- - - ch 22 - - -
Drums, the awful pounding of drums. Luna knew that sound: it was the chant of war drums. They stirred the bloodlust deep within her. Where were they coming from? She was dreaming, but this was not her dream. Opening her eyes, she found an iron door with bronze locks standing before her. She knew this door—it was Clover’s.
Reaching out, Luna laid her hoof against his dream, not to enter, but to merely feel the thump of the drums. At her touch, the locks fell from the door like rotten cloth, melting into the mist of the dream realm. Curiosity and confusion washed over her and she pressed ever so lightly on the door. It felt not of iron, but of old bread, not so much opening as crumbling away.
Before Luna could blink, she found herself surrounded by chaos. Steel spears danced on all sides of her while shields flashed before her. Armor clattered, and the screams of the dying filled her ears, but still there were the drums.
Her spear darted forward, and found a soft purchase; the shaft shook with death throes. The stink of death filled her nose and some ghost within her cooed in delight. Maille rattled against helm as she wrenched the tip free. With a roar, she lunged again, but this time it found the wood of a shield. Her heart pounding in time with the drums, Luna yanked at her spear, but the tip was foul within the shield.
Steel gleamed in her eyes, calling to take her head, but with the bend of her knees, the blade passed above her. Beside Luna, her friend cried in pain, but she smiled. She knew the yell, his armor had done its job; there’d be no blood from that wound. Dropping the spear, Luna loosed a blade from her thigh and hacked at the limb that had attacked her friend. Black vapors gave shade to the noon sun as a voice chanted, “Kill kill kill!”
Luna jolted from her bed. Dark thoughts swirled in her mind, whispered by a familiar voice. A breath, and they were gone. She was again alone in her mind, but still...
Rolling out of bed, Luna hurried to her mirror. Her eyes were soft, her teeth were dull. The colt’s nightmare had been powerful, and she had been reckless in touching the dream.
“Clover!” Luna spun to face her door. The colt was still trapped in that battle. Skidding into the hallway, Luna galloped into the great room where the feverish colt slept. He whimpered and twitched beneath his covers, his coat was frothed with sweat.
Luna rested a hoof on Clover’s shoulder, and shook him. “Wake up.” The words hadn’t left her before she jerked her hoof away. The colt’s flesh was painful to the touch. “Thou art ablaze with fever!”
“Luna?” Celestia groaned, raising from her makeshift bed under the window. “What is it?”
Shucking the quilt off the foal, Luna picked Clover up in her magic. “Fetch the leech. I will tend to him,” she said, already carrying the foal towards the bathroom.
Celestia nodded dumbly to her sister’s words. The sight of Clover hanging like a ragdoll in Luna’s magic twisted her heart.
“Go!” Luna’s snapped.
Without thought, Celestia ran to the balcony doors, and flew off into the night.
In the hallway, Luna started for the first guest bathroom, but then turned towards her own room. Her soaking tub was easier to move around than the shower stall.
Behind her, Merry’s hoofsteps echoed. “What’s wrong?”
“Boil us some willow bark. Make it strong.”
“We don’t have any...”
Luna paused just outside her door, setting Clover on her back with a sigh. Her horn flashed, and with its light also came the greater part of a willow branch. “Now we do.”
Merry only blinked once, before taking the branch in her teeth, and dragging it to the kitchen.
In her bathroom, Luna ran the water till she had it neither warm nor cool. The colt mumbled and twitched as she sat him in the tub. She could feel the nightmare still raging within him, and as she let water trickle over him, she could hear steel clash.
“Strange foal, where do you know of such evils?” Sealing up her mind, Luna focused on tending to Clover. In the minutes that passed, the water took some of the fever from him, while soft words and petting silenced the dream.
Hurried voices and hoofsteps echoed down the hall, announcing the return of her sister with the doctor. Pouring more water across Clover’s neck, Luna looked up just as doctor Healthy Glow entered the room. He frowned at the tub for a moment, but then nodded in approval after testing the temperature with a hoof.
“What’s his temperature?” the doctor asked, setting his saddlebag by the tub. A mare stepped from behind him, and began unpacking the bags in a practiced manner. She was a frail-looking pegasus, but she moved with an incredible inner strength. A mark of a bird with bandages in its beak told Luna she was probably a nurse.
