“Now son, was your mom taking any medication for her depression?” the mustached officer asked Wind Breeze and I, notebook held in hoof and pencil enveloped in magic jotting down notes as I answered with the exact type and dosage amount. My little brother had no clue what was going and was upset at the new faces and all the ponies trying to touch him so he had gravitated toward me leaning on my shoulder while crying in confusion.
“Bro'er, want mom! Where mom?” he asked me franticly, his voice crackling causing the policepony to reach over and attempt to comfort him.
Before I could tell the officer to stop Wind Breeze pushed the outstretched hoof away from him and began to scream “No!” shrilly hiding behind me. The officer pulled back confusion covering his face as he looked at me.
“Sir, I told you he has autism. He doesn't like strange people touching him.” I told him slowly, trying to hide my embarrassment behind my long mane as my brother began to breath normally. His voice went to a soft whimper as I took off my overcoat with my magic and slicked it over him, showing my mothers blood still visible in patches on my body.
Our home was covered in investigating ponies and one Canterlot guard who had been off duty nearby. The initial response was to look for a murder and any evidence that could point this to another source but they came up empty hooved and began to take my story more seriously; shortly after comparing her writing with her expense notes she had kept accurate her entire life.
I let my mind drift to my next move as I had always done and began to calculate what I would have to do to keep Wind Breeze fed and happy while maintaining a steady home for him to live and me to continue and advance my studies.
“Mr. Breeze, are you going to be capable of taking care of a foal with mental disabilities?” The officer with the thick blond mustache asked me bringing me back into focus.
“Sir, I have a PHD in metaphysics, magic theory, and am qualified to teach. My brother will not be a problem.” I said with confidence as green eyes narrowed trying to hide my anger at what was going to come next.
He sighed and flipped back a page on his notebook. “You stated earlier that you have been unemployed for over two years following your graduation. You have no income.”
I stomped my front hoof on the ground in anger causing my sibling to jump slightly. “Officer Rhine, I am unemployed by choice! I could trot down to any university and they would hire me on the spot!” I yelled clenching my teeth together in a grip that could tack hide.
“Riiight... Well I'll give you a week to find a job before the state will get involved with that.” He took that moment to pull out an odd manila folder that had my mothers name on followed by a string of numbers. “You do know that because of your late mothers service in the guard her funerary service will be covered for, right?” he asked.
My thoughts after hearing that slammed to a screeching halt.
“Mom... was in the guard?” My jumbled head put together slowly.
That was when I realized I didn't know much about Heather Breeze, the strong woman who raised me all by herself and gave me every opportunity to succeed. When I was young she got the Bits from Celestia knows where to enroll me in a program for gifted unicorns. I remembered back to my test; which was turning a rock into an orange and I had passed with ease, eating up the attention of my peers and taking my seat next to me best friend in life, Wink.
Without her help I would not be who I was today... But we were still very distant.
I remembered coming home from class one day with my saddle bags full of books to a plate full of cookies and a note that said she would be coming home soon from work. I never asked what she did for a living because at school I would hear rumors that other colts and fillies parents were doing some shameful things for money. So even when my brother was born I never questioned what my mom-
Heather
-had done for a living.
“Yes. I knew that.” I lied keeping a straight face as best as I could.
Before he could remark on my lousy veiled falsehood the off duty guard marched up and began talking to him. His face went blank and nodded.
(“Hey... Rhine. I remember Heather telling me that her Will and Testament was in the hooves of Princess Celestia. She wanted it to read off by her...)
“Oh and another thing Mr. Breeze, your mothers Will is in holding by Princess Celestia. You will have to bring your brother with you when you are summoned to the palace. If Mr. Jotting is correct you might have room for the night there.” He stated stepping toward the door.
I turned and looked toward my brother and grabbed him gingerly and we followed the officer and guard to the palace. The streets were desolate at this time of night even for a royal city. The sound of our hoof falls echoed across the stone streets as we made it closer to the palace.
“Bro'er... where mom?” Wind Breeze asked again, his voice quivering.
“Breeze... Moms in a better place.” I responded slowly, trying not to think about the amount of her blood that still stained my fur.
“Beh'err place?” He questioned. My brother may be autistic but he wasn't dumb. He just had problems communicating and annunciating 't' sounds specifically and liked things a specific way.
“Yes, better place.” I assured him. He looked down and began crying softly making me feel like an inch tall.
His eyes still red from crying began to gloss up. I could only imagine what he was thinking but I knew what I was.
“How dare her!” My mind screamed in frustration. “She not only left me and my brother but the worst fetching part is he will never understand why!”
Then I thought about it more looking down in shame. “Who's fault was it that she felt down and couldn't do a thing about it? I should have been then for her more instead of holding my little brothers invalidity over her head...”
I may have been a bastard in name but I did not realize I was one in act untill then.