It's autumn, 1500 years before Heart's Warming. Thunderstorm is a mare alicorn found in the woods of Durachia. Since her arrival, strange things began to happen. Is it all a coincidence or is she really sent there from the long lost Ghistal kingdom?
At this time, Equestria was divided into six kingdoms. Thunderstorm, although being a Pureblood, seems to belong to none of the royal families. If we exclude the ridiculous theory of her being the last Ghistal princess. Either way, Riverstone, the king of Durachia, soon develops feelings for her... And,as I said before, she was sent there (and then) with a mission to save all the kingdoms from a pyromaniac. Although, a side-effect of time travel was complete memory loss... A strange story, indeed. Proofreaded by e-tec
Riverstone was awakened by a soft sound of a bell. The good old servant Rocky, despite being so old, still knows when it's time to raise the sun. He definitely needs to give him a raise. Riverstone streched and got up in a sitting position. Right in front of him was a mirror. He gazed into his reflection, seeing if he is tidy enough to get out and start the day. He lit up his horn.
His purple eyes were alright, a bit red, but that's not a problem. Riverstone quickly combed his messy black mane and shiny green coat. He put on the old, dark grey crown and opened the balcony doors. When you think of it, was it a balcony or just a small marble bump on the castle? Before he got to the throne, those things didn't even have fences! But anyway, he shook his head and began the job.
He looked down on his small, but wonderful kingdom, lit by the silver moon. Riverstone smiled, his orchid aura pulsed as the moon slowly moved across the sky, pulling the stars and the darkness along. It was heading to the western horizon, and the sea, the blue jewel of Durachia. When it was almost setting, Riverstone concentrated his magic on another celestial body, and a soft, warm palette of colours appeared on the eastern hills. The Woods were the first thing the sun would touch, mixing the green with orange, red, and yellow. Almost a whole rainbow. He spread his wings in fervor, to him each morning was a new experience and a had a different beginning.
The kingdom was now bathing in the rays of a morning sun, Riverstone yawned, immediately went to his room and jumped on his soft bed. Maybe he could get some sleep before breakfast.....
Knock, knock-knock
.....or maybe not.
"Your majesty? Please come to the dining room, there are some very important news you need to hear."
He sighed. Why can't I have, like, a quarter-sunhour of sleep? He quickly took his necklace, shoed , once again checked if he's tidy enough, and went out of the room. It have been two houndred years of this now, and Riverstone still couldn't get used to it.
"It's a great job, being a king. Oh, yes, you rule the country, oh, yes, everypony has to listen to you. But in the morning, after you raise the sun and nopony thanks you, you can't even get some sleep", he said to himself.
He went down the whole long stairway. He could just as easily teleport himself to the dining room, but what's the fun in that? He'll let them wait.
His castle might've seemed big and complicated, but in reality, it was just an old building with one hallway, three towers and lots of rooms, all shaped in an obtuse angle. His tower was the middle one, and the dining room was.... The ninth door on the left. Two years after his coronation, Riverstone got tired of constantly forgetting which door was which and made a map, which stood framed at the bottom of his tower. His servants disagreed in the beginning because they thought the king must know his castle.
And because of that, he couldn't decide whether does he like tradition, or not.
Riverstone opened the oak, simple doors of the dining room. There was just a big table, ten meters long and three wide, with many chairs Riverstone didn't feel like counting now. At a chair next to the one for the king, sat Cloudsweeper, a light blue pegasus with a grey mane, and next to him, BlueCliff, a brown unicorn. Riverstone knew them, they were guardians of the kingdom's prison..
He took a seat. The breakfast was already served, peaches and apples along with some orange juice. BlueCliff and Cloudsweeper haven't even touched their meal, they must've been waiting for him. Though, Riverstone couldn't find a reason why would they.
"These news are of great urgency-- ", started BlueCliff.
"Let's just skip the boring part and tell me what happened", said Riverstone. He felt a bit more tired this morning than usual. He could get some coffee.
This time Cloudsweeper spoke: ''Ahem, your Majesty, we have found something very interesting in the woods."
"Actually we found somepony", said BlueCliff, "It's a mare, a mare alicorn. And she isn't from any of the families"
"Alicorn with no royal family? You've got to be kidding me", Riverstone said.
"We are keeping her in the prison, she might be dangerous!'' Cloudsweeper was always too aware, yet, his family came from Zagacera, so that could be understandable.
Riverstone laughed to that assumption. Surely, she probably was a full grown alicorn, but the prison was only for criminals like serial psychopath killers.
"Lead me to her, we'll see if she really is dangerous, then we'll think what to do," he said and looked at his plate , " I'm not so hungry now, so... Let's go."
The castle's exit was the second door left to the middle tower, a lot more decorated than the rest of the castle. As Riverstone usually said, the only part of the castle with unnecessary edits. One of them being the silver moon and the golden sun as doorknobs.
The prison was under one cliff, crafted in an enormous cave near the shore, and was connected to them by dirt paths. Some houses were in front of the castle, but those were the ones which belonged to the richest traders. Riverstone felt uncomfortable in their presence, from some reason.
If you weren't walking on the path, you'd be walking trough the fields of Durachia, or trough the soft grass. Actually, most ponies wouldn't use the path if they didn't have carriages, or if they weren't pulling wagons. So the three simply enjoyed the green carpet. BlueCliff started to annoy Riverstone with his stories of how they should've brought some royal guards too.
"Truly, it is my right to have royal guards with me now, but the "right" means that I can, not that I must. And besides, I simply can fly my way out of here if anything happens", he said.
When they finally got there, in front of the prison cave, there were ten guards in front of it. Riverstone knew there were another four inside, just in case. Along with Cloudsweeper and BlueCliff, that would make sixteen guards. Four ponies, six unicorns and six pegasi. BlueCliff told Riverstone to stand and wait, while he and Cloudsweeper talked to the guards. Riverstone was standing far enough not to hear them, but he could still see they were arguing. Then one of the guards, a brown pegasus with a black helmet, flew to him.
"I am sorry you had to wait, your Majesty. My name is Fireblast and I will be your guide and a guard in the prison.", he said. Riverstone walked after him. He noticed the guard had a long scar on his neck. He didn't want to ask where he got it. He probably knew it already.
As they approached, the guards moved out of their way, in a straight formation. Every guard except BlueCliff and Cloudsweeper had a black helmet and a spear. They all had an emotionless, strict face. Perfect discipline. The new trainer, Shabby Armour, was doing a great job.
It was very dark in the cave, Riverstone could hardly see anything, so he lit up his horn.
"Your Majesty! No!" Said Fireblast, and Riverstone exstinguished the light, "The prisoners here mustn't see any light, but don't worry, just walk in a straight line. You'll know when we're there, trust me."
They walked in a complete darkness for one sunhour sixth. Then, a pink light appeared, and grew bigger and bigger as they walked closer to it. Riverstone knew it was a magical cage, but he couldn't see what's inside. Then he heard a sound of something metal. The next thing he saw was Fireblast holding a lit up lamp.
"Here you are, your Majesty", he said.
Riverstone took the lamp with his magic and brought it closer to the cage, which was hanging from the ceiling of the cave. And then he saw the most beautiful creature in the world. Asleep. Around her long horn was a glowing wire, probably disabling her magic. Her wings were tied with a rope. She had a grey coat, and a dark purple moving and floating mane with blue and yellow stripes in it. It was obvious she was a Pureblood. Her cutiemark was a black star with seven curved tentacles, surrounded by three curved lines. One golden, one purple, and one pale blue.
"Where did you say you found her?" Asked Riverstone
"In the Eastern woods, your Mayesty. She knows spells and language, but she claims that she has no memories of her life."
"Release her", Riverstone said.
"Excuse me, your Majesty, I think I haven't heard you well."
"I said: release her."
"But, your Majesty...."
"You dare to disobey your king?" Riverstone lifted one eyebrow. He didn't say it as a threat, yet it always had the same effect. Fireblast sighed, bowed his head, and pulled out a key from his red mane. Silly place to hide a key, Riverstone thought.
Fireblast unlocked the cage, Riverstone lowered it down, and took the mare out of it. He untied the rope around her wings, and Fireblast said some weird words, after the wire around her horn disappeared. That thing also seemed to keep her in slumber.
The mare opened her deep, blue, wonderful eyes, and tried to stand up. Fireblast wanted to react, but Riverstone kept him in place with his hoof and a "shh". The mare stumbled and fell. Riverstone went to her.
"What if she attacks you?" Whispered Fireblast
"You are forgetting that I am an alicorn too."
Riverstone then spoke to the her: "Do you need help?"
He streched out his hoof to the weakened mare. She looked at him for a few moments, and accepted his help. She was still a bit unsure on her legs, but didn't fall this time. She was taller than him for a hoof, so big and powerful, but still looking as fragile as a porcelain toy. She streched her wings. "Thank you", she said.
"You are welcome. I am king Riverstone of Durachia. What's your name?" Riverstone asked
"My name is Thunderstorm, at least, that's what the letter says", her voice was calm, soft and warm. Then she gazed at him , "You are king Riverstone? This thing says I need to give it to you." And with that said, her horn flashed and a folded paper appeared out of nowhere. It looked old, and had a royal red seal. Riverstone never saw that decoration on any seal before, and he had opened a whole lot of letters during his reign.
"I am just so glad you didn't pull it out of your mane", Riverstone said and smiled , "but, I don't want to be reckless and open that letter myself. If anything would happen to me now, if it wouldn't kill me, BlueCliff surely would."
Thunderstorm blinked. She didn't know who is BlueCliff, but from Riverstone's words, it was somepony important. She then nodded, opened the letter, and started to read:
"Dear Thunderstorm,
I am truly sorry I left you alone there, but there is something that has to be done.
You remember I was working on that time travel spell lately? Well, it didn't work as well as it was supposed to, but I got a glimpse of the future.
Now, while I was working on a "time jump" Pyros has gone completely mad (that's why I spent it on you)! Luckily our mother succeded to stop him, but the victory came with a price. I don't know why, but she didn't want me to tell you any of this.
I was able to "stand" in the portal for a whole sunhour. This is what I found out:
-The name is Durachia
-The ruler is a half-alicorn named "River Stone"
Pyros was destroying it, but I don't know why...or how did he even get out of his prison! Anyway, you must take this letter to that king, and stop The Fire Nut. There's just not enough strong alicorns there. Actually, there are no "real" ones at all. I've calculated some stuff, and the possible side-effect of time travel is memory loss. Oh, I surely hope this doesn't happen to you, this land will be burned down to the ground.
P.S. You are 1200 years in the future." She then folded the letter, shortly glanced at Riverstone and Fireblast, and lay down on the ground. When she first tried to explain why she was, well, wherever (or whenever) she is, the only thing that expected her was ropes and angry ponies. Riverstone turned to Fireblast: "Have you ever heard about this pony - Pyros, is it?" "No, your Majesty, yet there is a tale of an immense fire that burned all the lands and kingdoms, but it's an old mare's tale that is told to foals", He replied. "Strange, I've never heard a thing about it", Riverstone rose his hoof to his chin ,"Oh, well, if it's a tale, we'll find it in the royal library." "What about the mare?" "She didn't do anything wrong, so I don't see a reason why she wouldn't come with us. And please, her name is Thunderstorm," then he lowered his head to Thunderstorm's ,"Why did you lie down? If you're tired or something, it won't be a problem to get a carrycot." Thunderstorm then slowly rose on her legs. She streched her majestic wings again, which were too wide to be fully opened in the narrow cave. "I am uninjured, so I guess I'll be able to walk, or fly, to the castle." Then the three walked back to the cave's entrance, after Fireblast warned Thunderstorm about light and the prisoners. BlueCliff wasn't very happy about releasing the alicorn intruder, and he stayed there, while Cloudsweeper escorted them to the castle.
