Sequel to 'Lost in the Night.' Shining Armor seeks more information about Luna's past lovers and uncovers some shocking truths.
"I've always had only one. I've mourned them each in turn... as I will one day mourn you, my brave Captain."
Princess Luna's words have driven Shining Armor mad ever since she first uttered them when their affair began. Who were these past lovers? How did they come to be consorts to the Princess of the Night?
Shining Armor's quest for the answers leads him deep into the bowels Canterlot Castle and into the mysterious Archives of Truth. There, guided by a mysterious librarian called Brother Veritas, Shining Armor will uncover much more than he was ever expecting; hidden histories and origins, ancient conspiracies, and secrets that could very well change Equestria forever.
“I’ve mourned them each in turn… as I will one day mourn you, my brave Captain.”
The Prince of Sinners trotted down the deserted corridor deep in the castle depths, his hoof-falls unwittingly creating a sort of drum roll towards the damnation for which he was surely destined.
Shining Armor stared straight ahead as he headed deeper and deeper into the ancient catacombs, his path lit by burning torches. The flames flickered, making the white unicorn’s shadow wave and dance on the walls and floors. Water dripped steadily from overhead creating a damp atmosphere only kept at bay by the flames.
After what seemed like hours, Shining Armor found what he had come all this way for; a door, wrought iron and brilliant gold. Inscribed above it was a phrase written in ancient unicorn.
Invenies response responsis vel videberis.
Exhaling his fears away, Shining Armor pushed open the door that lead to the Canterlot Archives of Truth.
The contrast with the corridor he’d just come from was staggering. While the passage had been lit only by ancient torches, the room in which he now stood was almost unnaturally bright. It almost looked like… like sunlight. The supernatural light illuminated shelves upon on shelves covered in ancient scrolls, books, and other tomes. Very few had titles in the common Equestrian tongue. The shelves seemed to go up forever, and Shining Armor found his neck craning, trying to see the tops. He gasped when he saw the source of the room’s light. “Is that…?”
“A miniature sun.” A wizened voice answered from behind him.
Shining Armor spun to find a unicorn stallion clad in a simple black smock. The stallion was a head shorter than he was and seemed to be middle aged. His coat was a mottled green, like pond water. His eyes glittered with mischief and pride, the result of a successful startling.
“Greetings, your majesty.” The unicorn bowed deeply.
“Who are you?”
“The keeper of the archives, Prince Shining Armor.”
“…of course you are.” Shining Armor smiled at his own foolishness. How could he have expected the archives to be left un-tended. “I meant to ask what your name was.”
The green unicorn recovered from his bow and gestured at the surrounding shelves. “Those select few of us chosen for the honor of tending to the Archives of Truth forgo everything else in this world, my Prince, from our families to our very names. I share the same title as the countless unicorns before me. I am called Brother Veritas.”
Shining Armor nodded and pointed at the circling orb of light far overhead. “Care to explain that?”
Veritas smiled warmly. “It is a gift from Princess Celestia herself. We keepers are only allowed out of the archives once a year, so she gave us this facsimile of the sun for light, warmth, and health. And before you ask…” His horn lit and the sun vanished. “…yes, we can extinguish it to recreate night as well.” His horn lit once more and the sun returned.
“Amazing.” Shining Armor muttered, genuinely impressed. “Why is lit now? The day ended several hours ago.”
“A little late night organization. What brings you to the archives, your highness? Aren’t you supposed to be in the Crystal Empire?” Brother Veritas asked, returning to his task on one of the lower shelves.
“Just Shining Armor will do.” The Captain of the Guard blushed, still not comfortable with his new title.
“As you wish.”
“I’m here on… official business. Some troubling reports from the Far Lands. While I was here, I figured I would do some research.”
Veritas chuckled. “You have certainly come to the right place.” He summoned several books and made them float around Shining Armor’s head. “Here we have the great hidden secrets of Equestria’s history. The true founding of Equestria, the Second Dragon War, the explorations of Donkey Hotey…” He pulled one book from the others and looked at it with a kind of reverence. “’The Wanderings of Mareco Polo,’ which includes what we understand now to be an account of the first encounter with the Changelings.” Quick as a flash, the books returned to their shelves. “What information do you seek?”
Shining Armor looked away, unsure of how to phrase his question. “Why have Princess Celestia and Princess Luna never… gotten married?”
The question caught Veritas so off guard that he dropped the ancient tome he’d been repositioning. It fell to the ground and collapsed into a pile of dust.
Shining Armor gaped. “Forgive me, I was…”
Veritas waved him off and shuffled the mound that had once been a book underneath the shelf. “Not a problem, Shining Armor. I doubt this kingdom has much need for a book like that anymore.”
“What book was it?”
“’Secrets of the Draconequi.’”
“Oh.”
“As I said, never mind it. As to your question…” He looked at Shining Armor with an upraised eyebrow. “What makes you so curious about the mating habits of goddesses?”
“Princess Cadance found out today that she was…well, pregnant.”
Veritas’ eyes lit up. “Congratulations! How happy you both must be.”
Shining Armor nodded. “Thank you. We are quite pleased, it’s just…”
Veritas held up a hoof. “You’re wondering why Celestia and Luna never married. Never had children.”
“Exactly.” Shining Armor sighed in relief.
Veritas beckoned the white unicorn follow him deeper into the archives. “Tell me, Shining Armor; what do you know of the goddesses’ arrival in Equestria?”
“Nothing really. I just figured that they’d always been here.”
Veritas laughed. “If that were the case, then why are they not mentioned in the Tale of the First Hearth’s Warming?”
Shining Armor shrugged.
“There’s a great deal of history that has been hidden from the ponies of Equestria, Shining Armor. As far as most ponies are concerned, nothing much happened between the First Hearth’s Warming and Luna’s banishment. So much history has been excised…” Veritas’ tone was almost bitter.
“Why hide the truth?”
