; spittle and sand mingling with his breath as he swung at the guardspony again and again, but each swing, each thrust, failed to connect. Grove’s however, were right on target.

A vicious swing thudded into Rush’s neck, the pain jolting up into his brain.

Grove backed away, flicking his sword from side to side, “You’re dead again, human! The thestral has won! He’s taken your mare for himself and left you for the pathetic scrap that you are, bleeding and…”

Rush leaped.

The brown earth stallion’s sword glanced off Grove’s armoured back and he span as he landed, copying what the soldier had done to him. Rush reared, remembering the feeling of holding Tia’s brush and how the balance had felt: the simplicity of control, the ease of direction. He now held the sword in his forehooves and brought it down with a deafening neigh that echoed off the buildings and seemed to tap into a previously unknown wellspring of strength which was bubbling up from inside him like a geyser. Grove lifted his own sword, deflecting the savage downward cut and twisted away, lunging into an immediate counterattack. Rush dodged, slicing his wooden blade up and caught the guardspony a glancing blow across an armoured foreleg. It did little to slow him, the orange stallion was already coming back with yet another attack.

Back and forth, dodging, cutting, slicing, hacking, the two pirouetted across the sandy training yard. Their bellows, neighs, and snorts of unbridled anger, frustration and sheer rage, had attracted a crowd of guards who were now standing around the perimeter, watching them intently. The two didn’t notice them, so caught up as they were in their fixation with trying to down one another - wooden blade or no.

Suddenly, Rush ducked, aiming a buck right at Grove’s head which caught him under the chin. With a whinny, Grove dropped onto his haunches and spat blood as Rush bore down on him, his sword arcing right for his head. The orange stallion smiled. Rush however, saw it coming too late. In a blur, Grove dropped to the ground, snatched up his sword in his teeth and brought it straight up into Rush’s chest. The brown stallion grunted, gasped and fell to the ground in a heap of legs and steam.

It was over.

Grove dropped his sword and looked down at his opponent. “Now…” he panted, “now you’re learning…” He stared across at Mind who was just shaking her head in dismay,

“Did you really need to do that?” she asked, “Her nibs is going to kill you, you know.”

Grove shook his head, “Then let her.” He looked back at Rush, “Give me a hoof with him, will you. I’d better get him to the infirmary.”

**********************

The oil lantern flickered gently in some unseen movement of air. If you listened closely, you could hear the faint hiss of the flame as it consumed the fuel and sent out its peaceful, warming light. The infirmary was quiet at this time of night; all the medical staff except for the duty doctor had gone to their own beds, leaving their sole patient sleeping peacefully.

Mind brushed a stray hair from Rush’s muzzle and smiled distantly, “He looks cute when he’s sleeping, doesn’t he?”

“Hmph!” Grove snorted quietly, “If you say so.”

The pink mare clucked her tongue, “You went too far, Grove. Seriously, you could have killed him, and what do you think would have happened to you then? Celestia would have had your head for killing her new pet.”

“New pet…” Grove shook his head, “I don’t know, Mind, I kinda like the guy. He’s a bit of a misery at times, but still…I think he’s more like us than he thinks.”

“What, Equestrian?” She asked curiously.

“No. Well, yes, sure, but that not what I mean.” Grove sighed, “I mean he’s a soldier, a fighter, deep down inside. Okay, he’s not a professional soldier sure, but I can see Silver in him, you know?”

Mind nodded, “He’s got his eyes.”

“Aye,” Grove continued, “But it’s more than that, it’s his spirit.”

“I suppose.” Mind shrugged, “I always thought he was a miserable sod personally.”

Grove chuckled, “I know, but still waters run deep they say.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Is that some sort of cliché?” Mind furrowed her brow, “I don’t like daft talk like that – just say what you mean.”

Grove smiled. Mind was a fairly plain speaking mare, an earth pony of farming stock and a veteran of the war as much as he was. She was his friend and, on occasion and after a few wheat beers, his lover. He stretched his neck and took a breath, wincing at the aches and twinges from the blows Rush had landed on him. He was quite good for a beginner: not great, not bad, but definitely showing impressive potential. The brown stallion had surprised him with some moves he never would have expected and, he suspected, Rush wasn’t even aware of fully himself. The fellow had been here barely two days and was already progressing at a surprising rate. Celestia had told him to help Rush, and he had. Sure, maybe not exactly in the way she had intended, granted, but results were what mattered. Whether she forgave him for breaking his ribs and beating him black and blue would remain to be seen. Grove gave his friend and pat on the shoulder and tucked him in while he addressed Mind,

“We’ll just have to see.”

“You’re a pain in the arse sometimes, you know that?” Mind shook her head and turned for the door, “You coming?”

“Yeah” Grove turned the lamp down and followed the mare out, “Good night, Rush.”

The sound of the two ponies faded away into the dimly lit corridor, replaced a few moments later by the faint clopping of another, growing louder, and clearer. Picked out by the yellow light of the lamps, the tall equine approached the sleeping figure in the bed and sighed, shaking her head.

Rush stirred,

“Mmm…Tia?”

“Shhh” The covers of the bed slid away, allowing the alicorn to squeeze in behind him, “Move up.”

“Tia!” Rush squeaked as the alicorn’s warm body snuggled up against him, “There’s no room, I…”

“Oh, hush” she replied, laying a foreleg across his chest, “just relax.”

“But somepony could come in and-” Rush began.

The Princess smiled, laying her muzzle across his neck, “No. Not tonight.” Her horn glowed, floating a key in front of Rush’s eyes.

He sighed and let himself relax, feeling the comforting warmth of the beautiful mare against his back. She made him feel so safe when she was near: loved, protected, and…sleepy…Rush found himself snuggling back into her, his legs quivering slightly as a tingle flowed through his body. He spoke quietly,

“Tia? I’m sorry.”

The white mare nuzzled him softly, “Why?”

“I…” Rush sighed, “I’m causing you problems. I didn’t mean to, but that doesn’t excuse what happened.”

Celestia let out a gentle breath, allowing her magic to run through him, sensing him, feeling every fibre of his being. He’d been hurt, true, but it was nowhere near as bad as she’d feared. Orange Grove had certainly interpreted her instructions in his own unique way, which was not entirely unexpected she supposed, but still, to beat Rush senseless? Naturally she was angry with him, with both of them really, but, perhaps, this was just the way stallions did things…

Stallions…

The Princess closed her eyes and breathed in his scent; he smelled of healing poultices, herbs, and that background muskiness of a stallion. She felt her legs wrapping themselves around him and pulling him to her. She let them…she wanted to feel him tonight.

Rush opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He wasn’t one for words, and in fact, he never had been. Instead, he simply lay there and kept silent, listening to the soft breathing of the mare beside him and the wonderful warmth from her body as well as the comforting yet strange tingling sensation that was slowly fading away. He stretched his legs and yawned; the aches were gone, leaving only the fading sadness he felt for…

“Rush…”

Celestia’s murmur made Rush’s train of thought derail, making his melancholy vanish like morning dew before the sun goddess’s loving rays. He smiled,

“I love you.”

“I should think so too” Celestia chuckled gently, “My bad stallion.” She reached up and gently nibbled his ear, “Go to sleep my love, you need to rest now.”

Rush shuddered, feeling the Princess let out a sigh and begin to drift off to sleep beside him. Squeezing his eyes shut he tried to will himself to sleep, but after what she’d done to him, just that most simple of things…Gods, it was like a lightning bolt surging through him! He was never going to sleep now! Rush let out an involuntary whimper.

Behind him, Celestia smiled happily.

Author's Note

Chapter Five - Ad Astra

CHAPTER FIVE

AD ASTRA

Rush sat reading the newspaper and chewed his sandwich thoughtfully. There was nothing quite like it: a cup of hot steaming tea in a warm room with something interesting to read - it was heavenly. Sitting at the breakfast table with her own breakfast, Celestia held a small hardback book in her hooves, occasionally turning a page in the glow from her magic while Rush rubbed his head and yawned; he still ached, but at least he was still in one piece. The Princess had left him in the infirmary for days after she’d visited him to allow him to recover fully before he moved back to the palace. Personally he believed it was more a case of ‘teaching him a lesson’, but he didn’t mind particularly. Celestia hadn’t said anything, but he knew she’d used her alicorn magic to heal him – that warmth and tingling sensation was something he’d never forget. He smiled; when he’d finally been discharged from the infirmary she’d sent Grove to collect him rather than come herself. He knew why: she didn’t want it to look as though he was being punished, but he wasn’t that naive. As for Grove, he’d been treated for his own bumps and bruises, but other than receiving a stern lecture from Mind, not another word had been said. Poor bugger, he’d privately confessed to Rush he’d been up all night half expecting a knock on the door from the royal police.

“Good book?” Rush asked, sipping his tea.

“Mmhmm” the Princess mumbled. Stretching her neck and shoulders, she peered up at Rush over her reading spectacles, “Anything interesting in the paper?”

“Um…” Rush raised an eyebrow, “Not really.” He stared at the picture; they were woodcut prints of events and ponies that held a surprising amount of detail. He’d never seen anything like them before, and to think that these were for sale in the market place for only a few bits was unbelievable! In his old village, only the wealthy could afford anything like this, albeit, he had to admit, the paper used was a lot thicker too and-

“Have you read this one yet?” Celestia asked, interrupting Rush’s train of thought.

“Huh?” He stared at the book, “No, not yet.” It was one of the ones from the library.

Celestia got up and walked over to the bed, effortlessly floating the book before her. Rush still had trouble understanding magic, but he’d developed the opinion that it ‘just was’, rather like birds could fly, like pegasi could fly, like fish could swim – in fact it was surprising what you could simply accept as the norm when you kept an open mind.

“What do think of this one?” Tia asked.

“I…er…” Rush stared at the open page. It was a picture of a pony, a colt he supposed, standing on his hind legs holding a large ball in his forehooves. “It’s a good picture” he said with a smile.

“Mmm.” Celestia raised an eyebrow, “It is, isn’t it.” She turned the page, “What about this one.”

The colt was kicking the ball.

“He’s kicking it.” Rush said.

Tia nodded, “And this one?”

“He’s running.”

Celestia sighed, “Rush…” she reached round and tapped the peculiar words at the bottom of the page, “I mean, can you tell me what it says?”

Rush blanched. The game was up, “No.”

“You can’t read, can you?” By the look on the Princess’s face, she knew the answer already.

Rush shook his head resignedly, “Not Equestrian, no.”

“When I saw you reading the newspaper…” Tia said, tailing off.

The brown stallion took his cup of tea and finished it off before putting it back on the night stand,

“I just look at the pictures.”

“I’d hoped” Celestia began, “the same way you can speak Equestrian, that somehow you could…” She looked away thoughtfully for a moment, and then turned back to him with a rather disturbing smile on her face. He didn’t like the look of this! “It can’t be helped I suppose” Tia said. Rush swallowed, suddenly feeling like he wanted to bolt from the room. Casually, Celestia trotted around to the other side of the bed, climbing up next to him. In a flurry of magic, his newspaper was whisked away, almost instantly replaced with the book. “No time like the present.” Tia smiled, tapping the first page, “Let’s begin.”

“Wait!” Rush raised a hoof in alarm, “Can’t you use magic? I mean, I can speak Equestrian can’t I? Why can’t…” A hoof on his muzzle stopped him mid sentence,

“Starswirl said it was an effect of portal magic. It can’t teach you how to read, Rush.”

Rush groaned. He knew something like this was coming, and despite his attempts to avoid it, it was probably going to be best just to play along. Sooner or later he would have had to have learned to read of course, especially after noticing how literate everypony else was around here. Ironically, on his old world he was quite a novelty – being able to read was something that had made him stand out from the rest of the villagers like a sore thumb. Here though… He looked up into the large purple eyes of the alabaster white alicorn. Despite his embarrassment, he couldn’t help but smile at the enthusiasm and joy in those deep magical orbs. She raised an eyebrow,

“Ready?”

Rush nodded.

***************************

“If you say a word, just one bloody word, I’ll nock that stupid looking smirk right off your face, smartarse.”

Grove’s grin looked like it would split his face in half, “I never said a word!”

“You didn’t have to!” Rush said with a groan, “Oh Gods! Why did I say anything?!” This was precisely why he didn’t say much to anyone back…’there’. The way he looked at it, the less people knew about you, the better. It was the intrusive nosiness, that incessant tittle-tattling that he hated so much about village life, and to his dismay, it looked as though Equestria was no different in that respect: everypony just loved to gossip here! He let out a sigh and tossed his mane, “Just…don’t tell anypony, alright?”

“Mum’s the word.” the orange stallion replied, closing his eyes and nodding emphatically.”

Rush nodded in reply.

Grove grinned, “That’s M…U…M…Mum.”

“You bloody…!”

“It’s just a joke! A joke!” Grove turned to give Rush an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry, mate,” he shrugged, “but you know you can’t just wave a hoof and know everything there is to know about the world, right?”

Rush rolled his eyes, “Changing the subject: what’s the plan for today?”

“I don’t have one.” Grove said with a shrug, “Let’s just see what the day holds for us, eh?”

The brown stallion frowned, “So long as it doesn’t involve alcohol or having the crap beaten out of me, I’m all for it.”

“Look,” Grove replied in exasperation, “I’ve already said sorry haven’t I? Are you going to hold that against me forever?”

Rush gave him a sly smile, “Until we have a rematch; perhaps.”

Grove snorted, “You’re on.” He paused, “Just… Don’t let ‘her’ know about it, okay? I don’t think being turned into ash would agree with me. Mind would kill me. Again.”

The two ponies trotted along the cobbled street towards the marketplace. There were quite a few people out today, mostly mares as usual, but then where he was from it was the females that looked after the home finances, so it didn’t seem that surprising. He knew very little about Equestrian customs, and this was yet another one that would require further investigation. Still, something was niggling at him though and he couldn’t quite put his hoof on it…

“…and swept down, like death on white wings, blasting the Legion into ash like it was…”

Grove was still going on about the war, and about Celestia. Good Gods, one minute the orange coated stallion didn’t want to talk about it and the next you couldn’t shut him up! One thing he’d discovered however, was that he was becoming heartily sick of hearing about his marefriend referred to as ‘her nibs’ or ‘sun butt’ as he’d heard the guards call her. He’d taken quite a shine to young Grove, but sometimes the furry chatterbox would just go on and on to the point where he felt he could quite happily throttle the bloody life out of him.

“…until Mind came in and…” The orange pony froze, “Damn it, get behind me.”

“Eh?” Rush stumbled on the cobbles, pulling up next to the guardspony, “What’s going on?”

“Shut up!” Grove pushed Rush into a side street and stealthily peeked round the corner, “Look!”

“At what?”

“Her!” Grove hissed, motioning with his hoof.

Rush followed the direction his friend was pointing in. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary particularly, in fact, it looked like any other sort of market day he could remember: stalls had been set up selling food, clothing and the usual knickknacks, while vendors and customers haggled over prices – in fact the only difference was the substitution of humans with colourful equines. Now that he thought about it, everything here felt so ‘normal’ to him now that he found himself wondering if he would someday forget the ‘other life’ he’d left behind completely. Grove was nudging him urgently now, and clearly trying to make him pay attention to…

“Oh!” So that was what he was looking at! Rush watched the pale lemon coated unicorn mare with the green and white striped mane and tail as she walked into the centre of the market. Not many of the ponies were paying her any attention, at least outwardly, but the closer he looked the more he began to pick up on the furtive glances, the jealous glowers, and…panting stallions…

Grove looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head.

“Who is that?” Rush asked quietly.

“A Goddess…” Grove burbled.

“She is?” Rush stared intently, hoping that the divine creature wouldn’t detect his inquisitive, and his friends more salacious, stares. She was certainly tall, quite slim, and had what he would consider to be perfect form. If she had been in the human world, she would have been a prize for any Lord. Interestingly, he couldn’t see any wings, so perhaps she wasn’t an alicorn? Tia was, but that didn’t mean there weren’t others, and some of the ponies quite literally worshipped her as a deity. Maybe this was another one? The drooling orange stallion obviously thought so, but maybe for reasons other that her divine properties. Rush bopped him on the side of the head.

“Ow! Hey, what was that for?” Grove squeaked, shooting Rush a hurt expression.

Rush shook his head, “Your tongue was dragging on the ground.”

“My what?!” Grove stuck his tongue out and rubbed it with a foreleg, “No it wasn’t…Hey!” He suddenly noticed Rush was walking out into the market place. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Shopping, remember?”

Grove held up a hoof to forestall his friend, but it was too late, the brown stallion was already walking towards the apple stand, right…where…she…was…

“Oh…Oh Goddesses!” Grove hurried up to Rush and began tapping him furiously, all the while trying to duck behind him to hide himself from view of the lemon coated mare. The apple vendor watched the two stallions approach with an expression of mixed exasperation and dismay. Rush couldn’t blame her; he pointed towards the red apples nestling in a straw lined box,

“A dozen please.”

The mare expertly lifted them out into a paper bag, “Can I get you anything else today?” she asked politely.

“Erm…Yes, can I have a punnet of strawberries?” Rush produced the list Tia had given him. He recognised some of the words from the book, strongly suspecting it was no coincidence he’d been asked to buy these, but he had to admit it was good practice for him and-

“For the Goddesses sake Rush, hurry up!” Grove looked like he was going to pass out at any moment, “Oh, Shi-”

“Good Morning, Truckle, how are you today?” The elegantly feminine voice carried a level of grace and bearing that complemented her appearance perfectly.

“Very well, milady, thank you for asking.” The apple vendor bobbed her head politely.

“Ack!”

“Grove?” Rush placed the last of his purchases into his panniers and turned to find his friend looking wide eyed and distinctly pale, “Are you alright?”

The orange stallion continued to stare off into space, emanating nervousness like a signal fire. He opened his mouth to speak,

“Fff...”

Rush rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, “Come on, let’s go.” He turned to leave, eventually managing to nudge his friend into motion just as a pale lemon muzzle and a pair of honey coloured eyes appeared beside him,

“Hello, Grove. I didn’t expect to see you here today. Is this a friend of yours?”

Grove looked as if he was going to be sick, however, to his credit still managed to pull enough dignity and self control together to make a relatively coherent sentence:

“Ast…Astra! Um…Hi! Er…nice to see you!” He stared wildly up at Rush, “Yes! This erm, this is um…”

“Rush.” His friend offered.

“Its…eh? Oh! Yes, it’s Rush. He’s Rush I mean, yes, this…” Grove waved a hoof at the brown coated stallion, nodding furiously, “This is most definitely, Rush.” He took a breath and visibly tried to calm down.

The mare extended a hoof to the nervous stallion’s friend, “Hello, Rush, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” she said pleasantly, “My name is Astra.”

Rush returned the greeting, “Sorry about this.” he said apologetically, “Grove seems a little ‘out of sorts’ today.”

Astra lifted her hoof and tittered demurely, “Oh you are sweet!” her eyes flashed in the sunlight beneath long lashes that were obviously having a profound effect upon a certain orange stallion, “Grovey has been like this ever since we went to school together. Honestly, I always thought he would become an accountant rather than a royal guard stallion, but I suppose that’s boys for you.” She looked Rush up and down curiously, “…’Rush’…I’ve heard your name somewhere recently, I’m sure.” She cocked her head on one side, fixing him with her deep alluring eyes, “Forgive me, but are you the one everypony is talking about? The Royal Consort?”

Rush felt his cheeks warming. To make matters worse, not only was the vendor staring at him, but now others were stopping to stare and move closer too. He closed his eyes and took a breath: there had to be a way out of this! If he made his excuses politely, he could extract them from this situation and get himself and the love struck orange idiot back to the palace and-

The mare suddenly looked up, announcing “Oh! Here comes my husband!”

Grove’s dreamy expression changed in an instant, “Rush, come on!” he hissed, “Let’s go!” He bobbed his head to the mare, “Astra, we have to…”

“YOU!”

The voice roared across the market place, drawing everyponies attention and making Rush’s blood go cold. Gritting his teeth, he turned to look across at the advancing form of the purple pegasus stallion with the long flowing snow white mane and scarlet eyes. The last time he’d seen him it had been just before the rat’s hooves had nearly broken his jaw. Seconds later the pegasus was standing tall before him, his eyes full of anger and indignation,

“Keep your filthy hooves away from my wife.”

Rush closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel a flood of calm flow through him. Part of him would have liked nothing better than to fight this stallion, but not here, and especially not when he knew how much it had upset Tia the last time. Still, a trip to the infirmary could have its advantages…

“And wipe that stupid smirk from your face!” Yule demanded imperiously, “I don’t know who you think you are, and I don’t care who you’re bedding either, but you keep away from my family or I’ll end you myself!”

Rush’s hooves twitched, his memory of the humiliating fight with this creature was still all too fresh in his mind. And then, he caught a glimpse of the look in Astra’s face: it was fear, and the way she was standing too, as though trying to protect herself. His eyes fell to her slightly swollen belly. He took a breath and shook his head sadly,

“Come on, Grove, let’s go.”

“Eh?” Suddenly shaken from his odd behaviour, the orange coated guardspony suddenly regained his composure, “Just a minute.”

“No! For Celestia’s sake, Grove, just bloody well leave it!” Rush shoved his friend aside.

“Didn’t you hear what he said? He…”

“-I heard him!” Rush snapped, “I’ll tell you later, just shut up and let’s go.”

Reluctantly, Grove turned to leave, following his friend. From the corner of his eye, he saw the shadow of regret passing across Astra’s face, and the look of sadness that made him want to run after her, to hold her, to protect her…Goddesses above, why didn’t he have the balls to just tell her? He snorted loudly, shaking his mane and stared angrily at the ground. Behind him he could hear the angry words of the pegasus, but he was no longer listening. He’d lost face back there. He should have bucked that damned feathered arse into next week and to hell with the consequences. It would have been worth it, if it hadn’t been for how much it would have hurt…Astra…

Their hooves clopped along the cobbled street, past the bakers, the flower shop, past the well where several older mares were gathered chatting and casting the two of them sidelong glances. Orange Grove didn’t care, not now, it was too late in any case. The past was the past and maybe it was just as well; you couldn’t change what had been, no matter how much you may wish for it. He shook his head; all those lost opportunities, the potential future that was imply never to be. He closed his eyes and felt the stinging sensation of tears welling up. Damn that blasted feathered freak! He…he stole her! He damned well stole the mare he…that he…

“Rush, head back on your own. I’m going for a walk.”

“What?” Rush stopped in his tracks, “What do you mean? Grove, you’re not going back there are you?”

“No.” The orange stallion stared up at the sky, a look of pain flashing across his face, “I…I just want to be alone for a while.”

Grove trotted off, leaving his friend standing in the road leading up to the palace. Rush shrugged; he knew when a person, or pony rather, needed space. The Gods knew he had, which was why he’d built his home where he had. This proximity to other ponies, this apparent ‘need’ for company, as alien as it was to him, was perhaps not quite as all pervasive as he’d originally thought. As his friend disappeared across the field towards the wood, he wondered if there really was that much of a difference between the two species: perhaps this was why he’d fitted into his new life so readily. He shook his head and trotted back up to the main gate, the guards nodding to him in greeting as he passed by. Some he thought he could recognise, but in the magically infused armour it was hard to tell them apart, though he still nodded and smiled in reply. Unicorns and earth ponies alike acknowledged him now, but the pegasi? No, and knew why too.

Inside Celestia’s chambers, Rush took off his panniers and deposited the apples and strawberries in the fruit bowl. Lying next to it, rather thoughtfully, another ‘learning is fun!’ book had been left out for him with a note:

Love, Tia. XXX.

He lifted it up and sniffed it; it smelled of her. Rush felt a sudden surge of emotion burning through him, along with the scent of Tia’s favourite soap: lavender. Carefully, he wiped his mouth, gently lifted the paper and slipped it into his overcoat pocket. He’d keep that safe. Where was she today anyway? Dealing with more of those jackass dignitaries? Rush chuckled at the memory of what he’d overheard the guards say whilst they discussed the Llamalian’s who had arrived earlier. He didn’t know what a Llamalian was, but he knew what a jackass was alright. He picked up a strawberry and popped the ripe fruit into his mouth; he could just picture the Princess talking to a group of braying, long eared creatures with their dopey expressions and sleepy eyes. Rush chuckled to himself and savoured the fresh sweetness of the fruit.

There was a knock at the door. It was Mind,

“Rush? Have you seen Grove?”

The brown stallion wiped the juice away from the corner of his mouth. “Mmm” he nodded, swallowing the last of the strawberry, “He’s gone for a walk to clear his head.”

The pink coated mare narrowed her eyes, “What do you mean?”

Rush stopped what he was doing and focussed on her, “I mean he’s gone for a walk. Is something the matter?”

Mind sat on her haunches and sighed while leaning her forehead on her hoof,

“I heard from one of the girls that you’d bumped into Yule in town and I thought…”

“We’d had another fight?” Rush snorted, “Not likely. Grove’s not that stupid.”

“Oh, Goddesses, Rush, he is that stupid!” Mind shook her head, “You don’t know him the way I do!”

“I understand that.” Rush replied, “But Mind, as the Gods are my witnesses, he just walked off into the woods saying he was going for a walk. Do you think he would have doubled back just to have a fight with that pegasus?” He shook his head, “Yule was out shopping with his wife, and-”

“-His wife?” Mind cut in, “You mean Astra?”

Rush nodded, carrying the apples over to the wash basin to give them a clean. Behind him Mind groaned,

“I can’t believe you left him alone like that.” She shook her head sadly, “But, well, I suppose I can’t blame you really, it’s probably just some stallion thing.”

Putting the apples down, Rush looked back over his shoulder at the pink mare, “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, “Some ‘stallion thing?”

“I mean it’s not good to leave somepony alone when they’re upset like that!” Mind said in exasperation, “Goddesses above, are you all so numb to one another’s feelings?”

“I…” Rush paused. Was he ‘numb’ to the feelings of others? Surely not to Tia, but…he remembered his wife and daughter, and how he’d felt when he’d lost them, how empty he’d felt inside when he’d lost his niece and so many of his friends and family. Had he become so completely desensitised that he was becoming cold towards those who cared for him? He looked down at the apple, sitting there on the cupboard and looked up at his reflection in the mirror. The image stared back at him with those large piercing blue eyes, his brown coat and cream mane looking the same as they had in his dreams from so long ago. He lifted a hoof, staring at his mane…his mother’s mane, his father’s eyes…and there, in the corner of his eyes, a shiny glistening tear. Rush dabbed it away with his hoof and stared at its damp remnants intently – had he become more, or something less than he had been? Had he lost his humanity completely? Or had he gained something more? He closed his eyes, the images of his mother coming back to him and how she’d always been so strangely distant and cold with him, and yet there had been times…times when she had silently held him and just…cried. He’d never understood why, and in his childish mind he’d thought that he were at fault, especially after his human father had died. Looking at himself in the mirror now, it almost like looking at her. Maybe, when she’d looked at him, even as alien as he must have looked to her in that world, maybe she saw the life and love she’d left behind.

“Rush?”

He took a deep breath and rubbed his face with a foreleg, “Come on, Mind, let’s go find him.”

The two ponies trotted out into the fields beyond the palace in silence. What Mind had said had unexpectedly struck a nerve with Rush, and now his mind was subconsciously taking him on a course all of its own; one completely separate to his physical self. Long buried memories of his home in the bamboo forest, of his wife, his daughter and his niece, bubbled to the surface… but why now? Why after all this time were they coming back to haunt him now? He’d grieved for them, he’d even buried them with his own hands, feeling every grain of soil as he covered their last mortal remains from the sun above. And yet in some ways, here in Equestria, Tia was the sun, the light of the world personified. Perhaps in his own personal world, his life, she was the light of hope and warmth that he’d always needed, that he’d secretly longed for all those years. Was he being selfish? Did he deserve to be with her after leaving his world and everything he’d ever known behind? He didn’t know, but whatever the answer there was nothing he could do about it now anyway. Rush sighed; by the Gods he felt old…

Mind’s silence continued as they walked, her short deep blue mane bobbing along while her tail swished side to side to the rhythm of her hooves. Rush had always found the way horses walked fascinating, and strangely therapeutic. There was something mesmerising in the effortless coordination of four legs, the rhythmic clopping of hooves and the pendulum like swinging of the tail. Of course as a human he’d never truly realised just how much effort that really took, but now, here he was just walking along doing exactly the same thing as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Come to think of it, Tia was right – he never used to think about how to walk in the human world, so why wouldn’t that same logic apply here? He sighed; why was he thinking about all this? Rush took a deep breath and shook his mane, scenting the deeper, woody smell of the trees before them.

“Is this where he went?” Mind asked suddenly.

Rush blinked in surprise. His mind had been wandering so much he hadn’t realised his hooves had lead him here almost automatically. What could he tell her? That he hadn’t really been paying attention?

“I’m not sure,” he said honestly, “but Grove was heading this direction when I last saw him.”

The pastel pink mare closed her eyes sadly and then, without another word, headed into the woods followed closely by Rush. Inside, shafts of dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves adding an air of mystery to their lush green surroundings. It was cooler in here, quiet, and gave an almost palpable sense of calm and peace; perhaps this was why Grove had come here. Inwardly, Rush berated himself for letting his friend walk off on his own, and began to wonder how he would have felt himself in his position. As much as his ‘pony self’ hated to admit it, he probably would have preferred to have been left to deal with his problems by himself. Was that still the ‘real’ Rush thinking like that? He wasn’t sure any more.

They found Grove lying in a small clearing beside a large rock that was covered in patches of moss. In the broken sunlight, the orange pony looked as though he were asleep, his face turned away from them. Rush opened his mouth to speak but Mind lifted a hoof forestalling him,

“Rush…” she whispered, “Wait here, please.”

The mare walked over to the orange stallion and sat down beside him: not too close to be uncomfortable, and not so far as to be out of reach. Rush watched as the two simply lay on the ground in complete silence. Oddly, he had expected some tension in the air, but here, there was nothing, only the occasional shudder from Grove. Birds sang high above in the canopy, their song muted down here amongst the dense trees. Rush closed his eyes and waited, turning his attention from the two guardsponies to a nearby plant he recognised from the pictures in the book he’d borrowed from the doctor. When Grove was ready, he would be here for him.

Nearby, in the shade of the rock, the heart of the woods, the orange stallion stirred, his voice a quiet whisper on the breeze,

“I’m sorry…”

Mind closed her eyes and nodded slowly, “It’s alright now, Grovey. I’m here.”

Grove’s voice was heavy with despair, “It’s not fair, Mind…none of it.”

“I know.” She replied softly.

“I…I thought she…” Grove shuddered again, gritting his teeth against the heartache that cut through him. The pink mare reached out to him and took his unresisting head in her forelegs and cradled him as he wept,

“Shhh, it’s alright now…it’s alright…”

The two lay together; Mind gently rocking the stallion back and forth, all the while softly stroking Grove’s mane and speaking to him in a surprisingly soft voice for such a large mare. Rush tried to push it from his thoughts, concentrating instead on continuing his study of the wide variety of plant life around him. One he recognised straight away was lavender, its fragrance instantly recognisable, particularly from his rather unpleasant experience in Tia’s bathroom. He still shuddered at the memory of that time and the sheer embarrassment of it all. At least now though he was able to control his body a lot more naturally than he had at first. Stairs were still a problem of course, but he’d conquer them – some day.

“Rush?” It was Mind, “Come on, let’s go home.”

Rush nodded, glancing across at his friend who was standing quietly beside the pink mare. Grove’s eyes looked empty and distant, as though he were staring into a past only he could see. Rush had seen that look before, and far too often for his liking too. Physical damage was one thing: it could be seen, it could be treated, but damage to the mind? That was a different story, and one that affected it’s victims in ways that could often never be seen. The orange stallion blinked and looked up at him, a sad smile on his face,

“Sorry, mate.”

Rush shrugged, “Eh? You just went off for a walk didn’t you?” Grove furrowed his brow at his friend’s words, but Rush just chuckled, “I can’t believe you got lost in here, you of all ponies!” he clopped him on the shoulder, “Come on now you bloody nuisance, lets get back and grab some food before you get into bother with the boss.”

Mind shot him a stern look, but Grove looked back at him in surprise and then lifted an eyebrow,

“Yeah, I’m starving.” He suddenly stopped and gave himself a shake, “Race yer!”

“Hey!” Mind shouted, but it was too late. With a resounding whoop Grove leaped forward and broke into a gallop, closely followed by the brown stallion and, quickly bringing up the rear, a very flustered pink mare.

Running full tilt, the three burst from the woods and headed across the fields, arrowing straight towards the palace gates. Rush’s chest was heaving, his hooves thundering; there was something incredibly liberating and, he had to admit, exhilarating, in the act of running. He felt…alive, free, as though nothing could catch him, nothing could harm him, and all the worries he had in the world simply melted away in the passing wind. He laughed aloud as he ran; he was Rush, the stallion, the earth pony stallion! He caught up to his friend and saw the same light and energy in his eyes as he had when he’d first met him,

“You call that a run?” Rush shouted, “Come on you old mule, you’re too slow to catch a cold!”

Grove snorted loudly, “You…!”

In a burst of speed, Rush surged ahead, letting the air flow over him, cooling his body and allowing him to run even faster. By the Gods, it was like nothing on earth…but he wasn’t on earth was he? He was on Equestrian soil, he was home…HOME! Throwing caution to the wind, Rush hurtled through the palace gates, nearly knocking the guards aside who shouted after him angrily. All he could do was laugh, laugh and smile at the tears of joy streaming down his cheeks as the dream he’d had so often in the dark nights in his cabin in the forest became the unimaginable reality. Rush burst through the open doors of the palace and hurtled into the entry hall.

“Rush! RUSH STOP!”

He barely heard Grove’s warning shout. The brown stallion, his cream mane flowing out behind him was lost in a heady surge of sheer bliss that made him feel as though he was flying, FLYING! Good Gods, who needed wings?! With a howl of released tension, Rush ran on, past the elegant tapestries, past the paintings, past the palace staff who deftly jumped out of the way with wide eyed stares and shouts of alarm, until, horrifyingly, he realised he was running out of corridor and that hooves really didn’t work too well on freshly waxed floors. Rush desperately tried to back peddle, but it was far too late.

“ARGH!”

The orange unicorn maid carrying a tray of crystal glasses and matching decanter, froze, staring in horror at the approaching brown and cream blur.

Lilly screamed.

Chapter Six - Stormy Weather

CHAPTER SIX

STORMY WEATHER

Celestia was desperate to yawn. Why did these negotiations always have to take so long?! The elders of the northern tribes were so interminably boring in both their mannerisms and speech that she’d seriously begun to wonder how their people had managed to survive for so long beyond the barrier. Was it actually possible to die of boredom? Good Gods, it was starting to look like a distinct possibility! The more she thought about it though, the more incredible it seemed that some of them had ever joined forces with her sister in the first place. In fact she was beginning to suspect that the real reason they’d done so was down to little more than them being offered the opportunity to do something other than wade knee deep through snow all day long. The Princess rubbed her muzzle with a foreleg and sighed; had she always been so sarcastic? No, probably not, and she suspected it may have something to do with the influence of a certain dry witted brown stallion.

Celestia nodded as the elder continued his explanation of his tribe’s origins, its rituals, and only the Gods knew what else. For some reason it was apparently a tradition amongst the tribes to regale their host with a frighteningly in depth account of their particular tribe’s history. In this case, the droning recollections and turgid explanations had gone on not just for hours, but for days! She wouldn’t have minded particularly, only that she’d discovered to her dismay that the elder had insisted on recounting not only her own tribe’s history, but as the representative of the combined northern tribes, she would recount all of them! Unfortunately, as the Princess nodded and smiled absently, her mind was beginning to wander back to the time she’d spent with Rush in the forest, sipping blackwort tea, enjoying the smells of the forest, and its quiet rustling sound of the wind high in the…

An ear splitting scream rang through the throne room.

Everything happened at once in a cacophonous burst of sound and movement that made the two elders jump in alarm. The throne room guards stumbled to react in time as the doors, already half open to admit the expected refreshments, exploded inwards in a whirlwind of legs, fur, bellows, yells and whinnies.

Carried on a wave of brown, orange, flying crystal, and spilled spirits, the tide of destruction picked up the two hapless dignitaries and would have probably ended up in more than a few days in the infirmary if the golden glow of magic hadn’t suddenly enveloped them all, arresting their momentum and hauling them into the air. The Princess, her wings spread wide and her head held high, advanced on the swirling, helpless mess before her. She took a breath,

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?”

In an instant she took in the bedraggled form of Lilly, the panting and steaming Rush, the spilled liqueur… She sighed, “Oh, Rush.”

The magic winked out. The liqueur was back in the bottle, what hadn’t been spilled over the four ponies that was, but most importantly, there were no injuries – other than pride. The two northern tribal elders picked themselves up and wrinkled their noses: they literally stank of elderberries,

“P…Princess!” One of them gasped, “What…?”

Celestia help up a hoof, “Please Elder, I must investigate matters here immediately. My staff will see you to our bathing facilities before your coats become stained. I can assure you, elderberry is a nightmare to get out.” She clopped her hooves, summoning a small army of waiting ponies, “Please escort out guests to the baths and see that they are given the very best of treatment.”

In a trice, the two long haired ponies were whisked away, leaving the Princess with an exhausted looking Rush and a livid unicorn maid. Gods, why did it have to be Lilly? Celestia mentally groaned: of all ponies to crash into!

“I presume you intend to explain?” she asked.

Rush opened his mouth to speak, but Lilly beat him to it,

“He…He attacked me!” she gasped, pointing a shaking hoof, “He tried to kill me!”
Celestia face hoofed, “Rush?”

“I…er…” The bedraggled stallion began.

“While Rush is trying to catch his breath,” Celestia cut in, “Lilly, I would like you to go and check on our guests.”

“But…!”

“You are the best maid for this task, Lilly, and after this fiasco I need to know they are being cared for properly.” The Princess gave Lilly a kindly smile, “Please…for me?”

Lilly blushed brightly, a shy smile appearing on her face, “Er…yes…of course, Your Majesty.”

“I knew I could count on you Lilly.” Celestia beamed, “Now, I must see to our miscreant here. I believe some appropriate punishment may be in order.”

Rush gave himself a shake as he rose to his hooves. Disorientated as he was, he didn’t miss the look Lilly shot him as she left; the way she managed to convey so much derision and superiority in one glance was actually quite impressive, he thought to himself sarcastically. Unfortunately the reality of what had just happened was beginning to dawn on him now, particularly as its herald was looming over him in all her regal majesty.

“I slipped.” He tried.

Celestia shook her head and sank to her haunches, “Can you tell me how it is, that every time I see you lately you smell of elderberries?” she asked with a look of resignation on her face.

Rush sniffed his fur; she was right, some of the ‘refreshment’ intended for the two dignitaries was now well and truly soaked into his coat, a result of the high speed collision with the moody maid. He hung his head,

“I’m sorry.” Rush said staring at his hooves, “It seems I’m having some trouble finding out my limitations at the moment.”

“That’s an interesting way of putting it.” Celestia replied brushing Rush’s mane out of his eyes. She put a hoof under his chin and gently lifted his head. How could she be angry with him? He was so foal-like and yet so mature at the same time, it was both exciting and infuriating. Those big blue eyes of his looked up into hers, his expression a little distant and yet also bearing a certain sadness that pulled at her heart. She recognised it from when she’d stayed with him in the cabin; the way he would become introspective and withdrawn whenever he felt unsure about something. She’d discovered Rush had a tendency to blame himself for things that weren’t his fault, and this ‘pulling back’ into his own mind was a type of defence he’d developed. Unfortunately it was a trait she wished he hadn’t – it wasn’t good for him, nor anypony for that matter. She could see it now, the way his eyes were beginning to lose their brightness, the expression changing…

She kissed him.

With a twitch, Rush was back to his usual self, blinking in surprise as the alicorn pulled away,

“Tia…!”

“Did you get the shopping?” She asked matter-of-factly.

“Um, yes, it’s in the room.” Rush replied, scratching his head as if just remembering something, “Strawberries and apples, like you asked.”

“Then let’s retire for tea.” Celestia said with a smile.

“But, what about the dignitaries?” Rush asked, sniffing the damp patch on his coat, “I’ve caused those Llama’s some trouble, and you too.” He paused and nodded, affirming his decision, “Tia, I have to apologise to them.”

Celestia nodded slowly, “We will apologise to them together, tomorrow.” She raised an eyebrow, “But they weren’t Llama’s, they were ponies from the cold northern lands.” Celestia sighed as the two of them headed out of the throne room, “The Llamalian envoy is tomorrow afternoon.”

Rush had noticed the long hair of the two ponies, more so after he’d ploughed into them at high speed of course, but there wasn’t much he could do about that now. Thank the Gods they weren’t hurt though, the last thing he wanted was to cause an international incident of his blundering. Inside he berated himself for his impetuousness and ultimately foolish behaviour that had caused his beloved Tia trouble once again. Why did this keep happening? The bathroom, the bar fight, the ‘training session’ with Grove and now this! In some ways he wondered if he would be better off simply leaving for a while, spend time getting used to his new body, developing his skills and…

“Rush?”

“Hmm?” He looked up.

The alabaster alicorn glanced at him with her large purple eyes,

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Rush balked. She could read his mind?!

“I can see it in your eyes.” She continued as if in answer to the unasked question, “You’re like an open book, you know.”

Rush barked out a laugh, “I hope it has pictures in it then!”

Celestia chuckled, “Oh, I think so.” She gave him a playful nudge, “All the pictures I need.” They turned a corner and headed towards the bathing area, “Don’t worry about the Elders, they’re a hardy lot. We’ll both have a word with them tomorrow morning before they leave. You never know, they may even have seen the funny side of it.”

“Funny side?” Rush shook his head with a snort, “They didn’t seem too amused to me.”

“Oh, I think once they’ve been pampered and well fed they’ll have forgotten all about it.” Celestia reasoned, “Besides, negotiations went very favourably, so I think a few ruffled feathers are the least of our concerns.” She smiled, “Anyway, your entrance, albeit rather unexpected, had unforeseen consequences.”

“Consequences?” Rush asked a little worried.

Celestia nodded, “This!” She motioned towards the bathing area ahead, “An early bath, and a picnic to look forward to, and…” she chuckled, “no more droning Elders going on and on about how many foals had been born in a particular tribe in a particular year and how many days it took to build the tribal long house and…” she stretched her wings and gave them a hard shake, “Good Gods, I’m sure ponies have gone to war for less!”

“Tia!” Rush said rather louder than he meant.

The Princess laughed.

Rush shook his head, smiling at the happy sound of his beloved mare. It was still incredible to think that he had been here so short a time and yet found himself treating all of…’this’…as though he’d lived in Equestria all his life.

“Come on, let’s have a look at you.” The Princess said with a smile.

Even Celestia treated him as if she’d known him for a lot longer than she actually had. Rush closed his eyes as she manoeuvred him under the warm shower and began to lather his coat. Gods above that felt…so…good…

“Rush?” Celestia’s voice sounded as gentle and kind as ever.

“Hmm?” The brown stallion let out a groan as the heat soaked through his coat and the alicorn’s hooves expertly massaged his muscles.

“How are you finding your new home?” She asked.

Rush smiled absently, “Wonderful.”

“Really?” Celestia chuckled, “I was a little concerned, especially after…” she paused, “the er, ‘incident’ in the tavern?”

She may have sounded amused but Rush could still remember the anger and pain in her eyes when she’d found him lying in an alcoholic stupor. Celestia had been frightened, and he didn’t want to see that look in her eyes again…ever.

“I’d hoped young Orange Grove would been a better influence on you.” She sighed, “But now, I’m not so sure. He seems a little more irresponsible than I’d thought; I think we should find somepony else to help you find your hooves.”

“Hmm…” Rush felt a little woozy from the warmth, the relaxing feeling of Tia’s hooves – and then what she’d said sank in. “Eh? No!” Rush started, wincing as the soap caught his eyes, “Tia, I…Ow! No…”

Celestia huffed, moving a hoof under his chin and rinsing the soap from his muzzle,

“Hold still now…there…”

Rush struggled, dodging past the Princess to stand steaming and flustered before her, water cascading onto the tiled floor,

“Tia, please, I don’t want…” He took a breath, “Grove is my…”

“Yes?” The alicorn asked, raising an eyebrow.

“He’s…he’s my…” Rush sank to his haunches and closed his eyes, “You know all too well, don’t you.”

The Princess shrugged, “Why, Rush, whatever do you mean?”

The brown stallion fixed her with a surprisingly cheeky blue eyed stare, “You know what I mean, Your Majesty.”

Celestia playfully stuck her tongue out before walking past him towards the drying area. Rush trotted after her; she’d planned this all along hadn’t she? Well, perhaps not getting into a fight in the tavern, nor being beaten senseless by Grove, not to mention his unfortunate experience with waxed floor tiles, but she’d known full well that he and the orange coated earth stallion would become friends. Gods, was he so predictable?

“Oh, I don’t think so.” Tia whispered in his ear, “It’s one of the things that make you so endearing.”

Rush balked, “You can read my mind!” he gasped.

Tia laughed, “No, you just speak what you’re thinking sometimes.” She bopped him on the nose, “It’s your mind’s way of telling you to speak to others instead of bottling everything up inside you.” She nodded, “And despite what you’re thinking, Mister Rush, I didn’t know you were going to become friends with Grove, but I had hoped you would.” Celestia floated over a towel in the golden glow of her magic, “Ponies need friendship, Rush, and I suspect that you may have found that out by yourself now, yes?”

Rush nodded, closing his eyes as the towel dried his mane and muzzle.

“I’m still angry with him though.” The Princess added, “He’s a little more ‘irresponsible’ than I’d hoped, and I don’t want that…” She trailed off.

Rush took the towel from her and looked her right in the eyes, “Tia, Grove isn’t going to lead me into bad ways. I’m not a foal you know, I’m a fully grown stallion.” He suddenly grinned as the realisation of what he’d said seemed to hit home for the very first time, “I am, aren’t I…”

The white alicorn walked up to him, her large purple eyes gleaming,

“Oh, yes.” She moved closer, “You are…” Tia lifted his muzzle in her hooves, her lips so close to his her scent wafted across his nostrils as their breath mingled in the warm air, “You are my stallion…”

Kissing the Princess, the ruler of Equestria…Rush groaned as he found himself all but melting into her in that moment. She was so warm, so feminine, and yet there was something more, something that had captured his heart almost from the very first moment he’d first heard her speak: her mind. She was without doubt the most intelligent being he had ever met, who treated him, and her subjects, with a mutual respect and motherly kindness that was reflected in the love her people had for her. Rush loved her, her people loved her…

“I love you, Tia.” He whispered.

The Princess groaned, “I know…” She pulled him into her, her hooves pulling at his neck, “I know…”

Celestia’s heart was racing, her breathing becoming heavy. She brushed her muzzle down Rush’s still slightly damp neck and kissed it, running her hoof down his shoulder,

“Rush…”

The brown stallion gasped as a feeling like an electric shock flashed through him, making his mane and tail twitch. What was happening? Rush could feel his own heart beating in his ears, his hooves tingling. Celestia looked up at him, kicking off her golden hoof covers and magicked off her crown. There was a different aura about her now: a heat, a blazing inferno of emotion and…

Rush let her carry him to the towel strewn floor as the Princess stood over him, her chest heaving, her eyes burning brightly; there was an intensity about her gaze, one that was different from before: she looked…hungry. Rush blinked, slightly worried and yet…

He smiled.

Rush reached up to her…

“Your Majesty?” A voice from the corridor carried to them, “Are you…Eep!”

Celestia blinked in surprise and a sudden shock of anger flashed across her face. In a frightening display of speed, she span turned towards the pony in the doorway, her horn glowing and eyes burning,

“GET OUT!”

The Chancellor jumped back in surprise, “But Your Majesty, the Llamalian…”

“I SAID GET OUT!”

In a burst of golden magic, the hapless mare was bodily lifted and carried from the room as the door slammed shut with a loud boom that sent vibrations through the bath house. Celestia turned back to Rush, her eyes burning with the light of magic, her mane swirling in the flow of the ethereal winds of Equestria. She looked down at the brown stallion gazing back at her, the way his eyes watched her - so trusting, so…so…

“Rush…Rush I…” The Princess began to shake, ”Rush…” She sank to her knees atop him, wrapping her forelegs around his neck, “Oh, Rush…I’m sorry…I’m so, so, sorry…”

“Tia?” Rush reached around his beloved mare and held her, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not…I’m not who you think I am!” The Princess sobbed, “I’m not…”

Rush closed his eyes and smiled, “You are all you need to be, my love.”

Celestia squeezed her eyes shut and pushed herself away from him, tears pouring down her face, “You don’t understand!” she sobbed, “You don’t know me! Nopony knows me!”

Rush sat up, reaching out for her, “But I want to know you, Tia, please…”

“NO!” The Princess snorted, shaking her mane, “You can’t! YOU CAN’T!” In a flurry she snatched up her hoof covers and crown, and with a burst of rainbow colour the white alicorn turned and ran from the room. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Rush sitting alone in the now empty bathroom. The brown stallion sat in shocked silence for a while before shaking his head with a heavy sigh. His heart was still racing, but this time…this time he wished it wasn’t. A shiver ran through him: a wave of concern for Tia, and…for himself. Rush hung his head and walked towards the door. Reaching for it he paused; was she right? He didn’t really know her at all, did he? She was, after all, a Goddess in all but name: the Princess and ruler of a land of thousands, perhaps millions of ponies, and here he was, a lowly earth pony, acting as if he had every right in the world to just walk in and take her from her people. Rush took a breath and gave himself a shake – maybe he was just being foolish and over thinking things. He opened the door and walked out into the coolness of the corridor. Rush put his hooves on the windowsill and stared out over the golden turrets and white stone of the palace. The sun was still high in the sky, and the green grass of the hills beyond so…inviting. It was times like this that reminded him why he had wanted to spend his days alone, living how he wanted to live without having to worry about the feelings of others and the endless confusion that brought him. He didn’t want to see the pain and suffering in them, and know that he could do nothing to help them; it was one of the reasons why he’d decided against following in his mothers hoofsteps to become a healer. Sure, he’d learned, he’d even practiced his knowledge during his army days, but no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he learned, the suffering around him continued. He couldn’t save them, he couldn’t save any of them really, not even his daughter…his wife…his niece…he couldn’t save any of them.

The cool afternoon air tickled his nostrils, the sun warm upon his face. Without thinking, his hooves had brought him to the side door of the palace and out into the gardens. He breathed in the delicate scent of flowers, the sweet aroma of grass, the richness of the soil, and revelled in the warm light of the sun on his back. But Rush didn’t want to think about any of that, in fact all he wanted was not to have think of anything at all, to just clear his mind completely and simply walk. He had no idea where he was going, but with the light breeze came the smells of the woodland. He’d avoid the town; the last thing he wanted was to bump into Grove right now and doubtless some lecture from Mind. He could picture it now: ‘you did what? Why didn’t you go after her?’ Inwardly he sighed; maybe he should have, maybe she’d even expected him to do just that, and now here he was walking away from the problem as if that would fix anything at all. Rush shook his head; what the hell did he know about mares, or females in general for that matter? Now that he thought about it, he barely even knew himself, let alone anypony else. Here he was, a pony who couldn’t read or write, looking fully grown but with all the skills and knowledge of a…a…a bloody school foal!

With a loud neigh, Rush gave himself a shake and broke into a gallop. These damned thoughts were killing him, trying to pull him down into the depths of despair. If he didn’t think then he couldn’t feel, could he? That way he wouldn’t have to worry about being hurt and he couldn’t accidentally hurt anypony else. Trees, fields, roads, fences, all manner of objects both familiar and unfamiliar went by in a blur as Rush’s hooves pounded the ground, propelling him onward. Ponies stared at him as he passed them by, their faces still so alien and yet so familiar, barely registered with him. All he wanted was to run, to keep running, to run until…until… Sparks of blue light began to appear in his vision while his chest started to burn with overexertion. Rush’s muscles felt strangely heavy, yet his head was as light as a feather: a strange and curious combination that sent warning signals through his mind. Reluctantly, he slowed his pace, gradually coming to a halt by a wide river. His eyes went wide – it was so beautiful! The crystal clear waters, the way the sunlight glinted from its gently moving surface, was so intoxicating it was making him feel unsteady on his hooves. Rush smiled and sank to his knees; he’d take a sip of that water, just a little to slake his burning thirst, and then a quick sleep beneath the blue sky and white clouds. High above him a pegasus flew by, their wings effortlessly propelling them towards their destination. Rush took in a breath and hung his head in exhaustion. It must be nice to be so free, he thought to himself, to be unchained by the land and simply soar through the sky like a bird. And yet despite his melancholy thoughts, he had to admit, he still felt at home here in this strange land, and…horribly tired too. He yawned; perhaps a quick snooze would be just what he needed.

***********************

It sounded as if sparrows were fighting in the trees far above, their incessant bickering cutting through the branches along with the smell of…smoke? Rush sat up in trice, looking about himself and blinked in surprise at the small group of ponies who were sat about the clearing chatting and passing around sandwiches.

“Hey, look who’s awake.” A blue stallion said around a mouthful of bread, “Hey guys!”

Rush rubbed the grit from his eyes and winced at the ache in his chest. Gods above, he felt like he’d been hit with a sledgehammer. What was going on here? He took a breath, about to speak, and paused; were these bandits? No, he wasn’t tied up so that was unlikely. Still, it didn’t hurt to be cautious.

“You okay?” A lemon yellow coated unicorn mare asked, sliding nearer to him, “Here, have a drink.” She passed him a cup of water, the life giving liquid bursting in his dry mouth like nectar from the Gods. “Whoa! Easy tiger, don’t take in too much at once now.”

Rush nodded, but his body was screaming for him to just plunge his muzzle into the nearby river and siphon the whole thing dry. He moved to stand up but felt something against his shoulder – it was a cloak, and a good thick one too. Suddenly a shiver ran through him and he sat back down, pulling the warm garment in around himself. Gods, he was freezing!

“Do you have a name?” The blue stallion asked rather sarcastically.

“R…Rush.” Rush chattered.

“That it?” The earth stallion asked, “Just, ‘Rush’?”

Rush nodded.

“Pop Top” The mare said, extending a hoof, “The miserable sod here is Rock Mill.” She turned to the others, “The others are Straw Cut, Barley Frame, and Queen’s Court.”

Rush nodded to them.

“Doesn’t say much, does he?” One of them shouted over, “You sure he’s okay, Pop?”

The lemon coated unicorn leaned in close to Rush, her red eyes making his flinch back, much to her amusement. She treated him to an expansive grin,

“Yeah, he’s okay, just a bit chilly.” The mare pointed towards the fire, “Get yourself a bit nearer if you like, but don’t you dare singe that cloak or I’ll have the bloody hide off you.”

Rush nodded, “Th…thanks.”

“I should think so too. Bloody idiot; we saw you belting along like a thestral was nipping at your arse and then you ended up conking out, right in the open.” She shook her head, “You from the town?”

Rush nodded.

“Huh, a fancy pony eh?” Rock snorted, “Don’t look like you done a days graft in your life.” He turned away, folding his forelegs, “Bloody posers.”

“So, what are you doing out here?” Pop Top asked, nudging the blue stallion to silence and stretching her legs, “Looking for work?”

“Huh?” Rush blinked, “I…no, I was just…” he trailed off. He didn’t want to tell them he was from the palace, that could just cause some unnecessarily awkward questions, “Er, yes, yes I’m looking for work.” Oh Gods! The words were out of his mouth before his still muzzy brain was able to stop him.

“Thought so” Pop nodded, “You look like a bit of a softy to me, but you’ve got some meat on you, so I reckon you’ll do.”

“Do what?” Rush asked.

Pop sighed, “Logging. You do know this is a logging camp right?”

It quite clearly was. Chains, harness, axes and ropes lay propped up and stacked beside the relaxing ponies.

“Funny way to look for work if you ask me,” A purple earth stallion said walking over with a plate of sandwiches. He passed them to Rush, “Guy runs until he nearly blows himself out and you think he’d looking for a job?” The stocky fellow lifted an eyebrow, “What’s the real story here fella? You in trouble with the watch or something?”

Rush shook his head, “No.” He thought about it a minute, “I was just out for a run.”

“Some run!” Pop laughed, “Let me guess: mare trouble?”

The heat flushing through Rush’s cheeks must have been all the answer she needed. Pop roared with laughter, slapping her thighs and shoving Rock who just rolled his eyes before taking out his pipe,

“Bloody knew it.”

“Yeah, right!” Pop barked pushing him encouragingly, “Come on, don’t be shy.”

The blue stallion hoofed over his bag of tobacco to Rush, “Smoke?”

“No. Thanks though.” Rush said, still feeling a little embarrassed, “I’d like some more water though.”

“Whaddya think, boss?” Pop asked.

The purple stallion, Straw Cut, nodded slowly, appraising the brown coated stallion before him, “Yeah, I think he’s okay. But go easy, alright? You run like that without constraint and boom!” he clopped his hooves together, “Don’t they teach you townies anything like that? Celestia’s arse, boy, it’s no wonder you lot got your arses handed to you in the field.”

In the field? Rush had heard that term before, in another world, another time. He sipped the proffered water and sighed, enjoying the sensation of the cooling fluid slipping down his throat,

“You were in the army?” he asked.

The stallion grinned, “Who wasn’t?” He frowned, peering closely at Rush, “What did you do? You look the right age to have served.”

“I was a healer.” Rush replied, rapidly thinking of a plausible story. It was true enough, he had been, just not in Equestria. Still, it wasn’t as if he was lying to these ponies.

“A healer?!” Pop snorted loudly, “You nearly ran yourself to death over some bloody mare and you say you’re a healer?”

Rush sighed; she was right of course, it did sound foolish when you thought about it, but at the same time there was some truth to it. He gave them an apologetic smile. These seemed to be good ponies at heart, and ones he felt a sense of affinity with on some level: they were workers, farming the land for resources to pay their way in the world - to survive. He could relate to that. Still, he didn’t want to lie to them, but what they didn’t know, as they say, couldn’t hurt them.

“I learned the healer’s arts from my mother, but mostly I was reed worker” Rush said, taking a bite of one of the surprisingly tasty sandwiches, “Not much more to tell really.”

“What’s a reed worker?” Rock asked in his dull timbre.

Rush smiled absently, remembering the feel of the raw material in his hands, the way he would bind and cut the reeds, and the smell…Gods how he missed that.

“They collect river reeds to make baskets and things. You know, like this.” Pop lifted a small lidded basket, “Am I right?”

Rush nodded, “Yes…like that.” He stared down at the ground, his heart suddenly aching, but for what, he wasn’t sure.

“Well, Rush, we can’t help you with your marefriend issues, but we’re a body down at the minute while Ash Flower’s away, so if you’re feeling up to it, you’re welcome to give us hoof.”

Smiling, Rush looked into the chestnut eyes of Straw Cut, “Aye.”

“Good lad!” Straw clopped him on the shoulder, “Now then, times getting on so we’re going to have an early turn in. You can have Ash’s bed.” He lifted a hoof, “It’s an early start though, so don’t expect any lie in.”

With a smile, Straw Cut got back up to help the others ready their gear for the next day. Rush closed his eyes and concentrated on the wonderfully simple feeling of warmth entering his body from the campfire and the hot tea that Rock had just passed him with little more than a primitive grunt. They were an interesting group, those that he’d spoken to so far of course, but the way they had accepted him as simply another pony was something he’d found had warmed his heart as much as the fire. Tia had assured him he was just like any other pony, but to see it for yourself, to experience it when your mind and heart were still unsettled – it had done wonders for him. He closed his eyes and took a breath…

Tia…

Rush sighed; she was upset and he’d run off, hadn’t he? He rubbed his muzzle with his hoof; if only mares cabme with a set of instructions he might have…might have what? Said the right thing? Known what to do? How could he?! Life in the mountains had been so much easier – lonelier certainly – but less…’complicated’. His late wife hadn’t been like Tia at all, in fact she’d almost been like a complete stranger who just so happened to live with him. They barely spoke, and they hardly ever interacted at all. Now, when he thought about it, it was nothing short of miraculous they’d ever had a daughter at all! It didn’t mean he hadn’t cared for them though, maybe even…loved them… Gods above, he must have, mustn’t he? But then…what he’d done… Even now, even after all these years, he still couldn’t fully understand what had happened. Whatever madness had driven his wife and daughter to join the very monsters that had taken them from their home in the first place had played on his mind for years afterwards. Perhaps there was a reason, maybe even one so obvious others would be able to point to it instantly and say ‘that’s why!’ It didn’t really matter though, what difference would it make now anyway? They’d gone, and he would never see them again, never hear his daughter’s laughter as she played amongst the bamboo trees or see the light in her eyes ever…ever again… Rush huddled himself up in a ball, pulling the cloak around himself and willed the painful memories and thoughts away. These were never good to have; he couldn’t change the past, nor in some selfish way did he really want to. In truth, he never should have been born in the human world at all, and here, here with these ponies, these simple folk… he felt at home.

A hoof nudged him.

“Huh?” Rush looked up in surprise at the jug being passed to him. Rock made another grunting noise and Rush nodded in response, taking the earthenware jug and taking a pull.

“Good?” Straw asked.

“Mmm…” Rush smiled as the fiery spirit ran down his throat and seemed to burst like fireworks in his stomach, sending out it heat throughout his entire body. He smacked his lips as he passed the jug to the next pony, “What is it?”

“Apple brandy”, the stallion replied, “Barley’s family make it.”

The copper coated fellow sitting across from him waved his hoof with a smile. Between them, the campfire crackled and snapped, sending its heat out to warm the outside of the brown stallion as much as the spirit warmed his inside. Rush smiled to himself; It looked as if the ‘early turn in’ had turned into a drink and chat around the fire after all.

A cream coated mare with raven black mane and tail and the most intense orange eyes he’d ever seen, peered at Rush, her expression one of intense interest. He couldn’t help but feel a little…uncomfortable under her gaze, but it didn’t particularly bother him. The jug made its way round again: a few more like this and he wouldn’t care at all! Rush smiled happily, finally letting his body relax.

Barley lifted a hoof, “Hey, who knows ‘The Thestral’s Bane’?”

“Oh, no!” Pop groaned, “Not that old hat again!”

“Oh, come on, it’s a classic!” the copper stallion replied, “Don’t be a bloody misery, Pop, even the new boy can join in with this one.”

Rush furrowed his brow: thestrals? He scratched his mane, his curiosity piqued. Opening his mouth to speak, the lilting sound of a string instrument derailed his train of thought. Suddenly he realised he hadn’t heard any music since arriving in Equestria, not that he was particularly musical himself, but he had to admit he couldn’t see ponies being able to… Rush sighed; Gods, there was just so much he didn’t know about these people…his people.

The first chord floated out, sharp and clear, resonating with the brown stallion’s heart and sending a tingle of excitement through his body. A thump beside him heralded a grinning Straw with a hoof held drum. Rush shook his head in amazement as the music began. Despite her earlier reticence, even Pop Top was tapping her hoof in time with the rhythm. Meanwhile, Rush, the newcomer to the group, pleasantly warm both inside and out, smiled happily as he closed his eyes and listened to the music, letting the words flow over him :

From lands afar on wings of night the nightmare flowed to cover our home.
Eyes afire, with axe and sword, the beasts of night with demons bright, would break both body and bone.
A herald of winter and conquerors blade, the fires of the Legion came, to slay the weak, the strong, the young, before their evil flame.

Oh smite them one, one and all! Send them back to the pits below!
When the grey dawn comes and the sun’s light calls, who will answer the trumpets call?

The girl in white, so pure and light, atop her chariot of gold,
to break the hoard of endless night, would send her fury to melt the cold.
Before the hooves of Celestian might, the demons fell before the reapers blade, to drive them from our lands so free and cleanse the home the sisters made.

Oh smite them one, one and all! Send them back to the pits below!
When the grey dawn comes and the sun’s light calls, who will answer the trumpets call?

Even Rush found himself joining in with the chorus which grew steadily louder towards the end, by which time he’d imbibed considerably more of the potent spirit. Barley put down his lute and stretched,

“You can’t beat an old classic I always say.”

“Goddesses almighty, I can’t believe somepony wrote that. What a load of bloody twaddle” Pop snorted, munching on a celery stick she’d lifted from the bowl of snacks that was doing the rounds, “I mean, she didn’t have a bloody chariot in first place, let alone a golden one!”

“It glosses over the fact we got our arses handed to us at River Valley too.” Rock rumbled, “Bloody flying rats.”

“Didn’t do much flying as I recall” Barley shrugged, “Tell you what, how about ‘The Bakers Tart’?”

There was a rousing round of cheers and the song started with Barley leaning forward sporting a lecherous grin,

Let me tell you a tale of long ago when the heroes one and all,
were fighting for their country all fiery, brave, and bold,
But beware fair traveller of the maiden, who lives in the baker’s mill,
She’ll tempt with buns and other treats, that’ll make yer privates ill!

Oh! It’s a feat for a treat that we like to eat for a nibble or a bite of yer art,
For I don’t give a fig or fight or a fart, for a bite of that baker’s tart!

Rush burst out laughing at the chorus, which only lead to more giggles as the rest of the group earnestly tried to finish the song. The grinning brown stallion couldn’t remember the last time he’d simply let his hair down, or mane rather, except that night in the village hall… He shrugged; even that was nothing compared to this! Suddenly, somepony shoved into him,

“Hi.” It was the cream mare.

“Hi.” Rush replied, a little muzzily, “You’re Queen’s Court, aren’t you?”

“Uh-huh.” She replied, her eyes boring into his, “You’re Rush, right?”

“Mmm” Rush took another swig as a new bottle of apple brandy did the rounds, “That’s me.”

“You staying with us for a while?” she asked.

Rush shook his head, “Just tomorrow, then I’ll need to…” he paused. He needed to what, go back? Gods above, he shouldn’t really have come here in the first place. Tia would be going spare, and…

A hoof stroked down his mane making him shiver.

“I like your mane” the mare said quietly, “it’s soft…”

“Hey!” Pop shouted over, “Leave the new guy alone, Queenie, he’s spoken for.”

The cream mare snorted, “Oh, come on, Pop, look at him, he’s like a little lost foal!” She turned a burning hot gaze upon her target and licked her lips, “I bet you’ve never had a real mare before.”

Rush froze, his eyes locking with the deep orange orbs of the mare as she drew closer.

“I can show you a world of…” her lips loomed in his vision, “indulgence…”

“Erm…Miss? I already have a marefriend.” Rush said swallowing.

“So?” The mare whispered, “Is she here?”

“No, but…”

Queen’s Court leaned up to his ear and whispered, “You’re a virgin, aren’t you…”

“I am not!” Rush squeaked, “I’ve a…a…”

Hooves clopped across the clearing, “Okay gang, last call. We’ve got to be up in the morning and I don’t want any accidents because you’re half cut, okay?”

The ponies all answered as one, “Yes boss!” All except Queen’s Court.

The white mare smirked, running a hoof surreptitiously down Rush’s flank, “You’ll wait.” she purred, “I promise…it’ll be more than worth it…”

Rush’s body began to relax as the mare turned to walk away, but as fast a snakes strike, she span and planted a kiss on his muzzle making him gasp in shock,

“Night, night.”

The surprised stallion sat in silence. Eventually, when all was quiet, Rush picked himself up and rubbed some life back into his legs before retreating to his bed, thanking the Gods that he was well away from the strange mare. Rush shook his head in dismay at his own ignorance: had he done something to prompt her bizarre behaviour? Of course, he’d already discovered females behaved in a much different manner here than he was used to: they were certainly more, what was the word for it, ‘aggressive’? No, maybe…‘forthright’? Whatever it was, it was making him feel distinctly uncomfortable and his thoughts automatically turned to Tia, and how worried she must be to find him missing. Or was she? Gods forgive him, he wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to see him again after this latest round of selfish behaviour. He was such a fool…

Rush wrapped himself up in the bedding and pulled his cloak over his face. Somehow the night air felt that little bit colder than usual, regardless of how warm he felt inside. He took a deep breath and sighed it out, letting his body relax; he’d do the work he owed these ponies tomorrow morning, and then he’d be on his way - simple. Of course, he’d have to ask which way it was back to Paddock first, but from there it was just a simple trot up to the palace. He didn’t have to tell them that part though; the last thing he wanted was for them to think he was some soft rumped court stallion. Rush thought back to the cabin, the chill of the winter in the mountains and the smell of freshly brewed tea. Since coming to Equestria, whenever he thought of those long cold days, he could only truly remember the smiling white mare lying beside the fire, watching him with those large purple eyes. Oh, how she’d made his heart soar! Rush closed his eyes and huffed out a breath. Tomorrow was another day, after which he would have to find some way to apologise to her.

Again.

***********************

What was it with camping out? No sooner had you just begun to get warm and comfortable, or rather less uncomfortable, then it was time to get up. Trying to sneak in a few extra minutes sleep didn’t work either, especially when a highly amused Pop Top stood over him and began banging a copper pan as loud as she could,

“WAKEY, WAKEY!”

Rush nearly shot out of his bed like a cork from a bottle, leaping to his hooves, his nostrils flared and breathing heavily.

“Morning dozy!” The cheeky mare giggled, “Cor, you want to see your eyes! Pfff!”

She was probably right. Rush’s eyes felt like they were full of sand – very hot sand at that. Pop gave him a nudge,

“Water barrel’s over there. Get yourself a freshen up, your breakfast’s ready.”

The mare trotted off to rouse the rest of the sleepy workers, leaving Rush to stagger over to the barrel of water and dump a ladle-full over his face. The shock of cold was more than enough to bring him round with a gasp, but a quick shake later, and he was feeling a lot more like himself. Rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes, his nostrils twitched – what was that? Whatever it was smelled…wonderful! Blue smoke was rising from a large skillet over the revived campfire, next to which sat a tall black pot that had steam drifting from the spout. The others were already beginning to line up and groggily accepting a chunk of bread, cheese, and two slices of something else that was more than likely the source of that wondrous aroma.

“Here you go love.”

“Er…thanks…” Rush stared at the tin plate, “What is it?”

“Maple coated haybacon.” Pop replied, “Local family make it. They set up shop after the war and it’s really taken off. Try it, it’s yummy.”

Rush nodded, lifting the plate up in his mouth and placed it on his back. Carefully, he turned back to join the others by the fire,

“Not having anything to drink?” Pop asked behind him.

“Oh!” Rush paused, “Yes, please.”

“Coffee’s in the pot. There’s sugar and milk too, so help yourself.”

Now this was new! Rush stood in front of the cut log that had been turned into an impromptu table. A tall pot, similar to the one he’d noticed by the fire, sat giving off a strong aroma that tickled his nose. It smelled…bitter, but not unpleasantly so. Taking a cup, he took the pot in his teeth and poured some out. It was hot, black, and smelled unlike anything he’d ever had before in his life.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never had coffee before?” Barley grinned behind him, “Here…” he leaned forward and put a dose of milk in Rush’s cup, along with a spoon of sugar, “Give it a stir.”

Rush nodded, staring warily at the now light brown liquid before taking his place by the fire. Barley sat down beside him and groaned, stretching out the crick in his neck and yawned expansively,

“You sure seem new to these parts, Rushy.” The smiling stallion said, taking a sip of his coffee, “Where are you from?”

Rush stared into his mug of ‘coffee’ and took a huff of the steam before taking a tentative sip. It was hot, sweet and strangely… He shook his head, trying to put his hoof on it. It wasn’t like tea, that was for sure, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Still, it wasn’t really something he could see himself asking for in future, it was just too unusual for his tastes. It was strong too, and sent a shiver through him. Looking up, the large eyes of the bronze stallion were watching him intently,

“Well?”

Rush sighed, “I lived in the mountains on my own. If they had a name, I can’t remember what they were called.” He shrugged, “To me they were just ‘the mountains’ and the bamboo forest.”

“Bamboo?” Barley furrowed his brow, “What’s that then?”

“It’s a type of tree.” Rock muttered, settling himself down next to Rush, “I think so anyway. Saw some once, when one of them foreigners tried to flog my ma some crap last season.”

Rush felt like sinking into the ground, but quickly shrugged it off. Barley leaned in,

“Ignore him, he thinks anypony who lives more than a mile away’s a foreigner.”

Rock snorted and tucked into his chunk of bread, a good cue to Rush to try his own. He sniffed it – definitely the source of that delicious smell, and slightly…meaty? Well, maybe not, but it had a certain something about it that made his mouth start to water.

He took a bite.

If flavour was weapon, then this would be the cutting edge of military technology. It was amazing! Rush groaned audibly, closing his eyes as the taste of the maple coated haybacon, butter, and bread sent him to a near second heaven. Of course, he’d enjoyed food at the palace, but this was something else altogether! Out here, under the trees with these ponies, a cup of the oddly tasting coffee, the campfire, and a plate of food - what more could a stallion ask for? He sighed,

“Wonderful.”

“Huh?” Rock looked at him oddly and then shrugged it off, returning to his own breakfast.

“Came from Summerton myself,” Barley said, carrying on the conversation, “Most of us are from little towns dotted about here and there.” He waved a hoof around at his colleagues, “We’ll be on here for another couple of weeks before we move on to another site. This one’s useful coz’ of the river, y’see?” he motioned towards the sparkling river nearby, “The current will take it downstream to where the lumber yards will turn it into planks.”

“And bits for us” Pop said, walking past to take her place, “That’s the most important part, eh?”

“And to help Equestria, of course” Straw added pointedly. The big stallion sat on his haunches and shook his mane, “We all need to play our part to help her heal.”

“Heal?” Rush asked without thinking.

“Duh!” Barley laughed, “The war, remember? Good Goddesses Rush, where were you? Did you sleep through it or something?”

Rush shook his head, “Not really.” He raised an eyebrow, hoping that simple gesture would make the copper coloured stallion watch what he was saying.

It didn’t.

“So, you a child of the moon or the sun?” he asked, watching him intently.

Rush froze.

“Bloody hell, Barley!” Pop Top snapped, “You can’t ask him that! For Celestia’s sake, you bloody arse, we left all that crap behind, remember?”

Silence fell around the fire. After a few uncomfortable seconds, Barley gave Rush a nudge, “Nah, I’m only kidding.” He took a sip of his coffee, “Don’t matter no more anyhow.”

Rush shook his head, “I don’t understand,” he said honestly, “What do you mean?”

Pop Top face hoofed, giving Rush the horrible feeling he’d just walked right into something he was going to regret. But it was too late, Barley was already rounding on him,

“You don’t know? How in Equestria can you not know that?”

“Maybe he’s not a bloody know-it-all.” Rock said without looking up. His heavy voice was neutral, but nopony could fail to detect the undercurrent of implied threat. Across the fire, the cream mare with the long black mane lifted her hoof,

“He means, were you born under the sun or the moon, Rush. Some of the more, shall we say, ‘superstitious’ amongst us, believe that those born during the daytime follow Celestia and those at night, Luna.”

Rush shrugged, “To be honest, I’ve no idea. I was a bit young to remember.”

Pop Top barked out a laugh, much to Barley’s apparent irritation.

“All I want to know is who did you fight for?” The stallion asked pointedly.

“I…” Rush paused.

“That’s enough!” Straw shouted, rising to his hooves angrily, “We had enough of that crap during the war, Barley, and you of all ponies should know better than that! For Celestia’s sake, just leave it will you?”

Barley huffed, “You may be able to forget it, Straw, but-”

“-We all lost somepony we loved, Barley.” Pop Top said quietly, “Please, can…can we not talk about it? I…”

“Oh, well done, you horses cock, you’ve made a mare cry.” Rock rumbled irritably, “Are you happy now? You can be a right tool sometimes, Barley.”

“Ah, sod it!” Barley snapped, slamming down his plate, “What’s it bloody matter anyway?” He shook his head, and let out a quiet nicker.

Rush sipped his coffee thoughtfully. He was somehow the centre of this, he knew, but what was the right thing to say? He didn’t know anything about the war other than what Tia had told him years ago, and the fantastical stories Grove had regaled him with. In truth, he had next to no idea what had really happened. Tia barely mentioned it, and neither did anypony else for that matter. It was obvious Celestia’s forces had won, but even to mention the conflict, let alone talk openly about it, only seemed to prod wounds that quite obviously hadn’t fully healed. Still, if he didn’t say something, he’d end up leaving these ponies with questions that could end up festering like an open wound. He took a breath,

“I…”

“Okay gang, that’s enough of that, let’s get to work!” Straw rose to his hooves and clopped his hooves together, “Usual drill, everypony: Barley, you can work with the new colt since you get on so well.”

“HEY!” Barley threw his hooves up in dismay, “What the hell! How come I get to foal sit?!”

“Because you get on so well” Pop smirked, “You want to get to know your new friend, so here’s your chance.”

“Wha…?” Barley groaned, and turned to the brown stallion standing behind him as the others got up to clear away the plates and begin the days work. “Sod it!” He rolled his eyes, “Come on then newbie, hope you can put some of your ‘reed cutting’ skills to good use.”

***********************

Thank the Gods that the days work was a simple matter of hauling on the other end of a long saw. Simple that was if you had muscles in all the right places, and it was becoming very painfully clear that Rush’s muscles weren’t. His back ached, his forelegs ached and his hind legs were feeling distinctly strange from trying to balance on them for so long. Barley had been silent at first too, other than for the occasional grumble about being ‘saddled with the newbie’ and a plethora of similarly irritating comments. Blasted creature! What was his problem? Rush already felt like kicking himself for the previous days impetuously idiotic behaviour that had ‘saddled’ him with this clown for the day. Gods above, what he’d done was something he would have expected from a child, not a fully grown stallion. Was he ever going to learn?

The copper coated earth stallion shouted to him over the sound of the saw cutting through the ancient tree, “You ever seen a thestral then?”

Rush nodded, only half listening.

“Black as death, teeth like knives and breathing fire, we thought they were dragons at first.” Barley kept talking as the saw roared back and forth, “Of course, most of us hadn’t really seen a dragon up close until River Valley, but once you had, the bloody things would haunt your nightmares for the rest of your life.” He seemed to be talking mostly to himself, so Rush just nodded along. “Where?” Barley asked.

Rush nodded again.

The saw abruptly stopped, upsetting his balance.

“I said, where?” Barley pushed, wiping his forehead, “You said you’d seen one, and I asked where.” He watched Rush like a hawk, his eyes boring into his, “Cat got your tongue?”

Taking a moment to stretch and rub his muscles, Rush rolled his shoulders before fixing the copper stallion with a hard look,

“Not River Valley, if that’s what you’re getting at” he said pointedly, “But I got a damned good look at one, Barley.” His could feel his teeth grating at the inquisitive stallion’s probing questions, “And yes, before you ask, I did fight it.” He narrowed his eyes, “And I killed the damned thing too. Is that what you want to hear?” Rush’s blood felt like it was beginning to race through him: his anger, usually buried, began to bubble up to the surface, “Or would you like to hear about how it butchered and ate my niece? Perhaps you would prefer me to tell you how it murdered dozens of innocent people in the village before trying to kill me? Or would you like me to tell you about how I lost everything I ever loved in this world because of it eh? Would that make you happy, Barley? WOULD IT?!”

Barley froze, his eyes going wide. For a few seconds he said nothing and just stared at Rush as though seeing him for the first time. Slowly, the copper stallion shook his head and took a breath,

“Rush…I…” He looked away, “I’m sorry.”

Rush could feel his hoof digging in the ground and suddenly realised just how tense he’d become. Sinking to his haunches, he picked up the nearby wash cloth and wiped his muzzle,

“Don’t worry about it.”

Barley walked closer and lifted a hoof, “Look, I mean it. I…” he neighed suddenly and stomped a hoof, “Rush, damn it, it’s hard, you know? I mean, you served didn’t you? Okay, in your own way, yeah, but you know what it was like, right?”

“To fight?” Rush asked, replacing the cloth, “Yes, yes I know what it’s like to fight.” He gave Barley a pointed look, “I didn’t like it.”

Barley shook his head, “That’s not what I mean.” The stallion looked distraught, as though memories were raging through his head and he was having trouble articulating putting his thoughts into words. Rush sighed and put a hoof on his shoulder,

“Barley, I’m not the best at speaking to other ponies.” He tried a smile, “But, I think I understand what you’re trying to say. This is our home, and we should fight to protect it, not because somepony with power or money tells us to, but because we want to protect our home and our loved ones.” He shrugged, “Of course the idealism doesn’t last long though, not when you’re fighting for your life, and not when your enemy is trying to ram steel into your body and leave you lying, bleeding your last on the ground while your friends fall like cut grass around you.” He looked away, staring up into the blue sky above the clearing, “Anypony who tells you war is about glory and honour, has never been seen a battlefield.”

“I have.” Barley replied quietly, “I’ll never forget it, or the smell…” he took a swig of water from the canteen hanging up on a nearby branch and passed it to Rush, “It never seems to come out, no matter how hard I wash.”

Rush closed his eyes; the young stallion was right. He’d never forgotten what he’d seen; rather he’d just buried it deep down and tried to ignore it. But, at night, when it was cold and the wind howled outside, sometimes he could still hear the cries of the wounded, and those he couldn’t help - those he couldn’t save. He gave himself a shake; coming here was a mistake, he didn’t want to think about fighting or wars, nor the awful things he’d seen and done. If there was one thing that was a constant wherever you were, it was that war only ever brought pain and suffering to good people. Rush sighed,

“Come on, let’s get back to work.”

Barley nodded absently, and the two set back to work with the saw.

The sun was still high in the sky when the dinner bell rang. Gratefully, Rush and Barley put down the saw and stretched in the warm sunshine filtering through from the canopy high above. Giving himself a shake, Rush tried to dislodge the wood shaving from his mane; he was going to need a damned good brushing to get this lot out later.

“Rush? You ever seen her? Princess Celestia?” Barley asked.

Rush froze, wondering where Barley was likely to take this line of conversation, but the musical stallion was just staring up at the sun, a half smile on his face.

“I have” he said.

Barley smiled, nodding, “She’s wonderful.” He sighed, “How she raises the sun each day, and now the moon too…it’s just incredible.” He shook his head in wonder, “I don’t know about the rest of Equestria, I never saw much of the world outside of my village when I was growing up anyway, but for her…I’d give anything.”

Rush felt a shiver run through him; how was he supposed to react to that? He shrugged,

“She’s a good ruler.”

Barley laughed, “Aye, and the most beautiful creature to walk upon Equestria’s soil!” He sighed, “Just imagine how soft that mane of hers must be…”

“As soft as this?”

Barley yelled in fright as a creamy white leg reached around his neck and grabbed him from behind. The young stallion’s eyes went wide in shock, staring straight ahead, his chest heaving in panic.

The mare’s lips drew close to his ear, “Dinners ready.”

With that, Queens Court released him and advanced on Rush, her eyes flashing dangerously,

“So what happened to you last night?”

“I…” Rush blinked in surprise, “I don’t-”

“-No, you don’t do you?” The mare huffed, “What did you want, a written invitation?” She shook her head in exasperation, “Useless, every bloody one of you!”

Rush lifted his hoof, “Queenie, look, I’m sorry, I-”

“-Just come and get your dinner!” She snapped, turning and flicking her tail at him, “If I feel generous later, I may even give you desert.” She paused and looked back at him over her shoulder, “If I feel generous that is.”

The two stallions watched her walk away, leaving Barley rubbing his neck where Queenie had held him,

“Bloody lunatic, she could have broken my damned neck!” The stallion hissed, “Luna’s arse, that bloody hurt too!”

“There’s something odd about that mare.” Rush mumbled.

“Odd? ODD?! She a bloody nut case!” Barley nearly shouted, taking a moment to make sure the cream mare was out of sight, “She used to be in the strike teams that went behind Legion lines to intercept convoys and such. Goddess almighty, Rush, can you imagine what that must have been like? I would have crapped myself, but Queenie? No, from what I heard, she used to enjoy it! She would sneak up on a thestral and SNAP!” He shuddered, holding his neck, “I’ll be bloody glad to get back home after this job’s done I can tell you, she’s not right in the head that one.”

“She seems a bit…frisky?” Rush offered.

“Frisky?” Barley said in amazement, “Rush, look, I know you’re a stallion like me, right? But trust me, just don’t go there, okay? I think she’s worked her way round half the company’s stallions if you get my drift and I…that is…” he took a breath, “We used to have a saying in the army: Never put you’re you-know-what in crazy.”

