XI: Chayei Olam
One Year
It was glory. To simply feel the earth against her hands, to feel the dirt crumble and fall away as she lifted it away from the ground so it could be examined with the eye all the more clearly, trying to understand the components of the soil- and, more importantly, why they did not seem to be bearing quite as much fruit as of late. The ground felt healthy within her grasp, properly damp, while tender and fresh. No unnatural dryness or heat that penetrated deep into the earth where sunlight should not reach, but instead a coolness, albeit thin, in her hand. It was time for something to change.
A presence behind her and she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, the heavy warmth of it perfectly known without thought. A pressure felt against her cheek and he leaned in, examining it alongside her with greater intent than any mere Man should possess. Their time here, just as their time together, had changed him drastically. Slowly but surely, he was becoming something truly Other.
“It will have to be let go, for now,” Ford said, kneading the soil with his fingers and feeling the still-dormant seed within. “George has been harvesting the same crop here for too long. It is time to rotate the harvest.”
“I will let him know. Do you feel comfortable working on the rest of the field without me?” Celestia asked him.
“Easily. Though if you bring me water, I would not be displeased,” he said, kissing her cheek in thanks before turning to the rest of the unwilling soil with a hoe in hand. It would be a long and tiresome day for the work to be done.
Celestia placed the soil back upon the ground and wiped away the remnants from her palms before heading back to the farmhouse. Yes, she knew perfectly well she could use her magic to rid herself of her dirtiness- to even finish Ford’s task before it had even begun, really. But they had both firmly decided that it was time to forgoe such things, even if only for a little while. She did not mind the decision, really; working with her hands and feeling just as human as her kindred was something she knew little of, and to feel it in such magnificent places was more than she would have asked for. Adding to it was a freshness in her heart, a strength that had never before revealed itself. To allow herself rest –real rest- was something she had never known in all her many, many years. It was healing her more than time ever could. Though they had only been here together in this place for a year now, and she had done her best to keep track, it felt as wonderful as an eternity.
As she approached the once-miniscule cottage, she could not help but smile at the many renovations that had come along since their arrival. Ford, gladdened by the aid in building their own home, the couple had in turn gladly aided the aged couple in building onto their cottage, turning the homely place into a rather resplendent place. Adding in the success of last year’s harvest, George and Ford had found a way to turn a glorious profit. The once-aged cottage now looked glorious, something Ethel in particular was happy for.
A figure revealed itself at the door as she neared, a pair of teacups in hand. “And how is it out there this morning? Come, I’ve made you a cuppa.”
“Time to rotate the crops, I’m afraid,” Celestia replied, gladly taking the steaming teacup in her hands and taking slow sip. “The tomatoes won’t take this time around. Ford is pruning them now to see what he can recover.”
“Well, it was getting close to time, anyway,” Ethel remarked. “I’ll make sure to let George know, don’t you worry. I know Ford will be sitting there anxious to tell him soon as he gets back, but I’ll see it done. Like my husband wouldn’t bother asking anyway.”
Celestia laughed, a gentler-sounding thing than much of what had flown from her lips these past many years. “Have you heard from him at all?”
Ethel shook her head, showing no worry at all. “I would be more concerned if he did write,” she remarked pleasantly. “Doddery old fool never knows how to relax, even now that he has grandchildren of his own. I’m hoping Emilia will have the tongue to tell him to relax a little. Still can’t believe he took you two on as partners, knowing how he is about this place.”
The two woman relaxed together, enjoying the gentle warmth of the early morning as sun cast early shade over the scenery. Birds flew back and forth, calling out their pleasant banter in glorious symphony as the flowers of the field pock-marked the tidy grass and gardens of the farmyard. It was more than she deserved, Celestia knew, and that only added to its beauty.
“Ford took to the soil faster than even George did,” Ethel said warmly, stirring her cup about with a listless finger. “And George was raised on this plot. When I first met that young man I wondered if he’d ever truly find a place to settle down- but here he is, with that strong love of all things that grow. You should be proud of him.”
Celestia smiled, knowing just how deeply her husband had grown. Far removed from the trials and horrors of combat, her beloved had finally come into his own at last, more resplendent and glorious than he had ever been before. His weather-beaten looks no longer weighed him down like stone, nor did the grey in his hair seem a curse, but instead a blessing and a crown upon his features that no darkness could touch, and a smile always glowed within his eyes. Celestia was glad of it- and glad all the more that people could see it.
“You still seem like you’re looking for something, though,” Ethel added. “I know you’re more than happy to help your husband out here, and that you love farming as much as anyone, but it doesn’t really seem- well, you, love. Like what you need to make your own soul thrive isn’t quite there.”
