The Golden Path 4
To her credit, Shadow made good on the impression she’d mistakenly given me as to what the evening’s activities would entail. ‘Twas enough that I was more than willing to forgive her for the lapse. At least, until such time as I could gain some advantage by reminding her of it. Just because I had forgiven her did not mean I needed to forget the wrong or surrender any chance of gaining recompense for it.
Howe’er, such concerns were for another time. For now, I was quite comfortably settled ‘gainst Shadow, enjoying her presence. Though I tried not to allow myself to be distracted by shallow physical qualities, ‘twould be a lie to say I did not find her rather muscular frame ... invigorating. Though in her case ‘twas helped by an engaging personality and sharp mind; a good body with nothing more is useful for naught more than passing pleasures.
I rolled slightly to the side to find a way to settle myself more comfortably, and spotted a pair of all-too-familiar eyes watching us from the darkness. I sighed, closed my eyes, and a took a slow, calming breath. “Midnight, did I not provide thee with a book to entertain thee until my return in the morning?”
My daughter nodded dutifully. “Aye, you did.” She held her copy of Meditations on an Ethical Framework for Good Governance. “I have finished it and now have questions. Per your standing rules regarding such matters, my inquiries are indeed of both utmost urgency and importance.”
Past experience taught me that my daughter’s definitions of those terms would differ considerably from mine own. Rather than attempt to explain that to her, I opted for a different tactic. “Midnight, what have we established about when thou canst enter my room late at night?”
“Only when there is an emergency,” she promptly recited. “Such as warlocks bashing down our door, intent on slaying you with vile magics, leaving your body a charred corpse and to take me away for foul sacrifices in the dead of night so that they might summon some dark god with which to terrorize Equestria.”
Ah, progress. Pity I knew ‘twould be fleeting. Otherwise I would not be having this conversation with her. “And is this such a situation, my child?”
“Neigh.” She started at me unblinkingly. “Howe’er, this is not your bedroom. It is Lady Protector Shadow’s bedroom. Surely you were aware of this?”
I let out a resigned sigh. Of course. In hindsight, I should have realized that Midnight would spot and exploit such a loophole. “In the future, observe that rule regardless of where I might take my sleep. Now, what didst thou wish to ask?”
Our conversation must have been loud enough to stir Shadow, as she rolled o’er with an irritable grumble. She opened her eyes and immediately spotted Midnight. “Ah.” That single word spoke volumes. Plainly she was all too familiar with my daughter’s late-night curiosity and utter failure to grasp that ponies did not like to be disturbed in the wee hours of the morning.
“I see Lady Protector Shadow is awake as well. Good, a second perspective is always valuable.” She held up the tome. “This book says that the best rule is by a benevolent absolute ruler. In the past, you said that the primary purpose of most forms of government is to arrange for a peaceful transition between rulers. How then do we ensure that the absolute rulers would always be both benevolent and competent?”
“Our current commander does make those matters rather less of a concern,” Shadow pointed out. “An immortal need not worry about transferring power.”
“That is indeed so,” Midnight conceded, “but is Princess Celestia not an anomaly? No other nation in all the world is ruled by one such as her. Argentium may be immortal, but she is more of a grey eminence ruling o’er a loose confederation. Other immortal rulers such as the Golden Path or Chrysalis of the Changeling Hive would hardly qualify as benevolent under e’en the most generous definition of the term. And of course, the problem of succession still weighs o’er every mortal regime.”
“So it does,” I agreed. “The false gods of Freeport were doubtless conjured in an effort to replicate the success Equestria has found under Celestia’s rule.”
“Though we say the effort failed, was the Golden Path so wrong to seek a ruler like Her Highness?” Midnight pressed. “If the best ruled nations are ones ruled by an all powerful benevolent ruler such as suggested here, then is it not logical for all nations of the world to seek to create such beings?”
“Perhaps,” I allowed. “But the false gods of the Golden Path are not benevolent, and most of their power is wasted when they scheme against one another. Regardless of intent, they are a failed experiment. Not only that, they expose the most obvious flaw in rule by immortals: the threat of stagnation. If the Golden Path were mortal, they would pass on and a new generation would take charge. Instead they linger on, fighting the same internal struggles for centuries.”
