Years passed as Valor and his "nieces" built a new life on the island that the residents named Refuge Bay. Valor volunteered to live on the side of the island that was furthest from the main town. It was one of the few areas that had farm able land. They didn't waste any space and built only what was necessary to farm.
Valor had just finished sowing his field satisfied of completing a hard days work. It was odd to trade in his sword for a plow and watering can.
"UUUUUNNNNNCCLLEEEE!" a cry got louder as it approached him.
A blue blur flew at him and nearly knocking him over.
"What is it Star?" Valor nearly forgot their real names that only he still knew.
"Sunny said that if I eat the seeds from the apples that they will grow from my tummy," Luna was nearly in tears.
Valor glanced up at the small house where they stayed and saw Celestia peering at them from the doorway that Luna had left wide open in her haste to find her uncle.
"How many times are you going to let her trick you?" Valor asked as he pried Luna from his leg.
"You..you mean apples wont grow from my belly?" Luna sniffed.
"No they won't," Valor explained.
"Sunny I'm gonna get you!" Luna ran back toward the house as her sister ran away laughing at her sister.
Valor watched as Celestia flew into a nearby tree while Luna struggled to flap her wings attempting to reach her. That was another benefit to living away from the other inhabitants on the island it was easier to keep the disguise that they were normal unicorns. Whenever they went to town the girls knew to hide their wings and always wore clothing that kept them hidden. Some though it was odd they always wore something but just assumed Valor was spoiling his nieces with nice clothes.
"Hey Silver!" A friendly voice called from the path the led to the farm. Valor looked out and saw Rusty pulling a covered cart. Rusty and Pearl were their closest neighbors Valor had grown to trust them over the years and debated on letting them in on their secret.
"Back from the village already?" Valor asked as approached the reddish colt
"Yup," Rusty let the cart come to a stop and unhooked himself from it. "Got the things you asked for...the uh," Rusty looked to see if the girls were listening they were no where in sight "presents are hidden in the potato sack."
"Thanks were they hard to find?" Valor asked figuring getting toys that the girls actually wanted would be difficult.
"No problems really though the choices were pretty slim," Rusty hefted a burlap sack with a crude drawing of a potato on it.
"Sunny wanted a book about adventures best I could find was history book about magic...it had alot of big words," Rusty said not sure how any filly would enjoy that as a present.
"Its fine she'll read anything I believe what about Stars doll?" Valor glanced in the bag.
"This was the only thing I could find," Rusty reached into the bag and pulled out a wooden colt wearing guard armor similar to his own.
Valor stared at the little wooden guard remembering his old life.
"I know its not doll but..." Rusty began.
"No..its perfect Rusty how much do I owe you?" Valor asked.
"Bah consider it a present from Pearl and I we owe ya for helping us out last harvest," Rusty went back to the cart.
"Really thank you," Valor lifted the sack and placed it on his back.
"HEY MISTER RUSTY!" Celestia called out as she ran toward the two colts. She and Luna gotten dressed while Valor had been talking to him.
"Hey sunshine," Rusty grinned at the little filly.
"Where's Miss Pearl?" Luna asked knowing Pearl usually brought candy when she stopped by.
"She's at home a little under the weather I'm afraid,"
"Nothing serious I hope," Valor voiced his concern. Life on the island wasn't easy the only doctor on the island was overworked as it was.
"Just a cold. I'm going to fix her a batch of soup when I get back," Rusty was getting ready to head out.
"We wont keep you oh and thanks again Rusty," Valor said.
"OH and tell Miss Pearl to get well soon!" Luna yelled as Rusty headed down the road. He responded with a wave and disappeared over the hill.
Later that night Valor was cooking dinner while Celestia and Luna played.
"Oh Sunny could you and your sister fetch me some potatoes?" Valor asked
Celestia nodded as got up and nudged Luna. Together with their magic there were able to drag the heavy sack to Valor.
"Thank you girls...say these aren't potatoes," Valor held up two crudely wrapped presents each with the girls name written on it.
Both squeed as Valor levitated each of them their gifts. He hadn't been able to get anything for their last few birthdays and couldn't wait till next time so he figured better late than never.
"Oh wow this book looks amazing," Celestia was already skimming through the pages.
Luna was carefully tearing opening her gift trying her best to keep in neat. Valor smiled at how different the two girls were.
"Woah!" Luna's eyes went wide when she saw the carved guard.
"You like it?" Valor asked.
Luna nodded.
"Thank you uncle," Luna said as she hugged him.
"Your welcome be sure to thank Mr Rusty and Miss Pearl too they helped out,"
Luna nodded as she ran off to play with her toy while Celestia was already engrossed with her new book.
After the girls were tucked in and Valor was alone in his room he pulled out his old guard helmet and held it up to inspect it. He buffed it slightly with a rag knowing that it was enchanted to never lose its shine. It was more out of habit than anything. He placed the helmet back into a trunk and laid down and quickly fell asleep.
