Keepers

Celestia stared at the book in front of her. It was an old book about magic, that must have been thousands of years old. The pages were crinkled and dry, and were a light brown colour. The text was written in old ink by hoof, and had a fancy pattern to it. There was still dust floating around from when she had placed the heavy thing on the floor of her and her sisters bedroom.

"Tia, why did we bring that book here?" Luna asked.

Luna was Celestia's younger sister, and Tia was the name Luna had given her to shorten it. Luna had helped Celestia carry the book since her magic and strength couldn't do it alone. Now she was leaning over her dark-blue bed, tired and bored.

"Because I want to know what it's about. If it's so old and still around it must have some neat stuff in it!" Celestia reasoned. Luna sighed. "But I dislike reading. It's so boring, and takes so long." Luna fretted. "Well then I guess you do not want to hear about us being in a book older than us do you?" Celestia tempted her sister.

Luna perked up at this. "What? We are in a book?" She responded with curiosity. Luna hopped down from her bed and walked over to join her sister by the dusty old book. "Yes, look here! There we are." Celestia pointed out, and placed a hoof on a picture on the page. "Woah, you did not tell me this book had pictures!" Luna said in amazement.

Celestia looked closer at the picture. It showed two large, powerful alicorns with the familiar flowing mane and tail of their parents. Their mothers fiery orange, and their fathers deep starry blue. Between them were two small fillies, one was blue like Luna, and the other was white like Celestia.

"Look there Tia, that's me!" Luna said excitedly as she pointed herself out on the image. Celestia giggled. "We're all on the picture, our whole family! It's like they knew we were coming even back then!" Celestia pointed out.

Luna sighed. "I wish I was as smart as father and mother. They know so much!" Luna wished. Celestia smiled. "You can be that smart, by reading!" She teased. Luna let out another sigh, but this one was much more exasperated. "Reading is boring though!" Luna repeated herself from earlier.

Celestia turned her attention back to the ancient book. She focused on the strange words again, and tried to make them out, but to no avail. "I cannot read these words. I do not recognize them. I can't tell what they say." Celestia said with disappointment. "You mean we dragged that thing all the way here for nothing?" Luna said angrily.

Celestia nodded. "Almost. We got to see a nice picture though!" She tried to point out something positive. "I can see nice pictures on the walls in the castle, I do not need this!" Luna exclaimed, poking the book with her hoof.

"But this picture came before us. How did they know about how we would look?" Celestia wondered aloud. Luna shrugged and went back to her bed. "I do not know, you are the smart one." Luna responded over her shoulder.

Celestia went back to the book, and decided to just take a look at the pictures since she couldn't understand the writing. She turned the page using her magic to look at the next picture. However the next picture was blurred out, like somepony got it wet. Celestia frowned in annoyance. Just when it was getting interesting too.

She turned the page again, and found this one was also blurred. She continued to turn the page and find blurred image, until one of them she found was slightly less blurry. All she could make out was that it was a black alicorn with a red cape. No other details.

Well that does me plenty of good. Celestia thought sarcasticly.

She turned the page once more. This image was not blurry at all. It was a picture of of some unusual lined star symbol. It was a bright pink colour, and had a black cloudy pattern behind it. It didn't make any sense but it looked cool.

Turning the page, Celestia found another clear picture. This time it looked like an old scroll. She turned the page again, there was a clock, with gears around it. Again she flipped the page and found what look like a bright green star, or like something she had seen in space looking through a telescope.

Perplexed, Celestia turned the page once more, expecting to find more interesting images like these, but instead those four pictures repeated themselves onto one page. However this time they were surrounding another symbol. This symbol was a blue six pointed star made from triangles with a circle going around it. At the center of the symbol was a what looked like a blood stain.

Celestia felt a little freaked out by the unusual picture, and turned the page, but the pictures were blurry again. She sighed and closed the book in dissapointment. So much for that... She thought to herself.

She pushed the book with her hooves as best she could and put it under her bed. "So any more pictures of us?" Luna asked. Celestia couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not. "No not really, the book was all damaged and I could not see the pictures." She explained.

Luna rolled her eyes. "I told you that old thing was a waste of time!" She responded. "I thought it was interesting." Celestia said. Luna laughed. "The most interesting thing about a book, is getting to close it!" She joked.

Celestia sighed. Maybe when she's older she see how important books are. Celestia thought to herself.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Celestia, Luna dear, are you ready for your history classes?" Their mothers familiar voice came from the other side of the door.

Celestia quickly put her covers down over the little opening under her bed where she had hidden the book. "Yes mother! Just a moment!" Celestia and Luna ran around the room gathering their things. Books, quills, scrolls, and ink. They placed them in a bag and put the bags on their backs and walked out of their room.

"Ah, good. I was afraid you wouldn't be ready." Their mother said as they walked out the door. Luna and Celestia smiled innocently and exchanged a glance.

