Macintosh of Arabia

by Crisis_Vyper

The Desert Lily

It is said in Saddle Arabia that when a horse keeps too much water in a vase, the water will overflow from the vase. However, what the Saddle Arabian saying had nothing on this particular situation, for the breach in the floodgates is such that the vase exploded twice over. The group are now seating upon the floor of the dark hallway, with the light from the unicorn's horn being the only source of illumination. The silence between them is nerve-wracking but everyone knew that someone will have to speak up. Surprisingly it was Amanar that broke the silence first.

"Ponies, If it okay, I speak in Saddle Arabia tongue. Easy for me get point across." The others nodded, seeing that when the camel talks, things are turning really serious. The filly is now looking at the camel bull, unsure about what her Janissary would say. Throughout her life, she had been in the care of this imposing one-eyed bull, and he is a camel with very few words even among the Janissaries.

"I shall begin from the very beginning my dear companions. To first understand your riddles, I must start with how I met Fatimah's mother. It was a dark night....." The Janissary speaks in his native tongue. The filly proceed to translate the Janissary's words as efficiently as she could, and as the rest listened, they knew that this tale will open the gates of truth.

---

It is a dark night, a night where the rains of Saddle Arabia will come once every few years in a torrential rainstorm throughout the desert land.

the brown stallion known as Abu Hamza and his small caravan is travelling across the land in the rain braving through this rather cumbersome storm when the Sheikh's ears picked out a rather unusual sound; the sound of a foal crying. Without even thinking about it, the Sheikh splits off from his caravan, which sparked his closest friend and also protector to follow the Sheikh. The Janissary gestured to the others to stay where they are as he catches on with his Sheikh.

"What's wrong Milord?" Amanar said to Abu Hamza, who is now looking around like a Saddle Arabian possessed.
"I heard something, I plan to find out what is going on."
"May I know what the sound is so that I can assist you Milord?" Knowing his friend for a long time, if the Sheikh had his mind on something, even the devil could not stop him.
"It is the sound of a foal crying......" The Sheikh whispered as he looked around.

Amanar could only raise his eyebrow in disbelief at first. However, slowly but surely, amidst the raindrops and cracking skies he could hear the cries of a foal. Both of them looked at each other, and without hesitation both of them made haste to the source of the sound. As they found themselves on a dune mountain and slide down the almost muddy sands, they could see the silhouette of something below them.

"My word......what happened here?" Sheikh Abu Hamza said.

Greeting both their eyes is a scene of carnage. Splintered weapons and dismembered body parts are now scattered across the dunes, and the blood of the fallen slowly seeps and colour the dune crimson. As the two friends walked by the scene, they could see that some of the victims are still alive, either choking upon their blood or are just looking upon their entrails with fading eyes. The stallion and the bull walked by a few more bodies and they realized that this is not a raid, but a massacre. A raid tends to leave some survivors as the raiders always leave once they get what they want, but this wanton slaughter is just pointless.

The two comrades are not here to pay respects for the dead or pity the dying, and nothing will force them to divert from their original purpose. The cries of the foal are now louder than before, and both of them could only hope in their best wishes that they could at least save the little one from this cruel and unfortunate fate. Slowly, they finally reached the epicenter of the crying, and a midst the bodies they saw it.

The foal is wrapped in a bundle of cloth, with blood staining its otherwise beautiful silverly gray face. It seems that it was protected by its mother even in death, for the arms of the mare are wrapped around the baby protecting it from the weight of the other bodies. As they came closer to the foal, they realized to their surprise that the mare is an Equestrian pony. Her coat, although covered in blood, is the same as that of her foal but even more fine. There is a peaceful look upon her face, and the Sheikh could only smile and thanked Ista that the mare had a quick death.

"Ista is kind to let this foal be protected by such a kind mare." Amanar said as he reaches for the foal. It was then that he noticed a very odd movement from the deceased mare; the mare's chest is moving up and down very slowly. Seeing that the hard truth slapping both the stallion and the bull in the face, it was the stallion that first spoke.
"Well what are you waiting for! Help them!" Sheikh Abu Hamza barked his orders and soon Amanar is clearing the bodies from the mare and the foal with the assistance of the stallion. It took them a while, but they managed to get both mother and child out from the carcasses. The mare is definitely weak, and her wounds appear to be very deep but if they could get them back to the healer they might have a chance to save the mare.
"I have them, let's get out before their attackers decided to come back to finish the job!" Amanar barked, as the mare was rested upon the camel's back. The stallion decides to take the foal in his own arms and immediately both stallion and bull are moving as quickly as they could from the the charnel fields. Sheikh Abu Hamza could only try and watch out for their backs as they retreated since the mare is blocking Amanar's rear sight. As Amanar attempts to make a run for it, his leg bumped onto a particular body.

Fate is very cruel that way. If fate have not decided to let the camel's leg bumped onto that particular body, or let the leg bumped onto another body, or Amanar decided to not take a look below their fates would be a much kinder one. Alas, his leg bumped onto a body and the camel looked down. As he looked down, his face froze in realization of the body below him.

