Crystal chewed on her bottom lip, eyes glued to the clock on the wall. It ticked onward, blissfully unaware of what worry its moving pointers brought her.
What if he had collapsed at work? Could he be in the hospital at that very moment? Would anypony think to come and tell her?
She sighed, lowered her head to the pillow, and stared at the empty one a few paces away. It was time to let it go and buy a new one. The smell of sweat and impression of him was likely permanent even though she had washed it several times already.
Slowly, her gaze drifted back to the clock. She didn't care whether or not he was in time for dinner. She just wanted him to come home.
The pointers marched ever forward, never looking back, ticking quietly into the silence.
Crystal's ears flattened to the sides. "Wherefore art thou late, Silent?" she muttered, then giggled to herself.
Another hour rolled around and she was startled out of a dozing daze by the lock being worked. When the door opened and Silent walked inside, she jolted upright. "Welcome home!"
Silent paused to look at her with tired, sagging eyes. "Hi."
A frown crossed her lips as she rose to her hooves. "Well, doesn't somepony look exhausted?"
He bobbed his head. "Yeah. But"—he raised a defensive hoof—"I don't regret going to work. It felt good to be productive."
"And now that your masculine bravado has worn off, you're worn out," she said with a light huff. "Take off your armor and go take a shower while I make you something to eat."
He stood there for a moment, his expression a blank slate. "Yeah." He turned his head away and started toward the bathroom. "Okay."
She stared after him as concern clouded her thoughts. Normally, he would tease by asking if she would help or join him. Her ears flicked and she walked over to the kitchen, shaking her head. He was just tired. It had been a long day, after all.
When his shower was over and dinner was almost ready, Silent just sat down at the dining table, not making eye contact with her. She gave up waiting for him and cleared her throat to ask, "How was work?"
"Work?" He blinked, lifting his head. "Oh. Work was no problem. I saw Radiant Orchid." He paused, then asked, "Do you remember who that is?"
"Radiant Orchid?" she repeated. Her magic stirred the pot of potato soup while she looked over at him. "Of course. She was your first sergeant, the one that just had a foal. She retired to be a mother, didn't she?"
Silent shrugged. "In a manner of speaking, I guess. She's a warrant officer now. A case worker. I met with her today."
Crystal turned her attention back to the stove. "Oh? How is she?"
"She's fine." There was a pause, the sound of him shifting in the seat, and a clearing of his throat. "It turns out she has some ideas for me. Like going to therapy."
"Therapy?" Crystal squeaked, her ears perking upright while her head jerked to look at him. "What for?"
Silent didn't look at her. "I don't know."
Her breath passed her lips in a squeaky puff of air. Words were intended to accompany it, but none jumped forth to express her sudden shift in emotions. A therapist? What did he need one of those for? Slowly, her ears drooped. Couldn't he just talk to her? She swallowed and asked, "When are you going?"
He shook his head. "I don't know."
"I see." She turned off the heat and ladled the soup into two bowls and brought them over. "Do you want me to go with you?"
"What?" He finally met her gaze, his brow furrowed. "Why?"
The confused look was met with an arched brow. "Solidarity? Support? It doesn't sound like you want to go, so I thought perhaps it might bring you some comfort if I were there."
"Oh. Well." He blinked and focused for a moment on blowing on a spoonful of soup to cool it before slurping it. "The soup's good."
"Don't dodge the question," she said with a teasing lilt to her voice as she sat across from him. "It's all right if you want to say no."
He sighed and shook his head. "It's not that. It's fine. It just sounds boring for you, since you can't come in with me."
She laughed softly. "Don't worry about me! I can bring my notebook. Let me know when it is and we'll make a little date of it. We can stop by the Crystal Delicacy and pick up a new game for the group."
A small smile lightened his expression. "Sure."
---
The waiting room was small, with several chairs set against three of the four walls and a couple fake plants sitting in the corners. A clock ticked away on the wall to remind her of every second that crawled along.