“You-know-what?” Rush asked, then held his hoof up as realisation hit him, “No, I get it, really.” He shook his head, “I have somepony special to me already, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

Barley motioned towards the campfire and the gathering ponies, “If I were you, I would worry.” He gave Rush a meaningful look, “I said no, Rush, but it didn’t stop her.” He shuddered, “Nothing stops her.”

Rush felt a chill run down his spine at Barley’s words. Thank the Gods and all the spirits he was leaving tonight! Life here in Equestria really was different from what he was used to. For one thing, here, females fought alongside males in war, not to mention being all too happy to pursue their more ‘personal’ interests. Gods, was he becoming prudish in his old age? Surely not! Or…or was he? He and Celestia had only ever kissed, not…not what Queenie had in mind anyway, or so it appeared. When he and his wife had come together it had been like some sort of pre-arranged business meeting and far from anything he would have ever considered pleasurable. The only time he’d ever felt like ‘that’ was in the bath house: the look in Tia’s eyes, the way she ran her hooves through his mane…

“Here you go: baked potato, buttercups and corn cakes.” Pop Top passed Rush a plate loaded with a surprising amount of food, “Problem?”

Rush shook his head, “No. I didn’t expect so much!”

The mare laughed, “Got to keep the troops fed, big boy.” She nodded towards Queenie who was serving coffee, “You’ll need your strength for that one.” Pop kept her voice low, “You know, nopony will say anything if you two wanted to, you know, disappear for bit tonight.”

“No!” Rush squeaked. He cleared his throat and caught the sidelong glance from the cream mare before answering Pop Top, “I’ve got a marefriend, Pop. For the Gods’ sake, what’s wrong with ponies around here?”

“What’s wrong with you, you mean?” Pop hissed, passing him another ladle of something, “You know what it’s been like since the war. Celestia’s backside, Rush, try and show some understanding will you?”

Rush balked, stepping aside as the next in line took their meal and left him standing there like a spare part. What the hell was she going on about? Show her some understanding? And what? Abuse the trust the Princess had put in him and lie with Queenie just make her feel better? He felt a shudder run through him as he took a seat near the fire. As much as he felt happy in his new body, as much as Equestria was beginning to feel like home, their strange outlook on life and the way ponies behaved compared to what he was used to, was…unsettling. He cast his mind back to the time he’d seen a foreigner for the first time in the city his mother had taken him to when he’d been younger. Everybody had been staring at the man as if he’d two heads or something. He couldn’t understand a word he’d been saying of course, but his mannerisms, his dress, and everything about him made him stand out like a giant amongst dwarves. Rush wondered if how he felt now was how that pale skinned man had felt all those years ago.

A thump next to him announced the arrival of…

“Queenie?”

“Mmm…” She looked up at him, giving him a wink, “The very same.” The mare nodded towards Rush’s plate, “Get that down you, you’ll need the energy.” She smiled, “For work, of course.”

Gods, didn’t she ever let up?

“Leave the foal alone, girl.” Pop said, sitting next to them, “He’s not going to take the bait. Look at him, you’ve scared the poor bugger half to death.”

Queenie shrugged, “Never look a gift horse in the mouth, mum always used to say.” She smirked, “Or a pony.”

Rush took a breath, “Queenie…”

“So, Rush, how are you finding it so far?” Straw asked, munching on his corn cake, “Bit different to reed cutting I’ll bet.”

Rush nodded, “I’m not up to my neck in water all day” he said with smile.

Straw laughed, “You want to stay on, do you think? Ash’s place needs filling, so there are bits in it for you.” He turned to Barley, “What do you think of him?”

“He seems okay.” Barley said nudging Rush, “Bit soft around the flanks though, but he’ll toughen up.”

The words ‘soft flanks’ seemed to be echoed somewhere nearby, making Rush’s hackles go up. He took a breath,

“Thanks everypony, but I really have to get back. I’ll be missed at home.”

Rock nodded, “Home is where the heart is.”

“Oh, profound words from the stallion of wisdom himself!” Queenie snorted, “Why don’t you keep your bloody muzzle out of it bug-a-lugs.”

Rock glowered at her, “I’m not the one who can’t keep their tail down, and…”

“Okay! Enough!” Straw shouted across the campfire, “We’re a team here ponies, so lets just keep focussed on the job. Remember the discipline we used to have? Yeah? Well try exercising some of that around the new guy, eh?” He leaned forward, “You understand what I’m saying…Queenie?”

The mare snorted, “Hmph!”

“Queenie?”

She groaned loudly, “Yes, boss!”

“That’s better.” Straw shook his head, “Goddesses it was easier to keep foals in rank than you lot.” He returned to his dinner, leaving Queenie quietly seething.

Silence fell like a shroud, leaving Rush feeling as though he were the cause of it, inadvertently or not. He took a bite of his food and thought about what he knew about them, and what he knew about Equestria: the answer wasn’t good – he knew next to nothing. He decided to take the plunge,

“Are you all ex-army?” he asked.

Straw nodded, “Yup, everypony here.” He waved at Pop Top, “Pop was a Guardsmare with Colonel Golden Spoon’s lot, Rock was with the royal engineers, Queenie was with the deep strike teams, and Barley was with the central division.”

“And you?” Rush asked.

“Me?” Straw barked out a laugh, “I was with the Equestrian Legion.”

Rush furrowed his brow, “The…?”

Straw nodded emphatically, “Nightmare Moon’s Legion.”

Everyone was silent. Judging by the looks on their faces however, it was clear that this was no revelation to the loggers, but every one of them was watching to see how Rush would react.

He didn’t.

Straw raised an eyebrow, “You’re not surprised?”

Rush shrugged, “No, but the war’s over isn’t it?”

“Are you asking that seriously or you being ironic?” Pop asked, looking a little unsure, “I can’t tell with you at all.”

Rush shook his head and stretched his forelegs, “I don’t know much about what happened Pop, but what I do know is that where there’s people, there’s conflict. It can be over territory or even over a bloody sandwich, but resorting to killing each other over it?” He snorted, “How can that be right?” Rush looked round at Barley, “You may not like somepony because of what they believe, and that’s fine, all of us believe different things and have differing points of view, but its whether you act on those beliefs which can impact the lives of others who only want to be left to live in peace.” He stood up, putting his plate down, “I lived in the mountains to get away from the incessant killing, greed, and cruelty of other humans, and where did it get me? Did they leave me alone? No, no of course not.” Rush gave his mane a shake and drank the rest of his coffee, “You have a beautiful home, and if you have peace, then all I can say is you should cherish it as much as a newborn foal. All of you know what the alternative is.”

Straw nodded, “Aye. We all know where that leads.” He stared into the flames a while, his eyes taking on a distant cast before he looked back up at the brown stallion with a wry grin “You sure you won’t stay on, Rush?”

“No.” Rush shook his head, “Sorry, Straw, but I have somepony who’s waiting for me.” He smiled sadly, “Excuse me, I’ve got work to do.” He turned to leave.

“Hey!” Barley wolfed down the last of his dinner and hurried after him, “Bloody hell, give us a minute will you?” The copper stallion quickly caught up to Rush and huffed loudly, “Do you really believe all that? What you said back there?”

Rush cast him a look, “Of course I do. Do you think killing others to get what you want is right?”

“No.” Barley replied, “But you said we should fight to protect our home, and that’s what we did - all of us. If we hadn’t, the Legion would have killed us without any compulsion and taken out home.”

“That’s not the same thing though, is it?” Rush said, “Killing others who are trying to kill you and doing what you can to protect others, is a hell of a lot different from acting upon prejudices or greed.” Reaching their allocated workplace, Rush lifted up his end of the saw, “Trust me, I know all about that, and it’s why I hate dealing with…” Rush gritted his teeth and let out a deafening neigh that boomed out around the trees. Gods, he hated dealing with others! His skin twitched and he waited impatiently for Barley to get himself into position. Soon enough, the saw began it’s steady back and forth motion, rasping into the bark of the tree and inexorably chewing its way through the heartwood. Barley would occasionally look up at him as if he wanted to say something, but mercifully kept quiet. What he couldn’t understand was why he’d been probing to see if Rush had been on Nightmare Moon’s side, when he didn’t appear to be bothered by Straw being ex-Legion. For the Gods’ sake, what did it matter anyway? He supposed it was because Barley was young and hadn’t become old and cynical like he was. And that was another thing wasn’t it? Just how old was he? He’d lived in the mountains for so long, he’d forgotten how old he was, and had given up caring in any case. But here in Equestria, when he looked at Barley and the others, he didn’t look any younger or older than any of them. Come to think of it, that gardener had treated him like a child when he was probably older than he was! Well…maybe…but did it really matter? Celestia was hundreds, if not thousands of years old, and she still looked….he smiled to himself…beautiful.

Hours passed in silence, other than for the repetitive sawing, the creak and crash of the trees as they fell, and then creak and rattle of harness as they were hauled away before the next one was selected. Pop appeared with coffee and sandwiches a while later, surprisingly quiet for once.

Barley watched her walk away, “Rush?” he asked in a low voice, “I’m sorry I was a dick with you last night.”

“Huh?” Rush looked up at him, the stallions statement catching him off guard, “Oh, about that child of the night or sun thing?” He sniffed, “Don’t worry about it. I’m not.”

“I know, it’s just…” Barley nickered, “Oh, I don’t know. I mean, Straw’s been with us since the beginning and we all trust him, you know? But what some of the Legion did was…” he shook his head sadly, “They did some terrible things, Rush. I’m sure you heard the stories.”

Rush shrugged, “Not really, and in all honesty, I don’t want to either.” He stretched his neck which was already starting to ache, “The past should stay in the past, Barley. Dredging it up only causes you pain. Trust me on this.”

Barley snorted, “I wish I could see things the way you do.” The stallion dropped onto his knees and rolled onto his back in the wood shavings, “It was years ago, and it still…” He snorted and began gyrating his back, scrubbing it into the large pile of wood chips with a look that spoke of nothing short of sheer ecstasy. Smirking, he looked up at Rush, “Care to join me?”

Rush laughed at the sight of the copper stallion who was now liberally covered in sawdust,

“Ah, to hell with it. Why not?”

The two rolled for all they were worth, snorting loudly as the dust went up the noses, coating their hides, their manes and tails. Rush shoved his back into the ground, attacking an itch that had developed there earlier and groaned at the release of tension that he hadn’t realised had been building up within him. In a sudden explosion of wood chips and saw dust, Barley jumped back up to his hooves before shaking the worst of it from his mane and coat,

“Better?” he asked.

Rush nodded, brushing some of the smaller pieces from his ears,

“Better.”

Barley yawned, “What’s a human?”

Rush paused, quickly regretting his runaway mouth, and yet Lilly’s words came back to him unexpectedly, making him smile, “Naked pink monkey things.” He chuckled.

Barley’s eyes went wide, “What, like apes?” He shook his head in amazement, “You lived amongst talking apes?”

“I suppose so.” Rush replied, “It was a long, long way from here.”

Barley began hauling on his end of the saw again, “I don’t know much about what’s outside of Equestria.” he said honestly, “This is my home, and that’s all I need as far as I’m concerned.”

Rush couldn’t agree more. Like his friend, he hadn’t seen that much of the world during his life in the human world, except for when he was too young to remember properly. Fighting for his life with the army didn’t count; at that time all he could think of was how much he wanted to be home and swore never to leave again. In reality, most of his life had been spent in the bamboo forest, well away from people, and away from all the nonsense that they had a tendency to spout. Here, hauling back and forth on the saw with its simple repetitive motion, this energetic yet oddly satisfying work – it was like a balm for the soul. Rush smiled to himself; he could forgive the inquisitiveness of his work colleague. Barley was a simple lad at heart, and one who had seen things no youngster ever should have - nor should anypony for that matter.

“Where’s all this lumber heading, anyway?” Rush asked.

“Anywhere they need it, I guess.” Barley replied over the saw’s rasping, “With all the rebuilding, the quarries can’t keep up with demand so lumber’s become the ‘in thing’.” He smiled, “Good money in it too, you know. Why don’t you get your marefriend on board and come work here with us? She won’t mind if she knows the money’s good, and besides, we’re a good team.”

He was right; Tia probably wouldn’t mind him working here, and she was keen for him to meet more ponies. Rush sighed; in truth, he was probably going to catch a right ‘royal’ earful when he got back, but at least he had done what she’d asked, hadn’t he? He’d met more ponies, he’d made more…friends? He chuckled inwardly; he supposed he had. The Gods must be killing themselves laughing: here he was, Rush, the miserable hermit, the ‘madman of the hills’ as some had called him, working with others and actually enjoying their company. He laughed; if this was madness, if he really had gone insane and all of this was some incredible fantasy of his diseased mind, then he prayed he would never recover.

“Sure!” Rush nodded to his new friend, “I’ll ask her when I get back.”

“What’s her name?” Barley asked.

“Tia.” The image of the white alicorn loomed in Rush’s minds eye. The way her purple eyes gazed into his always made him melt inside.

“What is she?” The copper stallion asked.

Rush smiled absently, “A mare.”

“I know that!” Barley laughed, “I mean, an earth pony, unicorn, or pegasus.”

Rush shook his head, “What’s it matter?”

Barley shrugged, “Nothing, I suppose.” He gazed up at the sky and the occasional leaf falling from the tree as it vibrated with the action of the saw, “I’d like a pegasus marefriend myself.” He smiled distantly, “Can you imagine? Those soft feathers, brushing against you…” He shivered, “Goddesses, Rush, it must be like the touch of an angel…”

It was. Rush began to remember when Celestia’s wings had brushed him for the first time, all those years ago in the gloomy hut in the mountains. Of course, his human skin had been a lot more sensitive due to the lack of fur, but he hadn’t really thought about it until now. He remembered how he’d woken up with her forelegs around him and how one of her wings lay across his chest, tickling him – not unpleasantly, but…it had certainly caused a shiver or two. A broad grin began to spread across his face; yes…yes it had, hadn’t it?

The saw stopped.

“You have a pegasus girlfriend, don’t you?!” Barley exclaimed, wiping sawdust from his muzzle, “I bloody knew it, you lucky sod! No wonder you’re so keen to get back!”

Rush shook his head, “There’s plenty of mares out there, Barley, go out and find one. A young lad like you should have no trouble.”

“Huh, yeah!” Barley snorted, “You know what it’s like out there, now. I’d be torn to shreds.”

The water felt wonderful against Rush’s muzzle; cool and refreshing. Giving himself a shake, he passed the water ladle to Barley,

“What do you mean, ‘out there’?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot you’d been living under a rock.” The sarcastic copper stallion replied with a sniff, “Haven’t you noticed the lack of stallions?”

Rush shook his head. Taking a draft of the cold water, he sank to his haunches and considered Barley’s words; he hadn’t really noticed. The palace guard seemed to be a pretty even mix of males and females, and even in Paddock there’d been…mostly mares. He furrowed his brow; was it war attrition? Now that he thought about it, it made sense, but surely as many mares would have been killed as stallions. He shrugged,

“There are more mares than stallions in Paddock, I suppose.”

“Paddock?! Is that where you’re from?” Barley rolled his eyes, “Bloody hell, you’re lucky then!” He groaned, “You’ve got more of a mix there than most.”

“You’ve lost me.” Rush admitted.

Barley looked at Rush as if he were explaining to a child, “It’s simple mathematics: more stallions were killed than mares.” he said matter-of-factly, “Many of those left are now working in quarrying, logging, and building trades where most of the money is.” He waved a hoof, “The majority of the damage was up north where the Legion first appeared, so that’s where the work is you see, and also, where they’re up to their naffs in flank.”

Rush lifted an eyebrow, “Up to their…?” he lifted his hoof, “No, don’t, I think I get it.” He sighed, “So what you’re saying is most of the mares further south are too old or something?”

“Foals my friend,” Barley replied knowingly, “they’re saddled with fetlock nippers. Most of ‘em will be widows you see?” The young stallion lifted up the saw and inspected the blade, peering at a nick on one of the teeth, “Who wants an old mare?”

“I…” Rush paused, his eyes narrowing, “Hmm…” he rubbed his muzzle and looked away, “I suppose.”

“I don’t know what you’re looking all gloomy for, you’ve got your pegasus filly to look forward to when you get back.” Barley sighed, “I’m going to get some bits in my pocket before I head north and find the right mare for me.”

“There’s bound to be pegasi around here, surely.” Rush pointed out, “I’ve seen them flying around the pa…around Paddock.”

“Well of course you will.” Barley said, clucking his tongue, “There’s loads in the royal guards still, but they lost a lot less in the war than us poor buggers.” He raised his eyebrows and sighed, “Who wants a boring old earth pony eh?”

“Oh thanks! I’m a ‘boring old earth pony’ too, Barley!” Rush exclaimed.

“You know what I mean.” Barley said waving off Rush’s protest.

The brown earth stallion gazed at his foreleg; it was neat, strong, and muscular, just as much as any pony he’d seen since coming here, but Tia had told him earth ponies had the edge over the others in terms of physical strength, but…

“What about unicorns?” he asked, “There’s plenty of those about.”

Barley raised an eyebrow, “What about them?”

Rush groaned, “Why don’t you go for a unicorn? I’ve met some and-”

“-Nutters.” Barley cut it.

“I’m sorry?”

“I said they’re nutters” Barley replied as if Rush had asked why water was wet, “Whole bloody lot of ‘em.” He clucked his tongue, giving Rush a sidelong glance, “You…you don’t like them, do you?”

Rush frowned, “The ones I’ve met have been perfectly normal.” he asserted with a nod of his head, “Paddock’s doctor is a unicorn and-”

“-Celestia’s ample arse! You didn’t let one of them touch you, did you?!” Barley gasped, “Magic will kill you, Rush! Bloody hell, every earth pony knows that!”

“What a load of bollocks,” Rush snapped, “I’ve had magic fix my injuries and I’m perfectly fine.” He held up a foreleg, “See? I’m in one piece, and the last time I looked I still had all four legs!”

“Uh!” Barley shuddered, “Dad said I shouldn’t go to unicorn doctors, and I don’t intend to start either!” He closed his eyes and nodded, “’Magics is not for earth ponies’.”

“Magics?” Rush asked.

“It’s how he talked.” Barley sniffed, “Funny old bugger he was.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Rush smiled, giving Barley a wink, “The way it tingles through you feels…you know…” he shivered, “Amazing…”

“Wha…you…you and a unicorn? You did that with a unicorn?!” Barley’s face flushed bright red, “I…Oh my Goddesses!”

“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, Barley, that’s all I’m saying.” Rush grinned.

“Oh, Goddesses, I think I’m…” Barley paused, his eyes going distant for a moment before furrowing his brow, “Was it…you know, was it…good?”

Rush smirked at him, “A stallion would never kiss and tell, my young friend.”

“Hey! You can’t do that!” Barley snapped, “Come on, tell me!”

“Nope.” Rush picked up his end of the saw, “Go and find out for yourself.”

Nodding, Barley stomped a hoof noisily, “Right then! I will!” He lifted up his end of the saw, “Mind you, dad would go off it if I came home with one. He’s a bit funny like that.”

“Maybe, but it’s your life, Barley” Rush said as he took a grip on the saw, “Live it your way.”

The young stallion stared at Rush a moment, then shook his head,

“I don’t know, Rush” he said with a smile, “You sure have a funny way of looking at things.”

Rush shrugged, “No, not really.” The saw began to roar back into life, “I’m just too old to care about things anymore.”

“Old?” Barley barked out a laugh, “You’re not much older than me!”

Rush’s grip slipped on the saw, but he quickly recovered, earning an admonishing glower from his friend. Did he really look…young again? He hadn’t given it much thought, but… He smiled; the Gods really did have a sense of humour after all.

Or was that, ‘Goddesses’?

Maybe.

***********************

Rush twitched as something cold landed on his muzzle, something wet – Rain? But it was brilliant sunshine just a moment ago! Another drop landed on his ear, the next right inside making him yelp in surprise.

“Uh-oh.” Barley looked up at the sky, waving to Rush to remove the saw, “We’d better get back to the others: the rains coming.”

Well, there was a first time for everything. The days had been nothing but sunny with pure blue skies ever since he’d arrived in Equestria, but he knew all too well how weather could change in a heartbeat. Still, that had been the mountains; here in Equestria, he’d only ever seen the gentle rolling hills around the palace, the town of Paddock, and wherever this was. Now that he thought about it, where was he? He’d have to ask the others before he set off for home, but the way the rain was beginning to come down in earnest it looked as though he may be setting off a little later than planned.

Before the two stallions reached the camp, the rain was hammering down around them and sending up clouds of ash from the campfire as it hit the hot embers. The sizzle and hiss of the once warming fire was all but drowned out by the ominous rumble of thunder and Straw’s urgent orders,

“Get that gear under cover! Quickly, damn it.”

All of them worked swiftly and with purpose, grabbing harness, saws, axes, and anything else that was exposed to the rain and loaded it all into one of the nearby carts. Barley, Rush and Straw helped Rock haul a large oiled canvas tarpaulin over the gear while Pop Top and Queenie covered the bedding and smaller camp items to keep them dry.

The rain roared through the canopy above while the wind, cold and bone chilling in its intensity, tore through the woods. Rush hated wind. Rain he could tolerate, even enjoy if he was inside looking out at it, but the way the wind seemed to make the rain water feel that much colder even through his fur, was something he doubted anypony in their right mind would enjoy. Worse still, you couldn’t just take your fur off to dry it like you could clothes, and he suddenly remembered the horrific smell of his adopted human father’s dog when it lay in front of the fire after playing out in the village pond. The smell had been stomach turning. A sudden thought struck him: he wasn’t going to smell like that was he? Oh, Gods!

The rain continued unabated.

“Is this seasonal?” He asked.

Rock narrowed his eyes, “What?”

“I mean, is this normal for this time of year?” Rush enquired, “For storms to come out of nowhere like this.”

Rock shook his head, “No.”

Rush gave up. It was quite obvious that getting much of a conversation out of Rock was, quite literally, like trying to get blood out of his namesake. Pop Top came to the rescue,

“I don’t know what it was like where you’re from, newbie, but storms have been popping up out of nowhere ever since the war.” The mare hoofed him a waterproof cape, “Here, put that on, it’ll stop you getting…” she shrugged, “wetter.”

Rush pulled it over himself, using his mouth to help tied the simple closure, “I’ve seen weather change quickly in the mountains, Pop, but not that fast. Maybe we were just so busy that-” His observation was interrupted by an urgent call from Straw,

“Give me a hoof to tie the shelter down or we’ll lose it! Barley, you get that pole, Rush the other while we get pegging. Rock, where’s that bloody hammer gone?”

“It’s here!” Queenie appeared out of the now torrential downpour carrying a sack of tools, and quickly began passing them out as the task of saving the shelter began.

Water splashed onto Rush’s cape noisily, but at least it wasn’t going in his ears anymore. Thanks be that somepony had had the forethought to design the things to cover a ponies head properly – now if only they had some way to stop it soaking up your tail too... Rush blinked away the rain water that had splashed into his eyes, concentrating instead on listening to Straw’s commands. He hadn’t really given much thought to his hearing since arriving in Equestria, nor the way he was able to swivel his ears to lock onto sound far better than his human ones had. His tail still had a mind of its own though, and he was thinking of having it cut short to avoid dealing with the inevitable splashing of mud that made the blasted thing stick his legs. It was no wonder Tia had so many baths and showers; unless it was a mare thing…he wasn’t sure. Straw’s commands rang out and he hauled on the guy rope to tension the canvas as Rock pummelled the stake into the ground and adjusted the saturated rope. Good Gods, when was this rain going to end?

Chapter Seven - When the Bough Breaks

CHAPTER SEVEN

WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS

Llamas: loud, arrogant and full of their own self importance - the peculiar looking creatures had been in a near constant state of war with their ‘eternal enemy’, the enigmatic Yaks, for as long as anypony could remember. Celestia, and indeed many of her people, were extremely suspicious of the Llamalian Empire and its sudden appearance after the conflict to, ostensibly, ‘improve trade agreements and foster a new age of friendship and cooperation between the nations’.

The Princess did not believe a single word of it.

Fortunately, neither did most ponies. Despite their honeyed words, the undercurrent of poison that ran through it all, hidden behind smiling faces, was all too apparent. Naturally the Llamalians had a genuine interest in trade, their entire empire was built on commerce after all, but they didn’t miss a chance to exert their influence wherever they could. If there was one thing Celestia had learned about this strange people, it was that you couldn’t trust a single word that came out of their mouths.

She observed them carefully as they spoke: the way the creatures smiled constantly, their small beady eyes as black as night, and as soulless as the pit of Tartarus itself. She sighed, her teeth feeling oddly itchy for some reason. The Princess took a breath, leaning her forehead on her hoof: when were they going to finish up and leave? They were worse than those annoying ‘Elders’ from the northern tribes as if that were even possible. At least they’d been dealt with finally, but of course, ‘tradition’ dictated that they be allowed to stay until after the Sun Ceremony…

“Marvellous” she muttered to herself.

“And an increase in as much as forty percent of your countries per capita…” The Llama paused, looking up at the Princess from his scroll, “I’m sorry?”

“I said it’s marvellous, Guild Master Hyorin…simply marvellous” Celestia said with a grin that was bordering on a sarcastic grimace.

The Llama’s eyes darted to the Chancellor who quickly lifted a hoof in alarm, “Gentlecolts, forgive us, the hour is late and Her Majesty is tired.”

“I am not tired, Chancellor, however I am weary” A surge of irritation bubbled up within Celestia’s chest, her horn starting to itch with the telltale build up of a nearby magical field, “Can we please cut to the chase?”

Hyorin looked aghast, his colleague similarly managing to conjure an expression of both outrage and hurt that clashed almost comically with its woolly features. Celestia let out an irritated huff and rose to her hooves,

“Well?”

The Chancellor balked, her eyes all but bulging out of her head in alarm. This wasn’t right! There were procedures, protocols, the correct order of business simply had to be followed, particularly when dealing with Llamas. Why was she…?

The doors flew open, admitting a soaking wet pegasus and two guards,

“Your Majesty!” the stallion gasped, “It…It’s…”

The poor Chancellor looked like she was going into conniptions along with the two Llamalian representatives, but Celestia had already dismissed them in favour of the weary pegasus.

“Speak.” She commanded, walking towards the pale yellow stallion. He swallowed, looking up at his Princess and nodded,

“Your Majesty, the storm is causing the lake at Hammerfall to flood at an unprecedented rate. Mudslides have added to the swelling effect and the dam is in danger of collapse. We never planned for anything like this! If we don’t do something…”

The Princess forestalled him, lifting her hoof,

“Chancellor?”

“Um, yes, Your Majesty?”

“I’ll leave matters in your hooves, I have more pressing matters to attend to.” Celestia hurried towards the doors and paused to look back at her, “You have my full confidence to finish these trade negotiations favourably. Should you feel any more ‘direct’ intervention is required, I shall give the matter due consideration. Good day, Gentlecolts.”

“Princess Celestia, this is highly-” One of the Llama’s began.

The Princess eyes flashed dangerously, “-I SAID GOOD DAY, SIR!” and swept from the room. She motioned to one of the guards, “You, summon the guard commander and assemble every able bodied pony we can. NOW!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The guard snapped off a salute and hurried away.

Celestia rubbed her horn; it was itching all the more now, and in time with the occasional flash of distant lightning. She stared out of the rain soaked windows at the near black sky, the high winds roaring and howling in the distance. She gritted her teeth and took a calming breath; ever since the war, ever since that foolish sister of hers and that monstrous spirit, Nightmare Moon, had unleashed her beasts upon her beloved home, the land had been healing itself. But this, this strange weather that would occasionally spring up, was far from natural. She’d had Starswirl look into of course, he apparently had a natural talent for ‘unravelling mysteries’, but typically he was off on another one of his impromptu expeditions to investigate something or other. She’d given up asking him what he was going on about this time round, as the strange fellow would wander off on more tangents than she could shake a proverbial hoof at. Still, the timing couldn’t be better could it? Just when she needed him, the wizard wasn’t here and Rush had… She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes; yes…Rush had… run off, hadn’t he. She snorted, rubbing her forehead; why couldn’t he just stay in the palace where she could keep an eye on him? He was hopeless! And, she had to admit, rather helpless too. That was why she’d assigned Grove as his mentor and guide, for when she wasn’t available, of course. But as usual, she’d had a change of heart, hadn’t she? She’d wanted Rush to go out there and meet ponies, to see the sights of Equestria and get to know his new home. What in the name of all the Gods had she been thinking?! Why couldn’t she have just kept him here: safe, well fed, and well cared for? He was loved, he was needed – she needed him, but instead he’d gone off gallivanting around and learning who knew what vulgarities from that impetuous soldier. Celestia nodded to herself; she would replace Orange Grove with somepony more suitable the first chance she had, one who would keep Rush’s best interests at heart and keep him safe – at least while he learned more about being a pony, naturally.

A sharp pain lanced through her head making her wince. She didn’t tend to get headaches very often, but when she did they were usually the harbinger of trouble, and looking round at the sound of approaching hooves, trouble was coming this way…

“Your Majesty.”

“Guardstallion Grove” the alicorn replied looking down her muzzle at the wretched creature, “Have you news?”

Grove shook his head, “Forgive me, Your Majesty, Rush is not in the palace, nor in the grounds. We’ve scoured the town and there’s no sign of him there either.”

“Did you ask at the doctor’s surgery?” Celestia asked.

Grove nodded, “We did, but they haven’t seen him for days.”

“So he’s out there, somewhere…” The Princess turned back to the window, “in this.” Celestia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep her increasing fears under control. Rush…he must be terrified! They had to find him, but…the dam… There was no real choice was there? The dam wasn’t large to begin with, no more than a small affair intended to help divert water to the numerous mills that had started up to help rebuild the damage caused during the war. Now, ironically, the very magic used to fight the forces intent on destroying her home had somehow turned the weather itself against them long after they’d been vanquished. The Princess sighed, “Find him Grove. I don’t care what you have to do, just find him and bring him back.”

The Stallion bowed, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Celestia pointed a hoof towards the door, “Go, now…”

The sound of hoofsteps disappeared up the corridor, overlaid by another, heavier sounding set. Celestia sniffed quietly to herself; she could recognise a pony by sound now, let alone sight – she’d really have to invest in carpets…

“Your Majesty.” The Coal black unicorn stallion bowed low.

Celestia bobbed her head in acknowledgement, “Commander Onyx, you have been appraised of the situation at the dam?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He raised his head, “Teams are on their way there now with more volunteers coming from the town.”

“Then let us not tarry any longer.” Celestia shook her rainbow mane, the colours standing out starkly against the background darkness of the sky. Another bolt of lightning flashed across the heavens, blindingly bright against the white stone of the palace. Why of all times had Starswirl chosen now to indulge in his hobby? Why had she let him? Ramming the thoughts from her mind, the Princess and Onyx headed for the chariot park. Hopefully, sorting out this mess would take her mind off her problems. She’d been so…preoccupied lately…

A pair of guards opened the doors to allow the Princess onto the expansive chariot landing area. It was normally quite an impressive sight with its smooth, gleaming stone surface designed to allow chariots and carriages of all sizes to land quickly and safely. Above her, dominating the approach, was the symbol of the sun, her cutie mark replicated in marble. Now it seemed anachronistic, a helpless symbol of defiance against the relentless force of nature raging around her. The wind screamed around the chariot park, driving the rain at them from every conceivable angle. Despite the walls designed to protect the landing area, the wind buffeted the ponies that were labouring into the sky as she herself took her seat in the large chariot. This wasn’t good; she had never seen the weather this bad before, not since…not since… She closed her eyes and willed the image away; that was a thought for later, not for now. Later, yes, when she could relax with a hot cup of tea, safe at home with her stallion and knowing her land was safe – then she would think on it.

Taking her place, the chariot lurched into the air, the four pony team doing all they could to keep them flying straight and level. It was a hopeless task in these winds, but at least they were heading in the right direction. Naturally, she could have travelled there herself, but her appearance would be expected by the workers to help boost their morale, rather than out of any actual necessity; after all, the amount of ponies going would be more than enough to re-enforce the dam. In some respects however, to an outsider looking in, her people seemed to be rather more ‘clingy’ since the war, but it was probably only a passing phase. She could understand it; they’d lost so many of their loved ones and even one of their Princess’s, so their attention had naturally become more focussed on her. And yet, as much as she secretly enjoyed the attention, it could become a little ‘overwhelming’ at times. This had manifested itself recently in various ways, not least of which was Lilly’s outrageous behaviour towards Rush. It was probably not unique in all honesty, and was quite likely simply a case of jealousy more than anything sinister, but it still troubled her. Fortunately, most of what she’d heard from her staff regarding her new consort had been positive…mostly. Celestia rolled her eyes; ponies would just have to accept that she was mare as well as a ruler, and that she would still be there for them if she was needed. Today, as selfish as it might sound, would be useful in helping get that message across.

The wind howled around them in a deafening fury of freezing rain and noise. Quickly, Celestia threw up a shield around the chariot, drowning out the worst of the weather, and much to her pegasi drivers’ relief. She nodded to them as they smiled back at her, but inside she was worried: if things were this bad here, then what was it like at the dam? Since the Legion had been expelled and Nightmare Moon banished, they’d experienced weather like this across right across Equestria, but the way it would simply appear with next to no warning and then vanish just as fast was frightening. This time however…this time it was lingering much longer than she’d come to expect, and there was something else about it too – the way her horn itched, almost as if the storm was being…’directed’ somehow. Silly, of course, but still, there was something to it…

The chariot began its descent, circling down in a wide banking spiral, providing the Princess with a view of the work going on below. Lanterns flickered like fireflies in the wind alongside magical lamps that had been set up to provide illumination to the frightening scene unfolding by the dam and only served to hi-light the frightening scale of the problem. The water the dam was holding back was churning as if it were a beast alive, and thrashing against its cage seeking release. Never designed to hold back such a force, the dam, a construction of little more than logs and earth, was nearly being overwhelmed already. The Chariot touched down smoothly and Celestia disembarked, trying to find somepony in charge; in the darkness, rain and chaos of activity, her arrival had barely been noticed. One of the more official looking ponies nearby was talking with a group of smaller, brown coated creatures who were animatedly pointing towards the lake. Apparently reaching some sort of agreement, the curious things chirruped and ran off into the rain, while the heavy-set mare, spotting Celestia, trotted over to her and bowed,

“Your Majesty.”

Celestia lifted a hoof in greeting, only to have to quickly use it hold her mane out of her face, “Frond?” she breathed a sigh of relief at finding the Chief Engineer so soon, “How are things here?”

The engineer shook her head, “Not good. We’re trying to build up the dam’s base with earth and stone, but the beavers are saying it won’t be enough and we’ll need to relieve the pressure.”

“How?” Celestia asked.

Frond showed her a plan of the area, trying her best to keep it in place as it whipped around as though it had a mind of its own, “We’re looking at digging channels where I’ve marked in red. This will help reduce the level. We’ve got ponies working on diverting the flow from the hills too.” She pointed off into the darkness, “The hillside’s given way already with the sheer volume of rain and that’s only adding to our problems; now we’ve got uprooted trees, mud, rocks and the Goddesses know what else acting like battering rams against the inside of the dam wall.”

“Have we evacuated anypony living downstream?” The Princess asked.

“Aye” Frond nodded, “There were just a few griffin fishing huts and saw mills, but everypony should be well out of harms way by now.”

The Princess nodded, taking a calming breath. Thank the Gods they’d had the foresight to have organised teams that could react quickly to potential problems such as this. It had been one of the surprising, and unexpectedly welcome side effects of having large numbers of ex-army ponies returning to civilian work; a great number of them had been highly disciplined and taking on the organisation and logistics of building a better and stronger Equestria had been a natural progression for many, and enthusiastically undertaken. The result had been the magnificent palace and the town of Paddock to name but two. She’d never even considered restoring the old capital, and besides, many of its buildings had been reduced to little more than powder following her battle with Nightmare Moon and the explosion that had ripped through her ancestral home’s heart. Now, whenever she looked at it, all she felt was…pain…pain and…loss.

Luna…

One of Frond’s engineers ran up, the stallion covered in mud from head to hoof. He was panting hard,

“Chief, the barriers have given way, the mud’s pouring down into the western basin and surging. If we don’t do something fast, we’re going to lose the dam.”

“Damn it!” Frond grit her teeth, “Get all out unicorns to the eastern culverts; I want all effort put into opening them up as quickly as he can!”

Celestia looked up as another bolt of lighting lashed across the sky, thunder booming almost simultaneously. The storm was right above them. She shook out her wings,

“Frond, where do you need these culverts?”

“Here!” The chief engineer bellowed over the wind noise, “On the edge of the Pinto Forest; we’re trying to run the water off into the valley.”

Celestia nodded. With a thrust of her wings, she launched into the air, quickly forced back by a gust that nearly threw her to the ground. Neighing loudly, she gritted her teeth, and with a combination of wing and magic, she plunged into the darkness. Rain, cold and sharp with the sting of winters chill, cut through the alicorn’s coat making her gasp in shock. She hadn’t felt anything like this since that terrible conflict, since the last time she’d been in the mountains. The ice, the snow, the unrelenting emptiness of that awful place; she could still picture it in her mind: the rocky passes, the moaning of the wintery wind, the cry of those who had been lost, the empty stares of the slain lying at her hooves, looking up at her with accusing eyes…it was her…she was the one…SHE WAS THE ONE!

The wind pounded into her, pulling at her wings and screaming in her ears, the cry of the lost souls a faint but insistent undercurrent throughout its endless refrain. The Princess closed her eyes, tears stinging them just as much as the rain was. She shuddered, trying to hold herself together, but it was hopeless; she couldn’t change what had happened, they’d given her no other choice! She’d had no choice! Dear Gods, it was her people or theirs! With a yell of defiance and fright at the intrusive images and sounds that assailed her, she dove down, the lights of the teams below looking like nothing more than a blessing from the Gods to a drowning soul. Celestia was scared, the emotions surging through her; they were so unusual, so alien and yet disturbingly familiar too…what was this? She shook her head, trying to regain control of herself and concentrate of what she had to do. Ponies needed her help, and whatever this cursed weather was, whatever had spawned this evil, it would have to wait.

The hillside was thick with debris washed down from higher up, a lethal tangle of broken trees, rocks, and the heady smell of wet earth and mud. Earth ponies and unicorns were working together to clear a path for the churning waters, the glow of magic sending out eerie shadows in the unnatural darkness of the raging storm. They were tired, the effort showing in their eyes, but their determination remained as strong as ever. This was their land, their home, and many of them were veterans of the recent war to defend what they all held so dear. No mere storm, magical or otherwise would stop them, and yet Celestia knew, she could feel it in her bones, that time was running out. The waters were rising rapidly, the mudslides and debris accelerating the process, but at least here, she could help. She landed amongst them, magically projecting her voice,

“All of you, move to higher ground, quickly. I will deal with this.”

They didn’t need telling twice. Hurrying uphill, the ponies retreated to the waiting sky carriages that had been left with their pegasi contingent in case a quick retreat was needed, and by the looks of the dam, they would be - and probably sooner than expected. She had to move quickly. Ensuring the last of the ponies was clear, The Princess launched herself back into the sky and slowed her breathing, summoning and honing her magic, narrowing it down and adjusting the flow. The last time she’d used her power this, the focussed concentration of energy, had been… She neighed, gritting her teeth, shaking her mane and rammed the image of her sister from her mind. Not now, she couldn’t let that distract her now! With a shout of anger and defiance, the Princess unleashed the powers of the sun, blasting a burning, smoking channel through the hillside that lead to the uninhabited valley below, until, eventually, her magic broached the last barrier to the dammed water above.

The world paused. A moment later, a roar the likes of which would have put a dragon to shame, engulfed the Princess as the very hillside shook with the flood of mud and debris that had finally found a way to escape the confines of the lake above. But would it be enough? Celestia turned and headed back to the main camp. Soon she could hear the shouts and neighs of the workers below her, the lights of their lanterns winking out one after the other, the almost slow motion treacle like movement of water pushing over, and then through, what had once been a dam meant to help ponies. Now, horribly, it was a scene that chilled her heart. Celestia swept down like a bolt of lightning from the heavens, watching helplessly as the flood broke through the dam with terrifying strength, an unstoppable power that would sweep all in its path. She’d slowed it with the diversion, but it was too little, and…too late…

“Princess!” Frond and the others were taking shelter amongst a makeshift set of canvas shelters while the ponies loaded what equipment they’d been able to save, and themselves, into carts. “Are you alright?” She asked, “What happened to the other team?”

“They’re safe.” Celestia affirmed, wiping the rainwater from her muzzle, “What about your ponies?”

Frond nodded to her, “They’re safe too.” She looked past her at the black tide, “Thank goodness we saw the bulging of the dam before it was too late and got everypony out of the way.” She shook his head sadly, “We did what we could, but thank the Goddesses that there’s no villages or homes downstream. This lot will peter out and then we’ll get back to restoring the dam.” She looked up, “Once this storms passed, at least.”

Celestia sank to her haunches; tiredness and the exertion of her magic making her feel a little light headed. She hadn’t used this amount of magic since the war and was long out of practice. Soft living and the incessant badgering by foreign diplomats had sucked the life and energy from her like some well meaning vampire. She sighed,

“Thank everypony for me, Frond. I have to get back and…and…” Celestia lifted her hoof to her face, her vision blurring slightly. This was strange: why couldn’t she focus on her eyes on anything properly? Everything seemed blurry and…

“Princess, are you alright? Your Majesty!” Frond sounded frantic, the pony standing on her hind legs and waving to her comrades, “Doctor! Somepony fetch the Doctor!”

Pain, sharp and insistent, flashed through Celestia’s head like a lightning bolt, making her cry out moments before she fell into the merciful darkness of unconsciousness. She never even felt the impact of her body on the rain soaked ground, nor the frightened voices of her ponies as they rushed to her aid…

“Rush…”

**************************

“Well, looks like you’re stuck with us for the night, buddy.”

Rush groaned inwardly. Barley was right of course, but by all the spirits, he wished he wasn’t. This storm just wouldn’t let up, and the six of them were huddled together beneath the shelter in front of a brazier trying in vain to keep warm. It was a losing battle: the wind sucked away any heat the fire gave off, and only served to blast them with smoke from the now half saturated wood. All attempts at keeping it dry, and themselves, had proved to be a near impossible task, but at least the waterproofs were holding up. Sadly, they didn’t do much to keep you warm, nor did they cover every square inch of you, and this damnable wind found every single gap. Gods, when would this end?! Rush closed his eyes, remembering the warmth of the bed in Tia’s chambers, and the warmth of his mare beside him. He missed her, and cursed his own stupidity for leaving her the way he had. What a damned fool he’d been! Rush gritted his teeth, pulling his waterproof in ever tighter – had he lost his mind? Why had he been so selfish? Didn’t he understand how much work she had to do, or how much pressure she was under? Why couldn’t he have been more understanding? He wouldn’t blame her if she simply turned him away when he got back there with his tail between his legs; after all, why not? He was the one who’d run away, he was the one who’d just shrugged and took to his heels because it was ‘too hard’ to face dealing with a confusing situation. Damn it all! He never used to be such a coward!

“Hey, you okay?” Pop nudged him, “Rush?”

“Hmm?” Rush opened one eye.

“I asked if you were okay.” She replied, “You look like you’re in pain or something.”

Rush shook his head, “No, just…cold.”

“Not much we can do about that my friend,” Barley muttered on the other side of him, “We’re stuck here until the storm passes.”

“Boss?” Rock asked, turning to Straw.

Straw was staring into the brazier with a faraway gaze, “I think we ought to move.”

“What? In this?!” Queenie chirped up, “You can’t see your hoof in front of your face!”

She was right, it was now so dark it was almost impossible to see more than a couple of yards in front of you; add to that the torrential rain, and it was like trying to get your bearings while standing under the shower in the pitch black – not something Rush wanted to try. Still, they were inland slightly from the river, so even if it swelled they were well out of harms way. Straw relented, nodding to Queenie and the others,

“Try and get some rest then, ponies. We’ll keep a watch through the night just in case…”

“In case of what?” Queenie chipped in, “You expecting a thestral attack or something?”

Rock snorted, “You wish!”

“Oh belt up, muscle brain.” The white mare frowned.

“Thanks for volunteering for the first watch, you two.” Straw announced with a smirk, “Pop, Barley and Rush, you guys try and get some sleep. These two will wake you up when its time to take your shift.”

“What are we looking out for?” Rush asked, feeling a little foolish, “Are there things in the woods we should know about?”

Barley yawned, “Other than timber wolves? Nah, not here, we’re too close to civilisation for the nastier things…” He raised an eyebrow, “Like pink monkeys.”

“Smart arse.”

“Yeah, I thought so.” Barley chuckled.

“He’s talking about the river.” Pop chimed in, shaking her head at the two stallions, “If you’d paid attention in school, you might have noticed that lots of rain equals bigger river? I guess you must have learned something growing up, or did you both go to the same school of stupid?”

“Not me.” Barley said scratching his damp mane, “I tried to enrol, but all the places were taken up by bitchy mares.”

“Not bad.” Pop sniffed, “Needs work though.”

“Huh?” Rush turned to his friend with a look of befuddlement. Barley sighed,

“My comebacks,” he said with a smirk, “Pop Top’s been trying to, um, ‘educate’ me.”

“He’s doing better, though.” Pop called over to them as she began setting up her bedding under the awning, “He needs to learn not to spend his life as a doormat. Give as good as you get, you know?”

Rush shook his head and pulled his own bedding over himself. It was wet, everything was wet, and that wonderful beacon of warmth, the once blazing campfire, had long since succumbed to the relentless downpour. Gods above, what a night this was going to be!

Sure enough, the rain never let up. Hour after hour, the wind, the rain, and the relentless cold was making Rush shiver despite having fur. Suddenly the strange clothes, and that cloak Tia had bought him, now looked an awful lot more inviting than they had at first. Rush’s initial enthusiasm in being able to wear something that would ‘cover up’ his body had quickly been quashed when he discovered how flashy and gaudy court dress was. It just wasn’t…’him’; he was the sort of fellow who preferred plainer things, practical things, but what Tia had produced was covered in literally acres of what she’d called ‘lace’ and, Gods help him, ‘buttons’. What the hell was wrong with tying things? Clothes did a job: they kept you warm, kept the rain off and stopped you from dying of hypothermia. In the case of what the Princess has given him, they made him look like a courtesan from the Emperor’s palace! Well, not that he’d ever actually seen one of course, but then he supposed that he was the Princess’s courtesan…of a sort. He recalled how she’d made him stand there while she inspected him too; the look on his face however must have said it all – Tia had been in a huff with him all afternoon after that fiasco. Rush sighed; who understood the mind of a mare? She probably thought he’d have been thrilled with looking like a bloody peacock, but years of being alone, of being his own man, had made him…irritable. Rush closed his eyes, feeling a slight stinging in the corners. What the hell had she done to him? What, was he going to cry now?! Blasted mare, she was trying to change him, wasn’t she? Trying to turn him into…into… Rush covered his head with his hooves and felt a shudder run through him. By all the spirits, Gods, and Goddess’s of this land, he missed her so much!

Time went by, or at least it probably did, as lying on damp straw in damp bedding in the driving rain made it feel as though it were standing still. Every second felt like an hour: an hour he was away from Tia, a hot bath, and hot food. They say you don’t know what you’ve got until you’ve lost it – Rush could only pray he hadn’t been such a fool he’d lost Tia’s love. Maybe he had? Maybe, after abandoning her the way he had and all the trouble he’d caused her, she’d have finally had enough of the troublesome ‘pink monkey pony’. He didn’t want to think about it. Still, if his worst fears were realised then there was always the logging camp, wasn’t there? He could start a new life with these people and become a hard working labourer to earn his pay. It was a little different to reed working of course, and he’d be working with others, but the company was good - mostly. Queenie was a worry, especially the way she looked at him when she didn’t think he could see her: she always appeared ‘hungry’ somehow, as though she would simply like nothing better than to suck up all the life energy from him and leave him an empty husk before moving onto the next stallion. Gods, she frightened him! He’d never met anypony like her in his life before. What was really disconcerting though was the fact she was almost the same colour as Celestia. Her mane was a stark contrast of course, and her cutie mark was different – a golden sceptre of all things. Maybe she had been destined for greater things? He still didn’t understand the cutie mark thing, but it obviously meant something to Equestrians. To Rush, it was a fancy picture on your arse that you couldn’t even shave off! He hadn’t tried of course, but he’d examined it in the shower and it was most definitely part of him – the fur quite literally grew like that. He remembered the first time he’d seen Tia’s, and actually thought it had been painted on! He chuckled to himself; why not? Lords were so damned vain that-

“Somepony’s happy.” A white leg appeared in front of Rush’s muzzle.

“TIA!” he squeaked in surprise.

“Who?” Queen’s Court stared down at Rush, “Are you okay?”

Rush groaned, “No.” Looking up at the mare he tried an apologetic look, “Sorry, Queenie, I must have been daydreaming.”

“More like a wet dream” She beamed, waggling her eyebrows.

Rush frowned.

“Because it’s raining?” Queenie raised a hoof, “And you were smiling in your sleep and…” She gave a whinny, “Oh forget it!” She leaned down and nudged him, “You cold?”

Rush nodded, “Yeah, freezing.”

Queenie snorted, “Shift over then.”

“Wha…?” Rush nearly choked in surprise as the mare suddenly lay down beside him, snuggling herself into his side. “Queenie, please…” he whispered.

“You don’t have to ask so nicely,” she cut in, “I don’t mind.”

Lifting his head to protest, Rush saw the look in the mare’s eyes and paused. Queenie sighed and shook her head in dismay, “Rush, just shut up, okay?”

Rush relented, keeping his thoughts to himself. Telling him to shut up was she? She was the one who was all but throwing herself on him and… Oh, to hell with it! Rush gritted his teeth and tried to think of something else to take his mind off the now increasingly warm sensation seeping through his hide. It wasn’t as if it was especially unpleasant of course, not when the alternative was being cold and damp, but it wasn’t particularly pleasurable either. Now if he had a pony on the other side of him, he could…he could… Rush yawned…Gods it was so…

Queenie smiled quietly beside him as Rush’s eyes closed and he began to slowly drift off to sleep.

**************************

Rush lay in the expansive bed: the newspaper, tea, and a plate of hot crumpets slathered with melting butter and jam a little slice of heaven on a cold morning. He felt wonderful, and so warm too, yet not uncomfortably so – in fact, everything was just right. He groaned and stretched his legs out, checking his hooves were all neat and trim. Tia’s grooming oils had worked wonders and they virtually shone. The new cloak she’d bought him was hanging beside the bathroom door and had been emblazoned with her cutie mark, showing to the work that he was her stallion. He’d been a little unsure about that at first, but since all the other palace staff had that mark he hadn’t been too concerned. Rush’s inbuilt cynicism and self doubt had initially reacted to it by viewing it as almost an owners mark! He shrugged; maybe to Tia it was in a way, and to others who saw it they may think the same too, but in reality, who really cared? If Tia wanted to tell the world he belonged to her, he didn’t care one jot. He loved her, she loved him, and he was the happiest stallion in the land.

The newspaper was full of stories about new hair products today, as well as the latest projects from around Equestria, and all manner of seemingly trivial and nonsensical things. He’d read it later – and that was the good part of it – he could read! All the lessons, all the hard work, had finally paid off and now he could honestly say he was a pony who could get along in society just fine, thank you very much. It was just as well too, because the last thing he wanted was to humiliate the Princess with his lack of knowledge of Equestria, but at long last, he was finding himself actually fitting in. Better still, and perhaps most surprising of all, Rush had friends. Imagine that! Friends! He chuckled to himself and took a bite of his crumpet, allowing the wonderful burst of flavour to roll around his mouth; Gods, it was heavenly…

The door opened and Lilly walked in, a smile on her face,

“Good morning, sir.”

“Good morning, Lilly.” Rush smiled back happily.

“Was breakfast to your liking?” she asked.

“It was wonderful, thank you.” Rush replied.

Lilly lifted a dainty eyebrow, “Sir, we have a new girl starting today and it’s traditional to introduce her to everypony in the palace. If you have the time, she’s waiting in the corridor outside.” She smiled, “Shall I show her in?”

Rush nodded, “Of course, Lilly, please do.”

“You can come in now.” Lilly called.

The door opened, allowing in the palace’s new maid. She was…

“Oh!” Rush’s heart leaped into his mouth.

Walking rather shyly into the room, the surprisingly tall maid nervously stumbled slightly on the edge of the rug and bobbed an unsteady curtsy,

“Good morning, sir.”

Rush cleared his throat, “I…er…yes, good morning, miss?”

“Tia, sir” the mare replied.

“Tia.” Rush echoed.

Lilly lifted a hoof to her mouth, “My goodness!” she announced, “I forgot I’d left the tea on! I’d better sort that out before it stews.” And with that she vanished from the room, closing the door behind her with an unnaturally loud ‘click’.

The new maid watched Rush from under perfectly formed eyebrows, her big purple eyes looking nervous and yet, strangely bold too. She opened her mouth and looked away a moment,

“Would sir like help with anything this morning?” she asked quietly.

Rush froze. What was he…? He smiled, and climbed down from the bed, “Yes please, Tia. I have a new cloak I’d like to try on. Will you help me with it?”

The maid bobbed her head, “Of course sir, I’d be happy to!”

Golden light surrounded the cloak and lifted it from the hook on the wall before draping it over Rush’s back. It was a wonderfully well made garment: dark blue with a golden sunburst in the corner. He smiled at the soft feeling of it against his fur,

“Do you like it?” he asked.

Tia nodded, “Oh, yes, sir! It looks well on you indeed.”

The maid moved closer, her rainbow mane, tied up in a twin ponytail and hanging down either side of her elegant neck, swayed enticingly as she walked. Rush watched her intently as her black and white dress moved with her; the way it rustled, the soft sound of the fabric brushing against her pure white fur - it made his hooves tingle.

“I need to clip this chain together sir, and…” she paused. Rush had raised his hoof to forestall her,

“No…” he said quietly, “No magic. I want you to fasten it without that.”

Tia froze, her ears twitching. She bobbed her head in acknowledgement, her voice now a bare whisper,

“Yes, sir.”

Cautiously, the mare approached, leaning down to take the chain in her mouth and outstretched hoof. Rush waited, listening; he could hear her breathing, the slight rustle of her maid uniform. He closed his eyes, taking in her heady scent…the scent of lavender…

The maid fumbled awkwardly with the chain, losing her grip on it and allowing it swing free to make an unusually loud clinking sound in the now almost palpable quiet of the room. Apologetically, she tried again.

“Here.” Rush lifted the chain in his hoof, “It may be easier if I hold this part.”

Tia smiled and bobbed her head, “Yes, sir.”

She moved closer, her horn brushing past Rush’s neck and sending a jolt through him that made his tail flick involuntarily. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for her to finish, yet…hoping she wouldn’t.

“Done!” She moved away, a look of triumph on her face, “Does it please you, sir?”

Rush nodded, “It does Tia.” His heart was beginning to pound in his ears, “It does…”

She looked up at him shyly, “Will there be anything else sir?”

Heat surged through Rush’s body, his breathing becoming heavy and his ears feeling as though they were burning. Without thinking he reached for her, and hesitated, but then the faint floral hint of Tia’s perfume caught him, and - it was too much. With a whinny Rush took her up in his forelegs, gently but firmly bringing her to him. He squeezed his eyes shut, taking in her heavenly scent, the feel of her mane against his muzzle. and the warm softness of her coat.

“Tia…” he whispered, “I…”

She pushed him away. The white mare blushed slightly, glancing at the floor for the briefest of moments before smiling that smile that made his heart melt,

“Rush…”

Rush trembled as she took his ear in her mouth, running her tongue along the edge and nibbling him to the point where he cried out her name. He held her, frightened to squeeze too hard, but desperate to be with her here, now…it had been too long…

“It has.” The mare replied, “I’ve been patient, but you’re mine now.”

“Tia…” Rush breathed.

“I can be,” The mare said looking down at him and brushing her ebony mane from her eyes, “just for tonight…”

Rush’s heart leaped, his eyes going wide, “Queenie!”

“Mmm…” The mare smiled at him seductively, “The one and only.”

“For the Gods’ sake, get off me!” Rush spat, trying to shrug her off.

“No.” The mare leaned closer, her sheer size, weight and incredible musculature kept the brown stallion pinned to the ground, “The others have given us a little time to ourselves, so you and I can…’get to know each other a little better’.” She leaned over and nipped his ear, “Is that nice? I know you like it.”

“Queenie, please!” Rush struggled, trying to push her off him, “I don’t want-”

“-and I don’t care.” She said, her eyes narrowing, “This is about what I want, not you. We’re going to have a little playtime together, that’s all. For goodness sake, Rush, just relax, you’ll enjoy it.”

“I damned well won’t!” Rush snarled, “Get the buck off me, or…”

“-Or what?” Queenie chuckled, “You think you can take me? I could snap your neck like a dry stick, my bold stallion, and there’s not a damned thing you can do about it.”

“Straw will…”

The mare pushed a hoof against Rush’s mouth, “Straw won’t know, will he? Anyway, who do you think is the real power here, eh? Straw? Pop? No, Rush, it’s me. I am the power of this team, and you will show your gratitude for us taking you in.” She stared hard into his eyes, “And now…” Queenie leaned down and licked Rush’s muzzle, “It’s just the two of us. Tomorrow, you can go home to your ‘Tia’, and this will remain our little secret.” She giggled, “Our naughty, little secret.”

Rush closed his eyes and tried to wake up. This nightmare, this horrible dream wasn’t happening! What the hell was she doing? Should he yell for help? Should he make himself look helpless and weak for not being able to reject Queenie and her advances? Gods, what should he do?!

Queenie groaned, settling herself into a more comfortable position, “Now, Rush,” she whispered, “Just relax and let me do all the…”

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Rush stared up into the face of Straw, his large frame recognisable even beneath the waterproofs and the rain that was sluicing off him.

“You’re supposed to be on watch!” the stallion growled.

Rush shook his head, “Straw, I…”

“Buck off, Straw.” Queenie snapped, “Rush and I are having a little fun time together, and then you can have your sentry duty soldier all for yourself.”

Straw stomped a hoof, “You’re going too far, Queenie, now get off him!”

“Make me” she snarled.

Straw balked, but quickly dropped into a fighting stance, his eyes flashing dangerously. Queenie simply smiled back at him menacingly, the mirth in her voice barely disguising the undercurrent of restrained anger coursing through her,

“You’re Pathetic.”

“Queenie, please, stop this, let him up.” Pop’s voice from behind her was gentle and kind, making the white mare look up reluctantly, “Come on now, this isn’t right.”

“What the hell do you know?” Queenie hissed, “You have a husband, you have foals! You know nothing about me!”

“I know you’re hurting.” Pop said, reaching out to her, “But Queenie, you know Rush doesn’t want this, don’t you?”

“I…” The white coated mare swallowed, “I don’t…”

Pop reached out and took her in her forelegs, “It’s alright Queenie, shhh, it’s alright now.”

Rush lay quietly, watching in no small amount of relief as the large form of Queenie was gently but firmly guided to the back of the tent by her friend.

“You okay?” Barley asked quietly, walking up beside Straw, “She said the tarpaulin was loose on the wagon and we went to tie it down, but…”

Straw held up a hoof, “I don’t think you need to go into detail, Barley.” He narrowed his eyes, “This isn’t the first time we’ve had this sort of thing on camp,” the stallion shook his head, “but it’s the last.”

Barley blinked in surprise, “Chief?”

Straw lowered his voice, “In the morning, rain or no, I want her off the camp.”

“But Chief…!”

Straw rounded on the copper stallion, his eyes narrowed in barely contained fury, “I will not have that sort of behaviour on camp from anypony, do you understand? Dear Goddesses, Barley, didn’t you see what nearly happened? She tricked us into leaving her alone so she could…” He trailed off, closing his eyes as he did so and sighed, “In the morning, at first light…I want her gone.”

Barley hung his head, “Yes, Chief.”

Rush closed his eyes and pulled his blanket over himself. He’d barely been here a day and another painful drama was unfolding before his eyes. Pushing his muzzle into his forelegs, he huffed out a breath; it was universal, wasn’t it? Nopony could just leave others in peace to live their lives without some sort of harassment, could they? No, of course not, it was damned well inevitable wasn’t it? You put two or more together and sooner or later something like this happens. It was inevitable, wasn’t it? Dear Gods, it was like some kind of built in self destruct: hey, are you having a nice day? You are? Great! Now, watch as I destroy it for you because, you know, I can! What the hell was wrong with people? Ponies…Oh, what the hell was the point! Damn it, all he wanted was be left alone! Rush pulled the damp blanket over his head and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the sobbing from the back of the tent.

The night dragged on.

Rush couldn’t sleep, and now his eyes felt puffy and full of grit which only served to prolong the misery of waiting for dawn. Throughout it all, the rain continued to fall without let up. The ground beyond the shelter was now little more than mud, the fire a soaking wet hole where only the other day they had sung songs and passed around alcohol. Now it was a cruel reminder that this world was no better than his last, and perhaps…perhaps he should have…

“Hey, you hear that?” Barley said, lifting his head, “Can’t see a damned thing, mind, but I can definitely hear something.”

Rush gave himself a shake and looked into the darkness and rain, “I can’t see a damned thing, Barley.”

“Could be…” The stallion’s eyes narrowed as he stared, “It looks like…”

None of them even had the time to cry out as the wall of black hit them full force. Rush felt his whole body grabbed and submerged, his entire vision swamped in darkness and his hearing muted to a dull, watery roar. He couldn’t breath; his lungs were screaming for air, but his body was being pulled, spun, and thrown around to the point where he no longer knew whether he was up or down. Even if he did, it wouldn’t have helped in any case: Rush was helpless, his body continuously thumped and smashed by unseen debris held in the inexorable flow, his attempts to grab hold of something solid as a useless as his attempts to broach the surface that must be so, so near. The movement continued; the helpless dragging, the bone jarring impacts and…AIR! For a moment, just a few seconds, Rush felt his head clear the surface and he gulped in as much of the sweet life giving air into his lungs could take before something smashed painfully into his hind legs, caught hold, and dragged him under once more. Rush’s mind was racing as he struggled to pull himself free. Above the churning waters of the flood, he’d left not only that most precious of life giving gifts, the very air he breathed, but also, nightmarishly, the faint echoes of the screams from his drowning friends.

Rush fought. Whatever had his leg, pulled him along as though he were nothing more than a rag doll, the dark mass dragging him around and around helplessly. Every so often he would be hauled to the surface, allowing him a precious chance to grab some air before being pulled back down once again. The noise was horrifying, the movement stomach churning, but despite the strength of the water, he was no weakling. Desperately, Rush heaved and pushed himself with a combination of hoof and teeth, to ease his hind leg free of what was now quite clearly the roots of some enormous tree, torn from the earth that had once gave it life by this tide of death. Rush poured every once of strength he had, every single last drop of energy, into freeing himself from his wooden captor, until, with a gasp, he finally, agonisingly, managed to pull himself up and out onto the churning surface. The water continued to move ever onward, debris colliding both him and the tree he clung to, spinning them around like a foal’s top, but at least now he could breathe, despite the water deluging him. In a situation like this, legs and arms would probably be a lot better than hooves and teeth for grip, but the sheer strength in Rush’s body was incomparable. With a bellow of anger and frustration, he hauled himself up on top of the tree and hung on for dear life. He could taste blood in his mouth and the earthiness of the muddy water that stopped up his nose, eyes and ears. The thought of trying to swim for land and possible salvation was a dangerous temptation, but in the darkness, rain and the furious waters, it was a temptation that would more than likely lead to death. There was only one thing he could do – hang on.

Rush kept his hold on the slick bark of the tree, the branches whipping around and hitting him, as painful as they were, acted as an anchor, helping him to cling on to his unlikely saviour. He closed his eyes and did something he did very seldom: he prayed; not to the Gods of his world, but to those of this one. Hell, given the options he would have prayed to anypony right then! But still, it had to be worth a try. He didn’t know who the Gods were here; probably Luna and Celestia from what he’d heard, but could she answer? Somehow, he didn’t think it was very likely – those who worshipped her probably hadn’t seen her wearing a bathrobe and slippers while wearing her spectacles and reading the morning paper. He grinned despite himself and began to laugh; the Goddess of the sun, and the Goddess of breakfast! Rush neighed loudly, yelling and shouting out his defiance to the world, laughing in the face of the madness of it all. Why the hell was he here? Why had his mother left to travel to the human world? What was the point of all of this? It was all a game, wasn’t it: some huge, universal game, where the Gods looked down and laughed at the suffering and torment of the mortals. Rush shrugged and shook his head. He could take a joke, and this was the best one of all: he was still alive! Those ethereal bastards hadn’t taken him yet, but he knew with horrible certainty that at any moment he could be slammed into something, his body thrown into the water, and that would be that. Would he be taken to the herd as the ponies believed, or would he end up in one of the hells the humans believed in? He wasn’t sure, and what did it matter anyway? When had he ever had a choice in what happened to him? Sometimes he wondered about going home, back to his hut in the mountains, but what then? To die as some lonely old man, where nobody cared a damn about you, only to find your bleached bones one day in the mouldering wreckage of your hut? Or here, where he had friends and a mare who loved him? Here, where at any moment, he could be snatched away in fates cold grasp. He closed his eyes, hung, on and laughed at world,

“Come on then!” he yelled, “I’m right here! Come on Gods, Goddesses or whatever the hell you monsters are! COME AND GET ME!”

The world went black.

**************************

Gods, his head felt like it had been cracked with a sledgehammer and his mouth was full of mud, water, blood and… He coughed violently, wretching up water and who knew what else. Rush’s eyes flew open – he couldn’t hear anything! He was deaf, his body broken and smashed, and…and he couldn’t move! In a panic, a strength he didn’t know he still had surged through him, his flailing legs kicking out until they found enough purchase to push him upright. More effort, more pushing and snorting, and he slowly began to haul himself upright out of the sea of congealing mud, branches, and rocks that had all but cocooned him. The sticky mud was like the grip of some silent spirit, pulling at him, sucking him back down, down to where he could simply lie in its cold grasp, letting it drain the last of the warmth and life from him. It would be so easy to give up, wouldn’t it? To just let it all go…and go to sleep.

No.

NO!

But he could, couldn’t he? Simply…let go, to be with his mother and father, to meet Silver Spark for the first time, to be with his mother as she was meant to be – a pony. The three of them, a family once again – maybe even his…his own some day…

Rush gritted his teeth, snorting, heaving, pulling, pushing – anything to get himself free of the cloying earth, to get up and simply…move. He took a breath; he had to keep moving - to be able to walk was to live, and inside, deep down, he wanted to see her, he had to see Tia once more. If he concentrated, he could hear her voice, he could see her encouraging him to try, to try one more step. He pulled a leg free and heaved himself forward, trying to coordinate the other three, pushing onward and finding, horribly, his hooves sinking just as deep as they had. Rush had seen horses in the human world like this, how they would just struggle and struggle until there was nothing left to give – and then simply…give up. To the devil with it, to the devil with the Gods and this damned mud, he was going to live…he was going to live! Rush heaved another leg up, out, and down, again, up, out and down, again, and again, and again…

And then there it was: solid ground. The shock was almost tangible. Beneath his hoof, like a beacon in the darkness: solid ground! Rush pushed with all his might and dragged himself up. One more step, another and another, and there, thick with brown mud, sticks, leaves and filth, the brown earth stallion stood amongst a field of destruction and devastation the likes of which he had never dreamed possible.

But he was alive.

Rush shuddered and took a breath: a sweet, sweet breath of the pure, clear Equestrian air. Dear Goddesses, Gods, or whatever they were,

“Thank you.”

He could feel tears welling in his eyes, ironically helping to wash out the sand, mud and grit that caked them.

“Thank you.” He was sure he could hear laughing.

Rush stood for a while, simply standing, breathing, and trying to sense whether there was any damage to his body. Perhaps he was in shock, it was certainly possible, but he felt…nothing. There were a few pains here and there, maybe a broken rib or two by the feel of things, certainly a lot of cuts, bruises, and a split lip, but amazingly, other than a few minor gashes that would need washing out, his legs were all working just as they should. More than anything though he was tired, exhausted in fact, and almost comically, he was incredibly thirsty too. He nearly laughed at the irony.

Rush took a breath and tried to get his bearings. The landscape around him though was unlike anything he’d ever seen in his life; in fact it was more like something he would have imagined as a description of one of the human hells. Uprooted and shattered trees, branches, and rocks lay all around him, all of it covered in a thick orange-brown mud that was even now starting to dry on his coat. At least it had stopped raining at last, the sun quickly drying out the mud around him and causing it to steam. He pushed on; the last thing he wanted was to just lie down somewhere and let the mud dry on his coat, as tired as he was. What he needed was water, both for a wash, and to drink. Rush paused; his hearing was still blocked up with mud, but he could hear something, something beyond a pile of destroyed trees - a sound that promised hope, a sound of salvation…water!

Heavily, Rush’s hooves propelled him forward towards the creek. Somehow, miraculously, this small flowing body of water had survived the nightmarish flood. It was clean, so far as he could tell, and drew him like a moth to a flame. Rush had ceased to care in any case, all he wanted to do now was to get as much of the mud from himself and just drink…drink until it came out of his ears – well, metaphorically of course. He paused; his ears! Quickly, he dipped his head into the water, closing his eyes and felt the fast running water flowing over his muzzle. Cleaning his hooves the best he could, Rush tentatively began to rub his ears, allowing the water to swirl around them. It was a horrible sensation, and yet wonderful at the same time; the way the cold of the water made him shudder, the way it made his hearing roar as it flushed the resiliently sticky mud from inside his ears, was both frightening and exhilarating. Pony ears, it appeared, were a lot more sensitive than he’d realised, and having cold water inside them was not an experience he would care to repeat, but the result was well worth a little discomfort. In a plume of water, Rush threw back his head and bellowed his return to the world of the living. He could see, he could hear, he was…alive!

Slaking his thirst in long draughts, Rush turned his attention to sluicing away as much of the mud as he could. It was no easy task either; the mud was thick, and drying fast in places, but as least he’d managed to get the worst of it off. He looked down at his hooves and sighed: a few small chips here and there would have to be dealt with before they got worse, but that could wait. Firstly, he had to work out where he was and find a way home…home to Tia. He closed his eyes and shook his head, looking down at the water – maybe the Goddesses really had been looking out for him. He was here, he was alive, and so was this glorious stream of life giving water. A silent prayer to the Goddesses of this land wouldn’t be wrong, would it? Even if he didn’t particularly believe in them, it would be best to err on the side of caution, wouldn’t it? Rush smiled to himself and bowed his head,

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Rush froze, not daring to move. Beside him, a brown cloaked figure leaned down to gaze into the water, the darkness of the hood hiding the face of the pony within. She chuckled slightly, in a way reminiscent of somepony Rush knew so well it made his ears twitch and his heart leap into his mouth. The mare turned to face him, sliding back her hood and revealing the golden coated unicorn beneath. She turned a pale blue eyed gaze on him that was so intense, so feminine, and yet so timeless he felt as though he could fall into them and let her carry him away into eternity. The mare smiled, giving herself a shake and allowing part of her mane to fall free of the confines of her garment. Rush stared in open mouthed amazement; her mane! It flowed as though alive, waving and rippling in an unseen wind with planets, stars, and constellations drifting in an eternity of space and time.

Rush bowed low, closing his eyes. How did you address a Goddess? Nopony had warned him about this! Good Gods, or…or whatever they were, did only thanking them invoke them to appear like this?! He began to shake, partly with the cold, but also with…

“Rush?”

He squeezed his eyes shut even tighter; of course she would know his name! Why wouldn’t she? She was a Goddess!

“Rush, please, open your eyes.” The Goddess reached down and carefully placed a hoof under his chin, lifting his head, “Don’t avert your eyes, child of Equestria.”

Blue eyes gazed into his own, his heart surging at the mere sight of such a magnificent being. Warmth suddenly flooded throughout Rush’s body, his mane and tail twitching of their own accord. His heart felt like it would burst from the sheer wonderment of looking upon the magnificence of the Goddess of Equestria. Rush suddenly realised he was grinning inanely before quickly bowing to her respectfully,

“My Goddess, thank you for saving my life.”

The mare smiled, “I think you will find that you saved your own life, Rush.” The Goddess raised a perfect eyebrow, her eyes sparkling, “The Gods seldom intervene in the mortal realm, however I do not believe it is unreasonable to offer a drink to a thirsty pony, no?”

Rush shook his head, “No, Your Majesty.”

The Goddess shook her head, “My, you are polite!” She moved closer; every movement, every sway of the body beneath the cloak drawing Rush’s attention, making him feel as though he could just melt beneath that blue eyed smile.

“You have the colours of your mother,” she said quietly, “and your father’s eyes and build.” The Goddess bobbed her head, “They are so proud of you, son of Equestria.”

Rush felt a burning surge of emotion run through him, his eyes stinging with the onset of tears he hadn’t felt since… “They…they are?” he stammered.

“They are here with us, or rather, with the herd.” The Goddess smiled, “They want you to know that they love you, Rush, but you shall see them again one day, never fear.”

Rush wiped a foreleg across his muzzle, fighting back the wave of feelings that threatened to snatch him away, “Am I…am I dead then?” He looked around himself and at the sea of wreckage, “Is this…is this one of the hells?”

“Hells?” The Goddess looked momentarily perplexed, “Oh, you mean one of the beliefs of the human realm?” She shook her head, “Goodness, no!” Chuckling, she moved her muzzle close to his, making him freeze in place – she was so close! “You are most definitely alive, Rush, and, I have to say, everything I believed you would be.”

“I don’t understand.” Rush said quietly, “Forgive me, Your Majesty, I feel a little lost right now.”

The Goddess sniffed demurely, “Do you know where you are?”

Rush shook his head, “No.”

“Then apparently, you are.”

Rush looked at the mare in amazement, until he saw the twinkle of merriment in her eyes as she began to laugh. He sighed; mares!

“I must leave now, Rush, but we shall meet again.” She said suddenly, and gave him a wink, “Soon.”

“Wait!” Rush lifted a hoof, forestalling her, “What’s going on? I mean, Your Majesty, forgive me, but I don’t know what…”

She shook her head, rolling her eyes, “Can a mother not be curious as to the qualities of her daughter’s partner?” The Goddess shrugged, “You have a destiny to fulfil, son of Equestria, but know that we are watching over you.” She suddenly leaned towards him, a surprising looking of mischievousness on her face, “No pressure.” And with a giggle, the Goddess simply...vanished.

Rush shook his head in amazement; only in Equestria could you find yourself talking to a Goddess and…wait…why was backside so cold? Suddenly Rush jumped up in surprise, realising he was sat in the middle of the stream. Gods above, if he wasn’t careful, he’d catch his death! Oh yeah, right! He gave himself a good shake and a scratch. You had to wonder at the mindset of ponies sometimes, it seemed that even the Gods, or Goddesses for that matter, were all a little…’odd’. That was it, they were all…odd. But, what was it she’d said again? Her what? Her daughter? Surely Celestia wasn’t…? Ah, but she had called him ‘Son of Equestria’, and ‘Child of Equestria’, or something like that anyway, so it must have just been a figure of speech, and not meant literally – was it? He shook his head to clear his mind and set off towards the forest in the distance. He decided to stick to the creek, following that west. Sooner or later he’d find ponies and then, at long last, home, a hot drink, and bed. Oh, and a bath too! Good Goddesses, how he wanted a bath!

Pushing on, something sticking up out of the ground caught Rush’s eye. It looked at first glance just like a broken off tree branch, and there were certainly any amount of those even this far from the river, but there was something off about this one that gave him pause. Curiosity taking the better of him, he looked closer…

It was thick with mud, and bent at an odd angle. He moved closer, reaching out and tentatively touched it. Whatever it was, it suddenly flopped to one side, the mud flaking away slightly to reveal the once white fur beneath. A surge of urgency and fear gripped Rush’s heart, his eyes going wide in shock. Memories of cries in the darkness, the roar of the water… He traced the leg down to the mud and debris beneath and began pulling at the mash of twigs, branches and detritus, revealing more and more of the mud slicked shape beneath. Quickly, the so recently cleaned stallion, began to resemble the landscape around him – muddy, coated in a layer of twigs, leaves, and personifying the wreckage of a once beautiful land. None of that mattered now, none of it, only his need and his drive to do what he could to help another - to free another pony from this cruel prison of nature.

Rush snorted and huffed, dragging more branches away, digging with his hooves to unearth the entombed body beneath. And there, there beneath it all, lying in the sunlight below the steaming and panting Rush, lay the once white body of…

“Queenie.”

Rush closed his eyes, “Oh, Queenie…no…” he knelt down, shaking his head, “This isn’t right…” None of it was though, was it? He’d hardly know them a day, and now this. He couldn’t forget what…what she so nearly did, but…to see her like this… Rush hung his head, “I’m sorry.”

He found a plank of wood nearby, probably the remains of somepony’s fence by the look of it, but it would do to help clear the worst of the mud away from her. The rest of the work was by hoof, pulling the mud away, clearing her face and mane of the cloying filth that covered this one proud creature. What she was, who she was…he never really knew. Silently, Rush put his forelegs around her and began to pull her free.

She shuddered.

“Queenie?”

There, just barely, her chest heaved and fell slightly. What felt like an eternity later, it rose again, shallow certainly, but it was definitely there - the faint glimmer of life still residing within the ragged form of a noble mare. Urgently, Rush cleared her nose of what he could, opening her mouth and finding it mercifully clear of mud. Checking her airways were clear, Rush began to check her over. It was hard to tell, but she seemed…oh no… He gritted his teeth – her hind leg was broken. The bone hadn’t broken the skin thank the Gods, but it was still at an angle that was far from natural. For a horrible moment he stared at her, remembering the way horses with broken legs were treated back…’there’. He couldn’t do that to her, not to any pony, but this wasn’t the human realm was it? Damn it, there was so much he didn’t know about this world! But he had to do something, anything to try and keep her alive. Rush sat upright, looking about him at the broken trees, the debris, the length of twine that had tangled itself around the smashed fence railings, and breathed a sigh of relief – it looked like the Goddess had smiled upon him once again.

**************************

It was already dark when Queenie finally stirred; her eyes flickering slightly and then opening fully to focus on Rush. She sniffed and then fell into a sudden bout of coughing, bringing up chunks of dirt and congealed blood before sinking back down to the ground. Her voice was painfully dry and worn,

“It would be you, wouldn’t it.”

Rush shrugged, “Sorry to disappoint.”

The mare looked away, her eyes distant and hollow, “My leg’s broken isn’t it.”

Rush nodded, “It is. Don’t try and move too much, it’s in a splint and I’ve done what I can to reset it.”

She looked up at him, surprised, “You reset it?” Queenie looked amazed, “How?”

“I used to be a healer.” Rush replied quietly, “Of sorts.”

“Of sorts” Queenie snorted, “Nothing quite like running yourself down to boost your spirits eh?” She winced as a shock of pain ran through her, “Don’t suppose you’ve got anything for pain eh, Doc?”

Rush shook his head, “No. I’m not well versed in…’Equestrian’ herbology.” He pulled a face, making Queenie chuckle,

“Equestrian” she chuckled, “says the pony from another world.”

The brown stallion froze. She knew? He snorted loudly; it wasn’t that surprising she knew, after all, it seemed half of bloody Equestria knew about it. He decided to keep quiet and put another stick on the fire. Thankfully, most of this was at least reasonably dry. He spent the rest of the time washing Queenie down and rinsing out her wounds. There wasn’t anything he could use to sterilise them, but hot, clean water would be better than wet mud. The damned flies didn’t held though, and they buzzed around the two of them incessantly. The fire, as annoying as the smoke was, was at least helping keep the vile things at bay. He looked up for a moment, noticing Queenie watching him intently.

“What are you making?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Rush shrugged, “A litter.”

“A litter?” She chuckled, “Going to drag me out are you?” Queenie shook her head sadly, “You’re wasting your time.”

Rush continued to work, “Why?”

“Broken leg, remember?” Queenie rolled her eyes, “Without medical treatment, I’m knackered. If I were you, I’d get myself out of here and leave the broken mare behind.”

“That’s what you’d do is it?” Rush replied. He pulled another strand of twine into place, adjusting the sodden piece of cloth until it was taught. It looked to have been somepony’s blanket at some time - the torn material was soaked in mud but would still prove good enough for what he planned. He cast a blue eyed gaze at Queenie, “Would you leave a comrade behind?”

She nodded, “We couldn’t stop to care for them. We’d leave them a dagger and an egg for the black rats, and remember them in our prayers.” She stared up at the stars high above and snorted, “It was the least we could do.”

“An egg?” Rush asked incredulously. He had heard her right, hadn’t he?

“Magical explosive” Queenie explained, “to take them with you.” She treated him to a rictus like grin, “Thestral’s didn’t tend to take prisoners, and you didn’t want the minotaurs to get you either, that was for damned sure.”

“Minotaurs?” Rush asked.

“Oh, yeah.” Queenie said, turning her gaze on her companion, “Half ape, half bull things – real monsters.” Her eyes narrowed, “They like ponies, Rush, they really like ponies.”

Rush paused; was she trying to unsettle him for some reason? He decided to ignore her, and threw himself into his work. It reminded him strangely of home, of his life working with the natural materials of the world around him. Of course, working with hooves and teeth was different, not to mention damned frustrating at times, but he was still making surprisingly good progress all things considered. Queenie, however, apparently wanted to continue the conversation regardless of Rush’s wishes,

“So, you really from another world then?” she asked.

“U-huh” Rush muttered.

Queenie raised an eyebrow questioningly, “A world of pink monkeys?”

Rush rolled his eyes, “My parents were Equestrian. I was just born there.”

“Guess that sucked, then.” She said offhoofedly.

Rush couldn’t help but chuckle quietly, “Not really,” he replied, “I didn’t know about it until I met…” He trailed off.

“Celestia?” Queenie coughed loudly, clearing her throat and sinking back onto the bed of dried grasses that Rush had laid out for her. “Ha! You must think I’m stupid. ‘Tia’?” Queenie barked out a ragged laugh, “As if the name wasn’t a giveaway, I knew it the moment I saw those hooves of yours and that plump arse. I knew you were a softy from the palace.”

Rush put down his tools, took a deep breath and turned to face her, “For the Gods’ sake, I’ve barely been in Equestria five damned minutes, Queenie, yet in that amount of time I’ve been beaten up twice, nearly died once, no…” he frowned, “twice, and you call me a what, a softy?” he gritted his teeth and glowered at her, “Maybe I should have damned well left you stuck in the mud.”

Queenie watched him quietly and then snorted, as she lay back down,

“You still can if you want.”

“Well I’m not you, am I.” Rush said, angrily yanking on the twine, “We’re getting out of here in the morning and finding help.”

“Good luck with that!” Queenie laughed, “Do you have any idea where we are?”

“No.” Rush confessed, putting the final touches to the litter, “I was hoping you did.” He grimaced at her, “You being an ‘ex-special forces mare’, I expect it will be simplicity itself.”

Queenie’s eyes went wide before breaking out into surprisingly feminine giggles, “You’ve got some balls after all then eh, soft flanks!” she watched him quietly for a moment, the firelight reflecting in her eyes, “You know how to get a fire going too. You’re a strange one, Rush.” She smirked, “For a pink monkey.”

Rush snorted and shook his head in exasperation, “You’re a pain in the arse, Queenie, you know that?”

“Yeah,” she replied with a wink, “but that’s just the way I am.” Her eyes never left his face, “You know, I can see why ‘Tia’ likes you, you’ve got a cute arse and your colouring’s just like chocolate milk.” She yawned, “I bet you taste…mmm…amazing…”

“I’m sure.” Rush said sarcastically, “But I’m spoken for, and-”

“-Alright!” Queenie snapped, “Goddesses, I was only joking.”

An uncomfortable silence fell, leaving Queenie trying to shift about on her bedding to find a less ‘uncomfortable’ position. It didn’t work – even the slightest movement sent shocks of pain through her body and she hurt everywhere. To make matters that little bit more interesting for her, twinges and aches lanced through her chest with every breath. Rush had done what he could for her, and his work on her leg was surprisingly accomplished, but she was under no illusions – it didn’t feel right at all. Goddesses in their heaven, maybe he should have left her there, striking out on his own and leaving her to fend for herself. He could have sent for help of course, but she knew damned well what happened to ponies in the woods and forests at night – they all knew. She shuddered and looked up in surprise as the large form of Rush moved in beside her, pulling branches across the two of them,

“What are you…?”

