My father and I stepped back into the castle, the new sun's light flooding the room with enough light so that we might see. I heard my mother congratulating my sister's work, praising her for the radiance that was the new sun. There was silence as my father and I moved across the room and towards the corridor.... and then he spoke;

I did not answer him, right away, for I knew he knew my thoughts... It was my sister. My sister; who was a great many years younger than I. My sister; who had only just learned to keep her powerful abilities in check. My sister; who was the second born of my father and mother. My sister; who was born with the utmost potential to claim a celestial body as her own - and did. My sister.... my lovely, beautiful, radiant sister Celestia. May the heavens forever reflect her regality and power.

"What have I to say?" I responded, coolly, "My sister wields the sun for the first time, as was prophesied. I have no part in that matter."

My father wasn't quick to respond, either. He listened to his thoughts, awhile, and then said, "Is that so?"

I responded with all the poise and respect I could summon, saying, "Do not play me, Father. To some extent, I know my place." And it was true; to some extent, I did know my place.... but there was the other that I was not certain of. For see, of all of the prophesies which were hidden deep within the royal archives, my prophecy was greatly obscured. The only thing I had to convince myself I had some kind of future in my father's land was my sub-prophecy and the celestial marking on my flank.

"Do you know your place well enough to pay some respect, then?" My father asked, blocking my path.

I sighed. "My Lord... Please excuse me." My father nodded his approval and allowed me to pass. I did so, swiftly, and made it look like I was headed for my room. But on the contrary, I was not. Instead, I headed for the basement of the palace, eager to put some great space between my self and my father.

But do not write me off as a mere child, for a child I am not. It is only that sometimes my father likes to suppress me while I am already under pressure, force stress upon me when my thoughts are already in tangles and make me be humble when I feel like I should be above.

But am I angered by these facts? Neigh, for as I have said, I am no child; I am the proud son of the king, first born of his majesty and prince - ruler of all that I see. Except my sisters, of course. They have have futures in this land, while I do not. One has already proven herself worthy of the first regime, and wields a celestial body!

Part 2: The Prophecy Doth Not Lie

I am in the basement of the castle, now. And nay, I did just come here when I expected to. Instead, I ran into my lovely sister and her highness, the queen. She told me of the marvelous feat of my beloved sister and asked me if I had seen it.

"My father saw it, as well." My eyes wondered over to my little lovely as she leaned on her highness for support.

"What did you think, brother? Did you see it, did you see?" I knew my little lovely's voice would have been bursting with excitement, had she not been so exhausted.

"Yes, she shall rest, now. Off to bed with you, Heavenly." Using her alicorn name, the queen gently nudged Celestia towards her bedroom.

"I shall only rest," Celestia said, "I shall not sleep." I embraced her, and off she went.

The queen and I watched her go, until she was out of sight. Finally, the queen turned her attention to me, and I did the same.

"'Tis alright, my son; only your father expects as much, not I. Besides... with Heavenly having gone and acknowledged her place in Equestria, can we not at least bend the slightest of rules, for her?" My mother giggled.

"It is not my place to say." My tone was more apathetic than I had wanted it to be.

My mother's ceased her mellow titter and said, "You were with your father, were you not?"

"I go to read my prophecy... and perhaps others." I knew it would do me no good to even tell my queen half the truth, for she already knew all.

"I have nothing more to say, yet one more thing to do." She embraced me, kissed me and licked my cheek.

"Forever," I said, nuzzling her back. I watched her go, then; her radiant locks the last thing I saw of her, that day.

But back to where I began; in the basement of the castle, I now stand. I look about the place, the dim candle lights and the smell of paper and wax was nothing new to me. I had been down here, many times, before... The only thing different, now, was the feelings - the feelings within me.