The pristine door was opened by the old brown unicorn stallion Rocky. As soon as he saw Thunderstorm, his eyes opened widely, as well as his mouth. He started to stutter, like he was trying to say something. By the movements of his muzzle, Riverstone understood that he was trying to say: "My queen". Well, maybe one day. Riverstone grinned for a moment, and then said:
"Rocky, this is our guest, Thunderstorm. Thunderstorm, this is my servant Rocky."
Thunderstorm and Rocky shook hooves. Rocky was still starring at her in amazement.
"Rocky, could you please take us to the royal library? It's very important. And please, it's a kind of rude to stare at a lady like that", Riverstone said.
Rocky immediately shut his mouth and said: "Of course, your Majesty." After which he turned and started walking. Riverstone and Thunderstorm followed him trough the hallway lit with torches. It didn't take them long to get to a grand ebony door, in which some constellations were crafted. Rocky opened them. Riverstone entered first, with Thunderstorm right behind him. They had a lot to see when they came inside.
Riverstone visited the royal library maybe 4-5 times in his three houndred years long life. Since the last time he was there, he completely forgot how does the place look. Let's just say the first thing he noticed was that it was by far the widest, highest, and all in all the largest room in the castle. And there were rows and rows and rows... Of bookshelves. That and nothing else. Except books, of course. And five large stained glass windows which were the only source of lighting in the room. Their colours were pale and patterns simple, their themes mostly being plants and flowers. There was one with a crescent moon in a bright sun, presenting harmony of the night and day.
Books were on each shelf, and there were so many of them that even the dozens of bookshelves couldn't be enough, so some were thrown all around the wooden floor. Riverstone assumed it was ebony, too. He lifted his hoof to his chin, so his jaw wouldn't drop. How are they supposed to find a single mare's tale among probably more than a thousand of books?! Also, the place was messy, dusty and definetly pleeded for cleaning. Well, while they were already there...
"This is the royal library, your Majesty. Do you need any other help?" asked Rocky.
"Oh, yes, I think I definetly will", Riverstone answered and turned to him , "Is there any spell that could help us find a certain book? I think it's going to take years before we find it."
Rocky's face took on a pensive expession. After a few moments he said:
"I am afraid not, your Majesty. But, the books are sorted by their topics. Now, I'm old, and I haven't been here for a very long time, so I don't remember how exactly goes the order. Although, I can help you with your research, your Majesty. What kind of a book are you searching for?"
"A very old legend. It could've been better described as a mare's tale. At least, that is what has been told to us", Riverstone said and flew up to the highest part of the shelf that was closest to him, about five meters high. Thunderstorm stood still. She hasn't spoken a word since they left the cave. That made Riverstone worried. Yet, there's no reason for worrying, maybe she is just shy. He then started to read the books' titles on their spines. Butterfly Encyclopedia, The anathomy of Arachnids... All about bugs. He was slowly moving right as he searched for the part where this "bugging" row ends. He checked three shelves and at least fifty books before he came to a title of a book not connected to any insects or spiders. That book was about woodlouses. Riverstone slapped himself in the face. He turned around too see where the others were. Rocky and Thunderstorm searching trough the bookshelf next to his. Rocky was checking the lower shelves, while Thunder was flying around the top. They didn't seem to make any succes either.
"What are your books about? I am currently on land crabs", Riverstone said. The great room had very good acoustics, so his voice echoed for a while.
Thunderstorm turned her head to him and spoke for the first time in a couple of hours: "Biographies of writers." Then she continued to work.
"Seriously? Me too, though these are about scientists. Well, it looks like this whole shelf has only biographies . May I ask you something, your Majesty?" said Rocky
"Yes?"
"Do you prefer Daunting Ally or Shaking Spear's books?"
"Daunting Ally, definitely, Shaking Spear's plays make no sense", Riverstone answered.
"Who is Shaking Spear?" Thunderstorm asked, curiously looking at Rocky.
"Shaking Spear is a play writer. He got famous after he wrote the play "Ruby and Violet". It's a romantic story about a stallion and a mare from two rival families. They fall in love with eachother, but commit suicide at the end of the story because their families wouldn't allow them to be a pair and get married", Rocky said.
"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that, but nevertheless, I don't like the pla-a-a......yyyy", Riverstone sneezed. Dust was everywhere, and it tickled his nose , "Shaking Spear isn't bad, he is just too poetic for me to understand. Daunting, well, is more direct."
The conversation ended and everypony again stuck their muzzles in the shelves, and rows of books (or piles, if books were on the floor).
Dear Families, is this really necessary? All this work just to find one stupid book?, thought Riverstone after a couple of sunhours, and a growl in his stomach. Then he asked:
"Rocky, what time is it?"
Rocky teleported, and came back in a blink of an eye.
"It's one hour before dinner, your Majesty."
"We missed lunch? Thunderstorm, how come you are not hung-", Rivertone stopped in the middle of the sentence, he forgot she was immortal, but to be honest, he didn't know much about Purebloods. Sure, his father was the last one, but he wasn't an example of health. Can they even be sick? Well, maybe his father lied about his ancestors. Everypony still does.
"Rocky, you go tell the other servants to make a dinner. For two, please. Thunderstorm and me will keep on looking for that book", he said. Rocky teleported again. Riverstone and Thunderstorm were now alone in the library. Thunderstorm as if she waited for that moment, because immediately after Rocky dissapeared, she picked up an old green leather book from the floor, wiped the dust from it and asked:
"Why did you believe me? And why are you putting all this effort and so much of your time to find something that might even not be true?"
Riverstone just ended checking his third bookshelf. He flew to the next one and smiled. "Anypony could see you are a Pureblood from the highest clouds. If you wanted to destroy this kingdom, dethrone me or anything, you could do it without breaking a sweat. Nopony exactly knows what are your limits. And besides, I didn't have anything else to do today."
"You seem like a very wise and rightful king." She said while lifting another book from the floor with her magic.
"I tend to do my best. This is the smallest kingdom, I mean, the Lefradat's main city is bigger than Durachia, so there's no much job to do. Actually, my only duty is to raise the sun and the moon, because I am half Pure. It's supposed to mean that I have the best magic and strength, but I disagree. For example, I can't light fire, and even Rocky can do that!" He replied with some frustration in his voice and slightly descended to check the lower shelves.
"Oh. Did I make you angry?"
"No, not at all", Riverstone sighed , " It's just that sometimes, I don't feel good enough to be a king." He landed on the floor and lay down. He was flying almost all the time while they were in the library, and his wings were exhausted. They fell aside, he almost couldn't feel them.
"Are you alright?" Thunderstorm dropped the levitating books, and they hit the ground with a loud "thump". She went to him and bowed.
"I'm just kind of tired, but it's not a big deal. Let's keep searching" Riverstone got up. The whole bookshelf he was checking had only magic spell books.
Thunderstorm went to the other side of the room and flew up. The books on that shelf were history ones. She must be close...
"I found it!" She shouted. Riverstone galloped to her. She was holding a "Collection of the oldest legends and tales".
"Finally!", Riverstone said, not even thinking about how stupidly coincidental that was, and took the book with his magic , "I'm way too tired and hungry to read anything now. Let's go to the dining room, then I'll raise the moon, and then - If I don't blackout from fatigue - we can open this!"
He trotted to the ebony door and opened it, with Thunderstorm behind him. When she was almost out of the room, she turned to look at the books she was flicking trough before. They were really interesting and she'd really like to read them. Her horn glew blue, and the books rose in the air and came to her. Then she exited the room and closed the door.
She needed to canter for a bit to catch up with Riverstone. When she was right behind him, she noticed he was smiling. What was he so exited for? This book was of no use to him. Probably. She still wasn't sure why he believes her. She herself didn't know what was that letter about! She felt so dumb because of her memory loss. The pony who sent her here and now... Was the pony a mare or a stallion? Her brother, sister, father, friend? She didn't know, and most likely she never will. That brought a tear in her eye, but she wasn't sure why was she so sad. She wiped the tear and blinked a few times, just so her eyes won't be red. The pony said her mother did something to stop Pyros.... Or whoever that pony was. What was the price? Why couldn't the pony come with her? Her questions stopped as soon as she heard a shriek of the door Riverstone was opening. So, that was the dining room. It wasn't even close to the library in size, but Thunderstorm was glad she doesn't see books. The table was huge, and Riverstone sat at the left end, in a beautifully decorated chair. There weren't any other seats at that edge. Her plate was on the right corner closest to Riverstone. She performed the same spell she hid the letter with on books. They dissapeared, and Thunderstorm sat at her chair. She and Riverstone both had the same meal: daisy salad with lemonade.
"Bon apétit", he said and they began to eat. Thunderstorm liked the dinner very much. Not that she remembered eating anything else before this, yet she could name all the plants, fruits, vegetables... Time travel is messed up.
The dinner passed in silence, you could hear a fly's flutter in the kitchen next door. Riverstone finished first, while Thunderstorm was drinking her lemonade. He waited until her glass was empty, and then got off the chair. Thunderstorm did so after him, and walked right behind Riverstone as he opened the door and went out the room. The whole time they walked to the castle's exit, his horn was glowing. Maybe he was already setting the sun. When he opened the only fully decorated door. The door slowly opened, and a silver moonlight ray crawled into the room. Thunderstorm saw the night for the first time. And the night above Durachia was...amazing.
Dark indigo, almost black sky was full of sparkling stars which shone like diamonds. The moon gleamed above the Eastern forest's evergreen trees, which had such leaf texture that they acted almost like the sea - the moon's reflection was spilled on their tops. Thunderstorm could see the lights appearing in the harbor, and some other lights extinguishing in the cities. A river of green grass ran trough Durachia's fields, its movements leaded by a soft and warm southern wind.
"It's.... beautiful.." Thunderstorm gasped.
"One of the rare benefits of being a ruler", Riverstone said and turned , "Now, let me show you where you'll sleep."
He then closed the door. They walked trough the castle in the dark, since everypony was asleep and there was no need for torches now.
Riverstone's glowing horn was the only thing Thunderstorm could recognize in the darkness. Suddenly, it started to glow stronger, and now she could actually see around her. In front of them was a stairway to up.
"This is the Right Tower, your room is at the top. You have a bath in there, a bed, and some of my mother's dresses in the closet", he said and turned to her , "Shall I lead you there?"
"No, I can climb there myself", said Thunderstorm , "But, what about the book?"
Riverstone's eyes widened. His magic aura flashed white as he teleported. Thunderstorm assumed he must've let the book in the kitchen. She lit up her horn and rose her look to the spiral stairway. She wasn't able to see the end, but until Riverstone's gone, she might also check out her room. She climbed up the stairway, bowing her head so her long horn wouldn't scratch the ceiling which was too low for her. There was nothing special about the plain, grey stairs that just kept on appearing. Thunderstorm started to wonder how high this tower was when she hit into something. Her horn glew stronger, and she could see a wooden door. Simple wooden door with brass doorknobs. She pushed the door with her hoof, and a shriek pierced her ears. This room had no guests in a very long time. Although, the room had no dust scent. Probably the servants maintained it, in case somepony important arrives.
There was a shelf left to the door, with a candle and a lamp on it. Thunderstorm lit the candle, and then the lamp, while levitating it towards herself. The lamp's light was bright enough to cover the whole room, and she liked it.
