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When the skies used to be where the pegasi roamed, they ruled the weather itself, it was second nature to them. They are rulers of the storm after all. Rain the fields when drought would even let potatoes wilt.
A pegasus on land, among unicorns, earth ponies and creatures beyond ponies in their home and hierarchy. Never experiencing home where the clouds and his hoof would touch, never flying high where his wings would be the gust. The wind that becomes the storm, the omen for danger. He was trapped. Free to roam yet restricted to fly, Cale longed to reach farther than the sky itself and be among the stars above. Higher than anything he ever saw and yet, he hides himself as an earth pony.
“Mother, when can I fly higher than my wings could take me? When can I fly without the bounds of fear?” Cale asked his mother, a helpless question when the answer is always the same. “When the Red Star dies, we can fly without fear. When you, my dear, are free from the limitations of our dread of him, then shall we fly where the clouds are our home once more.” Her words, an omen of dread for the pony who bears the red star. Someone Cale doesn't know yet from the day he could move his little wings, he learned to fear them. It was this fear and his mother's coddling to hide that made him stay on land, and made him hide his wings before walking among other ponies that only a certain few knew.
“Then I'll wait..” Cale reluctantly says, defeated by this fear. Jour comforted her son in a hushed whisper.
“Just stay safe for me and never be with the pony cursed by the gods.”
The Red Star, none of the pegasi knew his name yet the symbol on his cloak is what started that title. The fear. No one knew what he'd look like next since he has been coming back for centuries bearing the white mask and magic so dark. A prophecy for destruction.
Cale lowered his head, pressing his muzzle into his mother’s coat as if her warmth alone could anchor him. Yet, even in her embrace, the whisper of the wind always called. The skies were not silent; they hummed in his ears, a song only he seemed to hear. A song that promised freedom, but laced with dread. His wings, always bound beneath his cloak, were just another secret the world chose to ignore. But to Cale, each step on the ground was a reminder— He was born to the sky, yet chained to the soil.
“Mother,” he whispered again, though softer this time, “What if the Red Star never dies? What if I wait forever?”
Jour stroked his mane with a tenderness born of sorrow. Her eyes, haunted with knowing, flicked toward the horizon where dusk painted the heavens in fading fire.
“Then you will learn to live with your hooves upon the earth, my child. Not all wings are meant to carry us upward. Some are meant to shield us, even if they never touch the wind.” But Cale could not accept that. Deep in his chest, where heart and breath met, something ached. His dreams were never of the ground— They were always of the sky, of silver rivers of cloud and the boundless expanse of stars.
“Isn't that just giving up?” Cale asks, Jour's breath hitched. She couldn't tell her own son that yes, she had given up but this conversation made her realize that despite this fear, Cale didn't want to give up one of his most simple birthright which was to fly. To be the storm the pegasi used to be.
She had to do something. She realizes that Cale would never live in content, he would be restless and eventually fly even if it kills him.
‘I must do something, no matter the cost.’ Jour decided.
.
.
.
A few days after their conversation Jour took an interest to go to Harris Village. It was worrying, she barely took any guards except two with her and wouldn't allow Cale or even Deruth to go with her to Harris Village. They could only reluctantly let her go since she promised to come back a week after. When she did return, the manor was in a frenzy, every pony who worked in the manor watched in horror as Deruth called for the healers. The Countess, Jour, returned injured.
The stomping of many hooves walking and even running filled the halls but the clearest ones are from Deruth carrying her to their room so the healers could treat her. Cale couldn't even check on his own mother when everyone was keeping his view away from her. He shouldn't see it, they said.
“Young master, let's go back for now.” Ron spoke which made Cale look up at the older unicorn. “But—” Ron chuffs as he nudges Cale to follow him. “No buts, young master. We can see the Countess later when the healers help her.” Ron says sternly. “Fine..” Cale reluctantly agrees.
Two weeks passed yet Jour showed no signs of getting better and if anything, she's getting worse.
His mother left only to return half dead. Her death was slow and painful. She didn't get better, she only got better at hiding the pain. Her last words— Cold and haunting. A warning to her son one last time as her hoof clings to the small hoof of her son.
“Don't fly or show yourself to the Red Star. Cale, promise me this. Promise mama you won't.” She wasn't begging, she was demanding her son to keep his word which made Cale tremble. He could only nod his head trying his best not to cry. “I promise.. I promise, mama. I won't.” That's all Jour needed to hear as her vision darkens. It was so cold but the warmth of Cale hugging her gave her in her final moment of life was a soft comfort. She felt tear drops but she was too weak to wipe her son's tears herself. “Mama!” Cale cried when she went limp, she stopped breathing. Her touch was cold.
She's gone. She's gone, she's gone, she's gone..
