//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Mare In The Everfree Forest // by MoonLily //------------------------------// My eyes snapped open as I sat up in my bed panting heavily as sweat rolled down my forehead. I closed my eyes as I tried to get my breathing under control. I blinked slowly a couple of times letting my eyes readjust to the darkness around me. I flared up my magic causing the darkness to recede for now. I lit up some candles around the small room before climbing out of the bed. I kicked the blankets from my legs as I moved towards the edge of the bed glancing around the small shack of a home I had. It had one small window covered by ivy and roses. The window sat above my bed allowing me to use the window seal as a shelf. Dust was clinging to the window dulling the color of the roses. I let a soft sigh out as every night for the past few months I have been having the same nightmare over and over causing me to miss sleep. I dragged myself from the bed and over to a chipped ceramic bowl sitting under a broken mirror. I poured some cold water from a vase I had sitting under a hole in my roof collecting rainwater. I slowly wash my face wishing the dark circles would disappear from my face. I pulled my glasses from the side of the bowl placing them on my muzzle. I shifted them a bit on my muzzle before moving my mane from my eyes. I kept messing with my mane till my ears heard my stomach gargle causing me to groan. My eyes drifted over to the scrolls tapped onto the cabinet. “It’s market day isn’t it” I hissed as I let out a soft sigh as I pulled my list from the cabinet. I moved towards the bed pulling out a pair of old worn leather saddle bags. One had a star in the middle matching my cutie mark and the other had a skull holding a crystal in its mouth. I ran my hoof over the skull as my heart sank in my chest. I placed them on my back as I moved towards a small bag full of gold sitting next to the door. Placing the gold up I turned my head to the lantern sitting on the floor. Picking it up in my magic I forced myself out of the door letting the wind blow the candles out. Holding the lantern up I lit the small candle on the side allowing the blue flame to dance around the wick as I move through the forest. This was a simple spell that I picked up along my travels. It helps when dealing with dark and unwanted visitors. I stretched my hooves as I move over the roots of the trees allowing my knees to pop. Glancing up I could see the tree tops blocking the sun and the moon out of view but I grew accustomed to telling the time. My walk through the forest ended shortly causing me to sigh as I noticed the sunlit path in front of me. Pulling the lantern towards me I blew the candle out. I placed the lantern behind a tree before walking out of the darkness of the forest into the light of the sun. I placed my hoof onto the dirt road squinting my eyes as the sun was a bit bright. My eyes took a small time to adjust to the differences in the light as I slowly moved along the dirt road. My ears twitched as I heard the birds chirping from Fluttershy’s cabin. I stopped and stare wishing I could live in a cabin as she did. I could just never pull it off. I didn’t really know Fluttershy but I know of her. She and her friends saved Equestria many times something that I couldn’t have done. I had a smile on my muzzle “So they can wield magical artifacts. Let me see them try to pick up a sword and carry it day and night without rest. Even when magic isn’t an option” I let out a huff as I moved away from the cabin. My eyes caught the sight of a little rabbit watching from a fence causing me to shake my head. As I moved into town I could hear a few ponies from the market already out and about. It didn’t bother me that other ponies were out. It was a cool morning and I wanted to get my dream out of my head from the cool wind. Once I was in the middle of town I pulled out of the list of items noticing it had nothing written down on it. I grumbled a bit as I crammed it back into the saddle bag on my back. I walked towards the market forming a list in my head. I quickly moved through the stalls picking up what I could get as the others were still setting up. After hitting the three stalls that were set up I moved towards the other side of the town to a very small café that I loved to visit. The owner Merriweather was the best at her job. Pinkie can bake but this pony can cook. I had ordered the normal for me a nice large cup of sweetened milk tea with a small cup of coffee and a very sweet apple turnover. Picking a spot on the patio I could look out towards the water fountain where the sun would hit it just right in the morning creating small little rainbows that would dance along the ground, as my eyes would follow the rainbow my mind would slowly drift back to some old memories. Rainbows filled the sky as my older brother Artemis was sitting beside me with one of