//------------------------------//
// 16 - Sire's Hollow 
// Story: Blueblooded Bluebell 
// by David Silver 
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"You know," noted Blue, trying her best to strike a good tone. "This town was once--"

"Glistening Glade," blurted out Firelight with a big smile. "I thought nopony else outside the library even knew that anymore!"

Blue's smile was more subtle, proud that she had succeeded in her attempt. "I understand I confuse you a little." She turned a hoof back on herself. "But let us be clear. Mare, stallion, or whatever else, I am the rightful ruler, and I do plan to do right by it. Can you help me do that?"

Firelight's ears twitched softly. "Actually, the first ruler of this area was--"

It was Blue's time to interrupt with a grin. "My very own grandmother. She was a mare of great distinction. I like to think I follow in her hoofsteps and hope to make her proud."

One could almost see Firelight calculating a few things out. "You were... very young when she passed... Do you remember her?"

"Only so faintly," she admitted. "But I've learned more about her, recently." Blue fished out her royal ring to show to Firelight. "She is the one that earned this. I plan to prove worthy of that gift."

"It's, uh..." Firelight rubbed behind his head. "Pardon me. On some level, it is nice to have a proper mare in charge of things." Traditionalist that he was, a mare being in charge only made sense. Of course, there were traditions older than that which allowed a king to rule over unicorns and pegasi. One had to draw the line somewhere in the sand of time. "It was... actually leaning that way on its own, as if it were a natural pony property."

Blue raised a brow at that. "I think I heard of her. Starlight mentioned her." Speaking of that mare, Blue looked around and saw exactly zero Starlight's in view. She had snuck off! "A radicalist?"

"That sounds a bit harsh, but she is one for new things," overall agreed Firelight. "She's not a bad pony. She never broke any laws, she just... looks for new answers to problems."

"Then I will not motion for her punishment," decided Blue Belle out loud. "Still, I do need to know if she will stand with me, or against me."

Firelight rubbed behind his head. "Are you going to issue a formal challenge?"

Blue Belle's brows went up together, considering the very idea. "She has not yet insulted me, and she is not a peer." Those being the two levels at which she could issue a challenge and not come off as a boor. "Let us not draw blades before the battle is on, hm?"

"Well, good." He looked happier as he began to trot off. "Let's see the castle! It's been cordoned off for some years, too dangerous to wander around inside, and nopony had the will, or bits, to restore it." He led the way a short distance out of the main body of the town to what was clearly a run down castle, looking ready to fall apart under a stiff enough breeze. "I've seen drawings, it was really a nice place, back in the day."

Blue struggled to imagine it as more than fallen rocks and empty, darkened, hallways. "I see..." Ah, her turn to not see. "Well... Hm. I do see it. I will consider it." She raised a hoof to her chin as she turned away, towards the town proper. "How is the town itself? Are the ponies here happy?"

"Right as rain," he promised. "Oh! You have to try some!" He began to lead the way back to town, with Blue trailing behind. "We have a baker who makes real heritage bread! Baked with the most ancient of grains."

Said baker looked up as they entered. One of those ponies, he knew. "Morning, Firelight." His eyes moved to the gussied up mare that looked like she belonged in a city more than their quiet little town. "Ma'am."

Firelight gestured back at her with a grin. "You stand before Baroness Blue Belle, our ruler. 'Your Highness' would be the proper greetings."

"Howdy." He shoved a great wooden thing into an oven and pulled out a fresh bit of bread. "Hungry?"

Blue smirked faintly. There was a commoner who wasn't too worked up about titles and things. A common trait among commoners in that day and age. At least he hadn't decried her position. "I would sample it. Can you offer a small slice?"

"Sure thing." He brought out a knife that was more a butcher's knife than a bread one and brought it down with a great slam, knocking a piece of the loaf off. "There ya go."

