Chapters Book 1, Chapter 1: Remembrance
The ship glided smoothly through the ocean's calm waters. A light, but steady breeze blew over the moonlit sea, a light mist occasionally making its way through. The ship itself was a majestic sight for anypony to see, grand enough to leave one nearly breathless upon seeing it for the first time. But any other ship, or pony, would be wise to stay away if they were to look up at the top of the masts and see the black flag with a skull in the center flowing steadily in the breeze.
A single, shadowy figure of a pony stood alone at the wheel, guiding the ship on its course. The pony itself was the captain, known across the world as Maelstrom, captain of the Midnight Skull, the most notorious pirate ship out there. Though the crew itself had never taken any innocent lives as many other pirates had (though anyone who tried to go up against them, they cut down without second thought), they had taken countless in gold, silver, gems and other valuables. Any place that was visited by these pirates knew that they would take whatever they wanted, and nopony would be dumb or crazy enough to try and stop them.
The rest of the crew was asleep. Maelstrom kept his hoof steady on the wheel, looking out at the horizon where the water met the night sky. He preferred to be up at night, but none of his crew knew exactly why. They just assumed that's how he was, but no- Captain Maelstrom had his own personal reasons, which he kept mostly to himself.
He looked up at the moon as a burst of mist fell on him from the breeze. He sighed as he continued to look at the moon's brilliant face and he soon found himself deep in thought.
"I wonder what she's doing right now..."
***TWENTY-FIVE YEARS EARLIER***
It was a peaceful evening in the capital city. The moonlight shone brightly through the castle's windows, illuminating the entire room that the four ponies were in, along with the gentle light and warmth from the fire in the fireplace. Luna looked over at her mother and father, the rulers of Equestria, who were occupied by the books they were reading. She then glanced over at her sister, Celestia, before looking over at the grandfather clock that filled the family room with a pleasant, quiet ticking.
"I'm a bit tired." the princess said, rising off of the plush futon that she'd been lounging on. "I shall see you all tomorrow.""
"Goodnight, Luna." Celestia responded.
"Goodnight, my dear." her mother followed.
Luna made her way out of the room and moved in a steady pace to her bedroom. Once inside, she shut the door behind her, locking it. But instead of climbing into her bed, she moved over to her vanity table, seating herself in front of the large mirror. After checking to make sure she still looked presentable, she picked up her hairbrush and ran it several times through her blue mane before getting up and walking through the door that led to her outside balcony.
She looked around to make sure the coast was clear, checking the castle walls. Just as she'd thought, the majority of the guards were in their barracks for the night. A few guards always patrolled the castle at night, and it looked like they were in the process of changing shifts. Smiling, she unfurled her wings and took flight, making her way through the city, making her way down to her destination- the small settlement that lay along the river. But it wasn't the settlement she was going for- it was the young stallion she was in love with.
Luna's mind raced with both anticipation and thought as she glided through the cool night air. If her parents knew what she was up to, they would be upset beyond belief, but she didn't care. Sadly, they were a little old fashioned, and they believed that she, along with her sister, should see stallions of noble blood and immense wealth. For Luna, it was not wealth, power, or social status that mattered. It was the stallion himself.
She had met Hydro when they were just foals. Her father was doing business with his parents, who made their living by fishing and were looking to settle down here in the settlement. Over the days and weeks when her father would visit the docks and wharfs, for business she and the young Earth Pony stayed entertained by playing together. They told each other about their lives, and she found his story to be interesting. He was actually born while the ship was out at sea, so he'd been close to the ocean ever since he was born. He and his parents actually lived on the ship that they sailed on.
The years went by and they grew up together. As they matured and grew into young colts and mares, they began developing feelings for one another. There was just something about Hydro- whether it was the gentle way he treated her or his natural-born aquatic talents, she found herself thinking about him constantly. And he always found himself starstruck by her indigo coat, her blue mane, her beautiful eyes. The way she looked at him always put him in paradise. The two young ponies simply seemed that they were meant for one another.
Because they were the first to set a solid fishing trade in Equestria, Luna's father arranged for Hydro to attend the school of the nobles in the capital city. What he didn't make known was that he mostly wanted Hydro to become a noble so he wouldn't have to risk embarrassment of his daughter being friends with a pony of peasant status. Hydro attended the high-class academy for two years. But the other students always ridiculed him, since he came from a simple family and not a noble one. Eventually, he could not take it anymore and withdrew from the school. Not only did this upset her father because he would remain a fisher pony, but he now considered Hydro a 'backslider' who lacked motivation. Luna tried to explain the reason why Hydro left the academy, assuring him that Hydro was a hard worker with a noble heart, but her father insisted that Luna should not speak to the peasant again. Of course, that didn't stop them from seeing one another, as their feelings for one another blossomed and became more refined. Her parents caught her on several occasions, expressing more anger with every time, but that did not stop her.
"If I catch you with that lazy scoundrel one more time, I will wipe him from the face of Equestria! Do you hear me, young lady!?" was one of the many threats from her father that had stayed in her mind. But when he said that to her, she simply turned her head and walked away, not caring what he said. Nothing would keep them apart.
********
She came out of her thoughts as she now approached the docks. Landing softly, she looked and saw that the fishing ship were Hydro and his family lived was dark, indicating that his parents had gone to sleep for the night. Not that it really mattered, anyway- his parents did not oppose their union in the least. In fact, they welcomed Luna warmly whenever she'd visit. The two parents had retired, and were just living on the ship. Hydro now owned the fishing company, and was dong very well for himself, as well as his parents. She sighed in content as she waited for the stallion.
"Evening, my love." a voice behind her rang out.
She turned around and smiled upon seeing Hydro, the silver moonlight beaming down on his light blue coat and his dark blue mane; the sea-green ocean wave that was his cutie mark seemed to have an unnatural glow to it. He already was smiling, admiring the princess' beauty. Without hesitation, they ran into each other's embrace. It had only been a week since they'd seen each other, but for them, the more they were together, the better.
"I missed you." Luna whispered.
"I missed you even more." Hydro answered, running his hoof through her mane.
For about a minute they stood there holding each other, the night sky and cool sea wind creating a surreal serenity. They gently broke the embrace, looking into one another's eyes.
"It's going to be a very calm night. Would you accompany me for a stroll down the shore?" Hydro asked, to which Luna nodded with a smile. Hydro had always had a sort of sixth sense when it came to the sea. He was somehow able to predict what the weather would be like, he could always lead the ship to a prominent fishing spot, things like that. It was one of the few reasons Luna admired him so much.
The two of them began walking, Luna resting her head on the broad shoulders of the fisher pony. Any of the nobles would be taking her somewhere that would require a lot of money, but Luna could not be more content than where she was right now.
"My father would have my head if he saw us right now." Luna said jokingly.
"Rather, he'd have my head." Hydro responded with a chuckle. Luna giggled before he quickly stepped ahead and stood in front of her, speaking now in a serious tone.
"Luna, you do realize that I WOULD give my head, my very soul, just to be with you?" he asked, placing his hooves on her shoulders.
"And I would do the same." the princess of the night responded. "I just wish that Father wasn't so stubborn. He thinks that because you're a fisher pony, you are not good enough for me."
"He has a point. I don't really deserve you."
"Hydro..." Luna said in a low, protesting voice.
"I just..." Hydro trailed off as he looked out at the ocean that lay before them, "I would become a noble tomorrow if I could! I mean, I tried so hard to finish at that academy, but the misery those other ponies put me through..."
Luna placed a hoof on his face, gently turning it to face her.
"Hydro, my love. I have told you this before, and I will continue to say it, if I must. It does not matter to me what you do, where you came from, what status you are. That is all meaningless to me. We grew up together from foalhood, and I realized that I loved you. When I discovered that you loved me, that was the most joyous day of my life. And I love you all the same now. I promise you, no matter what it takes, I will see to it that Father accepts our love, and that we will eventually be free to be together."
"I just wish there was more I could do. I love you more than I could say, but I feel so unworthy to have you." Hydro said.
"If anypony is unworthy, it is I." she responded. "You may be a fisher, but you are the best in Equestria, there is no denying that. Not only that, but I've never met any pony with as big of a heart as you. Your gentleness and the way you treat me... it just makes me love you even more!"
"So then, here we are. Two ponies unworthy of one another."
"Could there be no better fit?" Luna asked, the two of them embracing again. They stood there in blissful silence until an unexpected voice broke in.
"At it again, are we, Luna?"
The two of them whirled around to see Luna's father, the ruler of Equestria, standing before them, forelegs crossed and a bitter look on his face.
"Father, how-"
"Silence!" he barked, causing Luna to shrink. "It does not matter how I knew, the point is, I know. I am getting very fed up with this, Luna. I have told you to stay away from this peasant, and you disobey me every time."
"Father, I do not care that he is a peasant! I love him!"
"You do not yet know what love really is!" he responded. Upon hearing this Hydro let a low growl escape his lips.
"Don't give me that look, young man." her father said to the fisher pony, referring to the look of anger that had crept up onto his face. "If you dare try to go against me, I will see to it that you regret the day you were born."
"Father, please try to understand!" Luna pleaded.
"I don't need to understand anything. You, however, need to understand that he is not to be seen with you anymore. I will not go through this again, Luna. And you, Hydro- if I catch you around her... well, remember what I just told you. And believe me, you do NOT want to go up against me. Now, let's go, Luna."
Luna looked at her love, who gave her a saddened look, telling her to go. Bowing her head, she embraced Hydro once again before her father snapped at them to break apart. After her father had departed, she too, unfurled her wings. She looked back at the Earth Pony with tears in her eyes, causing his eyes to water upon seeing her saddened face.
"I love you." he told her with the utmost sincerity.
"I love you. We will be together, I promise you."
With that, she took flight, leaving the fisher on the shore line. He stood there, watching the beautiful mare, even after she had disappeared from his sight. He finally turned around and kicked at the sand in frustration before sitting down on the shoreline, his heart searing with pain.
Luna followed her father back to the castle, albeit at a lengthy distance behind him. When they arrived, she immediately went into her room and sprawled out on her bed. Burying her face in the pillow, she allowed the tears to now flow freely. For at least five minutes she lay there, crying over frustration with her father and with the intense pain she felt in her heart. She then heard a knock on her bedroom door. Getting up, she peeked through the doorway before seeing that it was her sister. She cleared her throat and wiped her eyes before letting Celestia in.
"Father found you two again?" Celestia quietly assumed. Luna nodded, looking at the floor. Her sister sighed.
"Why did you sneak away, Luna?"
"Because I love him! Is it that difficult to see?"
"But you know Father will be upset." Celestia answered.
"I don't care if it upsets him! There is nothing wrong with Hydro! He is a kind, gentle, loving stallion, Celestia!"
"I know that, Luna." the sun princess acknowledged. "But Father thinks otherwise."
"And that it what upsets- no, infuriates me! He does not look at him, he only sees him as a fisher pony! That does not matter to me!!"
Luna once again began crying. Celestia embraced her sister, feeling sorrowful for her. She knew that Hydro was a good pony, and that Luna loved him as much as he loved her. She even thought that their father was wrong about Hydro, but she also knew that their father's word was law, no matter what.
"Why can't Father understand? I love him."
"I know you love him, Luna. I know."
Celestia continued to comfort her sister. They spent a couple of hours together, Luna venting her frustrations and Celestia being a listening ear and shoulder to lean on. She made tea for the two of them, and together, they thought of ways that they might make their father accept the love of the two star-crossed stallions. Eventually, Celestia decided to retire for the evening. In that moment, Luna made a decision that she had been debating on for months.
"Celestia..." Luna said before she left.
"Yes?"
"You know that the Grand Galloping Gala is in two weeks. I am going with Hydro, whether Mother and Father like it or not."
"I knew you would say that." Celestia sighed, "I will not stop you, but I will ask that the two of you please be careful. Now, I can give you some good news- I know that Father and Mother will be away at the Crystal Empire during the Gala, so they are not supposed to be there, but I still want you to keep a keen eye out for them. I will do the same, and if I see either of them, I will alert you."
Luna embraced Celestia, feeling immense gratitude that she had her back.
"Thank you, dear sister. Not many ponies would do that for me."
"I know how much you love him, Luna. And I know you'd do the same for me. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." Luna responded, now feeling elated. She'd been wrestling with her mind on whether she would even attend the Gala, but now that she knew her parents would not be there, she had no hesitation about bringing Hydro along. In fact, she felt elated enough to take another risk. She quietly opened her door and crept down the hallway, stopping at her parent's bedroom. Peeking inside, she saw that they were both sound asleep. Barely able to contain her excitement, she quickly went back to her bedroom and out to her balcony...
********
Hydro lay awake in his room on the boat. The scent of the sea salt filled the room, which normally calmed him, but his mind was ablaze. He knew that Luna's father disapproved of him, but that was not what was keeping him down tonight. He had a very important question he was going to ask Luna, and her father had cut off their time together, leaving him unable to ask. He sighed and tried to go to sleep, figuring he'd find a way to ask her tomorrow. He was just about to doze off when he felt a chill run through his body. He sat up in his bed, knowing what this meant. Whenever he got this feeling, it meant that Luna was nearby! He couldn't explain it, and neither could she, but he knew now that she was approaching.
He quickly went outside, and sure enough, she was descending. Smiling, the two of them ran into a loving embrace again.
"I had to see you again, Hydro." she said softly.
"You owe me no explanation, my love." he said, "You're here, and that's all that matters." he stopped momentarily to check behind her.
"Do not worry," Luna assured him, "Father is sound asleep, as is the rest of the castle."
"Well, I'm so glad you came."
"Hydro, I need to ask something of you." Luna chimed.
"Of course, but I must first ask something of you." he responded. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Luna, I know that you're a princess, and I am simply a fisher pony. You say that does not matter to you. And I say it does not matter to me. I love you with all my heart, and that's what counts."
Luna smiled and nodded. The stallion continued, "As you know, the Gala is in two weeks, and I frankly, I don't care what your father thinks- I wanted to ask you personally if you would do me the greatest honor of going with me?"
Luna gasped with shock and joy before jumping into his forelegs.
"Hydro, that is exactly what I wanted to ask you! And of course I will go with you!!"
Upon hearing this, the stallion tightened the embrace on his love, holding her close
"And I have even better news!" Luna added, remembering what Celestia had told her. "Father and Mother are not going to be at the Gala this year!"
"That is great news indeed! I'll have all our arrangements made as soon as I can!"
"I'm so sorry to cut this so short, Hydro. I wish I could spend the whole night here with you, but I must be getting back, in case my parents wake up." Luna said with a hint of regret.
"It's quite all right. I just can't wait for the Gala, now that I will be here with you, and nopony will part us. I love you."
"And I love you."
With a great surge of joy rushing through him, Hydro attempted something he had not yet tried before- something he should have done long ago. He wrapped his forelegs around her neck and brought his face in closer. Seconds felt like minutes as she leaned her head in closer as well. After what felt like an hour, their lips finally met. He again ran his hoof through her mane as they tenderly held the kiss, the moonlight beaming on them, the cool air rushing about, the quiet lapping of he waves the only sound. After a couple of minutes, they finally broke apart and bid one another goodnight.
Luna returned to her room in the castle, her parents asleep and nopony the wiser. Hydro sighed and looked out at the ocean before he made his way back to his room on the ship. The two of them, satisfied, joyous and excited for the upcoming Gala, finally drifted off to sleep in great content.
Book 1, Chapter 2: The Gala
As the two weeks passed by, Luna and Hydro were unable to see each other, due to their busy schedules, but that only raised the glorious anticipation of them being together on one of the best nights of the year. Hydro pulled in extra work, bringing in enough money to buy himself a new frock coat for the big evening. Luna, on the other hand, spent her days getting fitted and taking measurements for an elaborate gown that was being made for her. Even though they weren't able to be together, the two of them were content and happy.
On one particular day, Hydro was doing some simple maintenance on his ship, cheerfully singing a sea shanty to himself, when he heard a voice behind him.
"So, I heard ye'll be takin' the Princess to the Gala with ye next week, eh Hydro?"
Hydro turned around and smiled when he saw Tropic Sun standing there, an old island hermit who lived on the shorelines about a mile from Hydro's ship.
"That's right. Got the nerve to ask her, and found out she was about to ask me."
"Glad t'see yer happy with her. I ain't seen no better pony for her than you!" Tropic Sun said.
Hyrdo stood up, dusting his hooves and pulling the elderly hermit into a friendly hug, as he always did when he visited.
"So, what can I do for you?"
"Actually, I came here to give ye a helping hoof." Tropic replied. "Being that yer goin' to the Gala with her, ye'll have to present the pretty lass with a corsage. Have ye gotten one?""
