//------------------------------// // Chapter 33 // Story: Luna's Lacunae // by kudzuhaiku //------------------------------// Humans (and by extension half elves) were strange things. Blueblood looked at the photos shared with him by Princess Celestia. Maeve was a curious creature. Her face appeared to be highly expressive. She was bipedal, and Blueblood had been warned that having only two legs did nothing to slow her down. She had fingers, which were sometimes sticky and left smudges all over everything. She was pretty, Blueblood supposed, in her own way. She had an abundance of freckles which were somehow different than pony freckles, yet also familiar. Her skin lacked a full covering of hair and she had bare flesh over most of her body. She wore dresses out of necessity because she had a thing about modesty and hiding her body, not to mention lacking a fine pelt to protect her from the elements. She was frail looking, lacking the strength of ponies, but Princess Celestia had stated that she was not weak. She had her own inner strength and she shone in other ways. There was a cryptic warning about having caution if Sorceress Maeve happened to be wearing her crown, because the crown made her cranky. Blueblood snorted. How did a crown make such a sweet looking little creature cranky? It was time to get dressed and get going, it would be dawn soon. Blueblood sighed. Common guard armor. He had asked for this, yet something about the armor of the common low ranking soldiery galled him. He paused and checked his thinking, annoyed that the old thinking was creeping in. He gave the feelings a forceful mental shove, they were unwelcome. He had been given an honourable duty, he was protecting one of the Crowned Heads of Equestria. It was more than he had asked for, more than he deserved. A part of him believed that he deserved to guard latrines or to stand watch in front of some meaningless closet. It didn’t matter where he stood or what he did; this was a chance for him to reclaim his honour. “You must be Blueblood,” Maeve said as she looked at the pony standing at attention by her door. The tall white stallion stood tall and proud, he was somehow different than her other guards, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Private Blueblood,” Blueblood replied in a low voice. “And I am Sorceress Maeve.” Sticking out her tongue, she blue a raspberry and crossed her eyes. “Yet ponies still call me Maeve, if they can get away with it. I like just being Maeve. Celestia gets her feathers ruffled about it though. She’s… um…” “A fair, wise, and just ruler, who always does what is best for her subjects?” Blueblood finished. “She’s also silly, can make funny faces, and really likes extra sugar in her tea if she thinks she can add more without somebody noticing.” Maeve grinned and flexed her fingers. “She worries constantly about gaining weight and somebody snapping another embarrassing photo of her enjoying cake. She says she has nightmares about the press snapping photos of me during my finer moments.” “I have spells that disable cameras.” Blueblood lifted his head and let out a snort. “If any of those ruffians were to invade your privacy, I would give them what for.” “That’s nice of you… um, really, it is. After what happened in Ponyville and all.” Maeve stared down at her feet and fluffed her long skirts to make certain there was plenty of swish around her calves as she walked. How did her lower legs end up getting called calves? She didn’t know. “What happened in Ponyville?” Blueblood asked. “I’d rather not talk about it,” Maeve replied. “Forgive me.” Blueblood bowed his head. “There was Pinkie Pie… and there were ponies who freaked out because I’m different, there was a lot of ponies with cameras… nope. Still don’t want to talk about it.” Maeve paused and gave thought to her words. Maybe she did want to talk about it. Sometime. With somepony. It might be nice, if the right pony was found. An understanding pony. A pony who didn’t dismiss everything that had taken place with, “Oh, that’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.” Maeve felt a shiver and then a shudder wracked her body. “Sorceress Maeve, are you okay?” Blueblood asked. “I’m fine, thank you, I just… I just need my breakfast,” Maeve replied, “then I’ll be fine.” “Do you really have to follow me around?” Maeve asked. “Yes.” Blueblood kept his reply short and simple. “I know I have other guards, but they keep their distance. I don’t feel that I’m being guarded.” Maeve turned and looked at the white stallion following after her and heard the sound of his armor jangling. “Other guards don’t take this job as seriously as I do. Princess Celestia treasures you. She adores you. If something were to happen to you, she would suffer. So by protecting you, I serve her needs.” Blueblood struggled to walk in an appropriate fashion; the armor was standard issue, ill fitting, and pinched him in all of the wrong places when he moved. “Oh, well, just try not to spook Fuschia. She’s skittish. The guards tend to scare her, I think it is the clanking of the armor that spooks her, but I’m not sure. She won’t talk about it, she just cries.” Maeve rounded the corner and walked into the school wing where Fuschia lived. “Sorceress Maeve,” an elderly unicorn mare said as she peered at Maeve through her glasses, “so nice of ya to do what you are doing. You reminds me of Princess Cadance, you do.” The old mare bowed her head. “My name is Starbright Sprinkles and Princess Celestia asked me to give you a task that you are to do with Fuschia today.” “Oh?” Maeve’s eyebrow raised. “Fuschia’s been a good filly. Poor little dear, she doesn’t have a doll of her own.” Starbright’s horn glowed and she dropped several golden bits down into a pocket on Maeve’s outermost skirt. “Since she’s been so good, she is going to get a doll. You are going to help her. You are going to leave the castle, find a toy store, and secure a doll for poor little Fuschia.” “What?” Maeve’s eyes bulged. She lifted up both of her hands and shook her head. “No.” “You would deny that poor dear a doll?” Starbright asked. “Um…” Maeve rocked back and forth on her heels as her face contorted in concentration. Oh, this was just fighting dirty… so dirty. This was just another nefarious act by Princess Celestia. “But if I go outside, the ponies might freak out because I’m weird.” “You have