Greetings after a rather long period of no contact, dear Readers.

So first off, I did say I'd be continuing to write. As you're no doubt aware, it has been several months since my last update. Honestly, I really wanted to get back into posting sooner, but...

I wasn't happy with what I was writing. My first couple attempts with getting thought to text went abysmally, and I hit writers block quite a few times during the whole process. But eventually, a friend of mine pointed out that banging my head against the wall wouldn't help matters.

So I took a bit of a break.

Couldn't think of a way to convey that to my readers (And seeing people still favoriting my stories still brought back the urge) but I was on a extended break. And when I came back, it was a lot easier to write more. Posting? Eh, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. To all those wondering when I'd return, I'm back. To all those who are just now stumbling across this story, go read the others! If you want to. Not forcing or anything. But I said I'd keep going, and I meant it!

As so, that brings us to the firstchapter of the third (and probably final) arc of the 'Lunar' series:

The Light in the Stars

Chapter 1: The Wolf Princess's Smile

Birthday parties varied from small gatherings of close friends and families to extravagant parties where anyone who was anybody was welcome to come. This… was the latter. The nineteenth birthday of Duchess Penelope Goldthread of Trottingham was met with ridiculous fanfare and visits from lords and ladies from all over Equestria had come to see and be seen in the company of the young Duchess. Networking was the first thought on many of their minds, for the young woman was currently the owner of one of the largest textile empires in the region, and many important figures were present. Even as they served the birthday cake, deals were being cut all over the hall.

Penelope, a golden furred Equestrian with dirty blonde hair that fell past her shoulders in soft gentle curls, sat quietly at the head table of her birthday party, listening to another merchant lord trying to get in her good graces for better deals. She was absolutely, painfully bored, and was doing her best to not fall asleep right into the slice of cake on her plate. Something had to happen soon, or she would call this whole charade off in favor of getting back to business—she was her father's daughter after all, and hard work was worthwhile work. But before she could tell the merchant she wasn't in the market for more cheap labor, she heard the doorman speak up to introduce new arrivals to the party. The few gasps of shock she heard beforehand clued her in to that something interesting was finally about to happen.

"P-Presenting: Princess Aurora Dawn Winter and her companion, Seer Accord of the Stoneborn!"

Eyes went to the door in surprise, shock, and immediate interest. There was a bit of motion, and then the crowd of onlookers and rubberneckers parted to reveal a quartet of pale furred Equestrians that were shorter than Penelope was used to, with uncanny glowing pale yellow eyes and various gemstones set in their foreheads. They were clad in expertly crafted metal armor akin to dragon scales and wore silver cloaks held closed by silver wolf head clasps. They carried no weapons, but the solemn strength they radiated made a number of the Trottingham elite back away. They marched out in formation, fanning out to a rough semicircle before standing at attention with their arms folded behind their backs. Silence held sway for a moment, before a slight laugh came from the open double doors of the feasting hall. "…Way to make a statement, Alloy."

One of the four silver cloaked guards smirked, turning to the door. "We do our best, Wolf Princess."

A silent gasp rolled through the crowd as a tall, slender, and well-built young woman in silver strode into the hall like she owned the place. Her dark violet fur only served to highlight her sky blue hair tied in a half ponytail with her bangs left to frame piercing silver eyes. One strand of her hair was a bright pink, and had a silver ring clipped around it. A spiraled horn parted her bangs and a pair of wings made it immediately apparent that she was an Alicorn, what was generally considered the Royal race of Equestria. Her dress was simple yet refined, and she wore a simple silver ribbon in her hair. The sky blue locks fell down to her waist, tied again near the end so it wasn't all over the place. She also wore a necklace that sported a half moon on it about her neck. Upon seeing all the looks being sent her way, she frowned. "…Did I interrupt something?"

"I believe you were… unexpected, my lady," a second, more worldly yet just as young voice said with the hint of a laugh. Eyes went back to the door as another young white furred Equestrian came following after her, her white dress pristine and calming in just it's appearance alone. A brilliant opal was centered in her forehead, just visible over the very elegant sunglasses she wore. Hanging from her head was a veritable curtain of black braids, held away from her face by a simple circlet. "I believe they no doubt expected your sister."

Aurora sniffed. "This is more Ancè's cup of tea, isn't it…?"

"Indeed."

The young woman shrugged, and her silver eyes traced across the room, alighting on Penelope. With a small smile, she strode confidently across the hall to stand before the young Duchess. Penelope had stood up almost reflexively, a confused look on her face as she realized she was both afraid and in awe of this woman that had in the span of a minute seized the attention of everyone in the room. Aurora grinned at the Duchess. "Duchess Penelope?"

It took the blonde a moment to answer. "Er… yes?"

"Oh, hi! You're a lot prettier in person. Alloy?" She gestured to one of her guards, who came forward with a small box. "Ancè reminded me that since it's a birthday party, I should bring a gift, so…"

Alloy placed the box on the table, bowing slightly and backing away. Penelope glanced at Aurora, who simply smiled. With that she opened the box. Inside were a number of assorted candies, from mints and chocolates to other kinds of sweets. Penelope blinked. "Candy?"

"From a candy shop in Stonehearth called Chaotic Confections," Aurora explained, pointing to the donut shaped like an eight pointed star on the side of the box. "My dad and the owner are good friends, so I can get candy for free!"

"Why… thank you," Penelope said, smiling. "I do honestly have a ferocious sweet tooth, but I haven't had the chance to indulge lately. I appreciate this."

Aurora smiled brightly. "Great! Wish you could meet my little sister Jubilee—she's big on sweets too."

"You have other sisters?"

"Oh yes! I have four sisters. Oh wait, five!"

Penelope blinked. "Oh my!"

"Sounds like your mother has been rather busy," One of the ladies at the table said with an amused snort. The others at the table nodded, having been staying silent up until this point but now letting out soft chuckles of amusement. Aurora had arrived and taken such a command of the event as it were.

Aurora gave her a bored look. "My mother only had myself and my twin brother. My father formed a herd, so I've got a bunch of half sisters."

There were small gasps all around. "Oh my…"

"Seems that's not common knowledge," Aurora muttered.

Penelope cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but would you kindly take a seat, Miss Aurora?"

The sky haired Alicorn frowned. "Sure, but just call me Aurora. Accord? Want to join us?"

Accord, the Stonekin waiting patiently behind Aurora, inclined her head. "If you are offering, I'll gladly accept."

The two young women sat, the silver cloaked guards dispersing and all but vanishing into the crowd. Penelope glanced from Aurora to Accord, obvious confusion on her face. The lady to Aurora's right started the conversation, however. "I apologize for my forwardness, Princess Aurora—"

"Just Aurora, please." Aurora cut her off politely without hesitation, silver eyes darting over to the speaker. " Although I haven't had the pleasure of knowing your name, Miss…?"

