Eternity

Luna's enraged cries could be heard all throughout the castle. "Oh bucking Tartarus!"

The alicorn snorted in frustration, spreading her legs apart so she would remain perfectly balanced. Muttering a string of curses she lowered her head, her horn pointing to the arched window in front of her. Let's try this again.

A bright blue glow surrounded her horn and she raised her head, grunting from the effort and sweat dripping down her face. Her eyes were shut tightly, both from pain and sheer concentration.

Slowly, the sun rose to its place in the sky.

The glow of her horn vanished and she stepped back, eyes wide and gasping for breath. She had undertaken the responsibility of raising both the sun and moon ever since her sister's death, yet it still proved to be a difficult task.

An irritatingly cheerful male voice attracted her attention. "Why, if it isn't our fearless leader, The Night Princess. You know, I could always raise the sun for you."

She rounded on him, eyes burning with rage at the mere suggestion. "Watch your tongue, vile draconequus! We would rather die than have thou unholy power be used to raise our sister's symbol!"

"Careful, princess," taunted Discord. "Your old speech patterns are coming back."

"What do you want?"

"Only to offer my condolences about your ‘beloved’ cousin."

Luna clenched her jaw, "I do not mourn his death. He was nothing but a traitor, an assassin that had to be disposed of."

Discord smirked, "You seem tense, Lulu...here." He clicked his claws, a lit cigar appearing between the princess's teeth.

She spat it out immediately and stamped her hoof, unamused by his antics. "You obviously want something, so out with it."

Discord laughed, "Is that any way to talk to someone who's trying to help?" he purred.

She scowled, suspicion in her eyes. "Just what is it that I need help with?"

The draconequus raised a disbelieving brow, "Just last night you were attacked and nearly killed by a member of your own family. Don't you think that's a reason to be a little more careful?"

An echoing, disembodied voice was his answer. "Why would my Mistress have a reason to fear such trivial things? That miserable foal was easily taken care of."

Whereas most would have been frightened or disturbed by the new presence, Discord smiled as if hearing the voice of a much-loved friend. "Why, if it isn't Lulu's most precious little toy. Tell me guard dog, do you roll over and play nice as well, or is biting all you’re good for?"

Easily phasing through a wall to stand beside Luna, Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes. "You disrespect me in such a way and expect me to let you live?"

Luna cast a cold glare up at her, "Nightmare," she growled. "Calm yourself. He claims to be useful."

Nightmare eyed him expectantly, as if she was genuinely curious. "Do tell."

Discord clapped his hands together, "Ah, so it seems we're all on the same page now. Terrific!" His smile faded somewhat, and he glanced down at his claws, seemingly inspecting them for dirt. "My help is more of a...warning than anything."

Luna's expression remained blank. "Continue."

"Well it seems those pompous stuck-ups think you aren't fit to rule, after your cousin's failed attempt to kill you. Apparently, they've been spreading all forms of nasty gossip. Oh, and of course, the unexpected appearance of your..." he glanced briefly at Nightmare, "Um...personal guard...certainly didn't help the way some ponies see you."

Luna nodded, "Very well." Without ever breaking her gaze from Discord, she ordered. "Nightmare, inform Greystone that we are holding a meeting with the Canterlot nobles as soon as possible."

"As you wish, my Mistress," she replied, before disappearing back through the wall.

Luna gave the smallest hint of a smile filled with smugness. "After today, there won't be any further issues, Discord. I thank you for the information. You may go."

OOO

One would imagine that, since the Royal Throne of Equestria had originally been built specifically for Celestia, The Night Princess would look foolish sitting upon it in her sister's place. However, as the nobles entered they were speechless with a mix of fear and awe.

Luna sat in the throne with perfect posture, her eyes steely and focused on the approaching visitors. Whereas there had once been up to twenty guards surrounding the princess, there now only stood two ponies. A large, dark alicorn mare to her left, and a slim, sharply-dressed unicorn stallion on her right.

One noble - an unicorn mare with a pink coat and strawberry blonde mane - spoke first. "Princess Luna," she said carefully, "We have some...concerns about your way of doing things."

"Concerns?"

The unicorn went to answer, but a pegasus mare interrupted. "Quite frankly, Princess, there must have been a reason that your cousin would try and kill you. There must have been a reason he was unhappy with you."

There was a collective gasp. The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

A growl like rumbling thunder broke the shocked silence. Nightmare was glaring down at the mare, her lip curled back and baring her sharp teeth. However, a single movement of Luna's hoof stopped her from saying a word.

The Night Princess slowly descended her throne. "Miss...Valentine, was it?"

The pegasus nodded, her legs beginning to shake. "Y-Yes, Princess."

