Obscure Unicorn History: Starswirl and the Lunar Princess

by Miniscule Literary

Chapter One

"A meeting? With me?"

Starswirl paced back and forth excitedly, thinking of all the possibilities that could stem from such a thing. Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria, wanted to meet with him, a talented young Unicorn born and raised in Canterlot. The implications were enormous, and the young stallion was almost going out of his mind as he thought it over.

"A meeting...with me!"

Practically skipping around the room, Starswirl garnered a few strange looks from a number of visitors to the Library just outside his study. The unicorn collected himself with a nervous cough, gathering his things before he departed. He wasn't sure how he would get to sleep, with thoughts of tomorrow's meeting running through his mind. As he made his way through the bustling Canterlot streets, the unicorn failed to avoid a few close encounters with other bystanders, but was far too elated to care.

By the rise of the morning sun, Starswirl was miserable. His concern over sleep the night before was well founded indeed; he had not slept a wink, and now was practically dead on his hooves. The exhausted unicorn had thrown a quill and a few pieces of parchment in his pack before he left, worrying the entire way how he would present himself to the Princess now. What if he fell asleep right there, while the Princess talked about furthering his research? The thought alone was enough to make Starswirl panic.

Slowly but surely, he made his way to the place described in the Princess’s letter. It was a part of the royal garden, only a few yards from the palace itself. Showing the letter to an imposing pegasi guarding the archway leading into the garden with nervous trepidation, Starswirl was allowed entrance without incident. Inside, even in his delirious state, the young stallion couldn’t help but admire the beauty of his surroundings. The garden was teeming with life, both animal and plant. As he gaped at the verdant foliage around him, he almost ran head-first into a large apple tree near the center. This, he remembered slowly, must be the site of their meeting. Rather than being confronted with the regal majesty of Princess Celestia herself, however, Starswirl found only an elegant note at the base of the tree.

"The Princess...isn't coming?" Starswirl said to himself as he read. Although his exhausted mind was slow to process the information, he eventually worked out what the letter said: The Princess was sorry for not being able to attend, but she had sent somepony else in her stead. The young stallion was both disappointed and relieved. He was sad to see his meeting with one of the glorious rulers of Equestria disappear into thin air, but was also grateful for it as well, considering his current state. He supposed one of the palace officials would be sent down to meet with him instead. They would get their business squared away quickly, and he would be off to continue his work in no time at all.

Easy.

"Are you the one our sister spoke of?" a forceful voice inquired behind him. Words already at his lips died away as he saw just who had addressed him.

"P-Princess...Luna?!" Starswirl stammered. Just like that, he stood before the graceful – if not extremely intimidating – form of Princess Luna, Princess of the Night. Like her sister, she was significantly taller than the stallion, though not quite as tall as Celestia herself. A patch of brilliant night sky flowed from her head and neck, and Starswirl found himself getting lost in the alicorn’s ethereal mane.

"We apologize for not arriving at the agreed upon time. We do not usually travel out of the palace during the day," Princess Luna stated, staring down at Starswirl with a harsh, judging gaze.

Surprise - coupled with sleeplessness and a small dose of fear - rendered the unicorn unable to speak, simply gaping absently at the Princess.

"You are Starswirl, are you not?"

Hearing his name seemed to snap the young stallion out of his delirium. "Ye-yes I am, Princess. I am Starswirl."

"If what our sister said is true, you are quite talented with magic."

This time, Starswirl was only delayed a moment, caught off guard by the fact that Celestia herself had praised his abilities. "Y-yeah, that's what I've been told," the unicorn let out a nervous laugh, earning a strange look from Luna.

"Is something wrong?" the Princess of the Night asked, her gaze hardening.

"Uh...no, no...no. Just didn't get much sleep last night, is all, Princess," Starswirl stammered, realizing only after he had spoken how unprofessional such a thing sounded. "I apologize."

"Perhaps that is for the better, considering the unique nature of the situation." Seeing the confusion on Starswirl's face, the Princess continued. "Our sister has not told you? There is an affliction spreading across Equestria, one that has already claimed many in unending sleep."

Starswirl listened closely as the Princess explained. Denizens of Canterlot, Trottingham, Fillydelphia, and more were falling victim to this plague of the mind. They would fall asleep and simply not wake up, no matter how much the ones around them tried to free them. She told of how those afflicted would show great distress as they dreamed, but no matter what, they would not wake up.

"As night is our realm, we felt that this problem was ours. So we came in place of our sister, to meet with you, Starswirl of Canterlot," Princess Luna explained, her expression maintaining its professional appearance, changing little over the course of her story.

"I'm honored, Princess. But...why me?" Starswirl asked, hoping the Princess wouldn't be offended by such a question.

"Our sister felt you were sufficiently qualified to aid us in bringing an end to this plight. Was she mistaken?"

"Uh...I don't think so." Starswirl said very carefully.

"Good. Unless you have anything more to ask us, we should depart."

"Where are we going?"

"You must first see this affliction for yourself. Then we shall determine how to overcome it."