PiE/HiE Short Stories - The Earth/Equus Treaties

The Abbey Of Dual Dawns, Equestria | Nestled Against The Forest At The Base Of Foal Mountain, Between Canterlot and Fillydelphia

A man by the name of Jacob Browns sits in a quiet, dimly-lit room. It's quaint, almost spartan, with how little actually resides within. Hoof-made wooden planks form the floor, while a similar material provides privacy in the form of wooden shutters on the windows. A single candle on the desk offers him light as he writes with a quill, occasionally dabbing it into a half-empty ink pot. The room is almost entirely quiet, mind for the odd scraping sound of quill on parchment. Mind for the desk he writes on, and the undersized stool he awkwardly sits upon, the only other furniture is a bed bearing a single pillow, a single sheet, and a small chest to contain personal items. Ascetic is certainly one of the words that comes to mind when one might view room such as this, and asceticism is a common theme throughout the entire Abbey. Though, his height didn't quite help the scale of the room, considering it was never built for one of his species. That's why, outside of writing, Jacob preferred being outdoors.

Jacob takes a moment, adjusting the simple, monk-like robes that adorn his body, tugging at the sleeve and re-folding it as it slips from it's tucked position to keep out of the ink. Forsaking the technology and conveniences of his old life hasn't been easy, his first few months within these walls not being the easiest for him. But, through persistence and assistance from the kind souls he shared the grounds with, there was a small smile that simply could not be removed from his face, no matter the hour.

Content with his robes no longer being in the way, he resumes his writing, ink scratching into the awaiting page. One of several, that he has dutifully taken to contributing to every day, without fail, to record his time as a guest within these walls.

A firm, polite knock at the door distracts him, Jacob failing to lift the quill in time, a blob of ink staining his page. He tsks, raising his arms as not to get it on himself.
"Nh... dang it. One moment!"

There's not much he can do in the case of cleanup, but a single stain wasn't worth discarding the paper. Carefully dabbing at it with a well-used rag, he recovers as much as he can before leaving his work out to dry, quenching the candlelight and slowly unfurling his sleeves as he reaches the door, light peering through the cracks and underneath it's frame. The bright morning light causes him to squint, eyes yet to adjust to anything more than a single candle.

"I hope I haven't disturbed you, Jacob?" A familiar, worried voice speaks up the moment that it's revealed. The Matron of this Abbey, and a kind soul who has remained a close friendship with him since he was graced an opportunity to live amongst them.

"No, it's alright Mother Marigold. Just spilt some ink." Jacob quickly replies, clearing his throat.

Mother Marigold was the current Matron of the Dual Dawn Abbey, and the benefactor that permitted his extended stay within their grounds. On the younger side for a Matron, her robes are nearly indistinguishable from the other Sisters that populate the place. Despite this, very few could ever mistake her for anything else. A Unicorn, her almost eggshell fur radiated in a sharp contrast to the dark habit and robes that adorned her body, her uniform and look effortlessly and beautifully kept each day without fail. Jacob had no idea what color her nor tail was, as she kept the former neatly tucked away underneath the band that wrapped around her horn and kept her habit in place. The latter, by her own admission, was cut and kept quite short, hidden underneath the skirt of her lengthy robe. Despite this, she was easily the most breathtaking creature in these grounds. Thick eyelashes that might put a model to shame, gorgeous emerald eyes that sparkled with a keen intellect, and a mindset of kindness and an enjoyment for life made her one of the most enjoyable ponies to converse with, always willing to discuss whatever was on the mind.

"My sincerest apologies if I was the cause, Jacob. I forget that you enjoy adding to your journal each morning by candlelight, and thought you were yet asleep."

"Not at all. I still have my slips, unfortunately." Jacob is quick to deny with raised hands, revealing the ink that yet stains them no matter how much he scrubs. Not wanting the kindest soul he's spoken to in the last half a year to feel guilt, he pushes the topic aside as quick as he can.
"The feather is a weird utensil, even after using it for my stay. Still used to pens. But nevertheless, how are you this morning?"

