"Ugh…" Gold Wing moaned. He opened his eyes and looked at the clock.
"12:20 p.m… I must have fallen asleep…" Gold Wing thought as he rubbed his eyes.
As he stretched his arms, Gold Wing looked at his clothes. He was wearing his night garments.
"Silver Moon must have changed me…" Gold Wing fidgeted, blushing.
He laid back down and pulled the covers tighter.
"Wait a minute. Silver Moon must have tucked me in too…"
Gold Wing bolted upright and pulled off the covers.
"Why, Silver Moon?" Gold Wing sighed.
He looked at his nightstand. There was a tray with a bowl of basil potage, a plate of sliced apples, and a cup of tea on it. "Silver Moon must have prepared lunch for me…"
Gold Wing pushed away the tray. He yawned and sat on the side of his bed. He stared at the two wings on the bottom of his right hoof.
"My bodyguard, huh?"
Gold Wing looked back at the basil potage. He picked up the bowl, revealing a letter with red seal on it. It was the seal of Princess Lilac.
"A letter from the princess?!" Gold Wing yelled, surprised. He hastily ripped the envelope open and took out the piece of paper inside it.
Dear Earl Gold Wing,
Princess Lilac of Terraria has requested your presence at the Amaryllis Palace in Floreo. She desires to speak to you. Please be there at one o'clock sharp.
Sincerely,
Her Highness's butler.
"1 o'clock?! I only have 30 minutes left!" Gold Wing shouted in distress. He dropped the letter and raced out of his room.
"Silver Moon!" Gold Wing called out as he ran down the hallways. "Silver Moon, we need to leave right now! Silver M--"
"Slow down, my lord. You could get hurt." Silver Moon warned Gold Wing.
"Silver Moon!" Gold Wing sighed in relief. "We need to get to…"
Gold Wing looked around.
"H-how did you do that?" Gold Wing stuttered, amazed. He was surrounded by a royal blue aura, which kept him suspended in mid-air.
"Please do not leave your chambers undressed, my lord. It is very uncouth." Silver Moon advised Gold Wing. She lifted Gold Wing into the air and surrounded him in a bright light. When his hooves touched the floor again, Gold Wing was dressed in a suit and tie. "You need to look your best for the princess." Silver Moon remarked.
"Wow… You're amazing, Silver Moon!" Gold Wing complemented as he admired his new clothes. They were so comfortable!
Silver Moon looked at her pocket watch.
"Oh dear. We only have 15 minutes to get to Amaryllis Palace."
"15 minutes?! We'll never make it!" Gold Wing panicked.
"Do not panic, my lord." Silver Moon assured him calmly.
She teleported Gold Wing onto her back.
"Please hold on tight, my lord. Do not let go."
"W-why? What are we going to d-- WHOAH!!!"
Silver Moon raced out of the mansion, spread her wings out, and took to the sky.
"AAAHHH!!!" Gold Wing yelled, shutting his eyes close. He was in the air! Flying!!
At first, Gold Wing was terrified. But after feeling the cool afternoon breeze flow through his mane, he found that he actually enjoyed the air. Gold Wing slowly opened his eyes. What he saw was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen: Below him were miles and miles of flat, green fields, clear blue rivers, and lush forests. He had seen all of these things almost everyday, for the garden contained all of these things, but never from a bird's-eye view. It was all so beautiful. Gold Wing reached out to touch it when…
"SILVER MOON!" Gold Wing cried out. "HELP!"
He was free-falling through the air, frantically waving his hooves around. He would hit the ground in about ten seconds.
"Good grief." Silver Moon sighed, shaking her head. She flew down to the ground as fast as she could. Just before Gold Wing crashed into the earth, Silver Moon scooped him up in her arms and continued to fly to Amaryllis Palace.
"S-s-i-l-v-e-r M-m-o…" Gold Wing stuttered, hyperventilating.
"I told you to hold on, my lord! Please do not let go next time." Silver Moon scolded him as she flew towards the capital Floreo.
After what seemed for forever, Silver Moon landed at front gates of Amaryllis Palace, with five minutes to spare. She gently set down a trembling Gold Wing on the ground once more.
"T-that *gasp* was *gasp* crazy *gasp*…" Gold Wing huffed.
"My apologies for the inconvenience, my lord." Silver Moon said flatly.
