Chapter 16

The knocking on Octavia’s door sent her heart rate skyrocketing. She wasn’t expecting any visitors for at least a few more days. The mare cautiously approached the door, cracked it open and looked out. The stern face of her father stared back. Octavia’s heart stopped.

“D-dad?” she stuttered. “Why are you here? The celebrations aren't for another three days. How did you find me?”

“Why can’t a father visit his daughter outside of special occasions?” The aged stallion shook his head then looked into her eyes. “You say that like you were hiding from me.”

Octavia tried to hide her panic. “I just thought you were going to arrive later.”

Maxim looked at his daughter with a puzzled expression. “What is wrong, dear? May I come in?”

The mare looked back at her messy apartment. “Uh, I don’t... sure.”

She backed away and let him enter. Maxim looked around at the clutter then back at his daughter who was heading towards the kitchen.

“Something is not right with you,” he stated, as a row of wine bottles caught his attention.

Octavia continued to walk away without answering. Maxim noticed her slightly swollen belly and choked back quickly forming tears. The stallion followed Octavia into the kitchen and when she turned to face him with an empty expression on her face he pulled her into a firm hug. He didn’t try to stop the tears now. Maxim felt that he was losing his daughter and the urge to never let her go filled him.

Octavia was startled at first when her father embraced her but it quickly gave way to tears. She quickly fell into uncontrollable sobbing as all the pain fell away.

“Please forgive me,” Octavia croaked through her tears. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t raise a foal like this!”

Maxim pressed his nose against hers and looked into her shaky eyes. “I am here for you and we are going to get you through this.”

Octavia shook her head, “I don’t think you can fix this problem father.”

“It’s going to be alright.” Maxim said as he kissed her nose. “Sit down and relax. I shall make you some tea.”

The mare shrugged but still complied. She sat down at the kitchen table and rested her face on her hooves. Maxim heated water on the stove, poured it into two mugs and dropped a pack of tea into each one. He set one mug before his daughter and sat down across from her.

Neither one said anything for a while but Octavia wanted to get something off of her chest.

“I-I don’t know who the father is,” she blurted. Maxim said nothing and looked down at his tea as she continued. “I such an idiot! I felt lonely and every night for a long time I went out to clubs and parties and occasionally I met a stallion who would make me feel like I wasn't alone, like I was special. Occasionally one of them would make me smile and I-I would lose control. What is wrong with me?”

“You're merely a pony. Everyone has their weaknesses, including me.” Maxim gave a sad smile at his daughter in an attempt to show that he was not angry with her.

Octavia looked up at him. She could see disappointment and sorrow in his eyes but there was indeed no anger. “What weaknesses could you have? You seem so infallible.”

Maxim shook his head. “When I was younger I had quite a few. I also don’t always know what to do. I don’t know how to heal a broken relationship with a distant daughter.”

The mare wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at him questioningly. “Why aren't you angry at me?”

“I'm not angry with you because you are my daughter and you're old enough to realise the consequences of your actions. I’m sad, but not angry.” The stallion said. “As your father though, I am here for you.”

Octavia shook her head violently. Her voice wa rapidly becoming irritated. “You can't fix this so don't try too hard.”

“We are going to fix this together.” Maxim placed his hoof on top of hers. “Like a family.”

Octavia unexpectedly became hostile. She knocked her father’s hoof away and glared at him. “Stop trying to fix everything! You couldn't fix mom and now you can’t fix me! Stop trying! Oh, and we haven't been a true family since she died. You have been distant and cold, reeking of sadness and self pity.”

The mare knew she was responsible for much of the collapse between their relationship and those traits matched her the better but her anger prevented any two sided truth. Octavia know she was hurting him, screamed at her mind to stop but she continued her rage.

“Our relationship is broken. You can’t fix this-this hollow shell of a family!”

Maxim remained motionless and calm but Octavia could see the pain behind his soft eyes. No tears fell but she could see him fighting against it.

He took a deep breath and his words came out slow and shaky. “I shall be going now, Octavia. It has been nice seeing you again.”

The stallion stood and headed towards the door. Octavia sat motionless as her father showed himself out. When he was gone her rage disappeared into a flood of cold sorrow and regret. She buried her face in her hooves and started to cry.

“What have I done?”

The next day Octavia awoke with a start. She looked at her clock and realised that she was going to be late for recitals. The mare leaped out of bed, freshened herself up, put on her bowtie and retrieved her cello. She looked around her apartment one last time, making sure that nothing was forgotten then rushed out.

As Octavia ran down the crowded Canterlot streets other ponies remained busy setting up for the wedding celebrations. The gave her no heed as the mare ran headlong towards the Celestial Music Hall. Octavia did look up in the sky for a single moment though and was shocked to see that the entire city had been encased in a pink bubble. The mare dismissed it as a part of the elaborate decorations.

Octavia reached the hall fifteen minutes late. Realising that rushing wasn’t going to help anymore and that she was going to be in trouble anyway, the mare slowed down as she entered the building. Every day she passed the same paintings and busts of famous composers and musicians. One that always caught her eyes was the portrait of a younger Maxim hanging in a special location. Octavia read the plague under it just to refresh her mind as to what it said.

“Orchestratus Maxim. Receiver of 37 awards, composer of 74 popular pieces and multiple other works and the most acclaimed modern composer.” The mare sighed and added additional information. “The father of a worthless daughter.”

Octavia pulled herself away and headed towards the double doors but stopped abruptly. From inside the hall she could hear a solo violin playing one of her father’s songs. An older piece that he wrote after she was born that was called “Lullaby for My Little Joy”. Octavia pushed open the door and peered inside. In the dim room she could see her fellow orchestra members in the seats staring intently at the lone pony on the stage.

Her father looked up momentarily from his violin, gave a soft smile then closed his eyes. Maxim remained wrapped up in bittersweet song that he was playing as Octavia slowly approached the stage. Her heart beat quickly in anticipation for an opportunity to heal the wound she created yesterday. Each cautious step pulled her closer to the pony that had always been their for her but she had pushed away. He was there, waiting for her, it was up to her to bridge the gap.

Octavia stepped onto the stage and stood next to him for a moment, her eyes quickly filled with tears as the song Maxim played her every night as a young filly wrapped around her. She took a seat next to him, readied her Cello and started to play along. The pair played their duet for another ten minutes before drawing to a close.

When they finished Octavia jumped from her seat, no longer able to contain herself, and wrapped her hooves around her father. Maxim returned the embrace as both ponies cried.

“I’m sorry father!” Octavia wept. “I didn’t mean any of that yesterday. I was, I just- I-”

“There is no need to explain. I understand.” Maxim looked into his daughter’s eyes and wiped away her tears. “I understand.”