//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: To Conquer Ones Fears // Story: Get Him 3 // by Lord Blackraven //------------------------------// To Conquer Ones Fears Luna returned to her old home later that night and resumed her quiet observations from her perch on the roof. The same as before, she witnessed Alex go through his nightly ritual of paying his respects, kneeling at his bedside and then crawling under his covers. Once he was settled in she could hear a soft snore symbolizing he has indeed fallen asleep. This time would be different for him though. She would enter his dreams again and help him fight his nightmares. The air was chilly with a slight breeze blowing but she ignored it as she made herself as comfortable as possible on the roof. Closing her eyes, she began to weave her spell that would allow her to enter Alex’s sleeping mind. Alex “awoke” to a different scene than his usual nightmares. Everywhere he looked seemed to be completely bathed in a soft light. He also observed that his environment was devoid of any features. ”Well this is new.” He thought to himself. “Wonder whats going to happen next?” Very quietly he heard a soft voice calling his name. It didn’t sound creepy or spooky, but rather kind and friendly. “Alex.Alex. Alex?” It continued. “Whos out there?” he called out into the white void. His voice echoing off into the distant nowhere. “Who are you!? Show yourself!” “Please do not be alarmed. I am a friend. I am here to help you.” “Help me? Help me how? Every time I asked for help, I was lied to! How can I trust that you will help me when everyone in this God forsaken world has sought to exploit me for their own gain?” “Tis true. All of it.” The ethereal voice continued. “Even the rulers of this land have betrayed and hurt you. Much to their everlasting shame.” “What? So they feel bad or something for how they have treated me?” Alex scoffed. “Yeah right.” “They do. Tis the truth. Yes, they deeply regret what they have done to you.” The voice said. “Then who are you and why should I trust you? How do I know that you aren’t like the rest?” Again the voice responded. “Again you are correct. You cannot trust me, nor should you. Trust is not freely given. It must be earned. I intend to earn your trust.” The voice said. “And how do you intend to do that?” Alex again scoffed. “By helping you overcome your nightmares.” “Say what now?” “It is as I have said.” The voice replied. I have the power to help rid you of your nightmares. That is if you will let me help you. Will you allow that?” “Ooooookaaaaaayyyyyy?” Alex responded with some trepidation. “But first show yourself.” He then said. “I am sorry young Alex, but at this point I cannot.” The voice replied. “This is where the trust begins. Just know that I will be here with you every step of the way. You have but to call me and I will respond.” I will, from this point on, protect you no matter what. I am your friend. And I will always be.” It said. “But for now, sleep. Rest. The nightmares will not torment thee this night. I will see to it personally. Come the morrow night they will return and you will have to face them, but this time you will not be facing them alone any longer.” “Whoever you are………….Thank you.” Alex said as he felt himself begin to drift off into a deep undreaming sleep. Suddenly he sat up and called out. “It just occurred to me now. Just what do I call you? You never gave me your name.” “What would you like to call me?” the voice responded. “Sarah.” was Alex’s response. “Why such a name?” the voice queried. “In my world it means “princess.” You are like a night princess. At least your voice sounds like it, I think. Soft and gentile as the night, and kind sounding. Like my mothers was.” Alex yawned as he lay back on his dream bed. Soon he was asleep. Lunas heart was touched. Now more than ever she was determined to care and protect him at all costs. Luna smiled as she continued to watch over Alex’s dreaming mind. As she lay on her rooftop perch her horn continuing to emit a soft blue glow as he slept. She saw how the nightmares would continue as they had before, but they were unable to break through the barrier of her protective spell. “Not this time.” She thought to herself. “I am here and you will no longer deny him his nights sleep!” Her horn pulsed slightly as she pulled the heavy quilt from before up to his cheek and gently tucked it over his sleeping form and then levitated another log onto his small fire. “Oh Alex.” She whispered. “I am so SO very sorry for what we have done to you… For what I have done to you. I truly wish to be your friend. I hope that you might find it in your heart