Before the Dawn

by SilverMuse


Chapter 6: Dream Walking

Chapter 6: Dream Walking

“Where have you been?” Celestia asked as a greeting the moment Luna landed upon the balcony. “You said you would return after taking Sombra home.”
“I know...I know,” Luna said, a little embarrassed. “We started talking, and then I wanted to show him how to better control his magic and....well...time escaped me. I’m sorry, Sister. I meant no harm.”
Celestia heaved a deep sigh and shook her head. “You had me worried sick, Luna,” she replied and walked forward to nuzzle her cheek. “After what happened yesterday, I thought, perhaps...but the guards would have warned us if you were taken, I am sure.”
Luna shifted a little before returning the nuzzle. “I can take care of myself, Tia. I would have returned in an instant had I thought Sombra and I were in danger.”
“Hm, I would hope,” Celestia replied and fixed Luna with a look of warning. “I am glad that you have found a friend, but you have to remember your duty to Canterlot, as well as to Equestria.”
Luna blinked in surprise at the reprimand. “Of course I do, Sister. I have raised and lowered the moon and graced the sky with stars. I am performing my duty.”
“Have you visited the dreams of ponies, though?” Celestia asked.
Luna opened her mouth then closed it slowly. “Not in the past two nights, no. I was otherwise occupied, and I did not sense unrest.”
Celestia lifted an eyebrow. “An entire Empire was attacked by a rebellion, and you did not sense unsettled dreams? Prince Agate Shield alone would have reason enough to have nightmares.”
I hadn’t thought of that...Luna shuffled her hooves and took a breath. “Forgive me, Sister. I will be certain to visit their dreams tonight. I....I also told Sombra that I would teach him more magic.”
“That is all well and good, just don’t forget your duty, little sister,” Celestia warned her. “Now, the sun needs to be awakened and the moon put to rest.”
“Yes, Tia,” Luna replied and turned to face the sky. As she had done for thousands of nights, Luna set the moon and watched as Celestia raised the sun in all its brilliant glory. With a yawn, Luna bid her sister goodnight and wandered to their room where she once again drew the shades.
As Luna settled upon her bed, she thought of Sombra and the passion with which he spoke about the night, and about her.
I wish others felt that way, she thought to herself as sleep started to claim her. But even having him at my side is enough to chase away my sorrow.

