//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Binding the Sun // by keithsterling //------------------------------// 12:00pm: the afternoon of that same day, Family room, Private living area, Canterlot Royal Palace, Royal ward, City of Canterlot. After shortening the normal Royal court session for today, Princess Celestia Silverlight waits in the family room of the Royal palace along with Somnus and Aurora. Earlier before, beginning the business of the royal court, she dispatches a royal messenger to the Silverlight stable with a letter addressed to her husband’s two sisters to come to the Palace as soon as they can. Ever since the pony napping of Celestia’s little princess, someone from the royal family has stayed in contact with the Canterlot investigating team looking into the pony napping. That some pony was Princess Aurora Silverlight. But unfortunately for Aurora, the results from this new Canterlot investigating team have been less than ideal. “Mother!!!!!” Aurora said in a huff, “When father was the head of the Canterlot investigating division the first thing he did was to investigate a crime scene for clues. I was just told they just got to it what took so long!?” Aurora said hotly, “Aurora, please calm yourself dear, your father was the best royal investigator I had since he became the prince of Equestria and his sudden death, there has never been another royal investigator like your father to come through Canterlot.” Celestia explains with a calm voice, “But you know as well as I, mother, what happens.” Aurora was cut short as Celestia places her hoof onto Aurora’s lips, “Somnus, would you be a dear and go see if your Aunt Serena and Aunt Seer have arrived at the palace and bring them here?” Celestia asked kindly as Somnus gets to his hooves and runs out of the family room to see if his Aunts have arrived. When he leaves Celestia removes her hoof from Aurora’s lips, “I do, Aurora, the longer it takes to figure out who has my baby. The less likely we will find her alive; (a thought I wish not to have) pure Alicorn mare like me and Luna can only get pregnant once in a lifetime, because of our immortality. So I was overjoyed when fate smiled down on me and allowed me to get pregnant three times. Each of my beloved foals was a special gift to me.” Celestia explains as she hugs her oldest daughter, “That’s why I asked your Aunts to come to the palace. What made your father the best Royal investigator in Canterlot working together with his two sisters? The sisters each have special talents, that in cooperation with each other made a powerful team. So I am hoping that your aunts can do the same job without your father.” Celestia voice constricted. In the foyer of the royal palace the little colt waits for the arrival of his two aunts. Soon the front door opens and in enters two unicorn mares and an older alicorn mare. The two unicorn mares were dark blue in color with a crimson red mane and tail. While the older alicorn mare was a lighter blue in color with a crimson red mane and tail. This older alicorn mare was Baroness Shimmering Diamond Silverlight, Prince Justice Silverlight’s own mother. After the death of her son, Shimmering Diamond took over the duties of the head of the Silverlight family along with Princess Celestia. “Grandma!” Somnus exclaims excitedly running up to Shimmering Diamond and jumps towards her, a moment later Somnus is caught in mid-air by a turquoise magic bubble. “Now Somnus what has grandma told you about jumping at her?” Shimmering Diamond said in calming but soft voice and reminding, as Somnus floats in front of her. “I am half Alicorn and half unicorn, so I am stronger than a normal unicorn colt and should be careful.” Somnus answered as Shimmering Diamond set him on the ground, before picking him up in her hooves and hugging and kissing him. “Now go say hi to your aunt, Somnus.” Shimmering Diamond said kindly as she places him back on the ground, so he can greet his two Aunts. “Hello Aunt Serena.” Somnus politely says as he hugs her, “Hello Aunt Seer.” Somnus again says politely as he hugs her, a moment later she gives him a sloppy kiss on his cheek, “Auntie?” Somnus replies wiping the very sloppy kiss off of his cheek with his hoof as Seer chuckles. “There is no doubt that you are my brother’s son, Little Somnus.” Seer comments as she touches him with her hoof, Suddenly Seer is pulled into one of Somnus’s memories. She finds herself in the Canterlot City Park looking through Somnus’s own eyes. Ahead of him was a grass stained Princess Luna. The scene changes, Somnus is now standing in front of some bushes. He runs into the bushes to get the ball. As he reaches for his ball, he catches a glimpse of what looks like a burglar mask cutie mark, before everything goes black. “Seer!” A female voice calls to her as Seer’s eyes return to normal. She quickly looks around and finds herself back in the palace. “Serena, a burglar mask cutie mark.” Seer called as Serena thought for a while. She picks Somnus up into her hoofs and hugs him tightly. “Did something happen to you Somnus in the Canterlot City Park?” Seer inquires with a soothing voice, “Yes auntie, while I was playing with Auntie Luna in the park, my ball rolled into the bushes. When I went to get it, I was stuffed into a bag. I was so scared that I froze holding my ball in my hoofs. If not for Auntie Luna I wouldn’t see mommy again.” Somnus fearful as Seer strokes