//------------------------------//
// Chapter X: Movie Night (Part 2) 
// Story: For His Majesty 
// by CrackedInkWell 
//------------------------------//

The film continued with the next scene showing Hidden Trek exploring the mansion, eating an apple while peering through each room he passed. From a single take tracking shot, the camera follows the raggedy stallion from behind down the seemingly well-preserved hall, from time to time passing an open door to showroom after room. They were similar to the living room in which they all had no signs of electricity, old technology and even décor that would be considered primitive by 920’s standards. There were unlit gas lighting, floral wallpaper of tangling vines, hoof craft furniture of the highest quality, and even had to tick clocks.

In the next shot, it showed the overview of a grand foyer from the top of the staircase. If it weren’t for the obvious broken and boarded up windows, this enormous room with its black-and-white marble floor, it’s a balcony that connects the staircase and the crystal chandler, it would be easily be mistaken for a rich home in Canterlot. On the screen, Trek entered from the right, marveling at the grandeur of the room. 




“Mr. Glass? Where are you?”




A perplex look was on the homeless stallion’s face, his ears tried to listen carefully for any sign. Then suddenly, they perked up as if he heard something. The camera then followed him across the grand foyer into the other hallway to a door. There inside a library, was Mr. Glass sitting alone in the dark as he was putting a book back on one of the towering shelves. The unicorn straightens himself up as his guest entered the dimly lit room.  




“There you are. I was looking around for you in this fancy place of yours. What are you doing in here in the dark?”




The unicorn lit up his horn to pick up a feather duster. Picking up another book, he dusted the old tome for a moment before placing it back.




“I’ve been cleaning the library while you were asleep. These books are in need of dusting.”




Shrugging, Trek was about to take another bite of his apple before he paused and tried to present it to his host, to which he shook his head. The bearded stallion inquired about if the unicorn had anypony to help him, remarking how that the inside is like walking through a museum while the outside is falling apart. Mr. Glass replied that he is bound to keep the inside of the mansion preserved as long as possible, to make sure those things the way it was in its height.

Hidden Trek then went on to thank him for allowing him a place to sleep the night before, and before he could bid him farewell, Mr. Glass suddenly shot out a hoof along with a pleading look.




“Wait! Who says you have to leave? You said that you have no place to go, I can allow you a room here as well as a job if you wish.”




This seemed to have captured the raggedy stallion’s attention. His mouth moved as if to question what kind of job his host is referring to.




“I’m trying to preserve the mansion, and while I still have the wealth to do so, I can’t leave the house because I have a sickness if I’m exposed to direct sunlight. But maybe if I hire you, then perhaps you may help restore the exterior to its former glory. That way, you can live here and have a job to go along with it.”




At this point, Blueblood frowned, “I’m calling it, Mr. Glass is a vampire. That’s what it’s got to be.”

“How do you know?” Fancy inquired.

“Oh come on, he can’t go out into direct sunlight? What else could it be?”

“I’m suspecting that it could be something else. Let’s wait and see.”

On screen, Trek thanked Mr. Glass and shook his hoof. The unicorn then fetched a small chest that was filled with jewelry and told him to go into town so that he could buy food, new clothing, and to get a shave as well first before he could start on his new job. Taking the box, the homeless pony thanked him again as he rushed out of the library. The unicorn sighed happily as he returned to his work before an iris closed the scene.




“Welcome home, my dearest.”




The next scene opened up on a long, wooden table lit by candlelight. Mr. Glass sat in his seat next to Mr. Trek who was digging into his bowl of soup. Hidden had transformed from out of his rags into a nicer suit that was in the style of the 20’s. His face was shaven and cleaned, revealing a young, handsome face.

Fancy nudged his date, “Look's like you, doesn't it?” Blueblood rolled his eyes and returned to watching the screen. He noticed that while Trek was eating away, his host, however, left his bowl completely untouched. It was Mr. Glass that started the conversation.




“You look much better.”




The Earth Pony looked down at the untouched bowl and asked if he was going to eat his dinner. Mr. Glass replied that he didn’t feel hungry, much to the suspicion of his guest. At point blank range, Trek asked him if he was a vampire, thus getting his host, along with the audience chuckling. In reply, the unicorn tells him that he isn’t one, and reaffirms his claim about his condition that permits him from stepping outside of the mansion before changing the subject.




