Book One: Chapter Four: The Party
Myths and Birthrights
By Tundara
Book One: Awakening and Arrivals
Chapter Four: The Party
Fleur was flying.
Which also meant she was dreaming.
The land below her was a dry, dusty summer plain, short yellow grass bending beneath a scalding breeze that swirled around the tops of rocky hillocks. Little hamlets perched on the leeward side of small rises dotted the landscape, protected from the harsh summer winds. The buildings were ugly things, built out of mud brick with thatched roofs, with no sign of care or attempt to create a pleasant front.
Between the hamlets, fields of tended wheat grew in abundance. Golden stalks waved back and forth in imitation of the ocean. The fields were rather small, probably just for local use, Fleur decided as she continued to fly over the plains.
Around the buildings equally drab and plain looking ponies milled about. A few looked up, noticing the white spec sailing across the powder blue sky. As word of her presence spread, the ponies below grabbed their foals and hid behind slammed doors. Fleur gave a little grunt of annoyance, but didn't otherwise pay attention, and instead focused on herself.
Looking left and right Fleur got a good look at the long, wide, majestic wings that took slow, lazy strokes through the air. She was no expert, but her wings were obviously those of an Imperial Pegasus, broad, spear-like feathers thrust out behind her. Fleur could feel the wind gently caressing each feather as it held her aloft, eliciting a soft, bubbling laugh.
That was odd. Whenever she dreamed, her senses were dull and lifeless, like she had been wrapped in a wool blanket. This dream, however, felt so real. It even smelled real; the thick smell of wood smoke tickling her nose. Fleur had never had a lucid dream. After a few more strokes of her wings, she didn’t worry and instead reveled in the feeling of flight.
Turning away from the hamlets, she started towards a distant expanse of shimmering blue water. As she approached the shore, Fleur could make out small waves gently lapping at a dock in the center of a shoe-shaped bay. A few more of the ugly, mud-brick houses were clustered near the dock and next to a market shaded from the harsh sun by white canvas sheets. Along the dock sat two long galleys, each with two masts and portholes for oars. Fleur recognised the design from her history lessons and story books. Such galleys hadn't been seen since the fall of the second Griffon Empire during the rise of Equestria.
"Just like a Trotan," Fleur said, startling herself with the tone of her voice.
Her normally soft, lilting tones had become harsh and cold like the winds that blew from the peaks of the tallest mountains. Concern for the change in her voice faded quickly as she continued to drink in the sights and sensations of the dream.
Expertly spilling the wind from her wings, Fleur began a lazy descent towards the dusty market. Her golden-shod hooves skipped over the uneven ground as she landed. The market’s patrons were all swarthy and unsavoury looking ponies wearing white duck trousers and coloured bandanas around their heads. They were the first sign of vibrant colour Fleur had seen since the dream began. A few of the denizens of the market rushed to get out of her way, others ducked down, cowering within their stalls.
All around her the ponies began to bow, dipping down until their noses were firmly planted in the dust of the earth. Fleur wanted to roll her eyes at the scene, but instead she slowly trotted forward, pulled along by the dream. Among the sailors and vendors Fleur spotted a unicorn wearing a bright maroon jacket with gold lace and a matching wide-brimmed hat, the feathers of a peacock stuck in a band of intertwined gold wires. Beneath the hat, the unicorn wore his soot black mane tied with a crimson ribbon. His dapple grey coat had been brushed until it gleamed in the afternoon light. Unlike the other ponies, the oddly dressed unicorn's bow wasn't so deep, nor so submissive, allowing Fleur to see his dull steel eyes that darted around the market, observing every pony at once.
"Lemurius," Fleur purred, a slight smile touching her lips as she approached the unicorn.
She held out a hoof towards the unicorn, letting him rise and place his lips gently on the polished metal.
"My Lady of the Light, it is so very good to see you again. I take it you're trip was... satisfactory, yes?" Lemurius asked, his voice thick with the burr of the Cantalonian Mountains and his breath heavy with the stench of cheap rum.
"I was not followed, if that is your implication."
Fleur turned away from the unicorn, motioning for him to follow with a wave of her wing and began to walk along the shore. The hackles of her neck began to rise, lifted up by an unfamiliar buzzing sensation. Something was wrong, she knew it was wrong, but Fleur was forced to ignore the warning.
For a short time they walked in silence, the gentle lapping of the water a few strides away drowning out the noise of the market as it regained life with Fleur's absence. When they stepped around the edge of the bay and left sight of the market, Fleur stopped. Looking around she made sure that they hadn't been followed. Satisfied, Fleur lit her horn.
Fleur enjoyed the cool feeling of her magic. It was like a fall morning's breeze tickling her mane and face, flowing from across hooves and wings, dancing in her heart, and then gliding through her horn.
Golden lines of magic burnt across the sand leaving behind the scent of saffron as they arced around to form a circle. When the two ends touched they darted inward, spiralling and bouncing off the walls they'd already created, criss-crossing until the circle was filled with a complex array of lines and smaller circles. For a moment Fleur reveled in the spellwork. She'd never be able to cast such a complex glyph so quickly.
