III: Greed
~BlackRoseRaven
It felt like one day, Ardent Desire closed his eyes: when he opened them the next, he was living on his own, in a beautiful manse with both his sisters, and a vault filled with riches. It felt like one day he was trapped beneath Lord Bonfire, never to be his own stallion, only ever a failure and frail and weak... the next, he was the richest stallion in the village of Ashaven, and rapidly becoming more and more popular with the citizenry... or at least, the female population.
Ardent Desire smiled dreamily as he sat comfortably back in an enormous oak throne at a wide table, sighing in contentment as Morning Glory and Radiant Beacon both looked at him warmly from their seats of honor on either side of him. And the orange stallion couldn't help but marvel back and forth as not simply mares, but several Kelpies bustled throughout the building, serving food for them happily: Helena had moved in with her sisters from the river.
The Kelpies had somehow gotten the old owners out of the house, and Ardent Desire had been able to all but walk right in, with the deeds and everything in his name. The demons had also modified one of the lower rooms of the sprawling manse into an enormous pool, using... well, Ardent didn't dare to guess what kind of magic and resources demons had at their disposal. And Cupidus had stopped in and outfitted him with a gorgeous library, that included all the literature taken from the secret room in the library back at the castle.
He was happy. He was free. And over the last few days, he had begun exercising his abilities a little more with Helena's aid and guidance, bringing home pretty mares and... well, he didn't want to say he 'had his way' with them. He made sure they both enjoyed the experience, after all.
The stallion also employed a variety of servants, and he had to admit, it was nice to have slave hoofs who actually listened to him. And he had even hired a few Pegasus soldiers to keep an eye on the grounds: his manse was quite a sprawling estate, after all, with fields around it, the beautiful pond, the river that served like a natural moat. The only easy way onto his property from the village, after all, was over the footbridge: the river was wide enough to keep most other unicorns and slave hoofs from finding an easy way across... and sometimes the Kelpies patrolled the waters, giving him another layer of security.
Yes, everything was wonderful. Ardent Desire sighed in delight as he opened his mouth, and Morning Glory – adorned with a beautiful gemstone necklace he had bought for her, and the sight of her almost crying with joy when he had put it on her neck, oh, how happy it had made him! – gently fed him a slice of apple. He smiled and closed his eyes as Radiant Beacon rested against his other side happily, and then she murmured: "Look, big brother. Real demons, just like you and big sister told me Mother always spoke of. These last few days... everything's been so wonderful."
"So freeing." agreed Ardent Desire, and then he cocked his head curiously as Helena strode quickly into the dining hall from the archway, a nervous look on her features. "What's wrong?"
"A herald just arrived, my lord..." Even worried as he felt, Ardent Desire had to admit that he adored being referred to as a 'lord.' It almost made him smile, but then his blood froze when Helena continued worriedly: "Lord Bonfire is on his way, and he's not alone."
"What?" Ardent Desire almost jumped out of his chair, going pale, and then he winced and looked back and forth, grabbing at his features. "Oh no oh no oh no oh no..."
Morning Glory frowned at this, and then Helena bowed her head forwards, saying quietly: "We cannot allow ourselves to be seen, of course... we take enough risks as it is striding in full view of your servants, even if they are sworn to silence and loyalty, and they never leave the grounds."
"That is fine, I will face my father beside my brother." Morning Glory said firmly, and Radiant Beacon nodded encouragingly, smiling brightly. She glanced at her brother, but Ardent Desire was almost hyperventilating, and both mares winced a bit before Morning Glory shook her head and asked quickly: "Where is Lord Bonfire now?"
"Approaching through the fields. He will be here shortly." the Kelpie replied, and then she looked directly at Ardent Desire before her eyes flashed, and the orange stallion winced a bit as he felt like a wrecking ball hit his mind, knocking him back to a state of semi-sanity as her voice half-ordered, half-soothed: Be strong and brave, Lord Desire. This is your home, not his.
"I... I... yes." Ardent Desire murmured after a moment, shivering once before he shook his head slowly and rubbed at his face. He looked up uneasily, but Helena was already gone, catching only a flick of her seaweed tail before she vanished through the archway, and the stallion looked back and forth before asking almost desperately: "And you'll... be there for me, both of you?"
Morning Glory nodded, and Radiant Beacon smiled faintly, hugging him fiercely. He wrapped a foreleg around either sibling, trembling once, and then he looked up as a slave hoof hurried in through the archway that Helena had left through. "Honorable Lord Desire, the mighty Lord Amadeus Bonfire has arrived and wishes for your presence, sir."
Ardent Desire closed his eyes, took a slow breath... then he nodded once and pushed himself away from the table, almost whispering: "Take me to him."
The servant bowed deeply as Morning Glory and Radiant Beacon awkwardly helped their trembling brother to his hooves, and he leaned heavily against the larger mare once he was standing. He thought that once they were walking, it would get easier... but instead, it only seemed to get harder, as dread filled his veins and he felt himself wanting to whimper, a few pathetic squeaks escaping with his breathing.