Blue blinked softly. That was not normally how bread was cut... Still, it would be rude to back away... She wrapped the small piece in her magic and brought it over. "I'm certain it will be--" She bit down into it, her teeth slamming into the bread that was more of a stone. "My word!"

"It's so delightfully traditional," practically sung Firelight, bouncing in place.

Blue felt certain that was not the bread any sane pony would eat. "I will save it." For disposal. "Firelight, while we are here, shall we not see more of the town?"

"Oh, certainly." He lead the way back out towards the main thoroughfare. "Are you a book fan?"

Blue's ears pricked. "If you have any on runic magic?"

Firelight's brows went up together. "Oh my. I didn't think any pony had a sincere interest in that. How interesting!"

Well,  that removed him from being someone to talk to about that. "Not something you use, I gather?"

"Use?" He seemed confused at the idea. "It's a way of..." He rubbed his cheek, confusion only growing. "It was what early ponies used to explain what they didn't understand. A grand tradition, surely, but how would one 'use' it?"

Blue inclined her head faintly, giving up on that, at least with him. Still... "A fascination of mine, humor me. Have you any books on the topic?"

"A number!" His smile returned as they headed towards a building. "Behold, our library! I'm sure it's not much, compared to what you've seen in Canterlot, but it's ours, and we do have books they don't." He buffed his chest with a hoof. "We take meticulous care of them."

Blue's eyes raised to the sign. "It seems to portray itself as more of a bookstore than a storage of books." Or a library, as many would say it.

"Oh, that! It used to be." He nodded to the mares standing guard over the books, who were eyeing Blue Belle suspiciously. "Since I named it a historical monument, ponies stopped buying books and started protecting our past." He gestures widely over the collection before them. "Behold!"

Blue's gaze swept left and right, considering the books. "I would like to see what you have concerning runic magic, and if you have some on my family line, I would appreciate that as well." She tapped her hoof softly on the floor. "Now, kindly."

One of the librarians scurried off, cowed by the stern command. The other was less impressed. "Why should we listen to you? No books can leave the area! We're protecting the--"

"--Easy there," cut in Firelight, his cheeks warmed. "This is Baroness Blue Belle, rightful ruler of the town. If she wants to view a book, she has the right of it."

Blue nodded with satisfaction. "If one of you wishes to accompany me and read the book to me, that is acceptable."

Firelight waved at Blue. "See, perfect. You can protect the book and she gets to read it at the same time. How lovely!"





Celestia peered around the dim room. With Blueblood... belle... gone, there was no pony stopping her, or any threat that they'd return suddenly. "There must be a reason..." A pony did not go from magically uninitiated to casting spells like that so quickly!

A magical peer with Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer, and neither thought that was strange? This is why she was princess, she supposed. She let out a slow breath. That smell... It was there, faintly teasing at her. It had a meaning, she was sure. "That's it." She trotted from the room, determined.

"Bitch," cursed the imp, visible as soon as Celestia was gone. "And stay gone."

Celestia was unaware of such slights, walking with purpose. She soon found herself in much the same wing that Blueblood had found himself. "I should have put a stop to that..." She nodded to the guards on the way past, none of them daring to question or stop her. She did not go to the books, instead, a librarian. "Good day."

"Your Highness." The librarian dipped her head. "How can I serve?"

She was, technically, a royal highness. Celestia was not one to dote on such titles. "I would like a survey done of the books, and like a title of all those currently missing."

The librarian inclined her head. "Are you afraid of thieves?"

"No, the books should still in the castle." At least whatever books her nephew... niece... had taken. "I would like a list. No other action need be taken. How long should that take?"

"If I have permission to press the guards into helping, no more than a day, two at the outside." She angled a hoof, looking around Celestia to the guards standing firm. "We don't get many ponies trying to break in, I assure. With their help, it will go much faster."

"Granted," allowed Celestia with a little smile. "Let me know when you are done. You can have the list sent to me. Thank you."

