vengeance at nightfall

by NightSugar pone

chapter 16

bittersweet memories

Nightshade trotted back up the stairs and quickly to the room that now held the map, the two guards had left already but Windbreaker stayed close behind her as they walked.

“who was that?”
He said as he picked up the pace a little bit

“that was Valour, he was one of my supporting allies but he tried to kill me a couple days ago, now we're keeping him at the close watch and he's probably going to get interrogated.”
Nightshade said, not missing a beat as she walked

“but won't word get out to his kind?”
Windbreaker said only sounding more worried

“I'm no stranger to keeping secrets, just because my appearance isn't one anymore, doesn't mean I've given up on keeping them all together,”
When they got to the room she quickly made her way to a shelf and grabbed a mahogany box with gemstones carved into the top and sides.
“and I still keep secrets like this one as well,”
She quickly flew over his head and out of the room
“tell your fellow gryphons to prepare to leave, I don't think it's as safe as it was now,”
Without hesitation, he flew off and to the rooms where they were staying. Nightshade flew back to her room and landed quietly in the doorway, looking in to see sapphire fast asleep on her bed but Metamorph was nowhere to be found. She walked over to the bed and gently tapped the little dragon’s back to wake her up when sapphire lifted her head Nightshade smiled and levitated the box into view

“happy early birthday sweetheart.”
Sapphire practically shot up when she heard those words and grabbed the box

“you remembered!”
She happily opened the box to see a necklace made up of vibrant and colourful gemstones
“mommy, are these the first gems you used for gem magic?”
She said as she looked away from the necklace.

“yes, I figured I could give you a gift that could not only protect you but be memorable at the same time,”
She motioned for Sapphire to turn around and she did obediently, and Nightshade began to put the necklace on her.
“I got rarity to make it with a soft inner lining so it's easier to sleep in as well,”
By the time it was on Sapphire was already on the brink of tears, and she quickly turned around you hug her.

“you're the best mother ever, I can't wait to show this to daddy,”
She let go of Nightshade and ran her claws against the large emerald on her chest and flicked her tail happily

“speaking of which, where is your father?”
Nightshade said as she looked at sapphire, and she happily answered her

“oh, he said he was going to go to his room and try to think about how to make you happy,”
Sapphire’s smile stayed as she stared at the gems.

“thank you, I'll be right back to tuck you in, don't use up the magic in the gemstones before than ok?”
She just nodded and Nightshade bounded out of her room and to Metamorph’s room and took a deep breath before knocking on his door. There wasn't a response but she slowly pushed the door open and looked inside, the curtains were drawn so it was hard to see anything but she noticed the pony shaped figure lying on his bed.

“Morphy? Are you alright?”
She stepped in slowly and walked up to the side of his bed

“I don't know whether I messed up or not, do you think that I was too harsh on your old colt friend?”
He didn't even seem to move as he said this and Nightshade just looked down.

“you were at first, but that's not the reason why I left, the reason why I left was because I needed some air. I knew that if I didn't stop you two you would end up killing each other, and the stress of knowing that I could lose either of you didn't help.”
She lifted her head and looked at him

“why is love so difficult to understand? I mean it's good but it can hurt, and I don't ever want to hurt you,”
Nightshade stepped closer and hopped on to his bed and laid down beside him

“because love is a battle, if you surrender too easy you may actually lose more than you think, and if you try to hold onto too much and don't think about surrendering you push them away. It has to have a balance, a harmony before it can truly be good,”
He turned his head to look at her and met her bright blue eyes

“how do you know more about the thing I need to survive?”
She shrugged and closed her eyes before looking away.

“I've been in my fair share of toxic relationships, they all ended in different ways but they all had similar causes; some were passionate but too close for comfort, others made me feel even smaller than I am now. But with you, I don't feel like I'm talking to a changeling or some dangerous creature,”
She looked back at him and smiled as she leant in closer
“I feel satisfaction in just being your friend, so being your mate makes me ecstatic.”
She leant on him and nuzzled his neck softly
“so please if you're ever upset just tell me, I will do the best I can to turn it around,”
He kissed the base of her horn and held her close.

“right back at you Nightshade, right back at you.”