"Kings Castor and Pollux, and Queens Pleione and Asterope, rulers of Equestria, welcome Prince Atlas and Princess Alcyone, and their daughters Aurora and Luna!" someone announced. With a loud fanfare, the Royal Pony Sisters, followed by their parents, walked down the long red carpet in the throne room. On the four thrones sat their grandparents.

Castor was a magnificent golden alicorn, with a long brown mane behind him, one his son had inherited. He had a beard that curled slightly at the ends, to the endless delight of Luna, who would often toy with grandfather's beard. On this flank, his Royal Mark, a golden crown.

Pollux was grey in color, with a silver mane flowing freely; his eyes were as blue as the sky. They were known to be the most piercing eyes in Equestria, and very few dared to contradict him. Yet Aurora knew that his eyes were also the most gentle she had ever known. His Royal Mark was a silver crown, a match to his twin's.

They rose, unfurling their wings in unison. Had they not been accustomed to this, Luna and Aurora would have been petrified with fear. "Welcome, Atlas and Alcyone. We have missed your presence in the court." Their voices rumbled throughout the hall, shaking the very heavens.

The Royal Pony family kneeled before the Kings. "We are honored to by thy guests," Atlas said. "Father, it is good to see thee."

"Come, let us retreat to our private study," Castor gestured to his left with his hoof, rising from the throne. We have much to speak about."

The pegasus guards snapped to attention as the entire Royal Family passed through the doors into the study. It was a dark room, filled with shelves of books. The second the door was shut, Pleione lit the laterns all along the walls and the fire place. Her blue mane and tail seemed to be more vibrant than usual.

"Thank goodness," Aurora said under her breath.

"Grandpa!" Luna squealed, bouncing around Castor. "Watch me raise the moon!"

"Alright, calm down little one," Castor said with a smile.

"Come on, Rory! You have to lower the sun!"

With a silver glow, Pollux's horn glowed, parting a bookcase, revealing the private balcony. Luna ran to the edge, putting her front hooves over the edge, tail twitching with excitement. Aurora trotted over, giving her sister a reassuring a smile. Though Luna had been doing fine at raising the moon for two weeks, Aurora was ready on standby, just in case Luna got nervous being on the spot.

The two took off into the air, horns glowing. Aurora watched the sun sink away slowly, as out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Luna rose higher, raising the moon. The moon came up over the horizon, filling Equestria with a gentle silver light. The stars started to appear as Aurora landed back on the balcony.

Luna sailed downwards, trotting to a halt, beaming from ear to ear. "Did you see?!"

Castor nodded in approval, a rare smile appearing across his face. "Well, done, Luna."

Pollux turned to Altas and Alcyone. "You have trained her well. I have not seen such a moon rising well done in ages."

Atlas nodded. "It was not an easy task. In order to be done properly, the sun must go down as the moon rises. It took lot of practice among Aurora and Luna to achieve the balance they have now."

"And Rora and I are gonna do it now everyday!" Luna said, trotting happily back into the study.

"Luna," Asterope said sternly, her purple wings filling the room. "You must not refer to your sister so casually."

"But it's what we do all the time at home!"

"You would not call your subjects by such…common names, would you?"

"Speaking of which," Pleione said, sitting by the fireplace, a book held in the air with magic. "there have been rumors that some of our subjects are developing Royal Marks of their own."

"But that's impossible! Only the Royal Family have such marks upon them."

Aurora suddenly smiled. "Yes, apparently all ponies have these marks-" she glanced at her own, smiling as she remembered her first dawn-"and they call them…Cutie Marks."

Asterope scoffed. "How they dare give such a dignified thing such a common name."

"Grandmother, why should we be the only ones who have a special mark showing our talents? Don't ponies, all ponies, deserve a chance to show their talents to each other?"

"The Royal Mark has been a Royal tradition since Equestria was made."

"How was Equestria made? Father said I should ask you about Equestria's history."

Sighing, Asterope looked downcast. "That is a story not for here. Follow me, Aurora."

"Can I come too?!" Luna piped in, smiling. "I wanna hear about Equestria too!"

"No, my dear. This story…" Asterope bit her lip. "is not for young fillies."

"But I'm not a filly anymore! Mother said when I got my Cutie Mark-"

"Royal Mark. And don't shout. It's most unbecoming."

"-that I would be all grown up."

"Some other time, Luna. It wearies me to tell the tale more than once."

"But-!"

The secret passage opened back into the throne room. The moonlight filtered through the stained glass window, giving the colors a softer, silvery tone. Aurora followed her grandmother into the silvery light.

"Guards," Asterope ordered. "There is business that must be attended to in the gardens."

"But your majesty-"

"We have spoken to thou our request. We need not repeat ourselves."

With that, the guards shuffled out the door one at a time. A new recruit (Aurora could tell by the way he kept adjusting his armor) tripped and stumbled right at her hooves.

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness," came a mumbled moan.

Aurora knelt down and helped the young pegasus up. "It's quite alright. What is thy name?"

"Firespark, your Highness."

"BE GONE!" Asterope thundered.

The colt leapt into the air and flew out the door. Asterope sealed the door with magic so that no pony could enter until she removed the spell.

"Grandmother!" Aurora stomped a hoof in frustration. "I was talking to him!"

"You do not have time to address your subjects so casually. He was delaying us from our task."

"Just because he was making you have to wait for something doesn't mean you have to be so mean to him!"

Aurora flew into the air, suspended by her grandmother's magic. She kicked her hooves desperately, tried to unfurl her winds and fly away, but the magic kept them glued to her sides. Asterope glared at her, golden eyes burning with rage. "That is quite enough from you! You will either accept my instruction or you will not! And you will certainly show me respect!"

"Rora!" Luna darted into the throne room, saw what was happening, and stared at her grandmother with pleading eyes. "Grandma, what are you doing?!"

Without breaking the spell keeping Aurora levitated, Asterope turned to Luna. "I am teaching your sister some respect! Heaven knows your sister needs some!"

"You can't do that to her!"

"Luna, this isn't-"

"It is too my concern! That's my big sister you're holding up there! And no one, no one hurts my sister!"

Horn glowing a soft lavender, Luna stood against her grandmother, trying to focus her magic.

"Luna, you will not be able to break my enchantment. I have years of experience over y-"

A lavender beam shot from Luna's horn, striking Aurora. Aurora felt the pressure lift from her wings, and she was able to land lightly on the throne room floor. "Luna! You did it!"

Beaming with pride, Luna suddenly slumped to the ground.

"Luna!" Pushing Asterope aside, Aurora rushed to her sister, kneeling on all fours beside her.

"I'm alright…"

"You almost fainted…"

Stunned Asterope bowed her head. "You have proven yourself most worthy, Luna, of the story of Equestria."

Luna stood slowly, legs shaking, and panting. "Don't you ever try to harm my sister again."

Aurora stepped in front of her, lowering her head in shame. "Grandmother, I most humbly request you give me and Luna the history of Equestria."

Atlas and Alcyone were watching nervously from the study. This was the first time that Luna and Aurora had openly defied their grandparents. They could feel the stares of Castor, Pollux and Pleione burning into their backsides. The air began to spark with magic as the elderly alicorns readied themselves for a fight.

Asterope's horn glowed blue, and a secret passage way opened, leading below the thrones. Luna's eyes widened in glee, as she almost dashed down the stairs. It was only Aurora's timely hoof that stopped her from taking off ahead of their grandmother. Asterope trotted into the darkness, her horn lighting the way. Aurora followed second, keeping herself between her grandmother and Luna. No one will ever hurt you, Luna.