The body is that of a stallion, but its facial features are unrecognizable due to the injuries sustained. However, upon its chest is a silver pendant shaped in a blooming lotus with a Azure blue crystal at the center. Each one of the petals are inscribed with intricate wordings, and each one of the petals are actually a stylized form of the word that shook the camel's core.

"Asar." The camel blurted out. Noticing his friend's distress, the stallion walks towards the body and was also shocked by the body. As the Sheikh bends down to pick the pendant, he also noticed that upon closer examiniation, the white robes of the stallion are covered with intricate etchings and writings. The stallion pulled the robes of the dead body to see its cutie mark and immediately scowled when he saw the markings upon the horse's hind leg; it was the mark of a key upon a blooming lotus. The Sheikh is not pleased by the development at all; Prince Fahd, son of Emir Shaddam Khalifah the Fourth is dead.

"Come we need to move." The Sheikh said to his companion. Things will be worse from here on out.

---

Amanar and the Sheikh had managed to get back to their caravan, and they told the rest of their caravan regarding the massacre. However they had decided to leave out the fact that it was one of the Royal Caravans as the situation will put them all in grave danger. The healers managed to patch the wound, but her wings are no longer able to fly anymore. The foal is faring well, and they too discovered that the foal is an Equestrian. Both ponies are of the Pegasus subrace of ponies, and that alone caused a little debate among the members of the caravan. Foreigners are not welcomed kindly in Saddle Arabia, but with the Sheikh's authority the others grudgingly agreed to keep them with the caravan.

It was on the fifth day, that the mare regained consciousness.

"Are you awake, milady?" Sheikh Abu Hamza said to the silverly gray pegasus in Equestrian. Truly, now that she was clean and dressed well, the mare is a very elegantly beautiful equine. Her silver mane blew with the winds, and as she looked upon the stallion with her jadeite eyes, the stallion felt like he is staring into a very verdant forest.

"Who are you, and......how did I get here?" The mare's voice is soft and gentle, and truly regal in spirit.
"I am Sheikh Abu Hamza bin Mohammad Hishamudin, The Custodian of Al-Barna of the Remal al-Sahra Al-Khayl clan. You may call me Abu Hamza. I rescued you. " The stallion smiled, but did not ask the mare for her name. He turns around and proceed to offer the mare a cup of water. The mare took the whole thing in one gulp, but then choked and coughed very badly. The stallion had to pat the mare's back gently to ease her discomfort. The mare, realizing what is going on, was about to open her mouth when shake his head.

"The foal is fine, but......only both of you made it. The rest are.......I am afraid.......not as fortunate." It was then that the mare's eyes watered up. Truly she must have lost her loved that night, the stallion reasoned. The tears from the mare started to run down, and the stallion pulled her towards his chest knowing what will come next. The mare started wailing, and as the stallion felt the growing moisture upon his robes he knew then that his suspicions are confirmed.

---

The Sheikh looked upon the pegasus mare, whose name he knew as Lily Petal, from afar as she stared towards the lake in the oasis, with her foal sleeping sleeping peacefully beside her. Her eyes are devoid of emotions, and has been in that state for several days now. Sheikh Abu Hamza only wished that he could help her cope with her loss, but he knew that this is a matter of the mind and all he could do is to provide a good living condition and give her the time to heal at her own pace. Nonetheless there is a feeling in his heart that told him that his fate is now entwined with that of the mare and her foal. The stallion was interrupted by the head of his Janissary, and as he turned around he could see that there is a dire expression upon his face.

"I would assume that whoever it is that was responsible for the massacre is now searching for them?" The Sheikh's inquiry bears an overwhelming weight.
"It would appear to be the case my lord. Fahd just saw a contingent of Eternals along with some other equines looking among the body and dispatching those that are still alive."
"This is worse than I thought. I was expecting that raiders are responsible for this, but to think that the Eternals and another clan are responsible for this massacre. This is no longer a massacre, this is an assassination disguised in a massacre." The Sheikh rests his chin upon his hoof, combing his goatee as he thought of the consequences.
"May I add to that, my friend?" The camel said.
"What could be worse?" The Sheikh looked upon his partner, knowing that things can and is turning worse.
"From what Fahd said, I believed that they are still searching for someone important." Immediately the stallion turned his attention to the mare and her foal, and something in him told him that he will have to protect them no matter what. Seeing the stallion's expression the camel warrior, Amanar knew what has to be done. A Janissary appear beside the one-eyed camel and before he opened his mouth, Amanar spoke.

"We are moving out within the hour. Tell the rest."

---

Abu Hamza, Amanar and Lily Petal are now looking at the filly started her first few floating flutters in the Sheikh's stronghold. After informing his stronghold of the mare's predicament, they too agreed to keep the mare. Of course, the Remal al-Sahra Al-Khayl clan are usually more accepting of others, and the mare and her foal made their home in the palace. So it has been the home for the Equestrian and her child for three years and counting. During those times, the mare had managed to cope with her losses to a degree, and have started to regained a semblance of life.

