The Maid

by Dinkledash

Chapter 3

Foreword

When considering the physiology of ponies, one must recall that there are no less than five and perhaps six known species, three of which are considered subspecies and two (or three) of which are considered distinct species, for reasons that will be explained. The genus Equus, species caballus, is divided into the subspecies E. magum, E. messis, and E. volantes, familiarly referred to as unicorn, earth pony and pegasus. Two other species are known at of this writing, those being E. quagga and E. asinus, commonly called the zebra and donkey, respectively. A third species, arguably of Equus, is considered to be a point of taxonomical contention due the process of magica mutare, which is believed to be the origin of E. gryphonum, known as the hippogriff.

The ancestral hippogriff is widely believed to have resulted from the pairing of E. volantes and Gryphonis gryphonum, the griffon. As griffons and ponies are not known to be able to produce offspring, much less fertile offspring, they are thought by most natural philosophers to be two distinct genera. It is considered likely that a magical phenomenon, either one of the powerful latent spells sometimes found in nature or possibly the design of a particularly mighty mage, was involved in the conception.

The reason many scholars consider E. gryphonum rather than G. equus or a new genus to be the correct taxonomic designation is due to the nature of hippogriff society, which is highly gregarious, similar in the nature of other species of Equus, as opposed to solitary and contentious, in the mode of Gryphonis. There are reasons, explained later, to suspect that E. gryphonum is simultaneously of Equus and Gryphonis, adding considerably to the difficulties of those seeking systemic classification.

This ancient work is specific to the anatomical features of ponies, griffons, hippogriffs and certain other minor, rare species, such as E. ventum, and references pony-like cryptids which may or may not be apocryphal, such as the enormous arabico, the legendary cristallinus, and the fearsome vampyrus, or may be unique sports, such as the historical but horrible E. draconis and the undeniable but mysterious, and apparently immortal E. princeps. It is not a book on the general classification of all creatures, so a short review of the principles of modern taxonomy is in order within this foreword.

Without going into exhaustive detail, and since we are primarily discussing only members of the genus Equus, a genus is considered to be a group of creatures who are anatomically similar to one another. A species is classified under a genus as a group of creatures considered to be even more anatomically similar. Family, order and other taxonomic groupings exist above genus, but these are not important to understanding the subject matter herein. Members of the same species can generally mate and produce fertile offspring. Members of different species but of the same genus can often produce hybrid offspring, examples of such being E. mulus and the rare E. zeponus, but these are almost always sterile, only very rarely being able to breed true. A subspecies is significantly dissimilar from other subspecies, but can generally mate and produce fertile offspring with members of other subspecies under the same species. The mechanism responsible for these observed patterns is not known, but it is believed to be universally related to the combination of the life essences contributed by both sire and dam to their offspring, regardless of species, that also relates to other attributes that such as eye, mane and coat color, size, features and even ponynality.

Some scholars reject the designation E. messis and refer to earth ponies as E. caballus, considering E. magum and E. volantes to be subspecies. Understandably, this is a cause of no small contention among a scholastic community consisting almost entirely of unicorns. The main arguments in favor are the relative rarity of unicorns and pegasi compared to earth ponies, and that the earth pony body physically appears to be the most basic form, of which unicorns and pegasi are more specialized forms. The more scholarly objections to this include an intriguing argument that unicorns are the root species, as the proliferation of species, and in particular magically endowed species, required magical catalysts for the process of magica mutare. Proponents of this theory suggest that unicorns deliberately created earth ponies and pegasi for the purposes of endurance and flight, for reasons that are lost to history.

A less speculative objection is founded in the fact that rarely, earth pony pairs may produce unicorn or pegasus offspring, unicorn pairs produce earth ponies or pegasus offspring, and pegasus pairs produce unicorn or earth pony offspring. This could indicate that there is a common ancestral species. The farfetched theory that E. princeps is actually the ancestral species and that all modern pony types are lesser descendents of a race of ancient alicorns (of whom there are only two surviving individuals) is periodically brought up at philosophical symposia, but usually only after the consumption of much cider, as this could be considered seditious.

The point of contention regarding E. gryphonum's designation as a distinct species, or subspecies, or even their genus classification, is based on the fact that they can breed true with both E. volantes and G. gryphonum, but the offspring are always E. gryphonum. It is considered likely that the magica mutare that created the species is still active within the bodies of the hippogriffs themselves, leading to speculation that they may have inherent transformational powers that are, as yet, untapped, or at least unrecorded.

