Before the Dawn

by SilverMuse

Chapter 2: Unlikely Meeting

Chapter 2: Unlikely Meeting

The Crystal Fair began with a blare of a flugelhorn and the cheers of the ponies. They rushed around to booths that Luna just realized had been set up to host games, food, and wares. She suddenly became very aware of the scent of delicious pastries and sweets being prepared for hungry ponies. Music filled the air as colorful banners and flags waved across the sky. Most prevalent amongst them was the Crystal Empire flag.

Luna felt her stomach rumble, and she started for one of the displays when she realized Celestia and Gemfyre had yet to move. She lifted a hoof hesitantly and turned back to her sister. “Are…Aren’t we going to partake?” she asked.

Celestia nodded. “In time. We should be polite and greet the ponies,” she said, motioning to the long line that had formed in front of them.

“Oh,” Luna replied, disappointed.

Apparently she and Celestia had become attractions as well.

She sighed and ambled back to her sister’s side.

Celestia touched her wing sympathetically. She contemplated for a moment then glanced around. “Go on,” she whispered and nudged Luna in the neck. “Gemfyre and I can occupy the crowds while you enjoy yourself.”

“Really?!” Luna gasped. “Thank you, oh thank you, Tia!”

“Go on,” Gemfyre reinforced with a wink. “Before we change our minds.”

Luna scampered away before they could do just that. She walked between the ponies, her head high and a wide smile on her muzzle. Any mare or stallion she passed quickly bowed or paid their respects. Luna nodded in reply, though she soon realized she was going to have a very sore neck before the day was through if she kept it up.

No wonder Tia likes to wave instead.

She stopped near a booth that was occupied by nearly ten ponies waiting for pastries. Luna was content to wait patiently as well, but the moment the ponies saw her, they parted.

“This way, Princess,” one said with a bow.

“You should have the freshest,” another said.

Luna blushed. “Oh, my, well, thank you,” she replied in a quieter voice. She stepped forward and smiled pleasantly at the red-coated stallion who stood behind the booth. He gaped and scurried to grab a fresh pastry.

“He-he-here, your highness,” he said, presenting it to her.

Luna took it with her blue magic and brought it close to her nose. She took an experimental sniff and her eyes lit up. “Mmmm! What is it?” she asked.

“An almond flavored pastry with crystal berries inside,” the stallion explained.

Luna bit down on the treat. Rich, sweet juices exploded in her mouth and rushed down her throat. It was hot, but so delicious. “WONDERFUL!” she cried, her voice carrying to all the ponies closest to her.

The stallion’s cheeks reddened. “Thank you, Princess.”

Luna happily trotted away and munched on her pastry. She stopped near another booth, where the ponies also parted for her. They presented her with a goblet of a fizzy drink, also made from the crystal berries. She sipped daintily from it and gobbled down the rest of her treat.

There was so much good food around that she hardly thought she could sample it all. Funnel cakes in the shape of, and powdered white like, snowflakes sizzled on a large table. Buckets held bountiful ears of golden crystal corn. Near them were steaming pies that, Luna assumed, were also packed with delectable berries.

She smiled to herself and strode along the streets. Foal-like laughter gave her pause, and she slowed near a fenced-in area. Small colts and fillies giggled and played with brightly colored ewes. The animals bleated and bounced like crystal cotton balls. Luna could not suppress a chortle. A colt looked up at her and gaped. One by one, the foals turned to face her. Their mouths fell open in shock.

Luna tipped her head in greeting to them then passed so the foals could go back to playing with the ewes.

How precious, she thought.

There came a great commotion to her right, and she quickly followed it to a jousting match that had been set up between knightly stallions and mares. Intrigued, she settled down on the stands near a group of fillies and colts who held up banners that bore their favorite jouster’s cutie mark. There were stands on either side of the wooden posts that separated the knights. All the competitors wore armor, and some had even gone so far as to stick a plume in their helmets.

Luna giggled at one that looked as if he wore three chicken feathers.

There was a collective gasp beside her.

Luna turned and found all of the fillies and colts staring up at her with wide eyes. Luna licked her muzzle and gave them a smile, hoping they wouldn’t make too much of a ruckus about her presence.

“Which stallion is your favorite?” she asked quietly.

“Fleetwing!” a little white filly cried and pointed to a stallion who had a winged horseshoe on his flank. “He’s the fastest.”

“Nuh ah,” an even smaller yellow colt retorted. “Wuby Singew is the gweatest.

