Where the High Road Ends

by immolation_of_senses

The King's High Road

Where the High Road Ends

An MLP:FIM Fanfiction

by Immolation_of_Senses

Chapter 2: The King’s High Road

The day was already well on it’s way by the time all of the necessary arrangements had been made and the group of ponies was ready to head out. The party the night before had lasted longer than Twilight had thought genuinely wise, but she made no complaints. Through the course of the evening, Luna had loosened up some, conversing more freely with the unicorn’s friends. The result was that, even though the alicorn had resumed the stoic persona of the day before; the rest of her friends had grown more comfortable with the princess. By the end of the evening even Rainbow Dash was excited for the trip, kicking at imaginary foes as she boasted of her undoubted triumph.

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Twilight and Luna waited outside the library with Applejack and Fluttershy. Rarity had dragged Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie off to her boutique the moment she saw their saddlebags, loudly declaring them a crime against fashion and functionality.

So Twilight stood outside the library waiting, she cast frequent sidelong glances towards the alicorn from the corner of her eye. The words and tone of the night before when she had barged into her room still clung to the walls of her mind like taffy. Whatever the princess claimed, Twilight knew she had definitely heard something come from inside that room while the princess slept. She chanced another shifty look in Luna’s direction and had to stifle a surprised yelp when she found the goddess matching her gaze eye-to-eye. Thankfully neither Applejack, nor Fluttershy seemed to notice as they gazed off in the direction of the Carousel Boutique impatiently looking for signs of their friends’ return.

“You are not the most subtle pony, Twilight Sparkle. All these sideways looks make me think you’re up to something.” Twilight’s blush deepened as the princess laughed quietly. It seemed clear that the princess intended to pretend her harsh words the night before had never been spoken, Twilight thought briefly of raising the issue right there, but the smile on Luna’s face swept away any indignant feelings she held; the happy expression seemed so natural compared to the face she wore in company. Twilight sighed her resignation, and smiled back at the princess. Still, she felt some relief when the larger pony turned to look the same direction Applejack faced. When Twilight followed suit, she could see the last of her friends returning. Pinkie Pie bounded happily alongside a disgruntled Rainbow Dash, both of whom sported brand new saddlebags made from thick canvas material and lined with a fine fleece and trimmed with what Twilight guessed was silk. As they approached, Rarity called out to the waiting ponies.

“Sorry about that everyone, I just could not let these two go out adventuring with those terrible rags they claimed were traveling bags. They’d have fallen apart within days, and looked just awful to boot. I couldn’t let it happen.” Rainbow Dash grumbled something about wasting time, but her complaint went unheeded as the group finalized preparations for the second time that morning.

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Within minutes the group had managed to collect themselves and were trotting towards the outskirts of Ponyville at a decent clip. Luna had outlined the route they were to take as far as the map they had allowed; they would follow a small path with no name that skirted the Everfree forest for a few days, before joining a forgotten trade road that Luna called the King’s High Road.

“But, Princess, Equestria has never had a king, right? Why is it called that?” Twilight blurted, unable to contain her curiosity.

“Long ago, more than two thousand years I think, there was a rebellion against the crown that lasted for two years, and during that time, the leader of the rebellion, a stallion named Rock Tooth declared himself king of the new state he sought to create. They captured a swath of land on the edge of the Everfree Forest and made the high road. For a time it was the only safe passage for traders through the area and, when the rebellion finally ended the traders kept the name and extended the road far to the East, building towns and grand cities along the way.” Luna paused, her expression darkened. “I have no idea how many have managed to withstand the passage of time, or the ravages I have heard the East has endured these long years since.” They walked in silence for a time, the Princess lagging at the rear of the group. After a short while the friends resumed their cheerful attitudes, Rarity and Applejack chatting amicably about the saddlebags Rarity had given their friends. Rainbow Dash flew above them, occasionally zooming off into the clouds to flex her wings and show off. Fluttershy did her best to keep up with Pinkie’s enthusiasm, but was clearly having some difficulty. The only ponies whose spirits had not brightened by the time they made camp that evening were Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna.

