//------------------------------// // Ch. 6: Grey (v.1) // Story: In The Company of The Sun // by PlumBuckeredOut //------------------------------// Somewhere, in our enchanted gazing, my horn flared once more and sent me reeling to the trimmed lawn. I had calmed Celestia down, merely telling her that my vision "wasn't clear to me yet". The same line that my father used when he wanted to omit his knowledge, and I was doing my best to hide this knowledge like an unsavory bite of an aspiring chef's farrago. My vision had helped us both get back onto the subject of Parnce's needs. She knew both the laws, yet didn't see the dilemma. This lead both of us into a classic "discussion". "Maybe you're defining the law too strictly Norm?" "Laws are meant to be strict, Celestia. They uphold the law... They are written-" "I understand the purpose for laws Norm." "I'm speaking of equal punishment. If the victim is to be set free, what other option is there but, its. Equal?" " ...You. You haven't been." Celestia was frozen in shock. My conscience ran like wild at her steely gaze. Had she thought me mad? She didn't know of the urgency because she hadn't receive my letters... but maybe it was more than that? My father knew wholeheartedly the complications of a Pony's nature. They were not bound to goodness, yet The Sacred Tree watched over them. A Pony could be evil, or virtuous and everything inbetween... but for a goat. The path of right and wrong lied solely in grey. We prided ourselves in pure balance. It's why a goat takes so long to speak... they are thinking of the perfect words, not too hurtful, not so caring. While some ponies treated my citizens as senile, or worse... as farm creatures. We knew better than to give into such dark emotions. If the world saw us as simple folk, let them. It would keep those naive from our bays. She was still, maybe lost in her thoughts as I apologized, as I usually did for these "colorful" banters. Looking back on it they where much like the ones I would hear our fathers have... had. "This isn't fair to you, Princess. I've already caught you off guard with my arrival. Bickering like this is but oil to your wings. We shall resume it after some thought... and maybe a date of my hearing?" Her head shook out of her daze. "Oil... yes, I agree Prince Norm. We will continue this after I discuss the treaty with my sister. I made a promise to include her in all the royal affairs." "How nuturing of you Celestia. Finally instilling some of your mother's lessons of compassion?" I said. She scowled at me and then smiled. "Any other, and I would have thought you were insulting me..." "Wouldn't dream of it." I chuckled. "I'll be sure to ask Luna then." She nickered playfully. The walk into the castle dredged painful memories of my younger years. My magic was frantic as I tried to lock my feelings away, but as we entered the throne room, I lost my composure and my magic leapt the memories throughout the room. My father stood tall beside King Sol, both chuckling endearingly to Celes' playful levitation of her father's gold crown to her head, and she toppled over from the sheer weight. "Calm yourself Dear Princess Celestia." My father cackled as he helped lift the crown off of her. "Take your years of princess hood as a blessing, until the day you've learned all the Sacred Tree can offer." "Yes Darling! Take Lord Par's wisdom... not many get such saged advice for free." King Sol assured as he hugged his pouting princess. My eyes looked up to the present-day throne with Celestia now sitting, her father's crown perched behind her ali. I wondered if she truly heeded my father's advice. Is that why after years after her parent's death she still remains a princess? Is it out of dutiful respect to her parents, to her sister... or is she waiting for The Sacred Tree to impart her queen-like wisdom? The sour vision I had received in the gardens ringed once more. This time with more imagery. The cutie mark of a heart? This vision was different from the rest. It didn't feel natural, but forced as if another was trying to feed me subtle clues. When I received a pure vision there was no pain when leaving my dreaming state, but in a forced dream... it felt like being reeled onto like a fish. The invader didn't know how to let go, or when to let me go. Prolonging my time in a dream state would be critical to my body, yet the mark of a well trained ali horned goat was a frail body. Little Luna closed the throne room doors behind her as she reached