Chpt. 4
(The Nightmare)
Silver Lining in her sleep cuddled up to Spell Squire giving a content sigh before settling back down. Gently Spell stroked her hair that had spilled forth from its usual braid with a soft smile. He looked out the window as he gave his own soft sigh and closed his eyes. The pair had decided upon eloping and running away, there was no further future for them in their village, but they had the world in their hooves to do, as they liked. Relaxing into the bed with Silver, he looked out the window into the star filled night and sent a silent thank you to the moon princess for its beauty before settling down for sleep. At the moment, the two unicorns had found rest at a small roadside inn after a day’s worth of travel. They had been on the road for a little over a week now enjoying the freedom of their days and the warmth of each other in the night. Giving his newlywed wife a kiss to her cheek, he closed his eyes and slipped into the gentle arms of sleep.
Gilded Scepter was an average build for a unicorn stallion; his fur was the golden color that gave him his name. Around his muzzle, it was a little browner but he found it acceptable as it matched his eyes. His mane and tail were both well groomed and kept in a perfect order at all times so that the red and black of his mane almost never touched and proudly displayed his spiral horn. His cutie mark was a king’s scepter that some of the gold had been scrapped from at the handle to reveal some darker metal. He looked up at the same stars that Spell Squire had just offered thanks for and offered a curse to the moon princess. The darkness had helped them to lose the trail of the two unicorns they chased after. The story back in the village was that Spell Squire had foalnapped Silver Lining away making it Gilded Scepter’s job to bring her back.
Looking back at the unicorns that had traveled with him, he stomped his hoof and sighed, “Make camp here. We’ll get them in the morning I’m sure!” there was a chorus of murmured tired agreements from the party as tents and sleeping mats were quickly put up. They hadn’t realized that the two had run away the first few days, as it was natural for the pair to disappear for days on end. But when nopony had seen Silver for a few days Scepter went out to Spell Squire’s house to find it empty prompting the party to head out and search for the missing ponies, and they were getting closer.
With a grumble about having to stop with a few choice curses, a thought came to mind while he rolled out his own sleeping mat and looked around “Ralph!”Quickly the called for pony made his way over to Scepter, “Yes boss?”
“I need you to go ahead and scout the next few miles for me, just in case they’re camping up ahead.” With a nod and a mock salute, the unicorn quickly gathered his things and moved out. As he left Scepter curled back up on his mat to plot the havoc he would rain down upon the idiotic invalid whom had stolen the mare of his dreams.
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Five mares sat around a bed that held the unconscious form of Spell Squire. The medical team had arrived quickly and as Fluttershy and Rarity had thought, Spell was physically fine, but he wasn’t waking up. The crusaders were unnaturally quiet as they looked around the room while Fluttershy and Rarity sat beside the bed in provided chairs speaking quietly. Unable to stand the silence any longer or maybe it was the steady beep of the monitors attached to Spell Squire she didn’t know but Sweetie Belle spoke up , “So, is Mr. Squire going to be alright?” Rarity looked at Fluttershy and opened her mouth to reply when a cyan blue pegasus came in the room.
“Of course he’ll be all right, this is Spell Squire we’re talking about after all, the Stallion that keeps trying no matter the odds and never gives up.” She smiled and walked up to the other side of the bed to stand across from her friends while looking at Spell before looking over to the tired crusaders. “Hey Rares, Shy, why don’t you take the girls home, I can keep watch over him. I’ll come get ya ten seconds flat if anything happens.” she said with a sad sort of smile.
With a quite agreement that was her way, fluttershy got up and lead Apple Bloom and Scootaloo away. Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash a moment longer, “Are you sure about this Dearie? It’s no trouble at all.” She asked but was betrayed by the yawn that had followed her question.
Shaking her head Rainbow smiled, “Nah, I got this.” With a nod, Rarity collected Sweetie Belle and left closing the door quietly behind her. Sighing Rainbow Dash went around the bed, sat down in one of the freshly abandoned chairs, and looked down on the sleeping stallion, “Don’t make me a liar Spell.” She said before settling in with a Daring Do novel.