“Wuby Singew?” Luna asked.

A slightly older filly with a pink coat tugged on Luna’s mane. “He means Ruby Singer,” she said, motioning to a stallion with a red music note on his rump. “He is a bard, but he likes to battle also. He’s a journey stallion who travels to many places to learn about music. I do not think he is faster than Fleetfoot, but he has more stamina.”

“Merry Lance can beat them both,” the pink filly’s companion commented. This one looked almost identical to the first. “He has already knocked out Gallant and Twinklehoof.”

The first pink filly snorted. “That’s only because Twinklehoof tripped before he even entered the jousting match.”

Luna tried to keep her laughter to herself. The fillies and colts were almost as competitive as their parents! She turned her attention to the next fight which was between Ruby Singer and Merry Lance. They strapped their lances to their suits of armor, with the help of other earth ponies, and waited for the call of the flugelhorn. At the first blow, they dashed down the dirt path, their teeth gritted, and their heads bowed forward.

Ruby Singer’s lance caught Merry Lance’s armor and sent him skidding, but Merry Lance’s weapon swung down and managed to clip Ruby Singer beneath the chin and knock him onto his back.

The foals gave both cries of joy and dismay as Merry Lance pranced away, leaving Ruby Singer in the dirt with birds flying around his head.

“Told you,” the second pink filly scoffed to which the first just rolled her eyes.

Luna sat with the fillies and colts, cheering on their favorites, and booing the enemy. Apparently, none of them liked Onyx who seemed to defeat all of their favorites. As Luna watched, she noticed that Onyx liked to kick dirt at his opponent just before a strike. Sometimes the dirt would land in their eyes; sometimes it would create just enough of a dust cloud that it distracted the other stallion.

“Not faiw,” the tiny yellow colt complained when his favorite was knocked out of the match.

“That just leaves Merry Lance,” Luna replied softly. She glanced at the other foals as they changed their banners to Merry Lance’s cutie mark. She smiled to herself and watched the smaller stallion stand off against the hulking Onyx. She eyed the bigger pony and touched her magic.

As the two stallions lurched forward to face each other, Luna sent her magic after Onyx the moment he moved his hoof to kick up the dirt. Her power shoved the dirt back into place, distracting Onyx. He glanced down, surprised, only to look up in time to have Merry Lance’s weapon slam into him and send him flying off the field.

There was a moment of silence before all of the ponies shouted in joy.

The yellow colt grabbed Luna’s mane and tugged. “We won! We won!” he cried.

“Indeed we did,” Luna grinned and bumped her nose against his affectionately.

She left the joust, allowing the ponies to congratulate their proud winner.

While Celestia and Gemfyre greeted the gathering crowds, Luna went from booth to booth, sampling more food and even partaking in some games without using her magic. The ring toss was particular fun, though she only managed to loop one red ring around a crystal.

The day waned, and she found her eyes growing a bit heavy. She had been awake for nearly a full day, and she still had yet to raise the moon.

Speaking of…

Luna glanced up at the sky and saw the sun start to dip below the horizon. She looked around quickly and found Celestia reared back with her horn to the sky. Ponies clustered around her, marveling at her beauty and power.

Luna hurried to her side and watched as Celestia set the sun in the west. With a light flutter of her wings, Celestia settled back on her hooves.

“Your turn,” Celestia said.

“Must I?” Luna replied as she looked around at the gawking crowd. “They will scurry away inside if I raise the moon now. I….I want to spend more time with them.”

“They will enjoy your moon,” Celestia assured her. “It is the only light they will have besides their lanterns and torches that will allow them to continue their festivities.”

“But…what if they go to bed?”

“All ponies need their sleep, Sister.”

“Tia—”

“Luna…”

Luna huffed out a sigh and nodded. She stepped forward and looked into the dark sky. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and lifted her horn. She did not have to watch the moon rise, for she felt it float slowly into the air. She thought she imagined the gasps of awe and wonder, but when she opened her eyes, she found ponies standing around her now, staring at the magnificent silver orb hovering in the navy sky above them.

“Beautiful,” a male voice spoke nearby.

Luna looked through the crowd until she spotted a stallion standing apart from the group. His coat was dark gray, dusty almost, though his mane and tail were jet black, all of which shimmered like the other crystal ponies’ coats. His cutie mark was in the shape of a silver horn with green stars dancing around it. His horn looked small and slightly jagged for his age, as if something had stunted its growth. He stared at the sky with wonder-filled emerald eyes. When he lowered them, he caught Luna in his gaze.

