I woke up later in the day, feeling quite hopeful. Luna’s words echoed in my mind, and my slumber had been quaint. For once, my dreams had not been plagued by nightmares and fits of hysteria—they had been soothing, indigo waves of restful hues rolling through my mind. I had been accompanied by a warm companion in my slumber, and though I was not completely sure who, or what, it had been, I could surmise who it was.
The hope that Luna’s words gave me seemed to have prevented any further outbursts from my darksign. The entire day, from the moment Luna had departed till this very second, I had possessed a lucid mind, and my flesh was warm with life. I simply prayed that the hope would last, and I would be given a purpose before the end of it all.
The sun’s cleansing light poked through the holes in my cell window, its warm rays dimming by the second. They were no longer golden—red and orange tints lining the light told me that it was late into the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set. Luna had told me how she and her sister controlled the moon and sun respectively. A revelation that had surprised me greatly, yet made sense considering their livery.
The sun back home had always been a curiosity. In the days of my youth, it had been a powerful source, ablaze with life and vitality. On some days, it seemed to have grown tenfold in size, its heat a blessing upon our skin. Yet, as the darksign appeared and the undead arose within our populace, the sun grew weaker, its light fainter by the day. The lands grew colder, and life seemed to fade from the land. By the end of it all, the sun had been a reflection of the dark, a black hole in the sky ringed by fire.
Few realized that life and time had been so connected to light. Fewer still knew what to make of it, and I, for one, had been ignorant of it all.
Sighing, I sat up, placing my hands upon my knees. I felt a slight chill, rolling in from my cell’s window. The dungeons were still dark, and it was clear by now that I was the only prisoner. Guards did not patrol this quarter of the dungeons, save the occasional food-bearer. I presumed that no one knew of Luna’s visits in the night.
Luna had told me a little of the dungeons, and like a child I had listened attentively, as I did with all of her tales and explanations. They hadn’t been used much in recent time, and the princesses possessed little need of them. I had been the first prisoner in ages, though Luna was not completely sure of the validity of that statement.
I did not even understand how I had come to appear in Equestria. Luna had explained that I had simply materialized in the middle of their court, my armor upon my body and my weapons beside me. They had stripped me of my precious gear, finding long-rotted hints of blossom and petal within my pockets and a curious, yet empty, bottle of warm sunlight.
I would miss my estus. I bore no necessity for food and drink, and the hay and grass the guards delivered to my cell were less than edible for my kind. Yet, estus was the lifeblood of the undead, and one of the few things I cherished.
It was unfortunate, to say the least.
I had remained awake for the rest of the day, and night had quickly fallen soon after my vivification. It had developed into a tempestuous evening, wind roaring angrily in the valley outside. Rain pittered and pattered, occasionally dripping into my cell. A puddle had formed below my window, and every so often, a deafening crash boomed outside, accompanied by a bright flash of light.
I was roused from my thoughts by an echo in the hall, hooves marching upon the stone. To my surprise, it was not the singular resonance of elegant steps, as would signify Luna, but a cacophonous chorus of brash stomps, a crowd of steel-booted hooves. The guards were coming, to what end I did not know. Yet, Luna’s words echoed in my mind, soothing my pacing heart as it threatened to beat faster and faster.
They rounded the corner, red torches in their grasps. Shadows danced across the wall, revealing themselves to be the guards. Golden armor upon their bodies, they lined themselves before my cell, their glares hard upon me. There were six of them. What would happen? Why were they here?
“Prisoner!” one finally barked, stepping forwards. A red plume sat upon his helmet, a stark contrast from the blue of his fellows. “Get up.” His words were brief, sharp and commanding. Heeding his instructions, I rose from the ground, disturbing the dirt and dust upon me. I took a step towards the cell door, but the guard raised a hoof.
“Stop right there. Don’t move an inch.” He nodded towards another guard, who promptly approached the door. A pair of keys jangled in his hooves, and one was inserted into my cell’s door. With a metallic screech, the door swung open.
Two guards entered my cell, a glinting object in their grasp. Approaching, one turned me around, tightly grasping my wrists. Forcefully, a pair of metal objects were clamped around my hands, biting into my flesh. I winced, the pain a shock.
“Can’t care to be at least a bit more careful, can you?” I asked, before turning around. The lead guard, a white horn upon his head, frowned, glaring at me.
“Follow us, and don’t try anything,” he ordered, motioning towards the others. The two guards holding onto me led me forwards, and we departed the cell, making our way through the dungeons.
The rest of the prison was as I suspected. Dark, gloomy, and evidently unused. We followed a winding path, crossing this way and that way. There were several flights of stairs on the way, and the higher we rose, the lighter it became. Torches developed into a commonality, and cold, dusty and bare stone was replaced by solid tile and swept floors.