Though I was not foolish enough to say it, ‘twas hard not to also think of Her Majesty. While she might have eventually shaken off the lethargic melancholy that had once consumed her, she had remained within its grasp for longer than the lifespan of any mortal pony. If not for the war and the Avatar of Nightmare Moon, she might ne’er have shaken it off. Immortal rule preserved the ruler’s virtues, but also their flaws.
Shadow spoke, her tone making it plain she wanted nothing more than an end to the conversation and a return to her rest. “I am glad we could answer thy question, Midnight. I shall have one of my guards escort thee back to the tower.”
My daughter either failed to grasp the meaning behind Shadow’s tone or was simply so caught up in her curiosity that she did not care. She can be somewhat oblivious to the moods of others, but she is no fool. And damnably stubborn when in one of her curious moods. “So their error is that they failed, not that their goals are wrong?”
Much as I would prefer an end to the conversation, I had to correct her. “Their error was in thinking they could not find the answers on their own—that they needed some higher being to decide such matters for them. While Celestia rules us well and ably, ponykind is entirely capable of surviving her absence. Her Majesty has been gone for weeks, and we continue on much as we did when she o’ersaw us. We do not desperately scramble about, vainly seeking new immortals to replace her. Equestria benefits immensely from her, but we existed ere she was born, and shall continue after e’en she is gone.”
My daughter frowned, cocking her head to the side as she considered this. “So you think Freeport was wrong to make their false gods, e’en while you acknowledge that there are advantages to immortal rule?”
“Aye.” I felt my drowsiness fade away as my mind awoke to challenge before it. “Celestia is a queen. She guides us, and rules us, but she does not claim to be all-knowing. Gods tell their followers what to think. Celestia gives us freedom to decide for ourselves. Rather than seek higher beings to tell them the truth, the Golden Path should have found their own answer. Much as thou shouldst do, child.”
Shadow nodded approvingly. “Aye, consider all that we have told thee. Any further answers we might provide would deprive thee of the chance to find them for thyself.”
My daughter frowned and shook her head stubbornly. “But I still have many questions that are in need of answers. How will I know the correct ones?”
Shadow sighed and rose from bed, using one of her wings to gently usher Midnight towards the door. “I have every confidence thou wilt be able to uncover the truth.”
“And by finding them thyself, thou wilt grow wiser,” I added, opening the door so that she could hasten my daughter’s departure.
My daughter planted her hooves, passively struggling against Shadow’s efforts to remove her. “But what method should I use to uncover these great philosophical truths? Surely ‘twill be more effective if there are others I might discuss my ideas with? Mayhaps I could return in an hour’s time to share my conclusions with both you?”
Shadow and I shared a look, and she relented, temporarily releasing Midnight. “I will see if Gale can spare some time to discuss this with thee.”
Midnight paused, frowning thoughtfully. “You are certain ‘twould not be too much trouble? I would not wish to disturb her so late at night.”
Shadow shot an exasperated look my way, no doubt sharing my silent incredulity that she thought nothing of disturbing the both of us yet hesitated to intrude upon Gale. I swear my child goes out of her way to find ways to vex me. She is of an age where such behavior is far from uncommon.
If her goal was to vex us, then Midnight’s next question proved quite suited to the task. “I have a question on a different matter: you two share the same bed, but why do you not live under the same roof as most ponies who do so? The two of you have engaged in coitus for some time. Would it not be expected that you might wed?”
Shadow froze at the question, then displayed the rare sort of courage and leadership that had allowed her to guide the city through a long and brutal siege. Or rather, that is what she should have done. Instead she departed the room with unseemly haste to retrieve her daughter, leaving me to face Midnight alone. Clearly courage on the battlefield did not translate into all other areas. Though mayhaps I should not judge her too harshly. I would be happy to let her field the question while I occupied myself elsewhere.
I sighed and did my best to answer her. “Because Shadow must be with her clan, and I must be in my tower. We both have many responsibilities that would preclude such.”
Midnight frowned. “Why? Clan heads are normally expected to marry to continue the family line, and the great majority of Archmagi and Grand Viziers have been married. Surely thy ranks would not be an impediment.”
