Raven Rawne

@@Nightmare Season, "Well, I can't see any sings of life either..." Crystal Clear noticed that it seemed to be dark inside the brewery, and there was no smoke coming from the small chimney. She was rubbing her chin in thought as the stallion started approaching the seemingly abandoned structure, so she trotted to catch up - he was taking his normal steps to cross the open ground quicker. The mare couldn't help but stare at the dark crystals as they moved past them. "I don't like this..." she said to herself, but Nightmare asked about her little exclamation. "These... crystals. They're not natural. Only the King and his court were able to make these with their dark magic." They crept torawds the entrance in silence, if sizzling snow as it liquified nearby the nightmare pony could be counted as such, They reached the solid double door, now broken into splinters and wide open, and Crystal signed for the stallion to hold up. She slowly took a peek inside: the light from the outside was the only illumination, ad she quickly noticed the empty stands where glow-crystals used to be. The woden building seemed to be more of a foyer into the cave deeper in rather than the whole thing. She wakled back to Nightmare. "Alright, the place seems to be ransacked and empty. It's dark inside but I think this shack covers the entrance to some sort of cave. maybe the brewery proper is deeper in. So what's the plan?"

@@Orange Sparks, Crys shook her head at her marefriend's reaction. "Sounds like another busy night... but at least they have beds in the guest rooms." She lugged the last pack onto the wagon and patted it's side. "Alright, we're ready to roll! We should follow the road as previously but turn left once it splits. Then it's straight to the Founder Cove, right by the seaside. Should be nice and easy all the way, there weren't any obstacles last time I was there."

@@Orange Sparks, Crystal Clear was pretty sure that her snout could now double as a lighthouse, but she held her ground with a riposte once she got back with the ox. "If I recall correctly, and I do recall correctly, you weren't very bothered by daylight either..." She stopped tying the animal to the wagon and shot a glance ot her marefriend. "That was not an invitation, by the way. I like it how you're the one taking initiative, being on top and all, but really, we should get going." The crystal mare loaded their things on the wagon as Clarissa took care of the bowls and other food related items.

@@Orange Sparks, Crys rolled her eyes and blushed heavily. "Geez Clare, get your mind out of the gutter for a moment..." She turned away from the other mare a bit and concentrated on her oatmeal, replying over her shoulder. "You should've seen me there when I was traveling home for winter break! The innkeeper made a month's income off me when I came for a meal. It was enough they had fresh food, and not preservables like in the Academy. And after drinking water for so long, even the cheapest wine was a huge improvement. So, yeah, we make a detour alright." She emtied her second bowl nearly as fast as the first one, having learned to eat fast during few breaks they had during the day in the Academy. Crystal got up on her hooves and went for the ox to strap it to the wagon. "I'll get our carriage ready and help you gather the camp, okay? The we move out."

@@Orange Sparks, Crys shook her head as she swalloed a portion of her oatmeal. "It's nothing special, but at least you don't have to make it yourself. Last time I visited they had some fish dishes and cheap wine but it didn't taste bad." She saw Clare pouring herself seconds and commented with a smile."Seems I'm not the only one who wants to get back to their optimal weight, huh? The Academy was a good workout but I prefer not to be able to break nuts on my hips..." She was right, Crystal Clear was never chubby, but she had some healthy padding here and there before signing up for the Academy. Now she was just skin, bone and muscle. The mare finished her bowl and refilled it. "You may be a princess, but you're the better cook in this duet. I can burn soups like nopony else! Maybe that will decrease my attractivenes for marriage..." She shivered at the thought.

@@Orange Sparks, Crys took an opportunity to lighten the mood, and wake up some more in the process. Mornings were the unbeatable enemy to her... The mare huffed in an exaggerated manner and announced: "What? Am I not decent enough? You sleep on me every time you get the chance!" She stood like that for a moment, trying to look all mad, but finally gave in and laughed, then said. "Alright, give me some of that oatmeal. There's an inn in Founder Cove - a small fishing hamlet, ten miles from here or so. We'd have to make detour to the shore but not a long one. If we hurry up we'll make it to Opal by nightfall." She took the bowl and started emtying it with a steady pace.

