Glaive sits in a dark corner of the dining hall, a half finished mug of strong drink before him. His face is blank, expressionless. Nopony sits with him, a few have tried to start conversations with the somber unicorn, but were quickly brushed off. Glaive desired nothing more than to be alone with his thoughts, and his guilt.
Friesden hops through the dining room, peering around the room, looking for one pony in particular. Spotting him lurking in a dark corner, she hops over to him, a smile on her face. “Meow! That’s bunny talk for ‘I found you!’. Why haven’t you been at the stables?”
Glaive turns to look at the new arrival, “Oh hello, Friesden. Still pretending to be a bunny I see.” says Glaive attempting to dodge the question. ‘She doesn’t need to know about that.’ he thought.
“Meow! Of course I’m still a bunny, silly! Why haven’t you been telling stories?” she persists, hopping about once or twice while she speaks. “The other ponies don’t tell as good stories as you do.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been telling you foals stories, and I’m glad you enjoyed them, but...I don’t think I can do that anymore.” Glaive turns away from the filly and takes a swig of his drink.
Friesden looks up to the unicorn. “But...But why not? Does Falcata not like you taking time away from her? Scary lady doesn’t like almost-dad staying away from her. Is that what’s happened? Maybe you can bring her along to help you tell the stories!”
“Scary Lady?” inquires Glaive, “Who is that? Stiletto?”
“Stiletto’s the buffalo, silly! Scary lady is miss Kat,” answers Friesden in a cheerful voice. “But is that what’s wrong? I could ask almost-dad if Falcata could help you tell stories! I’m sure he’d say yes!”
“I’m sure he would, but that’s not what’s wrong.” Glaive hesitates before going on, “Friesden...I did a bad thing, I hurt somepony, and that’s why I don’t think I can come back.” Glaive stares down at his drink, not daring to look at the filly.
“Can’t you just say sorry? That’s what almost-dad told me to do whenever I did something wrong. And that’s what all the ponies in your stories do. They say ‘Sorry I hurt you’, and then everything is okay again. I can help you say sorry, if you want some help!”
Glaive looks at Friesden again and begins to speak softly, “Sometimes, sometimes saying sorry isn’t enough. I have apologized, again and again, but I know it isn’t enough, and I don’t know if she can ever forgive me, and even if she does, I know I can’t forgive myself, not after what I did.”
Friesden crooks her head. “Um... Have you asked Falcata for help? I know whenever I have problems saying sorry, almost-dad can help me. Maybe she can help you say sorry to that pony. Or I can help, too!”
Glaive smiles at the filly, her innocence was quite charming, he places a hoof on her head and messes up her mane, “It is kind of you to offer your help, Friesden. You are a very good filly. Please don’t ever change. But this is something Falcata and I need to work through on our own.”
“Falcata’s already helping you say sorry to the pony? Maybe we should go see her and see if she’s found a way to say sorry? Then you can come back and tell us stories again. Maybe with Falcata too!”
Glaive’s smile quickly fades with the filly’s words. “No Friesden, you misunderstand. The...the pony that I hurt...was Falcata.”
Friesden gapes at Glaive’s words. “I-I-I-Is...Is she okay? Should we see her? What happened?”
“Do not worry Friesden, she is okay now. She was not badly hurt during the accident, but she...lost something very precious to her, to both of us... and it was all my fault.”
“Um...Have you tried looking for it? I lose things all the time, but almost-dad helps me find them again! Or...If it’s broken...Have you tried fixing it?” Friesden looks up to Glaive, and almost on compulsion, gives him a hug. “Dad says sad ponies need more hugs.”
Glaive is surprised by the sudden hug, but hugs the little pony back, it might not have been the proper thing for a stallion of his position to do, but he did feel like he needed one right now. “Thank you Friesden,” he says, “but what was...broken, that day can’t be fixed by any magic on heaven or earth.”
“Um... Have you tried getting a new one? Maybe you could do that as an apology?”
Glaive chuckles, “Well, I can’t exactly go out and buy one, but you might have a point. Don’t you worry about us, my little pony. Fal and I will work through this, it’ll take some time, but then I promise I’ll come back and tell you more stories.”
Friesden gives Glaive another hug. “That’s good to hear.”
Glaive gives Friesden a brotherly kiss on the forehead as he returns the hug again before setting Friesden back on the ground. He abandons his drink on the table, determined to make things work now, and says to the filly “Thank you Friesden. You’ve helped us more than you know. I’m going to go find Falcata now. We have a lot to talk about.” Then the unicorn makes his way past Friesden to exit the hall in search of his wife.