Light, a starry midnight blue mane, surprise
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I had a massive headache as I woke up… I normally didn’t remember my dreams… and this was no exception, but I could tell it was different from all of my others. It felt less like a memory and more like I had had a conversation someone, and I was exhausted from the drain on my magic the spell had had. With a start I opened my eyes and looked to my sides, all thoughts of headache and cares for my dream gone as I fluttered my new wings and pranced in place, they were feathery unlike the other Dragon’s wings, but from the book I was expecting that… what was important was that now I could fly with my kin. I looked around, I was still in The Caldera and fortunately my fire shield had apparently persisted for however long I was out of it. Mother had a relieved look on her face and whispered conversation was spreading through the clan… I tried to pick up on what they were saying but was interrupted by Amber swooping up behind me and picking me up like some small child and squeezing me in a hug that felt just a bit too tight, especially on my new wings which felt fairly fragile. “Oh my Tiamat! Little E I was so worried you just disappeared and I thought something must have gone wrong and that I was responsible and Mother just gave me this look but then you were back and you had wings and it worked I can’t believe it worked oh great lady NEVER do that again!”
The hushed whispers came to a close rapidly and I could feel the vibrations in the ground as Mother began releasing a low growl and rising from her position on the highest rise of The Caldera. I looked up at Amber and if I hadn’t been getting quickly alarmed myself the bug eyed expression on his face would have been funny as hell. I wormed my way out of Amber’s grasp as he was frozen and wouldn’t move. Slowly I turned around… behind me, flying high in the air with all of the clan looking at… her I think... was a pony. Her mane and tail flowed like a wave of stars on a midnight backdrop. Her large wings flapped and seemed to leave sparkles in their wake. Her eyes shone white with untold magical power that put what I was capable of to shame… and her voice…”LITTLE EMBER OF DRAGONSPEAK CALDERA! WE SEEK AUDIENCE WITH THEE!”
Her voice, speaking in fluent if mildly archaic Draconic, was booming loud enough to almost rival Mothers when she raised her voice above the whisper she used to speak to me. Keyword: Almost. “You will NOT speak with my daughter without coming through ME Banished Sister.”
The already tense atmosphere seemed to further thicken as the pony’s voice lowered, what it lost in volume however it more than made up for in intensity. “Thou hast known that we have been absolved from our banishment for quite some time Matriarch of The Dragonspeak, and thou also knowst that ‘tis not we who drafted the law which now concerns thine…” she paused and seemed to glance towards me, sitting mute on the ground behind Mother, who I had barely noticed had moved to protect me.“... daughter. We do not seek trouble betwixt our little ponies and the dragons of Draconia, but that is the exact reason why we must beseech thee...” she had certainly turned towards me at this point, I slunk a bit further behind Mother and the strange pony who had come unannounced into our Territory with no fear… landed and after a moment's hesitation lifted her head, exposing her throat to Mother mere claw-lengths away from her teeth. “Wouldst thou please grant us the audience which we request?” All eyes were on Mother, most with cautious attention, but a few with rapt nervousness.
After a long moment, she replied in a guttural growl. “Very well. If my daughter comes to harm however, then I am holding you responsible, and there will be Tartarus to pay.” As Mother stepped aside, the stranger came forward, and I instinctively inched away wide-eyed. I am not ashamed to admit my tail was between my legs, I had never seen Mother so easily turned aside on any matter, and here this… I searched for the Equestrian word as I found calling her simply a pony to be insufficient… this alicorn was able to what… intimidate her into submitting? I looked upon the midnight alicorn, barely taller than me, and for the first time in years I felt fear. And then she spoke, she spoke with familiarity and calm, a soft voice just daring me to raise a flame against her as she certainly knew I would be incapable of striking her.