Straight in front of Thunderstorm was an opened balcony, with a view on the sea. Some small ships were sailing, looking like fireflies dancing on vulcan glass. Along with the open door, it created a draft, and Thunderstorm felt a chill crawling trough her body. She closed the door, then the balcony, and the room immediately seemed much warmer. She then noticed her bed in the left corner of the room. It was big enough for her to lay on it, good enough all by itself. The touched the madrace and the pillows, which were filled with feathers and very soft. Her gaze rose to the curtains above the bed. She climbed on the bed and opened them. Through a fixed glass window, not much bigger than her two hooves put together, she could see the Middle Tower, the moon behind it, and the Eastern forest. She carefully levitated the lamp to the floor, and tied the curtains around the two small iron hooks next to the window, each on other side. Moon shone so brightly tonight that she won't need that lamp anymore. She looked to the other side of the room. She saw a closet and a door, maybe a bathroom. She approached the closet and opened it. Riverstone said his mother's dresses were in there.
The dresses were enchanted, floating in the air. They were colorful, beautifully jeweled and frilly. There was one white dress with floral pattern a d a veil. It must've been her wedding dress. Thunderstorm smiled warmly. There was also one pale blue armor, with a helmet end every protector possible. All the dresses (and the armor) were way too small for Thunderstorm, but the first thing she noticed was that neither of the dresses had holes for the wings, and the helmet didn't have the one for the horn. Riverstone's mother was an earthpony.
At that moment somepony knocked. Thunderstorm quickly closed the closet. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. Would Riverstone be mad if he knew she was looking at his mother's dresses? She opened the door, and as she expected, Riverstone was outside, holding the book with his magic.
"Sorry it took me so long. It seems one servant thought it was trash. Not that I blame him. This book is like a bazillion years old, and I left it on the floor. I see you found the room. Do you like it?" He said
"Oh, yes, it's beautiful. Thank you very much for allowing me to stay", she answered.
"Well, let's see what is that all fuzz about", Riverstone entered and looked around , "Do you mind if I sit on your bed?"
"No, and, isn't this your castle? Why are you asking me for seating?" Thunderstorm asked.
Riverstone went to the bed and sat there. Thunderstorm turned towards him and closed the door, but stood in place.
"It's just, I can't get the thought from my head that this used to be my mother's room", Riverstone smiled, although sadly. He moved his hoof over the red and golden quilt. He then cleaned his throat and rose the book in the air. Thunderstorm lit the lamp again and sat next to him. The book was quite thick. It's cover was navy blue with golden letters so old their color melted. The cover itself was partially peeled of and damaged. When Riverstone opened it, Thunderstorm saw the shabby brown pages, once white and new.
Riverstone was turning the pages quickly with his magic.There were plenty of mare tales there: "Princess and the Changeling", "Cinderfilly", "Little Seamare"... Riverstone stopped flipping the pages when he saw an illustration of a burning castle. The title of the story was "Ghistal's Pyre: the Legend of the Lost Kingdom".
"Maybe it's this one", Thunderstorm said. Riverstone nodded and started reading out loud:
"Once upon a time, seven alicorn families, each with their own kingdom, ruled our lands. The kingdoms were called: Blosphor, Hirolis, Triscoledy, Lefradat, Durachia, Salcabee and Ghistal. Every kingdom was independent and great in its own way. But Ghistal was the kingdom who kept peace in the land. The king and the queen of Ghistal were powerful, they took the care of both sun and the moon, the balance between light and darkness, day and night. Although she had their own children the queen picked the most talented and most clever young unicorn colt as her personal student. He was meant to learn from her and to spread the three most important values throughout the land: magic, friendship and love.
"In exchange", she said , "You will achieve immortality even the strongest alicorns can't reach."
The unicorn studied very hard. He learned everything about magic, he made many friends and gained the trust in griffon and yak kingdoms. After dedicating years of his life to his studies, he became the master of magic. Because the real magic comes from friendship between ponies, and a pony understanding and accepting magic as a part of him or her.
The unicorn was already grown up when he came to Ghistal's castle and came in front of the queen for a proposal. The king was asked to leave the room, since only the queen held and knew about the kingdoms' greatest secret. And she prepared the unicorn for it. Even though she was ageless and had a lifespan of countless worlds, she wouldn't last forever.,
"I have mastered everything you asked from me, and I spread my knowledge throughout the land. I now seek for my immortality", he spoke to her.
The queen came to him and whispered to his ear: "Let me show you something."
She turned and moved her throne with her magic. Behind it was a small, dark room, but something was shining in it. The unicorn he saw it was a crystal table-map of not only the kingdoms, but of the whole world.
"This is a map of our home. Here is everything we know. This table used to be called "Knowledge", before it was hidden from those who would ill-use it", she said.
"What is that?" The unicorn pointed at the bright white flame burning in a glass box at the other side of the room.
"Something not important to this. We call it The Fire, and no pony is sure what it actually is, but we know it's powerful and it hides the alicorns' essence", the queen said.
Yet, the unicorn was intrigued by the white flame. When he concentrated, he could see that it isn't actually white, but made of all the colours moving really fast.
"You ask for immortality, but don't you see you already have it?" She said. The Knowledge's picture changed, and suddenly it was showing a small village, then a metropolis, a ship, the yak and griffon kingdoms...
"What does this have to do with me?" the unicorn became impatient.
"Do you see all the ponies agreeing, smiling and appreciating eachother? That is all your merit. You have taught them how to tolerate and love. That is your legacy. They will remember you, write books and legends about you, they will build statues in your honor. They will remember you, and with each pony reading about you, you will live in their mind again. There is no way to hurt the ponies' memories and feelings, and you will live forever in their minds and hearts. Alicorns, even the kings and queens, will soon be thought of as unnecessary and forgotten"
The unicorn frowned. "But I will still die", he said angrily. He immediately left the room. The queen didn't try to stop him, but she had a sad look in her eye.
The unicorn became bitter. He expected her to turn him into a real alicorn, to make him immortal! He spent all his life for this?! All these years, all those read books, all his pain for NOTHING?! He tried to destroy a random vase in the castle. For the first time in his life he felt hatred towards somepony.
And joy in imagining the same pony suffer.
She spent all his life? She used him as a puppet? She lied to him?!
He will return her the favor.
The unicorn started to study on a different type of magic. The one which was forbidden for everypony for a long time, but which promised the user invincibility. He became as capable of using it as normal magic. He then figured out how to take away the Fire from alicorns. After lots of studying, he acknowledged it's not only the essence of alicorns, but of all living creatures and magic. Yet, alicorns had much more of it than others. So he started his revenge. He still had the trust of all the families, so he pretended to be their friend. He started to ponynap them and steal their magic, their Fire, and became more powerful with each one he consumed. In time he left the motive of his revenge behind, and became desireful for power. The essenceless alicorns would be weak, unable to fly or to use any magic. They would also lose their cutiemarks. It wasn't long before he was hunted as a criminal. He teased them by sending his shadows to burn the kingdoms. The unicorn decided for the final strike. He came in front of the Ghistal castle, where the 40 alicorns he didn't catch stood. The Ghistal's queen held something with her magic. It was a glass box with the Fire in it.
The unicorn laughed and attacked. He sent a whole army of Windigos, his coldblooded servants, to attack the alicorns. The queen flew up in the air, holding the fire in front of her. When the shadows hit, it acted as a shield. The unicorn was filled with rage.
The queen attacked the unicorn with the Fire. But using it had a price. The thing that remained from her was a miniature crystal version, which fell on the ground and cracked to six pieces. Every family took one for themselves too keep the memory, except the Ghistal royal family. They all died not a long time after, and their kingdom became a part of the Salcabee.
The Fire was destroyed, but a prophecy says it will come back every time it is needed, to help fight the Chaos"
Riverstone closed the book. He didn't know how to react. If the legend was true, his whole kingdom is in danger. However, it seemed so silly to think that way. He only found out about it today! And he was known to be naive as a colt....
He sighed, leaning his head on his chest. What was he going to do? It seemed everypony except him knew this legend. How could he not know Thunderstorm was in fact a powerful changeling, wanting to overthrow him? What if her intention wasn't really a fight, but a betrayal? Making him to believe her, just like the unicorn did, in the story. And the letter, how could he not know it was a fake?
Yet, changelings can't eat food... He turned to Thunderstorm. If she was a traitor, she surely acted well.
She was lying on her hooves, with her head between her front ones. Her eyes were glistening with tears, but she didn't make a sound. It didn't took Riverstone long to understand why was she crying. He connected the pieces of the puzzle. In the letter, it was said her mother paid the price. The queen...
Riverstone didn't know what could, or should, he do. Assuming she is telling the truth, she knew only for about a day of her own existence, and now she found out her mother is dead. What else could she expect?, he thought, but he knew it was harsh to think that way. He stood up and said: "Is there anything I could get you?"
Thunderstorm rose her head a bit. She shook it in a "no". Riverstone didn't feel very proud when he left the room. He simply didn't know how could he comfort her. He wouldn't feel much better in her position. But now, he had to be aware if the threat was real.
He didn't notice he was almost at the bottom of the stairway. Instead of walking all the way, he teleported to his room.
The moon was almost at the half of its way. The celestial body levitation worked that you had to put all your strength into rising or setting it, but once it's done, the inertia of the spell pulls the sun/moon throughout the sky. Until it reaches the above of the horizon, that is. Then you have to set it.
Riverstone took off his silver horseshoes and necklace, and his crown. What was that old thing made from, he had no idea. The only thing pretty on it was the star-shaped pinkish-purple crystal at the front. It sparkled beautifully under the moonlight... If it wasn't for his father who liked it very much, he would throw it away years ago. Riverstone put everything on the commode, and jumped in the bed. He was so tired, and the bed so soft, he fell asleep after a few calm breaths.
Thunderstorm kept lying with her head between her hooves. She closed her eyes, trying to think. Not a thought came into her head, she was simply... Empty. She was feeling vain, but, now at least she knew who - kind of - she was, right? Yet, her family was gone, although it would be very stupid to think they were waiting for her in a castle or something for two millennia. Thunderstorm rose her head again and looked at the silver, bright moon, which almost left her window. She took a deep breath, and changed her position. She still needs to sleep, right?
It took her a while until she was tucked in by the comfort of her bed, and then she was quickly, but gently, thrown in another kingdom
Riverstone woke up on his left side, and thought for a moment this was a reprise of yesterday.
Yet, every single day without heavy murderers being caught or a dozen of trade ships being stolen by pirates were a reprise.
Until yesterday.
Was it just a dream? They can appear very real sometimes.
He turned to his back and looked at the bordoe ceiling. He took a deep breath and played the whole day before inside his head.
He woke up, rose up the sun as he did every day, went to an early breakfast, and heard that a adult mare Pureblood was found.
And, at least he could say, she was beautiful. And that wouldn't be enough.
They heard a strange story about where she came from, and went to the library. To find out she is the last member of the seventh family. He knew about the seventh kingdom before, but his father always said it fell because of the family's arrogance. Who'd say it was burnt down by a pychopathic unicorn with a low self-esteem syndrome. Talk about the irony.
The evening, when he thought about it, was a cliché. Seriously, if somepony wrote a book about it and Riverstone read it, the plot that night would be... Way too coincidental. A bit too many orphans. He grinned and exhiled, then quickly got up.
