They called Equis "king". Sometimes, the eons-old stallion didn't know what to think of the title. He knew his name was Equis, he knew he loved his wife, Galaxina and their two daughters Celestia and Luna with all his heart, all his life. But as he stood on the balcony of majestic Canterlot Castle and gazed out on the kingdom of Equestria as the sun rose, he pondered his own destiny. Equis was unsure of his fate.
It had never been explained to Equis why it was his duty to rule this world, to attend to its pony inhabitants alongside his wife. The mark that sealed his fate had adorned his backside for as long as he had known. Before it, there was nothing. He knew that caring for the kingdom of Equestria was his obligation... but he did not know why.
Equis had been blessed with many gifts, a kingdom, a beautiful mare to call his own and just a few days ago, two beautiful baby foals. He promised himself that his daughters would not be blessed with uncertainty.
Galaxina, his wife, descended from the sun as it took position in the sky to mark morning. Her wings glowed with a heavenly light and glittered as she soared down to the balcony. Her radiance was only amplified by the sun, Equis marveled at her work as it lit up the kingdom below. But it was Galaxina's smile, not the sun that lit up Equis' world as she landed before him. Without a word, they embraced in the light of a newborn morning.
"How are they?" Galaxina asked about their daughters.
"Still sleeping. Would you like to go check on them?"
"No... let them sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a big day for them."
"Today, you mean," Eternos corrected with a grin.
Galaxina smiled, realizing she'd just raised the sun. "Yes, you're right." Equis was not the only one who had difficulty understanding his role at times. He smiled back at her.
"When are they expected to arrive?" Galaxina asked, now inquiring about the guests scheduled to come to Canterlot Castle.
"Soon. A few hours, probably. They keep track of time based on the position of the constellation they call "Harbinger". So, for now the girls can sleep and we can have the morning to ourselves," King Equis said. His wife smiled at him again and for the second time, he felt the warmth of more than the sun overhead. The two stood on the balcony in silence and looked upon their kingdom together.
An hour later, the two guests arrived. They were escorted into the castle by the royal guard. Equis and his wife were informed and they gathered in the throne room to meet their guests. The first guest was a dragon, a blue lizard-like creature that stood on two legs and carried a gold scepter topped with a red gem. His angular face, scales and wings gave him a menacing appearance but he strode with a certain grace as he walked into the throne room.
The second guest was a zebra, a cloak pulled over his entire body and a hood over his head. The zebra kept his head in a downward-facing position as he walked so his face was obscured by the darkness of the hood. Gold rings adorned his hooves, barely out from under the dark cloak. The two walked side-by-side up to where the king and queen sat on their two thrones. They bowed as they approached, both kneeling before the rulers of Equestria.
"We are honored to be welcomed here on behalf of the Zebra Kingdom," the dragon said, head hung low and a claw over his heart as he spoke. "I am called Spar. I speak for the Oracle, Zen," he gestured to the Zebra with his other claw.
"We are honored to receive you, Spar and Zen. You may rise," the king said. Both he and his wife rose from their seats now that introductions were over. Etiquette was something that sometimes could not be spared. Spar and Zen both rose. The zebra pulled back his cloak revealing a determined face and short-cropped mane, both striped black and white. A jagged scar ran from Zen's forehead through his eye and down to his chin. Despite being smaller, his appearance was no less menacing than the dragon's but he carried himself with an amount of grace making him seem powerful, yet not dangerous.
"We appreciate you coming here at our request. This way, please," Galaxina said. The king and queen led them out of the throne room and into another hallway. The four walked through the castle quietly, guards saluting as they passed them. They entered a small chamber at the end of a long hallway, a room off of the main path but traveled to often. Equis used his magic to open the door and the four entered.
The room was very small, the only thing that occupied it was a crib that contained the newborn foals of the king and queen. The two baby ponies stirred as their parents approached. The four surrounded the crib and its contents, four sets of eyes on the infants inside.
"Celestia," Equis said, gesturing to the white foal with the smallest outcropping of a blue mane. "and Luna," he said, addressing the dark blue foal next to her.
"Their marks represent the sun and the moon. They're visible already," Galaxina said. Zen and Spar noticed the two marks on the newborn flanks.