“Nothing was hidden… not at first anyway. It’s always been figured that ponies would just be happier not knowing the sordid details of the past.”
“Sordid details?”
“Take what happened after the First Hearth’s Warming for example.” Veritas summoned a scroll from the wall and unfurled it, narrating the illustrations. “Once the three tribes founded Equestria, they established a temporary government with representatives from each tribe. This lasted several decades… until something peculiar happened.”
“What?”
“Clover the Clever, the magical advisor to Princess Platinum of the unicorns, received a prophecy from beyond.”
“A prophecy?” Shining Armor looked incredulous. “I thought those sort of things were the stuff of fairy-tales.”
“Usually they are, but there have been several notable instances in Equestrian history where actual prophecies were made. Clover’s was merely the first.”
“What was the prophecy?”
“’Look to the skies, for the true rulers fall from the heavens. The land they strike shall be their fortress, time will bow to their every whim, and they shall rule until the Twilight of the Gods.’”
“Easy to translate in hind-sight.” Shining Armor chuckled.
“Indeed. Sure enough, not long after, a huge meteor struck this very mountain. When the ponies came to investigate, they found two statuesque mares with the horns of unicorns and the wings of pegasi.”
“Celestia and Luna.” Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. “So that old story about them being the spawn of a unicorn and a dragon…?”
“Nonsense.”
“Ah.”
“When they arrived, they had no idea where they were from or how they’d come to be there, but they did know that they were sisters, they knew their names, and most important of all; they knew of the vast power within themselves.”
“So they built Canterlot.”
“Right on the site of the meteor’s fall.”
“Incredible. But that doesn’t really answer my question.”
“It’s a start. To truly answer your question, Shining Armor, you must understand one very important thing; Celestia and Luna are mares. Phenomenally powerful, god-like mares of unknown origins to be sure, but mares all the same. And mares, like stallions, have needs.”
“So why not marry?”
“Because they’re immortal, Shining Armor. The only immortal beings in Equestria besides dragons. Other alicorns, like your wife, have extended life-spans thanks to their transformations. If your child is born an alicorn, then they too shall live beyond their normal allotted years. But only Celestia and Luna are immortal, and anypony they married they would inevitably outlive.” He offered a smirk. “So they take lovers.”
“’Take?’ As in they still do?” Shining Armor asked, trying to act nonchalant.
“Quite so, although they are very secretive about it for some reason. There’s really no telling how many they’ve had over the years. I mean, we only know about the four of Luna’s because of the journals.”
Shining Armor froze. “Journals?”
Veritas stopped in his tracks and pointed his head upwards. Four small scrolls floated down in response, held aloft by his magic. “Journals is what we call them. They’re more like testimonies, really.” He offered one, what looked to be the oldest, to Shining Armor. “Would you like to read them?”
“Very much so.” Shining Armor murmured in gratitude, taking the scroll with his own magic. Here, at last, were the answers he sought. “This is the first?”
Veritas nodded. “It dates all the way back to two thousand years ago, just months after the sisters arrived in Equestria…”
The young adept made several more adjustments to his telescope, scowling at his hastily written notes on the scroll floating before him. “Dampnes eam omnia…” he muttered to no one.
“Having difficulties with thine new equipment, Starswirl?”
Starswirl, personal apprentice to Princess Celestia herself, spun around so fast he nearly tripped on the hem of his long cloak. “Pr-principem Luna! Dimittis me nesciebant…”
“In the new common tongue, please. If we don’t use it, nopony will.” The goddess of the moon smiled gently as she landed on the observatory floor.
“Yes… of course. Forgivest me, majesty. It’s still taking some getting used to.” Starswirl’s tongue stumbled slightly as he tried to slip into the new common language of Equestria. “I hope this doesn’t mean the languages of the three tribes will fade into obscurity?”
Princess Luna chuckled as she peeked through the telescope’s lens. “Fear not, Starswirl. We have a feeling that some ponies will always carry on the old words.”
“Comforting.” Starswirl again consulted his scroll. “Has thine sister left on her journey yet?”
Luna nodded. “She should arrive in the Lands of Chaos early tomorrow. I can only hope their ruler will be open to the alliance she plans to offer him.”
Starswirl was barely listening. His charts were all wrong. “This can’t be right…”
“What vexes thee this beautiful evening?”
He gestured at the night sky. “These constellations are all wrong. Half these stars weren’t in the sky last night.”
“Ah.” Princess Luna took a step back and looked away in embarrassment. “We fear that is our fault. We are still getting used to our new abilities.” The shadowy blue pony’s eyes began to glow with an inner light.
Starswirl watched in wonder as the stars above began to move before his very eyes. Within seconds, the constellations he’d recorded the night previous were again in the sky.
“We are afraid that we are not quite as quick-learning as our sister.” Princess Luna’s eyes had faded and she was looking at the sky dejectedly. “We can only hope that, in time, we shall learn to be as confident in our new abilities as she is. To move the moon is one thing. To arrange the stars in the night sky…”
It had been mere months since the two alicorn sisters had been discovered on Equestria’s tallest mountaintop. Celestia, the elder sister, had taken to ruling like a second nature, inherently kind and benevolent. She’d recognized Starswirl’s potential and had selected him to be the first in what she hoped would be a long line of apprentice ponies.
Luna, the younger, was having a more difficult time adjusting.
Starswirl smiled and, without even thinking about it, placed his hoof on Luna’s. “Fear thee not, princess of the night. I, like your other subjects, have nothing but faith in you.”
She looked at him, her head cocked in confusion.
It took him a moment to realize that he had just laid an unwelcome hoof on one of Equestria’s rulers.
“Forgivest me!” He cried, leaping back so quickly that he smacked into the telescope. The impact sent the object spinning wildly and only a timely catch from Princess Luna’s magic stopped it from falling from the tall tower.
“Art thou alright?” Luna asked, craning her neck down to examine him. Her concerned face was inches from his own, and he found himself struck dumb by her beauty.