“Father! Father, mama stopped moving!” Cale cried to his father as though he could fix it and this was all just a nightmare.
A horrible nightmare he could never wake up from. Cale never experienced death or dying himself but he experienced the loss of it. He never knew it would hurt so much, and he never knew it would come so soon.
———
The funeral was beautifully grim. Jour's casket was engraved in roses where each torn was a cruel symbolism of her very death being odd, she didn’t speak a word of what had occurred but her injuries shouldn't have killed her. No one stayed for long when it started raining, when thunder was louder than their cry of sorrow or sympathetic prayers. But, Cale still stood near her grave even when the thunder got louder, it wouldn't harm him. It can't. The sky mourns her death with him because the clouds knew it lost another from the pegasi race. But of course, he couldn't stay for long to mourn with the sickening storm any longer. Just because they both mourn doesn't mean the rain wouldn't affect him as well. He was already trembling from how cold it was.
“Let's return inside, young master.” Ron spoke, noticing his young master had been trembling since he got wet from the rain even when he held the umbrella close to the young pegasus, the umbrella can only do so much when the winds are strong while the rain pours. He had been staying by Cale's side the entire time using his magic to keep them both (but mostly Cale) under the umbrella which Cale couldn't help but grimace. Ron is a unicorn but Ron's horn had been broken long ago from an accident since he first came here, Cale recalled from what his mother said to him long ago. ‘Even though Ron is looking after you, you should also watch after him. Unicorns feel a sense of loss and lack of purpose when their horn, something that they use to cast magic, gets broken.’ To have the disadvantage with a broken horn is as though you've cut the strings of the doll where the very strings that seem to be controlling were actually supporting the doll to keep moving.
Cale doesn't understand why Ron is still forcing himself to keep using his magic even to the most mundane things judging from the fact it likely hurts him. Not wanting to see Ron in pain because of him, Cale agreed.
Walking back to the mansion, Cale was distracted with Ron instead of the funeral now. Worrying the older unicorn would overuse his magic again and get hurt. He never saw the backlash of Ron using magic for too long himself but he knows, he's not an idiot. “Ron, you don't have to use your magic for me.” Cale says before walking away not catching the expression Ron had when he said that.
Grieving was hard. Cale didn't know how to grieve for his mother and yet.. He couldn't find it in himself to hide his wings when she's already gone. He has no reason to protect himself if his reason is gone.
With each passing day, he watched the birds fly freely in the morning while he's footed from the ground. ‘Will the ground I walk on be the same place I get buried without touching the clouds myself like mother?’ It was a heartbreaking thought for the little pegasus who longed to fly without the fear of the Red Star.
Deruth sighs, he might be an idiot but he noticed when his son wasn't taking Jour's death well with how quiet he became. Well, he isn't doing so fine himself either but there's nothing wrong with trying. ‘I’m being selfish by staying in my room for who knows how long as well.’
Walking to the garden where his son resides, dazed on the sky above him longing for what he could see but couldn't have, Deruth notices him staring at the birds who flew with the wind and chirp songs among each other.
Cale heard a sound and looked at the direction it came from in curiosity. It was his father's hooves clicking and clacking on the floor, “Father?” Deruth smiles softly at Cale before speaking. “Mhm, hello little storm, can I speak to you?” Deruth greets his son warmly as he could, something that at least sounds different from his grief sickened voice days ago where he howled over their loss. Cale just nodded his head which was all Deruth needed to speak again. “Cale, I can't promise you a sanctuary where you could fly like you wish nor the warmth and understanding Jour has with you.”
It was blunt for the young pegasus however Deruth continued not wanting a misunderstanding to happen “But, I'm here for you as your father. I might never understand your longing to fly but maybe I can make you experience the feeling of flight one way or another.” This declaration from Deruth sparked Cale's interest. He watched as his father's horn gathered magic before it hit him which made him squeak in surprise. He never expected his father to use magic on him.
“Huh—” Cale was floating. Even when his wings are hidden in many layers of clothing, this one simple act felt liberating.
Deruth couldn't help but smile himself seeing the same spark his son had returned just from a simple use of his magic. Cale laughed joyfully, something he hasn’t done for weeks. “Father,” Cale calls out to Deruth which made him look at his son. “Thank you.” Oh, Deruth felt some warmth knowing he did something and cheered his son up. “It's no problem.” Deruth assures, even if it's now just the two of them, they spent the whole evening in silence in each other's company, it was their business and no one else's. If some of the servants or knights saw the Count using magic to make his son float for quite awhile, they didn't ask. They know when to keep their mouth shut and not ask questions after all.
The father and son are still grieving. If this helps them both with the loss of the Countess Jour then it's good for the territory.