The next few weeks were peaceful a typical time on the island. Valor continued to work his field weeding and tending to the crops. Celestia still had her nose in her book and Luna played with her toy guard she named Sir Hoofington.
"Uncle a group is coming," Celestia announced from her perch in a nearby tree.
"Who is it?" Valor asked.
"Looks like the mayor," Celestia said squinting as she hovered down. Then headed inside to get dressed.
"The mayor?" Valor repeated. Valor wondered what he was doing out this far. Mayor Talon was getting on and years and rarely ventured beyond the village.
Mayor Talon arrived with a group of island militia. Valor couldn't help but admire their commitment to defending the island no matter how poorly trained they were. Valor's instincts as Captian immediately drew his attention to flaws he could see already.
"Good morning Silver," the gryphon mayor said.
"Good morning mayor is everything alright?" Valor asked immediately.
The mayors demeanor changed.
"I'm afraid not found debris of a ship washed up on shore,"
"What kind of ship?"
"We believe it belong to the warlock," Talon said.
"You think they are here?"
"Its possible if the debris washed up survivors could have also,"
"I wanted to personally see each resident was safe we are suggesting everyone head to town for the time being," Talon explained.
"I'm heading to Pearl and Rusty's now we can all head back together,"
"I'll get the girls packed up we'll meet on your way back," Valor said as he headed back to the farmhouse.
"What the matter uncle?" Celestia met him as he came inside.
"We're going to stay in the village for a while," Valor didn't want to upset the girls just yet.
"Why whats wrong? You don't like staying in the village,"
"There may be some bad things on the island and we would be safer together with the others," Valor explained.
"Bad things?" Luna asked.
"Don't worry I'll be with you so will Rusty and Pearl. Also don't forget Sir Hoofington!" Valor levitated the toy toward her.
"Okay," Luna said as she hugged the toy and went to pack.
Hours went by and the sun began to set and there had been no sign of the mayor or his group.
"When are we going?" Luna asked sleepily.
"Soon," Valor repeated himself for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Valor began to pace wondering what had happened. He debated going to check on them but he didn't dare take the girls with him and leaving them wasn't a good idea either.
After the moon was in the sky Valor made a decision.
"Sunny stay here with your sister don't open the door for anypony understand?" Valor told her as he pulled his helmet from the chest in his room.
"Where are you going uncle?" Celestia asked.
"I'm going to see if the Mayor and everyone else is okay," Valor was standing outside looking into the house.
"But what if the bad things are out there?" Luna asked.
"Don't worry your uncle can take care of whatever is out there!"
Celestia closed and locked the door tightly after he left. Luna and her curled near the fireplace and waited for him to return.
"I hope Mr Rusty and Ms Pearl are okay," Luna said
"Don't worry uncle will bring everypony home," Celestia reassured her sister.
Valor stayed off the path as he headed toward Rusty's farm. Finally at the edge of the farm's field he could see what had happened. The farm house was smoldering as was the barn next to it. Valor carefully made his way through the field using the crops to hide in along the way.
The bodies of the militia littered the ground they had died fighting whatever had attacked the farm. Valor levitated a long sword that lay discarded on the ground he gave it a swing and kept it at the ready as he continued to search.
A ragged cough from the woods drew his attention. Valor followed the source and found Mayor Talon resting against a tree.
"Thank goodness," Talon rasped.
"Mayor what happened?" Valor lowered his sword.
"We found the farm empty when we arrived. Rusty and Peal were gone the place and been ransacked. We we're getting ready to leave when..." Talon coughed hard.
Valor noticed the mayor and been wounded but if he got medical attention soon he should make it.
"Take it easy mayor," Valor said softly.
"The warlock one of his generals surprised us the militia they tired to fight him," Talon was reliving the battle in his mind.
Valor knew this was bad. The generals in the warlocks army joined voluntarily and were given massive amounts of power. They could put others under their control and were capable of devastating attacks.
"Alright come on lets get you out of here," Valor lifted the injured gryphon on his back and head back toward his farm.
The girls were snoozing when a knock at the door woke them up.
"Uncles back?" Luna said groggily.
"UNCLE!" Celestia called out.
"Hey sunshine," a friendly voice answered.
"Mr Rusty?!" Luna said happily as she bounded to the door.
"Hold on uncle said not to open up for anypony," Celestia whispered.
"But Mr Rusty isnt anypony he's our friend," Luna said.
"I'm sorry Mr Rusty but we cant let you in!" Celestia yelled through the door.
"Come on girls I have some candy for the two of you," Pearl said.
"Ms Pearl I though you were sick?" Celestia asked.
"I'm all better now why don't you let us in?"
Celestia felt something was wrong she could also feel something nearby the made her horn tingle..something magical.
"Sorry can't let you in!" Celestia repeated.
"OPEN UP YOU LITTLE BRAT!" an unknown voice yelled.
Something slammed hard against the door causing it to buckle.
Valor and Talon approached the farm in time to see Rusty trying to bash down the door. Valor could hear the two girls inside scream.
