Life of a Queen

Using his cloak as a rag, Blue wiped the standing water from the stair above him. Cautiously, he set his bags down in the cleared spot. Once confident they were safe, he rolled onto his back. The stars peered down on him as he leaned his head back against the rough leather bags. Just as his eyes started to close, he heard the faint hiss of magic from the door lock.

Rocketing up, he slung his bag over his shoulder. He took a moment to make himself presentable. At least, as presentable as he could be with such a brief warning. A pink unicorn stifled a yawn as she stuck her head out through the crack in the doors.

“It’s about time you showed up. You had me worried. What took you so long?”

“You were expecting me?” Blue asked, taking a hesitant step back.

The unicorn rubbed the sleep from her eye.

“Wait. You’re not Twilight.”

“I’m not.”

Her pink cheeks flushed red.

“Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

“It’s fine,” he muttered. “I came here looking for Princess Twilight, but I’m guessing she isn’t here?”

“Nope. Sorry.”

“Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you with that, either. But I am her student. I can take a message for her if you want. ”

Blue groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Could you at least point me in her direction?”

Rather than answer, the unicorn stepped the front half of her body out onto the stairs. She glanced around the yard before addressing her visitor.

“It’s a bit of a trek. And not one that I’d recommend you make in the dead of night.”

“I don’t have much of a choice,” Blue said.

“Alright. Do you have anything else to do tonight?” She waited for him to shake his head before she continued. “Fine. Come inside.”

She retreated back into the castle, leaving the door swinging open freely behind her.

After double checking the strap on his bag, Blue followed after.

Through the front door, he stepped into a vaulted hallway. A flash of magic closed the door behind him. The unicorn stood a few steps ahead, waiting patiently for him to join her. Far above, a series of flags hung from the rafters, each of them emblazoned with the image of the newest Princess. Old-fashioned lanterns hung from iron hooks on the walls. Their flames never flickered.

Together, the duo made their way into the central chamber of the castle. A meeting room of sorts, given the table and half a dozen thrones gathered around it. A collection of gnarled roots sprouted from the ceiling. Chains of glittering jewels hung from the slender rootlets, warming the room with a calming glow. Two towering archways to the left and right led deeper into the castle.

The unicorn stopped at the threshold of the right-side hallway.

“Wait here for a second,” she commanded.

“Where are you going?” Blue asked.

“You said you needed to see Twilight urgently, didn’t you? Well, I can take you to her.”

“I thought you said she wasn't here?“

“She isn’t,” the mare said, as though it explained everything.

“Fine,” he relented, “I’ll wait here for you.”

She vanished through one of the many smaller doors that lined the path ahead.

While he waited, he sauntered over to the central table. The polished glass reflected the lights from above, creating a colorful swirl against the rather austere brickwork. Closer now, he noticed that each of the thrones bore the crest of Twilight or one of her friends. A star, a trio of diamonds, a bunch of balloons, a collection of apples, a small swarm of butterflies, and a rainbow cloud. In his head, he matched each symbol with the appropriate mare.

“Alright. I’m ready now.”

He spun around, coming face-to-face with the mare. She wore a new set of saddlebags over her flanks.

“What’s all that?” Blue asked, stepping away from the table.

“It’s just some traveling gear. Just in case.”

“In case of what?”

“In case we get lost . . . or run into a monster. Stuff like that.”

Blue blinked rapidly.

“Monsters? Right. Any chance of letting me in on your plan?”

She put on a lecturing voice that almost sounded like a mockery of Twilight’s.

“Have you ever heard of the Castle of the Two Sisters?”

“Can’t say I have.”

“It’s an old ruin out in the Everfree.”

“I’m guessing that’s where we’ll find Twilight?”

“Yup.” She nodded vigorously.

“And you don’t trust me to follow directions?”

The mare marched past, motioning for him to follow.

“It’s more that the directions are a little complex. And I don’t really want to be responsible for any missing ponies.” She stopped suddenly. “Oh, I almost forgot. It’s been raining all night. The trails through the forest are probably going to be a little muddy. You may not want to bring that.”

She motioned to his cloak, still damp from cleaning the stairs.

“Why not?”

“It’ll get dirty. Obviously. You can leave your things here if you want.”

With an annoyed grunt, Blue reached back and unbuckled his bags. He tossed them gently onto the table. From the corner of his eye, he spied the unicorn’s confusion.

“They’re cheap. And I would rather not ruin everything inside,” he explained.

“Right.” She nodded slowly. “What about the cape?”

“This cloak is cheap. I’m more worried about being caught without it.” He pulled the seams tight over his flanks, burying his wings.

“That’s fair.”