a guard,” Starbright said as she pointed her hoof at Blueblood, “and he looks almost capable, as far as guards go.” Standing at attention, Blueblood let out an indignant whinny. “Oh, don’t tease him, he’s nice. Besides, that’s my job,” Maeve said to Starbright. Maeve wiped the palm of her sweaty right hand on her skirts, grabbed a handful of fabric, squeezed it in her fist, leaving the fabric all rumpled, and then let go. She turned and looked at Blueblood. Somehow, Maeve suspected that she wasn’t the only one being tested by Princess Celestia this morning, the clever alicorn was up to no good. Being outside of the castle wasn’t something that Maeve was fond of. She didn’t see a way out of this. She could say ‘no’ but at what cost? Leaving the safety of the castle walls though. This was possibly the worst thing that could happen. Princess Celestia was forcing her to go outside and face her fears. She turned and looked at Blueblood. She had a dutiful protector. Already, she felt the panic growing inside of her. “You’re looking a little peaked,” Starbright said as she narrowed one eye and squinted up at Maeve. “You okay?” “I might need some of my calming tea before I go,” Maeve said to Starbright. “Mmm hmm, Princess Celestia said you might. You and Fuschia can both have a little tea time together before you go. I have some of your tea here with me… poor dear. She does expect a lot from you, doesn’t she?” Starbright reached out one hoof and rubbed her neck. The older mare turned and looked at Blueblood. “You there… you look after her. Enough bad things have happened to this little girl. I want you glued to her side on the other side of the castle walls. Am I clear?” Raising an eyebrow, Blueblood wondered who this mare thought she was, giving him orders. He almost bristled, but then shoved the thoughts and feelings out of his mind. His calm outward demeanour never changed. He bowed his head. “Of course, I will do what is expected of me.” “Good.” Starbright turned to Maeve and then pointed down the hall with her hoof. “Down that way, two doors down, tea has been laid out. Fuschia will join you in a while. You must excuse me, I’m very busy. Lots of foals to look after.” “Do have a good day, Starbright,” Maeve said as she bowed her head. She took off and heard Blueblood moving behind her. She waved as she walked away, and gave Starbright a grin. Watching Maeve go, Starbright Sprinkle turned to look at another unicorn that had appeared beside her. “Sister, I do believe she intends to do it.” “Starbright Sprinkles? Really? That was the best you could come up with?” the other mare said. “I improvised. All of this was done on short notice,” Starbright snapped. “I do not like doing this. I feel as though I am putting her at risk. I do not like this at all.” “Every mother must encourage her young to leave her side,” the other older mare said. “I am absolutely terrified about sending her outside of the castle walls. I think I need some calming tea. I can feel my heart racing in a most uncomfortable way.” The two mares stood side by side, watching as a few students passed. The students were talking about the strange human creature that had passed them in the hall. The two mares took interest in what the students were saying, listening as the students passed. When they were gone, one mare turned and looked at the other. “I remember a filly… who was afraid to leave the castle walls. She was worried about how other ponies might receive her. She was scared that other ponies might remember the terrible things she had done. This filly refused to act like she was afraid though, she put on a big front, acted fearless, and drove into Ponyville one night with the most terrifying chariot you ever did see—” “Enough, Sister.” Luna, in disguise, bowed her head. “I understand the lesson. I will shadow Maeve and Blueblood. I still feel awful for this deception.” “This is how we work, Sister. Always in the background, giving little nudges to guide ponies back into the light and to bring out the best they have to offer.” Celestia, also in disguise, let out a sigh. “Blueblood took the ribbing I gave him quite well. I am surprised. A common plebian ordered him around and he kept his cool. He has changed.” “He seems very attentive of Maeve. This is good. She needs more male figures that she can trust,” Luna said, glancing at her sister, “also, this disguise is awful. It has wrinkles and it sags in the most horrendous of places.” The two old mares began to titter together. Beyond the wall was an explosion of colour and life. Maeve halted and stared. Ponies of every imaginable colour were going about their business. A mare walked by, a unicorn mare, and several small foals followed after her, walking in a line together. A band was playing music near the castle gate with somewhat battered looking hats placed out in front of them. As ponies walked by, some of them tossed bits into the hats left on the ground. The air smelt of cinnamon, of fresh baked bread, of perfume, the air was alive with the scent of the city, a city of ponies. Maeve clutched her skirts once more, squeezing it in her right fist. “Can we get a cinnamon bun?” Fuschia asked, her voice squeaky. “I’ll be good!” “Um…” was all that Maeve was able to get out. Canterlot was a city of beautiful buildings, towers, and it was overwhelming in the extreme. Maeve felt a soft nose in the small of her back and heard the muted clank of armor. The gentle touch helped her to regain her senses. “I have no idea where to get a cinnamon bun,” Maeve said to Fuschia. “We can look,” Fuschia replied. “I suppose we can.” Maeve took a few shaky steps forwards and then noticed that Blueblood was by her side. “Sorceress Maeve, if you place your hand upon my back, I can guide you.” Blueblood bowed his head. “It might be easier that way.” Reaching out her right hand, Maeve placed it upon the smooth, ornate metal armor that plated Blueblood’s head. His back was far too low. She drew in a deep breath, held it, and then let it out in a slow exhale. She did that again, then again, and then again. Then, she nodded. “Okay, find a toy store and then find a place that sells cinnamon buns. We’ll have an adventure. Fuschia, stay very close to me, okay?” “Yes, Sorceress Maeve,” Fuschia replied and then moved a step closer to Maeve’s skirts. “Yay!” Walking together, the three took off on their adventure.