Over a dozen runes formed the glyph’s base alone, with seventeen more coming together to create the frame. Most Fleur didn’t recognize, and two were odd, with forms that shifted and undulated when looked upon as if they were shy. As the spell’s cap, another eleven runes, was beginning to take shape, Fleur realised that this was no ordinary glyph. The intricacy used to bind the runes was beyond anything she’d imagined, or heard as possible. More telling, the ley lines began to be pushed away from the spell, repelled by the energy pouring through the runes. That the spell hadn’t fizzled from the amount of aether she was using.
It wasn’t just the flow of aether through the ley lines that was pushed away, light and sound twisted around the spell. A dome sprang up in the middle of the beach, with anything inside completely undetectable to those outside, no matter the means.
Releasing her magic, Fleur gave the glyph a cursory inspection before turning to Lemurius.
The unsavoury looking unicorn gave her a very slight nod, impressed by the speed of her casting. "Your Divine Grace, you asking to meet in such an empty dead land and creating such an impressive sigil doesn't have anything to do with what you tasked me with acquiring, does it?"
The smile Fleur carried grew dangerous and ever so slightly wider as she nodded her head towards Lemurius. The unicorn stared into Fleur's eyes for only a brief moment before he flinched, his gaze falling to the patch of sand that lay between them.
Softening her expression, Fleur asked, "You did retrieve the keys, correct?"
The unicorn gulped at the hard edge to Fleur's voice that promised pain unimaginable to mortal minds if she was disappointed in his answer. A raspberry glow surrounding his horn, the unicorn pulled a small golden bag from a saddle bag and dropped it in the sand before Fleur. Taking the bag in her own magic, ignoring the buzzing that was now like the droning of a swarm of bees, Fleur opened it to pull out three keys.
Each was black as sin and seemed to drink in light like a pony lost in the desert that stumbled upon an oasis. Quickly, Fleur shoved the keys back into the bag, suppressing a shudder as she moved it towards her own saddle bags.
"And my payment?"
Shifting her magic to her other saddle bag, Fleur pulled out a crown of gold. It was a very familiar crown, one she saw often.
"The crown of Hemera herself," Lemurius moaned, his thin tongue peaking out of his mouth to wet his lips.
As she deposited the crown in the unicorn’s waiting grasp, Fleur said, "Remember, it will return to her when she next performs the rites of raising the sun. That gives you five days. If you should think to use some magic to prevent it returning to her, know that she will come in search of what is rightfully hers. I would pity any pony she found in possession of her crown. My Aunt is not as forgiving as I."
"Just so, just so. Any pony she discovered with her crown would suffer most cruelly, indeed," the unicorn leered down on the crown with a smile of cracked black teeth. "T'would not be something to be wished about one’s mortal enemy. One who violated one's mother and sisters most foully and left them for dead in the burning husk of one's home. No, not even on them would one wish the pain and suffering Hemera would bring down upon those whom stole her crown."
Fleur watched with an arched eyebrow as the unicorn muttered to himself while placing the crown in a box covered in dozens of wards and sigils. She then turned away, casting her sight over the parched land.
Clicking her tongue, Fleur said, "I think I shall make a city here. Something grand, with white walls and golden towers. At its heart, a Temple of the Moon. Here will rest a great library with scrolls and books from across the Seven Lands. It shall be my gift to my Aunt upon her return and I shall name it Alnyxandria in her honour. What say you, Lemurius? Wouldn't that be the most wonderful gift?"
"It would be a most... appropriate gift, your Divine Grace," Lemurius purred, dipping into a low bow and sweeping his hat from his head. "If it pleases, I shall take my leave. There are many leagues my ship must cover and so little time. I shall have to whip the crew most fiercely as is to make my next rendezvous in time."
"Of course," Fleur said, waving a hoof to shoo the unicorn away, preoccupied with the designs and plans for the new city. Watching the unicorn hurry towards his ship with one eye, Fleur waited until he was out of sight before igniting her horn. Closing her eyes, she said, "Cousin, I have them—"
Whatever Fleur was going to say was lost as a shrill cry tore her from the dream and back into the guest bedroom of Carousel Boutique .
"Rarity! Rarity! Come quick, the Princess is here!" Shouted a high-pitched voice that pierced the walls between the bedrooms like light through a window.
Looking outside, Fleur was shocked to see the sun in the west. For an idle moment she wondered how long she'd been asleep. Fleur thought back on the dream as she rolled out of the bed. Unlike most dreams, this one wasn't fading away and clung to her, and in turn she set her mind on making sure not one detail was lost. Satisfied that the dream wouldn't slip away, Fleur made her way to the door and gently pushed it open.
Rarity's little sister stood on the landing, the white coated filly bouncing enthusiastically in front of the door to Rarity's room.
Noticing Fleur, Sweetie stopped bouncing and gave the older unicorn an appraising look before thrusting out a hoof saying, "Hi! My name is Sweetie Belle. Who are you?"
