Won't Drownby TheRedFoxChaptersQueen of LiarsKing of ThievesQueen of CowardsKing of LeavesQueen of LiarsThere was a peaceful whisper in the air tonight. It was singing, its voice carrying in between the brooks and flowers that surrounded the castle walls. The song continued to wander, weaving its way beneath the vines and through the falling leaves of the forest, moving gracefully and freely at its own pace. But even as the notes finally hit Meadowbrook’s ears, they still maintained their beauty and charm. The healer smiled, gently breathing in the fresh scent of the garden flowers and plant life which flourished within the Castle of the Two Sisters. Meadowbrook trotted gently, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. She giggled, her voice soft and comforting to the dreary night, and pranced in place a few times. Perhaps it looked strange or foalish, but she didn’t mind. After all, who was around to see her? Stifling another bout of giggles, Meadowbrook continued her journey through the sleeping garden, moving so lightly that her hooves barely seemed to grace the ground. It wasn’t long before she reached her target: a marble bench that set underneath an intricate arch, facing outwards to the small expanse of flowers ahead of it. Meadowbrook sat down, shivering slightly from the chilled touch of the marble, but even that wasn’t enough to wipe the smile from her face. She leaned her head back and looked up at the millions of stars that stared back at her. “And what, pray tell, do you see in the stars tonight?” Meadowbrook’s smile grew larger at the soothing voice from behind her. “Why, I do believe I see a sign. A sign that I am no longer alone tonight.” “I hope that isn’t problematic.” Meadowbrook slowly turned around as Somnambula entered from the shadows, a knowing smile on her face. “But come, my love. You need not look for beauty in the sky when something far more beautiful lays before me now.” “Oh, you sure do know how to flatter me,” Meadowbrook giggled as a hue of red flushed through her face. Somnambula drew closer and leaned in. Meadowbrook closed her eyes and moved as well, their lips finding each other and their hooves embracing the other. “It is indeed a wonderful night, my love,” Somnambula said when they pulled away. “But it is only better that I have you to spend it with.” “And I can say the same,” Meadowbrook affirmed, shifting to her right so Somnambula could sit as well. For a few peaceful minutes, the two sat in silence. Meadowbrook leaned gently on Somnambula’s side, and her lover draped a wing around her to welcome her. They listened as the wind continued its eulogy for the days now gone, and the crickets carried on in their nightly serenade. On their right, the fountain Rockhoof had created was flowing, the water streaming down its side and sputtering out of the top. The sound of water was reassuring for Meadowbrook, and she could almost feel the water lapping gently against her hooves as if she were standing on a massive coastline. “I do believe there is rain in the air,” Somnambula declared as she stared up at a few stray clouds which pockmarked the sky. “I can only hope it won’t interfere with our plans for tomorrow.” Meadowbrook sighed, nuzzling into Somnambula’s side. “You worry too much,” she teased. “A little rain won’t drown us.” “And they call me the Pillar of Hope,” Somnambula replied with a grin. “Truly, you put my heart at ease.” “Is that the truth?” Meadowbrook’s eyes shot open and she sat up straight. From the shadows ahead of them a set of armor appeared, their face still obscured from the dark. But Meadowbrook didn’t need to guess who it was. “Magnus,” Somnambula greeted with an even voice. “Somnambula. Meadowbrook,” Flash Magnus replied, standing stock still. “What are you doing on this dreary night, hiding away in the gardens? With each other, no less?” Meadowbrook shot a nervous glance at Somnambula, but Somnambula held her mask. “And are we not entitled to enjoy what is rightfully ours?” “Do not play games with me, Somnambula,” Flash snapped. “I’ve seen enough to know what you’re doing. And frankly I’m shocked I didn’t realize it sooner.” The pegasus trotted forth, his stern scowl finally highlighted by the moonlight. “Do you truly think you can hide this away from Starswirl forever?” “Why should we care what Starswirl thinks?” cried Meadowbrook, seizing Somnambula’s hoof in her own. “We love each other! Is that not enough?” “If you wish to remain here, then it is too much!” snapped Flash, pointing an accusatory hoof at them. “You know very well that Starswirl has forbidden us to love.” “And what of our love for our home? Our fellow ponies?” Somnambula challenged. “Is that forbidden as well?” Flash stomped his hoof on the ground. “Do not play semantics with me! You know that Starswirl will cast you out at the least.” “And at the most?” Somnambula shot back. “He’ll have your heads!” “He’d never!” cried Meadowbrook. “Be still,” commanded Somnambula, and Meadowbrook shrunk backwards. “Flash, my friend, why have you come all this way to level accusations at us?” Her eyes narrowed in a challenging glare. “Is bringing this to Starswirl’s attention your goal?” Flash held the stare for seconds longer, before his posture drooped. He removed his helmet and cradled it in a foreleg while sighing. “It is not,” he said. “I apologize. But finding you two here is not what I was expecting.” Somnambula relaxed. “Then what is it you were expecting, my friend?” “A thief,” Flash replied. “I have reason to believe that someone is out to cheat us.” “Cheat us?” echoed Meadowbrook. “Why do you think that?” “Because my shield is missing,” Flash spat. “I returned to my quarters to fetch it and caught the shadow of a coward leaping through my window. Upon consultation with Rockhoof we discovered that his shovel is missing as well. Someone has intricately gone to set up an escape route from our windows to the courtyard. Have the two of you noticed anything out of place in your own rooms?” Meadowbrook and Somnambula exchanged a glance. “I do believe my window has been jammed open,” Somnambula noted, rubbing her chin. “I hadn’t thought much of it until now.” “And you, Meadowbrook? Has anything gone missing from your quarters?” “I… I’m afraid I wouldn’t know,” Meadowbrook replied sheepishly. Flash arched his eyebrow. “Do you not live in your quarters?” “You know that I spend my days in town,” Meadowbrook said, before her eyes drifted to the ground. “And as for the nights…” “You bed elsewhere,” Flash finished with a roll of his eyes. He huffed before crossing his forelegs. “Somnambula, answer me this. What will you tell Starswirl?” “I will tell him only what he needs to know,” Somnambula replied, “should the question arise.” Flash faltered a bit before glancing about nervously. “Somnambula, Meadowbrook, I have reason to believe that he suspects you already.” Meadowbrook gasped, taking a step backwards in shock. The silence that followed seemed accentuated by the roaring of the fountain, and Meadowbrook felt as if the once-gentle waves had grown in strength. “W-why do you think that?” “Have you not noticed the looks he gives you at our gatherings?” Flash asked. “Or the fact that he never pairs you two together?” “Surely it must be a coincidence,” Somnambula muttered. “Your hope blinds you!” Flash cried. “Please, I am telling you as your friend. You must confront him before he acts. If not, then I fear it will be too late.” Somnambula began to speak, but Meadowbrook cut her off. “Somnambula, if what Flash says is true, then I believe he’s right.” She offered a smile and took her lover’s hoof again. “If our love for each other means that we can no longer be Pillars… then I know what I’d choose.” “But what of our home?” Somnambula began to waver as she stared into Meadowbrook’s eyes. “I can not simply abandon our land.” “You won’t have to abandon anyone, just as much as I won’t abandon my practice,” Meadowbrook proclaimed. “We can continue to serve the world, even if it means we must do it without Starswirl’s approval.” Somnambula sighed, low and deep and thoughtful. “Very well,” she said. “I suppose this means we should confront him?” “Let us not worry about Starswirl now,” Meadowbrook decided. “I want to see if Flash is right, and that we truly have been blind to the signs. If he suspects nothing, we may be overreacting.” Sensing Somnambula’s hesitation, Meadowbrook gently used her hoof to raise her lover’s chin. “Somnambula, I love you more than anything in the world. Starswirl