Demonic Possesion

by SquidSwarm

Chapter 1

The moon sits high in the sky, bathing Equestria with silver light. The stars glisten amongst the dark sea, painting beautiful portraits throughout the inky blackness. Crickets can be heard chirping in the fields, as well as toads croaking by the ponds and rivers. The wind gently washes over the land rustling the leaves of the forests and bringing a relaxing coolness in its wake. Every night Luna raises her moon, she subsequently creates a symphony across the land.

Marius stands on the balcony outside of Luna’s bed chambers next to the door watching as Luna gently lands her hooves, looking up into the sky to check her work, the stars glittering in his brown eyes, his clean shaven face and head chilled by the breeze. The moonlight bounces off of his silver breastplate, bracers, and greaves all covering his black tunic and black breeches as well as his high rising leather boots. His leather bound hand rests on the silver pommel of his longsword, a blue wrap around the hilt. The cloak around his neck gently flows in the breeze as Luna steps back to look at her work

“I think I’ve outdone myself tonight,” She says, the stars glittering in her eyes as her ethereal mane gently flows in the wind almost mirroring the sky.

“Indeed you have your highness,” Marius says giving her a gentle nod and looking back to the sky.

“Tis unbecoming to lie to one’s princess Marius, what do you truly think?” She turned to him and stared into his brown eyes, searching for any lies he may speak.

“It is beautiful your grace, although, the stars in Orion's belt seem to be misaligned,” He says thoughtfully, watching as the princess’s smirk turned to that of surprise and embarrassment, snapping around and looking to the Orion constellation.

After subjecting the constellation to a few quiet moments severe scrutiny, “I know not of what you speak, it looks perfect,” She turns back to Marius, and seeing the small grin on his face she realizes she had been the victim of a prank, “you realize I will get you back for that later,” She says with a giggle, trotting by him and into her quarters.

“I would expect nothing less your grace.” He says as he turns and follows her inside, closing the doors behind him.

“Actually, would you mind keeping those open, the breeze is lovely,” she says sitting at her desk, enveloping a quill in a blue aura and filling out the beginning of a sizable amount of paperwork.

Marius stops and re-opens the two glass doors, then moves to stand at his usual post next to the two tall rich mahogany doors that lead out into the castle. He scans the room like he does at any position in the castle, he glances over the four post bed, the wood with a black finish and blue drapes cast over it, and drawn to the posts. The bed itself has blue sheets and comforters with silver linings, all neatly pressed and laid out over the mattress. To the left of the bed is a small night stand where the princess keeps her regalia when she sleeps during the day. The walls are all violet with portraits of mountains, forests, and rivers adorning them. Several book cases line the walls filled spell books. Under the portrait of a moonlit lake is Luna’s desk, a simple thing made of oak with a couple of drawers on either side, littered with paperwork and an ink-pot with a couple of quills on the far side next to the wall. To the right of that is a small walk in closet. Two small blue couches sit in the center of the room on a violet circular rug with a coffee table in between them with a defensive spell book on top of it open to a page on shields off to one edge. There are two tall windows on either side of the double doors leading to the balcony and to the left of those is an open door leading to the bathroom.

The time passes uneventfully, occasionally Luna sighs, bored with the new forms. Then knocking is heard from the main door.

Marius opens the door and looks over the responsible party of the knocking. It is a bat pony, a young mare, with grey fur, bat wings, glowing yellow cat eyes, and purple armour. She salutes Marius which he returns in kind, and says that there is business which requires the princess’s attention in the throne room. Marius swears he can hear the princess quietly celebrating this opportunity to escape her paperwork.

The Princess rises and steps into view of the guard, “Please notify the court that I shall be there quite soon,”

With that the guard bowed and cantered off to the throne room.

Luna puts on her crown and leaves the room, Marius in tow. They walk in silence for a short time, their footsteps echoing in the dimly lit halls, decorated with fine lunar and solar tapestries, all enchanted to produce light during their respective times. Additionally, towering windows offer an entrance for the moonlight, and an escape for tired eyes hoping to relax by looking to the forest.

“Princess, might I remind you that you will have to go back to that paperwork at some point tonight, you have several new treaties to review,” Says Marius walking a few paces behind the Princess.