At one time I had come down here, exuberant and bristling with anxiety. Another time I came with dignity and expectancy. But this time I came with defiance and heaviness of heart. I knew this time would be just as every other; I would read the prophecy, I would hate the prophecy and then I would accept it. After all, what more could I do? I only understood so much of it and the part I did not understand my mother had told me that it was not necessary. So what was left? The defiance I felt was not towards the prophecy, neigh, never, but was towards myself.

There was something trying to rise up, within me. Something was trying to get out and manifest itself, but I would not let it. I knew all of those emotions were there, deep down inside of me, I knew it. Jealousy, hate, rage, anger, violence - chaos! Oh my pegagod, chaos? I? The prince of the land, the son of the king harbors chaos within me?

... and unto them a prince is given.

A son; the son of all the land -
yet there is no power with he.

No acknowledgement will he give,
no mark does he posses.

Until two earths combine -
the time but one can guess

His time is not theirs,
he shall not reign,
but bear within his form;

The darkness of a cloud,
strong howling winds,
the essence of a storm.

On this day, on his day,
a sacrifice he will make.

One of blood, but not of death,
and Oh the earth will quake

A forgiving heart,
a strong hoof,
a prince who has gone astray;

"When the Queen and King depart, it will be his last day." I finished the last line, aloud, as I now stood before the prophecy. It had been sewn into a long tapestry and hung from a stone wall which was lined with many others.

"I am that prince who shall go astray and there is nothing I can do about it. It is all there; my life is before my eyes and I have read it many times... There truly is no escaping my fate." Tears streamed down my cheeks and I forced them not away. For what more could I do? All of the signs had shown themselves so this was, indeed, my last day.

Part 3: That Fateful Night

I now stood on the balcony my father and I had, just that morning. Looking down I saw that my mother, my sister, and the youngest of us were standing on the grass; all of them awaiting the perfect moment.

"Steady, Celestia," My mother's less-harsh teaching voice urged my little sister to do her best and most careful work and she worked to take the sun from the sky."

I watched as Luna's horn glowed more radiant then ever before. She dug her hooves into the earth and strained with all her might.

"Gently, gently... strong but steady." It was the softest, sweetest voice my father had ever possessed and it struck me, hard. My ears were so deprived of such a thing, I almost could not believe them! Nevertheless, my posture was retained and I watched on. As I did so - to my horror, disbelief, great joy and amazement - the first new sun had set and a pure white, full, new moon had risen.

It had been done. I staggered backwards, speechless, my mouth opened to speak many words, yet none came. I strained against myself, willing that nothing come, praying that nothing would possess me, greatly suppressing myself and then - !

Nothing. Nothing came. I was greatly baffled! I was certain that something would rise up in me and over take me at such a sight! The sight of the youngest acknowledging her place - knowing that the second child had done the same, knowing that there was now no place for me, knowing that somehow I would go astray - all of this I did nothing?!

I was panting, sweaty and anxious and did my best to shake everything off as I moved back over to the balcony. My parents and sisters were there; my mother and father congratulating the youngest with hugs and kisses and words of praise. Then they all turned to me. The youngest was beaming her heart out, the second grinned wildly and my mother smiled the most piteous smile she could give... I didn't bother looking at my father. Instead I turned and headed towards the castle's basement.

If I read the prophecy, one more time, and found it to be the same the I would surely go astray... I would run away.

I found myself a sweaty, panting, ridiculously wretched mess as I sped down the corridor which led to the chamber of prophecies. I burst through the door, stumbled over to the prophecy, scanned over it, turned to flee away when my muzzle was run into something soft. I blinked in confusion, my eyes still teary.

I straightened, immediately, and if I didn't rub my eyes sore, then at least they were dry. What I could see of my father was his dark fur. Standing back, I could see all of him. He retained his normal posture, his face was stern, but his eyes... they had a gentle sparkle to them. Confused and half dazed by it all, I wondered what he would say.

Turns out, he didn't exactly say anything say anything. Instead, he hugged me. He hugged me. I tried to fight it, but he wouldn't let me go.