The only thing that reassured him was that even now, Morning Glory was supporting him, as did Radiant Beacon. He had family; he had sisters; he always had his mother's love. And finally, they emerged into the beautiful foyer of the manse, gorgeous tapestries on the walls and expensive carpet underhoof, and Ardent Desire forced himself to straighten as he looked across at a snarling Lord Bonfire, flanked by Shieldhoof, Lucenta, Lord Windsong, and another unicorn that Ardent Desire didn't recognize, likely the stallion who had been arranged to be Lucenta's husband. And they didn't come alone: behind them, to Ardent Desire's terror, there were not only servants with flags and banners and carrying equipment, but armored and armed Pegasi and unicorn soldiers.
"What have you done, Ardent Desire? How much money did you steal from my vault, or from the barony's vaults? Did you really think you could get away with this?" Lord Bonfire shouted furiously, and then he shook his head wildly before snapping: "Morning Glory, Radiant Beacon, I have no idea what is wrong with either of you, but return to your senses immediately and step forwards. I have brought a healer with me, he will mend your minds or fix whatever enchantment ails you."
"Nothing is wrong with me, Father! I stand proudly at my big brother's side... your rightful heir's side!" Morning Glory snapped, and Ardent Desire stared at her incredulously: part of it was terror, as he realized what kind of control he must have over his older sibling... the rest of it, awe that whether she was being influenced by him or not, she still dared to raise her voice to their father.
"I... I won't abandon him. Do whatever you must, Father, but bear in mind that your actions now... against your children, one of whom is now on his way to achieving greatness... our entire unicorn nation will hear of it. And will reflect upon it... and upon you." added Radiant Beacon in a softer voice.
Lord Bonfire looked... hurt. Shocked, and angry... and hurt. Not even when Ardent Desire had seen his father take an arrow to the chest while repelling an attack on the keep, had the orange stallion ever witnessed that expression on his father's face, or seen it in his eyes. His mouth worked wordlessly, and then Lucenta stepped forwards, shouting angrily: "That is your father and patriarch, our father and patriarch, Morning Glory! The stallion you used to idolize, a stallion of great and noble rank, to whom we owe life and servitude!"
"I have greater idols now." Morning Glory snapped, wrapping a foreleg around Ardent Desire, and the orange stallion looked at her with surprise and a deep blush, before the pale-pink mare added icily: "And at least I do not bring unwanted company and an army to speak to my own blood. To make threats and use shows of strength and force against those who have done no wrong. To accuse my own family of being twisted by evil solely because they have learned to put aside past grudges, and find the value in each other!"
Shieldhoof spat to the side at this, and then Morning Glory's eyes locked him, and she added softly: "And you. I warned you, that if I ever saw you again, I would kill you, Shieldhoof. After you attacked my brother in his own home, and after you dared to speak down to me... did you not think I was serious? Hide all you like, but you are marked now, Shieldhoof. I will kill you."
"Do you hear her? Clearly she's gone insane!" shouted the large ivory stallion, gesturing at her wildly, and then he stared in disbelief when the elderly Windsong shushed him hurriedly. "Father, you can't be serious, that demented harlot is-"
Lord Bonfire spun to the side and smashed a front hoof into Shieldhoof's face, striking with so much force that it not only snapped his cheekbone but made his handsome features all-but-crumple. Shieldhoof was knocked to the floor and sent skidding on his side almost into the wall, mouth working as blood burst from his jaws... and then what had happened seemed to set in with a tsunami of pain, and the ivory stallion screamed and grabbed at his broken features as Lord Bonfire shook his hoof out and said moodily: "Drag him out of here. All of you, get out of here, now. I must have a word with my son. And that includes you as well, daughters."
Morning Glory and Radiant Beacon didn't flinch, didn't move, but Ardent Desire bit his tongue, trembled... and then he nodded and whispered: "Go on, sisters. I'll... I'll call you."
"Alright, big brother." Morning Glory said softly, and Radiant Desire leaned up to hug him tightly for a moment, the orange stallion returning the embrace before both mares turned and strode towards the door at the back of the room. Meanwhile, two Pegasi were dragging Shieldhoof's sobbing body out, and Windsong had his head lowered, quailing away from Bonfire even as he hurried out of the room with the rest of the group.
Only Ardent Desire and Lord Bonfire were left in the foyer after less than a minute had passed, and they were silent, some ten feet of space between them before the orange stallion managed a weak grin, and he said finally: "Nice uh... punch, Dad."
Lord Bonfire gave him a dark look, and Ardent winced and dropped his head before the large, imposing unicorn approached. Ardent Desire shrank further under the glare locked on him, and there was silence for a few long moments before the large crimson stallion finally sighed quietly, then murmured: "So is this your revenge on me, Ardent Desire? Turning Morning Glory against me, somehow... taking over this place? Leaving me without a heir?"