Luna blushed and saw him do the same as he quickly turned away and joined a blue pegasus and a red earth pony with a gold and orange mane.

“Pwincess?” a familiar timid voice asked.

Luna turned and found the yellow colt from the jousting match standing beside her. “Can you tell us a stowy?” he asked, motioning to the five other foals nearby.

Luna felt herself relax considerably; the parents were not chasing them to bed. “Of course,” she said and settled down on the ground. The colts and fillies crowded around her, some tucking themselves warmly beneath her wings. The yellow colt plopped right down between her front hooves. With a quiet laugh, Luna nuzzled his ears and started to tell them a story of two Princesses who ruled the sky.

~*~

“You should see your face,” Ambersong crowed as he and his friends walked away from the Princess and her gathered children.

Sombra’s dark cheeks flashed a deeper crimson. “I do not know to what you are referring,” he said stubbornly as they returned to where they had set up their instruments.

Ambersong snorted and bumped his side against Sombra’s. “‘Oh, it’s so beautiful, Princess Luna. Just like your mane and your tail and your flan—”

“Amber!” Sombra shouted at him and laughed. “You are incorrigible.”

“Admit it…you like her. You have not been able to keep your eyes off of her since she and her sister arrived.” Ambersong pranced in front of him and tossed his orange and yellow mane. He flicked his tail back and forth, brushing it across his flugelhorn cutie mark. “You watched her during the entire jousting match.”

“How could I not? “Sombra asked, trying to defend himself. “She is quite beautiful, and she is the Princess, Ambersong. Anyone would stare.”

“Not like thattttt,” Ambersong teased then dodged forward before Sombra could swipe him over the head.

Sombra snorted and stopped beside three drums he had set up early in the evening. They had already been playing for a few hours to entertain the ponies, but their little box on the ground barely held enough coins to pay for one dessert. He knew they were not the strongest players, but he had wished someone would offer them some sympathy. Most were more interested in the quintet of flugelhorn players that rivaled Sombra’s little trio every year.

He tightened a few chords on the drum and tested the tension of the surface. Ambersong picked up his flugelhorn while their friend, Blue Belle, fluttered awkwardly behind a string of bells that they had set up. The pegasus carefully touched one hind hoof down, then the next.

“Heheh,” she giggled, “I haven’t crashed yet, today! I think this has been a good fair.”

Ambersong licked his muzzle. “It is always a good day when you do not dive headfirst into a booth and drag the tarp into a jousting match…during the joust.”

Blue Belle pouted. “That only happened once, Ambersong, and you know it.”

“Ambersong, stop teasing her,” Sombra scolded. He picked up one of Blue Belle’s forgotten bells and attached it to the string. “Here, Belle.”

“Thank you, Sombra,” she replied and straightened them out to her liking.
Sombra nodded and moved behind his drums. “I would like to sample at least one dessert tonight, so let us get to playing, shall we?”

Ambersong threw him a solute and drew the flugelhorn to his muzzle. Sombra tapped the drums three times, and they set off to the beat of a traditional crystal fair song. Blue Belle rang her instruments and started to sing along with the melody of the flugelhorn.

“Oh come now, friends, and raise your hooves.

The Crystal Fair has come!

Join a pony in a dance

or partake in jousting fun.

Greet our Queen with a bright smile;

bring life unto the Heart;

protect the land and bring pure joy

with flugelhorn and harp.

Crystal berries fill our bellies.

Music jingles the ear.

Wave our flag of many hues

and fill the night with cheer.

Oh come now, friends, and raise your hooves.

The Crystal Fair is here!

Taste the food and pet the ewes,

and hold your loved ones near.

Oh come now friends, and raise your hooves.

The Crystal fair is here!”

Ambersong looked sharply at Sombra and gave a curt nod of his head as the song came to a close. They had planned for Sombra to shoot off sparks of light at the end of the ditty to draw in a bigger audience. Rehearsal typically went well, but performing in a larger crowd was not exactly his forte.

Sombra was….mostly certain he could do such a thing, but when the final chord struck, and he swung back his head back, nothing happened.

“Sombraaa,” Ambersong hissed.

“I’m trying,” Sombra hissed back between clenched teeth and closed his eyes.

Come on magic, I know you’re there, he grumbled.

He reached deep down as he had taught himself and searched for that familiar warmth. When he touched it, the magic wavered to life and flowed into his horn. He felt his stomach lurch with delight as he opened his eyes and swung his head a second time, sending light into the air.

