//------------------------------// // Settling In // Story: Somber Ties // by Mobytums //------------------------------// Jet was finding the struggle to suppress a sigh growing increasingly difficult. His two new daughters—by the Maker, he’d have trouble getting used to that idea, had been silent nearly the entire trip back to Slateridge from the castle. Having been spending his free time re-familiarizing himself with the contents of his duties ledger after an entirely needed full night’s sleep, the silence had been appreciated. That was of course, for the first half-day of a two day trip. Of course, they’d needed the first day to recover from their near physical trauma, and he could sympathize with that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Oh my gosh!” Jet had barely enough time to leap out of harm’s way and be steadied by Shining Armor before Cadance swept down upon the fillies like a ferocious pink panther. “You two are just so adorable~!” The two foals who, until that point, had been walking side by side behind their newly adoptive father, their mouths open in awe at the sight of the castle and the actual princess, realized too late their doom. Olive tried to scramble for safety behind a nearby tapestry but was snagged by a sparkly, baby-blue telekinetic field. Her little hooves flailing in the air as she was dragged inexorably toward a giggling princess who had taken the opportunity to pounce on Silver, the filly’s limbs frozen and her pupils enlarged in terror. “Ohh~! Just look at you! And your mane is so cute! I love the ponytail, it looks so good on you. I used to have a ponytail too you know, back when I first met Shining-” The princess’ mix of babbling and coos were lost on the tan filly, who felt as though her spine were being snapped in half by one of the princess’ forelegs, while the other petting her mane felt as though it were going to rip her hair out by the roots. “Silver?” Olive asked worriedly as one of the pinned pegasus’ wings flapped feebly. Her attention caught by the noise, Cadance turned and gasped as though seeing the bespectacled filly for the first time. “Have mercy,” Olive whimpered. Cadance squealed excitedly and released Silver who slumped to the floor, gasping for air. Olive gave one last fruitless attempt to wriggle out of the princess’ magic before she was encased in the vice-like grip of pretty pink hooves. “Your mane-cut is just adorable, it really brings out your eyes. Oh, and you have the most amazing dimples!” The unicorn filly batted weakly at the princess’ poofy tri-color mane as Cadance nuzzled her forcefully, pushing her glasses this way and that across her face. “And those glasses! Ohh~! I wish Twilight had worn glasses like these, they just make you oh so squeezable!” Cadance giggled girlishly as she slung Olive around in her hug. Silver tried shakily to stand and gallop for safety. Jet watched the whole situation with a sense of morbid fascination. “Does the Princess normally do this?” he mumbled, his eyes still glued to the scene. “Only with foals,” Answered Shining, who looked as though he were unsure whether to laugh or groan. After a heroic rescue by Jet and Shining Armor, the fillies had cowered behind Lord Crux, clinging to each other tightly. Cadance had contented herself by interspersing their conversation with wide smiles pointed toward them. The girls could only shiver each time. The royal couple had first asked questions as to why Crux had come back with two daughters instead of one. Following one quick retelling of the complications that had arisen and been overcome, Cadance had sniffed back tears and made a wild grab to praise the fillies. “You refused to allow your friendship to be torn apart?! That...that’s so adorable~!” They in turn had shrieked in terror until Shining had managed to restrain the ruling monarch from trampling Lord Crux who had put himself between the teary princess and her targets Once she had calmed again and they had discussed any remaining concerns for Slateridge’s delayed shipments of stone and crystal. Now that the empire was expanding, they needed all the building material they could get for construction and housing. , Crux had thanked the couple for their hospitality and shepherded his new charges out of the castle and into a waiting carriage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crux looked up from his third re-reading of his duties ledger to glance at the two fillies. Olive kept her nose buried in a book of Slateridge history she had pulled from her room’s formidable tower of tomes that had taken up most of the luggage the carriage was now hauling. Silver, on the other hoof had been staring out one of