Off towards the west

Ivy could hear them. Her family, her friends, all there to say goodbye to her and Taira. The west… nobody had ever gone there before. Well, nobody in the throne room, anyway, except Taira. And she remembered surprisingly little. Ivy began to wonder why she ever said yes. She did not really want to be away from everyone now, away with a sister nobody knew existed until only a few months ago.

Why had she ever wanted to leave? Her mother needed her here. Would they be able to get everything done without her? After all, she had never left her mother’s side before. She needed to support her mother… but it had been her mother who had asked her to go. So, she decided to do so. After all, her mother had her other sisters now… to support her and care for her. Ivy had to do this now, for herself… and for Taira, the queen she would serve one day.

No, it was still weird. She knew Taira was her sister. She knew Taira was the heir. She could feel it, sense it, and she would be even more sure if she could still use her powers.

She softly shook her head as she entered the throne room. Her mother was there, of course, as were her sisters Stelline and Fleur, and Stelline’s children, and Tsuyo… all to say goodbye to her and Taira. Their bags were packed with food and other necessary things. She dreaded to look at them. Somehow, they confronted her with the fact that it was now her who was going away on a journey. She had seen so many others off the last two years, and she had enjoyed staying at home. And now it was her, on her way to a place where nobody would welcome them, where nobody would know them…

“Oh, Ivy… I’m so proud of you, that you will go out and do this. I am so sure you will enjoy yourself, and you will learn and see so many new things.” Her mother said while she hugged her.
“I know. I am looking forward to it. But I will miss you, mother, Fleur, everyone.” She said, feeling tears in her eyes.
 “We will miss you too, dear. And Taira, too. Please, be safe.” Regina smiled.
“I’ll try, mother, I’ll try.” Ivy answered.

Ivy said goodbye to everyone in the room, including the little children who now could already say her name which made Ivy cry. She would miss them so much. How much would they have grown by the time she would return? She had tried to visit them every day… She loved the little children. Maybe what had upset her most about Taira’s appearance was that Yoyeux would never be queen. The little girl… What would become of her now?

Yet, at last, it was time to go. Taira picked up her bag and walked out of the throne room followed by the others. Ivy picked up her bag, too, but her mother stopped her from leaving the room. Ivy saw that her mother wanted to say something more.

“What is it, mother?” Ivy asked. Regina sighed softly, as if she dreaded what she was about to say.
“Please, do take care of Taira. Make sure she gets home safely, with or without her child.”
It was a hard task, and Ivy knew it the moment her mother asked her. If, for whatever reason, Taira’s child did not want to leave her home… Ivy was not so sure Taira would come back with her. But she would have to try.

“I promise, mother. I will look after her.” Ivy smiled, and put her bag around her neck. She walked out of the throne room to the others who were already outside, and she heard her mother following them. Once outside, they said their final goodbyes and before Ivy felt like she had said goodbye properly they were already outside, on their way, to a destination they did not even really know.

Ivy had already lost count of the days when they entered the inn in the small forest. It had probably been no more than a week, but she had already seen so many new things it felt like ages since she last slept in her own bed. They had been lucky that their route had so many inns and hotels, for it was still very, very cold outside. Taira paid for a room an dinner and a moment later they followed a grey old pony to a small room in the back of the one story building.

Like any other inns the room wasn’t much. The beds were hard and the blankets cold, and there was only a small window with now view whatsoever. Ivy missed her view over the valley… She had to admit, being out in the world made her appreciate her home more. The world… she had no idea how big it was. They were still weeks away from the breach, Taira had said, though she wasn’t exactly sure herself, either.

And yet Ivy already felt like the world was so much bigger than she had ever imagined. When they had left the mountains, Ivy could hardly believe how flat the world was, and how rough. Her own little world was so soft and nice… but the world outside was barren, almost hurt by  the eternal forces of wind and water. It was a rough world indeed… Well, at least the inn was better than sleeping outside in the snow.

“I guess this will have to do, for tonight.” Taira said after she had inspected the little room.
“Yeah, I guess. It’s okay. I’m glad we’ve been able to sleep indoors so far, even though it isn’t much… it’s always better than to sleep out in the snow.” Ivy responded.
“Yes, well… I’m afraid we might have to do that a few nights, when we get further to the west. Not that many ponies live there. The environment is rough there. It’s warmer so there probably won’t be any snow, but its not pleasant, either. As far as I can remember, it’s only rocks and dry grass. But we will get through. We’ll get enough supplies so we can swiftly make it to the bridge.” Taira ensured her.

“I know we will. I’m not too worried. It’s just not something I’m looking forward to, that’s all.” Ivy admitted.
“No, me neither. But we’ll be okay. Shall we go down for dinner? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” Taira said, and Ivy agreed. She, too, was very hungry, and she longed for a warm meal. She had eaten nothing but dry bread ever since they left the inn that morning.

