Chapter Fifty One

A Thief in the Night

You will always be

Spike looked around as he scrubbed his scales, the warm water soothing his body as he showered. He was, of course, the last one to do so, primarily because he wanted the ladies to go first. Plus, this way, if the hot water did run out, then he wouldn’t be leaving a cold shower for anyone else, and he didn’t mind a bit of cold water.

“What was that?” he muttered.

Mine

He glanced towards the door, wondering if someone was hiding behind it and saying that. Only thing was, it didn’t sound like Bakhtak, or Ebony, or even Eutropia. It sounded more like…

“Asalah,” Spike said, though he knew that to be false. While Ebony was chopping some wood in the cellar, Asalah had gone off with Trixie and Bakhtak to try on some of the clothes Ebony had bought, and Chrysalis and Maria were chatting with Eutropia in the living room about her training. Seemed like the pair of them really wanted Spike to learn how to defend himself with something other than his claws and flames.

Still, that didn’t explain why he was hearing a voice that sounded suspiciously like his fourth wife’s. Maybe that powder in Istanbul had some odd side effects after it wore off? He still didn’t feel like himself; light-headed, occasionally disoriented, and if this was anything to go by, hearing things that weren’t really there.

Maybe he was just dehydrated. He just needed to drink plenty of water over the next few days and make sure he ate enough food to help regain his strength. There was no telling if there’d be any more trouble ahead of them on this journey. “With what we’ve already been through, I bet our luck may be running out,” he muttered, thinking back to all of his previous problems. Chrysalis and he had been more or less fine out at sea aboard the Crowhop, though the fact he had saved her life twice showed that not everything was sunshine and rainbows when it came to travelling. Other than the terrible rainstorm in Equineland, there had been that one bandit in the lands of Spreign. After that, the only problems for the longest time had been that robber baron in southern Prance, those bandits in the Samarea Desert, and the troubles with that warlord’s son and himself, both in and near Eastern Africa.

This new problem in Istanbul, however, had eclipsed all of those other ones for one simple reason: he had not been the one who saved the day, mostly because those guards had taken precautions necessary to subdue him. In fact, he had been more of a hindrance than anything else during the escape, and to be honest, if what Chrysalis had told him were even half true, things could have been very bad for them if her Censcorpions hadn’t arrived.

Frankly, the fact that he hadn’t been there, even couldn’t be there to protect his family, tore at his heart. Everypony said that it wasn’t his fault, that he couldn’t have done anything, but he should’ve thought ahead. He should’ve done this differently, or that differently; made plans, sought allies, something, anything. He was out of his element; the lands east of Europe were vastly different from the lands he had already travelled through, it seemed. The maps of many of these lands weren’t even up to date by way of what Luna had shown him, and now, after all this…

He felt vulnerable. Truly for the first time, he felt uneasy about the whole trip. He had accepted that things might happen, bad things, but so far he had gotten out more or less scot-free. Now, with coming so close to losing everything in Istanbul… he was afraid for his family’s safety more than ever before.

Turning off the shower, Spike began to dry himself off as his thoughts continuing to consume him.

Sending them back to Maria’s family would be tantamount to abandonment, yet they would be safe. Only, he knew they would never accept this, and though sending them to Equestria would be even safer, he knew the problems with that would be even more dire. Chrysalis was approaching the point where any sort of camouflage, even for a few moments, was becoming unbearably painful and could soon put their foal at risk of harm, or even worse, spontaneous abortion. So, with her being unable to change her appearance, if he did send her back to Maria’s family or even Equestria, there would be a lot of unanswered questions.

Maria’s family only knew her as Meia, and wouldn’t likely take it very well to find out that there had been an imposter in their midst. Equestria, on the other hand, would not react well at all; Twilight and Celestia might try to attack her on sight, or imprison her or something if he were not there to try and defuse the situation. The other Elements of Harmony might try the same, or at the very least make her feel unwelcome and miserable. Then, if Cadance and Shining Armor visited, things could get even worse.

This was all excluding the fact that a huge portion of Equestria now harbored a deep-seated mistrust of changelings in general and an overall feeling that changelings mistrusted ponies for the same reasons. It was a two-fold issue that would take time to mend.

He needed to introduce her slowly, make them see her for the changed mare she was, and protect her from his own if he must. He could already hear Twilight screaming something about him being “under her thrall” and that he’d need to be thoroughly examined by her to prove that Chrysalis was still evil and trying to take over the kingdom, again.

“They’d never forgive me if I did that anyway,” he muttered, dressing in the clothes Ebony had picked out for him. Simple coveralls, a longsleeved wool shirt and some light robes for travelling. He looked more like a farmer than a “royal” dragon, but this wasn’t exactly a massive, wealthy area, and he was glad Ebony had at least found something in his size. Of course, he had needed to make holes in the back of his shirt for his wings, but other than that, it suited him just fine.

