Ummm... Yeah, it's bean a while. When no one reviewed chapter two, I was really crushed. I felt like this story was already dead, though it had hardly even begun. So I started a different story (Fillyfooling) that I hoped would get more attention (it did :/), but then I felt guilty so I decided update this again. I changed the summary, because the old one was positively terrible.

Thank you so much, Mimi Myself and Iz, it was when I saw your review that I wanted to keep writing this! You're awesome! ;D

Chapter Three

Farewell

Luna woke with a start. "Help!" she screeched. But she wasn't falling down the cliff now. She was in her soft bed, very much warm and dry. She felt like she hadn't eaten or drank a thing for days, though.

"Thou art awakened!" Celestia cried in her shrill voice. Luna winced. Her head ached.

"Whatever hath happened?" she asked, massaging her temples. "Why dost I feel ever so ill?" Luna threw off the sheets and attempted to rise from the bed, but her wings felt as though they were made from stone.

"Thou felleth," a voice said. Luna jumped as she realized that Vladimir was sitting right next to her. "Felleth down into the sea thou did."

Memories came flooding back. Her mother, flying towards the sea, rising the moon, and then falling, hundreds of feet down into the icy dark waves. A chill ran up Luna's spine. She could still see the moon as it sluggishly ascended higher and higher at her command.

Luna twisted her head around and inspected her wings. The left one ached, but it moved as smoothly as was ordinary. Her right wing, though, stuck out at a weird angle and was covered in scratchy bandages. She tried flexing it, but the wing refused to move. She tenderly stroked the feathers, and pain seared with the slightest touch. It was badly broken.

"I see," she murmured, wrapping her hurting front legs around a pillow and hugging it to herself. The feathers stuck through seams in the fabric and gently stabbed into her skin. Even the softest of things had prickles at one end. For some reason, she could not help feeling unnerved.

The three siblings sat on the large bed in silence for a few moments, before the familiar clackity-clack of hoof-beats on the marble floor sounded in the hallway.

"Thou sayeth that she be awake?" Queen Theia demanded from one of the guards standing at the door. Luna heard muffled words as the royal guard responded. "That is good. I shalt see her most immediately."

Luna wanted to hide under the covers and pretend that she was asleep. But what would Vlad and Celestia have to say to that? Not that it was a secret that the queen and the youngest princess did not have a particularly healthy mother-daughter relationship.

So instead, she sat up tall against the headboard and delicately placed her hooves in her lap, a picture of sophistication, and made herself to look as able as possible. As her mother entered the room, she ignored her fear, batted her eyes, and lifted her chin. "Greetings, Mother," she said, meeting her mother's eyes boldly.

Queen Theia offered a tight smile. "And to thee, Daughter," she replied coolly. "Art thou feeling swell?"

"Swell," Luna repeated tonelessly. "Indeed." Queen Theia's face contorted with puzzlement.

"Dearest, is something the matter?" she asked using a hoof to lift Luna's chin. Luna had to bite the inside of her cheeks to stop from bursting out in tears. She didn't even know why she felt like crying.

Luna swallowed the blood that was welling in her mouth. "No, I am simply out of sorts today."

The queen's mouth formed a flat, expressionless line. "Of course. After thy incident of yesterday, I should suspect that thee should feel quite injured. Do not thou agree?"

"I do agree. Does it not serve me rightly for believing I could conquer such a feat?" Luna couldn't help asking. Queen Theia did not respond.

Luna remembered the selfless mother sick with worry whom had lifted her from the depths of the sea and carried her back to palace, though already wet and tired. "Luna, my dear, I am ever so sorry!" she had cried as they soared away from the treacherous cliff. "It was an idiotic idea to alloweth thee to attempt a feat so large! Please, my daughter, forgive me!"

Where was that mare now? Luna looked down at her hooves, mentally sighing in despair. Whoever had helped raise the moon last night did not exist in reality. Perhaps she had simply dreamed the words her mother had spoken in her shocked state.

"It was very good," Queen Theia suddenly said. Luna looked up sharply, causing pain to shoot up her neck.

"What?" she asked, rubbing the back of her head to numb the hurt. Queen Theia looked away, but not before Luna could glimpse the alarm in her eyes.

"Whilst the moon was risen, thou dost not even falter. Thou should have completed the task fully, if thou had not opened thy eyes. Before, 'twas perfection. Thou art very powerful," the lavender-furred alicorn nickered.

Luna's jaw dropped, but she quickly closed it before she appeared flabbergasted, which she completely and utterly was. Had she just heard praise coming from Theia's very mouth. Genuine, real praise?
Queen Theia was not smiling. She was staring at Luna with a strange expression, combination of uncertainty and wonder. Luna hid a scowl. Was her mother so bent on the fact that she would never amount to anything that she refused to believe it when she excelled on a single thing?

