AUTHOR'S NOTE: SLIGHT ERROR. I NOTICED AFTER GOING BACK THROUGH THE CHAPTERS THAT I MISTAKENLY CALLED SILENT MIST BY THE NAME OF SILVER MIST. ALSO, THERE WAS A COVEN IN FLANKFURT, NOT TRANSYLMANEIA. NOW THAT THAT'S CORRECTED, BACK TO THE MAGIC!
The sound of a single pair of hooves echoed through the dungeon hallways grabbing my attention as I lay across the bed of my cell, wings lazily sprawled at my sides and legs upright against the wall. The light of a torch broke the monotonous half darkness and sent a rat scurrying back into the filthy pile of straw in the corner. When the hooves stopped just outside of the cell I occupied I turned my head to see a single unicorn guard levitating a stack of clothes with a harmonica nestled atop them.
"How is she", I demanded as I reached out and accepted the bundle.
"Why do you care", he scoffed and stepped back.
"Because she's family", I snapped and began changing out of my bloodstained clothes.
"Family", he asked with a cocked eyebrow and shook his head as he took my dirty clothes. "Sure makes me glad we aren't related."
"Do you have something to say", I growled and paused with my shirt hanging from my arms.
"How could you attack a pregnant mare", he asked in disgust. "Especially one you're related to?"
"If you read my statement, you would know that the arrow was aimed at my head", I scoffed and pulled my shirt on before pulling my soft boots back on.
"How convenient that they missed", he harrumphed sarcastically and left without another word, leaving me in near darkness again.
"Fucking bitch", I scoffed and sat back down, raising the harmonica to my lips.
Hours passed as I played various melodies, some of them popular songs and others being melodies of my own creation. The sounds of the harmonica seemed to draw not just the rat in my own cell but from others as well, leading to a gathering of nearly a dozen rats all silently swaying in time with the music. At first it bothered me but I quickly got used to it, so much so that it annoyed me when the sound of several pairs of hooves sent them scurrying back to the darkest depths of the dungeons.
"He's back here, your Highness", the guard from earlier said gruffly.
"In the warded cells", my mother's voice echoed to my ears.
"Safest place to hold him", he replied as they came into view. "Honestly, I expected more difficulty from him but he's been a model prisoner."
"That's because you gave him no reason to be difficult", my mother quipped and opened the door to my cell. "Come along, unless you wish to stay longer."
"How is Aunt Luna", I asked as I stepped out of the cell and began following her.
"Be quiet", she hissed with a warning glare and continued leading me from the dungeon.
I did as I was told and slipped the harmonica into my pocket, my wings folded tightly to my back. Hall after hall passed by as we walked in silence and I began to get slightly unnerved by that very silence. Eventually we reached brighter hallways and, in short order, I found myself led to the center of the throne room where a surprisingly strong and pulsating barrier surrounded me.
"Uh, mom", I asked in confusion. "What's the deal here?"
"I said be quiet", she replied angrily as she made her way to her throne, her eyes moving to a side door as it opened.
I stared with my mouth agape as my aunt limped into the room, tears still fresh on her cheeks as she made her way up to her own throne. Just behind her trotted a mare I vaguely recognized as the clerk that transcribed every single hearing and trial in Canterlot. As I watched that mare trot in I felt a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach and turned my eyes back to my aunt and mother on their thrones.
"Shall we begin", my mother asked and nodded to the clerk, signaling for the little unicorn to open a bottle of ink and prepare her quill and parchment, before she turned her eyes on me. "Jackson Everfree, you have been charged with one count of attempted assassination of royalty and one count of assassination of royalty. How do you plead?"
"Not guilty", I replied loudly and turned to my aunt. "Aunt Luna… Did…"
"SILENCE", my mother shouted as she slammed her hooves into the floor, rattling the remaining glass from the broken window. "Having pled not guilty, we shall now see any evidence for or against you, as well as hear witness testimony."
Her horn lit up and my clothes flashed into existence beside my mother, as well as the arrow that was stained with blood.
"First evidence, Exhibit A", the clerk read from a separate scroll of parchment as she lifted a bag containing my bloodstained clothes, "The clothes of Jackson Everfree, soaked with the blood of Princess Luna."
"My blood's on them too", I argued loudly but was shouted down again by my own mother.
"Next we have Exhibit B", the clerk continued and held up a second evidence bag containing the arrow that started all this. "A crudely made arrow with Princess Luna's blood on it. As well as her unborn foal's."
I said nothing as I grit my teeth and rubbed my left ear subconsciously. A door to the side of the throne room opened and in came a procession of guards, each one of them being one of the guards that arrested me. After them came the dungeon guard that had brought my new clothes. Slowly the door eased closed and I stared in growing anger.