The Princess was smiling, delighted at the chance to forget some of her responsibilities if only for a few minutes, now she is frowning, “Oh don’t remind me, I am all too aware of those, they are all disasters which is why my sister puts them on me,” she says putting a little bit of frustrated emphasis on the word sister, “I have the calling of watching over the dreamworlds of Equestria, I hardly have any time to review them and then when I do they are such a mess that I would need to confer with my sister for far longer than I have the time for.” She stops in front of a window looking to the distant glow of a nearby town.

“Yes but your sister must also watch over the day courts when citizens line up for miles to speak to her, I would almost argue that your duties are far less tenuous than that of your sisters.” Marius says stepping forward to stand by her side.

“Indeed, while she retains all of the praise and glory, while I, well, I don’t think that many of them even know of me…” She looks down at her hooves.

“Yes, but is it not glorious that your nights are so peaceful, all is at rest and all are lost in their own lands of wonder, they know of you princess, they love you, and they show it by trusting you to watch over them and giving them these safe nights.” He places a hand on her shoulder.

“Ha, I suppose you are right,” She looks up to the moon and takes a deep breathe, “alright, let’s go see what tonight's courts will bring.” with a small smile she begins to canter down the hall, leaving Marius to jog just to keep pace.

Luna steps through the archway behind the throne, a tall stone seat with runes engraved in the sides and the lunar/solar crest of the sisters at the top, and takes her place at the head of the court, Marius standing at her side. All in attendance bow deeply as she sits. There are a few ponies and a few humans in the room, most of whom are guards, all wearing the purple armour of the night guard. There is a small line formed in front of the throne, the Princess gazes down with a stoic expression, and asks the first guest to step forward.

The first speaker is a middle aged green stallion in a simple wool shirt with a brown skull cap, which he is taking off to show respect to the princess.

“Your grace,” he says bowing deeply, “I have come from two towns over to request that I gain an extension on my taxes,”

“You may have your extension,” the princess interrupts, unconcerned of the reason, “You may pay by the next full moon. Next please.” she says, the stallion bowing and thanking her many times over as a guard nudges him away.

The next person steps forward and bows deeply, he is wearing a fine tailed coat, black shoes, and white stockings, he is by every definition, a noble.

“Your Majesty, I have come to request an extra guard detail be dispatched to the warehouse districts in Trottingham, there has been a marked increase in break ins as of late, even rumors of gang activity, it is my understanding that if this is to go on unchecked, it will become too large an issue to handle.” He says standing to his full height and looking into the princess's eyes.

“Yes that is troublesome news, although rather than send an extra guard detail, I want you to raise the wages of your employees,” She stares down at the man.

“Beg your pardon your grace?” He says, surprised by the command.

“I have already looked into this issue, I have discovered that the poverty level in that region is quite higher than anywhere else in the nation, additionally, you are the employer as well as the landlord for most property’s, which are also quite high in rent,” She said gazing down on him with a look that would make a hydra shy away.

“Why, I simply cannot your majesty,” he says, a smirk on his face, regaining his composure “my company is already about to hemorrhage money and if we were increase the pay of our employees we would no longer profit, more over we could no longer donate as much as we do to the crown’s army.”

“Are you trying to extort the crown?” the tone of frustration slowly builds into contained fury Luna slowly rises and the noble begins to comprehend his mistake, “I can assure you, the military will survive without your ‘donations’, as such you may either repair the district with a healthier distribution of wealth and lowered costs of living, or the crown will seize everything, your businesses as well as your home and bank accounts, do I make myself clear?”

“You can’t do that! Everything you suggest goes against the business codes, it’s theft!” He says stepping forward.

“As is paying your employees nothing,” says the princess, “so, I will give you one more chance, increase the wages of your employees!” her voice is icy.

He stares at the princess for a moment, considering his words carefully.

“I will not, I have done nothing outside of the law, I will not yield to this!”

“You think that matters? We lay down these laws with the intent of providing a framework for all to live by and assumed that the citizens would abide by what is right and not use the law to justify such horrific behavior, the likes of which we will not tolerate. We want the masses to govern themselves through these laws, however if actions are taken that are not expressly forbidden but are clearly outside the realm of good morality, we will step in, this is just such an occasion.” The princess waves a hoof to a guard, “place him in the dungeon, we will be seizing all of his assets by morning, you are stripped of title, and will remain in the dungeons until a time to be appointed by my sister and I.” she says, turning away and re-taking her seat as two human guards grabbed the raging noble, dragging him to the depths of the castle.

“Would the next please step forward,” Luna says regaining her calm and stoic expression.

