~Chapter 41: A Stained Conscience~
The wind was freezing as it blew through Star’s mane, whipping it behind her in a wavy black stream as they traveled above the clouds. Normally Brass Heart would have been pulling them at a lower altitude, but it had started snowing hard enough that the extra chill in the air above the clouds was still far better than the snow that would have accumulated in the chariot after just a few minutes. Star didn’t even bother keeping her blanket on anymore, due to the fact that it had absorbed enough moisture to render it completely useless for keeping Axel, Suri and her warm.
True to Brass Heart’s word, they had traveled all through the night, with Dawn and Brass Heart switching places just after sunrise. All three mares had slept in shifts throughout the night, two asleep while one kept an eye on Dawn to make sure he didn’t tire out in midair. It wasn’t the most comfortable situation for anypony, but they had made very good time and would be reaching Canterlot sometime that afternoon, so Star couldn’t complain too much. The worst part of the whole experience was the inescapable boredom, but even that could be remedied with a little conversation, although Star was running out of things to talk about with her friends.
Now that they had chatted about Suri’s time spent in the theatre, Star’s archeology and Axel’s mechanic work, it was becoming difficult to find new topics. There was always family and the past to talk about of course, but Axel seemed to be the only one of them who was comfortable bringing it up. Star certainly didn’t feel like telling her new friends about her life before becoming Princess Luna’s student and Suri seemed to be avoiding anything about her life before moving to Manehatten six years before, so they had settled on superficial subjects, but those were becoming fewer by the hour.
“I have to admit that I haven’t exactly been following what has been going on in Equestria lately or any politics for that matter, but I’ve heard a few ponies mention the Crystal Empress being taken from her palace and bits and pieces about the war,” Suri said with a shrug. “I know I should probably care a little more, but it’s sort of hard when you aren’t face to face with the effects of everything.” That was a very dangerous way of thinking, but Star knew that it was a very common occurrence.
“I imagine that being in Canterlot will probably change that a little bit,” Star told the actress. “It becomes more difficult to ignore all of the bad things that happen when you’re living in the capitol of the country and half the population is involved with the government in some form.” It was the absolute truth too, because whether it was through the military or a governing office, somepony you spoke to every day was bound to mention something about what was going on in the world, although usually with their unique spin on what they said.
“Yeah, I only go to Canterlot maybe once a month and I’m still usually up to date on what’s happening,” Axel agreed. “Although to be honest most of the political junk doesn’t ever make any sense to me, but I guess that’s why I’m not in charge of anything more than my own house,” she laughed.
“Thank Luna for that,” Star teased, eliciting laughter from both her friends.
“Very funny, but I don’t see you two making any world altering decisions in the government either,” Axel retorted, “besides, I might actually do really well as mayor or something, if politics weren’t so boring that is.” Axel’s statement was something all three mares seemed to be in agreement on; although Star had to admit that government proceeding weren’t quite as bad when she had her mentor there to explain everything.
The chariot jerked down suddenly, causing Suri to let out a frightened scream and all three of them to jump in surprise. They dropped below the grey clouds very suddenly and Star was worried that Brass Heart had run himself ragged trying to fly straight to Canterlot in one attempt, but was confused to see his wings still moving slightly as he brought them closer to the earth.
“What in the hay was that about!?” Star shrieked at him. Brass Heart had nearly given her a panic attack when he dove down without any warning, but the look he gave her when he glanced back caused the rest of Star’s words to catch in her throat. His eyes were steeled over and he wore a grim expression that made the unicorn’s blood run cold.
“Shhh,” he hissed back to her, “there’s a group of griffons up there and judging by the armor, I highly doubt that they’re friendly.” Star’s head shot up as she tried to see through the thick blanket of clouds, but to no avail. There was no way for her to know how many of the mercenaries the soldier had seen or even how close they were, but she didn’t dare speak anymore for fear of them overhearing. A sky chariot full of ponies would render Brass Heart useless in a fight and Star knew that there wasn’t much she could do to keep the vehicle from spilling them over the side should they be attacked.
Somehow these griffons had managed to slip past all of the guards and made it nearly to Canterlot, which was their most likely destination. They had probably used the clouds as cover, moving with the snowstorm to avoid being seen from the ground, Star assumed. She hadn’t expected to actually run into trouble during her little excursion, especially after the princesses sent out more frequent patrols around the Equestrian borders and major cities. The only part she didn’t have any theories about was how they had breached country in the first place. Somepony must have made a grievous error while trying to follow their orders.
“Where is Dawn?” Axel asked, just loud enough to be heard over the wind.
“He was flying up ahead, so I’m sure he caught sight of the griffons before I did. As soon as I get you three safely to the ground I’m going back up to find him,” Brass Heart explained as he continued his quick descent.
“Then you two will come back and we’ll all outrun them, right?” Suri asked in a voice that betrayed the fact that she didn’t really expect him to reassure her.
“There’s no way that we’d be fast enough with this chariot and going by hoof would be even slower,” the pegasus replied. “The only way we’re getting out of this is to either, hide and hope they pass us by or for Dawn and me to take them by surprise.” Star didn’t even have to ask which plan Brass Heart was going with, but her friends didn’t know him as well as she did. Though the guards had been sent to escort her and Axel, their loyalty was always to their princesses and country above all else, so there was no chance in Tartarus that they would let the mercenaries reach Canterlot.
Axel’s chariot fell to the earth like a broken tree branch, the air whizzing past so fast that it stung Star’s eyes even while she squinted. Brass Heart pulled up at the last possible second and the wheels of the chariot ground through the dirt as he pumped his wings in reverse to slow them down, coming to a bumpy rest on the snowy outskirts of Foal Mountain. The icy flakes that he had kicked up hadn’t even settled before he tore away from the chariot and shot straight back up into the bleak winter skies, the polished iron of his armor glinting in the little bit of sun that managed to reach him as he climbed.