As regards the idea of including E. princeps as a subspecies under E. caballus, there are no records of the descendents of any alicorn from which to determine patterns of inheritance. The scholarly community is not aware of any attempts at mating, except for what most consider to be tall tales, which also tend to involve a great deal of cider. Had a sufficient number of verified attempts without offspring been available to serve as reliable sample for analysis, a case could be made that E. princeps is a sterile hybrid. And while it has been suggested, it is thought that simply asking the only available pony who might have direct knowledge of alicorn procreation would a matter of exceeding delicacy, for which scholars are not well suited.

Excerpt from the foreword to
"Anatomia Equorum, Gryphes et ceterorum,
as translated by Amber Lillybloom of Canterlot University, AC 673"

The wagonette jolted as it passed over a pothole in the road, causing both Clementine and Bumblebee to lift out of their seats, landing with a solid thump. Lady Rubymane, being a full grown unicorn weighted down by the medical tome, held her seat, scarcely noticing. She was engrossed in her study. She had pulled the veil forward so it still covered her face but the glow of her levitation spell shimmered through it. She's not going to fool anypony with that getup if she keeps casting!

They started to pass some farms and the coach ponies slowed down to a trot, so they'd be able to stop if somepony crossed in front of them, now that they were entering a populated area. A half dozen earth ponies were now visible, plowing, tilling, and planting, one bespectacled old pale blue mare scrubbing clothes on a washboard and dunking them into a soapy bucket. They all looked up briefly at their passage, but then resumed their tasks, ignoring the group. She felt color rising to her cheeks. That's rude! I could see them ignoring me, of course, but they must know this is her... oh! She sheepishly remembered a scene from one of her adventure novels. Incognito. Even if they recognize her, they'll act like they don't.

She decided she would spend some time looking over the farms. She had read about farms, or rather, read novelist's descriptions of farms, but her first-hoof knowledge of farming was limited to the produce and dairy products that were delivered to the kitchen. She observed a herd of a half dozen cows chewing their cud contentedly, placidly converting grass into milk, butter and fertilizer for their owners. A barn that had once been painted red but was now badly weathered stood behind them, gaps showing between slats that had fallen away. On the other side they passed a well; the winch mechanism had broken off and was lying on the ground and a colt was raising a bucket from it hoof-over-hoof. The next farmhouse they passed by stood empty, weeds growing in the fields. Clementine glanced at her ladyship, and saw her reading with great focus.

Bumblebee sighed as they passed the house. "What is it, Bumblee?" she asked quietly.

He pointed at the decaying home. "That were ours. Before ma and pa died." His voice was soft and lonely, his face turned from hers.

"I'm so sorry, Bumblebee. They must have been good parents for you to have grown up so kind and hard-working." She looked into his eyes and patted his hoof.

He held her gaze for a second, and then a small smile formed on his lips. "Well, that's right kind of you to say, Miss Clementine."

She returned the smile, then they both watched as the farms rolled by. "Why does everything look so run down?"

He shrugged. "Lots of damage from the floods, I reckon. Too much to fix and keep workin' in the fields at the same time, so most of it just didn't get fixed."

She sidled over to him and took him gently by the hoof. "Hey, it will be alright." She smiled and he turned to see her, eyes bright with unshed tears. He blinked and moisture crested his lower eyelid, to trickle down his cheeks. He sighed as they passed the ruins of what might have been a schoolhouse.

Why hasn't Lady Rubymane taken care of this? The question jumped to her throat and she fiercely pushed in back down into her chest, where it seemed to stick. Now is not the time! Will there ever be a time? I'm just her maid, no matter how she seems to favor me. She exhaled and looked to her left, where a farmhouse rested safe on a hill. The fields stretched off into bottomland that was once cleared but was now filling with brambles and saplings. I've never read about farms looking like this!

As she turned, out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a collection of small buildings, and twisted in her seat to look at them. They were approaching a crossroads with a cluster of perhaps 20 or 25 low buildings, half-timbered and thatched, radiating out of the center. There were two taller buildings amongst them; one a windmill, freshly whitewashed, with slowly rotating sails that rested at the far edge of the village, and the other a wooden structure near the center, which itself was low-lying but which had a slender tower rising three stories up above the town, sporting a somewhat larger platform at the top. She struggled to make out details, but it appeared there was brazier with a small fire at the center. What is that?