"Lady Forthright," the woman said, blinking once in surprise. "But you are a Princess, yes? Your mother is Princess Luna, after all."

"Plus, your guards referred to you as such," the merchant beside Accord said.

Aurora let out a tired sigh. "My dad's a Lord, not a King. Depending on who you ask. It's habit I haven't been able to break in seven years. It's more of an affectionate nickname for me than my actual station."

Penelope frowned at that. "Then what is your station?"

"Marshall Aurora Dawn Winter of the Vanguard," Aurora said, that sparkle of amusement in her eyes flashing again. She grinned. "I'm commander of Stonehearth's elites."

"Such a young girl is in charge of military forces?" one of the other men at the table scoffed. "I can't believe that!"

"Surely you have all heard the stories?" Accords soft voice caught their attention, and all turned to the white furred woman. She gave a very amused smile. "Of a young girl, hardly of age, leading the allied armies of Equestria against the Zodiac?"

"That was you?" Penelope whispered in awe. Everyone had heard the stories. Storytellers and travelers had told the story of the siege of Canterlot, and all the heroics that had been done there. Though many of the tales spoke of her father's duel against Leo, the Order Mage leading the Zodiac, many stories included her as well. The silver eyed young woman in front of her had been at the forefront of the fighting despite her young age, and according to legend had been a literal terror on the battlefield. She'd stood in the midst of the battle and not only survived but thrived. It had been almost unbelievable.

However, now that Penelope was sitting in across from her, it was obvious that the stories could be true. Although beautiful in a formal attire, Aurora looked like she'd be more at home in armor and with a weapon at her side. It was fitting most Equestrians outside of Stonehearth had even begun calling her the 'Princess of War'.

Despite having unintentionally terrified everyone at the table, Aurora laughed nervously while shrugging. "I wasn't all that impressive, to be honest."

Accord giggled, covering her mouth delicately. "Oh, you know that is not true. We have a carving of you holding the Wolfhome banner on the walls of the Crypt, Aurora."

Forthright blinked. "You led soldiers into battle?"

The young Wolf Princess shrugged. Apparently there were still people who didn't know much about her role in the battle of Canterlot. Most knew she helped her brother save Princess Celestia, but her father got most of the credit for the battle. "I still do, occasionally. Mostly just monster hunting nowadays though."

"That's still rather… amazing," Penelope said. Her eyes fell on Accord. "And… you? What do you do?"

"I am currently the spiritual leader of the Stonekin," Accord said with a serene smile. "And I am aide to Lord Tyr himself, with my ability to steal glimpses of the future."

"That's… actually amazing." She opened her mouth to say more, but the doorman spoke once again.

"Introducing—Duke Golden Wing, and his son, Northstar!"

There was a light smattering of applause as the older, gray haired noble entered, followed by his handsome son. Both were gold in coloration, although Northstar's hair was a pure white and cut close to his head. His sky blue eyes found Penelope, and he made a beeline to their table. He didn't even hesitate before laying on as much suaveness as possible. "Ah, my lovely flower Penelope! Congratulations on yet another year of life!" He said with a theatrical and exaggerated bow.

"North," Penelope said politely, mouth formed into a hard line. "I'm… glad you could make it."

"And miss this celebration of you?" The young duke flashed a winning grin. "I could not miss it."

"I see."

Northstar briefly took his eyes away from Penelope to scan the rest of the table. After a moment, his eyes met Aurora's curious silver ones. "Oh? And who might this beauty be? Surely not the famous Aurora Dawn, daughter of Princess Luna!"

Aurora blinked. "I'm famous?"

Accord giggled again. "As I said before…!"

"Shut up, Accord!" the young Alicorn hissed, but the Stonekin Seer simply kept giggling. "Ugh! I knew I should have brought Cori with me…"

Northstar glanced between the two young women in brief confusion, before plastering his smile back on his face. "I am honored to make your acquaintance, my Princess. I had no idea you were a friend of my dearest Penelope."

"Not exactly," Aurora replied, folding her arms. "My sister asked me to come in her stead since she had other business to attend to."

"That's right," Penelope said, clapping her hands together. "Your sister—Exuberance, correct? She purchased fabrics for her mother's clothing line?"

Aurora nodded, absentmindedly twisting the pink lock of her hair around a finger. "Yes, she wanted to come but… business came up."

Northstar cleared his throat, earning him a very bored glare from Accord and a confused one from Aurora. "Not to interrupt, but why did you decide to come instead of your sister, Princess?"

"It's Aurora," Aurora replied evenly. She folded her hands together. "Ancè wanted me to thank Penelope personally, and to wish her a happy birthday. My other siblings... were busy."

"How kind. However, Penelope's business is certainly… not as profitable as it once was, no?"

Penelope narrowed her eyes. "North…" She said warningly.

The young duke shrugged. "I am only stating facts. My father is already making moves to purchase your remaining factories and production houses. Soon, the only thing keeping you from being a part of our family is the wedding date."

Aurora blinked at that, glancing over at Penelope. "Is this true?"

The young duchess was suddenly the center of attention—most of the merchants and ladies giving her looks of pity and sadness. She grimaced. "It's not final. It's not—the marriage is only to happen if—!"

"If you are unable to match my father's bid," Northstar said smugly. He grinned. "And even with the sale of those fabrics to the Element of Generosity's clothing stores, you are still short."

Penelope grit her teeth in frustration. Aurora looked at her with an unreadable look on her face. "So… you're bankrupt?"

"No, but no longer able to refuse our offers to buy her out," Northstar said, barely hiding his approval at the fact. "Ever since her father died, after all. It was too much for you alone, wasn't it?"

"You and your father have been undermining me for years," Penelope said, venom dripping from every word. "Just because I didn't have the same business sense as my father didn't mean you had to take everything from me!"

Silence held sway for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, Aurora spoke up. "How much is he paying to buy you out?" She asked Penelope softly.

The blonde blinked. "W-What?"

Aurora's gaze narrowed for a split second, before her silver eyes cut upwards to where Northstar was standing. "How much is your father offering?" She directed at him instead.

Northstar folded his arms, a cool superiority exuding from his posture. "Seventy five million bits."

The young princess of Stonehearth nodded at that, before turning her gaze back to Penelope. "How much did you get?"

"Surely you don't wish to remind the poor girl—?"

"I'm talking to her," Aurora said sharply with the authority of one who is in command. Northstar shut up before he could even process what he was doing, eyes wide with shock. Everyone at the table was slack jawed at this, eyes fixed on the young woman with silver eyes. Only Accord was unaffected, and she wasn't even paying attention. The Alicorn turned back to Penelope again. "So. How much did you manage to get?"

