Trixie only got half an hour of sleep. Too many thoughts of her past were swirling around her head. She knew that two-o-clock was coming from the sound of the bell in the nearby clock tower.
She decided that she would be ready for what this next Spirit could throw at her. She wouldn't lose her cool this time. She herd the bell ring two and instantly she herd noises coming from the adjacent room. She got out of bed to see the door frame with a halo of light around the corners. As it opened she saw her room had been decorated with steamers, a huge tree decorated in beautiful jewels of every colour and a raging fire was in the fireplace. Presents covered the floor and on a table were cakes of every description. In the centre of all this stood a Pink Alicorn with a yellow, pink, purple mane and a beautiful rose coloured robe with cream coloured lining. It was Princess cadence! Trixie was about to bow again but remembered what happened last time
Cadence wore a wide smile as she watched Trixie's reaction to room "I take it you've never seen a sight like this before."
Trixie didn't know what to say so she kept it simple "Never"
Cadence stood up and walked up to her, Still smiling widely. "Don't you ever have parties. Walk fourth with fellow ponies and spread love and joy?"
Trixie shook her head. "I don't care for much for company. Plus I couldn't justify the cost."
Cadence shook her head at this. "Oh Trixie you still have so much to learn." she swept her robe towards Trixie. "Touch my robe" As she did she thought she saw something move underneath.
In an instant the room with all its delights disappeared. So did the room,the fire and was quickly replaced with a street filled with ponies singing, playing and being merry. All the bells of Canterlot were ringing out in celebration and in the square were a group of ponies in red uniforms playing instruments. They were playing the fire of friendship.
Trixie was looked to Cadance. "what day is it Princess?"
Cadence couldn't help but laugh. "You silly filly. It's hearth's warming day of course" she lead Trixie down the busy street till they came to a young group of ponies skating on the large sheet of ice.
A young stallion was blushing as he looked at mare on the other side. She looked back at him an blushed as well. Cadence walked into the middle of the ice and with a blue glow from her horn, a pair of hearts floated over to the two ponies.
Trixie was intrigued at the spell she had just seen. "What did you just do?"
Cadence gave a little smile. "I gave them the nudge" she pointed back to the pair who now were side by side talking to each over. "Without happiness their is no love. So maybe you will remember that when next time you have the chance to spread some yourself.
Trixie looked down at the snow. "I'm sorry Princess. I'll remember that in the future." she Jumped as she felt a hoof go over her shoulder. "See I told you had much to learn. Come on"
They walked down one of the smaller streets till they reached a small row of terraces. From the chimneys came the smell of food cooking and from inside and the sounds of laughter.
"Now we will visit your clerk" Cadence led them inside to a small kitchen where an Mare was busy cooking. She had a yellow coat and light pink mane and tail. Her cutie mark showed a bar of soap and bubbles. Her name ways Ariel and on the fire she had a cauldron bubbling away.
"Is that all they have to eat. That broth?"
"No that's laundry." Cadence pointed out "That's their food on the table." their was a simple soap,A loaf of bread, salad made out of turnips and parsnips, with a few leaves spread over. Their was also a plain fruit cake with no marzipan or Icing.
The door behind Trixie opened to reveal Scratcher with a very small colt sitting on his back. The colts face was pale and limbs looked thin and too weak to walk on. This was Tuppence Scratcher put him down and the little colt with the aid of a small crutch limped to the table.
Ariel walked to her husband and gave him a kiss. "How was he at the princesses speech?" Celestia always gave a speech from her balcony. She would tell them how they had made this year a happy one and to all have a even better new year.
"He was good as gold." He looked at his son sitting at the table. His brother and sisters had now joined him and were all playing a game of cards. Their was a sudden fit of coughing from Tuppence rough and painful. His sister gave him a handkerchief to cover his mussel, but when he took it away their were spots of blood all over.
Soon the image changed to them all sitting around to the table. They had their meal of soap, salad, cake and a bottle of ginger beer had been opened as well. Scratcher filled his glass and stood up to make his little speech. "I would like to toast Trixie. The founder of the feast."