Again, this place and its people pierced through her own soul like a knife. Celestia had indeed felt a small disquiet and longing in her, a quiet wandering across the plains as she sought out for something. “I have wondered what I would look like, in peace,” Celestia admitted after a long drink from her cup that left it empty, “Ford is happy and at peace. And for that I am grateful, eternally so. But I do admit that I seem to be seeking out something of my own, and I am not quite sure what I am looking for.”
Ethel nodded. “Your husband has a love of World in him- a desire for the things that Man can’t touch, for Man hurt him too deeply for him to love his own in such a way. But you, perhaps, have the opposite in you. You love the souls of others in a way deeper than anyone I’ve met. Maybe what you seek belongs with others.”
“How do you always know what to say to me, Ethel?” Celestia asked, setting her cup aside. “You are certainly not any older than I am, yet you seem to know so much.”
“Oh, when you’ve seen what George and I have, you know you need the time to figure it out,” Ethel said softly. “We’ve seen and done all there is to do- if it weren’t for this place, I doubt we’d ever know how to make sense of it all.”
Celestia’s curiosity was piqued. “Were you not born here?” she asked.
“Heavens no, few people are anymore,” Ethel replied. “We came here together as teenagers from- oh, a place I wouldn’t even know how to describe to you, really. But here we came, and someone came alongside George and I just as we’ve done for you. They helped us along and gave us this plot of land- well, right about the same age as you and your husband. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them, so heaven knows I’m grateful.”
Celestia leaned in, feeling her heart beginning to pound. “I want you to tell me everything.”
Ten Years
The night was crisp and clear, a perfect fall night. In truth, they had wished to spend it together with a warm cup of brew while enjoying the view, but to deny such an invitation, particularly from such dear friends, would have been discourteous.
The two, as they walked towards the village center, found themselves in the midst of an argument. Rather than the volatile, charged exchanges they had known in their early days, this was a more gentle thing, teasing and well-meaning rather than fire and fury.
“You could simply leave it behind and come back the next day, you know,” Ford remarked, watching as his wife struggled to stuff her knapsack full of parchment even as she walked. “I doubt there are enough visitors to this event that you would miss anything substantial. After, you’ve transcribed the stories of the whole town by now, haven’t you?”
“I am aware. But just in case, I want to have what I would need,” Celestia replied pleasantly, looking over her quills and ink she kept within a separate pocket. “George said his family would be traveling in from Namel, and I want to know what they experienced. They were born here, Ford- they belong to this place.”
“And I’m sure you’ll find the time to wring every last detail from them,” Ford teased. “Just remember that they are here for their father, not for your benefit.”
“As if I could forget such a thing!” Celestia, a creature of the day and light, still seemed to glow even in the coolness of the evening, draped in little more than a simple dress the color of the autumn leaves. She had been eager to have a reason to wear it, having worked on it herself under the tutelage of Ethel for the past few months. Her work was exquisite, something her husband had not failed to notice. “There are many stars above. Perhaps they could gain your attention instead?”
“Pardon?” Ford’s gaze could hardly bear to be torn from her, so great was her beauty.
She laughed, leaning over to kiss him gently as they walked together. “You still wear your heart on your sleeve. Not once do I wish it were not so.”
Ford remained confused even after her words, Celestia’s laughter only growing stronger as she saw the look of perplexity on his face.
In time, the sound of music and laughter began to trickle through the air and into their ears, the sight of Katser coming into view, the village pub brightly lit and thriving with life and energy, the sound of songs carrying across the gentle breeze to greet the latecomers.
“They have been at it for some time now, it would seem,” Ford guessed, a smile upon his face. “I expect Frank has an entire keg already emptied by now.”
“I expect Frank has emptied an entire keg on his own, really.”
It took them little time to make their way down the well-trodden road and into good company, many a shout of welcome greeting them as they opened the door to the lively tavern as ale and food were pressed upon them.
“The ‘Chosen One’ himself! Come on in, son, we’re celebrating you, after all!” Charles proclaimed, grabbing Ford by the shoulder and ripping him away from his wife’s side, the man red-faced and clearly tipsy. “Congrats to you, man, can’t say I’m not envious of ya!”
“Charlie! What are you on about now?” Ford asked, taking a courteous swig of his mug though gagging at the taste. Too bitter, Frank!
“Why, let George tell you himself, man- I don’t want to spoil the surprise, I don’t!” Charles guffawed, shoving the younger man in the back over towards a large group of folks before turning to his own ale.
“I see Charlie didn’t waste any time talking to you,” George said, surfacing from the rowdy crowd and helping Ford steady himself. “Always told him to take it easy when congratulating folk. Never listens to me, does he? Never did, even when I first met him.”
