"Your highness!"
Celestia looked up from the scroll she was examining; her quill poised in midair. "Yes Lieutenant?"
The guard stopped in front of her and bowed, trying to catch his breath. "Your highness, urgent news from New Hoofington." He said as he held out a sealed scroll.
The scroll glowed the soft yellow of Celestia's magic and floated to her, unrolling and stopping at her eye level.
Her eyes moved side to side, reading the letter quickly. As she did, her gentle smile slowly vanished and was replaced by a hard line.
"Your highness, they've found one, haven't they?"
She looked up and the guard froze, held in place by her gaze. Her eyes. Those eyes promised death.
"Send for my sister please." She said, her voice surprisingly calm.
"Y- yes, your highness." Stammered the guard, trying not to run from the room.
When the door closed behind him he sighed in relief, feeling as though he had been lucky to leave that room alive. He shuddered, remembering her terrible gaze and ran off to fetch Princess Luna.
The moon shed soft light over the city of Trottingham, illuminating the houses of those who were still awake at such a late hour.
Inside one such house, the crying of a filly split the air.
"Mmm, Dewey, the baby's crying." Mumbled a pegasus mare. She nudged her husband without opening her eyes.
His eyes opened and he blinked a few times, looking at her. "I thought it was your turn?" He asked sleepily.
"Yes, but I'm asleep." She replied with a smile, burrowing further under the covers.
Grumbling sleepily, he rolled out of bed and trotted to the door, pushing it open with his magic.
As he walked down the hall to the filly's room, he heard an insistent knock on the door.
"Coming!" He called, turning and heading to the door instead, to see who it was.
Back in bed, Rain Drops opened her eyes and stumbled out of bed, yawning and wondering what Dewey could be doing that the foal was still crying.
She stopped when she passed the living room; her eyes widening.
Inside, sitting on their couch as though it was perfectly normal, was a midnight blue alicorn wearing a black hooded cloak with the hood down. Flanking the couch were two grey batponies in the purple and blue armor of the night guard. Standing to the side was Dewey, looking as shocked as she felt.
"Y- your highness!" she stammered, bowing immediately.
"Now now, my little pony, there's no need for that." Said Luna in a casual voice, as though it were a perfectly normal occasion for the Princess of the Night to drop in for tea.
"Forgive me, your highness." Said Rain Drops, straightening and standing next to her husband.
"To what do we owe this pleasure?" Asked Dewey
Luna laughed lightly, putting the two of them at ease. "We were simply in the area and heard that the two of you had had a foal. We came to congratulate you."
"Thank you, your highness." Said Rain Drops, feeling more relaxed.
"We should like to see her, if it's not too much trouble." Said Luna, still smiling.
"Of course!" Dewey hurried out of the room to get her.
Rain Drops waited in the living room with Luna, trying to not stare at the batpony guards.
A minute later, Dewey returned. In his magic, he carried their filly, wrapped in blankets so only her head poked out. She had calmed down on her own and was now sleeping peacefully. "Here she is." He said, walking her over to Luna.
The magic around her changed from teal to midnight blue as Luna took her in her magic and brought her close. "She's a very pretty filly." Said Luna, looking down on her with delight etched across her face.
"Thank you, your highness." Said Rain Drops. "Her name is Dawn."
"Dawn." Murmured Luna, still gazing happily at the sleeping filly. "She takes after her father then?" She asked, noticing the small horn poking out of Dawn’s forehead.
"Yes your highness." Said Rain Drops.
Woken by the noises around her, Dawn opened her eyes and gazed up into the face of the pony above her. She squirmed in her blankets until she managed to extract her tiny hooves from the blankets and held them out. "Ah!" She squealed
Smiling wider, Luna brought Dawn closer to her face until Dawn’s hooves made contact with her face and latched on in a tiny hug.
Everypony in the room but the guards laughed at the display of adorableness.
Gently, Luna used her magic to remove Dawn from her face and leaned forward. Her horn touched Dawn’s forehead and Dawn’s eyes closed. Luna gently wrapped Dawn back in her blanket as Dawn drifted back to sleep. "We see she takes after her mother as well," said Luna, noticing Dawn’s wing buds as she finished rewrapping her.
"Yes, we're very blessed." Said Rain Drops, reaching out to take Dawn back.
"A new alicorn hasn't been born in centuries." Murmured Luna, lost in thought as she gazed at Dawn’s sleeping form.
"Yes, she's certainly a rarity." Said Dewey, sounding slightly worried as Luna continued to stare at their filly.
"We are sorry, we truly are." Murmured Luna
"W- what do you mean?" Asked Rain Drops, taking a cautious step towards Luna, hoof still outstretched to take Dawn
Luna didn't reply, merely closed her eyes. The magic surrounding Dawn intensified, painful to look at and suddenly a muffled cracking sound was heard distinctively as Dawn’s neck twisted in the grip of the magic.
"MONSTER!" Screamed Rain Drops, charging at Luna, but she was thrown backwards by the batpony guards, who suddenly moved forward to protect Luna.
"We are sorry, we truly are." Murmured Luna again as she stood, Dawn’s lifeless body still held in her magic. "Darkhoof, Bolt, you know what to do."
The two pegasi advanced on Dewey and Rain Drops, who cowered against the wall as they lowered their spears. Luna took one last look at the scene before her before turning and exiting the house.
Outside, Luna closed her eyes and turned her face to the moon, smiling sadly in its soft light. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked at Dawn's corpse. Silently, she wrapped the tiny body completely in the blankets.
Luna gazed up silently at the stars for a few minutes until the guards stepped out of the house.
"You've finished then?" Asked Luna emotionlessly.
"Yes your highness." Replied the first guard.
"A burglary gone tragically wrong. The town will mourn their passing." Added the second.
"Very well. Let us return to Canterlot and inform my sister."
Luna stepped into her chariot as the guards hooked themselves to the front. Together, the guards spread their bat-like wings and took off into the night.
