//------------------------------// // Secrets in the Night // Story: The Darkest Hour // by Anemptyshell //------------------------------// The morning, the one in the middle of the night, came too early. The knock-on my door had me groan and stumble face-first out of bed. I barely managed the latch on the door when a hoof kicked my door free and nearly took my head with it. I blinked the blearily sleep from my eyes and leered at the thestral that stood in the doorway. He scuffed and waved a hoof in my face. “Shameful, how does one of divine blood waste so much of our glorious night looking like that? Shameful, clean yourself now. We are burning starlight.” This was definitely Nightmare’s flunky, I knew they were coming, but that didn't stop the sneer I gave as I turned about and went to the bathroom. “Jerk.”  When I finished my morning routine and reentered my apartment living space. I found the thestral from before turning his nose up at the books I’d checked out yesterday. I was left baffled at his professional level insufferability. Solemn Mind, that was his name if I recalled correctly. A stone gray coat and cobalt mane and mustache. He fit the name and the nightlife to a tee. I offered a curt cough, to no avail. I tried a second and still no response, not even an indignant response. “Sir?” I asked. I tapped the older stallion’s shoulder and watched him jump several feet into the air wings agate. I blinked, head tilted ears flat against my head. When he landed, he turned about-face flushed with fury. I shrugged, he overreacted, sue me. On second thought, he seems like the type who might make good on that. “You would startle me out of my summary ponderences. Shameful.” I restrained a groan and instead shrugged. I didn’t understand how one ponderenceses but if it meant being deaf, he could keep it. Solemn coughed into a hoof and looked back to the books still splayed about my room. “You have quite the collection of literature, I see.” Solemn picked up the nearest example. A hardback copy of “The Night of Reverence.” A telling of modern history. It didn’t really explain why we were under a starlit sky 24/7, but it did tell of the night Nightmare Moon bested her evil sister and banished her to the sun. A startling and sobering level of power if true.  “I like reading and what better than her majesty’s triumphs to fall asleep to.” Solemn sniffer and set the book back down. “Come now, colt, we have much to do if we are to make you a useful pawn in our queen’s noble pursuits.” He motioned for me to follow as he headed back to my door.  “After you, sir.” Canterlot, that name from last night or later night, however you tell the time when it looks the same outside all day long. Moon dials or magic, either way, this Canterlot could be very interesting.  “Sir, may I ask a question?” Solemn had led me further into the palace depths, once again I was lost. There were fewer and fewer ponies about the deeper we went. The guard at some point had also changed. Once a mix of all the races, now it was thestrals and thestrals alone. The hair on the back of my neck sat on end as I tried to blend into the ground,  “Speak,” Solemn said.  “What is Canterlot? Nightmare mentioned it when she thought I was a changer or when she thought I was fake. I don’t really get why she got so mad.” Solemn stopped midstep. His wings twitched as he slowly looked back over his shoulder. Before, his scowl and glare were that of a disappointed father. A genetic defect, I bet. Now, his body trembled and his eyes, left, looked far beyond me, past everything. I was left looking over my shoulder in response. There was nothing, just doors, the starlight and shadows, so many shadows.  “I…Sorry?” I said. “The shadows, she’ll hear you. The Lady of Hearts.” Solemn was talking, but what he said, was for him alone. He slowly started moving forward, still peeking past me to the shadows in every corner. I hadn’t meant to drive the stallion insane, at least not like this.  “Who?” I whispered. The Lady of Hearts? Another name to add to the endless list of me knowing nothing and no one willing to talk about it. Well, I mean the nobles might talk and Nightmare might, and maybe even this Lady of Hearts, but the conversation would be a little too final for my liking. The staff was spooked when I walked by and the guards weren't paid enough to chat about geographical or political despondence.  “So, what are we learning today?” Solemn was still muttering under his breath as we came to a door in the far reaches of the eastern wing. He opened it wide and leaped in as fast as his legs could offer. I came in like a sane person, pony, whatever, and shut the door behind me.  