It works, Mother Marigold smiling.
"Ah, I see. I am well, thank you Jacob." She sighs quietly to herself, relieved, before continuing.

"While I am always glad to enjoy a conversation with you each morning,I believe you tasked me with reminding you about something?" She offers, tilting her head.
"Something about your... camera?"

"Ah! Yes, one moment." Jacob quickly ducks back into the room, cracking open the simple chest that sits at the edge of the bed. From between hard drives filled with photos of the Abbey and the surrounding region, and a few empty power-banks that had served their purpose, Jacob produces a rather contrasting object to the simple surroundings, holding a rather advanced, modern Earth camera for personal photography. He squints at the little screen as it boots up, checking the battery.

Thirty-eight percent. He was running low on spare power, but that should be enough for now. And if she agreed, it shouldn't take too much more. He got far more than he ever thought he did, and anything now was a plentiful boon.

"It's been some time since I last saw you use it. I still remember how excited you were, I had trouble trailing after you your first few weeks here, taking pictures of absolutely everything you could. Though the crowd of curious Sisters was often harder to push through than actually keeping up with you." Mother Marigold laughs to herself, before politely hiding behind a hoof.

Slinging it's strap over his shoulder, Jacob rejoins the Mother.
"Yes, I remember the excitement. You said it wasn't often that outsiders visited, but I'm glad they're used to me now. I got all the pictures I thought I needed some time ago... but I had a proposition I wanted to run past you."

"Oh? Would you care to join me on my morning rounds of the grounds, then? We can walk and discuss this idea of yours. Perhaps we can even rekindle our prior conversation?"

"That sounds wonderful."

Ducking through the doorframe and shutting the door, no lock is required. A polite word had been put around the Abbey to respect Jacob's belongings and privacy, and the Abbey held little tolerance for selfish or criminal behaviors.

The Abbey itself was quite large, a half-rectangle of stone walls constructed quite some time ago that stood well over the average Ponies, and even Human, in height, nearly a story tall. Well-trodden dirt paths carve through the kept grass that sparkles with a fresh dew, as the morning sun peers over the eastward mountains and forests that surround the Abbey, bathing it in a fresh, almost pink-tinted light. Already, the Abbey is abuzz with activity from the Sisters dutifully partaking in their morning duties, all dressed similarly to Mother Marigold. Several buildings, not including the sizeable chapel that sits center-stage, tucked in the back of the Abbey, are connected with these paths, with the space between them all decorated by a variety of bushes and flowers, with the space tree when the grounds were particularly open.

Not that it was never truly not quietly thrumbing with the signs of life, thanks to the rotational hours that the Sisters would partake in. Every week, they would shift their time of schedule forward by two hours. So a Sister going to bed at ten, would then go to bed at twelve the next week. Then at two in the morning. Then at four, and so on. This was one of the many alterations to live for those that chose to embrace this way of life, to the means of perpetuating an appreciation of both the Day, and the Night, brought about by the two Princesses of their nation. Then, once every six months, or twice a year, each Sister would be given stark new hours that they had to adapt to, entirely changing their sleep schedule and duties, as part of a challenge of self.

When he first arrived, Jacob hadn't participated in the rotating schedule, mostly so that he could meet each face that lay within the walls. But after a few months, and a coincidental lineup of hours with Mother Marigold, she convinced him to participate in their rhythmic changes alongside her.

The building the pair leaves behind is quite small in comparison, a small storage building for goods, foods and supplies that had one of it's spare rooms cleared out and refitted for Jacob to stay in, as the Abbey was beheld to some particular protocols regarding how the differing genders were to be bunked.

A pair of Sisters carefully slinging sacks of oats onto the others backs from one of the rooms adjacent to Jacob's place of stay, pause their morning task of preparing breakfast to greet Mother Marigold and Jacob.

"Good morning, Mother! Hello Brother Jacob!" The bright-pink furred one pipes up excitedly.
"Mother, Brother. Morning." The other, more muted yellow-furred Sister nods politely.

"Sister Dives, Sister Profits." Mother Marigold nods her head in turn, greeting each with a smile.
"Hello, Sisters." Jacob adds, before the pair carry onward.