They made camp sometime before nightfall on a cleared off circular patch near the side of the road. By the time the tents were pitched and the fire started, Celestia’s sun was making its last appearance on the horizon before bowing out of sight to make way for the night and Luna’s moon. Twilight looked up from the fire she had been staring into just in time to catch the last wisps of the princess’s tail whip around the edge of a large tree and out of sight. She felt compelled to follow, whether by some ill-advised curiosity, or some concern she felt for the alicorn’s daylong silence she wasn’t sure. The purple unicorn stood slowly, trying not to draw attention to her actions, and quickly followed where the princess led. Twilight rounded the tree and stopped, Luna had only gone some thirty steps from where Twilight stood, and the scene laid out before her made her less than enthusiastic to let her presence be known. The moon goddess sat on her haunches looking up at the sky, eyes closed. For a few minutes, her expression was strained and her body showed signs of extreme exertion. Luna stopped and drew a few deep breaths before resuming her efforts, this time with visible results as the moon slowly rose into view. When the orbital globe had fully breached the horizon Luna released her breath again and panted for a few minutes. Without turning or diverting her eyes from the sky she spoke.

“Would you mind fetching me some water Twilight? I’m not entirely sure I could walk back to camp right now.” Twilight yelped in surprise of being found out, but quickly regained her composure and nodded, not sure if the princess could see her before she turned and headed back to camp. She returned a few minutes later, with a canteen held aloft by magic, which she silently set beside the princess. Luna gave her a small smile of gratitude before lifting the canteen to her lips and drinking deeply. When she finished, the Princess was still panting lightly but looked considerably better.

“I told you, you are not the most subtle of ponies, but thank you for that Twilight Sparkle. I am not yet re-accustomed to my duties, and I fear it will still be some time before I can perform them with the ease of a thousand years ago.” Twilight balked at the tired alicorn.

“Princess, I don’t mean to intrude, but it’s been almost a year since you came back. How long will it take for you to be fully recovered?” At Twilight’s words, Luna chuckled darkly and thought a moment before responding.

“Do not think of me as unwell Twilight Sparkle, merely obstructed.” Twilight’s expression reflected her confusion. “Imagine Twilight, that you cut a path all the way through the Everfree forest, a path so wide and well kept that three ponies could walk abreast in the middle of the night and never stumble or waver.” Luna glanced at Twilight, pleased to find a look of rapt attention spread across the mare’s face. “Now imagine that at some point you are forced to take a long vacation, say, a hundred years pass and you return to your path to find that another had been made through the forest and yours was left to a hundred years of overgrowth and neglect. Celestia meant well when she took over the duties of the night, but...” Luna thought for a moment, looking for the right words. “She is accustomed to controlling the sun, which is unruly to control and burns away everything in it’s path. The moon on the other hoof is cooperative to guidance but cannot easily clear obstructions in its path and so must follow the same route across the sky each night. Celestia did not know of the differences between our creations and for a thousand years has been dragging the moon across the night sky like a plow through a field of rocks, while my carefully maintained path has filled with stars and little known planets.” The princess looked tired once more and sagged gracefully to the ground. It struck Twilight how very old and terrible the pony in front of her really was. She suddenly felt like one of the stars Luna had to brush away every night to make way for the moon.

“So you have to re-clear this path a little bit more every night? No wonder that took so much out of you.” Talk of Luna’s effort made Twilight acutely aware of her own fatigue, she had walked farther today than she ever had before. Even the Running of the Leaves, though a marathon, felt incredibly short compared to the hours they had spent walking. She lay down some hoofs away from the princess and blinked heavily a few times, fighting sleep, before darkness took her and thought no more.

Twilight awoke the next morning to a sharp prodding in her side, she opened her bleary eyes to find her vision almost entirely obscured by a vivid pink.

“Ow…” She groaned at her earth pony friend.

“Oh sorry Twilight, I didn’t mean to hurt you, it’s just that you are such a heavy sleeper it was the only thing I could think of! I even sang a song to wake you up and nopony can sleep through a Pinkie Pie song. Well, nopony except you I guess!” Twilight groaned again and dumbly wondered how Pinkie Pie could possibly have this much energy this early. She looked around to find herself back in her own tent by the now burned out fire. She groaned again, her face flush at the realization that Luna must have had to bring her back after she fell asleep the night before. Doing her best to keep her reddened face from the rest of the group, Twilight rose and set about taking down her tent.

They had a quick breakfast of oatmeal, during which Luna told them them that if her memory served, there should be a town down the way they could stop at that night. A quick consultation of the map confirmed her memory and the group packed the last of their camp, setting off down the road at a brisk pace. In contrast to the day before, Luna walked solidly at the front of the herd, just ahead of Twilight. As with the day previous, the ponies quickly built up a cheery attitude, which made the travel go easier as the lands around them slowly turned from gentle hills to vast, dull, flatlands. Since the party in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash had been increasingly more civil towards the princess, but maintained an attitude that was, at most, lukewarm. She flew low to the ground for the most part, moving through the group, joining in with or starting whatever conversation was to be had. She had just finished a rather brief discussion with Twilight Sparkle about the importance of properly re-binding historic tomes, and had moved back to walk alongside Applejack who spoke to her in a hushed tone Twilight could just barely make out.