may be a storm, but rain won’t drown us out. I promise.” Somnambula smiled again, nodding. “Your words fill me with courage, my dear. Then it is settled.” The two turned to Flash. “I thank you for alerting us,” Somnambula said to him. “You two are very dear to me,” Flash replied as he set his helmet back over his head. “And whatever happens, know that I will have your back. I apologize for interrupting this rendezvous, and I do have a thief to catch.” “Farewell, my friend,” Somnambula replied as he spread his wings. “Good luck with your quest.” “Farewell,” Flash answered as he took to the air. “But keep your luck. I fear you shall need it far more than I ever could.” With that, Flash disappeared over the castle walls, leaving Meadowbrook and Somnambula alone in the garden, and the sound of running water drowning out the world around them. King of ThievesMeadowbrook knew these halls intimately, but she had never once considered them as foreboding. But today, they seemed to cast judgement across her mind. She sighed, scuffing a hoof against the tiled flooring. Her mind was weighted heavily with thoughts, as if it were a wet cloth soaked in water. Meadowbrook felt as if she was floating, suspended in the air, like an ingredient in someone else’s concoction. She sighed, raising a hoof to her chest to steady it. Meadowbrook wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed and wrap herself in Somnambula’s embrace, and to drift off into the realm of dreaming and leave her earthly worries behind. Flash’s words seemed to ring in her ears, and wherever she turned she felt Starswirl’s accusatory gaze glaring down her back. Meadowbrook’s body betrayed her and she shuddered, casting a glance behind her to see if the wizard himself was standing there. Nothing but an empty space stared back at her. A crash of thunder sounded from beyond the windows, making her flinch. Rain poured out from the clouds like tears, slamming into the ground stronger than any force Starswirl could dream of. A chill ran down her spine as she gently shut the door to her room. “Ho there, Meadowbrook!” She gasped at the shout, whirling about and nearly toppling over. A hoof shot out to steady her and gently shove her backwards, allowing Meadowbrook to regain her balance. When she finally reoriented herself, she found Rockhoof staring right back at her. “Easy there, lass,” Rockhoof rumbled. “Can’t go around havin’ our healer hurt herself now!” “I do apologize,” Meadowbrook stuttered. “You did give me quite a scare.” “Meadowbrook! Have you discovered any intrusion like the rest of us have?” called Flash, coming from behind Rockhoof’s frame. Meadowbrook nodded, glancing behind her at the shut door. “It would seem that my mask is missing.” Rockhoof and Flash exchanged a glance. “Then your worries are true,” Rockhoof declared. “Indeed,” growled Flash. “There is a scoundrel among us. We must warn Starswirl at once.” Flash turned to Meadowbrook, pointing a wing down the hall. “Assemble the others, Meadowbrook! This is a crisis that must be answered!” Meadowbrook nodded, and the three dispersed. “Meadowbrook.” Her ear twitched as a voice soft as silk whispered her name. A door on her left creaked open, and Somnambula appeared from within. “So what Flash says is true?” “It would appear so,” Meadowbrook replied with a sigh. “They want us to all meet in the war room.” Somnambula nodded, opening her door completely. “Meadow, my love, are you afraid?” “Of Starswirl?” asked Meadowbrook. “...yes. I fear for us, Somnambula. Of what Starswirl may say, should he raise a hoof against us.” Somnambula gently lay a hoof against her shoulder. “Do not be afraid. I will by your side, no matter what happens. But I am afraid that we can not avoid confrontation for much longer. I think it is time that we confront Starswirl.” “No!” Meadowbrook flinched at how harsh her own voice was. Somnambula recoiled, withdrawing her hoof in time to the beating rain outside. “Please,” she begged, “I… I don’t think I’m ready yet. I just… I want to know for sure.” Somnambula arched her eyebrow inquisitively. “What for? Surely it makes no difference.” “Because we could be getting our tails twisted for nothing! If he doesn’t suspect a thing, then why do we have to bring it to light?” Meadowbrook asked, taking Somnambula’s hooves and staring into her eyes. “Why must we risk destroying ourselves if the world doesn’t ask it of us?” “Because I believe Flash Magnus is right, my love,” Somnambula whispered. “Starswirl eclipses us in his intelligence. It is foolish to think we can keep ourselves hidden from him forever. But if we approach him it will be on our terms, not his.” “But it would still be a fight that we will be doomed to lose,” Meadowbrook protested. “Please, Somnambula. I don’t want to confront him. Not yet.” The rain outside must have phased through the roof, for Meadowbrook felt streaks of water falling down her cheeks. Somnambula sighed and began to wipe away Meadowbrook’s tears. “Do not cry, my love. I do think it is best that we slay a beast before it grows, but if it is not what you wish then I will respect it. But whenever you are ready, we will face him. Together.” Meadowbrook willed a smile upon her face, and pulled Somnambula into a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered. “A little rain won’t drown us out,” Somnambula affirmed as they pulled away. “Come. Let us join the others.” A flash of lightning lit up the room, but it seemed that not even the wrath of a storm could bring light to Starswirl’s face. He sat stoic and still at the head of the table, chin resting on his clasped hooves. “So.” A single word escaped his lips and it hit Meadowbrook like a hail of arrows. But Starswirl wasn’t looking at her, as she fidgeted in her seat nervously. “Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, if what you are telling me is true, then it would appear the safety of our home is once again endangered.” Rockhoof slammed a hoof against the table. “Aye,” he remarked in a voice dripping with venom. “Whoever thinks they can pull a fast one on us, well they have another thing coming their way.” The others nodded in agreement, and Starswirl stood. A pale white light began to glow from the tip of his horn. “It goes deeper than that. We are dealing with someone very close to our hearts, I’m afraid.” There was a ripple of movement as if he had thrown a rock into a lake. “My friend, what are you suggesting?” rasped Mistmane. “Come now. We don’t simply let anyone into our private quarters,” Starswirl harrumphed. He paused, eyes carefully gliding across the table. To Meadowbrook’s horror, they paused on her. “Well, in theory we shouldn’t. But I believe that every theory has its exceptions,” he said. A strange silence fell upon the others like a net. Invisible rainwater crashed through the rafters, pouring and rushing through the room and drowning Meadowbrook, crushing her beneath their pressure. “Are we still talking about the matter at hoof, Starswirl?” cut in Somnambula. Starswirl stroked his beard but didn’t take his eyes off of Meadowbrook. “No matter,” he huffed dismissively. “I will cast a locator spell. Then, we will confront this… rat who dares to betray our trust.” He finally turned away and Meadowbrook could breathe again. Somnambule shot her a fleeting glance from across the table, but Meadowbrook couldn’t bring herself to meet her gaze. A faint white wisp shot out from Starswirl’s horn. It shot off through the window and into the night. The wizard closed his eyes before continuing. “To answer your question, every rule seems to have its exception. Even those that all have agreed on.” Meadowbrook shrunk a bit farther in her seat. Starswirl wasn’t facing her, but it felt like he had eyes on the back of his head boring into her soul. “Starswirl,” warned Somnambula. “Is there something else that you are insinuating?” “I do not know, Somnambula, is there anything you would like to tell me?” he gave the question a pregnant pause before continuing. “Or anyone else for that matter?” The world held its breath, and Meadowbrook held hers with it. She studied the blue of her hooves carefully, not daring to answer the silent accusation. “Starswirl,” ventured Flash. “Are you suggesting that there is more than one traitor in our midsts?” “Not by the definition you may give them,” Starswirl replied briskly. His eyes snapped open and he whirled about. “I have a location on the missing items,” he declared. “Prepare yourselves. We set off at once. I have hope we can