"Always a pleasure." The mare dipped her head in obedience. "I'm on the case."

Celestria strode away, confident that she would get part of the answer soon. Still, there was another mystery to be solved. She perused the shelves, her magic feeling along each spine in time with her slowly scanning eyes. "Here we are." A thousand and one peculiar smells and their meaning. She had thought the book quite unlikely to come to use, really, but perhaps... It had been spoken well of, or it wouldn't be in that library. That was not a place for quackery. Still, so specific.

And yet, precisely what she needed. She flipped through the book, glowing in her magic. "Egg, egg, egg...Ear, Eagerly, Eel, ah, Egg!" There it was, and there it was... not. Egg was further subdivided, taking up a small but notable section of the tome, depending on what sort of egg. Depending on the quality of the smell. Sweet, sour, spicy, but how about... There, rotten.

But that too was subdivided. "When considering egg smells, one must understand that rotten eggs can mean a great number of things!" wrote the author, going into great detail on the specific nuances of scent one had to dig through. And all Celestia had was the memory of a scent. Unideal... "But easily fixed." She moved for the exit. "I'll be bringing this one back." She held up the book in her magic to see.

"Of course." The librarian took note of it, scribbling it down. "Should it be on the list?"

"I think I'm aware of it," she said with a little smile. Loyal, but perhaps too eager. "Thank you for your service." And off she went with the book floating beside her. She would get her answers!





"I miss her." Fleur flopped, not against Fancy, but on the couch.

Which was how he knew she was truly upset. "Sister, you know she'll be back. She just wanted to see--"

"I know!" cried Fleur. "That doesn't make me not miss her. She has so much to learn." She pressed her forehooves together. "And who else will teach her? Miss Starlight? I am thinking not. Perhaps in things magique? This I allow, she is better than moi in it, but in ways of a mare? Non non non, this is where I must be."

Fancy gently patted her shoulder. "She will be back, and I imagine she will gladly return under your wing, dear sister."

"Why did she not bring her mirror?" Fleur huffed in an equine fashion. "Then we could speak despite the distance. Silly pouliche, what am I to do with you?" She sank back to her belly from her agitated sitting up. "I am hoping her trip is done soon."

Fancy smiled faintly. "If it helps, I also miss her."

"Oh! My cher frère, how thoughtless I am being." She sat up, smiling at him. "You just found a mare you adore, and like that, she is gone. Of course you are navré with worry and unhappiness, and here I am, sobbing of my small things. Forgive me."

Fancy inclined his head. "It is not a contest, sister. We are both saddened for the loss of a dear friend, temporary or not." He touched noses with his upset sister. "Let's wait patiently for her turn."

"Oui," she sang, nodding. "I feel better. I have such a good brother." She patted him on the head, her own problems feeling smaller. "When she gets back, we can surprise her, hm? A little something she is not expecting that will bring a smile to her face."

He chuckled softly, a chortle really. "And afterwards, a little something to convince her how terribly we've been inconvenienced!"

"Oui! Cher frère, you know my thoughts without my saying them." They met, hoof to hoof, and unified in purpose. They would welcome back Blue Belle, then make her pay for making them sad. It was the proper answer.





Belle was delightfully unaware of so many ponies plotting about her. "There you are." She had spotted Starlight speaking to some mare she didn't know. "I thought you were to guide me?"

"Isn't Dad handling that?" She looked past Belle to Firelight, who was smiling nervously.

The mare with Starlight huffed softly. "Figured, you couldn't even walk royalty around? I would have thought that would be right up your alley." The mare looked Belle up and down. "Now let's be clear. I am in charge of the modernization of Sire's Hollow. I have been for a while, and just because you rolled in here doesn't mean I'll bow all polite like and let you roll over us."

Firelight frowned and stepped forward all the more surely. "Now see here, Stellar!" He clopped the ground meaningfully. "I have been showing the lady around quite nicely. Haven't I?" He looked to Belle, deferring to her.