“I’m alright.” He whispered. “I simply did not wish to offend thee with my unworthy touch.”
She smiled. “Thine touch is hardly unworthy, Starswirl. In fact,” she narrowed her eyes, “thou art the first to lay a hoof on us.” Her hoof reached out and brushed his own. “We liked it.”
Starswirl felt blood rushing to his face as the goddess of the night’s luminous eyes took him in, almost seeming to study him. “Your majesty…” he started.
“Dost thou have a mate?”
The bluntness of her tone caught Starswirl off guard. “Princess?”
“We demand an answer.”
Starswirl swallowed. “No. All of Clover the Clever’s adepts were sworn to celibacy.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Celibacy? What dost this mean?”
Starswirl felt himself being drawn into her eyes. He really wished she would back off ever so slightly… “We swore to her that we would not take mates. In order to keep ourselves totally devoted to the magical arts.”
Luna’s gaze softened. “Then thou must be as lonely as I.”
Starswirl felt his throat becoming dry again. “Lonely?”
“We may have powers beyond those of other ponies, Starswirl, but we are still a pony. And all ponies desire… companionship from time to time.”
Starswirl may have been a virgin, but he was no fool. “Be that as it may, highness, I am still sworn to…”
“Thou art no longer in the service of Clover the Clever.” Princess Luna whispered. “We have no intention of holding you to any vows set on you by that old crone.” She leaned closer to speak directly into his ear. “We have seen the way thou looks at us.”
Starswirl’s heart was beating a mile a minute. “Princess, I…”
“We are asking you to be our lover, Starswirl.”
There. She’d said it. Now came the hard part of letting her down without being sent into deep space. “Princess Luna, surely thou knows I cannot do so. Thou art more beautiful than any mare that mine eyes have ever seen, but…”
“But?”
“But thou art princess. Thou rules this land. If anypony were to find out…”
“Then this shall remain secret.”
Well, there went his best defense. He was formulating another when he felt her tongue slowly drift along his ear.
“Thou shalt not go unrewarded for thine… services.” She blew on the spot she’d just licked, making the adept shiver. “We shall see you have access to magics few ponies can dream of. Thou shalt become court advisor and chief wizard of the realm. Thine name shall be remembered for all time.” She pulled back and looked into his eyes, her own clouded with desire. “What dost thou say?”
Starswirl licked his lips. “I… I’m afraid I’m not terribly experienced.”
Luna inched her face forward until their lips were millimeters apart. “Neither are we. I suppose we will just have to teach each other. Art thou a quick learner?”
“The quickest.”
Their lips met in a fiery kiss, the first for them both. Their bodies entwined and they sank to the floor.
For many years after, ponies in the surrounding countryside would tell stories of that strange night when the stars moved together, almost as though they were dancing.
Or making love.
/////////////////////////////////////////////
Shining Armor put the first scroll aside. “Starswirl? As in Starswirl the Bearded?”
“He certainly wasn’t bearded back then. More like Starswirl the Peach-Fuzzed.” Veritas chuckled at his own joke as he continued pouring the drinks.
The two had retired to Veritas’ private quarters. Shining Armor was impressed; the princess’ certainly took care of those that cared for the archives. The room was quite spacious with several pieces of furniture and a small kitchen. A passage at the end presumably lead to the master librarian’s bedroom.
“So Starswirl was Luna’s first lover.”
“Indeed. And he was well rewarded for his efforts in pleasing the princess.” Veritas offered a glass of amber liquid to the unicorn who accepted it graciously. “Starswirl was given access to books of magic from faraway lands and artifacts of truly immense power. It was only by his association with the princess that he became the legend that he is today.”
“…But wasn’t Starswirl Clover the Clever’s teacher?”
“...certain bits of history get misconstrued over time.”
“How long were they… together?”
Veritas shrugged. “There’s no telling. At a certain point, Starswirl pulled away from the princesses and became a wandering mage. He supposedly died whilst wandering the Bad Lands.”
“Does anypony know why?”
“Not in the slightest. There are rumors that he finally encountered a spell even he could not understand. He was sure that by devoting himself entirely to the search for the answer, he would ultimately discover it.”
“And did he?”
Veritas shook his head. “No. I have his spell-book down here. The final spell is still unfinished.”
“The ruler of the Lands of Chaos…?”
“You can probably guess that he was very much against the proposed union.”
“What happened?”
“The ponies living under him rebelled, rejecting his ‘beautiful nonsense.’ He abandoned them and vanished for nearly a thousand years. His last trick was transforming their lush paradise into the barren wastes we now call the Bad Lands.” Veritas peered into his glass. “The lord of mischief would not be seen again until his failed coup on Equestria just before Luna’s banishment.”
Shining Armor sipped his drink and made for the next scroll. “How many years later is this one?”
“’The Testimony of Busara of Zebora.’” Veritas recited from memory. “Just over three hundred years later, I believe.”
“Zebora? One of Luna's lovers was a zebra?”
Veritas looked at Shining Armor with hidden wisdom in his eyes. “The princess’ tastes varied over the centuries, your majesty. As you’ll soon see if you keep reading.”
Confusion foremost in his mind, Shining Armor raised the scroll to eye level and began to read.
The stately ambassador from Zebora watched the sun set from his opulent quarters in Canterlot Castle. He closed his eyes and filtered out the sounds of the city below and imagined he could hear the sounds of his village; playing children… singing women… the elders discussing the day’s issues…
“Forgive our intrusion, Master Busara.”
The melodic voice of one of his hostess’ broke the ambassador’s concentration. He turned, the ornaments tied to his close-cropped mane jingling with movement. “Hakuna kosa, Princess Luna.” He said in native Zeboran before remembering his location. “Please to forgive me.” He tried in broken Equestrian. “This speak is strange to my tongue.”
Luna entered the quarters with a smile. “No forgiveness necessary, I assure you. Your grasp of our language is improving every day.”
