//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Dreams For the Dream Queen // Story: Uprising // by John 117 //------------------------------// Luna slipped out of her dress quickly and quickly retreated to her bathroom. Removing her crown, she grabbed a night gown and rapped a bath robe over herself. It was quite chilly this morning, seeing as how Hearts Warming Day was only a month or so away. Looking herself in the mirror, Luna sighed. She was a wreck. Not only did she stay awake longer this night than usual, she had a very, VERY hectic night. First the thugs, then Metiphus, and then it turns out Celestia had already met Metiphus before and was apparently good friends with him. Then again, Tia does seem to know all the good stallions….Wait, what am I saying? Ugh…I require sleep. Badly. Leaving her bathroom, Luna then moved quietly to her bed before removing her bathrobe. Pulling back the covers, Luna slipped underneath the warm cotton fabric. She could have finer fabrics as for her sheets, but Luna found cotton to be simple and quite warm for such a season as now. Laying her head on her mane, Luna used a small spell to extinguish the lights in her room. Turning on her side, Luna gazed out her window for a brief few moments, watching the slow sunrise before she went to sleep. It was quite a sight today. The sky was filled with different colors of orange and blues; clouds cast rays of light in every direction. It was a calm, peaceful morning, and all was quiet. Just as it should be. Luna smiled to herself before drawing the curtains to her window and closing her eyes, falling into a deep sleep. Opening her eyes Luna looked around at her world. Everything was blurry, as if moving at a fast rate, but at the same time still moving normally. Objects appeared like wisps of cloud, and past in and out of her new reality. Focusing her will, the world focused more around Luna. It was the old palace, the one now in ruin in the Everfree. She and Tia walked down on of the torch lite hallways, chatting with one another about the day’s events. They were both much younger, maybe only a few decades or so old. They both wore simple dresses of white and blue, and their hair hung low over their shoulders. Luna watched as the two of them walked on through the dark hallway. She followed them; not knowing if this was a dream or a memory. If it was a memory, she did not know it. They continued to walk towards what appeared to be the Grand Chamber beyond. Unlike the new main chamber, this one was much grander. Build of rough dark stones and adorned by large grand tapestries, it held large marble statues along its walls, depicting its now gone leaders in heated battle and glorious conquest. Windows of stained glass let in natural light, but from the ceiling hung large iron chandeliers with wax candles that never dripped. The two continued to walk, oblivious to her…and another figure. It slowly walked in the shadows; never seen, never heard. The two continued to walk while Luna tried to urge them to move; turn around, run, do something! She knew why the shadow was there, she remembered now! She ran up to the two ghosts and ran her hands through them, though she never made contact. Her fingers slipped through their bodies like air on a mountain side. Luna watched in horror as the two continued to walk towards their thrones. Doors behind the golden seats lead to their personal chambers. Drawing away from the deeper shadows, the figure moved forward, faster than light. A large dagger was held in each hand. Luna screamed their names, knowing what was to come. Tia mourned for weeks afterwards, but she could do nothing to ease her pain. As the assassin came in closer a figure ran to their aid; although this time it wasn’t a royal guard. It was something else. The world began to un-focus once more, and everything became wisps of cloud when the figure entered her line of sight. It was as if the memory was altered somehow. Raising his now drawn sword, the two figures clashed. One rolled away, while to other stood in front of the princesses, sword raised above his head. Time slowed down as the sword came down. From what Luna could tell it was curved, and was pitch black. The sword was blocked by a dagger, and the assassin got up quickly, dashing faster than any could see. But somehow the knight stopped his weapon once more. Slashing downward, the knight stepped forward, pressing his attacker back, but he slipped up. A dagger was slipped through his attack, and cut through his tunic. Blood flowed freely as the knight knelt down, clutching the wound. Raising his hand, his lips moved and magic was made, but Luna could not hear what was said. The world was muffled; like wax was pressed into her eyes. The assassin stiffened, and began to kneel down, dropping both daggers. It struggled, but something held him there. The knight stood, but his legs trembled from the effort. Two more guards came up and took an arm in each of their grasps. Iron cuffs were then placed around the wrists of the would-be assassin. The figure muttered something again and the assassin relaxed. Then he began to struggle once more as the guards carried his off to who knows where. Falling back to the ground, the knight dropped his weapon and held his wound with both hands. The ghosts of herself and Tia then rushed up to the knight, Luna cradling him in her arms as she openly wept for him. This wasn’t how it happened at all; a knight of Tia’s personal guard had rushed forward and taken the dagger, while the guards had rushed up to take hold of the assassin. Not this! Luna walked forward to watch the scene more carefully. She was holding the knight in her arms. Everything was so distorted; she could barely make out who was who. A hand was moved to her face to comfort her. He took it in her own and cried, kissing it. Another was moved to the wound. A bright light came from the knight's palm, and it back seemed to arch. Luna watched the scene in fascination. Maybe this wasn't just a dream. Or maybe there was something behind this after all… The world around her began to fade once more as the dream was fading from memory. Luna looked around her as the castle dissolved away and the figures swept away in smoke and cloud. Luna gasped as she caught a look at the face of the brave knight who had saved her and her sister. It was vaguely familiar….It vanished as soon as it appeared. Luna woke with a start. Sweet had formed on her brow, and her mane was a mess. Whenever the two goddesses went to sleep, they ended the magic that made their manes billow around. Getting up from her bed, Luna loved to her bathroom. Taking a glass, she filed it with water from the sink and took a deep drought from it. It cooled her off and settled her nerves a bit. Looking up in the mirror, Luna winced. She didn’t look much better than when she had gone to sleep. And that dream…it was so strange, so real! Why had she seen that face? And where had she seen it before? What’s going on? Ever since Metiphus….Metiphus……No. That. That couldn’t be…Luna shook her head and looked back up to the mirror. Tia and Met had quite a story to tell her it seems, and she would get answers. Sooner or later she would. Leaving her bathroom, Luna walked towards her bed and once again lay down underneath its soft sheets. Soon she was once again in the land of dreams.