Over the following weeks, the alliance struggled to rebuild their union. Many of those displaced soon found themselves welcomed into the Dragon Lord’s Pleasure Gardens, or into the emptied portions of Sombra's territories, much of the population lost due to Zeloph’s influence.

There was little choice but to slowly rebuild, practically from the bottom up.

Due to the parades thrown in celebration, tourists poured in from all over, and some chose to permanently settle down. It was a chance to meet the heroes, most of what had occurred here known only to the heads of the coalition and their closest allies.

Some of which swore themselves to secrecy for the betterment of society. Only a few knew the Pony of Shadows continued to live in harmony with the former tyrant.

King Sombra wrapped an arm around Queen Inky Rose’s slender waist, joined by Princess Cerise Silhouette, to attend Prince White Shadow Penumbra’s arranged wedding to Lily Longsocks. Their elaborate costumes were sewn by the queen herself, who bristled under delight at the chance to practice skills she rarely used anymore.

“I knew they’d make a lovely couple,” she insisted to her husband, who nodded as they watched from the vantage of the pyramid, and surveyed all before them far below. Streets filled with citizens and creatures from far over. They were back in their usual costumes, as the sun blazed over their mostly exposed physiques. A thin breeze washed over the relaxed couple.

“I'm so proud of him,” Sombra boasted with a slight grin that showed his teeth. “He's a fine soldier, and an even finer stallion.”

Inky turned over her shoulder to address their daughter. “What about you, sweetheart? Do you plan to seek a mate?”

“M-me? O-oh, I...I don’t know,” Cerise stammered, sucking on her pursed lip. The tiny bells of her skimpy outfit jiggled with each shifting motion she made. “I’m not sure I'll ever be ready to settle down! I've still barely reached adulthood, mom~!”

“I know, I know. I just think after these dreadful days, I’d like some grandchildren to fawn over, whether it be from you or Lily~.” Cerise’s face grew redder, watching how fiery lit her mother’s eyes were with the idea.

“Give them time, Inky,” Sombra mused aloud. “These things shouldn’t be rushed.” It had been quite an undertaking to create what they had, only possible due to the Sphinx's intervention, not to mention it had taken time for his family to fully trust him again.

They would always be safe with him, the Pony of Shadow's powers now his own to freely wield. And White Shadow Penumbra had indeed come into his own.

His powerful arms closed around the waists of Inky and Cerise in solemn contentment.

*****

“There's really not anything more that can be done...?” Twilight Sparkle felt her heart twist. They were tucked back in the Pleasure Gardens, where the Dragon Lord sat on the massive skull of a dragon, surrounded by those closest to him. She felt adrift; Sunset Shimmer already returned home by Beatrix to look after Wallflower, Aria, and Sonata.

“I fear not,” lamented Somnambula as the priestess bowed her head low.

“So I have twenty years left at best,” stated Spike, who shrugged in his ceremonial armor. “And if that’s how it’s going to be, I think it's time I retire and enjoy the rest of my life.” He shot them all a toothy smile in contrast to the melancholy expressions around him.

“If that’s the case, that will make me next in line as Dragon Lord,” said Ember, in a mixture of subdued excitement and sadness.

“You'll be kick-ass at it,” assured Smolder, who nudged her in the ribs.

“Yeah,” nodded Spike, affectionately rubbing the dragoness’ shoulders. “I trust you to look after the Badlands. You'll have lots of help, of course! Just like I did, thanks to you all!”

Rarity settled next to him and stroked his breastplate. “You've more than earned a rest, dear. Think of all the little ones you've sired.” She nodded at Fluttershy and Tree Hugger, who stood nearby, heavily swollen by more of his spawn and were openly radiant.

“Can't be a deadbeat dad forever,” teased Smolder, who chuckled.

"Suppose not," said Spike who turned to the priestess. “So, what will you do now?”

Somnambula replied, “The spirits have released me from their service. Yet, there is still much I wish to see. And atone for.” She lifted a hand to silence him. “Whatever my reasons, I cannot deny what happened to you is on me. I also know it will not benefit anyone to punish me. We have all erred. I simply wish to help speed Equestria's continuous recovery, however I may.”

“And I plan to travel with her,” said Stygian, who held the Necronomicon. “We'll seek a proper place to seal this.”

“Diamond Tiara and Cozy Glow also plan to travel with us,” added the priestess. “It seems we all have much left to atone for.”