“Keeping warm.” Rush said in a deadpan voice, “With little shelter and no bedding, this will keep us going until we can get you looked at.” He paused, “But try and keep your hooves to yourself, this time?”

“Aw!” Queenie chuckled, “Spoil sport.”

“I mean it.” Rush snorted, “You pull another stunt like…”

“Yeah, yeah! Damn it all, I was only playing with you, I wouldn’t have really…well…” she trailed off. Queenie pulled one of the branches over her face slightly, letting the leafy smell fill her nostrils instead of the smell of musty stallion. Rush’s warmth was already seeping into her and making her feel drowsy, despite the pain and discomfort she was in. He was a good pony at heart, if a little…soft. She smiled,

“Rush?”

“Hmm?”

Queenie looked away, her expression unreadable, “I’m…y’know…”

“What?” he asked.

Queenie clucked her tongue, frustrated with herself, “I’m sorry. For what I did back there, I just…I got carried away.” She closed her eyes, “I do sometimes.”

“Forget about it.” Rush said, closing his own eyes, “It’s not worth worrying about.”

“No. It probably isn’t.” Queenie replied quietly.

Rush snuggled further into the mare to share their warmth. Queenie was freezing; they both were, despite scraping most of the mud off. He was surprised the mare hadn’t gone into shock with everything that had happened to her, but she was a strong female, both physically and mentally. She was… crying? Rush could feel her body shaking, and heard the occasional sniffle which she was trying to hide beneath her forelegs.

“Queenie, are you alright?” Rush asked gently.

She shook her head, “Yeah…Just, a little cold, that’s all.”

Rush reached a foreleg over her, slipping his other under her to use as a pillow. It wasn’t very comfortable for him of course, Queenie was no lightweight, but if it made her more comfortable, it was worth it.

“Better?” he asked.

There was a pause. “Rush…” Queenie said quietly, “if I don’t, you know, make it out of here, would you…would you do something for me?” She lifted her head slightly, her voice sounding urgent and carrying a note of desperation, “I know we’ve not known each other long and…and we’re not exactly friends, but, just in case, yeah?”

“Sure Queenie.” Rush replied with a slight yawn, “But you’re going to be alright, we just have to get that leg fixed for you and you’ll be back to logging with the best of them before you know it.”

Queenie snorted, “Yeah.” She closed her eyes, “Listen, there’s a guy in Canterlot who I know called Green Shard, he’s a guard there.” Rush nodded; that wouldn’t be so hard. “Could you tell him, that…that I’m sorry?” Queenie asked distantly, “And…and that…” she sighed, “no…just that.”

“Of course, Queenie.” Rush said quietly, “Now come on, you need some sleep.”

“Mmhmm.” Queenie mumbled and took a deep breath, “Good night, Rush.”

“Good night.”

Rush closed his eyes again and let himself drift off into sleep. The mare’s warmth, albeit blocking some of the fire’s heat, was surprisingly comforting. He still felt strange being this close to her, but she was hardly in a position to jump him the way she had done before the flood hit them. The worst part of it though, was that in some strange way, in some awful corner of his mind, he actually wondered what it might have been like to let her do what… Rush shook his head and pushed the thoughts away roughly; what the hell was wrong with him?! It must have been the proximity to Queenie that was doing it, that and the deathly silence of the land around them that was making him think strange thoughts. Gods, it was like the land of the dead out here. Only the small stream nearby made any sound. There was no wind, no birdsong, nothing, only…

What was that?

A twig snapped nearby, but Rush couldn’t see anything in the darkness, especially with the fire. He looked about and located one of the heavier branches, but he was now half trapped under Queenie. If there was something out there, he’d have to push her off first, but still, it was probably just his imagination.

“Rush?” Queenie’s voice was a faint whisper, “You awake?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you hear that?” she asked.

Rush nodded, “I think something’s out there.”

Queenie sighed, “Timber wolves.” She lifted her head and looked back at him, “As long as we keep the fire well fed, we should be okay. They don’t like bright lights at night.”

“Timber wolves?” Rush reached for the wood, but Queenie stopped him with an outstretched hoof,

“Don’t. If you act defensive, they’ll be on us. Just keep the fire fed and keep calm.”

“Are they intelligent?” Rush asked, staring out in the darkness.

Queenie shrugged, “I don’t think so, or at least, not like we are. I saw them a lot when I was up north, but they left us alone for the most part.”

“Gods preserve us.” Rush muttered, “What a bloody place.”

“What was it like, your world?” the mare asked distractingly, “Was it like Equestria just without ponies, or what?”

“Huh?” Rush pulled his attention away from the possibility of impending snapping teeth back to the mare beside him, “My world?” he shrugged, “Like this one I suppose, although I think there were fewer things that wanted to kill me all the time.”

Queenie chuckled, “No dragons?”

“No real dragons.” Rush paused, “Wait a minute, you mean there are dragons here?”

“Oh yes, and manticores, hydras, chimera…” Queenie smirked, “Lots of things that would like nothing better than to put pony on the menu.” She sighed, “Why do you think ponies herd? Anyway, I was asking about your world, remember?”

“Hmph, not much to tell.” Rush snorted, “It looks like here, but humans pretty much run everything; the ‘pink monkey things’ as everypony calls them now.” He groaned, “Unfortunately, I think that little gem was my fault too.”

Queenie smiled, “Well, if its any consolation, you look alright as a pony, Rush.”

The brown stallion sniffed, “Just ‘alright’?”

“About average I’d say.” Queenie said with a sly smirk, “About a seven.”

“Oh, thanks a lot!” he replied tossing his mane.

The mare laughed, “Ah, don’t get your mane in a twist. You netted the old girl didn’t you? Sun Butt herself?”

Rush frowned, “She doesn’t like being called that.”

“Pah!” Queenie spat, “You think she’s really so flimsy as to go all ‘I’m offended! Off with his head!’ over something like that?” She laughed, turning over to face him, “Your Princess was the rock that we clung to in the storm of war, my stallion friend. By the Goddesses, you should have seen her in battle, Rush. She was…magnificent.” Queenie’s eyes took on a distant cast, “None could stand before her: not Nightmare Moon, nor the Legion. With her, we slew our enemy and stained the ground with their blood.”

Rush shuddered.

“Aw, a bit of wilting flower are we?” Queenie said prodding him with a hoof, “I thought a big rough, tough stallion like you’d been in action, anyway?”

“Action?” Rush furrowed his brow, “You mean fighting for my life? Yes, but not by choice.”

“You think we had any?” Queenie asked with a slight hint of sarcasm, “My family didn’t and…” she paused, “Anyway, how come you ended up fighting a thestral then?”

Rush closed his eyes and let out a groan.

“Come on!” Queenie encouraged, “I want to hear the whole story of how the pink monkey thing met the Princess of Equestria.”

“You want the whole story?” Rush rolled his eyes, “Don’t you think we should be trying to get some sleep?”

Queenie shook her head, “Nope. I’d rather be awake when something that would happily rip me into bloody shreds and gulp the bits down for dinner is watching us, wouldn’t you?”

Rush snorted, “Hmph, I think sometimes ignorance is bliss.”

“Nah, I’d rather beat it in the face with a lump of wood.” Queenie chuckled, “So, come on then Rushy, let’s hear it.”

The gleam in Queen’s Court’s eyes spoke volumes; by the looks of things there was no escaping from having to tell her the whole sordid story. Still, he could edit out the more ‘personal’ elements couldn’t he? Rush sighed; where to begin? He made himself comfortable, casting a final gaze into the darkness and gave the fire a good poke for good measure,

“Right then…” Rush nodded to himself, and began…

Chapter Eight - Beyond Civilisation

CHAPTER EIGHT

BEYOND CIVILISATION

Silence fell around them, except for the occasional snap from the now low burning fire. They were down to their last scraps of firewood, but thankfully the sun, now broaching the horizon, was already sending out its warming rays. Rush yawned,

“…and so, here I am.” he finished.

Queenie shook her head, her eyes as wide as they had been from the start of his story. “I don’t believe it.” she said in amazement, “Is that all true?”

“As the Gods are my witness” Rush said stretching, “Or Goddesses, I suppose.”

The white mare was a good listener, she’d only occasionally interrupted the tale when she wasn’t sure about something or wanted to clarify something she didn’t understand. In a strange way it felt good to finally tell the full tale. Sure, he’d told Grove, but he’d been so soused with wheat beer he could have told him anything. Rush scrunched his face in thought: he couldn’t remember much of that day, other than being worried sick that Tia would be upset with him over his beating by that damned pegasus. Queen’s Court on the other hoof, made him feel surprisingly comfortable with telling his story, despite his reservations about her earlier behaviour. He could see from the corner of his eye she was still watching him intently,

“So…” she began, “What was it like walking on two legs? How come you didn’t fall over all the time?”

Rush shrugged, “The same as you walking on four, I suppose. I didn’t know anything else. The main problem I’ve had has been adapting to this new body.” He lifted a hoof, “These aren’t as good for holding things as hands, but you get used to them.”

Queenie chuckled, “I suppose so.” She looked Rush up and down, “You sure look like any regular stallion I’ve ever met. If it wasn’t for your colour and mentioning ‘Tia’, I would have taken you for just another pony looking for a job.” She snorted, “Except for nearly running yourself to death of course - nopony in their right mind does that. You’re lucky to be alive.”

“You can really die from running too much?” Rush asked incredulously, “I’d heard of people riding their horses to death, but thought it was an exaggeration.” He shook his head, “That’s…frightening. What do you tell foals?”

“Not to do it, you berk!” Queenie rolled her eyes, “It’s not exactly common to do something like that you know - your body usually stops you doing stupid things that will cause yourself damage. Now you on the other hoof, I would guess you either weren’t fully aware of what your body was telling you…” She smirked, “or you’re just a twit.”

“Thanks, Queenie.” Rush sniffed, “You know all the right things to say.”

“It’s a gift” she retorted, giving him a wink, “Anyway, what did you mean that ‘people rode their horses to death’? Did humans actually ‘ride’ ponies? Like, on their back?”

Rush winced at the accusatory look in Queenie’s eyes. He took a breath and chose his next words as carefully as he could, “They weren’t like Equestrians.” He shook his head slowly for emphasis, “They were more like, well, like animals. Warriors rode them into battle, or they worked on farms – that sort of thing.”

“Animals…” Queenie’s eyes narrowed, “We’re all animals, Rush.”

“They weren’t intelligent, Queenie” Rush said quickly, “but they weren’t stupid either. Humans valued horses and took care of them – they were expensive creatures.”

Queenie shuddered, “It sounds like slavery to me.” She stared into the fire, “I don’t mean to sound as though I’m judging you, Rush, but don’t you think that was…wrong?”

Rush shook his head, “Not really, or at least, I didn’t then. I didn’t know anything different. I never owned a horse and when I used to dream of Equestria, I didn’t really see myself as a horse, but rather, well…” he held out his forelegs, “this.”

Queenie sighed, “Yeah.” A moment later she looked up at him, “Rush, how do you see ponies here?”

“Huh? I don’t understand.” Rush asked.

“I mean” Queenie said, leaning towards him, “You must have been used to a society of humans, right? All looking similar, yes?” Rush nodded. “So,” Queenie continued, “Now you’re in Equestria your body has changed, but your mind must still see everypony as…well…a ‘pony’, don’t you?”

Rush shook his head, “No. I see everypony as what they are: my people, and my friends. This is my home, Queenie, as much as I sometimes miss the quiet of the mountains and the beauty and peace of the bamboo forest, Equestria is home.”

“But, what about, you know, love?” she asked a little sheepishly.

Rush frowned, “Love?”

“You and Celestia?” Queenie explained, “Don’t you think it’s weird? I mean, to go from being a two legged bald pink monkey thing, being surrounded by them, males and females, and then all of a sudden, in walks a…a ‘talking horse’, and all of sudden you’re head over hooves for her.” She raised an eyebrow, “I doubt your fellow ‘humans’ would have seen that as anything short of bestiality.”

Rush cringed; he’d tried to avoid talking about his feelings for Tia and especially not with Queenie, but if he knew one thing about ponies, it was that they were insatiable gossips – and bloody nosey too! He groaned inwardly; as much as he hated to admit it, it was probably going to be safest to tackle her questions head on,

“Queenie, Tia and I haven’t…we haven’t done anything like what you’re thinking.”

“You haven’t?” she asked incredulously, “But…ah! I knew it! You are a virgin!”

“Oh, for the Gods’ sake…” Rush flung his forelegs up in exasperation.

“But you have kissed her, right?” Queenie pressed,

Rush nodded, “I…yes, yes I have kissed her.”

“So…what was it like?”

The brown stallion’s eyes went wide, “Eh?!”

“Kissing a creature from another world?” Queenie clarified helpfully.

Rush face hoofed, “Oh for the Gods’ sake, Queenie, I’m from the same world as her!”

“Only technically” the mare replied dismissively, “So, come on then, tell me: what’s it like to kiss a Goddess?”

What was it…? Rush paused, thinking. He remembered looking into her eyes, those incredibly large purple eyes… “It was wonderful…” he said distantly.

“Were her lips soft?”

Rush smiled, “Yes, very. She smelled of lavender, her favourite scent. Every time I smell it, it reminds me of her.”

“Did she put her forelegs around you?”

Rush shook his head, “Not at first.”

“But it was exciting, wasn’t it?” Queenie asked quietly, “That forbidden kiss, that slow fumbling, the coming together of the pure snow white Princess and her stallion, lost to Equestria, but now melting into her embrace…”

Rush nodded, remembering the first time he’d kissed her. It had felt as though his whole world had fallen away from him, disappearing into oblivion: there was only her, his mare, and nothing else mattered but that moment between them.

“Did you use tongues?”

“Mmm” Rush sighed, “Wh…WHAT?!”

Queenie just stared at him before bursting into laughter, “Oh Rush! You’re so easy to tease!”

Rush neighed, pulling himself to his hooves and shook himself off, “And you’re a pain in the arse!” He stormed off to grab what few makeshift supplies he’d been able to scavenge from the washed up wreckage, leaving Queenie shaking with mirth. Blasted mare!

Much huffing, complaining, and grumbling later, he had Queenie strapped to the litter and took up the harness. She hadn’t been happy about it of course, but there was no way she would have been able to hobble anywhere with her leg the way it was. If nothing else, at least they had a direction: upriver, or rather, upstream. It was easier to follow the little bubbling stream rather than the ravaged land around the now deceptively calm river. Here the water was clean, and readily accessible. Food was a problem, but they could last a lot longer without that than they could if they’d had no source of fresh drinking water. Best of all, they were moving, and that was better for keeping up their morale. Rush’s design of the litter was crude of course, but he took pride in the fact that he had been able to make it sturdy, yet comfortable enough, to take the heavy mare. Queenie was obviously still in pain, her occasional whimper when the litter jolted despite Rush’s best efforts, made him cringe inwardly. He had to get her help, and soon: they had no food, no proper shelter, and Queenie’s injuries were troubling him. He had nothing to sterilise them with, nor stitches for the large ones. All he’d been able to do was wash them out and tie makeshift bandages around them made from whatever he’d been able to find washed up. Thankfully he’d managed to find an old chipped bowl for heating water – that had been a godsend, and he’d used it to boil water in so he could clean the mare as much as he could. Rush’s own injuries weren’t causing him too much trouble thankfully; the ‘broken ribs’ he thought he’d had were probably just badly bruised, and certainly nothing like the state he’d been in after the training session with Grove. The bloody lunatic had nearly killed him! Still, what he wouldn’t give to have the orange coated pest with him now…Goddesses, just for a smiling face…

“Rush?”

“Yeah, Queenie?”

“Do you…do you think we can stop for a minute?” Queenie’s voice sounded shaky, “I…I feel a little off…”

“Off?” Rush slowly lowered the litter and trotted round to examine Queenie, “Damn it, you’re burning up.”

She nodded at him as he examined her, “Told you…”

“Damn it.” Rush opened his hoof woven satchel and pulled out the spare piece of blanket he’d torn up into rags and bowl. A quick trip to the stream and he was back. Queenie watched him through bleary eyes, her customary half smile looking more than a little strained,

“You should have left me, soft flanks.” She said hoarsely, “You’re going to wear yourself out pulling me around.”

“Shut up, Queenie for bucks sake” Rush hissed, “I haven’t got time to bury your fat arse in the middle of nowhere.”

“Huh! Some gentlecolt you turned out to be…”

“Then stop whingeing about being left behind all the time.” Rush snapped, “Gods in their heaven, just let somepony help you, will you?”

“Yes, Doc.” She said, trying a smile, “I’ll be a good girl.”

Rush rolled his eyes and wiped Queenie’s muzzle and neck. She kept quiet, but he could feel the heat coming off her, the damp fur steaming slightly just from where he’d wiped her. He had to get her temperature down quickly, but how? All he could think of was using the cool water of the stream, but he couldn’t simply dump her in there. He checked around her hind leg – it was swollen, not too badly, but it was hot to the touch. Queenie been right – without medical treatment it wasn’t looking good. Damn it, why hadn’t he tried harder to learn to read? He was still at the level of a child, and the only herbs he knew from the book were…wait…they’d been growing in a wood, hadn’t they?

Rush stared into the trees, “Queenie, stay here, I’ll be back in a minute. Keep that cloth on your head.”

She looked up at him weakly, “Sure, take your time. It’s not like I’m not going anywhere.”

The wood was refreshingly cool and smelled of the lush greenery Rush had come to associate with Equestria. Ponies, as civilised as they were, appeared to hold a deep connection with the natural world around them, and that manifested itself in the architecture and their respect for the land. The houses, the town, even the palace itself, felt as though somepony had cared enough to design them in such a way as to make them appear completely natural. As new a town as Paddock apparently was, being built after the war to house those uprooted by that terrible conflict, it gave the observer the impression that it had always been there. The palace too, built into the side of a cliff, looked to have been blended into it so as to complement the scenery perfectly. In some respects, the palace was almost fortress like in design, although in a restrained manner, suggesting a hidden power that was merely resting rather than being an overt statement of aggression or defensiveness. Had Tia planned that following the war? Rush shrugged to himself as he scoured the grassy woodland floor for whatever he could find that he recognised; it wouldn’t surprise him, Tia had learned a great deal from the war with her sister, and would do whatever it took to make sure it never happened again.

Birds singing in the trees calmed Rush’s heart as he walked. There were plants and herbs galore, along with mushrooms and various fungi that he recognised from the pictures in the books, but due to his lack of knowledge of the written language, he couldn’t yet determine their efficacy. If he blundered around trying to treat Queenie, he could inadvertently end up killing her. One of the mushrooms he’d collected was a deep purple colour with orange stripes – disturbingly alien in appearance, and yet it appeared in several of the books he’d read in the library. Why hadn’t he asked Tia for more help in understanding what these were when he had the chance? Rush shook his head to himself angrily: it was pride, wasn’t it? Bloody pride of all things, and now look at him! Just when he needed that knowledge, his own stubbornness had put another life at risk. Gods, what a mess… Rush sighed and put the last of the plants into his pack.

Queenie closed her eyes and tried a weak smile upon his return,

“Hello. Have a nice wander in the woods?”

“Wonderful.” Rush muttered, laying out his haul.

“Hey Rushy, do you think your marefriend’s going to come looking for you?” She took a deep breath and gazed up at the sky, “She could come diving through the clouds at any minute and be all like, ‘Darling! Where have you been!’ I mean, as much as I’m enjoying every moment of our outdoor adventure, don’t you think we should stay put?”

Rush snorted, “Perhaps, but with timber wolves, no food and no shelter? You need help, Queenie, and I’m certain we’re near where we were working, even if the landscape’s has changed. After all, the river’s still there and I’ll be damned if I’m going to just sit here and hope for some sort of miraculous rescue. Rush stared at his laid out herbs, examining each one in turn.

“You fell out with her, didn’t you?” Queenie said, “She won’t be looking for you because you had a fight, is that what you’re thinking?”

Rush kept silent.

“I bloody well knew it…” Queenie groaned, “Bugger it, I was looking forward to being pampered at the palace too.”

Rush separated out the ingredients he knew from those he didn’t. Some were, rather surprisingly, the same as back on his old world. Others were distinctly peculiar, but may prove useful. He looked up at the white mare, drawing her attention back to the matter at hoof,

“Do you recognise any of these?”

Queenie sighed, “Only a few. The Lime green thing is ‘Elves Toenail’; you eat that and you’ll be dead in a few hours. The orange fungus gives you diarrhoea and the small pink flowers make you pee yourself – great fun if you want to have a laugh at somepony else’s expense. She stretched out, “Dunno about the rest, but then, I’m not a medic.”

“I thought you worked behind enemy lines?” Rush said, raising an eyebrow, “Didn’t they teach you anything about living off the land?”

Queenie clucked her tongue, “We had ponies with us who did, but most of us were just local guys and gals who were told to do what we could to fight back against the Legion. I guess they must have been fresh out of survival guides at the time.” She raised an eyebrow, “We can put a complaint in to the Princess when we get back if you like.”

Rush snorted, “Don’t be flippant.”

“Well don’t ask such bloody stupid questions then!” Queenie snapped, “Just…just…oh I don’t know! I don’t think anything you give me is going to make me feel any worse anyway. Just get on with whatever you’re doing.” She turned away and closed her eyes.

Rush rolled his eyes and made his selection. Taking them over to the side of the stream, he located a selection of stones and began grinding the herbs and other plants as his mother had shown him all those years ago. It wasn’t ideal, the conditions far from what he would normally like, but it would have to do. Eventually, satisfied with the results, Rush trotted back to Queenie and began setting up a small campfire. She shook her head in wonder as he worked,

“How did you learn to do that?” She asked, “I’ve never seen a pony get a fire going so quickly with just sticks and bark before.”

Rush shrugged, “It was something mother showed me. When you work with nature as a healer, you need to know how to start a fire.” He snorted, “Of course, I usually had tinder, but there’s more often than not everything you need nearby if you look carefully.”

“She must have been some mare…” Queenie said absently, “Who was she?”

“Mum?” Rush smiled, pausing to blow on the embers and encouraging the flames, “Her name was Willow. I don’t know what she did before she had me, other than…well…it doesn’t matter.” He shrugged, “She looked like me in colouring, but my blue eyes I got from my father, Silver Spark.”

“I like your eyes,” Queenie said quietly, “they…hang on…did you say Silver Spark?” Rush nodded. “The Silver Spark? The disgraced officer from the Royal Guard?”

Rush sighed, “Apparently.”

“Good Goddesses, Rush, that stallion was a legend in the army!” The mare exclaimed, suddenly animated, “He fought a minotaur assault single hoofed and held them up long enough for many of the young ones to withdraw…well, run away really, but if it wasn’t for him…” She shook her head in amazement, “Now I see it…you do have the same eyes.” She closed her eyes and smiled distantly, “What I wouldn’t have done to…” she shuddered, “And you’re his son?”

“Aye.”

“But then, that means your mother was the thief who stole the elements of harmony.” Queenie shook her mane and continued, “Bloody hell Rush, she nearly condemned us all.”

Rush froze. ‘Condemned’? He stared at Queenie, his blood running cold. Had his mother really stolen something so important?

“It was a box.” he said calmly. Rush checked the temperature of the water in the bowl and gave it stir, “A box with a key in it, not the actual elements of harmony. Tia never really told me much about what it opened, but I knew it was important.”

“Important?” Queenie stared at him in amazement, “The master of understatement strikes again.” She leaned back, “Celestia used them to blast Nightmare Moon into the moon, or something like that, and then she used them to wipe out the Legion. Zap! No more thestrals, no more minotaurs, and no more war.”

Rush sat back and adjusted the fire to lower the heat, “Did you see all that?” he asked.

“Well…not in so many words…” Queenie said with a shrug, “I was way up north at the time, but we all saw the flash of colour on the horizon and sort of ‘knew’, you know? Next thing you know, the thestrals were all running north back to their own world like the guardians of Tartarus were nipping at their balls.”

Rush shook his head slowly, “I never really asked what had happened to Tia’s sister.
I knew she’d become Nightmare Moon somehow, but ‘blasted to the moon’?”

Queenie nodded, emphasising her words, “Next time the moon is full, look carefully. You can see her – the mare in the moon.”

“Dear Gods…” Rush stared up at the sky and wondered at the strangeness, and frightening otherness of this world. He had so much to learn, and as exciting as a prospect as that was up to a point, it filled him equally with dread. Rush sniffed at the bubbling mixture in the bowl and tasted a little, nodding to himself.

“I’m glad you’re trying that first,” Queenie said with a snort, “you can poison yourself all you like.

“I’m not going to poison you, for goodness sake.” Rush sighed, “Just get it down you while I have a look at these cuts of yours.”

“Huh!” Queenie huffed, “You reject me and now you can’t keep your bloody hooves off me. Just…OW! Bloody hell!”

“Sorry.” Rush gritted his teeth; he’d barely touched her leg and it was causing her so much pain? It looked like the swelling was still up, and it was worryingly hot. Queenie was clearly running a fever and it was nothing short of a miracle that she was still lucid. He checked over her injuries; most of them were healing quickly, but one or two looked like they would need washing out again. He’d found some river salt on several of the rocks earlier which would come in handy for treating that, but it was going to hurt her to do it. First things first however, he needed to get her to drink the mixture; currently she was just staring at it suspiciously.

“There’s no way in Equestria I’m drinking that!” She said emphatically, “It smells like piss.”

Rush sat down next to her and looked her in the eye, “It will help bring the fever down, Queenie.”

She huffed, “I don’t care! Have you smelled it? You’re going to poison me, you lunatic!”

Rush face hoofed, “Fine, then don’t bother. I’ll leave you here and hopefully the timber wolves won’t eat you before I manage to find help.”

“Huh, I’ve been telling you to do that for ages.” She sniffed haughtily.

“For the love of the Gods,” Rush groaned, “Queenie, you’re really starting to piss me off! Now get that down your throat or…”

“Or what?”

Rush flung his forelegs up in exasperation, “Don’t you want to live? Do you actually want to die, is that it?”

Queenie huffed, “What do you know? Stupid soft flanked…Mmph!” The mare’s eyes went wide in shock as Rush clamped his mouth over hers, the bitter fluid seeping into her own. She struggled against him, trying to push him off, but she was so weak she was like a newborn foal. Struggling for air, finally she opened her mouth involuntarily, allowing the foul mixture to flood in and she unwillingly swallowed it in one gulp. Rush broke away, wiping his muzzle.

“You…you lousy rat!” Queenie spat, spitting out the last remnants of the mixture, “How dare you! How bloody dare you!”

Rush sat back by the fire, “When you’re better, you can take revenge if that’s what you want” he said calmly, sorting through the mushrooms, “If it gives you strength, Queenie, then embrace it. I’m not going anywhere without you, so get used to it.”

“You self-righteous, supercilious, overbearing…” she took a breath and bellowed out a deafening neigh, “If I wasn’t so sick I’d knock you bloody senseless!”

“Well then, getting better is something we both look forward to, isn’t it?” Rush replied.

“Luna’s hairy arse, you’re insufferable!” Queenie groused, “What the hell does Sun Butt see in you?”

Rush grinned innocently, “My soft flanks?”

“Argh!” Queenie covered her muzzle with her forelegs, “Shut up! Just…just bloody well shut up!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Rush settle into making the nearest he could to soup. The mushrooms he’d picked he remembered from the books that, rather embarrassingly, had the most pictures. The ‘illustrated guide’ had apparently been more of a ‘beginner’s guide’, rather thoughtfully selected by the head maid - together with a copy of ‘Fiddlesticks Finds a Ball’, the cheeky old sod. The pictures in the book had certainly been amusing, and colourful too, far more than anything he’d ever seen growing up. Secretly, he would have loved something like that, but it had also been quite novel having Tia lying beside him on the bed while she taught him to read. He smiled to himself at the memory – Gods, he hoped she was alright. Queenie’s coughing fit made him look up in concern, but she waved him off,

“I’m okay.” She shook her head, wiping the sweat from her muzzle, “It’s that crap you made me drink.” Queenie sniffed, “Next time, try doing that without the poison?”

Rush snickered quietly, adding a pinch of fresh basil to the makeshift stewing pot; at least he recognised that one and it would do wonders to help the flavour. Unfortunately he could hear Queenie’s chest wheezing even over the sound of the fire crackling away. Being outside was healthy up to a point, but she needed to be warm and comfortable with good food, and that was something in short supply here. The least he could do was get some hot food into her. Rush took a taste and nodded; it would pass, barely.

“Here, it’s mushroom stew.” He moved up closer to her and held up the bowl. Queenie stared at it warily,

“Where’s yours?”

“I’ll make mine later.” Rush said, “There’s only one bowl, remember?”

Queenie sniffed, “Are you going to force that down my throat too?”

Although her smile suggested she meant the question to be taken in good humour, there was a suggestion of ‘consequences’ should he even think of attempting such a thing. Rush rolled his eyes,

“It’s just stew, made from local mushrooms and herbs I found. You need the energy for your body to mend itself and to warm you up inside.”

The white mare grinned, “You could do that just as well, you know.”

Rush groaned, “There’s something wrong with you, Queenie” he said shaking his head, “I’ve never met another woman like you.”

“Mare.”

Rush blinked, “Huh?”

“I’m a mare, not a woman.” Queenie said raising an eyebrow, “Is that what they call females where you lived?”

Rush nodded, “Yeah. Sometimes I slip back into my old way of talking and thinking.”

“Does it matter that much if you do?” She asked.

“I…” Rush stared at her a moment, “I don’t suppose it does. Not in the great scheme of things.”

“You said it yourself: you’ve not been in Equestria very long Rush, so give yourself a chance.” Queenie stared into the bowl, licking her lips, “Hey! Not bad! Then again, I suppose anything tastes good when you’re hungry.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” Rush said with a huff.

Queenie giggled, “You’re welcome.” She finished the last mouthful and passed the bowl back to Rush, “Come on, get yours on the go now; the bowls free.”

“I’ll do it shortly.” The stallion replied.

Queenie stared at him a while and narrowed her eyes, “Being a martyr now, are you?”

“What?” Rush asked, picking up the bowl.

“I mean, why aren’t you eating?” Queenie shook her mane and winced as she tried to shif herself into a more comfortable position on the litter, “You think that by starving yourself, we’ll have a better chance of survival do you?”

Rush sighed, “No. I just didn’t find enough for two, but I’ll try again later.” He saw the look on her face and raised a hoof in defence, “Honestly!”

“Hmph! Bloody stallions” Queenie said and shook her mane. Secretly, she smiled to herself; Rush was a good stallion, and one who was utterly selfless – so far as she knew. Anyway, how far could they be from civilisation now? The river can’t have washed them that far, could it? All they’d see so far were trees, trees, and more trees; plus the river of course, but why hadn’t they seen a logging camp? No camps, no towns, no nothing! She shuddered; it was like the end of life as she knew it, with just her and Rush as the last two ponies alive in Equestria. For a moment she wondered: what would it be like if they really were? What if it was just her and him, the two of them, alone in the wilderness? Suddenly she began to feel warmer inside, her eyes locking onto him: the way his mane hung down his neck, the slight twitch in his right ear - he probably didn’t even notice he did it, but she did. Whenever he was deep in thought, that ear would twitch just so. Queenie grinned to herself and sighed inwardly; he would make a splendid mate indeed. Bloody royalty, what did they know?

******************

Rush picked the last of the mushrooms and some of the ‘salad leaves’ as Queenie had called them, putting them into his satchel. She’d had some knowledge of field craft and survival after all, but as she’d pointed out, there’d been little time to train them in much more than combat tactics, so they’d simply taken ponies with them who knew how to live off the land. Rush could himself to a degree, but had still relied mostly on the sales of his reeds to pay for food and other necessities. He paused; Gods above, what he wouldn’t give for a cup of tea right now…

Back at the camp, he unloaded his supplies and checked on Queenie; she was uncomfortable still, and looked horribly thin, but at least her humour was still there, and she’d proven to be surprisingly good company too - once you got past all the sexual innuendo and flirting. Rush shrugged it off as he always did, but couldn’t help but feel a certain warmness towards her, despite…’that’. He sighed; he missed Tia horribly, and his friends: how was Grove? Mind? And what had happened to Straw, Pop Top and Rock? He’d heard screams and shouting before something had hit him and then… Gods, he’d be having nightmares about that for the rest of his life. Neither Queenie nor he had spoken about them much – what good would it do to speculate anyway? All they could do was pray for their safety, and hope they’d escaped the deadly floodwaters. What he really couldn’t understand though, was why it was taking so long to find other ponies. Surely there had to be somepony out here, and what about Tia? Wasn’t she looking for him either? He took a breath and sighed it out; maybe…maybe not… After all, there’s only so much somepony would put up with before they’d had enough, right? Rush felt a shudder run through him and set about making the evening meal. How many nights had this been now? The endless trudging, the evenings kept awake by strange noises in the woods and leaping at shadows was wearing him down both physically and mentally. Whether there were any timber wolves out there or not, he wasn’t sure, but it didn’t really matter either way – he wasn’t taking any chances. Unfortunately, night after night of barely any sleep had meant he was feeling increasingly fatigued and weakened.

“Queenie? How are you feeling?” Rush asked.

She looked up at him and tried a smiled, “Like crap. How about you?”

“Fighting fit” Rush smiled.

The white mare snorted, “You’re a poor liar, Rushy.” She sighed, “I still think you’re wasting your time, but…thanks.”

Rush shook his head, “You’re welcome.” He watched her for a moment and smiled, “Come on, eat up.”

“Let me guess, bran and oat muffins?”

“Not quite.” Rush said passing her the bowl.

“Oh Goddesses…” Queenie sniffed at the offering and shrugged helplessly, “You gotta love mushrooms.”

“I doubt you will when we get back to civilisation” Rush replied, taking a mouthful of his own meal, “I don’t want to see another lousy mushroom as long as I live.”

“Or wooden cutlery” Queenie observed, “everything has that lovely undercurrent of tree which I enjoy so much.” She chuckled, “Still, my compliments to the chef. Just don’t expect a tip anytime soon.”

“I’ll put it on account.” Rush grinned, raising an eyebrow.

The sun was going down now, and the sounds drifting from the woods were changing as the denizens of the night came out to take over from their sun loving counterparts. It was a strange and almost sudden shift from the songs that filled the heart with hope and joy, to ones that held a haunting, mystical quality, some of which sent chills down your spine. Rush blew on his forelegs to warm the up; Queenie’s voice was sounding rattly again, but at least she was warmer than she had been. Fortunately Rush had been able to craft several mats for them out of the plants he’d found in the wood and by the river. They weren’t the materials he was used to, but they were near enough to do the job. At the very least they would act as a barrier to keep the heat in and most of the bugs out. He had to smile though; Queenie looked like some strangely woven parcel with a head sticking out of the top. She’d commented on feeling like a sandwich several times already and clearly meant this as some sort of double entendre, but Rush simply professed ignorance - much to the mare’s annoyance. Still, she’d managed to settle down for the evening at last and was staring into the flames of the fire with a faraway wistful look. He knew something was coming, and sure enough…

“Rush?”

“Hmm?”

Queenie smiled distantly, “Have you…ever been in love?”

“Me?” Rush snorted, “I love Tia.”

Queenie shook her mane and snorted, “I know that! I mean…before, you know, in the human world.”

Now there was a question. Rush closed his eyes and listened to the fire crackling away in front of them. He shrugged, “Honestly? I don’t know. It was an arranged marriage; Lina and I barely knew each other before our parents decided on our pairing.” Rush shook his mane and poked the fire into life. “We had a daughter together, but …you could say we were like strangers living under the same roof.” He sighed sadly, “I always feel like I’m being cruel and heartless when I think like that, but I can’t see the point in trying to pretend I felt something I didn’t. I don’t think they would think any better of me for lying.”

Queenie was watching him intently, “What happened to them?” she asked.

Rush snorted, “They were kidnapped by a gang of bandits: ex-army, dispossessed warriors, or just thugs,” he shrugged, “who knows what they really were. It used to happen a lot, especially in remote areas, and women and girls were the usual targets. Men and boys were generally left alone or killed if they tried to intervene.”

“What did they…” Queenie swallowed, “What did they do with them?”

Rush sniffed, “What do you think?” He lifted the water from the fire and sipped the dark coloured concoction. ‘Tea’ it certainly wasn’t, but it was passable as something they could drink, and it was hot at least. He passed a rough wooden bowl of it to Queenie, “The bandits had a way of indoctrinating their captives. We all knew it, we’d seen it in other villages, and we all thought ‘it won’t happen to us, we’re too remote. We don’t have anything they want’.” Rush sighed, “How damned naïve we were.” He looked up at Queenie, “I searched for them: from the mountains to the coast, from village to village, town to town, until I tracked them to the outskirts of a village not far from our own. We were staying there when word came that the bandits had hit another village, killing their elder and taking more girls.” Rush closed his eyes, recalling the details, one horrible scene at a time, “Cray was a damned good tracker, and with some of the retired soldiers from the village, we tracked them to their camp in a small valley at the foot of the mountains.”

“They were still with the bandits?” Queenie asked.

Rush nodded, “I can only guess it was drugs, or maybe some sort of indoctrination process they went through…” He shrugged, “I don’t know, Queenie, I’ve asked myself that question time and time again; I just don’t know. But…they attacked us. We tried to be stealthy, to try and get the girls out of there, but one of them stood on something, or someone, and the next thing we knew was all hell had broken loose. We’d got most of the girls out but the bandits were on us like a wave breaking on the shore.” He shook his head, “I’ve rarely seen such brutal and careless aggression: they just…ran at us…screaming.” Rush stared at the ground, squeezing his eyes shut against the emotion that threatened to sweep him away, “Eventually there were just two left, two of them surrounded by villagers bent on revenge. I don’t know whether Lina was in her right mind or not, but she came at me with a spear and…and tried to spit me on it. The Gods know, I lowered my sword, I tried to reason with her, but she opened my side up like a ripe fruit before Cherry came at me to finish the job. Before I knew it, I’d…reacted…and they…and they were both just lying there.” Rush shook his head slowly, “I remember the look in Cherry’s eyes, the words she said as she seemed to fully recognise me in her last moments…” he felt a shiver run through his body and the sting of tears in his eyes, “I see her sometimes, Queenie, in my dreams…looking at me, her own father, as I stand over her with my daughters blood on my sword.” Rush rubbed his muzzle and took a sip of his tea, “There are some things nobody…no pony…should ever have to do, or see.”

“Oh, Rush, I’m so sorry.”

Rush shrugged, “You didn’t know them, but…thanks.” He looked up at her over the steaming bowl, “What about you? How did you come to be in the ‘special forces’, or whatever they were?”

The mare tossed her ebony mane and raised an eyebrow, “Interested in me now, eh?”

Rush smiled, “Fair’s fair.”

Queenie snorted, “Yeah…” She sipped her tea, “Not bad. Could do with sugar though.” She leaned back in the litter and rubbed her shoulder with a sigh, “I had a coltfriend, Valance - just a boy from the country. He was nothing special to look at, just your usual farm hoof. He had a sort of washed out purplish coloured coat, lilac mane and these big pale green eyes.” She smiled distantly, “He was a bit of bumpkin really, but then, when you work the land you don’t really need anything fancy like ‘education’ do you?” She chuckled, “He couldn’t add two and two together, but by Luna’s arse, he knew how to bring life from barren earth and rock. Honestly, I could swear that boy had a sort of magic all of his own.” Queenie groaned, rolling her shoulders, “One day, a young mare walked into his life to buy some of strawberries, and…well, you can probably guess what happened next.”

Rush chuckled at the sheepish look on her face.

“We fell in love.” she continued, “Absolutely, hopelessly, head over hooves for one another. I would take every opportunity I could to visit him, and mum was all too happy to let me for all the freebies I would come back with.” She smiled distantly, staring into the flickering flames of the fire, “And soon, we had our first foal, Cardamom.” She took a breath, “Valance wanted to get married, but me? No…no, for some bloody stupid reason I didn’t want to” She wiped her muzzle and took a ragged breath, “No, I…I thought that I wanted to be free, free and unfettered by anypony. Even with a foal, there was always mum to look after her, and I could dash off into the town and dance the night away with whomever I pleased, leaving Cardamom with mum or Valance while I ran wild.” Queenie shook her head, “I thought that Valance and I had something special, and…and we did, but I was so young, and so damned foolish, that I thought I could have it all: Valance, Cardamom and my happy go lucky life.” She lay back and stared up at the stars, “They say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, Rush, you know?”

“I’ve heard that.” Rush replied quietly.

Queenie nodded, “It’s true.” She looked him in the eyes, “One day I came home from a night out and mum was sat there with a note from Valance’s parents. It was…it was from him, telling me he’d joined the Celestian army to ‘protect our future and our home’.” She took a breath and laughed bitterly, “He never came home.”

“Queenie, I’m sorry.” Rush said gently.

The white mare shrugged, “I joined up you know, to look for him? I never found him, and I never found out what happened to him either. The army just…they just told me his patrol had gone out and hadn’t come back - just like that.” She snorted, “A statistic, that was all: you’re alive, you’re dead, here today and replaced tomorrow, dead on some forgotten speck of ground as food for crows and worms.”

Rush lifted a hoof, “Queenie…”

She brushed Rush’s concerns aside, “I was given ‘special dispensation’ to take the news of his death to his parents. That was when I found the Legion had beaten me to it.” Queenie wiped a stray tear aside, the dampness on her fur glistening in the firelight, “They’d wiped out the farm completely, killing Valance’s parents….before moving onto the rest of the village.” She squeezed her eyes shut, “They spared nopony, Rush…not even my daughter.”

Rush didn’t know what to say; ‘sorry’ seemed so meaningless. He cleared his throat, “Queenie…didn’t the Legion take prisoners? Why would they do something like that?”

“Why?” She threw a stick onto the fire and spat on the ground, “Because the strong prey on the weak, Rush. You said it yourself, that your people kept Equines as slaves; they were weaker, less intelligent, and so pressed into servitude. If they weren’t fit enough for service, or didn’t bend to their masters will, what would happen to them?”

Rush said nothing.

“The Legion took prisoners alright,” Queenie continued, “but if any resisted…” she drew her hoof across her throat, “it was goodnight Equestria.”

“Did the village fight the Legion?” Rush asked, “Is that why they killed everypony?”

Queenie shrugged, “Probably. There was sign of a battle.” She snorted, “Those crazy bastards probably thought they could stop the Legion.” Queenie closed her eyes and smiled bitterly, “My daughter paid the price for that insanity.”

“But you fought back.” Rush replied, “You fought for your home, and for them.”

“I suppose.” Queenie said absently, “From then on I just sort of threw everything away, you know? All my ties, all my possessions – everything; I wanted to live in the moment, to live right on the edge, to take life by the balls and hang on kicking and screaming until one of those black monsters sent me to the herd.” She nickered, “Never got me though…never got me…”

“No.” Rush lifted her hoof and gave it a rub, “The world needs ponies like you, Queenie. You’re strong, stronger than I could ever be.”

“Ha!” Queenie snorted, wiping her eyes, “You’re a stallion, of course you couldn’t be as strong as me!” Her eyes sparkled in the fires flickering light and made Rush’s heart jump slightly. He wasn’t used to female company, other than Tia of course, and even then he hadn’t really known her that long, had he? Rush looked down at his hooves and turned away, staring into the fire. Queenie lay a hoof on his back,

“Rush? Are you alright?”

“Mmm” The brown stallion took a deep breath and sat on his haunches trying to keep his emotions under control, “Yeah. I’m fine.”

Queenie gazed into the fire, watching the sparks floating up into the evening sky, “You know, when I first met you, I thought you were a real stiff - a pony who had a rod up his arse – that sort.”

“Oh, thanks!” Rush chuckled.

The white mare shook her head, “No, Rush, listen, I…I just wanted to say…thanks.” She cleared her throat, “I mean…thanks for helping me and all, but…thanks for, you know, being there.” Queenie groaned, “Look, I’m not that good with words. What I’m trying to say is thanks for listening to me and…being my friend.”

Rush smiled, “Friends help each other, Queenie.” He stretched his forelegs and took in a deep breath, clearing his lungs and yawned, “I didn’t have many in the human world really – they were more of an annoyance to me than anything else: always wanting something, always needing something, and yet they were never there when I needed them. I think that’s when I realised that not everyone you think of as your friend really is. It sounds obvious I suppose, but it’s only when you need them, really need them, that you find out who your true friends are.” He nodded to himself, “They’re the ones to cherish.”

“Like Tia?” Queenie asked.

Rush shook his head, “Tia’s different. It was through her that I found out who my friends were in the village and, well, she showed me that my life wasn’t as pointless as I thought and that I meant something to somebody, rather than just being yet another human born into a world that didn’t care whether I lived or died.” He snorted, “I used to think it strange that everyone used to be so protective of the young - so caring and doting, and then eventually lose all interest in them. I often pondered about that, about where that point was in a person’s life where they simply didn’t matter to society anymore.” He sighed, “You just fade into the background - another nobody, another face in the crowd that nobody would miss.”

“Don’t you think you over-think things a bit?” Queenie asked, “Like, maybe there isn’t any real meaning to us being here to begin with, and that we’re just the product of a bit of rutting between our parents?” Rush cringed inwardly, making Queenie roll her eyes. “Seriously, Rush” she continued, “I mean, out you come into the world, all bright eyed and swishing tail, and everyponies like ‘Ooh look at the cute foal’ and then they simply move on to the next interesting new thing. Ponies get bored, Rush, the new becomes the familiar and-”

“-Familiarity breeds contempt?” Rush finished.

“Exactly!” Queenie nodded, “The way I look at it, is that you should just roll with it. Tell the world to go buck itself and carve out a piece for yourself regardless. Take me for example: I lost everypony I ever loved, and so I joined the army.”

“To forget?” Rush asked.

Queenie shook her head, “To die.”

Rush’s eyes went wide, “Wha-”

The mare held up her hoof, “At first I just wanted to be with my daughter, to go to the herd as quickly as I could so we could be together again.” She smiled, “But…one day, I was just sitting there by the fire in the woods getting ready for the next mission, and…and I began to think about how many lives we’d taken, how many we’d lost, and what it was all for. I don’t know why, but suddenly everything seemed to feel so wrong, so futile, and I started second guessing what we were doing.” Queenie shrugged her shoulders, “That’s when I realised I was getting old.”

“You’re far from old!” Rush said raising a hoof.

Queenie stuck her tongue out at him cheekily, “I hope not! But still, it doesn’t help when you’re supposed to be this emotionless killing machine for the Princess and you start questioning your purpose.” She shook her head, “I…I saw something once too, something that…”

Rush shook his head and moved closer to her, “Queenie you don’t have to tell me…”

“No! I…I never told anypony before! I…” Queenie covered her face with her foreleg, “It was in a village - a town really. We’d been sent there to destroy a supply dump of magical explosive which the Legion used, and we…” She took a shaky breath, the next words coming out in a hushed tone, “We did our duty.” Queenie paused, closed her eyes and wiped her muzzle, “Some of the barrels, they...they landed in the town itself, and the place went up like a…like a bonfire.” She stared at Rush, “Have you ever heard foals screaming, Rush? It’s a sound I’ll never forget.” She looked away, “Never…”

Rush lifted a hoof, “You couldn’t have known, Queenie, that could have-”

“It was only after the war,” Queenie cut in, “we found out that some of those barrels had set fire to the town’s hospital, and many never made it out alive.” She began to shake, “We murdered our own people, Rush…we burned them alive in their beds…” Tears flowed down Queenie’s face, “Do you know the best part? Do you want to know? The bloody thestrals, those Legion monsters we’d done our best to blow to bits, just ignored us and went to help save ponies from the fires, while we ran away…” Queenie’s sobs were muffled by Rush as he pulled the distraught mare into his chest. “We left them to die, Rush…we left them to die.” Queenie reached round Rush’s chest and cried out her heart into his warm fur, “Sometimes, sometimes I think…we were the monsters and…and that my baby won’t ever want to see me again. Who would want a murderer as a mother? Who…who would…”

“Shhh…” Rush cooed, rocking Queenie back and forth, “It’s alright now, it’s alright…”

War; it made murderers of everyone, regardless of whether you were human or equestrian - it was always the innocent who suffered the most. Rush held Queenie as she cried, feeling a flood of emotion burning through him - a reminder of the horrors he had seen himself when he was younger. They were images he would never forget, and even now, he would sometimes wake in the middle of the night in a sweat remembering, simply…remembering. Rush closed his eyes and shared a moment with the white mare, sharing their grief and their sadness at what their worlds had brought them. It wasn’t right, it had never been right, and yet they had survived where others hadn’t been as fortunate. Rush had often pondered, there in the wooden house in the bamboo forest, whether he’d had a choice, whether he could have just walked away; but he hadn’t, had he? The Lord of the land had ordered them to take up arms and off he’d gone, unquestioning, obedient – just like the rest of them…like lambs to the slaughter. Damn them, damn the bloody ‘nobility’ - every last one of them.

Queenie’s voice was faint and full of long buried sorrow,

“You know…don’t you? You know what it was like…”

Rush nodded slowly, “We’ll see our loved ones again one day, Queenie, and they’ll understand, they’ll see the love we hold for them in our hearts.” He smiled, “You won’t need words to tell them though; they’ll already know.”

“Mmhmm…” Queenie sniffed away a tear and gently moved away from Rush, casting her gaze up at him, “Thanks.”

Rush smiled, “Come on, let’s have another cup of tea and get some sleep.”

The evening wore on, the two lying side by side, watching the fire flicker and glow in the dying light.

Chapter Nine - The Gathering Storm

CHAPTER NINE

THE GATHERING STORM

Breakfast.

Celestia lay on her bed, her sheets thrown to one side. She was surrounded by a plethora a magical detection equipment, and there, somewhere within it all was Starswirl. The wizard stood stared into one of the devices, stroking his beard with one hoof and helping himself to her haybacon sandwiches with the other. Celestia didn’t care, nothing she’d eaten recently had contained any flavour anyway, and even less appeal. All she felt was worry for Rush and it had become her sole focus. If anything had happened to him…if…if he’d…

“You not eating?” Starswirl asked, licking a stray crumb from his lip.

Celestia shook her head, “No…no, you go right ahead.” She sat up and felt the room spin around her suddenly, before being caught by the grey stallion,

“I said not to sit up until I’d fully completed my analysis!” the wizard admonished, “How am I supposed to do anything if you can’t stay still for more than five minutes.”

The Princess closed her eyes as a wave of pain and nausea surged through her. She wasn’t in the mood for Starswirl’s snippy remarks, despite his well meaning. Still, despite her desire to leave the palace and join the search for Rush, throwing up and collapsing in a heap wasn’t going to help anypony, least of all herself. Good Gods, how many days had it been now? How many empty and agonisingly long days had she been confined to her chambers drifting in and out of this cursed fever while leaving her home in the care of the Chancellor and the search to her royal guard? What was really worrying though was that they hadn’t seemed particularly concerned, as though Rush meant nothing to them and…and that they’d all be better off if he…if he didn’t…come back. Celestia brushed a tear from her eye, hoping that the sandwich devouring menace behind her hadn’t noticed.

He hadn’t.

“Mmm!” Starswirl mumbled, lifting a hoof and nodding emphatically, “I thought so.”

“What?” Tia asked, turning to face him, “What is it?”

The wizard scrunched up his face, “Definitely lacking something.”

“Lacking something?” Celestia asked.

Starswirl nodded, staring into his sandwich, “Tomato sauce. Can’t have haybacon without it, you know. I’ll have to have a word with the chef.”

The Princess rolled her eyes, “Please, Master Starwirl, can you keep focussed on…”

“-Got it!” he announced suddenly, and turned the large glowing bowl to show her, “You see these lines and the way they’re all squiggly?” He blew toast crumbs off the lens and waved a hoof excitedly, “You can see quite clearly how the imbalance in your magic is seeping into your physical being and even your spirit - that’s the pale purple line there, see?”

Celestia nodded, a little unsure as to what all the flowing colours meant, but then Starswirl was the expert here when it came to anything relating to magical theory and investigation,

“What is causing this?” she asked.

Starswirl narrowed his eyes, “That’s the real question here isn’t it?” He suddenly began pacing back and forth, staring at the floor, “I was worried at first in case it had something to do with our new arrival; whether he’d brought some sort of malady with him from the human world…”

Celestia’s eyes went wide, but Starswirl shook his head with a smile,

“Don’t worry, we can discount that; the portals cleanse the body of anything, um…’nasty’ from the traveller as part of the spell matrix” He paused, “Actually you know, that could have some very real medical benefits…” he picked up his notepad and scribbled something with his quill, “I’ll keep that under my hat for later.” The grey wizard nodded, “Now then, what we really need to do is concentrate on locating the root cause of this affliction.”

Starswirl’s smile made the Princess feel a little unnerved, “What?”

“Do you have any thoughts?” he asked.

Celestia rolled her eyes, “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be asking for help, would I?!” she said irritably.

Starswirl shrugged, “True…true…” He tapped the large bowl like apparatus with a hoof, “But this is no mere physical malady, although the symptoms aren’t uncommon: the sickness, the headaches and dizziness, but the cause of it ‘appears’ at least, to be in your magic. However…” Starswirl lifted up a glowing white crystal, “I believe this is a ‘false positive’ and the true cause, the very root of it, is in your spirit itself. Something is unsettling you and causing this disruption - I believe we both suspect the cause?”

“My spirit?” The Princess’s eyes went wide, “I don’t understand. Is this serious?”

“I don’t know.” Starswirl replied honestly, “You’re an alicorn, and alicorns don’t exactly grow on trees you know.” He held up a hoof, “Now before you say anything, I want you to hold this.”

“A crystal?” The Princess lifted it up in her hoof and stared at it. It was a fairly innocent looking clear crystal which occasionally flickered with a pale white inner light. Starswirl nodded happily beside her,

“It needs a few tweaks, but I should have it ready for field trials in the next few days.” He clopped his hooves together, “And then we should really get some results! Of course, I’ll need some, um…data collecting, if you follow me?” He waggled his eyebrows dramatically.

Celestia shook her head in befuddlement, “Would you please explain, Master Starswirl. I have no idea what you’re talking about! What is this?”

The wizard smiled broadly, staring at the crystal with an intensity that spoke of his pride in his own achievement, “I have worked on this for many, many years. It is a thing of dreams and true wonderment; it was what helped me find the ruins of Askendere, the portals of Berath and…” He cleared his throat at Celestia’s blank stare, “I call it, simply, ‘the beacon’. It was a project begun by Melon Ball the Magnificent, but one he never quite finished. I found it as a young colt when I began looking into the works of the great Melon Ball and simply picked up where he left off. I’ll have to adjust it a little of course, to allow, erm, ‘others’ to use it, as currently it’s only attuned to myself, but that shouldn’t be too big of a challenge I think.”

“But what does it do?” The Princess asked quietly.

Starswirl, ever delighted by a captive audience, lifted the crystal in his hoof and slowly rotated it in the glow of his magic,

“It points the way to the hearts desire.” He said softly.

Celestia watched the crystal turning and gasped as the potential of what the wizard had created dawned on her, “It could find Rush?”

Starswirl nodded, “If he is your hearts desire, then yes, yes it could.”

“Then I must have it!” Celestia said urgently, “I need to…” She coughed suddenly and lunged forward, grabbing the bucket beside the bed.

Starswirl shook his head, “Not like that you’re not.” He patted the Princess on the shoulder, “Keep taking the medicine I gave you and you should be up and about in a couple of days. By then, I’ll have the crystal retuned and you’ll be good to go!”

Celestia wiped her muzzle and dabbed the sweat from her brow. Gods above, she’d never been as sick as this before: not since she was a foal and had contracted some magical virus that was doing the rounds. Father had restricted her to her bedroom until she was better. It wasn’t that surprising really, not after several of the court been turned into purple sprouting broccoli, and Tia hated broccoli…

“Starswirl,” she said breathlessly, “this medicine…you are sure it will work?”

The grey stallion nodded, “Of course, I made it myself.”

“But it tastes like…”

Starswirl coughed loudly, “I wouldn’t worry about the taste if I were you.” He began assembling his belongings with a rather worrying amount of haste, “And don’t concern yourself about the ingredients either; it’s the end result that’s important and getting yourself back on your hooves so you can go and find Rush.”

“But…”

“-Finding Rush, remember?” Starswirl said raising a hoof.

“Er…yes…”

“Good-o!” The wizard grabbed the last of his things, throwing his panniers over his back and trotted towards the door, “See you in a couple of days!”

And with a flourish of bells, hat and cloak, the eccentric stallion swept through the door and was gone. Celestia sighed and lay back on her pillow, fighting down the oncoming hot flushes that kept overwhelming her, together with the attendant room spinning nausea. Gods, how she wanted Rush here… She prayed he’d be alright, but whether anypony was listening…who could say?

Two days, eh? Two long, long, days…

***********************

Grove was soaked, covered in mud and was probably coming down with something too by the uncomfortably hot feeling in his chest. He was shaking like a leaf and felt distinctly woozy too; a fact not missed by the mare standing beside him,

“You don’t look well,” she said, “we’re going to the medic’s office.”

“Bugger that.” Grove muttered, “I have to report in.”

“The Princess will understand.” Mind replied reasonably, “She’s not that callous, and…”

“What? Good Goddesses, Mind, are you completely bonkers?” Grove rounded on his friend and gave himself a hard shake, “You didn’t see the look in her face when I told her I didn’t know where Rush was. Bloody hell, I thought she was going to blast me into dust like she did at-”

“Shut up about that!” Mind cut in angrily, “We all did things we weren’t proud of, Grove, and you bringing it up all the time isn’t helping, is it? Luna’s arse, will you bloody well leave the past where it belongs?”

“Oh, yeah, just like that, eh?” Grove hissed, “Just switch everything off, just ‘forget everything’. You know what happened as much as I did, and you remember what Air Stream said about the ‘incident’ in the mountains, right?”

Mind rolled her eyes, “And of course we ‘always’ believe what one of those feathered freaks say, don’t we? Damn it all, Grove, you can’t believe a word that lot say.”

“I know that!” Grove muttered, “But I’m not taking the chance. I saw the burning beams of light and the ash as much as you did Mind, and if you think I’m going to risk that happening to me you’ve got another thing coming!” He held up a hoof, forestalling Mind’s protest, “I’m going to report in, get a hot bath, some hot food and drink, and then I’m going out again. Rush is my friend, and I’ll be damned if I abandon him because of a touch of fever.”

“A touch of fever?” Mind shook her head, “You’re shaking like a bloody leaf! Look at state of you! If you go out like that, we’ll end up having to send search parties out looking for you too, you idiot!”

Grove groaned, “Fine…I’ll go see the boss, and then I’ll stop by the quacks once I’ve had a bath, okay?”

“Since you never listen to a word I say, I suppose it’s the best I’m going to get isn’t it?” Mind grumbled.

The orange stallion smirked, “Aye, but don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you when I get our lost foal back.”

“You’d better.” Mind huffed, “Or I’ll tan your behind and that brown idiot friend of yours’ too when I see.” She shrugged, “In fact, I may do it anyway - the guys a damned liability.”

“Oh, he’s not that bad.” Grove said brushing the worst of the mud off his gear, “He’s a pretty cool guy when you get to know him. Besides, how many aliens do you know?”

Mind shook her head in dismay, “Aliens…”

“Jealousy will get you nowhere, my dear Mind.” Grove held up his forelegs and twirled around, “Do I pass muster?”

Mind reached out and adjusted Grove’s cloak, “You look a mess, but you’ll do.” She smiled, “I’d give you a kiss but I don’t want orange fever.”

Grove grinned broadly, “All the girls get orange fever when face with the Grovester.”

“Yes, I’m sure they do!” Mind clucked her tongue, but chuckled at the ridiculous smirk on her friend’s face, “Go on, get this over with and I’ll come join you in the bath house.”

With a final wink, Grove turned and trotted out of the barracks and up to the palace. Reaching the throne room doors, one of the guards stopped him,

“Grove? Buck me mate, look at the state of you! You can’t go in there looking like that, the Princess will go off it!”

The orange stallion shrugged, “No choice, Early, this is about you-know-who.”

“Oh.” The guard shook his head, giving Grove a sympathetic look, “I suppose you’d better go then.” He paused before adding, “Good luck.”

Inside, the throne room was crammed with ponies. The long carpet leading to the raised dais where the Princess was speaking to a number of her subjects was covered in muddy hoof prints. Grove secretly breathed a sigh of relief – at least he wouldn’t be getting a roasting for that! Thank the Goddesses for small mercies. He held his head high and headed up to the thrones, ignoring the indignant stares of the assembled equines around him. Judging by the elaborate robes and ridiculous hats, they were nobles…Bloody posers, the lot of them. One of them glanced at Grove as he walked past, lifting his hoof to his muzzle as if suddenly getting a whiff of a blocked sewer or some other foul stench. Grove ignored him and kept his head high: he was one of the royal guard, a hoof picked soldier of the Princess, not some over-stuffed and rich soft arse like this lot. Where were they when Nightmare Moon and the Legion were stealing their home? Signing the bloody surrender to protect their precious coffers, that’s where! He gritted his teeth and forced his way through, much to the distress of several ponies who notice too late the muddy soldier in their midst.

“I say!” One of the squeaked, “H…How dare you!”

“Make way for the Royal Guard!” Grove barked, secretly delighted at the nobles flustered attempt to jump out of the way. Still, he had a job to do, and the Princess had commanded that he inform her of any news at the earliest opportunity – no matter how bleak.

Princess Celestia was deep in conversation with one of her ministers when Grove reached the foot of the steps to the thrones and waited for her to notice him. He recognised Purse String, the palace treasurer and forced the grin from his face; he’d never liked the mare and her stiff attitude at all. Mind had said it had something to do with dealing with numbers all day, and… he shrugged, she was probably right. Mind was right about most things, just… a bit of a know-it-all sometimes.

“…the quarterly budget forecast has not factored in the…”

Grove groaned inwardly; this was probably going to take ages!

“-I do NOT care about forecast’s and budgets, Minister String, you will release the funds and arrange for the repairs to the dam and the surrounding properties or you will be released from my service. Do I make myself clear?” Celestia’s voice brooked no dissent.

“I…” Purse String gasped in surprise, adjusting her spectacles and nearly dropping her ledgers, “But Your Majesty, the budget simply doesn’t…”

“Be QUIET!” Celestia roared, “Do as I say or you will be replaced, Minister, it is a simple enough choice. Now get out of my sight before I really lose my temper!” The Princess pointed a hoof at the door and the frightened minister quickly gathered her belongings, as well as herself, and bustled out of the door at an impressively high speed. All of a sudden, Grove found himself alone in an ever expanding space devoid of ponies as the Princess’s attention turned to him,

“Well?”

Grove took a breath and bowed, “Your Majesty, I wish to report on the progress of the search teams.”

Celestia’s wings fluttered suddenly, her eyes flashing, “And?”

“We’ve spoken to some of the locals and it would appear the Royal Consort was last seen at a logging camp on the banks of the Haunch River. The camp was completely destroyed by the flood, however we found the survivors being cared for at the local hospital and had them transferred to the palace medical wing as per your orders. I’ve spoken to the team who were working at the camp and they confirmed Rush’s presence before the flood waters overtook them.” He took a breath, dreading the next words, “Rush and one other member of the logging team have not been seen since.”

Celestia stared down at the guardstallion. Her expression never changed, her eyes simply staring into his as though trying to read words printed on the back of his skull. Grove knew better than to flinch or cower as others did beneath her gaze; she was his Princess, his ruler, and employer. As much as they may make jokes about her behind her back, they loved her as a mother figure, and feared her as the Goddess of the Sun. He waited for her words, which would come as surely as the sun broaches the horizon.

“Have our other patrols…found anything?” she asked.

Grove’s heart skipped a beat at the Princess’s words. She was obviously thinking what he was…what they all were. He shook his head,

“Nothing yet, Your Majesty.”

The Princess hung her head, “I will meet with these survivors of the logging camp. Lead me to them Guardstallion Grove.”

He bowed, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Suddenly a pale blue stallion appeared beside the Princess, his face full of concern, “Your Majesty, please, I urge you to leave this matter until you have had more rest.”

Celestia took a deep breath and tried to keep her suddenly flaring temper under control,

“Doctor, I can assure you that I am quite capable of walking down a corridor and talking to somepony without needing a gaggle of squawking, honking, doctors and nurses swarming around me like some overzealous geese at feeding time.”

The doctor huffed and advanced on the Princess, nodding his head to emphasise his words even as the others, quickly recognising the danger, backed out of harms way; some even taking cover behind the throne room’s pillars.

“Princess Celestia, as your physician, I must insist that you take some time to recuperate! It has only been two days since you collapsed and it’s quite obvious that you are not acting like...”

The doctor shrieked as he was hoisted into the air in a burst of golden magic that had everypony in the throne room shrinking back in fear. Celestia’s horn glowed like the centre of the sun, her eyes burning like white hot coals as she advanced on the doctor,

“I…said…I…AM…FINE!” The Princess’s words boomed through the expansive room, shaking the very windows and fluttering the tapestries on the walls, “I am the Princess of Equestria, not some damned invalid! Now get out of my sight!”

The magic winked out and the doctor found himself unceremoniously dumped onto a large hoof stool by the buffet table. Grove couldn’t help but smirk, despite feeling somewhat sorry for the hapless stallion as he followed his Princess out of the door. On the way out he couldn’t help but notice the stares and frightened glances of the nobles: now that was something he would savour, particularly when he regaled the rest in the barracks with his tale later that evening…although, the looks on the faces of the staff had been…troubling. Still, he thought to himself with a shrug and toss of his mane, she was the boss and the boss had her own concerns that were way above that of a mere guardspony like him, what with all the puffed up nobs to deal with, the trade deals, international whatchamacallit, and such like. Sometimes just being the guy who did his job had its advantages.

The two walked on in silence until reaching the medical wing, walking straight in past the guards and up to the doctors who were checking on their latest patients. There had been mercifully few casualties of the flooding, and in fact, other than a few workers who’d received bumps and bruises from working on trying to save the dam, these three were the only ones who’d they’d discovered caught by the raging waters. For that matter, hadn’t the pegasi checked the length of the river to clear anypony out? Grove frowned in thought: they had…yes! They definitely had! Dear Goddesses, that cock, Yule, had been in charge, hadn’t he? He’d always known that pegasus was useless and now here was the result! But if what the loggers had said was true, then Rush could really be…gone. Grove didn’t want to think about what that meant; the brown stallion was a bit of an oddball, sure, but he was still his friend wasn’t he? Oh, no…in all the excitement, the bone weary tiredness of the searching and simply ‘doing his job’, he’d somehow overlooked the simplest part of this: his friend was missing, maybe even…dead. Of course, he hadn’t really believed it at first, after all, why would Rush even be at the river? He’d convinced himself the daft sod had just got lost and Celestia was freaking out over nothing more than a lovers tiff, a spat that would end up with him coming home with his ears down and a teary reunion. But now, after seeing the Princess’s eyes, the words of the logging crew…

A sudden hot flush of anger burned through Grove and he could feel his teeth grating, while beside him, the Princess of the sun looked down upon the beaten, bruised, and bandaged form of a purple earth pony tucked into the bed. The two others, in similar condition, were watching them curiously.

“You are the leader?” Celestia asked the stallion.

The bedraggled form nodded slightly, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Celestia took a breath, “What is your name, sir?”

“Straw Cut, Your Majesty.”

The Princess nodded to herself as if affirming something, “I believe you had an earth pony with you recently, a stallion?”

Straw Cut nodded, “Yes, his name was Rush.”

Celestia paused. Closing her eyes, her voice dropped, “What did he look like?”

“Brown coat, cream mane…” Straw replied.

“-And blue eyes.” The mare in the next bed added to the conversation, “He said he’d had a fall out with his marefriend and had gone for a run. The silly bugger was half blown when we found him. We thought he was a goner too.”

The Princess’s eyes went wide and she lifted a hoof to her mouth momentarily before recomposing herself, “Did he…” she cleared her throat, “Do you know what happened to him?”

The mare in the bed shook her head, “I’m sorry…”

“We were just getting ready for bed when the water hit us.” Straw explained, “It came out of nowhere. Somehow Rock, Pop, and I were swept uphill and able to pull ourselves out of the worst of it until help came. As for Queen’s Court and Rush…” he shook his head, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, everything was so dark and it happened so fast, all I could hear was shouting and the roar of water.”

Grove looked up and saw the Princess with her hoof over her muzzle, her eyes wide and full of horror. His heart went out to her…and his friend…damn that bloody Yule…damn him!

“Excuse me a moment.” Celestia walked away into a side room and waved surreptitiously to Grove, who followed her in obediently. Inside, the Princess leaned on the windowsill and stared out at the land beyond. Her voice sounded strangely calm, “You spoke to the pegasi guard commander, didn’t you?” she asked.

Grove stood up straight, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Celestia nodded slightly, “Bring him here.” She gritted her teeth, “Bring him here…now.”

“At once, Your Majesty.”

Without waiting for another word, Grove dashed from the room with no small amount of relief. As he trotted down corridor after corridor, waves of emotion hit him: his worry for Rush, his anxiety for the Princess, and his rising fury at Yule for failing to locate his friend. He’d never seen Celestia so angry before! But worst of all was the barely hidden fear that he saw in her eyes – she was hoping for the best, but seemed to be expecting the worst…maybe, maybe Rush really was gone. He’d seen the devastation the once beautiful and peaceful river had cut through the land. It had gone through like a knife through butter, churning everything into a muddy morass of smashed trees, rocks and goodness knows what else. He took a breath and pushed his way into the mass of ponies who were milling around at the entrance to the pegasus barracks. Yule was in the middle of it all, drinking…DRINKING!

“YULE!” Grove bellowed, “Get your mangy arse out of that chair and come with me, the Princess wants to see you.”

The hubbub drained away like water down a grate, replaced by an ominous silence as the assembled ponies focussed their attention on the newcomer. Yule rubbed his eyes and stared up at him,

“Orange Grove?” he snorted, “Aren’t you supposed to be out looking for your coltfriend?”

Grove slammed his hoof on the table, “I have been, unlike you, you stinking rat! We’ve got ponies missing and you’re here boozing your bloody head off!”

Yule looked up at him from over his mug of ale, “Yeah? What the hell do you know?” He took a swig and looked Grove up and down, “You look like you’ve been rolling in dung. And you stink too.”

Grove leaned forward, his teeth bared, “That’s because I’ve been doing my bloody JOB!” he snarled, “Listen, Celestia wants to see you, so get your ragged arse in gear and move it!”

“Goddesses sake…” Yule finished off his mug and slammed it down, “Give me a minute will you.” He picked himself up and took the cloak hoofed to him by one of his ponies who shot Grove a look that said all he needed to know about just how welcome he was there.

A green pegasus with a yellow and blue mane appeared in Grove’s vision, her pale grey eyes making him take a step back in surprise, “What the hell’s this all about?” she snapped, “Just who do you think you are, barging in here and making demands you damned mud scuttler?”

A rousing agreement and general muttering from the ponies around them made Grove’s hackles go up, “Because the Princess, your Princess, wants to see him, big mouth.”

The mare’s wings flared, her teeth bared in an angry snarl, “You little worm! Do you have any idea how long we’ve been out there looking for Celestia’s bedroom toy? We’re half dead on our wings and you act if we’ve sitting around on our fat arses! You bloody mud ponies are all the same…”

“I’ll pass on your kind words to the Princess then.” Grove replied tartly, “I’m sure she will simply love discussing with you just how hard you’ve all been worked to find her ‘bedroom toy’, yes?”

The mare glared at him, backing down when Yule lifted a hoof, “Creel, leave it, please…for me?” Reluctantly, the mare relented, her head lowering and the others backing away. “I’ll be back soon.” Yule assured her and turned to Grove, “Come on then, let’s get this over with.”

Grove said nothing more. He couldn’t stand Yule, nor the pretentiousness that seemed to be inherent with pegasi. They constantly strutted around the palace like they were the bee’s knees - the only ‘real’ ponies that mattered. To them, ‘Mud Ponies’ like him were nothing: they were worthless, beneath contempt, and only ‘tolerated’ because the alicorn Princess’s of Equestria embodied elements of all three: unicorns, earth ponies and pegasi. As far as Grove was concerned, the physical strength of an earth pony was more than equal to some light weight flying nags like pegasi and their pompous airs and graces. He’d love nothing more than to see Yule in a hoof fight with an earth pony who knew how to fight back. Poor Rush hadn’t stood a chance; the daft bugger could barely find his hairy arse with both hooves, let alone defend himself. He nodded to himself; he’d have to train Rush up more in self defence. Come to think of it, he did seem to be a lot more co-ordinated lately than he had been. He came out of his reverie with a start - they were here.

“Come in.”

The Princess’s voice called through the door before Grove had a chance to knock. He cast a glance at the resigned looking pegasus before him and raised an eyebrow. Yule said nothing, and waited until Grove had opened the door.

“Your Majesty, Guard Command Yule, as you requested.” Grove announced.

“Thank you, Guardstallion, you may leave us.”

Gratefully, Grove bowed and backed out of the small room, closing the door behind him. As tempting as it was to go and speak more to the logging crew about his friend, he had to admit: what more could they tell him? After all, search parties were still out there, but it had been days now and still no sign of him. Horrifyingly, one of the guards had told him that they’d discovered the remains of animals buried in the mud that had accompanied the flood waters. They didn’t have to elaborate further - it was entirely possible, as much as he hated to admit it, that Rush could be somewhere under all that and maybe…maybe they’d never find him. He stopped and gave himself a shake before leaning against the cold, hard stone wall of the corridor; sometimes the world really was a cruel and unforgiving place. Since the war, some of his friends had commented on how ‘boring’ life had become, as if killing each other and losing loved ones was somehow an ‘exciting’ alternative. Of course, they probably didn’t really mean it that way, they most likely meant that the pace of life had gone from being hectic and terrifying to little more than standing outside Celestia’s bedroom keeping royalty obsessed youngsters from pestering her for autographs. In some ways, he could see their point, but when something like this happened, and a friend of his vanished without trace, then this…this was the sort of ‘excitement’ he could do without. In Grove’s book, boring was definitely the way forward.

*********************

“You said you had searched this area, Commander Yule?” Celestia’s voice was oddly calm, and her demeanour completely neutral. She rested her chin on her hooves as she sat behind the desk, watching Yule’s every move and taking in every word. He swallowed,

“We did, Your Majesty.”

“You did…” The alicorn closed her eyes and took a breath, looking down at the map, “And yet it was our earth pony patrols that found the logging team - the same team that was working on the banks of the river on the night of the flood.”

“Apparently so, Your Majesty.” Yule replied.

“Apparently so…” Celestia took a breath and looked up at him from under her brows, her large purple eyes like whirlpools sucking Yule’s soul down into their depths, “Your eyesight is considerably better than an earth pony’s, is it not?” she asked quietly.

Yule nodded, “I believe so, Your Majesty.”

“Of course you do.” she replied, “Because it is true. What I find inexplicable, Commander, and maybe you can help me to understand this, is why it was reported to me that the river had been thoroughly checked and that there was nopony in the way of the flood water.” She tossed her mane, “Correct?”

“Your Majesty…” Yule’s throat suddenly felt extraordinarily dry.

“CORRECT?”

Yule nodded.

“So how do you explain this failure?” Celestia asked. “Well?”

The Guard Commander gritted his teeth, trying keep himself together. He wasn’t afraid of the Princess, but more of…of failure. Had he failed? Had he really let her down?

“Answer me!” the Princess shouted.

“I can’t explain it, Your Majesty.” Yule confessed, hanging his head, “Our patrols have been out since the first warning that the dam was in danger of giving way. We searched the river for miles. Anypony in the area was moved on out of its path and we felt we had the area secure.”

“And yet you failed to notice a logging camp.” Celestia said with a sigh, “We nearly lost five ponies, Commander Yule, and two are still unaccounted for.”

Yule nodded, “One of the logging team crew and the…other one.”

Celestia’s eyes flashed, “I am well aware of your attitude towards the Consort, Commander, and it concerns me greatly that you saw fit to pick a fight with a pony who you knew was incapable of fighting back.” Her wings rustled, making the lamp on the table flicker, “I had hoped that as a people we had put such behaviour behind us and the prejudices of old had been left in the past where they belong.”

Yule felt his hackles go up as the memory of that night came back to him. That…that arrogant damned creature! Those eyes, those same blue eyes as the traitorous scum that had nearly destroyed their nation by allowing a thief, a THIEF! To escape the castle with the very thing they need to bring this…

“-You have something to say?” Celestia prompted.

Yule took a breath and lifted his head, “Yes. Yes, I have something to say.” Celestia raised an eyebrow and lifted her hoof. Yule nodded, “I do not approve of your pairing with that…’thing’ from another world.” Celestia eyes went wide in surprise, but Yule continued, “Others will not tell you what is in their hearts, Your Majesty, because they are all too frightened to tell you the truth, but we have all heard the story about how this ‘alien’, this ‘pink monkey’ from another world appeared out of nowhere and turned your head like some prissy school foal.” Part of Yule’s mind was screaming at him to stop, to keep his damned mouth shut, but his words were like the flood waters from the broken dam: inexorable, and utterly unstoppable, “You dismissed your personal maid because of him, you risked creating an international incident with the Llamalian Empire because of your obsession with him, and now you are running your own guards into the ground on some fruitless fools errand to find a pony we all know is probably buried under a ton of mud!” Yule stomped a hoof angrily, “And you know what? I’m glad he’s dead, glad! Our Princess is worth far more than some bitless, imbecilic mud pony stallion who can’t even use a damned bathroom without help!”

Celestia watched him in silence, looking deeply into Yule’s eyes, so full of conviction, so stoic in his belief of what he’d said and believed in. She closed her eyes and shook her head sadly,

“You saw him and left him there, hoping the flood would take him away, didn’t you.”

“Not I.” Yule replied with a snort, “But I would have if I had. Equestria is far more important than the life of one insignificant pony.”

Celestia rose from the table and walked to the window, looking out at the lights in the distance. Perhaps…perhaps Rush was still out there, maybe he was beside one of those lights even now: lost…waiting. She closed her eyes and turned to Yule,

“I trusted you. I believed in you. And now…you betray me…” She hung her head, “Like this.”

Yule could feel his body shaking. He felt as if he were on fire, his words condemning him, his heart raging at the conflicting emotions surging through him. He raised his head once more,

“I have not betrayed you, Your Majesty, I only wish to stop you betraying us.”

Silence fell in the room, with neither of its occupants speaking nor moving until the Princess broke the stalemate,

“Guard Commander Yule, you are under arrest. You will report to the barracks and surrender your weapons and armour.”

“On what charge?” he asked.

Celestia stared at the desk, her horn glowing, and opened the door to admit the soldiers from the corridor outside,

“Treason.”

******************************

Now this was the life! A good shower, a good scrub, and a nice hot bath; Goddesses above, this was like a little slice of heaven. The eternal herd could wait; this…this was the best feeling ever!

“Did nopony ever tell you your face could stick like that?” Mind asked, walking slowly down the steps into the water, “Honestly, Grovey, you look like all your Heathswarming presents have come at once.”

Grove sighed, stretching out his legs and letting his body float up, “Yeah…yeah I suppose they have…a little.”

“So what is it, then?” the mare asked.

Grove chuckled, “Yule’s in for it. I left him with the boss and she looked seriously pissed off. He’s really going to cop it this time, I reckon.”

“Couldn’t happen to a nicer pony” Mind laughed, “So, what was it for? Can’t have been for bashing the new boy, because that was ages ago.”

Grove shrugged, “I think it’s for the cardinal sin of being bone idle and crap at your job if you ask me.” he replied, “Bone idle sod was getting aled up when I found him in the barracks and gave me some cock and bull story about his mob of layabouts being out looking for Rush non stop.” He huffed, clearing some water from his nostrils, “If I was a gambling stallion, I’d put money on him being sat on his rump while we were flogging ourselves up to our naffs in mud and crap.”

“Yeah. Poor Rush…” Mind groaned as she sank into the water, “I kinda liked him, you know? He had a certain innocence about him.”

“Huh! You mares are all the same.” Grove snorted, “You go all gaga over some ‘lost foal’ type like Rush who’s just as old as I am! Bloody hell, Mind, you didn’t see him in the bathroom that time! What sort of pony manages to get his arse wedged in the bloody toilet?!”

Mind clucked her tongue, “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Nope” Grove replied, “And I don’t want to either. As far as I’m concerned I like my mares like my baths.”

“Oh?” she asked.

“Mmhmm…” Grove winked at her, “Hot and steamy.”

Mind laughed, “Says the stallion floating his with legs sticking up in the air like that!”

Grove squeaked as Mind grabbed his tail and pulled hard, unsettling him and sending the hapless stallion sputtering and flailing back to the guard rail,

“Hey! You bloody idiot, you nearly drowned me!”

“Nearly, but not quite” Mind chuckled, advancing on him, “But it looks like I might need to give you a little mouth to mouth…just to be sure.”

Grove rubbed his eyes and stared into Mind’s as she reached for him, “You know…I think I may need a little…attention…”

“YOU…YOU BASTARD!”

The door to the bathing area flew open and slammed into the wall, allowing in a furious looking mare, “It’s all your fault! You and that damned monkey freak!”

Grove jumped in surprise only to bang his head against the guardrail, his cry of pain instantly morphing into a loud coughing and gagging that drew no sympathy whatsoever from neither the furious newcomer nor the indignant Mind. The pink mare rose from the water like some demonic spirit of the lake, steam and hot water sluicing off her as she locked onto the source of the yelling,

“Who the hell are you?!” she bellowed, her voice echoing around the tile room.

The newcomer, a red coated pegasus mare, wearing an off duty tunic, tossed her silvery white mane and focussed green eyes like emeralds on the pink mare, “I’m not talking to you, so butt-out.” With a huff, the mare turned her attention back to Grove, “Yule’s been arrested, and it’s because of you and your damned big mouth, you scum bag!”

“Whoa, hey!” Grove pushed himself to the steps and began hauling himself out, but kept a wary distance from the furious pegasus, “Can we pretend for a minute I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about?”

She didn’t seem impressed, “Don’t you lie to me, mud pony, we all saw you. You walked into our barracks like you bloody well owned the place and ordered Yule around like he was nothing! How could you? How could you do something like that?”

“Listen, whatever your name is, I…”

“It’s Lieutenant Fiddle.”

“Lieutenant Fiddle…” Grove sighed, “Look, I just told him Celestia wanted to see him, okay? That was all! No big mystery, no” he held his hooves up for emphasis, “conspiracy, understand?” He shook some of the water from his coat, “Whatever he’s done, he’s done to himself.”

The junior officer snorted, “That’s it, is it? That’s your defence?”

“My defence?” Grove asked incredulously, “Listen, girl, I have nothing to be defensive about. I just told you-”

“I am NOT your girl!” Fiddle shrieked, “And you’re hedging around the real issue here, and we all know what it is! Can’t you even admit that?”

“Admit what?” Grove yelled, “Are you mental or something? What the hell is your problem?!”

“You! You are the problem!” Fiddle snarled, advancing on him, “Your little coltfriend, the one you’ve been all cozy with lately, is the wellspring from which all of the misery in Canterlot has been spewing. Since he came there’s been nothing but trouble, and now this!”

“What a load of bollocks!” Mind snapped, rubbing her mane with a towel, “Your lot are bloody useless, that’s why it took real ponies, earth ponies to find the logging crew. You feathered freaks of nature ought to bugger off back up to the clouds and stay there where you belong.”

Fiddles eyes went wide, her cheeks flushing ruby red, “You…You mud grubbing BITCH!”

With a cry of outrage, the young pegasus’ hoof shot out like a snake’s strike and impacted with Mind’s jaw. Grove flinched in sympathy from the sickening crack of the blow, perhaps even more horrified to find his marefriend had barely moved and simply wiped the blood away from her muzzle with a slow grin spreading across her face. She took a breath and licked her lips,

“Oh, it’s on now…”

The two mares launched themselves at each other with complete abandon, as hooves, teeth, and even a mop bucket somehow became a weapon. Grove’s attempt at intervention rapidly ended in him finding himself bucked full in the backside and pitched head first into the bath water. Having his ears full of water was probably something of a mercy, blurring out the yells and shrieks of the combatants and then, all too predictably, the whistles of the RIP’s. Grove slunk away to the far end of the pool, his hearing still awkward and backside stinging from the thump he’d received. Above him, he could hear the shouting and yelling as the two mares were separated and then eventually lead away. Grove gave a sigh of relief,

“Thanks be!” he muttered, and began swimming back to the far end.