Then there was the question of continuing the journey with them. He had three pregnant wives, and Spike had no idea just how rugged the terrain they would face in the future would be. Any slip, any fall, even just a sharp bump or jolt could cause them to damage or even lose their unborn foal. Nor would his overprotectiveness allow them to have any good times on the trip, either, and he had no way of knowing the exact birth date of the babies. He had a general idea of when, but every mare was different, and his varied family was no exception. All he knew was that he wanted the foals born in Equestria, safe and surrounded by friends and family. Plus, being born in Equestria would automatically make them citizens, which would, in turn, result in much less paperwork and potential problems in the future.

So, he couldn’t just abandon them somewhere safe, as they would undoubtedly think he was just leaving them behind, but he simply didn’t know where the journey would take them in the future. Who knew what sort of races, nations, beings and customs he might encounter on his journey through the rest of the world?

He did know one thing: in Japan, he was scheduled to stay there for an extended period of time, as he knew Luna was due to visit there in a few months. She had told him herself, at any rate, that she should be there around the same time as he would be. That meant that he could entrust Luna with caring for his family whilst he set off towards India and returned, with them meeting up with him near the Philippines. Though that would still mean that he’d have to introduce Chrysalis to Luna and smooth over any problems therein, but he felt like he could handle it. Plus, if Luna does befriend Chrysalis, then she too could help smooth things over with the others back in Equestria.

Of course, then there’s the whole issue with him potentially finding himself in a tempting situation when his family isn’t practically hanging onto his arm. It seems that most creatures find trying to “get with” another’s husband is rather distasteful, something for which Spike was glad, seeing that there are always those… persistent ones who would stop at nothing. That alone scared him nearly as much as being imprisoned; pursued by those who would seek to usurp or replace his family with themselves, all for power or the thrill.

He knew he could keep himself in check and stay loyal, but that was if he were able to keep control of himself. A potion, or a spell perhaps, could undo everything he had gained so far. He would have to watch his back if he did travel alone, or with those who were not his family.

This was all becoming far more complex than he had originally thought. He had taken much of the earlier trip in stride; the Prench robber baron, Trixie showing up in Roam, and pregnant at that, the unexpected marriage to Asalah, and even the revelation that Meia was Chrysalis. Now, he was starting to see just how lucky he had been, and was now afraid his luck had, or would soon, run out completely.

Coincidentally, so had their funds, their travelling papers, and all manner of whatever they would have magically sent back to Equestria. By now, Spike was seriously beginning to wonder just how much stuff he needed to send back, and even why. Luna and Celestia had told him explicitly that it was all for research purposes, and to expand Equestria’s worldview and knowledge of what lay beyond their borders. He knew it would all help, for sure, but to him, most of that could have been accomplished by some expeditionary forces, perhaps scholars or professors of science and culture. There were many historians out there willing to travel to make their fame and fortunes through recovering artifacts and discovering other cultures. There were countless college students and unemployed adults willing to do field work for their chance at discovering something amazing or participating in such a discovery.

So… why him? Why not just send him to marry all over the world, or better yet, bring them to Equestria for his choosing?

Granted, any of his wives would be knowledgeable to the point of experts on their lands, their cultures and everything else, but they would be royals. They wouldn’t know about the underclass all that much and common folk unless they were the kinds of nobles that travelled, surveying more than just cities, castles, and political borders. His wives knew about their lands because they were invested in them. Trixie wasn’t even royalty, so he would never have met her on the train, never had sex, never gotten her pregnant and married to her, never fallen in love; he’d have just met whichever princess or similarly-titled heiress that would’ve been sent to Equestria by their fathers, perhaps seeking political favor or alliances. He would never have gotten to know his wives on such personal levels as he had if they had just come to Equestria to be “picked from a line” like produce or livestock.

For that, Spike was glad he had travelled so far and seen so much. However, that still didn’t relieve his worries of just what to send back. Would he even be able to properly use his magic fire after his time unconscious?

“Best ask Ebony for some advice,” the dragon muttered as he left the room. In the farthest recesses of his mind, he could still faintly detect a sound, something so minute that he could just barely make it out.

We are one body

Yet so far apart

Ebony Blade glanced up from the pile of drying wood he was currently stacking; the cellar steps were creaking under someone’s weight. “Hello?” he called, wondering if it was Bakhtak coming to talk to him. Ever since their talk earlier that morning, she had been on his mind more than before. Then again, that had increased even more after his talk with Fyrefly in back in New Wingdah. This land was trying to reclaim him yet and make him stay put for good this time.

“Mr. Blade? Can I talk with you for a few minutes?” Came the answer, and the batpony eased a sigh of relief. It was only the dragon.

“Yes, Mr. Dragul, we can speak,” he replied, stacking a few more split logs against the wall.

“Please, just call me Spike,” The dragon replied.

“Spike,” Ebony repeated, as if memorizing the preferred name. “What is it you wish to talk about? Does something trouble you?”

“You might say that. Do you know why I’m on this journey?”

“Journey, you say? No, can’t say I do. I’m guessing it’s important?”