"Abu Hamza, I can never thank you for what you did for us. For both Fatimah and myself." She looked upon the Sheikh and his Janissary companion.
"Stop....you have said that too many times, Lily Petal. You need to take it easy you know?" The Sheikh smiles while watching the filly hover.
"It is hard to take it easy when you have a little one to take care of."
"The wonders of parenthood......something I can never understand." The stallion said nonchalantly.

Suddenly, he felt a heavy sensation leaning towards his foreleg. He turned his attention below, and he noticed the little filly leaning on his leg. Before long, the little one started to doze off at his leg. He picks up the little filly and puts her on his back. As her warmth seeps to his back, he sensed some attachment to the little one. He wondered how would it feel to have child of his own, until a voice broke him away from the thoughts.

"Abu Hamza, I believe it is time I told you the truth. I think you should take a seat first....your friend can listen, and I trust him enough."

The stallion agreed to the rather odd turn of events, and as he sat in front of her he noticed that her eyes are now filled with a great amount of sorrow. The stallion and the mare are now looking at each other and and the silence soon sets in. The winds, as if uneasy about the silence, decided to break the silence with their gentle blowing. The decorative chimes rings with every gentle blow of the wind, until suddenly the chimes and the winds stopped blowing.

The mare answered him with a poem, and as Asar heard the lines he was surprised once more.

Where now are the line of Asar?
Why do thy kinsfolk wander afar?
All because the line is crossed,
Causing Asar's line to be lost.

Amidst the eternal waves of time,
Out of the abyss peer the eyes of a demon.
From a ripple of change shall the storm rise,
Causing madness and the loss of all reason.

The demon soars through the dark skies,
Its shadow turning equines upon equines.
Such was the spread of fear and death,
that salvation is the realm of the deaf.

In loudest din or hush profound,
The Lumenize catches evil's slightest sound.
Let its illuminating sound display its might,
For the dark things cannot stand the light.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring.
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

"What in the......." The Sheikh knew the poem, but there are some stanzas that are foreign to him. Lily Petal looked at him understandingly.
"I am sure that you have heard the second, third, and fourth stanza before. It is an old Saddle Arabian poem 'The Demon and the Luminize'. As for the first stanza......Have you heard of Ebiru?" The mare asked.
"Yes, he is the Mad Horse, the last of the true line of Asar. He killed his family, and in turn he was overthrown by the people."
"Well Abu Hamza what if I told you that there is another part to that tale?" The mare suggested. Despite seeing the disbelief on the face of the Sheikh, the mare continued on.

"What history did not know is that one among the true line made out of Ebiru's murderous familicide and ran away. That survivor ended up in Equestria, and before long that survivor started to have many descendants as the time goes by. In that survivor's line, the survivor passed a message to remind them of who they are but of course being born in Equestria caused them to think of it as a fairy tale just like any other immigrant family." The mare's story is now turning for the weirder, and despite wanting to stop the mare in butchering the history of Saddle Arabia, Sheikh Abu Hamza wanted to listen more to her tale.
"That's nice. So where are you getting at?" The stallion asked. The mare smiled at the stallion and continued to narrate her tale.

"Then one day, the last surviving descendant of this line met up with a prince from a foreign land during her studies in Canterlot, and they fell in love. Fate would have it that she was brought back by the prince to the forgotten lands of her ancestor, and it was there that she learned of her ancestor's origin. Of course, seeing that it is not that important as compared to her own happiness, she decided to keep it to herself. But of course disaster struck......" It was then that the mare was interrupted.

"I knew something was odd. The filly does appear to have features of both Saddle Arabians and Equestrians. The return of the king, as you Equestrians like to say...." Amanar interrupted, and realizing that he was out of line. Nonetheless, the Sheikh paid no heed to his companion's accidental intrusion and gave a hollow chuckle.The truth is never a pretty thing, and this one is definitely at the top.
"So what if I trust you. Do you want me to bring you back to the palace?" The Sheikh asked, his voice sounded like he was a little hurt by the truth. The mare closed her eyes, knowing that in a way she had betrayed the hospitality of her host. Nonetheless she knew that if she would request for anything, this would be the best time to ask.

"No, I want you to help me and my daughter to return to Equestria. You understand that people may discover the truth, and the truth is a painful thing. The Emir does not know that his son had a relationship with an Equestrian, and for all his great wisdom he would not take kindly to the news. I fear for my filly's life.....will you help me?"

Comments

[Railroad Brony]

One question. Is this based off of Lawrence of Arabia?

[SFaccountant]

So the kid is actually a legit heir to the throne, eh? Can't say I'm surprised.
So now they either have to return her to Equestria and ditch this crazy desert, or face the great evil that's infested this land and put her in power.
Good luck with that, Mac.

[Crisis_Vyper]

5542468

In a not so straight forward way.

[Amethyst Blade]

CAlled it!