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// Prologue 
// Story: The Coltic Prince 
// by Keldeo de Sol 
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        Once, there was a pony. A little pony, mind you. Then again, little is what generally describing the inhabitants of the nation of Equestria, for ponies were smaller in comparison to the inhabitants of the rest of the world. Buffalo, minotaurs, donkeys. Zebras, deer, yaks. Even horses, the cousin race to that of the ponies, which look similar but with a taller stance and wider strides of gallop. So perhaps our pony of which we speak of isn’t so little amongst kin, but is to the rest of the world.

The pony lives in the capital city of Equestria, known as Canterlot. For near one thousand years, Canterlot has resided high in the mountains, above the clouds, overlooking the land bellow.  For near one thousand years, peace as reigned over the land of Equestria. And for near one thousand years, a sole pony has sat on the throne, keeping order in her kingdom. Her name is Celestia de Sol, princess of the ponies of Equestria. In spite of her age, Celestia retains a youthful face and a stance so tall, one may find it difficult to believe that she’s a pony and not a horse. She had regal, beautiful ivory wings, a magnificent and narrow horn. Her mane and tail flowed with the birthing hours of the rising sun, and the sun itself mounted on her flank, a pony trait called a cutie mark.

        But why not queen? It is hard to say for certain. There are several rumors that buzz around Celestia, some nothing more than gossip and wives’ tales. But popular theory suggests that due to her unusually long life, her royal majesty suffers from fits of unspeakable loneliness. Naturally, ponies don’t live to such an age of one-thousand, as one hundred is a number that few even manage to claw their way to. Having lived for over one millennia, Celestia knew of her unnatural longevity. She has seen countless friends and family be consumed by the slow passage of time. She was once even a wife and mother, long ago. It is difficult to comprehend the feeling in the heart to watch your children grow old and for your king to fall victim to the ever flowing river of time. Upon the king’s passing, Celestia renounced her title of queen. “What is a queen without her king?” is what ponies say quoted by Celestia as they pass toasted treats around the fire. With a chuckle on their breath, it is joked that “queen” doesn’t sound as youthful as “princess” as well.

        The rumors aren’t entirely wrong, however. Shortly after Celestia’s one thousandth birthday, the princess brought into her kingdom a young colt. Not “brought” as in “birth,” mind you. The princess may have retained her youthful look, but her proverbial garden has long, long been barren and fruitless. All mares only have so many years to bring about life before growing too old and Celestia was no exception to this way of the world. No, she brought a little prince to the kingdom by means of adoption.

        The decision was quite sudden, really. The one-thousandth dawning year of the princess’s entrance to the world, she had felt her age creeping in on her. She had several birthdays before, course, and she had for a very long time. But there is just something that the thought of hitting the quadruple digits that really begins to sink into the mind how much things have changed. Flowing, heated water delivered to every household? Electricity? Music pumped through speakers, read from black, rotating discs? For a world where magic, spells, and mystical creatures exist, even these things become difficult to follow for one who is so outsourced from these advances. But for all the modern marvels, her majesty missed her family.

        The king’s name was Deo, a majestic and gentle unicorn was he. Together with his queen, they bore three foals. Their first and oldest child and daughter was the princess Aurora. Their second, a son named Meridie. And the youngest of them was the princess Luna, graced with the namesake of the aunt she was never meant to meet. The aunt, of course, being Celestia’s sister, Luna de Sol, whom was banished to the moon less than a millennium before and tales says she remains to this day.

        It was after the good princess Celestia’s thousandth birthday party that she took some solemn refuge to the ancient royal tombs of the royal family for the past one thousand or so years. Her dear family, from husband and bore children, all the way down to where the blood of the royal family has changed so much, there is hardly any more relation left that connected back to Celestia herself. Still, she knew them all. After a few generations, titles of “grandmother” and the like were dropped in favor of simply being called “aunt,” as to help save a mouthful of countless “great” tagged on, as well as to not remind the princess of her ongoing age. Regardless of these, she knew all the ponies that were entombed here well. She had been to every birth, every event, every graduation, and even personally pronounced them as husband and wife. Dozens if not more ponies of the royal family have found their eternal rest in this tomb and each one Celestia knew by name.

