Where the Sunflowers Grow

by Bluespectre

Chapter Thirteen - Where the Sunflowers Grow

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

WHERE THE SUNFLOWERS GROW

“Oh Gods, my head…”

Reminiscent of a drunken evening with Grove, Rush’s head felt like somepony was pounding it with a hammer. He reached up and covered his muzzle with his forelegs, spitting out the scraps of straw that fell into this mouth as he groaned. Above him, a small window let in scraps of light that provided scant illumination of the small, bare walled…cell. Rush blinked, trying to get his bearings and pull his senses into order. What the hell had happened? Where was he? What had happened to Tia? He sat up suddenly and the room span, making his stomach lurch horribly,

“By the bloody spirits…” Rush muttered, and reached for the jug sitting on the rough wooden end table.

“It’s empty.”

The voice drifted over from the shadowed corner of the room. Rush looked round slowly, noticing the dark outline of a pony. He huffed and reached out for the jug…

“Damn it” he mumbled. True enough, it was empty.

“Told you” the shadow pony said absently. The figure scratched their ear and yawned, “Couldn’t find a spare cell for you eh? Damned guards, they’ve probably forgotten I’m here.” He shook his head, his voice dropping to a mutter, “Left to rot, like this miserable sink hole of a palace.”

Rush ignored him, instead he walked over to the door and pushed his muzzle up to the grill, “Hey!” he called, “Guards! Hey!”

Silence answered him.

“Told you” the figure said, “They’ve forgotten me, and they’ve forgotten you too.”

“Oh, shut up!” Rush barked and pressed his face up against the bars, straining to see if there was anypony there. There wasn’t; the corridor was completely devoid of life, save for a single mouse that disappeared under another of the cell doors. Rush hung his head and sighed, slinking back to what passed for a bed. It was mainly straw on a wood and rope framework, although surprisingly it wasn’t that uncomfortable, more like a hammock really. It was just a shame the place stank of piss and faeces. He snorted and rubbed his muzzle.

“You’ll get used to the stink” the other occupier of the cell said disinterestedly, “Bathroom facilities are a little limited. Occasionally the guards come and clean the bucket out; when the stench becomes so strong even they can’t ignore it.”

‘So much for the white marble palace’ Rush thought to himself. ‘All that glitters is not gold’, he was told as a child. Until now he’d never really understood what that meant. No, now he was a prisoner in a magical castle of pure white marble, gold and silver, sleeping next to a bucket of his own waste - wonderful, it just didn’t get much better than this! He stared up at the darkened ceiling and listened to his heart beating, his steady breathing; he had a splitting headache and some interesting bruises after his ordeal in the throne room, but other than that he was reasonably intact. The other occupant of his new home, whoever he was, decided to engage him in more unwanted conversation again,

“What are you in here for?” the pony asked.

Rush closed his eyes, “They think I’ve murdered Celestia.” He let out an ironic laugh, “If you can believe that.”

“Oh yes” the stallion replied. There was a long pause before he asked, “And did you?”

“Of course not” Rush replied irritably.

The other stallion shrugged, “A pity.”

“What?” Rush turned over to face the shadowed figure, wincing as a jolt of pain lanced through his head, “What the hell do you mean? What do you have against her?”

“Other than throwing me in here, you mean?” the figure replied bitterly, “How about destroying my name, sullying my honour and leaving me to rot, alone, down here in this toilet. Is any of that reason enough for you?” He laughed, “Oh, yes my friend, I have good reason to dislike your precious snow white Princess.”

Rush narrowed his eyes, “Who are you?” he asked quietly.

The figure smiled, his teeth glinting in the sunlight, “I think you know.” He walked slowly forward out of the shadows and into the shaft of pale light, his faded purple coat covered in filth and grime, but it was his eyes that caught Rush’s gaze – he’d seen them before…

“Yule”

“I must say, I find the irony of the situation…” Yule grinned, “delicious.”

“Go buck yourself” Rush muttered.

“Ooh! Got some teeth have we?” Yule replied snidely, “A shame I hadn’t knocked them out when I had the chance. If it wasn’t for you and your damned tart, I wouldn’t be in this stinking midden.”

Rush sat up and glowered at him, “How dare you call her that, you arrogant prick. She’s-”

“-what? My Princess? My ruler?” Yule barked out a laugh, “Is that what you were going to say?” He advanced on Rush, his bones showing through his faded coat, “What are you going to do? Report me?” He sneered, jabbing a hoof at Rush, “She’s going to remember I’m here sooner or later, boy, and then I’ll be able to see the sun one last time before I lay my head against the headspony’s block.” Yule glared at Rush, the hatred in his eyes burning a hole into his soul, “You’ll like that” he said in a sing-song voice, “Won’t you…’Rush’. You and your tart will be able to dance on my grave and piss on my headstone. What fun!”

“You’re mad.” Rush replied.

“Am I?” Yule spat, “You try being locked in here for weeks, you little twat! Bread, oats and water, no visitors, no wind beneath my wings, and only mice for company – see how you’d feel then!” He stomped a hoof angrily and paused, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Rush, “But then, you will, wont you?” his voice lowered to a menacing monotone rumble, “Fallen from grace, the monkey from another world. How sad indeed. The Princess has obviously tired of her toy a lot quicker than I expected.”

”You know nothing” Rush spat, “It’s a misunderstanding, that’s all.”

“Ha!” Yule scoffed, “Accidentally murdered her, did you?” He began to laugh.

Rush had had enough. He jumped down from the bed and went muzzle to muzzle with the emaciated pegasus, “So tell me, Yule, why are you in here then?” His muzzle wrinkled as he glared at his winged adversary, “Treason, wasn’t it? That’s something you can laugh about is it?”

Yule’s smile died on his face, his eyes burning with indignation, “You want to know, do you?” he snorted loudly, “Then let me tell you. It was you…” he shoved Rush suddenly in the chest, “You are the reason…YOU!”

Rush backed up as the pegasus advanced on him, “Your precious alicorn accused me and my flights of shirking our duties to find your miserable carcass after the flood. To think that privileged harlot had the sheer audacity to accuse me, ME! Of abandoning my duty to my homeland!” He huffed angrily, “Do you know what wing cramps are, monkey? No? Then let me tell you: they happen when a pegasus pushes themselves beyond their limits – they can kill…” he clopped his front hooves together, “Just like that!” He snorted, “I nearly lost ponies out there that night looking for you. We flew for hours, searching high and low, up and down that blasted river, until I made the decision to pull the flights in.” Yule tossed his mane, “That’s right, I made the decision to stop searching, because unlike that damned alicorn I actually care about ponies and not just some bed warming freak like you!” He walked over to the other side of the room and sank to his haunches, “I guess your bed friend didn’t like me telling her a few home truths, and this” he waved his forelegs, “is where the truth got me.” Yule glared at Rush, “Are you happy then? Is this what you wanted? You can come and watch you know. If you ask the guards nicely, you can come and give me a good send off.”

Rush shook his head, “Celestia won’t do that, not after all the death in war.”

“Oh! And you know the mind of the alicorn now do you?” Yule laughed, “Your pure pony Princess, the virgin bloody queen, has a heart of gold does she?” He tossed his mane, “By the Goddesses, you really don’t have a clue, do you?” He took a breath, “Do you know what she did during the war, monkey? Do you know what they used to call her?” Rush shook his head. “The white death” Yule explained, “and that was by her own people! But the enemy, the followers of Nightmare Moon had another name for her…”

Rush closed his eyes. He had heard it before. He’d ignored it, hoping he was wrong, or that it was just some cruel name conjured up by an enemy to demonise her. The words however, were out of his mouth before he could stop himself,

“The White Witch.”

Yule nodded, “So you have heard.” He snorted, “Perhaps you can ask her. After she’s had me put to death of course; we wouldn’t want to spoil the fun now, would we?”

Rush leaned back against the wall and took a shaking breath. The white witch, the one whom the enemy had feared; he could recall Madra’s words as though they had been etched into his soul,

‘It is only when you have walked in their hoof steps, when you have walked through the pass of tears wading knee deep through the bones of your family and loved ones, that you can see, truly see, and come to understand, just what evil…true evil, really is.’

Dear Gods; Tia…his Tia…she was the white witch…

“The truth can be a bitter pill, can it not…monkey?” Yule slunk back to his half of the room and climbed onto his cot, leaving Rush to stare up at the cracks in the ceiling plaster.