"Quickly Silver!" Talon said.
Silver sat down Talon as gently as he could and dashed toward his home.
Rusty was getting ready for another kick when Valor tackled him to the ground. Rusty tossed him off with tremendous strength.
"Sorry friend," Valor said as he struck Rusty in the head with the flat end of the sword.
Pearl charged him screaming Valor struck her on the chin with a powerful kick.
"Well well well you're not your average farmer are you?" a sinister voice said.
Valor turned his back to the farmhouse door his sword at the ready. A deformed pony emerged seemingly from thin air. He looked like an earth pony but with wings and horn made of twisted magic. He hovered in the air above the farm.
"When I washed up here I thought for sure there was nothing to be found," he grinned.
"Surrender now!" Valor ordered.
The pony laughed and sent a bolt of magic flying at valor. The bolt struck the door and sent it flying inside.
"Ohhh those others didn't last this long before I'm going to enjoy this. In fact I think you'll help me!" the pony formed a long rope of magic and began lashing at Valor like a whip. Valor deflected each blow with his sword.
"UNCLE!" Celestia called out from the busted doorway.
Valor was briefly distracted and the pony managed to curl the magic around his head lifting him off the ground. A mind control spell was trying to push its way into his mind but his enchanted helmet was hindering it.
"So careless," the pony sent tendrils of magic toward Celestia she leapt and began to fly toward the tree she always hid from Luna in.
The general was stunned.
"Wings...that means," he looked at Valor as he struggled against the spell.
"We wondered where they went to think hidden here this whole time," the pony sent another tendril of magic this time catching Celestia by the leg pulling her close. Another tendril drug Luna from inside the house.
"My master will be most pleased with you two. He will surely...urk," The generals sentence was cut short as he fell to the ground. Valor's sword was buried deep in his back. Valor's helmet had allowed him to get a spell through the generals magic to send his sword flying toward him.
Luna and Celestia were holding on each other crying loudly. Valor grabbed and hugged the girls.
"Its alright you're safe now," He said trying to calm them.
Rusty and Pearl shaking off the effect of the mind control magic and Valor's attacks were confused at what exactly was going on.
"Silver!? Whats going on?"Rusty asked taking in the scene.
Mayor Talon limped his way to the others when he saw Celestia and Luna's wings.
"Silver you do realize your nieces...you know what this means?" Talon asked.
Pearl and Rusty noticed what the mayor was talking about.
Valor looked at the two princesses he held then back at the friends he had made over the years.
"I'm afraid I haven't been honest with you all," Valor released the girls as they stopped crying wondering what he was talking about.
"Whats the matter uncle?" Celestia asked.
Valor took off his helmet and took a deep breath.
"Sunny...Star...those aren't your real names and I am not your uncle," Valor was feeling a large weight begin to lift from his back.
"What..." Both sisters said.
"Your names are Celestia and Luna you are the daughters of King Solar and Queen Nightingale. I am Captain Valor, Captain of the Royal Guard. When the capital was attacked your parents requested that I take you to safety. A task which I had been successful at until now," Valor stood back from the girls letting them take it all in.
"So our parents?" Luna asked.
"I'm sorry but I don't know what happened to them. They were in the palace when the capital was over run," Valor was still waiting to see how the girls would respond.
"What happens now?" Celestia said asked as she still held on to Luna.
"Your father wanted me to keep you both safe until the day came when you were ready to reclaim your birthrights," Valor still remembered the day the king told him his plan.
"Are we ready?"
"No..." Talon spoke up.
Celestia and Luna looked at the elderly mayor.
"But we will make sure you are when the day comes," He said kindly as he bowed. Rusty and Pearl followed suit along with Valor.
With the secret out the whole island flocked to see the princesses. Celestia and Luna were now able to receive proper lessons in flying and magic. Valor was appointed head of the militia and trained them to the high standards of the royal guard.
As the girls got older the word spread to various hidden pockets of resistance all over the land. Plans came together and the newly formed resistance made its first blow against the warlock by retaking cities that had been lost.
Finally the warlock was pushed into his last bastion, a castle in the middle of a corrupted forest. Celestia and Luna led the charge with Valor by their side. During the attack Celestia and Luna found the source of warlocks magic. Beneath the castle the warlock had found an ancient tree that was filled with powerful magic. The girls severed the warlocks' tie with the tree and used it against him. The tree now purified by the princesses good intentions gifted them six elements to aid them in their fight.
With the warlock defeated and his army freed from his spell thousands were reunited with long lost family members. Celestia and Luna, not wanting to follow in the path of the warlock restored all of the kingdoms the he had conquered. The gryphons resettled in their mountains, the dogs returned to their mines, dragons to the lava fields, and some ponies founded a crystal city in the north. Celestia and Luna made their castle in the forest the warlock had corrupted and named the forest Everfree. Claiming that no other would have such a hold over the land again. Everything was at peace with kind leaders at the head of the various kingdoms the land prospered.