“Shit,” Suri mumbled, “so what the hay are we supposed to do?” Star assumed that she was the only one of her friends who had actually been a part of a real fight, even if she had just stood back and helped while Nature Spark and Backdraft did most of the work, so she needed to keep her promise to Brass Heart and make sure her friends stayed safe. The best way to do that was keeping them away from the danger altogether.
“Alright, we need to pull the chariot into the closest cover we can find, just in case any of those griffons try to lose Brass Heart and Dawn below the clouds,” Star said as she hopped out of the chariot. “Suri, I need you to grab our bags while I help Axel move the vehicle,” she commanded as her friends tore their gaze from the sky.
“I saw some trees back there, over the hill,” Suri replied as she pointed in the direction they had just come from.
“That will work,” Star told her as Axel jumped from the chariot and trotted up to the harness. Star used her magic to strap the energetic mare into the harness while Suri tossed all of their bags over her slender back and used her magic to keep them from falling. “Okay, let’s go,” Star said as the white glow of her magic wrapped around the chariot and she gave a hard push to get it rolling through the snow.
Once the vehicle was rolling, it didn’t take much effort from Axel and Star to get it over the hill and under the cover of the snow frosted trees. Even though most of the leaves had already fallen off, there were enough branches crisscrossing overhead that Star was reasonably sure that they wouldn’t be spotted, but she thought it best to take her friends a short distance away, just in case one of the mercenaries happened to notice the chariot while flying by the area.
“I want you to stay down,” Star said as Axel, Suri and her galloped deeper into the woods, “Stay behind the trees and don’t make a sound.” Once she felt that they had gone far enough Star focused her magic on the snow and pushed some of it over the trail they had left behind them, because the falling snow wasn’t covering the tracks fast enough for her.
“That was brilliant thinking,” Suri complimented her, “but I can’t help feeling that you’re a little too good at this type of thing.” The same thought had been going through Star’s mind as well, but she knew part of it was luck and the other part was just her ability to think quickly when under pressure. She didn’t say as much though, because she was trying to be silent, unlike her two friends.
“Where are Brass Heart and Dawn? Do you think that they’re hurt? Are we going to be safe down here? What if they don’t come back? How would we make it all of the way back to Canterlot without being caught?” Axel’s questions came out in a panicked squeak as she crowded behind the tree trunk near Star, shaking from a combination of fear and cold. Star wanted to comfort the blonde mare, but it was a terrible time to try.
“Shhh,” Star hissed at her. “I’ll be right back. Stay here.” Axel and Suri nodded quietly as Star crept away from their hiding spot, headed towards the chariot and her best chance of protecting them if they were discovered. In her haste to get them to safety, Star had forgotten to grab the Wyrm Stone, so she clearly wasn’t as collected under pressure as she had thought.
She made it to the chariot without any problems and tore open the cloth covering of her white saddlebags. Sitting on the very top of her belongings was the amulet that she had gotten from Lucky’s pub the other day. Star could feel the power pulsing from it as her hoof brushed against its cold metal. It felt like raw power and she knew it would work wonderfully for protecting her friends. She picked it up and brought it towards her neck as she unclasped the chain, but stopped it just a few inches away from her neck. It felt powerful, that much she knew, but there was something about it that made her uneasy. The magic field that it radiated called to her in her mind, but the feeling that reached her head was not a pleasant one. Star looked into the red gem, the low light it emitted pulling her violet eyes into its depths as she stood exposed, in the middle of the woods, while the griffons were somewhere above her. Finally she managed to snap out of the trance that the relic had her under, shoving it into her pocket as she dug deeper into her bag, looking for her trusty Wyrm Stone, the magical device that she knew would work for her.
Her hoof snagged on its thick band and she tugged the heavy necklace out, clothes and papers spilling out of her bag as she tried to hurry. It took only a moment for Star to use her magic to secure the enchanted charm to her neck and then she took off running back to the tree where her friends were hiding. She could feel the burning warmth that grew in her chest from wearing the Wyrm Stone, despite the icy chill of the wind and falling snow. Smoke escaped from her nostrils with every shallow breath she released and by the time she reached Axel and Suri, Star’s entire body was warm to the touch.
“What in Equestria were you doing out there?” Suri asked her when she skidded to a halt beside the white mare, who would have been almost impossible to see in the pristine snow, were it not for her shiny hair, wine red cloak and matching boots.
“I had to grab something,” Star replied as she recovered her hoofprints. “If one of those mercenaries does manage to find us, I don’t want to be caught defenseless.”
“Well, what did you grab then?” Axel asked as she glanced around to see if Star was carrying anything with her magic. All of the questions were starting to annoy Star, not only because the sound was more likely to get them discovered, but also because she just wasn’t in the mood to explain her actions.
“This,” Star whispered as she flashed them a peek at the candle flame shaped gemstone hanging from her ebony neckline. “Now be quite.” The two other mares finally took her advice and the only sound around the three ponies while they waited, was the rustling of snow laden tree branches bumping against one another in the wind. Even their breathing was quiet as time seemed to slow to a standstill and they waited with hammering hearts for the pegasus’ return.
Star lost track of how long they had been standing behind the trees, but at some point Axel and Suri had huddled up to her for warmth. She was far too preoccupied with staying perfectly still for her brain to even register the closeness of the mares’ bodies against hers this time though. Even if she had, having her friends close to her, where the warmth from the magical fire burning in her chest could reach them and keep their teeth from chattering, was the best way to stay quiet. Even the wind had died down after awhile, leaving the woods eerily still around them.
The sound of Star blowing the purple and blue part of her forelock away from her eye was the loudest thing they had heard after awhile and seemed to ease the feeling of impending doom that had hovered in the still air. She felt Axel’s body shift slightly as the earth pony adjusted her stance to a more comfortable position and felt the warmth of Suri’s breath being exhaled as she relaxed. Whatever was happening above the clouds seemed to have moved away from their position for the time being.
“What do you think happened?” Axel asked, finally breaking the death grip of silence. “Should we try to make a run for it?” Star’s first instinct was to keep her friends there longer, but being in one place for so long had put her on edge and she was just as eager to take some sort of action, even if it was just retreating.
