//------------------------------// // Mother Grace, and a trip to Canterlot Palace // Story: Luna's Apprentice // by ScientistTrixie //------------------------------// “Ughh…” Trixie moaned, swallowing around the desert that sat where her tongue used to be. She forced her eyes open, blinking dizzily at the unfamiliar roof above her. “Miss Trixie? Are you okay?” A voice called out from her side, drawing her attention to a young colt beside the bed she currently laid in. He smiled warmly at her, drawing a weak smile from the bed bound mare. “Wh-” She coughed into her hoof, frowning as her vision lurched. “Who are you?” The colt smiled widely, apparently delighted at the prospect of introducing himself to Trixie. “I’m Comet!” He declared, his wings flapping with a tiny droning buzz. He lifted off the ground a few inches, his hooves skidding across the dirt as he threw himself forward and hugged the sickly mare. Trixie stiffened in surprise, her arms frozen at her sides as she hesitated to move. After a moment she reluctantly returned the hug, her eyes widening as Silver Star stepped into the room, a small filly right on her heels. “Are you feeling any better, Miss Trixie?” Silver Star asked, rushing to her side at a gallop. Trixie sat up, groaning as another wave of vertigo swept over her. Her figure paled as she fought back the urge to vomit, sweat beading at her brow sickly. Silver Star pushed her back down, pressing a hoof against the mare’s forehead worryingly. “Just lay down!” “Trixie is fine!” She protested, struggling weakly against the fillies hoof. “Let Trixie out of this *cough* bed, immediately!” “Give her some room, girls.” Her ear twitched as the new voice drifted to her from the next room. She leaned up, struggling against the impossibly strong filly holding her down, craning her neck to catch sight of the doorway. A pale white pegasus stepped into the room with a folded blanket slung over her back. A steaming bowl that smelled strongly of apples balanced precariously between her wings. “How are you feeling?” The mare asked, cocking her head as Silver assisted her in removing the blanket and bowl from her back. “Trixie is fine!” She insisted, scowling at the worried expressions facing her. Her face fell as a vicious cough wracked her frail frame, her body shuddering with every cough. “Trixie… Trixie will be okay.” “Well Miss Trixie, after coming home and being told of the generous, yet ill, mare in my bed, I couldn’t just throw you out. I was a little worried when I came home to find them eating food we… we can’t afford. I assumed Star had “acquired” food on her own again.” She explained, shooting said filly a disappointed scowl. Well, Miss Trixie, after coming home and finding a generous mare who had bought my children food had fallen ill moments later, I couldn’t allow you to head out in your shape,” she said, smiling as she sat back onto her haunches, sweeping the bowl closer to herself with a flip of her wing. Trixie allowed herself to fall back onto her pillow, giving Silver’s mother a quick one over. Even from her position in the bed, Trixie could see the dark circles under her eyes standing out in sharp contrast to her pale coat. Judging from the ragged state of the mare’s fur, it didn’t look like she had always been such a pasty off white, but had merely lost color from working inside for hours on end. Her golden mane hung limply down her spine, the ends split and worn. “I made this soup for you.. It-it’s not much, but it’s all we were able to make,” she said, smiling at Trixie as she stifled a yawn. “Do you need help...eating it, I mean?” “No,” Trixie declared, an uncertain look on her face as her horn sputtered to life, the bowl floating through the air slowly. The bowl fidgeted, drops of the steaming liquid splashing onto the blanket atop the cerulean mare. “I can do it,” she said, speaking through clenched teeth. “Thank you for the soup miss..?” She trailed off as she realized she didn’t know the mare’s name. “Grace,” she said, nodding her head in acknowledgment to Trixie’s unspoken question. “Grace Feather.” “Well then. Thank you Grace.” Trixie said, smiling as she wrestled with her magic to keep the spoon floating still. The spoon rattled against the side of the bowl weakly before clattering back into the soup, Trixie panting in annoyance and exhaustion. She glared at the spoon as she picked