//------------------------------// // Posterity // Story: An Affliction of the Heart: Volume Five // by Anonymous Pegasus //------------------------------// Spectre rapped curtly on Kuno’s door with a hoof, while a chagrined-looking Chitin minced along behind him, wings drooping. After a few moments, the door was opened, and Kuno peered out, arching a brow. “Yes?” “I wish to speak with you and Warden. Privately.” Kuno looked from Spectre, to Chitin, and then back again, giving a long sigh. “Did she do something?” “Yes. But that is not why I am here,” Spectre said smoothly, while Chitin pursed her lips. “Can it wait? At all?” Kuno asked shortly. Spectre frowned, and then shook his head. “No. No it cannot. I have some… quite important questions that must be answered immediately.” Kuno sighed, and then opened the door all the way. “Very well, come in then. Don’t say I didn’t warn you though.” Spectre inclined his head in thanks and then stepped inside, and Chitin quietly followed him. Closing the door after them, Kuno moved back over to the bed, where Warden was laying with his head resting on the edge of a wooden bucket. His cheeks were red, his wings were drooping, and he looked absolutely exhausted. His eyes were hazy and unfocused, rimmed with red, and he was shivering constantly. “Rough night?” Spectre asked curtly. “Rough night,” Kuno admitted, lifting a hoof to lightly stroke down her husbands wing. Warden stirred slightly, and blinked once, his eyes focusing slightly as he regarded the two visitors. “Hi…” he murmured weakly, voice barely above a whisper. “Warden is going through withdrawal pretty bad right now. So please… keep it short. Yes or no answers would be preferable,” Kuno urged. Spectre nodded shortly, producing a cloth-wrapped package from under a wing and laying it on the bed in front of Kuno and Warden. “Very well. First I have to ask, to what measure are your changelings… trained?” “They… they’re really not,” Kuno admitted, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. “As part of Chrysalis’ army, they were allowed rudimentary thought and memory. They were more like animals at that point. Like… maybe a beast of burden?” “Or an earth pony,” Warden quipped weakly. Kuno glowered at him. “So, they had no… formal training in martial disciplines?” Spectre asked carefully. “Like, combat?” Kuno asked, rubbing her chin again and then pondering. “No. Not at all. Some of the woodworkers know how to use a blade for whittling or detailing wood. But other than that, allowing my changelings to be trained in the arts of combat would probably send the wrong message.” “Changelings most definitely follow the ‘make love, not war’ philosophy. Lit-” “Warden if you finish that sentence, so help me Celestia…” Kuno growled. Warden pursed his lips, but gave a weak chuckle. “I know exactly what you mean,” Spectre said, deadpan, giving a significant glance towards Chitin. Chitin splayed her ears. “Either way,” Spectre said, picking up the cloth-wrapped package and letting it unroll. It unrolled neatly, unfurling to reveal an ornamental dagger in a sheath. Spectre picked it up, and then withdrew the blade. It was a simple blade, single-edged, with a distinctive hook at the tip on the backside of the knife. “Have any of you seen one of these on the premises?” Warden cast a hazy stare at the dagger, Kuno tilted her head uncertainly and Chitin just looked at the dagger for a moment and then shook her head. “Never,” Kuno said. “The only knives we have around here are for food preparation. Unless Daggertail left some ‘surprises’ around.” “That is a possibility, though unlikely,” Spectre stated simply. “I’ve seen one before,” Warden said quietly. “Not here. But when I was training for the Royal Guard. That’s a ceremonial batpony knife.” “Very astute,” Spectre stated. “The hook on the end is for cutting prey out of our capture nets. Fisherponies sometimes use knives like ours, for cutting their fishing nets open if they get snagged or need to rescue a dolphin or some other animal who haphazardly wandered into it.” “So why are you showing us this?” Warden asked, resting his chin on the edge of the bucket. “To see if any of you have seen one on the premises, or…” Spectre trailed off, chewing on his lower lip with an oversized fang. “Or to know if any changelings would be trained in the ways of batpony martial combat.” “Definitely not,” Kuno said, shaking her head. “If you ask me in a few years, I would say it could potentially happen, with a changeling who snuck into the batpony ranks. But it’s only been a few weeks. None of them had time