“Yeah, kinda. Hard to say how important, but to some, very.”

“Then what troubles you?” It seemed this dragon was carrying far more baggage than he was letting on, as from his pauses, Ebony could tell Spike was consumed with thought. He knew the signs of stress as well as anypony, so he could tell that yes, Spike was not having a fun time talking about all of this. He needed advice, and Ebony would help him as best he could, as befitting a good host.

“My family and I… we’re set for returning to Equestria by the time the foals are born, if not before. That’s more than several months from now, but I don’t know exactly when. I don’t want to abandon them, but I’m afraid that taking them with me any further will put them in harm’s way.”

“Then what are you asking?”

“Should… should I send them to Equestria ahead of time and set out on my own? Or do I take them with me and risk having one lose a foal, or if we’re gone long enough, give birth outside of my home country? I don’t… I just… I’m scared for them; for all of them.”

Ebony stacked the last piece of wood and sized up the dragon. Several decades younger than him, yet seemingly just as travelled; unsure of himself, yet having made it this far, at such a young age, and with such ties to life… it was amazing. “Tell me, Spike. Your family… do you love them?”

“What? Yes, of course!” the dragon replied.

“I thought as much. If your worry is anything to indicate, you care for your family very much, but have you ever taken the time to think about how much they care for you?”

“Well, I mean, yeah, usually, I think,” Spike said. “What do you mean?”

“Spike, if they love you anywhere near as much as you seem to, then they couldn’t bear to part from you on this journey,” Ebony said simply. “Trust me, the connection ones feels within a family is more important than most realize. Plus, as you said, three of them are pregnant. Do you really think that just leaving them behind would keep your bond strong?”

“But, wouldn’t they be safer? Both them and the foals?”

“Sure, maybe, they would, but three hormonal mares would be more than enough trouble for any one pony to handle,” the batpony said with a smirk. “That’s not including if you and Asalah conceive as well. Then you’ll have four mares carrying your foals journeying around with you. I’m afraid they’d be safer with you, not for their safety, but for others.”

Spike, in spite of himself, cracked a small grin. “Well, I know they can be a handful when they feel like it. Only, would leaving them somewhere be akin to abandonment?”

“In essence, yes. You could dress it up as trying to protect them, but without you there, they couldn’t be the safest they could. Plus, you never know who might be out there with a grudge against you, and if they can’t get to you, then they could try and get to your family.”

Spike’s expression darkened at that. There was a face, scarred with terrible burns and twisted with rage, that tugged at the back of his mind, hidden by shadows. “The African warlord,” he muttered. “Undi.”

“Who?”

“Nothing. So, they’ll overall be safer with me, so long as we avoid more places like Istanbul?”

“Yes, they should be. Most countries are not like the Ottomare Empire. They have no deep-seated fear of dragons, though many are not exactly opening their doors and laying down the welcome mat. To them, you and your family would be mere curiosities, just passing through, no different than most others. However, there are… exceptions.”

“Such as?”

“Years ago, I met with a mercenary who hailed from the distant realm of China. This was before I heard of them becoming a republic, but they have a very high opinion of dragons. You might even say many… worship them.”

“Oh, great,” Spike said, resisting the urge to slap his forehead. “Just what I need; an entire country with a dragon fixation. That could be as bad as Istanbul’s dragon hatred.”

“Unlikely, though you will undoubtedly run into trouble,” Ebony said. “Take precautions, though, and I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“But what about the things I can’t prepare against, like freak storms or some random bandits? I can’t prepare for everything under the sun.”

“Nor should you try, lest you collapse from exhaustion or drive yourself mad. Spike, your family is everything to you, I can see that. But you need to remember, you are everything to them. Think of where they’d be if you hadn’t come into their lives.”

Spike was silent. Ebony was right: if he hadn’t been where he was, when he was, then… literally everything would be different. Trixie, Chrysalis, Maria, Asalah… they’d all be elsewhere, potentially not even with him. Eutropia too; if not for what transpired in Istanbul, she might still be there, with her mother. Everypony else too; the Prench king’s nephew and heir-apparent, the prince in Saddle Arabia, those ponies travelling to and from Sicily…

He had changed so many lives, and in so short a time. It was, to be frank, rather inspiring. “You're right,” he said after several moments of silence. “They should come with me. I won’t be able to protect them from everything that comes our way, but I will do my best.”

“That is all we can ever ask of ourselves, Spike: to do our best.” The batpony stallion paused, a curious expression passing over his face. “Come with me, I want to show you something.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll see.”

Meanwhile…

“So, Eutropia. Do you really think you can help Spike learn to fight?” Chrysalis asked as she sat by the fireplace, Maria sitting beside her, and the young griffin directly across from them.

“With a sword? Yeah, I think I can help him a bit,” she replied. “I’m no expert, and it takes years for anyone to become one, but I think I could at least teach him the basics, if not some of the more intermediate stuff.”

