Chapter 10 – Castling
Despite the castle being completely enclosed the cooler winds from the forest that sits just past the small hill starts to suck out the heat from the castle's stone made rooms.
For Preston however the weather outside has no affect to him as he continues to curl up in the bed that he almost ran to when he got back into the castle. The heavy wool clothing he has on now plays as an insulator for the warmth his body gives off.
But the man's short little sleep is brought to a halt as the sound of the bedroom's door opening comes to his ears.
"Preston?!"
The feminine voice stirs the man as he pulls the covers over his head, "What?"
Clover's horn comes up to the bed's covers as she speaks up, "Do not what me. Why are you laying in the bed when it is day time?"
A slight groan comes up from the mound of covers in front of the mare as Preston speaks up, "Because its cold."
The words just roll Clover's eyes as she sparks her horn up, "Well I do not want you messing up the bed." Her magic quickly comes to the covers as they start to slide from the man's body.
However Preston quickly wraps his arms around the blankets as he tries to hold them in place. His attempt only last a few moments as the blankets and sheets float up and into the air, followed by Clover's voice, "Now get up we should be ready incase Star Swirl needs us."
Preston slowly slides towards the edge of the bed as he sighs, "Ya ya..."
To the sarcastic words Clover brings her trot a little closer to where the man now stands from the bed, all the while still hovering the covers above her, "And who said you could sleep on my bed?"
Preston turns his head to the mare as he points to the small crystal colored lizard who still sleeps on the coverless bed, "How come you don't yell at the lizard thing?"
The mare cracks a slight smile as she speaks up, "Because, I like him."
"Oh ya?" Preston straightens his posture a little as he speaks up, "You didn't seem to have a problem sleeping all over me last night."
Clover's tightened face slowly loosens as she averts her gaze to the bed for a moment without a response. But as a moment passes she brings her voice up, "You also should brush your teeth and get something proper to eat, I already did."
The words take Preston's head back as he puts his hand over his mouth as he tries to check his breath, "Well at least I smell better than hay."
"HA." Clover's magic slowly starts to lower the bed's sheets, as they near the bed Wispy lets out a little hiss as he jumps from the bed and crawled under it. His little hiss does not change Clover's voice as she speaks up, "Hay smells better than anything from you Fuzzy Chest."
The little nickname brings a slight laugh from Preston as he nods his head and starts to walk over towards the dresser he put his other clothes in.
As he nears the dresser he pulls the heavy wool shirt from his body and opens the dresser, "Well get a good look at Fuzzy Chest Clover, because when I put on my old shirt I am not taking it off for like a week."
Clover slightly turns an eye to the man but she continues to look towards the bed as she starts to settle the sheets neatly to the bed.
Preston pulls the old and stretched out dull blue polo from the dresser, he rubs his hands to the light fabric as he sighs, "I don't even care if I'll be a little cold.."
As his words come up the sound of the door to the room opening rings out, "Mr.Clover I-..Oh."
Free Burst shifts his eyes between the half dressed man and the mare fixing the bed as he nods, "I'll come back later."
"No-no." Clover's horn is quick to run through the spell she was slowly performing as she turns back to the stallion at the door, Preston quickly pulls the shirt over his head as he listens to the mare's voice, "What did you need to tell us?"
"Yes well, it seems Sagitta has returned." Free Burst's comment brings a surprised stare from Clover as the purple mare just nods, "O-oh really?"
Free Burst steps aside as he holds his hoof out, "He is in the foyer of the castle if you wish to speak with him, it seems his assistant has also arrived with his things."
Clover stars towards the short hall as she speaks up, "Alright." She turns back to Preston as for a moment before she turns her head back to the stallion, "C-could you give us a minute?"
Free Burst nods as the door closes in his face.
To the closed door Preston shifts his eyes to Clover, "Well that was mean don't you thi-..."
"Okay you need some rules, first off do not use magic-..."
Before Clover can get through her sentence Preston starts up in a laugh, "Oh? And why are you telling me this now? How do you know I would not use magic to clean Star Swirl's tower up?"
"Because you do not know any clean spells, now listen." Clover's voice nods Preston's head as he listens to the mare's demands, "...No magic and please do not say you are from a different world. Sagitta might have had a lot of information from Star Swirl and we do not need to overwhelm him."
Preston gives a little salute as he smile, "Yes talking pony."
The comment rolls Clover's eyes as she turns back to the door, "Oh, and make sure you close the door for Wispy." As her words come down she turns her trot out of the door she opens up.
As the door opens Free Burst brings his voice up, "Follow me then." As the stallion and mare move from the room Preston stares after them as he brings the door to a close.
The halls of the castle have started to get a little more bare now, a few decorations still sit in a few corners but most of the gold or silver artifacts that use to house the torches have started to be replaced by a temporary brass or wood. Strangely enough though, the regal red carpet that lines every hall into the main castle's foyer still stays to the ground.
However, as the small group nears the end of the few short hallways Clover and Preston turn their attention to the two stallions still standing near the castle's doors.
The familiar maroon cloak wearing stallion stands beside another much younger stallion who has on a dark forest green saddle bag and three satchels around him. The stone gray stallion with dark mane struggles to stand but he holds a smile as he continues to talk to Sagitta.
But, their conversation is brought to a halt as Free Burst comes next to them, "May I take your bags sir?"
The stallion turns his head to the new ponies in front of him as he shakes his head, "Oh no I am quite capable of carrying-..." His sentence is brought to an end as he locks his eyes to Preston as he tries to figure out what he is looking at.
Clover catches onto the stare as she now takes the conversation, "Sagitta, how are you back so soon?"
Sagitta turns to face Clover as he holds a smile, "Star Swirl wishes me to rethink if I want his position...I am to meet with him later tonight."
He holds his smile as he turns back to his assistant, "Which should give me adequate time to get my things settled, wouldn't you think so Violas."
The stallion snaps from his stare as he nods, "Oh yes Master."
A slight laugh comes from Preston to the words as he taps Clover's side, "Sounds like you."
Clover gives a little laugh to the comment, but from her shift in stance and tone Preston can tell he did just kind of annoy her...Not that it really bothers him all too much.
"Yes well..." Sagitta nods to Preston and Clover as he sparks his horn up to take the three satchels from the stallion's body, "...I should get unpacked, if you excuse me."
Violas nods as he steadies his stance to the lack of weight on him, "Of course Master."
As the older stallion trots out of the room Free Burst brings his voice up as he holds his eyes to the stone gray stallion, "Would you like me to show you to your room?"
"Actually is their a library in this castle? I would very much like to catch up on a few things if the books are present." Violas gives a little smile as he waits for a response.
Free Burst stammers for a moment as he nods, "Well...Celestia and Luna did have their own private library, but Luna's have been placed in storage and no pony has gone through Celestia's."
Violas taps his hoof to his mouth as he speaks up, "I could go through the library if you allow me." He quickly turns his eyes to Clover as he bows, "Would you care to join me? I am not as versed in magical books outside of my field of study."
Clover squints her eyes to the comment as she gives a faint chuckle, "Oh? And how would I be able to help?"
The stallion brings his bow up as he smiles, "You are Star Swirl the Bearded’s assistant correct? I could not imagine any other pony with the knowledge of all magical books and artifacts except my own master or Star Swirl himself."
A slight giggle comes up from Clover as she nods, "I suppose I could help with Celestia's library."
Preston cocks an eye to the mare however before he can speak up Free Brust holds his hoof out, "I will be happy to take you if you would like?"
Violas nods as he turns his attention to the stallion that now starts to trot, Clover follows after the stallion with Preston close behind.
End of chapter 10