“Luna? Princess Luna?”
A hoof nudged Luna’s shoulder gently. The Princess of the Night yawned and slowly opened her eyes. Moonlight still filtered through the windows of her room, but her body told her that it was much later than evening. She lifted her head, her ethereal mane falling down her shoulder.
Shadowlance stood before her, his gold eyes watching curiously and almost nervously for her reaction.
Luna offered him a tired smile and slowly rose. “Thank you for waking me. It is near dawn?”
“Yes, my Princess,” the Lunar Guard replied.
Luna hopped to the ground and stretched out her back and wings. She yawned then approached the balcony on tired steps. Shadowlance walked with her, his head raised proudly as if following her was some grand event. Luna was amused by him. He’d been part of the Lunar Guard for quite some time and had even fought in the war against Sombra nearly a year ago. He was a loyal bat pony, and Luna was proud to call him one of her warriors. He was also quite a strange pony though, having chosen to take a Solar Guard as his mate rather than a fellow bat pony.
At least, Luna thought, he has found somepony to love.
She strolled towards the edge of her balcony and could already see the Guards gathering to change shifts. Luna did not make them wait long. Magic swirled around her horn and spun through the air, taking hold of the magnificent moon. With will of body and soul, she lowered the moon at the same time the sun started to arise.
The Solar Guard must have already awoken her sister.
Luna watched the celestial orb for a moment before turning her sight to the guards. Shadowlance remained by her side, but she saw him shift as a pony flew into view. The pegasus, Aurora, was of the Solar Guard and bore a white body with a golden and dark purple mane. She swept her majestic wings through the air, the sun glinting off of her armor. Her feathers brushed against her side then lifted, revealing a cutie mark of a star that was half gold, half violet. When her wings rose, the sun glistened off of the yellow under feathers, almost blinding Luna for a moment.
Behind Aurora flew a tiny pegasus, Sunspark, who couldn’t have been much older than a year. His body was white, and he had a golden mane and tail that shimmered the same hue as his mother’s. A small bat pony sat upon Aurora’s back, yawning sleepily. Nightlark blinked open her bright purple eyes and winced against the sunrise. With a pout, she curled up on her mother’s back, hiding her face beneath one dark wing and curling her black and slate tail against her small body.
Luna smiled as Aurora landed beside a Solar Guard unicorn named Thundertrot who looked almost the same as Aurora, save for the horn and the fact that he was a stallion rather than a mare. He nuzzled his twin sister gently then looked up to Princess Luna and Shadowlance.
“Go, join your family,” Luna told Shadowlance softly.
Shadowlance bowed his head low. “Thank you, my lady. The foals will be happy to have me home.”
“They are growing very quickly,” Luna said with a smile.
Shadowlance nodded proudly. “Almost as quickly as Prince Safyre. Perhaps…if it is not too bold of me to suggest, it would be nice for Sunspark and Nightlark to meet the beloved Safyre. All foals should have somepony to play with.”
Luna thought about this for a moment then nodded. “That could be arranged. Let me speak to his father and mother first to see if they approve, but I suspect they would like to have a playmate for their child.”
Shadowlance brightened. He went to speak again but a little voice cried up shrilly.
“Daddy!! Come home!”
“Nightlark, hush,” Aurora scolded the filly. “He’s speaking with the Princess.”
“Oh…” the little filly said then called back up in a voice that was just as loud. “She can come home too!”
Luna laughed at Shadowlance’s horrified expression. She brushed her wing against his and nudged him. “Go.”
With a final bow, Shadowlance leapt from the balcony and flew towards his family. Luna draped her hooves over the railing and watched as the Lunar Guard unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi faced the Solar Guards. They bowed to each other then stepped or flew forward and changed positions. With another bow, the Lunar Guard left for the day to rest and be with their families.
Shadowlance landed on the ground beside Thundertrot and Aurora and nuzzled his foals. Luna’s heart softened but also ached at the sight of the little ones.