The silence lasted for what seemed an eternity until Ariel retorted "The Founder of the Feast indeed. I wish I had her here. I'd give her a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope she'd have a good appetite for it!” Her face was one of anger.
Scratcher looked softly at his wife "My dear, the children. It's Hearth's warming day."
It did nothing to her attitude. "It should be a happy day, I am sure, on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling pony as THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE" This made Trixie's face go red at such a insult. "You know she is, Scratch. Nopony knows it better than you do, my love.
He pleaded again My dear, it's Hearth's warming day".
She finally conceded defeat. "I'll drink her health for your sake and the Day's, not for hers. Long life to her. A Merry Hearth's warming and a happy new year. she'll be very merry and very happy, I have no doubt.
They all drank the toast. Tuppence drank last of all and started to cough again.
Trixie finally ask the question she had on her lips since they had seen little Tuppence "Princess, tell me if Little Tuppence will live?"
Cadance was taken back at the question. “You actually care?”. Trixie nodded. "I see a vacant seat and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the colt will die.
Tears were welling up in Trixie's eyes at the words "No, no. Oh, no, kind Princess say he will be spared.
Cadence just continued to look ahead. "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future he will die." She turned to look at Trixie. Her face was a scowl and her eyes angry. "But if he is to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
Trixie remembered her conversation back in the office. "You would use Trixie's own words against her!"
Cadence's face was one of anger. "It may be, that in the sight of the almighty, that you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor Stallions son. Oh God, to hear the Parasprite in the forest pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust. Come with me!
They turned around and found that they were in a room which was filled with ponies all enjoying the party. Trixie could see some very influential ponies mingling in the crowd. Their was Hoity toity, photo finish, Jet set and Upper crust, and many more. She saw that a Dark grey mare was playing the cello in the corner and some of the ponies were dancing to the sweet sound.
Then Trixie herd a familiar voice come from the crowd. "Ha, ha. Ha, ha, ha, ha. She said that It was all a humbug, as I live and breath. She believes it too."
Octavia stopped playing and looked indignantly at him. "Darling really!
Third string was still smiling “She should do comedy rather than magic! Dear Auntie, that's the truth. She is not unpleasant as she might be. However, her offences carry their own punishment, and I have nothing to say against her.”
Octavia walked to her husband and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "I'm sure she is very rich, String. At least you always tell me so."
Third string laughed again "What of that, my dear. Her wealth is of no use to her. She doesn't even spend it! She won't do any good with it. She won't make herself comfortable with it!"
Octavia scowled. "She can't be that bad sweetheart."
"I am sorry for her. I couldn't stay angry with her if I tried. Who suffers by her selfishness. Herself, always. Here, she takes it into his head to dislike us, and she won't come and dine with us. What's the consequence. She don't lose much of a dinner.
Octavia kissed him again. "Indeed, I think he loses a very good dinner"
Cadence place her hoof on her shoulder. "It's time to move on." They turned around and found them selves in the Canterlot graveyard. The head stones were covered in snow and the light was fading fast. As they walked Trixie noticed that The Princess was leaving more than just her own hoof prints in the snow. Then she saw it.
She had to know. "Forgive me princess, but I see something strange, and not belonging to you, protruding from your robe. Is it a hoof or a claw?"
Cadence stopped and turned around to face Trixie. It might be a claw, for the fur there is upon it. Look here. With a flap of her wings the foldings of her robe lifted to reveal two creatures, wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They hissed at her and clung upon the outside of its robe.
Trixie couldn't look at them. For they made her want to be sick. Cadence stamped her hoof.
"Oh foolish mare. look here. Look, look, down here.” she commanded!
She looked down at the twisted creatures. They glared back with hollow eyes. The filly, if it could be called that, swiped at Trixie with a hoof. Appalled, Trixie spoke. "Princess, are they yours?"
Cadence shook her head. "They are your children! They are all pony kinds children And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This Colt is Ignorance. This Filly is Want. Beware them both, but most of all beware this colt, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom!
Trixie was feeling nauseous at the sight of them. Can't you hide them away. Have they no refuge or resource..
Cadence's smiled and the words seemed to drip like poison from her lips “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”
The bell struck midnight.
Trixie was on her own in the grave yard.