catch this thief in the act.” The others exchanged glances and nodded. As the other ponies began to file from the room, Meadowbrook took a shaky breath and tried to persuade herself that they weren’t shooting her odd glances. Starswirl paused behind her seat. He turned his head to face her and held her captive in his gaze. Meadowbrook hoped she remained stoic, but it was impossible to tell beneath the drum of her own heartbeat. But her eyes still couldn’t pierce his mask. He stared on, judging her carefully. After centuries had passed, he flicked his tail and left the room, leaving behind the sound of rain against the window. “Meadowbrook.” Another voice broke the frozen silence and Meadowbrook inhaled sharply. Somnambula’s usual touch didn’t warm her shoulder like it usually did. “Meadow, my love,” Somnambula whispered. “I think he knows.” Meadowbrook was pulled into a tight hug and she felt tears stream down her face. “We must do something,” Somnambula urged. “I can’t!” cried Meadowbrook. “I’m afraid! I am nothing more but a coward, Somnambula! You are a fool to love me!” She began to weep in Somnambula’s wing, as a rushing ocean that only she could see swarmed around to greet her. A quiet voice began to chant in her mind, a quiet mantra through the storm. I won’t drown. I won’t drown. I won’t drown. Queen of CowardsMeadowbrook was cold as she trotted down the path. The path to Ponehenge was rocky and worn, covered in branches and rocks. The wind and rain attacked them as they forged on, holding a tight formation. As they walked, Meadowbrook wished for nothing more than Somnambula at her side, but Starswirl had placed her on the opposite end of their formation, hovering above the group and scanning for danger alongside Flash. She had always accepted the explanation that this was a tactical decision, but Meadowbrook couldn’t help but wonder now if there was some other sleight to this move. Something created by Starswirl to drive a wedge between them, perhaps. Or she was overthinking it. Meadowbrook chanced a glance above her, but Somnambula was busy searching the sky for threats. Flash Magnus eventually caught her gaze and offered a smile, but it did nothing to smooth out her nerves. Starswirl led on, eyes trained forwards. The others followed, hooves crunching in the earth and bodies unflinching in the rain. Meadowbrook sighed softly. “Is something the matter, Meadowbrook?” She gasped as Starswirl spoke. “N-no,” she stammered, her soft voice almost lost to the rain completely. “You seem out of sorts,” Starswirl noted, as if he were making an observation. Meadowbrook cleared her throat. “I suppose I am just shocked by this act of betrayal.” “Aye,” Rockhoof chimed in. “I imagine we all are. Who could think it fit to stab our backs like this?” “Who indeed,” Starswirl said as Meadowbrook trembled again. “Meadowbrook, if there is something in the air between us, I’d prefer we clear it out now.” Somnambula glanced down from above. “There is nothing,” Meadowbrook heard herself say. “Nothing at all.” Starswirl grunted in response. “Very well. If you are certain.” “I am.” “Then we will return to this conversation,” Starswirl declared as the group entered a clearing. Large slabs of stones loomed around them, like massive headstones in a barren graveyard. The landscape of Ponehenge seemed to welcome them with open arms. But their eyes were drawn to the center pedestal, where a cloaked figure was busy muttering to themselves from a book. Starswirl stepped forwards and the figure’s ear twitched. They whirled about to look, and their hood slipped back off their head. The Pillars gasped. “Stygian?” The clouds above grew a little bit darker. “Meadowbrook!” Meadowbrook flinched, jerking her hoof away and knocking over her tea. It took a second to recognize what she had done. “Oh my goodness! Somnambula, I am so sorry!” Somnambula hissed, rubbing the back of her hoof that had been scalded by the liquid. “It is fine,” she protested. “I have been through worse.” “Let me get a towel,” Meadowbrook muttered sheepishly, scrambling to clean up the mess she had made. “Meadowbrook,” Somanmbula said, louder. “Please. It can wait. Please, sit.” Meadowbrook hesitated but obeyed, easing back into her stool. “Please, you are troubled,” Somnambula said, shaking off the last of the pain. “Of course I am!” Meadowbrook cried, glancing out the window at the grim downpour. “Stygian has betrayed us! How could I possibly be okay?” “It is more.” Somnambula leveled her gaze. “Meadowbrook, your face is beautiful, but I can tell that it is worn. You seem haggard, haunted by your stress.” “I suppose I am,” Meadowbrook sighed, rubbing circles into her forehead. “Meadow, my love, you need to carry such a burden. None of us saw Stygian’s betrayal coming, not even Starswirl. We all are at fault, not just you,” Somnambula declared, her voice laced with concern. Meadowbrook didn’t reply, instead biting her lip and rubbing her foreleg. “But that is not all that ails you, is it?” Somnambula asked. “No,” answered the mage. “I’m afraid it is not.” Somnambule lowered her head, letting the beating rain fill the silence. “You must speak with him,” she declared. “I can’t!” Meadowbrook shot up, knocking over her now empty cup again. “I can’t!” “But you must!” replied Somnambula, her own voice rising. “Surely you can not hope to run from your problems forever!’ Meadowbrook frowned, heading for her window. The rain impaled itself against the glass, shattering into millions and millions of pieces. “I just… now isn’t the time,” she muttered. “Not with everything that has happened with Stygian. Unity is what the Pillars need.” “Even if it is false?” protested Somnambula. Meadowbrook held up a hoof warily. “Please, Somnambula. I just… I need time.” Somnambula sighed, tapping her hooves together. “...very well. If it is truly what you think. But know that I am not a very patient mare, Meadowbrook. I do not like letting my problems fester.” “I know,” Meadow replied, still staring out the window. “I know.” Against her better judgement, she unlatched her window and pulled it open. She felt the rain fall against her coat as the wind guided it into her room. Meadowbrook closed her eyes and vaguely heard the sound of a stool against wood. She imagined the rain flooding into her room, going all the way up to her forelegs and showing no signs of stopping. But Meadowbrook wouldn’t drown. She opened her eyes and turned to speak to Somnambula only to find that she was gone. The knocks on the door boomed down the hall, echoing loudly. “Enter,” called Starswirl, as unemotional as always. Meadowbrook flinched but obeyed, gently pushing the massive oak door open and trotting inside. Starswirl had his back turned to her. He was staring up at the glass pane window, which pictured the Pillars standing in unity and spoke wonders of their great deeds. “You needed to see me?” asked Meadowbrook. “Have a seat,” Starswirl replied without turning around. Meadowbrook obeyed, anxiously awaiting whatever Starswirl would say next. He turned around, eyes focused on a parchment before him. “This shouldn’t take long,” Starswirl said. “I only want to run a few things by you, and to make sure we are both operating from the same field of understanding.” “Of… of course,” Meadowbrook replied, clearing her throat. “Why, what is this all about?” “Do you understand why the rules I have set in place for this group exist?” Starswirl asked, dropping his parchment and finally sitting down. Meadowbrook almost recoiled in shock. Waves crashed through the room, circling around her hooves and rising ever faster. But she held her breath and swallowed her fear. “I… I’m not certain I understand,” she whispered. Starswirl scoffed. “Each rule I designed was for the best of our land, and of our future,” he declared. “And each rule I brought before you all, and you all agreed to follow them. Do you need refreshing on these rules, Meadowbrook?” “I believe I know them quite well.” Her voice was trembling. She wondered if Starswirl knew. “Do you?” Starswirl stood up very slowly, leveling a glare at Meadowbrook. “Including the one that forbids us to wed?” Meadowbrook’s heart was threatening to break free of her chest. Her breathing quickened, and when she opened her mouth to speak it felt as if water surged into her lungs. “I am aware,” she answered. “Are you? And you know that it is to prevent attachment, because at any given moment we may have to sacrifice ourselves for the land that we love?” Starswirl’s voice shrank