Luna's Dark Knight...

Ching... Clang... Tink, tink, tink... Clang... Shhhhhing... The sound of metal on metal rang through the area as our Titanic like battle raged on amongst the men and women fighting around us. Our fight having gone on for almost twenty minutes now, blood dripping from the small gashes and wounds that we had accumulated between the gaps in our armor.

Dark Claw stood ten feet away from me, panting, leaning on his scimitar for support. Blood slowly pooled around Dark's paws as his wounds wept tears of crimson blood, having sustained several stabs and cuts along the joints of his armor had drawn their toll upon him. With his breathing ragged and the severe loss of blood hanging over him, Dark Claw knew that he was going to either Die, or retreat to fight another day.

I on the other hand fared slightly better... Having only sustained minor injuries to my body thanks to my more advanced armor. Granted I was also losing blood from several rends in my armor, such as a good sized hole in my right bracer where Dark's scimitar had buried several inches of the tip in my arm and snapped it off there in. I was also bleeding from a cut on that same arms shoulder joint and in the joint of my left knee. The two joint slashes were nothing more than flesh wounds... Where as the arm injury would leave a nasty scar and a bit of shrapnel to remove later on, which would cause a great amount of scarring.

Dropping into a crouch I then shot towards Dark Claw. Using the force to boost my speed exponentially. I swung down with my gladius and came down hard on his scimitar, making both our blades chip and ring with the weight of the attack. Dark Claw then rolled out from under my attack and smacked me in the face with the flat of his blade, sending me reeling sideways with a ringing sensation in my head.

He then leaped after me, bringing his scimitar up in anticipation of throwing a high cross, his left claw extended out to the side ready to swipe. I quickly regained my balance and shot out with my left hand and unleashed my blind rage out in the form of a push, sending Dark Claw over three hundred feet away, effectively ending our little fight.

From around me I could hear the loud yells of my allies cheering, even some of the gryphons joined in at such a fight, while most of the other gryphons scowled and yelled obscenities in their own language. I bowed to those praising me and gave a throaty growl to the few gryphons that had been booing me. Everyone was surprised by the sound coming from my throat, it sounding like a large predator and such does make for a fearsome sound.

After a moment the men and women around me got back to fighting, their sense of camaraderie being broken by the charging forms of ten gryphons coming at me, reminding them of what we were here to do. I quickly dropped back into the Makashi style and ripped them to shreds with quick jabs and slashes that tore through their defenses and ripped open throats and shoulders.

Wading through the, then ensuing fight, I ended several more lives, all on the way to find my discarded lightsabers. The first one I found was my dual blade, activating it; two green blades shot forth with an eerie 'Snap-hiss' and gave off a low thrumming noise as I twirled it about, deflecting several swords that lanced out at me from the throng of bodies surrounding me. One of which actually belonging to a Pony.

Looking down, while the pony looked up, our eyes met and the pony, that I instantly recognized as Amazing Grace, went completely crimson and started stammering at what she had just attempted to do. Seeing as I just stopped her blade from cracking ma man jewels... I was a little red in the face myself.

"Afternoon Commander... Having fun?" I asked sheepishly, making her, somehow, get even redder.

"Um... Yes, sorry, didn't see you there..." She mumbled around the blade in her mouth, thankfully I understand mumble talk... Sooooo many reasons for that that I won't go into them!

"I see... Well, lets finish this then shall we?" I gestured towards the last twenty or so Gryphons that had formed a small ring. Being surrounded by the remnants of our troops, me and Grace walked on over. As we got closer though, something red and gold caught my eyes.

"They found my swords... And turned them on... brilliant..." I muttered to myself, just loud enough for Grace to hear.

"Aye... What will you do sir?"

"Get them back of course..." I said as I walked right through our front line and stood in front of the enemy soldiers, my weapon at my side deactivated. In the center of the enemy forces I saw Dark Claw, Badly wounded and bleeding, but still breathing.

"DARK CLAW! I speak to you in parlay! Come forth." I called forth, noting many of the strained empty faces that looked at me from both sides. Dark Claw slowly got up and limped his way over to us, his left wing broken, having it been wrapped to his side and tapped up tight.

"Corpus... What do you need friend? We both know this is a lost fight... I and my Gryffs are dead Gryffs walking..."

"I know Dark... But I do not wish to see any more bloodshed this day, So... I have an offer for you, have your men deliver back to me my blades and I shall allow you and your men to go free... Or you can die here... On your feet, which is it. Save your men, or die." I raised a brow at him, and to make sure he understood the consequences I activated my weapon, its green blades shooting out to a good three feet on either side.