Vexingly, she was not wrong. Rank was naught but a convenient excuse. The truth, as it often is, was far more complicated. For one, there was the matter of Shadow’s son, Ash. The boy might be mine, but I could hardly be certain of that. He must have been conceived late in the war, at a time when I had bedded her but had no reason not to expect that she had other lovers. And if he were mine, she doubtless would have told me as much. ‘Twas entirely possible one of the other rumors was true: that he was the get of Rightly Doo in some final tryst, or simply the son of some unnotable stallion she took into her bed for a night’s pleasure.
Or mayhaps ... Shadow had o’ernighted with Her Majesty. I had ne’er found any proof that the two of them were lovers, but I knew from personal experience that Shadow could be discreet. ‘Twas hardly unusual for the lady protector to be in conference with Her Majesty late into the night, and it might be entirely innocent. Or it might not. The thought of asking Shadow to wed, only to be rejected and told that she preferred Her Majesty to me ... neigh, that would not stand.
Howe’er, I could hardly say such things to my daughter, especially when Shadow might well o’erhear them. Fortunately, Gale arrived along with her mother to put an end to my daughter’s curiosity. “More late night inquiries, Midnight?”
Midnight nodded, holding up her book for Gale’s consideration. “Yes. I have many questions. The philosophy books Mother gave me provide a great many matters demanding deep thought, but give me vexingly few answers. To make matters worse, they often contradict one another. I devote considerable time and effort to understanding one author, only to immediately read that the author is a fool and his ideas wrong-headed in my next book. ‘Tis most vexing.”
“I see.” Gale smiled down at her. “Well, perhaps we could discuss the matter with one another and find clarity.”
Midnight frowned. “Neigh, I would not wish to disturb thee from thy rest.” Once more I was vexed that Gale was the only one she showed such consideration.
“‘Tis no trouble at all,” Gale assured her after receiving a pointed look from Shadow. “In truth, I was already awake seeing to Ash. A bit of sophisticated conversation would be most welcome after my brother’s rather more limited vocabulary. He is of an age where he is most eager to speak but has not yet grasped how to do so properly.”
Midnight cocked her head to the side. “I see. Then I would be happy to assist thee with deeper conversation.” She dutifully trotted o’er to Gale’s side, letting Shadow’s daughter shepherd her away from the both of us.
I let out a relieved sigh once she was safely out of earshot. “I must remember to employ an expert to write a truly exhaustive list of rules. My daughter is entirely too skilled at finding gaps through which she can pester me with her endless curiosity.”
Shadow grinned and lightly prodded me with a wingtip. “I believe that is a trait she inherited from thee, my love. Certainly there has been a time or two when thou didst find most creative interpretations of the Commander’s orders.”
I found those words entirely too vexing, and feared I knew the reason they affected me so. “‘Tis entirely too likely thou art right.”
“In a way, ‘tis instructive,” Shadow pointed out. “In her, thou canst see some of the qualities that others might see in thee. For all that thou might complain of her endless questions on morals and philosophy, I recall that thou wert always eager to discuss those topics with me.”
“The situations are hardly comparable,” I groused. For a moment I was tempted to vent a small portion of wrath upon Shadow, but such would be foolish. I was master o’er my emotions, and in any case ‘twould be far more productive to address the true cause of my ire. “I take it thou heard her last question?”
“Aye,” Shadow confirmed, grimacing. “She is rather damnably good at asking awkward questions, is she not?”
“Another trait she likely inherited from me,” I conceded.
“Doubtless so.” Shadow sighed and walked o’er to the window, staring out o’er the moonlit city. “And 'tis a fair question to ask, especially for a child her age. I fancy I am already all but a second mother to her in some ways. ‘Tis hardly surprising she might seek to have that status codified, especially given her nature.”
“Aye, Midnight would be far more at ease with a written declaration than she would an unspoken agreement.” One of the things my daughter and I did not share in common, I could grasp certain subtleties that eluded her. “And in truth, ‘tis a question that is rather difficult to answer in a way she will find satisfying. Though I have pondered at it for a time.”
Shadow nodded slowly. “I would be lying if the thought had not crossed my mind as well. We have been ... companionable for some time. I enjoy thy company.”