deeper into a growl as he circled around the table, pausing behind Meadowbrook’s seat. “And, of course, to protect ourselves from scrutiny, of those who may accuse others of wedding into power? Do you truly know this, Meadowbrook?” “What are you suggesting?” Starswirl leaned in, his face looming over Meadowbrook’s. His eyes stabbed through her heart and pierced into her soul, icy and unforgiving. “Of the two of you,” Starswirl said, “Somnambula is the better liar.” Meadowbrook couldn’t breathe. The water was everywhere, filling the entire room to the brim. She opened her mouth to scream but water rushed in and nothing came out. It filled her lungs and the room began to spin. She couldn’t answer, but Starswirl wasn’t looking for one. He pulled away, adjusting his cape with a grunt. “You will break this audacious relationship at once,” he declared, moving away. “And we shall never speak of this again.” She had to say no. She had to stand up to him, to prove that their love was stronger than him. She had to give them a fighting chance. But Meadowbrook couldn’t speak. “You are dismissed,” Starswirl said. As Meadowbrook shakily stood to her hooves, she begged her body to move, she prayed for her mouth to speak. “Starswirl!” Flash Magnus charged through the doors, eyes wide and panicked. “It’s Stygian! He’s returned!” Starswirl brushed past Meadowbrook, leaving her alone in a room full of water. Meadowbrook knew that she had to fight. That she had to breathe. But she was drowning. “Meadowbrook?” Meadow glanced up, wiping her brow. “Somnambula,” she greeted with a tired grin. Somnambula sighed, entering the room. Her eyes drifted over to the nearby cot. “Is our friend…?” “Rockhoof is fine,” Meadowbrook answered, rubbing her eyes. “He is just resting.” Somnambula nodded, going over to her side. “And what of you?” “I am fine,” Meadowbrook replied. She flinched as Somnambula’s hoof graced her cheek. Somnambula immediately recoiled her hoof, locking her eyes on the cut across Meadowbrook’s cheek. She sighed, wings and ears drooping. “I am… sorry I wasn’t able to keep him from you.” “Oh, don’t fret about that,” Meadowbrook replied. “None of us could have seen this coming.” The two fell silent, the quiet accentuated by Rockhoof’s gentle snoring. “Before this whole affair… Starswirl wanted to meet with you,” Somnambula said quietly. Meadowbrook licked her lips, feeling the water leak back into her heart. “... he did. He knows.” “And did you stand up to him?” Somnambula asked. “Like I have for you?” She didn’t reply, feeling the crushing weight returning to her lungs. When she looked up, at the water’s surface, all she could see were Starswirl’s eyes glaring back, holding her down. “I see,” Somnambula grunted. “Yes,” Meadowbrook muttered. “You see now. I am a filthy, no-good coward.” “I have fought with you every step of the way. I have stood up to those who I respect because I know that we are greater than them. I have stood by your side for all this time. I have loved you. Do you not love me?” asked Somnambula. “I do!” cried Meadowbrook. “Then why will you not fight for it?” Somnambula shot back. Meadowbrook whirled around, tears in her eyes. “Because I am afraid!” “What can you possibly be afraid of? Is my own love not enough for you to face the world?” cried Somnambula, rising from her seat. Meadowbrook didn’t reply. They stood facing each other, chests breathing heavy and tears dripping from their eyes, asking a million questions that neither saw fit to answer. It was then that Meadowbrook realized that the room was quiet now, and that a particular sound was missing. She glanced at the cot behind her and saw Rockhoof’s eyes dart away. The stallion pulled the blanket up higher and shifted on his side. Somnambula’s eyes widened, and she scuffed a hoof against the floor awkwardly. Meadowbrook let out a pathetic cough and wiped her eyes clean, returning to her desk of notes and potions. She sighed, letting out an airy breath with her words. “I’m sorry.” “Are you?” Before Meadowbrook could understand Somnambula’s words, the door behind them creaked open. “Starswirl needs us,” Mistmane called. “He has a plan for Stygian.” “We’ll be right there,” Meadowbrook muttered. Somnambula turned to leave the room, ruffling her wings. Meadowbrook wanted to call out to her, to embrace her lover once more, and to nestle herself into her chest. But her words failed, and her body betrayed her by refusing to move. She vaguely heard Rockhoof getting off the cot and almost felt him putting a hoof on her shoulder. His voice echoed around her, lost in the caverns of her mind, and the world became darker around her. Meadowbrook was drowning, and she was running out of air. King of Leaves“Then it is settled? We are all in agreement?” There were a chorus of nods around the table. It seemed that even Starswirl was anxious, judging from the way he kept rubbing his beard. He gave a haggard sigh and lowered his head. “My friends, I am truly sorry. Were there any other option, I would gladly put it forward. But this monster, this being that we once called our friend… it threatens the world like nothing we have ever encountered. There is no greater sacrifice I could ask of you than to lay down your lives for that of your home.” The silence hung heavy across the room. A myriad of expressions dotted the faces of Meadowbrook’s friends, ranging from fear to concern to resignation. Each of them knew of the chance that one day they wouldn’t return from a fight. But none of them had expected that day to ever come. “Our world will thank you for its sacrifice,” Starswirl continued, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. “Gather your things. And make amends should you need to. Tonight, we will make our final stand.” The Pillars slowly filed out of the room, moving like ripples in the ocean. Meadowbrook moved mechanically, her mind refusing to accept what her ears had heard. She found herself in her room, holding her mask in her hands. “Meadow, my love.” Somnambula’s delicate voice radiated from the doorway. Meadowbrook looked up and offered a small smile. “Well, I guess… I guess we’re out of time,” she replied sadly. Somnambula lowered her head in shame. “I apologize for what I said,” she whispered. “You are my light, my world. I am ashamed that I hurt you the way I have.” “Oh, don’t you worry about that.” Meadowbrook set her mask on the table and trotted over to lay a hoof on Somnambula’s cheek. “I am sorry I wasn’t brave enough to face my fears. You were right, your love should have been enough.” “Then I suppose we are both fools,” Somnambula chuckled. “Fools for thinking that we had more time than we did.” “The universe is a cruel goddess,” Meadowbrook replied. She leaned in and Somnambula returned the motion. In that second, all the water drained away. Nothing else mattered other than the mare in her hooves, and Meadowbrook felt that she could finally breathe again. It wasn’t long before they broke, trembling in each other’s arms. When they pulled away they were crying, as the weight of the world came surging back in. “We’ve wasted so much time,” Somnambula sobbed, “and now it is gone.” “Don’t cry for the time that’s gone,” Meadowbrook replied with a smile. “We have some time left. Let’s enjoy what we have left.” “You always were the wiser one,” Somnambula replied with a smile. “The queen of my kingdom.” “But without you, I’m nothing more than the queen of cowards,” Meadowbrook answered, leading Somnambula over to her desk. “Let’s enjoy this one last night together.” Somnambule nodded, gazing into her lover’s eyes. “I will love you forever, Meadowbrook,” she whispered with a teary-eyed smile. “As will I,” Meadowbrook replied, beaming. “As will I.” “We did not bring you here to fight you,” Starswirl declared, his horn beginning to glow. “We brought you here to banish you.” The Pony of Shadows’ eyes grew large as magical energy began to crackle through the air. Meadowbrook breathed heavily from behind her mask. Her heart and blood roared together in her ears, as sparks of color danced across her field of view. She scowled, biting her lip, and tried to focus on Starswirl’s words. But her gaze drifted to Somnambula, as beautiful and radiant as ever. And she began to calm. Her scowl melted into a smile, and she closed her eyes in resignation. “NO!” The Pony of Shadows roared, and a pure white light enveloped Ponehenge. Meadowbrook exhaled and felt a strange, warm feeling overtake her. “I will love you forever, Meadowbrook.” “As will I.” And with that thought, Mage Meadowbrook drowned.