“I'd like to think of this as a fresh start for all of us,” said Spike, who held Twilight and Rarity to him. “Cheer up, everyone! So what if my life's been cut a little short? What matters is how I've spent it! Think of how many times we saved the world!” He simply hoped there wouldn't be any more disasters for at least a thousand years, after what they'd endured.

He'd met quite a number of the mostly kirins he'd fathered, with more to come. Some had reached adulthood and now helped serve as peacekeepers, a portion of them led by Fleur de Lis, who hovered nearby and saluted him.

“I have a surprise for you,” she admitted and traced a hand over a small bump in her belly.

“Wow.” He touched her warm stomach, hopeful he'd still be around once she delivered. He assumed his chances were high if he continued to mate with all the mares who routinely visited him.

She settled onto his lap, wrapped her hands about his scaly neck, contented as he cradled her to his heated chest. Who knew how many more he would sire before the end...?

*****

Upon her return to the Crystal Empire, over the weeks Radiant Hope settled in. Freed from their service to Inky Rose, Foal-Bearer and Wet Nurse also traveled with her, while the three of them soaked in how a once-proud land had altered over time.

Snowstorms continually assailed the area, thankfully not a threat to those enclosed in the walls, yet this made it difficult for the crystal ponies to expand their territories. Wherever the trio turned, the crystalline walls sparkled, as did the inhabitants who walked the shimmery, reflective streets.

Radiant Hope returned to her homeland, tempered by loss. She felt the warmth below her breast where the Crystal Heart rested and intuitively knew her purpose. Perhaps it was the reason she had returned, the Crystal Empire in need of another rebirth.

She and the twins arrived in the court to meet the rulers. “Rise,” requested Cadance, and the three rose to meet them.

“I have a proposal,” explained Radiant. “A way to return the Crystal Empire to its former glory.”

Cadance nodded, seated on her throne beside her husband and their daughter. “Please share it. Though truthfully, I'm not sure we can sustain ourselves here. I'd prefer not to call on the alliance for aid, but our supplies are dwindling to low numbers.”

“It looks pretty damn grim,” admitted Shining Armor more candidly. It was a rare moment where he dropped his pride entirely, aware that their citizens’ survival was far more critical. “Supply lines are incredibly risky, imports are often lost due to the weather, and we can only teleport so much in at a time. At this rate, we could end up starved out before the year is up!”

“I've tried to work on that,” noted Flurry Heart. “But alchemy ingredients aren't exactly plentiful!”

Cadance shook her head. “I'm sorry, sweetheart, but it appears it's a dead-end to create an artificial food supply. Even if you succeeded, the resources it would cost would soon outstrip the benefits, I'm afraid. That puts us back to square one.”

“That's where I come in,” explained Radiant, who raised a hand to her breast. “It’s time I return the Crystal Heart to its rightful home.”

Foal-Bearer spoke up. “Are you truly certain about this? If you remove it from within your chest, you’ll...”

“Please reconsider,” Wet Nurse added. “We want you to stay!”

Cadance tilted her head to one side. “What do they mean...?”

Radiant Hope's bosom started to shimmer, illuminated by the Crystal Heart, which now swelled with power. “I want to thank you all for your kindness. You welcomed me in. Like a select few, I was offered a second chance, and tried to make the most of it.”

Before they could request a further explanation, she became enveloped in illumination. It washed over the chamber. They were nearly blinded by it, filled with a soothing warmth that spread throughout, as they started to sparkle.

In turn, Radiant Hope's physique contained within her robes started to grow intangible, a potent reminder she was a ghost who had taken flesh after her liberation.

“The Crystal Heart reanimated the twins and me,” she explained. “They will be able to stay, but I must pass on. Nothing in life is free.” Radiant managed a sad smile, thankful that she had been able to make amends with her former love before she passed.

Not only had he redeemed himself, but the Crystal Empire was in the right hands. There was nothing left for her to regret.

“Thank you for all you've done,” restated Foal-Bearer, who curtsied.

“W-we'll miss you,” added Wet Nurse, whose eyes moistened and curtsied too.

Cadance rose alongside her family and asked, “Is there truly no other way...?”

Radiant Hope shook her head. “It's a sacrifice I'm happy to make for a country I love.” Her eyes teared up, and she returned the embrace of the twins, barely able to hold onto them, while she continued to fade from the mortal realm. “Perhaps I'll live on, inside the Crystal Heart? Able to watch over the Crystal Empire while it hopefully continues to expand and thrive...”