The orange stallion shifted slowly at this, looking up and opening his mouth... then simply closing it as he carefully stood back up. Lord Bonfire looked across at him silently, shaking his head slowly before he said quietly: "Well congratulations if it is... Lord Desire. I can't say I'm disappointed... shocked, cut to the quick, but... you finally did something right, at least. Did something impressive. Not even I was ever able to bend your sister's will but you, oh, it looks like you found a way to take my daughter away from me... and... take yourself away from me, too. So congratulations. You should be proud of yourself."
"Dad, it's... it's not like that." Ardent Desire almost pleaded, feeling his own burst of pain as he stepped forwards, and then he winced when Lord Bonfire reached up a hoof... but a moment later, it only gently settled on his shoulder, and the larger stallion lowered his head quietly as Ardent looked up at him, whispering: "It's not about that, I... I just... I... want to be my own stallion. I just wanted to... I wanted you to..."
"I don't have time for your feelings, Ardent Desire." Lord Bonfire straightened, his voice cold... but his eyes were still hurt. For all the strength he showed, there was something in his eyes, in the smallest, faintest tremors that ran through his body, that made him look wounded. "Take Morning Glory and Radiant Beacon, then. I don't know what you've done to my daughters and... I don't care. I still have an heir in Lucenta and her husband-to-be, and... you can finally have what you've always wanted, Ardent Desire. Your precious freedom. You are not my son, and I am not your father."
"You're... you're disowning me for... for... what?" Ardent Desire stared up at him in disbelief, then he shook his head before shouting desperately: "Father, I didn't steal anyone or anything! I'm... I don't hate you! I just want you to-"
"Enough!" the crimson unicorn snapped, his voice echoing through the foyer and making Ardent Desire shrink backwards. "If you ever wanted to make me proud you wouldn't have spent every single moment of your life reminding me of your dead mother, and how I failed her! If you ever wanted to be a stallion, Ardent Desire, you would have... have tried to be a stallion, instead of burying your head in books and stories and lies, like she did, which is why she died!"
Lord Bonfire breathed hard in and out, snarling down at Ardent Desire as he stared uselessly upwards, and then the crimson stallion leaned down and said harshly: "Infection took hold after she gave birth to Radiant Beacon, and her blood turned to poison in her veins, and instead of trusting in me, and doctors, and the real world, she prayed to her pathetic fairytales and fallen idols. And I sat back and let her until it was too late, because when she told me the demons had promised our first child would be a son, I trusted in them. And I never should have trusted in her madness and her lies, because whether or not she told the truth what she gave birth to first was you."
The orange stallion stumbled backwards, whimpering in his throat, shaking his head in disbelief before Lord Bonfire spat to the side, then he turned around and stormed towards the door, the snarl of anger not entirely hiding the tears in his eyes as he said roughly: "I believe in what's real, Ardent Desire. I believe in what is proven, not what is theory and lies and myth. And the only thing you've proven is that you are a disgrace to our family and I should have cast you out long ago."
Lord Bonfire halted in front of the doors leading out of the manse, and Ardent Desire trembled as tears spilled down his cheeks, slowly beginning to stride after the crimson unicorn before Lord Bonfire said quietly over his shoulder: "You are hereby exiled from my barony, Ardent Desire, and... and if my daughters leave with you, then they are no longer welcome within these borders either. You have until sunrise tomorrow to be gone from this place... or I will have you executed."
"Father!" Ardent Desire shouted, but without looking back, Lord Bonfire smashed the double doors open with a flick of his horn and left his disowned child standing in the middle of his beautiful foyer, tears rolling down his cheek as the orange stallion collapsed forwards and screamed: "Father! Please!"
But Amadeus Bonfire did not look back.
Ardent Desire wasn't even aware of what was going on around him. He was just curled up under a blanket, and his sisters were looking after him and taking care of him, reassuring him that everything would be okay. All he was aware of was a faint rumbling and whispering, and his sisters were so focused on him that not even they cared what was going on.
Outside, dark shadows whispered back and forth around the manse, as Cupidus stood on the front lawn and calmly watched. Helena had asked for his assistance, and while the devil thought that perhaps Ardent Desire's influence was getting even to the demon mare, he also understood her reasoning. If Ardent Desire died, it would reflect poorly on him, and everything he had promised: practicality demanded a small feat of power. And besides, Helena also noted there was an easy source of additional payment, right under their noses.
Electricity crackled over the walls of the structure, as vibrations ran through the inside of the house: soon, the building was rising into the sky, towards a dark, rumbling cloud through which violet lightning was streaking back and forth, as rubble and pieces of sod floated silently up in the reversal of gravity that had gripped the structure. Cupidus watched as gradually, the manse vanished into the cloud before there was a bright purple flash... and then everything was simply gone, the only sign the building had ever stood in this empty field the crater of dirt left behind.
The devil glanced coldly back and forth, then nodded once to himself: he trusted that Helena would oversee the rest of the process. For now, he had assets to attend to, as his orange eyes meditatively roved over the dead and prone bodies of slave hoof servants and Pegasi that had been sacrificed by the Kelpies as payment, their bodies slain, their blood drained, their souls... taken. Cupidus thought it was a fair exchange, but to him, life and death were both matters of economic exchange, and the values of the living, their corpses, and even their very souls could be determined the same way he would a gemstone. The clarity, the cut, the rarity, the quality, and weight.