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Waking early the next day to the invasive rays of Celestia’s sun Spell Squire moaned and grumbled in protest of the light to which Silver Lining agreed and pulled the curtains further closed to shut out the invasive light. After tossing and turning Spell couldn’t fall back to sleep and so sighed as he got up and went about his morning much to Silver’s distress as she made a whining noise reaching out for him to come back to bed much to his amusement. In defeat she flopped back on the bed and snuggled into the covers only to remember the real source of warmth, being her husband, had left. So, it was with a heavy groan of protest that she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes and joined Spell in the bathroom.
Thanking the owner the two ponies left the inn and continued down the road chatting idly about where they’re first stop would be now that they were traveling. After a little while they came to the conclusion of going first to Canterlot and from there maybe Baltimare, after that who knew, maybe they would go to Ponyville and see the elements of harmony, or off to Trottingham. Unknown to them was the lavender stallion that walked into the inn soon after their departure. If it wasn’t for the horn on his head one could have easily mistaken the unicorn for an earth pony with a large barrel and broad shoulders. His fur was a very light purple that was spotted near his flank and around his muzzle with a green-blue color; his mane and tail though hung in an uncontrolled manor allowing ins pale yellow hair to do as it pleased. His cutie mark was a magnifying glass leaning against a compass. Walking up to the owner, he smiled and held up a sketch of Silver and Spell, “Hi there, my name is Ralph. I’m looking for my cousin’s they pulled a joke and left me a few nights back and I was wondering if you’d seen them?”
The inn keeper looked at the drawing and then the stallion, he had grown used to reading ponies and this stallion was up to no good. “No, I haven’t seen anyone like that; try the town a few miles east. Maybe they stopped in one of the inn’s there.” Looking at the inn keeper a moment longer he frowned and gave a mumbled thanks Ralph turned and left. Sighing the innkeeper leaned back on the counter and whispered a soft prayer to Luna to keep those two ponies hidden.
Gilded Scepter had gotten up and started off after Ralph and by late morning had met up with him. “So, where are they?”
Ralph shrugged slightly “The only inn for miles said they hadn’t seen them, but I think the innkeeper was lying. They probably left just a bit before I got there and since you haven’t found them continued down the road.”
With a sear Scepter nodded and with his voice amplified with his magic, he looked over his party and called out, “Alright boys! Today’s the day we get those two!” with a sudden buck off the ground with his hind legs he galloped off down the road after the two ponies the rest of the party following soon after.
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Celestia’s sun was starting to dip below the horizon as the day had passed with visitors coming to visit spell and wish him well. But Rainbow Dash refused to leave saying at one point, “What kind of friend would I be if I just leave him lying here all alone?” so her friends let it be making sure that she was taking care of herself during her vigil. As evening gave way to night and the night gave way to the morning’s light Rainbow Dash never left her friend, all the while he lay there unmoving in his coma like state.
Rainbow Dash started awake dropping the Daring Do novel she had been reading during the night, which in turn startled Twilight as she came into the room, “Sorry, Rainbow Dash I didn’t mean to spook you.”
Rainbow’s wings, which had flared out quickly snapped back to her sides, “Scared? Me? Please Twi, you couldn’t scare Angel.” She said waving a hoof as she reached down for her book, “My book just slipped is all.”
With a chuckle Twilight as she looked at the mare then nodded, “I think Fluttershy and that stare of her’s is the only thing that can scare Angel Bunny.” Walking in further she lifted the medical chart in her magic and started to read over it, “So how has he been?”
Rainbow sighed looking at the grey stallion and sighs as he ears flatten a little, “well, not an better… hey Twi?”
Blinking Twilight looked up away from the charts and nodded, “Yes Rainbow Dash?”
“Haven’t you ever seen, or heard about anything like this from all those books you’ve read?”
Hesitantly the lavender unicorn nodded “I have Dash, but coma’s like this aren’t something you get a shot for. There is something inside himself that either won’t let him or he doesn’t want to let go of and face.”
