Lord of the Bracelet: Fellowship of the Bracelet

Chapter II

Daisy’s disappearance had come as a surprise to all guests. Roseluck was left alone to deal with everyone’s questions, and it was her who led the party down through the night. Only after all the guests had left did the poor mare have time to return to her house.

Roseluck shared a house with her aunt Daisy, who had taken her in when she was young. It was a modest two story building. The first floor was used as a flower shop they ran together. Above that was the living space.

When Roseluck at last climbed the stairs into the apartment she found Gum-drop kindling a fire in the living room. He sat in one of the few chairs smoking his pipe. As Roseluck took another step in her hoof knocked against something on the floor. It looked like a golden bracelet. Roseluck picked it up and examined it. She’d never seen something like this before.

She looked to Gum-drop, “She’s gone hasn’t she?”

Gum-drop said nothing, only letting the smoke roll from his mouth.

“He talked for so long about leaving,” Rose continued walking towards Gum-drop, “I didn’t think he’d really do it.”

Rose stood next to the old unicorn, waiting for him to reply. When he did not she called his name, “Gum-drop?”

The wizard turned to the young filly and saw the bracelet. “Daisy’s bracelet,” he said and smiled. “She’s gone to stay with the elf ponies, and she’s left you the shop.” Gum-drop held an envelope open to Roseluck. Warily she put the bracelet inside. He sealed it quickly, “Along with all her possessions.”

Gum-drop sealed the letter with wax. “The bracelet is yours now.” He passed it back to Roseluck, “keep it somewhere out of sight.” As soon as she grabbed it the wizard began to hobble to the door.

“Where are you going,” Rose called after him.

“There are things that I must see to,” he called back.

Rose followed him, “What things?”

The unicorn levitated his staff to him, “questions. Questions that need answering.”

“You’ve only just arrived,” Roseluck cried, “I don’t understand.”

Gum-drop stopped and straightened up. He stared longingly at Roseluck, “Neither do I.” He paused, “keep it secret, keep it safe.” With that being said Gum-drop hurried out the door, closing it with his magic.

Roseluck felt more alone that ever in that moment.

oooOOOooo

It had been months since Gum-drop last showed up in Ponyville. Roseluck had was heading home from a night at a local tavern with her good friend Twilight Sparkle, as well as Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

The bracelet had all but slipped her mind since she had hidden it away. Rose waved goodbye to Twilight and unlocked the door to her home. Almost all the lights were out when she crept upstairs. As she walked into the apartment, it felt odd. Open windows commanded a breeze which had blown papers across the floor.

Roseluck took a few tentative steps into the room. The dim moonlight barely illuminated the mare’s home. The wood creaked as she took small step after step. She felt a hoof fall on her back.

She turned around with a gasp as Gum-drop came into view.

“Is it secret? Is it safe?” he asked.

The rosy pony ran to grab the envelop which held the bracelet. As she pulled it free Gum-drop grabbed for it and ran to the fire place and threw the envelop into the blaze.

“What are you doing?” asked Roseluck as the paper caught fire, smoldering around the metal circlet. As the paper around the bracelet disintegrated the unicorn used his magic to levitate the bracelet out of the fire.

“Hold out your hoof, Roseluck,” commanded Gum-drop.

Roseluck placed her hoof out and the unicorn dropped it onto her hoof. She drew it back ever so slightly. The metal was cool to the touch still. Roseluck couldn’t help but gaze at it.

“What can you see?” asked Gum-drop, “can you see anything?”

Roseluck looked the bracelet up and down, but its golden metal surface remained unchanged. “Nothing,” she told the old stallion.

Gum-drop seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Wait,” Roseluck began. Before her very eyes across the metal band red letters began to appear. “There are markings. It’s some form of elf ponyish. I can’t read it.”

“There are few who can,” Gum-drop commented. “The language is that of mare-dor which I will not utter here.” He turned back to face Roseluck.

“Mare-dor?” she asked.

Gum-drop straightened up. “I can tell you what it says, but it’s not that important. But that bracelet is very powerful, Roseluck.”

The two ponies retreated into the kitchen. Roseluck placed the bracelet on the table. Gum-drop began to smoke from his pipe.

“This is the one bracelet forged by the dark lord Sour-on,” Gum-drop spoke casually. Roseluck filled two cups of tea. “It was forged in the fires of Mt. Rainbow. Taken by Starswirl the Bearded from the hand of Sour-on himself.”