Neither of us said anything more for some time. Considering the circumstances, I would hardly put my heart and pride out in the open for her to crush. I suspect she feared to do the same for me. Or mayhaps she had other reasons not to make the offer. Mayhaps she preferred silence to finding a diplomatic way to reject me. If she did enjoy Her Majesty’s favor in the bedchamber, how could I e’er hope to compare? As with the regency, I was merely a passable but inferior substitute for Celestia when she was not present.
Shadow finally broke the silence. “Is that something thou wouldst like to see happen?”
Ah. that was a considerably loaded question. One I had no intention of risking a direct answer to. Far safer to let her answer first, and then respond once I had gauged where her own feelings on the matter were. I would sooner die than suffer the humiliation of her rejecting me while clumsily trying to spare my feelings. “I suspect 'twould be very complicated.”
A faint frown flickered across Shadow’s face, though I was uncertain what she meant by it. “Yes, I suppose 'twould be. Not that courtship is e’er an easy matter. Gale has certainly gone to no shortage of trouble with Dusk, though I can hardly fault her for her mixed feelings regarding the stallion.”
“Yes, quite.” Small surprise her courtship with the turncoat had been tempestuous. Doubtless they would wed eventually, but she seemed in no hurry to do so.
Shadow nodded slowly. “There are also political considerations. The Commander values us for our contrasting opinions and conflicting arguments. Were we partners, that would doubtless become slightly more troublesome.” She shot a dry look my way. “Not that I doubt thou wouldst be any less contentious with thy spouse, but ‘twould be a complication nonetheless.”
“Aye, undeniably so.” We hardly needed the distraction of wondering if there were any deeper meaning behind whether or not we shared a bed after a contentious political argument. “Making an official partnership would also doubtless stir our enemies. The appearance that we contend with and counterbalance one another would shatter if we wed.” Not that I expected either of us to alter our opinions merely to accommodate our spouse, but perception need not align with reality.
Shadow nodded gravely. “Aye, no small consideration. There are already those who feel that thou hast too much power and influence by holding the posts of Archmagus and Grand Vizier. Doubtless they will frame any wedding as thee acquiring power o’er me as well.”
“Or the inverse,” I pointed out. “There are those who feel that the Lady Protector holds too many powers traditionally reserved for the nobility. Now thou wilt not only hold influence o’er the most influential noble post in the realm, but can e’en intrude into the private affairs of the magi. Not that thou wert without influence before, but ‘tis a matter of degrees.”
“Aye, as it stands I can only order them in military matters,” Shadow agreed. “And e’en then, I would not intrude into thy sphere without at least consulting thee if at all possible. Mine enemies would doubtless claim I intend to use thee to meddle in strictly internal affairs of policy, rather than restrict myself to my proper place.”
“Just so,” I confirmed. “And so a wedding would be more trouble than ‘tis worth. Fortunately, I have plans in place to secure our legacy for generations to come.”
Shadow regarded me with a raised eyebrow. “Is that so? Thou art ambitious.”
I answered her with a dry smile. “Surely this is no surprise to thee. I should think thou wouldst be more stunned were I not ambitious and driven.”
“Aye, ‘tis more the scope of it that intrigues me.” A frown tugged at her lips as she untangled my political plans. For a mare who claimed to disdain politics, she performed quite well at them. “No doubt thou wouldst have young Midnight inherit all thou canst give her, as I will give what I can to my children. Then if I am fortunate, the Equestria I give to them will be better for my time as lady protector.” Her eyes lingered upon me. “But I suspect thou hast more in mind than simply providing for thy daughter to inherit all thou hast built.”
“Aye, what I have achieved thus far is only the beginning of my true plans,” I agreed. “For all that I have achieved, there is much yet that remains undone. I think reshaping Equestria to match my vision is a task of such magnitude that ‘tis beyond a single mortal lifetime. ‘Tis only prudent to ensure that if I cannot see to its completion, others finish the task.”
“Thou wouldst ask thy children to carry on thy work then? That is no small burden to place upon them.” A hint of disapproval entered her voice and expression. “Especially when thou hast not even recognized one of them.”