Gently, Fleur bumped her hoof against Sweetie's, answering, "I'm Fleur de Lis, ma jeune amie. It is a pleasure to meet you at last. Your sister has told me many stories of the mischief you and your friends find."
"Uh huh," Sweetie said, her hoof rubbing her chin in deep thought. "So, are you Rarity's Very Special Somepony?"
"Sweetie Belle!" gasped a scandalized voice.
Fleur and the filly turned as one to see Rarity in her doorway, her mane in its perfect bouncing curl, but her make-up and false eyelashes missing. Rarity must have only been up a very short time indeed, Fleur mused as she gave her friend a warm smile before turning back to Sweetie.
"Non, we are not 'Very Special Someponies'."
"Sweetie, you were saying something about the Princess?" Rarity said, her voice a sickly sweet that almost grated on the ears.
"Oh, yeah!" the filly exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she zipped over to her sister, Fleur forgotten for the moment. "I just saw Twist, and she said that Rumble told her that Dinky saw the Princess leaving the Everfree with Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, and Zecora!"
Rarity sighed, rubbing her face slowly. Sitting down, she put a gentle hoof on her sister's wither. Fleur stepped back, and started down the stairs towards the kitchen, not wanting to intrude on a family moment.
As she descended, Fleur heard Rarity say, "Sweetie, you know both Princesses Luna and Cadence are in Ponyville for the Celebration of Life, yes?"
Smiling to herself, Fleur entered the kitchen preventing her from hearing more than Sweetie's voice crack as she responded. She even started to hum as she pulled out some bread from a cupboard and orange juice from the ice box. There was something oddly familiar, and sad, yet happy about Sweetie Belle. Fleur couldn't place it, and as she began to scramble some eggs, she finally decided it must be how the filly lived up to and defied the expectations created by Rarity's stories.
Deciding to instead focus on the dream, Fleur pondered its meanings. She knew enough about dreamology to know that dreams often had meanings. Or so the other breeds of ponies claimed. Unicorns so rarely dreamed that, in the past, some had used it as a basis to claim that unicorns had no soul. Fleur snorted in disgust at the preposterous beliefs some ancient ponies held.
No pony knew exactly why unicorns almost never dreamed, not even Celestia. The princess had been asked once, and her answer had been, "For as long as I have walked this world, unicorns have dreamt but once in a year, and I know not the cause."
Sages and scholars claimed unicorns were heavy sleepers because of their need to replenish their magic, but Fleur didn't believe that explanation. Like the other races, when they did dream, unicorns would rarely remember the dream the next morning. So most didn't worry or bother about dreams. It was simply part of life as a unicorn. She'd never heard of a unicorn having two dreams in a year, let alone in a night.
This revelation made Fleur stop half way through serving the eggs onto three plates.
She turned to the kitchen door, a look of pure shock on her fair face, as Rarity and Sweetie walked through its arch.
"I dreamt twice last night," Fleur stated.
Rarity froze, a look of relief entering her eyes.
"So did I," she replied, slipping into one of the available chairs. "At first I thought it was the wine and just imagined the first dream, but the second was so real. Plus, I dreamt only three months ago. So, how could I have another so soon?"
"Same," Fleur said as she sat down across from Rarity, the late breakfast forgotten. "I was flying in mine, then I landed on a beach and was talking with some pirate-like unicorn. He gave me some black keys in exchange for somepony’s crown."
"I— I am not sure I wish to talk about my dream, darling," Rarity said, her gaze drifting to where her sister sat. The filly was watching both adults with a puzzled expression, head swinging back and forth between the two. "It wasn't as pleasant as yours sounds."
The fashionista put on a forced smile, but Fleur could see it wavering, cracking around the edges. Tears threatened to run from Rarity's eyes for a moment before they were dabbed away with a hoofkerchief. Taking a deep breath, Rarity reinforced the smile so that only a pony as practiced at dealing with liars and politicians as Fleur could see through the deception. For the sake of her friend, and still feeling guilty over the previous evening, Fleur didn't press the subject.
It turned out it wouldn't have mattered if she had as moments later a tremendous uproar came from the town square. Horns announcing the arrival of Princess Celestia, the distinct tune known to every pony in Equestria, mingled with cries or shouts of distress, piquing Fleur's and Rarity's curiosity enough to capture their complete attention.
"The Royal Fanfare?" Rarity asked, slipping from her chair to peer out a window. She hesitated for a few seconds, before her hoof was suddenly covering her mouth in shock, "Why is Princess Celestia in Ponyville?"
"See," Sweetie shouted, running to her sister’s side and trying to jump up to look out the window. "I told you that the Princess was in Ponyville."
Pursing her lips, Rarity didn't respond to her sister, instead focusing on the scene in the town's square. With breakfast already cold, Fleur sighed and slid out of her chair to join the siblings in looking out the window.
Then the blood in her veins ran cold.
Ponyville's central square was filled with ponies, most gathered around a stage. A contingent of royal guards stood between the stage and crowd. As distressing as the scene was, Fleur was more concerned with the fact that the guards weren't wearing their ceremonial armour, but instead the polished and magically hardened steel only used for emergencies. At the base of the steps leading onto the stage stood the town’s mayor and two other ponies.