the carriage’s windows at the passing buildings and quarries on their way into the main city. Crux was about to admit defeat and return to reading production percentages and profit margins when a voice finally broke the silence. “So what’s with all the shiny stone and stuff around here?” Silver asked, her nose pressed against the glass. One corner of his mouth upturned as he joined her in looking out the window. “Well, Slateridge, as its name implies is a mining region for the most part. We are the empire’s prime producers of stone, crystal and ore.” Silver’s brow wrinkled as she turned away to face her new caretaker. “Crystal? Why does the Crystal Empire need any more crystal?” He chuckled and opened his mouth to answer when a low, but confident voice caught their attention. They turned to see Olive tap her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she began speaking, not taking her eyes from the pages of knowledge grasped in her hooves. “For building, of course. The vast majority of the Crystal Empire’s construction projects are heavily reliant on a material made of magically reinforced crystal native only to the Crystal Mountain range.” A page lifted and turned under the influence of a wispy, green aura as a smile tugged at her lips, thoroughly absorbed in the topic. “The houses in the capitol, and even the castle itself wasn’t just found or carved from existing structures. Several generations of miners and prospectors joined forces to find a new material for housing, since stone buildings were difficult to warm in the cold climate.” “After the discovery of an enchantment that hardened the native crystal by said pioneers, their campsites became the center of mining for its time. And so, Slateridge was founded circa fourth century S.E.*” Jet watched the filly with a bemused expression as she flipped another page, the smile still on her muzzle. His eyes returned to Silver as she cleared her throat expectantly. “Your sister is absolutely correct,” he smirked. The pegasus blinked in surprise before smiling warmly. “Yeah, I figured. Madame Bookworm is rarely wrong.” she sniffed haughtily and turned up her muzzle. Olive puffed out her cheeks and ‘hmph’ed’ irritably, which only made Silver giggle. Jet raised an eyebrow and snorted, shaking his head before gazing out of the window. “We’re entering town now. We should arrive at the estate in an hour or so.” Even the unicorn filly’s attention was grabbed long enough for the three of them to gather at one window and observe the passing town. As befit its name, the buildings were primarily composed of wood and solid slabs of slate and granite, with only a few shining in true Crystal Empire splendor. Wide canals split the streets, where barges laden with ore and stone were delivering their cargoes to blacksmiths and refineries; identifiable by the large smokestacks that jutted out over the roofs of the surrounding houses like giant cigars. The cobblestone streets and wooden bridges spanning the canals were packed with a multitude of earthy colored crystal ponies with the occasional unicorns and the even rarer pegasus. Stalls were surrounded by ponies who were ogling their varied offerings, from locally grown produce to painstakingly crafted pieces of crystalline jewelry. Jet gave a small smile as he drew a deep, refreshing breath of the air of his home, the strong, metallic taste of iron from the forges heavy on the air. “So you live here in town and not off on your own land right?” Silver asked. “What did you call it? Your strait...es-estake-” “Estate,” Olive supplied helpfully. “Yeah, that,” the pegasus grinned, not missing a beat. “You live in an estate here in town?” “Indeed, it’s easier that way for the foreponies and merchants to bring me their reports or ask for corrections instead of having to slog miles out of town just to talk to me.” “You’ll like it I think,” he smirked. “There’s plenty of rooms for the two of you to pick from, the local academy is just a few minutes’ walk from the gates, there’s even a garden on the grounds, if you find yourselves so inclined.” “An academy!?,” the unicorn asked, her eyes sparkling in excitement. “An academy!?,” the pegasus asked, her ears and wings drooping in sorrow. “An academy,” Jet nodded proudly, smirking. “One of the best this side of the Empire.” The fillies’ expressions grew two fold as the carriage carted them further into town. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The wheels of the carriage ground to a halt as the two ponies pulling it unhitched themselves and opened the door of the carriage, bowing as Crux stepped out onto the cobblestones and holding out a hoof to assist the two girls. The fillies stared up at the wrought-iron gates in front of an imposing multi-story mansion made of dark wood and slate. Jet stepped toward the gates as the carriage ponies unloaded their luggage. One of a pair of guards stepped forward and saluted with his spear, his eyes registering a small amount of curiosity as he beheld the two fillies following him. “Good evenin’ milord! Welcome back!” The young lord nodded, a crooked grin spreading across his face. “Ahh, the welcoming party! At ease gentlestallions, keep an eye on our luggage for a moment will you? I’ll send someone along to pick it up shortly.” The guards nodded and stepped back into position, pushing the gates open as they approached. Olive and Silver broke into a canter to keep up with their guardian’s long stride, their eyes soaking up every little detail of the front of the house. Their hooves clacked on the cobblestone path that lead through a wooded lawn, the sides of the path lined with trimmed hedges that stretched all the way to a circular fountain in front of two wide wooden doors. “Now girls, welcome, to the Crux family estate. And now yours as well.” The slate tiled roof sloped down to dark wooden walls that were well spaced with tall, open windows, their curtains blowing in the breeze and revealing dark glimpses of interior rooms. A chimney made of a dark brick extended above the roof, wafting a stream of gray smoke into the sky accompanied by the smell of cooking going on, no doubt, at its source. “Ah, young master, welcome ‘ome!” The fillies looked down from the higher floors to the front doors, which had opened to reveal a thin, purple stallion with a well-groomed green mane in a crisply pressed suit. As they stepped inside he took Crux’s coat and folded it over his arm neatly. He arched a thin eyebrow as his gaze roamed over the two girls. “Might I ask who your...guests are, young master?” he asked in a thick Prench accent. “Ah, Merlot! Good to see you. Say hello to my new daughters.” Merlot’s already arched brow raised a hair’s width. He smiled widely and nodded his head to the Olive and Silver. “Oui, of course! Bienvenu, young ladies. Will the three of you be having lunch after your trip?” Crux shook his head. “No, thank you Merlot. I have a few calls to make now that I’m back home. I’ll have to wait until dinner, so you’ll give Varnish my apologies. But I’m certain the girls would like something to eat.” The fillies vigorously nodded their assent, Silver pressing a wing to her stomach to suppress its grumbles. “Of course, oui! Then young ladies please, follow me. I will escort you into the care of lady Varnish, our head housekeeper.” As the butler walked back inside the house Olive turned to Jet. “Well, he seemed to take that surprisingly well.” Jet smirked. “Oh, he's handling it well alright. He always did have the best poker face.” His lips curled into a thoughtful frown. "I'd give it ten minutes." Silver shuffled her wings and sidled closer to Olive. “And we have to follow him? Without you?” A bemused brow raised as he took in the anxious filly. “Don’t worry, Silver. Merlot may have his quirks, but my father trusted him with everything and so do I. You’ll be in good hooves while I’m busy.” The fillies nodded and Crux spun sharply, taking a door into an adjacent hallway. “Young ladies! This way, s’il vous plait!” Olive pressed as close to Silver as she could manage before they set off after the stallion. They walked down hallways decorated with small stands topped with busts or vases filled with assorted flowers. There were even a few chairs and small end tables set next to windows so a pony could read or simply enjoy the breeze and bright sunlight. Silver was looking at portraits of scenery along the walls when they passed the largest she’d seen yet. “Hey, Mr. Merlot.,” she called down the hallway. “Who’s this lady?” She squeaked in surprise as the butler appeared next to her as if he’d been there the entire time. “Ah, oui young lady. You have keen eyes. This is the young master’s mother, Lady Sable.” Silver gazed back up at the portrait, her mouth open in a silent ‘ooh’. The mare in the portrait was staring out at them as if knowing she were being observed, her dark gray coat and long black mane in stark contrast to the light of a sunset streaming in from a balcony door behind her. Her brow was raised over piercing red eyes and her lips were pulled into a smirk, as if mocking the artist for having the gall to paint her. “So that’s where he gets it,” Olive mumbled, tapping her glasses up her nose. Merlot chuckled as he continued down the hall, the fillies in tow. “Oui, miss. It would be fair to say that the young master got his sense of humor