Hours, days, it was impossible to tell in that place, but to Rush, none of it mattered. Yule never spoke again; the occasional shuffling of a guard, the squeak of a mouse or the chirping of birds outside, the only sounds he could hear now. Eventually water arrived together with a tin plate with one piece of bread and a bowl of watery soup. Despite his grievances with Yule, the two of them shared it in silence. It was one of the most surreal experiences in Rush’s life. He got up, walked around the cell, and lay back on the cot – waiting; for what though he had no idea. Time seemed to have a will and direction of its own here, while the cell itself felt as though it were drawing the life and drive from you like some stone vampire – like some…what were they called again? Rush couldn’t remember…it was like a dream…He groaned and turned over; just a few more hours sleep and they may feed them again. It was the hi-lite of the day now: feeding time.

“Pssst! Rush! Rush! Hey!”

Now he was hearing things too. It wasn’t all that surprising considering the chain of events.

“Rush! Come on! Get your arse in gear, dude!”

Rush opened his eyes at the insistent prodding and found himself staring up into the large eyes of…

“Grove?”

The orange stallion rolled his eyes, “Come on, we need to move! The lads have cleared the way, but we have to get moving, now!”

“Wh…what are talking about?” Rush climbed off the bed, his legs stiff from inactivity, “What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain later, let’s just get the buck out of here” Grove hurried to the door, checked the corridor and then paused, turning back to his friend, “Here.” A bundle of packs and gear landed at Rush’s hooves, including, he noticed, a rather familiar item indeed…

“Father’s sword…”

Without another word, Rush buckled and strapped on his gear before following Grove to the door. For a moment, he glanced over his shoulder at Yule: the pegasus wasn’t moving - instead he just lay there, still asleep by the look of things, as though nothing out of the ordinary were happening at all. Snorting, Rush turned back to Grove,

“Ready.”

Grove nodded and the two took off up the corridor until they reached the intersection and the two…bodies. Rush stared in horror,

“Grove, are they…?”

“Don’t worry; it’s only sleep dust” Grove replied, “A little something conjured up by our friend Starswirl. They’ll wake up with legendary headaches, but that’s better than a sword in the guts eh?”

They slipped down another corridor, Grove looking around himself constantly, while his ears remained pert and alert for danger. Rush followed in silence until they reached a door he remembered lead to the gardens at the side of the palace. He placed a hoof on Grove’s shoulder,

“Where’s Tia? What’s happened to the Princess?”

Grove clucked his tongue, “She’s fine, she’s with Starswirl. It’s you we have to worry about now.”

“Why? I don’t understand what’s going on!” Rush shook his head and flinched as the light through the open door crashed into his eyes that were now accustomed to the gloom of the cell.

Grove huffed, “No time to explain, just shut up and follow me!”

The two friends dashed out of the palace, across the gardens and down the steep steps at the back of the palace grounds, avoiding from the more familiar sight of Paddock and the green fields of what he now considered to be his home. Here, the rocks of the mountain Canterlot had been cut into were laid bare and open like some suppurating wound. Here, in this place, the words of Madra came back to him: the story of walking through the bones of the dead, the bones of children, adults, the elderly…the one’s the white witch had slain…

Tia…

“Hurry up for the Goddesses sake!” Grove hissed, “Those bastards will be on us if we don’t shift flank!”

“Who?” Rush replied, picking up speed, “Who’s following us?”

“I’ll explain later!” Grove called over his shoulder, “Just keep to the shadows and we’ll take a break when we can.”

Rush ran on. Rocks, with the roughly hewn steps carved between them, soon transformed into grassland, and eventually trees. The thundering of their hooves died away in the muffled quiet of the woodland that quickly became thicker and darker as they ran. Eventually, his lungs burning and muscles screaming at such abuse after his captivity, Rush collapsed to the ground beside the small cabin. Panting, he looked up: it was a rough sawn wood affair, but appeared sturdy. Moss covered the roof and walls making it look almost like some living thing. Strangely, it reminded him of the bamboo forest: cool, peaceful…calming…

“Tea?”

As if by magic, an enamelled tin cup of tea appeared and was pushed into his unresisting hooves. There was no milk, no sugar…it was perfect. Rush sipped the hot steaming liquid, marvelling at the taste, the blissful, heavenly aroma of…freedom. He looked up into the large orange eyes of…

“QUEENIE!” he gasped.

“Hello lover” she smirked, sticking her tongue out at him, “Come to meet me in the woods for a clandestine liaison eh? You naughty boy!”

Rush wanted to hug her, to throw the cup down and just neigh as loudly as he could, but…it was damned good tea. He chuckled to himself and took another sip, unable to take the grin from his face.

“I don’t think we were followed” Grove said re-appearing from the other side of the cabin, “We should be in the clear.”

A deep green coated stallion appeared behind him, wiping his forehead, “Nothing. Looks like we’ve got a free run from here to Lord Tangles’ place.”

“I think you know Green Shard?” Queenie said with a smile, “He knows you.”

“We’ve met.” Rush reached out and shook the green stallion’s hoof, “Thank you. I haven’t a clue what’s happening here, but whatever it is…thanks.”

Green Shard tossed his pale blue mane, his azure eyes watching Rush curiously, “You don’t know?” He shrugged, “No…no I don’t suppose you would.”

Grove passed around a package of sandwiches from his pack, “It all hit the fan when Celestia collapsed” the orange stallion explained, “Several of the Lords, one’s whose loyalties were, shall we say, ‘suspect’, used the confusion as an attempt to claim you had murdered her.”

“Which is a load of bollocks of course” Green Shard chipped in, “Anypony could see she’d only passed out, but Lord Pot Ash and his goons started waving swords around and the next thing we knew, the guards got involved and that’s when the lid really came off.”

“It was bad” Grove said quietly, “We got the Princess out of there as quickly as we could, but she was burning up so we got her to Starswirl and she’s been in there ever since.”

Rush couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “Do you know how she is? We can’t just leave her there! What if there’s a plot to kill her by this, what did you say his name was? Pot Ash?”

Queenie nodded, “Pot Ash was one of the Lords who supported Nightmare Moon, but I don’t think anypony thought ever he’d pull something like this. Still, to be truthful Rush, none of us really know what’s going on. As for Celestia,” she shrugged, “I don’t know. Nopony has seen her since and Starswirl’s lab has been surrounded by some sort of magical wall that won’t allow anypony to cross.”

Rush shook his head, “So we don’t know if there is a plot and I inadvertently sprung the trap, or whether this was just some opportunistic power grab.” He closed his eyes, trying to clear his head of all superfluous thought, “To do something like this could very likely destabilise Equestria, but it seems most likely to me that Pot Ash simply tried to take advantage of a situation handed to him.” Rush grimaced, “One that I handed to him.”

“Buggered if I know,” Grove snorted, “but the whole palace is in an uproar. There’s factions appearing all over Canterlot and Pot Ash has declared martial law.

“Good Gods! Can he do that?” Rush exclaimed.

“He’s loud, Rush,” Green Shard said bitterly, “and whether we like it or not, ponies often follow leaders like that.” He snorted and leaned against the shack, “We saw it in the war.”

“Aye, and it didn’t do much more than send good souls to the eternal herd” Grove mumbled. He began pulling off his panniers and stacked them to one side, “I don’t know what it was like in the human world, my friend, but ponies are followers – not leaders.”

“Not all ponies,” Queenie chipped in, “or else we wouldn’t be here, right?”

“So why are you here?” Rush asked, “You’re broke me out of gaol, knocked out two guards, and now you’re on the run.” He shook his head, “Why?”

“Why?” Queenie looked surprised, “Because we’re your friends.”

Rush looked down in embarrassment and smiled. He still had trouble with that word, even now. But then, these three had risked everything to help him simply because he was…their friend. He looked up and faced them one by one,

“Thank you. All of you.”

“Nah, don’t mention it” Grove smirked, “Once the boss is back on her hooves, she’ll sort this mess out.”

“She’s done it before” Queenie nodded.

“Aye, and it worked out alright in the end” Green Shard added.

Rush smiled. He had to have faith in her, in his Princess and the love he had for her. It was hard sometimes, very hard, but he had to remain strong for her. But…what to do now? Part of him wanted to run back to her, to be by her side, but from the looks of it that would just get him a one way ticket to the herd. He shook his head,

“What about the palace guard? Surely they will be siding with the Princess?”

Grove huffed, “They would do normally, but then, nopony really knows what’s happening. With no word from Starswirl or the Princess, some think she’s dead and that you murdered her.”

“Well obviously I didn’t” Rush said levelly.

Green Shard shrugged, “You can see why some think that though” he said, “From where I was stood, we saw you yelling something and the next thing I know is Celestia falls forward onto you and then, ‘boom!’ all Tartarus breaks loose.”

“Never mind all that” Queenie said, “we need to focus on what we’re going to do now. Lord Tangles is a loyal pony and an officer from the royal guard; he’ll know what to do.”

Rush took a breath, remembering the words of the Goddess. It was up to him to prove himself, to be a stallion and protect his mare. He huffed and adjusted his sword belt,

“I’m sorry” he said quietly, “You’ll have to do it without me.”