Busara shook his head. “There is no need to spare my feelings, high one. In my land, I am considered wise, but here… what is the phrase? A little pony among big horses.”
Luna laughed, a strange, high-pitched, but oddly attractive sound that appealed to Busara’s ears. “We can honestly say that we have never heard such a phrase in all our years.”
Busara’s gaze fell to the window again. The sun was nearly gone. “Your sister does quick work.”
Luna nodded and stood by his side. “I believe your mind was on more than my sister’s work.”
Busara shook his head sadly. “I do not yet know the word for how I am feeling. I… miss my home. My family.”
“Thou art home-sick, Master Busara.”
Busara smiled. “Yes, home-sick.”
“Thou mentioned a family? Art thou married?”
“Are you?”
Luna suppressed a smirk. “In Equestria, we have… other possible arrangements. We have no husband.”
“I have seven wives.” Busara replied in a flat tone.
Luna hid her gasp with a hoof. “Why so many?”
Busara shrugged. “In Zebora, the number of wives is seen as a… as a…” He struggled to find the words. “…a symbol of status?”
“A status symbol.”
“Yes. Thank you. The more wives you have, the more productive and resourceful you seem to be.”
“And dost thou love them? Thine wives?”
Busara chuckled sadly. “I don’t like any of them. They are good mothers to my children at least.”
The princess of the night crossed the chamber and, in a move that startled them both, laid her muzzle next to his. “I pity thee, Busara. One so kind should not be denied love.”
Busara found himself breathing in the smell of Luna’s mane. It had a strange, otherworldly scent, so unlike anything in his homeland. “I have known love, Princess Luna. But my love was taken from me.”
“Why?”
“She was promised to another. I had no say in the matter.”
“Is that why thou has so many wives? Dost thou hope to replace her?”
Busara felt his eyelids growing heavy as he stared at the constantly flowing mane of the night goddess. “Yes…”
“Have we… depressed thee, Master Busara?”
His powers of speech gone, Busara could only nod.
“Then allow us to cheer thee up.”
Busara found himself dragged roughly back to consciousness as Luna pulled away and headed back towards the door. His eyes fell on her swaying rear on their own accord. “Princess Luna?”
Luna looked back with hooded eyes. “With seven wives, Master Busara, we trust thou art well versed in the… conjugal arts.”
Busara, the wisest zebra in his village could only shake his head dumbly. “I do not… understand the words.”
The moon princess rolled her eyes. “In thine own tongue then; ‘Sisi imani yako anajua jinsi ya kutomba sisi vizuri.’”
Busara felt both his blush and excitement rising from the vulgarity of the phrase. His hooves propelled him forward, slowly at first but gaining in determined stride with each step. “No. There will be no problem there.”
////////////////////////////////
Shining Armor put the scroll aside and looked questioningly at Veritas. “Is… is that it?”
Veritas shrugged. “Busara was never comfortable with writing Equestrian. Be thankful we have that at least.”
“That choice of lover seems… random.”
Veritas laughed as he reclined on his sofa and sipped from his glass. “Look at it this way, Shining Armor. Immortality almost certainly breeds a certain taste for the… exotic. And even today zebras are considered quite exotic.”
“You certainly don’t see very many of them around Equestria these days.”
“Also Princess Luna’s fault.”
Shining Armor looked over sharply. “Why’s that?”
Veritas stretched. His hood fell back for a moment revealing a shock of silver hair. Reflexively he pulled the hood back up. “Upon returning to Zebora, Busara took an eighth wife; a Zeboran princess named Mpira Mhalifu. According to most texts, Mpira was a controlling, vain mare that grew suspicious of Busara’s frequent visits to Equestria. Eventually, she bribed one of Busara’s servants to spy on the wise ambassador and discover the truth.”
“What happened?”
“Mpira was naturally furious and demanded that Busara end the affair. Busara was so enamored with Princess Luna that he made the single dumbest decision of his whole life.”
“Which was?”
“He suggested that Luna become his ninth wife.”
Shining Armor cracked up, his laughter echoing on the stone walls. “I can’t imagine Mpira took that well.” He chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye.
“Not well at all, I’m afraid. She had him gelded.”
The laughter died in Shining Armor’s chest and he reflexively crossed his back legs. “Ouch.”
Veritas nodded. “Indeed. Afterwards, Mpira told all who would listen that Equestria was a bad place filled with seductress mares with loose morals. Since then, most zebras have just stayed away.”
Shining Armor ran a hoof through his mane. “My granddad used to tell me we had zebra in our blood.”
“I suspected as much. Your mane is a dead giveaway. Your mother or father’s side?”
“My mother’s.” Shining Armor smiled as he remembered the stories his grandfather used to tell him. “Apparently my great-great grandmother was quite the traveler back in the day. She met and fell in love with a zebra during one of her travels. Once she had children, she decided to settle down and do something else with her time.”
“Which was?”
“Writing adventure stories.”
Veritas’ ears perked up. “You don’t mean to tell me that your great-great grandmother was Dazzle Dawn? The author of the ‘Daring Do’ adventures?”
“The same.”
Veritas laughed. “I used to love those books! The very first book I ever personally brought into the archive was ‘the Ghoulish Griffon’s Grin.’”
They shared a laugh before Veritas went to refill their glasses and Shining Armor floated over the next scroll. “So… how much further have I jumped in time here?”
“Many, many years. That scroll was written just several short years before Princess Luna’s banishment.” He returned to his seat and looked at the ceiling. “’The Testimony of Esmeralda of the Crystal Empire.’”
Shining Armor found his gaze drifting to the bemused face of the keeper of the archives. “Esmeralda? A mare?”
Veritas nodded sagely. “It’s as I said, Shining Armor; immortality breeds exotic tastes.”
Princess Luna’s back arched as her pleasure reached its peak. Her strangled cry ended and she collapsed onto the cloud-like mass that was her bed.
Two emerald eyes took in the spent goddess. Their owner smiled at her success and slowly, almost languidly, pulled her shining body up the bed and took her place by the princess’ side. “I take it you were pleased, your majesty.”
