Raven Rawne

@@Orange Sparks, The confectionery disappeared out of view, and Crys kind of wished they made a stop there... Maybe on the way back. She snuggled some more to the pegasus. "Well, having her stay with us would be a bit... inconvenient. Really, I don't know how to arrange it all... I guess she'll want to stay with Dusty if they fall for eachother, so wouldn't our presence make them self concious or something? Guess we'll have to talk it over with them." She closed her eyes and just clinged to her love for a bit, then sudenly asked out of the blue: "Soooo... how does it feel to be covered with mares huh?" They passed the main gate and their chariot gained some more speed, now in the open Spine Tract.

@@Orange Sparks, Crystal Clear giggled slightly at the wing hug and kissed her fiance as a thank you, and gently smoother some ruffled feathers. "Heh, you envy me sparkling from time to time but you're the one gifted with a pair of those awesome wings..." She played with the wing as Clarissa spinned the tale of how much of a wild mare she's become. A kiss brought the mare's attention to her fiance, not just her wing. She wrapped her arms around Clare and stayed like this, mindful not to disturb Celeste. "Aww don't think like you're a beacon for disasters to happen... I dunno, it would sure be a change of scenery, but I don't know if the ponies there would be okay with us as neighbours... not to mention that lord who's land it is. Maybe Dusty and his family will agree to rent us a room for a bit, would that work?" She nuzzled her fiance to ease her mind.

@@Orange Sparks, The red mare stretched a bit in her seat - "You sure do overthink it, but I can't blame you. I bet I would act the same in your place." She surpresssed a yawn and looked at the sleeping mare. "Carriages always made me sleepy - must me that gentle rocking move they tend to make... Buut I'll keep you company, no worries." She made herself comfortable by putting her hooves up on the opposite seat and puting her arms behind her head, then lazily looked out the window. "Seems we're almost out of town, I can see a confectionery where I sometimes bought a little something. Okay, a little bit more than a little something but whatever. Unless the gate is clogged by merchants, we should be in the clear in like,,, ten minutes?"

@@Orange Sparks, Crys exhaled with relief. "Detour it is. The sooner we get rid of it the better..." She gave Clarissa a worried look. "You sure it's not affecting you right now? It's no Fate - just acts and choices that lead us, and everypony else, into our own futures. It just seems that we, or more exactly you - are the center of somepony's unfortuntate attention. Well, not really a pony but you know what I mean. So maaaybe Celeste's secret admirer is the same one who keeps sending sword meat our way? Not a pleasant thought, but it seems to add up for some reason. Not sure what they would achieve by making Cleleste a moody recluse though. Spread rumors that the royal family is touched by insanity perhaps?" She groaned and leaned back her head. "I just want to live happily with my wife, not hide in castles and walk in circles to see my own shadow..."

@@Nightmare Season, She heard the stallion stir and looked his way, still buried in her bedroll. The mare answered with a nod: "Seems like you got it all. I had my best dream in like, ever? Although I was a bit surprised when you left." Crystal sticked a hoof out of her warm bedding and immediately regretted the decision. "Brr, was it really this cold yesterday? Or is it just me acting up today?" She saw the armor and smiled. "Aww that's so nice of you! Although I admit, it looks rather creepy... Not a kind of thing I'd put on display in my living room after we're safe back home." She looked at him expectantly. "Could you... warm up that boulder again? Just so I could get going without rattling my teeth till they fall out? Thanks. Give me a minute and I'll get dressed." The mare waited till the air temperature got a bit more tolerable, and crawled out of her hideout. She went through her morning routine -brushing and dressing up in her warm clothes - occasionally coming to the hot rock to warm up herself or her clothes before purring them on. At last she gathered her bedding and secured it on the sleigh. "Alright, so let's get some breakfast and it'ss time to go." She rubbed her chin with a hoof - "I'll grab some snow to melt and maybe you could show me some simple recipe for a fast breakfast?"

@@Orange Sparks, She whistled "Nasty business indeed... So we take a detour, or send the driver to take care of it while we occupy Celeste with Dusty?" She pused and bit her lower lip, then continued. "...or I could make the trip, I guess... But only if you wrap this thing tightly with some cloth - I don't really want to touch it."