“Eh?” Grove’s eyes went wide, “What are you talking about?”

“I’m going to Starswirl’s laboratory” Rush replied, “One way or another, I’m going to get in and see Tia.”

“You bloody lunatic!” Queenie snapped, “We went to all this trouble to save you and now you want to walk right into the manticore’s den? Don’t you understand what’s going on here? Those ponies hate you! They’re blaming you for all the weird weather and Celestia’s strange behaviour lately, and you can bet your sweet rump that a lot of them actually believe Pot Ash’s claims that you’ve done her in!” She tossed her mane, “So you can damned well forget it. I’m not sitting here and watching you commit bloody suicide after everything that’s happened.”

Rush turned to Grove and Green Shard who just looked at each other in silence. Rush sighed,

“Green Shard, if it was Queenie in there, surrounded by those who meant her harm, what would you do?”

The green coated stallion opened his mouth, “I-”

“Don’t you bring him into this!” Queenie cut it, “This is completely-”

“-different?” Green Shard finished. He stepped forward, gazing into her eyes, and then glanced back at Rush, “No. No, I don’t think it is.” He chuckled quietly, “I think it’s part of a stallion’s nature to protect his mare, don’t you?”

Queenie nickered, “No I don’t! You’re thinking with your bloody hormones and not your head. If we can get ourselves to Tangles, we can get some proper help and advice. Then we’ll know what to do!”

“And do what?” Rush asked, “Is he going to raise an army? March on Canterlot?” He shook his head, “No.”

Grove took a sip of his tea and watched his friend closely. His determination, his resilience - it was …inspiring. He smiled,

“What do you propose?”

“Grove!” Queenie hissed, “Don’t egg him on! For the Goddesses’ sake!”

The orange stallion raised a hoof and Queenie snorted loudly, stomping her hoof in frustration. With a toss of her mane she sat down on her haunches, reluctantly settling down before Rush began to outline his plan,

“I don’t intend on throwing my life away, especially after being so recently rescued.” He smiled, “By my friends.” Stretching out his hooves, he picked up a stick and began sketching in the dirt, “I have an idea, but to pull it off we’re going to need help.”

“Help?” Grove asked, intrigued.

Rush nodded, “Mmm.” He took a mouthful of his tea and returned to making his sketch of the palace, “Know any pegasi we can trust?”

**************************

Starswirl’s laboratory had been designed right from the beginning to the eccentric unicorn’s exacting specifications. Considering everything he had done for Equestria, Celestia had indulged him fully, to the point where she’d begun to wonder whether his position had gone to his head. Not that Starswirl already had an over inflated ego of course – perish the thought! The Princess groaned and stretched her wings, taking a long, deep breath of the strangely pungent air. The blue bubble surrounding her flickered with intense magical energy, making her horn tingle slightly. Magic was something she’d been born to, and she used it with a level of caution and respect her mother had instilled in her since foalhood. In contrast, Starswirl had an almost flagrant disregard for anything approaching such foolish notions as, say, safety. To him, the advancement of magical knowledge was worth taking ‘a few risks’ as he put it. Unfortunately, some of them had proven to have decidedly unexpected consequences, but still, she couldn’t fault the fact that this strange grey equine did achieve results. Sometimes of course they weren’t quite the results he’d expected, but you had to take the rough with the smooth. Starswirl trotted over and waved a glass dish across the surface of the magical sphere, nodded to himself, and began to make notes in his diary.

“Anything?” the Princess asked hopefully.

Starswirl peered at his notes and nodded, “Some, but I think another few days should help.”

“A few more days?!” Celestia groaned loudly, holding her foreleg across her muzzle, “I keep telling you I feel absolutely fine, master Starswirl.”

“And I keep telling you that the malady is in your magic, not your physical self, Princess” Starswirl replied as he concentrated on his notes, “Of course you’re going to feel fine for a while, but then your magic will begin to go out of sync again and you’ll end up flat on your back - again.”

Celestia let out a sigh and closed her eyes. How long had she been stuck in here now? Was it days? Weeks? One minute she was in a meeting in the throne room, Rush had appeared, said something, and the next thing she knew she was waking up in a blue bubble of Starswirl’s magic! For a moment she honestly thought she’d gone stark staring mad. With the way her magic had been going out of control lately, together with her temper, maybe there was some truth in that. Dear Gods, she hoped not. As for what was happening in her palace and the kingdom, she had no idea. Starswirl had brushed off any questions as being superfluous to getting to the bottom of the ‘real issue’ which was curing her ailment. It had, he’d explained, something to do with the strange weather effects – or rather she had something to do with it. The Princess turned over and faced the wall; she couldn’t stay in here forever, who knew what would happen without her to keep Equestria working properly! Some ponies couldn’t even find their own ears without help and… her ear twitched – what was that scratching noise?

“Starswirl?” she asked, “What’s in that pipe?” The Princess pointed a hoof at the long brass pipe running down the wall.

The wizard waved a hoof dismissively, “Oh, that? That’s used for my rain samples. Absolutely ideal when it comes to measuring rainfall, thaumaturgical effects on local…” he paused, “Can you hear that scratching?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to say!” the alicorn said in exasperation.

Starswirl walked over and pressed his ear up against the tube, “Sounds like something’s stuck in there…” He reached out and lifted the flap. Celestia stared in amazement as a stone, wrapped in paper and connected to a long piece of string, dangled in the wizard’s magic as he turned to her with a look of shock on his face, “Good lord!” he gasped, “Would you look at that!” Quickly, he unwrapped the piece of paper and placed his spectacles on his muzzle.

“Well?” Celestia asked, her interest piqued, “What does it say?”

The grey stallion shook his head and stared at the note, his face a comical mixture of incredulity and fascination, “It says, ‘we’re on the roof’.” He furrowed his brow, “What in Equestria could that mean? ‘We’re on the roof’?” He put the piece of paper to one side and clucked his tongue, “Blasted foals, this’ll be somepony’s idea of a joke – dropping stones down my pipes – that’s vitally important scientific research material, not some child’s toy!” He banged his hoof on the table, “And look at this writing! It looks like a yearling’s written it; there’s slobber everywhere and-”

“Let me see!” Celestia said suddenly, “Quickly!”

Huffing, Starswirl complied, “I don’t see what’s so important about it” he muttered, “Bloody kids…”

The Princess stared at the note. It certainly was spit stained and grubby, the hoofwriting clearly written by somepony with little experience with the written word and…” She gasped, her hoof flying to her mouth in realisation, “Starswirl! It’s Rush! He’s on the roof!”

“Well what the bloody hell’s he doing up there?!” the wizard bellowed, “If he breaks my tiles I’ll…”

“Never mind the bloody tiles, let him in!” Celestia commanded, “Quickly!”

Muttering, the wizard turned round and headed for the steps at the back of the laboratory that lead to the tower where he kept his astronomy equipment. If this was some kind of prank, he would teach whoever was behind it such a lesson as they’d never forget! Anyway, how could it be Rush? He was an earth pony, wasn’t he? Starswirl sighed; the door at the top of the stairs proved to be securely bolted, and the magical shield still in place just as he’d left it. Damn it all, if it was those blasted foals dropping things down his pipes again he’d teach them a thing or two! Taking a deep breath, Starswirl slid back the bolts and flung the door open,

“RIGHT!” he yelled “Who’s buggering about with my…” he blinked, “Rush?”

The bedraggled brown stallion looked back at him, shaking with the cold, “Hello, Starswirl. Bit breezy up here today; can I come in?”

Downstairs, Rush was bundled up in blankets and sat shaking in front of the fire. For such a sunny day, the wind up on the tower balcony had been freezing. Rush sniffed, trying to smile despite his uncontrollable shivering. Behind the glistening wall of the blue bubble, Celestia pressed a hoof, looking into his eyes. Neither of them could speak, despite having so much to say. Where in Equestria could you start? The brown earth stallion just sat, sitting there in his blankets and sipping the hot tea that Starswirl had given him, and…watched her. Even behind the glowing shield of magic, she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

“Tia…” he whispered.

The Princess hung her head, “Rush…I’m sorry, I’m so, so, sorry.”

“Don’t be” Rush said with a smile, “You have nothing to be sorry about. Nothing at all.”

Celestia smiled, “I wish that were true.”

Rush placed his cup down and walked over to her. She watched him so intently, with such a look of absolute love and trust that his heart cried out to be with her. He lifted his hooves and pressed them against hers, the minute barrier of magic the only separation between them. Rush leaned his head against it and squeezed his eyes shut,

“Tia, I am the one at fault here. I should have been more understanding of how much work and stress you were under. I should have been there to help you share that burden.”

Celestia tried to nuzzle him, but was blocked by the mysterious barrier, “Oh, Rush, I couldn’t do that you. All those meetings, the endless hours of talking with representatives of other nations?” She chuckled, “It’s enough to make your head spin!”

