Strings of Fate

Chapter 7: Indecision

A few hours later, at about lunchtime, Tempest trotted around her room, deep in thought. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened that morning; how everything turned so quickly.

I've put so much stress onto Twilight since I've come here, Tempest thought. Maybe I should just leave.

The anxious pony heard a knock at the door to her bedroom. Her head jerked upward as her ears caught the sound.

Twilight? She could help but wonder as her heart jumped.

She approached the door, reaching for the knob with a hoof. The door creaked open, revealing Starlight on the other side. Tempest couldn't help but feel a little disappointed seeing the light purple pony on the other side.

"Twilight needs us in the library." Starlight exclaimed, worry shining in her eyes.

"Okay, I'm coming." Tempest replied as she hurriedly stepped out of her room into the open hallway. She and the new princess trotted through the hallway in the direction of the library.

"I've been thinking..." Tempest started, unsure of whether she should continue.

"About what?" Starlight asked.

"About...." Tempest hesitated. She took a breath and continued, "about maybe leaving."

"Why?" Starlight questioned.

"Because so far, I've only been putting pressure on Twilight just by being here." Tempest replied, guilt feeding into her voice. "I don't want to be a burden to her any longer."

Starlight looked down in thought for a moment, before responding, "Is that what you want?"

The question startled Tempest. She hadn't really thought about what she wanted; all she could think about is how much she felt she messed up Twilight's life.

Is this something I want?

No, her inner voice replied back.

"To be honest,... it's not." Tempest admitted as she felt her cheeks grow hot, "I want to stay, but if it'll help Twilight, I'll leave and never come back." As she finished that sentence, her voice became a little crackly.

Starlight smirked a little at Tempest, which made Tempest's stomach churn.

"Seems like you've got her pretty high up on a pedestal. Any specific reason why?" Starlight asked, raising an eyebrow at the unicorn.

Crap, she knows. Tempest could feel her cheeks grow bright red as she tried to come up with an answer that wouldn't give her feelings for Twilight away.

"I just, uh, care for her well being. That's all." Tempest insisted.

Starlight gazed at Tempest knowingly. "Well, if you have anything you want to talk about, you can always come to Twilight and me." She offered, giving her a smile. "We'd be more than happy to help."

I know... Tempest groaned internally, while giving Starlight a brisk nod.

The two mares approached the open doorway to the library. They both stood there for a moment as they observed a messy maned Twilight scanning a book on the desk within the barely lit room.

"Is now a good time to tell her?" Tempest leaned over to Starlight and whispered.

Starlight whispered back, "When she's like this, well......" She sighed and looked Tempest in the eye. "She won't take it very well." Starlight stepped forward and lightly knocked on the door. "Twilight?"

The purple alicorn turned to face the entrance. Her mane was frazzled, and her cheeks were stained with tears. Her eyes lit up a little as she looked Tempest in the eye, but quickly turned to desperation and helplessness. Tempest felt hard sympathy for the mare she cared a lot about. She nearly couldn't stand it; Tempest wanted to wrap her hooves around Twilight and hold her head up against her and embrace the sorrowful princess.

Twilight stood up. "Thank you for coming." Her voice was wavering. She nodded with respect to Tempest and added, "Both of you. I need your help."

"What is it?" Tempest stepped forward to Twilight on instinct, and she had to hold herself from doing much further.

Twilight didn't seem to notice; the same bleak expression never shifted. "It's just......" she let out a shaky sigh. "It's everything that's happening. The protests against you, and my indecision, and the fact that I stupidly gave myself only three days to decide and that the first day is halfway over....." Twilight paused to catch a breath as her eyes started to well up with fresh tears, "it's too much for me."

This is all my fault... Tempest felt guilt bubbling in her chest. It hurt to see Twilight so miserable. Should I tell her I'm thinking of leaving?

Yes, I should. Her inner voice rang in her head, it would be right as a friend to do so.

Friend. Tempest almost frowned at that.

"Well, if it helps....." Tempest trailed off. She took a breath after a moment and said quickly, "I was thinking of maybe leaving the castle."

Twilight stared at Tempest in shock. Were those more tears developing in her gorgeous purple eyes? "Why?" Her voice grew shaky.

"Because I've been putting all this pressure on you without even realizing it." Tempest replied, stepping a little bit closer to the princess. "Just by being here, I've made things worse for you. So maybe if I left...." Tempest trailed off as she saw Twilight starting to open her mouth.

"No, no, no, you don't understand." Twilight rushed forward to Tempest so they were only a few feet apart from each other. "I've put all this pressure on myself. I postponed the trial date for a year without thinking about the rising tensions the ponies were forming towards you." She paused and looked down. Tempest felt something on her right hoof and quickly looked down. Twilight had put her own hoof on top of Tempest's. Tempest was so startled she almost had pulled away, but she was glad she didn't. She didn't want to upset the princess further, and enjoyed feeling her heart racing so fast.

"I need you here to help me get through this." Twilight looked up into Tempest eyes, her eyes pleading for Tempest to stay.

Tempest kept her hoof there for a second longer before breaking eye contect, sighing, and taking her hoof back.

"But..... but the riots wouldn't have started if I'd never come back to visit." Tempest inquired, her own voice starting to shake a little bit as her ears flattened a little. "How could the pony that caused all this help you?"

Twilight caught Tempest's eye with her own. "I just need you here for moral support while I come up with a solution to this." She said in a comforting tone. "Are you willing to do that?"

Tempest didn't hesitate to answer. "Of course Twilight. I'll always be here if you need me."

Twilight stared at Tempest. Without warning, she wrapped her hooves around Tempest in an embrace. Tempest returned it, placing a hoof onto Twilight's head to hold her close.

"Thank you." Twilight's words were muffled a little bit.

Tempest smiled a little bit and felt her cheeks turn red again. "Anything for you."