from his father and everything else from Lady Sable.” “She seemed like she would have been a nice pony to know,” Silver remarked, craning her neck to glance back at the painting. “Oui…,” he said, smiling faintly. The three took a few turns, making their way down several more hallways lined with more portraits and vases, though this one in particular seemed dedicated to roses, when Olive noticed Merlot’s eyes darting to steal glances at them for a moment before looking away. “Is there something the matter, Mr. Merlot?” Olive asked, tilting her head inquisitively. Merlot gave no sign of his surprise other than a slight tightening of his shoulders, but Olive’s microscopic lenses picked up the motion. “Well...oui, miss. You see, I was merely wondering-” “If he actually adopted us, or if this is some sorta crazy prank?” Silver guessed, her eyes still roaming the decor. “Oui,” he chuckled. Olive giggled. “Yes, Mr. Merlot. Sir Crux adopted us almost three days ago in the Crystal capital. Apparently, his father’s final words had adoption papers attached, specifically for me.” “For you?” he asked, his eyes darted to Silver who had turned to the conversation. “Yep! Me and Olive didn’t want to be separated so Mr. Crux adopted us both so we could be together.” “And now we’re sisters!” the unicorn squealed. “Ah, je vois,” he smiled. “Master Aurol always did like to spring surprises on the younger master. Oui, I could see such a thing.” “Yeah, we must’ve been a surprise alright,” mumbled Silver. “What is this? Doubts, non?” “Well, y’know. It just seems like he doesn’t…” Silver broke off, chewing on her lower lip. “He’s rather quiet around us. I don’t think he’s very comfortable,” Olive supplied. Silver nodded in agreement. “Ah, je comprends. Not to worry, mon fille, the young master is simply...how do you say...socially awkward, non?” Silver tilted her head. “Huh? But he seems pretty confident talking to other ponies.” “Oui, he is, but that is his job. What sort of respectable lord does not command respect and admiration in his ponies. But you two, you are family now, non? He can be himself around you, and he has very little experience in being himself.” The girls digested the information as the hallway’s end neared. “Ehh,” they looked up as Merlot cleared his throat awkwardly. “No offense, mon petites dames, but you seem like mischievous young ladies, so if ever you use that against the young master, please don’t tell him I told you, oui?” he chuckled nervously. Olive giggled as the pegasus raised an eyebrow and smiled evilly “No promises.” “Ah, bien sûr,” he mumbled, smiling. They chatted about a few more things, as they turned a corner to the sounds of clanking pots and pans overlaid with an authoritative voice calling orders. “Mabel! Keep an eye on your pots, don’t let them boil over!” “Yes, ma’am.” A voice called cheerfully. “And Whittle, be careful with that knife! You could put someone’s eye out!” “Yes, ma’am.” mumbled a voice that sounded like it belonged to a bored colt. Merlot stopped in front of a door that was leaking odors that set the fillies’ mouths watering and stomachs rumbling. With a smile and flourish, he pressed the door open with a hoof and bowed. “Behold, mademoiselles, la cuisine.” Olive and Silver stepped in ahead of Merlot as they gaped in wonder at the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. Ponies rushed back and forth through the narrow paths between counters and stovetops, the former covered in fresh ingredients being prepared for cooking and the later covered in assorted pots and pans simmering or sizzling over heat. Dishwashers chatted animatedly over wide sinks filled with bubbly mounds of suds, and ponies wearing aprons deftly handled sharp knives that danced over cutting boards, reducing vegetation to uniform pieces. So many colored coats were dashing around in circles that the girls felt themselves start to grow a little dizzy from trying to keep track of it all. “Merlot, you scoundrel, you kept me waitin’. Is Master Crux back yet?” Merlot sighed good-naturedly as a slightly chubby chocolate colored mare with her mousy blonde mane tied up in a neat bun trotted up to the group, a kindly smile stretching her rosy cheeks. “Oh, and who are these little dumplins?” she smiled warmly down at the fillies, who couldn’t help but return it in kind. “Ah, Mademoiselle Varnish, you’re looking as radiant as ever, non? To answer your questions, oui the young master has returned and these petit filles are his new daughters.” Varnish giggled at first before realizing that Merlot wasn’t laughing and gasped as she stared at the two ponies. “Greetings, Miss Varnish,” Olive said, giving a ladylike bow. Silver