Rush smiled and looked about him, “Why are you in there? Are you sick?”

Celestia shook her head, “I…I’m not sure. Starswirl says my magic is out of sync with my body and is…leaking out, affecting the weather and…” she stared at the floor, “I think I may have done and said things that were ‘influenced’ by this imbalance.” She sighed, “I have to get to the bottom of this before things get really out of hoof.” She scrunched up her muzzle, “How in Equestria did you get up on the roof?”

“Oh, I had a lift from a friend” Rush smirked, “The last one I would have thought of to be honest.” He shrugged, “He’s a good tracker too it turns out.”

Celestia narrowed her eyes, “Who?”

“Yule”

“Yule!” the Princess gasped, “That traitor! I should have…”

Rush held up a hoof, “I think some things may have been said that shouldn’t have been said?”

Celestia groaned and sat back on her haunches, “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that” Rush replied, “We just need a strategy to get you and the palace back to normal.”

“You sound as if you have something in mind?” The Princess asked curiously.

Rush nodded, motioning to Starswirl, “As a matter of fact, I do.”

**************************

“Not a chance!” Starswirl stomped a hoof and stormed off around the room, “It’s absolute bloody madness!”

Rush watched the wizard pacing and tried to reason with him, “But if we were to confront them head on,” he began, “we could-”

“-make matters a damned sight worse!” Starswirl snapped, rounding on Rush, “Look at her! I’ve had to isolate her in case her magic goes crazy again. What’s next? A lightning storm that could turn the palace into ash? Maybe a hurricane that will level Paddock and send its citizens into the next world?” The wizard snorted, “It’s only by the grace of the Goddesses that noponies been killed this far!”

“You can’t leave her cooped up in that ball thing forever,” Rush retorted, “the whole palace is going to hell because they think she’s dead!” He stomped a hoof and tossed his mane in frustration, “Equestria is my home as much as it is yours, Starswirl, and we need to do everything we can to-”

“Can I have a say in this?” Celestia asked quietly. The two stallions froze and turned to her. “May I ask what it is you have in mind?”

Starswirl stared at her, swapping his gaze to Rush and then back again before giving a loud harrumph. Snorting, the eccentric wizard slumped back into his rocking chair and took out a long stemmed pipe, “Why don’t you tell her, mister Rush?” he grumbled, “You being such an expert all of a sudden.”

Rush sighed and turned to face the Princess, “Tia, I think these magical imbalances are linked to something traumatic that happened to you in the past.”

Behind him, Starswirl snorted loudly.

Rush rolled his eyes and continued, “I think it may have something to do with somewhere called ‘the pass of tears’.”

“What’s that?” Starswirl asked suddenly, looking up from under a fog of tobacco smoke, “Where did you say?”

“The pass of tears” Rush repeated.

“Never heard of it” Starswirl huffed.

Rush shrugged resignedly and addressed the Princess, “Tia?” but only silence answered him.

The change in Celestia’s expression made Rush’s blood run cold. Her eyes had taken on a distant cast, as though she were staring into a time and place that was unseen to him, but to her, was as vivid as it ever had been. The Princess took a breath, shuddered, and dropped to her haunches - and then the weather struck. Thunder vibrated through the walls, sending Starswirl coughing and hacking while desperately trying to reach his numerous instruments. Standing between them, Rush stood on his hind legs and placed his hooves against the bubble,

“Tia!” he cried, “Tia, please!”

Rain lashed the windows, rattling the glass in the panes, sending the grey coated wizard into a flurry of activity. He grabbed his scrying glass and nickered, “Damn it! The build up’s too strong, it’s overwhelming the protective wards!”

“What can we do?” Rush shouted over the rumbling, “We have to do something!”

“I know that!” Starswirl yelled as a flash of white lightning illuminated the room, “I’m going to try something, just be ready when I do.”

“Do what?” Rush asked loudly.

Another peel of thunder rang through the room.

“Just…do what comes natural!” the wizard shouted, “NOW!”

The bubble winked out and Celestia lurched forward almost lifeless into Rush’s open forelegs. It was a repeat of the throne room: the vacant expression, the eyes going unfocussed, only this time there were no ranting nobles or shouted accusations, no, this time there was only him, his mare, and the screaming hell of magic engulfing them like their own personal thunder storm. The world around them was reduced to a swirling, heaving mass of black and grey, with the occasional flash of lightning searing across Rush’s vision leaving a brilliant blue afterimage. He gave himself a shake and looked down at the limp mare in his forelegs, her wings hanging lifeless at her sides and her chest heaving. In the darkness, in between the flashes of lightning, the two bright yellow orbs floating in the centre of the maelstrom burned brighter than the sun.

YOU DO NOT KNOW US.

“I don’t have time for this crap!” Rush bellowed, “Leave us be!”

YOU CANNOT KNOW US.

“I know what you are!” Rush roared. He wrapped himself around the alicorn and breathed in her scent before turning back to the entity, “I know.”

YOU DO NOT KNOW US!

“You are the darkness that lies within us. You are the darkness that lives within the hearts of all living creatures. You are as much a part of this world as we are of you.” Rush looked into Celestia’s eyes, the faint spark of consciousness just starting to appear. She looked so weak, so helpless…Rush smiled gently, “I accept you, as much I accepted Celestia into my life, and my heart.”

Thunder and lightning crashed around them, the storm screaming with a fury that made the hairs stand up on Rush’s back. He didn’t care…he had everything he ever wanted in life…

“I have you…” He reached down and gently lifted the loving face of his mare to his, “My love.”

Rush’s lips brushed against Celestia’s as gently as the sweep of a butterfly’s wings. Around them, the world simply…ceased to matter. The Princess lifted her forelegs and wrapped them around her stallion, pulling him to her, moving against him and moaned happily. This was what she wanted: this, this moment with her stallion. Rush’s heart was thundering in his chest as he replied in kind…it had been too long…

“Ah, erm, hello?” Starswirl cleared his throat noisily, “The storms gone by the way, and I hate to interrupt your, er, ‘moment’, but…” he shrugged helpless, “y’know?”

The Princess and Rush broke the kiss, leaning their foreheads against each other and grinning like school foals. Celestia whispered into Rush’s ear,

“I can make him go away, you know. It is my palace after all.”

“Mmm.” Rush moaned, “I’d like that.”

“I’m not deaf!” Starswirl growled, “And this is my laboratory! I won’t have that sort of thing going on in here, thank you very much! I know it’s cliché, but you two really do need to get a room!”

Rush held up a hoof, “Alright, alright! We’re only joking, keep your hat on.”

Starswirl’s hat jingled irritably, “Bloody kids…”

“Thank the Gods that’s over” Celestia breathed, picking herself up, “Now we can…” she paused, “What are you doing now?”

Starswirl had lifted up his scrying glass and was shaking his head, “The thaumaturgical dissonance is still there. It’s reduced, certainly, but…” he sucked in air over his teeth, “I don’t understand it…why?” He took out his notepad and began scribbling away with his quill.

“Tia?” Rush asked quietly.

She nodded to him and smiled absently, “I have to do this.”

Starswirl trotted over, his expression unusually serious, “You’re determined to do this aren’t you?” he asked. Celestia nodded,

“I don’t have a choice.” She took a breath and looked to Rush as she spoke, “Rush is right: the war ended at the pass, but for me…” she closed her eyes, “I don’t think it ever did.” She leaned her head into Rush’s embrace.

“I’ll be with you” Rush said quietly.

Celestia nodded, “I…I didn’t want you to know.” She sighed and closed her eyes, nuzzling his mane, “I was wrong, I should have told you everything.” The Princess nodded to Starswirl, “Drop the barrier. I have a palace to put to rights before we depart. Starswirl, I want you to come with me - would you mind?”

The wizard bowed, “Of course, Princess, it would be my pleasure.”

Rush narrowed his eyes, catching a sinister smirk on the unicorn wizard’s face. The old bugger was enjoying this, wasn’t he? Or rather, he expected to. As they turned to leave, Starswirl held up a hoof, “Just a minute!” he chirped and hurried into a back room, returning a moment later, stuffing something into a pannier, “Right-o! Let’s go kick some flank!”

Rush winked at Celestia who rolled her eyes with a sly grin. Somehow, he had the impression she was enjoying this too.

