The Cutie mark Crusaders bounced along the relative safety of the forest road, the morning sun making the ordinarily dark Everfree a lovely misty twilight. The normally angry forest on the way to Zecora's seemed restful as if the very spirit of the place was welcoming back a long gone Elder relative. Unknown growls and sounds still echoed through the forest, subdued but just loud enough to make the fillies aware that this was not a tame place.
"So what time did Rarity get home?" Scootaloo asked the white, purple maned unicorn next to her.
"Still wasn't home when I left," came the unsurprising reply, "What about you Scoots, what time did Rainbow Dash do the walk of shame?" Sweetie Bell snarked back to her friend.
"You mean her walk of awesome!" Scootaloo countered.
The two started eyeing each other before their third teen companion spoke up, "Considerin' they're both sleepin' next to ma' big sis in 'er room with satisfied looks, I think you'all both need to shut it," Applebloom said not looking back to hide her smirk at the silence that followed.
End of heat was always hard for the single gals in town, and those without somepony often found ways to make due. Applebloom tilted her head and did a running count, "This is what, the third, fourth time they ended up easing their heat together, ever since Cheese Sandwich hooked up with Pinkie?"
"Fifth actually, you forgot Rarity took Rainbow out when that happened and they ended up at your sister's in the same position. Rarity was much nicer that next week even with the awkward blushes between her, Rainbow, and Applejack." Sweetie Belle replied.
"Hey does them being intimate every time heat rolls around mean we're sisters? Cause then us sharing spike would kinda be incest," Scootaloo wondered.
"Not biologically, so we should be fine." came the reply from Sweetie.
"Relax Scoot y'all can still have yer drake and eat us too," Applebloom was really glad she was walking in front as the blush of her two companions could almost be heard. There would be vengeance she knew but, for now the silence was glorious.
Rounding the bend, Zecora's cottage came into full view, however there was no sign of the zebra mare.
"Huh, must still be sleeping things off.' Applebloom said.
"Yeah, she was trying to keep up with Rarity drink for drink, last time I saw." AB and Scoots winced at Sweetie's words. It was well known that Rarity could put an Alicorn under the table, and given who her best friend was, she often out drank all three. Four, if Cadance was in town.
"Sweetie if your sister killed mah teacher by alcohol poisoning then ah am gonna be a bit put out" Applebloom said.
Any further conversation was halted when a masked, obviously male figure, exited Zecora's hut. He seemed to be wearing shorts made from one of the skirts the Zebra always wore and went around tending to her garden. He had yet to notice the Crusaders. His fur and mane was coal black and his mask obviously came from within Zecora's cottage. His lean muscled form obvious, the work he was doing showing off all the contours and tone of his body.
"Huh 'Your Teacher' got herself a stallion AB" Scootaloo said. Her sudden closeness causing the teen to jump away. Scootaloo smirked.
Applebloom looked first at Scootaloo, and then down at the mystery Stallion puttering in her teacher's garden. She glanced back at Scootaloo, vengeance was upon her, she knew, recognizing the glint in her herd mates eye. In desperation she darted forward in an attempt to grab for her fellow herd member, but no it was a distraction, she realized, as Sweetie darted past her.
"Hey, Damnit, Sweetie, git back here." Taking advantage of the Earth Pony's momentary lack of attention, Scootaloo shrugged the stronger Earth pony off and ran towards the black furred male.
Within moments Sweetie and Scootaloo however, had stopped and as Applebloom's momentum carried her into them she saw why. The male had arisen and stalking forward had intercepted them. That was not what gave the trio pause. The clawed hands and pawed feet, along with the loping movement did. The Crusaders knew that they where to close to run, this time they where doomed. The figure loomed over them, amber gold eyes shining from behind the mask. He reach forth his clawed appendage and gently ruffled the mane of Sweetie Belle. Then a melodious baritone issued forth
"What are you three Young ones doing here, this place has much you should fear."
"Zecora is mah teacher, these are mah two friends, they decided to tag along." Applebloom paused then continued, "Whut happened to Zecora?" his tone was friendly and kind. His deep graviley baritone reminding her of a more verbose version of her older brother Big Mac
They heard a huffling, wheezing sound, it took a moment to realize that this figure was laughing.
"Zecora is safe and sound, to much Hard Cider made her head pound." He glanced back at the hut. "When this morning she awoke, with a knife she gave warning of what would happen if I spoke." The male rubbed under his throat as he clearly remembered the conversation.
"Yep, sounds like Zecora, who are y'all anyway?" Sweetie and Scoots by unanimous silent decision had ellected Applebloom Sacrificial Speaker. Althoguh something about him made them breath a little harder and a flush over there face.
