IX - Trusting Bonds
Chapter Nine
"And thus the war was won, and the sisters stood victorious against their enemies. But lo, for their victory did come at great cost, for their subjects were tormented, homeless, and alone. The sisters did see them, and did weep for them.
"And so it came to pass that the sisters, in their wisdom, did create guardians to care for their peace and beloved subjects. Sister Celestia, the Princess of the Day, did create the Guardians in Light; a Royal Army sworn to defend her subjects in her name. Sister Luna, the Princess of the Night, did create the Guardians in Shadow; a service sworn to unmake enemy strength.
"And Lo! the land knew peace..."
~Excerpt from 'The Twin Stars'
Banned Book of Worship
Autumn lay huddled in his cobalt-blue prison, maintaining a conscious effort to keep his breathing steady. Shivers still ran through his body, and he had taken to lying on his limbs to keep them from twitching.
Breathe in.
He had calmed dramatically since yesterday morning. The room had never gotten very bright, even with the sun shining in through the window. The room seemed to drink the light; it never even touched the floor. Night had done little to darken the place, though; the walls themselves appeared to shine with moonlight.
Breathe out.
Luna had barely moved since the nightguards left. She lay atop her pillows, poring over old tomes and yellowed scrolls by the pale light of glowing walls and fireflies; she would stop only long enough to practice some small spell or another. Autumn didn't think she even slept.
Breathe in.
He had tried, unsuccessful though it was. Sleep had never come easy to him in unfamiliar places, and being behind an impenetrable wall didn't help matters any. It had been all he could do to catch the few moments of rest his nervous mind let him. He told himself it was better than nothing, but it certainly didn't feel much different.
Breathe out.
He let his breath escape slowly, almost counting the seconds it took to fully exhale. Trying to tell how much time had passed by the number of breaths he took had long since been abandoned, but it kept him focused on something other than imprisonment. His next breath in was deep, and he glanced up at the window. A faint glow, the first breath of aurorean light, was barely visible; a full day had passed. One look at Luna told him that, if she even noticed the time, she didn't care. He found himself focused, watching her read as the fireflies circled around her.
"What are you reading?"
The page, caught in her magical glow, stopped mid-turn. In the silence that followed, Autumn wondered why he had said anything. Far from believing that he may have insulted the princess or crossed some forbidden line, he simply didn't remember ever thinking the question. It started to concern him that he didn't seem to have control over his voice when she surprized him with an answer. "We are studying magic." The page finished its turn.
"Is that what you have been doing since you returned?"
Again, there was a silence before her reply. "We have."
He paused, considering her answer. It seemed odd to him; she had been back close to a year now, and the reason she never left her room was because she was studying magic? Everypony knew she'd been gone for a thousand years; surely they'd forgive her ignorance of recent theory. Studying with other unicorns might even provide an excellent excuse to interact with the populace. "Why?" he asked. "Why have you not gone out to see your subjects?"
She turned her head to face him. "Thou dost ask many questions."
A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "I apologize, Highness; I did not mean to offend."
"Thou hast not offended us, only interrupted our studies. Why so suddenly curious?"
He looked around and answered, "I... suppose I am just nervous, your highness; it is not easy being a prisoner."
Luna frowned. "Thou hast been a prisoner but for a day. If thou art asking for pity, thou asketh the wrong mare."
"I... did not mean..." He struggled, trying to figure out what it was that he'd been asking; his thoughts had been wandering on their own. Finally, "Equestria worries, Princess. Nightmare Moon is not so distant a memory anymore, and you have not been seen since your return." She looked away. "Why, Princess? Why do you stay here?"
He feared she would not answer, the way the silence stretched. When she turned another page, he found himself listening to his breaths again. He closed his eyes and focused.
Breathe in.
"We cannot." Instantly, his eyes opened; there was a sadness in her voice. "We are... not ready."
He waited for her to say more; she didn't. "What are you waiting for?" The question, he knew, wasn't one he had any right to ask, but he couldn't find it in himself to hold it back. Ponies everywhere needed to know their princess; to know that she was no longer the stuff of nightmares. So he asked, but only the quiet responded. With a sigh, he lay back down to rest.
The sound of the door opened his eyes again, and he saw the nightguard enter. He still held himself tall, the mask that served as his face betraying no emotion. Luna set her book aside as he bowed deeply before her. "Majesty."
"Smiles; thy findings?"
"Uncertain," he responded, standing.
"We are listening."
He nodded once. "We began by verifying Autumn's story, or what we could of it. Your sister is, indeed, being watched. Careful note of whom she meets with is taken; their conversations are recorded"—Autumn thought he saw rage flash in the princess's eyes—"and her guests are thoroughly investigated afterward. It would not be foolish to assume that they are looking for someone in particular."
Autumn was only listening by half; most of what Smiles was saying he already knew, and what he didn't barely surprized him. Mostly he watched the princess, trying to judge her reactions. It proved futile; she betrayed only slight signals, and all of those were unhelpful. Still, he persisted, hoping that some clue toward his fate would be given. Then, out of the corner of his ear, he heard that the evidence against him had been verified. He went cold; he had hoped that whatever trouble Smiles had mentioned the other day would have prevented a 'genuine' verdict, or at least delayed it until he was free and proven to Luna. Now, though, he didn't think he'd have the chance. I'm sorry, Dew...
A twitch in his ear caused him to start listening again; Luna had sounded confused. "Meadowlark believes it is relevant," Smiles was saying. "Their reliefs did not show up late; rather, they turned them away, telling them to take a few more minutes."
