The throneroom was bright orange from the disappearing sun, shining its last light directly into the room as to calm everypony inside. One of the royal sisters sat in the throne very ill at ease from the dreadfull topic she was discusing. “There have been reports of disappearances near our former Castle in the Everfree Forest, investigate this strange abnormality at once so the ponies of Everfree don’t need to live in fear of never seeing the sun or the moon again.” Her voice was clear, but her words felt like they had been repetitioned far to many times. Her eyes glared inpatiently as if their irisses burned discomfort into her visitor. “What ponies? There are no villages in that unsacred patch of trees and mudd.” The prinsess sighed at such harsh but treu presumptions. ”My wise sister advised me there is potential for living in that.. that interesting landscape, there is one village called Elludora.” The prins raised his chin in denail as the royal mare pushed on. “You are a high standing unicorn, you should be capable of finding this out without any incidents.” The statuesque stallion looked taken aback. “But what if my atire gets besmearched, can’t you send that lazy brother of yours?” If she wasn’t iritated yet, she definitely would have been now. The cockey white royal stood before one of his aunts, ready to dismiss her every suggestion. “If I may say so, your jounger sibling always acts like a complete ruffian when in my presence.” It had been centuries ago that a much lesser being succeeded in destroying her compasion towards her subjects like this. She narrowed her eyes. ”You’re right, our brother could do this much better that you ever could. This task is far to hard for one with you’re incompetence.” She held her hoof to her mouth to keep a chuckle from reuning this comical reversed-phsigiologicly based mockery. His eyes went wide when his mind processed the insulting comment. “I am far better than that drowzy colt! Nonetheless, I won’t miss such a regal event as the wedding of a prinsess and a captain of the Royal Guard.” The prinsess looked mortified at the thought of planning the wedding and bleubloods presence as well. Too bad that he’s a part of the nobles. “very well, I’ll send my brother to investigate, I don’t think he would go to the wedding anyway seeing the fact that he never goes to any big event. To damn shy.” The princesses nefiew looked surprised at his aunt, not knowing she had that kind of vocabular. The co-ruler of equestria blushed a little at that sudden outburst.
Her attention went skyward when she saw two ears disapear into a darkness filled hole in the cealing, a stone slab closed the opening. She rolled her eyes knowing exacly what would happen next as she walked outside already agrivated. It wasn’t the most helpful thing to be twice the size of a normal pony, she was too big for the little passageway into the single most highest castletower of canterlot. She had to fly all the way up there and hope the balcony wasn’t locked. Meanwhile two ponies where crawling and gigling through the thight space between the cealing of the throneroom below and the floor of the studyroom above. A mare was sliding through small corners like a pathfinder going through a maze. She saw something sneak by in the tunnel in front of her, then she heared something behind her. Lurking at her in unnerving amusement. In an instant it was upon her. It’s victim let out a high “Squee” “Come on, hurry up weaver! If the princess finds out that you aren’t in you’re room, she will send me to the moon. Hihi.. stop tickling me, we have to hurry!” The joung dark red haired colt had already crawled ontop of the ferosiosly gigling mare, relentlessly tickling her with her limbs flailing past his head. She was pinned with her back against the floor and the other pony ontop off her. He skillfully moved his hooves over her sides to encourage her to weep even louder. “No, lets play some more.” He said in a childish tone. He was suddenly thrown on his back with the armor plated mare barely two inches from his muzzel atop of him with a big grin in her face. Her beautifull green eyes glistening in the darkness, locking his gaze upon her. “Okay, just a little longer.” She said nuzzeling him and moving her head down his neck and down his body, she placed her mouth at the right angle and blew air out of her lungs onto the colts jet-black belly. The suprising itchy feeling on his chest made it unbeareble for him to keep in his chuckle. the laughing eccoëd through the small space between the two stone rooms as if somepony was laughing atop of there lungs. Starswhipe moved back eye to eye with the one she was ordered to guard, in some dusty secret tunnel. “Hey Dreamy, we really need to go now or else we will get in trouble.” She said with a slightly worried smile. Her friend nodded as both ponies crawled on through the dark area to a black rectangle shape in the wall with white light seeping out its edges. They pushed agains it as it gave in. in the hall stood a guard hungry for exitement and ready to investigate anything that could look suspiciouse. His pleadings where answered as a guard and an alicorn crawled out under a small furnished bench mere hoofsteps next to him. They greeted him as he perked his head up from his inner drowsyness waving to the two in confusion. “Hi Silvercloud, you saw nothing alright?” He looked under the bench. “Sure” As his eyes hit the stone he emediatly noticed the opening beneath the edge of the wall, he had to investigate this.