his mane with her hoof, “A good thing your Auntie Luna was with you when they pony napped you. If there’s one thing I know about that Princess of the Night, she will not let anything happen to her little Somnus or any of Celestia’s children. She is just as protective as your mother is.” Seer comments as a familiar dark blue alicorn mare arrive to collect Somnus with a shy smile on her snout, “Celestia and Aurora, are waiting for you three in the family room. I’ll take care of my little Somnus. while you three talk. What you three are going to talk about shouldn’t be said about in front of the little colt.” Luna said as Seer, Serena and Shimmering Diamond bow and continued on their way to the family room. 3:00 pm that same day, abruptly put together nursery, Night Rose stable main house, noble ward, city of Canterlot, Capital City of Equestria. In the nursery the one year old Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight sits on the ground. Using her unicorn magic to flip the pages of a picture book with the different pony species in Equestria. Nearby, straightening a few things out using her magic was a light blue unicorn mare with a midnight black mane and tail; a black rose cutie mark was on her flank. Blueberry flips a page in the picture book and stops. On that page was a unicorn pony using his magic to move a small stone. “Papa...papa...papa!” Blueberry exclaimed excitedly as the unicorn mare walks over to her and looks at the picture her tiny hoof was on top of, “Yes, Sunflower, that is a unicorn pony, just like you.” The unicorn mare says kindly, “Mama...wings...mama...wings...mama...wings.” Blueberry exclaimed excitedly keeping her tiny hoof on top of the picture of the unicorn, “Your real mother had wings?” The unicorn mare seems puzzled, “Was your real mother this type of pony, Sunflower?” The unicorn mare comments pointing at the picture of Pegasus standing on a cloud, “No!” Blueberry said in a huff as she keeps tapping her tiny hoof on top of the unicorn picture, “Mama...wings...mama...wings!” Blueberry exclaimed, “A winged unicorn?” the unicorn mare says still puzzled, ‘Could the winged unicorn, be an alicorn. if this unicorn filly’s real mother is an alicorn. why would she leave her baby on the doorstep of some pony’s home? Surely she has the means to take care of her own baby.’ The unicorn mare thought looking intensely at the unicorn filly in front of her, She flips to the last two pages of the pictures book. On the last two pages were four pictures of Alicorns. On the first page was a pale light grayish cerise Alicorn, next to that Alicorn was a purple alicorn. On the second page of the book was a dark blue Alicorn. Next to that Alicorn was a pale pink Alicorn. “Sunflower is your real mother this type of pony?” Unicorn mare’s voice edged with tension as Blueberry looks at the last two pages of the book with the Alicorns on it. She scans the symbols above each of the pictures of Alicorns. Then she spots her mother’s sun symbol above the pale pink Alicorn on the second page of the book, “Mama...mama...wings!” Blueberry exclaims happily placing her tiny hoof on top of the picture of the pale pink Alicorn. “Your real mother is!?” The unicorn mare exclaimed blinking with surprise, “Princess Celestia Silverlight! then that means your real name is Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight the third heir to the sun throne of Equestria Sister, what have you done to our family name, pony napping the Sun Princess’s own filly. I knew better than to allow that crime ridden pony back into my stable after she almost killed the Princess when Prince Justice was still alive. .Black Rose you are a fool.” Black Rose’s tone of voice degenerates to a guttural rasp, she storm out of the nursery in search of her sister, Gem Cutter. “Bye...bye...bye.” Blueberry said waving her tiny hoof at Black Rose, 3:10 pm that same day, Royal nursery, Canterlot Royal Palace, Royal ward, City of Canterlot, Capital City of Equestria In the royal nursery after the Canterlot investigating team leaves the royal palace, Shimmering Diamond and Seer search the inside of the royal nursery for clues that team might have missed or overlooked. Meanwhile Serena searches around outside of the royal nursery in the royal garden for clues. All around the clear entrance point were numerous hoof prints in the dirt. “Mother, where’s the princess?” Serena calls as Shimmering Diamond sticks her head out of the window, “She is waiting in the hallway outside the royal nursery.” Shimmering Diamond explains as Serena heads back into the palace. A moment later Serena finds Celestia and Aurora waiting very patiently in the hallway for any news from her husband’s family. Serena walks up to Celestia. “Your highness, may I ask you a question?” Serena inquires, “Huh? Oh sure, Serena, what?” Celestia replies, “The night that you discovered Blueberry was pony napped, were you wearing your horseshoes?” Serena inquires as Celestia reels with astonishment at the question, “Please Serena; don’t ask any strange questions like that. I am very worried that I will not see my baby alive again. So please Serena keep your questions to trying to find out who took my baby and not what I was wearing that night.” Celestia’s voice was a lifeless monotone as a tear ran down her cheek, “Celestia, I can see that you are very worried about the fate of your precious little filly. We are too.” Serena