Still coming down, Luna could only nod.
Her partner planted a delicate kiss on the goddess’ cheek and lay back to gaze at the starry sky outside the tower’s open ceiling. “Your stars are beautiful, highness. They remind me of my home.”
Luna moved at last, rolling over so that the Crystal Pony was pinned beneath her. “They remind us of thine twinkling silver coat.” She kissed the spot between the violet mare’s eyes. “When it becomes too much to bear for us as we await your return to Canterlot, we lay here, look at the stars, and…”
The visitor from the Crystal Empire felt her own anticipation rising. “And…”
“…we do what we can.” Princess Luna finished, her hoof snaking down Esmeralda’s chest towards its ultimate goal.
Esmeralda hissed as the hoof made contact and smashed her lips against her lover’s in silent passion.
After Luna had finished returning the favor to her latest lover, the pair lay in content quiet side by side on their stomachs. They craned their necks to stare up into the night sky and pondered the mysteries of life and the universe.
Esmeralda could contain herself no longer. It was now or never. “Princess?”
“Hmm?”
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you about.”
Luna looked over to find a concerned look on her lover’s face. “What vexes thee?”
“It’s…” She took a deep breath to gather her strength. It was now or never. “It’s Sombra.”
“That Sombra has plans to seize the Crystal Heart. He intends to enslave the Crystal Ponies and conquer the Empire.”
Luna’s jaw dropped. “These are serious charges, Esmeralda.”
The Crystal Pony looked at the goddess of the night with desperation in her eyes. “Which is why I would not bring them to you unless I was certain that something is going to happen. I’m terrified that my fellow Crystal Ponies and I are in grave danger.”
“What has convinced thee so thoroughly? Ambassador Sombra has always been one of the most trusted members of the court.”
Esmeralda looked to her immortal lover with hooded eyes. “Like you, your majesty, Sombra has a weakness for Crystal Pony flesh. One of his consorts came to me. It seems your trusted ambassador has a bad habit of talking in his sleep.”
Luna chortled.
“You… you don’t believe me, do you?”
Luna rose from the bed and spread her wings. “You must understand, it is not that we do not believe thee. Ambassador Sombra’s record is impeccable. We will need more than simple hearsay of pillow talk.”
Esmeralda looked up at her majestic lover, silhouetted by the very moon and stars she commanded. “If I heard his words myself… would you believe me then?”
Luna considered, then nodded.
“I must ask one thing in return.”
Luna put a hoof beneath the Crystal Pony’s chin and gazed into her eyes. “Anything.”
Esmeralda stared back, steely determination in her emerald eyes. “Sanctuary.”
“From?”
“From him. Keep me safe, I beg of you.”
Touched, and more than a little worried for her lover’s safety, Luna lay back down and surrounded her with her wings. “We shall do everything in our power to protect thee. For forever and a day.”
///////////////////////////////////////
“Poor Esmeralda.” Veritas muttered, stirring the ice in his glass with a hoof. “If only somepony had listened to her sooner.”
Shining Armor put the scroll aside and looked toward the flickering fire-place.
“That affected you, didn’t it?”
“I’m one of the Crystal Empire’s rulers. I’ve felt Sombra’s dark magic.” He raised his glass and sipped. “What happened next?”
“Esmeralda was true to her word. She knew the only way Luna would believe her was if she heard the evil things Sombra spoke of for herself.”
“How did she manage that?”
“Easily. Sombra did indeed have a weakness for Crystal Pony flesh.”
The implication struck Shining Armor. “She seduced him?”
Veritas nodded. “Quite thoroughly, too.” He sighed and levitated the scroll back over to his side. “When Esmeralda next returned to Equestria, she again told Luna of her concerns. This time, Luna believed her enough to take a little stroll through Sombra’s dreams.” He shuddered. “She never revealed what she saw there, but it was enough to convince her that Sombra needed to be removed.”
“They were too late.”
“Indeed. Sombra had already stolen the Crystal Heart and crowned himself king.”
“And when Celestia and Luna sealed him away, he cursed the Crystal Empire and all those within.” A thought occurred to Shining Armor. “I’ve met nearly every Crystal Pony in the empire. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered this Esmeralda.”
“She died.”
“But all the crystal ponies were put into stasis. Why not her?”
“Because she had left the Crystal Empire by then. Her seduction of Sombra left her with a little… souvenir.”
Shining Armor gaped. “A foal?!”
“A son.” Veritas sent the scroll whizzing down the hall and back to the archives. “Esmeralda sought sanctuary in Equestria carrying the spawn of the monster that had subjugated her people. She met a nice unicorn and settled down soon after.”
“Luna never sought her out?”
Veritas shook his head. “Luna never forgave herself for not believing Esmeralda the first time. The shame kept them apart for the rest of Esmeralda’s life.”
“And the foal? Sombra’s son?”
“Grew up and had children of his own. The line is carried on to this day. Their Crystal Pony blood is so diluted that they no longer have the shining coats, but the eyes are a dead-giveaway; a unique mix of Crystal Pony emerald and Sombra’s wicked fire. The old ones had a name for it once. I believe it was ‘ignis ardens intus smaragdus.’”
“What’s it mean?”
“'The emerald fire that burns from within.'”
A cold wind blew from the archives, rustling the two stallion’s manes.
Shining Armor shivered as he reached for the final scroll. “When was this written?”
Veritas was quiet as he stared at the unrolling piece of parchment. “Roughly two weeks before Luna’s banishment.” His glass shook as his concentration wavered, but he quickly corrected himself. “’The Testimony of Nevermore.’”
“Who was he?”
“Luna’s first, and only, student in the magical arts.” Veritas noticed his glass shaking again and set it down before it had a chance to fall. “Remember what I said earlier? About finding out the true history of Equestria?”
Shining Armor nodded.