"Strange," commented Luna.
"Perhaps," agreed Smiles, "but these are different times. I could not tell you if this is a common practice now."
Luna considered the information for a time, and Autumn wondered what he had missed. He could almost hear his heart beating in the stillness when she looked up at Smiles again. "Truly, 'tis difficult to judge. Thy council?"
He paused. "Meadowlark is inclined to believe him."
"And what of thee, Smiles?"
He looked over at Autumn, still huddled in his prison. "I want for more evidence."
"Dost thou distrust Meadowlark's judgement?"
"I trust Meadowlark; I do not trust him."
"Where lies the difference?" Smiles paused again, still watching Autumn. Though he still gave no sign of emotion, it seemed to Autumn that he was struggling to find an answer. With none given, Luna spoke again. "Where is Meadowlark?"
"On his way," Smiles said, looking back to Luna. "I expect he will arrive shortly."
Luna nodded. "Very well; we shall await his council."
Smiles nodded back, and turned to face the door. Realizing that his fate wasn't yet sealed, Autumn found himself with a spark of hope in his chest. He prayed that whatever reason caused Meadowlark to trust him was enough to convince the princess. For now, though, he had to wait. Once again, he settled down and closed his eyes.
Breathe in...
~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~
"Welcome," said Dew, "to day one."
There were a few hushed murmurs in the group before her. They had already been several weeks in training—strange tests and stranger games—and many of their number had left them. What had started as over a hundred ponies was now less than two dozen, and this strange mare was welcoming them to day one? Most only whispered their confusions quietly to their neighbours, but a few openly scoffed.
Dew was well aware of their feelings—she had, after all, been in their place several years ago—but even more than that, she was aware of the nightguard in the corner. His presence was unsettling; she had never known them to leave their princess's door, not since she returned. She hadn't seen him enter, but since she'd seen him he'd been all but a statue. At first, she had thought that he was there to watch the proceedings, but he was entirely disinterested in the gathered recruits.
He was watching her.
It was unnerving, the way he stood. She had seen all the royal guards stand as perfectly still as he was, but his eyes followed her everywhere. His head would turn to face her, the only part of him that moved; she didn't even think he blinked. He had ignored everypony that had come up to him and asked him questions, remaining focused solely on Dew. She couldn't help but wonder why he was there, why he had left his princess's side. She could only think of a single reason, and it filled her with trepidation: Luna, the original founder of the Service, was becoming active, and wanted her.
The timing was impeccable; four days since Autumn was declared a traitor, and only one since the whole of Canterlot knew as well. If Luna had any interest outside her room, there was little doubt she'd heard of it. After that, it was a small matter to learn that Dew was Autumn's only friend.
She tried to ignore him as she faced the gathering. "Over the past few weeks you've been playing games, ones that helped us determine which of you were the right material for the road ahead. Congratulations; you've made it past the first step.
"The second step is harder. From here on out, know that you will be working in secrecy. All the training, all the schooling, everything that you will learn will be spoken about to nopony. This is not to be taken lightly; it lasts for the remainder of your life."
"Hold up." A young unicorn near the back spoke up; she had an amber coat with a long green mane. "The rest of our lives? I was told that I'd be helping Equestria with my talents, not that it was some secret hush-hush deal. What kinda job is this?" Her question elicited sympathetic murmurs.
Dew's eyes darted over to the nightguard before she took control of them again; he hadn't moved, was still watching her. "Silence is the price to continue," she told the mare. "If you don't think you can do it, then please: the exit is over there." She motioned with her hoof, and waited. Nopony moved. "You won't be thought of poorly," Dew assured them. "I... we understand it's a heavy burden, and not everypony can handle it. If you're not sure, it'd be best to leave now."
"You can't scare me like that," the mare said. "I'm not leaving. I just wanna know what I'm getting into."
Dew forced herself to smile, all the while the nightguard's presence tugged at her mind. Is he judging me? she thought, trying to find some reason, any reason, that didn't lead back to Luna. Watching to see how I deal with this? Focusing back on the outspoken mare, she tried to fill her voice with sympathy. "You won't find out until you've taken the plunge, I'm afraid." Again, she motioned toward the exit. "I ask you once more: will any of you leave?"
A minute passed, and all the ponies remained; nopony ever left when simply asked to. Dew set her hoof down. "Well, then," she said, standing up straight. "Welcome to the Secret Service."
She expected the laughter that followed, but her eyes darted over to the nightguard. What would he expect? If he had any thoughts, he gave no sign. He continued to stare at her, silent, his deep golden eyes boring into her while his face remained a mask. She suppressed a shiver.
"You're joking," said a purple earth pony near the front. "The Secret Service is just a myth—stories told to frightened fillies so they'll go to sleep. You can't expect us to believe this rot."
She heard a few voices of agreement, one loudly calling, "That was a waste of six weeks." A few ponies looked confused; perhaps they had never heard the stories, or maybe they had realized.
"I'm joking, sure," Dew replied. "It's a grand joke, you know, one that has led you all inside the Royal Palace. Why, even the Princess would have to be in on it." Soon, all the ponies shared that confused look. She could imagine their thoughts, likely similar to her own years ago. Sparing a glance over to the nightguard, she continued. "You've all heard the stories, I'm sure; grand tales about elite cadres of ponies diving into enemy territory and saving Equestria from some evil scheme or another. Discounted as fantasy, a foal's tale. And you know? We keep it that way for a reason.