“Ah gotta ask Rainbow, what exactly is it you have against the princess? Ah mean, ah’ve my own reservations about this whole thing, but you were there, ya know the princess is fine now. So why the chip on yer flank?” Rainbow Dash responded in the same hushed tone as the earth pony.

“Look, it isn’t so much the Princess I got a problem with, she seems fine, I guess. But like I said, last time she showed up it was big trouble for everypony, and this time she just pops in and expects us to head off to Celestia knows where! I just think she’s trouble whether she likes it or not!” The last sentence hung heavily in the air over the group as if it had been screamed. Twilight Sparkle had stopped dead, and a similarly stunned Fluttershy quickly dodged to one side to avoid colliding with the unicorn.

Twilight snapped back to her senses and looked to where Luna walked. The alicorn still held her head high, but it seemed to Twilight, not quite so much as it had been. She cast Rainbow Dash a dark look that was met with rolled eyes before trotting to catch up with the indigo pony. When she drew level with the Princess, Twilight tried to apologize for her friend, but appropriate words seemed to elude her. After a few false starts, she opted to simply walk beside the larger pony, hoping that she would understand Twilight’s meaning. After a time the other ponies perked up and Pinkie Pie led an impromptu sing-a-long forcing them all to join in.

When they reached the town they had seen on the map it was still light out, but they all agreed that stopping for the night was in everyone’s best interest. The town was almost ghostly in its emptiness, in stark contrast to the green fields and deep forest on either side; out of the twenty or so buildings it appeared that maybe five were actively inhabited. Of these buildings, one was an inn and tavern. The sign out front was faded and worn by time; the chains it hung from creaked maliciously as the board they held aloft swayed lazily in a wind no one felt. Looking closely, Twilight identified the inn as the Horse’s Jig. She thought gloomily that there was very little about the place to give the impression that anypony had ever danced in the entire town.

Inside, the building was much more welcoming, the main room was small and clean, with four long, roughly hewn dining tables in rows down the length of the sparsely populated room. The bar itself was cut from the same wood as the tables, with what looked like a much larger store room behind it filled with assorted barrels and casks. Luna led the troupe to the bar and called out to catch the attention of the barmare, who was preoccupied with scrubbing a stain, left by some spill or another. The unicorn barkeep scrambled to stand and turned to face the new arrivals.

“Good evening friends...Princess.” She gave a small bow but continued undaunted. “Welcome to the Horse’s Jig. My name’s Dandelion Spring. What can I do for you?”

“We’d like rooms if you have them, and I think some dinner as well.” The Princess replied before anyone else could.

“Well that’s all fine, we don’t have too many travelers through town, so most all of our rooms are empty. Rooms are thirty bits a night each, dinner’s fifty for the lot.” The mare’s speech was somewhat curt but the sincerity in her voice exhumed warmth. Luna nodded and placed the appropriate amount of currency on the bar. Dandelion smiled and levitated the keys to their rooms onto the bar as well.

“First three when you get to the top. Number one jams a bit, but put your shoulder into it and it’ll open fine. Dinner will be ready in half an hour or so. Listen for the bell.”

The ponies took their keys and headed up the stairs. Finding the rooms where they had been told, the group found that they had been furnished with whatever Dandelion Spring had been able to gather easily. A mish-mash of single pony beds were arranged in each room, three in room one, and two each of both rooms two and three. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack claimed the first, quickly followed suit by Rarity and Fluttershy in the second, the former of which gave Twilight an apologetic look before disappearing inside and closing the door. A bewildered Twilight Sparkle was left standing beside the Princess outside the third room. Luna continued her daylong silence as she walked into the room, casting Twilight a backwards look that prompted the unicorn to follow.

Once inside, Luna shed the small saddlebags she carried, Twilight followed suit and flinched at the heavy thump they made on the hardwood floor. She had only packed the most essential books on survival and travel, as well as her atlas and history books regarding all of the regions that she thought they might pass through. After catching a questioning look from the alicorn though, Twilight began to wonder if she might still have packed too much. She laughed nervously and pushed the bags under her bed with a stray hoof before flopping onto the mattress. As she stared at the ceiling she could hear the alicorn moving through the room, adjusting things in what Twilight discerned was likely a form of nervous tick. She was quiet for a time, studying the ceiling and listening. She felt that she ought to say something by way of apology for Rainbow’s words, but all the words that came to her seemed empty. Still, Twilight thought it best to try.