Where he came face to face with the last pony he wanted to meet, “Hello, Orange Grove, fancy meeting you here.”

“S…Sir!” Grove choked.

The white coated pony in full armour, stared at him with a confusing mixture of bemusement and irritation, “I suppose you had nothing to do with this little fracas now, did you?”

“Well, you see sir, it’s like this…” Grove began, but his words seemed to die under the withering blue eyed gaze.

Colonel Hinter’s lip curled upward, “Do go on, Guardspony, or would you prefer to dry off first?”

“I’d like to dry off, please sir, if it’s alright?”

“Of course, of course…” Hinter said politely, waving a hoof, “take all the time you need.” He turned to walk away, “You can explain everything to me in my office. You have ten minutes.”

“Yes sir!” Grove saluted hurriedly, but the officer was already walking away, “Luna’s cursed arse!” he muttered, “That stupid bloody mare!” Which one he meant, he wasn’t exactly sure of himself - be it the impetuous Mind or that firebrand Fiddle, the manic pegasus. ‘Come to think of it’, he thought to himself stuffing the corner of the towel into his ear, both of them were completely bonkers. No wonder Mind and he had never settled down - who would want to live with a nut case like that? Mum would have…well…maybe she would have approved, despite Mind’s nutty behaviour. Goddesses, he could see her now; ‘She’s a strong mare’, she’d have said, ‘She’ll keep you right, that one’, and other bloody nonsense that only females seemed to understand. Bloody killjoy is what she’d be - sucking the very life from him like some big pink vampire, “FFFfffff.” He waved his hoof as he emulated the sound and chuckled to himself. Goddesses protect him from mares and officers – and stupid bloody pink monkey ponies too! This was all bloody Rush’s fault anyway. When he finally found the brown coated idiot he was going to boot him up the arse so hard he’d be too sore to sit down for a week. Grove winced, rubbing his own rump; come to think of it, his own posterior was going to cause him trouble enough – damn those two!

Chapter Ten - Ghosts

CHAPTER TEN

GHOSTS

“Go on, do it again!”

Rush laughed and shook his head in defeat, “Do I have to?”

The white mare clopped her forehooves together happily,

“Yes! Oh, come on Rush it’s hilarious!”

Chuckling, Rush obediently stood up and walked a few feet away before giving himself a shake, “Right then.”

“Okay!” Queenie giggled, “So, head down, yeah?” Rush complied. “Now, do the rest…”

Rush’s face went slack, his head hanging and he let his eyes go unfocussed as he cropped the grass, giving the occasion snuffling sound and nicker. Queenie roared with laughter,

“That’s it! Oh Rush, you’re going to have to do that when we get back; the gang would love to see it!”

Rush shook his head, “You know, I don’t really see what’s so funny about it, but…”

“Nah, you probably wouldn’t.” Queenie tapped her head, treating Rush to a cheeky wink and a smirk, “Still too human I reckon.”

“Hah! I don’t know about that. If I’d thought twenty years ago I’d be magically transformed into a talking horse one day, people would have carted me away to the nut house!” Rush laughed out loud, sinking to his haunches and gave his ear a hard scratching, “Bloody things itch like hell sometimes.”

“Rush?” Queenie asked quietly, “If you don’t mind me asking, erm…how old are you?”

He froze, turning to face her, “I…I don’t really know.” Rush held up a hoof, “And before you say anything; I’m not pulling your leg, honestly.”

“How the hell can you not know?!” Queenie laughed, “I mean, come on!”

Rush sighed, shaking his head, “At a guess, somewhere between thirty and fifty?”

“FIFTY?!” Queenie gasped, “Good Goddesses! You look younger than me…almost.” She tossed her mane, “I thought you were going to say you were twenty or something! Bloody hell, and there was me thinking I was chasing a colt too.” She rolled her eyes, “Got you again, Queenie old girl…”

“Does it really bother you that much?” Rush asked, genuinely intrigued. He held up a hoof and looked at it; it certainly didn’t look old, but then, what did he really know about ponies? “Maybe coming through the portal reset everything in some way” Rush reasoned, “I know about as much about magic as I do about Equestria – less even.”

Queenie adjusted herself on the litter and winced slightly before settling herself down, “Well, that makes two of us, about magic I mean” she replied, “Although there are a couple of things: One is that you shouldn’t keep trying to jam your hoof in your ear like that or you could really hurt yourself.”

“And the other?” Rush asked, surreptitiously putting his hoof down.

“Horse” Queenie said wrinkling her nose, “I don’t like it.”

“What’s wrong with saying horse?” the brown stallion asked in surprise.

Queenie grimaced, “It’s rude, and…vulgar.” She sighed, “Like…it’s like, calling earth ponies, ‘mud ponies’ or ‘mud scuttlers’, that sort of thing.” She looked away, clearly bothered by the direction this conversation was going in, “It’s hurtful.”

“Oh.” Rush hung his head, “Sorry, Queenie, I didn’t know.” He held up a hoof apologetically, “I still have a lot to learn, and I hope you’ll forgive me for any more, er...’misunderstandings’.”

Queenie snorted and sat up, shifting her bedding to prop her back up. Rush moved closer and began pushing the makeshift pillows behind her to make her more comfortable. “I think it’s me who you should forgive” she said quietly, “I...I didn’t mean to hurt you, you know.”

“I know! You’ve already apologised, Queenie.” Rush gave her a kindly nudge, “So, come on now, lets get some sleep; I think I saw a light in the distance earlier and if we set off handy in the morning, I’m pretty confident we’ll be back in civilisation before you know it.”

“We’d better…” Queenie huffed, “My leg still hurts like buggery.”

Rush reached down, “Hmm. Let me have a…OW!” He jumped back, holding his hoof that the mare had slapped away without warning.

“Don’t!” Queenie stared at him and then paused, blinking in surprise at her own reaction, “I…I’m sorry, Rush. I don’t know what came over me.” She sighed, “It’s nothing…go ahead, please.”

The vivacious mare’s behaviour definitely seemed a little out of character tonight, and Rush watched her carefully for a moment as she put a foreleg over her muzzle - she was an odd creature alright. Shrugging it off, he lifted the corner of the bedding and carefully lifted the wrappings away from her leg.

Queenie whimpered.

“Queenie?” Rush asked, “Are you…?”

“U-huh…” she mumbled, “Just get on with it, will you?”

“Sure.” Rush continued his examination, sniffing the wounds and checking to see if they were healing properly. Thankfully, most were, and although they would certainly leave some scarring, there was evidence enough to suggest injuries were not unfamiliar to this creature. A couple of the nastier ones would need redressing soon, but he’d have to do that in the morning when he had some better light to work with. Without consciously realising he was doing it, Rush traced the line of a particularly vivid scar down Queen’s Court’s haunch to her knee – come to think of it, was it actually called a knee? He wasn’t sure about… “Queenie?”

She was shivering, her words gasped out, “Oh Goddesses…”

Rush looked up in alarm, “What? What’s wrong?”

“Rush…” Queenie was shaking, her foreleg clamped in her mouth, “Don’t…please don’t…”

Rush stopped what he was doing and moved up to her head, leaning closer, “Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He placed his forehead upon hers, trying to check her temperature; she seemed warm, but not so much as to be of concern. But as he moved away, forelegs reached out and grabbed him around the neck, a pair of large orange eyes drawing his gaze as surely as rain falls from the sky,

“No” she whispered, “But…Rush, I…I want…”

“Hmm?” Rush felt oddly mesmerised by her; those incredible eyes, so large and near…she was so close…

A faint snap behind them made them both freeze. Carried on the faint breeze, a low clacking rumble rolled out around them making Rush’s heart skip a beat. He glanced at Queenie who nodded to him,

“Rush…don’t let them…”

He put a hoof on her muzzle and shook his head, “I won’t.” He reached out for the stout wooden staff he’d roughly fashioned from an old tree branch and river stones. If he’d had more time he’d have fashioned some flint tools, but travelling, finding food, and caring for his injured friend had sapped his time. Now, time had run out. Rush stood up, hefting the staff and looked out into the darkness at the glowing greens orbs that glittered and sparkled in the night. There were dozens of pairs of them; the blood chilling sight accompanied by a series of growls and clicks, like the hollow clattering of the long dry bones of the dead. He’d never seen one, but Queenie had told him what they were:

Timber wolves.

Shifting onto his hind legs, Rush hefted his weapon and took several long breaths, slowing his heart and focussing his mind,

“Come on then,” he said into the night, “dinners ready…”

The clacking noise grew louder, the green fires brighter. The wolves, emboldened by numbers, pushed forward. Clearly wary of the flames, the bizarre and terrifying creatures, like some nightmarish assemblage of the detritus of the forest floor given life, hedged around the two ponies. They could smell them, they could sense their weakness. One of them was strong, ready to fight, but the other…the other was weak, sick, and unable to run. The wolves’ chattering rose and then stopped as the largest of them, the alpha of the pack, lowered his head and advanced into the firelight.

Rush gritted his teeth; he’d seen thestrals, he’d fought them, but this…this really was like a skeleton - one made of wood. Dear Gods, he could even see the beast’s heart! It was there, beating inside of it, a glowing green orb of energy of some kind, pulsing and lending life to the wooden form around it. In all his life, in all his nightmares, he had never imagined anything like this! The thing was huge; its eyes, as green as its heart, burned with intense magical light and anger, while its teeth, little more than sharpened stakes, looked all too ready to rend flesh and crack bone. Rush glared at it and smiled,

“Hurry up will you? Don’t keep a fellow waiting.”

The beast paused, cocking its head to one side as if trying to understand the Equestrian’s words. For a moment, Rush wondered whether the creature really was intelligent, and whether there was some way out of this – after all, ponies were intelligent in this world, so why couldn’t these things be too? But Queenie had told him about them, about how they would steal the wounded away from the battlefield in the night, leaving only their pitiful cries for help and screams of terror in the darkness. There was no way he was going to let these monsters take Queenie without a fight. Before him, the beast’s eyes flared with ethereal power, reflecting off the leaves that were growing out of its wooden body. The wolf’s teeth shivered with anticipation, while its claws twitched and dug into the ground as surely as they would soon rend this flesh and blood morsel before it.

The wolf howled, and charged. Rush’s stave lowered and swung, striking up and into the timber wolf’s jaw, eliciting a loud thump and a yelp even as its claws opened rents in his flank. He couldn’t feel anything, he didn’t have time for it anyway; there was only his enemy, himself, and the mare he would protect – he must protect. The wolf shook itself and eyed its foe. This was strange; food didn’t normally fight back like this. It watched, noting the blood trickling down the pony’s flanks, the strength in its prey’s muscles and the length of its weapon. It was no matter, it would be over soon enough; one opening would be all it needed…

With a howl, the great wooden creature readied itself, pushing its hind legs into the earth like some massive coiled spring, and like a spring, abruptly launched itself with terrifying speed straight at its intended target. Rush tried to sidestep, stumbling slightly on the uneven ground, swinging his weapon up and around. There was little he could do stop such a charge, but if he stepped to one side at just the right moment, he…

Rush flinched and looked away as the ball of intense blue-white light burned afterimages across his vision. All around him, the howls and other worldly shrieking clacks of the timber wolves rose to deafening proportions and just as quickly faded away into the distance. What the hell was that?! Whatever it was had reduced his hearing to little more than a high pitched scream of white noise, and his hooves were shaking with the imbalance that…

“Come on!”

Rush turned, “Who…?”

“Can you walk?” The blurred grey image of a pony stood before him, holding what looked like some kind of bow. Whoever she was, she was shaking her head and motioning impatiently, “Stay here if you want to die, or follow me and live - It’s your choice.” She abruptly turned, and headed off into the darkness, a bright ball of white light suddenly appearing above her and outlining another pony who was dragging Queenie away on her litter.

Rush shook his mane and picked up his hoof-made pack, “Bugger that…” With a snort, he turned and headed off with the two newcomers and into the unknown.

The party moved quickly, the landscape around them now only visible within the bright magical light that hovered several feet above them and was following them like a star brought to earth. As fascinating as it was, the very real prospect of large, sharp teeth biting into the tender flesh of his rump added speed to Rush’s legs and he was glad of it. The recent crawling pace had stiffened him up, but now he felt they were doing something positive: they had found other ponies, and at long last…safety. He looked across at Queenie who was bouncing along in the litter, teeth gritted and face scrunched up showing all too clearly the clear discomfort she was in. Thank the Gods she was a lot better than she had been, but that leg was still broken and he was concerned the jostling pace could compound her injuries. He hurried up to the female unicorn heading their group,

“We have to slow down.”

The grey mare stared back at him, “No.”

And that was it; ‘no’, a simple answer that brooked no argument. Rush glanced back at Queenie and then back to the grey unicorn mare, “She has a broken leg, damn it! If we don’t slow down we could kill her!”

The mare shook her mane, “If we stay here, the wolves will kill her, child. Have you thought about that?”

Rush snorted, “I’m not a fool, nor am I a ‘child’; I’m probably older than you, so don’t take that condescending tone with me, ‘old mare’.” He neighed loudly, “Look, let me take the front of the litter and one of you take the back. That way we can move quicker and hopefully not cause any more damage than we have already, yes?”

The mare whinnied, slowing the small party to a halt. In the blue-white light, her black mane looked like treacle, flowing down her neck and adding a stark contrast to her bright yellow eyes. She turned to the stallion pulling the litter and spoke to him quickly. Moments later she nodded to Rush,

“Do it, but be quick. The wolves are easily startled, but will return soon enough.”

Rush didn’t bother to reply. In a trice, he had the litter harnessed to himself and felt the back lift effortless in the air. A quick glance revealed the tell-tale glow of magic from the stallion who raised an eyebrow at him in response. Seconds later they were off again, this time moving swiftly, and seemingly in a straight line towards a distant yellow light. Was that the light he’d seen earlier? In this peculiar magical glow, it was hard to get his bearings, but at least Queenie wasn’t been thrown around like a ragdoll any more. Anyway, he would need to see to her later; right now he just had to concentrate on following the lead mare’s light and pray to Celestia they got out of here in one piece.

Celestia…Tia…

Rush huffed, and cleared his mind. There was only the ground, the wind in his ears, the thundering of hooves, and the feeling of heading towards freedom and safety to think about now. More ‘personal’ thoughts about the Princess would have to wait. Suddenly, he noticed the change in pace - they were slowing down. The unicorn mare reduced them to a trot, and Rush quickly found they were following what was clearly a well worn path through woodland. Several more minutes passed until eventually they stopped before what looked to be a cottage or small house with a thatched roof and smoke drifting up from the chimney. Rush caught a whiff of it on the night air – it was enticing, promising warmth, hot food, hot drink and warm beds. Dear Goddesses, what he wouldn’t give for a warm bed! An older unicorn mare opened the door and spoke briefly with the others. The younger one spoke,

“Bring her inside. The stallion can stay in the shed.”

“The…hey!” Rush sputtered, “Come on now!”

The older mare muttered something and the younger one relented, although by the look on her face, clearly reluctantly. She sighed, “Very well, bring him in.” A moment later, a hoof jabbed into his chest, “If you try anything, Celestian, I’ll cut your…”

“Arith!” the older mare snapped, “For the Goddess’s sake, hold your damned fool tongue girl!”

The younger one, ‘Arith’ apparently, bobbed her head, her ears drooping almost imperceptibly. Rush could sense a power play here; was this mother and daughter? Perhaps, but that wasn’t his problem. His priority now was to get Queenie inside, warm, and comfortable.

Arith narrowed her eyes, “Come in then, and be warned…’stallion’, that we are watching you.”

Rush ignored her, instead concentrating on bringing the litter into the cottage along with its panting and frighteningly pale looking mare occupant.

“Damn…” Rush looked up at the others standing around him, “Is there a bed we can use?”

The younger mare huffed, “There’s Madra’s bed, I suppose. She won’t be needing it tonight.” Nodding towards a side room, the mare waved them in, “In there.”

Rush and his silent stallion companion walked into the cosy room and carefully lifted Queenie up and onto the bed. Leaning across her, Rush carefully brushed some of her mane out of the way to listened to her chest. Queenie’s eyes were tight shut, but at least she was breathing, even if it was a little ragged and shallow.

“I’m not dead yet…” she murmured.

The white mare’s voice was pained and sounded weakened. One of Queenie’s eyes opened slightly, focussing on Rush, “No thanks to you and your mate.” She groaned as a shiver ran through her body, “Next…next time we’re running for our…for our lives…try and make it a bit less bumpy, eh?”

“Queenie, it’s alright now, we’re safe” Rush said soothingly, holding her fore hoof, we’ll get you warmed up and some proper care.”

Queen’s Court just smiled and nodded weakly as the older mare walked in. “You can leave her with us now” the mare said, and paused, staring at Rush’s coat, “You will need treatment too.”

Rush shook his head, “I’ll be fine for now. I used to be a healer; I want to help.”

“Do you?” The grey mare eyed him warily, “Very well. Arith, fetch my equipment. Harn, bring some more firewood from outside and drinks for our guests.” She clopped her hooves together and the two vanished from the room.

“Pardon me, I don’t know your name?” Rush tried a pleasant smile, but the mare just shrugged,

“My name is Fathom, earth pony stallion.”

“I’d prefer ‘Rush’” the brown stallion replied politely, “If you don’t mind, Miss Fathom.”

The grey mare’s eyes went wide and she huffed, ignoring his comments, “This is your work?” She motioned to the wrappings on Queenie’s leg and body, “I have never seen work such as this.”

“A lack of bandages” Rush replied feeling rather indignant at the mare’s attitude, “I didn’t have time to pack before the flood caught us.”

Fathom snorted, “You have done well…’Rush’.” It was quite apparent from her tone of voice that the complement was more than begrudgingly given. “Although the bindings are somewhat ‘looser’ than they should have been, it was still not a bad effort.” She looked up at him from under her long eyebrows, her large lantern yellow eyes suggesting a wisdom and power far beyond anything he had seen short of Tia’s magic. Where all unicorns like this? He couldn’t help but stare at her horn and felt a strange compulsion to reach out and touch it. The mare nickered,

“Haven’t you seen a unicorn before?” she asked, and returned to unwrapping Queenie’s bindings.

Rush swallowed and felt his cheeks flush, “Forgive me, I…” He licked his lips, “No, not many.”

Fathom nodded her thanks to the younger mare who appeared in the doorway, floating a case of herbs, ointments and other items of the healers craft that Rush could only stare at and marvel upon. Fathom removed the last of the wrappings and peered closely at the swollen joint, “I suspect you have travelled far?” she asked. Rush sniffed,

“I came by river.”

The mare moved a selection of pillows to lift Queenie’s leg as a purple glow began to build around her horn, simultaneously enveloping her patient. “My mother told me that sarcasm was the poor pony’s wit” she said in her matter-of-fact manner, “However, I accept that we may have started off on the wrong hoof.” She shrugged, “But no matter, we do not turn our flanks to ponies who need it, regardless of who they are.”

Rush closed his eyes and hung his head. She was right, he was being a bloody arse, and after these ponies had saved their lives too. He huffed and bobbed his head politely, “I’m sorry Fathom. I’m not feeling myself right now, but regardless, it was wrong of me to be rude to you, especially after you and your friends helped us.”

The grey mare smiled, “You are most welcome.” Turning back to Queenie, she motioned to her leg and lowered her voice, “Your friend’s leg is certainly broken as you know, and you did the right thing using a splint. Unfortunately, the blood supply has been broken and is causing the dark swelling you can see around the area of the break.”

“Can we do anything?” Rush asked, a sudden flush of alarm running through him.

Fathom shrugged, “Possibly. We’ll need to drain it, reset her leg, and weld the bone. I can repair the blood vessels in her leg up to a point, however the rest will be up to her.”

A hoof reached out from the bed, accompanied by a look of resignation and sadness,

“Don’t worry, Rush, you did your best for me.”

“Shut up, you idiot, you’re not dying” the brown stallion snapped irritably, “You’re going to be fine.” He turned to Fathom who nodded. “See?” he said, “Fathom agrees.”

Queenie shook her head weakly, “Rush…I…I don’t…I’m not good with doctors and medical stuff and…”

Fathom leaned down to her, “Your name is Queenie, yes?” The white mare nodded. “Then look into my eyes and count to five.”

“Eh?” Queenie exclaimed, but thankfully, after a quick glance at Rush, nodded and did as she was told. Slowly, and deliberately, Fathom leaned her head towards the white mare.

“Five”

The unicorn’s horn glowed brightly, the purple light reflecting in Queenie’s eyes.

“Four”

She never reached three. Like a marionette whose strings have been cut, Queen’s Court went limp and her eyes closed as she fell into a deep magically induce slumber before Rush’s very eyes. Without another word, Fathom went to work, cleaning Queenie’s leg and muttering unintelligible incantations that flowed and pulsed in time with the glow of her magic. Rush watched in silent fascination; he’d seen magic used before, but never like this. It looked like a thing alive, a force of nature that was so simple and pure, like light itself, and yet at the same time carried an unimaginable depth of raw power that made the fur prickle along his back. For a moment he felt a twinge of jealousy: if he’d had power like this then he could have done more to help Queenie, not to mention being able to use it to manipulate objects with apparent ease – and yet, in all honesty, he hadn’t given it much thought until now. Rush examined his fore hooves; he’d managed to weave and create the litter for Queen’s Court easily enough, and even made himself a satchel too. He stared at the bag now languishing in the corner of the room; could he have done it any better with hands?

Magic thrummed through the room, distracting him. The pulsing energy was more felt than heard; it seemed to resonate in his blood, his muscle, and even his bones. Rush shuddered, trying to push away the graphic mental imagery of what he imagined was happening as opposed to what he actually could see – but that in itself was little better. Beneath him, the opened leg of Queenie glowed in the strange light, the break all too clear now. Fathom’s words rose in tempo, her magic changing with it into an energy Rush could only think of as ‘heavier’ somehow, focussing her strength and force, channelling and honing it as one would with an axe in the forest. Before his very eyes, the bone began to…move. As though time itself were being warped through the glowing light, the two halves of the bone shifted, growing, and fusing with each other, melding back into a single, perfect whole. In moments the magic shifted again, the words from Fathom and the pulsing colour softening, changing into a sharper, more refined sound, repairing the nerves, the arteries and vessels that carried the very essence of life within the stricken mare. Rush watched in open mouthed awe as the flesh knitted itself back together leaving almost no trace of what had been done, other than a neat stripe of clean skin, devoid of white fur.

The magic blinked out, replaced by the yellow glow from the fire and several candle lanterns around the room. For the first time, Rush noticed the large round eyes staring at him from the doorway. He blinked in surprise; it was like staring at a miniature version of Fathom. She was grey, with the same slick black mane and tail, but it was those large round yellow eyes that made his heart thump in his chest. He’d had a daughter once…is this what she would have looked like if she had been born in Equestria? Is this what Cherry should have looked like? The bitter sting of tears caught at the corners of Rush’s eyes, making his reach up to brush them away. He couldn’t understand: why had all of this happened? Why had he lost so much, so many of the ones he loved? Was it all some kind of joke of the Gods?

“We are all fools of the Gods.” The mare whispered to Rush, “They play their games in the world beyond ours as fate weaves us into her tapestry of eternity.” Rush jumped in surprise. “You speak your mind openly” the mare answered to his unspoken question, “You would make a poor spy.”

“Spy?” Rush said in amazement.

The mare shrugged, “It doesn’t matter.” She motioned towards the door, “Tea?”

Rush paused for a moment, glancing back at the sleeping Queenie.

“Let her rest.” Fathom said quietly, “The magic will keep her under for a few more hours while her body remembers itself.”

“Remembers…” Rush muttered, and then caught himself, hurrying after the grey mare as she vanished from the room.

The cottage, was sparsely appointed, but held just enough to be comfortable. The fire crackling in the hearth gave off a pleasing warmth, the flickering flames both relaxing and enticing, particularly in regards to the bubbling kettle that was even now being floated off its hook over to the teapot on the low table. Rush watched in silent anticipation as the water was poured quickly and the lid replaced. Four cups were already laid out, all made of a delicate type of white glazed earthenware with no handles - probably meant for unicorn use. Rush smiled; he would have been worried once, but he’d manage. Gods, he was almost salivating at the earthy and tangy aroma that was wafting from the pot. Beside him, a slight movement made him look down into the round eyes of the foal. She was staring right up at him, her large eyes looking ridiculously out of proportion for such a tiny body.

“Hello” he said politely.

The foal said nothing.

“Her name is Cinder Wind” Fathom said quietly. She placed a fine metal gauze over one of the cups, “She’s a little shy. We don’t meet many new ponies living out here.”

Rush nodded, turning his attention back to the foal, “Hello, Cinder, my name is Rush.” There was no reaction, only the glint of firelight in those bottomless orbs as they stared up at him. As cute as she was, this was quickly changing from endearing to disturbing. Fortunately, Rush’s attention was diverted by the tea being poured.

“Gods above, that smells wonderful…” he murmured.

Fathom raised an eyebrow, “Indeed.” She passed him a cup, “Now, I must have a look at those wounds on your back.”

Rush nodded in reply, far more interested in the tea and its incredible aroma. After blowing across the shimmering black surface to cool it slightly, he took a tentative sip, groaning as the hot liquid tantalised his taste buds before slipping down his throat. It was like heaven in a cup…

“Are you a pony?”

The squeaky voice nearly had him upsetting his cup. “I’m sorry?” Rush asked in surprise.

The foal moved around to his front to stare up at him again. Rush cringed slightly; apparently there was no escaping those large eyes whichever way he looked. Still, she was cute, if a little…unnerving?

“You look like a pony” she said with that childish inquisitiveness which seemed to be a universal trait in either world.

Rush smiled, “I am a pony.”

“Me too!” Cinder Wind replied with a grin. Suddenly her expression turned serious, “Where’s your horn?”

Rush chuckled, “It’s in my bag. I don’t put it on all the time, it makes my head itchy.”

Cinder Wind reached up and rubbed her head, checking her own horn was still there. Investigation complete she stood up and, balancing on her hind legs, reached up to Rush. Obligingly, he leaned down and let her rub his forehead. The little foal sat back down, shaking her head vigorously, “I don’t want to take mine off” she said emphatically, and sat back on her haunches, folding her forelegs with a sniff, “No way!”

“Mister Rush is teasing you, Cinder” Fathom said quietly, “He’s an earth pony. Remember? We taught you about the different types of ponies?”

“Uh-huh” Cinder said, picking up a cup of what smelled like fruit juice, “The lady in the bed is one too, isn’t she?”

Rush nodded, “That’s right.”

Cinder lifted a hoof, “I can do magic!” she announced and closed her eyes, “Look! Watch me!” In typical child fashion, the tiny foal somehow managed to grab the attention of the adults in the room and lowered her head, “LOOK!”

With a loud ‘pop’ a white ball of light, just like the one Arith had created, materialised above the foal, glittering and…it disappeared.

Cinder looked crest fallen, “Aw!”

Fathom nodded with a knowing smile on her face, “Well done, Cinder, but remember what I said?”

“Yeah…practice, practice, practice” Cinder huffed and went into a sulk.

Rush smiled down at her, “I though that was amazing!” he said, “I wish I could do that! You’ll be an amazing wizard one day, if you keep practicing and getting better.”

Suddenly re-energised, the foal looked up at him with her enormous eyes, “REALLY?!”

“Mmhmm” Rush nodded, taking another sip of his tea, “You’ll be super amazing.”

“Super amazing!” she squeaked, “Mama! I want to be super amazing!”

“And you can be, in the morning.” Fathom pointed towards the door, “Come on now, its way past bedtime young lady.”

“Hmph!”

“Never mind that,” Fathom laughed, “BED!”

“Just a…”

“No!”

Cinder got up with exaggerated slowness and walked to the door, turning back to Rush, “’Night, Mister Rush.”

“Night, Cinder.” Rush replied giving her a wave.

And with that, the foal vanished; hopefully following her mother’s advice. Rush chuckled to himself and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the fire and tea alike. The clink of jars behind him announced the re-appearance of the Fathom, who had moved back around to nearer the fire. She took a sip of her tea and nodded to herself,

“You’ll live.”

“Not too torn up then?” Rush asked, peering over his shoulder.

Fathom shook her head, “A few splinters, but I got them out and cleaned you up. There’s going to be a few scars of course, but a few weeks and your fur will cover them for the most part. You were lucky - the old one doesn’t normally leave much of a prospective dinner.”

“Old one?” Rush asked, “Oh, the big guy? Yeah, I think I was first on his evening menu.”

Fathom smiled, “They’re a lot more numerous than they once were. Timber wolves never used to number that many and were mostly confined to the mountain slopes.”

“But not anymore?” Rush asked.

The older mare shook her head, “The war changed many things.”

Rush felt a sudden chill, and tried to lighten the mood, “But it’s over now, and you have a beautiful little foal. How old is she?”

“Cinder? She’s three years old.” Fathom replied.

“Three?!” Rush nearly choked, “She’s already so advanced!”

“Is it so unusual?” Fathom asked, “Perhaps, to an earth pony it is.”

Rush shrugged, “I suppose so; I don’t know much about magic.” He scratched his ear, “You must be very proud of her.”

“I am.” Fathom moved closer, “What’s wrong with your ear?”

“Huh?” Rush looked up as though he could see it, “I don’t know, it’s been itching like mad since I nearly drowned in the river. Bloody thing’s driving me up the wall.”

Fathom got up and moved closer, “Put your tea down and put your head on my lap.”

“EH?!” Rush balked.

Clucking her tongue, Fathom clopped him on the shoulder, “Don’t be so stuffy, I’m not going to hurt you.”

Rush froze; this was…it felt…surely he was over thinking things, right?

“Rush?”

“Oh! Sorry…” He slid over to where Fathom was sat on her haunches, and carefully placed his head on her lap. Taking a breath, Rush closed his eyes and tried desperately to think of something else, anything other than… “Mmm…” Oh Gods, that felt so good!

“Stop wriggling!” Fathom admonished.

“Sorry.” Rush murmured, focussing on the strange sensation of something carefully scraping the inside of his ear. He felt a tingle run through his body, a sense of warmth and urgency making him feel oddly relaxed and energised at the same time. Fathom was muttering something above him, but Rush didn’t care, this felt so…he yawned…so…wonderful…

After the careful scraping, something warm and moist was run around the inside of his ear. Whatever it was, was indescribably soothing, gentle and-

“Rush?”

“Hmm?”

“You can get up now.”

“Mmm….”

“I got them all out for you.”

Rush opened his eyes and blinked away the sleepiness that was overcoming him, “Got them out?” he asked blearily.

“You had mud mites; that’s what was causing the itching. If you’d left them too long they’d have laid eggs and you could have lost your ear.”

“What?!” Rush jumped up and reached up to his ear, hesitantly touching it, “I could have lost my ear? What the hell’s wrong with this world? Everything here is trying to kill me, or eat me, or both!” Oh Gods, he wanted to go home!

Fathom shook her head and gave him a particularly mysterious smile, “Where are you from, Rush?” she asked, “You seem a little different from others ponies we’ve met.”

“Me?” Rush blinked, still a little shocked both from the wonderful sensation of having his ears cleaned, and the more than a little alarming revelation that bugs had been feasting on his poor ears! He shrugged, “I…” Suddenly he paused and cleared his throat, “I lived with monkeys up north for a while.”

“’Up north’” Fathom smiled, “Must have been hot then, I suspect? Monkeys love warm climates and deep forests.”

Rush nodded, “Oh, er, yes…yes they do: very hot up there.”

“Mmm” Fathom raised an eyebrow and brought down another selection of jars, larger earthenware ones this time. “Hungry?”

Magic enveloped the lids of the jars, and one by one, fascinating looking, and smelling, items began to emerge. Fathom clearly enjoyed the attention, and smiled quietly to herself, “I’ll put something on for dinner. Meanwhile, make yourself comfortable - you look exhausted.

He was. Rush stretched, wincing slightly at the soreness on his flank where the skin had been so recently torn, and yawned expansively; he was warm, comfortable, and most importantly, he was safe – they both were. The cottage, from what he could see of it, was very well made indeed. All the joints were well cut and dressed, the logs planed and shaped, probably with magic if he had to make a guess, but there was a certain pride in the way it had been put together. Whoever the ponies were who’d made this had built it to last, creating not just a structure, but a home. Rush closed his eyes, remembering his old house - more a hut if he were honest - but to him, it had been his home for many years. The palace, as beautiful as it was, felt stark and empty by comparison. Sometimes he longed for the cosy fire, the feeling of being in control of his own life, and the quiet of the bamboo forest. But he’d given that all up, hadn’t he? He’d left it all behind, and it was probably for the best…wasn’t it? He rubbed his muzzle and leaned against the wall, his eyes stinging slightly. “Damn it all…” he muttered. When had he become so bloody emotional? Were all ponies like this?

A hoof on his leg made him start,

“Rush? Are you alright? You’re not in pain are you?”

He shook his head, “No, I’m fine, just a little weary. I think nights out under the stars with no shelter, food, or a warm bed have taken it out of me more than I thought.”

Fathom nodded and returned to stirring the pot over the fire, “You’re very lucky. The Goddess must have been smiling upon you to have us find you out in the forest the way we did.”

Rush sighed, “Never a truer word was said” he murmured, “I think I met one, or at least, I think I did.”

Fathom chuckled, “Perhaps.” Turning to Rush she peered into his eyes, making him blink in surprise. The mare lifted a hoof apologetically, “Oh! My apologies, I didn’t mean to make you jump, I was just taken with how blue your eyes are.” She chuckled, “I knew ponies with eyes as blue as the summer sky and as deep as the waters of the ice sea, once. They were better days…better days…” She gave herself a shake, “But listen to me ramble! Anyway, I must say you seem to be a hit with little Cinder, she’s really taken a shine to you.”

Rush smiled, leaning back against the wall and closed his eyes, “There’s no accounting for taste.”

“Your mare may disagree.” Fathom replied teasingly.

Rush shrugged, “Maybe.” He opened one eye, “Wait, do you mean Queenie?”

“The mare in the next room is not your mate?” Fathom seemed genuinely perplexed, “But…I don’t understand.”

Holding up a hoof to forestall her, Rush shook his head before any more misunderstandings occurred, “She’s my friend. We were working at the logging camp together when the flood hit us and, well, here we are. We’ve been trudging back upriver ever since.”

Fathom nodded her understanding, “Where are you trying to get to?”

“Paddock” Rush replied.

“Paddock?” Fathom exclaimed, “My goodness, you are a long way from home!” She pointed to a large map that had been pinned to the wall, “You’re about three days travel from Paddock.” She motioned towards the long line, clearly denoting a river, “See?”

“Er…” Rush scratched his head apologetically, “My, um, reading skills are not so great.”

A knowing smile ghosted across Fathom’s face as though she almost expected him to say that, but if she thought it, it didn’t come across in her words, “We’re here, on the edge of the Dragon Fall forest, and here, is the river, and here…” she pointed to a small assemblage of blocks, “is Paddock. This map is a little old, so Paddock wasn’t known as that then - it was originally little more than a few cottages and farms.” She snorted, “How times change.”

Rush peered at the map closely, “No palace?”

“It wasn’t built when this was made” Fathom replied. A hint of sadness tinged her voice as she continued, “The Princesses lived in the capital, here,” she indicated another portion of the map, “in what was known as the Castle of the Two Sisters.” Fathom smiled, “Now two, once joined, are now divided by the eternal void of the night sky and the unity we once held so dear, is lost…maybe forever.”

“Luna…” Rush said quietly, “She was Celestia’s sister.”

“Is, her sister” Fathom corrected, “Luna ascended to godhood as the Goddess Nightmare Moon. All feared her, many loved her, but her sister…” She huffed, “Ah! It is a story for another day. Suffice to say that the land was torn apart by war and now, at last, we have the peace that so many ponies wished for.” She walked over to the pot and gave it a final stir. Deftly, Fathom poured a little into another spoon and floated it over to Rush, “Taste.”

After so long eating whatever he could find, the flavour and warmth was like a sledgehammer of deliciousness battering his taste buds. “My Gods,” he gasped, “it’s wonderful!”

“Ha! You have good taste, I see.” Fathom beamed at him, “Now, it’s time to fetch the others and get them all fed. I’ll keep some to one side to heat up for when your friend wakes.”

Sure enough, the two other ponies Rush had already met, entered the room: the younger female, Arith, and the male whose name he’d heard but couldn’t quite recall. They were both unicorns, in fact, they were all unicorns: all with the same grey coats, yellow eyes and black manes. Rush furrowed his brow, but kept his opinions to himself; perhaps this sort of thing happened in isolated communities in Equestria? That said they weren’t that far from civilisation, at least according to the map at any rate. Rush nodded politely to the two ponies who barely even glanced at him before sitting down at the table and taking their spoons up in their magic. For his part, being completely devoid of such incredible power, Rush used his hooves to lift his bowl.

“I believe you know Arith” Fathom said politely, “The big fellow there is her mate, Harn.”

Rush nodded to them, “A pleasure to meet you both.”

Harn ignored him completely, but at least Arith gave a begrudging, “Hmph.”

“Forgive us, Rush, we’re not used to visitors living out here in the forest.” Fathom smiled, “My daughters mean the world to me, and we are rather protective of them, as I’m sure you’ll understand.”

Rush nodded, but…’mate’? He hadn’t heard ponies using that term before, had he? Well, other than Grove calling him ‘mate’ of course, but that was just another way of saying ‘friend’, wasn’t it? He scratched his head trying to remember, but if somepony had said something about this, he couldn’t recall. In all likelihood, she meant Arith was Harn’s marefriend or wife. Whatever it was, it was yet another piece of information to be thrown into the pile of ‘unknowns’ that would doubtless one day make complete sense – hopefully.

“You have a mate?” Fathom asked.

Nodding, Rush picked up a piece of bread from the floating platter before him, “I have” he said, “She’ll probably be worried sick about me. After the river caught us, I lost track of time.”

Arith, munching on a piece of the surprisingly light bread, looked askance at Rush and sniffed, “If we hadn’t found you when we did, your mate would have been looking for you in the belly of that wolf.”

“I know” Rush sighed, “I never thanked you properly. Arith, Harn, Fathom - thank you, all of you, you saved our lives.”

Harn huffed and gave a Rush a curious look that suggested something approaching, what, surprise? Maybe even respect? He wasn’t sure, but at least he’d ‘sort of’ acknowledged him – sort of. Still, judging by the size of him, Harn would likely have been able to deal with those timber wolves single hoofed. Going by build alone, he would be a formidable opponent, even without the magic.

“Aren’t you going to ask what we we’re doing out here?” Arith asked. The hint of sarcasm in her voice wasn’t lost on her mother who shot her a sidelong glance. Rush shrugged it off,

“No.” He savoured a mouthful of the stew and groaned as the wonderful flavours screamed at him about just how much he’d been missing out on. Here was real food, real home cooking…Gods, he could get used to this! Still, breakfast muffins with jam and butter were, maybe surprisingly, one of the things he missed most about the palace. He looked up, noticing the two mares were watching him intently, apparent expecting him to elaborate on his statement. Swallowing, Rush licked his lips and began: “I lived in the mountains, in a house I built with my own han…er, hooves, and made a living by collecting river reeds to sell at market.” He grinned ironically, “Somepony always needs mats.”

“Indeed they do” Fathom said, “Please, tell us about it. Being so isolated, it’s nice to hear stories of other lands.”

Rush looked down at his hooves, staring at their chipped and rough surface, remembering the feel of the reeds in his hands, how his knife cut through them so smoothly it was like slicing air. He smiled distantly, “I wouldn’t know where to begin” he said quietly, “The bamboo forest was very different to what you have here. It grows tall, and straight. The leaves are thin and whisper the song of the world as the wind passes through them to the silent floor below. The river was as pure as the air itself, and clearer than the finest glass. It was…different.” He huffed, giving himself a shake, “Forgive me, I haven’t been in Equestria that long, and it’s taking me a while to acclimatise.”

Arith stared at him, “You haven’t been in Equestria long?” she asked, “Where were you? The Llamalian Empire? The Yak Kingdom?”

Fathom tapped her hoof on the table, “Arith, please, Rush is our guest!”

Rush shook his head, “It’s alright, Fathom, you have a right to know. After all, you have invited me into your home, cared for me and Queenie; it’s the least I can do to tell you.” He cleared his throat, “I’m from another world.”

Arith’s eyes went wide, and then barked out a laugh, “Ha! You nearly had me going there!”

Fathom raised an eyebrow, “And a sense of humour too!” She raised a hoof as Rush opened his mouth to speak, “Personally, I would like to know more about how you made mats from river reeds. As you can see, most of what we have here is hoof made, with a little help from our magic of course.”

Rush took another mouthful of the wonderful stew and bobbed his head, “It would be my pleasure. If you have some time and tools, I may be able to teach you what I know if you like.”

“Would you?!” Fathom clopped her hooves together, “Arith, Harn, what do you think?”

“Yippee…mats.” Arith muttered. Harn just raised an eyebrow and nodded.

“Thank you Rush, it would be an absolute pleasure.” Fathom covered her muzzle with a foreleg to stifle a yawn, “Now, I’m afraid that after today’s excitement I’m a little tired. Young Cinder has the right of it I think, and you’ve had quite the ordeal too.” She got down from her chair and stretched her legs, “Arith, come give me a hoof with getting the spare room tidied up for Rush to use.”

“Mother!” Arith moaned, “I’ve barely finished!”

“Tish tosh!” Fathom said, clopping her daughter’s flank as she headed towards the door, “Come and give me a hoof girl and shake a tail, eh?”

“Huh! You’re not the one scouring the countryside for…” The young mare’s voice faded away as she disappeared through the door, only to be replaced by Fathom popping her head back through a moment later,

“Harn? Be a love and keep our guest company would you? We won’t be long.”

Rush looked over to Harn; the large unicorn was helping himself to the last of the stew and completely ignoring him. Despite usually preferring his own company, Rush felt uncharacteristically disappointed by Harn’s silence. Years of near isolation hadn’t exactly helped his conversational skills of course, but by and large, since coming to Equestria he’d begun to feel as though he wanted to become more…’sociable’. Gods above, what was happening to him?! He sighed and leaned back in the chair; Fathom was right, he was absolutely worn out. Turning to Harn he lifted a hoof and paused - the unicorn stallion was staring right at him.

“So, Harn…” Rush began, desperately trying to think of a conversation topic, “Have you lived here long?”

Silence.

“It must be hard living out here. Do you grow your own food?”

Silence.

Rush’s smiled died on his face under the vacant stare of the unresponsive Harn. He turned back to his cup of tea and stared into the dwindling contents, praying that he could somehow make the last couple of mouthfuls last long enough for at least somepony to come in and break through the now almost impenetrable atmosphere. Whoever Harn was, and for that matter, whoever these ponies were, they held a peculiar mixture of kindness and hostility, as though he was welcome there with some sort of proviso that he wasn’t yet aware of. Most likely it was along the lines of not overstaying their welcome. Harn’s ‘welcome’ on the other hoof, apparently hadn’t existed in the first place. Fortunately, with the assistance of magical healing and some food, drink and a good nights sleep, with any luck Rush would be able to get Queenie home and find out what had happened to the rest of the logging team. Just as importantly, he was worried about Tia, and how she would react to his disappearance. But, now that he thought about it, how come she hadn’t found them? She could fly, her pegasi could fly too, and since the river only flows in one direction, how come nopony had found them? He blinked, staring into the cup of tea; it had been days since they’d been washed away, days they could have been found. They’d had fires lit – in fact that was one of the first things he’d done, both for heat and for signalling. Dear Gods, the wood had been so damp the smoke must have been visible for miles! Did that mean…

“Rush? We’ve made up a place for you in the storage room. It’s not much, but it’ll get you by until we can get you both home” Fathom waved Rush through the doorway, “I’m sorry about Harn, he’s such a chatter box, sometimes he just doesn’t know when to shut up!”

Rush all but launched himself from the stool and through the open door, smiling and nodding his thanks to the grey unicorn mare. Bloody Harn! Gods above, what was wrong with the fellow?

“Are you alright?” Fathom asked, “You seem a little agitated.”

Rush shook his head, “No, I’m fine, thanks Fathom. I’m just dead on my hooves.” He paused and looked back at her over his shoulder, “Oh, and thank you. I don’t know what else to say, but…if I can do something to repay your kindness, please let me know.”

Fathom smiled back at him, “It’s enough to know that we were able to help another pony, Rush. When Queen’s Court is better, we’ll take you both to Paddock. I’m sure your mate will be missing you.”

Rush smiled sadly, “Yeah.”

The door closed with the metallic click of the latch. Looking around him, the storage room was exactly that - a room of boxes, barrels and cloth that had been quickly cleared to make space for a pallet bed that proved to be surprisingly comfortable. Beside the bed, his kindly hosts had thoughtfully left a jug of water, a cleaning cloth for the morning, and an oil lantern. The effect was one of simplicity and practicality, but to a stallion who had been living under the stars with little more than branches to keep him warm, it was the very height of luxury. Rush groaned, letting his fatigue sweep over him and take him into its warm embrace.

************************

“…and I keep saying they shouldn’t be here, but like always, you won’t listen will you?”

“We couldn’t have just left them there, they would have been killed! Would you really want that on your conscience?”

“We wouldn’t have had anything on our conscience, Arith. The wolves would have dealt with the problem and that would have been that. But no, thanks to you, now we have two Celestian’s here in our midst, and you know what that means.”

Rush stirred, the voices on other side of the wall drifting through were faint, but still managed to carry the weight of their words:

The female’s voice sounded irritated, “That’s not our way, Harn, it never was and it never shall be. Guests are treated as family here – you know that.”

The male voice, Harn’s apparently, huffed, “Guests? They’re the ones who murdered our people! They’re the reason why we’re out here in the arse end of nowhere scratching a living in the dirt! Our home has gone, Arith, gone forever because of these damned-”

The female voice of Arith, spoke urgently, “Harn! For the Goddess’s sake, keep your voice down!”

“I don’t care!” Harn snapped back, “They know what they did; they…” He paused, “Anyway, we’ve got more pressing matters now. If they come looking for these two, they could come here and-”

There was a faint click and the creak of a door. Cinder’s unmistakable squeaky voice drifted through, “Sis? What’s going on? I don’t like it when you fight, it’s not nice.”

Arith’s voice sounded calmer, “It’s alright, love, we’re not fighting, we’re just having a chat about things. I think uncle Harn was being a bit louder than he should have been, weren’t you, uncle Harn?”

There was a snort of agreement.

Rush closed his eyes and let out the breath he’d been keeping in as the voices dwindled into a faint background hum. What did it mean? He pulled the sheets around himself and over his head; they’d used that word again, the one he hadn’t heard for a very long time, for a very…very long…time…

************************

Fire. It was all around him, accenting the chilling screams of people running for their lives and blending into a crescendo of despair with the pitiful cries of the dying. Smoke burned Rush’s lungs, making him cough and gasp for breath in the dust and debris strewn landscape. Fog blended with the smoke from the ruin that had once been somebody’s beloved home, their sanctuary from the cold and unforgiving world around them, and now…now it was gone…it was all gone…

Something warm and slick grabbed his leg. Rush froze; his heart was in his mouth as he stared down, taking in the bloodied and ragged form of the woman he knew so well, and yet…

“Mother?”

Her hollow eyes and pale face stared back at him,

“Run…”

“Mother...” Rush’s lips were so dry, his throat burning with the acrid smoke.

“Run…”

He tried, he tried and just…couldn’t. Nothing was working: not his legs, his arms, his hands - nothing.

“Run…”

Rush struggled, desperate to get away, and yet despite his mother’s pleading words, she hung on, locking his legs to the ground.

And then the others came.

Slowly, from out of the fog, the smoke, and flickering yellow flames, came the shambling, torn, and ragged form of his niece, Blossom,

“Uncle? Uncle, why did you leave us? Why?”

Rush opened his mouth to answer, to cry out, but no words would come - only silence…

“Rush?” It was Cray, the heavy set blacksmith from the village smithy. His face was burned, blackened and charred, his hair all but singed away to nothing, making his eyes stand out in the ruin of what had once been a face, “Why did you leave us, Rush? I thought you were my friend? You abandoned me; you left me to die…”

NO! Rush fought harder and harder, desperate to escape, but more were coming now, more and more. It was a tide of people, villagers, friends, family…but they were gone…all dead…all of them!

“Why Rush?”

“Why did you leave us?”

“It’s so cold here…so cold…”

He tried to scream, he tried to get away, but his legs wouldn’t work and they were getting closer and… The cries and calls stopped abruptly. Before him, in amongst the debris and smashed pieces of the family’s home, the floor bulged upwards. Slowly, agonisingly slowly, a form began to take shape, rising up, morphing out of the smoke. It was a beast, a creature of the darkest night and his deepest nightmares. The others moved away, bowing and scraping before their master, the keeper of the keys to the nightmare realm…

The demon shook out its wings, its axe glinting in the firelight, slick with the blood of the freshly slain. Its mane blew in the eddies created by the heat while ashes that had once been the living, sluiced off the monster’s body.

“At last…” Rend smiled, “I have been waiting for you…Celestian…”

************************

“Rush? RUSH!”

“Wha?! Oh Gods!” Rush sat up, his head in his hooves, “What, where…?”

“Rush, it’s me, Queenie, you were having a nightmare. Dear Goddesses, you were screaming the place down! Poor Cinder’s terrified and the whole household’s in an uproar.” The white mare shook her mane, staring into his eyes as if looking for something other than the last fading images of that terrible monster, Rend. “Are you alright?”

Rush took a breath, “I am…thanks for asking.” He reached across for the water jug and gulped the contents down without bother with the cup, “Queenie? What are you doing out of bed?” he asked, “Your leg…”

“-Is fine.” she smiled, “Better than fine actually, apart from, well…the bald patches.” She grimaced, “I’ve had worse. Anyway, you can’t knock magical healing.” “Not that I’d knock what you did for me of course.” She added quickly.

Rush rolled his eyes, “Of course.” Slowly, he rose to his hooves and poured some water onto the wash cloth and began rubbing himself down, “Good Gods, that was awful – it was so real.” He let out a long sigh, trying to push the terrifying imagery from his waking mind, “I’ll have to apologise to everypony and make it up to young Cinder.”

“Don’t worry about it, she’s in with her mum now.” Queenie replied, “I’m more worried about you.”

“Well don’t be.” Rush said, turning to face her, “I’m fine, it was just a bad dream. Anyway, what about you? We’ve barely been here five minutes and you’re up and about!”

The mare shrugged and clopped the floor with her hind leg, “All in order, boss, see?” She smiled. Queenie’s face showed the lines and hollows of her ordeal, but her eyes, those bright orange orbs, shone with the light of life as bright as the sunrise outside. She tossed her mane, “You have to admit, Fathom knows her stuff.”

She certainly did. Rush had watched her at work and had been amazed at the ease with which the mare had wielded her magic, but... “Hang on, you were three sheets to the wind when I saw you last night, and you’ve met the family already?” He stared out of the small window, “What time is it?”

“About six in the morning” Queenie said, “But then, you know you’ve been asleep for a whole day, right? I was worried sick, but Fathom said you were exhausted and to leave you be. Next thing I knew, you were bellowing like all the demons of Tartarus were chasing you.” She lifted Rush’s hoof and gave it a rub, “Are you sure you’re alright now?”

Rush nodded, “Gods, I hope so.” He smiled slightly, “I still can’t believe you’re up and about. You’re sure you’re alright?”

“Will you stop flapping!” Queenie admonished with a chuckle, “We’ve both survived, we’re both fit and well, and Fathom said she’ll have Harn and Arith take us to Paddock tomorrow after we’ve had another day of rest, food, and good company.” She leaned forward, flicking some errant mane hairs from Rush’s muzzle, her voice gentle and kind, “Do you want to talk about the dream? When I was a foal, mum used to come and talk to me about them and make them go away.” She smiled, “She was a good mare.”

Rush rubbed his head. The images were mostly faded now, but the sound of that beast’s laughter felt as though it had lodged in a corner of his mind like a barnacle on a ships hull. Perhaps if he-

Queenie’s hoof gently stroked his and he looked down at the neat leg, up to the surprisingly soft features of the white mare. She seemed different from how she’d appeared when he’d first met her, as though the trials they’d been through together hadn’t hardened her, but rather had the opposite effect, making her more…feminine somehow. Rush smiled, returning the gesture,

“It was just a dream Queenie, that’s all.” He leaned forward and nuzzled her, “Thanks though…really.”

“You’re welcome” the mare replied quietly. She took a long breath, “Come on, let’s see if we can get you a cup of tea. Fathom left everything ready in case you fancied some.”

True to her word, the pot, cups and kettle all sat waiting, and a few minutes on the fire had the water boiling and ready to pour onto the fragrant tea leaves. Rush groaned as the smell of the tea wafted up and around his muzzle, the steam tantalising and invigorating. As tired as he was, as weary and stiff as his muscles felt, he always had time for a good cup of tea. He yawned, feeling the stiffness and accumulated aches slowly draining away, but what he really wanted was some fresh air to get himself moving again. First things first though…

The door opened – it was Arith,

“Back in the world of the living, are you?” she said with a wipe of her bleary eyes, “You made enough noise to wake the dead.”

“Sorry” Rush replied, hanging his head.

“Hmph.” Arith clambered into a chair next to Queenie and reached out with her hooves to pour herself a cup of tea. Rush watched her in surprise,

“No magic?” he asked.

The grey mare’s bloodshot eyes glowered back at him, “Do I look like I’m in any condition to use magic?”

“Just ignore her, she’s always miserable in the morning.” Fathom trotted in, carrying Cinder on her back, “You’re not a morning pony, are you love?”

Arith sniffed in response.

Lifting his hoof, Rush opened his mouth to apologise, but Fathom beat him to it,

“Anypony fancy some toast?”

Apparently somepony, or rather some ’foal’, did. Cinder, instantly re-energised despite the hour and broken sleep, sat up and held her forelegs in the air,

“I want toast!”

Her mother chuckled, “Of course, love. Come on then, you keep our guests company while I get everything ready.”

Fathom set to work while the tiny unicorn foal was lifted up onto a high-seat by her older sister. Rush wasn’t good with equine ages, and to him Fathom looked barely older than her eldest daughter. He glanced at the white mare beside him who was cooing over the excited, toast anticipating foal. Queenie didn’t look much older than Arith, but was certainly younger than Fathom by his estimations. In his world, his old world, apparently you could tell a horse’s age by looking at their teeth. He was fairly certain that if he asked Queenie to ‘open up!’ however, he’d end up with a mouthful of hoof.

Cinder was currently being entertained with a tickling game that had her in riots of laughter, and the happy, shrieking centre of attention for the mares. After a while though, the first round of toast appeared, duly slathered in butter and strawberry jam. Although offered, Rush insisted on Cinder having the first round; if for no other reason than to keep the deafening creature quiet - and sticky toast and jam was a winner every time.

“Do you and Harn have any plans for foals of your own?” Queenie asked.

Arith shrugged, “One day, maybe, but things are a little…complicated.”

“I can imagine.” Queenie replied, “Living out here must have its trials.”

“Ha! You could say that!” Arith said, tossing her mane, “You don’t know the half of it!”

Fathom put down the next plate of toast and shot her daughter a disapproving look, “What my daughter is trying to say, is that living in the forest has its ups and its downs just like anywhere else. Personally, I don’t care for town life and prefer peace and quiet.” She pushed the plate of toast into the centre of the table, “Help yourself.” She caught Ariths gaze, “Queenie…”

Arith huffed.

“It looks a very well made home.” Rush said honestly, casting his gaze around the room, “I made my own place in the mountains, but it was nowhere near as well constructed as this. It’s incredible.”

Fathom shrugged, “Magic. My husband, Pari, and I built this place some years ago. It was to be our little sanctuary.” A sudden, fleeting ghost of a smile passed across her features, “Was…”

“I’m sorry” Queenie said quietly, “Is Pari…?”

Fathom nodded, “He passed away just before young Cinder here was born.”

“Oh, Fathom, that’s horrible. I’m so sorry…” Queenie hung her head, “I…”

The older mare placed a hoof on Queenie’s shoulder and gave her a quick nuzzle, “Thank you, but it can’t be helped. The Goddess called for him and he answered her summons. We will be together again some day, and be able to run through the green fields beneath the glow of her loving moon.”

Rush frowned, “Moon?”

“We worship the Goddess of the Night.” Arith said proudly, “The one, true Goddess.”

Rush nodded, “I don’t know much about the Gods and Goddesses of Equestria yet” he said munching on his toast, “I wasn’t much for that sort of thing back home, but I still attended the festivals when I could.”

The atmosphere at the table plummeted like a stone and Rush froze, the toast halfway to his mouth. Queenie was staring at Arith, whose expression had quickly turned to one of abject contempt.

Rush swallowed, “Is everything alright?”

Fathom’s voice was strained but remained cordial, “Of course” she said politely, “We are very open minded here, aren’t we, Arith?”

The young mare blinked and gave herself a shake, “Of course, mother.”

There is a time during any conversation, or visit, when the astute guest realises it is time to leave. This appeared to be that exact time and, Rush realised to his dismay, he’d blundered right into it. Queenie cleared her throat and came to the rescue,

“You’ll have to forgive Rush, he was living with another people most of his life and only came to Equestria recently. He knows little to nothing of our ways.” She shrugged, “The Goddess knows we’ve tried to enlighten him, but you know what it’s like with stallions!”

Arith snorted, “Huh! You don’t have to tell me. I keep telling Harn we have to remember our traditions and teachings, but he’s more interested in hunting and fishing than anything spiritual.”

Queenie nodded, “Exactly! Anyway, I intend to educate our ignorant friend here by taking him to the temple of the two sisters when we get back and speak to the oracle of ages.” She smiled, “Everypony should meet her at least once in their lifetime.”

Fathom nodded, “True, true.”

Rush raised his hoof, “Erm, not wanting to sound any more ignorant, but what’s an oracle?”

Fathom answered, “You may know her more as a wise mare, a pony of sight and insight into the mysteries of life and the afterlife.”

“She’s a spiritual leader?” Rush asked.

Fathom shook her head, “Ponies don’t have spiritual ‘leaders’, Rush, only guides. The pathways to the Goddesses, both of the sun and the moon, are there to be found.” She smiled, “One only has to open their eyes.”

“I thought…” Rush swallowed.

“That Celestia is a Goddess?” Fathom gave a knowing smile, “Whether she is or not, that is a decision only you can make.”

“Pah!” Arith spat, “There is only one Goddess, and the white witch-”

“ARITH!” Fathom snapped, “We have guests! Will you insult our lady and our ancestors by forgetting such common courtesies? Have some self control girl!”

The young grey mare looked as though she were about to say something and then a strange thing happened: her features relaxed, a sudden calm coming across them that made her look…kinder, gentler even. Rush blinked in surprise as the female nodded her head and smiled politely,

“Rush, Queen’s Court, I beg your forgiveness. You are guests in our home and I should…I know…better than to discuss matters that may cause misunderstandings.” She bowed her head, “Forgive me.”

Queenie lifted a hoof, “There’s nothing to forgive, Arith. Rush is an adult in body, but a child when it comes to understanding our ways.” She turned to Rush and gestured urgently. Not certain what to do, he fell back on the ways of the people he knew: he got up from the table, sank to his haunches and bowed his whole body,

“Please, I beg your forgiveness for my unwitting ignorance.”

In a flurry, Queenie jumped down from the table and helped him up, “Oh, Rush, there’s no need for that! Come, please, you are both guests who have been through so much together.” She grinned, “Honestly, Rush, you’re going to have to tell us all about this land you lived in before you came to Equestria.” Fathom laughed, “I love to hear tales of far away lands and I have to say, you have intrigued me. Would you mind?”

Rush swallowed. Oh Gods! How was he going to get out of this one! He had a horrible feeling that the mere mention of Celestia would go down like a lead kite with these ponies – why exactly, he couldn’t quite put his hoof on, but…if they worshipped the moon, and Luna was the embodiment of the moon, then…Oh, crap! He took a breath and sighed it out slowly; he would tell his tale to his hosts, he would explain what it was like amongst the ‘hairless pink monkeys’ as those who knew him had taken to calling humans, but he would leave out certain elements – such as having been born one! No, he would tell the truth, but just…’embellish’ it slightly, giving them the story they wanted and avoid any awkwardness. He looked round at Queenie who was giving him a worried and yet oddly enthusiastic look, suggesting she wanted to hear his tale too, despite having heard much of it already. For that matter, it was likely she knew as much about him as Tia did…maybe more even.

“Can I have some more toast, mummy?” The butter and jam soaked face peered up at her mother with the attendant large round yellow eyes.

“What do we say?”

“Please?”

“Good girl.” Fathom nodded to her daughter and began preparing another piece of the delicious toast for her, “Rush is going to tell us a story, won’t that be nice?”

“Oooh, yes! A story!” Cinder clopped her tiny hooves together and beamed happily at Rush, “Is it exciting Uncle Rush?”

“Uncle…?” Rush paused, feeling a sudden pull on his heart that made him gasp in a breath. Oh Gods and spirits, he was going to have to do this wasn’t he? And why the hell did he keep seeing Blossom whenever he looked at Cinder? Now she’d called him uncle in that childish way foals did, but… He nodded, wiping his eyes with a foreleg, “I hope so, little one,” he said smiling, “I really do.”

Chapter Eleven - The White Witch

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE WHITE WITCH

The scene before her was beyond anything she had seen since the end of the war, but this time, instead of the broken bodies of soldiers, it was the land itself that had been torn apart and laid waste. The Princess closed her eyes and hung her head; she didn’t want to see any more, and yet, this was still her land, her home, and the people looked to her for guidance and reassurance. Fortunately few ponies lived around here, except those that made a living providing fish for the Griffin population - as distasteful as she found such practices. All around her ponies were busily engaged in clearing away the debris caused by the flooding, cutting up the uprooted trees for firewood or building materials. Nothing would be wasted, and if nothing else, clearing the area would unearth… She shook her head and snorted loudly; she wouldn’t think of that! She refused! Rush was alive…ALIVE!

“Your Majesty?” A tan coated stallion approached and bowed, “We’ve had the area scoured, both magically and with dogs; there’s no sign of any pony remains.” The muddy pony looked exhausted, “We’ve divided the river into sections, but there are still several miles left to cover.”

The Princess bobbed her head, “Thank you. Please, give my thanks to your ponies and let the palace know if you need anything. Hot food, drinks and shelter are being provided, yes?”

The stallion nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty, we’re being well looked after. I’m just sorry the work is taking so long, it’s-”

“-I know.” Celestia cut in with a smile, “It’s a lot of work and a very large area, but I promise you that everypony involved will be well compensated for their efforts and that they will be in my thoughts and prayers.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” The stallion bowed and backed away several steps before hurrying back to the others.

The white alicorn watched him go. He was a heavy set fellow, and good at his job too. He was working so hard for Equestria, and for her. Good Gods, she didn’t even know his name… Celestia turned to her officer, “Sea Mist, when we get back will you find out the name of that stallion for me?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” The newly appointed pegasus commander bobbed his head, making the scar on his muzzle stand out against his magically altered white fur. His eyes blazed blue, reminding her of the other stallion: the one she needed to find, and the only one who could mend the gnawing ache in her heart. She nodded,

“Let’s go. We need to keep heading along the river.” Celestia lifted the small crystal in her hoof and stared at the white light glowing faintly within, “I’m coming Rush” she whispered, “Don’t worry my love, we’ll be together again soon.”

***********************

“…and twist the end, tucking it in like this, and there! Done” Rush tapped the chair and bobbed his head in embarrassment, his cheeks flushing at the spontaneous applause. Even Harn shook his head in amazement as he walked over to look more closely at the freshly woven covering,

“Is it strong?” the large stallion rumbled.

Rush nodded, “Try it and see.”

Harn glanced at Arith who waved a hoof encouragingly.

Sporting a rather worried expression, Harn gingerly manoeuvred his large framed into the chair. A tense moment passed, Arith watching intently and Fathom shaking her head slowly in wonderment,

“I can’t believe it,” she said, “you make it look so easy.”

Rush shrugged, “It is after a little practice. Proper materials help of course - the reeds we found aren’t the best, but they’re mostly up to the job.”

“Well, I know I for one can’t wait to have a go and try my hoof at weaving!” Fathom gave Rush a beaming grin, “Thank you Rush, you’ve done us a great service.”

Blushing, the brown stallion scrubbed his mane, “Fathom, please, I’ve just shown you how to weave reeds, that’s all. You and your family saved our lives; this is nothing compared to that.”

Fathom shook her head, “Nonsense. It’s everyponies duty to help those in need, and besides, we’ve enjoyed having you here, haven’t we everypony?”

There was a general round of nods and happy murmurings from Arith, Cinder and even, rather surprisingly, the quiet Harn who was still busy examining the chair. Little Cinder, riding on her mothers back, lifted a hoof,

“Do you have to leave, Uncle Rush?”

Rush sighed, closed his eyes, and nodded, “I’m sorry, Cinder, but we have families of our own back home who will be missing us.”

Queenie stepped forward and gave the foal a nuzzle, “Maybe we could come visit some day? You’ll be a big girl soon, and then you’ll be able to show us all the wonderful new magic you’ve learned!”

“I’m going to get bigger, and bigger, and one day I’ll be bigger than Uncle Harn!” Cinder squeaked, “I’m going to be a super amazing wizard too, just like Uncle Rush said!”

Everypony chuckled at the exaggerate antics of the foal until Fathom plucked her from her back and put her back down on the floor,

“We’ll miss you,” she said kindly, “but of course, you’re welcome back for a visit any time you like.”

Queenie gave Fathom a hug, “Thanks Fathom, I owe you so much.”

“The only thing you owe me is a smile, and you’ve already paid that in full.” The mare stuck her tongue out playfully, “Come on now, let’s get the rest of your supplies together. Tomorrow, we’ll be off at first light to get you two back home to Paddock.”

“Aw!” Cinder’s frown made Queenie burst out laughing and she scooped up the foal in her hooves,

“Up for a run?”

Fathom nodded her head, “Don’t go too far. The forest isn’t as safe it used to be, so stay near the house you two.”

“Oh, yeah!” The foal’s eyes went wide in delight, “Giddy up auntie Queenie!”

The white mare shot a glare at Rush and then smirked, leaning into him, “You’re in so much trouble for teaching her that.”

Rush cringed. During his story about life with the ‘pink hairless apes’, somehow he had found himself talking about them ‘riding horses’ into battle. Fathom and Arith had been unsettled by this part of the tale, but Cinder had hung off every word. Even Harn, the one stallion mountain, had nodded at certain points, commenting about the ‘tactical advantage’ of having somepony, or rather some ‘human’, able to watch your back. This hadn’t quite registered with Rush until later, but now, with his pony-centric mind, he could see Harn’s point. Still, the thought of somebody riding him was something that made his legs shiver. What was surprising too, was that his hosts had accepted the story readily, particularly Fathom who had dominated the questions with particular reference to customs and spirituality. Thankfully, the issue of Rush’s more ‘personal’ side of the story and his encounter with Celestia, Thorn, and Rend, had been avoided - ‘Very nicely too’, Rush thought to himself a little smugly.

Queenie reared, “Hold on tight!”

“Hmmf!” Cinder had a grip on the white mare’s mane, her delighted squeaks muffled by Queenie’s hair.

The two of them shot forward out of the door, heading away from the workshop and up the forest trail.

“Not too fast on that leg!” Fathom shouted after them.

She needn’t have worried. Queenie, for all her excitement and relief at getting out of the house and into the open air for the first time since she’d been carried in on the litter, was still wary about the recent magical operation on her and kept her speed down to a fast trot. To Cinder though, it was like they were galloping at full tilt and the small grey creature whooped and yelled with unrestrained joy at the experience.

Queenie ran. Her legs were stiff and sore from inactivity, but she was a naturally strong mare – in fact she had been ever since she’d been a foal, and soon the familiar sensation of strength, power, and energy began to sing through her body once again. The white mare laughed aloud, her merriment joining that of the foal on her back whilst the forest whipped past them in a lush green blur. The sun was high in the sky, her hooves thundering along the compacted ground and her small companion shrieking and giggling behind her…just like her own foal had done, all those years ago. Queenie smiled; if only for a short time, if only for the briefest of heartbeats…she was happy.

Cinder shouted into her ear, “Look! LOOK! It’s auntie Madra!”

Walking towards them, covered in a knee length travelling cloak and numerous packs, bags, and panniers, was a short pony. Queenie slowed down to a walk, and then a halt, her senses suddenly alert to danger at the approach of the curious creature. Whatever, or rather ‘whoever’ it was, made the hairs stand up along her back, but before she could react, Cinder had leaped from her back and was running towards the cloaked figure,

“Auntie Madra!”

Queenie lifted a hoof in alarm as the cloaked pony threw back her hood, revealing the stocky and bespectacled unicorn mare beneath. Whooping with joy, Cinder was plucked form the ground and hoisted into the air by the mare’s forehooves and the two span around, eliciting cries of happiness from the overexcited foal,

“You’re home! You’re home!” Cinder shouted happily, “Did you bring me anything?”

Queenie winced; foals had about as much tact as a flying brick and as much awareness of the object of their attention. Under the furry assault, the pale grey mare lifted Cinder up and deposited her onto her back,

“Stay there little one, and shush a minute, okay?”

Surprisingly, Cinder fell silent - more to catch her breath than out of obedience, but the effect was the same. Madra, her eyes focussing on Queenie, walked cautiously forward, stopping a few paces away. Queenie watched her warily; this unicorn mare wasn’t quite a carbon copy of the others: she was a lot lighter in colour than the three Queenie knew, and she was shorter, stockier, but still very much a unicorn and had those same piercing yellow eyes. Madra narrowed her eyes as she addressed her,

“May I ask who you are, and what you are doing with my granddaughter?”

Queenie bobbed her head and smiled politely,

“My name’s Queen’s Court. I’ve been staying with Fathom, Arith and Harn at their home for the last few days.”

The grey mare’s forehead wrinkled slightly as she took this information in. By her reaction, she wasn’t fully convinced despite the fact Queen’s Court had named the family,

“And why would they do that?” She asked, “I wasn’t aware we were expecting visitors.”

Cinder, having filled herself to the brim with water and food she’d poached from Madra’s packs, wiped her muzzle and joined the conversation,

“Uncle Rush was nearly eaten by a wolf!”

“Wolves?” Madra asked curiously.

Queen’s Court nodded, “It’s a bit of a story, but yes, we were caught by floodwaters. We were washed downriver; I ended up with a broken leg, and we were nearly lunch for some hungry timber wolves.” She shrugged, “And now, here we are.”

“Indeed.” Madra shook her head slowly, “Very fortuitous you stumbled across my family, wouldn’t you say?”

“I think it was more a case of them finding us” Queenie replied a little more tartly than she intended, “If they hadn’t, we wouldn’t be having this conversation now.” She felt a twitch in her hoof, her muscles readying themselves; there was something about this mare she didn’t like, and it wasn’t just her tone of voice that had her hackles going up either. What was with all these grey unicorns? Fathom, Arith, Harn, Cinder, and now this one…Madra, wasn’t it? Yes, the one whose room she’d been using – marvellous! If the unicorn wasn’t pleased they had guests now, just wait until she found out she’d been sleeping in her bed!

Madra glanced round to the little foal and gave her a nuzzle, but her eyes never left the white earth pony before her. Queenie’s eyes however, were drawn to the short sword hanging at Madra’s side, barely concealed by her cloak. Regardless of whether she’d noticed Queenie watching or not, however, Madra’s expression never changed,

“You go ahead,” she said politely to Queenie, motioning in the direction of the house, “We’ll be right behind you.”

Queenie smiled in reply, but her hackles were up and her hind legs twitching horribly. There was a part of her that wanted to run, to get away from this creature, while another part of her wanted to fight, and wipe that damned grin off her face and put the smug looking unicorn in her place. She was more than strong enough to do it too – she’d fought ponies before, ones that had fought on the side of the Legion, and some of them had been unicorns. What the hell they’d done that for was something she’d never understood. During the war, she never questioned her orders, nor gave much consideration to who or what she was fighting. She’d shut out most of her thoughts, and focussed on little more than doing her duty. When she’d lost her family, thoughts about the wider issues had ceased to matter. All there’d been left for her then had been living in the moment: the fight, the thrill of battle, and that adrenalin rush you got when you realised you’d survived one more day. It had always been like that back then: new recruits coming in day after day, the old hooves becoming fewer and fewer - either injured, or killed. All too often, they’d been injured and left to fend for themselves. They all knew what that meant: death. The Legion took prisoners of course…sometimes. But what happened to them after that? She didn’t really know for certain, but she’d heard the stories, and that was frightening enough. When the war was over she hadn’t known what to do - what was there for her now anyway? She’d lost everything, and everypony, she’d ever loved – well, except that one fellow…but what would he think of her now?

Green Shard had been a Corporal in the army, and had been the only one who’d ever shown her any sort of kindness or respect since she’d joined up. In fact, he’d been the only stallion who’d ever said…’no’. Of course, she’d had a few drinks while she’d had some leave and one thing had lead to another. The mare in the bar hadn’t liked her trying it on with some young stallion who had seemed like a good bed partner for the night, and she’d come at her all teeth and hooves…stupid creature. The Provost had come steaming in shortly afterwards, but a deep green coated stallion had pulled her free of the brawl and dragged her out before they caught her. ‘Green Shard’ his name was - a good pony, and a good stallion too. He took her back to his place, treated her black eye and bruises, and then…and then he sent her away…just like that. Queenie sighed, watching her hooves plodding along the trail back to the house; walking along…walking away…she should have stayed with him, shouldn’t she? But no, she’d cocked the whole thing up, hadn’t she? She’d thought he’d want her, that he’d be like every stallion she’d ever met and just want to have a quick tumble under the sheets to relieve a little of the stress of war, but no, not Green Shard – he’d just made sure she was alright and then, let her go…

“You’re back quick. Did you have a nice…” Arith froze, staring past Queenie at the figure walking along with the happy foal on her back, “Madra? Oh my Goddess, it’s Madra! Mother! MOTHER!”

“What is it?” The flustered Fathom bustled out of the house with a tea towel floating in her magic, “I was just doing the washing up and…oh!”

Queenie gave a sigh of relief and, her presence clearly not required, dodged into the house where Rush was finishing up the dishes,

“Have a good run?”

“Splendid.” Queenie said sarcastically, “At least it would have been until the latest in the grey unicorn collection appeared; miserable sod…”

“Another of the family?” Rush put the plate and paused, “They mentioned another one when we got here. I think you were using her room.”

“Apparently.” Queenie replied, “Her name’s Madra, and she’s got all the personality of that plate you’re washing.” She huffed, “Anyway, have a guess what colour she is?”

“Colour?” Rush frowned, thinking, “A grey unicorn?”

“There’s something funny going on here, Rush, and I know I may seem a bit paranoid, but…y’know…”

Rush kept his voice down, “I know, but they don’t mean us any harm. Look, we’re going tomorrow anyway, so let’s be polite, get our things together and be commensurate guests, eh?”

“The what?” Queenie asked.

“Be polite!” Rush whispered. He smiled, his wink making Queenie blink in surprise, “Come on, you can give me a hand with the dishes.”

“I don’t have hands.” Queenie said raising an eyebrow, “Will a hoof do?”

Rush laughed, “Of course, my lady!”

The rest of the afternoon consisted of a barrage of chatter from the next room, and no end of squeaky voiced delight from the now nearly hyperactive Cinder Wind. Queenie and Rush had been displaced to the stock room where they busied themselves pack up for the following morning’s trip back to Canterlot. Queenie yawned and groaned, stretching her back leg and flopped onto the rug.

“You alright?” Rush asked in concern.

“Mmhmm.” Queenie rubbed her leg, “Bit stiff more than anything, but…well, it’s nothing…”

“It’s obviously not nothing.” Rush reasoned, turning to face her, “Come on, what’s bothering you?”

The white mare snorted, “I don’t suppose it makes much difference, does it?” she paused, staring off into the corner of the room distantly, “I’m worried about what to do when I get back.”

“Back? You mean to Canterlot?” Rush asked in surprise, “We’ll get you home and…”

“I don’t have a home.” Queenie said rather more loudly than she meant, “At least, not now.” She barked out a laugh, “My home was the logging team. It was…” she hung her head, “I heard what Straw said…he wanted me gone…”

Rush snorted, “Rubbish…”

“I heard him, Rush!” Queenie snapped, “and you know what? It was my fault too…I…I shouldn’t have done what I did.” She sniffed back a tear, “You know what I did…”

“Yeah.” Rush replied, laying a hoof on the mare’s shoulder, “But Queenie, we’re friends. I’ll speak to straw when we get back. Hey, I could always have a word with Tia and see if she’ll give you a place at the palace.”

“Me?” Queenie smiled, wiping her muzzle, “Nah, I can’t see myself as a pampered palace pony…” she leaved forward and gave Rush’s a gentle prod, “I’ll end up with soft flanks, like you.”

“I do not have soft flanks!” Rush squeaked, “At least…” he gave himself a quick examination, “I don’t think so.”

Grinning expansively at her friends expression, the white mare giggled and leaned back into one of the boxes, pulling her pack beside her. Rush noticed she was using one of his reed panniers, despite the leather ones offered by the unicorn family. With no possessions of their own, the two had little more than food, water, and few interesting stones which Cinder had impressed upon them to take back. Queenie had spent ages washing them and had wrapped them carefully before putting them in the bottom of the packs. She seemed quite taken with the small grey pest.

There was a knock at the door.

“Queenie? Rush? Are you decent?”

Rush furrowed his brow, “Decent?” he whispered, “We don’t wear clothes, do we?”

Queenie shoved him playfully, “It’s called being polite!” she hissed. She turned to the door, “Of course, come in.”

The door opened, revealing Fathom, “I’m sorry about pushing you out of your room, Queenie, but poor Madra was dead on her hooves. I’ll see if we can get you back in there for tonight; I can always…”

“No.” Queenie raised a hoof, smiling, “I’ll be alright sleeping on the floor.”

“Are you buggery!” Rush snapped, “You can have my bed, and I’ll sleep on the floor and…”

“Good grief!” Fathom cut in, “I’ve got enough bedding for another pallet for tonight, so there’ll be no sleeping on the floor for anypony!” she rolled her eyes, “I was more concerned about where your bed making up.”

“Oh!” Queenie hung her head, a slight blush tinting her cheeks, “Er…would I be alright sleeping in here?”

Rush raised an eyebrow, “Why not? We’ve got an early start, and we don’t want to be under anyponies hooves.” He smiled and have Queenie a nod, “I don’t snore, don’t worry.”

“Hah!” Queenie huffed, “You don’t hear yourself when you’re asleep, buddy, you sound like an ursan with a chest infection.”

Rush’s eyes went wide, “A what?!”

Fathom came to the rescue, “A big bear.” She lifted a hoof, “Anyway, I really came to tell you that your meals are ready, so you’d better hurry up or it’ll go cold.” She paused, “Colder.”

“Bugger that!” Queenie was up on her hooves in a flash and nearly knocked Fathom flying as she dived past her to the dining room. Rush rolled his eyes and stood up,

“Sorry about that.”

Fathom just smiled.

The dining table was abuzz with chatter. The centre of it was the short, rather shaggy looking mare with the small round glasses that Queenie had nearly run right into earlier. Rush extended a hoof,

“Hello, my name’s Rush. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Madra.”

Madra reached out and bumped his hoof with hers, “Madra. Likewise” She nodded towards Queenie, “We’ve already met.”

The white mare smiled politely, although it came across as more of a grimace which Rush picked up on before quickly trying to change the subject,

“So, Madra, did you have a safe journey? Cinder told me you were an adventurer.”

Madra snorted loudly, “Hardly!” She caught the foal’s eye and shrugged, “Well, maybe a little one.” She chuckled and took a mouthful of her drink, “I’m what you may call an ‘explorer’.” Madra lifted a hoof scratched her ear, “And one who could do with a bath too.”

“I’ll run you one later, mother.” Fathom said happily.

“Mother?!” Rush squeaked in surprised, “But you look so…” He coughed, “I’m sorry, I…”

“I think I’ll take that as a compliment!” Madra barked out a laugh, “I like you!” She smiled and floated the bowl of silvery-red berries from the table in her magic, popping one of the glistening fruits into her mouth, “Now a stallion like you could go far! I bet you’re a hit with the girls, eh?”

Fathom clucked her tongue, “Mother!”

“Meh!” Madra snorted, “I’m not too old for a…” She paused, noticing Cinder hanging off every word, “…a run through the forest” she finished with a cough.

“Look what nana got me!” Cinder chirped.

The foal lifted up a magnificently carved figurine of something Rush had never seen before. He stared at it: it was made out of a delicate blue and white stone, rather like marble, and made to resemble what looked like waves, no…clouds…clouds and a horse of some kind, riding them. He stared at in awe…it was absolutely beautiful.

“Cinder!” Fathom hissed, “I said to leave your things in your room!”

“Aw…”

Rush reached out to the figure and hesitated. It was so lifelike, so delicate, and yet projected such power and grace he was lost for words,

“It’s beautiful” he breathed

Madra shrugged, “Isn’t it though?” She wolfed down another berry, “The artist really captured the spirit of the wild nature of the wendigo in this, I think. It has so much movement in it, despite being a static piece.”

“It’s a what?” Rush asked in surprise, “A wen…?”

“A wendigo” Queenie said quietly, “Also called windigo, but it depends who you speak to regarding the pronunciation.” She stared down at her plate, “They were…” she swallowed, “They fought for the Legion.”

Madra raised an eyebrow, “They fought for themselves.”

“And Nightmare Moon” Fathom added.

Madra snorted, “If you say so.”

“I’ve never heard of them” Rush said scratching his chin, “At least, I don’t think so. Are they a kind of thestral?”

“Thestral?!” Madra banged a hoof on the table, “Those bloody things?!”

“Mother!” Fathom leaned across the table, her eyes flashing, “Please! Rush hasn’t been in Equestria long, and doesn’t understand such things. Please, have some understanding.”

“Huh!” Madra turned to Cinder, “See how my daughter tells me off for being naughty, Cinders? You’re not the only one who can get a spanked bottom, you know.”

Cinder looked up with a beaming grin at her mother, “You’re going to get a smacked botty!”

“Good grief!” Fathom threw her forelegs up in the air in exasperation, eliciting a round a chuckles and giggles from the rest of the table.

Holding up her hoof for quiet, Madra leaned forward and poured Rush a drink, “Wendigo, my dear Rush, are warriors who fought with Nightmare Moon and the Legion.”

“They fought Celestia and her ponies?” Rush asked, intrigued, “What happened to them?”

Madra sighed, “The white witch happened.”

Fathom raised her hoof, “Mother, please, that’s not-”

“-You can’t hide from history, and you can’t hide from the truth either, no matter how horrible of unpalatable it may be, daughter” Madra said, her voice lowering. The temperature around the table seemed to drop suddenly, “You haven’t walked the halls of the fortress, the home of the Lord and Lady of the wendigo. You haven’t seen the blasted and shattered remains of what had once been a structure that was so magnificent to behold it inspired song and verse across the entire world! It is only when you have walked in their hoof steps, when you have walked through the pass of tears wading knee deep through the bones of your family and loved ones, that you can see, truly see, and come to understand, just what evil…true evil, really is.”

“I don’t understand.” Rush breathed, “What happened to them? Are they all…?”

“Dead?” Madra’s eyes flashed in the candlelight, “Perhaps. The white witch saw to that. She burned to then death; melting their bodies, incinerating them even as they ran, running to try and save the last of their kind. Stallions, mares, the young, the old, even foals…” She closed her eyes, “It didn’t matter to her; they were nothing, no more than the flickering of flames…to merely be…snuffed out.”

Suddenly all the lanterns and candles went out, plunging the room into near darkness save for the glow of the fire in the hearth reflected in Madra’s eyes.

Cinder screamed.

“MOTHER!” Fathom shrieked, banging the table with her hooves. Her horn glowed briefly and flames flickered in the darkened room, setting the candles alight once again and reflecting in the tear stained eyes of the terrified foal clinging to her mother. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Fathom snapped, “You’re scaring the life out of Cinder!”

