The Lost Prince of the Sea

by Cursory Note

Crystal Clear

Luna woke up earlier than usual; it was only four in the afternoon. Oddly enough, the Mistress of Dreams had been plagued by nightmares. Well, she couldn’t really call them nightmares; they were more like strange confusions of her memories and her present. Luna stretched and put on her regalia before sighing at a knock on the door.

“Come in.” Luna’s voice was tired and she tried to get her mind back on the changeling refugees.

The door was opened meekly by a yellow crystal mare and she sheepishly smiled “Good afternoon, Your Highness.” She bowed and Luna smiled at her.

“Good afternoon.”

“I heard you wake up and I was, um, wondering if you wanted some early dinner.” She nervously chuckled “Well, I suppose it would be breakfast for you.”

Luna smiled and nodded “That would be lovely, thank you very much.” She noticed the mare’s awkward demeanor and raised an eyebrow “You seem nervous, is something wrong?”

The mare laughed nervously “No, no, of course not, it’s just…This is a small village and to think that we have the Princess of the Night and our new rulers is…” She smiled excitedly “It’s exhilarating!”

Luna chuckled “I understand. I’m afraid I do not know your name, Miss…?”

“Cherished Light, Your Highness.” She smiled and pointed towards the door “Should I get you that breakfast now?”

Luna nodded “Thank you.” Suddenly a thought struck her, a thought she cursed herself for not having sooner. Cherished Light almost walked out but Luna raised a hoof “Cherished Light, wait!”

Cherished jumped slightly and turned “Y-Yes, Your Majesty?”

Luna smiled sheepishly “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to startle you. I know this may be a tender topic for you, but what do you remember of King Sombra?”

Cherished Light’s eyes widened and she swallowed a lump in her throat “King…Sombra?” Luna nodded “I’m…Afraid it’s still a little fuzzy…But I remember…” Her face was lined with fear “Darkness and pain.”

Luna smiled sympathetically “I am sure you suffered, but…Do you remember anything about who brought your plight to Celestia’s attention?”

Cherished furrowed her brow “I…I’m not sure…” She thought for a moment.

“I understand, please, take your time.” Luna’s hope was starting to shine through her eyes as Cherished Light thought hard.

Finally Cherished spoke “Yes…I remember now. There was a stallion, from Equestria!”

Luna nodded eagerly “Yes? What did he look like?”

“Well, I only saw him a few times but…He had a green coat, and a…Blue mane I think. He tried to get us to fight for ourselves against the king, he even challenged Sombra himself! We called him…”

“The Warrior?” Finally Luna had a shred of hope in her long search.

Cherished Light nodded “Yes, that’s it, the Warrior.”

Luna fought the urge to jump with joy “He was an alicorn, right?”

Cherished tapped her chin in thought before she shook her head “No…” Luna’s jaw fell open for a moment in confusion “He was a…Pegasus. And his name was…Steel Wind! After he challenged Sombra he flew to Equestria and told you about us, then you came and defeated Sombra.”

Luna sighed and turned towards the window with a crestfallen demeanor. She shook her head and whispered “How? How can this be possible?!”

“Are…Are you alright, Your Highness?”

Luna regained her composure “Yes, of course.” She forced a weak smile “If I may have that breakfast?”

Cherished Light bowed “Of course, Your Highness.”

Another thought struck Luna “And a history book, if you can please fetch one.”

Cherished cocked her head and left “Of…Of course, Princess Luna.”

As soon as the door closed Luna let out an exasperated sigh and ran her hoof through her mane. What is going on? Steel Wind? Who in Equestria is that?! Why do the crystal ponies, citizens of the empire that has been lost for a thousand years, cursed by Sombra himself, why do they not remember? It is impossible! Aecorum was the Warrior, not Steel Wind! Luna sighed. Yet another hope dashed and more questions without answers. Why am I the only one who remembers?