“I know she doesn’t mean anything by it, Rainbow I mean, she’s just…I don’t know, but I’m sure she’s sorry.” She groaned, thinking of how silly she must sound.

“I don’t take any offense Twilight. your friends are not here for me. The ones who aren’t here out of a sense of duty to their home have come because you did. I make no mistakes about that.” Twilight turned to face the Princess, who had stopped her redecoration and now sat calmly near the edge of her bed. Luna was not facing Twilight but the unicorn could hear the disappointment in her voice. She made to argue the point, but as Twilight opened her mouth a bell rang out from somewhere below. Luna stood, and quickly walked to the door, Twilight scrambled to follow.

Due in part to Luna’s speedy exit, the Princess and unicorn made it to the main floor first, the conversation they had held moments before forgotten as Twilight’s stomach reminded her how long it had been since the brief lunch they had earlier that day. The two were just getting situated at one of the tables nearest a wall when the rest of the ponies made their way down the stairs.

“Howdy Twilight, Princess. How’s yer room treating you?” Applejack greeted the early arrivals as she found herself a seat across the table.

“It will do nicely I think, right Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight nodded at the words, but didn’t speak. She was busy keeping watch on the kitchen door. Luna turned back to the farm pony. “How are your rooms? Enough space?”

There was a collective nod before Applejack spoke again.

“Everything’s fine on our end yer highness but, while ah do appreciate the gesture; Ah’d like to at least pay you back fer the meal tonight. It don’t feel right just takin’ yer money like this.”

When the Alicorn replied, it was with the same strained formality she used the first day in Fluttershy’s back yard.

“I am sorry if I have offended you Applejack, but I’m afraid I cannot accept your offer.” She fixed the orange earth pony with a steady eye as she spoke. “I have taken you and your friends away from your homes and lives, with no guarantee of safe return. The very least I can do is pay for some comfort and food when I can.” The façade of formality slipped once more and her words rang through the group like a particularly deep gong. Applejack, not expecting this response, stammered to find a reply but eventually just sputtered a thick thank you. The food arrived shortly after and she tore into it with the abandon of someone seeking to avoid further conversation.

The meal passed slowly, with Rarity occasionally making efforts at polite conversation that quickly petered out into occasional grunts and nods. Applejack was first to finish, followed shortly by Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Twilight, who had felt ravenous at the start of the meal now looked glumly into her half finished salad and sighed before pushing it aside and leaving the table, she could see it was still light out, but decided to try and get to bed early to avoid any more prodding from Pinkie’s hoof when morning came. All that was left for a time was Luna and Fluttershy, both eating so slowly it almost seemed they were in competition. Eventually, Fluttershy finished her meal and headed back to the waiting bed, leaving the lunar goddess alone to brood over the last leafs in her bowl before going outside to raise the moon.

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Twilight was asleep when the princess returned to their shared room. She walked lightly across the space between the door and her bed. Once she was as comfortable as she could be, the alicorn gazed through the single window in the room and watched the night.

“I don’t seem to be endearing them to me, do I Twilight Sparkle?” She spoke quietly; her regal formalities forgotten, and her voice soft, her words falling on sleeping ears.

“Don’t worry Princess, they’ll come around, I like you anyway.” The princess jumped, almost turning over the bedside table the two shared. A bleary eyed Twilight Sparkle looked back at her with uninterested eyes, she blinked a few times and yawned.

“Well, that’s, that’s good to know, thank you Twilight.” Luna’s words caught in her throat even as she realized the unicorn was already more than halfway asleep, and had likely not been any more alert when she had spoken. The alicorn slowly re-situated herself, eyes still wide as she watched the unicorn yawn once more, cuddle close to her pillow, and fall back asleep. The moon was well on it’s way to the next horizon when the alicorn finally let sleep take her.

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The next morning Twilight awoke well rested. Looking around she was Pleased to see she had not needed any prodding or songs to do so. Happy with her small victory, she set about readying herself for the day. She returned from the hallway restroom to find Luna awake and packed, looking somewhat more chipper than the night before.

“Morning Miss Sunshine.” Twilight smiled at her little joke and, pleased to see her smile returned, set about making sure nothing would be forgotten.

“Oh, the washroom is empty if you need it, er, I mean…” Old habits die hard, and Twilight suddenly found herself quietly fretting over whether it was considered proper to even mention restrooms to royalty. Thankfully, her thoughts were cut short as Luna spoke.