Ardent Desire didn't understand what he had gotten into, though... any more than he understood what was happening as the house shook around him violently, and he looked wildly up as he clung to his sisters, shouting worriedly: "What's going on? Is... is Father attacking? No, no, I... no!"
The rumbles increased for a moment, and Ardent Desire cried out in terror and misery and buried himself in the blankets as Radiant Beacon clung to him and Morning Glory leapt to her hooves... but a moment later, the tremors settled into a dull vibration, and Helena hurried into the room, saying soothingly: "Lord Desire, it's okay, it's okay! We were just finishing up moving the household... surely you remember what we talked about before, moving the house to a better place?"
"I... I..." Ardent Desire poked his head nervously out from under the blanket, trembling a little, and then he nodded after a moment and sat up. Morning Glory relaxed a little when she saw her big brother looking naively across at Helena, and it was like his trust and his emotions were beginning to affect her: like more and more, she was reflecting him. "Yes, but... I didn't... think that... what about the servants?"
"We had to let them go, darling. I told you before, we couldn't take them all with us... it would have been asking too much of Cupidus." Helena smiled,and Ardent Desire nodded hesitantly. "I'm glad you told me about him, Ardent Desire, and that you have such a generous, powerful ally. And I'm sure if you asked... he would be glad to help you get over the pain of your father..."
"I... that's... not important right now." Ardent Desire shifted, feeling suddenly uncomfortable as he breathed unevenly, then shook his head hurriedly. "So... so where are we then? How... how did you move this place?"
"Oh, I didn't do it. Cupidus has many friends, though, who all... pitched in. Devils don't usually come to this world by themselves, but you created an opening... a way for Cupidus to travel back and forth, and he was able to bring a few... loyal followers through as well." Helena explained gently, and Ardent Desire nodded trustingly before the Kelpie looked back and forth, softening. "You should concentrate on feeling better for tonight, my darling. We will attend to the... minor details, and help everything settle."
"No, no... I... I want to see where we are." Ardent Desire said after a moment, shaking his head, and both his sisters stood as they looked curiously over at Helena. The Kelpie only smiled in response, nodding after a moment before she turned and gestured for them to follow.
The group was silent as they made their way through the dim halls of the house: there were a few overturned furnishings, some paintings had fallen off the walls, and most of the lanterns and torches had gone out. But Ardent Desire thought all-in-all, there was very little to show that an entire household had just been magically moved... well... quite a distance, he was somehow sure.
They exited through the main doors – a hinge had snapped on one and left the door listing awkwardly, but that was the worst damage they had seen so far – and Ardent Desire's eyes widened in surprise as he strode into soft, tall grasses. The moon and stars shone down from above, lighting up their surroundings, and after a moment, Morning Glory whispered: "Wait, I recognize this place... from... from the paintings in the library..."
"That's... the ocean!" Ardent Desire almost shouted, stumbling forwards and staring with awe: past a dirt road and several small shacks still lit up with light in the far distance, he could see the sparkling, endless reaches of water he had always dreamed of seeing. He laughed in delight, all his cares and worries leaving him for a moment... and both his sisters soon joined his laughter, smiling just as brightly as they felt and mirrored his joy. "Look, look, the ocean!"
He leapt up and down, then looked back and forth in delight: they were positioned high atop a slope, and the stallion took off at a run to do a quick circle of the house as Helena only smiled and sat calmly back.
Ardent Desire ran around the structure, taking in everything that was nearby with wide, child-like eyes at the wonderment of it all: of being in a new, safe place, where he'd always dreamed of being, where there was not only an ocean across from his front door but a river that flowed past the side of his home and sprawling fields everywhere else. He grinned in amazement as he passed back to the front, and then his sisters tackled him from behind and knocked him sprawling, but it only increased his joy as he rolled over and gazed up at them, then hugged them fiercely as they lay piled together. "It's everything I ever dreamed of!"
He looked happily up at the stars... and then, slowly, gradually, his smile faded, and both his siblings straightened and looked down at him with concern as he murmured after a moment: "I mean... almost... everything. It's almost everything..."
He closed his eyes... but a moment later, a hoof brushed back his mane, and Helena said softly: "Now come. You are a strong, handsome stallion, with fortunes truly beyond measure. Nothing is out of your reach yet, not even what seems impossible."
Ardent Desire glanced up at her quietly, and then he nodded slowly to the Kelpie before allowing her and Morning Glory to help him to his hooves. He looked back and forth, opened his mouth, then didn't quite know what to say before Morning Glory and Radiant Beacon both gently pushed him forwards, and Helena smiled kindly at the stallion. "I'll help you relax."
