Gold Wing, the son of a rich noblecolt, lives a life of luxury, where all his needs are fulfilled at the clap of a hoof. But when he loses everything, his life takes an unexpected turn.
Gold Wing, the arrogant son of a rich noble colt who can't do anything for himself, lives a life of luxury, where all his needs are fulfilled at the clap of a hoof. But one very unfortunate day, his mansion is burned down, his parents die in the fire, and he almost loses his life. In one desperate attempt to save himself, he unintentionally summons a beautiful creature who turns his life around.
"Maid! I thought I told you to clean my room!" Gold Wing scolded.
"I-I did clean your r-room, young master…" The maid replied apologetically.
"You call this clean?!" Gold Wing scoffed. He eyed a speck of dirt on the floor of his room. "There's a spot of dirt on the floor!"
"F-forgive me, young master. I'll clean this up right away…" The maid apologized as Gold Wing left the room in a huff.
"Can you believe the servants in this house?! Unbelievable!" Gold Wing thought to himself as he entered his father's study.
Gold Wing's father, White Wing, was reading a letter from Princess Lilac, the young and fragile ruler of Terraria. White Wing's mansion was right outside the capital of Terraria, Floreo. White Wing's wife, Lotus Blossom, was the older cousin of the princess. Princess Lilac wanted to throw a ball for Gold Wing's thirteenth birthday, for she knew how much her cousin loved her son.
"So, what's the ball going to be like, father? What's the palace like? Is it made entirely out of gold? How big is my room going to be? Do they have a crystal bathtub, because I can't survive without one! How many servants do they have? Are they competent at their jobs?" Gold Wing bombarded his father with questions.
White Wing took a deep breath.
"The ball is going to be fun. The palace is exactly 25.69 times larger than our house. No, most of the palace is made of limestone. You room is going to be 20 by 20 square feet. Yes, of course they have a crystal bathtub, they have approximately 10,000 servants, and… What? Why would you ask that?"
Gold Wing's mouth was agape. How could his father reply to all his questions faster than he asked them?!
"Gold Wing! I'm talking to you!" White Wing scolded.
Gold Wing shook his head.
"W-what?"
"Why would you ask that?" White Wing repeated.
"Ask what?" Gold Wing asked, confused.
White Wing sighed.
"Never mind."
Suddenly, the clock struck three.
"Gold Wing, do you have everything packed?" White Wing asked.
"Yes. Everything is packed." Gold Wing replied, a smirk on his face.
"Your mother will meet us at the Amaryllis Palace."
"What's she been doing there anyway?" Gold Wing questioned.
"She's spending some… quality time with her cousin." White Wing replied hesitantly.
Gold Wing raised an eyebrow.
"Well, we should go now." His father said as he stood up. He smiled at Gold Wing and the two of them went to Amaryllis Palace.
Seven days later...
Gold Wing sighed.
"That was fun!" He said on the carriage ride home.
Lotus Blossom giggled.
"Why, because you got a mountain of presents?" She said, smirking.
"No, I bet it's because he got to meet lots of cute mares there!" White Wing laughed.
"Honey!" Lotus Blossom scolded her husband, though she was smiling too.
"Though I can't believe you brought everything! When I asked if you packed everything, I didn't mean everything!" White Wing laughed.
Everypony was laughing, having a great time. Everything in the world was all in order to Gold Wing. But all of that would soon change...
White Wing sniffed the air.
"Does it smell like something is burning to you?"
Lotus Blossom and Gold Wing smelled the air as well.
"Yes, it does. I wonder why." Lotus Blossom questioned.
White Wing froze.
"Oh no."
White Wing, Lotus Blossom, and Gold Wing raced out of the carriage and ran to the front of their mansion, only to see it in flames, with servants rushing out of the burning building to the arms of the cool night air.
"My-my … is in there!" Lotus Blossom cried, mortified.
"Your what?" Gold Wing shouted over the sounds of ponies and wood crackling.
Lotus Blossom tried to run into the burning mansion, but White Wing grabbed his wife's hoof and looked deep into her eyes, both of them breathing heavily.
"You'll get killed!" White Wing pleaded with his wife.
"But I have to save…"
Lotus Blossom smiled at her husband. She wrenched her hoof out of her husband's grasp and raced into the fire.
"LOTUS!" White Wing yelled.
White Wing wanted to run after his wife, but Gold Wing wrapped his hooves around his father.
"Don't go…" Gold Wing pleaded, tears in his eyes.
White Wing stopped. He sighed. The stallion gazed into his son's eyes for last time and ran in after Lotus Blossom, just as the roof of the mansion collapsed and the building exploded.
Gold Wing just stood there, his eyes locked on his home in flames, his legs refusing to move.
"Father… Mother..." Gold Wing stuttered before he fainted and fell to the ground.
When Gold Wing awoke, he found himself chained to table in the middle of a dark room. He couldn't see anything, all he saw was darkness. Where was he? How did he get here? Why was he here in the first place? Suddenly, the room lit up. Gold Wing squinted his eyes. He heard hoofsteps slowly coming closer to him.
"Well, look who he have here." A feminine voice said.
"W-who's there?!" Gold Wing yelled.
A more masculine voice snickered.
Gold Wing slowly opened his eyes. Before him stood a short, cloaked mare wearing a mask. Behind the masked pony was a tall stallion, also wearing a mask. Something about the taller pony gave Gold Wing the shivers. Gold Wing saw that the shorter pony was holding a longsword, with a crest emblazoned on it, but he couldn't make out what it was.
The mare sighed.
"I don't want to kill you, but--"
Gold Wing's heart nearly stopped.
"Kill me?! Why?! What did I do?!" Gold Wing cried.
"You didn't do anyth--"
The stallion coughed.
"Never mind." The mare continued. "Let's just get this over with."
The mare sighed sadly. She raised the sword over Gold Wing's heart.
Gold Wing's eyes widened.
"No!!! Stop!!!" He cried, struggling to break free of his bondages.
The mare looked into Gold Wing's deep, aquamarine eyes. A single tear fell from her eye and landed on Gold Wing's cheek.
