Love and War

Zephyr found Lumen on a balcony that overlooked the city of Roam from the palace. The view from up here was spectacular. The glowing orange lights of Roam flickered in the darkness. In the sky the stars twinkled across the heavens, taking the shapes of ponies and monsters long dead. Amongst these formations a new constellation was being born. Bright young stars shot across the blackness, dancing into place as the body of the dragon, Gaul, formed. As more stars fell into place the dragon became more and more animated. Zephyr could practically see the beast’s wings flapping.

Zephyr whistled startling Lumen, “An almost perfect image Lumen. Curve those horns a little and make the snout larger and I would swear Gaul had risen from the dead.”

Lumen smiled, “I did not see you come in Zephyr. Please come stand by me.” Zephyr walked up to her and watched her work on the constellation.

“Why are you not among the festivities? I never knew you to miss out on a celebration.”

“I wouldn’t but I don’t think it right to celebrate Gaul’s death before giving him this final rite.”

“Final rite? Isn’t that a job for his kind to perform and not his sworn enemies?”

“Tis likely the dragons had a funeral for their fallen king already, but this is not merely an act of mourning. I am preserving the memory of Gaul in these stars. In generations to come, all shall know the story of Gaul and the hero that slew him.”

Zephyr blushed, “I’m not any hero. I may be good at what I do but not that good.”

“I beg to differ. You’ve always been a gifted one. Even when you used your gifts to plunder midnight snacks from the chef’s pantry.”

“Hah, if I recall correctly you were there plundering sweets right with me.”

“Hmm, you must be mistaken. I never did anything of the sort.”

“Oh, yes you did! It was you who levitated the chef’s keys from his room. It was you who threw that rock to distract the guards. And it was you who dropped that amphora that got us caught in the end.”

Lumen laughed, “The look on the chef’s face alone was worth it.”

Zephyr joined her laughter, “I didn’t know if he would end up blowing his top or groveling at your hooves.”

“I think he did both simultaneously.”

The pair laughed and traded stories late into the night. The celebration below slowly changed tone as the young ones slipped into sleep. The musicians switched their spritely dancing tunes to softer, more beautiful melodies. The bonfires dimmed down to a red glow.

Lumen sighed and looked at Zephyr with eyes that surpassed the brightest of stars. “I have always enjoyed your companionship in these halls Zephyr,” she said.
“As have I,” Zephyr replied.

“Now look at you. You’ve grown into a fine young stallion, the Prince of Spurta, and a hero in your own right. You have built quite a legend for yourself. I cannot help but wonder what the next chapter will be.”

Zephyr dug his hoof in the ground nervously. This was the opportunity he was looking for. He only had to take it. He took a deep breath and said, “My only wish is to be with the mare I love.”

Princess Lumen chuckled, “Oh, somepony has caught your fancy Zephyr? Who is the lucky girl?”

Zephyr looked her in the eye. He spoke softly, “it is you Lumen.”

“Excuse me?”

“I love you Lumen. I always have and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” The young prince kneeled down. He was still looking into her eyes, hoping for his answer.”

“Zephyr, I am flattered, but this cannot be.”

Zephyr’s hopeful look vanished. “Why not?” he asked.

“I… we cannot be together. I am an Alicorn princess.”

“What does that have to do with anything? There is no law against it. Nor is there no precedent.”

“It is not a matter of legality, but of time. Your lifespan is but a fraction of mine. Eventually, you will die and I will not see you again for a very long time. That loss is already hard enough for a dear friend such as you. I don’t want to feel the loss of somepony more.”

Zephyr grew angry at this explanation. “That is not an answer,” he yelled, “No matter who or when you choose, you will outlive him. So why not me and why not now? I love you and I know deep down that you love me too. Stop making excuses and tell me! I know you too well to-“

“Enough, Zephyr!” Lumen interrupted in her royal voice, “You make a fool of yourself by speaking to me in such an insolent manner. I am your Princess and your superior. You will respect my decisions. Especially if you truly love me as you claim. It is my wish for our bond to be that of a friendship for now and nothing more.”

Most ponies are not brave or stupid enough to talk back to an Alicorn using their mighty royal voice. Zephyr was not like most ponies. He adamantly persisted, yelling back, “But I want to be so much more that your friend!”

“Then you shall have neither from me. I thought you a stallion of honor Zephyr, but now you behave like an ill-tempered Minotaur. Be gone from my presence and do not dare speaking to me as such again.”

With a blast of her magic, Lumen tossed Zephyr off the balcony. He plummeted for a time, but he managed to spread his wings and recover just before he crashed into a rooftop. He looked angrily up at the balcony. Lumen turned her back and stomped back inside. Growling under his breath, Zephyr flew back to Legion Laurea’s camp outside of town.

The party was still going strong at camp. The only ponies who were even mildly sober were the handful of legionnaires unlucky enough to draw sentry duty tonight. Although Zephyr swore he smelled wine on the mare assigned to guard the gate. He was too angry to care. The mare he loved had rejected his advance and he may have ruined their friendship forever. That sort of pain hurts more than any dragon fire.

So he ignored his troops as they cheered his arrival. Many of them offered him drinks or a spot in whatever game they were playing, but he didn’t pay any attention. Instead he just stormed right to the center of camp and into the officers’ tent. There he promptly flipped the table in the center of the room cursing, “Caelum damn it!”

Fortunately, the only pony in the tent was the legion Aquilifer, Argenta Nubes, who was Zephyr’s most trusted officer and friend for years. She was a pegasus just like most Legionaires of Laurea and like all members of the legion she adored her commander. “Lost a round of cards sir?” she asked.

“No,” he replied curtly.

Argenta studied Zephyr for a minute, piecing together the cause of his distress. “This is about the Princess isn’t it? She does not share your feelings for her?” she observed. Zephyr had commented on his affection towards Lumen many times on campaign. All of Laurea knew of it and silently wished for Zephyr’s success in wooing the alicorn.

“Oh she does. I know she does somewhere deep inside. She just will not follow it.”

“That is a shame, my prince. If there were anything I could do…”

“I am afraid that the damage is irreparable. My advances have insulted her and she cast me out of the palace.”

The pegasus rubbed her foreleg nervously. She suggested, “Well maybe I could… help somehow. I know my company does not compare to that of royalty, but I want you to be happy. If there is anypony in Roam who deserves a happy ending, it is you sir.”

“I appreciate your loyalty Argenta, but the only happy ending for me is with Lumen. We are destined for each other. I know it!” Zephyr stomped his hoof. “There must be some way to get her to open her heart to me. Whether it be through wit or magic I must win her love.”

Argenta grew concerned for her commander. His eyes were ablaze with a mad determination to win Lumen’s heart. She cautiously asked, “Legate? Are you certain of this? Cannot you not settle for anypony else?”

“No. I cannot live without her and I will not truly live until she is with me.”

Argenta sighed, “then I promise you I will do everything I can to aid in your quest. You and your love will be united.”

Zephyr’s spirits rose at the oath. He wrapped his friend in a hug and said, “Argenta, if you can do as you say I will be eternally grateful. I assure you, you will want for nothing after this my friend.”

“Seeing you happy is its own reward, my friend.”

With her promise made, Argenta set out to find a way to fulfill it. Unlocking the heart of an Alicorn was no easy task. To do so would take powerful magic. Magic like that cannot be attained by mere mortal ponies. Argenta would have to search for some foreign, chaotic magic that equaled that of gods. She had an idea of where she may find such magic, but the cost of this magic may be too much for anypony to bear.