Blinking Rainbow frowned and moved closer, “But there are ponies that have gotten better right? That means there must be something we can do! Twilight please, there must be something we can do, something the princesses could do for him!” by this point the normally collected mare was nearing hysterics as she had advanced putting her hooves around Twilight’s neck and began to sob into her friend’s shoulder.
Confused briefly Twilight gently lowered her friend to the ground and sat with her gently stroking her hair whispering reassurances, “Plenty of ponies wake up from comas every day, but Rainbow Dash, the mind is still a mystery for us, we don’t understand it. And the princesses have been looking for cures for years. There is hope, I did write a letter to the princesses and princess Luna said she can still see him dreaming which means there is still hope.”
With a soft hic and nod rainbow gently whipped her eyes and smiled weakly, “Thank you Twilight.”
Twilight smiled and nodded, “Happy to help. Now why don’t you go home and get some sleep, maybe something to eat? I’ll make sure you’re the first to know if something changes.” Looking at the stallion in bed Rainbow Dash gave a reluctant nod and started for the door looking back at her.
“The first?”
Twilight nodded, “The first.” Reassured Rainbow Dash nodded and left. With a soft sigh and sat next to the comatose patient and pulled a book out reading quietly.
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“RUN SILVER!”
Spell Squire and Silver Lining had been found out and were being chased though the woods all the while being closed in on by the unicorns. Panting Spell was reaching his limits as one of the unicorns got closer he stopped and bucked backwards with his back hooves catching the unprepared stallion in his muzzle causing him to drop in agony before spell resumed running. Silver was faring better having a branch held in her magic letting it swing back when she felt a pony was getting to close. But neither she nor Spell saw that they were being herded towards a cliff face thanks to Ralph’s scouting ahead and Gilded Scepter’s planning.
Seeing the wall and realizing the trap Spell Squire realized how much trouble they were in. Backing up he put himself in front of Silver and lowered his head as he tried to gather the magic necessary for an arcane bolt when a red version of said spell hit him in the side causing the mana he had gathered to fizzle away and spark off as Gilded Scepter walked forward. “Did you two enjoy your little adventure? Waltzing off into the woods alone?” shaking his head he continued forward while Silver moved to help Spell back up as he shook his head to clear it. Gilded Scepter frowned at this and shot another bolt at the grey stallion knocking him from Silver’s grasp. Quickly he stalked after his prey as Ralph and another stallion held Silver back.
Carefully Gilded Scepter placed a hoof on Spell’s ribs that had been bruised by the Arcane Bolt causing Spell to writhe trying to escape the twisting hoof that was causing him so much pain to Scepter’s delight. With a nod two more stallions came over and grabbed spell’s hooves spreading them so he couldn’t move. Looking around he saw silver being held off to the side screaming to be let go of and for Scepter to not hurt Spell Squire. He only chuckled and stepped over to her,” I won’t lay a hoof on him dear Silver, but Bruiser there,” he nodded to a large black stallion with a blue mane that was walking towards Spell with a bleeding nose, "I can’t guarantee he won’t. see Spell messed up his pretty face, so…” the stallion gave an innocent shrug and smirked as he looked at the trio standing over Spell and gave a nod. Bruiser reared up and brought his hooves down hard onto Spell’s ribs before starting his barrage on the helpless stallion.
Silver cried for mercy as Bruiser set to work on his special talent, shown by the boxing gloves and chipped tooth that shown proudly on his flank. All the while Gilded Scepter stood to the side inspecting his hooves and rubbed it against his chest before looking at it again musing about making a hooficure appointment when he got back. Looking at Spell then back to Scepter Silver hung her head in defeat as she realized how to save her beloved. She took a choked breath and whispered softly, “I-…I’ll go home with you…”
Gilded Scepter blinked and held up his hoof signaling Bruiser to stop his assault for the moment. “I’m sorry my dear? I didn’t quite catch that.”
“…I…I said that, t-that I’d go home, back to the village… with you.” She lifted her head tears flowing freely as she screamed “SO STOP HURTING MY HUSBAND!”
The entire gathering stared at her for a moment before Spell tried to move closer to her grunting in pain as he did, “S-Silver, no yo-” Bruiser cut him off with a hoof to his muzzle causing a sharp cry of pain that made Silver flinch.