Together, the two of them made their way back toward the front door. She sent him through first. He waited at the bottom of the steps as she pulled a key ring from one of the outer-most pockets of her bag. It slid neatly into the lock. She gave the handle an experimental tug, just to be sure.

She led him back through the empty streets of Ponyville. This time, the melodic chirps of nocturnal insects were drowned out by the irritating tune the unicorn hummed as she walked. Blue varied his pace, trying to keep a gap between them until they reached the forest edge. No matter what change he made, she adapted. If she found his behavior odd, she never bothered to mention it.

They strolled past the fountain. Blue kept his head down as he crossed. He knew the statue’s lifeless gaze was drawn skyward, but that didn’t stop the weight of them he felt falling across his back. He held his breath until they finally left the courtyard.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the town outskirts. The pink mare stopped, nearly causing Blue to crash into her. She stared up at the gnarled branches of the Everfree.

“Why are we stopping?” Blue demanded.

“If you’re going to be accompanying me through this, I need to set up a few rules, first,” she said.

“Fine. Talk.”

She turned toward her companion.

“First rule. I don’t care what you see or what you hear, you stay on the path.” She emphasized by pointing to the muddy sludge that started a few feet beyond the cobblestone drive.

“That’s the path?”

“A little mud won’t kill you. Breaking the rules might. So listen up.”

Blue gave her his attention, but his frown made it clear he wasn’t thrilled about it.

“Second rule. Stay behind me. It’s easy to get lost in here, but I’ve got plenty of experience navigating.”

“Alright.”

“Third and final rule.” She straightened out, returning her focus to the trees. “I need you to talk to me.”

“What?” Blue chuckled. “That’s a rule?”

She didn’t seem to share his sense of humor.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Constant communication,” she said. “And it’ll help keep me awake.”

He sighed.

“Fine. Stay on the path. Follow you. Keep you company. That's all?”

“That’s all. Promise me you’ll keep them.”

“I promise. If only for the sake of self-preservation.”

She nodded happily. With a foalish swell of energy, she plunged into the forest. Blue kept true to his word and followed.

Only a single step into his journey, Blue already regretted his choice. His hoof sank an inch deep into the mud. He yanked himself free, only for his next step to be just as bad. Grumbling under his breath, he trudged forward anyways.

As he struggled, the unicorn marched forward, unphased by the rough terrain. When she noticed him falling behind, she slowed. When that didn’t help, she stopped.

“Not much of an outdoor pony, are you?” she asked, observing his struggle with the barest hint of a smile.

“That’s one way of putting it,” Blue huffed.

“Then what do you do all day?”

“Sleep.”

She chuckled.

Once they pressed deep enough into the forest for the boughs to block out the moonlight, the ground solidified. Their path thinned out, forcing them to weave between thick trunks to move forward.

“So, you got a name?” she asked, swatting a branch away with her magic.

“Blue.”

“That’s a cute name. I’m Starlight. Starlight Glimmer.”

“I’m aware of who you are.” Blue said, stepping carefully through a patch of uneven roots.

“You are?”

“Of course. The student of Twilight Sparkle. Savior of Equestria. Vanquisher of Queen Chrysalis. One of the ponies directly responsible for the reformation of the changeling race. Is any of this ringing a bell?”

He saw her cheeks glow red in the light of her magic.

“I guess I’m just not used to strangers knowing who I am. Most of Ponyville knew me before I did all that.”

“Or maybe I’m just a crazed stalker,” Blue suggested, a wicked smile on his lips.

“That’s a possibility, too.” Starlight shrugged. “I wouldn’t recommend trying anything, though. My magic is nothing to sneeze at.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Silence fell back over the forest for a short while. They weaved through the tangled forest growth. At certain points, Starlight used her magic to widen the path, clearing away the underbrush that had begun encroaching. With each blast, she eyed Blue, daring him to try something.

“Blue?”

“Starlight.”

She finished hauling a fallen log out of their way. Given the color of the wood, it had only collapsed recently.

“Since you apparently know everything about me, how would you like to share with the class?”

Blue sniffled.

“What makes you think there’s anything to share?”

“Come on,” she scoffed. “There’s got to be something.”

“Not a thing.”

“Alright then. How about why you’re here? You said yourself you’re here for Twilight, right? Well, what do you want from her?”

“Bits. I’m looking for handouts.”

“Oh. I mean, I guess she could—”

“It’s a joke, Starlight.”

“Prove it.”

“That I was joking?” Blue asked incredulously.

“Yes. Tell me what you really want from her.”

“Stop trying to analyze me, would you? I’m just going to lie.”

“You’re the worst,” she groaned. “You pick a topic then.”

They approached a fork in the road. Starlight took a moment to think, bouncing her head back and forth to an unheard song.