She vanished and in her place hovered the Crystal Heart. Indeed sometime later, Sunset Shimmer would touch the relic and confirm Radiant Hope had ascended to become the centerpiece of the Crystal Empire, which unfurled its full power over the land.

The storms died down. The grounds, while still swathed in snow, were rapidly enriched by nutrients and new life.

The crystal ponies shined brilliantly, momentarily transparent as they were filled by its unleashed essence. The onlookers all over the capital watched, wide-eyed stunned, the rulers and twins alike moved to tears by Radiant Hope's selfless sacrifice.

Within the peaceful years ahead, the Crystal Empire would once more prove itself a vital pillar of the alliance.

*****

Trixie's wagon was situated on the outskirts of the Badlands, ready to resume its travels. She'd done her best to comfort her daughter, who decided to spend weeks in this world. Beatrix Belladonna, lost in her work, was insistent in furthering her studies in alchemy before collecting whatever ingredients she could and make her exit.

“Never know what you'll need,” she'd said.

In truth, part of her didn't want to leave. But she realized there was little left for her to do here. Wherever she traveled, she collected the dimensional energies for a time, her ability to warp space slightly increased, and she'd clearly long reached her limits here.

The windows and door were left open to let a multitude of colorful smoke spill out. A table was lined in potions that bubbled, hissed, and in some cases oozed over.

“You've improved quite a bit,” beamed Flurry Heart while observing over her shoulder.

“Thanks! All credit to you,” replied a blushing Beatrix.

“Awww, you flatter me, sister! How about you, Bellatrix?” She turned to the she-devil who rested in a hammock.

Bellatrix flexed her wings before standing up. “All healed up. For all his preaching and lunacy, Zeloph’s power of restoration helped stabilize my form swapping. I could almost thank the accursed bastard...”

“Yeah, me too…” Beatrix whispered. “If only because without him, I wouldn’t have been blessed with Abadonna. Do you think he’s beyond redemption, sister?”

Bellatrix considered the possibility before shaking her head. “I highly doubt Zeloph can be redeemed as he is. I think it’s best we avoid him until it's a better time.”

“And focus our efforts on finding Abby…”

“Cheer up, my little hellspawn,” Trixie assured, strolling up between them with a cup of steamy tea. “You’ll find her, I know it. You’re unstoppable, like me!”

Yeah,” Bellatrix nodded, smiling at her mom. “About that, it's...almost time I left.”

“You'll visit, won't you?” Her mother's face fell, clearly worried this was the last time she'd see her.

“Of course! Can't promise when, but I'll keep in touch.” She winked. If she practiced and trained diligently enough, the witch could further fine-tune her ability to travel through the powers of Erebus.

Perhaps it would help her track down Abby’s unique magical signature. She could sense it faintly, but with enough time, Beatrix was confident she could follow it until reaching where Abadonna resided.

“Good. I'll hold you to that,” Trixie replied and crossed her arms.

Flurry poured over the complicated formulas they wrote together and noted, “You've sure thrown yourself into your work!”

“Yeah, well...I'm not a natural like you,” admitted Beatrix, who was always shocked how swiftly her half-sister learned new skills. She was reminded of her own world, the Flurry Heart there said to have the potential to be the most potent caster ever.

“Don't sell yourself short! You pretty much saved the world!”

Beatrix met her own tired reflection in a beaker. “After I almost helped end it. Eh, but I know it won't help to beat myself up. I have to be better, and you've all helped me achieve that. I can't thank you all enough for that. I still suck at math, though!”

“Give it more time,” replied the endlessly cheerful Flurry, smiling wide.

With a nod, Beatrix confessed, “There's still someone I need to visit before I leave.” She hugged them, planted kisses on their cheeks, and was trailed after by Bellatrix while they made their way out onto the plains. “Hey, sister. Are you still bothered about-”

“What, that I started as a piece of mere fiction? Bah.” Bellatrix studied her nails while they walked, her lips pursed. “I'm over that. Mostly. The way I see it, that makes me unique. We're both anomalies. And while I'm certain we have souls, I somehow doubt heaven or hell awaits us upon death.”

