The First True Alicornsby BronyxyChapters1 The First Alicorns2 Coming of Age3 The Gift4 Incomplete Disclosure5 The Hardest Choice6 The Spell Casting1 The First AlicornsA long, long time ago, Commander Hurricane, Princess Platinum and Chancellor Puddinghead resolved their differences to overcome the Windigos and establish the new land of Equestria, but this truce would be short lived if the three tribes couldn’t agree who would rule over them. Indeed it wasn’t long before the three leaders met in closed session with their trusted advisers to start working on their joint future, but each wanted to shape it in the favour of their own tribe’s interests. Then, just as when the magic of friendship intervened to save them from eternal winter, it appeared again as a strange aura emerging from each of the six present, melding the essence of each of the three tribes together into a ball of white light swirling between them all. When the magic dissipated, there were two foals, fashioned after the best each tribe had to offer; one male and one female, each bearing wings and a horn. Nopony present had ever seen anything like them and were startled by their sudden appearance, but the two new ponies radiated a calming influence unlike anything the leaders and their advisers had ever experienced before. When the earth ponies offered to look after them, the foals cried, and they did the same for each of the other tribes too, becoming satisfied only when somepony from each tribe was present. So it was that the two alicorns helped keep the spirit of friendship and cooperation alive among the tribes even before they had learned to talk. As they grew up, they started to take a more proactive interest in daily affairs and one or other of them always seemed to be at hoof should a little help and reconciliation be required. In this way, ever since the three tribes had first agreed to live together in harmony, the two alicorns had ensured that nothing had happened to jeopardise their friendship. It was therefore natural when they came of age that they should ascend to jointly claim the crown of Equestria and preside over its continuing peace. Their rule was indeed prosperous and although there were sometimes battles to be fought on the borders and occasional incursions of vicious animals, even constellation beasts, the King always led from the front and became respected by his army and diplomats alike. In his absence, the Queen handled all the internal affairs and crises that were an integral part of life within any community, always taking great care to favour no tribe over any other; indeed it was recognised that she owed as much allegiance to one group as to any other. Under this umbrella of security and equality, relationships between the tribes flourished and within the first generation, most barriers that had previously seemed so impenetrable had been broken down. Over time, the press announced that the Queen had become pregnant and there was not only great rejoicing, but also much speculation as to what type of foal would be born, although by this time, the earlier rivalry between the tribal groups had become much more good natured. The next story published by the press confirmed that the Queen was carrying not one but two foals, and the speculation went wild once again. With the whole of Equestria gripped with Foaling Fever, the Queen went into labour and as the country held its breath, she was delivered two foals, one purest white and the other, a deep periwinkle blue. The King and Queen now had two heirs to take over from them and continue their good work when they grew old. However, it wasn’t the legal succession aspects that drove the headlines, but the fact that the two foals were both alicorns. Many bets were lost on receiving that news … There was much excitement at the arrival of the two sisters and both quickly won the hearts of all ponies, regardless of their tribal allegiances. However neither was destined to take on any Royal duties until their formal coming of age; an important milestone historically observed by all the tribes that simply had to be celebrated by a party combining the best from across all the cultures. By this time, the only pony who had been present at the first historic meeting of the three great tribes to tell their stories as they had really happened was Clover the Clever, the wise unicorn who had been adopted by the Royal Court as the Court Mage following the mysterious disappearance of Star Swirl the Bearded and the other Pillars of Old Equestria. 2 Coming of AgeThe brave but impetuous Commander Hurricane had died heroically in a battle against the constellation beasts, ironically the same battle that had seen Private Pansy struck down by a hydra as she tried to direct a family of ducklings out from under the path of a charging Ursa Minor. The eccentric Commander Puddinghead had been found drowned in a vat of cake mix wearing nothing but rollerskates and the vain Princess Platinum had been cut off by the tide on a walk across the seashore; she could have escaped easily, but petulantly refused to leave behind her expensive robes and had been carried away by the riptide. Smart Cookie had remained a true friend, and Clover recalled their final farewell from her deathbed as they had been reminiscing and sharing tales about the stupidity and courage in equal measure that had finally got the tribes to unite. Having now reached a venerable age, Clover still carried out as much research as he could, having realised a long time ago that the more he knew, the more there was still to learn. Aside from the Royal alicorns, he was universally regarded as the wisest pony in Equestria and had picked up responsibility for the Royal sisters’ education following Star Swirl’s disappearance. As Clover was by now a de facto member of the Royal Family, it was considered most appropriate that he preside over this most important of milestone events for the Princesses. Ponies from all over the land came to celebrate this big event; from the remotest outposts in the Badlands to the elite from Manehattan, from the desert village of Somnambula to the non-stop playground of Las Pegasus; all were welcome, and none wanted to miss out on seeing their future rulers come of age. Guests were introduced upon their arrival to the lavish affair by a Royal herald and each presented a gift to the two striking alicorn mares. They had both inherited their parents’ calming influence and were now fully grown, but surprisingly both still lacked cutie marks. The sun descended sedately over the hills on the furthest horizon as the view turned from light blue through the oranges and rich reds of sunset before being overwhelmed by the purples of dusk. As the rich hues of the sky gave way to the darkness, the large chandeliers began to come into their own, reflecting a sparkling image of myriad tiny lights in the imposing floor to ceiling windows. Dinner was a lavish affair with course after course of the most exquisitely prepared foods to suit every palate while a formal band played traditional music from the different cultures interspersed with more recent songs reflecting the unification of modern Equestria. As everypony sat back to recover from their indulgences, Clover rose from his seat at the head table and introduced the King who got to his hooves and began his address by thanking the kitchen and serving staffs for their hard work. While the speech continued, Clover went back to the head table to escort the two young Princesses from their places to a position behind the King, but from where they were still occluded from the sight of the guests. “… And so now to the main reason we are all gathered here together this evening” announced the King proudly, “I should like to present to you for the very first time, my heirs to this fine Kingdom of Equestria!” At this cue, the King retreated gracefully and all eyes turned to the beautiful young Princesses as they were led forward by Clover into the spotlight under the full gaze of the guests. There were gasps from the guests as they saw how beautifully sleek the young mares were, their feathers perfectly preened and tiaras gleaming under the glittering lights of the chandeliers. Spontaneously, the guests broke out into rapturous applause; Luna looking a little shy to be receiving so much attention and taking half a hoof backward before being checked quickly by Clover. Her sister meanwhile, took to the attention more easily and smiled appreciatively at the guests’ attention. Suddenly the King started in surprise, looking around animatedly as wisps of energy were being drawn from all the guests and converging around the two Princesses. He felt a cold shudder of trepidation ripple through him as his line of sight followed the focus of that energy to a glowing ball that surrounded his two precious daughters. “Clover?” he asked, “Clover, old friend, what’s going on?” Through the swirling ball of energy surrounding his oldest friend and his two daughters he could just make out that Clover’s eyes had turned the colour of moonstone and were staring straight ahead. “Papa?” squeaked Luna who was the nearest of the three to him. The King had faced magical beasts and armies in combat, sometimes against fearful odds, but he had never felt weaker than he did now when three of the four most precious ponies in his life were surrounded by a magic that he did not know whether was benevolent or malicious, knowing that one false move could cost all of them. He knew he had to use his alicorn magic to find out as much as he could as quickly as possible, but swore he would give his life to ensure that the last plaintive request from his daughter would not be the last word she ever spoke. He was just about to light his horn, when to his surprise and relief found that the Queen had come to his side and leaned forward, presenting her horn. She looked up at him with a deep love and courage burning from her eyes and suddenly he felt reassured, leaned forward and touched horns as they both closed their eyes. A stream of alicorn magic joined the unusual mix of auras that swirled around the Princesses and made it change colour from