I wish that I could have had one someday, ” she thought sadly. She touched her belly gently with a hoof and sighed to herself, her mind wandering to two months after Sombra’s defeat. She had been feeling ill for weeks and had just attributed it to heartbreak and the use of too much energy during the battle. After seeing one of the healers, she’d learned both wonderful and horrible news.
“You’re will foal,” the healer had told her with a bright smile on his face.
Luna had wanted to be overjoyed. Though she’d lost Sombra, she would have a foal to carry her through her days to make her happy. She’d have somepony to love, and somepony to love her in return and perhaps enjoy her nights as she did.
But she’d felt dread as well as she realized that the Nightmist was still within her and might corrupt the foal. The idea of having to destroy her little one as she had done to Sombra…the grief had almost consumed her.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, fate interceded, and the foal was lost only three months into its creation. She’d mourned for her child, and she’d done so alone. Celestia had no idea what she’d been through, and Luna meant to keep it that way. Either Celestia would just worry and think that her duties were once again compromised, or she would linger much too close to make certain that Luna was well.
Of course I’m not well, Luna thought bitterly to herself as she headed down to breakfast. I haven’t been well since that night. I thought for a brief moment that a foal might mend my broken heart, but Sombra meant more to me than Celestia could ever know. A foolish fantasy, that is what she thought of our love. Hypocrite…as if she did not feel the same when she and Discord were together.
Though Luna supposed, in regard to heartbreak, Celestia could understand. She too had had to lock away her beloved, but she hadn’t taken his life, and she hadn’t lost a kingdom and a foal to boot. Luna had tried to talk to Celestia about her sorrow, but her sister was too busy with running their kingdom and, well, being the sun Princess. There were times Luna wondered if Celestia thought that Luna hardly did anything at all.
“Those thoughts probably occur to her more than you think, ” the Nightmist commented dryly.
Luna closed her eyes to find patience and then pressed on, content to ignore the voice.
Thankfully, it did not return.
She approached the dining hall and stepped inside slowly, her thoughts still focused on dark events. When she looked up, she found that only Prince Safyre, son of Prince Agate Shield and Princess Nebula, sat at the table without any supervision.
The colt had grown in the past year. His coat was a slightly darker shade of purple than it had been upon his birth. His mane and tail were a mix of violent, blue, and white. He flapped his little wings at his sides and reached for a piece of fruit on the table.
Luna chuckled and approached him. “Fi, fie, fo, fum, I smell the blood of a pegasus son.”
Safyre looked up with a start and fell backwards, knocking the bowl of fruit over. The wooden bowl rolled and fell from the table. It would have landed on Safyre’s head, but Luna caught it with her magic. Safyre glanced up and laughed. He swatted at the bowl and looked at Luna with bright pink eyes.
“Wuna!!” he cried and ran towards her, his tiny wings still fluttering.
Luna sat and reached out, taking the colt to her chest. He laughed and squirmed around in her arms, hooves reaching up to play with her mane. “Now, now,” she said and pulled a hoof down. “What did we say about playing with Auntie Luna’s mane?”
“Um…be gentwe?” he asked.
Luna chuckled and nuzzled his stomach. “Yes, be gentle, otherwise Auntie Luna will give you a raspberry.” To make good on her threat, she blew against his furry belly.
Safyre squealed and swung his hooves left and right. “No, no, no!” He laughed and collapsed against her. “Safyre be good!” he promised.
Luna kissed his forehead and smiled. “Hm, where are your mama and papa?”
“Sweeping!” he said and pointed upstairs. “Dey tired.”
“So is my sister, apparently. Well, I suppose that means I just get more time with you.” She smiled and lifted him up to plop him on her head. “Want to go to the garden with me?”
Safyre held on and frowned. “But…it cowd.”
“Oh, I know, but I’ll make it better,” Luna told him. She headed for the double glass doors that looked out into the garden. She opened them with magic then wrapped a little bubble of power around them to help stave off the chill. Snow had started to fall, and it cut harshly, landing hard on the statues and the land. Yet, in is cruelty, Luna saw its beauty as it shimmered and sparkled like diamonds in the torches that still burned along the castle walls. The clouds that had been open long enough to allow moonlight and sunlight through had closed up, leaving the sky bleak. Despite the darkness, the snowy garden was beautiful, as were the statues.
