The Tutelage of Star Swirl

by Moose Mage

Princess Celestia

“The throne room, sir. Princess Celestia is waiting.”

Star Swirl could hardly keep his knees from buckling. A tall white royal guard had taken him from his chamber to the enormous double-doors of the throne room. And now the guard stood aside, waiting for Star Swirl to push open the doors, waiting for him to begin his magical studies with the most powerful creature in Equestria. Now that he was there, one door away from the princess, his joy had frozen over, eclipsed by great cold clouds. Anxiety. Doubt. Star Swirl fiddled with the neck of his plain blue cloak and swallowed.

“Thank you,” said Star Swirl. He closed his eyes, he steeled himself – and he pushed open the doors.

The throne room was just as enormous as the doors had promised. The long hall was lined with golden-ivory pillars, and the soft glow of morning sunlight lit the windows. A long red carpet led up to a golden throne. Beside that throne stood Princess Luna, her deep ocean-blue brilliance a strange sight in the white, shining hall. And on that throne sat a tall white Alicorn, with a mane like light passing through morning mist, wearing a golden, jewel encrusted crown. Princess Celestia.

The doors shut behind Star Swirl with a deep gong.

Princess Celestia smiled and descended from her throne, meeting Star Swirl on the red carpet. Her eyes gleamed.

“Star Swirl,” she said, her voice a breeze on a meadow. “How wonderful it is to finally meet you.”

Star Swirl deeply bowed his head. “Princess Celestia,” he said, quite pleased that his voice didn’t break. “It is an honor.”

“None of that, now,” said the princess. Star Swirl looked up. “While you learn from me, I cannot be your princess. I can only be your teacher; no need for the bowing and the formalities. How does that sound?”

The face of Princess Celestia was so pleasant, so inviting, that Star Swirl felt all his stress and bottled emotion begin to evaporate. He gave a bark of nervous laughter, and the tension was broken. Star Swirl’s entire body relaxed. “That sounds just fine, Princess.”

“I have heard so much of you from my sister,” said Princess Celestia. “And I’ve read most of your magical theory work – I hope you don’t mind. You are fiercely intelligent, Star Swirl. But there is more to it than that. You are clever. Some of our greatest court unicorns would be hard pressed to duplicate any of your work.”

Star Swirl could feel his face beginning to glow. The princess seemed to sense it, too, and quickly continued.

“It is a good thing, then, that you will not be learning magical theory while I tutor you. Quite frankly, you already know as much as my sister. There is very little left in the world of magical essays and books which you do not know.”

Hearing this, Star Swirl felt a peculiar sensation. As if his stomach was slowly sinking into his hooves. “No more theory, Princess?” he said. “Forgive me, but what is it that I will be studying?”

“It is time,” said the Princess, “for you to master the most powerful magical force in Equestria – the magic of Friendship.”

This took a moment to sink in.

There was a short silence, during which Princess Celestia was evidently expecting some sort of excited exclamation from Star Swirl. Instead, he merely felt that his stomach had reached the floor, and his intestines were sliding down fast behind in pursuit.

“The magic of… Friendship, Princess?”

“That is correct. Are you all right, Star Swirl?”

“Are you sure you don’t mean the magic of Advanced Conjuration?” asked Star Swirl. “Not the examination of the remaining Inexplicable Distortion Scrolls? I’ve barely scratched the surface on the implications of the Gullfaxi Fossils!”

The princess appeared to have been frozen by these words. But only for a fraction of a fraction of a second. “No, Star Swirl. Far greater than any of those is the magic of Friendship. I can see why you are concerned – I imagine that this is the last thing that you expected. But if you want to learn anything at all from me, you must learn to trust me.”

Celestia did her best to smile warmly, to give off an aura of reassurance. For a moment, Star Swirl could only look down at his hooves. Finally he looked up – and Celestia’s heart skipped a beat. It was only for an instant, but she had seen a most peculiar look on Star Swirl’s face. It was not a look of anger or rebellion, or any sort of childish indignation. It was a chillingly adult look of frank, naked appraisal. Princess Celestia felt the cold eyes of judgment upon her.

And then it was gone, in the same instant it had arrived, replaced by the face of a respectful young unicorn. “I trust you, Princess.”

“Thank you,” said Princess Celestia, still the smallest bit shaken. “This brings us to another matter. My sister has told me that you arrived late last night, and have taken up residence in one of the Western Towers.”

“Yes, Princess,” said Star Swirl. “I felt the need to settle in before our lessons began today.”

Princess Celestia smiled a gentle, apologetic smile. “I’m afraid, Star Swirl, that there has been a miscommunication. You will not be staying in Canterlot Palace for the duration of your studies.”

