Son of the Night

by Rafarofa

Friendship

After about an hour setting his stuff up, Aster packed his belongings into a backpack trip that Hurricane Sword had given him for when they went to hunt. All that was left out were his armor and sword.

Looks like I'll spend this night under the moonlight... Aster thought as he walked to the market to buy groceries for the trip. I just hope that doesn't rain tonight.

The market was full as always, but you could walk without bumping into the other ponys. Aster was calmly doing the purchase of food and new canteens, he used the trick of hiding the horn, until something hit his back. When he turned he saw someone the size of a child lying on the floor with a cloak covering the entire body.

“Ouch...”

He offered the hoof to help the stranger to get up and the movement made during the process caused the hood of the cloak to subside revealing the blue furcoat, the light blue mane and the horn in the middle of the mane. Quickly, having recognized who it was, he took her arm and led her to a gap between the shop of a blacksmith and a wall, the seller was too busy negotiating to pay attention to the conversation.

“You Highness, what are you doing here in the market? And alone? Are you alright?”

“I'm fine, I'm fine, the fall hurt a little but I'm fine."

“But why are you walking around alone?”

“I'm not alone, I'm with... Tia! Yes, I'm with Tia.”

“Tia?” Aster asked thinking weird. “You mean Princess Celestia?”

“Yeah... I knew that this idea of disguising the name wouldn't work, as if nopony would put two and two together...” She mumbled to herself.

“But where is Princess Celestia?”

"Well, we were walking together through the market to see the gypsies who have arrived just recently, they always sell interesting things that they take on their trips. Then came a crowd, we got separatted, I started looking for her, I bumped into you and now I'm here. Hey! Aren't you the general's student?"

“Yes, I am.”

“Sometimes I saw you training. What's your name? And where's your horn?"

“My name is Aster and my horn... Well... It's hidden.”

“Uuhhh... I didn't know that you could hide the horn like this.”

“Yeah, I learned by myself, but now, your highness...”

“Luna.”

“Excuse me?”

“You're nice, call me Luna.”

“Erm... Princess Luna... Did anypony else come with you two?”

“No, only the two of us.”

“Then we must find your sister quick. What is she wearing?”

“Why?”

“It isn't much safe for the pincesses walk around the market alone.”

“All right, let's go. She's wearing a cloak just like mine.”

A few minutes by the market later and they found a mare wearing a cloak that also looked for somepony.

“Lu! Lu! Where are you?!”

Quickly the younger princess ran towards the older.

“Tia! I'm here!”

When she saw her sister, Celestia kneeled down to hug her.

“Where did you get yourself, girl? I was dying worried that you could get hurt.”

“I'm fine, Aster stood with me.”

“Aster? Who is Aster?”

“The general's student, over here.” She pointed to him, who, in the very instant, bowed down.

“Your Highness, allow me to escort you back to the castle, it isn't safe for the ladies to walk around the market with no company.

“Oh, please, there's no need for such formality here. But we can't go back yet.”

“But, princess...”

“Luna, stay here a little bit and see if you don't get lost again.”

“Alright, alright.”

Celestia took Aster to a place a little far from where Luna was and talked in a low volume..

“What post did the general put you?”

“I'm a soldier of the Lunar Guard, why?”

"All right, then you know about the war. Look, Luna hasn't the slightest notion of what that means, I myself took long to understand the idea, and knowing that our father is running such danger... it's disturbing. I do not want my little sister to pass through that too so from time to time I do something with her to avoid it. Our mother doesn't know that we're here and I don't want to worry her, so if you can keep it a secret I would be very grateful."

“I... I understand, I shall do as you ask. But still, allow me to accompany you, as a Nightkeeper it is my duty to guarantee your safety so I just can't let you go with nopony to guard you.”

“ALright, come with us, but seriously, do no talk anything about the war when close to Luna.” Celestia turned and talked to her sister. “Lu! Aster is going to walk with us.”

“Yay!!” Luna saind hapilly as she stood in between her sister and her new friend.

“By the way, you told that you are a Nightkeeper, how weird, I thought that all the young ponys from your clan would make the regular training... and what happenned to your horn?”

“Well, it was General Hurricane himself who offered to train me, and about my horn...”

The three chatted throughout the day. Aster managed to make his stock and Celestia managed to cheer Luna up. At the end of the day, with the sun already settin down, they were at a little used side door of the castle.

"This is where we say goodbye, my princess."

"Until next time, Aster." Luna hugged him making him blush (how do you blush under the fur is beyond me to know) and then went to her sister's side.

“Princess Celestia.”

“Aster. So, until next time?”

“Yeah... until next time. But unfortunately it will take long. Tomorrow morning I'm leaving.”

“I know... you will join the other soldiers...”

“No, it's not that... I'll train with Starswirl.”

“The general's brother? Good for you.”

"Yes, we'll travel without set time and he'll teach me what he knows."

“So, for now, farewell. And when you come back, look for us.”

“Farewell, princess.”

Aster turned back and followed his course while the princesses entered the door and disappeared into the shadows.

On the other day, shortly after sunrise, Aster was to the combined location already with all the equipment that he had separated for the trip. Starswirl soon came also.

“So, Aster, are you ready? Be sure that this will be an unforgettable experience."

“More than ready, I spent the whole night thinking about it. Finally, after so much time I will learn magic.”

“Then let's go, the workd waits for us." Starswirl spoke while the doors of the wall opened up. When they were leaving, a voice coming from far called.

"Wait! Aster! Wait!" The figure came running using a familiar cloak and with outstretched arms, another one was behind. Aster soon kneeled down predicting what would come next. When Luna came close enough, she jumped towards him, hugging him and then getting on your her hooves again.

"My princess? What are you doing here?" Although Luna asked him to call her by the name she ended up liking it more when he called her like that.

"Your Highness? You know that your parents say you should not leave the castle alone, even more at this time in morning."

"It's okay, Starswirl, we didn't come alone." Celestia said as she came closely accompanied by a pegasus in dark armor.

"Your Highness." Starswirl replied bowing. "And Captain Midnight Roar Nightkeeper."

"Luna just wanted to say goodbye to her friend, so we brought her here." Celestia continued.

"Aster, since you're a soldier I want to give you a mission." Luna said.

“A mission? And what is it?”

"First I give you this." She took from the cloak a small light emanating sphere.

“This is...”

"It is a shinning orb, I made ​​it myself. This is your mission: I want you to take this orb with you and, when you have learned magic, bring it back. Since the Nightkeepers always fulfill their missions, so I can guarantee that you will return one day to Canterlot."

"Very well, my princess, I shall fulfill this mission." Aster replied guarding the orb in his own clothes.

"Good luck." Luna hugged him again, this time taking a little longer and then walked away.

"So it's really you, Aster."

"Midnight Roar? You became captain? And you stood here?"

"Ten years ago we all made a vow to protect the queen, and with everything that's been happenning, someone had to stay here and protect the royal family. But I'm admired to see you. I remember you so young, gazing upon the night sky, lonely in your corner, now a soldier in training and with the best teachers that the kingdom could offer." Now facing starswirl. "Take care of him, but don't take it too easy or he could end up getting convinced."

"Don't worry." Starswirl answered. "He's not my first student, and I know well how to deal with young ponys."

"In this case, 'till the return."

“Farewell, Aster" Princess Celestia said.

“Farewell, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Midnight Roar.”

And so, Aster and Starswirl followd their path to outside the town, heading to wherever they went.