From Ascher: A while back I came across a picture on DeviantArt titled The Ancient Elements of Harmony by Ziom05. It was a rather unique picture portraying a group that could have stood with the princesses during their battle against Discord. It got me thinking how exactly such a thing might have occurred and what would be the end result of that, from the establishment of their kingdom to Luna's downfall and eventual imprisonment within the moon. As such, this is my view of what it might have been like, told from Luna's perspective. Just a few notes, the characters in the story are written as various off-shoots of humans (however the unicorns and alicorns will still have their horns) primarily due to their mannerisms and a few other things. Also, given the characters I am working on, do not be surprised to see some various things that may seem out of place in a more serious tale.
One final disclaimer though it really goes without saying: I do not own, nor have I ever owned any rights or intellectual properties to MLP or Hasbro. Anyway, without further ado; enjoy.
A Waltz for the Moon
Chapter 1: Affairs of State
"Your majesties; surely you can see that this... king as they call him is just as much a threat to this world as your predecessor was. The fact he allowed himself to be raised up is a direct insult to everything this kingdom stands for and his… dismissive behavior is an affront to your rule. And then there is the matter of them declaring themselves an empire separate from yours!" Luna hated that this was how their days were being spent.
"That remains to be seen, Councilor Craven. Though he may have not deemed us worthy of an emissary to declare his intent here in the south, he has also not expressed anything that could be construed as ill will toward either my sister or I." Celeste was using that voice again, the voice she had adopted over the last few months as a way of dealing with the council she had helped create. It was the perfect mix of polite, regal and condescending all at once; an ideal tone to tell those sycophantic bureaucrats that her will was going to be followed whether they liked it or not. Just as she had time and time again over the last year, Celeste was telling the Councilor in her ever-so-proper tone that he could kiss her hind quarters. "We will continue to observe his dealings and if need be my sister and I will approach him directly. However, if so it shall only be my sister and I."
The younger princess fought the urge to snort derisively as she shifted on her cushion, her crown of gold and ebon gems weighing heavily on her brow and rubbing uncomfortably against her horn. Once more she was feeling stir-crazy during these meetings as she often did but at least her sister's obvious dismissal of the Council had provided an ever-so-momentary reprieve from her boredom. Luna found herself growing more and more disinterested in these matters nowadays and today was no exception. Her mind continuously thought back to the dark times only a year prior, to the days when she and Celeste and the others were actually doing something meaningful. She wanted to be like that again, to feel that same kind of tense excitement she had felt while they were fighting to win their kingdom. She wanted to feel alive with the magic coursing through her as they fought someone like the discordant one again, feel the elation that had come when he was laying beaten at her and Celeste's feet. Instead what could she feel now? A sense of disinterested apathy?
Once more she shifted in the seat of her throne. It was an ornately carved masterpiece with a twin-Alicorn insignia carved into the crown, the banner of their kingdom. Between the flowing gown wrapping itself around her body awkwardly and the heavy crown pressing against her forehead she felt incredibly uncomfortable. Across from her in an equally splendidly crafted throne her sister continued to be the picture of perfect posture and grace. Her shimmering gold and diamond crown rested at the edge of her horn, flawlessly situated atop a head of radiant flowing river of multi-colored hair down that fell straight down her back. Whereas Luna was clothed in deep shades of azure and darkest blacks that had been spun to match her cobalt hair her sister was adorned simply in a regal white gown across her lithe frame.
"Your majesty if you could please just reconsider–" The councilor began again before Celeste simply held up her hand to silence him, revealing the orange sun crest on her right wrist as her hand slipped from the folds of her white gown. Much like her sister and every other human, sky-dancer or crystal-born, both Luna and her elder sister had a unique crest on each of their wrists; remnants of an ancient magic that preceded history itself that somehow tied itself inexplicably to each person's unique destiny.
"That is enough, Council Craven. Your concerns, however unfounded as they may be, have been duly noted by both Luna and myself. However; unless my sister has anything she wishes to add, this conversation is over." With that her sister casually extended her hand in an invitation for Luna to speak finally. Once more the younger princess found herself fighting the urge to say something snarky to the ever-so-boring Councilor; after all it was a rare occasion when Celeste bothered to ask her opinion on matters of state before making her own decision. Though they were equals in their rule Celeste was indeed the elder sister so the moon princess dutifully ceded her authority, having done it so often now it was pretty much anticipated. "No, I think you have summarized my feelings as well, Celeste." She replied casually, straightening up. Her sister meanwhile just regarded her with the careful look of a true princess before turning her attention back to the Councilor.