it up without the aid of her magic, slurping at the soup as it eased the dull ache in the back of her throat. Her eyes widened at the pleasant taste, and she found herself smiling despite herself. “It’s very tasty Grace.” Grace nodded jerkily, her eyes heavy and half lidded as she smiled. “I do what I can. If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to go lay down before work.” She draped the second cover across Trixie as the mare hungrily sucked down the delicious seasoned apple soup. After assuring herself that the mare was content, Grace turned and left the room. After a moment, Trixie spoke. “Didn’t she just get back from work?” “She meant her second job.” Silver Star said, speaking up as Trixie turned her focus on the young filly. “Oh..” Trixie murmured to herself, staring at the doorway the mare had passed through a moment before. “I just fail to see how you would believe that a… commoner such as her would be able to stand up to the duties befitting the apprentice of one of the princesses.” Blueblood said, for what Luna was sure was the 10th time in the past half hour. He drawled on as she tuned him out, her gaze shifting to the large window before her. Her eyes lost focus as she stared into the distance, her thoughts lingering on her wayward student. She blinked in surprise as an annoyed snort sounded from just behind her. She turned, her eyebrow cocked in faint astonishment at the entitled look her nephew gave her. “Aunty! I was saying that we should remove her position at once, and give it to someone who deserves it.” He said, puffing his chest out as he pretended to toss the applicants around in his head. “I, of course, would be honored to become your student Aunt Luna.” He smiled once more, a sickeningly wide smile as if he believed she would fall to her knees begging him to let her teach him. “Go away.” She said, flipping her mane behind her as she turned back toward the sky. He blathered on, ignoring the princess as surely as if she had not spoken. “Not only will you be able to teach someone who is able to keep up with your lessons, but you’ll-” “Go away!” She screamed, whirling on the stunned stallion with fire in her eyes. The pure force of her Royal Canterlot Voice blew his mane out behind him, ruining his tenderly worked coiffure. “If thou wishes to remain a royal, thou will listen when we give an order! Now go!” Blueblood stared at her wide eyed before fleeing, his tail tucked between his legs as he skidded around the corner. His hoof steps disappeared into the distance as he ran through the castle, leaving the angry princess to stew in her own thoughts. Outside the sun could be seen creeping toward the horizon, the sky slowly darkening as the day came to an end. Before long, she would have to lower the moon, and mark another day that Trixie was out on the streets. Her mind flashed to the sight of the mare’s ribcage when she first came to the castle, and Luna felt a deep sorrow fill her. A tear slid down her cheek as she turned away from the window, her hooves directing her toward her bedroom without further thought. Behind her, a single meteor streaked across the sky, mirroring the tear’s path down her cheek. “Oh Trixie.. Where could thou have gone?” “Momma..” Trixie groaned around the pain in her throat. She opened her eyes as a cool cloth pressed against her forehead, her mother hummed gently to herself as she smiled down tenderly. Trixie smiled weakly, nuzzling against the older mares hoof as her mother gauged her temperature. “Shhh…. Everythings going to be okay.” Her mother said, her voice lowered to a near whisper. Trixie groaned in reply, the whisper driving spikes into the headache she just realized she was suffering from. “Just lay still, and let your fever come down. It’s still high..” Her mother said, glancing off behind her suddenly, her attention focused elsewhere. When she turned back, her mothers kind, caring expression had shifted into one of deep sadness, unshed tears visible in her magenta pupils. Trixie shivered involuntarily, drawing the covers tighter to her body. “Momma..?” She said slowly, a cough rattling her chest once more. “Yes, yes… just relax.” Answered a new voice, a suddenly masculine quality to the sound. Trixie flinched, her eyes wide as she stared at her father. He smiled at her happily, his trademark hat and cloak hanging from his head and back, as