He was on the balcony in blink of an eye. This early morning, the sky was dark, cloudy, starless, and the southern wind blew. Riverstone could smell rain in the air. The first signs pegasi decided to change the season to autumn. He didn't mind the clouds, he only needed to concentrate a bit more. The thing helping him was the thin moonlight's ray floating on the sea.
Riverstone's horn glew and he spread his wings. This morning was... A bit boring. Easy-going, there was no usual charm in the air. Maybe it was just the pre-cyclone depression syndrome. It affected almost everypony, and it was the main reason why all traders slacked off on such days. Their minds were simply "too sad" to make a good deal. Well, the sun was up already, Riverstone could feel where it was by his magic, and looked at the clouds once again. They really seemed like ponies, so he rubbed his eyes. Nope, still ponies. Probably a rare phenomenon. At least painters will have something to do.
He told his servants last night that they don't wake him up early. Even a king needs his beauty-sleep. He grinned from ear to ear, went into the room, closed the balcony and the curtains, and crawled into his bed. It was so, so warm under the red and golden kashmire. His head fell into the goose feathers of brown pillows, and he hugged one with his hooves. Riverstone felt like a colt. His mind was just shutting down when...
Knock, knock-knock
His left eye opened and twitched. This isn't funny anymore! If this wasn't a reprise, Riverstone didn't know what the hay it was.
"Your Majesty, Mr BlueCliff and Mr Cloudsweeper are here. They don't seem very happy. I told them you asked not to be woken early, but they insisted", Riverstone recognized Daisy Blossom's voice this time. Close enough.
He muttered more less the same sentence as yesterday while he was brushing his mane. He didn't even take the royal accessories off when he raised the sun, which should shorten his time getting to the... Dining room, he assumed.
But before, he needed to make sure Thunderstorm is fine. And that yesterday isn't repeating. If she was still sleeping, he won't wake her up. If she was awake, he'll show BlueCliff she isn't dangerous. Yes, she has a potential to be, but still...
He teleported to the top of the Right Tower. The door was closed, and no sounds were coming from the inside. He knocked. Nopony was answering. Well, he really wants to see her face. He quietly and slowly opened the door. There was nopony in the bed. Maybe she's in the bathroom?
"Thunderstorm!", he called her , "BlueCliff is here. I'd really like you to meet him." Still, no answer. Riverstone started to worry. He knew it wasn't polite, but he opened the bathroom door. It was empty, with no signs of being used at all. He thought he was starting to hallucinate. He looked trough the whole room, even under the bed. No trace of her.
This can't be happening, was he going crazy? He teleported to the kitchen. All the eight servants turned to him, gazing at him in surprise.
"Has anypony seen Thunderstorm?" Rivertone asked loudly.
Everypony remained silent, not a spoken word. Riverstone remembered: Only Rocky saw her!
"Never mind then, has anypony seen Rocky?"
One aqua earthpony stallion took a step forward and spoke: "You sent him on a vacation last night, your Majesty. From the last I heard from him, he went to his cousins in Salcabee." Now, Riverstone was mad. He growled and his horn flashed again.
He appeared in front of the castle, not even knowing why did he even teleport himself there. He rook a deep breath in. The air was filled with humidity, but warm, and it calmed him down. He rose his look to the sky. Cloud Ponies?!?!? Seriously?!?!
(Thunderstorm's room, third of a sunhour before)
Thunderstorm felt strange. She had a terrible headache, and barely slept at all. She rolled over and fell on the floor with an "ouch".
She slowly got up and shook her sore front left hoof. Outside, it was still night. Yet, the moon shone trough her window, partially blocked by the curtains, and the balcony was open. When she turned to make the bed, she saw it was tidy and straight, as if she never was there. Actually, the whole room looked like she was never in there! What was going on?!
Then, the door behind her opened with a loud slam. Thunderstorm's heart stopped for a moment. She carefully turned her head, afraid of what she could see. Six soldiers from the forest, the ones who captured her, rushed in the room. She took a step back as they surrounded her. She could see the ropes, the nets, the swords... She tried to use her protection magic, but she simply couldn't light a spark. Behind them stood Riverstone. He was just standing there, with a dismissive look in his eyes, starring at her like he didn't care. But he saved her! This is not true, it cannot be true!!
She curled up, shaking. The soldiers' eyes shone, their swords were flashing. The nets covered her, and just as she started to faint from the strange thing which was put around her horn, she heard his voice.
"Are you afraid?"
Thunderstorm's lungs filled as never in her life. She was in her bed, no strange noises, the moon was halfway to the horizon, and there were no threatening ponies. She was panting as if she just ran a full marathon. It was just a nightmare. Just. A. Nightmare. Still, the headache remained pounding just between her eyes. It was so strong she could barely open them. She exhaled, trying to calm down. The nightmare seemed so real, yet, shouldn't every dream feel the same?
She stretched her wings and spine, hearing quiet cracks in her back. She must've fallen asleep on the wrong side.
She stood up, for real this time. Her attention was drawn by the moon, too bright for her now sensitive eyes. She turned to the balcony and opened it. The air wasn't any warmer than before. Tho, the sea's scent slightly soothed her headache. Then, an idea came to her mind. She went out on the balcony, the cold wind played with her mane. Blue aura spiraled around her horn as the wind changed direction. She jumped and spread her wings, gracefully gliding in the air. Her wings flapped once, and again, rising her for a meter up. She smiled, it was such a wonderful feeling to fly, especially when her spell showed the first signs of its efficiency.
The wind now blew from the sea, warmer and more moist. The clouds also appeared as she landed beneath the Right Castle. Wow, it worked even better than she could imagine. Somehow, the first and the largest cloud was shaped like a pony. Thunderstorm giggled. She lay on the soft grass. The atmosphere was so calm, like an early day like this one should be. She continued the game, carefully shaping every cloud. Her first tries were clumsy, mostly because the clouds were so far, but she made the wind strong.... Soon she could exactly shape the manes of random ponies she made up. The just risen sun also helped. At one moment, she caught herself arranging Riverstone's crown. She blushed, wondering if anypony else saw it. Although, she had to admit he was a handsome colt.... but why did he appear in her nightmare?
"Thunderstorm, it's just a dream. Get over it, you bum", she spoke to herself.
While trying to erase just the star-shaped jewel, accidentally ripped trough her whole cloud-painting! She grunted and frowned. She has no more will do start the whole thing once again. But there was one thing she noticed - her headache was gone. Not that it comforted her a lot.
A sound of cantering hooves, muted by the grass, made her ears twitch. Who was that? Before you could say "cookie", a pair of emerald green hooves was braking next to her, tearing out the grass and spilling the earth around.
"Where have you been? I've searched the whole castlefor you, and now the servants think I'm crazy. You got me really worried!" It was a familiar voice, a bit angry, and he was breathing quickly. He ran a long way around the castle, and he was very, very stressed out.
"I even started to hallucinate! There were cloud ponies all over the place!!!" he continued.
Ooooops, she thought, but remained silent.
Riverstone's face then turned sad; "I am sorry for yelling at you, but BlueCliff is here, and the least thing I need right now is him moaning about how I shouldn't bring you here. Now, would you please come to the dining room? We are already late for breakfast, the servants are going to ask questions and plead me to give them my shoes to be washed." He looked at his horseshoes. The clear silver got scratched and dirty, at some places green too. Thunderstorm nodded and stood up. They started to walk, Riverstone in front. Again her weird silence. Great. He grunted again.
She didn't say a word, yet why would she? There was nothing to be answered to. He simply would like to hear if she likes the castle, the room, everything.... Or her voice in general. She probably has her own reasons....But why didn't he just ask her?
"So... how do you like the castle?" he said serenely. They were about two hundred meters away from the door.
"Hm?", Thunderstorm, 'till then lost in her empty mind, "Oh, yes, I like it very much. Thank you very much for asking.... and letting me stay." At that moment their dialogue ended, and Riverstone felt bad and awkward again.
"Are you afraid of me?" he asked her, a bit unsure why.
Thunderstorm suddenly stopped. She was shocked. This couldn't be. She was already suspicious when he mentioned BlueCliff, the one of the soldiers who captured her, now... She completely lost her appetite, if she had any. The voice in her head which encouraged her "That was just a dumb nightmare" had gone silent. Then, her sight caught about five or six guardians in front of her castle. She summoned her magic and dig her hooves into the ground. She won't approach them, Riverstone can't make her. Is it possible he wants to get rid of her? If so, she is NOT coming to that cave again. She felt stupid for her superstition, but she had this feeling... she wanted... she needed to attack!
Then she started to loose control over herself.
Riverstone noticed her trot stopped. Was she alright? Does she feel uncomfortable with seeing BlueCliff? Possible, he is the stallion who led the guardians when they patrolled trough the forest. His thinking slightly changed when he saw her face: it was angry, if not wrathful. Blue flares of pure, powerful magic circled around her head. She was still as a statue, with her wings spread. Riverstone bowed, and his ears lowered. She looked very authoritative, scary, and he simply was stunned by her sudden change of appearance. What in the kingdoms was she thinking?
"Thunderstorm, what are you doing? Please calm down, whatever it is, I can probably settle it", he rose his front right hoof, bent in the knee. He didn't notice the guards, or that they were running towards them. Thunderstorm literally showed her teeth and roared. The sky immediately filled with black, rainy clouds and lightnings flashed on their bottoms. It seemed to give her even more energy, her magical mane now burst like fire, rising like being carried by a storm's wind. Maybe it even was, because Riverstone could barely stand on his feet, he was almost blown off along with the grass by the force coming from her. Now the flares revolved her horn so fast they turned to spheres.
"Thunderstorm, end this! What is it that you want?!" He shouted. He didn't know she couldn't hear him. The only thing she was seeing was threat, there were ponies around her, shouting, hurting her. Her iris changed from blue to red, the whites were now green,and sickly purple smoke was coming out of them. Just at that moment the unicorn guards stepped in front of him and their horns glew. Ropes appeared in the air and in a blink of an eye wrapped around Thunderstorm. Is that what she was afraid of? The guards? Would make sense, though. Riverstone shouted to the guards to step away, and, what a miracle, they did. The ropes were enchanted, but they were no match for her magic. She got free a moment after the soldiers retreated. Riverstone struggled forward against the wind, until he was in front of her. She was breathing heavily, although she didn't look as angry as before. The wind calmed down, and Riverstone could speak normally. As if she didn't have courage to fight him. Her eyes were rapidly changing colour in flashes, from red to blue, until Riverstone couldn't recognize her. The last thunder just broke the fading noise. Thunderstorm also broke and fell on the ground. The sky was clear in mere moments, and her terrible headache returned. Punching her brain and forehead, as if it was a mad cat scratching the furniture and tearing the curtains. She can't attack the pony who helped her! But he wants to get rid of you, doesn't he? No! It's not true, it can't be! Rrrroagh! Why are you so stubborn?!
"Thunderstorm, if you were afraid of the guards, don't worry, you WON'T go back to the Prison. You haven't done anything wrong", he said calmly. He doesn't want her back there, nopony deserves such punishment unless he or she can be helped.
"Until now", Riverstone frowned. BlueCliff's strict voice grinded his ears. The unicorn came to Rivertstone. Riverstone grunted for who knows which time in the same day. The second last thing he needs now is stress.
"This was a serious attack, Alicorn, and an assault towards His Majesty." BlueCliff grinned. How in the world could he grin in such a situation? Riverstone knew he didn't like Thunderstorm since she was found, but an assault, especially on the king, is a serious crime!...
Thunderstorm took a deep breath in and out. She felt like her head is going to explode. The soft grass made it a little bit weaker, though. What a change... Why was she feeling this way? Did she eat something bad? If herself in the head with a boulder, it wouldn't be much different. She felt like blacking out, and in the end... Everything around her shut down.