As they approached the village, she suddenly realized she didn't even know the name of the place. Maybe somepony will mention it. The brazier disappeared as the edge of the platform rose to cut off her view. She lowered her gaze to look at the first buildings they passed. The village itself was on a rise and appeared to have been spared the damages done to the farm, but there were still signs of neglect. Several of the cottages appeared to be abandoned, doors hanging loose on their hinges, roofs with holes in the thatch, one with a partially collapsed wall. Here and there she saw signs of occupation, a mare sweeping a floor, a stallion thatching a roof with fresh straw, a colt and a filly hurrying to one of several market stalls where a farmer was selling cabbages, eggs and sacks of grain. It isn't Restday; most of the cottage ponies will be working.

None of the ponies paid them any mind after their first glance, just as the farmers had done. Rubymane looked up from the medical book and quietly said, "Children, while we are in the village, this time, you are to call me ma'am. Do you understand?"

"Yes my... ma'am." Clementine caught her self just in time, then glanced over at Bumblebee.

The colt's black mane bobbed as he responded, "Yes, ma'am, but why?"

Clementine snorted, "She's incognito, silly. In disguise."

He glowered. "I knows what imgog... imcog... er, I know what that word means!" She fought hard to repress a smile as he glared at her with all the indignity of a slighted farmcolt. Then he lost his composure and snorted out a laugh, causing her to giggle in response.

Lady Rubymane closed the book sharply, startling the young ponies, but she didn't say anything, just looked around at the village, seeming to peer through her veil to a low-lying wooded area that started near the westernmost cottage as the wagonette rolled towards the crossroads. "Which house is yours, Bumblebee?"

"That one, m-ma'am." He gestured to the same cottage, which was somewhat isolated and dilapidated compared to its neighbors. There were no shutters on the one window and the sagging roof was badly in need of thatching.

The unicorn shook her head. "Stop here, gentlecolts." The coachponies halted and quickly unhitched from their traces, one holding them to steady the vehicle while the other pulled a lever that engaged a brake on one of the wheels. He then reached under the bed and pulled out what appeared to be iron steps, attaching them to the opening on the side of the bed. Testing that they were set, he stood by, preparing to assist if needed.

Rubymane rose, the tome glowing as she bore its weight. "Stay here for now, both of you. I will send for you." But our adventure! Clementine nodded and Bumblebee just looked worried as the unicorn descended the steps, ringing as her hooves struck them. She walked briskly about fifty yards to the door of the house, pushed it open, then stopped. She was still for a moment, then a silver sphere appeared around her. She entered the cottage, disappearing from view.

"Are you alright?" Clementine turned to see Bumblebee staring at the closing door, swallowing hard.

"What was that her ladyship done, that glow?"

"Oh, I expect it was a spell of protection from whatever may be the cause of your sister's illness." Clementine saw the glow now flickering along the side wall, through the window.

"Clementine, come quickly, alone, and bring the sheets and pot!" Lady Rubymane's voice was suddenly in her ear and she almost jumped out of her seat.

Bumblebee looked at her in confusion. "What happened?"

"More magic, I suppose. Could you wait here; her ladyship just wanted me to bring some things." She gathered up the pot and linens and clambered down the side of the coach with the pot's handle in her mouth.

She noticed the gray coachpony's ear twitch, and he turned to address gruffly address them. "Well, I'm off to fetch some firewood. Colt, you stay here with Hoofsteady and mind what he tells you. And Miss Clementine," his tone turned gentler for some reason, "make sure you knock. The Lady will open the door."

The gray, Mouldboard, as she later learned, trotted away from the village to gather fallen wood, Bumblebee took his seat in quiet confusion, and Clementine made her best speed to the door, only stopping herself from opening it by mistake through her own clumsiness, as she knocked into it with the iron pot.

Lady Rubyman poked her head out. "I'll take the sheets; you take that and fill it up with water, and get back here quickly." She disappeared and the door slapped shut. As it did, stinking air from inside the cottage, more a hovel, now that she was close to it, nearly knocked her backward. Ugh! Did something die in th... She stopped herself, and briefly asked Celestia to aid her as she ran with the now empty pot towards the crossroads in the middle of the village.