@@Orange Sparks, Crystal Clear woke up as she felt something touch her face. She was too sleepy to investigate though, and the feeling subsided quickly anyway. Choosing a slow and steady approach, she stretched thoroughtly, purring and sighing as she did so. She didn't like sleeping on the ground, no matter how often she did that. Once she felt somewhat more awake, she rubbed her eyes and cracked them open, but closed them immediately as the sun was already up and shining in her face. "Stupid glowy thing" She mumbled to herself and put the cloak on her head to hide from the bright light. She heard Clare talking and laughing, so it was probably time to get up anyway... "Alright, I'm awake..." She said to herself. The mare removed the cloak from her head and slowly pinned it to her back. She rubbed her eyes a few more times to get used to the morning sun and combed her mane with her fingers to look more or less presentable. She rose to her hooves and straightened her gambeson, then looked around to see what Clare was doing. The smell of oatmeal was enough of a clue. "Up already? And I thought I wanted to reach civilisation..." She yawned and stretched some more. "So what's on the menu, chef?" Crystal Clar approached her companion and looked over her shoulder.

@@Nightmare Season I guess I didn't explain myself very well. What I've meant is that the facility is old, and originally built in a cave with a hot spring. That way ponies could survive. Over the years, they changed this and that and now the brewery occupies a small underground system. I guess it would things more interesting if the brewery wasn't the end of the line, so we can go with your idea. King's corrupt courtiers, being unicorns and all, could even magically adapt a natural cave by building walls out of the corrupt crystal.

@@Orange Sparks Crystal Clear yawned and nodded. "Sorry for that. I love you too, Clare." She muzzled the other mare. "Now let's get some rest, sooner we start going tomorrow the sooner I'll get my months overdue relaxing hot bath... You're invited, by the way." With that last remark, the mare closed hee eyes and tried to sleep, hoping her red coat will hide the blush.

@@Nightmare Season Since we're at the doorstep of our brewery, I figured I'd share an idea I had a few days back. So basically it can be like those underground cities in Turkey - an underground system, lit by glow-crystals and mined over the years from natural caves. Geothermal hot springs at the lowest level would provide warmth and liquid water, and maybe even they could grow their berries underground like in greenhouses?

@@Nightmare Season, Crystal Clear was somewhat skeptical, as she craned her nack leta and right as she considered Nightmare's imput. "Weelll I guess you're right... Thanks for believing in me. But honestly, I'm afraid of what will happen when the easy going goes rough. This isn't a good place for ponies, and all kinds of bad things could await us. That's what I'm afraid of - that I won't be able to overcome the obstacles." A small avalanche rolled down a hill nearby, but it posed no danger to the pair. Still a reminder of the many dangers in this strange land. They walked like that for some time, and suddenly the roles reversed - now the mare was about to give encouragement. Since Nightmare was, well, waay to tall to hug, she just booped his side instead and said in a positive manner. "All a matter of perspective. You said your family was... evil... so if you met their expectations, what would it make of you? Another monster in the dark..." It wasn't sound very nice, so she decided to put it another way. "Okay, so let's pretend that your family has a business, and you're expected to inherit it. They teach you everything there is about it, but you get a cutie mark in, say, playing an instrument, and become a renowned musician. Are you a disapointment to your family? Yes and no, depends where you put the accents, but what matters is that you do what you like and you're good at, and nopony gets harmed in the process. I guess that's how you could look at it." The stallion mentioned his rations, and the mare decided to ask about them. "So how long can you manage on roots you have now? Without real dreams to take a bit off every now and then? I don't want you to starve..." She looked a bit concerned by the prospect of her lifeline and, well, a friend, going hungry. They walked for some time, and finally reached the dastination. Crystal looked down upon the entrance and was about to run inside when s huge hoof barred her way. With a curious loook, she craned her neck over the barrier of black fur and now saw the reason why. It was pretty obvious that the area wasn't safe to proceed. "Oh... my... I guess that answers the question why my booze didn't reach the market. Let's just hope that the ponies who lived here are okay..." She looked up at Nightmare. "Could you give us a reading on whether it's safe inside? We're dead if they catch us in the open."