"That... seems fair Corpus, I don't wish to see anymore of my men die as it is, so I shall agree... Iron Talon, bring this man his swords... We are going home..." All the gryphons, at this, dropped their guard and just gaped at their war hero. Some were even so shocked that they dropped their weapons entirely.

"Lord Corpus... What did you say to them?" Grace asked as she edged her way over to my side, not feeling safe with how the Gryphons were acting.

"We gave them an out, We told them, 'Give us our weapons and thou can go home...' Was the gist of what we said." Once everyone heard what I said, they all had similar responses, giving me the thousand yard stare and shit.

"Sire, You cannot seriously bel-" One of earth ponies next to me started to say as they were cut off by Dark and a few of his men parting to let a pair of Gryphons walk over to me. Both of which held a deactivated hilt in their claws.

"Thou were saying Private?" I asked as I stepped forward to accept the proffered weapons and reattach them to my belt.

"Thank you Dark Claw, Iron Talon, and...?"

"Razor Claw" The third Gryphon answered the unasked question.

"Razor Claw for giving me back my weapons... Now, take your forces and leave the battlefield... Any form of retaliation will be held as a re-neg on this treaties and will result in your deaths... Tred lightly." They all nodded vigorously as they quickly motioned for their men to pick up their weapons and head out. Several of the gryphons taking up a rearward looking position as they filtered out of the large array of troops around them.

As they were leaving I noticed a trio of ponies separate from the circle and rush after them, their hate flooding the force as they did so, boosting my already almost untapped power. As they came to within a good ten feet of the retreating Gryphons. I quickly landed right in front of them, having performed a force jump to get there. I then brought my hand up and began levitating them up into the air.

"What dost thou think thou art doing?" I asked, my tone flat and edged with ice and Venom aplenty for the three idiots in my grasp. They were all male, each of them kicking at the open air as I held them there, making everyone, especially the gryphons, pause as I wasn't even laying a finger on them as they floated there. The three Stallions gave me dirty looks and snarled at me as they tried to brake free of my telekinetic grasp, making me grin sadistically at their hate for me and our foes.

"They killed our friends! Let us go creature so we may get revenge!" The first one on my right growled out. His lip upturned into a snarl.

"They will pay for their transgressions towards us! Blood will be spilled for the deaths they have wrought this day!" The one on my far left howled, making all of the ponies around us gasp slightly at such blood-lust.

"We gave my WORD that they would come to no harm if they gave back our weapons and left peaceably... Are thou going to make us a liar?" I started flatly, making them all growl at my words. Then the one in the middle did something stupid... He spit in my face... Yes you read it right... He. Spit. In. My. Face... Dead man Floating folks, any bets as to how he dies? None? Well shoot...

"Um... Corpus?" Dark Claw called out, slightly afraid for the ponies lives now.

"I would count your word for nothing Creature! You are not worth even the whore of a Commander we have leading us! She's only worth the seconds shied last in a bed!" The one in the middle snarled, not even done yet, "I will NEVER fallow any worthless order YOU OR THAT WHORE gives me!" He then lunged forward and bashed his skull into my face, his horn missing my eyes by mere centimeters.

"Oh... Is that so..." I asked as I raised my other hand to wipe away the blood trickling out of my nose. "Well then... I don't think you are worth the HIDE you are clothed in... So... I'll Just relieve you of it... Sound good?" I asked, my voice sickly sweet as I spoke. Everyone around us could feel the temperature steadily drop as I spoke, not really knowing what was about to happen.

"OH, A word of advice to those that don't want to see what happens... Turn away and plug your ears..." I intoned in both the Gryphon language of old and basic, using the force to translate for both races. Granted I did not allow the traitor to hear my words. After I was done I noticed that several of both sides had turned away.

"Do you still wish to go against your superiors?" I flatly stated, Both Grace and Dark Claw starring at me, waiting to see what I was going to do.

"I would rather DIE than follow either of you fools into battle again! FUCK YOU AND THAT WHORE YOU CALL COMMANDER!" I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Grace flinched at the traitors words.

"Fine. And you?" I asked the other two, make eye contact with them.

"I am of same mind Creature!" The one on the left howled.

"GO DIE IN A DITCH YOU BASTARD!" The one on my right said, both sealing their fates.

"Fine then, We shalt make an example of what WE do to traitors!" I grinned sickly, making them tremble for, to them, unknown reasons.

"You may have the abilities of my kind Creature! But you are nothing to our might!" The middle one cried, suddenly shooting a bolt of energy out of his horn, right at my face. Instantly I had my hand there to block the blow, absorbing it all into the palm of my hand.