She stared at the empty page of her notebook, as blank as her mind while her muddled feelings clouded her ability to think. He wouldn't say why he was in therapy. Was it confidential? Was he just embarrassed? Was it about his father? Her ears folded back. Was it about her?
With a quick shake of her head, she focused her gaze on the quill. Why couldn't it just write for her? Come on, magic! She puffed out her cheeks, pressed both hooves to her forehead, and squinted as words were slowly written on the blank lines.
It was a dark and stormy night
No, no, no. She rolled her eyes. Try that again!
It was a bright and sunny day, and
Seriously? Her hooves rubbed a small circle as she nursed a growing headache. What was wrong with her?
She was jolted out of her frustration as a door opened and Silent walked out. "Oh!" She snapped the notebook shut and smiled at him. "Are you done?"
He paused to look at her, as if he had forgotten her, then nodded. "Yes."
"Ready to go home?" She tucked the notebook into her saddlebags and slipped them over her back.
"Actually," he said, pausing before he walked past her to glance her way, "I think I'll just head back to my place. If you don't mind."
Her ears folded back at first, but she quickly forced them upright. "Not at all!" She watched his retreating form and when he was out of sight, she visibly deflated as her shoulders fell, her gaze lowered, and her tail drooped.
It was about her, wasn't it? She sighed and stopped outside of the building to get her bearings. The Café au Lait wasn't too far from there, so with a forced smile on her face she started toward it. When she got there, she noticed that the pony behind the counter wasn't Rossby, and neither was the one carrying drinks to tables.
"I'm sorry," she said to the waiter when he walked by, "is Rossby working today?"
The pony blinked at her. "Huh? No, not today. Why?"
Crystal shook her head and waved a hoof as she sat down. "No reason! Could I get a green tea, please?"
"Coming right up!" The pony flashed a smile before trotting away.
Crystal let out a heavy sigh as she slumped into her seat and stared at nothing in particular. It was probably for the best. She wasn't sure she was in the mood for an encounter with the cantankerous pegasus. She had bigger issues to deal with, like figuring out what was going on with her stallion.
---
Eating dinner alone was a lonely affair, more so that evening in particular. It left her feeling bitter and irritated as she sat at the dining table, one plate empty and the other cold and untouched. Why had she thought things were going to change? To celebrate him coming home on time, she had made his favorite—zucchini and broccoli—and now it just seemed to be sitting there, mocking her.
She sighed and carried the plates into the kitchen, the empty one going into the sink and the other wrapped and set in the fridge. What was she supposed to do? She didn't want to invite somepony over just in case Silent did show up, if they would even be free for dinner. Painted, Raven, and Willow were all fairly busy mares, after all.
A frown tugged at the corners of her lips. When was the last time she'd had lunch with Raven? She crossed the condo to one of the bookcases and retrieved an envelope and stationery from the top shelf, then penned a quick letter.
Raven,
It's been a while! I hope all is well with you and your husband! I would love to catch up over lunch sometime soon. Please let me know when you have room in your schedule later this week.
Yours always,
Crystal
There. That was one relationship kept intact. She set it on the table by the door and walked over to the couch, flopped onto it, and sighed.
Dinner would have to be shuffled back a few hours. Maybe then she'd be making it so late into the night that he'd actually be able to join her. She would need to start tracking when he finally made it home to learn when to start cooking. Lunch would have to be delayed as well so she wouldn't die of starvation while waiting, of course, and—
The door opened and Silent walked through, his gaze downcast. "I'm home."
Crystal lifted her head to look at him. The guilty look on his face gave her a conflicting sense of irritation and satisfaction. It was nice that he knew being so late wasn't a good thing to be doing, but if he knew, then why did he keep doing it? "Your dinner is cold."
"I'm not surprised," he said with a light nod. "I hope you didn't wait for me and already ate."
She shrugged. "I waited for a while, but when it was clear you weren't coming I went ahead. Another long day?"
He started to remove his armor, setting each piece neatly in the space that had been cleared for its storage. "Yeah. I finally found a new sergeant. Most of the unit is still out sick, though. Things like that."