Dreamweaver and Starswhipe ran through the castle like two teenagers full of sugar and ideas as they ran up the narrow stairs. They reached the upper stairs huffing and puffing from the abundance of stairsteps. The resident took in a small breath of air, opened his door and wing-propelled himself with a swandive onto his bed. He brushed up against his bed when he felt something strange. Out of sheer habit he refused himself to look at what exactly he was leaning against. Instead he closed his eyes and brushed his face along an extremely soft surface as he felt a feathery blanket whirl around him wich couldn’t have been any bigger than his own. He felt legs curve around him into a snug hug, It felt warm, cosey but most of all, it felt safe. He opened his eyes to see what had expired when he closed his eyes, he seemed to be laying on his bed cuddled up against his big sis Luna with his muzzel resting under her chin and a dark-bleu wing draped over his body. “Are you feeling comfortable laying on a bed with you’re favourite big sister?” Luna chuckled while her sibling’s blush became visible, the akward moment was only met with an embarrased nod from the enveloped alicorn. Then he noticed the rest of the rooms occupatiants, Starswhipe stood in the doorway with a face overruled by an expression of horror and confusement looking in the direction of the balcony. In the with magic forcefully opened balconydoors stood Celestia with a face of pure amusement from the sight of her brother and sister huddled up together. Something clicked in his head. “Luna, Celestia.. what are you both doing here?” Luna looked surprised at Celestia, confused by her pressence. Celestia made a suggestive expression and motioned Luna to begin her part of the story. Luna blushed, slightly annoyed at Celestia for even thinking about suggestioning that “that” could even be a plausible option. She looked back at weaver in her arms and shyley explained herself. “I-I knew you’d jump on you’re bed the second you would enter you’re room, because.. well.. this is the most comfy bed in all of Canterlot. And I thought it would be perfect for a prank.” Luna layed her head on Dreamweaver’s pillow making a wire above them move. a falling bucket of water fell from a shelve above them and was cought in mid-air by Celestia’s yellow magic. “But what about the cuddeling little sister, do you want to confess something to us?” Celestia gigled like a schoolfilly with a naughty smile painted on her figure. Luna blushed heavely but also showed a small sign of discust. “We’re family if you didn’t remember and besides, why do you cuddle with your Loyal Student?” Celestia’s laughing instantly fell silent, she frowned at the low-blow from her royal aquaintance. “It was only a joke..” Starswhipe facehoofed and decided it was best not to get involved in family issues, she closed the door and fell flat on the couch next to it. “just so you three know, I have to take care of some family busness so I can’t guard Weaver these couple of days.” Luna looked up from her place “around” dreamweaver. “But who will guard our fiercy little adventurer while we plan the wedding” Luna nuzzled Weaver’s cheek but was pushed away by a black hoof. “I’m not little, I’m the same height as you. With the wedding over a couple of days it will mean that I’ll be bored as buck.” Said the petronised colt. Celestia scoweld him for using that kind of language, but felt good to have a solution for the problem. “Dreamweaver what did I tell you about decency with your vocabulary, and besides.. you don’t need to go to the wedding, My reason for being here is that I know you heared the conversation with bleublood. I don’t have to explain it again do i?” Starswhipe jumped up from her lying position panicking. “You where serious about that? It’s not safe for him to run around all the way out there! I won’t allow it.” Both sisters looked at eachother before Celestia whispered something in Luna’s ear: “Looks like you have competition little sister.” Dreamweaver who was still cuddling with his Luna hissed at Celestia in a hushed tone. ”Will you stop it already.” Celestia spoke up. “okay okay.. anyhow afterwards Weaver will probably just go to that Pie-family farmhouse one of my subjects Pinkie Pie spoke off, staying there till after the wedding, do you approve of that miss star?”Celestia gave her brother