Ah, this old discussion. “I fully intend to recognize Daylight when the time is right. The magi would never stand for both my children gaining Archmagus posts. Already they resent that I used the war to fill the vacancies with sensible and capable ponies rather than cater to their whims. The next conclave is sure to be contentious, and Daylight will face an uphill battle in securing his post. Were he my acknowledged child ... impossible. He would ne’er gain the post he deserves.”
“Be that as it may,” Shadow maintained stubbornly, “he is thy son. He deserves to know his mother, regardless of political considerations.”
“And he will, when the time is right.” I had considered sharing the truth with him privately, but that seemed a needless risk. ‘Tis well known that secrets become less secure the more they are shared, and ‘twas dangerous enough with only myself, Shadow, and a few ponies from the Order of Sol Invictus knowing the truth.
Doubtless Shadow would also say I should tell his father, but e’en were I inclined to do so, I could not say with certainty who that might be. In my youth I had been quick to use the advantages of being a comely mare, and the world has ne’er been short of those eager to whisper secrets in the ears of e’en a temporary lover. Daylight had simply been the product of one such liaison, one I had been quick to put to good use. A part of me regretted not having the opportunity to raise him as I had Midnight, but circumstances had changed considerably in the decade between their respective births.
Shadow pointedly cleared her throat. “The Commander will doubtless offer thee some manner of boon if she is pleased with thy performance as Regent. If you cannot recognize Daylight on his own merits, ‘twould not be unreasonable to ask that she grant him some other favor. He has certainly earned some reward for his work in the war.”
“That does merit consideration,” I allowed. I thought upon it for a moment, then shrugged. “No point in lingering upon such possibilities. If Her Majesty feels I have earned such a boon, then I can decide upon what ‘twill be.”
Shadow regarded me with a raised eyebrow. “Is a boon thy heart’s desire in all of this?”
“Hardly.” My heart desired many things, most of which were quite frivolous. Which is why I rarely listened to it. “But if I should receive one then why not make the most of it? Howe'er, such is a matter for the future. We have more immediate concerns.”
“That we do,” Shadow agreed, looking me o’er as a smile grew upon her lips. “I have little desire to discuss politics and the future. Especially when we could instead focus upon present matters. We are both awake, and enough so that returning to rest does not yet appeal. Though we could hardly leave the bedchamber at this late hour...”
‘Twas hard to guess what she was driving at. I smiled, slowly dragging a hoof along her wing. “Well, perhaps we could enjoy ourselves by returning to bed?”
Shadow let out a low, approving rumble. Then she moved with her customary directness, picking me up and carrying me back to the bed. “A finer idea was ne’er spoken.” She promptly set to work proving the merit of my suggestion.
Alas, such idle pleasures could not endure forever. Eventually, Regent Sunbeam had to sit upon her damnably uncomfortable throne once more, enduring all the unpleasantness of leadership with relatively few of its joys. Still, I had chosen my duty and I would execute it well. ‘Twas a matter of pride, if naught else. When the history books wrote of my regency, they would say that I ruled well and ably, not that I was a self-serving fool.
Shadow stood at my side, as a Lady Protector should. My earlier maudlin ponderance on the prospect of marriage seemed rather foolish in light of that. Who cared if we went through an unimportant bit of ceremony to add slightly more societal weight to our romantic endeavours? She was my partner in a far more important sense. The mare would stand at my side and support me so long as I was true to her commander. As I would ne’er betray Her Majesty, that made Shadow my partner in far more meaningful ways than mere marriage.
Once I had finished resolving a relatively minor property dispute, we moved on to the next item on the royal agenda. Judging by the grimace on Shadow’s face, I could guess what ‘twould be e’en before she forewarned me. “Silver Tithe has requested a private audience. Without his god this time.”
“Small favors,” I murmured. “Though no doubt he carries a message from his master.” I cleared my throat and addressed the court properly. “The throne will grant ambassador Silver Tithe of the Golden Path a private audience at this time.” Much as I would have loved to turn the unctuous little slime out on his ear, a regent does not have the luxury of such things.