glanced at her unicorn companion before smiling at Varnish. “Hiya! How’s it goin’?” Varnish stared blankly for a few seconds before crumpling with a sigh. Merlot quickly dashed forward and caught the mare in his hooves, holding her up surprisingly easy for such a slight stallion. “Ah, Varnish, mon petit chou-fleur, so delicate. Come now, we must have you in possession of your senses, oui?” He fanned her face lightly with a handkerchief he produced from a vest pocket. Olive and Silver stared in surprise as the mare slowly awoke, a few of the kitchen staff made passing glances but shrugged it off with a smile or chuckle. Apparently it was commonplace. “Oh, oh mah Cadance. I’m sorry Merlot, I didn’t mean to faint on ya again.” “Non, think nothing of it mon cher! I will accept any opportunity to embrace your beautiful form, oui?” He smiled suavely, helping her to her hooves. Varnish rolled her eyes, trying to hide a faint blush. “Keep your sweet talkin’ to yourself, ya scoundrel.” The fillies giggled as Merlot clutched his chest dramatically. “Ah, mon cœur! You wound me mademoiselle!” “Keep it up and I’ll wound ya for real!” She smiled as she threatened a grab at a nearby rolling pin. The butler quickly straightened and coughed into his kerchief. “Oui, of course.” “Now what’d you come here for, and why’d you bring the dumplin’s with ya?” “I came along to escort the young misses to the kitchen, non? They are hungry and wish to sate their bellies. I am also to inform you that the young master will not be taking lunch, but instead will wait for dinner.” Varnish tutted and shook her head. “Boy’s right starvin’ himself. Doesn’t eat enough to feed a sick colt.” “But you darlins are hungry, huh? What do ya want to eat?” “Well, what’s cookin’?” Silver chirped. “Sorry, but what’s in the pots and pans is for dinner and won’t be finished till later this evenin’. Just tell me what ya want to eat for lunch and I’ll have the cooks whip it up for ya.” Olive blinked owlishly behind her glasses, “You mean to say we get to pick whatever we want to eat? It could even be junkfood?” “I’m pretty sure that’s what I’m sayin’,” the mare chuckled, smiling fondly at the bespectacled filly. “Awesome…,” Silver mumbled, wiping a bit of drool from her chin as the unicorn elbowed her. Varnish let loose a hearty laugh at the their antics. The two girls glanced at each other and shared wide grins. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Ooh, so many confections,” Olive moaned, rubbing at her stomach. Silver stabbed a few slices of melon with a fork and stuffed them in her mouth before grabbing another cookie. “Mmhmm! Dish wash a goodh idea!” “How’s everything goin’ dumplins?” Varnish called as she walked into a small tea room where the fillies were seated at a table. “Great! Miss Rule never used to let us eat this many cookies!” Silver squeed, swallowing her mouthful of fruit. Varnish laughed loudly. “Well, I’m glad you like ‘em. My own recipe. But don’t eat too many of ‘em now, ya don’t wanna ruin your dinner do ya?” Olive groaned and Silver looked at the cookie clenched in her pinions. “Nah, I guess not,” she tossed the cookie back onto the platter in the center of the table. “Hey, Miss Varnish, tell that one curly haired cook thanks for making us this fruit salad.” Varnish blinked in surprise. “Julienne? How did ya know he made your salad?” Silver giggled and tapped the side of her nose with a wing. “The fruit was cut into the same little slices that he makes with his knife while cutting veggies. I saw him in the kitchen earlier.” Varnish gaped as Olive chuckled weakly, still rubbing her distended belly. “Silver notices little things like that.” “Well, I’ll be,” Varnish smiled looking over the two fillies. “You two are a right treat, ya know that?” Olive groaned. “Please don’t say treat.” “Weak!,” Silver scoffed. Varnish dissolved into chuckles that set her body shaking. “Yep, you two are somethin’ alright. I spoke with Master Crux while I was out, and he said he’d be lockin' himself in the study 'til dinner, so do you two want to be shown where you’ll be stayin’? We can’t put your luggage away until ya pick a room.” “A bed sounds lovely,” Olive mumbled with a faint smile. “You aren’t gonna fall asleep on me now are you, bookworm?” “No…,” the unicorn mumbled. Silver rolled her eyes and Varnish chuckled. “Well, I guess that decides that, now don’t it? Ya got an idea in mind for where ya’d like to stay?,” Varnish asked. The pegasus tapped her chin with a wing. “Hmm...is there a room close to where Mr. Crux sleeps? Any free rooms around there?” Varnish pursed her lips and squinted before breaking into a slow grin. “I think I got just the one.