I noticed the grandchildren staring at me as I placed the kettle down. I turned and looked at them as I was trying to pick my words carefully. I tapped my hooves together before I spoke.
“Yes, I was told about Snow. When I get home I will make preparations for her funeral” I stayed calm as I noticed they were staring at me with shock and disgust.
“How can you be so heartless and cold? You should be sad as you were close with her and” I stopped him as I pulled him close to me. I used my hoof to clear his tears as I noticed his eyes were red.
“Stop crying these angry tears and save them for the funeral”
“How can you not be sad or crying!” I smiled as I patted his cheek before removing the tears from his stained coat.
“Oh my DarkSky, your grandmother here is over two thousand and one hundred and fifty years old. I have buried many of our family members over those years, and over those years my tears have dried up. They have dried up because I noticed that since I was the only one to stay the rest needed me to be a pillar for you. I needed to be the strong one and take on many of the responsibilities so you all can let you grieve. Your dear grandmother here has plenty of yeats to grieve over you all. As long as you keep them in your heart and in your memories they will never really die. You and the others will understand fully with you become elders” I leaned in and kissed his forehead as I patted his cheek softly. his eyes glanced down at the floor and his shoulders dropped.
“I am sorry for yelling”
“My dear you are grieving so I can understand where you are placing that anger you have. You and the others can all yell at me if you want and I will take it. Now, why don’t you and the others head to the Canterlot home? I am guessing most have started their way there” I kept my smile on my face watching him nod.
“We came with Ghoul since none of us ever been to the empire and we wanted to tell you as well”
“Now you did and you can head home. Your mother isn’t going to be happy Dark with you and the others leaving. She going to tan your hide”
“She knows were with Ghoul grandmother”
“Alright as long as she knows” I chuckled and passed him a few bits with a wink “You and the others go by some gifts before getting on the train now” I saw his eyes lit up along with the others. I could only chuckle as they ran out of the throne room with Ghoul chasing after them.
“Mother”
“What can I say I like to spoil my grandchildren” my ears caught the sound of chuckling. I turned and noticed the Empress had a big smile on her face as she started laughing.
“I finally get your age out of you. If I knew what it took I would have done that sooner”
“Shit” I hissed as I lowered myself down.
“So I guess I won our bet huh Cleric”
“No, you lost. You only thought I was a thousand, you never said over Two thousand”
“When I meet you silly”
“Wow, over two thousand years. You must have seen a lot haven’t you” My eyes moved toward Fluttershy as she smiled.
“Yes, and I am not going to be used as a living history book. The last time I told that to a certain pony I got my heart pulled out of my body”
“Yes, and your heart was a normal red one, not this black orb” I saw her shiver “But you are still on loan to Equestria. You will always be a citizen of this empire first”
“You said that to the flutter ponies and most nations”
“And I am glad I did. You would have been corrupted by that ooze and became one of those awful changelings. I am shocked that Cherry Flutter lost her mind and became Crystalis she had a lot of talent for ruling” I was staring into the distance as I let out a loud shutter.
“I hope she doesn’t remember me. They would start a war between them and Equestria”
“Why because they can change into anything you like. I do know” I shoved an apple-shaped crystal into her muzzle stopping her.
“Okay none of that now”
“Silver?”
“It's nothing Luna” I snapped with a weird smile on my face “Besides my preferences have changed Empress and I would like to keep my younger years and my stupidity is hidden” I huffed as I walked to the cart pouring me a cup of tea.
“You were the type of mare in the past who loved her knots of dragons, wereponies, and other creatures with the unique shaped cock. I was surprised you married a stallion as well. I see letting your mate keep in charge still runs in your veins. But then again you were so troubled in your youth My Cleric” I gulped as I turned around looking up at her “House arrest here in the empire many times. Once because of a broken water fountain, and then the main support of the castle. You broke that because a fight with some nobles of the Everfree City came. You drained the whole empire of booze in a single night earning you a lifetime ban from the bars. You liked to jump the bones of the dragon dignitaries as well, I think you got a few Zebras in as well. You were arrested for drinking in public. You were almost banned from the library since you were fighting about how the books should be organized. I confined you to the castle after breaking the train tracks during a fight with a rouge minotaur. My husband had you in a cage hanging in the bedroom because a certain pony with a crystal sticking out of her chest scared the staff. He thought you were some kind of zombie. Your lucky I got you after that one.” I felt her hooves on my cheek as I felt myself getting picked up.
“I was young and dumb. Besides I thought it was normal to get drunk and fight” I crossed my hooves as I was being held by the empress.
“And how old were you?”
“I was only three hundred years old. Grandfather gave me the advice that ponies liked to drink and fight and that was it. Never knew anything else till you started teaching me that there was more. Besides, how was I supposed to know all of that?” I looked up at her as I heard her chuckle.
“You never did tell me your real age back then. This makes complete sense on why you were so hard-headed and why you still are” I felt myself being dropped on the floor. I grumbled as I felt her hoof on my head.
“Your like wine Silver. With age, you get better and you just needed some more guidance than what you had” I grumbled as I felt my coat changing again as I sat up rubbing my chest.
“Mother I thought your magic had even out?”
