Chapter 2
“The Smallest Thorn”
“Let me get this straight,” I said as I still laid on my back with Sif’s sword at my neck. “You’re saying it’s a crime to bring in something ponies kiss under for good luck?”
“It is far more than that, colt,” Sif said, an edge in her voice. “If you’re trying to play dumb then you’ll find I have little tolerance for idiocy.”
You and Grandma would get along swimmingly.
“Calm yourself, Sif,” Thor said, walking over. “There is no way an outsider could have known about it.”
“You’re far too trusting, Thor,” Sif said, getting off me, her eyes glaring at me, silently saying ‘I’m keeping my eye on you, and I can easily make sure you suffer if you step a hoof out of line.’
I gulped and got to my hoofs and dusted myself off. Thor and Sif exchanged glances than Baldur came over, his face looking as white as a sheet. “Is it, safe?” He asked.
“It is destroyed, brother,” Thor said gently. “You have no need to fear it.”
Baldur sighed in relief, “Thank goodness, I feared the worst when I saw it.”
“As did I,” Sif said, giving a glare at me.
“Just what is going on here?” I asked. “Why was Baldur so scared of a leaf?”
Baldur and Thor exchanged glances again. Thor spoke after a while, “Brother, if you are not comfortable…”
Baldur shook his head, causing his blond mane to move with him, “It is well, Brother, he is the detective, he should know the reasons.” he said.
Thor slowly nodded and turned to me. He sighed and finally said, “Voidera is inclined to trust you, I owe my very life to that dragon boy. So, I will tell you why there is fear in Baldur’s eyes. You are aware of the cataclysm that destroyed the Alicorns of ancient past correct?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Let’s just say the last few months have been a crash course on that.”
“Around the time,” Thor said. “Baldur was plagued with nightmares about the devastation of our world. He ultimately foresaw his own death.”
Baldur spoke next, “Mother was terrified of what would become of me. So, she cast a spell on me, a very powerful one at that.”
Suddenly, Sif picked her sword up in her magic, and took a swing at Baldur. The blade came close but moved out of the way of the alicorn at the last second. She spoke up, “No weapon, magic, or object can harm Baldur in any way, were you to try and hurt him, you would find your attack would miss.”
“Seriously?” I said. “How come his mother didn’t use this for the entire Alicorn race? She could’ve saved hundreds if not millions of lives with the spell.”
“There is more to the story,” Thor explained. “The spell drained our mother of her very life force, to the point she could barely breath after it was cast.”
“Oh,” I said, the weight of what Thor was saying coming into perspective.
“My mother couldn’t finish the spell entirely,” Baldur said, a frown came to his face. “A certain magician made sure that there was one object that could hurt me.”
“That being Mistletoe.” I concluded.
“As a result of this development,” Sif said, narrowing her eyes at me. “Anypony found with mistletoe is under high suspicion for being an assassin.”
Explains the welcoming committee.
Baldur looked down, shaking his head, “But why would Spearhead, Morning Star, and Frezil be involved with this?”
“I was told they were friends of yours.” I said.
“The very best,” Baldur said with a smile. “I treasure every friend. They were my most recent confidants. Frezil especially was close to me.”
Way he talks it’s almost as if he sees them as worshipers rather than friends…but that may just be paranoid me talking.
“Their death will weigh heavy on my heart,” Baldur said with a sorrowful look.
Sif looked on her brother in law with sympathy and said, “Do you need time alone, Baldur?”
“I, would appreciate that.” Baldur said, turning around. “I will be in my chambers, I will answer whatever questions I can later.”
I watched the Alicorn leave, there was a great sorrow about him. I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose two close friends in one day. But something just seemed off about this. There’s no way that two ponies he held in so high regard would go looking for his one weakness...unless…
My thoughts were interrupted by a sword being pointed at me again. “I will be with Baldur. If I even so much as hear you breath in the wrong way, I will not hesitate to make sure your love will find your sessions...lacking.”
I gulped as I watched the Alicorn warrior princess leave. Thor smiled, and smacked me with a hoof on the back. He laughed as I fell flat on my face, “Ah, don’t let Sif cause you fear. She is not one to hide what she is thinking.” he said.
I got up, trying to find feeling in my legs again. “I kind of expected your wife to be rough, but that’s a little...extreme.”
“My wife is like that,” He said, smiling blissfully, “Ah, our first meeting was one of wonder. She threw me all the way across the tavern after I tried to talk to her. It was love at first fight.”
I keep having to remind myself this is a warrior society. But I’m no less scared of Sif than I was before that statement was made.
I’m just glad I didn’t have to matchmake them, I think I may have been a casualty.
“Thor,” I said. “Do Frezil, Morning Star, or Spearhead have any family we can inform?”
