//------------------------------// // The Mare With Stars in Her Mane // Story: Lavender // by ChillyKitty //------------------------------// Evergreen was a bit of a rebel. Well, he was a rebel of what his family would consider a rebel, while any other pony would think of him as nothing more than a herbalist. It was his father, Green Armor, who did slightly disprove of his line of work. He was supposed to become a royal guard like his father and his father before him. One wouldn’t think a pony like that would be so strict in his ways, especially considering that fact that he was unicorn who married an earth pony. Nettle Green was Evergreen’s mother. A lovely little mare who got her talent in herbs. They were two of the first ponies ever to cross tribe bloodlines and because of this, they couldn’t have their offspring be thought of as a failure. Perhaps a mixed unicorn couldn’t be as strong as an earth pony? Or maybe he would never be as good at levitation magic as his father? Surely he could become a royal guard despite his talent? They worried to much for Evergreen’s tastes. But alas, his annoying saving grace, his younger brother, Iron Root, was more than happy to take the spotlight.  He only recently got his cutie mark, a sword cutting through some type of root. Ever since that day, he became nothing but a nuisance.  Don’t get it twisted, Evergreen was more than happy to allow another pony to take his place in his father’s eyes, he wasn’t built for fighting and Iron was, there was no helping that. No but what bothered Evergreen wasn’t his brother’s mark, but was the fact that he decided his destiny was to join the royal guard… and Evergreen was the royal herbalist. Evergreen took up the job to appease his parents, couldn't be a guard? Well, at least he could work in the castle. Which is fine, he had a workshop and garden, he had the space to dry and organize his herbs, he had the time to put each plant into alphabetical order or pile them up according to the symptoms they relieve or tastes they give. Oh Celestia, his life was boring, wasn’t it? Well he would have preferred to keep it that way but now he’d get regular visits from Iron. The little colt would claim he just missed his brother back at home, though it was obvious that he just wanted to talk to the guards stationed even remotely near Evergreen’s workplace, or nosily question them when they came in for herbs. This wasn’t the problem, well it was a problem, but not the problem. The problem was that when the guards were to busy to entertain the foal, he’d start rough housing right next to the herbs. Evergreen glanced at the moon from outside the window, most ponies should be asleep by this hour, but not Evergreen. No, this lucky unicorn had to clean up a mess. He sighed as he got to work organizing the herbs that had fallen on the floor. Iron Root went home a long while ago, he had probably been tucked into bed after being read a story of knights and heroes and he never once considered to clean up the mess he’d caused for his brother.  He scoffed as he picked up a bit of nettle that had been smashed to pieces by four reckless hooves trying to fight off an imaginary monster. Evergreen wasted no time on fixing it, winter was coming soon enough and there was no need to throw away a perfectly good herb when he’d need all he could have for the colder months. He open a book with his magic. He had many works of literature that pertained to his job, but this particular book was given to him by the Sorcerers of the Castle, those who trained in magic and knew every spell ever created. This book was on herbs and plants and how magic affects them. The average unicorn wouldn’t be able to do most of the spells in this book, but Evergreen was not the average unicorn. His talent may not be in fighting, it may not even be in herbs, but it was in magic. His cutie mark was a piece of spruce, covered in white glimpses of light like it was being levitated by a colorless aura. It allowed him to cast any spell, sure there was always a learning curve but it was easier when you have a mark on your flank saying you’re supposed to be good at it. And being good at it was an understatement.  Evergreen casted the spell he was starting to memorize by this point, it seems as though everyday Iron would come a destroy something. It was a mixed between a healing spell and a repairing spell, though it was dried it still had enough life in it to do anything from sooth sore muscles or cure anemia.  