"Not yet." Hydro said, "I want to be sure that the flowers are fresh so they'll last as long as possible."
"I can help ye a great deal with that."
"How's that?" the young fisher asked, curious to see what he meant.
Spreading out a map that he'd been holding, Tropic Sun pointed to an island that was not far at all from the shore that they were currently on.
"Go to this here island." he instructed. "On the far right of it, ye'll see a small, grassy hill. On that hill lies a field of deep blue and pure white flowers, nourished by the light of the sun and the winds of the ocean. These flowers are special... enchanted. What I mean when I say that, is that they won't fade, they won't wither. They won't die. Ye gather some o'those and bring them to Lilac Song, the village florist and she'll make the perfect corsage for ye. That way, Luna will have something from that evening that she can cherish forever."
Hydro looked at the map. Sure enough, the island was in very close sailing distance. He wasn't sure if the old horse was telling the truth about the flowers being enchanted... but Tropic Sea had seen plenty of things in his time on the sea, and even if the flowers weren't enchanted, they certainly sounded like they would look perfect around Luna's foreleg. He grinned at the hermit.
"Thanks, Tropic Sun. I'll be sure to get to the island as soon as possible."
"It's the least an old sea horse can do. Good luck to ye and the princess, now. See ye soon."
Once Tropic Sun had walked down the shore and had disappeared from sight, Hydro walked over to the hut that he had built for his parents to relax during the daytime and while he was out on fishing expeditions. He informed the two of them that he was setting sail for a couple of hours, to which they replied that they would see him when he got back. He quickly set the ship and was on his way. Most ponies out there needed a crew to run a ship, but as with other sea-related tasks, Hydro was able to sail the ship all on his own. Even his parents could not explain this talent, as his father relied on the help of both Hydro, his mother and a crew of five other fisher ponies to sail the ship.
After sailing for a little over an hour, Hydro came upon the island where he'd been directed to. He checked the waters and when he found them to be calm, he dropped anchor and lowered the raft into the water, descending onto it with an oar. He paddled to the island, reaching after about five minutes. Dragging the raft onto the shore and weighing the rope down with a few rocks, he made his way to the island's right.
'This is a beautiful island.' Hydro thought to himself as he looked at his surroundings, 'I'll have to bring Luna here sometime.' He soon came to the area that Tropic Sun had spoken of and located the hill. Walking to the hilltop, he soon found himself surrounded by blue and white flowers that were so radiant, they seemed to glow as they swayed lightly in the breeze. Hydro even wondered for a second if he heard a celestial-like song coming from the flowers. Taking a deep and content breath, he knelt down and scooped up a handful that would fit the corsage. He looked up at the sun, noting that it was midday. He had nothing else to do, so he figured he'd relax on this island for a bit.
He inspected the area around him, making sure that there were no wild animals that would attack him. Sure enough, the only animals he saw were birds and small rodents, no threat at all. Hydro went under a nearby tree and settled down under its shade, leaning against it. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a relaxed sleep that brought the most interesting of dreams.
********Hydro was standing on a large balcony, dressed in an elegant frock coat. Luna was with him, in an elaborate, flowing gown. Were they at the Gala? It didn't seem like it, seeing that they were alone. Nonetheless, the two of them danced to a beautiful symphony as the silver light of the moon shone brilliantly on them. Her hooves around his shoulders and his hoof on the small of her back, he led her with the music. He silently thanked his father, who had taught him to properly dance when he was young. "I must admit, Hydro, the way you dance is quite charming." Luna said, as if answering his thoughts. "Not as graceful as you, love." he responded.
"I'm just so happy to be here with you. I never dreamed this day would come." the princess smiled. The two of them continued to dance, oblivious to everything else around them. Once the song ended, Hydro took Luna's hoof in his.
"Luna, my dearest love, there is something I wish to ask you." he said. He'd been preparing for this moment all night. "We've grown up together from foalhood. We have been through thick and thin, through good and bad. I have loved you since the day I laid eyes on you, and for me, there is nopony else. The day that we confessed our love for one another was the greatest day of my life...so far."
Luna tilted her head, curious as to what he meant by 'so far.' She did not need to wait for long, as Hydro continued to speak.
"There is another day that would be the greatest day of my life, but it has not yet come. That is why I am here right now. I would love nothing more than to be with you for all of eternity."
Getting down on one knee, his heartbeat sped up when he pulled a white gold ring with a sapphire embedded in it. With a gasp, Luna brought her hooves up, covering her mouth as her eyes welled up with tears, a smile spreading across her face.
"Princess Luna, will you-
Hydro's eyes snapped open. He looked around, remembering that he was on the island that he'd visited to get the flowers for Luna's corsage. He felt a bit disappointed when he realized that he'd only been dreaming, but the feeling quickly faded when he remembered that he would be attending the Gala with his love. He looked up at the sun and saw that he'd been napping for about an hour and a half. He figured that he should get back home. He'd wait a few days to see if the flowers faded or not. If they did, he'd just come back and get more. But with the way they glowed and from what he thought he heard, Hydro now had a feeling that the old island hermit was telling the truth.
"One day..." he told himself, regarding his dream, as he made his way to the shore where he'd anchored the ship.
************
"You're going to look absolutely dazzling in this, my dear!"
Luna had been at the tailor's shop nearly all morning. The seamstress, Velvet Star was adding a few extra touches to Luna's midnight blue gown that she would be wearing next week.
"I hope so." Luna said. "I want to look as good as I can for the one I'm going with."
Velvet smiled, "And who is the lucky young stallion that's going with you?"
"His name is Hydro."
The tailor looked up, somewhat taken aback by what she's just heard.
"Hydro? But isn't he that fisher pony who lives near the village?"
"Yes, that's right." Luna confirmed, smiling at the mention of her love.
"Oh, my." Velvet Star uttered in surprise.
"Is something wrong?" the princess inquired, although she was beginning to get an idea on why it was such an unexpected answer.
"Well, no. It's just... the Grand Galloping Gala is one of the most important nights in Equestria. I thought you'd attend with a stallion of higher class, more wealth. That sort of stallion."
"That's what most everypony thinks when they hear it." Luna resigned, "But trust me, Velvet, he is a kind, loving stallion. He might be a mere sailor, but he makes an honest living, and he is much more pure than many of the rich stallions that live around this city. I love Hydro more than the waking world."
"Forgive me, Princess." Velvet apologized, "I was simply taken aback for a moment. I meant no harm in any way, and if you truly love him, then you should go with nopony else."
'If only more ponies thought that way...' Luna thought to herself as Velvet continued working on her gown.
Later that evening, as Luna and her family finished dinner, her mother spoke up.
"So, Velvet Star told me that she finished your dress for the Gala, Celestia. And she says that she's almost finished with your dress, Luna."
Luna's mind froze with panic for a moment, wondering if Velvet had informed her mother of who she was going with. She eased out of her panic mode when her mother continued speaking.
I actually got to see them, and they're both gorgeous. I'm a bit disappointed that I won't get to see the two of you wearing them, but I'm glad that the two of you will be in for a magical evening."
"Speaking of which, have either of you two found a stallion to accompany you to the Gala? I know it isn't mandatory, but it would make a good impression if you had somepony at your side." her father chimed in as the servants took their plates way.
"I've not found anypony yet, Father." Celestia answered, while Luna remained silent, looking down at the table. Her father noticed this and spoke to her.
"Luna..." he began suspiciously, "You're not thinking of asking that fisher pony, are you?"
The princess tensed up with nervousness. She did not want to bluntly lie to her father, yet she didn't want him knowing, either. She quickly came up with a response that didn't answer his question, but rather, gave her a fighting chance, albeit a small one.
"...May I?" she asked innocently.
Her father heaved a sigh, folding his hooves on the table in an authoritative manner.
"Luna, you know the answer to that." he addressed, "I hate having to keep telling you this, but no means no, and I'm getting weary of saying it."
"What do you see in that pony?" her mother inquired, "He's not of noble birth."
"What difference does that make?" Luna asked.
"More than you think." her father answered, "I will not have my daughter, a princess of Equestria, been seen at one of the most important events with a low-class sailor pony!"
"But Father," Luna retaliated, "You must realize- you and mother are only looking at YOUR interest, not mine. You'd rather deny me the one I love so you don't have to be 'embarrassed' as you say, instead of seeing me truly happy!"
"Luna, I do not want to hear you say that you love him again." her mother warned.
As the scuffle carried on, Celestia felt a great deal of sorrow for Luna. She knew that her sister was in love with Hydro, and she knew that Hydro was a perfect match for her, peasant status or not. She finally spoke up.
"Mother, Father- perhaps it would not be any harm to let them go together?" she suggested, her parents staring at her with shock at hearing this.
"Celestia, I cannot believe..." her mother scoffed, astonished at what she was hearing.
"But maybe he would be good for her." Celestia said. "He does not seem like a bad stallion at all."
"No peasant pony is good enough for either of my daughters!" he spoke sharply. After a long pause, he continued, "And besides- at the very least, what is he going to dress in? I won't have my daughter wearing a formal dress standing next to a fisher pony wearing a sailor's vest!"
"That is simply his work clothes!" Luna objected, "If you are so worried about what it will look like, we can surely have Velvet Star make a frock coat for him."
"Now you're being ridiculous." her father retorted, "I will not pay to have an elegant coat made for a low-class pony. And I will not tolerate even the thought of you going with him. You are a Princess, he is a sailor. You two do not belong together. I won't repeat myself again, Luna. You are not to be seen with him at the Gala, or anywhere for that matter."
Luna sighed, hanging her head slightly. Her father recognized this as her acknowledgement of his authority. Little did he know that it was simply a small matter for her, as she would still be going with Hydro.
"Perhaps it would be better that her and I just go ourselves this year?" Celestia asked.
"That's fine." their father informed, "As long as neither of you go with a lowly peasant."
After a few moments of awkward silence, Luna excused herself for the evening, and Celestia followed, informing her parents that she would 'speak with her.' Once in her room, Luna let a low growl escape her lips.
"Are you so surprised at his answer, sister?" Celestia asked, closing the door behind her.
"It isn't his answer that angers me." Luna replied, "I knew he'd say no. I'm appalled at the excuses that he gave. They're, they're... pathetic! Not one legitimate at all reason why I cannot be with him."
"You're right, Luna." Celestia agreed, "Just please... do not anger him any further. The two of them leave for the Crystal Empire this weekend, and they'll be gone for three whole weeks. But if you mention Hydro again, it could make him suspicious, and I don't think I need to remind you- that could be disastrous. It may bother you, but just don't talk about Hydro to him, and everything should work out fine."
"I won't, sister. I'll be sure to leave him out of any conversation between us."
After conversing for a while about their plans for the Gala, Celestia went to her bedroom for the night. Luna stayed awake for a while, letting her mind clear. Once she realized that things were going to work out, that her parents would be nowhere in sight, she felt ecstatic. She knew that the Gala would be a night to remember, and that everything would work itself out in the end. The princess stepped out onto her balcony, taking in a deep breath of the cool air.
"Do not worry, Hydro my love," she said in a low voice as she gazed up at the stars, "I will see to it that Father will accept us."
****EIGHT DAYS LATER****
Hydro awoke early, excited as could be. Tonight, he and his princess would be together at the Grand Galloping Gala, and nopony would ruin their night. He would be picked up by a carriage that he'd rented for the evening, which would take him to the tailor shop where Luna would be getting ready and would wait for him. Then, they would join Celestia and other nobles in a pre-Gala dinner before going to the Gala itself. Yes, this would indeed be one of their best nights ever.
The minutes ticked by like hours as he prepared the ship for a small work day before the carriage arrived. After spending half of the morning out at sea, he brought in a good catch for the day and began readying himself for the night. As day turned into afternoon, he swiftly cleaned up, washing off the sea salt from his coat that he'd gotten while out on the ocean. Once that was done, he brushed his wind-whipped mane out and slicked it back with a natural concoction that his mother had made from coconut oil, kelp extract and a few other resources. He sprayed himself down with a cologne that his father had gotten from the village before donning his handsome new frock coat. Looking at himself in the mirror, he smiled to himself. He was now presentable for his princess.
He soon heard his father calling from outside, stating that the carriage had arrived. Before exiting, Hydro grabbed the corsage that lay on his desk. To his delight, Tropic Sun had been correct. The flowers did not wither or fade, and even now, rearranged to make a beautiful corsage for Luna, they still radiated with that same brilliance the day he'd gotten them.
He made his way to the elaborate carriage, which he had set aside extra money to rent for the evening. The driver opened the door for him, but before stepping in, Hydro pulled out twenty gold bits and handed them over to the driver.
"For your service this evening." Hydro addressed, to which he driver smiled.
"Thank you, sir."
Before climbing aboard, Hydro looked over at his parents, who were sitting on lawn chairs, smiling at him warmly. Then, to his surprise, he saw Tropic Sun standing off to the left, who gave him a wide grin and a wink. Smiling, he got into the carriage and the driver closed the door. Within moments, the carriage began moving, making its way to the capital city. The trip seemed to take eternity as Hydro waited with a bit of nervousness, which was luckily overwhelmed by anticipation. He could not wait to see his princess! His mind raced with how the evening would go, how amazing Princess Luna would look.
Finally, the carriage made its way to the capital city. Hydro looked around as he remembered years back, when he was a student at the noble's academy. He and Luna would spend hours walking around the streets of the city, chatting aimlessly about random things, not a care in the world.
They came to their first destination- Silk and Satin, the tailor shop where Luna was waiting. The carriage halted and the driver got out, opening the door again. Hydro stepped out, adjusting the ascot on his frock.
"Do I look all right?" he asked the driver.
"Just fine, sir." he reassured, "She'll be dazzled."
Giving him a thankful nod, Hydro walked up to the door and knocked. Seconds later, the door was opened by Velvet Star, the shop's tailor.
"Ah, you must be Hydro!"
"Yes, m'lady." he confirmed.
"You look absolutely fabulous!" she complimented before looking over her shoulder, "Yes, right on time, here she is."
As Luna stepped through the doorway, the rest of the world became oblivious and blank to Hydro, his princess looked so beautiful. She wore a midnight blue gown so elegant that it seemed to be made from the night sky itself. Her mane was put halfway up with a couple of strands hanging in curls that draped down beside her face. Hydro could hardly breathe, let alone speak. When he finally came to his senses, he saw that Luna was staring at him in the same manner.
"You... my, you look positively amazing!" she was the first to speak.
"I look amazing?" he said breathlessly, "You've put me at a loss for words, my love!" The two entered a tender, loving embrace.
"All right, time is wasting!" Velvet interrupted, "You two and go have the night of your lives!"
"Thank you, Velvet." Luna said before the two of them made their way to the carriage. Hydro opened the door and allowed Luna to step in before getting in himself. The driver closed the door and the carriage began moving. Hydro took Luna's hoof in his, sliding the corsage on. Luna admired with intrigued as she eyed the flowers.
"I've never seen flowers like these." she commented, "They're gorgeous! Where did you come across them?"
"Interestingly enough, the old hermit Tropic Sun showed me an island where they grow. And there's something special about these flowers, Luna. I gathered them a week ago- they won't wither away. They'll stay the way they are for all time, so hold onto that."
"I will, for sure. You found these on an island?" Luna asked.
"It isn't too far from the shore." Hydro informed, "I'll have to take you there some time. It's a beautiful island, and it would be a great place for us to visit together."
The carriage ride lasted only a few more minutes before they came to their next destination- a banquet hall, where the royal dinner would be taking place. Stepping out, Hydro took Luna's hoof in his as she exited the carriage.
"And your parents are away?" Hydro double checked.
"My sister and I watched as they departed four days ago. They'll be at the Crystal Empire for three weeks." Luna assured him as they approached the door. The two guards opened the door and they walked inside, where they were greeted by Celestia, who, along with the other nobles, was dressed for the Gala as well.
"Good evening, sister. Good evening, Hydro." she greeted, "The two of you look great!"
"Thank you, dear sister. You do as well." Luna answered.
"Fairest greetings, Princess Celestia." Hydro returned the greeting.
"Hydro, I've told you before to just call me Celestia." the sun princess said with a grin and sigh. Even though he was a simple sailor, he had very good etiquette and behaved even more noble than most rich ponies of the city, which was another reason why Luna and Celestia were frustrated with their father's dislike of him.
The three of them entered the banquet area, where Luna introduced Hydro to the other nobles. Some of them were friendly to him, others merely acknowledged his presence, but Hydro didn't care. He was here for a magical night with his love, and nopony was going to stop that. Within minutes, the dinner bell rang and they all approached the elongated dining table. Hydro pulled out the chair for Luna before taking his place beside her as the food was brought out.
