//------------------------------// // A Castle, a Hut, and a...What is That? // Story: The Lost Prince of the Sea // by Cursory Note //------------------------------// Luna landed in the town square of Ponyville while the town clock was chiming nine in the morning, and almost all of the adult citizens were about, doing their shopping, chatting with friends, or running their businesses. The foals were all at school, and the Princess of the Night was greeted with many smiles and bows of respect. Luna stifled a yawn, she had gotten very little sleep but it was necessary for dealing with her diurnal subjects. Even though she had a specific errand at Twilight’s castle, she did enjoy walking through the streets of this simple town. Let’s just hope that Pinkie Pie does not see me. She thought with a slight smile. She dismissed her chariot and started towards the home of Twilight Sparkle. As she walked a smile crept onto her face as she remembered her first Nightmare Night in this town and how Twilight, with the help of Fluttershy and Applejack, had shown her how to interact with her subjects without frightening them, well, not frightening them too much, anyway. She nodded and smiled to the ponies who greeted her, and she reached the castle quickly. She knocked on the crystal door and after a moment of effort Spike opened it with a very dusty rag in his claw. “Oh! Hi Princess Luna! I didn’t know you were coming today.” The young dragon smiled and Luna returned it “Greetings, Spike. I am most sorry for disturbing you unannounced, but I have important matters to discuss with Twilight Sparkle, is she at home?” Spike rubbed his neck nervously “Well, uh, I’m really sorry Princess but she’s out with Rarity and Fluttershy.” Luna nodded slightly “Do you know when she will return?” “Ummm…I don’t, Your Highness, but it should be pretty-” “Hello Princess Luna!” Twilight Sparkle walked up the short path and stood beside Spike, smiling “What brings you to Ponyville? I thought you slept during the day.” “Greetings, Twilight Sparkle. Alicorns such as Celestia and myself need little sleep, although I often do rest during the sun’s journey. I have come to request your assistance in a matter concerning a pony I once knew. May I come in?” Twilight nodded and motioned in “Of course, Your Highness, come on in!” Luna smiled and walked into the castle. “Would you like some tea, Princess?” Spike asked. “That would be most enjoyable, thank you very much.” Spike rushed off to the kitchen and Twilight showed Luna to a small table in the castle’s library. The pair sat down and Twilight smiled “What can I help you with, Your Highness?” “Please, Twilight Sparkle, call me Luna. You are a princess now.” Twilight laughed nervously “Well, I guess I’m still getting used to the idea of being a Princess. Even this castle is still a little unnerving.” Luna smiled sympathetically and nodded “I understand, it took a while for me to get used to being royalty as well. But in time, it will become as second nature as magic, and you are very powerful in that regard.” Spike ran in with a tray piled with tea and cookies and tripped on a book lying on the floor. The tray almost hit the floor before it was enveloped in Luna’s blue magic and floated over to the table. “Spike! I told you to pick up!” Twilight snapped. Twilight glared at the young dragon, causing him to shuffle his feet and mumble “I’m really sorry, Twilight…” Luna smiled and poured the tea “It’s quite alright Twilight Sparkle, no harm has been done.” Twilight huffed slightly and gave Spike a quick glance before he hurried off to finish his chores. “I suppose.” She floated her cup to her mouth and took a sip. A few moments passed in silence as the mares enjoyed their tea before Luna spoke “Thank you for the tea, it is very delicious.” “It’s one of Rarity’s blends. I think she calls it Misty Morning.” “I must ask her to send some of this to Canterlot; I believe Celestia would greatly enjoy it.” Twilight jumped slightly “Oh, I am so sorry Pri-, oops, Luna. I completely forgot, you need my help with something?” “Yes, I do. I wished to know if you had ever heard of a stallion named Aecorum.” “Aecorum?” “Yes. He was an alicorn stallion that I knew before my…” She cleared her throat “Banishment. You are a very well-versed pony in regard to history and Equestrian lore; perhaps you have read about him somewhere? If not Aecorum, then maybe the Prince of the Sea?” Twilight