Autumn Skye was sitting on the comfortable couch in the lounge while Wind
Whistler, Majesty, and a strange looking Clydesdale discussed her vision.
He was a large creature. Even for a Clydesdale. His body color was like
quicksilver and his hair was cut short. His mane was a rough Mohawk and his
tail reached only five inches past the back of his knees. What was most
scary here was his symbol, a mace.
"Oh, have you met Mace yet?" Majesty had noticed her staring. Mace, for that was apparently his name, turned to face her. With a polite nod he went back to arguing with Wind Whistler on whether or not Autumn Sky was a mystic pony.
A mystic was a pony who saw the future through visions. Autumn Skye for one hoped she wasn't one. They were prone to collapsing while pulling due to visions of importance and that got them killed more often than not. She reminded herself that she would only go back there once. This time with an army to free her fellows. Besides, mystics were always sparkles. The ones with tinsel. She quickly reminded them of this. They regarded her for a second with curiosity.
"Of course," Wind Whistler said with triumph "The ones with a greater affinity for magic, so this must be an isolated incident, nothing more than a nightmare."
"It was not a nightmare!" Autumn Skye stood up and looked Wind Whistler in the face, quite a feat for a hybrid, they were generally rather short and stocky. "It was real, I'm sure of it! This Draven, she was real too. She wasn't really there, but she was a presence, she was powerful, I could feel it. She will help us if we ask!"
Mace looked thoughtful. "I almost agreed with Wind Whistler for a second before realizing something. Most mystics have special markings, but while I was traveling I met a mystic who looked thoroughly normal, yet he was powerful enough to call up visions, interpret them, and even had limited telekinetic. Leading me to believe the ones that aren't marked as special may be the most powerful, but the power is hidden for some reason."
They just stared and Autumn Skye started to cry. She didn't want to be a msytic. Having power was a dangerous thing and she wanted to avoid danger. Majesty looked on the hybrid with understanding. It wasn't easy accepting you were special. Majesty still remembered being told about how she was going to be queen. It felt like being punched really hard in the stomach. She bent down to look Autumn Skye, who had collapsed on the couch, in the eye and said sternly.
"You were born a mystic and you lived your life not knowing it. Chances are, you can live your life knowing it just as well. Some are born with greatness, some have it thrust upon the, and others achieve it and you know what? Being born with it it just having it thrust upon you early and living with it is achieving. Whether you like it or not your important and you will be coming with us on this journey because it you and your kind we are fighting for, and because you have skills beyond so many others."Majesty took a deep breath. How in the world had she accomplished that speech without getting all sappy? "We leave tomorrow, its the beginning of Fall, the negotiations may take time and we don't want to have to attack in winter. We don't want to waste time.
** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Autumn Skye gave an excited yelp as they came up to the steep rocky formation. They had been traveling for two days and already the Dream valley ponies were impressed by the extreme endurance exhibited by the hybrids. The weight was originally distributed evenly, but by now the northern ponies had insisted on carrying nearly twice as much weight as the others and still moved with ease.
Minty and Rainbow Dash raced each other up the rocky incline, their hooves finding any crevice on which they could get a grip. Majesty watched the ponies careful to note which crevices were big enough and which weren't.
"Having trouble your Highness?" Kimono relieved her of some supplies, greatly lightening her load. He slung it over his own back and took off running fast as he could. Once the the top of the hill began bucking and rearing with the rest of the stallions. Fighting as play wasn't a true fight, but it still gave some idea of the grace and power of a hybrid, if the large amounts they were carrying didn't already give the message.
"Majesty? When will we reach the Gardens? I'm eager to know the rest of my history." Autumn Skye had approached Majesty while they were grazing.
"Follow me." Majesty gestured to the edge of the rocks just beyond, not far away, was a large wall of hedges, at least fifteen feet high. Tall trees just barely peeked over the edge of the wall. A gate was facing them. It appeared to be made of gold, with vines twisting around all of it.
"Its beautiful." Autumn Skye breathed. Majesty nodded in agreement.