The trio walked along the palace’s numerous tall ceilinged corridors, watching in silence as ponies balked, gasped, and generally dove out of the way before bowing low to their Princess. Rush kept his head up, sporting his new clothes which they’d collected on the way to the throne room. The enigmatic Starswirl however, was wearing his usual bell edged cloak and hat - the ‘classic look’ as he had told Rush. Celestia herself was wearing her crown, gorget, hoof covers and white robe emblazoned with purple and gold trimmings, looking every part the ruler of Equestria and the Princess of the sun. By the look of shock on the faces of the guards and the ponies around them, more than a few must have believed the stories of her ‘murder’, oddly enough by the very pony walking along side her. Rush smiled to himself; all of this felt so surreal, as though it were dream and yet at the same time frighteningly real to the point he could feel every hoofstep, sense every stare, even hear the heartbeats of those around him. Maybe it was an effect of being near the Princess, or perhaps just his imagination. Whatever it was, he felt as though he was going to explode with the unusual feeling of pride that burned through him. If ‘clothes maketh the man’ as he used to be told, they sure as hell made the stallion.

The doors to the throne room towered above them. Either side, guards in gold burnished armour watched them approach with wide eyes. Celestia stopped and looked at them each in turn,

“Gentlecolts…”

The guards bowed low, turning to open the doors, however as they did so a rather familiar tail and rump appeared, slipping backwards out of the door,

“I’ll do it at once you excellency, and…EEP!”

Celestia smiled gently, “Hello, Chancellor.”

“P…P…Princess!” the mare squeaked, “I…we…that is…”

“Don’t trouble yourself, my child,” Celestia said gently, “please, you look a little flustered. Pray, take a seat and rest yourself; I shall be speaking to you...soon.”

Rush grimaced at the word ‘soon’. Unfortunately, so did the Chancellor who had gone a peculiar shade of green. He looked up at Celestia whose expression was as gentle and calm as the surface of a mill pond, but it was what was beneath it, that heat of the sun’s wrath, that made him swallow.

The doors swung open.

“…with the Princess in absentia, I shall of course accept the terms laid out Duke Fringe. I trust this will help garner more, shall we say, mutually profitable deals between our two…” Pot Ash’s words were drowned out in the general hubbub that was growing at an irritating rate at the far end of the throne room. The tan coated stallion clucked his tongue and clopped his hooves together, “I SAY!” he bellowed, “What the blistering hell is going on back there!” He looked about himself angrily, “Guards! Find out what all the commotion is and get some bloody order back in here will you.”

The guards bowed and turned to face the throng of ponies that had surged forward towards the doors and now were parting just as quickly, retreating as gently as a wave lapping against the shore. From within, like some Goddess from the waters of a mountain lake, the shining white alicorn of Equestria strode forth: noble, proud, and radiating power that made Pot Ash’s legs quiver involuntarily. Quickly, he stepped down from the velvet stool he’d been sitting on and bowed,

“Your Majesty…”

“Pot Ash” Celestia said politely, and nodded to the two maids standing beside the throne. Quickly, they hurried up the steps and unclipped the Princess’s robe before she took her seat on the golden throne. Rush couldn’t help but feel a slight flush of pride, but also…poor Pot Ash...he looked like his world had just fallen out of his backside.

“Y…Your Majesty” the stallion stammered, “By your leave…” Pot Ash bowed and began retreating.

Celestia lifted a hoof, “Oh, don’t leave on my account, Lord Ash” she said with a level smile, “After all, you have been looking after the kingdom ‘in absentia’ have you not? I should very much like to hear what has been happening whilst I have been away.”

“I…um…” Pot Ash swallowed, “Well, the, er, the northern territories have erm…”

There was a sudden commotion from the group of ponies standing by the throne room doors. The newcomer, a brown and white mare with pink eyes and a flowing black mane, pushed forward through the crowd as if they were as substantial as mist. Rather than protesting, as Rush expected, the massed nobles stepped back as if the poor creature were likely to explode at any moment. But this was no common pony; she walked tall, her gait and form one that spoke of a family that commanded respect amongst ponies. Awkwardly, Rush suddenly felt oddly inadequate. The mare approached the throne and curtsied,

“Your Majesty.”

“Lady Copper Flow.” Celestia bobbed her head, “You wish to speak to me?”

The mare’s eyes flashed dangerously, locking onto the distinctly uncomfortable form of Pot Ash,

“Your Majesty, I wish to inform you of a situation developing on the borders with our lands.”

“Oh?” The Princess raised an eyebrow, “Please, continue…”

Pot Ash coughed loudly, “No! Wait, look, it’s not how it looks, I-”

Celestia stopped him with the merest flick of a hoof, “Please, Lord Ash, you shall have your turn. For now, it is Lady Flow’s time.” She nodded towards the mare, “Lady Flow, please, continue.”

“Your Majesty, I must inform you that I have been receiving reports from my outlying farms that a Yakistani army is massing on our borders in flagrant violation of the Blotting Pad Accord.” She raised her head, fixing her gaze upon Pot Ash, “I have heard disturbing rumours that our lands have been…” she took a breath, “bargained away, like some prize in a Llamalian bazaar! I have been waiting to speak to Lord Ash about this matter for days, but as he has consistently declined to address my concerns, I should like to ask Your Majesty if there is any truth to these rumours?”

Celestia turned to the tan stallion beside her, her face completely neutral, “Lord Ash? Would you like to add anything at this point?”

“I…I er, it isn’t how it looks!” he sputtered.

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed, “Yes, you said that before.” She cast her gaze around the room and caught sight of the two creatures Pot Ash had been conversing with when she came in. The two hairy creatures stood watching her with a sense of arrogance that made Rush’s hooves twitch towards his sword.

“Ah, our friends from the snowy lands of Yak Yakistan” the Princess smiled, “Duke Fringe and Lord Plait, wasn’t it? Please, I believe you may be able to help clarify this matter for me?”

Surprisingly boldly, the thickly haired and gold bedecked creatures approached the foot of the steps to the thrones, watched carefully by the guards. Rush subconsciously shifted his weight, readying himself – he wasn’t familiar with these…things…but he wasn’t taking any chances, and neither it appeared were the nobles, several of whom flicked coat tails away to reveal swords. Rush raised an eyebrow in surprise: some of them even looked like they knew how to use them too.

One of the yaks snorted loudly and spoke in an equally loud voice, thick with an accent that had Rush straining to understand what he was saying,

“Lord Pot Ash has given us land that belongs to Yaks now.” He gestured towards his colleague who produced a scroll from his pannier, “Blotting Pad Accord is lies! Charcoal Valley belongs to Yaks, has always belonged to Yaks.”

“And I presume that there has been some sort of,” Celestia tapped her chin thoughtfully, “shall we say, ‘recompense’, for this carving up of our land?”

The Yak nodded, “Ice gems.”

“Ice gems…” Celestia took a breath and chuckled, her voice lilting and feminine, floating our across the throne room.

Rush closed his eyes; the silence was so complete you could have heard a pin drop.

“You use ice gems in the production of Tangleberry Gin, do you not, Lord Ash?” the Princess asked quietly.

Lord Ash said nothing.

“A quite expensive commodity” Celestia continued, “Prized amongst the Llamalian and Griffin communities I understand. Quite,” she said with a sly smile, “delicious indeed.” She motioned towards the scroll, “May I see it gentlecolts?”

The yaks stared at each other for a moment and then nodded before one of the court ushers collected the scroll from them and passed it respectfully to the Princess. Held in the golden glow of her magic she read it in silence before shrugging demurely,

“It all appears to be in order” She said. Beside her, Pot Ash looked as though he was going to faint. “However, there is one small issue.” Celestia tapped the scroll with her hoof, “You see, the bartering away of any part of Equestria can only be ratified by the reigning monarch, who is…I believe…me.”

The yaks glared at Pot Ash and then back to the Princess. The larger of the two, the one Celestia had earlier identified as ‘Duke Fringe’, huffed irritably and shook himself, making the golden chains and armour plates along his back rattle alarmingly,

“You say agreement fake?”

“Not fake” Celestia corrected gently, “Incorrect. I’m afraid gentlecolts, that your ‘agreement’ with Lord Pot Ash, is as vacuous as the space between his ears.”

The yak shook his head, “Agreement has been signed, pony Princess. Your stallion made his mark and our people are ready.” He narrowed his eyes, “Yaks always ready.”

“Yes, I’m sure they are” the Princess said calmly, “Please, gentlecolts, allow me explain something to you.” Slowly Celestia rose from her throne and shook out her wings before settling them back by her side, “My people are still recovering from a brutal war which ravaged our land. Of course, your people know this, don’t they?” She watched the reactions of the Yaks carefully, “It would be true to say that our army is not as strong as it once was, after all, most of our soldiers have returned home to take up less…’aggressive’ occupations.” The Princess stared up at the floating treaty, “They fought hard for the peace we have enjoyed these last few years - a peace that flowers upon the fields sown with the blood of many of my sons and daughters.” Celestia closed her eyes, letting her magic flow out and around her, “Perhaps you have heard of the wendigo, hmm?”

“We know of wendigo” the yak said in its heavy tones.