"But we are real; we do exist, and you have been chosen to join our ranks." She looked over the ponies before her, watching their faces; her eyes flashed to the nightguard, still standing in the corner. What does he want? she wondered.
Her thoughts were interrupted by laughter; she looked over to see the purple stallion with a knowing smirk. "Oh, very well-played, missy. You know, you almost got me there." He looked around at all the ponies he had arrived with. "Oh, I admit this is huge, but it's only a prank. We've been playing strange games ever since we showed up, haven't we? How hard is it to see that this is just another one of those? Next you'll be telling us this 'traitor' is real!" He flashed a grin at her. "Besides, just because we're in the palace doesn't mean the Princess is involved—all you'd need is a single guard." He pointed over to the nightguard in the corner, still unmoving. "I bet it's all his idea," he spat.
"Do you have something against our fellow ponies?" she asked.
"'Ponies?'" he asked, turning back to her. "Does that look like a pony to you? Oh, it's got four hooves, all right, but if that's all that makes a pony then my cow should be eating at the table!"
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
He eyed her suspiciously. "Don't tell me you're a sympathizer. What, were you raised by pigs or something?"
Dew had been fighting the urge to glance back at the nightguard, worried about what he might think of this outspoken pony; now she was fighting the urge to buck this pony across the room. It was with great effort that she kept her voice level. "The exit is over there, if you choose to leave."
He huffed. "Typical. I suppose you pegasi would defend anything with wings." He stood up and began heading toward the door. "I've had enough of this farce; who's with me?" The gathered ponies looked amongst themselves, a few hushed whispers between them. Several of the pegasi were clearly offended by his last remark, and the others looked to have some sympathy for them. When no-one stood to join him, he scoffed at them all. "Bah! Fine; have fun being laughed at. I'll be waiting when the real training begins." With that, he left the room. Then, almost reluctantly, three others followed after.
There was a moment's silence. "You're just gonna let 'em leave? Just like that?"
Dew faced the amber mare, a rueful smile on her lips. "No."
The mare looked back to the door. "What're you gonna do?"
"If you want to know, feel free to follow them." The mare looked back at her, shocked. "Don't worry: it isn't dangerous. They're safe, and so would you be if you followed; Princess Celestia won't let her subjects come to harm. Not if she can help it."
Several of the ponies were looking at the door, wondering. "Then... what's gonna happen?"
Dew shook her head. "I can't say." Her eyes found the nightguard, still standing in the corner, still watching her with that same emotionless gaze. "Will no-one else leave?" There followed silence; nopony moved. "Very well," she said, taking her eyes off the nightguard. "I'll say it sincerely this time: Welcome to the Secret Service." As she spoke, she bowed low. A second later, she heard the tell-tale sound of hoofsteps entering the room. The gathered recruits gasped and quickly followed Dew's example.
"Rise, my little ponies." Celestia's voice was a warm bell echoing in the room; Dew could almost hear the last doubts fleeing the minds of the recruits. As she stood, she felt a smile come to her lips. Celestia's presence was warm, a gentle kiss from the early morning light, and it never failed to be soothing. As the princess addressed the new recruits, Dew could hear the old words from long ago echoing in her mind. It was different this time; the same themes were there, but it wasn't a prepared speech. Celestia always spoke from the heart.
Dew's gaze fell to the corner, and she skipped a breath; the nightguard was gone. A quick scan of the room showed him nowhere in sight. She wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, but before she had much time to think about it there was a whisper in her ear.
"You are to follow me."
She almost leapt away. Her whole body twitched as she glanced behind her and found herself looking directly into a pair of golden eyes. He stood there, statuesque as ever, his gaze boring into her. "I...I can't," she managed to whisper. "I'm not finished here..." She looked up at Celestia, mentally pleading for an excuse to stay. The princess, never breaking from her speech, looked down at her, and smiled. With a nod, her attention returned to the recruits, none of whom seemed to have noticed the exchange.
"The princess has given you leave," whispered the nightguard. "Come."
Reluctantly, with a backwards glance to the recruits, she followed. In spite of it all, she resolved to carry herself well, and so she matched the nightguard's posture. They were several corridors away when the nightguard spoke. "That was quite a performance you gave; very dramatic. Tell me: why did you wait to call the princess in? Her presence would have convinced the others to stay, I think, and you need the numbers."
The topic surprized Dew, and it took her a moment to find her answer. "Not about that," she replied, shaking her head. "It has to be their choice. If the princess asked, anypony would eagerly join. We want to avoid taggers-on." One is enough, she almost said. "Besides, would you want to work with that... stallion?"
"I'd work with worse if his skills were sufficient," he replied. "Equestria's safety is too great a concern to worry about petty quarrels."
She fell into silence. He was right, of course, and she felt foolish. His head turned slightly, and he regarded her with one eye; she looked away. "What will happen to him?" he asked. "The stallion, and those who left with him?"
She met him with a confused look. "You don't know?"
"When I was last a member of the Service, it wasn't a secret."
Dew stopped, and the nightguard followed soon after. "'Wasn't a secret'? That was a thousand years ago!" He nodded, nonplussed. "How old are you?"
"Not very," he replied.
"'Not...' Compared to what?"
He shrugged. "You. What will happen to the stallion?"
Dew blinked. "He's... a memory spell, to keep the secret. It's one of the few times Celestia will allow memory alteration."
