//------------------------------// // Conversations over oatmeal // Story: The Abduction of Luna // by 97xxfastbike //------------------------------// “Don’t ever believe any ‘Princesses don’t potty’ tripe. She damn near filled that thing!” Tiara said after she set down the chamber pot she had emptied and then rinsed in a nearby stream, “What’s the bet that she lays a full bushel of horseapples after dinner?” Tiara sat down expecting some jibes or playful banter, but all that was returned to her were silent stares. “What?” She asked simply as her eyes met all those around. “We uh…were wondering if this job isn’t a bust.” Thunder spoke first, as he shifted his weight from hoof to hoof and flapped his wings. “I haven’t seen any activity that would suggest any state of alarm from the Palace. I really think that what Luna said may be right.” “You have to admit, it isn’t in pony nature to share power,” Brass said as he sat swirling a cup of what looked like coffee. “What would Celestia gain by welcoming her rebellious sister back as an equal and legitimate ruler?” Tiara looked at Millstone, who was stirring the pot of oatmeal over hot coals. “And you?” Millstone looked up to confirm he was being addressed. “Well, what they say does make sense.” He returned his attention to stirring the pot. “So what are you proposing that we do?” Tiara asked. There was no answer. “Do you think we should cut our losses, pack up and walk away now?” Thunder chewed on his lip. “Well, it might be our best option.” “Well did any of you ever consider that maybe she is feeding us a line so that we will abandon our plan?” Tiara met their stares until they looked away. “I don’t know everything, but I do know one thing for certain; you don’t take the intelligence that your enemy willingly gives you.” Tiara stood up, “I’m surprised at you!” she said in a scolding tone. “What are you going to do, Thunder? The Equestrian guard kicked you out on trumped-up charges. Remember? And the Palace refused to hear your appeal. And now after hearing one little pity-party act from Luna, you are abandoning your chance at getting your payback.” Thunder stared at his hooves. Tiara moved over to Brass, “And you, what’s your plan? Have you forgotten that the Palace promised you an apprenticeship? Hmm?” Brass’ countenance warped and creased like he had just swallowed a lemon. “Yeah, remember how you sold and gave away all that you had to move out here, only to find that they had given your position to somepony else because you were late? Even though you demonstrated that it was due to circumstances beyond your control?” “And you!” Millstone cringed as Tiara turned to him, “Are you going to go back to your family farm? Oh, that’s right, the Palace took your farm due to unpaid family taxes! I guess you are just stuck here!” “I can’t believe what I’m hearing!” Tiara paced in front of them at a trot, “You had better all buck-up like stallions and remember why you are here. The Palace owes us, and we are on the path to collect what is rightfully ours, and we’ll send a message to Celestia about nepotism at the same time!” Tiara stopped and faced them like an officer addressing her troops, “Our cause is just. Our goal is to right wrongs. We are fighting wealth and privilege and the evil it engenders. Remember that.” Tiara stomped her hoof. All of them nodded solemnly to Tiara in response. “Good.” Tiara nodded back, “Now, I need somepony to take Luna a grass mat and a bowl of oatmeal. I think she’s getting too cozy with me.” Brass squeezed through the cave entrance with the steaming bowl of oatmeal in his mouth and the straw bedroll on his back. Luna got to her hooves with a start as he entered. “Who art thou?” She challenged. Brass was unable to reply and just kept walking. Luna backed up into the seat of the chamber pot, then a step further to the limit of her chains, then she tried to rear defensively, but the chains being also secured to the granite floor prevented her. “Give answer!” Luna fearfully demanded in a voice climbing in pitch. Brass stopped and set down the bowl. “You can call me ‘B’,” Brass answered in a whisper, “I brought you a bedroll and your dinner.” “Why do you whisper?” Luna’s ears swiveled around and her head darted about. “To keep my identity hidden from you.” “Yes, of course.” Luna took a tentative step forward. “Where is our evening meal?” In response, Brass tapped the floor behind the bowl with a hoof until Luna made her way in the halting manner the chains allowed. Then she tried to lower her head to the bowl, only to be brought far short by the reins. “Is this restraint necessary?” asked Luna, “We would be much less of a burden if we had more