//------------------------------//
// Parhelion 
// Story: The Rise of the Night Guard 
// by Gladi Writes 
//------------------------------//

Celestia looked at her chalkboard outline of Equestria, pondering what her sister had said. She had a point; it seemed wisest to secure the coast first. Perhaps they would even find a trading partner over the seas. So she circled Vanhoover on her map, and made her decision. To the coast they would go, to whatever end that might be.

"It's a two-day journey by my reckoning. You would be wise to take a guard; Harmony knows what's out there." Starswirl noted, slouched in a chair some way behind Celestia.

"You're right. Normally I would take my sister, but she's busy enough," Celestia said, turning back to him.

Starswirl shifted in his seat, to look her in the eye. "You place too much responsibility with your sister, Celestia. You're a ruler now, you can't let your love for her cloud your judgement.  "

Celestia twitched. "I trust Luna with my own life, and I trust her with defending Equestria as well. This is how it should be, and this is how it will be."

"Of course, you both rule as equals. You've given her complete control of the military however; she has a monopoly on force. Celestia, she is the state. What happens when you two argue?"

"We'll work it out. We're family Starswirl, that's a bond that can't be broken by any political dispute. I assure you, Luna will never use her power against me, for any reason."

"I hope you're right." 

"I am. Now drop this before I consider adding you to my stone garden," Celestia said, and winked at the startled greybeard.

Starswirl sighed; and left into the aisles as Celestia turned her attention back to the chalkboard outline. She stared vacantly at it, focusing on stopping herself from snapping at her mentor. Luna was her sister, and imperfect as she may be, Celestia trusted her completely. She took his insinuation that she might be anything less than 100% trustworthy quite personally. It was odd, she thought, that Starswirl would suddenly be thrusting himself between them. The only reason she didn't suspect him of anything dark was how long she had known him. Still, if given the choice...

The day Luna turns against me, is the day the sun rises no more.

Taking a deep breath to clear her mind, she turned back to the board. She noticed something, looking at it now.

Hoofsterdamn on the east coast, Havenbrook and Damford near each other to the south, and Oatsville further south, on the edge of a long desert marking the edge of Equestria. Vanhoover, Highbreeze, and Southrop, all lay on the same latitude, running west-east. It was possible that more settlements existed, or that these had long since vanished, but they served as a good outline of their charter.

Looking closely, she noticed that there were zero settlements to the north of an imaginary line, just north of a central mountain range: The Unicorn Range. Celestia picked up the chalk, and marked out this line. It lay on the 49th latitude line: the 49th Parallel. It was a huge area, almost half the size of the Equestria mapped out. A huge area of... nothing.

She found this quite odd, and looked at it perplexed. The area was temperate, even if it would be a little cold in the winter, so why was there a lack of documented settlements? Perhaps the map had neglected them for a reason. It was certainly an old map, and seemed only concerned with Equestria itself- anything outside the borders was totally neglected. Starswirl had often noted, in the past, how odd it was that they seemed to have books that delved into every possible science, and yet forming some coherent idea of the political world before Discord was nearly impossible. Perhaps, again, that was for a reason. 

No matter, we'll answer this in time. 

Sparing a final moments glance at the map, she circled Vanhoover; and departed the library. To her quarters she went, to await the rising of the morning sun. Luna depended on that sun; it's blinding light would give her force a tactical advantage on the field. So Celestia grabbed herself some breakfast, some coffee, and sat herself before her short desk; on a comfortable purple pillow. 

The desk, made from the same fine wood her sisters bed had been, was the highlight of the room, and sat before a large window that opened to the east. Today, like most days, it was covered in assorted notes or letters that came with building a state. 

Unlike her sister, she slept not on a bed- but on a simple pillow, which lay next to a fireplace. The room otherwise had a rack for her regalia, and a standing mirror, as well as bookshelves; many of them. Celestia had a great collection of fictional works that she read in her spare time. She dabbled in writing herself, from time to time, but hadn't the spare time to do so recently. 

Celestia pawed through the notes on her desk. Luna had requested more armament, as always, and a merchant had come by while they were out yesterday. Starswirl had bought a significant amount of tea from him, and left a note that she should try some of the more exotic samples. He had written that the merchant had come from Highbreeze, which confirmed the existence of that settlement, so it wasn't a total loss.

Celestia sighed, and brought forward the tally of the Everfree's finances. They had a significant amount of wealth, but without any subjects to tax, it was depleting worryingly. The Everfree had been self-sufficient, but with Discord gone the door was open to trade. Apparently both Luna and Starswirl thought that the (admittedly impressive) amount of gold they had would last forever. Luna also seemed to imagine that steel came from trees, and Starswirl had apparently attempted to barter the poor merchant with grain. He didn't seem to realize that the only value in grain came in bulk, and the Everfree barely ran a surplus at all.

Celestia sighed again, and rubbed her forehead. Dealing with the mess of those two always gave her a headache.

White Tail would- indeed- be taxed.

Celestia glanced up past her desk, and saw the hue in the sky that marked the end of the night. She quickly lit her horn, and raised the sun as simultaneously her sister did the opposite to her morn. Celestia raised it a little higher today, and slowed its arc, to better help her sister in the field. Once she had done so, she dabbed her quill in some ink, and wrote a quick letter for her sister, in case she didn't see her before leaving for Vanhoover. In it, she simply explained where she was going, and after a few minutes pondering, found some wise words to leave:




Own the night, but don't let the night own you. Make the darkness your servant, but don't be a servant to the darkness.

Your loving sister, Celestia.




The letter hovered in the air, and vanished with a wisp of green lightning. Simple magic, but reliable. It was in Luna's quarters now, and she would find it when she returned. With that accomplished, she spent a few hours going through the letters on her desk. Most of it was trivial matters, the vast majority dealing with simple requests for resources. Everything went past her, down to pots of ink, and rolls of parchment. 

First, she denied Luna the extra steel she had requested for more swords, by simply telling her that without more soldiers, what were they going to do with more swords? Celestia was, frankly, perplexed by the request. Would they arm the animals?

Second, she wrote a notice for the guard to prevent Starswirl from trying to trade again, and specified that only she or her sister had authority in trading. IT was something that seemed obvious, but apparently needed to be spelled out. 