“That’s all we can ask, seeing as we’ll be leaving soon, or so Mr. Blade explained,” Maria said. “I still think he should learn more about hand to hand combat over shields and swordplay.”

“I concur,” Chrysalis said. “He has little need of a shield or sword, and I’d prefer he knows how to fight with his mind and body, and not just his brute, draconic strength. Sometimes you need subtlety, and… well, back in Prance, he had all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.”

“So you’ve told me. Now, how do I know he won’t somehow go into this “sledgehammer” state and just try and crush me?” Eutropia asked.

“He’s got it under control, far better than before, I might add,” Maria said. “Besides, we can be there on the sidelines, encouraging him and, if need be, calm him down. He would never hurt us.”

“But how can I be sure?” The griffin asked. “How do I know he won’t “turn” to protect his hoard? I imagine he thinks you’re part of it or something.”

The two mares glanced at one another. “Well, he may, deep down, think of us as part of his hoard, but there’s more to it than that,” Maria said. “We’re his wives, carrying his foals; we’re family on the deepest level attainable by ourselves. He’s only gone into those modes when we were in some sort of danger, so unless you fight us or something, I doubt he’d go feral.”

“Plus, one of the times he did, he felt so ashamed that he didn’t even want us to see him like that,” Chrysalis said, remembering back to the Samarea Desert. “I think he feels guilty about us witnessing how savage he can be, and it ate away at him for a long while. He’s nothing like the monstrous brute he can become, and we all know it. Maybe it’s his way of compensating for the beast inside; remain civilized and calm on the outside.”

“So, as long as none of you get hurt by trying to step in, and I don’t threaten you or anything, he won’t go berserk?”

“Correct.”

“Well, that helps things quite a bit.”

“How so?”

“I have to tell you now, he’s going to be in for a world of hurt,” the griffin said simply. “He may or may not need you to console him every time I’m done with him.”

“Oh,” Maria said. “What can we expect?”

“Oh, the usual; name calling, derogatory comments, repeatedly being punched in the face or stomach. You know, stuff like that. And I’ll be sure to avoid anything involving his reproductive organs, except for insults of course, just so he, or any of you, don’t totally hate my guts afterwards.”

“I think we can deal with a little brutal emotional encouragement,” Chrysalis said.

“Just as long as it doesn’t become too personal, let alone highly caustic,” Maria added. “We’d prefer it if Spike didn’t go over in a corner and cry at the end of each training session.”

“So what’d you say is too far, then?” The griffin asked.

“Well, from what he’s told us, he never knew his birth parents; he was hatched as an egg as part of an entrance exam for his unicorn friend, who then raised him like a sister,” Chrysalis said. “I don’t think he even knows his mother’s name.”

“Okay then, parents are out of the picture, so I’ll avoid that.”

“Everything else seems fine, so long as it’s purely to motivate and not break him down,” the changeling queen added.

“Okay then! When do you think we should start?”

“Well, I was thinking a little every day, starting as soon as we set out from here,” Maria said with a shrug. “We wouldn’t be wasting time, seeing as we’d only need to have him train when we’ve stopped for a night or two, depending on the weather.”

“Oh, that reminds me; he’ll have to exercise regularly as well,” Eutropia said. “Running, sit ups, push ups, maybe even some flying; you know, stuff like that.”

“Well, he could run along whatever carriages or carts we happen to be travelling in,” Chrysalis said. “Of course, that means he’ll be needing more food than normal.”

“I think we’ll manage.”

Meanwhile…

As the wind clawed at their clothes, the batpony and the dragon closed the cellar doors behind them, taking care to make sure the tumblers on the locks fell back into place properly. Ebony knew that Spike had no idea of what lay in his backyard; nobody else knew. Only Bakhtak, his distant relatives and the duchess knew of what lay back under the old oak tree.

It was time for Spike to know as well. “Spike, follow me,” he said simply, taking care to follow the stone steps leading out behind the house.

The dragon trailed behind him, watching as the mercenary seemed to trace the outline of each stone before stepping on it, as if it were a memory he’d just rediscovered. “Ebony, before anything else, I have to say, thank you… for everything.”

“Such as?” the batpony asked, sounding as if he were lost in thought.

“For taking us into your home, for feeding and clothing us as if we strangers were just long-lost cousins, for making sure we were comfortable and safe. I know it’s a cliche thing to say, but… you have a heart of gold, Mr. Blade.”

“Indeed, though being a mercenary also tends to lead to such a state of mind,” Ebony replied.

“But you’re not any mercenary. You’ve treated us as guests, not as those you’ve been hired to protect. With all that’s gone on these past few days, I can’t imagine where we’d be now if not for you and all that you’ve done for us. I just… I just have to thank you, Mr. Blade. From one stallion to another.”

“But you’re a dragon, not a pony.”

“Its the thought that counts,” Spike said as they came upon the grassy knoll underneath the large oak tree.

