The Book of Water: The Heart of Winter

by TalonMach5

A Dark Glass, a Clever Trick, the Trap Sprung, Two Not Missed

He stood before the dark mirror feeling seriously vexed. He had issued forth his challenge, and yet the darkened glass before him refused to answer. Scowling, he was about to abandon any further attempts at discourse with the accursed thing, when he happened upon an idea. Turning towards his bed he saw his threadbare sheets. With a low chuckle, he picked up the tattered sheet with his metal hand and held it up for the mirror to see. Knowing that he'd finally trumped his tormentors with his cleverness, he smugly grinned, pleased that he'd so easily outwitted them. Seeing what he was about to do, the darkness within the mirror took on a decidedly darker tint.

Deciding that he'd wasted enough of his time on such a foolish diversion, he quickly draped the tattered sheet over the mirror and turned to face his wife. "They thought themselves so clever," he said, turning to face the covered mirror. "But they have no power here in the Slave King's house."

Seeing him getting so worked up over such an innocuous thing as the mirror, made Princess Luna lay her ears back with worry. "Beloved, indeed thou hast proven thy mettle over the glass," she said, moving between him and the covered mirror. "Come, allow us to see thee to the healing waters of thy bath."

"No, not yet, wife," he said, moving past her to face the covered mirror. "They must know beyond all doubt that I have bested them. I will not stand for them to think to mock me again."

"But, husband, thou art fatigued," she urged, hoping to get him away from the miasmic effects of the foul mirror which seemed to have poisoned his mind nearly unto madness.

He shot her a dirty look. "I refuse to retreat before such an unworthy foe," he growled in annoyance, furious she thought him too weak to win this battle.

Sighing to herself in frustration, the alicorn princess took a deep breath as she shook her cobalt mane once, causing the stars within it to shimmer like the heavens of the eventide. "Surely thou art victorious," she reasoned, hoping to assuage his increasing paranoia. "Shouldn't thou celebrate thy impressive victory over thine unworthy foe? Come, husband, let thy wife attend to, and reward thee."

He considered her offer as he stroked his beard. True, his wounds weren't fully healed yet, and his muscles ached. Removing Darkpaw's pelt from his shoulders, he placed it on the bureau beneath the mirror. "Perhaps you're right," he agreed, losing the resistance he'd had to the idea of soaking in his mineral bath. Moving towards her, he reached out for her barrel to steady himself. "Wife, would you help me remove my crown?"

Relieved that her husband was no longer fighting her, she nodded once before channeling her divinity through her her horn. Locating the iron within the arcanum, Luna lifted the crown up off his head. Placing it besides his abandoned cloak, she affectionately nuzzled him as she removed her own vestments of power as well. Placing her silver peytral, crown, and horseshoes beside her husband's crown and cloak, she reveled in delight at finally being so intimately close to her far distant husband.

"Come, beloved," she said, with a tilt of her head. "Allow us to celebrate thy victory with thee in thy bath."

He saw her disrobed form, and slightly frowned. This could be one of her tricks to seduce me, he thought, looking at her beautiful and graceful form.

Feeling her silken coat beneath his hand, he felt his face flush and pulse quicken. "Wife, I am bathing and nothing more," he protested, unsure if his words were more for his own benefit rather than hers.

"Of course, husband, if that's all thou desireth from us," she agreed, offering him an enchanting smile as parts of her magically flowing mane and tail gently touched and caressed his arm and leg.

Satisfied that she would respect his wishes, he leaned against her barrel for support as she led him to his bath. Exiting their bedchambers, she led him down one of the hall's of his nearly labyrinth palace. Luna hadn't lived here long, and was still trying to familiarize herself with its layout. The Slave King's ruined palace had paths they led to seemingly nowhere, dead ends and empty rooms lay everywhere, and if she wasn't the mistress of this place would've felt ill at ease traversing its paths unaccompanied by a guide.

Before long, the smell of fresh water hit her nose. The clean refreshing scent was a refreshing change from the dark oppressive shadows that lurked behind every corner of her new home. Walking closer to their destination, the broken tile beneath her hooves gave way to rough stone that had been slowly polished by everyday traffic. The once gorgeous, broken and crumbling stucco walls, covered with once intricate, now ruined murals, abruptly gave way to a large passageway cut out from the surrounding stone. Approaching the end of the roughhewn passage, she stopped before a large brass wall.