Luna walked around slowly, stopping by a fountain with the stone figure of Star Swirl the Bearded posed on top. He was to the south, helping to teach some gifted unicorns. He’d departed some time ago, leaving a teaching seat empty for a couple of years. Fortunately, Mystic Topaz, once an enemy of Equestria, had graciously agreed to fill the role and teach the young unicorns. Celestia missed the old unicorn, as did Luna, but Star Swirl and Tia had a much closer relationship.
Something glinted to the right, and Luna watched as Philomena, Celestia’s gorgeous phoenix, swept through an open window and flew towards them. The phoenix squawked and perched on Star Swirl’s back. Luna waved to her then watched as another phoenix, Nova, flapped down to circle around her. Nova was a dark phoenix with various shades of blue in his lovely coat. Luna’s father had given Nova to her as a gift many years ago, and though he was younger than Philomena, he was larger and certainly acted much more dominate. He landed and squawked quietly at Philomena, which she returned then fluttered away. Nova looked at Luna with his starlit eyes then at Safyre.
“Oooh, pretty!” the colt said.
Luna whistled to Nova who blinked then flapped to her side. He landed on Luna’s back and looked up at Safyre curiously. The colt turned and reached out to touch his beak. Nova snorted and pulled back until Luna gave him a look.
“Be nice,” she told him.
With a sigh that she swore she could hear, the phoenix leaned forward and let Safyre touch him. The colt squealed in delight and plopped around in Luna’s mane. He buried himself deep in the azure tresses then wrapped them around his face like some fancy headdress. Nova settled on Luna’s back and rested as she kept walking around the garden.
The gardens were beautiful and important to Celestia and Luna. They told a history of Equestria that she felt few knew. There were statues of great heroes and heroines throughout the ages, and ones of unicorns long since dead. There was a cave that held the statues of Celestia’s and Luna’s parents where sometimes they found fresh flowers besides the stone tributes. Neither knew who left the flowers, but they were grateful to know that others remembered their parents so fondly. More than once they’d discussed creating the hall of alicorns to commemorate those that had been lost during the devastating war over a century ago, but current affairs often seemed to distract them from their historical work.
Luna curved around then stopped before the statue of Discord. The creature stood with one arm outstretched in mid-laugh, his head pointed skyward. Luna still remembered when she and Celestia had used the elements to seal him in stone. That had been a trying battle, but not as difficult as the one against Sombra in her honest opinion. She touched the statue then felt Safyre crawl up on her head.
“What dat?” he asked.
“A statue,” she told him. “Of a very old enemy named Discord. He brought chaos to the land and hurt many ponies so Celestia and I had to turn him to stone. Still…sometimes I feel as if he is still there…watching.” There was a vibe that came from his statue, especially during times when she felt her lowest. He was trapped forever, but still…could he hear? Could he see?
“Chaos begets chaos. He listens just as I do, ” the Nightmist whispered.
Luna shuddered and looked away from the statue quickly. Safyre gripped her mane so that he wouldn’t slide off.
“Princess Wuna?” he asked curiously.
“Oh…oh, forgive me. It’s nothing Safyre.” She rolled her eyes up to the colt as he stuck his head over her forehead. He blinked his bright eyes at her as if not believing her. Luna smiled and bumped her nose to his. “Shall we see the wee unicorns?” she asked.
“Yay!” Safyre cheered and bounced in her mane.
Luna laughed and trotted back inside. When she reached the door, she could not help but glance back at Discord’s statue as it cackled silently into the morning sky. Luna swallowed and stepped through the glass doors. She went up to the next level of the castle and approached a door that bore thirty lovely, dangling stones. Each stone was pinned with thread and magic. The name of each unicorn student had been engraved in the surface of the rocks. Those who were not present for the class had their names turned around, leaving a bear back. Only four unicorns appeared to be missing today.
Quietly, Luna opened the door and poked her head inside.