“Out of curiosity, Mr. Trek, why were you homeless to begin with? You seemed to be a nice fellow.”




Hidden’s expression changed to a guilty look as if he was hiding something. At first, he shook his head, silent expressing that he doesn’t want to share it. During this moment, there were no title cards as Trek kept on refusing, getting increasingly uncomfortable at his host’s questioning. Eventually, with a sigh, he gave in.




“Let’s just say… I was kicked out by my parents that don’t want me anymore.”







“They found out that I had a crush on somepony that they didn’t exactly approve of to stay in their home… or to give money… or to speak to again.”




The camera cut to Mr. Glass, that while there was sympathy, oddly enough, there was also hope in his eyes.




“Who was it?”




Trek eyes shifted back and forth on the screen, ears folded flat against his head. Even his hooves showed his anxiety.




“I… I rather not say, sir. Let’s just agree that the less you know, the better off you’ll be.”




His unicorn host apologized, and seeing how the former homeless guy was already finished with his meal, he offered to show him to his new room upstairs. The scene changed to a very large and very extravagant bedroom in which the two stallions entered. Mr. Glass raised a hoof and looked at his guest.




“This bedroom once belonged to the Master of the House, but now, I giving it to you with all the possessions therein.”




Of course, Hidden Trek walked deeper into the enormous chamber with astonishment. Gazing at the tall posts of the bed, the hearth that was made out of cut marble, the rows of bookshelves, the drawers that had ancient clothing, the pocket watches, and a cabinet full of aged brandy. The Earth Pony turned to Mr. Glass and while he thanked him, he inquired as to why he was being so kind to him.




“Because I like you.”




After giving a small bow, the unicorn backed away and closed the door behind him – leaving Trek all by himself inside the grand room. After shrugging, the stallion started to prepare himself for bed with the camera following him. Eventually, he got over to the bed in which he paused. There on one of the pillows, tied up in a black ribbon was a single rose. Confused, Trek picked it up, asking where the flower came from before the screen fading to black.




	Days went by, and through Mr. Glass’s wealth, Hidden Trek was able to hire enough ponies to be set to work on reconstructing Glass Manor to its former glory. Windows were replaced, wooden boards were sawed, fresh paint was applied, and the gardens outside were tamed back to the way it once was.




The camera opened up from an iris lens to show the two stallions by a refurbished window with the moon in the background. While Mr. Glass was holding up what appeared to be dusty plans from long ago, Trek was wiping his sweaty brow. He told him that the workers have made good progress in that all the broken windows have been replaced, and all the weeds that surrounded the manor have been pulled out. While his host turned employer thanked him, Hidden Trek also added something that gave the unicorn pause.




“You know, this place is very beautiful once all the weeds and mold are gone. I wonder how all of this happened that somepony would just leave this gorgeous estate to rot.”




Now this time, it was Mr. Glass’s turn to be uneasy as he rolled up the plans tightly. Of course, Hidden Trek asked what was wrong. In response, the unicorn invited him to walk with him down the halls of the mansion. As they started, there was a look on Mr. Glass’s face as if he was remembering something melancholy.




“You were right; Sunglass Manor was once the most beautiful estates in the country. Many moons ago, this place was once filled with life with its warm Hearths Warming to those lazy summers in the gardens. The stallion that had built the mansion used to be the head of a company that made exquisite glassware. They're best in the world.”




The two of them stopped for a moment in front of a portrait of a stingy looking gray stallion. The unicorn in the portrait was dressed like Mr. Glass, only he was much older and had a dark beard underneath his glasses.




“Since Sun Glass built the manor, he was the Head of the House so he and his family would spend the rest of their lives in luxury. Eventually, he and his wife had a colt that was their pride and joy. Their foal was given everything on a silver platter, where through his parents; he could have anything he wanted.”




The camera made a close-up on the unicorn with a wistful look.




“Well… almost anything. When he grew up, he like another stallion his age wanted one thing out of life. And that was love. However, no matter how many mares that came to court him, his heart never budged… None of the ladies that came were able to sway him. For a while, he thought that he would never find love… until one fateful day.”