Star Swirl felt positively hollow. “But,” he said, “I am to be under your tutelage, correct?”

“Yes,” said Princess Celestia. “In a way.”

Princess Luna stepped forward from beside the throne. “I’m so sorry, Star Swirl,” she said, evident concern on her face. “Like you, I thought my sister intended for you to take up residence in the palace, and train here. She did not tell me the full extent of her plans. I am so sorry, my student.”

Star Swirl did his best to contain himself, truly he did. But even he, with his great self-control and discipline, could not keep his nostrils from flaring as he spoke. “Princess Celestia,” he said, “what exactly are your plans?”

“I will be sending you abroad for your studies, Star Swirl,” said the Princess. “Specifically, to the town of Whither’s Hollow. It lies some sixty miles north of Canterlot. While you live there, I will expect you to – ”

“Excuse me. Princess Celestia.”

Princess Celestia blinked. “Yes, my student?”

“Why,” said Star Swirl, trying his utmost to keep his voice level, “was I summoned to Canterlot Palace at all?”

Celestia frowned; a sight that chills all but the bravest ponies. “Because I cared to meet you," she said. "I thought that it would please you to spend a day in this splendid city before I sent you on your journey. Evidently, I was mistaken. It seems there is very little that can please you.”

There was a frosty silence. Star Swirl took to re-examining his hooves. He silently cursed himself for allowing his emotions to darken what should have been a glorious day.

He finally looked up at the princess. And then he deeply bowed his head again. “Princess Celestia,” he said, “I have offended you with my arrogance and selfishness. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

The princess sighed. She knelt down in front of Star Swirl, and with one hoof, she lifted the chin of his bowed head. The two stared at one another, and a blank look crept over Star Swirl’s eyes. Princess Celestia smiled again, warm and reassuring.

“Oh, Star Swirl,” she said. “There is nothing to forgive. Just know, everything I do, I do because Princess Luna and I see so much potential in you. We wish only the best for you. I would never dream of sending you away to a strange new place unless I was certain you would gain much more than you would lose. I see that our discussion has blindsided you. I am sorry. Is there any chance that we can still be friends?”

Star Swirl gazed at the princess. His eyes were those of a doll, of a phantom, watching the scene from a world away. “Yes, Princess Celestia,” he intoned. “Of course.”

The princess’s smile widened, and she stood up. “There. You see how easy it is, to make a friend? All it takes is a bit of understanding. That, Star Swirl, is the task which I assign to you during your stay in Whither’s Hollow. Make some friends. If you do, you may find that you will learn as much about yourself as you do about them.”

Star Swirl nodded, a solemn gesture. “It will be done, Princess.”

“I will send you further instructions upon your arrival in Whither’s Hollow. I have arranged for a carriage to take you at noon tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“Would you like any assistance packing?”

“No, thank you. I never unpacked.”

“Ah. I shall send up servants tomorrow morning to bring your luggage down to the carriage.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“Very good. Well, Star Swirl. That is the end of our first lesson. The rest of the day is yours. I’d recommend that you visit the Canterlot Playhouse, down on Trottling Way. I hear that they mount the most wonderful productions.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“You are dismissed.”

His head held high and his eyes set firmly in front of him, Star Swirl turned, walked up the long red carpet, past the golden-ivory pillars, pushed open the enormous doors, and left, leaving Princess Celestia gazing thoughtfully after him.

As the doors gonged shut behind him, Star Swirl’s lip curved into a snarl, and his pace quickened. He set his course for his bed chamber in the western tower. His cloak flapped behind him as if he were trailing the North Wind itself.

What a miserable disaster.

The fact that he had lost control of himself, even for the briefest of moments, that wasn’t the worst of it. The worst of it was Princess Celestia.

And what exactly did I expect of the most powerful magical creature in Equestria? thought Star Swirl, as he began making his way up the winding stairs. Nothing. I had no expectations. Princess Luna seldom spoke of her sister; I was capable of nothing but speculation. I knew walking into the throne room that anything could happen. Isn’t that one of the fundamental principles of Magic? Anything can happen. So why do I find myself so distraught, so angry, when I have no right to be?

Because Princess Luna understood.

Yes, that was true. Luna had seen something in Star Swirl, at the tender age of seven, and had begun training him for a great career in magic. There had been a connection there, and it remained, ten years later. She had seen more in him then a talent for spellcasting. She had understood something.

