Prim Rose's Redemption

by Hope


Chapter 29

The war did not end at the Everfree Castle.

Nor did it end when the Griffin army was driven back and decimated, turned into a frantic retreat back to the sea and their waiting ships.

More ships came, and with them came more soldiers. Armor and swords soon littered the shore and fields like cast off stones, while Everfree City became more a castle and less a city with each passing month. As the risk of soldiers clashing in the streets became ever present, businesses moved West. Mint Mortar profited greatly from the flow, but as the conflict risked spilling into even her domain, she became less prone to opposing Prim and Luna.

Meanwhile, Prim found herself with more free time than ever before. While war was stressful and dangerous, she set the schedules and attended war meetings, but besides training new assistants and continuing to monitor a dour Filigree, she was granted the freedom to do whatever she wanted.

But besides spending every moment following Luna around her duties, which was quickly becoming an incredible heartache, she had no clues as to what she should do.

Every night spent tending to Luna's pain and the struggles of leading a nation in war was a night of caring for the mare she loved, but never being able to express how she felt. A sort of lie in her mind.

So she began wandering the city, or what remained of it. The reinforced areas hidden behind the castle, formerly the bricks and wilds. All the things required to sustain a castle and the governing force of a nation.

The streets were heavily patrolled, old mansions rebuilt after the attack by Daybreaker were communal houses now, seized by or gifted to the crowns. Prince Spring's new consort had a building all to herself, though even that was likely going to change, as every bit of space was needed, and despite tradition they were likely going to be moved into the castle itself.

But the hours of dusk and dawn when Prim wandered, the places that kept lanterns lit were bars, brothels, inns, and private residences.

Growing tired of trying to find some rewarding conversation in the bars and inns, and unwilling to seek her less than conventional desires in a brothel, Prim found herself one night in front of Sali’s shop. Lanterns lit, but sign set to “closed” She was surprised to hear laughter, the ringing of glass on glass, and a number of hooves crossing the wood flooring. It sounded nearly like a party, and in this lonely time surrounded by war, it sounded like paradise behind those doors.

Before she could turn away, the front door opened, and a mare stepped out, stopping when she saw Prim. Behind her, Sali was holding the doorway open, and also stopped.

“Ah, it has been a long time,” Sali chuckled as she nodded to the other mare.

The mare quickly left as Sali held the door open to continue talking to Prim.

“Please, come in. It is an odd time to stop by for clothes,” she said as Prim shook her head.

“Simply passing through, Sali.”

“Please. Thou are not just alone, thou art destitute. Each time I see thee at court, it is as though thou art dying. Please, this is a safe place for mares such as us.”

That caught Prim’s attention as she’d been about to turn away. She knew of only one thing she shared with the fashionista, and it was a painful thing of late.

“Safe?” Prim asked, turning slightly to look inside of the shop, where more muted speech could be heard. Perhaps they feared an unknown pony at the door.

“Safe,” Sali repeated, stepping aside to let Prim see inside more easily.

There were a dozen mares scattered around the shop, the racks of clothes and wardrobes all moved to the windows to block them from view. They all seemed to be in pairs, and Prim noticed instantly a pattern. Each pair consisted of one mare with a long mane and fine dress, and of one with either short or braided mane, and a vest. It hit Prim’s heart like a sledgehammer, as she saw herself and Luna in that pattern, and she drifted into the shop so Sali could close the door behind her.

“A new butcher! A shame, we art in dire need of fresh meat!” a raucous voice called out as the door’s lock found home.

The voice was low enough to almost be a stallion’s but it belonged to a mountain of a mare. Her coat was pitch black but her mane was white striped with brown. She wore a vest rivalling Prim’s own in quality, and had cut her mane and tail so short that it did not even lay over, sticking straight up like a zebra’s.

“Do be kind to the dear,” Sali chuckled amidst laughter, “She is new to our fine community. Introduce thyself, Prim.”

“B… Butcher?” Prim asked, looking around at the amused mares and feeling very out of place.

Sali smiled, her tail swishing past Prim’s nose as she sashayed over to the table full of food, picking up a glass of wine in her magic and sipping it before looking back to her.

“Boucherie douce des femmes, dear. The sweet butcher of women. It has a long history, but it is our term for women like you and Chess here. The more… hardy of our type.”

“Those of us that act like stallions,” Chess laughed. “Sali’s flowery words may yet confuse one of our newcomers into leaving. We are Butchers, they’re all Femmes. Prench for Women. Sali does love her Prench.”

“Ever shall I pine for the land of my birth. Here we use names of our own choosing, destinies of our own choosing. What name shalt thee use?” Sali asked as she circled back to stand before Prim.

“I have no quarrel with the one I was given. Prim Rose.”

“Well met, Prim,” Chess said as she shook her hoof firmly. “And welcome to the den of the Gorgons. Since thou art alone, Sali shall grace thy side, it is our custom.”

Indeed, Sali moved to stand next to Prim, and finished the pattern of pairing a butcher with a femme.

