“And this, class, is the Grand Ballroom of the Canterlot Castle,” Graceful Learning -- an Earth Pony Mare of about middle age -- says as she leads a group of young school foals into the spacious and ornate room, “This room, along with the majority of the Castle, is of the original construction.” She leads her class into the center of the room, their Royal Guard escorts staying nearby to make sure the young fillies do not wander off.
“Miss Graceful,” A young brown and black pegasus colt starts, raising a hoof, “When do we get to see the Princesses?” Graceful smiles to the young colt.
“Unfortunately, Princess Luna is a very busy Pony, Quick Gust,” Graceful says in an apologetic tone, “And Princess Celestia is currently detained elsewhere.” a collective wave of disappointed ‘aww’s’ ripple through the group of foals, Graceful holds up a hoof to quiet them, “But there is still plenty to see! Next, we’ll be going to the Library, which holds some of the oldest books in all of Equestria!” A few of the foals brighten up at that, but the majority look like they’re disappointed they don’t get to meet one of the Princesses. The Royal Guards with them smile slightly from beneath their helmets.
Leaving the Ballroom, the group transverses hallways and corridors richly decorated in styles as ancient as the construction, furnished with antique tables and pictures and tapestries depicting now long forgotten ponies and the battles and achievements that won them fame. Every once and a while a stained glass window depicting much the same is passed, the mid-afternoon sunlight dancing across their surfaces and sending a multitude of brilliant colors over all surfaces. The foals are captivated by each of these windows, the stories told by some of them recent events, while others depict things they’ve only heard their parents whisper about.
One of them, a large window near the library, depicts Celestia battling a creature wreathed in shadowy flames, the sun eclipsed by the moon in the center as the two do battle, innocent ponies looking on in horror and awe from below. A few windows down another one depicts Celestia standing alone beneath the moon, the image of a mare now imprinted upon it. She looks so sad, many of the foals decide, Celestia.
Upon reaching the Library Miss Graceful stops the group and turns to face them all.
“This, is the Royal Library.” She says gesturing over her shoulder with her head, “As I said it contains some of the oldest books in Equestria, and we’re being allowed inside to look, but not to touch.” She looks at each of the foals, “Understand? Please do not touch any of the books, as they are quite fragile. If you wish to look closer at one, there are staff members who I am sure would be more than happy to help you.” She then steps aside and makes a sweeping motion with her hoof, “Well? Go on, look around and explore.”
A few of the foals run in eagerly, the rest wander in at a slower pace, many having to be dragged away from the last stain glass window.
Princess Luna sighs as she walks through the hallway of the Palace that leads to the Royal Library, it had been a long day speaking with officials from not one, but two foreign lands. The Diplomat and his wife from Saddle Arabia were nice, they had some things in common with Equestria, and Luna found it enjoyable to speak with them. The Lord from the Gryphon Kingdom on the other hoof… Well, it was safe to say that Luna did not look forward to having to speak to him again in the coming hours. She had dealt with his kind before, when Equestria had been young and her and her sister had first come into their place as its rulers. While so little had changed about them in the past thousand years, they were still as infuriating as they had been back then!
Honor, glory, warriors above all else. Luna could scarcely understand how their society continued to function when the weak were killed or left to become bitter hermits exiled from their society. A good deal had immigrated to Equestria, and started a roost here, and while life was better here Luna cannot imagine those who have been forced to leave their home and come to a land full of a different species would be all that happy.
Stopping outside the back door to the Library Luna sighs, right now she just wants to get somewhere nice and quiet, get away from everypony and relax. Using her magic to open the door she walks in, the Guards on both sides of the door saluting her as she crosses the threshold.
Inside the soft conversation of the librarians hums in the background, Luna barely pays it any mind. It is a common occurrence for them to be speaking with those who have come to look at the rare texts for research. However, as she turns a corner she finds one of the librarians -- an old unicorn mare -- surrounded by young school foals. Stopping dead in her tracks Luna blinks for a moment before quickly backing up and hiding behind one of the bookcases, peaking around with only one eye.
Thinking quickly Luna realizes that there was a school trip scheduled to be here today, and that the teacher had even spoken with her earlier in the week about it. She had politely declined the offer to meet with the class, not wanting to scare them as her reputation was still recovering from the myths and legends that had prevailed in her thousand year absence. It had saddened her greatly, though, to turn down the offer -- giving the teacher an excuse of being busy that day with the delegations -- for she truly enjoyed spending time with young colts and fillies. They reminded her so much of better days, when the world had been less complicated.
But, her time as Nightmare Moon, and all the horrible acts she had committed, had stained whatever interaction she might have with the young, and even those older, for the foreseeable future. Especially with her sister in the state she was in right now.