Hearing several gasps from the suddenness of the attack I brought away my hand, with the ball of energy still in it, and allowed everyone to see what had transpired. I then grinned evilly at the unicorn Stallion in my grasp, and at his two Earth Stallion counterparts, and crushed the bolt of energy in my hand. The energy then dissipated into the atmosphere.

"Now... For your charges... Disobeying a direct command by a superior; Court-martial... Attempting to engage in an illegal assault after sanction was given; summary discharge from the army... Finally... Attempting to KILL a superior officer; Charge is DEATH..." I grinned manically. I then stopped grinning and gave him a very, very, deadly glare.

"Now... Die..." I then visualized the very first vertebra in his spine, holding the image in my mind... and then I snapped my fingers, using the motion to spin the small ass son of a bitch a full 360... paralyzing the fucker from the neck down... I then shattered said vertebra and shot the small pieces into his brain and killing him instantly as the pieces shredded his brain matter into an unrecognizable mush.

Dropping the, now lifeless, corpse to the blood soaked mud below. I stared out into the shocked faces of gryphons and ponies alike and gave them a stony glare.

"The acts of this man are ten fold... Betraying his allies... Both the trust of his fellow Ponies and Gryphons that we gave our word to... He has also tried to kill a superior officer. I do NOT tolerate betrayal... And is dealt with as such as this." I nodded down to the dead unicorn. Everyone, it did not matter what side they were on, stared at the dead body at my feet, disgust and fear appeared in equal measure as they looked on at the body. As silence pervaded the surrounding area I could hear some of the gryphons, and even a few Ponies, his in disgust.

"Remember this, all of you, be ye friend or foe, We will NOT Tolerate Betrayal from EITHER SIDE!"

No more than twenty minutes after I had dealt with the traitors I learned that the younger one was the brother of the Stallion I had destroyed. I had had them placed in a set of four Iron cuffs, setting them to march at our rear, being guarded by five of our more adept injured soldiers. Out of the battle I found out that we had sustained relatively heavy losses... Having faced a force of one thousand Gryphons I can say we did well with only a Forty-three KIA and ten WIA and Two MIA...

The march to the F.O.B (Forward Operating Base) held little, to no, hindrances after our initial skirmish with the forward Gryphon front... And having sent the remaining three hundred gryphons back in retreat did wonders for moral. Though the loss of so many brothers in arms was a huge hit as well.

Grace and I had begun to talk about some of the tactics that her officers had used during the skirmish... Which was to say none, damn fools lost the line several times during the whole event and even lost their lives when ordering retreats and such WHILE fighting... Arrogant bastards.

"Grace, if thy men pull something like that again, we will smack them in the head with our Saberhilt... Such hubris will not be allowed back on the field of battle..." I growled out, making Grace narrow her eyes as we walked on towards Stallion grad and the rest of the troops we were to reenforce. My tattered cape billowed in the faint crosswind as I slowly scanned the surroundings while we talked, making great headway.

"Aye, Corpus... But they do not know better... Their training is horrid and under developed... We do not have the personnel with the right experience to teach ALL of our new recruits..." Grace sighed and gave the horizon a weary glare as we came upon a small group of rolling hills. "Do you think it would be faster to go around them or over them Corpus?" The Silver eyed mare asked as she let her gaze bore into my very soul.

"We go through them... It would take to long to traverse the way around and back... So we make for the shorter route... Though having a group of Pegasi fly over the top and such will give us a better idea of what we will find on our way over there." I pointed out, giving as sound advice as I could. Grace gave me a strange look, a mix of a smile and a frown, and stomped her hoof on the ground a few times in thought, not really paying attention to the fact we had stopped our march and were waiting on her words to continue.

"Alright, send out five pegasi, I want them armed with spears... Better to be prepared than not..." She stated, turning to me, giving me an appraising look. "Corpus, I would also like to talk to you Privately about what all transpired back in that clearing... But first I want us to make camp... Our destination is still far away." Grace glanced back at the Stallions and Mares behind us, each of them keeping a wary eye out for any movement, be it in the sky or on the ground.

"Aye, that be fine with us Grace. We will first deliver your orders to the squad, be back in a bit." I replied evenly, slightly fearing what we would be talking about when I returned. Making a quick about face, my cape billowing out behind me at the quickness of the move, I made for the nearest group of Pegasi. Quickly finding a group I gave them instructions.

"Soldier, we need thee to go acquire four other companions and scout ahead of the army to make sure we do not fall into any more traps... Clear?" The stallion nodded and gave a quick salute before taking off into the air and going to find a few more volunteers. I quickly started making rounds, letting all the Captains know that we were going to make camp for the night. I even went and found the men I was going to be marching out with on our traverse through the hills... The captains name was Ducati; a pegasus with a cream colored mane and tail, indigo coat and emerald green eyes. He wore the mantle of a seasoned scoutmaster and held a series of scars across neck, chest, and sides that exemplified his services and experience.