white to pink as the ball then began to deconstruct into two separate swirling strands of energy one of which was absorbed into each of the Princess’ horns. When the energy had finally all been absorbed, a faint glow remained emanating from somewhere behind the sisters. The Queen was first to spot what had happened, “They have their cutie marks, look!” The two scared looking young mares took this as their cue to look at each other and then at their own flanks, noticing the pulsating glow that adorned their new sun and moon cutie marks and suddenly both were so excited that they completely forgot how scared they had been just a few seconds earlier. On seeing that the Princesses were unharmed, the guests saw the new cutie marks and all immediately suspended their concerns about the weird sensations they had just felt and joined in with wild cheering and hoof stomping as the sisters proudly paraded their latest acquisitions. “Clover, my old friend” said the King, “I am so glad you and the Princesses are safe. What happened?” “Your Majesty, something most unusual. There is no harm done, but a momentous decision has to be taken and must be actioned before the next full moon, which to the best of my astronomical recollection is about three days away. We do have time to enjoy the celebrations should you not want to discuss this immediately.” “No, let us do it now. Does the Queen need to be party to the discussion?” “She does, Sire, as ultimately so will the Princesses.” “If we do not need them just yet, let them enjoy their fun.” Clover nodded, and the King beckoned the Queen to follow the mysterious and respected Mage. 3 The GiftOnce they were safely out of earshot seated around a table in a secluded alcove, Clover told them what had happened: “Your Majesties, your daughters have been given the opportunity to claim the rarest of gifts, but it will come at a cost. We have all become used to ponies, as all living things having a lifetime and then dying. The spirits who created you two have been impressed by the way you have brought peace and prosperity to Equestria and are prepared to grant to your daughters the gift of immortality to provide stability of leadership until the very end of Equestria itself, not linked to any future vagaries of succession.” The Queen had her forehoof raised over her mouth suppressing a gasp, but her wide eyes expressed her emotions. The King looked levelly at his closest and most trusted friend, “Clover, there must be a downside.” “Yes, your Majesties, there is. If this is the path you all choose, then they will be infertile; barren.” The Queen let out a quiet sob and the King reached a forehoof over to comfort her. “That is indeed a high price” acknowledged the King sadly. “But there is more, your Majesties” continued Clover, “You will have to give your consent.” “Well, naturally we would support them in whatever decision they chose to take” responded the King immediately, turning to see his wife nodding in agreement. “Hear me out please” interjected Clover, the omission of his usual deferential greeting being somewhat stark, “If they are to accept this gift, which is in itself a two edged sword, they will outlive all their family, all their friends and never be able to forge lasting relationships with anypony other than between themselves. Further, if you are all in agreement that they proceed, then you will have to give your consent and in so doing will be agreeing with the sprits to shorten your own lives. It is possible that you may be the first ponies they see die.” “How long would we have?” asked the Queen calmly, her own mortality weighing on her far less heavily than the prospect of her daughters being barren. “I cannot give a you a time, but it will not be long. The spirits have limited direct power over this world, and while they can sustain four alicorns, it is beyond their capability currently to sustain two mortal and two immortal alicorns concurrently. I’m sorry. I’m so, so, sorry.” “Three days, you say?” asked the King. “Somewhere between two and four, Sire. I will have to check.” “Thank you Clover. When we come to discuss this with our daughters, I propose we omit telling them about the potential risk to us. If they choose to accept the mantle of immortality, then we will be gone in a twinkle of their eye anyway” rationalised the King, glancing towards his wife who looked lovingly back into his own eyes and nodded her agreement, reaching out across the table with her forehoof for his. His hoof gently touched hers and a spark crossed between them. They had made their decision. It was time for their daughters to make their own decisions now. “This evening’s events have indeed been momentous” continued the King, expertly replacing his characteristic smile, “I hear the band is playing some invigorating dance music, so I propose we partake and enjoy the celebrations!” He took his wife gently by the forehoof and helped her up, admiring her for her beauty and her courage as if he had so little opportunity to ever do it again and wanted to savour the image. Forever. They emerged back into the Great Hall, Clover choosing to sit as the tempo of the music was way beyond what he felt capable of getting his old bones to comply with. The evening was a great success and only started to lose momentum when the sky could be seen through the windows sliding through its delicate palate of purples, reds and oranges that heralded the dawn. One by one, couples and small groups from the different corners of Equestria came to offer their thanks and congratulations to the two Princesses and their thanks to the King and Queen before heading away to retire. After the last die hards left the dance floor, the band heaved a grateful sigh of relief and slipped away leaving a few ponies still propping up the bar. “Papa! Momma!” squealed Luna in delight as she wrapped her forelegs around her fathers neck and Celestia did the same to her mother, “That was amazing. Thank you so much!” Even knowing what they did, the King and Queen weren’t going to allow the possibility of their premature deaths spoil the moment and instead shared bubbling anecdotes about who had been seen with whom and how good the band had been and the food … Finally they all turned in, the Princesses happier than they had ever been, falling straight to sleep. Their parents didn’t go to bed as they had directed their daughters, but instead summoned their legal advisers and started checking their plans for succession under the pretence of planning a sudden retirement now that their daughters had come of age. Clover meanwhile, consulted his magic runes, trying to get a more precise answer to one particularly difficult question – how long would the King and Queen have to live if the Princesses chose immortality? By early afternoon, the sisters had staggered down for breakfast where they were met by their parents who were happy to take a break from the hours spent clarifying the legal position for succession. “Good morning girls” greeted their father cheerily “How are my little Princesses today?” “Not little any more Papa, don’t you remember we came of age last night?” replied Celestia cheekily. “Oh, was that what the noise was in the Great Hall last night? I was just about to call out the exterminators to deal with an infestation …” They all shared the joke and heartfelt embraces. When they pulled apart, Luna noticed a tear in her mother’s eye. “What’s wrong, Momma?” she asked. “Oh, it’s … nothing dear” she lied unconvincingly. “Once you have had some breakfast, we should all have a little chat in the presence of Clover the Clever.” “It’s to do with the magic last night, isn’t it?” pushed Luna. “Yes. You have a special opportunity we need to discuss further. But get some food in you first; the breakfast staff have been waiting for simply ages to be stood down” said their father with a broad smile. Celestia took her father at face value and started helping herself from the buffet, but Luna remained concerned; that sad tear in her mother’s eye told another story. Suddenly, she didn’t feel quite so grown up. Suddenly, she didn’t want to be grown up at all. 4 Incomplete DisclosureLuna ate very little even though she stuck closely to her mother who was forcing herself to eat for appearance’s sake. Celestia had a solid plateful and kept her father company as he knocked back coffee after coffee and made bright conversation. Finally they had all finished and made their way to one of the many meeting rooms in the palace where Clover was waiting for them. “Your Majesties” he greeted, rising to his hooves and bowing respectfully as they entered. “Clover, old friend” replied the King warmly, “How are you today? No ill effects I trust?” Clover ignored the invitation to trade banter and replied simply, “I have the answers you require, Sire.” “Ah good” smiled the King cheerily, “That crossword was simply impossible!” The two stallions exchanged knowing looks that acknowledged something far more important than crossword puzzles, and then joined the others in sitting round the large table. “Would you like to explain or shall I?” asked the King deferring to his Mage. “You can, Sire. I will chip in if you start to go wrong if you like?” The King smiled wryly, “Just like old times, heh?” “Luna, Celestia” he began, his tone changing in a heartbeat, “Last night you came of age and gained your cutie marks. You have also uniquely in the whole of Equestrian history been granted by the spirits the option to choose a further gift; immortality. This will not be reversible, so your choice will be permanent. It will give you the opportunity to rule Equestria forever with all the accumulated knowledge you pick up along the way, but you will watch all your friends die and … and you will never be able to bear foals of your own. Such is the price.” “How long do they have to make the decision, Clover?” “Until tomorrow midnight, 33 hours from now, Sire.” “Your mother, Clover and I will spend as much time as we can with you during these next 33 hours to talk through the implications with you. This will be the biggest decision of your life, and one that nopony has ever had to face