"Hmmm..." His eyes flicked to the floor as he considered the information, then back to her just as quick. "Come; we mustn't waste time." With that, he turned and continued down the hall.
She fell in step behind him, confused. What would he gain by lying about his age? she wondered; it didn't make any sense to her. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost ran into him when he stopped and put a hoof to the wall. Her eyes widened; the wall parted soundlessly. "It's quicker this way," he said, stepping into the now-revealed passage.
It was a narrow thing, that passage; less than a wingspan. Even standing in the hallway she could feel its oppressive atmosphere. Dew looked around; the hallway was completely empty. If she stepped inside, nopony would know where she had gone. The nightguard cleared his throat, and motioned for her to follow. She took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
Darkness swallowed them when the wall closed. Her breath caught in her throat as the sensation of dying swept over her. Blind and shaking, Dew was intensely aware of the clack of hooves against the stone floor. He had been behind her when the entrance had closed, and she felt her back bristle as his hoofsteps came closer. If he tries anything, I swear I'll buck him through that wall. She tensed, but the sound passed her by. A few seconds later, it stopped.
"Ah, right," he said, apologetic. "You're not used to the dark, are you?" She felt something leathery brush her chin, and she took a step back. "Here," he said. "Grab my tail; I'll lead you."
His tail? Tentatively, she stepped forward and found it brushing her cheek. It was odd; it shared the bat-like quality of his wings. Gently, she bit down on it. "Good," he said. "We'll start walking forward... now." If she hadn't been warned, she may have lost her grip when he started moving. As it was, she felt the tug and followed it.
The darkness was stifling. Every hoofstep echoed of the walls, reminding her constantly of how close they were. He was very conscious of her, taking slow steps and calling out when there was a step in the path or when they were to turn a corner. Even so, she brushed against the walls several times. She felt constricted, hemmed in, and more than once her tensing muscles caused her to bite harder on his tail.
Soon, though, she found her eyes adjusting. The passage wasn't completely dark; there was a subtle glow coming from lichen on the walls. The light was dim, but enough. When she let go of his tail, he looked back to see what was wrong. "It's alright," she assured him. "I can see well enough now."
He nodded once, and continued down the path. She was glad, though, that he maintained the slow pace of before; the light was too faint for her to trust faster speeds. However, now she could talk, and he touched upon the subject she had feared.
"Tell me about Autumn," he said.
"He's a traitor," she responded automatically. She had lost count of how many times she'd had to say that.
"So what does that make you, as his friend?"
"Not his friend anymore," she said simply. She took a step, and stopped. In the dim, she could see that he had stopped as well, and was looking at her calmly... or was it amused, or affectionate? It was hard to see. She took a step back.
"You still know him, don't you?" he asked. "If you're not his friend anymore, surely you can tell me about him."
It occurred to her how trapped she was. He was better suited to the darkness, and even if she could get away from him she didn't know where any of the exits were. Worse, nopony even knew she was here. She might spend days in these tunnels before ever finding a way out—if she ever did. As the full weight of it came down on her, she felt the walls close in and couldn't stop herself from shaking.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Her answer caught in her throat, and only a small noise scratched out. In spite of her efforts, her hind legs buckled and she sat hard as her stomach began to roil. As her breathing started to spiral out of control, she found his wing wrapped around her and his foreleg over her shoulder. She tried to pull away, but he pulled her close.
"Calm down," he said, "you're safe. I'm not here to hurt you, you're not under arrest." His wing flexed, and it had a massaging effect. "Relax; breathe easy. The doors are open, the ceiling is gone."
He kept speaking, and there was a comfort in his voice, in his warmth. She closed her eyes and pictured the open sky. Slowly, her breathing calmed and her stomach settled. When she could open her eyes again, he had a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry," he said. "I should have known. Are you good to walk?" She nodded, not yet ready to trust her voice. "Good. Come, then." He stood and continued down the path. As she got up to follow, light flooded the passage, momentarily blinding her. Blinking through the bright, she saw him standing by the exit. "We're here."
Cautiously, she stepped out into hallway. There were windows, actual windows, set high in the walls; this was the palace proper, sitting outside of the mountain's guts. With that simple realization, she felt a wave of relief wash over her.
It died when she heard his hoofsteps, reminding her who she was with. She set herself again and turned to face him. "Where are we?"
"Outside Her Majesty's quarters." He opened the door before him. "Come; we mustn't keep her waiting."
The first step was the hardest. The room beyond was dark, even in the morning light, and she felt the same oppressive atmosphere as from the tunnel. She glanced nervously at the nightguard; he returned a nod. Swallowing hard, she entered the room.
Inside, the room was brighter than it had appeared; a small amount of sunlight shone in through the window, and fireflies flew lazy circles around piles of old tomes. Princess Luna, lying on some pillows in the midst of the books, set one aside when she walked in. Beside her stood another nightguard, standing like a statue, and in the corner behind them...
Autumn looked up at her, and for a moment her breath caught and a feeling of euphoria surged forward. She lifted her hoof, about to take a step forward, when she noticed the imprisoning bubble around him—she had to choke back her cry of joy; Luna and her nightguards weren't allies, after all. Her hoof touched the floor again. "You... you've caught him." Her voice was weak, but she kept it from trembling.
"I would have thought you'd be happier, since you're no longer his friend," the nightguard said, coming up beside her. All the compassion he displayed in the tunnel was gone; he again stood straight, stoic in his duty. He turned and bowed. "Majesty."