"Twenty million," Penelope said softly, eyes wide. "Most of that was from the deal with Rarity and her boutiques…"

Aurora nodded to herself. She glanced over at Accord, who was looking down at a crystal in the palm of her hand. There was a small screen like display above it, and she was rapidly going through information on it. After a moment, she smiled. "Silver Mint has authorized it. Go ahead, Aurora."

The young princess grinned, her bright and happy demeanor breaking through the uncharacteristic seriousness that had taken hold of her. "Wonderful. I was hoping we wouldn't be too late. Penelope Goldthread? As authorized by my father Lord Tyr and the financial advisor of Stonehearth Silver Mint, I'd like to offer you eighty million bits to buy all stock in your textile production chains."

Mouths that were closed fell open wide. Those that were already open fell even further. Penelope stared at Aurora as though she had seen a ghost. Northstar's mouth was working rapidly, although no words were coming out. Because of the pronounced reaction from the head table, eyes from around the hall were beginning to turn their way. Finally, the duke's son spoke up. "You can't be serious!"

"Why not?" Aurora turned to him, frowning. "Stonehearth needs fabrics and other cloth related things for normal function. We normally export from here, but since Penelope's father's death—sorry for your loss by the way—we've been receiving less and less product than we normally got. We figured it was because of a change in leadership and business practice was mucking up the process, but then we discovered that the shipments we were promised were simply never leaving."

"Stonehearth has had half of its scheduled shipments simply not arrive in the past four months," Accord added, still reading from her hard light screen.

Penelope blinked at that, before turning shocked eyes to Northstar. "You… you and your father were intercepting my shipments?"

"More than just intercepting," Accord remarked, eyes back on her crystal screen. "Apparently he was taking the cargo from those ships and selling it himself. He's been making a tidy profit from your product. Oh, and pressganging your employees onto his vessels."

"All this time I thought pirates were attacking my ships…" Penelope turned furious eyes on Northstar. "You… you bastard! How could you!?"

"It was simply business, my dear," a gruff voice replied. They all turned to see the Duke himself arrive, hands folded behind his back as he approached with several other merchants. "Your father held sway in the business for a long time. Once he was gone, it was only natural to begin chipping away at the monolith before us."

"However they could never directly attack your factories," Aurora said, standing. She met the Duke's eyes. "So they decided to choke you out instead."

"Marrying you into our family was supposed to be the end stroke," the Duke said, nonplussed. "The Goldthread family name would be absorbed by my Golden Wing family."

"To trade one king for another," Accord said softly.

Golden Wing chuckled. "It is the game we play, after all."

"So you ruin a poor girl's attempt at running her father's business for your own gain? Sounds like a game that's not worth playing." Accord sighed, shaking her head. "The things you do to your own…"

The duke glanced at Accord, but returned his eyes to Aurora, who was still facing him. "So you seek to outbid me, little Princess? A bold move, especially so late in the game."

Aurora folded her arms but gave him a very defiant smile. "If it's the game we're playing, isn't it better to hold your cards close to your chest until the final hand?"

"Only if you are still looking for the rest of the table to show first."

"I'd like to think it's more for the shock factor. That way, you catch everyone off guard."

"Are you saying I showed my hand too early?" Golden Wing chuckled, but there was no amusement in it. "The deal is essentially set in stone, Princess Aurora. Your offer now is a valiant effort, but by the time you can move that much currency, I will have already pushed my purchase through. And I will not be selling to you."

"Actually, the money can be brought here within a couple hours," Accord piped up. "We're waiting on confirmation from Lady Penelope that she accepts."

Golden Wing's eyes narrowed. "And if I were to push my bid up?"

Accord glanced up at him, unamused. "Silver Mint has authorized us to spend up to one hundred and fifty million bits in order to secure Lady Penelope's business."

Gasps ran through the crowd—everyone was watching at this point, unable to believe the scene they were witnessing. Golding Wing's eye twitched. "…You still have the issue of my ability to push this purchase through before you can even get the money here."

"Easily done," Aurora said happily. "Why do you think I came? Not only have you wrongly intercepted cargo bound for Stonehearth, but you've also imprisoned and forced unwilling civilians to work for you. Pressganging is considered slavery, and last I checked, slavery was illegal in Equestria."

"We've broken no Equestrian laws," Northstar interjected, the first time he'd spoken since his father had begun talking. "All the workers were… 'liberated' from a rival company!"

"Did I mention stealing from Stonehearth is almost akin to declaring hostilities against us?" Accord added helpfully. "And that places responsibility on Stonehearth, not Equestria. In the words of our distant cousins the Dawi, You Have Wronged Us."

Aurora's smirk became a sinister smile, sending shivers down the spines of everyone watching the exchange. "So, on orders of my mother, Princess Luna, and my father Lord Tyr, all assets belonging to the family of Duke Golden Wing will be seized, the duke himself will be stripped of all lands and titles, and you will be taken into custody."

That got the Duke to pause in shock, mouth dropping open for a split second in confusion. "You… you what?"

"You were denying supplies meant for our city," Accord said, standing up alongside Aurora. She closed her hand around the crystal, shutting off the display. Her friendly smile was gone, replaced by a look of measured disappointment. "We were not amused. Lord Tyr considered destroying all your assets, but we decided on a more… profitable direction."

Alloy approached, the pale-blue haired guard lowering a crystal of her own from her ear. "The other teams have finished, Wolf Princess. All report success."

"Great!" Aurora grinned.

Golden Wing looked from the guard to Aurora to Accord, and back to Aurora. "What… what happened?"

"We've seized all your production facilities, released all the trapped workers you had, and captured all of your transport ships. Even if you try to push through with this purchase, you'll have no capital with which to back it up." Aurora smiled sweetly, before grinning like a demon with her sharp canines showing. "So not only are we buying Penelope's business, we're combining her factories and whatnot to yours."

The Duke gaped for a moment longer, before closing his mouth sharply. "You couldn't possibly…!"

"It's already done," Aurora said, waving a hand and turning away. "As of today, you have no title or holdings. They now belong to the Wolves."

"You can't… you can't have that authority!"

Aurora drew herself up straight. The other members of her guard materialized then, surrounding the Duke and his son. Suddenly, she seemed almost twice as imposing. "For crimes considered akin to acts of war against Wolf's Peak, you are under arrest. Your punishment will be decided by Princess Luna and Lord Tyr upon our return to Stonehearth. Alloy?"

The guard nodded. "Alright—Vanguard? Let's secure this guy."

The four Vanguard members bound the Duke's hands behind his back and ushered him out of the hall. Northstar watched in confusion, hi mouth open in shock. Aurora turned back to Penelope, who was staring at her with eyes wide and mouth partly open. She giggled. "Close your mouth, Penelope."