Then in the next shot, it opened up in the grand foyer where the stallion that had a strong resemblance to the portrait came walking down the stairs down to the rows of ponies that stood at attention. From the clothing they wore, it was clear to the audience that they were servants and this was a flashback. The Master of the House went up to each one as if he were inspecting them like how a Sergeant would with his regiment.




“On the day when the mansion took on new servants for replacements, a young stallion by the name of Hard Tack came looking for work. Like you, he was homeless and he too was kicked out of his home. But he was willing to do whatever the manor had in mind for him.”




The next shot showed shadows on the wall of the elderly unicorn talking to what seemed to be an Earth Pony. For a moment, their jaws moved, a few nods until they booth shook hooves.




“The Master of the House assigned Hard Tack to be his son’s personal valet in which he would help him dress, running his baths and take care of his personal items. Yet, on that day, it was the beginning of something tragic.”




Upon the screen, both Fancy and Blueblood watched a sort of montage in which it showed the Master’s son and Hard Tack slowly began a very close relationship. In one shot, it would show the servant dressing him, then in the next, it would dissolve to them laughing, and then showing them taking a stroll through the gardens, then show one of them nursing the other back to health. A series of moments strolled through that illustrated what kind of relationship they shared.

Blueblood leaned over to his consort again, “Am I noticing that they’re not showing their faces?”

“You’re not the only one,” Fancy remarked, “They’ve either showed their shadows, them below the neck and at a distance too. Now I wonder why they would do it like this.”

On the screen, before it cut to a title card, it showed the couple’s shadows in an attic space with a large, round window casting light upon their outlines upon the floor. 




“In the matter of months, the son of the Master had done something unthinkable – something that was considered a perversion of nature itself. He and his Valet had fallen in love. It grew to a point where one could not simplify imagine life without the other. At the same time, if anypony knew of their secret, it would bring upon the family eternal shame.







“Yet, such was their love, they were willing to risk it.”




The silhouettes of the two stallions both leaned forward for a kiss in the moonlight. Yet, in this happy moment, a new light was flung open in which showed the shadow of a gasping maid.




“One night in the attic, they were caught by the head maid sharing their first kiss. Horrified, the two of them begged her not to tell anyone. However, she followed the rules of her duty and told the Master of the House.”




While the screen showed the old unicorn marching, his face furry with rage before the camera showed only his shadow and stopped before his son’s, Blueblood glanced over to his date. Looking between the obvious shouting from the father on screen and his consort, Fancy was staring at the film intently but had a rather sad look on his face. The Prince caught a glimpse of the berating father from the movie getting so angry that he slapped his son – and at the very same moment, he saw his consort reacted by quickly lifting a hoof to touch his own cheek as if he got hit.

Blueblood wrapped a foreleg around him, “Are you okay?” he whispered.

“Huh?” Fancy snapped his attention to him. “Oh sorry, yes I’m fine.”

The Prince raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure?”

“Yes yes,” his date replied hastily. “It’s nothing. Really there’s nothing wrong.”

However, from the way his consort said it, the Blond unicorn was unconvinced. There was something rather off in his answer, almost as if he was lying to him. Only, why would Fancy Pants lie?

While still not letting go of him, Blueblood returned his attention to the screen. Therein black-and-white he, along with the audience saw bucking Hard Tack out the front door by the father, silently screaming at him to never come back. The scene dissolved, returning back to Mr. Glass and Hidden Trek as they entered the grand foyer where on the staircase, the unicorn stopped to which the camera cut to the balcony on the other side.




“When Hard Tack was fired and banished from the mansion, his son became greatly depressed.”




The entire theater went silent as it showed a few seconds of the son, his head was still cut out of the frame, tying a rope onto the railing.




“On that very spot in the middle of the night, when the son was without hope for his future, without love from anyone, and without… him.







“He tied a rope around his neck, and hangs himself.”




The next shot disturbingly showed the dangling hooves of the lifeless son that overlooked the stairs before it dissolved back to Mr. Glass and Hidden Trek. The Earth Pony had a look of shock on his face while the other shook his head. 




“Some would say that his ghost still wanders these halls.”




Mr. Glass turned to the other stallion.




“And on calm nights, if you listen carefully, you might still be able to hear the beat of his shattered heart.”