"Please… save me…" Gold Wing begged her.
The mare started to cry, her tears falling on Gold Wing's face. The stallion gave her a stern look. Sadly, the mare wiped her eyes. She raised the sword high above her head.
"No!" Gold Wing shouted. "Please, don't--!"
With a sad cry, the mare plunged the sword into Gold Wing's chest, narrowly missing his heart.
Gold Wing cried out in agony, coughing out blood.
The mare still held the sword, which was still in Gold Wing's chest, firm in her grasp. Tears streamed down her face.
"What have you done?!" The stallion reprimanded the mare. "Why didn't you kill him?!"
"H-he's my…" The mare sobbed.
The stallion gave an exasperated sigh.
"I'll just throw him in the cellar. He'll bleed to death."
"B-but--"
The stallion gave the mare a spine-shivering glare. The mare looked at Gold Wing, who was still screaming. She hesitantly took her hooves off of the sword, which disappeared as soon as she let go of it. The stallion took off Gold Wing's chains and pushed him off of the table. Gold Wing cried out.
"Don't--!" The mare implored him.
The stallion glared at the mare again, who lowered her head. The stallion dragged Gold Wing, who was bleeding profusely, down to the cellar and threw him in a cell. He slammed the door as he exited.
"Help!" Gold Wing shouted as loud as he could. "Please!"
Gold Wing banged is hooves against the bars of the cell.
Blood gushed out of Gold Wing's chest. He cried out and fell to the concrete ground of the cellar.
"Help… anypony…" Gold Wing mumbled. "Please… save me…"
Tears of blood streamed down Gold Wing's face. It was all happening so fast. His mansion was destroyed, his parents were dead, and he was about to lose his life for reasons he didn't know why.
"What did I do to deserve this?" Gold Wing whispered weakly. "Why… why did this have to happen?"
More blood continued to bleed out of Gold Wing's chest until he was surrounded by a puddle of crimson red.
"Please… anypony…."
Gold Wing coughed up a gush of blood until his throat hurt.
"SAVE ME!" Gold Wing cried out to the sky.
Suddenly, a bright light filled the room. Gold Wing shielded his eyes. He heard the sound of wings flapping.
"Are you sure you would want anypony to save you? I mean, what if it was creepy homeless dude or a crazy old mare?" A voice said. "Your lucky it's me!"
"W-who are you?" Gold Wing asked, still covering his eyes.
The voice giggled.
"I am an angel."
Gold Wing's heart nearly stopped.
"An angel?!" Gold Wing yelled.
"Well, duh! I just said it, didn't I? Are you deaf of something? The angel joked. "Well, open your eyes! Your not blind, are you?"
Gold Wing slowly opened his eyes. The sight before him nearly took his breath away. Before him stood, or rather floated, a young, beautiful mare with a pure white coat, a long, silver mane, and things he had never seen before: wings and a horn. The mare's horn was surrounded by a beautiful silver glow, and her wings were at least two times larger than herself.
"A-are you here to rescue me?" Gold Wing asked hopefully.
"Well, that depends. Do you want to be rescued?" The angel asked him.
"O-of course I want to!" Gold Wing replied.
"Do you really want to be rescued?" The angel pestered.
"I already said yes!" Gold Wing grumbled.
The angel giggled.
"Is that all you want?" She questioned.
Gold Wing stopped.
"I… can ask for more?"
"I don't know, you ask me!" The angel smiled.
Gold Wing took a deep breath. An angel was asking him what he wanted. He should answer carefully.
"I-I want you to rebuild my mansion, protect from anypony who wants to kill me, and I-I…"
"What else do you want?" The angel asked.
"I want you to take care of me… like my mother and father did..."
The angel was surprised.
"Oh my. Looks like somepony is having separation anxiety." The angel remarked, concerned. She sighed. "Unfortunately, I can't replace your parents, but I can still take care of you. Now, what job would be befitting to take care of a noblecolt like yourself?"
"Not a housekeeper, not a maid, by maybe a--"
"Ah yes! I can be your bodyguard." The angel suggested.
Gold Wing was the one who was surprised this time.
"M-my bodyguard?"
"I don't see any other position that would take care of and protect a pony of high class." The angel reasoned. "Unless you change your mind."
"No!" Gold Wing quickly replied. "I want you to be my bodyguard!"
"That's all you want?" The angel teased.
Gold Wing groaned. But not because he was frustrated, but because of the pain in his chest.
The angel frowned.
"Oh. I'd better fix that…"
The angel pointed her horn at Gold Wing's chest, and it instantly healed, all pain gone.
"Now then, what do you want?"
Gold Wing sighed. He looked deep into the angel's royal blue eyes.
"I want you to be my bodyguard." He said boldly.
The angel giggled.
"Yes, sir!"
The room once again filled with a bright light, and Gold Wing and the angel were gone.
"Yes sir!" A voice echoed through Gold Wing's head.
Gold Wing moaned and turned to his side.
"Yes sir! Yes sir.Yes sir…"
"Gah!" Gold Wing shouted as she sat bolt upright, breathing heavily. "W-what just happened?"
Gold Wing looked around. He was sitting in his queen-sized canopy bed in the middle of his room, which was in his mansion... Gold Wing scratched his head.
"Was all of that just a dream?" Gold Wing questioned.
His heart began to beat faster.
"Does that mean my parents didn't die?!" Gold Wing said hopefully.
He jumped out of his bed and raced out of his room, down the halls.
"I-I just had a nightmare! That's the only explanation!"
His heart filled with hope, Gold Wing ran to the dining room, where his parents usually were at this time. He was almost there, when…
"Ouch!"
Gold Wing fell to the floor. He rubbed his head.
"Watch where you're going, you incompetent--!"
"Why are you awake at this hour, master?" A monotone voice interrupted.
Gold Wing looked up. In front of him was a young, beautiful mare with a pure white coat, a long, silver mane, deep, royal blue eyes, wings, and a horn, who was at least 18 years old. She was wearing a silver blazer, a gray tie, and a long, silver skirt. A sheathe was attached to the waistline of her skirt.