The moment that was done, the jubilant atmosphere returned to the room, sweeping Prim up in the noise.

“Prim, this is Nail, the only actual butcher in the city,” Sali said as she introduced Prim to the green coated and black maned earth pony mare that she had previously known only as Chef.

There was an unspoken agreement it seemed that they would not acknowledge that they knew eachother in the castle, as “Nail” simply shook her hoof and nodded.

“thou art truly lucky to have Sali to thy side,” Nail said with a thin smile. “Not to diminish Jubilee’s beauty.”

The thin yellow mare to Nail’s side chuckled and rolled her eyes, seeming undisturbed by her date’s comment.

“I shall be certain to appreciate the honor,” Prim replied, nodding to Jubilee and getting a curtsey in return.

“Newcomer!”

Prim turned to face the source of the call and found a pair stumbling towards her. She was surprised to also recognize these two.

Bright Lantern and Windy Pine were the two mares that Luna had granted a marriage to back when Prim had first come to the castle. Even back then, though Prim had not recognized it, they had followed the duality of this place. A butcher and a femme. Bright was the butcher of the two, currently dressed in a cheap vest and slacks, likely made by Sali, but far below the quality she had put into Prim's.

“Welcome! This here is my wife, Windy Pine!” Bright said quite loudly and cheerfully, while Windy blushed and tried to keep her from falling over.

Bright was drunk, but Windy was sober, taking care of her spouse as best she could.

“Thou hast forgotten to introduce thyself,” Windy reminded her softly, smiling.

“Ah! Bright. Bright Lantern. A pleasure.”

The first two attempts to meet hooves missed by a wide margin, but with the third they tapped together, and Prim chuckled.

“Celebrating?” She asked while noticing that Sali was watching Chess more than the two in front of them.

It didn't bother Prim, but it was curious. She'd never seen Sali be more than playful, and now she seemed concerned, following the black and white mare as if waiting to leap in if she was hurt or showed some sign of distress.

It was only then that Prim realized that Chess was unaccompanied. A femme would split from her pair to walk alongside Chess for a moment, before another took her place. Like an honor guard. Prim wondered what had happened to Chess’ femme, but answers were not presenting themselves.

“Of course! A celebration of life, of profit! A celebration of war!”

The room grew quiet as though a blanket had been drawn over it, muffling all noise. Sali did not lose control though. As Chess turned to level a gaze that could kill at Bright, Sali stepped up and used her magic to take the glasses of wine away from both of them, and gestured for them to come closer.

Bright hesitated, but Chess was grim and swift, standing before Sali in a second.

“The war is not thy fault,” Sali said to a suddenly miserable looking Bright. “Nor is it worth celebrating, even in bitter jest.”

“I know, I know,” Bright whimpered, her eyes fixed on the floor.

“Chess, thou hast not spoken to Bright in… weeks now, and we all know the cause. We have our professions, as we all need a living. Bright did not do the evil thou art mourning. She only supplies the armor of our soldiers, and has given us all gold when we were destitute. Any supplier could have been the source of the armor thy beloved wore, and any soldier could have worn the faulty piece. If Bright had known that armor was faulty, it never would have been sent.”

Chess’ jaw clenched, looking away but respecting Sali’s authority enough to stay standing there, facing Bright. She tried again and again to say something, but seemed to choke on her buried sorrow each time, until finally she stepped forward and put a hoof on Bright’s shoulder.

“Lace wouldn’t let me be so cold,” she said gruffly. “She’d tell me that… I’ve got to have all of thee now more than ever before.”

“I’m sorry,” Bright said as she stepped closer and hugged Chess.

It was a moment of tenderness and vulnerability that was something Prim had gone without for so long. It was like she’d been locked in an emotionless state for so long, that it hurt deep in her chest, and it was a tempting thought to leave, but Sali returned to her side, leaving the two butchers to reconcile.

“They listen to thy words, even if reluctantly. Thou must have the respect of all these mares,” Prim said quiet enough that she wouldn’t be overheard.

“‘Tis the nature of a femme. Were one of thee given no check, surely thou wouldst work thyself to death. So a femme must find herself a butcher, and give her reins, so that she may be pulled back from that brink and given sense to her emotions. Certainly thy path here was dotted with grief that would have faded, had thy precious princess taken notice,” Sali said with an aggressive gleam in her eye.

“I… suppose that may be so,” Prim said as she began to walk, leading Sali so that she could get herself a glass of wine.

“Oh! These colors, all wrong for thy vest,” Sali said, examining her own dress and eyes in a hoof mirror, while Prim found an untouched glass and sipped from it.

“Please, there is no need to redress on my account,” Prim said, amused, before a green fire began to spread from Sali’s horn, making Prim pull back in shock.

Before she could try and douse it, it worked its way across Sali’s body, revealing new colors. Her eyes were once again crimson to match Prim’s mane, whereas before they had been emerald. Her red and blue dress changed to a dark blue and black that matched Prim’s vest precisely. When it was finished and new golden mane and tail swept down to match the gold of Prim’s eyes, the room was filled with applause, while Prim looked her over in confusion.

