//------------------------------// // Regret. // Story: Twilight's Secret // by Distorted Flare //------------------------------// “That’s not normal. Not at all,” King Grendel said, the curiosity evident in his voice. Around the table, the various griffins stared at the Equestrian princess. Said princess was currently trying unsuccessfully to make herself as small as possible. “I’ve never seen a pony eat more than a single bite of meat,” the King continued, “let alone a whole portion. How?” Twilight looked away, unable to meet the eyes of any of the room’s occupants. Now was the time to run damage control. It would not be good if rumor made it back to Equestria before she did. “I’ve… had much on my mind lately. Haven’t been sleeping well because of it. Throw in the hunt-” Twilight gave a small shudder “-and I lost focus on reality. I was running on automatic, eating without tasting.” She looked down at her plate, meat missing and salad untouched. Gilda chose that moment to pipe up. “So, did you like it? I mean, you know now, but you’re not blowing chunks…” Twilight’s blood ran cold. This was the one part of the conversation she had dearly wanted to avoid. Now, every griffin in the room was aware of how abnormal her reaction was. She wasn’t retching her guts out right now. In fact, she did not even feel the slightest bit queasy and Twilight knew that they knew. How can you hide something like that from those whose eyes were designed to spot even the slightest weakness? “Subdued gag reflex?” Twilight half-stated, half-asked. The griffin King’s eyes narrowed. One of his advisers called her out. “Don’t lie to us. You ponies are terrible at the art of deception. We do not care if you chose to withhold information, but be honest about it. Lying will only lower our respect for you.” Twilight sighed, admitting defeat. She turned and addressed the King, “King Ironbeak, I promise you an explanation, but now isn’t the time. Spike and I will talk with you later. Alone.” The King relented, eagerly awaiting an explanation from, as he called her, ‘the most interesting ambassador to ever walk my halls.’ Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike sat on one of the plush couches in their host’s study. King Grendel Ironbeak sat in the luxurious chair opposite from the two Equestrians. A fire burned nearby in the large fireplace, casting a warm glow upon the occupants of the room and the surrounding bookshelves. The three sat in silence for a short time. It was Grendel who spoke first. “Tell me, dear Princess, what you wish to say. Complete my understanding. I find myself… intrigued.” He leaned forwards a small amount, tweaking his posture and facial expression in the process. To most of the ponies he had encountered before, this would have their unconscious minds screaming ‘PREADATOR! RUN!’ Even the sky princesses would instinctively flinch, and he loved it. But – much to his disappointment – Twilight Sparkle did not so much as bat an eyelash. “Well,” she started, then sighed. “A few weeks ago, I read a book, a biology book. That’s not the strange part – I live in a library, after all. No, it was the idea it gave me. I simply wondered, ‘what does meat taste like?’ The problem is how deeply entrenched in my mind the idea became. I just COULD. NOT. SLEEP. It kept me awake for over a week. Finally, exhaustion overcame my need to adhere to my morals. I consulted a griffin cookbook and made citrus salmon. The thing is, I liked it.” Grendel’s eyes widened, but he did not interrupt her tale. “In the end, I ended up cooking several griffin dishes, most of which Spike and I shared.” Spike nodded as his caretaker finished speaking. Grendel was silent for a time. His sharp hearing picked up the sound of departing claw-steps from out in the hall: an eavesdropper. Ignoring it, he spoke, “And.. you’re fine with that? You’ve eaten several types of meat without any ill effect?” Twilight snorted in response. “Of course not, what do you take me for, some kind of pony monster? My subconscious has been rebelling against me since day one. Guilt-fueled nightmares are quite horrible. A side note, it has taken me a considerable effort to protect myself from Princess Luna’s dream-walking. Nightmares are a beacon to her, and if I wish this to remain secret, I had to keep her out.” Twilight stopped talking. Seeing that his mentor was not going to continue, Spike spoke up. “Princess Luna will always give privacy to those who ask her for it. When they are suffering from repeated nightmares and yet guard their minds…” “It makes her worried,” Grendel finished for Spike, who nodded in agreement. “And now,” Twilight spoke, “I’ve gone and killed something. Then I ate it. It feels like I’ve swallowed a brick.” Tears started welling up in Twilight’s eyes. Within seconds, she was sobbing uncontrollably. Spike moved closer to comfort his companion by gently stroking her back. After a few minutes, Twilight managed to recompose herself. “Sorry. You shouldn't have to see me cry.” Twilight sighed and looked down towards the floor while Grendel dismissed her worries with a wave of his claw. “No worries, Princess. You've more than earned enough respect amongst the griffins. A few tears are nothing to worry about.” He extended a claw and raised her chin with it. The King looked her in the eye and said, “You’re in good favor with my kind. Off to bed with you. You want to be well rested for the negotiations tomorrow, no?” The three stood, Grendel thanking them for their explanation. Twilight and Spike said their farewells and made their way to their room. Grendel stood behind in his study for a moment, thinking to himself about what the Equestrian had said. A minute later, he exited the room and turned the opposite way that the Princess had gone. Grendel proceeded towards the kitchens. After all, the chef needed to know about his guest’s ‘special’ diet. As Gilda walked away from her father’s study, she couldn't believe what she had overheard. A pony that liked meat? Gilda decided that that had to be the coolest thing about a pony that she had ever heard. ‘If only she could fly as well as Dash…,’ Gilda thought, but her mood was killed by the memory of her ex-friend. ----------------