Sighing and sitting down Luna watches the Librarian finish speaking with the foals before directing them towards a section on the other side of the room. Sighing in relief Luna starts to stand when a shaky voice comes from just behind her.
“Princess Luna?” The voice is young, and causes Luna to nearly jump into the ceiling. Turning around she finds a young black and brown Pegasus colt looking up at her with a warm smile. Returning the smile, albeit with a small bit of hesitation, Luna turns around and faces the small colt.
“Good afternoon, little one…” Luna replies in a soft voice, doing her best to not scare him, “Are you enjoying your tour of my sister and I’s Castle?” The colt nods fervently, his eyes never leaving Luna.
“I am, Princess.” He then looks down and scuffs a hoof against the floor, “My classmates and I were looking forward to meeting you, but our teacher said you were busy.” Luna frowns at this, for it was both true and a lie that she was busy at the moment. She was not due to speak with the delegates again for at least an hour and a half, she had also scheduled this break to relax and get away from the stresses of being a ruler -- something she had seen Celestia do prior to her revival of Soarin -- so she was both busy and not.
“What is your name, little one?” Luna asks, attempting to get the colt to look up, to perhaps smile again.
“Quick Gust, Princess.” Gust says as he looks up, his smile returning. Luna cannot help but return it in kind as she leans down and looks around.
“And where are your friends, Little Gust?” She asks in a conspiratorial tone , “I may as well meet them while I am here.” Gust brightens visibly, his eyes shining, and turns to look around the bookshelf.
“Some of them are talking to a librarian,” He says in an excited whisper, as if afraid to speak louder, “The rest seem to be looking at the displays.” He looks back to Luna who nods to him.
“Go and get them, then.” She says, her smile remaining. Gust nods quickly, a happy smile on his face and an excited look in his eyes, and speeds off. Luna sits back up and waits, though not long as Gust is true to his name and quickly, and quietly, rounds his friends and classmates up. Smiling to each and everyone as they appear, Luna greets them warmly and openly. More than a few are surprised by this, their eyes growing slightly larger as she, a Princess and an Alicorn, greets them in such an informal manner. She asks each of them their names, and if the are enjoying their visit to her Castle.
Each of the young colts and fillies expressed their pleasure at their visit, a few commenting on the books they had seen, while others spoke of the beautifully decorated hallways and the stain glass windows.
One of them explains, in great detail, the pair of windows they saw on the way down to the library. How they depicted Celestia fighting a creature of great evil in one, and then her sitting beneath the moon looking sad in the next. While Luna is impressed at the level of detail the young filly’s memory has, she cannot help but let her smile slip a little, remembering the events those windows depicted.
“Something wrong, Luna?” the young filly asks, pausing in her description of the last window.
“We…” Luna starts before clearing her throat and dropping the Royal Pronouns, “I remember the events those windows depict. They were not happy memories for myself or my sister.” The young filly’s ears go back against her head and she looks down.
“I am sorry, Princess.” She says in an embarrassed tone, “I didn’t know.” Luna’s smile returns, if only because she cannot bear to see the young mare like this.
“It is alright, little one. It was many years before you, or even your parents and grandparents, were born.” Luna’s voice is apologetic and calm, “You would only know of the events in stories told around campfires these days.”
“Princess,” Gust says from where he is sitting in the front row, “What is your favorite book in here?” Luna smiles at the young colt, grateful for his timely question.
“My favorite book is not in here,” Luna says quietly, leaning over as if to whisper a secret to all the foals, “We really only keep the dry history texts and books on magic in here.” The foals all nod slowly, “My favorite book is actually in my personal study.” She blushes slightly and chuckles, “Its actually a storybook my sister gifted to me.” The foals all perk up at the mention of this, and eagerly smile at Luna.
“Can we see it?” Gust asks, his eyes alight with interest. Luna sighs and smiles.
“We would need to go to my study,” Luna says as she looks at one of the Guards standing a short distance off -- smirking under his helmet no less -- who shrugs.
“I can have a guard inform their teacher.” The Royal Guard says, his knowing smirk remaining, “Currently, she is engrossed in discussing a particularly rare book with the head librarian, Steady Quill.”
“Thank you, Commander,” Luna says as she looks back to the foals, “If you all promise to behave, Amber Dawn and I can take you to my study.”
The foals all cheer and Luna smiles, her heart warmed a little by their display of trust and interest in what she has to show them. Most adults would be wary, even this long after her return, thinking she was planning something. She starts leading them out of the library, through the door she had come through, while Dawn tells a Guard Pony to inform the teacher once she is done speaking with Steady Quill. Dawn then follows after the small group, taking up the rear to make sure none of the foals get lost on the way.