Celestia nodded, “Yes…yes you would have, wouldn’t you.” Her horn began to glow brighter, stronger, “When the wind whistles through the mountains, when you look up to the clear blue sky and watch the clouds drifting by, you may hear still the echoes of those who once lived there: the ones who once dared to invade our home and take the lives of our people.” Celestia’s eyes burned like the centre of the sun,

“There are no more wendigo.”

A burst of golden light consumed the scroll in an instant as everypony in the room held their breath, watching the ash slowly drifting down to the floor.

Celestia turned her gaze on the yaks, “It would grieve me for the same fate to befall your people, Duke Fringe.”

The yak snorted angrily, “You threaten us?” He growled menacingly, “You ponies are weak! Your magic not frighten us! Warlord Far Thunder has tired of your arrogance for too long!”

“Ah…” Starswirl suddenly began patting his pockets, “Has, erm, anypony seen…” He suddenly lifted a hoof, “There! Over there!”

A mouse squeaked and darted past the bottom step of the throne and between the yaks legs. The creature bellowed in fright and leaped back, drawing its sword.

“Watch where you’re stepping, stallion!” Starswirl yelled, “That’s Lord Gristle!” He dropped to his knees, “Lord Gristle! Come here! Damn it, watch your step everypony.” He looked around and suddenly sighed loudly, “It’s alright everypony! I’ve found Lady Trinkets, she’s alright!” He took out a wooden box and coaxed a small white mouse inside, “Phew! That’s one down, now we just need to get hubby and we’ll be…”

“What are those things?!” Duke Fringe bellowed, “Lord Gristle? That…that the name of…”

“Oh, didn’t you know?” Starswirl said with an embarrassed grin, “Slight mishap with a magical spell dontcha know.”

“A slight mishap?!” the yak cried out in horror, “He the Llamalian representative!”

“Well, yes, I rather suppose he is” Starswirl said offhoofedly, “I guess we’d best find him quickly then and get the two re-acquainted. I’m sure Lady Trinkets is missing him.”

Duke Fringe jumped back as a small white blur shot past his hooves.

“You mad! All of you…mad!”

“Now I don’t think that’s fair!” Starswirl replied with a toss of his mane, “It’s not like we turn every pony into a mouse.” He lifted a hoof encouragingly, “If you want, I can show the spell which-”

“NO!” the yak shrieked, “No mice!” He backed up towards a column, “Yaks leave now!” The creature desperately tried to compose itself. Rush smirked; it was quite impressive really, in a bizarre sort of way. “Far Thunder will hear of this!” Duke Fringe shouted, “You have not heard the last of this!”

“Oh, I think we have” Celestia smiled, “I really do.”

“Tia?” Rush whispered, “Are you sure about this? I don’t know anything about yaks, but those two look like they have a mean streak a mile wide.”

Celestia smiled, “I’m sure.” She spoke quietly, but just loud enough for her voice to carry, “Yak’s are powerful warriors, of that you can have no doubt. What they lack in intelligence, they make up for in brute strength. But there is one thing that yaks fear…”

“Other than mice?” Rush chipped in cheekily.

Celestia chuckled, “More than mice.” She turned to the ponies before her, “They fear magic. Not just the magic of the unicorn, but the magic that lies within us all, the magic that binds us as one nation - one people.” With a snap, the Princess’s wings spread wide and she floated into the air surrounded in a glow of golden light, “I know Warlord Far Thunder, and I know his mind well. Licking our wounds from that awful war we may be, but we are not cowed by his threats, nor are we frightened by his posturing. Others have threatened us in the past, others have thought us to be little more than mere prey animals to run away and die like cowards in the dark.” The glow intensified, as bright as the sun, its heat warming the hearts of all it touched, “The yaks will find, as any enemy of Equestria will find, that our homeland is like the sun itself: welcoming all beneath its life giving warmth, but stray too close, and not even the carrion will find enough left to feast upon other than your withered bones.” The Princess’s eyes burned with an intensity that made Rush’s skin quiver…

“I hereby declare, that if the yaks dare take one step inside the borders of Equestria, then they will have ignited a fire that I assure you, will never go out - not until every single yak, adult or foal, bows before their Equestrian Princess.” Celestia leaned forward, staring into the eyes of the yak lord, “And if they will not bow to a Princess,” she growled, “then they shall cower before a Goddess!”

Every pony, every stallion, mare, lord and lady, bowed low as Equestria’s leader landed soundlessly before the twin thrones,

“My people, I am leaving Starswirl in charge in my absence. I shall be away for a few days to deal with matters of a personal nature.” She shook her rainbow mane, the golden glow of magic dissipating from around her as her eyes returned to their normal deep purple hue, “Do try not to encourage invasions or sell any more of Equestria whilst I am away, hmm?”

Lord Pot Ash bowed so low, he looked as though he were trying to eat his way through the marble.

“I suggest you leave” Celestia whispered to him, “If I ever see or hear of you again, being turned into a mouse will seem like a gift from the herd compared to what I will do to you.”

With a squeak, Pot Ash jumped up and bolted for the exit, nearly knocking several of the nobility flying as he went. Rush watched him go, shaking his head in amazement. He turned to see Celestia give him a wink, her voice a bare whisper in his ear,

“Flawless victory.”

There was a scandalised collective intake of breath from the assembled ponies, leaving Rush blushing furiously amidst a sea of open mouths and disbelieving eyes. Did she…did she just kiss him? By the Goddesses, she did! The Princess just…

“I will say this once, and once only” Celestia announced suddenly, “Rush is Royal Consort and as such you will afford him the same level of respect as you do me. I do not expect all of you to like this, and neither do I care.” She paused to make sure she had everyponies attention, “You will of course take note that there are only finite places within Canterlot, and indeed, the palace court.” Celestia smiled, “There are always others waiting to take positions that are, shall we say…surplus to requirements?”

Keeping her head high, the Princess strode from throne room, leaving the still bowing figures of the nobles behind her. Outside the sun was shining, the trees rustling in the faint breeze that wove its way around the battlements and towers, lifting the flags and pennants of the palace of the Princess of the sun. Rush felt his heart soar, partly due to the pride he felt in being part of the life of such a magnificent mare as Celestia, but also, privately, in himself. A pony often wracked with self doubt - to be with his mare now, just to walk by her side – he wouldn’t swap it for the world.

The two walked in silence for a way until Celestia glanced over at the brown pony by her side, “You look very handsome.” Tia’s smile made Rush stumble over his own hooves and he prayed she hadn’t noticed. He tried to ignore it and just bobbed his head,

“Thank you” he said quietly, “That means a lot to me.”

“Mmm!” Celestia grinned, “It should; the consort of the Princess needs to look his best. Although, I have to say, the more…’rustic’ Rush, is not without his particular charms.”

Rush laughed, “And dirt!”

“Perhaps” the Princess said quietly, “But there is something you’ve overlooked, isn’t there?”

Rush furrowed his brow, “Is there? You’ve lost me.”

Celestia stopped suddenly, motioning to her cloak, “Perhaps you ought to pay a little more attention to details, my reed cutting stallion.”

Beneath that long, white, elegant neck, pinned to her chest, sat a small brooch: a sprig of lavender worked in gold and silver, inlaid with tiny purple gems the colour of her eyes. Rush’s heart leaped; she’d found it! How did she…?

“I…I hope you don’t mind” she said quietly, “I know you probably meant it as a surprise, but it’s so beautiful, so delicate…I wanted to wear it,” she blushed and looked away shyly, “for you.”

Rush swallowed as his eyes began to sting in the corners and he had to fight back the urge to simply let his emotions overwhelm him. Instead, he took a calming breath, stepped forward, and reached for her, gently lifting her face to his. Rush smiled, gazing into his mare’s eyes,

“No jewel can compare with you, Tia. All I wanted, all I ever wanted, was to see your smile.”

Celestia took Rush’s muzzle and kissed him tenderly before leaning in to hold him closely, her wings quivering in time with her beating heart, “You always make me smile” she said nuzzling him, “Always.”

The two of them walked out onto the large raised white stone landing area that was provided for sky chariots. Rush had seen them before of course; it was hard to miss them, the way they effortlessly flew over Canterlot, some carrying ponies, others cargo of various kinds – including, more recently, himself. Today however, the sky chariots would have a different pilot to the usual pegasi: the Princess herself, and a certain earth pony who had only ever been off the ground once in his life, and that was an experience he didn’t want to repeat! Rush stared behind them at the ground dwindling away as they flew higher and higher at a stomach lurching rate. His knees shook and felt about as strong as rubber bands; and he felt sick too, in fact, he was going to be sick! Rush grabbed the railing and gulped air,

“Oh no…” he gasped, “no…no, no, no!” Oh Gods, this wasn’t happening! He hung desperately onto the railing for dear life, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to think of something, anything, other than the long drop through open air, with the sudden sickening…

“Rush, look at me, not the ground, yes?” Celestia called to him above the wind noise, “Focus only on me.”