        “It was a lovely ceremony,” she spoke aloud, her voice echoing quietly through the catacombs of the royals. There was no reply, no voice, that communicated back to her. Just the empty clip clop echoes of her hooves against the polished marble floors. “Everypony from Las Pegasus to Manehattan had to have been there. The music and the cheer was beautiful and the cake, sweet and rich. They had competitions of sword and spells, games and booths to entertain mare and filly. Did the fireworks disturb any of you? They lit off one thousand fireworks… one for each year I’ve lived. For the centuries of peace we provided our subjects, they threw the most spectacular celebration in honor of our work. I might’ve been the one who have held the throne for so many years, but I couldn’t have done it without your support… all of your support.”

        Again, no response. Celestia’s words faded softly into the deafening silence of the royal tomb.

        “…but each passing generation, I feel I lose time with you. My days and nights, it becomes hard to keep track of. You’ve all brought me so much joy, but you all also took a piece of my heart with you. I feel old. I’m long overdue for my rest… but you know I can’t. Not yet. Not until the dawn of the thousandth year has come to pass of the banishment and my sister… by all goodness willing, she has returned to normal.” Celestia stopped at the end of the tomb, where her husband and children sleep within stone caskets, sealed with figures depicting their once youthful selves. “No, not even then. It’d be thoughtless of me to pass right as she returned. The world has changed so much since we were fillies. She deserves at least one familiar face to welcome her home. It was heartless enough that I banished her to the moon, little choice that I had. The irony that the power of the elements bound me to that banishment as well.  Oh… but you heard this many times. I apologize.”

        Moonlight gently filtered in through the stained glass of the tomb. It didn’t light up the whole place, but did permit the king and his immediate line to glow in a dim majesty.

        “Aurora, Meri, Luna; do you still think fondly of your aunt? You never got to meet her, I know… but I know you would’ve loved her if everything just had gone a different way. And she’d have loved you, too. Deo, what if we had met sooner and had our children then? My sister always had a soft spot for foals… do you think the darkness in her heart could’ve been stayed if she was looking out for them? I find new things to regret every day about that day. It is so long in the past; our subjects think it a fairy tale rather than history.”

        Her eyes turned to the tombs of her children. They all passed hundreds of years ago, peacefully in their sleep from age. It was difficult for Celestia then, to be have such a youthful look while her children that she bore we wrinkled, crusty, and lived a full life. For some time, Celestia found it difficult to appear publicly as an uncanny eternal youth. Now here her family lay in stone boxes, even far crustier than they ever were before. A pile of dust may be all that remained of them anymore. Celestia struggled to keep the thought from her mind.

        “I’ll never forget the days you three rays of sunshine entered my life. It was difficult and looking back, I wish we had the medicine then to ease that pain that they provide now. But it was a good pain, one worth having. Your first steps, your first words… my panic at the first mess drenched cloth. I miss those days. I’ve seen my nieces and nephews bring more nieces and nephews, but they were never mine to raise. Do you think…”

        The moonlight drawn in by the stained class faded as cloud cover hide the mare on the moon, hiding her face from the world bellow. The tomb was dark, lit only by the constant light flickers of candlelight. Candlelight that has been burning and added to each new tomb through each era. The detail of the window was of sisterly princess Luna, guardian of the moon. A gentle, loving gaze silently watched over the royal family.

        “…is it selfish to wish to relive the joys of motherhood once more when I’ve robbed you of so much, my sister? Believe me, I’ve suffered with you. I’ve suffered more farewells than what any pony should ever be put through. I’ll be here for your return. But the waiting… I wish only for a piece of comfort. A bit of joy. It is difficult to smile for our subjects after so much loss. It is my duty to, and I will. But…”

        The cloud cover passed, returning the soft light of the moon. Again, the tombs of king Deo and line sparkle gently in the sleeping halls.

        Celestia stands silently, thinking to herself. She barely breathed up till a long sigh. That’s right. A duty. Tomorrow, the sun will need to rise again and life for every pony in Equestria will continue on, just as it always has. And after the rising of the sun, Celestia will need to see to other business. Tax discussions, budget balances, foreign relations, busy, busy, busy. She is responsible for maintaining the peace of the kingdom and it has certainly grown a lot since her legitimate youth. It has become second nature to her at this point, she could probably do it in her sleep. Well, not really. Even a millennial princess needs to get her rest. She spent too long in this dusty tomb already, but it was a special occasion. Celestia gave the busts of Deo, Aurora, Meri, and daughter Luna a kiss with a whisper of “I love you” and “sweet dreams” before exiting the tombs.