The muscles of her legs groaned as she pushed herself up off the couch and walked into the kitchen to retrieve his plate from the fridge.
He continued, "On top of that I'm also planning a trip for Princess Luna. Business as usual. How are you?"
She rolled her eyes at the skillet. The vegetables hissed back at her as they reheated. "Fine."
"Fine, huh?"
Her magic grabbed a plate and dropped it on the counter beside the stove. "Yes, fine. I said I was fine, didn't I? So I'm fine."
"You sound angry." He walked over and stood in the transition between the living room and the kitchen to look at her.
As soon as he said the word, the associated emotion flared in her chest and she snapped, "No, I'm not angry! It's just that you're late again. I thought we were through with that. That's all."
His ears folded back. "It was and it wasn't. For the other things, yes. But I'm not sure it will ever be completely over. Sometimes it's just out of my control, though. That's how my job is."
She rolled her eyes and levitated the skillet over the plate to dump the food onto it. Of course. So nothing had changed. The universe had given her a few days of time together and now it was taken away again. "I understand," she muttered, her magic carrying the plate over to him.
There was a pause as he set the plate down on the table, stared at it, then looked at her. "Do you really, honey?"
"What?" She shot him a curious look, one brow arched.
He held her gaze. "Do you understand?"
"What sort of question is that?" Her ears pinned back and she turned back to the kitchen to clean the skillet. "Of course I understand! What's there not to understand? You are an important pony with important things to do. Your schedule is out of your control. You had to work late again, as always. That is the way life is for you."
"Right."
"Right?" She shot a light glare over her shoulder. "Of course it's right! I'm certainly not making things up!"
Silent sighed. "I'm sorry, Crystal. I'm sorry about being late again and again and putting you through this over and over." After a pause, he continued in a stern voice, "I think it's time we had an honest conversation for once."
Ice chilled the boiling blood in her veins. Slowly, she turned around to look at him. "All right," she said in a low voice, her jaw clenched tight. "What do you want to talk about?"
He raised a hoof to gesture between them. "All of this. Everything. Me being late, my job, you eating alone, you being alone. All of it."
Each breath was slow and steady as she tried not to assume anything, but her mind raced ahead of her. "All right. What about 'all of it'?"
"How long are you going to be 'fine' with me coming home late like this?" He shook his head. "Crystal, we haven't been together very long. I'm already missing dinner, important events, and not being around because of my job. And you're already upset about it."
Her heart pounded in her chest as she nearly shouted, "I'm not upset!" She winced at the sound of her own voice and added in a quiet mumble, "I would just appreciate it if I had some inkling of when my stallion would be around."
"I know it's frustrating. Trust me, I know. I also know it will only get worse." He shifted from one hoof to the other and his gaze darted away. "Stratus was never there when we needed him, but when he was around, it wasn't much better."
A part of her wanted to slap him, but instead she just waved a trembling hoof. "You're not your father, Silent! You'll be there when it really matters. And when you are, you won't strike our foals in some strange tradition to make them tough."
"Crystal..." He sighed and shook his head while his ears drooped slightly. "I don't think you're listening to me. What I'm saying is that if you're this frustrated now, just try to imagine what it will be like later down the road. Maybe..." He swallowed. "Maybe you would like to reconsider your answer."
Heat shot through her as her desire to slap him grew twofold, joined with the polar feeling of wanting to cry. What was he saying? "How... how dare you!" she spat.
"I'm just trying to look out for you," he said in a soft voice.
"Look out for me?!" Tears pricked her eyes, but were kept at bay by the anger roiling in her chest. "How dare you!"
"Please try to think about this rationally. My job will always be a big part of my life and who I am. That means more short notice trips, more long hours. Maybe even being killed on the job. I'm just not sure that is the kind of life for a pony like you."
"A pony like me?" It had angered her when Iridescence said those words a year ago, but to hear them from him? It cut through the boiling rage and straight to the hurt feelings beneath. Her chin trembled and the tears returned to blur her vision. She blinked several times to chase them away and stormed the distance between them to get right in his face. "How dare you!"