She did so, snapping it shut with an audible click. Then, after a moment of collecting her thoughts again, she spoke. "Are… are you seriously buying me out?"

"Not… exactly," Aurora said with a shrug. "Yes, we're going to be buying all your stock and essentially ownership, but you'll still have operational control. We'll be using our fleet to protect yours until your opposition gets the message that we don't like to be trifled with."

She cast a glance around the hall, noting that everyone was watching her with barely hidden trepidation. Many were trying to make themselves small faced with a prowling wolf. Penelope swallowed. "You're… letting me keep my father's business?"

"Well… yes. You were doing a good job, or so I've been told. If your cargo and other stuff went where it was supposed to, you'd have actually been making profit."

"Really?"

"Silver Mint ran the numbers," Accord pointed out. "You'd be actually doing better than your father."

"Oh… oh wow…"

Aurora smiled. "Once we get all the paperwork done, you'll be working under Stonehearth's banner."

Penelope slumped back in her seat. "I… that's more than I was really expecting at this point… Thank you so much, Princess Aurora."

"Just Aurora," the Alicorn reminded with a laugh. "And you're welcome. The money should be here within the hour, and then you'll probably be wanted back at Wolf's Peak to finalize the proceedings."

"I wanted to visit the Stone City once at least," Penelope said weakly. She smiled. "Guess I get to do so earlier than expected…"

Accord smiled. "We will be happy to have you. Aurora?"

Aurora grinned. "Yeah. Sorry for leaving so abruptly, but we've got to get the duke back."

Penelope nodded. "Ah yes… you didn't come here just for him, did you?"

"Of course not!" She grinned. "We really wanted to wish you a happy birthday!"

"Well…" She blushed a little bit. "Thank you. And pass my thanks on to your sister."

"Of course!" Aurora bowed slightly, before turning and heading to the door. Accord bowed as well, sliding something onto the table in front of Penelope before following after her Princess. It was a silver brooch in the shape of a wolf's head. "Start wearing that around. And if anyone gives your trouble, you know who to call!"

"Enjoy the rest of your birthday," Accord said politely as they left. And like the blizzard she was born from, the Princess of War blew in, did what she came to do, and left confusion in her wake.

–x–

"Well, that was certainly fun," Aurora said as she and Accord exited the Ranger on the landing dock of Stonehearth. It had been a mostly uneventful flight back from Trottingham, with Aurora's inherited skill at piloting the somewhat alien craft making it a smooth ride all the way back. Stonehearth's landing dock was rather busy today, with a number of airships going to and from other parts of the stone outcropping. The vast majority of Stonehearth was built from stone, immaculately carved and designed for maximum efficiency by the Stonekin. The ever impressive Wolf's Peak stood in the background, the craggy castle and seat of power standing proudly over the city that grew in its shadow. It was the home of the Wolf Lord and his family, an ever present reminder that the Wolves were watching over their domain.

"I believe we have too differing opinions on what counts as fun, Aurora," Accord pointed out with a laugh, following after. Both had changed out of their formal attire, with Aurora opting for pants and a tight fittign shirt, and Accord in a much more casual sundress.

Aurora stretched as she exited, taking in a deep breath of the stone and natural smell of the city she called home. "Ah, you couldn't resist making the Duke sweat too."

"I suppose you are right in that regard."

There was a Stonekin waiting on them as Aurora and her party disembarked, her dark green hair tied back in a tight bun and her glowing eyes focused on a crystal screen in front of her. About her shoulders was a dark silver cloak edged with gold, and a bronze shield pinned to her lapel. Glancing up, she smirked slightly as she saw Aurora and Accord arrive. "Ah, Little Princess. We were afraid we'd have to send a rescue party."

Aurora grinned, striding confidently over to meet the older Shaper. "Hello Carver! And for me or for them?"

"Well, I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, so probably for whoever pissed you off." Carver smiled. "Plus, you had Accord with you. I'm sure the Seer could keep you from causing too much trouble."

"I'm not sure," Accord giggled. "You know Aurora is rather imperious when she sets her mind to something."

Both Stonekin laughed as Aurora gave them a disparaging look. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. But when everything starts going bad, you'll be turning to me for a way out."

Carver laughed lightly. "No, I believe that is why I'm here, Little Princess. I'm not captain of the Wolf Guard for nothing."

"Fair point…" Aurora glanced back at the Ranger, watching as Alloy and her fellow Shapers escorted the former Duke Golden Wing out of the ship. "Make sure he's secure and waiting on my mom, Alloy."

The Shaper nodded. "You got it, Princess. Come on, buddy. We've got a nice cell with your name on it."

They bundled him away, the former Duke shooting Aurora a hateful glare. She grinned right back at him, before turning back to Carver. "So, anything happen in my absence?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Carver said, gesturing for them to follow her. They left the landing pad, greeting a few of the Stonekin workers as they directed traffic and helped offload cargo. With the population of Stonehearth booming in the past few years, more supplies and materials had to be brought in, turning the small castle town into a well defended city. With the inclusion of the Ursa and Wulfen to the population, it had been a bit awkward to refer to the city and the territory around it as 'Wolfhome'. Thus, Tyr had decided to (again) change the name and banner of his young nation.

Stonehearth.

Carved from the mountain of Wolf Peak, forged in the siege of Canterlot, and tempered by the heat of the forge, the castle town had boomed in size with refugees from Canterlot and many residents of Ponyville deciding to stay after being forced to move by Changelings. Tyr had welcomed them all—to the distaste of the upper crust of Canterlot Nobility, nicknaming him the 'King of Strays'. Not much sleep had been lost over that, but the city had to grow, and the walls keeping them secure as well.

With their placement in the side of the mountain now, there was really only one entrance to the city that was open. Said entrance was the main gate, which also was the most heavily fortified part of the city. Shapers stood alongside the towering Ursa, the bears in their heavy armor a stark contrast to the lighter styled armor of the Stonekin. Occasionally a Wulfen could be seen on patrol, the wolf-kin lightly armed but still just as deadly if necessary.

Carver led them down to street level, the majority of the civilians making way for them as they walked. The captain of the Wolf Guard was well known, having made her presence known in breaking up disputes and altercations about the town. Aurora herself was a well-known figure, as she was daughter to the rulers of the city.

Tiled roads and many open air shops greeted them, for the docks opened up into the main market district of the city. Ease of access for the sailors and pilots to get food, drink, and rest, and also the easiest place to start selling wares. Visitors and residents alike roamed the packed roads, buying and selling to the music of life, laughter and entertainment. Most paid Aurora's little trio barely any heed as they passed, but the hidden Stonekin guards mixed into the crowds gave them small nods of welcome as they went by.