Pausing before it, she looked to the Slave King expectantly. "Husband," she inquired, unsure how to bypass the metal wall before her. "Why hast thou barred the way to thy bathhouse, beloved?"

Saying nothing, he reached out with his arcanum hand and touched a finger to the wall blocking their path. Moments later the wall's metallic surface began to ripple where his finger had been. "Wife, we may continue," he said, resting against her.

Looking at the fluid motion of the bronze before her, she gently probed it with her horn to see if the wall would allow her to pass. Effortlessly her horn slid through the wall and into the waiting bath that lay beyond. Knowing she could proceed unhindered, Luna walked forward with her husband in tow, entering his bath for the first time. What she saw inside surprised her. Calling what she saw there a bath would be generous. Like the passageway outside, the floor and walls were all stone, either smoothed and polished by time or wear, she couldn't tell.

Unlike her personal bath back in the Londwhinium palace which was richly decorated completely in marble with silver accents, this bath was little more than a natural hot spring in the center of the room. Hot water bubbled and steamed inside the large pit, as it was fed by two separate streams of water, one hot and one cold. Looking to her husband, she saw a look of serenity plastered on his face. Seeing him so calm brought her comfort. Since from their wedding day, he'd been either grumpy or moody, and it was nice to know he could actually feel something beyond anger.

Closing his eyes in contentment, the Slave King inhaled deeply, allowing the steam vapors to soak inside his lungs. "I must thank you for insisting I bathe, wife," he softly sighed, as his normally harsh and raspy voice gave way to something much softer and gentler. Standing beside her, he slowly disrobed and placed the tattered and threadbare rags he called clothes in a pile on the ground beside his feet. "A nice long soak will feel wondrous."

Walking towards the hot spring's edge, she escorted her husband to the where water met stone. Using her magic, she used it to steady and hold him as he climbed down into the bubbling water. Gazing at his naked form, her cheeks reddened as she remembered their brief wedding night together. He'd kissed her then of his own volition and desire towards her, and had offered her a smile. It was the smile of a stallion who was about to claim his prize. Looking at him now, she saw the same smile gracing his lips.

Ah, she lamented to herself. If but our husband, wouldst smile at us once more. We wouldst be content with his cold indifference for now.

Looking down at the Slave King, she saw him wearing a look of complete serenity. His normally wrinkled brow was relaxed, and the near ever present scowl he seemed to always carry, had been melted away by the bubbling waters of his bath. Looking at him, she decided that he was a stallion without a care in the world, and found herself envying his peace of mind. He seemed to her now, here in this place, as simply a stallion. She couldn't detect the slightest worry or concern slipping from beneath the visage of his peaceful countenance. He wasn't concerned or worried about all those great problems within their shared domain which had plagued him so but a few scant hours earlier. His only concern now, was enjoying the bath's steamy heat, and soaking within the mineral water's warmth.

"Wife," she heard him call out, breaking her from her covetous thoughts. "Why are you standing there alone?"

"We thought thou wouldst prefer us to wait without thy bath," she said, wondering why he'd bothered asking. As far as she knew, he'd expressed precious little desire to share such an intimate activity as bathing together with her.

Laying back against one of the smooth stones lining the edge of the bath, he tilted his head towards her. "Wife, I thought you said you wished to attend to me as I celebrated my victory over the glass?" he questioned her, opening his right eye slightly, allowing the verdant flames trapped within to burst forth from their prison.

Hearing her husband inquiring of her so, gladdened her heart. But worried she was misinterpreting the meaning of his words, by ascribing more to them then what he truly meant. Fearing this, she sought to feel out the intentions of his words.

"Beloved, thou art of good cheer," she said, submissively approaching the large pit which served as her husband's bath as she held her head low. "We desireth not to anger thee needlessly, by intruding upon the blissful solitude this place offers thee."

Sitting up straight, the Slave King looked at his wife, before looked away as if he was mulling over something with his mind. "Wife, er Luna," he said, gesturing to her with his left hand. "This palace, and all within it, is as much yours as it is mine. So if you desire to join me inside the bath, do so if you will."

