For weeks Luna continued her little charade, and frequently reapplied her powdery disguise. Most mornings Celestia would go off to learn the ins and outs of ruling Equestia with their parents and Luna would sneak off, break into the pantry to roll in flour, and scurry off to meet with Falling Star. Once together the pair was an inseparable duo of tricks and pranks. Harmless though they were, they still managed to get on everyponies nerves. No pony in the guard or on the staff was safe from their own brand of hilarity. Every day she spent with Falling Star was the best of her young life, but alas she could not spend every day with him.
Being a princess made her privileged, and one of her many privileges was being taught alongside her sister in the art of magic by one of the wisest, most powerful unicorns of their time. Their teacher was the grand unicorn of the council of magic, the arch mage Star Swirl the Bearded master conjurer. Luna had met many ponies, but Star Swirl was by far the strangest. He was a pale blue unicorn with a dark blue graying mane and tail. A very strange thing adorned his face that not many ponies had; the beard for which he was named grew for about three inches from his chin. It too was graying and only made the middle aged unicorn look all the more wizened. The beard was not the strangest thing about him. No by far the strangest thing about Star Swirl was his attire. He wore a cloak and hat patterned to look like the nights sky, the edges of both were ringed with bells with a single larger bell on the tip of the hat, causing it to bow forward. In his magic he always carried with him a staff with a shimmering blue gem on its top.
Yes he was a very strange pony to be sure, and Luna had just made the mistake of falling asleep during one of his lectures. Celestia had done her best to wake her sister before their teacher could notice. But her efforts were in vain. Star Swirl spun to face the princesses, his bells jingling. He slammed his staff down on the table just inches in front of her sleeping face. If that hadn’t of woken her up his furious shout would have. “Princess Luna! How dare you sleep during one of my lecture, AGAIN?” Luna stared up at him shaking. “You may be a Princess but his majesty has intrusted me with teaching you the magic’s you will need if you are to rule this kingdom!” he snapped.
“What’s the point!? I can’t even get a grasp on levitation magic!” she snapped back.
“Well maybe you would if you ever paid attention! You fool of a foal!” Celestia made to defend her sister only to have Star Swirl round on her “You will NOT make excuses for her Celestia I will hear none of it!”
Celestia stared at her table “sorry sir”
Star Swirl took a moment to calm himself before he spoke again “I am no longer in any state to teach you anymore at this time. You are dismissed.” The princesses rose to leave. Celestia was out the door and heading down the stair of Star Swirls tower but Luna moved slower, sensing that Star Swirl was not yet done with her. “Luna” he said in a softer tone and she turned to look at him “This must stop. What I have to teach is fascinating Luna if you only listened to me!” He sighed “So you will be partaking in extra lessons during the nights.”
Luna’s jaw dropped “Extra lessons! Star Swirl tis not fair!” she protested, stomping a hoof.
“No Luna, what is unfair is how you treat me. And it is unwise to teach me as you do young one. For your future is in my hooves.” the bearded pony growled at the princess.
Luna took a step closer “What are you saying?” she questioned.
He pointed his staff at her “I am saying that until you are able to master even the basic of magic you will learn nothing of your duties of the night!” The tip of his staff slammed onto the floor, punctuating his final words that echoed in the silence “I will see you after your dinner”
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Dinner had been terrible. Her father had lectured her almost without end about the importance of magic to the royal family and how if she ever wanted to rule she would have to start acting like it. She had hoped, no she had expected her mother to come to her aid, or her beloved sister to say something in her defence but they remained silent. It took all of Luna’s willpower not to break down in tears. She refused to knowing full well that crying as she would have would only draw another lecture from her father about how a princess was strong.
The moment she was done eating she excused herself and trotted off towards the tower the housed the arch mage and his lab. She grumbled to herself and she climbed the star case. “Why do they not care? Just because I do not excel as Tia does, that makes me not fit to rule? Because I struggle I am weak!? Tis not fair!” she grumbled as she ruffled her wings. She might as well make the most of her assent to the towers top. She spread her wings and began to flap them. Eyes closed tight she jumped and hovered. She blinked and cheered quietly at her success. She climbed the remainder of the stairs in this manner. Jumping to hover up a few steps only to land and jump again.
When she reached the landing she raised a hoof and knocked on the door. “Enter” Came Star Swirls voice as the door opened by his magic. Luna entered the room slowly, nervously. It looked so much different in the gloom of evening. Candles were set everywhere and shadows flickered in their dull light. Star Swirl was standing out on his balcony. He beckoned to Luna without turning. She moved and stood next to him. He pointed a hoof out at the sky and she watched. She saw her father fly up, his body a glow. The moon rose slowly into the sky and stars began to speckle the blackness. Together the provided a dull light. Her eyes shimmered in amazement; it had been ages since she had watched her father raise the moon.