Dew suddenly remembered she was in the presence of a princess; there was an audible thump as she followed suit. "P-princess," she stammered. "Please forgive me, I..." What can I say?
"She was distracted, Majesty," the nightguard said as he rose. "She was not expecting to find her friend here."
"He's not—" The words caught; she had said them countless times, but somehow it was harder with him there. She looked up, looked over to where he sat in his prison. Naked, he looked so weak, so exposed. One hoof was pressed against the magic wall, and he was watching her with such sad eyes. "He's..."
"Meadowlark." Luna's voice was barbed. "Why didst thou bring her here?"
"To act as witness," he replied. "She knows our traitor, and can testify to his character."
Dew looked back to the princess; she was frowning. "Dost thou truly trust his word?"
"I find it hard not to."
"Smiles has given us report; very little gives his claim cause. Why dost thou give him thy trust?"
"Very little goes against him," he replied. "Most of it would happen if either tale is true, but there is a secret being kept within the Service, Majesty. If it is the treason he claims to have found, we would do well to heed his word."
The princess's ears flicked forward. "We are listening."
Meadowlark looked over to Autumn. "Recently, Autumn rescued a pegasus from the care of diamond dogs; it was his belief that the dogs were trying to breed an alacorn." The princess scoffed, and Meadowlark nodded. "Indeed; the council had much the same reaction. However, when she foaled, the Service made sure that the only doctors present were its own. The foal did not survive, and was cremated.
"Yesterday morning, the Gatekeepers changed shifts late. Those standing willingly took extra time, telling their reliefs to return later. An hour passed, and they were relieved without further incident."
"This is hardly worth her Majesty's time," the other nightguard said. "The dog report told of spells being cast on the pegasus's food; it is hardly surprizing that the Service would want to make certain that the foal wasn't damaged or changed by those spells. And what difference does a watch turnover make, late or otherwise? Our concern is treason, not the strange customs of this age's ponies."
"I agree, Smiles, but do you truly think these events are unrelated? You know that the official report on the dog's plan calls it a 'mad dog's dream,' yet the council sends its own doctors to preside over the birth; the mother never saw her foal. History teaches us that ponies are ponies no matter the age they live in, so why would a whole group volunteer for extra duty? One or two could be excused, but all of them? What were they waiting for?"
Smiles was undeterred. "You are grasping at loose threads."
"You always were a straight-forward thinker; this requires a bit more finesse." He turned to Luna. "I admit it is a thin thread, but these are things that would not happen unless there was something behind it; I am certain of that. This is why I brought Dew. She can speak for our traitor, and we shall see what kind of pony he really is. We shall see if he is honest."
"She is his friend," Smiles objected. "She will support his word."
"She admitted to letting go of that friendship; I know what her lies sound like."
Smiles said nothing to that. He only looked at Dew, who was still prostrate and starting to feel sore. When their eyes met, she quickly looked to the floor again. Her mind was racing, trying to come to terms with what she'd just heard. Luna and her guards weren't allies, but they could be. All it would take was...
"Very well; we shall hear her."
Dew could feel herself starting to panic. What do I say? she thought; one wrong word could put them both on trial. She felt Meadowlark tap her shoulder. "This is where you stand, and start speaking," he whispered.
Slowly, she stood, her eyes nervously darting between the princess and Smiles by her side. "Princess, I..." She looked over to Meadowlark, hoping to find some clue of where she should begin; his face was an unreadable mask. She looked over to Autumn; he was calm, serene—he had utmost faith in her. She felt her panic fade, and suddenly it didn't seem hard anymore. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and spoke.
"He's always been reserved," she began; it seemed right to start there. "Never been one to get out and meet new ponies. But he was exceptional, very good at what he did. I think that's what got everyone curious about him. Thing is, if you don't say anything, it won't take ponies long to start making up stories themselves. He never said anything about them, so the stories continued to grow and become more fantastical with every mission he accomplished. It started with little things—like him being raised by creatures of the Everfree—but they grew wild quickly. I think my favourite was one where he made a deal with the monsters of Tartarus: traded his equinity for the power to walk through walls. I heard one that claimed he was a sleeper agent of Gryphus, and that's why he was able to stop their... recent attempt." Her brow furrowed. What was it they'd tried to do? Attempts from the gryphons were few and far between, and the last one had been a few years ago. She glanced up at Luna, who was watching her with a frown. She quickly pushed the thought from her mind and returned to the task at hoof.
"A-anyway, Autumn never talked about these stories himself, like I said, so they kept growing. He isn't a sleeper agent, but with stories like that going around... I don't think that him being a traitor is something too far away from that. A lot of ponies, I think, believe it because all they know are these stories. They don't know him.
"But he isn't; he can't be. He's an honest pony, he always has been! He's..." She looked over at Autumn in his prison. There was no hiding his true nature, that which he had kept hidden from the Service ever since he joined. She realized how ridiculous it sounded: calling him 'honest' when nopony knew he was truly a pegasus. Her eyes returned to the princess. "I... have to remind him, sometimes, that he needs to lie. About being an earth pony. There've been some times when he would've been found out, and he doesn't think to lie first; his first reaction is always truth." She smiled to herself, remembering. "What would you do without me?"
"Thou doth support his disguise. For honest ponies, both of thee perpetuate a lie."
She paused. "Princess, he... he's frightened, deep down. He wants to be able to run away if he needs to; he won't do anything without that." Her eyes found him again. "I want to help him."