There she saw an iron pump set in the ground at the other end of the village, about eight cottages down. She could feel eyes upon her as she quickly went to work raising water from the earth, pumping by pulling down with her full weight with both hooves while a thin stream of water trickled into the pot she had set beneath the spout. Then the pump was primed and with two more pumps the pot was filled to the brim. It was considerably heavier when she lifted it and she could not trot with it on the return.

From where she stood, she could not see the wagon or Bumblebee's cottage, and Mouldboard was not about, so when a pair of older earth pony colts blocked her path, she felt a stab of alarm. They glared down at her, one tall and skinny, the other stout but thickly muscled. Both had grimy coats that were some shade of brown, and their homespun clothes were dirty and patched. They both stank of stale beer, not that Clementine recognized the odor.

"Well, well, wat 'ave we 'ere, goodcolt Plowneck?" the skinny one grinned, crooked yellow teeth showing beneath a muzzle that had been broken and not properly set before healing. His green eyes leered at her and her skin crawled.

"I'd say we 'ave a little unicorn miss 'oo's lost 'er way, goodcolt Shivershanks." She glanced away from Shivershanks and looked at the heavy set colt's piggy black eyes. They might have been painted on for all the emotion they showed. She felt ice forming in her stomach as alarm changed to fear.

She put down the pot to speak. "Let m-me pass, please." She was feeling small and vulnerable, looking up at the two of them. "It's a matter of some urgency!"

Shivershanks opened his mouth in mock surprise. "Oh, a matter of some urgency, eh? Bringing 'er ladyship's bathwater is it?"

"Well, no, not exactly, but she'll be missing me shortly and will send somepony to look for me, so..."

Plowneck stepped up to her and she could smell his rancid breath. "Wat do you take us for? There ain't no lady, you're 'ere alone. Just you an' usn's."

Clementine backed up and stumbled, finding her back to the wall of one of the cottages. "But the carriage..."

Shivershanks lost his grin. "Ain't no carriage in the village, wench! Think maybe we'd know if 'erself dropped by fer a visit." He leered again. "But nice try. Now, lets 'ave yer bits, love."

"Surely you saw..." What if incognito doesn't mean a convention... what if it's a spell! They really don't-

Plowneck's hoof slapped her across her cheek, sharply. "Enough. Bits. Now."

Tears sprung to her eyes as her voice quavered, "I don't have any!" She felt more alone than she ever had.

Shivershanks reached into his dirty linen shirt and pulled a short knife out of a concealed sheath. "Well then, that's too bad."

Her heart hammered in her chest. "I'll..." she lowered her horn. "Don't make me blast you!"

Plowneck chuckled, sounding like a small animal having the life crushed out of it. "We saw you pumping with your hooves and carrying that pot with your mouth, cripple."

"I'll scream!" She tried sliding along the wall, but Shivershanks blocked her path by leaning one hoof against it, the other twisting the knife in small patterns in front of her face.

"Go ahead. All the stallions is out in the fields. Ain't nopony comin' to help. But I'll cut your fair white throat for it. Now, last chance, bits."

"I..." Clementine's tears flowed freely. "I swear by Celestia I don't have any!"

Shivershanks placed the knife flat against the side of her face and slowly pushed it up under her cap, pulling back so it cut through the ribbon that secured it. He tossed it away as her mousy mane fell around her face, some falling to the ground where the sharp blade had sliced away an unruly, knotted lock. "Well, perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement, lass." His leer took on a darker character. "Look at that, Necker. You ever seen anything so fine?"

"Like spun gold it is." Must you mock me as well? The stout one grabbed a hoof-full and pulled it to his blunt muzzle. "Smells good, she does. A fine, fine unicorn maid, just for us. Who'd've thought?"

"Surely you don't... I'm just a filly!" About now is when the hero is supposed to show up.

"And fillin' out nice. Now, you be nice to us, and I won't slice that pretty face of yours for you."

This isn't happening. "I'm a good girl!"

"We'll find out, won't we?" Shivershanks made quick a motion with his head and Plowneck grabbed her by the waist, while he touched the knife to her throat. "Take her!"

She kicked uselessly as the heavyset plowcolt dragged her effortlessly away from the village towards a thicket. Within a minute, they had reached it and threw her into a crude hut, following her in and closing the door.

"Me first," Shivershank towered over where she lay.

