Sisters of Willowbrook

by Starscribe

Chapter 57: Camping

"Even if perfectly accomplished, this destruction will turn Equestria's eyes further towards Willowbrook," someone said to Iris, from behind a complete facemask and robe.

They spoke with authority and conviction, and provoked only obedience from her mother. Lilac had no illusions about how a fight with those three would go, and so she did not even try.

"As the actions were yours, the Watcher decrees the harm will be yours also. House Vale will burn. If the Lightless Star survives the storm gathering on our horizon, he orders it rebuilt into the new center, to replace the one destroyed by the tantrum of our ancient gods. So speaks the interpreter of divine will."

"And so we listen," Iris answered, bowing in supplication.

Lilac overheard bits and pieces of what came next—what Iris would save from the house, and what would be left to burn to make the wreckage convincing. The cult would not allow her very much, though they did agree to start the fire at the far end, and allow Willowbrook's fire crew to arrive just in time to spare the library.

"I need you to hide for a few days," Iris told her, deep in thought. "Gather anything you love from your room, so long as you can fit it in your saddlebags. Then... I'm not certain where to send you—"

Lilac pointed straight out the window, up at the distant mountain. "Snowdrop Mountain," she said. "Equestrian search teams could circle the skies, they won't find me there."

The mare's eyes widened. "Snowdrop Mountain," she repeated, baffled. "The domain of breezies? It's true Equestria couldn't find you, but only because nopony would. You can't risk offending them, out of the question."

"I... know this probably isn't a good time to tell you," she whispered. "But they won't be bothered, unless maybe I don't visit. They've been tutoring me in magic for years—they'll protect me, they won't harm me. I could probably persuade them to hide you too, if you don't mind being small."

Iris shook her head sharply. “Did you just say--the breezies? You’ve been studying with them?” Lilac opened her mouth to answer, but her mother stopped her. “Wait, don’t explain now. No time. When you return, we can discuss this. As for me--I have another role to play in all this. I have to be a bereaved widow. And you—you were away on a camping trip to Snowdrop Mountain, with your good friend Little Risk. Weren't you?"

After a few minutes of hasty packing, she was. There was thankfully little to bring from her bedroom. Still enough to keep her there for the moment that house guards arrived to cut Iron Gate free, and drag him screaming through the house. Only Celestia knew what would happen to that poor soul.

She took everything referencing her own spellcasting, she took her diary, along with a few jackets and cloaks. She left every single one of the dresses, skirts, and other frilly pink crap hanging from the wardrobe untouched.

A few minutes later, she found Little Risk waiting by the back door. He lit up as he saw her, grinning so broadly that she almost forgot about how truly awful her last 24 hours had gone. Almost.

He wore a fine stitched traveling cloak over saddlebags packed far better for the trip than she was. There was an actual bedroll hanging off his back, along with a few large pitchers of water. He was actually ready to spend the night out in the woods. At least they would look convincing if anypony talked to them.

"Hey, Lilac. How was your time in the air?" She reached him, then hugged him as tightly as she dared.

Yes, there was that stallion smell she had learned only recently. No engine grease this time though—Risk smelled like books, and uncast spells. Like electricity and ink.

"Oh. Not good then?"

She nodded. "Nopony told you?"

He was silent for a few seconds, watching her. Maybe he was surprised by the level of physical contact, when she had previously been so averse to getting close. "I got the strangest orders from my father. He handed me this saddlebag, and said that we had been camping together for two days. I would follow where you told me, and stay there until you said. You have any idea why?"

She said little until they were on the road. As they left, the flurry of activity in Vale Manner intensified. Servants rushed about, doing things she could only imagine. Whatever it was, they didn't have much time to get it done.

"You're loyal to House Vale, aren't you?" she asked, as soon as they were on the road. This one led between Vale's own farms. Though it was strange to be walking it in darkness.

Risk lit his horn, but she shook her head, hissing under her breath. "No light. Ponies can't see us." She pulled her own dark cloak tighter about herself, then sped into a trot.

In testament to Risk's greater strength and practice, he managed to keep pace with her. But she wasn't galloping—that would be obvious too. "Of course I am," he said. "I'd do anything to protect you, Lilac. You know that. I'd go with you into a weird mine, or camping at the middle of the night. Camping where?"

"Mt. Snowdrop,” she answered. "To the Grove."

He slouched. "Oh. Firefly's meeting us, then?"

"No. Firefly flew right home after it happened. I'm pretty sure she saw, but she'll keep quiet. The Lightless Star will probably give her father different instructions to keep her from Equestria's eyes."

That got his attention. Risk sped up, enough that he could look back at her, meeting her eyes directly. "Something happened?"

