• Published 4th Jul 2021
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Sisters of Willowbrook - Starscribe



After decades of preparation, an ancient cult finally manages to summon two of their dark gods into Equestria. Instead of almighty Alicorns, they arrive as a pair of helpless fillies. To get home, they'll have to play the part...

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Chapter 9: Ancient Household

Vale manor was the kind of place that Derek should feel lucky to visit. As she passed between the sculpted lawn, her eyes lingered on the old stone of a fountain, the furtive forms of other creatures darting away whenever they thought she was watching them.

The fence didn't just include the little house, it stretched far away from the building. After just a short distance, rows and rows of trees began. Further away, there were fields of gently waving grain, not quite ready to harvest. Where some of the distant farmers had seemed to be struggling, everything in Lady Vale's property overflowed with life.

"I'm afraid my husband is probably not in attendance today," Iris said, drawing Derek's attention back to reality. She'd reached the front doors, and stood in place as more servants shoved and struggled against the thick wood. Derek hurried to stand beside her. "He'll want to meet you when he returns. But don't worry—he knows every relevant detail."

Her eyes narrowed as she said it, a reminder of their conversation on the road. Derek nodded once as her way of acknowledgement, but otherwise said nothing.

They stepped inside, into a vast foyer that smelled of wood-lacquer and old dust. The space was huge—big enough for fifty people to linger beside many side-tables and old chairs. Most were covered in white sheets. The windows were drawn, except for narrow slits letting through just a little light.

The ceiling seemed to rise whole stories over her head. But Derek couldn't be sure that actually meant the house was huge, or if she was just extremely small. Probably both.

"A place is already prepared for you. But perhaps it would be best to give you the complete tour. Are you feeling well enough for a bit more walking?"

A sensible question, given the huge size of the property. Ahead was a vast spiral staircase, and tall doors led away to the left and right, away to other wings of the huge building. "Are there magic books as part of that tour?" she asked, grinning eagerly. Maybe a little less subtle than Lady Vale would've hoped. But this was her household, wasn't it? She had to trust her own servants!

"We do have a library," she said. "When I prepared for your arrival, I didn't anticipate a filly so young would have an academic interest. But there's no reason to keep it from you. We'll certainly visit the library along the way. You’ll find the family collection one of the finest in Willowbrook. There are items in my family's care that even the Royal Canterlot Archives would envy."

The tour was not a fast process, which she could've guessed given the huge size of the property. The house was the kind of place she'd never even dreamed of living, a property that was a little like its own small town. It had multiple kitchens, ballrooms, workshops of every kind, several wings to hold important guests and their own servants and staff. The outdoors had even more interesting things to do—sports arenas for local games that she'd never heard of, several different swimming pools, walking trails through their lands.

"But for the time being, it would be far better if you kept as close to the manor as you can," Iris said. "In time, it will all be your domain. But for now, the holdings of my house are large enough that you could get easily lost."

They passed another few balconies, a long gallery of stern-looking pony portraits, before finally coming to the library. Mercifully, that word meant the same thing here it would've in the world she left behind. A huge square room, with an upper balcony and several levels of stacked shelves. A rolling ladder-cart ran along the outside, with steps that she would probably have to jump to reach.

"As with any of our rooms, just ring the bell if you require service," Iris said. She pulled down on a long velvet rope hanging near the door, and a bell sounded, echoing through the strange halls.

There was a few seconds of eerie silence, then came a set of pounding footfalls. Or probably hooffalls, that was the proper term.

A section of wall just ahead of her opened, and a little pony appeared from within. Like all the others, he wore a green vest in the same colors of the house symbols that filled the building. But where many of the others seemed nervous, never looking at Iris, this pony actually managed a faint grin.

At least until he saw her watching. He bowed once to the unicorn, then without a word darted through the room ahead of them. He produced a little metal rod from tucked within his uniform, and lifted it towards the lights one at a time.

For a second Derek stared, utterly transfixed by the process. How could this pony be moving something without touching it?

Then she saw something else, something that was harder to see at such a distance. It was a horn, just like the one that Iris had. Shorter and stubbier by a considerable margin, but it was still apparently long enough to make something move.

Then fire blossomed under the shade, and the light came on. The pony barely reacted, hurrying away from it to move around the room to others one at a time. Soon the gloomy library was lit with a steady orange glow, flickering only slightly.

"By your leave, Lady," he said. His voice wasn't much older than her own. How could a child that age be allowed to work?

She nodded. "Thank you, Little Risk."

Just like that, he left, vanishing back through the opening in the wall. The door creaked closed behind him, then sealed so she almost couldn't tell where the opening was hidden. Almost.

Iris walked past her, then turned towards the door. Now it was her turn to make her forehead glow, with a subtle light that she almost couldn't see with the competition of gas lamps in the room around her. The door clicked closed, and suddenly the two of them were alone.