“So, you think we'll simply cease to exist? Plausible.” She tried to shrug the idea off, unable to deny the idea of no longer existing disturbed her. “Heaven is another dimension, yeah? Maybe Abadonna's located somewhere like that, a place no one's supposed to reach unless they're drawn there by higher forces! If that's the case, I can't wait to explore the afterlife someday!”

Bellatrix solemnly nodded. “We're not part of the natural cycle, so our souls will likely be cast to the void upon our ends. Fortunately, I am immortal, and you may be as well, due to your permanent bond with the Demiurge.”

“We're immune to the ravages of age, but that doesn't mean we can't still come to a nasty end!”

The she-devil paused mid-step. “That's if you never settle down. Which you'll surely have to, after you find your daughter. Worry not, whatever comes I'll be ready to help whenever you call on me.” She placed a hand on her shoulder and cast her a thin smile.

“I know. I've always trusted you, sis.” She embraced her, thankful she didn't need to undertake her journey alone.

Sometimes Bellatrix would choose to stay behind on a world they explored to be picked up later, but she was always ready to back her up whenever needed.

Yet there was another who always supported her that Beatrix hesitated to leave behind...

*****

Retiring to his bedchambers, Sombra exhaled and stripped off his ceremonial armor. The lights were dimmed, his wife and daughter waiting on the bed for him, as they planned. They returned his smile, already naked and draped on their sides, so he undid the rest of his clothes and set them aside. He slid between them, felt the soft, warm suppleness of their thin coats and flesh.

He cupped their cheeks, planted a gentle kiss on each of their lips while he met their half-lidded eyes. He was technically still married to Cerise, albeit public knowledge and records of their union had been lost when his nation fell to Zeloph's machinations.

Cerise pressed his palm over her heart, let him listen to its subdued beats, her face drawn. “Why can't we stay wed...?”

Sombra frowned heavily. He'd discussed it in private with Inky Rose, who had even given her blessings to a union between them, reminding him that unions between kin weren't taboo here in ancient times. “We love you dearly, Cerise. That's precisely why I have to release you. I want you to seek a mate all your own, and children too, if you so wish it!” He tenderly stroked her twin tails.

“You're the one I want, daddy,” she murmured with watery eyes.

“We know, sweetheart," Inky said. “That’s why I think we should keep this a family secret. Think of it as our own little ritual, where on momentous occasions the three of us will meet up and make love~” She traced a hand down Cerise's charcoal contours.

“So we'll have to make this memorable,” said Cerise, somewhere between happy and sad.

“Yes,” said Inky with a wry smirk. “We have the whole day, so I ordered your father to fuck us hard until we can't walk anymore...”

He chuckled and pulled them closer. All that the Pony of Shadows had done was all but forgotten, the entity fused with him sharing his love for them both, which he physically demonstrated. Pretty soon, Cerise cooed as she was pinned beneath him, shapely legs upraised in a mating press once he fully sheathed himself in her squishy, moist canal. The hot pink walls widened to accept him.

Cerise turned her head aside to meet Inky's muzzle, felt her mother's hands aimelessly wander all over her ample body. She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, her buttocks wobbling under the force of his thrusts, the bed creaking and stained by her lubrication, which dripped over her hot pink asshole. Her exit hole puckered and clenched in need, then filled by Inky's thumb.

Grunts hissed from him each time he nailed his little princess. His left hand toyed with her plump tits, while the other one cupped Inky's buttocks and traced her sticky mound while the lovers continued to share a three-way kiss in a messy smack of moist lips.

“Daddy...make sweet love to me~” Cerise's face burned red hot, her neon pink eyes hazy, mind dulled by sheer bliss.

With the last slam, his swollen flare penetrated her cervix, and once buried in her slippery womb, where it pulsed and fired all over her slimy walls. They'd all refrained from sexual contact these last few days to increase their arousal, not to mention the potions they'd taken, in his case to enhance the volume of his seed, and in their own to induce a continuous state of estrus.

“D-daddy~” Cerise squirted on him, she and Inky wetter than they'd ever been as they inhaled his musk and released their own, unable to restrain the relentless winking of their pussies and the clenching of their assholes, their thighs soaked in cunt nectar.

Groaning, he pumped his princess full. Felt her belly swell, his flare lodged in her cervix to make sure he seeded her core. Her eggs were adrift in his spunky sea, sure to be heavily fertilized, were it not for the contraceptive potions they had all taken.