before. But, be assured, whatever you choose, your mother and I love you with all our hearts.” The two Princesses were stunned into silence while the adults all wore sombre looks on their faces. The King looked up to see an approving nod from Clover; he had got all the details clear and told his daughters honestly – all except for the bit about it leading to his and their mother’s early deaths. Once the message had sunk in, the Princesses had giggled about all the fun immortality could bring them. The grown-ups knew this would be the way it played out and gave them their time as they gradually turned to the darker implications of the gift by themselves without any pressure or influence. Then the serious debate started. It involved all three grown-ups and all titles and formality were dropped between them to allow free exchange of ideas. All grown-ups took one side of any argument and them argued against it equally as effectively so as to provide information without bias as best they could, only the Queen was unable to prevent herself from tearing up at the thought of their eternal infertility. When it was time to set the sun and raise the moon, the whole party transited out onto the Royal balcony where the King tasked Celestia with showing him how she could lower the sun by herself. She had done it many times before, but he wanted, no, he needed to see she could do it because he had no idea how long he and his wife had left. Next he tasked Luna with raising the moon, which she did with equal precision and expertise and watched as she decorated the night sky; then he stepped back and joined the other two waiting for him. “How long do we have if they agree?” he asked, keeping his back to his daughters so they couldn’t hear. “Your Majesties, are you both willing to know? Something once known can never be unknown and you will forever live with the knowledge of the time that the final shadow will fall over you.” “I don’t know if I want to be told to the minute” replied the Queen reticently, “But will it be sooner rather than later?” “Yes, your Majesty. The spirit world is unused to taking this kind of strain. Perhaps in time, when there are more souls to swell its power, such an act could even become routine, but for now they are being pushed and the word sooner applies more accurately than later.” “Thank you, old friend” acknowledged the King, “I know what you’re telling me; it’s written in your eyes.” Just then he unexpectedly reached forward and drew the Mage into a warm affectionate embrace. “Thank you Clover. Your friendship, loyalty and honesty in addition to your wisdom would have made you any one of at least three of the Pillars, if only we hadn’t lost them” he declared, patting him gently on the back and then disengaging from him just as quickly to hold him and look him in the eyes. “Sire, I … I …” His protestations were stifled as the Queen reached forward and threw her forehooves around him, stifling sobs as her tears fell onto his fur. Clover looked past her towards his King, his brave and charismatic leader, catching sight of a glistening tear shining silver in the moonlight as it gently rolled down his muzzle. He hadn’t needed to be told how short their time was in as many words, but now knew from Clover’s expression and evasive language that he would only live to see one more sunrise if his daughters accepted the responsibility of immortality. “Papa! Momma!” cried Luna excitedly, waving her forehoof across the vast panorama of the night sky, “What do you think?” “That’s beautiful” replied her mother, who had also secretly worked our Clover’s message for herself and knew how few more exquisitely painted night skies she may live to see. “Yes” said her father, sensing her mother tearing up once again, “But I’m sure you copied it from one I saw a few weeks ago …” Luna turned with mock indignation and gave him a playful punch to the chest before throwing her forehooves round him and giving him a tender kiss. The King drew the group together once more; “Right now, do you Luna and Celestia want to talk any more about your choice? By this time tomorrow you must be sure in your hearts what is right for you.” “What would you do Papa?” asked Celestia. “I can help you with all the different aspects except one. You may not have foals of your own, but everypony in Equestria would look up to you for guidance and support just like a foal does to their mother and father, and unlike mortal parents you would have so much more experience to draw on. You could be the most respected parents in the history of Equestria ,but without having to change all those diapers!” “Oh papa, can’t you be serious” chided Luna. “Sometimes, a little humour can defuse a difficult situation” interjected Clover, “And your father is very good at it. Don’t think he isn’t taking it seriously, because he is. Trust me, this is new to all of us, but he just has the presence to take it all in and make bad jokes along the way; it endears him to other ponies while still getting is message across, even if sometimes that message may be difficult.” “And don’t forget your mother too” said the King, “Who looked after you all those days and nights I’ve been off fighting battles, negotiating peace treaties, holding meetings, meetings and more meetings.” “It’s true” agreed the Queen, “Our love for each other has held us together through many difficult times, but what we love more than each other is you. You have to make this call by yourselves; whichever decision you take, you will have a lifetime to regret if you are wrong, so you must be true to yourselves.” Her words hung in the air before Celestia finally spoke, “Thank you Momma, Papa, Clover; I want to turn in and think by myself a little longer. How about you Lulu?” “I want to play with the stars a bit longer, thank you Celly. Love you Sis, see you tomorrow.” With that, the party broke up and while the Princesses followed their desires, their parents cast stay awake spells on each other and went back into discussions with their legal advisors. It was now midnight. This time tomorrow they had to be ready; all of them to face their different fates. 5 The Hardest ChoiceThe Princesses met their parents before breakfast the next morning, out on the Royal Balcony where they were admiring the artistry of the night sky above them. As they heard the soft hoofsteps approaching they stopped holding hooves and exchanged the briefest kiss before turning to greet their daughters. “Oh, and good morning to you” greeted their father warmly. “How did you know it was us?” enquired Celestia. “Well, I’ll be honest, you’re both silhouetted against the light from the windows, so you’re either my daughters meeting me as arranged or two very skilled assassins come to finish me off!” “Oh Papa” chided Celestia giving him a warm hug, “We’d never do anything to hurt either of you!” A witty response died in his throat as the irony of her kind words, lovingly meant to reassure him, struck him to the core. If they chose immortality, then they would be killing both him and their mother too. As words failed him, he hugged her tighter. “You alright, Papa?” asked Celestia, feeling that the warmth of their hug was somewhat more intense than usual. “Sorry darling. Long night” he apologised, trying to excuse his overflowing emotions. “What should we do Papa?” she asked, uncharacteristic uncertainty weighing heavily on her voice. “Do what your mother said. She’s right. If you don’t follow what you believe to be right you will have a lifetime to regret it, and whether that is short or long doesn’t matter, it will still be your entire lifetime. You’re a grown-up now; you have to take this decision by yourself. We’re all here to help you with arguments for and against, but you must come down on one side or the other by midnight tonight. Just please trust me when I say that I can’t tell you which way to choose.” Luna was stood next to her mother following having just finished lowering the moon down to rest and looked over her shoulder to see where her sister had got to. She watched her share a tender kiss with her father and then trot over to give her a nuzzle before taking centre stage and feeling over the horizon with her aura, coaxing the sun from its slumber and leading it up into the sky to start the day. At the back of the balcony, Clover the Clever watched the scene of synergetic duty play out for what could be the last time as a communal family action, the children eager to please their proud parents who were watching with a sense of fulfilment, no longer lifting a hoof to intervene, but there instead to share in their children’s successes. The day had begun without a hitch. Clover reflected on how magically gifted these two Princesses were. Admittedly they had been taught by both Star Swirl the Bearded and himself, and without being immodest, there had been no better trained unicorn minds to oversee their training. Yet, they carried something within each of them that had the potential to far exceed the sum of what they had learned, something that would in time grow to eclipse all the knowledge currently available to them, even the potential to create new magic. It was at once frightening and also reassuring that such power was in the hooves of two so well brought up and level headed ponies. Had there been unfavourable personality traits within either, he could have foreseen bitter rivalry and oppressive tyranny, but even a cursory glance at the happy and stable family unit gave him solace that if such power were to exist it was in the best hooves possible. He suddenly felt conspicuous, as if he were intruding on a happy moment which was not his to share and turned away as if disgusted by his own voyeurism, to leave the family in their happy moment; one of very few they may have left. They all met up for breakfast, the young mares still bouncing with delight from having carried out their moon and sun duties, but all around the table knew that the clock was ticking, and the day would have to turn to other matters. “So, what have you two decided?” asked the King. “You need the answer by midnight, don’t you Papa?” replied Luna. “Yes.” “Yesterday was a little