Ardent Desire only nodded a little, then closed his eyes when she leaned forwards and kissed him, but he returned it slowly, feeling it... soothing him. And when she gently tugged on him, he gladly followed her to a quiet, private room, where she pulled him overtop her and he felt his body more naturally falling into the motions, pushing down, feeling their forms moving in tandem as he felt her clutching into him, pulling him down, wanting him, needing him, loving him...
When it was over, they lay curled together until Ardent Desire fell asleep, and then the Kelpie slipped quietly away and headed out into the hall. She smiled dreamily to herself, then frowned before shaking her head hurriedly... but as she did so, she caught something in the corner of her eye. A movement... and the demon smiled knowingly to herself before she called gently: "Morning Glory, is that you?"
There was silence... and then Morning Glory flushed as she stepped carefully around the corner, looking up nervously. But the demon only smiled at her before pushing the door behind her back open, saying tenderly: "Go ahead. He's asleep... but he always sleeps better with another body beside him."
She paused as Morning Glory smiled and approached, and the Kelpie hesitated... then she thought of Cupidus and his orders, and she forced herself to be sly, to be cunning, and not to care for the handsome, tender stallion snoozing helplessly in bed as she leaned up and whispered in the mare's ear: "He loves you especially, you know."
The mare froze, then frowned a little, and for a moment, she shivered: it made Helena wince, not exactly wanting to see what would happen if Morning Glory shook off the enchantment. The unicorn was not a pony to be underestimated or trifled with, not even by your average demon.
But thankfully, a moment later Morning Glory settled and closed her eyes, and the Kelpie felt both relief and the faintest hint of guilt. After all... this was a mare who must have honestly cared about her sibling at one point, and now they were abusing that, warping that... "I... does he? I get so... angry... and jealous... and he is my brother, I... I..."
"I think your mortal worries are silly. I think you should tell him, show him how much you care for him." Helena urged gently, and the mare looked at her curiously before Helena smiled kindly at her, even as she felt another twist go through her gut. "I will even help you. I will help him see your value, shall I?"
"Oh... Helena, I owe you so much..." Morning Glory whispered, but Helena only smiled before turning away... and as the mare eagerly hurried into the bedroom, the Kelpie's smile faded and her eyes dimmed as they turned slowly down to the floor.
Mortals... they were so easy to play with. So easy to confuse, and Ardent Desire was so... gullible. And with the way his influence worked, it made those close to him gullible too. Oh, yes, demons couldn't lie, and there were many good demons, and many of the stories Ardent Desire repeated to her were true... but he forgot that there were bad demons, too. That demons, good or bad, were often driven by their primal drives... and most important of all, that there was a difference between a demon and a devil.
Or maybe he was just too naïve, too uninitiated, to have truly understood the difference yet. But one day, and one day all too soon, Ardent Desire would. Everything he was being given was free, but he had never listened to the careful phrasings of Cupidus: that he would only keep what he had earned. And so far, all Ardent Desire had truly earned himself was pain, and suffering, and heartache. The poor stallion didn't understand that he had just become a tool in a devil's plan to further expand his influence, and that he had created a loophole in the rules that usually bound Cupidus' kind to Helheim. Something Cupidus was gladly using to exploit and claim more victims, in the short window he knew he had.
And none of it was because 'demons were evil,' or 'Hell was full of monsters,' even if the latter was all too true: it was because Cupidus saw a business opportunity, and that was what he was doing... business. Mortal souls were like shiny gemstones in Helheim, to be traded, sought after, and in rare cases to act as powerful tools in their own right. And to the Kelpie, who was driven by the primal drives of lust and hunger, that awful, sociopathic purpose made what Cupidus was doing all the more terrible to her.
Not that Helena could or would stand up against the devil, of course: Cupidus was powerful, and knew what strings to pull, and precisely how to pluck them for the best effect. Helena was a wild demon, who lived with her brethren among nature, outside of Helheim. Safe from the ice... but not from other demons who thought that Kelpies made excellent slaves, delightful toys, or tasty meat.
Helena lowered her head as she strode quietly into the kitchen, then glanced back and forth at her sisters, who were currently using the stove to cook some fish they had caught. She smiled at them, and they smiled back before one asked softly: "Sister, you can't be upset over the mortals still, can you? They're only mortals... most of them were slaves."
"No, their lives do not bother me, my siblings. I'm thinking of the handsome stallion again... perhaps it's just his influence, but I've grown very attached to him. I don't like the idea of corrupting and twisting him and his entire family into something like us." Helena replied softly, and her sisters nodded sympathetically. They sat for a few moments as the fish steamed and fried, and then one of the demons turned towards the spice rack, and Helena cautioned: "Be wary, mortals use many purifiers as flavoring. Too much and we will grow ill."
"We know, sister." said another one of the Kelpies tiredly, and Helena couldn't help but smile a bit before the same Kelpie softened and murmured: "You are too attached to things. A caretaker. You must distance yourself more, sister, for your own sake."
"I... will try." Helena said finally, lowering her head and looking away... and yet all the same, she didn't think she would. She liked Ardent Desire, after all... and she thought what truly scared her wasn't the idea of hurting him, or even helping him on the way to becoming a demon... it was the thought that Ardent Desire would never forgive her for what she had to do.