Madra sniffed, “The truth can leave a bitter taste” she said quietly, “Come now, Cinders, come to nana. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have scared you like that.”

“You should have some common sense, mother.” Fathom huffed, “We do have guests, you know.”

“Guests” Madra shrugged, “You’re right.” She turned to Rush, “I’m sorry Rush, I shouldn’t have rambled on like that. Forgive an old mare.”

Rush shook his head, “No, I…I didn’t know any of that.” His mouth hung open in shock and amazement. These creatures, these, ‘wendigo’, had been annihilated by this monster, this…’white witch’? He’d heard tales of witches when he lived in the village, but usually they were no more than some elderly spinster or widow who had a thing for cats and shouting incoherently at noisy youngsters. Good Gods, that was probably him! Apart from the cats of course; mind you, he rather liked cats…

“What happened to the Legion? The thestrals?” he asked.

Madra tossed her mane, “They were wiped out” she said quietly, “There are no more thestrals.”

“That’s not true” Harn huffed, raising a hoof, “Many went north, along with the dragons and minotaurs, heading for the portal back to their world.”

Arith nodded, “I heard that too.”

Madra shrugged, “It doesn’t matter; Nopony cares anymore. Nopony is interested in history either - it’s all long dead and forgotten.” She reached over and tousled Cinder’s mane, “It’s a place where only sorrow resides now.”

“We have to think about today, and the future of our home.” Fathom added, “And the future of little ones like Cinder.”

“Do you have foals?” Madra asked Rush suddenly, “You look the marrying type.”

Rush shuddered, letting out a breath. He tried a smile, “I was married once. I had a…a daughter, too.” He closed his eyes and gave himself a shake, “I lost them both to bandits some years ago.”

“Oh.” Madra looked down at the table and poked at her bowl of cherries, “I’m sorry. Sometimes I don’t know when to keep my big mouth shut.”

“I’ve been telling you that for years.” Fathom muttered, earning a scathing glance from her mother.

Rush lifted a hoof, “You weren’t to know, Madra. Besides, it was a long time ago.”

“You seem like a fit young fellow, though” Madra replied observantly, “I’m sure there’s plenty of foal making material left in you yet, eh?”

“Mother! Good grief!” Fathom tapped Rush’s hoof, “I’m sorry Rush, she’s terrible when she gets like this.”

Madra snorted loudly, “I don’t know what you’re acting so prudish about, you’re always banging on about ‘breeding outside the clan’ all the bloody time. Goddess above, you want to practice what you preach, Fathom.” She gave Rush a prod, “Look here! Prime stallion flesh right in front of you, and you act like some old washer mare and…”

Queenie cleared her throat, “Pardon me, would you excuse me?”

Madra looked up as the white mare jumped down from her chair, “Huh?”

“I’ve finished and I have to get the last of my things ready for tomorrow. When we leave?” Queenie waggled her eyebrows meaningfully at Rush, “Right?”

“Er…sure” Rush cleared his throat, “I’ll just-”

“-Rush can stop and chat for a while, can’t you dear?” Madra’s hoof shot out and clamped onto the surprised brown stallion. She smiled wolfishly, “You can run along and pack your things, Queenie, while we have a natter. After all, poor Rush has barely had anything to eat yet!”

Queenie’s face darkened, but to her credit, she kept her demeanour calm and pleasant, “Of course, Madra.” She turned to Fathom, “Thank you for the meal, Fathom, it was excellent as always.” And without waiting for a response, she trotted from the room. Rush waited for the door to slam, but thank the Gods she kept her anger under control – so why did he find that more worrying than an outright display of anger? A thought suddenly occurred to him: at some point he was going to have to go into that room…
B6
“So, Rush…” Madra began.

“Huh?” Rush looked up, distracted by Queenie’s behaviour.

Madra smiled, her toothy grin made only worse by the small round spectacles perched on her muzzle, “Do you know how to dance?”

***********************

Rush pushed open the door and ducked back, half expecting something to come flying out at him, yet surprisingly no missiles, neither ceramic or otherwise, targeted the wary stallion. Peering inside, he quickly found that Queenie was indeed, as she’d said earlier, packing her bags – again. Rush walked over and sat beside her,

“Queenie? Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine” came the reply.

Rush rubbed his muzzle and stared at the floor, “If only that were only true.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The white mare hissed angrily, “Don’t bloody well start!”

Rush snorted irritably, “I’m not arguing with you, Queenie. I don’t know what’s going on between you and Madra, but we’re leaving tomorrow and-”

“-Between Madra and me?!” Queenie rounded on Rush, “Have you seen the way she looks at me? The way she talks to me or just outright blanks me completely?” The white mare gritted her teeth, barely keeping her anger under control, “That little bitch is…” She shook her mane angrily, “Gah! Luna’s arse, Rush, can’t you see it?”

Rush furrowed his brow, “See what? You think I’m missing something?”

Apparently he was. Queenie roughly shoved her packs into the corner of the room before pushing into her friend until she was nearly muzzle to muzzle with him,

“I don’t think, I know” Queenie’s voice dropped to a low growl, “I’m a mare, Rush, and I can see the way she looks at you. I know what she wants, and you’re too bloody stupid to realise it.”

Rush groaned. What was it with these mares? Was it the shortage of males in Equestria? Or had they always been like this? He took a breath, wanting to put a stop to this madness, “Look Queenie, I’m not an object to be used and passed around like some bloody toy, you know.” He shook his mane and looked her square in the face, “I’m a living being with thoughts and feelings of my own. Just because some males’ brains shut down the moment they encounter any receptive female that passes by, it doesn’t mean we’re all like that! Gods protect me, you mares seem to be completely obsessed with stallions for some reason, and as much as I find it flattering, I wish you’d all just leave me the hell alone!”

Queenie blinked in surprise and narrowed her eyes, “As if you had any say in the matter.”

Rush stood up angrily, “What? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, my dear Rush, that you have no say in the matter” Queenie said levelly, “Madra has her sights set on you. Whether for herself, or for Fathom, she will be coming for you, and there’s bugger all you can do about it.”

“I can say no” Rush said with a nod of his head.

“Ha! You can try!” Queenie snorted, “But I’ve seen mares like her before, Rush; she won’t give up.”

“Bollocks!” Rush snapped, “We’re going in the morning, and that’s that.”

Queenie just sighed and sat down, “We’ll see” She stared at the floor and smiled sadly, “Goddesses, I hope I’m wrong.”

An hour, maybe more passed by, leaving the two friends sitting in an awkward silence and watching the flame flickering in the lantern as the night gathered beyond the window. Rush stared out into the darkness, listening to the muted sounds of the forest beyond and…was that…was that music? He cocked his head, listening. He was sure he could… Yes!

There was a knock at the door.

“Rush? Queenie? It’s Fathom, may I come in?”

Queenie opened the door, “Fathom? Is everything alright?”

“Of course!” the grey mare smiled, “We’re having a celebration to give thanks to the Goddess for Madra’s safe return and to ask for her blessing for our two new friends.” She stepped back and waved a hoof towards the open front door, “Won’t you join us?”

Rush nodded, “We’d be happy to.”

For some reason Queenie seemed a little reluctant and shot Rush a look, but thankfully she kept it hidden from their host. “Of course, Fathom” she smiled, “You’re our friends and have done so much for us. Thank you.”

Fathom smiled broadly and trotted out the front of the house to where flames from a bonfire could be seen flickering in the darkness. Queenie’s hoof shot out and stopped Rush in his tracks,

“Rush, look, I know you may not believe me, but please, there’s something about this situation that’s really worrying me. She gave him a look that made his heart leap, “I’m…I’m frightened.”

“Oh, Queenie, come on…”

“No! Rush, listen,” Queenie tossed her mane, “I’m being serious. I heard…stories about ponies like these, and I’ve been wracking my brains trying to remember what they were, but I can tell you they weren’t good.” She squeezed her eyes shut a moment before fixing him once more with her orange gaze, “Just…please, be careful, alright?”

Rush smiled, “I will, don’t worry.”

He trotted out into the garden leaving Queenie shaking her head in dismay. It was hard to get through to Rush sometimes, and he had that blasted stubborn streak too that simply infuriated her! But regardless of her feelings, there was a certain undercurrent with this family - one she’d put down at first to the fact they were all unicorns living in the forest, and all looked the same. But then Madra comes along, the eldest of the grey unicorn family, and she’d immediately set her sights on Rush. She knew all too well how stallions behaved around a mare who gave them ‘that’ look! That said, Rush had been the only other stallion who had spurred Queenie’s advances, and he certainly had a level of confidence and self control about him that she was unused to. But still…Madra… Goddesses, she didn’t like her one bit! And just to make matters worse, they were all bloody Lunarian’s too! Sure, some ponies worshipped Celestia and some Luna, but there was something connecting the two: the whole grey pony and Luna thing, that…

“Queenie? You coming? Come on, the party’s starting!” Arith’s face appeared around the corner, a tray of mugs and bottles floating in the blue glow of her magic.

Smiling, Queenie reluctantly left the sanctuary of the room and headed into the unknown.

Outside, the family had gathered around a large iron basket that had been filled with wood and was now blazing away merrily, sending its light and heat out to the assembled ponies who smiled happily, watching the sparks floating away into the night sky. Rush and Queenie stood together while the other passed around drinks. Whatever it was, it tasted refreshingly fruity, tangy and was absolutely delicious. Rush smacked his lips happily and was soon reaching for another when Fathom clopped her hooves for attention,

“Fillies and Gentlecolts!”

Cinder, out well past her normal bedtime, giggled and leaped about next to her aunt while her mother spoke.

“Tonight, we give thanks to the Goddess of the Moon” the grey mare announced, “to our Princess, to the one who guides are hearts in the darkness and blesses our dreams with peace and prosperity, love and gentleness. We give thanks.”

The grey ponies all spoke as one, “We give thanks.”

Rush opened his mouth to speak, but ended up mumbling quietly before deciding that since he had no idea what was going on, he would be best advised to keep simply quiet and listen. He caught a glimpse of Queenie’s face – she didn’t look happy at all.

“To our lady of the night sky, to the one who stood by our side and was given to the astral plane - we give thanks.”

Surprising himself, Rush joined in this time, “We give thanks.”

Fathom bowed and then stood on her hind legs, raising her forehooves to the sky,

“Mother of the Moon, Princess of the Night, we thank you for your light, we thank you for bringing your daughter, Madra, safely home to her loving family. We give thanks.”

“We give thanks.”

“We ask of thee, dearest mother, to bless our friends, Rush and Queen’s Court, so nearly drowned in the flood waters, but delivered to us so that we may protect them with your grace. We give thanks.”

“We give thanks.”

“Oh Mother, for your blessing, for your love and for your gentle light, in the sure and certain knowledge that you shall return to our mortal realm to lead your children once more - we give thanks.”

“We give thanks.”

Fathom bowed her head, “Blessings be to Luna.”

Rush bowed and echoed the words, “Blessings be to Luna.”

Silence fell, and then, with a loud clopping of hooves, the music began. Rush turned to Queenie as the others leaped up and began dancing and jumping about the fire in time to the lively tune,

“This reminds me of home” he said happily, “It’s just like the festivals to welcome in the spring or to give thanks for a good harvest.” He sighed and finished the rest of his wine, “Home…” he sighed. Rush looked at Queenie who was glaring at the ground, “Queenie?”

She looked up at him and smiled, but her expression never reached her eyes, “Come on, we’d better join in or they’ll think we’re-”

“-RUSH!” Fathom leaped forward and grabbed his forelegs, “Come, dance with me! Come! Come!”

Whooping with delight, the grey mare whisked Rush off into the firelight, spinning and leaping with complete abandon. Laughing despite himself, Rush found himself caught up in the moment, whisked away by the happy, dancing ponies while the music played on.

Ensconced in the blue glow of his magic and the yellow of the firelight, Harn played with unimaginable passion. He was good, incredibly good in fact. The lute floating before him sang louder than any words and seemed to fill the world itself with its insistent refrain. Rush laughed aloud as Arith danced past him, her drum effortlessly held in her magic, passing it to her mother while she took Rush’s forehooves in hers and took the lead. It was the first time the chocolate brown pony, the earth pony from the other world, had truly thrown his usually conservative demeanour to the four winds and simply…lived.

The music played on, the drink flowed; even the food was like a gift from the Gods themselves. Rush grinned like a child receiving presents on their birthday, but he didn’t care; he’d been through so much, endured such horrors, and yet now, with these people, these ponies, he could simply let the world and all its worries disappear and just let himself be free.

Finally, exhausted, Rush flopped onto the ground and gulped back the last of his latest cup of wine.

“Enjoying yourself?” Queenie asked.

“Absolutely!” Rush grinned, “You aren’t?”

“We’ve got to be up early in the morning” she replied.

“Pfff!” Rush snorted, “Don’t be such a stuck-in-the-mud, come and have a dance!” He thought for a moment, “Hey! Stuck-in-the-mud! Get it?”

Queenie rolled her eyes, “Yes…yes, Rush, I get it.”

“Meh! Bloody misery…” Rush grabbed a cup of wine from the passing tray, “Have a drink, Queenie, it’s our last night here.”

“No.”

Rush threw up his forelegs in exasperation, “Oh, for the Gods’ sake.”

“I said no!” Queenie slammed her hoof down and glared at him.

“Rush!” It was Madra, “Come have a dance with me, my big earth stallion. Come and show me how they danced in your world!”

Queenie watched impassively as Rush, foolish, tipsy, and hopelessly naïve Rush, was whisked away into the swirling fire lit dance, while Harn and Arith laughed and played the fast tempo music – music that had her heart racing and her chest heaving. Right now, right here, this, not Rush’s, was like a different world – a world neither she, nor he, belonged.

***********************

The night was drawing in. Time felt strange to her now, as though it were like soap in the bath, slipping away each time she tried to catch it in her hooves. Twice now, twice she had lost Rush: once because of the portal, and now because of…because of her? No…because of him and his bloody mindedness! Wasn’t it? She reached up and rubbed her muzzle; none of this was making sense anymore, none of it! Headaches, dizziness, and now fainting fits? What in Equestria was happening to her? And the way ponies were staring at her lately too: as if she were losing her mind like some crazed lunatic likely to tear them to shreds at any moment! No, no this was all wrong. She had to find Rush, and then she would go back and speak to Starswirl and get this blasted nonsense sorted out once and for all. She nodded to herself and leaned back against the tree, holding the curious pendant in her magic. It was a fascinating thing, if a little bland to look at, but it was her only hope, her only chance of finding him. What was perplexing however, and stretching her nerves to near breaking point, was the way the infuriating thing was sending her first one way and then the other! Earlier they’d found hoof prints in the mud which disappeared near a stream, the next thing they knew they were heading downstream only to find the white light of the pendant sending them back upstream! So much for the ‘great wizard’! Celestia groaned and hung her head; it had been like this for hours, days maybe…she couldn’t tell. Rush had to be alright, he simply had to be, or else surely they would have found something, anything, by now. What was even more terrifying however was that their scouts had found signs of timber wolves in the forest near where the hoof prints in the mud bank had been. To think – timber wolves! Those vile freakish nightmares, the monsters created from corrupt magic, had multiplied during the war, feeding on the thaumaturgical fallout from the innumerable spells crafted for a singular purpose – to kill.

Gods, what a mess…

Celestia sighed, took a deep breath and slowly let it out while closing her eyes for a quick doze. Her soldiers were taking it in shifts to guard the perimeter of their campsite, but she’d already cast a spell to protect them all for the night. Soldiers – they never changed, and maybe it was better this way. These ponies, veterans all, had willingly come with her to find Rush. What they actually thought of him personally wouldn’t matter to these hardened ponies, only their duty. She sniffed back a sarcastic laugh; these rough, tough troops, out here, searching for their Princess’s lost coltfriend – who would have believed it? Luna, Mother, Father, they would all think she had lost her mind, and maybe…maybe she had. She certainly hadn’t been herself lately, she knew that all too well, even if she didn’t really want to admit it to herself – certainly not openly. Celestia sighed; good Gods, she was coming apart at the seams! All those years of stress, the years of pain from the wounds left by internecine warfare, and then what? That was it, was it? Just like somepony blowing out a candle, the war was over. But it was the invisible wounds, the unseen scars it left behind, not only on the land, but on those whom it had touched – they were the ones who had been left to live with their suffering until they passed over to the herd, and what they had seen, what they had experienced, would one day become little more than a faint memory. One day, somepony may discover a rusting sword in the forest, perhaps stumble upon a pile of bones and armour of some long forgotten soul, mouldering on a lonely hillside, but even then, it would be no more than an interesting find, a note to be made in a diary. And what of her? What of the Princess of the sun? She was expected to just ‘carry on as normal’, was she? She could see it in their eyes, it was in their demeanour and the way they all looked at her. They expected her to know exactly what to do, no matter what the situation was - they always did, and they always trusted her to make the right choices too. Celestia shook her head; she’d been born to this, as her sister had, but somehow…somehow nopony ever saw the mare beneath the crown: they never saw the mare, just the Princess, just...the alicorn. Still, once she had Rush back she would be able to refocus on rebuilding this land, making it stronger and more resilient. Now that was a goal that was worthy of remembrance – and remember they would. She would make sure they never forgot, nor repeated the mistakes of the past. But to do it alone? No…no, that had never been something she’d wanted.

Celestia yawned; Gods, she was so tired! She wasn’t used to sleep outdoors, and in her haste to join the search she’d not bothered to bring a tent and had resorted to using a bedding roll meant for ponies, not alicorns. Groaning, she rolled over, trying to make herself a little more comfortable and let the sounds of the night wash over her. The cries of foxes and owls had an eerie, yet magical quality that soothed the soul, together with the faint music that danced on the edge of her hearing – the guards must be playing something round the campfire. She smiled and opened a bleary eye; they were playing cards, chatting and…there were no instruments to be seen. She closed her eyes and concentrated; there, faint, and just on the edge of hearing was…music. It was a string instrument, a lute if she was any judge, and…a drum, and…she sniffed…wood smoke. Celestia glanced at their own fire: the smoke was blowing in the other direction, but this one was definitely coming through the trees towards them. With a huff, the Princess was up and on her hooves, cocking her head to listen more intently. Yes! Definitely music!

“Sergeant Felt Line?”

The scarred veteran trotted up and saluted smartly, “Aye, Your Majesty?”

“Can you hear that?” she asked.

Felt Line, one of her oldest royal guardsponies, narrowed his eyes, squinting into the darkness and swivelled his ears as he strained to listen. He shook his head and then motioned for one of the younger guards to join them,

“Hansom,” he called, “you’ve got good ears on you lad, can you hear anything out there?”

The younger stallion listened, cocking his head on one side. Celestia watched him intently, waiting for…

“Music” the guardstallion said with a nod of his head, “No doubt about it.”

Felt Line bobbed his head to his Princess, “Your order, Your Majesty?”

“You know your trade, Sergeant” she said quietly, “I don’t want any surprises: nopony gets hurt, and nopony gets lost out there. We don’t know what’s going on, so let’s keep things nice and civil, yes?”

Felt Line saluted, “Aye, Your Majesty, by your command.”

In moments it seemed, the camp had disassembled itself as if by magic. The fire was put out, not doused, but smothered, while the soldiers donned their cloaks to cover their armour and readied weapons. Celestia had found long ago that soldiers did what soldiers did best, and they performed at their best when left to ply their trade with a loose rein. She herself was no stranger to a fight of course, but these ponies had joined to protect Equestria, and her, and they would to their last breath if need be. Tonight however, was not a night for soldiers. This was no battle – this was music; a joyful, happy refrain that pulled strangely at her soul, calling to her to come and join, to dance and be merry with friends.

Still, it didn’t hurt to be…prepared.

Walking through the woods, Celestia headed towards the sound, the music steadily growing louder with every hoof step. But her eyes weren’t looking into the forest, they were on the glowing white pendant around her neck. It was…moving, lifting into the air as it shone, its light becoming so bright it was now almost blinding. Hastily, Celestia pulled her travel cloak around her chest, smothering the light and gave herself a shake; she was near, wasn’t she? At last, after all this searching! Gods, how her heart beat in her chest, her blood roaring in her ears – it felt like the time she’d brought him back to Equestria, back home, all over again! When she had him back this time, when she had him home, safe in the palace, she was never letting him go again…never!

Twigs and branches brushed past her, snagging on her cloak, but Celestia ignored them. She was so near now she could see the flames of the bonfire, hear the laughter of ponies, the drunken singing and…

She froze.

“Rush?” Celestia’s voice was a bare whisper. There, through the bushes of the untamed forest, she could see something, some movement. Moving closer, quietly, she could make out shapes, ponies, and… voices…

“Just a little more, hmm?”

“I really shouldn’t, I think I’ve had enough already.”

“Really? A stallion should have a big appetite, Rush. A strong fellow like you? A big, powerful earth stallion, could surely manage just a little drop? Just a little…taste…”

Rush chuckled, “Oh alright, just a whisker.” He reached over and took a pull on the jug, coughed, and then barked out a laugh, “Now that’s got a kick!”

“It bucks back, alright” the grey mare said taking a mouthful herself, “Now, how do you feel?”

Celestia held her breath as Rush sat on his haunches and stretched out his forelegs, “I feel…I feel good…great in fact! I feel…I feel…”

“Hmm?” the grey mare murmured quietly, moving closer to him, “How do you…feel?”

“I feel…good” he replied, a silly grin spreading across his face.

“Are you feeling…hungry?” the mare asked.

Rush nodded, “Uh-huh.”

The unicorn leaned forward and whispered in his ear, so quiet Celestia could barely hear, “I’m here, Rush. All you need to do is reach out…and have a taste. A taste so rare, so delicious, that you won’t want any other…ever again…”

Rush blinked, seemingly a little unsure, and although decidedly wobbly on his hooves, he still had strength in him to reach out and take the unresisting mare in his forelegs,

“Yes…” he mumbled.

Celestia’s forehooves dug painfully into her muzzle as she stared wide eyed at the scene unfolding before her. That was Rush, wasn’t it? She wasn’t wrong, it couldn’t be some other pony and…and…but she’d called him by name, hadn’t she? Rush…Rush was…with another mare. A pain unlike anything she’d ever known, unlike anything she’d ever experienced in her entire life, lanced through her chest nearly flooring her. Her Rush…her beloved-

“Rush!”

Celestia ducked back down. Another mare, a cream coated earth mare with a black mane had broken away from the dancers around the fire and found the two together. Despite the darkness, the fury in her face was all too clear,

“What the hell are you doing?” she gasped, “Don’t do this! What-”

“-Oh shut up!” The grey mare snapped, “You had your chance, now bugger off. Rush and I are having a little…together time.”

“You old sow!” The earth mare shrieked, “What the hell are you doing to him?”

“Giving him what he wants!” The mare growled, “Something you should have known how to do yourself, girl.” Her yellow eyes narrowed, “I won’t warn you again…”

“Damn it!” The newcomer took a step forward, knocking the jug of alcohol over, spilling the silvery red mixture out onto the grass where it sparkled eerily in the flickering light. Celestia’s eyes went wide in shock, her muscles twitching and her magic stirring within her. She looked from the liquid to the grey mare - the grey, unicorn mare with the yellow eyes and the snowflake cutie mark.

Suddenly she gasped in realisation; she knew what this pony was…SHE KNEW!

The two mares glowered at each other with their prize, the befuddled Rush, sitting up and giggling vacantly. The grey mare opened her mouth to speak and suddenly froze, her eyes swivelling to her left, staring right into the eyes of…

Madra breathed the words, “The white witch…”

A vision in purest white, her bright purple eyes blazing with the light of the magic of the Princess of the sun - Celestia, in all her regal power, stepped out from the darkness,

“Wendigo” she growled.

Queenie looked round in shock and fright at the Princess standing before her. She’d seen Celestia before of course, in the distance at speeches and commemorations, but to be so close to her! Dear Goddesses, she could feel the magic pouring off her, making her skin feel like it was covered in fire ants. The white alicorn, her wings ruffling and her magnificent rainbow mane shining, filled her vision as Celestia threw off her cloak. Madra however, was staring at her with abject hatred,

“Come to finish us off at last, eh?” she hissed, “Come to finish the job?”

Celestia could feel her teeth grinding as she glared at this…this thing! “You evil monster!” she hissed, “I should have known your kind would be behind something like this!” Her teeth bared as she focussed her anger on the grey mare before her, “Your evil stench is all over this place, and here you are, poisoning an innocent pony into your world of sickening depravity.”

“What do you care?!” Madra snapped back, “You murdered our people! You slaughtered foals, mares, and stallions by the score, whether they were a threat to you or not. You destroyed our home and left us nothing, Celestia, NOTHING! Without the fortress, without our link to the world beyond, we are powerless - we are nothing to you!”

The Princess took a step forward, “Your kind will never change” she snarled, “You will find a way to bring your evil back into the world; you will taint, you will corrupt…like you’ve tried with him, with Rush.”

Madra stared at her, and then down at Rush. So, that was it was it? Rush was…hers. She closed her eyes and smiled sadly,

“So…this is how it ends, eh?”

“Mother?” Fathom trotted into the clearing, “What’s going on? I could hear shouting and…” Her eyes locked onto the Princess and she let out an ear piercing scream, “The white witch!”

Madra lifted her hoof, “Fathom, take Cinder and the others. Run, for the Goddess’s sake, get them out of here and don’t look back.”

Fathom turned to run, only to come face to face with a cloaked pony carrying a spear. He said nothing, he didn’t have to. Madra sighed and looked down sadly while before her, Celestia’s horn began to glow, her eyes narrowing dangerously,

“Get away from him” the Princess hissed.

Madra shook her head, “Let my family go, Celestia, that is all I ask.”

The Princess’s horn shimmered with barely restrained power,

“Let…him…go…”

“They have done nothing to you! We cannot harm you or anypony! Don’t you realise it? You won! The war is over, the wendigo are no more!” Madra released Rush and stood up on her hind legs, “Kill me then, kill me and take that as our offering to you, Celestia. Please, I beg you, Princess, let my family live.”

A small grey blur dodged past one of the soldiers and entered the clearing, quickly hiding behind her mother’s legs, “Mummy! Mummy, I’m scared, what’s happening?”

Silence fell, and a voice spoke, a single word…a name…

“Tia?”

The golden light of magic winked out. Celestia looked away from the grey mare and stared down at Rush who was looking up at her in a confused haze,

“You’ve…you’ve come.” He blinked and gave himself a shake, “Gods above, I’m either drunk or dreaming…”

Celestia hurried forward, taking up the brown stallion in her forelegs and buried her muzzle in his mane. She didn’t care about the others, not now, not any more… She finally had what she sought; she’d found him…he was hers again. The Princess breathed in Rush’s scent, taking in the familiar musky overtones of the stallion that she loved so dearly,

“Oh, Rush” she breathed, “Rush, Rush, Rush…”

“Tia…” Rush kissed her neck, sending a jolt through her, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I know” Celestia said quietly, “I know…” She turned to the soldiers, “Sergeant, we’re leaving.”

“Your Majesty, what about the wendigo?” The old veteran huffed, “Should we…?”

Celestia shook her head, lifting her cloak up and draping it over Rush’s back, “There are no wendigo here, Sergeant” she said sadly, “They, like the war, no longer exist.” Carefully, she fastened the cloak under Rush’s neck and turned to Queenie, “Are you from the logging team?” Queenie nodded. “Then gather anything you have of yours and follow us” She smiled, “It’s time to go home.”

Chapter Twelve - The Chocolate Princess

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE CHOCOLATE PRINCESS

“Dude, I’m telling you, she was like seriously freaking out. Some of the guys thought she was going to blast them into powder, yeah?”

Rush sighed, rubbing his hind legs, “You make her sound like she’s some sort of crazy old lunatic. She’s been under a lot of pressure, you know. Cut her some slack, Grove, that’s bound to have affected her.”

“Huh, yeah, right!” Grove snorted, “I think you know who was the cause of that!”

Rush neighed loudly, “Gods give me strength, I know! What do you want, a public apology or something?”

“A public flogging would be better.” Grove replied sarcastically, “For starters anyway.”

Rush groaned and leaned his head on the table, “I don’t bloody believe this. I’ve been stuck here for weeks, WEEKS! I’ve been banned from drinking, I’m on some bloody bizarre diet that makes me feel like I’m eating cat litter and I’m still stuck on ‘Biscuit the foal and the chocolate candy caper’!”

“At least you finished ‘Big Bob’s big night out’” Grove reasoned with a cheeky smirk.

“Oh belt up!” Rush snapped, “I’m bloody well pissed off to the back teeth with this rubbish. I can’t get it! I just can’t!”

“You’ll get the hang of it” Grove said flipping the pages of ‘Lime Pickles party palooza’. He furrowed his brow, “What’s a palooza, anyway?”

“How the buggering hell should I know?” Rush complained, thumping the desk, “I can’t read, I can’t write, I’m a bloody prisoner in the palace, and Tia doesn’t trust me to get dressed in the morning without help.”

“She’s just protective of you after what happened” Grove reasoned, “Come on, we all thought you’d snuffed it.”

“Oh, well pardon me!” Rush replied huffily, “I didn’t do it deliberately you know. Being washed away, half drowned, nearly eaten by timber wolves and then drugged by some randy old mare, kind of makes me feel like I need a holiday, not trapped in here reading bloody foals books!”

Grove shook his head, “She loves you, Rush, you know that.”

“She doesn’t trust me, you mean.” Rush huffed.

“What? How the hell did you come to that conclusion?” Grove asked loudly, “Many of the lads would give their right foreleg for what you’ve got.”

“Huh! Yeah, I’m sure” Rush shook his mane, “Look, Grove, I just need to get outside and have a walk, no, a run. I can’t stand being stuck in here, it’s driving me mental!”

“Bit late for that if you ask me” Grove held up a hoof hurriedly as Rush span round angrily, “Joke! I was joking!” He smiled, “Look, dude, leave it with me, yeah? I’ll have a word with her nibs and-”

The brown stallion snorted loudly and slammed the book closed, “Sod that, I’m going out now.”

“What?! Rush, don’t be stupid, she’ll kill you! Us, I mean…us!” Grove jumped down from the stool but Rush was already out the door, “For the Goddess’s sake, Rush, I’m too young to be vaporized!”

“Then bugger off and tell I snuck out without you.” Rush called over his shoulder.

“Oh right, like she’d believe that!” Grove sighed and then ran forward, blocking Rush’s path, “Look, Rush, just stop for a bloody minute will you?” He held out a hoof and prodded the brown stallion in the chest, “I’ve got…’contingency’ plans, okay?”

Rush narrowed his eyes, “What?”

Grove stared at his hooves, “I mean, in case you really needed to go out, I’ve got…um…you know…”

“No?” Rush said.

“Okay! Goddesses, I’ve got money and instructions from Celestia to take you out and get you some new threads and books and stuff,” Grove explained, “but only if you insisted on going out. It was a kind of last resort thing.”

“A last resort?” Rush said in amazement, “What, she thinks I’m going to run off again, does she?”

“You can’t blame her!” Grove reasoned, tapping his head, “Think about it! How would you feel, eh?”

“I…” Rush shook his head and closed his eyes, “Oh, for…” He groaned, “Lead on then, oh great sage of wisdom.”

“Ha!” Grove snorted, “And don’t you forget it!”

The two friends walked out of the palace, heading down the long winding steps, past the pristine white and gold buildings, and struck out for the far less ornate town and rolling green fields of Paddock. Grove nudged Rush as they walked, trying to distract his friend from the darker moods he’d been slipping into ever since he’d been brought back from his ordeal in the forest. Strange tales from the guards had been circulating about that episode too: stories of unicorns living amongst the trees, of elves, witches and demons…all sorts of strange things. Rush however had barely said two words about it, and flatly refused to talk about what had happened to him regardless of his friend’s attempts to get him to open up. Grove didn’t like that – he loved a good story, and Rush’s refusal niggled him to the point where he wanted to drag it out of him all the more.

“How’s, um...your missus doing?” he asked.

Rush stared at the ground, “Fine.”

“Oh.” Grove scrubbed his mane as he walked, “I’m sorry.”

The brown stallion shook his head, “It’s alright, Grove, it’s just one of those things.” Rush’s voice sounded weary, as though he were tired well beyond the mere physical sense of the word, “Tia and I…we haven’t spoken much” he said quietly, “When we got back, it was…it was ‘uncomfortable’, like I was a complete stranger to her. I just…I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“She wrapped up with all the negotiations still?” Grove asked.

Rush nodded, “Yeah, every day, all day. When she comes back she’s so tired she just goes straight to bed and…well…it’s like I’m not even there sometimes.”

“Rush…” Grove stopped in his tracks, “Why didn’t you say something?”

“Say what?”

Grove flung his hooves up in exasperation, “You’ve been suffering like this for weeks and you never said anything? I’m your friend for goodness sake, you could have spoken to me, or Mind even.” He scrunched his face up for a second, “Okay, maybe not Mind, she’d probably tell you to do something that would get you locked up, but come on, you can speak to me.”

Rush smiled, “I know, it’s just…you know how it is.”

“Being a stallion, huh?” Grove shrugged, “’Guys don’t cry’, yeah, I know.” He shook his head sadly, “I saw plenty who did during the war - far, far too many.” Grove stared up at the sky and smiled bitterly, “Sometimes…tears are all you have left.”

“What happened to you, Grove?” Rush asked gently, “That day, after the market when you took off. It had something to do with that mare, didn’t it?”

Grove snorted out a laugh, “Oh, that” He nickered, giving his mane a shake, “Astra and I had...something…once.” He sighed, “I met her when I was on leave and fell head over hooves for her. I suppose I was obsessed with her really, everypony said I was, but to me, she was the most beautiful mare in the world.” He paused and smiled wanly, “She still is.”

Rush watched the emotion in his friend’s features; this was hurting him, maybe more so than Rush’s own situation with Tia hurt him. He gave Grove a nudge,

“I shouldn’t have said anything” he said with a huff, “Come on, let’s…”

“No!” Grove stopped suddenly and turned to face his friend, his eyes glinting brightly, “If I…if I tell you this, you tell me what’s happening with Tia, okay?”

Rush shook his head sadly, “Grove, I…”

“Please! Rush, I…I need a friend to talk to. None of the guys, they…they wouldn’t understand, or at least they wouldn’t really care, and…and even Mind…” Grove trailed off.

“But you and Mind are....” Rush waved a hoof, “together, aren’t you?”

“It’s not like that.” Grove explained, “Mind and I are friends, friends who just…enjoy each others company from time to time. We’re not, you know, in love or anything.”

“You could have fooled me.” Rush said levelly, “I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”

“Oh, come on!” Grove laughed suddenly, “Mind doesn’t operate like that! She’s a free mare who takes what she wants, when she wants it. I’m just a quick frolic when she fancies it and that’s all, nothing more, nothing less.”

Rush shook his head, “I don’t know” he said with a sigh, “As I said: you could have fooled me.”

“Ha!” Grove snorted, “You got that right!” The first of the shops came into view and Grove pointed to one with brightly painted imagery on the outside, “Let’s get something to eat and we can have a natter before we get some you tarted up.”

“Tarted up?” Grove asked in surprise, “Hang on, you mean…oh Gods…clothes shopping?”

“Uh-huh!” cGrove grinned, “Orders are orders, mate.”

Rush groaned loudly, much to the amusement of his orange coated friend who held open the door to the shop with a beaming grin on his face. A small bell tinkled above them as they entered. Inside, bright colours assailed Rush in a massive kaleidoscope of riotous reds, yellows, whites and pinks that made his head spin. It was as if somepony were not simply trying to make you smile, but demanding it at sword point. He took a seat in a cubicle and pulled out a menu. The pictures before him were of things he’d never seen before: not at the palace, nor anywhere in the human world. They all looked like…well, they looked like lumps of edible colour. At least, he thought they were…

“Can you eat these?” Rush asked.

Grove’s eyes went wide, “You’ve never had ice cream?!”

“What’s ice cream?”

Grove threw up his forelegs, “You live at the palace! How can you not have had ice cream?!”

“How the bloody hell should I know!” Rush hissed, conscious of the other customers, “It’s not like I get much choice in the matter, it just arrives at the table. Anyway, Tia likes cakes and trifles, not…” he waved a hoof at the menu, “this stuff!”

Grove chuckled, “Oh yeah, we’ve all heard about the Princess and the chocolate cake incident.”

“What incident? I never heard about that.” Rush replied.

“Because it would probably mean a one way ticket to the heads stallions block if anypony told you!” the orange stallion replied, “Look, I’ll tell you one day, but not now, okay? Let’s order and then we can…talk.”

A yellow and white mare appeared sporting an apron and a large white floppy hat that her mane had been stuffed up into. Her smile was infectious and soon had Rush, despite his normally reserved manner, feeling an echoing smile crossing his face too,

“What can I get you chaps?” she asked chirpily.

Grove nodded towards Rush, encouragingly. Squinting at the menu, Rush tried to decipher the jolly looking text, “I’ll have erm, the er choc…no, the er…nut and honey extrava…ex…um…”

“Extravaganza?” The mare finished helpfully, “Good choice!” Somehow her smile seemed to get even wider, “Do you want any extra toppings?”

Rush looked to Grove helplessly. Chuckling, his friend gave the waitress a wink, “Load him up, Gala, it’s his first time.”

“Ice cream virgin, huh?” the mare said cheekily, “Sure, I’ll give him the works.” She waggled her eyebrows at Rush, “And to drink?”

“Oh! Er, coffee for me please” he said, closing the menu, “Milk with one.”

Grove raised an eyebrow, “Coffee? I thought you were like, the ‘tea master’ or something.”

“I fancied a change.” Rush said huffily, “I am open to new ideas, you know.”

“The new look Rush, eh?” Grove shook his head in surprise and turned to the waitress, “Usual for me, please Gala.”

The menu’s vanished along with the waitress, leaving the two stallions sitting in a suddenly awkward silence. Rush cleared his throat,

“What do you mean, the new look Rush?” he asked, trying not to sound too critical, “Have I changed that much?” He turned to look into the long mirror than ran alongside the entire wall of the shop. The image stared back at him; his blue eyes were as blue as ever, his coat, ears, mane - everything seemed the same. Well, perhaps he’d put a little weight back on after his episode in the forest, but that wasn’t surprising considering he’d gone from a fight for survival to complete inactivity, or rather, the imposed confinement by a certain overprotective alicorn. None of that, nor the lavish meals, had done anything to help keep him in trim.

“You look fine, dude” Grove said rolling his eyes, “Honestly, do think her nibs would care that much about a pound or two?”

Rush stared down at his legs, “I don’t know. I’m not, you know, fancy like some of the other guys I’ve seen in the palace, or in Paddock for that matter. What about that chap with the multi-coloured mane? Or the one by the docks with all the stripes?”

Grove snorted, “You can’t tell me that’s natural! They must have it dyed.” He scrunched up his face, “Um, what about Celestia? Does she…?”

“It’s natural.” Rush said levelly, “Comes with the magic apparently.”

“Oh.” Grove let out a sigh, “So you and her are okay now, yeah?”

Rush groaned. He knew it would come to this, and he’d hoped he could distract Grove by talking about his problems instead! But as usual, the orange guardstallion had got his own way with the conversational direction and, if he were truly honest with himself, it felt strangely liberating to be able to talk to a friend about things. He opened his mouth to speak just as the two coffee’s appeared, along with two tall glasses filled with bizarre looking balls of colour topped with cream, sprinkles, nuts and…an umbrella?!

“Enjoy!” The waitress smirked and trotted away.

“Come on, dive in!” Grove encouraged.

Tentatively, Rush lifted his spoon and scooped some of the soft colourful contents into his mouth. Grove was watching him intently, obviously expecting some sort of reaction, but…

“Oh! OH!” Rush closed his mouth and shuddered, “Oh, my Gods!” He licked his lips and scooped another spoonful into his mouth, “Mmm! Oh! Oh that’s…amazing!”

Grove burst out laughing, while other patrons peered around at the loud exclamations coming from the two stallions, “For Celestia’s sake, keep it down, Rush!” he laughed, hanging onto his sides, “Ponies will think you’re…” he wiped his eyes, “Good Goddess’s you sound like…” Grove shook his head, giving up on any further explanation.

“Is everything alright?” the waitress asked, reappearing suddenly.

Rush nodded, ramming another spoonful into his mouth, “Is it alright? It’s incredible! I’ve never…”

The spoon fell onto the table with a metallic clatter.

“Ow…OW! ARGH!”

“Oh yeah, that happens if you eat ice cream too fast.” Grove said off hoofedly, “It’ll pass.”

“Gah!” Rush flung his forelegs over his head and gasped for air, “Bloody hell, my head! This stuff should come with a bloody health warning!”

“It does” Grove pointed out, motioning towards the bottom of the sign over the counter behind them, “See?”

Rush squinted, the lancing pain above his eyes gradually diminishing, “Brain…freeze?” he said uncertainly.

Grove nodded, “Yup. If you belt it down like you were, you’ll turn your noggin into an icicle.” He took a mouthful of his own ice cream and pointed to his coffee, “Get some of that down you and it’ll help.”

Rush took a sip of the hot drink and sighed in relief as the pain quickly passed, leaving him feeling a little embarrassed. Grove however, dismissed it,

“We’ve all done it. Pleasure and pain, eh?” he said with a smile.

“If you say so” Rush took another wary taste of the ice cream, “But it is safe to eat, right?”

Grove clucked his tongue, “No, I’m trying to poison you, aren’t I, you bloody idiot!” He rolled his eyes, “Now, come on then, what’s been happening with Tia?”

Rush leaned back, allowing the delicious sweetness to coat his taste buds - the soft, cold, deliciousness blended with the small nutty pieces and cream, taking him away on a cloud of bliss that seemed to melt his defences and inhibitions like nothing he’d ever experienced before. He closed his eyes,

“I don’t know where to start.” he said, “Honestly, I mean, when we got back to the palace she fussed over me endlessly, getting me fed, washed, and looked over by the doctor. After that she started treating me like I was made of china or something, and now she won’t even let me out of the palace.” He paused, “Except today, of course.”

Grove nodded, “She’s worried about losing you again; you know that.”

“Of course I do” Rush said, sipping his coffee, “But Grove…she won’t even…she won’t…” He hung his head. The orange stallion reached over and gave his hoof a reassuring pat,

“It’s alright, you don’t have to say anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

Rush snorted out a laugh, “Since when did you become my counsellor?” He chuckled, “Nah, it’s funny, you know? When my wife and daughter died, I didn’t really miss having female company, or any company at all for that matter. But now, after I met Tia, just to be away from her hurts…inside.” He sighed, “Grove, she…she won’t touch me, or let me touch her either, it’s like I’m infected somehow, or…tainted.”

“Have you spoken to her about it?” Grove asked.

Rush shook his head, “No. It’s hard to. She sleeps next to me of course, but she usually waits until she thinks I’m asleep before coming to bed.” Rush closed his eyes, “Every day it’s been like this, every single bloody day. I don’t think I can take much more, I…I think I’m falling apart…”

Grove shook his head, “Look mate, I’m not the best pony in the world to advise about mares, certainly not with my track record.” He smiled, “But even I can see you need to talk to her, and I mean really talk, or you really will go round the bend.” He nodded emphatically, “So today, we have a break, we get you some new duds, a clip, and present you to her as the new and improved grumpy old reed cutter.”

“Hey!” Rush laughed, wiping his eyes with a foreleg, “You rotten sod!”

“Meh, everypony loves the Grovester” Grove beamed, “Now, I suppose I owe you an explanation too.”

“About Astra?”

Grove nodded, his eyes looking down sadly for a moment before flicking back up, “She’s carrying my foal.”

“She’s what?!” Rush breathed, “But Yule! He’s, I mean…they’re…”

“Yeah, I know.” Grove said with a shrug, “I think he knows too, or at least, he suspects.”

Rush’s words caught in his throat, “Gods above, Grove, you had an affair with the pegasus guard commanders wife?!”

“She wasn’t then!” Grove retorted, “She and I were…we were in love. Celestia’s furry arse, Rush, we’ve been lovers since school! But we were from different worlds; her family certainly were, or rather are, aristocracy. Yule’s too for that matter.”

“Aristocracy?” Rush sniffed, “Money, that’s all that means.” He licked a crumb from his muzzle, “I’ve no time for them.”

Grove guffawed, “Say’s the guy bedding the Princess.”

“I am not!” Rush sputtered, “I just, I…I share the bed with her, that’s all.”

“You can’t mean you haven’t…?” Grove stared at Rush through the steam from his coffee, watching his friends vacant expression. All this time they’d been together and their relationship had… “Damn, dude, that’s…I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Rush sighed, “It’s not everything, Grove.” He lifted his spoon and scraped the last of his ice cream from the bottom of the glass, “I just wish we were, you know, that little bit closer, but I feel like she’s locked me out.” He huffed, “Anyway, what about you and Astra? You’re a royal guard, that’s got to mean something. Surely her parents would have seen the value in you, and the importance of your career to Equestria.”

Grove shook his head, “I’ve been over this time and time again, wracking my brains for what I could have done differently or what I should have done that I didn’t, and on and on and on.” He laughed, “You know Rush, there are many out there who’d say I should have just had my fun and left her, yeah? To just say, ‘okay, you know what? Sod her, she’s decided she wants that fop, Yule, so leave her to it’, and Goddesses know, they’re probably right.”

“But you still love her, don’t you?” Rush asked.

The orange stallion barked out a laugh, “You got me!” Grove sank back into his seat, closing his eyes as he spoke, “I do. When I was back from leave, she and I had a fling together. We knew it was wrong, of course we did, but her parents had just sold her off like some damned livestock to the highest bidder – a breeding cow for Yule’s family to keep the line going.”

Rush nodded slowly, “The same happened with the nobles in my world. Females were for breeding, males for fighting - the whole damned lot of them were like rabid animals.”

“No love for the nobility, eh?” Grove chuckled.

Rush sniffed, “We all feel the rain, we all need to eat, and we all need to take a crap, so yes, we are all the same.”

“Is that some human saying?” Grove asked.

Rush sniffed, “It’s a Rush-ism.”

The two friends laughed together, until Grove held his hoof up for another coffee. With a smile he turned back to his friend, “Did you hear what happened to him?”

“Who? Yule?” Rush shook his head, “Not a peep since we saw him in the market that time.”

Grove leaned across the table conspiratorially, “He’s in the clink.”

“The what?”

“The dungeons, dummy!” Grove said rolling his eyes, “A certain alicorn had him locked up.”

“You’re kidding me!” Rush’s ears perked up in fascination, “What for?”

“Treason.”

“Bloody hell!” Rush’s eyes went wide in amazement, “I don’t know about Equestria, but where I’m from that’s a capital offence.”

Grove closed his eyes and nodded sagely, “And the same here. He’s a goner for sure, and you know what that means!”

Rush paused, his coffee halfway to his lips, “Astra…” he whispered. Grove nodded in reply. “Grove, look,” Rush continued, “I wouldn’t get your hopes up, if he’s to stand trial he could be acquitted and anyway, don’t you think this is…wrong?”

“Wrong?” Grove asked, his mane twitching, “How can it be wrong? If he’s accused of treason, then off comes his head and its ‘Hello Astra’, not to mention our foal. How the hell can that be wrong, Rush?”

Rush sipped his coffee, well aware his friend seemed to banking an awful lot on seeing Yule sent to the herd and his widow falling into his conveniently waiting forelegs. He tried to keep his voice calm and understanding, “If he’s guilty, and punished accordingly, then I will support you as much as I can. I’d like to see you re-united with Astra.” He held up a hoof, forestalling Grove’s words, “Only, I’m worried you’re banking too much on this. If he’s found innocent, then nothing will change. I don’t want to see you hurt, Grove; I know all too well what its like to see your dreams shatter around you.”

Grove put his hoof down and gave an ironic laugh, “Celestia’s arse, you sure know how to deflate a guy, Rush.” He smiled, “You’re right though, I don’t even know what he’s done.”

“You don’t?” Rush asked in surprise.

Grove shook his head, “Nope. Nopony does, or they’re not saying if they do, and to make things worse, half of his command’s been placed under house arrest pending investigation.”

“Tia never said anything about this.” Rush said quietly.

“Remember what I said, my friend.” Grove said, slipping a tip under his empty coffee cup, “You need to talk to her.”

The two of them paid and left the shop, heading off up the street to their next destination: the tailors. Rush’s mind was a haze of thoughts and emotions. He didn’t like Yule that was for damned certain, but to see him executed? In many ways Equestria seemed to be a very open and accepting land, similar in some ways to the human world - up to a point. Lords, ladies, aristocracy…Gods, he’d hoped he’d got away from all of that, but then Grove did have a point didn’t he? Rush was no noble, he was just a common labourer, a cutter of reeds and little more than the ‘mad hermit’ that lived in the hills. What the hell did he know about politics, law, and nobility? All he’d been interested in was being able to pay for enough food and clothing to survive - and his one luxury – tea. He sniffed; Maybe he had changed in ways others could see that he couldn’t. Generally he felt more, what was the word…relaxed? Yes, yes he supposed that was it. He definitely felt more at ease in Equestria than he had at first, and that was despite the hordes of things trying to murder him at every turn. Here, he had something that he’d never had in his isolation in the mountains: friends. For a moment he paused; Tia…he hadn’t been with her for very long back then, had he? She was the reason he came here of course; well…part of the reason anyway, but Equestria was his home, his real home after all. Sometimes it didn’t feel like it though, in fact at times it all felt like a dream, but then he would see his legs, his hooves, and a pair of purple eyes watching him…and he knew.

“Definitely the blue and white.”

Rush started, “Huh?”

“Are you in there?” Grove asked bopping Rush on the forehead, “I can see lights on, but is anyone at home?”

Rush clucked his tongue, “What are you…oh!” The brown stallion blinked, staring at himself in the full length mirror at the dapper creature staring back at him, “Oh!”

“You like?” Grove asked.

Rush turned from side to side, inspecting the dark blue fabric covering his chest and back, the slightly off white lace trim made all the smarter by the small round pewter buttons and deep cuffs. A set of knee length boots and black trousers covered his hind quarters with a broad black belt cinching it all around his belly. Rush couldn’t believe what he was seeing, and lifted his hoof to make sure it really was him. He didn’t know what to say and just nodded dumbly.

“And the chapeau?” The tailor asked.

“Sorry?” Rush said, turning to Grove. The orange pony rolled his eyes,

“It’s a hat.”

Rush turned back to the mirror as the three cornered hat was paced on his head. A single feather, the same colour as the fabric of his tunic, finished the ensemble and made him grin from ear to ear.

“You look most elegant, sir” the tailor said emphatically, “What does sir think?”

“I…er…” Rush shook his head, still incredulous at the sight before him. He wasn’t a vain creature, he never had been - in fact he’d probably be the first to say he was quite the opposite. Rush’s home had always been neat and trim of course – up to a point. He knew where everything was and that was pretty much as far at it went. To him, clothes had a defined purpose: they covered you, they kept you warm and protected you from snags, scratches and the like, but…but this! Gods, it looked…it looked… “It looks amazing…”

“I think he likes it” Grove laughed, “Send the bill to the palace, please sir. Here’s the chitty, signed by the Princess.”

“Oh my!” The tailor said in delight, “Why, thank you sirs! Please, give my fondest and most respectful regards to Her Majesty, won’t you?” He paused, “Goodness, and don’t forget the cloak too.” The eccentric fellow grinned, “That’s a little something extra from me.”

Grove nodded his thanks and turned back to his friend, “Come on, let’s get that off you and packed up.”

“Why?” Rush furrowed his brow, “I’ve only just got it!”

Grove smirked, “It’s clipping time.”

Unfortunately, the orange pony proved to be all too true to his word, and Rush’s bags and boxes were soon on their way back to the Princess’s chambers with the courier while he found himself facing a pair of scissor wielding unicorns.

The salon was pleasantly bright and airy, well lit by large windows and lanterns that made him feel, a little uncomfortably, like he was the centre of attention. The lilac unicorn sporting a white floppy hat and apron eyed him up and down before conversing with her colleague. The two turned to Grove who was sitting on a large bench seat under one of the windows reading the paper,

“What are we doing Grovey?” one of them asked.

The orange stallion shrugged, turning a page disinterestedly, “We’ll go for the works, eh, Cow Slip.”

The young mare nodded, “Sure!” She turned to Rush, “First things first, we need to get you washed and dried. That coat is a mess!”

“Wha…?” Rush began to protest, but quickly found himself being pushed and prodded from the room. His last view of freedom: the cheeky wink from a certain orange stallion before the rotten sod returned to his reading.

All in all however, it didn’t feel too bad. The wash was surprisingly comforting, the water temperature just right, and the girls seemed to know exactly what they were doing. Magical winds, warm and soothing, dried his fur and mane, causing him to groan involuntarily as it seeped into his skin. This felt…wonderful! But all too soon, the dreaded ‘clipping’ began. Rush froze rigid and closed his eyes. Even still, around him he could see the glow of magic as the silver scissors and shears whizzed back and forth – snip, snip, snip – Gods, one slip and…! Snip, snip, snip…

Grove raised an eyebrow, “Looking good, mate.”

Rush opened one eye a crack and muttered something, still not daring to move. He could feel them working on his tail and mane now, brushing out the knots, fussing and tutting to one another about the state of it.

“Don’t you use conditioner?” One of the asked.

“No.” Rush replied quietly.

“Well, you may want to give it a try, it’ll help with all these snags and knots in your tail” the mare replied, “A better brushing in the morning and evening will help too. Going to bed with an un-brushed tail is…is sacrilege!” The other mare murmured her agreement.

“Don’t worry, girls, I’ll let her nibs know” Grove called over to a chorus of giggling.

The snipping continued unabated. Rush took a breath, but some of the cut hairs landed on his nose and made him want to sneeze. He stood firm, desperately trying to hold it in, doing everything he could to…

A damp cloth suddenly wiped his muzzle, instantly removing the desire to let fly with both barrels. Instinctively he opened his eyes to see the smiling salon mare grinning at him,

“Do you want to keep the feathering?”

“The what?” Rush asked.

Grove groaned, putting down the paper while rolling his eyes dramatically, “The hairs on the back of your legs!”

Rush lifted a hoof, “What’s wrong with them?”

“It’s like, so last century, dude.” Grove held up his foreleg, “I’m telling you, smooth is in right now.”

The girls nodded, and without even waiting for a reply, the clipping began anew.

Rush shut his eyes again until he felt the unmistakable sensation of being brushed and curry combed; now this, was more like it! The itchy cut hairs were brushed away, his head and muzzle wiped down, and lavender scented oil combed through his tail and mane before the girls turned to trimming, buffing, and oiling his hooves. Soon, the newly groomed and trim stallion, Rush the Royal Consort, stood before an admiring audience.

“Damn, dude, you really do scrub up well” Grove exclaimed. The salon mares nodded. “I think this is some of your best work” the orange stallion said emphatically, “If anypony could make him look good, it was you two, and what a job!”

“I’m not sure if that was a compliment or not.” Rush muttered, “But I’ll take it.” He bowed to the two mares, “Thank you ladies for your hard work.”

The two tittered and showed the stallions to the door after taking a hoofful of bits from Grove,

“Same time next week for you, Grovey?”

The orange stallion nodded and blew them a kiss. Rush rolled his eyes,

“A girl in every port…” He paused, “Or shop.”

“What can I say?” Grove smirked, “You’ve either got it or you haven’t.” He gave Rush a wink, “And looking like that, you’ll get it alright.”

“I’ll…” Rush had a double take, “For the Gods’ sake!” Still, he couldn’t help but chuckle. Looking like this, all smart and trim, smelling like Tia’s favourite scent too, she would be all over him! Maybe… He nodded to himself and gave his mane a shake – tonight he would whisk her off her hooves and everything would be alright. It had to be.

***************************

The guards opened the doors to the throne room and the lantern lit hallway beyond. Gods, was it this late already? She was going to have to put a time limit on these meetings - they seemed to go on forever, regardless of how much progress they made. It was as if time in meetings and time in real world had no correlation whatsoever, and there were always that one pony, yak, griffin, llama, dragon or whatever species was next on the list, who simply loved the sound of their own voice. Llama’s, she’d found, where by far the worst for incessant talking. Yaks you couldn’t get a word out of, and as for dragons… She sighed; those creatures were so stubborn! To think they wanted a quota, a quota, of ponies they were ‘permitted’ to eat on an annual basis! She’d soon put a stop to that nonsense. If the carnivorous beasts wanted meat, there were plenty of wild goats, sheep and deer they could butcher for their bloody and vile eating habits. Celestia opened the door to her chambers and yawned; it was just day after day of this, wasn’t it? Treaty after treaty, negotiations, re-negotiations…

“Oh, that’s nice…”

“Do you like it? I had it done for-”

“Yes, Rush, it’s very nice. Don’t get any loose hairs in the bed - keep them on your side, yes?”

“Tia!”

“Goodnight.”

Those damned griffins though, they were such shrewd creatures when it came to money. They’d spent hours bickering and bartering over the smallest details, pulling out scroll after scroll of… Celestia yawned and stretched; the covers of the bed feeling unusually cool tonight. She opened one eye to see Rush walking towards the door. She sat up suddenly,

“Rush? Where are you going?”

“Out” he replied simply.

“’Out’?” Celestia blinked in surprise, “What do you mean, ‘out’?”

“I’m going to have a bath, so I don’t get any hairs in the bed” Rush said levelly, his blue eyes sparkling in the lamplight, “And then I’m going out to get absolutely hammered.” He lowered his voice, “Don’t wait up, will you?”

“RUSH!” Celestia clambered from the bed, “Come…”

The door slammed shut.

“Rush…”

Celestia sank to her haunches, her eyes locked on the door, her head muzzy with the beginnings of sleep and the whirlwind of facts and figures from the endless meetings that had gone on, and on, and… She paused. What was that in the corner of the room? Boxes? She walked over and opened one of them – it was an overcoat, a blue and white trimmed overcoat, and it was beautifully made too. The next box held a hat, the next a pair of trousers and a belt, and then…a smaller box, one with a small card tucked inside the ribbon,

“’Tia’” She whispered, reading it aloud.

Inside sat a small sprig of lavender worked in gold, silver and tiny purple gems. It was such a tiny thing, so delicate, and so fragile… and there, beneath it, a folded piece of paper - creased, smudged, but clearly legible,

For my beautiful Princess.

All my love,

Rush

It was his writing. He’d tried so hard to learn, pushed himself and strived so, so hard, and he’d done this…for her. Celestia, lifted the piece of paper and kissed it tenderly,

“Oh Rush…” She felt a stinging in the corner of her eyes and sniffed loudly. All of this, all this was her fault wasn’t it? She’d been so frightened of losing him, so terrified of anything happening to him, she’d kept him locked up like some caged bird. But all this work! Day after day, week after week, and poor Rush had become relegated to little more than background noise, overwhelmed by the juggernaut of duty that mercilessly pulled her this was and that. When Luna was here, it hadn’t been so bad, but now, it was just her. Couldn’t he understand that? Couldn’t he see that she had a kingdom to run and she didn’t have any time…any…time…

The Princess looked round to the end of the bed where Rush had been standing. He’d been trying to say something to her, he’d been showing her something…what…oh no…No! She neighed loudly, shaking her head; he’d been to the salon, he’d bought clothes, he’d bought her a present, he…he’d told her he loved her, and…and she just…she told him not to get any hairs in the bed! Oh Gods, what a bloody fool she was! No wonder he was upset, and now, now she was losing him. It was happening again! It kept happening! But what was she to do? She’d thought Rush would stay by her side and…

“Oh, I don’t know! I don’t know!” Celestia whinnied.

In a burst of purple magic, the Princess teleported into the corridor, making her guards jump back in alarm. In a trice though, she was off, bolting down the corridor, charging though the myriad passages of the palace, down to the one place, the one sanctuary that she could find peace - to the only one that truly understood her heart.

***************************

She couldn’t sleep. This bed - it felt like it was full of ants! What in Equestria was wrong with the stupid thing? Turning this way and that, the unicorn mare huffed and puffed until she finally pulled herself out of the covers and landed, rather angrily, on the rug. Fussing with her mane, she trotted over to the washbowl and poured out some water, eventually giving up on the washcloth and simply plunged her whole face into it.

Lilly gasped at the shock of cold, but at least she felt more equine again. She’d been like this for ages too; ever since that damned brown freak of nature had stolen her job. Well, he hadn’t ‘exactly’ stolen her job of course, but…but he may as well have! Blasted creature: horrible, monkey, alien…thing! Every day she saw him around the palace, and every day he’d tried to speak to her, but she was too quick to caught by that beast! And what would want to say to such a monster as him anyway? He’d usurped her position, stolen her friend, and now she’d been relegated to a…to a…a background pony! Lilly lifted up the brush in her magic and began running it through her mane, angrily pulling at the tangles. The other maids had loved every minute of this, hadn’t they? Oh yes, she’d seen them, giggling behind their hooves when she walked past, smirking and passing comments about how she’d ‘fallen from grace’ and nonsense like that. But then…they were right though, weren’t they? She had fallen, and fallen partly because she couldn’t keep her blasted mouth shut! Rush of course was the real problem though; he was the one who had cast some sort of spell on the Princess and caused all this. Worse still though, was that her temper lately had been horrendous! The stories about how she’d spoken to those dignitaries, the way she’d thrown poor Yule into the dungeons, the headaches, the fainting… It was all that damned brown pony’s fault! Lilly huffed and stormed out into the corridor outside her room and headed for the kitchen. A hot cup of milk mixed with a little coffee and sugar would be just the thing for calming her frayed nerves. This time of the morning it would be quiet too, and she’d be able to have some well earned peace - and that most blessed of things…silence.

Sure enough, the kitchen was empty. Lilly lifted the lid off the stew and sniffed it; excellent! It was still good. A bowlful of the still warm stew, a hot milk…sheer, indulgent, luxury. Yawning, she put the pan on the wood stove and coaxed the flames back to life. Next was the milk, just a whisker, and…she froze in mid-pour. What was that? Rats? Goddesses she hated rats! But…no, there it was again. Not a squeak or a scratch, this sounded like…sniffing? She swivelled her ears, straining to hear – it was coming from beyond the door to the pantry. Slowly, carefully, Lilly moved closer. The door was slightly ajar, allowing her to see the flickering light of a solitary candle and somepony, or something, sitting at the small table within.

Lilly’s heart was thundering in her chest as she wondered whether to call for a guard or just push her way in and confront the occupant. Suddenly, the sound of a hopeless sob drifted out. She recognised that sound all too well: the sobbing, muttering voice - surely…?

She carefully pushed open the door.

In the lamplight, the creature looked like a monster from another world – a terrifying visage in white and brown, gorging itself on the broken and bloodied remains of its latest victim. The snorting, snuffling and whimpering creature, tears pouring down its face as it consumed its prey, never even looked up at the maid’s entrance. Lilly hung her head and sighed; she’d seen this before, and it had broken her heart then. Now, she only felt pity for the poor creature. Taking down one of the travel cloaks from the hook by the back door to the kitchen, Lilly gently draped it over the Princess’s back.

A chocolate smothered muzzle emerged from the depths of the gateaux, accompanying a pair of bloodshot purple eyes full of tears and pain that stared helplessly at the orange unicorn. Celestia sniffed back another tear,

“L…Lilly?”

“Shhh, it’s alright” Lilly soothed, stroking the alicorn’s back, “I’m here.”

“Lilly!” Celestia gasped, “Oh, Lilly! Lilly, I don’t…I don’t know…I…”

“Shhh. Be calm, now. You’ve been working too hard, Your Majesty, far too hard.” Lilly gave the Princess a nuzzle and fetched a cloth and soap, “Come on, lets get you cleaned off, you’ve got chocolate cake all over you.”

“I don’t care!” Celestia burbled, “Nopony understand me, nopony cares about my problems or who I am inside. All they see is some magical mare who can wave a hoof and fix everything in the world.” She threw back her head and let out a sob, “I may as well eat myself to death! Why not?! Would anypony care? Not for me they wouldn’t! Not for the alicorn! All they’re bothered about is having somepony to tie their damned laces for them or know how much tax to put on bloody carpets! Who the hell cares about damned bucking carpet taxes!”

Lilly took Celestia’s unresisting muzzle in her hooves and smiled gently, wiping the chocolate from her muzzle and moved the cherry that had somehow got itself stuck behind her ear. Goddesses, she was covered in it! Still, at least it was just the one cake this time. Last time, the whole larder had been annihilated. Lilly worked away, wiping and sponging off the last of the sticky, chocolaty residue until the Princess looked more like herself once again. She would need a bath of course, but that could be arranged soon enough. All she needed to do now was-

“Lilly?” Celestia sniffed the air, “Is something burning?”

“Oh bloody hell, the milk!” The orange mare jumped away and rushed into the kitchen, snatching the pan off the stove in her magic. “Sod it! There goes my hot milk plans…”

Celestia walked up and gave her a nudge, “Never mind, let’s clean up and make another. Now you’ve mentioned it, I think I’d quite like one too.” She raised an eyebrow over a cheeky smile, “Milk goes well with chocolate.”

The two of them fetched cloths and soon had the pan cleaned, the stove top tidied up, and another batch of milk heating gently. Celestia watched her maid pour the hot milk into each cup, careful to make sure they were both level and well stirred. Lifting hers up in her magic, the Princess blew across it to cool it down before taking a sip. Smiling, she sighed, leaning back into the wooden chair,

“Sweet, warm and delicious…” She shook her head, “Just what the doctor ordered.” Celestia put her cup down and stared into the steam rising gently from it, “Lilly, how have you been?”

“Oh, fine, fine” the maid said quietly, “Just pottering on. Nanny has me covering the guest wing, and some of the mess I’ve had to clean up from those yaks!” She shuddered, “With the amount of hair that comes off them I’m surprised they’re not walking around completely bald.”

Celestia laughed, covering her muzzle with a foreleg, “Ah, Lilly, I’ve missed you.”

Lilly smiled, “Yeah…”

“You can come back if you want, you know” the Princess said with a gentle smile. She looked up at her old friend, “I know how you feel about Rush, but…”

Lilly shook her head, “I’m sorry.” She glanced down at the table, “I’d like to, but…I just can’t.”

Celestia placed her hoof on her maid’s, “But why, Lilly? Please, tell me. Is it because he’s my…you know…”

Lilly closed her eyes and let out the breath she’d been holding in. Celestia, her Princess; she was so pure, so unsullied, and to think of that thing, that…that monster, touching her! She took a breath,

“I…”

The door opened, “Hello? Is somepony in here?” The bulky form of the chief cook appeared, holding a lantern, “Lilly? What are you…?” She gasped, “Your Majesty!”

Lilly closed her eyes and said a silent prayer to the Goddesses. To tell her Princess, to explain to her what she truly felt inside would likely destroy their friendship. Like Rush had tried to do. She took a deep breath and climbed down from her chair before bowing respectfully to the white alicorn,

“Your Majesty, would you please excuse me? I’m very tired and I have an early start in the morning.”

Celestia looked a little stunned at first but nodded her ascent, “Of course, Lilly. Good night.”

Lilly bowed and walked out of the kitchen. At the junction in the corridor, she automatically took the one to her room, then paused. This wasn’t right; Celestia was in pain, that was all too clear, and here she was just walking away from it. Lilly closed her eyes and took a deep cleansing breath, clearing her mind. She hadn’t served Celestia all these years without learning to pick up on her various moods and feelings regardless of how much she tried to hide them. To Lilly, she was like an open book, and one that was as precious as a new born foal, both to Equestria, and to her. Lilly’s family had served the royal family for generations - further back than even the war of three tribes. She would be damned if she saw everything in her world, in their homeland, fall apart because of one damned stallion. She shook her mane and turned towards the opposite corridor. She’d waited too long already; there was work to do.

***************************

Rush gazed out over the battlements to the valley and lands far below. Whoever had designed the palace certainly had an eye for the dramatic. Waterfalls cascaded over the edge of the artificially diverted water courses, disappearing into the distant river and creating rainbows in the spray and sunshine. Buildings constructed of polished white marble and brightly ornamented in silver and gold, surrounded the palace and marked the homes and businesses of the elite of Equestria. The gaudily dressed nobles reminded Rush of birds pecking at the crumbs that fell from the table above - which in this case, was the home of Celestia herself. Further along, past the wide winding steps, were the lush fields and more modest homes and business of the people of Paddock, the town built by Celestia to house those dispossessed by the war. Rush marvelled at the contrast, but wondered how long it would be until Paddock succumbed to the will and power of the moneyed classes to simply became another suburb of Canterlot. Sooner or later the proximity would become a problem; the commoners would be ‘moved on’ and their homes cleared to make space for more of the nobles’ families - unless, naturally, the serfs were graciously permitted to serve their masters - for an even smaller share of the crumbs.

Rush shook his head sadly. He was getting old…or rather, ‘older’. His mind was a battlefield of the youthful impulses of his body and the kind of bitterness and disassociation that comes with years of solitude and experiencing life for what it truly was. Gods above, he hated himself sometimes…and he hated the world…life…everything! Nothing seemed to work, everypony was bone bloody idle, and you were far better doing something yourself because, let’s face it, if you wanted it doing properly and on time, that was the only way to do it, wasn’t it?

“You know, you really could do with turning that frown upside down.” The mare gave him a nudge, “Come on, let’s see it.”

Rush sipped his cup of tea and shook his head, “I can’t Queenie.” He watched the water pouring over the rocks and disappearing into the emptiness of the distant valley. It all just seemed so far, far, away, somehow. He shook his head, “Sometimes…sometimes I just feel so tired: tired of…everything.”

“Rush, come on now. I know you’re hurting inside, but you can talk to me” The mare leaned her cream coated legs across the crenulations beside him and smiled, “It’s such a beautiful morning. Don’t let dark thoughts dull the beauty of the sunrise in your heart.”

Rush snorted loudly, “Did you read that somewhere?”

“Nope.” The mare reached up and gave her ear a scratch before yawning, “It’s a Queenie-ism”. Queen’s Court raised an eyebrow and gave Rush a cheeky wink.

“How are you settling in, anyway?” Rush asked.

Queenie shrugged, “Pretty well, I guess. The royal transport corps took me in thanks to my ‘glowing’ references and, believe it or not, I’m now in charge of distributions. Best of all, I’ve been getting involved with the Llama’s lately, and they’ve got some of the most beautiful cloth I’ve ever seen!” She smiled wistfully, “I just love the clothes they wear, you know? So flowing, and…I don’t know, what’s the word?”

“Ethereal?” Rush offered.

“Ha! Maybe” Queenie sighed, “I’d love to look like that, Rush…flowing.”

Rush laughed aloud, “I think we’ve both done enough ‘flowing’ to last a lifetime!”

“Oh, belt up, you know what I mean!” The white mare leaned over, refilling her friend’s cup of tea from her flask, “I didn’t expect to see you up here though, especially at this time of the morning.”

Rush shrugged, “Yeah.”

“You’ve had another row, haven’t you?” Queenie asked knowingly.

How she always seemed to know what he was thinking was probably some insightful mare thing that Rush, as one of the ‘dim witted stallions’ as Queenie had so politely put it, was ‘too stupid’ to understand. Still, he could put up with her peculiarities, especially as she was a friend. He blinked and smiled quietly to himself; yes, she was a friend, and as strange as it felt to the ‘old’ him, he had a certain fondness for the cream mare that warmed his heart. Thank the Gods Tia had been able to pull strings to help Queenie find work or who knows what would have happened. He grinned; she’d probably have just gone back to logging – she was certainly no wilting flower, this one.

“Hey!” she gave him a shove, “Don’t just sit there with a vacant look on your face, I asked a question.”

Rush groaned and looked up at her from under his brows, nodding slowly, “Aye. We did.”

“I bloody knew it!” Queenie clucked her tongue, “I’ll bet you haven’t spoken to her either, and you just nod your head and its all ‘yes Tia’, ‘no Tia’, ‘three bloody bags full, Tia’.”

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad!” Rush protested, his face darkening as realisation hit him.

“You think?” Queenie huffed, “You’ve changed, Rush. This…” she held up her forelegs, “whatever ‘this’ is, is damaging you. You look like, I don’t know, like the life’s being sucked out of you. Goddesses almighty, if I didn’t know better, I’d be watching the sky for wendigo. I mean, did you see the weather last night? That thunderstorm came out of bloody nowhere! I nearly wet myself!”

Rush laughed, nearly spilling his tea before meeting the mare’s orange eyed smile. He leaned back against the cool stone of the battlements and stared up at a pure white cloud high above,

“Do you ever wonder how Fathom and the others are doing?”

Queenie sniffed, “No, I bloody don’t!” She neighed, “And don’t look at me like that, either! It’s not that I’m not grateful to her for saving my leg, but I can’t help but think they only did it to get to you.”

“Rubbish…”

“Is it?” Queenie asked, “I’m not so sure. Wendigo don’t change their spots.”

“They didn’t have spots” Rush replied tartly.

“I meant metaphorically!” the cream mare grumbled, giving her friend a playful shove, “Anyway, they’re lucky her ladyship didn’t poof them into powder with that crazy magic of her.”

An ant wandering past caught Rush’s attention. It was so small, so insignificant, and yet completely ignored the giant creatures above it as though they were no more than insignificant background noise. Perhaps in some strange way, that was how the Gods saw mortals: like insignificant things that just happened to be there. You knew they existed, but until they started attacking your picnic, you ignored them. He watched the ant disappear down a crack in the stonework and wondered about the white alicorn – in some way, she was a God, to these ponies anyway, and perhaps in a different sense – to him.

“Queenie, what happened to end the war?” Rush asked said quietly, “I...” he paused, suddenly remembering the skeletal creature with the glowing red eyes: Thorn. He had helped them both during that nightmarish battle in his village, risking his life to save two strangers from that beast, Rend, despite being sent to capture and bring back Celestia at the command of his Goddess. He had saved them, saved them both, and it was no small thanks to him that Rush had eventually been able to be reunited with his beloved Princess and yet…he’d never…

“It ended, Rush” Queenie replied, putting the lid back on her flask and making him jump, “That’s all you need to know.” She looked up at him, “War…changes ponies.” She sighed, “You won’t find many who’ll talk about it; I’ll tell you that now. What we saw, what we experienced, was something we want to forget. Well, not exactly ‘forget’, but…”

Rush placed a hoof on her shoulder, “I know.” He looked away a moment, “Did you know of anypony called Thorn, by the way? Or…hear of somepony by that name?”

Queenie shook her head, “No, I can’t say I did.” She gave his hoof a squeeze, “I didn’t make a habit of getting to know ponies that well, Rush. They didn’t tend to be around that long, if you know what I mean.”

Nodding, Rush rose to his hooves and dusted himself down, “I’d better get back” he said deflatedly, “I’ll probably be in for another dressing down.”

“Rush…” Queenie jumped up and grabbed him suddenly in a tight embrace, “Don’t lose who you are inside.” She hugged him tighter, “Don’t forget who you are.”

“Who am I, Queenie?” Rush said quietly, “Really, who am I?”

“Who?” The mare smiled, her eyes glinting in the sunlight, “Why, you’re my friend.” She gave him a peck on the muzzle, “Go on, get yourself in and remember to stand your ground!”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n!” Rush snapped off a cheeky salute and trotted off back down the steps, narrowly avoiding a playful swipe from the frisky mare.

The corridors and passages of the palace were the usual maze of twists and turns that Rush had thought he’d become used to over the last few weeks. Unfortunately with his mind elsewhere he’d taken a wrong turn, the familiar tapestry bedecked hall to the Princess’s chambers now replaced with a smaller, plainer one, ending in a dark wooden door with strange writing embossed into its surface. As much of a beginner in the world of reading and writing as Rush was, the words on the door weren’t equestrian that was for sure. He stared at it a moment before shrugging and turned to walk away.

The door opened.

“Feather Soft, is that you, girl? About bloody time!” A grey muzzle appeared, half covered by a ludicrously large hat covered in gaudy embroidery and bells of all things, “What does it take to get a cup of blasted tea around here, and…” he blinked, “Oh…it’s you.”

Rush looked over his shoulder, “Sorry to disappoint.” He began walking away.

“Erm…Wait!” The grey pony called, “Fish! Er, Wish! Fast! Whatever your name is…I say! Come back here, young stallion!”

Groaning, Rush turned back to face the flustered court wizard who was busily engaged in adjusting an equally peculiar cloak,

“Yes?”

Starswirl, sporting a long white beard beneath a piercing yellow gaze, reminded Rush of the ponies in the forest. In fact, how in equestria were you supposed to know one of the wendigo tribe from any other regular pony? Come to think of it, what was a wendigo anyway? Grove’s description of them made them sound like monsters from the depths of your worst nightmare, and yet what he’d seen were, well…unicorns like this one.

Starswirl waved to a maid approaching them and called loudly past Rush’s ear,

“Oh, Feather Soft! Perfect timing, dear, that’ll be two teas now if you’d be so kind.”

The maid muttered something Rush couldn’t quiet make out before walking back the way she’d come.

“Nice girl. Makes good tea, you know. Not so good on the scone front, but I’m working on that.” The grey pony headed back into his room, clearly expecting Rush to follow, “Take seat old boy. I want a word with you.”

Rush sighed inwardly. He owed Starswirl more than he could ever repay – even his life, truth be told, but the bizarre stallion was so bloody irritating that he’d tried to avoid having much to do with him. Starswirl the bearded, court wizard, royal mage, or whatever else he called himself, was, in Rush’s opinion, that special sort of fellow whose incredible mind was balanced on a knife edge between insanity and genius. Of course, Rush himself was a little biased, especially as Starswirl had poked and prodded him on an almost daily basis since he’d arrived and treated him like some lab experiment. In fairness to the fellow though, he hadn’t seen all that much of him since he’d returned to the palace after his unplanned trip downriver, and had even begun to think that the eccentric wizard had left - until now.

Starswirl’s laboratory was a mass of colourful bottles, tubes, pipes, strange brass and copper ‘things’ and a round ball that kept floating up into the air every few seconds and making a peculiar ‘whizzing’ noise. Rush had always been fascinated by the glass ball and the colourful smoke that billowed within, giving the impression of rapid movement and yet absolute stillness in one eye watering-

Starswirl threw a sheet over the ball and advanced on Rush,

“So, my boy, are you feeling better now? I believe you took quite the tumble.”

“I was washed downriver and nearly drowned” Rush replied, perhaps a little more abruptly than he meant to. He shrugged, “Still, I’m here, alive and well.”

“Indeed, indeed.” Starswirl muttered. He walked over to a long brass pipe running down the wall by the window and lifted a small flap at its base. Inside was a glass phial that the grey stallion levitated out in his magic and brought over to the table where Rush was sitting,

“Tell me,” Starswirl asked, “how have you been…um…”

“Rush”, Rush interjected, helpfully, “And I’ve been fine, thanks for asking.”

“Oh, yes, Rush…” Starswirl cleared his throat, “And, er…the Princess? Any more headaches? Fainting?”

“I…” Rush paused, “Starswirl, forgive me, but wouldn’t you be better asking her that yourself?”

Starswirl sighed loudly, “Yes…yes, I suppose.” He leaned a foreleg on the table, “But you know how busy she’s been lately, especially with all those foreign types hanging around the palace.”

Rush nodded. He knew all about that alright – except the ‘foreign types’ part. Starswirl’s world view had always struck him as a little different from most, but then Starswirl himself was ‘a little different from most’. Still, considering the world Rush came from, the lack of knowledge of what lay beyond your village and the general distrust of foreign peoples was widespread, and with good reason: they tended to be armed and tried to kill your people and take your home away. Rush gave himself a shake; Starswirl might well be odd, but he was harmless…mostly. The grey stallion fidgeted with his hat making the bells tinkle mysteriously,

“Let me ask you another question: Have you noticed anything unusual about her behaviour lately? Anything that might be, say, troubling her?”

Rush furrowed his brow in thought. In reality, he hadn’t seen much of her at all! He’d barely been in Equestria five minutes before being nearly drowned, eaten and then…whatever Madra had in mind for him. When he’d returned to the palace after his unplanned adventure, Celestia soon become little more than a face he saw vanishing in the morning and re-appearing, exhausted, in the evening. They’d barely seen each other, let alone spoken to one another. Rush shook his head sadly; he didn’t want to talk about this, and he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about Tia to Starswirl either.

“No” he said quietly, “But as you said, she’s been so busy I haven’t seen much of her.”

The wizard nodded slowly, “That’s what I was afraid of.” He lifted the phial of liquid in his magic and floated it towards Rush, “Do you know what this is?”

Rush shook his head.

“It’s a sample of the rain we had last night” He smiled grimly, making Rush swallow involuntarily, “You know probably better than anypony what can happen when magically infused weather runs amok. Combined with the raw power of nature, magical storms can become a thing that is, for want of a better word, ‘sentient’ - that is, they can take on a life of their own.”

“The storm that broke the dam was alive?” Rush asked incredulously.

“Not in the traditional sense of the word.” Starswirl explained, “There was certainly magic in that storm, and not just any old magic either…” he shook the phial, his eyes glinting, “Alicorn magic.”

“Alicorn?” Rush blinked, “Ti- I mean, Celestia?”

Starswirl nodded, “Last night, the storm outside appeared suddenly and disappeared just as quickly. It was fortunate I’d set up monitoring stations around the palace for exactly this sort of phenomenon.” He nodded to himself sagely, “I’d hoped to have an answer to this some time ago, but the solution is proving to be surprisingly elusive.”

“Hang on.” Rush lifted a hoof, “Are you saying that Celestia is the source of these storms? That she…that the storm that broke the dam…that…”

Starswirl shrugged, “I don’t believe she can control it, nor is she even aware that she is source of it for that matter.” The wizard placed the phial of liquid into a rack of other samples, “To my shame I don’t know much about alicorns, but then that’s not really all that surprising: little has ever been written about them in the first place.” He lifted a hoof, “Ah, tea! Excellent.”

The tea was, too. Rush and Starswirl both groaned happily at the hot, sweet liquid that accompanied the equally sweet pastries. Not usually one for sugar, this particular blend seemed to almost demand it - and it was worth the price. Rush could feel the tension and apprehension melting away as the warmth spread through him. Starswirl waited until the maid left before continuing,

“Did anything happen last night, Rush?” he asked, “Did anything upset Celestia or trouble her in some way? If only I could find some sort of correlation then I would have something to go on, but right now all I have is speculation and…”

Starswirl kept talking while Rush’s mind went into overdrive. There was something, wasn’t there? It had been there all along - the cause of all her troubles, all her woes…

“It’s me.”

“…and I” Starswirl paused mid-flow, “I’m sorry?”

“It’s me.” Rush closed his eyes, “I’m the cause. The storm that destroyed the dam was around the time I ran off and got myself lost. The second time was last night when we, when I…I walked out after we had a row.”

Starswirl stared at him a moment before turning back to the phial. “Rush” he said quietly, “I want you to say something to this sample in the tube.”

“Huh?” Rush’s eyes went wide in surprise, “You want me to talk to some water?!”

“It’s not just any water.” Starswirl said, turning the phial so that the liquid within caught the scant sunlight as it passed through the window, “It’s water that contains, to some degree, the magic of alicorns - the magic of Celestia.”

“Tia…” Rush’s heart leaped, and he let out a shuddering breath, barely keeping a grip on his suddenly flaring emotions. And then, just as the first tear squeezed its way from the corner of his eye, the water shimmered and changed. Before their very eyes, the water transformed to a light blue, emitting an inner light like a tiny particle of the sun itself.

“Let’s try something else” Starswirl said with a look of complete fascination across his face, “Get angry with it.”

“I…I can’t” Rush said quietly, “I…”

“For the Goddesses sake, Rush, haven’t you ever been angry with her?” The wizard asked irritably, “Are you telling me that Celestia has never done anything that’s upset you or hurt you? Even unintentionally?”

“Of course she has!” Rush protested, “But it’s just me being over-reactive. I want to see more of her, and I want to speak to her. I haven’t been here long and I don’t know much about Equestria at all. I know next to nothing about the customs, the people, and I can barely even read, let alone write. Sometimes I feel as though I’m drowning in it all, like when I was being thrown around in the river: alone and helpless, swept along by some monstrous tide that I am powerless to control.” He gritted his teeth and stared at the phial, “I thought Tia would be with me, to help me and guide me, but she never has the time. I know she’s busy, I understand she’s royalty, but…but I need her too! I try to talk to her but she’s always too tired to listen. When I try to touch her, to hold her, she pulls away from me like I’m diseased, and yesterday I spent hours having my coat done, bought new clothes and…” he swallowed, “She didn’t even notice…” Rush laughed ironically, “She didn’t notice.” Rush blinked away a stray tear, “I’m losing her, Starswirl. Day by day, little by little…I don’t…I don’t think she loves me any more.”