He held dominion over twenty of the men and women of the battle group I was in... His group was rather free with their speech among their small group. They spoke jovially and reminisced about past battles they each had been in and either won or lost. They even included me in a few of their tales as I brought my own incites to some of their own failures.

After a few minutes of rather short and awkward conversation, I returned to the spot that Grace had laid aside for us to use as the command center of the camps... Upon my arrival I noticed that there were several others with us, whom I noticed to be among the veteran of our group, that were sitting with her and discussing something.

"Commander Grace, thy company confuses us, dost this mean we map the coming stretch, or that we are just extending the camp?" I asked rather cheekily, getting a rise out of the silver eyed mare as she puffed out her cheeks in my direction. The other stallions, and two mares, turned to look in my direction, their gazes rather zealous in their disdain for me being rather obvious. After a rather tense moment Grace spoke, trying to keep her annoyance out of her voice, though if it was at me or her... companions I would never know.

"We were just... Discussing what to do once we get to the besieged city... And I was hoping that you would be able to give us some insight as to how to approach this..." She said haltingly, her gaze shifting about the others like quicksilver as she gauged their reactions. I could sense their loathing of me, even hate, as I drew ever nearer to Amazing Grace and the small fire they had erected. Grace on the other hand emitted a distinct feeling of fear and apprehension, though her emotions were directed at me, they were not of me but for me.

"Dost a thing we said disturb thee... Stallions and Mares of the sun? For WE know not what we hast done to offended thee..." I spoke rather derisively, a small smile playing across my lips as I looked upon them, no mirth or joviality held in my tone or eyes as I looked upon the ones that could end this venture before it begins. I placed a hand on one of my hilts, the one that contained my red blade to be exact, and awaited their reply.

"WE have nothing to say to thee, creature... You spurned our Goddess and chose the Night Lady... We have no words of kindness for thee." The leader of said group said as they all filed away, content to leave grace in my presence, alone, and afraid.

"Aye, good eve then to thee, Sons and Daughters of the Sun..." I said as I gave them a slight bow of the head. This act infuriated them to no end, and only made them run away from us all the faster. Leaving me with a satisfied grin and a rather perturbed mare standing beside me.

"Did'st you truly haft to do that... Truly..." Grace placed a hoof over her face and gave an exasperated sigh. She then looked up to me and gave a slight smile, one that most would mistake for a grimace with an untrained eye. "But, thank you for that, they were trying my nerves as it were. Their blatant biased mind set and unwillingness to follow certain orders, your orders to be exact, was quite trying... So I find it favorable that you made them leave." She chuckled lightly as she tiredly clipped over to her bed roll and fell over onto said sack of fabric. She groaned softly as she lay there and stared off over the small valley that our forces had taken to stay the night. Her mane lay around her, framing her slender form and bringing out a certain... Beauty to her figure...

"Thou art welcome, Grace... And it concerns us not what they are willing to follow, as much as they will still follow YOUR orders We will have no quarrel with them." I said as I gathered up my bedroll and laid it out next to hers, a good foot away to allay suspicions, and sat down upon its thin covers. I laid my helm next to my three inch thick 'pillow' and let my armor decompress slightly as I removed some of the more damaged pieces to be repaired. During the whole process of removing my armor, I would look over at Grace from time to time, just seeing what she was up to, and I would catch fleeting glances from her as she stared at me as I worked my armor back into shape with a small hand kit I had brought along for such occasions.

"What art you doing Corpus? With your armor that is..." Grace inquired as she shifted herself to a better position, all just to get a better look. Her eyes held a slight look of awe about them as she saw my hands traverse the small rends and gashes in my armor with the small torches and spare metal ingots that I used to fill in the rends and tears.

"We art repairing the damage dealt to our armor by the battle past... Dost thine own forces not do this as well with their own armor?" I asked, slightly abashed that the opposite might be true.

"Nay, they do not... They would rather sleep than tend to their armor... But Nay, even if they could there art not enough supplies to repair the extent of their damaged plating..." Grace sighed dejectedly as I gaped at her hither too response... It made me want to cry and curl up into a ball that my own men could not truly take care of their own armaments... A sad day in hell when a man cannot take care of his sword...

After a while I had finished with my craft I re-attached my armor plates and deigned to lean back and stare at the night sky... Just like I used to do back on Kesh when I was but a boy... The cool breeze flowing ever so gently over the hills and down onto our encampment, caressing the men and women as they dozed off to slumber. Only the sentries and us two were awake for much longer as we gazed at the stars and wondered their meanings together. Grace would ask all so innocent questions about the things I had seen while traversing the stars, while I would ask her what the worlds astronomers thought each constellation stood for, if she even knew.