Taken aback at his unexpected invitation to bathe with him, her heart swelled with happiness. Offering her husband a smile of gratitude, she nodded her assent, and gingerly placed a hoof in the water to test it. As the roiling and bubbling water lapped at her hoof, she felt her worries ebb away into the aether. She placed one hoof in front of the other as she entered the bath, allowing the wondrous waters to slowly submerge her up to her shoulders. As the heat soaked through her dark coat and touched her skin, she could feel all her muscles relax as her troubled spirit grew calm. Truly, this place was a spring of healing and fount of miracles, if it could both calm the souls of, and banish the dark shadows which had been plaguing both she and her husband of late.

Closing her tired eyes, she relished the feeling of owning her own mind once more, for within the waters of the bath she could no longer hear the constant whispering of the foul tempter which had taken up its residence within the sanctuary of her mind. Judging by how relaxed the Slave King seemed to be, he too seemed to be relieved of all his worldly concerns and worries. Like her husband, she no longer felt the constant pressure and worry that had hung around her neck like a great millstone. Within the water of the bath, she needn't worry about the judging gazes of the others on the Pantheon, or the careless neglect of her ungrateful subjects. Resting with in the healing waters of this place beside her husband, she was no longer Princess Luna, the Beautiful, Lady of Night. She was simply, Luna, devoted wife of the Slave King.

Looking to her husband, she wondered if he too felt the same. Well probably not about her, after all he'd desperately resisted the idea of marrying anypony, let alone her. Studying the look of contentment he wore on his burned and heavily scarred face, she wondered what secret thoughts he held within his mind, what dreams he wished for the morrow. But above all, what hopes laid hidden within his heart. Wishing to know him better, she slowly drew closer to him, and rested against him.

Laying her head on his shoulder, she exhaled and released a dreamy sigh. "Beloved," she implored with a voice as gentle as starlight. "What art thou thinking of?"

"Oh, just you, Little Bleu..." he murmured, draping his arm around her. "I've missed you, my love."

"Husband," Luna huffed, hurt that some other unknown mare had managed to capture her stallion's thoughts unbidden. "Whom is this Little Bleu, who thou addresseth with such affection and familiarity?"

Hearing her accusation, the Slave King's eyes shot open. "What did you just say?" he demanded, causing the magical flames in his eyes to flare dangerously.

Startled by his reaction, Luna drew back sharply. Considering her words carefully, she drew in a short breath with a slight hiss."We wert curious as to whom thou hast given thy heart to, beloved," she said, allowing the hurt of his betrayal of their marriage, break through the placid mask of emotion she'd been wearing. "Husband, whom is this Little Bleu thou loveth so much?"

Hearing her demand, he gave her a sour look. "Wife, she's none of your concern," he brusquely replied in a tone that suggested that any further inquiry regarding the matter wouldn't end favorably for anyone.

Hurt that he'd refuse to even answer her simple question, she turned away from him, and moved to exit the bath. As she left its pleasant embrace, any momentary comfort it had offered, departed from her like the soothing water from her silken coat. Giving her stubborn husband one last pleading, sidelong glance, in the hope that he'd reach out to her, to ask her to stay, to do anything, was met with silence. She exited the warmth of the bath in disappointment, sorrowful that he'd chosen to remain mute, while shivering from the chill his cold indifference had sent piercing through her wounded soul and weeping heart.

Seeing her flee in distress, left a bitter taste on his tongue, and a dull ache in his chest. Refusing to look at him, all he could see was her flank, backside, and flowing mane and tail. The weight of her head against him had felt pleasant, and he felt tempted to apologize and ask her to return to his side. But when he thought about the price his apology would exact, he balked at the cost. It was difficult enough to dwell on her without breaking down during his renewals, and he didn't think he could speak of her to another without weeping like a child. As weak as he was now, he was certain should he break his self imposed silence and compromise himself, his wife would be waiting in the wings to bind him up. If that should occur, he was uncertain he could continue steeling himself from accepting what she had been so freely offering him as his wife.

Climbing out of the bath, he struggled to leave it as the weight of the water seemed to be reluctant to release him. With water dripping from his wet beard and hair, and freely running down his pale skin in rivulets, he bent over to retrieve his discarded clothing. Reaching down, he lost his balance, and found himself falling face first toward the slick stone beneath him. Before smashing his face in on the unforgiving stone floor, he felt Luna's magic grab hold of him. Looking down at her helpless husband dangling in the air by her magic, she offered him an annoyed look before helping him stand upright.

"Husband, retrieve thy raiment, and we shalt escort thee back to our quarters," she said, without bothering to look at him any further.