I'm about to be ravished! And I don't even know what that means! The hero always shows up BEFORE she gets ravished! Her mind blanked as she looked around for a way out, any way. She curled up and trembled as...

Suddenly she realized she wasn't frightened. She wasn't anything. She was watching a scene with a unicorn and two earth pony bandits. No... she was reading it. It was unfolding in her mind's eye like when she read a story.

The white-coated unicorn filly drew back from her wretched captors. The bandits grinned at her hungrily in the gloom of their filthy den. A glorious golden mane framed fair, almost ethereal features and her enormous sapphire eyes stared up at them in terror as they removed their befouled shirts and approached her, lust filling their features with its dusky glow.

I've snapped. I've gone mad. And even in my madness I am reminded of my inadequacies.

The maiden tried to stand, shaking on her slender legs, her lissome frame poised for flight, but with nowhere to run in the middle of the woods, the night's silvery light filtering through the branches of dead trees that surrounded the hut visible through a small window. Blood from her heart thundered in her ears as despair took her. She shook her head, trying desperately to win free of the band of anamannatite clasped upon her horn, but the magecoffle was secure. The bandits moved in, one grasping her horn. She felt the warmth of their bodies, the painful pressure at the base of her horn where one bandit turned her head to force a kiss, smelled the dry sweat, the ale that gave them the courage to dare despoil her.

The door to the hut crashed open, allowing the light of the full moon to fill the scene. The two bandits whirled, snarling, one with a knife, the other, more muscular one snatching up a truncheon from a nearby table. The ruined doorframe was filled by a tall, powerful unicorn, his horn blazing with silver light as a rapier glowed, held by his aura. A frilly shirt and purple brocade jacket covered his muscular forequarters and his golden eyes filled with righteous anger. "Hold, varlets!"

Silverhoof? Really? Does my insanity have no imagination?

The bandits froze, startled by the sight of the heroic prince. The slender one recovered his tongue. "Oh. My lord! Forgive us, we didn't-" He didn't finish the sentence, instead throwing his knife at the noblepony while his partner dove, raising his club to bash the unicorn's head in. The knife was parried by the rapier, both falling to the floor as the larger thug bore the prince down to the packed earth. The lean bandit leapt forward grabbing the prince by his elegantly spiraled horn. "Finish him, quick!" The maiden...

Grabs the rapier and STABS THEM!

The maiden grabbed the rapier with two hooves and stabbed both bandits quickly from behind and to the side, first the larger one, through the lungs and heart, leaning in then pulling the rapier out as blood spurted, then as he turned in astonished horror, the lean one through one of his green eyes, the Damarescus steel sinking easily into his foul brain. Both bandits collapsed instantly, landing on the struggling Silverhoof.

The prince rolled the bodies off and looked down at them in shock, then stared at the maiden. "You... you KILLED them!"

"You're welcome!"

"But you're the heroine! I'm supposed to rescue you!" He sounded hurt and indignant.

This story is great!

"Well, you did. I mean, you brought the sword and got their attention." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "You were very brave and dashing. Thank you for saving me."

"Of course I was brave and dashing! That's what I do! But this isn't how the story is supposed to go! I was supposed to wrestle with them and then defeat them with my magic and my physical strength, they were supposed to run out the door and into the woods and I was supposed to sweep you off your hooves. Have you even read this sort of book? Gads, is this blood?" He looked down at the red-stained ruffles. "I think I'm going to be sick!"

"Well, they were trying to kill you, and they were going to RAVISH me! So I really don't think I did anything wrong here!" She stamped her pretty hoof. "And while you're here, can you get this darned thing off of my horn?"

"What?" Silverhoof looked slightly green. "Oh, that. No, that has to stay. It's for your own protection."

"If I had been able to cast magic, these bandits wouldn't have taken me to their lair for evil purposes. They would have left me alone!"

The prince nodded. "Yes, but they're small time thugs. They WERE small time thugs. Now they're two bodies."

"Who knows how many other ponies they would have hurt?"

The prince nodded. "True, but it doesn't matter. In the big scheme of things, your safety is all that matters. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go throw up somewhere."