her sister. "You summoned us, 'Tia?" Luna glanced over to me as the two began to whisper about. "Surely you jest?" Luna spat and she looked over to me, and Celestia turned her sister's eyes back to her and whispered more. "But could he not-" The moon mare scoffed once more. It was clear that Luna took little after her serene mother besides her supervision of the moon. She was as bold and brash as her father. "He boiled like the sun, and was as caressing as a fire, and when you are lost... A fire is all you will need." My father said in defense of Sol's flightiness. I had never met Luna, until now, in fact it was out of my curiosity that I had even met Celestia. I can hardly remember that day, the only thing I can remember clearly was the harsh punishment my father had given me. His eyes were cold, almost glazed as he struck me. Just standing still while he decided his punishment was in itself punishment enough. Just hard enough to prove his superiority, but merciful enough to not knock his kid son's hip out. Sometimes when I am feeling spiteful I can feel the place where he had struck become warm, even though it has been years since he struck me... years since his departure. The two both turned to me smiling with an over-welcoming candor. "Prince De Parnce." Luna said as she cantered to me and bowed her head. "Fret not Princess Luna. Call me as your sister does, I'm simply Norm, or Norm De Parnce... if you wish." Her relaxed smile hinted to her gratitude, as she continued. "The Royal pony sisters decree that, there shall be no hearing over the Treaty of Equality for Equestria and Parnce. " Her lips moved on, yet my ears had gone numb. Had I wasted all this time just to be told "no" yet again... What purpose did the Tree of Light, Tree of Harmony have for me in Equestria so far away from home. Why had I been deceived unto these shores? "I-I-If that is what you decree... Then I can see we are at a loss for this treaty at all." I felt the heat burn inside me, and throughout my hip. My eyes darted up, surely burning like dry brush. I watched the moon princess step back. If. That... That is what you two decree! Then guess what I decree Royal. Pony. Sisters! I decree That from now on, any pony set on Parnce's soil shall be deported! Any law of equine thought shall be blackened, and any-any of you two questions my anger will lead my guard to shoot all Equestrian ships on sight! Is that equal enough for you two? Is that not fair? You shut your eyes to my pleading, then I shut my country to your kind! Even though this rage felt like mine, I could taste that it did not belong to me. Sure I had been angry of their declines, and surely if I was not a balanced creature I would have howled those words like a final battle cry, as I drove our countries into war. But I gave the two the benefit of the doubt, they didn't see my suffering enough to change our father's work. So be it. "There was a grey furred pony in Parnce, who claimed himself a prince." I said in bemusement. "He lacked the knowledge of Parnce's law... He, I suspect also had a hoof in killing a delegate of yours." The two both gasped. "Umbra?" I could hear Luna attempt to whisper, at least I assumed she was whispering. My horn had begun acting up, amplifying my ears so that I could hear the guards outside the throne room doors breath a natural rhythm. The drone of Celestia's magic flickering pierced my ear drum as I quivered to the carpet. "Sun's light!" I heard her cry out. "Normace!" "This thoust injured?" Luna asked. Hush foals... You dare speak to The King of Balance as a simpleton!? I heard pulse within my core. "Shadow magic? 'Tia, Quick!" Luna commanded. "I'm working on it Luna." Celestia rebutted. I felt her magic cling to me. "I-It's burning me!" I cried, writhing like a fish out of water. "Stop your magic Celestia!" I felt the guards rush in. "Your royal highnesses! What is going on?" "Someone has cast dark magic on the Prince of Parnce. Stay outside, and keep the door shut!" Celestia ordered them. "Of course-but your highness, what if it channels to you?" One of the guards asked. "He is right 'Tia... release your magic." Luna agreed. I gave another pitiful cry, and I felt her magic pull away. Another magic took its place, and I could sense the fear within the guards and Celestia. "We shall take care of him." Luna insisted. My eyes drew open in force as she looked to me with lost eyes. She shed a tear into my eye, and like a single ripple in a still lake, my body ebbed into sleep.