They headed down the streets at a brisk pace headed towards the castle itself. They had exited onto the main thoroughfare when conversation sparked up again. "We had a rather interesting event today," Carver said after a moment.

"Hm?" Aurora turned away from a display stand of scarves to look at the older Shaper. "Hm? What happened?"

"Apparently your mother and aunt challenged each other to a cake eating contest."

"Oh? Who won?"

"Hope did."

"But how…ah. Wow. That must have been funny."

"Hope gets to be Princess of Cake for the day," Carver said with a little snicker. "She is currently passing out cake in the city's main square."

Accord laughed. "She must be so happy."

"Can you blame her? Seeing people smile is what that girl lives for… hm?" Their attention was diverted by the sound of wings nearby. The trio looked up to see a regal looking bird settling into a perch above them, ice white and pale blue feathers glittering like snowflakes freshly fallen. The bird's ice cold blue eyes fixed themselves on Aurora, before it let out a bright and happy warble. "Oh look, it's Valor."

"Valor?" Aurora repeated, staring at the brilliant blue white bird. The Ice Phoenix trilled again, flapping his wings and scattering snowflakes. The young Princess of Stonehearth frowned, thinking for a minute. Then, her eyes snapped open wide and she let out a loud gasp. "Dad's home!"

Valor pretty much rolled his eyes in response. With that, Aurora's wings snapped open and she took off into the sky, blazing a trail across the sky towards the keep. Accord and Carver watched as she flew away, amusement on both of their faces. "Did you know Lord Tyr was home?" Accord asked, turning to the Shaper.

Carver shrugged as Valor flew over to alight on her shoulder. She gave him a little pat on his head, the Ice Phoenix leaning down into the act. "I knew he was on his way back, and you know the Winter's Grace is a lot faster than we give it credit."

Accord turned her attention up to the mountain, noting the opening about halfway up the mountain. It was the former landing port of the Jötunheim, former home/airship of the Winter family. It had gone down during the battle of Canterlot, crashing and tearing a permanent swathe of destruction through the nearby Everfree Forest. The materials from the crashed ship had taken a year to be recovered, but had been reforged and formed into the new flagship of the Stonehearth air fleet: the Winter's Grace. The new ship used the secluded dry-dock for its home, and from their place in the city they could vaguely make out the silver frame of the smaller, still just as hyper advanced airship. "…Seems so."

Aurora meanwhile was already to the keep, landing a short dash from the main gate. The Shapers waiting there started at seeing her, but both broke into smiles and simply pushed open the wooden double doors. "Thanks guys!" Aurora called out as she flew past.

"Of course, Wolf Princess!"

"Good to see you home!"

She dropped back to a run as she entered the castle, hurrying down one of the long halls that led to the throne room. There were wolf head banners along the walls that blew in her wake, along with a single violet one marked with a snake wrapped around a rose, and another gold banner with a black shield with a red gear overlaid on it. Stonehearth's new banner, dark silver flame surrounding a diamond hung at the end of the hall, the argent flame set against the dark crimson of the banner itself. Aurora paid them no mind as she kept running, reaching the staircase that let up to the dry dock. There were a few of the castle staff wandering about, black skinned and green eyed Changelings in maid and butler outfits going about their business only to dive aside as the young woman blitzed past. Aurora didn't stop—leaping over their heads with a single flap of her wings and using the walls as springboards. Although they simply went back to whatever they were doing—this wasn't the first time it had happened, after all.

Aurora burst onto the dock to find a squad of Stonekin engineers standing at the foot of the landing ramp to the Winter's Grace. Amongst them were two taller figures, one a young woman with elegantly styled violet hair with black highlights and the other a very tall man with dark skin, short black hair, and an amused smile on his face. Both had bright silver eyes that turned to look when they heard Aurora arrive. "Oh, there's my little cub," Tyr said with a smirk.

There was nothing but glee in Aurora's eyes. "Daddy!" she nearly squealed.

She flung herself at him, finding his waiting arms spread to receive her hug. Young woman or not, the eldest blood daughter of the Wolf Lord never passed up a chance to express her inner little girl around her father. She laughed in elation, wrapping her arms about his neck as his stronger, more muscled ones wrapped around her waist. She buried her face in his shoulder, taking in that unique scent of her father—metal, fresh snow, and just a hint of blood. "You're home!"

"I didn't think I was gone that long," Tyr remarked with a chuckle, patting her head. The Elemental had changed little in seven years, keeping his wolfish demeanor and his typical stance of being ready to strike at any moment. He'd grown a bit of a goatee, something he kept clean and neat but also gave him a bit more of an authoritative look. Other than that he was mostly the same. Being an Elemental did pretty nice things to one's lifespan. His perceptive silver eyes were always watching, always aware. However he smiled warmly at his daughter's happy face. "But I know you well enough to know that you missed me a lot, huh?"

"Of course!" Aurora pouted, pulling away from him. "Besides, can't I just be happy to see you home safe?"

"You've certainly given us many reasons to worry, father," the girl beside Tyr remarked, brushing one of her glittering curls out of her face.

Aurora glanced at the girl, blinking several times. "Oh, Ancè! I'm sorry, I was just…!"

Exuberance Winter shook her head, again having to brush hair out of her face. She was shorter than Aurora (Alicorns were naturally taller than most) but she had developed a runway model's body. Perched on her nose were red half rimmed glasses that only drew attention to her silver eyes. She gave her half-sister a little smile. "No, I understand, Aurora. I too was happy to see Father when he picked me up."

"Oh, that's right! How did your thing go?"

Ancè gave a rather cryptic smile. "As best as it could. And the trade deal with the duchess?"

"Went through like a charm!" Aurora smiled proudly. "I didn't trip in my heels at all! And we captured the Duke that was intercepting our shipments. He's being taken to the cells, at this moment."

Tyr smiled. "Nice job, Aurora. And you managed it without starting a fight."

Aurora chuckled nervously. "Well… I kinda raided all of the duke's estates and seized all his assets."

Both Tyr and Ancè blinked in surprise, shared a look, and then broke out into laughter. "I knew you'd do something to the duke, but I didn't expect that," Ancè admitted, covering her mouth as she laughed.

Tyr simply patted his daughter's head. "That's my little cub for you. You all grown up… not in the way I would have wanted, but you've all become very fine individuals."

"So… I did okay?" Aurora asked.

"Yes, yes you did Aurora. I owe your Aunt Vanna a few bits cause of a bet now, but you did fine." Tyr looked up from his daughter to look around. "Now, two things. One, I was expecting at least four others greeting me immediately as I got home."

"Mom has a stomach ache from a cake competition with Aunt Celestia," Aurora pointed out.

Tyr gave her an amused look, before looking around to spot one of the Changeling maids at the far wall. "Ah, you. Come here a moment?"