He stared at her, uncertainty written in his furrowed brow. To his credit, she was at a loss for what to say and yelling the same phrase repeatedly. When his mouth opened, a wave of words crashed into her mind and she shoved her hoof over his mouth. "Don't you dare continue! You listen to me, Silent Knight!"
She took a shaky breath and glared at him. "I'm sorry if I've seemed—no, that I have been a little upset that you've been gone so much, but you have been gone a lot lately! More than I think you ever have been in the past. And before you decide for me what I want and what kind of pony I am, maybe you should try asking me first!"
His jaw worked but she pressed her hoof closer to stop him. "When you were lying in that hospital bed, lost in a coma, I was terrified, Silent! I couldn't understand why your mother was so calm that you might never wake up. You were dying right in front of me and I wanted to run. I was so scared and I didn't know what to do at first, but I decided to stay. I decided right then and there that I would be tough because I loved you. Because it is worth loving you, regardless of everything else. So how dare you come into my home, look me in the eyes, and suggest that I would be better off without you!"
A sad look reached his eyes and when his ears folded back, she pulled her hoof away. "But... I could die and never come home to you."
"Yes." She kept her glare firmly locked on him. "Yes, you could. Don't you imagine me some weak little mare, because I'm prepared for that."
He paused and one of his brows arched. "Are you really?"
She snorted and shook her head. "Of course not! Nopony could be! But I am prepared to be prepared, and I want the chance. How dare you think walking away from me would be for the best. I've worked too hard for this and love you too much."
The brow lowered and his gaze fell with it. "I think you're making a mistake..."
"Then it is mine to make!" She put her hoof under his chin and forced his head back up. "Can you honestly say that you want to walk away from me?"
He shook his head. "No, of course not. But I also want what is best for you. You deserve that."
She rolled her eyes and slid her hoof from his chin up to caress his cheek. "You're what's best for me! Do you know how hard I've worked to become a good officer's wife? How many horrible events I've endured? Do you really think I would go through all of that if I wasn't sure it was worth it? If you were worth it?"
After a pause, he blinked a few times and cocked his head to the side. "What? I never asked you to do any of that."
Silence occupied the space between her ears as she opened and closed her mouth a few times until thoughts rushed in all at once. Slowly, her hoof lowered to the floor. That was true—"But..." A wife of a high-ranking officer had to be—"I..." If she were a nopony, then it would reflect poorly on him! "You—"
"Couldn't care less about that sort of thing?"
Her brow furrowed. "But, a proper wife—"
He stared at her. "According to who?"
An embarrassed heat filled her cheeks and at that moment, she wanted to fall to the ground and wail over the suddenly wasted time. Instead, she just looked away to try to hide her face. "O-okay, fine, your point is taken! But it doesn't change the fact that I did them because I felt you were worth the effort! I have no intention of giving up on you, and you... Well, you'll just have to be careful."
The serious tone returned to his voice. "If I have to give up my life to do my job, then I'm going to, Crystal. You have to understand that."
"Understand?" She looked back at him, her embarrassment replaced by a soft melancholy. One hoof raised to rest on his chest, over his heart. "I'm not sure I can, but at the least, I can accept it. Just, please, don't put yourself in unnecessary risk, all right? There's no reason to do that, right? You don't have to go out there and look for death if it's not looking for you."
He shook his head. "No, you're right, I don't have to."
"Then don't." She smiled up at him. "Just do what you have to do and somewhere in there, think about coming home to me. Okay?"
He gazed at her for a moment, then asked, "Are you sure?"
"Yes! Now quit asking!" She lifted her hoof from his chest to lightly tap him on the nose. "If I change my mind, I'll let you know, not the other way around!"
"All right." He bobbed his head in a light nod that slowly petered out until he tilted his head and furrowed his brow. "I'm sorry, but why did you think going to all those events was a good idea? I'd have much rather had you around."