"Oats." Jacob hums, fiddling with his camera. "Oatmeal."

"You'll survive, I expect?" Their more simplistic approach to meals was somewhat permanently altered by Jacob's stay, with some diversity added to their meals to assist in his health, and a general appreciation for more foodstuffs by the Sisters. However, these relief on uncommon shipments from Canterlot, which only came every few months. So every arrival, the first few weeks enjoyed fresher goods, before things slowed down until the next shipment. The Sisters still grow their own vegetables and fruits on the grounds, visible to their side in the wide open field that sits surrounded by the various buildings, a few Sisters already toiling the field who stop and wave to the passing Matron.

"I appreciate the efforts you take to ensure my diet isn't neglected. I'll survive Oats." Jacob assures, smiling as he waves alongside.

"Of course it does, Jacob. You know how some of the Sisters enjoy having you around."

"How has your picture-taking been going, by the way?" Mother Marigold asks, turning her attention back to him, tilting her head. The two slowly following the dirt path past the Chapel, headed towards the longer, bunkhouse structure of where the Sisters stay.
"I haven't seen you with your camera around the grounds recently. Have you gotten all you've needed?"

"Uh... yes, but also, that directly relates to the proposition I wanted to talk to you about. I've gotten all the pictures I need of places around the Abbey, the buildings itself, the mountain, the forest..."

"Mmhm. I never thought this place would be so thoroughly documented, but you were quite intense in your approach, though your choice of camera still confuses me. As far as I remember, cameras produce a little picture out the bottom, do they not? That you... wave around and such?"

"We use digital cameras, which have a lot more convenience and utility than those styles... the only problem is, they're often somewhat dependent on the rest of the technologies that Earth has created. I've been working through the images on my laptop, altering them, improving them, removing the extras... but I only brought so many powerbanks with me, and without electricity, I'm starting to reach the limit of what else I can do here."

"So to say, you may need to go back on Earth to continue your work, yes?"

"Correct." Jacob notes, catching the somber look that takes Mother Marigold's face as she looks forward.

"I see. That is... unfortunate. I was looking forward to seeing the results of your toiling, as were the girls." She notes, nodding at another Sister who passes by them.

"Well, that's one part of the thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"And what might...oh, one moment, Jacob." Mother Marigold cuts herself off, trotting a few steps off the path towards the Sister's bunkhouse, where a small gathering of the Sisters are chatting in a circle close to the entrance.

"Ladies? Do we have things to be doing this morning?" She calls, a light but stern tone ringing out. The moment it's heard, several of the Sisters flinch or freeze up, their gazes snapping over.

"O-of course Mother! Sorry, Mother!" One quickly yips, grabbing a bucket with her teeth and taking off towards the well in the far corner of the Abbey.
"Yes Mother!" Another, shorter Sister quickly bolts back inside.
Another three offer no words, quickly escaping in various directions to tackle their various tasks. The final two that remain, however, only slowly turn and politely nod to the Mother, likely in their relaxation hours of their day, and meaning to go to bed soon.

"Good morning, Mother. Brother Jacob." A deep-purple mare with a single strand of mane peering out of her habit says, looking to her other.
"Out for your rounds, Mother Marigold? Oh -- your camera, Brother Jacob? Are you taking pictures again?" A mare with soft, orange fur perks up excitedly.

"Sister Gambles, Sister Yarn. Try not to distract the early-waking Sisters too much, will you?" Mother Marigold 'scolds', though there's no real venom to her words. Both readily nod, looking down.
"Apologies, Mother."
"Sorry!"

"I may be, Sister. I've an idea that I'm going to discuss with Mother Marigold, before I return home." Jacob explains, jostling the camera hanging around his neck.

Both visibly sadden at the news, though Sister Yarn frowns considerably.
"You're leaving us, Brother Jacob? Why?"

"We knew when he arrived that he would not be staying, Sister. He has been a guest -- a kind, polite one that shall be missed -- but a guest nonetheless." Mother Marigold explains, though her gaze floats up to him as she speaks his praises, even her own usually stoic face taking a saddened expression.

