I landed for the 3rd time this week in the center of the garden maze. I just couldn't say no to the little filly and have taken her outside around 4 times now. She is just so much happier outside of these walls than inside... I'm going home tomorrow. From my past experience in time travel I know this stuff was just pre destined to happen. Knowing that I played a part in my teacher's life beyond being her student gives me jitters and a warm feeling. I wonder if the princess will even remember- remembers this.
'Gotta think present tense Twilight' saying to myself as we land and after taking a seat on my sleeping mat.
"That was so much fun! The flying and all the nice animals!" The little filly talks on and on about our most recent adventure outside. On our first trip we found a very lovely clearing with a empty cave and wild flowers. Princess Celestia loved it so much. She wanted to go into town at first, but I reminded her that even she said it would be a bad idea.
Luckily, that was the end of that talk and we found the place. Which we were going to constantly for the last 3 days. We went to the clearing twice today, which means I should probably be expecting anything at this point. On the upside while she was playing around in the clearing she would answer any question I had. Always unrelentingly and happily giving information about her family and Equestria.
Apparently Equestria is comprised of only close towns, (Manehatten hadn't even been created yet). Only the oldest towns have been made and are still quite small in population. Canterlot being the largest in terms of size and population estimating to be about the size of four Ponyvilles.
Ponyville obviously doesn't exist yet and I've been keeping it out of conversation. That is one thing I have no plans to try my luck with.
"One last time tomorrow?" The mass of white says in front of me jarring me from my thoughts.
"Sure. I'll leave when I bring you back." I respond happily. "Just-”
"Be prepared for the worst, yea I know." The filly interrupts and continues, "I'm not too worried. We've gotten away with it till now haven't we?"
I think for a moment then say, "That's what worries me. Keep doing something and you're bound to be caught."
The filly hugs me, "Don't worry about it right now. You'll be home tomorrow with all your friends."
There really are few words that can explain this hug. If I had to explain, the only passable explanation would be to say it was the warmest, cutest, and just relaxing hug ever.
"Right..." I simply say as the filly breaks the hug off and begins leaving
"See you tomorrow Twilight!" And she hopped off.
--Present Twilight, back in the dungeon--
Maybe if my guard had been up the sound of rustling behind me would have been more distinct. As it was though all I heard was the crack of the blunt object hitting me on the back of the head. When I woke up I was here. I haven't seen another pony since. They probably left me here to rot at this point.
‘Escaping is always an option.’ My thoughts continually tell me, though if I escape I'll be labeled worse than just a traitor and that doesn't just vanish over time.
I don't even want to imagine what would happen if I failed to escape. I've read books on old Equestrian torture and this is even older than that.
‘Stop. Thinking about it. You're gonna make yourself panic. Celestia will fix this.’ I just keep telling myself that while using Cadence’s breathing techniques to help me stay calm.
Some water and food appears in my cell. Ironically though it's just out of my reach with a note simply reading “2:30” assuming that's when my food will actually be in hoof’s reach I'll just have to bear a bit of hunger. Time doesn't exactly have any presence when you're in a dark cell with no windows. My chains only have enough slack to let me move a little bit without destroying my wings, by making them run through their metal holds.
‘I know what I did was wrong. And dumb, but if the option to change it arose, I wouldn't change it. She was so happy. It was worth it for a little bit of pain.’
I heard the sound of hooves, though the same sound has been around for the last hour. It seems my location is well hidden, likely a closed off cell somewhere deep in the castle.
“Hi!” A nearby high pitched voice says. The hall in front of me is pitch black to the point where seeing those in there isn't an option.
I respond, some social interaction is always healthy when you're in isolation most of the time. “Hello?” I tug on my chains a bit too much and I feel some feathers nearly getting pulled off. I quickly re adjust myself before the damage gets too high.
“Who's there?”
The voice finally responds “Did thou injure our sister in any form m’am? And please keep thine voice down. Our parents don't know we are down here.”
Luna… Always straight to business even when she's this young. “No I didn't hurt your sister Princess. Simply put she asked to go outside and so we did.”
The voice is silent for a moment then says “thou knows of us by mine sister. What else has mine sister told thou?”
I think for a moment gathering my thoughts. “Your sister has told me many things, my bag has a journal with all the information she's given me.-
My chains definitely moved I tense up a lot in response.
“We asked thou, so we will get our information from thou!”
I stay silent trying to figure out the sudden hostility ‘This. Is really bad. I have no intentions of losing my feathers today. But, why would she… Oh her parents probably have all my stuff and are handling this themselves.’
“Well? Are thou going to answer or shall we continue?” The shackles on my wings shift more
“Okay! Stop I'll tell you!” I say quickly, jarred from my thoughts
“Look all your sister told me were little things, like facts about the kingdom, a bit about her family. I was just trying to make a friend.” Saying this all as calmly as possible when in this situation. The feeling around my wings tenses up, then relaxes as the magic stops and the shackles slide back down to the base of my wings.
“If thou art lying thou will regret it.” She moves my food and water closer to me, and leaves, her hoof steps signalling her exit.
‘... Enough thinking, food.’ I shift the tray closer to me and eat, it's not too much but it seems Celestia is pulling some strings. This is certainly better food than criminals get normally bac home. Which does worry me a little, hopefully this isn't like an execution preparatory cell.
--Meanwhile--
(Little Celestia POV)
“Let her go!” Ordering my guards to let my new friend go.
The guards responded, “You know we can't do that princess. Your father has her locked up. Just forget about her.” They are currently carrying the little princess to her room
“No! She's my only friend!” I wiggle and squirm. My personal guards had orders to take me to my room. Apparently I was grounded for lying.
‘If only my mom was home…’
Walking into my room head hung I sit on my bed. The door slams shut and a clink marks the door locking.
--No POV--
Two sighs ring through the castle as two ponies come to terms with their situations. One crying herself to sleep and the other barely sleeping that night.