Conflict of interest
Dragonbite Castle, Ancestor gallery, today
“Did... did she kill him?” Twilight asked cautiously.
“I would say she was trying to, but don’t worry, she was held back,” the baron answered.
Twilight let out a sigh of relief.
“If you don’t believe my story, then why do you get emotionally involved with the content?” He ended with a smile.
“Well, every good fairy tale affects the emotions of the audience,” she replied with a stern look.
“Of course, Your Highness, of course,” Climber said with another little smile.
“So,” Twilight changed the topic back again, “who held her back?”
“Oh, Birdsong’s little brother, Charming Tongue,” Climber said. “This little genius, barely a stallion at this time and brave as well.”
“What did he do?”
“He stormed into the melee combat of Burning Snowflake and Lord Clockwork. Well, Clockwork was already wounded and Burning Snowflake wasn’t willing to calm down, so,” he pounded on his chin, ”it was quite possible that she was going for the kill.”
The princess made an uncertain look about this, which lead to disapproval.
“I know,” Climber continued, “not the acceptable way to handle things and I agree with your opinion, but under those circumstances she had at least a reason, if she was going for the kill at all.”
“You can’t be serious about supporting her actions in this case!” Twilight said angry, “Trying to kill someone is never an option!”
“Yes, I agree, still I say I understand why she was willing to do it. She…”
But he was cut off by Twilight this time as she raised a hoof and silenced him. “No, Baron, there is no explanation or reason which allows that. When you told me she has killed and maybe also have murdered somepony I was expecting something that… well I don’t know exactly what I had expected but surely not being attacked with a spear. If she is as powerful as you have said, she should have much more self control and was surely able to take other actions into consideration than trying to kill somepony!” While she spoke the last part of the sentence her voice had gotten louder.
A few seconds of silence passed till Climber reacted to her statement, turning around to the portraits of the previous Snowflake leaders. Then after another moment of silence he nodded. “This is a topic that needs far more care than a simple dismissive wave. It is never that simple.” With another look at his ancestors’ faces he turned back to the princess. “Do you think protecting a family is an easy job? Do you think protecting Equestria is that simple too?”
“That has nothing to do with the fact that killing is wrong.”
“Do you think so? Well then how about this,” he stepped closer to her, “how many lives is the safety of your family worth? How many…” he gave her a questioning look, “...civilian lives in general?”
Twilight gave him an unsure angry look. “I don’t get what you talking about.”
“You simple say killing is wrong and I agree to that, still there are situations where Burning Snowflake had to face and had to decide, when not only one life was in the scales. If you have to decide to take one life to save two others what do you do? And what if hundreds are in the scale and you can save them—if—you took the life of another?”
“Ahm, what are you talking about?”
“Going a step further.” Climber elaborated while he continued to slowly walk around again, “What if you can save one of your family members, but,” he changed the direction, “the only way to do so is killing two strangers for it? Again, what would you do?”
“I haven’t had to make this decision and I hope I will never have too, but still that is not the point.”
Climber turned around to face her again, “It is! Burning Snowflake had to make this kind of decision during her life again and again, so don’t judge her so easily.” Climber again turned around swiftly, “You haven’t had to make this sort of decision and neither have I. We should be grateful it is so.”
Twilight followed him a few steps. “Yes, we should. Still, there is no excuse for ending a life out of anger.”
Climber turned his head around to her and spoke over his shoulder. “Well,” he sighed, “you're right, Your Highness.” He moved his head forward again. “Lord Clockwork still made the first strike and threw the spear at her, in her own home, and in front of her family. A bit of understanding for her anger isn’t to much to ask for.”
“Do I have an understanding for her anger? Yes. Do I have an understanding for her attack on him? Yes, just a bit. But do I have an understanding for her attempt to kill him? No,” Twilight said. “If she was trying, she was wrong and she should have been sent to jail for it.”