"Wife, forgive my frailty," the Slave King shakily replied, picking up his clothes with greater care. Dressing as quickly as he could, he gave the bubbling waters of his bath one last look before leaning upon her for support once more.

They exited the bathhouse together, each saying nothing, but both wishing the other would break the unwelcome silence first. But beyond the soft plodding of his feet, and muted clopping of her hooves on stone, neither found the courage or strength to speak to the other. Walking forward, he rested his head on her barrel and listened to the beat of her heart as her ears noted his heavy and belabored breathing.

The minutes passed by in silence as they made their way to their shared bedchamber. Walking beside her, he grabbed a fistful of her wet mane and buried himself in its fine and luxurious depths. He stopped and thought back to what had happened between them at the bath. Had he truly called out to her? Inhaling deeply, he caught a nearly forgotten yet all too familiar scent, her scent. Had he still had a heart, it might of stopped. It was almost as if she and not his wife was walking beside him. The smell reminded him so much of her that it hurt. Thinking back to years long passed, he though back to the many bathes that he'd shared together with his family in the many hot springs scattered about the old city, and lightly smiled at the pleasant memory.

The bath, of course! It was her scent mixed with that of the mineral water's which had reminded him of her. Deciding that he should try at least offering her a plausible excuse for his unprovoked outburst, he turned to her. "Wife..." he began, before she offered him a flat look.

"Here we are, husband," she icily said.

Deciding that he'd best wait until Luna had a chance to calm down before trying to talk to her, he decided to say nothing, and entered their room. Moving aside the sheet that was laying on top of his cloak and crown, he picked up Darkpaw's pelt and placed it upon his shoulders. Picking up his arcanum crown, he struggled lifting it over his head, when he noticed the sheet he'd placed to the side. That was the same sheet that he'd used to cover that thrice damned mirror!

Looking behind him, he scanned his surroundings as he searched the room for the fool who'd invaded his inner sanctum. Finding no one, he returned his gaze back to the darkened glass that had mocked him earlier. "Show yourself!" he growled, furious that someone though to mock him further.

"Husband, thou art jumping at shadows," Luna chided, still annoyed at him for his earlier behavior. Levitating her crown and other vestments, she shook her head in disapproval at his paranoia. "Canst thou not see we two art alone together in our quarters?"

Refusing to believe her, the Slave King returned his attention to the hateful mirror which had tormented him so. "They think to toy with me," he seethed, completely forgetting any thoughts he'd had of reconciliation with his wife. Looking down at his metal hand, he balled it into a heavy arcanum fist. "Let us see if they can still laugh at me, once I've broken them."

"Ah, ah," a familiar voice tut tutted at the Slave King for his consternation with the troublesome glass. "Don't you know breaking a mirror is worth seven years bad luck?"

"Who art thou to disturb mine husband's rest?" Luna demanded, her fury against her husband all but forgotten, as she redirected her anger against the one who'd trespassed in their home. Drawing upon her divinity, the alicorn princess's horn cast an ethereal blue light, illuminating both the mirror and the room with her magic. "Reveal thyself, trickster, and beg for mercy, lest we smite thee with a righteous fury!"

"My, my, how rude..." the voice murmured, feigning hurt feelings at her fierce words. "Is that anyway to treat your honored guest?"

"Honored guest, hardly," the Slave King rumbled, trying his best, yet not quite succeeding to sound as intimidating as possible. "More like a pilfering sneak thief."

"A sneak thief? Slave King, you wound me," the voice said with a slight chuckle. "Especially when you invited me into you home with open arms, when all the others wanted to banish me back from whence I came."

"Discord... I should have known," the Slave King darkly muttered, annoyed at himself for having fallen so easily to the spirit of chaos's mischievous pranks. Feeling tired and out of sorts, and wishing to end this exchange with the annoying deity as quickly as possible, he frowned at the mirror. "Reveal yourself, Discord. Tell me what it is that you want, and then be quickly on your way."

"Verily, thou devious schemer," Princess Luna agreed, doubly annoyed at the trickster for having put both she and her husband through so much trouble. "Stay thy lying tongue and state thy business with mine husband, then return posthaste to thy prison in the Londwhinium gardens to trouble our house no further."

"Really now, some folk simply have no sense of decorum or gratitude," Discord's disembodied voice grumbled, before his image appeared within the confines of the mirror. "Fine, you can see me now, happy? So are we all friends again?"