Feeling rather sour, Luna pulled the sheets back up over her body and lay down, rolling over so her back was to her mother. "I am ill and tired. It would be greatly appreciated if I should be left in peace," she muttered, her voice clogged by tears that had yet to be shed.

The queen coughed awkwardly. "Yes, daughter. Rest now. I wish thee a brief recovery." She heard the queen gracefully waltz out of the room, behind her the soft pattering of Celestia and Vladimir's hooves. The door closed.

Luna let out a sob, tightly wrapping the woolen quilt around her skinny body, feeling lost and cold. She couldn't even figure out why she was so unhappy. She cried all of her discontentment away, the anger and jealousy and sadness she had been feeling these last few lonely years finally pouring out in a river of tears.

When she finally finished, her pillow was soaked, so she requested that the maid pony bring in another, and when it was brought, she slept deeply and without dreams.

Luna restlessly explored. She trotted through the corridors and hallways that she had grown up in, reliving memories of games of chase and hide-and-go-seek played with her siblings; memories of picnics had under the shade of the walnut trees in the royal gardens; memories of imaginary princes and kings that she had pretended to dance with as she envisioned herself attending the gala. Luna was older now. She was beyond such petty fantasies now, but she couldn't help noticing that she had been so much happier as a little filly, so naïve and ignorant.

Could it be that all she was meant to be was a figure, a picture of a pony who did not really exist? Princess Luna, never a queen, just the young heiress who simply attended parties and waited for the blue moon chance that either Celestia or Vladimir was unable to serve as ruler and needed a replacement. Or perhaps her parents intended to marry her off to some old king from a distant kingdom, to form some alliance or something.

"Does my life hold any value whatsoever?" Luna wondered to herself as she began up the stairs to the astronomy observatory.

"Whatever is thy reason to ask a question such as that?" a surprised voice asked. Luna jumped. She looked up to see that Vladimir was coming down the stairs towards her.

"Oh! Um... I..." Luna stammered. Then she noticed that her older brother was wearing a fur cloak and carrying a large traveling pack. "What art thou doing?"

Vladimir swallowed and looked away guiltily. "Thou deserveth to know the truth, I suppose. I am venturing forth into the wilderness to search for the Elements of Harmony," he explained in a monotone voice, as if this kind of journeying took place on a daily basis.

Luna's eyes widened. "Whyever must thee do such a thing?! It is rash! I beg thee to refrain from acting in this way. Thou could be eaten by a wild beast or attacked by bandits or-"

Vladimir shook his head, his stern golden eyes cold. "Do not try to persuade me otherwise, dear Luna. I have already made up my mind. I now am leaving with a party of royal guards whom have agreed to accompany me. I advise thee to tell the king and queen of my departure, and I bid thee farewell, my sister."

Luna stared sadly up at her older brother. He had pieces of their parents all about him, a perfect combination. Strong, fit, and devilishly handsome, he was object of the desires of all the mares in Equestria. Now, he did not look seventeen, but older than that, in his early twenties.

"What of thy inheritance? Who shall command the moon if thou shalt never return?" she asked, in one last measly attempt to try and sway him.

Vladimir chuckled. "The moon is thine. If I shalt never return, thou shalt be the perfect replacement. I do hope it shalt not come to that. I will miss thee, along with Celestia, Mother, and Father. But I am aware of what I am doing, and I intend to find the Elements, should it require the sacrifice of my life or not," he told her. Seeing the tears welling in her eyes, he frowned, and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Of thee I expect only great things. Farewell, sister, and may the gods ensure we meet again!"

A single tear slipped from Luna's eye. "Farewell, brother," she whispered, "I wish thee good fortune and good health on your adventure."

Vladimir grinned, and then stepped back. Looking intently at a barred window, his horn blazed with a red aura as the cross-hatched bars momentarily disappeared. He soared through the window, and the bars immediately returned as his image faded into the dimming light.

Luna stared at the spot on the steps that he had been standing in, willing him to reappear and confess that it was all a joke, but he didn't.

There was one good portion in Vladimir's leaving, though Luna felt terrible for appreciating it. The moon belonged to her now! Unless, of course, her brother returned. Luna refused to admit that she wished that he would stay away, though deep down in her soul she knew that she was.

Trying to concentrate, Luna smoothed her mane and sauntered into the royal eatery. She casually slid into her respective chair at the supper table and took a dainty sip of the first-course soup. It was a delicious sweet potato and white corn soup that Luna was very fond of, but there was a vile taste in the back of mouth from the herbal medicine the doctor had given her, so she was unable to freely enjoy it.