Next, she took a look through the letters, and tallied up the gold that had been spent. A little less than half of their original stockpile remained, most of it traded away recently during the long celebrations. Celestia had no problem with this, since there was value in the enjoyment of life itself; but it did mean she had to plan for the future. Taking this, and a look at the Everfree's economic output, she concluded that White Tail would need to be taxed at around 25% of it's output in order to balance the books. More, if they wanted to expand. 

Which they did, so with another dab of her quill she made her first proclamation.




 I, Princess Celestia, by the authority vested in me as head of the state; do decree the following: 

That a tax will be levied on all current, and future, settlements in Equestria. This tax will be no less than thirty percent of total economic output, and will be payable in whatever form a representative acting with my authority decrees. 

That only I, as head of the state, or my representatives, have the authority to conduct international diplomacy and trade. 

That I, as head of the state, have the authority to manage the economy as may be needed.

That all current, and future, settlements will be required to contribute to a national military, as decreed necessary by Princess Luna. 

That Princess Luna, in her dominion over the night, is equal to myself in all things. Her authority is equal to my own, now and forevermore, within the Equestrian state.

Any deviation from this order will be dealt with severely.




Once finished with her writing, she dribbled some hot wax over the paper- and stamped it with the backside of her horseshoe. Her cutie mark was imprinted on the paper, and it was now worth its weight in gold; a true Royal Proclamation.

Celestia looked it over, and nodded her head; it was a good-enough start. As much as she wanted to write down an entire constitution, right then and there, she would need more input before doing aso. This document set out the basics, and importantly specified Luna's authority. She magically duplicated it- three copies- and left one on her desk. The other two she took with her, and left her room with them pocketed in her breastplate.

She opened the door to the sound of a yelp of surprise; as a short guard was tossed backward by it.

"Careful!" Celestia giggled, and extended a hoof to help the poor pony.

The guard, a young stallion with a fetching brown coat, was named Excavo. He didn't exactly have the most glorious of careers, and that his magic was very specifically aligned to the art of moving dirt, meant he was more often than not assigned to menial labour. He had been assigned to the fortress guard a year ago, and had remained stuck in that position ever since. Sometimes, Celestia felt sorry for him, but she saw Luna's wisdom well: a pony this short would quickly become a foot shorter in battle. Perhaps, when he grew older, there would be a place for him in the ranks, but for now he was stuck at the bottom.

He had a good heart though, and was one of the kindest ponies Celestia had known. Naturally, she repaid this by hitting him in the face with a door. 

Excavo grabbed her hoof, and pulled himself up.

"T-thank you, Princess," he said, and gave an awkward bow.

Celestia snorted, "No need for that here, we're both friends, and we're alone as well." Celestia said.

She gently tilted his head up, and smiled warmly to him as she made sure he wasn't injured. He was bruised, but apparently fine. 

Nonetheless, Celestia spared a little of her magic to heal his bruises, asking him his business while she did.

"Starswirl told me I was to escort you to Vanhoover," he replied, and stuck his chest out with pride. 

Celestia looked him over again, and stifled a laugh. He was certainly less than an intimidating figure, and probably some sort of bizarre joke of Starswirl's. 

Still, she could more than handle herself, even if she hated violence. Perhaps he could provide a fresh perspective.He was holding Equestria: The Great Equine Nation: Maps and Reference, so at least he came prepared.

"Good, then your first task is to gather supplies. It will take us two days to reach Vanhoover, and we will need food, water, and camping gear, as well as that map. I will await you at the gateway."

Excavo saluted. "By your command." he said, and marched back down the hallway.

Celestia smiled, and watched as he departed, with his ill-fitted armour clanking as he did. Once he had disappeared down a side corner, she continued on her way towards the courtyard. There, she found a wall that had long been used for a bulletin board, and stuck a copy of her proclamation to it.

She glanced at it again, and furrowed her brow as a thought struck her. Her realization was that, as it was written, it seemed to make herself the true sovereign power in the land. Luna's authority would seem to come from her, and she had signed it by herself.

Celestia shrugged; Luna was surely better than to bicker over such a minor detail. She left it as is, and brought the second copy to the barracks. Outside, she took a quick look at Captain Hurricane's posted patrol schedule. The next patrol heading for White Tail was due out in twenty minutes, and would be staging inside. 

Celestia gently opened the door, so as not to disturb the patrol leader briefing the dozen or so ponies sitting before him in the room. Ironhoof, one of the more veteran of Luna's soldiers. He had injured his leg long ago, and had been her go-to for less important command assignments.

"We should have it easy today, we just have to patrol the road while the veterans clear out that camp. Don't be stupid however! There could still be stragglers out there, or other bandit camps around. Our orders are quite clear: leave no bandit found alive. We're defining that as anybody on the road with a weapon, and no clear reason for possessing one. The residents of White Tail were told to stay home, so we can be fairly certain we won't make any mistakes. If in doubt, for heavens sakes ask me before doing anything rash."

"We'll be moving in pairs, spaced twenty minutes apart. Simply walk to White Tail, check in with me, and march right back. A full two-way journey should take you around twelve hours, so pack yourselves some food and drink."

Ironhoof looked up from his speech, and noticed Celestia standing by the doorway.

"Your highness, what can we do for you?" he said, and gave a polite bow.

Celestia smiled, and slowly walked around the gathered soldiers.

"I hate to be a bother, but I have an important errand for you," Celestia said, and pulled the scroll from her breastplate.

She handed it off to the patrol leader, as his troop watched.

"Deliver this proclamation, and ensure our new subjects understand it."

He quickly skimmed it, and then pocketed it within his bags.

"What if I encounter pushback?" he asked.

"Do nothing, but inform Luna if there's serious concern. I will be out for the next few days, so I'll leave the matter with my sister. Just don't anything without informing her," Celestia replied.

"As you command," Ironhoof said, and gave a sharp salute.

"I will also be taking Excavo with me to Vanhoover, so please make a note of it."

Ironhoof did a take, while a few snickers of laughter went through the room.

"Excavo? Not much of a soldier. You would be better off taking one of this group," Ironhoof suggested. 

A few of his troop stood to get Celestia's attention, but Celestia paid them no mind.

Celestia scowled at him. "A soldier is more than just muscle, Ironhoof. You know that very well." She said, and pointedly prodded his injured foreleg.

Ironhoof gritted his teeth in pain. "Point taken."

Grinning to herself, Celestia strode back out of the room. 

What is power, if not to help those that deserve it?

