With heart so light, she thought no harm to meet me she did go,

I murdered her all in the Barn and laid her body low;

After the horrid deed was done, she lay weltering in her gore,

Her bleeding, mangled body I buried under the Red Barn floor.

Twilight's next priority was to find Berry. Such a kind looking stallion was bound to have friends to talk to. She tried to remember the newspaper article. His father was a pest catcher, for they did that sort of horrible thing in those days. But what did he do? He didn't look like a hard labourer, but perhaps a finer trade. A carpenter? Possibly, but a trip into town was necessary nonetheless.

The streets of old Ponyville were dirty and stank even under a layer of trampled snow. There were no paving stones, just bare earth. The shops were all different too. There was still a delightful display of colour on show, yet things were just not the same. Sugarcube Corner was actually a dressmakers, and Quills and Sofa's was a bakery...

A disturbing sign caught Twilight's eye on an adjoining street. On it was a bloodied rat caught in an evil contraption with large metal jaws. This was undoubtedly Berry's father's shop. She took a deep breath and prepared to walk through the door. She cautiously and painfully squeezed through and was greeted by a rather clean looking shop. Despite being full to bursting with dozens of horrifying and torturous instruments.

Polishing the signature contraption as seen on the sign outside was none other than Berry Cordial. He was a gentle looking colt, and spent a long time polishing the horrid traps and contraptions on the display tables. Twilight had to admit he was a rather handsome looking fellow.

Many minutes later, an aged stallion appeared from a doorway in the far corner of the room. He was oddly surprised to see his son in his shop.

“The prodigal son returns I see.”

“Father, I must speak with you.”

“Yes, as do I.”. They stood in silence for an uncomfortably long time.

“I know I have been avoiding you, father. And I despise myself for doing so. I have been rather withdrawn in lieu of recent events. But I wish to seek your council on another matter.”

“I wish to seek your explanation on another.”. Berry was clearly fed up.

“Father, will you stop doing that.”

“No I will not. I will ask the questions from now on. Answer me this one; delivered unto you were two healthy children. Now how in Celestia's name were they no longer living by the end of the week?” Berry's father drew closer. “As I understand the situation in the weeks precedent to the births, the girl's father was somewhat angered by these unlawful births, to put it lightly. But I am sure he was not to blame.”

“Father, Willow was ready to accept what we were. We were ready to be married in Canterlot and make nothing more of it, we were going to travel far away...”

“Alas, my son is on the filly's side. But my other question is were you ready to accept? I do not think you were. You were shamed and at the end of your tether. Do you wish to know what I think you did?”

“I can guess, and I am disgusted by what you are suggesting. I THOUGHT YOU SUPPORTED US!”

“Up until this preposterous affair, yes. I wasn't prepared to have bastard children in my household or even in my family. But what you have done is completely unacceptable. You have my consent to do whatever you please with the girl, but you shall never show your face in this household again. Do I make myself clear?”

“Father, listen to yourself. Speaking like a madpony... I could have you taken away.”

“I THINK NOT! NOT WITH THE EVIDENCE IN MY HOOVES!”. Berry was pushed back a step by the resounding shout. He was done talking, and stormed out, leaving the door wide open for the cold outside to suck the heat out of the room.

Twilight was learning too much too fast. She needed a list. But her head would have to suffice.

Bastard children. Willow was pregnant with two children before she was married? That was unthinkable even in the present day. But that couldn't be a motive for the murder, could it?

The angry father. Willow said herself that her father was something rotten, and her friend Verity confirmed that. However, Berry's father had just he was not to blame.

Blame for what? Verity hinted that the children had not died under 'normal circumstances'. I dread to think that they had been murdered too... Was Berry's own father accusing him of killing his children?

The song. 'I went unto her father's house...we shall fix the wedding day'. But how could the marriage be consented if Willow's father was furious after recent events?

I'll travel forward. Two weeks before 'the eighteenth day of May' and find out how Berry fell back in favour with the Marten family.

Twilight didn't need to draw another oil circle to travel anywhere, she just needed to lie flat and tap her horn on the ground. The black void consumed her, and she raced through time and space to her predetermined destination.

Ponyville had a public house.

It was a small affair, but in a growing town, the place was full to bursting. The perfect place to have a shady conversation. The Paddock had a view right across the river to the hill where Sweet Apple Acres lay. The packed ponies inside made an enormous racket, and Twilight covered her ears as she squeezed her way over, under, and even directly through the bustling patrons.

Suddenly an ear piercing cheer erupted from some tables near the window. After squeezing through the inside of an aged gentlecolt wearing a disgusting tweed coat. She could see the table in full now, and was about to do a quick scan to see if anyone noteworthy was here, when Berry Cordial stood up on his bench to make an announcement.

“All right! Shah, shah, shah...”. Instead of quietening down his friends, the entire room hushed to hear him speak. “What the hay... oh well... Anyway, for a few months I've had everything. A house, good employment, good friends...”. The entire bar went up cheering. “But I have wandered this town single for TOO LONG! With the consent from Mr Marten here, I shall propose to Willow at last! Drinks for EVERYPONY”. Twilight clamped her hooves over her ears to stop the uproar coming from every patron that evening.

They all drank and the scene was merry. The prospect of free drinks had gotten round very quickly, and the party was now pouring into the streets too. A band came to play, and received a fair few bits from patrons and landlady alike. The festivities carried on to the early hours of the morning, and Twilight persevered to keep herself awake so she could follow

Berry and Mr Marten when they left.

In the end, they never actually left. They stayed indoors even as the sun was rising, talking about trivial affairs. Twilight listened intently on every single word, but so much was turning into utter gibberish. She was losing the will to carry on listening to these drunkards.

“You're a good pony you know, Berry... But mark my words, I'm doing this for Willow...”

“Tom... I don't wanna talk about this now...”

“No, we do need to talk about this... I don't regret what I asked you to do... But I have to admit, Willow hasn't been the same since I stopped her from seeing you... She hasn't gone a day with a smile. But with this dreadful business well and truly over I think, now you can start over. No shame, no tears.”

“I don't regret what I did either... But you're right. We have a 'gentlecoltly' right to think about her for once... You know what... you're a good pony too... gosh, I'd have to call you 'father' wouldn't I...”

The pair of them laughed and drank some more.

“I must say, Berry. Give it a few weeks. She's having a rough time right now, and she may make the wrong choice, you know...”

“You're right... Anyway, you would know best... You've done this all before..!”

The pair of them chinked their glasses one last time, and downed whatever was left in one. Berry took a small satin box out of his waistcoat pocket. Inside was a pressed raspberry blossom. Small and beautiful, Tom Marten was naïve to the message hidden within this flower. The symbol of regret.

Give it a few weeks. Two to be exact. Twilight lay on the floor, and set her mind on The Eighteenth day of May.