A few moments later Ivy and Taira sat down at the wooden tables in the common room of the inn. There were hardly any ponies left as it was already rather late. The snow was softly falling outside while Taira and Ivy waited for their dinner.
“It’s snowing once again.” Ivy sighed. That would be cold hoofs again, tomorrow morning.
“It will get better soon. Trust me.” Taira smiled.

Ivy did not reply as the waitress brought them both a bowl of hot soup and a few slices of soft, fresh bread. Ivy enjoyed the hot soup which warmed her completely. She and Taira did not speak during their dinner.
When they were both almost finished, Taira asked, “So, Ivy… What do you think of the world? Mother told me you have never been far away from your home.”

“It’s nice… It really is.” Ivy replied. “I really like it… to see so many new things. But I have to admit I miss home. I miss Fleur, mother, the children… I already can’t wait to see them again.”
Taira smiled. “I haven’t lived there for very long… but I have to admit I’ve already grown attached to that little country in the mountains, too. It’s so peaceful…”

“So you will come back, then?” Ivy asked, remembering her mother’s words when they parted.
“What? Of course I will! Why would I not? My future lies there…” Taira replied, surprised.
“Yes… I know. But where we’re going now… you liked it a lot there too, right? Don’t you want to stay there?” Ivy asked.
“No… I don’t think so. I’m going there for the ponies I love, not the country. I have to admit, I don’t know what will happen there. Maybe they won’t even let me in anymore… but I have to try. I just have to.”

Ivy had not expected such an honest and open answer, but she wondered if Taira knew what it would do to her when she would see her beloved child once more. Not that she had ever been in that situation, but she had been there every time her mother saw one of her daughters who she had thought dead. The look in her mother’s eyes in those moments… the strength of those emotions… Did Taira fully understand them?

“May I ask you something, Ivy?” Taira asked, while the waitress came to collect their bowls and plates.
“Yes, of course.” Ivy answered, curious what Taira would have to ask.
“Well… mother explained to me everything that had happened. After the eruption, how the new lands came to be, when Twinkle Star and Crystal showed up, everything else. She… tried to explain to me what it had meant for her, how it changed her. But I could not help but wonder how it had been for you, for Fleur.”

“I do not think I understand.” Ivy said.
 “Well…” Taira continued, “You and Fleur, you grew up in such a small and safe world. It was just you and mother. You never knew… I simply can not understand mother never told you what happened, but she had not, and then all of a sudden you find out this huge history and then you meet all of your sisters and all of a sudden it’s all about them.”

“Yes… That’s true.” Ivy had to admit. “But I guess I’ll just have to hang in there, don’t I? It’s all so great for mother. I have found a new place in life… I’ll become steward. I guess I’m better fit for that, anyway… I was never born to be a queen. I’ll just have to be strong for mother, for the country. She needs me, my sisters need me.” Ivy smiled. She felt a bit uncomfortable as she and Taira had not had such a personal talk before, and she wondered why Taira wanted to know all this.

“But what about you? I mean, you’re there for others… but isn’t there anyone there for you?” Taira asked. Ivy was surprised to hear such honesty in her voice. Her sister really did care about her. She did not want to achieve anything, Ivy realized, she was simply worried.
 “I…” Ivy was surprised to hear her voice was shivering. “I can’t… I have to be strong, I can’t be sad… for others need my strength more than I do.”

“Hiding your tears is not strength, Ivy… even though that is something I often forget myself.” Taira admitted with a faint smile.
Ivy tried to smile, but she found she could not. She did not know why, but suddenly she could no longer keep her tears inside.
“I never… wanted… to cry.” She sobbed as Taira touched her hoof.
“I know. It’s okay.” Taira said.
When Ivy looked up she could see trough her tears that Taira was actually crying, too, but she did not have the energy to ask why.

The waitress looked rather disturbed when she saw the two crying ponies when she brought them two glasses of wine. Ivy knew it wasn’t a pretty sight, but it felt good. She had never wanted to cry about anything, but here she was, and with every tear that left her eye she felt a little more relieved. Someone to share her pain with… She had never thought it would be Taira.

Pain she had not even realized was there… How come Taira had seen it before she had? Well… maybe that was why Taira would one day become queen.
“Thank you… Taira.” She forced a smile on her face, and Taira smiled back.
 “No… thank you, Ivy. For being honest with yourself.”

When she lay in her bed a few hours later, after a long talk with Taira about everything that had happened ever since Twinkle Star and Crystal had shown up, Ivy was still softly crying. This pain… she had suppressed it for so long. But it was out now… and she felt se had taken her first step towards her new future as steward. Maybe, she realized, this was why her mother had send her away, to give her space to realize how much pain she still felt. Well… together with Taira, she would overcome her past, and she would find her new role… to support the future queen.