The first Fleur recognised as one of the captains of the Day Guard. He was a tall and sturdy Imperial Pegasus by the name of Iron Gust, and it was clear from the blades on his wings and the set of his jaw that he was expecting trouble.
The other pony was Princess Celestia herself. Gone was her royal attire, the crown and heavy torc replaced with armour of burnished gold glowing with the light of protective enchantments etched into the armour. At her side, point resting on the cobblestones, was a massive sword. The blade was akin to the surface of the sun, rolling and boiling flames held inside a metal cage, and in the crosspiece was set a stone shaped like an eye, blood red and angry. The sword's name escaped Fleur, though she knew it possessed one.
"Why ever is she wearing that armour?" Rarity breathed, growing thoughtful, her head tilting a little to one side in appraisal. "I must say, it does compliment her colours rather well."
Rarity turned to see Fleur's reaction, only to find Fleur trotting briskly towards the door. After a second of hesitation, Rarity followed, Sweetie Belle at her side.
Pushing her way out into the crowd, Fleur made her way towards the princess, dipping into a respectful bow when she was only a few strides away. Celestia turned her head towards the three ponies, the grim expression on her face melting into one of minor relief.
"Ambassador Fleur de Lis, it is a surprise to see you here in Ponyville," the princess said in her kind matronly voice before she gave Rarity and Sweetie a small incline of her head and tender smile in greeting.
"Oui, your majesty. I am visiting my friend, Lady Rarity, for a few days," Fleur stated, reveling in being able to tell the unvarnished truth for once in a political situation. "May I ask why you and the Royal Guard are here, however? And in such armour, no less."
There was no being in all the world as practiced as Celestia in holding court and dealing with the control of information. It didn't surprise Fleur when Celestia said, "There is a possible threat to Equestria. It will probably turn out to be nothing and all this an overreaction."
Fleur slowly nodded in response, her experienced mind putting together what Celestia said along with what the princess didn't need to say. It was certainly the truth, and the way she said it made it seem like there really wasn't any danger at all. Yet, it was obvious more was going on. Something had to be terribly wrong for Celestia herself to don armour and directly seek to confront the danger. A little sliver of fear worked its way into Fleur's heart, and the ambassador slowly looked in the direction of the princess’ gaze. There she saw the treetops of the Everfree swaying in a spring breeze.
From the north a young guard approached, his steel boots spraying sparks as he ran. Panting, he slowed to a stop, saluting to the princess and the captain, "We have set up a perimeter around the library as you ordered, your majesty. Your sister and niece, Captain Armour, and several civilians, including the Elements of Laughter and Magic, are inside. There was some sort of disturbance, but as you ordered, we maintained a discreet distance and merely observed. Everything seems to have returned to normal, for the moment."
"I was already aware of what happened, but thank you," Celestia smiled, her eyes still fixated on the distant forest. "I was confident that situation would be dealt with in a timely manner."
Fleur shared a confused look with Rarity. Sweetie Belle, meanwhile, had circled around Celestia and was lifting a hoof, intrigued by the sword.
"You shouldn't do that, my little pony," Celestia said, her steely gaze never wavering from the trees. "Coronal Edge was forged on the surface of the sun and he doesn't take kindly to being poked."
"Oh," Sweetie said, her voice clearly disappointed as her hoof lowered to the ground. Looking up to Celestia, she asked, "What do you mean 'he doesn't like being poked'?"
"It is a long story, and perhaps best told another time," Celestia's smile grew faint and distant as the goddess thought back to days that had become nothing more than myth and legend.
"Princess, wouldn't it be best if Lady Rarity and the rest of the Elements were gathered and removed to safety, just in case." Iron Gust said, the pegasus finally making his presence felt.
"They wouldn't reach anywhere safe enough if this threat turns out to be real," Celestia stated, her words and tone sending a chill up Fleur's spine. "Besides, she approaches."
Turning away from the princess, Fleur saw a small group walking from the direction of the Everfree. She arched an eyebrow, wondering why Celestia was so worried about a couple of mares and two fillies. Celestia herself seemed to straighten for a moment, and then relax, a relieved laugh rolling from her tongue.
"And so, it was much ado about nothing after all. I am glad."
The harsh sound of metal on stone made Fleur's ears twitch as Celestia lifted her sword in her magic. With a little pop and golden flash the sword vanished.
Without so much as a glance to the ponies at her side, Celestia slowly walked towards the group, Fleur and the others trailing in her wake after a moment’s hesitation. As the two groups approached each other, Fleur's steps almost faltered when the 'unicorn' filly's wings fluttered.
The alicorn filly watched Celestia with a confused look on her young face. When only a half dozen paces separated the two, the filly broke into a sprint racing towards Celestia, leaping with a push from her wings and hooves outstretched. Forelegs wrapped around Celestia's elegant neck and the filly planted her face into her white coat.
"Auntie, I knew you'd come for me," the filly cried, little tears and sniffles escaping out into the sudden silence of the square. "I knew you wouldn't abandon me."