Deruth made a plan. It might've been a rash decision but he and Cale both decided to leave the territory to go to one of their vacation homes to grieve somewhere away so it wouldn't hurt getting reminded she's gone. Of course, Deruth entrusted his workers to continue keeping the manor flourished and made sure there wouldn't be any problems with them being gone for a year, he just had the paperwork sent to him in the vacation home.
Deruth ended up meeting someone special during those few months. Violan, they slowly got closer while both their sons, Cale and Basen got along as well. Deruth didn't want to force Cale to suddenly accept Violan as his mother, he knew Jour would always be his mother before anyone else which was why he needed to talk with his son about it.
Cale stares at his father's sheepish smile, he explained to Cale an hour ago but he still couldn't give his father a response until now.
“So, you and Mrs. Violan will be together?” Cale asks, Deruth ruffles Cale's mane. “I'm considering it, yes. Are you okay with Mrs. Violan and Basen to be part of our life?” This question made Cale go silent. He didn't know if he likes it but he saw how happy his father is with her and he wasn't sad either, he enjoys Lady Violan and Basen's company since they met them. “I don't know.” Cale says. “Cale, Violan won't replace Jour. If you ever accept her as family, she would be a second mother to you and Basen would be your little brother but, we don't have to rush this. You can take your time getting comfortable.” Deruth tells Cale which made the little pegasus nod. “Thank you, papa.. And I'm sorry that I'm troubling you.” Cale murmurs which made Deruth chuff as he wraps Cale into a hug. “You're not troubling me, you're my son and it's reasonable for you to feel conflicted that we'd suddenly have Violan and Basen join our family.” Deruth says. “You're right, thank you, papa.. Mrs. Violan and Basen will be part of the Henituse family soon so.. they're already family.” Cale says with his own little sheepish grin, Deruth chuckles. “I'm glad, but just take this at your own pace, me and Violan can marry anytime, there's no rush.”
Cale felt embarrassed. It only took him 5 more months to consider Lady Violan as a second mother. He didn't want to admit it but one morning when waking up, he greeted her “Good morning, mother.” Which surprised Violan for a moment before she smiled softly at him and coos at his reaction when he realized he said that out loud that his face was red as his mane. In Cale's defense, he was drowsy and didn't realize how free spoken he was whenever he woke up since it's usually Ron who deals with his half sleepy self mumble about the edibility of bugs.
When Deruth told Cale he's finally going to marry Violan, he huffs and walks out just to sulk near his mother's grave, that isn't new from him but he can't help it. He needed an excuse to leave early and tell his mama everything. “Mama, can you believe papa finally marries mother when Lily is 2 years old? What made him wait so long!” Cale huffs even when he knows the reason why. He was just being dramatic while informing his mother even if she never responds back.
Violan couldn't help but feel like she might've overstepped some boundaries when Cale walked out not knowing her stepson just wanted to sulk that it took them long to finally marry. “Was it too soon?” Violan asks Deruth which made him snort. “No, hon. Cale just wanted an excuse to tell Jour immediately that we're finally going to marry.” Violan then realizes why Cale acted more dramatic which isn't how he'd actually be upset, he's silent when he's upset but you can tell something was bothering. This made Violan chuckle and shook her head.
____
He was being stupid walking out on his birthday party at night by excusing himself that he's going to bed early. He missed the only person who understands his longing to fly as irrational it becomes over the years.
“Mother, I just want to fly like the birds who are free—” Cale was cut off when someone else spoke. “But a lot of birds are also trapped in pretty cages, no?” A pony with hair red as his own but darker and a cape that covers half of the pony’s body. The sudden appearance of another pony made Cale wary; he didn't recognize him. “Who are you?”
This question made the earth pony smile, finding Cale's reaction amusing. “My name's Ley Barrow, young master Cale.” Ley introduced himself with a grin which only made Cale annoyed with his cocky expression. “What do you want, Ley Barrow?” Cale questioned which made Ley laugh. “Would you believe me if I said I wanted to be friends, little bird?” Ley said teasingly but his answer surprised Cale. ‘friends?’ They barely even know each other and yet this Ley Barrow wants to be friends with him. “Why?” Cale asked which made Ley shrug his shoulders. “Should there be a reason for everything? I found you interesting so I want to be friends, little bird.” This simple reasoning was absurd but.. There's nothing wrong in making friends, even if this pony is odd.