“I have not paused to check it, but it is lower now than when I started,” Luna said.
The mare pulled a thermometer from the kit, and without pause lifted Clover’s tail to get his temperature.
“Where is my sister?” Luna asked, pouring more water across Clover; careful not to affect the thermometer.
“I asked her to wait outside,” Glow answered as he pressed his stethoscope to Clover.
“Here’s the willow tea,” Merry said from the doorway.
The nurse took a sipping bowl from the bag, and went to Merry to fill it with the medicine.
“Thank you, Dear,” Glow said, taking the bowl from her. Running his magic through it he studied the tea. “Temperature?”
The nurse removed the thermometer and held it up to the light. “One hundred seven.”
“We need to get two bowls of this in him,” Glow said, stirring in a bit of sweetener.
Luna lifted Clover’s head with her hooves, while touching his mind with her magic. “Wake up,” she whispered. “You are thirsty.”
Clover’s eyes cracked open. Mumbling something, he looked around, but his confusion faded when the nurse pressed the sipping bowl to his lips. He drank the medicine in one go, then whined when it was empty. The nurse filled it again with the tea, and when he emptied that, she filled it with something from the bag.
“No more,” the nurse said apologetically, putting the bowl away. “We need that to stay down.”
Clover started to protest, but Luna pulled her magic from his mind, and seconds later the colt was again unconscious.
“Let’s see if we can get his temperature down a bit more, but I want to get him to the hospital within the hour.” Glow said. “He’s dehydrated, and I heard fluid in his lungs.”
“I’ll see they’re ready for us,” the nurse said, then packed a few things before leaving the room.
The doctor examined Clover by hoof and magic as Luna continued cooling him with the water. There was a frown on the stallion’s face that unsettled her, and after the passing of a quarter hour, she could no longer remain silent.
“What disturbs you, Doctor?”
“I didn’t make a mistake.”
“I fail to see how that bothers you.”
“It’s just Cow Pox. He should be itchy and whiny, not unconscious from fever.”
“I see...” Looking towards the door, a familiar sensation nagged at Luna. “My sister would like to know if she can see him now.”
Healthy Glow looked behind him, but saw nopony in the room beyond. “Of course.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth, than a flash of gold light brought Celestia into the room. “Will he be okay?” she asked, floating to the floor.
A grim expression on doctor Glow’s face spoke more than his words. “He is very sick, Your Highness.”
Celestia seemed not to hear the words. Instead she casually took the job of ladling water over Clover from Luna. Silence took the room for the next half hour, till the doctor again took his temperature.
“It’s under one o’ six. Let’s get him dried off and to the hospital. Nightingale should have a room ready for us.”
Celestia’s magic shed most of the water from Clover as she lifted him from the tub, and onto a towel Luna had waiting for him. With thoughtful movement, Celestia dried the foal, then wrapped him in a fresh towel to guard him from the cold night. “I’ll carry him,” she said, placing the bundle on her back.
With long strides, Celestia walked down the stairs from her home. The two guards at the bottom gave her pensive looks as she neared them.
“I need a carriage out front,” Celestia said.
“Already there, Princess,” one of the guards said with a bow.
Celestia managed to smile at her guard. “Thank you.”
Hurrying ahead on wing, Luna took a seat atop the carriage. She nodded to the two guards yoked to the carriage, they were some of her strongest night guards. “Be quick, but do not jostle the colt, he is in a frail state.”
The two guards saluted their princess, then leaned forward to take the slack from their tethers as they awaited the command to go; which came the moment the door closed behind Celestia.
At the hospital, a fleet of ponies greeted their arrival. As soon as Celestia stepped from the carriage, hooves took Clover from her, and whisked him away. Luna stayed at her sister’s side as she followed.
The hospital's overly-bright halls made it hard to remember it was still night out, but before they had reached the room prepared for Clover that familiar nag tugged at Luna. Setting her moon to rest, she waited for Celestia, but the sunrise did not follow.
Looking to her sister, she found her watching a bustling room from outside the door. Without a word, Luna touched the sun, and nudged it into place, then stood vigil by her sister as medical ponies applied their talents to Clover.