A pearly white unicorn with blue eyes stood at the front of the class, bedecked in robes of red and brown, his favored colors. He held a stick up with his magic and pointed at a board that showed the image of a unicorn trying to levitate a feather.
“It really is not difficult,” Mystic Topaz said with a smile to the twenty-six pairs of eyes watching him. The unicorn foals sat at their desks with a feather in front of them. One filly nibbled on the feather and stared out the window distractedly.
“You have to reach deep, deep down inside of you for that little spark of magic that is your own. Imagine it wrapping around that feather and lifting it into the air. Watch.” The white unicorn put his pointer down and stepped to a colt’s side. He focused on the feather in front of him and slowly lifted it with his magic so all of the foals could see.
“Woooooow!” several said, even though they’d already watched him levitate the pointer.
Mystic Topaz chuckled and motioned to them. “Now you try,” he said.
The unicorns focused on their feathers and tried to follow his example. Most just stared cross-eyed. A filly rocked back and forth, muttering and trying to make the feather rise. She rocked so hard, she tipped forward and smacked her muzzle against the desk. Luna winced, but the little pony just giggled at her foolishness and tried again. Mystic Topaz walked around to help them, stopping to correct a pair of fillies and then a colt. He turned towards the door and paused at the sight of Princess Luna.
“Princess,” he said and bowed swiftly.
The unicorns looked up then bowed as well.
Luna held up a quick hoof. “Forgive my interruption. I just wished to see where the students were in their studies.”
“Of course!” Mystic Topaz said then turned to his students. “Keep practicing while I speak with the Princess.”
“Yes, Master Mystic Topaz,” the unicorns said together then went back to their work.
The white unicorn trotted to the door and reached up to ruffle Safyre’s mane. “Lad, you’re getting bigger every time that I see you!”
Safyre laughed and swatted at the unicorn’s horn.
Mystic Topaz smiled before turning his gaze to Luna. His eyes went up and down her body, though not in a lascivious fashion. “You look well-rested, Princess. Did Shadowlance finally convince you to sleep?”
Luna blinked. “Oh? Did you encourage him?”
“Perhaps, but only because I worry,” the stallion replied and glanced over his shoulder when they heard another bang and a giggle.
Luna looked back as well. “You have been such a great help here this past year. We’ve had more unicorns here learning magic than we’ve had in such a long time…since Star Swirl the Bearded was here.”
Mystic Topaz flushed brightly. “Please do not compare me to him, my Lady. I could never aspire to be anything as great as Star Swirl the Bearded. I am very happy, though, that my presence has helped the unicorns of Equestria. It’s so dangerous to have little untrained fillies and colts running about, especially when some have no parents of which to speak.”
Luna nodded her agreement.
After Star Swirl had left on his journey around Equestria to train special unicorns, Luna and Celestia had both tried to keep his classroom of young and gifted unicorns active. Unfortunately, with their duties as rulers of Equestria, they had become somewhat paltry teachers in comparison to him, and so, they’d decided to no longer accept students after theirs graduated.
Mystic Topaz had come as a blessing in disguise. Once corrupted by the Nightmist, he had broken free of his slavery and now lived as a teacher in Canterlot, instructing the young unicorns how to use their powers. He’d accepted many students, too many in Luna’s opinion, but he somehow seemed to manage to keep them all in tow. She was considering finding another talented unicorn to act as an assistant to Mystic Topaz, but he seemed resistant to let anyone close.
“My sister Moonstone and I used to work together, ” he’d told her upon her suggestion. “Losing my sister when the Crystal Empire vanished has been…difficult for me. I’m not ready to let anypony else into my life quite yet, even if it’s just as an assistant. ”
Luna could respect his wishes since she too wasn’t ready to allow another pony into her life quite yet either.
“I’m glad that you are here for them,” Luna told him. “You’ve become like a beloved grandfather.”
“Grandfather?” he snorted. “I would hope not! I’m not that old.”
Luna chuckled softly.
They walked in companionable silence for a moment before Mystic Topaz spoke again. “You will be departing for Cloudsdale today?”