"It's been good having you, Br--... Jacob." Sister Gambles politely bows, before nudging Sister Yarn.
"It has. Be well." Sister Yarn adds, though her sad down-look keeps with her even as the pair wander off.

As they watch the two depart, Mother Marigold looks at Jacob, nodding for him to follow as they resume their previous course, returning to the path.

"I do hope you're not offended by my words, or my interruption, Jacob." She comments, watching him.

"Not at all, Mother Marigold. I was going to ask, actually, "Why have they started calling me Brother?"

Mother Marigold purses her lips, taking a moment to think over her words, though Jacob notices how she still watches the various windows to the Sister's bunkhouse as they pass, even as they converse.
"There was tentative, even apprehensive feelings towards you when you first arrived, Jacob. I'm glad to say most, if not all of the Sisters have come around to you being in the Abbey, and some have chosen to express that by offering you an equal title. That's quite rare, considering."

"What do you mean?" Jacob asks. That's very sweet of them, but he doesn't quite understand everything she's saying.

Mother Marigold slows, tapping her chin with a hoof, sighing loudly.

"Well... if I must say it bluntly Jacob, you're the only male that lives within the Abbey. Or has lived within the Abbey, and may likely be the only one to. The Sisters have grown quite fond of you, and I'm sure you've seen the odd... gossiping gaze that tends to linger wherever throughout the Abbey you wander."

"Wait, really?" Jacob asks, more than a little surprised. The Sisters had always been friendly to him, following the expected roughness of the first month or so, but the reasoning was a little unexpected considering the location. Or maybe Jacob just wasn't aware of the reality of his surroundings.

"They're young girls, Jacob. Of course they gossip about the only male they see." Mother Marigold enjoys a soft laugh at his expense, before continuing to lead him further, towards the study. Just beyond the Sisters bunkhouse, a sturdy, sizable square building home to a large amount of historical knowledge lay. Within, the Sisters transcribed older scrolls and texts, copied existing ones, and would often employ themselves as scribes to write or duplicate books upon commission, all to fund the Abbey. After the books were approved by Mother Marigold, of course.

"Forgive me if this is a poorly worded question, but you're young for a Matron, are you not?" Jacob asks, intrigued by the discussion at hand. When he had heard he'd be taken care of by the Mother of the Abbey, he'd expected someone... well, a fair amount older, and far more wrinkled. In comparison to his expectations, Mother Marigold was startingly young. Not that he was complaining.

She casts him a playful look, smirking. An acknowledgement of his irregular, if reasonably traced choice of topic, but one she seems willing enough to play along with.

"You are correct, Jacob. I took over Matronship this convent following the late Mother Juvial's passing. As she was unable to procure another, I, as the Sister holding the second-most senority at the time, was chosen by my peers to lead them. And so I have, for the last three years.

"Ah. I see. That's... quite respectable." Jacob adds, before looking forward. "There was really no other Sister older than you?"

Her brow raises, giving him a look.

"Oh. Sorry." He offers quietly, scratching his neck. "I meant, you're... so young for a Matriarch. We have similar covens on Earth, but the leadership is usually... much older than... I think you are."

"It's fine, Jacob." She giggles, almost uncharacteristically so, before continuing.
"No, amusing as you may find it, there wasn't. When Mother Juvial passed, the other Sisters looked to me, and I rose to take her place as the Matriarch."

When Jacob doesn't say anything else and allows an unusual silence between them, her gaze, ever still coy, finds it's way to his face.
"...You're trying to find the right way to ask about my age, aren't you?"

The sheepish look he makes only proves her guess right, eye contact a thing of the past now, even as they pass by the Study with little issue, ending closer to the edge of the fields as they're tended.

"...Very well." She hums, shaking her head. "Colts. Always the same, be it two legs or four. Thirty-one, Jacob."

"That's..."

Her brow raises.

"... I swear you don't look a day over twenty."

She scoffs, giving him a look that could only say 'really?'.
"Mhm. Alright, Jacob. What might your proposal indicate? Or is it related to my age?"

"No, no, not at all. Uh..." He stutters as he tries to find the words, fumbling for the camera around his neck.