        For the following few months, it was business as usual. Much of this blurred together as once you’ve done this for so long, it really is a simple matter. Second nature, it was. Disasters, though, were always something never desired to hear news of. Not even for nations far away. On the far side of the world, the nation of the Colitc Republic (with history going back so far, this may have been the true homeland of the ponies) was struck by a slew of terrible rain storms. The land is often covered in gray clouds with frequent rains, far from being any desert. But this particular spell was terrible. It flooded so many homes, villages, and farms. Keeping good tidings with the political powers of the nation, Celestia went to visit the nation as a symbol of good fortune. Naturally, she brought with her much charity. Food, clean water, warm blankets, and several Equestrian ponies who volunteered to show their brethren the magic of friendship.

        Now, something that was neglected to be mentioned is that Celestia has developed a sort of sixth sense. Clairvoyance, it can be called. She would here and there have dreams of events in the future. Certainly, things wouldn’t always play out exactly as she witnessed, but it was always a sure bet to say that she would be well within the ball park of what is to be. Seemingly off topic, as things have been, but it serves purpose here as she had a dream about some sort of discovery she’d find while in the Coltic Republic. A muddy side road, leading deep into the woods. A clear pond at the end of a long trek in an uninhabited portion of the countryside. There, she dreamt, that she would discover something that would change her life.

She wasn’t wrong. After she finished her tidings with some officials and political figure heads, coupled with some public appearances to help boost moral of the citizens of the Coltic Republic, Princess Celestia in company of her escort of guards found that dirty path, leading off to the side and heading nowhere in particular into the woods. Unremarkable in every single way, but familiar to Celestia only from her dream, like a long lost nostalgic feeling. Their next order of business was only to prepare to go home, yet she found it almost dire to schedule this odd detour. They continued in until the murky path stuck the carriage. Refusing from being deterred, Celestia insisted that she continued further into the woodland. Some of her guards stayed behind to dig out the carriage, while the remaining escorted their crown leader. It was hours into the day when that pond afore mentioned appeared. Picturesque, a little known treasure of the beauty the Repulic had to offer. Though beautiful, the guards whispered to themselves of why this seemingly beautiful part of the world was left untouched.

“Kelpies,” they bantered. “Ponies lost to the rivers and lakes of the woods. Heard some of the locals talk about them last night after my shift. They claimed that they roam the forest watersides after dark, dragging their victims to the bottom of lakes, adding to their number.” Another rolled his eyes. “Kelpies? The water ponies that is used like a boogeypony to keep foals from staying up past their bedtimes? Next, you’re going to claim wendigoes are real, too.”

Almost like on cue, there came a splashing sound from the small pond before them. The more superstitious of the guards nearly jumped out of their armor, while the more realist ones laughed. The splishing peaked Celestia’s interest, advancing to see what it was. She didn’t see in her dream exactly what it is she would find, only that something would be here. That’s when she found him; the littlest of unicorns. Drenched from horn to tail, a small foal shivering and coming out of the water. He was filthy, but it was clear to see his mane was the color orange (or ginger, if you prefer). Interestingly, his tail was a separate color all together, being aqua in color. Or perhaps, a sky blue? A rather uncommon trait. Regardless, the little thing was cold and shivering.

This is the little pony mentioned in the beginning. His name was to be Keldeo. Prince Keldeo Aquarius de Sol, Princess Celestia’s adopted son. She gave him the name in tribute to the mythological “kelpies”, being water ponies of the Coltic Republic, and after her late king husband, Deo. Unlike the creatures, Celestia wished that her son would be kind and gentle, just like his “father.”

The years that followed seemed to flow at a much different momentum. What once seemed like a rushing blur, every moment with this new foal in her life was something to be cherished. The kingdom was ecstatic to welcome the new little crown to the royal family and Celestia herself felt hundreds of years younger. The young prince, she felt, was her answered prayers and wish to relive past experiences. The changing of the soiled cloths, the squeals of delight and the aching heart of every stubbed hoof or banged forehead. Celestia felt alive. It did take some getting used to, however. She was insistent on caring for the foal as her own and it brought many sleepless nights caused by an uneasy baby stomach or a cold. But deep was the love for this colt, Celestia even took to cooking meals, something she hadn’t acted in doing for many long years. And to describe the overflow of emotions she felt for the first time in centuries to hear first spoken words, directed to her. “Mawmie.” She choked back tears of bliss.