@@Orange Sparks, Crystal looked thoughtful as she rememebered about her marefriend's sister "Oh, yeah I remember her. Been a while since I saw her last time...I wonder how she's been doing these past few months." She made corrected herself, since a root started to hurt her back as she layed on it. "You think we'll have to hide, well, "us", with her around? It was fun going out with her."

@@Orange Sparks, "And I thought you were being altruistic to those ponies..." Clare stuck out a tongue at her rhetoric jab. "Don't worry, maybe they were too busy to write back. Or wouldn't risk sending a letter with vital information actross the whole island, when the minotaurs managed to sneak by to our shores and all that... My father was a bit less caucious and did reply, but all he wrote was to keep an eye on you. He didn't even mention whether they fired the ballista for practice, and he always tells me... I just hope my graduation present is waiting in Opal Hill." The mare yawned, she was getting really tired. "So how about we get some rest so we could be back on the road earlier? We should reach the capital by tomorrow evening anyway."

@@Orange Sparks, Crys sighed. "I need a hour long bath in hot water, but I won't get any this year, I guess... Stupid Academy and their strict rules about "life in war conditions"... It's like they wanted to show us nobles that going to war is not fun, by making us live like common soldiers." The mares continued walking in silence, only occasionally exchanging short observations or insights. The fight with the minotaurs and the possible implications weighted on them heavily. Unsurprisingly, once they finally reached camp, instead of warm welcome and something to eat, they found a pissed off sarge. Crystal Clear gave him an unamused look as Clarissa brought him up to speed on their abnsence. Once the other mare was finished with the instructor, Crys chipped in. "Sir, we had to survive in the forest with no supplies, find our way home and fight for our lives against a minotaur ambush. We're hungry, cold, caked with blood, but safe and victorious. Just give us a break for a moment, would you? Also, we need to send a letter to the Capital - foalnapping attempt of a princess by enemies of the realm is no trivial matter and the Crown Prince must be notified immediately. Now could you lead us to the camp master? We need to make a report to him and send the letter to Opal Hill at once." The instructor grumbled something under his nose, but oblidged to the mare's wishes. A runner was sent to Opal Hill before the day was over, and the mares continued their training in the Academy until graduation. -------------------- Road to Opal Hill. Present Day ------------------------ The fire was slowly dying, as the mares ran out of wood to feed it. Thenight was dark and they were tired. Soon both would be asleep. "I won't forget that little adventure of ours... It was pretty exciting too, truth be told. We managed to earn around ten thousand bits from selling stuff from that keep, is I recall correctly. All went to the citizens, like you wanted. I don't think I've ever seen the commoners so happy like when we came to offer them gold. It felt... good. And it was a right thing to do, like you said Clare." Crystal Clear snuggled to her marefriend, feeling sleepy but continuing the conversation.