"Your Majesty, your breakfast is waiting, then we can discuss what to do with.... Her", BlueCliff's teeth crunched.
"We'll take her with us, and for the last time, BlueCliff, her name is Thunderstorm!" Riverstone knew Blue wouldn't agree. He wanted Thunderstorm to trust him, and nopony would be happy not to attend their judgement. Or whatever this was supposed to be. Thunderstorm reacted aggressively to something, and now, she laid on the grass.... While a few moments before ready to shroud the sky in eternal storms. Riverstone believed she could actually do it.
BlueCliff frowned, and glanced at Thunderstorm. No matter how much he disliked her, he was still to old-fashioned to talk back to the king.
"But first... I think Thunderstorm is hurt, we need to find SweetGum. Everypony deserves to hear what he or she has been accused for", Rivertone said. Thunderstorm was in pain, her face was contorted, purple smoke was steaming from her eyes and... When Riverstone put his hoof on her, he felt the fever trough his horseshoes. No.
How could it be? She is supposed to be immortal, for Galaxy's sake!
Now he was scared.
"Find SweetGum, quickly! She is very ill!" he screamed.
Three guards galloped to the castle as fast as their feet could carry them. Riverstone lay on his knees in front of her. He put his front hoof on her neck and gently shook it, calling her name.
"Thunderstorm? Thunderstorm, please, wake up! Are you there? Thunderstorm?", then he spoke to BlueCliff ,"If you have to do anything with this now, I swear I will lock you in the Prison myself!" Riverstone never knew he cared about her so much. He met her a day ago, but still he was almost crying over a stranger. A gorgeous stranger, that was true.
He heard four pairs of hooves galloping. SweetGum came, along with a guard. Shortly said, she was a middle aged pale pink unicorn with a curled cyan mane and orange eyes. All in all, she was coloured like a pony-sized candy.
'"Your Majesty, I ran faster than the wind", she looked at Thunderstorm , "Is that her? Wait, she... She is a Pureblood?"
"Yes she is. Yadayadayada, a long story. Can you help her?" Riverstone wasn't in the mood for being patient.
"I... I think I can, Your Majesty", Sweetgum opened the sack tied to her back, and pulled out a long white piece of cloth, along with two foldable sticks. She pulled the sticks trough the holes on the edges of the cloth. An instant carrycot. But when she finished it, she was not smiling.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty, I didn't know she is an alicorn, I am afraid this is too small for her."
"Don't worry, just examine her, and I'll see what I can do", Riverstone wasn't quite sure he'll succeed. He stood up and levitated the carrycot to himself. Just a day ago, Thunderstorm said she doesn't need one.He gathered all his strength and took a deep breath in, trying to remember the spell he never really learned to use. His horn flashed white instead of the usual purple. Magic and talent are two very strange things, how come he can rise the celestial bodies, but can't enlarge a cloth and two long sticks?
A ray of his magical aura hit his goal. He just needed a bit more of it...
An explosion threw Riverstone three spans away. He fell on his back, but gratefully, nor his spine or wings were broken. Yet, he was feeling powerless. The static left from the spell flied around him. Riverstone had a really hard time getting up, when two guards came to help him.
"Did it work?" He asked
"Yes, Your Majesty", the two guards said at once.
Riverstone smiled and laughed. Finally, spell no.5 is done!
He was too exhausted to light even a spark, so every guard (including BlueCliff, who wasn't very happy about curing a criminal) rose Thunderstorm on the carrycot. Riverstone had some scratches on his wings, back and legs, so SweetGum convinced him to stay. She was washing the scratches with little and liquor.
"Sorry, Your Majesty, but I've spent most of it on Thunderstorm. She has a serious fever, although I'm not sure what disease it is", she said , "Now, this may hurt a little...." She spilled some alcohol on a wound that was bleeding.A little, she said?
"Aghs!!!", He grumbled trough his teeth , "Is that it?"
"It will be, Your Majesty, as soon as I tie this around your leg", another piece of cloth, on which she spilled alcohol. Riverstone's skin started to burn as soon as it came in touch with the alcohol, but he bore it this time. He galloped at full speed to the castle immediately after she tied the knot.
SweetGum smiled: "Royals these days....."
Thunderstorm's headache stopped. Actually, she wasn't cold anymore and she felt MUCH better!
The real panic came up when she opened her eyes. She saw nothing, heard nothing, smelled nothing, touched... Nothing.... What? Is she blind? Deaf? All together?
But... She wasn't. When she looked down, she saw her legs above the blackness. No, wait, that wasn't black, it wasn't white either.... It wasn't... Anything. It was simply void. Void all around her. Is it possible she is dead?
"Awe, come on! Seriously?! I don't even get twenty-four sunhours of life I can remember????" She yelled in anger. Well, she at least heard her voice echo trough.... Nothing. She really wanted to kick something, but of course, that was a problem.
She spread her wings, wondering if she could fly. She didn't feel any resistance, as if air didn't exist either. But she was breathing, and she was.... Floating. Probably. She tried anyway, moving her hooves at the same time, trying to run. After a while of effortless work, light appeared far away, and it motivated her to go on. It was becoming bigger, and bigger, and brighter...and voices... She was hearing somepony! Not one pony, but a dozen of them! The voices were both sad, and joyful, and angry, and comforting, tired and hyperactive, all at once! And they... They seemed so familiar...who were those ponies?
She slowed her pace. The light was coming from a ball as big as her, and it was made of... Pictures?
Yes, those were pictures, and full scenes. With those ponies in them! In the largest one was a big, black mare, flying with two foals above the clouds. One was big indigo colt, with a silver floating mane and lavender eyes, flying faster than the other two, but in the background. The other one was a grey filly with a pale yellow, plain mane. She was small, and a blank-flank. The thing they all shared was a unicorn horn and pegasi wings. Thunderstorm liked the scene. All three were laughing, but it was one short scene, constantly repeating. Was that.... her memory? She wanted to step into it...
When her hoof touched the surface of the shining ball, it started to shiver. The scenes froze, and the voices faded. Thunderstorm removed her hoof from the ball. And a bell rang.
Not the bell that wakes Riverstone up every day, not that soft, pleasing sound. This was a midnight bell, which echoes in your ears for a long time and calls the nightmares to dance in pony tales for naughty foals. It already echoed five times.
On the sixth echo, a white, long hall with pillars appeared.
On the seventh echo, the black mare and the two foals dissapeared from the picture, leaving just the blue sky and the white clouds.
On the eighth, the ball burst and the energy threw Thunderstorm into one of the pillars. She screamed and fell on the tiled floor.
When Thunderstorm opened her eyes, the tenth echo started. The ball divided itself into hundreds of frames and squares, all laying on the floor which was blackening, as if something was burning under it. The black spot was spreading quickly and soon reached Thunderstorm's hooves. She instinctively jumped from the burning tiles. Some even melted because of the heat.
When the eleventh echo stroke, she heard somepony calling her from the other part of the hall. She turned her head.
It was Riverstone, forty-five meters away.
"Thunderstorm!" he shouted.
Before she could reply, the heat changed its way. Instead of the huge, black, spreading spot, it changed in a dark snake and was crawling really fast towards Riverstone, so hot the floor boiled and collapsed into nothingness.
"Watch out!'' She screamed. The twelfth bell rang.
The snake was halfway there, the floor exploded and dark red goo filled the air like a fountain. It was crystal clear it was lava. It was moving at its own will, and then took form of an enormous ram, four times higher than Thunderstorm. She was terrified. Will he hurt them?
The ram opened his white eyes, with no iris, no pupil, no soul. He turned his ugly head to Thunderstorm. Steam was unstoppably smoking from his nostrils in such tensity, the clouds formed above his head. He was trotting heavily, melting and breaking the tiles like glass with each stomp of his rocky hooves. When he was no more than two feet from her,he spoke:
"Choose", his voice was powerful, loud, and rough. Thunderstorm never heard anything like it. Yet she knew what he meant.
The ram rose his head high. His horns burst to flames, pillars of fire were shooting upwards.
She galloped as the pillars turned to solid stones and fell. Creating a magical shield, she protected the thing she valued the most at that moment. The air filled with ashes made her cough, she was blind for a while. When the air cleared, a magical wave ignored her protection spell and both her and Riverstone were shoved for a yard backwards.
The mare was confused. Why was she holding a magical shield?
She looked around. Where was she? What was she doing there? What just happened? The whole place looked burnt and full of ashes. Strange.
She heard a loud stomp and her eyes focused on a big, ugly ram standing above her. Who was he?
"Hi, sir, I'm....", wait.... who was SHE?
The ram laughed out loud so powerfully the whole hall shook. For a moment the mare thought it will fall apart. That ram was very strange. The mare didn't believe he would be of any help. Maybe it was the other way around.
"Look, sir, I really don't have time for whatever game you are playing. I have a feeling I have to get out of here, and fast. Now, would you help me?" she said. She SERIOUSLY wasn't in the mood for any kind of game.
"But of course, you will, as soon as we get rid of HIM", the ram's hoof was pointing at a green alicorn stallion the mare hasn't seen before , "He is a threat, and needs to be get rid of. Could you do it instead of me, please?"
"You mean... I need to kill him?" the mare didn't kill anypony else in her.... well, in these past few moments. The wall grew behind the frightened pony. He was leaning on it, but knew there was no escape. Only despair could be seen in his eyes.
"What kind of crime has this pony committed to be sentenced to death?" The mare was getting suspicious. Why would she do such a thing if she didn't know what did the pony do? What if the ram was lying?
"He murdered your family and tried to kill you", the ram said.
The mare frowned and glared at the ram's white, flaming eyes: "And what proof do you have? I don't remember anypony.... At all. Why should I trust you?"
"You are a stubborn mare", the ram grinned , "Let's just say I'm your friend, but, if you don't believe..." a ray of light came from the ram's forehead and stroke the floor, creating a moving image. At first, it was blurry and colorless, but it soon sharpened to a point it seemed so realistic the mare thought it is happening now.
The green stallion was holding a knife, and slowly walked to a dark corner where three alicorns stood, shaking. A black, big mare, an indigo stallion, and her. The moving image was short, and just as the green stallion rose his knife, it dissapeared.
"After that he erased your memory and brought you here. Luckily, I followed him", the ram smiled.
She was angry and confused. There is no way she could know it was her family who was protecting her, and even if so, she has been "alive" for barely a sunhour's twentieth. Why would they mean anything to her?
Yet, the pony committed a murder. He was already judged, and needs to be punished. She guessed, it was common sense.
"All right, then", the mare said and walked to the stallion until she was just a few hooves away , "What's your name, stallion? I think I deserve to know the name of the pony who I am condemning."
"My name is Riverstone", he said. There was something strange about that name. Yet the mare couldn't find a reason why. There was this feeling, maybe intuition... But nevermind that.
She smiled shrewdly and rose her head. Her horn sparkled blue as she created a magical sword.
The ram laughed as the sword flew to Riverstone's neck. The mighty mare had only cold determination in her eyes, an emotionless face hadn't changed while the she brandished the razor-sharp sword...
And it was all done.
No blood, but plenty of painful screams filled the air as the ram's head fell on the burnt floor, and his body melted to lava. Because in the last moment the mare swung the sword in the other direction, and with a black wisp of Riverstone's mane still on it, beheaded the liar.
Both the mare and Riverstone then faced his true form.
