True Black
Chapter 20
Family Meeting
16 of April
Silver Pot entered the private gardens surrounding the mansion belonging to the Silver Seas main branch family. The gardens were exquisitely maintained; every hedge, bush and tree cut and shaped into some form or another, varying from abstract to animals. Everything was placed and made out in neat rows, or shapes that could be seen from above like images on the ground. Between all the vegetation lay marble stone pathways, wide enough for four ponies to walk abreast. Silver Pot paid no heed at all to the splendor around him; it was mostly his mother's hobby to have a formidable army of earth ponies tending to the gardens at her command. It was quite a status symbol to have such a large, and well maintained, garden this far North, and she loved showing her visitors around amongst the lush vegetation, often having lunch or tea parties on one of the many patios found throughout the garden. And as a rule, anything his mother liked, Silver Pot hated.
He walked up to the front door, made entirely of mahogany, with intricate silvery inlays depicting the family shield; a ship with full billowing sails against the rising sun. The whole of the mansion was styled in a Gothic theme, with many gargoyles surrounding the roof around the entire structure, forever guarding their home from their enemies. The whole feeling of the place was dark and foreboding. His horn lit up and he smashed the door open violently, sending the servant about to open it flying and landing with a pained grunt, holding her now bleeding muzzle.
“Make way, you blundering peasant! Can't you see I'm in a hurry?!” Silver Pot bellowed angrily down at the whimpering mare. Behind him, the little messenger colt who had been sent to find him followed fearfully, hoping he would not draw the attention of his Lord. Silver Pot trotted through the dark corridors lit only by torches, as was the tradition in their family. The many flames providing both light and a measure of warmth in the cold months of winter. Silver Pot had always felt it was stupid and outdated, there were plenty of spells would provide better light than a living flame, but it was tradition and his father had refused to budge on the issue. As he neared the family lounge, he could hear several heated voices coming from the room. He realized, to his surprise, that the whole family was actually there, even his two younger sisters. They were twins and the apples of his mother's eyes; therefore, he hated them both with a passion.
When he entered, all heads turned towards Silver Pot. He studied the faces of his family. His parents, Duke Silver Sails and Duchess Salt Wind, were standing together near the hearth. His father had a saffron colored body with a mane and tail of a silvery white, the proper color for a Silver Seas family member. He looked upon his son whit disapproving dark blue eyes, his cutie mark was three ships against a sunset. Silver Pot's eyes then fell upon his mother, whose looks he shared more than he wanted to. She had a sandy coat, her mane and tail a dark, stormy ocean blue with a lighter blue highlight. The same colors he had inherited from her; he had the same sand colored coat, but only the lighter blue in his mane and tail. Those main colors were not befitting a member of the Silver Seas family he had always felt, but he had gotten around those problems by dyeing his mane and tail a gleaming silver. So, now, he was the most silver colored pony out of all of them. Silver Pot had also inherited his mother's brown eyes, although they were quite fetching on him, at least according to himself. On his mother's flank one could see a swirling vortex, which was an indication of her affinity for elemental magic, especially wind based. Both his parents were now looking back at him without showing any kind of emotion at all.
Closest to his parents stood their ever-present shadow, there eldest son Young Lord Silver Cutter, firstborn and heir to the Silver Seas Duchy. Silver Pot had always had the opinion that if he would have received just half as much attention from his parents as his dammed older brother, he would make twice as good an heir than he ever would. Silver Cutter's coat was light saffron, very similar to their father, and his mane and tail were purely white, like a proper Silver Seas pony’s should be; white all the way to a silvery grey were all proper Silver Seas mane and tail colorations. The only thing he had inherited from their mother was his brown eyes. On the side of his flank, one could see his cutie mark, which was a ship cutting through the stormy sea. His brother was looking at him would open distaste; they had never seen eye to eye and they never would.