The study isn’t far though from the library, though it is closer to the Royal Quarters than the Ballroom from whence the class had come from, or the Throne Room. Luna stops at the door, which is flanked by two Royal Guards, and looks back at the class as well as Dawn.
“And here we are, this room doesn’t get used a whole lot, as of late I’ve been using my sister’s study, as it is a little...brighter and more suited to the duties I’ve had to take on.” She opens the door with a wave of her wand, “But it is a good place to escape and read a book quietly.” She then enters the room, followed by the foals and Dawn.
The inside is spacious and painted a soft blue color with stylized crescent moons painted or even molded into the walls and on some of the decorations. There is also a large fireplace opposite the door -- logs inside it speak of it being ready to be used but the lack of ashes indicate it has not been used in some time -- a large floor to ceiling bookcase along one wall, and a huge couch covered in pillows and cushions along the wall opposite. A desk also sits in the room, a large pair of glass doors leading out to a balcony overlooking the lands beyond Canterlot behind it.
Luna walks to the bookshelf and scans it, the foals spreading out and looking at all the paintings and tapestries along the walls as Dawn keeps a close eye on all of them to make sure they do not get too close to some of the older ones. After a few moments Luna finds what she is looking for, and levitates a well loved book from one of the middle shelves on her bookcase.
Levitating it to the couch Luna climbs on and smiles to the foals, who all notice her walking over and instantly gather. Some of them get up on the couch, the others sit down on the floor in a semi-circle. Luna levitates some of the pillows off the couch and offers them to the foals, who gratefully, if with a look of wonder and awe, accept them as seats. For his part, Dawn takes a seat near the door and removes his helmet -- in a not so subtle indication that he is going to listen too -- and shakes his light red mane out and perking his ears forward.
Luna smiles to her friend, then to the foals as she opens the book with a soft creaking sound.
“Alright, little ones,” She says, the foals all leaning in closer, “This is a very old story, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.” They all nod, “Now then.”
“Once upon a time, in a land not unlike this one…” Luna starts, her voice taking on an ethereal echo, “There lived a young Princess, who lived in a Castle…”
“Miss Quill,” Graceful says with a warm smile, “It is rare to find another pony who shares my love of books as old and rare as the ones you have here in your collection!” Steady Quill, an aged Unicorn Mare, nods with a warm smile reflected in her eyes.
“Likewise, Miss Graceful, I dare say the young foals you walked in with are in good hooves with a teacher like you.” Graceful’s smile grows wider as Quill continues, “In fact, I…” She stops, and looks behind Graceful, “Excuse me.” She stands up and goes around Graceful, “MISS YEARLING! Those are rare books! NOT STOOLS TO BE USED TO GET AT HIGHER SHELVES!”
Graceful turns around and finds, of all things, a light-gold pony wearing a cloak and a sunhat on top of a stack of what looks to be Starswirl the Bearded’s journals. Behind her is a Dark Red Pegasus Stallion wearing a khaki vest, he is holding her steady on the books. Both of them have an embarrassed look on their faces as Yearling, the Light Gold Mare, hurriedly gets off the books and smiles to the head Librarian.
Shaking her head and sighing, Graceful decides it is time to collect her class and continue on to the last destination of their tour. Yet, as she trots around the library, she quickly finds that besides the staff, it is rather empty! Worry starts to set in, and as Graceful is about to go running from the library to start searching for the foals, a Guard stops her.
“Graceful Learning?” The Guard inquires, a smile on his face.
“Yes?” Graceful replies, her tone clearly worried. The Guard chuckles and continues to smile.
“There is no need to worry, I’ve been ordered by my Commander to take you to your class now that you are done speaking with Miss Quill.” The Guard starts off without any further words forcing Graceful to follow.
As they walk, Graceful’s unease is not put to rest as she quickly realizes they’re heading towards the personal studies of the Celestial Sisters, and not towards a more public area. What exactly had her class gotten into? Had they wandered off and angered Princess Luna? Or perhaps disrupted the staff in some manner? Made a mess in a room or even got in trouble with the Royal Guard? When they draw up to a pair of large wooden, and quite old, double doors with Crescent Moons carved into them, Graceful cannot help but feel a cold chill run through her body. They had disturbed the Princess, and now she was going to get yelled at in the Royal Canterlot Voice, and she’d be kicked out of the Castle, perhaps even put in the Dungeon, or…
The Guard knocks, and the door is quickly opened by a Royal Guard Stallion who is not wearing his helmet, he smiles warmly to Graceful, and puts a hoof to his lips to indicate she should be quiet, before waving her in.