"we'll stay the night here and if get up at dawn we can be there at well, dawn, or really close anyway." majesty allowed herself a chuckle. It had been years since she came here. She had been here once. When she was little more than a teenager. Her mother had insisted she start learning diplomacy. So she sent her here. She wondered if any of her old friends were here.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning Mace woke them all up. He was a seasoned traveler and had volunteered to be their guide. "Come on! Up! Lots to do today! You have to be awake!"
The ponies ate breakfast without a word, mostly they were just to nervous to say anything. What was going to happen once they had told the Easterns? Would the Easterns even listen?
Once everyone had eaten they made their way down the hill and to the gardens. Coming up to the gate, Majesty yelled a greeting and a solemn faced eastern came up to it. "Excuse me sir, but we would be very happy if you would please open a gate that we may state our business?." Majesty said this quickly. She knew well that the Easterns, like themselves, spoke mainly the original tongue of Ponyland.
"I think you can state you business perfectly well on the other side of our gate, then I will decide whether to let you in or not." the eastern answered coldly.
"May I at least have the pleasure of knowing whom I address?" Majesty was beginning to get fed up him.
"You may call me Silthor." He answered tartly. "You?"
"She is Queen Majesty of Dream Valley." Kimono said stepping forward. "And I am Kimono, leader of the Celebration Herd. And you, will let us enter before I bring this gate down."
Silthor stared for a couple seconds, taking in what he had just heard and what stood before him. Despite their outwardly petty and vain ways, the Easterns were generally more accepting of things like hybrids, mystics, or other abnormalities. They considered the hybrid kin and their own kind. Hybrids were always welcome. He nodded and opened the gate.
All present gasped with amazement. The garden was beautiful on the inside as the outside. There were hedges separating different sections, which obviously served as apartments or something of the sort. In every "apartment" there was a single weeping willow overhanging a small pond for drinking from. For sleeping on there was a cushion of leaves nestled among the roots of the willow. In short, it was breath-taking.
"Shall I lead to you to our appointed leader?" Silthor asked. They nodded and he led them down a narrow path. In the center of the garden they walked into a clearing. In the center stood a may-pole. They ground under their feet was well trampled. Indicating that this was a well traveled area and a meeting place possibly. Silthor led them past it and into yet another apartment. Autumn Skye gasped.
There staring at shifting visions in the water of her pond, was Draven.
"Oh, have you met Mace yet?" Majesty had noticed her staring. Mace, for that was apparently his name, turned to face her. With a polite nod he went back to arguing with Wind Whistler on whether or not Autumn Sky was a mystic pony.
A mystic was a pony who saw the future through visions. Autumn Skye for one hoped she wasn't one. They were prone to collapsing while pulling due to visions of importance and that got them killed more often than not. She reminded herself that she would only go back there once. This time with an army to free her fellows. Besides, mystics were always sparkles. The ones with tinsel. She quickly reminded them of this. They regarded her for a second with curiosity.
"Of course," Wind Whistler said with triumph "The ones with a greater affinity for magic, so this must be an isolated incident, nothing more than a nightmare."
"It was not a nightmare!" Autumn Skye stood up and looked Wind Whistler in the face, quite a feat for a hybrid, they were generally rather short and stocky. "It was real, I'm sure of it! This Draven, she was real too. She wasn't really there, but she was a presence, she was powerful, I could feel it. She will help us if we ask!"
Mace looked thoughtful. "I almost agreed with Wind Whistler for a second before realizing something. Most mystics have special markings, but while I was traveling I met a mystic who looked thoroughly normal, yet he was powerful enough to call up visions, interpret them, and even had limited telekinetic. Leading me to believe the ones that aren't marked as special may be the most powerful, but the power is hidden for some reason."
They just stared and Autumn Skye started to cry. She didn't want to be a msytic. Having power was a dangerous thing and she wanted to avoid danger. Majesty looked on the hybrid with understanding. It wasn't easy accepting you were special. Majesty still remembered being told about how she was going to be queen. It felt like being punched really hard in the stomach. She bent down to look Autumn Skye, who had collapsed on the couch, in the eye and said sternly.