"We wish for them to know their future, their purpose for being here," Equis told the two. Zen muttered something as he stared at the two and then spoke something in his native tongue. Neither Equis nor Galaxina spoke zebronics and it's likely that Zen didn't speak ponese which is why Spar was there.
"The oracle can see the future, not the fate of these two. Their destiny is something that can only be revealed with time," Spar said.
Equis and Galaxina looked at each other. They could each read what the other was thinking just from the expressions on their faces. Galaxina nodded and the king turned to the oracle.
"That will suffice for now," he said, his voice conveying a hint of regret at not being able to learn the full extent of his daughters' destinies... or his own.
Zen nodded and said something else, he looked directly into the king's eyes as he spoke in the language of the zebras.
"The oracle is ready," Spar said. "He can only see the future of one of your daughters at a time."
The king and queen looked at each other again, knowing what the dragon meant. They had to choose which daughter's future they were going to see first. This was something neither of them had considered, now both of their expressions turned to that of confusion. How did they choose? Equis looked into the crib at the faces of his two foals and then back at his wife. His mouth started to form a word, a name beginning with the letter "L".
"Celesita," Galaxina said. "She is the older if only by moments." Equis nodded; he was uncertain but that seemed to be the only way to decide.
"Very well," Spar said. He spoke the name in zebronican to Zen who nodded solemnly. "The oracle will begin now."
The zebra called Zen leaned over the crib to see the white foal. She looked up at the strange black-and-white creature that was observing her. The oracle raised a hoof over the foal and held it in midair. The gold ring on his limb began to glow an eerie blue. He spoke something else in his native language and his eyes took on the same color. A flash erupted, the oracle's mouth began moving at a blinding speed. Even if they could understand his language, he was speaking so fast he sounded almost incoherent. A drone filled the air and then suddenly, stopped. Equis looked over to his wife. Galaxina's mouth was agape, a mother's concern on her face.
The glow vanished from the oracle's eyes and ring. He turned to face the king and queen and began to speak again, this time normally. Spar interpreted for the oracle.
"The oracle sees the one called Celestia doing great things. She will wield the power of the sun, like her mother and will face many challenges but through each one, she will emerge triumphant. Using the power of magical elements yet to be revealed, she will usher fourth a new age of harmony for all of Equestria," Spar said.
"That sounds wonderful," Galaxina remarked. Equis nodded, happy and relieved. His daughter was going to bring fourth an age of harmony. Knowing the journey's end didn't spoil it, no, the knowledge that the sister of the sun had such a bright future ahead of her gave the king only solace. His heart was contented by the oracle's words. She would have the certainty he and her mother did not.
"Please, now Luna," Equis implored.
Galaxina nodded. "We wish to know Luna's future now, please."
Without another word, the oracle extended his hoof over the head of the darker foal. Luna, curled in a ball in her crib next to her sister was almost completely eclipsed by the shadow cast by the hoof over her body. Again, the oracle's eyes and ring glowed with an other-worldly blue-green light. He opened his mouth to speak again... but not a sound emerged. The king and queen listened as did the dragon translator, hanging on any utterance of a word, no matter how vague the oracle spoke.
But the oracle remained silent. He seemed almost controlled by the power he possessed, stuck in a trance-like state. Different lights then appeared in his eyes. Equis noticed the flashes, circlets milling about his sockets. Orange... yellow... white... bright pink and light blue... and finally a purple. The oracle blinked and lowered his hoof to the floor again without warning. He shook his head and said something, a trite statement.
The king and queen looked to Spar. The dragon held his scepter, puzzled. He leaned towards the oracle who made the same short utterance yet again, this time louder. The zebra then threw back on his hood and began walking out.
Spar turned to Equis and Galaxina, at a loss for words.
"What did he say to you?" Equis asked.
"I... I am not entirely sure. Forgive me your majesties but I am not a well-versed dragon. Some terms still elude me..."
"What is it he said? Please tell us," the king almost begged. He had to know, what was Luna's fate? Was she going to die young? Why had the oracle been so brief? He thought of summoning the oracle again, too many options were racing through his mind, he couldn't think. Spar continued to look confused.
"Please, whatever the oracle told you, we must know," Galaxina pleaded.
"Your daughter Luna.." Spar began. He stopped as if trying to find the words.
"Our daughter Luna, what is her fate?" Equis asked, his heart heavy and racing. "What is Luna's future?!"
"She's going to be a colossal nerd."