There was a span of silence when she finished. Luna was thoughtful, but her guards remained expressionless. Finally, Smiles spoke. "She certainly loves him."
"Perhaps," said Meadowlark, "but she speaks truth; this is not a traitorous pony." Smiles said nothing.
"Thou art certain, Meadowlark?" Luna asked. "Certain that she gives us truth?"
"Certain, Majesty."
Luna paused, then looked up to Smiles. "And what of thee? Dost thou have objection?"
He was silent for a time, his emotionless gaze fixed on Dew. She felt it was a heavy thing, and quickly her worries began springing up again. He doesn't believe us.
"No objection," he said. "Meadowlark's judgement is sound."
Luna nodded. "Very well." With a glow of her horn, the bubble that held Autumn rose from the corner and came to settle beside Dew. When the glow faded, so did his prison, and Autumn stumbled as he landed on the floor.
Dew embraced him before he had his hooves under him, almost knocking him down; she felt like crying. He returned the hug, whispering in her ear, "Thank you for coming through for me."
"Of course," she replied. "I'm your friend."
Meadowlark cleared his throat, and the two friends let go of each other, turning to face the Princess. There was a blush on Dew's cheeks, so she hid it in a bow. "I'm sorry, Princess, I just—"
"Peace," she said. "Thou art here now as friends. Thou hast told us of treason, and now we must all work together to find it. We give thee our trust." Her eyes flashed darkly. "Do not give us cause to regret it."
"Of course not, Princess," Autumn replied, bowing; Dew was impressed that he didn't sound frightened at all.
As he rose again, the nightguard stepped forward. "Forgive me, but we have not been formally introduced. I am called Sunshine Smiles." He bowed. As he rose, he flicked his nose toward his partner. "This is my compatriot, Frolicsome Meadowlark."
Meadowlark bowed in turn. "Charmed," he said.
Dew blinked. "Dew," she said.
"Autumn," Autumn agreed.
Luna stood and splayed her wings. "Now, we must plan our next step."
The nightguards nodded, and they all sat down. Dew smiled; for the first time in four days, she started to breathe a little easier.
~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~
It was just after nightfall, and Octavia was finishing up her second glass of brandy. She rarely had more than one, but tonight was a special occasion: she was getting worried. The sun had risen and set twice now, and Fiddler hadn't returned.
She knew that he didn't have any ties to her home; not really, anyway. Hers was a roof to hide under until the storm passed by, but he did say that he'd be back. Didn't he? She thought back on their last exchange two mornings ago. The words she knew well enough, but... He did seem kind of hesitant to leave. She shook the thought from her head; she was probably just imagining things. On the other hoof, he had claimed—or rather, she had said and he had agreed—that he was doing a surprize performance. It wasn't until that afternoon when she noticed that the Violin she'd lent him was still there. By that time, of course, it was too late. She'd still expected him to return before the afternoon was done, but even that proved fruitless; Frederic had not been happy about a wasted day.
She had greeted the next sunrise with an empty house around her. It shouldn't have bothered her, she knew; he was, after all, a grown stallion, perfectly capable of taking care of himself—but then, he was in trouble; over his head, it had sounded like. She had carried on her business for that day—going to a rehearsal and a garden party—and found her house still empty upon her return. She knew that he didn't have any ties to her home; not really, but she worried anyway. Perhaps I have gotten too used to him being around, she thought. She was about to take the last sip of her brandy when there was a knock at her door.
She glanced at the clock, mildly irritated. Who would be visiting at this hour? She set her glass down and, with a shake of her mane, got up to answer the summons.
She found a pegasus on her doorstep, his head held low and an apologetic smile across his muzzle. "Fiddler!" she cried. "Where have you been? I was starting to wonder if you'd just left to find some other city."
"I do apologize, Octavia," he said. "I was... unavoidably detained." He looked up at her. "I did not mean to wake you."
"You didn't," she said, then held the door wide. "Better come in, then, before it gets colder." He stepped inside, and she closed the door behind him. "Have you eaten?" she asked.
"A little bit, yes."
She heard his stomach grumble. "Not much then, I take it?" She sighed. "Come on; I'll make you something."
"That really isn't necessary," he said.
"You're right," she replied, looking over her shoulder at him. "The way you made me worry, perhaps you should make me something."
He hung his head. "I am sorry about that."
She sighed again; he looked so pitiful like that, she couldn't help but feel some sympathy. She walked back and lifted his chin. "Don't worry about it; just... send a letter next time, or something. I don't know how it is in Cloudsdale, but they do have magical delivery here; your letter can arrive instantly."
He smiled sheepishly. "I will try and remember that."
"Good. Now come on; no guest of mine will sleep on an empty stomach."
She trotted into the kitchen, and his hoofsteps followed. It was after nightfall, so she pulled down only a few things for a light meal; a quick salad and a sandwich. She made a half-sandwich for herself; she had been drinking, so it couldn't hurt. Finished, she brought it over to the table, where Fiddler sat looking morose. Her almost-empty glass was tilted under his hoof, and he was watching the liquid roll around.
"I could fill that for you, if you wanted," she offered.
He looked up, startled. "Oh... no, thank you." He let the glass go and she placed the tray before him, taking her plate to her seat. She took a bite of her sandwich, watching him as he made no move to eat his own.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
He didn't answer right away, preferring to contemplate the complexities of the beets and spinach in the salad. She waited patiently, and soon got her answer. "I..." he began. "I was wondering if... if it would be no trouble, of course, if I could... accompany you to your shows."
