//------------------------------// // Amber nectar and questions // Story: The Saga Of The Caramel Mare. // by BurningBright //------------------------------// Mighty turned in his sleep, the room was uncomfortably warm he found himself waking up once again. He could have sworn he heard her stirring beside him, Rosie. Reaching out a hoof to touch her he felt warm skin beneath his hoof. Violet woke up with a sigh rolling over to look at him. He almost found himself hating her at that moment, feeling the anger well up inside him he turned away from her. He had loved Rosie and now here he was betraying her memory, why? Because he was lonely? What kind of excuse was that? He loved Rosemary and here he was finding comfort in the embrace of the one she had called her best friend. She was their bridesmaid for bucks sake, what kind of friend was she? What kind of husband was he? Rosie had only been gone a few short months, he felt like such a traitor. “Something wrong love?” She asked him concern clear in her voice, Mighty fought hard to hold back his anger. The guilt on the other hand felt like it had set up camp and was settling in nicely for a prolonged stay. “I'm fine” he muttered halfheartedly, dragging himself out of bed, “I'm gonna go get a drink though, ya want somethin?” He needed to get out of that bed right now, he needed to clear his thoughts. Rosemary declined his offer of a drink and he went to the fridge. Realising a beer wouldn't cut it he closed the door and went instead to the liquor cabinet. Right now he needed something stronger. His hoof reached in and pulled out a good sized whiskey bottle. Rummaging round for glasses though he came up empty, so instead he pulled the stopper from the bottle and started drinking . He needed to forget, the drink burned on its way down but instead of calming down he just felt angrier and angrier. He drew back his hoof and slammed it into the wall, hard, maybe the hurt would help. Next thing he knew something slammed into him, he raised his hoof to bat it aside and there in front of him looking scared to tartarus was Violet. Tossing the bottle to one side he started to feel his tears well up, then he turned tail and ran out. The door slamming in his haste to escape. Violet got unstadily to her hooves, she was glad that she had stopped him hurting himself further but he scared her. In the other room Caramel awakened by the noise started to cry, the noise was heartbreaking, as scared as she was Violet couldn't turn away . Sighing she went into the nursery and picked the little one up. None of this was his fault after all. Rocking him gently in her hooves. Slowly the little one started to drift off in her hooves as she sang, her song soothing her own nerves as well as his. “oh my little golden bird, how lonely is your song? Know somepony loves you still, and will your whole life long. Though you feel trapped my dear, I beg you to be brave, a heart as strong as yours my dear, will free you from your cage. So lift your little voice my dear, release your melody, no matter how strong the bars may be one day you will be free. I ask you now remember this, a lesson from the start, no matter what the prison , let nopony cage your heart. My song may oneday dissapear, I beg you give no care, for even when I'm long since passed, I'll try to still be there, be strong my dear, I know you will, be brave, I know you can, become the kind of pony who will always take a stand. Caramels eyelids became heavier and heavier as the song went on, the feeling of warmth surrounding him making him feel safe as he drifted off in Violets hooves. Gazing down at bthe poor little one Violet felt the need to protect him, and the hope that despite his behavior Mighty may not be completely gone yet. With time and patience she hoped maybe she could reach him, keep him safe just like Rosemary would have wanted. With that thought on her mind rosemary placed Caramel back in his crib slumbering peacefuly, though even asleep he gave a slight whimper of discontent as he was lowered into the crib. Then turning away Violet headed back to bed once more and hoped that Mighty would calm down before coming home. Turning off the light she curled up and waited, trying her best to sleep. Meanwhile Mighty Zeal sat alone at the counter of heavy tankards bar, as fast as his glass was emptying he was refilling it. Remembering was just too painful. Sighing he tipped back another double, Tankard had long since given up topping up his drink every time he drained it and had instead just left him the bottle. “what am I doing?” Mighty asked himself for about the fiftieth time that night, every time he looked at Violet he knew she was falling in love with him, but to stay with her was betraying Rosies memory. He couldn't just forget about her and move on. She hadn't even been gone 6 months, was he really so weak willed? So poor a husband? Tilting his hoof back again another shot slid down just as smoothly as the first. The room around him was spinning, he could hear every sound in the damn bar yet it still wasn't enough.. The memories were still as clear as they ever had been, Rosie was still gone forever and there wasn't a bucking thing he could do about it. Slowly he got to his hooves, wobbling all the way, picked up his bottle vand started staggering out of the bar. He needed some air. His hooves betrayed him yet again, why had they brought him here? Rosies favourite spot by the bridge. Looking down at his reflection in the water he didn't see the bright happy young colt who married the most beautiful mare in the world. Instead he saw a drunken old stallion who was just too scared to be alone. “What happened to you?” He asked himself with a sigh before turning around and heading back to the house, after all without her even with Violet there it wasn't home anymore. Violet heard the door unlock and mighty staggering in, she didn't say a word as he slipped into bed beside her once more, pretending to be asleep so she could ignore the stron scent of whiskey in his coat.