She trotted back outside, and waited near the gateway for Excavo. Sitting on the grass, she watched the clouds go by and thought on her position in the world. She had power now, and a great deal of it. The people of the Everfree had sworn absolute loyalty after the downfall of Discord, but more than that they had always been her family; and she was the head of that family now. Like her mother before her, they looked to her for guidance into the future. Unlike her mother, however, that meant more than just keeping Discord out of the gate. It meant building an entire nation, which was certainly a heavy task.

With her sister at her side, and the people of the Everfree behind her, she would make it happen. The elements had chosen her for a reason. They had given her this power.

Power.

Power was good, it was a means to an end. Those of evil intent sought power for its own sake, but not Celestia, She had been given power. She could use the power given to her to make life better for every pony, so long as they followed along. There would be disputes in the future, of course, but Celestia had always been talented at diplomacy. Starswirl had once said her smile could win wars, and Celestia had taken the idea to heart. 

Always smile, even at your enemy.

"Princess?"

Celestia was brought back out of her introspection by Excavo, who stood behind her with a set of slim saddlebags.

"I think we're ready to go, I brought enough supplies for both of us," Excavo said.

"Sleeping gear?" Celestia asked.

Excavo shrugged. "The pegasi say the weather will be good all week. Why not sleep under the stars?"

"A fair point, but it's better to be prepared than to be in want, and we'll be far past the lands we know. What about rations, you say you brought enough for two?" Celestia asked.

Excavo nodded. "Of course, I..."

He paused, and looked over Celestia.

"I brought enough for two... uhh" 

He coughed, and realized his error. Celestia was easily twice the mass of most ponies, so his supplies were suddenly less than ideal.

"... regulars," he finished.

Celestia blushed. "An easy mistake, and one I often make myself," she said, and leaned in closer.

"I have a problem with doors." she whispered.

Excavo laughed. "I'll go..."

Celestia heard the flutter of wings, and turned to see her sister.

"Good morning Luna, back so soon?" she asked.

Luna landed before her, and took off her helmet. It was stained deep red, as was most of her armour. 

"It was merely a camp of brigands, not serious work. I have some other news, however," she said.

"Oh?" Celestia queried, and with a nod dismissed Excavo.

"Indeed. It appears there are more of those creatures we saw last night. They are called Thestrals, and I spoke to their commander. They are a force to be reckoned with, sister."

Celestia scratched her chin, thinking on this. Thestrals, she had read a book about them long ago. They were described as a bat-pony hybrid, skilled in the arts of stealth, and masters of the night. The myth was that Discord had made them extinct, as punishment for their stubborn refusal to bow to him. Even throughout his chaos, they preferred to starve instead of bow to Discord. Honourable to the end, their last, when asked why, said to have simply replied this:

"Better to die by my own choice, then to serve as a slave."

Celestia imparted her knowledge to Luna: "Thestrals, I believe I read of them once. A nocturnal pony sub-species, but Discord was said to have driven them extinct. If they yet live, then I wonder what else persists." 

"Indeed. I shall order increased scouting towards the north, since that seems to be where they are coming from."

Celestia nodded. "Good, I'll do my part and ask around on my own. I'm heading to Vanhoover, and I won't be back for a few days. I'm bringing a guard with me, so don't worry about my safety- you've got your hooves tied securing the roads."

Luna shrugged. "It's true. You know how to find me if you encounter difficulty."

"Of course. I'll see you soon, sister," Celestia said, and embraced her sister tightly- being careful not to stain her own coat.

Excavo returned, with his pack significantly larger. 

"Safe travels," Luna said, and stepped aside for them to pass.

Celestia trotted past with a nod; Excavo close at heel. He wore a delighted smile on his face, seemingly not even noticing the heavy weight on his back.

"First time out of the Everfree?" Celestia asked as they trotted down the road.

"No, I've been out for training... but I've never gone as far as we'll be going," he replied.

"Nopony has, we're trailblazing." Celestia returned.

The first leg of their journey, to White Tail, took four hours. The roads were busy with the soldiers Luna had on patrol, and dozens of joyous fighters returning from the morning's battle. It was a delightful sign that they were meeting success early on, and would provide a great foundation for further expansion. With White Tail safe, and the roads between there and the Everfree clear, word would begin to spread that a power was rising in the region. She was sure that, soon enough, the settlements would start contacting them.

For now though, making it to Vanhoover was important. Celestia could have sent a scouting team, but preferred to do this much on her own. She was certainly excited to explore beyond the slim area she knew, as any pony would be. A whole new city, full of new people. New experiences, new sights and sounds. That she had a companion to share it with made it all the better, although she admitted she missed her sister. 

On the edge of White Tail, she paused, and had a thought. 

Northstar had only just been "assigned" his dominion over this area, and as much as Celestia hated to admit, it seemed wise enough for Luna to have done so. They couldn't run everything themselves, so delegation was key. Celestia would have preferred to give the mayor some autonomy, but on more thought that seemed like an unwise idea. For the short term, it was critical that the ruling sisters not only prove to their new subjects why they were needed, but make sure they know that they were in charge. Leaving the mayors alone would send the message that it was business as usual. Their rule needed to be seen, clearly.

Northstar would fulfill that requirement elegantly, and he was certainly an honourable pegasus. So, Celestia thought, if she came to White Tail so quickly after him and her proclamation, she would no doubt be beset by demands, requests, and whatever else. Not only would she immediately set the precedent that they could go over Northstar's head, but she would be delayed immeasurably. Such audiences had a place and time, but it was not now. Northstar needed to be left alone with his new domain.

Politics was a funny game.

"Uh, Highness?" Excavo asked, patiently waiting through her pondering.

"We will go past the town. Give me the map please."

Excavo quickly rummaged through the pack, and hovered the map before Celestia. At this point she really wished they had something better, all she could really get out of it was there was a forest, and beyond that a wide plain. At the far end of the plain Vanhoover lay, according to the map.

Celestia sighed.

"Excavo, can you do me a favour and grow a pair of wings?"

Excavo folded the map up, and put in back in his pack; all the while looking at Celestia, and trying to figure out if she was serious.

"That forest is much too thick, " Celestia said, "We're going to have to fly."

Excavo awkwardly pawed at the ground. "I uh... I don't.."

"I know."

Excavo looked up at her, and cocked his head. "You don't... really mean."

Celestia shrugged. "It's no problem. Even if you weren't a third my size I can just use magic to make you lighter." she said, and ran her hoof through the colts mane, smiling at the young stallion.