Ebony stopped, his gaze pointed towards the ground in front of them. The flowers… they were still there, untouched by the rain and wind of last night; truly miraculous. “Spike, you love your family,” he stated.

“Of course. More than anything else,” the dragon replied.

“What would you do for them?”

Spike was slightly taken aback by this. “Well, anything, I suppose.”

“You suppose?”

“Well, yeah-, no, I know I would do anything for them.” His answer this time was resolute and filled with a confident tone.

“If you had to do something that went against your better judgement, would you?”

“I’m not sure what you mean…”

“Spike, would you be willing to do something that you normally wouldn’t do, in order to protect your family? To keep them safe? Would you be willing to take part in a career like mine, if need be?”

The dragon had no idea where this was coming from, but Ebony was very serious, so he nodded. “Yes, yes I would. If it meant a better life for them, better than what it could be, if everything was different, then yes, yes I would.”

“My job has a very low life expectancy, Spike,” the batpony replied. “Mercenaries often die out in the field, missed only by their families, if they even have any. Most mercenaries are the youngest sons of a large family, with nothing to inherit; it is a life where all you will ever have is what you earn yourself. Many are not paid well, and many more follow little if any code of honor, as it can be costly if you’re generous or kind. Some do not take prisoners, instead opting to kill for more pay; some will readily turn on their employers if their foes offer more. I was different, you see.”

“In what way?”

“I am not the oldest child of my parents, but I was plenty older than many of my fellow mercenaries when I became one. I held myself to a code of honor, and after years of thinking about it, I believe I have started to realize why. Spike, my family… they were what kept me going, to improve their lives through my career. It was they who kept me grounded, who kept me steadfast against many of the harsh realities of the world; hatred, avarice, deceit, betrayal. They were my everything, Spike. In a way, they still are.”

Spike walked up to Ebony’s side and looked down, his eyes widening in realization as he followed the stallion’s gaze towards the ground. Two small stone slabs, adorned with what looked to be freshly picked, if not slightly wet, little white flowers. He remembered seeing those in the hills of Germaney, in a time that felt like a lifetime ago already.

“Spike, I was willing to do anything for my family,” Ebony continued. “I threw myself into the life of a mercenary, and for a long time, it seemed as though I may die on the battlefield before my daughter would learn to walk, let alone fly. Within a few years, though, my reputation began to precede me, and I was offered better paying, less risky jobs. I was able to employ myself to those who paid better and asked far less of me, all because they knew I was held by a strict code of honor.”

“But what of… after?” Spike asked softly.

“After their passing… I was lost. Maybe I still am; I don’t know, and I doubt I ever will. I’ve kept up with my code, with what I know to be the best for myself as a pony, but not because it’s easy or I’m so used to being that way. I do it because it keeps the memory of my family alive, for though they are gone from this world, they will never be gone from my heart. It would be so easy, you know, to just turn my back on this, on them, on everything, but I can’t, and I never will.”

The dragon was silent, looking down at the graves with a strange stirring in his heart. He could see himself in Ebony’s place, perhaps in a different life. He, alone, though not because his family had died of some earthly ailment, but because of the slow decay of time. He would linger on, alone, while they withered before him and eventually passed on.

It was what he had to look forward to, many years from now. His wives, he hoped, would pass peacefully in their twilight years, for the loss of a child was something no parent should have to suffer. His children, being halflings, would linger for a very long time, but eventually their mother’s genes would work against them, and they too would pass. He would watch countless descendants pass away in front of him, some sooner than others, and yet he would still be there, up until the ends of his days. Who knew when that would be?

“You must cherish them always, but doubly so when they are still with you,” the batpony said, snapping Spike out of his gloomy vision of the future. “Spike, I know that as a dragon you’ll live a very long life, but please promise me one thing. No matter where the road in your life takes you, no matter what trials you face and what triumphs you celebrate, always remember that family is more important than all the jewels in the world. They may last for ages, but family does not, and that makes it all the more precious.”

“You’ve given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?” Spike asked, trying to casually wipe away the small tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

“Yes,” Ebony said with a sigh, placing his hand on Spike’s shoulder in a brotherly gesture. “You’re still young, Spike the dragon, so take it from somepony like me, who has lived for quite a bit. Never take anything for granted, even the most sure things, for you could lose them at any time.”

Spike silently nodded, his eyes gracing the names lovingly etched into the stone below him.

Calypso Blade

Lobelia Blade

“How… how did they die?”

Ebony looked over at Spike for a few moments before gazing back upon the gravestones. “My little daughter, a miracle birth, Calypso ,became very sick many years ago. It was from an ailment I had never seen before, had never even heard of. Not even the local doctor heard about it before… he didn’t know what to do, and in the middle of the night, within days of turning ill, while holding my hand-,” he said, choking back a sob. “She was so quiet, so pale, but so calm… her last words were… ‘I love you, daddy’, and then she… she breathed her last.”

