//------------------------------// // In Which Starlight Glimmer Awakens on Foreign Soil // Story: Two Mares and a Carpet Bag // by Icenrose //------------------------------// Day 19: Griffonstone Warm sunlight and a cool breeze gently lured Starlight back to consciousness. She cracked open an eye and found herself tucked into a fluffy down bed in a room she didn’t recognize. She tried to sit up, and her horn, head, and body screamed in protest. She groaned as she nearly passed out once more. “Whoa, easy there, filly,” a familiar voice said. “Take it slow.” Starlight’s eyes grudgingly focused on the source. “Captain Gretchen?” “In the feathers.” She added a few pillows behind Starlight and helped prop her up against them, then sat on the floor next to her. “How you feelin’?” Starlight raised a hoof to the bandages around her head, and winced at the dull ache in her shoulder. “Um, I kinda hurt. All over.” “Ha, that makes sense. You’ve been out for three days now; your fever only just broke last night.” Captain Gretchen reached over to the rough-hewn end table next to the bed and poured a glass of water from a silver ewer. “Here, have something better than seawater.” A few painful sparks shot from Starlight’s horn as she tried to take the glass telekinetically, so she forced her limbs to take it by hoof. The water was laced with something sweet and slightly bitter, and by the time she finished the glass the edge had been taken off her headache. Able to think more clearly, Starlight looked around her modest room, empty save for the table and bed. She certainly wasn’t still aboard the Hoofaestus. “Um, where are we?” “Guest room at the Griffonstone Artificer Guildhall.” Captain Gretchen’s smile was apologetic. “Figured it was the best place to take you, since it’s the only place where you can reliably find, y’know, other ponies.” Starlight almost chuckled, but it hurt to laugh. “Speaking of other ponies, where’s Trixie?” “I sent her to go get us some griffon scones, and some fresh air. Poor mare’s hardly left your side since you got back on the ship.” She poked Starlight with a talon. “That was a gutsy stunt you pulled, by the way. You sure you don’t have any griffon blood in you?” The good humor of her jest didn’t reach her eyes, and Starlight felt a tightness in her throat when she asked, “How is Stig?” There was a soft sigh as Captain Gretchen’s gaze slid to the floor. “He didn’t make it.” There was a silence as Starlight’s eyes filled with burning tears. Her headache returned full force as she choked back a sob. “D–did he drown? I tried so hard to get him back in time–” Captain Gretchen looked startled. “What? Oh, no!” She laid a claw on Starlight’s forehoof. “Good Grover, no, I’m sorry, Starlight.” She shook her head. “No, Stig’s death had nothing to do with what you did.” Starlight sniffed as she rubbed at her tears with her bedsheet. “What happened, then?” Captain Gretchen took a deep breath. “Well, Trixie said that Stig fell straight through the clouds after the lightning got him. Is that right?” “Yes.” Starlight nodded, then froze as her eyes widened. “You mean…” Another sigh. “Yeah. He was dead before you even went over the side.” Despite Starlight's efforts, a sob broke through her defenses, quickly followed by several more. She turned to lay her other hoof on top of the griffon’s claw and managed to choke out, “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” Captain Gretchen laid a claw on top of Starlight’s hoof, completing the tower. “Hey, you don’t have anything to apologize for. Whether or not you could have saved him, that was still one of the bravest things I’ve ever seen a pony do. You’re a hero, as far as I’m concerned.” Starlight sniffled as she looked up to see Captain Gretchen’s warm eyes and sad smile. She remembered her friendly wave to Stig, and she broke down again. “But–” “No buts.” Captain Gretchen extricated a claw and gently guided Starlight’s chin so she was looking her in the eye once more. “Stig was a handy stallion to have around, and a good friend besides, but that idiot should have known better than to fly around a live discharge rod without disconnecting it first.” A fierceness crept into her eyes. “What happened is one hundred percent on him.” Starlight heard the hurt in Captain Gretchen’s voice as well as felt it in the suddenly tighter grip of her talons. She took a shuddering breath to collect herself, and said, “Okay. Thank you, Captain.” The tension eased from the griffon’s eyes. “Heh. Call me Gretchen, filly. You’re not my passenger anymore.” She turned to look over her shoulder. “I think I hear Trixie coming back, so I’ll get out of your mane.” She got to her feet. “If you’re ever in the neighborhood and need a ride, I’ll only charge you half price.” The mere thought of setting hoof on the Hoofaestus again made Starlight’s head pound harder, but then she caught Gretchen’s wink. She smiled as she said, “I’ll bear that in mind.” Gretchen laughed as she walked over and opened the door for a mildly surprised Trixie. “Hey, Trixie, look who’s up!” Trixie gasped and dropped her bag of griffon scones in her rush to give Starlight a massive hug. “I knew you were too great and powerful to stay asleep forever!” Starlight couldn’t help but laugh as she returned the hug. “I thought you weren’t speaking to me?” “Oh, hush,” Trixie said as she squeezed harder. “I think that’s my cue to leave.” Gretchen ate a scone in a single bite and dropped the rest of the bag on the foot of the bed. She raised a claw in farewell as she headed out the door and said, “Safe travels, you two.” “You too!” Starlight said as she returned the wave. “Bye, Gretchen,” Trixie called. A peaceable silence descended as the mares continued their embrace. At length, they separated to enjoy their scones. After Starlight drank another glass of the medicinal water, Trixie asked, “Do you think you can walk?” Starlight nodded as her senses further cleared. “I think so. I feel a lot better now that I have some food in me.” “Good!” Trixie hopped off the bed. “We’ve got a lot to do today, then. The local Guildmaster wanted to talk with you, and I think I’ve found a quick way to get down the south side of the mountain to the village of Featherfall.” “South?” Starlight asked. “I thought– wait, are you still planning on going around the world?” Trixie let loose a bark of laughter. “Of course, silly! And we have a lot of ground to make up – we have sixty days left, and we’re not even a quarter of the way around the planet!” Starlight stared at the Bright and Eager Trixie’s face and remembered the magnitude of the wager at stake. She sighed as she got out from under the covers, in spite of her better judgement. “Alright. Let’s get to it.”