Under any other circumstances Crimson Rose would have been glad for a distraction from her normal empty feelings. But it seemed that tonight was not going to be one such night. She huffed as she paced around her chambers,upon her desk was the letter that had been causing her her current reaction. Usually if she had receive word from some noble or commoner she would just ignore such things. This was a bit different however. A summons from somepony she really had no wish to ever see again, but unfortunately there was no ignoring a summons from a Princess, if only because another would follow suit until she accepted.
Her crimson eyes glanced around her room. Nowadays she used it just for when she needed a moment of privacy.
She huffed and decided she wanted some free air, walking to the large window doors and opened them, stepping out onto the balcony. The night air was crispy and mildly chilly, though that mattered little to her, and the Moon was bright and full, casting pale light across her manor grounds and out into the farthest reaches of her homeland. Once she would have found it nice weather.
She cast her gaze out onto the land that she had long ago claimed as her domain and the forests beyond, taking in every sight and sound that lay before her. She took a deep breath of it all, and as she swept her eyes around her sight fell upon one spot in her garden.
She stared at that spot for a long moment before glancing back to her desk and the letter that taunted her in waiting for a response. She exhaled through her nose before turning around and walking back into her room, closing the balcony doors behind her.
No, best to get this out of the way. She went to her desk and set about writing her response.
After some time there was a knock, knock, knock at the double doors of her room.
"What is it." She stated without looking up, finalizing the last few words of her letter.
"Is there anything you require of me this evening Countess?" The voice of an older stallion coming from the other side of the door.
"Yes, Griswald, there is." She wrapped her letter up and tied it with a small string before stepping over to the door and opening it ajar, the stallion standing outside bowing to her in response.
"See to it that my response is sent as expedient as possible. I wish to be done with this matter." Her tone was as flat as her thoughts on the subject.
"Of course Countess." Griswald took the rolled up letter and bowed again. "I shall see to it that the Princesses receive your response as soon as the winds can carry it. Shall I also take the time to prepare for your departure, or will you be staying in instead?"
Crimson Rose shook her head."No, this will not be a summons I can ignore. Prepare for my departure. I wish to leave for Canterlot as soon as travel is possible, and to be gone from that place just as quickly."
"Of course. I will see to it that you are ready to travel as soon as yesternight.Will there be anything else, Countess?"
"No, that will be all for now Griswald." She responded, and closed the door before he could say any more.
She exhaled and waited, ears twitching as she listened to him leave, and listened still as he walked down the hall. Once she was certain he was off on his task she quietly opened the door and slipped out, closing it behind her without making a sound.
She walked through the manor, following a trail she had walked many a night. Moonlight washed through the windows, bathing the inside with some light. The Countess didn't need much light to see, her kind having adapted to the dark long again, and her being even better than that. She couldn't help but wonder sometimes if it was intentional. Not that it mattered much, she cared none for what the Princess of Night did or did not do anymore.
Her hoof steps softly echoed through the halls, her ears twitching slightly at the sound. Her expression was unreadable, but her steps were focused. The halls were empty this night, her servants off in other parts of the manor, something she preferred. Eventually she would find herself where she wanted to be, a place she began and ended each night. This was her nightly ritual, and woe to any who would try to interrupt it.
A hall no different from the others, save for two things. A very large portrait painting and several bed pillows and wool blankets that lay beneath it.
The portrait was of a thestral stallion, wearing a fine noble's tuxedo of outer jet black and crimson inside,with enough space for his bat-like wings to be folded at his side. His coat was a warm onyx, and his raven black mane stopped just past his neck. His cutie mark was a tilted glass vial in the shape of a heart, with a red liquid that seem to be sloshing about inside. In one hoof he held up a wine glass filled with some dark red liquid. He was smiling at the pony painting the portrait and his ruby red eyes shown with life.
A life that was cut short well before its time.
The countess stopped before this painting and sat down, just staring up at it. Much of her nights were spent here, staring up at the portrait.
Memories played through her head as they did each night. Memories of happy times, of sad times, of anger, of regret. Memories of loss. Of deep, deep loss.
She put her right hoof to her heart. She could feel the very slow beating, but it didn't matter to her. Her heart had little reason to beat anymore. And yet it never seemed to stop the hurting. The deep, deep hurting.
She curled up onto the pillows, pulling the blankets lightly over herself and lowered her head, but did not take her eyes off the painting. She knew that when the sun came sleep would take her, and her dreams would provide little solace.
She would lay there, staring up at the painting, lost in the memories and the aching pit in her chest that was her heart. Time would pass, but she would not notice. And when sleep took her she clung to the hope, however faint, that maybe tonight her dreams would let her see her beloved once again.
The Countess had lead a long life. A long, empty life. And in that life she found that as time went by it was hard to keep track of the passing of days and nights. Were it not for her "helpful" servants she likely wouldn't be able to get anything done, or so she let them think. And thusly several days and nights had come and gone,and she stood before her traveling coach. At the front of her traveling coach were the twins of her guard, a rarity in the lands of the thestrals, matching coats of light grey and violet manes and clad in dark metal armor as befitting their stations, who would be pulling the coach and making sure she came to no harm while on this trip. Even though this wasn't a summons she was all too keen on she still was a noble and thus took the effort to look her best and prepare for the worst. Whatever she needed to do to play along.
She was wearing her deep burgundy dress that hugged her snugly, with enough clearance for her red rose cutie mark. A bat brooch with a red gem was hung from her neck, bringing parts of her dress together in the front. She had her stylish, grey traveling cloak on to try and keep herself somewhat covered so as not to ruin her dress before arriving at Equestria's capital. Not that she was particularly caring, but she did have to keep up appearances. Her long midnight black mane flowed like the grace of the night sky and her shadow grey coat was healthy and vibrant after a good and thorough washing.
It would be some days and nights travel at even the best speeds before she was to reach her destination so she had packed accordingly. All this effort for what she saw as only a few minutes of her time,but atleast it would be quick and she would be home before the end of the season. She just had to put up with Luna's whims for a short time longer.
"Is anything the matter mistress?" One of the servants that had been assigned to her, Midnight Sand, asked her, her head tilted slightly.
Crimson Rose snapped herself out of her mental webbing and shook her head. "See to it that the manor is well kept in my absence. If anyone seeks an audience with me while I am away then tell them to send a letter and I will get back to them. This is likely a trivial matter among nobles that the ....Princess... is unable to deal with herself. I shall not be gone long."
Midnight Sand bowed her head, her eyes unreadable from behind the veil. "I shall make sure that everything is as you left it."
Crimson Rose took a deep breath and stepped forward into the stage coach, closing the door behind her without a second glance. She wasn't looking forward to going back to Equestria.
Only a little longer, she told herself as she sat and her coach pulled off into the night. watching the world go by from the window.
Only a little longer.
Author's Note
Hello one and all to the first chapter of my very first fanfic, Darkest Desire. This is a story that I've been kicking around in my head since the start of the year and I finally decided it was time to get around to posting chapter 1. In this chapter we meet the first of the two main characters that make up this story, the Thestral Countess Crimson Rose, a mare deep in hurting over the loss of the one she held most dear.
As this is my first fic I admit I likely made some mistakes and errors, so please feel free to comment, and thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my humble first offering.