"Dost thy people not know what a star be in that blackness above us?" I asked during our conversation, making her pause a moment in thought as she tried to think of any relevant info. Her face scrunched up slightly in thought as she did this, making me chuckle slightly as her face looked slightly constipated in its current state. Upon hearing my chuckle she blushed slightly and looked away while still trying to conform her answer.

"Well..." She said as she looked back around at me, right in the eye, "From what little I dost know of our Astronomers, they think that our stars, as you call them, are but light placed in the sky by an ancient power, thousands of years old, and that it is all controlled by Princess Luna... As she controls the night and all." Smirking slightly as she talked about what the astronomers thought the lights in the sky were, and now knowing what they were for her self. She couldn't help the smile that raced across her lips as she continued to lay out the foundation of the countries astronomy standing before me, knowing that I could easily break their understanding just by being in the same room as them.

I even got a laugh out of it as she mentioned what the scholarly figures thought they were, and at how wrong they truly were. After that we slipped into small talk about the last battle, about what we lost, gained, and now understood better, if anything thanks to the large skirmish. Afterwords we went on to sleep and let the darkness take us to sweet oblivion... And Luna's loving embrace as those who know call it...

Perspective: Luna; at the castle a week earlier.

It had only been hours before that Corpus and his small army of troopers had set out to defend our lands, and I was currently laying on my large bed, wreathed in many pillows of a hundred different sizes, thinking of all the ways our goodbye could have gone differently. Though my thoughts were soon interrupted by the squirming form of Magnus BlueBlood as he shifted among the small nest of pillows he was situated in. I laid on a large body pillow as I watched him squirm under the dark blue cover that lay on him.

He had made himself a good sized fort of pillows not long ago and had then, stumblingly, brought over the Dark Blue cover and laid it across the top, before falling into a light slumber. He had expressed his displeasure with Us upon hearing of, as he put it, 'Uncle Corpus', leave to the front lines... Even if it was abrupt and all I still felt sorry for the child... For he had started to grow on me.

"Young Magnus... Dost thou feel alright?" I asked as I felt his mind slip into a night-terror and reel in pain from the experiences he was having. I quickly realized what was happening and drew him from his 'shelter' and drew him to my breasts and embraced him, wrapping my hoofs, neck, and wings about his small form to comfort him. This worked almost instantly as he relaxed and slipped off into a deeper sleep and left his terror behind.

As the child slept in my arms I glanced about my room once more, taking in the sight of it... seeing how it had changed since Corpus had left. The walls were still sparse, a few paintings of myself and my sister adorning it's surface along with a mural of me with Celestia and our parents... Markanus and Saleem... Our mother, Saleem had a perfectly white coat of ivory that shone like diamonds in the sun, she also had a long auburn like mane and tail that flowed in the air as if on its own wind... She was a magnificent sight to have seen on any day, but to us she was especially special... She was our mother and she was beautiful.

Our father Markanus on the other hand had a coat as dark as the deepest oceans, and just as blue, his coat shown deeply, yet brightly, with the magic of the hidden stars within that gave him his magic... His mane even held the majesty of the stars above us as he maneuvered the celestial beings through the sky. We had always loved them, but they went missing one day and never returned... Leaving Celestia to look after me and for us to grieve for a whole two years before we could even get back to our normal selves... And that feeling... Of emptiness, that was what I had felt when Corpus rushed off to fight and save my lands from destruction.

"Magnus, dost thou wish to get some food now?" I asked after what felt like hours of laying there with a foal wreathed in my arms. At my words though he rose from his slumber and gently yawned. His Golden eyes looking up at me in awe and childish love as he scurried from my embrace and stood before me, his little tail wagging slightly from the prospect of going to get food.

"YES!" He shouted imperiously as he looked at me with his large eyes, making me giggle slightly on the inside as I slowly arose from my spot on the mattress and got off the bed. My light blue mane clung to my sides and to my legs as I got up, having sweated slightly during my rest, this making Magnus snicker slightly at my strange appearance. I gave him a slight brow raise before shaking myself out and tapping him slightly with my hoof, discharging the built up static cling into his body, making his fur and mane stand up on end. This made him look like a massive puff ball... At which the sight of I fell over from laughter.

Soon after he got over his shock, literally, he began to look at himself and laugh too, not really caring for the small prank I had just pulled on him. We then cleaned ourselves up in the bathroom, after flattening out his mane and coat. Once we were cleaned we clipped out of the room and down the long halls down to the winding staircases and into the main level of the castle.