“Well… you’re about to read the greatest cover-up in Equestrian history; the true reason Luna went mad and attempted to bring about eternal night.”
“Careful, Nevermore.” Princess Luna ordered, watching the levitating orb of water with concern. “You mustn’t allow it to lose consistency.”
The young, dark coated unicorn with an hour-glass cutie-mark did his best to ignore her, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand.
“Easy…easy…”
Nevermore closed his eyes and concentrated. His horn flared to life with the magic within and encompassed the floating sphere of liquid. With a sound like the fall of winter, the sphere became glassy ice, so smooth and round that Luna could see her reflection within.
“Well done, Nevermore.” She exclaimed, clapping her hooves together in delight. “Transmutative magic! Quite the feat indeed.”
Nevermore opened his eyes and surveyed his handiwork. “Thank you, majesty.”
The pair of magical beings gazed upon the flawless sphere, admiring its perfect symmetry, its flawless form…
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”
The voice, warm and silky as sunlight, startled Nevermore. His magic shorted out and the icy sphere fell to the floor and shattered into millions of tiny ice crystals.
Luna turned to face the intruder in the door-way. “Sister! What brings you out at this hour?”
Princess Celestia, the sun goddess herself, stepped into the tower’s antechamber, a small smile on her face. “Just taking a stroll before I take to my bed.” Her gaze fell upon Luna’s young student as she evaporated the ice with the slightest use of her magic. “Making some… magic with your pupil, Luna?”
Luna and Nevermore looked away from each other hurriedly. “Tia, you know that anything like you’re implying would violate the delicate trust between teacher and student.”
“Oh please, Luna. You and Nevermore’s relationship is the second worst kept secret in the kingdom.”
Luna’s blush nearly showed through the darkness of her fur.
The sharp tone in his teacher/lover’s voice made Nevermore shrink.
Celestia laughed and kissed the top of her smaller sister’s head. “You are so adorable when you’re embarrassed, little sister.”
Luna waved her sister’s affections away with a hoof and headed to the other side of the spacious chamber. “What brings you here? To my tower.” She added at the end, trying to put a slight edge into her voice.
“The Summer Sun Celebration is next week. I came to see if you were planning to attend this year.”
Luna snorted. “You ask me every year, Tia. Does my answer ever change?” She looked out the window at the sleeping land below. “A whole festival dedicated to your precious day-light? I will pass, thank you.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Are you still upset that nopony wanted to attend your Full Moon Festival?”
Luna glared daggers at her sister from across the room. “How would you feel if nopony attended your celebration?”
“I would…”
“Every year.”
“Luna…”
“For the past century.”
“Luna, stop acting foalish!”
“I AM NOT ACTING FOALISH!” Luna bellowed, her eyes alight and her power making a strong wind whip through the chamber. “BUT IF THAT’S WHAT YOU WISH, PERHAPS I SHOULD SHOW YOU HOW FOALISH I CAN BE!”
Nevermore bolted across the room and put a hoof around his beloved. “Luna, please calm down…”
The soft words of her lover spoke to the rage in Luna’s heart and quieted it… at least for the time being. Her eyes faded and the winds died. “The answer is still no.” She muttered, looking away.
Celestia nodded sadly and headed for the exit. A thought occurred to her and she looked back at the pair. “And you, Nevermore?”
The black unicorn looked up. “Majesty?”
“Will you be attending the celebration?”
Something in the elder goddess’ eyes, some strange unfathomable warmth, made the answer as natural as breathing. “Of course, your highness.”
Celestia smiled, nodded slightly, and left the chamber.
Once the sound of her hooves on the cobblestones had faded, Luna pulled away from Nevermore and stepped out onto the balcony. “How long?”
Nevermore, not usually this confused this many times in a single evening, cocked his head. “How long what?”
“How long have you been sleeping with my sister?”
Nevermore actually did a double-take. “What in blazes are you…?”
“Oh, please Nevermore. Give me some credit.” Luna looked back at him with a withering gaze. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. It’s the same way you look at me.”
The absurdity of it almost made Nevermore laugh. “Luna… beloved, you’re being paranoid.” Before he’d finished the sentence, his entire body was surrounded by the night goddess’ magic. He felt himself propelled across the chamber and smashed into the wall hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. Luna approached him, her eyes alight… but not the way they usually were. There was something new there.
Something… evil.
“The least you could do is own up to it. I’d hardly be surprised. Is my sister not the most beloved pony in Equestria? Do you think I don’t know that most ponies prefer her to myself? Why should I be surprised that my own lover feels the same way?”
Nevermore felt his chest constricting. “Luna… Luna… I can’t breathe…”
“Her celebration is attended by all. They come near and far for her little party… and yet NOT ONE was there for my own festival. They’d all rather sleep, wasting my beautiful night away and dreaming of her and her sun.” She spat out the last word as though it were a rotten piece of food.
“Luna…”
“Can you name one, Nevermore? One pony who put aside their love for the day to attend my festival? To partake in my gifts? Can you name even one?”
Nevermore’s answer was a gurgled choke.
“What was that?” She asked, drawing closer and releasing her hold ever so slightly.
Her forced his eyes to meet hers and hissed a single word. “Me.”
Something flickered behind Luna’s eyes and her magic faded.
Nevermore landed on the cold stone floor swallowing air as deeply as his lungs would allow.
The light faded from Luna’s eyes and she looked down with concern at her pupil. She reached a hoof out to help him. “Nevermore, are you…?”
He slapped her hoof away and forced himself to his hooves. “Don’t touch me.” He panted as he started for the door.
“Nevermore, I’m sorry.”
Nevermore looked back at the goddess that had stolen his heart. “I’m sorry too. I’m sorry that your jealousy of Celestia has driven you mad. I’m sorry that you never realized how much I’ve given to you.” His eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry I ever gave into you.”
His words hit Luna like a slap to the face. “Nevermore, what are you…?”