“My Goddess…” Starswirl breathed, staring at the phial, “Rush, look…look!”

The liquid had turned from blue to black, an almost ink like quality to it that swirled and bubbled like a living thing trying to escape the confines of its glass prison. Starswirl’s magic sparked and flowed around it while the liquid within its core writhed and hissed.

Rush wiped his muzzle with a foreleg as he focussed on the liquid, “Is…is it meant to…?”

Starswirl licked his lips, “I don’t know.” He quickly began setting up equipment around the table, “Let’s see!”

Suddenly, Starswirl popped off the cork and the blackness inside the phial slowly began to ooze up the side of the glass tube and then, with a cry of unimaginable intensity, burst out into the centre of the room. The lights went out and the daylight was literally sucked into the rapidly expanding vortex. Rush cried out in alarm as the howling, shrieking storm quickly began to rage and howl, throwing the wizard’s already cluttered room into a maelstrom of books, apparatus and everything else that wasn’t nailed down. Rush ducked under the desk, quickly followed by Starswirl,

“What the hell is that?!” Rush yelled, “Can’t you do something?”

“No!” Starswirl replied, holding onto his hat, “I told you this was alicorn magic! But it’s focussed on you, Rush, you are the one who it’s imprinted upon.”

“Imprinted upon?” Rush shouted, “What the hell does that mean?”

Starswirl ducked a low flying cup, “Just go and talk to it!”

Rush lunged forward and pulled the wizard to him until they were muzzle to muzzle, “You….You LUNATIC! You let that thing out and now it’s going berserk and you think I can just walk out there and be nice to it? You’re insane!”

“You don’t understand, do you?” Starswirl shouted in reply over the howling wind, “This is Celestia, or a part of her essence at any rate. Like it or not, you are connected to her on a level nopony else is. It will listen to you, Rush; or at least, I think it will!”

“That not very reassuring!” Rush bellowed. He looked into the yellow eyes of the wizard and face-hoofed, “I can’t believe I’m doing this…” He gritted his teeth, “If I get out of this alive, Starswirl, I’ve a good mind to kick you right in the…ARRRGH!”

“RUSH!”

Starswirl’s shout of alarm vanished into the roaring howl of the wind as Rush was picked up and dragged into the swirling mass. Something heavy slammed into Rush’s head making his vision blur while another thumped him in his ribs, then another, and another. Everything was spinning: the room, the objects, him, and…something…something in the centre of the dark swirling mass – a pair of glowing golden eyes. Rush stared at them, while around him the screaming wind tore at his coat and mane, shaking him for all it was worth. Inexorably, horribly, he was drawn towards the glowing orbs.

WE KNOW YOU

The voice, faint, yet full of barely concealed power, burned through Rush’s mind, bypassing his ears and searing his brain.

WE KNOW YOU.

“Tia?” Rush gasped. He winced as a ceramic urn caught his forehead, “Tia, is that you?”

The voice dropped to a menacing whisper,

YOU DO NOT KNOW US.

“No” Rush whispered, his voice completely lost in the storm, and yet as loud as the shout of a thousand mouths, “No, Tia, I don’t know you. But I want to.” He closed his eyes, fighting back the surge of emotion that made his throat choke up. Rush shook his head, forcing his eyes to open once more. He wouldn’t run…he wouldn’t run any more! “I WANT TO KNOW YOU!” he bellowed.

The voice replied, taking on a note of emptiness and of hopeless loss,

YOU DO NOT KNOW US.

YOU CANNOT KNOW US.

“I want to be with you, Tia” Rush cried out in distress, “I crossed worlds to be with you. I left my home behind, I left everything behind - to be with you.” Tears rolled down Rush’s cheeks as he poured out his heart to this creature, this fragment of his beloved Princess, “I love you Tia. More than anything in either world, in any world, I would lay my life at your feet just to see your smile” he hung his head, “Don’t shut me out of your heart.” Rush shuddered, “Please…”

The wind cried out in unimaginable torment, shaking the windows and rattling the shelves. Somewhere behind him, something was happening, something he couldn’t quite… It was Tia…she was here! She was standing in the doorway, staring up at him hanging in the air, she was saying something and then the wind seemed to shiver somehow, pouring into the white alicorn like water from a jug into a washbowl. Rush felt the world lurch, his vision becoming unfocussed as the magical wind winked out, his mind reeling from the sensory overload. There was so much fear, so much pain, and yet…so much love… He couldn’t take it all in. It was all so much! So, so much!

“Rush?” The white alicorn stood over him, her purple eyes wet with tears, “Rush, are you alright?”

The brown stallion stared back at his beautiful alicorn, his beloved mare whom he had loved since the first moment he’d met her. He smiled, reaching out to touch her,

“Tia…”

“Starswirl, get him to my chambers, now.” Celestia’s voice sounded strained, “We will speak of this again.”

***************************

Seagulls cried overhead, their plaintive calls drifting through the stained glass window of the bedchamber. Rush stirred, his ears twitching as he stretched his legs. By the Gods he felt utterly exhausted. He let out a groan and smacked his lips; they were as dry as parchment and his throat so sore all he wanted was a…

“Drink?”

The golden alicorn passed him a glass of water in the purple glow of her magic, “You look as though you need it.”

Ice blue eyes looked Rush up and down, while her smile, so full of love and kindness, made him feel as though he could happily melt away into a sea of utter tranquillity…

“That’s enough of that now!” the alicorn said. Her voice held a slight hint of admonishment along with the humour. She reached forward and lifted Rush’s head, “Come…drink, child of Equestria.”

Water: such a simple thing, but so essential for life, for all life – and Rush took it all, every last drop. The alicorn smiled gently and passed him another glass, letting him take in as much as he could hold until finally, gasping, Rush had had his fill. He looked up into the large ice blue eyes when realisation struck him,

“I’ve seen you before.”

The alicorn smiled, “We have met, child of Equestria.” She walked over to the book shelf and took down the small, carved wooden box, “Several times in fact.”

Rush looked about himself at the room. It was Celestia’s chambers, certainly, but had a strange almost transparent feel to it, as though it wasn’t quite ‘real’ somehow. The Goddess smiled,

“Do you feel better now?”

Rush nodded, “I do, Your Majesty, but…where I am? What is this place?”

“You are in my daughters chambers, Rush, don’t you remember?” the golden alicorn waved a hoof, “You had an encounter with something that you shouldn’t have.” She reached out and gently lifted his chin, “You very nearly passed to the herd.” She paused, “A shame in some ways, I should have liked to have seen what your soul looked like.” The golden alicorn raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow, “No matter, time means little to us. One day, you shall see that for yourself.”

“I…I don’t understand.” Rush tried to sit up but was gently pushed back down,

“I’m not surprised” the Goddess replied, “Celestia is no mortal pony, nor are you an alicorn. It is little wonder that, as you say, ‘misunderstandings’ can occur.” She sighed, “Considering you come from another world, in a manner of speaking, you have a rather ‘unique’ perspective on life here that differs from every other soul in Equestria.”

Rush stared into the almost transparent covers on the bed. He didn’t know what to say; what could he say? Memories began to drift back to him, like wisps of cloud, like the winds of…

“That wind!” He exclaimed suddenly, “The eyes, it was…it was Tia, but it wasn’t, I…”

The Queen smiled, raising a hoof before speaking, “Yes. It was my daughter, and yet it was not. What you saw, what you encountered, was something that was not meant to be in this world.”

“Not meant to be? But it’s magic – Tia’s magic, isn’t it?” Rush asked.

“Of a sort” the Queen replied, “Dear Starswirl was correct in a way, although it is the source of the magic that is causing the disturbances, and it is that which he does not fully understand.”

Rush shook his mane and took a breath, “This is my fault, isn’t it. My coming here, my existence in Equestria is causing this magic to exist. I’m causing Tia pain and her magic is reacting and affecting the weather.” He squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to think, trying not to let the reality of the awful truth seep into his heart. Perhaps…perhaps the Queen should have let him pass over…

A hoof bopped him on the muzzle, “No, I shouldn’t.” She shook her head, giving him a gentle yet firm gaze, “You are the catalyst, but not the source of the magic, Rush. That, is something you will need to discover for yourself.”

“Discover for myself?” Rush blinked in surprise, “How? Tia won’t speak to me, let alone confide in me. I want to help her, the Gods know I do, but if she won’t listen, then…”

The Queen’s eyes glinted in the odd silver light, her voice becoming stern and commanding,

“Then make her.”

Rush opened his mouth to speak and thought better of it. He’d tried to talk to Celetstia, he’d tried appealing to her, and yet she treated him like a precious piece of glass - like an ornament. The Queen moved closer, her muzzle was now mere inches from his,

“Listen to me Rush” she said levelly, “Celestia loves you. I know it may seem strange at times, but she has little experience when it comes to dealing with emotions, and even less with stallions. You…” the alicorn prodded him gently in the chest, “are the only one who has ever touched her” She lifted her hoof, “here, in her heart.” The Queen closed her eyes and looked away for a moment before turning back to him, “Rush, you must make her listen to you, do you understand me? She is used to taking control, to being the one who leads; you have to stop being submissive to her and make her see you for who you are.” She stepped back, flicking her mane and sending the tiny stars and constellations flying through the void,

“You must show her you are a stallion, Rush.”

“And just how am I supposed to do that?” Rush snapped, “Just grab her and whisk her off into the sunset? And even if I did that, what then? I know bugger all about magic, and you may have noticed a distinct lack of horn!”

A flash of anger drifted across the Queen’s face before melting into her more usual soft smile, “You remind me of my husband.”

Rush sputtered, “I…What?!”

“The solution, Rush, is within you, not inside some wizard’s book. You must look inside your heart, as she must look inside hers. Together, the two of you will find the way.” The golden alicorn leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the forehead, “Now, it is time for you to go home.”

“Home…” Rush blinked, groaning at the soft warmth of the Goddess’s kiss. If somepony had told him growing up that someday he would be kissed by a Princess and then by a Goddess, he would have thought them mad. He chuckled to himself; maybe he was mad, and all this, this world and the ponies, were little more than a product of his insane mind.

Yellow eyes peered down into his, “Back in the land of the living then.”

“Starswirl!” Rush jumped up, thumping his head off the bed post, “You…! You absolute arse! You nearly bloody well killed me!”

“You know, I’ve never quite understood that line of reasoning” the grey stallion replied, making a note in his book, “You’re either dead, or alive, not ‘almost’.” He paused, “Unless you’re talking about ‘un-dead’ in which case they’re still actually dead, just-”

“Oh, belt up!” Rush rubbed his forehead angrily as he climbed off the bed, “What’s going on? Where’s Tia?”

“Tia?” Starswirl furrowed his brow, “Oh, you mean Celestia? She’s in the throne room I suspect. I saw another group of fancily dressed griffins walking in there earlier and…Hey! Careful!”

The grey stallion caught himself as Rush shoved past, breaking into a run that took him out through the open chamber door and along the familiar corridor outside. It was bright daylight outside, the sun high in the sky and only a few white fluffy clouds hanging lazily in the perfect azure blue expanse. Skylarks and bluebirds sang and frolicked on the windowsills beyond the stained glass windows.

Rush ignored it all.

Hurtling down the stairs past the usual pantheon of colourful nobles and polished armour wearing guards, the brown earth stallion rounded the corner into the grand hall and raced up to the large imposing doors which lead into the throne room. They were closing, but if he was quick he could slip through and…

Rush slammed to a halt as two lethally sharp spears clanged together mere inches from his nose, barring his entrance. One of the guards eyed him up and down before addressing him as if he was reading a prepared speech,

“The Princess is in a meeting and has given orders not to be disturbed.”

Rush snorted angrily, “I don’t give toss about that! Now open the damned door!”

“No.” The guard glowered at him and shifted the grip on his spear. Beside him, the other guard leaned over conspiratorially, “Ere, Mail, that’s that fella, you know, the one who’s ‘er nibs’ thing-a-me-jig.”

The first guard, without taking his eyes off the heavily panting brown pony before him, leaned in, “What, this is ‘im?”

“Aye!” the second said, “Grove’s mate, you know. ‘E’s the guy who took on Yule an’ gave ‘im a good thumpin’ that time.”

“Not what I ‘eard” the first guard replied gruffly.

“Well, whatever,” the second guard said with a sniff, “but ‘e’s a mate o’ Grove’s an’ that’s good enough for me, is what I say.” He closed his eyes and nodded emphatically.

The first guard snorted, “Well regardless of that, ‘e’s not comin’ in an’ that’s…” he looked up suddenly, “what the? ‘E’s buggered off!”

Rush pushed open the side door to the throne room’s discussion chamber. This was the one Tia had told him about, the one where the more ‘private’ discussions were held out of earshot of other ponies, and where the Chancellor would usually write up her notes after an audience had been concluded. It was, as he expected, occupied.

The guard within levelled his spear and glowered dangerously at the intrusion,

“Who are you?” he snapped, “What are you doing in here?”

Rush took a breath, trying to ignore the lethal spear point levelled at his chest, “I am the Royal Consort, Rush” he replied feeling suddenly incredibly self conscious. Gods, he hated titles!

“Well, you can’t go in,” the guard replied, “the Princess has given orders.”

Rush walked forward, “I don’t care. This is important, I have to see her.”

The guard steadied his gaze, “And I just told you, you can’t! You can’t just walk in here and…” he paused, staring at Rush, his magically altered eyes taking in the sight before him, “You’re him, aren’t you? The one that saved Queen’s Court out in the forest?”

Rush nodded, “In a way, but really we helped each other. Do you know her?”

Shaking his head, the guard sighed, “Goddesses forgive me.” He lifted his spear and moved to one side, “She’ll kill me for this.”

Rush cocked his head on one side curiously, “Green Shard?”

The guard opened the door, “Listen, don’t tell her I let you in or my neck’s on the block, but…well, I reckon I owe you. We both do.” He waved Rush through, “Quick, before somepony else comes in!”

Rush trotted through and into the familiar long hall of the throne room where the court, it seemed, was in full swing. Extravagantly dressed creatures of all sizes, shapes and colours from all across the world, lined either side of the long carpet that lead to the short flight of steps, and atop them, the twin golden thrones. Celestia was deep in conversation with two long haired creatures who were bedecked with almost vulgar quantities of gold and silver. Around him, Rush noticed the nobles backing away in distaste, as though something reeking of excrement had suddenly appeared. Gritting his teeth, he walked on, straight towards the throne and into an existing conversation,

“…of fire jewels constituting four fifths of the regional income from the former lord’s protectorate.”

“This is not acceptable! Our laws prohibit the transfer of fire jewels of…of…” The hairy creature paused, “Who…?”

“My Princess,” Rush bowed formally, “I must speak with you.”

“Rush?” Celestia’s eyes went wide in surprise, “What are you doing here? We’re in the middle of a-”

“Celestia, I must insist you come with me immediately.” Rush announced loudly.

“Rush, for the Gods’ sake, you’re making a scene!” The Princess hissed, “Go and wait in the back room for me, I’ll be along-”

“Now, Tia!” Rush bellowed, “These overstuffed prigs can go hang for all I care. This is more important that some damned trade agreement.” He stomped a hoof, “I insist that you come with me immediately.”

“Rush!” Celestia huffed, “I-”

“What in Equestria is going on here?” A voice called from near the throne. It was the Chancellor, “What is this interminable noise?” the mare’s eyes alighted upon Rush, “You!” she snorted, “You’re not supposed to be here! Get out!”

“Go buck yourself.” Rush snapped.

Several ponies began laughing, but others glared angrily at him, their hooves twitching as though ready for a fight. From the corner of his vision, Rush could see movement – soldiers.

The Chancellor’s eyes went wide, “Why you insolent…!” Rush could have guessed the next words…

“GUARDS! SIEZE HIM!”

Rush span round to face the armoured warriors bearing down on him and snarled, his neigh bellowing out across the throne room,

“This is nothing to do with you! This is between a stallion and his mare, and as the Goddesses are my witness, you will keep your damned noses out of our business!” Rush turned back to the Princess, “Celestia, Tia, I have to speak with you my lady.” He bowed, and reached out his hoof, “Please, come with me.”

In shock, Celestia rose from her throne and stared at Rush, her hoof reaching out to him and then paused. She shook her mane, sending the colours, bright and alive, shimmering around her. Large purple eyes gazed into his,

“Rush…I’m sorry…I can’t, my duties…”

“-Can damned well wait!” Rush roared, “This is about you, Tia, and I will be damned if I sit back and watch you suffer any longer. I am a stallion and I will protect my mare with my life I have to!”

“My life?” Celestia looked confused, “What are you saying?” She blinked, “Am I…” She glanced at the Chancellor, then Rush, “I…” In almost silence, the Princess staggered, stumbled, and then fell forward into the outstretched forelegs of her brown stallion.

Somepony screamed as pandemonium erupted in the throne room. Rush suddenly felt hooves grab him and drag him away from the slumped body of the Princess while bellowing neighs, shouts and cries filled the air:

“He’s murdered the Princess!”

Rush looked up, “No! I…”

“Stop him!” another shouted.

“Somepony call the guards!”

“Murderer!”

He reached helplessly for the unconscious Celestia while hooves battered him mercilessly, pulling him away from her. He tried to speak, to shout out that she was fine, that the Princess had just fainted - but nopony was listening. All around him a mass of furious and incensed faces filled his vision as his ears rang with the sheer wall of sound. The last thing he saw was the white coated and blue eyed glare of a guard, just before the haft of his spear cracked Rush’s skull, sending him down into a whirling pit of darkness.

Chapter Thirteen - Where the Sunflowers Grow

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

WHERE THE SUNFLOWERS GROW

“Oh Gods, my head…”

Reminiscent of a drunken evening with Grove, Rush’s head felt like somepony was pounding it with a hammer. He reached up and covered his muzzle with his forelegs, spitting out the scraps of straw that fell into this mouth as he groaned. Above him, a small window let in scraps of light that provided scant illumination of the small, bare walled…cell. Rush blinked, trying to get his bearings and pull his senses into order. What the hell had happened? Where was he? What had happened to Tia? He sat up suddenly and the room span, making his stomach lurch horribly,

“By the bloody spirits…” Rush muttered, and reached for the jug sitting on the rough wooden end table.

“It’s empty.”

The voice drifted over from the shadowed corner of the room. Rush looked round slowly, noticing the dark outline of a pony. He huffed and reached out for the jug…

“Damn it” he mumbled. True enough, it was empty.

“Told you” the shadow pony said absently. The figure scratched their ear and yawned, “Couldn’t find a spare cell for you eh? Damned guards, they’ve probably forgotten I’m here.” He shook his head, his voice dropping to a mutter, “Left to rot, like this miserable sink hole of a palace.”

Rush ignored him, instead he walked over to the door and pushed his muzzle up to the grill, “Hey!” he called, “Guards! Hey!”

Silence answered him.

“Told you” the figure said, “They’ve forgotten me, and they’ve forgotten you too.”

“Oh, shut up!” Rush barked and pressed his face up against the bars, straining to see if there was anypony there. There wasn’t; the corridor was completely devoid of life, save for a single mouse that disappeared under another of the cell doors. Rush hung his head and sighed, slinking back to what passed for a bed. It was mainly straw on a wood and rope framework, although surprisingly it wasn’t that uncomfortable, more like a hammock really. It was just a shame the place stank of piss and faeces. He snorted and rubbed his muzzle.

“You’ll get used to the stink” the other occupier of the cell said disinterestedly, “Bathroom facilities are a little limited. Occasionally the guards come and clean the bucket out; when the stench becomes so strong even they can’t ignore it.”

‘So much for the white marble palace’ Rush thought to himself. ‘All that glitters is not gold’, he was told as a child. Until now he’d never really understood what that meant. No, now he was a prisoner in a magical castle of pure white marble, gold and silver, sleeping next to a bucket of his own waste - wonderful, it just didn’t get much better than this! He stared up at the darkened ceiling and listened to his heart beating, his steady breathing; he had a splitting headache and some interesting bruises after his ordeal in the throne room, but other than that he was reasonably intact. The other occupant of his new home, whoever he was, decided to engage him in more unwanted conversation again,

“What are you in here for?” the pony asked.

Rush closed his eyes, “They think I’ve murdered Celestia.” He let out an ironic laugh, “If you can believe that.”

“Oh yes” the stallion replied. There was a long pause before he asked, “And did you?”

“Of course not” Rush replied irritably.

The other stallion shrugged, “A pity.”

“What?” Rush turned over to face the shadowed figure, wincing as a jolt of pain lanced through his head, “What the hell do you mean? What do you have against her?”

“Other than throwing me in here, you mean?” the figure replied bitterly, “How about destroying my name, sullying my honour and leaving me to rot, alone, down here in this toilet. Is any of that reason enough for you?” He laughed, “Oh, yes my friend, I have good reason to dislike your precious snow white Princess.”

Rush narrowed his eyes, “Who are you?” he asked quietly.

The figure smiled, his teeth glinting in the sunlight, “I think you know.” He walked slowly forward out of the shadows and into the shaft of pale light, his faded purple coat covered in filth and grime, but it was his eyes that caught Rush’s gaze – he’d seen them before…

“Yule”

“I must say, I find the irony of the situation…” Yule grinned, “delicious.”

“Go buck yourself” Rush muttered.

“Ooh! Got some teeth have we?” Yule replied snidely, “A shame I hadn’t knocked them out when I had the chance. If it wasn’t for you and your damned tart, I wouldn’t be in this stinking midden.”

Rush sat up and glowered at him, “How dare you call her that, you arrogant prick. She’s-”

“-what? My Princess? My ruler?” Yule barked out a laugh, “Is that what you were going to say?” He advanced on Rush, his bones showing through his faded coat, “What are you going to do? Report me?” He sneered, jabbing a hoof at Rush, “She’s going to remember I’m here sooner or later, boy, and then I’ll be able to see the sun one last time before I lay my head against the headspony’s block.” Yule glared at Rush, the hatred in his eyes burning a hole into his soul, “You’ll like that” he said in a sing-song voice, “Won’t you…’Rush’. You and your tart will be able to dance on my grave and piss on my headstone. What fun!”

“You’re mad.” Rush replied.

“Am I?” Yule spat, “You try being locked in here for weeks, you little twat! Bread, oats and water, no visitors, no wind beneath my wings, and only mice for company – see how you’d feel then!” He stomped a hoof angrily and paused, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Rush, “But then, you will, wont you?” his voice lowered to a menacing monotone rumble, “Fallen from grace, the monkey from another world. How sad indeed. The Princess has obviously tired of her toy a lot quicker than I expected.”

”You know nothing” Rush spat, “It’s a misunderstanding, that’s all.”

“Ha!” Yule scoffed, “Accidentally murdered her, did you?” He began to laugh.

Rush had had enough. He jumped down from the bed and went muzzle to muzzle with the emaciated pegasus, “So tell me, Yule, why are you in here then?” His muzzle wrinkled as he glared at his winged adversary, “Treason, wasn’t it? That’s something you can laugh about is it?”

Yule’s smile died on his face, his eyes burning with indignation, “You want to know, do you?” he snorted loudly, “Then let me tell you. It was you…” he shoved Rush suddenly in the chest, “You are the reason…YOU!”

Rush backed up as the pegasus advanced on him, “Your precious alicorn accused me and my flights of shirking our duties to find your miserable carcass after the flood. To think that privileged harlot had the sheer audacity to accuse me, ME! Of abandoning my duty to my homeland!” He huffed angrily, “Do you know what wing cramps are, monkey? No? Then let me tell you: they happen when a pegasus pushes themselves beyond their limits – they can kill…” he clopped his front hooves together, “Just like that!” He snorted, “I nearly lost ponies out there that night looking for you. We flew for hours, searching high and low, up and down that blasted river, until I made the decision to pull the flights in.” Yule tossed his mane, “That’s right, I made the decision to stop searching, because unlike that damned alicorn I actually care about ponies and not just some bed warming freak like you!” He walked over to the other side of the room and sank to his haunches, “I guess your bed friend didn’t like me telling her a few home truths, and this” he waved his forelegs, “is where the truth got me.” Yule glared at Rush, “Are you happy then? Is this what you wanted? You can come and watch you know. If you ask the guards nicely, you can come and give me a good send off.”

Rush shook his head, “Celestia won’t do that, not after all the death in war.”

“Oh! And you know the mind of the alicorn now do you?” Yule laughed, “Your pure pony Princess, the virgin bloody queen, has a heart of gold does she?” He tossed his mane, “By the Goddesses, you really don’t have a clue, do you?” He took a breath, “Do you know what she did during the war, monkey? Do you know what they used to call her?” Rush shook his head. “The white death” Yule explained, “and that was by her own people! But the enemy, the followers of Nightmare Moon had another name for her…”

Rush closed his eyes. He had heard it before. He’d ignored it, hoping he was wrong, or that it was just some cruel name conjured up by an enemy to demonise her. The words however, were out of his mouth before he could stop himself,

“The White Witch.”

Yule nodded, “So you have heard.” He snorted, “Perhaps you can ask her. After she’s had me put to death of course; we wouldn’t want to spoil the fun now, would we?”

Rush leaned back against the wall and took a shaking breath. The white witch, the one whom the enemy had feared; he could recall Madra’s words as though they had been etched into his soul,

‘It is only when you have walked in their hoof steps, when you have walked through the pass of tears wading knee deep through the bones of your family and loved ones, that you can see, truly see, and come to understand, just what evil…true evil, really is.’

Dear Gods; Tia…his Tia…she was the white witch…

“The truth can be a bitter pill, can it not…monkey?” Yule slunk back to his half of the room and climbed onto his cot, leaving Rush to stare up at the cracks in the ceiling plaster.

Hours, days, it was impossible to tell in that place, but to Rush, none of it mattered. Yule never spoke again; the occasional shuffling of a guard, the squeak of a mouse or the chirping of birds outside, the only sounds he could hear now. Eventually water arrived together with a tin plate with one piece of bread and a bowl of watery soup. Despite his grievances with Yule, the two of them shared it in silence. It was one of the most surreal experiences in Rush’s life. He got up, walked around the cell, and lay back on the cot – waiting; for what though he had no idea. Time seemed to have a will and direction of its own here, while the cell itself felt as though it were drawing the life and drive from you like some stone vampire – like some…what were they called again? Rush couldn’t remember…it was like a dream…He groaned and turned over; just a few more hours sleep and they may feed them again. It was the hi-lite of the day now: feeding time.

“Pssst! Rush! Rush! Hey!”

Now he was hearing things too. It wasn’t all that surprising considering the chain of events.

“Rush! Come on! Get your arse in gear, dude!”

Rush opened his eyes at the insistent prodding and found himself staring up into the large eyes of…

“Grove?”

The orange stallion rolled his eyes, “Come on, we need to move! The lads have cleared the way, but we have to get moving, now!”

“Wh…what are talking about?” Rush climbed off the bed, his legs stiff from inactivity, “What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain later, let’s just get the buck out of here” Grove hurried to the door, checked the corridor and then paused, turning back to his friend, “Here.” A bundle of packs and gear landed at Rush’s hooves, including, he noticed, a rather familiar item indeed…

“Father’s sword…”

Without another word, Rush buckled and strapped on his gear before following Grove to the door. For a moment, he glanced over his shoulder at Yule: the pegasus wasn’t moving - instead he just lay there, still asleep by the look of things, as though nothing out of the ordinary were happening at all. Snorting, Rush turned back to Grove,

“Ready.”

Grove nodded and the two took off up the corridor until they reached the intersection and the two…bodies. Rush stared in horror,

“Grove, are they…?”

“Don’t worry; it’s only sleep dust” Grove replied, “A little something conjured up by our friend Starswirl. They’ll wake up with legendary headaches, but that’s better than a sword in the guts eh?”

They slipped down another corridor, Grove looking around himself constantly, while his ears remained pert and alert for danger. Rush followed in silence until they reached a door he remembered lead to the gardens at the side of the palace. He placed a hoof on Grove’s shoulder,

“Where’s Tia? What’s happened to the Princess?”

Grove clucked his tongue, “She’s fine, she’s with Starswirl. It’s you we have to worry about now.”

“Why? I don’t understand what’s going on!” Rush shook his head and flinched as the light through the open door crashed into his eyes that were now accustomed to the gloom of the cell.

Grove huffed, “No time to explain, just shut up and follow me!”

The two friends dashed out of the palace, across the gardens and down the steep steps at the back of the palace grounds, avoiding from the more familiar sight of Paddock and the green fields of what he now considered to be his home. Here, the rocks of the mountain Canterlot had been cut into were laid bare and open like some suppurating wound. Here, in this place, the words of Madra came back to him: the story of walking through the bones of the dead, the bones of children, adults, the elderly…the one’s the white witch had slain…

Tia…

“Hurry up for the Goddesses sake!” Grove hissed, “Those bastards will be on us if we don’t shift flank!”

“Who?” Rush replied, picking up speed, “Who’s following us?”

“I’ll explain later!” Grove called over his shoulder, “Just keep to the shadows and we’ll take a break when we can.”

Rush ran on. Rocks, with the roughly hewn steps carved between them, soon transformed into grassland, and eventually trees. The thundering of their hooves died away in the muffled quiet of the woodland that quickly became thicker and darker as they ran. Eventually, his lungs burning and muscles screaming at such abuse after his captivity, Rush collapsed to the ground beside the small cabin. Panting, he looked up: it was a rough sawn wood affair, but appeared sturdy. Moss covered the roof and walls making it look almost like some living thing. Strangely, it reminded him of the bamboo forest: cool, peaceful…calming…

“Tea?”

As if by magic, an enamelled tin cup of tea appeared and was pushed into his unresisting hooves. There was no milk, no sugar…it was perfect. Rush sipped the hot steaming liquid, marvelling at the taste, the blissful, heavenly aroma of…freedom. He looked up into the large orange eyes of…

“QUEENIE!” he gasped.

“Hello lover” she smirked, sticking her tongue out at him, “Come to meet me in the woods for a clandestine liaison eh? You naughty boy!”

Rush wanted to hug her, to throw the cup down and just neigh as loudly as he could, but…it was damned good tea. He chuckled to himself and took another sip, unable to take the grin from his face.

“I don’t think we were followed” Grove said re-appearing from the other side of the cabin, “We should be in the clear.”

A deep green coated stallion appeared behind him, wiping his forehead, “Nothing. Looks like we’ve got a free run from here to Lord Tangles’ place.”

“I think you know Green Shard?” Queenie said with a smile, “He knows you.”

“We’ve met.” Rush reached out and shook the green stallion’s hoof, “Thank you. I haven’t a clue what’s happening here, but whatever it is…thanks.”

Green Shard tossed his pale blue mane, his azure eyes watching Rush curiously, “You don’t know?” He shrugged, “No…no I don’t suppose you would.”

Grove passed around a package of sandwiches from his pack, “It all hit the fan when Celestia collapsed” the orange stallion explained, “Several of the Lords, one’s whose loyalties were, shall we say, ‘suspect’, used the confusion as an attempt to claim you had murdered her.”

“Which is a load of bollocks of course” Green Shard chipped in, “Anypony could see she’d only passed out, but Lord Pot Ash and his goons started waving swords around and the next thing we knew, the guards got involved and that’s when the lid really came off.”

“It was bad” Grove said quietly, “We got the Princess out of there as quickly as we could, but she was burning up so we got her to Starswirl and she’s been in there ever since.”

Rush couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “Do you know how she is? We can’t just leave her there! What if there’s a plot to kill her by this, what did you say his name was? Pot Ash?”

Queenie nodded, “Pot Ash was one of the Lords who supported Nightmare Moon, but I don’t think anypony thought ever he’d pull something like this. Still, to be truthful Rush, none of us really know what’s going on. As for Celestia,” she shrugged, “I don’t know. Nopony has seen her since and Starswirl’s lab has been surrounded by some sort of magical wall that won’t allow anypony to cross.”

Rush shook his head, “So we don’t know if there is a plot and I inadvertently sprung the trap, or whether this was just some opportunistic power grab.” He closed his eyes, trying to clear his head of all superfluous thought, “To do something like this could very likely destabilise Equestria, but it seems most likely to me that Pot Ash simply tried to take advantage of a situation handed to him.” Rush grimaced, “One that I handed to him.”

“Buggered if I know,” Grove snorted, “but the whole palace is in an uproar. There’s factions appearing all over Canterlot and Pot Ash has declared martial law.

“Good Gods! Can he do that?” Rush exclaimed.

“He’s loud, Rush,” Green Shard said bitterly, “and whether we like it or not, ponies often follow leaders like that.” He snorted and leaned against the shack, “We saw it in the war.”

“Aye, and it didn’t do much more than send good souls to the eternal herd” Grove mumbled. He began pulling off his panniers and stacked them to one side, “I don’t know what it was like in the human world, my friend, but ponies are followers – not leaders.”

“Not all ponies,” Queenie chipped in, “or else we wouldn’t be here, right?”

“So why are you here?” Rush asked, “You’re broke me out of gaol, knocked out two guards, and now you’re on the run.” He shook his head, “Why?”

“Why?” Queenie looked surprised, “Because we’re your friends.”

Rush looked down in embarrassment and smiled. He still had trouble with that word, even now. But then, these three had risked everything to help him simply because he was…their friend. He looked up and faced them one by one,

“Thank you. All of you.”

“Nah, don’t mention it” Grove smirked, “Once the boss is back on her hooves, she’ll sort this mess out.”

“She’s done it before” Queenie nodded.

“Aye, and it worked out alright in the end” Green Shard added.

Rush smiled. He had to have faith in her, in his Princess and the love he had for her. It was hard sometimes, very hard, but he had to remain strong for her. But…what to do now? Part of him wanted to run back to her, to be by her side, but from the looks of it that would just get him a one way ticket to the herd. He shook his head,

“What about the palace guard? Surely they will be siding with the Princess?”

Grove huffed, “They would do normally, but then, nopony really knows what’s happening. With no word from Starswirl or the Princess, some think she’s dead and that you murdered her.”

“Well obviously I didn’t” Rush said levelly.

Green Shard shrugged, “You can see why some think that though” he said, “From where I was stood, we saw you yelling something and the next thing I know is Celestia falls forward onto you and then, ‘boom!’ all Tartarus breaks loose.”

“Never mind all that” Queenie said, “we need to focus on what we’re going to do now. Lord Tangles is a loyal pony and an officer from the royal guard; he’ll know what to do.”

Rush took a breath, remembering the words of the Goddess. It was up to him to prove himself, to be a stallion and protect his mare. He huffed and adjusted his sword belt,

“I’m sorry” he said quietly, “You’ll have to do it without me.”

“Eh?” Grove’s eyes went wide, “What are you talking about?”

“I’m going to Starswirl’s laboratory” Rush replied, “One way or another, I’m going to get in and see Tia.”

“You bloody lunatic!” Queenie snapped, “We went to all this trouble to save you and now you want to walk right into the manticore’s den? Don’t you understand what’s going on here? Those ponies hate you! They’re blaming you for all the weird weather and Celestia’s strange behaviour lately, and you can bet your sweet rump that a lot of them actually believe Pot Ash’s claims that you’ve done her in!” She tossed her mane, “So you can damned well forget it. I’m not sitting here and watching you commit bloody suicide after everything that’s happened.”

Rush turned to Grove and Green Shard who just looked at each other in silence. Rush sighed,

“Green Shard, if it was Queenie in there, surrounded by those who meant her harm, what would you do?”

The green coated stallion opened his mouth, “I-”

“Don’t you bring him into this!” Queenie cut it, “This is completely-”

“-different?” Green Shard finished. He stepped forward, gazing into her eyes, and then glanced back at Rush, “No. No, I don’t think it is.” He chuckled quietly, “I think it’s part of a stallion’s nature to protect his mare, don’t you?”

Queenie nickered, “No I don’t! You’re thinking with your bloody hormones and not your head. If we can get ourselves to Tangles, we can get some proper help and advice. Then we’ll know what to do!”

“And do what?” Rush asked, “Is he going to raise an army? March on Canterlot?” He shook his head, “No.”

Grove took a sip of his tea and watched his friend closely. His determination, his resilience - it was …inspiring. He smiled,

“What do you propose?”

“Grove!” Queenie hissed, “Don’t egg him on! For the Goddesses’ sake!”

The orange stallion raised a hoof and Queenie snorted loudly, stomping her hoof in frustration. With a toss of her mane she sat down on her haunches, reluctantly settling down before Rush began to outline his plan,

“I don’t intend on throwing my life away, especially after being so recently rescued.” He smiled, “By my friends.” Stretching out his hooves, he picked up a stick and began sketching in the dirt, “I have an idea, but to pull it off we’re going to need help.”

“Help?” Grove asked, intrigued.

Rush nodded, “Mmm.” He took a mouthful of his tea and returned to making his sketch of the palace, “Know any pegasi we can trust?”

**************************

Starswirl’s laboratory had been designed right from the beginning to the eccentric unicorn’s exacting specifications. Considering everything he had done for Equestria, Celestia had indulged him fully, to the point where she’d begun to wonder whether his position had gone to his head. Not that Starswirl already had an over inflated ego of course – perish the thought! The Princess groaned and stretched her wings, taking a long, deep breath of the strangely pungent air. The blue bubble surrounding her flickered with intense magical energy, making her horn tingle slightly. Magic was something she’d been born to, and she used it with a level of caution and respect her mother had instilled in her since foalhood. In contrast, Starswirl had an almost flagrant disregard for anything approaching such foolish notions as, say, safety. To him, the advancement of magical knowledge was worth taking ‘a few risks’ as he put it. Unfortunately, some of them had proven to have decidedly unexpected consequences, but still, she couldn’t fault the fact that this strange grey equine did achieve results. Sometimes of course they weren’t quite the results he’d expected, but you had to take the rough with the smooth. Starswirl trotted over and waved a glass dish across the surface of the magical sphere, nodded to himself, and began to make notes in his diary.

“Anything?” the Princess asked hopefully.

Starswirl peered at his notes and nodded, “Some, but I think another few days should help.”

“A few more days?!” Celestia groaned loudly, holding her foreleg across her muzzle, “I keep telling you I feel absolutely fine, master Starswirl.”

“And I keep telling you that the malady is in your magic, not your physical self, Princess” Starswirl replied as he concentrated on his notes, “Of course you’re going to feel fine for a while, but then your magic will begin to go out of sync again and you’ll end up flat on your back - again.”

Celestia let out a sigh and closed her eyes. How long had she been stuck in here now? Was it days? Weeks? One minute she was in a meeting in the throne room, Rush had appeared, said something, and the next thing she knew she was waking up in a blue bubble of Starswirl’s magic! For a moment she honestly thought she’d gone stark staring mad. With the way her magic had been going out of control lately, together with her temper, maybe there was some truth in that. Dear Gods, she hoped not. As for what was happening in her palace and the kingdom, she had no idea. Starswirl had brushed off any questions as being superfluous to getting to the bottom of the ‘real issue’ which was curing her ailment. It had, he’d explained, something to do with the strange weather effects – or rather she had something to do with it. The Princess turned over and faced the wall; she couldn’t stay in here forever, who knew what would happen without her to keep Equestria working properly! Some ponies couldn’t even find their own ears without help and… her ear twitched – what was that scratching noise?

“Starswirl?” she asked, “What’s in that pipe?” The Princess pointed a hoof at the long brass pipe running down the wall.

The wizard waved a hoof dismissively, “Oh, that? That’s used for my rain samples. Absolutely ideal when it comes to measuring rainfall, thaumaturgical effects on local…” he paused, “Can you hear that scratching?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to say!” the alicorn said in exasperation.

Starswirl walked over and pressed his ear up against the tube, “Sounds like something’s stuck in there…” He reached out and lifted the flap. Celestia stared in amazement as a stone, wrapped in paper and connected to a long piece of string, dangled in the wizard’s magic as he turned to her with a look of shock on his face, “Good lord!” he gasped, “Would you look at that!” Quickly, he unwrapped the piece of paper and placed his spectacles on his muzzle.

“Well?” Celestia asked, her interest piqued, “What does it say?”

The grey stallion shook his head and stared at the note, his face a comical mixture of incredulity and fascination, “It says, ‘we’re on the roof’.” He furrowed his brow, “What in Equestria could that mean? ‘We’re on the roof’?” He put the piece of paper to one side and clucked his tongue, “Blasted foals, this’ll be somepony’s idea of a joke – dropping stones down my pipes – that’s vitally important scientific research material, not some child’s toy!” He banged his hoof on the table, “And look at this writing! It looks like a yearling’s written it; there’s slobber everywhere and-”

“Let me see!” Celestia said suddenly, “Quickly!”

Huffing, Starswirl complied, “I don’t see what’s so important about it” he muttered, “Bloody kids…”

The Princess stared at the note. It certainly was spit stained and grubby, the hoofwriting clearly written by somepony with little experience with the written word and…” She gasped, her hoof flying to her mouth in realisation, “Starswirl! It’s Rush! He’s on the roof!”

“Well what the bloody hell’s he doing up there?!” the wizard bellowed, “If he breaks my tiles I’ll…”

“Never mind the bloody tiles, let him in!” Celestia commanded, “Quickly!”

Muttering, the wizard turned round and headed for the steps at the back of the laboratory that lead to the tower where he kept his astronomy equipment. If this was some kind of prank, he would teach whoever was behind it such a lesson as they’d never forget! Anyway, how could it be Rush? He was an earth pony, wasn’t he? Starswirl sighed; the door at the top of the stairs proved to be securely bolted, and the magical shield still in place just as he’d left it. Damn it all, if it was those blasted foals dropping things down his pipes again he’d teach them a thing or two! Taking a deep breath, Starswirl slid back the bolts and flung the door open,

“RIGHT!” he yelled “Who’s buggering about with my…” he blinked, “Rush?”

The bedraggled brown stallion looked back at him, shaking with the cold, “Hello, Starswirl. Bit breezy up here today; can I come in?”

Downstairs, Rush was bundled up in blankets and sat shaking in front of the fire. For such a sunny day, the wind up on the tower balcony had been freezing. Rush sniffed, trying to smile despite his uncontrollable shivering. Behind the glistening wall of the blue bubble, Celestia pressed a hoof, looking into his eyes. Neither of them could speak, despite having so much to say. Where in Equestria could you start? The brown earth stallion just sat, sitting there in his blankets and sipping the hot tea that Starswirl had given him, and…watched her. Even behind the glowing shield of magic, she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

“Tia…” he whispered.

The Princess hung her head, “Rush…I’m sorry, I’m so, so, sorry.”

“Don’t be” Rush said with a smile, “You have nothing to be sorry about. Nothing at all.”

Celestia smiled, “I wish that were true.”

Rush placed his cup down and walked over to her. She watched him so intently, with such a look of absolute love and trust that his heart cried out to be with her. He lifted his hooves and pressed them against hers, the minute barrier of magic the only separation between them. Rush leaned his head against it and squeezed his eyes shut,

“Tia, I am the one at fault here. I should have been more understanding of how much work and stress you were under. I should have been there to help you share that burden.”

Celestia tried to nuzzle him, but was blocked by the mysterious barrier, “Oh, Rush, I couldn’t do that you. All those meetings, the endless hours of talking with representatives of other nations?” She chuckled, “It’s enough to make your head spin!”

Rush smiled and looked about him, “Why are you in there? Are you sick?”

Celestia shook her head, “I…I’m not sure. Starswirl says my magic is out of sync with my body and is…leaking out, affecting the weather and…” she stared at the floor, “I think I may have done and said things that were ‘influenced’ by this imbalance.” She sighed, “I have to get to the bottom of this before things get really out of hoof.” She scrunched up her muzzle, “How in Equestria did you get up on the roof?”

“Oh, I had a lift from a friend” Rush smirked, “The last one I would have thought of to be honest.” He shrugged, “He’s a good tracker too it turns out.”

Celestia narrowed her eyes, “Who?”

“Yule”

“Yule!” the Princess gasped, “That traitor! I should have…”

Rush held up a hoof, “I think some things may have been said that shouldn’t have been said?”

Celestia groaned and sat back on her haunches, “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that” Rush replied, “We just need a strategy to get you and the palace back to normal.”

“You sound as if you have something in mind?” The Princess asked curiously.

Rush nodded, motioning to Starswirl, “As a matter of fact, I do.”

**************************

“Not a chance!” Starswirl stomped a hoof and stormed off around the room, “It’s absolute bloody madness!”

Rush watched the wizard pacing and tried to reason with him, “But if we were to confront them head on,” he began, “we could-”

“-make matters a damned sight worse!” Starswirl snapped, rounding on Rush, “Look at her! I’ve had to isolate her in case her magic goes crazy again. What’s next? A lightning storm that could turn the palace into ash? Maybe a hurricane that will level Paddock and send its citizens into the next world?” The wizard snorted, “It’s only by the grace of the Goddesses that noponies been killed this far!”

“You can’t leave her cooped up in that ball thing forever,” Rush retorted, “the whole palace is going to hell because they think she’s dead!” He stomped a hoof and tossed his mane in frustration, “Equestria is my home as much as it is yours, Starswirl, and we need to do everything we can to-”

“Can I have a say in this?” Celestia asked quietly. The two stallions froze and turned to her. “May I ask what it is you have in mind?”

Starswirl stared at her, swapping his gaze to Rush and then back again before giving a loud harrumph. Snorting, the eccentric wizard slumped back into his rocking chair and took out a long stemmed pipe, “Why don’t you tell her, mister Rush?” he grumbled, “You being such an expert all of a sudden.”

Rush sighed and turned to face the Princess, “Tia, I think these magical imbalances are linked to something traumatic that happened to you in the past.”

Behind him, Starswirl snorted loudly.

Rush rolled his eyes and continued, “I think it may have something to do with somewhere called ‘the pass of tears’.”

“What’s that?” Starswirl asked suddenly, looking up from under a fog of tobacco smoke, “Where did you say?”

“The pass of tears” Rush repeated.

“Never heard of it” Starswirl huffed.

Rush shrugged resignedly and addressed the Princess, “Tia?” but only silence answered him.

The change in Celestia’s expression made Rush’s blood run cold. Her eyes had taken on a distant cast, as though she were staring into a time and place that was unseen to him, but to her, was as vivid as it ever had been. The Princess took a breath, shuddered, and dropped to her haunches - and then the weather struck. Thunder vibrated through the walls, sending Starswirl coughing and hacking while desperately trying to reach his numerous instruments. Standing between them, Rush stood on his hind legs and placed his hooves against the bubble,

“Tia!” he cried, “Tia, please!”

Rain lashed the windows, rattling the glass in the panes, sending the grey coated wizard into a flurry of activity. He grabbed his scrying glass and nickered, “Damn it! The build up’s too strong, it’s overwhelming the protective wards!”

“What can we do?” Rush shouted over the rumbling, “We have to do something!”

“I know that!” Starswirl yelled as a flash of white lightning illuminated the room, “I’m going to try something, just be ready when I do.”

“Do what?” Rush asked loudly.

Another peel of thunder rang through the room.

“Just…do what comes natural!” the wizard shouted, “NOW!”

The bubble winked out and Celestia lurched forward almost lifeless into Rush’s open forelegs. It was a repeat of the throne room: the vacant expression, the eyes going unfocussed, only this time there were no ranting nobles or shouted accusations, no, this time there was only him, his mare, and the screaming hell of magic engulfing them like their own personal thunder storm. The world around them was reduced to a swirling, heaving mass of black and grey, with the occasional flash of lightning searing across Rush’s vision leaving a brilliant blue afterimage. He gave himself a shake and looked down at the limp mare in his forelegs, her wings hanging lifeless at her sides and her chest heaving. In the darkness, in between the flashes of lightning, the two bright yellow orbs floating in the centre of the maelstrom burned brighter than the sun.

YOU DO NOT KNOW US.

“I don’t have time for this crap!” Rush bellowed, “Leave us be!”

YOU CANNOT KNOW US.

“I know what you are!” Rush roared. He wrapped himself around the alicorn and breathed in her scent before turning back to the entity, “I know.”

YOU DO NOT KNOW US!

“You are the darkness that lies within us. You are the darkness that lives within the hearts of all living creatures. You are as much a part of this world as we are of you.” Rush looked into Celestia’s eyes, the faint spark of consciousness just starting to appear. She looked so weak, so helpless…Rush smiled gently, “I accept you, as much I accepted Celestia into my life, and my heart.”

Thunder and lightning crashed around them, the storm screaming with a fury that made the hairs stand up on Rush’s back. He didn’t care…he had everything he ever wanted in life…

“I have you…” He reached down and gently lifted the loving face of his mare to his, “My love.”

Rush’s lips brushed against Celestia’s as gently as the sweep of a butterfly’s wings. Around them, the world simply…ceased to matter. The Princess lifted her forelegs and wrapped them around her stallion, pulling him to her, moving against him and moaned happily. This was what she wanted: this, this moment with her stallion. Rush’s heart was thundering in his chest as he replied in kind…it had been too long…

“Ah, erm, hello?” Starswirl cleared his throat noisily, “The storms gone by the way, and I hate to interrupt your, er, ‘moment’, but…” he shrugged helpless, “y’know?”

The Princess and Rush broke the kiss, leaning their foreheads against each other and grinning like school foals. Celestia whispered into Rush’s ear,

“I can make him go away, you know. It is my palace after all.”

“Mmm.” Rush moaned, “I’d like that.”

“I’m not deaf!” Starswirl growled, “And this is my laboratory! I won’t have that sort of thing going on in here, thank you very much! I know it’s cliché, but you two really do need to get a room!”

Rush held up a hoof, “Alright, alright! We’re only joking, keep your hat on.”

Starswirl’s hat jingled irritably, “Bloody kids…”

“Thank the Gods that’s over” Celestia breathed, picking herself up, “Now we can…” she paused, “What are you doing now?”

Starswirl had lifted up his scrying glass and was shaking his head, “The thaumaturgical dissonance is still there. It’s reduced, certainly, but…” he sucked in air over his teeth, “I don’t understand it…why?” He took out his notepad and began scribbling away with his quill.

“Tia?” Rush asked quietly.

She nodded to him and smiled absently, “I have to do this.”

Starswirl trotted over, his expression unusually serious, “You’re determined to do this aren’t you?” he asked. Celestia nodded,

“I don’t have a choice.” She took a breath and looked to Rush as she spoke, “Rush is right: the war ended at the pass, but for me…” she closed her eyes, “I don’t think it ever did.” She leaned her head into Rush’s embrace.

“I’ll be with you” Rush said quietly.

Celestia nodded, “I…I didn’t want you to know.” She sighed and closed her eyes, nuzzling his mane, “I was wrong, I should have told you everything.” The Princess nodded to Starswirl, “Drop the barrier. I have a palace to put to rights before we depart. Starswirl, I want you to come with me - would you mind?”

The wizard bowed, “Of course, Princess, it would be my pleasure.”

Rush narrowed his eyes, catching a sinister smirk on the unicorn wizard’s face. The old bugger was enjoying this, wasn’t he? Or rather, he expected to. As they turned to leave, Starswirl held up a hoof, “Just a minute!” he chirped and hurried into a back room, returning a moment later, stuffing something into a pannier, “Right-o! Let’s go kick some flank!”

Rush winked at Celestia who rolled her eyes with a sly grin. Somehow, he had the impression she was enjoying this too.

The trio walked along the palace’s numerous tall ceilinged corridors, watching in silence as ponies balked, gasped, and generally dove out of the way before bowing low to their Princess. Rush kept his head up, sporting his new clothes which they’d collected on the way to the throne room. The enigmatic Starswirl however, was wearing his usual bell edged cloak and hat - the ‘classic look’ as he had told Rush. Celestia herself was wearing her crown, gorget, hoof covers and white robe emblazoned with purple and gold trimmings, looking every part the ruler of Equestria and the Princess of the sun. By the look of shock on the faces of the guards and the ponies around them, more than a few must have believed the stories of her ‘murder’, oddly enough by the very pony walking along side her. Rush smiled to himself; all of this felt so surreal, as though it were dream and yet at the same time frighteningly real to the point he could feel every hoofstep, sense every stare, even hear the heartbeats of those around him. Maybe it was an effect of being near the Princess, or perhaps just his imagination. Whatever it was, he felt as though he was going to explode with the unusual feeling of pride that burned through him. If ‘clothes maketh the man’ as he used to be told, they sure as hell made the stallion.

The doors to the throne room towered above them. Either side, guards in gold burnished armour watched them approach with wide eyes. Celestia stopped and looked at them each in turn,

“Gentlecolts…”

The guards bowed low, turning to open the doors, however as they did so a rather familiar tail and rump appeared, slipping backwards out of the door,

“I’ll do it at once you excellency, and…EEP!”

Celestia smiled gently, “Hello, Chancellor.”

“P…P…Princess!” the mare squeaked, “I…we…that is…”

“Don’t trouble yourself, my child,” Celestia said gently, “please, you look a little flustered. Pray, take a seat and rest yourself; I shall be speaking to you...soon.”

Rush grimaced at the word ‘soon’. Unfortunately, so did the Chancellor who had gone a peculiar shade of green. He looked up at Celestia whose expression was as gentle and calm as the surface of a mill pond, but it was what was beneath it, that heat of the sun’s wrath, that made him swallow.

The doors swung open.

“…with the Princess in absentia, I shall of course accept the terms laid out Duke Fringe. I trust this will help garner more, shall we say, mutually profitable deals between our two…” Pot Ash’s words were drowned out in the general hubbub that was growing at an irritating rate at the far end of the throne room. The tan coated stallion clucked his tongue and clopped his hooves together, “I SAY!” he bellowed, “What the blistering hell is going on back there!” He looked about himself angrily, “Guards! Find out what all the commotion is and get some bloody order back in here will you.”

The guards bowed and turned to face the throng of ponies that had surged forward towards the doors and now were parting just as quickly, retreating as gently as a wave lapping against the shore. From within, like some Goddess from the waters of a mountain lake, the shining white alicorn of Equestria strode forth: noble, proud, and radiating power that made Pot Ash’s legs quiver involuntarily. Quickly, he stepped down from the velvet stool he’d been sitting on and bowed,

“Your Majesty…”

“Pot Ash” Celestia said politely, and nodded to the two maids standing beside the throne. Quickly, they hurried up the steps and unclipped the Princess’s robe before she took her seat on the golden throne. Rush couldn’t help but feel a slight flush of pride, but also…poor Pot Ash...he looked like his world had just fallen out of his backside.

“Y…Your Majesty” the stallion stammered, “By your leave…” Pot Ash bowed and began retreating.

Celestia lifted a hoof, “Oh, don’t leave on my account, Lord Ash” she said with a level smile, “After all, you have been looking after the kingdom ‘in absentia’ have you not? I should very much like to hear what has been happening whilst I have been away.”

“I…um…” Pot Ash swallowed, “Well, the, er, the northern territories have erm…”

There was a sudden commotion from the group of ponies standing by the throne room doors. The newcomer, a brown and white mare with pink eyes and a flowing black mane, pushed forward through the crowd as if they were as substantial as mist. Rather than protesting, as Rush expected, the massed nobles stepped back as if the poor creature were likely to explode at any moment. But this was no common pony; she walked tall, her gait and form one that spoke of a family that commanded respect amongst ponies. Awkwardly, Rush suddenly felt oddly inadequate. The mare approached the throne and curtsied,

“Your Majesty.”

“Lady Copper Flow.” Celestia bobbed her head, “You wish to speak to me?”

The mare’s eyes flashed dangerously, locking onto the distinctly uncomfortable form of Pot Ash,

“Your Majesty, I wish to inform you of a situation developing on the borders with our lands.”

“Oh?” The Princess raised an eyebrow, “Please, continue…”

Pot Ash coughed loudly, “No! Wait, look, it’s not how it looks, I-”

Celestia stopped him with the merest flick of a hoof, “Please, Lord Ash, you shall have your turn. For now, it is Lady Flow’s time.” She nodded towards the mare, “Lady Flow, please, continue.”

“Your Majesty, I must inform you that I have been receiving reports from my outlying farms that a Yakistani army is massing on our borders in flagrant violation of the Blotting Pad Accord.” She raised her head, fixing her gaze upon Pot Ash, “I have heard disturbing rumours that our lands have been…” she took a breath, “bargained away, like some prize in a Llamalian bazaar! I have been waiting to speak to Lord Ash about this matter for days, but as he has consistently declined to address my concerns, I should like to ask Your Majesty if there is any truth to these rumours?”

Celestia turned to the tan stallion beside her, her face completely neutral, “Lord Ash? Would you like to add anything at this point?”

“I…I er, it isn’t how it looks!” he sputtered.

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed, “Yes, you said that before.” She cast her gaze around the room and caught sight of the two creatures Pot Ash had been conversing with when she came in. The two hairy creatures stood watching her with a sense of arrogance that made Rush’s hooves twitch towards his sword.

“Ah, our friends from the snowy lands of Yak Yakistan” the Princess smiled, “Duke Fringe and Lord Plait, wasn’t it? Please, I believe you may be able to help clarify this matter for me?”

Surprisingly boldly, the thickly haired and gold bedecked creatures approached the foot of the steps to the thrones, watched carefully by the guards. Rush subconsciously shifted his weight, readying himself – he wasn’t familiar with these…things…but he wasn’t taking any chances, and neither it appeared were the nobles, several of whom flicked coat tails away to reveal swords. Rush raised an eyebrow in surprise: some of them even looked like they knew how to use them too.

One of the yaks snorted loudly and spoke in an equally loud voice, thick with an accent that had Rush straining to understand what he was saying,

“Lord Pot Ash has given us land that belongs to Yaks now.” He gestured towards his colleague who produced a scroll from his pannier, “Blotting Pad Accord is lies! Charcoal Valley belongs to Yaks, has always belonged to Yaks.”

“And I presume that there has been some sort of,” Celestia tapped her chin thoughtfully, “shall we say, ‘recompense’, for this carving up of our land?”

The Yak nodded, “Ice gems.”

“Ice gems…” Celestia took a breath and chuckled, her voice lilting and feminine, floating our across the throne room.

Rush closed his eyes; the silence was so complete you could have heard a pin drop.

“You use ice gems in the production of Tangleberry Gin, do you not, Lord Ash?” the Princess asked quietly.

Lord Ash said nothing.

“A quite expensive commodity” Celestia continued, “Prized amongst the Llamalian and Griffin communities I understand. Quite,” she said with a sly smile, “delicious indeed.” She motioned towards the scroll, “May I see it gentlecolts?”

The yaks stared at each other for a moment and then nodded before one of the court ushers collected the scroll from them and passed it respectfully to the Princess. Held in the golden glow of her magic she read it in silence before shrugging demurely,

“It all appears to be in order” She said. Beside her, Pot Ash looked as though he was going to faint. “However, there is one small issue.” Celestia tapped the scroll with her hoof, “You see, the bartering away of any part of Equestria can only be ratified by the reigning monarch, who is…I believe…me.”

The yaks glared at Pot Ash and then back to the Princess. The larger of the two, the one Celestia had earlier identified as ‘Duke Fringe’, huffed irritably and shook himself, making the golden chains and armour plates along his back rattle alarmingly,

“You say agreement fake?”

“Not fake” Celestia corrected gently, “Incorrect. I’m afraid gentlecolts, that your ‘agreement’ with Lord Pot Ash, is as vacuous as the space between his ears.”

The yak shook his head, “Agreement has been signed, pony Princess. Your stallion made his mark and our people are ready.” He narrowed his eyes, “Yaks always ready.”

“Yes, I’m sure they are” the Princess said calmly, “Please, gentlecolts, allow me explain something to you.” Slowly Celestia rose from her throne and shook out her wings before settling them back by her side, “My people are still recovering from a brutal war which ravaged our land. Of course, your people know this, don’t they?” She watched the reactions of the Yaks carefully, “It would be true to say that our army is not as strong as it once was, after all, most of our soldiers have returned home to take up less…’aggressive’ occupations.” The Princess stared up at the floating treaty, “They fought hard for the peace we have enjoyed these last few years - a peace that flowers upon the fields sown with the blood of many of my sons and daughters.” Celestia closed her eyes, letting her magic flow out and around her, “Perhaps you have heard of the wendigo, hmm?”

“We know of wendigo” the yak said in its heavy tones.

Celestia nodded, “Yes…yes you would have, wouldn’t you.” Her horn began to glow brighter, stronger, “When the wind whistles through the mountains, when you look up to the clear blue sky and watch the clouds drifting by, you may hear still the echoes of those who once lived there: the ones who once dared to invade our home and take the lives of our people.” Celestia’s eyes burned like the centre of the sun,

“There are no more wendigo.”

A burst of golden light consumed the scroll in an instant as everypony in the room held their breath, watching the ash slowly drifting down to the floor.

Celestia turned her gaze on the yaks, “It would grieve me for the same fate to befall your people, Duke Fringe.”

The yak snorted angrily, “You threaten us?” He growled menacingly, “You ponies are weak! Your magic not frighten us! Warlord Far Thunder has tired of your arrogance for too long!”

“Ah…” Starswirl suddenly began patting his pockets, “Has, erm, anypony seen…” He suddenly lifted a hoof, “There! Over there!”

A mouse squeaked and darted past the bottom step of the throne and between the yaks legs. The creature bellowed in fright and leaped back, drawing its sword.

“Watch where you’re stepping, stallion!” Starswirl yelled, “That’s Lord Gristle!” He dropped to his knees, “Lord Gristle! Come here! Damn it, watch your step everypony.” He looked around and suddenly sighed loudly, “It’s alright everypony! I’ve found Lady Trinkets, she’s alright!” He took out a wooden box and coaxed a small white mouse inside, “Phew! That’s one down, now we just need to get hubby and we’ll be…”

“What are those things?!” Duke Fringe bellowed, “Lord Gristle? That…that the name of…”

“Oh, didn’t you know?” Starswirl said with an embarrassed grin, “Slight mishap with a magical spell dontcha know.”

“A slight mishap?!” the yak cried out in horror, “He the Llamalian representative!”

“Well, yes, I rather suppose he is” Starswirl said offhoofedly, “I guess we’d best find him quickly then and get the two re-acquainted. I’m sure Lady Trinkets is missing him.”

Duke Fringe jumped back as a small white blur shot past his hooves.

“You mad! All of you…mad!”

“Now I don’t think that’s fair!” Starswirl replied with a toss of his mane, “It’s not like we turn every pony into a mouse.” He lifted a hoof encouragingly, “If you want, I can show the spell which-”

“NO!” the yak shrieked, “No mice!” He backed up towards a column, “Yaks leave now!” The creature desperately tried to compose itself. Rush smirked; it was quite impressive really, in a bizarre sort of way. “Far Thunder will hear of this!” Duke Fringe shouted, “You have not heard the last of this!”

“Oh, I think we have” Celestia smiled, “I really do.”

“Tia?” Rush whispered, “Are you sure about this? I don’t know anything about yaks, but those two look like they have a mean streak a mile wide.”

Celestia smiled, “I’m sure.” She spoke quietly, but just loud enough for her voice to carry, “Yak’s are powerful warriors, of that you can have no doubt. What they lack in intelligence, they make up for in brute strength. But there is one thing that yaks fear…”

“Other than mice?” Rush chipped in cheekily.

Celestia chuckled, “More than mice.” She turned to the ponies before her, “They fear magic. Not just the magic of the unicorn, but the magic that lies within us all, the magic that binds us as one nation - one people.” With a snap, the Princess’s wings spread wide and she floated into the air surrounded in a glow of golden light, “I know Warlord Far Thunder, and I know his mind well. Licking our wounds from that awful war we may be, but we are not cowed by his threats, nor are we frightened by his posturing. Others have threatened us in the past, others have thought us to be little more than mere prey animals to run away and die like cowards in the dark.” The glow intensified, as bright as the sun, its heat warming the hearts of all it touched, “The yaks will find, as any enemy of Equestria will find, that our homeland is like the sun itself: welcoming all beneath its life giving warmth, but stray too close, and not even the carrion will find enough left to feast upon other than your withered bones.” The Princess’s eyes burned with an intensity that made Rush’s skin quiver…

“I hereby declare, that if the yaks dare take one step inside the borders of Equestria, then they will have ignited a fire that I assure you, will never go out - not until every single yak, adult or foal, bows before their Equestrian Princess.” Celestia leaned forward, staring into the eyes of the yak lord, “And if they will not bow to a Princess,” she growled, “then they shall cower before a Goddess!”

Every pony, every stallion, mare, lord and lady, bowed low as Equestria’s leader landed soundlessly before the twin thrones,

“My people, I am leaving Starswirl in charge in my absence. I shall be away for a few days to deal with matters of a personal nature.” She shook her rainbow mane, the golden glow of magic dissipating from around her as her eyes returned to their normal deep purple hue, “Do try not to encourage invasions or sell any more of Equestria whilst I am away, hmm?”

Lord Pot Ash bowed so low, he looked as though he were trying to eat his way through the marble.

“I suggest you leave” Celestia whispered to him, “If I ever see or hear of you again, being turned into a mouse will seem like a gift from the herd compared to what I will do to you.”

With a squeak, Pot Ash jumped up and bolted for the exit, nearly knocking several of the nobility flying as he went. Rush watched him go, shaking his head in amazement. He turned to see Celestia give him a wink, her voice a bare whisper in his ear,

“Flawless victory.”

There was a scandalised collective intake of breath from the assembled ponies, leaving Rush blushing furiously amidst a sea of open mouths and disbelieving eyes. Did she…did she just kiss him? By the Goddesses, she did! The Princess just…

“I will say this once, and once only” Celestia announced suddenly, “Rush is Royal Consort and as such you will afford him the same level of respect as you do me. I do not expect all of you to like this, and neither do I care.” She paused to make sure she had everyponies attention, “You will of course take note that there are only finite places within Canterlot, and indeed, the palace court.” Celestia smiled, “There are always others waiting to take positions that are, shall we say…surplus to requirements?”

Keeping her head high, the Princess strode from throne room, leaving the still bowing figures of the nobles behind her. Outside the sun was shining, the trees rustling in the faint breeze that wove its way around the battlements and towers, lifting the flags and pennants of the palace of the Princess of the sun. Rush felt his heart soar, partly due to the pride he felt in being part of the life of such a magnificent mare as Celestia, but also, privately, in himself. A pony often wracked with self doubt - to be with his mare now, just to walk by her side – he wouldn’t swap it for the world.

The two walked in silence for a way until Celestia glanced over at the brown pony by her side, “You look very handsome.” Tia’s smile made Rush stumble over his own hooves and he prayed she hadn’t noticed. He tried to ignore it and just bobbed his head,

“Thank you” he said quietly, “That means a lot to me.”

“Mmm!” Celestia grinned, “It should; the consort of the Princess needs to look his best. Although, I have to say, the more…’rustic’ Rush, is not without his particular charms.”

Rush laughed, “And dirt!”

“Perhaps” the Princess said quietly, “But there is something you’ve overlooked, isn’t there?”

Rush furrowed his brow, “Is there? You’ve lost me.”

Celestia stopped suddenly, motioning to her cloak, “Perhaps you ought to pay a little more attention to details, my reed cutting stallion.”

Beneath that long, white, elegant neck, pinned to her chest, sat a small brooch: a sprig of lavender worked in gold and silver, inlaid with tiny purple gems the colour of her eyes. Rush’s heart leaped; she’d found it! How did she…?

“I…I hope you don’t mind” she said quietly, “I know you probably meant it as a surprise, but it’s so beautiful, so delicate…I wanted to wear it,” she blushed and looked away shyly, “for you.”

Rush swallowed as his eyes began to sting in the corners and he had to fight back the urge to simply let his emotions overwhelm him. Instead, he took a calming breath, stepped forward, and reached for her, gently lifting her face to his. Rush smiled, gazing into his mare’s eyes,

“No jewel can compare with you, Tia. All I wanted, all I ever wanted, was to see your smile.”

Celestia took Rush’s muzzle and kissed him tenderly before leaning in to hold him closely, her wings quivering in time with her beating heart, “You always make me smile” she said nuzzling him, “Always.”

The two of them walked out onto the large raised white stone landing area that was provided for sky chariots. Rush had seen them before of course; it was hard to miss them, the way they effortlessly flew over Canterlot, some carrying ponies, others cargo of various kinds – including, more recently, himself. Today however, the sky chariots would have a different pilot to the usual pegasi: the Princess herself, and a certain earth pony who had only ever been off the ground once in his life, and that was an experience he didn’t want to repeat! Rush stared behind them at the ground dwindling away as they flew higher and higher at a stomach lurching rate. His knees shook and felt about as strong as rubber bands; and he felt sick too, in fact, he was going to be sick! Rush grabbed the railing and gulped air,

“Oh no…” he gasped, “no…no, no, no!” Oh Gods, this wasn’t happening! He hung desperately onto the railing for dear life, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to think of something, anything, other than the long drop through open air, with the sudden sickening…

“Rush, look at me, not the ground, yes?” Celestia called to him above the wind noise, “Focus only on me.”

“I…I can’t!” Rush choked, “I…”

“Rush, you’re safe! You’re with me, now.” Tia looked back at him over her shoulder, “If you fall, I’ll catch you.” Rush opened one eye in time to see the white mare giving him a wink that made him bark out a laugh involuntarily.

“That isn’t fair!” he shouted over the wind, “Anyway, why do we have to fly? I thought we could just ‘poof!’ there.”

“Poof?” Celestia laughed, “Even I can’t do that!” Her wings beat in time with the slight rolling movement of the chariot, “It’s not something I do lightly; if you don’t know where you’re going the result could be unimaginable.”

“I’m trying not to think about it!” Rush replied, “Do you think it’ll take long to get there?”

“No. In fact, we’re nearly there already” the Princess said, smiling.

“What?!” Rush opened his eyes wide and stared down at the wide expanse of forest far below. “How did we…?”

“Magic” Celestia grinned, “And a strong pair of wings helps too of course.”

“Hang on.” Rush said looking about himself, “The sun’s going down already. How long have we been flying?”

“Oh, a little while” Celestia said knowingly, “You were asleep most of the time.”

Rush shook his head, “No, I wasn’t! I…”

“Well, actually you passed out, Rush,” Celestia said with a shrug, “but never fear, my magic kept from falling out. Besides, you looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you up.”

Rush couldn’t believe his ears, “Tia!”

The Princess shook with laughter, shaking her head in amusement at the look of mock outrage on Rush’s face. He always seemed so innocent somehow, but so mature too that just a glimpse into those deep blue eyes would make her heart leap. A shudder ran down her spine; had she really spent these last few weeks doing nothing but work, and not had any time left to spend with her stallion? She sighed; she would have to do something about that, it wasn’t healthy for either of them. At least now she had a chance to spend some time with him, and speaking of which, she’d noticed a clearing below with just enough room for a comfortable landing,

“Hang on,” she called, “I’m going to take us down.”

“Are we here?” Rush asked in surprise. All he could see were trees and thick clouds in the distance.

Celestia shook her head, “Not yet, but we need to set up camp for the night. We can make an early start in the morning.”

Rush felt his hooves tingling as the chariot began its descent; he didn’t think he’d ever get used to this, but even so, he couldn’t help but marvel at Tia’s ability to fly. It was her wings that captivated him the most though, the way they beat effortlessly in great sweeps, drawing them through the sky as though the two were simply meant to be together. He could see her mane, a magical rainbow of colour streaming out across her back, and her tail too, almost within reach. He resisted the urge to run his hooves through it, despite the overwhelming urge to do so. Goddesses, what was wrong with him?! It was altitude sickness, that was it! It had to be! He took a breath and tried to gather himself; he had to stop thinking like this! Tia wouldn’t appreciate lewd thoughts, especially him ogling her shoulders, her elegant neck, the way her muscles moved beneath that magnificently smooth white coat - his eyes drifted to her haunches and the sunburst cutie mark, the same mark he’d seen on the banners around the palace. A shiver ran through him; he wanted so much to…to…

“Hold on, we’re coming in to land.”

Rush jumped in surprise, “Eh? Wha…Oh bloody hell fire!”

“RUSH!”

Celestia’s shout was lost in the crash of leaves and crack of branches, followed by a deafening and otherworldly roaring as the brown stallion plunged into the river. Struggling and thrashing, trying to orient himself, Rush kicked out and found, mercifully, the gravelly bottom not far below his hooves. With a few hard pushes and lunges, his forehooves bit into the gravel and he was able to pull himself up and out, just in time to see the form of a white alicorn running towards him shouting something. Stumbling onto the grassy bank Rush’s hearing was quickly righted with a vigorous shake.

“RUSH!” Celestia’s forelegs grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, “Oh Gods! Rush, are you alright! I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry! It’s all my fault!”

Rush coughed, spitting out a mouthful of water before sneezing loudly. His head span from the fright and sudden immersion into the cold water, but other than that, physically everything seemed fine. He looked up at her and shook his head,

“Hold on, she says…”

“I’m sorry!” Celestia stepped back and quickly began checking Rush over, “You’re not hurt are you?”

Rush shook his head, “Only my pride.” He grinned, “And I’d just had a bath too.”

Celestia hung her head and gave a gentle laugh, more out of relief than humour. What in Equestria had possessed her to let go of her magic right at that moment and…oh…right…she’d seen him, hadn’t she? The way he’d been watching her with those blue eyes of his; he’d looked almost feral…hungry… She shuddered.

“Tia, are you alright?” Rush looked into Celestia’s eyes, “You’re shaking.”

“I’m fine!” she squeaked, “I’m just…” the Princess took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Come on, let’s get back to the chariot and get a fire started. I’ll get some water on and we can get you cleaned up too.”

“Great.” Rush muttered, “With all the bathing lately, I should have been turned into a duck, not a pony.”

“Oh, stop it!” Celestia huffed, “I did say to hold on.”

Rush shook his head in dismay and began taking his clothes off, laying them over the sides of the chariot to dry. Fortunately there was just enough of a breeze and warmth in the air to dry them out fairly quickly, and also, him too. After a quick rub over with a towel, Rush checked his sword was undamaged before finally glancing around the clearing. His eyes went wide; it was full of the strangest flowers he’d ever seen – they were huge! Curiosity taking the better of him, he trotted off to investigate.

They were…strange. Rush lifted his hoof and touched one of the peculiar blooms, watching how it swayed, its bright golden yellow petals rippled in the breeze. Oddly, it didn’t have a smell, and felt quite firm to the touch, quite unlike any flower he’d ever encountered before. He nudged it with his nose; the tall leafy stems seemed to be covered in very fine hairs that tickled his muzzle making him sneeze.

“They’re called sunflowers.”

Tia walked up beside Rush and lifted a hoof, gently touching one of the colourful blooms, “Some ponies see them as weeds, but I’ve always found them quite beautiful really. Didn’t you have anything similar in the mountains?”

Rush shook his head, “Nothing like these. The mountain flowers tended to be small and fragrant, mostly appearing in the spring and summer. The village had a number of cherry blossoms and plum trees which bloomed each year though, and I used to go down to see them when they did.” He smiled sadly, “I wish you could have seen them…”

Celestia gave him a nuzzle, “I know, I do too.” She stared up into the sky and took a breath of the fresh forest air, “We have cherry blossoms here in Equestria, and plum trees too. When they flower, ponies often sit beneath them for family picnics, or just to be with the ones they love.” She opened here eyes and blinked in surprise, “Rush?”

The stallion smiled up at her, adjusting the flower in her mane, “It suits you” he said gently, “A little big, perhaps, but it matches your cutie mark – the flower of the sun, for the Princess of the sun.”

The Princess lifted her hoof and brushed the flower, closing her eyes as a shiver ran through her body,

“Oh, Rush.”

**************************

Night in the forest came quickly, with the sun dipping below the mountains and plunging the clearing into darkness. Fortunately for Rush, starting a fire was simplicity itself, with the application of a little magic from the Princess of course. Still, a fire required wood to continue burning and Rush soon found himself collecting a sizeable portion of deadwood from around the edges of the clearing which Celestia cut in sizeable pieces with a particularly impressive display of magic. Rush shook his head in wonder,

“Amazing” he said half to himself, “No matter how often I see it, I still can’t believe it.”

“It’s like anything, Rush” Celestia replied pleasantly, “Does a bird think about what it is like to fly, or a fish to swim?” She placed another log on the fire and checked the kettle to see how the water was coming along, “I was born with magic, as was my sister and the rest of my family. I sometimes forget how it must appear to non-magical creatures.”

“Hmm” Rush sighed thoughtfully. He adjusted his travel blanket and began laying out their bedding for the night, “I think I’m happy as I am.”

The Princess looked up, “Really?”

Rush furrowed his brow, “Of course. Didn’t you think I was?”

“I…I wasn’t sure.” Celestia chuckled and gave the fire a poke, “I wanted to think you were, but to be truthful, I was a little afraid to ask.” She gave him a shy look, “When you first came to Equestria, it was all so sudden, and with everything else that happened, I just…I just assumed that because you seemed to be so accepting of everything that you were happy in your new body.” She took a breath, “You were like a foal: innocent, precious, and you looked so fragile, I thought that if I even mentioned it to you, everything might somehow…change, like a bubble bursting.” Celestia shook her head, “I think I was just too cowardly to ask.”

Rush opened the picnic hamper and brought out a packet of sandwiches and – he inhaled – a packet of tea, and good tea at that. He lifted it up to her,

“Good?”

Celestia nodded. Rush leaned forward and checked the kettle. Satisfied, he lifted it off the hook and poured it into the teapot, quickly placing the lid back on. He smiled, inhaling the aroma of the freshly brewing leaves. It wasn’t blackwort, his favourite, but it was near enough - and company always made the tea taste best.

“Do you remember the first cup of tea we shared?” he asked. The white alicorn nodded as he continued, “You were the first equestrian I’d ever met, other than my mother.”

Celestia smiled, “You weren’t afraid though.”

“No” Rush said quietly, “No, I wasn’t afraid.”

“Why?”

Rush shrugged, “I don’t know. I think that perhaps somehow, deep inside, I always knew you would be coming…one day.” He shook his head, “Maybe it was the dreams I had of Equestria, the long evenings alone in mountains surrounded by miles of snow and forest, but…” he sniffed, “I don’t know, maybe my old mind was playing tricks on me.” Rush chuckled, “I often wondered if I was going round the bend - a human dreaming of being a horse!” He lifted a hoof apologetically, “Sorry! Pony…”

Celestia shook her head, “So, I know it’s a little late, but, how do you feel?”

Rush shrugged, “As cliché as it may sound, I feel…” he frowned for a moment and huffed, “Altogether…equine.”

Celestia burst out laughing, “I’m glad to hear it!”

Rush gave her a cheeky wink before checking the pot, “I think that should do it.” He poured out two cups and passed one to the Princess, “Look at that eye-hoof co-ordination, I’ll be writing with the best of them before you know it.”

The Princess grinned, “I found your note; it was with the brooch.”

“Oh” Rush blushed, “Yes…I thought you might.”

“How did you…” She shook her head, “No, I shouldn’t have asked, I’m sorry, forget I-”

“-I helped out in the palace apothecary” Rush cut in gently, “They gave me a, er…’advance’ on my pay, on the understanding I would work it off.”

“Work it off?” Celestia asked in surprise.

Rush smiled, “For six months.”

“Six months?!” the Princess gasped, “How much was this?!” She nickered and stomped a hoof, “No! Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know!” She sighed, “Oh, Rush, you didn’t have to.”

The brown stallion reached over to touch her and hesitated, twisting to make it look as though he were merely taking another sandwich, “No, I didn’t have to” he said, “But I wanted to.” Rush closed his eyes and took a sip of his tea, “It’s a gift for somepony who means more to me than I could ever put into words. Your wearing it today was worth far more than any price they could have asked.”

Celestia closed her eyes and ruffled her wings, “Nopony has ever bought me anything like that before…not in a thousand years.”

Rush frowned, “A thousand years? Tia, you’re a Princess, and the most beautiful mare I know; suitors would have been throwing themselves at you!” He blew on his tea to cool it before taking another sip, “I’ve seen the way those nobles look at you.”

“Yes, like breeding stock.” Celestia huffed and put her cup down, “They see me as something that would further their family’s influence, that’s all. I have had gifts, certainly: gold, silver, furniture and paintings, carpets and tapestries - the most magnificent and elegant objects from every part of the world.” She smiled sadly as she stared into the fire, “And yet it all came with a price…it always comes with a price.”

A slight pressure on her hoof made her look down. Rush’s hoof was gently touching hers,

“My gift came with a price” Rush said. His eyes met hers, “To see your smile.”

Celestia’s heart thumped hard in her chest, her breathing increasing and her ears feeling distinctly hot. She swallowed, “Rush, I…I love you.”

“I know” Rush replied softly, “I love you too.”

“You don’t think I look strange?” she asked.

Rush frowned, “What? What in Equestria makes you believe I’d think that?”

Tia looked away, “I don’t know, I just…” She sighed, “I didn’t think you thought of me…in that way.”

Rush chuckled.

“It’s not funny!” The Princess snapped, “I honestly don’t-”

“Tia!” Rush exclaimed, giving her a quick nudge with his nose, “You don’t understand; I thought that you thought that of me!”

Celestia nickered loudly, “No! I mean...” She gave her mane a shake, “Oh, Rush, I’m hopeless at this…”

Lying on his back, Rush stared up at the stars. The constellations were different here, but just as beautiful and ethereal as they had been back in the human world. He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. “Just say what’s in your heart,” he said gently, “I’ll listen.”

Celestia sighed and snuggled in next to him, “Do you mind?” Rush shook his head. “I haven’t spent much time with you these last few weeks have I?” she said sadly.

Rush leaned over and kissed the top of her head, “No, but I know why. You’ve been so busy lately I began to think all sorts of things.” He took a breath and rubbed his muzzle with a foreleg, “I know it sounds selfish, but I was starting to worry you’d lost interest in me.”

“I know.” Celestia groaned, stroking Rush’s chest, “I wanted to spend time with you, but my duties…” She huffed, “I’m not sure what I can do about it. They all pull me this way and that so much, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going sometimes.”

Rush ran his muzzle over Tia’s ear making her giggle; it was so soft, and wonderfully warm too. “You have ponies like the Chancellor who could share the burden” he said gently, “Why not have them do the more mundane tasks for you? Delegate some of the work. That would free you up to spend more time on important matters if you needed to, and have more time for yourself.” He smiled, “You can’t make the best decisions if you’re exhausted.”

“Hmph!” Celestia huffed, “You sound like my mother.”

“She’s an incredible mare” Rush smiled, “Like her daughter.”

“Wha…!” Celestia sat up suddenly, “You’ve met her?!”

“We’ve talked” Rush said calmly, “She seemed very nice.”

“Oh, I’m sure she did!” The Princess covered her muzzle with her forelegs and groaned, “Oh…mother!”

“Weren’t you going to introduce me to your parents one day?” Rush chuckled.

Celestia’s voice was muffled under her leg, “It’s not as simple as that! Can you imagine what it would be like? Mother’s one thing, but Father? ‘Father, I’d like to introduce you to my coltfriend, Rush. Rush, meet God.’” Celestia neighed loudly, “It’d be a disaster!”

“Oh, stop exaggerating!” Rush laughed, “Anyway, your mother seems to like me, which was a hell of a relief I can tell you.” He gave her a nuzzle, “Anyway, it’s bound to happen sooner or later. Something tells me I’m going to meet him one day whether I like it or not.”

Tia leaned across suddenly and grabbed him tightly, “Don’t talk about it!” she pleaded helplessly, “Don’t! Please…”

“Tia! Good grief, I’m not going anywhere!” Rush gave her a squeeze in kind, “Not as long as I’ve got you…my Snow.”

Celestia took a deep breath, and despite her worries let out a quiet laugh, “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard for a long time.”

Rush smiled, “No, but I suppose in some corner of my heart, when I look at you I still see that lost mare I found in the forest all those years ago.” He breathed in her scent and moaned gently, “I dreamed of being with you again you know, I prayed for it, but there was always that little part of me that thought…that maybe…”

“Shhh” The Princess lay a hoof on Rush muzzle, “Come on now, that’s all in the past.” She gave him a wink, “I’m here now, and so are you.” She looked up at the stars and smiled, “You’re right though; it’s almost like we’re back in your mountains, in the forest where we first met.” Celestia snuggled into him, “Just the two of us.”

