Crimson Sunrise

967 ALB, Equestria, Flanks, Acornage

Acornage, Where the cloudy grey skies of the western marshes hegemonizes with our beautiful clear sky.

I was playing solitaire on the large dining table, I sighed, the house maid stared at me, knowing the meaning of my face.

“Don’t think too much about it, Oxford… your father is fine inside a cozy office.” Her northwestern accent was always present when she talked.

“Thanks, Quehlanx, but I’m not worried about him, I just… I never had the chance to really… meet him.”

“You will someday, you just have to wait,” she said, trying to recomfort my brief solitude.

“You know… I never expected the Changelings to change so well until you came along. I'd love to see them in harmony with us ponies someday.”

“How ironic, isn’t it?” – Said with a grin, hidden by her left hoof – “But feeding out of love is a real problem that we are sadly far from solving, young Oxford.”

The front door knocks at the end of the hall, Quehlanx goes to open it, “I know that’s the big bummer, but maybe we could find a way around it,” When Quehlanx opened the door, mom appeared on its frame, she was home too soon, I walk towards her and give her a welcoming hug, “Why so early?”

“There's been a... mishap, at the City Hall,” – She replied – “Involving Changelings who want Equestrian citizenship. I just came for lunch... Then I have to get back to work and stay until midnight.” She takes off her winter coat, Quehlanx hangs it next to the door.

“We were just talking about a similar subject, I could help you if you need, I don’t work today.” I wanted to help mom, after all she has done to feed us and keep us warm during winters, it is the least I can do.

We walk together to the kitchen, “Thank you dear, but I don’t think you can help in any way…” – We sit on the dining table and she notices my cards – “What a nice play you are having, Quehlanx.”

She approaches the kitchen as she answers, “That match is Oxford’s.” She reaches the kitchen counter, and begins to prepare a meal for everypony.

“You’ve been playing solitaire, Oxford?” – She grabs my hoof from across the table – “You know if you are bored, we could go for a walk someday.”

“I’m fine mom, I’ve just been thinking a about dad, we nearly don’t get any letters from him anymore, do you even speak to him?” I asked, she put both her front hooves on the chair, and looked down.

“He’s… working… hard,” She didn't convince me at all, there was something she was hiding from me, maybe so I wouldn't worry. She looked up again, “Quehlanx, is Landmarks sleeping?”

She pulled a knife from the cabinet and cut red peppers – “He is in his crib, I don't know if sleeping or not, but he has been really calm since I last checked him half an hour ago.”

Mom and I exchanged glances, "Maybe I should go check on him." she said.

"I want to check on him too," we both got up from the table and went up the stairs, the door was at the end of the hall, when we opened it, we saw him, standing over his crib next to the window, watching through it the snowflakes falling from the white winter sky, outside the window the streets were all covered with snow, and we could see a lot of houses and buildings, since we live in the top floor of a big department, "There he is."

The moment he noticed the warm light from the hallway, he turned around, leaned on the crib and smiled.

“Aww… how is my little cute Landymarky…” – Said affectionately, just like she used to talk to me when I was little, we both approached the crib and gave the little pony a closer look, yellow mustard mane and a dark red body – “With the colors of his father…” I swear I heard a little tone of misfortune, as if she didn't like those facts, I had to come up with something.

“Well, at least he has your beautiful emerald eyes.”

“Ay! Jealous of your little brother Oxford?” – She pushed me softly with her hoof – “I carried you for years, even before Quehlanx became our house maid, you had your golden times, now is his turn.”

We both laughed a little, and it felt good making her laugh. She carried Landmarks on her Right wing and brought him down the stairs, Quehlanx was preparing the table, she was already finishing cooking our meal.

When we all sat down, we talked about work and ate the delicious food that Quehlanx had prepared, my mother and brother laughed and smiled with joy, but finally, after lunch, my mother got up, put on her coat, said goodbye, and went to work.