The Changeling maid strode over confidently, bowing once she was a few steps away from them. There was the faint hiss in the shapeshifter's voice as she (as far as anyone was aware) spoke. "You have need of this one, Lord Tyr?"

"Where's your queen? I half expected her to be waiting on me when I arrived."

"She is currently taking care of Mistress Luna, my lord," the Changeling replied, head still bowed. She fidgeted a bit. "She sends her regrets for not greeting you as you disembarked. She further states you are free to punish this one for her mistakes."

Tyr raised an eyebrow. Then he reached out and pet the smaller Changeling. "Alright, here's your punishment. Where's Pinkie and mini-Pinkie?"

The Changeling blushed, dark blue against the black. "Um… Mistress Pinkamena and her daughter are in Ponyville, throwing a birthday party for someone there."

"Ah, I see." Tyr nodded. He turned to his two girls. "Secondly, I have a surprise for you, Aurora."

"Me?" the sky haired girl blinked. She glanced over at Ancè, who simply gave her a knowing smile. "You brought something back for me? What?"

Tyr stepped aside, giving Aurora full view of the airship's landing ramp. She gasped loudly, seeing two figures descending. It was the young man with dark blue fur in front that caught her eye, his shoulder length black hair neatly combed away from his face, and his silver eyes meeting hers without a moment's loss. He was dressed in mostly black with hints of silver, the crest of Stonehearth pinned to his collar alongside the crystal starburst of the Crystal Empire. The young man paused for just a second, before quickening his pace down the ramp. Releasing her father without another word Aurora nearly flew to meet him, the two meeting in a tight embrace a few feet from the bottom. She took a deep breath, before letting it out slowly. Ink, old paper, and the smell of cold air greeted her. "I missed you, Aleron." She whispered.

Her brother smiled, leaning into his sister's embrace. "I missed you too, Aurora."

"It's been so long," Aurora said, tightening the hug. "And you were always busy when I tried to call you and talk to you…"

Aleron chuckled, gently rubbing her back. "Sorry, Ro. I'm the foremost researcher when it comes to Dark Magic. That and helping Sunburst around the Crystal Empire and forming Crystal Comm…"

"Still," She muttered darkly. It wasn't fair really, considering it was Aleron's idea to inscribe crystals with long range communication capabilities. Tyr had been amused and said his son had made cell phones. Even after creating a way for them to talk over long distances without the travel time of a letter, he was still somehow so busy he couldn't be reached more often than not.

"Come on, Ro, the C.C. Tower has only been up for a year. And the technology isn't widespread yet."

"I know, but… still."

"Oy."

His sister pushed him out to arms-length, letting her silver eyes examine him. Although twins, really only body type was shared between them. After being shorter than his sister for most of their childhood, Tyr's height genes were beginning to show in the dark furred unicorn—he was just about his sister's match now. Of particular note was how strong he looked, as though he was training his body alongside his magic. "…You look tougher. Manly even."

Aleron narrowed his eyes. "You saying I'm not manly?"

Ancè giggled softly. "Suffice it to say, dear brother, that Aurora has always been—and no doubt still is—physically your better."

"…Yeah, probably."

Aurora grinned. "I'm just happy to see you again. It's been six years too many."

Aleron smiled back. "I can agree with you there."

Tyr cleared his throat, getting both of his children's attention. "Al? Don't you have someone to introduce to your sisters?"

"Oh, that's right!" Aleron turned to the ramp. "Come on, Penny! No need to be shy now."

All eyes went to the young woman at the top of the ramp, who was pulling the black cloak she was wearing about herself tightly. Aleron rolled his eyes at this, horn lighting up faintly. The wind suddenly blew through the dock, managing to snag the girl's hood down to reveal her features. Gray hair fell down to the middle of her back, and a blood red horn that was curved like a blade poked out from beneath her princess cut bangs. Her eyes were a brilliant viridian, and she looked down at the group with a tiny bit of trepidation. "I told you I'm bad at meeting new people because of my appearance, Al…" She murmured, blushing. "And stop doing that to my hood!"

"I don't see why," Ancè said with a huff. "You are absolutely gorgeous, darling!"

"Who's this?" Aurora asked, peering around her brother curiously.

"Her name's Penumbra," Aleron said, smiling as the new girl came down to join them. He turned enough to face Penumbra as she approached, but he still had one arm around his twin since she didn't want to let go yet. "She's been living with Cadance and Shining, and she's been helping me with my research."

Tyr nodded. "Cadance thought it was a good idea for her to come along with us and see new places."

"Miss Cadance thought meeting Aleron's family would be nice," Penumbra offered. "Plus, she thought it might be good for me to get away from Mister Armor for a bit…"

"Fair enough," Tyr said, patting his son's shoulder. "Why don't you kids get her acquainted with the castle while I go make sure your mother is okay?"

"It will be nice to see my sisters," Aleron said. "And Vibrant and the others, if they're around."

Tyr smiled and nodded. "Carver?"

The Shaper arrived then, exiting from one of the nearby walls. She spared Aurora and amused look and a wink before turning to bow to her Lord. "Yes, Lord Tyr?"

"Get a room prepared for Penumbra here, preferably close to Aleron's. Seems she's rather shy."

Carver nodded. "Fair enough. I'll ask a couple of the Changelings to do it."

"Thank you very much," Tyr said, as she turned to leave. He turned to his kids and Penumbra. "I'm off. Gotta go rub your mother's upset tummy. Catch you kids at dinner time."

Followed by the Shaper engineers, Tyr left then. Aleron turned to Aurora. "So? Where's the rest of my siblings?"

Aurora frowned slightly, before closing her eyes and letting her horn light up. "…Jubilee is in Ponyville. Cori is headed this way, Audio is in her studio, and—oh, that's right!"

"Hm?"

"You haven't met our newest little sister!"

Aleron gave his twin a flat look. "Another sister? Seriously?"

"There's also our new aunt," Ancè pointed out, adjusting her glasses. "I'll leave you two to it. I need to talk to Grace."

That got the young man's attention, a single eyebrow raising. "Talk to Grace? About what?"

Ancè fixed her brother with her own piercing silver eyes for just a moment. A slew of emotions ran through her eyes in the span of a second, before she smiled and shook her head. "…Another time, dear brother. A day where we aren't enjoying something good happening."

With that she left, violet tail swaying as she went. Aleron glanced at Aurora, who shook her head with a sad smile. "…We've dealt with a few… trying things that I couldn't really write to you about, Al."

They began walking, Penumbra falling in behind them as they left the dock and made their way back to the main part of the castle. She was watching the Changeling maids as they went, wary and nervous. Aleron however, was much more interested in questioning his sister. "So… what have I missed?"