Rush reached down and gave her ear a nibble, eliciting a groan from the white mare, “Just the two of us…”

Tea, forgotten and discarded, lay where it had been left. The two lovers, the alicorn Princess and her earth pony stallion, drew closer as the night fell around them - a dark blanket of silence to hide them from the cares of the world.

The sunflowers would never tell…

Chapter Fourteen - In the hoofprints of the fallen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

IN THE HOOFPRINTS OF THE FALLEN

Celestia yawned. The sun was already broaching the horizon, and glinting off the snow capped peaks. Looking up at them she felt a slight chill run through her despite the warmth of her body; she didn’t want to think about what she had to do today, especially after…last night. She smiled and turned over to face the still sleeping Rush. He looked so young, so full of life and energy, and yet he had a depth to him that intrigued her. He was right of course; she really would need to do something about the way the palace was currently being run. Until the war, she’d shared the administration of the country with Luna, but now, it was just her. Surely she had ponies she could rely on to take over some of the more mundane tasks? The Chancellor was always droning on and on about taxes and repair works and this and that and…oh! All sorts of silly things! She smiled and gave Rush a kiss on the muzzle – just the very faintest of touches, but it was enough.

Rush’s eyes fluttered open sleepily, “Tia?” He stretched and squeezed his eyes shut before stifling a yawn, “Is it time to get up?”

“Mmhmm”

Rush clucked his tongue, “Do we have to?”

“We do” she replied gently, and gave his mane a stroke, “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want to get up.” Rush’s mouth curled into a cheeky grin, “Can it wait?”

“No!” Celestia bopped him on the nose, “I don’t know where you get all that strength, mister earth stallion, but I’m just a frail mare you know, I’ve only got so much energy in me.”

“Pfff!” Rush laughed aloud, “Stop it!”

“Only if you ask nicely…” Celestia leaned down and licked his muzzle, making Rush squeak in surprise. “Come on you, I want to get this over with. It’s not something I want to do, but…”

“I know, love.” Rush gave himself a push, rolled over, and groggily began to get himself ready for another day, “But if it helps you-”

“-Just…just be there for me” the Princess said quietly, “Please?”

Rush shook his head, “You know I will be.” He gave her a nuzzle, “Anyway, I always say: ‘a cup of tea first, to start the day’.”

“No you don’t!” Celestia laughed, “I’ve never heard you say that at all!”

“Humph!” Rush huffed, “You never listen, that’s why…” He stuck his tongue out playfully, receiving a whack on the rump in reply.

Soon, packed and strapped in, Rush settled himself into the chariot while Celestia pulled them up into the chill morning air. Flying didn’t seem to bother him as much now for some reason. Maybe it was because of his trust in Tia, or the fact that he was distracted after they’d… Rush gave himself a shake; he still hadn’t stopped smiling happily to himself since he’d woken up, but he didn’t care. He peered over the side of the chariot at the crystal blue sky and forests far below them. This far north, the air felt different, even ‘tasting’ different somehow. Rush licked his lips – it was reminiscent of ice, a peculiar hint of winter that felt at odds to the beautiful scene around them of green trees, the river, and the fog shrouded mountains ahead: fog they were heading straight into.

“When we enter the cloud, close your eyes until I tell you” the Princess called over her shoulder, “It’s important, understand?”

The tone of voice said it all. There would be no discussion or debating now; Celestia was in complete command. Rush wasn’t sure what to expect in there, mostly because Tia had been evasive about the whole subject but, in fairness, Rush hadn’t exactly pushed her for information anyway. He was starting to wish he had, especially as they were now so close to their goal, but since this was clearly painful for her, he would put his trust in his mare and follow her lead. Rush checked his sword and flexed his shoulders; he’d heard bits and pieces of the story from the unicorns in the forest and snippets from the guards, but in reality he hadn’t found out much more than conjecture and rumour. In truth, nopony really wanted to talk about the war at all, and he couldn’t blame them. He’d seen war, he’d seen his fill of the brutality and cruelty people could inflict on one another, and he’d see the suffering it left on those it left in its wake. Tia would tell him the story when she was ready. He sighed; and that would be all too soon. Rush kept his eyes closed and waited. Over than the wind noise, he couldn’t hear much aside from the rhythmic sweeping of Tia’s wings, until eventually stray wisps of white caught his eye and he suddenly found his vision had all but turned completely white.

They’d entered the cloud.

The temperature plummeted; beads of moisture clung to his fur and soaked his muzzle. It was not especially unpleasant as such, but it was definitely uncomfortable. Rush put it out of his mind for now; when they landed he’d give himself a good shake and dry off. Fortunately they had towels and warm cloaks with them which Tia had told him to keep ready in the locker for when they landed in the pass and…

Something was tickling his ear. He reached up and gave it a rub - just water.

Rush took a breath and…

There it was again. What was that? There was nothing physical there, just…

“Rush? What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here yet, it isn’t your time.”

The voice made Rush’s hackles go up and his heart skip a beat. It wasn’t Tia’s voice, it was…

“Mother?” No. It couldn’t be, it had to be a trick of the clouds or altitude or…

“Why are you here?” the voice asked again, “This isn’t the sort of place for you. Not now, you have so much left to live for…my Rush…”

“Don’t listen!” Rush opened his eyes in surprise as Tia yelled back at him, “Rush, keep your eyes shut and don’t listen! They’re not real!”

But it was too late. Rush stared into the large brown eyes of a mare with a chocolate brown coat and cream mane. In a way, it was like looking in a mirror – except for the eyes.

“Rush, my dear son” she reached out for him, “this isn’t the place for you.”

“Mother?” Rush shook his head, “But…” he paused and shut his eyes, “You’re not here, you’re dead, you’re with the herd now.”

“Your father’s here” the voice said peacefully, “He wants to see you.”

“No!” Rush hissed, “Go away! You’re not real! Gods damn it all, leave me be!”

“Hello, Rush” A heavy voice spoke on the other side of him, “You’ve grown to be quite the stallion. You have your mothers’ colouring.”

Rush shuddered, “F…Father.”

The voice spoke again, “We’ll meet again some day, my son, but not yet. Your mother’s right though, you shouldn’t be here.”

“I know!” Rush hissed, “But I have to be! Just, please, leave me alone…please…”

The voice of his father sounded surprisingly kind, yet carried a deep baritone that spoke clearly of his size and strength. He’d never met Silver Spark, but he’d heard about him from his friends. He knew how much ponies had respected him, he knew about the way he’d sacrificed himself to buy some time for the young soldiers to escape. Ultimately, had it been worth it? A few seconds, an indistinguishable pause in the maelstrom of battle that had lead to the death of the father he’d never known. Part of Rush felt oddly bitter towards him for allowing himself to be killed for ponies he probably didn’t even know, and now, now that Rush was home in Equestria, it was too late – his father was gone.

“We’ll meet again, Rush” his father’s voice said, “One day.”

The voice sounded fainter than it had, as though coming from a long way away.

“Goodbye, Rush” his mothers voice called, “Be safe. We love you.”

“Mother…Father…” Rush whispered, “Oh, Gods…I miss you so much…”

“RUSH!” Celestia’s voice slammed into Rush’s ears, “Wake up! Don’t listen to-”

Rush held up a hoof, “I’m fine, Tia” he called, “I…I’m fine.”

Celestia didn’t look convinced, but then there he was with his eyes wide open when she’d expressly told him not to, and… He blinked; the clouds had gone.

“My Gods…”

He’d never seen anything like it. He was used to mountain ranges, after all he had lived in them for most of his life, but to see them from up here was simply…breathtaking. Around him, mile upon mile of snow covered mountains stretched out as far as the eye could see. Above them the sky was an uninterrupted blue, a blue as pure as any he had even seen, and there, as if presiding over the world below, was the white light of the sun – Tia’s sun. Rush closed his eyes, feeling its warmth upon his face; he felt calm, peaceful and…happy. How could something so tragic, something so awful, happen in a place of such majesty? It didn’t seem real.

They began to descend, slowly spiralling down until Rush noticed they were heading towards something unusual sitting on the side of one of the mountains. As they approached, he began to make out regular patterns and shapes – ones that had clearly been made by hoof or magic – or maybe both. Even at this distance it reminded him of Canterlot and the royal palace, the beautiful towers and buildings of gold, silver and white marble - the way they seemed to be almost growing out of the living rock itself. Yet here, nearing this structure, everything seemed ‘off’ somehow, as though… Rush swallowed; now he knew, now he could understand… He closed his eyes; he didn’t want to see any more…

There was no life here.

They landed with little ceremony, in a snow covered area of the ruins. Rush waited while the Princess unharnessed herself and walked round to him,

“Rush? Are you alright?” Her voice was quavering and uncertain, “I’m sorry, I should have warned you about what we could encounter in the cloud.”

Rush took a breath and nodded slowly, “I’m fine. They were just voices, that was all.”

Celestia looked at him askance, reaching up to brush his mane out of his eyes, “I did my best to keep the magic at bay, but it has grown far more powerful than I’d expected.” She looked around herself at the blasted rock and the great holes rent in the stonework, “I created the barrier, years ago with the help of the elements of harmony, to keep ponies from wandering in here.” She hung her head, “Nopony should come here.”

“Tia, what is this place?” Rush asked, “Where are we?” He shook his mane and stared in amazement at the remains of a building that was, in sheer scale alone, simply unimaginable. Towers, or what remained of them, soared up into the sky where the remnants of bridges still clung here and there. Stones as large as some of the houses he’d seen in Paddock lay scattered around as though they’d been picked up and thrown about by some gigantic hand of the Gods. Gingerly, he walked forward a couple of paces and stared at something poking up out of the ground – it was white, but not the white of snow, and it had an almost ‘organic’ feel to it.

Bones.

Rush closed his eyes and stepped back. The more he looked, the more he saw…they were everywhere.

The Princess lay a hoof of Rush’s shoulder, “This is a place I never wanted to see again, let alone bring you here.” She took a breath, “This is, or rather was, the home of the wendigo - the Fortress of the Four Winds.”

“Madra mentioned a fortress” Rush said quietly, “I’d heard of these ‘wendigo’ too, but…” He shook his head; words seemed so pointless here somehow.

“The true wendigo are spirits, of a sort.” Celestia explained, “They are creatures of magic that exist between the planes of life and death, between the land of the living, where we live, and the land of the dead - the eternal herd.” She paused, “That dark place is the home of the thestrals, known as the Wither World.” The Princess continued, “Long ago, perhaps when I was little more than a foal, a tribe of unicorns allied themselves with the spirits of the Wither World in some strange bonding ceremony. It was with this, that they would willingly give themselves to one of the wandering spirits, bonding with it, and become monsters of incredible power.”

“What…what did they look like?” Rush asked, “Madra, Fathom and the others, they didn’t look like anything other than regular unicorns to me.”

“They were” Celestia said, “Not all members of the tribe of the Four Winds became full wendigo. Many remained as you saw: regular ponies.” She shook her head, “They tended to…breed…amongst their own.”

“They were all inbred?” Rush asked in surprise.

Celestia nodded, “Yes, although it was a practice not unique to them at the time. Once there were the three tribes: the earth ponies, the unicorns and the pegasi, all unique, and all fiercely independent of the others.” She sighed, “It all lead to war.”

“So the wendigo were, what, a fourth tribe?” Rush asked.

“Not really” Celestia said, “They were still unicorns. They just took a path that lead them here.” She held out a hoof, “One that led, ultimately, to their destruction.”

“They allied themselves with your sister” Rush said gently.

Celestia nodded, “They did.” She nodded towards the chariot, “Come. There is something else I need to show you.”

As he mounted, Rush asked, “So, what did they look like then? Grove said they could fly, but unicorns don’t have wings… Do they?”

Celestia shook her head, “No, but wendigo could somehow channel the spirits power, altering their bodies and giving them the ability to fly.” She looked back at Rush, “Wendigo held the very raw essence of winter within them. Combined with their natural magic, they used it as a weapon…a terrible weapon.” Celestia closed her eyes, “Many of us fell before them.”

The chariot lifted off, leaving that mournful last resting place of so many to its silent vigil. Rush stared back over his shoulder, wondering to himself just what it would have looked like before the war had taken its toll. He tried to imagine the wendigo flying through the air, swooping around the towers and battlements of that magnificent structure. Even now, even reduced to little more than rubble and ruin, the fortress glinted like silver in the sunlight, hinting at it once, now lost, majesty. In some respects the fortress appeared to be completely at odds to what Tia was telling him; after all, how could creatures capable of creating such a beautiful place be so warlike? So…evil? He scratched his muzzle in thought; Fathom, Madra, Harn, and little Cinder - they weren’t evil…were they? Sure, Madra was probably going to do ‘something’ to him just before Celestia swooped in and saved the day, so to speak, but it was highly unlikely to have been anything…’unpleasant’. He couldn’t help but feel a slight grin spreading across his face; if he’d been single and alone in the world, would it have been so bad? Living in the forest with a family of unicorns and spending his days weaving the natural fibres of the land as he always had? He gave himself a shake and came back to the present. It was all a fantasy of course – perhaps in another life, another world, things would have taken a different course. Here, he was with his mare, and there was little more he could ask for. Rush sniffed his foreleg and smiled; he could still smell her on his fur…

They landed silently in a snow drift in the wide space between two mountains. Rush looked over his shoulder; they weren’t that far from the fortress really. In fact, when he looked closely, he could just about make out what appeared to be a path leading from the direction of the ruined home of the wendigo to this very…pass. He froze, turning back to face Tia, and beyond her, the narrowing divide between the mountains, the very place Madra had spoken of…

“The pass of tears.”

Celestia closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, “You heard that from the unicorn mare” she said quietly.

Rush nodded, “Yes.”

“Do you remember what else she told you?” she asked.

Rush took a breath, gazing out over the rocky and snow covered landscape. He couldn’t see any evidence of fighting, but…there was something here, a feeling of…of emptiness. Whatever it was, it went far beyond the mere chill of snow, deeper than the bite of the wind, it was…inside, in your heart and your soul. This was a place were bad things had happened: terrible, unimaginable things. Gods, it was all he could do to stop his knees trembling. Rush closed his eyes and rubbed his muzzle,

“This was where the last battle was fought against the wendigo.”

Celestia looked out along the pass and spoke levelly, “It was. It was here, in this place, where we…that I, brought an end to the evil of the wendigo.”

Just like that. Rush didn’t know what to say; the implications, the words he’d heard from other ponies about what had happened here, just didn’t seem to encompass the magnitude nor the scale of what he was trying to come to grips with. Tia had…she’d…

“Come.” The Princess began walking away, “Stay in my hoofprints. There are spells here - wards that I placed long ago to keep others away.”

And to hide what she’d done.

The thought seared through Rush’s mind unbidden. The thought that Tia had been in battle had always struck him as strange, especially when he saw the gentleness in her eyes and the motherly kindness that emanated from her, and yet he’d seen her fighting the thestral, Rend, and he knew there was more to this mare than most of her subjects would ever know. Tia, the Princess of the sun, the ruler of Equestria who had banished her own sibling, was far from some wilting flower. She was the source of power in this land, a virtual living Goddess who would protect beloved people whatever the cost. Who could… his hoof caught on something, something hard and…crunchy. Rush closed his eyes and swallowed.

Oh, Gods…

He lifted his hoof and stared down at the snow covered bones, the partially charred and blacked remnants of… a foal. Rush squeezed his eyes and felt a shiver run through his body,

“Tia…” he whispered.

Celestia stopped and looked back at him, her expression unreadable, “Come. There is more to see.”

The two walked. As Rush’s eyes adjusted to the light, he began to see more than just the white of the snow, he saw…bones, a veritable swathe of them, leading away into the distance. There were dozens of them, hundreds maybe. Here and there lay the tragic remains of armoured creatures: some with wings, some without. Most were unarmoured - most were unarmed. Nearly all of them were heading in one direction: towards the blocked mouth of what had once quite clearly been a cave entrance. It was here, that the Princess stopped. She turned to face her stallion, her eyes glinting in the sun, her coat as white as snow, and her rainbow mane and tail billowing in the breeze that moaned through the fields of the dead.

“Do you see?” Celestia said quietly, “Do you see now, what I am?” She closed her eyes, “This, is what I am.” She gave a mirthless laugh, “I am the white witch, the slayer of young and old…the killer of foals…”

Rush shook his head, “Tia, I-”

“-You don’t have to say anything” Celestia said lifting her head, “I know what I did. I know why I did it.” She looked at Rush levelly, “They murdered my people, Rush! They slaughtered them mercilessly in their hundreds and thousands, aided by their foul kin and those traitors who served their self styled Goddess, Nightmare Moon.” She gritted her teeth, “I saw what they did, Rush, I saw them beheading and feeding my sons and daughters to dragons, dragons! Can you imagine that? Can you even comprehend what it was like to know what those beasts were doing?” She shuddered, “Such evil cannot be allowed to survive. It had to be wiped away; it had to be purged from our land to make our home safe once again.”

Was that Rush’s imagination? As Celestia spoke, the air around her seemed to shimmer and the light darken slightly. The temperature had dropped noticeably too. He raised a hoof, but the Princess continued,

“Yes, I slew them! I killed them all! It didn’t matter to me that they ran in fear, running from the vengeance of their enemy; they had brought all of this upon themselves!”

The wind was picking up even more, the darkness swirling around her,

“I killed them!” She cried, “I turned them to ash with the power of the sun itself! I hacked and cut down those who fled before me and smote their ruin upon the mountainside. All fell before me! All must…all…” The Princess’s eyes suddenly rolled up in her head and she staggered sideways before pitching forward into Rush’s outstretched forelegs,

“TIA!”

“Oh, how very touching…” A rumbling voice rolled out along the mountain pass making Rush’s mane twitch nervously. He looked up as the dark outline of the voice’s owner landed heavily nearby, sending snow sliding down the rock walls with the dull impact. A stray shaft of light illuminated the gigantic beast towering over the two equestrians,

“And so incredible fortuitous, is it not?” the beast added in its heavy tones, “Both the white witch and her mate together!” It let out a great hissing laugh, “I should thank her truly for this most gracious gift!”

“What…who are you?” Rush gasped.

The beast blinked its huge red reptilian eyes and stepped into the light. Scales as large as table tops glinted with every colour of the rainbow as the massive horned creature leaned down,

“I? My name is not for any mortal to know, Pony.” It smirked, displaying a terrifying battery of teeth, each one as long as Rush’s body including his tail, “But I know you…Rush, isn’t it?”

“How do you know me?” Rush asked, moving in front of Tia, “What do you want?”

“So many questions!” the creature chuckled, “So typical of your race: always trying to put off the inevitable with your incessant chatter.” It clucked its large tongue, “No matter. Know only that you have served your purpose…in feeding me.”

The mouth opened, long strands of saliva dripping off the enormous teeth as it drew nearer and nearer. Rush moved round, putting himself between the Princess and the creature,

“Eat me then,” he shouted, “but let Celestia go!”

The beast paused, surprised by Rush’s actions, “But why? I intend to eat you both.”

Rush closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, “Please, just…let her go.”

“Oh how infuriatingly noble of you” the creature hissed, “I always hated that side of ponies; so noisy and full of their own sense of self sacrifice!” It huffed a blast of smoke, “But in the end, all you are little pony, is a light…repast.”

The mouth opened again, while Rush stood and waited helplessly. This was it then, was it? Eaten by some gigantic scaled…what was it? Gods, he didn’t even know! He’d heard of beasts like this in the human world: huge scaled creatures that could tear mountains in half with their sheer strength. Of course, he hadn’t believed in them really, nobody in their right mind would, but then, who would have believed he was really a pony? Come to think of it, who would have believed that one day he would be standing in a mountain pass waiting to be eaten by a…

“Dragon” he muttered.

The jaws snapped shut with a hiss and a muted roar. Rush opened his eyes. Something shot past as high speed and swept away before banking and coming back into a dive. There was a loud crack and a thump; whatever it was resulted in the dragon suddenly rearing and clawing at its throat while emitting a howling cry of unbridled rage.

“RUSH! GET THE PRINCESS OUT OF THERE!”

A streak of purple tore past them, climbing rapidly and then banked hard while simultaneously reloading a heavy looking crossbow. Yule quickly loosed another quarrel, the steel bolt lodging right behind the dragons shoulder and sending the creature into a flailing rage as it tried desperately to pull it free. Rush didn’t waste any time: in an instant he had the unconscious Princess up and onto his back. Unceremonious it may be, but getting her away from here was all he could think of now, and bouncing along on his back like a sack of potatoes would be something he could apologise for later. Behind him the dragon roared, and a blast of heat surged out along the pass, instantly turning snow to steam and singing Rush’s tail hairs. Thank the Gods he’d run when he had, or else the two of them could have been in the middle of that! He ran on. Rocks and snow flew by, but where the hell was he going to go now? He had no magic, no wings, and only his strength as an earth pony, but what good was that against a beast that looked to be half the size of the mountain itself? He gave his mane a shake and poured everything he had into his speed, keeping to Tia’s and his hoofprints the best he could.

The dragon shrieked, and shouted something Rush couldn’t understand. Whatever it was, the thing was beyond furious; Yule must have been putting up one hell of a fight. Dodging around another boulder, Rush reached the precipice, the sheer drop that would mean a swift and bloody death for the unwary, but there, off to his right, was what he’d seen earlier – the narrow path along the side of the mountain that lead back to the remains of the fortress. It wasn’t as if he had much choice left at this point; behind him the teeth and fire of the dragon, below the long drop to oblivion, or the path. He gritted his teeth, checked Tia was as secure as he could make her, and made his decision.

Step by step, Rush followed the mountain path. It was surprisingly clear of snow considering its location, and he was damned glad of it too. Both of them had their cloaks on, but it was still bitterly cold despite the sun’s rays. The light too was an enemy out here: the intense brightness was harsh on the eyes and the way it reflected off the white surface could effectively blind you. Fortunately, Rush was used to travelling in the snowy hills and mountains of the human world, and quickly found that four legs gave a distinct advantage when it came to traction. Still, overconfidence could lead to tragedy in such a place, so he kept his pace steady, measured, and tried to ignore the sounds of battle echoing out around them.

Rush moved on, negotiating the rock falls that had damaged the path here and there, trying his best to ignore the sad and forlorn remains of long dead ponies that poked up out of the snow, until finally, blessedly, he reached the end of the path. He paused, trying to catch his breath and stared up at the enormous archway before him. It was… immense, bearing still surprisingly crisp carvings of creatures that looked just like the elegant figure Madra had brought for young Cinder. Rush blinked away the sweat from his eyes and took a breath; he didn’t have time for this! He refocused his mind on the job at hoof and stared at the enormous pile of rubble and snow that blocked his progress. At some time in the past, countless tonnes of rock had slid down the mountainside and broken through the wall of the fortress, pushing into the entrance just beyond the archway and effectively blocking it. Cursing under his breath, Rush clambered over the debris, digging at the looser rocks, but there, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a gap that with a little effort he could just about squeeze through. Digging as quickly as he could, Rush heaved himself through the freshly exposed gap in a cascade of stones and snow; Celestia came next, unceremoniously dragged through and into the strangely lit cavern beyond. Rush checked his panniers and shook his head; they had precious few supplies with them as most were stored back with the chariot in the pass. They hadn’t planned on staying here longer than it took to…to what? To see if confronting Tia’s past would somehow free her of the darkness that was inhabiting her magic? Gods above, look where that had got them! What the hell had they been thinking?! And now they were trapped in a…in a graveyard! Rush could feel his heart rate increasing, his fur standing on end with the realisation that he was stuck here with nopony likely to get to them any time soon. Worse, that damned lizard was still out there, and as for Yule…he could only pray he would be safe.

Trying to calm his racing heart, Rush stared about at the cavern, or rather…hall. It was absolutely immense in scale even by palace standards, with a peculiar light that emanated from the icy walls providing an otherworldly illumination that made Rush’s hackles go up. Giving himself a shake, he carefully laid the Princess onto his cloak, wrapping her own around her and began checking her for injuries. Thankfully, there were no signs of anything other than a few scorched hairs where the dragon fire had caught them; it certainly could have been a hell a lot worse. Curious, he looked behind at his own tail and sighed; thankfully, that would grow out too.

Rush got up and walked over to the one of the oddly glowing walls, touching it tentatively with his hoof. It felt…cool, but not cold. To his surprise, this wasn’t ice at all, but rather some sort of material similar to crystal that held an inner glow that filled the hall with an eerie blue-white light. Whatever it was however, it worked, and he was damned glad of it too. Darkness in this place, with no source of illumination, could well be the last thing he saw. Rush stared around himself, still trying to get his breath back and took a swig of water from his canteen while shaking his head at the incredible interior of the fortress of the wendigo. Here and there, a little worn through weathering, or in places - scorching, hung banners of all sizes and colours suspended by long golden chains. The effect was one of a strange sort of martial elegance and…taste. Rush’s eyes went wide with wonder; all around him was evidence that this place, despite its name, had once been a home, a place where ponies, or rather, wendigo, had lived. He trotted over to a nearby wooden table; it was magnificently carved with barley twist legs and had a delicately inlaid top depicting a floral design echoed by the neat flower vase that sat upon it. Further along a rack of spears had been knocked over, most of which were missing - no doubt grabbed in the final desperate hours of the fighting. The eclectic mixture of, dare he say, ‘feminine’ decoration and the trappings of war somehow came together in a blend that made Rush’s heart ache; this had been the home of Madra, Fathom, Harn and their people. Little Cinder had probably been born in the forest and would never know this place, but maybe…maybe it was just as well. To live in such a place, to call this amazing structure home, only to have it all taken away…he closed his eyes – it must have been heartbreaking.

There was a thump and the sound of something scrabbling at the partially blocked entrance.

“NOT COMING OUT TO PLAY?” The dragon’s voice boomed around the hall, echoing off the walls and sending the banners rippling with the immense wave of sound, “YOUR FRIEND DID. WON’T YOU JOIN HIM?” The dragon laughed, “HE WAS…DELICIOUS.”

Rush’s heart sank; Yule…had the dragon really…? There was a loud snuffing noise,

“I CAN SMELL YOU, EQUESTRIAN.” Suddenly a huge scaled muzzle shoved its way though the gap in the rock fall and sniffed loudly, “I CAN SMELL YOUR MATE TOO.” The beast rumbled out a laugh, “I SHALL ENJOY TASTING HER. PERHAPS I SHALL LET YOU WATCH…” the voice lowered, “As I devour her.”

Rush was already running. Behind him he heard the hiss of air, the shriek of flame, and then the roar of fire spewing into the space where he and Tia had been mere moments before. Thank the Gods the corridors and doors were mostly intact. Rush slammed the heavy door closed behind him and he took off running down a corridor, heading deeper into the fortress. Damned thing! Damn, damn, DAMN! But, oh Gods…Yule… The last pony he ever thought would help him was now inside that vile thing, and for what? For trying to help him and the Princess? Spirits forgive him, he had so much to learn about ponies, didn’t he? Now, for poor Yule, it was too late. He closed his eyes and took a breath, adjusting Tia on his back before picking up his pace once more. Corridor after corridor flashed past as Rush ran until eventually, completely exhausted, he was forced to slow to a walk.

*****************************

He’d been walking for what felt like hours. Rush’s hooves clopped wearily along on a mixture of tiled floors and elegant carpets as he passed row upon row of magnificent tapestries, rugs, tables and chairs. It was an absolutely incredible abundance of the most beautiful items he’d ever seen – more so than even the royal palace. This fortress, this home, had been cared for, loved even, and now it was reduced to this. He shook his head; if it wasn’t for the destruction above it would be easy believe that the fortress was still very much alive with life, and that at any moment, a pony would walk around the corner and…

“GAH!” Rush jumped back in alarm, fumbling to draw his sword.

“Rush?” The grey mare stared back at him, her eyes wide in shock, “Wha…what are you…?” Madra suddenly took in the figure draped across his back, “What is that creature doing here?! How dare you bring it here!” Magic began to build around the unicorn mare, her horn glowing ominously, “You brought that beast, that…monster into our home!”

“Madra, please!” Rush pleaded, “I brought her here, it’s not her fault. Listen, we were chased by a dragon and-”

“-A dragon?” Madra froze, her magic winking out, “I…yes, I saw one flying overhead yesterday.” She shook her head, “Look, I don’t know what’s going on my equestrian friend, but you’d better have a damned good reason for being here.” She adjusted her sword belt and glared hatred at the unconscious form of Celestia, “Follow me, and I suppose you can bring that with you.”

Rush didn’t reply, simply feeling relieved beyond words to see a familiar face - even if she wasn’t exactly what he might call ‘friendly’ right at that moment. After everything that had been happening since the dragon had appeared, his heart rate finally began to feel as though it were returning to normal. Now all he had to do was find a way to help Tia and get them both safely back to the palace. He took a breath and was surprised to find that the air was pleasantly warm, even in the bowels of the fortress; so much so that he actually felt quite comfortable.

Madra peered back at him and harrumphed. “The walls are made of a fusion of magic, ice, and the rock of the mountain” she explained, making a note of Rush’s look of fascination at his surroundings, “My ancestors used magic the likes of which the world has not seen in aeons. Now…” she said bitterly, “what you see here, is little more than a ghost – an echo of a time long since passed.” Madra’s voice dropped to a mournful whisper as she looked away, “Long since passed…”

“Madra, what are you doing here?” Rush asked, “The last time I saw you, you were in the forest with Fathom and the others.”

“Why am I here?” the grey unicorn asked in surprise. She huffed loudly, “Because this is my home, Rush.” Her eyes narrowed, “What would be a more appropriate question right now would be for me to ask what you are doing here? More specifically, what is she doing here?” Madra peered at the Princess and adjusted her glasses before looking her up and down, “What’s up with her?”

“She passed out.” Rush replied.

Madra raised an eyebrow, “Did she now.”

“Please, Madra, I know you and Celestia have, er, ‘history’, but-” Rush began.

The unicorn stopped dead in her tracks and span round to face him, “HISTORY?!” she roared, “Do you know what she did? DO YOU?” Madra’s eyes narrowed, “Have you walked through the pass? Have you seen what lies within the snow?” Rush nodded. “She is a killer, Rush, a murderer! She butchered foals and…and…” Madra sighed, rubbing a foreleg over her face, “Look, just…just follow me will you. There’s a place in the fortress we can have a look at her and then we can see about getting us all out past your dragon.”

Rush hung his head in relief, “Thank you. If you weren’t here, I don’t know what we’d have done.”

“Well, that’s simple” Madra said offhoofedly, “You’d have died.” She barked out a laugh, “You still may!” The unicorn stopped by a wooden door in the side of the corridor, “Come.”

The door swung open effortlessly, and, despite the passage of time since the war - silently. Rush’s hackles went up immediately; what was it with this place? It was like time hadn’t moved on at all, as though it had been locked away in kind of some protective bubble, just waiting…waiting for its-

“Are you listening?”

“Huh?” Rush huffed with a start.

Madra rolled her eyes, “Stop daydreaming and put the alicorn on the table.”

Blinking, Rush complied. The room they’d entered was made of the same material as the rest of the fort. Its walls however, were lined with row upon row of shelves, each one holding a mind boggling assortment of colourful bottles, boxes, and books. The smell in here though, was…familiar. Rush breathed it in; it smelled like his old medical chest, like the apothecary in the palace and the doctors surgery in Paddock. To some, that alone may make them feel decidedly nervous, but to him, it smelled of…home.

Lying on the table, Celestia looked like she was sleeping; her chest rose and fell normally, and her heart beat with a strong regular rhythm. Rush frowned, shaking his head to himself. Beside him, Madra snorted,

“I can’t see any physical injury” she said half to herself, “There’s more at work here, I suspect.” She turned to Rush, “You know something, don’t you.”

Rush stared at her blankly, unsure what to say. Finally he cleared his throat, “Her magic has been causing problems lately. In the pass it just sort of…’materialised’ around her like a storm cloud, sucking the very light out of the air. Before I knew it, she’d passed out, right before that bloody dragon came at us. I grabbed her, ran, and we ended up here.”

Madra stood and watched him for an uncomfortably long time before answering, “And that’s why you came to the fortress is it?” She smiled, “A little sight seeing? No guards, no escort; the two of you passing through a barrier protected by lethal magic designed to deter or kill intruders, just to have look at the graveyard of the wendigo, huh?”

Rush hung his head.

“For the Goddess’s sake, Rush!” Madra shouted, “You’d better start telling me the truth if you want me to be able to help your friend here. But of course, it’s up to you. I don’t give a flying buck for this murderer, and although it would trouble me to leave you behind, I’d happily feed her carcass to that damned dragon outside.”

“Madra…please” Rush pleaded, “I…we…need your help.”

“Then tell me the truth, Rush” Madra said levelly, “That’s all I ask.”

Rush closed his eyes and sank to his haunches, “I’ll tell you what I know…”

Madra listened. Occasionally she would stop Rush to clarify a point, but for the most part, she simply sat and listened intently. When he’d finished Madra shook her head in wonderment and passed Rush a flask of luke warm tea. Right then, it was like nectar from the Gods themselves.

“So, the white witch has come seeking absolution, has she? It was more than she gave my brothers and sisters” Madra shook her head, “Oh, don’t look at me like that!” She gave Rush a shove, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t help.” The unicorn began opening cupboards and drawers, pulling out equipment that was reminiscent of what he’d seen in Starswirl’s lab. Madra sighed, “Just…Oh, it doesn’t matter.”

“What?” Rush asked, lifting a hoof, “Madra, please…”

“I just want out family to be left alone” she said, adjusting a tripod, “That’s all.”

Rush nodded. He reached out and helped set up the legs of the brass and silver mounted device, following the unicorn’s instructions until finally, they were ready.

“Now” Madra began, “Let’s have a look shall we?”

“You know about alicorn magic?” Rush asked in surprise.

Madra shrugged, “It’s not so different. It’s just a matter of understanding how the flows of energy and spirit intertwine with one another. Alicorns are connected more to the world of the eternal herd, whereas wendigo have their link to the Withers.” She adjusted a head piece, flipping down the small glass plate attached to it that made her eye look frighteningly large, “Wendigo and alicorns are like night and day: opposite poles of the world’s spectrum.”

“Like the sisters themselves” Rush said quietly, “Night and day, the sun and the moon.”

“Same sort of thing, really” Madra replied, “In their case, it was a little more complex. They…” she frowned, “Hold that there for me, would you?” Rush nodded, taking hold of a long metal rod that pulsed with light. “They are sisters” Madra continued, “But by their very nature they cause division amongst their people. Some, those born beneath the sun, used to be known as the ‘children of the day’, or the ‘children of the sun’. Those born beneath the moon were known as the ‘children of the night’.”

“Were?” Rush asked, “But not any more?”

“Not since the war” Madra explained, “The term ‘children of the night’ took on a different meaning during that time. It began to be used to refer to those ponies who worked against the white witch’s forces.” She motioned towards the Princess, “The ones belonging to your marefriend here.”

“But surely not all the ponies in the tribe who became wendigo were born under the moon though?” Rush asked.

“No, of course not” Madra replied, “But wendigo by their very nature are creatures of war and of battle, giving them a stronger bond with darkness and of night. Being born under the moon gave our people a better chance of a successful joining with the spirits of the Withers, so mothers would try to time their foal’s birth to coincide with the moonrise. Whether our alicorn friend here liked it or not, wendigo thrived in the cauldron of conflict. It was when they felt most alive…” She smiled, “ah, if only…”

“Hmm?” Rush raised an eyebrow, “Only what?”

Madra shrugged, “Ah, If only I’d been able to achieve the joining, Rush. Then I too would have been a wendigo, as my father and mother had been before me.”

“Not all wendigo can…’meld’ with a spirit?” he asked.

Madra shook her head, “No, not all. I don’t know why, but for whatever reason the spirits never came to me, and thus,” she smiled, “I’m no more than what you see before you now.”

“You have magic though, Madra, and that’s a damned sight more than I’ve got.” Rush snorted loudly, “I couldn’t do a damned thing to help my mare back there, except run like a coward.”

“You think so do you?” The unicorn shook her mane, “Let me tell you something, Rush: earth ponies have a magic within them that is unique to their race. It stronger, more deeply connected with the earth, the rock, and all living things than any magic I can wield.” She gave him a wink, “It’s inside you, even now. Maybe one day, with a little training, you could use it as it was meant to be used. Perhaps, you already are.”

“I wish that were true” Rush said bitterly, “I can’t even write my own name without help.”

Madra raised an eyebrow, “I saw the work you did for my family, Rush; it was exceptional. For a pony who hasn’t really ‘been’ a pony for very long, I think you sell yourself short.”

Rush’s eyes went wide, “Very long? You knew about that?”

“I’m not deaf!” Madra snorted, “I do go into town with my bloody eyes and ears open! The whole place is abuzz with the Princess’s new coltfriend – the ‘magical monkey creature from another world’.” She sniggered under her breath, “magical monkey…!”

Rush muttered something until Madra slapped his shoulder, “Pay attention!” He nodded. “See here…” Madra motioned towards the array of magically lit rods around Celestia’s body, “Now watch.” She lifted a pot of what Rush thought was incense, and blew across it gently, allowing the smoke to waft out, building up around the Princess.

Rush stared in amazement. Before him, inside the smoke, shapes like…snakes, writhed and twisted, coiling and uncoiling as if they were alive. He took a step back in horror, looking to Madra who simply looked on in wonderment,

“Incredible” she breathed, “Absolutely…incredible.”

“Is this the imbalance Starswirl spoke of?” Rush asked, “He said there was some sort of disconnection between Celestia’s magic and her spirit.”

“Starswirl?” Madra asked, “Starswirl the bearded?” She barked out a laugh, “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.” She reached past Rush and lifted up a long thin rod that was connected to a device by some sort of transparent tubing, “That stallion was a bloody idiot.”

“You know him?” Rush asked genuinely surprised, “I know he’s a bit eccentric, but I wouldn’t call him an idiot - far from it in fact.”

“Ha!” Madra tossed her mane, “If you say so. Now, enough chatter, let’s get to work. Do as I say, and we’ll hopefully get the white witch back on her hooves.”

“What are you going to do?” Rush asked.

“Do?” Madra said with a grin, “Why, we’re going to do some knitting, Rush. Of a sort…”

*****************************

Light slowly entered through barely opened eyes, allowing the first glimpse of a world unlike anything Celestia had ever seen before. Even so, there was an indefinable sense of familiarity about this place that had her on her guard immediately. Here, there was no ground, only blue sky - a sky thick with dark clouds swirling around her as though she were in the centre of a tornado. And silence. Celestia stood, stretching her legs and gave herself a shake; she had to be ready.

I KNOW YOU.

Celestia stared into the storm, calming her breathing, “Yes.”

YOU KNOW ME.

The Princess nodded, “I know myself.”

I AM YOU.

“And you are me” she replied.

Before her, the clouds began to change, to coalesce into a mass, defining themselves slowly into…herself.

The Princess stared at her twin, while the cloud Celestia stared back with glowing yellow eyes the colour of her magic. So, this was what she had come here for. This was the source of the storms, the mood swings and emotional instability – it was her.

The cloud creature spoke without opening its mouth, the words echoing in Celestia’s head, bypassing her ears and simply coming into being.

YOU AND I ARE ONE.

“We are” Celestia said quietly, “But we cannot be.”

YOU NEED ME.

Celestia shook her head, “I did, once. But the war is over and our home needs peace.”

PEACE? The cloud alicorn tossed its mane. PEACE IS FLEETING. WAR WILL COME AGAIN.

“Perhaps” Celestia said calmly, “But your power is too great for one alone. We used it to harm others.”

YOU USED IT TO SLAY YOUR ENEMIES. YOU USED IT TO PROTECT.

“I did” Celestia replied, “But look at what has happened.” The scenery changed to the snow driven pass between the mountains. She reached down and cleared the snow around the bleached bones of a child, one far too young to have known much in their short life - only the cruelty and mindless horror of war. The Princess shook her head, “Was this worth the price? Was all this death truly necessary?”

YOU KNOW THE ANSWER.

She nodded, “I do.” Celestia looked up into the sky above and sighed, “I had to protect my people.”

YOU DID.

“But so much death…” The Princess shook her head sadly, “Children, the weak, the old… these weren’t my enemy.”

THE EVIL HAD TO BE PURGED.

“I…I know.” The Princess closed her eyes, “But like this? I was so sure once, but now, now I don’t know.”

YOUR HEART KNOWS.

Did it? Her once strong resolve, her unflappable drive to protect her home and people had lead to the annihilation of an entire people, and the near extermination of another. She closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath.

“Show me…”

The cloud alicorn nodded, and changed before her eyes, into…

“Tia?”

Celestia bit back a cry, “Luna!” She lifted a hoof, “Oh! Oh, Luna…” Tears began to sting the corner of her eyes, “I…I’m sorry!”

“Why did you send me away, sis?” Luna asked, “I don’t understand! Why?”

“Because you were trying to destroy our home, Luna!” Celestia cried, “I didn’t want to do it! I didn’t, but you left me no choice!”

“Didn’t I?” Luna asked. She shook her head sadly, “I called out to you, sis, many, many times.” She smiled sadly, “You never listened to me. Even at the end, even as I lay broken and defeated at your hooves, you never listened.”

Celestia’s tears flowed like rain, “Oh, Luna!”

“Now, it is too late” Luna said with a gentle, sad smile, “I am…no more.”

“No…no, Luna…please!” Celestia gasped, “I’m sorry, I’m so, so, sorry…”

“Are you, sis?” the shadow Luna asked, “Do you know what it is to be sorry?”

“Yes!” Celestia shrieked, “Gods above, I do! I’m sorry!”

Luna smiled and began to fade away, changing, morphing into a creature so dark it was like a storm cloud. Wings rippling in an unfelt wind, its eyes burned as red as the fires of Tartarus.

“You betrayed me.”

Celestia shook her head, “You were my enemy.”

The shadow of Thorn shrugged, “Was I?” He shook his mane and gave her an appraising look, “Your enemy normally comes to your rescue, does he?”

“I…” The Princess snorted, “It wasn’t like that, Thorn; you were with the Legion. You and that monster chased me into the human world to hunt me down and kill me!”

Thorn shook his head, “Not I. My orders were to bring you back alive and unharmed. It was Rend who lusted for your blood.” He raised an eyebrow, “If it wasn’t for me, your body may well be a decaying corpse on a world that saw you as nothing more than an oddity – a freak of nature.”

“You were my enemy!” Celestia snorted, “If it wasn’t for you, I-”

“-Wouldn’t have found love” Thorn answered for her.

“Wouldn’t have…” The Princess caught herself, “found love?”

Thorn smiled, “You found the one you had been searching for all your life – your missing pony – Rush.”

“Rush…” Celestia hung her head.

“Regardless of what you may have thought of me, Celestia, I came to see you, both of you, as…friends.” He chuckled, “The two of you changed my heart, and if and if an old warrior like me can change, could you not also?”

“I…I don’t know.” Celestia said sadly, “But I know I shouldn’t have chased you away.”

Thorn shook his head, “You were grieving; your heart was in turmoil.” He reached out towards her, “It still is…”

The Princess squeezed her eyes shut against the wave of emotion threatening to overwhelm her, “Thorn?”

“Yes, Celestia?”

She closed her eyes and took a breath, “I’m sorry…I know what I did to your people was…unforgiveable”

Thorn laughed suddenly, making the Princess look up, “You are a warrior!” he said aloud, “A warrior as proud and strong as any I have ever met!” The thestral shrugged, “Being defeated by one as strong as you is no dishonour to our people, but you have something, some pony, who needs you now, and you must temper your strength with the love and gentleness I know is within you.”

“Thorn…”

The old warrior smiled, “Perhaps we shall meet again one day.” He lifted a hoof and scratched his mane, “I’d like to see this ‘pony’ Rush.” He grinned, showing off his battery of teeth, “Say hello to him for me, Princess.” He bowed, “Farewell.”

Celestia lifted a hoof as the warrior changed back into the cloud from which he came. She closed her eyes and choked back a sob.

“Weakness…such a typical trait of ponies” a new voice said, “You made yourselves little more than willing victims, ripe for the taking.”

The Princess’s eyes narrowed; she knew that haughty and imperious voice all too well, “Nightmare Moon.”

“The very same” the midnight alicorn replied, “Surprised? Do I not infuriate you with my mere presence?”

Celestia shook her head, “No.”

“Really?” The black alicorn smirked, “The mere mention of me used to send you into a rage once, correct?” Celestia nodded. “And you know why, don’t you?”

The Princess swallowed, “I…”

Nightmare Moon’s voice boomed out, “SAY IT!”

Celestia felt like her heart was breaking. All the pain, all the misery and grief she’d been storing up inside her, hiding from the light, burying it from her daily life, and most of all…from Rush, surged to the surface in a burning torrent,

“I…I CREATED YOU!” She bellowed, “It was my fault! It was all my fault!”

Nightmare Moon reared; bolts of lightning flashing around her and causing thunder to rumble ominously,

“Yes…YES!” she cried, “At last! AT LAST! You finally realise that this, all of this…” she swung her hoof around in an arc, causing the scene to change to one of unimaginable carnage, “Is…all…your…FAULT!”

It was River Valley.

Celestia squeezed her eyes shut.

“No!” Nightmare Moon shouted, “Open your eyes! See what your intolerance and arrogance created, Celestia! See the suffering, the agony and death.” She lifted a hoof, “Your hooves are stained in the blood of thousands! A stain that can never be removed…NEVER!”

Celestia collapsed, covering her muzzle with her hooves, “No…”

“YES!” Nightmare Moon shrieked, “All of this is your doing! You brought this on your people yourself!”

The Princess opened her eyes and stared at her hooves; they were stained red with gore, the stench of iron strong in her nose. She was…she was covered in blood! She reared in shock, her eyes going wide in horror, and… she paused, taking a shuddering breath and slammed her hooves down, staring at the Goddess of the night,

“No.”

Nightmare Moon fell silent, cocking her head on one side, “What did you say?”

“I said NO!” Celestia snorted angrily. Her heart surged, her hooves itching with the anger she felt welling up inside, “I didn’t listen to Luna when she was in pain, and I didn’t listen when she told me of her feelings for that…creature. No, I brushed it all off as the foolishness of a youthful filly, but I was wrong. Gods above, I know I was wrong! But what she did, giving herself to that spirit, was something I could never have foreseen.”

“It was your arrogance that created me” Nightmare Moon hissed.

“Perhaps” The Princess said quietly, “Never a day passes where I don’t regret not spending more time with her, and listening to her.” She tossed her mane, “And maybe you’re right, maybe I was arrogant, but Luna still had a choice, she did not have to take the path she took.”

“Do not try to assuage your guilt, Celestia!” Nightmare Moon growled, “You had a hoof in this war as well you know! A hoof that will forever be steeped in the blood of your people! Of our people!”

“I know” Celestia said quietly. She lifted her hoof and stared at it, her voice carrying the weight of the pain she felt inside, “It is a guilt I will carry with me for the rest of my life.” She looked up, lifting her head proudly, “I will never forget those who lost their lives, and although I can never fully atone for my part in the war, I will not let that taint the rest of my life nor deter me from my duty to protect those who still live upon Equestria’s soil.” She snorted loudly, “I will honour the memory and sacrifice of those whose lives were given to defend our home, as long as there is a breath in my body.”

“Oh, how sickening noble of you!” Nightmare Moon snorted cruelly, “Look at you, so damnably self righteous and haughty: the mighty Celestia, the white witch, the white death, and the precious, fragile, virgin queen.” Her voice changed to a mocking tone, her expression to a derisive sneer, “But of course, that has changed now, hasn’t it?” Her lip curled up, displaying a flash of teeth, “You berated Luna for her tastes, and now look at you! There is a word for creatures like you, Celestia, and that word…is ‘hypocrite’.”

Celestia’s wings ruffled, a display of her mounting irritation. Nightmare Moon knew exactly where to strike her. She took a breath, “Rush is a pony and an Equestrian. Luna’s ‘taste’ was for a creature that was married and had a child. The two situations are completely different.”

“Are they?” Nightmare Moon sniffed, “They both have something in common, Celestia…” To the Princess’s shock, the night Goddess’s expression suddenly changed to one of utter loss and pain. Unbidden, Celestia’s heart surged painfully in her chest as the midnight mare looked at her with her sister’s azure eyes. Nightmare Moon’s word struck her harder than any blade, and more deeply,

“…Love.”

Celestia closed her eyes and felt a shock of grief roll through her from muzzle to tail. She knew in her heart that this creature, this…’Nightmare Moon’, was no more than a construction of her own, of her subconscious mind and the magical malady that was afflicting her, but…but what it said… The Princess shook her mane; there were many forms of love: some were gentle and innocent, like a foal’s love for a pet or a school crush, but there was also the kind of love that could lead to pain and suffering, and…as in her sister’s case…tragedy.

“One day, you will see I was right, Celestia.” Nightmare Moon said levelly, “One day, you will understand.”

“No” Celestia replied, “I will never understand how the murder of innocents could ever be justified. Not when I have walked amongst those whose eyes will never again see the sun in Equestria’s sky, nor feel the wind upon their fur.” She locked her gaze upon the black coated Goddess, “Or sleep beneath Luna’s moon.”

The shadow creature shook its head slowly, gradually vanishing back into the emptiness from which it had arrived. The Princess let out a sigh and closed her eyes; she had little influence in the world of dreams: a few tricks she had been taught by Luna, long ago, but that power, that control, had always been her sister’s domain. Here, in this place, she could only wait and-

Something was pulling at her.

Curious, Celestia turned her head to look behind her, but there was nothing there.

It pulled again, harder this time.

Increasingly alarmed, the Princess shifted her weight, expecting an attack. In the dream world, it could be anything; she’d already spoken to memories, to echoes and shadows - was this another one? Perhaps an attack of some kind? But…there were voices this time too; indistinct certainly, but they were definitely there. She strained her ears to hear, swivelling them to try and make them out.

Celestia cried out in alarm.

Whatever it was, whatever was happening, it felt as though something had grabbed a part of her, of her very soul, and was trying to rip it apart. She reared, trying to gather her magic, trying to use whatever scraps of power could find in this alien place. Around her, the sky suddenly crackled with lightning born of both darkness and light; the normally unseen spectrum of magic that seared through her, leaving afterimages noticed only by her alicorn magic. The burning electric white and blue of bursts made her flinch away in fear.

What the force was, it pulled again…and something gave.

The Princess screamed, her cry splitting the sky and causing the darkness to implode with a mind crushing deluge of overwhelming nothingness and the light of the world’s magic. It was nothing short of terrifying. Celestia writhed in pain and horror as she felt herself dragged apart, her sub consciousness howling in fear and distress, helplessly pulled, grabbed, and pulled again. It was never ending…

“Rush! Move the wand to the second node…NOW!”

“Nothing’s happening!”

“Keep it steady! Watch the energy flows…there! You see it?”

“I…YES!”

“Good! Now, get ready; when I say, pull as hard as you can, yes?”

“Right!”

“Good, now…PULL!”

Celestia’s cries howled around the artificially lit room, bursting out in a roaring maelstrom of magic that nearly blew Madra and Rush off their hooves. Thankfully, the magical shield the unicorn had in place in anticipation of this had contained most of the blast. Rush gave himself a shake and looked over at the bedraggled grey mare who was grinning broadly and nodding towards the glass jar that was suspended in another of the peculiar brass and gem contraptions.

“Is that it?” Rush asked.

Madra nodded, “It is.” She tapped the glass jar with her hoof, “Concentrated darkness: a soul gem…” She shrugged, “Call it what you like, but at least it’s out of her.” Madra sighed, “Come, let us have a cup of tea. I have some Harvest Leaf that you may enjoy.”

True to her word, the tea was excellent. Rush sat back on one of the large cushions Madra had produced and sank into it gratefully. It was amazing just how organised she seemed to be; this place, whatever it was, had everything a pony needed: food, light, drink, books…and yet it had that cold that wasn’t cold… Rush shrugged; it may have been his imagination, but this place felt…’alien’ somehow.

“A bit for your thoughts” Madra said as she settled onto her cushion and blew on her tea.

Rush smiled, “I was wondering about this place, and the wendigo. I suppose I find it strange that a whole people would go to war when they had such a beautiful home as this.”

Madra smiled gently, “I wonder myself sometimes.” She stretched her forelegs and sighed, “But as I said, wendigo are drawn to conflict as a moth to a flame, and have a stronger natural affinity with the night than the day.” She took a sip of her tea, “Our Lord was Maroc, the Lord of The Four Winds, and a stallion of great power, strength, and a spirit that drew the gaze of many a mare, including the eye of a certain Princess of the night.” She huffed, “Regardless of the fact he had a wife.”

“He was married?” Rush asked.

Madra nodded, “To the Lady Arathea. They had a son together: Vela…” she smiled faintly, “Such promise in one so small.”

“What happened to them?”

Madra took a sip of her tea, “They died. All of them.”

“But surely some wendigo escaped?” Rush said curiously, “Some must have made it through the cave before it collapsed, after all, you and your family escaped.”

Madra nodded, “We did, but it more by sheer luck than anything else. We were in the caves collecting Ingleroot and Fallspire, two ingredients I use in my work; they only grow in dark, cold places, and the caves were ideal.” She pointed towards a row of jars on the shelf behind her, “When the fighting began, we were so deep in the caves we didn’t know what was happening until the first of our people began to appear, running for all they were worth. Of course, I knew something awful was happening outside, but all I could think of was getting back to the fortress with my supplies so I could help the wounded and injured.” She shook her head, “I never made it. The pass was choked with fire and smoke, and…” she trailed off, “I…I don’t want remember that, Rush…I’m sorry.”

Rush held up a hoof, “No, I’m the one who should apologise, Madra. I shouldn’t have made you recall something painful.”

“Curiosity is nothing to apologise for” the unicorn replied quietly, “And as for whether any escaped?” she shrugged, “Perhaps, but in the confusion and panic, I honestly don’t know. I hope so.”

“Were you a doctor?” Rush asked, “I’ve seen Starswirl working with similar things as these,” he swept a hoof across the room, “but you made it seem so effortless.”

Madra snorted, “Such flattery!” The unicorn lifted her head and scanned the many shelves, cases, and chests that lined the room, “Yes, I was a doctor. Any who failed the joining had to take up a profession to help the tribe and, well, this was something I had a certain talent for.” She yawned, “Even if it does take it out of me a little, especially dealing with…that.”

Rush smiled sadly.

“Oh, stop that!” Madra sniffed, “I’ve done what I can to help your marefriend, but I don’t have to like her, and I don’t think I need to explain why, do I?”

Rush shook his head. Pausing he looked up at her, “Madra? Why do you keep coming here when your family live in the forest? It’s so…empty.”

Madra’s eyes went wide before gradually letting herself relax. She sighed, “Because the forest isn’t home, Rush. Oh, it might be for my family of course, they were younger then, but for me, I’d lived here most of my life. My work was here, my memories were here.” She closed here eyes and chuckled sadly, “My heart is here.”

Rush closed his eyes, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Rush” Madra said, finishing her tea, “We went to war, and in war, people die. The thought of losing and the consequences of what that could mean for our tribe never entered out heads.” She laughed ironically, “Bit of shame it didn’t, eh?”

Rush couldn’t help but smile at the look on Madra’s face.

“Right then,” she announced, yawning once more, “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for the knacker’s yard. I’m going to get my head down and some sleep, and I suggest that you do the same.”

Nodding his agreement, “Rush glanced over once more at the Princess lying on the table, enveloped in a bubble of blue magic the same as he’d seen in Starswirl’s laboratory in the palace that time. Fate seemed to be pulling her, and everypony around her, in every possible direction. Was this how things were in Equestria? Was this actually normal? Since he’d arrived he’d been living on a knife edge of stress and agitation unlike anything he’d ever experienced back in the human world, so, perhaps for ponies, this was normal. Horses were prey animals, but Equestrian ponies were different: they could fight, they had magic, and they could organise entire armies. And yet despite that, everything in this world seemed to be either trying to eat you, burn you to a crisp, drown you, or otherwise bring your life to a rather dramatic, and premature, end. What was worse though, was that now he was starting to accept all of this weirdness as normal! Dear Goddesses, he was…wait…’Goddesses’? Rush yawned and snuggled into the cushion; what the hell did it matter anyway…

*****************************

Everything was bathed in a strange glow; a sort of whitish-blue colour which was surprisingly calming and easy on the eyes - almost…peaceful. Celestia groaned softly and lifted her head; where was she? She was inside a structure, that much she was certain of, but where and how did she get here? That last thing she could remember was talking to Rush in the pass, a maelstrom of anger and fear burning through her and then falling, falling into an abyss of confusion, loneliness and…Rush?

“RUSH!”

A brown face appeared next to hers, a pair of bleary blue eyes blinking in the unusual light and gazing down at her with a look of unadulterated love.

“Morning” Rush yawned, “How are you feeling?”

Celestia reached out and drew him into an embrace, closed her eyes and just…breathed. It was such a simple act, such a basic necessity, and yet with that act it brought the scent of her beloved stallion. She could feel his heart beating in his chest, feel his breath upon her neck…

“Oh, Rush.” Celestia whispered, running her muzzle up to his ears, “I was so afraid…”

Rush squeezed her gently, “I know, love, but you’re safe now, we’ve done it.”

“Done it?” The white alicorn opened her eyes, focussing past Rush onto the grey unicorn mare who was lying down on a cushion reading a book, “What did you do?”

“What you came here for” Madra replied casually. She carried on reading without looking up, “If you need proof, it’s in the jar.”

Celestia’s brows drew down until Rush directed her attention to a cupboard beside the bed. On it sat a glass jar, little larger than a jam jar, but inside it sat something that made Celestia’s heart skip a beat. “What…?” She gave her mane a shake, “Is that…?”

Madra sighed, “Apparently.”

Rush leaned over and kissed Celestia on the forehead, “We did it love. You did it.”

“I…I didn’t do anything!” Celestia gasped, “How did you do that? How did you draw that from me?” She sat up on her haunches and ran her hooves up and down her body. Everything seemed to be intact, and yet…it didn’t – something was missing. Inside, in her heart, the light, the life of her spirit and of who she was, felt young again somehow, as though the weight of ages had been lifted away leaving her feeling as light as the air itself. A flood of emotion surged through her, threatening to sweep her away in its path. She looked around at Rush, tears filling her eyes, “Rush?”

Rush chuckled, “It was Madra, she knew what to do.” He shrugged, “I just passed her stuff.”

Madra turned a page in her book, “The words you are looking for are ‘thank you’.”

The Princess gave herself a shake, “I…” she took a breath, “Thank you.” A little unsteadily, she climbed down from the bed with a helping hoof from Rush, walked over to the glass jar. Inside, languishing in the bottom, was a crystal, a crystal that looked for all the world like a cut diamond, similar to the elements of harmony in dimensions, but this one was different. The crystal seemed to ‘pull’ the light from around it, sucking it in, tainting it, changing it, and then radiating it out. If ever there was a thing in this world that she would describe as evil, as the very embodiment of every cruelty and wickedness, it was this seemingly innocuous gemstone.

“How did you do this?” she asked.

Madra sighed and closed her book, “Wendigo can occasionally have trouble assimilating with their spirit partner following a bonding. Many things can cause it: sickness, a weakened constitution, or even a weak mind.” She took a breath, “It was one of the studies I undertook here in the fortress; to help our people and those who came to us with maladies of the spirit or soul.” She raised an eyebrow, “Not so much need for it these days, it seems.”

Celestia ignored the comment. “You were able to draw the darkness from my soul?” she asked in amazement, “How can a pony know magic such as this?”

Madra tapped the book, “Look.”

The Princess stared at the cover:

MAJICA OBSCURA

A TREATISE ON THE MAJICS AND MYSTERIES OF THE ETERNAL HERD

Celestia gasped, “This is from the forbidden library at the castle! You…you stole it?!”

“Hardly” Madra huffed, “Did you really think the author only made one copy?” She shook her head, “The arrogance of alicorns never fails to surprise.”

Rush held up a hoof to stop Celestia’s angry advance. Who did this creature think she was?! So she’d helped her, so she’d performed some strange and arcane magical procedure to…to… Reluctantly, Celestia hung her head and let herself relax. She didn’t like this creature, nor any of her kind. Inhabited by the spirits or not they simply couldn’t…

“Tia?”

The Princess hesitated and looked at Rush.

“We’ve just made a pot of tea” he said with a smile, and passed her a cup of the steaming liquid, “I think you’ll like it.”

She did. And strangely, unexpectedly, she felt a wave of calm flood through her along with the heat and earthy flavour of the tea. Her eyes went wide, “Rush! This…this is…”

He shook his head, “No. It’s not blackwort, but its close. Madra knows where to find it.”

The unicorn mare sat up and gave herself a shake, “It’s called ‘cacklewood’” she explained, “It grows at the base of the mountains near water courses. Easy enough to find, if you know what to look for.”

Celestia shook her head in amazement and took another sip. Dear Gods, it was like she’d been transported back to the cabin in the mountains: the flavour, even the smell…it was uncanny. How ironic that it was her enemy, one of the creatures whose brethren had stolen her sister away and slew her people, who had brought her this most simple, yet wonderful of gifts – even though she probably didn’t even realise it. She smiled; it was a strange world indeed. The Princess took another sip and closed her eyes; when she thought of the war now, it seemed as if it had happened in another age – another time – and perhaps it had. She shrugged; did it really matter anymore? Did any of it? What was the point of hanging onto bitterness and anger, when there was so much building to be done to make their world a better, safer, and happier place for all ponies. Celestia watched Madra and nodded – it needed to be a happier place for every pony. She took a breath and closed her eyes,

“Madra?”

The grey unicorn looked up from her tea. The steam wreathing her muzzle was steaming up her spectacles, but her bright yellow eyes shone as vividly as ever,

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry.”

Madra blinked, “For what?”

Celestia hung her head, “For what I did.”

The unicorn stared at her for a moment and then rose to her hooves, closing her book as she did so, “I cannot forgive you” she said calmly, “What you did, was something that cannot be atoned for.”

“I know” Celestia replied heavily.

Madra nodded slowly, “But, for what it is worth…thank you.” She smiled, “I never thought I would hear those words from your lips.” The unicorn mare chuckled, “My family will never believe me.”

“Speaking of which,” Rush chipped in, “do we have another way of getting out of here?”

Madra raised an eyebrow, “Naturally. You didn’t think there’d only be one way in and out of the fortress did you?”

“But the pass-” Rush began.

Madra nodded, “-was the only route that was open at that time.” She took a breath and explained while she levitated her packs and cloak onto her back, “There was another way through the mountains once, one that was used by ponies and other people who came to trade with us. When the war began, Lord Maroc was concerned it may be found by our enemies and ordered it to be locked down with powerful wards. Of course, as it turned out we had inadvertently blocked up an escape route and were only able to use the pass and caves there.”

“Couldn’t the wendigo have flown away?” Rush asked.

Madra fixed him with a hard look, “And leave our people defenceless?” She shook her head, “Would you have?” Rush closed his eyes and shook his head. “No. I didn’t think so” Madra replied, “You have a warrior’s soul, Rush. I can see it in your eyes, as well as that sword you have at your side.”

Rush instinctively touched the hilt of his father’s sword and looked up into the eyes of his Princess…his mare…and smiled. He would fight to the bitter end, to his last breath and drop of blood, to defend her. By the Gods, Goddesses, spirits and whatever else lived in this land, he would protect the mare he loved with his life. Celestia peered at him curiously, as though trying to work out what was going on inside his mind, and frowned before giving a quiet laugh.

She knew. She’d always known.

“It’s time to leave” Madra said, “We have enough supplies for the journey, but we’ll need to reach the river and replenish our water as soon as we can; I didn’t exactly expect to have company.”

“Thank you, Madra” Rush said bobbing his head.

The grey unicorn huffed, heading for the door, “Thank me when we’re away from your scaled friend up there.” She gave her pack a shove and wiggled her hind quarters to settle it into place, “I never had much love for those things, but they were useful allies during the war.”

Rush froze, “Wait! We can’t leave Yule out there with that thing!”

“And what do you expect we can do, hmm?” Madra asked with a hint of sarcasm, “Your sword able to cut down a dragon while it’s breathing fire at you, is it? Some sort of enchanted weapon?” She laughed, “You won’t live long with that sort of death wish, my fine stallion. Your friend is a pegasus, isn’t he?” Rush nodded. “Then he has a better chance of getting away than anypony” Madra asserted with a toss of her mane, “Now, enough chatter, let’s get moving.”

Celestia placed the glass jar in her pack and gave Rush a nudge as they left the room, “Rush? What was that about Yule?”

Rush took a breath and explained everything that had happened to them since the Princess had passed out in the snow driven pass. Throughout it all, she just nodded and listened, shaking her head occasionally and casting fascinated glances at Madra as they followed her through the blue-white lit corridors, down long flights of stairs, past stands of armour, swords, spears, flags and pennants, as well as the now strangely expected bowls of now long dead flowers, elegant tapestries and magnificently woven rugs. A shudder ran down Rush’s spine: this had been a home, Madra’s home, and now, it was a graveyard. Gods, he hoped wouldn’t find any of the occupants…’intact’. He gave his head a shake to try and push the thought away – it didn’t do to conjure up fears when reality was doing a good enough job of scaring the crap out of him already. Celestia gave him a cheeky wink and he chuckled in response. Sometimes, a friend was all it took to put the light back into your heart.

“Tia? How are you feeling?” he asked.

Celestia closed her eyes and smiled, “Better, but my magic’s still not right, not yet. I feel as though I can use it – it’s there somewhere - but it’s like trying to catch a bar of soap in the bath: I can see it, but reaching it and catching it are just beyond me at the moment.” She yawned, “I’m so tired! I think I’ll sleep for a week when we get home.”

Rush smiled, “Breakfast in bed?”

“Mmm.” The Princess leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “I think I’ll take you up on that.”

The trio walked on. The fortress felt impossibly huge; the corridors, stairs and passageways taking them down into what felt like the very bones of the world. Rush felt a shock of cold that made his mane quiver – was that the touch of one of the spirits of the dead that inhabited this tomb? Were they even now, walking into the oblivion, to drop into the darkness of death and-

“Rush? Are you alright?” Celestia asked.

Rush started and turned to her, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. He nodded.

“Madra?” Celestia called, “Are we nearly out of here? I’m worried about Rush.”

Madra stopped and turned, “What’s wrong with him?” she asked.

Celestia shook her head, “I don’t know.”

“Stop talking about me as if I’m not here!” Rush snapped, giving himself a shake, “I just don’t like it here, that’s all. It just…it doesn’t feel right, that’s all.”

Madra stepped forward and peered hard into Rush’s eyes, “Tell me, what do you feel? What can you see?”

“I…” Rush took a step back, “I don’t know. It’s like we’re walking into a grave…our grave…”

Celestia narrowed her eyes, her suspicion about the grey unicorn flickering.

Madra snorted, “I thought so.”

“What?” The Princess cocked her head on one side, “What is it?”

Madra raised an eyebrow, “You know, or at least you should; alicorns are supposedly part earth pony aren’t they?” she clucked her tongue, resigning herself to yet another explanation, “We’re nearing a grotto – the heart of the mountain and the source of magic for the fortress itself. Earth ponies are sensitive to that sort of thing.”

“A grotto?” Rush asked, “I don’t understand. All I know is I’m freezing cold, but it’s not the temperature outside, it’s…inside.” He tapped his chest, “I can’t describe it.”

Celestia took a breath and stared along the passageway to the doorway they were approaching. The cold was emanating from there, but Rush was right, this was no mere drop in physical temperature; this was an intersection, a point where the lines melded and blurred. She didn’t want to worry Rush anymore than he clearly already was, but she also respected him too much to conceal the truth, or lie. She knew all too well how hiding truths could come back to haunt you - and sooner or later, they always did.

“It’s a place where the worlds are thinnest” she said, “A point in our world where the barrier between the worlds of the dead, the living and the Wither World intersect.”

“And we have to go through there?” Rush asked incredulously, “What in Equestria would possess ponies to want to go through there?!”

Madra snorted, rounding on Rush, “And what do you think will happen to you, Rush?” she snapped, “The dead cannot hurt you – only the living can do that.” She paused, her expression softening slightly before she nodded to herself slowly, “Ah…of course. You are not from our world are you? Am I right in thinking that the monkey world held very different beliefs?”

Rush frowned, “Very.” He huffed, feeling his tail swishing irritably, “We monkey’s believed that a place such as this was something to be avoided. The dead should stay dead and leave the land of the living to those who are alive.”

“What a very narrow minded view!” Madra exclaimed, “Have you never wondered what it would be like to commune with somepony you’d lost, Rush? Have you never asked yourself what life is like in the herd?”

“No!” Rush retorted with stomp of his hoof, “I don’t want to know either thank you very much. I’m rather attached to life, and as much as being dead may appeal to some, I’m quite fond of being here!”

Celestia sniggered beside him.

“What?!” Rush snapped.

“Nothing, Rush, nothing” The Princess’s face betrayed her attempts to hide her mirth.

Rush neighed loudly and tossed his mane, “Good!” He paused; did he just hear her mutter something under her breath? It sounded like… ‘Monkey world’? He span round to catch her looking away quickly and coughing into her hoof. Gods damn it all! Gritting his teeth, Rush pushed past Madra and reached the door first, “Right then! Bollocks to you two, I’ll show you what a stallion is made of…”

He turned the iron loop on the door latch and pushed.

Rush’s eyes went wide in shock. It was a room full of…light.

“Come on then ‘stallion’” Madra said sarcastically, “in you go.”

“Er…” The brown stallion swallowed. His pride was at stake here, and despite Madra’s slightly tongue in cheek goading, he would be damned if he stood there like a frightened colt. He took a deep breath, snorted, and with shaking legs forced himself to walk into the bright silver light of the room beyond. Rush stared in amazement; It was unlike anything he’d ever seen, but then in Equestria the unusual and strange seemed to be the accepted norm. In fact, now that he thought about it, something dull and boring in the land of colourful ponies would stand out as much as, say, a white alicorn had in his village. Speaking of which…

“Rush? You’ll be fine, just stick to the path.”

Rush nodded and glanced over his shoulder at Tia who smiled back at him gently. Madra however had different ideas, and pushed past him to take the lead with a prancing gait that would have left any observers in no doubt as to who was charge here. The grey unicorn reared and snorted loudly,

“Come now, don’t tarry. This place is not for those who do not belong.”

“Charming…” Rush muttered under his breath, and followed the eccentric mare as she trotted off along the well worn path. He played her words back through his mind: ‘Not belonging’ was it? Gods he knew how that felt, both in his old world and, perhaps to a lesser extent, in this one. Still, despite occasional attempts to dismember, eat, fry, or drown him, Equestria felt more ’homely’ than it had at first; either that or he was simply becoming desensitised to it all – he wasn’t sure. Occasionally he pined for his old life and longed for little more than to simply disappear into the forests and rebuild a little piece of his old world, living out his days in peace and quiet. But such thoughts were foolish; he could no more turn back the clock and unwind everything that had happened than he could bring back the dead. And why would he want to? Mother, Father - they were with the herd now, at least according to Tia, and she should know…right? After all, she was as near to an actual God as you could get; well, other than her mother of course who actually was one. Rush tossed his mane; why was he thinking like this? Gods above, this place was affecting his mind! He lifted his eyes from the gravel path and risked a glance around him.

All about were low bushes thick with silvery leaves and lush deep red fruits, rather like large cherries, but covered in a film of that odd silver making them look almost crystalline. They were quite beautiful really, in an ethereal and disturbing way.

“Don’t even think about eating them” Madra warned without looking round, “I know what you’re thinking.”

“Do you?” Rush replied automatically, and quickly regretted his sarcastic tone, “You brought some of those back to the cottage that time though, didn’t you?” He tried a smile.

“I see there’s nothing wrong with your memory” Madra huffed, “To a unicorn, the spirit berries can help enhance their magic, if only temporarily. They can also, in careful amounts, be used to distil into a type of brandy.” She raised an eyebrow, “I believe you may have indulged a little yourself?” Rush nodded. “Then you know how potent they can be” Madra continued, “But too much, and especially in their raw state, can kill an earth pony.”

“That drink could have killed me?!” Rush gasped, “Thanks for the bloody warning!”

Madra shook her head, “Too much of anything is bad for you, Rush. As a trained healer, even one who spent his life on a world of bald monkeys, I’d have expected you to know that.”

Rush’s face flushed as red as the berries and he fell silent. He could feel his ears burning with embarrassment, even as the barely restrained giggling broke out behind him. He closed his eyes, tossed his mane and carried on the seemingly endless walk through the world of silver bushes.

*****************************

Soon they’d left the grotto far behind them and walked on in silence through long rock walled tunnels, some of which held various side passages and rooms full of dusty barrels, boxes, and what appeared to be numerous rolls of carpet. Rush shook his head in wonder as he tried to take it all in; It was as though they were walking through some kind of ghostly market place, only…underground. Eventually, Madra waved them to a halt and Rush watched in amazement as the unicorn tapped a strip of glowing metal on the wall, and almost immediately rows of wall sconces, together with immense hanging chandeliers, burst into life with bright blue magical light. He let out the breath he’d been holding in and shook his head; Equestria…it never grew old…

They walked on for several more minutes before Madra again halted them with a raised hoof,

“The entrance isn’t far” she explained in her matter-of-fact manner, “Wait here; I’ll go and make sure the barrier is down.”

“Barrier?” Rush asked.

Madra nodded, “When the fortress was attacked, the magic Lord Maroc had used to block the entrance was disrupted, but not entirely. Fortunately, for some who have knowledge of such things, there is a way to pass through it unharmed.” She nodded to herself as if affirming something, “Even so, I’ll still need to make sure I can take all three of us through, or else we could be turned inside out.” Madra shrugged, “Nothing to worry about.”

Rush’s eyes went wide. Nothing to worry about?! He shook his head in disbelief as the grey unicorn trotted off and vanished round a corner.

“Rush?”

Celestia’s voice, barely a whisper in the vibrantly coloured hallway, made Rush jump in surprise. He looked back at her,

“Yes, love?”

“I’m sorry I’ve put you through all this.” The Princess hung her head sadly before looking back up at him, “I never meant for any of this to happen.”

Rush rolled his eyes and grinned mischievously, “And miss something like this?” He chuckled, “Tia, everyday with you is an adventure.”

The Princess snorted, “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know” Rush said quietly. He stopped and turned to face her, “But I don’t want you to feel guilty about anything. You saved me; you brought me home and gave me the chance of a new life many couldn’t have imagined in their wildest dreams.” Rush gave the uncertain looking alicorn a nuzzle, “You make me feel alive, and despite everything we’ve been through, I’d do it all again, to be with you.”

Celestia moved closer, “Really? Sometimes I…I worry about…us.”

“But why?” Rush asked.

“Because…because it’s so strange for you, because you don’t talk much about how you feel.” The Princess tossed her mane, “Ponies tend to be a lot more…’emotional’, and I’m afraid you’re bottling up your feelings and I’m not seeing…” she swallowed, “I’m not seeing the real you.”

Rush frowned, “It’s this place, isn’t it? It’s that and having that…’darkness’ drawn from you. That’s why you’re thinking like this.” He raised a hoof forestalling any retort from the Princess, “Tia, the people in the village where I was born didn’t often express emotion outwardly: not much anyway. It was something that was, by and large, frowned upon in our society. It wasn’t that they were emotionless of course, far from it in fact; it was just something that was instilled in us from birth. I didn’t know anything different growing up there, and I honestly hadn’t thought that much about it really, at least, not until I came to Equestria.” He chuckled, “Everypony here wears their heart on their sleeve, so to speak – even Grove, to a degree.” Rush bobbed his head and smiled, “I don’t know for certain, but I think I’ve changed, even if it’s just a little, but honestly Tia, I would never hide my feelings from you.” He closed his eyes, “When I say I love you with all my heart, I mean it...it’s not just words, as clumsy as they may be.”

Celestia gave him a nuzzle, “I know, my love, I’m sorry. I feel a little…vulnerable right now. My magic’s not settled down, my head and my heart are all jumbled up and…and I think I’ve done and said things that were influenced by that darkness.” She let out a loud sigh, “I’m going to have a lot of apologising to do when we get home.”

Rush shrugged, “Ponies will understand” he said, “When you have to contend with dragons, wendigo, thestrals and everything else that keeps trying to make you a tasty repast, then a miffed Princess is the least of your worries.”

Tia frowned and gave him a playful push, “I don’t know what it is about you” she said quietly. She moved into him, backing him up against the wall, “You do something to me…” Her lips moved closer, her mouth curling into a grin while her deep purple eyes melted into Rush’s, “…something…bad…”

Rush groaned and reached up to her, drawing her into a kiss. Gods, was it warmer in here all of a sudden? Celestia reared on her hind legs, pulling Rush to her, wrapping her forelegs around him until, gasping, she broke for a breath of air,

“Rush…” she whispered, and reached up to give his ear a nip.

Rush squeaked, feeling a shiver run down his spine, right to tip of his tail.

“Right” Madra said, “Outside looks clear. I’ve…oh!” She stared at the two, her eyes going wide, “I…” Rush and Celestia stared back at her, their faces flushed red in embarrassment. Madra quickly cleared her throat, “If you two want some time alone, there’s a room there you can use. Just make sure you shut the door so I don’t have to hear what you’re-”

“Madra!” Celestia choked, “Please, we…that is, I…”

The grey unicorn tossed her mane, “You don’t have to explain, Princess” she said raising a hoof, “I am a mare too, you know.” She grinned wolfishly, “I can’t blame you though, he is rather…” her eyes flashed in the magically lit corridor, making Rush swallow, “delicious.”

“Delicious?” Rush exclaimed, “Bloody hell, what is it with this world? Why does everything keep wanting to eat me all the time?!”

Madra and Celestia burst out laughing, filling the hallway with the most life the dusty place had seen in a very long time.

*****************************

Celestia lay back on the old rug that was still surprisingly intact even after years languishing in the long abandoned storage area. Despite the fine layer of dust that carpeted everything, the corridors, halls and rooms of what felt more like a market place than a store house, were remarkably clean and dry. She closed her eyes and concentrated; there was definitely ’something’ here, a background hint of magic, a ward of some sort in and around this place to protect it. Interesting. She tried tracing the magic’s aura back to its source to see if she could sense how the spell was woven and made fast upon the fabric of the fortress. Steadying her breathing, Celestia felt for the spell. It was tricky, but not too difficult; it was a little like teasing a scared kitten out of hiding – showing it you were it’s friend, that you weren’t a threat…yes! There…

She could sense Rush walking up and sitting beside her. Although he was an earth pony, he could still tell when she was casting magic and knew not to disturb her. She smiled to herself and felt her chest begin to warm with her love for the brown stallion. He did look smart too though, and even though his clothes had been changed for his travelling gear and packs before they’d left, he still had a strangely noble bearing about him that he didn’t seem to notice himself; it was probably something he’d inherited from his father. From what little she knew of Silver Spark, he had been a very fine stallion indeed. Of Willow however, she wasn’t so sure. That mare had been nothing but trouble, both for her and the country, but the price she had paid had been great…too great. Celestia traced the lines of the spell, recognising some, committing others to memory for later inspection: this would prove useful for their traders and cargo carriers when they returned home. She rolled her shoulders and settled back onto the rug, letting Rush manoeuvre some cushions beneath her to make her comfortable.

“Comfy?” he asked.

The Princess nodded, “Mmm…very.” She watched Rush as he shook out a beautiful blue blanket, one embroidered with silver and gold that had been sitting in a chest for more years than anypony alive would probably ever recall. For the two of them, it was just right.

Rush lay down next to her and smiled gently, “How’s your magic now?” he inquired.

Celestia gave him a peck on the nose, “Not bad. It’s definitely improving, but I fear it shall be a few days yet until I’m back to normal.”

Rush nodded and snuggled up to her, inhaling her scent, “You smell amazing” he purred, “I don’t know how you manage it, but you always do.”

She tapped him on the forehead playfully, “I can’t say…” she whispered, “It’s a secret.”

Rush chuckled, “Do you think Madra will be alright in the other room? I feel bad about leaving her alone in there.” He shuddered, “And what was all that stuff about ‘claiming your stallion’?”

The Princess gave a gently lilting laugh, “It’s an old tradition, that’s all, rather like becoming engaged to somepony you love. Didn’t you have such things on your old world?”

“Of course” Rush raised an eyebrow, revelling in the warmth and closeness of the alicorn beside him, “but there it was usually the males who dominated everything. If you ever saw the human nobility, it was exaggerated ten fold!” He sniffed, “Good bloody riddance I say.”

“You don’t miss it? Your old home?” Celestia asked.

Rush nodded, “Sometimes, but I think everypony looks back to earlier times in their life with a certain level of nostalgia, even if it never was quite how you remember it.” He gave her a kiss on her neck, “I’m happy here, Tia, and if you wish to claim your stallion then…well, I think you already have, my Princess.”

Tia huffed and moved away slightly before turning over to face him, “I have” she grinned, placing her hoof over his heart, “Rush, son of Silver Spark, son of Willow - I claim you as my stallion.”

“Do I…do I claim you as well, now?” Rush asked uncertainly.

Celestia shook her head slowly, “No. You accept.” She gave him a knowing wink.

“Then I do” Rush said quietly, his cheeks flushing, “With all my heart…I do.”

In the room opposite theirs, Madra pulled a pillow over her head and groaned,

“Bloody kids…!”

Chapter Fifteen - Dragons Fall

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DRAGONS FALL

Dawn was breaking. The birds were singing in the trees and the wind soughing through the branches as the orange tinged light sent scattered beams of early morning sunshine to the forest floor. There was a track here, once well trodden, but now nature was claiming it back and even the ruts from centuries of innumerable cart wheels laden with goods from around the world, were quickly fading into the encroaching greenery. It was a forlorn reminder of a time when the fortress had been a home to many…an age long gone. So few remained now, and even they were scattered like chaff in the wind. What had it all been for? For a dream? Another chance at rekindled glory for the tribe of the mountains?

Foolishness.

Madra sighed; it was time to leave. She hoisted her packs onto her back and rammed her sun hat onto her head. That stallion, Rush, had a way of making you think of things you really didn’t want to. Of course, she knew the answers to the questions he kept asking – of course she did – but he didn’t have to keep asking them all the blasted time! And what was worse, was that it kept bringing back memories -memories that only served to remind her of how much she had lost. It wasn’t his fault of course, he was only curious, and who wouldn’t be? Such an incredible people, with a home the likes of which nopony could ever have imagined existed, and it was all gone.

All gone.

Madra brushed a tear away and stared up at the sunlight filtering through the trees. She smiled; maybe it was time for another journey…maybe…

The Princess’s voice drifted over, light and feminine, “Madra?”

“Yes?” the grey mare turned to face Rush and Celestia who were watching her with a curious mix of sadness and fascination.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”

Madra shook her head. Dear Goddess, here she was in the shadow of her shattered home, standing talking with the very creature that had slain her people like they were nothing; talking to her as if…as if she were a…friend. She nearly laughed. “I’m sure” Madra smiled sadly, “You have a journey to complete, both of you, and as for me…” she shrugged, “I’m old and tired. I just want to go home.”

“We can fly you there, Madra” Rush said, lifting a hoof, “Please, won’t you reconsider?”

The grey unicorn shook her head, “Flying is not for me, Rush.” She said, “And besides, being crammed into that cart with you might make me lose control, and what would your Princess think of me then?” She barked out a laugh and gave Celestia a bob of her head, “Take care of him, Celestia. He’s one of the good ones.”

The Princess nodded, “Farewell, Madra. Should you ever wish to visit the palace, you would be most welcome.”

“Hah!” Madra snorted, “The family would never believe me!” She gave a final toss of her mane and trotted off along the overgrown road and disappeared into the trees. She didn’t look back…she didn’t want to. The fortress had been her home so long ago, but times truly had changed. Madra sighed; Let it sleep now, sleep until the cry of the wendigo resounded once more through the mountains and spires of their long forgotten home. For her however, it was time to move on. With a neigh, she lifted her hooves and broke into a trot – Cinder was long overdue a good cuddling!

“Do you think she’ll be alright?” Celestia asked quietly.

Rush nodded, “I think so.” He took a deep breath and tried not to concentrate on the sudden ache he felt in his chest. He hadn’t known Madra long, but after everything she’d done for them, watching her walk away like that, the way the dappled sunlight played across her as she clopped along the ancient and forgotten road, made his heart go out to her. He turned back to the large double doors and shook his head, “Are there other places like this in Equestria?”