Once the Royal Guards finished clearing the gallery Silver strode in, wearing a smile far too wide and welcoming to be genuine. As was his custom, the ambassador had done himself up with an appropriately elaborate and preposterous costume. His attempt to be charming made my skin crawl. “Regent Sunbeam! Such a delight to see you again.”
Considering who I was speaking with, it seemed all too appropriate to welcome him with a false smile of mine own. “The pleasure is all mine. What causes thee to grace the court with thy presence once more?”
Silver smiled and waved forward one of his Charger guards, who bore some mysterious covered item. Shadow frowned suspiciously, but I waved her down and let the ambassador speak. “I know the meeting with Lord Veritanu was ... perhaps not entirely as productive as we would have liked. I wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings, and perhaps present you with a small token of our esteem to ensure that all is well.”
Ah, so he was resorting to bribery then? Well, if he thought a few baubles would be enough to persuade me to give his master back his ship, he was sorely mistaken. Pity ‘twould not be diplomatic to call the bribe what it was. “I assure thee, relations between Equestria and Freeport have not been damaged. They are no worse than they have e’er been.”
Silver let out a melodramatic sigh, then beamed at me as if I had told him he had just been awarded a million bits. “Such a relief! You no doubt know that I want nothing more than for Freeport and Equestria to enjoy peaceful and harmonious relations.” For a moment, I suspected he would immediately press me about the ship once more, but evidently he knew ‘twould only irritate me. “Still, I hope the gift I prepared for you is pleasing.”
The more Silver insisted upon giving me this present, the more concerned I became. When it came to diplomacy, there was no such thing as a freely given gift. Silver stood to gain something from this, whether ‘twas simply a blatant attempt at bribery or he had a subtler agenda. “And what is this gift?”
“Oh, just a small trifle,” Silver murmured with false modesty. He removed the cloth, revealing a large and perfectly clear glass bowl. Though I had learned only a few basics of glassmaking ere devoting my life to more productive pursuits, I knew that ‘twas no small feat to make a bowl so large, well-shaped, and perfectly clear. Clearly he had chosen a skilled crafter for the gift, and doubtless chose it specifically because he knew of my heritage. The daughter of a glassblower would naturally appreciate high-quality glassware.
Silver took a step forward. “If I might approach the throne?”
I nodded. “Thou mayest.”
Shadow met him halfway to the throne, taking the bowl and giving it a cursory inspection. Or at least, it might appear nothing more than cursory to most. I knew that the enchantments ‘pon her armor and helm would be more than sufficient to locate and defuse any magical traps, not that I expected Silver to be so blatant. Still, ‘twould be foolish not to check.
E’en Silver knew that much, judging by the soft chuckle he let out. “I assure you it is perfectly safe, Lady Protector. Howe’er, I know you are simply doing your part, so do not worry, I take no offense—security knows no favorites.”
“Neigh, it does not,” Shadow agreed. After a few more seconds she grunted and nodded. “All seems well with it.” She passed the bowl along to me.
I took the bowl from her, submitting it to mine own inspection. I found nothing amiss with the bowl itself, at least in terms of magical or mundane traps. Howe’er, when mine eyes settled on the maker’s mark at the bottom of the bowl, I realized what game Veritanu and Silver were playing. They had best hope I was mistaken as to their intentions, else they had very foolishly just signed their own death warrants. “This bowl was made locally, I see.”
“Indeed it was!” Silver answered with a delighted smile. “My lord Veritanu was so pleased by the craftsmanship that he asked the maker to open a new glassblowing shop in Freeport. The artisan was quite delighted to accept.”
Ah. So it likely was what I thought. Well, best to confirm it ere I took action. “And the name of this artisan?”
“Mosaic, I believe.”
And there ‘twas. A false god had just decided upon an especially elaborate and unpleasant form of suicide. “I see. Moving to Freeport is quite the change from Canterlot.”
“Oh, most certainly,” Silver agreed. “My lord Veritanu will doubtless be happy to assist Mosaic with the expense of setting up a new shop in a new city. The gods are most generous to those who please them.” His smile faltered briefly. “I do hope the gift pleased you.”
“Of course,” I answered diplomatically. “’Tis a fine gift. Tell thy Lord Veritanu that I will properly thank him for this in due course.”