like information overload” she continued, “Can we go out and play today, you know as a family, so we can clear our heads a bit, but still have you there if we want to ask questions?” “What an excellent idea” concurred her father, “What would you like to do?” “Can we go to the coast and catch the wind as it rushes up the cliffs?” asked Luna. “Oh, please!” chipped in Celestia, happily, “Where you used to take us?” “Are you happy for me to carry you Clover, old friend” he asked, recognising that the Mage was the only one of the party without wings, “Or would you care for me to arrange a chariot for you?” “No thank you, Sire. You know as much as I about tonight’s events; there is nothing I can add.” “Please do come along with us” said the Queen quietly, “A chariot may be useful if they get too tired and can’t fly back.” Clover desperately didn’t want to interfere with what could be their last day together, but something in the Queen’s eyes told him that he was being requested to provide moral support not just to the Princesses, but their parents too. “Very well, I accept” he replied, and all the others cheered. Perhaps, just perhaps he wasn’t quite the outsider to this close knit family that he had always thought. They flew to an isolated spot on the coast, Clover alone in a large four-pegasus chariot while the family of four alicorns led the way, the two young mares happily diving and weaving among their parents and playing games of chase that would see them spiral up into the sky, and then with screams of laughter find them hurtling straight back down again. The coastal air was bracing and a tonic for Clover for whom flying was not his preferred element and he felt a sense of relief when the rugged coastline came into view, happy with the prospect of being back on firm ground again. The landing was flawless, and the Queen came round straightaway to check on his safety and comfort. He dismissed her concerns lightly, saying how much he had enjoyed it, but she saw through his platitudes and together they went for a walk along the clifftop where each opened up to the other about their weaknesses and their fears, each revealing a frankness and openness they had never shared before. They stood and watched in awe as the two Princesses and their father swooped and swirled on the strong onshore breeze that was projected vertically upwards by the cliff face. “This is where they first learned to fly” she confided, “The wind never seems to die down and its almost impossible not to fly in the updraught. You know Clover, I think even you could manage to fly up there!” “No, your Majesty, I can assure you that if I had ever wanted to fly I should have created a spell to give myself wings, but I am happiest leaving the air to the pegasi and the alicorns – thankfully I am neither.” “Clover, I’m scared” she confessed, suddenly reaching out to him. “About dying?” “Partly. But I also so wanted to see my daughters grow, share precious moments with them, be there at their weddings, when they foal … hold my own grandfoals …” Clover caught her as her legs buckled and she cried, not the restrained Courtly tears, but a deep heartfelt outpouring for the loss she felt was coming. Each sob pulled on every emotion she held dear within her, threatening to rip it out manually from within her very being. He knelt down beside her in the gentle onshore breeze and wrapped his forelegs tenderly round her neck as she reclined against him, holding her carefully and providing as much comfort as he could while she cried her heart out. He felt the sting of the salt air in his eyes and soon found tears welling up in his own eyes too and as his first tears fell, he held her closer. Once the Princesses were exhausted, they glided down to where the chariot was parked, negotiating the complex windshear with practised ease with the King closely behind them, keeping a fatherly eye on them and ready to intercede should anything look like it may be going wrong. Even though they were now obviously grown up, he still couldn’t absolve himself of his strong sense of paternal responsibility for them, and would never allow them to come to any harm. “You all looked marvellous up there” congratulated the Queen. “Sorry you couldn’t get up there yourself today, we had an absolute riot!” cheered her husband. The Princesses started relaying the stories of what they had been up to, speaking excitedly, sometimes one at a time, other times over each other in their excitement. Their tales made their mother raise a forehoof more than once to cover her gasps as she heard of such frightening manoeuvres that she knew she would never have let them perform, yet she had faith in her husband to keep them safe, faith she would hold unshaken until her death. When the last tales had been spun, it was time to head home and the Princesses did look tired just astheir mother had predicted. “Come join me in the chariot” offered Clover, “I have heard such marvellous stories from you today, let me tell you some of mine from long, long ago …” They willingly mounted the chariot and snuggled down beside the Mage who began to recite the story of the founding of Equestria, even though it wasn’t Hearth’s Warming. “You lead” commanded the King, and the chariot took off for the palace leaving the two ponies together, wind in their manes, looking out over the sea. They stood together and held hooves. “You know, don’t you?” said the King. “I fear so.” “The spirits wouldn’t be prepared to grant such a gift lightly; we must assume it is for the best.” “But what about us?” “Our love for each other brought us Luna and Celestia and our love will live within both of them always.” She started to cry and turned to bury her muzzle in his neck fur as she clung to him. “I love you” she whispered between sobs. He held her tightly but couldn’t speak as a ball of emotion had risen painfully in his throat and prevented him responding, even to the love of his life. 6 The Spell CastingThe King and Queen had watched the sun drawn down out of the sky from the vantage point of a tower on the palace, looking down as Celestia’s yellow aura laid it to rest for another day, a day they now knew they would never see. Luna’s horn glowed blue and reached silently out to the moon, retrieving it like a favourite toy to put it back in pride of place in the night sky where it belonged. They shared one last kiss and walked down to meet the others waiting for them in the Great Hall. The King strode confidently across the floor to meet his two daughters and Clover, his hoofsteps echoing around the eerily empty hall. “You know, I can still feel the atmosphere of that wonderful party just like everypony was still here; it’s quite uncanny.” “Events that happen in a place leave a signature, Sire” explained Clover, “This signature is very strong and it’s also fresh. That’s why we’re here to perform the spell casting.” “Have you decided then?” the King asked his daughters, already knowing the answer, but wanting to look them in their eyes for any signs of doubt. He felt his wife close beside him and could feel a tremor in her hindleg rubbing up against his. “Yes Papa” said Celestia, stepping forward, “With your permission, Sir, I am prepared to accept the responsibility.” The formality of her response shook the King, but he didn’t show it, keeping instead his eyes locked on hers. He was skilled at reading other ponies and could see she was speaking truly. “Luna” he summoned, “Do you concur with your sister?” The blue alicorn stepped forward beside her sister, “Yes Papa, I do, with your permission.” “Very well, so be it. Equestria will be gifted with two wise rulers who will provide peace and prosperity for their subjects; their future is in safe hooves” pronounced the King in sealing their decision, “What must we do now, Clover, my dear friend?” “We must stay within this room now Sire, and absorb the energy we first encountered when the magic formed at the party. At midnight, the magic will return and the spell will be cast. Conversation was muted, an air of expectation hanging heavily all around. Clover went to take his position on the stage where he had been struck by the magic before and began to enter a meditative state. The others followed respectfully to the positions where they had been on that night, each alone with their thoughts and fears. The King and Queen shared one last lingering look, each admiring what they saw in the other, not just a passion and a love undimmed by the years, but the strength to perform a duty that would see them parted forever. As the hour approached, a mist started to form in the room and Clover’s eyes turned moonstone white. Faint traces of auras flowed from the empty places where guests had been and converged onto the stage, just as they had before. Without further warning, there was a flash and a pulsing mass surrounded the two Princesses and the Mage who began to speak in a strange unearthly voice. “Celestia, Princess of the Sun, do you accept the gift of immortality and all that entails?” The white alicorn paced uneasily and looked around catching the eye of her father who smiled back reassuringly. “I do” she replied. “Luna, Princess of the Moon, do you accept the gift of immortality and all that entails?” “I do” she replied after only a short pause. “I call upon the parents of the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon to enter and complete the spell” summoned the voice from Clover. The King reached over to offer a forehoof as his wife rose to join them. He looked her in the eye and saw she was crying; he was too. “I love you” he said as they walked together into the swirling vortex of magical energy. Clover’s horn lit brightly, its aura reaching out to the souls of the King, the Queen and their two daughters, draining the life force from the parents and feeding its energy, magnified many times over through the power of the spell into their daughters. In acting as the vessel through which the young alicorns were being made immortal, Clover was being the instrument of their parents’ deaths. He knew it had to be this way, but even though he was in a deep meditative trance his eyes still wept, wept