A pop sounded, and her birth canal oozed out a gusher from her gape. Immediately Inky sunk between her spread thighs, bent over and her plush ass raised towards her husband, presented and shaken to welcome him into her. She attacked her daughter's heated cunt and asshole, licked the mixture of masculine and feminine juices from them, swished the strands that tethered her twat.

Gooey chunks stuck between Inky's teeth, smeared her lips and gums, coated her tongue in their salty taste. Mixed with Cerise's snatch honey that added a sweet tang, she chewed on the release, swished it about, savored it as she slurped more down.

At the same time, he sunk his still wet cock into his wife's inflamed pussy. Inky flexed her wings to their full span and lewdly moaned, ate the creampie from her daughter's winking love hole while he spanked her buttocks and pulled her braids as he ruthlessly pounded her cunt into submission.

She whined in appreciation under each slap, her heart-shaped ass smacked crimson. Faster and more rigid he impaled her, felt her love tunnel close vise-like around his vein-lined shaft, and her heart-shaped clitoris planted wet kisses on his cock each time her pussy winked. Her honey dripped down his meat, over his balls, driven to a lustful fury by her need to be properly bred.

With the Pony of Shadow's power, his horn lit to weave a spell. The symbol of a uterus and ovaries appeared over their wombs and glowed, further stirred up their ravenous appetites, until it threatened to shatter their minds under pure, unadulterated pleasure.

Thankfully he instinctively knew when to draw back, able to make them happily bend under his sexual dominance but not break.

The symbols on the mares made heat and vibrations ripple throughout them, mostly centered in their loins. They squealed and came at the same time, Inky's still cum-glazed lips and face squirted all over, and Inky, in turn, soaked his groin. He yanked her braids like reins, sunk himself balls deep, and unloaded again, his wife's stomach soon swelled wide by his excessive, virile semen.

Strands still connected his cock to her pussy once he withdrew from her moist confines. Inky crawled atop Cerise, and the pair tittered as the dancer playfully pushed her mother over and switched positions, so that Cerise rested her ass and twat over her face.

Muzzles sunk in and messily ate out his runny spunk. While they noisily licked each other out, he smacked his horsecock between his daughter's asscheeks a couple times before she skewered her asshole. She cooed in response, clenched down hard.

Sombra lost track of how many times he claimed them. Repeatedly he creamed all their stretched and well-used sex holes. His mind was in a haze, reclined on his back, hands atop their heads while they serviced him. He met their half-lidded eyes, watched them trace up-and-down his shaft, lapped up the release that oozed down his meaty pillar.

They inhaled his scent with flares of their nostrils while he caressed their tussled manes. They were everything he could have wanted, and a part of him desperately wished to accept Cerise as his second bride, aware it would make Inky happy too...but he figured it wasn't the healthiest option for their daughter. That she needed her independence to one day fully mature.

Their faces were entirely pink and matted in his cum, Inky's mascara running under his stickiness. They took turns closing their lips around his horsecock, took it to the base, the one mare not currently on his vein-lined dick left to suckle and pull on his fuzzy testicles.

Sombra was thankful the traumas of their experience had faded over time. That his daughter, who he was so proud of, had tamed the Pony of Shadows. They swore to protect her, whatever came their way.

After he fucked his lovers into exhaustion hours later, they collapsed in the sweaty sheets, only able to rise and stand himself thanks to the Pony of Shadows within.

They were all pleasantly sore, and he stumbled to his feet, cleaned himself off, and tucked them in with a chaste kiss and a small smile before he summoned back his clothes.

With that, he abandoned the bedchambers.

His apprentice was still in the capital. Could he really call her that anymore? She had certainly come quite a ways!

Yet whatever the case was, he decided to seek her out, determined to say a final farewell before she left this world behind.

*****

Sombra wasn’t the only one spending some quality time with his loved ones. Near the pyramid's apex, Beatrix and Oona had finished a passionate session of their own, where the witch snuggled deep into her teacher’s soft wool between muted pants.

“T-thank you, I…I needed this,” Beatrix whispered shyly, flustered when Oona chuckled while kissing her cheek.

“Ay coorse,” the dream shepherd assured, gazing to the stars above while pulling their soft nude bodies closer to share in the warmth, the pair sprawled atop Bea's cape. “After aw yoo’ve bin throo, h-how coods Ah try tae mend th' damage ye’ve endured?”