"Where's Mumble", I demanded as I looked around the room.
"Still in confinement", my mother huffed back before turning to the regular guards.
"Call her up here", I shouted angrily. "She's my witness!"
"In due time", my mother said with a slight incline of her head and turned back to the guards again. "Will the designated speaker please tell me what happened?"
"Yes, your Highness", the guard at the front bowed. "We were in the middle of the changing of the guard when we heard a call to arms from behind the throne room doors."
"The doors were closed", my mother asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Yes, your Highness", he nodded. "Upon entering the throne room we immediately noticed the shattered window, then we saw the unicorn Mumble standing idly by while Prince Jackson was on the dais appearing to choke Princess Luna as an arrow stuck out of her side. We immediately seized him and placed both him and the unicorn under arrest."
"Do you know for a fact he was choking the princess", my mother demanded. "Describe his demeanor."
"W-well", he hesitated, "Prince Jackson had a firm grip around Princess Luna's throat. As for his demeanor, the left side of his neck was coated with a brownish substance and he had tears in his eyes. He seemed to be manic and distraught and it was difficult to remove him from the scene."
"There was no evidence of strangulation", my mother replied with an unreadable expression before turning to the dungeon guard. "What was the defendant's demeanor like during incarceration?"
"On the way to his cell he asked several times if his aunt was going to be okay", the guard in question answered gruffly. "Once in his cell he requested a change of clothing and a harmonica, of all things. When I brought these items to him he again asked about Princess Luna. After that he just played that harmonica."
"Was he any good", my mother asked with barely concealed interest.
"Yes your Highness", he replied in confusion.
"Then I should have him play for me one day", she mused with a soft smile.
"May we please continue", my aunt huffed weakly.
"Yes, of course", my mother replied with a blush and nodded as the clerk lifted the arrow with her magic. "Jackson, have you ever seen this arrow before?"
"Never", I replied and subconsciously rubbed my left ear. "All I know is that that arrow took my ear off before it hit Aunt Luna."
"I will have to read your memories", my mother warned as she stepped down from the dais and approached me.
"Of course", I nodded and locked my conversation with Cain deep in the darkest corners of my mind.
A sympathetic smile graced my mother's lips as she closed her eyes and breached the barrier, laying her glowing horn on my head. The moment her horn touched my forehead I felt a breeze slip through my mind. For several minutes I felt the breeze easing through my mind, steadily getting closer to my darkest thoughts. As soon as she reached the darkness's threshold my mother began screaming and crying in utter terror, the breeze instantly and just barely painfully ripped itself back out of my mind as my mother collapsed in a heap just outside of the barrier.
"Mom", I shouted and reached forward amid various shouts and ponies rushing to the fallen princess but pulled my hands back as the skin began to blister and the Shiver graced my scalp.
"I-I'm fine", my mother said softly and sniffled as she turned her eyes to me. "You should really see Doctor Psyche again."
"What happened", my aunt demanded as she helped her sister stand.
"I stumbled across his nightmares", the solar princess admitted sheepishly.
"That is precisely why I refuse to patrol his dreams", Luna muttered, earning an unsteady chuckle from my mother. "At any rate, shall we proceed?"
"Yes, let's continue", she nodded and everypony returned to their places. "Please bring in the unicorn Mumble."
I watched the prison guard leave and turned my attention to my blistered hands as the two rulers had a private discussion about something. Though I couldn't make out what they were saying, it was clear that my aunt was hesitant about the topic. As they quietly argued I began to let my magic flow into my hands and slowly heal them. Just seconds after my hands were healed the door opened and Mumble was led into the throne room, a magic inhibiting ring around her horn and shackles around her legs.
"Master", she gasped and tried to approach me, whining softly when the chains stopped her several yards away from me.
"It's okay", I smiled calmly and made a shooing motion with my hand. "Just cooperate and everything will be fine."
"Yes, master", she sighed and returned to the dungeon guard's side, glancing at me as they reached the foot of the dais.
"You called Jackson your master", my mother asked with a hint of amusement.
"Yes, your Highness", Mumble replied with a small bow.
"Were you with your master during the events in question?"
"I was, your Highness", Mumble said and nodded toward the massive closed doors. "I was ordered to remain by the doors so I stayed there."
"Will you tell your account of the events", my mother asked softly.
"Yes, your Highness", she nodded. "Master and Princess Luna were discussing some matters in a civilized manner. Master approached the broken window and stood there as he smoked and stared out the window. He put his hand on the window and was smoking when the arrow broke through the window. Master fell and I rushed to his aid. When I reached him his left ear had been severed, so I reattached it with healing magic. As soon as he was healed he rushed to his aunt, who had been struck by the arrow. Master is the one that called the guards. As soon as they arrived they arrested us."