@@Orange Sparks, Crys tucked her hands underneath her thighs - she didn't want to even touch the thing. "So... why are you having it with yourself? Wouldn't it be better to have the mage destroy it and tell Celeste she misplaced it? It sure does sound like a viable option to me..."

@@Orange Sparks, The mare looked curiously at the weapon. "So... you found a pretty dagger and your magic sense is tingling. Was it hidden? Did you show it to the wizard? It could be a present and she just tossed it someplace, right?" Crystal wasn't sure what to make of it just yet.

@@Orange Sparks, Crystal Clear looked at the sisters as Celeste laid to sleep on Clarissa's lap. "Seems like sleeping on the way is a family trait? At least she'll be full of energy when we get there." The chariot was leaving the palace grounds and rolling down the main alley that spiralled through the entire city, all the way to the main gate. Crys leaned back in her seat and sighed. "That's more like it - no walking for hours on end." She glanced at Clare - "You want to talk about something? Brainstorm anything that troubles you? You know I can tell when things bug you."

@@Nightmare Season Crystal waved at the stallion as he ascended the stairs, holding a hoof on the other mare's chest. She wasn't sure if she nailed that dream control thing, but the dream Evie seemed to be calm. She smiled and nodded, fiddling with the other mare's mane a bit. "Sure do! Best I had in a long time, right Evie?" Her only reply a nuzzle into Crystals chest. She gave the stallion a curious look - "You're not going to fall asleep in my dream are you? She listened to the stallions reply. "Take as much as you want, now I know how to fix it." Crystal nodded and hugged the other mare with her forelegs, who in turn looked up at her. "Yep! Evening Song in her full splendor. Well, what isn't hidden under the covers." Evie seemed fed up with this situation: "Are you going to tell me who it is and what he's doing in our house unannounced?" Crystal patted her head and thought of calming her. "Shh Evie..." She looked at Nightmare. "It's alright, I know it. Make yourself comfortable in the living room, I want to spend some time with her, even if she's not real." Nightmare Season walked downstairs and was busy with something, so Crystal Clear turned her attention towards her friend's dream projection. "So where were we?" She took a glance every now and then at the stallion downstairs, and at some point she felt she was alone again, concious in her dream. And she knew exactly how to spend the rest of it. Crystal Clear woke up and tried to reach something with her forelegs. She grabbed only air, and with a scrunch and a disgruntled groan she rubbed her eyes open and looked around. A small ray of sunlight was visible in the cave, and it was quite cold. She dug in her bedroll and decided to wait for the stallion to wake, while recalling her dream.

@@Nightmare Season By the time Nightmare entered her dream, Crystal was sleeping for quite some time, so naturally her dream was in an advanced stage. She was in her house, more precisely in her apartment upstairs. The mare was laying on her back in her bed, atop the mock fort that was her bedroom. Crystal was looking at the night sky through the large round window she made for this exact purpose. "I just love laying in here after a long day, staring at the bejeweled night sky... Feels like nothing can go wrong in the whole world you know." - She said in a relaxed tone. A second voice answered her, a mare. "Mhm... I sure can see the appeal... So you wanted to make the ceiling look like the night sky, right? Awful lot of work. Plus it'll never look as good as the real deal." Evening song was up there too - resting her head on Crystal's chest and letting the other mare play with her loose mane. "You'd aso come up with all kinds of crazy ideas if you had too much free time on your hooves, trust me. At least I can do those things myself." - Crystal continued. Evening Song nodded "I'll find you something to do, don't you worry about that." Crystal Clear saw an orange reflection in the glass and felt a presence. She somehow knew when she wasn't alone, and immediately realised it's a dream although how, she had no idea. The mare said quietly "Evie, I want you to meet my friend. He's a bit strange though." She waved a hoof in the air and said loudly. "Took you long enough big guy, trouble in the waking world?"

@@Orange Sparks Crystal Clear looked questioningly at her fiance. "You forgot to pack some optimism for the trip? Come on, even lighting doesn't strike twice in the same place." She urged the chariot driver to get going and their ride started rolling out of the palace grounds and onto the busy city."