"Met her coming through the wood, not such a good neighbor hood. I escorted her home and then decided not to roam. Advantage I did not take, I will wait to pursue her till she wakes." Scootaloo and Sweetie both let out a sigh of disappiontment at his sole interest in the Zebra Alchemist.
Sweetie broke the silence first. "Wait, you want to be Zecora's Special Somepony?"
"A Special Somepony I can not be, for I am not a pony you see."
"What are you then?" Scoots said finding her voice at last. Sweetie and Applebloom face palmed hard.
"You'd think she'd know better by now." They both thought.
Again the huffling laugh, he reached his clawed hands to his mask and spoke as he let it fall. "Fenrir is my name, and you see, I am the Wyld God, not some pony tame, the Alpha Wolf I be."
His fanged muzzle exposed, the face of a nightmare in the waking world, was to much, as in unison the CMC blacked out.
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The two sisters released their Aunt and sat beside her, Celestia holding the ugly right and Luna holding the beautiful left. Hel's tears finally eased as she looked with pride upon her nieces. She saw into their hearts and knew them, knew that they each bore their scars but nowhere was the love of power that led to it's abuse. Instead each understood, power was a curse. She smiled and for the first time none flinched back, there was no fear. The three mares sat, in comfortable, blessed, silence for a while, before inevitably, the world intruded.
"Excuse me Auntie's but I must talk about this new proposal of..." The Stallion before Hel stood transfixed as she gazed upon him. His eyes beheld her beautiful ugliness and then lingering a little to long for Hel's taste, before dropping to his knees.
"I apologize I had no idea your majesties were entertaining a royal guest, please forgive me." Luna and Celestia glanced at each other confused, they had never heard this one speak this way. Hel smirked and let her own gaze linger, Blonde haired and well muscled, he bore a simple rapier for his weapon. His horn came to a sharp point and he wore a red jacket with multiple medals upon it. She noticed most where in service during peace, except for one. She confirmed it with another look at his weapon, she hummed in contentment. It seemed Baldur had a twin.
"Why girls, here I thought you straight forward. Yet here we have a hatchetman. One who moves as your enemy, but whose loyalty is true." Hell glanced at her nieces and saw their confusion.
"You didn't know? That one would sooner remove his horn then betray either of you." She arose and stalked towards the kneeling Stallion.
"I see into your heart, pretty one. I see your sins and there reasons. For this, for the loyalty in the dark that you have shown my nieces I forgive you being shocked by my ugliness"
Forgetting himself he rose up, a snarl upon his muzzle, anger shaking his frame, "Ugly? If thou are Ugly then I am nothing but a worm, for thou are the most beautiful being I have ever laid eyes on. As above all others as Celestia is above the ants. Nay there is nothing of ugliness in you. Cruelty, perhaps, Coldness even, but are not all those that are beautiful touched with coldness and cruelty?"
Hel's anger flared, frost formed as the temperature dropped as she snarled back, "You dare to say such words to The Queen of the Underworld, I am well aware of my appearance. It is what caused me to be locked in that cold place, for I did not belong among the pretty gods."
The mortal before her refused to relent or turn aside, "Tell me who said such words and did such wrongs to you and allow me to be their ruin. Let me drag them down into the depths they sent you, and permit me the honor of teaching them all the lessons of pain and loss they inflicted on you. Let me make their screams for you a sonnet and their laments poetry to your glory. Let me make it clear the error of what they have done unto you and the consequences of treating you so badly."
Forgetting himself again he stepped forward and raised his hand to the desiccated side of her right face and caressed her cheek, "For it was naught but petty jealousy of your strength and beauty, for no other reason could I think for making you disbelieve your own loveliness."
His angered eyes softened from sorrow at the idea that this perfect mare ever had cause to doubt her self. Still he gazed into her eyes and Hel looked deep and found nothing but truth in his words. She read his heart more carefully and knew him.
"For that alone I would hate them and hunt them till I left for the lands of summer and if possible even into those blessed lands of the dead. I would serve you for the rest of my life and beyond gladly where it naught but to change your chamber pot and slop out your stables, I would give you all of my wealth and land, just to have you cast me out to be among the filth of this world if it meant you never having another cold night. I would give up paradise itself, for what is paradise if one such as you has been denied its entry? A mare such as you deserves this as the minimum of devotions."
He took a breath and stepped back, bowing his head and placing his arm across his chest he continued, "Forgive me, Your Majesty, I forgot myself, I know that I spoke out of turn, but no mare of your obvious breeding and caliber should ever have reason to speak those words or have such doubts in her heart."