“Yes, but only move as quickly as you can without making a bunch of noise,” Star said as she took her first tentative step out from the group of trees they had been hiding behind. “Let’s go.” They moved single file, stepping as softly as they could while Suri used her magic to clear any trace of their trail as they walked.
The three mares made it back to the chariot without incident, but Star wasn’t sure what the best move would be from that point. She considered having Axel reattach the cart so they could take it with them, but decided that it would make far too much noise. Instead she grabbed her saddlebags and gently tossed them over her sides, signaling for her friends to do the same. Once they were all packed, Star began walking away from the vehicle in the direction that she thought Canterlot was in, just as quickly and quietly as they had walked to get there.
They reached the snow packed valley at the bottom of the hill, their boots making soft crunching noises underhoof as they trod through. Star had just begun to relax a little more when the sound of wings cutting through the air sent her heart racing once again. She looked up, a small part of her still hoping to see the glistening armor of Brass Heart or Dawn, only to meet the fierce gaze of a wing blade wielding griffon as she dove down on them with a shriek of fury. Star shoved Axel into the snow and ran past Suri, fire blazing behind her violet eyes as she approached the mercenary.
Smoke trailed from Star’s nostrils and her angered scream reeked of brimstone as a torrent of searing flames left her mouth when she leapt towards her would-be attacker. The griffon had no idea what had just happened as roaring flames singed the hair along her underbelly, passing just below the mercenary’s path as she pulled up from her winged assault. Suri and Axel stared on in horrified amazement as the griffon continued into a full arch and headed back for their friend, who had already managed to whip herself around and prepare for the next attack. The ruby dangling from Star’s neck glowed faintly just like her eyes as she reared up and let loose a stream of fire into the freezing air, just inches away from golden brown tail trailing behind her enemy.
“I purposely missed both of those times, but if you keep coming then you’ll force my hoof!” Star screamed into the sky. The last thing she wanted to do was injure another living being, even if it was just a griffon from the Red Eyes tribe whose only loyalty was to the bag of coins they were paid in, but Star’s attacker ignored her pleas for peace.
“Save it for someone who cares, you pathetic excuse for a pony,” the griffon shrieked back in a gravely voice. Star could see that reason wasn’t going to work, so she steeled her mind for the inescapable violence to come. She had seen some fighting while traveling with Spark, but this would be the first time she had ever been forced to cause serious harm herself and she only hoped that she could handle it.
The metallic blades on the mercenaries wings cut the air like a lightning strike as the clawed attacker headed straight for the unicorn in front of her. Star met her enemy head on, but this time she was too slow and the griffon’s claw raked across her right shoulder, marring the crisp snow around Star with a splattering of her warm blood, while the fire she tried to spit struck the ground uselessly, sending up a billowing cloud of steam shooting into the sky. Her leg nearly gave out as her nerve endings sent pain lancing through her body, but she managed to hold her ground.
Then the griffon changed course, setting her sights on Axel and Suri because they looked more vulnerable. Star’s eyes widened in recognition of the mercenary’s plan as she heard her friends scream in terror, but Axel managed to dive out of the way just in time, plowing into Suri and sending them both rolling safely into the powdery snow. When the griffon attempted another assault on the two mares, Star saw Suri’s horn light up in various shades of pink as she used her magic to hold a wing in place, causing the hybrid girl to spiral out into the ground. Star galloped over in seconds, running much faster than she had managed to do when racing her friends now that their lives were at stake, but the mercenary righted herself and was back in the air before Star could stop her.
“Star, look out!” Suri screamed, just in time for her to jump out of the reach of the griffon’s razor sharp talons when the mercenary came back for another strike. Suri watched as Star fought with the griffon, her mind screaming at her to do something, but her body unwilling to comply. Luckily for her, Star was doing a good job of holding her own against the better trained adversary, thanks in full to the Wyrm Stone she wore.
“Die you equine bitch!” the griffon screamed at Star as her feathered wings snapped closed and she spiraled into a dive, pointed beak aimed directly for Star’s back. Time seemed to slow down for Star in that instant and clarity settled over her mind, pushing away her panic, anger and fear. She realized that no matter what her personal feelings were, this griffon was either going to kill her or be killed by her. Those were Star’s only options and it took a fraction of a second for Star to decide her next move.
“You first,” Star replied as she unleashed a final inferno into the mercenary’s face, lighting up the hair and feathers in a gruesome bonfire that crashed to the ground just a yard from where Star was standing. The sound of sizzling fat was distant as Star watched the result of her counterstrike and the acrid smoke that floated into the sky seemed surreal to her. The hybrid creature gave one last, intelligible scream of agony as she was consumed by heat and steam, until she finally lay still, in a smoldering heap of skin, bone and ash. Star had killed her; the thought brought the small unicorn to her shaking knees and her fiery purple eyes welled with hot tears.
Suri was sickened by the scene too, but unable to rip her eyes away as it played out, until she eventually turned her head and vomited onto the cold ground. The smell of burning flesh reached her then, mixing with the scent of her own steaming spew and forcing her stomach into another series of violent convulsions. No amount of drinking over the past few days had been able to elicit the reaction that Star’s fighting just had, but as Star looked back at her she merely saw Suri wiping her mouth with a relieved smile.
“Are you alright?” Axel asked Star as she walked over to the shivering black mare that had fought tooth and hoof to protect her.
“Mhmm,” Star lied, even though the wound on her shoulder was still dripping blood and the griffon’s last scream echoed in her mind. “I think that I just need a minute. Keep an eye on the sky and tell me if another one of those rogues is coming.” Axel nodded her head, somehow dealing with what had happened better than her two friends, but Star’s eyes were firmly locked on the ground, so she didn’t notice. Without warning, Star’s guts decided to follow Suri’s lead and eject their contents all over the half melted snow at Star’s hooves.
“Are you sure that you’re doing alright, Star,” Suri asked as she placed one perfectly manicured hoof on Star’s shoulder. “I know that I wouldn’t be, after something like that.” Star could only continue kneeling as she tried to keep from hyperventilating.