“Well, no one will ever say he is disingenuous,” Ford remarked, still feeling the pressure where the spirited man had shoved him. “But what was he talking about, George? I won’t say he was cryptic when he was plain drunk.”
“Ah, poor bloke nearly spilled the secret. Whole town knows, save for you and Celestia. Come with me, I want you right in the thick of it,” George said, rising to a table on shaky legs and calling out to the crowd. “Oy! You lot! Eyes over here and shut your gob, won’t you?”
A chorus of friendly grumbles came in response, and every eye and ear was turned to the now grey-haired, frail old man. The great farmer had endured much, and now found himself unable to stand and walk easily without a cane. Though his body had failed him, his eyes still shown with that same great compassion and wisdom that had led Ford early in their years here.
“Alright, you lot, you know I’m not getting any younger. Heaven knows I haven’t lost my looks, or my Ethel would have left me years ago!” George proclaimed to a hearty chorus of laughter, Ethel sitting nearby and giving the whole room a large shush of admonishment. “Well, now that my legs seem ready to give out on me, and with even some simple things getting a mite too difficult, I’ve decided it’s time for me to take a seat- for good this time. I’ll be retiring.”
The barely-contained fervor that had been present throughout the tavern suddenly became solemn, each member raising their flagon and hailing the great man with a toast, drinking deeply in his honor. Though his mind and wit still remained, it was one of the last great passages to be had; an admission that the end was indeed coming at last.
“Oh, don’t turn into a bunch of sops on me, you’ve got more heart than that!” George replied, garnering a laugh from his fellows. “I may be getting old but I’m not stupid. I’ll still be around, there for a word or a bite if you want company. But the old place itself needs a whole lot more than what I can give it. So what do you think I’m going to do next, eh? Sell it? Not a chance! We all know who’s going to take over from me!”
“George, you couldn’t,” Celestia whispered, her voice easily audible over now-hushed crowd.
The elderly man laughed. “Aye, girl, I mean it. I want you and Ford to have the farm. Heaven knows I wouldn’t have been able to care for it these past few years if it weren’t for you two. I’d be right pleased if you’d take it.”
“But your family- your children-!”
“They are well-established and happy where they are,” George said calmly, his eyes flitting to a woman who had just entered through the door. “And they would wholeheartedly approve of the choice. I’m glad to have you both here with us. I’m hoping that this’ll keep you here.”
Ford looked over at his wife, the two sharing a single look that clearly said: How could we refuse?
“Let’s hear for Ford and Celestia, shall we? One last huzzah!” George cried, reveling in the celebration before taking a seat at last.
The raucous crowd went well on into the night, the tavern overflowing with friendly folk and warm conversation. The smell of pipesmoke filtered through the air while flagon after flagon piled up on the bar as the more rambunctious and raucous of the crowd continued with their revelry. In the midst of the chaos were Ford and Celestia, sitting across from a long-married couple and their daughter that seemed to hold more love and warmth for them than they would ever dare dream of holding.
“Oh, don’t you two worry, I’ll be right around if you ever need a word of advice,” George said to them. “If you’d just drop off a little box for me and Ethel every morning, I’d be pleased.”
“We wouldn’t dare do otherwise,” Celestia said warmly. “And are you sure? I know Dorothy said she loved growing up on the farm. I’d hate to steal it from her.”
“You wouldn’t be stealing anything from me,” Dorothy said, holding her newborn child in her arms as they talked. “Ed and I are busy in Namel, working on the harbor and all of that nonsense. I’m glad you’ve been here to keep them company, truly.”
Ford bit his lip, struggling to contain his laughter as he watched his wife, her gaze absolutely fixated on the swaddled blankets that contained the young child, a still-infantile little bundle of life named Richie. She had been unable to pry her gaze away from the young creature ever since the two women had been introduced, occasionally giving a jump of delight at even the smallest movement within the blanket.
Dorothy, to her credit, had not failed to notice. “Would you like to hold him?” she asked.
“Oh! I- I wouldn’t mean to be a bother,” Celestia stammered. Ford openly laughed, astounded by how suddenly she had become so flustered.
“It wouldn’t be a bother at all. Go on,” the other woman said, and Celestia ever-so-delicately took the swaddled bundle of baby from the woman’s arms and held it close.
As Celestia held him close against her chest, Richie gave a little yawn and looked up at her with sleepy eyes, perhaps wondering what had caused the sudden change of surroundings. When his gaze fell upon Celestia and her rainbow hair, he gave a small little gurgle of laughter and returned back to sleep, turning inwards to her as his breathing returned to a gentle flow, utterly content and at peace with the world. Celestia’s heart turned inside her, a sudden softness she had never before known suddenly finding life within her. She had never held such a young creature in her arms, nor seen such a precious thing in all her many days in the world. A fragile thing, so vulnerable and dependent on those around it. As she looked upon that child, Celestia wondered if a new part of her heart had just been found, and she could not find the strength to look anywhere else but on its peaceful face.