furrowed her brow a bit “I’m not sure…A stallion? I’ve only ever heard of alicorn mares.” Luna’s face fell just slightly “I see.” Spike noticed Luna’s expression and nudged Twilight “Maybe it’s in a book you haven’t read. Remember the Supernatural Remedies?” “Yes, thank you, Spike.” Twilight glared for half a second then she turned back to Luna “I know there’s no mention of Aecorum in any of my books, but I haven’t quite finished your journal, do you want me to check that?” Luna lifted her head “Journal? What journal do you speak of?” “Didn’t you know? When I was in the castle in the Everfree Forest I found the journal that you and Celestia kept when you were living in it.” “What? I had no idea, Celestia had not told me that you had found it, where is it?” Despite her best efforts to keep her voice level, Luna’s excitement and hope was leaking through. Twilight quickly walked over to the shelf that she put her most precious books on and floated the journal down from its place onto the table. Luna put a hoof on the cover and said “Yes. I remember this. Celestia, Aecorum, and I often wrote in his journal after the imprisonment of Discord.” “Well, I can only recognize Celestia’s hoof-writing, but it is yours, you can have it back if you want.” Twilight smiled Spike raised an eyebrow “Um, Twilight? Aren’t you using that for everypony else’s entries?” Twilight shook her head and laughed “No of course not Spike! I had a blank copy made. It’s perfectly alright if you want it back Luna.” Luna bowed her head and smiled with gratitude “Thank you very much Twilight Sparkle, this means a great deal to me.” She had almost forgotten her journal and was genuinely glad to have it back again. She was about to open the journal but she put it in her saddlebag instead. “Forgive my rudeness, Twilight Sparkle, I’m sure that you have things that need to be done, I will keep you no longer.” She stood to go. “That’s alright, Luna. Now that the library is…Gone, I actually haven’t had much to do, you can stay.” “I would enjoy that, but I have my own business to attend to. Thank you very much for the tea and the journal, you have my deepest gratitude.” Luna opened the door and walked out onto the front steps as Spike waved goodbye. “Goodbye Princess!” “Come again!” Twilight smiled and shut the door. Luna walked towards the town park to read her old journal before she went to her next stop. The park was only inhabited by a few ponies and after debating for a moment whether to sit on the grass or a bench, Luna found a shady tree and sat beneath it with her journal in front of her. The grass felt cool and she smiled as she began to read the very first entry. It was in Celestia’s hoof-writing, the journal was her idea after all, and the fond memories it brought back were nice. Then she realized what was wrong. She was certain that Aecorum had written the second entry, but it still looked like Celestia’s writing. She read more carefully and she realized that even the entries that she had written were different. She began to frantically read and flip through the pages, but it was only written by two ponies. “What in Equestria is this trickery?!” She read an entry that she knew involved Aecorum deeply, she remembered him being there, but there was no trace of him or his writing. The strangest thing was that the entries that he had written were still there, in a fashion. The events that he wrote about were in the journal, but it was as if Celestia and even Luna had written about them instead. Luna checked the journal again and again but there wasn’t even a false word to tell her what had happened. She slammed the covers together and stood, shoving it into her saddlebag. “There is only one creature in this wide world that is capable of such devilry.” She turned north and glared harshly. “Discord.” --- Luna focused all her energy into remaining whole and unchanged as she entered the dwelling of Chaos in draconequus form. Her glare had not softened in the hours it took to get there, if anything it grew harder. The inside of Discord’s “house” was just as strange as she had expected, and she soon found herself looking into a pair of yellow eyes that had materialized in thin air. “Well now, isn’t this the pleasantest of surprises! It seems the dear Princess Luna has come to visit her friend for the first time in, well, ever!” Discord laughed and the rest of his body slithered over to his face in chunks. “I do