“Wonderful, is it not?” Star Swirls words dragged Luna from her wonderment and she nodded. “Yes, a truly amazing feat of magic” he continued. “It takes more magic to make the night sky then it does the day, did you know this Luna?” the princess shook her head. “With the day’s sky, your mother, and in time your sister must only raise the sun into the sky and then set it when its time is done. No more” he began slowly “But the night sky it littered with magic. The moon must be raised, and its glow set, and the stars must be summoned”
Luna looked at the unicorn “Summoned? I thought they were just there?” came her confused question.
Star Swirl chuckled “No, the stars in themselves are an amazing thing. If it weren’t for your father, they wouldn’t be there at all. And someday they will be your stars, young night princess, pulled out by your magic. That is why everyone expects so much of you, because you will do great things”
He turned and walked into the room, without his usual belled cloak and hat the stallion walked with eerily quick hoofsteps. Luna followed him slowly “S-So what first Star Swirl?” she asked. Knowing how important her magic was to be she found herself very willing and ready to learn what Star Swirl had to teach. Perhaps this is how I will get them to be proud of me, to notice me, to care for me. I will learn all that I can! Luna thought to herself. Star Swirl put an array of items on his desk “We start with the basic Princess, levitation. I feel you will make me proud”
Luna nodded and with a determined look she fired up her horn. “I will not let you down again Star Swirl!”
~ ~ ~
It had only been a hoofful of hours, three to be exact, but in those mere hour Luna had surged through her lessons in levitation and had even managed to catch up to Celestia who was a few years ahead of her in their lessons. Currently Luna sat in the center of the room with objects of various shapes and sizes floating around her in a lazy circle while Star Swirl paced about her “Concentration is the key to magic and without it we unicorns, or even you royal alicorns, could not cast even the simplest spells like lighting our horns so that we may see in the darkness.” He stopped behind her and gently shoved her with a hoof. Her concentration broke momentarily and the object began to fall. With a grunt she recast the spell and stopped them from hitting the ground. This continued until Star Swirl was able to push and shove her without her concentration breaking.
“You are doing very well young princess, you may place them down now.” He instructed with a soft voice. Luna sighed in relief and placed the objects down in their proper places. Magic takes a lot out of a pony. Her breathing was fast, as if she had just run a race and she looked to the stallion that stood before her, seeking his approval. He smiled and gave her a hoof up “You see now what you can achieve when you apply yourself young princess? You possess more talent than you give yourself credit for” at the mere mention of talent she arched her neck to look to her flank as all blank flanked foals did hoping for her cutie mark. Star Swirl chuckled “Neigh neigh young princess, your special talent will be as predestined as your sisters will be. Your special talent lies in the sky”
A light blush of embarrassment rose to Luna’s face at how silly she must of looked “I know, just a foolish hope”
Smiling kindly, Star Swirl shook his head “No princess, it is natural for a filly your age to get excited by the thought of their cutie mark, royalty is no exception” he placed a hoof on Luna’s shoulder “Give it time” he turned and looked out at the night sky “I do believe I have kept you longer then I intended to. You are young yet, sleep is important” Luna let out a small yawn that she didn't know she was holding in and nodded her understanding. It was time for her to go.
She walked to the door and paused “Star Swirl?” she turned to face him.
“Yes princess?” he replied as he tidied up a few things on his desk.
She smiled “thank you, for believing in me. I’m sorry I was so foolish” Luna said, bowing her head to the older pony.
He smiled broadly “You will make a fine ruler someday young princess, a fine ruler indeed. Same time tomorrow night?”
Luna leaped up flapping her wings excitedly “I would be honored Star Swirl!” she chimed joyously before dashing down the stairs.
She raced as fast as she could to her bedroom. Magic was a wondrous and fascinating thing! She couldn't understand why it had taken her this long to realize that. She slowed as she approached her room. She opened the door and stepped into the darkness. She had made Star Swirl proud this night. The thought made her giddy as she closed her bedroom door. Star Swirl the bearded, grand unicorn of the magic council, the arch mage, the master conjurer was proud of her! She rearranged all the pillows on her bed with levitation and made her blanket rise into the hair. Tomorrow she had the day to herself; she could show Falling Star all she had learned! That would make two ponies proud of her. And Tia was sure to be proud. But what of mother and father? Would they be proud of her? Would they even care? She pushed the thought from her mind as she used her magic to tuck herself in, something that used to fill her with comfort. But on this night her mind was filled with troubles and doubts. Were her parents any other ponies in the world they would have the time to wish her goodnight and she wouldn’t have to tuck herself in. How long had they treated Tia like a daughter and not a princess? Had it been longer then her? The joy she had felt only moments before slowly faded away and she felt, empty. She closed her eyes tightly and willed for sleep to take her. They would love her. She would push herself until they loved her. Her thoughts shifted slowly to Star Swirls praise and she allowed herself a small smile before sleep took her.