"You were born a mystic and you lived your life not knowing it. Chances are, you can live your life knowing it just as well. Some are born with greatness, some have it thrust upon the, and others achieve it and you know what? Being born with it it just having it thrust upon you early and living with it is achieving. Whether you like it or not your important and you will be coming with us on this journey because it you and your kind we are fighting for, and because you have skills beyond so many others."Majesty took a deep breath. How in the world had she accomplished that speech without getting all sappy? "We leave tomorrow, its the beginning of Fall, the negotiations may take time and we don't want to have to attack in winter. We don't want to waste time.
** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Autumn Skye gave an excited yelp as they came up to the steep rocky formation. They had been traveling for two days and already the Dream valley ponies were impressed by the extreme endurance exhibited by the hybrids. The weight was originally distributed evenly, but by now the northern ponies had insisted on carrying nearly twice as much weight as the others and still moved with ease.
Minty and Rainbow Dash raced each other up the rocky incline, their hooves finding any crevice on which they could get a grip. Majesty watched the ponies careful to note which crevices were big enough and which weren't.
"Having trouble your Highness?" Kimono relieved her of some supplies, greatly lightening her load. He slung it over his own back and took off running fast as he could. Once the the top of the hill began bucking and rearing with the rest of the stallions. Fighting as play wasn't a true fight, but it still gave some idea of the grace and power of a hybrid, if the large amounts they were carrying didn't already give the message.
"Majesty? When will we reach the Gardens? I'm eager to know the rest of my history." Autumn Skye had approached Majesty while they were grazing.
"Follow me." Majesty gestured to the edge of the rocks just beyond, not far away, was a large wall of hedges, at least fifteen feet high. Tall trees just barely peeked over the edge of the wall. A gate was facing them. It appeared to be made of gold, with vines twisting around all of it.
"Its beautiful." Autumn Skye breathed. Majesty nodded in agreement.
"we'll stay the night here and if get up at dawn we can be there at well, dawn, or really close anyway." majesty allowed herself a chuckle. It had been years since she came here. She had been here once. When she was little more than a teenager. Her mother had insisted she start learning diplomacy. So she sent her here. She wondered if any of her old friends were here.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning Mace woke them all up. He was a seasoned traveler and had volunteered to be their guide. "Come on! Up! Lots to do today! You have to be awake!"
The ponies ate breakfast without a word, mostly they were just to nervous to say anything. What was going to happen once they had told the Easterns? Would the Easterns even listen?
Once everyone had eaten they made their way down the hill and to the gardens. Coming up to the gate, Majesty yelled a greeting and a solemn faced eastern came up to it. "Excuse me sir, but we would be very happy if you would please open a gate that we may state our business?." Majesty said this quickly. She knew well that the Easterns, like themselves, spoke mainly the original tongue of Ponyland.
"I think you can state you business perfectly well on the other side of our gate, then I will decide whether to let you in or not." the eastern answered coldly.
"May I at least have the pleasure of knowing whom I address?" Majesty was beginning to get fed up him.
"You may call me Silthor." He answered tartly. "You?"
"She is Queen Majesty of Dream Valley." Kimono said stepping forward. "And I am Kimono, leader of the Celebration Herd. And you, will let us enter before I bring this gate down."
Silthor stared for a couple seconds, taking in what he had just heard and what stood before him. Despite their outwardly petty and vain ways, the Easterns were generally more accepting of things like hybrids, mystics, or other abnormalities. They considered the hybrid kin and their own kind. Hybrids were always welcome. He nodded and opened the gate.
All present gasped with amazement. The garden was beautiful on the inside as the outside. There were hedges separating different sections, which obviously served as apartments or something of the sort. In every "apartment" there was a single weeping willow overhanging a small pond for drinking from. For sleeping on there was a cushion of leaves nestled among the roots of the willow. In short, it was breath-taking.
"Shall I lead to you to our appointed leader?" Silthor asked. They nodded and he led them down a narrow path. In the center of the garden they walked into a clearing. In the center stood a may-pole. They ground under their feet was well trampled. Indicating that this was a well traveled area and a meeting place possibly. Silthor led them past it and into yet another apartment. Autumn Skye gasped.
There staring at shifting visions in the water of her pond, was Draven.