private "All that Shines" (1x1 RP between Platinum Gear and Raven Rawne)

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

The cause for this interruption became apparent very fast, as Crystal saw the adopted daughter of the innkeepers nearby. She nodded that she'll behave and had the hand removed. As per usual when foals are concerned, Crys let Clare take the lead. The crystal mare resumed eating and just watched the interaction until Clarissa talked to her once more. She shrugged and her crystal heart pendant swung with the motion. "If I didn't know you better I would think you're in the mood for one of your own, if you catch my drift. Either you're permanently like that or just like foals."

 

-------------------------------------

 

Rose Petal looked at the princess as she kneeled beside her."I told brother, so it's okay." She shrieked in joy as the grey pegasus picked her up and started asking about her stuffed companion. "Her name is Purrie, because she purrs a lot. We've been friends since forever! "

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

Clare smiles "Good girl, and that's a lovely name for a lovely kitten" she says, petting the stuffed kitty on the head "I bet you she protects you at night and tells miss Luna about your dreams so she can visit you?" she says then smiles "You know as a Princess, I have ties to the sisters, maybe I could get them to visit you? Would you like that?" she asks, hugging the little filly close. She sighs softly and continues to hug her "I'm just so happy that you and your family are safe" 

 

She then look to Crys "I wouldn't mind having a few foals, either of my own or adopted, and settling down for a while"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

The mare with a crystal pendant smirked and narrowed her eyes. "Oh I bet you wouldn't..."

 

The filly seemed to be deep at thought over what the pegasus told her. Finally she beamed and nodded. "Yes! I'd like that! "

 

Meanwhile, Crystal Clear ate her rations and frequently paused to watch the sun shine on her dagger 's blade, pondering over something.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

Clare smiles and hugs her again, "alright, I will see what I can do sweetie, now run along, once the countess and I finish eating we have to go to the capital" she says with a smile and kisses her forehead before sending her on her way. She sighs softly "stop me before I adopt that little one, she's just so precious" she says, putting a hand over where her heart is. "In a way, she reminds me so much of Celeste when she was that age" she closes her eyes "Crys, would you be opposed to settling down? I mean, now that we know our fathers approve and all that?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

"Yaay!" The filly was overflowing with joy at the prospect. "I'll go tell brother, he won't believe me!" She ran to find Dusty and, quite probably,  talk his ear off.

 

Crystal Clear already finished her meal and engaged in playing with her knife, pulling some tricks. She twirled it around for a downward stab when Clarissa adressed her. "She's taken, sorry. But I bet there are other good fillies and colts who could use a loving mother." The crystal mare braved herself into tossing the blade up and changing hands when Clare asked another question. She missed it and the dagger impaled the ground between her hooves, finally free from the heavy hoofboots. She looked at Clare who apparently didn't notice and picked it up. She knew that trick, so why it didn't... "Oh." She exclaimed to herself,  then followed. "I mean... your father approved it.  Mine just wrote a letter while yours was breathing down his neck. It will take some time before he settles with my choice,  if he ever really does. That "little talk" he mentioned will be, basically, dragging me through the guilt traps of forsaking my kin, because to him, all that matters is this." She took her crystal heart pendant in her fingers and brought closer to the other mare. "One day it will be found, and our expeditions are creeping closer every year. And once it does, how many will return to our ancestors home? It bugs me Clare, I love you so much I don't have the words for it, but I cannot discard my kin." She stares at the crystal pendant,  twirling it to let the sun dance on its facets. She continued, sad, seemingly on the verge of tearing up. "I don't have the answer to your question. Not yet."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare nods "I know, I know," she says with a soft sigh, closing her eyes, she was trying to hide the tears in her eyes, then thoughts begun racing around in her mind What if she says no? what if she just completely rejects you? What if... She opens her eyes, and it was clear that she had been trying not to cry, as the tears had ran down her cheeks and stained her fur. She gets up "Excuse me a moment I need...a moment" she says as she picks up her saber but leaving Dragon Sword behind and goes somewhere to practice shadow fencing.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

At first Crystal Clear didn't pick on the distress her love was in. Only when she heard a sniff and Clare grabbed a blade and run did the sheer magnitude of her folley dawn upon her like a blood moon rising. The mare turned and extended get arm,  but caught only air. She shouted with trembling voice. "Clare! I'm.. I'm..." she never finished that sentence as tears rushed to her eyes and her throat clenched shut. Crystal leaned on the cart and cried. At some point, she saw through the tears that she was still holding the dagger. And that it rested unconsciously on her wrist.  She tried to make that cut, but her hand didn't move. A wave of anger rose through the sea of sorrow as she howled and impaled the dagger in the car's side, with enough force to break the wooden board. She then tore the pendant from her neck in one swing, breaking the golden chain,  and tossed it into the nearby pool of mud and blood. That's when she lost it and began yelling to the piece of jewelry as if it was the actual Crystal Heart.