Ford stifled laughter as he watched his wife, she utterly absorbed in the blanketed bundle that dozed in her arms and oblivious to the world around her. “Uh, Celestia? She will want her baby back!”
“Mm?”
“Tia,” Ford teased, poking her in the head until at last she reacted. “Tia, I think Dorothy will need her baby back.”
“Oh! I- I am sorry,” Celestia stammered, handing over the child albeit unwillingly, a great change in her expression unlike anything her husband had yet seen, clear to all those around her.
“It’s no problem at all! Again, thank you for being such good friends to my parents,” Dorothy said, sliding out of the booth and giving one last bow. “Sorry, but we’ve been traveling most of the day and Ed and I are exhausted. I’m going to head on to the cottage and get some rest- I’d be glad to see you both tomorrow!”
“Bye, sweetheart!” George called.
“Bye,” Celestia echoed, her heart following the young woman as she left the tavern.
Little was said the rest of the night by the beautiful princess, Celestia’s mind worlds away from the here and now as she dwelled upon other things. Even her husband’s best efforts to gain her attention proved fruitless, and Ford simply shrugged his shoulders in defeat. Eventually they decided to retire for the night, heading back to their small cottage as the party continued on.
“You’ve been quiet this evening, haven’t you?” Ford inquired, knowing full well what was on her mind. “Are you perhaps catching a small illness?”
Celestia said nothing, a pained expression of longing vividly clear on her face.
It was of little surprise when it came. Almost as soon as Ford had closed the front door she was on him, kissing him madly as though possessed, entranced by the mere sight of his flesh. Amused as he was delighted, Ford did his best to reciprocate, taking her in his arms and holding her gently as he left a trail of kisses on her neck.
“Got a bit of baby fever, do we?” he teased.
“I know it’s stupid,” Celestia admitted, though she was already working on taking his shirt off his shoulders. “We are immortal- we would likely outlive our own children- but Ford, I can’t stand it! Not for one more second!” She practically tore his clothes off of him as she continued her frenzy in earnest.
Ford laughed all the while, simply glad for the time he had been given. “Alright, so we’ll do it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure? Of course I’m sure!” he roared, deblousing her as best he could as she continued her romantic assault. “Let us make a family!”
Twenty-two Years
He was beautiful, a young boy on the cusp of entering manhood. He possessed that same ethereal beauty that so powerfully dwelled in his mother, and had been born with the calm demeanor of his father, the compassion and kindness evident in his eyes. He walked –no, raced out into the fields with his siblings in tow, Marianne and John doing their best to keep up, young John struggling to keep up as the complexities of running were still not fully in his grasp.
They are mine. My children, flesh of my flesh. I have children. Celestia could barely restrain her delight, her heart overflowing with joy at the sight of them running out into the wilds, their shrieks and cries of joy enough to make her burst. Of the many things she had expected to see in her lifetime, of all the joys and heartbreaks, this was not among them. Tears tried to spring into her eyes at the thought and she suppressed them, reveling in the moment of the now as she watched them play. This is not a dream, no illusion or spell. This is real, and it is mine.
“Mama! Come chase us!” Marianne cried, beckoning for her mother to join them in their romp through the grasses. “Come on, come on, hurry!”
“Yeah, Mom! Bet you can’t get us all!” Justus yelled, adding to his little sister’s taunting. All the strength and skill of his father, yet fully blessed with his mother’s cheek. “You’re just too slow!”
“Slow, am I?” Celestia asked, suddenly rushing forward and taking a squealing John in her arms as he tried to resist his mother’s kisses. “Well, I already have one- how long will it take me to find the rest of you?”
Justus’ eyes went wide and he raced away as fast as he could manage, the vibrancy in his young body seemingly granting him endless strength to run on and on, disappearing into the long grass with his sister following close behind, giggling madly.
“Say, you want to help Mama find your brother and sister?” Celestia whispered, holding her youngest tight as she leaned to his ear. “You’ll have to be really quiet, but I bet we can do it!”
“Yeah! Let me help, Mama! Let me help, let me help, let me help!” John cried.
“Turncoat!” yelled Justus from somewhere within the field, easily able to hear his sibling’s excited words.
“Ooh, your big brother’s all mad! Why don’t you go find him and make him pay for it?” Celestia said.
John gave a giggle and slipped from his mother’s arms, rushing to the grass before coming to a quick halt before he reached the thickest portion, suddenly walking along on tiptoe for fear he would reveal himself.