“When you chose me as your pupil, I was thrilled. For the first time in my life, somepony made me feel special. And not just anypony; a princess!” His gaze drifted over to the open window and the full moon in the sky. “The first time you seduced me, I thought that the feelings I’d always felt for you were being genuinely returned. Now I see the truth.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “You never loved me at all.”
“That’s not true, Nevermore.”
He glared at her. “Then say it. Let me hear the words from your mouth. Say that you love me.”
Luna opened her mouth, paused, and then closed it again.
Nevermore chuckled darkly and turned to the door once again. “I should’ve known.”
“Nevermore, please don’t do this.”
Despite everything, something in Nevermore’s heart made him pause. “You won’t say you love me? Then beg me to stay.”
The edge in his voice, the commanding tone of it, made some small part of Luna quiver with a pleasure she’d never felt before. “What did you say?”
“Beg me to stay. Or cry that you don’t want to be alone. Say anything that will prove to me that you appreciate me, that you love me. Anything!”
For some reason, in a moment she would reflect upon for the rest of her life, Luna could do nothing. Her tongue remained still, her muscles remained locked.
Her silence was all the answer he needed. “Good-bye Princess Luna. I resign from my position as your student.” He headed for the door. “I’ll find somepony else to complete my studies.”
“Art thou going to bow to us?”
Nevermore froze. She’d spoken to him as though he were a commoner, using the royal ‘us’ and using the old speak. He turned to find her drawn to her full height. She looked down at him with cool detachment. Suppressing the urge to vomit, Nevermore knelt until his forehead touched the floor. “Am I excused, your majesty?”
“Go.”
Not looking at her, Nevermore turned and left the chamber. He heard the door slam shut behind him… and only then did he allow the tears to fall.
His jaw hanging open, Shining Armor let the last testimony fall to the floor.
Veritas snatched it quickly and whisked it back down the hall to its rightful place on the shelves. “Well?”
“So… the uprising… Luna’s banishment… it was all over a stallion?”
Veritas laughed as he observed the now empty bottle he was holding. “What a remarkably simplistic way of looking at things.” He returned the bottle to the cabinet and looked at the other labels. “No. Luna’s paranoia and jealousy had been building for centuries. It began when she lost Esmeralda. Nevermore’s supposed betrayal was merely the proverbial last straw.”
Shining Armor looked to the hooded stallion across from him. “Was it true?”
“Was what true?”
“Was Nevermore sleeping with them both?”
Veritas snorted. “No. Celestia and Luna shared many things, but a lover? Never. In fact, Celestia blamed Nevermore for her sister’s madness and sent guards to arrest him shortly after the banishment of Nightmare Moon.”
“What happened to him?”
“Nopony knows. The guards had him cornered when there was a brilliant flash of light. They said the air smelled of lightning and there was a strange rhythmic hum in the air. When their vision cleared, Nevermore was gone. Nopony ever saw him again.”
“It sounded like Nevermore had a thing for Celestia.”
Veritas laughed. “I think he had a thing for alicorns. In any case, he wasn’t Celestia’s type.”
“So Celestia did have lovers?”
“Of course, but hers were shorter in duration and much fewer and far between. She devoted most of her time to ruling. Her lovers were so secretive that we only know of one.”
“How?” Shining Armor looked down the hall as though he expected another scroll to come floating his way.
“There was a foal.”
Shining Armor’s glass shattered on the floor. “Celestia… had a foal?”
Veritas nodded sagely. “Not that long ago either. Less than a hundred years I believe.”
“Who was the father?”
“He was a simple earth pony in search of a home for his family. Apple farmer, I believe. Married, a foal… who knows what Celestia saw in him.” Veritas lifted the broken pieces of glass and moved them into a nearby waste-basket. “They only shared one night together. In return for his services to the crown, she gave the family a large plot of land right on the edge of the Everfree Forest. Not too long thereafter, the foal arrived.”
“What happened to it?”
“She sent it to the apple farmer for him to raise. She had to. Imagine the scandal if anypony had found out.” Veritas offered the stunned prince a small smile. “To the best of my knowledge, nopony ever found out.”
“Surely somepony would have questioned an alicorn born to earth ponies?”
“She wasn’t an alicorn. She appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be a perfectly normal earth pony. As did her children. And her grandchildren.” Veritas started back towards the archives, beckoning the white unicorn to follow him. “In a little town called Ponyville, there walk earth ponies with the blood of a goddess inside them. And they have no idea at all.”
Veritas looked to the giant clock on the archive’s walls and shook his head. “It appears you’ve kept me up all night. The sun will be rising soon.”
Shining Armor looked to the clock and looked away in embarrassment. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to keep you awake all night.”
Veritas patted the prince’s shoulder and shook his head. “Think nothing of it. I so rarely get company these days. Besides, it’s not every bearer of the Veritas name that gets to meet one of Luna’s lovers.”
Shining Armor started as though he’d been struck by lightning. “How did you…?”
“Please, Shining Armor; how many stallions do you think come looking for the romantic exploits of goddesses?”
Shining Armor sighed in defeat and nodded.
“I take it your wife doesn’t know.”
The young prince shook his head.
Veritas nodded sadly. “I thought as much. That’s the only reason I’m going to show you this.” A heavy book floated from the uppermost shelf and passed into Shining Armor’s magic.
“What is it?”
“One of Princess Luna’s diaries, pre-banishment of course.” Veritas looked uncomfortable for the first time all night. “It’s the last entry that should concern you.”
Confused, but intrigued, Shining opened the book to its final written page.
Veritas watched silence as the stallion read. He watched Shining Armor’s eyes get wider and wider the more he read. When his eyes met the hooded unicorn’s once again, Veritas gestured to the door. “If you hurry, you might catch her before she retires for the day.”
Shining Armor said nothing. He simply passed the book back to Veritas and bolted out of the archives as fast as his hooves would carry him.
Veritas shook his head sadly and went to read the entry for himself once again when a voice all too familiar spoke from above.
“Brother Veritas?”