Confused, Graceful steps forward, only be become more confused as she hears...talking? No, not talking, storytelling! Walking around the Guard Stallion and into the room, all Graceful can do is stand and stare wide-eyed at the scene before her.
“And so,” Princess Luna continued, for she had not even stopped at the knock, from where she is seated on the couch, “The Princess and her friends stood defiant before the evil Unicorn who had usurped the land,” the foals were all around her, one was even snuggled up against the Princess’ flank, looking up at the Princess as she pauses to turn the page. “ ‘If you have come to defeat me, Princess, you are too late,’ “ Luna says in a deeper voice, obviously attempting to mimic the gruffer voice of a Stallion.
Graceful finds herself instantly entranced, and sits down against the wall right next to the Guard Stallion who had let her in. Obviously, her class was not in trouble. Far from it.
And, best of all, they got to meet the Princess like they wanted.
“And so,” Luna says in a soft voice that is still easily heard by everyone in the room, “The Princess and her friends gathered together all they could find, and together they formed a new land, one where all could be free and happy.” Luna pauses, looking at her small audience with a warm, loving smile, “A land built upon their friendship and trust. A land, in which they lived happily, ever after.”
The gathered foals, and their teacher along with Dawn, all clap lightly. All except for Gust, who had during the telling fallen asleep. Luna having put one of her wings over him and scooted him close so as to make sure he did not fall off the couch. The sun had almost set outside, for though a good story it was not a short one by any means -- Celestia had used to read it to Luna over the course of a few days -- and soon it would be time for Luna to attend to her duties of setting the Sun fully and raising the Moon.
“And that, little foals, is my favorite book in my library.” Luna says with a proud smile, “I have others, but unfortunately, I fear it is time for you to return to the care of your teacher.”
“Awww….” the Foals all say in unison, waking Gust up, as their teacher steps forward.
“Thank you, Princess.” Graceful says with a warm smile of her own, “I can say this has been a more memorable trip than I could have ever planned.” She looks to her students, “Come now, Class, I am sure your parents are eagerly awaiting you, and I bet you all want to tell them about your trip here today!” More than a few of the foals jump up excitedly, obviously eager to go tell their parents they had a story read to them by the Princess herself! The rest get up and start towards their teacher, tired but happy from the tour and storytelling.
All, that is, except for Gust, who is still against Luna’s side looking up at her sadly.
“Come now, little Gust, it is time for you to go.” Luna says softly, leaning down and gently nuzzling the colt’s mane.
“I really liked the story, Princess. You are really good at telling it.” Gust says quietly, then looking down at the couch beneath him, “Can I come back and visit you again? Perhaps you could read other stories?” Luna smiles warmly and nods.
“I’d like that, Gust.” She says as she looks over to Dawn who is giving her and the small colt a smirk as he silently chuckles, “But, for now you need to go home, as I need to go attend to the Sun and Moon now.” She lifts her wing off of him. He makes to get down, but then turns and hugs Luna, causing the Princess’ wings to flutter slightly, then jumps down and goes with the rest of his classmates out the door.
Watching them go, Luna cannot help but smile warmly. It had been too long, thousands of years really, since she had last sat down and read that book. It was the first time, too, that she had read it herself, and not had Celestia read it to her. She was happy, no she was more than happy she was overjoyed, that she could share it with the foals, more so since they had not been scared of her.
Signing Luna stands, stretching her wings and her legs from the long length of sitting, and starts towards the door as Dawn picks his helmet up and places it under one wing. He smiles and chuckles.
“You did a good thing, today Luna.” He says without any preamble or title, “Your sister would be proud of you.”
“I hope so, Dawn,” Luna says as she starts out the door, intent on going to the observation tower to do her duty, “I really hope so.”
And with nothing else to say, they both walk out the door. Luna resuming her place as Princess, and Dawn escorting her as an officer of the Royal Guard. Luna, though, as she walks thinks that tonight, perhaps she might visit Gust in his dreams, and share with him another of her favorite stories.
Author's Note
I can't blame this one on anyone but myself.
So, I have a habit of listening to music, sometimes the same song on repeat, when I write. Well, I was listening to this song on Youtube.
Its a lovely instrumental version of the song "Come Little Children" from the movie "Hocus Pocus", which in and of itself is a good movie from my childhood.
Anyway, I was watching the video, and listening to the music, while attempting to recover from the sadness that was the last update of my other story "Memories of Midnight", which you can find here, and the idea formed of writing a small short-story in the same universe to sort of recover.
Thus, this was born! I hope you all enjoyed it, I suggest listening to the song, as it is a good one.