The maiden... no... she was Clementine. Clementine stared down at Shivershanks, a look of pure astonishment on his face as his green eyes stared up at the ceiling, seeing nothing. The lumpen body of Plowneck was faced away from her, but it too was still. There was no noise, no marks on the bodies, no sign of Silverhoof. She was alone, her mousy mane framing her tear-streaked, plain gray face. She was unravished, but her uniform was torn at the collar and she could still taste the foulness of Shivershanks' breath in her mouth. Her cheek ached from the slap, and holding a hoof up to it, she felt it starting to swell.

I need some time to think about this. Time! I have to hurry, Lady Silvermane is waiting!

She opened the unbroken door and ran to where she had been taken. The pot was there, thankfully still full of water. She bent to take it, then noticed her cap in the bushes. She grabbed that first, stuffing it into her apron waistband, then took the water in her mouth. She failed to notice the golden hair that fell from the cap. Then she walked as fast as her burden allowed around the corner to Bumblebee's cottage at the end of the street. She noticed Mouldboard had started a fire outside and was building it with the wood he had gathered. She knocked on the door.

Rubymane's face appeared, angry for the first time she'd known. "What took you so long, child? This is serious!" She looked down at the pot in Clementine's mouth. "Bring that inside, then explain yourself."

She entered the single room of the cottage, the odor of sickness and foulness weakening her knees. She noticed a bundle of sheets that must have been filthy in one corner of the room, tied inside one of the clean sheets. Stains that she didn't want to think about were already seeping through the clean cloth. Pansy Pea lay upon a bed with a straw mattress under some of the clean sheets, while the rest of the sheets were folded and lain upon a chest that was the only other piece of furniture. She stared at the ceiling, breathing shallowly, covered in sweat and mumbling incoherently. A stinking blanket lay on the dirt floor.

Clementine placed the pot of water on the floor and looked at the Lady, who looked back at her sternly at first, then suddenly with shock as she took in her bruised cheek, tear streaked, dirty face, missing cap and torn uniform. "Oh, Celestia, what happened?"

She cried. She sobbed. She blubbered, but she had no words. Lady Rubymane hugged her and shushed her and stroked her mane and told her it was going to be alright, that she was so sorry, that they'd find whoever did this and punish them.

"My lady," Clementine sniffed, finding her tongue, "that won't be necessary."

"What? These scoundrels must be found! I admire your impulse towards mercy, child, and may Celestia bless all merciful ponies, but these rogues have probably hurt others and will presumably do so again! I mean, beating a child! Honestly! I don't care how poor and ignorant they are, they are wicked ponies!"

"My lady, that won't be necessary because they won't hurt anypony else."

Confusion filled the noble's eyes. "How could you know they-" She stopped, realization dawning. "Clementine, my sweet. What happened to them?"

"They were wicked, my lady. Even more wicked than you imagine."

"Were?" Rubymane voice was quiet. "Where are they, my dear one?"

"In a hut, my lady. A hundred yards into the woods." Clementine once again felt like she wasn't really in her body, but this was all too real. Not that the last time wasn't also all too real.

"And how do you know they are still there, my darling one?" Rubymane's voice was very small and gentle.

"Because my lady, they're dead." She wondered if tears should come again, but they didn't. Not for those two. "They were going to do... things to me." She looked down at the dirt floor. "If Celestia blesses the merciful ponies, my lady, what will become of me?"

"What... how?" She turned her head to look at the pony in the sickbed. "Take me there." She took her hat and veil and threw them to the floor, then threw open the door. "Mouldboard! Is that fire ready?"

"Yes ma..." He paused, as if seeing her face as if for the first time. "My lady!"

"Stand back and stay upwind!" The coachpony backed away from the fire as the lady's horn glowed. The bundle of foul bedding glowed as it carried by magic to the fire and dumped into it. The fire spluttered smokily, then Rubymane concentrated and it blazed up again, the thick black smoke from the sheets being carried away from the village by the breeze. "Good! Now, come inside." The gray hastened to obey as they returned to the inside of the room, the stench noticeably less oppressive now. Rubymane gestured to the pot. "Take a cloth from the pile and wet it, and dab Pansy's forehead with it. She's not contagious, but she has fever and needs to be kept cool. Don't let her get out of bed. She may be delusional, but she's very weak. Keep the cloth wet and don't leave her unattended. We shall return shortly."

The coachpony bowed his head. "Yes, my lady." He picked up the cloth and the pot and made his way to the end of the bed.

Rubymane hastened out the door, gesturing for Clementine to follow. "Take me to the place." The filly nodded numbly, leading her lady through the street to the place where she had been taken.