An orange, tall unicorn emerged from the flames, his red eyes were showing nothing but wrath, and the smoke behind him swirled around him. It was changing. Into horses. Black, a bit transparent horses, and a whole army of them.
"You are going to pay for this", the unicorn said. Dark purple and green fire burnt on his horn , "Attack!"
The whole army marched forwards, the horses neighed loudly, their hooves clopped so mightly the hall shook and the pillars fell. If they fell on horses, they would simply turn to thin air and then re-appear. The unicorn pointed his horn towards them. A blast of dark magic was heading straight to the spot where the two ponies stood.
The mare pushed Riverstone behind herself and galloped, letting go enormous amounts of pure power, destroying the unicorn's troops and blocking the unicorn's deadly rays. She had no success. Horses were made of smoke, invulnerable. She saw no danger in them at first, but she soon realized what was their true intention. It wasn't crushing their opponent, nor wounding anypony, but something far more exhausting and painful. Every time she took a breath, they choked her, making her cough and stumble. Soon her attacks became weaker and weaker, and she couldn't breathe. Shields were useless, they could creep trough the cracks, and up, the situation was much worse. The horses were running around her, not letting her have a single piece of fresh air. She began to feel tired, bloodless, and very, very cold. Her knees were shaking, as the cruel horses blocked her lungs. Their neighs began to fade in her ears, her sight was blurry, and when she fell, she hadn't felt any pain. She felt like... Dying. Trough all that chaos, she heard somepony shouting.
"Thunderstorm! Agh-Cagh! Thunder-!!" Whose name was that? Hers, maybe?
She used the last bits of her strength to rise on her legs. This was the unicorn's plan? Just to kill that pony? But why? Why did he need her?
She flapped her wings once, she flapped her wings twice, and flew just below the plain white ceiling. The unicorn was prepared to strike again, she saw the fire gathering around him.
She somehow now breathed much easier. She looked down, and then behind herself. Under her, the horses were rising, and behind....
Riverstone was struggling with a dozen of them, fighting with all of his might. But his magic was not even close to the mare's, and he was no match for the demons. Something started to burn inside her, she wanted to protect him...and she listened to her heart's beat.
The mare soared down, with her winds flapping enough strong to make the horses dissolve in the air for a few moments. She came to him.
"Who am I?" She asked him.
Riverstone rose his tired gaze and smiled. It was a smile of a desperate pony, who knows there is no way out of this, but still keeps fighting.
"You are Thunderstorm, a Pureblood alicorn found in the woods, and the last member of the royal Ghistal's family, and I....."
Thunderstorm was lying on a bed in the emergency room. She was breathing heavily and irregularly. Her fever was getting only worse. SweetGum put some ice on her forehead and closed the emergency bag. She, who was known as an always cheerful pony, looked depressed.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I don't think she will survive the day. I have never seen an illness this strong in my twenty years of work", she said.
Riverstone was sitting next to Thunderstorm's right shoulder. She shivered every once in a while, and was hotter than melting iron. He bit his lower lip, trying to stop himself from breaking into tears.
Somehow, although he met her yesterday, he had a feeling he knew her his whole life. It's strange, you sometimes get used to things that have been here for only a short time, like a beautiful orchid in the garden. And there are some things you don't like, and therefore never get used to them. If she was a flower, Riverstone guessed, she would be a morning glory. Lasts only for a day, but is so gorgeous, that you never want it to wither.
SweetGum excused herself, and left the room. A tear fell from Riverstone's eye on Thunderstorm's magical mane, which stopped waving around since she blacked out.
She wasn't conscious, and she might soon die. Riverstone laid his head down on her soft mane, and whispered:
"Please don't die. I know I just met you , but I.... I think I love you." He knew it was too late.
When Thunderstorm heard those words, something crawled back into her mind. The horses screamed as three bright, shining rays of light floated and moved. They were thin and and weak, but nevertheless, even the unicorn panicked when they flew past him.
"No!!! What is happening?! This CANNOT happen!!" He shouted.
Those were the remains of her memories, and when they touched her, she gasped.
"I...remember", she said. Thunderstorm screamed in anger and a new kind of strength entered her body. She turned to the black army. Her whole body lifted from the ground without her even opening her wings. Waves of her energy flurried the air, rising the dust from the floor, and destroying the horses. Her eyes glew white, and the sound of thunder filled the hall when a lightning stroke the ground right in front of her, dividing the hall in two, with nothing but void in between. All the smoke-horses stood on the other side, too afraid to cross a two spans wide hole. The unicorn was also there, on the edge of the crack.
"You Windigos just can't get the job done", he said and grinned , "Never mind. Old Pyros will solve everything, as always."
A wave of dark magic consumed the screaming horses. Thunderstorm felt empathy for them. They haven't ever chosen this kind of life.
A wave then rushed on Thunderstorm and Riverstone, swirled and hardened around them both. Pyros thought his job was finally done.
A beam of light, coming from the inside cracked the stone and dissolved it. Thunderstorm broke trough what was supposed to choke her. Now, she rose even higher than before. She was rampant, and a wish for vengeance took over her mind.
"Pyros, you have destroyed my home, my family, and because of you, I was sent far away from my home, into a place unknown to me. And now, you try to KILL ME?!", she said. You met Riverstone, 'though, whispered a voice inside her head.
"Your terror ends now!" She shouted, and this time, there was no shield, fortress, or shelter that could resist this new magic which burnt inside her.
A blue inferno blasted from her horn and consumed Pyros. He didn't shrill. He laughed maniacally, and these were the last words Thunderstorm heard before he was gone:
"You will never get away from me! Do you hear me? This is not a threat, it's a promise!"
On the place where he stood, now was only a pile of ashes.
Thunderstorm descended. She was shocked, and couldn't feel her legs. She felt... powerful, and that scared her. She starred at the other side of the hole she made, and fell on her knees. Nothing was on the other side. No threat, even the burnt floor ''healed'' after the demon dissapeared. Everything was silent.
The hall echoed when Riverstone walked to her.
''I love you too'', Thunderstorm whispered with her eyes closed.
She was more than surprised when Riverstone kissed her on the lips.
Riverstone rose his head when he felt the mane moving. He looked at her. Her eyes slowly opened, and she was smiling. She was smiling!
''Thunderstorm! You're alive!'' he shouted happily.
''Wha-What? I was dying?!'' she rapidly lifted herself into a sitting position. Breaking news: This day is getting more and more crazy. Yet, not so breaking news since yesterday. Anyroad, wasn't death the first thing she thought of when she awakened in that void?
''Well, pretty much, yes. But I'm so glad SweetGum wasn't right'', he said. He pronto wiped his face with his hoof, so she couldn't see he was crying. He honestly hoped she didn't see that movement.
Thunderstorm's eyes narrowed. ''Who is SweetGum?''
''You'll meet her. She thought you are not going to survive the day.''
''I guess I was in a bad condition then'', and a few hours ago she thought he wanted to get rid of her. Thunderstorm noticed something; her headache was gone! That made her smile even wider. She ignored the fact she just had a dream of somepony desiring to kill her. At least, she believed it was a dream. She woke up in an ambulance bed, so it was probably just a hallucination. And the last part she is certainly not telling anypony.
She carefully went down, still a bit dizzy. She shook her head and slightly unfolded her wings. Much better.
As they exited the room, she saw Riverstone was sad.
"Your Majesty, why are you frowning?" She asked
"It's... Before you got sick, you went completely mad and attacked some guards, and eventually, me. BlueCliff was there, he doesn't like you at all, and he thought you should be banished for what you've done", he answered with an unhappy tone in his voice.
Thunderstorm's heart skipped. No, she wouldn't harm anypony, would she? She remembered losing control, but after that, her memories simply blurred into that hall. And she couldn't possibly hurt Riverstone! "But-but I...", she bent her head. This was very bad.
She was stressed, yet kept walking, although anxiety was felt in her pace.
She quickly recognized the path they were going. They were heading to the left wing of the castle, and the only room she ever visited there was the dining room. Come to think of it, what time was it? How long was she unconscious? She couldn't believe Riverstone missed two breakfasts (and if they don't hurry up, two lunches) two days in a row. That was... A bit funny.
They entered the dining room. And, close to the king's chair, sat a not so pleasant surprise for Riverstone. And some bad news for Thunderstorm.
"BlueCliff", Riverstone grunted for ghosts-know-which time this day , "Who invited you?"
"Your Majesty, I did not know you dislike me so much. There is a case for the royal court that needed to be observed", BlueCliff said, sounding as if he was royalty himself , "And, oh, look, Thunderstorm is here. I think this involves you, too."
''She was almost dying! How can you be so insensitive?'' Riverstone said firmly.
''I am sorry, your Majesty, but she still committed a crime against you and some of my guards. A dozen of traders claim they've seen an evil dragon attacking the castle, and above all, your Majesty knows the story will just keep being exaggerated by other ponies'', BlueCliff had a point, and Riverstone hated that.
''If she is not judged, and you want to keep her in this land, there will be problems regarding the residents. They will protest against a 'monster' you are keeping, and a probable 'cult' your Majesty has with the Hell. You know how superstitious ponies can be in these days'', he continued.
I am here too, Thunderstorm almost said out loud. Still, she wanted to spare Riverstone the stress, at least for a while.
She stepped forward.
''It's all right. I am not sick anymore, and I agree to be judged, Sir BlueCliff. I don't quite understand what happened this morning, but I'm sure we can settle it easier with our stomachs full", Riverstone glanced at her shortly. She was or very ignorant or naturally very good at diplomacy.
"Please, have a seat, Your Majesty", said the yellow unicorn servant and pulled the king's chair out. He shortly starred at Thunderstorm. Truly, there were rumors in the castle about a Pureblood, but SoapBubble never actually saw her!
Thunderstorm seated herself, at the same spot as the last evening. BlueCliff wasn't amused for sitting opposite of her. His intolerance towards her was a bit frustrating. For every single pony in the room. Even for SoapBubble, who sneaked out of the room at his hooftips after serving food and drinks - grape juice, fried apples with some tomato sauce and rice. It tastes better than it sounds.
The lunch passed in a tense silence, occasionally with slurping or gulps.
Riverstone's fork was the last one to clank on his porcelain plate. Both Thunderstorm and BlueCliff were staring at him sharply, which made Riverstone a bit nervous. He cleaned his throat, clapped with his hooves to call the servants, and said:
''Shall we begin?'' what a stupid question.
BlueCliff's horn flashed and a few sheets of paper appeared. That pony was serious about this.
''Thunderstorm, have you ill-used magic upon somepony this early morning?'' he said droningly, sounding as objectively as he could be. So, he was the judge, Rivertone was the attorney, or the witness (probably), and Thunderstorm was charged. This was the strangest court Riverstone has ever seen. Then it was Thunderstorm's turn to speak.
''Yes, Your Majesty, but...'' Riverstone had a feeling she is teasing BlueCliff on purpose.
''Have you assaulted Riverstone, king of Durachia?''
''I have, but...'' Thunderstorm was getting angry.
''Have you controlled the weather, at your will, without the permission of the pegasi?''
That one was true. ''Yes.''
''Are there any objections regarding these charges?''
''Mine'', Riverstone raised his hoof , ''Let her stand for herself.''
BlueCliff huffed, but said nothing. Thunderstorm carefully glanced at both of them. She has no intention to speak of her dream, that would make them think she's crazy. If that's not true too.
''I simply lost control. When I tried to perform a simple protection spell, I lost control of my magic. Then I got a terrible headache, and I blacked out.''
Riverstone was disappointed. She could've tried a little bit better. This way...