“Yes. The fillies and colts are presenting their spring sunrise gifts. It’ll be such a pleasure to see their smiling faces. They’ll be so happy once the winter is over. It’s been much harsher this year.”
“That it has been,” Mystic Topaz grumbled and glanced out of a stained-glass window. “I’ll be glad when it’s over. It’s much too cold for my bones, and the unicorn foals have been itching to get outside and practice. Do you know how hard it is to keep thirty of them in a single room? When I think about the one day that Weather Star managed to sneak candy into the classroom….” His entire body shuddered. “If I wasn’t already white, I would have turned white that day!”
Luna laughed and reached out to pat his back. “I truly wish that you could come with us. I think you would love it up there.”
The unicorn shook his head. “I’m afraid that I fear heights, Princess, so it is probably all well and good that I don’t go.”
There was a mighty crash and a mixture of laughing and crying. Mystic Topaz sighed loudly and bowed his head. “I should go see to them. Oh! Before I forget…there is something that I would like to go over with you upon your return.”
“Oh?” Luna asked. “What is it?”
Mystic Topaz bit his lip. “I found an ancient tome about breaking curses. It was written by an old alicorn from bygone days and I thought that…maybe…it could provide us some answers to the disappearance of the Crystal Empire.”
Luna’s head shot up, nearly knocking Safyre loose. Nova was quick to reach up and catch the colt. Before she could ask anything more, there came another bang, and Mystic Topaz fled from the hall.
“See me on your return!” he shouted over his shoulder then disappeared back into his classroom.
Luna stood there for a moment, blinking.
A way to break curses? Who could have written such a thing, and…if he has found a way to save the Empire…Her stomach twisted with both fear and excitement. She wanted to demand that he show her the book now, but he had a class to teach, and she had to get Safyre to breakfast before he ate her mane. She could already feel his little teeth nomming at the blue strands.
“Come along, Safyre. Let’s find your parents.”
A short walk to the dining hall was all it took to find not only Agate Shield and Nebula, but Tia as well. Luna walked into the room and looked at the ponies as they were served breakfast. Nebula looked like her regular thin self now that it had been a year since having her child. Her pink coat appeared glossy, as did her white and pink mane and tail. Agate Shield looked just as regal with his amethyst body, and his wavy two-toned green mane and tail. He looked over at Luna with blue eyes and smiled widely at her when he noticed his son.
“Is he joining you for a morning stroll again?” he asked.
“As always,” Luna smiled and brought the colt to his father’s side. She set him down carefully then whistled at Nova. The phoenix lifted off of her back, and landed on a perch near the window, where he started to preen himself. Luna walked around Tia then took a seat beside her sister. Tia was busy looking over some documents and didn’t seem to notice her until Luna cleared her throat. The sun Princess looked up with a start and brushed her pink mane out of the way.
“Oh, good morning, Luna.”
“Good morning,” Luna replied and eyed her sister’s face. “You look tired.”
“I…didn’t particularly sleep well last night, as you know.”
“Of course.”
Celestia pushed a paper aside and gave her a half smile. “I don’t know what the dreams were, but thank you for quieting them for me. I don’t know why I’ve been having such nightmares, but you have been so wonderful easing my mind.”
“Yessss,” the Nightmist sneered. “It’s so wonderful that you lied to her.”
“Silence,” Luna snipped back and forced a smile. “Of course, Tia. I don’t want you to have nightmares.” Especially not nightmares about turning into Solar Nightflare.
“Hm,” Tia replied and went back to her papers. “We’re behind schedule already. We’re supposed to be up there within the hour, and it will take quite a bit longer than that. I’ll have the Solar Guard prepare our chariots for us.”
Nebula reached out to take her son and bounced him in her arms. “I do wish I could see Cloudsdale. It sounds like such a magnificent place. It’s a pity I don’t have wings or even a horn to magic myself so I can walk upon the clouds.” She looked at Agate Shield. “You should go with them. Safyre would love to see the other pegasi.”
Agate Shield smiled a bit and looked at his son. “What do you think, Safyre? Do you want to see the pegasi?”
“Yes! Yes!” the little one giggled and threw his hooves into the air.