for the loss of two foals who had first drawn Equestria together, wept for the loss of two good and faithful friends who had walked willingly in to sacrifice themselves for their daughters and the whole of ponykind. Suddenly the spell dissipated, and the bright light vanished leaving them all together on the stage, like the aftermath of a slapstick comedy act; three standing looking dazed and two laying down. “Wow! Has it happened?” asked Celestia. “Papa?” called Luna tentatively, “Papa?” She looked down and saw him on the floor and immediately bent down to him. “Papa! Wake up!” she cried, rocking him gently. Celestia saw her mother in the same state and tried to revive her too, hugging her tightly. Clover watched in great sadness as realisation began to dawn over the two young mares. Luna hugged her father dearly and cried so hard she thought she would die. Right at that moment, she wished she could. Celestia rose and stomped over to Clover. “Bring them back!” she demanded. “I cannot” he replied, “The spell is irreversible.” “You knew!” she screamed, her face contorting in agony, “They knew too, didn’t they?” “Would you feel better if I said no?” he replied sadly, “Honestly?” Celestia crumpled at her knees wailing pitifully at her loss but recoiled as Clover tried to lay a gentle hoof on her for support. Instead she picked up her tear soaked head and looked for her mother, then staggered over to lie with her and give warm hugs to her cooling body. Long after tears had run dry, Luna looked over to Clover. “They gave their lives for us” she croaked through her dry throat. Celestia pricked up her ears at the sound of her sister’s voice and raised her head to listen. Clover had stayed with them, unsure of what they would need or even what he could do. He just felt it was his place to stay until they had cried out the immediate shock of their grief. “One way or another, that’s what all parents do” he said, “It’s an unwritten, unspoken agreement that they took seriously because they wanted what was best for you. It was also the best choice for Equestria, so their decision was the best for you and the best for Equestria. The fact they never tried to dissuade you even though they knew they would die, shows how much they loved you. Be true to their values and remember them fondly.” He turned to leave and give them space to grieve in peace. “Who is in charge now?” asked Celestia, red rings round her eyes betraying the tears she had shed. “You are, your Majesties” replied Clover.
1 The First AlicornsA long, long time ago, Commander Hurricane, Princess Platinum and Chancellor Puddinghead resolved their differences to overcome the Windigos and establish the new land of Equestria, but this truce would be short lived if the three tribes couldn’t agree who would rule over them. Indeed it wasn’t long before the three leaders met in closed session with their trusted advisers to start working on their joint future, but each wanted to shape it in the favour of their own tribe’s interests. Then, just as when the magic of friendship intervened to save them from eternal winter, it appeared again as a strange aura emerging from each of the six present, melding the essence of each of the three tribes together into a ball of white light swirling between them all. When the magic dissipated, there were two foals, fashioned after the best each tribe had to offer; one male and one female, each bearing wings and a horn. Nopony present had ever seen anything like them and were startled by their sudden appearance, but the two new ponies radiated a calming influence unlike anything the leaders and their advisers had ever experienced before. When the earth ponies offered to look after them, the foals cried, and they did the same for each of the other tribes too, becoming satisfied only when somepony from each tribe was present. So it was that the two alicorns helped keep the spirit of friendship and cooperation alive among the tribes even before they had learned to talk. As they grew up, they started to take a more proactive interest in daily affairs and one or other of them always seemed to be at hoof should a little help and reconciliation be required. In this way, ever since the three tribes had first agreed to live together in harmony, the two alicorns had ensured that nothing had happened to jeopardise their friendship. It was therefore natural when they came of age that they should ascend to jointly claim the crown of Equestria and preside over its continuing peace. Their rule was indeed prosperous and although there were sometimes battles to be fought on the borders and occasional incursions of vicious animals, even constellation beasts, the King always led from the front and became respected by his army and diplomats alike. In his absence, the Queen handled all the internal affairs and crises that were an integral part of life within any community, always taking great care to favour no tribe over any other; indeed it was recognised that she owed as much allegiance to one group as to any other. Under this umbrella of security and equality, relationships between the tribes flourished and within the first generation, most barriers that had previously seemed so impenetrable had been broken down. Over time, the press announced that the Queen had become pregnant and there was not only great rejoicing, but also much speculation as to what type of foal would be born, although by this time, the earlier rivalry between the tribal groups had become much more good natured. The next story published by the press confirmed that the Queen was carrying not one but two foals, and the speculation went wild once again. With the whole of Equestria gripped with Foaling Fever, the Queen went into labour and as the country held its breath, she was delivered two foals, one purest white and the other, a deep periwinkle blue. The King and Queen now had two heirs to take over from them and continue their good work when they grew old. However, it wasn’t the legal succession aspects that drove the headlines, but the fact that the two foals were both alicorns. Many bets were lost on receiving that news … There was much excitement at the arrival of the two sisters and both quickly won the hearts of all ponies, regardless of their tribal allegiances. However neither was destined to take on any Royal duties until their formal coming of age; an important milestone historically observed by all the tribes that simply had to be celebrated by a party combining the best from across all the cultures. By this time, the only pony who had been present at the first historic meeting of the three great tribes to tell their stories as they had really happened was Clover the Clever, the wise unicorn who had been adopted by the Royal Court as the Court Mage following the mysterious disappearance of Star Swirl the Bearded and the other Pillars of Old Equestria.
2 Coming of AgeThe brave but impetuous Commander Hurricane had died heroically in a battle against the constellation beasts, ironically the same battle that had seen Private Pansy struck down by a hydra as she tried to direct a family of ducklings out from under the path of a charging Ursa Minor. The eccentric Commander Puddinghead had been found drowned in a vat of cake mix wearing nothing but rollerskates and the vain Princess Platinum had been cut off by the tide on a walk across the seashore; she could have escaped easily, but petulantly refused to leave behind her expensive robes and had been carried away by the riptide. Smart Cookie had remained a true friend, and Clover recalled their final farewell from her deathbed as they had been reminiscing and sharing tales about the stupidity and courage in equal measure that had finally got the tribes to unite. Having now reached a venerable age, Clover still carried out as much research as he could, having realised a long time ago that the more he knew, the more there was still to learn. Aside from the Royal alicorns, he was universally regarded as the wisest pony in Equestria and had picked up responsibility for the Royal sisters’ education following Star Swirl’s disappearance. As Clover was by now a de facto member of the Royal Family, it was considered most appropriate that he preside over this most important of milestone events for the Princesses. Ponies from all over the land came to celebrate this big event; from the remotest outposts in the Badlands to the elite from Manehattan, from the desert village of Somnambula to the non-stop playground of Las Pegasus; all were welcome, and none wanted to miss out on seeing their future rulers come of age. Guests were introduced upon their arrival to the lavish affair by a Royal herald and each presented a gift to the two striking alicorn mares. They had both inherited their parents’ calming influence and were now fully grown, but surprisingly both still lacked cutie marks. The sun descended sedately over the hills on the furthest horizon as the view turned from light blue through the oranges and rich reds of sunset before being overwhelmed by the purples of dusk. As the rich hues of the sky gave way to the darkness, the large chandeliers began to come into their own, reflecting a sparkling image of myriad tiny lights in the imposing floor to ceiling windows. Dinner was a lavish affair with course after course of the most exquisitely prepared foods to suit every palate while a formal band played traditional music from the different cultures interspersed with more recent songs reflecting the unification of modern Equestria. As everypony sat back to recover from their indulgences, Clover rose from his seat at the head table and introduced the King who got to his hooves and began his address by thanking the kitchen and serving staffs for their hard work. While the speech continued, Clover went back to the head table to escort the two young Princesses from their places to a position behind the King, but from where they were still occluded from the sight of the guests. “… And so now to the main reason we are all gathered here together this evening” announced the King proudly, “I should like to present to you for the very first time, my heirs to this