to forgive me one day.” Luna stayed at her self-appointed post for a few more hours, ignoring the chill in the air and continuing watching over him and his dreams as he slept. Eventually the time for her departure came. It was time for her to return to Canterlot and report to her sister this nights happenings. Once she was convinced that he would continue to sleep undisturbed, she stood up and stretched then spread her sable wings and took to the air. Once airborne, she proceeded to circle the old ruins to see if there were any dangers that might find a sleeping Alex and once assured all was safe, she cast a protective spell around Alex’s living quarters and set a course for her home. The flight home was uneventful as usual. Once Canterlot castle was in sight, Luna made straight for the tower balcony to her room. With practiced ease she alighted on the marble floor and walked into her private chambers through the curtained double doors. She gave out a big yawn. It had been a long night and she was very tired. Still she had a chance to get a few hours sleep before she attended to her nightly duties of putting the moon to sleep and making way for her sisters dawn. The morning came just as it always had. The sun rose at Celestias command and set on its eternal course across the sky. Once done, Celestia walked to the royal dining hall She was eager to hear Lunas latest findings on young Alex. Once she entered she found that Luna was already there. “Good Morning sister.” She said. “Good morning to you as well Celestia.” Luna replied in response with a yawn. “How is our young friend?” “Sleeping without his nightmares troubling him.” was Lunas reply. “I placed a protective spell around him so that his nightmares won’t be able to attack him this night. I also introduced myself in his dreams as only a voice promising him that he will no longer be alone with these horrors he suffers from. I told him that he would have to face and defeat them for them to be truly gone, but also that he will not be facing them alone ever again.” Luna continued. “I am doing this at a very slow pace sister. I…..We are in a very delicate and precarious position with him. If I reveal myself to him too soon then he will most likely feel danger and once again flee. However, if I continue to just be a voice that helps him with his nightmares and then reveal myself to him, then he may feel deceived and his trust in us will never be gained.” Luna took in a deep breath and let out a tired and heavy sigh. “Is there more Luna?” Celestia had noted the look of deep thought on Lunas face. “Yes, there is more. He asked what he should call me should he need me and he gave me a name. “Sarah.” In his world this name means “princess.” He referred to me as a night princess yet he doesn’t know just how accurate he is. He - he said that my voice was soft and gentile as the night and it was just like his mothers.” Luna sniffed a little. “The more I think about him…what we did to him, what I did to him, the more ashamed I feel and the more I want to make things right.” “Luna. Is there anything I can do to help?” Celestia asked. “I am the caretaker of the very sun and the co-ruler of this land. We are both the most powerful ponies in Equestria and yet………..” “Go on sister……….” “And yet, despite all our magic powers we’ve gained over the past several thousand years, we are powerless before this one being. It is so sad that in the few brief moments we were with Alex, that we ruined his first impression of us, our subjects, AND our land and worse still, his trust. He WAS a stranger in a strange land... as his letter stated... and yet we were so cold hearted and self-absorbed, that we didn’t even consider his feelings. He just wanted to go home and we…………How, just HOW could we have fallen so low?…………” Celestia trailed off as her head fell and tears fell from her eyes. Celestia had been taking this whole event personally and much harder than most. Luna, walked over to her sister and embraced her within her wings. “All will be well Celestia. I will not give up on Alex. This story WILL have a happy ending. I promise. It is just going to take some time.” “I know Luna. I know. It’s just that I feel so useless.” “Didn’t you say that you were going to summon the elements and inform them of our young friend?” “Yes Luna, I did. They should be here sometime today.” Celestia replied. “Good. Excellent.” Luna replied. “I will now retire to my chambers for some much needed rest. Please send a guard to awaken me once they arrive. I too, wish to be present for this meeting.” “Sleep well sister.” And with that Luna ‘ported to her bed chambers for some much needed sleep.