Excavo found himself at ease, almost in a state of hazy of euphoria, as she did so. Celestia then lowered herself, and allowed him to clamber atop her back. Before he could think on how odd his current situation was, he was taken by a golden field, and Celestia flapped her wings; gently rising into the air. 

Excavo caught up with himself, and flung his forearms around Celestia's neck. He grasped them together in a panic, and watched the ground give way below.

"Don't worry, Excavo. There's nothing to fear, I won't let you fall," Celestia said, gently flapping her wings against the air.

Excavo swallowed "You won't?" 

"I would fall myself before I let you fall, dear." Celestia replied, and increased her speed upwards.

Dear? My, am I getting old?

Celestia chuckled to herself, unbeknownst to Excavo who continued to watch the ground disappear below. Soon enough the pair was over the treetops, and Celestia flew over the tops of the trees, ever mindful of her burden. The magic made him light, but she was careful to leave enough mass to feel his body against hers, so as not to unknowingly drop him. The day was bright, and the flying was made easy by a warm wind at their tail. In less than half a minute she moved at a comfortable cruising speed over the trees. A few minutes later, breezing over the treetops, she felt Excavo's grip loosen.

"Your highness, c-"

Celestia laughed. 

"I told you, Excavo, it's just Celestia when we're alone."

Excavo cleared his throat. "C... Celestia," he said quietly. "Can we... go higher?"

Celestia grinned. "Of course, hold on."

Celestia pitched toward the sky, and boosted her speed as Excavo gripped her mane. Towards the thin clouds she soared, and quickly cleared the sky between. Excavo closed his eyes at first, feeling the unfamiliar forces against him as he shot upwards. Soon, though, he opened them and looked back.

He would forever remember that moment, a moment that seemed to last forever. He could see further than he had ever seen before. The mountains of the north-east, the ocean to the far west, he could even see bits of smoke drifting off from a point near the winding Everfree River. The fortress itself was like a black spec far behind them, and the town of White Tail no more than a barely visible clearing. He turned his head back forward, and saw the clouds approaching while the world receded in his periphery. The wind on his face, the taste of the cool air, and the thrill of the forces on his body all combined into one euphoric release. He could sum it up in one word.

Free

His feeling was so powerful that Celestia could feel it herself, and she was renewed in purpose. All ponies deserved to know this, in their own way. The freedom of flight was not something truly unique to the pegasi, not at it's core. Earth ponies and unicorns knew their own freedom, and under her, in a common nation, they would know that freedom. A strong, stable, government could protect them all, and they would be free to explore their world, and their talents, without fear. There was a certain truth to the fact that they were, logically, more free right now, without her government; but that was an animalistic kind of freedom. To be truly free, was to be able to explore ones places in the universe. To do so, one needed to be freed from the shackles of worrying about bandits, or putting food on the table, or petty local politics. A united Equestria would be a free Equestria. 

Onward she flew, thinking on these ideas and simply enjoying the journey, while Excavo did the same. After a half-hour of flight, he had an idea, and pondered how he might make it work.

"Celestia, I could make a map from up here. It might help your journeys a little." 

Celestia placed to the side, and felt he had a point. 

"Perhaps, but I doubt you could draw anything legible from your current position. Maybe on the way back we can work something out." she said.

Excavo nodded, and relaxed himself back into the flight. After another hour or so of flight, Celestia felt his hooves release from her neck, and felt him shift his weight back. Excavo stuck out his arms, and closed his eyes. He felt the air over his body, and didn't notice that Celestia had levitated him slightly above herself, allowed him the full experience of flight. It was a beautiful thing, she thought, to be able to so easily impart such an immeasurable gift on one so young. Flight was something that she took for granted, and had since her first flight as a filly. It came naturally to her and all her winged kin, but to this pony it was an alien experience.

Her first use of magic, only months ago, was a similar feeling. The elements had basically foisted it on her, and her sister, and forced them to quickly adapt to using it. It was a painful process, but one that ultimately allowed them to overthrow Discord. The elements had forced the knowledge into their mind in an entirely unnatural way, but in the end they were both better for it. She had always understood magical theory, but to suddenly be forced to carry that theory out; had been a huge shock.

A few hours later, the sun began to set. Celestia looked around for a place to set down, as Excavo buried his head in her mane, and fell into a peaceful nap. She found a suitable clearing, and slowly circled down as the sun set over the far ocean. She picked an area close enough to hear the waves in the distance, and set down. Once on the ground, she gently removed Excavo's pack, and cradled him in her wing. She softly set him down on the, and opened his pack. It was warm enough tonight that they wouldn't need any cover, but all that flying had made her thirsty. She was hungry as well, but she was no princess. The apple and oatmeal Excavo had brought would be left for another time; tonight she simply took her fill of grass (which was quite good, if a little dry), and slept. The flight had made her tired, and she sleepily lowered her sun when it came time. For a while she watched the moon rise, and the starry void became visible. 

Luna's night was certainly beautiful, but Celestia was too tired to enjoy it. She quickly fell into a peaceful sleep, with Excavo under her wing. 

In her sleep, Celestia dreamed. At first it was a hazy collection of images, herself flying through a seemingly infinite sky of clouds, but eventually the sky began to turn dark, and the winds became a buffeting force against her. She realized she was in a dream, and tried to wake up.

She found she couldn't.

A dark fear overtook her, and she was forced to continue through the clouds, with nowhere else to turn. Thunder cracked around her in all directions, and no matter which way she travelled, the darkness only increased. 

"Luna!"

Celestia's cry seemed to be sucked away by the air itself, and she frantically looked for some escape. Her heart thudded in her chest, and her fear amplified itself. It wasn't like her to become so emotional. Princess Celestia was supposed to be calm and collected; at the moment, she was anything but. 

The sky faded to nearly pitch black, only the brilliant flash and noise of lightning providing thundering throughout. Her fear turned to desperation, and Celestia dove downward to find some respite.

"Luna!"

Again her cry seemed to go unheeded, and tears began to bead on the edges of her eyes as lightning crashed all around. She began to hear a humming, eerily like a voice, growing in the background.

Power

The voice both terrified her, and calmed her somewhat. Knowing she wasn't alone, even if she was with an enemy, was something.

You think you have power.

Celestia stopped, and hovered in the air. The lightning halted, leaving her in a pitch black void.

"Who are you? What are you?" Celestia demanded

You have nothing, you are weak. I will brush you aside like an insect. The shadows are my domain, and my reach goes beyond your comprehension. Kneel, or die.