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “Lobelia was stricken with grief more than even I was. She... she withered away, refusing to eat, hearing her daughter’s voice between the twilight of waking and sleeping. She couldn’t… she couldn’t cope as well as I, and when the pox came through as it did every few years, she… she died in our bed, in my arms. She was gone in less than a year after Calypso.”

Spike was silent for what felt like minutes, supporting the stallion’s hand on his shoulder like one would do a wounded comrade. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Ebony sniffled a little before removing his hand from Spike’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he said softly. “The pain… it gets to me, even now, after ten long years. I know it’ll never go away, but… sometimes, when I’m with others, it’s not… not so bad, you know?”

“Like Bakhtak?” the dragon asked.

“Yeah,” the batpony replied. “Yeah, like Bakhtak.”

Spike stood there in silence with Ebony Blade for what may have been mere minutes, or possibly hours. As the sky began to darken once more, what little sunlight that passed through the clouds gradually diminishing, the stallion turned to the drake.

“Come, let’s go inside before we catch a chill. Bakhtak’s probably getting supper ready, and your wives surely want your opinion on their dresses or something.”

Spike silently nodded, following the batpony away from the graves and towards the front of the house.

High above them, hidden in the branches of the great oak tree, the stark white vampire lay in secret, her eyes following the two as they disappeared into the house once more. “So, it would seem both past and present have a way of intertwining in the most interesting of ways,” she mused, softly landing at the base of the tree once she was sure the coast was clear. Licking her lips and exposing her fangs, she softly walked around, her eyes trailing the names over the graves.

“Little Calypso,” she said, savoring each syllable like a delicate wine. “Oh, yes, sweet as honey, and filled with life. I should have left more in her, more for a later visit. But I could not stop, did not wish to stop, and as with all things, overindulgence can lead to… consequences.”

The former Lady Bathory knew very well that this grave marked the only victim of hers that had passed as a direct consequence to her feeding. Every other victim, back then and now, continued on their lives, shaken but none the worse for wear. This one, though, was the one who had not, her life cut tragically short.

The vampiress didn’t care. She felt no remorse for what she did, any more than for what she had turned herself into. This was about survival, about defeating the enemy that was time, and she had finally done it. She had finally become the beauty she knew she had always been, but now would always continue to be.

All that was left was to obtain the blood of someone strong; someone powerful; someone blessed with a gift of longevity that even she had yet to fully comprehend. Luckily for her, he was right in this very house, just waiting for her, slowly falling under her spell…

“Very soon,” she said softly, her wings lifting her into the air as if she weighed no more than a leaf. “I will have what I want, and nothing will stop me from obtaining it. No army, no storm, no law, mercenary, castle or sword will keep me from my goal. Not even Lady Fyrefly will keep me from this, twin sister or not.”

With a tinkling laugh that could freeze water, she flew high into the sky, her wing beats propelling her towards the forest in the distance. She would know when she was needed, and from what her heightened senses could tell her, it was fast approaching.

Mine

Mine

Mine

“Hey, does anyone else hear that?”

Everyone at the table turned towards the dragon, some of them in mid-chew as they ate their pasta with mushrooms and garlic, along with a side of Bahtak’s freshly baked cheesy bread.

“Hear what, Spike?”

“Asalah, by chance, are you whispering “mine” over and over again?”

“What? No. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know, I just… I just keep hearing it, over and over.”

“Maybe you’re still a little sick from before?” Bakhtak asked. “I don’t know dragon biology, but if what you’ve said about that powder was all you knew, then there may have been more side effects.”

“Maybe,” the dragon said with a shrug. “I mean, it even sounds like you, Asalah.”

“Then Bakhtak is probably right and you’re just imagining things,” the zebra said simply. “Come now, eat up, you need to get better sooner than later.”

Nodding in agreement, Spike continued eating, choosing to remain silent as he listened in on everyone else’s conversations. A good thing too, seeing as his name came up rather frequently.

“So, Spike, what do you think of Eutropia’s training schedule?” Chrysalis asked.

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “Though I do see a problem: if I’ll be needing more food to keep up my metabolism and whatnot, how are we going to pay for it? All the gold we had is still somewhere in Istanbul, probably on backlog in some evidence locker or stolen by some guard for all we know.”

“Mother would never allow for such thievery,” Eutropia said. “But yes, you do have a valid point; the growing season is shorter where we’ll be going, so many of the foods you and I are used to will not be as readily available.”

“I’m sure my friends up in Marescow would be more than happy to give you whatever you’d need,” Ebony said. “They’ve always wanted to meet a dragon like you, Spike. Usually they just encounter the giant ice dragons of the far north, and those are rarer than you’d think.”

“Ice dragons?” Trixie asked.

“Yes, they are a species of sea dragons endemic to extremely cold places, and often live along the coast,” Ebony said. “They are even paid in fine jewels to keep their ports open during the colder parts of the year, so as to help with trade… or so I’ve been told. I’ve never seen one, actually, but I heard they are very large and rather wise.”