Why are you doing this... It's not even that bad compared to some things I've read, BUT THE FEELS ARE TO STRONG!!!
Why?!?!?
It seems that his nightmare could be symbolic of a battle against a life threatening disease.
Keep on writing.
Jeez, I just finish the last chapter and I find a new one. I am not use to fan fictions updating this fast but I like it.
Also liked the fast pace of the chapter.
Throws should be throes. Other than that, great chapter! I see we're getting some info as to Clover's past.
Fever + pulmonary edema, not a good condition. He should not take fluids. ;)
As always, good chapter
Good catch Luna. It is kinda interesting that Luna was able to freely enter Clover's dream now, before he was able to prevent her. I wonder how long till she realizes that she was able to enter his dream scape freely and hopefully be ready to try again to see what else she can discover.
Seems you have a fever too, Rocinante, but for writing.
Poor Clover, I still think he's actually human, but from what era?
Great chapter. I think you did a good job. Good luck with the next chapter. I hope Clover gets better.
A fever of 107 degrees?! Holy boop! In humans, your brain cells already start to cook at 105. Clover's lucky he's still young; his mind will have a chance to repair the damage as he matures. That is, if it's already progressed to that point. I hope not.
6046215 It's probably a subconscious thing for Clover, he needed help and his mind allowed Lu.a entrance thus time because she could help him.
...I was not ready for this
6046204 Depends on all the circumstances--if he really is severely dehydrated, he'll die without any more fluids. What you want then is to either drain the excess fluids in the lungs or at least place the person in an arid environment (dehumidifier) to help evaporate what's in his lungs.
6046215 Think that wasn't because she could always do it, but rather Clover's mental defenses were down due to the fever. But we shall see what comes of it once he's recovered.
6046257 There's a small amount of time the human brain can survive that...one, maybe two minutes...luckily for Clover (and us) Luna is best pony.
6046334
Also, equine body temperature is 2-3 degrees warmer than human. So 107 is more like 105.
Same thing with cats. Their normal temperature is about 101.5. That's why your house cat is always trying to find warm places to lay, it thinks you keep the house too cold.
why did Celestia fly there? Could have save time.
6046378
Can't expose someone with an extreme fever to the cold. Could cause them to shiver, and raise their temperature.
*nail biting intensifies*
The only thing about the dream is that you didn't mention the race fighting, so I'll assume Pony since she didn't say anything otherwise. I'm hoping I'm correct in my assumption?
I squealed seeing an update by the way. This, and "What Hath Joined Together," are the two stories I get excited for updates for right now :)
6046514 Have you been paying attention at all? The Maille corporation has been jostling around in medieval warfare for centuries. Jeez
In all seriousness, I believe he meant to say "mail" as in chainmail, which was often worn underneath plate helmets in order to protect better against multiple kinds of weapons.
6046514 I'm guessing it was meant as chain mail?
Goodness, he's worse than they feared, and having strange dreams of horrific violence to boot.
6046553 I would hope so. Ask a historian about "chainmail", and you will get an hour long rant about "there is no such thing about chainmail, there's only maille!"
oh i think i get it
stayclassy
6046228
Did the Romans use war drums? Always a good go to when you're thinking of that type of chaotic battle and they did like their spears.
Not surprised that Luna finally could enter Clover's dreams. The best way to wear down mental fortitude to break it down with feelings of physical aliment. Given the way the battle wad described I am going on a limb to say that Clover's original race was bipedal, not saying that it is human given the interesting trend that I am seeing start up. Clover might also be older than they thought because the older you are when you catch it the worse the chicken pox, which I am gussing that the "cow pox" is molded after.
6046635 as did Germania and I know they had war drums
But their is no human tag soooooo I doupht it
6046827 If there was a human tag and this involved a regressed transformed human, it would ruin the surprise.
Uh-oh! Looks like Clover's really an escapee from the Garden! His real name is Jer'rahd!
Great story, you're making, Rocinate!
6046514
6046549
6046553
Maille is an archaic word for chainmail as befits Luna's position as Princess Who's Been Locked on the Moon for a Thousand Years Worth of Linguistic Developments. She's getting better, but she's clearly not 100% caught up yet.