He turned to go his head bowed, but Hel's voice rang out into the silence. "Those who would so serve me must tell me their name."
He spun on his heel, hope on his face. "Prince Blueblood, Your Majesty."
"Please don't lie, I did not ask for your title and family, I want the name that until now you only spoke in the dark. Prince Blueblood is the mask, the lie, he would not have said such words. I have no want of him. To serve me you must cast him aside, for I detest him. Now I ask again Tell me your name."
To the surprise of Celestia and Luna, Blueblood shuddered and again went down on one knee. When he spoke it was with the voice of a child. "I can't, father and mother will be angry, mustn't make them angry. I have to be good. That names not allowed.". The last words choked out in a sob.
Hel tilted her head and when she spoke next all warmth was gone, even Luna shivered in the cold of that voice. "All who seek to serve me must tell me that name, if you can not do that, then you will leave and Prince Blueblood you will remain till death claims you. Thrice I ask the and all things done, this last chance, your name or be cast forevermore from my presence, I am not a forgiving Queen. And I have no use for Blueblood."
He shuddered, then his breath caught and he calmed. All things shifted as in that room, before the Queen of the Underworld, the mask that was Prince Blueblood died and somepony else arose from the floor.
With calmness and unquavering voice this new Pony said, "Forgive me my weakness, one should never let a lady, let alone a Queen, waiting on a response, my name, as it has been since before I was called into existence, is Sapphire Blue, if it pleases you. Your Majesty."
"First refer to me as Mistrees," here the newly claimed Sapphire tensed, flinching back from the rebuke, "Secondly, It does, I think I can grow quite fond of Sapphire Blue, Blueblood is dead, Sapphire has taken his place. Let any that gainsay this know that I enforce it." Sapphire released a breath he had not even know that he held.
She then turned to Celestia and sheepishly said, "I apologize Cele, I appear to have inadvertently taken one of yours," Turning to a snickering Luna she said, "therefore the next that does what Sapphire has done shall come from you, Nia." Luna nodded, still snickering, although now Celestia was joining in as well.
Hel turned back to Sapphire. "You will join us for breakfast, Sapphire, Your Queen wishes you to attend her, so that she might know you better."
Sapphire glanced at the table. "Forgive my question, but there are only three chairs, where do you want me?"
"Why you will take my chair, I will be sitting upon your lap," Hel smirked, "Come now, you must'nt keep your mistress waiting."
Sapphire sat upon the chair and Hel rested upon his lap, his strong right arm encircling her. Celestia and luna where struck by how small Hel actually was, as she was able, without much slumping or discomfort of her new Stallion to rest her head on his chest while her legs curled under their shared chair. Sapphire, merely held her occasionally feeding her tidbits of this and that, as she became interested. Hel, for the first time in her memory, felt safe and loved. It was not long before she drifted off on his chest, a contented smile on her face.
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Moving through the Ether with his darling one, took less then a moment but more then an eternity and again he was before that damn door to that cottage. He looked upon his other side, the part he never knew he missed till he did. To long they had been away from each other, not by choice but by the choices of others. She looked up into his eyes, his Penolpe.
"Where are we, my love."
"Our son is on the other side of this door, it is all that seperates us from him. We just have to knock, and then step through." The world serpent sighed. "But this must be done right. I want more then anything to step through and be the father my son needs, however I can not be that of I am not first the husband you need. So we knock on this door together or we don't. We are still in the ather, we can stay in the aether or we can go wherever we want, or we can knock. But I am yours now and always".
The mare held in his coils stared at the door. "I am frightened, I failed our son. I broke and had to be locked away. I have languished in one asylum or another since. My own son and I abandoned him to the vagaries of the world simply because I couldn't be a single mom." Her eyes began to tear. "I was so weak after you left I ran and finally all the running broke me, with you here I am restored, but I can not do that to him again. I do not even know anything about his life. He stopped trying to visit because they always tried to capture him and then he lost track of me. What could I be that he could possibly need?"
"An amazing Grandmare, he's snuggling with the Element of Kindness, things seem to be leading tha..." The World Breaker, the Bane of Thor, the World Serpent shut his mouth as the mare he loved grabbed him by the throat.
"Knock on that damn door, I want grandfoals to spoil!"
Jormungdr chuckled and breached the aether. The weave of all things rippled and when it ceased a tall well muscled Draconicques in a black suit, red shirt, and black tie stood, upon his left shoulder was a cream colored mare with a brown mane and an almost maniac grin. The tall well muscled man extended his hand and lightly rapped the door.