to learn anything. Chitin?” Chitin perked her ears up at the mention of her name, and she also shook her head. “No. Nothing. No changeling has been with the batponies. In any sense of the word!” Spectre shot her a glower. Warden lifted his head from the bucket, and gave Spectre a long stare, pursing his lips. “Is that the one that was used?” he asked flatly. Kuno arched a brow at him, but Spectre shook his head. “This is just a ceremonial dagger. Purely for display. The one used was a proper version. Meant for defense or combat.” “The one used…” Kuno said, staring from Spectre to Warden and then back again, putting it together. “You mean the murder weapon is… that?” “This specific variation of dagger, but not this one specifically,” Spectre corrected, sliding the dagger back into its sheath, and then beginning to carefully wrap it once more. He fell silent as he deftly wrapped the dagger, lips pursed. “You don’t think it was a changeling, do you?” Warden accused. Spectre paused, carefully tucking the edge of the fabric underneath a wrap to secure it, and then gave a long sigh. “When you eliminate the impossible…” he said, trailing off. He adjusted his glasses, and then nodded once. “I do not believe it was a changeling that did this. Though I do not want this information to leave this room.” “What, why?” Kuno spluttered. “My friend was murdered, you don’t get to just sit on this information!” Spectre cast a dark glance towards Kuno. “I did not think I would have to ask the emotivore to temper her emotions.” “I understand,” Warden said quietly, brushing a sweat lock of mane out of his eyes. “If it was a batpony who did it, and it was done with a guard knife…” Kuno’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “There are no batponies on the guard that are assigned here.” “So we need to go over statement and ask if any of your changelings saw a batpony. Discreetly.” Spectre slipped the cloth-wrapped dagger back under his wing. “If this news were to become public it would be a nightmare.” “More of a nightmare than ponies thinking one of my changelings murdered a visitor to the grounds when in actually they evidently did not?” Kuno asked, a note of steel in her tone. “Yes, in fact,” Spectre said smoothly. “Whoever did this clearly wanted to drive a wedge between changelings and ponies. Or at least, that is the only reason I can see for the… entirely random choice of target. Green Hoof was unremarkable, except that she was your friend. But should you publicly state that no changeling caused the murder, whoever set these events in motion would find it trivial to counter by saying that you are incompetent and shifting the blame. It would be better to find the killer and then announce what we know.” Kuno scowled. “You have two weeks. That’s it. After that, my patience will no longer suffice.” Warden lifted a shaking hook to rest on her wing. “Calm down you terrifying bugmonster.” “Green Hoof was my friend, too,” Kuno snapped. “I will not just...  Just…!” Warden pet her wing gently. “All this time you’re spending around ponies, you’re starting to act irrationally like them!” Kuno scowled again, and bit at the air a couple times in annoyance. “You’re right. You both are. We have to be patient. Spectre?” “Yes, your majesty?” Spectre asked smoothly. Kuno shuddered. “Just… just call me ‘Kuno’.” “Very well, Kuno?” “When you find them… you bring them to me first. I want to… question them,” Kuno stated flatly. Spectre frowned, and then adjusted his glasses again. “I… I can promise nothing. Proper chain of custody would have me detain them in the castle dungeon. If they turned up… ‘damaged’ to the dungeon, it could hurt the position of unbiased investigation and harm your case.” Kuuno frowned deeply, seeming to weigh the options. “Justice… or street justice…” Warden gave a dark chuckle. “I know which one I would choose.” Chitin looked back and forth between them. “I bet Celestia could be swayed to let you pick the punishment. Or conduct the sentence yourself. It’d be like having your mare and-” “-Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” Kuno scowled, narrowing her eyes at the changeling. “It’s bad enough the things you lot get up to barely in private. I will not let you start talking like that as well.” Chitin gave Kuno a long stare, and then smiled toothily. “Oh please, the things I hear you doing to Warden. You call us ‘rowdy’?” Kuno’s eyes flashed, and she gave Chitin a dagger-like glance. “Discretion is the better part of valour. Especially for a changeling, Chitin. Should you really be discussing this in front of our