After a four course meal, Luna and Hydro excused themselves as the other ponies chatted. They told Celestia they would see her at the castle before getting into the carriage and making their way to their ultimate destination- the Grand Galloping Gala. Once again, Hydro stepped out and held Luna's hoof as she exited.
"We're finally here." Hydro said eagerly.
"Together." Luna added.
"And I wouldn't have it any other way." he said, embracing her warmly before extending his foreleg. Latching her foreleg around his, the two of them made their way into the grand hall of the castle. After introducing Hydro to several of her friends, Luna brought him over to the table where the two of them each had a glass of wine.
"Already this night is unforgettable." Hydro commented, "And it's all thanks to you, my love."
"And to you, Hydro." Luna replied.
A few moments later, Celestia approached them, picking up a glass for herself.
"The two of you look so great together." Celestia sighed, "And you both look so happy."
"It's because we're here with one another." Hydro explained. "As long as Luna is here with me, all is right in my world."
"You took the words out of my mouth, my love." Luna said.
"Celestia!" a voice called out. The princess excused herself and walked toward the pony, leaving Luna and Hydro together. Then, a ballad began playing and a slow dance between the ponies began. Hydro offered his hoof to the princess.
"May I have this dance, my love?" Hydro asked, to which Luna smiled and extended her hoof. They had never danced together before, and the two of them had been looking forward to this. They made their way to the center of the hall, where Luna placed her forelegs around his shoulders and he placed his hooves on the small of her back, leading her as the music surrounded them with a magical touch. In moments, the rest of the world had faded away The other nobles, the orchestra, the castle itself seemed to not be there as the two of them slowly danced to the music. This was a moment they wanted to last for eternity.
"Hydro, I know that things have been a bit rough for us, and I want to apologize for-" Luna was cut off by Hydro placing his hoof on her face.
"Luna, my love, you owe me no sort of apology." he told her, "It matters not that we've had our down times. Every pony does. As long as you're here for me, my life is great."
"It's a shame that Father does not approve of you. But I promise you, that I will make sure that we are together, and if Father does not approve of us, I will see to it that he at least accepts us. Celestia is at my side, as are quite a few of my friends. It may take time, but I swear to you, Hydro, it will happen."
Hydro looked straight into her eyes. "I do not care how long it takes, my love. All I want is to be with you."
The two ponies leaned in slowly, their lips eventually meeting in a tender kiss. They stood there, oblivious to everything else around them. They were here at the Gala. They were together. All that mattered was this moment.
"LUNA!!"
A voice made both her and Hydro nearly jump out of their skin. A sense of dread came over them when they recognized the voice...
Her father's.
Their heads darted to where the voice came from. Sure enough, to their great dismay, Luna's parents were standing not ten feet from them, clearly having witnessed their kiss. A dark, wrathful look of fury smoldered on her father's face. Celestia ran up, realizing what was going on.
"Father..." Celestia began,
"Shut up, Celestia!!!" her father shouted. Their mother approached Luna, and, seizing her by the shoulders, dragged her back, despite Luna's protests.
"I knew you were up to something, young lady!" her father growled. He clapped his hooves twice and two royal guards came out of nowhere, grabbing and holding Hydro's forelegs.
"What are you doing!?" Luna asked in a panic.
"So, my suspicions are confirmed!" Luna's father said out loud purposely, so everypony in the hall could hear, "My daughter, princess of Equestria, here at the Grand Galloping Gala... with A PEASANT!! "
He swiftly pointed a hoof at Hydro. The hallway became filled with murmurs, the majority coming from rich nobles muttering their disapproval and disgust.
"Let him go!" Luna begged. She tried to break free of her mother's grasp, but when she did, two more guards seized her, rendering her unable to break from them.
"I thought you two were at the Crystal Empire..." Celestia said in surprise.
"And we were." their mother said, "But our business there needed to wait until next month, so we were able to come home in time for the Gala."
"I'm thankful we did. But at the same time, I am utterly sickened." her father spoke coldly, "Hydro, Hydro, Hydro... I told you, to never set foot near my daughter. I told you there would be consequences, but you did not heed my warning."
"Father, this was my-" Luna began.
"SILENCE!!! " he bellowed, causing most ponies to flinch. Turning his attention back to Hydro, he continued, "Like I said, there would be consequences. And not only did you go near her, you brought her to the Gala, and I found you kissing her. You're about to regret all of that, sailor boy!"
Her father raised his hoof. Tightening it, he brought it down swiftly, striking Hydro four times across the face.
"Father, stop!!" Luna pleaded with her father. He didn't listen and punched the sailor in the torso, causing him to sink to his knees. The guards held their grasp as the king followed up with a kick to the ribcage.
"Is this really necessary?" Celestia asked, appalled.
"You be quiet, young lady." her mother's voice hissed from behind her. "You tried to take her side, and you don't want to do that any longer." Celestia hung her head and turned away, not wanting to watch this brutality.
"I said it before, and I will say it one final time..." the king declared, "I will NEVER have my daughter seeing a peasant pony! NEVER!!!"
He clapped his hooves again, and was given his royal walking cane by a servant. The other nobles watched, some of them chuckling. It was clear to anypony that most of them were stuck up, thinking that the noble class was better than any other pony out there. Luna struggled once again, but the two guards held her in place, forcing her to see the entire ordeal.
The king slowly walked over to Hydro, the rage still on his face. He grasped the cane tightly and raised it above his head.
"NO!!" Luna sobbed, tears flowing from her eyes.
With no hesitation and no mercy, her father began striking Hydro across the head relentlessly with the cane. Luna lowered her head and squinted her eyes shut, unable to watch. Heaving sobs took control of her. The king ordered the guards to release Hydro, causing him to sink helplessly to the floor. Not caring, the king continued to strike Hydro's body.
'This isn't right... ' Celestia thought to herself as she heard Luna's painful crying, even though there were no shouts of pain from Hydro.
"Stop..." Luna whimpered, still facing the ground.
After half a minute, the king finally ceased and ordered his guards to pick him back up. They picked the beaten sailor off of the floor, one of them grabbing his mane to face the king. The pony's frock coat was now tattered. His previously slick mane now hung damp in front of his face. Sweat covered his bruised body. One of his eyes was swollen shut, while blood ran from his nose and mouth, smattered over spots of his face and coat. The king pressed the end of his cane firmly against Hydro's chest, but the pony looked up at the king with a firm stare, not blinking once.
"You should have heeded my warnings, but you did not. My word is law, and you ignored it. And now, you've forced me to take action to make sure that you listen to what I say." Silence fell over the room as the king made a horrible declaration.
"Hydro, as of now, you are banished from these lands! You have until tomorrow to leave here and never return. Should you return here, you will be imprisoned for all time- and that's if I'm feeling nice! Guards, release him!"
The guards let him go, and he again fell to his knees, but he looked up at the king with the same glare he'd been giving him, letting the king know that he was unfazed, and secretly swearing that the king had not seen the last of him. He stood up and looked at the king, face to face, and was greeted with a final smack across the face. Four guards came behind the king, brandishing razor sharp spears.
"Now... leave." the king ordered.
Hydro stared at the king for a few moments longer, and then turned and walked out of the hall, followed by the guards. He didn't dare look back at Luna, fearing he could not handle the heartbreak. He was already heartbroken as it was and could not take much more.
The guards released Luna and with that, she shoved aside any pony in her way and ran to her bedroom, her sister running close behind. The king ordered the blood and sweat cleaned off of the floor and for the Gala to commence. The nobles continued, as if nothing had even happened.
Celestia darted through Luna's door and was pained to see her younger sister sprawled out across her bed, crying her eyes out. She could not believe her father's cruelty toward her sister's love. There were currently no words to say, so Celestia simply went over to Luna. A few tears slid down her face as she cradled her broken sister, only able to wait for the pain to subside.
Late that evening, Hydro stumbled to the shore. He'd left the carriage behind, his mind numb and broken. The young sailor pony was now feeling immense loss, defeat and heartbreak. He approached the ship, and began getting ready to sail. As he readied the ship, his parents burst through the door.
"Hydro, there you are! You're back late, what took so long?" his mother said.
"It's nothing." Hydro said. As he turned to look at the map, his parents saw the bruises and dried blood.
"What happened to you, boy?" his father asked, astonished.
"The king has exiled me. I have to leave by tomorrow."
"For what?" his father asked.
"He saw me with Luna again." Hydro responded, now unable to keep a few tears from escaping his eyes.
"That's not a good enough reason." his mother retaliated. "We should speak to the king immediately."
"It won't do any good." Hydro admitted in defeat. "I have to go."
"No, son." his father protested, "Don't do this."
"I have no choice!" Hydro said. Giving them several bags filled with gold, he said, "You two take care of one another. I love you, and if you ever see Luna again, tell her that I will see her again one day."
His parents looked at the gold, then at one another. They quickly realized the seriousness of this situation, no matter how wrong it was. Silently making a decision, they nodded at one another, then looked at their son.
"No, son." his father said, "If you're leaving, then we are going with you."
"Why? You haven't been exiled, you don't need to leave."
"You're our son." his mother answered matter-of-factly. "You can try to convince us otherwise, but we've made our decision."
"What about all your friends? Everything you like to do?"
"We'll find more in another port." his mother replied. "No more questions, Hydro. We're going with you."
Hydro nodded. Upon insisting, his parents cleaned the blood away and tended to his bruises and gashes. After they patched him up, he finished preparing the ship while his parents went back to sleep. It may have been a large sacrifice, but their son had not asked for this, and they were determined to be there for him.
Painfully, both physically and in his shattered heart, Hydro unfurled to full sail and directed the ship away from the land. As the ship sailed away and came upon open sea, his emotions finally caught up with him. He sank to his knees, weeping bitterly for hours until there was hardly anything left to weep out. He eventually looked back behind him in the direction of the land that had long since disappeared from his sight. With tears in his eyes, he gazed up at the night sky.
"I will always love you, Luna."
Author's Note
I forgot to mention this when it was published- Book One takes place before Luna became Nightmare Moon. When Book Two comes along, it will be taking place the present-day Equestria. Just thought I'd throw that out there so nopony gets confused with the timelines.
Book 1, Chapter 3: A Life Without
The next two years went by at an agonizingly slow pace for Hydro. Not just agonizing from the slow passing of the days, but nothing ever worked in his favor upon leaving the land. To start, he was not able to find secure work post anywhere, no matter where he looked. Some cities and harbors would give him small odd jobs. But most of these jobs were only available because they were very risky tasks- casting for a dangerous type of fish, for instance, or having to sail in dangerous waters, where jagged rocks and hidden sandbars could be all the difference between returning to port or sinking to the ocean floor. And with the extremely high taxes that the land required, he was only able to make enough to just get by.
Because of the constant sailing between different lands and cities, and with making only enough to pay for food and drink, living conditions became very poor; not for Hydro (his uncanny aquatic strengths seemed to give him immunity to illnesses at sea), but within seven and a half months after leaving their home, Hydro’s parents fell very ill with a sea-borne disease. Hydro tried to make enough money to get medicine for them, but he was only able to get a small dose, and both his parents were elderly and frail. Upon much debate, Hydro’s father convinced him to give the dose to his mother instead of him, which he complied to. About a week later, Hydro’s father passed away. Sailing to a small island where he would often relax, he buried his father on a grassy knoll under a palm tree that overlooked the sun when it rose over the ocean’s horizon.
Also, the small dose he was able to get (which cost him almost all of his month’s earnings) was not enough to cure the disease, only enough to put it off. Two months after his father’s passing, Hydro’s mother succumbed to the disease and died as well. After burying her next to his father the following afternoon, Hydro looked out at the calm blue sea.
“I guess I really am on my own now.” he said to himself.
With that, he took a long final look at the heavy stones that marked his parents’ graves and returned to his ship. The next few weeks were spent sailing alone- sailing a great distance from Equestria and traveling to different lands. Upon arriving across the ocean in the land of Bridleton, he was lucky enough to find a harbor that gave him a small, secure job that paid him decently. They were even kind enough to give him three ponies who were in need of work.
But even though he now had steady work, his life was one of misery. He had lost his parents, the only people who supported and encouraged him. The work he had was nowhere near as fulfilling, both financially and mentally as the work he’d had in Equestria.
But the worst of it all was the constant pain he felt in his heart without his Luna. Without her, he had nothing. He was nothing. He tried finding other mares, but could never bring himself to be with any of them- Luna was the only mare for him, he quickly realized. He tried washing his pain away by drinking large amounts of rum, ale and mead. But even when he was drunk, the pain still ebbed at him, and after he’d passed out and awoken with a pounding head, the sorrow always returned in a massive overload.
Everywhere he went, he always would see her beautiful face in everything, no matter what it was. Even the most complicated enigmas would remind him of the princess that he’d lost. No, no lost- taken from him! His mind would reel with sorrow for his loss, anger for the King, and his ever burning love for Luna.
So much did he think on this, that he concluded that it wasn’t just that he could not be without Luna. He couldn’t live without her. On a chilly morning, when the sun had barely risen over the ocean, Hydro awoke from another drunken stupor, his vision blurred and his head throbbing. He approached his desk, pushed the empty rum bottles aside and grasped the quill on the corner, retrieving a parchment from the basket on the floor. He quickly scribbled a message, folded the parchment and exited the ship, making his way to the harbor, where the harbormaster greeted him.
“Another rough night, Hydro?” the stallion asked.
Hydro didn’t respond, only slid the parchment onto the table that the harbormaster sat behind. There was a strange, eerie dullness in Hydro's eyes as he spoke after a moment of dusty silence.
“When my fellow lads get here, make sure they read this note. Tell them that I appreciate all the hard work they’ve done for me and that I wish them all the best in their lives.”
With that, he began walking away. Then, he turned around and looked once more to the harbormaster before speaking again.
“One more thing- tell them that the ship is theirs now.”
The harbormaster, though he didn’t understand what was going on, gave a firm nod to Hydro and watched as the young stallion faded away into the city.
Hydro reached his destination after about half an hour- the highest point in the city, atop a tall stony cliff that overlooked the sea. He drew in a long, steady breath, taking in the scent of the salty air and the now bright sunshine. It was true- he couldn’t be without Luna.
“I will see you soon, my love.” he said aloud.
He braced himself and ran at full speed to the edge, jumping as big a distance as he could once he reached it. As he fell, he saw images from his life- his fifth birthday, his first time on a ship, meeting Luna, leaving the nobles’ school, dancing with Luna at the Gala.... all of these times in his life flashed before him. He then squinted his eyes shut and soon felt what he’d braced himself for- a strong, painful impact jolting throughout his entire body. But he heard no splash, nor felt himself sinking. He heard only a loud thud and felt himself roll. In a daze, he opened his eyes and saw a wooden floor below him and white sails above. He then heard several voices speaking in shocked manner;
“What the- did ye see that!?”
He then heard hoofsteps approaching before he blacked out completely.
********
Back in Equestria, things weren’t looking very well for the royal family either. Since Hydro’s departure, Luna had confined herself inside her room, letting no one inside. She would only come out to get food or drink, and when she did that, she simply brought it to her room instead of dining with her family. Her parent’s pleas for her to come out fell on deaf, begrudging ears. Her father brooded over this one evening as he sat in the parlor.
“Why is she doing this?” he mumbled.
“I guess she still hasn’t gotten over that sailor pony.” her mother resigned. “ But it’s been almost two years- you think she’d forget by now… Celestia, dear, would you please go and ask her to come out here with us?”
“Mother, you know that will not do any good.” the solar princess answered.
“But why him?” the king questioned, “I tried to get her with better, more noble stallions, but she refused every one of them.”
“Father, she meant it when she said she cared about Hydro.”
“But he’s a sailor!” her father growled through clenched teeth, his frustration getting the best of him.
“That didn’t matter to her, I guess.” her mother thought aloud.
That phrase was enough to bring a couple minutes of silence into the parlor before the king tossed the book aside and with a long exhales, brought his chin to rest on his hooves.
“I just… it’s been almost two years since she’s said a word to us!” he lamented, “She won’t even look at me! She used to be so full of life, so happy. I miss being able to do things with her. I would do anything to get my precious Luna back.”
“Would you really be willing to do anything?” Celestia inquired, “Do you really mean that when you say it, Father?”
The king looked at his daughter, seeing the look in her eye. She didn’t need to explain any further- he realized what she meant, and he realized what he needed to do in order to get his daughter back. He'd actually know this for a long time, but now knew that there was no other way. And it had to be done.
“I have no other choice, then, do I?” he said, rising out of his plush chair. He sighed and made his way to Luna’s bedroom. He knocked, and of course, got no response.
“Luna, my dear?”
Still nothing.
“Luna, could I speak with you?”
No response.
“I think you’ll like what I have to say.”
When he still was greeted with silence, he knew that he couldn’t put it off any longer.