 

"Look what you've done! She ran from me, all because if you! A mythical relic from old mare's tales! You demand us to sacrifice everything for you, and we don't even know if you're real! Ponies die in ice and snow, ponies die inside in arranged marriages to add more fodder to your cause, I have to choose between you and the pony I love more than anything in this world and for what?! A delusion of lost grandeur!?" She paused, out of breath and blind from tears.

 

Crystal Clear stood for some time, sobbing, and finally adressed the heart one last time, this time quietly, with apathy and resignation. "If that's what you demand, then I renounce you. I won't let you hurt her through me ever again."

 

The crystal mare felt weak, her coat became dull and greyed, mane fell flat and her bright sapphire eyes looked dead. She leaned on the cart and slid on the ground, then curled up and remained motionless, as if waiting to die.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

As she practiced her shadow fencing, Clare begun to calm down, but suddenly she felt a great sadness in the air, she stops and then realizes that her love was in danger. She drops her saber and quickly runs to the cart "CRYS! CRYSTAL CLEAR!" she exclaims, rushing to her side, hugging her close and stroking her mane "W-what happened? W..." she starts sobbing "I love you Crystal Clear, I love you with all my heart and soul!" she sobs then curses "Fuck it! I wanted Celeste to be here for this, but it needs to be done now!" she says, rushing to her packs, rummaging through it and finding a small box. She then kneels in front of her "I've loved you ever since we were fillies, I admired your beautiful heart, your kindness and gentleness, I admire you for you.." she says then opens the box "W-will you marry me my love?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal Clear didn't know how much time passed since she freed herself from the looming shadow of her ancestry when Clarissa got back to her. The greyed out mare looked up at her marefriend with slight surprise and said in a dull monotone. "You... came back? I told it to go fuck itself. That I want none of it and won't waste my life on old mares tales. I'll never hurt you because of it..." It seemed she tried to kick something but her hoof didn't hit anything, just weakly cut through the air. Crystal Clear trailed Clarissa with her dull eyes as she reached for something, but had no strength, or will,  to get up, so she propped herself into a sitting position and rested her back on the wheel of their cart and talked nonsense. "I did it Clare, I did it for you. I freed myself from it's shadow and can be my own mare, not a breeding oven for its cause..."

 

She saw Clarissa come back into view and smiled weakly. "You came back..." It seemed she had only rudimentary grasp on what was going on. She heard the other mare propose to her and mustered a reply, weak as it was. "I... y-yes."

 

As soon as Crys said those words, a nearby pool of mud and blood erupted in blue flame,  sizzling and drying out. After just a few seconds the ground in a elbows radius became dry as in the worst drought, revealing the mare's pendant, now glowing blue-white like it was incredibly hot. It spooked the crystal mare who tried to get away from it, but her legs failed to carry her. She began shouting to the pendant as it was a living creature. "No, I told you I am no longer yours! Leave me and Clare alone!" She brought her legs to her chest in a fetal position and her eyes darted fearfully between her love and the pendant. 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare nuzzles her as she slips the ring on her finger "Darling, don't forsake something just for me, I mean for all we know, I could have Crystal ancestry" she says., trying to make a joke but also be serious at the same time. She goes and picks up the crystal shard and puts it back around Crys' neck then kisses her "we will see how things go in the capital, they have a library there and they might have a history of my family, I mean it is quite possible that I'm at least half crystal pony." she says and nuzzles her once more then gently dries the tears from her eyes "Besides, from what you've told me, both ponies have to be at least somewhat from the Crystal race for them to shine" she kisses her softly and holds her close "I'll propose properly once in the capital, with your father there, maybe his relic will react as well.."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal stared at the ring on her finger like it was the most important thing in the world. Well, it was in hers at least. Whether she understood what Clare was talking to her was anypony's guess though. She didn't react in any way until the pegasus got up and brought the crystal pendant. It still shined that blue white light but once Clare picked it up it was only a bit warm to the touch.

 

The sitting mare tried to back away from the piece of jewelry, but all she managed was to lean heavier on the wheel behind her. Tears came to her eyes as Clare tied it back on her neck and she started to protest, but a kiss silenced her. She seemed to realise something and grabbed the crystal heart with the same hand Clare put a ring on, and held close to her chest. Once Clare was holding her in her arms, she looked at her, then at her ringed hand, and said. "I love you Clare... Always was and always will." Then she closed her eyes and added. "And I accept my ancestry."