a playfull wink. The ocupators of the room talked for some time when one saw the light. Starswhipe looked as if she just had the best idea ever. She turned to Luna who was still cluching the comfy colt in her hooves. “Princess Luna, could you go check on him.. at the day of the wedding?” A barely audiable moan came from the guardian of the moon. “I guess I could..” starswhipe’s face brightened as the sky light outside faded, her eyes nearly glowing bright green. “Well, I’m off to prepair for my family thing. Goodbye.” She ran with a quick dash towards the balcony, jumping off and spreading her wings. The moon crept above the horizon, they had talked for quite a while. Luna’s horn barely glowed at raising it. Dreamweaver looked celestia in the eye. “I’ll figure out what is happening in everfreeforest.” Celestia nodded. “I’m sure you will, I’m off to bed.” Luna released the young pony from her grip. “And my shift begins in half-an-hour.” Weaver looked as luna appropriately left through the door and Celestia just leapt from the balcony. Luna turned around stepping back in closing the balconydoors when she asked: “What exacly am I checking up on during the wedding?” The now at ease resident simply waved her goodby with a smile on his face. She got the hint as left the room. “Luna had been acting weard towards every colt and stallion she had met these past two days. “I have read a book that discribed Luna’s behavior.. I still don’t get it.” The dark shadow never lighted the candles even once since he had lived here, he liked the darkness for some reason. The now sleepy pony laid his head to rest on the pillow. “splash” he sighted as he threw the bucket formaly containing the water to the other side of the room. He levitated the water out of his pillow, blanket and cover and into a small sink next to the empty bucket and the bookshelves. His counsiousness started to slip away without a thing to worry about, he would get his big sis back for this, but not now.
ch. 3 Calmth before the storm
The pony layed quetly in his bed as his balcony doors opened by a gush of wind and a whispered invitation entered the dark room. Dreamweaver’s eyes opened slowly from an unfamiliër aura around his body wich chilled him to the bone. He found himself in a foggy room seeïng close to nothing as he got up slowly from his slumber. A figure of a unicorn could be seen in the mysterious mist, however upon walking closer the figure vanished. the faint whisper became clear as the words made weaver’s spine chiver with a sense of utter dread. “Stay away, he who comes to seek explaination will perish under the truth that holds the nightmare.” the threathened soon-to-be adventurer was blinded by an eye scorching flash. Once again his ocean bleu eyes shot open. it was not the foggy room that met his vision, his mind bathered by mental stress couldn’t obscure his vision. A splitting headache made it feel worse, but it was alarming non the less. Dreamweaver layed in Celestia’s bed with the prinsess of the sun next to him, she was looking at him with concern. “Do you feel alright little brother?” The worn out colt looked at his large sibling with doubt about his realisation of what proceeded in his dream last night. “Why am I here, what’s wrong?” she cleared her throat in preperation for the shocking news. “w-well.. a guard heared some schreeching noise come from your tower last night and thus went to investigate, when he reached your room he saw a big dragon shaped figure made from the shadows themselves fly out of your balcony doors. The whole room was litteraly torn to pieces as if a butcherpony had trained his skills on everything but you, he alerted me emediatley. so I teleported you here.” It took the jet-black alicorn a minute to prosses the boulder of information his dear sister had laid upon him, he had to know what was in that forest. “we can’t renovate your room because of the wedding preperations but it looks fine from the outside, are you really alright?” he faked a smile when he nodded. “sure, I’ll get my armour and supplies. How long till the wedding?” celestia got out off bed wearing a contemplative face. “twilight will come in two days soooo.. in about four days.” Celestia said contentley. Dreamweaver shook the dream-related headache off of his list of attention demanding subjects and ran past celestia towards the royal armory.
