Innocence Lost

Knock.

Flim and Flam opened their eyes, having been about to rest after their conquest when they heard something that should have been impossible. After all, they were going at a good thirty miles per hour, and still moving. But as they looked at each other, they heard another knock come from the door.

Flim swallowed hard, chuckling a little as he said, “Must be a bit of rough road. It should stop-”

Crash!

Both of the brothers jumped as they saw a purple fist punch its way through their door. Their stomachs sank further as it lowered itself, turning the knob to the their door before the door was thrown open. From it, a tall, dark gray mare stepped in with short, purple hair that framed her face. She wore a simple frock over her body, which normally was a very appealing sight.

However, the rock on her thigh made the two turn white. Maud didn’t care though as she turned to them. “I arrived too late to stop this, so I thought it best to allow you all to finish. To let you stop showing my sister a ‘good time’. I will take my sister back now though.”

Flim and Flam looked at each other, before Flim swallowed hard. “I don’t know how you got here, but you have no right to-”

“To never teach my sister about sex because of how pure she was? You’re right. You had no right to abuse that. We are both in the wrong, and for that I will not kill you for what you have done today. Instead, I want my sister, and you two to write an apology for having to leave her behind. That way she will be heartbroken, but hopefully little more.”

Flam stayed paled, looking into Maud’s dead eyes, but Flim wasn’t wise enough to see how the mare felt. To feel the intensity of the gaze, or properly understand that she had somehow jumped onto their wagon while it moved. Instead, Flim barked out, “Those are brave words for some country mare. I will repeat myself again. She accepted everything we did with her. She said she was happy to be taken away. And… What are you doing?”

Maud put a hand onto their wall, her hand sinking into the wall like it was clay before peeling it back, lettting the wind rush into the living room. “I. Will. Kill. You. I protect my family. I am their rock. I am their shield. My own sense helps me in this, and I will crush you like a granite slab with how much damage I know you wish to do to her.”

“Now, stop this, bring us back, and don’t say another word.”

The two brothers glanced at each other, before looking back to Maud. Flim opened his mouth for a moment, and Flam watched his brother drop like a rock without Maud even moving. She glanced at him next, and he threw his hands up while a pen and paper came to him, and the carriage lurched as it started heading back.

By the end of the day, when Marble finally woke up, she was at home, with Pinkie holding her close, and Maud standing outside the bedroom. For the next week, until Marble stopped crying, the family wore black, mourning the loss, but thankful that the worst Marble felt was betrayed, instead of just used.

Which was all they could have asked for because of their own folly.