"You say the arrow injured Jackson", my mother gasped.
"Yes, your Highness", she nodded again. "His blood soaked into his clothes, most likely blending in with the fabric, but I was able to heal him quickly."
"Is that so", my mother muttered and glanced at my clothing in its bag. "Then a quick check would…"
I watched as she brought her horn close to the bag, the tip lighting up faintly.
"Well, his blood is certainly there", the solar ruler muttered and nodded to Mumble with a small smile. "I personally believe you, but would you mind if I read your mind? Just to be thorough."
"Of course, your Highness", Mumble bowed and closed her eyes.
The great white alicorn gently touched her horn to Mumble's forehead and both of them were still, a slight blush creeping across my mother's cheeks. Moments later the spell and my mother sighed, shaking her head.
"Not another one", my mother muttered with a sharp glance in my direction before walking away. "And it would seem I need to have a word with my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
"Hey, she's an adult", I shrugged.
"As is Mumble", she shot back, chuckling at the blank stare I gave her.
"May I join master now", Mumble asked softly, a blush on her cheeks.
"You may stand just outside the barrier", she smiled softly. "Just don't touch it because it would be quite painful."
"Thank you, your Highness", she bowed and made her way over, her restraints rattling as she got as close to me as she could.
"You did great", I whispered with a small smile before turning to face the dais when my mother cleared her throat.
"At this time there remains only one testimony", my mother said somberly before turning and nodding to her sister. "Luna, you may have the floor now."
"Thank you, sister", the nocturnal ruler nodded and stepped forward.
"Great", I muttered and prepared myself for what was to come.
"As you know", my aunt began with a glance toward my mother, "for the longest time there was a fair amount of animosity between myself and Jackson. One unfortunate evening during my last heat Jackson's shapeshifting abilities led to copulation and my subsequent impregnation."
"Do what now", Mumble asked in shock.
"Yes, your dear master impregnated his own aunt", Luna smirked, seeming to enjoy Mumble's discomfort before continuing. "At the end of a recent meeting between him and myself, knowing before the meeting of my pregnancy, he made the threat that my heart would stop by his own hands. Now that, in my eyes, is as good as an admission of guilt."
"Is this true", my mother gasped and turned a worried gaze to me.
"Well, yeah", I admitted, drawing a gasp from her and a smug smile from my aunt. "However, she's been blackmailing me with the foal since I got back from Appleloosa."
"WHAT", my mother shrieked and rounded on Luna as the latter mare lost her smugness.
"Yeah", I continued as I examined my fingernails nonchalantly. "I've had to handle certain tasks that-"
"Traitorous cretin", my aunt snarled as she charged me but was magically restrained by my mother. "Tell her about the countless murders you committed! The countless families you destroyed!"
"In service to the nocturnal throne", I asked with my own smug grin. "Under your orders, no less."
"And Aetrius", the dark sister spat.
"Self defense", I shrugged. "You know how grounded in science the minotaurs are. They couldn't handle anything paranormal, so when I exposed a necromancer among them, they attacked me."
"And that vampony whore", Luna demanded. "You're responsible for every death at her hooves!"
"Again, in service to you", I replied as my smile fell into a scowl.
"Enough", my mother shouted as chains restrained my aunt and a magic canceling ring appeared on her horn. "Bailiff, escort Princess Luna to the dungeons! I'm ruling in favor of the defendant, Jackson Everfree!"
"Bye bye, now", I grinned as the shrieking mare was led away but feigned chagrin at a harsh word from my mother. "I'm sorry, mom. I shouldn't have taken that cheap jab at her."
"Agreed", she replied and hung her head as the barrier faded away. "That's the second time I had to send my sister away."
"I know, mom", I sighed and rushed forward to hug her as she sniffled. "I'm sorry I had to be the cause of it."
"No, her blackmailing caused it", she replied and returned my hug. "I never knew what was going on until now. I didn't even know she was pregnant until tonight."
"I wanted to tell you, but she threatened to claim rape", I sighed.
"And a blood test would have wrongfully convicted you", she nodded and pulled back. "Well, unless you want to stay for Luna's sentencing, you're free to go."
"Nah, I think we'll head home", I smiled and hugged her again.
As soon as she released me I led Mumble out of the castle gates and terraported us both just outside my own castle grounds, shaking my head at the noticeable lack of alarm. Vowing to have a talk with my guards I led the way inside and was instantly greeted by Shadow tapping her hoof while scowling.
"Well, fuck."