This is also how on his 15th birthday, Cale made a new friend named Ley Barrow. They both also look so similar that they could be mistaken as cousins or even twins. Though their meeting was odd since Ley basically found a sulking pony complaining to a gravestone wanting to be free like a bird, his response wasn't normal either. No one in the manor knew about Ley Barrow, Cale doesn't know if Ley is just stealthy or if he's using potions to hide his presence but he doesn't mind it. He still stays near the manor so if Ley did try anything funny he had time to return back to call for help. But, one day, Ley came up to him acting strange. It was just the two of them near the forest. They were just complaining about silly things like how Cale dislikes dung beetles until Ley Barrow asked him a question. “Do you think the pegasi are still alive?” It caught Cale off guard. No one spoke about it. It was only a quiet murmur that has been hushed to silence for many years.
“I don't know— Maybe?” Cale answers hesitantly which didn't seem to satisfy Ley judging from his expression. “Well, do you want to know a secret?” Ley asks, he grinned when Cale showed some interest in what he had to say. This made Ley stay silent for a few seconds, making Cale anticipate what he would say.
“I'm a pegasus.” He whispers, which made Cale's face change to pure shock. ‘He’s.. he's like me?’ That thought alone made Cake feel comforted and even excited. Someone like him, someone who could understand him. But is it even true?
‘He could be lying.’ Barrow noticed Cale's doubt so he removed his cape which made Cale's breath hitch. Wings. If it wasn't for the black stripes on Barrow's wings, Barrow would've looked eternal and angelic with how pure the white feathers were.. Barrow is a pegasus just like him. “You— why did you show me this?” Cale asks. “Because I trust you.” Ley says which only made Cale dread who else Ley showed his wings to. “Don’t you fear you'd end up talking to the Red Star!?” Cale questioned ‘Why is Ley so reckless!?—’
“Cale, the Red Star isn't real.” Barrow says leaving a cold chill. What does he mean the pong he dreads since he was a foal isn't real?
“..What?” That was all Cale could mutter while staring at Barrow's wings. “The Red Star was used to excuse the pegasi’s sins. They angered the dragons by breaking a promise and died out because of their pride.” That was not what Cale was told.
“It's a lie. It's all a lie.” Cale mutters to himself, the Red Star wasn't real. ‘Did mother lie?’ Barrow is also a pegasus yet he says the Red Star was not real. “You're a pegasus too, aren't you?” Barrow says with that same grin. “I— How did you..?” Cale tried to ask which made Barrow laugh. “Only the pegasi knew about this made up folktale, Cale.” Oh.
He broke his promise to his mother.
His wings unfold no longer hidden by layers of clothing. He started to flap his wings, his hair was a mess. But it was the first time he felt free as he took his first flight. He fell a few times but each time, he got up and flew better than his last. Barrow watched it all silently, his own wings unfolded covering his hooves with how long it was. “Barrow, fly with me?” Cale asks when he finally got the hang of flying himself. “Oh? If you insist, little bird.” Barrow says looking amused as he follows Cale to fly up together.
“Can we always fly like this, Barrow?” Cale asked which made the other pegasus shrug as he moved a cloud at Cale's direction. “Sure.” Cale didn't notice he was flying farther away from the manor as he and Barrow continued to fly together, reaching high up to the clouds before going back down to fly up there again. A trivial but the most unbinding moment where Cale didn't have to hide what he was, he was just free.
“Cale,” Barrow called motioning for Cale to follow him to check what he's looking at. “Yes?” Cale looked at the direction Barrow was looking at only to freeze. Barrow led him to a ditch, there were bones everywhere. The bones.. ‘They’re— they're pegasi—’ Cale wanted to back away and leave. He realized he made a grave mistake. Barrow wasn't an ordinary pegasus. He was the Red Star. He was so stupid, he forgot. His mother told him to never show his wings because the Red Star could be anyone including Pegasi! Barrow laughs seeing Cale's horrified expression. “What's wrong, little bird? You realized I've been lying to you?” He asked in a soft mocking tone. “It was your fault to be desperate to fly, little bird. You had your cute cage for a reason.”
Cale realized he would die. It was too late to even escape. He didn't know what the Red Star wanted or why he's hunting down each pegasus but he knows he would at least not die without a fight. “To fly was my salvation,” Cale spoke as he prepared himself for this game of chase. “And to die by you, was my sin.”
Barrow has ancient powers, the same powers the Red Star is depicted to have that would make you assume it was the power of a god. Cale grits his teeth as he keeps flying as fast as he can. He wouldn't love but he could at least die doing what he missed doing in his entire childhood.
He felt a burning sensation, his wings. It caught fire from one of the Red Star’s powers.
It hurts, it hurts.
He was falling and no one would save him. No one could because they didn't know he left with someone he only knew for a few months. Barrow chuckled watching the young pegasus fall, the last of this race will finally die and he's two steps closer in becoming a god. “You flew too close to the sun, little bird.” The Red Star mocked before he finished off on eliminating the last pegasus. “Thank you for being a fool and believing me, silly bird. You made everything so easy.”