//------------------------------// // The Reign of Queen Galaxia // Story: A Royal History Lesson // by crazyjw18 //------------------------------// A long, long time ago, in an age now largely forgotten, the magical land of Equestria was saved from the very precipice of disaster by a very beautiful and wise unicorn. Though she was a mare of humble birth, this pony possessed a natural talent for magic that far exceeded that of other unicorns. Using her extraordinary power, she managed to protect her fellow ponies from a dark and ancient evil and restore peace and prosperity to the land. Although this unicorn was hailed as a great hero by all of Equestria, she desired nothing more than to be allowed to live a simple life amongst her fellow ponies. Alas this was not to be, as the Great Calamity had left the ponies leaderless and much of Equestria in ruins. With the need of Equestria still so great, the pony named Galaxia reluctantly accepted her role as the nation’s new queen. Under Galaxia's guidance, Equestria was transformed from the ground up. Where the ruins of lavish palaces had once stood, thriving gardens, rich orchards, and vast fields of oats now flourished. The oppressive elite ruling caste of yesteryear was gone, replaced by a decentralized government that allowed most decisions to be made at the village and town level. The land thrived under the new system, and within a few short decades Equestria had almost completely recovered. However as the years drew on and Galaxia inexplicably showed no signs of aging, she began to be revered as a living goddess by her subjects. Despite her best efforts the members of the royal court became more and more distant with her. By the time the last of her own generation was gone, she no longer had anypony that she could truly call a friend. The long years swiftly turned into centuries, and though Equestria only grew in elegance and happiness, the unchanging Queen found herself growing more and more depressed. Her own time had long since passed, and the lives of normal ponies seemed increasingly brief to her. To make matters worse, the exploits that had propelled her to fame had been embellished over and over during the years until they had reached truly mythical proportions. At last Galaxia decided that she had served her people long enough. Equestria was now a strong nation with no known enemies and a content populace. One stormy night, without a word to anyone, she left the royal palace and headed out into the world to seek out the ordinary life she had always craved. A great hunt was held for the missing Queen, but a carefully crafted magical disguise ensured that she was not found. Eventually Galaxia ended up settling down in a tiny village far from the bustling hubs of Equestria. The rural village of Everfree reminded her of the simple days of her youth, and she happily began a new life amongst the earth pony farmers who lived there. Although as a unicorn she was a bit of a curiosity, her eager willingness to do hard work and untiring nature quickly earned her the respect of the other villagers. For several years Galaxia, or Starlight, as she was now known, was able to enjoy the common life she had always wanted. However she remained ever aware that she would one day have to move on, lest her immortal nature be discovered. She was just starting to make plans for her eventual departure when a seemingly insignificant event changed her mind. After an unusually meager harvest, the village's farmers banded together to hire a pegasus pony to come to Everfree and manage the local weather. Galaxia felt a strange flutter in her heart from the first moment she laid eyes on the handsome white pony called Cloud Bolt. She felt as if she herself was soaring every time she spied his dashing figure race through the skies above. Though Galaxia was a loner by necessity, she soon found herself making up excuses to run into Cloud Bolt. The two quickly became good friends and gradually even lovers. Before she knew it, she had enthusiastically agreed to marry him. Although she felt guilty for deceiving him, she did not reveal her true nature to her husband. Centuries of having no friends had left her terrified of once again ending up alone. Soon after their marriage, Galaxia was blessed with her first daughter. Born at dawn, the tiny winged foal was lovingly christened Celestia. A few years later a second daughter, Luna, was born just as a full moon rose overhead. Both of her daughters were the subject of much discussion as it became known throughout the region that they both shared not only their father's wings, but their mother's graceful horn as well. The birth of an alicorn was an exceedingly rare event, and the birth of two in the same family was unheard of. Galaxia was very content with her little family, though the increased attention made her a bit uneasy. As the girls grew older and their own impressive potential for magic became obvious, Galaxia took care to secretly instruct them. She taught the two to hide the full extent of their power and to only focus on honing their skills. Cloud Bolt was surprised by his wife's own extensive knowledge of magic, but knowing her reluctance to speak of her past, he did not press her for details. As Galaxia’s family enjoyed their precious time together in their secluded village, all was not well in the rest of Equestria. A new incarnation of evil from the darkest region of the outer world had set its sight on the innocent ponies and their magical kingdom. The creature was emboldened by the rumors that the powerful pony goddess was no more, and he stealthily crept into the northern reaches of Equestria to prey upon the defenseless citizens living there. Appearing as a huge and grotesque horned centaur, Tirek, as the dread creature would soon be known, was at first considered a minor threat. But his dark power was increased by the magic of every pony he consumed, and soon he no longer bothered to evade the patrols of royal soldiers sent