“Luna, do you still wish to be with Hydro?”
Upon that being said, the door flung open and the king was greeted by his daughter, a furious look on her face, her breathing in heavy growls.
“Do I still wish to be with Hydro?” she said sarcastically, putting a hoof up to her chin, making a mock decision. “Hmmm….”
“What in the hay do you think!?” she belted out, her voice echoing throughout the halls of the castle. “You constantly gave him and I trouble throughout the time we knew each other, always putting him down and saying he wasn’t good enough for me! And all he ever did was show me love and show you respect! He never was hostile toward you, and you STILL treated him like dirt!! Then you humiliated us at the Gala, beat him to a pulp and then exiled him!! And now you have the gall to come here and ask if I still want to be with him?”
When she paused for breath, the king spoke in a calm tone, letting her know that he was not here to argue.
“Luna, my dear, that is why I’ve come to you. I’ve seen the pain on your face, and I see how you want nothing to do with us. Honestly, I can’t blame you for that. But that’s why I am here- to make amends.”
“Make amends…” she said dully, crossing her forelegs and raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, my dear. I will not keep my intentions subliminal any longer. If you truly wish to be with him, then I will allow you two to be together.”
Luna coughed and sputtered, shocked at hearing the words she thought she’d never hear from her father.
“What?” she asked, wanting to be sure that she heard right.
“If you want to be with him, then I will not stop you.”
Luna paused for a moment, a joyous sensation arising within her. But, she wasn't born yesterday. After the way her father had acted, she knew there may have been something amiss.
"So why the sudden change of mind?" she inquired.
"Because... because I didn't realize how melancholy it would make you. I thought that you were going through a phase. I didn't think it through. I don't know, really, Luna. Now, however, I do know that you need to be happy, no matter the cost."
"But you exiled him." Luna realized, "And it's been two years since then. How is this going to work?"
"I am king of Equestria, my dear." her father reminded her, "I have the means to find him and have him brought back here. Tomorrow, I will recruit a number of my men, and have them go out and find him. They will search the enitre Known World if they must. Rest assured- I will see to it that he returns."
For the first time in two years, long past what her family could remember, a smile came to Luna's face and she hugged her father.
"Thank you so much, Father!" she exclaimed, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Anything to see you happy, Luna."
"You have no idea how joyful this mkaes me! And Father... I am sorry for distancing myself."
"No, Luna, it is I who owes you the apology for what I did to you and him. I should have known better."
The King then gave her a kiss on her forehead and departed to his chambers. Feeling an ecstatic rush of joy, in which she hadn't felt in so long, Luna rushed to her balcony and jumped, unfurling her wings and taking flight, the moonlit sky gleaming over Equestria. She made her way over the capital city, and then to the village by the bay. She landed at the shore where she once would meet with Hydro in secret. The old dock where the ship once had anchored had given away to wood rot, and the hut that he'd built was now collapsed. It was evident that nopony had been here since Hydro had left, but Luna didn't care. When Hydro returned, she would help him in rebuilding the dock and the hut. Perhaps they would be able to do more to fix up the area, since they would now be allowed to see one another.
********
Hydro found himself in what appeared to be the middle of the ocean. He soon realized that he was standing on an island, and sure enough, he was surrounded by sea water. The night sky hung with a light mist. He then heard a voice echo.
"Hydro..."
He recognized the voice.
"Hydro, my love..."
"Luna!?" he darted his head back and forth, attempting to locate the source of the voice.
"Come, Hydro. It is time."
"Luna!"
"You are on your way, my love. A few more trials and tasks. You will do what you must."
"Luna, my dearest love! Where are you?" he kept frantically searching for any sign of his beloved princess.
"Do not feel any shame for what you will do. I love you, no matter what you do, no matter what you are."
Hydro began moving around the island, his eyes keen for Luna.
"Ask no forgiveness, for I have already forgiven you. Do what you, must, my love. Then, we can be together once more..."
"LUNA!!" he called. Then he heard her speak something a bit strange.
"Lad..."
"Huh?" he questioned, puzzled.
"Are ye awake?" the voice was getting a bit deeper.
"What is going on?" he wondered aloud. Then, the scenery changed as he came out of the dream. He discovered that he was actually lying on a bed in a ship's cabin.
"Everything all right there, lad?" a stallion's voice now spoke to him. He looked up and saw a red Earth Pony stallion with green eyes and a jet black mane with a couple of loose braids entwined. He wore a purple frock coat and a black tri-point hat.
Hydro sat up and grabbed his head, which ached more now than an any drunken stupor he'd been in.
"Ugghh... where am I?" he inquired.
"Yer in a safe spot. Easy now, get some more rest. We'll talk when ye recover."
********
Luna waited anxiously in the parlor. Today, the guards were returning! She could not wait to see her Hydro. It had been far too long of a wait, but now they would be reunited! For almost three months, she'd waited anxiously for the return of the guards and her love. She'd been thrilled when she discovered that Hydro's ship had been registered at the harbor of Bridleton, and even though that was all the way across an entire ocean, she still was chipper nonetheless.
Her family had also been delighted at Luna's return to her old self. Especially her sister, who had listened graciously as Luna chattered on about her plans for her and Hydro when he returned. This was how the royal family should be- all of them content and happy.
After an hour passed, she finally heard the castle doors open. Unable to take the ancitipation, she dashed out of the parlor and down the hall, turning the corner and seeing the guards led by her father. But she stopped when she noticed that Hydro was not with them. She quickly noticed a grim look on her father's face, as well as the guards.
"...Father?" she asked.
"To the parlor." he said in a hushed tone.
Her nerves rolling, she followed her father into the parlor where she had been waiting. Her mother and sister quickly entered the room, and looked just as surprised when they saw that Hydro was not here. The king turned around and took a deep breath.
"Luna... we found that Hydro was indeed stationed in Bridleton. He was working for the harbor there, but everypony told my men that he'd been depressed for a long time. And...I, uh..."
"Father, what is it?" she asked, worry rising in her voice.
"The harbormaster informed us that about two months ago, Hydro showed up one morning, gave him a note and disappeared. The...I..." the king was having a lot of trouble telling his daughter this. "It was a suicide note, Luna. Hydro... killed himself."
Luna's face dropped into one of complete shock and horror. A gasp was heard from Celestia, while a shocked expression dawned on her mother's face as well. A cold, brittle tenstion filled the room.
"I'm sorry, my dear." was all the king could say.
After a few more silent but tense moments, Luna's emotions erupted. With a scream, she lunged herself at her father, pounding her hoof into his back repeatedly in fury before deep, painful sobs emitted from her.
"HYRDO, NO!! NO!! WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY!!!???" she cried aloud.
"Luna, I am so-" her father attempted, but was cut off when the princess shoved him with all of her might, causing him to topple over and land on a futon. Then, Luna rushed out of the parlor and made her way to her bedroom, the sound of her tears echoing through the halls. Her parents simply remained in position, knowing that this was what they deserved.
Celestia slowly followed her sister's hoofsteps. Once out of the parlor, she turned around and faced her parents, who had shameful expressions on their faces. She stared at them for a few moments. Then, she shook her head in disgust before slamming the parlor doors. True, they did not cause Hydro's death directly, but if they had just accepted his and Luna's being together, this could have been avoided.
A week later, ponies gathered at the harbor of Equestria- ponies who knew Hydro from when he lived in the land. He may not have been the wealthiest, but he had a host of friends. And they were all here for his memorial service, which the king had ordered in a sort of apologetic sense. Luna was so angry, so upset that she almost didn't come to the service. But she did, anyway.... for her Hydro. But as her father stood in front of the seated crowd, she looked straight ahead out at the sea, ignoring her father once again.
Celestia sat by her sister, making sure she was there in her hour of need. She'd been the one to comfort Luna, who had been so angry, that she'd even accused her father of secretly killing Hydro and then using suicide as a cover up- "To ensure we would never see each other again!" Luna had spitefully declared. Luckily, Celestia convinced her otherwise, but it was not easy, and took a lot of convincing. But she still smoldered in anger toward the way Hydro had been treated by her parents. Even now, as her father spoke, she disregarded him completely.
"Citizens of Equestria," the king began, "We are gathered today to remember the life of Hydro. A young sailor, who was known for his keen and uncanny talents for sailing, fishing, and everything to do with the sea. A friend to many, an enemy to very few."
'And you're one of the few...' Luna thought as she stared at the sea.
"An honest stallion who wished nothing more than to make an honest living. Before I continue, would anypony like to say anything on behalf of Hydro?"
A few ponies came forward and recited fond memories of Hydro. Tropic Sun was the final pony to speak, and then the king returned to the front.
"I am sure that many of you remember when I exiled Hydro because he was, as I called it, low-class. But in the past two years, not only have I come to greatly regret my decision, but I have also realized that everypony is an individual, and things like wealth, power and status, when it all comes down to it, don't mean very much. It's the pony that counts. So, as we conclude the service, I would like to make an official declaration. That nopony shall be treated with malice or hostility because they aren't of nobility. That everypony shall have a fair chance to strive for what they want. And that everypony shall be looked upon equally. I do this in honor of Hydro, a stallion whom was born a peasant, but had the heart of a noble. Hydro, may you find rest in the afterlife from here on."
Bagpipes began playing as the king slowly took the wreath that had been standing nearby. Even as he slowly walked to the edge of the dock and cast the wreath into the ocean, Luna wasn't sure if her father meant anything that he'd said. And when the service had ended and she was returning to the castle with her sister, she could hear a voice from within her- a voice similar to her own, but one that she'd never before heard.
'These inconsiderate whelps that you call family do not care about you... only themselves.'
******
Hydro woke up in the same cabin he'd awoken in before. Getting up, he noticed that the pain in his head had subsided a great deal, as well as throughout his body. He stood up, taking a moment to catch his balance. His legs felt like gel, and it took him a couple of minutes to walk straight. When he was able to do so, he exited the cabin and found himself on a ship with stallions bustling about everywhere on it. Looking over, he found the red stallion he'd seen when he came to earlier. As he approached, the stallion looked and saw him.
"Ah, here he is! Feelin' better lad?" the stallion asked in a gruff, yet jolly voice. Hydro nodded as an answer, still wondering where he was and what exactly was going on. As if to answer, the stallion continued, "Well, I'm sure yer wonderin' where ye might be. Let's go into my cabin where we can speak."
Hydro followed him across the ship's deck and through the doors near the ship's stern. Once inside, the stallion seated himself behind a large table and urged him to sit across from him. Once Hydro was seated, the stallion began talking.
"So, let's start of with what happened. First of all, you've been uncsonscious fer about two weeks or so. We was sailin' past Bridleton and I heard a loud smack outside. My crew called me out and there ye were, sprawled over the deck. They told me that ye just fell from the sky out of nowhere. We took ye inside, patched ye up, and here ye are now. So, tell me, lad... what in the hay happened that made ye fall onto my ship?"
Hydro breathed a long sigh.
"It...it's a long story. First off, my name's Hydro, and I appreciate you taking me in. Where to start.... I was exiled from my home land two years before. My life there was great- simple, but great. The only problem is... and I swear, I'm telling the truth... I was in love with the princess there, and her father hated me. Said I wasn't rich or noble enough for his daughter. That was the whole reason I was exiled to begin with... you don't think I'm crazy, do you?"
The stallion chuckled and shook his head in a negative response.
"Lad, ye have given me no reason to doubt you. And I've seen plenty of crazy things as a privateer. And I can understand where yer comin' from- this world is full of cruel and inconsiderate ponies, especially ones who have power. There's certainly no reason why I shouldn't believe ye."
"I'm actually glad to hear that." Hydro said, "Most ponies would be laughing at me by now. Well, anyway, I travelled for the next two years, all over the Known World, but nowhere was able to sign me on for work. A few small jobs here and there, but nothing secure. After my parents died, I came to Bridleton. But my life was horrible. I just couldn't take it anymore, I guess..."
Hydro trailed off, but the stallion picked up on where he was going, "Ah... so ye couldn't handle a life without her anymore... and ye flung yerself off those cliffs, I presume?"
Hydro nodded. The stallion stood up and began slowly pacing around.
"Well, lad, I am a beliver in both chance and fate. In this instance, I think that it was fate that ye landed on my ship. Something obviously didn't want ye to die. We'll talk more about this later, when you can tell me the whole story, but am I correct in guessing that ye want yer princess back?"
"I'd give anything to be with her." Hydro firmly declared.
"Well, yer in luck, because I can easily be of help. With my help, ye can get those riches that her father demanded that ye have. In a couple of years, ye'll be richer than most noble ponies out there, and her father won't have any say in it."
He turned around and placed his hooves on the table, looking directly at Hydro.
"So... whaddya say ye join my crew? Join us and we'll be on our way to riches and glory, and ye'll have yer lass back before ye know it."
Hydro thought it through for a moment and then grinned. He extended his hoof, which the red stallion shook in accord.
"You've got a deal. You said that you're a privateer?" Hydro inquired.
"Aye, we actually make port from Bridleton, but we work for this entire land. The governor gives us contracts, we fill 'em, we get paid."
"And you're the captain?" Hydro asked.
"Right again. This here's my ship, the Sea's Fury."
"I don't yet know your name, though."
The stallion turned around again and gave a sly grin to Hydro.
"Everypony knows me as Blackmane."
Book 1, Chapter 4: New Course
"...and after that, I made my way to Bridleton. You know the rest."
Captain Blackmane drank down what was remaining in his mug of ale and set it on the table. He'd been listening to Hydro as he told his full life's story. It was a calm night, and they were passing the time as they awaited word from the governor.
"Hmmm... looks like ye have a rough beginning to yer life, lad."
It had been a little less than four months since Hydro had woken up on Blackmane's ship and was offered to be a part of his crew of privateers. True to his word, Blackmane had brought in steady money. Luckily, the governor they worked for was an honest, decent stallion, who paid his clients what they deserved, never keeping any extra for himself.
"I already have enough money to retire in five years." Hydro had heard the governor declare once, "Why should I keep any money that other ponies have earned?"
They had been given simple tasks for the time being. However, being the newest member of the crew, Hydro wasn't involved very much, but it was work, and it was bringing in money, even if it was just a little at a time. Not only that, but for the first time since he could remember, Hydro felt like he belonged. The ponies on the ship had immediately taken him in and treated him like family. He had nopony making fun of him or putting him down, like he had been used to for so long. These privateer ponies were his friends... his family.
Hydro disocvered that many of the crew, like him, were ponies who had been down on their luck for a long time, and the notion of being paid well led them to privateering. He'd even found out that the captain had once been homeless and was staying near a harbor, when he was recruited by a ship some years back. Even now, as Hydro drank with the Captain, he was excited. Well, he wasn't the only one- Blackmane and everypony on the ship were excited, for they had a very exciting event they were waiting on.
The governor had recently deemed Blackmane as one of his most trustworthy privateer captains, and the day before, he had assigned them all to a very big, very important contract. As the governor had explained, one of his ships, carrying a massive amount of gold, silver and precious stones was being sent over to Bridleton, but it had been taken by enemy territory. The governor's scouts had finally located where the gold had been taken, and Blackmane's crew was being sent to recover it. Upon completing this task, the crew would be rewarded with a quarter of that ship's take- 100,000 in gold & silver. And with a crew of 20 ponies, each crew member would be recieving a handsome amount.
Of course, this would prove to be a dangerous contract, seeing as they would be going into a hostile environment, and would be risking their lives, but each and every pony on that ship had shouted "Aye!" when their Captain asked if they wanted to take this contract. Now, they were just waiting for the governor to give them the okay to carry the contract out, and they were throwing a little celebration on the ship this evening.
"It may have been a rought start," Hydro admitted, "But once I'm with her, I'll be able to forget all of that ever happened."
"Well, now that we're getting bigger contracts, ye'll be back with Miss Luna in no time, my boy. And I'll be retiring early on my private island!" Blackmane said with a hearty laugh. The laughter was cut short when one of the crew burst through the doors.
"Cap'n!" he said, trying to catch his breath.
"Easy there, lad." Blackmane reassured the pony, "What seems to be the problem?"
"There's a storm approaching, Cap'n! And she's a monster!"
Upon hearing this, Blackmane and Hydro quickly followed the pony outside. Sure enough, heavy clouds that lit up with lightning were approaching fast. The ocean breeze was turning into winds that were steadily getting faster.
"Big storm, all right." Blackmane said ominously as he examined the approaching weather with his scope, "And there's no way we'll outsail her."
With that, Blackmane ordered for everypony to get into their positions, and brace themselves, that they were taking this storm head on.
"Hydro, if ye want, ye can go below deck. Storms can be pretty intense."
Hydro simply girnned and said, "I'll not abandon the crew when I can help."