As they progressed, the few villagers not out in the fields stared, then bowed, curtsied and hoofed their forelocks. A colt ran away from the village towards the fields, yelling "The Lady! She be here! She's come!"

Rubymane frowned. "Now they shall all come in from the fields and miss a half day of work just to make a fuss over me. It's what I wanted to avoid, but it cannot be helped now."

Clementine nodded dumbly, hearing the words but not finding any joy in the explanation. "This is where they stopped me, my lady. Then they dragged me into the woods. I remember the path."

"Lead on, child." Rubymane followed her down a deer path that led to a thicket, then had to duck under some low lying branches. After another twist in the path, they arrived at the crude hut, the door hanging open. Rubymane frowned, then ducked low to enter. She turned around and popped her head out. "Stay there."

Clementine stood, her mind in a fog as the shock of the episode kept a firm hold on her. She could see a glow from within, heard noises, possibly the sounds of bodies being moved. A thud that sounded damp and unpleasant. Then the Lady was standing before her. "I will not allow those two villains to steal your childhood." Her eyes glowed with blackfire.

Clementine felt pressure on her mind, felt anger, not at her but at her memory. There was a resistance to the pressure from somewhere; it felt almost like somepony was protecting her, but the resistance seemed somehow to turn to understanding, then acceptance. The Lady's face seemed to grow in her sight, her eyes filling her world. Then she remembered what had really happened.

The kidnappers had argued over her. They fought, and as they did, she made her escape and ran back to the village. She had some idle fantasy of a prince from a storybook arriving to save her in the nick of time, but that was just a silly thought. When she returned with Lady Rubymane to confront the robbers, the Lady had gone inside by herself. The world swam and then she was back, the Lady standing before her, looking concerned, and exhausted. The lines around her eyes seemed deeper, her hair more brittle, her cheeks now sunken, but the fire in her eyes was as bright as ever.

"My Lady! Are you well? What happened? Have they fled?"

"I'm... fine. And no, my dear, they have not fled. Justice has been done. Don't go in there." Clementine checked her instinctive forward motion, then turned back to the noble unicorn and bowed her head. Rubymane chucked her lightly under the chin with a hoof and smiled wryly, saying, "Come, I can see a reception committee forming in the village." Clementine turned her head to see thirty or so ponies, mostly dirty from their fieldwork, gawping at them from the village square, whispering to one another, some hurriedly attempting to brush the dust from their homespun smocks, a few of the mares working furiously with wooden combs to get their manes and tails into some semblance of order.

As they approached, all whispering ceased, replaced by an awed silence as stallions and mares made attempts at bows and curtsies, most with a shy smile, but some with faces showing something like fear, and a few who were plainly angry and resentful about something.

An older stallion stepped forward, bowed his head, touched his hoof to his forelock and said apologetically, "M'lady, we're so sorry we've not 'ad time to scrub up and all, as we didn't know of yer ladyship's a-comin', but welcome to Fetlock. And to yer young noble guest as well, welcome miss." He bowed his head also to Clementine, who blinked in reply, nonplussed.

"My maid, Clementine," corrected Rubymane, though she cocked an eyebrow at the filly. The forepony looked somewhat scandalized.

"Oh! Beggin' yer pardon, m'lady! I didn't see 'er uniform an' she ain't got no cap, and seein' 'ow she looks an' all." How I look and all?

Rubymane looked thoughtful for a second. "Er, yes. Perfectly understandable, goodcolt..."

"He's Deep Furrow, yer ladyship, me 'usband, and a great galloot!" A stout mare, pale blue with a shock of red left in her graying mane, elbowed the dun stallion as she walked up next to him. "Can ye na see the child is hurt, ye oaf? What's 'append m'lady?"

"She was attacked by two stallions." There was a collective gasp. "Brigands living in the wood a bowshot hence." Rubymane gestured in the direction of the hut.

"Shivershanks an' Plowneck, an' no mistake!" The peasant mare spat on the ground when she said the names. "Two bad 'uns growed up wild. We thought they was run off until food an' tools started vanishin' agin' last week, m'lady."

Deep Furrow snorted. "Callie Flour me luv, we'll fetch 'em back proper this time an' they'll be facin' 'er ladyship's justice." Murmurs of assent rose from the crowd and some of the stallions lifted up their rakes and shovels, looking into the woods with menace.