Turning towards Fluttershy, Rarity asked in a whispered hiss, "She’s an alicorn. Where'd you find an alicorn filly?"
"Oh, um, I was kind of snuggling her... in the Everfree."
Fleur gave Fluttershy a long incredulous look, though, when she thought about it, she’d heard a fair number of stories from Rarity about the impossible things that seemed to happen continuously in Ponyville.
"And Rarity, her name is Tyr."
"My little ponies, I think you have a tale to tell me. Let's head somewhere more comfortable and talk," Celestia said, running a soothing hoof down the crying Tyr's back. Then she turned to Iron Gust, saying, "Captain, you and the rest of the guard are to return to the palace. It has become apparent that your services will not be needed here."
As the guards rushed off to carry out her order, Celestia settled Tyr on her back as she turned to address the six ponies that remained, "Come, I believe there is going to be a party at the library"
Tyr tried to sort through a confusing deluge of information, face buried deep into her aunt’s mane so that the ethereal strands tickled her nose and eyes as she rode upon her back.
Since waking up in the forest glade she'd been trying to understand what was going on, but comprehension was frustratingly just out of reach. Everything was so calm and peaceful, which was so weird and wrong. The sun was shining brightly, not hidden by raging storms. The forest, though foreboding, had been alive with the sounds of small critters, not dead, silent, and littered with bones. And the villagers, they were all so happy and open, not running into their homes to cower beneath their beds at the first sight of alicorns.
It was like things had been when Tyr was younger.
When she had played and laughed with her cousins.
Before everything had gone wrong.
Before the war.
Even more confusing were the ponies. Fluttershy reminded Tyr so much of her cousin, Artemis, that for a moment she had believed that they were the same pony. Same with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, who reminded her of Mneme and Aoide. The two older unicorns reminded her of family as well. But they weren't her family. Tyr could feel the mortality in all the ponies as easily as she felt the essence of the sun flowing from Hemera.
So, there was only one explanation; they were all priestesses.
But Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were too young to be priestesses, and the ponies had seemed genuinely confused by the names Tyr had at first called them. Also, there was the small problem that there were no priestesses of Mneme, Aoide or Artemis. Even her aunt was a little off.
Tyr’s aunt, Hemera, Goddess of the Day, was blind. Tyr had always shivered when her mother would tell the story of how Hemera lost her eyes. She still had nightmares about Hera coming to pluck out her own eyes.
Aside from her eyes, this pony was identical to Hemera, so she had to be Hemera. Reasoning that she must have somehow healed her eyes, Tyr snuggled into the crook of the sun’s neck. Lifting her head from her aunt's mane, Tyr looked down on one of the ponies walking beside the goddess.
"Are you a Priestess?"
The unicorn looked over to Tyr, a slight raise to her eyebrows as she gave a laugh like sleigh bells.
"Non, I am an ambassador from Prance," the unicorn said, her accent foreign to Tyr. "My name is Fleur."
"Tyr," the filly responded in accordance with mortal pony custom. After all, everypony already knew her name.
She paused, mulling over this confusing accent. She had heard every one that existed while listening to the petitions of the faithful from her mother’s side. She decided Prance must have been from very far away if no pony from Prance had ever come to the Grand Temple of Love. Then she realized that she had no idea what an ambassador was either.
"Is an ambassador like a priestess?"
Again Fleur laughed, the bell-like sound making Tyr smile despite her unease.
"We are a little, I suppose. But instead of serving a goddess we serve our nation, going to other lands to help make sure that both stay friends with each other."
"Oh," Tyr said, resting her head against Hemera's neck and enjoying the gentle roll as she walked. "That sounds nice."
"Oui, it can be, at times."
The group continued on in relative silence for a few more strides before Tyr again spoke.
"Then why do you look like a Priestess of Wisdom?"
"I'm afraid I do not understand, little one."
The young alicorn bristled at being called 'little' by a mortal. She was Tyr, daughter of Love and Duty, an alicorn and a goddess. She wasn't sure what she was the goddess of, but her Awakening would come, in time. Then she'd be able to build her own temples and have her own priestesses like all the other Awakened alicorns.
"You look just like a priestess of Wisdom," Tyr continued, even reaching down to poke Fleur in the withers a couple times. "You're lucky that Prance is so far away. If my sister knew you were going around trying to make friends by looking like one of her priestesses she'd find you, gut you, and hang you by your own entrails until you were almost dead. She'd then let you down and repeat the process every dusk until you died of old age."
All around her, the group of mortal ponies stared up at Tyr in a combination of abject horror and fear.
"What? It would be the just response to such a slight!" Tyr squeaked, casting her gaze around for some support, but finding none, not even from Hemera. "The law states that to steal from a goddess is to suffer for your crimes by being hanged at the setting of the sun. To take the appearance of a priestess and to use it for your own gain is to steal from a goddess. Auntie, that was the law you yourself gave after Titus the Thief was found with your crown and surrounded by a harem of mares painted as priestesses of the sun."