“Yes, I- I’ll be fine,” Star told her as she got up from the ground and took a deep breath. She had just committed murder and though it was in self-defense, Star knew that the memory would haunt her for the rest of her life, however long it was. “We should start moving again.”
It took more concentration than normal for Star to mover her legs and the screaming in her head wasn’t helping much either. Suri and Axel followed behind her, casting worried glances that she could feel drilling into the back of her head, but she didn’t bother saying anything. After what they had just witness, Star figured that they had every reason to be concerned, she certainly was. All of that would have to wait however, because Star heard the sound of wings flying towards them again.
Star glanced over her bleeding shoulder her and both of her friends followed her nervous gaze, sighing with immense relief when they saw that it was Brass Heart and Dawn that they had heard. The two soldiers weren’t flying like they had been injured and Star was very thankful for that, but their armor wasn’t in the immaculate condition that it had been in the last time she saw them. More dents and scrapes became evident the closer the pegasus got to them, marks of a hard won battle no doubt.
“Thank the princesses!” Dawn exclaimed as he dropped to the earth in front of the three mares. “We saw the empty chariot and thought the worst.” The blue maned stallion breathed a sigh of relief as he yanked Star into an unexpected hug. “You shouldn’t have worried us like that.”
“Sorry,” Star mumbled as Dawn released her. “I was just trying to keep us out of harms way, so we tried to flee.”
“You’re hurt,” Brass Heart commented when he noticed the dark stain that had been slowly spreading down the black unicorn’s foreleg.
“Yeah, one of those griffons found us, but Star fought her off,” Axel explained, pointing back to the seared remains. The spot was hard to miss, because it was the only real blemish on an otherwise smooth, snow coated hill. “You should have seen her back there. It was amazing.” Star’s escorts looked back over, but she turned her head away before they could make eye contact.
“There was nothing amazing about it,” Star said flatly. “I just did what I had to in order to keep us safe.” Star walked past everypony else without another words as she headed for the sky chariot. She worked her magic to remove the Wyrm Stone from her neck, holding it before her as she walked. By the time she reached the vehicle a stream of tears hold begun to run down her cheeks and fell to the ground with every drop of her blood that also dripped out. She wiped her foreleg across her face as she tucked the enchanted necklace in her bags and then did the same for the other amulet, which had been resting safely in her pocket during the fight.
The only part of the ordeal that Star found a tiny bit of solace in was the fact that she had refrained from using the charm that she got from McGallophree’s Pub. If using the Wyrm Stone had such a devastating effect on her mind, then Star couldn’t imagine what would have happened had she released the surplus of raw magical energy she felt inside the strange amulet. There most likely wouldn’t have been a trace of her foe left after she had finished, but maybe that would have been better.
“We should leave from here,” Brass Heart said as he walked up beside Star. “The princesses are expecting us and I’m not one to keep them waiting.” Star gave a slight nod of acknowledgement before climbing into the cab of the chariot. Suri and Axel crowded in beside her a few seconds later, but they did their best to give Star her space. Everypony could see that the black unicorn was very troubled by what had occurred, but none of them knew how to comfort her or if she even could be comforted.
“Star, I jus-,” Suri began, but as she met her friend’s gaze she saw only a cold stillness and her voice caught in her throat. “Thank you,” the actress finished quietly. Star just looked away, staring off into the distance as she tried to forget the last few hours.
Soon after the awkward exchange, Brass Heart resumed pulling the three mares through the cloudy skies above Equestria. It was silent, save for the sound the pegasus’s wings made as the fought to keep the extra weight aloft. Star closed her eyes and tried to get lost in the tempo of his flying, hoping that the repetitive drone would be enough to overpower the inequine screams she was hearing. It wasn’t, but Star’s eyelids remained closed and she pretended to sleep. It was the easiest way to avoid any more conversations until they landed in the city.
The rest of the morning came and went without incident and they continued to travel through the afternoon, skipping lunch altogether in order to make up for the time they had lost fighting the mercenaries. Star didn’t mind not eating for once; her stomach didn’t really feel up to the task anyway. She eventually opened her eyes again, because she didn’t want to risk falling asleep before she had a chance to speak with her teacher. Nightmares about her father were one thing, but Star didn’t even want to glimpse what her subconscious would conjure up after she had killed that griffon. Princess Luna would be able to ease her mind though, or at least, Star hoped she would.
Canterlot was in front of them, perched on the side of the mountain in a way that would have been impossible without having used magic to build the old metropolis. It was framed in the setting sun’s light, its features obscured in shadow as the sky chariot approached it from the north east. It was a very striking vision to behold from their airborne position and Star heard her friends gasp in amazement at the sight. Star too was impressed, but her awe was quelled by the inner turmoil she was trying to keep from showing. Though Luna had told her ignoring the dark thoughts would only cause more problems, Star only intended to keep quiet for a little while longer.
The snow had stopped falling, she realized as they began their descent into the city. Star’s breath still fogged up n front of her, but she could at least enjoy the wind through her mane without her ears going numb, if she had been in the mood to do such. Dawn pulled up beside them as the vehicle drew closer to the cobblestone street they were going to land on. He looked nearly as ragged as Brass Heart, although he wasn’t breathing as heavily. The fight had taken a toll on both of the stallions and they would most likely need a long rest before going out on any more missions.
“I can’t believe that we’re finally back in Canterlot,” Axel sighed as the wheels of her chariot thumped against the smooth stones below them. “That was some vacation, but I have to admit that it feels nice to be back.”
“I just want to take a long, hot bath, eat a good meal, maybe have a drink or two and forget that this entire bucked up day ever happened,” Suri stated as Brass Heart tucked away his wings and slowed to a trot. As soon as the chariot stopped moving, Suri was standing on the ground with a satisfied smile. It seemed as if the novelty of flying had worn off after being stuck in the chariot for so long.
“Don’t forget your bags,” Axel told the white mare as she joined her on the street.