Blue, green, and orange magic exploded above him, drawing oohs and awes from those closest. Sombra grinned and kept shooting off light until he saw three sparks fall on top of one of the barrels of crystal berry fizz. The sparks ignited the wood, and fire spewed over the top of the barrel.

“Oh no,” Sombra groaned. He rushed forward, knocking a couple ponies aside in his haste. Bystanders gasped and scrambled out of the way as the fire grew worse.

“Put it out!” Ambersong shouted after him.

Sombra did not bother to answer. He pushed the barrel onto its side and sent magic forward to snuff out the flames, but they just continued to spread over the barrel, and then jumped onto another one.

No, no, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen!

He blew at the fire as if that would do any good then stomped his hooves down, trying to smoother the flames. His left hoof slammed down too hard on the metal ring, and the barrel shot out from beneath him, sending him face-first into the ground. He winced as his nose smacked hard against the crystal road. He rubbed his muzzle and pushed himself up in time to see the flaming barrel rolling straight for Princess Luna and the foals.

“Look out!” Sombra shouted and sprang to his hooves. He ran forward, but he knew he would not make it in time.

Oh sweet Celestia!!

Princess Luna looked up and saw the impending danger. In an instant, she was on her hooves in front of the fillies and colts. Her horn glistened blue and caught the flaming barrel just before it could fall upon them all. Her beautiful magic brushed over the barrel and smothered the fire in an instant. Gently, she set the charred wood down while the little ponies clutching her legs and tail cheered for her.

Sombra sighed in relief. No one had been hurt because of his stupidity. He looked at the still burning barrel beside him, but before he could attempt to put that one out too, blue magic swept over it and hushed the inferno.

Sombra looked quickly at Luna and found the Princess staring at him, an amused smile on her muzzle.

Sombra went red with shame. He backed up a step miserably.

You fool! You could have hurt her, the crowned Princess of Equestria! What were you thinking?!

The mantra continued in his head. He glanced around and noticed many ponies staring at him with disapproval and shock. Even Queen Gemfyre looked more than a little peeved.

He gulped hard and wanted nothing more than to flee, but that would not be becoming of a servant of the Princesses or Queen. He had caused the near-catastrophe; it was his duty to take responsibility and apologize for it.

Drawing in a steadying breath, he walked towards the Princess with his head bowed low and prayed to dear Celestia that Princess Luna would not incinerate him for his folly.

~*~

Luna watched with a mix of confusion and concern as the dark-coated stallion walked towards her with his head bowed so low that he nearly scraped it against the ground. The rolling, flaming barrel had certainly startled her, but no harm had been done, and the poor pony looked so embarrassed, Luna would not have faulted him for running away after the incident. Instead, he approached her like a colt might his mother after breaking her favorite vase.

The foals huddled around her and watched with trepidation as the stallion neared them.

“It’s him again,” one of them grumbled disapprovingly.

Luna lifted an eyebrow, a little surprised at the tone in the filly’s voice. She frowned to herself and took a step forward, leaving the foals to watch her curiously.

“My Princess,” the stallion began.

Suddenly, four royal guards of Canterlot pounced into the space between Luna and the pony, startling her.

“Halt!” one shouted.

“That is far enough,” another growled, horn pointed at the crystal unicorn.

The black and gray pony stopped in surprise, his green eyes growing wide with fear.

“That is enough,” Luna insisted as she tried to move between the guards. “It was an accident. You are dismissed.”

“We are here to protect you,” a guard insisted as he tried to stay in front of her. “He—”

“Made a mistake,” Luna said, her temper rising. “Now, your Princess has given you an order. Will you step aside, or will I have to move you myself?” She made her horn glow to add some incentive.

Reluctantly, the guards backed away, leaving Luna to the mercy of one they had deemed to be a dangerous pony. She eyed the golden-armored guards then turned to face the gray stallion. “Forgive them,” she said.

“No, forgive me,” the crystal pony said, head still bowed. “I meant no harm, dear Princess. My friends and I were playing music, and I was supposed to create a display of magic to entertain the crowed, but my magic went astray. I did not mean to cause you any harm.”

“None was done,” Luna assured him. When he still did not lift his head, Luna sighed and reached down to cup his chin with her hoof. “Rise. All is forgiven.”

The stallion slowly rose and looked up at her, yet when he stood at his full height, he had to look down instead. He swallowed deeply, his hooves starting to shift in place as if he did not know whether to flee or fall back to the ground in reverence.