Queen of LiarsThere was a peaceful whisper in the air tonight. It was singing, its voice carrying in between the brooks and flowers that surrounded the castle walls. The song continued to wander, weaving its way beneath the vines and through the falling leaves of the forest, moving gracefully and freely at its own pace. But even as the notes finally hit Meadowbrook’s ears, they still maintained their beauty and charm. The healer smiled, gently breathing in the fresh scent of the garden flowers and plant life which flourished within the Castle of the Two Sisters. Meadowbrook trotted gently, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. She giggled, her voice soft and comforting to the dreary night, and pranced in place a few times. Perhaps it looked strange or foalish, but she didn’t mind. After all, who was around to see her? Stifling another bout of giggles, Meadowbrook continued her journey through the sleeping garden, moving so lightly that her hooves barely seemed to grace the ground. It wasn’t long before she reached her target: a marble bench that set underneath an intricate arch, facing outwards to the small expanse of flowers ahead of it. Meadowbrook sat down, shivering slightly from the chilled touch of the marble, but even that wasn’t enough to wipe the smile from her face. She leaned her head back and looked up at the millions of stars that stared back at her. “And what, pray tell, do you see in the stars tonight?” Meadowbrook’s smile grew larger at the soothing voice from behind her. “Why, I do believe I see a sign. A sign that I am no longer alone tonight.” “I hope that isn’t problematic.” Meadowbrook slowly turned around as Somnambula entered from the shadows, a knowing smile on her face. “But come, my love. You need not look for beauty in the sky when something far more beautiful lays before me now.” “Oh, you sure do know how to flatter me,” Meadowbrook giggled as a hue of red flushed through her face. Somnambula drew closer and leaned in. Meadowbrook closed her eyes and moved as well, their lips finding each other and their hooves embracing the other. “It is indeed a wonderful night, my love,” Somnambula said when they pulled away. “But it is only better that I have you to spend it with.” “And I can say the same,” Meadowbrook affirmed, shifting to her right so Somnambula could sit as well. For a few peaceful minutes, the two sat in silence. Meadowbrook leaned gently on Somnambula’s side, and her lover draped a wing around her to welcome her. They listened as the wind continued its eulogy for the days now gone, and the crickets carried on in their nightly serenade. On their right, the fountain Rockhoof had created was flowing, the water streaming down its side and sputtering out of the top. The sound of water was reassuring for Meadowbrook, and she could almost feel the water lapping gently against her hooves as if she were standing on a massive coastline. “I do believe there is rain in the air,” Somnambula declared as she stared up at a few stray clouds which pockmarked the sky. “I can only hope it won’t interfere with our plans for tomorrow.” Meadowbrook sighed, nuzzling into Somnambula’s side. “You worry too much,” she teased. “A little rain won’t drown us.” “And they call me the Pillar of Hope,” Somnambula replied with a grin. “Truly, you put my heart at ease.” “Is that the truth?” Meadowbrook’s eyes shot open and she sat up straight. From the shadows ahead of them a set of armor appeared, their face still obscured from the dark. But Meadowbrook didn’t need to guess who it was. “Magnus,” Somnambula greeted with an even voice. “Somnambula. Meadowbrook,” Flash Magnus replied, standing stock still. “What are you doing on this dreary night, hiding away in the gardens? With each other, no less?” Meadowbrook shot a nervous glance at Somnambula, but Somnambula held her mask. “And are we not entitled to enjoy what is rightfully ours?” “Do not play games with me, Somnambula,” Flash snapped. “I’ve seen enough to know what you’re doing. And frankly I’m shocked I didn’t realize it sooner.” The pegasus trotted forth, his stern scowl finally highlighted by the moonlight. “Do you truly think you can hide this away from Starswirl forever?” “Why should we care what Starswirl thinks?” cried Meadowbrook, seizing Somnambula’s hoof in her own. “We love each other! Is that not enough?” “If you wish to remain here, then it is too much!” snapped Flash, pointing an accusatory hoof at them. “You know very well that Starswirl has forbidden us to love.” “And what of our love for our home? Our fellow ponies?” Somnambula challenged. “Is that forbidden as well?” Flash stomped his hoof on the ground. “Do not play semantics with me! You know that Starswirl will cast you out at the least.” “And at the most?” Somnambula shot back. “He’ll have your heads!” “He’d never!” cried Meadowbrook. “Be still,” commanded Somnambula, and Meadowbrook shrunk backwards. “Flash, my friend, why have you come all this way to level accusations at us?” Her eyes narrowed in a challenging glare. “Is bringing this to Starswirl’s attention your goal?” Flash held the stare for seconds longer, before his posture drooped. He removed his helmet and cradled it in a foreleg while sighing. “It is not,” he said. “I apologize. But finding you two here is not what I was expecting.” Somnambula relaxed. “Then what is it you were expecting, my friend?” “A thief,” Flash replied. “I have reason to believe that someone is out to cheat us.” “Cheat us?” echoed Meadowbrook. “Why do you think that?” “Because my shield is missing,” Flash spat. “I returned to my quarters to fetch it and caught the shadow of a coward leaping through my window. Upon consultation with Rockhoof we discovered that his shovel is missing as well. Someone has intricately gone to set up an escape route from our windows to the courtyard. Have the two of you noticed anything out of place in your own rooms?” Meadowbrook and Somnambula exchanged a glance. “I do believe my window has been jammed open,” Somnambula noted, rubbing her chin. “I hadn’t thought much of it until now.” “And you, Meadowbrook? Has anything gone missing from your quarters?” “I… I’m afraid I wouldn’t know,” Meadowbrook replied sheepishly. Flash arched his eyebrow. “Do you not live in your quarters?” “You know that I spend my days in town,” Meadowbrook said, before her eyes drifted to the ground. “And as for the nights…” “You bed elsewhere,” Flash finished with a roll of his eyes. He huffed before crossing his forelegs. “Somnambula, answer me this. What will you tell Starswirl?” “I will tell him only what he needs to know,” Somnambula replied, “should the question arise.” Flash faltered a bit before glancing about nervously. “Somnambula, Meadowbrook, I have reason to believe that he suspects you already.” Meadowbrook gasped, taking a step backwards in shock. The silence that followed seemed accentuated by the roaring of the fountain, and Meadowbrook felt as if the once-gentle waves had grown in strength. “W-why do you think that?” “Have you not noticed the looks he gives you at our gatherings?” Flash asked. “Or the fact that he never pairs you two together?” “Surely it must be a coincidence,” Somnambula muttered. “Your hope blinds you!” Flash cried. “Please, I am telling you as your friend. You must confront him before he acts. If not, then I fear it will be too late.” Somnambula began to speak, but Meadowbrook cut her off. “Somnambula, if what Flash says is true, then I believe he’s right.” She offered a smile and took her lover’s hoof again. “If our love for each other means that we can no longer be Pillars… then I know what I’d choose.” “But what of our home?” Somnambula began to waver as she stared into Meadowbrook’s eyes. “I can not simply abandon our land.” “You won’t have to abandon anyone, just as much as I won’t abandon my practice,” Meadowbrook proclaimed. “We can continue to serve the world, even if it means we must do it without Starswirl’s approval.” Somnambula sighed, low and deep and thoughtful. “Very well,” she said. “I suppose this means we should confront him?” “Let us not worry about Starswirl now,” Meadowbrook decided. “I want to see if Flash is right, and that we truly have been blind to the signs. If he suspects nothing, we may be overreacting.” Sensing Somnambula’s hesitation, Meadowbrook gently used her hoof to raise her lover’s chin. “Somnambula, I love you more than anything in the world. Starswirl may be a storm, but rain won’t drown us out. I promise.” Somnambula smiled again, nodding. “Your words fill me with courage, my dear. Then it is settled.” The two turned to Flash. “I thank you for alerting us,” Somnambula said to him. “You two are very dear to me,” Flash replied as he set his helmet back over his head. “And whatever happens, know that I will have your back. I apologize for interrupting this rendezvous, and I do have a thief to catch.” “Farewell, my friend,” Somnambula replied as he spread his wings. “Good luck with your quest.” “Farewell,” Flash answered as he took to the air. “But keep your luck. I fear you shall need it far more than I ever could.” With that, Flash disappeared over the castle walls, leaving Meadowbrook and Somnambula alone in the garden, and the sound of running water drowning out the world around them.