Luna straightened up and took a deep breath. I can’t lose control; I just have to look elsewhere. Her face fell Even if I am running out of options. She thought for a moment longer, and finally her train of thought went from Sombra to another wielder of dark magic. If the crystal ponies don’t remember Aecorum and Sombra, their records are old; perhaps his part in the battle with Tirek is still intact.

After about fifteen agonizing minutes in silence, somepony knocked on the door. Luna opened it with her magic and Cherished Light came in with a tray of food and a pristine and elaborate looking book. Luna smiled and sat down at the small table as Cherished Light served her breakfast.

Luna nodded “Thank you very much, Cherished Light.” She picked up the book “And thank you for this as well.”

Cherished bowed with a smile “My pleasure, Princess Luna. If you want anything else, please ask. It is a true honor to have you here in my house.”

Luna cocked her head slightly “I met the mayor of the village yesterday…Are you his daughter?”

Cherished Light chuckled “No, I am his wife.”

Luna smiled “Well, thank you for this lovely meal and the book, Cherished Light.”

Cherished Light bowed and closed the door as she walked out. Luna sighed again and ate a few of the crystal berries on her plate. She smiled at the surprisingly tangy flavor and almost fearfully opened the book of crystal history. Luna wasn’t sure if there would be records of Tirek in the Crystal Empire history but she had to try.

Luna flipped to the index and searched until she found the entry labeled “Thief, Tirek the.” She turned the pages while keeping the index marked with her magic until she found the right page. She read the scant entry and shook her head. Luna was certain that when Starswirl first met Scorpan, he took Scorpan to Aecorum and they helped him see the beauty of Equestria and the ponies. Aecorum had been the one who convinced Celestia and Luna that Tartarus was the only place Tirek could go and do no harm. Luna let out a single chuckle at the thought. That certainly went well, didn’t it?

Unfortunately Tirek was stopped before he came to the Crystal Empire so there was next to nothing about him in the book. Luna raised her eyebrow and flipped back to the index with a sigh. She turned to the first of many pages involving Sombra and read slowly and carefully, comparing the words before her with her memories. Cherished Light was right, according to the book the Warrior was a green pegasus named Steel Wind from Equestria, not Aecorum. But after a few pages Luna realized that everything that Aecorum had done, all of his actions, decisions, and even his words were attributed to Steel Wind. Luna ran a hoof through her mane as she let out an exasperated sigh and closed the history book.

Luna absently ate her breakfast and shook her head. What is the matter with everypony? What happened to Aecorum? Even Celestia could not change the history of the Crystal Empire after Sombra cursed it. Perhaps Discord…No, he was still in stone. Although he did run amuck for quite a while before Twilight Sparkle and the other Elements imprisoned him again.

Suddenly Luna heard the door slowly open and a changeling meekly poked its head in. Luna smiled and recognized her as Beguiling Cloak’s companion from the negotiations. Luna nodded and the changeling cleared her throat.

“Kind…Moon Queen.” She shook her head “Prin…Cess. I,” She furrowed her brow in thought for a moment and Luna cocked her head as the changeling continued “I is…Am…Optical…Illusion.”

Luna nodded “It is a pleasure to meet you, Optical Illusion. Your Equestrian is quite good, when did you learn?”

Optical Illusion cleared her throat “Last time sun came up, Beguiling Cloak gave me knowledge through…” She thought for a moment “Changeling…Mind…Speak?”

Luna raised an eyebrow and smiled “So changelings have a hive mind?” Optical Illusion furrowed her brow and Luna tried to think of a way to rephrase it “You can speak to other changelings without words?”

Optical Illusion nodded “Yes! Mind speak! Beguiling Cloak taught me Pony talk.”

Luna smiled warmly “That is excellent, I am very happy you and the other changelings will be able to learn Equestrian quickly. Is there something you wished to tell me?”