"Ah!" Gold Wing cried as he jumped back. 'W-what are you doing here?!"
"Do you not remember? I made promise." The mare replied emotionlessly. She pointed at the bottom of Gold Wing's right hoof.
Gold Wing raised his hoof and looked at it. To his surprise, two feathered wings were seemingly tattooed on the bottom of his hoof. Gold Wing's heart sank.
"So it was all real…" Gold Wing mumbled, disappointed.
The mare raised an eyebrow.
"Wait a minute…" Gold Wing stopped. "M-my mansion… it's fixed…" He looked at the mare. "H-how?!"
"Did I not say? I made a promise." The mare repeated.
"B-but…" Gold Wing stammered. Did this mare repair an entire mansion in a single night?! "Hold on…"
Gold Wing looked at the mare.
"What happened to your personality?!" Gold Wing asked bluntly.
The mare looked straight at Gold Wing.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, master." She replied blankly.
Gold Wing sighed.
"Really? I mean, you used to be so--"
"Please get off of the floor, master. It is very unbecoming of an earl." The mare insisted as she held out her hoof.
"T-thanks…" Gold Wing mumbled as he took her hoof and stood up.
"Hey, I never got your name! Would you mind telling me what it is?" Gold Wing chirped as he dusted himself off.
"Not at all, master." The mare replied listlessly. "My name is Silver Moon."
"Silver Moon… I like it!" Gold Wing remarked.
"Thank you, master." Silver Moon replied.
Gold Wing shuddered.
"P-please don't call me master." Gold Wing said quietly. "It makes me feel… uncomfortable."
"My deepest apologies, young master." Silver Moon apologized.
"That doesn't really help…" Gold Wing sighed.
Though it wasn't obvious, Silver Moon showed a bit of annoyance with Gold Wing.
"It's breakfast time." Silver Moon notified Gold Wing. "Please enter into the dining room, my lord."
Gold Wing followed Silver Moon. "Well, I guess 'my lord' is as good as it's gonna get. Still, what's up with her personality? When I met her, she was so laid back and funny, and now she's as emotionless as a rock!"
Silver Moon pushed out a chair. Gold Wing sat in it and Silver Moon pushed it in. Having someone do everything for him wasn't weird (Gold Wing practically lived with it every day), but it was weird that an angel was doing it for him.
A waiter brought in a large silver tray, covered by a cloche. He placed the tray in front of Gold Wing. After he left, Silver Moon took off the cover.
"Todays breakfast consists of lightly buttered honey pancakes with fresh blueberries picked this morning, topped with sugar-free whipped cream. Accompanying this dish is a variety of berries grown in Terraria's countryside fields, shipped no less than 12 hours after they were picked, as well as a warm apple cider." Silver Moon announced unenthusiastically.
Gold Wing's mouth was agape. How did she know?!
"T-that's the breakfast that m-mother used to cook w-when it was my birthd-day…" Gold Wing stammered.
"Is it, now?" Silver Moon replied impassively.
Gold Wing's eye's filled with tears. Even if Silver Moon wasn't trying to stand in place of his mother, she had certainly seemed like she was.
To Gold Wing's utmost surprise, Silver Moon put her hoof on his shoulder and smiled at him. Gold Wing was startled at first, but Silver Moon actually made him feel safe, like everything was going to be okay. Gold Wing smiled, wiped his eyes, and began to eat.
Halfway through is meal, Gold Wing came up with a question.
"So, is everything back to normal?" He unsurely asked Silver Moon. "I mean, besides my parents being gone, everything is as it should be, right? All the servants are back and the mansion is as good as new. Life will go on with ease like normal, right Silver Moon?"
"I'm not sure if you'd want to know, my lord." Silver Moon replied, clearly knowing something that he did not.
"Why not?!" Gold Wing demanded.
"I can't say for sure, my lo--"
"Tell me!" Gold Wing shouted, knocking over his plate on cup on the floor in the process, shattering them into pieces.
"Ah!" Gold Wing jumped back, startled.
Silver Moon looked at Gold Wing.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Gold Wing quickly apologized.
"There is no need to apologize, my lord." Silver Moon replied as the broken tableware disappeared with a flick of her horn.
Gold Wing blushed, embarrassed at what he had done, but then he stopped.
"What in Terraria am I doing?! Why did I apologize?! If any other servant was with me, I would have ordered them to clean it up instantly! Why am I acting this way when Silver Moon is around?!" Gold Wing thought. "W-what is she doing to me?!"
Gold Wing ran down to the hallway to his room and locked the door, breathing heavily. He plopped down on his bed, exhausted, despite being awake for barely two hours.
"A-am I going to die?!" Gold Wing thought. " Is my mansion going to get burned down again?! Am I going to get captured by those ponies again, without an angel to come to my rescue?!"
Gold Wing looked out of his window. He saw a beautiful butterfly feeding on an orchid. Suddenly, a giant spider attacked it and ate it up, without a hint of mercy.
"Ugh…" Gold Wing moaned. He opened his eyes and looked at the clock.
"12:20 p.m… I must have fallen asleep…" Gold Wing thought as he rubbed his eyes.
As he stretched his arms, Gold Wing looked at his clothes. He was wearing his night garments.
"Silver Moon must have changed me…" Gold Wing fidgeted, blushing.
He laid back down and pulled the covers tighter.
"Wait a minute. Silver Moon must have tucked me in too…"
Gold Wing bolted upright and pulled off the covers.
"Why, Silver Moon?" Gold Wing sighed.
He looked at his nightstand. There was a tray with a bowl of basil potage, a plate of sliced apples, and a cup of tea on it. "Silver Moon must have prepared lunch for me…"
Gold Wing pushed away the tray. He yawned and sat on the side of his bed. He stared at the two wings on the bottom of his right hoof.
"My bodyguard, huh?"
Gold Wing looked back at the basil potage. He picked up the bowl, revealing a letter with red seal on it. It was the seal of Princess Lilac.