''That's what they all say, and you're lucky I'm not accusing you for lying now'', BlueCliff hissed bitterly ''The mildest possible punishment would be a restraint from the castle, and putting you to the Criminal District."
No matter how much Riverstone wanted Thunderstorm to stay in the castle, there was nothing much he could do. Rules are rules, judgement is judgement, and he himself knew the laws. BlueCliff was right. It was the mildest decision under these circumstances and accusations. He stood up, his eyes tight shut. He wasn't very glad for what he needed to say.
"If that's all, I here by now close this case. Thunderstorm, you have the restraint to visit the castle, and
Send you to the Criminal District. You'll live there until it's decided otherwise."
Thunderstorm crouched. She didn't want to leave, but she had to. Well...
"Every house and cottage in the District has its own garden, she'd, and a food supply which should last long enough for the crops to grow. You will have the comfort most ponies have, except you won't be allowed to go out of the steel-wire wall. Teleportation isn't allowed, as well as any more complicated spells, such as creating and attacking spells. Minor defense magic is allowed, and as a matter of security, you will have to hide your wings", BlueCliff recited.
Thunderstorm didn't feel comfortable for the part about hiding her alicorn status, but she nodded in agreement. As if there was a better choice. And besides, she'll have something to do.... The only thing worrying her was how long she'll need to stay there.
The preparations began immediately. Four bags of seed (wheat, corn, apples and carrots) were put in a two-wheeled wagon, meant to be pulled by one pony. Thunderstorm's clothes was a trickier term when the topic came up. Luckily, she had some tricks in her sleeve.
She enlarged an old peasant's clothes, and simply put it on. It was more of a dress, and it took only a bow to conceal her tail. She tied her magical mane around her neck with a red polka-dotted shawl, which mostly hid her mane's waving. The dots were, predictably, white.
When the straps were tied around her neck and connected to the wagon, it was only a sunhour from the sunset. Riverstone was watching as SoapBubble and Skyline, another servant, tied the leather straps around Thunderstorm's graceful neck. Most alicorns would find it very degrading to pull a wagon. But, she didn't know the traditions, and wasn't quite "royal" except for her origins and birthright, so to say. No crown, no horseshoes, no necklace. No memories of her life. So try to prove somepony as pessimistic as BlueCliff she isn't a fake.
He wasn't permitted to follow her, because walking with a criminal would "hurt his royal dignity". That stupid hierarchy.
With sadness in his eyes, he watched her from the Left Tower as she walked away, becoming smaller and smaller in his perspective, along with two guards he couldn't remember seeing before. The District was around a mile away, and when she was far enough from the castle so he couldn't recognize the details ( he just began the sunset, so a lack of sunlight also took its toll on his eyes), the shining wire around her horn seemed like a distant blue star. He hoped to see it once again one day.
"What a déjà-vu", he whispered as the moon rose behind him.
Riverstone wiped his chin with a napkin as he put the chair in place, and headed to SweetGum. The scratches on his back began to itch, which was really annoying. She'll probably have some healing cream for that. Truly, another thing itched him in the back of his mind, but he could do nothing about it, and decided to leave it aside until it passes. He knocked on SweetGum's door.
"Come in!"
Riverstone entered the ambulance room, and as expected, she was wiping the dust from all the cupboards. A bunch of herbs and glasses in a big yellow bucket stood on the bed Thunderstorm was laying on just a few hours ago. Riverstone's itch became stronger.
SweetGum turned. "Oh, good evening, Your Majesty", she said and threw a pink piece of cloth she was cleaning with into another metal bucket, yet this one was one the floor , "Are there any noticeable infections?"
Riverstone cleaned his throat. "No, but my back really itches. I thought you might have a thing for that."
SweetGum didn't waste any time. Her horn glew aqua as a couple of jars full of colorful fluids, oils and plants in them, levitated from the highest shelf to her. She brought all of them in front of herself, murmuring quietly the ingredients and their purpose. In the end, she took a jar with greenish jelly in it, and something that seemed like a cactus.
"Aloe Vera should do the trick. It doesn't hurt, and it will calm the irritated skin in mere minutes", she recited as if from a book and glanced at Riverstone , "Your Majesty, would you mind to sit on that chair?" She pointed her hoof to something that, to Riverstone, looked like a miniature table with a pillow on it. Without complaints, he took a seat. A "pop" was the only thing he heard before a soothing, warmish jelly was put on his back. SweetGum started to rub it in with her hoof.
"The wound isn't serious, but it's still a good thing you came. You can never predict if an infection will or won't appear", her eyes narrowed as she noticed something strange on the king , "Your Majesty... I am deeply sorry if this is rude to ask... Have you gone to a hairdresser today? Or a barber?"
Riverstone's ears twitched. "No, why do you ask?"
"Since The last time I have examined you, your mane shortened... And it's cut off very precisely, like with scissors, or maybe a knife."
Riverstone shrugged. "I have no idea. I just hope I don't have... How do you scholars call it... Apo, arol.."
"It's "alopecia", Your Majesty", she replied with a smile.
Thunderstorm was in front of the sharp steel wire by the time the first stars appeared in the sky. The two guards who followed her turned and headed back to the castle, leaving her with another two very tall unicorns. Every single part of their bodies was covered with armour, except for eyes, short mane and a tail. Although Thunderstorm was taller than them, she crouched while walking trough the now opened steel door. They had such a strong glare they frightened her. Especially now when the shadows were cast on their shiny armour, they looked like those ancient gargoyle statues on old houses and walls, as if they could come to life at any moment and rush on you.
Everypony was already in their homes, preparing for bed. By the lights of the candles she could see which ones were full.
Criminal District was a big place. She was walking for almost a sunhour's half before she found the first empty cottage. It was decent-looking, not quite big or tall (Thunderstorm'd have to stoop to go inside) and had a small garden in front. She sighed. Her new home.
She hardly untied the belts because of the glowing string around her horn. It made the usage of her magic much tougher than usual, which tired her. She was practically puffing by the time she got everything in the cottage. Thunderstorm left the wagon in the middle of the road. She'll let others bother about it.
"Note to self", she said when she closed and locked the door , "Never break a law again." Then she fell on the hay bed. The snoring shook the whole thing until she somehow turned on her back.
About eight hours later:
Thunderstorm slowly opened her eyes. Her shoulder was aching, but otherwise she was fine. She slept in a tricky position.
A rooster was crowing outside, chickens were clucking near, she was hearing wagons trot on the earth rode trough the thin walls of the cottage, some ponies yelling from far away, and a bunch of cows complaining. A thin ray of sunlight shone trough the window, half closed by the shabby courtains. The ray revealed the wooden furniture on the other side of her new home, a not so big table and chairs, also wooden, and a dark grey stone fireplace with ash inside. A real country-like impression. Thunderstorm blinked heavily and stretched, feeling her wings being fettered by the dress. She stood up, not knowing quite what was she supposed to do now. The most logical thing would be to plant the seeds she got in the garden outside. So, why not?
Thunderstorm ripped open the canvas bag with the carrots. There was a piece of paper inside with some instructions.
"Plant them in shallow holes and water oftenly. Make sure there is an order", she whispered and looked outside the window next to the door. The noise from a few moments ago dissapeared, and except feathers on the street and some foals running around, there was no trace of the earlier turmoil. Strange. She wondered, were those foals born here? Or did they do something bad, maybe stole? Anyway, at least her height won't be drawing much attention.
She took a metal shovel and gardening rakes, which were 'till then standing in a dusty corner.
The door shrieked as she opened it. Thunderstorm took a few careful steps forward, feeling her coat comfortably shudder, warmed by the Sun's shine. Such a pretty, quiet morning. She took the rakes and, while levitating a piece of paper, precisely drag four long, straight lines in the black soil. The garden had two parts: the seven-hoof wide path to the street was clear, but on each side was a square with a side a span long. Each part was enclosed by a hoof high fence, sticks stuck in the earth, bounded with a thick woolen string. Thunderstorm didn't find performing magic as hard as yesterday night. She really needed those sunhours of slumber, they completely revived her. The tricky part about preparing the soil was removing the rocks. There were many more of them than she expected. It seemed this cottage wasn't used in a while.
She then took the fertilizer. It smelled terribly, Thunderstorm never scented something as bad as it. Not like she had a chance to. She quickly spread it and spillt it in the holes and lines. Thunderstorm then planted the seeds, covered them with more soil, and that was about it. Now all she needed was water...
Thunderstorm couldn't see a well anywhere close, it was clear and sunny, without any chance of a shower... Except for that tiny light gray cloud just above her, maybe two houndred spans high.
Thunderstorm's face wore a mischievous grin.
She didn't need spells for such a small, simple, weather magic. Her eyes glistened and her wings squirmed under the dress as she concentrated on the cloud. She could feel her magical mane wave a bit cheerfully, as the cloud descended, at first slowly, but then it rushed down until it was just around four hooves above the ground. Thunderstorm gently squeezed the cloud, and with a silent roar, the mist turned into drops of water, which brought life to her little seeds. If the instructions are correct and she did it well, the carrots should pop out for around a moon, and they'd need another moon and a half to ripen. Until then, she had some oats and wheat. She could hardly get hungry, but she doesn't want to be considered not-normal here. And besides, not having to eat doesn't mean she doesn't like to eat.
Thunderstorm squeezed out the rest of the cloud in an enormous bucket meant for keeping water for cooking. By the length of the shadows, she guessed it was about a sunhour before noon. She leaned on the wooden and brick wall, thinking what should she do next. Then she remembered something she completely forgot about in the last twenty-four sunhours. The books from the library.
Luckily, ''summoning the void'' wasn't a complicated spell, so a moment after her horn flashed white and a ''poof'', five books loudly fell on the table. She looked at the titles. ''Bedtime stories'', ''Introduction to complex magic and crytal spells'', ''Mythological species'', ''Kingdoms' history: The past of the Celestial Arhipelague'', and ''Ancient songs and prophecies''. The last seemed the oldest, and was the only book with the name and a scetch of the author on the first page: a pegasus mare SilverWind. Really kind-looking fellow. Thunderstorm chose them because of the mostly historical themes, it wouldn't hurt to know what had she missed in the past twenty-five centuries. She sat on the wooden floor, since the chairs were a bit too small for her, and randomly picked up a book from the table. ''Songs and prophecies''. All right...
Thunderstorm opened a random page. The mare didn't have a fancy hoofwriting (or however did she write the book), but it was readable. The book was indigo, and its pages were brown from age, but not worn. This book wasn't opened for a while... or oftenly. Thunderstorm flicked 'trough a few pages before she found a chapter titled ''Devoted for Nightime Gleam''. Maybe it was a friend of hers? Judging by the name, the pony was probably a mare. Thunderstorm turned the page, and found a beautiful song.
To Nightime Gleam
Sleep now, my dear
Hush 'cause Sand-mare is near
If you want to have sweet dreams
Close your eyes and count the sheep
With the moonlight she will come
And gift you the stardust from above.
But, beware when her twin arrives
Her vengeful glare as cold as ice
Nightmare is her scary name
The two sirsters are no and all the same
Don't worry 'cause the Dream Princess
Will clean up her sister's mess
I hope this song your ears will keep
As you fall into gentle sleep
Thunderstorm rose her front hoof as her eyes sparkled and a sad smile spread across her face. She could imagine the melody if this song was set to music. Imagine the mother watching over her children. The message and sorrow sent trough centuries of silence. A written word is truly immortal if kept and read. Thunderstorm, for a moment, admired SilverWind.
She put the leather string she found in the book on the page, marking it. She will certainly want to read it in the future.