said with sympathy in her voice. This caused Celestia to see even without her husband alive, these ponies will not stop until they find Blueberry alive and well. “Thank you Serena, I was worried that without Justice, you and your sister couldn’t find Blueberry. But now I know you will find her for me. I will be happy to help you in any way.” Celestia said reassured as Serena smiles, “To answer your question no I didn’t have my horseshoes on when I discovered that Blueberry was pony napped. After I checked on Blueberry, I was going to retire to my bed. Luna would start her night watch and check on Blueberry throughout the night while I slept, till morning.” Celestia explains as Serena listens, “Is there anything more you would like to ask me, Serena?” Celestia inquiries, “Yes, your Highness .if you could, would you remove your horseshoe and show me your hoof?” Serena asked as Celestia’s face glazes with shock. There’s a soft click from the golden horseshoe as she slides her hoof out of her shoe and held it up so Serena can have a look at it, ‘I know this is a waste of time, .looking for soil evidence on Celestia’s hoofs after about a week, because she bathes regularly and would wash away any evidence that she would have on her hoof. But maybe it’s not a total loss. Let me ask mother to scan Celestia’s hoof and make a life size model of her hoof with her magic. .Well, at lease I could use the model to figure out who’s hoof prints belong to which pony’ Serena thought looking at Celestia’s hoof, “Your Ladyship! Could you help me with something?” Serena calls as Shimmering Diamond walks out of the royal nursery and joins her daughter in the hallway with Celestia and Aurora, “Sure dear, what?” Shimmering Diamond inquiries, “Mother could you, scan Celestia’s hoof for me with your magic and make a life-size model of it. I found numerous hoof prints outside the window. But it took so long for the Canterlot investigating team to get to investigate the crime-scene that herds of ponies from the royal staff destroyed the evidence. If I have a model of Celestia’s hoof I might be able to figure out who’s hoof prints are who’s.” Serena explains as Shimmering Diamond shook her head, “Wait, before you start, you should also scan Luna’s hoof, she was the first one I told when I found Blueberry missing she was wearing her horseshoes at the time as she does for her night watch.” Celestia explains as Shimmering Diamond looks towards Aurora who knows what her grandmother was asking her to do, “I’ll go get her grandmother and stay with Somnus until she returns.” Aurora said running off to find Luna. An hour later, Princess Luna arrives. “Hello sister and Greetings your ladyship and Serena Aurora asked me to come to the royal nursery. but she didn’t tell me why?” Luna friendly says as she sits down next to Celestia, “I have a few questions to ask you about the night of the pony napping, Luna.” Serena said as Luna shook her head, “Celestia stated that you were the first one she told when she discovered that Blueberry was missing, is this right, your highness?” Serena inquiries as Shimmering Diamond sets to work scanning Celestia’s hoof to make a life-sized magical model of it for her daughter, “Yes, that’s right. I was up on my balcony all night. I just happened to look down in the royal garden and noticed a chaotic light moving about the darkness. Fearing that they were trying once again to pony nap Somnus from the royal palace, of all places .I flew down to confront the pony. To my surprise, my light fell onto Celestia, who was wearing her evening robe that she normally wears when she’s ready for bed. I asked her what she was doing in the garden at that time. That’s when she told me that some pony was gone.” Luna paused to catch her breath, “I asked her who was gone she said “Blueberry.” my heart dropped when she said that. So I went to look for myself. When I arrived at the opened window of the nursery, I leaped inside and looked in the crib. As Celestia said Blueberry was gone! I stayed in the nursery for some time, trying to cope with the snatching of such an innocent little pony like Blueberry. I don’t let to many ponies see this side of the Princess of the Night, the side that makes me look weak. but I do care for my nieces and nephew those three ponies have brought something that has been missing from my life an understanding that I will never become that dark mare again.” Luna says filled with emotion as Celestia hugs her. A tear runs down her cheek. “Auntie!” Somnus calls as Luna hears the sounds of small running hooves coming toward her. Before she can turn around, the little colt is up on her back holding tightly to the strands of her dark blue mane, “Somnus, I thought I told you to wait for me in the den.” Luna says a bit upset with Somnus as she stands up, Somnus now sitting on her back, “You took too long, Auntie, to come back, it’s boring when you are not there so I came looking for you.” Somnus explains as Luna lifts her hoof up and chuckles into it, “I am sorry Auntie, my little brother is still a bit of a hoof full for me.” Aurora says apologetically as she stares at Somnus sitting on Luna’s back as he sticks his tongue out at her, which gets her mad. “It’s ok Aurora. You can thank your mother for that trait your father was the only pony that could handle your mother.” Luna said jokingly as Celestia sits up and crosses her hoofs in front of her and begins to sulk.