“I…I can’t!” Rush choked, “I…”

“Rush, you’re safe! You’re with me, now.” Tia looked back at him over her shoulder, “If you fall, I’ll catch you.” Rush opened one eye in time to see the white mare giving him a wink that made him bark out a laugh involuntarily.

“That isn’t fair!” he shouted over the wind, “Anyway, why do we have to fly? I thought we could just ‘poof!’ there.”

“Poof?” Celestia laughed, “Even I can’t do that!” Her wings beat in time with the slight rolling movement of the chariot, “It’s not something I do lightly; if you don’t know where you’re going the result could be unimaginable.”

“I’m trying not to think about it!” Rush replied, “Do you think it’ll take long to get there?”

“No. In fact, we’re nearly there already” the Princess said, smiling.

“What?!” Rush opened his eyes wide and stared down at the wide expanse of forest far below. “How did we…?”

“Magic” Celestia grinned, “And a strong pair of wings helps too of course.”

“Hang on.” Rush said looking about himself, “The sun’s going down already. How long have we been flying?”

“Oh, a little while” Celestia said knowingly, “You were asleep most of the time.”

Rush shook his head, “No, I wasn’t! I…”

“Well, actually you passed out, Rush,” Celestia said with a shrug, “but never fear, my magic kept from falling out. Besides, you looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you up.”

Rush couldn’t believe his ears, “Tia!”

The Princess shook with laughter, shaking her head in amusement at the look of mock outrage on Rush’s face. He always seemed so innocent somehow, but so mature too that just a glimpse into those deep blue eyes would make her heart leap. A shudder ran down her spine; had she really spent these last few weeks doing nothing but work, and not had any time left to spend with her stallion? She sighed; she would have to do something about that, it wasn’t healthy for either of them. At least now she had a chance to spend some time with him, and speaking of which, she’d noticed a clearing below with just enough room for a comfortable landing,

“Hang on,” she called, “I’m going to take us down.”

“Are we here?” Rush asked in surprise. All he could see were trees and thick clouds in the distance.

Celestia shook her head, “Not yet, but we need to set up camp for the night. We can make an early start in the morning.”

Rush felt his hooves tingling as the chariot began its descent; he didn’t think he’d ever get used to this, but even so, he couldn’t help but marvel at Tia’s ability to fly. It was her wings that captivated him the most though, the way they beat effortlessly in great sweeps, drawing them through the sky as though the two were simply meant to be together. He could see her mane, a magical rainbow of colour streaming out across her back, and her tail too, almost within reach. He resisted the urge to run his hooves through it, despite the overwhelming urge to do so. Goddesses, what was wrong with him?! It was altitude sickness, that was it! It had to be! He took a breath and tried to gather himself; he had to stop thinking like this! Tia wouldn’t appreciate lewd thoughts, especially him ogling her shoulders, her elegant neck, the way her muscles moved beneath that magnificently smooth white coat - his eyes drifted to her haunches and the sunburst cutie mark, the same mark he’d seen on the banners around the palace. A shiver ran through him; he wanted so much to…to…

“Hold on, we’re coming in to land.”

Rush jumped in surprise, “Eh? Wha…Oh bloody hell fire!”

“RUSH!”

Celestia’s shout was lost in the crash of leaves and crack of branches, followed by a deafening and otherworldly roaring as the brown stallion plunged into the river. Struggling and thrashing, trying to orient himself, Rush kicked out and found, mercifully, the gravelly bottom not far below his hooves. With a few hard pushes and lunges, his forehooves bit into the gravel and he was able to pull himself up and out, just in time to see the form of a white alicorn running towards him shouting something. Stumbling onto the grassy bank Rush’s hearing was quickly righted with a vigorous shake.

“RUSH!” Celestia’s forelegs grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, “Oh Gods! Rush, are you alright! I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry! It’s all my fault!”

Rush coughed, spitting out a mouthful of water before sneezing loudly. His head span from the fright and sudden immersion into the cold water, but other than that, physically everything seemed fine. He looked up at her and shook his head,

“Hold on, she says…”

“I’m sorry!” Celestia stepped back and quickly began checking Rush over, “You’re not hurt are you?”

Rush shook his head, “Only my pride.” He grinned, “And I’d just had a bath too.”

Celestia hung her head and gave a gentle laugh, more out of relief than humour. What in Equestria had possessed her to let go of her magic right at that moment and…oh…right…she’d seen him, hadn’t she? The way he’d been watching her with those blue eyes of his; he’d looked almost feral…hungry… She shuddered.

“Tia, are you alright?” Rush looked into Celestia’s eyes, “You’re shaking.”

“I’m fine!” she squeaked, “I’m just…” the Princess took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Come on, let’s get back to the chariot and get a fire started. I’ll get some water on and we can get you cleaned up too.”

“Great.” Rush muttered, “With all the bathing lately, I should have been turned into a duck, not a pony.”

“Oh, stop it!” Celestia huffed, “I did say to hold on.”

Rush shook his head in dismay and began taking his clothes off, laying them over the sides of the chariot to dry. Fortunately there was just enough of a breeze and warmth in the air to dry them out fairly quickly, and also, him too. After a quick rub over with a towel, Rush checked his sword was undamaged before finally glancing around the clearing. His eyes went wide; it was full of the strangest flowers he’d ever seen – they were huge! Curiosity taking the better of him, he trotted off to investigate.

They were…strange. Rush lifted his hoof and touched one of the peculiar blooms, watching how it swayed, its bright golden yellow petals rippled in the breeze. Oddly, it didn’t have a smell, and felt quite firm to the touch, quite unlike any flower he’d ever encountered before. He nudged it with his nose; the tall leafy stems seemed to be covered in very fine hairs that tickled his muzzle making him sneeze.

“They’re called sunflowers.”

Tia walked up beside Rush and lifted a hoof, gently touching one of the colourful blooms, “Some ponies see them as weeds, but I’ve always found them quite beautiful really. Didn’t you have anything similar in the mountains?”

Rush shook his head, “Nothing like these. The mountain flowers tended to be small and fragrant, mostly appearing in the spring and summer. The village had a number of cherry blossoms and plum trees which bloomed each year though, and I used to go down to see them when they did.” He smiled sadly, “I wish you could have seen them…”

Celestia gave him a nuzzle, “I know, I do too.” She stared up into the sky and took a breath of the fresh forest air, “We have cherry blossoms here in Equestria, and plum trees too. When they flower, ponies often sit beneath them for family picnics, or just to be with the ones they love.” She opened here eyes and blinked in surprise, “Rush?”

The stallion smiled up at her, adjusting the flower in her mane, “It suits you” he said gently, “A little big, perhaps, but it matches your cutie mark – the flower of the sun, for the Princess of the sun.”

The Princess lifted her hoof and brushed the flower, closing her eyes as a shiver ran through her body,

“Oh, Rush.”

**************************

Night in the forest came quickly, with the sun dipping below the mountains and plunging the clearing into darkness. Fortunately for Rush, starting a fire was simplicity itself, with the application of a little magic from the Princess of course. Still, a fire required wood to continue burning and Rush soon found himself collecting a sizeable portion of deadwood from around the edges of the clearing which Celestia cut in sizeable pieces with a particularly impressive display of magic. Rush shook his head in wonder,

“Amazing” he said half to himself, “No matter how often I see it, I still can’t believe it.”

“It’s like anything, Rush” Celestia replied pleasantly, “Does a bird think about what it is like to fly, or a fish to swim?” She placed another log on the fire and checked the kettle to see how the water was coming along, “I was born with magic, as was my sister and the rest of my family. I sometimes forget how it must appear to non-magical creatures.”

“Hmm” Rush sighed thoughtfully. He adjusted his travel blanket and began laying out their bedding for the night, “I think I’m happy as I am.”

The Princess looked up, “Really?”

Rush furrowed his brow, “Of course. Didn’t you think I was?”

“I…I wasn’t sure.” Celestia chuckled and gave the fire a poke, “I wanted to think you were, but to be truthful, I was a little afraid to ask.” She gave him a shy look, “When you first came to Equestria, it was all so sudden, and with everything else that happened, I just…I just assumed that because you seemed to be so accepting of everything that you were happy in your new body.” She took a breath, “You were like a foal: innocent, precious, and you looked so fragile, I thought that if I even mentioned it to you, everything might somehow…change, like a bubble bursting.” Celestia shook her head, “I think I was just too cowardly to ask.”

Rush opened the picnic hamper and brought out a packet of sandwiches and – he inhaled – a packet of tea, and good tea at that. He lifted it up to her,

“Good?”