Celestia waited for a time, allowing her youngest to test himself. She had watched them all closely ever since they had been born, and she knew better than even her husband what strength that they possessed. She wanted to join in, to spend what time she could with them while they were still young; but now was not a moment to waste. She would be able to see just what they could do.
A sudden flash of light in the depths of the thicket, and a shriek that could have only been her daughter. Celestia crouched and took to the ground, even her hair barely visible above the grasses as she observed them. Any minute now…
Marianna suddenly flew out of the grasses with a rush, little more than a blur to the eye as she recoiled from her brother, losing her footing against a stone in the earth and coming to a tumble, head over heels before stopping at last. She checked herself over for bruises and scrapes, finding more than one and beginning to sniffle. She appeared ready to call out.
The time for mere observance was over. Celestia rose and walked over to her child, checking her injuries. “Do any of them hurt badly?” she asked.
“No, Mama,” Marianne said, her voice betraying the tears she held just in check. “I’m OK.”
“What happened?”
Marianne wiped her nose against her hand before taking the time to speak. “I went too fast,” she answered. “I messed up.”
“It’s a hard skill to practice,” Celestia replied, kissing the young girl on the forehead gently. “You’ll get it in time. Is that the first time you’ve used it?”
“No…” the girl looked away as though ashamed to meet her mother’s gaze. “When you went to Mr. George’s funeral last week, I tried…”
“How did that go?”
“I slipped on the stairs and fell out the door.”
Celestia laughed, giving the child a quick hug. “Well, we’ll just need to keep practicing, that is all. Are you any better now?”
“Yes, Mama.” Marianne’s eyes turned back to the thicket, watching as a great series of flashes and cries erupted from within. “He found Justus, Mama!”
“Yes, he did.” She rose to her feet, watching as the intensity of the bout only grew with each passing second. “John, Justus! No hurting each other, alright? I don’t want a repeat of last time!”
“Yes, Mama- ow!” The sound of the two boys tussling only grew in intensity until they suddenly were flung out from their hiding place and into open air, Justus able to prevent himself from falling on his face with a quick series of gusts that helped him stay airborne, with John just below him and shooting sparks from his hands until it seemed he held fireworks against his palms.
“Alright, that’s enough, you two!” Celestia declared, suddenly jumping in between the two before any real damage could be dealt. “John, remember- no sparks in the field, or else you’ll start a fire! Justus, you can get down now.”
“Aw come on, Mom, I’m not tired!” Justus floated along just at shoulder’s height, seeming to swim through the air. “I could go all day!”
“I bet you could. But you’ve been practicing hard every day now, so let’s not risk getting hurt. OK?”
“Aw…” the young boy settled down next to his siblings, his face clearly stating his desire to continue. “I want to keep trying.”
“After lunch, perhaps,” Celestia said, taking her rucksack off her shoulders and rummaging through its contents. Finding a thick blanket she laid it down, extracting a series of wrapped packages for the four of them soon after. “Come on, then. Time for a bite to eat.”
She knew them too well. In moments the three children were eagerly consuming their picnic meals, their faces too filled with food to consider talking. She, above them all, ate slowly of her own meal, plopping each individual berry into her mouth and savoring the taste. A treat from their latest harvest, and somehow better than even last year’s. Whether it was the soil, Ford’s skills in farming growing stronger, or simply coming to belong to this place even more she could not imagine. But for every day, every moment she spent here, the more alive she found she had become. She envied her children, though mortal they were. They were strong, happy, and wonderfully at peace. They had been born here, were a part of the earth and its things; they belonged here more truly than she ever would, no matter how long they all would dwell here, and it was here they would forever call home.
“Mama? When’s Dad coming back?” Marianne asked.
“I don’t know. As soon as he’s done speaking with Mrs. Dorothy and her husband,” Celestia answered. “Remember, Namel is a very long ways away, and your father is traveling on foot. It will take him some time.”
“But he’ll come back, right?” She looked so deeply concerned that Celestia felt shame that her first inclination was to laugh.
“Yes, of course he will! As if he’d ever want to be away from you for long!” Celestia teased. “Your father was very close with Mr. George, so he wants to take time to make sure his family will be OK without him.”
“Will that happen to you someday, Mama?” Justus asked.
She wondered how true it would become. “Maybe. If something were to happen to your father or me, it certainly could happen.”
“Will it happen to me?”
“Not for a long time, at least,” Celestia answered. “You have something special in your blood that makes you strong, that lets you all do such wonderful things. It might just let you live for a very long time, just like your father and I.”
“That sounds scary!” John cried.
“What does?”
“I dunno- both!”
The rest of the day was spent among the things of the field, whether it be in the form of simple play or practice. The sun and its shadows grew long before at last Celestia declared that it was time for them to depart, despite the three children’s protests.