“Excellent!” Silver favored me with another of his false smiles. “Shall I carry any other message, or will that be all?”
“I am sure I can tell him what I need to personally,” I informed the sycophant. “I will take some time to consider how best to respond to this action. I assure thee, ‘twill be an appropriate response to the diplomacy thy master has shown.”
Silver smiled, and dipped into a half-bow. “Very well then. If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave.” Tempting as ‘twas to order him seized and carted off to the dungeons, I let the little worm go. His master would doubtless respond if I took his servant prisoner, and I had no doubt that for all Silver’s status, he was naught but an expendable minion to his so-called god.
Shadow frowned after the ambassador once he had left. “Hmm. That was vexing.”
“Vexing?” I snarled and hauled myself up from the throne. “That is the least of it. That smug little worm. I should grasp him by the throat, set him on fire, and toss him from the tallest tower in Canterlot. Neigh, that would be too swift. First I shall make him watch as I butcher his false god before his very eyes, and only when all that he believes in has been reduced to ashes before him shall his true suffering begin!”
My daughter stared at me, her head tilted to the side. “What did he do to deserve such a fate?” She stared down at the bowl, frowning at it. “I see no flaws in its construction that should merit such harsh punishment. Though ‘tis curious that our family crest is in the place where a maker’s mark would normally be.”
I snarled and began pacing back and forth. “Listen with thine ears, child. Hast thou forgotten what our family was ere we rose so high in Her Majesty’s favor? Hast thou learned nothing of what I have taught thee about hearing what has not been said, what is 'tween the line, and how messages can be sent through a variety of means?”
Midnight grimaced, trying to puzzle through it. “I am afraid I do not understand, Mother. Perhaps you could explain it to me?”
“It means,” I snarled, “that Silver and his damnable abomination have made a hostage of my brother, and intend to use him as leverage to make me do as they wish. Doubtless this is how he intends to gain his petty victory, and the blackmail is delicately done in a way that can be easily denied if taken into the open.”
Naturally my daughter focused on the least important part of that revelation. “Your brother ... does this mean that I have an uncle?”
“I do not recall thee speaking of him,” Shadow murmured. “Though I do vaguely recall Gale mentioning it when she first investigated thee some years ago.”
I growled and waved their questions away. “Aye, Mosaic took o’er our family's glassmaking business after our parents died. Last I heard he enjoys reasonable success in his field. In truth, I have not spoken with him in some time.”
Midnight frowned at me. “Mother, I have many questions.”
Of course she did. “This is hardly the time for this, child. Veritanu would use my brother to force me to comply with his whims and turn my regency into a farce. That is far more important than satisfying thy idle curiosity.”
My daughter stubbornly planted her hooves, refusing to let the matter rest. “Be that as it may, I still have questions.”
I let forth an exasperated sigh. I knew my daughter well enough to grasp that I would know no peace until I satisfied her. “Then I shall answer them as we work.”
Shadow regarded me curiously. “I take it then that thou hast a plan for how to rescue thy brother from Veritanu’s clutches? And no doubt punish him for daring to take one of thy kin hostage.”
“Aye,” I snarled as the pieces began falling into place. “I do have a plan. Veritanu shall rue the day he thought to contend with me.”
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Damnit Sunbeam, you're playing right into that smug chimera prick's hooves. The APPROPRIATE way to handle this, despite making you look weaker, is to make an announcement of it to all Equestrians of note, in a way that's plain enough for them to understand the situation before you do anything rash. Because I'm getting the feeling she's going to try and deal with Veritanu and get her brother back and that's been prepped to play out in such a way as to make her appear to be the aggressor to both nations.
If everyone on your side knows what's going on ahead of time, they'll be less likely to believe a foreign power.
This chapter is a beautiful example of why I love Midnight. She is just endlessly entertaining. And I see this takes place before "Tainted Legacies".
And Sunbeam has a brother? She came from a family of glass makers? Huh. This is a dangerous game Sunbeam is playing right now. She has a reputation for a reason.
Ooooo Sunbeam is about to throw down...politics style! I already can't wait to see what she has in store.