King of ThievesMeadowbrook knew these halls intimately, but she had never once considered them as foreboding. But today, they seemed to cast judgement across her mind. She sighed, scuffing a hoof against the tiled flooring. Her mind was weighted heavily with thoughts, as if it were a wet cloth soaked in water. Meadowbrook felt as if she was floating, suspended in the air, like an ingredient in someone else’s concoction. She sighed, raising a hoof to her chest to steady it. Meadowbrook wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed and wrap herself in Somnambula’s embrace, and to drift off into the realm of dreaming and leave her earthly worries behind. Flash’s words seemed to ring in her ears, and wherever she turned she felt Starswirl’s accusatory gaze glaring down her back. Meadowbrook’s body betrayed her and she shuddered, casting a glance behind her to see if the wizard himself was standing there. Nothing but an empty space stared back at her. A crash of thunder sounded from beyond the windows, making her flinch. Rain poured out from the clouds like tears, slamming into the ground stronger than any force Starswirl could dream of. A chill ran down her spine as she gently shut the door to her room. “Ho there, Meadowbrook!” She gasped at the shout, whirling about and nearly toppling over. A hoof shot out to steady her and gently shove her backwards, allowing Meadowbrook to regain her balance. When she finally reoriented herself, she found Rockhoof staring right back at her. “Easy there, lass,” Rockhoof rumbled. “Can’t go around havin’ our healer hurt herself now!” “I do apologize,” Meadowbrook stuttered. “You did give me quite a scare.” “Meadowbrook! Have you discovered any intrusion like the rest of us have?” called Flash, coming from behind Rockhoof’s frame. Meadowbrook nodded, glancing behind her at the shut door. “It would seem that my mask is missing.” Rockhoof and Flash exchanged a glance. “Then your worries are true,” Rockhoof declared. “Indeed,” growled Flash. “There is a scoundrel among us. We must warn Starswirl at once.” Flash turned to Meadowbrook, pointing a wing down the hall. “Assemble the others, Meadowbrook! This is a crisis that must be answered!” Meadowbrook nodded, and the three dispersed. “Meadowbrook.” Her ear twitched as a voice soft as silk whispered her name. A door on her left creaked open, and Somnambula appeared from within. “So what Flash says is true?” “It would appear so,” Meadowbrook replied with a sigh. “They want us to all meet in the war room.” Somnambula nodded, opening her door completely. “Meadow, my love, are you afraid?” “Of Starswirl?” asked Meadowbrook. “...yes. I fear for us, Somnambula. Of what Starswirl may say, should he raise a hoof against us.” Somnambula gently lay a hoof against her shoulder. “Do not be afraid. I will by your side, no matter what happens. But I am afraid that we can not avoid confrontation for much longer. I think it is time that we confront Starswirl.” “No!” Meadowbrook flinched at how harsh her own voice was. Somnambula recoiled, withdrawing her hoof in time to the beating rain outside. “Please,” she begged, “I… I don’t think I’m ready yet. I just… I want to know for sure.” Somnambula arched her eyebrow inquisitively. “What for? Surely it makes no difference.” “Because we could be getting our tails twisted for nothing! If he doesn’t suspect a thing, then why do we have to bring it to light?” Meadowbrook asked, taking Somnambula’s hooves and staring into her eyes. “Why must we risk destroying ourselves if the world doesn’t ask it of us?” “Because I believe Flash Magnus is right, my love,” Somnambula whispered. “Starswirl eclipses us in his intelligence. It is foolish to think we can keep ourselves hidden from him forever. But if we approach him it will be on our terms, not his.” “But it would still be a fight that we will be doomed to lose,” Meadowbrook protested. “Please, Somnambula. I don’t want to confront him. Not yet.” The rain outside must have phased through the roof, for Meadowbrook felt streaks of water falling down her cheeks. Somnambula sighed and began to wipe away Meadowbrook’s tears. “Do not cry, my love. I do think it is best that we slay a beast before it grows, but if it is not what you wish then I will respect it. But whenever you are ready, we will face him. Together.” Meadowbrook willed a smile upon her face, and pulled Somnambula into a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered. “A little rain won’t drown us out,” Somnambula affirmed as they pulled away. “Come. Let us join the others.” A flash of lightning lit up the room, but it seemed that not even the wrath of a storm could bring light to Starswirl’s face. He sat stoic and still at the head of the table, chin resting on his clasped hooves. “So.” A single word escaped his lips and it hit Meadowbrook like a hail of arrows. But Starswirl wasn’t looking at her, as she fidgeted in her seat nervously. “Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, if what you are telling me is true, then it would appear the safety of our home is once again endangered.” Rockhoof slammed a hoof against the table. “Aye,” he remarked in a voice dripping with venom. “Whoever thinks they can pull a fast one on us, well they have another thing coming their way.” The others nodded in agreement, and Starswirl stood. A pale white light began to glow from the tip of his horn. “It goes deeper than that. We are dealing with someone very close to our hearts, I’m afraid.” There was a ripple of movement as if he had thrown a rock into a lake. “My friend, what are you suggesting?” rasped Mistmane. “Come now. We don’t simply let anyone into our private quarters,” Starswirl harrumphed. He paused, eyes carefully gliding across the table. To Meadowbrook’s horror, they paused on her. “Well, in theory we shouldn’t. But I believe that every theory has its exceptions,” he said. A strange silence fell upon the others like a net. Invisible rainwater crashed through the rafters, pouring and rushing through the room and drowning Meadowbrook, crushing her beneath their pressure. “Are we still talking about the matter at hoof, Starswirl?” cut in Somnambula. Starswirl stroked his beard but didn’t take his eyes off of Meadowbrook. “No matter,” he huffed dismissively. “I will cast a locator spell. Then, we will confront this… rat who dares to betray our trust.” He finally turned away and Meadowbrook could breathe again. Somnambule shot her a fleeting glance from across the table, but Meadowbrook couldn’t bring herself to meet her gaze. A faint white wisp shot out from Starswirl’s horn. It shot off through the window and into the night. The wizard closed his eyes before continuing. “To answer your question, every rule seems to have its exception. Even those that all have agreed on.” Meadowbrook shrunk a bit farther in her seat. Starswirl wasn’t facing her, but it felt like he had eyes on the back of his head boring into her soul. “Starswirl,” warned Somnambula. “Is there something else that you are insinuating?” “I do not know, Somnambula, is there anything you would like to tell me?” he gave the question a pregnant pause before continuing. “Or anyone else for that matter?” The world held its breath, and Meadowbrook held hers with it. She studied the blue of her hooves carefully, not daring to answer the silent accusation. “Starswirl,” ventured Flash. “Are you suggesting that there is more than one traitor in our midsts?” “Not by the definition you may give them,” Starswirl replied briskly. His eyes snapped open and he whirled about. “I have a location on the missing items,” he declared. “Prepare yourselves. We set off at once. I have hope we can catch this thief in the act.” The others exchanged glances and nodded. As the other ponies began to file from the room, Meadowbrook took a shaky breath and tried to persuade herself that they weren’t shooting her odd glances. Starswirl paused behind her seat. He turned his head to face her and held her captive in his gaze. Meadowbrook hoped she remained stoic, but it was impossible to tell beneath the drum of her own heartbeat. But her eyes still couldn’t pierce his mask. He stared on, judging her carefully. After centuries had passed, he flicked his tail and left the room, leaving behind the sound of rain against the window. “Meadowbrook.” Another voice broke the frozen silence and Meadowbrook inhaled sharply. Somnambula’s usual touch didn’t warm her shoulder like it usually did. “Meadow, my love,” Somnambula whispered. “I think he knows.” Meadowbrook was pulled into a tight hug and she felt tears stream down her face. “We must do something,” Somnambula urged. “I can’t!” cried Meadowbrook. “I’m afraid! I am nothing more but a coward, Somnambula! You are a fool to love me!” She began to weep in Somnambula’s wing, as a rushing ocean that only she could see swarmed around to greet her. A quiet voice began to chant in her mind, a quiet mantra through the storm. I won’t drown. I won’t drown. I won’t drown.