"A letter from the princess?!" Gold Wing yelled, surprised. He hastily ripped the envelope open and took out the piece of paper inside it.
Dear Earl Gold Wing,
Princess Lilac of Terraria has requested your presence at the Amaryllis Palace in Floreo. She desires to speak to you. Please be there at one o'clock sharp.
Sincerely,
Her Highness's butler.
"1 o'clock?! I only have 30 minutes left!" Gold Wing shouted in distress. He dropped the letter and raced out of his room.
"Silver Moon!" Gold Wing called out as he ran down the hallways. "Silver Moon, we need to leave right now! Silver M--"
"Slow down, my lord. You could get hurt." Silver Moon warned Gold Wing.
"Silver Moon!" Gold Wing sighed in relief. "We need to get to…"
Gold Wing looked around.
"H-how did you do that?" Gold Wing stuttered, amazed. He was surrounded by a royal blue aura, which kept him suspended in mid-air.
"Please do not leave your chambers undressed, my lord. It is very uncouth." Silver Moon advised Gold Wing. She lifted Gold Wing into the air and surrounded him in a bright light. When his hooves touched the floor again, Gold Wing was dressed in a suit and tie. "You need to look your best for the princess." Silver Moon remarked.
"Wow… You're amazing, Silver Moon!" Gold Wing complemented as he admired his new clothes. They were so comfortable!
Silver Moon looked at her pocket watch.
"Oh dear. We only have 15 minutes to get to Amaryllis Palace."
"15 minutes?! We'll never make it!" Gold Wing panicked.
"Do not panic, my lord." Silver Moon assured him calmly.
She teleported Gold Wing onto her back.
"Please hold on tight, my lord. Do not let go."
"W-why? What are we going to d-- WHOAH!!!"
Silver Moon raced out of the mansion, spread her wings out, and took to the sky.
"AAAHHH!!!" Gold Wing yelled, shutting his eyes close. He was in the air! Flying!!
At first, Gold Wing was terrified. But after feeling the cool afternoon breeze flow through his mane, he found that he actually enjoyed the air. Gold Wing slowly opened his eyes. What he saw was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen: Below him were miles and miles of flat, green fields, clear blue rivers, and lush forests. He had seen all of these things almost everyday, for the garden contained all of these things, but never from a bird's-eye view. It was all so beautiful. Gold Wing reached out to touch it when…
"SILVER MOON!" Gold Wing cried out. "HELP!"
He was free-falling through the air, frantically waving his hooves around. He would hit the ground in about ten seconds.
"Good grief." Silver Moon sighed, shaking her head. She flew down to the ground as fast as she could. Just before Gold Wing crashed into the earth, Silver Moon scooped him up in her arms and continued to fly to Amaryllis Palace.
"I told you to hold on, my lord! Please do not let go next time." Silver Moon scolded him as she flew towards the capital Floreo.
After what seemed for forever, Silver Moon landed at front gates of Amaryllis Palace, with five minutes to spare. She gently set down a trembling Gold Wing on the ground once more.
"T-that *gasp* was *gasp* crazy *gasp*…" Gold Wing huffed.
"My apologies for the inconvenience, my lord." Silver Moon said flatly.
After catching his breath and brushing himself off, Gold Wing looked at the golden gates looming over him.
"Just three days ago, I was inside, having the best time of my life…"
"My lord, for the sake of your safety, I have put on a disguise." Silver Moon explained. She no longer had a horn and wings, and her once long, silver mane was now deep, royal blue, tied up in a ponytail.
"W-whoa! How did you do that?!" Gold Wing questioned, amazed.
"We must hurry, my lord. We only have three minutes left." Silver Moon declared.
The guards at the front opened the gates for them. Once Gold Wing and Silver Moon walked into the main hall of the palace, a stallion with a black mane and a gray coat greeted them. He was clothed in all black.
"Welcome to Amaryllis Palace, Earl Gold Wing. My name is Black Feather." The stallion greeted them. "I am Her Highness's personal attendant. The princess had been expecting you. Please follow me to the throne room."
"Thank you, Black Feather." Gold Wing replied. Something about that stallion gave him the shudders, but he couldn't quite put his hoof on it.
Behind Gold Wing, Silver Moon got ready to draw her sword.
"What is he doing here?" She wondered.
Just outside the doors to the throne room, Black Feather stopped.
"Please wait out here so I can properly announce your arrival." Black Feather said as he slipped into the throne room.
"What do you think the princess wants to talk about?" Gold Wing asked Silver Moon nervously.
Silver Moon had a slightly worried look on her face.
"W-what's wrong, Silver Moon?"
"You don't need to worry about anything, my lord." Silver Moon assured Gold Wing.
"If you say so…"
Gold Wing heard trumpets play a fanfare, and the doors to the throne room swung open.
"Announcing the Earl Gold Wing, son of the Earl White Wing and the Duchess Lotus Blossom!"
Gold Wing and Silver Moon walked down the red carpet to the royal throne, where Princess Lilac was seated. She had a nervous look on her face. Gold Wing bowed before the princess, while Silver Moon only tilted her head. Black Feather frowned at Silver Moon as Gold Wing stood up.
"W-welcome, Gold Wing." Princess Lilac welcomed him. "I find that your trip here was comfortable?"
"Yes, it was very… special." Gold Wing replied, holding in his laughter.
"Was it now?"
"Yes, very."
"There's something I want to ask of you, Gold Wing." The princess said.
"And what might that be?" Gold Wing replied curiously.
Princess Lilac glanced at Black Feather. He nodded. Lilac took a deep breathe.
"Your father, the previous earl, acted as the… protector, per say, of Terraria and its people. Of course, before he was betrothed to your mother." The princess explained. "As he is deceased and is no longer the protector of Terraria, I thought that it would be fitting for his son to take his place. What I'm asking you is if you'll be Terraria's protector."
"What will this job include?" Gold Wing asked the princess.
"If I receive any reports of any aberrations in the safety of my subjects, I will contact you. You will see to it that everything is resolved and report back to me."
"That is all?"
"Yes."