~*~

The day came and went while Luna slept peacefully in the crystal palace. Celestia awoke her in time to raise the moon and share a meal with her, Gemfyre, Agate Shield, and Nebula, while Quill lurked in the background as always. It had been a rather quiet and somber affair, lacking the usual enthusiasm that Celestia usually had when she partook in a meal. Luna was only too glad to leave them at the table, though not without Celestia’s soft reminder that Luna still needed to act as Princess of the night and visit the dreams of her subjects.
While she had told Sombra that she would meet him that evening, she had not told him when, and so, she went to the balcony and settled down to reach out to her subjects to see which ones were being taunted by nightmares. It was sometimes difficult to deem which dreams warranted Luna’s attention. Some colts and fillies had normal nightmares of monsters visiting them under the beds. Mares and stallions fretted over money, food, shelter, or love. Some of the nightmares she found humorous, like the poor stallion who always seemed to get chased around by a monster with the head and feet of a chicken, the wings of a parasprite, and the fluffy tail and body of a white cat. She had tried to interrupt that dream one time, but the stallion had spent the entire time quivering under her legs, refusing to heed a single word she said.
Luna giggled at the memory.
She reached out to the ponies again, and this time, it did not take her long to find a stallion who was surrounded by a haze of darkness and fear. As Celestia had surmised, the terrible nightmare belonged to Prince Agate Shield.
Luna bowed her head and spread ethereal wings. There was a moment of disconnect as her spirit left her body. It felt almost like a cool wave across her back. She flew through the night and directly into Agate Shield’s dreams. She found him standing in an open field, surrounded by ten shadowy unicorns with glowing red horns. Another unicorn held Nebula at bay with crimson tendrils wrapped around her legs, muzzle, and neck. Agate Shield pleaded with them to let his wife go, but they just closed in on him, laughing, taunting.
“Death to the alicorns! Death to the alicorns!” they shouted.
“I’m not an alicorn!” Agate Shield protested, but even as he spoke, a horn sprouted from his brow. He danced backwards and swung his head as if to dislodge it. “Let her go!” he cried again and ducked as red flashes of light threatened to take him to the ground.
Luna decided that that was enough. She flew from the shadows and sent her silvery and blue magic at the red-tinted unicorns. One by one, they disappeared, leaving Agate Shield and Nebula free. Nebula settled onto the ground and remained quiet, as Luna bid the dream-mare to do.
Luna landed and strode towards Agate Shield as he cowered on the ground. “Agate,” she spoke gently.
Agate Shield looked up between his hooves and stared at Luna with fear. “Are you real?”
“As real as I can be in a dream.” She went to his side and reached down to help him up. “You are asleep.”
“But the unicorns,” he said, looking frantically around. “They were here. They had Nebula, and...and I had a horn.” He looked up, but Luna had already removed the dream appendage. “I don’t understand,” he whispered.
Luna urged him to sit, and she did the same across from him. “What are you afraid of, Agate Shield?”
“The unicorns,” he said. “They tried to destroy us. What if they manage to succeed? I don’t want to die, and I don’t want to lose my wife, my mother, or my ponies.”
Luna leaned forward. “What else?”
Agate Shield was quiet for a moment. “I’m afraid of the responsibility my mother wishes to place upon my shoulders. I’m not ready, Princess, but she will not listen. I have tried to express my fears, and even though you and Celestia have faith in me, I have no faith in myself.”
“Hmm,” Luna said quietly. “Yet in the face of danger, you rose up and stood before your wife to protect her and your unborn foal. You did not cower or flee; you fought beside us after being struck down by the unicorns. You even threw yourself at the enemy and saved your subjects. Is that a sign of a coward?”
“Well, no,” Agate Shield admitted. “But surely there was more I could have done. If I had been made an al-alicorn...” he stuttered and turned red.
Luna’s eyes softened. “You fear to become one.”
“To my everlasting shame,” Agate Shield sighed. “I respect you, my mother, and Celestia, but now that the threat has been given.... ‘death to the alicorns,’ I am terrified to become one. My ponies need me; my wife needs me.” His eyes flooded with tears. “My foal needs me.”
Luna touched his chin lightly. “And therein lays your strength. You are able to admit your fears, even if you think they will bring you shame. You wish nothing more than to protect those you love, which is the mark of a true ruler. Still...I ask you to consider this; should your mother fall, would you be able to take up the throne?”
“Yes,” Agate Shield replied without hesitation. He brushed tears from his eyes. “I trust no pony else.”
Luna smiled. “It seems you already have an answer to one of your fears, then. You say you do not think yourself ready, and yet you trust yourself to take over should your mother pass.”
Agate Shield was very quiet for a moment. A smile worked its way across his face and his eyes brightened. “You are right, Luna. I suppose....being told that I should hide in Canterlot has left me afraid as well. I feel as if I am abandoning my ponies.”
“You are doing no such thing, I assure you,” Luna said. “We, my sister and I, are the ones who are taking you away to stay safe until it is time for you to assume the throne. You will be ready to help your ponies if your mother cannot. Have faith.” She tapped his chest then blew softly into his face. “Now sleep,” she whispered as magic in the form of tiny stars danced around his head. Agate Shield smiled and slowly settled onto the ground and fell into a peaceful slumber that would leave his dreams empty and restful
Luna flapped her wings and returned to her mind. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, letting her soul settle back with her body. Well, one pony tended. Perhaps she could visit a few more, and then she could find Sombra.
Luna once more closed her eyes and flew into the dreams of her subjects. One filly kept finding herself cornered by three colts who teased her for her blank flank and her shabby mane. Luna sat with the little filly, assuring her that though the bullies could not see her beauty, she was indeed beautiful inside and out. The filly fell asleep happily at Luna’s side.
A young stallion came next. He had just lost his farm to a couple seedy landowners that had left him and his wife and three foals out in the cold. Luna considered a plot of land that she knew was still available for travelers. She instructed him to go there to find a new place to live peacefully with his family. He cheered joyously, and his dream switched to one of him building a new barn with his foals and starting a small orchard filled with apples.
Each nightmare was different, but each one ended the same. Luna would either send the pony to sleep or help him or her create a much happier dream. In spite of her magical intervention, the ponies always turned their backs on her. They slept without giving much thanks, or they went about their dream business, and Luna was left to stand off to the side, forgotten. She had offered her help, but none had offered her an ear.
Such was the reward of the Princess of the night.
When Luna left the eighth pony, she yawned and looked up into the sky. It had grown late, and dawn was only a few hours away. She rose to her hooves, stretched out her real wings, and leapt from the balcony to seek out Sombra.