The armoury was packed with hoofsoldiers, scouts and other types of guards. Everypony in the list of guard duty seemed a lot more armoured than usualy. The young omnivour ran to his locker, grabing a bronz ancient looking set of pegasusgear whorn by the first royal captain ever to have served under the royal alicorn sisters. It wasn’t the best defence, but it was light and strong enough for him. It was given to him by a high ranking officer for his skills in wingcombat.. and because of being family to the royal sisters. He went by the blacksmith for advise on his plate armor before he would visit the kitchen. All around guards where talking to oneanother. “hey goldhammer, do you think my equipment is good enough for combat?” the groggy dull white stallion looked up from a wingsword he was inspecting, got an expression of thought over his face and chuckled calmly. “well, if it isn’t little weaver. Finaly doing some real guard work instead of acting like you are? If you’re helping with guarding the wedding, then you’re armor will be perfect. Impressive looking.” The jet-black pony rolled his eyes, that blacksmith clearly underestimated him. “actualy.. I’m going to investigate and if possible take care of the strange disappearances around everfree castle by celestia’s orders.” Suddenly almost all the guards in smithy had stopped interacting and looked perplexed at the alicorn. “what?” asked the now nervous colt. Goldhammer instantly regretted asking when he heard the answer. “um.. weaver, i must say that.. If you’re serious about that, you will need a lot more protection than that.” Slivercloud walked out of the crowd of guards with a look of amazement, the kind of amazement that dreamweaver could even think he was anywhere neer capable of going there. “hear me out, are you sure celestia wan’t delusional when she gave you that assignment?” from the crowd a lott of agreeing whispers could be heard. dreamweaver got agitated by the constant stream of deminishments. A silver plated guard stept forth from the crowd. “how many guards are going with you?” “none” from the crowd came a tornado of laughter. the irritated colt huffed and looked around him, he collected his courage and went in fast-mode. “goldhammer, I’m going so if you want to help you better do it now.” He stormed for the exit when he felt a hoof on his shoulder. He saw the white face of the one and only unicorn captain of the equestrian royal army, shining armour. His look was one of confidense and understanding. The big impressive stallion motioned something to goldhammer and turned to dreamweaver. “give this colt the wingblade from the statue outside, he already wears the legendary armour so why not the legendary weapon that fits with it aswell. I know we can’t stop you from your first assignment, but where you are going means princess celestia trusts you. If her highness says that you can do it, then I think so too. Take care of whats out there, then I will take care of whats in here okay?” with a quick nod the alicorn extended his wings. The hesitant blacksmith attached two bronze plate layers of armour to the bone part of his wing and clicked an old easy bendable blade between them. Weaver folded his wings in and out multiple times till the blade felt comfortable and flexible enough. The bronze blade was engraved with runes and other decorations, but checking the edge goldhammer contently said: “remarkable how this weapon is still sharper than any other blade in our intire arsenal.” shining armour looked annoyed at goldhammer, unicorns didn’t have any body attachable weapons because the horn was a spear on it’s own. Goldhammer gulped when he met the captains gaze. The now fully equiped pony thanked his superior in command and trothed out of the armoury. Behind him however he could hear shining talking to the other guards “I really hope the princess knows what she’s doing, that boy is going to need all the luck in the world”
On his way to the kitchen for food supplies he witnessed a rather weard sight. Looking up he suddenly saw a few bricks fall out of the sealing right away followed by Silvercloud. The stallion shook the dust from his head, took up his surroundings and sprinted of in the direction of the maintanance office. Confusing as that may was, it wasn’t a reason to stop his adventure. So dreamweaver walked past the debris and after a long series of hallways finally reached the kitchen. It was a big room with white cabinets, drawers, a few fridges, knives hanging on metal strips up the wall and cooking or frying pans hanging from hooks in the cealing. “hey taffy, can I have some food for my trip to everfreeforest?” the joyfull lime green and light bleu mare almost automaticaly grabbed some loafs of bread, fruit and snacks together. “sure thing, umm.. everfree?” she turned to the visitor in her domain. The jet-black with bronze plated shadow like pony took a bag and gave it to taffy, who stuffed it with the supplies. “Are you sure tha…” she was quickly interrupted. “yeah, I’m sure” she looked away for a brief moment, hiding the way she felt for such rude manners. Weaver noticed the jump in her movement when he had spoken. After walking next to her he coëd her to relax. “is there something wrong, are you upset?” taffy tried to smile for his comfort as she petted him on his head. “oh, don’t worry about me, I’m fine. It’s just..” she took his hoof in hers. “you are one of the few that actualy apreciates my cooking. What if you don’t come back from there?” He chuckled as he calmly reclaimed his hoof from hers and moved his head closer nuzzling her neck. “you know you’re the best cook ever and I’m as armored as a hydra, besides, shining likes your cooking too.” Taffy blushed slightly as she moved her neck away from his muzzle. “indeed he does ,but he’s.. married.” Weaver took a step away from her when she denied his nuzzling. “I don’t see the problem.” The cook gingerly turned him to the exit, put the bag in his combat pouch and waved the guard off. “I’ll keep that in mind, have fun on your mission. Promise me you will be back to eat my food after your mission, okay?” weaver winked at her as he walked out the kitchen. “I promise taffy, see you in a couple of days.” Taffy leaned against one of the fridges with a tired moan. “I always get so many mixed signals from that colt..”