batpony guest?” Chitin rolled her eyes. “I already offered to let him join in and he turned me down. He’s asexual, I think.” Spectre arched an eyebrow at that, and then turned to give Chitin a look. “I assure you, I am physically capable. I would like to think having the discipline to not chase the first thing that lifts its tail at you is an admirable trait in anypony. Clearly, not something you look for in a prospective partner.” Chitin paused, looking at her hooves, and then to Kuno, and then Warden, and then specter. And then right back to Kuno. “Kuno… Is it… is it socially acceptable to slap him now?” Kuno burst out laughing. “Not after you asked me, no. It’s gotta be in the heat of the moment!” Frowning, Chitin looked down at her hooves again, and then quickly snapped up, aiming a blow at Spectre’s cheek. Spectre slipped the motion smoothly, and was adjusting his glasses again before Chitin had overbalancing and stumbling forwards. “Especially not after you telegraph what you are going to do so long before,” he quipped. Chitin scowled at the batpony, and then huffed, turning away from him. Warden turned to stare at Kuno, and Kuno gave him a long stare in response. “A month?” she asked. Warden shook his head. “Two minimum. Four tops.” “I’ll take those odds,” Kuno said with a sly giggle. Spectre and Chitin both stared at them, mystified. Kuno frowned, chewing on the inside of her lip, her wings buzzing in annoyance, forehooves tightening on the railing of the balcony as she watched changelings and the very rare pony move below in the courtyard. Warden sighed faintly, chin resting on the railing, trying to enjoy the cool breeze on the sweat that matted his mane. “Stop fretting.” Kuno scowled and stamped a hoof, watching her changelings still. “I can’t!” “You are fussing,” Warden said weakly, shifting to get more comfortable and almost knocking over the bucket that was there in case he got nauseous again. He lifted a shaking hoof to push his mane out of his eyes, and then gave a quiet sigh. “It’s just so… frustrating!” Kuno growled, bouncing in place anxiously, her wings giving another irritated buzz. “I know none of them did it, but they’re still being punished for it while the culprit is running free and not being tortured horrifically in my chambers!” Warden held up a hoof, his face seeming to turn a sickly shade of green. “Please, don’t put any images in my head.” Kuno tutted, but relented. “You’re such a queen,” Warden murmured with a weak chuckle. Kuno rounded on him, her expression confused. “Fretting and fussing over your subjects,” Warden said with a wise nod. “I know you don’t see yourself as a queen, but… you are one.” “For now,” Kuno responded, pursing her lips. “I… I can’t turn away from them. But I long for the time when I could lay with you and eat cake and cotton candy.” “I think that part of your life is over, Kuno,” Warden said grimly. Kuno scowled, eyes narrowing. “You take that back.” “Do you think you’ll ever be able to just lay there and relax without feeling like something is… wrong?” Warden asked bluntly. Kuno frowned, and her wings buzzed again. “I intend to find out, at least.” “So…” Warden asked, looking at his wife sideways for a long moment. “How long are you going to be like this for?” “Antsy?” “Big,” Warden corrected. Kuno blinked once. “Big?” She paused, looking down at her hooves and then shuffling them awkwardly. “I don’t… know. It feels… right, right now.” “I liked it when you were smaller than me,” Warden said wistuflly. “I’d like to spoon with you again as the big spoon sometime before…” “Before what, Warden?” Kuno asked sharply. “Before I ‘shuffle off this mortal coil’,” Warden responded gently. Kuno rolled her eyes, “There’ll be plenty of time for that.” “I’m not so sure,” Warden responded carefully. “I can feel it, you know. Every time a changeling transforms around me… it’s like… a tug. Like a harp string being plucked, and every time it happens it gets a little bit stronger… a little bit harder to ignore.” Kuno grimaced, looking back at the courtyard, but not responding immediately. After a few more moments of silence, she spoke. “I can’t… lose this form. Not now. Not while my changelings need me. Not while they’re so vulnerable. They need me, Warden.” “I know,” Warden responded gently, sighing and rubbing absently at his chest with a hoof. “I’m going to be… gone soon. I don’t want you to regret not showing me a little more attention towards the end.” “Warden, stop,” Kuno said, holding up a hoof. “You’re not going anywhere.” Warden gave her a grim look. “You can’t fix this with