 

Even though her hand was tightly clenched around the tiny crystal heart, brilliant light emanated from within and temporary blinded both mares. Crystal Clear felt as a wave of warmth and... life, emanated from the bauble and reached to every part of her body.  She felt her strength again. A lightness in her chest made her feel again. And clear head made her think straight again. She opened her eyes and smiled at the pegasus. "Hello sweetie, or should I say, dearest wife? I'll have to come up with new pet names."

 

She was back in business, nice and shiny. Literally, since she crystallised in her wife's arms.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

Clare smiles and nuzzles her lovingly "I'm sorry I went off like that, I just had some thoughts that made me..made me need to calm down a bit" she says and kisses her "come on sweetheart, we've got a capital to get to and an ancestry to research" she says as she lays down on the cart again and sighs softly "Do you feel better sweetheart? I mean..you were incredibly..different just then"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crys returned the nuzzle and said apologetically. "It was my fault...I got so confused between you and my father that I talked nonsense. I'm sorry for that."

 

Clare laid out her plan and climbed the wagon. Meanwhile Crys looked at the ring on her finger from different angles. It looked beautiful. She rose to her hooves and dusted off her clothes, then tied the lace of her shirt, lest it would show too much. The mare turned to face the pegasus, who was still in her plates, and looked at her quizzically. "Different... how? Once I finished venting I felt like I had no will to live, and got so weak that I couldn't get up but... I have no idea what it was." She turned around to show off her shiny translucent self. "Isn't this enough of a cue that I feel great? Feels like you saved my life just now!" She suddenly remembered something.  "You did say goodbye to the villagers, right? And I reckon we leave the ship to the guards to sort out?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

Clare smiles "Think nothing of it darling, you were confused, that's all there is to say about it" she says and closes her eyes "As much as I do love being a knight, I wonder what it'd be like, to have a little filly and colt running around while I look after them" she says with a rather soft smile "Raising them to know right from wrong, having our fathers dote over them and completely forget that their daughters are complete lesbians" she chuckles somewhat at the last part, and then our own nieces and nephews if things go well between Celeste and Dusty, oh and don't forget little Rose Petal"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks,

 

The crystal mare stared for a moment at her pegasus companion, as if trying to make her talk, but to na avail. She bit her lower lip and shugged. "Let's just hope it was a once in a lifetime kind of thing - I have no wish for an encore..."

 

Crystal Clear noticed the impaled dagger and pried it loose when Clarissa was thinking aloud about they joys of settling down and having kids. Ater some persuasion it finally let go and she sheathed it by her belt, alongsode the hand and a half saber. Just because she wore only normal clothes didn't mean she couldn't strap iron to her belt. Since the shining was fuelled by good mood, and Crys loved it when she shined, she indulged in her future wife's daydream. "Yeah... After we have a little knightly honeymoon we could pool our piggy banks and buy some settlement and raise a modest manor, where we could just live together as a family. Sure, we would have to decide whether we adopt some foals or have our own, but that's just details really." She smiled widely at the thought. "Damn, I'm already starting to think how our house would look like. I am so sold on this idea..."

 

Crystal Clear noticed the mailmare approaching them somewhat unsurely. She was doing her best to avoid the red pools and look away from the still burning pile of corpses. She was so out of her element... Crys nudged Clare in her shoulder pad. "Wake up, seems you wanted to leave without saying goodbye. At least pen a note for miss Hooves to deliver. With a post scriptum that I want a warm bath a cool wine at my guest chamber."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare smiles and gets up to go greet the mailmare "Aaw, I almost for you sweetheart" she says, pulling the shy mailmare into a hug and nuzzles her "I'd never forget you sweetie" she says, still hugging her "ooh I know you're a mare already but I just want to adopt you and claim you as my own" she giggles then gives her the letter to deliver to her father "Can you please find my father and deliver this letter to him, it is very important that he gets it" she says before kissing the mare's cheek and going back to the cart. She climbs upon it once more and closes her eyes "She's so precious, almost childlike"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks,

 

Crys smiled reassuringly to the mailmare. The scenery was far from idyllic and her unease was completely understandable. She rolled her eyes at her marefriend's shenaningas and once the, now also embarassed, mailmare, flied back to the capital, she turned her attention back to Clare. "I almost got jealous, you're on an adoption spree and I am not included..." She pouted for emphasis while the sea behind her made her eyes look even more brilliant, thanks to her translucent state. The crystal mare shrugged and went for their oxen, while unconciously spinning the ring on her finger.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare smiles and leans over to kiss her "Of course you're included love, I mean you've got to admit, you want to adopt the mailmare as well" she says as she lays back down to rest.again and smiles softly "Oh well, we'll cross that bridge when get there, right?" she asks as she starts to play with her saber. "I mean, we've got our whole lives ahead of us and all, so we've got plenty of time to make plans and decide what we want to do" she says, closing her eyes and sighing softly "I'm just so happy that you said yes to marrying me"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks,