Interesting conversation between Sunbeam and Shadow regarding marriage too, for some reason I never really thought much about it since they seemed so content with being friends with benefits. Now we see that there were some talks at least acknowledging the possibility.
Great chapter!
Veritanu, you really screwed up by not researching Sunbeam.
Oooo, bitch went and fucked up...
She says that like it's a bad thing. Or even remotely desirable.
I do almost pity Sunbeam. For all her outrageous actions, in matters of love, her pride keeps her from taking even the slightest risk. At least, that's what she tells herself.
In any case... Yeah, this is how you get full-fledged Götterdämmerung. I guess Sunset won't be the first of her line to cause a Freeport revolution.
All the loopholes, ever.
Basically, you have to get really really lucky, and if you don't you have chosen poorly.
What did Gale do to be cursed with this so late at night.
Or both at once!
That's a well researched bribe.
Interesting.
Yikes, she seems to tad bit peeved.
Oh hey, a Sunbeam brother.
9649273
He did research Sunbeam. He's just so arrogant as to think no "puny mortal" could ever match wits or magic with an "omniscient spectre of divinity."
And cue the falling rocks.
9649371
Nope he didn't
9649180
I believe this takes place before any of the Midnight’s Shadow stories. Midnight is still a teenager in this and Shadow’s son Ash is apparently still a toddler.
9650577
There doesn't seem to really be any indication of how old Midnight is here. It's probably just me, but it seemed like the concave was not too far off from this story. Although Sunbeam just says "the next" and not "the upcoming" or anything like that so maybe not.
9650868
In an earlier chapter, Sunbeam mentions that Midnight’s adolescence is just as difficult as her childhood, so that’s where I got the impression that she was a teenager. Plus this most recent chapter establishes that Ash is currently a toddler and Dusk and Gale are not yet married. Ash is supposed to be around ten in Tainted Legacies, or at least old enough to be talking in full sentences and walking around on his own, and Gale is pregnant after a number of years of marriage. I hope this comes across as somewhat helpful and not rude or anything.
9651089
Nah, you're good. I've had a pretty poor sense of the timeline in terms of when stories relate to each other. Midnight's personality also doesn't tend to change very much.
I love Sunbeam. I can't wait to see what she cooks up...
or who...
9651147
She is consistent like that. XD
Considering Sunbeam's personality, it's really interesting to see her inner monologue hint at some deeply buried insecurity in regards to her relationship with Shadow. Under all the vanity and obsessive pragmatism, she's still a person afraid of getting her heart broken, which goes a long way in humanizing her (so to speak).
Looking forward to seeing where this latest development with her apparent brother will go (and it's kinda funny that Sunbeam won't be the last Sparkle to reveal to her close companions that she has a brother that she never mentioned before. Don't know whether that was intentional, but it's certainly a neat call forward). It's pretty obvious that Veritanu made his threat counting on Sunbeam to retaliate so that he can then use her retaliation against her. Of course, it seems likely Sunbeam has figured that out (or otherwise will just before it's too late) and pull some kind of reverse trap on him
It's different, seeing Shadow and Sunbeam's romantic relationship from the latter's perspective. Sunbeam seems surprisingly insecure about the whole thing. Also, nice to see that the Sparkle family theme of surprise siblings goes all the way back to the beginning. I can't wait to meet Sunbeam's brother. Whatever he's like, anypony who had to grow up with her as a sister must at least have some great stories to tell.
I wouldn't be surprised if Mosaic came as a willing hostage and had no idea of the wider politics. I doubt he could make an excellent glass bowl if he was being fed gruel and chained to the wall. And there's no reason why the Golden Path couldn't present their offer as legitimately wanting to sponsor a gifted artist. Point being, Mosaic will be quite surprised when Sunbeam blows up half of Freeport and kills their gods to "rescue" him.
Welp. Scratch one god.
The Griswold Family Truckster. You may think you hate her now, but wait until you drive her!
Midnight being Midnight.
Let's not even comment on how she snuck into the Kicker compound and entered the bedroom of its Materfamilas.
Yeah... Kidnapping Sunbeam's family... That worked so well last time.
9649053
Yeah, they'll likely succeed in that part.
The key question is
Will they live to brag of their success?
Wouldn't bet a nickel on it.