//------------------------------// // The Foal // Story: The Bell of Bridlewood // by milesprower06 //------------------------------// Oak Branch had just finished polishing up the glass mugs and teacups, made one last look around the kitchen, making sure everything was ready to go for the breakfast rush in the morning, and was now just finalizing receipts from dinner as the last task of the night. Just as he was ready to grab his key, lock up, and head home for the night, there was a pounding on the front door that nearly made him jump out of his hooves. "Oak? Oak you in there?" the muffled voice of Alphabittle announced his presence on the other side of the door. After catching his breath and composing himself, stepped from around the bar, walked through the tables, and walked towards the front door. "Alright, alright, you're going to knock the door off the hinges," Oak commented as he got to the front door, unlatched it, and pulled it open, revealing the towering grey unicorn stallion. "Just what's going..." Was all that left Oak's mouth before his eyes inevitably fell to the wicker bassinet that was cradled in Alphabittle's right front leg, with a unicorn foal tucked inside. "The Elder Bell rang on my way home. A pony in a hooded cloak was ringing it. They ran off when they spotted me, and she was in the shelter under the bell," Alphabittle told him. Oak immediately stepped aside, and allowed Alphabittle to step inside. He went to the nearest table and set the bassinet down, shaking himself off from excess water before reaching into the bassinet and retrieved the scroll. "This was tucked in next to her, care to explain it?" Alphabittle asked, offering him the scroll, which the elder unicorn immediately unfurled and read. "What does that mean? What arrangement? How did a unicorn foal get to Zephyr Heights?" Alphabittle asked. Oak re-read the short scroll to make sure he had gotten it correctly the first time. "If her age is correct, then I don't think a unicorn foal made it to Zephyr Heights, but a unicorn foal was born in Zephyr Heights," Oak told him. "What? Is that even possible?" Alphabittle asked, glancing over at the foal who was now getting restless in the bassinet, who started to fuss and whine. "Is there a foal bottle of any kind in there?" Oak asked. Alphabittle gently dug around the blankets, and indeed came out with an empty foal bottle from another fold in the blankets wrapped around the baby. Oak took it and headed back to the kitchen. "She's probably hungry, and this conversation will be much harder to have if she starts with the full-on crying." For his part, Alphabittle took the complaining foal from the bassinet, sat down on the unmoving cobblestone stool at the table, and started rocking her as he heard the stove in back fire up. A couple minutes later, Oak returned out to the dining area with a now filled bottle of warm milk, gave it back to Alphabittle, who immediately offered it to the foal. She began nursing the nipple in earnest, and quieted down. "Alright, now," Oak began, sitting across from Alphabittle at the table, with the bassinet off to the right side. "There's something... I think it was called 'genie-ology'. Although rare, it is entirely possible for two pegasus parents to have a unicorn or earth foal, two earth ponies to have a pegasus foal, and so on and so forth. That bell is our last remaining arrangement with the other tribes; that foreign-born foals should be with their own kind. Foreign births have been even more rare than they were in ancient times; this is the first genuine bell-ringing I have witnessed in my lifetime." Alphabittle looked down at the foal who was already halfway through the bottle. "So, what now?" He asked. "We'll have to find a household to take her in. It's too late for that tonight, so someone will need to watch her for the night," Oak answered. "I will do it," Alphabittle told him. "I figured you would, better than knocking on doors at this time of night," Oak said. "No, I mean, I will take her in. Gladly." The elder bartender gave his cook a very serious look. "Alphabittle, after what happened..." Oak said. "How will I ever get the chance to correct my mistake?" Alphabittle told him. "It's not about correcting a mistake. It's about not making the same mistake again, ever," Oak countered, his tone serious. The foal had finished the bottle, and Alphabittle set it down on the table, and instinctually put her over his shoulder, and softly patted her on the back, until he got a satisfying burp from her, before wrapping the blanket back around her, and set her back in the bassinet, where she happily coo'd, and settled down, before he turned his attention back to the elder. "She won't replace Misty. I know that, Oak. I know that. But my mother once told me that a heart hurts when it has love with nowhere to put it. Ever since taking hold of her... Some of the pain of the last six months has started to fade." Oak wasn't entirely convinced, but listened intently. "I have the room. I have the experience. She would be loved with me, I swear it. But if you don't approve, Oak, you can find another." Oak Branch took a breath. "Your heart is hurting, Alph. I would not deny you the opportunity to atone for past mistakes, nor an opportunity for that hurting heart to begin to heal. But your mind must be sound before you make this decision," the elder told him. "What should I do?" Alphabittle asked. Oak glanced out the window at the weather. "It will probably rain all night. I'll get you a few blankets from the supply closet. Make a fire, dry yourself off, warm both of yourselves up, and stay here for the night. In the morning, when the rain has cleared, take her home, spend the day with her, and think very carefully if this is a burden you want to take on. If it is, return with her to the bell, and we will perform the ceremony." Alphabittle nodded, finding that agreeable. "Thank you, Oak." "Don't thank me yet. Get that fire going, and I'll be back with sleeping arrangements." Doing as he was told, Alphabittle went over to the fireplace and got a fire built and lit by the time Oak had returned with a pillow and several blankets for his surprise overnight guests. By the time the flames were crackling and giving the dining area by it a warm glow, Alphabittle had his sleeping area for the night arranged. When he went back to the table to bring the bassinet over closer to the fire, and found the foal inside sound asleep. As Oak silently exited the Crystal Tearoom, locking the door behind him, Alphabittle settled down next to the sleeping foal. "Sweet dreams, little one." Alphabittle stepped outside of his home the next evening, the rain from the previous night long gone. He looked down at the foal securely and comfortably tucked into the sling that went around his barrel. "Are you ready?" He asked her, and she babbled happily in response. Alphabittle smiled down at her and turned left down the northern path to the bell. The dirt path had dried by now, so it was considerably less muddy than it had been the previous night. When he got to the clearing, he saw Oak Branch already waiting there, having closed the Tearoom slightly early for this. It was a clear night, with all manner of stars sparkling in the sky. As he closed in on the bell, the crystals glowed a little brighter from the light coming from the full moon above. Coming up to Oak Branch, he was regarded with a curt nod. The elder unicorn wore a simple gem bag around his neck. Alphabittle didn't know the particulars of the ceremony that basically amounted to adoption, but Oak told him he didn't need to; he simply needed to answer the questions truthfully and do as he was told. "Alphabittle Blossomforth, do you solemnly swear to care for this foal, to shelter, protect and love her as your own flesh and blood?" Oak asked. Alphabittle nodded confidently. "I do." Oak turned his attention to the gem bag around his neck, loosening the knots on both sides, and then slowly tipped it over, pouring a small pile of pulverized amethyst onto his hoof, which he then slowly and carefully moved towards the foal in Alphabittle's sling. He gently shook his hoof, dusting the foal's forehead, horn, and mane with the gem dust that sparkled in the moonlight. "You are this child's guardian, Alphabittle. Speak her name." Alphabittle looked lovingly down at the foal who had managed to reach up and get some of the amethyst dust on her hooves, and was now utterly fascinated by it. "Moonbow," he answered softly, but enough for the elder unicorn to hear. "Isabelle Moonbow."