“Truly, I am the most premier of illusionists,” Sali chuckled to herself as she spun in place for Prim to admire her. “My one great magic. The rest, skill and sly bravado. Dost thy eyes find a pleasing shape?”

“It would be a lie if I denied it,” Prim said as she looked at Sali, and realized that she only truly found her pleasing because of the things that reminded her of Luna.

Certainly Sali’s body was soft and shapely, and her smile brought a certain joy to Prim, a carnal pleasure that faintly warmed her heart, but when she tried to list the reasons for her desire, they were all tied back to the princess Prim craved.

The way that Sali’s smile had that same royal confidence, the way her height and the sharpness of her horn almost gave the image of an alicorn. The blue in her dress reminded her of Luna’s mane.

As Sali stepped closer to Prim, Prim saw Luna’s smile, and felt Luna’s breath on her cheek. Her heart began to beat more heavily, with a light headed rush of joy. But it was Sali’s voice she heard.

“I know it is not my heart that thou desire. No. I know well of the mare that holds thy heart. I shall not hold it against thee. No, I am well used to not being the object of desire, but a placeholder of sorts. Let the delusion hold, let the desire flow.”

Despite knowing that the mare before her was not Luna, a green haze came over Prim’s eyes and she let it happen, her mind giving in to that hope in something that she couldn’t have. For the rest of the night, she truly believed that Princess Luna stood by her side, laughed, and held her in her bed when all the others had gone for the day.

As the sun began to set, after Prim had slept her fill, a day of dreams with her princess, she awoke and knew that she was not by Luna’s side. She was not in the castle, she was not safe.

She got out of the small bed and stumbled towards the door, picking up her vest and cloak as she went, mind racing only to be interrupted by Sali’s voice.

“Thy love for her is too strong for me to take for my own,” she sighed. “Thou art unable to even enjoy another mare.”

“Had thou not taken on the form of her majesty, never would I have stayed,” Prim replied, not turning around.

“There is no need to be cruel,” Sali hissed, the sounds of movement telling Prim that she was rising from her bed. “Just to say that thou art lovestruck, and cannot find joy in any mare but her. To say I am unworthy is cruel.”

“YOU TRICKED ME!” Prim roared, turning on Sali and coming nose to nose with the green and black mare, “None but her majesty, ever! Till death itself takes mine heart, I shall never touch another mare but she, and thou wert bold enough to imitate her!”

“The disguise does not work if it is unwanted,” Sali said as she stepped forward, forcing Prim back towards the door. “If the craving is not enough to overwhelm, if the mind allows it. Thou wert complicit.”

“Never.”

Prim threw her cloak quickly over her back and head and threw the door open with her magic before marching out and heading towards the castle, while the sun began to hide behind the distant mountains, and a new night began.

So many years later, as Sali stood before Princess Luna, a green fire washed over her, revealing Prim’s form down to the most precise detail. Her every hair, the spiral and curve of her horn, all as though brought back from the past.

“I can bring her back for thee, your Majesty,” Sali said as she stepped closer to Luna, even her movements and the look in her eyes too keen to be told apart from the mare they copied. “I may heal the pain consuming thy heart.”

Princess Luna stepped back, the image before her a thing of dreams but beyond her control, and she nearly gave into the delusion to have her beloved Prim back, except for one thing. An alicorn has heightened senses of all kinds, and this mare before her did not have the scent of Prim Rose. She smelled metallic, like blood and frantic desire, hot with need. But before she broke the spell of desire, Luna felt some essence within her fade, some of her love being pulled away and into the heart of Chrysalidae.

Her blue magic wrapped tight around the imposter, and in a burst of power she was flung against a nearby wall, the disguise shattering as she fell to the floor, revealing the creature beneath.

Half mare and half abomination of magic, the creature had hard shell-like patches of gleaming black chitin along it’s legs and back, and rotted holes throughout it’s legs and horn. Gossamer wings like an insect sprouted from the matted fur on it’s back, and sharp fangs showed as it breathed in a labored gasp of air and struggled to stand.

“Monster,” Luna said as she walked towards it, picking it up in her magic.

“Nay, simply an illusionist who has gone too far with her craft,” Sali gasped around the tight grip. “Release me, and I shall never return.”

“Release you… Tell me, do these wings of thine function?” Luna asked as she pulled them open with her magic, watching the creature wince.

“Indeed.”

“Then fly,” Luna whispered, nose to nose with the creature.

She then threw her with all her magic, shattering a nearby window into a rain of glass shards into the garden below, but still accelerating Sali faster and faster. Finally, as she left the range of Luna’s power, Sali struggled to open her wings against the rush of air, first climbing and then falling through the night sky until she found herself gliding, too late. She hit the tops of the trees and fell into the Everfree forest, vanishing from the sight of ponies for more than a hundred years.