On a large, extravagant red silken pillow on the other side of the hearth from his parents, his elder sister lay daintily with her front hooves crossed. Lady Silver Light was the only one in his family Silver Pot had ever felt any kind of kinship with; although, that ended abruptly when she was married off to some pony in the Blacksalt Duchy. Silver Pot had never even bothered to learn his name since he was the reason Silver Light disappeared when they were younger. When the dammed stallion had died in a shipwreck a year and a half ago, she had moved back to her family. But, during the eight years she had spent away from them, she had changed quite a bit, and now even Silver Light was looking at him with the same disdain as his elder brother.
She was actually the reason why there were so many nobles in North Bay at the moment; she was receiving marriage proposals left and right. Silver Pot had actually talked to quite a few of the hopeful stallions done at the arena earlier in the evening. Some of them had actually been quite fun to hang out with, and he would be supporting them in the upcoming selection. His sister was, after all, quite fetching, with her bone white coat and silvery grey mane and tail. She had inherited their father’s dark blue eyes, and on her flank could be seen and orb of fire, showing her affinity for fire-based elemental magic.
Sitting on a similar pillow next to his older sister was one of his younger sisters, Silver Spark if he wasn't mistaken. He cringed when he noticed that she was smiling towards him, which was never good. And where was the other one? The twins were never seen apart.
“Good evening, dear brother. Delighted you could finally join us.” The tender voice surprised him. He gave a small cry and jumped to the side, raising his hoof ready to smash it into who ever had snuck up on him. Luckily for him, he was able to hold his strike as his lay his eyes on his youngest sister Lady Silver Flash. She laughed at his reaction and trotted over to lie down next to her twin. The two of them were always lying or standing pressed up against each other in what he himself always felt was an overly friendly manner. But it had always been said there were one mind in two bodies. They would often have wordless conversations between themselves and, when they were speaking normally, they often finished each other's sentences.
They had both inherited their father's deep saffron colored coat, but not his mane and tail coloration. Instead, they had their mother’s stormy ocean blue and, even worse, they didn't have the decency to cover it up by dyeing it silver like he did. The two also had the same cutie mark's; silver colored theatre masks, one happy and one sad. The only thing that made it possible to tell them apart where their eyes. Silver Spark´s left eye was dark blue, while her right was brown. Silver Flash´s left eye was brown, while her right was dark blue. They were so similar everywhere else that if they had their eyes closed you couldn't tell one from the other. Silver Pot glare at the two of them before making his way into the center of the room. He waited for two seconds before he turned his head back towards the entrance, where the little messenger colt stood at attention.
“Well!” Silver Pot growled agitatedly. The little colt perked up not understanding what was asked of him.
“Am I to sit on the floor you stupid little imbecile?!” Silver Pot wondered sarcastically. The little earth pony colt, finally understanding what Silver Pot wanted, shot across the room and dragged out a silken cushion for him, which were situated not two pony length from where he was standing. When the little colt finished his task, and was about to retreat to the door again, he was rewarded with a vicious kick for his troubles. He cried out in pain, tumbling over a couple of times before coming to a stop clenching his stomach and groaning in pain.
“Brother!” his three sisters cried out simultaneously. His elder brother just shook his head, while his parents gave a deep sigh each.
“What? You have to keep them on a short leash or they will never learn, will they?” he said as he sat down.
“That was uncalledl for!” both the twins yelled angrily while their horns lit up and levitated the little colt over to them. The little colt was still clutching his stomach and trying not to cry in front of his gathered masters. He was laid to rest in front of the twins, who immediately started to fuss over him. Stroking and patting him as they tried to comfort the little colt, who was finally starting to be able to breathe again.
“There, there little one… are you okay Swift Find?” they both asked the little colt. Finally, he looked up at them and nodded while a little tear ran down his snout. Never the less it didn't take long before Duchess Salt Wind gave a little cough, and looked at her youngest daughter's. Even if the colt had been treated unkindly, it was still unseemly for the two Noble Ladies to be fussing over him like they did. Silver Spark and Silver Flash immediately knew what their mother wanted and shooed the little colt's towards the door with a last little affectionate tap on his rump.
“Servant…” Duchess Salt Wind said, not unkindly.