...

Sitting on the quiet bench a short distance from the path, Mother Marigold contemplates his words. Jacob tentatively joins in beside her, fingers fidgeting against his knees as he waits for her answer.

"An individual photo of each Sister?" Mother Marigold finally repeats, eyes widening with a surprising interest in the idea.
"Princesses know the Sisters will certainly enjoy the idea. I can see why you wanted to say it away from the others."

"My plan was to have each Sister display or show something they enjoy within the Abbey, to give some life to the pictures beyond simple stills of buildings or distant, mid-task shots. Something that shows they're human. Or, uh... pony." Jacob continues to explain.
"To add to my article about the place. I know it's not really a gift or anything, but it's something I wanted to do as a thanks, before I headed back home."

"Hm. You know Jacob, I quite like the idea. It's rather sweet of you, and I think it will be well received. How should we handle it? Will it take long?"

"If you permit me a chance to bother a Sister at a time, it might only take me a few days to ensure no-one is missed." Jacob guesses, holding up his camera and checking the lens.
"And I thought... who better to start with than you, Mother Marigold?"

"Me?" She asks, giving him a once-over.

"None of this would have gone as well without you. You've not only been instrumental, but absolutely wonderful to work with. I thought I'd reserve the honor of first for you." His explanation is short, sweet, but the smile on his face is genuine. His stay was only as great as it was thanks to Mother Marigold, and he was more than happy to consider her a friend.

Mother Marigold seems touched by the comment, offering a sad smile and a hoof to her own covered chest.
"It will be sad to see you go, Jacob, as both I and the Sisters wish you could stay, but I'm ever so glad you were here. That's very sweet of you. So... how should we do this?"

"Well, how would you like your picture taken? Where, doing what? If you need some time to think about it, I can wait."

"Hm... her lips purse, her gaze drifting over a few of the buildings. He can see the contemplation on her face as she considers each. The Study, the Chapel, the entire open grounds of the Abbey... her gaze doesn't linger long over the bunkhouse, though he sees that she stares for a long moment at the little storage building he's called home for nearly a year now.

Finally, she looks to him. He's not sure if that's her coy or playful face, but it seems she has an idea.
"I think I've figured out what I'd like for you to remember me by, Jacob. Come with me."

...

Leading him behind the Chapel, there's a quaint garden that rounds it's out of sight edges, away from any paths and out of sight from the other Sisters, through a combination of locational convenience, and numerous hedges and trees that impair outside visuals. Though, the path she took him to reach this place was a little irregular, keeping to the walls and avoiding the other Sisters until they were out of sight, but Jacob didn't think too much of it. She might just be embarrassed.

"Perfect spot, Mother Marigold. I remember seeing you tend these flowers a good number of times... I can't think of a better place." Truthfully, for the Matriarch, he expected something in front of or inside the Chapel, to display her status and her leadership. This was... it felt very personal.

Mother Marigold centers herself in the middle of this little outcropping, tentatively standing, albeit a little awkwardly, as Jacob takes a knee and starts flicking through his camera's options.

"I'm... afraid I'm not familiar with posing for such things. Is this alright?" She asks, just kind of... standing there.

"Sure, but you don't have to be afraid of it. I'm going to take more than one, so it's not some big scary singular picture. Relax, get comfortable and have some fun with it." Jacob instructs, bringing the camera up to his face, adjusting the lens and popping the cap off.

"Oh, you're taking several?" She asks, if a little startled, tilting her head.

"Yes. The camera takes many pictures very quickly, and later I'll go through and pick out the best on my laptop." He explains, giving her a thumbs up from behind the camera.

"Ah, I see. Okay..." She clears her throat, looking over herself as she tries to decide. Quietly, her embarrassment seems to grow as she looks herself, and her chosen position over, trying to decide. She goes from merely standing to raising her head and puffing her chest, but decides that's not quite it. Then, she sits, partially hidden behind the draping edge of her habit, though this one gets a giggle out of her.
"I feel like a schoolfilly again, this is... silly." She sighs.

"Did you want to stop?" Jacob prompts, peeking out from behind the camera.