~*~

Sombra paced the same line in the grass that he had been deepening for the last few hours. He had been patient at first, but the more the night waned, the more he worried that he had been foolish to assume that Luna would meet him again. She had duties to the rest of Equestria, not just to him.
I’ve been practicing her magic lesson all night. I already feel stronger, but I want to move on and try something new. She’ll come. She said she’d come. I...I want her to come.
He turned to sit down and came face-to-face with Luna as she landed. Sombra sprang back with a cry of surprise, causing Luna to stumble as well and start to laugh.
“Forgive me!” she giggled. “I did not mean to frighten you.”
Sombra shook himself and offered a pleasant smile. “Heh, I was distracted, pardon me. How do you fare this evening?”
“Well enough,” Luna replied as she walked towards him. “I have been visiting ponies’ dreams tonight. My sister helpfully reminded me I was neglecting them.”
Sombra felt his stomach twist with nerves. Oh, he’d been afraid that would happen. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to distract you,” he said, wondering if he should call the night to an end before the sun Princess scolded her sister again.
“What? Oh, oh, no, no, do not apologize, it was my own fault, of course.” Luna brushed her mane back out of her eyes and smiled. “I have done what is needed, and now I have time to teach you. How goes your practicing?”
“Well,” Sombra brightened a little. He reached for his magic as Luna had taught him and pushed it to the surface of his horn. Unfortunately, the only way the magic would come easily was if he remembered how those wretched unicorns had attacked Luna and hurt her. Anger and frustration worked better than peace and happiness. “See?” he said proudly as he held an emerald orb easily above them.
“Wonderful!” Luna cried, causing Sombra to swell with pride. “Now, let’s see if we can teach you how to levitate things.” She reached up and took her stunning black and blue crown from her head. Without the tiara, it caused her mane to flow even more elegantly about her face.
Sombra sighed in appreciation, admiring the way the moonlight sparkled on her mane and tail.
Beautiful, simply beautiful.
“Sombra? Did you hear me?” Luna asked.
Sombra shook himself from his wistful thoughts and cleared his throat. “Oh, sorry. No, what was it you said?”
Luna nudged the crown closer to him. “I want you to imagine your green magic and try to wrap it around my crown. Once you have a steady hold on it, levitate it with your power.”
Sombra eyed the lovely token on the grass then looked at Luna uncertainly. He had managed to create sparks of light with his horn, and even orbs. He’d even fixed a vase! But he was worried about doing more than that. What if his magic erupted as it had during the celebration? What if....what if.
“Sombra, I’m here with you,” Luna told him. “If something goes wrong, I can help. You won’t hurt me.”
Sombra blew out a breath and nodded. He approached the crown and lowered his head to touch the tip of it with his horn, hoping that would give him better purchase. The green magic flowed through his horn and down around the tiara. A giddy feeling filled him as he realized just how much easier the magic came to him. With a grin, he lifted his horn, and the crown with it, or at least, that was what was supposed to happen.
The moment his horn moved away from the tiara, his magic snapped and released the object. Sombra stared at it in shock and tried again. Thrice more he attempted to lift it, but each time he moved back, his magic shattered.
“What am I doing wrong?” he complained.
Luna came to his side and draped a soft wing over his back. “Let’s try together, shall we?” she said. She moved her head close to his, earning a blush from Sombra.
Easy...stay steady, he begged himself.
“Create the orb again, as you did before,” Luna instructed.
Sombra did as she asked and then watched a blue orb form above her horn.
“Now, send the magic towards the tiara.”
Sombra winced. “But my magic will break,” he protested.
Luna shook her head. “Not if you concentrate on it. You’re focusing more on the tiara than on the magic. Follow my lead.” Luna tilted her head forward and sent the magic to her tiara. The blue light danced around it and she smiled encouragingly at him.
Sombra took a breath and did the same, letting the green magic slowly detach and travel to the tiara. He stared cross-eyed at his power, watching, and praying that he wouldn’t mess up this time. The green light settled around Luna’s and remained strong.
“Now imagine your magic lifting the tiara,” Luna whispered. “Don’t picture the tiara moving...just your magic.”
“What’s the difference?” Sombra asked.
“The object, you cannot control,” Luna explained. “But you can control your magic.”
