//------------------------------// // A New Reign // Story: A Home Under the Moon // by Ciivam //------------------------------// A Home Under the Moon Chapter 3: A New Reign It was up on a far hill that she watched her chariot leave. While, yes, the castle was quite a way away from the new grave – and the Lady’s chariot was quite small – she could see the glittering sparkle as gold reflected her sun, currently held above the town. Novus looked on as the pegasus-drawn chariot flew over toward that new city built and situated on the Horn. What was it called again? Camelot? Something along those lines. She had not the faintest reason why Princess Celestia would leave her own castle. Especially because of how damaged it looked from the battle between her and Mistress Moon. But she was not really one to need to know what the princess was doing. Turning away from the chariot, and her musings, Novus looked upon the mound that was now before her, and the small plate of stone beside her. When she first woke in the morning, the last thing she expected was her mother passing in the night. But, through some miracle, she found herself not thrown into depression right away, but instead, resolutely started preparing her mother’s funeral. That didn’t mean she was not sad about the passing. But she felt she had to be strong if she were to live out on the smithy alone. The next step was to bury her mother in the respectful manner she was told about. Unfortunately, she had no shovel and the only one she could find was an old, rusted head of a spade in the The next step was to bury her mother in the respectful manner she was told about. Unfortunately, she had no shovel and the only one she could find was an old, rusted head of a spade in the smithy shop, itself. She wasn’t really a very good stonemason, either. So, taking the shovelhead, a small chisel, and her mother, Novus walked all the way up to a hill full of happy memories. She laid the body down beside her, while she set to work digging a grave for her. It was after the burial that Novus started looking for a decent-sized rock to chisel her mother’s name, and the moon, into. And it was after she returned with a good number of stones to line the grave that she had noticed Lady Sun’s golden chariot taking flight. So, turning back to the mound of dirt, Novus started by lining it with what stones she found, then dragged the rock, for the headstone, to start curving her mother’s name. ‘Wicker Moon’, it read. Next, was hard. A farewell to her departing soul. She had wished to have said goodbye to her face to face, but that time would have never come, as it seemed. A single tear bled from her eye as she looked upon the encircled mound of dirt. It ended up being a long while before Novus found her voice. “Mother,” she said, wiping away at the stray drops of salty water that leaked from her eyes. “I am sorry. I am sure we shan't be joyous upon thine departure. And I wish upon thou a peaceful rest. “Libria Semper grows with unrest. Tis obvious. Nopony is happy, it seems.” Looking back upon the town, Novus noticed the beginnings of something being built across its middle, starting from the town’s surrounding wall’s edge. There also appeared to be a sizable crowd outside a tent. Mayhap, it was worth looking into. She turned back to the grave once more, preparing the last of her talk. “I ask that thee canst grant upon mine soul the Moon’s favour. Good night.” Novus turned from her mother, ready to start for home to grab her traveling cloak. She didn’t make the trip to the door without noticing a lone guard walking up the path to the house. She didn’t know if the guard saw her yet, but it was not polite to leave one waiting. Quickening her pace, Novus went to meet the guard just as they made it to the door of her home. When the guard looked in her direction, she took note of his cold expression, giving no show to any emotion whatsoever. He was an older-looking earth pony, equipped with some worn-down looking armour, covering only his chest and legs, and a battered-up spear, held in place on the side of his body plating. He was not focused on her himself, instead, he was glancing around the house’s exterior, seeming like he was looking for somepony else. During his period of scrutiny, the two were locked in silence, not one thinking of even breaking it, with the whistle of the wind and the soft clanking of armour being the only sound for some good time. After a while, though, the guard eventually turned his attention to face Novus herself, finally speaking up and breaking the silence. “Where be thine lord of residence?” “West of Semper,” Novus answered, looking north and in the direction she spoke of. “And thine dame mother?” he pressed, looking down upon younger mare with slightly narrowed eyes. With a look behind her, and in the direction she had come from, Novus’ ears splayed to the back of her head. “Elysium,” she replied simply. She then turned her head back and continued before the guard could ask or speak. “She hast passed within the night. And I was not to leave mine mother for the rats.” The guard let off a soft snort of air and looked her dead in the eye. Then, he spoke. “Tis then thou own I must deliver mine words to.” He paused briefly to gather his words. “Thou must gather thine own, and eke any tainted upon thine land and, cometh morrow, gather by the post tent. ‘Til then, shalt ye accept, works of metalwork hast cometh in. As thou art the only smith of thine side, Semper, more shalt cometh by.” Novus turned to the blacksmith’s workshop, protruding from the side of her house, considering the offer. Honestly, her father’s work was what had kept them fed, along with her mother’s weaving arts. Now, with both her parents gone, she could only do her best to keep living. And, while she had been briefly taught in both areas, Novus found more of a calling to working her father’s trade, rather than the few times mother decide to sell anything she made. ‘It is yet just art, naught of profit,’ she would often say. Turning back towards the earth pony guard after a few seconds, Novus nodded, once, confirming her own assent to his offer. The pale-yellow guard nodded once of his own