Celestia nodded. Rush leaned forward and checked the kettle. Satisfied, he lifted it off the hook and poured it into the teapot, quickly placing the lid back on. He smiled, inhaling the aroma of the freshly brewing leaves. It wasn’t blackwort, his favourite, but it was near enough - and company always made the tea taste best.

“Do you remember the first cup of tea we shared?” he asked. The white alicorn nodded as he continued, “You were the first equestrian I’d ever met, other than my mother.”

Celestia smiled, “You weren’t afraid though.”

“No” Rush said quietly, “No, I wasn’t afraid.”

“Why?”

Rush shrugged, “I don’t know. I think that perhaps somehow, deep inside, I always knew you would be coming…one day.” He shook his head, “Maybe it was the dreams I had of Equestria, the long evenings alone in mountains surrounded by miles of snow and forest, but…” he sniffed, “I don’t know, maybe my old mind was playing tricks on me.” Rush chuckled, “I often wondered if I was going round the bend - a human dreaming of being a horse!” He lifted a hoof apologetically, “Sorry! Pony…”

Celestia shook her head, “So, I know it’s a little late, but, how do you feel?”

Rush shrugged, “As cliché as it may sound, I feel…” he frowned for a moment and huffed, “Altogether…equine.”

Celestia burst out laughing, “I’m glad to hear it!”

Rush gave her a cheeky wink before checking the pot, “I think that should do it.” He poured out two cups and passed one to the Princess, “Look at that eye-hoof co-ordination, I’ll be writing with the best of them before you know it.”

The Princess grinned, “I found your note; it was with the brooch.”

“Oh” Rush blushed, “Yes…I thought you might.”

“How did you…” She shook her head, “No, I shouldn’t have asked, I’m sorry, forget I-”

“-I helped out in the palace apothecary” Rush cut in gently, “They gave me a, er…’advance’ on my pay, on the understanding I would work it off.”

“Work it off?” Celestia asked in surprise.

Rush smiled, “For six months.”

“Six months?!” the Princess gasped, “How much was this?!” She nickered and stomped a hoof, “No! Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know!” She sighed, “Oh, Rush, you didn’t have to.”

The brown stallion reached over to touch her and hesitated, twisting to make it look as though he were merely taking another sandwich, “No, I didn’t have to” he said, “But I wanted to.” Rush closed his eyes and took a sip of his tea, “It’s a gift for somepony who means more to me than I could ever put into words. Your wearing it today was worth far more than any price they could have asked.”

Celestia closed her eyes and ruffled her wings, “Nopony has ever bought me anything like that before…not in a thousand years.”

Rush frowned, “A thousand years? Tia, you’re a Princess, and the most beautiful mare I know; suitors would have been throwing themselves at you!” He blew on his tea to cool it before taking another sip, “I’ve seen the way those nobles look at you.”

“Yes, like breeding stock.” Celestia huffed and put her cup down, “They see me as something that would further their family’s influence, that’s all. I have had gifts, certainly: gold, silver, furniture and paintings, carpets and tapestries - the most magnificent and elegant objects from every part of the world.” She smiled sadly as she stared into the fire, “And yet it all came with a price…it always comes with a price.”

A slight pressure on her hoof made her look down. Rush’s hoof was gently touching hers,

“My gift came with a price” Rush said. His eyes met hers, “To see your smile.”

Celestia’s heart thumped hard in her chest, her breathing increasing and her ears feeling distinctly hot. She swallowed, “Rush, I…I love you.”

“I know” Rush replied softly, “I love you too.”

“You don’t think I look strange?” she asked.

Rush frowned, “What? What in Equestria makes you believe I’d think that?”

Tia looked away, “I don’t know, I just…” She sighed, “I didn’t think you thought of me…in that way.”

Rush chuckled.

“It’s not funny!” The Princess snapped, “I honestly don’t-”

“Tia!” Rush exclaimed, giving her a quick nudge with his nose, “You don’t understand; I thought that you thought that of me!”

Celestia nickered loudly, “No! I mean...” She gave her mane a shake, “Oh, Rush, I’m hopeless at this…”

Lying on his back, Rush stared up at the stars. The constellations were different here, but just as beautiful and ethereal as they had been back in the human world. He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. “Just say what’s in your heart,” he said gently, “I’ll listen.”

Celestia sighed and snuggled in next to him, “Do you mind?” Rush shook his head. “I haven’t spent much time with you these last few weeks have I?” she said sadly.

Rush leaned over and kissed the top of her head, “No, but I know why. You’ve been so busy lately I began to think all sorts of things.” He took a breath and rubbed his muzzle with a foreleg, “I know it sounds selfish, but I was starting to worry you’d lost interest in me.”

“I know.” Celestia groaned, stroking Rush’s chest, “I wanted to spend time with you, but my duties…” She huffed, “I’m not sure what I can do about it. They all pull me this way and that so much, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going sometimes.”

Rush ran his muzzle over Tia’s ear making her giggle; it was so soft, and wonderfully warm too. “You have ponies like the Chancellor who could share the burden” he said gently, “Why not have them do the more mundane tasks for you? Delegate some of the work. That would free you up to spend more time on important matters if you needed to, and have more time for yourself.” He smiled, “You can’t make the best decisions if you’re exhausted.”

“Hmph!” Celestia huffed, “You sound like my mother.”

“She’s an incredible mare” Rush smiled, “Like her daughter.”

“Wha…!” Celestia sat up suddenly, “You’ve met her?!”

“We’ve talked” Rush said calmly, “She seemed very nice.”

“Oh, I’m sure she did!” The Princess covered her muzzle with her forelegs and groaned, “Oh…mother!”

“Weren’t you going to introduce me to your parents one day?” Rush chuckled.

Celestia’s voice was muffled under her leg, “It’s not as simple as that! Can you imagine what it would be like? Mother’s one thing, but Father? ‘Father, I’d like to introduce you to my coltfriend, Rush. Rush, meet God.’” Celestia neighed loudly, “It’d be a disaster!”

“Oh, stop exaggerating!” Rush laughed, “Anyway, your mother seems to like me, which was a hell of a relief I can tell you.” He gave her a nuzzle, “Anyway, it’s bound to happen sooner or later. Something tells me I’m going to meet him one day whether I like it or not.”

Tia leaned across suddenly and grabbed him tightly, “Don’t talk about it!” she pleaded helplessly, “Don’t! Please…”

“Tia! Good grief, I’m not going anywhere!” Rush gave her a squeeze in kind, “Not as long as I’ve got you…my Snow.”

Celestia took a deep breath, and despite her worries let out a quiet laugh, “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard for a long time.”

Rush smiled, “No, but I suppose in some corner of my heart, when I look at you I still see that lost mare I found in the forest all those years ago.” He breathed in her scent and moaned gently, “I dreamed of being with you again you know, I prayed for it, but there was always that little part of me that thought…that maybe…”

“Shhh” The Princess lay a hoof on Rush muzzle, “Come on now, that’s all in the past.” She gave him a wink, “I’m here now, and so are you.” She looked up at the stars and smiled, “You’re right though; it’s almost like we’re back in your mountains, in the forest where we first met.” Celestia snuggled into him, “Just the two of us.”

Rush reached down and gave her ear a nibble, eliciting a groan from the white mare, “Just the two of us…”

Tea, forgotten and discarded, lay where it had been left. The two lovers, the alicorn Princess and her earth pony stallion, drew closer as the night fell around them - a dark blanket of silence to hide them from the cares of the world.

The sunflowers would never tell…

Comments

[supersport]

... About time. Their first time must have been hilariously awkward.

After all that they've gone through its nice that they've finally been able to sit and relax. For a little while at least because from the looks of things I doubt that will last.

Also curious as to the new relationship Rush and Yule will have, when he was imprisioned I did feel it was unfair however much of an asshole he was/is.

[DutchFeuer]

Hey, you got more chapters! wohoo!
I have been gone for a little while but it's nice to see you have a lot more chapters!

[Bluespectre]

7417711 Hi Modz, Hope you're enjoying the story so far. I'm going to try and finish the latest chapter this weekend. There's a couple more after that and the epilogue, so the whole lot should be finished this week.

By the way, did you get a chance to look at the first chapter of that story I sent you?

Cheers,

Bluespectre

[Fallen Knight]

“Rush is Royal Consort and as such you will afford him the same level of respect as you do me.

Rush is my Royal Consort?

Keeping her head high, the Princess strode from throne room, leaving the still bowing figures of the nobles behind her.

the Princess strode from the throne room

“but never fear, my magic kept from falling out. Besides, you looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you up.”

my magic kept you from falling out.

[Truthseeker]

Alright! A bit of romance, in the romance story. One thing bugs me: Yule. There are so many problems with him and NONE of them have been set right, yet the seeming indication is that everything is hunky-dory.