• Published 2nd Dec 2012
  • 21,969 Views, 2,588 Comments

Xenophilia: Further tales. - TheQuietMan

  • ...
133
 2,588
 21,969

PreviousChapters Next
87: How I wish you were here. (BoME)

How I wish you were here.
Chapter published 29th March 2015

*****************


Spring 1296 AC
Five miles north of the south-eastern Equestrian border.

“All is ephemera. All fades away.”

On a hill sat a lone figure.

"Take the brush, write upon the stone.

Ink shall fade, stone shall crumble.

They all return to the source.”

All around sat, stood, or wandered no others. No one saw him, sat there as he was - legs crossed, eyes closed, shoulders relaxed, hands resting on his knees. No one came near. No one even knew where he was.

“Climb the hill, circle the hill, every path returns to the foot.”

But he was also alone in other ways. The nation... no, the world over, he was the only one of his kind. He had come into this world alone and - all though there had occasionally been others like him, others that could be considered similar in nature, their presence on this sphere had been fleeting - he was still alone. Most likely he would always be so.

“Return to the centre, pass through and return again.”

In the pre-dawn light he sat. He sat, and he waited, and he listened, and he was.

“River flows to the sea and all is one. Light burns stone to dust and all is one.”

Only his lips moved as he spoke, words so similar to those that he had heard many times throughout his life. Words that she had spoken, morning after morning, day after day.

“Each returns to the centre of all.”

When she had no longer been able to say the words, he had spoken them for her. And now that she was gone, he spoke them still.

“Today I forge a new path so that they might once again return to us.”

As the last of his words flittered their way across the moonlit grass, his eyes opened, taking in the dimly lit valley lay out before him. As if timed to perfection, the sun took that moment to peek its way over the far distant horizon. Dawn was here, and with it a new day. Far behind him, Selene slipped down behind distant mountains, disappearing out of view, leaving the sky in her sibling’s care.

Helios took his time moving up and over the eastern skyline. The dark of the night sky was slowly overtaken by the colours of a new dawn. Dark blues and regal purples gave way to soft peach and tender apricot hues. Pale vanilla yellow and vibrant rose pink flooded the sky, pushing their way across the heavens before themselves fading away, making way for the vast sea of flawless azure that followed.

Old eyes watched the show. Old eyes set in a deceptively young face. Though a few crinkles and crow's feet had made their homes around their edges, he still didn't look a day over thirty five.

“Looks like Tia’s surpassed herself today,“ he said out loud, the words meant for no one present, meant instead for one now beyond his reach.

“Well, it’s taken a while, but it looks like Luna’s finally up for some real competition. You’d love this - the colours are just so... astounding.”

Long fingers picked at the grass by his knees, pulling loose a few strands before letting them drift away in the morning breeze, the rich green of their blades contrasting against the fresh blue of the sky above.

“I still miss you, you know? Every morning, when I wake up, I reach out and you're not there. But first those first few seconds, just for an instant, I forget that you're gone, that you might just be in another room instead, or down in the kitchen, or out meditating. For those first few seconds, you're not ‘gone’ gone, you’re just ‘not there’... It’s silly, I know, to be such a fool. But sometimes, it’s nice to be fooled, even if just for a minute. Those few seconds, when you're not really ‘gone’... they’re the best part of my day.”

Far above, the sun moved ever so slowly through the sky, its almost imperceptible movement banishing the shadows from the valley below. Second by second, more of the world was brought forth from the darkness and thrust into the light.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. But, as you always used to say- bravery isn't about the absence of fear, but the ability to push through it and carry on regardless.”

Deep in the valley below, life came to the vast open fields. Row upon row of tent disgorged their occupants; some off to queue for the latrines, others off to the river for a morning wash, many more in search of sustenance, or at least a cup off coffee. The Logistics Corp had been up for hours; checking supplies, allocating equipment, preparing breakfast. They had so many mouths to feed and very little time to do it in. No army ever marched on an empty stomach. Well, no successful army at least.