Luna stopped milimetres from the offending mare's face, their noses almost touching. She spoke in a low, chilling tone, barely above a whisper. "Well Miss Valentine, let me make one thing perfectly clear. My cousin was attempting to take the throne even when my sister was alive. Now, you wouldn't dare say anything...uncomplimentary about Celestia, would you?"

"O-Of course not."

Suddenly, a stallion noble cleared his throat. "Princess...where is Miss Crown?"

Luna whirled around in confusion. Indeed, the unicorn from earlier - Miss Whimsy Crown, apparently - had disappeared. Instantly, the princess cast a puzzled look to Nightmare. Oh Faust...don't tell me she ate her!

Seeing her Mistress's accusing glare, Nightmare blinked. "Do you truly think I would eat a noble, especially in your presence?"

Luna sighed, returning to her throne, "I suppose not." She remained silent. Something about the sudden disappearance didn't sit well with her. She was unable to truly feel it...but she just knew she felt...off.

She turned again to Nightmare, only to see that she was staring off into the distance, eyes glazed over and unfocused. The princess smirked. Given her nature, Nightmare Moon was able to see anywhere she wished in the castle. Any location, at any time.

She was already searching for the unicorn.

Suddenly, Nightmare's eyes returned to their normal state. A grin slowly spread across her mouth, her eyes gleaming with a sadistic glee. "She's coming...with an army. She has an army of strange ponies, ones I have not seen before. If I'd hazard a guess, she's coming to kill you, Mistress...and possibly the rest of us.”

The remaining nobles began whispering to each other, shivering in fear. Luna, however, remained unnaturally tranquil, practically indifferent. "Nightmare, you will stay here and protect me and the rest of our visitors..."

A panicked earth pony stallion interrupted. "Is she our only defence? They need to be stopped before they get here, or she won’t be able to protect us all!"

Luna gave a sly grin in response. "Actually, she is not our only defence." She paused for a few moments, inhaling a deep breath. "Greystone...go teach these foals a lesson. They are not to leave here alive."

"Yes, Princess."

OOO

Whimsy Crown smirked as she walked down the long corridors of the Royal Castle, a small army of bat-winged ponies behind her. The sharp fangs protruding from their mouths were not decorations, but were in fact genuine.

She still found it amusing how her real bat-ponies had managed to outdo Luna's guards.

Suddenly, a blinding silver light erupted in front of them for mere milliseconds. Rubbing her eyes, Whimsy frowned in confusion. Standing in their path, was Luna's butler, a grey glow surrounding his horn.

Something blue flashed before her eyes.

Her entire first row of ponies literally fell apart into pieces, pools of blood staining the floor and her hooves. Her eyes widened and she tried to speak, yet no words came out.

Greystone approached slowly and calmly, and she could now identify what the strange flash of blue had been. Ten incredibly thin wisps of blue magic, almost invisible, swirled around him, coming from his horn. They seemed endless in their length.

Greystone smirked, although there was a darkness to it that made her shudder. "Hello again, Miss Crown. Lost your way?"

The mare growled, then glanced over her shoulder at her remaining army. "What are you idiots doing? Kill him!"

They rushed forward, weapons drawn. Greystone stayed in place, utterly unafraid. Suddenly, when he had deemed the intruders were getting too close, he attacked. Greystone moved forward in a blur, thin magic wrapping around the limbs of three guards at once. With a simple tug they were torn apart, explosions of blood spraying around them. But the butler didn't slow. With another small tug, another enemy came apart.

He raced through the creatures, each falling in pieces as he passed them. He halted as more approached, one of them managing to knock him back. He slid on the ground, his breathing deep, and locked eyes with the bat-pony, silently daring him to do it again.

His magic moved like a whip, wrapping around the pony's legs before breaking them off completely. He grinned sadistically as the creature fell to the ground and started crawling towards him, seemingly determined to kill. Greystone merely placed his hoof on the pony's head and pushed down.

The skull cracked, then broke completely.

With one last glance down at the motionless, headless body, he turned his attention back to the few remaining attackers. What a shame...only four to go. Oh well, I best get this over with. Enemy after enemy fell, until all that remained was a floor coated in blood and several dismembered body parts strewn through the corridor.

Greystone turned, to see Whimsy galloping to the door in a frenzied panic. His magic caught up to her, winding itself around her hind legs before dragging her back. "Come now, the least you can do is stay for a chat. You don’t want to look like a coward now, do you?"

She squirmed in the tight grasp of his magic, "Buck you!"

"A young mare like you shouldn't use such...colourful language." He frowned, the magic around her legs only growing more and more constricting. "If you don't stop moving," he growled. "I will cut these right off, just like I did to your little friends." Smiling in satisfaction when the mare ceased her struggling, he headed back to the throne room, carrying the captured unicorn in his magic.