Optical Illusion nodded and took a step forward “I want thank you, Moon Princess. You helped changelings when we feared, you still help us.” Optical Illusion bowed low to the ground “You are great Pony Queen.”

Luna chuckled “Thank you very much, Optical Illusion.” Optical Illusion smiled and Luna turned back to her breakfast “Until the meeting then. Unless, of course, you have something else to talk to me about.”

Optical Illusion thought for a moment and cocked her head “Is Aecor your clutch brother?”

Luna’s eyes widened and she turned back to Optical Illusion “How…How do you know that name? Do the changelings know of him?”

Optical Illusion backed away slightly and buzzed her wings nervously “I…Please forgive, Moon Princess, your mind was loud…I not mean to hear…But I did. I sorry.”

Luna sighed and weakly smiled “That’s alright, Optical Illusion, I forgive you.” Optical Illusion smiled “His name was Aecorum. He was like a brother to Celestia…And to me, of course. But he…He is lost.” Luna furrowed her brow “You heard my thoughts?” Optical nodded and Luna raised an eyebrow “Can all changelings hear the thoughts of ponies?”

“No, no. Like pony…Flank signs…Changelings have skills. My skill is hear thoughts, but only loud thoughts.”

Luna’s expression shifted to one of curious interest “So changelings have special talents like ponies but they do not have cutie marks…Fascinating.” Luna raised an eyebrow “Do changelings keep records of their past?”

Optical thought for a moment before she shook her head “Not writing. Changelings learn past through mind speak.”

Luna nodded “Have you ever heard of Aecorum through your mind speak? Or maybe the Sea Prince?”

Optical Illusion closed her eyes and thought “I sorry, Moon Princess. Changelings did not learn about pony until before the Canterlot Failure.”

Luna’s face fell as she thought. Not again…Not another false hope. How can I be the only one in the whole world who remembers?

Optical nervously walked over to Luna and meekly put a hoof on her shoulder “It alright, Moon Princess. You find someone else who remember.”

Luna sighed “I hope so.”

Optical smiled “Maybe Aecorum lost his Pony mind speak?”

Luna chuckled slightly “Ponies do not talk to each other through their minds, Optical Illusion.”

Optical cocked her head “That not good. Mind speak is good, helps Hive stay connected. Is Equestria not connected?”

“Of course Equestria is connected. We are connected through our celebrations and our friends.”

“Friends?” Luna nodded with a small smile “Do you has friends, Moon Princess?”

Luna opened her mouth but closed it again and thought. After a second she spoke “Well, Celestia, the Sun Princess, is my friend but she is also my sister. Twilight Sparkle is a friend, as well as the other element bearers, but…Aecorum was my dearest friend a long time ago. He…He always knew what to say to make me smile, and he was strong, but he was also the kindest pony I have ever known.”

Optical frowned sadly “I sorry you lost him, Moon Princess. I sense he important to you, you very sad when you think of him gone.”

Luna sighed and nodded “Yes, I am sad that he’s gone. I just want to know what happened to him, whatever that may be. Even the crystal ponies have forgotten him, and he was one of their most celebrated heroes.” Luna sighed again “It does not make sense, Optical Illusion.”

Optical nodded before she looked towards the door “I sorry, Moon Princess. Beguiling Cloak is calling me, other changelings need me.”

Luna nodded and smiled “Of course, I understand. I will see you shortly, Optical Illusion.”

Optical smiled and walked towards the door “Goodbye Moon Princess.” The door closed behind her and Luna imperceptibly slumped in her chair.

“Another day and no answers. What am I going to do?”

Comments

[Cursory Note]

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Sorry it's been so long, guys. My internet has been down all week It's fixed now so the updates should be back on schedule from now on.

[SageBrony07]

Nice chapter. I wonder what is going to happen when they finally find each other again. Good luck with future chapters.

[Doubtful]

Raaaaah, too much hope... But still nothing

He has really thought about everything and every memory before acting. My my, he's clever