 

Crys burst in genuine laughter. "Now you're just rubbing the idea in me aren't you? Okay, one thing at a time? We have a wedding ahead of us I am not mistaken." She raised her palm, showing the ring. "By the way, it's not fair you don't have one. Guess we'll have to do something about it." The crystal mare strapped their oxen, still smiling to herself, and urged the animal to start walking. "So, you're going to take a nap again or something? We've got quite a trek to Opal, but I guess we should make it before midnight, and that's a pessimistic scenario." She walked for a few minutes in silence, then started asking questions. "So what do you think, a crystal ring would be pretty interesting, and fitting too! Sure, I'd have to import it from the continent but that would really be something..."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare still had her eyes closed but humms "A crystal ring huh? that would be interesting but also fitting seeing as your ring is an Emerald ring" she says with a soft smile "i can't wait to see Celeste again, it's going to be great, just like old times. Remember, the days we'd spend just laying in the grass and watching the skies?" she asks with a soft smile on her face, as she opens her eyes and looks at her hand where the ring would go. "The ring you're wearing sweetheart, it belonged to my mother"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks,

 

Crys nodded happily. "Then you'll have the crystalliest ring in all of the Isles! I know just the pony for the job, I'm sure you'll like it once it arrives." She picked up the pace slightly, wishing she was already in the capital so she could write the letter to a certain artisan in Canterlot.

 

The crystal mare looked at the surrounding countryside as she recalled the times with Clare's younger sister. "Yeah... those were the happier, simpler times. Well, this is also a happy time, but not so simple anymore, no." She almost tripped on her own hooves once she heard who owned the ring previously though. Crystal brought her hand closer to see the ring and replied with a voice full of emotions. "I... didn't know. I can only imagine how much it means to you then... I'm honored, I really am."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I know out of all the ponies I could be with and marry, I'm sure she'd be please it is you" Clare says, closing her eyes again "I didn't know her for very long, but what I do remember of her was her beautiful heart and her beauty." she says softly as she closes her eyes "It was mother who taught me about having compassion for the common folk and to do what I can to help them live well and happy lives" she says softly "I sure do miss her though" She opens the locket that held the picture of her mother in it and raises an eyebrow "hmm, that's odd, never noticed that before"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks,

 

Crystal Clear was still staring at the ring when she felt a pull on the reins - the road curved slightly and Betsy followed it, while the mare walked straight. "Oops, nearly walked into the ditch! Guess it shows how smitten I am." She giggled as she made the turn in the last moment. They were walking a rock throw away from the seaside and a rocky beach that guarded the entrance inland.

 

"She certainly had great influence on you, and a very positive too. I am really thrilled you chose me to wear her ring, dear." She smiled in the direction of her future wife, laying on the wagon. "Never noticed what? - she craned her neck to get a better look inside, and see what puzzled Clare so suddenly. She was looking at the locket with her mother's picture, all the more strange...

[Sphinx-Ara 3,553]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

She leans over to show her "Look, doesn't it look like she's almost...sparkling, I mean like you do when you're that happy and in love with me?" she asks pointing a sheen on her mother's coat. "I never really noticed that before, it's almost like she was a Crystal Mare and..." she thought for a moment "Do you think it would be possible?" she asks, giving the locket to Crys for better inspection before laying back down and sighing "Father won't speak much about her, but it is because it brings back memories of her. He's truly a sensitive soul"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks,

 

Crys gave her a strange look, meaning "lay off the drink darling" in plain Eqiestrian, but took the locket nevertheless. She bit her lower lip as she looked at it, long and hard, occasionally glancing where she's going. "Hmmmmm... It's pretty old so I can't say for sure but... it is a possibility. jusging from her smile she could be indeed crystallised on it." She held her own hand to her face to compare. "but if she were of my kin, then why I didn't know anything about it? Surely if she was connected to my family, she would be on that huge genealogy tree my father so loves to spend time before. You know the one, takes an entire wall in the Great Hall." She shrugged and gave Clare the locket. "Or she's from the continent. There are a few crystal noble houses still kicking besides mine. Guess you'll need to look for answers then, and you have my firm support. Even if it means breaking into the library at night." She winked at Clare and giggled.