"It's about to," she said flatly. "I could tell you more, but you have to—it's safer for you if you know less. You can't get interrogated about things I didn't tell you." A shiver passed through her, from her head all the way to her tail.

I saw somepony die. Or she'd heard it, anyway. It was at least partially her fault. All this because she didn't just let Keen Focus punish her. Or traced back a little further— "This is all my fault," she eventually said. "Everything bad that's happening is because of what I did in the mines. I cursed all of Willowbrook. I'm not sure when we'll be finished picking up the pieces."

He was silent for a long time, at least until they reached the edge of the fence, and passed up onto the hill. As soon as they were into the trees, he lit his horn again, a deep red this time. This spell was meant to restrict its light to a limited area. They shouldn't be visible for very far.

"I'd do anything for you," he said, his voice only a little nervous. "But are you sure the Good Folk will let me? The breezies never seemed as fond of me as you and Firefly. I'll go if you ask, but this seems like a bad idea."

"I'll protect you." The trees were too close to trot, the trail too narrow. So she slowed to a walk, slow enough to brush against his shoulder. "Just watch your step when we get there. Don't step on anyone sleeping in the flowers for the first few minutes. It won't be a problem after that."

A second later, she saw the flash of orange from behind her, and turned to watch. House Vale was an old and storied manor, its wood as ancient as Willowbrook itself. It burned with heat and vigor, bright orange and yellow staining the night.

Risk gasped, staring horrified back the way they'd come. "Lilac, your house is burning! We have to get back, we have to help—"

She grabbed him by the shoulder, holding him in place. "No, Risk. That's an accident, but it isn't an accident. I knew it was coming."

His mouth opened and closed several times, struggling to form words. After failing for a few minutes, he just gave up, watching the fire with her.

She saw the moment the flames reached her balcony, and her garden of flowers burned. She felt them die, though she wasn't there to see. The pain was almost worse than when Amaranth fell. At least those flowers hadn't tried to kill her.

"I'm sorry," Risk whispered. "I don't know why this is happening, but... there must be good reasons. Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head tearfully. "Just keep me company until my mother comes for us. Don't complain about living with the breezies. She says it's really important that nobody can find us no matter what. If we really want to hide, we have to do it their way."

"Right." He swallowed, nodding weakly. "Is there anything you can tell me?"

She nodded, but didn't elaborate. For a few more minutes, she watched her home burn, flickering orange and yellow in the trees. She could make out distant voices, calling out for help. Yet nothing dulled the flames, not as they spread through the old mansion.

Her only home in Equestria burned before her eyes. With it went her comfort, and any chance she had of returning to the old one. The flames burned fiercely indeed that night.

At least she had someone to lean on. Little Risk was taller than she was now. Not only that, but he had spent his entire childhood in the same house. He would understand her pain. She even caught him crying silently for a bit there, just as she did.

This death was not hers alone to bear.

Finally she stood again, wiping the tears from her eyes. She shook herself out, and Risk did the same. "It's getting cold, and I... haven't slept in a few days. Let's hurry, I want a roof over my head before I collapse."

Risk followed without objection, though there was doubt on his face. "I have a tent... I've never set it up, but I know it has room for two. We could set it up here, and keep going to the breezies tomorrow morning. They can't offer you shelter."

A tent, a warm sleeping bag, and some company she could trust—it was all a tempting offer. She might've accepted it, were it not for her obligations to the Grove. She had been gone for weeks, and now she arrived at their doorstep begging for refuge.

"I think they'll be happier with me if I go straight there," she said. "Even if I'm too tired to work for them tonight, it shows commitment to my responsibilities." And I brought a hostage, she privately added. They'll feel confident manipulating me with you there.

Distances on Snowdrop Mountain were always hard to gauge, even more so by night. One moment they were walking, and the next they had already arrived.

She would've known it even if she were blind, from the revitalizing magic that suffused the place. Standing here lifted the weight from her shoulders, and eased her aching muscles. Not as much as real sleep, but it was close.

Of course she wasn't blind, she couldn't miss the thousands of glowing flowers. They came in cool shades, blues and greens and purples. Most were short, but some rose all the way to her waist. Toadstools dotted the ground beneath them, converted into little homes. But the more important Folk all nested in the trees. Lights glowed from their windows, like a modern city by night.

It resembled a sleeping city more than some busy Earth capital, though. There were few bugs flying through the air this late. Those that were gave them a wide berth.

Lilac guided him towards the center, following the smells to keep from treading on dangerous ground. There was a passage kept clear for creatures their size, and no protection promised to anyone who strayed from it.