“But we’re not tired! Please, Mama, can we stay a little longer?” Marianne begged.
“No, not this time,” she answered, promptly earning groans from all her children. “Now remember last time, and how tired you all were. Let’s get home before the sun goes down this time- no buts, John, I can already guess that I’ll be carrying you before too long- so no. We’re heading home, and I’d say a nice bath awaits us all after all this.”
Justus pretended to gag, reduced to little more than a boy who hated cleanliness with all his heart.
Just as she had predicted, her youngest child soon ended up in her arms, peacefully nodding away into slumber as they walked back to their home, the other two trotting along just behind their mother’s shadow. With their help she soon had John in a bath, cleaning him with gentle care and changing him over into his nightclothes before settling him into his bed and kissing him goodnight. Marianne, always the daintiest of the three, positively leaped into her bath and began to clean herself, while Justus offered more hesitation, only slowly entering the water underneath a stern glare from his mother. It was of little surprise that Justus finished his bath in record time, while Marianne took her time, finally exiting the waters at her mother’s behest.
Soon after, the house was silent, save for what little sound Celestia made as she walked along through the main floor, occasionally pausing at the foot of the stairs to listen for signs of activity from overhead. A gentle rumble entered her ears and she knew it to be Justus, the lightest sleeper of the three. She smiled; if he was sound asleep then so were his siblings.
Finally feeling the tiredness in her own bones Celestia meandered over to her writing desk, simply plopping down in it with a sigh that escaped from her smiling lips. If she could she would have relived the day over and over endlessly until the very world came at last to an end.
As if I can’t do that easily now, she said to herself with a laugh, taking her quill to parchment and beginning to add to the growing tale. While it was till fresh was always her goal; it would not do well to miss a thing.
One-hundred years
Ford marveled at how his body still continued to grant him strength, even after all these years of labor on this earth. With every season came incredible work, increasing evermore until harvest at last came with all its chaos and freneticism, only for the cycle to come to an end and suddenly begin all over once more, new crops waiting to be planted and tended to. Yet even with all the strain, the long hours and arduous work that came with it, not once had his body come to fail him or lose its strength. He was as strong and capable now as he was the very first day he had ever set foot in this place.
The sound of footsteps on hardwood as his wife appeared at the threshold, a pair of drinks in her hand as she came to join him. “Thought you’d want something stiff, after today,” she said.
“Very much so, thank you,” he said happily, taking the offered cup of brandy and drinking deeply from its depths. “It was a long day today, if you can’t tell.”
Celestia nodded. “Three families arrived yesterday as well. Rosie –you remember, Clara’s granddaughter- sent them out here to meet with me. They’re glad to stay here and have work ready waiting for them.”
“Are they from this place?” he inquired.
“Strangely, yes. Came all the way from the north, up near Sheleg.”
Ford gave a start at the news, nearly spilling his brandy onto the freshly cleaned porch. “Heaven’s sake, Sheleg’s half a world away! What in blazes are they coming here for?”
“They heard of what’s been happening here, Ford. Just like the four families that arrived last month, and the two before them. Ever since-” Celestia paused. “… You and I told the children to be careful in how much they said. That the last thing their mother and father wanted was to be seen as something more than just, well…”
“Humble farmers. And a hard-working mayor, in your regard,” he said, raising his glass in honor of her title.
“If they had been mere folk like all those who dwell here it would have remained that way. But Ford, they’re all over a century old- and they hardly look any older than you or I! And what they are capable of,” Celestia breathed. “We never could have guessed just what they would become.”
“They’re your children- how surprised should we really be?” he said playfully.
“Some of it is mine- but not all. I was counted among the last of the Alicorns, but still old enough to remember the last days when my kind began to dwell among Man and see their blood become intertwined. Their children could inherit some of the powers, but not to this degree!”
Ford knew where she was leading but found himself struggling to heed her words. “Surely you’re not saying some of it comes from me?”
“All I want to ask is that you think back. Your family history, any of it,” Celestia said. “Something that might help explain just how extraordinary our children are.”
“I wish I could tell you as much as you wished, but I have little to say,” he answered. “The longer I’ve been here, the less of our old life I can recall. It almost seems like a dream, the first page in a much greater story…” he looked out into the fields and smiled, reliving a century’s worth of joys and triumphs in his mind. “All I have truly wanted from my life is here, beloved. What more would I want? Our sons and daughter thrive- they add to this world in ways we could never have imagined.”
“Do you really remember so little now?” she asked softly, her own thoughts drifting away like leaves on the water. In truth, even her long life had begun to fade in light of this resplendent place, the memories of what once was now so distant and darkened that to recall them all was more struggle than it would be worth.