"Well, I don't know if you got any of my letters," Aurora began, frowning at him, "So I'll just go over the big stuff. Sunset had a baby and all—that's our newest sister—about a year and a half after you left for the Crystal Empire."

Aleron chuckled. "Dad certainly didn't waste any time."

"More like Sunset got pregnant super easy," Aurora said, giggling. "But little Rose is so cute and sweet and adorable! And don't get me started on our new aunt Hlin."

"Oh, that's her name?"

"Yep! Hair just like grandma's, and eyes as bright silver as ours. She's a very stern little girl, although her laugh is adorable!"

Aleron smiled at his sister's animated expressions as she talked. He truly had missed this—how bright his sister could make everything seem. She seemed to notice his amused smile as she spoke, a question in her eyes. "Hm? Oh, don't mind me, I'm just realizing I missed you more than I thought."

Aurora smiled, before reaching out to hook her arm in his. "We're twins, Al. Any long period without each other, and it just makes us feel off."

"Well, I know I'm going to see plenty of you while I'm here," Aleron remarked, getting another laugh from his sister. He glanced back at Penumbra, who was watching them in confusion. "She's like this rather often. I'm used to it."

"On that note…" Aurora shot a suspicious look Penumbra's way. "What are you to my brother?"

The gray haired girl blinked, before blushing darkly. "Oh, we're… I help him with his research…"

"Oh?"

"She's able to naturally use Dark Magic," Aleron pointed out. He frowned at his sister. "And we're only research partners. Nothing else, before you go starting rumors."

Aurora rolled her eyes and swatted him with a wing, before giggling. "Just making sure. You know Evie asked about you the other day?"

That got Aleron to perk up a bit. "She did? Really?"

"Yeah, I told her about your research and she was really interested." Aurora glanced back at him. "You know… she's gotten really pretty. Like… really pretty."

Penumbra blinked, before turning to Aleron. "The machinist you told me about?"

Aleron blushed lightly. "Yeah. Evening Star. The machinist. I'll have to go see her to…er… thank her for the watch she sent me."

"Oh, your birthday the year before last, right?"

He nodded, reaching into his pocket and extracting an expertly made pocket watch. It was a bright gold, with the star and gear symbol belonging to the new Element of Magic etched in the back. "It was a very thoughtful gift."

Aurora nodded. "Well, go see her later. I should be able to give Penumbra a tour of the castle while you do!"

It seemed to confuse the gray haired girl, but Aleron got the message—it would be better to see Evie without another girl following him around. "…Right."

"Mmhm!"

Penumbra frowned. "I'm not following…"

Any attempts at helping her ignorance was cut off as they entered the main hall, for a voice called out to them as soon as they arrived. "Aurora! Aleron!"

The twins and their companion looked towards the voice, spotting a very skinny girl coming towards them at a brisk pace. Her skin was black like the Changelings, but only one of her eyes was the Changeling bright green. The other was pure silver. She was clad in what looked like a business suit, hair tied back in a low ponytail, and there was a choker about her neck with a white half-heart charm on it. At her side was a short girl with black hair with red highlights and eyes that were silver with a hint of red. Her fur was a dark gold. Aurora brightened. "Cori!"

"You nearly ran me over on your way through!" Cori growled, frowning at her. "Both me and Rose!"

"You were going too fast, big sister," little Rose said, glancing between Aurora and Aleron. The sole male son of the Winter family looked over his newest sister. She had Sunset's set and coloration to her features, but those silver eyes made it no question who her father was. Cori on the other hand only had one silver eye to her name—other than that she was her mother's daughter.

Aurora chuckled nervously. "Heh… sorry girls. I was… in a rush?"

"Too see dad no doubt," Cori said, folding her arms. Her eyes flicked to Aleron momentarily before going back to the female twin. "Still, I can understand your excitement, but you didn't even know Aleron was with him."

"That is true," Aleron said. "Dad kept saying it would be a big surprise for you."

Cori finally smiled. "Well, it is a very pleasant surprise, Al. It's been far too long."

Aleron blinked. "…You've matured quite a lot, Cori."

The half-Changeling shrugged. "We had to."

"…Another cryptic statement that requires more explaining."

"…Suffice it to say, we've had a lot to do after Canterlot fell," Cori said stiffly. "And while you were in the Crystal Empire, more of it piled up."

Aleron winced. "Cori, I didn't think…"

"I'm not blaming you, Aleron," his sister replied softly, shaking her head. The Winter Family empath gave him a weak smile. "And really, you being in the Crystal Empire kinda helped. Sometimes I feel like we all relied on you a bit too much, after all. Really I…I'm… I have a lot on my mind today."

Before he could question it, Cori nodded slightly and turned to walk away. Aurora caught his arm before he could follow. "…Cori's not been her usual self since…"

Aleron frowned. "Since?"

"Did something happen?" Penumbra asked softly.

Aurora scratched her head, looking around. However it was Rose who replied. "Big sister Cori and her girlfriend had a fight."

"Rose!" Aurora admonished, but Aleron was already surprised and curious.

"Cori and Goldie had a fight?" He asked, confused. "…About what?"

"Goldie said she was upset that Cori was always so busy around the castle," Aurora explained now that the secret was out. "They weren't spending a whole lot of time together. Cori's been helping Aunt Chrys with the Changelings, and other stuff. Goldie stayed at the farm mostly, and never came with her parents when we got apples from the Apple Farm. She brought it up one day to Cori who suggested that Goldie live here, in Stonehearth—"

"She asked Goldie to move in with her?"

Aurora shrugged. "Ponyville is… not really all that populated anymore. A lot of people moved here instead, considering their homes were destroyed before the siege. Plus, we're a big city now and not even that far away from where Ponyville used to be. Anyway, Goldie said she couldn't do that to Applejack and the rest of her family. Applejack and her family are still living on their farm, by the way."

"I can't imagine them leaving to be honest…"

"Goldie said as much. But apparently Cori insinuated that Bramley was mainly the reason, and Goldie didn't deny it."

"Oh. This again?"

"Well, it's more like… She says she doesn't want to abandon Bramley. So after arguments about that… they broke up."

"They did?"

Aurora nodded. "Yeah. We were all really surprised. Cori was crying for almost a day straight, and then…"

"Then?"

"Then we found out the really bad stuff…"

Aleron frowned. "…What?"

"…Last time there was an Apple family reunion, Cori wanted to go and patch things up. In the meantime, Goldie apparently hit it off with one of her adoptive cousins. They got along really well, from what I heard. So well that Cori walked in on them… making out."

"…Oh. Ouch. Cori's taking it… better than I expected."