Princess Celestia couldn’t have been happier to have a son once more, but there came one day where the prince grew curious to the whereabouts of his father. His mother had kept Keldeo in the dark about his adoption. While he understood that he was named in honor of the long late King Deo, it made little sense of how he came to be. Celestia could feel her heart rip apart in two upon giving in to give the truth to her son, for secret insecurities arose and weighed heavy upon the young prince. I’m not really a prince? She’s not my mother? Who am I?

Keldeo was unable to cope with the feelings surging through his head. He was always taught that being a prince was a heavy responsibility, that countless ponies would look his way for guidance. How long has everyone known? Why didn’t I know? Do they even like me as prince? When his mother, filled with remorse, went to bed, Keldeo snuck out of the castle (having diligently learned the breaks in the routes of patrolling guards in many late night cookie heists). He took sanctum in one of the few places he felt welcome, in the household of his best friend, Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight Sparkle is a purple unicorn filly, one that you’re sure to be familiar with. Shortly after being accepted into her school of magic, Princess Celestia assigned her son as a guide to Twilight, helping her become accustomed to the school and serve as a tutor. When Keldeo arrived on their doorstep on that stormy, wet evening, it was Twilight’s mother who answered the door. The prince feigned a smile, lying that he happened to be in the area and wished to drop off a world’s record book that Twilight had let him borrow. The façade crumbled quickly as he broke into tears that was at first disguised by rainfall. They took the vulnerable little prince in, contacting his mother once they put him to bed. Princess Celestia grieved further to find that her son ran away, but thankful of Twilight’s family for letting her know of his whereabouts. For a few days more, Keldeo stayed over and given time to get it all out of his system. Upon his return home, the prince profusely apologized and cried in the embrace of his mother. Celestia coddled him, reminding him of her love and that he always was and will be her little sunshine.

        It was difficult to convey to Keldeo of his odd origins, being found washed up on the shoreline of some little pond in the middle of uninhabited Coltic Republic woodland. It sounded as surreal as storks delivering foals through a chimney or sprouting up from a head of cabbage, yet it seemed to be the truth. He asked if Celestia had ever tried to find his real family, to which she replied that no trace was found. A colt that matched his description was never reported lost and not even the most exclusive privileged resource at her disposal could Celestia locate the family of the foal she stumbled upon. Years of searching have turned up nothing. Keldeo looked away and frowned, but Celestia pulled his face towards hers.

        “The world is filled with mysteries, my son. There’s even questions that I’ve got that remain unanswered. But a question without a doubt in my heart that I know to be true is that you are my sunshine. You’ve been my blessing ever since you came into my life, no matter the entry. You are my son. Irreplaceable and worth more to me than anything else. I love you and that is something that will never change.”

        It was a comforting feeling, knowing that he always had a home. But the questions regarding how he washed up in that little pond were still a mystery. Keldeo didn’t believed he was just simply abandoned and left for dead, but what became of his parents? Were they still out there or had they progressed on to the next world? Attempts to deter himself from thinking the worst, he would remind himself of what he has now. After all, the likelihood that he was found were small. Smaller still that a seemingly very unfortunate event turned out to be what could be debated as one of the best things to have happened. To be adopted into the royal family of Equestria, taken in and be considered son to her princess. And with no regard for Keldeo’s quiet insecurities, the civilians of Equestria continued to pledge support. When he walked the streets, all continued to bow to his presence. Letters would be written, asking him of what life was like as royalty, what his favorite hobbies were, and some were written with little hearts that were used in place of dotting letters.

         The years passed and the prince would only continue to grow and learn as he advanced into his teens. He looked towards one of the royal family’s generals for fatherly guidance, an earth pony by the name of Dust. While any conflict was scarcely ever needed, Dust was still an expert at combat and strategy, argued as one of the best (but then again, he’d have to be to earn his position). A gentle stallion he was, he found it an honor to teach the prince the art of swordsmanship. Dust never had much opportunity in his life to establish a family, taking great pride in the safety of not only the royal family, but the citizens of Equestria. Keldeo was even to him the son he never had.

        This brings us up to the present. It is the third era, the year 995. The beginning of winter is closing in quick, but Equestria has already been blanketed in several layers of snow. The sun is rising on this December morning, behind veiled cloud cover. It would seem to start out like any other day for Prince Keldeo Aquarius de Sol, but events beyond his comprehension have already started to roll forward…