"Then…" Gold Wing stopped. He didn't really feel like going around Terraria resolving conflicts that weren't his problem, in fact, he loathed doing any work at all. However, he saw no reason not to. Sure, it would be uncomfortable and maybe even dangerous, but what's the worst that could happen? It's not like Terraria would be in danger every other day. Besides, he had Silver Moon by his side. She would never let him get hurt, much less a scratch, right? Silver Moon could just do all the resolving for him. Plus, he could avoid doing all the paperwork assigned to him as the new earl. It's a win-win! Terraria is safe, and he doesn't have to do any work! Gold Wing saw the clear answer.
"I humbly accept, your highness."
Princess Lilac sighed in relief.
"Thank you, Gold Wing." The princess smiled.
The guards opened the throne room doors.
"That is all. You may leave now."
Gold Wing bowed before Princess Lilac again.
"Thank you, your highness." He said as he turned to leave. "Let's go, Silver Moon."
As Gold Wing headed toward the door, Silver Moon went up to Black Feather.
"You had better not be planning to hurt my young master, shadow." Silver Moon threatened him.
"Oh, we are planning much more." Black Feather replied slyly.
"Silver Moon, come on!" Gold Wing called out.
"My apologies, my lord." Silver Moon said as she turned to leave. She glared at Black Feather, was glaring right back at her. As she and Gold Wing left Amaryllis Palace, Silver Moon gripped her sheathed sword anxiously, prepared for the dangers ahead.
It was about one week after the meeting with Princess Lilac. Other than Silver Moon acting a little more cautious than usual, everything was going normally. Gold Wing was getting spoiled left and right by Silver Moon, while Silver Moon was running around, effortlessly keeping the mansion in perfect condition simultaneously. Floors swept, lunch made, tea prepared, everything in order. However, the normality wouldn't last long…
Silver Moon knocked on the door to Gold Wing's study.
"What is it now?" Gold Wing grumbled.
Silver Moon entered the room to see Gold Wing's desk filled with caramel wrappers.
"I'm in the middle of deciding the best kind of caramel!"
Silver Moon wanted to sigh, but she refrained from doing so.
"Forgive me for interrupting, my lord, but a report from Princess Lilac has just arrived." Silver Moon said as she made all the caramel wrappers disappear.
"Oh, a letter from the princess?" Gold Wing exclaimed excitedly. "Lemme see it!"
Silver Moon placed the letter in front of Gold Wing. He ripped open the envelope and took out the letter.
Dear Earl Gold Wing,
I have received reports of young fillies between the ages of 10 and 16 disappearing in the city of Irisia. Please investigate at once and report back to me.
From the desk of,
Her Highness, Princess Lilac of Terraria.
Gold Wing groaned.
"I don't wanna go to Irisia! It'll be so much work…" Gold Wing complained.
"My lord, you are aware that I am able to do everything for you, are you not?" Silver Moon asked.
"I know, I know. But still…"
"Then what do you propose we do, my lord?"
Gold Wing sighed. I guess he had to. He couldn't disobey the orders of the princess. Besides, he had already thought this through.
Gold Wing stood up.
"Let's go…" He declared unenthusiastically.
"I hate getting pushed around by these filthy commoners!" Gold Wing groaned. "They should be thankful that I'm bothering to come to their city at all!"
Once Gold Wing had arrived in Irisia, he went around (saying that he was capable of at least doing that), asking if anypony knew anything about the case. Unfortunately, no one knew that Gold Wing was a noblecolt, so they mocked him, questioning why they should bother helping a bratty foal.
"Irisia may be the city of beauty, but the ponies' hearts are as ugly as donkeys!" Gold Wing complained.
Silver Moon raised an eyebrow.
"Then would you like me to force the words out of 'these filthy commoners', my lord?"
"You can do that?" Gold Wing asked excitedly.
"If you order me to do so, I shall carry out your orders without fail."
Gold Wing smirked.
"Then I order you to get me some information! And also cotton candy."
"Yes, my lord." Silver Moon replied as she left.
About five minutes later, Silver Moon returned with a long scroll and cotton candy in her hooves.
"Wow, that was fast!" Gold Wing exclaimed.
"I have collected information about 100 cases of young fillies disappearing, 10 witness accounts, and Irisia's homemade cotton candy."
"All in five minutes?!"
Silver Moon nodded. Gold Wing grabbed the cotton candy out of Silver Moon's hooves.
"I have found that all of the fillies that have disappeared have something in common. They all have very colorful coats and manes. Fillies with grayish colors have not been taken."
"Uh-huh." Gold Wing said blankly as he chewed down on his cotton candy.
Silver Moon sighed.
"We'll go find the culprit later." Gold Wing said. "I'm busy right n--"
Suddenly, a little colt tugged on Gold Wing's tail.
"What?!" Gold Wing shouted as he whipped around.
The little colt was taken aback.
"U-um… well… m-my big s-sister d-disap-peared last n-night… a-and I-I…"
The little colt burst into tears.
Gold Wing groaned.
"I don't care ab--!"
Suddenly, Gold Wing felt a great pain in his head. He clasped his head with his hooves.
"AAHH!" He shouted as he fell to the ground.
What was happening?! Why did he feel so much pain?!
The little colt gasped. With fear in his eyes, he ran away, not looking back.
"Master!" Silver Moon yelled.
"S-silver M-moo…" Gold Wing mumbled, his vision blurry. He saw Silver Moon unsheathing her sword before everything went black.
"You can't catch me, Gold Wing!" A voice called out cheerily.
Gold Wing opened his eyes. Where was he? What was happening to him? Where did the voice come from? Why did he have so many questions?!
"I will, just you wait!"
In front of Gold Wing was a little filly and a little colt, chasing after each other in a voluminous garden. The filly had a white coat and a lavender mane, while the little colt had a white coat and a golden mane… Gold Wing stared at the little colt chasing after the filly. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
"H-he looks like me!"
Where and when did this happen? Who was the filly he was chasing? Why didn't he remember any of this? Gold Wing looked at the filly running around, just out of his reach.