“I wouldn’t do something like that,” Suri replied as she hefted the three bags she had packed with her magic and dragged them out of the wooden aircraft. Star had remained silent for most of the trip and hadn’t moved an inch since Canterlot came into view, but now she slowly climbed down from the chariot, white saddlebags in tow. Her hooves made sharp clacking sounds as she walked over to Brass Heart and cast a quick spell to help him out of the harness he was struggling with.
“Thanks for the help,” Brass Heart said as he shrugged off the last strap. “Dawn and I have to go speak with the princesses, but after that I’ll be around if you want to talk about what happened.” Star didn’t acknowledge his offer, she was on the brink of breaking down into tears and she wanted to be away from everypony else when it happened, but Axel and Suri had other plans. The soldiers took wing, flying off to attend to their business and leaving the mares to take care of themselves.
“Star, would you help me show Suri to the room she’ll be staying in while she’s here?” Axel asked as she trotted up beside her, with Suri right behind. “I wasn’t sure if she would be sleeping in her own room or if she was going to be sharing yours. I need to get back to my house tomorrow, but I’ll have to spend the night here as well.” Star hadn’t even thought about the sleeping arrangements during the trip and not even Luna was aware that Surinam was with them. She was fairly sure that it wouldn’t be a problem, but with the royal sisters being as stressed as they were, there was always a small chance they wouldn’t be happy with a surprise guest.
“I suppose for tonight it would be best if the two of you sleep in the room I usually stay in,” Star replied in a quiet voice, “but I’ll ask Luna about setting up one of the other bedrooms for you to stay in until you get back on your hooves,” she told Suri.
“That would be wonderful Star,” Suri said with a half smile as they walked aide by side through the streets of Canterlot. Brass Heart and Dawn had seen fit to drop them off on one of the roads near the castle, so they didn’t have far to walk. Being a royal guard had its perks; one of them was less hassle when entering the city. It took only a few minutes of walking for them to reach the manicured lawns and ornate path leading up to the main gates of the princess’s home.
“Mother of Luna,” Suri muttered under her breath as she turned her head up to see the very top of the tallest towers reaching towards the grey heavens. It was a view that Star had grown used to over the years, but she still remembered her first impression of the castle, back when she was a foal. It was the largest ponymade structure in Equestria, an actual fortress of immense white stone and golden spires that stood as a testament to the power of the Equestrian citizens when they worked together.
“Yeah, I said the same thing when I first saw the place,” Axel laughed. “If you think that’s amazing though, just wait until you see the spread they set out for dinner and don’t even get me started on all of the deserts available.” Star sighed as she continued along the wide path to the castle gates, a slight smirk managing to break out on her face as she walked along, but her smile was gone by the time they were standing in the vast halls.
“Follow me,” Star told her friends as she led them over to the spiraling staircase leading up to the second floor, where they could find the bedroom she used when staying in Canterlot. They only passed one of the castle servants on their way to Star’s room. The others must have been tending to something important, Star assumed. The odds were in favor of another meeting with the various government officials. “Here it is,” Star said as she pushed open the tall white door and showed them in.
“Where should I put my things?” Suri asked as she scanned the tastefully decorated bedroom. Everything was just how Star and Axel had left it before they took off on their trip to Manehatten, except for the bed which had been made in her absence.
“Anywhere is fine,” Star replied as she shirked her saddlebags to the floor beside the single couch at the foot of the large bed. “I have to find Princess Luna, but get settled in and Axel can take you to get something to eat. She knows where the dining room is and if you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask any of the servants you see wandering around here.”
“Okay, but I think I would like a bath first, if you don’t mind,” Suri replied as she lifted her bags up and set them gently onto one of the couch cushions.
“Mhmm,” Star mumbled as she headed for the door, “just make your self at home. I shouldn’t be long.” Suri nodded her head as Axel pointed her to the bathroom and Star left them to unwind after the long trip. She also could have used a bit of time to relax, but she also desperately needed to confide in her teacher and that was the more pressing need at the moment. She figured that Luna would either be in the throne room or her bedchambers, so she headed to the former to begin her search.
Canterlot Castle was emptier than Star was accustomed to, but as she made her way to the imposing, double doors closing off the throne room, she heard the drone of arguing voices coming from the other side. There was definitely some sort of important discussion taking place, but this time she was in no mood to wait, so she shoved open the doors as quietly as she could manage and walked into the spacious and brightly lit room.
Nearly every seat was occupied, Star noticed as she looked over the gathering, but everypony was so engrossed with their shouting and debating that only a few looked back to see the morose little unicorn who had entered. Star looked around and after finding a place in the back, she stood waiting for the meeting to end. They were almost finished, if the impatient rustling she heard coming from the mass of various colored equines was anything to go by. Up on their ornate thrones, the royal sisters began to address their subjects in their booming Canterlot voices.
“ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE NEW LAWS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HOOVES,” Princess Celestia commanded them. After a few moments of grumbling and quite whispers the majority of politicians put their hooves into the air, much to the distaste of Princess Luna.
“AND ALL OPPOSED?” the younger princess asked. The few ponies left who hadn’t agreed with whatever new laws they were deciding on threw their right hooves up, even though everypony could plainly see which way the majority had voted for. Star couldn’t hear it from her spot in the very back of the large room, but she could see her mentor sigh as she lowered her hoof.
“THEN, BY A MOJORITY RULING, THE LAW HAS BEEN PASSED,” Celestia told her subjects. “A CURFEW HAS BEEN SET AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS, EVERY ADULT IS TO REMAIN IN THEIR RESPECTIVE TOWNS DURING THE NIGHT HOURS AND CHILDREN WILL BE RESTRICTED TO THEIR PARENT’S HOME AFTER SUNSET.” Now Star new why Luna had seemed so agitated with the sway of the group. She had been rigidly opposed to a curfew ever since the subject had first been broached by her elder sister and for good reason. She already felt that the work she put into keeping her nights majestic and safe went largely unappreciated, but now the Equestrian citizens would be restricted to life during the daylight hours. “WITH THAT LAST MATTER RESOLVED, WE HEREBY CALL THIS MEETING TO A CLOSE,” Celestia finished with a bang of one gold clad hoof.