“I don’t think we’ll get the chance to meet one in our travels,” Maria said. “What with our conditions and all. Plus, it’d be quite the detour in the off chance of trying to meet one.”

“So, your friends,” Bakhtak began, glancing over at Ebony. “Is there anything you might want to tell us about them?”

“Well, they’re friendly, but have a lot of responsibilities, so any time we spend with them would be rather brief, even if we stayed there for some time. Other than that, nothing really seems all that important.”

“So… when do we leave?” Asalah asked.

“Within a few days, seeing as the weather should be fully cleared up by then,” the batpony replied. “It’s generally a bad idea to try and travel far in weather like this. I’m hoping the break in the clouds will warm things up considerably.”

As everyone else continued talking, Spike chewed his food, his thoughts consumed by the voice he was hearing and the conversations he was listening in on. On one hand, Bakhtak would glance at Ebony Blade every now and then, as if scrutinizing him for something, some sign that he was feeling better. She really seemed to care for his well-being, far more than most maids might.

On the other hand, he could hear Trixie and Asalah asking Eutropia all about the training he would receive, as from what he could gather, only Maria and Chrysalis had spoken on the matter before. Trixie seemed very thrilled by the idea, though Asalah had a few reservations, namely how he would be motivated without being traumatized. She seemed very interested in the welfare of him below the belt…

“She wants foals too,” he thought, internally smiling but outwardly remaining casually neutral. It was clear to him that his zebra wife was feeling a tad jealous of the others, as she was the only one not pregnant. Well, if the time permitted it, upon the arrival of her estrus, he would spend as much time with her until she got what she wanted. Until then, he wasn’t sure if he was well enough to even consider heavy petting, never mind actual sex. Plus, there was the whole situation with Eutropia being in the same room, and them being on the road for who knew how much longer…

Which brought up another fair point; just how far would Eutropia travel with them? From what he had been told, captain Myrrina had explicitly told her daughter to leave Istanbul and the borders of the Ottomare Empire behind and not return. That meant she was more or less stuck with them until she decided to depart, but when and where would that happen? Would she stay with them all the way to Equestria?

“Not the worst place to leave us and set off on her own,” he thought as he sipped some water. Of course, she’d probably prefer to be with her own kind, and the Griffon Kingdom was not terribly far away from Equestria’s borders, so it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to assume she’d depart from them (assuming she stayed until then) once they began to pass through the land of the griffins. Now, was that before or after the land of the dragons? Or was it the land of the minotaurs? Everything was starting to blur together…

“Figures,” he muttered out of earshot of everyone else. He’d travelled so far, and yet still had so much more to go, that he couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to this journey than what Luna and Celestia had originally alluded to. He was changing things wherever he went, yet none of it was connected back to Canterlot or even Equestria, save for the Saddle Arabian prince and the whole issue there. Of course things would start becoming less and less defined the more he travelled.

Maybe he should start writing it all down again, just to keep everything nice and orderly; didn’t want to take a wrong turn and accidentally go to China by way India; over the Himarelayas.

Meanwhile…

“Your highness, we’ve found no signs of her,” the captain said, his beating wings keeping him in place in spite of the strong wind.

“We’ll keep searching,” Lady Fyrefly replied, her eyes scanning the lands below. “We will search all night if we have to.”

“But why now? Why this night, unlike all the others?” one of the younger guards asked. “Has something changed?”

The dragon has awoken. “Yes, though exactly what, I cannot say,” Fyrefly replied, thankful her phoenix could teleport in near silence. Otherwise, when everyone else was busy, Bakhtak would never have been able to send her that progress report. “Just keep looking, troops.”

One of the more experienced captains flew closer, having just returned from a small scouting mission of his own. “Your highness, I believe I may have the news you wish to hear.”

The duchess spun around in mid-air, her eyes wide with anticipation. “You have found her?” she asked.

“I do not know, but a local swears he saw you, sans your armor, flying towards Ebony Blade’s cottage several hours ago. I told him it was merely a trick of the light, of an eagle passing through a small ray of sunshine. He believed me, thankfully, but I knew you would wish to know this.”

“Is there anywhere near there she could lay low while still being able to survey the land around her?”

“Yes; an old windmill, up on a hill. It hasn’t been used since Old Wingdah was burned to the ground, so it’s surrounded by thorn bushes and trees. It’s half caved in, last time I checked, but I am sure that she could stay there and escape detection. Any assault would have to be done on hoof, though; she’d easily spot us in the air.”

Lady Fyrefly nodded and let out a shrill call, halfway between a whistle and an echolocating ping. “Troops, follow me! We may have found what we have been searching for!”

In a great formation, her guards gathered around her, their armor looking formidable in the gloom, and with steady beats of their wings, drowned out by a suddenly increasing wind, the duchess turned to the captain, her expression grim but resolute.

“Take us there, captain.”

Like a swarm of the bats they were so reminiscent of, the whole of them took off, headed away from the base of mountain upon which Castle Enstein was etched into, and off towards a distant cottage as what little light that remained soon faded. The world was becoming darker and darker with each passing minute, and off in the distance, a faint rumble of thunder boomed.