"Don't - umph - touch me - ergh - let me go! Nothing you say or do will be of any good to me! It is done, I do not belong here!" Call me a fool for speaking such words, but it wasn't just this night or day that had me so worked up, neigh, but all the others since I could read, since I could understand, since I could dream, seek and know things - almost since I was born. I was hurting so so badly, then... and for reasons I could not express.

"But we have rarely hugged you," My father murmured, "Will that change nothing?" Is stopped resisting. Why? Why this, why now? Why?

"We know you need it," my father repeated, "And you do not just want it. We know... I know it has been hard for you, all of this time, knowing all that you did and all that you do. But believe you, me, when I say that you have also misinterpreted the prophecy."

Holding me away from himself, my father repeated himself, saying, "You has misinterpreted the prophesy...there is another way."

"Another way..." I echoed, "I pray you tell me, what is the other way? Tell me - what more can I do?"

My father nodded and led me past the many tapestries and over to the far wall. With hardly a muscle moved, he activated a secret door which led to an annex.

"See for yourself." He said. He removed himself from my path as I, in what seemed to be a trance, entered into the annex.

The annex was a small chamber with fire place to the far wall, a raised, stone platform in the center, two tapestries flanking the fire place and an open, door-less closet which was located on the east wall. The only light in the room was emitted by four, thick, golden pillars which were suddenly crowned with roaring fire, as soon as I entered.

I cautiously walked about the room, observing and taking in all that I could. I heard my father suck in a breath and was sure he was about to speak, when he did not. And he did not for at that moment, my eyes were drawn to the ground. There were seals and markings all over the floor - most of them centered around the raised platform...

After a many moments had flown by, my father asked, "Will you go through with this?"

I had read the markings and knew that what was there was basically the rest of the prophesy - the half I could not understand... the parts I had skipped... the parts I could not decipher. I shook my head.

Part 4: The Sacrifice

As I climbed onto the platform, the fire on all four pillars began to dim. Standing on top of it, I looked about as the other aspects of the room faded from sight.

"I am glad to see that you take this, willingly, my son." My father remarked, "Now kneel.

I did as I was told, my eyes just peering over the edge of the platform. I could see a few of the marks... I read them. Suddenly I felt something clamp down on each of my legs. I gasped in surprise and looked at my father.

"Bow your head, my son." I did so. "Now then, we begin; close your eyes, if you must." It wasn't long before a weary atmosphere surrounding me. I began to feel limp, my neck just barely supporting my already bowed head. I became weak in every limb as my breath did its best to flee from me; I felt myself trembling all over.

I forced my limp neck to support my head as I turned and watched my father approach me. His eyes were alight and carried a strange-looking dagger in his mouth. My eyes widened in fear and curiosity, but I could do no more. My father turned my head back towards the far wall. "Be strong, Eclipse," he murmured, "For this will hurt you." I squeezed my eyes tight, clenched my jaw and then it began.

At first it didn't really feel the tip of the blade, since it was so minute... but then I did. I poked me, pierced me, crawled deeper and deeper into my flesh until I wanted to cry out, express my pain - but I could not! I was too weak. The dagger inched its way through my flank and just when I thought I could no longer bear it, the blade began to cut a diagonal line through that one notable place on my flank.

Every tense muscle within my face gave way as weakness melted into sickness. Oh how I begged the end of this!!

Every lingering ounce of strength began to falter as the magic that was deep within me, defined me, proved that I was an alicorn began to seep through every pore of my body. Faster and faster it came, flooding the already miserable atmosphere. I was sure all of the magic was being collected into the air, above me, but there was no true way of knowing. The only thing that told me I was alive was the burning, aggravating pain that mark the dagger's place on my body. Everything else had fled from me - even my breath of life faltered with ever passing moment.

The blood that run down, staining my flank was the last to leave me. I could give nothing else, I could do nothing else, I could feel nothing else.