Blackmane nodded and took his place by the helmspony, who gripped the ship's wheel firmly. Within minutes, the ship was thrashing through furious waves, while the crew were bring pelted by heavy, stinging drops of rain and winds that seemed to emit a primal, bloodcurdling roar.
"Secure the mast! Bring in all sails!" Blackmane could barely be heard as he shouted the orders, trying his hardest to make himself audible over the deafening winds and booming thunder. Hydro stuggled with the crew to listen to the captain as he helped with pulling one of the ropes on the ship.
"By Discord, this is worst storm I've ever been in!" the sailor behind Hydro shouted to nopony in particular.
"Hang in there!" Hydro tried to reassure, "We'll get through it!"
"Blast, this rope is slippery! I haven't- AAAHHH!!!"
Hydro was about to look behind him when he heard the pony's scream fade, when he heard a voice confirm his thoughts.
"Pony overboard!! Pony overboard!!!" the helmsman cried.
Quickly, a crew member ran to the ship's edge, bringing a spare rope, but the plan was foiled when a strong wind gust yanked the rope right out of the stallion's hooves and cast it into the raging water along with the overthrown pony.
"No!! Now what do we do!?" the stallion asked in frustration and fear, realizing that there were no ropes left.
"Ain't nothin' we can do!" Blackmane shouted with dismay, knowing they would have to abandon the poor sailor, "These waters are way too strong!"
But Hydro wasn't about to let one of the crew drown- not while he could do something about it. He quickly called another pony over.
"Hold my spot on this rope!" he shouted before running over to the ship's edge. Everypony looked at Hydro, realizing what he was about to do. Immediately, protests sprang up from the crew.
"Hydro, don't!"
Ignoring the shouts, Hydro dove without hesitation into the sea. He could hear the crew shouting in shock and sadness.
"That's TWO of our boys we've lost!" one crew member cried out.
Hydro focused, letting his sea talent guide him. Almost immediately, he saw the overthrown stallion splashing violently as he tried to stay above the water's surface..
"Help!" he croaked in between hacking chokes "Help me!"
"Stay afloat! I'm on my way!" Hydro called, extending his hooves in powerful strokes. A few ponies at the edge of the ship looked on in fascination as they watch Hydro make his way, seeming effortlessly, to the drowning crew member. The young pony had nearly lost consciousness and was about to go under when he felt a hoof grab him firmly by his shoulder.
"Gotcha!" Hydro said.
"Thank you!" the stallion said in a grateful, almost weeping tone, though he was on the verge of passing out.
"No need to thank me. Now, let's get back to the ship." Hydro answered. The ship was growing more and more distant, but the new privateer caught up with it in what seemed to be an impossibly fast speed.
"Captain, he's back! And he's got him!" one of the crew joyfully boomed as he ran to the edge, extending his hoof. Hydro latched on and was pulled up by ponies who were nothing less than awestruck that Hydro not only dove into a violent ocean and didn't get swept away, but returned with the pony that had fallen overboard, both of them alive. Cheers quickly rose, but faded when they realized that they were still in the chaos of the storm.
Hydro helped the exhausted crew member below deck, where he sat him down at a table and covered him with a blanket.
"Stay here until we're out of this mess. You're in no shape to battle this weather." Hydro instructed. The pony nodded and thanked him once more before Hydro went back out on deck. He approached the helmspony as Blackmane went below deck to check on his crew member.
"How are we looking?" Hydro yelled above the winds and lightning.
"As good as we can!" the helmspony answered. "It looks like we.... oh, no!"
Hydro saw the pony's face turn into an expression of shock and trepidation. Before he could ask, Hydro heard him shout in a panicked voice.
"Captain!! We're coming up on a bunch of rocks!!!!"
The other ponies and the returning captain looked ahead of the ship. Sure enough, the ship was heading toward a large amount of rocks- more than enough to sink the ship, and with the winds the way they were, there was not much that could be done. Hearts were racing, breathing quickened. The crew members knew that this was it. Except for one pony.
"We're not done for yet!" Hydro shouted.
Wondering what he could have possibly meant, the ponies watched the young sailor as he ran to the ship's anchor. Calling for another pony's help, he dropped it into the sea, which in turn, caused the ship to begin spinning. The crew held on as tightly as they could to any secure object on the deck, but also realized that they weren't heading for the rocks any longer. Hydro looked around, wondering what he could do next to prevent the ship from losing control and slamming into the stones.
'Stop... ' he thought, regarding the storm. He continued searching for anything that could help. He quickly made his way around the ship, pulling in half mast to help stop the spinning. The ship continued to spin, but at a much slower pace.
"This lad knows what he's doing..." Blackmane said in a hushed voice as he looked on with fascination.
'Stop storming.... ' Hydro again thought. 'Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.... "
As he continued to walk around, seeing what he could find, the crew began to notice something.
"The... the storm's beginning to calm down!" a crew member piped up.
Hydro, oblivious that the storm was actually dissolving, continued to command the storm to cease. He was only speaking his mind, unaware of this interesting coincidence. He took the wheel and held it firmly, keeping the ship steady now. Within minutes, the winds had died down a great deal, and not long after that, the lightning stopped. Soon, the ship stopped spinning and now stiood still in moderately calm waters. All that was now left of the storm was a very light breeze and a small drizzle of rain. Golden sunlight began to peek through the dispersing clouds. A loud cheer rose from a crew of relieved and grateful ponies.
"I thought we were doomed!" the helmspony yelled in delight.
As Hydro descended from his position at the wheel, Blackmane approached and grabbed him by the hoof, turning the both of them to face the crew, who was gathering below them.
"Lads, we've just conquered the storm of our lives!" Blackmane shouted in triumph, "And we didn't lose a single crew member! We almost lost one, but thanks to this here stallion, he got him safely back on board! And when we were headin' for those rocks, this here stallion worked in a way that I've never seen in my life! Even as Captain, I woulda never figured out how to stop the ship from slammin' into the rocks! Ye all have this young colt to thank- he saved all our lives here today!"
The crew raised their hooves and cheered for Hydro, who was feeling an ecstacy like he'd never before felt. For the first time, he was not only welcomed, but everypony here was showing their appreciation for him. They appreciated him!
"He's only been with us fer a few months now," Blackmane said once the cheering ceased, "But after what I just witnessed, I think that it's time that we welcomed him as a true blue member of the crew! What say ye?"
"Aye!" was the crew's simultaneous response.
"Then it's time to give this stallion his privateer's name!" Blackmane declared. Each crew member, excpet for Hydro, had a privateer code name, or nickname that they went by. Since joining the crew, everypony had just called him Hydro for the time being, and he was informed that he would recieve his 'privateer nickname' when he'd done something to truly earn it, a method which he had no objection to.
"So, methinks I got a perfect name for ye, Hydro!" Blackmane said, giving him a firm pat on the back, "Ye just saved all our skin by leading us through one hay of a maelstrom! And Maelstrom is what ye'll now be known as by myself and the rest of the crew! Welcome, Maelstrom!"
"Welcome, Maelstrom!" the crew repeated.
"And because he saved our lives, I'm also callin' fer a cheer! Three for Maelstrom!" the captain said to the crew. "Hip, hip-"
"Hooray!"
"Hip, hip-"
"Hooray!"
"Hip, hip-"
"Hooray!"
Blackmane looked to his left and noticed that the storm had taken them to a decent-sized island. The beach he saw at the inlet was large, perfect for everypony to gather. They weren't continuing their celebration on the ship, since everypony had just been through a nightmare. He called out to the crew.
"Weigh anchor and ready the lifeboats! We're takin' this little party ashore!
************
Luna woke up from her sleep in a startled state. She'd been having problems like this for quite some time now. Ever since hearing of Hydro's death, she'd been plagued by constant nightmares. She looked around, seeing that she was in her room. Celestia was across the room, asleep in her own bed. Her sister had moved into her room after Hydro died, to be there for Luna whenever she needed her. And upon hearing her sister gasping and breathing heavily, she awoke.
"Sister, is everything all right?"
Luna tried to answer, but no words came out.
"I...I..." was all Luna could choke out before she began crying. Celestia immediately rose out of her bed and walked over to Luna, placing her foreleg around her.
"Is it those nightmares again?" Celestia asked softly. Luna nodded her head affirmatively.
"They just won't stop." Luna sobbed.
"Please, sister," Celestia begged, "You must tell me what these nightmares are. Perhaps I could help you."
From the beginning of the nightmares, Celestia had tried to get her sister to tell her what happened in her nightmares, but every time, Luna was too overcome with grief to go on. Luna looked up at Celestia.
"Please tell me..." Celestia pleaded once more. Luna nodded, cleared her throat and took a deep breath. After taking a minute or so to gather herself, she began explaining.
"They... they start out as dreams. Pleasant dreams, that sometimes seem so real."
"What happens first?"
"I always find myself in the courtyard of the castle. I look around for a few moments before..." Luna's voice cracked, "Hydro joins me..."
Luna couldn't help but cry again after mentioning her lost love. Understandingly, Celestia allowed her to regain herself before asking to continue.
"We are so happy to see one another." Luna explained, "We stand there in each other's hooves for a long time, looking into each other's eyes. But then... then things get worse in the dream. That's when it becomes a nightmare."
Celestia nodded, urging her calmly to go on.
"Suddenly, there are crowds of ponies around us. They jeer and insult us, saying that we do not belong. That we're good for nothing. How we should be ashamed of being together, that it sickens them. The hatred in their eyes...." Luna painfully recalled the dream as a few more tears ran down her face.
"Luna, dear sister, you know that nopony thinks that any more. Anypony who hated him now regrets what they did, and many of them openly admitted to being ashamed for treating him so badly. And even if anypony did feel that way, Father would no longer stand for it."
"Yes, that may be true... but that's not the part that gets me..." the Night Princess said.
"There's more to the dream?"
Luna nodded before continuing, "All of a sudden, we break our embrace, both of us looking spitefully at the ponies. All of a sudden, I see myself and Hydro, as if from another pony's view. In our eyes is an anger like I've never before seen. Then, the dream focuses on me."
Luna paused to collect herself and then spoke again, "I begin laughing this evil, horrid cackle, and my appearance changes before me. My coat becomes black, my body transforms.... and the only other thing I see is lightning striking everywhere behind me. But before I can even figure out what is happening to me, the dream goes right over to Hydro. He too, is emitting a sinister, evil laugh. In the same manner, his appearance changes, he suddenly brandishes a long sword... and his loving eyes turn this dreadful red glow. Behind him, there's no lightning... but a skull with crossed bones appears- the sign of death and danger.... and that's when I awaken."
Celestia sat there, a bit stunned by hearing this terrible nightmare that had been plaguing her poor sister.
"Sister... unfortunately, I do not know the meaning of this, but together, we will do everything to prevent it from becoming a reality."
"Half of this dream can't happen anyway..." Luna stated solemnly, referring to her love. She broke down in tears again, burying her face into her sister's cradling shoudler.
"I miss him so much...." the princess whimpered.
"I know. I do too, Luna." Celestia said, trying to think of ways to help her sister. Then, an idea rang in her head. "Sister, it seems like you may need to get away from this for a bit. So, what do you say that you and I take a vacation, visit the Crystal Empire for a couple of weeks?"
Luna looked at her sister curiously, wiping away her tears.
"It would do you some good, and I know Father won't have any objections." Celestia spoke truly- after Hydro had died, her Father was sure to give Luna anything she may have asked for. Luna sighed and nodded. She definitely could use a getaway- after all, she'd been crammed up in the capital city for so long, and a long trip away could do wonders for her.
"That sounds like a great idea." Luna sighed, hugging her sister gratefully.
"Then, let's pack our things now. We'll head out first thing tomorrow morning." Celestia said, getting their saddlebags out.
Luna began packing alongside her sister. For the first time in what felt like ages, she began to feel some excitement nip at her mind. And though she missed her Hydro a great deal, she decided at that exact moment that she would continue to live a happy life, because she felt that's what Hydro would ask of her. Though the path ahead would be difficult, it was time for the healing to begin, and a vacation would be a great start.
MEANWHILE...
It was only a matter of four days after the devistating storm that the ship was back to its proper state; all torn sails were stitched and/or replaced, the hull was now void of any holes. The ship was now docked at a local harbor, and the majority of the crew were at the tavern enjoying themselves in drink and song. Maelstrom and Blackmane were getting ready to join the crew at the tavern when a soldier approached them on the ship.
"Captain Blackmane." he addressed.
"Ahoy, soldier."
"I come bearing a message from Governor Chevalier." the solider said, handing over a closed letter bearing the Governor's seal.
"That so?" Blackmane asked with anticpiation as he opened the letter, hoping it would be what he was hoping it was. Luckily, the solider's explanation confirmed his hopes as his eyes skimmed over the letter..
"He says to tell you that they have found the location of the treasure. He requests that you come and speak with him immediately so that you can be on your way by tomorrow."
Giving the letter to Maelstrom, he spoke to his crew member first, smiling from ear to ear.
"Maelstrom, go and get the lads from the tavern and tell 'em that our contract is on! I'll return to the ship once I've spoken with the Governor." he then turned his attention to the solider and said, "Lead on!"
The pony formely called Hydro, now Maelstrom, could hardly keep from running as he made his way through the streets, giddy with excitement. Upon arriving to the tavern, he nearly knocked the door off its hinges as he went inside and looked for the rest of the crew. Seeing them at a table on the other side of the room, he walked over and seated himself at the head of the table.
"Ah, here to join us at last, Maelstrom!" one of the crew said in delight, "Where's the Captain?"
"Speaking with the Governor at this moment." Maelstrom announced with a wide grin. The rest of the crew fell silent as they awaited further explanation, all of them on the tip of their hooves. Maelstrom nodded to their unspoken question.
"Captain says to get back to the ship and ready ourselves. They've found the location of the treasure, and we set sail tomorrow!"
The crew all stood and cheered, quickly darting out of the tavern and returning to the ship. The festivites that were taking place at the tavern were now multiplied tenfold as they celebrated on the ship. For the next day would bring about their first major contract- and with that, a large amount of money for each crew member.
Book 1, Chapter 5: Changes
The Sea's Fury anchor rose out of the water and onto the ship as she made her way out of port. The captain had been given all the information he needed about Governor Chevalier's gold and silver. The ship carrying the gold had been intercepted and raided by soliders from Chestnut Crossing, a land that Bridleton was not on good terms with at the time. Chevalier's spies had managed to locate the ship that attacked and followed it to a small island just off the coast of Chestnut Crossing. After giving Blackmane the map, the Governor sent the captain on his way. Along with the map, he also ordered two of his soliders to carry a large crate to the ship, telling Blackmane to open it once they were out at sea.
"A small gift of good fortune for you and your crew." Chevalier had told him, "Something that you all will definitely make use of."
Now, as Blackmane stood on the deck, surrounded by his crew, he explained to everypony what they would be doing, and the height of the risks & importance of this mission.
"As ye all know," Blackmane addressed his stallions, "Chestnut Crossing & Bridleton aren't the best of friends. This is why we will need to tread carefully once we reach this place. If any solider sees us, they may very well know where we're from. And that, lads, could lead to war between them & us. We sure as hay don't want that happenin'."
"Therefore, I think it would be in our best plan that we strike at nightfall." he planned, as he looked over the map of the island that he'd been given. "There's a change of the guards once the sun goes down, and we'll use that to our advantage. During the change, we'll make our way onto the island. Now, I've looked over this island carefully, and there are certain actions that need to be taken. I've assigned different ponies to different tasks, depending on the skills that it requires. I can tell ye one good thing right now- there's no fort or any type of walls on this island. Why they've decided to bring the Governor's money here is beyond me, but that gives us an advantage for this contract. So, we'll all come in from differing locations on the island, and that's when we'll all take care of whatever task we've got."
He then went on to assign each pony to the various objectives that this contract had, making sure that nopony was alone. They were going to be in enemy territory, and every member of the crew needed somepony at their back.
"Even if there ain't no fort on this island, that don't mean the place ain't guarded. Soldiers patrol the shorelines, so we'll need to make sure they won't see us. That's where Shark Tooth, Shipwreck and Undertow come in. You'll need to approach the shore first, and when the guards ain't lookin', take them down. That'll give everypony else the chance to get ashore. Keep in mind that we ain't takin' a lifeboat- that'll be too suspicious. We'll be silently getting out of the ship and swimmin' to the beach. Now, the guards have two small huts on the island that have what they call 'distress trumpets'. Basically, if they have need to alert the others, they sound these trumpets. Coral Sway; you and Manta are gonna locate these trumpets and get rid of them."
The privateers nodded in confirmation before Blackmane continued.