Celestia nodded, “Some. There is the castle of the Griffin King, built so high it is said to pierce the very heavens themselves. Further away across the sea there are the pyramids of the ancient Llamalian Emperors, and further north, where the winds blow and snow ever falls, are the ice temples of Yak Yakistan.” She smiled, “There are more, many, many more, but none like Equestria…our home.”

“That’s quite poetic” Rush observed quietly, “You seem more like yourself today.”

“Sunlight” Celestia smiled, “And good company.” She nodded towards the cart, “Are you ready, love?”

“Hmph!” Rush snorted, “Nothing quite like a trip in a mouldy old death trap, hundreds of feet in the air to get the blood flowing. What’s not to like about that?”

“I’m sure it’s fine” Celestia said, strapping herself in. She nodded to Rush to do the same, “It looks perfectly sturdy to me.”

“Are you going to be alright, though?” Rush asked. He pulled the stiff leather belt into position and tied one of the cargo straps around himself for good measure, “You’ve only just had that ‘thing’ taken out of you, and I don’t want you pushing yourself too hard.”

“Oh, stop worrying! You sound like me mother, nagging me.” Celestia clucked her tongue, “There’s one more place I want to visit and then we can go home.”

Rush smirked, “I’ll second that motion. To the clouds, my lady, and beyond!”

Celestia nearly fell about laughing at the ludicrous look on Rush’s face, and it took all her self control to gather herself before she could launch the two of them up and into the sky. Rush took a breath and settled himself in for the flight the best he could. As much as he’d managed to relax the last time they’d flown, and that wasn’t saying much, this time things were a little different: this time Rush was hanging on for dear life in some ancient cart that Madra had dragged out of the back of an old storeroom. The damned thing creaked and groaned alarmingly with even the slightest movement, making him do his best to stay perfectly still in case the thing decided to disintegrate in midair. She’d assured him it was safe of course, and Tia had as well, but it still didn’t exactly inspire confidence. It may have had something to do with the ‘do not use’ sign that had been hanging from it and the fact it had been stuffed in a corner behind a load of cleaning equipment and broken furniture, but no…they thought it would be alright to fly him hundreds of feet up in the air in! He closed his eyes and said a prayer to the Goddesses…

“Are you alright back there?” Celestia called.

“Wonderful!” Rush replied, “Couldn’t be better! I have to say the view is amazing!”

Celestia laughed, “I’m sure it is!” She stuck her tongue out playfully and Rush blushed despite the cold air. Oh, that mare! Still, she had that way of making his heart soar every time he saw her looking at him, and…yes…the view from here really was…amazing. Rush felt a shudder run through his body. Was it right to feel this happy? After everything they’d gone through, after everything Tia had faced during the war with losing her sister and so many of her people, it didn’t seem right in some strange way, that a love like theirs could actually exist. And yet, here they were, flying in the sunshine high above the forest on their way to the place it had all started.

The castle of the two sisters.

He’d never been there of course, but he knew of it, everypony knew of it, but it was one of those places and subjects that the collective consciousness of ponykind had placed in the mental filing cabinet under the label ‘do not discuss’. And true enough, they didn’t. Rush yawned and closed his eyes, letting his mind wander. When you thought about it, ponies were actually very similar to people in the human world, to some degree at least, and especially so when it came to matters that were painful or embarrassing. Out of respect for his new home, he hadn’t probed Grove and the others for information as much as he would have liked, and still felt guilty for asking Madra so many questions about the wendigo. He should have realised talking about them would only serve to bring up memories that could cause her distress, and there he was blabbering about it without a care in the world! Gods, he could have kicked himself! Still, as a newcomer to Equestria, he had to find out as much as he could or else he could find himself blundering into situations out of sheer ignorance, and that wouldn’t be good for anypony, especially Tia. He nodded to himself; he would need to have Tia tell him more of Equestrian history and give him a crash course on etiquette before he ended up putting his hoof in it royally. Speaking of royalty though, he was actually looking forward to seeing the castle where Tia and Luna used to live. Grove had mentioned it in passing and some of the others had too, but now that he thought about it, to most ponies it was probably just a place they were stationed during the war, but to Tia…it was home. Rush rubbed his eyes and watched Celestia’s wings sweeping through the cool air, her mane and tail flowing and swirling like a cloud of rainbow light. Gods he loved her so much…

“There!” Celestia shouted, “Can you see?”

Rush risked a peek over the side of the cart and regretted it immediately. His hooves twitched horribly and his knees trembled like jelly. How was he ever going to get used to this?! He took a breath and forced himself to look again. Mostly what he could see was forest: mile upon mile of lush green trees, broken only by a wide meandering river and a smattering of white rocks - lots of large, white…wait…no! There was something there, it was partially covered in foliage, yes, but it was definitely a structure of some kind. Rush’s eyes went wide as he began to make out more of them; there were dozens, maybe hundreds of them, most covered in trees and vines that made them hard to see from a distance of course, but the scale was simply…staggering. Sunlight glinted off countless buildings of marble and granite, and reflected off the surface of the river like countless diamonds; from up here, the view of the old capital city was nothing short of breathtaking. Rush stared in silence as the light gradually began to reveal what looked like the remains of enormous white walls: two concentric rings, running around a smashed and shattered structure that sat at the centre of it all like some stone spider. He swallowed; that had to be it…the castle of the two sisters. He’d seen a castle before, back in the human world, but it had been nothing compared to this. That one had been made of wood - beautifully crafted and painted to display the Lord’s wealth as well as to defend him and family, but this…this was something else altogether. This was a seat of power, real power, and more…it had been the home of his mare. Rush shuddered, pulling himself back down and awaited the bump of the landing.

“Hang on!”

Rush gripped the straps, “Keep away from the river this time!” he called. He could hear her chuckling even over the wind noise. Rush gritted his teeth; how anypony could actually enjoy doing something like this was beyond him, and how pegasi didn’t fly about being constantly sick with vertigo was anyponies guess!

“Comfy?” Celestia asked, peering over the edge of the cart, “You can stay here if you like, I shouldn’t be long.”

Rush blinked and opened his eyes, “Bugger that!” He unstrapped himself and gratefully jumped down onto the mercifully hard, and most definitely solid, ground. His eyes went wide,

“My…Gods…”

It was like a different world altogether. They were in the middle of a street, neatly cobbled and as straight as an arrow. Towering up around them, but not so high as to block daylight, were buildings of white stone, marble, granite, gold and silver; homes, shops, storehouses… all of them constructed with a level of care and craftsmanship, or rather, craftsponyship that made Rush’s mind reel. This was no mere castle - this was a city! An entire city the likes of which he could imagine the Gods themselves would have happily lived in. His ear twitched as a bird flew low and disappeared into the open window of one of the abandoned structures. It suddenly struck him: it was quiet…silent even. There was a sense of emptiness and of peace here, as though the city was merely sleeping, dozing the millennia away while nature simply began the process of reclaiming these once magnificent buildings, slowly covering them with a blanket of green that would, one day, allow it to just…disappear.

“It’s…beautiful” Rush breathed.

“It was more so once” Celestia said quietly, “As beautiful a place as any you could ever have imagined.” She smiled sadly, “You should have seen the festivals we had, Rush: the lights, the music and the wonderfully colourful clothes everypony wore! Ah, the dancing would go on through the night and even until the next morning.” She chuckled, “I can still remember the piles of complaints I had regarding the noise!”

“I just can’t believe it.” Rush shook his head in amazement, “Why leave such a place?”

Celestia nodded for him to follow her, “Memories” she said wistfully, “Things happened here which ponies couldn’t forget, and…” she paused, “I didn’t want to stay here, not after what happened.”

“So the whole city just upped and left, just like that?” Rush couldn’t believe it.

The Princess shook her head, “Most had left during the war already” she explained, “Ochre, the ‘Lord’ who surrendered our home to the Legion, murdered anypony who didn’t agree with him. The rest simply slipped away, gradually transforming this once joyful place of life and love into one that resembled a graveyard more than a home.” She snorted loudly, “After that, and the threat of the Legion, the city became more of an army barracks than anything else, until…” They crossed through the gateway of the inner wall. “…until, Nightmare Moon happened” Celestia finished.

Rush stopped dead in his tracks. Ahead of them, partially overgrown with vines and grasses, were the shattered and broken remains of the castle itself. Miraculously some of the stained glass windows still remained intact, glittering in the sunlight and adding an almost mystical feel to the place that made his hackles go up. Most of the walls still remained too, including doors, stairs, and even the rotting remnants of flags and pennants - now drooping forlornly in the warm air. They walked towards the main doors and passed what Rush initially took for some sort of strange architecture, until he looked closer – they were blocks of masonry. Everywhere he looked there was more and more of it, literally tonnes, scattered around as though some enormous hand had scooped up a part of the castle and sprinkled it as a baker does with flour, liberally around the grounds of the Princess’s home.

Celestia’s horn glowed and the handles of the double doors shimmered with golden light, slowly opening up to allow the two of them to enter into the darkness beyond.

The temperature change hit Rush like a bucket of ice water and he stopped dead in his tracks. Ahead of him, the dark corridor suddenly burst into light with an effortless flick of Celestia’s horn, igniting the sconces and hanging chandeliers with flickering blue flame.

“Rush?” she asked quietly, “Are you alright?”

He nodded and caught up to her quickly, feeling for his sword hilt and watching the shadows. “This was you home?” he asked, “It seems so…dark.”

Celestia sighed quietly, “It wasn’t always like this. Once, Luna and I would play through these corridors and halls for hours on end.” She smiled sadly, “But that was a long time ago. After the war, the light of the castle simply seemed to…die.”

Rush held up a hoof, “But there’s so much left here!” he said, keeping his voice low, “It’s like everypony just walked out and left it all behind!”

“Thaumaturgical radiation” the Princess said suddenly.

“What?” Rush asked in surprise, “What’s that?”

Celestia chuckled, “Starswirl would be able to explain it better than I.” She waved a hoof before her, “When the explosion destroyed much of the castle, the magic ‘infused’ a great deal of what was inside and began to cause strange and occasionally alarming instances that upset everypony here.” She shrugged, “That was when we decided it was time to leave and make a new home for us all.”

Rush looked about himself, feeling a shiver along his spine, “What sort of ‘alarming instances’ are we talking here?” he asked, “Are we in danger?”

The Princess shook her head, “I don’t believe so, Rush, but it doesn’t hurt to be on our guard. That’s why I keep a spell on this place, to stop anypony, or anything, wandering in and getting hurt.”

A teapot ran past Rush’s legs, dropping its lid with a loud clatter. Fortunately the milk jug chasing it stopped to pick it up before the two slipped through an open doorway and disappeared from sight.

“Alarming instances?” he asked.

Celestia nodded, “Alarming instances.”

Rush took a breath and forced himself to stop fidgeting with his sword hilt. With any luck they’d get out of here sooner rather than later. Gods help them if they had to spend the night here!

Halfway along the next corridor, Celestia stopped and reached up a hoof, pulling on an iron bracket on the wall. To Rush’s surprise, a section of the dark stonework suddenly began to rumble, and then slowly swung out with a loud grating sound whilst simultaneously showering him with dust. Ignoring the sneezes behind her, the Princess took a breath, her horn glowing with a warm golden light, and silently stepped into the darkened stairwell beyond. Rush closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and followed her, trying to ignore the flight of saucer moths that had just flown over their heads. Gods, you had to love this place! Along the one of the walls, a small column of blue tartan bagpipe spiders marched past, pausing to salute Celestia who bobbed her head in return. Rush’s earlier incredulity was rapidly morphing into a silent acceptance that he had, utterly and without any doubt whatsoever, gone completely mad.

They reached the bottom of the stairwell.

“Rush, step back a moment while I cast the spell.” Celestia muttered something under her breath which made the air around her ripple with energy. A moment later she nodded to herself, “It’s safe, now.”

“Safe…” Rush grumbled as he followed her through the door, “What’s next, tap-dancing centipedes? Maybe a goldfish that can make sandwiches?”

“Oh, shush” Celestia replied, “I warned you about this.”

“No you didn’t!” Rush hissed, narrowly dodging a book that had sprouted hooves and was trying to do something unmentionable to a cruet set.

The Princess clucked her tongue, “I did. Now hush while I try to find the book we need.”

Rush rolled his eyes and turned his attention to their surroundings. They were in what was clearly a library, with row upon row of archaic looking books and scrolls that sat on shelves stretching from one end of the tall room to the other. Here, the castle looked incredibly intact and it would be have been easy to imagine that the devastation outside was in another world altogether. Tia had told him about this once before, and about the magic that protected what was left of the castle. What she hadn’t warned him about was this thauma-something-or-other that had affected everything inside its walls. Still, other than the occasional flying book or snake scroll, it seemed a shame to leave such a huge amount of knowledge all the way out here, but then, what did he know about magic?

The Princess walked ahead of him, heading purposefully straight towards a large dark wooden book case. It didn’t look particularly out of place here, except for the large iron door and lock that looked as though it would take a siege engine to get through. Celestia lowered her head and Rush watched in amazement as she pushed her horn, glowing with magical energy, into an opening on the lock. There was a resounding click and the door began to glow. Somewhere, far beyond the edges of Rush’s hearing, it sounded as though the locks to another dimension were opening, along with the door itself. Alarmed, he backed away and gripped his sword hilt.

Complete unphased by Rush’s reaction, Celestia reached a hoof into the glowing bright blue light inside the now open door, and withdrew…a book. Rush gave his head a shake; it was a perfectly normal, dark blue covered book. He’d seen hundreds like it – thousands even, but if magic was involved, he knew well enough that it was highly unlikely to be the sort of bedtime reading he would be perusing. Besides, he was barely past ‘Cod Row’s Riotous Rumpus’.

Celestia closed the door and set the book down on a lectern before pulling up a chair and taking out her spectacles. Rush couldn’t help but smirk at the look of concentration on Tia’s face – and why did she need spectacles to read anyway? He’d have to tease her about that later. Unfortunately, ‘later’ was beginning to look like it might be another day altogether: the light outside the stained glass windows was quickly turning into night. Goddesses, how long had they been there? Rush got up and wandered around the library, but rather than finding anything interesting to read, ended up sitting down with a selection of cutlery who were listening to mice playing accordions - they were actually quite good too. After the encore, the mice bowed and disappeared back into the crack in the wall and Rush stood up to leave. Gods, he was so stiff! One good stretch later, he rounded the corner to find Celestia closing the book and nodding to herself.

“Anything?” he asked.

The Princess took a breath and nodded slowly, “We have to send the crystal to the herd.” She stared at the glass jar sitting on her pannier, “It’s too dangerous to leave in this world.”

“Can you do that?” Rush asked, “Maybe if you asked your mother?”

“No!” Celestia’s feathers ruffled irritably, “I don’t want her…” she paused, and sighed, taking off her spectacles, “She wouldn’t understand.”

Rush frowned, “She’s your mother, Tia, surely she’d be relieved that you’d had the darkness removed from your soul. She said as much to me herself, and-”

“-You don’t know her!” Celestia snapped, “She’s insufferable! I’d be lectured endlessly, and if you think I mollycoddled you then you obviously have no idea what she can be like when she sets her mind to it.”

“I never said you mollycoddled me!” Rush protested.

Celestia snorted, “You talk in your sleep, remember?”

“Oh.” Rush hung his head. Giving himself a shake, he took a breath and faced her, “So, what’s the plan?”

“We go back to the palace and I open a portal to the eternal herd” Celestia explained, “I’ll take the crystal to the Spring of Waters and that will be that.”

“You make it sound surprisingly easy” Rush pointed out. He motioned towards the book, “What’s the catch?”

Celestia gave an ironic laugh, “Father.”

“Your father?” Rush asked in genuine surprise, “I don’t understand…”

Celestia groaned and leaned back in her chair. She didn’t want to think about it, but what choice did she have? Father no doubt knew about what had been happening already - he always did, but if she gave the crystal to her mother, she’d go on and on and on about it for years to come. Still…was it really worth risking facing father? After the war and what happened to Luna, he’d…he’d been furious. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will away the memories of what he’d said, and what he’d…done… She’d have to think on it.

“Tia?”

Celestia gave Rush a sad smile, “Father never forgave me for what I did to Luna.”

“Oh….” Rush cast his gaze downwards, “Were they close?”

“Yes and no.” Tia placed the book back into mysterious book case and locked it before beckoning Rush to follow her, “He’s not the most...’expressive’, of parents. I’m sure he loves us in his own way of course, as does mother, but Luna? Well, we all have our favourites.”

“Have you spoken to him since?” Rush asked.

Tia shook her head, “Not as such. Father has a way of communicating his displeasure that goes far beyond a mere spanking.” She snorted, “Far, far beyond.”

Rush’s eyes went wide, “He punished you? But Luna started the war didn’t she?”

The Princess smiled, “He didn’t see it like that.” She opened another door and Rush followed. “Father sees ponies as almost background noise to the ‘greater scheme of the universe’ as he once told me. Innocents dying in a bloody war just didn’t register with him, especially as their souls returned to the herd anyway. He simply doesn’t see mortality as you or I do.”

“It sounds like a very cold way of looking at life” Rush said shaking his head.

Celestia smiled, “Perhaps, but he’s not cruel, he’s just…’efficient’.”

Rush raised an eyebrow; he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the possibility of meeting this fellow. He’d met one of the in-laws already, but the ‘other half’ sounded like the sort of stallion who would simply stare at you over the dinner table while you sat there, smiling and nodding, hoping to the Gods the night would end and you could get away.

“It’s your choice, love” he said, “I don’t know enough about magic or your parents to be much help here, but for what it’s worth, I’ll stand by your decision.” Rush gave her an apologetic look.

“Let me sleep on it” Tia said resignedly, and gave a well timed yawn, “Fortunately, I have just the place for us.” She swept a curtain aside revealing an expansively cushioned and extremely cosy looking room, “Welcome, to my inner sanctum.”

Rush gave his mane a shake, taking in the warm and snug looking room. Around the walls, tapestries, bookshelves and paintings, were tastefully arranged, while velvet drapes hung either side of a large stained glass window depicting the images of two mares in an eternal chase. One of them, a dark coated alicorn, was holding the moon in her outstretched hooves while the other, the white alicorn, held the sun. They were Luna and Celestia, the Princesses of Equestria. Rush felt his heart skip a beat; here, in this room, were decorations bound in silver and dark blue, while others were in gold and pure white. This was their room, wasn’t it? This was where the two would escape to, to find peace away from their duties in the world outside the protective walls of this comfortable hide-away. On one of the walls hung a painting, a magnificent and regal portrait of Tia and Luna, sitting side by side and holding hooves. Rush leaned in for a closer look; Luna looked nothing like her sister, apart from the wings and horn of course, but perhaps she took after her father? Tia had no doubt inherited some of her mother’s traits, but that said, he’d noticed a lot of ponies looked completely different to their parents and, according to Grove, could even have a foal that was a totally different species! Well, one of the three groups of ponies of course. He scratched his chin in thought; he really did have to learn more about these…his…people.

“Luna…” Celestia said quietly. She walked up and sat beside Rush, “I miss her.”

“She’ll come home one day though, won’t she?” Rush asked.

Celestia smiled, “I hope so. I really do.” She leaned her head against Rush’s neck, “I’d like her to meet you.”

Rush gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, “I’d like that too.” He chuckled, “I’ve met mum, so that’s one down, two to go.”

Celestia gave Rush a playful push, “One too many!” She yawned expansively and stretched her wings, “I’m so tired! Let’s get these cushions organised and get some sleep.” She raised an eyebrow, “And no playing tonight you, I want to have an early start!”

Rush stuck out his tongue and gave her a seductive smirk, “I’ll be good, I promise.”

“Hmm! I sure you will!” Tia snuggled into the cushions and sighed, stretching her legs and spread out her wings, “Ooh! They’re so stiff…”

“Come here, love, I’ll give them a rub for you. You get yourself comfy first.” Rush looked about the room, “Is there anything to drink? I’ve got some water and travel biscuits, but that’s about it I’m afraid.”

Celestia shivered and let Rush run his hooves down her wings, massaging her joints. “There’s wine in the cupboard and water in the barrel. I put a spell on it to keep it fresh, but none for me. I…” She groaned, “Oh, Rush…that’s so good…”

Rush smiled, “I’m not being too rough, am I?”

“No” Celestia hummed, “Not at all…” She closed her eyes, “Not…at…all…”

Rush gently stroked her wings and gave her a kiss on the neck, “Good night love.” And settled himself in for the night. He took one last look at the painting above them and wondered…could things really have been different? Could Luna and Tia have mended their differences without resorting to open conflict? He would probably never know, and maybe it was for the best too – knowing that you could have done something differently and didn’t could eat away at you, and he had more than enough thoughts like that of his own to last a lifetime already. He yawned; tomorrow, they’d be home, and would he have some stories to tell Grove!

Rush woke with a muzzle pressed into his neck and a near bear hug of legs. For a brief moment he wondered how he able to breathe, but quickly settled down and simply let himself enjoy the warm soft fur of his mare against his body. He smiled and wondered about how he would have thought, not so long ago, that such a thing could ever be possible. When Tia had vanished through the portal with Thorn, his world had simply…stopped. He’d dreamed of her, night after night, as days turned to weeks, the weeks to months and the months to years until…there she was. She hadn’t changed at all, not looking a day older than when he’d last seen her, but as for himself? Gods, he’d been no spring chicken then! He looked down at his foreleg and raised an eyebrow; who would have thought that Rush, the hermit of the hills, the madman of the mountain, or any of the other cruel comments that were made when they thought he couldn’t hear, would one day be the coltfriend of the Princess of Equestria? He chuckled under his breath and groaned, nuzzling Tia’s neck and taking in her scent. He was so…tired…

“Rush?” The Princess opened an eye blearily, “Love?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you awake?”

“Mmhmm”

“I’ve made up my mind.” Celestia rested her forehead against Rush’s and smiled, “I’m going to ask mother.”

Rush smiled, “I think that’s best, love” he said, “She’s a good mare.”

Celestia shrugged, “I know. I think sometimes I forget that.” She kissed Rush on the nose, “She just wants what’s best for me.”

“Where as Dad’s the big picture guy, eh?” Rush chuckled.

The Princess nodded, “Time for a quick wash and…mmf!”

Rush’s lips pressed to hers and he ran his hooves through her flowing mane, “Have I told you how much I love you already?”

Celestia laughed, “Yes!” She pushed him away, playfully tapping his nose, “Many times.” Stretching, the Princess rose to her hooves and flexed her wings.

“How are they?” Rush asked, “You fell asleep with them open last night.”

“I know!” Celestia said in surprise, “I can’t remember the last time I did that. I must have been more tired than I thought.” She gave them a shake, “You certainly worked your magic on them; they feel as good as new.” Suddenly Celestia sprang forward and grabbed Rush making him squeak, “Gotcha!”

Rush’s mind whirled away in a muzzy fuse of early morning sleepiness and…Tia.

*************************

One of the advantages of being with the Princess of the sun was that hot water was never far away, and there was something extra special about making a cup of tea first thing in the morning and sharing it with somepony who was also extra special. Celestia yawned and sipped her tea, marvelling at the flavour that reminded her of those days in the old wooden house while winters chill swirled around the bamboo forest. She could see him watching her, his eyes so blue and full of kindness. Sometimes she felt like crying just being with him, while other times, she wanted to melt away on a wave of happiness. Of course, sometimes she wanted to strangle the life out of him, but then, she’d never wanted Rush to be a yes-pony - there were enough of those already. She gave him a smile,

“What are you thinking?”

“Me?” Rush laughed, “About this place. It feels so different to rest of the castle, and the palace even.” He shook his mane, “I don’t know why, but I feel…safe here.”

Celestia took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes, “It’s where Luna and I would come to spend time away from our nanny, and later, our duties.” She smiled sadly, “It was a place of harmony, peace, and rest where we could be ourselves and just be…sisters.”

Rush looked up, “Tia…”

“Oh, don’t mind me, I’ll see Luna again one day and we’ll put all this behind us!” She slapped her hind leg, “Right, my fine stallion, let’s be on our way.”

Rush laughed, “Yes, milady!”

Outside, packed and ready for the last leg of the journey back to Canterlot, Celestia hitched herself up to the cart whilst Rush pulled the last strap into place,

“All set!”

The Princess nodded and then, with a leap and downward sweep of her wings, they shot up into the morning sky. It wouldn’t be long now, and she could finally have that hot bath, and perhaps, maybe even a trip to the spa? She didn’t normally frequent such places, especially as she had ponies back at the palace to trim and buff hooves, clip coats and so on. But still, it would be nice to get out and mix with her people rather than suffer those incessant meetings with their dull-as-ditchwater dignitaries from who-knew-where. She gave herself a quick shake, marvelling at the fantastic work Rush had done on her wings; she felt so light! Perhaps he wasn’t meant to be a healer after all, maybe a masseur instead? Perhaps a… Was he saying something?

“TIA!”

Something massive dropped past her from out of the sparse cloud above them, tearing past her side with a horrible roaring noise and the shriek of flame. Heat rolled over her and she caught the unmistakable stink of burning hair. What…? Oh, Gods! “RUSH!” she screamed.

“I’m alright!” Rush bellowed back, “It’s that bloody dragon again!” He pointed down at the dark shape of the black dragon, “Can you out fly it?”

Celestia shook her head, “No! And not like this.” She raged at herself inwardly; the two of them had thought they’d escaped the vile beast, and with her magic still not fully recovered, she’d be at a distinct disadvantage. Still, she should have enough to turn this monster into ashes. She took a breath, focussed and gathered her power.

“Tia! Look!” Rush leaned over the edge of the cart, “There’s something strapped his back…” He stared closely at the broken and beaten shape, “Oh no…it’s Yule…”

The dragon swept round, its great wings beating lazily as it rose up in front of them. The scaled creature’s onyx eyes stared at them with nothing but complete indifference. Rush stared back; in the pass he’d been too worried about escaping with Tia to pay much attention to the thing, but now that he could see it for what it truly was, it made his blood run cold. The dragon’s scales glinted like oil on water, the colours rippling with the movement of its muscles, while its enormous teeth caught the light as it spoke,

“WE MEET AGAIN.”

The Princess kept a grip on her magic. She was all too aware of the deceitful nature of these creatures, although she didn’t recognise this one. Why was it here? And why was it targeting them? “What do you want, dragon?” she asked, “Speak quickly or lest I lose my temper and send you to the fire lands to meet your ancestors!”

The dragon let out a booming laugh, holding its chest with its scythe like claws, “I HAVE NO DOUBT YOU COULD, PRINCESS” it rumbled, “BUT I AM NOT HERE FOR YOU.” It held out a claw, “I ONLY WANT THE PONY.”

Celestia froze, “Why?”

“WHY?” The dragon shrugged, “BECAUSE SOMEONE WISHES IT SO.” It let out a wuff of smoke from its black nostrils, “YOU HAVE MADE MANY ENEMIES, PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA.”

“You know I could destroy you, dragon” Celestia announced, “Would you throw your life away for nothing?”

The dragon laughed, “I DON’T THINK SO.” It half turned, showing the bedraggled pegasus on its back, “IF YOU KILL ME, YOU SHALL ALSO BE TAKING THE LIFE OF ONE OF YOUR OWN. DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO THAT? EVEN TO SAVE THE LIFE OF YOUR MATE?”

Celestia gritted her teeth, “You evil…”

“Tia?” Rush caught her attention, “Listen…”

The dragon rolled its eyes, “WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER, PRINCESS? SPEAK!”

“I say…” Celestia let out a sudden burst of magic that seared past the dragon’s face, making it roar in anger and alarm. Clutching its eyes, the huge reptile thrashed about, sending out jets of fire to try and incinerate its opponent.

“Let’s move!” Celestia dove for the cover of the forest, desperately looking for a place to land. It wouldn’t be long until the dragon’s vision cleared and it was on them. They had to be quick. The Princess concentrated, focussed, and…

Rush scrabbled for purchase, “Oh shi-!” The dragon’s scales were as smooth as glass and the damned thing was throwing itself around with complete abandon. For a split second Rush felt stomach wrenchingly weightless, but then mercifully his hooves snagged one of the ropes holding the bloodied form of Yule to its back. Doing his best to hold on and free his sword, Rush gave Yule a shove,

“Yule!” he called, “YULE! Wake up, damn it!”

There was no response. Was he dead? Damn it all, this could all be for nothing! The pegasus stallion looked like he’d been torn to shreds, but - Rush looked closer - just barely, almost imperceptibly, it looked like Yule’s chest rose and fell.

He was alive.

Rush gripped his sword and began hacking at the pegasi’s bonds while trying not to cut the stricken pony beneath. The ropes were thick and so tightly wound around him they were digging into Yule’s muscles. Rush teased the tip of his sword under a knot and work at; he owed Yule his life, perhaps they both did, and the least he could do was get him away from this foul thing – one way or another. Unfortunately, the dragon was becoming aware that something was happening behind it and lifted it’s head – just in time to avoid a blast of concentrated light that made Rush flinch back in alarm. Bloody hell, that nearly hit them! Distracted, the dragon roared in fury and with a great sweep of it wings, shot forward, straight at the Princess.

Wind ripped at Rush like a sledgehammer, and he lost his grip. But his sword had done its job. In almost slow motion, Yule began to drop away from his bonds, the ropes still tangling him, but quickly slipping away; gravity was doing the rest. Rush smiled in relief as the pegasus fell towards him and he managed to grab him in his forelegs, but it was then the cold hit him. Wind roared past them; the ground, thick with trees, rocks and an impending bloody and broken death, hurtled up to meet them with terrifying certainty.

“TIA! A LITTLE HELP?”

Rush closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind, but the mental image of his body impacting with the ground was all he could focus on. Right then his stomach felt like it was doing somersaults, until there was a blinding flash of yellow light followed by a heavy thump, and the two stallions were dumped unceremoniously into the back of the cart.

“HANG ON!” Celestia bellowed.

It took all Rush’s strength to grab the straps with the sheer g-force of the Princess’s dive. Between keeping as tight a hold of Yule and the cart as he could, all Rush could do now was pray they could outrun the thing. Horribly, with the encumbrance of the cart and the two stallions, it was all too obvious the dragon would be on them in seconds.

As if answer, a searing blast of fire flared past them.

“Rush, I’m going to have to land, I can’t fight him and carry you as well” Celestia yelled, “When we touch down, get Yule and yourself into cover.”

“NO!” Rush shouted, “Let me-”

“-You can’t fight a dragon, Rush!” Celestia bellowed, “This isn’t the time for heroics!”

“Buck it! I…”

Rush’s next words never left his mouth. The cart hit the ground by the bend in the river, the impact throwing Yule clear as he slipped from Rush’s grasp. Rush himself was up and out in an instant, snatching up the surprisingly light pegasus and throwing him up onto his back as he took off running through the trees. Behind him there was a loud ‘pop’, a flash of magic, and Celestia was up and soaring into the blue sky like a golden comet. The dragon, a clawed and tooth filled ball of rage and hatred, came down to meet her.

Running through the forest, Rush was acting on adrenalin alone. The ice cold terror of dropping through the air and the helplessness he’d felt at being at the mercy of the dragon, was all combining to override his ability to think clearly. There’d been nothing like that monster in the human world! Dear Gods, if anybody had seriously believed such creatures existed, if they really had existed, they’d have been little more than livestock waiting to be eaten! Rush leaped a fallen tree and…something caught his eye, something glittering in the dappled light of the forest floor…He paused and felt back along his side. What…?

High above, Celestia dodged and weaved through the sky, sending bolts of magical energy at the dragon. Uninhibited now, the alicorn was able to focus on her enemy without worrying about her stallion. Neither of the combatants spoke, there was no need, their only desire now to throw down the enemy before them. Fire roared and Celestia threw up a shield before responding with another searing lance of sunfire. The great dragon, already wounded from its battle with Yule as well as burned and bleeding from the injuries Celestia had inflicted, was now attacking in a blind fury, oblivious to any damage she was causing it. The Princess had seen this before; when a war dragon, enraged by pain and anger, would fight on until it was finally struck a mortal blow. By the Gods, what a fool she’d been! She’d lead them right into the beast’s clutches when she should have realised, she should have known that the thing was likely to be still out here. She’d fought dragons before; she knew what they were like. What had she been thinking?! Celestia sent out another beam of energy, the bolt hitting the dragon square in the chest and burning away some of its scales. She shook her head, wiping the sweat from her brow; that should have been enough to take down any dragon, but her power was weakened, and far more than she’d feared. In her attempt to help her, Madra had inadvertently taken away a portion of her alicorn magic, leaving her as weak as a kitten.

The dragon snarled, and threw itself at her.

The Princess tried to teleport, but the spell faltered, sputtered, and died, leaving her hanging disorientated in the sky as giant claws raked down her side. She flung herself away, but was caught by the beast’s enormous wings and sent reeling by the blow. Damn it! Damn, damn, DAMN! She had to do something, she had to think of something! With a loud neigh, she pulled herself round, forcing her wings into her side, ready to arrest her descent and…

“Princess!”

She looked down to see a beaten and bloodied pony she’d thought dead, flying towards her.

“Here!”

In a flurry of legs and wings, Yule threw the long, curved object towards her. Celestia smiled, bringing the blade up and round just in time to meet the dragon’s onslaught. Now…now she could fight! Conserving her magic, Celestia poured her strength into a battle of steel and claw, hoof and fire. The dragon was tiring, but so was she. Soon, one or the other of them would falter, giving their opponent the advantage they needed to strike that final blow, and she would be damned if it would be her. A sudden blast of wind hit her as the great lizard flew past, banked, and then pulled in its wings at it reached the top of its climb. She’d seen this before…and smiled. Like a black arrow from the Gods, the dragon hurtled towards her; its momentum, speed and hatred were…unstoppable. The Princess took a breath; this was the time…

Below in the forest, Rush ran through bushes and leaped over roots, all the while trying to see through the tiny chinks in the canopy to catch a glimpse of the Princess. His heart was pounding, his blood burning in his veins; had Yule managed to reach her? Was the sword going to help? Gods, he didn’t know! He…

A resounding crash reverberated through the forest, shaking the air and the ground with its leaden impact. Around him, birds shrieked and took wing as deer bolted and leaves fell. Rush ran towards the sound.

In the cascade of leaves and broken branches, lying amongst the obliterated tree trunks of the ancient forest, the dragon’s steaming and blood soaked body lay motionless. Before it, the Goddess strode towards him, her sword glinting in the light of her magic while her rainbow mane flew out behind her like a waterfall from the heavens. Her purple eyes sparkling, she smiled,

“Hello love; fancy meeting you here!”

*************************

Rush yawned, “Goddesses above, I’m so tired!”

Celestia groaned, “I can’t believe it. We looked everywhere!”

Reaching out, Rush put his hoof on hers, “I know, love, but perhaps” he shrugged, “it was just the way it was mean to be.”

“You don’t understand!” Tia protested, “My magic’s a fraction of what it was! I don’t know whether it’ll ever be back to normal and-”

“Shhh.” Rush gave her a nuzzle, “I know you’re upset, Tia, but when I think about that dragon’s claws cutting your panniers open, I can only be thankful it wasn’t you.” He gave her a kiss, “I could have lost you. The way I look at it, losing the crystal was a price worth paying for Equestria to keep its Princess and, maybe I’m being a little selfish, but I’m glad you’re here too.” He grinned cheekily.

Celestia rolled her eyes, “You have a very simplistic way of looking at the world, you know.”

“Oh, thanks!” Rush huffed.

“You’re welcome.” Tia smirked, “Anyway, I suppose there’s one good thing that’s come out of this; I’m going to have to push ahead with my plans for the college and university now, whether the nobles like it or not.”

“Why wouldn’t they like it?” Rush asked, “It’s a wonderful idea.”

Celestia sighed, “I know, but they think that education should be reserved for the wealthy. The thought of commoners being clever than them is something they find…distasteful.”

Rush snorted, “Buck the lot of them.”

“Rush!” Celestia barked, “Language!”

“Bah!” Rush stretched out his legs, “Money doesn’t make you a better pony.”

The Princess groaned, rubbing her muzzle and closed her eyes. He was right of course, but she knew nobility, and as much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was part of it herself. For some reason though, Rush didn’t see her in the same light as the ‘overstuffed peacocks’ as he’d called them. Now, whenever she saw them strutting around the palace as if they belonged there, she couldn’t help but imagine them sitting on a garden wall making that long high pitched call and displaying their tail feathers. She clucked her tongue; Rush was a bad influence all right…

“Any thoughts about what you want to do?” she asked, “Your studies seem to be coming along well.”

Rush nodded, “I’d like to keep studying healing to be honest. Cross Cut said she’s willing to take me on and teach me all she knows of Equestrian herbology and physiology.”

“What about Apricot though?” Celestia asked, “Would you be able to work with her? She was little…’uncertain’ about you.”

Rush turned over and peered at her, “Ah, I wondered when you’d mention her.”

Celestia blinked, “I’m sorry?”

“You’re jealous.”

“What?!” The Princess lifted her head and snorted loudly, “I am not!”

“I saw the way you looked at her that time” Rush smirked, “You were virtually glowing green with envy.”

“I…” Celestia closed her eyes and groaned, “Was it that obvious?”

Rush chuckled, “Uh-huh.” He gave her a nudge, “You know, it did make me feel a little bit…’fuzzy’ inside, when I saw you like that.”

“Fuzzy?” Celestia asked. She closed her book and put it down. She had read any of the thing anyway.

“Yeah.” Rush moved closer, his eyes meeting hers, “I like a mare who knows what she wants.”

“Oh, do you now?” Celestia took off her spectacles and raised an eyebrow, “And what do I want?”

Rush grinned, his lips gently brushing those of the Princess, “Me…”

Chapter Sixteen - To the End of the World

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD

Grove all but launched himself out of the barracks door like some furry orange rocket,

“Rush! Bloody hell, I thought you’d forgotten about your old buddy!” He gave Rush a playful shove, “Come on, what’s been going on? We’ve been hearing all sorts about…about…” he turned to Mind, “What have we heard again?”

“Goddesses, you’re bloody hopeless!” Mind laughed. She turned to Rush, “We heard you and sun butt had gone off together on some hot weekender.”

“Hot weekender?” Rush said, “I…Oh!” He let out a laugh, “No, nothing like that.”

“Huh, yeah!” Mind snorted, “And you looking like that?” She waved a hoof indicating Rush’s fresh clip, “She’d be all over you.”

“Told you” Grove nodded knowingly, “Girls love the smooth look.” He waggled his eyebrows, “Just look at me!”

Rush chuckled, “Copy cat.”

“Nah. I’m the original, mate, and still the best!” Grove pranced ahead, “And….POSE!”

The three of them burst out laughing at Grove’s antics. It was a beautiful day outside and the three of them set off for Paddock, determined to enjoy both the blue sky and pockets full of bits. Tia was off inspecting the new college and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow, so Rush had the whole day to himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to spend time with her of course, but a little away time certainly seemed to do wonders for them both. Still, being away from her made him feel a little…

“Hey!” Mind bumped Rushes muzzle, “Stop daydreaming, fancy pants, it’s muffin time!”

“Ha! Now you’re talking!” Rush gave a whinny and dashed into the shop and playfully push Grove out of the way, “Bran and apple, please Paint Pot.”

“Oh, Gawds, how do eat that?!” Grove announced, “You want to try the carrot and apricot, dude, it’s seriously good.”

“Liquorice for me, Paint” Mind shouted from the doorway, “Don’t worry about these two berks.”

“Hey!”

Laughing together without a care in the world, the three friends trotted outside to sit on the cooling grass and enjoy the sunshine. Grove however, had already wolfed down his cake and was straight back into the shop for another one, leaving Rush outside with Mind.

“How’s her ladyship treating you?” she asked pleasantly.

Rush leaned back on the grass and licked the crumbs off his lips, “Oh, good, you know. She’s managed to distribute a lot of the more repetitive tasks out to clerks and other court officials who probably had too much time on their hands already.”

Mind chuckled, “You still do it, don’t you?”

“Hmm?” Rush took a mouthful of his muffin, “Do what?”

“’Hands full’?” Mind waggled her eyebrows, “You know, if I didn’t know who you were, I’d never have guessed you were born on another world. It’s just the little slips every now and again that remind me.”

Rush shrugged and polished off his muffin, “Does it matter that much?”

“No.” Mind shook her head, “Not at all.” She yawned, “I did find something out for you though which I think you may find interesting.”

“Oh?” Rush looked over at her.

The mare nodded, “It’s about an old friend of yours. Thorn, I believe?”

“What?!” Rush nearly choked and sat up coughing, “Gah…! Mind, bloody hell!” Mind caught hold of him and slapped his back. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

“It’s your own stupid fault for lying on your back while eating, you pillock” Mind rolled her eyes, “Better now?” Rush nodded. “Right. Look, I heard this from a friend of a friend, right?” Again, Rush nodded. Mind took a breath and began, “Thorn was in poor shape when he got back to camp, so he was bundled off up north with the other sick and wounded, back to the portal to the Wither World.”

“Thanks the Gods…” Rush breathed, but Mind shook her head,

“The column was attacked.” She held up a hoof to forestall Rush’s next question, “From I was told, he escaped, but that’s all I know.”

“Who told you this?” Rush said anxiously, “How can we know it’s true?”

“We can’t” Mind said staring up into the blue sky. She stretched her hoof out, smiling sadly, “A lot of ponies vanished during the war, Rush, many simply never to be seen again.” Mind turn to face him, “I think we can trust the ‘friend of a friend’, she described Thorn…quite accurately.”

Rush said nothing. To say he was friends with a thestral, even if only really in passing, probably wouldn’t go down well with some of the veterans, especially as he was only just starting to fit in himself. Mind however, appeared to know more than she was letting on. She gave her back a wiggle and groaned happily, “My dad used to say we should never forget, but never live in the past.” She gave Rush a wink, “You have friends here, Rushy, ones who care about you.” Mind gave him a nudge, “I just hope you-know-who’s she’s treating you properly.”

Rush nodded, “Aye.”

A cake smothered orange creature suddenly emerged from the shop, complete with a half eaten muffin in one hoof and the other half still in his chocolate coated mouth, “Phey, Mush! Thid ya theare aboth…”

Rush held up a hoof, “For the Gods’ sake, Grove, finish what you’re eating! I can’t understand a bloody thing you’re saying!”

Grove swallowed, “I said, did you hear about Yule?”

Rush shook his head, “I haven’t seen him since he flew off after we had that scrap with the dragon.”

Grove nodded, “Yeah? Well guess who he flew off with?” Rush shook his head. “Only Lieutenant Fiddle” the orange stallion beamed, “and you know what that means!”

“Um…no?” Rush offered.

“Astra, you idiot!” Grove laughed, “She’s free! And that means the way’s clear for a certain orange guardstallion to show his quality, if you follow me?”

“Has she had the foal yet?” Rush asked.

Grove shook his head, “Not yet, but now that her other half’s buggered off, I’ll make sure I’m there to, erm, ‘offer a sympathetic ear’ and, naturally, a stallion of the royal guard would be just the ticket to protect a mare in distress.” He raised an eyebrow, “Of course, if, um, somepony could, you know, have a word with the boss and perhaps speak to the parents of Astra and, er, invite them say, for dinner?” He cleared his throat, “Not that I’d actually ask that! I mean, you know, if it sort of…happened, then, um…”

Rush threw his head back and laughed, “Fine! Fine! I’ll ask, but for goodness sake settle down before you give yourself a heart attack.” He gave Grove a shove, “Come on budge…He sat up suddenly, “Bugger! I nearly forgot, I promised to get a box of muffins for Tia.” He turned to leave, when a turquoise stallion ran up to them wearing a tabard in palace livery,

“You Grove?” he asked. Grove nodded, wiping the chocolate from his muzzle. “You’re needed at the palace. The head maid said it was urgent.”

Grove looked to his friends and, in silent agreement, the three of them hurried off back to the palace.

With the Princess away, the maids were out in force, cleaning and organising with complete abandon. Some parts of the palace were still almost completely bare of any furnishings whatsoever, but like the sea eroding a cliff, slowly and inexorably, the unstoppable tide of interior design would eventually swallow everything. Every day, Rush noticed something new: be it a banner, a tapestry, a bowl of potpourri, perhaps a candelabra and a sideboard – whatever it was, it simply ‘appeared’ as if by magic. Considering everything he’d seen so far, it really would be all that surprising if it. Was that how things had happened at the fortress? Had the Lord woken up one day and found that his home had been mysteriously decorated during the night? Rush chuckled to himself as the three of them trotted around the next corner and into the maids quarters. Gods, he hated this part of the palace; the maids would all giggle and cluck like chickens to one another behind their hooves when he passed by. They probably thought he was deaf, or it could simply be that his feelings just didn’t matter to them – after all, he was a stallion in a world dominated by mares. Sure, it had its advantages at times, but he often had the feeling that mares generally saw stallions as little more than walking, talking, labourers and, when the need arose, soldiers. Nopony seemed to be particularly bothered about it, or at least, they’d never really mentioned it, but thank the Gods Tia didn’t treat him like one of the village dullards. And by all the spirits, there were more than a few of those!

Grove lifted a hoof to knock on the head maid’s door and jumped back as it was opened before he had the chance,

“Thank the Goddesses!” the mare gasped, “You have to come with me, the doctor’s with her but it’s not looking good.”

Rush blinked in surprise, “Blanket Stitch? What’s going on? Has somepony been hurt?”

“Just follow me” the maid huffed, bustling out of the door. The yellow and cream patched mare could move surprisingly fast despite all the near floor length skirts she habitually wore, and it was all Rush could do to just keep up with her. She stopped by another door in the accommodation wing, “She’s just in here.”

The rather nondescript door lead them into what was clearly somepony’s living room. It was all tastefully decorated, with fresh flowers set about the place in neat white vases, a book case, and several paintings of rather stern looking ponies together with a smattering of well upholstered furniture. It all had one thing in common: everything was immaculately clean.

Blanket Stitch knocked on what turned out to be the bedroom door, “Doctor? Doctor Wellbeing?” A voice answered indistinctly from within and the four ponies trooped inside.

It was dark; the curtains were closed and the windows shut making it feel surprisingly oppressive and stuffy compared to the bright and airy living room. Rush felt his mane twitch: there was a heavy sense of foreboding in the air here, and his eyes were drawn to the figure in the bed. He took a breath and watched as the white coated stallion looked up from beside it and shook his head, “She’s lost a lot of blood” he said solemnly, “I’ve done what I’ve can, but…”

Grove nosed past him. The figure in the bed lay motionless; the sheet pulled right up to the mop of hair just below two neat orange furred ears. His heart sank…

“Lilly?” Grove breathed in suddenly, “Oh, no…Lilly!” He shoved past the doctor and dropped to his knees beside the bed, “Lilly…” He looked down at the bandages, the blood stains, the knife beside the basin of water, and gave a cry of despair, “Oh, Goddesses! What have you done? Why?”

The orange mare’s eyes opened slowly, the large hazel orbs lacking their usual glint that Rush was used to seeing. She smiled weakly, “Hi…” Lilly coughed and winced as she reached out a trembling hoof to her cousin, “G…Grovey? I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, you idiot!” Grove shouted, “We need to get you better!” He turned to face the doctor, tears forming in his eyes, “Can’t you do something? Don’t just bloody well stand there you buckwit!”

The doctor looked at Rush and then to Grove, “I’ve done everything I can, but she’s taken something that’s blocking any attempts at using magic on her. Earth pony medicine just doesn’t work fast enough. If we’d gotten here sooner…”

“Where’s that toss pot wizard?” Grove bellowed, “Surely he’s got something that can help her? For the Goddesses sake, we can’t just stand here and do nothing!”

“He’s on his way” Blanket Stitch called from the next room, “I’ll send him straight in when he gets here.”

“Is…Is the Princess here?” Lilly asked. Her voice sounded frighteningly dry.

Mind walked up and gently moved the distraught Grove to one side, “Come on, Grovey, let me speak to her.” The pastel pink mare knelt down by the bed and smiled at the forlorn maid, “Lilly, it’s me, Mind.”

“Mind?” Lilly breathed, “Where…where’s the Princess?” she squeezed her eyes shut, “I have…I have to tell her…have to…”

“Lilly, don’t push yourself.” Mind admonished gently, “The doctor said you’ve lost a lot of blood and-”

“NO!” Lilly shrieked suddenly, “It was my fault! All of it! I have to…” she broke into a loud coughing fit, making Grove run back to her side while Mind quickly passed her a glass of water which she took shakily. Lilly looked up at her cousin with tears in her eyes, “It was me,” she croaked, “I sent the…the dragon.”

“Don’t be silly” Grove said, stroking her mane, “You wouldn’t do that! Why would-”

“I did!” Lilly pressed, “I…I wanted to…I wanted to get rid Equestria of that…that damned…stallion.”

“Rush?” Mind asked in amazement, “You sent a dragon to kill Rush?” She shook her head in disbelief, “That’s ridiculous! Why would you do something like that? And how?”

Lilly shook her head, “You…you don’t understand.” She squeezed her eyes shut against a wave of pain and cold, “I was jealous, I…I wanted to get back at the Princess for…for shutting me out.” She sniffed back a tear, “I loved her! I loved her and she…she brushed me aside for…for him!” She caught sight of Rush and glared at him, “It’s because of YOU!” she howled, “You took my Princess from me! You…you stole my…my…heart…”

Rush hung his head, “Oh, Lilly, I never meant to hurt you. I fell in love with Celestia on another world, I had no idea what her life was like back-”

“LIAR!” Lilly spat, “You knew she was a Princess! You only…you only wanted her for…for that!”

Rush shook his head, “No.” He took a breath and gave her a sad smile, “I have never had any interest in money, or titles. You said it yourself: I’m just a simple reed cutter - nothing more, and nothing less.”

“Ha!” Lilly scoffed, “You may have fooled the Princess, but you can’t fool me!” She shook her head and took a trembling breath, her anger giving her a surprising amount of strength. Lilly’s hazel eyes locked onto Rush and stared unadulterated hatred at him, “Scald Tail should have eaten you!” she spat, “I wish he had! But he was meant to get just you; I…I didn’t want him to hurt the Princess…not…not her…”

“Lilly…” Mind gave her another sip of the water, “Celestia doesn’t hate you, she loves you, you know that.”

Lilly closed her eyes, “She used to…”

Rush shook his mane and snorted loudly, “You obviously don’t know Celestia as well as you think you do then.” The orange mare’s eyes flew open as Rush continued, “Tia often spoke to me about you, and she told me of the joy and warmth you had brought her when she felt alone and lost with her duties, and later, with the war.” He stood tall and fixed Lilly with a hard look, “She valued your friendship, Lilly, and she still does. Yes, Tia and I are in love, but she also loves you - you’re her best friend, and now she’s lost her sister she needs you more than ever.” He advanced on her, “So, don’t you dare tell me she doesn’t love you, and don’t you dare die on her either! You mean more to her than you know, Lilly; you’re a mare who understands her, a valued friend, and a confidant.” He nickered, “Hate me all you want, but Celestia needs you Lilly. We, need you.”

There was a commotion in the corridor and the familiar grey form of Starswirl bustled in carrying an array of bags and equipment in his magic,

“Is this her?” he huffed, “Right, you lot, out!” He turned and herded the ponies out through the open door, “That means all of you.” A moment later Starswirl noticed Rush, “Except you; I’ll need an assistant who knows what they’re doing.” The grey unicorn closed the door and immediately began passing Rush equipment he recognised from the fortress,

“What are we doing with these?” Rush asked.

Starswirl’s magic glowed brightly and another set of tripods clicked into place, “We need to stabilise her spirit” he explained, “It will give us more time to work on repairing the physical damage.” Starswirl nodded to himself and glanced over Rush’s work, “Good, now, remember how we did this last time?”

“Just guide me, and we’ll get through this” Rush said taking hold of the spirit wand. He tossed his mane and set the incense burner at the foot of the bed, tracing the faintly glowing lines of energy. He took a breath; Starswirl had shown him before how the magical energy of the body was connected with the spirit of a living creature, but he was far being an expert in such matters. However, right now Lilly needed help and panicking would do nothing but cause her unnecessary distress. Any thoughts about why she’d done what she did, how, and just how much she must have truly hated him were pushed to one side. What he had to concentrate on was helping Starswirl. Explanations could wait.

Lilly’s voice drifted over to him from the bed, “L…Leave…me. Let me…go…”

Rush huffed, “No.” He adjusted one of the focussing crystals to better show the lines of magical flow, “Starswirl? All ready here.”

“Excellent.” The unicorn stared into his scrying glass as he passed it over the orange maid, “Oh, you silly girl” he mumbled. Starswirl leaned down and sniffed at Lilly’s mouth, “Thought so,” he said shaking his head, “Nix Flower.”

“Nix Flower?” Rush asked.

The unicorn rummaged in his bag and pulled out a bottle of bright blue powder which he quickly tipped into a bowl of water, “It temporarily blocks the flow of magic within a pony. Years ago it used to be administered to prisoners to prevent them from using spells during captivity. Problem is, our young lady here has used it on herself to stop anypony helping her.”

“Can we override it somehow?” Rush asked.

“Not ‘override’,” Starswirl said, adjusting his hat, “more re-write it.” He grinned, “A little project I worked on when I worked for Lord Maroc.” He leaned down and lifted the bowl to Lilly’s lips, “Come on now my dear, drink up, it’s good for you.”

Lilly turned away.

“If you don’t drink it my dear, I’ll force it down your pretty throat.” Starswirl’s normally jovial voice dropped to a surprisingly menacing low, “and I promise you, you won’t like that at all. Am I making myself clear?” Lilly’s eyes went wide in fright and she nodded. Starswirl suddenly beamed happily, “Jolly good!”

Meanwhile, Rush’s mind was reeling. That name…he’d heard it before, hadn’t he? Suddenly it came to him, “Just a minute, did you say Lord Maroc?”

Starswirl dabbed the last of the mixture from Lilly’s mouth, making sure she’d swallowed it all before adjusting his spectacles and selecting another bottle, “I did” he said offhoofedly, “Does it matter to you that I did?”

“I…” Rush blinked, “No…no it doesn’t.” He gave himself a shake, “Forget I mentioned it.”

The grey unicorn raised an eyebrow, “Good. Now, let’s focus on the task at hoof, eh?”

Rush nodded and returned to his work. This was what was important; not idle curiosity about a dead Lord from a forgotten people. Who really cared after all? Madra, Fathom and the others, certainly, but right here, right now, it meant nothing. Rush gritted his teeth and kept his attention on the flow of spirit energy before him. The faintly glowing lines were nothing like those of Celestia. They had been bright, vibrant, and shimmering with life and energy. By comparison, Lilly’s were all but faded out to nothing. Across from him, Starswirl was altering equipment and placing more of it over the now silent maid. Rush kept his mind on his work, watching the flow, letting the spirit wand drift over the lines and nodes, listening to prompts from the white bearded wizard. Whatever Starswirl was doing though, it wasn’t making much difference. Even with Rush’s lack of magical talent, even he could see the lines were fading. With awful certainty, Rush knew…Starswirl just put it into words,

“We’re losing her.”

The wizard stood back and shook his head, “She’s slipping away” he said quietly, “If I’d got here sooner, maybe I could have done something, but…” his voice petered out.

Rush’s heart leaped. Lilly…She hated him, she’d tried to have him brutally killed and had risked having the Princess killed along with him, but…to see her just fading away like this… He gritted his teeth; he couldn’t just let this happen, could he? Tia would be heartbroken at the loss of her friend, and in a way, this was because of him, wasn’t it? If he hadn’t come here, if he’d never met Tia, then Lilly would still be well and happy. Rush closed his eyes and took a step forward, his body becoming wreathed in the smoke. He smiled distantly,

“Hold on, Lilly…hold on.”

Rush began to trace the lines, filtering some of the brightness into the gathering dark, watching it recoil in fright and then, although a little uncertain at first, reach forward to gently take in the warming light. He lifted his forelegs, and like a conductor in an orchestra, let the wand sweep along the lines, blending the light, strengthening it, teasing the flows until they began to pulse, beating like a heart of pure magical light.

Lilly stirred, her eyes fluttering.

“That’s it!” Starswirl said in delight, “I can’t believe it! Boy, you’ve…” his voice trailed off, “Oh my Gods, you bloody idiot!”

Rush barely felt the magic grab him and fling him away across the room. Darkness was pressing in on his vision and a surprisingly warm feeling began to envelop him. He couldn’t help but smile as Starswirl’s yellow eyes filled his vision,

“You damned young fool!” the wizard barked, “What were you thinking?”

Rush shrugged weakly, “Is Lilly alright?”

“Of course she is!” Starswirl shouted, “She’s living on your life energy! Do you know what you’ve done?”

The brown stallion chuckled weakly, “Helped a friend.”

The door burst open; it was Grove, “What’s going on? We heard a crash.” He took in the prostrate form of his friend and hurried to his side, “Rush?”

Starswirl shook his head hopelessly, “The impetuous idiot’s given most of his life energy to the girl.”

“Given…?” Grove’s whinny echoed around the room, “I don’t understand, why does he look like this? Bloody hell, Starswirl, he looks like he’s dying!”

The wizard hung his head and closed his eyes, “That’s because” he said quietly, “…he is.”

*************************

Celestia ran through the corridors, ignoring the ponies bowing to her and the guards saluting as she took first one corner and then the next. Her mind was a blank, her destination her only concern; what was wrong with Rush? Why was it urgent? The messenger had simply told her that he was sick, and Starswirl had asked for her to return ‘at her earliest convenience’. When she’d read that her blood had gone cold – she knew Starswirl, and ‘earliest convenience’ was translated more as ‘drop everything’.

She had.

Thank the Gods that the ambassador was a mare and understood the urgency. Taking another corner, Celestia reached her bed chambers and dodged inside past the surprised guards. Starswirl was stood by the bed nonchalantly drinking a cup of tea – a cup of tea! She felt like screaming…

“Starswirl…” she panted, “I’ve come as fast I could, what’s wrong? What’s…”

The wizard held up a hoof, “Please, Princess…” he indicated a chair beside the bright blue magical bubble – the same type as the one she had been inside. Within, Rush looked as though he were sleeping. She took a shuddering breath, unsure as to what to do, until Starswirl stood and gently guided her to a chair and began pouring her a cup of tea.

“Please, Starswirl, tell me what’s happening!” she pleaded.

The grey wizard closed his eyes and took a breath, “Nature” he said quietly, “Time is catching up with him.”

Celestia’s eyes went wide in horror, “What do you mean? For the Gods’ sake Starswirl, stop being so infuriatingly cryptic and tell me what’s up with him!”

Starswirl shook his head. Placing his cup back on the saucer his looked up at Celestia, his face surprisingly serious, “How old was Rush in the human world?” he asked.

The Princess blinked in surprise at the question, “I don’t know, I think... middle-aged maybe? I’m not sure, human ages are probably different to ours. Why are you asking me this? Is it relevant?”

“Time is different between the two worlds” Starswirl said calmly, “What was a few years here, was, I believe, a lot more there.” He took a sip of his tea, staring into the cup, “Rush may appear to be a young stallion, but his human years, the years of his life, have been catching up with him. Sooner or later, time catches up with all of us.”

“I don’t give a damn about all that!” Celestia snapped suddenly, “He was perfectly fine when he came here - you saw that yourself.”

Starswirl shook his head slowly, “He wasn’t fine, Princess, you saw how hard we had to fight to save him. I believe this has something to do with the disparity between human time and equestrian time.”

“But he was fine when I left him!” Celestia protested, “How can this just happen?!”

The wizard gave an ironic sniff, “Because he gave what little life he had left, to save somepony special to you.” He looked her in eye and smiled, “Lilly.”

“Lilly?” Celestia said in amazement, “What’s happened to her? Why would she…?”

Starswirl took a breath, “She was dying.” He held up a hoof as Celestia went to stand up in alarm. “Don’t worry, she’s alright now,” the wizard explained, “thanks to this fellow.” He nodded towards Rush, “I don’t know whether he knew what he was doing or not, but he gave part of himself to save her. Now…”

He didn’t have to say anymore. Celestia got up and hurried around to the other side of the bubble where she could see Rush’s sleeping face,

“Rush?” she whispered, “Rush, can you here me?”

Rush’s eyes flickered and slowly opened, “Oh, hello love.” He smiled faintly, “Looks like it’s my turn for the bubble, eh?” he chuckled, “Sorry about all this.”

“Sorry?” Celestia choked, “Oh, Rush, you stupid, stupid pony! How could you do something like that?”

“Lilly needed help” Rush said with a grin, “It was the right thing to do.” He gave her a wink, “The equestrian thing to do.”

“You…you…” Celestia collapsed into a heap, the tears flowing freely down her face, “Oh, Rush, I don’t want to lose you, I can’t lose you! Not now…not after we’ve been through so much together.”

Rush tried to lift a hoof, the effort clearly straining him, “I know.” He brushed a stray tear away and gave her a look that spoke of his love for her in ways that words never could, “I’m sorry, love.”

“Rush…” Celestia felt Starswirl’s forelegs gently lifting her from the floor,

“Princess, please, Rush needs to rest.”

“We have to do something, Starswirl” the Princess said hopelessly, “We can’t just let him die!”

The old wizard shook his head sadly, “I can’t turn back time” he huffed, “And even if I could, it wouldn’t change things. Rush’s time here in Equestria is something we have no control over, and would have caught up with him sooner or later. By selflessly giving that time to Lilly, he’s saved her life – he’s a very special stallion.” He sighed and turned to look at the figure within the blue magical bubble, “Only the magic is keeping him alive now, but it won’t be long… Nopony can change fate.”

“Fate” Celestia said quietly, “No…nopony can…” She got up from her chair and closed her eyes, “No pony.” Calmly, the Princess walked over to the bubble and placed her hooves upon it, “Take care, my love,” she said quietly, “I’ll back soon.” Celestia leaned her head upon the blue dome and let out the breath she’d been holding in, “I love you.”

Whether Rush replied or not, she couldn’t tell. He was so frail, so weak…this wasn’t the Rush she loved, this was…wrong, wrong! Starswirl looked up from his tea,

“Princess? Where are you going?”

The alicorn ruffled her wings, her face set in an expression of cold determination,

“Home.”

*************************

Here, the sky was ever blue, the clouds pure white against the beautifully sunlit perfection of another day in the land where peace and fulfilment reigned. Brightly coloured birds flew overhead, the wind blowing a playful breeze through the fields of lush green grass and golden ears of wheat, ripe for harvest.

It was perfect.

It was always perfect.

Ponies walking past stared at her, unsure as to what she was doing there. It had, after all, been decades if not centuries since she’d been home. Celestia gave an ironic snort; ‘home’….how in Equestria was this home? Home was with her people and the brown stallion who needed her, and whom she needed. Steeling herself she approached the long white marble bridge over the sparkling river which dividing the royal palace and administration buildings from the rest of the land. It had always struck her as something that wasn’t just physical, but also symbolic - a way of stating that ‘this is ours’ and that a pony should always ‘know their place’. They did of course, that went without saying, because after all ponies for the most part were followers rather than leaders, weren’t they? She sighed; she’d been listening to Rush too often and was picking up some of his views - views her parents would certainly never share. To them, or to father at least, ponies were ponies and alicorns were alicorns – what he would think of Rush, she wouldn’t like to imagine. It wouldn’t be good, that was for sure.

The alicorn guards, dressed in their traditional gold and silver armour, snapped to attention as she passed. It was almost laughable when she thought about it: there was no conflict here, no war, no pain, no suffering and no death…just endless peace. Her mane bristled as she walked under the portcullis; how had she been able to stand living here for so long? It was so…boring! She walked on, passing more alicorns and regular ponies in royal livery, strolling about with their cases, folders and other accoutrements necessary for the daily running of the palace. Each any every one of them had one thing in common too: a look of absolute calm. There was no haste, no sense of urgency to any of their actions; if the truth be told it was highly unlikely that there was even a need for any kind of administration in the first place, but then, it kept ponies ‘in gainful employment’ as mother called it. ‘Probably stopped them vegetating from sheer boredom’, Celestia thought to herself sarcastically.

“Princess Celestia?” a voice called, “This is a welcome surprise!”

Oh Gods, it was Irnir, the head of the royal musical society. Celestia had memories of incessant piano lessons that had made her look for any excuse just to escape the annoying alicorn and his constant criticism of her ‘lack of form’.

“Are you still practicing?” he asked chirpily, “I do hope so, you were such an accomplished student: one of my best in fact. I don’t know about Luna so much, such a short attention span that one, but oh my! I did hear about what happened in that awful war - it terrible, simply terrible! I keep telling Tharenir, ‘Tharenir’ I said, ‘Isn’t it awful what’s happening in the mortal realm?’ and he’d say, ‘I know, it’s dreadful isn’t it!” and I’d…” He blinked, “Princess?” Irnir frowned and looked about himself at the empty corridor, “Hmph! Always disappearing when I get to the good bit in a story too…”

Celestia hurried down the long corridor towards her destination. Hopefully nothing had changed since she’d been here last, but so far it felt as if she’d never been away. The same faces, the same décor, the same…everything! She trotted down the steps into the cooler depths of the palace; she was nearing the door, and soon she would be able to deal with this matter…one way or another. Her hoofsteps echoed along the passageway and off the stone floor and walls, the magical lamps flickering to life as she approached them - something that had both fascinated her and frightened her as a filly. Now, they were simply background noise to her mission.

The final passageway ended in a large, dark wooden door, heavily bound in thick iron furniture and the only one the Princess had ever known to be locked with magical wards. It wasn’t a case of mistrust, but more to keep out whatever lay within, as well as to keep curious muzzles away. She hated this door; even after all these years it still made her knees tremble and send a shiver down her spine, but there was more at stake now than her foalhood fears – this was something she had to do. Celestia closed her eyes, feeling for the slight tingle of magic designed to deter and frighten ponies away, tracing the ancient web of power…locating…gripping…and…

The magic winked out, the locks slipping back with a clang. Slowly, Celestia reached out, and pushed…

Cold wind slammed into her like a sledgehammer, but the memories of this place were colder still. She could remember all too well the overwhelming feelings of bitterness and fear instilled in her by the heartless, calculating emptiness of the awful creature that lived here. By the Gods, she could still hear her words: even now, they cut as deeply as any knife ever could. Celestia gave her mane a shake and held her head high, facing the mountain path before her; she was afraid no longer - she was no frightened foal to be scared into submission by the words of some black hearted old hag! She gritted her teeth and pushed on. Before her the great black peak disappeared into the broiling sky of grey as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled ominously. In some ways this felt strangely appropriate: the grim setting, the thunderous power howling around her, whipping at her mane and tail…it was like the end of the world. For her, without Rush…it was.

The path was strewn with rocks and the footing treacherous. Celestia’s hooves slipped and skidded more than once, but kept moving forward, her destination fixed in her mind. Here, in this place, to forget, to let your mind falter, could lead you to be lost in the nether for all eternity. The Princess neighed loudly, bellowing her determination and will to this dark place; she was strong, she had faced worse than this! She laughed aloud, laughing at this nightmarish image around her, at the world of the eternal herd, and the casual, unthinking cruelty of eternity. It wasn’t worth it…none of it was. She tossed her mane out of her eyes and continued her climb.

Hours passed, the road winding on and on. It was too dangerous to fly here and, as her mother had cautioned her all those years ago, disrespectful. Celestia snorted; disrespectful! That creature deserved no respect - she hadn’t earned it, she never had! What was the point of her existence anyway? Why should such a being be allowed to have such power and sway? Mother and Father had never been able to answer her that question, and instead they had simply told her she was…’necessary’. Celestia shook her mane and kicked a stone out of her path irritably; what was ‘necessary’ was bringing light to those who lived in darkness, to bring the warmth of the sun where once there was only night. All ponies deserved a chance at happiness, and damn it all, so did she! Who gave that…that monster the right to curse her? Who gave her the authority to dictate what happened in anypony’s life? Celestia was her own mare and she belonged to nopony, NOPONY! She rounded the edge of a large rock, passing the carved wooden post in the shape of a stylised dragon, and found what she had been seeking.

Fate.

The cloaked creature sitting before her didn’t move nor look up, but Celestia knew the old crone was fully aware of her presence – probably from the very first step she’d taken into her realm. The Princess stood and waited, watching the old mare sitting at her loom, passing the shuttle back and forth, back and forth. The threads of the weave, the tapestry of life: each solitary thread a route a pony could follow, or perhaps even a kingdom? Only the old hag knew, only the cloaked mare who lived on the mountain. Behind her, the grey clouds rolled and swirled like the tide breaking upon rocks while throughout it all an otherworldly sulphurous yellow glow seeped through that made her mane and horn itch. There was magic here, magic from both the beginning and the end of time. It was the power of creation and of destruction - all of it hanging on the threads of the woven tapestry of life the old mare created.

Back and forth, back and forth…

Celestia took a breath, “I am here.”

The old crone didn’t look up. Her face hidden in her cowl, only her breath was visible as steady wisps of white, curling away in the wind while she toiled. She never stopped, never paused.

Back and forth, back and forth…

The Princess tossed her mane and stood tall and proud, “I want you to give Rush’s time back” she announced, “I will pay the price.”

The shuttle continued to click and clack, back and forth across the loom. Fate however, said nothing.

Celestia felt her mane twitching; she didn’t have time for this! She lifted a hoof, “Fate, please, you said once that I could never find happiness, but you were wrong, I did…I did! Rush is special to me; I need him, I….” she paused, “I love him.” Celestia waited before continuing, “I don’t know what you want from me, but whatever it is, I will pay the price…willingly.”

The shuttle continued its endless movement.

“Well? What do you want from me?” Celestia repeated, “What is wrong with you? Are you deaf or are you just wilfully ignoring me?” She paused, watching the ancient mare’s hooves deftly passing the shuttle through the loom: each thread, each life, placed just so. Every movement was incredibly fluid and yet felt almost mechanical, empty…

Celestia’s heart was in turmoil; why wouldn’t she answer her? Her anger, pain and frustration began to bubble over, “So this is your answer, is it? You’ll just sit there and ignore me while you continue to destroy more lives, crush even more dreams. My Gods, have you no heart at all? Can’t you understand, can’t you see how much suffering you are causing to ponies?” She nodded slowly, “Of course…you enjoy this, don’t you. You exist only to suck the love and joy from others and take pleasure from the pain you…” she paused and closed her eyes resignedly, “Very well. If it is pain you wish, then take what you will from me: take my magic, take what you wish, just…give him back to me.”

“CELESTIA!”

The voice boomed out around the Princess, but she didn’t start, she wasn’t afraid…she had half expected this after all.

“STOP THIS!”

Behind her, the golden mare appeared like a Goddess from the seas of ancient legend, her mane swirling around her in the winds of eternity. The mare’s eyes, two fathomless pools of ice blue, stared into hers. Celestia watched her approach,

“Mother…”

The Goddess, the Queen of the eternal herd, walked up to the old cloaked creature and gave her a nudge with her muzzle before turning to her daughter, her eyes flashing angrily. Celestia hadn’t seen her like this for as long as she could remember. Mother had always been a sea of calm, a rock in the storm she could hold onto when she was growing up. Today however, the Queen’s face bore an expression that made her heart skip a beat. Steeling herself, she lifted her head, every part the Princess of Equestria,

“You have arrived a little later than I expected.”

“Don’t be so insolent Celestia, such behaviour is beneath you” the Queen replied. Her eyes searched Celestia’s, “Do you not think that I would know you would attempt something like this?” She held out a hoof and pointed at Celestia’s heart, “I know you better than you know yourself.”

The younger alicorn raised an eyebrow, “Then you already know why I must do this.” She took a breath, facing her mother’s stare with one of her own, “You knew about this didn’t you? You knew Rush’s life span would be drastically shorter in Equestria, and yet despite everything that has happened, you decided to keep this from me.”

The Queen shook her head, “You know why.”

“Oh, yes.” Celestia sniffed, “You always did like your little secrets didn’t you? All those tantalising games you would play behind father’s back.” The Princess stared down her muzzle at her mother, “This is just another…isn’t it?”

The golden alicorn’s eye’s flashed, “If you are trying to goad me, daughter, then please, continue. When you have emptied yourself of all your vitriol and bitterness, then we may talk as adults.”

“Don’t you dare patronise me!” Celestia neighed, “I am no filly for you to order around, nor am I a frightened foal for this witch to play like an old fiddle! I am tired of her games, mother, and I am tired of having my heart torn apart for the warped amusement of others.”

“…Tia…” The Queen began.

“NO!” The Princess roared, “Don’t call me that! Don’t you dare! Nopony has the right to call me that: only Rush, the one pony I have ever known who treated me with genuine love and respect, who loved me as an equal for who I am, not what I am. And now…now you’ve taken him away from me!” The Queen raised a hoof, but Celestia’s magic sudden glowed around her, reacting with the storm clouds and lightning, “Nopony knew me! Nopony gave a damn about the white witch of the mortal realm did they? I was just a plaything, a toy in your sick, twisted games! WELL NO MORE!” She rounded on the cloaked mare, “Fate, you prophesied that I would never find love, and that I would never find happiness. Well, you were wrong! Your damned loom is flawed, your sight is failing you! I found the pony I have been waiting for all my life and I found the one thing you will never know! I found love, true love, and I will be damned if I ever let it go just because of some warped old hags stories to frighten foals!”

“Tia, please! This is madness!” The Queen shouted.

“Madness?” Celestia neighed, “I will show you madness!” Her voice bellowed around the mountains, the lightning bursting in a terrifying display of purple and white light, “Fate, I offer you my power, all my power. Take it, take it you old witch! And if you do not, then I swear, I will send you to the underworld with my own hooves and bring this world crashing down around you until the eternal herd’s screams echo across eternity.”

“Enough of this!” the Queen bellowed, “Celestia, think of what you are saying, girl!”

Celestia’s eyes burned with power, a wry smile spreading across her face, “I know what I am saying mother, and you know what I can do. Nothing you say can-”

There was a huge flash of intense blue light and Celestia simply…vanished. The Queen shook her head and sighed, “My goodness, such passion in one so young.” She walked towards the cloaked mare, “She reminds me of myself when I was that age: so full of fire and energy.” She gave the figure a gentle nuzzle, “Forgive her, Hope, please. I know what she said was hurtful, but I also know you understand better than anypony what she is going through right now.” The queen smiled sadly, “I’ll try and talk to her.” She leaned down and gave the old mare a hug, “Take care of yourself.”

In a flash of light, she was gone.

Fate…Hope…stared into the loom, her hooves pausing as she noticed the tiny object lying beside her. Such a tiny thing, such a frail, rare and precious thing…the key to… She lifted a hoof at the unusual sensation; was she…crying? She leaned down and picked up the tiny object and the Queens voice immediately rang out, clear and strong,

EVERY THIRD DAY.

Hope blinked and did something she hadn’t done in an eternity…she smiled. Nodding her head, she looked down at the loom and traced it with her hooves. Nimbly, she began to work: locating, lifting, picking the thread free. It resisted slightly at first, but against the weaver, what could a mere thread do? Steadily, she eased it out, and reached into the small cupboard beside her, taking out a spool of brightly coloured thread. She began to weave her magic once more, the power flowing around the broken end, the abrupt stop in the once vibrant thread: blending, melding the two into one. She placed the new thread on the shuttle and paused, looking down at the key once more and slipped a new thread through it which she then placed around her neck. Gently, she lifted that most precious of objects and kissed it with a tenderness she hadn’t believed she could still find. Perhaps…perhaps the young alicorn, for all her impetuousness, had been right all along…

Perhaps…someponies truly did deserve a second chance.

The shuttle began to weave once again.

*************************

“Hey, Tia, look what I’ve got!” Rush’s parcel dangled from his mouth by a long red ribbon, “I’ve quite a selection here, but I really like the blueberry ones. I’m not sure what you’d call it, but they’ve got a sort of malty taste and they’re so moist!” The chocolate brown stallion placed the box on the table, “Tia?” he looked up at the white alicorn who was staring at him with bright purple eyes, “Are you alright love? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

The alicorn’s forelegs wrapped around him and pulled him into hug that was tender and yet so strong, he thought he was going to pop,

“Tia!” he squeaked, “What…?”

“Shh…” Celestia hushed, “Don’t speak…just…be here with me. I want to feel you, smell you…” She let her grip slacken as she brought her muzzle to his, “I want…to kiss you.”

Rush’s heart melted in the blazing fire of his mare’s passion. Celestia’s breath, her lips…she was everything to him...everything…

Finally, breathlessly, Celestia broke the kiss as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. She gazed down into the big blue eyes of her stallion before breaking into laughter, “You have no idea, have you?” she asked.

Rush’s brows drew down, “Huh?”

Celestia smirked and shook her head. For a moment, she paused, glancing out of the window…mother? She laughed and turned back to Rush, licking her lips,

“Mmm…blueberry.” She gave him a wink, “I think I’ll have another taste…”

Grove and Mind dodged back around the door, their faces red with embarrassment. The pastel pink mare kept her voice to a whisper,

“Are they like this all the time?”

Grove shrugged, “Dunno. Tell you what though; if this is what she’s like when he goes out for cakes, can you imagine what she was like when he vanished that time?”

“Something tells me our beloved ruler has something else on her mind than matters of state, or cakes” Mind chuckled, “I just hope our Rushy can keep her focussed on the job.”

Grove smirked, “Oh, I don’t think we need to worry about that.” He peeked around the door again, before pulling it to with a quiet click, “I think they both are.”

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

“Gambol?!” Rush said aloud, “I do NOT gambol! I have perfectly good poise and posture, thank you very much.”

Celestia tossed her mane irritably, “You do, and Mayor Pink Moss noticed it too.”

“Oh, Mayor Pink Moss noticed it, did she? Well, that makes it alright then doesn’t it! She wants to keep that oversized muzzle of hers out of our business” Rush replied with a loud snort, “Why you always listen to that blustering buffoon is beyond me.”

The Princess put down her newspaper and took off her spectacles, “Pink Moss is a very hard working pony” she replied.

“And I’m not, is that it?” Rush huffed, “I’m up to my fetlocks in patients with every manner of problem from sore hooves to mane mange, and I can tell you: Mayor ‘Brown Nose’ wouldn’t last five sodding minutes dealing with what I have to every single bloody day!”

“Don’t call her that, it’s not nice” Celestia admonished, “And will you stop that swearing!”

Rush snorted, “Bloody bureaucrats.”

“And there you go again!” Celestia said angrily, “Just because she’s a palace official doesn’t make her…” her eyes went wide, “Did…did you just blow a raspberry??”

Rush smirked.

“Ooh! You’re infuriating!” the Princess snorted, “I wonder what I see in you sometimes!”

“A pony who gambol’s apparently” Rush muttered, returning to his paper.

Celestia’s eyes went wide, “Rush, you-”

“-Anyway, I’ve seen you pronking when you think noponies looking” Rush chuckled, “Very ladylike I must say!”

The Princess’s cheeks flushed bright red, “Why you…! I do NOT pronk!”

“Pfff! Tell that to the gardener” Rush said with a wave of his hoof, “Good job the old fart keeps his mouth shut. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing this morning. Honestly Tia, I didn’t know where to put myself!”

“Gah! You…!” Celestia got up and stormed to the door.

“Where are you going?” Rush asked.

“I’M GOING TO BLOODY WELL PRONK, AREN’T I!” she bellowed.

The door slammed shut, rattling the windows and upsetting the small wooden box on the shelf. Shaking his head, Rush trotted over to push it back into place and paused. Carefully, he took it down and traced his hoof along the words inscribed onto the carved sides. It was such a small thing: incredibly well crafted and made with real dedication, care and passion. Once, the words had looked to him like little more than scratches on the smoothly polished surface. Now, he could read them with no effort at all. He read aloud,

“From one to another, another to one, a mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled” He turned the box and read the inscription on the other side, “From day to night, from darkness to light. From the other to here, the lost now found.” Rush marvelled at the delicate carvings of the ponies on the sides; one side representing the night, the other the day, “I wonder what all means” he muttered.

“It means what it means” the Goddess said, sitting down in the chair beside him, “Nothing more.”

Rush closed his eyes and smiled; he just loved the way the in-laws could effortlessly materialise in the bedroom with complete abandon… Still, he had a soft spot for Tia’s mother, despite their occasional spats. He turned the box over in his hooves,

“It’s a prophesy, isn’t it.”

The Goddess shrugged, “It means different things to different ponies” she said cryptically, “A prophesy to some, hope to others. All I can say is that it was made a long time ago, so its true meaning, if it ever really had one, has probably been lost in time.”

Rush raised an eyebrow, “’Probably’.” He smiled, “But now, it’s just an empty box.”

“Oh, I think there’s something in there, Rush, something that you can’t see with your eyes, but with your heart.” The Goddess smiled, “…Love.”

Rush felt his heart skip a beat, and carefully closed the lid, placing the precious box back on the shelf. “Will she ever have her full powers back?” he asked.

The Goddess gave him a sad smile, “Perhaps one day. Her father was very angry with her after she banished Luna, and locked a large part of it away as punishment.” She sighed, “He can be very…’difficult’ at times.”

“I still haven’t met him.” Rush replied quietly.

The golden mare laughed, “Oh, you will one day, don’t worry about that!” She gave her mane a shake and levitated up a cake from the stand, “He knows all about you already, you know.”

“I know!” Rush squeaked, “That’s what worries me! I’m half expecting him to pop into our bedroom one day and-”

The Goddess rolled her eyes, “We do have some discretion, Rush.” She chuckled, “Besides, the King just takes a little longer than others to get used to new ideas, that’s all.” She took a dainty nibble of the cake and dabbed the crumbs away, “Anyway, how are things between you and my daughter? Are you still fighting?”

Rush groaned, “Sometimes, but…I don’t know, it’s usually over nothing. One minute we’re having a row over too much chocolate cake and the next thing we…erm…”

The Goddess raised an eyebrow, “Yes?”

“Erm…we make up” Rush finished, his cheeks burning.

“Oh.” Smiling, the Goddess leaned down and picked up the book on the coffee table that had caught her eye, “Eternity Lost” she read, “Have you read it yet?”

Rush nodded, “I’ve just finished it.”

“What did you think?”

“It was heartbreaking!” Rush replied animatedly, “One of the three sisters was cursed for all eternity for murdering the stallion who had wronged her.” He shook his head, “Murder is one thing, but to find out afterwards she’d been wrong and that he hadn’t cheated on after all, only to be put to death and cursed to never be with her beloved again even in the afterlife… Dear Gods…” he closed his eyes, “I can’t help but feel sorry for her, you know.” He gave himself a shake, “Still, it’s only a novel. Thank goodness it isn’t real; I need to be able to sleep at night!”

“Yes…” The Goddess said distantly, “Only a novel.”

“Huh?”

“It doesn’t matter” the golden mare smiled, “Now, excuse me Rush, I must return home. My dearest does fret so when I’m away from him.” She paused, “Oh, and Rush? Don’t be too hard on Celestia, she has a little more of her father in her than she’d care to admit.”

Rush nodded and bowed as the white glow of magic enveloped the Queen of the eternal herd, beckoning her back to its blue skies and green pastures. He smiled to himself; it was a place he would go to some day, and then what? Would Tia be able to see him still? He felt a shiver run down his spine; it didn’t do to dwell on things that he couldn’t change. Picking up his hat, he flipped it up onto his head, waggled his ears into place and trotted off after his Princess. As he reached for the door he paused, turning back to look at his old sword hanging up on the wall; it would be time for the sun raising ceremony soon, and he would be there in his best coat and hat with his old battered sword at his side watching his beloved mare raise the sun into the heavens. He rolled his shoulders and headed out, giving Lilly a wink as she trotted past with her cleaning trolley. She stuck her tongue out at him and laughed, vanishing around the corner in a clatter of bottles and mops.

“Off out, mate?” Grove asked.

Rush grinned, “Hey, what can I say; the ponies of Equestria need me.” He treated the guard to a twirl, “Good to go?”

Grove adjusted his spear and gave his friend an appraising look, “Meh…passable.”

Rush grinned broadly. The way he saw things, today was the start of a new beginning, both for him, for Tia, and for Equestria. He bobbed his head to the guards, set off at a trot and headed out into the bright sunshine of another glorious day - a day beneath the warming light of the Princess of the sun.

THE END