Trials of A Princess

by Rose Quill

7 A Shaper's Fear, A Heartmender's Task

The Dreamer’s heart wavers and begins to lose its strength. The bones now show nothing and all my counsels have tested the limits to their knowledge.

The conclave has gathered, and two sets of unexpected guests will be here soon.

But will they help, or tip the balance over the precipice of ruin?

— Silverleaf, Cervyderian Shaman

***

We were lead to a large dwelling across the square overlooking a twist in the river. The interior was similar to the one in the lodging we had stayed at in the outlying village, but everything was far more opulent. A couch with a comforter thrown across its back was next to a low table along with several plush cushions on the floor. A pair of beds were set back into an alcove with thick quilts folded across the feet of the bed. There was an archway off to one side and a few vines crawled up into the windows giving a bit of color to the room.

Not long after we were led in, a pair of guards returned to set a tray of bread and fruit on the end table before stepping out and pushing the door closed.

“At least it’s not a cell,” I remarked as the guards withdrew, looking to Twilight. “Have you figured out a plan yet?”

Twilight shook her head. “I think there’s something else going on here, Sunset. Did you see the way Pine reacted when their ruling bodies stepped out? It was almost like he was afraid of that hart.”

“They did say he was just placed on the Triumvirate recently,” I agreed. “And our guides seemed rather taken aback that he had us placed in inhibitor rings. Like it was a betrayal of some sort of unspoken word of honor.”

Twilight nodded. “In a lot of tribal cultures, safe passage is mentioned as a sacred pact. To betray it is tantamount to sacrilege.”

“It’s more than that,” Pine grumbled as he entered. “It is also my personal word that they violated.” The buck sat down and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “While it is not unusual for us to have guests from neighboring lands, we have had disagreements arise from the cultural differences. But we have never incarcerated a member of another race for any reason.”

I tapped the inhibitor ring on my horn. “The evidence seems to point to the contrary. If you never needed to incarcerate anypony, then why do you have these?”

“I can’t explain them,” Pine grumbled. “I didn’t know we still had any left over from the wars. They’re relics of another time and I had thought that they had all been destroyed.”

“Obviously not,” Twilight replied. “Is there anything you can do?”

Pine shook his head. “The Triumvirate would not hear me. All I could do was get them to agree to hear our account during the forum.”

“So we don’t even get to be present at our own trial?” I deadpanned. “This sounds familiar.”

Pine sighed. “I have decided to speak for your release. We were sent to gather you as you were named in conjunction with the attacks. Since the last attack occurred while you were clearly in Canterlot, I doubt that Twilight Sparkle was the perpetrator. I believe then that she may be involved in clearing the events.”

A loud clamor rose from outside, and we all stood to look through the window towards the clearing. A series of boats were slowly making their way up the river. Inside were a group of deer with short blue hoods drawn up over their heads. The lead boat held only a single occupant beyond the crew, a peryton near the front.

“What is the big deal?” I asked. “I thought all the clan elders were coming.”

“They are not a clan,” Pine said. “They are heartmenders. They never attend convocations. This is highly unusual.” He turned to leave. “Please wait here, I’ll see if I can gain any more information.”

I gazed out at the approaching ships, feeling my wings twitch as frustration bubbled within me.

“I hate not knowing what’s going on.” I started picking at the fruit sitting on the table.

“I know you do,” Twilight soothed. “Nopony really does. But what can we do right now?”

“Wait until they decide to release us?”

She shook her head as she settled on the couch. “We can try talking about what’s going on. We might not wind up being able to figure out what’s happening here, but there is plenty of data for us to make some reasonable guesses.”

“What do you mean? We barely know anything.”

“We know that unknown creatures have been attacking. Presumably, creatures that are not native to this region. We know that a pony is often seen at the sites of the attacks.” She looked at me. “We can infer from that information that the pony is either behind the attacks or trying to prevent them and arriving just a bit too late.”

“We can also assume that this is a facade for an internal coup of the deerkin lands,” I supplied.

“That’s a rather dire thought process,” Twilight replied.

“This isn’t exactly a happy situation to be in, Twi.” I tapped the ring on my horn. “Inhibitor rings aren’t something to be taken lightly under Equestrian law, but they just happen to have a ring properly sized for each of us. That doesn’t strike you as a little too convenient?”

“They’ve known we were coming for a week now,” Twilight countered.

I felt my wings spread slightly as my temper rose. “And instead of giving us a chance to see what we can do to help, they block our magic and place us under watch! I don’t know about you, Twilight, but I doubt even Pinkie could find a bright side to this!”

“We’re not overly pleased of it ourselves,” a soft voice spoke behind us.

Turning, I saw a middle-aged Peryton in a rich blue robe standing in our doorway, the blue and red tresses of her mane were cut and styled simply, with her forest green coat and feathers blending with the grass she stood upon. She was also surprisingly short, at least in my limited experience of Cervid observation. If not for the voice and the way she carried herself, I’d have thought her barely more than a fawn.

“While we are somewhat concerned for the safety of our people,” the Peryton continued. “This is a gross violation of some of our more ancient laws.”

She glanced to either side before entering, the sound of her hooves on the floor nearly silent. Her cerulean eyes locked into mine and it felt like she was seeing through and within me at the same time. It was a bone-chilling effect.