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “This…bed…is...awesome!” Silver laughed as she bounced up and down on one of the giant four-poster beds in their new room. The mattress was so soft and the comforters so thick that even with the pegasus bouncing with total abandon, the noise didn’t disturb the semi-conscious unicorn on the other bed. Possessing a balcony, bathroom, a walk-in closet, multiple bookcases, a table with a few chairs, dressers and a fully stocked vanity, this room was definitely more than the fillies were used to. Their luggage had been placed to one side of the room for them to organize at their leisure, a single chest for the both of them, packed with their clothes and assorted knick knacks and a tower of books, stretching up as tall as the bed comprised Olive’s collection of history texts. “Well, I’ll be. If that ain’t a trove then I don’t know what is,” Varnish smiled, shaking her head at the pile’s size. “Yeah, as far as I know, Olive’s spent her whole life collecting all that history junk.” “Ain’t that somethin’...” “So what room is this, anyway?,” Silver galloped around the room, opening drawers and doors, looking into every available cranny. “This here was Lady Sable’s tea room. We moved the beds in for ya so you’d have somewhere to sleep.” Silver ceased her rummaging to glance at Varnish. “ Mr. Crux’s mom used this room?” “That’s right. Whenever she wanted to relax, she’d come to this here room and read, paint, or have tea. In fact, the old master used to come in here and use her easel to paint her picture. He musta made dozens of ‘em.” “So...this is our grandmother's room?” The unicorn mumbled sleepily from her sea of blankets. Varnish smiled warmly, nodding. “I s’pose so.” Silver grinned, galloping around the room to look at all the decorations. There were seascapes, landscapes and more portraits of Sable herself, though these were smaller. There was even a smaller portrait on the corner of the vanity. It was a brown stallion with a messy black mane and bright green eyes. It had a lipstick mark in the top right corner. The pegasus grinned, holding up the frame. “This is Crux’s dad, isn’t it?” “That’s right,” the maid chuckled. “She kept that picture o' him here in this room and he kept one o’ her in his study. When he was busy with his work, he’d write little notes and give ‘em to us to pass to her. She kept ‘em in that drawer right there.” Silver pulled open the indicated vanity drawer and beheld the pile of notes with small, barely readable hornwriting scrawled on their surfaces. “Wow, this is tiny. How was she supposed to...read...this!?” She squealed in surprise and delight. Varnish tilted her head curiously, Olive grunted in her sleep. “Look at this!” Silver pulled something out of the drawer and turned around. It was a magnifying glass. “Oh, lookit that,” Varnish cooed. “It’s a magnifying glass, just like Prancy Drew and Sherlock Hooves use!” The filly squealed excitedly and put the lens to her eyes, using it to look over everything. The writing on the notes, the individual parts of her feathers, Varnish’s mane, up Olive’s nose. “I don’t know if she’d appreciate that, dumplin’,” Varnish said, smothering laughter behind a hoof. “Eh, what she don’t know won’t hurt her,” Silver shrugged. “Whoa! It’s really big in there!” Varnish bit down on her hoof to remain silent as Silver continued to explore Olive’s nostrils. As Silver continued to gush over the magnifying glass, Varnish opened the door and stepped out. “Alright dumplin’, I gotta go make sure nopony burns dinner. You and sweet-pea over there relax until then. If ya need us, just pull that rope over there.” She pointed a hoof at a tasseled rope that hung near the vanity. “Okay, thanks Miss Varnish!” Silver waved a hoof over her shoulder, too entranced with counting the hairs in Olive’s nose to pay much attention. Varnish smiled and closed the door softly, leaving the fillies alone for the first time in days. Silver’s eyes started to itch and burn as she counted hairs. “One hundred and two, one hundred and three…*yawn*...one hundred and four.” “Maybe a little nap before dinner won’t hurt.” She pulled Olive’s glasses from her face carefully, folding them in her pinions and placing them on the end table between their beds along with the new magnifying glass. Hauling herself into her new bed, she sank into the comforters, not even bothering to cover herself. “This is a pretty neat place. And the new ponies seem nice, even if Merlot is a mare-killer. But he only seems to like Varnish. Maybe there’s more to them...I should investigate...that soo-” The pegasus’ thought remained unfinished as she joined her sister in slumber.