"Wait a minute. That looks a lot like Princess Li-"
"Master, wake up!" A voice called out.
Gold Wing stopped.
"Th-that's Silver Moon!"
Gold Wing blinked, and he suddenly found himself in Silver Moon's arms. They were in a back alley.
"S-silver Moon!" Gold Wing exclaimed.
Silver Moon looked at Gold Wing.
"You're awake, master." She said blankly.
The two stared at each other awkwardly, neither of them saying a word.
Gold Wing frowned.
"I thought I told you not to call me 'Master'!"
Silver Moon blinked.
"My apologies, my lord."
Silver Moon set Gold Wing back on the ground. Gold Wing shook his head.
"I guess we should start looking for the culprit now… We've been dilly-dallying long enough."
Silver Moon nodded.
"Well that was awkward…" Gold Wing thought to himself as they exited the alley.
"So the only colorful filly who hasn't been captured is… Colorful Skies?" Gold Wing asked as he leaned back in his chair, looking out the window of the café.
"Yes." Silver Moon replied as she poured Gold Wing tea. "She is called by the Irisians 'the most beautiful mare in Terraria'. She is also the richest, besides Her Highness and yourself, of course. She is holding a birthday party for her 16th birthday."
Gold Wing sighed.
"And we're invited…" He groaned. "I hate parties not celebrating me!"
Silver Moon raised an eyebrow.
"I also hate… her…" Gold Wing shuddered. "It gives me the chills just thinking about it…"
"She is your betrothed, is she not?" Silver Moon questioned.
"Yes, from birth. Unfortunately. She's so sassy and demanding! She expects me to be this 'gentlecolt' who always follows her around doing stuff for her! I'm higher than her on the social scale for pete's sake!" Gold Wing ranted. "She's absolutely nothing like me!"
Silver Moon snickered. Gold Wing didn't hear it.
"UGH! WHY?!" He complained, nearly knocking over his teacup.
Silver Moon shook her head.
"I guess I'll have to endure it." Gold Wing sighed. "I don't even know why anymore… Paperwork? No..."
"For the sake of Terraria?" Silver Moon offered.
"Fine. Whatever. Let's just go with that."
Gold Wing sighed.
"For the sake of Terraria."
"Announcing the Grand Earl Gold Wing of Terraria!"
As the fanfare played, Gold Wing entered the ballroom, Silver Moon beside him. He sighed.
"When is she gonna come out?!" Gold Wing grumbled as he slouched in his chair at the 'Guest of Honor' table. "I've been waiting for like..." Gold Wing looked at the clock. "A whole ten minutes!"
Gold Wing groaned.
"Forgive me for saying so, my lord, but ladies need an adequate amount of time before they are able to present themselves before the public of their own volition." Silver Moon informed him.
"Why are we here anyway?!"
Silver Moon sighed.
"Colorful Skies is the last pony on the target list. The culprit will most likely strike tonight. We are to catch the culprit, bring her to justice, and report back the Princess Lilac."
Gold Wing eyed Silver Moon suspiciously.
"How do you know the culprit is a mare?"
"Just a guess, my lord."
"Anyway, if Colorful Skies isn't out in the next ten minutes, I'll--"
Suddenly the fanfare played. The announcer cleared his throat.
"Announcing Lady Colorful Skies, the most beautiful mare in all of Terraria!"
Colorful Skies entered the ballroom wearing a sparkling blue dress, complementing her orange coat and rainbow mane.
"Gold Wing! Earl Gold Wing, where are you?!" She yelled.
Gold Wing slapped his forehead.
"Great…" Gold Wing mumbled as he sank in his seat. He sighed and covered his face. "And so it begins…"
"Do not worry, my lord. I will make sure that Lady Skies does not harass you too much." Silver Moon assured him.
"Gold Wing! I'm gonna find you!" Colorful Skies shouted through the crowd. "Gold W--"
Suddenly, the lights went out. Gold Wing heard screams, shrieks, and glass shattering. He bolted upright in his chair.
"W-what's happening?!" Gold Wing yelled. He grabbed Silver Moon's hoof.
Silver Moon looked out the window. She saw something move around in the shadows. She turned to Gold Wing.
"My lord, please hold on tight. Do not let go."
Silver Moon squeezed Gold Wing's hoof.
"And I mean it."
In a back alley in the middle of Irisia, a cloaked pony laid a bound and gagged Colorful Skies on the ground.
"My, my! You're such a beautiful young mare!" The pony said. "Too bad nopony will ever see you again."
"Mmph!" Colorful Skies said through her gag. She struggled to break free of the ropes that bound her.
"Don't bother struggling. Those ropes are magical."
Colorful Skies stopped.
"Now then, time to get to business."
The pony threw back her hood. Under the cloak was a beautiful mare with an off-white coat, a long, silver and red mane, deep jade eyes, and a horn. The mare smirked, and her jade eyes glowed. She summoned up a dagger and aimed it at Colorful Skies' heart. She was about to plunge it into Colorful Skies when Silver Moon swooped down from the sky and landed in front of the mare, with a fainted Gold Wing in her arms. Once she landed, Silver Moon laid Gold Wing on the ground.
"I never thought I'd see you again…" Silver Moon said with a sad laugh.
The mare up looked Silver Moon, smirking, her jade eyes glowing even brighter.
"Blood Moon."
The mare gave a sinister laugh.
"What brings you to this slovenly world, Silver Moon?" Blood Moon scorned. "Found another master to disappoint?"
Silver Moon grit her teeth.
"What are you doing here, Blood Moon? Done pouting about your banishment?"
Blood Moon snickered.
"I'm surprised you even had the nerve to return to this world!"
Silver Moon frowned. She charged after Blood Moon, but was frozen in midair by Blood Moon's magic.
"What's wrong, Silver Moon? Don't wanna use your magic?" Blood Moon mocked.
Silver Moon scowled.
"Why are you doing this?!" Silver Moon yelled.
Blood Moon laughed.
"Great. So now I'm the exposition dump."
"Ugh…" Gold Wing moaned as he sat up, rubbing his head.