"That is atrocious!" said a unicorn that looked like a Priestess of Beauty. Rarity. Tyr had heard the other ponies calling that one Rarity. She needed to remember to think of the mortals by their proper names. Tyr lifted her head a little and gave Rarity a happy smile.
"I know," Tyr responded, glad to have some support. "Mortals that steal from the goddesses deserve what they get."
"I can't even think about hanging any pony in such a manner. The hanging is bad enough, but to use their own... I think... I think I'm going to be sick," Rarity said before turning and galloping towards a nearby waste bin and emptying her stomach.
Hemera stopped walking, looked over her shoulder and gave Tyr a look that could make a mountain crumble. Gulping, her hooves trembling as they gripped Hemera's golden armour, Tyr shrunk away from her aunt's disappointment and anger. The message was clear; Tyr wasn't to scare the mortals. At least, she hoped that was the message.
Hemera began walking once more, a sigh escaping her lips as she whispered to herself. "This is why we foster our foals among the other races."
Stifling a sob, Tyr remained silent for the rest of the journey. All around her the mortals had grown sullen, putting a little extra space between themselves and the two alicorns. Even Apple Bloom had stopped skipping and babbling about 'cutie marks' and 'crusading'. Tyr had been wanting to ask why an earth pony that was so young wanted to go on a crusade. Those were always filled with terrible monsters and incredible danger. Unless she was getting a crusade mixed up with a quest again. Tyr often had trouble telling the two apart.
It took far too long before they approached the town's library, she could feel the emotions of the mortals weighing down on her like a wet wool blanket. Maybe she was an Emotional Alicorn, Tyr thought, trying to extended her senses outward. As always, when she tried to find her purpose and domain, Tyr felt nothing. Feeling even more sullen and wretched, she wilted on her aunt's back, barely lifting her head to examine her surroundings. She found her smile returning as they approached the massive domesticated oak. Inside she could feel the energy of three other alicorns; three very familiar energies.
Wriggling off Hemera's back, Tyr turned towards the two other fillies with the group. "Come on," she chirped, her confusion, fear, and sadness forgotten, "I can feel some of the others inside."
Reluctantly Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed, each looking briefly towards Hemera for guidance or permission. She give them a little nod and couldn't suppress a laugh as the three fillies raced ahead. Hearing the sound lightened Tyr's heart. Aunt Hemera wasn't mad at her for scaring the mortals. Not really mad, at least. Using her wings to flap up high enough to reach the door handle, Tyr quickly pushed her way inside the library.
Inside she found several more mortals, she ignored them, a Firebird, she'd play with him later, and, most importantly of all, she found the pony that meant the most to her in all of creation.
"Mama!" Tyr shouted, speeding across the room and throwing herself at Aphrodite much as she had done earlier with Hemera.
"'Mama’? Dear, is there something I should know about?" chuckled a deep voice from the other side of the Goddess of Love.
Detaching herself from Aphrodite, Tyr's eyes went wide enough to swallow the sun as she peeked around Aphrodite's back to see who had spoken.
"Daddy?" she said, perplexed. Suddenly a squeal of pure joy escaped her lips as she flung herself forward once more. "Daddy!" Tyr cried, laughing as she squeezed her hooves tight around the stallion's neck as she bore him to the floor. "They said you were gone, and wait... You're not my daddy."
Tyr released the sputtering stallion and took two steps back, a profound sorrow and emptiness dragging her wings down. She could feel his mortality, and knew the energies of the three other alicorns in the library. Her father was neither a mortal, nor was he in the library, or anywhere within a dozen leagues.
"Tyr, maybe you should have a seat," Hemera said, bemusement dancing behind her eyes. "I need to have a quick discussion with my niece, and then we'll help get you situated, okay?"
Accepting the question as the order it was, Tyr gave a mute nod then plodded her way to a nearby cushion.
Everything was wrong. She wanted to wail, maybe also scream a bit and pound her hooves, just for emphasis. It was like a pony had taken everything she knew and scrambled it all up. Tyr had no idea what to do or even what was going on.
Resigned to everything being turned on its head, Tyr tried not to make any sound, promptly failing as a pink pony appeared inches from her face.
"Hello, my name is Pinkie Pie, and your name is Tyr, right? That's what the princess called you, so it must be, right? Right! Of course you are. And you're new in town. I know you are because I know every pony in town and I've never met you before. So that means I was right! This is also a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party as well as a 'Happy Birthday Twilight' and a 'Happy Becoming An All Powerful Alicorn Twilight' party! It's three parties in one. A Tri-arty. No, that doesn't sound right. A trippy? A tritty? Hmmm... this is a toughie."
As the hyperactive ball of pink continued her barrage, Tyr sat there, frozen, head as far away as it could get from the possibly-dangerous blob. Curving across the room behind Pinkie, Tyr could see three banners stretched from side-to-side, one for each of the events Pinkie had named. Beneath the banners sat a low table covered in punch, snacks, and various treats. A few other mortals sat near the table, each giving Tyr long appraising glances. Used to being under such scrutiny, Tyr tried to sit straight. The young alicorn soon wilted as tears built in her eyes. Uncertainty, coupled with the bouncing pink form in front of her, quickly wore down her resolve.