Climber let loose an unhappy giggle. “Locking her up…” another giggle followed, “I can’t see that happening, not with her abilities.” He let a second pass to collect himself. “I really think she tried to end Clockwork’s life at that moment, but even so she never was able to put her plan into reality.”
“I don’t see how a young stallion would have been able to stop her, if she is as good in hoof to hoof combat as you have said, she easily could have done it, if she wanted. Maybe, just maybe you're wrong about her plan and she wasn’t so bad as it seems.”
“Charming Tongue didn’t leave her a choice, he hit her where she wasn’t able to resist. He pulled in the family bounds.” He faced Twilight again. “His special talent was to curl ponies around his hoof.
Had he stormed towards her with a sword or a raised hoof, that she would have been able to fend off without effort, instead, he simply hugged her and said “Grandmother, no!’”
“And that worked?” Twilight asked unsure. “Doesn't sound highly possible to have success.”
“Oh it did, family always has a high meaning for Burning Snowflake, maybe because her parents hated her so much, who knows, still it had. However she wasn’t able to resist Charming Tongue, clever little stallion, possibly the most dangerous mare in all of Equestria, hold back by a hug and addressing her as ‘Grandmother’.”
“Since when does your family call her ‘grandmother’?”
“We don't, Charming Tongue did. With these simple words he underlined his right to claim Compassion’s heritage for him and so Burning Snowflake wasn’t able to scratch a single hair off his coat. In fact, she turned back to her true self and hugged back.”
“After all the mess she caused, she simply stood there and hugged him? Like nothing had happened at all?”
“Oh no, she sent Birdsong to bed without dinner of course, she was annoyed by her behaviour still.”
“Uhm…what… huh?” Twilight shook her head by this sudden unexpected statement.
“Excuse me, Your Highness,” Climber giggled again, “I am used to making up this part when I tell this story to my children, you understand? Can’t tell them the complete events till they are older and so this was what they got to hear and care about the most.”
“Arg, fine, still your ancestor’s mother seems to be more a criminal than a hero.”
“She never wanted to be a hero, Your Highness, too many bad memories about this for her. But yes, she took law in her own hooves sometimes. To be fair, Celestia does the same, it isn’t like her laws have to be judged by common ponies or even nobles. Only her sister has some influence on them.”
“Don’t try to change the topic again, Baron, our discussion is about Burning Snowflakes behaviour and actions, not Celestia's way of ruling Equestria.”
“Of course, Your Highness, of course, forgive me. In case of Burning Snowflake, I would say she stood a bit outside of the law. She tries to do the right thing but also, in her opinion, the necessary things that will protect Equestria.”
“Taking the law into your own hooves is forbidden and for good reason. Self-adjudication is too vulnerable to errors and mistakes, also the degree of punishment, mostly, isn’t fair, which is why only the royal guard has the right to enforce Celestia’s laws.”
“I am quite aware of that. For an immortal powerful pony, however, it is hard to follow the rules all the time anyway. The legal system isn’t made for these cases.”
“I’ll give you that, but it isn’t for Burning Snowflake to adjust the law to her liking either.”
Climber smiled a bit. “Well you may tell her that yourself one day maybe, I mean it is highly possible that you two will run into each other one day, considering the fact you're both immortal.”
Twilight was bewildered for a moment. “Yes, your logic is correct, Baron. If Burning Snowflake exists and is still alive, well I am sure I will meet her at some point I guess. I never thought about that yet.” Twilight tipped her chin with her hoof several times. “Maybe I should use the time I have here anyway to keep an eye on finding her sooner.”
“I…” Climber started but was interrupted by a loud slam from the door, which caused him to wince in shock for a second.Twilight, also winced from the door slamming. A dark blue stallion approached. When he had gotten close enough, he lifted his brown hood and spoke in a deep voice, “Seeking someone who doesn't want to be found, may not be so clever, more so if the mare in question could easily wipe the ground with you.”
“Fang!” Climber replied angrily after he regained his composure. Turning to Twilight he said, “My apology, Your Highness, my treasurer,” he gave Fang another angry stare, “ sometimes forgets how to behave.”