"Give our answer to your fellow council members. For now this day is adjourned."
Craven turned with a huff and fled the throne room, his haughty and offended attitude causing a bemused smile to rise on the lips of the young princess. He was such a dramatic and easily offended buffoon and utterly spineless in the worst possible way. He had not an ounce of self-determinate courage in his pale and rotund form, a rather undesirable trait that the rest of the council shared. They would voice their doubts, bemoan whatever decision they did not agree with and then hastily fall in line with whatever Celeste wanted. The young princess thought that it made them ineffectual as they could not at least convince of any other course of action. However; that was just the kind of men they were.
As soon as he had left the throne room Celeste rose from her throne with a weary sigh, resting her hands on the arms of the beautifully crafted chair as she hung her head in sheer frustration. Luna smiled softly as she watched her dear elder sister drop the façade of her regality and begin to act like her true self once again. Out the western windows of the room the slowly setting sun cast its golden shafts of light in on them, igniting her sister's ivory gown in a rainbow shimmer of beautiful colors. Her royal airs disappearing entirely, the elder sister simply grinned happily as the light enveloped her radiant form, feeling at home in the sun's loving warmth. Luna knew that feeling; it was one she shared when her beloved moon set upon the world its soft silver shadows each and every clear night. "It has been a tiring day, Lulu." Celeste spoke after a moment, the tone of a princess gone from her voice and replaced by the loving timbre of her elder sister.
Luna smiled a little more broadly as she rested her chin on her palm finally, all appearance of regality at long last cast aside now that they were all alone. "I was thinking the same thing, dear sister." She responded honestly, forcing herself uncomfortably from her own throne. A deep yawn escaped her lips as she rose and stretched her aching back and hind quarters to relieve the soreness brought on from the long day in the high-backed chair. "Though it pains me to admit it, we did bring this upon ourselves. Well, when I say we I do mean you."
"How very cheeky of you," Her sister replied as she stepped up beside her azure-headed sibling, playfully swatting her younger sister on her pale arm. "I see how it is, blame me for having us take on a responsibility that no one else would have understood or been prepared for. I suppose next it will be my fault when the sun doesn't rise tomorrow morning."
"Well now that you mention it…" Luna chuckled in response to her sister's light-hearted humor. Through the help of their friends and the artifacts known as the Elements of Harmony, they had won the right of freedom for all the humans in this world and were then left with the question of what to do with that freedom. It was Celeste who had initially suggested using the magic they had discovered to help the world in a truly remarkable way by stabilizing the chaotic sun and moon from the way it once was by giving them order. Now there was a definitive day and definitive night, a slow change that they oversaw every morning and evening by calling forth the heavenly bodies themselves. The crescent-moon crests on Luna's wrists had appeared the very first time she called to the moon and bent it to her will, a divine sign that it was to be her true path. "I do agree though; today was rather wearisome. Tell me, why don't we just let them govern themselves as they see fit?"
"Unfortunately because of people like Craven. If he or one of the councilors who share his views were left in charge they would be free to run this land to ruin and then we would be no better off than we were under the son of chaos. Knowing him as well as I do, I would not put it past Craven to think he would attack the Crystal-Born without provocation just on perceived insult. And while they may have crowned this man Melencol as their king, that is their right and we must accept his rule unless he tries to harm our people." Celeste rested her hands on her sister's shoulders, staring directly into the moon princess's teal-colored eyes. Luna could not help but think how sad her sister's eyes looked right then. "I wish it would be another way… that we were free to live our lives in peace but I am happy to serve the people of the kingdom as they require. We must continue to be the calmer heads prevailing against that Craven's kind of lunacy… But for now let us be done with this talk. I am famished."
Luna smiled. Her sister always did think with her stomach more than she let on. "Let's go then."
(I)
If there was one benefit to being royalty now, Luna undoubtedly would have had to say it was the food. When she and her sister had been children, they had had to fend for themselves. Though Celeste had always tried to take care of her little sister as best she could, there had been many a time when they had simply gone hungry while they searched for some small measure of nourishment. It wasn't until they had met Fenix and Pallanen that she could recall ever having a good meal as the wandering knight and his companion had kindly shared what they had with the young girls. Looking back on it now as she swallowed a fresh bite of the delectable pastry in front of her, it wasn't as much as she had thought but back then even the meager amount they shared was a feast the likes of which she and her elder sister had never seen. She missed them dearly… wished she could repay the kindness they had shown her and her sister one thousand times back to them but it was useless to wish for something that could not be.