@@Orange Sparks The crystal mare walked towards their room with a quick pace and was by the door within minutes. She grabbed her sword belt and atattched her hand and a half saber, then grabbed Clare's stuff and left for the stables. She found the other mares waiting by a really elegant chariot. "*whistle* Somepony knows how to ride with style! Here's your steel love, let's hope this time just for decoration. Come on girls, climb aboard and let's get going!"

@@Orange Sparks Crys took a glance at her fiance's glorious flappers and grinned. "Oooh yes. I do love tending to your fluffy wings..." The three mares exited the dining hall and were about to go towards the stabled when Crys took a detour. She looked at her confused company and patted her hips. "Missing anything, lady knight? You two get a proper carriage and I grab our steel. Which one for you Clare? She nodded at the reply and quickly walked to retrieve their swords.

@@Orange Sparks Once Clare finished the kiss, Crys giggled. "The wings part, you gotta do this more often... So how's that for loosening up sir?" Pearl broke her kiss and replied: "Trust me girl, he wasn't expecting that." The prince gathered his wits and formed hus own reply. "Well um, yes... Didn't expect that, but that's a great way to start the day... I'll take my leave then, day court starts in a few hours and I have business to attend before. Lady Onyx, you had something to discuss? The mare smiled and rose up. "Why yes, my prince. Ladies, I hope your trip will be... fruitful." She winked at Celeste and left the hall alongside the prince. Crys scratched her head. "I guess that's one way to get rid of one's parents... You gals finished? Oh and Celeste, there's no way he wouldn't like you.

@@Orange Sparks Pearl looked at the mares with curiosity. "I've been told it's nothing personal, and it's okay. I know how things can seem daunting from time to time." She glanced at the prince, also her love. Justice nuzzled the mare under his wing after Clare's comment. "You two really need to loosen up, how else can we enjoy the family meetings? Pearl, Crystal, come on... Crystal shrugged. "Loosen up... like this?" She threw her arms around Clarissa and gave her a passionate kiss. Justice was about to say something when Pearl copied the move on him.

@@Orange Sparks The pair of older ponies in the dining hall looked at the door when the other pair walked in. Pearl Onyx seemed suddenly very self-concious about the winghug and smiled a bit awkwardly, while the prince pulled her closer to signal it wasn't some coincidence, and said to the mares: "You gals finally showed up! I was starting to think you'll go to the Cove without poor Celeste here... Sit down and finish your breakfast. Oh and don't look so awkward Crystal, we're family now!" The red mare did feel out of her element, seeing the prince so casual. She'll need some time to adjust.

@@Nightmare Season As Nightmare delivered the news about loss if his roots and cards, the mare exhaled in a long sigh. "Something of value will be lost... Now we're going in blind, all thanks to some idiot crystal pony..." She rolled on her back with some effort - her belly was freezing but she didn't feel like getting up yet. Crystal noticed Nightmare's magic near the monstrous carcass. "What are you doing with it?" She asked, clearly puzzled. She listened to the stallion and shook her head. "I can't see how a dead monster hide can be good but... do what you want with it." She risked standing on her hooves, and succeeded. The mare saw him looking into the ravine and said sadly: "I'm sorry for what happened." The pair left through the tunnel back to their camp. Crystal tried to convince Nightmare to tell his plan regarding his gruesome trophies, but he was tight lipped about it, and she let go of the topic. Back in camp the stallion reheated the boulder and placed the body parts near it to thaw, as the mare collapsed on her bedroll with a whiny groan. "Guhh, I'm so done with today, I feel like a filly beaten by a gang of bullies..." She tucked herself inside the bedroll and observed the stallion with tired eyes. "I'm really sorry about your cards. And roots. I... *cough* eeewwww that corpse stinks!" Crystal covered her nose and hid deeper into the bedroll, but as soon as she settled and closed her eyes for a moment, sleep overwhelmed her and she dozed off.

@@Orange Sparks The earth pony nodded slowly. "I see... So there's a chance we'll get along just fine, right? Last thing I want to do is put a wedge into your family." Crys giggled and hugged her fiance, apparently to get a good access to her ear into which she whispered: "If I recall correctly, and I do, you promised me something good yesterday. I hope you'll keep your promise when we get back from the Cove..." She gently bit the other mares ear and tugged at it, purring, and abruptly let it go, breaking the hug. She had that sly smile on. "Come on, Celeste won't forgive us if we won't take her to Dusty today."