Meanwhile…

“Spike, please come to bed,” Chrysalis said as she laid down. Asalah had agreed that she would swap places with Chrysalis for the night, with Trixie swapping out the next night and Maria for what they assumed would be the last night in Ebony’s home. They thought it was only fair that way.

“I’ll… be there in a minute,” Spike said, walking out past an already-asleep Eutropia. “I just… I just have to take care of something first.”

“Okay, but don’t stay up too late, you’ll be needing your strength.”

Leaving the bedroom behind him, Spike strode out into the hallway and made his way downstairs… only to be stopped by Bakhtak, who had one hoof on the bottom stair.

“Spike, can I ask you something?”

He was going to ask her if he could talk to her, but hey, this worked too. “Sure,” he said.

“You know my species may seem odd to you, Spike, and that my customs may be a bit… different,” the Nightmare began. “But, tell me, you heard it too?”

Spike blinked. “The voice? You heard it as well?”

“Yes,” the Nightmare said with a nod. “At first, I couldn’t, but after you spoke about it, I began to focus, and in time, I too could hear it.”

“Why didn't you say anything before?” he asked.

“I didn’t want to worry anyone. I’ve never encountered anything like that before, and frankly, I’m not sure what it means. We could have just been hearing some random passerby singing to herself over and over again while she was out in the fields.”

That reminded him… “Hey, so, do you know anything about Ebony and the duchess? He didn’t sound too happy that she talked with him out in town earlier today.”

“I think they may have a history, though neither has told me of anything between them,” she said.

Spike smiled. “Do you and Ebony have a history?”

To his surprise, the Nightmare… was she blushing? No, no, of course not; she wasn’t blushing. She did look a little surprised, though. “Other than him allowing me to stay here? No,” she said swiftly. “Just… okay, this will sound odd, dearie, but… be careful. I don’t know why I’m saying this, but you need to be careful.”

“I think I’ll manage,” the dragon said with a shrug. “Thanks anyway. Good night.”

“Good night, dearie,” the Nightmare said, turning towards the living room. “Don’t… don’t tell Ebony we talked, all right? I don’t need him worrying about us hearing voices nobody else can.”

“My lips are sealed,” Spike said as he turned and began to trek back up the stairs. “See you in the morning.”

Hearing the chair in the living room creak under the Nightmare’s weight, Spike returned to the bedroom and shut the door gently behind him. Trixie and Maria were already asleep, and Asalah was just beginning to nod off. Chrysalis smiled softly when she saw him enter.

“Everything alright?” she asked softly as he crawled into bed next to her.

Other than the voice… “Yeah,” he said, gently kissing her. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

With a smile, the two lay side by side, the wind outside seeming subdued as the windows held fast.

Mine

Spike slowly opened his eyes, having almost been asleep. “Damn voice,” he muttered.

Come to me dear

“Okay, this is getting out of hand. Is there someone outside right now, doing this just to mess with me?”

You are safe here

“But if they are, then how come nobody else but me and Bakhtak can hear them?” Even as he said this, a fog began to enter his mind, something he had not been expecting. It was subtle, soothing even, caressing at his thoughts and making all of his earlier worries of no consequence. In fact, he felt like getting a breath of fresh air…

And only with me

Slowly rising from the bed, and without waking Chrysalis, the dragon slowly made his way over to the window, his vision going hazy as he looked out into the night.

You will always be

A flash of lightning in the distance cast a faint glow on the landscape around the cottage, and directly outside the window, Spike saw…

“Asalah?” he muttered, the fog suddenly lifting slightly. No, it couldn’t be, Asalah was in bed, asleep behind him. She couldn’t be outside, and yet, she was…

“Spike, please let me in, the wind is cold and I need you,” she said, her voice sounding distant but oh so real. The pleading look in her blue eyes, the way her lip trembled as she shivered in mid-air… yes, it was her. Fumbling with the latches to the windows as the fog returned to his mind, Spike stepped back slightly as the windows shot open with a bang. He smiled, even as the wind rushed past him and a distant boom of thunder made the house tremble slightly.

“Spike!” a voice called out, and turning slightly, the dragon saw his wives looking at him, fear in their faces as another bolt of lightning cast light upon the scene. Asalah was there too, her eyes wide in fright at what she saw.

“Mine,” a voice called, and turning back towards the window, everyone else saw a pair of stark white hands, tipped with razor sharp claws, reach out and latch onto Spike’s shoulders. A pair of great green eyes seemed to glow in the dark, and terribly large wings fluttered as the figure smiled, fangs bared as it did so.

In horror, the four mares and the suddenly-awake griffin watched as the dragon was effortlessly yanked off his feet and out through window, disappearing into the darkness in another flash of light.

He was gone.

Author's Notes:

Everything's starting to come together, so much so that I wrote this within four days!

Oh... so devious, much evil!