He placed the nettle into a jar now that it was in one piece, sure it would have worked while broken apart but it would have also been combined with any dirt on the floor which definitely would’ve drained it effectiveness. He went onto clean up the rest of the herbs before he finally sat down. Though his rest wouldn’t be long due to that fact that as soon as his flank touched the ground he heard a knock on the door. It was opened with an easy levitation spell, the door swung to reveal a night guard. Evergreen had never seen this particular pony before, he was gray with a unicorn’s horn and had the serious look that most of the guards applied to their faces when on duty. “Greetings, how might I help thou?” Evergreen instinctively asked one of the many variants of the same phrase he tended to ask when someone knocked upon his door. Though, he was off hours, he was supposed to be asleep, but he’d gotten into the habit of greeting guests that way. “Princess Luna complains of a headache, dost thou have anything to help?” he said with a tough voice, something in his tone told Evergreen that he probably didn’t want to be sent on a herb gathering mission like this. Evergreen turned to the shelf that held most of his herbs, “Did she describe it at all?” he asked, levitating all his headache related herbs and bring them to a desk, “Was she dizzy or did she complain of some type of pressure?” He didn’t have to look at the guard to know the stallion was shaking his head, “No. She simply asked me to get a cure for her headache.” Evergreen nodded slowly, to preoccupied with organizing his plants to look up at the guard, “Did she seem light headed or tired?” “No.” The stallion confirmed. “Did she have any visible symptoms? Perhaps she was rubbing her head with her hoof or squinting an eye?” Evergreen said, looking at his wide array of herbs he hoped to narrow down. “No.” The guard spoke. Finally the herbalist looked to the guard, “How am I supposed to know what to give her if I don’t know what’s wrong?” He shrugged, “I dost not know, that is thine job.” Evergreen’s hoof slapped his forehead with enough force to knock out a small foal. He looked to his plethora of herbs and sighed. “She could try ginger, that usually works.” He spoke mostly to himself, “But it’s usually temporary, not to mention uncomfortable. What if she thinks I’m poisoning her?” His eyes drifted to the feverfew, his hoof reached for the jar, “This could work but-” he was cut of by his own scoff, “It’d be mostly useless if she isn’t dizzy or ill.” He was broken away from his thoughts when the guard cleared his throat. Evergreen looked to him and then back to his herbs, then back to the guard again. It was to late in the night for this. He started levitating the jars and placing them in a saddle bag, “I have to speak with her before I can give her a herb.” He concluded to the guard.  The gray stallion paused before speaking, “Very well.” He said. The guard was named Silver Spear as Evergreen learned via small talk, though neither pony seemed to enjoy the conversation, it was barely more than exchange of names. Silver Spear lead him down the halls of the castle to a particular corridor with double the amount of guards compared to any other place they’d passed on their way. It didn’t take a genius to know that there was a princess present. They eventually turned towards a large door. Silver Spear nodded at the single guard next to it as he himself took his place on the other side. Together, the two unicorns levitated the door open to reveal an absolutely giant room, complete with several cushioned seats and one night princess laying on the couch. Princess Luna lifted her head and turned to the door, her hair waving behind her to look as if she had the night sky trailing behind her. “Come in.” She spoke with regality and when she locked eyes with Evergreen, his heart skipped a beat. But that was normal wasn’t it? She was an alicorn princess after all. He trotted toward her and forced himself to breathe, “Please excuse my intrusion but I’ve brought some herbs.” He stopped a distance away from her, quite obviously intimidated by her grace.  She laughed just a bit, “Please cometh closer,” she spoke, “I do not bite.” Her smiled seemed forced, fake even. Was his fear of her that obvious? Well he wasn’t afraid of her per say, but it was only natural to be nervous while speaking to a princess. He trotted closer and cleared his throat awkwardly, “I uhm, I needed to know more of your head ache before I could offer you a particular herb,” He said, “Could you perhaps describe your pain?” She nodded, “'Tis piercing, it feels like a, I do not know, a pressure? I suppose. It feels as though something hath been wrapped around my head.” Evergreen nodded, he started levitating the jars out of his saddle bag, “Did thou get enough sleep last ni-” he stopped himself, she was the night princess after all, “Today?” He glanced to her. “I woke a few hours prior to sunset as per usual.” She explained. He narrowed it down to a few herbs by then. Five jars sat on the small table in front of Luna’s couch; lavender, lemon balm, chamomile, ginger root, and valerian. Evergreen took out a piece of cloth and started mixing. “At first I assumed there was some sort of sleep issue but thou seems to have a stress headache.” He glanced up to see the princess tilt her head, “I did not realize there were different types of headaches.” she spoke. He smiled to himself, he always found it so strange when