Aurora shrugged. "I think she's really just suppressing it. She's been working a lot more lately. Goldie and the others aren't talking about it either. But Considering Cori is half of the Element of Kindness now…"

"I'll file it away for something I'll look into later," Aleron muttered, frowning. "Cori's got a good reason to be upset, but we can't have the Elements splintered."

His sister gave him an appreciative look, before kneeling down beside Rose. "See Rosie? I told you your big brother is dependable."

Rose looked up at Aleron for a moment. "…You're right," She agreed softly.

Aurora grinned up at Aleron, who rolled his eyes. "Isn't she adorable?"

"She's cute, I'll give you that," Aleron said, kneeling. He met his newest sister's gaze with his own. "Nice to meet you, Rose. Is that your full name, or a nickname?"

"Mommy named me Roselyn," Rose replied.

"A very pretty name. Rose, do you mind opening your mouth for me?" The little girl didn't hesitate, opening her mouth wide enough for her older brother to peer into. He found four little fangs in her mouth, sharp and pure ivory white. Aleron nodded to himself and gestured for her to close her mouth. "So you are a vampire too."

"Daddy says that since he's a Chaos Mage it messed with something in Mommy before she gave birth to me," Rose offered after closing her mouth. "Mommy was surprised and happy when my fangs came in!"

"Hm. And how do you…?"

"Ancè and Grace bring blood from the clinic, and Sunset prepares it," Aurora answered, putting her hands on her little sister's shoulders. "We haven't… felt safe letting her drink from anyone alive just yet."

Aleron gave his little sister a smile before standing back up. "I can understand that. And she knows what it is?"

"I know it's blood," Rose said, speaking up. "Mommy and Daddy said they wanted me to know."

Her brother gave her a curious look, before nodding. "Alright then. Sorry for making it seem like I was talking down to you, Rose."

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean any harm." She tilted her head slightly. "Momma Luna always said you were really analytical."

"…What."

Aurora was beaming. She snatched up a giggling Rose and hugged her "She's so cute~!"

"And very smart," Penumbra murmured.

Aleron rolled his eyes, but couldn't resist the smile touching at his lips. "Well then. I guess I should get settled in at least before—"

"ALERON!"

"…Crap."

A pink blur slammed into the young man, knocking him away from the two girls. Magic flared up, and a bubble emerged into being, slowing them in midair to reveal Aleron holding a happy, bubbly, and very pink girl with the biggest smile on her face. Jubilee Winter hugged her half-brother like he was going to vanish at any moment. "Al, Al, Al, Al, Al! I missed you, I missed you, I missed you, I missed you!"

"Missed…you too… Jubilee…" Aleron choked out from the death hug. "Can… Let go!"

"Oops! Sorry!" She let him go and he sucked in a huge breath. Jubilee grinned brightly. "But I missed you!"

"Don't kill him because of that," Aurora chuckled.

Aleron took a moment to look at his other sister—Jubilee had always been a happy sort, and that near permanent smile was barely marred by the ash stains on her bright clothing and soot marks on her cheeks. She was the other member of their family that had heterochromia, with one of her eyes a bright blue and the other the pure silver of the Winter family. Both glittered with mirth from behind a poof of pink and black hair. Unlike the other girls in the family, Jubilee hadn't developed a model's body, coming out much curvier and slightly fuller than the rest. Didn't stop her from being ridiculously strong and ridiculously cute. "…Hi Jubilee."

"Hi! When did you get back home?"

"Just a little while ago," Aleron explained, getting up and dusting himself off. "I haven't even gotten to—"

"Oh! Who's your friend?" Jubilee had already moved on, moving to look at Penumbra. Suddenly she gasped loudly, turning to her brother with a shocked look. "You got a girlfriend!?"

Penumbra flushed darkly, looking away. Aurora giggled madly, even little Rose cracking a smile. Aleron sighed, rolling his eyes. "She's my research partner, Jubilee."

"Nothing more, nothing less," Aurora intoned.

Jubilee gave her brother a critical gaze, before simply smiling warmly. "Okay! Welcome to Stonehearth, girl I don't know!"

"I-It's Penumbra," Penumbra said softly, smiling at the happy girl. "But occasionally my friends call me Penny."

"Ooh, your friends?"

Penumbra—or Penny as Jubilee would no doubt start calling her—blushed again and looked away. "Well… Princess Cadance and Aleron really…"

Aleron sniffed. "She doesn't go out much."

Jubilee nodded in understanding. "Oh, so you two have something in common."

"…Shut up." All the girls except for Penumbra laughed at that, while Aleron gave his half-sister a flat look. "Whatever, Jubilee. How about you girls let me settle in before you all start teasing me?"

"Al's got a point," Aurora said, smiling at her twin. "Al's been travelling for a long time, so we need to give him a little space. Plus, Penny's never been here before either. So give them time, okay?"

Jubilee frowned, and folded her arms. "Okay… but you know when my mom gets home she's going to want to throw a party, right…?"

"I think all of us would want to throw a party," a gentle voice that flowed like moonlight said warmly. Both Aleron and Aurora froze at the sound, before they both smiled at each other and turned to face the voice. Luna Winter, former Princess of Equestria and now Lady of Stonehearth, entered the hall with her husband close on her heels. She had dark blue fur and hair the appearance of the night sky that fell well past her hips in an ever flowing motion. Clad in silver and dark blues she was the very image of a gentle moonlit night. She was a head and a few inches shorter than Tyr, but elegant and mysterious all at the same time. A warm smile grew on her face as she opened her arms wide. "Not going to come hug your mother, my little Crescent Moons?"

Both Aleron and Aurora moved quickly to her, letting their mother pull them into a tight embrace. The elder Alicorn's wings wrapped around them as well—the most possessive kind of hug a mother could truly give. Aleron took in that peculiar scent of his mother's—blueberries and morning dew mixed into one. "…I missed you, mom," He sighed into her hair.

"I missed you as well, my son," Luna said, still using her proper way of speaking. But the love in her voice and actions was true. She let them both go to reach up and caress his cheek. "Ever since you went to the Crystal Empire I had looked forward to seeing you again."

"You know once I had gotten settled and everything I'd have started coming back more," Aleron pointed out.

"I am well aware—Cadance sent me letters about your progress with Sunburst and even teaching little Flurry Heart magical control." She gave him a quick look over, frowning slightly. "Although she neglected to mention how handsome you had grown to be. Seems your father's genes are starting to kick in, hm?"

Aleron blushed a little bit, embarrassed. "Mom…"

"You have to admit," Tyr chuckled, moving to joining the group. "It has been quite a while since she's seen you, son. You should have expected this much."

"Fair enough," Aleron admitted.

"And now we're a family again!" Aurora giggled, hugging her twin.

Aleron gave his sister a disparaging look before smiling. "Yeah… I'm home."

–x–