"All right... like I said, they ain't got no walls or stronghold- but there are a couple of lookout stands, where they have sharpshooters stationed. They're armed, and they can see what the soldiers on the ground can't. Obviously, they need to be taken down as well. So, while the guards on the shore are being taken care of, the sharpshooters are gonna be taken down by Star Wave, Maelstrom, High Tide and Bowsprit."
"As for everypony else- we're all gonna find a secure place to hide until the immediate threats have been taken care of. Once these first tasks are complete, one pony from each group will go near the shore and signal that the task is complete by taking a stone and throwing it into the water, big enough to create a distiguishable splash. As soon as every stone has been cast, we'll all make our way forward, bein' sure to stay out of sight as much as possible. Then, we'll get to the island's main area and locate the gold. We'll all need to move fast and work together to get the treasure to the shore. As soon as we're there, four ponies will swim back to the ship and return with a lifeboat and we can move the gold. Does anypony have any questions at the moment?"
The silence that followed answered as a 'no', so the captain continued.
"Now, before we left this mornin', Governor Chevalier sent a large crate with us. He told me that we could open it once we were out at sea, and that it would help us a great deal. I'm not sure what's in the crate, but I'm eager to find out." Blackmane then called for the crate to be brought out of his cabin and onto the deck. Upon opening it, they were delighted to see a flag of Chestnut Crossing. This would prove to be very handy, as they could fly it from their ship & the soldiers on the island would not suspect a thing. But it was when Blackmane removed the flag & they all saw what was under it that the real surprise came. The crew gasped in awe.
"Sweet Discord!" Blackmane exclaimed.
The crate was filled with top-grade cutlasses, axes, daggers and firearms. True to what Chevalier had said, this would definitely come in handy with this mission. And since they had only recieved minor contracts up until now, the only kind of defense means that the Sea's Fury had was a few dull, tarnished knives that belonged to the captain, which he kept closed in a chest, having no need for them. But now, since their contracts were becoming more risky, it was obvious that the Governor felt that the ship needed to be properly armed. Excited cheers rose from the stallions.
"Lads, this is our lucky day!" Blackmane shouted to his crew. "Unfortunately, we've never been able to properly defend ourselves, but that all changes now! Now if we get caught in a pinch during this contract, we'll be able to get ourselves out of it! And there's definitely enough here to arm everypony on this ship!"
Maelstrom helped to pass out the weapons to the ponies as they lined up to recieve their means of defense. Now, everypony had some form of melee weapon & a firearm. After Blackmane & Maelstorm each armed themselves with a cutlass, dagger & pistol, the crate (which still had defenses left in it) was taken below deck & stored in a safe place. Blackmane went to the bridge and looked through his scope.
"Weather's lookin' perfect." he said aloud, "We should be arrivin' at the island within a month's time. Now, unfurl all sails, and let's get goin'!"
************
It had been few months now since Luna and Celestia had vacationed in the Crystal Empire, and true to what they'd thought, it had helped Luna a great deal. She still thought of Hydro daily, but she was well on her way to recovery. Citizens who had once wondered what had happened to the night princess were now delighted to see her out mingling again. Celestia was always sure to stay by her side as much as she could. Together, they continued to provide Equestria with what the land and ponies needed. The two sisters were now doing as any proper princess should. And it all came to fruition one morning, when the king called for his two daughters.
Upon coming to where their father was, he addressed them with a grin and motioned for them to be seated; but the two of them could tell by the look in his eyes that he was about to discuss something very serious with them. The princesses sat across the table from him, as their mother walked in and joined their father across from them.
"Celestia, Luna... my beautiful, precious daughters." the king said with a sigh and smile. "I need to be clear and honest with the two of you."
"Is something wrong, Father?" Celestia inquired, to which the king shook his head.
"Quite the contrary." he warmly replied, "I just ask that you hear what your mother and I have to say, as it is very important." He cleared his throat.
"The day your mother gave birth to the two of you were the greatest days of our lives. You two have been the absolute best thing that has ever happened to us in our countless years of reign. We have watched you grow from darling little foals to beautiful, noble mares. We went from teaching you how to walk and talk, to teaching you how to properly rule over Equestria. We've shared tears, and more importantly, laughter and so many wonderful times together. We did our absolute best to raise you to be the absolute best princesses Equestria could ask for. Of course, we could not teach you everything. Some things you had to learn on your own. And you did that perfectly. In fact, your mother and I have been observing for the last year or so, and we've spoken a lot about this in the past couple of weeks. After discussing everything we could, and balancing all the questions and answers... we have decided that it is time for us to pass the crown on to the two of you, step down from our thrones and into the afterlife."
Celestia and Luna blinked a couple of times upon hearing this.
"Father..." Luna began, astonished.
"No protests, my dear children." he interrupted, "We have ruled over Equestria for countless millenia, and time has taken its toll on us. We have had the most wonderful time in this land, and our most wonderful of times have been with you two. But we are beyond ready to move into the afterlife. It gets tiring after hundreds of thousands of years, ruling over the lands. It has been great, but now it is your turn to care for Equestria and its citizens."
"But are we even ready!?" Celestia countered.
"Absolutely, my dear." her mother smiled.
"Like I said," the king added, "We've raised you to be the best princesses, and you two have proved more than a hundred times over that you can easily rule this land. The both of you are noble, just, courageous, ambitious... and so many other qualities you possess. It is time to put those to use and do your duty for Equestria."
"Mother, father... how...how do we know that we can handle this?" Luna asked, words flying out of her mouth at a great speed, "Yes, we've done much, but are we truly ready to rule? There is so much that would rely on us, so many ponies..."
Celestia began speaking at the same time as Luna, "What if we were to fail Equestria? If something happened and we-"
"Girls, please." her father said in a stern, yet gentle tone, "Another trait that the two of you possess is faithfulness. You've shown it countless times- you've shown faith toward me, your mother, your friends, and the whole of Equestria. And as far as faithfulness goes- your mother and I have faith in you. So do the ponies in this castle. As does everypony in the land. We all have faith in you... but now, the two of you need to have faith in yourselves . As long as you have that, and faith in one another, Equestria will flourish under your rule. You are the princesses of the sun and the moon, of day and night. Now it is time to become the princesses of Equestria."
The two sisters were ready to voice their opinions again, but they stopped when they saw the look their father was giving them. It was the warmest, most gentle smile they'd ever seen from him... but futhermore, there was a look in his eyes that they could not quite point out. They'd never seen such a look before. Their mother was giving them the same glance. But they did realize one thing- these looks were undoubtedly telling them that their parents' decision was made, and it would not be changed- that they needed to just trust their parents and go through with this. The princesses looked at one another for a long time before speaking.
"It was bound to happen some time or another, I suppose." Celestia sighed.
"And you're sure this is what you wish, Father?" Luna checked again.
"It is not only my wish, girls," he answered, "But this is simply what must be. We all have a destiny, and we all must fulfill it, one way or another. We have fulfilled ours, and now it is time for the two of you to fulfill yours."
Upon letting all of this sink in, Celestia and Luna nodded their heads.
"Then we shall watch over Equestria and its citizens." Celestia concluded, "We will care for everypony as if they were our own family. We shall uphold every virtue and keep away any vice. We'll see to it that Equestria thrives into a land of greatness. If this is what must be, then we shall receive the crown without question."
"I am pleased to hear this." the king said, "I do apologize for making this so sudden, but sometimes that is how things are supposed to be. We shall arrange for your coronation two months from today, at which point we shall hand the crown and throne to you. From there, we shall make our way to the afterlife. We'll be sure to help and assist you two in the upcoming days to make sure you truly feel ready and certain when you are appointed as the new princesses."
After a slow two months, the day finally came that the Royal family had been waiting on. Nearly every citizen in Equestria had gathered at the castle to witness the sacred ceremony of Celestia and Luna's coronation. Their parents smiled as their approached the front of the chamber, facing the crowd of ponies that stood before them. The king cleared his throat as the trumpets sounded, quieting the murmuring crowd and getting their attention. Once the trumpets stopped, he spoke loud and clear.
"Citizens of Equestria. We have gathered here upon this day to witness a glorious occasion. My daughters, Celestia and Luna, have gone through many trials since they came into this world. They faced some of them alone, most of them together. They discovered the Tree Of Harmony, where they found the means to banish any evils that may threaten these lands. When my guards could not, they located the chaotic threat Discord and banished him. They have even taught me the meaning of humility, and to treat everypony with equal respect. They have proven a hundred times over that they are ready to rule these lands. Citiznes, it is my great honor to present to you, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"
The grand doors to the chamber opened, and in walked Celestia & Luna, both of them dressed in elegant gowns for their coronation. Behind each of them walked three handmaidens, followed by three guards, two of which on either side held a banner- one yellow with the sun embroided on it, the other a dark blue with the moon embroided. The handmaidens and guards joined together in song as the two princesses approached their parents. Two other guards stepped beside the sisters, each holding a plush pillow with a crown that lay on it. Using their magic, their parents placed the crowns respectively on the heads of the princesses. Upon receiving the signal, the two sisters turned around and faced the audience, which welcomed them with thunderous applause.
After they each gave their speeches and celebrated their coronation with Equestria's citizens, it was finally time for the two sisters to say farewell to their parents. They followed them to the summit of a tall mountain, while guards remained at the bottom, making sure nopony else followed. There was not much conversation held as they reached the top, at which point their parents turned around and faced them.
"Now don't you two worry about a thing." their mother reassured them with a smile. Even though the princesses smiled back, they could not hide the tears forming in their eyes.
"Remember everything we have taught you." the king instructed, "Put it to the right use, and Equestria will thrive under your rule. I love you two."
The princesses sniffled as small, bittersweet tears flowed down their faces while they embraced their parents before they departed. Sure, they'd seen their share of differneces, anger and fights- but they were their parents regardless, and parting ways was not easy.
"Luna..." her father said.
"Y-yes, Father?"
"Once we have crossed over, and once I see Hydro... you can rest assured, that I will apologize to him personally for how I acted."
"Thank you." Luna said as she choked back tears, "And please tell him that I love him."
"I will." the king smiled. "And I can only hope that you'll one day find it in your heart to forgive me for what I did."
Luna smled at her Father.
"Father, I forgave you a long time ago. As crude as you were, you were only trying to provde what you thought was best."
"I am so glad to hear that, my dear. Now, we don't have much time left, so here is what I want the two of you to do. I know that saying farewell is difficult, so I want you to take a week or so off before you step to the thrones. I will have our advisors and council take control until that point."
The family embraced for one final time, then her father addressed them again.
"Now... it's time for us to meet our destinies, and for you to meet yours. Go where you will go, and see what you will see. Be the best princesses that Equestria has ever had. And remember; you won't be alone. The two of us will always be with you, wherever you go. We love you both very much, and we'll be waiting when the time finally comes for you to cross over. Farewell, my daughters. We love you."
Their parents gave them one more smile, then turned around, using their magic to create a glowing portal- one that glowed so brightly, that the two sisters could not see what was on the other side. They watched as the silhouettes of their parents made their way through the portal before it finally closed, leaving the two of them alone on the mountain top. The two of them, somewhat strangely, no longer felt any sorrow, but a great sense of completeness. They hugged one another for a long time before they made their way home.
That evening, after the two sisters had been back at the castle for a few hours, Celestia could hear something from where she sat in her room. Clattering and crashing sounds seemed to be coming from... her parents' bedroom? She got up and made her way to their room, wondering what this could have been. Upon opening the door, she was a bit stunned to see Luna moving wildly about the room, grabbing things that belonged to their parents and throwing them aimlessly. A few windows were already broken, and one of the doors had been taken off its hinges. All the while, Luna was laughing like a maniac.
"Luna!?" Celestia exclaimed in surprise. Her sister didn't answer, only continued to wreak havoc.
"Good riddance! With thou gone, we shall rule these lands forever!" Luna laughed- except, Celetia realized that her voice was deeper, different. She quickly rushed to Luna and locked her in a restraining hold, doing everything she could to keep her sister still..
"Luna, stop! What do you think you're doing!?"
Suddenly, Luna stopped trying to break free, now breathing heavily.
"Wha... why am I in Mother and Father's chamber?" Luna asked.
"You tell me!" Celestia said, "I found you in here turning this room upside down, bidding good riddance to them."
The night princess fell silent for a minute or two before she gasped in realization.
"I... I am unsure... but the last thing I remember... I laid down for a short nap, and then I was visited by that thing from my nightmares again... that being that I would tranform into?" Luna looked at her sister to see if she remembered.
"Mm-hmm?" the sun princess nodded, urging her to continue.
"I don't know what happened after that. I just came to and here I am now." Luna sighed, "What is this all about?"
"I can't answer that, Luna." Celestia said, "But maybe it's from these past few days. We have gone through quite a bit. And I'll admit, it's a bit strange roaming these halls without Mother and Father around."
"Yes, that's true." Luna confessed, "I do miss them, but at the same time, I can't help but feel like they were right. Like it truly is our time to rule."
"That's what they told us." Celestia agreed, "And so we begin our reign today. But whatever these nightmares are, I'm sure they'll stop. This is the first time in a while you've had them, right?"
"Yes, it's been quite a long time. This dream was actually a bit different- I didn't see Hydro, nor any of the other ponies. That being just walked up to me, and that's the final thing I remember."
"Hmmm..." her sister thought, "If they continue, we'll look into finding some help for you. Until then, let's focus on what Mother and Father asked of us."
"Agreed." Luna said, smiling and embracing her sister. "So, what do you say to tea tomorrow over at Leaf Brew's shop?"
"That would be lovely." Celestia said.
The two of them looked out at the capital city, which twinkled with the light of candles, stars and the moon. Equestria was in their hooves now, and they would do their best for the land.
************
"All right, lads..." Blackmane said to his crew, barely above a whisper, "Let's do this."
The ship was right off of the island's shores, hidden from view behind the cliffs on the island. For safe measures, the Bridleton flag had been taken down and the Chestnut Crossing flag was now flying, leaving no immediate suspicions.
Everypony double checked everything, making sure their had their weapons and gear on them. Then, slowly and quietly, the crew all filed down and crept into the water, making their way to the shorelines. Staying out of sight, the ponies looked to the island in time to see the guards changing post. Blackmane gave the signal and the proper ponies quietly went ashore. The rest of the crew watched as their fellow privateers crept up to the three soldiers patrolling the beach and locked each of them in a sleep hold, rendering them unconscious in a matter of seconds Once the guards had been taken down, the rest of the crew approached the beach, helping the ponies to bring the soldiers to hidden, unseen spots.
"This oughta keep 'em quiet for a while." Blackmane whispered, taking a small bottle filled with a tranquilizing remedy and, dipping a small needle into the liquid, stuck each soldier with it, deepening their slumber. He then turned to three of his crew.
"You three, stay here and keep an eye on these stallions. If they awaken, put 'em out again and give 'em another dose. Now, does everypony remember their task?"
The crew nodded.
"All right, then let's get goin'."
Maelstrom followed his respective group of ponies onto the island, keeping a sharp eye out as the rest of the crew went off to take care of their tasks.
"First watchtower's over there." Bowsprit whispered, pointing over by a few guard huts.
They silently made their way over to the first tower, finding the ladder. High Tide and Star Wave took this one, climbing up the ladder. The sharpshooter was facing the other direction, but High Tide gave a few knocks on the platform to get his attention. The curious soldier turned and saw nothing- he made his way over to the edge. He only had enough to to see a pony he'd never before laid eyes on when a swinging hood blacked out his thoughts completely.
"One down, two more left." High Tide said as they descended.
The four sneaked through the island, making their way to the second tower and taking out the guard there. After seeing the thrid tower on the opposit side of the second, they began sneaking in that direction, but were stopped when they heard hoofsteps and talking.
"Quick!" Star Wave hissed, as the four of them quickly hid behind a stack of crates. Their pulses increased as the hoofsteps became louder, but then descreased once it faded away.
"Close call..." Bowsprit said.
Approaching the third lookout stand, Maelstrom quickly reliazed that the guard had spotted them. He was loading his rifle, which only gave Maelstrom enough time to think of a make-or-break action. If they didn't think of something, they'd be dead, and the rest of the crew would be in trouble. Then, he quickly glanceed down and saw a large rock. With nothing to lose, he picked it up and with all his might, hurled it at the solider. Just as the soldier looked up to take aim, the rock hit him directly on the forehead, causing his eyes to roll back and he fell unconscious.
"Great griffons, am I gonna be enjoying this gold." Maelstrom said in exasperation to the others as they approached the shore. For a second time, he picked up another rock and threw it into the water, causing a large splash. Soon, they were joined by another member of the crew.
"Cap'n says he got the signal."
They silently waited for another ten minutes or so, as the signal stones were thrown into the water, one by one.
"Let's go get that gold!" Blackmane said as they all made their way inward.