Of course, there was nothing visible to mark it, just the nectar from a few flowers. But Lilac had long-since mastered their smell.

"Back again, apprentice," said a voice, alighting on the edge of a nearby fern. Saffron, looking incredibly disapproving. "Quite a day you've had. Prices paid to the Unmade, cascading series of failures. Have you learned your lesson?"

Another test, even now. She could not lie. "I am learning," she answered, her voice exhausted. "Please, master. A place of safety for the next few days? We must hide together."

"Hide together," he repeated. "And labor. Yes. Worth it just to see his face. Come inside from the cold, apprentice. You look awful."

"I feel it," she whispered, tears welling up all over again. "Thank you."

Comments

[KMCA]

That poor house. It's always a shame when a well crafted old home dies. There was so much more effort and love put into them than even the most expensive modern homes, back when the house mattered more than the "stuff" that decorated it.

[Osiris Grandeur]

A fire?! Fun!

[redmar]

It's a shame that the house has to be destroyed as a cover up but I bet the investigators will be very suspicous no matter how well it was done. Hopefully Lilac can use those few days in a productive manner.

[minibox]

Destroying the house is an incredible loss for the Lightless Star. I doubt they can continue trading assets like this to keep their enemies off the path. Especially since Equestria will scrutinize Willowbrook even more closely now. It won't be long before Lilac will have to make an extended stay with the breezies.

If the Lightless Star survives the storm gathering on our horizon, he orders it rebuilt into the new center, to replace the one destroyed by the tantrum of our ancient gods

Tantrum. I can imagine the cult becoming increasingly irritated at Lilac's behavior over the past few days.

Still enough to keep her there for the moment that house guards arrived to cut Iron Gate free, and drag him screaming through the house. Only Celestia knew what would happen to that poor soul.

Whatever gods exist in Equestria would know but not Celestia.

"No. Firefly flew right home after it happened. I'm pretty sure she saw, but she'll keep quiet. The Lightless Star will probably give her father different instructions to keep her from Equestria's eyes."

She'll have to stay in Willowbrook if the Elements are getting involved again.

"I think they'll be happier with me if I go straight there," she said. "Even if I'm too tired to work for them tonight, it shows commitment to my responsibilities." And I brought a hostage, she privately added. They'll feel confident manipulating me with you there.

Fae will be fae.

Another test, even now. She could not lie. "I am learning," she answered, her voice exhausted. "Please, master. A place of safety for the next few days? We must hide together."

"Hide together," he repeated. "And labor. Yes. Worth it just to see his face. Come inside from the cold, apprentice. You look awful."

Not even a day and the sisters are separated again. Well, it won't be as long as last time but the chance of Equestria discovering the truth is much, much higher now.

[CleanSweep]

Big, dramatic, and a bit sad. Nice work!

I hope this actually brings investigators back, actually. Would love to see Firefly give the mane 6 the runaround again...

[origami]

We'll, I guess we'll see what happens with Firefly next chapter

[JustSomeDyslexic]

11295818
They burnt the house down as an excuse to why the lord died and to throw off Equestrian intelligence, not just out of agitation

[Alyarin9000]

its wood as ancient as Willowbrook itself. It burned with heat and vigor, bright orange and yellow staining the night.

I can feel my old English teacher screaming at me about how this is a metaphor for the death of her old life, of her previous hopes and sanctuary. Forcing her to walk into the great unknown. Into Equestria.

There was a passage kept clear for creatures their size, and no protection promised to anyone who strayed from it.
Of course, there was nothing visible to mark it, just the nectar from a few flowers. But Lilac had long-since mastered their smell.

Hard to traverse safely by design, I presume. Fae will enjoy forcing ponies to incur debt...

[minibox]

11296069
I know that. Lilac's actions still directly or indirectly cost those resources. They're not pleased at the situation or the actions necessary to remain hidden.

[FanOfMostEverything]

As has been noted, using “tantrum” in reference to a deity has some worrying connotations. It’s never a good thing when a cult starts getting fed up with its patrons.

Her only home in Equestria burned before her eyes. With it went her comfort, and any chance she had of returning to the old one.

This, on the other hand, might actually have a positive aspect to it if it weakens Lilac’s sympathetic connection to her old name and old life.

Now to see how accomodating the Breezies will be after Lilac’s long absence. The fae can always be trusted to be hospitable, but that’s not the same as nice…

[ponepony]

Her only home in Equestria burned before her eyes. With it went her comfort, and any chance she had of returning to the old one. The flames burned fiercely indeed that night.

Reject humanity. Embrace pony.

[tsaukpaetra]

Break it so the pieces can be mended without the dark.