freedom of movement.” “Is that so?” Brass smiled, “If it was up to me, you would be locked in leg irons with no freedom of movement. I know you are extremely dangerous, so you will get no more freedom from me.” Brass said still in a whisper as he stepped up to Luna. Luna jumped at hearing Brass right next to her. “Step back at once!” She screamed and retreated to the limit of her chain. “State your intentions!” she swung her head defensively, wielding her horn like a sword. Brass dropped the woven grass mat in front of her bowl and untied the strap. “I brought you a mat to lie on. Silver told you to expect one.” “She told me that she would bring one.” Luna’s breathing slowed but she stayed as far away as her shackles would allow. “What else should we expect from you? I demand that you state your intentions!” She held her breath as she waited for his response. “I intend to wait here until you finish eating,” Brass whispered, “Then I will take your empty bowl and send Silver back in to tend to your more private needs.” Luna’s head jerked up in surprise. “I’m not a monster, Princess Luna. None of us are. We are activists making a political statement and demanding restitution for wrongs we personally have suffered from the Palace. Nothing more.” “Thou doth seek to make thyself a victim and a crusader?” Luna laughed, “Be enlightened, for indeed thou art presently an accomplice to assault, ponynap, unlawful imprisonment, treason, extortion, and conspiracy. How doth thou consider thyself to be an outstanding citizen with such evil in thy trade? Fool thyself no more and confess to being a criminal and a monster!” “I am no monster,” Brass reaffirmed, “You asked my intentions? They are to trade you for Equestrian coin. Nothing more. If you cooperate, you need not fear me. And I will not hurt you or take advantage of you.” Luna drew her head back. “So thou doth confess that thy amiable demeanor is contingent upon our cooperation and the favorable response of my sister to thine demands.” “Uhh,” Brass replied, temporarily flummoxed at wording of Luna’s response, “If you write a note asking Princess Celestia to pay your ransom, I’m certain it would speed things along.” “And if we refuse we can expect molestation?” “Huh?” Shocked at Luna’s blunt question, Brass forgot to whisper. The sound of his voice echoing off the cave walls brought him back to whispering and carefully choosing his words. “We will do whatever Silver asks. So I suggest you also do whatever she asks.” “Hast thou been deaf to all we have said?” Luna shook her head. “Nothing will change if we were to write such a letter and we will not waste our time or effort. My sister cares not for our return and we will not beg her.” Luna lay down and pillowed her head on the unrolled mat. “I will take no sustenance. You may return my dinner.” Brass stood in shock. After it became clear to him that Luna wasn't going to eat or make any further conversation, he picked up her untouched bowl of oatmeal and left. “You told her what!?” Tiara shouted at Brass after he had summarized his conversation with Luna. Brass looked around the campfire at all the shocked faces staring back at him. “I thought it might be a good idea to get her to write her own ransom request,” Brass stood his ground, “and I thought a subtle threat of pain might encourage her to cooperate with us.” Tiara face-hoofed. Then she looked up, shaking her head. “That was foolish. We lose nothing by her refusal at this time.” “Okay, so why are you so upset?” “Because now our credibility with her is at stake if I don’t repeat your demand to have her write her sister!” Tiara stood and faced off with Brass. “Are you prepared to torture her after she refuses to cooperate with me?” Brass’ eyes darted about nervously. “I – I’d just thought the veiled threat would be good enough. I expected that a palace–raised princess would give in at the hint of pain. I don’t think I can actually…do anything…much beyond threaten.” Tiara looked over to Thunder, who flapped his wings like he was preparing to flee. “No way! Not me either. I can’t hurt anypony with wings.” “What? You won’t hurt anypony with wings, but unicorn and earth ponies are fair game for you?” Brass glowered at Thunder. “Hey!” Tiara shouted to stop the argument that she was certain would erupt. “B, as far as I’m concerned, his refusal isn’t any different than yours. And he didn’t go making threats he wasn’t prepared to follow through!” Brass looked chastened enough to let the matter drop, but he kept his eyes locked on Thunder. She let her gaze fall on Millstone. The gray pony looked into the fire. “I don’t want to do it either,” He said slowly without looking up. “But, I