Thor shook his head and said, “Unfortunately, no, all three of them were orphaned by the Gryphon wars years ago. The Cloud Kingdom was hit a lot harder than Equestria was. Baldur found them one evening and took them into the palace. My brother has a kind heart, and hoped they could help out.”
“So they grew up in the palace?” I asked.
“Yes, they have.” Thor said. “Spearhead is married however, we should inform his wife about what happened.”
She also may be able to tell us his whereabouts…
___________________________________________________________
It was, interesting walking around with Thor. Everywhere we turned there was some Cloud Kingdom resident bowing, waving, or offering some kind of service for their King. Thor would politefully decline any services offered.
It felt weird, I doubt I’d ever get used to this kind of publicity. I always preferred getting the job done and moving on. But, Thor was a King, he had his people to think about as well.
Thor and I came up to a small hut in the center city. Thor knocked on the door and it opened. A small pegasus mare with a long braided brown mane and whitish tan coat opened it. She was wearing simple garments and an apron. She couldn’t have been older than mid twenties.
She bowed when Thor came into her vision, “Milord, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Thor’s face turned somber, I could tell he found some difficulty in saying this, “Kestrel, there is something you need to know.”
“What is it milord?” She asked, looking up at Thor with brown eyes.
Thor sighed and said, “Last night, we discovered your husband had been slain by a foul villain. I am terribly sorry.”
It took Kestrel a minute to process what Thor just said. Finally, she broke into sobs at the news. She covered her face with her hoofs. I walked up to her and said, “Miss, I need to ask you a few questions that can help us find who did this.”
She let out a few soft sobs and said, “I-I will tell you what I can, please come in…”
“Take your time,” I said gently. “We’re here to help.”
“Who are you?” She asked, looking at me.
I smiled, took off my fedora and bowed, “Detective Private Eye, I solve crimes in the blink of an eye.”
She, smiled at that, and let out a small laugh.
Thor on the other hand was laughing louder than Pinkie Pie when she first heard it.
Okay, I know it was bad, but I was just trying to add some levity.
I really need a new slogan…
_________________________________________________________
“Spearhead was a good husband.” Kestrel said as she sat on in her chair.
The home was simple, plastered walls, with wood trim, and reeds strewn on the dirt floor. The tables were wood, with some decorative carving. The fireplace was huge, with hooks for cauldrons, and generally it was very homey.
Kestrel tried to offer up mead or any sort of refreshment, probably to keep her mind off the fact she’s now a widow. I declined, hoping to make this brief.
Thor sat next to me, his massive form barely fitting inside the house. Luckily he seemed experienced in fitting into small houses. Even still, I don’t think anypony should startle him otherwise the home may get an unwanted skylight.
Kestrel held a small cup of what I had to imagine must be tea or some form of beverage. Whatever it was, she sure drank it liberally.
“Spearhead and I were going to work towards our first foal.” She said, trying to sound strong. “Him and Morning Star were out celebrating last night, at least that’s what he told me.”
“Do they have any enemies?” I asked.
She shook her head and replied, “Not that I know of, although being so close to Baldur can inspire some jealousy.”
“Baldur did help bring them to a good home.” Thor said.
“Okay,” I said. “Has he been acting oddly at all? Nervous? Maybe scared?”
Kestrel put a hoof on her chin, and finally said, “Recently, he was acting a little strange. He’d come home and go right to bed, not a word to me. I thought it was just bad work days but, he seemed genuinely worried about something.”
“Did he ever say?” I asked.
“No,” Kestrel said, “Whenever I asked he would change the subject. Spearhead was a good stallion, if he was keeping a secret it must have been something important.”
“When was the last time you saw him?” I asked.
“Last night,” Kestrel said, her hooves shaking a little. “I saw him leave with Morning Star. Those two are the best of friends so I didn’t think anything of it. I had no idea they would both be dead in the morning…”
“We will find the monster who did this,” Thor said. “That I promise you.”
“Thank you milord,” Kestrel said with a short bow, “I am in your debt for helping me with this. You as well detective, please, find who did this.”
“I will,” I said. “Whoever killed Spearhead will not stay free for long. Do you mind if I look in his room? Maybe I can find something.”
She nodded and pointed to the doorway, “There, we only have the one bedroom.”
I got up and made my way through the door.
The plaster walls continued in here, with the bed in the center, and a carved wooden desk to the side, with a sturdy, comfortable chair. There was a washbasin over to the side, but other than that it was pretty spare. Precious possessions seemed to be placed in high, out-of-the-way places.
I walked to the desk and saw it was covered with stuff I remember seeing on Shining Armor’s desk. Orders, folders, the occasional letter from the misses, all of them were cluttering the desk. But nothing on it seemed to be out of the ordinary for a guard.