Their mother had a bright orange mane and tail, and wore a golden tiara on her head with a red jewel in it. Her hooves had gold slippers that also bore the red jewel that she was so well known for. It had been the symbol of her reign for as long as Celestia could remember. She was a white mare, with legs that faded to a light orange colour. She was recognized as the Mare of Light, Queen Alaria.

"Come along now, your teacher is waiting." She said to the young princesses.

She lead the way as they walked through the palace halls. Tapestries lined the walls with images from long ago, giving the young heiresses a look into their parents lives many thousands of years ago. Images of the building of the royal city of canterlot, the union between night and day that their parents represented, all sorts of beautifully sewn together tapestries.

They passed all sorts of doors and other rooms on the way, some which Celestia recognized, like the one leading to the magic training area's, and the study halls where you could read in peace.

Finally, they stopped in front of a door with a book carved into it. Luna made a disgusted face when she saw it, and Celestia giggled. Their mother just smiled and opened the door.

"Ah there you are! I was beginning to wonder if you were coming at all!" The old unicorn who was their history teacher said as they entered the room. "The princesses were in their room getting ready and studying. They wanted to be prepared for your lesson today." Their mother explained. As she turned to leave, she whispered something to her daughters. "Next time though, I would recommend reading the history books your teacher gave you, not the ones from the restricted section of the library." With that, she winked at them and walked away.

Celestia stared after her as she closed the door eyes wide. How did she know...? She thought. Her and Luna exchanged a nervous glance, then the two of them walked over to take their seats.

They were the only ones being taught in the classroom at a time. Since they were the princesses, they got special, more advanced teaching and were taught privately. They're parents believed it was a much better learning environment, but Celestia and Luna couldn't tell the difference, since they never got to do normal school.

"Now than, get out your "History of Royalty" textbook. You know royalty isn't just you two and your parents." The teacher told them.

It was true, even the guards were counted as royalty. The captain of the guard was especially royal. Probably the highest of the royals outside the official family, but that was about all Celestia knew so far.

“Now the most important thing to remember about the royal family is that it extends beyond your direct family, being your parents and yourselves.” The teacher began.

I already know that... Celestia thought to herself.

“Everypony who lives in the castle is considered a part of the royal family of Equestria, even the servants. The most important people in this royal family outside of the direct line, would be the captain of the guard, and the master magician.” He went on.

Luna raised her hoof. “Yes Luna?” The teacher beckoned. “Does the magician do magic tricks?” She asked. Celestia giggled. “She could if she wanted to, but she’s far too busy for that. She has more important duties.” The teacher answered calmly.

Luna seemed satisfied with the answer and turned to the book on her desk. The teacher continued. “Now, turn to page 46 and we will take a look at the history of the palaces royal magician.”

Celestia and Luna did as they were told. When they opened the page, it showed pictures of different master magicians. Some were male, others were female. Each wore a cloak and pointed hat. This was the customary royal magician outfit.

“One of the most notable of these head magicians was Starswirl the Bearded. You have likely heard about him. He was a very powerful unicorn, and his powers were even comparable to the king and queen. He even created some of his own magic spells. He only lived about one hundred years ago, and his descendants have proved strong in magic as well.” The teacher explained.

“Now if you wish the learn more about him, you can find an entire biography of him in the library. Here’s your reading assignment. You must read from pages 46 to 58. There’s lots of pictures, so it’s not as much as it sounds.” The teacher pointed out.

Celestia began turning through the pages and skimming through them before she went back and read them more thoroughly. As she was doing this however, she noticed something in the corner of her eye as she was turning a page.

She quickly turned back to the page to get a closer look. She saw writing in that same pen style she saw earlier in the old book. It said in the book, that it was the language the magicians used to communicate with each other in secret. There was a translator that showed what symbols were equal to in English. Celestia raised her hoof at this.

“Yes?” The teacher asked. “Um, I noticed on page 52 that there’s a language the magicians used. Why is there a translator in the book if it’s supposed to be a secret language?” Celestia asked.

The teacher smiled. “Those are special textbooks specially written for you two. They contain information for your direct family only. I’m the only one beyond your family that knows about that information. As the princesses, you are expected to know about that language yourself.” The teacher gave them the full explanation.

Celestia nodded and went back to the book. She looked at the translator, and thought of something. What if I use this to translate that old book I found earlier? Celestia got her sisters attention and showed it to her.

“Look see, it is that same language in the other book we found earlier!” She whispered to her. “Really? Are you sure?” Luna responded. “Yes, I’m certain! We should use it later to figure out what that book said.” She suggested.

Suddenly their teacher spoke up. “Girls, I sure hope you’re talking about what you’re reading.” He said. Celestia just nodded and said, “Yes sir.”

Celestia decided it would have to wait until later. After class she and her sister could find out what’s so important about that ancient book, and possibly how her mother knew they had taken it.