Beatrix struggled to not bawl up again in front of Oona. After encountering so many foes who wanted to use her for evil purposes, how did she end up so lucky to meet someone as kind and as Lady Ewe?

“Y-you’re really incredible,” she whispered, her heart swelling beneath her bare breasts. “You’re the kind of rock I need in life. I-is this…what it feels like to...to--”

“Shhhh,” Oona shushed her, her own cheeks extra rosy. Her elegant smile remained. “Ye need nae say it. Jist know 'at Ah will always be on yer side, nae matter whaur ye wander aff tae.”

‘That wasn’t what I was…’ Beatrix shook it off. Perhaps now wasn’t the time to explore her budding feelings for her mentor, after all the drama regarding the false messiah. Her brows furrowed, one thing about their battle she couldn’t shake off.

“Lady Ewe.… What do you know of someone called ‘the Burning King’?”

Oona's entire body rose erect, her eyes wide with alarm. She gazed down at Beatrix, causing her to gulp. With a deep breath, she regained some of her composure before calmly asking, “Whaur did ye hear 'at name?”

“Before we fought, Zeloph mentioned him. A-and when I tried to extract the darkness from his soul, it instead burnt me." She winced at the memory. "It was like I was in an entirely different realm, where only pain and suffering existed, driving me mad!”

“A-Ah see…” She turned her head away.

“I-I’m guessing he’s a pretty big deal where you’re from, huh..?”

Oona only replied with a nod.

“I-I’m sorry, Lady Ewe. I shouldn’t hav--”

“We can discuss mair later.” She cut her off with a deep sigh. “Ah’m sure ye hae a lot wanin' oan yer min' already, Beatrix. Sae fur now, let’s nae add mair tae th' pile, shall we?”

Beatrix nodded, still dwelling over the loss of her daughter, who she sensed continually watched her from some faraway place. She could only imagine the heartbreak of not being able to interact with her mother.

The witch had cried until her eyes were dry, desperate not to be a burden on her teacher. Oona sensed the pains she tried to swallow up and so cupped her cheek and chin to face her. “Ye sure ye don’t want me tae accompany ye on yer next adventure?”

“No, I'm sure,” Beatrix insisted with a sniffle, resting her head in those soft hands. “I don’t want to take you away from your own duties. Plus, I always have Bellatrix to fall back on.”

“Oh, Ceann Oga, ye wooldn’t,” Oona laughed sadly. “Ah daen’t interact wi' many fowk like Ah dae ye. Tae them, Ah’m mair ay a voice of encooragement tae empower themselves. When they wake up, they’ll min' me as if Ah waur a dream.”

“That’s…rather sad, don’t you think?” Beatrix said softly. “You should be recognized for how wonderful a person you are!”

Oona shook her head. “Ah’m flattered, but Ah don’t need their praise. As long as Ah can give fowk th' hope they need tae bide fully, Ah am mair than content. But if ye’re persistent on travelin' on yer own, 'en how abit thes?”

The goat woman leaned her head, resting her forehead against Beatrix, horn poking through her swirled mane as they continued to gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes. “Ah will search other dimensions on mah own until uir paths cross again. 'at will dooble th' chances ay findin' Abadonna. She's out thaur somewhere…an' Ah know we’ll fin' her.”

They turned to the ocean of darkness lit by sparkling stars. The vast blackness reminded her of Erebus, the sacred cosmic power that she obtained. Another new magic to master, one Beatrix silently swore not to call upon, unless she had absolutely no other choice.

“Thank you.” Their muzzles met in a chaste kiss before they relaxed in a tender embrace.

As the lovers drifted into a quiet slumber, cuddled close, Beatrix thought of all she had experienced here. Friends and enemies made and lost. How much she had matured. What she had learned from her teachers.

She drifted off, watched by Sombra, who smiled, situated a short distance away since he'd come to check up on his apprentice. Was there anything left to teach her? He turned to leave them alone, hopeful that he could catch her before she finally left.

He spotted Bellatrix crouched nearby, and the pair shared a nod of understanding. Much as they wanted to be there for Beatrix, they left her to Lady Ewe, confident if anyone could ease her troubled heart, it was her.

Author's Note

Thank you to everyone who read this far! While this is likely the last story I'll set in this world, Forbidden Manor At The End of Time and Dearly Beloved expand on Beatrix's and Cerise's stories.