fine Kingdom of Equestria!” At this cue, the King retreated gracefully and all eyes turned to the beautiful young Princesses as they were led forward by Clover into the spotlight under the full gaze of the guests. There were gasps from the guests as they saw how beautifully sleek the young mares were, their feathers perfectly preened and tiaras gleaming under the glittering lights of the chandeliers. Spontaneously, the guests broke out into rapturous applause; Luna looking a little shy to be receiving so much attention and taking half a hoof backward before being checked quickly by Clover. Her sister meanwhile, took to the attention more easily and smiled appreciatively at the guests’ attention. Suddenly the King started in surprise, looking around animatedly as wisps of energy were being drawn from all the guests and converging around the two Princesses. He felt a cold shudder of trepidation ripple through him as his line of sight followed the focus of that energy to a glowing ball that surrounded his two precious daughters. “Clover?” he asked, “Clover, old friend, what’s going on?” Through the swirling ball of energy surrounding his oldest friend and his two daughters he could just make out that Clover’s eyes had turned the colour of moonstone and were staring straight ahead. “Papa?” squeaked Luna who was the nearest of the three to him. The King had faced magical beasts and armies in combat, sometimes against fearful odds, but he had never felt weaker than he did now when three of the four most precious ponies in his life were surrounded by a magic that he did not know whether was benevolent or malicious, knowing that one false move could cost all of them. He knew he had to use his alicorn magic to find out as much as he could as quickly as possible, but swore he would give his life to ensure that the last plaintive request from his daughter would not be the last word she ever spoke. He was just about to light his horn, when to his surprise and relief found that the Queen had come to his side and leaned forward, presenting her horn. She looked up at him with a deep love and courage burning from her eyes and suddenly he felt reassured, leaned forward and touched horns as they both closed their eyes. A stream of alicorn magic joined the unusual mix of auras that swirled around the Princesses and made it change colour from white to pink as the ball then began to deconstruct into two separate swirling strands of energy one of which was absorbed into each of the Princess’ horns. When the energy had finally all been absorbed, a faint glow remained emanating from somewhere behind the sisters. The Queen was first to spot what had happened, “They have their cutie marks, look!” The two scared looking young mares took this as their cue to look at each other and then at their own flanks, noticing the pulsating glow that adorned their new sun and moon cutie marks and suddenly both were so excited that they completely forgot how scared they had been just a few seconds earlier. On seeing that the Princesses were unharmed, the guests saw the new cutie marks and all immediately suspended their concerns about the weird sensations they had just felt and joined in with wild cheering and hoof stomping as the sisters proudly paraded their latest acquisitions. “Clover, my old friend” said the King, “I am so glad you and the Princesses are safe. What happened?” “Your Majesty, something most unusual. There is no harm done, but a momentous decision has to be taken and must be actioned before the next full moon, which to the best of my astronomical recollection is about three days away. We do have time to enjoy the celebrations should you not want to discuss this immediately.” “No, let us do it now. Does the Queen need to be party to the discussion?” “She does, Sire, as ultimately so will the Princesses.” “If we do not need them just yet, let them enjoy their fun.” Clover nodded, and the King beckoned the Queen to follow the mysterious and respected Mage.
3 The GiftOnce they were safely out of earshot seated around a table in a secluded alcove, Clover told them what had happened: “Your Majesties, your daughters have been given the opportunity to claim the rarest of gifts, but it will come at a cost. We have all become used to ponies, as all living things having a lifetime and then dying. The spirits who created you two have been impressed by the way you have brought peace and prosperity to Equestria and are prepared to grant to your daughters the gift of immortality to provide stability of leadership until the very end of Equestria itself, not linked to any future vagaries of succession.” The Queen had her forehoof raised over her mouth suppressing a gasp, but her wide eyes expressed her emotions. The King looked levelly at his closest and most trusted friend, “Clover, there must be a downside.” “Yes, your Majesties, there is. If this is the path you all choose, then they will be infertile; barren.” The Queen let out a quiet sob and the King reached a forehoof over to comfort her. “That is indeed a high price” acknowledged the King sadly. “But there is more, your Majesties” continued Clover, “You will have to give your consent.” “Well, naturally we would support them in whatever decision they chose to take” responded the King immediately, turning to see his wife nodding in agreement. “Hear me out please” interjected Clover, the omission of his usual deferential greeting being somewhat stark, “If they are to accept this gift, which is in itself a two edged sword, they will outlive all their family, all their friends and never be able to forge lasting relationships with anypony other than between themselves. Further, if you are all in agreement that they proceed, then you will have to give your consent and in so doing will be agreeing with the sprits to shorten your own lives. It is possible that you may be the first ponies they see die.” “How long would we have?” asked the Queen calmly, her own mortality weighing on her far less heavily than the prospect of her daughters being barren. “I cannot give a you a time, but it will not be long. The spirits have limited direct power over this world, and while they can sustain four alicorns, it is beyond their capability currently to sustain two mortal and two immortal alicorns concurrently. I’m sorry. I’m so, so, sorry.” “Three days, you say?” asked the King. “Somewhere between two and four, Sire. I will have to check.” “Thank you Clover. When we come to discuss this with our daughters, I propose we omit telling them about the potential risk to us. If they choose to accept the mantle of immortality, then we will be gone in a twinkle of their eye anyway” rationalised the King, glancing towards his wife who looked lovingly back into his own eyes and nodded her agreement, reaching out across the table with her forehoof for his. His hoof gently touched hers and a spark crossed between them. They had made their decision. It was time for their daughters to make their own decisions now. “This evening’s events have indeed been momentous” continued the King, expertly replacing his characteristic smile, “I hear the band is playing some invigorating dance music, so I propose we partake and enjoy the celebrations!” He took his wife gently by the forehoof and helped her up, admiring her for her beauty and her courage as if he had so little opportunity to ever do it again and wanted to savour the image. Forever. They emerged back into the Great Hall, Clover choosing to sit as the tempo of the music was way beyond what he felt capable of getting his old bones to comply with. The evening was a great success and only started to lose momentum when the sky could be seen through the windows sliding through its delicate palate of purples, reds and oranges that heralded the dawn. One by one, couples and small groups from the different corners of Equestria came to offer their thanks and congratulations to the two Princesses and their thanks to the King and Queen before heading away to retire. After the last die hards left the dance floor, the band heaved a grateful sigh of relief and slipped away leaving a few ponies still propping up the bar. “Papa! Momma!” squealed Luna in delight as she wrapped her forelegs around her fathers neck and Celestia did the same to her mother, “That was amazing. Thank you so much!” Even knowing what they did, the King and Queen weren’t going to allow the possibility of their premature deaths spoil the moment and instead shared bubbling anecdotes about who had been seen with whom and how good the band had been and the food … Finally they all turned in, the Princesses happier than they had ever been, falling straight to sleep. Their parents didn’t go to bed as they had directed their daughters, but instead summoned their legal advisers and started checking their plans for succession under the pretence of planning a sudden retirement now that their daughters had come of age. Clover meanwhile, consulted his magic runes, trying to get a more precise answer to one particularly difficult question – how long would the King and Queen have to live if the Princesses chose immortality? By early afternoon, the sisters had staggered down for breakfast where they were met by their parents who were happy to take a break from the hours spent clarifying the legal position for succession. “Good morning girls” greeted their father cheerily “How are my little Princesses today?” “Not little any more Papa, don’t you remember we came of age last night?” replied Celestia cheekily. “Oh, was that what the noise was in the Great Hall last night? I was just about to call out the exterminators to deal with an infestation …” They all shared the joke and heartfelt embraces. When they pulled apart, Luna noticed a tear in her mother’s eye. “What’s wrong, Momma?” she asked. “Oh, it’s … nothing dear” she lied unconvincingly. “Once you have had some breakfast, we should all have a little chat in the presence of Clover the Clever.” “It’s to do with the magic last night, isn’t it?” pushed Luna. “Yes. You have a special opportunity we need to discuss further. But get some food in you first; the breakfast staff have been waiting for simply ages to be stood down” said their father with a broad smile. Celestia took her father at face value and started helping herself from the buffet, but Luna remained concerned; that sad tear in her mother’s eye told another story. Suddenly, she didn’t feel quite so grown up. Suddenly, she didn’t want to be grown up at all.