@@Nightmare Season, The mare nodded over her shoulder as the nightmare pony replied to her inquiries. She still felt the warmth on her shout, so she was probably still blushing like crazy. And then Nightmare decided to tease her. Crystal Clear turned around to face the stallion, even though her face was glowing red like a lantern. "What did you jus... Ughhhh, he dashed outside. Tease." The mare picked up her saddlebags and fastened them around her hidsection, then put on her cap and went outside, red snout be damned. It was indeed morning, and the weather was good, for the Frozen North at least. The mare ran towards her fiery companion to escape the cold, while he seemed oblivious to it. Another pillar was within sight, which was good. Crystal walked fast beside him, but didh't say a word just yet. Nightmare started the conversation on his own, Another round of dream interpretation. The memory of her last dream made her feel guilty - not only because she showed such weakness, but also because it was a bad dream, meaning Nightmare probably didn't feed on it. She looked up at him and noticed his encouraging smile. She sighed and replied. "I guess you're right, about the encouragement part. My parents learned that years ago. Instead of trying to convince me, they just grab me by the tail and drag someplace kicking and screaming. Well, maybe not exactly, but it feels like that. Aaaand once it's over I have to thank them for it, cause it was for my own good and I was too stuck to do it on my own. It's a bit of a paradox really: I hate being pushed around like that but, once it's over, I'm grateful for the intervention." She bit her lip, apparently pondering over something, and after a short pause, continued. "Thanks for giving me a shove. And sorry for being a dissapointment.... Not only you had to pick me up again, but you probably didn't feed any off my bad dream, didn't you? I guessed as much cause it didn't turn worse. I'll try to make it up for you tonight."

@@Orange Sparks Crys looked at Clare's shenanigans and giggled. "Only you Clare, never change..." She decided to keep quiet as the princess consulted the mage. The plan seemed sound, as far as she could tell. The mare didn't even bother with cleaning her armor from blood. She just picked up her gear and followed her princess, taking a moment to thank the mage for his visit. "So how far to the camp?" She said aloud as she looked to the sky, trying to see the smoke column that marked the camp. "Hmm... an hour long walk at most, good. I need to clean myself from that minotaur. I stink like a butcher..." Crys stopped shining some time after she donned her helmet again. She was too worried to sustain the crystalline aura.

@@Nightmare Season Crystal Clear waved dismissively at him. "You keep saying that... I'm not big like Celestia or dish out fire from my horn. You can scale Mount Everhoof like a hill in the foals sandbox! I'm just useless here..." The stallion interrupted her and she followed his gaze. "Wait, what? How can you... HEY!" She looked around but Nightmare was gone. The mare walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down. "Damn wise flank..." She stood like that, staring in the abyss. Her snout was scrunched from internal conflict. The mare woke up, feeling warm fur in her snout. She cracked open her eyes and noticed she was, in fact, cuddling to Nightmare's side. Crystal blushed and hid her face with her hooves. "H-How long I've been clutching to you like a foal?" She got up, trying to hide her embarrassment. "It's morning already? How did you know?" She talked rapidly as she packed her things to get going, while waiting out for her snout to stop looking like red hot metal.

@@Nightmare Season Crystal just waited to see if the bridge will collapse and end her struggle. She knew she won't get hurt in a dream... probably. Seeing Nightmare come back to her was a surprise, but somehow, deep inside, she was hoping for just that. "Maybe one day I will. But not toda-Hey!" She didn't expect he'd just shove her like a sack of grain to the other side. What sort of help was that?! She landed awkwardly on the other side, then rolled onto her belly, but didn't get up. She just gave him the cold stare as he approached and offered his hoof. "Good job. Do you always help ponies by forcing them out of their dilemmas? Encouragement could work too, you know..." She took his hoof and stood up, then looked at the bridge. What seemed like a never ending road now looked like it could be crossed in a few leaps. The mare growled and looked away from the stallion. "Grrr okay, you made your point. Thanks for help. But I still feel like I'm going to fail miserably on this side of the bridge. Choosing not to choose gives you that comfort of safe routine at least... So I'll face my future. Go where fate leads me and for what? I'm just one mare against the Frozen North and Heart knows what else. I knew I had to make this trip but now I fear that I won't make it back..." There was guilt in her voice, and she refused to meet the stallion 's gaze, dropping her head low and looking straight down. "Maybe I'll just... just... arrrrghh I never should just rush into it!" Crystal Clear stood like that in silence, then finally spoke in a resigned voice. "So now what? " The bridge finally collapsed entirely, and the Empire on the other side faded out of view. The pair stood on the edge of a sheer cliff where the bridge used to be, surrounded by dark mist. The unknown figure was nowhere to be found.