A heavy sigh escaped her and she clenched her eyes shut as she shook her head. Any other officer and it would have been expected. Her stallion wasn't any other officer, though, and she should have remembered that. "I was just assuming things," she muttered. "I'll happily stop going. That will make things easier with your schedule, and it will give me more time to write."
"Yeah, and once my ponies are well, I'll try harder to keep some regular hours so you know when I'll be home."
"That sounds good," she whispered, suddenly exhausted. Feeling so many things all at once left her drained. Her head bobbed before she rested it against his and closed her eyes. "I just want to get married, live happily ever after, and be together forever."
Silent chuckled. One of his hooves shifted to rest over hers and gave it a squeeze. "Actually, I think all the real work starts after marriage."
"Probably." She gave a soft, breathless laugh. "But first we have to get that far."
Her head bobbed as he nodded his own. "Yeah." His hoof trailed up her leg and he said, "Okay, then. So set a date. If you're so determined to marry me, then let's just get married already."
"What?" She tilted her head back to peer up at him. "Are you serious?"
"Of course. Go get a calendar, pick a date, and start planning." He smiled.
Just like that? She gawked at him in silence, but slowly, the idea sounded better and better until she nodded with certainty. "All right. I'll start planning. For real this time, not just for fun with Velvet."
"Good." He leaned in to kiss her cheek. "You'll have to let me know how that goes."
"What do you mean, let you know?" One brow arched and her ears flicked. "Where do you plan to be?"
He sighed and wrapped his foreleg around her neck to pull her closer. "Unfortunately, Haven, again. We can talk about that another time, though. Why don't you tell me about your dream wedding so I know what to expect?"
Her dream wedding? Well, she had thought about it a few times, certainly, but what if he didn't like her ideas? She tried to giggle the fear away and snuggled against him. "Well." She sighed wistfully. "I've always wanted to get married in a rose garden."
"A rose garden?" He stroked his hoof along her back. "Are there even any in Canterlot?"
"Shh!" She nipped at his neck. "This is a dream wedding! They don't have to be practical."
"All right, all right." He chuckled. "I'm listening."
After a cautious pause, she continued in a soft voice, "Just imagine a beautiful rose garden, with a string quartet playing... All of our friends and family sitting in pretty little white chairs in front of a pretty white arch. Maybe there's roses on it, too! And they change songs, and everypony rises, and you turn and down the aisle you see me. Our eyes meet, and a breeze carries rose petals through the air. It would be so magical..."
Hey, this story is almost caught up to Secrets now. It's more fun when the stories are in sync. I like seeing things from both Silent and Crystal's perspectives without a long wait in between.
6606063 I don't see why more people don't read both. You get so much more out of the whole story that way. I mean if you start here, you find out about SK and his struggles internally with things out of his control. If you start over at SK's stories then come here you find out more about Crystal and how she truly feels about SK's actions and sometimes antics. It's just so cool!
CONGRATZ IN GETTING FEATURED
Ive been folowing the q&b universe for awile now and ive wondered howmyou guys have not had a permanant spot on the featured list. But hey your there now
This chapter is great. I think it deserves a video.
6606063
That was the other thing I thought of before I forgot what I was thinking! I bet Crusty's parents are... plebeians! (Le gasp!) The horror!
Damn, that was cool. Ever since I read that scene over in secrets I really wanted to see Crystal's side of things. And, as always, you didn't dissapoint. You delivered an awesome internal struggle for Crystal throughout the conversation and leading up to it. *slow qpplause* you and Anzel know how to craft a story. I should come to expect this by now. But you guys keep blowing me away!
Set Snark to maximum and prepare to fire. Fire! Fire! Fire!
Classified
Classified.
Has Velvet started to move out or is she still staying elsewhere in case of plague carriers?
Yeah, so it looks like Velvet is never around in the evenings anymore, unless Crystal is telling her off camera to be scarce for the night each time. Crystal sure is going to be getting lonely if Silent is never around and Velvet is off doing other things now.
We need an eye roll smiley.
"Classified!"
The former feeling is the correct one. Silent Knight simply does not understand words, only actions work. Though you might want to get someone else to slap so he doesn't kill you on reflex.