somepony didn’t know something he considered common sense, “Of course, whenever you feel the pain in a different way or a different place on the head, it’s typically a different type of headache.” He said, turning back to his herbs, “I shall give you lavender and lemon balm to relax you,” he explained as he put away the chamomile, that’d probably be overkill, “And the ginger..” he spoke as he took out to slices, he placed one in the cloth with the other two herbs. Without missing a beat he levitated the other slice toward the princess, “Eat this. I will tell a guard to fetch some boiling water for some tea.” Without another word he trotted to the door and opened it, he looked to Silver Spear, “I need some boiling water for tea, oh and honey.” Lavender tea was awfully bitter with out it.  He looked to his neighboring guard, who showed no reaction, Silver Spear failed to stifle a sigh, “I will go get some.” Evergreen turned, “Thanks.” He said before trotting off to the princess. She had a rather amusing face, the ginger slice levitated a few inches away with a bite out of it and a hoof had been placed over her mouth. “It burns.” She said simply. “Yes,” he said, “It tends to do that.”  She looked to him sternly and he suddenly remembered he was speaking to royalty here, “I fail to realize why causing my mouth pain will help my head.” “Oh well,” he faltered, “I-I found that it distracts your mind from thinking about the pain and it-” “Tis fine.” She said before putting the rest of the slice in her mouth, she squinted, “Thou art not in trouble,” she explained distracted by the spice, “I was only curious.” He released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, luckily he didn’t need to further explain himself because of a knock at the door. He rushed over to it and levitated the tray out of Silver Spear’s magic.  He brought it over to the princess and set it on the table, he placed the cloth into the teapot and then poured the boiling water over it to infuse the liquid without getting any chunks of plant inside. “This should help you relax and keep away the headache,” he explained, “If thou can’t sleep once thou um, set the moon, thou can send a guard and I’ll give thou some valerian and more lavender.” He said as he raised the jar of valerian he’d brought out before and placed it in is bag. “How’s thy head now? Did the ginger help?” She nodded slowly, “I think it’s gone..”  “Ginger works quickly but is only temporary,” he said, “The tea should keep the pain at bay for the rest of the night.” He poured the tea into a cup and offered it to the mare. She took it with her magic and let out a tiny smile, “Thank thee..” she sipped the drink, “I did not catch thine name.” She looked to him expectantly. “Oh, I am Evergreen,” He grinned awkwardly. She took another sip of the tea, “Tis nice to meet thou, Evergreen.” “Th-thou as well.” He stated, “Your highness.” he swiftly added to the end. “My apologies for requesting the herbs from thou at this hour.” She said, “I normally try to not bother anypony when they art asleep.” “Oh no,” He shifted the weight on his hooves, “I was just tidying up my workspace, thou did not bother me at all.” She smiled a bit, “Still, tis late, I think thou should head to bed,” she said, “Have good dreams.” She said as a farewell. “Thank thou Princess.” He spoke and bowed his head before turning and trotting towards the door, only to stop himself within a moment, “If there is ever a problem, please don’t hesitate to fetch me.” He spoke, “I usually stay up quite late and can bring any herb you need.”  “...Thank thee, Evergreen,” she spoke, “Goodnight.” “Goodnight, Princess.” He trotted out the door and nodded a farewell to Silver Spear. He stepped through the hallways and corridors, no doubt looking slightly lost as he didn’t need to travel to this part of the castle grounds much in his daily work. Though soon enough he reached an area he recognized and was able to get back to his workplace. The door to his workspace was like any other in the corridor; wooden and plain, except for the word “Herbs” carved into the wood. Evergreen felt a breeze as he opened the door, if he had kept on going straight he would have exited the building without even needing to push open a door, his herb garden was just out there, a place where he spent a good amount of his time.  The rest of his time was spent in his workspace or in his room, asleep. He passed through it and set the jars on the shelf, reorganizing them quickly as he yawned. He walked towards the back of the room and opened a second door. In this second, separate room was his bed and personal belongings. It wasn’t a fancy bed chamber like the princess’ but it was nice and comfy and just enough to allow the herbalist to sleep. And that he did. He laid down and shut his eyes and allowed the darkness to wash over him. Yet, even though his eyes were closed, he could see the perfect picture of the starry night, or maybe it was a mare with stars in her mane.