his wings around me, creating a shield from the light drizzle of rain. Artemis was this tall snow-white Pegasus with this solid light turquoise blue mane and tail as his cutie mark was a cloud wrapped around the base of a crystal. “Brother did you make the rainbows?” My voice was squeaky as hell as I just started my magic training after turning six. “No, I don’t create them. But I do help create the clouds that make the rainbows” “How!” I jumped up from under his wing as I was staring at him. “Well I move the clouds. Just like dad and grandfather. But here is the thing, you need to get the clouds in the right place and then a kick or a nudge and let the rainfall. Now when the rain falls and the light of the sun meets the water they cast a spell to let the rainbows out” he was grinning down at me as I could just stare up at him in shock. “Wow really?” I tilted my head as I was staring up at him as he reached down with one of his wings scooping me up onto his back. My mind wandered back to reality as I left the payment on the check near the cash register. I stretched my hooves as I moved back towards town picking up the rest of my items. I was stuck on which bundle of apples I needed my ears caught the sound of hooves running towards me. “Mother!” my ears twitched as my eyes glanced towards the side thinking a mare was standing beside me and their colt or filly was yelling for me. I shook my head as I paid for a bundle of Macintosh apples before walking away from the booth. I placed the items on my back as I felt a wing touch my side causing me to jump. I turned my head to the side my heart was pounding in my head as I noticed a tall black Pegasus. He had silver blue eyes with a white mane and tail tucked up under a lunar guard outfit. “Mother?” I watched as he tilted his head and let a hiss out. “Jr…do not scare me” I let out a growl as I hit his breastplate causing him to back up. “Sorry I thought you heard me,” I noticed his hoof coming up and rubbing his chest. He winced a bit as he shifted his wings under his armor. Once I was able to get my heart to calm down I glared at him before hitting him again in his breastplate. “You blunder head!” I shouted as I pulled on his ear causing him to groan. I watched as he pulled his ear from my magic and fixed his helmet. He pulled it off causing me to stare at him as my mouth opened up but I closed it. I swear I was looking at my husband causing my heart to pound in my chest. I was huffing as I looked at him shaking my head. My ears flattened against my head as I started to back up. Glancing around I noticed most of the ponies in the area were watching us. I could see the solar guard moving in as the elements were moving towards us. My eyes moved back towards Jr as he held his hoof up as he placed his helmet back on. “You two are destroying this welcoming party” Pinkie huffed as I turned my head and noticed Discord staring at me. His eyes were wide as I moved my glasses from my muzzle. I rubbed my eyes before placing them back on my muzzle. I turned to look at Jr and pointed towards him. “Vă rog să-mi spuneți că aveți de gând să-mi spuneți despre el?( Please tell me you were going to tell me about him?) I watched as he turned red as he coughed into his hoof. ”Poate într-o zi sau două ... când ai fost la cină în familie și poate după ce ți-am spus despre sarcina lui Alatic” (Maybe in a day or two…when you were at the family dinner and maybe after telling you about Alantics pregnacy) he had a sheepish smile to his face as I calmy stared at him. ”You weren’t even going to tell me!” I looked towards Jr as I could hear the whispers. I heard another cough causing me to turn my head. I noticed that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were staring at me. ”You” I could see Discord moving towards me. My ears stood up as I bolted out of the area. My heart was pounding in my ears as I slowed my hooves down on the main dirt path. Once I was out of the area and far away from the town I was huffing I glanced back my ears twitching. ”I need to move now” I spoke softly before picking the lantern up. As I was about to light the flame I could feel a burst of magic coming from behind me. Turning my head from the forest I could see Discord huffing as his tail was snapped behind him.          ”You…how are you still alive” he growled as I could see him moving towards me. He was studying me with his eyes.          ”Like you would want to know Discord. Should I break off the other tooth as well” My ears caught the sound of hooves running towards us. I watched as his head turned away from me allowing me to light the flame causing me to disappear from sight. I stayed still watching as he started to curse and growl. The princesses came rushing to his side as the elements were staring at him in shock. I could see Jr staring at me but stayed quiet.          ”Discord you can not go after ponies like that” I watched as Celestia snapped towards him.          ”Stay out of it Celestia! This is between me and that mare” he growled his fur standing on end as he stomped in a small circle.          ”Discord?” I watched as a small buttercup pegasus moved up towards him. She outreached her hoof placing it on his leg ”Is something wrong?”          ”That mare…we fought long ago. Before I tried taking over Equestria. She was the one who broke my fang off.” he growled as the others looked towards him “I did not think I would see her again” he spoke softly.          ”Discord no pony can live that long. Unless they were an alicorn” a blue pegasus spoke up as my heart started to pound again. I was quietly backing up as I noticed the weight in my saddle bags causing them to slip from my side. I kept the lantern gripped in my magic as my bags hit the ground causing a thud. I could see all eyes turning in my direction. Discord started to move towards me but I took off running into the woods. I could hear him growl as I kept running. My ears were filled with his voice causing me to panic. That voice haunted me in my dreams. It haunts me every day of my bloody life. I closed my eyes as I round a corner leading towards my house. I blew the candle out as I walked up towards my little shack. I was breathing heavily as I pushed the door to it open. Walking in I slowly pulled a large wooden trunk out from under the bed. Kicking the lid open I took my time placing items that I wanted to keep inside. Once I made sure the place was empty I picked up the trunk and started to make my way out of the forest. I took a different path as I could hear voices whispering in the darkness. I could also see different shades of magic lighting up the area. I kept myself low as I watched them move by. Once they were gone I started my trek up again. I was able to slip out of the forest without being seen by Discord or the others. So far luck was shinning down on me for now. I looked towards the train station and cursed a bit as I was not in touch with the current map or layout of towns. I slowly moved through town towards the library noticing the door was wide open causing me to smile. I poked my head in listening for voices before walking in. I could see a little dragon cleaning the area as he had a feather duster in his claws.          ”Excuse me” I softly spoke up causing him to turn around with a smile on his face.          ”Welcome, how can I help you” he smiled as he was humming to himself.          ”Do you carry maps?” I smiled as he placed a claw to his chin shaking his head.          ”Sorry I don’t think so”          ”Okay thank you” I bowed towards him and walked out of the library. I looked around noticing the group was still out of sight. I licked my lips as I made my way towards a dirt road with a sign pointing towards the mountain.          ”Wonder if I would kill Snow if I showed up” I rubbed my chin as I shook my head.          ”Oh well” I started on the path toward’s Canterlot till something caught my eye. It was a small faint golden line drawn into the earth. I leaned down and sniffed it a bit. Honeysuckles. It smelled like Honeysuckles the same scent that Princess Celestia’s magic held. I lifted my hoof up and pressed it passed the line. It was stopped by a thin barrier. I narrowed my eyes as I kept my hoof up on the barrier. I could see the faint runes that were etched into the magic causing me to curse under my breath. Leaning my head in I placed my horn against the barrier and one by one I destroyed the runes causing the barrier to fall. I glanced back hoping they couldn’t tell where I was but that was wishful thinking. I felt the sun’s magic in front of me causing me to turn around. There she was standing in front of me with all her glory. Princess Celestia and her eyes were staring down at me as if I had just stolen her crown or maybe worse.          ”Princess” I spoke up breaking the silence.          ”I have some questions for you” her voice didn’t hold that harmonic tone others were used to. No this was a mother scolding her child's tone.          ”Ask away then” I kept my eyes on her as she shook her head.          ”Not here” I saw her horn flare up causing me to back up from her. I could see nothing but white as I felt the world spinning around me. I landed on my back hooves up in the air my stomach rolling. She teleported the one damn thing I get sick from. I groaned as I rolled to my side pushing myself up as I shook my mane. I could hear growling as I turned my head around. I could see Discord sitting behind the elements as they sat around the princesses. Jr was standing outside peeking through the window looking at me with sorrow. I moved my glasses looking around for my trunk.          ”So…what is her name?” I could hear orange earth pony speaking up causing me to look over at them.          ”Lily…Moon Lily is my name” I sat up and rubbed the back of my neck rubbing out the kinks and letting my stomach settle.