4 Incomplete DisclosureLuna ate very little even though she stuck closely to her mother who was forcing herself to eat for appearance’s sake. Celestia had a solid plateful and kept her father company as he knocked back coffee after coffee and made bright conversation. Finally they had all finished and made their way to one of the many meeting rooms in the palace where Clover was waiting for them. “Your Majesties” he greeted, rising to his hooves and bowing respectfully as they entered. “Clover, old friend” replied the King warmly, “How are you today? No ill effects I trust?” Clover ignored the invitation to trade banter and replied simply, “I have the answers you require, Sire.” “Ah good” smiled the King cheerily, “That crossword was simply impossible!” The two stallions exchanged knowing looks that acknowledged something far more important than crossword puzzles, and then joined the others in sitting round the large table. “Would you like to explain or shall I?” asked the King deferring to his Mage. “You can, Sire. I will chip in if you start to go wrong if you like?” The King smiled wryly, “Just like old times, heh?” “Luna, Celestia” he began, his tone changing in a heartbeat, “Last night you came of age and gained your cutie marks. You have also uniquely in the whole of Equestrian history been granted by the spirits the option to choose a further gift; immortality. This will not be reversible, so your choice will be permanent. It will give you the opportunity to rule Equestria forever with all the accumulated knowledge you pick up along the way, but you will watch all your friends die and … and you will never be able to bear foals of your own. Such is the price.” “How long do they have to make the decision, Clover?” “Until tomorrow midnight, 33 hours from now, Sire.” “Your mother, Clover and I will spend as much time as we can with you during these next 33 hours to talk through the implications with you. This will be the biggest decision of your life, and one that nopony has ever had to face before. But, be assured, whatever you choose, your mother and I love you with all our hearts.” The two Princesses were stunned into silence while the adults all wore sombre looks on their faces. The King looked up to see an approving nod from Clover; he had got all the details clear and told his daughters honestly – all except for the bit about it leading to his and their mother’s early deaths. Once the message had sunk in, the Princesses had giggled about all the fun immortality could bring them. The grown-ups knew this would be the way it played out and gave them their time as they gradually turned to the darker implications of the gift by themselves without any pressure or influence. Then the serious debate started. It involved all three grown-ups and all titles and formality were dropped between them to allow free exchange of ideas. All grown-ups took one side of any argument and them argued against it equally as effectively so as to provide information without bias as best they could, only the Queen was unable to prevent herself from tearing up at the thought of their eternal infertility. When it was time to set the sun and raise the moon, the whole party transited out onto the Royal balcony where the King tasked Celestia with showing him how she could lower the sun by herself. She had done it many times before, but he wanted, no, he needed to see she could do it because he had no idea how long he and his wife had left. Next he tasked Luna with raising the moon, which she did with equal precision and expertise and watched as she decorated the night sky; then he stepped back and joined the other two waiting for him. “How long do we have if they agree?” he asked, keeping his back to his daughters so they couldn’t hear. “Your Majesties, are you both willing to know? Something once known can never be unknown and you will forever live with the knowledge of the time that the final shadow will fall over you.” “I don’t know if I want to be told to the minute” replied the Queen reticently, “But will it be sooner rather than later?” “Yes, your Majesty. The spirit world is unused to taking this kind of strain. Perhaps in time, when there are more souls to swell its power, such an act could even become routine, but for now they are being pushed and the word sooner applies more accurately than later.” “Thank you, old friend” acknowledged the King, “I know what you’re telling me; it’s written in your eyes.” Just then he unexpectedly reached forward and drew the Mage into a warm affectionate embrace. “Thank you Clover. Your friendship, loyalty and honesty in addition to your wisdom would have made you any one of at least three of the Pillars, if only we hadn’t lost them” he declared, patting him gently on the back and then disengaging from him just as quickly to hold him and look him in the eyes. “Sire, I … I …” His protestations were stifled as the Queen reached forward and threw her forehooves around him, stifling sobs as her tears fell onto his fur. Clover looked past her towards his King, his brave and charismatic leader, catching sight of a glistening tear shining silver in the moonlight as it gently rolled down his muzzle. He hadn’t needed to be told how short their time was in as many words, but now knew from Clover’s expression and evasive language that he would only live to see one more sunrise if his daughters accepted the responsibility of immortality. “Papa! Momma!” cried Luna excitedly, waving her forehoof across the vast panorama of the night sky, “What do you think?” “That’s beautiful” replied her mother, who had also secretly worked our Clover’s message for herself and knew how few more exquisitely painted night skies she may live to see. “Yes” said her father, sensing her mother tearing up once again, “But I’m sure you copied it from one I saw a few weeks ago …” Luna turned with mock indignation and gave him a playful punch to the chest before throwing her forehooves round him and giving him a tender kiss. The King drew the group together once more; “Right now, do you Luna and Celestia want to talk any more about your choice? By this time tomorrow you must be sure in your hearts what is right for you.” “What would you do Papa?” asked Celestia. “I can help you with all the different aspects except one. You may not have foals of your own, but everypony in Equestria would look up to you for guidance and support just like a foal does to their mother and father, and unlike mortal parents you would have so much more experience to draw on. You could be the most respected parents in the history of Equestria ,but without having to change all those diapers!” “Oh papa, can’t you be serious” chided Luna. “Sometimes, a little humour can defuse a difficult situation” interjected Clover, “And your father is very good at it. Don’t think he isn’t taking it seriously, because he is. Trust me, this is new to all of us, but he just has the presence to take it all in and make bad jokes along the way; it endears him to other ponies while still getting is message across, even if sometimes that message may be difficult.” “And don’t forget your mother too” said the King, “Who looked after you all those days and nights I’ve been off fighting battles, negotiating peace treaties, holding meetings, meetings and more meetings.” “It’s true” agreed the Queen, “Our love for each other has held us together through many difficult times, but what we love more than each other is you. You have to make this call by yourselves; whichever decision you take, you will have a lifetime to regret if you are wrong, so you must be true to yourselves.” Her words hung in the air before Celestia finally spoke, “Thank you Momma, Papa, Clover; I want to turn in and think by myself a little longer. How about you Lulu?” “I want to play with the stars a bit longer, thank you Celly. Love you Sis, see you tomorrow.” With that, the party broke up and while the Princesses followed their desires, their parents cast stay awake spells on each other and went back into discussions with their legal advisors. It was now midnight. This time tomorrow they had to be ready; all of them to face their different fates.
5 The Hardest ChoiceThe Princesses met their parents before breakfast the next morning, out on the Royal Balcony where they were admiring the artistry of the night sky above them. As they heard the soft hoofsteps approaching they stopped holding hooves and exchanged the briefest kiss before turning to greet their daughters. “Oh, and good morning to you” greeted their father warmly. “How did you know it was us?” enquired Celestia. “Well, I’ll be honest, you’re both silhouetted against the light from the windows, so you’re either my daughters meeting me as arranged or two very skilled assassins come to finish me off!” “Oh Papa” chided Celestia giving him a warm hug, “We’d never do anything to hurt either of you!” A witty response died in his throat as the irony of her kind words, lovingly meant to reassure him, struck him to the core. If they chose immortality, then they would be killing both him and their mother too. As words failed him, he hugged her tighter. “You alright, Papa?” asked Celestia, feeling that the warmth of their hug was somewhat more intense than usual. “Sorry darling. Long night” he apologised, trying to excuse his overflowing emotions. “What should we do Papa?” she asked, uncharacteristic uncertainty weighing heavily on her voice. “Do what your mother said. She’s right. If you don’t follow what you believe to be right you will have a lifetime to regret it, and whether that is short or long doesn’t matter, it will still be your entire lifetime. You’re a grown-up now; you have to take this decision by yourself. We’re all here to help you with arguments for and against, but you must come down on one side or the other by midnight tonight. Just