Ardent Desire awoke to the smell of flowers, and sweat, and... soap, he thought. He wasn't sure of the last, but the lingering perfume... it was somehow familiar. Even the fact he couldn't place it properly was somehow familiar.
A hoof stroked down his back, and he smiled, keeping his eyes closed as another stroked through his mane, soothing him, settling him. He felt like he'd lapsed into a beautiful dream after a long and awful nightmare, and he curled a little closer to the large but gentle body holding him close. It was a mare's body, and he felt a mare's lips kiss his forehead, before he whispered: "Mom... I love you..."
"I love you too, Ardent Desire." murmured a mare's voice, and Ardent Desire's smile grew wider as he snuggled happily closer, making himself little. This all felt like a wonderful dream, until he finally opened his eyes... and stared at the familiar pink coloration of a unicorn he knew was not his mother.
He looked up in surprise, and Morning Glory blushed as she looked down at him. Neither of them spoke as their eyes locked, and Ardent Desire swallowed thickly, feeling himself leaning up as she leaned down... then he shivered and hurriedly dropped his head forwards, making her wheeze when he almost rammed his forehead into her chest and his horn painfully ground against the side of her neck, Morning Glory groaning and shoving at him with one hoof. "Brother!"
"Sister!" Ardent Desire almost shouted, and he felt that tremble run through her before he hurriedly pushed away, wheezing as he sat up and looked down at her. She glared up at him, and he flinched a little, but then relaxed when she sat up and softened, still mumbling a little but settling down... and thankfully, once more what was between them felt like a sibling bond, not... anything else.
The two looked at each other for a few moments, and then Morning Glory cleared her throat a little before saying hesitantly: "Ardent Desire, it is... not my place to give you orders, but I do think we need to find out where precisely we are. We should go for a walk, take in the territory... perhaps bring Radiant Beacon with us. Her talent for diplomacy would be very useful."
"Yeah... but I'm just glad you'll be there too, Morning Glory. Your talent for beating things up is just as welcome, after all." Ardent Desire murmured, and then he smiled despite himself at how much his younger sister seemed to brighten with just that silly compliment. His eyes lingered on the necklace he had given her, and he thought of how attached she'd become to him over the last few days... and... how much he liked it. Liked having her around... and part of him whispered that he had only just started developing his control over her...
He shivered and shook his head quickly, throwing those thoughts away, and before Morning Glory could look too concerned, the orange stallion said with a lame smile: "It's okay, just... thinking bad thoughts. I... after last night and all... it's hard to..."
He stopped, then shook his head and cleared his throat as Morning Glory studied him silently. "No, let's... let's just figure out what to do from here. You're right, we need to go out, get our bearings... I mean, I've always dreamed of living in a place like this, but... I don't know anything else about it apart from what I've fantasized. And I suppose that I can ask the Kelpies to 'scout' too... that's the word you military types use, yes?"
"Yes, Ardent." Morning Glory smiled after a moment, giving a small sigh before standing and looking down at him tenderly. "Don't start panicking before we even know what's out there, little brother. Just look at you... just look at where we are. Everything's going to be okay, I promise."
Ardent Desire looked up at her trustingly, then he finally nodded slowly, believing her... believing in her, even though he was the one who supposedly held the power over her. And when she stepped forwards, he eagerly fell in step at her side, looking up at her almost like a loving, meek child to adored mother, letting her be the one to lead, to take control.
Morning Glory did so with ease: whether it was because it was natural for her or because of Ardent Desire's subconscious influence, the orange stallion didn't know nor care. All he cared about was that he and Morning Glory were closer than they had ever been, that she was giving him the love he needed... that she was becoming the maternal figure he had always wanted.
Soon, the male unicorn lost himself in thought, becoming distant and distracted from the world even as Radiant Beacon joined them to head outside. Instead, all he could concentrate on was the past... the thoughts of what had once been, when his mother had been alive, and life had been so good and happy.
His faded memories were his most important possessions; things handled so gently and so often he knew the shape and texture of each and every one by heart, and he knew precisely how to summon each and every one to mind. The thought and feel of the sandbox, the smell of lilacs and lavender, the murmur of the wind and creak of the old rocking chair...
He heard laughter, and thought of when he and Morning Glory had been foals: when Shieldhoof had picked on him, and she was always there afterwards to give him and hug and call him the bestest big brother ever. When Lord Bonfire had looked at him with pride and his mother's love had been enough to drive him forwards, when he had stayed up all night with his little sister while Lucenta was just a baby, and he and Morning Glory curled up in a fortress of blankets and pillows...
"Ardent." Morning Glory's voice brought him back to reality, and the orange stallion looked up with surprise, then glanced dumbly back and forth as he realized they were standing on a wide dirt road, and several ponies were heading up towards them, apparently from the small shacks in the distance.