She wasn’t in the room with him. She was speaking through the false sun she’d gifted to the first Brother Veritas so many years ago. “Yes, Princess Celestia?”
“Have you returned Starswirl’s last spell book to the deeper archives yet?”
“No, your majesty.”
“Good. I have need of it once again. I believe my student is ready for her final test. Please send the book to Ponyville at first light.”
Veritas bowed to the monarch that was not there. “As you wish, your majesty.”
Her presence was gone.
At last alone, Brother Veritas lifted the diary and read its final entry, words that had been written over one thousand years ago.
I thought losing Esmeralda was the worst pain I could ever feel, but Nevermore’s betrayal…
I feel as though my heart has hardened. It’s beyond pain. I feel… nothing.
Nothing but rage.
This is Celestia’s fault, I know it. I have put up with being the lesser sister for far too long. Perhaps the time has finally come for me to show her just how powerful I really am.
But then… perhaps some of the blame falls to me as well.
Nevermore’s words haunt me so… did I love him? Or Esmeralda? Busara? Highwind? Starswirl? Any of them?
Perhaps I must find a different kind of love. Not the shallow, tawdry love I find in the physical act, but something deeper, something truer.
I see the looks that mothers give their foals. It’s a feeling I myself have never known. Perhaps that is where true happiness, where true love lies.
When I am done with Celestia, when this grisly task is complete, maybe my next lover will simply be a means to an end.
He will show me the path to truly knowing what love is.
Veritas thought back to earlier when he’d told Shining Armor of the arrival of the princesses. How their arrival had been foretold in a prophecy.
He had neglected to tell him of Clover the Clever’s final prophecy, the one she gave on her deathbed.
“’The sons of Armor shall go to war.’” He recited from memory. “’One born of loving light, the other of lusting dark. The Apple is the object of their desire… and over it shall Equestria be plunged into darkness for all time.’” He turned to return to his quarters. “Do the right thing, Shining Armor. For all our sakes… do the right thing.”
He found her just as she was about to climb the stairs to her tower. “Luna!”
The princess of the night turned at the sound of his voice and smiled. “Shining Armor! We looked for you earlier. Forgive us, it has been a trying night. We are far too tired to…”
“Is that all I am to you? A means to an end?”
Luna’s raised an eyebrow. “What are you…?”
“I read your diary.”
His words, his tone, made gooseflesh crawl along her back. “Our diary?” She turned her head and peered at him sideways. “You were in the archives.”
Shining Armor nodded.
“And what is the question you want answered?”
“You heard my and Cadance’s announcement?”
Luna laughed mockingly. “We had heard something to that effect. We suppose congratulations are in order.”
“Did you…”
“Did we what?” She cut him off. “Did we intend to use you to father a foal?”
Shaking from the barely controlled storm of emotions inside him, Shining Armor nodded.
“That was our original intention, yes.”
To hear her say it made a cold wave sweep through Shining Armor’s entire being. “And now?”
Luna shrugged. “With you having responsibilities to our niece, we will simply have to find an alternative means.”
Shining Armor cocked his head in confusion. “Does that mean that we… that we’re through?”
Luna offered a wicked smile. “Not if you don’t want us to be. We will simply have to break our one lover policy.”
“But… how could we be so sure that there wouldn’t be a foal?”
Luna stared at him pityingly. “Shining Armor, do you not think that a goddess would know a way to prevent pregnancy if she wished it?”
“I…”
“Of course, if you’d rather we go back to being one big happy extended family, then we’d be fine with that as well. Is that what you want?”
Her words stunned him. Here was his chance at salvation. One word, and his sins would be at an end. He could go back to being simply Cadance’s husband, crown prince of the Crystal Empire. He could be a proud father to the foal that now grew in his wife’s womb. One day, far in the future, he could tell Cadance of his transgressions and proudly tell her that when push came to shove, he gladly chose his family over his lust.
In his heart, he knew the only answer he could give.
“No.”
Luna smiled and crossed the hall-way, joining her lips to his in a slow and loving kiss. “We hoped you might say that.”
“Can you say it to me?”
“Hmmm?”
“You never said it to any of them. Say it to me so that I know that I’m different, not just the next in a long line.”
Luna smiled at him, kissed him again, and leaned in close to his ear. “We loved them all, but we never could say so. You are the first we feel comfortable saying it to. We love you, Shining Armor.”
Her voice melted almost all of his fears. “And you promise there won’t be a foal?”
“We promise. At least… not with you.”
Being so close to her was awakening desire in his heart. Her scent alone was driving him mad. “Are you…tired?”
Luna laughed airily and turned from him. “I could use a nap. Will you be busy around dusk?”
Shining Armor shook his head. “No. Cadance isn’t expecting me back in the empire until tomorrow.”
“Then we will see you at dusk. Get some rest.” She kissed him a final time before mounting the stairs to the tower. “You’ll need it.”
He watched her go. A final nagging doubt tugged at his heart. “No foal? You promise?”
Luna rolled her eyes and called back. “The only foal you need concern yourself with is Cadance’s.”
Shining Armor sighed in relief and turned to head to his own chambers.
The Prince of Sinners trotted down the deserted corridor deep in the castle’s halls, his hoof-falls unwittingly creating a sort of drum roll towards the damnation for which he was surely destined.
And surely deserved.
////////////////////////////////////////////
High in her tower, the princess of the night watched the sun rise. Down below, she watched her lover reach his room and draw the shades closed. She sighed in sadness and drew her own curtains closed.
In the darkness of her sanctum, she brought a hoof to her belly where she could already feel the foal beginning to grow.
“I loved them all, even though I never said it. And I’ve always hated lying to the ones I love.” It was far too early, but she imagined she felt a kick. “Don’t you worry, my little one; I will never lie to you. I’ll never lie to you, never hurt you… and I’ll always be there to protect you.” She lay on her bed, the same bed where she’d lain with a pony she’d promised to protect so many years ago, and felt sleep coming to claim her.
