Sweet smells were adrift in the open air, as they managed to find their way through the open window of the unicorn's bedroom, trying to find his nose. As it made its way through the modestly vacant room, it mindlessly made contact with his face. It was trying to garner his attention with the scent of morning dew, from the warming weather around him.
Glacial blue eyes slowly woke to a world fading into existence. The ceiling was all they saw for quite some time before consciousness took reign of his mind.
‘Ever, the sore path I travel… Quite a fool says I.’ He sighed before getting up. ‘Must I wake from the slumbering death of the ego?’ He said solemnly before trotting over to the open window, slumping his head onto the windowcill, looking out towards the frosted emerald sea of grass below him. ‘Oh, how I am entranced by the sun's warming embrace. As thee effortlessly makes thy way to the zenith of mine ocean blue sky. How is it, that thee has command over life? I only ask this, for I am beset with uncertainty, over how ye be the only celestial to crater life… Oh, how wonderful this is, for I long to seek out thy secrets, my dear sun. Maybe morrows of years to come, shall ye tell us them. Till then, I shall make mine own joy from thee’s rays, gliding over the slippery verglas on the very beryl sea below me.’
The unicorn made his drift up lethargically toward the distant tundra-covered mountain range with his vision, as the sun rose to greet the new day. Making the regal snow reflect the sunrise deep into the stallion's cornea, blinding him temporarily. ‘Beast of a thing!’ he squirmed away from the ray of sunlight. ‘I wake, I wake. Must you be so boarish? Ye be only frosted water, yet, ye hold power over the reflection of sunlight. Ye be quite a bountiful heap of water, for, If I get there, so help me-’ he was cut off by a gentle rapping at his door.
‘Master Berath, you have been summoned by Her Majesty. She expects you forthwith, for she is in quite the mood. Make haste and do not dawdle like you usually do.’ Said a muffled voice, as it emanated from the other side.
‘Yes, thank you, Silver. I will go now’ Berath said anxiously. He took a deep breath and placed a hoof on the brass doorknob. He stood there for a moment, ‘Why this early? Why me? What could it be?’ He asked himself as he let go of the breath and opened the door.
He let the door swing open slowly as he stood frozen, trapped inside his room. ‘Come now’ he spoke to himself softly, ‘She, be only in a mood. Nothing more.’ He gazed down towards the floor and then his forelegs. They felt woozy from the anxiety of hearing about the queen's current condition. ‘Berath, come now. You must make haste, for, if thee arrives late, then there will be no end of her!’ said the inner self of him, as it tried to encourage him to move his forelegs. With yet another deep breath in, he moved his body from the confines of his room. ‘There’ said his inner self again ‘small encroachments help make the difference.’
One hoof made it past the doorway leading to a hallway, then a second, a third, and even his fourth hoof stood outside, the confines of his tyrannical room. ‘Better?’ Asked his inner self, he nodded ‘Yes, much.’ He replied to the thin air surrounding him.
‘Who are you talking to, Master Berath?’ Asked a quiet voice beside him.
‘Oh, it’s only you, Rose Petal’ he replied shocked by the sudden noise. ‘Sorry, I was talking to myself. Just a um, pep talk? I think. Yes, it was a pep talk with myself.’
Rose nodded ‘Ah, I see. If I may be so bold, Master Berath, would it be because Her Majesty has sought you out?’ Rose asked.
Berath nodded in kind ‘Yes, you are very correct on that. Say, would you know what it may be about? Also, would you be so kind to trot with me? I do wish to have company right now.’ Bearth asked as he closed his bedroom door.
Rose pondered for a moment ‘The rose garden has been kept with… I would love to keep you company’ he grinded softly.
‘Please, after you.’ Berath gestured for Rose to walk ahead of him a little.
‘Thank you, Master B-’ Rose was interjected
‘Just Berath, please.’ He smiled at Rose, as he caught up to him.
‘Thank you, Berath… I must say, it is quite different to be addressing you as just, Berath. Would I not be jailed if I were to be caught saying so?’ Rose asked as he looked behind him.