Celestia spun around, looking for the source. She tried to light her horn, but found it to be useless. Even so, she had a clear threat now, and regained her will.

"I will kneel to no one! Now show yourself, so I may know my enemy!" 

Celestia's only reply was a deep laughter that seemed to resonate all around. 

Without warning, a brilliantly bright hole blew open in the dark, and a dark figure jumped through it.

"Sister!" Luna yelled, and surrounded both in a blue field of magical energy.

"Luna, you came. I..."

Luna put a hoof to her sisters mouth. "Do not thank me, I... hesitated," she said, and turned away without further explanation.

"You have threatened the wrong pony! Whatever you are, understand this: I will allow no harm to come to my sister, not from you, and not from any weapon you may have! Leave her mind in peace!" Luna shouted. 

The laughter changed to a sort of animalistic cry of pain, and the darkness reversed itself. Celestia's felt her vision fade, and the last thing she saw was Luna, standing before her, wings spread wide defensively. 

In that moment, she felt that bond that could never be broken. The love she had for her sister, and her sister for her. No army, no power on this earth, and no force in the universe could possibly break that bond. 

She awoke with a start, instinctually shooting into the air, pulling a supremely startled Excavo up with her by his mane, and sending a bag of oats flying.

"Princess? What's wrong?!" Excavo exclaimed.

Celestia's mind caught up with her body, and she slowly descended from the air.

"Nothing, I just had a bad dream," Celestia said, and realized how literally that was true.

Excavo released her mane, and dropped a few feet to the ground. 

"Must have been some dream! You were shaking, and screaming for your sister," he said.

Celestia sat, and took a deep breath to calm herself. The sky had the telltale colours of pre-dawn twilight, so at least she had slept through the night.

"Don't worry about me, Excavo," Celestia said, "Toss me some oats, please. It'll be dawn soon, and we'll continue north."

Excavo nodded, and dug through his pack for another bag of oats. A few minutes later, having had her fill of oats and water, as well as some grass to balance the rations; the sky changed to that deep blue that heralded the rising of the sun. For a moment however, the moon stayed in it's place, just on the edge of the horizon. Celestia squinted at it, as it seemed to stay in place. For a moment she became concerned, but the moon lowered only a few seconds later than it should have.

Perhaps Luna was occupied, Celestia thought, and rose her sun a few seconds quicker to match. In any case, a few seconds off the day was certainly no major problem.

"What a beautiful sunrise," Excavo said.

"I'm sure it looks better from the air," Celestia returned, and smiled as she knelt down to allow her passenger aboard.

Excavo excitedly took his place, nearly dropping his pack in his haste. Celestia smiled, and opened her wings.

"Hold on, I'm going at a faster pace today. Keep a sharp eye out for any signs of the city." Celestia said, and launched into the air.

Once again she flew high over the forest, but this time the scenery changed from the lush temperate forest of the south, to a pattern of death. There was nothing but the jagged leftovers of a dead forest for miles around, and craters marred the ground in a few places. It was undoubtedly the work of Discord. His madness had destroyed an entire ecosystem. After a while, Excavo pointed towards something on the ground, and bid her lower.

"What do you see?" Celestia asked.

"I see... buildings. Dozens of them, it looks like a whole town," Excavo replied.

Celestia took a deep breath, fearful of what she might find, and looked to the ground herself. He was right, it looked like a large town was down there, or had been. So Celestia set herself towards it, and swooped down to take a slow circle around it.

"It looks... dead," Excavo said.

It did indeed. Dozens of wooden buildings, tarnished by decades of dust and disuse. A few of them had collapsed, and in the street the detritus of a population in a hurry to leave were apparent. Dozens of overturned carts, and more than one skeleton. Something terrible had happened here, long ago.

"Is this... was this... Vanhoover?" Excavo asked.

Celestia thought for a moment, "No, it's too far south. This must have been a more recent settlement, perhaps they expanded." 

She saw something gleam in the dirt, and flew down further to investigate. As she lowered, the sun came up to an angle that highlighted dozens of shining objects on the ground, and the fields around sparkled as well.

"What are those?" Excavo wondered.

Celestia landed, and Excavo dismounted to investigate. He dug one of the objects out of the ground, and stared at it curiously.

"It's an apple," he said, and tossed it to Celestia.

"An apple made of gold..." she added.

Celestia sighed and tossed it aside. That must have been his great "prank" on these people. He turned their food into gold, and they starved. That explained the dead forest as well, he probably turned the leaves and grass golden as well.

"This place is creepy, let's keep going." Excavo said.

Celestia certainly had no complaint, and soon enough they were off again. Equestria would certainly never be wanting for gold, although the task of cleaning that area would be a grim one. A great many bodies lay where they had died in the streets, and would have to be buried properly.  A short ways to the north, on a road leading out of the town, they found a sign.

"Hayvenbrooke. Population: 2,352."

2352 lives snuffed out by Discord, like they were nothing. Never again would Celestia allow such horror to come to Equestria. Under her protection, together, the three pony races would become an impenetrable nation. With Luna watching the night, and Celestia watching the day, never again would an evil like Discord be allowed to threaten the lives of ponies. Never again.

Onward they flew, and thankfully they soon cleared the golden wasteland. Throughout it they discovered dozens of other buildings, and Celestia discovered that the dust over everything was a heavy golden dust. At the end was a long prairie, so long that it seemed to stretch on forever. At this height the curvature of the Earth was clearly visible, and Excavo once more delighted in the ecstasy of flight. To the west he could see the ocean, slowly approaching as they flew towards the area on the map. It was beautiful, an endless horizon of water that neither pony had ever seen before. Each couldn't help but feel a weight on their minds though, and both their thoughts kept going back to that town.  If Discord had brought such destruction there, what else might lay waiting for them to discover?

Celestia and Excavo noticed that the plain below started to develop a pattern, and Celestia sighed with relief when she realized what it was.

Farms.

As far as their eyes could see, it was farmland. Somepony had been very busy, and there seemed to be enough farmland out here to supply an entire nation. Why anybody would construct such a huge network seemed to have an obvious answer: trade. This farm network meant that, somewhere, there was a large population being fed by it. That was definitely a good sign.

Celestia adjusted her path to follow a dirt road below, and found it led towards the coast. An hour or so of following it, and a few buildings became visible on the horizon. Finally, they had found Vanhoover.

