//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Come the Dawn // Story: Get Him 3 // by Lord Blackraven //------------------------------// Come the Dawn It had been another long night for Alex. The nightmares persisted and his mind was becoming a bit slow due to fatigue. “How much longer? How much more of these damn nightmares do I have to live through before it finally ends once and for all?” Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he stretched and got out of his makeshift bed. His meager fire would need to be attended to. It was getting colder and the first snows had started to lightly fall through the gash in the old throne rooms ceiling leaving a light dusting of powdered white on the chambers floor before melting. As Alex stood, he noticed that he had a quilt wrapped around himself. “Odd.” He mumbled to himself. He didn’t remember having that particular blanket but dismissed the thought and just chose to be thankful for its warmth. Attending to his fire, he soon had it burning brightly. The food in the old fortress’ pantry had still been edible. He was very lucky to find the food stores. Apparently some kind of magic preservation spell was used on it and the food was still palatable because of it. Water was another issue entirely. Probably due to there being a plentiful supply from an underground hot spring. Yes this was a godsend. The spring was good for drinking water as well as bathing. Its heat didn’t permeate the whole castle, probably due to the hole in the ceiling letting all the heat out, but it did make for slightly warmer temperatures and did take the edge off the chill in the air. It had been two years since he had managed to continue to elude this evil race of talking equines. He really didn’t like feeling like that towards them even with all the hell they had put him through upon his arrival. Holding a grudge just took way too much energy. They seemed like most of them were nice enough. He had watched them celebrate what looked like Halloween, Christmas, and Valentines Day in secret from the edge of the Everfree Forest. He had even managed to snag some candy that had been left behind at a scary looking pony statue, but always he stayed hidden. He desperately wanted to make a friend. Just having someone to talk to would have ended his loneliness, but he dare not risk it. “Better they think I’m dead.” He thought. “It’s just safer for me that way…until it happens for real, whenever that is.” Luna awoke from her slumber. Alex had been on her mind all night. Alex was alive still and it filled her heart with joy yet at the same time it brought great sorrow. Not only for how he was living in the cold all alone, but for all the harm she, her sister, and her subjects had caused him. He had made it very clear, in his letter, just how he felt about each and every one of them, and because of their actions, and what he thought of their entire kingdom. Shaking herself and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and after setting the moon to sleep, she took a quick shower, straightened her mane and tail, and set her royal regalia on her person. After taking a quick look in her bedroom mirror and satisfied with she saw, she headed to the dining hall to eat breakfast and inform Celestia of what she had witnessed at their old castle. As she entered the royal dining hall, Celestia was already there sipping on her early morning tea and eating some pastries. “Good morning Luna. How was your night?” Luna returned her sister with a forced smile. “I am fine dear sister.” She said in kind as she sat at the table. The chef brought out her meal and set it before her and then promptly bowed and left. Celestia could see that Luna was troubled and asked her “Its Young Alex on your mind isn’t it?” “Yes.” Luna sighed. “You saw him last night didn’t you? Please, sister, tell me what you witnessed. Is he ok?” Luna took a deep breath and let it out again. “Yes, Celestia, I did see him.” She then began to reveal to Celestia all that she had witnessed. She told her about the state of his clothing and his living conditions. Of how he had cleaned and taken care of their old thrones and that they looked like new along with the tapestries that hung behind them all this time. Celestia listened with rapt attention as Luna continued to unfold her tale. “And then he bowed to the drawings he made of us and had placed in frames and had sitting on the thrones!” “He what!!??” Celestia said in a shocked tone. “It is as I have said sister. He is not one of our subjects and yet he still pays his humblest respects to us! He then knelt and bowed his head at the side of his makeshift bed while facing towards the east. He then got into his bed and curled up in a ball and pulled the blanked he had scavenged over him next to his small fire and went to sleep. I then peeked, unseen, into his dreams once more and still he is plagued by what we had witnessed before.” Luna then added, “My heart just broke seeing the physical and mental torment he was going through still even after these two years past. Just before I left, I transformed his blanket into a heavy quilt and put an extra log on his little fire.” “I will go to him again tonight to see that he is ok. I will continue to watch over him.” Luna said. “It is my duty.” “Let me know if there is anything I can help with please?” said Celestia. “I shall sister. I shall.” Luna said in return. “But for now, I have to help him destroy the nightmares that plague him so. No pony should be continually subjected to that kind of torment. It’s like his own version of the Tantubus, similar to the one I created to constantly punish myself for the evil I had done as Nightmare Moon. Except in his case, he has done no wrong.” “I feel that I should summon the Elements.” Celestia stated. “I feel that they should be informed that Alex is still alive and see his nightmares about each one of them and what ours and their unkindness has brought about.” “I agree sister. However we should not divulge his whereabouts just yet. Should they know this, they might all run off to him at the same time and frighten him further. If that happens, then he may disappear a second time and we will never find him again.” “A wise precaution Luna. Your reasoning is sound. Should all go as planned, it would be best that they see him here in the safety of the castle instead of out in the wild. Who knows what harm may become them should they meet in less favorable surroundings.”