“What is your name?” Luna asked.

“So-Sombra, my Princess.”

“Luna,” she corrected him. “Please, call me Luna.”

A strange expression crossed Sombra’s face and he spoke her name in a whisper, “Luna.”

Luna heard a clatter of hooves behind her. She turned her eyes briefly away from Sombra to watch Gemfyre and Celestia approach.

“What has happened here?” Gemfyre asked sternly.

Luna explained in quick words what had transpired. “Sombra has apologized, and all is well, your Highness.”

Gemfyre stared down at Sombra with a deep-seeded frown on her face. “You tried to use magic again?”

“Only a little,” Sombra said. “I did not mean to bring harm to anyone, my Queen. I…we were just trying to entertain the ponies.”

“Setting things on fire is not entertaining when it puts foals in danger,” Gemfyre reprimanded.

Luna’s cheeks flushed indignantly. Honestly, he had already been scolded enough, and he had apologized. There was no need to embarrass him further. She glanced at Celestia briefly for help, but her sister wore a stoic expression.

Luna rolled her eyes and stepped forward, planting herself between Gemfyre and Sombra. “He said it was an accident, and I believe him. Now, if you will excuse me.” She turned her back to the Queen of the Crystal Empire and started to walk away. “Walk with me?” she asked Sombra.

She turned her eyes forward, and it was not long before she heard the heavy clop of his hooves as he hurried to keep up with her. He came to her side, and Luna felt herself smile just a little more.

They spoke no words as they walked. Luna looked around and watched as ponies started to close down their booths for the night. Either Sombra’s display of magic had frightened them, or they had finally grown tired. Luna tried not to sigh sadly as she saw the ponies wander off to their homes.

I wish that for one night they would actually stay up with me, she lamented. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw Celestia and Gemfyre also retiring to the palace.

“Princess? Is everything all right?” Sombra asked.

“Luna,” she reminded him. “Yes, all is well. I just noticed that all the ponies have grown tired of the celebration.”

“Aye,” Sombra nodded. “They woke very early this morning to prepare the food and to make way for your arrival.”

“It was a wonderful greeting,” Luna replied and glanced at him. “Were you there?”

Sombra nodded. “We all were. It is rare when we have the great honor to see one of the royal sisters. I…I did not realize you were so beautiful.”

“Oh?” Luna replied with a bright blush. “Does that mean you thought me ugly before?”

“What?! Oh…oh, no, no, no, that is not what I meant at all!” Sombra cried and went red in his cheeks. “No, what I mean to say is, you’re beautiful, and any stallion would be lucky to have you…not…not that any stallion should control you…and not that you would need a stallion…Maybe you would prefer a mare, I….I…should just stop talking…” Sombra groaned and dropped his head.

All Luna could do was laugh so hard that tears came to her eyes. She brushed them aside, however, when she noticed just how flustered Sombra was. Tenderly, she reached out and touched his side with a hoof. “Sombra, you did not offend me. I thank you for your compliment.”

“And you will forgive me for my blunder?” he asked pleadingly.

Luna grinned. “Yes, I shall forgive you for your blunder.”

Sombra managed to dredge up a smile. Luna walked with him, not caring where they went. All around them, the ponies packed up their supplies and returned to their homes. Candles dimmed and torches and lanterns were extinguished, leaving only the moon and stars to light the night. A hush fell over the Crystal Empire, and Luna felt her heart ache.

She had created a lovely evening for them to enjoy, but they had only basked in its glory for a short while. As always, their beds called to them, and Luna was left to walk Equestria alone. She lowered her ears and glanced away from Sombra, uttering a deep sigh.

“I suppose I should let you go back to your family,” Luna commented. “I do not want to keep you.”

Sombra paused and lifted his head. His eyes darted left and right before he cleared his throat. “Um, yes….family…I suppose I should….go…”

Luna tried not to feel a stab of disappointment. She had hoped that maybe he would refuse and stay with her a little longer. Anyone’s company would be preferable to none. Yet, had she craved his attention so much, she should not have suggested he leave.

She glanced at Sombra in time to see him bow.

“Sleep well, Princess Luna,” he said and departed on quick steps.

Luna watched him sadly with hooded eyes. Shaking her head, she turned and wandered back to the crystal palace with the silver moon to guide her way.

Comments

[WannaBeDark]

I'm just give you a , just for enjoying the story so far.

[Eny]