not wish to play games, Discord.” “Now, now, Luna, if I didn’t know better, I would say you were going to trap me in stone again.” “Discord. I must speak with you. Now.” Her voice was cold and the draconequus pouted. “Oh, you are still so Not fun, Luna! I would have thought being trapped in the moon for a thousand years would have made you appreciate a little humor!” Discord snapped his fingers and Luna was instantly dressed as a clown. Her face didn’t change and Discord took away the clown costume and put it on himself “What did you do?” Luna’s voice was accusing and Discord was actually surprised “What did I do? My dear Luna, I’m sure I haven’t done anything, I am reformed after all.” A halo appeared above his head and he smiled innocently. Luna took a tiny step forward “You are the only creature in Equestria who could have gotten rid of him and not left a trace. Where is he?” “He? He who?” “Aecorum. I know you know who he is, I know you did something to get rid of any trace of him, and I want you to bring him back.” “Aecorum?” Discord laughed so hard he clutched his sides “What a stupid name for a pony! I think his parents did my work for me!” After a moment of laughter Discord wiped a tear from his eye and said with a chuckle “But I’m afraid I have no idea who that is.” Luna looked shocked “What?” “I am terribly sorry Luna,” Discord disappeared and reappeared wearing a fez and robe looking through an enormous book next to a bookcase that had also appeared “Aecorum is a new name to me.” “That cannot be…You must be lying.” Discord huffed in disdain “How can you say such a thing? My darling friend Fluttershy has taught me that lying is not what friends do.” Luna furrowed her brow and closed her eyes for a moment “Who defeated you the first time?” Discord turned his head upside down in confusion “What? You did. And dear Celestia of course.” Luna’s voice grew a little desperate “That’s it? Nopony else?” “No, and I remember it as if it was yesterday…” Everything started to ripple and strange harp like trills came from nowhere. Luna regained her composure and turned on her hoof towards the “door”. The rippling stopped and Discord’s face got plastered all over the door. “Aww, leaving already? And we were having such a good chat.” “You are lying to me, and when I find him, I will come back and prove it.” Luna hardened her glare. “Mark my words, Discord: If I find out that you harmed him, there will be no power in this world that will be able to keep you safe from me.” Discord raised an eyebrow “Aren’t we overreacting just a touch, Luna?” He popped in front of her with his paw on his chest and his talon pointed up “I swear that I know nothing about Aecorum, and even if I did, I didn’t do anything to him.” “But if it was not you, then it must have been…No. It must have been you, she would never…” Luna frowned and walked out to her chariot. She boarded and closed her eyes; the lack of sleep was beginning to get to her. “Please take me to Zecora.” “At once, Your Highness.” She is my last hope…Luna thought. --- “Welcome Princess of the night! Your visit brings me much delight.” “Thank you, Zecora.” Luna walked into Zecora’s hut and turned towards the zebra, a weary and hopeful expression on her face. The past few days had brought nothing but confusion and her patience was wearing thin. “If I may ask, why are you here? I’m afraid the reason is not clear.” “I need you to tell me if you know the name Aecorum. Perhaps from the legends of your homeland?” Zecora stood for a second in thought “The legends I know do not speak of the pony that you seek.” Luna closed her eyes in frustration “Are you certain?” “Princess, I give you my solemn word: of this Aecorum I have not heard.” Luna took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm “What about the High Prince of the Sea? Or maybe the Tide-caller?” Zecora furrowed her brow “The name Tide-caller is strange to me, as is the High Prince of the Sea.” “You know not of even one hint of him?” Zecora shook her head slightly “I am certain that the tales from my old land do not tell of this prince of seastrand.” Luna wilted slightly and thought No… before she stood up and walked out “Thank you Zecora, you have been most helpful.” Zecora called “Do not give up, Princess of the Moon. I am sure you will find your stallion soon.” Luna walked to her chariot for the fourth time that day and hung her head. “Take me home, please.” “Yes, Princess.”