She just didn't know where everything went wrong.
The last thing Tyr could remember before waking up in that glade was going to bed and being tucked into the sheets by her mother. She had no recollection of how she got from her chambers in the Citadel of Light to the glade. But she had to have gotten to the glade somehow, and if she didn't go there herself, that meant somepony had taken her. And that meant only one thing: heroes.
Tyr gave out a fearful gulp as her eyes sought the pegasus that she had mistaken for Artemis. Fluttershy was sitting by the punch bowl chatting amiably with some of her friends.
The timid pegasus, whom Tyr had observed jumping at her own shadow a couple times already, didn't seem the type to be a hero. All the heroes that Tyr had met were larger-than-life, grand figures that commanded a room as if they were an alicorn even though they were just mortals. Well, more than mortal, perhaps. Each hero was the chosen of an alicorn and granted a small portion of their matron’s power in times of need. Throughout the long annals of history there had been hundreds of heroes, each with a legendary tale.
Tyr had never really understood why an alicorn would seek out a hero. But she also couldn't deny the power and effect a hero could have.
On the other hoof, there was Fluttershy. She just seemed to embody everything a hero wasn't. Until she could make sense of what had happened, Tyr decided the best course of action was to keep quiet. Perhaps somepony she knew would find her, tell her what happened. Comforted by the thought, Tyr managed to calm herself just as the pink menace—Pinkie, she reminded herself—finished listing off combinations of 'tri' and 'party'.
Taking a long breath, Pinkie said, "You should go mingle, meet the other ponies. I am sure you'll get along great with the Crusaders."
With that Pinkie Pie began to bounce off towards Zecora and Rarity, singing a simple, happy tune. Tyr wasn’t alone for long, as next time she looked up she herself face-to-face with the pony who looked and felt like her mother. Tyr took a long gulp as she looked up into her soft pink eyes. After a moment Hemera joined them, sitting down beside Tyr.
It only took a few seconds for her resolve of silence to crumble. “I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”
"Oh? Why would you say that?" Aphrodite asked, wrapping a wing around the filly to bring her into a hug.
It was a hug that felt so familiar, so right, that it just made things worse. Deep inside Tyr's heart, a wall crumbled, one she hadn't even realised existed. Her heart beat faster, her breaths becoming quick and shallow as a trail of sparkling tears began to trail down her cheeks.
"Because... because... I scared all the mortals, and you two seem so disappointed in me and, and, I don't know what's happening!"
Tyr’s tears dripped off her muzzle in a constant stream of crystal drops, as Tyr started hiccuping between sobs. Then Aphrodite started to sing, a simple lilting melody drifting through her consciousness and around the room. As Aphrodite sang, Hemera picked the tears up, one by one, folding them into a small cloth. Soon everypony present found themselves entranced by the song.
Over in Everfree, many years ago
My mother sang this song to me in tones so sweet and low
Just a simple little ditty in her good old fashioned way
And I'd give the world if she could sing that song to me this day
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Equish lullaby.
"I wish my sister was here, too," Tyr murmured, nestling into Cadence’s side as sleep claimed her.
Moments later a flare of magic snapped every unicorn’s attention to Twilight's room. As quickly as it had appeared it vanished. All eyes turned to Celestia, whose only response was a small smile touching her lips.
"It seems Twilight and my sister have taken their leave. I imagine they will not return until the morn." Celestia gazed down on Tyr with an unreadable expression.
"The poor thing," Fluttershy said as she slowly crossed the room, a blanket tucked under a wing. "She's had a short, stressful day," she added before draping the blanket over Tyr. She started back towards her friends before looking over her shoulder at Celestia, lightly chewing on her lip, as she gathered the courage to ask the question on everypony’s mind. "Princess, what she said earlier, about, um, how you, um, punish ponies. You've never done that, right? I-I mean, n-not that I think you ever would, but..."
"She had seemed so certain," Celestia said, finishing Fluttershy's thought, receiving a meek affirmative. "No, I never have and I never would. But I know of a pony who would have."
"Oh... um... who? If, you don't mind telling us?" Fluttershy retreated further and further into her mane, everypony in the room slowly gathering around.
Celestia let out a weary sigh.
"A pony I am glad to have not seen in nearly two thousand years," was Celestia’s simple reply, turning a remorseful gaze down to the bundle between her and Cadence.
"What are we going to do about her, Auntie?" Cadence said, pausing in humming the tune of the lullaby, her wing pulling the slumbering alicorn filly closer.
Celestia had been thinking through her options, turning possibilities over, dismissing some and considering others. She had been ready for the arrival of three grown and awakened Alicorns. The possibility of one being a foal had only briefly crossed her mind the previous evening, but had been quickly discounted. She’d been prepared for the three to be wanderers, arriving on Ioka after countless ages. A filly had seemed almost preposterous in comparison.
She did know what she needed to do about Tyr, but the complications and problems would be many.
"Ordinarily, I'd say she needs to be fostered, much as Lady Sparkle and Lord Chaser fostered Twilight." Celestia gave an appreciative look to the them, as they stood there shuffling their hooves awkwardly.