She smiled; he was so nervous asking for such a simple favour. "Of course you may, Fiddler. I won't say you can perform at any of them—not yet, anyway—but I think it would be good for you to meet these ponies. Who knows; they may be your clients soon."
She found a smile on his lips when he looked up. "I... thank you," he said, before taking his first bite of his sandwich.
Octavia paused and watched him for a moment. I hope he wasn't trying to ask me out, she thought. That would be just awkward.
~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~
Scrape.
She watched him drag his hoof slowly along the wall, looking for something, anything, that would give him a clue. She leaned heavily against the same, a look of exasperation on her features. She spoke lazily. "This is boooooooo-riiiiiiiiiiing."
Scrape.
"It was around here," he replied.
"I don't see why you need to find it; it's obvious that she was being taken to Luna—what difference does the path make?"
Scrape.
"She didn't even take these things back," she continued. "She came back using the regular halls. Why bother finding a path she won't take?"
"I do not like rats in my palace."
Scrape.
"They looked more like bats to me." He didn't respond. "I still think Dusk is lying," she said. "I'll bet she did find it, but doesn't want to tell you." She glared at the unicorn from the corner of her eye; Dusk didn't respond.
Scrape.
"You still need to learn to trust, it seems."
"Maybe you need to learn to be suspicious," she countered. With a sultry smile, she leaned up close and whispered in his ear. "Maybe she wants to take you to bed."
Scrape.
"We are not all as open as you, Starwind," Dusk responded, not bothering to look her way. "Some of us know how to keep our tails down."
Scrape.
"Ooh, it fights back." Starwind shook in mock fear, then put on a pout. "You see how she treats me, Gale? I told you we should've done this alone."
"You threw the first kick," he replied. "Do not complain to me if you cannot handle the backlash."
Click.
He smiled. The wall parted soundlessly.
"Finally, we're done." Starwind started to leave, but stopped when she realized she was the only one. "What more do you need from that? We know where it is now."
Grey Gale was halfway into the dark passage, looking in as far as he could. "Dusk," he commanded, "you and Spell Swirl will map these tunnels. Find all the exits and entrances, and place alarm spells on all of them. If somepony uses these, I want to know."
"Of course, sir," Dusk replied. She stepped into the tunnel, her horn sparking to life.
He left her to her task, and Starwind cantered up beside him as he walked down the hall. "Well, that was dull," she said. "Worse than watching paint dry. When does this mission become exciting?"
"We are hunting a master of the shadows. Before it becomes... 'exciting,' we must find him."
She let a long breath escape her lips. "Staaaaaaaaaaaars, that'll take forever." She collapsed into him, letting him carry her weight as they walked; he paid it no mind. A smile suddenly appeared, and she licked his ear, whispering. "At least we can keep our nights alive."
"Doesn't it concern you that Luna is getting involved?"
"Why should it?" she whispered back.
"She is an unknown element," he replied. "Why is she leaving her room now?"
Starwind's head rolled along his neck, coming to a stop when her eyes met the ceiling. She sighed. "Because there's a traitor," she said monotonously.
"Do you really think it so simple?"
"It's her service. Of course she wants to know what's happening to it."
Grey Gale stopped, a thoughtful breath escaping his lips. "This is not good; she could throw all our plans into disarray." Starwind burst into laughter, mirthfully cantering away from him. His eyes narrowed. "This is no laughing matter, Starwind; we have no idea what Luna will do. We cannot predict her actions."
"And you think she'll fight us?" She suppressed a giggle, then locked one sultry eye with his. "Gale, sweetheart, think about it: she ruled the Service openly. If anything, she'd join us."
He paused. "You think so?" he asked. In response, her smile turned mischievous. "I see. In that case, she is your task. Find out what you can about her, but take no forward action yet. If you are right, she would prove a valuable ally."
She put on an expression of shock. "Me? Spy on a princess?" She chuckled quietly. "Well, I'd better put on my best dress; I wouldn't want to be insulting."
つづく
To Be Continued...
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I just found this and am excited to start reading this tomorrow.
Quick question: Do you watch Spooks? (or MI-5 as it's called in the US) I've recently been hooked on that show and it's inspired me to try my hand on something with this similar premise. If not I highly suggest watching it.
I am still
angryfuriouslividflabbergasted that this doesn't have more likes, people don't know what they're missing! You have no idea how excited I got at seeing this updated.Wow, I would've faved this a lot sooner if I'd known it was already on Fimfiction. I feel silly.
Looking forward to future chapters!
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Well, good to know that my obscene amount of text isn't acting like a deterrent. I hope you enjoy!
Quick answer: I'm afraid I haven't. I think this might be the first I've heard of it (I don't watch much telly, so...). I'll take a look if I can get the time.
Dude, the opening of this chapter is awesome. I love it.
The political intrigue is really stepping up! Gosh, this is a fun story. I like what you're doing with the nightguards, it seems like it will be very interesting. Also, it seems like they can tell a lie from the truth through their undoubtedly insanely good hearing. Hearing a pulse, anyone?
To anyone looking at possibly reading this story, do! The text wall that follows is a minor qualm beside how great the story is.
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Pfffffffft. Thinking 85K is obscene. HA! That's actually funny. I'm reading this 650K one that's, according to the author, only half done.
Anyways, I look forward to more of this story. Alas, it looks to be a while before more is available.
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Periods.
