Treason

“She’s coming.” She announced.
“She is? Are you sure this time, Rain?” The other asked. Yes, of course she was sure. She could already sense her presence. Little Câlin… she could hide her strength from the world, but not from her. It would not be long now, before they could hear her little hoofs splashing through the mud. The rain had stopped… for tonight. Anything for Câlin.
“Of course I am sure. Be a little patient.”

“She will never listen to your request, you know. She is too loyal to Twinkle Star.”
She turned around, even though she was sure that the other one couldn’t see her irritated face in the darkness. But she could see her… even in the dark her body was still glowing, giving off light so that the dark would never catch her completely.
“I know she is loyal to Twinkle Star. And Twinkle Star to her. But we have a weapon Twinkle Star will never be able to use.”
“A weapon?” The other asked curiously.
“Her mother. Her father.”

She asked no more questions. A bit of peace, finally, but it would not last long. Câlin would be here soon. Indeed, she could hear her approach. She could feel her approach. Only a moment later someone emerged through the bushes. Little Câlin… she had grown since the winter. She had grown not only larger, but stronger too… She wondered how much Twinkle Star knew of this.

“You have summoned me.” Câlin asked, and she could hear the girl was scared. Of course she was. But there was no disobeying a request from Him, not even for Câlin, and she knew this was why Câlin was here now, even though she may not know it herself.
“I have. I have a request to make.”
“It is you…” Câlin took a few steps backward. "You… took my mother away from me.”
She let Câlin’s words hang in the darkness for a few moments. Maybe it was important that Câlin remembered this, before she would hear their request.

“Yes, Câlin, that was me. But do not worry; I will not do this to you as well. Not if you help me.”
“What do you need me for?” It wasn’t even a question. Câlin was so afraid now, but she just had to learn how to serve Him. She could do so as no other could, and she would learn fear was an irrelevant feature.
“I need you to get me the crown you and Twinkle Star brought here.” She answered.

“No… I can’t do that. It belongs to the queen.” So unsure of her own words…
“No, Câlin. It does not. It belongs to one person only… your father. He is… ill, and without the crown, He will not come back alive. Only you can bring it to Him. Or would you be the one that would send Him into the shadows forever?”
 She could see it now, the impact of her words, the doubt in the girls eyes. She knew her words had the effect she had hoped they would have. After all… no matter how much this child loved Twinkle Star, she would always love her own mother more. And that was why she would long for her father. To get back that bond she had lost… when her mother was killed.

“I cannot touch it. The Crown. It… hurts me.” Was the only reply Câlin gave her.
“Do not worry about that. I know it has hurt you once, but it will not do so again.”
“I want to see him. My father. In exchange for the crown.” It was not a request, but a demand. And she would gladly give her this one thing… to His daughter.
“Of course you can see him, Câlin. Bring the crown to us tomorrow night, and we will take you to Him at once.”

She had all but persuaded her now. It was so easy… yet she sensed that below the calm surface of this girl something was hiding, as if she knew more than anyone in the world and therefore didn’t even need persuasion in the first place. After all, she was His daughter… But, if she would bring the crown and come along, His wishes would be granted. And that was all that mattered. She wondered why the other didn’t say anything, but it didn’t matter now. Maybe it was just as well she kept silent for now.

“Can Twinkle Star come?”
Ah, the fear of a child… to be alone. Maybe their bond was stronger than she had suspected. But it couldn’t be helped.
“No, Câlin. You must come alone. Twinkle Star cannot help you now. Will you save your father, Câlin?”
A long silence filled the night. The girl was thinking, but her face was blank. She couldn’t read any emotion. She glanced around to see the other standing there, glowing like a faint star, silent.

“I will see you tomorrow night.” Câlin finally answered, and without saying more, she turned around and went back to the castle.
Was that a confirmation? Well, there were stronger ways to persuade her if it wasn’t. She would wait until midnight the following dark.
“She is not just an ordinary girl. She is… torn between loyalty, between doubts and strength, between what she knows and her childish feelings.” The other said.
“I know. She is. But she just has to come with us. He will take care of her after that. She is his only child, after all…” and his strongest weapon, she added silently.

Twinkle Star trotted through the mud with Câlin at her tail. It was a fine day, the first in many, but the rain of the past few days had changed the earth into one big mud pool. They were sent out to check on the river, to see how high the water level was now, after all the rain. Of course the level had risen considerably, but it was up to her to find out whether this would be a thread to the country and the ponies living close to the river.

But, Twinkle Star had already concluded, the water had indeed risen to an alarming height.
“The flood will come soon…” Câlin said. Or no, she didn’t. She simply thought it and shared her thoughts with Twinkle Star. It’s what Câlin usually did these days, when they were alone. Of course no one else sensed their weird form of communication, but they hardly ever talked like it when there was no one else around, and Twinkle Star preferred to talk out loud anyway.