Blah blah blah, aside from the death wish that is entirely his choice, there are plenty of professions just as if not more dangerous than what he does.
...until every wedding guest is rimmed with green fire and the changelings attack. A Wedding Battle, just like Shinning Armor's, what you've always secretly wanted.
That dream wedding seems awfully familiar.
It was at this moment Silent relized, He bucked up.
I have to say im getting excited to see how it will be when both stories are caught up. Now I wont have spoilers to this story from the other one, but thats ok. I love both stories. This was a good chapter and i think it was a real critical moment for them both when Silent sat down and had the talk. and Rose gardens are always nice for weddings. Well it was a nice place when i had to go to one.. then I got there.. things went down hill, there was some fires and screaming, it was an interesting day.
Anyway, I digress.
I think this is one of those, they needed it a long time coming chapters, and its really good that she set it in stone to Silent that shes in the relationship for the long haul. He needed it. A great chapter and cant wait for next update!
And then, they kissed. The End.
She has literally been waiting her entire life to say this line.
6606171
Hey now. Smart changelings crash weddings quietly. The ceremony is like a bonus reception!
Oh, come on Crystal, you can do better than that! (Pony Crystal, not person Crystal. Person Crystal is doing just fine. I assume. Don't let me presume to... Never mind.) By now you should know the exact colors and arrangements of every rose and every arrangement, the names, instruments, and basic life story of each musician who is to be present, you should have already quadruple-checked the completed guest list, assigned particular seats and arrangements thereof in your mind, chosen the songs and order of play, conceptualized the decorations down to the smallest smidge of glitter, arranged the grounds for maximum awe and appreciation while focusing on the dais...
Well... Ummm...
You get the picture.
If Silent isn't worried about your obsessive focus, Crystal (Again, pony Crystal!), then you aren't Dream Wedding-ing enough!
I want potato soup now.
Great chapter, I was very curious how that conversation went from Crystal's perspective. Drama
I hate to say this but, dream weddings usually remain in dreams. Some details will be absent, even if you try your hardest. This was a great chapter. I couldn't wait to read this side of the story ever since I read it from Silent's point of view.
Mares rule the world Crystal. Remember that and you'll keep your stallion in line.
As a reminder, given that we are now essentially in parity with Secrets, depending on how quickly or slowly the stories move around each other I will flipflop between 2 Wishes, 1 Velveteen and 1 Wishes, 2 Velveteen. I have no schedule currently set so we will be winging it!
6606085 Indeed!
6606094 I agree! But to be fair they are different stories. Folks who are interested in military fics may not be as interested in a pure slice of life, and those who like a calm river may not be prepared for the world of Silent Knight. But it is fun when people read both!
6606125 Thank you kindly! Though technically it wasn't featured in the normal sense. The bottom three slots of the featured box are for "recently updated popular stories", which is some kind of mathematical algorithm probably involving upvote/downvote ratio, views? comments? I'm not wholly sure. The top seven are for stories that are "hot right now". But! Nonetheless, thank you for the sentiment!
6606136 Thank you!
6606146 No! Say it isn't so!
6606151 It was a little difficult to write, but thankfully the worst is over! Things should look up now that the dirty laundry has been aired!
6606171 Whoops, I meant "classified" not "confidential" but you know what... I'll leave it... As for Velvet, Tuesday will have an answer(-ish) for that!
6606225 Oh, really? Have I mentioned it somewhere before already? Whoops.
6606291 Gah! Hopefully there will be no fires at Crystal's wedding, rose garden or otherwise! And yes, it was a necessary conversation to finally have. Glad it's been had!
6606332 Spoilers, jeeze! Now the ending is ruined for everyone!
6606366 This is true!
6606504 He teased her when all she had done was mention a rose garden! Maybe he spooked her back into vague details so she wouldn't get teased again!
6606507 Me, too!
6606670 Drama indeed!
6606826 Yes, there are typically always problems that arise during wedding planning... She does have two under her belt so maybe she'll get lucky? ... Probably not...