"Wicked tormentor," Luna retorted, stomping her hoof down, having lost the little patience she might have otherwise had for the prankster god. "Deceitful liar, thou knowest no more of friendship then the unmentionable one."

"Perhaps I am, but with your fine example I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon enough," he said, sticking out his tongue at the aggravated princess.

"Discord, I'm sure your business with me, is of greater importance and urgency than simply annoying my wife," he said, leveling a stern look at the scion of chaos that lay within the dark glass.

Sighing in defeat, he nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, Slave King, you're right, I'm here to do more then simply tease a princess or two," he said as he snapped his claws, making Luna's tiara appear on top of his head. "Though I'll admit it's a perk."

"Discord..." the Slave King warned, hinting that violence might follow should he choose to continue with his antics. "Don't make me banish you from this house."

"Okay, fine," the draconequus harrumphed, disappointed that his fun had been ended so soon. With another snap of his claw Luna's crown was returned to her. Hanging upside down in the mirror, he peeled a banana and began eating it. "I'll tell you why I've been hanging around so to speak. Would you care for a banana, Princess?"

Luna stuck out her tongue in revulsion at the thought of eating such a vile and abominable fruit. "Nay, rogue," she replied, snorting in disgust. "We knowest thou art fully cognizant of the fact that we loathe the detestable things. Now speak true, spreader of misery, before we advise our sister thou hast escaped thy stone prison once again."

"Ouch, harsh," Discord said, clutching his heart, as he pulled free a bloody dagger out from his chest. "Well, Slave King, since the old ball and chain is being such a poor hostess, I better make this quick."

"Go on, we're waiting," the Slave King said, tapping his arcanum finger against the bureau's surface which laid beneath the mirror.

"Good, right to the point. That's what I always liked about you, Slave King," he said with a toothy grin, as both Luna and the Lord of Earth glared at him impatiently. Taking the hint, Discord bowed his head slightly. "I've come about a question, or rather several."

"What's your meaning?" the Slave King asked, wondering what he could possibly be referring to.

"Simply put, they've been asking all sorts of inconvenient questions," Discord continued, gesturing to the dark and murky glass behind him.

"Who has? To whom art thou referring?" both the Slave King and Luna asked in unison.

Satisfied that he'd piqued their curiosity sufficiently, he gestured with his paw for them to move closer to the mirror. "It's them," he whispered conspiratorially.

"What foolishness," the Slave King grumbled, deciding that he'd finally had enough of the trickster's nonsense to last a year, let alone the rest of the day. "Wife, I lack the strength to remove our guest. Do me the kindness of doing it for me."

"With pleasure, mine husband," she said, giving the draconequus a flinty look and malicious grin as she began drawing magic through her horn.

"Okay, wait! I yield!" Discord shouted, hoping to buy himself some time.

Raising his hand to hold back his wife, the Slave King exchange a knowing look with her. Luna nodded in exchange, ready to banish Discord back to his stone prison at a moment's notice if need be.

"I'm not supposed to say anything," Discord said in defeat, motioning for them to come even closer. "But since you've not given me much of an alternative, I'll spill my guts."

Both Luna and the Slave King had their faces near the darkened glass, waiting to hear what the spirit of chaos had to say. After a minute's silence, the Lord of Earth was about to instruct his wife to go ahead and cast Discord out of their Domain. When shadowy tendrils reached out from the dark mirror, grabbed them, before drawing the both of them into its inky black depths. Fighting against their captor, both of them pounded against the mirror which held them prisoner. But for all their strength, the darkened glass may as well have been the strongest arcanum steel, for all the good their struggle did.

Watching their horror at being claimed by the dark depths from the other side of the mirror, the draconequus let out a malevolent over the top laugh as they drowned in a sea of darkness. Finally free of the mirror, Discord took a cursory glance at the Slave King's bedchambers, as he examined the intricately carved stone furniture adorning the room. Tracing a claw along the top of one of the sets of drawers, he rubbed the tips of his claws together looking for dust. Satisfied when he found none, he returned to the mirror, and looked at his own reflection. Pausing the preen his mane, he ran his tongue along his lone fang, as his reflection gave him an approving nod and a thumbs up.

Giving the empty room one last look, he wiped his paw and claw together, satisfied at a job well done. Pulling out a pocket watch, he raised his brow when he saw the time. Putting it away, he snapped his claws, saying as he disappeared to no one in particular. "Well that's two down. Time to collect the rest..."