Lullaby for a Princess

by Scourgeous

Harmony

Nightmare Moon paced back and forth, using her magic to sweep the coating of glass on the ground into a neat pile. Her hooves clicked on the marble as she moved, her eyes bright with thought. Though she was still in the intimidating form, the taller, leaner mare of the moon, without the curse of Discord reversing her personality she was able to work in peace with her mind at a steady stride.

She couldn't get the thought of her mother out of her head, tears at the edges of her eyes. She glanced out of the broken window, the cold night air wafting over her. Taking a deep breath, she blinking softly at the full moon and ruffled her wing feathers uncomfortably. Everything felt out of place, like there was more chaos than when it was being created. The sharp metallic taste of Celestia's blood remained in the back of her mouth.

My mother is dead...Celestia and Artemis may be in danger if they continue to put themselves ahead of Equestia. She thought, eyes trailing over the hunks of glass that had once made up the stained glass window that had portrayed their family. How much long must this tyranny go on for our wishes to be granted?

"Thinking too hard, deary?" Discord said suddenly from the darkness, causing Nightmare Moon to jump, looking over her shoulder suddenly. He slithered towards her, the fur on one side of his body matted with dried blood.

She stared at him with concern, leaning down to nuzzle him, and he rose up to meet her touch. She drifted the tip of her muzzle softly over his, stroking along his jaw, her warm breath bouncing off his face before she leaned away. "You are hurt."

"Nothing but a few scratches, that is all." He said, his eyes sparkling with admiration for her quiet shy voice.

Dragging her gaze away and setting it on the night, she blinked slowly. "Why must we cause so much pain? I never intended to harm my family in such a way."

Discord's tone was suddenly colder, a snarl as he glanced at her, eyes just shards of amber fire beneath frowning eyebrows. "I helped you run away the first time. The rest was of your own choice."

"Besides this," She scowled, waving one leg around and glaring down at the black fur that adorned it.

I have done nothing but help you. He thought sourly, glaring sideways at her. It's time you finish helping me. He waved one paw in front of her eyes, and they closed, and she suddenly tensed, as if holding her breath. The gray color began to overtake her once again from the ground upwards, right until it coiled over the tip of her horn. With an upwards flick of his hand, her eyes flashed open again, a duller tone from the bright sea green of before.

"Now, my love," He began, turning away from her. "We have a public appearance to make."

---

"Citizens of Canterlot!" Nightmare Moon's voice echoed off the smooth walls and the curves of the valley far into the distance. She stared down at the crowd, who had gathered with their families, cowering and shying away from her ruling gaze. "Thou-art now under a new rule! Come hither, good gentlecolts and fillies. Thou shalt not do as thou wilt. Thy city is now ruled by thyself and My Lord."

She turned to Discord, smirking slightly. He snorted with amusement at the royal Canterlot voice that had accompanied her change of appearance. He swept his gaze over the crowd, his eyes glowing bright yellow, producing a gasp from the throats of those who were watching closely. He waved his paws a few times teasingly, causing a few to screech and reel back, as if they expected him to cast an evil notation over them for simply breathing without his newfound permission.

"Let me rephrase what my medieval mare has told you," He said thickly, his glare holding the crowd in. "You will never bow down to King Artemis and his court of tomfoolery again, understood?"

There was a murmur of hesitant agreement, come only from those who wished to get it over and done with for the sake of their own safety. Discord narrowed his eyes, suddenly looking very dangerous as he leered over them, curling his claws into his palms.

"You do not do what you are instructed not to do!" He howled, making sudden jerking movements. "You are ruled over by the Chaos Empire, and the only leaders you succuumb to shall be me or her." He jabbed finger at Nightmare Moon.

Only terrified eyes stared back, the ponies crouching away from him, holding each other, shaking all over with terror. He dragged his gaze over every one of them, halting on one green mare who was clutching a bonnet in her hoof. She stared at him with a determined gaze, a few age lines creasing her face. The brave pony stood in front of another mare, who looked younger, but her stomach was round and heavy, and she looked exhausted.

"What do y'all think you are going to do if we don't?" She challenged, her amber eyes glowing as she stared at Discord.