Slowly, with only a minimal amount of sighs and grumblings, the politicians stood up from their seats and made their way to the doors in the back of the throne room, filing out past Star without a second glance as she waited for the crowd to dissolve. She could see her teacher’s dark eyes close while she sunk into her throne as the last pony exited and her sister stood up to leave. Celestia stepped down from the raised platform that their sparkling thrones rested on and walked down the hallway, the sharp clicking of her hooves muted by the red carpet that stretched from one side of the room to the other.
“Oh hello, Discipula Star,” Celestia said when she noticed the black unicorn waiting in the back of the room.
“Good evening Princess Celestia,” Star replied with a low bow. The princess smiled back at her, but the look faded as she spoke again.
“I think that my sister may need somepony to talk to,” the regal alicorn said in a low voice as she passed, “and it looks like you may as well,” she continued, catching the melancholy mood that Star was projecting. Star gave a slight nod of acknowledgement to the princess before her sun marked flank disappeared out the large doors.
Star turned back to the princess of the night, walking slowly as she approached her mentor with a strained smile. Luna opened her eyes at the sound of approaching hooves and forced a smile of her own, but the two mares sensed their mutual unhappiness and reverted to their previous straight-faced countenances. Star bowed to her princess, more from habit than because Luna would have wanted her to, before taking a seat on the edge of the raised marble flooring. She turned slightly to better face her mentor, but it was a few minutes before either mare spoke.
“It’s good to see you, Discipula Star,” Luna said as she sat up in her throne in order to retain some semblance of matriarchal image. Did your travels go well?” Small talk wasn’t what Star had sought out Luna for, but she latched onto the mundane conversation easily, despite the mood she was in.
“Well enough, I suppose,” Star replied. “Doctor Glyph, my associate at the Manehatten Museum of Natural History, is currently in Saddle Arabia on an archeological dig or something similar, so I wasn’t able to speak with her about my last finding, but I left it in the care of one of her students. I will have to make another trip up to the city when she comes back.” Normally the princess took an active interest in her student’s work, but today it felt like she was just going through the motions, which was fine with Star; misery loved company after all.
“That’s wonderful, Star,” Luna replied, dropping the usual formalities since they were alone in the throne room now. The sun had been setting when Star entered the room, but now there was hardly any natural light left shining through the stained glass windows that lined each side wall, Star noticed as she peered around. The heroic scenes depicted in each painstakingly designed frame were growing dark as Celestia finished lowering the sun in preparation for her younger sister’s seemingly unwanted night.
“Oh, I also brought a friend back to Canterlot with me,” Star added as she returned her attention to her sulking mentor. “Her name is Surinam Cherryblossom. I met her at the Manehatten Theatre, after a production of their Hearts and Hooves play. She asked to join us on our trip back to Canterlot and I told her it wouldn’t be a problem.” Luna seemed to perk up the slightest bit at Star’s news, but she couldn’t be sure. “I hope that won’t be an issue,” Star continued as she looked to Luna for her answer.
“No, I’m quite sure that your judgment is developed enough for you to decide whether or not one of you friends can stay at the castle, so long as it’s only temporary of course,” the princess replied. Star and her teacher sat in silence for a few moments until Luna suddenly got to her feet, saying, “I’m very sorry, my faithful student, but I must prepare to raise the moon. Would you be opposed to continuing our conversation in my chambers,” the princess asked her.
“Of course not, Princess Luna,” Star replied as she got up from the floor and followed her starry maned teacher out of the throne room and down the mostly empty halls of the castle. They passed a few servants on their way to the princess’s room, but Celestia was nowhere to be seen. Star imagined that she was busy conferring with Brass Heart and Dawn Glory about the group of griffons they had battled and wondered why her mentor was not their with them, but chose to keep silent for awhile.
The last vestiges of the sun’s illumination were slowly fading from the world as Celestia completed her work for the day, leaving her younger sister to take up her post and raise the moon. Princess Luna was preparing to do just this as she and Star continued to catch one another up on the events of the past few days. Neither had managed to bring up what was actually weighing heavy on their minds, but Star could feel the words pushing to get out of her mouth as the pressure of her feelings reached their peak.
“Princess, I -,” Star had almost given voice to her problem, but paused midsentence, causing the blue alicorn to glance up questioningly at her young student.
“What is it, Star?” Luna asked as she took a seat on her large bed and waved Star over to her. “Is there something troubling you, my little pony?” Star wanted to tell her right then, but she merely nodded her head. She felt that speaking what she had done out loud would only make it true, though the details of the griffon she had killed were burned into her memory already, so Star couldn’t have pretended it never happened, no matter how much she wished she could.
“I found this amulet,” Star said as she pulled the winged pendant from the pocket of her cloak, which she realized she had been wearing amongst high class ponies, despite the fact that it was tattered and filthy from her travels, not to mention stained with her blood on one shredded shoulder. “I’m not sure what it is, but I can feel powerful magic radiating from it.” She held the enchanted necklace up to the dim lights of her teacher’s bedroom, showing Luna the magical device.
“You haven’t worn it, have you?” the princess hastily questioned her as she recognized the pendant for what it was.
“Umm, no I have not,” Star replied, a little confused by her mentor’s reaction. Star had certainly felt something was off with the amulet, but she didn’t believe it warranted such panic. “Is there a reason why you ask?”
“This is no mere magical trinket in your possession, Star,” Luna told her as she stared at the amulet, the light reflecting off its polished metal as it rotated back and forth slightly in the place it hung. “The Alicorn Amulet, for that is the name it was given, is a very powerful tool for increasing the wearer’s magical abilities tenfold.” Star brought the Alicorn Amulet closer to her face, eyes catching on the red jewel that seemed to churn with excess power as she took in her teacher’s wisdom. “With all power, however,” Luna continued, “there is a cost and this device is no different. The price of wielding the amulet is the eventual corruption of the wielder.”
