Celestia munched with pleasure upon a rather flaky tart, the soft cream of its innards complementing the blueberries and strawberries quite well. A half-eaten cake sat to her left, the red velvet just waiting for its princess to return to it.
Celestia had always known, in fact, that the chefs and cooks of the Royal Palace had borne so much talent – they were the best of the best, after all, their skills fit only for kings and queens. Yet, unfortunately enough, those that tended to the palace’s kitchens would always bear the audacity to refuse Celestia of her palate of large cakes and warm, fresh pasties. It was her fault – she had decreed upon her chefs that they were not to allow Celestia to satiate her voracious hunger for such treats, for fear that her rump would grow too large.
She was supposed to be on a diet, in a sense. Not that, of course, she would tell them of her buttocks-related fears.
Yet, Celestia believed that she should be able to treat herself at least once in awhile, and to have left such a feast of cakes to rot and mold would be a great travesty indeed!
Thus, Celestia knew she was in the right, mowing through the arranged pastries with a zealous elan. So devout was she in her hunger that the Princess of the Sun did not realize that a certain Spirit had come to sit opposite her, lion’s paw upon his chin as he watched the unaware diarch with a hidden glee. After several minutes of dutiful watching, Discord tired of the monotony of Celestia’s munching and cleared his throat.
“Hungry, are we?”
Celestia’s head snapped up, a panicked expression upon her. “What?!” she cried, settling her flustered sights on the Spirit of Chaos. “Discord! What are you doing here?”
A brow raised, Discord watched as Celestia grabbed a cluster of napkins with her magic, frantically wiping them over her mouth. The Princess, almost immediately, took on a stately look about her.
“Oh, I was very hungry,” Discord muttered, giving Celestia a sideways glance. “But it appears that a certain princess has eaten all of the food. Oh, how very gluttonous. I wonder what sort of tyrannical Princess would do such a thing? Let them eat cake, indeed.”
Glaring at Discord, Celestia shook her head – though her cheeks were such a shade of red that the Element of Honesty would have taken upon her an urge to harvest Celestia’s cheeks. “Don’t give me that, Discord. Why are you here?”
Taking an innocuous expression, Discord put his hands together. “Can’t a reformed spirit just spend some time with his favorite sunbutt?” he asked, his words laced with an ulterior layer of venom. “Or is she too busy eating and summoning random beasts from other worlds?”
“I can eat when I wish, Discord,” Celestia began, before stopping in her tracks. “Wait, what did you say about a random beast?”
Discord frowned, tilting his head. “You heard me, Princess. Random Beasts – in fact, I just met one in the hallway, not thirty minutes before. Your sister stopped me from tossing the bugger right out the window, though.”
The princess shook her head, at once concerned and, very much so, confused. “What are you talking about, Discord? What about this beast?”
The Spirit of Chaos wove a paw in dismissal, looking away. “Oh, forget that for a moment or two. Celestia, I wanted to tell you about something.”
“Oh?”
Grabbing a piece of a tart with a talon, Discord popped it into his mouth. “You have heard about the trouble in the north? What that little Crystal Pony, Mister Mirror Marble, said about what he saw? Yes?”
Celestia nodded, wondering where he was going with this. “I have.”
“I felt, and saw, the same things he did,” Discord explained, settling his eyes on a plate of pudding. “Deeply unsettling – darkness, the likes of which I have never seen before. Celestia, there is something inherently wrong, hiding in the north.”
“I know about that,” Celestia said, shaking her head. “Luna told me all about it. It’s something we’ve been looking into.”
Discord sighed, placing a paw upon his cheek. “That’s not all, dear. When I returned from the north, I came across a particular creature, strolling through the halls of the castle. That random beast I was talking about. Why don’t you take a guess as to what it was?”
Celestia shook her head. “I wouldn’t know.”
Laughing darkly, Discord wiped a paw over his face. “He calls himself a human – or, at least, your sister did. Very protective of that thing, I should like to say. And, Celestia, would you like to know of a very interesting coincidence?” Celestia leaned forwards in anxious interest, her ears angling towards Discord. She knew of the human, obviously, yet feared what kind of interaction Discord had held with the Undead.
“I felt the very same feeling from the north, here in this very castle. I’m sure you can guess where from.”
Celestia’s mouth hung open, her eyes wide and her visage more than a little troubled. Shaking her head, the alicorn princess turned away from Discord. “I… I don’t know what to say. I’ve had my doubts about Roland, but Luna seems to trust him.”
“Keep an eye on this Roland, Celestia. Or two, the more the better. But I think – I know he’s hiding something. Whether he knows it or not.”
With a flutter of his serpentine body, Discord popped out of existence, leaving behind a disturbed and worried Sun Princess, pastry crumbs speckling her mouth.
Many hours had passed since the apparent crisis concerning my diet – or lack thereof – and Luna and I had enjoyed a good day spent with each other. She had given me a lengthy tour of the palace grounds, pointing out more than a few landmarks here and there that had caught my fancy. It was a good bonding experience, to be sure, and I could tell that the princess had enjoyed our time together. As had I.
Night had fallen, yet nevertheless Luna and I relished each other’s company. We found ourselves in her study, a collection of tomes and books scattered around the large cushion we shared. Luna was enjoying a plate of tarte au citron, a delicacy from the aristocratic principality of Prance, and had decided to share a rather peculiar tale from the dessert’s mother country.