6606937 This is true!
6607175
The title image. Should silent be concerned he's filling in for placeholder-stallion?
6607253 Oh. That wasn't an intended parallel, but hah! ... And the answer is yes, probably. "Insert stallion A into fantasy B."
6607175
And then, they had the most adorable little foal who became Red Velvet's best friend.
And there was much rejoicing.
Silent Knight must be feeling really down if he is spouting the "maybe you are better off without me" line to Crystal. I'm pretty sure not everything is resolved just yet, but at least Crystal and SK cleared the immediate issue up. I find it funny how Crystal was going to these formal events all the time for the sake of SK image; only for Crystal to find out that SK didn't really care about that type of thing at all.
Crystal: "Waaauuugghh! All that time wasted!"
6607175
It makes some of the best potato soup I've ever had. Gonna have to make some soon. It's good cold weather food.
Been waiting for awhile for the talking scene between SK and Crystal to get Crystal's perspective. It didn't disappoint and now I can't wait to see how things work now that this and secrets are basically caught up.
I could be mistaken, but I'm not sure visiting a therapist office is a particularly good idea for a date.
See, terrible date.
Oooo, it's the conversation.
Aww yeah, you tell him, Crystal!
It's interesting that all chapter long Crystal was having trouble coming up with words for her writing, and here they all pour out. It somewhat feels like they were storing themselves up for just this occasion.
Heh. I still think that Crystal was on the right track with attending those events, but it's true that Silent isn't an ordinary officer. The close personal relationships he and Crystal both have with Luna are plenty enough to take the edge off some of the normal expectations.
I'm at 101 now, and honestly… Silent's an ass (as a half donkey, I'm allowed to say so!). He has a fiancée that loves him that much, and he spends his every day working long hours and letting her wait for him? And doesn't even tell her why and when it will change?! And says it won't get better in the future? Sorry, but that's just heartless.
Like others have written before in the comments, it's time he made some concession as well, a relationship is always built on compromise from both parties! And giving her the impossible choice of either living with him not compromising in the least or breaking off is just cruel, and emotional abuse. He knows she loves him and wants to stay with him!
How angry this currently makes me is but testament to how well you write your characters, but I'm really furious right now and want to rage and to give Silent a (very loud) piece of my mind!
The once so happy and carefree Crystal has slowly but steadily been deconstructed and dragged down since she started to fall in love with him, and it's breaking my heart reading how full of sorrow, worrying and sadness she is almost constantly at this point in the story
Of course this is "just" a story, but I really hope it will change and Silent will turn this around. Right now I hate him more than any other character in the story, by far! Crystal has deserved real happiness!
PS & edit: I really really hope Silent's "owner" Anzel is a lot different from Silent…
6697943 Hahah! Well, first of all, addressing your PS/edit, Anzel and Silent have a few similarities... but they are definitely much more different than they are alike.
Okay, I was saving a response for this until I knew the words to say. I think I have them. Maybe. We'll see!
Your reaction and feelings are absolutely valid and I am in no way going to tell you to feel otherwise. You're right to feel that way. I have no intention of trying to white knight for Silent. He made mistakes, and up until this point their relationship lacked the most important thing of all: communication. And when they finally tried it? It was (almost) too late. Silent had already made up his mind that a guard/military lifestyle was not the one for Crystal and that it would be better to just let her go, no matter how much he didn't actually want to do that.
Some of the problem most folks will have with Silent stems from the very different nature of military life. It's not a life for everyone (including myself!); I don't want to cite numbers because I don't want to start a debate with anyone, but a fair amount of military members' marriages end in divorce. Every year in service is a weight on the spouse's shoulders that some can't bear.
Now, Silent isn't exactly military, but there are some parallels. He goes on missions, he can't talk about his work, and he especially can't talk about a specific event that happened in Secrets of a Royal Guard that is the major contributing factor to why he has been distant and angry, and what led to this chapter's discussion. I'm not saying the event excuses Silent's recent behavior in any way. What he should have done was go to therapy much sooner, but he actively ignored several suggestions that he do that.