@@Orange Sparks Crys was about to shrug but her armor made the gesture impossible. "Don't be silly, it's in the middle of the archipelago and very well protected. There are plenty of other targets on the outer islands. Not as rich but easier to ransack. Although it is alarming that apparently they have a vessel near Throne Island right now... He mentioned a ship waiting." The mare went to pick up her stuff, and once she had everything in its place, she said. "We better hurry back to camp then. I guess we ran out of surprises tor today but the sooner you'll send the letter to the capital the better. I'll write to Raven's Nest and tell them to keep watch on the strait for suspicious ships. Maybe they'll find some infiltrators, who knows."

@@Nightmare Season, As they walked and Nightmare Season continued his lecture, Crystal Clear just listened, but once he walked ahead and reached the other side, she felt like a failure. With her head low and a deep sigh, she said, still walking in place. "Yeah... that makes sense... Now that I know my... friend... is alive, I can't just keep waiting till she steps through my door and make some token attempts to find her. And now I can't even demolish my liver in her memory." The mare shed a single tear, but it sizzled and dissapeared on the crystal bridge, as if it landed on a hot frying pan. Another pillar collapsed behind her, and Crystal looked back at the place she left and couldn't go back to. With a sigh, she faced the nightmare pony waiting on the other side. "As for the future, well... Sometimes it's easier to be left in the dark rather than discover the unpleasant truth." A sudden gust of wind penetrated the boiling dark smoke, but it didn't reveal the mysterious figure. "So I stay here, unable to go back to my comfy ignorance, but too cowardly to face whatever fate has in store. Now you know who you followed into the unknown. quite a surprise, huh?" She smiled sadly... ...and stopped in place.

@@Orange Sparks, Crystal Clear searched the body rather quickly - the minotaur didn't have many pockets or pouches, and was generally lightly clad so there was no point looking for sewn-in secret hiding spots. She found some personal items and a small purse. She held it high as she got up, gauntlets red with blood as if she was looking in his insides. "Fillies and gentlecolts, my first blood money! Quite literally too..." The coin bag was dripping with the stuff. "Anyways, nothing in here." She noticed that Clare found something nearby, and went to see for herself. She stood over her shoulder as she read the letter aloud, mindful not to paint her armor red. "A liability? Me? I'll show him a liability alright..." Crys stopped herself mid rant, then dropped her ears flat and lowered her tail a bit apologetically. "Um, sorry? A-anyway, what do we do now? It looks official to me, so I guess Opal Hill must be notified immediately..." Since it wasn't her call, she awaited further instructions from her marefriend.

@@Orange Sparks, Crys shook her head to start thinking straight again. She killed a fair amout of game over the years, even up close, but slicing open a minotaur that wanted to kill her was a different story altogether. She thought for a moment, then joined the discussion. "But, why war? Maybe it won't be so bad... I-I mean, we don't even know if it wasn't just some crazy noble's idea or maybe that minotaur's for that matter... We can't just assume that two ice brained bulls were about to kidnap Clare to get ahead in a planned war, right? We need some kind of proof on what they wanted to achieve." She stood like that for a moment, looking either at Clare or the mage, then sighed. "Alright, I'll start looking myself..." The mare approached her assailant's corpse and started looking for clues, like letters or some sort of insignia, anything really. She looked rather disgusted as she got to the grim work, and did her best not to stain herself with even more blood.

@@Orange Sparks, Clare was rather surprised to hear a voice from behind, and rather awkwardly turned herself 180 degrees on her shield, nearly losing balance in the process. "Who... Wha... YOU?" She noticed the same robed figure that greeted them in the keep. Surprised, but not alarmed, she rose on her hooves, curious why he showed up again. "Did we take something we shouldn't? Or you changed your mind, perhaps?" She looked at him closely, but didn't raise her voice, nor weapon for that matter. It would be a futile attempt anyway.