“So Prince Trèfle screams, ‘my coat is ruined!’ not bothering to realize that the train behind him had spilt the émaillé peinture, as they call it, all over his longcoat! Oh, how furious the prince was when he finally decided to turn around!”
Luna burst out in uproarious laughter, and I shared a few chuckles with her, despite not understanding the full gravity of the Prench prince’s situation. “Why do Prench royals wear such long coats and dresses?”
“Well, they are an elegant nation, Roland,” Luna responded, her laughter dying down. “But that also makes them a very arrogant sort. And they believe that the longer the coat, the wealthier you are – and wealth is the defining factor of a pony’s influence in Prance.”
I nodded in understanding. “Astora had a few like that. Fortunately enough, most nobles cared more about honor, virtue and faith. Made for a very fierce brand of aristocracy.”
“I wish Equestria and Canterlot would take your homeland’s example,” Luna grumbled, rolling her eyes. “Regrettably, the nobility in Canterlot are tending towards Prench traditions of conceit and haughtiness. Makes it very hard to connect with any of them.”
We fell into a short silence, marred by the occasional sound of Luna’s munching. I wondered what sort of story I should tell her next, that Luna might enjoy the most. Perhaps of the giants, maybe, and Hawkeye Gough – it was an interesting tale, to be sure, though I had never seen a living giant in my own time. Or, perhaps something more recent in time, more relative to myself – something of the Undead Legion?
My thoughts were interrupted by a series of knocks, coming from Luna’s door. I looked to Luna, seeing that she bore a curious expression upon her.
“Interesting,” she muttered, standing to her hooves. “I did not expect a visitor this late tonight.” Looking at me, Luna winked. “Besides you, of course.” Luna faced the door and cleared her throat. “Who is it?”
A muffled voice came from the other side, yet innately familiar. “Princess, your nightly tea!” The door swung open, revealing a dainty mare with a pale blue coat. Upon the tips of a wing sat a silver platter, a teapot and a cup sitting atop it.
“Miss Pad! It is good to see you!” Luna tittered.
Bowing with dignity, Lily Pad spoke with a tone of respect. “I apologize, Princess, but I have brought your tea. And, I might add, some news.” She glanced briefly towards me, and I waved a hand, smiling warmly.
“Worry not, dear Miss Pad,” Luna responded, shaking her head. With her magic, she grabbed the tea off the platter. Taking a sip from the cup, Luna smiled at Lily. “Now, what is this news you’ve brought me?”
Lily Pad gave a quick cough before beginning. “Your majesty, Princess Celestia requires you tomorrow, in her study, at the break of dawn. She would like to speak with you, on important royal matters.”
I sat back on my hands, wondering what Luna’s sister wanted of her. They were both princesses, of course, and most assuredly they bore matters that did not concern me whatsoever, but I couldn’t help but worry. Luna, on the other hand, appeared to be indifferent, nodding at Lily’s words.
“Then I shall meet her. It’ll be nice, to talk to my sister. I haven’t personally seen her for a few days, now.”
Lily Pad curtsied, taking a few steps backwards. “Then I shall make my leave, Princess. Good night.”
Before she could leave, however, Luna grabbed Lily Pad with a hoof. “Nonsense! Don’t you see what Roland and I are doing?”
Shocked by Luna’s grasp, Lily stuttered out an answer. “Uh, n-no, not really?”
“We are ‘hanging out!’” Luna exclaimed, beaming at Lily. “Join us! We could use another friend?”
I watched as Luna dragged Lily to the floor, forcing the alarmed pegasus to sit. “P-p-princess, I’m not sure this is a good idea—”
“Be quiet,” Luna shushed her, placing a hoof upon Lily’s lips. “I do believe Roland was about to tell a story.” She gave me a sideways glance, winking slyly. “Would you be a dear, Roland?”
I shrugged – was there an alternative? “Why not? Can’t be any harm in it,” I said, settling into the cushion below me.
What story would I tell? I wished, very much, to recount my own experiences, yet I feared I had not a firm handle on my own memories yet – too blurred, too faint. Perhaps I would remember my life clearly, in time, yet only those stories handed down to me bore with them any sense of clarity.
Finally deciding upon one particular story, I sat upright, the flame of the fireplace roaring upon my back. “Perhaps the tale of Morne shall suit this night – a most tragic tale, yet raging with an inherent wrath of faith.”
Luna grinned in excitement, a sight most unusual of a most regal figure, while Lily twiddled in her seat, apparently uncomfortable.
“Our tale begins in Carim – a land once sinister, of treacherous priests and murderous oracles. A land that, unfortunately enough, knew more suffering than kindness. Faith, in the gods and in the flame, defined that dark kingdom of men, having taken over from menacing callings, yet unlike a land such as Astora, noble and kind at heart, Carim’s faith was that of onerous duty and hateful companionship.
All knights of Carim are given a maiden to serve and protect, their only duty throughout their lives. And all knights of Carim grow to despise this duty, and despise the maiden, their reviled burden throughout life. Yet, some find love in such a vile relationship – partisan as it is, their fires of bridled love parallel that of the tradition’s origin. A man who, like them, once served a maiden and, like those pitied souls who found solace in their unmindful charges, grew to love her. Yet, she was more than just a mere maiden, for Caitha was a goddess… or a demon…”