“Tell me about the Everfree.”

“What?”

She chose the left path.

“The Everfree. I’m clearly not as familiar with it as you are. Tell me something interesting about it.”

“That’s the topic you chose?”

“Don’t give me the power to choose if you’re not ready to live with consequences.”

Starlight rolled her eyes.

“Then would you care to narrow your question down?”

Blue glanced around. Even in the shadows, he could see shapes slithering around from bush to bush. He could feel the eyes watching from everywhere. They had been watching their whole journey.

“You gave me those rules to keep me safe. That means there’s something dangerous in here.” Blue snatched a twig from the path and launched it into the dense forest, resulting in a flurry of scurrying steps. “What exactly is so dangerous?”

Starlight laughed.

“In here? What isn’t dangerous? Poisonous plants. Ravenous monsters. Ravenous plants. Poisonous monsters. And those are just the things I’ve seen personally.”

Blue crouched low, stalking up to Starlight’s side.

“Monsters?”

She recoiled from the sudden voice in her ear. She shoved him away playfully.

“Seriously, you’re the worst. I almost punched you.”

“I was ready to duck.”

Far ahead, the path opened slightly. Cracks formed in the canopy, allowing slivers of moonlight to light the way. Even farther, Blue thought he saw ivy-wrapped stone.

“Why so curious about the monsters? Scared?”

“Look at us. We’ve been in the forest for nearly half an hour, and we’ve seen nothing dangerous. I think you lied to me about the danger just so you had an excuse to annoy me with rule three.”

“Did you ever consider that maybe we weren’t in any danger because you had an amazing guide?”

“So what sort of monsters are there, then?”

Starlight closed her eyes while she compiled a mental list.

“The first one that comes to mind is Timberwolves.”

“I’ve met plenty of nice wolves.”

“I guarantee you they’re nothing like Timberwolves. They’re constructs made of the forest itself. But they’re usually not too dangerous unless you wander blindly into their territory. Which we didn’t. Because I’m an excellent guide.

“There’s also Ursas. Have you ever heard of an Ursa?”

“I’ve fought an Ursa.”

“Then I doubt they were anything like the Ursas out here. When they’re fully grown, they’re as big as a house.”

“Should be pretty easy to avoid then.”

“Alright then, Mister Tough Guy, how about this? Have you ever seen a Wisp?”

“A Wisp? Like a puff of smoke?”

Starlight shook her head.

“A Wisp is a colony of little lights that float around the forest.”

“Sounds truly terrifying,” Blue muttered, obviously unimpressed.

“They are terrifying,” Starlight defended. “They’re shapeshifters. They take the form of something a weary traveler desires.”

“Like a bed?” he interrupted.

“More like a loved one,” Starlight corrected.

“Lame.”

“They use that power to lure unsuspecting travelers to their doom. When you live this close to the Everfree, you hear a lot of stories. Ponies going in by themselves, never to return.” She ended her sentence with a ghostly wail as she waved one of her hooves in the air.

“Nothing but campfire stories. Have you ever seen a Wisp?”

“Nope,” she answered definitively. “But I’ve read about them. They’re pretty rare, even by mythological creature standards. Just thinking about it gives me the chills. I mean, just think about it. You could be following a guide, but it just turns out that you’ve been following some monster through the forest. And now you’re completely lost and will never find your way out. Scary, huh?”

“Horrifying. I think we’re here.”

Blue pointed past Starlight, to the ruins of an old castle. The forest had grown up around it, smothering it in greenery and causing it to blend in with the forest canopy. Broken windows and collapsed walls that from this distance might as well have just been a pile of rubble.

One at a time, they crossed the rickety rope bridge that spanned the trench around the castle. It swung precariously back and forth, but the rotting wood held. As they closed in on their final destination, Blue noted the two vine-choked towers that, even from this close, resembled tall trees.

“Blue, welcome to the Castle of the Two Sisters,” Starlight announced with a dramatic wave of her hoof. “If you want to wait out here, I can go in and check on Twilight. I’m sure she just lost track of time studying. We should be back in no time.”

As she climbed the steps, Blue called out to her.

“Starlight.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. For bringing me here, I mean. I don’t know if I would have found it on my own.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just here to find Twilight. You just happened to follow me.” With a wink, she slipped through the front doors.

A realization struck Blue as he sat alone on the castle steps, causing him to bury his head in his hooves. Before him, in what used to be the castle’s courtyard, a statue showed the two sisters standing side-by-side. The way the light reflected off it, he almost believed they were mocking him. Memories flickered through his mind like a slideshow. Of his arrival in Ponyville. And of his chat with the stone Twilight.

He breathed a long sigh.

What in Celestia’s name am I supposed to tell her?