He hissed, leaping towards her and skidding right before he crashed into her. She didn't even flinch, raising her head back to stare up and meet him in the eye. He curled his lip back and snarled, pointed viciously down at her and the mare cowering behind her.

"I'll do whatever it takes for you to stop meddling with what was supposed to happen a long time ago. If chaos is refused access completely, get ready for it come back, permanently."

The mare sat down, pouting out her lips at him with a snooty look on her face. "Well, ah'm not following no rules that dun't come from Solaris er'self!

He narrowed his eyes, snickering and flaring his nostrils. "Solaris is dead."

Gasps ran across the crowd, and a few wails of grief and terror erupted. The group of ponies suddenly started to shift as they fled, some too scared and heartbroken to move, simply sitting there praying to the heavens or crying aloud. Discord laughed darkly as just what he wanted ensued: chaos.

The stubborn mare's eyes widened a little, but she still held her ground, gritting her teeth. "Ah'm still not listening to sum' old Draconequus who tinks' he can rule mah' roost!"

"We'll see about that." He snarled, eyes flashing with anger.

The clouds began to fatten and bulge, darkening and rolling out over them like a dark blanket lowering over the city. A shadow cast over Discord and the green mare and her companion, still hiding behind her, just the glow of his eyes staring through. There was a rumble of thunder from the clouds, then a flicker of light, and lightning struck the ground all around them like a cage made of electricity for a few mere seconds before flicking away again.

Nightmare Moon watched with wide eyes, the Luna within her struggling furiously to escape, battling as if she was in a rough tide of water. Half of her was pulling her down into the depths, the other half was not going to give up until she broke free of the spell over her.

"Lightning? Is 'dat the best you can do?" The mare hissed, getting to her hooves and glaring at him.

"You want more?" He taunted, eyes deepening to a shade of red.

The breath caught in Nightmare Moon's throat as she saw him flick his wrist around so his palm faced upwards. Moments flashed through her head, as if a thousands birds had been released in her mind. She whirled through the battle with Celestia, seeing Discord do the same flick before clicking his fingers, and her darkened state watching Solaris crumble like ashes. The visions continued to flash in the space of a second, taking her back to a time before she was an Alicorn.

Screams filled her head, and there was the crying of a filly. She saw brief visions of her mother sobbing, her father fighting a draconequus much larger and scarier than Discord... the last vision shook like she was in a light earthquake. There was a pale golden unicorn mare with long dark hair, lying like a crap of cloth on the ground, her soft fur splashed with blood. Words roared in her head, splitting her conscious with pain.

Ponies and Draconequus will never be under an alliance again!

Nightmare Moon was suddenly thrown back to the real world. Only a couple of seconds had passed, enough for the to just see Discord moving to press his index finger and his thumb together, ready to click them. She screamed and lunged at him, her color flashed back to black as she pushed him to the ground, wings beating wildly. Discord hissed like a cat, eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" He snarled, writhing beneath her.

Her eyes flashed back to the less cat-like eyes, and she stared at him, pinning him to the ground. "I won't let you kill them."

"How..." He breathed, staring with fright at her. "How did you break the spell on your own?"

She stared down at him, eyes narrowing. "I'm not your tool anymore Discord. Harmony has overpowered chaos once again."

Their gazes locked, crimson twisting into watery turquoise. While she held him tightly against the ground, her hooves pressing down on his arms, the two mares took the chance to escape into the darkness of the city. Discord stared with disbelief, and a snarl began to rise in his throat. Gurgling rumbled at the back of his mouth, and he lunged forward, knocking her off balance and shoving her away from himself.

She neighed, landing on her back and skidding away across the concrete. She winced, trying to raise her head weakly, but she let it flop back down beside her fore-hooves. Her mind whirled, and the last thing she saw was Discord trotting towards her, before the cold spell crept back over her like locking claws, and she was plunged back into darkness.

Comments

[Mooncrash]

[Clocklike]

[Scourgeous]

2379268
2379016

Is there a problem, people?

[Cronchlord]

i love this seris! Please ake more

[Dr Daring Doo]

2381182 yeah! There is a big problem! You need to update more!!!