"Your majesty, we love Twilight, and I wish I could tell you both the name of her real mother and—"
"Lady Sparkle, there is no need to apologise yet again, and you are her real mother. You will always fill that place in her heart, never doubt that."
"Um, Princesses, what's this 'fostering' thing ya'll are talking about?" Applejack pushed back the brim of her hat, a pensive look on her face. "And I ain't so sure I buy all this 'Twilight is an alicorn' stuff ponies been saying all evening."
"Fostering, dear Applejack, isn't that different from fostering any foal. The only difference is that magic is used to conceal the foal’s nature so that she may grow up as normally as any other pony. I was fostered, as was my sister and Cadence. They grow up just like any other foal, discover their special talent, and on their twenty-first birthday, they Awaken."
"That's why Twilight's always had dreams," exclaimed Rarity. Realizing her outburst, Rarity covered her embarrassment with a little cough. "I, um, I always thought she was just joking, or making up stories when she would come over for morning tea and talk about her latest dream. After all, we unicorns so rarely dream."
"Wait, you can't dream, Sweetie?" Apple Bloom gave her friend a perplexed stare.
Sweetie just shrugged. "Yeah, but it's not a big deal, really. Mom always says, 'you rarely miss something you've never had'. I'm not sure why other ponies make a big fuss about dreaming."
"It is a 'big deal'," Celestia came close to snapping, only barely managing to control her voice. She disliked talking about unicorns' difficulty dreaming, and quickly corrected the conversation's course. "But it is also nothing that can ever be changed, so we all live with the effects, as best we can."
"Now," She continued with hardly a pause, "Tyr here has clearly not been fostered. The obvious answer, to many problems, would be to foster her right away. But there is the small matter that the other two alicorns that arrived may be her parents."
"Whoa, hold up, there are two more?" Rainbow Dash gave a deadpan stare. "First Twilight, then her, and now more? I think I need something stronger than punch to drink."
"I put some hard cider in the back room, if that's more to your taste, Dash," Applejack said, smirking as Dash disappeared into the kitchen.
"So, what are you going to do then, princess?" Velvet Sparkle asked.
Before Celestia could respond, Fleur spoke up, saying, "I'll foster her," in a confident voice.
Dead silence rang through the room.
Clearing her throat, Rarity put a gentle hoof on her friend's shoulder.
"Darling, I don't think that is a good idea—"
"I agree with Rarity, and I am sorry Fleur. Tyr isn't going to be like a normal filly, even after being fostered. This is going to require a very deft hoof with foals, and the only one who has quite enough experience, and I mean centuries of it, is Cadence. She's foalsat for the nobility since... I can't recall when."
Cadence gave a soft laugh and rolled her eyes, while a brief flash of crushing sadness flickered across Fleur's face. "Since I discovered my special talent was showing and bringing out the love and kindness in other ponies, Auntie. That'd be... one thousand and twelve years ago, I think. Oh, how the Nightmare would storm through her palace cursing whenever she caught me foalsitting down in the village. I'd be happy to take care of Tyr. She already seems to think I'm her mother, after all. And Fleur, I'd love your help, if you want to give it." Fleur gave a weak affirmative as Cadence continued, "Oh, this is going to be fun! Just like taking care of Twilight all over again, right dear?" Cadence turned her head, giving Shining a gentle peck on the cheek.
"Yes, fun," he agreed, sarcasm lacing his voice as he remembered the magic flares of Twilight’s younger years.
"Good, now that we've settled that matter, I need to return to Canterlot. There are preparations for presenting Twilight to the nation, two more alicorns to find, and a wandering shade that needs containing. Good evening, every pony," Celestia said, her armour clanking as she stood and made her way out into the sunset.
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So far Alicorn tears aren't really explained well. I believe a later chapter or one of the side fics explained it, but a reader new to the story might assume that they are the normal liquid kind. Maybe something like "...folding the crystal drops into a small cloth," would've helped. Aside from that, the rewrite isn't that bad.
I thought her sword was named Dawn? Or did I miss(interpret) something?
4707061
Amon destroyed Dawn, and the blade was not reforged.
Edit; removed Coronal Edge history text as it's in-flux/changing. >.<;
Four chapters in and I still can't say what the hell is going on. The story feels too dense, too confusing, too much unexplained and then adding more before even starting to explain what was already there.
Perhaps later chapters start to be clearer but as it stands they are rather hard to get to.
6138324 while i like, what i saw so far, i have to agree on the pacing issue, a bit too much and too fast. The bit about griffins, where mass slaughter took place was so short it felt like a filler.
Okay, why doesn't Celestia share with the class that Tyr is in all likelihood from a previous era, one far, far more bloody than this one? After all, she is to be the Aspect of War.
It's okay, Tyr. I'm just as confused as you are!
What they don't know is that there's another one and the Griffons have her.
the only thing that confuses me is that Tyr is a male in mythology not female, is there any reason you swapped his gender? im just curious why
I can’t picture this without the spy from tf2
I love this
oh gods she's adorable