“The girls’ll be here soon. You’d be so proud of them. They think they’ve got me fooled, but they’re both terrified. Even so; they’re still pushing forward, getting it done. Star’s been really good, totally stepped up to the plate, even at her age. I kept telling her she should let one of the younger ones take over but you know what she can be like. Don’t know where she gets that from... ha, must be her grandmother. I gotta admit it though, I doubt even Twi could have arranged things quite as well as she has.

“Sky’s been great too. Star may be great at organising but Sky’s the one that’s really made it all happen. She’s still pissed about being left behind though, too much like her mom that one, but I can't have her coming with us. She’s not best pleased about it, but I think she understands. We've lost one daughter already, I can't risk another.”

Another handful of grass caught the breeze, this time spinning in a lazy circle before falling from the sky.

“I’ll get her back, love. I’ll bring our baby back. I don't know how long it’ll take, but I’m not letting her go, I’m bringing her home, you can count on that.”

For the next few moments, silence reigned. The wind had picked up, all sounds from further down in the valley were whisked away into the early morning sky long before they could reach him. For a good few minutes it was just him, the grass, the sky, and the wind.

This moment of solitude was not to last, however, and soon enough he heard a series of steady hoof-falls coming from off to one side. He didn’t turn to look - he knew who it would be. He’d known that his empty cot wouldn’t remain undiscovered for long, and once it was found, there was one pony here today who’d be the first to come looking

Sure enough, within seconds a familiar bright red mane and its accompanying pair of yellow ears came into view, followed by the rest of his Mare at Arms(1.0). He could tell by the set of her brow that, though the mare wasn’t best pleased by his moonlight flit, it wasn’t so much that he’d gone for an unplanned wander that had annoyed her, but more that he hadn't at least told her where he was going.

“So,” Sherbert Fountain came to a stop a respectful distance away, her body settling by habit into a easy parade rest, “here you are, Master Michaelides. Your tent was empty, Sir, you had me worried. I was starting to wonder where you’d gone.”

Lero laughed. He wasn’t sure why, but he laughed anyway.

“Panic over, Sherby,” out of the corner of his eye he saw Sherbert’s eye twitch at her foal-hood nickname even though her face betrayed no other emotion, she was way too professional a soldier for that. “You found me, I haven’t run away or anything.”

Clapping his hands together, he shook off any last of the blades of grass.

“So, what’s the news?”

“Lady Star Song and her convey have arrived,” Sherbert stated in her clipped and clear, regimental Canterlot tones. “She’s currently laying out the last of your equipment in your tent, awaiting your arrival.”

“So...” he asked, “she still not happy with me?”

Sherbert paused, her mind running through her decades of training and experience for a suitable reply.

“She’s looked... happier, sir.”

Lero patted the ground next to him, requesting that his old friend sit with him a moment. Sherbert cocked an eyebrow, considering whether the motion was a request or an order. It didn’t really matter either way.

After using her tail to sweep clear any loose grass, she sat down - remaining close enough to be companionable but far away enough to be respectful.

Neither party had anything to say for a moment, both content enough to watch the camp far below as it continued in its preparations for the day to come. The last of the overnight ground convoys were reporting in - caravans, carts and carriages all making their way to the holding area set up to the east. Cargo carrying pegasi flowed back and forth through the camp’s immediate airspace, all following predetermined routes from pickup to drop off and back again.

Far above it all a single pegasi kept it all in order, her distinctly larger than average size, huge wingspan, and polychromatic mane and tail making her easy to spot even for the uninitiated. Even at this distance, Lero could hear his youngest daughter - barking out orders, shouting out words of encouragement, watching for problems and correcting them before they caused even the slightest bit of trouble. For such a kind and gentle thing, she could channel her mother like a champ when she needed to.

Taking it all in, Lero rubbed his chin as he turned to his long-time liaison.

“Big day, Sherby. Big Day. So, don’t suppose you fancy being in charge for a while?”