Blood Moon eyed Gold Wing, smirking.
"I just had the craziest dream that Silver Moon was carrying me and we were flying and…"
Gold Wing looked at the spectacle before his eyes.
"Oh…"
Blood Moon snickered.
"Look who we have here."
"W-who are you?!"
Blood Moon laughed.
"Poor Gold Wing. Poor, naïve Gold Wing. You have no idea what's at stake here, do you?"
"I-I…" Gold Wing stuttered. "How did she know my name? Why is Silver Moon acting so helpless? Can't she just blast this deranged mare out of existence?!"
"Well, no matter. I'll end you, just as I did with all the other young mares!"
Gold Wing stepped back.
"No, I have a better idea." Blood Moon cooed, smirking. "l'll make you watch your beloved Colorful Skies die, and then I'll kill you!"
"No!" Gold Wing cried.
"But first…"
Blood Moon glanced back at Silver Moon.
"Time to deal with you!"
"B-but Silver Moon's an angel! She can't die at the hooves of you…" Gold Wing murmured. He turned to Silver Moon. "R-right?"
"You really don't know anything, do you, Gold Wing?"
Blood Moon threw Silver Moon against the brick alley wall, still frozen in her magic. Blood Moon cornered Silver Moon against the wall. She summoned a sword and put it to Silver Moon's shoulder. Blood Moon slit Silver Moon's shoulder, and a drop of blood spilled out. Silver Moon winced.
"It's so much more fun to see it hurt just a little." Blood Moon snickered.
"Silver Moon!" Gold Wing cried. He didn't want Silver Moon to die! He didn't want to lose anypony else close to him! But why was that other pony able to harm Silver Moon? Silver Moon was an angel…
"M-my lord! F-free Miss Skies!" Silver Moon called out. Blood Moon was too focused on making Silver Moon feel pain to stop Silver Moon from talking.
"B-but what about you?! Why aren't you fighting back?!" Gold Wing demanded. He felt tears swelling up in his eyes. Why was he feeling this way toward a servant? That's what Silver Moon was. His servant. His bodyguard. ...Or was she more than that?
"Miss Skies is out priority right now. Don't think about what's going to happen to me. I am just your servant."
Gold Wing looked intently at Silver Moon. Her arm was half cut off, yet she told him to not worry about her? Gold Wing shook his head. Silver Moon was right. He needed to free Colorful Skies. He would just have to trust Silver Moon to defeat Blood Moon so they could rescue the other young mares.
Gold Wing ran over to Colorful Skies, still bound and gagged. He tried to untie the ropes, but there seemed to be a magical seal preventing him from untying it.
"Mmph mmph!" Colorful Skies yelled through her gag.
"What is it?!"
Gold Wing tried to take off her gag, but it too wouldn't come off.
"Stupid magic."
"Mmph mmph!" Colorful Skies shouted again.
"I can't understand you!"
Unbeknownst to Gold Wing, while he was trying to free Colorful Skies from her bonds, Blood Moon held up a dagger, aimed for his heart from the back.
"My lord!" Silver Moon cried.
"What?!" Gold Wing shouted. He turned around to see a dagger flying at him. Gold Wing shut is eyes and braced himself. But when he opened his eyes, Silver Moon stood in front of him, impaled with Blood Moon's dagger.
...He turned around to see a dagger flying at him. Gold Wing shut is eyes and braced himself. But when he opened his eyes, Silver Moon stood in front of him, impaled with Blood Moon's dagger.
"Silver Moon!!" Gold Wing cried, falling to his knees.
Gold Wing saw blood pouring out of Silver Moon's chest. He looked over to Blood Moon. Silver Moon's left arm was laying in front of her. Tears started falling from his eyes. Gold Wing tried to stop it, but the tears just kept falling. Why was he crying? He wasn't sad, was he? Silver Moon was a servant. She was angel. She had made a promise. She wouldn't die so easily…
"You really don't know anything, do you, Gold Wing?"
"That's right… Blood Moon had said…" Gold Wing murmured. He looked at Silver Moon. She was… still standing?! Gold Wing wiped the tears from his eyes.
Silver Moon took the dagger out of chest and threw it on the ground.
"S-silver Moon?" Gold Wing stammered, his heart hammering.
"You would dare hurt my young master?" Silver Moon whispered, glaring at Blood Moon.
Blood Moon starting laughing hysterically.
"You would actually risk your life for that colt?!"
Silver Moon kept glaring at Blood Moon.
"Silver Moon…" Gold Wing murmured.
"My lord, order me to capture Blood Moon."
"W-what?"
"If you order me to do so, I shall carry it out without fail."
"That's right… Silver Moon will carry my orders without fail…" Gold Wing remembered. He shook his head.
"B-but what about you?! You were impaled with a dagger, and your left arm got dismembered!" Gold Wing protested as tears started falling from his eyes.
"My lord?"
"I-I don't w-want you to g-get hurt-t…." Gold Wing sobbed.
Silver Moon knelt down in front of Gold Wing.
"I--"
Silver Moon embraced Gold Wing in a hug.
"...Silver Moon?"
"Never worry about me, my lord. I am just your servant. A tool. You never worry about your tools, do you?"
"B-but…"
Silver Moon looked Gold Wing in the eye.
"Never worry about me. Do you understand?"
Gold Wing nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes. He turned to Silver Moon.
"Wait, where did Blood Moon go?" Gold Wing asked.
Gold Wing heard someone tapping on glass.
"That was nice and all, but how long are you going to stay in that bubble?" Blood Moon asked, her voice muffled.
Gold Wing looked around him. He and Silver Moon were in a glass dome that apparently had kept Blood Moon at bay for the time being.
"How…?"
"My lord."
"Right."
Gold Wing took a deep breathe. He turned to Silver Moon.
"Silver Moon, I order you to capture Blood Moon!"
"Yes, my lord."
Silver Moon passed through the glass as if it was air, leaving Gold Wing to spectate the battle.
"Oh, getting serious now, are we?" Blood Moon taunted.