“Is this entire prison within a mountain?” I asked, unable to resist my curiosity. It had certainly seemed that way, and my few glances out my cell window had shown me naught but valleys and air.
The red-plumed guard looked back at me, nodding slightly. “It is. The Royal Dungeons lie beneath the city of Canterlot and the Palace, connected directly to the Guard Barracks. Even further beneath us is an extensive system of caves and mines.”
Satisfied with his answer, I elected to remain silent for the rest of our journey. Soon enough, we had reached a large door, its wooden boards supported by steel bars. A pair of guards stood on either side, their spears crossed over it.
One saluted, his hoof held over the horn upon his forehead. “Captain.” His horn lit alight with an ethereal light, and the door before us swung open.
Returning the guard’s salute, Red-Plume, as I had chosen to name him, nodded. “Thank you, Private.”
I was interested. A military-esque ranking hierarchy—the Abyss Watchers had borne such a system of their own, yet it had not mattered as much as one might have in a traditional army. To see that the princesses liked to keep their own order was notable, and it only made me wonder, even more, what was laid in store for me.
Our entourage passed through the door, and I was rather surprised by the change in environment. Stone floors had become marble tiles, and dust-laden brick had become lush red carpet. Evidently, my mouth had hung a tad far open, and the Captain looked at me with an amused expression.
“Not used to such grandeur, eh?” he remarked, a slight tilt in his voice. “Welcome to the Royal Palace.”
I marveled at my environs, my eyes wide. No, indeed, I was not used to such “grandeur.” Perhaps I might have, had my world not been plagued by the Undead Curse. Perchance, in another life, I might have been privy to the inner-workings of kingly courts and royal occasions. Yet, I was not, and I knew nothing of them. Those very kingdoms had fallen to ruin, mighty citadels of purple regality now nothing more than wistful dreams. I was accustomed to derelict keeps, ashen plains and burning homesteads.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the Captain still looking at me, a curious gaze in his eyes. Realizing that I had not answered his question, I coughed.
“No, not really,” I said, my steel around my bare wrists cold. “I can’t say I’ve ever found myself in a palace before. It’s nice.”
He nodded solemnly, frowning. “I can see that. The Princess has told me a little bit of where you came from…” he looked away, restarting his march. “Sounded horrible.”
I did not answer, merely following him. We continued on our way, and my eyes glazed over the fanciful architecture of the palace. Stately stained glass windows bordered the corridor through which we walked, depicting a spectrum of events and incidents. Interest boiled within me, and though I kept it down, I still resolved to learn about them later.
Eventually, we arrived within a large room. Banners streamed from the ceiling, and far to my left, a pair of large doors were shut closed, flanked by a pair of guards. My gaze shifted up a small set of stairs, upon two thrones.
One was golden, its cushions a bright violet. It was empty, as it was, and the crest of a blazing sun sat above it. To its right was another throne, this one a dark indigo. The emblem of a moon accented its details, and a wide smile came upon me when I saw who sat upon the throne.
“Your highness!” the Captain bowed his head, leading me before the thrones. I copied his actions, slightly nodding my head. “I’ve brought the prisoner, as you’ve asked.” Standing behind me, I could hear the slight hum of magic, and the chains around my hands were released.
Princess Luna sat up, her eyes glowing. Rising from her throne, she approached with a grin. “Thank you, Captain Steelhooves. You are dismissed,” she said, nodding at the Captain. He saluted again, motioning towards his compatriot before departing. Luna watched them leave, before turning to me.
“Princess Luna,” I greeted, smiling at her. “Looks like you were right.”
She nodded, her eyes twinkling. “Yes, as I always am. But, do you know why I’ve brought you out here in the first place?” she asked, a wry look upon her.
I shook my head, unaware of any reason why she might have. “I lack any understanding. Care to tell me?”
Luna raised an eyebrow, before motioning towards me. “Come. Follow me,” she said, turning around and walking away. I followed her, coming to a brisk walk beside her. She led me through a side door, opposite the one from whence the Captain had led me.
Arriving in a long corridor, empty of any being, Luna stopped and turned around, a rather confusing expression upon her face. She looked as if she were trying to be official. She was not successful, to say the least.
“Roland of Astora,” she declared in a commanding voice. “I have a proposal for you.”
Slowly, I raised an eyebrow, unsure as to what Luna was planning. “Yes, Luna?”
She began again, raising her chin. “It has come to my attention that Canterlot needs somepony to fill an office of considerable respect. The Guard and the Royal Armory require somepony with substantial knowledge of arms and battle, and I know of somepony who may be just right for the job.”