Her head turning only a fraction of a degree, Sherbert gave her boss ‘that’ look... the same one that her sire(2.0) used to use whenever he was trying to figure out if his old friend and eponym was being serious or not.

“I... appreciate the vote of confidence, Sir, but we all have our fates, and to lead is not mine. No, Sir, on this day, that honour, and that burden, is yours.”

Blowing air through his lips, the human stood, brushing grass from his clothes as he did so.

“Well, can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?”

“So I hear, Sir.”

As Sherbet got to her hooves, Lero took a moment to roll up his sleeves, his nimble fingers making short work of the task. .

“So, “ he said, done with his task, “it’s once more unto the breach, dear friend, once more.”

“Sir?” Sherbet asked. She’d certainly heard a number of human’s expression over the years but that was a new one. Even after all these decades he still had a few surprises up his sleeves... freshly rolled or not.

“Old human saying, one I thought would never come ‘round again. Never mind, you’ll find out soon enough. Come on, Sherby, let’s head back down. Can’t put it off any longer.”

As the human made to move away, a soft, yellow glow encircled his wrist, holding him back. He turned, facing his companion once more. He'd known Sherbert since she was just a filly and right now, in this moment - her head turned away, one forehoof rubbing at the other - she looked more like the tiny foal that he had first met almost forty years ago than she had in many, many years.

“Sir, erm. Uncle Lero? Before we go back down... I... I just want you to know, whatever happens... if this all goes pear shaped...”

Reaching out, Lero lay a hand between the mare’s ears, gently ruffling her mane. If he’d tried doing the same in public she’d have been mortified - and would probably have strung him up by his ankles - but right now she leaned into it. For a moment the two of them stood, just as they were, enjoying a moment from their shared past, from years now long passed..

“I know, Sherby, I know. And the honour is all mine.”

Lifting his hand, he flicked at the tip of one of her ears with his fingers, just as she’d had when she’d still been young. A ear flicked back in a long ingrained response, nostrils snorting in mock irritation.

“Come on,” he said, striding away, his long legs carrying him off down the hill ahead of her. “Big day, big day. Star’ll never let me hear the end of it if I’m late.“.

And, with that, Master Bellerophon Michaelides, General of the Six Armies, made his way back to camp, his Mare at Arms trailing in his wake.

1.0: Mare at Arms: An ancient title only recently re-established. It is outside of the usual rank and hierarchy. In olden times a General was assigned a Mare at Arms - usually a daughter(1.1) or other close family member - who would act as the General’s assistant and liaison. While a Mare at Arms had no rank of her own, any orders she gave were to be treated as if they came directly from her General(1.2) and were to be followed accordingly. Should her General fall in battle, it fell to the Mare at Arms to decide if retreat was an option or if the fight would be continued to the last mare standing.

1.1: When Lero had refused to take either of his remaining daughters, or any of their daughters, as his Mare at Arms - for fear that exposing his bloodline to danger would play into her hands - there was no shortage of mares from herds considered ‘friends of the family’ volunteering for the position. Sherbert Fountain had won the position the hard way, though she’d lost a tooth, and almost an eye as well, doing it. But that is a story for another time.

1.2: Which generally they did. Any Mare at Arms caught abusing her position would usually find herself on the receiving end of a court martial followed by a summary dismissal from service and - more often than not - permanent exile. Consequently the position was taken extremely seriously.

2.0 Wonderbolt Captain Bellerophon Breeze(2.1), a lifelong friend of the man he’d called ‘The Original’ for over half a century.

2.1 Himself the son of Dandelion Daydream, the former Chief of Canterlot Constabulary’s 12th Precinct. Incidentally, Sherbert’s mother, a unicorn by the name of Cherry Fountain(2.1.1), had been the first female Captain of the Royal Guard.

2.1.1. Herself the daughter of one Sherbert Dabble. Fate, it seemed, was not without its coincidences.

Author's Note:

Well, guess who's got a nasty case of writer's block. Hopefully April will work out better than March did. *le sigh*

PreviousChapters Next