“Yes Duchess?” Swift Find said respectfully, to which Duchess Salt Wind nodded approvingly and smiled kindly down at him.
“Why don't you go down to the kitchens and get yourself something nice to eat. Then you will be free for the rest of the evening,” she said and waved him away. Swift Find shone up immediately.
“Thank you Duchess!” he answered joyfully and scampered off to a long overdue meal. Swift Find was the latest edition to the household staff; he had an uncanny ability to find anything you asked for quite rapidly. This evening, he had out done himself when the usual runners Silver Pot's father would send after him had been unable to locate his son. At first, when the twins had proposed sending the little colt after Silver Pot, his father had scoffed at the idea. But, when the last runner had returned empty hooved, he had reluctantly sent the colt out to fetch his wayward son. And here he had returned, not an hour later, together with Silver Pot. This little servant would definitely become quite useful for him in the future. He would have to make sure nothing bad happened to such a valuable servant, especially since he, apparently, was on Silver Pot’s ever-growing list of things he hated. Duke Silver Sails looked at his gathered family and then tapped his hoof against the floor. All eyes fell upon him immediately.
“I've called the family here tonight, to discuss you son…” Duke Silver Sails said coldly, and let his eyes rest upon Silver Pot. Silver Pot looked around himself, for ones very uneasy about being in the spotlight.
“Alright… What is this about?” he asked defensively.
“Do you even have to ask 'little' brother?” Silver Cutter said with a frown. The two just glared at each other.
“It's about your… hobbies…” his mother said while she looked away from her son.
“What about my hobbies?” Silver Pot asked, now having trouble keeping his emotions in check.
“Ohoo… dear brother… You're not half as clever as you think when it comes to hiding your masochistic tendencies towards the tale lifters you fuck at the Officers Club,” his two youngest sisters said to him in unison while they smiled pleasantly, as if they had just talked about the weather. Silver Pot eyes grew wide, both at the audacity of his little sisters telling him something like that and mostly at the fact that they even knew. He had been so careful, bribing the right ponies to keep the lid on the more extreme sides of his entertainment.
“I don't know what you're talking about,” he said, although his body language screamed otherwise. His father gave a grunt of annoyance.
“I don't really care what you've done with those tale lifters, disgusting as it might be, but now it's starting to reflect very badly on the Silver Seas family name, especially when it's becoming common knowledge. Starting tomorrow, you are forbidden from visiting the Officers Club. And you will make sure these rumors about you are thoroughly stomped out in the mean time. Do I make myself clear?” his father said with a voice cold as the sea in winter. Silver Pot looked back at his father, first with fear, but then with anger.
“You forbid me?! Why?! I'm not the only one who's visiting, if you think that the case!” Silver Pot roared glaring at his brother.
“If I remember correctly it was you who introduced me to the Officers Club when you thought it was time for me to lose my virginity! And, as I remember, you were there even more than I was in the beginning, dear brother…” Silver Pot growled defensively.
“There is a difference from visiting a few times as a young stallion discovering his sexuality. Quite another to have the luxury suite referred to as the Silver Pot’s Chambers at the club, and not only there but throughout the whole noble district no less,” Silver Light said with disdain. Silver Pot glared at his big sister malevolently.
“You're one to talk sister! You've been there as well; and don't look so shocked. I've seen you in there moaning like any common mare beneath one of their pleasure stallions!” he shouted at her. Silver Light turned completely crimson while she tried to keep herself from turning Silver Pot into a smoldering pile of ash on the floor. A loud crack now sounded through the room when their father stomped his hoof firmly into the marble floor.
“You will never utter those words again Pot or, by Celestia, you will find yourself on the next trading vessel heading for our most remote office in Feliniss!” Silver Sails yelled in utter fury. But Silver Pot was too caught up in his own anger to realize he had already stepped over the line. He sneered back at his whole family.
“Of course dear father… I was obviously mistaken,” Silver Pot said sarcastically.