"It is done, my son. It is over." My father stood before me, now, but I could hardly see him. How... when did he...? My mind was nearly vacant and void of thought. I struggled to stay afloat as the emptiness that was around me as well as within me, began to pull me into deeper, darker lifelessness.

Suddenly, I was being revived. Life and feeling flooded into me, as my conscious returned. I shook the drowsiness off and raised my head. My father gazed down at me, a smile on his face.

"You have done well," he said, nuzzling me. I leaned into him, eagerly drinking in all the warmth and comfort his body possessed.

"See for yourself." I rose as my father back away from me. Looking after him, I saw not him, but the blade. The very blade hat had run itself straight through my... I turned to view my mark. Lo and behold it was as I feared; a long, deep gash had defiled my mark and even with the little light which was given off my the fireplace, I could see that my mark had darkened. I didn't need to attempt a spell to know that my power had gone, nor did I need to look to my father for an explanation. It had been done.

Part 5: The Fulfillment of the Prophecy

I was about to climb off of the altar when my father said, "Hold. Stay thyself, a moment." I obeyed. A spark from his horn illuminated the space around me. "What seest thou, now?" My father walked around to the side of the platform.

"I do not see..." I paused when I realized what was missing. "Where is my shadow?"

"Ahh, so you've realized." I sat on my rump, now, gazing past the king and into the darkness, beyond. There were two large, golden, menacing eyes which perched on a thin silhouette of a formless creature floating just behind my father.

"Pray tell, Father... sense you another presence, in here?" My eyes never left the creature, as I spoke.

"Indeed, my son." My father was quiet a few moments. When he saw that I had nothing more to say, he levitated the blade before the creature's face, without turning from me. "And pray tell me," he said, "From whence dost thou think it came?"

"Indeed." My father said. The blade which levitated beyond him shone with a bright light and the dark creature was sucked into it.

"And nevermore shall it plague another soul, as it has plagued you. Sayest thou that I have always suppressed you? 'Twas neigh're the case, but was thee who did suppress thyself. For see when thou didst feel contrary to what thou hast been taught, to thine own nature, then you did not accept but reject. It was thine own ignorance that brought the downfall; both of the prophecy and of what to do. When you felt the way you did, you only knew to suppress and no accept it. Always know, from this day until forever, that if ever a problem should arise, then you are to meet it, head on; accept it, do not push it away. For when thou dost do this - as thou hast done - then nothing but evil distress shall come of it - as you know see. This entity that was harbored, nourished within you had only grown due to your stubbornness to ig your feelings rather than push them away.... I know we have taught you perfection, but we are all imperfect to a certain point and we must all learn. Never be afraid to be or do either." My father concluded, saying, "You have my apologies for the deviation of my tongue, but is it not necessary? The later generations shall not always speak as we, so we must learn to speak as they do."

My father levitated the evil-burdened blade before me, challenging me with his words; "What will you do?"

I glared at the blade, at the evil within it. I glared at what once entangled itself with my insides, which had caged by heart in black ignorance and simplicity. I sighed. It had been done. I had not a mark and would give no acknowledgement. I had held within me a dark storm and had bled for it, though I did not die. I would not reign, nor would I exist as a whole. Therefore, this was my last day; my last day as who I always knew myself to be. I wad no longer a true prince nor a true being... What was I going to do but what had to be done? I did not want to spend all eternity without a voice in magic, nor did I want to be as a living-dead entity.

"I will destroy it." I said, softly. "And as the prophecy foretells - " I rubbed my hoof over the stone floor, below me - "I will then rest 1000 years - only to resume life, after that banishment has been lifted. So shall it be written, so shall it be done; if it means the safety and peace of the land, then I will not hesitate to do what I know is right."

"Well said, my son. Well said." My father and I embraced and this time I did not refuse. In fact, I pressed myself deeper into him, trying to engrave his touch into my body... It would be the last bit of life-warmth and comfort I would feel for a very, very, very long time.