She left the book on one of the chairs, when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it.
Outside was a strange looking foal. If it was a foal.
His eyes were blue with no iris or a pupil. His skin was black and covered in sleek scales instead of a coat. He didn't have a mane, nor ears, but two antennas ending with pale brown balls of... Fluff, or something similar. Moth, brown wings protruded from his back, and he had a very short tail.
Thunderstorm also noticed a small black horn on his forehead. Was it possible that he was an alicorn of some kind?
"Buzzzzzzzz", he buzzed.
"What?" Thunderstorm rose an eyebrow, puzzled and thinking she had gone crazy.
The little creature symbolically slapped himself in the head, and then something strange happened.
He closed his eyes tightly and bowed in the front knees. He began to shake so rapidly that he appeared blurry to Thunderstorm. She dropped her jaw in surprise when green light swirled around the fellow. He grew, taller and taller, his wings enlarged and grew grey feathers, he got a coat, also grey. A purple tail and mane with stripes simply created, waving around as if moved by the wind. Thunderstorm watched the metamorphosis until her exact reflection was staring at her from outside the door. The same eyes, muzzle, neck, height... The thing she was worrying about were that he had no dress, and the alicorn was clearly visible. The clone, however, didn't have a cutiemark, since it was hidden under her dress. How did he then copy my wings?, Thunderstorm thought, but did not have enough time to think about it, since...
''Quick, let me inside!'' said the clone with the same voice as Thunderstorm. She/he was in panic, and nervously moved her front hooves.
Thunderstorm was suspicious, but had no time to react. Two guards were just coming in the street, patrolling. She let the clone in.
''Now, I want some answers from you, miss, or mister, or whatever else, because - '' Thunderstorm began, but was interrupted.
''I will explain everything, I promise. Just... I can't speak while in my true form...'', the clone said, looking around , ''I hope you'll have nothing against me staying like this?''
Thunderstorm frowned. ''A bit.''
''All right, I'll change later'', moaned the clone.
''So, my name is Greymoth, and I am a Morphling. Colt, if my... current shape confuses you'', he said.
''What is a Morphling?'' Thunderstorm asked, researching her memory for such a name. Even with her amnesia, she still knew names of races and species of, well, most of things, yet Morphling was a foreign term to her.
''Um, you don't know?'' Greymoth was confused
''Don't make me explain'', Thunderstorm said briefly, shut her teeth and made her horn flash for a few times. She wanted to make sure this... being won't think she's somepony you can make a fool of. Greymoth took a clumsy, frightened step back, accidentally knocking down a chair and a book from the table. Thunderstorm's angry glare clarified to him that he'll speak first.
''A Morphling, is, um, a specie of ponies, artificially created... but I'm not allowed to tell any more. Some call us Changelings, some Cursed-ones, and some Buglings... and we all have shape-shifting powers. We aren't supposed to use them, unless we need to speak... Anyway, I am Greymoth, and my family and I just escaped from Zagacera. Rubyshard, the current princess, doesn't treat us... well as fair as others...'' he said, shivering , ''We are refugees, and we're trying to go to the Far South, to the Zebra Empires. The climate is much more appealing to us... but... I have lost my big sister and her...coltfriend while crossing the border, and when I got here, they told me it's best for me to go to the Criminal District... I was practicing on copying some foals before a while, and I noticed how you used weather magic without an actual spell. I concluded you must be an alicorn... So, I... I thought an outcast royal would have understanding for me...'', Greymoth sniffed and wiped his nose with his bare hoof, which seemed awkward for Thunderstorm to see. Yet, she felt a little compassion for the, um, Morphling...
''Let's clear out a few things. First, I am not a royal, although that is a topic to discuss, but I am a refugee too, if that's the best word to describe it. Second, my name is Thunderstorm, not Your Majesty or anything similar. Third, I am afraid you'll need to leave soon, since I don't quite trust you.
Plus, I want to know how did you get in here without anypony noticing you, and tell me everything you know about the Criminal District. And can you please shapeshift into another form - any?'' she said. Greymoth glanced at her in abeyance, then started to shake as before, until the green light consumed him. What was left was an earthpony, a lime colt with bright orange eyes and a pale-brown mane. Still with no cutiemark.
''Alright, ahem, Thunderstorm... I sneaked in hiding in a wagon of hay... shaped like a Breezie... Unfortunately, I had to give up that form not to be crushed... and I have a very short memory for a young Morphling... a sunhour's tenth later and I wouldn't remember this'', he pointed at his head.
''So, a pony needs to exist in order to be copied?'' Thunderstorm asked.
''Well, as far as I know, yes'', he replied , ''There are Morphlings who can make up their own bodies, but they are very, very rare. I personally never met one.''
''And about the Criminal District?'' she reminded him
Greymoth's eyes widened. ''Oh, right, well, as far as I know, this place isn't just for criminals. Durachia doesn't have plenty of law-breakers. If you steal a little continuously, or plan a big heist, you go here, but if you murder somepony, your destination is the Prison, also called Caves. Executions are rare, and then performed by the highest authority - the king or the queen. A poor - ''
''Stop'', a flicker appeared on the tip of Thunderstorm's horn , ''How do you know so much?''
''My sister made me read a book about Durachia so we wouldn't be deported back to Zagacera'', Greymoth's voice was squeaky, and funny. Still, Thunderstorm wanted to make sure he's telling the truth. She quickly thought of two public facts everypony in Durachia should know.
''Who is the current king of Durachia? Who were his mother and father by race?''
''Um, Rivers Tone, earthpony-alicorn, RosePetal, Greenstone'', he said insecurely. Thunderstorm smiled and nodded, signing he can go on with the story.
''Ahem, poor ponies can also come to the Criminal District, but they have to be adult and can only stay for a previously agreed amount of time.''
Thunderstorm looked at the colt, this time with more compassion in her eyes. She changed her mind about one thing.
''And I guess you are not adult. Well, how about we have a deal, mister. You can stay here, with me, if you have nowhere else to go. Under these conditions:
First: Never ask me where I am from, or anything regarding my origins. For everypony, I am Thunderstorm, an abnormally tall unicorn.
Second: You'll tell me everything that is currently happening in these lands.
Third: If anypony asks, you are my far cousin.''
''So, do we have a deal?'' she finished, and stretched out her front left hoof to Greymoth. He gazed at it for a few moments, and then accepted.
''It's a deal.''
''Great. Now, what time is it?'', Thunderstorm asked herself, and then immediately answered after looking at the sunhour on the window. It was a quarter 'till noon. Huh. Time's sure passing quickly. She went to the ''kitchen'', which was only two steps away. Greymoth followed her with his big eyes, sitting on the floor. He then returned to his original shape and levitated the fallen book to the table.
Thunderstorm opened the old cupboards. Inside, she saw a couple of pots, a, pan, four ceramic plates and as much glasses. one was made of white porcelain, while others were glass. She took out a pot and put it on the iron stove, which was a bit rusty on the edges.
Black ash and dust filled her nostrils when she opened the fire chamber. She sneezed and coughed so strongly her head hit one corner of the cupboards. Thunderstorm's sight blackened as pain spread trough her body. Damn. She growled and turned back to the stove. This day isn't going well at all. She sighed.
''Are you hungry?'' she asked Greymoth who changed in a trice.
''You certainly don't know much about our specie. We don't feed on material food,'' he answered.
''What do you mean by ''material food'?'' if Thunderstorm wasn't confused before...
''We feed on, no matter how silly it may sound, feelings. Like hatred, and love, and happiness, sorrow...'' he listed.
''How can you ''eat'' feelings? Are those to you visible, or?'' Thunderstorm completely forgot about the whole lunch she was supposed to prepare.
Greymoth/foal giggled. ''No offence, but you're funny. It's actually a spell. You see... we are like insects, like ants. We communicate by very high sounds you ponies can't hear, and they're like telepathy - in a few seconds, they cross dozens of miles... That's also how we share food. Yet, those ''waves'' are more magical'', he frowned ,''It's quite hard to explain to somepony who's not a Morphling.''
''You see, there are many colonies in the Kingdoms. Every colony has it's Queen, and she's the one who feeds. Nopony knows her exact position. Actually, not a single Morphling or a pony knows where she is. She is in disguise all her life, as soon as she learns how to transform. She is ''planted'' into a random family, usually with knowledge of everything about the filly. It has to be a female, since gender-bending is very exhausting. It's also advisable for the filly to be a unicorn. She absorbs the love she's given in the family, because love is the most powerful feeling, and she has more chance of surviving. She grows up, finds a stallion who loves her the most, marries him, gets mixed-blood foals... Who will die or ''be kidnapped'', so the queen doesn't blow her cover... Only one Morphling knows where's the queen. The strongest one, so the next Morphling queen...''
''Before you continue, could I ask you a few questions?'' Thunderstorm was a bit touched, and she was dying to know more.
Greymoth shrudded his shoulders. ''Sure''
''What happens to the real filly?''
''She's turned into Morphling Minor, the lowest caste.''
Thunderstorm had even more questions now. ''A-ha. How do you know the foal of the queen and the strongest Morphling will be a she?''
''It's always a she, from some reason. Don't ask me why.''
''And it's the only way? The queen sacrifices her whole life and wishes, just to feed her subjects?"
''Yes. There once was an artifact which helped us, but it's long lost... It was a crystal... something, shaped like an eye, or maybe was it a wing...heart, possibly? I certainly don't remember'', Greymoth said, and yawned ,''I'm a bit tired... Our queen is finding trouble feeding lately, and we're all feeling fatigue.''
''Are you immortal? Can you die from hunger?''
''As far as I know, a Morphling can decide when he, or she, wants to die. Then we go on a long journey, and when we find a place important just to us, we are free to let go of this world. About hunger, I know how one ends way too well. A Morphling feeds on joy and love, but as well grinded gems, we reflect the light back into the world. If one feeds on hatred and sorrow... he, or she, become corrupted and evil. Rubyshard forces many Morphlings in Zagacera to feed on those, and then... They turn into monsters. She makes them her slaves, and soldiers. With the main dark Morphling, she gives them orders", Greymoth quivered, and for a moment, his true form was visible.
''How come nopony knows of this?'' Thunderstorm kneeled before him. These ponies need help. She felt foolish for being so harsh before... but she had a reason.
''Rubyshard isn't letting anypony who isn't bribed out of Zagacera's borders. She took all the doves and pigeons, and her servants control the mail and letters'', he said.
''Why didn't you go somewhere else? To the castle, maybe? Or to the town?''
''I... I wasn't quite welcomed from other ponies. As soon as they saw me transform, they would yell at me. I was too afraid to go to the castle.''
Thunderstorm smiled warmly. ''I know the ruler of this land, and he is nothing like princess Rubyshard. Trust me.''
Greymoth sniffed the air. ''Your joy and caring smell very nice. But your anger before, it simply reeked to me'', he giggled, and Thunderstorm thanked him for the compliment.
''Now, I'll cook myself lunch, and while it's cooking, we may as well make a plan to get you out of here'', she said. Behind her, a bundle of wood flew in the fire chamber, the fire lit and the chamber closed. A metal pot frilled with water and descended onto the stove.
''So, let's start.''
''Um, I need to get to the castle?''
''Yes''
Awkward silence filled the room. The only thing heard was the fire crackling.
''What should be so hard?'' I just need to shapeshift into a small animal, crawl out of the District and then go to the castle'', Greymoth said.
''You're right'', Thunderstorm smiled ,''We'll just wait for the night. What could possibly go wrong?''
