It was a cold, brisk night, and Luna had just arrived. She was staring at the place where she, well Nightmare Moon, was destroyed by the Elements of Harmony. I was in this same place.
The floor was damp, frozen with moss. My body was lying there, on the floor of the castle. I breathed slowly, my eyes only slightly open from the darkness I had been in , and then I was awake. Where was I… I was in the Sister’s old castle. A hole in the wall shone moonlight upon the soft gray fur of my face: the red eyes I thought I still had glowed with life, but I had no energy. I couldn’t lift a hoof...my magic was almost completely depleted, so I laid there on the cold stone brick floor, waiting for a sign to get up. I slept.
The delicate clip-clop of hooves awoke me to what felt like an hour later, how was I even able to sleep in the first place...I’d been asleep for so long. Only my will got me up on my own hooves, I didn’t want anyone to see me, it was quite unclear of the time era as well, all I could go off of was the castle. Maybe...two hundred years?
Luna stepped through the old castle with caution, unknowing of what creatures may lurk in the dark. She made her way to the throne room and stopped, it had only been a few months since she had been revived from her nightmarish state. It was hard for her to believe she had been gone for a thousand years...time had passed so quickly on the moon. Luna sat on the mangled rug in the same place she had struck her own sister down, looking at the shattered armor of Nightmare Moon. She cried, and swore to never forgive herself for what she had done. Then a crash occurred, and she galloped away to the source.
Stumbling down the corridor I went, looking around every corner before passing. I had woken up in the recesses of the library oddly enough….what a nice thing Discord has done to drop me here...guess he felt bad about banishing me in the first place. I walked until I found the entrance of the library, and was about to walk out...that was until I tripped and fell on a pile of books, causing a small avalanche of books nearby to crash down upon me. My horn still wasn’t working...I felt almost too weak to lift the books off of myself, I was stuck. Then I heard galloping closing in; I hid myself as well as I could within the pile, and waited. Coming into view was a larger pony, probably about my height. Her mane and body were both a deep royal blue, with her mane actually swirled and shimmered in the darkness of the night. She had wings, they were puffed up and spread widely...and a horn. It was another Alicorn, and I knew exactly who it was...it was Princess Luna, Tia's younger sister. I had never met Luna, so if I came out she may see me as a threat...I took my chances though.
"Art thou the princess of the night?" I asked, quietly...but just loud enough to hear.
"Child, who art thou, and why dost thou speaketh with old Canterlot speech?" Luna replied. She had stopped moving and stayed completely still, just as if she were a statue. The way she spoke speech sounded...broken, like she hadn't spoke it in years.
"My name...they call me Wintereous Flame, Element of Life."
"Element? Art thou connected to yon Elements of Harmony?"
"No, I am of my own set of elements, none of which art of those in thy Harmony set." I spoke louder, leading her towards my location..hoping she wouldn't attack. I pondered the question of what I am, and what I should say. There was no way I could hide my wings, let alone my horn. I would need a cloak either way.
"What are you, Wintereous? I feel like I've heard your name before...possibly from my sister."
There it was. What did I say? I said I was an Alicorn like her, she did not believe me until she found me though. Her eyes lit up like the stars in the sky, she was in disbelief that another Alicorn existed. She could only really see the tip of my horn and my wings pinned down under the piles of books, but she was certain that I was one. Luna cautiously lifted the books off me as if I were a delicate flower, and after I was able to stand once again, I bowed to show my respects to her with what strength I had...then collapsed. One may think that sleeping for five hundred years straight would leave you refreshed when you wake up, but it doesn’t. I felt myself get lifted off the ground and carried away, a cloak was put around me to hide my wings.
Author's Note
The start of a new adventure for my brave little Wintereous, Princess of Happiness. These chapters are short, as I am only a hobbyist.
I awoke in a bed somewhere, where though, I had no clue. I felt better rested, and felt stronger than I did before but I still laid in bed, pondering all the thoughts that had hit me.
What year was it? Are my parents alive? Where's Broken Sketch?! Summer?!
