“You don’t know an fairy!” Luna gave a sarcastic roll of her eyes as she trotted next to her older sister with a lackluster attitude.
Celestia just flaunted a small cream hoof to her little sister, swinging open the door to her chambers and nudging the tiny one inside.
“Hush! I do too and she is beautiful.” Celestia gave a giggle sweetly, watching her tiny sister flutter her wings and plop down onto her bed from the sky.
“Mmmhmm. I bet you’ve just been hugging on a swines butt.” The blue alicorn gave a soft raspberry to her older sister.
“You’ll see when…”
A loud knock on the door caused both sisters to jump in shock, the loud echo of the pounding seeming to carry across the wind eerily. Celestia quickly ran a hoof through her pink mane to smooth it out, gently creaking the door open to the guest outside in the chill hall.
Before she could ask or give any pleasantries, her door nearly swung off the frame causing the mare to bounce back. A salty and elder stallion walking within, his goatee small and still colored as he wore a fine silken blue cloak.
“Sir Starswirl. What a surprise.” Celestia gave a polite curtsy to her elder.
“Hiya beardy!” Luna waved her tiny hooves in excitement, to the stallion who simply rolled his eyes.
“Why is she not in bed? I told you both to rest for tomorrow's exams!” Starswirl gave a icy glare to the older mare, who could feel her ears fold back gently.
“She’s going to show me a swine’s butt, she’s been hugging.” Luna burst out into a fit of giggles and rolling back on the bed.
“ A derriere of a mud ridden beast?” The stallion gave a blank stare to Celestia who blushed a bright red.
“Oh! You know Luna such a sweet imaginative little wench.” Celestia spoke in a highly polite tone of voice, before casting daggers to the child upon her bed.
“Hey!” Luna pouted catching the word wench, her tiny muzzle scrunching up in anger.
“Mmm. Luna my dear would you please count how many stars are in the sky tonight?” Starswirl gave a warmth filled smile to the child who squealed aloud in excitement.
“Celestia outside if we may?” The stallion held open the bedroom door for the young mare, Celestia slowly walking outside into the hall as her sister made her way to the open balcony.
Outside the light of the room was far too dim, a icy cold chill causing a shiver to run down the spine of the princess. Starswirl frowning to the child as he clicked the door closed, they both left in the edge of the abyss.
“Is all ok?”
The stallion simply sighed and kneeled down to the floor in silence, Celestia feeling her heart begin to race wildly in her chest. A sense of dread from within this dim place swallowing her whole, her pale pink eyes locked upon her mentor.
A small mouse slowly peeking its head out of the nearby hole in the wall, her teacher smiling and quickly casting a dark blue magic veil around it as he plucked it into the sky.
“So many unwanted beasts within these walls.” Starswirl frowned the small creature flailing wildly high in the air.
“It’s only a mouse.” Celestia replied her voice cracking a slight bit, as she couldn’t bare the sight of the mouse scared for its life.
“Indeed it's only one now, but given time it will multiply and overtake the castle itself. You see that is what filthy animals do, they spread like a disease weakening the foundation with infection until nothing is left.”
Celestia felt her gaze fall to the floor in shame, knowing deep within her heart that her mentor knew something about her. Yet held it in silence for now, allowing her to learn from her actions through experience.
“But surely all creatures have their place in this world?” The alicorn spoke in a innocent and tender tone.
“That they do, if you allow the mice to be free they will not thank you with kindness child. Rather they will infect the staff, myself and even Luna with plagues and sickness!”
“But...”
“Life is but a chain of commands! If all do not play their part, then we all fall as a result!” The stallion spoke in a stern voice, his shadow engulfing the child with ease and intimidation.
He slowly would lower the mouse to the child's hooves, his strong magic holding it in place while its eyes pleaded for mercy. Celestia could feel her heart break as it sank within her chest, a sense of unease filling her soul.
“Be a leader and protect the castle from hidden invaders! Stomp out the filth!” Starswirl let his voice boom over the child, his cold icy eyes locking on her own with growing annoyance at her hesitation.
“I’m sorry sir.” Celestia kneeled before the stallion who simply gave a sigh of defeat, his head shaking back and forth in disappointment.
“If you ever wish to truly one day become a part of this land, you must do what is needed for the greater good of your subjects. Weakness only leads to chaos.” Starswirl gave a soft caress of the hoof through her mane, his voice becoming more tender.
His hoof soon came down on the mouse below, a loud crunch filling the air around them both followed by only silence. Celestia could feel her eyes burn with tears but held them back, she had shown far too much weakness for now and swiftly buried her emotions deep within.
“Do say your pleasantries and be off to bed dear.” His voice echoed around the child as he began to walk down the hallway into the icy abyss, vanishing once more into the bleak of the night.
Walking back into the warmth and safety of the room, she swiftly cantered towards a shimmering lit candle before blowing it out as she prayed Chrysalis got the message not to visit tonight.
“Three hundred and nine.” Luna sweetly narrowed her eyes to the sky above, trying her best to not lose count.
Celestia slowly came up from behind with a scorn look upon her elegant features, her tiny sister turning to flash a innocent smile towards her elder while small wings fluttered in excitement.
“Is it time to meet the fairy?” Luna quickly trotted in place with quick paced hooves.
“Not tonight my lovely sister. I fear it is far too cold within these walls.” Celestia wrapped her long elegant wings around her baby sister who giggled aloud happily.
“Mmhmm. Didn’t know swines could get chilly.” Luna teased her sister who quickly wrapped her hooves around the filly, playfully ruffling up her mane.
Giggles from the children lifted high into the night sky as their melodic tones floated into the darkness, Chrysalis gave a tender smile to the children upon the balcony from the edge of the dark woods.
Her child was safe for tonight, but a growing chill from the sky gave her a growing sense of dread that something was amiss. Not that of an object but as if an emotion was beaten or perhaps abused.
That faith was shaken.