Queen of CowardsMeadowbrook was cold as she trotted down the path. The path to Ponehenge was rocky and worn, covered in branches and rocks. The wind and rain attacked them as they forged on, holding a tight formation. As they walked, Meadowbrook wished for nothing more than Somnambula at her side, but Starswirl had placed her on the opposite end of their formation, hovering above the group and scanning for danger alongside Flash. She had always accepted the explanation that this was a tactical decision, but Meadowbrook couldn’t help but wonder now if there was some other sleight to this move. Something created by Starswirl to drive a wedge between them, perhaps. Or she was overthinking it. Meadowbrook chanced a glance above her, but Somnambula was busy searching the sky for threats. Flash Magnus eventually caught her gaze and offered a smile, but it did nothing to smooth out her nerves. Starswirl led on, eyes trained forwards. The others followed, hooves crunching in the earth and bodies unflinching in the rain. Meadowbrook sighed softly. “Is something the matter, Meadowbrook?” She gasped as Starswirl spoke. “N-no,” she stammered, her soft voice almost lost to the rain completely. “You seem out of sorts,” Starswirl noted, as if he were making an observation. Meadowbrook cleared her throat. “I suppose I am just shocked by this act of betrayal.” “Aye,” Rockhoof chimed in. “I imagine we all are. Who could think it fit to stab our backs like this?” “Who indeed,” Starswirl said as Meadowbrook trembled again. “Meadowbrook, if there is something in the air between us, I’d prefer we clear it out now.” Somnambula glanced down from above. “There is nothing,” Meadowbrook heard herself say. “Nothing at all.” Starswirl grunted in response. “Very well. If you are certain.” “I am.” “Then we will return to this conversation,” Starswirl declared as the group entered a clearing. Large slabs of stones loomed around them, like massive headstones in a barren graveyard. The landscape of Ponehenge seemed to welcome them with open arms. But their eyes were drawn to the center pedestal, where a cloaked figure was busy muttering to themselves from a book. Starswirl stepped forwards and the figure’s ear twitched. They whirled about to look, and their hood slipped back off their head. The Pillars gasped. “Stygian?” The clouds above grew a little bit darker. “Meadowbrook!” Meadowbrook flinched, jerking her hoof away and knocking over her tea. It took a second to recognize what she had done. “Oh my goodness! Somnambula, I am so sorry!” Somnambula hissed, rubbing the back of her hoof that had been scalded by the liquid. “It is fine,” she protested. “I have been through worse.” “Let me get a towel,” Meadowbrook muttered sheepishly, scrambling to clean up the mess she had made. “Meadowbrook,” Somanmbula said, louder. “Please. It can wait. Please, sit.” Meadowbrook hesitated but obeyed, easing back into her stool. “Please, you are troubled,” Somnambula said, shaking off the last of the pain. “Of course I am!” Meadowbrook cried, glancing out the window at the grim downpour. “Stygian has betrayed us! How could I possibly be okay?” “It is more.” Somnambula leveled her gaze. “Meadowbrook, your face is beautiful, but I can tell that it is worn. You seem haggard, haunted by your stress.” “I suppose I am,” Meadowbrook sighed, rubbing circles into her forehead. “Meadow, my love, you need to carry such a burden. None of us saw Stygian’s betrayal coming, not even Starswirl. We all are at fault, not just you,” Somnambula declared, her voice laced with concern. Meadowbrook didn’t reply, instead biting her lip and rubbing her foreleg. “But that is not all that ails you, is it?” Somnambula asked. “No,” answered the mage. “I’m afraid it is not.” Somnambule lowered her head, letting the beating rain fill the silence. “You must speak with him,” she declared. “I can’t!” Meadowbrook shot up, knocking over her now empty cup again. “I can’t!” “But you must!” replied Somnambula, her own voice rising. “Surely you can not hope to run from your problems forever!’ Meadowbrook frowned, heading for her window. The rain impaled itself against the glass, shattering into millions and millions of pieces. “I just… now isn’t the time,” she muttered. “Not with everything that has happened with Stygian. Unity is what the Pillars need.” “Even if it is false?” protested Somnambula. Meadowbrook held up a hoof warily. “Please, Somnambula. I just… I need time.” Somnambula sighed, tapping her hooves together. “...very well. If it is truly what you think. But know that I am not a very patient mare, Meadowbrook. I do not like letting my problems fester.” “I know,” Meadow replied, still staring out the window. “I know.” Against her better judgement, she unlatched her window and pulled it open. She felt the rain fall against her coat as the wind guided it into her room. Meadowbrook closed her eyes and vaguely heard the sound of a stool against wood. She imagined the rain flooding into her room, going all the way up to her forelegs and showing no signs of stopping. But Meadowbrook wouldn’t drown. She opened her eyes and turned to speak to Somnambula only to find that she was gone. The knocks on the door boomed down the hall, echoing loudly. “Enter,” called Starswirl, as unemotional as always. Meadowbrook flinched but obeyed, gently pushing the massive oak door open and trotting inside. Starswirl had his back turned to her. He was staring up at the glass pane window, which pictured the Pillars standing in unity and spoke wonders of their great deeds. “You needed to see me?” asked Meadowbrook. “Have a seat,” Starswirl replied without turning around. Meadowbrook obeyed, anxiously awaiting whatever Starswirl would say next. He turned around, eyes focused on a parchment before him. “This shouldn’t take long,” Starswirl said. “I only want to run a few things by you, and to make sure we are both operating from the same field of understanding.” “Of… of course,” Meadowbrook replied, clearing her throat. “Why, what is this all about?” “Do you understand why the rules I have set in place for this group exist?” Starswirl asked, dropping his parchment and finally sitting down. Meadowbrook almost recoiled in shock. Waves crashed through the room, circling around her hooves and rising ever faster. But she held her breath and swallowed her fear. “I… I’m not certain I understand,” she whispered. Starswirl scoffed. “Each rule I designed was for the best of our land, and of our future,” he declared. “And each rule I brought before you all, and you all agreed to follow them. Do you need refreshing on these rules, Meadowbrook?” “I believe I know them quite well.” Her voice was trembling. She wondered if Starswirl knew. “Do you?” Starswirl stood up very slowly, leveling a glare at Meadowbrook. “Including the one that forbids us to wed?” Meadowbrook’s heart was threatening to break free of her chest. Her breathing quickened, and when she opened her mouth to speak it felt as if water surged into her lungs. “I am aware,” she answered. “Are you? And you know that it is to prevent attachment, because at any given moment we may have to sacrifice ourselves for the land that we love?” Starswirl’s voice shrank deeper into a growl as he circled around the