“It is alright, Baron,” Twilight said calmly with a waving hoof, and to Fang she said, “You may explain, why you think she doesn't want to be found first, before you tell me why you think she would ‘wipe the ground with me’ too.”
Ignoring the threatening look of his lord, Fang stepped nearer and snorted. “This phantom of my lord's family is like a force of nature,” he punched with one hoof in his other, “whenever she shows herself in the last centuries, she,”he made a vanishing gesture, “appears and disappears without a warning and do whatever she likes. To disturb her seems very unwise. Especially for a pony who used magic as her main defence and is... weak... in unmagic fights.”
“That’s enough Fang!” shouted the baron.
“No,” Twilight simple commented, raising a hoof,” I want to hear his opinion and want to respond to it.”
“Your Highness, please...” Climber said while starting to move forward but was held back by Twilight’s hoof.
“So, you consider her as a threat?” she asked the baron’s treasurer.
“Depends on what you represent,” he said, then his voice took on a disapproving tone, “Celestia's prime people, for example, a princess and another pawn in the game of ruling Equestria.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “I really wish people wouldn’t see me as an extension of Celestia’s hoof anymore, but yes, we are close friends. Why do you think that would be a disadvantage?”
He gave Climber a short look. “You haven’t told her yet, have you?”
“Told me what?” Twilight now looking at Climber too.
But again it was Fang who spoke. “That Burning Snowflake had …”
“Don’t you dare!” Climber shouted angry. “There is no proof that had happened!” The baron had no doubt what Fang was going to say and so he stepped between him and the princess, pushing Fang backward. “And I forbid you to speak about it!”
The two stallions exchanged a long stare. It became very uncomfortable for Twilight to watch this going on, until Fang snorted and looked away. “As my lord wishes,” he said and lightly bowed his head.
“Not so quick, Baron. What was Fang referring too?” Twilight’s curiosity was triggered.
Climber returned his gaze on Fang, and stared angrily before he replied, “Nothing we should yet speak about. We will come to it when the time is right.”
“I prefer to hear it now if you don’t mind” said Twilight.
“Your Highness…” said the baron.
Twilight straighten up and also opened her wings, just an inch, a trick she learned by watching Celestia, to look more impressive. Then she gave the baron a certain gaze, also something Celestia did during diplomatic negotiations lately and said, “Yes? Is there a problem with my request,” she looked down at him, “Baron?”
He visibly shrunk under her gaze, not willing to tell, but also not willing to displease the princess when she was pulling rank.
“I am waiting, Baron,” she said.
“Your Highness, I am sorry but…” Climber said.
Twilight stepped closer to him and stared him down. “You where saying?” she added an displeased and impatient look.
Climber wasn’t able to withstand it for long, so he sighed. “As Your Highness wishes.” With a gesture he requested Fang to tell, obvious he was still angry at him nonetheless.
Unimpressed by that, Fang just started to speak right away. “My lord’s ancestor wounded Princess Celestia once.”
A moment of silence followed while Twilight was too shocked to speak but then she roared, “She did what!”
“She wounded Princess Celestia,” Fang repeated. “Using her claws and fire against her.”
Twilight faced Climber again. “And when did you planned to tell me that?”
“Your Highness, please,” said the baron.
“No, Baron! Not only is Burning Snowflake a self justifying criminal, she also attacked Princess Celestia, the ruler of this country.”
Instantly Climber rose his hooves in a defensive gesture.“she possibly did, we don’t know for certain. It could also have never happened. Celestia never told anyone.”
“It doesn’t matter if Celestia told anyone or not. If there is a chance Burning Snowflake did that it has to be found out!” Twilight declared.
“It seems unwise to bring something like this up when talking with Her Highness, Your Highness, at least for me and my family,” Climber elaborated defensively.
Twilight just stared at him.
“You see,” Climber said, still crouching under her gaze, “maybe it never happened and Her Highness could take it as an insolence to ask something like that, or in the worst case scenario, it has happened and to bring it up would be obviously a bad idea anyway.”
