//------------------------------// // False accusations // Story: The Dark Horse // by What_to_do //------------------------------// With her day nearing the end, rose walked to her locker, exhausted. Her first day, a brutal one. Already, she thought, “how much longer can I do this on my own?” What she doesn't realize is that question, and many others, will be soon answered. For better, and for worst.     Nearing one of the maid dorms for those who decided to live in the manor, she over heard a few voices; each sounding suspicious in there own way. She stopped and looked down the hall Infront and behind her. Once she was sure nopony was approaching, she placed her ear against the door.     “...Whatever that good for nothing, cheap stallion says, or what he does. He doesn't care for anypony except for that spoiled brat of his and his money.” One of the voices explained.     “Well… there is nothing we can do about it.” The second voice sounded quiet and reserved, “I mean, he is the one who pays us.”      “I know… it just angers me so! But he has denied my requests for a raise more than once!” The pony slammed her hoof against the floor in anger.      “Just give him some time, I'm sure he will come around.”      “It has been nine years! Almost ten! I will not stand by with this!” Her voice grew and grew with hate.      “Come now, stop this bickering, it will get you know where,” a more calm and devious voice introduced itself.      “Oh? And what do you suggest we do than!” The angry mare snapped back, getting irritated from what seemed like a long back and forth conversation with the quiet mare.      “What we do is kill him, and steal a large portion of his bits”      “Murder… but… that's illegal” the quiet mare announced.      “Only if we are caught, we kill him tonight, and plant the weapon in that pet of his  desk. With all the controversies around these insects the guards wouldn't think twice about investigating”      “I love it!” The angry voice shot out.      Rose slowly backed away from the door, horrified. A plotted murder! Oh what could she do. She walked away as quickly as she could you her locker, getting as far away from that door as possible.     So many thoughts ran through her head. She should report it, but the mare was right, they would suspect the Changeling; won't even think twice about anypony else. And if she reported what she heard, they would laugh and call her an insect lover and ignore her. Oh how she was conflicted.     Reaching the lockers, she decided it was best for her to stay quiet, most of all, best for her little filly. She did want to tarnish their name in the eyes of everypony. She sighed and left her uniform in the locker, and headed home. Feeling regret for the next day ahead.     **********************************************     The morning came by quick. Dug waking up and doing his normal routine. Grabbing his master's breakfast and heading to the dining room. When he arrived, master was not in the room. That wasn't at all abnormal, sometimes he would be in his library reading, or in his office signing and filling out paperwork.     Dug decided to go to his office; after hearing his conversation yesterday morning, that would be the best guess. On his way he say one of the maids crying and speaking to a guard. He walked past, not giving it any thought. However he should have, because as he based by, the maid gasp and pointed her hoof at him, screaming, “There he is! The murderer!”     Dug froze in his tracks, looking all over the hall, but there was nopony else, was she accusing him? If so, he had no memory of committing such a horrid crime.     The guard looked over at him and yelled, “Hey parasite! Get over here!” He said glaring at Dug. Dug had no idea what to do, he just stood there in disbelief. Him a murderer, what nonsense.     The guard grew impatient and restrained him with magic, “Are you death!” The guard dragged the poor Changeling over to him, “What do you have to say for yourself, murdering your own Master!”     Dug couldn't believe his ears. Murder his master? He would never do such a thing; as silly as it sounded, he cared for his master. “Sir, I never did such an act”    “Don't you lie to me! We found this bloodied dagger in your room! That's proof enough at what you did, don't you dare try and deny it! This mare even saw you leave his bedroom late last night!”     The Changeling didn't know what to say, he stood there, in the guards restraints. Instead of furthering his protest, he accepted his fate. There is no point in fighting back after all, no matter what happens, he will be sentenced. And that sentence for a Changeling is always death, no matter how small the crime.     “Ah, good, you're somber look tells it all. I was hoping you would fight back, but your a smart one aren't ya?” The guard walked off, keeping the Changeling on his magical leash, leading him to Celestia knows where. And Dug followed, his sorrow growing for his dear Master.    **********************************************      That morning, Rose woke up with bags underneath her eyes. She hardly achieved any sleep.  And any sleep she did get was haunted my nightmares. Nightmares of her her boss covered in blood, and his blood on her hooves. She couldn't stop thinking about how she could have stopped it; if it have actually happened at all, but she remained anxious.     Rose left her home long before her daughter woke up, which she didn't mind. Rose knew her daughter could take care of herself. She was always a great cook, but she never took much interest in the trade; only when she had to do so for herself.    It only took Rose roughly thirty minutes to reach the manor. By that time, all the other maids have started waking up and doing there thing.     Rose rounded a corner to the hall that leads to the lockers and what she saw nearly made her choke. The Changeling from yesterday was being lead away by a guard, he wasn't fighting back or struggling in his magical restraints. Instead, he followed with a somber, expressionless face.     At that moment, Rose had know what had happened and stoped dead in her tracks watching them pass. The Changeling looked at the ground In front of him, not paying mind to anypony around him.    Rose couldn't help but feel sorry for him, that it was her fault that an innocent stallion was because taken to his death. When they disappeared around the corner she came from; Rose hurried to the lockers and hid her face behind her locker, and cried.