“Uh,” Twilight said into the silence, at a loss for words.

“Oh, forgive me,” the doe babbled. “Sometimes I forget my manners. I don’t get out much. I am Heartshine, current head of the Heartmender’s Enclave.” She gave a slight bow, wings spreading to either side as she dipped. It reminded me of how we were taught to curtsy in drama class.

“There’s an enclave of Heartmenders?” Twilight asked when her brain finally caught up with her.

“Yes,” Heartshine nodded. “Presently there are some five hundred of us in residence either teaching or on holiday from our duties. We reside further into the Glenn. It allows us peace for our meditations.”

“Then,” I mumbled as I shook off the effects of her gaze. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see the two outsiders brought here.” She settled onto one of the cushions and fluffed her wings as though smoothing a skirt. “I wanted to see who was so dangerous that the Triumvirate would request two inhibitors when we have not made any in ages.”

“I’d hardly call us dangerous,” Twilight said. “We came on the request of Pine to help with the problem.”

“Though he did say that he’d arrest us if we didn’t volunteer.” I snorted. “Though I doubt it was his choice in the matter.”

“The young Shaper has his reasons,” Heartshine explained serenely. “His home was one of the first attacked while he was away on business elsewhere. He fears what would become of his home every time he sets hoof upon the road now.”

“And now his own system of laws are betraying him,” Twilight nodded. “He seemed unsettled at this treatment of us.”

The Peryton nodded. “As am I.”

She rose, approaching Twilight. The doe barely came up to her shoulder.

She held up a hoof. “May I?”

Twilight nodded, and the Peryton placed her hoof on Twilight’s crest, just below her horn. Her eyes fluttered closed while Twilight’s glazed over. A moment later, they separated and the deer took a shuddering breath.

“You’ve seen much in your time for one so young,” she whispered. She took a few more deep breaths as her hooves took on a light golden glow. “I understand why they crowned you a princess.”

She turned to me and held her hoof up again. I shied away slightly, unsure of what was going to happen.

“I won’t hurt you,” she assured. “I just wish to get a feel of who you are.”

“It’s not pretty,” I warned, voice barely more than a whisper before letting her hoof touch my crest.

Disjointed voices assaulted me. The words were garbled, warped as though heard from underwater.

I saw flashes of faces: Celestia and her disapproval when she found me in the library researching the mirror, Twilight chasing after me in the Crystal Empire, the cruelty I unleashed onto the students of CHS.

I felt the fire of the Elements of Harmony forcing me to face myself again.

I saw the Sirens, enemies turned allies. I saw my friends, all clustered around the Wondercolt statue.

I saw my sisters and my niece, the friends I made on this side. Starlight and Moondancer smiling from over the cover of books. Tempest shouting at young guard cadets as they ran through their paces.

I saw Sunshine, smiling on the hill where we first kissed, and the point of light within me flared brightly.

The landscape darkened, and I saw Acerak, Chrysalis, Sorla’s army marching forward in the swirling snow. I saw a blight snarling as a Phoenix swooped down. I saw Gloriosa as she transformed and Juniper as she was led away from the studio and at the counter of the movie theatre.

I heard a scream of anguish…

I staggered backward and collapsed, my head throbbing. I dimly saw Heartshine slump to the floor before I blacked out.

---

I was covered in blankets with a wet cloth placed against my forehead when I came to. Twilight was helping the Peryton to her hooves.

“What happened?” I wheezed.

“I’m not sure,” Twilight said. “She touched you, then you both screamed and were flung away from each other.”

“It was a…backlash.” Heartshine held a hoof to her head and winced. “Sometimes a memory or emotion is so strong that it resists being viewed. Pain especially.” She touched her hooves to the floor and the glow returned once again. As the light shone, the pain on her face eased.

“I need to rest,” Heartshine said. “But I will tell the gathered what I saw.”

“Why?”

“Our task is to help those in pain,” the doe explained as she left. She glanced back over her shoulder as she paused at the door.

“Yours is rather large, Princess,” she murmured to me. “But I cannot help you with it.”

I stared at the door for a long time after she left. I felt as though a spike had been driven through my skull and my heart ached at the memories that her touch had dredged up.

Twilight took a hesitant step forward. “Sunset?”

I ignored her, my thoughts miles away and centered on a specific mare.

Author's Note:

I'd like to thank my friend Heartshine for her allowance to borrow her namesake and her unique group of followers. You'll see a bit of her in coming chapters.

Comments

[Nick_The_Savage_174]

this just cranked up to 11!

[The Scarlett Mare]

I was kinda expecting the deer to realize that Sunset is the princess of Empathy and Compassion, therefore she might as well be a "pony Heartmender" and stuff
But this is good though I haven't pieced together why.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Pine sighed. “I have decided to speak for your release. We were sent to gather you as you were named in conjunction with the attacks. Since the last attack occurred while you were clearly in Canterlot, I doubt that Twilight Sparkle was the perpetrator. I believe then that she may be involved in clearing the events.”

Hopefully she will, the same goes for sunset. 🤞

“I hate not knowing what’s going on.” I started picking at the fruit sitting on the table.

Ditto.

“Though he did say that he’d arrest us if we didn’t volunteer.” I snorted. “Though I doubt it was his choice in the matter.”

Yeah, he likely had no choice but to do it.