Somebody else had apparently seen them, and Celestia saw a figure in the distance approach them. Wanting to take extreme care not to look threatening, she landed on the ground and allowed Excavo off.

"I doubt I need to tell you, but let me do the talking," Celestia said to him.

Excavo nodded, and backed up a pace to stand behind her. Celestia found that their greeting party had apparently increased, and watched as a trio of pegasi approached. 

Celestia bowed as the trio, two armoured and one cloaked, came upon them. Excavo followed her lead, as the cloaked one descended with his guardians in tow. His cloak was of a deep red, and it covered his entire body. His head was shadowed within, while his guards' own bodies were covered in armour. They both had large spears on their sides, attached to the armour. If Celestia was judging right, they could be detached, or used to charge with.

"You need not bow to me, honourable horse. I only came to ask why you are so far inland," the cloaked one said, standing before Celestia.

Celestia rose, and looking at him quizzingly. "Horse?"

The cloaked one seemed startled, and the two guards suddenly seemed to tense up.

"I meant no disrespect! Honourable Saddalian, I beg your forgiveness!" He pleaded, and bowed his head low to the ground.

"Hon..." Celestia mumbled in confusion, and tried to put the pieces together.

Horse... He thinks I'm a horse... Granted I am that tall, but why his fear? Saddalian?

Celestia stuck out her chest, and spoke again. 

"Worry not, I will excuse you; this time. My companion and I's business out here is of no concern to you, and we will be returning to the city proper now," she said, her voice full of authority. 

The cloaked one rose, and his guards sighed with relief. Celestia noticed, interestingly, that their hooves had been at their spears.

"I thank you kindly, and will lead you into town," he said, and turned to lead Celestia down the road.

Celestia followed him, keeping her head high. It was perhaps best to start from a position of authority, however strange it was, until she could find the leader of the town. Their walk was not long, and after a few dozen minutes they came upon a gate, set into a long stone wall, and guarded by two more. Celestia nearly fell over in shock when she looked at them, and noticed what they were.

Gryphons.

So they too had survived. 

One of them saluted, while the other drove a crank to open the gate. Celestia strode inwards with her guide, and the two guards that had gone with him melted into the crowd that she saw parting before them. A vast, and noisy, collection of ponies and gryphons. Their guide parted it almost like magic, and they all watched the group walk through them.

Excavo found it rather eerie, and shuddered. Celestia was just happy to be amongst the living again, and took note of the crowd as she went by. Dozens of ponies, of all shapes and sizes, in what appeared to be an open-air marketplace. Gryphons hawked wares at dozens of small stands, and the odor of fresh fish rose from some of them. Tall wooden buildings flanked the wide street, a few people looking down from balconies at them. The ponies seemed to have grouped their stands near the far end, before a large building marked with, what she guessed, was the city's flag: a unicorn, surrounded by stars, on a blue background. Their guide seemed to be taking them towards a gated compound at the end of the street, with a huge mansion towering over the immediate area within. When they approached, Celestia noticed that it was guarded by ponies equal in stature to herself.

Horses.

One of them saw them approach, and bowed as he opened the gate with a blue magical field. Their guide stopped before the gateway, and turned back to them.

"Here we are, Saddalian embassy. I trust your ventures into the wilderness have been fruitful? Not much out there." He said.

Celestia pointedly said nothing, and trotted forward with Exacvo at her heel. The gate shut noisily behind them, and they found themselves in a grassy clearing before the mansion, from which another flag hung before two great doors. The flag was a purple rectangle, outlined in gold, with an upside-down chevron in yellow at the bottom. Above it was some text in a script Celestia didn't recognize. 

"Saddalian Embassy? What's a Saddalian?" Excavo wondered.

"If I had to guess..." Celestia said, taking a glance back at the town, "... this is a trading town, and the Saddalians are either a nation on the continent elsewhere, or across the ocean. A nation of horses." 

"Horses, I always thought that just meant a really tall pony," Excavo said.

"Half right," Celestia said, and started forward. "A pony is a small horse. For a long time the races have been apart, although we remain the same people at heart. If my ancient history is correct- which is debatable- the ponies originally came to Equestria nearly a thousand years ago, seeking a place for themselves after a long time of persecution at home. Why the races originally split, or if any of this is true, I'm not sure."

Celestia's short history lesson ended as they reached the door, and Celestia paused to consider her next action. The truth, she decided, would be best. So she opened the door, and found herself in an empty lobby.

It was extravagantly furnished, with elegant-looking couches of golden silk lining the dark wooden walls, and a soft red carpet covering the floor. When she closed the door, the noise of the outside fell to an almost deafening silence.

"Well, now what?" Excavo asked.

Celestia looked around. Two hallways, both without any marking, led from the lobby. 

"Now, isn't that question?" 

Celestia instinctively pulled Excavo under her wing, and looked for the source of the question.

"A horse in the wilderness, and an aileron no less! Either you are a long lost sister of ours, or something more strange. What are you, stranger, friend or foe?" 

"The best friend you'll ever have," Celestia replied.

The voice laughed, and the air before them shimmered. A figure appeared, draped in the same red cloak their guide had been. A horse stallion, as tall as Celestia herself. 

"A good response. There is much we can learn from eachother, I am sure. I would ask that you take lunch with me, I'm sure the wilderness has made you hungry," he said.

A rumble from her stomach betrayed Celestia, and their host smiled. "It would appear I am correct."

Celestia smiled back. "You are; my companion and I would be delighted to be your guest. I assume, anyway, that we are your guests?" she asked.

Their host nodded. "Of course, you can leave if you wish. I would advise you to stay however, I believe we are both looking for the same thing."

Seemingly out of nowhere, a servant appeared and slipped Excavo's pack off before he even noticed. When he did, he instinctively darted to Celestia's side. Their host noticed this, and snorted.

"It takes a long time to train one to be so quiet, and believe me it's well worth it. Now, if you'll follow my colleague, he will lead you to the dining hall. I will meet you there," he said.

Celestia did as asked, and followed him down one of the halls. Along its walls were a great many doors, and dozens of paintings labelled in that unknown script. It didn't take a master detective to figure out that this was an ancient place, and the aristocrats that owned it were quite wealthy. The place dripped of wealth, but the exact source seemed unclear. Trade was the obvious answer, but what did Equestria have that they would want?

The gold...

Celestia nodded to herself as the pieces came together. The gold in the wasteland could be brought across the ocean. That answer raised a new question however: why weren't the ponies the rich ones?