In Equestrian this time, she spoke. “I am sorry if my understanding of your language is lacking. I have been gone for a while and have hardly had a chance to brush up on it. Do you happen to speak Equestrian? That would rather simplify things.” I found myself nodding yes, completely stupefied by her civil question, I had expected an attack of some sort, some accusation, but a simple question? I had no idea what to think anymore… here was this awesome and terrible power, and she merely wanted to talk? Given my frozen expression of shock, she accepted the nod as the only answer she would get and continued. “Ah yes, this might all be surprising… and I’m sure you’ve likely never seen the Matriarch step aside on anything…” she huffed something under her breath about Mother being a stubborn old… shrew I think, and continued on. “...but she clearly understands that what has occurred here is a very important matter… tell me, do you remember your time In Between?” I merely shook my head ‘no’, but I had managed to shut my wide open mouth. A look of sympathy crossed her face and she started once more. “Then you have forgotten our meeting, this must truly be a surprise then. I suppose it is with great apology that I must announce to you that you will be coming with me to Canterlot… I’m afraid the rules my sister set in place are fairly strict, and certainly require your presence without question.”
I didn’t know where this Canterlot was, and I had almost a million questions but I was only able to get one out in choked Draconic, “Why?”
The alicorn titled the Banished Sister, gave a small smile, as if to attempt to comfort me. “New alicorns aren’t a common occurrence. Even after my good friend Twilight Sparkle published her book a few years ago, there have been no ascensions until you arrived in the In Between. Nevertheless, my sister has decreed that all ascended be brought to meet her… and me as well… and that they begin preparations to take a leadership role befitting them, as is the way of our nation.” I looked around at all of the faces I would be leaving behind, Amber looked paler than I was.
Clearing my throat I spoke quietly, but the reigning silence of The Caldera allowed me to be heard. “When… when will I be able to come home?”
The Banished Sister clearly smiled with sympathy… no… this was more a look of compassion. “I know better than anypony what it is like to want to return home, I can assure you, it will not be long, not even by the standards of the average pony. At worst you will be allowed to return for your clan’s next meeting. I also have no doubt that we will try to be as accommodating hosts as possible, and if something can be done to alleviate your homesickness, I myself will see to it.”
I found the nerve to ask one more question, barely holding back my tears of anguish at the mere thought of separating from my kin, the entire spell was supposed to bring me closer to them. “May I speak to Mother before I go Banished Sister of… Canterlot?”
Her eyes widened and I seized up, convinced that I did something wrong as she continued in a somewhat forced tone. “Uhm… I would appreciate if you could call me Luna, but if you must use a title you may call me the... The Lunar Sister? Canterlot is correct though, I would just rather not dwell in that other bit of my past… for many it is old news, though your Mother seems fond of bringing it up.” In Draconic, towards Mother louder but not as loud as her entrance, “T’was 20 years ago! Let the past remain therein Matriarch!”
Mother released a deep chuckle and the entire atmosphere visibly relaxed, and hushed gossip began again. “You are the one who brought 1000 year old linguistics to the table, and you should know better than any pony that 20 years is nothing!”
I quickly lifted my head and brought The Lunar Sister’s attention back to me. “I’m sorry, did no- I did not mean to disrespect, it’s just Moth- it’s just that Mother referred to you by ti- by the title so I assumed…” I was slipping into old mistakes, completely terrified that I had somehow angered a being who didn’t fear Mother.
She shook her head and touched a forehoof to my shoulder, bringing me completely petrified in shock. “There is nothing to be afraid of little pony.” I took note to file that away for later complaint. “To answer your question, I do not expect the official carriage to arrive for a week. I simply wished to arrive beforehand and give you prior warning and time to make any preparations in advance.” I merely nodded. “Good, expect us in a week's time. If you need to clear anything with your Mother or make any other farewells, be sure to do that. Though I’m sure everyone is hearing, it seems only that young dragon who fainted had any clue what we are talking about.” I glanced at Amber, sure enough, he was collapsed onto a small pile of rocks that looked like a different dragon had quickly pushed them under him as he fell, a fainting pile if you will.
The Lunar Princess backed away, and with a flare of her wings, and a final nod to Mother, she was off and took her starry mane with her. As she became nothing more than a dot on the horizon, I decided to take a cue from my eldest brother and promptly fainted myself.