"I hope you'll find this library to your liking. It really is one of my family's finest possessions. Shepherding the knowledge here has been the work of many generations."

Moments ago, she'd been frothing with the anticipation of all this knowledge. Now the words caught on her tongue. "The kid, he had a horn too," she said. "And he was starting fires."

"Yes," Iris said. Her voice was patient, though a little strained. "Young Risk is from a family of unicorns. His father is the steward of my house, keeper of our books and possessions."

She dropped to one knee again. "It is your right to act however you wish. But I would consider it a great personal favor if you treat my household with respect and dignity. My servants will be loyal to you during your time here. My family maintains its power through the quality of our ponies. They could go elsewhere, but they do not, because we care for them. That respect is returned a thousandfold in their loyalty."

What the hell did I get myself into? Derek nodded in response. "Of course. Respect is..." She took a step back. "I feel like I'm missing information. Maybe a little time in the library could help me... figure things out?"

She glanced down the shelves in either direction. But there were no section headers, not like a public library. There did seem to be clear divisions, with many shelves that weren't yet full between them. But how could she find what she was looking for?

"You'll probably want history," the mare said, hurrying past her. "Maybe we should start with the Lunar Rebellion? Modern Equestria can basically be extrapolated from that point, with the addition of a few more related facts. Unless there's something else you'd rather consider first."

But she didn't even wait for Derek to answer. She darted past her down the shelves, and somehow several books seemed to follow along behind her. It must've worked the same way as the door and the little pony with his magical fire-lighter, a trail of objects that somehow obeyed Iris's will.

She returned a few moments later, skidding to a stop just before a large recliner. A huge fireplace was in front of it, though there was no flame inside. She settled the sack of books on an end-table, then thrust the topmost volume towards Derek. "This contains the quickest summary of events. Harmony: The Curative of the Soul. Apparently the author was a personal friend of Starswirl himself. She's considered a historical authority on the true story of Hearth’s Warming.”

All that probably should've meant something to her, though of course it didn't. Derek backed nervously away from the book, which Iris seemed determined to smack her with. But then it thumped to the ground directly in front of her, standing almost as high as her knees. How small was she, anyway?

Derek stared down at the cover. It was an old-style tome, with a thick cover and yellowing paper within. The title was printed in simple block letters, along with a block-stamped illustration of an interlocking sun and moon glyph beneath it. This was probably everything she needed to get a historical overview of the world she'd been banished to. A perfect tool. There was just one problem.

The text was gibberish. Derek whimpered, reaching down with one hoof and pushing the book open. It took a little concentration, even pushing the cover aside with a hoof took focus. She surged with frustration, amplified by the rustling of the dress behind her.

A few pages blurred past before the book settled into an open position on the ground at her hooves. The block letters within were distinct, easy to read.

They don't write the same language. The thought hadn't even occurred to her, and why should it? She'd been talking to them since she arrived, without apparent difficulty. Her eyes began to water, and she nearly fell over sideways. She sniffed, fighting back the tears. "Uh... what... what language is this?"

Iris blinked. Was she getting used to being completely confused? "The... one we're speaking? Ponish."

Derek sniffed, flipping through a few more pages. The layout on these old books was dense and academic, with perfectly spaced blocks of thick text. Or at least, she assumed it was text. She leaned in close, concentrating on a single line, trying to sound it out.

Her head started to pound, and she dropped to the ground in front of the book. Her head thumped onto the old pages, smelling exactly like she remembered. Just like her spellbook did, in fact.

Was she crying again? Pull yourself together, stupid. There's someone watching you. She thinks you're a ruler or something. You can't let her see the truth.

The rationality of it didn't matter. She cried, probably smearing the old ink on those yellow pages.

She wasn't sure how long she did that, before a voice spoke from just above her. A stranger's voice, though she'd been with this pony for the last several hours. "Is something wrong?" Iris asked. "Something about that first page? I would've thought you would be pleased... what happened to Luna... isn't that justice? Or are you—"

But she didn't hear whatever else Derek was supposed to feel, because the mare trailed off. Something moved along her back. A surprisingly gentle touch, from the horse standing over her. It should probably horrify her, but it didn't. "What's wrong?"

Derek tried to answer. She had always been a quiet crier, but that didn't mean it was easy to just make the pain stop. She took several deep breaths, struggling through the words. "I can't read it," she said. "I'm trying to remember... how to read anything. I can't." She gestured vaguely with her hooves, trying to trace the letters she'd learned her whole life.

Forget advanced degrees, forget practice certification and approval boards. She couldn't draw even a single letter.

Maybe this was the same language she'd always written. It didn't matter, because Derek didn't know how to read.

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