A young white unicorn mare steps forward weak and skinny from hunger, a sling with something in it around her neck.

“Forgive me your grace, I would not have disturbed you but I was unable to gain a meeting anywhere else,” She says with as low a bow as her sling allows.

“There is no need for apology, why is it you have come?” Luna says, eyeing her curiously.

“I cannot afford to care for my child, her father died recently from starvation,” she says with a sniffle, “I know not of her abilities or anything of what she might become, but I hope you would be able and willing to take her in and into the school of gifted unicorns.” She finishes her cheeks turning red.

“There are orphanages for this purpose, why have you come here?” She says gazing down on the young mare.

“I am sure you have heard the rumors, they are poorly managed and poorly funded, I want my daughter to live a happy life, not one of strife and sadness.” She says looking up to the princess tears welling in her eyes.

“I am sorry but I cannot, if I were to take her in all parents hoping to give up their children would come here.” she says softly.

Marius ponders this a moment, leans toward the princess, and whispers in the princess’s ear, “Your grace, if we bring her in, I can train her as my apprentice with the intent to replace myself when I am old and feeble.”

Luna looks at him surprised, then a small smile graces her face.

“I have re-considered with the council of my guard,” She says standing and walking down the stairs on the left of the throne, and to the young mare, whose face lights up as soon as she hears the words, “we will take her in. I cannot guarantee that she will go to the magic school, however, she will be trained by Captain Marius to become my personal guard, and if the prerequisites are met, shall go to the school as well.” Luna encases the young filly in her blue aura, lifting her so she can see the child.

She has a blue mane and tail, gray fur, and deep blue eyes. She giggles a little and reaches out to the princess. All eyes are on the princess, the side conversations silenced once more at this strange sight.

“What is her name?” The princess asks, never breaking eye contact with the filly.

“Shade, Your majesty.” She says tears beginning to fall.

“Marius, come over here if you would,” Luna says looking over her shoulder, “now, I assume you already know, that in taking this action, your contact will be extremely limited if at all.” Luna looks back to the crying mare while Marius descends the steps to the throne, the young mare nods in agreement.

Marius stands off to the side between the two mares in front of the filly. “Yes, your grace?”

“Captain Marius, I hereby grant you all responsibility and authority in the upbringing of this child, with the intent of training her to become my personal guard.” Luna says, levitating the child into Marius’s arms.

“Thank you, your grace,” the mare says with a tearful smile as she is lead out of the room seeing her child for the last time through the crack of the closing door when she looks back.

Luna re-takes the throne, Marius at her side the child in his arms, “Is there any other business which needs my attention in the court at this time?” there is no response from any of the bodies present, “then I will take my leave for the time being, should anything arise, then notify the lieutenant,” she says waving a hoof to the armour clad pony at the base of the stairs, “she will bring it to my attention.”

With that, stands, and walks out of the throne room, Marius in her wake.

As they walk down the dim corridors, Luna asks, “So why did you advise we take her in Marius?”

Marius stops and held out the filly looking into her tired eyes, “I knew you wanted to from the start your grace, I simply gave you a means to do so, additionally, I will need to be replaced one day, my youth only has so long before my body begins to wither away.” he cradles the exhausted filly in his arms and looks into Luna’s eyes.

Luna smiles gently and gives a light chuckle, “With how much of your hair has been discolored I’d say those days are sooner than you think,” she says stepping forward and looking at the sleeping child.

“Ha, you won't be rid of me yet, I’m still quite young, my hair grays because being your guard may be one of the most difficult jobs in all of Equestria!” He says as they continue walking to the princess’s quarters.

“Oh is that so? Perhaps you would like to take over my job for the night then?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it my lady,” He chuckles.

They continue on in relative silence, the only sounds are the echoes of their footfalls and the gentle snoring of Shade until they arrive in front of Luna’s quarters. Luna stops and turns to look at Marius.

“Well if you won’t do my job for me, then I must return to my dreaded paperwork, I must finish the revisions to all of those treaties and my decisions on them before dawn which is not far off. You are dismissed for the rest of the night Marius, see that Shade has a warm bed in your quarters, she will be staying with you until she is old enough to be by herself.” She says opening her doors and stepping through, “goodnight Marius.” she says, the doors doors closing.

“Goodnight your grace,” replies Marius, turning and walking towards his quarters carrying the sleeping filly in his arms.

Comments

[clubbzz]

This has my interests, I will be tracking it.