"Quite so," she easily agreed, looking Stellar over curiously. The head of the radicals, and the one most likely to stand right in her way. "We both want the same thing, do we not?"

Stellar raised a brow at Blue with obvious doubt. "How do you figure? I have a ten year plan that doesn't have you in it!"

Starlight laughed a bit too loud as she walked between the two mares. "Blue Belle, Stellar Flare, calm down. We're all adults here, right? We can work this out."

Firelight rolled his eyes. "Stellar, she hadn't done anything yet. This is how we got into our little... spat."

"She can do a lot." Stellar's brows lowered. "Just like you did, and still do."

"As I was saying!" Starlight turned to face Stellar. "I wanted you to meet a nice pony who happens to be noble. In fact, she loves your gate."

Stellar blinked with surprise. "She did?"

"Oh!" Belle put it together. "You are the mother she spoke of, the one who put that charming little greeting on the gate?" Blue pointed towards it. "Marvelous, that. I would love to see the spell involved."

Stellar's rage was popped like an overinflated balloon, leaving her stuttering. "Well, I didn't... make it myself. I had it commissioned." She cleared her throat softly. "It came out just as I had paid the bits for, even if I had to have it modified afterwards."

Belle looked momentarily disappointed, but a question came to her. "Say, what change was required? Did it sound different before?" Now that she could hear her speaking, she did sound like the recording. Sensible...

"It would play too often." Stellar sighed, looking to Starlight. "You and my son helped me see that. It only plays at most once per ten minutes or so, to avoid being 'annoying'."

Starlight lowered a hoof to her chest. "We were only trying to help, promise. Just like Blue Belle is trying to do."

Blue nodded at that. "Quite. This town has been injured  by my family's lack of care. It is my responsibility to make right what they made wrong." waved a hoof. "There are a number of things out of place that I would see fixed. Why--"

"No," barked Stellar and Firelight together in a moment of solidarity.

Firelight darkened quickly. "Sorry, My Lady, um... I would... need to see what you had in mind, before giving leave as, um, the pony in charge of the preservation of the treasures of the town."

Stellar nodded in continued agreement. "And we already have a plan for the future. I won't have some random noble coming in and making a mess of it. Do I need to write the princess? I feel certain she would take our side of it. We've managed this long on our own, it wouldn't take much for her to declare us an independent town, under her crown, of course."

"Of course," agreed Firelight. The idea of rebelling against Equestria was quite distant in his mind. "Still, let's not be hasty. She hasn't acted unreasonably so far. I just... ask that you confer with us before taking action."

It was a worst case scenario. The traditionalists and the radicals had agreed, against her. Blue frowned, trying to gather herself. "I see... This is our fault." She turned up her nose. "We became an outside element of our own domain, shameful..."

Stellar nodded with a coy smile, deciding she had won. "Precisely so. Your plans are half baked."

"And will be adjusted," countered Blue with a smile. "But I have something you want."

Stellar inclined an ear at the noble that could dash her plans. "I doubt that, but do tell. What have you that I would care about that I haven't already factored into my plans?"

"Why, capital, of course." Blue nodded surely. "While I feel certain you are doing your best to finance your initiatives already, an infusion of bits would certainly speed things along." She raised a hoof, cooked towards Stellar. "If even just my influence can help my domain prosper, well, that is why I am here. Don't be so hasty to toss me aside."

"You wouldn't know she was a stallion," noted Firelight with some amount of being impressed.

Starlight applied her hoof to her face. Blue shrank, ears folding and going red.

Stellar blinked slowly. "By... was a stallion, do you mean she is a he right now, under the clothes?"

Blue huffed at the idea. "No! I am Baroness Blue Belle, Lady of Sire's Hollow."

"Then..." Stellar clucked her tongue softly, then it seemed to click. "Oh! Oh... You..." Her brows went up. "Our noble is transgender?!"

"I was surprised too," noted Firelight.