Scepter frowned at this “I’m sorry… did you say husband?” he moved closer to the prone stallion his eye viably twitching as he lifted the stallion’s muzzle for her to see him more clearly, “This is your husband?” he asked spitting the word out as if it were poison.
Silver hung her head sobbing softly as she nods “Please, just stop hurting him Scepter, he doesn’t deserve this.”
Looking back and forth, he finally noticed the ring on Silver’s horn and something inside him snapped. Shoving aside Bruiser, he stood over Spell and began to pummel the stallion under him. “What? He doesn’t deserve this? Or this?” He shouted as he punctuated each question with a solid punch to the stallion’s muzzle. “He stole you away! This worthless piece of garbage this invalid stole you away! What good is he? Other than taking up space?! You belong with a stallion that’s whole, that isn’t broken!”
Spitting out a tooth and a glob of blood Spell looked up at Scepter and whispers in a hoarse voice, “Somepony like you?” With a ferial growl Scepter resumes his barrage bringing his hooves down harder.
Shuttering at the sight Silver looked away from the brutality. Sobbing softly she whispered to herself and the princesses, “Spell forgive me.” Looking up she saw the two stallions and screwing her eyes shut she threw the wedding band off her horn at Spell Squire’s face to both ponies surprise both turning to look at her. Opening her eyes slowly she looked exhausted and defeated, “your right Scepter, I don’t know what I was thinking. T-this isn’t going to work, I…” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “I can’t be happy with an invalid.” She said dejectedly.
Pure undiluted joy ran through Gilded Scepter’s veins as he got off Spell whom felt as though his heart had stopped and he couldn’t breathe. Walking over to the mare Ralph and the other stallion holding her let her go and backed away to let them speak freely. “You’re just turning your back to him? Just like that? The stallion who moments ago you were begging to be left alone?” His brow raised along with his curiosity.
With a shuddered breathe Silver nodded and looked up at him “You made a compelling argument.” Still more tears fell as she sent a silent prayer to the Celestia for forgiveness for her betrayal. Looking up she smiled sadly, as she walked towards the golden stallion. With a hesitance, she rested her head against his shoulder, “he shouldn’t be punished for my mistake.”
While this transpired, Spell Squire laid back on the ground still spread and helpless in the grasp of the other unicorns as his newlywed wife scorned him and move closer to Scepter. His jaw too injured to move and make proper words could only groan and gurgle his protests as he tried to reach out and move closer to Silver. Sparing him a glance Silver leaned in and whispered into Scepter’s ear softly “Consider it your first gift to me, the release of this innocent to show me how kind and powerful you are to have his life in your hoof and give it back. Hasn’t he suffered enough?”
While Scepter considered Silver’s plea everything clicked for Spell. With a renewed vigor, he began to thrash more in the hooves of his captors crying out louder as his tears flowed. He had finally realized that Silver was trading her love for Spell’s freedom. Chuckling at the dismay in Spell’s face, he steps back and looks at silver full on, “only if you Silver Lining, agree to be my bride, will I spare this miserable creature his life.” He proposed holding his hoof out to the mare.
Looking over at spell she slowly raised a hoof and placed it on Gilded Scepter’s as she mouthed an apology before looking at the golden stallion and gave a ghost of a smile and nodded “I do.”
Spell stared for a moment before he cried out the sound of ultimate suffering that even gave pause to the laughter of the stallions. Only two ponies did not join in on the laughter, Silver Lining standing there ashamed of what she had done but glad he would survive. Off into the shadows stood a mare far taller than any of the ponies present. Stepping forth the moon princess looked at the scene before her and shook her head slowly “Such barbarianism, I thought for sure mine sister had erased such practices, dear Spell Squire, how our heart aches for you, such troubles.” Leaning against a tree she closed her eyes and thought deeply before she smield and looked at the scene as it started to fade, “However, something has been discovered this night, maybe a cure for your endless dream, but for now sweet Spell Squire, rest in the peaceful black.”
FIN