"Auntie Luna... Dost uncle Corpus... Normally do things like this... Or dost he have spur of the moment extravagances he must fulfill?" Magnus asked as we walked down one of the many spiraling staircases, making me trip up slightly at his expertly worded sentence. Seeing me almost fall down the long flight of stairs thought made him drop his questioning look and rush after me with a scream.

In a flash I was able to catch myself, with help from Magnus, and wright myself. I then looked down at the young colt and gave him a look, trying to figure out where he had learned such eloquent speaking, while also trying to come up with an answer for his question.

"Well... Our Dear Magnus... We hast known him for only a few short months... One and a half to be exact, and he hast shown an aptitude for finding danger and ending it... Most of which, until now, was just because he decided to go on a stroll with us during the night watch... other than that... This is new for us as well." I explained as we continued down the long staircase ahead of us.

"If that's the case then... Why'd he take off so suddenly now... He didn't even give say as to his return before leaving... But, I suppose it's fine... He will be back anyway... I just know it Auntie Luna," He smiled up at me as we abruptly came to our destination, "And I know he will be glad to see us when he does." The young colt, his curly blond hair bouncing slightly with every step, walked on past me as he trotted on ahead towards the kitchen, leaving me slightly speechless as I made to catch up with him.

"Chef Quick Slice, Thou is't to make us a set of CLT's...(Carrot, Lettuce, and Tomato... For those that wish to know!) With a little salt and pepper on the side please... That'd be all." I quickly barked out, a large smile on my face as I clipped into the open dining area of the Kitchen, little Magnus not far behind me as he looked at the massive tables and windows the dining area held within. His gaze reminded me of my own not to long ago when I first arrived at the castle, all those scores ago.

I quickly found us a seat under a large chandelier next to the windows on the right side of the room... Looking back I can say the place was very large and held almost no artistic heraldry... The ceiling was vaulted, the windows were arched, and the walls were barren half way up and then abruptly shot up with a velvet like covering of gold blue and white linings... Depicting our united rule. I hated the place so much back then it wasn't funny.

"Magnus we hope thou likes CLT's... For that be which hast been ordered..." I told him as I gave him the stink eye, seeing as he was giving me the zombie mouth eye thing that younger children lie to do.

"That willst be fine Auntie! I love Carrots anyway!" He beamed up at me, then proceeded to start making faces at me again, which made me want to reciprocate the action. So I placed my hooves above each of my eyelids, pulled up, and flapped my lips back and started making noises as well... Not my proudest moments mind you, but it was fun!

We continued changing the looks we gave each other till the food came out not twenty minutes later. We were having so much fun that we didn't even notice when the Chef had placed our food down and walked away, not having the heart to break our little game. We soon Busted up laughing at each other and saw that our food was sitting there, though not for very long thankfully, and we dug in, trying to stifle our laughter so we could eat.

"Auntie, Thank thee for lunch... I willst be back, I just wish to thank the Chef for his time and making it for us." I smiled kindly at Magnus and motioned that he may go, I then took our plates and the platter and delivered them to the Kitchen servers and gave them a good bout of praise for their kindness towards Magnus and myself, seeing as most were starting to turn from me by then anyway.

After our little breakfast I deigned it a day of rest for myself and spent the rest of it having foalish fun with my new 'adoptive' nephew... Even if it wasn't all by choice, I would never change it for the world... Or my future... No matter the cost!

The next day...

"Auntie Luna! Auntie Luna! I found something!" Magnus cried out as he rummaged through a set of drawers in my room. He then pulled out a large, for him, cylinder about the size of his shin and held it in his mouth. He then trotted over to our bed and placed it upon the dark blue satin covers. I then noticed that he had looked through one of the drawers that Corpus had used to store some of his weapons and other belongings... And I instantly realized what the cylinder was and quickly took it up in my magic and held it far away from both myself and Magnus as I eyed it warily.

"Dear Magnus... Thou must be more careful with what thou picks up... This here Cylinder could have injured thee beyond compare... For it is one of, Uncle Corpus', weapons... Understand?" He looked up at me wide-eyed and jaw agape as he looked at the unassuming cylinder of long lines and rings that constituted the hilt of, what Corpus called, a 'Lightsaber'. During his battle with some of the gryphons a few days earlier I had remembered how he would turn on the blade in the cylinder by pressing a button on the side...

"Can we see what it looks like Auntie? I dost not think he would be to angry if we saw what it looked like... Truly?" Magnus asked, enamored by the prospect of possibly seeing his pseudo-uncle's weapon of choice up close. While I really didn't mind possibly showing him... I didn't know how Corpus would react to me showing off his weapons without his say on the matter.