Nopony seemed to notice her. King Aelius and Queen Theia busily conversing of political matters, and Princess Celestia was eagerly listening, adding in a word here and there and politely sipping at the soup. It wasn't until the second course was served – crispy roasted eggplants in a creamy mushroom sauce – that they took note of Luna's presence and Vladimir's absence.

"Oh! Hello, daughter. Would thou happen to know of the whereabouts of thy most absent brother?" King Aelius asked, putting on his reading spectacles and squinting at her.

Luna cleared her throat. "Yes, I do indeed know where Vladimir happens to be. During today's afternoon, I met with him. He informed me that it is his intent to search for the little-known Elements of Harmony. He departed, and I assume that at this moment he is searching the wilds for these Elements to which he holds such great value. I assure you that I tried to dissuade him to all in my ability, but I failed. I am aware that you all must be very shocked, and I offer you my condolences at having to receive such grave news," is what she had planned to say.

Instead, she started to cry and all she was could manage was, "He- He has... gone...!"

Queen Theia tilted her head, skeptic. "What dost thee mean he has gone?" she asked, setting down her fork and pursing her lips expectantly.

Luna wiped her tears and tried to explain through her sobs. "H-he has left t-to-to search... for th-the Elements! I tr-tried to stop hi-him, I really di-did, but I-I could not!" She began to shake uncontrollably, and hid her face behind her hooves.

King Aelius dropped his slice of bread in confusion and shock. "My dear daughter? Whyever dost thee cry ever so much? What 'Elements' dost thee speak of?" he asked, lowering his glasses and staring at the sobbing periwinkle filly.

Celestia answered for Luna. "She speaks of the Elements of Harmony, dear Father," the older princess explained, "They were lost long ago, and if what Luna suggests is the truth, then Vladimir has gone to search for them in the hopes of gaining their power."

Queen Theia stood abruptly, the chair screeching on the stone floor of the chamber. "Thou sayeth that he has risked his very life to find the Elements?" she demanded, grabbing Luna's front legs and wrenching them away from her face. "How could he?! Was it thou who hath put those fanciful ideas in his head?!"

Luna shrank away from her accusatory gaze, cringing. "Nay, 'tis not my fault!" she cried, screwing her eyes shut.

King Aelius now stood up as well, and slammed his goblet down on the table. "Stop this madness, Theia, and release Luna! Where hath thy self-control fled to?" he sternly ordered. The room went quiet. Theia backed away from Luna.

"I apologize, Aelius. I simply fear for the young life of my son, as he surely will face a many an incident in which is life is threatened on this endless journey he has taken upon himself," Queen Theia said bitterly, her voice lowering to a whisper.

King Aelius glared at her. "Will somepony please explain to me what these Elements are and what their power may be, because I still have no idea what is going on. Theia, I believe I deserve an explanation to all of this nonsense," he grumbled.

Queen Theia's eyes glimmered with tears, and her shoulders slumped with sorrow, but she looked at her husband with a level gaze. "The Elements of Harmony represent the components that make up friendship, love, peace, and all that endeavors one to be pure and true. The Elements art a weapon, a magical power created solely for the purpose of defending against all things evil. But they art lost, and have been for many years. Our son, like many a youthful soul, hath been convinced that they have within them the potential to find them. Alas, I do not believe it is so."

King Aelius's glower didn't faulter. "If these Elements are so important, why hath thou hidden from me the knowledge of their existence for so long?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Theia gave in to his anger, and bowed her head submissively. "I was not aware that thee did not know of them."

King Aelius sighed and massaged his temples, looking exasperated. "Well, if that is so, then I will not have my son doomed to die. Sargent!" he called, gesturing to a knight who had all this time stood perfectly poised by the door.

The armor-clad pony saluted. "Sir, yes, sir!" he gruffly answered.

"Have Commander Chincoteague send a search party to patrol the surrounding area for ten leagues in all directions. Turn the village upside down if you must, but at all costs, find Prince Vladimir!" he instructed.

"Sir, yes, sir!" the guard replied, and then bounded erectly away.

King Aelius then dismissed Luna and Celestia, no doubt desiring to have a very long conversation with his wife. Luna ran all the way to her chambers, and threw herself onto the bed with all her might, feeling drained. She wrapped the blankets around her body like a protective force-field. She prayed to whichever gods were listening to watch over her brother and to make sure he returned home safe as soon as possible. But as she tried to sleep her troubles off, she could not suppress one excited thought.

The moon is mine!

So, I plan to put most of my effort towards this story in the coming weeks, and hopefully it'll get better than this. This chapter was hard to write because I wasn't particularly inspired, but I hope it turned out alright. (I think it's okay.)

I'm bored now. *yawn*

-Jez D. W.