Their host led them around a corner, and two pony servants opened a pair of doors to allow them entry into a large dining hall. The walls were set with windows that opened to the ocean, and the sounds of the ocean echoed faintly inside. The central item of the room was a gigantic table, with an interesting design. Each spot had a significantly lower spot set into the table beside it, which seemed to be so that both ponies and horses could comfortably use it. Their host bid the pair sit at one of these dual seats, from his own place across. Celestia noted, on sitting, that the pillows were incredibly comfortable.

"The food will arrive shortly. In the meantime I believe some introductions are in order. I am Ambassador Riovelli, and I represent Saddle Arabian interests in the region," the host said, and gave a polite bow.

"I am Princess Celestia, and I represent the region." Celestia returned, giving her own bow. " And this is my companion, Excavo."

Excavo bowed awkwardly, feeling massively out of place.

"You say you represent the region, interesting. Am I to assume then that you have something to back this claim?" Riovelli asked.

"I do. I overthrew Discord, and it is my mission to unite the ponies of this continent into one unified state. I have considerable power to see this through, although I would rather not use it," Celestia said.

Riovelli paused and considered. "I see, we had been wondering why the "Lord of Chaos" had been so quiet lately. You see, we're immune to his influence. We offered these ponies our protection, and in return they have provided us with food and gold. It has been an incredibly beneficial deal to us both, but with him gone..."

Celestia smirked. "With him gone, your protection is suddenly useless. As soon as these ponies realize they no longer need you, you're going to have some problems." 

Riovelli sighed. "We have considerable resources invested here, Princess. If push comes to shove, we're going to shove very hard." 

"Is that a threat?" Celestia asked, cocking an eyebrow at the stallion.

He shook his head. "No, it's the truth. I am only the representative, I don't make the decisions. I can, however, make the case that we're not needed here. Perhaps, if a deal were made, we could simply leave."

He leaned forward, and looked Celestia in the eye.

"Allow the Republic to keep importing food and gold, without any tax, and the Republic will be happy."

Celestia leaned forward as well, and met his gaze.

"You want something for nothing? I don't think so, dear ambassador. I can run you off this continent before your Republic will even know I'm coming. So make me an offer, a real one," Celestia countered.

Riovelli blinked. 

"I think we should break for lunch," he said, and sat back.

Mere moments later, as if waiting for his cue, a half dozen horse servants, all cloaked, set out their lunch before the trio. It was a delightful rice dish, with some spice that Celestia had never tasted before, broccoli, and bits of fish mixed in. Celestia made a note to, along with some of those pillows, bargain for some of that dish. Once they had finished, tea was served, and politics started anew.

"That was delightful," Celestia said, while she sipped at her tea. 

A delightful blend of black tea, not too bitter, and not to sweat. It had a hint of citrus, and it was absolutely divine. 

"I thought you would like it, the spices are imported from home. I can arrange to send you some, if you like." Riovelli offered.

"I would love that." Celestia replied.

"Now, I have a question. Do you administrate the city?" She asked.

"No... we leave that in the hands of ponies., He replied.

"Good, the transition will be easy then. I will allow you to operate without tax for five years, if you sign a treaty that recognizes our dominion of this continent, and binds us together in friendship, in one week."

Riovelli sat back to consider, and Celestia leaned forward after him to press her advantage.

"If not, my sister will return here, and drive you off the continent. I would rather it not come to that, but I won't see these ponies living under your hoof for any longer than needed." 

Reveille sighed, and waved his hooves about. 

"Fine, fine. You're a clever diplomat, Princess Celestia, I'll grant you that. I imagine you'll want me to sign this "treaty" at your capital?" he asked.

"That would be excellent, yes. Allow me a week to prepare- do you have a map?" Celestia returned.

Riovelli nodded, and gestured to a servant standing at the end of the table. A few minutes later, a map was laid out on the table, and Celestia laid hers beside it to compare. The Saddle Arabian map was significantly more detailed along the coast, although to her disappointment she found there were no other known coastal cities. Towards the interior, both maps were little more than crude outlines of the landscape. Celestia quickly outlined the route she had taken on Riovelli's map, and turned back to him.

"Excellent. I shall meet you in the "Everfree" in a week's time." Riovelli said, and folded up the map.

"One more thing," Celestia said, while she handed her own back to Excavo.

"Yes?"

"Bring some of those spices, and another of these maps. I think we'll be able to learn a lot from each other."

Riovelli smirked. "I'll do you one better, Princess." He said, and handed it off to his servant.

"Now, please follow my colleague out, I have to tend to some things. It's been an honour to meet you, Princess Celestia," he said, and departed after giving a quick bow. 

Celestia and Excavo followed the horse out of the dining hall and back into the lobby. There, Excavo once again slung his bags over his back, and Celestia followed him out into the afternoon sun. Riovelli had apparently decided to put on a show, and they found a line of armoured horses lined up along the cobblestone path leading out into the town. This line continued all the way down the road and to the city gate, a rather impressive show of force. Celestia made a note to prepare something similar for their meeting in a week. Martial power was best seen, not used. The threat of force is far more important than force itself, especially when one desires peace. Riovelli apparently knew this well.

Celestia held her head high, and Excavo close, as she trotted down the aisle of soldiers. At the end he turned back, and with them all watching pulled him under her wing.

With a spark from her horn, that quickly grew into a field that covered both their bodies, the two disappeared from sight with a golden flash. The onlookers were left startled, and in no small amount impressed. Celestia herself appeared a few kilometres away, where the patrol had met them that morning. Excavo quickly darted out from under her, and glanced around in confusion.	

"What was that?!" he exclaimed, and started in wonder at Celestia.

Celestia ruffled his mane, "Just a show; I teleported us. That should leave them talking for a bit," she explained.

Excavo pressed his hoof to his chest, and then pointed it back forward with a deep breath. Celestia watched him amusedly.

"I see. I wasn't expecting that, it felt like I was being pulled into straw, and then I snapped back," he said, and looked himself over; as if expecting to be missing.

"Why didn't you teleport us all the way home?" he asked, once he was certain that he was, indeed, all in one place.

Celestia started forward, and beckoned he follow. "It takes exponentially more energy for the distance. Getting us here was easy, but another meter and I would have fainted. If you want to know the physics, ask Starswirl sometime. He'll go on for hours about it," she explained, while they started down the road.