before unlatching his chest piece and boots, letting the former fall with a thud, while drawing his hooves from the latter. “Thou art to begin by repairin’ mine armour. Tis to be done by the morn of next week,” he said, taking his spear from his armours side sheath, holding it up close and against his breast. The guard, done with his business, started turning away before Novus could speak. But that didn’t stop her from calling after him. “Next week’s morn? Surely, thou jest. Thy armour shalt take ‘til winter’s first snow. Tis too damaged.” Glancing behind his shoulder with a glare, the guard spoke in a cold voice “Nay. Tis too late of a time.” He then turned his whole body around, voice growing colder with warning. “Hold thy tongue damsel. Tis naught a time for to be actin’ up. Least ye join thine own kind out west.” Novus furrowed her brows as a frown marred her features. But she did not say anything more, instead settling on watching as the guard turned and descended from her home front. Looking down upon the heap of armour on the ground, she considered it for a while, before picking each piece in her magic and started for the blacksmith beside her home. She had a lot to do The town of Liberia Semper, never truly converting into a city – despite the castle overlooking the whole, and nobles near demanding of it – yet staying within a decent population, was best known for its inhabitants, consisting of a percentage of thestral ponies. However, Semper was not the only place they could be found, if one were looking. Yet it was the only town one would ever be comfortable settling in. With the newer nobles, those of the city upon the Canterhorn, associating the nocturnal ponies with predatory beasts like that of the forest around Semper, it has led many to distrust and shun them, which, in turn, left many a thestral to the life of a nomad. Within the town itself, however, there was yet a league of ponies who fell for the sway to the nobleponies. That goes without saying; there were those few who felt uneasy at the sight of the predatory features a thestral held. Some, mostly newcomers to the town, with others staying in residence in the Sisters’ castle. But, under the protection of the Night, herself, not one had chose to act on those fears. Overall, the town had held a strong sense of harmony, with the Sisters keeping that peace since its founding. Libria Semper was happy for a long time. But now the strongest form of harmony had broken. The wall of carved-sharp logs, currently running the span of the middle of the humble town, was telling enough of the divide. It would also appear as if others, of and behind the blockade, shared Novus’ confusion in what had popped up overnight. Why would Princess Celestia physically separate the town like this? The wall was not the only new addition to the centre of Semper, Novus observed. Looking downwards from the sharpened logs, she saw – from where the town’s surrounding stone wall connected with the logs, all the way to where she currently stood – a continuous line of stone brick being laid by a stonemason, with an additional pony supplying him with lime mortar and a line of armed guards running its length. The other change was a set-up tent on their side of the wall of spikes, with a line of ponies had stretched from its bowls. What this new placement was for, she hadn’t a clue. But maybe it was the reason why guard called her down. After her inspection of the changed town, Novus noticed as a pegasus stallion slowly started walking out of the large tent. He was coloured as sand, with a faded blue mane. He had, hung around his neck, a diamond-shaped pendant with some sort, either painted or carved, placed within its middle. It was too far to see. A pony standing by the tent’s flaps grabbed her attention as she was ushered towards the line-up of others, into the tent. Having no idea what it might be for, she took the line's tail. For a very long time, Novus stood, only ever moving at a slow pace. It had been a good while before she found herself inside the large tent. It seemed a little hastily put together, with barrels and crates littering the ground in piles, while a table was set up with a pony behind, a pile of scrolls in front, and a crate by his side. When came the time she was at the front of the line, the stallion at the table coughed into his hoof, clearing his throat and gaining Novus’ attention. He spoke in a monotone, his face cold and serious. “What be yer name, lass?” “Novus,” She answered, “Of house Hammer.” The stallion behind the table then started to sort through many of the parchment laid upon the table. After picking one up, he spoke again. “Nay. As of the day agone, thou shalt take only the name of thy night borne kin.” Looking down upon the parchment scroll, the stallion paused a second to read something before speaking up once more. “Henceforth, thou shalt be of the Moon family, of Maldictum Semper.” Novus tilted her head in clear confusion as the stallion across from her picked out a pendant, similar to the one she saw on the pegasus, and many others who had left the tent. Now, up close to it, she noticed the pink horn and dark blue bat wings painted on the diamond-shaped pendant. Taking her eyes off the object, she gave the stallion a questioning look. The stallion narrowed his eyes slightly, studying her. “Tis thy identity brooch. Thou art to wear it upon thine self of all hours,” he said to Novus, “Should ye be found with brooch abandoned, or assay abroad of Maldictum Semper, thee art to be detained.” That was the second time she heard him refer to her hometown as something different. Something new. She asked him, “What dost thou mean ‘Maldictum’ Semper? Tis not one town of Libria Semper, Nay?” An impatient look made onto his features, the stallion just wanting her to leave. “Aye. Thou canst look thyself, on the morrow. Tis time thee art to leave, now.” Without another word, Novus took up the pendant, and the new information, and started for her home, just on the edge and wall of the town. Mayhap the charcoal was ready for shoveling, and she could start on that armour. She just hoped what was to come was nothing she heard the Crystal War was like.