Part 5: The Departure

My father and I left the annex and the basement behind. After we had embraced and whatnot, we secretly fell into a vow of silence; not one of us would speak a word to each other until it was time to depart. Before my father, I had destroyed the blade and there was nothing more to say.

"She sleeps, now." My mother responded, matching his soft tone, "And it is best she remains that way."

"Will you go and see her?" Her highness hurridly asked, as the king turned to go.

"That, I will." His highness responded after a brief pause, "But what of are second, Celestia?"

"She knows of the departure, my love, and she awaits us, outside... We have only managed to keep it from one." Her highness smiled, sadly.

Her highness did as she was told and I followed suit. We were both quiet until we reached my little lovely who stood alone on the grass. My mother crept up behind her and nudged her, gently. Celestia wasted no time as she turned and flung herself into our mother's embrace. I watched from afar, trying hard to understand how hard it was for the both of them to leave one another once his highness showed up. It seemed I would not be the only one deprived of such affectionate touches, after a while.

Approaching his wife, his highness said, "Our youngest shall not know of this night; I have obscured her memory of us as and of it... It is all for the best."

"I understand." Her majesty lowered her head and a tear fell from her face. Turning, the king beckoned me over. We embraced and his kissed my head. I kissed him back.

I let my mother take her time with me and over her shoulder I watched the tears well up in my little lovely's eyes. She sniffed and tried her best to hold everything in. It took me a bit of time before I realized that her eyes never lingered on me, as much as it did her parents.

"My child, my precious, precious child..." It seemed my mother would never let me go. The king came up behind her and whispered into her ear. With one final squeeze, she released me.

To me, his majesty then said, "You sister will know you, on your return, but for now you are as a shadow to her eyes and memory - as well as this world." A pang of pain stuck what was now a shadow of my heart. It seemed that these last words were what had truly banished me - but I knew better than that, for I had banished myself. It was done. It was all done.

I stood apart from my sister and we both watched my father and mother go. Higher and higher they went, soaring above the clouds, swiftly climbing their way to the second sky.... I watched until I could watch no more.

And as it that tears had obscured my vision? Was it that my heart was pained to greatly? Or was it that I knew what had been done was done and that I could not change it?

Neigh, it was none of these. And this was so because I had no true eyes to cry from, no true heart to harbor feelings in and no true mind to call my own. I was a shadow, now - a bear entity of the land. I looked to my sister and saw that the tears and emotions had overpowered her.

"Mother... Father..." Tears streamed from her eyes, but she bit back the sobs, locking them deep within her.

Please, I wanted to say, Please don't do that; it'll only make the hurting worse...

But I couldn't say that. I couldn't say anything. For what good were words when it was possible she couldn't even hear me? Of course my mother and father felt and heard me, for they were above all other beings, power-wise, but she... If I went to embrace her, now... what would she feel? A strange, dark presence? A shadow about her, beckoning her into the darkness that had only just formed, from her sorrow? A cloud of abandonment? I wanted none of that upon her, so instead I left. I left her, I left Luna and I left the castle. It was hard for my only existence was as a shadow but I did it, anyways. Within the shadows, I moved as far away from the castle as I could.

My very entity would rely on shadows, now - darkness my was realm. The only bright side to all of this was that after 2000 years I would finally be able to reclaim myself. I would finally be as I always had been. I would finally be able to be back in the light, stand in the light - just, proud, regal. I would then regain my title as Prince of this land, Son of the Sun, Son of the King, and ruler over all that I see. I will finally be able to create my own destiny, rewrite my prophecy and forever be known as the Prince I truly am.

But for now, I will wait. And shall be waiting. For as long as I must, I will wait. For it is when the banishment lifts that I will, then, pursue my fate.

Son of the King

by xXElite AlicornXx

Son of the King