was the usual for him. He winked at her, happily ruffling her mane with his free hoof. She wiped at her nose, frowning as tears appeared at the edge of her eyes. “I… I’ve missed you so… so much.” Trixie started, her voice cracking. She grew silent as her father placed a hoof over her mouth, a gentle smile on his face as he leaned forward, hugging her tightly against himself. She giggled weakly, her eyes drifting close as she savored her father's embrace. “It’ll be okay Trixie. Just relax dear.” Her father spoke, but a voice not quite his own issued from his mouth. The voice was of her very own mentor, Princess Luna. Despite her confusion, Trixie felt a strange heat blossom in her chest at the affectionate name coming from Luna. “Luna…” She croaked, sniffling pathetically. “I’m so-sorry Lu-luna.” “Luna? Does.. Does she mean Princess Luna?” Silver Star asked, glancing at her mother from her place beside Trixie. “Hmmm..” Her mother hummed, sparing her daughter a quick glance before she stood, groaning softly as her neck popped. “Well baby.. I hate to leave her like this but I have to get to work. I’m already cutting it close today.” She said, shooting Silver a stern glance as she saw the young pegasus open her mouth in protest. “Okay momma.” Silver responded sullenly, hugging her mother before buzzing back to Trixie’s side. Distantly, Silver heard the front door of their home snap shut and knew her younger siblings would wake up soon. She sighed, turning her eyes away from the unicorn and directed herself into the small kitchen across the hallway. After scraping together a breakfast of apples and sandwiches, provided by Trixie the day before, she refilled Trixie’s bowl with fresh soup. Silver trotted back into the room the sickly mare lay in, balancing her own bowl between her wings with Trixie’s bowl between her teeth. She set the bowl down, scowling in distaste at the strong medicinal taste of the soup. She grabbed her own bowl between her hooves and lifted herself into the chair beside Trixie’s makeshift bed, a small smile gracing her face as she nibbled at her own breakfast. Once her food was eaten, she glanced out the nearby window, watching as several of her neighbors went about their daily business outside her home. An hour passed quickly, and before Silver knew it, her eyelids were sagging heavily. The filly eyed Trixie for a moment before curling up in her chair, her head resting on her forehooves. She hummed to herself for a moment, glancing around the small room before yawning once more. She had been up much of the night scuttling back and forth for things as her mother called for them. After a moment her eyes drifted shut, blackness claiming her vision for a much needed rest. She nearly jumped out of her fur as a wailing cry rang from her side. For a moment Silver was sure her siblings had injured themselves.. again. “Daddy! N..NooOOoo.. Not my daddy..” Trixie cried, sniffling pathetically as her head lolled from side to side. Silver leaned up onto the bed, pressing a hoof against Trixie’s forehead worriedly. Her eyes shot open at the heat coming off the mare’s skin. Her cerulean fur was splotched a unhealthy red from the fever, as if she had suffered a slight sunburn across her face. She flinched as her younger siblings burst into the room, Comet’s wings fluttering excitedly. “What’s happening?” He asked, fear and worry etched upon his face. “I.. I don’t know. She was fine a minute ago, and I took a nap and she just screamed!” Silver said, her cheeks flushed as she trotted in place nervously. “She’s hallucinating and her temperature is really high!” “Go get someone?” Dust suggested, hiding behind her brother as she looked on. “Who can I ge-” She trailed off as Trixie’s muttering from earlier came back to her. “She knows Princess Luna! If anyone could help, the Princess would!” She said, trembling as she thought of having to talk to the former Nightmare Moon. She stilled herself, sucking in a deep breath as she calmed herself. “Alright. Comet, go get some rags, make sure they are damp and keep them on her forehead. Dust, go get her a glass of water, and make sure she drinks plenty of fluids if she wakes up.” “Where are you going?” Dust asked, looking down the hallway as Comet ran to the bathroom for the rags. “I-I’m going to Can-Canterlot Castle.” She stuttered, gulping heavily. “I need to get Princess Luna.”