“You think?” Twinkle Star asked. Câlin nodded. For the fourth time on their walk, Twinkle Star noticed Câlin was looking behind, as if she was looking whether someone was following them. She decided to say something about it.
“Is something bothering you, Câlin?” Câlin shook her head in denial.
“No. There is nothing.”  
“Okay. Well, let’s get going then, shall we? We’re almost there.”

Indeed the river was really close, behind the bushes, and Twinkle Star could already hear it, which seemed so strange, considering the usually calm river that you could barely hear even if you were standing right next to it. When they reached the river, Twinkle Star was shocked. It had turned into a rapid stream in which the tops of the water actually turned white, something she had only ever seen at the ocean. It was dangerous to come even close to it now. There was still a meter between the natural dike and the river, but yes, the water had risen and was flowing through the valley at an incredible speed now.
“Stay back, Câlin. It’s dangerous.”
“I know. I will be careful.”  Câlin eyes the water suspiciously, and for a moment Twinkle Star was afraid she would go too close anyway, but Câlin stayed very close to her, as she had done all the time.

It was a bit unlike her, to stay so close. Usually Câlin wandered off to search for those bits of nature she adored so much, like flowers, or a pretty tree, or a bunny wandering through the fields. But not today. Of course, there was very little that was pretty now. The drought and then the downpour had destroyed so much. She hoped everything would return to normal now, so that the crops might not be entirely lost, and so that her little girl could go looking for flowers again.

But even though Câlin was so close, Twinkle Star did not see it come that Câlin would slip. Yet she did, and her high scream alarmed Twinkle Star. Câlin slipped through the mud and fell towards the river.
“Câlin!” Twinkle Star yelled and she stretched out her front leg and grabbed Câlin, who was almost in the raging water now.
“Give me your other leg!” She yelled over the sound of the water that was so incredibly loud now. Câlin slowly raised her other leg and Twinkle Star tried to grasp it.

She could see the fear in her eyes, the terror of the raging water below her… it almost touched her, it had already taken the tip of her tail… Finally Twinkle Star was able to get a hold of Câlin’s other leg and she pulled her up to higher grounds, almost slipping herself. When they were safe and far away from the river, Twinkle Star finally let go of Câlin, and Câlin sat down in the mud, shaking all over.

“Oh, my girl… here.”
She grabbed a blanket out of her bag that was also covered with mud now, and dried Câlin the best she could. Of course she could not get all the mud out of her coat.
“We will go back to the castle, okay? I’ve seen all I needed to see, and you could use a hot bath.”
“Yes… that would be nice. Thank you… mom.”

Twinkle Star blinked a few times. Had Câlin just called her mom? Was she so much in shock that she thought she was actually Illuvia?
“Câlin, I’m not… You know I am Twinkle Star. I am not your mother…”
“I know.” Câlin interrupted her. “But you are. You’re here for me… right? You won’t abandon me… right?”
For the first time in a long while, Twinkle Star could see tears in Câlin’s eyes. A sign of emotion… something she knew Câlin carried but which she saw so little.

“Oh, my dear… Of course I won’t abandon you. Why would you think something like that? And your mother… she did not abandon you. She died… I am sure she loved you very much, not matter what she did.”
“Then why did she leave me? All those times… she had to do things on her own. You can take me along… Why couldn’t she?”
Twinkle Star wrapped the girl in the blanket and hugged her.
“I don’t know, Câlin… I am sure she had a very good reason, though. She loved you, I do not doubt that. Maybe she just wanted to protect you because she knew what she did was dangerous. But do not worry, I am here for you now, and I won’t leave you.”

“You promise?” Câlin stared at her with her big eyes, while her tears were clearing a path through the mud that covered her cheeks.
 “Of course. I promise I will never leave you, Câlin. Now, shall we go home and get you into a hot bath? I’m sure you can use Ivy’s soap so you can play with the bubbles.”
The smile that appeared on Câlin’s face told Twinkle Star at least her spirits had lifted for a bit, but she did not stop holding her until they reached the castle.

She stared at the moon above her. Tonight… She did not doubt Câlin would come, but would she bring them the crown? Had she taken the right decision to let Câlin handle this, or would it have been better to force Câlin to come and get the crown herself? Well, if Câlin decided not to cooperate, that would always be an option. The other was slowly walking through the wet grass. She had stopped the rain for a day now, but everything was still beautifully wet.

The sound of another one walking through the waters told her Câlin was approaching. It did not take long before she saw the girl appear, covered beneath a dark grey cloak that was ridiculously large. She could not see her face because she was carrying a hood, but there was no doubt. This was the girl.

“Well, Câlin. Have you made your decision?” She asked while she approached the girl, who was standing still on some dryer grounds now.
Câlin did not reply, but opened the bag she was carrying under her cloak. She took out a package and threw it on the wet ground in front of her, making the water splash against her legs. She could sense it… Had her mission succeeded?

“What will you do?” She asked, while she reached for the little package in front of her.
The other had joined them now, standing behind her, staring curiously at the little package she was holding. And while she took off the blankets that were covering the crown, she heard Câlin’s reply.

“Please… take me to my father.”