“I did as well. Something must be blocking it or off. Give me a moment to check on my mana pool. It's where the seal is” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I let my breath out slowly as I dove into my magic. My mana pool was this large round pool of glowing blue and gold magic swirling around. I glanced down noticing it was fine and at the proper level. I sat and watched as I could see something dripping into it. The mana would be displaced every time a drop of the strange liquid would come down. I looked up and noticed the seal was being eaten by something dark. I pulled myself out of my mana pool panting.
“Something is very wrong. the seal is being eaten by something” I felt a warm liquid running from my nose causing me to look down. It was black and before I could say anything I found myself tackled to the floor. I looked up and could see myself as if I was in my dreams.
“LET ME OUT! The pony shouted causing the castle to shake. I could see tears falling from their face as I tried to push them off.
“LET ME OUT!” My hoof was trapped in their coat causing me to panic. I felt it's hooves stuck to my shoulders as their eyes were staring down at me.
“I can do this” I spoke softly as I tried to move but was stuck. I felt their hoof on my chest and it was cold as ice to the touch.
“Help” I spoke up as I tried pulling my hoof from them.
“Luna, what is that?”
“I don’t know Empress” she hissed as I looked back at them.
“Discord!” Fluttershy yelled causing my ears to twist. I heard him pop in with some tropical music playing.
“You rang?” he chuckled.
“If you really are good and just want to help then help!” I shouted as I heard glass shatter. I was panicking hard till I felt him remove the pony from on top of me. I quickly got to my hooves staring at order. he was holding the pony as it let out a cry in pain.
“Are you” that was it. I did not hear anymore as I threw a barrier up around me. I placed my hooves over my ears as I was shaking. I made myself small as possible as I could hear pounding on the barrier. Tears were flowing from my eyes as I was scared. first, my magic wasn’t properly managed and I was scared of what it could do.
“Silver?”
“SILVER?”
“CLERIC!”
“LILY!” I could hear all the names they know being shouted at me through the crystal floor.
“Slivc?” that voice. it was soothing causing me to open my eyes. I noticed my tears were white with small round orbs falling from my eyes. Looking up I noticed the silver and the golden alicorn staring down at me. I glanced around thinking I was somewhere else but no I was in the empire. They were just sitting on a rune etched into the floor.
“Silvc can you please come out and talk to us little one?” I could hear their voice still as I pulled my barrier down. My hooves were shaking as I moved closer to Selene. I felt my coat changing as I found myself being swept into her hooves. She felt warm like my grandfather when he hugs me. I could feel her hoof on my back as I gripped onto her.
“Solis what should we do? You heard brother her magic is fighting her now”
“I am not sure my dear”
“Princesses would you be so kind and translate for the rest of the class here”
“They're talking to each other. But the name they're using for her is not Silver” I could Celestia speaking as I noticed Solis turning toward her.
“Her name is Silvc! Silver is the name the damn thief gave her. And Lily who gave her that name?”
“I named myself Moon Lily to keep hidden” I let a yawn out as I was fighting sleep. I found myself being pulled into his hooves as he looked down at me.
“Then that is alright if you gave yourself that name my little one. All your siblings like to change their names once in a while, but you look so tired you should sleep” I felt his head nuzzle me as I let out another yawn shaking my head.
“Selene you should get back to the moon. your time in the sky is almost here”
“You need to get back to the sun as well my dear” I let out another yawn as I closed my eyes for a moment. I found myself bolting up quickly looking around. I was still in the empire but this time I was in the claw of Order.
“Did they hurt her?”
“She so fiery we can do smores!” I heard Pinkie shouting. I felt a talon run along my back causing my mane to return to normal.
“No Fluttershy they did not do anything to her. But from what I heard she knows her real name now”
“You two are bad translators you know that” the empress growled. I tried to calm myself down as I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I looked up and noticed Luna trying to help.
“Celestia! wake up and tell me the name they were using” I leaned over noticing the Empress shaking the sun princess out of her stupor.
“First off stop shaking me. Second, we were being scolded for calling her Silver, Third, they were fine with the name Moon Lily since she gave herself that name. Fourth they were calling her Silvc”
“They always call me that” I broke the argument between the empress and Celestia.
“wait you know them?”
“When I am passed out and Luna can’t find me in the dream realm. I’m with them” I rubbed my forehead as I felt a headache coming on.
“Silver you do know that was the sun and moon right?” my heart stopped as I turned my eyes to Luna again.
“Say that again?”
“The silver pony was Selene who is the moon. I normally see her as a pegasus not an alicorn like this time”
“The gold pony was Solis he is the sun. I normally see him as a unicorn”
“So that was the moon and the sun I was really walking on. And here I thought that damn pony named Void was giving me hell. I guess I owe them an apology” my head hung as I heard laughing behind me. I glanced back noticing he was still looking at Order.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Oh, if you either haven’t figured it out or if they haven’t told you then I am not saying anything”
“Discord why haven’t you changed back” I could see Fluttershy sitting in his claw.
“We have a visitor” I watched as his eyes narrowed toward the balcony. I turned and watched as my grandfather appeared on the balcony. I was wondering why I was having a headache this day just got worse.