Author's Notes:
Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit
Chapter Ten: The Mayor’s Plan
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“I refuse to let a foal suffer if I can help it, to tartarus with what anypony thinks. If anypony thinks I am heartless, let me prove them wrong, Celestia save the fools that raise a hoof out of hate towards a foal” ~From the personal diaries of Shadow Eyes, The Court Magician
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Shadow Eyes smiled lightly and gave the colt another friendly nuzzle, he was just… For a second her mind drifted to a sad place, before she shook herself as he told her he was watching the moon and the waves…
“True, but even watching that can be tiring, and I am sure you need to eat” said Shadow Eyes as the guard started to get restless, looking left and right constantly. Frowning Shadow Eyes turned her head towards him. “Is there something wrong? Is there something you think you see that I can not?” she said careful about not admitting that she couldn’t see as far as the adverage pony.
“N-no ma`am, it's just... I don't like these rural villages, they are so-”
“Peaceful? I could tell you a few stories of how I used to hide out in rural villages while I was still on the run” said the mare with a nostalgic smile on her face. Those days in particular were nice as she was able to live amongst the populous for a few weeks at a time while in a rural village. “Billy, you still haven't told me where you want to go eat, you can pick anywhere you want” she said looking to the colt with a kind smile. The colt looked between the pair as they talked
“I don't mind wherever ma'am” said the colt and Shadow Eyes smiled at him as she nodded for the guard to lead the way to the mayor's house where she was suppose to have gone, but instead she chose to take a small break from her duties, which, she believed, was her prerogative as the ranking member in the social ladder, it was funny, she was from a small noble family originally, and now she outranked most of the nobles, save the Sparkle household, a recent addition to the noble families thanks to the ascension of the one pony that was her ‘rival’ in school, Twilight Sparkle. Shaking her head from the nostalgia.
“This way Ma`am, I am sure the rest of the guard will be happy to know you are safe” said the guardspony and Shadow Eyes simply rolled her clouded blue eyes a smile on her face.
“Little one, can you be on your best behavior? I don't want to embarrass the mayor by telling him that if he won't let you eat with us, he has no place for me” Shadow Eyes said into Bilgewater’s ear, softly as not to hurt his ears, but loud enough that it really wasn't a secret what she was saying.
“I… um…” he blushed looking down at his hooves quickly quieting down and Shadow Eyes looked at him worriedly.
“Are you OK Billy?” she asked with the worry she felt.
“Yes ma'am. But...I don't think i can promise that” said the foal and Shadow Eyes look at him confused with her clouded eyes.
"Why not? Is there something wrong?" she asked worried that there was something she needed to do to help the foal.
“I don’t know how” said Bilgewater and Shadow Eyes chuckled, “I try but it still happens” Shadow Eyes smiled and nuzzled him before nodding to herself .
"That's fine little one, don't worry about it then, I'll handle the mayor if anything comes up" said the mare as they made it to the gated house, Shadow Eyes frowned at the segregation of status between the Mayor and the rest of the villagers, it did not bode well for the talks. The foal looked up at the large gated building his eyes darting around it.
"In the'e?" He asked gulping down hard looking like a deer caught in the headlights, Shadow Eyes smiled softly and hugged him gently.
"I will be right there with you, there is nothing to worry about" she said softly and Bilgewater nodded and slowly stepped forward towards it his ears down then closed his eyes shook and perked up in false though believable confidence.Shadow Eyes Smiled as the guard let them through after a few words were exchanged. Leading them into the house and then the dining hall Shadow Eyes frowned heavily at the mayor.
"Ah! Hello Magician Shadow Eyes" said the mayor a portly stallion and Shadow Eyes frowned at him.
"If you are going to use the title, at least have the decency to use it correctly, I am not a magician I am the Court Magician" said Shadow Eyes before she motioned for the colt to step forwards. "Little Billy here will be joining us if that isn't too much trouble?" Billy stood tall and proud as a four year old could though his eyes showed fear. the mayor obviously was torn, it wasn't 'proper' for someone of his station to associate with someone as destitute as Bilgewater, but it would he would be insulting the Court Magician if he refused. After a few moments he motioned for them to take seat, Shadow Eyes given the seat of honor, as she expected rolling her eyes, as she motioned for the colt to take a seat beside her.
"It's OK Billy, I will be right here, I'm not leaving you" she whispered in his ear. Bilgewater climbed up onto the seat beside her leaving behind a slight trail of sand. The dinner while tense did not seem to go too badly so far. So Shadow Eyes thought...
The little foal sat quietly listening to the adults…
"I don't care mayor, the crown will not fund a child labor camp just to get them off the street, there are laws against that" said Shadow Eyes forcefully as the mayor tried to talk her into supporting his plan.
"You didn't care about laws all that long ago, Tenebrosus Magus " said the mayor and Shadow Eyes stood up suddenly her horn sparking as the guards in the room suddenly got tense, unsure what to do, if the Court Magician attack, should they defend the mayor? Or should they stay out of it? Shaking herself she took a calming breath.
"You are lucky, mayor, I will not scar a child's mind with the bodily harm of another pony"
The colt watched playing with the things on the table in front of him to make it less obvious he was listening in on the grownups conversation, though he did not understand very much of it. The threat of a fight did not seem to phase him.
"Billy, I believe it is time we left the good mayor's home. If he feels so inclined to suggest such things, I will not rest my head under his roof, shall we instead go where you live? Perhaps ponies there would be more respectable " said Shadow Eyes as she waited for the foal to get up so she could lead him out of the house. the royal guards that came with her seemingly stiff and ready for a fight to break out.
"Where...where I live?" he asked squeaking "ummm...we could go back to the beach" he suggested, in a voice that worried Shadow Eyes.
"Is something wrong little one?" asked Shadow Eyes as she waited for the colt to stand up and join her, her worry growing a little. He quickly jumped off the chair and followed her.
"N-nothing is wrong ma'am"
"You can call me Shay, Billy" said Shadow Eyes as she lead him out the guards with her flanking them as they left the building. Bilgewater nodded.
"Yes miss Shay ma'am"