I‘d barely heard the tumbler in the door before Solemn turned on me with a vengeance. Eyes ablaze he snorted and stomped about like a terse bull.  “Sir?” “How dare you, how dare you offer up our lives like that. What were you thinking? She could have heard us, you. You may lack your wits, but don’t throw away your life. Shameful, You braindead cretin.”   So, Solemn was angry. All I could do was let him fret. It’d offer a chance for him to slip and give me something to work with. None of my books even mentioned Changelings or Canterlot. It was like a fever dream. It didn’t make sense. “Let me make this as clear as I can. Leave the name of that accursed mountain and its ruins be. They are not to be spoken, If you were not in need of education and rehabilitation, I would have reported you for such treacherous thoughts. Shameful!” Oh my, was that a clue. Jeepers, something sounds suspicious if you asked me. I’ll need to keep watch my mouth, lest Solemn’s warning becomes all too serious. A mountain, and ruins, it sounded like fantasy one-o-one. “Do you understand?!” It wasn’t a question, Solemn had completely invaded my personal space and jabbed my chest with every syllable.  “I do.” I did, but understanding and adhering are two different things. I wanted nothing to do with any of this nonsense. Queens and soldiers, always night, my brain throbbed as I slid back against the door behind me. My vision swam as I watched Solemn stare at me. The world turned on head.   “Wha— Can Y— getting He—” The words bobbed in and out of audible. I could taste blood. Everything was dark, so very very dark. It was so cold. Then there was nothing. Beeping, rhythmic beeps as I drifted to the surface. It called to me, even as the darkness fell away, beep, beep, beep. My eyes snapped open. I struggled to sit up, I was panting even as I pulled about. My forehooves wouldn’t budge. They were held in leather straps. My body convulsed as I yanked at my restraints.  “Let me go.” The beeping grew faster. I growled, wings ripping the sheets and pillow behind me to bits. The fluff and feathers scattered and floated about as I pulled. My forelegs burned, and as suddenly as my anger overcame me, it faded. I was left huffing and hissing as the tears and blood spattered on the restraints stung.  “Let me go,” I whispered as the beeping slowed.  Then the door to the room opened. I looked over and shook my head. “I heard screaming, sir.” Sabre stood there, hoof on the rapier he had at his side. He hadn’t had that yesterday. He peered about before noticing my straps. He released his grip on his blade and trotted up to the side of the bed, eyes glued on my bloody limb.  “Sir?” Sabre asked.  He didn’t need to, he knew it and so did I.  “The dark,” I said.  Sabre tsked and turned about. No sooner had he left that a nurse came running in. The look on her face when she saw the shredded linen and blood stains was almost too dramatic to be real. The apologies as she dabbed up the blood with an alcohol-dipped rag and her shudders with every movement I made.  “I’m sorry.” The nurse gulped and stepped back. Another non-bat was scared shitless. I could feel a deep heat in my chest as I turned to look at her better. A pegasus, bright pink, easy blue eyes, and blonde mane in a neat white nurse cap. There, she was cowering like a beaten dog. She doubled as I struggled to breathe.  “Beg pardon, sir.” “I’m sorry, I’m sorry for the sheets and pillow, the blood, I’m sorry you had to deal with it. I’m sorry you’re scared.” The heat died as I gave up and lay down, torn up, cot and all.  “I accept your apology.” I turned to the nurse's brow furrowed as I pouted. She stood there, still shaking but, her eyes, they weren’t avoiding mine, she was smiling and my brain hurt. What the hell did Nightmare do to this place? “Surprised?”  Sabre had taken to leaning in the doorway. He shrugged, and I slowly sat back up. The nurse had slowly moved up to continue cleaning up the blood.  “Shouldn’t I be? Everything seems so bleak, full of fear, and the dark.” One day the stars would blink their last and the dark would swallow us all. I remember reading that in a book. I blinked, I remembered a book? But where, when. My head throbbed. It was like trying to dig through broken glass. Bloody, messy, it hurt, and worst of all, it answered nothing.  “Why am I strapped to the bed?” I asked.  “The staff said you were kicking and screaming in your sleep. You passed out, no idea why. Your tutor seemed boggled. So, as my charge, you’d imagine my surprise when you fell to pieces as soon as you’re out of my sight, sir.” I chuckled and looked up to the starch white ceiling. I was a mess, wasn’t I? Though, I learned something useful so it wasn’t a waste. I sighed and thought of poor Solemn, I scared him twice in less than ten minutes. He wasn’t paid enough for his help. I’d apologize next time I saw him.  “You can undo the straps, miss, He’s fine. Right sir?” “Of course not, sir guard, I am but a blithering beast ready to pounce,” I offered, baring my fangs and hissing. “Of course sir, my mistake.” The nurse had chosen to ignore us both and undo my straps. The skin and fur were raw and friction burns laced my ankles. Should teach me to fight leather with fire.  “Thank you.” The nurse nodded and stepped back. So, this was the limit to my apology, quiet submission rather than frightened complacence. Was it any better? “We’d better depart sir, you have a sullen tutor to contend with.” “Oh, by all means.” The second I pulled myself from the bed to my hooves, my sores hissed in protest. I regretted everything. Sabre snorted as I slowly limped alongside him and into the medical center’s hall. This palace had everything. “This way sir, Solemn Mind is waiting.” I leaned over as close as reasonably I could to my guard. “Sabre.” “Yes, sir?” “Why is everyone afraid of Canterlot?” Sabre stiffened and slowed his trot. I slowed as well, which wasn’t hard when you were hopping from hoof to hoof to manage the burns. “It’s not safe, so stop digging.” That wasn’t ominous, not one bit. “Shameful, I can not believe, he passed out, after his mindless banter. This is unacceptable. He will cease these actions at once.” “Well, Solemn seemed okay, I guess.” “Oh calm down, would you, he’ll be fine. He’s thestral we thrive and conquer.” I felt something in me weep. There, he was as bombastic as last time, which was odd since he was attempting to calm my tutor. “Solemn, Bright, I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” I said with a smile from down the hall. The acoustics were well above the need to draw their attention. “See I told you, he’d be fine. He even has his mudblood guard with him. All is well. Yay for my brilliant deductions.” Two days in a land with no light, and my circle of associates was already full of weirdos. Just my luck, or is it? Too many questions, but they could wait for now. Now was ‘learn to be a bat’ time. If I could manage not to split upon my freshly cut legs. “What is the meaning of your episode? It was not proper nor necessary.” “So, he had a fall, wouldn’t be the first and undoubtedly not the last,” Bright said, jauntily circling around Sabre and me as we walked on.  “I’m fine, I‘m not sure what happened, but I doubt it matters. So, Solemn, what is my first lesson of Thestralness?” I asked.  “That’s not a word sir,” Sabre informed me. “Maybe we should start with diction then?” I said. I laughed, and Bright joined me. I don’t think he even got the joke. He really was a bit batty. “I had something more… interesting in mind. If you would be so kind as to follow me. I would normally request a study deeper into the palace, but after your episode, I believe something a little closer to the medical wing may be in order.” “As you say, oh wise teacher,” I said and limped after the older bat. Both Bright and Sabre followed behind. Well, Sabre behind Bright who was behind me humming to himself as we went.  “Why are you following us, Bright?” I asked.  “Because I believe fate is a hoof, and as such I must trace it to glory.” “I doubt that, and honestly I doubt you’ll have any glory in a study listening to Solemn berate me for a couple of hours.  “You never know, perhaps I will assist in teaching you the way of our glorious ancestors. Doesn’t that sound fun?” “A spirit that I find most proud, for such desires are left barren to the world at large. Shine like the stars above, all of you.”  I was caught off guard by Solemn’s well wishes. Just a few minutes ago he was ready to bite my head off, now he sought to grant us hidden wisdom. I bit my lip, this time with my canines in mind. We’d reached the study just in time for me to throw myself onto the nearest couch and let my throbbing forehooves rest.  Solemn coughed into a hoof and gestured for Bright to follow suit. The manic noble joined me on the couch and seemed abuzz with energy. His wings were shaking as he watched Solemn like a hawk.  “So, let the lessons begin, my young students.” Sabre had taken post at the door, but the flickering of his ear seemed to prove he was more interested than he’d let you think. Oh dear, I wonder how Solemn might react to knowing a mudblood, as Bright called him, was free to sample their boundless knowledge.  “First, we will discuss the history of the Everfree and how we tamed its dark violent wonders. So, the lessons began and bit by bit, the pieces fell into place.