“I… I barely even remember their faces,” Ford whispered. “All the struggle… I know my mother wasn’t born in Equestria, but that’s all I ever knew of her life before. They died before I’d grown enough to want to know more.” He sighed. “It just all seems so far away now. And so insignificant in the face of here. This is what we’ve looked for our entire lives and we found it. What more is there worth to remember?”
It was a string she wanted to pull on, but judging by her husband’s expression she would find the end torn and frayed. And when she knew similar questions asked of herself would come to the same result, what right did she have to be frustrated? Celestia gave a small sigh of defeat and sank down next to him, marveling at it all. “Two immortal souls who sired mighty children… it is a thing to behold.”
“And everyone wants to be near us, to see it keep happening,” Ford chuckled. “What on earth will we end up doing next? From farmhands to farm owners, to mayor and a village that has become a small city.”
“The population has doubled in the past year alone, Ford. Nearly one thousand people live here now- and they all look at us as though we are something so beyond them! Like we’re different!”
“And are we not a bit different?” Ford said, trying not to laugh at his wife’s words. “After all, there is not a scratch upon us, no wear and pain of the years. I can hardly recall how long it has been and yet here we stand, as fresh-faced and young as the day we rose from the sea and onto its shores. I would say that alone is enough to attract attention. After all, we’re hardly normal.”
“I thought that was our goal,” Celestia said. “To simply live happily with the time that we’re given.”
“And so we have. At least, we certainly tried to. But you and I are hardly the kind to simply let time pass us by. We ourselves are something new.”
“And everyone wants to be a part of it. To follow in our footsteps,” Celestia whispered. “What do you suppose they will ask of us next?”
Ford said nothing for a time, simply finishing off the last of his brandy before setting the glass down in a flourish, taking his wife’s hand in his and giving it a quick squeeze. “As long as I have you with me,” he said finally, “I will not find it in me to care.”
The years became decades. Decades into centuries. On and on their days went until all time seemed to span before them endlessly and every year was like a day before their eyes. Stories grew and flew across the world of an immortal lady and her beloved knight; how their songs lit up the sky with stars and made the sun shine brighter. That where their feet fell in their dances, one would find beautiful flowers or a bountiful harvest. So great was the lady’s beauty that it was said the light of a thousand suns glowed within her, and her smile was like that of a glorious dawn. So noble was her knight that all who proclaimed themselves valorous would come to fall at his feet in honor of his greatness. They were beings of great power and wisdom, moreso than any who had ever, or would ever, walk the Earth, for wondrous were their deeds, and great was their kindness.
Long ago, in those days, a great company of lords and nobles came at last to their land, finding a place of verdant green and joyous folk who seemed to radiate the greatness of their masters. This great company came before the Lady and her Knight to beseech them of their wisdom evermore: not as mere folk but as the king and queen of their land, for there were none who could be found that could match the grace of the Great Lady, nor the valor and compassion of her Knight.
At first, the Lady refused, wishing to remain with her husband in peace, but relented at the continued persistence of the noble company. “For us to have another ruler would place us in the realm of fools,” they proclaimed. “We shall have thee or none at all to rule us.”
And so the Lady became the Queen of the Sun, and her husband the King of the Stars, and great was the rejoicing at their ascension. Through them came a golden age, and the country flourished under their guidance. Gold and riches were found in the depths of the earth, while the many green things of the earth continued their bloom, the peaceful land transformed into a great garden. All Men and beast found themselves transfigured in those days, their flesh coming to glow in the reflection of their ruler’s graces. Villages became towns, towns became cities, and cities grew in might and gloriousness as the people were fruitful and multiplied.
Their immortal rule continued on and on. As their great days continued, so did more come to pay tribute to the Sun and the Stars, offering crowns before them in faith that they would, indeed, outlast them all. The world turned ever on, and great Ages passed before the eyes of countless souls, but still did the Queen and King remain, ever stalwart and watchful over their flock. No anger escaped their lips, nor bitter words of grief or pain, for in them was Light, and no darkness could be found.
Mighty beneath them were their kin, great sons and daughters of Light, who aided their mother and father in their rule. Glorious were they to behold, and fairer than that of any Man. Though finite in life and strength, still great were they among all other Men.
And so it has continued even to this day, a resplendent rule beneath the greatest Queen that shall ever be known, for no other came before them, and none shall there be after. Aided by the King, our Queen rules in eternal Light, and the sorrow of elder days has passed away. For these are the days of light, and in light there can be no darkness.
She awoke with a start, the depths of the night so thick it were as though a blindfold had been taken to her eyes. Every breath was a gasp as though she had just run a marathon, her chest heaving with the effort. Her mind flickered this way and that in the hopes of recollecting what had been just forgotten. Had it been a nightmare? A dream, a vision?