"I'm sorry, Dearest Nephew, but tis not a choice that We may make. Only thy uncle may make this decision, and it would be in our bad graces to go 'hind his back to show thee his things... So for now, we shalt await his return and then thou might see his weapons in all their glory... Peace Magnus?" I smiled sagely to my 'nephew' and patted him on the head as he gave me a slightly dejected look, really wanting to have seen his 'uncle's' weapon. He then gave me a small smile and nodded his head, his golden eyes bringing out a certain warmth in my heart, dissimilar to the feeling I would usually get when around corpus, but not as strong, and slightly less natural... but still there. This feeling made me smile at the young colt and pat his head lightly as I placed the item where it was found.

"Peace Auntie, I'll go find something else to do for a while... Good day!" Magnus bowed his head, running off to enjoy the day here in the castle.

"Good day Magnus!" I called after him as I got up off the bed, smiling all the while as I started dressing up for my day of roaming the castle... Which was rather a change for back then... after spending several decades as a night lurker and all, but it was worth it to be in the day again.

After equipping my royal regalia I made my way down to the foyer of the castle, just to be there and greet any of those that might hold a likeable conversation with myself. My stroll through the halls of ivory Castle was fairly uneventful as I made my way down to the entrance, giving silent thanks to the guards that hailed me, smiling and waving at back to them as I walked past them.

By the time I actually got to the foyer I was well aware that it had taken me about an hour to get there from my room... Not that I didn't lie the outcome of seeing so many smiling faces.

Sitting down on one of the many large sofas there I took up a book from one of the many small book cases littering the large vaulted room and read as I awaited many of the undoubtedly numerous citizens that would show that day. But, as I got to the ninth chapter I heard several hoof falls echo against the hall doors as a large group of ponies opened the large double oak doors and trotted on in, half of them rather raggedy and dirty while a small portion wore the armor of the guards. They all saw me sitting there and quickly prostrate themselves before me as I quickly got up off the couch to address them.

"Come, come, there is no need to kneel before me here... Rise; My Little ponies..." I set my book aside and instantly made my way to the Sargent's side, tapping him on the shoulder to get him up off the ground.

"Um-if thou sayest so, then so be it... We come with some news from thy newest lord... If thou wishes to hear such news Mi'lady..." The stallion said, bowing his head slightly in difference. The rest of his men though took it upon themselves to help the ponies with them to the kitchen and infirmary from their long trek back.

"Sargent, We dost wish to know his words... If you would please follow us then, we art firm in thinking that Celestia wouldst wish to hear this news as well... Shall we?" I asked gently as I motioned for us to walk towards the throne room. The stallion responded astutely and trotted just behind me to my right, a place reserved for those that knew they had some importance for the now.

We quickly made our way down the hall and passed the mares, foals, and stallions that made up the group Corpus most certainly had sent back this way. We made several turns through the massive halls and up several flights to the throne room as quickly as we could, without breaking decorum that is! Soon we arrived and found ourselves looking at an odd sight of celestia tied up on the floor and a very proud Magnus standing over her with a hoof planted firmly on her head... with an apple in her mouth and a toy sword in his hoof pointed towards the ceiling.

"... Pahtuie! A little help Sister?" Celestia called as we crossed the marble flooring to look down upon her and my 'Nephew'.

"Um... What happened here dearest Sister? And how come Magnus is standing on thee with a sword in his grasp..." Before Celestia could answer, Magnus leaped from his perch on her head and slammed into my chest, bowling both me and the Sargent over as I toppled into him from the impact.

"We were playing Auntie! It was Knights and Dragons! And Auntie Celestia said she'd be the dragon... Since she could fly and all... But not any more!" He said proudly, motioning with a hoof towards my tied up sister, and her rather Seductive form... Sue me, I like my sister! It's not very often you can know someone longer than you know any of your supposed lovers! ...and a girl gets curious sometimes!

"Auntie?" The guard questioned, his brow slightly raised at me.

"Long story... And none of thy business..."

"Sorry, Mi'lady, I overstepped thy boundaries... Forgive me please..." As he was about to bow in supplication I stopped him, though it was weird, being on the ground and all.

"None of that Sargent, Just know that not all must be spoken of, that is all." I said smiling, making him relax more so than before, "And if thee would please help our sister from her captivity... We would be grateful." I said smiling as I gently pushed Magnus off my chest and got back to my hooves. He pouted slightly from the gentle push but recovered soon and raced to help release Celestia.

After cutting her loose I motioned for the Sargent to relay the news to us, after having Magnus run off to prank the maids that is! Oh I'm evil sometimes HAHA! He nodded his assent and cleared his throat. He then gave a slight salute and stood ramrod straight to give his oratory.