will do it for you, if you think it’s necessary, Silver.” Tiara’s mouth and eyes opened in surprise. Millstone’s voice was mournful and determined at the same time. Just like he had been when she had asked him if he could get over his claustrophobia and chisel out more room in the cave. She had no doubt he would overcome his internal conflict and torture Luna in the same methodical and resolute manner as he had when he was excavating the cave. Her heart ached at his admission. Nopony else had done as much for this cause as he had, and yet he was prepared to do even more, if she would only ask. “I don’t think any of us want that on our conscience,” Tiara said slowly. “Not only that, but it will reflect badly on our cause. Rest assured, M, that I don’t want any harm to come to Princess Luna. I just want the ransom and to make the political statement, and I don’t see how torturing Luna will help either of those goals.” Tiara picked up Luna’s untouched bowl and dumped it back into the pot. “Please ladle out a fresh helping,” she said to Millstone, “I’m going to go back in there and try to get her to eat.” Luna didn’t stir when she heard Tiara enter. “Is our torture to begin?” She asked, not even lifting her head. “No.” Tiara answered as she knelt before Luna. “Silver Chalice?” Luna’s head jerked up and she rolled onto her hooves. “Is it you?” “Yes, it’s me –“ “Oh, Silver Chalice,” Luna stood and lept forward to where her chains stopped her. “We were frightened that we – that I had offended thee, and that ye would no longer come.” Her head and neck probed out, and even her nostrils flared as though she was trying to locate her visitor by scent. Tiara had to draw her head back to avoid Luna, who was now so close that she could feel her breath. “Princess, I came in to see why you have refused to eat. Will you tell me why you have chosen to starve?” “I will eat only if you will promise me that I will not be tortured. That is why I refused sustenance. I did not want to risk vomiting during the testing of my will.” Luna said resolutely. “Well, allow me to set any fears you may have to rest. You should know that B made his demand and threat out of impatience. He just wants this whole affair resolved. I made sure he understands that there is nothing to be gained by threatening you further.” Luna nodded. “So, now can I interest you in a hot bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and brown sugar?” “You can,” Luna replied, “But I cannot reach the floor to partake. Will you loosen the reins so that I can eat?” Tiara sighed. “Princess, you know that you are a very powerful and dangerous captive. I will not risk removing or relaxing any restraint currently limiting you. You will have to kneel down to the floor in order to reach your bowl. So do you want your bedroll on your right or left side?” “My right side.” Luna snorted unhappily. “Princess Luna, Why did you treat me so harshly at the Palace?” Tiara finally allowed herself to ask the question that had been on her mind since she had begun serving at the Palace. Luna had finished eating and had refused seconds, but was now licking her bowl clean. However, at Tiara’s question, she stopped and pushed the bowl away. “I never trusted you.” Luna said after a pregnant pause, “And now that you have abducted me, I believe that you have proved my suspicions well founded.” Tiara waited to see if Luna would elaborate, but only silence followed. “I had no plan to abduct you, or to commit any offense until about a year ago when I could see that you were not about to change your attitude toward me. I dare to postulate that your prejudice has made me an abductor.” Luna chuckled. “Do you dare to propose that the only options available to you were to endure the harsh treatment or to strike back? That is a false choice. You could have quit at any time. The Palace is not the only place of employment, and your work record was exemplary. You would have had little problem finding other employment.” “Yes,” Tiara agreed softly. “But I felt like I had no other place to go.” “And why is that?” Tiara wanted more than anything at that moment to tell Luna her secret reasons for why she chose her course, but that would expose too much of who she really was. Princess Luna and the Palace knew her as Silver Chalice, and she was desperate to keep that identity. Her real name must remain buried and dead if she wanted to live. So, how does she explain her actions to Luna as the orphan Silver Chalice? Tiara was at a complete loss for words. The shuffling sound of somepony hurriedly forcing their way through the cave entrance saved her. Thunder poked his head in. “Hey Silver! Come outside, quick!”