“It was most certainly another mare with a bone white coat, silvery grey mane and tail, paired with an orb of fire showing on her flank! After all, from the angle I was standing, I couldn't see her eyes. They were most likely green or purple!” Silver Pot spat out and then disappeared in a flash of light as he teleported away from his family. The whole family was now staring open-mouthed at the now destroyed silken cushions occupying the space where Silver Pot had just been.
“Father, we have to do something about this! We can let him continue destroying our good name! And now he's even attacking us openly within the family!” Silver Cutter said harshly while he trotted over to his sisters, two of which was currently comforting the third. Although the twins were looking curiously at their elder sister. They both knew their big brothers had been at The Officers Club, but the fact that she had been there as well was news to them. And they were already thinking of ways they could use that to gain whatever they wanted from her in the future. Silver Cutter came up and carefully nuzzled Silver Light who was looking away from the rest of them.
“Don't worry sister. We'll make sure he keeps his mouth shut about this,” he said trying to comfort her. Silver Light snapped her head back towards him.
“You think I give a damn what our scum of brother says! I would have no problem at all discrediting him in front of all of North Bay; he would be nothing but a laughing stock by the time I was finished with him! No… what pisses me off is the simple fact that when a stallion goes to the officers club it is seen as completely natural. They’re stallions after all, they have needs! But, by the moon, if a mare does the same thing she's immediately seen as some sex craving loborn slut!” Silver Light stated fiercely and looked at each one of her family members, daring any one of them to say they hadn't just thought that about her.
When she received no answer, Silver Light gave an angry huff and walked out. The twins gave each other a little look and then hurried after their big sister. She had just become a lot more interesting than either of them ever thought possible. That left only Duke Silver Sails, Duchess Salt Wind and Young Lord Silver Cutter to discuss the solution of the current problem. Silver Sails levitated a particularly fine vintage of wine over towards them, together with three wine glasses. He opened it and served the three of them before setting the flask back on the little golden drinks wagon. They each took a sip before they started.
“Well, I guess that does it…” Silver Sails said with a heavy sigh.
“What do you mean, dear?” Salt Wind wondered.
“He'll be on the first ship heading for Feliniss after the winter storms have ended… won't he?” Silver Cutter said happily, unable to suppress a smile. Salt Wind looked at her husband and son hoping in vain that they were joking.
“You can't… He won't last a day in Feliniss without seriously offending a Griffin!” she said pleadingly. Even though Silver Pot was the black sheep of the family, he was still her son.
“I know…” Silver Sails said carefully. Salt Wind looked at him through narrowed eyes.
“You're not expecting him to return home are you father… personaly I'd actually be surprised if he last half a day,” Silver Cutter said with a crooked grin. His mother looked away and took a deep swallow of wine while she gritted her teeth.
“I'm hoping he will come back. I have been too lenient with him, I see that now; I should have done this long ago. Now, he will either return to us wiser about the world around him or he will not return at all,” Silver Sails said, and took a little sip of wine himself. Salt Wind drained the rest of the wine, and put the empty glass down on the edge of the hearth.
“I think I’ll go see how the girls are doing…” she ventured and trotted out of the room to find the children they were not about to send towards their untimely deaths. The two stallions watched her leave.
“I'll be having cold nights this year I think,” Silver Sails uttered, a little discouraged.
“There's nothing to be done about it, and sending Silver Pot to Feliniss is actually a best case scenario I would say. We don't have any trading trips into Feliniss planned right now. It will take a couple of months to pull sufficient trading supplies together for a trip to be worthwhile. If he doesn't get his act together we might have to intervene sooner than that… and more harshly,” Silver Cutter said, glancing at his father. His father only nodded in response, knowing there was noting further to say on behalf of Silver Pot.
“Yes… If he does anything more to embarrass the family, it might be best if he had a little accident on his way home from that cursed club. I know you want to do it, but you will not make a move until I say so,” Silver Sails said flatly, then drain the hole wine glass and then smashed the exquisitely shaped crystal into the fire of the hearth chattering it. Silver Cutter cud only do so much not to grin openly, he mite acturly have a plan or two that while insure that Silver Pot won't be a torn in the families side for much longer.
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Thanks to Syvvak for the Pre-read/Edit