When Star Swirl was just a tiny little colt, he had always been different from the other little ponies. At the end of each day, his mother would come to the schoolhouse to bring him home, and she would find him sitting alone, studying a sheet of mathematical equations, or losing himself in a mighty poem, while all of the other little colts and fillies went outside to play. His mother would hold him and snuggle him and ask, “Oh, my little pumpkin, why can’t you get along with the other ponies?”

The years went by. The mathematical equations and poems were replaced by tomes of magical theory, scrolls of spells, ancient inscriptions of wonders long past. And it seemed that always, at home or at the schoolhouse, in the market or in the square, Star Swirl’s mother would always have a question for him. “Oh, my little pumpkin, why can’t you get along with the other ponies?”

Soon Star Swirl was training with Princess Luna, and still the question came. Finally, after studying harder than any student can be expected to study, after watching the other ponies his age play out in the fields, race amid the apple orchards, and lie dreaming in the clouds, Star Swirl could not bear it any longer. He answered the question.

“Oh, my little pumpkin, why can’t you get along with the other ponies?” his mother asked.

Star Swirl looked up at his mother. It was a strange, chillingly adult look, a look Princess Celestia might have recognized.

“Because,” said Star Swirl, “I have passion where they have none.”

And he had flung himself into his room and slammed the door. And presently, he reached the top of the Western Tower, flung himself into the circular bed chamber and slammed the door. The stillness of the room was broken only by Star Swirl’s heavy breathing.

Friendship. Friendship, she said.

Oh, yes, Star Swirl had read all about the Elements of Harmony, and their astounding powers. He had studied the magic of Friendship as vigorously as he had studied anything else.

It was not his preferred flavor of magic.

Star Swirl let his eyes dance along the shelves, the crystal ball standing in the corner, the desk, the parchment, the quills waiting patiently beside the inkwell.

Last night, he had been so certain that this palace was the place. The place where he would solve the Puzzle, answer the Question. Was it the air? Was it a premonition? Had it been a passing daydream?

To solve the Problem – to find a Solution – that was all that was important.

His unpacked luggage sat silently beside the bed.

Star Swirl magically set the chair from the desk by the glass doors of the balcony. He took a seat, facing out over the streets and buildings of Canterlot. There he sat, and there he thought, and he would not move again until Princess Luna had reclaimed the sky.

As Star Swirl left the throne room, oddly stiff and stony faced, Luna felt her heart full to bursting for the young unicorn. As the doors gonged shut behind him, she advanced on Princess Celestia.

“Really, sister!” she said. “Did you see his face? Why did you never share your plans with me?”

Celestia turned to face her sister. “I did, Luna.”

“Of course you did. This morning over breakfast. Oh, Celestia, I ought to go after him, I should find out if he’s – ”

“Please don’t, Luna.”

“You would rather let him stew in his fears and trepidations until noon tomorrow? Honestly, Celestia!”

“Please listen. I know that you are close to Star Swirl. And the work you've drawn out of him is, quite simply, incredible. But he is my student now. He must learn that. If you rush off to comfort him when he is distressed, he will feel as if he is still under your wing. Please, sister – this is a new stage of life for Star Swirl. Let him go with dignity.”

Luna lifted her head high. “There’s no need to speak to me about dignity, Celestia. Very well, I will not see him today – but I cannot stop caring for him. Star Swirl has not seen the last of me.”

“That is fair.” Celestia walked back up to her throne and took a seat. “I don’t make these decisions lightly, Luna. I know that I may at times seem… secretive. But everything I do is with purpose.”

Luna approached the throne. “I do have a question for you, Celestia. Why Whither’s Hollow?”

“It is a good town, with good hearted ponies. It is a fine place for a young unicorn to make friends.”

“That’s not what I mean. Why not keep Star Swirl here, in Canterlot? Surely, there are more than enough colts and fillies here of Star Swirl’s age to make perfectly acceptable friends.”

“I had considered that, Luna. But Whither’s Hollow is the best option.”

Luna took a step forward. “Sister. If you do not want to seem secretive, then you must not keep secrets. There is something you aren’t telling me. Now – Why Whither’s Hollow?”

It was clear that Luna had planted her feet firmly, and would not budge. Celestia looked at her sister with a mild surprise, perhaps even a wisp of annoyance. After a moment, Celestia sighed.

"Fine, then," said Celestia. “I shall tell you.” She stood from her throne and walked over to one of the great windows. Luna followed.

“Several months ago,” said Celestia, “I began hearing strange word from abroad. Whispers from my allies across Equestria. Murmurs among the common ponies. Talk of strange things, strange shadows and shapes lurking in the night. Normally, I would dismiss these as rumors of rumors, fears without cause or substance. But they persisted, and the shadows began to solidify. I sent the Royal Guard and my closest followers out across the land to investigate, and when they returned to Canterlot, they all agreed on what it is that creeps in the dusk.” Celestia stepped closer to Luna and dropped her voice, as if the pillars might have been eavesdropping. “Luna. The Jackals are among us again.”