On the other side of things, Crystal said she understood the implications of being a part of this lifestyle way back when he was in a coma. Talking the talk and walking the walk are two very different things. She knew she was going to have to deal with him disappearing on short notice at times and that there would be things she just didn't get to know and that there is the unfathomable but possible chance another situation like the gryphon attack might happen again, and she said she was going to accept that. Can any of us blame her for finding it hard to live up to those words? I certainly can't, because I'd be crying myself to sleep every night my spouse didn't come home.
So, uhhh, to some up... Communication is important to relationships, since this discussion between Silent and Crystal could have been had a lot sooner and with clearer heads!
For most of this story, I've felt I had a good grip on the story, good enough that I could even jostle about, peek around corners, throw out thoughts and insights - generally anticipate things as they would come. These last few chapters, though; they're shaking me loose, by which I mean, I have to focus on just holding on to what's happening right here and now in front of me, let alone even trying to play peek-ahead. Things are happening and, I feel, the bottom that was taken for granted is now falling out of many things.
So...no speculation from me just here, because the roller-coaster is the wrong place to elucidate!
I love it, even if it's a little daunting.
I can say this - Crystal is stronger than we give her credit for. She's a commendable person. I could take notes.
Wow, a breathtaking addition, here. Almost everything that's been building up is addressed, and addressed with beyond compelling levels of accurate emotion. Amazing as always.
I'm surprised this chapter doesn't have more comments. We'd entered a lull in the story that I was starting to worry about, because it had all the earmarks of an abusive relationship in the making. This is how they start. One side asking for (or assuming) concessions, the other side making them because they want to prove they can. Everyone says love requires sacrifice, and damn if they won't prove they're capable of them, and therefore deserving of love.
Trouble is the slippery slope. Let's drop the generalities. Silent doesn't seem to recognize that things have gotten worse. He's a royal guard in a castle in an almost hilariously peaceful country, guarding what is basically a demi-god. And yet, he's late almost every day to see his fiancee for dinner; he missed her birthday for buck sake. And it's just supposed to be par for the course, eh? Gee, Crystal, if you don't accept this, I guess you just aren't good enough for him? That isn't at all what he said, but it's how it comes across when he shows up and says this crap. How dare he, indeed. And oh, I know full well there's more going on for him than just scheduling and sick guards. But she doesn't, and that's what this is about. 'Classified'... oh bucking please. Why not just say 'it's complicated' and go full cliche? Not everything is classified. But he just vagues it up and she has to roll with it. And that brings us back to slippery slope. He's not his father... yet. And she's not Wallflower... yet. He's not hitting his foals... yet. But this? This is exactly where it could start.
As much as 'is she ready to be a military wife?' this is 'is this guy ready to have a wife?'. The onus isn't all on her. What has he given? This is exactly why I worried about Cadence's advice way back during the coma. If only one side compromises... that's not a relationship, or love. That's abuse. He may not be hitting her... yet... but as he said himself, they haven't been together long and it will only get worse (wonder what his basis is for thinking that). He's already got her on the defensive, thinking crap like 'oh, why didn't I wonder why he was late, I'm so awful'. Uh... kiddo... you did. You asked him, multiple times, only to get 'classified' as your answer.
Look, again... I know he... probably... doesn't mean it this way but... should she only do what he asks her to do? Is that how this is supposed to work? No recognition of the strides she's taking, just 'this may be too much for you' and a dismissal like that? Again, that's the kind of thinking that leads to 'I told you so's' when you continue to hurt her in the future, while taking her for granted. Silent... you don't deserve this mare. I hope you understand that. May you become a better stallion, one who does. Right now? Not even close. Being a hero doesn't extend to all aspects of life, and for this one? Buddy... you have a long way to go.
Urrgghhh... welp, a testament to the story that it can actually piss me off this much without really doing anything offensive. And just in time for work! And since this ain't the magical land of Equestria, I can't act like Rossby and get away with it. Dammit.