‘Not at all. I’d dare say that any horse holding any qualm about it, shall speak to me directly of it. So please breathe easy at that knowledge, my friend’ Berath stated matter of factly.
‘Oh, well then, thank you. In all my time serving your family, you have been the only one to treat me like an equal. May I ask, why is that?’ Rose pondered.
‘Well, I too, have been treated like a servant to those we call royalty. Yet, I do see all of you. You bust your flanks from dawn to dusk, ensuring they are kept happy and calm… Well, it was very kind of you to spend time with me, Rose. I fear this is where we part ways.’
Rose looked ahead of them and saw the entrance to the throne room ‘It was a pleasure Berath. Please, come by the greenhouse. We can have tea if that would please you.’ He offered, Berath nodded.
‘I would love that, now please make yourself scarce.’ Berath commanded, Rose obeyed, and left him to enter, what Rose would call, the pit of hell.
‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Though, this venture grates mine soul’ his inner self blurted out. As the sound reverberates around his skull. Berath grunted softly as he left the once safe hallway, and made his way to the now fear-inducing throne room.
‘Come now, proper stature. You are royalty, behave as such.’ Demanded his inner self.
‘I know, I know.’ Grunted Berath softly to himself, as he made his way to be face-to-face with the queen of Equeen.
‘Berath, you finally decided to show that putrid face of yours?’ said the queen.
‘Thy call was sent out for me, mine queen?’ Berath bowed slowly.
‘Yes, yes, formalities and all.’ She weakly waved her hoof at him. ‘Get up you cur. Tis bad enough you have my blood in you.’
‘How can I be most of use, mine queen?’ Berath said calmly, trying not to let his aggression show.
‘There has been quite a disturbance down in Evercrest. I require a pony that can get me answers.’ Maleverlance shone in her eyes ‘You happen to be the very pony I require, quite convenient, wouldn’t you say?’ Her snout bore an evil grin.
Berath looked deep into her eyes ‘That look! Thee ask quite the toll on mine soul. Please, I beg, I beg thee with all of mine heart, do not send me. For I do not wish to-’
‘You will go and you will conduct your tactics. You are the Queen’s son, are you not?’ She cut him off abruptly.
‘Well, yes, but I-’
‘Then you shall do it… Your brother is waiting for you, now move that hideous visage and BEGONE.’ She commanded.
Facing the fact that he could never win an argument against her, he capitulated and bowed. ‘May I request something?’ He asked as he got back up.
‘Maybe, it all depends on what you ask of me, runt.’ She snorted.
‘May I take, one of the servants with me?’ He asked semi-quietly.
‘Oh? And do what with them?’ She demanded.
‘To keep an extra copy of mine findings. Nothing more.’ He smiled weakly.
‘Very well, who shall it be then?’ She asked dully.
‘Rose Petal, mine queen. He is quite apt at this sort of thing, and I could get him to bring back some new flowers for thy garden.’ He stated calmly.
‘Very well, Silver!’ she yelled
‘Yes, Your Highness?’ Silver’s words were smooth. They sounded like they could drown you in oil, forcing your head under without any effort.
‘Bring Rose Petal to the front gate, and make sure he has the correct saddle bags.’ She cooed back.
Silver bowed slightly before moving away from the throne room.
‘Thank you moth-’ Berath said, not thinking.
‘GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!’ She commanded.
Berath scrambled away from the throne room, trying to escape the queen’s wrath. Her outburst caused his inner self to shake softly from fear.
‘Please, thee must open those front doors. They are the entrance to the outside world, the very world that shields thee from her tyranny.’ His inner self pleaded.
‘I know!’ He scolded himself, ensuring he collided with the front doors to the castle, forcing them open. ‘I know, I know, I KNOW!’ He screamed to the sky, once he made it outside.
‘Calm thyself!’ His inner voice tried Softly speak. ‘Thee be out of her grasp. So breathe deeply, The outside world awaits!’
Berath looked around his surroundings and saw that he was outside, yet, his racing mind would not have any of the sights he saw. Instead, it pushed him to gallop down the main path from the Castle to the front gate.
Everything blended and blurred into each other as he made his way past them. His eyes were fixated on the image of the gate, his inner self showed him.