“What do you mean by that,” Star asked. The tone Luna had spoken in gave her words a frightening amount of bluntness that made Star suspect she should take the Alicorn Amulet very seriously. “How would it corrupt them?”
“The Alicorn Amulet is old,” Luna told her. “It was created in the early days of Discord’s Reign by one of the most skilled wizards to have ever lived. The enchantment that he created for it was very complex and very powerful.” Star released the necklace from her grasp, letting it fall to the blankets that she and Luna rested on while the princess continued her story. “Of course all of that power came at a price that even the wizard couldn’t have known, until it was too late.”
“What happened to him,” Star questioned as she scooted closer to her mentor and further away from the magical charm lying beside her. “He just stopped using it, right?”
“I am afraid not, my faithful student,” Luna replied sadly. “You see, in order to make the Alicorn Amulet a useful weapon, the wizard decided to put a simple curse on it as well as the enchantment. The curse was that it could only be removed by the one who wore it, that way it could never be used against him. The problem came when the price of using such power made itself known. He was slowly driven to crave the feeling of using the magic to fight and instilled with a bloodlust as the years went on, corrupting him to the point where he would never remove the amulet of his own free will. Eventually, the amulet poisoned his mind enough to kill him, but not until he had wrought destruction over the land.” Luna fell silent while Star thought about how close she had come to putting on the Alicorn Amulet and what she would have done if she had.
“I am very relieved that you brought this to my attention now, before you tried using it for yourself. I would hate to see you marred by such a terrible relic,” Luna said as she used her magic to pull the Alicorn Amulet towards her. “For now, I think it would be best if this cursed trinket didn’t see the light of day.” The princess levitated a small box over to her and placed the red jeweled charm into it before closing the lid and setting the box back on her dresser on the far side of her bed. It didn’t seem like the safest place for such a powerful device, but Star assumed that Luna would be finding somewhere else to keep it permanently. “I’m sorry that you had to deal with this problem on your own for as long as you did.”
“To be honest, princess,” Star replied, “I really wasn’t bothered by the amulet until now.” Star was quiet for a few moments as she tried to collect her courage so that she could finally unburden herself. “Something terrible has been plaguing my mind though and I’m not sure how to live with it.”
“What is it that has you so vexed, Star? ‘Tis not like you to behave in such a depressing manor,” Luna questioned. Star opened her mouth, but even the thought of giving voice to her problem seemed to hurt. After a few moments though, the small unicorn managed to blurt out what she was trying to say.
“I killed one of the mercenaries that attacked us,” Star practically shouted at her mentor. “I didn’t want to, but she left me no choice.” Star glanced up at Luna, who wore a stunned expression, before breaking down into frantic sobs. Her misdeed was finally out in the open, but Star had no idea how her princess would respond and it scared her.
“Oh Star,” Luna sighed as she reached a silver clad hoof out to her student and pulled the smaller mare towards her. “I am so very sorry that you had to experience something as dreadful as that. I had truly hoped to keep you from being tainted by this war, but I see now that some things are out of even my power.” The princess folded her forelegs around her student as she tried to comfort the weeping mare and Star sank into the contact as she sniffled and sobbed.
“I can hardly close my eyes without seeing the girl’s face in my head, her eyes wide with terror as the flames consumed her. The screams permeate my every thought and I haven’t truly felt peace since that moment,” Star admitted through the watery haze of tears that clouded her vision. Luna didn’t respond for awhile and Star began to think that her teacher despised her after hearing what she had done, but when she met Luna’s gaze, Star saw only sympathy and sadness in her dark blue eyes.
“I am so very sorry, my little pony,” Luna replied in a soft tone as she squeezed her student tightly. “I should have been there for you, but instead I was here, lamenting over trivial matters that are unimportant in the grand scheme of things and for that I cannot apologize enough.” Star squeezed her forelegs just as hard around the princess as she tried to quell her gasping cries. “You should know that you have done nothing that anypony else wouldn’t have done in your situation though. I know that you would never make a conscious decision to seek out violence or disharmony, Star. You are a good pony at heart and what happened could never change that.”
“I tried to talk her out of it, but she kept attacking me,” Star blurted in a wavering voice, thick with emotion. “Then she tried to hurt Axel and Suri and I just snapped. I knew that she wouldn’t quit until one of us was dead, so I did the only thing I could.” Star struggled with the words for a moment, stuttering as she said, “I- I killed her. I bu- burned her alive. It was awful.” Star sank her face into her teacher’s dark coat, letting her tears finally fall unrestricted as she cried over what she had done.
“Shhh,” Luna whispered as she slowly stoked Star’s Black mane with her hoof. “It’s going to be okay, my little pony. I know that it hurts now, but you must not torture yourself over what had to be done. I know that you are a good pony inside.” Star could do nothing more than try and stifle her whimpering as she let Princess Luna console her. She felt a little better having opened up to somepony about her feelings, but still couldn’t shake the feeling of uncleanliness that clung to her mind.
“I can’t imagine what I would have done if I decided to use the Alicorn Amulet instead,” Star mumbled through tears and fur, hoping deep down that she might feel better if she acknowledged that things could have been worse for her. It didn’t work, but the princess seemed to hold her even more tightly, which felt good to Star as she lifted her head enough to wipe the salty tears from her cheeks.
“Are you going to be alright, Star?” Luna asked after a few silent minutes of holding her student in her forelegs as the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon outside of Luna’s bedroom window. The room was left very dim, but Star could still see her princess’s face as she smiled weakly.
“I think I will be,” Star replied, “… now.” She gazed up at her mentor, violet eyes still watery as she stood up from the soft bed they had been sitting on. “I have you to thank for that,” she added as Luna got up from the bed and stood beside her.
“I only listened while you unburdened your heart, Star,” Luna replied, fluttering her wings slightly before folding them to her sides once again. “That is the very least that I could do and I want you to remember that I am here for you anytime.”