"No, goodcolt, goodmare. They've had their justice, and will trouble you no more." The crowd went silent as Rubymane's clear voice filled the square. "They took Clementine to their hovel, but then they fought over her. She escaped and came to fetch me, but by the time we arrived, well... they had killed one another."

Callie Flour spat into the dust once again, this time with satisfaction. "A bad end, but deserved, m'lady. To take a child..." Her face twisted in disgust and the crowd growled.

"Quite. They'll not be missed or mourned, I'm sure. But I would appreciate it if somepony went to see to them. Perhaps you'll find some of your missing belongings in their den. But the purpose of our visit was to see to my undergardener, Pansy Pea. I found out from her brother than she's taken ill, and it seems that nopony was caring for her."

"Has she now? That's news to us, m'lady." Deep Furrow frowned. "She keeps to 'erself and don't come out th' fields, so she wasna missed. What sickens 'er?"

"She has the brain fever." The stallion's mouth drew into a thin line as the noble continued. "The marshes have come closer to the village near her cottage since the late flood, and the marsh air bears the fever. They must be drained, back a half bowshot from the edge of the village."

Callie Flour frowned. "With respect, m'lady, we've enough to do keepin' food in us an' ourses bellies. Drainin' that marsh'll have ta wait until after 'arvest, beggin' m'lady's pardon. An' not ta be cold, but oo's ta care for a sicker with no family in times like these? An' the brain fever? M'lady, all's ta do is keep 'er 'ead cool an' 'ope. Could be weeks, and then she up and dies anyways." Clementine gasped. "Sorry miss, but that's the truth of it."

Rubymane sighed. "I understand, and thank you for being direct." She looked thoughtful. "I shall send to Canterlot for a doctor, and Bumblebee will care for his sister in the meantime." She pursed her lips. "I will look into the marsh situation. Perhaps there is a magical remedy. And we shall have an ale tonight."

There was a cheer from the crowd, but one stallion's angry voice was heard over it. "High time!" Rubymane looked sharply to the crowd, as ponied edged away from a middle-aged, careworn black stallion with a patch over his eye.

"You have something to say, goodcolt?" Her voice was hard.

The stallion's face was grim. "Yes, m'lady, I do." He advanced boldly to the front. "May I speak my mind?" The unicorn nodded brusquely. "We've not 'ad an ale fer nigh on ten year. We've not seen 'ide or 'air of ye fer all that time, m'lady. No feasts, no dances, no Hearthswarmin!" The crowd moved and he was suddenly alone, ponies backing away as if expecting him to explode for his insolence. "It ain't right m'lady!"

Rubymane was still, her voice strongly controlled. "Have I not reduced your rents since the flood? Have I not replaced the mill and brought in a miller? Are you oppressed by unfair taxes?"

"Ye've not been unfair or cruel, m'lady. Ye've just not been 'ere, and we've not been there! Ever since his lordship died," the gasp from the crowd was shocked, "ye haven't been able ta face us, 'ave ye? It weren't our fault, it was that damned tree fell on 'im! And yer punishin' us! T'aint right! T'aint proper! I lost me Whinny an' you stayed up in yer manor when we put 'er in the ground!" His voice finally broke and tears ran down his face. "We feel our losses no less'n you, m'lady."

Clementine's eyes felt as though they must have been as large as platters as Lady Rubymane stalked towards the stallion. "Nopony is to mention-"

"Lord Springheart. 'Is name was Springheart, m'lady. An' he was the best lord a pony ever 'ad."

Rubymane cried out as if she'd been struck. Rage warred with crushing grief on her face as her horn flared. The one-eyed pony stood his ground. "Send me to my Whinny, m'lady. I'm ready." The unicorn cried out and a silver flash filled the square. When the afterimage faded, the one-eyed stallion stood, his face downcast and tear-streaked. Of Lady Rubymane, there was no sign.

Sweet Celestia!

Author's Note:

Sorry for the delay. Between family obligations for the holidays, and a work schedule that's very heavy before and during the first quarter of the year, and a tad bit of block when I tried to work on it earlier, I've given you a long hiatus. I hope to get the next chapter out next week. I'm going to start on it now, and thanks for reading.

Comments

[Asolem2]

Now i just (not the only thing, just the most immediate) want to know if it is to late to save Pansy or not

[Dinkledash]

9417795
We'll see.