"Princesses, Mi'lord Corpus has asked that we, the guard, go out and evacuate the bordering villages and towns from the Gryphon side of our territory... He has also asked that we house a majority here and train the new recruits for what might be a long battle... He also wanted to make note of the fact that we should send some more men after his group to reinforce his position before they actually get to their destination..."

"Is that all thou hast to say Sargent?" Celestia asked, rather curiously. Her head was tilted to the side and wore a rather peculiar look as she stared at the Guard Sargent.

"That was all he said Your Majesties..." He said, bowing.

"That will be all then Sargent, thou may take thy leave, get some rest for thy troops, for they will be leading the next deployment towards Corpus and his legion." Celestia said as she gave him one of her motherly smiles and ushered him out of the throne room, leaving just us and the marble flooring for company.

"So... What dost thou think of his words sister?" Celestia asked as she looked at me, her glowing magenta eyes looking on me with intrigue and concern. Her brow was raised and her wings were slightly twitching with anticipation. Her front right hoof was idly tapping the ground with the slight nervous twitch she had acquired a few decades back.

"It is obvious that Corpus will need some reinforcements... But we will have to start drafting in our population to get a large enough army together to face this encroaching force... Dost thou not think the same? But even then, We must also give our people something to shelter in as we have in the past when fighting Discord... But an army should be our first objective-right sister mine?" I asked, my eyes like set stone as I stared her down.

Celestia nodded hesitantly as I motioned towards her bed-chambers. Directing our talk towards a more secluded area, away from any listening ears and prying eyes.

Celestia, as we walked, began to show her weakened mental state more and more as we got closer to her room; her ears drooped, her eyes became blood shot as her illusions fell, and her mane became slightly flat as well. She looked, in a word, Terrible.

"Sister, Art thou sure that thou art getting enough sleep... 'Cause thou dost remember that thee did bar us from thy dreams... Now answer us." My eyes hardened as I looked her in the eye, making her shirk back slightly at my eyes.

"Nay sister, we hast been having ludicrous times gaining any sleep as of late, but nothing to bad for our health. but let us get to the business at hand..." she said as she regained some of her composure from my slight ribbing.

"Yes, I would say that we get the old Generals to come out of retirement to scout the citizens when they get here... We don't need any sickly or possibly deadly element in our army..." Celestia trailed off as she got further into thought, we had found ourselves now sitting on two large body pillows in her room, sitting not ten feet from each other.

"Dost thou find this acceptable sister?" Celly asked me as I gave her an odd look at her sudden outburst. She had been quiet for a good twenty minutes before saying a single word to me, or even acknowledge my presence... Which is an odd thing for her, being a very 'alert' being at all times of the day, in part thanks to discord, but mostly in spite of him too.

"What would that be my sister? Thou didst not convey thy idea to me... nor any other emotion or sign of acknowledgement for the past half hour..." I stated, dropping the royal speech in exchange for informality, for what is formality when talking with your own sister behind closed doors? My question though did catch her off guard, slightly surprising her and... making her blush? That was a new one... It was kind of one of those 'hoof in the cookie-jar' moments from what I could see... Which sparked several red flags and signal fires in my mind. Though, and I didn't like it, I would only be able to discus these things with Corpus... And why I didn't like it was that he was away and out of reach, for the most part.

"I'm sorry for not saying anything to thee earlier, I was just caught up in what I was thinking about, and thought I was talking to thou this whole time... Can thee forgive me for such imbecility..." She looked at me with magenta puppy-dog-eyes, trying to make light of the situation... She could see that it wasn't working and decided to just drop the shuraid and get it over with.

"Sorry Luna, it is just that I got lost in thought and began day-dreaming... something we both know i'm not very prone to-to begin with. Though its what I day-dream about that worries me... Dost thou know what that would be Lu'Lu?" She asked, no hint of teasing in her voice. So, me being me, I shook my head in the negative, not really understanding what she was getting at. "Well... I dream of the dead and dying that may or may not litter this land when this is done... I live a torment every time I close my eyes and dream... Even when I'm awake I can see their dying, screaming, faces burned onto my eyelids..." She trailed off as tears of pain and remorse flooded down her alabaster cheeks and stained her coat grey with their sadness... This brought a hurt upon my heart and soul, seeing my sister destroyed by her own mind, being betrayed by her own imagination. It was, and still is, something I would not bestow upon my worst enemy...

I shot over to her side and wrapped her in my gossamer like wings and cradled her in my feathery grasp. I did for her what she had done for me so many times before... I held her... And sung sweet little nothings into her ear as she cried her soul out to the world, lamenting what she saw every day with her sobs and torrents of tears.