"No, no, I... hm. Perhaps I do have an idea." Mother Marigold tsks, taking another glance around.

Jacob follows her gaze, as she ensures they're alone. Then...

Jacob's jaw drops when he looks back to Mother Marigold. There's a fierce blush taking her face, but she's... posing. One hoof over her chest, sat on the ground, one of her back hooves is stretches outward as she arches her pack, a pout taking her lips as a half-lidded, dangerous stare meets Jacob.

His jaw is still open when Jacob hits the capture button, the camera shuttering quietly as it takes several pictures at once. Recognizing the sound, Mother Marigold then switches her stance.

She leans down on all fours, resting her head against the top of her forehooves as her rear lifts slightly, widening her rear hooves. A tilted, coy expression meets Jacob's continually shocked look, but the camera shutters with a rampant clicking as it captures more. Somehow, the way her robes cover everything, but the creases in them highlight the curvature that lays underneath... it's an entirely new sphere of eroticism through imagination.

She's getting emboldened by his reaction, despite the flush that's clear on both of their cheeks. She slowly stands, dragging her hooves across the grass in an almost sensual motion, before borderline strutting towards him, one hoof crossing over the other, her downcast face still staring right at him through half-closed eyes. She walks right up to him, the camera shuttering and catching an egregiously flirtatious expression, until she's so close that she pushes the camera aside herself. The barrier between them removed, a slow smile creeps across her lips as they close even further.

"Remember, Jacob... I said these were for you to remember me by. It's best none of these end up in your article, I think we can agree? And... of course, don't tell the Sisters. They don't need to hear of their Matriarch getting up to such things." She slowly explains, almost teasingly, as her hoof slowly trails his leg.

Words are the last thing Jacob could find at the moment, resorting to quickly nodding. He swallows hard, managing to stutter something out.
"I uh... I thought Sisters couldn't get into, u-uh..."

"You know... I actually haven't taken any vows against such a thing. Beyond consummation, I am not bound by celibacy or any such rules." Mother Marigold educates him, enjoying his flustered expression.

"O-oh."

"You seem flustered in discovering this, Jacob. Did you happen to feel a certain way about me? I notice you've gone quite red." She comments, teasing. It'd be funny to point out how she's just as red in the face as he is, yet she's the one pushing through it to tease him, while he's a melting mess. Nine months of reserved living and minimal flirting, only to be assailed by an egregiously, aggressively sensual woman at the top of a forbidden chain. Or... not so forbidden, apparently, if he was to consider marriage.

Was he? Forgetting Earth and returning to a quiet life of asceticism? Well, a life with...

"Perhaps when you return to us, there will be a better spot waiting for you. One not in a storage room, but one closer to my chambers, so we may resume these..." Mother Marigold knows her exact choice of words, as if an agenda plagues her actions.

She leans forward, hoof against his chest, as she inches ever closer. Her lips, almost trembling in anticipation, gently press against his as she leans into him. Marigold's stance of nearly standing on him, using his legs as supports for his hooves gives her height extra height over him, practically kissing downward and forcing his head up.

It's a sensation he never expected in his time here, nor from Mother Marigold, with Jacob being at a loss for words as she slowly pulls away, the plush warmth of her presence hover just so tantalizingly close. Over just as quickly as it arrived.

"So, when do you think you'll be back?" Mother Marigold asks, that playful, coy smile returning to her face. A single strand of surprisingly ruby-red hair is peeking through a slip in her hair-band.

"I... didn't know you had such red hair." He mumbles.

"Try not to avoid the question, will you?" She prods him, though her smile only gets wider.

"Sorry. Uh... a month or two. Maybe one, if you're vouching for me on this side of the portal."

"Of course. I'm looking forward to welcoming you back, Brother Jacob." She pecks his cheek, slowly stepping off of him as she tucks her stray strand of mane away, staring at him expectantly.
"Shall we inform the Sisters of your proposal with the pictures, and your plans to return soon?"

Jacob's heart is thundering on his chest, weighing the consequences of what just occurred.

... He could probably finish his article and be back in three weeks or so. Yeah. She was worth it.