Roseluck could barely look away from Gum-drop. “And Daisy found it?” she stuttered, “In Fluttershy’s cave.” The mare sipped her tea slowly, needing something warm.

“For sixty years the bracelet lay quiet and prolonged her life, delaying old age, but no longer Roseluck. Evil is stirring in Mare-dor. The Bracelet has awoken.” Gum-drop looked at the young mare carefully. “It’s heard its master’s call.”

“But he was destroyed;” Roseluck said quickly, “Sour-on was destroyed.” She took a quick glance at the bracelet.

“No, Roseluck” he said, “his spirit endured, his life force is bound to the bracelet. The bracelet survived, I shouldn’t have to explain this. But his orcs have multiplied, his fortresses grow. Sour-on needs only his bracelet to cover Equestria in darkness.”

Roseluck’s gaze stayed glued to the bracelet. It looked so innocent on the table. Gum-drop puffed smoke once more.

“The bracelet and the dark lord are one, Roseluck. He must never find it,” Gum-drop said.

Roseluck grabbed the bracelet and walked into the living area. “Then we put it away, we keep it hidden and we never speak of it again. No one knows it’s here, do they?”

The old wizard followed her into the room. Gum-drop stayed silent. “Do they, Gum-drop?”

Slowly he replied, “There is one other who knew that Daisy has the bracelet. I looked everywhere for the creature, Fluttershy, but the Enemy found her first. They gave her the cruelest punishment known to pony-kind, tea without any sort of accompanied biscuit of scone. She did not last long under that kind of scrutiny.”

“Ponyville… Flower? But that would lead them here!” Roseluck expertly put together. Roseluck thrust the bracelet at Gum-drop. “Take it, Gum-drop! Take it!”

He backed away, “No Roseluck.”

“You must take it,” she continued.

“You cannot offer me this bracelet.”

“I’m giving it to you,” she offered.

“Don’t tempt me, Roseluck,” Gum-drop broke. Roseluck lowered the bracelet. “I dare not take it. I would use it for good, but through me, it would wield a power to great and terrible to imagine.”

“But it can’t stay in Ponyville,” Roseluck cried.

“No,” Gum-drop agreed, “No it can’t.” The unicorn advanced on the frightened mare. The two stared at each other. Roseluck fondled the bracelet somehow.

“What must I do?” she asked finally.

“You must leave and leave quickly,” He told her.

“Where must I go?” She asked. Roseluck ran to a closet and grabbed for her saddlebags.

Gum-drop grabbed some cloaks and passed them to the frantic mare. “Leave for Dodge Junction.”

“Dodge,” Roseluck repeated. “What you about?” she asked as she ran in the kitchen.

“I’ll be waiting for you,” Gum-drop replied, following close behind. “At the inn called the Prancing Pony.”

Roseluck stuffed a few apples in her bag. “And the bracelet will be safe there?”

“I don’t know, Roseluck. I don’t have any answers.” He waited as Roseluck put cheese and bread into the saddlebags as well. “You’ll have to leave your name behind you. That name is not safe outside of Ponyville. Travel only by day and stay off the road.”

At last Roseluck slipped the bracelet into her bag. “I can cut across country easily enough.”

“My dear, Roseluck,” Gum-drop sighed as he looked at the nervous mare. “Earth Ponies really are amazing creatures.”

A twig snapped outside of her window.

“Get down,” Gum-drop whispered. Slowly he crept to the open second floor window. His magic threw his staff into the tree which grew next to the house. Next he levitated in a squirming Twilight Sparkle.

“What are you doing here, Twilight?” he asked.

“I’m not really sure, Gum-drop. I was just, uh, reading,” she answered hastily.

“A little late for reading, don’t you think?”

“Well I heard raised voices,” she said.

“What did you hear?” Gum-drop asked, his voice raising.

“Just a bit about a dark bracelet and mare-dor and an evil lord.” Twilight looked at Roseluck. “This really seems like my kind of adventure.”

Gum-drop looked slyly at Rose.

“I know what to do with you.”

oooOOOooo

Gum-drop led the two ponies to the edge of the Everfree Forest.

“Is it safe?” he asked Rose.

She hovered a hoof over her bags. Gum-drop nodded.

“Never put it on, it will call to his servants.” With that, Gum-drop ran to the west. Twilight Sparkle trotted up to Roseluck.

“Where to now?” she asked.

“To Dodge,” Roseluck answered and the pair began to walk south.