Agate Shield laughed brightly but soon hesitated as a thought came to him. He looked to Luna and Celestia and blushed. “Would it be permissible if I joined? I know I’m not royalty or—”
Celestia held up a hoof. “You are still Agate Shield, Prince of the Crystal Empire. You are royalty whether you wish to believe it or not. It would be an honor to have you with us, and I’m sure the ponies there would be happy to see you.”
Agate Shield bowed his head deeply and humbly. “Thank you, Princess.”
Celestia nodded then turned back to her meal. Luna glanced at Agate Shield out of the corner of her eye. He’d recovered well after the fall of the Crystal Empire and the death of his mother. He put on a brave smile, ate well, groomed himself, and looked every inch the happy father and husband.
But Luna could see his dreams and nightmares; she knew that dark thoughts still plagued his mind. He slept in front of the crystal of his departed mother during his worst evenings. Nightmares of the Empire vanishing, his mother dying…Sombra terrifying the crystal ponies still haunted him. Luna tried her best to soothe his mind, allowing him to carry on during the day, but his grief had started to become her own, and she wished, oh how she wished there was something she could do to just help him more than she already was.
Luna quietly ate her breakfast as Celestia spoke of letters she’d received from nearby villages in regards to trade, labor, and any strange happenings.
Tia flipped open another letter and tilted her head. “Hm, Star Swirl appears to have met two strange creatures out in the west.”
“Strange?” Luna inquired.
“A gargoyle and a centaur,” Celestia replied and read through the letter. “He says that they come from a distant land and seem to mean peace. He will keep us informed, of course, of their movements and if they pose any sort of threat.”
Agate Shield tilted his head. “What would a gargoyle and a centaur be doing in Equestria? We’ve not seen the likes of them in…well, ages.”
Celestia shrugged her shoulders and rolled up the letter with golden magic. “Perhaps their land has not seen ponies. So long as they bring no harm to our ponies, they will be welcomed here.”
Luna nodded her agreement. She was curious about these new visitors, but she decided not to inquire deeper, only because Celestia would have told her more had it been vital. She started to eat as well and looked at the mounds of letters at Celestia’s right hoof. “Requests for visitation?” she asked.
“Yes,” Celestia replied and opened another scroll. “I’ve been asked to make an appearance in Saddle Arabia next month to offer a blessing to the new born filly there. And apparently there have been some disputes between earth ponies and pegasi, so they’ve asked for my presence for that as well.”
Luna pursed her muzzle. “Do they wish for me to come?” she asked.
Celestia shook her head. “No, but I’m sure you’ll be busy helping the suffering ponies with their nightmares. Next week we’ll open the doors to the ponies in Canterlot so that they may request favors of us and express their concerns.” She glanced at Luna. “I can take care of them in the morning so you can rest, and you can tend to them in the evening.”
Normally Luna would not have minded the suggestion, but even as she opened her mouth, the Nightmist chuckled to her.
“Why of course…let your sister help the ponies in the morning and leave none for you in the evening. Who will approach the castle once the sun goes down?”
Luna hated to admit it, but the Nightmist had a point. “I can stay awake during the day as well,” Luna offered quickly. “That way we can help more ponies during the day, and I can aid the lingering ones in the evening.”
“But, Sister, you’ll be exhausted,” Celestia argued gently. “You already had to sleep last night…we can’t have too many evenings like that. Ponies need your presence in their dreams.”
Luna tried not to let her anger bubble up inside of her at the jab. “Yes, yes of course. I don’t wish to shirk my duties.” The words came out harsher than Luna meant them to, but Tia did not seem to notice. Agate Shield, on the other hoof, gave Luna a worried look. She shook her head to tell him she was fine and went back to eating.
Luna just hoped that the trip would be a nice distraction from her frustration with Tia, as well as the Nightmist. Canterlot, beautiful as it was, was starting to feel like a bit like a prison to her. She needed space and freedom to stretch her wings and to stop worrying so much. Cloudsdale seemed like the perfect distraction, especially when she knew an old friend would be waiting up there for her.