After a moment, I crossed my arms, tilting my head. “And that would be?”
Luna was most evidently grasping at straws, her words a desperate attempt to persuade me. It was obvious that she beheld a guise of confidence, yet I could see right through it. “I propose that you, Roland, take the newly minted office of Lord Pursuivant! I firmly believe that you are the right match for the job.”
I gave a low sigh, looking down. I could feel Luna’s gaze upon me, anxious and uncertain. I did not know why she was doing this—it seemed false, a counterfeit offer. I was sure of one thing, however.
“I do not believe you,” I said simply, looking up at Luna. She recoiled back in shock, her eyes wide. Her mouth hung open, and she took a disturbingly fearful expression. “Luna, may I ask why you are doing this?”
“Wha—what do you mean?” she stuttered, her false air of confidence nowhere in sight. “I—I truly think that you are best for this office!”
I shook my head, placing a hand upon her. “Luna, it appears to me as if you are buttering me up, trying to persuade me for something that has not been truly thought through,” I said, taking a step closer. “If such an office had truly opened up, would a man such as I really be the right choice?” She nodded, but I could see the doubt in her eyes. “I’m not even a pony, and you’ve barely known me for, what, how many days? Three? Four?”
“But there is no pony else who could take such a position! No pony is more qualified than you!”
Frowning, I shook my head again. “Luna, you can cease this charade. I am sure there are plenty of ponies who would be more than capable for this position. But I can see through you—you are nervous, unsure of yourself. You speak of Equestria in a doubtful light. So, tell me, what are you really trying to do?”
She stared into my eyes for several seconds longer, before finally sighing. Luna looked away, and her shoulders slumped.
“Roland,” she began, in a much more subtle tone. “How long do you think I have ruled Equestria?”
I shrugged. I did not know. “Well, from what you have told me, I can only guess that you and Celestia have ruled for millennia.”
Luna scoffed, an angry, frustrated snort of air that chilled my bones. “Oh, how very nice,” she muttered, before looking back at me. “Roland, I may have lived for as long, but I have only been ruling Equestria for a few months now.”
Perplexed, I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”
“I only retook my throne near ten months ago. Before then, I was imprisoned. As you were,” Luna explained, a sorrowful inflection in her voice. “A thousand years ago, I ruled Equestria alongside my sister. But that all ended when I made a mistake.”
I replaced my hand upon her, finding that she might have been in need of comfort. “And what of it? You are back in power, are you not? What is the issue?”
Luna looked into my eyes, and I could see the frustration and distress within her. “It means that I have no pony to turn to. All of my friends, the ponies I knew so well—they are long gone, passed through time. I returned to Equestria pure once more, but I knew of no pony, and I knew nothing of the world around us,” she said. “Even now, I am learning about Equestria’s history, from my fall to my return. I am still learning the vernacular, learning to speak like them. But, besides that, I have few friends, few ponies that I can rely on, that I can truly feel safe falling upon.”
“Don’t you have your sister?” I asked, confused. “Is she not someone that you can trust?”
She shook her head, tears beginning to form in her eyes. At first, I had taken Luna to be a confident princess, a royal ruler of her land. Now, however, I knew her vexation, her inability to discern her own reign.
“I can, Roland,” Luna answered. “But she is so often too busy, and we find ourselves with little time for each other. I have made forays into Equestria, attempts to find camaraderie with our little ponies. I have had moderate success, but my ponies, most of them do not see me like a friend. I am still their ruler, and I cannot truly rely on them for support.”
Finally understanding her plight, I nodded. “I understand. And you feel that I can, perhaps, be your friend?”
I have had many friends throughout my life. Many were fleeting, occasional partners through trial and tribulation. Most, however, were Abyss Watchers like I, my brothers in blood. Hawkwood was my dearest of them all, and I realized now that I missed him greatly. I knew now why Luna would see me as such a friend—I had treated her like no pony in this land would, listening to her tales and feeding her my own.
“Yes!” Luna exclaimed, sounding very much as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was palpably relieved, smiling at me. “I… Roland, I just want a friend, somepony that I can really trust. And I was hoping that you could be one of them.” She sniffled, evidently embarrassed. “You even, kind of, speak like I do.”
I returned her warm smile, nodding at her. “Then it will be so. I don’t need the fancy titles, and I don’t need any real position of worth. I’ll be your friend, and it will matter.”
Luna gave an odd sound, very much like a squeal of excitement. She rushed at me, and I was not prepared to feel her hooves wrap around my stomach and my back. I tried my best, though, to return her hug. My heart felt rather warm, and it was a curious sensation.