Stellar put up a hoof to Firelight, her eyes on Blue. "That's surprisingly metro chic for a noble."

Blue blinked at that. "Pardon?"

"I didn't think any pony that called themselves noble seriously could ever also accept that title. Trans that is." She tapped her chin softly. "I would think your peers would scoff at you unendingly."

"They... did. Well, some of them." Wait, why was she discussing that?! "We are here for the future of Sire's Hollow. My place in the royal strata is not up for debate."

"Of course not." As if she were a peer, she casually touched a hoof to Blue's face. "Poor thing. Ponies get all nervous around new things, like some ponies I know." She glanced at Firelight. "Well, don't you worry. We understand new things here. What pronouns do you prefer?"

Blue was entirely confused, blinking slowly. "I am a baroness."

"She/her then?" guessed Stellar. "Simple, good. I'd feel bad misgendering a trans."

"Stellar." Starlight nudged against her from the side. "Don't know if you can see it, but you're making Blue change colors."

Blue was unsure how to feel. On one hoof, Stellar was being supportive! On the other, she was also assuming way more faimilarity than was proper! They were not close friends! "Stellar Flare."

"Hm?"

"I want your plans. Make a copy for me." She turned to Firelight. "Firelight. I want a list of historical landmarks that are to be preserved. If you can include what damage they have already sustained, that would be ideal." Even as Firelight saluted and scurried off, Blue had her eyes on the less-fast Stellar. "When can I expect it?"

"It would..." She frowned at Blue. "Wait, why should I?"

"Because I'm asking, because I'm the baroness, and because you want the bits." She tapped her hooves together with each point. "You lose nothing by sharing those plans with me, but you stand to gain a lot by doing so. It's an easy decision."

"What if... I went to the duke?" Oh the wicked smile on Stellar's face. "Wouldn't he be interested to know how little attention your family has paid. Why, he may name one of us as the replacement baron, or simply dissolve the barony entirely. Wouldn't that be a shame?"

Blue went rigid. That complaint wasn't hollow. The barony was part of a duchy. The bad word of the duke would spell political doom for her, and her family. They could, in the worst case scenario, be cast out of Canterlot. They could be stripped of their nobility! They could... "I am offering help, not seizing what you have worked hard on." She presented a hoof. "Let me be a part."

Starlight thudded against Stellar, trying to cool things down. "Stop threatening her! She hasn't done anything wrong."

Stellar rolled her eyes. "I will show you the plans. I promise nothing besides that. You will have to sign a NDA and a non-competition agreement beforehoof. I can't have a pony taking my work and turning it against me." She turned away and began trotting. "I will inform you when it's ready."

Blue was left, breathing hard and scowling at where the mare had gone. "That... could have gone better."

"Could have been worse," argued Starlight, moving to get Blue somewhere to relax.





Celestia poked her nose into the dark room, the book floating beside her as she read over it. Ah, there. She could smell that strange specific scent. She began running through the directions. Rotten eggs, with a hint of... Yes... Her eyes darted over the page as she got closer and closer.

"Infernal Presence," read the page clearly. That smell? The sign of things from dark places come into the mortal world. 

"What have you been doing?" she grumbled to herself, folding the book shut and tucking it under a wing. "That's it. No more games." Her castle had become home to foul taint! She willed the door open and poked her head out of it. "Guard? Ah, yes." She had met the eyes of one passing by.

"I want this room torn apart."

The stallion saluted sharply. "Are we looking for something, Your Highness?"

"Anything unusual." Celestia emerged from the room, her magic pulling the door closed behind her. "Tear everything out of place, leave no brick unturned. I fear my delay may have already allowed harm to come to us. If you see anything odd, no matter how small, bring it to my attention." She clopped a hoof down firmly. "Assume everything can move. If it can't, make it move." She nodded with certainty.

"Of course." The stallion bowed low before scurrying off to get some help with the job.