//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 // Story: Consequences // by Hiver //------------------------------// I carefully closed the door to the guestroom, leaving Silver sleeping in the bubble of silence I cast around her bed. As soon as she was asleep I ducked into the dreamrealm for a couple of minutes and made sure she got a deep dreamless sleep. She needed the rest. “Sir?” Skitter said from where she was waiting next to the door. I shook my head, “She is asleep at least.” Nodding Skitter looked at the door for a moment before she looked back at me, “What now, sir?” Sighing I shook my head again with a frown, “I don't know. It's going to be rough for her for a while.” Skitter shifted and nodded, her wings doing a small buzz. “She is going to sleep for a while, I made sure of that.” I sighed and rubbed my forehead next to my horn before down across my eyes, “I have a feeling she has not slept since her father passed away.” She nodded and looked at the door, “She did feel tired.” “Changelings can tell that?” “Makes the emotions a bit fuzzy.” “Huh. I see.” I said and frowned, “Well, I don't exactly feel like writing right now. Luna should be up soon, let's head back.” On the way back to the stairs, I wrote down a quick note on a piece of paper before rolling it up, pulling a quick piece of string from my pack and tying around it, stopping by the guards by the door, “Dispatch this to Grass Flower, earth pony mare, she lives in the east district.” The pegasus took it with a nod, quickly saluting, “Yes, sir. At once.” I managed to get her to tell me of one of her friends before I got her to sleep. She needed somepony to be there for her when she woke up. Well, it's should be at least twelve hours until then, more likely fourteen to sixteen with the combination of deep dreamless sleep and exhaustion. “Thank you.” Moving past them I walked inside and closed the door, jumping up to lay down on the couch, resting my head against the armrest. Shit. Silver was one of the first ponies I got to know after arriving here. Not close friends but... friends. She was always nice to me. I only met her father a couple of times, he was usually in the kitchen, allowing her to run the public part of the cafe. But Steaming Cup had been a nice pony, a big Pegasus with a coffee cup as his mark. And now he was gone. I knew that Silver had already lost her mother when she was little. Now she lost her father. I knew that feeling. I was pretty sure my family was still alive and well, but I also knew I would never see them again. They most likely thought I was dead. The couch shifted beneath me as Skitter settled down next to me, her side against mine, leaning softly against me. I glanced at her but she didn't say anything, just staying there as support. Thank you. Sighing softly I settled down again. Half an hour later Luna exited the bedroom and paused, her wings raising in surprise as she spotted us before she frowned, “Page? What's wrong?” she asked as she moved over to nuzzle softly. “Morning.” I said and nuzzled back softly before I sighed and explained what had happened. “Oh no.” Luna said softly with a frown when I finished, “Page, I'm so sorry.” I shook my head, “I didn't know him well, I'm mostly worried about Silver.” I said as Luna settled down next to me, Skitter having vacated the spot and then moved for the balcony as soon as Luna exited the bedroom, giving us privacy. “It is always painful to lose somepony.” Luna said softly, settling her wing across my back, “Trust me, I know.” I nodded and leaned against her warm side. If somepony knew that, it would be an alicorn. “...Does it get easier?” She was silent for a moment and then shook her head, “No. But handling it does.” Luna sighed and rested her head on top of mine. Frowning I turned my head slightly and nosed at her neck, “I... I'm not sure that's something I want to get better at.” “Nobody does, My Page. But it's not up to us.” I frowned at that and my ears folded to the sides before I rolled onto my back so I could look up at her properly, “...We need a Alicorn of healing.” Luna smiled sadly, “Perhaps some day we will. But you know how rare of an event it is for somepony to ascend.” “...Yeah...” Only four in total. Ever as far as I knew. “How is she doing?” Luna then asked and shifted to rest her head on my chest. I shrugged and slipped my frontlegs around her neck, “Put her to sleep and made sure she wouldn't dream.” I sighed as I flicked her mane, sending a couple of stars spinning, “Best I could do I think. Sent a message to one of her friends. She shouldn't be alone when she wakes up tomorrow.” “So why not you?” Luna asked, raising her head to look down at me with a small frown. I grimaced and sighed, “...I'm not that good with the consoling and crying thing.” “You don't need to be.” Luna sighed and bumped her nose against mine with a soft smile, “Just go and be there for her, you silly pony. It's the only thing anypony can do right now.” “I'll try.”