“I do not think that will be necessary Twilight Sparkle, for you see, I only bathe myself with the darkest patches of the night sky.” The Princess proceeded to do her best impression of the mocking laughter of Nightmare Moon, stopping only when she saw the confused look spread across Twilight’s face. “I’m joking Twilight.” The unicorn’s look of confusion deepened, Luna sighed and started for the door. “Forget about it, I’ll be back soon.”

It was only after the door had been closed for a full minute that what had happened fully struck Twilight. The princess had told a joke, not a very good joke, true, but the fact that she had tried filled Twilight with, she wasn’t sure what emotion exactly, but it was positive. When Luna returned she was greeted by a warm smile and a push back out the door.

“You took too long. If we want food we have to go downstairs, right now.”

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The next few days passed without incident. The group did not pass another town, and made camp each night in one of the many copses of willow trees that began to appear beside the road. Luna continued to keep her words mostly to herself, but as the days passed, her answers became more candid when questioned.

In the late afternoon of the fourth day, the path the caravan had been following merged with what had at one time been a grand road. Though where once it was maintained by scores of travelers walking it’s beaten earth, it was now overgrown with weeds. Grass had long since begun reclamation of large swatches of the path. Luna, who had been leading the line, stopped as she reached the point where their small path joined the larger river of dirt.

“The King’s High Road. Not so grand as it once was, but I think you get the right impression. We won’t stop here, I don’t know how safe the way is anymore and would rather not be accosted this evening. There should be a town just a little way down the road that will do nicely I think.” The Princesses words were met with nods and gestures of agreement as the ponies merged onto the wide road and continued on their way.

The town they came to as sunset neared was larger than the last, and at first glance it was just as unpopulated. Once past the outer limits of the city however, the buildings grew closer together and life became more evident. The town was indeed severely depopulated, but only the far reaches were actually deserted. The city center was busy with shops and businesses. As the new arrivals wove through traffic it was almost possible to forget the apocalyptic suburbs they had just passed. After a short search the ponies found a suitable hotel and wasted no time in procuring rooms, one triple and two twin.

They quickly shed their travel gear in one room, and made for the nearest restaurant. Upon their return to the hotel, the group split of into separate quarters, with Rarity and Fluttershy taking one of the twin rooms, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, agreeing again to share the triple. Twilight was once more left with the Princess, though she was far less nervous now and smiled amicably at her roommate who returned it in miniature.

“Twilight, could I ask something of you?” The princess sounded unsure of her words and concern rose within the smaller mare’s mind. “Would you accompany me while I raise the moon? It has not become much easier than the night you witnessed at the outset of our journey and it is much easier to forget my fatigue when I’m not alone.” Twilight didn’t say anything but nodded and, smiling, trotted to the bags and withdrew a water canteen before returning to the princess. Luna smiled again and led the way out into the hallway.

The pair walked all the way out of the city, continuing until the skeletal husks that haunted the city’s outskirts were far behind them and they stood in open field.

“I know my sister generally performed these duties from her balcony, but I’ve found the task much more comforting out in the open.” Luna’s voice was calm, her awkward formality forgotten. She took several deep breaths, pulling the quiet night air into her lungs. When she moved again it was only to sit back and look at the sky, she closed her eyes, focusing intensely for minutes on end without visible result. As sweat began to collect on the alicorn’s brow Twilight set herself beside the princess and wordlessly offered the water to her companion. The liquid sloshed lazily as it was raised. The noise was enough to alert the Princess, who opened her eyes slowly and looked from the water to the unicorn seated next to her and nodded a quiet thank you, putting her mouth to the brim of the canteen. Twilight was surprised that Luna had not simply taken the canteen with her magic, but it was a dull surprise that didn’t give her pause as she tilted the container to allow the pony drink. When she was finished, Luna voiced a small thank you before returning her attention to the night sky.

As with the last time Twilight witnessed the summoning of the moon, Luna’s second attempt was far more successful. It still took a fair amount of time before the moon breached the horizon, and as the unicorn watched she could almost imagine the debris being carefully moved aside as Luna’s creation moved slowly along it’s path. Again Twilight felt eclipsed by the power and age of her companion, but there was a comfort now as well that, for all her vocabulary she could not name.

Comments

Equestria had no king... well celestia did say she and her sister form the country after Discord turn to stone.

[Cyclone12]

Enjoyable story thus far. Like the fact you don't seem to be in some rush to reach the Necropolis.