After catching his breath and brushing himself off, Gold Wing looked at the golden gates looming over him.
"Just three days ago, I was inside, having the best time of my life…"
"My lord, for the sake of your safety, I have put on a disguise." Silver Moon explained. She no longer had a horn and wings, and her once long, silver mane was now deep, royal blue, tied up in a ponytail.
"W-whoa! How did you do that?!" Gold Wing questioned, amazed.
"We must hurry, my lord. We only have three minutes left." Silver Moon declared.
The guards at the front opened the gates for them. Once Gold Wing and Silver Moon walked into the main hall of the palace, a stallion with a black mane and a gray coat greeted them. He was clothed in all black.
"Welcome to Amaryllis Palace, Earl Gold Wing. My name is Black Feather." The stallion greeted them. "I am Her Highness's personal attendant. The princess had been expecting you. Please follow me to the throne room."
"Thank you, Black Feather." Gold Wing replied. Something about that stallion gave him the shudders, but he couldn't quite put his hoof on it.
Behind Gold Wing, Silver Moon got ready to draw her sword.
"What is he doing here?" She wondered.
Just outside the doors to the throne room, Black Feather stopped.
"Please wait out here so I can properly announce your arrival." Black Feather said as he slipped into the throne room.
"What do you think the princess wants to talk about?" Gold Wing asked Silver Moon nervously.
Silver Moon had a slightly worried look on her face.
"W-what's wrong, Silver Moon?"
"You don't need to worry about anything, my lord." Silver Moon assured Gold Wing.
"If you say so…"
Gold Wing heard trumpets play a fanfare, and the doors to the throne room swung open.
"Announcing the Earl Gold Wing, son of the Earl White Wing and the Duchess Lotus Blossom!"
Gold Wing and Silver Moon walked down the red carpet to the royal throne, where Princess Lilac was seated. She had a nervous look on her face. Gold Wing bowed before the princess, while Silver Moon only tilted her head. Black Feather frowned at Silver Moon as Gold Wing stood up.
"W-welcome, Gold Wing." Princess Lilac welcomed him. "I find that your trip here was comfortable?"
"Yes, it was very… special." Gold Wing replied, holding in his laughter.
"Was it now?"
"Yes, very."
"There's something I want to ask of you, Gold Wing." The princess said.
"And what might that be?" Gold Wing replied curiously.
Princess Lilac glanced at Black Feather. He nodded. Lilac took a deep breathe.
"Your father, the previous earl, acted as the… protector, per say, of Terraria and its people. Of course, before he was betrothed to your mother." The princess explained. "As he is deceased and is no longer the protector of Terraria, I thought that it would be fitting for his son to take his place. What I'm asking you is if you'll be Terraria's protector."
"What will this job include?" Gold Wing asked the princess.
"If I receive any reports of any aberrations in the safety of my subjects, I will contact you. You will see to it that everything is resolved and report back to me."
"That is all?"
"Yes."
"Then…" Gold Wing stopped. He didn't really feel like going around Terraria resolving conflicts that weren't his problem, in fact, he loathed doing any work at all. However, he saw no reason not to. Sure, it would be uncomfortable and maybe even dangerous, but what's the worst that could happen? It's not like Terraria would be in danger every other day. Besides, he had Silver Moon by his side. She would never let him get hurt, much less a scratch, right? Silver Moon could just do all the resolving for him. Plus, he could avoid doing all the paperwork assigned to him as the new earl. It's a win-win! Terraria is safe, and he doesn't have to do any work! Gold Wing saw the clear answer.
"I humbly accept, your highness."
Princess Lilac sighed in relief.
"Thank you, Gold Wing." The princess smiled.
The guards opened the throne room doors.
"That is all. You may leave now."
Gold Wing bowed before Princess Lilac again.
"Thank you, your highness." He said as he turned to leave. "Let's go, Silver Moon."
As Gold Wing headed toward the door, Silver Moon went up to Black Feather.
"You had better not be planning to hurt my young master, shadow." Silver Moon threatened him.
"Oh, we are planning much more." Black Feather replied slyly.
"Silver Moon, come on!" Gold Wing called out.
"My apologies, my lord." Silver Moon said as she turned to leave. She glared at Black Feather, was glaring right back at her. As she and Gold Wing left Amaryllis Palace, Silver Moon gripped her sheathed sword anxiously, prepared for the dangers ahead.