magic, Kuno. This isn’t some magical fantasy tale where you can just get the mighty Elements of Harmony to blast me and fix me.” “If you believed it was that bad, you wouldn’t be so calm,” Kuno said dismissively. Warden looked down at his hooves for a moment, and then back up at his wife. “Kuno. I’ve faced a lot of things these past years. From Sunshine and Daggertail, through to actually dying at the hooves of a crazy changeling Queen. I’m getting pretty good at facing down my fears. But I’m also understanding that it’s not so much a matter of being brave as being able to squash down your fear and get on with it any way.” “So you’re dying and you’re a coward?” Kuno asked, arching an eyebrow. Rolling his eyes, Warden scuffing the floor with a hoof nervously and then held his wife’s gaze. “I’ve never been more scared in my life,” he whispered softly. “I’m trying to hold it together for you. Because you’ve already got so much on your plate… but… I need you.” Kuno frowned deeply, but stepped closer to her husband, hooking her hooves around him and pulling him into a reassuring hug. “I’m sorry, Warden, I shouldn’t be neglecting you.” Warden nodded, squeezing his hooves around her almost desperately, burying his face in her mane. Frowning deeply, Kuno stared down at him and she mechanically stroked his mane, her expression one of confusion. “I… I’ve been neglecting you so much,” she murmured, pulling his heavy head up so she could gently kiss him. She pulled back after a moment, that look of confusion still on her face. “I… I’m sorry, Warden. I should have noticed this a lot sooner.” “You’ve been busy,” Warden said with a weak chuckle, hooves tugging at her insistently to pull her closer against him. “The idea that I’m so busy that I wouldn’t notice this…” Kuno murmured, shaking her head in denial. “This is unacceptable. I promise you, I will be a better wife.” Warden shook his head and pressed his face into her mane again. “You’re already perfect, Kuno. Even if you are a size too big.” “No, Warden,” Kuno said, a little more urgency in her voice this time. “I didn’t sense this. I didn’t feel it. I didn’t-” Warden lifted a hoof to gently place it on her muzzle, stopping her from speaking. “Kuno. I forgive you. For not comforting me earlier. The fact that you’ve been using your emotion-sensing abilities as a changeling to steer our relationship around is ammunition I keep in my quiver until our next argument.” “We don’t argue,” Kuno stated flatly. “Because you sense where I’m going and head me off! That’s cheating!” Warden accused. “Are you pretending that the rewards aren’t worth the ‘cheating’?” Kuno asked, arching an eyebrow. Warden paused at that, looking her up and down carefully. “You might need to convince me.” Kuno looked him up and down in return, and then a sly smile spread across her muzzle. “Shall I get the stepladder?” Warden opened his mouth to respond, and then paused, closing it and wrinkling his nose. “Maybe when the thought of that kind of thing doesn’t make me feel nauseous.” Frowning, Kuno pushed the bucket towards him with a forehoof. “I just need some more air,” Warden stated, turning back to lay his chin on the railing where he could take full advantage of the wind coming down off the mountain. Kuno tried to push up close, but he gently pressed her away with a warning of ‘too stuffy’. “So…” Kuno said after a few moments. “You said you can… feel it?” “Yes,” Warden responded, his throat suddenly dry. “Like a harp string… or… a spider’s web.” “And changeling magic causes it, too?” Kuno asked softly. Warden nodded. “It seems to react more harshly. When a unicorn lights something up near me, it’s like a buzz. A vibration. Like there’s a bee buzzing about under my sternum. But when a changeling transforms…” he trailed off, going still and silent. After a few seconds, he gasped and grasped his chest with a shudder. “There, I just felt it.” “In the north tower?” Kuno asked knowingly. Warden nodded. “You can feel it too?” “Just the presence of magic. That little… yes. Like an invisible spider’s web being tugged. That is exactly what it feels like.” “I feel that in my chest,” Warden murmured, swallowing thickly and seeming to turn more green. “I can… I can ignore it. Most of the time. But when it’s quiet and still… it makes my heart skip a beat.” Warden paused then, collecting himself. “It terrifies me.” Kuno nodded gently, and then pressed close to him, lightly pressing her cheek against his own. “I… I’m here for you. Until the end of time.” Warden nodded, hooking a hoof over her form. “That’s all I’ll ever need from you.”