“I know, princess,” Star replied as she forced a smile of her own. “You have the moon to raise though and I still have Axel and Suri to keep me company for now, so think that I’ll be fine.” Star honestly didn’t feel as good as she tried to appear, but her teachers duties were more important than the issues of one confused mare, so she decided it was best to make peace with her depressing thoughts for awhile. “I’ll see you again in the morning.”
“Of course, Star,” Luna replied. “Please take care of yourself though and get that wound bandaged. I hate to see your mind so troubled. It is most unbecoming of a princess’s student.”
“I will, Princess Luna,” Star said with a bow. “Take care of yourself as well. I know how much the new curfew must irritate you, but I know your sister is only looking out for everypony’s best interests.” Luna nodded her head, albeit a bit curtly, before Star opened the bedroom door and ducked out into the empty hallway.
Star had been hoping to speak with Brass Heart and Dawn Glory before bed, but her talk with the princess had taken much longer than she anticipated, so she decided to retire for the night. Thankfully, it seemed as if most of the politicians had dispersed after the meeting that evening and the castle was relatively quite. It gave the small unicorn a chance to enjoy some peace as she slowly made her way through the maze of corridors to the room she would be sharing with her two friends.
“I’m sorry that I was gone so long,” Star called out as she casually pushed the door to her bedroom ajar. “There were quite a few things that I needed to tell Princess Luna about and it took more time than I thought. I hope that it didn’t cause either of you any problems.” The door clicked shut behind Star as she surveyed the room before her. Axel and Suri were nowhere to be seen, so she decided to check the bathroom, assuming that one of the two would be taking a bath.
A clean, but empty, bathroom greeted Star as she peeked inside. The air was still a bit foggy so she knew that wherever her friends had gone, they couldn’t have left too long before she arrived. They had most likely gone downstairs to grab a late dinner, Star decided. There was nothing to be done about their absence of course, so Star took the opportunity to clean her self up, since she hadn’t bathed since they had all left Manehatten two days before.
Star’s cloak dropped to the floor as she carelessly shirked it off and stepped onto the porcelain tiles of the bathroom, glancing briefly in the mirror as she passed and seeing the mess of mane perched upon her head. She had been walking throughout Canterlot Castle in a state of utter disarray, but the thought didn’t bother her as much as she had expected. Compared to murder, bad manners just seemed insignificant to the black mare.
The glow of her white magic reflected off of the smooth metallic faucet as Star turned on the flow of hot water and allowed the resulting burst of steam to waft into her face as she stood over the tub. There were a number of different bath salts and other mixtures for guests to add to the water, so Star selected a faintly pink powder that smelled of roses and poured some in while the tub finished filling. Once everything was ready, she turned off the faucet and slowly stepped into the bath, giving an involuntary shiver as her body made contact with the hot water. The air was beginning to smell like the rose scented salts as she took a deep breath and slid further into the tub, stopping just as the water reached her neck and giving a contented sigh, despite the slight stinging coming from her shoulder.
Her conversation with Princess Luna hadn’t gone quite the way she had expected, but it did leave her feeling a bit better about her violent actions. It may have been due to the fact that she found out how close she had come to being enslaved by the magic of the Alicorn Amulet, but something about her current situation seemed much better than it had. Star was never going to forget the face of the griffon she had killed of course, but as she sat in the warm water and focused on nothing but her slow breathing and thoughts, the black unicorn felt like she might be able to live with herself.
Star closed her eyes and ducked under the water, allowing it to soak into her messy, black mane as she scrubbed her aching body clean. She hadn’t even realized how sore she truly was until her body began to relax again. Fighting had left her limbs tired and depression had left her mind exhausted, but the sound of the bedroom door being opened told Star that she wasn’t going to be able to sit in the water much longer; her friends had returned.
“Is that you, Star?” Axel called out from the other side of the bathroom door.
“Yes,” Star shouted back, “I’ll be out in just a few minutes.”
“Okay, we brought some food up if you’re hungry,” Axel replied as Star finished scrubbing her hooves and stood up from the sudsy bath, using her magic to wring most of the water from her mane. After standing above the water for a moment, so that she could wring out her tail as well, Star stepped over the edge of the porcelain tub and pulled two towels from the brass rack near the sink, one she wrapped around her head and the other she used on her tail, after a quick rubdown to get the excess water from her coat. She also brought out a small bandage and quickly wrapped up her injury, now that it was clean.
“Thanks for bringing food up,” Star said as she walked out of the bathroom in a cloud of scented steam, “but I’m not feeling very hungry tonight.” Star walked over to the large bed, which was covered in purple and gold silk, and took a set on the edge.
“Are you sure you’re holding up okay?” Suri asked her, having picked up on Star’s melancholy mood earlier that day. “If there’s anything I can do-”
“I’m fine, Suri. Thanks for asking,” Star told her with a smile. “I had a long talk with the princess and I think that I’m going to be just fine, after a good night of sleep of course,” Star added with a drawn out yawn. She really was tired, but she also just wasn’t ready to open up to her friends yet. In the morning, after she was rejuvenated from the trip, Star figured that she would talk with them about everything, except maybe the Alicorn Amulet. Luna had seemed to want the pendant to stay a secret and Star would never go against her teacher’s wishes. “You two can stay up as late as you want and just come to bed whenever you feel like it.”
“Alright,” Suri replied from her place on the couch at the foot of the bed, “We’ll try to keep quiet s that you can get some rest. Just don’t hog the bed or I’ll have to shove you out of the way so Axel and I can squeeze in when we go to sleep.”
“Fair enough,” Star giggled as she threw back the soft blankets and slid in between them. The silk felt wonderful against her body and although the towels wrapped around her weren’t the most comfortable, Star knew that she was going to sleep well that night, as long as she didn’t have any bad dreams. “Good night, you two.”
“Good night, Star,” her friends replied in unison as the small unicorn closed her eyes and sank into her pillow. It was only a couple of minutes before she had drifted off, the stress of her trip melting away as she began to dream.