"Celeste, do you really think we should just leave the Crystal-Born alone?" She asked as she spread herself a little more comfortably across the bedding of their private chambers. They often ate there on the bed they shared as it was their only true privacy away from their royal guards and attendants. Ever since they had been little Luna could only really sleep at ease if her sister was nearby so when they had been offered separate bed chambers Celeste had kindly declined and instead just continued the tradition they had grown up with. "Not that I am siding with the Councilor… but should we perhaps try to establish some ties with their king?"
"I had begun to consider it even before Craven brought it to court today. I have heard that their king is a rather power wizard that may even rival you or I so I do wish to keep an eye on him simply because I don't want to see any further evil befall our kingdom," Celeste replied a little more honestly as she popped a plump purple grape into her mouth. Outside of their room, Luna could feel the moon she guided as it slowly crossed the dark and starlit sky. It made her feel at ease. "Truth be told, I am at a bit of a cross-roads as to how we should approach him. If we send an emissary, it may seem insulting to him. He might view it as though we do not truly value his time or – more importantly – his title, as he was not involved in the defeat of the discordant one. However, if we were to go together as the rulers of our kingdom and approached him directly then he might view us as though we are trying to threaten him into allying the Crystal-Born with us. The fact of the matter is we cannot ignore him and yet there is no way we can really approach him."
Luna thought for a moment, carefully considering her sister's words and weighing their options with the same seriousness her sister was. A single choice seemed to resonate within her. "…What if I were to go alone?" She asked.
Celeste's violet eyes went wide for a moment as she considered the possibility. Luna watched as she began to twirl a single strand of her multi-colored hair around her fingers, something her dear sister did quite often when they were alone and she was lost in thought. After a few seconds, her gaze shifted back to Luna with a look of acceptance. "That may just be the key. With just one of us there, it could seem as though we truly are meeting with him as equals. I would rather you not go alone, Lulu; but when I think about what our choices are this seems like the only course of action we are left with."
"Then I'll begin preparations in the morning."
"I suppose it's probably the best approach. Just… promise me you'll be safe while you're in the crystal lands; alright Lu?" Her sister asked in a sincere tone. Luna had never known their parents like Celeste had so in many ways her elder sister was the closest thing she had to a mother and Celeste oftentimes worried in a fashion akin to one. It was endearing to the moon princess in a way she doubted her sister would ever truly realize.
"I will you old worry-wart." She answered with a mischievous grin.
"Did you really just call me old? I do believe I will have to make you pay for that one." It was over as quickly as it began, the sisters exchanging blows with the down-stuffed pillows they were lounged on before they finally gave up in a fit of laughter and fell back on to the bed one after another.
"I wonder what kind of man the crystal king will turn out to be," Luna mused through another chuckle as she took one final nibble of her pastry before setting off the side of the bed and stretching out. She had only seen a very few Crystal-Born during her lifetime and they were all truly unique humans and so what might their king be like if they had chosen him from among their ranks to rule? Would he be a just man? A peace-maker; a war-monger? Would he be beautiful in the way of the other Crystal-Born or something utterly repulsive? She found herself dwelling on thoughts of him, trying to conjure up an image of this man she had no knowledge of. The concept brought a sense of excitement to her that she had not felt in quite a while.
"I wish I knew. I'll be expecting you to tell me all about him upon your return. Though if he's a boring, wrinkly old prune I do hope you'll use your imagination and make the story a little more interesting, Lulu." Celeste finished as she spread out next to her sister, a happy smile spread on her sunny cheeks. "Come now though, let's get some rest."
(I)
He listened intently as he always did, the maelstrom of random thoughts that usually flooded his consciousness breaking into perfect clarity as their words echoed through the walls to his ears. He was always able to focus clearly whenever he was thinking of the two of them, capable of pouring his entire being into fresh thoughts of just how to bring about his singular desire to inflict dearest misery upon the two that had so imprisoned him. Within his warped soul the man knew only two things but understood them in their totality: chaos and hatred. No prison, whether it be made of iron bars or solid stone, could ever hope to contain the infinite hate he held for the princesses. As he pushed his mind outward further, he felt the strain of his severely diminished magic as it receded weakly. His bonds would hold him a little longer still. Once they were broken though the pain and suffering he would inflict upon the girls would be immeasurable.
Well there you are; the first chapter. Drop a review and tell me what you think. Expect more coming soon. - Ascher