He looked across at them awkwardly as Morning Glory stood tall and Radiant Beacon smiled kindly: the ponies approaching them were slave hoofs, dressed in rags, smelling faintly of fish oil. And from the way they were glaring, they were probably the few rare slaves that had escaped the dominion of unicorn or Pegasus masters.
Ardent Desire looked hurriedly between his sisters, and it was Radiant Beacon who nodded and quickly stepped forwards as the group of wingless, hornless ponies approached, the young unicorn mare all the same speaking as cordially to them as she did to the nobles of the barony they had once been a part of: "Greetings, neighbors. My siblings and I are new to the area, and just started settling in, in the manse recently constructed atop the hill... I hope that you'll find us pleasant company, once we're able to get to know each other a little."
Some of the slave hoofs looked back and forth between themselves with surprise, although the leader – a grizzled, green earth pony – still looked suspicious, before he straightened and said roughly: "This is free earth pony land in the Saltwater Barony. What are three proud horns doing living amongst the rabble? Or are you some new hoof of the Baron, here to make sure the slave hoofs don't stir up any trouble, even though our families were rewarded this measly two hundred acres of territory to share amongst all our clans?"
Morning Glory growled, but Radiant Beacon was unfettered, bowing her head politely. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Radiant Beacon, and my big sister is Morning Glory. My big brother is the master of the estate, Lord Ardent Desire."
"You don't have to call me a Lord though, no one ever did, not even the slave hoofs back home." Ardent Desire added hurriedly, and then he winced when the group of ponies glared at him, wincing and dropping his head as he babbled: "Not that there's anything wrong with being a s... a... pony like... like you are! I mean, I really always respected and... I think that-"
Radiant Beacon firmly stomped on one of his front hooves, and Ardent Desire flinched and fell silent as the grizzled earth pony grumbled, then said moodily: "Well, I ain't no lord, but I suppose I'm looked at as the chief of our rabble out here. Name's Greenmoss. And I don't much care for being called a 'slave hoof...' I ain't no slave, and nor are any of these ponies. We call ourselves earth ponies, because that's what we do. We care for the earth."
Ardent Desire nodded a few times lamely, and Radiant Beacon studied him before she asked softly: "But you also spend your time fishing, I assume? Blubber, oil, or animal feed?"
Now Greenmoss frowned a little, looking up in surprise, and then he nodded slowly: "All three. It's rough work, and I don't like it, but we don't have near enough land to farm, and you unicorns are always pressuring us for food and everything else in the whole wide world."
"Well, we're not like that." Radiant Beacon said softly, and there was silence for a moment, the young mare letting her words sink in before she smiled and said quietly: "My siblings and I are used to having... help, around our home. It would not be slavery, and my brother can pay handsomely. Perhaps we can also offer the use of our land."
"Your land? You mean you got the deeds for that land that your pretty house is on from the unicorns in town?" Greenmoss frowned, but he looked intrigued all the same, as a few of the slave hoofs – earth ponies, they called themselves earth ponies... Ardent Desire reminded himself – mumbled to each other.
Radiant Beacon only smiled even as Ardent Desire shifted apprehensively, and Greenmoss hesitated before he grunted and said finally: "I'll think about it. But don't think I'm stupid enough to do work for any of your lot without a promise, in the form of a hefty advance. That goes for everypony here, too."
Ardent Desire only nodded quickly, however, clearing his throat as he straightened and said maybe a little too quickly: "Of course, of course! Once we go into town, take a look around, talk to the ponies about that land that my house landed on and all that, definitely, I'll gladly pay you s- I mean, ponies up front. We'll get all the everything sorted out, Greenmoss, sir, free pony who is not under unicorn rule and I certainly don't intend to enslave-"
Radiant Beacon stomped on her brother's hoof again, and he winced as Greenmoss looked at him suspiciously before the young mare said kindly: "If you'll excuse us, we do have to go to town. What my brother means to say is we want to inquire about purchasing more land, and of course we'll need to purchase all the tools and seed necessary to grow crops, as well."
Greenmoss relaxed a little, then grunted and bowed his head politely, and the three siblings bowed back before Radiant Beacon turned down the road. Morning Glory bulled Ardent Desire into following their younger sister, and the orange stallion grinned lamely as he looked off into the distance, where a wall and a few structures were faintly visible. "Well... that... went better than expected."
"Just shut up for now, big brother." Radiant Beacon said kindly, smiling wryly over her shoulder at him, and Ardent Desire cleared his throat and nodded lamely as Morning Glory shook her own head with a sigh... but she was smiling too, looking at Ardent Desire with tenderness more than exasperation.
The walk to what they realized shortly was a city was short and sweet: it was guarded by low walls and lazy-looking soldiers, apparently used to a comfortable, almost-carefree life out here by the beautiful ocean. They passed through the gates without any problem, and Ardent Desire gazed raptly around at the squat buildings and busy streets, passing stallions and mares of every shape and size and species, filling the air with the music of hooves and conversation.