My head pounded with thoughts, each passing and going, but the only one that stayed was, where is my sister? The last time I had saw her was before I was thrown into the Portal of Chaos by Discord. Discord...he was a feared and amazing draconequus, an astonishing Master of Chaos. He used to be great friends with me until that faithful day...I still can't believe he did such a thing with his own claw.
As my head cleared, I heard hooves clopping down the halls outside. At least three maybe four or so pairs. My mind raced with emotions as the door creaked open, who was it, what were they going to do to me? I just hoped Luna was the one that brought me there…
“I'm sure she is still asleep, when I found her, she was in a weak state, barely able to lift a hoof, let alone her head…” Luna said, “She claimed her name was Wintereous, the Element of Life.”
“Oh?” Celestia questioned. Her mane flowed with such grace and beauty that only goddesses could replicate.
“Well I for one would like to know what is going on!” exclaimed Twilight, “I've never heard of such a name before in any book I've read, I never even knew of a fifth Alicorn Princess.”
“She's not a princess, Twilight, she wasn't born into royalty, she was born through a Pegasus and a Unicorn...as far as Celestia has told me.” Cadance rebuttled, “I mean she's probably no older than me, right?”
Celestia looked at the two young princesses with a strict gaze. Anypony who could see this look automatically knew that a serious topic was brought up, one that must be taken lightly.
“Ahem, my nieces and dear sister, what we have is a rare pony. It is not common for an Alicorn to be naturally born but certainly not impossible. Wintereous is five hundred and sixteen years old, and almost that whole time she had been asleep in the darkest pits of Chaos waiting for her own return. I had taken her in from her parents when she was only ten, I nurtured her with the proper skills needed to raise such a filly. I let her visit her sisters and her parents whenever she wanted as well, but she preferred the quiet sanctions of the castle where she was personally taught by me how to properly use magic and fly. I even watched as she got her cutie mark!”
“So you are like a second mother to her, yet she is not a princess even after you've taken her under as your own?” Asked Twilight.
“I gave her that title, but she rejected it, she never wanted to have such a title.”
“Well what is her talent?”
“Happiness.”
“Like Pinkie Pie?”
“No, it's nothing like that. Wintereous has the unique ability to harvest the happiness around the very air around us, not like a changeling harvesting love but instead like a plant receiving water. She then learned how to take that buildup of happiness and release it in the area around her, evenly distributing the wealth of it.”
“I never even knew a pony was capable of such magic!” Murmured Twilight to Cadence.
“Ponies can use multiple types of magic, it is similar to your spread of friendship as the Element of Magic and Princess of Friendship.” Cadance replied.
The princesses made their way down the hallway to the room I rested, and then Celestia quietly opened the door.
With a subtle whoosh the door opened, showing me the figures of four ponies, each equipped with a horn and a set of wings. There they stood, gazing in my direction at the sight. Luna and Celestia were the first two to step forth. I had no clue to who the other two were.
“Ce-Celestia?” I mumbled. “Art thou the Princess of the Sun?”
“Yes Winter, it's me.” Celestia cooed, “needn't worry my dear it is alright, there is no need to be frightened by our presence.”
“What is this speech you talk in? Thy tongue has grown fond of different wordings that I not know of. What year is this anyways, how long have I been in a slumber? Where is Discord, and Summeria, and Sketch?!”
I broke down instantly, the thought of what happened to my sisters after I left was unbearable. I curled up into a ball and stayed like that until I heard one of them speak to me.
“Wintereous, that is right, right? It will be fine, we are here for you”
“And I can assure you that your sisters are okay, your parents however, have passed a long time ago…” Celestia said. She had laid a wing over me like I was still a young filly; she always had that motherly instinct.
“That will be at a later time, you need to rest for now, and regain your strength.” Luna said softly.” I'll raise the moon earlier tonight if it helps you sleep.”
“No no, I'll be fine, I must become accustomed to yon schedules anyways. I wouldn't want my issues being brought upon the kingdom just because I needed to sleep with a moon in the sky.”
As they left, I curled back into the small ball I was in before, like a foal in its mother’s womb. My parents, passed? How long...what year was it anyways??? I was confused...I had wished someone would tell me...
Author's Note
Poor Winter, hopefully she gets the answers soon...