The road led into the golden wasteland, and Celestia explained to Excavo that today they would not be flying, as her wings were far too sore at this point for that. Rest was what they needed, so they relied on their hooves to continue on their way. She was somewhat embarrassed to have to slow down on account of her sore wings, but it was a fact. She had taken too many liberties while flying, and now was paying for both that; and her lack of exercise.

In far less time than either had hoped, they soon found the cereal crops of the farms begin to thin, and the grasses begin to die off. They had entered the wasteland once again, and the cool ocean breeze was replaced by a stifling heat. It was as if the air of the golden wasteland had remained stagnant for centuries. Regardless, it was a hot, and dusty, mess they had to get through. No wonder, Celestia thought, that the ponies here had never gone very far inland. If this sort of wasteland was outside the Everfree, she wouldn't have gone far either. After a few hours, Celestia extended a magic field above them to keep out the harsh glare and heat of the sun. Her sun, somewhat ironically, was her antagonist for the present. It knew no friend or foe, only heat.

Celestia though about this place, and was thankful for her gift of a long life. She would be able to see it brought back into its naturally beautiful state. It would probably take dozens, if not hundreds, of years, but it could be done. Most leaders only thought in scales of years, or decades at the most, but Celestia was blessed with the ability to create plans that could stretch through the centuries, and see them through. Some might say that it was a sad fate to see those that you love perish, but Celestia saw it differently. On her walk, she shared a smile with Excavo, who trotted beside her. She would see his children, and their children, and so on through the ages. She would see Excavo not how he currently was, but Excavo as he would be down the generations. She'd be able to tell his tenth generation offspring of their father, and their trek through the wilderness. It was true that she would eventually see him die, but she would also see him live.

After a few more hours, their travels began to make them hungry, and they ate while they walked. Neither wanted to stay in this desolate place they had found themselves any longer than needed, so they didn't pause for lunch. Celestia, despite trying her best not to, found herself eating three times what Excavo did. After their supper a few hours later, they were quickly down to a third the food they had started with, and a quarter the water. The wasteland would take them if they didn't leave it soon.

In the late evening they found themselves still in the wasteland, seemingly no closer to the end. By Excavo's reckoning they were still at least fifty kilometres from the edge, which was still a long trot. A few abandoned buildings were nearby however, and Celestia was forced to make a decision.

Sleep here, or continue through the night?

Each had its own problems. There was no telling what was out here in the night, and she was definitely exhausted after such a long day. Sleeping in such a place was it's own horror however.

Celestia sighed, and looked to Excavo for an answer. He too seemed exhausted, and had definitely slowed in his pace. So Celestia made her decision, and gestured towards the building.

"Sunset soon, we should stay the night here. I'll fly us out tomorrow; we should be able to make it home," she said.

Excavo shuddered. "Sleep here? Can't you just extend the day a few more hours?" he asked.

Celestia frowned, and put a hoof to his chin to look in his eyes.

"Excavo, I can never abuse my powers for my own benefit, not even to save my life. This entire world depends on that sun. It would be evil to delay it for even a moment. Do you understand?"

Excavo nodded weakly, and yawned. Her point made, Celestia led him over to the building. They found it to be a barn, and were thankful to find a few bales of hay, probably decades old, inside. Celestia used her magic to create a makeshift bed, and plopped her tired body down on it. Excavo fell beside her, and the last thing she did was put a wing over him. Sleep took them both quickly, despite the creepy surroundings. Companionship eased the feeling, and the melody of each other's breathing filled the silent void. 

Celestia dreamed, but was not bothered on this night. She dreamt of her youth, and of frolicking in the fields with her sister. It was a simple dream, and a happy dream. Her sister was there, although only an image from Celestia's own memory. Often they had shared dreams on nights such as this, but not tonight. 

When Celestia awoke, she did so with the faint hope she might open her eyes and find Luna standing beside her, and find herself in her own quarters. Opening her eyes, she found that was not the case, and sighed. A cold wind was blowing in from the coast, and the scene outside the barn door was a thick cloud of golden dust that swirled around. She was thankful for her wings, and gently prodded Excavo to wake him up.

"Mom?" He mumbled, and rolled over sleepily. 

Celestia giggled. "Not exactly, sleepy," she said, and pulled sat him up.

Excavo rubbed his eyes, yawned, and hugged her in a half-awake daze. When he opened them, he found Celestia smiling down at him, with her mane shimmering in the dim twilight. It was a fairly good image to awaken to.

"You're not my mom," he said.

Celestia giggled again, and booped him on the nose. 

"No, I'm not. I imagine she's worried about you though. Pack your bags, we're leaving," Celestia said.

Excavo did as asked, at a feverish pace, and after cramming the remains of their rations down their throats, the pair was ready to depart. Excavo blew the dust away with a powerful magic wave, and Celestia took off with him on her back. She soared up into the sky, and was lucky enough to catch the moon just as it lowered. She raised the sun, and its light shone down on them. The morning sun highlighted the true size of the dust storm that had come during the night, and the entire landscape up to all horizons was filled with a glittering golden fog. It was beautiful, in a strange way. Excavo didn't seem to share the sentiment, and buried his head in the book that contained their map. There wasn't much left in there, but he read every word as if it was scripture.

"Celestia, what if you weren't able to raise the sun, what then?" Excavo asked.

"It would raise itself. Luna and I don't dominate the cosmos, we only guide it. The world will know much smoother seasons now, with us managing the sun and the moon," she replied.

Excavo nodded, and buried his face back in the book.

Two hours later they finally breached the other end of the wasteland, and entered back into the Equestria that both knew. It didn't take long before Celestia shot past White Tail, and by noon they had made it back to the Everfree. Celestia landed a ways down the road towards her home, and trotted up with Excavo at her side. Finally, after three days, they were back home. Celestia, exhausted, sweaty, and covered in dust, saw the gate guard, and smiled.

"Princess Celestia?!" The gate guard exclaimed, and fumbled at his neck where a horn hung.

Celestia snorted. "Of course, who e-"

The guard blew the horn, and immediately a bright red flare flew into the sky from inside the Fortress walls. 

The gate flew open, and a phalanx of soldiers stormed out, rapidly surrounding the pair with weapons drawn. They all looked to the sky, as if expecting an attack. 

Celestia was nearly knocked over by them, and was taken aback by the rude greeting. 

"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded.

Luna, in her thick armour, limped through the gateway. She frowned at her sister, who noted a bandage on Luna's leg. 

"Sister, we have to talk."