6046635
Vikings did if I recall as well as chainmail.
6046635
6046827
6046952
Almost every pre-telegraph society used drums - and even into the telegraph. The little drummer boy from the American Civil War isn't just some archaic thing they threw out there because the Generals at the time had a hard-on for old timey battles. Trumpets, drums, flags. In war, these things were your only connection to the General on the hill. That and the unlucky runners.
I'm guessing displaced roman soldier, that's a bit of a classic.
6046257 as someone who's survived a fever of 105 I agree with that. Apparently I thawed a bag of frozen corn faster than the microwave.
I was VERY lucky, I lost some very minor speech control (I now stumble over words every so often, not quite a stutter but I usually have to say the word over) and lost some of my... I don't want to say higher end thinking, but I used to be able to solve complex problems in my head quickly and easily. Now it's only a sometimes thing and even then I usually have no clue how I ended up with my answer.
I slept over 24 hours straight, woke up, went to the bathroom then slept for another 16 before I was awake for more than 5 minutes at a time... I'm still upset that I wasn't taken to hospital or had an ambulance called.
Oh no... not good. Not good at all. But you certainly have a way of making us really look forward to next chapters!
I hate you, I hate you in so many good ways right now. Now I wont be able to stop worrying all damn day thanks to this chapter
6046514
now a days it is called chainmail, but that is the correct way to spell it if I remember correctly
Hmmm Clover is acting like someone that has been exposed to an illness that is unknown where he comes from.
Oh dear, poor Clover.
This is very War of the Worlds and reinforces Clover's possibly extra-Equestrian origin. Since he may not be a native, his body lacks the antibodies to fight of typical infections.
Huh... Immune system totally incapable of handling the Cow Pox virus? That's another tick in the 'time slip/space pony' checklist, IMO.
'Healer' is an art not often associated with Luna by the fandom. However, it makes sense that she would know medicines, curatives and arts that most modern medics would never have heard of beyond vague descriptions in millennia-old manuscripts that Twilight had salvaged from the library of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.
The doctor was smart to have Celestia wait outside until the immediate crisis regarding Clover's health was resolved (I suspect he was close to death). I don't want to think how the Goddess of the Sun might have reacted to the the stress of her foal being in that level of distress. The instinctive need to fight whatever threatens him might have made her a danger to herself than others.
More and more, I'm beginning to think Clover is a sealed alicorn. Age is questionable and beginning to slightly agree with people about the time jumping, Send the poor thing to a age AFTER the wars and fighting have ended and his lineage has been thought lost to the war, what BETTER way to save your child, heir to the throne... and probably a few other things to add to the list?
6047431
This doesn't explain some of the problems he's having with his own body - stuff that should be innate even without training, like holding objects in his hooves.
A time shift is plausible, but I doubt that he was originally any kind of pony.
man... why?...
6046985
True, but there were spears, swords, wood shields and chainmail. It's only a matter of narrowing it down.
Clover, please be Okay. UPDATE SOON, I WANT TO KNOW THAT CLOVER'S OKAY!!!!!
Something I need to point out (bear in mind I haven't read the comments beyond what was directly underneath the next chapter button.
Clover could have been human. Now before you all snap at me, think about it. Initially, he would hold things by wrapping his fetlock around it, not unlike a human hand. At one point in the story, the author actually put in Clover speaking his language. I put it through a translator, and it was Welsh. Nopony had any idea what he was speaking, which again leads credence to the idea, and the fact that Celestia said that she would have to use a spell to even reproduce the sounds.
Thoughts, anyone?
I don't think we should be taking what he's dreaming about 100% seriously. Fever dreams aren't the best source of information.
6047239 Actually, having his origins be outside Equestria would be enough to say as to why he's so vulnerable to the Cow Pox. I mean, have you ever visited another country? I, personally, have not, but it's considered a hard and fast rule that you must get yourself innoculated (immunized) against the local diseases there so you don't come down with a fever within the first day, because your body will lack the means to defend itself otherwise since it's not used to the new infections.
Clover is likely the same way. If he's from outside Equestria, then it's only a matter of time before his body encounters a disease here that it is simply unprepared to handle, hence his dramatic reaction to it now.