to slay him. His attacks became more bold and frequent as he cleared out entire towns to feed his insatiable hunger. A massive number of reinforcements was swiftly sent from the capitol, but by this point Tirek was able to defeat even the most elite soldiers and mages with ease. Town by town he steadily worked his way south towards the densely populated valleys that made up the heart of Equestria. In his wake was left only a trail of death and destruction. The now frantic ponies of the royal court hastily issued a call to arms to every region of the country in hopes of raising an army strong enough to stop this menace. When the news reached Everfree, Cloud Bolt immediately decided that he would go with the other able bodied males of the village and help fight. While the pegasus had a gentle nature and no desire for battle, he had no hesitations when it came to protecting the safety of his family. Galaxia hung her head low as her husband told her the news. If the situation was truly this grim, then her duty was all too clear. Despite having finally achieved the life she had always yearned for, her power was once again needed to save Equestria. "So it looks like we'll be heading out tomorrow," Cloud Bolt explained with a heavy heart. "Now listen, if something goes wrong, if we aren't able to stop this...this...monster, promise me that you'll take our daughters and run. Run as far as you can. Even if you have to leave Equestria." "I am so very sorry, my dear husband," Galaxia said in a low voice as her body began to shimmer. "I had truly hoped this day would never come." "What in the world?" Cloud Bolt demanded as his wife's light blue coat darkened to a deep indigo. "Starlight, what's happening to you?" "I am afraid that I have been deceiving you all these years. This is actually my true form," she whispered sadly as the glow faded from her body. Confused, he peered at her newly changed cutie mark. Where before there had been a single white star, a brilliant spiral galaxy now graced her hip. His eyes widened as he recognized her unique and very famous marking. "Galaxia," he breathed. He shook his head in disbelief. "No, there's just no way." "Yes, dearest," Galaxia confirmed. "I am she." "There's just no way," he argued, a hint of desperation entering his voice. "How could that be? The Queen disappeared years ago." With tears in her eyes she quickly explained the reason for her careful deception. As she related to him her long story and finally shared with him both her hopes and fears, she was amazed to see the shock in his eyes gradually fade to a mixture of sadness and compassion. "All these years I...I had no idea," he said quietly after she had finished. "You never even hinted at any of this." She nodded, keeping her eyes on the ground as she waited for the scornful words that were sure to come. To her surprise he instead stepped in close and nuzzled her cheek. "I am sorry, my dearest angel. You've been through so much already." He gave her a soft kiss. "I can't claim to understand what it has been like for you." She gazed warmly into his eyes. "My dear husband, I never could have hoped for a more wonderful mate. And though it pains me greatly to say this, even though I want to remain here with you, I have a duty to stop this monster myself." Cloud Bolt shook his head. "All you have to do is keep our fillies safe," he said sternly. "This changes nothing. Tomorro-." "No," she gently corrected him. "There is no need for you to fight. I will face this creature. And I will face him alone. Protecting Equestria is, after all, my greatest responsibility." "What about your responsibility to me? To our children?" he demanded. "You shall remain with Celestia and Luna," she replied. "They can both fly well enough. If anything goes wrong, I'm sure you'll be able to take them somewhere safe." "There's no way I'm letting you fight that horrible monster," he blustered. "They say he's nearly invincible. Not even the royal battle mages have been able to stop him." "No other mage is anywhere near my level," she countered. "If he's as powerful as you say, then a lot of innocent ponies are going to die for nothing. I can not allow that to happen.” “If you go, you could die.” Galaxia sighed heavily. “That is true. However I do not fear death the way I once did,” she admitted. “I have already lived over six hundred years. Almost every pony I’ve ever known died centuries ago.” “Are you saying that your life means nothing to you?” Cloud Bolt demanded. “No! I am saying nothing of the sort,” she replied sharply. “Darling, the last few years have been my happiest. I never thought that I would find someone like you, let alone experience the pleasures of motherhood. I never even dared to dream of it. If it were up to me, I would have us stay this way forever.” Her eyes grew stern as she continued. “I have perhaps been a bit selfish. Long ago all of Equestria was placed in my care, and I promised myself that as long as I drew breath this land would remain safe. And if it means that I am also able to protect you and our children, then it is even more important that I go. ” Cloud Bolt lowered his eyes. “Fine. But you will not fight alone. I will go with you.” “No, you will not. Our daughters will have a far greater need of you than I,” she argued. “You will stay here with them. I will brook no argument on this.” “There's no reason for you to fight alone!” he insisted. “Other ponies would only get in my way,” she countered. “If I am not able to stand against this Tirek, then Equestria is lost either way.” "I don't understand why you are being so stubborn." Galaxia gave him a bitter smile. "Because I'm the only one left who remembers the Great Calamity. I remember the fields of the dead and the dying. I can still hear the screams and the braying of all those that were lost before I was able to do anything. I can not let that happen again." She nuzzled him once more. "I shall leave in the morning. If I do not return, you know what you must do."