Street vendors added to this chorus with their shouts and calls, and it was all like music to Ardent Desire, who stared back and forth in awe: he had spent so much of his time either alone or in the keep, that it was all exotic to him. The only time he'd ever really been away from home had been during his schooling, after all... and even then, he had spent almost all his time studying and working in the library and transcribing. His sisters were much better-versed in the outside world than he was.
Radiant Beacon was able to easily navigate her way to town hall: she was used to cities and knew what she was looking for, thanks to all the time she had spent as a diplomat. Ardent Desire was impressed by how well the young, small mare wended her way through the crowd as easily as he could find a path through the forest back home...
Except that thought made him remember that wasn't his home anymore, and he felt a tinge of bitterness run through him, as he looked down a little. Both his sisters picked up on it, and Morning Glory stepped closer to him as Radiant Beacon looked over her own shoulder softly, before saying soothingly: "Let's get this dealt with, big brother, and then everything will be okay. I promise."
Ardent Desire nodded a little, and let himself be distracted by the hustle and bustle of the government building, as they walked through doors guarded by more relaxed soldiers. The orange unicorn looked back and forth with a bit of a whistle at the size and beauty of the place: sculpted stone, kept clean and polished despite how many ponies were sitting around in just the lobby.
He kept quiet and let Radiant Beacon do the talking, trusting in her: she seemed to naturally know who to approach, when to be quiet, and when to push a little. It wasn't long before a tall gray mare with a long blue mane approached, her sharp eyes studying them from behind thick glasses. She was richly adorned with jewelry and gemstones, and she was beautiful, and Ardent Desire couldn't stop himself from studying her as she asked imperiously: "What is this about a land claim issue I've been hearing? Don't tell me you unicorns are actually here to make a dispute over our right to land. The property given to the slave hoofs was generous enough as it is by the Baron, and we have plans for the rest of that land for future expansion."
Ardent Desire blinked, and then Radiant Beacon began to speak... but it was like a buzz in his ears as he studied the mare. She didn't seem to be swayed at all by Radiant's words, unlike the other ponies they had spoken to, but then again, she looked more mature, sharper... harder. She clearly had been playing politics for a long time, but her eyes were... almost predatory. She wanted things, and she was used to getting what she wanted, by one means or another.
And in his mind, a voice whispered softly: You know that Radiant Beacon won't be able to convince her. But you can... not just because you desire her. Because you need to convince her... and that will make your allure all the stronger... need her, and she will need you, and this mare's strength will become her defeat...
Ardent Desire shivered, then winced as the mare only shook her head, her voice cutting through the static in the stallion's mind as she looked down at Radiant Beacon and said distastefully: "Nonsense. There's no building out there, and if there is, it's illegal and I'll have it and all assets seized. That property is far too valuable to give away or sell for less than a fortune..."
"What would you do with a fortune? Your beauty's worth more than any treasure." Ardent Desire said before he could stop himself, and the mare looked at him sharply. Her lip began to curl in derision, and the orange stallion felt desperation, felt longing, felt need, felt... so many damn things as he stared across at her, tried to focus that magnetism and allure on her without even knowing what the hell he was really doing. He'd never tried to use his ability consciously, after all...
She only looked at him with contempt, and how it hurt, and how it made him all the more desperate. His voice sounded reedy, weak, as he added hurriedly: "I would... how could any unicorn not... want to lavish all the attention he could on you, though? Look at how... gorgeous you are, and..."
The mare glared at him, opening her mouth as their eyes met, and Ardent Desire felt something inside him lunge desperately, cry out silently. It was like his mind swung a mental sledgehammer, and he felt it smash into something that shattered like glass under the full, wild force of his assault.
The administrator twitched, and her eyes widened before her legs shivered, then buckled slightly; her mouth fell open, saliva gathering at the corners of her gaping jaw, as her breath hitched and her features flushed. She shivered... then slowly licked her lips before her mouth closed as her eyes stared into his.
Morning Glory and Radiant Beacon both stared at their brother, and Ardent Desire looked dumbly across at the administrator as she gave another shiver before stepping towards him. One of her hooves reached up and touched his chest as her breathing grew harder, hotter, and then she almost snarled at him as she grabbed him with a firm telekinetic grip before spinning and almost running through the crowd with the orange stallion dragged along behind her. Ponies stopped and stared as Ardent Desire yelped in shock, and the mare shouted: "No appointments, no calls, important meeting!"
Ardent Desire was all-but-flung into a cluttered office before the mare stormed in after him, then kicked the door closed and tackled him backwards onto the desk. He yelped in shock as she began to kiss over his chest and grabbed at his body, the stallion writhing and squawking before he said in a strangled voice: "I just want the deeds to-"
"Oh, I'll give you everything you want, everything, anything, a-anything, but oh, oh, give me what I want, what I need..." the mare almost rasped, then she shoved herself up over him and kissed him almost viciously, Ardent Desire's eyes rolling in his head before her hooves slid down his body, down his stomach, and grasped into him, and his head fell backwards as he gave a weak wheeze. But his body responded all-too-eagerly, and there was soon nothing he could do but give in to greed and lust and primal desire.