That made sense to him, but he was still nervous. Sombra stared at the green light and willed it to obey his command. Slowly, the magic tightened and started to rise, along with the tiara and Luna’s power. Luna watched it carefully and encouraged him as the crown rose higher and higher.
“I...I think you can let go,” he told her as he held the tiara before his eyes. “I think my magic can hold it.”
“I already did let go,” Luna told him with a smile. She nodded to the tiara. “What you are doing, you are doing by yourself.”
Sombra looked at her in surprise, his mouth falling open. He was making the crown levitate? It was his magic? Pride and joy consumed him and sent even more power to the tiara. It turned slowly in place and he grinned mischievously at Luna. “May I try something?”
Luna blinked but gave a quick nod and freed her wing from his back.
Sombra turned and faced her, the crown still levitating in front of his eyes. He concentrated hard, imagining the crown turning and floating towards Luna. He watched it go over her horn then come down to touch her brow. He slowly slid it along her azure mane. The beautiful blue tresses floated behind it and came to rest as he placed the crown carefully in place. Another little tendril of his magic brushed the mane out of her beautiful star-lit eyes.
Luna’s cheeks had reddened, and the soft smile had deepened considerably. The way she stood there, embraced by the moonlight was simply breathtaking. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, to promise that he would always be there to protect her.
Hesitantly, questioningly, he leaned forward and—
The sounds of giggles and snickers caught his ears before he could finish...whatever it was he was about to do. Sombra looked up sharply, as did Luna, and found five crystal ponies hiding amongst the grass. How long they had been there, he didn’t know, but it had obviously been long enough to see what had almost happened.
Sombra felt his insides rip apart as he staggered away from Luna, unable to contain his embarrassment and his shock at being discovered along with the Princess.
Luna handled it with more grace, however and strode forward.
“What have we here?” she asked with a playful smile. “Five little ponies sent to spy on their Princess. What have you to say for yourselves?”
The ponies giggled and bowed their heads. “Sorry, Princess Luna.”
“Well spoken. Now, away with you,” Luna said with a gesture of her hoof.
The ponies quickly scrambled back to their homes, but not without a lingering look back at Sombra. One pony winked at him while another clicked her tongue and shook her head reproachfully.
Sombra snorted and looked down to the ground.
What was I thinking? They have every right to laugh and scorn me. I’m no Prince for their beloved Princess.
“Well...then,” Luna said, breaking him from his inner turmoil. “That was rather exciting. You did very well, Sombra.”
“Thank you,” Sombra muttered quietly. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Luna, not after what he had almost done. “I think using my magic has exhausted me. Perhaps we should end the lesson early tonight.”
“Oh,” Luna replied with a certain amount of disappointment. “Yes, I suppose I should continue my duties. It....you did very well, Sombra.”
Sombra nodded his thanks and stepped around Luna cautiously. “I wish you a good night.”
“Will I see you tomorrow?”
Sombra paused mid-step and looked back her. Was it his imagination, or had her question been a little rushed...a little forceful? He blinked at her and saw the hope in her eyes. “I....well...if it so pleases you,” he said carefully.
Luna grinned widely and nodded. “I would like that very much. Tomorrow night, then.”
“Tomorrow night.” Sombra felt another swell of joy, knowing that the Princess wanted to see him again.
Maybe I did not make such a fool out of myself after all! Maybe she didn’t even notice!
With a kick of his hooves, he trotted happily back to his home for a well-needed sleep.
Maybe Luna would even visit him in his dreams tonight.

~*~

Luna sat in the field for a long time, staring after Sombra. The night was quiet save for the gentle rustle of the wind through her wings and grass. The training had gone well, better than she had expected, in fact. He was growing into a strong unicorn after only a couple of lessons. She was sure that she could help him use the same sort of magic as a regular unicorn before no time, provided they continued to work together at night.
She reached out and touched her crown lightly, feeling how it fit just right on her brow. He’d done that...he’d put that crown on her head with his magic just before he’d....
Luna felt a strange but wonderful flutter of emotions. It was welcoming and terrifying at the same time. He’d been so close to her, his breath and body so warm and inviting. She’d felt the flutter the first night they’d spent together, and she felt it grow each time that she was with him.
Was this how a pony felt when she was in love?
Luna touched her muzzle and looked up to the smiling moon.
“Oh, my...”