Blood Moon fired multiple spells at Silver Moon, but she dodged them all. Silver Moon tackled Blood Moon, knocking her to the ground. Blood Moon attempted to stab Silver Moon with her horn, but she flipped Blood Moon onto her stomach.
It was a week after the incident with Blood Moon. Things had pretty much returned to normal, other than Gold Wing having recurring dreams about the fight. Gold Wing was curious about Silver Moon's relationship with Blood Moon, but whenever he asked about it, Silver Moon went quiet. Gold Wing decided that is was best if didn't ask. However, Gold Wing had some questions to ask Silver Moon, but he wasn't so prepared for the answers.
"You really don't know anything, do you, Gold Wing?"
Silver Moon opened the blinds on the window's of Gold Wing's room, letting a flood of sunlight enter the room.
"Good morning, my lord. It's time to wake up."
Gold Wing groaned, covering his eyes.
"Five more… hmm… hours…" Gold Wing mumbled, turning on his side.
"Forgive me, my lord, but you have a very busy schedule today. You must get ready now if you do not want to fall behind schedule." Silver Moon explained as she propped Gold Wing against the headboard, making him sit up.
Gold Wing groaned again.
"…What's with all the things happening lately? I thought I would just have to do stuff, like, once a month…"
"Well, my lord, since the incident that occurred last week, ponies have acknowledged you as an authentic noblecolt. So now, they are treating you like one. Business proposals, company deals, meetings about the economy and such."
"I never signed up for this…" Gold Wing complained, laying back down, only to have Silver Moon prop him back up again.
"I insist, my lord, that you get ready. You are becoming a fine young noblecolt, after all. It would be uncouth if you did otherwise."
"…What do I have to do today?"
"After breakfast, you have meeting with the local noblecolts talking about a classified topic. That will most likely take most of the morning." Silver Moon explained as she poured Gold Wing some tea. "You have lunch with the governor of the Hoofman Estates. After that, you will have meeting with other noblecolts, about business proposals. They assume that you will squander your resources on their endeavors because you are young and naïve, but…" Silver Moon trailed off.
Gold Wing was staring at Silver Moon's arm, which was in a sling, ever since the battle.
"...Is your arm okay, Silver Moon?"
"I assure you, my lord, it is fine. You can stop asking. Although, I will not lie, it is still a little sore…"
"A little sore, huh?" Gold Wing questioned skeptically.
"Anyway, we will discuss more of this at breakfast." Silver Moon said as she helped Gold Wing out of bed after he had finished his tea.
"Allow me, my lord." Silver Moon insisted after Gold Wing attempted and failed to put on a neck tie.
As Silver Moon was tying his tie, Gold Wing noticed that her hoof was shaking ever so slightly.
"Hmm…"
"After you, my lord." Silver Moon said, opening the door after she completed tying Gold Wing's tie.
"Today's breakfast includes freshly baked buttermilk biscuits and organic strawberry jam, complemented by hoof-squeezed apple juice."
Gold Wing ate his breakfast in silence. Ever since a week ago, things had been awkward (or more awkward) between him and Silver Moon. Gold Wing admitted and acknowledged that he was shy around Silver Moon. He still didn't know why, but at least he wasn't running to his room and locking himself in there anymore.
Suddenly, a question popped up in Gold Wing's mind.
"Hey, Silver Moon."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Do you know who tried to kill me? Before you appeared, a mare and a stallion attempted to kill me, but the mare spared me. Do you know who they are? I mean, I assumed you might know since you knew the culprit was a mare, unless that was entirely a coincidence, but…." Gold Wing asked quickly.
"Unfortunately, I do not, my lord."
Gold Wing's heart sank a little.
"Oh…"
"My apologies, my lord."
"It's fine, it's fine."
Gold Wing looked at Silver Moon.
"…Then will you help me find out who they are?
Silver Moon blinked.
"Are you ordering me to?"
"Yes. "
Gold Wing stood before Silver Moon.
"I order you to help my find who my attempted murderers are."
"Yes, my lord."
Gold Wing sat down. He continued to eat his breakfast, but the atmosphere had changed. He was on a mission. To find the ponies who tried to kill him. (Though it was a bit rushed, it had been at the back of is mind for a while.) But something was a little off...
"…Hey, Silver Moon."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Can I ask you a question? Like, a serious one?"
"You can ask me anything, my lord."
"…Why are you doing this?"
Silver Moon was startled.
"What do you mean, my lord?"
"Like, why did you get your arm cut off for me? Why are you helping me? Is it just because I ordered you to? But why would you follow my orders in the first place? Just because I told you to, back in the dungeon? There has to be a better reason, right?"
Silver Moon was silent for a while.
"Maybe I shouldn't have asked..."
"My lord…"
"Yes?" Gold Wing said as his heart began to race.
"Forgive me for saying so, but did you really think I would do all of this without getting something in return?"
Gold Wing froze.
"W-what…?"
Gold Wing's thoughts were racing. Silver Moon was getting something in return? She never told him about it, did she? Or was he not paying attention when she told him? Was Silver Moon just in it for the reward? What did he have to give Silver Moon after she helped him? Was she going to take his soul?!
"I-I don't understand…"
Silver Moon gave a tiny smile to Gold Wing. However, it was a sad one.
"Do not worry, my lord. I will not leave you as long as the mark on your hoof remains."
Gold Wing looked at the pair of gold wings on his hoof.
"And you will not be paying me for my services."
"Then who will?"
Silver Moon went silent again.
"That pony ordered me to never reveal their identity to you."
"Wait, somepony else ordered you?"
"I'm afraid so, my lord."
"Forever?"
"That is correct."
"…Will you tell me if I order you to?" Gold Wing asked.
Silver Moon went quiet once again.
"What's up with her hesitating to obey me?" Gold Wing thought.
Silver Moon looked at her pocket watch.
"My my. We must go now to the House of Noblecolts. It is almost time for the meeting."
"But you didn't answer my--"
Before Gold Wing could finish his sentence, Silver Moon scooped him onto her back and raced out of the door.