@@BloodDrops,@@Mentis Soliloquy, The red mare grimaced slightly: "If that's how you roll... But I wouldn't hold my breath abut the fire option - as cool as it is, just imagine all the fire alarms going off." She rubbed her chin in thought. "Although if I were childish and irresponsible, I could make a prank like that..." Crystal nodded - "Give her a chance, believe it or not, if not for the counsellors, i wouldn't recover after my accident. So I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. Besides, even counsellors can be cool ponies in private." A buzz in her ear made the mare lose her train of thought for a moment, then she said uickly: "Call the thestral, I have the captain on the line so gotta go. Crystal Clear out." She closed the commlink and heard the announcement over the intercom. "now that will be interesting..." She flickered her ear to reply via combadge to the captain. She used the practiced, professional tone: "Shields are green across the board captain, all sytems nominal. I'll inform you if I see any problems though." The are crossed her fingers hoping there will be none.

@@Nightmare Season "Phew, I won't even think of what would happen if it wasn't" - The mare was visibly relieved, even her posture became more relaxed. She walked to the carcass and rest her maul on it's side, then started inspecting the strange creature. "What a stuff of nightmares... N-no offence! Just look at that armored body..." She tapped the carapace with her hoof. "Tough as nails, I doubt it was on the menu for anything else once it grew up..." Crystal Clear took a look at the fierce maw and dagger like teeth. She had an idea - she sat in front of it and tried to dislocate one of those teeth as a souvenir. A fatal mistake. The carcass shook a little bit as she wrangled and her mail slipped off it's rest and fell on the ice with a loud noise. The mare froze as her ears started ringing. She needed to shake her head off to recover. She heard the stallion yell abs noticed ice shards falling around her. The mare got scared and grabbed her weapon in her mouth, then bolted towards the tunnel. With icicles the size of pony legs falling all around her, the mare stopped thinking altogether and just ran for it. As she neared the bridge, a large shard of ice fell on it and broke the crossing into splinters. She couldn't stop or even turn on the slippery floor, so she yelled in alarm and closed her eyes instinctively, awaiting violent death. Instead, she found herself on the other side, carried by unicorn magic. She blinked in surprise and looked around in shock. She saw Nightmare making a leap across and nearly making it, only to slide into the ravine. Eyes wide, the mare finally found her wits and skidded towards the stallions last location. "Nightmare! Are you there!?" She laid flat in her belly and peeked into the abyss - there he was, holding to a rock outcropping. She needed to think fast, that was sure. The mare extended a hoof and said in a frightened voice: "Grab my hoof and push me away from the ravine with your magic, just make it quick!" The stallion didn't have many other options to choose from, so he did as she said. Soon enough he was back on solid ground. Crystal was groaning by the wall. "Aww, that kinda hurt!" She got up on shaking hooves and walked around the stallion to make sure he wasn't injured. Turns out he was fine, but one detail drew her attention. She poked hus dude by an open saddlebag - "You had something in there? The flap is open..." Now that the danger was gone, the mare sighed deeply as her hooves slid from under her. "Aw buck! My everything oww..." She groaned in protest as the ground suddenly met her face and belly. She laid flat with hooves in an X shape, breathing deeply to get an ounce of strength back and reach the warm camp. "I'm too sober for this shit... How are you holding up, eh?"

@@Orange Sparks Justice Sword muzzled the mare under his wing and explained to her: "Clarissa may seem like a tough gal, but inside she's anything but. Sometimes she breaks like glass under slightest pressure if something touches her heart. So I'd advise cutting her some slack till she adjusts to this new situation." The earth pony nodded and replied: "I see... Speaking of situations, may I ask for a private hearing at your chambers before the day court? I have some important business to discuss..." The prince chuckled. "Of course, I bet it's very important..." Crystal Clear didn't feel so good since... yesterday? Ages ago when Clare was concerned. When her fiance finished the kiss she looked up into her eyes and smirked. "I don't know really, guess you'll need to convince me a bit more..."