“However it was,” Fang interrupted, “you see your connection to Princess Celestia could cause you some trouble. It would be the best for you to stay away from her anyway.”
The princess turned around to Fang and walked forward without stopping and when she reached him he suddenly felt himself moving backward to avoid her face colliding with his. “Avoiding her?” She spoke again in her loud voice, “I will find her and find out what is up with her attacking Celestia or not and if she did, I will teach her some friendship lessons!” With another angry stomp of her hoof she headed for the door. “Arg!” And with this audible release of her anger, she left the ancestor hall.
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8166001 Sorry for this late reply!
It was really interesting to see how the take on The Civil War went as well to see that Snow being a bit more adult then she was at the beginning of her story. Though I can feel sorry for her that her sons descendants were bad and she didn't want to kill them but sadly there could be a time were she has no choice...
Though the girl was more of a child and wasn't properly raise at which could have lead her to call for the family.
Boy, Twilight needs some life time lessons about what killing really is why in cases it's ok and as well listening to what the details that the host is explaining about.
I worry that someday that thought of not killing is going to bite back hard...
Killing and murdering aren't the same, they are two different scenarios that even though a life is taken but for a different reason.
Like for example in war and always in war you the soldier fight to protect your country, family, friends against a enemy that wants to take everything from you and even your life. It's fine in war, could there have been ways to not take a life? It's very impossible... Maybe in some case not so many life's could've been lost but there's evil in the world and even the hidden places that will and I mean will kill those who stand in the way or not accept their ways....
To murder is different... You either are a thief and kill the person to be sure they don't call for help, or you hate someone that is in the way, or even in rare cases there are few that enjoy seeing people die... It's really about taking the life for your pleasure.
Like it's crazy Twilight hasn't face an army as of yet because she only has faced the villain that doesn't kill and one day she's going to have to face an army that isn't magically brainwashed but raise to kill and plunder the innocent and weak. Or most likely since she's a princess she won't be able to join the war since it would be Guard that does the fighting but maybe a simple mistake of telling them don't kill gets so many of the ponies kill that some decide that she isn't a good leader or shouldn't be part of anything like war at all... Actually that's a neat story idea I love to see now.
Though I understand why asking Celestia about a topic that is to personal but since Twilight doesn't understand when everything in truth is told to her... I think Celestia has to step in and tell Twilight it's true and that she should've taught Twilight about these topics but mostly since Celestia decided that history isn't important to write and instead just keep everything in myths is pretty much the worse thing that can happen... History will repeat itself no matter what you could do, it doesn't take that long for events to happen again but much worse since history is forgotten...
Twilight's been sheltered her entire life even Celestia herself has concealed from her the darker aspects of ruling a country.
8198659 Hey again
So yes birdsong isn't so old yet, she took over the rulership of the family only a few years ago but she isn't a filly either. In human years i would say something between 21-23.
Always a pleasure to hear yout thoughts about what may happen
About the difference between murdering and killing, I agree that there is a BIG difference between that. Of course self defence and stuff like that is absolutly ok, for war however, I would go with a quote from 'Kindom of heavens' :
For Twilight however and because it is a show with children as main audiance I guess it is good they avoid that topic. For my story on the other side, I choosed the Teen rating for a reason
And a little word about Celestia, she has her past with Snowy too, in good or bad will the future chapters show. Still she will be discret about it.
Anyway thanks again for your comments and cheering up the author by showing intrest in my story
8198732 Yes, very true. Good for Twi she is a very clever pony and skilled in detective work so she may find out stuff herself.
Thanks for your comment
8199329 I do agree with you as well and the kingdom of heavens comment is a great choice of words.
I'm glad that I'm making you feel happy though I wish more people would come read this really neat story.
8199399 Fans of your work really make the difference, without support by readers, many authors quit writing their stories because they lost faith in it. Thats a sad thing.
Of course I would hope so too, I guess once the story is finsihed more readers will appear, hopefully