Unfortunately, they had not gone half a mile before one of the island's soldiers turned the corner of one of the huts, seeing them in plain view. Before anypony could react, the soldier raised his voice.
"Intruders! To arms!"
"Looks like we're doin' this the rough way!" the captain shouted, unsheathing his cutlass. The rest of the crew unsheathed their weapons and let a battle yell out as Blackmane took down the soldier who had spotted them.
Within seconds, a group of about twenty-five soldiers came darting to where the crew stood. Stopping about fifteen feet from them, the soldiers held their weapons out in a defensive manner.
"In the name of the King of Chestnut Crossing," one of them demanded, "Who are you and what is your purpose here?"
"We're just here to take back somethin' that don't belong to ye. Something that ye took... more like, stole fer yerselves!" Blackmane said, firing his pistol at the soldier and sending him to the ground. Immediately, the rest of the soldiers ran toward them and a large fight quickly broke out.
Maelstrom happened to find himself a bit more unfortunate than the others, being that he was cornered by three soldiers. Regardless, he kept his senses keen and his focus sharp. He brandished his cutlass in one hoof, the other hoof ready to unsheath his dagger. As he expected, the soldier in front of him swung his sword, but Maelsrom ducked out of the way, causing the sword to hit the second soldier to his left, who crumbled to the ground.
"You imbecile!" the third soldier shouted to the first.
"Hey, I was going-"
Malestrom used this scuffle between the soldiers to his advantage. He smacked their heads together, then unsheathing his dagger, plunged it into the back of the third soldier's throat. Then he quickly became engaged in a one on one duel with the first soldier. However, Maelstrom proved more nimble than the soldier, and he quickly dodged his attacks before cutting him down. He then turned his attention to the others who were busy dueling the soldiers. All of them were easily taking the soldiers down, save for Shark Tooth, who had just been shoved to the ground by his enemy. The soldier's sword was raised to strike when Maelstrom uplled his pistol and fired, causing the soldier to slump to the ground beside Shark Tooth.
Another minute or so passed and finally, the skirmish was over. The soldiers had been beaten, and luckily, the only damage done to the crew were a few cuts and scrapes from the swords of the enemy.
"Well, that's over with." Blackmane stated, "Normally, I fear this would certainly lead to conflict between Bridleton and Chestnut Crossing, but we've eliminated every soldier on the island. In order to keep war from rising, let's get that treasure and get out of here as fast as we can so nopony can identify our ship. As long as we're outta here quick enough, nopony will have any suspicions that it was us."
He then ordered four ponies to return to the ship and bring the lifeboats ashore. Then the rest of the crew made their way into the one well-structured building on the island. Upon searching room to room, they found nothing.
"Blast!" Maelstrom cried, "Where did they stash that gold!?"
Blackmane opened the one door that they hadn't checked- the one that led to the cellar. Motioning for everypony to follow, he led them downstairs, where they were greeted by glimmering bits of gold and silver.
"We've found our prize, lads!" Blackmane declared joyously. Immediately, the crew began gathering the gold and silver, laughing in delight as they placed it in the treasure chests that lay alongside the heaping pile. Not too much later, the four ponies came down into the cellar, informing them that the lifeboats were at the shore, ready to go. The crew quickly worked together, picking up the treasure chests and carrying them to the beach. They quickly loaded the chests onto the boats and returned to the ship, where they stored the gold safely below deck. The helmspony got to the wheel and the sails were let loose. Everypony on the ship celebrated with wine and song.
They had completed their first major contract. The gold was theirs. They were true privateers.
Book 1, Chapter 7: Bitter Resolutions
Contract after contract.
Payout after payout.
Fund cut after fund cut.
That was how the Sea's Fury had been getting by for the next year. They would receive a contract from the Governor and would complete it with perfection... only to watch in dismay as the Commodore and his soldiers walked away with the majority of the gold they'd earned. This was not how a privateer's life was supposed to be.
"We can barely afford to fill our stomachs!" had become a very common complaint among the ship.
All the while, the battles continued to rage between the lands. It seemed like not much action was being taken to stop the wars like the Governor had planned. What the privateers did not know, however, was that Moneyburn wasn't using a single bit to end the wars. Out of the sight of normal citizens, Moneyburn and Brass Flaw indulged themselves in expensive clothing and furniture, as well as fine wine and food. He was not the least bit concerned in ending the wars, but rather in living as lavish of a lifestyle as possible. But it was no secret that privateers and sailors everywhere were starting to become suspicious.
So weary did they grow of all this, that Blackmane gathered his crew one evening and brought up a plan he'd figured out earlier that day.
"All right, lads. We've been workin' our hooves to the bone for Governor Moneyburn, and all he's done is just take our earnings, Well... I for one, have had enough, and I'm sure ye all feel the same."
The crew all nodded and murmured their agreement.
"So, here's the idea. I got this contract from Moneyburn a couple days ago. To make it simple, we're to take a ship that has around 730,000 gold. Apparently, the ship belongs to a bunch of pirates who've looted all those bits. The Governor plans to take about 80 percent of those earnings, but I propose another idea. I got myself a private island due west of here. It's uncharted, and not many ships make their way around that area. I say we complete the contract, take the 80, nay- take 90 percent and stash it at my island. We'll bring the rest to Moneyburn and tell him that it was all we found on the ship. What say ye all?"
"Aye!" not one crew member objected to this. They were all sick of the way they'd been living, and they were ready for a decent amount of gold for a change.
"Then it's settled. The pirates were last spotted hiding out around the Ravenplume Islands. Let's make our way there and we'll take what's rightfully ours."
****** ONE WEEK LATER ******
Princess Luna stormed her way down the castle's hall, her breathing coming out in an angry growl. She'd had enough! Ever since becoming the rulers of Equestria, her sister had ruled the day, while she ruled the night, as it had always been. But Luna began noticing- ponies everywhere always enjoyed the light of the day, the sun's warmth. They revered Celestia with gratitude for their sun princess.
But when she rose the moon at night? Everypony was asleep before it reached even a quarter's height in the sky! Barely anypony ever even spoke to her, and when they did, it was only a simply greeting. They didn't have a care in the world for the night, or for her!
"Is this how you treat your Night Princess?" she hissed to herself as she approached the throne room.
True, her sister had tried to convince her otherwise, that the ponies of this land still adored Luna, that they meant no ill will when they fell asleep during the evening's hours. Yes, she tried, but Luna was no longer convinced. First Hydro was taken from her, and now the appreciation of her ponies was stolen away as well? This had gone on too long! For too long, Luna had been robbed of everything she held dear, always being told to just be grateful for what she had. Well, now she had nothing! Absolutely nothing!
Several times recently, Luna had gotten into small scuffles with her sister, with the sun princess telling her to just be patient, that the love and adoration for her would soon show- but it never did. Also, she'd been hearing that voice in her head more and more. The voice that encouraged her to give the ponies of Equestria the same shabby treatment they'd given her. Encouraged her to step up, and take what was rightfully hers. She'd begun to listen to that voice- and now, she was doing what it had asked. Today, she was taking Equestria for hers and hers alone! The ponies would love the night and its Princess- and if they didn't, then she would make them by force! She brooded over this as she entered the throne room. It was now or never.
"Sister? Are you here?" Celestia's voice was heard from the front of the throne room. Apparently, the sun princess had been looking for her.
"Not another step!" Luna ordered firmly, stepping out in front of her designated throne, looking down at her sister with bitter resentment.
Celestia looked at Luna with concern. There was that evil glare in her eye, again- but this time, it was much stronger. Almost as if it could escape any moment. She remained silent, trying to keep the peace.
"Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light?" Luna spat the words out with hatred.
The sun princess was about to tell her to please calm down, that nopony hated her and it was all a huge misunderstanding. But Luna spoke again- spoke the words that the voice had been telling her all along.
"There can only be ONE Princess in Equestria! And that Princess will be ME!!!!"
Celestia watched in horror as the evil in Luna's eyes suddenly burst forth with a bright light. Then, Luna looked at her sister with a deep, smoldering fury as she levitated into the air., using her powers to raise the moon directly in front of the sun, blotting its light completely. Then, just as she'd once described from her nightmares, Luna began to transform, her coat becoming as black as the abyss, her horn and wings extending, her eyes glowing with evil. Her voice grew deeper as her maniacal cackling echoed through the throne room.
Celestia was afraid it would have come to this. It had all started back when Luna was in love with Hydro. The way her parents treated the two caused anger and resentment to rise within her sister, eventually growing more and more until Luna became power hungry and driven by hate. She resolved to try and reason with her sister before taking action by force, hoping that she could bring back the Luna that used to be joyous and full of life. She shouted to her sister, who was approaching.
"Luna, I will not fight you! Lower the moon; it is your duty!"
"Luna?" her sister- or what had become of her sister, asked casually. Then, she said something that would haunt Celestia for centuries to come.
"I am Nightmare Moon! And I have but one duty now- to destroy you!!"
***** MEANWHILE... *****
The ship was sailing as fast as it could. Things had gone according to plan in the beginning stages. They had located the pirates' ship easily and taken the gold with no difficulty, leaving the empty ship for Moneyburn to reclaim and document for Bridleton. It didn't take long for them to search the ship- they only took the papers, captain's log and the pirate flag. But, while the Sea's Fury was sailing away, the Commodore noticed that it wasn't going in the usual direction.
"Governor, come and take a look at this." Brass Flaw had called, soon joined by Moneyburn.
"Where in the world is Blackmane sailing to?" the Governor had asked.
"I don't know, but it seems quite suspicious, don't you think."
"Aye," Moneyburn nodded, "Keep our distance, but follow that ship."
The Governor's ship, the Requiem, successfully managed to follow the Sea's Fury, all the way to the island where Blackmane had spoken of. As they approached the ship, the Commodore and Governor saw the crew loading bags and chests of gold into the lifeboats.
"I think I know what they're up to." Moneyburn commented, "Let's put a stop to this."
On the deck of the Sea's Fury, the crew were joking, talking and laughing delightfully, pleased that they finally had a decent amount of money for a change. No more fund cuts to 'end the wars' as Moneyburn called it. But the cheery talk ended when High Tide looked through his scope.
"It's the Requiem!" he shouted to everypony, "And she's approaching fast."
"Everypony act normal!" Blackmane ordered, to which the crew hid as much of the gold as possible and began doing work on the ship. They all tried to play it off as best as they could when the Requiem approached.
"Ahoy! Captain Blackmane!" Brass Flaw shouted.
"Ahoy there, Commodore!" Blackmane replied, "What brings ye out here?"
"I'd like to ask you the same." Moneyburn said, emerging from the shadows.
"We...we're just stoppin' to recover from the raid on the pirates is all." Blackmane answered.
The Commodore and Governor looked at one another, grinning slyly and chuckling. Moneyburn let out an exasperated sigh as he came into closer view.
"Really?" he asked, "Then may I ask why I saw you putting all the gold into your lifeboats?"
"What're ye talkin' about?" Blackmane tried to cover as best as he could, but said nothing more when the ship's soldiers walked forward.
"Do not test my intelligence." Moneyburn said crossly, "That is my gold, and you are to hand it over immediately."
Sighing, Blackmane signaled his crew and they began uncovering the bags and chests. They had been SO close, but it was of no use now. And there may very well be consequences for what they did. Nopony was looking forward to having fewer contracts. Governor Moneyburn grinned smugly as they set up a walking plank between the ships. They were just about to begin transferring the gold, when-
"Stand off!"
Everypony stopped and looked in shock as Maelstrom approached the ship's edge and kicked the walking plank off, causing it to sink into the waters below.
"And just what do you think you're doing?" Brass Flaw demanded.
"This has gone on for too long." Maelstrom declared, "Do you expect us to stand by idly while you take all of our hard earned gold?"
"This is not your gold, to begin..." Moneyburn said, "And this gold is needed to end th-"
"Oh, give it a rest, will you!?" Maelstrom interrupted, "You are not doing a blasted thing to end these battles! They still continue day by day, and all the while, we notice new furniture in your home, the new clothing items you buy. We all slave away, completing YOUR contracts and fighting YOUR fights while you and your stallions sit back in your plush chairs, relaxing in the breeze! You're just taking all that money for yourself. It's time we all faced the truth- you're no fit for a Governor, you're just a money hungry scoundrel!"
"You'd best watch that tongue of yours before you regret it, sailor." warned the Governor. He then looked at the rest of the crew.
"If you all know what's good for you, then bring that gold over here immediately, and we can-"
"No, Maelstrom is right!" Blackmane said, "We earned all that gold that you took from us, but we have seen absolutely NO progress from any of you! Well, enough is enough! This gold is ours, and if you don't like it, then tough! You've got enough gold anyway!"
"Is that how you want to proceed?" Brass Flaw asked, "You just finished raiding a pirate ship- but if you keep your present course of action, then you will also be charged with piracy."
Blackmane stood there silently, not sure of what to say. Unfortunately, his failure to speak was taken as a confirmation by the Commodore, who signaled his soldiers.
"Very well then. Guards, proceed with force!"
The soldiers then lifted their rifles. The crew was able to drop to the floor in time, but when they fired, one of the bullets hit an oil keg, which quickly caught fire. Before they could reload, Blackmane had approached the wheel, attempting to get away- but he wasn't able to order full sail before the soldiers of the Requiem pulled in the Sea's Fury with grappling hooks and ropes.
"It's do or die, then, lads!" Blackmane shouted, raising his sword. "Who's with me!?"
The crew gave a loud cheer, lifting their weapons into the air.
"For the Sea's Fur- AAGGHHH!!" Blackmane grabbed his side and fell.
"Blackmane!" Maelstrom shouted, running to the Captain and seeing that he'd been shot in the torso. The ship continued to be pulled it, slowly but steadily, toward the Requiem.
"Maelstrom..." Blackmane said, coughing up a mouthful of blood, "It looks like I ain't got much time now, so-"
"Don't talk like that, Captain!" You'll be just fine!"
"Maelstrom, listen to me." the captain said firmly, "You've helped this crew and ship out more than anypony I've known. Fer that, I'm makin' ye the Captain as of right now. Don't let ponies like Moneyburn tell ye what to do- ye were right, we can't let him treat ponies like this anymore."
"Blackmane..." Maelstrom tried to convince the captain.
"When ye get the chance, take a look through my journal and logs. There's a few things there ye need to see. I always knew ye were a unique stallion, one of a kind. Ye've been like my brother, and I am blessed to have known ye and have ye aboard. Ye have a great destiny ahead of ye, and now the time has come to meet it. Now, then, Captain Maelstrom... treat the crew as if they're yer own family. Lead them to greatness. Until we meet again."
Blackmane lowered his head and closed his eyes, his final breath leaving his body in a long sigh.
"Our captain's dead!!! " Maelstrom bellowed in rage.
At this point, the ship was getting fairly close to the Requiem. Maelstrom knelt there for a few moments, rage building up from within his soul. Rage from the wrongful death of his captain, from the way he'd been treated by others in the past, even rage for the King of Equestria, all came up from within his soul, eventually erupting like a giant geyser. He looked up at the Requiem with a darkened expression of pure fury. He slowly unsheathed his sword, his glare locked firmly onto the soldiers on the Governor's ship, while his teeth clenched together in a vicious scowl.
As soon as the ships were close enough together, the rest of the crew watched in amazement as Maelstrom climbed up onto the ledge and gave a mighty leap, landing directly on the deck of the Requiem. He immediately struck down two soldiers while dodging gunfire from another. But the privateers quickly had to stop watching and unsheath their own weapons as their burning ship was now close enough for battle.
On the deck of the Requiem, Maelstrom was cutting and slashing every which way, his blind rage guiding him. Soldiers tried to take him down, but he was so furious, so livid, that not one of the soldiers stood a chance against him. He'd never felt such a burning anger in his entire life. The crew then began fighting the soldiers as well, cutting down guard after guard.
Maelstrom turned from cutting down a guard, wheeling around and facing a very terrified Brass Flaw.
"Maelstrom, I'm sure we can-"
The privateer didn't care what the Commodore had to say. He pulled his pistol out and shot him in the forehead, point blank. Then he turned his attention to Moneyburn, who was on the deck of the ship. Gripping his sword tightly, he made his way toward the corrupt Governor, taking out any soldier who got in his way.
Moneyburn was braver than Brass Flaw, but not skilled at all in combat. He was only able to hold Maelstrom off for a few moments before the stallion kicked his sword out of his grip and then struck the Governor, causing him to fall.
"With all that gold you stole, you really should have paid for some combat training."
With that, he dropped his sword and yanked Moneyburn up, taking his dagger and plunging it into Moneyburn's torso. He then looked directly into the eyes of the Governor.
"This is where your greed got you. All that gold you inconsiderately took from us, from the other privateers... from hard working citizens who just tried to make a living."