I then looked down at the wastebasket, and saw that a piece of paper had been ripped up. I levitated the pieces out of it and looked at them. The message was jumbled thanks to the way it was ripped apart. But, I could tell it was all one letter judging by the parchment used.
It was still ripped up though...could I try fixing it?
I’ve never used it on paper before, can’t be that much harder than a rock can it?
I focused my magic on the pieces and my horn sparked, a light covered the letter and suddenly it was restored before my very eyes.
Ah, Alchemy, what would I do without you?
I read the letter to myself,
Dear Spearhead,
Funeral is tonight. Flowers are to be brought. Meet at Dock.
Morning Star
Funeral is tonight? Well, the flowers bit obviously means the mistletoe. The location also matches up, what with the bodies being found at the airship docks.
But, what did it mean by funeral? Just how much of this was planned ahead?
“Find anything Private Eye?” Thor called.
I pocketed the note and said, “Found some things, I’ll be right there.”
I walked over and just as I was about to enter the living room, the door swung open again. Two Cloud Kingdom guards were standing there, they bowed before Thor, “Milord,” One said, “The lass is awake.”
The other spoke up, “Yeah! But she’s like, totally wack yo!”
“Explain,” Thor said urgently.
“She is acting hysterically,” The first said. “She’s demanding to see Lord Baldur, when we told her he was well the hysteria began.”
“Where is she?” Thor asked.
“We brought her to her room at the castle,” The other said. “But she’s like, trashing the place right now. Kept going on about how she failed Lord Baldur somehow.”
“We’d better see what is going on.” Thor said. “I will find out what happened that night.”
_________________________________________________________
“You really care about Baldur don’t you?” I asked Thor as we made our way towards the castle.
Thor sighed, “Baldur is my only sibling to have survived the cataclysm. My last promise to my mother was to take care of him.”
“Same thing with my mother too,” I said, looking down. “She gave her life so that Tailspin could live.”
Thor smiled warmly and said, “Were she here, she would have been given a fine service. It is always an honorable thing among us in the clouds, to perish for one’s friends and family, even those unborn.”
“So you, Baldur and Sif have lived up here since the Cataclysm?” I asked.
Thor’s smile slowly faded as he said, “For a time, there was one other. But, he is not with us anymore. Soon, my children would meet with the children of Askus and Emblem, those you see around you are descendents from that union.”
“Wait, so you’re saying everypony here,” I said, looking around. “Can trace their ancestry directly to you?”
“Yes, last week I celebrated the birth of my great great great great, a good many greats, grandson.” He said with a chuckle, probably glad for the levity.
Immortality does make things strange in terms of genealogy I guess. What was definitely clear though, was that Thor would do anything to make sure Baldur was safe.
But this whole thing, it reeks the worst kind of scent…
The scent of a set up…
___________________________________________________________
Thor and I arrived back at the castle and were led by guards to the servant’s rooms. Obviously they were not as extravagant as the royal rooms. But, they were simple and the place seemed comfortable to rest in after a long days work.
Or it would be if another pair of guards weren’t struggling trying to keep a pegasus in her room. The mare looked to be in her early twenties, coated in blue with long blond curls and yellow eyes that matched her urgency to leave. She struggled with the pair of guards and was screaming, “Please! I have to see Lord Baldur! I have to ask him why!”
“Frezil!” Thor yelled, coming over. Suddenly everypony in the room fell silent when they saw the massive Alicorn king.
“Milord…”Frezil said, then all three of them bowed before Thor.
“Rise and be rid of this hysteria,” Thor ordered.
I walked over and looked at the mare, “You are Frezil correct?”
“Yes,” She said, now calm. “I am, and who are you?”
“Private Eye,” I said. “I’m investigating what happened.”
Frezil looked down right then, I could tell she knew quite a bit about what happened.
“Frezil, why were you there last night?” Thor asked. “Answer me truthfully.”
She sighed and said, “I was, meeting Morning Star and Spearhead last night.”
“You were there for more than just a meeting with old pals though.” I said.
“How did yo-” Frezil began.
“I saw the Mistletoe,” I said firmly.
The guards looked at one another, shock evident on their faces.
Frezil sighed again, the guilt showing on her face. “Yes, Morning Star and I, we were smuggling in Mistletoe.”
Thor’s face grew in shock, “Frezil! You know the penalties for such a crime!”
“I knew the risk,” Frezil said, truthfully. “But, I couldn’t disobey…”
“Disobey who?” I asked.
Frezil looked fearful for a minute, before she finally said, “Lord Baldur…”
“What did my brother ask you to do?” Thor asked. “Why would he want you to go there?”
“Because…” Frezil began. “He is the one who asked me to get the Mistletoe...he wanted me to help him die…”