table, pausing behind Meadowbrook’s seat. “And, of course, to protect ourselves from scrutiny, of those who may accuse others of wedding into power? Do you truly know this, Meadowbrook?” “What are you suggesting?” Starswirl leaned in, his face looming over Meadowbrook’s. His eyes stabbed through her heart and pierced into her soul, icy and unforgiving. “Of the two of you,” Starswirl said, “Somnambula is the better liar.” Meadowbrook couldn’t breathe. The water was everywhere, filling the entire room to the brim. She opened her mouth to scream but water rushed in and nothing came out. It filled her lungs and the room began to spin. She couldn’t answer, but Starswirl wasn’t looking for one. He pulled away, adjusting his cape with a grunt. “You will break this audacious relationship at once,” he declared, moving away. “And we shall never speak of this again.” She had to say no. She had to stand up to him, to prove that their love was stronger than him. She had to give them a fighting chance. But Meadowbrook couldn’t speak. “You are dismissed,” Starswirl said. As Meadowbrook shakily stood to her hooves, she begged her body to move, she prayed for her mouth to speak. “Starswirl!” Flash Magnus charged through the doors, eyes wide and panicked. “It’s Stygian! He’s returned!” Starswirl brushed past Meadowbrook, leaving her alone in a room full of water. Meadowbrook knew that she had to fight. That she had to breathe. But she was drowning. “Meadowbrook?” Meadow glanced up, wiping her brow. “Somnambula,” she greeted with a tired grin. Somnambula sighed, entering the room. Her eyes drifted over to the nearby cot. “Is our friend…?” “Rockhoof is fine,” Meadowbrook answered, rubbing her eyes. “He is just resting.” Somnambula nodded, going over to her side. “And what of you?” “I am fine,” Meadowbrook replied. She flinched as Somnambula’s hoof graced her cheek. Somnambula immediately recoiled her hoof, locking her eyes on the cut across Meadowbrook’s cheek. She sighed, wings and ears drooping. “I am… sorry I wasn’t able to keep him from you.” “Oh, don’t fret about that,” Meadowbrook replied. “None of us could have seen this coming.” The two fell silent, the quiet accentuated by Rockhoof’s gentle snoring. “Before this whole affair… Starswirl wanted to meet with you,” Somnambula said quietly. Meadowbrook licked her lips, feeling the water leak back into her heart. “... he did. He knows.” “And did you stand up to him?” Somnambula asked. “Like I have for you?” She didn’t reply, feeling the crushing weight returning to her lungs. When she looked up, at the water’s surface, all she could see were Starswirl’s eyes glaring back, holding her down. “I see,” Somnambula grunted. “Yes,” Meadowbrook muttered. “You see now. I am a filthy, no-good coward.” “I have fought with you every step of the way. I have stood up to those who I respect because I know that we are greater than them. I have stood by your side for all this time. I have loved you. Do you not love me?” asked Somnambula. “I do!” cried Meadowbrook. “Then why will you not fight for it?” Somnambula shot back. Meadowbrook whirled around, tears in her eyes. “Because I am afraid!” “What can you possibly be afraid of? Is my own love not enough for you to face the world?” cried Somnambula, rising from her seat. Meadowbrook didn’t reply. They stood facing each other, chests breathing heavy and tears dripping from their eyes, asking a million questions that neither saw fit to answer. It was then that Meadowbrook realized that the room was quiet now, and that a particular sound was missing. She glanced at the cot behind her and saw Rockhoof’s eyes dart away. The stallion pulled the blanket up higher and shifted on his side. Somnambula’s eyes widened, and she scuffed a hoof against the floor awkwardly. Meadowbrook let out a pathetic cough and wiped her eyes clean, returning to her desk of notes and potions. She sighed, letting out an airy breath with her words. “I’m sorry.” “Are you?” Before Meadowbrook could understand Somnambula’s words, the door behind them creaked open. “Starswirl needs us,” Mistmane called. “He has a plan for Stygian.” “We’ll be right there,” Meadowbrook muttered. Somnambula turned to leave the room, ruffling her wings. Meadowbrook wanted to call out to her, to embrace her lover once more, and to nestle herself into her chest. But her words failed, and her body betrayed her by refusing to move. She vaguely heard Rockhoof getting off the cot and almost felt him putting a hoof on her shoulder. His voice echoed around her, lost in the caverns of her mind, and the world became darker around her. Meadowbrook was drowning, and she was running out of air.
King of Leaves“Then it is settled? We are all in agreement?” There were a chorus of nods around the table. It seemed that even Starswirl was anxious, judging from the way he kept rubbing his beard. He gave a haggard sigh and lowered his head. “My friends, I am truly sorry. Were there any other option, I would gladly put it forward. But this monster, this being that we once called our friend… it threatens the world like nothing we have ever encountered. There is no greater sacrifice I could ask of you than to lay down your lives for that of your home.” The silence hung heavy across the room. A myriad of expressions dotted the faces of Meadowbrook’s friends, ranging from fear to concern to resignation. Each of them knew of the chance that one day they wouldn’t return from a fight. But none of them had expected that day to ever come. “Our world will thank you for its sacrifice,” Starswirl continued, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. “Gather your things. And make amends should you need to. Tonight, we will make our final stand.” The Pillars slowly filed out of the room, moving like ripples in the ocean. Meadowbrook moved mechanically, her mind refusing to accept what her ears had heard. She found herself in her room, holding her mask in her hands. “Meadow, my love.” Somnambula’s delicate voice radiated from the doorway. Meadowbrook looked up and offered a small smile. “Well, I guess… I guess we’re out of time,” she replied sadly. Somnambula lowered her head in shame. “I apologize for what I said,” she whispered. “You are my light, my world. I am ashamed that I hurt you the way I have.” “Oh, don’t you worry about that.” Meadowbrook set her mask on the table and trotted over to lay a hoof on Somnambula’s cheek. “I am sorry I wasn’t brave enough to face my fears. You were right, your love should have been enough.” “Then I suppose we are both fools,” Somnambula chuckled. “Fools for thinking that we had more time than we did.” “The universe is a cruel goddess,” Meadowbrook replied. She leaned in and Somnambula returned the motion. In that second, all the water drained away. Nothing else mattered other than the mare in her hooves, and Meadowbrook felt that she could finally breathe again. It wasn’t long before they broke, trembling in each other’s arms. When they pulled away they were crying, as the weight of the world came surging back in. “We’ve wasted so much time,” Somnambula sobbed, “and now it is gone.” “Don’t cry for the time that’s gone,” Meadowbrook replied with a smile. “We have some time left. Let’s enjoy what we have left.” “You always were the wiser one,” Somnambula replied with a smile. “The queen of my kingdom.” “But without you, I’m nothing more than the queen of cowards,” Meadowbrook answered, leading Somnambula over to her desk. “Let’s enjoy this one last night together.” Somnambule nodded, gazing into her lover’s eyes. “I will love you forever, Meadowbrook,” she whispered with a teary-eyed smile. “As will I,” Meadowbrook replied, beaming. “As will I.” “We did not bring you here to fight you,” Starswirl declared, his horn beginning to glow. “We brought you here to banish you.” The Pony of Shadows’ eyes grew large as magical energy began to crackle through the air. Meadowbrook breathed heavily from behind her mask. Her heart and blood roared together in her ears, as sparks of color danced across her field of view. She scowled, biting her lip, and tried to focus on Starswirl’s words. But her gaze drifted to Somnambula, as beautiful and radiant as ever. And she began to calm. Her scowl melted into a smile, and she closed her eyes in resignation. “NO!” The Pony of Shadows roared, and a pure white light enveloped Ponehenge. Meadowbrook exhaled and felt a strange, warm feeling overtake her. “I will love you forever, Meadowbrook.” “As will I.” And with that thought, Mage Meadowbrook drowned.