He shook his head in disgust at the Governor before hissing, "You careless, selfish bastard. What good is all that gold now?"
He then punched Moneyburn hard across the face before yanking his dagger out and shoving him overboard. Then, the blue Earth Pony looked to the Sea's Fury, which was now fully engulfed in flames. He cut the ropes from the ship, allowing the two vessels to drift apart, giving them safety from the flames. Maelstrom looked at the rest of the crew, who were standing victorious among the fallen guards. But even though they were victorious against the Governor and his soldiers, they were silent, remembering they had lost one crew member...
"Our Captain is dead." Maelstrom repeated. "And with Moneyburn gone, there is no immediate government for the land."
Maelstrom stood there for a few long moments, thinking everything over. HIs rage was not as bad as it had been a few minutes ago, but it was still there. He then faced his crew, who were waiting for him to speak.
"It never fails, does it?" he said, "There's always somepony out there who thinks that they're better than everypony else, that they deserve more. And they'll do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if it means hurting others in the process. Well, I've had it! All of my life, I've tried to make the best of what I've had, even though I hardly ever had anything! But there were always ponies who were much better off than I was, and they wanted more and more!"
"For too long, I have suffered while the rich have walked all over me! For too long I have tried to make the best of things, only to have some rich, stuck up pony to spit in my face and take everything from me!"
The crew was nodding in agreement- most of them had come from similar backgrounds, and they felt the same anger that Maelstrom was shouting right now.
"They tried to take our gold, and now they have taken our captain from us! I've had enough! No longer will the rich ones walk over us while we grovel! It is time for the rich to feel what we have felt! What say you!?"
"Aye!" the crew heartily responded.
Maelstrom took a step forward and felt his hoof brush against what felt like cloth. He looked down, and sure enough, there was a large folded black cloth of some sort. He picked it up and unfolded it. He saw that he was holding a black flag; in the center was a gleaming white skull... the flag that had belonged to the pirates they had battled. Maelstrom looked up at his crew, who gave him an approving look, some of them even nodding their heads.
"Brass Flaw said that they would charge us with piracy for standing our ground? Pirates for simply trying to make a living?" he asked, "Well, if that's what makes a stallion a pirate, then it's pirates they'll get! Does everypony agree!!??"
The crew cheered loudly, waving their weapons above their heads. Maelstrom tossed the black flag over to the two ponies that were next to the ship's mast. As he thought for a minute of what he was going to say, he looked up at the moon- just in time to see it change in appearance. The shadowy head of a familiar pony formed on its shining face.
"Luna...." he whispered.
It was at that moment he came up with a grand idea. It would show ponies everywhere that they were a force to be reckoned with... and it would also honor his precious Luna, the mare whom he was doing all of this for. He shouted boldly to his crew.
"Then this ship is now ours! No longer shall it be known as The Requiem, and no longer are we the privateers of the Sea's Fury! Everypony will soon come to fear the pirates of the Midnight Skull! Hoist the flag!"
The crew's cheers continued as the flag rose steadily to the top and began flowing in the breeze. The crew then looked to their new captain and cheered in honor of him. He once again felt a swell of pride. He knew now that the only way they would get any decent money was through taking it by force. And he had no qualms with taking from the ungrateful nobles.
As the crew continued cheering and as the black flag glimmered under the moonlight, Maelstrom felt the hatred and anger rise from within his soul. The hatred for the way he'd been mistreated in the past by inconsiderate ponies. And now, he was going to use this hatred and fury to his advantage. He would become rich by taking from the rich- they were going to experience the hatred they'd shown him. Some of the crew members then watched in fascination as Maelstrom's appearance changed before them. Normally, anypony would be frightened of seeing this, but these newfound pirates grinned as they looked on. His blue coat became darker, his dark blue mane now turned to a jet black... but above all else, it was the eyes that they noticed the most. Maelstrom's sea0green eyes turned from their normal color into a fierce, glowing red.
The stallion gave a wicked, sinister cackle. These lands would soon know and fear Captain Maelstrom and the Midnight Skull.
Book 1, Chapter 6: Pride & Payments
Blackmane sat at his desk in his cabin, writing down the events that had just taken place- the raid and recapture of an important fort, which would lead to a substantial payment. After he had finished, he then opened his personal journal and quietly spoke to himself as he wrote an entry.
"The crew and I reclaimed a fort for Bridleton this evening, and we will be receiving a large payment from the Governor. It was actually a close call tonight, but we pulled through- all thanks to Maelstrom, who once again, proved himself to be a great help to fend of any hindrance. We were surely outnumbered, but when it seemed like we were done for, Maelstrom moved with lightning quick speed, eliminating at least fifteen extra bandits in a matter of seconds. Then, a large group of reinforcements could be seen heading toward us. A group that seemed to large to belong to belong to a group of bandits- but so largem that we could not have possibly taken them- they outnumbered us far too greatly. But as luck would have it, the group was quickly struck by a bolt of lightning. The ground shook with the rumbling of the thunder that followed, but strangely, not one crew member felt any shock from the lightning. A couple of them survived, but Maelstrom grabbed two daggers and threw them at the bandits, sending them to the ground in the blink of an eye. The fort was then set to be reclaimed. Maelstrom is indeed, a very uncanny and interesting stallion."
"I have made a decision, one that I did not make lightly. Tonight, I am officially appointing Maelstrom as second-in-command of this ship. Most, perhaps even all of our contracts have been either made easy by something that Maelstrom had done to assist us... or whenever we get caught in a bad situation, Maelstrom has always been there to pull us out of it. He has saved our skins more than I, or any of the crew, can count. He can operate the ship as if it were the back of his hoof. He completes tasks with ease, in much quicker timing than any ordinary pony could. And he's certainly lived up to the name we gave him. Many a storm has fallen upon us, and each one that we get caught in, Maelstrom takes the helm and guides us to safety. No other sailor that I know of, not even myself, can do some of the things he can do. Sometimes, it even seems like the weather itself can be controlled by Maelstrom. I would not doubt it if that were the case."
Blackmane paused, thinking something over before writing it down as well.
"I am actually beginning to wonder if he is the pony of an the old prophecy I was told about years back. Though I don't know all of it, and I only know a few lines of the prophecy's poetic form- but it is very uncanny that he fits the few lines I know of."
The prophecy he spoke of was a legend that he'd discovered he was apparently part of. The Captain had spent a few years collecting what information he could about this prophecy. Most ponies did not believe in legends, prophecies and the like, but Blackmane was a firm believer.
He recalled back to the days when he'd been first been named Captain and he'd first been told about the old legend. Shortly into his first days as a captain, he had met and spoken with a zebra shaman, who had told him that he would one day meet a young stallion with uncanny abilities for anything to do with the sea. The shaman had told him that this pony would be the one to fulfill a very old prophecy. In fact, it was so old, that most of it had been forgotten. Even the zebra only knew bits and pieces, but she gladly gave what information she knew to Blackmane, in order to help him with the ancient tale.
Coming out of his thoughts, he opened a drawer on his desk, pulling out the old book that the young zebra mystic had given him. Many pages were faded or missing, but there was some solid information in there. Upon opening it, his eyes fell to the part about the island. A hidden island where one could find the gift of immortality. He'd spent a few years collecting what he knew about the island- because even though most peope regarded it as a legend, it was in fact real- but of course, nopony knew where this island was. The book once had a charted map that led to it, but it had been torn out of the book long ago and scattered across the known world, for whatever reason.
As the legend went, only one pony would ever find this island. And that pony would be the one to fulfill the prophecy. Could it be Maelstrom? Turning a few pages and eventually coming across a small sheet of parchment that he'd found a couple of years back. On it were the few lines of a poem that detailed the prophecy- but these were the only lines he, or anypony else, knew at the time.
It is spoken of he who was born on the sea,
The poem ended at that small section, but looking over it, Blackmane knew that all of these few lines had been recounted to him by Maelstrom when he had told him about his past. And as luck...or fate, would have it, Maelstrom did have exceptional skill, almost eerily exceptional skill, when it came to the seas. Just as the zebra had told him. Coincidence? Blackmane was sure that this was no such thing.
"But what is the prophecy?" Blackmane wondered aloud to himself, musing on what the rest of the old poem could possibly be about.
Eventually, the Captain decided that he would ponder more on this later. For now, it was time to get going, so he put all of the journals, books and logs into their right places and exited his cabin. Maelstrom stood on the deck of the ship, looking at the enemy's fort as it disappeared from sight. Blackmane joined him, patting him heartily on the shoulder while they sailed away, a large amount of gold now safely below deck.
"Another fort, another payment." Blackmane commented as he sighed. "Great job tonight, Maelstrom."
For about eight months now, the crew of the Sea's Fury had been getting more and more contracts, each one increasing with higher payouts. Blackmane's crew had quickly risen in ranks, eventually becoming the top crew, the Governor's most trusted privateers. When Governor Chevalier had learned that the group of bandits had been stealing money and valuables from differing villages, he immediately sent word to Blackmane. The Captain was more than happy to clear out the fort.
It had been a battle that lasted the entire night, but the privateers emerged victorious. The bandits had been cut down and/or imprisoned, the gold had been secured for Bridleton, and the fort was now reoccupied by a company of Bridleton's soldiers. The payout for this skirmish was going to be more than substantial- each crew member would be recieving all of the gold and other treasures that the bandits had taken over time. All they had to do was report it to Governor Chevalier, and they were set.
"It's been quite an experience so far, Captain." Maelstrom said, "I can't thank you enough for taking me in."
"Ain't nothin' to it, lad." Blackmane replied, "This crew was formed out of nothin' but hard-workin' ponies who needed money, and through ambition, bravery and honest work, we've made a pretty penny in the last year or so."
Blackmane then approached the helm and summoned the crew to his attention. Maelstrom looked up at his captain, wondering what he had to say.
"Tonight, I have a very important announcement to make." Blackmane began, "Let me start by saying that everypony did a fantastic job in reclaimin' the fort. But furthermore- ye all know that Maelstrom has once again pulled us through what could'a been death fer all of us. He's done this on several occasions with raw, unexplainable talent with the ship, and I know that I speak fer everypony here when I say that we sometimes can't help but marvel at his abilities. In just a year's time, he's gone from bein' just above a stowaway, to bein' the most talented privateer on this ship. Fer that, I have given much thought on this matter, and I know that this is the right thing to do. Maelstrom, would ye please join me?"
The pony nodded, walking up the steps and standing beside the captain.
"Gentlecolts, I hereby declare Maelstrom to be second-in-command of the Sea's Fury! All in favor, let yer voice be heard!"
"Aye!" came the voice of every smiling stallion of the crew.
"Then so be it! Maelstrom, ye are hereby placed as second-in-command of the Sea's Fury. With yerr help, this ship and this crew will surely make its way to greatness!"
The crew cheered their approval and praise before returning to their duties, while the captain and the ecstatic new second-in-command stood at the bridge. Maelstrom sighed with content.
"Thank you, Captain Blackmane." Maelstrom spoke in high gratitude.
"It's nothin', Maelstrom. And no need to call me Captain, anymore. It's just Blackmane to ye."
It had been just over a year now, since he was welcomed into the crew. Though a dark past led up to this, he would not have traded it for anything. All of the pains and torments we had been put through seemed to vanish whenever he saw the gold that belonged to him. Within a couple of years, he would be back in Equestria and his beloved Luna would be back in his arms. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of this. Blackmane spoke in confirmation to his thoughts.
"Aye, lad... this is the life. May in never change."
Of course, neither of them knew of what lay ahead for them in the near future.
************
Two weeks passed, and the day came where the ship docked in the harbor near the Governor's estate. Blackmane and his crew eagerly made their preparations to meet Governor Chevalier. But when they made their way out on deck, they were greeted by soldiers led by a yellow Pegasus stallion they had never before seen.
"Gentlecolts," the Pegasus addressed, "I am Commodore Brass Flaw. I will be seeing you to the Governor."
The crew was puzzled by this, as Governor Chevalier had never before introduced them to this stallion, let alone have them escorted to his place. Regardless, Blackmane nodded and followed the Commodore and the crew of soliders. Maelstrom and High Tide tagged alongside their captain as they walked through the streets, making their way to the mansion's gates. The guards stood at attention as the Commodore stated the matter of business at hoof.
"The crew of the Sea's Fury, here to meet the Governor."
Nodding, the guards opened the gates. The rest of the solders remained at the gates while the three privateers followed the Pegasus through the mansion's doors, up the stairs and down the hall which led to Chevalier's office. Upon entering the room, Blackmane and his two most trusted privateers were very surprised to see that the pony sitting in the chair was not Chevalier. Unlike Brass Flaw, however, they had seen this pony several time before- a white Unicorn stallion with a dark red mane. They had seen this stallion on several occasuibs when speaking with Chevalier- he was the Governor's personal assistant. They had never made much conversation with him, so it went without saying that they were confused as to why he was behind Chevalier's desk.
"Ah, Captain Blackmane, so good to see you!" the Unicorn addressed before looking to Brass Flaw, "Thank you for bringing them here, Commodore."
"Of course, Governor Moneyburn."
"Governor!?" all three privateers shouted at once.
"Wh...where's Chevalier?" Maelstrom asked, speaking aloud for all of them.
"All in due time, gentlecolts." Moneyburn answered the three in a casual tone. "First off, did you recover the gold from Fort Triumph?"
"Uh... aye, we did." Blackmane stuttered, unsure what to make of all this.
"Excellent!" Moneyburn exclaimed, arising from his seat. "Guards, would you please go to the docks and bring the gold here?"
Two guards at the door nodded firmly before opening the door, exiting and shutting it behind them, leaving Moneyburn, Brass Flaw and the privateers in the room.
"Now, while we await the guards, I suppose I should fill you in on what has taken place." Moneyburn said as he casually paced the room with a smug grin, not even bothering to make eye contact with the three privateers.
"Last week, Chevalier passed away in when he came down with pneumonia. The morning that he passed, I was at his bedside with him. He told me that he would depart from this world a happy and content pony. There was one thing, however- he told me that his work was unfinished, and that he left it up to me to continue it."
"What work?" Maelstrom inquired.
"As you know gentlecolts, these waters are ridden with battles nearly every day. Differing regions taking valuable items from one another, things that don't belong to them. You may not have noticed it in the past, but Governor Chevalier had grown very weary of it. He longed for the day that lands and regions no longer fought, where it was safe for a ship to sail through the seas without fear of being attacked by a different land. Where trade could easily thrive between regions and kingdoms. Gentlecolts, this friction between all these lands must come to an end, and that task has come upon me to do so. Chevalier appointed me Governor, and he asked me to carry this legacy. And so I shall."
At this point, the guards walked in with a chest of the treasure that had been reclaimed.
"Excellent work." Moneyburn commented, "But I'll be needing the rest of it as well."
"Ye WHAT!?" Blackmane exclaimed in surprise, shocked at hearing that their payment would be going to the Governor.
"Yes, I'm afraid that in order to make this possible, I will be needing as much gold as possible." Moneyburn casually replied.
"But we took down that fort!" High Tide countered, "And Governor Chevalier said that we could have what the bandits had stolen! He said that he was only concerned with reclaiming the fort!"
"Yes, but that was Chevalier's terms." the Governor said, "I , however, need the gold in order to fund the means to put an end to these wars."
"With all due respect, sir," Blackmane spoke, "We did reclaim that fort for ye, and we are employed by the land of Bridleton. Lawfully, we must be paid for our work."
"True enough." Moneyburn said and approached his desk, taking a quill and parchment and writing down the ship's take. "And for that, I will be paying the amount of five hundred in gold."
"Five hundred apiece?" Maelstrom asked, to which the Governor chuckled.
"Of course not." he responded, "Five hundred for the crew."
"But sir! That's not nearly enough to each of us to fend for ourselves!" Blackmane nearly shouted.
"That's why you take as many contracts as you can." Moneyburn said, signing the payment slip and giving it to Blackmane, who barely held it at all. "The more you do, the more you'll earn, it's as easy as that. Now, Commodore- please see these men out."
Brass Flaw nodded, escorting away the privateers, who were shocked in hearing about Chevalier's passing, and angry with the miniscule payment they'd just received.
"Give me a day or so, men, and I'll have another contract for you!" Moneyburn said smugly as they went through the doorway, "After all, you are the best privateers Bridleton has! Just remember- I have no hard feelings, I just need the gold to stop this pointless fighting between lands!"
Once the privateers had left and Brass Flaw had shut the door, Moneyburn slumped down behind his desk.
"You think they bought it?" he asked.
"It seemed like they did." Brass Flaw answered.
"Marvelous." Moneyburn grinned, "As long as we keep this a secret, nopony will know. And soon, you and I will be the richest stallions in the entire known world!"