Commas.
Period.
Comma.
Periods.
Commas.
You can actually keep the semicolon if you reverse the order. Otherwise, replace the semicolon with an "as".
Comma.
.
Periods.
Maybe "through the bright light"
Comma.
Periods.
Comma.
Period.
Depending on how you want it to sound, either a comma or a period.
Periods.
Comma.
Capitalized why?
Period. Also, a significant other for Tavi? And it's not Vinyl Scratch?! BWA???
I kid.
Commas.
Period.
Commas.
Period.
Read in one sitting. Liked and faved. Late now, will comment later, but.....
Gosh, this is quite good. Really good. I humbly and eagerly await more.
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Wow, you hate semicolons.
I have proof of otherwise.
I would disagree. Yes, reading only the thoughts makes it broken, but tell me when you think only in words. Ideas, impressions, emotions, and memories will always accompany you in your own head. As he remembers her standing next to Celestia, that also affects his thoughts. Thus, the amalgam cannot be taken piecemeal.
See, here's the thing about this: I grew up with this being right. Whether that was from the age or the location, this is right to me. Whenever I see "cooperate," it always sounds like "coop-erate" in my head; you know, like a chicken coop. Is like when InfinityXanadu tells me that 'never-the-less' has no hyphens; I grew up with that, is right to me.
Every single instrument name is capitalized in Octavia's perspective, and this is the first one you notice? There were so many in her last bit!
Who said that Frederic is a significant other? You are correct, however, in that this story contains no Octavia/Scratch. I do not understand why people seem to enjoy that pairing.
As to all the rest of stuff...I'll have to find some time to go over that in detail. I've got a couple more weeks before things will slightly calm down over here. Anyway, thanks for the thoughts! I hope future chapters fail to disappoint.
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Let me start by addressing this:
Three hours? Wow... Sorry I broke your brain. But seriously, thank you. What you wrote was literally life-changing. It didn't really change my outlook on life, but it's very different than it could have been. I've made some more friends and written a 50K story. (Yeah, if you do the math or check my blog, you'll see how big the next chapter is already.) I've read 10.25 Million words on here. I've made friends. I've had a lot of fun. I've laughed and cried. So... Thank you.
Hate semicolons? No. You just use them really often. I make sure that when I use a semicolon, I really mean it; they are rather visible punctuation, after all.
As for the EM dash thing...
See, I have evidence for otherwise too.
This method allows the two types of action to have their own individual punctuation scheme.
Though, thinking more on it, it's possible that you meant for him to pick it up as he spoke... That's just not how I saw it while reading. I saw it as him saying "So" then picking it up then saying the rest. But that might not be what you meant.
...
I can accept your reasoning. I don't particularly like it, but I understand.
Let me go and be ashamed for a second...
Just in case you couldn't tell, that was sort of my way of making fun of shipping in general.
(Note: I'm not opposed to shipping. I actually like it. However, I also like poking fun at it.)
Anyways, I look forward to the next chapter!
Okay then. I said that I would comment, so here I am. My thoughts (if you care to have them) are as follows:
The story has a rather bleak and stark tone, which fits the story well. The characters so far all have had a desperateness to them that has carried over into the feel of the story in general. The characterization has been consistent, and a pleasure to suss out, really (on that front, that bit where Dew [edited for SPOILERS] was... something. I was convinced that you couldn't possibly be saying what I thought that you were. That you were laying out a red herring for the foolish reader. Imagine my surprise {and slight embarrassment} when you revealed that yes, that was totally what you meant to say. I suppose that I'm not nearly as clever as I sometimes think I am).
Noticing and enjoying some of the techniques you've used . Little things, like the viewpoints you used, or did not use, for certain events; your usage of semicolons, which never bothered me, but I'm fairly fond of them myself; the manner in which you placed bad guy flags over certain characters heads, which was most noticeable, for me, with Celina. By design, I know. Just noticing, is all.
I don't think that I would be doing much good to mention any grammar mistakes; q97randomguy is being very thorough. I did, however, see a your/you're error. FOR SHAME.
I'm not sure what else to say, other than wonder out loud (in print) about the direction the story's taking (I'm intrigued, and vaguely unsettled, but hopeful) , compliment you on certain turns of phrase (the quotes at the start of each chapter are a peachy good time), or just give general impressions of various feelings the story has given me (Dark tag is probably appropriate, but I'm not tempted to leave yet. This could be interesting....). I do fear that I've rambled on quit a bit, so thank you, dear author, for the story, and I look forward to seeing the rest. You know, if that's okay with you.
Cheers!
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Always
Aaaaand now it's ruined for those who read the comments before the story.
laughter
No, really that's fine; I don't care (Dew was a bit tired then; she wasn't entirely sure what she was saying).
What? Who says they're bad guys? Didn't you hear them? They're working for the good of Equestria, not toward their own ends. Celina is just...arrogant.
What? Where? EDWARD SMASH! Then Edward fix grammar.
sips tea
For the rest, I'm glad you like it. Things may get a little more unsettling at points, but hopefully I continually fail to drive you off. Thank you for reading, and thank you for sharing your thoughts. On that note, is there anything that you might like to see in the opening quotations? Or, so far as you've seen, other tags that might be appropriate?
If it wasn't, would that stop you? No, seriously, please: tell your friends, tell your enemies, and come along for the ride. It may be a little slow, but I'm working on it.
Next chapter is fleshed out and currently under the knife. Should be able to get it up soonish.