No. She felt the call upon her heart as clearly as though she had heard its cry in that very room. Slowly, so as not to wake her husband, she crept silently over to the window and stared out into the darkness, feeling her eyes drift away and towards that place where she had once traveled, so long ago that only she had been left to hold the memory of it. None ventured there, none knew of its contents. But she knew, and fool would she be to deny it.
A rustle of bedsheets met her ears, and soon the comforting pressure of her husband’s arms around her were felt, she knowing full well it was not her actions that had awakened him. He, too, now felt its call, and loathe were they to answer it.
“It’s opened at last,” he said, his voice so heavy with sorrow that if it were a spear it would have pierced his very soul. “After all this time…”
“I think it has. No- no, I know it has,” she said, moved to weeping by the intense pull on her heart. “I wondered if it would ever really happen, it has been so long.”
“I don’t want to go,” he said. “We have been here so long… I do not wish to belong to anyplace else.”
Tears streamed down her face as she, too, felt very much the same. But with each passing moment she felt the calling only grow stronger, and memories long forgotten began to resurface, while the ones of this place were slowly beginning to fade. She knew that, in time, they would be lost forever, with only small fragments and moments of this resplendent land to be carried on in her heart.
“The time has come,” she said at last, wiping away her tears. “And we should not wait.”
“I do not think I could even if I had myself chained to the walls, and the key thrown aside,” he replied, his hand upon his chest as though the sensation burned his insides. “We shall be dressed at once.”
Celestia made to the door and found the guards at immediate attention, awaiting an order- only to be shocked by the grievous expression that now rested on their beloved Queen’s face. “Fetch the Crown Prince at once,” she said softly. “Tell him his father and I are in need of him immediately.”
Before the sun had even rose they were off, their rucksacks filled to the brim with food and supplies of a golden land, the loads upon their backs miniscule compared to the heaviness that now lay upon their hearts. Ford thought of his son weeping alone in their bedroom- now his bedroom, a lonely kingship passed to his shoulders. Celestia thought to all her children that had come and gone over the years and it was all she could to not give one last goodbye to every last one of them, even if the effort took an eternity.
Their journey remained dark, for the sun would not rise amidst such gloom; its Queen was departing along with the comfort and light of the night, and at last darkness had come to fall. Onward they pressed, heading deep into the mountains alone, at last coming upon a long-hidden grove where a wrought-iron gateway now awaited them, wide open and filled with whispers.
“There is no going back now,” Celestia whispered. “Only Sombra awaits us beyond this place.”
“And so it must be done,” Ford said heavily, the grizzled strength of the warrior slowly becoming part of him again. Though his vow had remained firm ever since those early days, and no weapon had found place in his hands, his duty to his beloved would not falter now. “We shall go to the end, whatever that may be.”
“Then let us be gone,” Celestia said miserably, knowing that if she waited a moment longer it would be too much for her soul to bear. Yet as she turned to press into the gate’s depths, she found herself brought to a halt- her husband still stood there, his sorrow heavy on his face. “What is wrong?”
“Even if we make it back to Equestria,” he whispered, “it shall never be home again. For here, in this place, is where we have come to belong. Even though this place merely a shadow of what we long for, only a brief glimpse in a darkened mirror. When that time finally comes… we will find a green place greater than this, and we shall belong there in full.”
Celestia smiled, her tears falling across her lips as she led him gently alongside her, the two waling forward into the brightness of the opened doors. “And there, beloved,” she said, “we shall never have to depart.”
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9818809
Currently dealing with a hurricane. A bit preoccupied, sorry.
9818868
If it weren't for the power being out, I wouldn't notice. I've been in tornado outbreaks worse than this.
When I started reading these stories I could not have guessed it would end up here. I know there is good amount of book left but here and now was something I didn't expect. let alone the journey and time just to make it this far. They made a whole new kingdom never and ruled it for centuries. Here I thought the 10 years just getting to the palace at first was a long time. I just wonder what will it be like back in Equestria if they ever get back. I know Luna will be there always to rule. Twi and Candace would have longer lifespans but I doubt they could go the thousands of years they would be gone. Tho time dose work differently in here but I still wonder.
I had a feeling that Ford wasn't going to make it to the end of the story and I still fully expect him not to. But he at least got the time he has now with his princess and that makes me a bit happier about it.
I know you dont write anymore here but I just want to let you know this story is a perfect example of something you didn't even need to have ties to pony. Even from the start by just changing a few slight names ans events it could be its own thing. Hell you could even adapt it to make it its own book.
I am now off to attempt to finish this over the next few days between work
10/10 so far
~Reggie
This is truly the best thing I have ever come upon.