Luna stared at her sister. “The Jackals. The Jackals of Tartarus?”

“Yes. All sightings point to them.”

“But the Jackals have been in hiding for years,” said Luna. “It has been peace time since the Reign of Discord. Why would the Jackals emerge? What have they to fight for? Their King was slain. He had no heirs.”

“It seems to me that they have found a new King,” said Celestia. “Someone who is not content to sit idly by and watch ponies live happily, while Jackals scratch out a meager living in the darkest, dankest corners of the world.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“This matter might yet be settled quietly. I did not want to upset you. If we caused a stir over this, it might do Equestria more harm than good.”

“And what,” Luna said, her eyes narrowing, “does any of this have to do with Star Swirl?”

Celestia started pacing across the floor. “When I began to suspect that the Jackals were at large again, I was not foolish enough to do nothing. I took to action. I began sending out my court unicorns to cities and towns throughout Equestria. Powerful sorcerers, ponies that could keep the Jackals at bay if the need arises. But there are so few unicorns of that skill. All of my court unicorns have left Canterlot, spread out across Equestria, on alert. Spread thin. I do not have enough highly skilled unicorns, and my Royal Guards are no match for Jackals. Some places remain defenseless. Whither’s Hollow is one of those places.”

Luna’s eyes widened, her jaw dropped. “Are you telling me,” she breathed, “that you are using Star Swirl as a shield against the Jackals?”

“Try to understand, Luna!” Celestia stopped pacing. “From what you tell me, Star Swirl is as competent a spell-caster as he is a scholar. Whither’s Hollow is an isolated spot. The odds of an incident are next to nothing. The most important reason for his trip is still his education on the magic of Friendship. But I am covering all bases.”

“Star Swirl has hardly grown out of childhood,” Luna hissed. “Send me to Whither’s Hollow, let me be of assistance. I am not bound to Canterlot, I can raise the moon from wherever I go!”

“No! We can settle it quietly, Luna!” Celestia cried, her voice rising. “If either of us leave Canterlot Palace, if the ponies of Equestria begin to see a rustling behind the stage curtain – they will know something is wrong! There must not be panic! There must not be chaos!”

Celestia stood there, her chest heaving from her outburst. The two sisters locked eyes in the bright throne room. The air was still, and not the slightest sound disturbed it.

After a moment, and they both seemed the smallest bit calmer, Luna spoke. “If,” she said, “you send Star Swirl off into the jaws of an uncalculated danger, against his knowledge… Know that I will be watching over him. Intently. And if anything happens to him – if you put him in a peril which he cannot overcome – I will never forgive you.”

Celestia gazed out the window, out over the shining splendor of Canterlot. Her eyes sparkled, and she turned back to Luna. She nodded. “That is fair.”

The enormous throne room doors swung open. Celestia and Luna both started at the sudden disturbance. A Palace Guard stood in the doorway.

“My Princess Celestia,” said the guard. “Ambassador Dromedary awaits you in the royal study.”

Princess Celestia straightened her back and held her head high. “Thank you, Captain.” She turned to her sister. “You must excuse me, Luna. I have some documents to sign.”

With majesty and regality, Princess Celestia made her way to the open doors. Halfway across the hall, Celestia stopped. She turned back to her sister, who stood in the soft light of a tall window.

“You will not believe this, Luna,” she said, “but I have great faith in Star Swirl. Perhaps I even have as much faith in him as you do.”

And then she left, her mane trailing behind her like a cloud of colored glass. The doors gonged shut behind her, leaving Luna alone in the enormous hall, staring into space, weighing her emotions with a troubled heart.

Comments

[Fez Head]

Whither's Hollow is to the North, Discord has already fallen...and a new evil is stirring?
I hate to speculate so early on, but I'm already trying to piece things together...

[Cerulean Voice]

The chills I felt running down my spine after reading this, have earned you my like and favourite. Carry them proudly, for you have a wonderful story going here.

[ferventwilight]

Heavens to Betsy! I totally sympathize with Luna, having to constantly adapt to a secretive sister, but Celestia is being a master politician, just not a good sister. Star Swirl is also a very well rounded character, with his desire to learn over desire to socialize. From reading MBG and this, I would say your command over the characters is excellant, with flaws being as prevalent as the strengths that draw you in. The best part is, the strengths are tied to the weakness.