please trust me when I say that I can’t tell you which way to choose.” Luna was stood next to her mother following having just finished lowering the moon down to rest and looked over her shoulder to see where her sister had got to. She watched her share a tender kiss with her father and then trot over to give her a nuzzle before taking centre stage and feeling over the horizon with her aura, coaxing the sun from its slumber and leading it up into the sky to start the day. At the back of the balcony, Clover the Clever watched the scene of synergetic duty play out for what could be the last time as a communal family action, the children eager to please their proud parents who were watching with a sense of fulfilment, no longer lifting a hoof to intervene, but there instead to share in their children’s successes. The day had begun without a hitch. Clover reflected on how magically gifted these two Princesses were. Admittedly they had been taught by both Star Swirl the Bearded and himself, and without being immodest, there had been no better trained unicorn minds to oversee their training. Yet, they carried something within each of them that had the potential to far exceed the sum of what they had learned, something that would in time grow to eclipse all the knowledge currently available to them, even the potential to create new magic. It was at once frightening and also reassuring that such power was in the hooves of two so well brought up and level headed ponies. Had there been unfavourable personality traits within either, he could have foreseen bitter rivalry and oppressive tyranny, but even a cursory glance at the happy and stable family unit gave him solace that if such power were to exist it was in the best hooves possible. He suddenly felt conspicuous, as if he were intruding on a happy moment which was not his to share and turned away as if disgusted by his own voyeurism, to leave the family in their happy moment; one of very few they may have left. They all met up for breakfast, the young mares still bouncing with delight from having carried out their moon and sun duties, but all around the table knew that the clock was ticking, and the day would have to turn to other matters. “So, what have you two decided?” asked the King. “You need the answer by midnight, don’t you Papa?” replied Luna. “Yes.” “Yesterday was a little like information overload” she continued, “Can we go out and play today, you know as a family, so we can clear our heads a bit, but still have you there if we want to ask questions?” “What an excellent idea” concurred her father, “What would you like to do?” “Can we go to the coast and catch the wind as it rushes up the cliffs?” asked Luna. “Oh, please!” chipped in Celestia, happily, “Where you used to take us?” “Are you happy for me to carry you Clover, old friend” he asked, recognising that the Mage was the only one of the party without wings, “Or would you care for me to arrange a chariot for you?” “No thank you, Sire. You know as much as I about tonight’s events; there is nothing I can add.” “Please do come along with us” said the Queen quietly, “A chariot may be useful if they get too tired and can’t fly back.” Clover desperately didn’t want to interfere with what could be their last day together, but something in the Queen’s eyes told him that he was being requested to provide moral support not just to the Princesses, but their parents too. “Very well, I accept” he replied, and all the others cheered. Perhaps, just perhaps he wasn’t quite the outsider to this close knit family that he had always thought. They flew to an isolated spot on the coast, Clover alone in a large four-pegasus chariot while the family of four alicorns led the way, the two young mares happily diving and weaving among their parents and playing games of chase that would see them spiral up into the sky, and then with screams of laughter find them hurtling straight back down again. The coastal air was bracing and a tonic for Clover for whom flying was not his preferred element and he felt a sense of relief when the rugged coastline came into view, happy with the prospect of being back on firm ground again. The landing was flawless, and the Queen came round straightaway to check on his safety and comfort. He dismissed her concerns lightly, saying how much he had enjoyed it, but she saw through his platitudes and together they went for a walk along the clifftop where each opened up to the other about their weaknesses and their fears, each revealing a frankness and openness they had never shared before. They stood and watched in awe as the two Princesses and their father swooped and swirled on the strong onshore breeze that was projected vertically upwards by the cliff face. “This is where they first learned to fly” she confided, “The wind never seems to die down and its almost impossible not to fly in the updraught. You know Clover, I think even you could manage to fly up there!” “No, your Majesty, I can assure you that if I had ever wanted to fly I should have created a spell to give myself wings, but I am happiest leaving the air to the pegasi and the alicorns – thankfully I am neither.” “Clover, I’m scared” she confessed, suddenly reaching out to him. “About dying?” “Partly. But I also so wanted to see my daughters grow, share precious moments with them, be there at their weddings, when they foal … hold my own grandfoals …” Clover caught her as her legs buckled and she cried, not the restrained Courtly tears, but a deep heartfelt outpouring for the loss she felt was coming. Each sob pulled on every emotion she held dear within her, threatening to rip it out manually from within her very being. He knelt down beside her in the gentle onshore breeze and wrapped his forelegs tenderly round her neck as she reclined against him, holding her carefully and providing as much comfort as he could while she cried her heart out. He felt the sting of the salt air in his eyes and soon found tears welling up in his own eyes too and as his first tears fell, he held her closer. Once the Princesses were exhausted, they glided down to where the chariot was parked, negotiating the complex windshear with practised ease with the King closely behind them, keeping a fatherly eye on them and ready to intercede should anything look like it may be going wrong. Even though they were now obviously grown up, he still couldn’t absolve himself of his strong sense of paternal responsibility for them, and would never allow them to come to any harm. “You all looked marvellous up there” congratulated the Queen. “Sorry you couldn’t get up there yourself today, we had an absolute riot!” cheered her husband. The Princesses started relaying the stories of what they had been up to, speaking excitedly, sometimes one at a time, other times over each other in their excitement. Their tales made their mother raise a forehoof more than once to cover her gasps as she heard of such frightening manoeuvres that she knew she would never have let them perform, yet she had faith in her husband to keep them safe, faith she would hold unshaken until her death. When the last tales had been spun, it was time to head home and the Princesses did look tired just astheir mother had predicted. “Come join me in the chariot” offered Clover, “I have heard such marvellous stories from you today, let me tell you some of mine from long, long ago …” They willingly mounted the chariot and snuggled down beside the Mage who began to recite the story of the founding of Equestria, even though it wasn’t Hearth’s Warming. “You lead” commanded the King, and the chariot took off for the palace leaving the two ponies together, wind in their manes, looking out over the sea. They stood together and held hooves. “You know, don’t you?” said the King. “I fear so.” “The spirits wouldn’t be prepared to grant such a gift lightly; we must assume it is for the best.” “But what about us?” “Our love for each other brought us Luna and Celestia and our love will live within both of them always.” She started to cry and turned to bury her muzzle in his neck fur as she clung to him. “I love you” she whispered between sobs. He held her tightly but couldn’t speak as a ball of emotion had risen painfully in his throat and prevented him responding, even to the love of his life.
6 The Spell CastingThe King and Queen had watched the sun drawn down out of the sky from the vantage point of a tower on the palace, looking down as Celestia’s yellow aura laid it to rest for another day, a day they now knew they would never see. Luna’s horn glowed blue and reached silently out to the moon, retrieving it like a favourite toy to put it back in pride of place in the night sky where it belonged. They shared one last kiss and walked down to meet the others waiting for them in the Great Hall. The King strode confidently across the floor to meet his two daughters and Clover, his hoofsteps echoing around the eerily empty hall. “You know, I can still feel the atmosphere of that wonderful party just like everypony was still here; it’s quite uncanny.” “Events that happen in a place leave a signature, Sire” explained Clover, “This signature is very strong and it’s also fresh. That’s why we’re here to perform the spell casting.” “Have you decided then?” the King asked his daughters, already knowing the answer, but wanting to look them in their eyes for any signs of doubt. He felt his wife close beside him and could feel a tremor in her hindleg rubbing up against his. “Yes Papa” said Celestia, stepping forward, “With your permission, Sir, I am prepared to accept the responsibility.” The formality of her response shook the King, but he didn’t show it, keeping instead his eyes locked on hers. He was skilled at reading other ponies and could see she was speaking truly. “Luna” he summoned, “Do you concur with your sister?” The blue alicorn stepped forward beside her sister, “Yes Papa, I do, with your permission.” “Very well, so be it. Equestria will be gifted with two wise rulers who will provide peace and prosperity for their subjects; their future is in safe hooves” pronounced the King in sealing their decision, “What must we do now, Clover, my dear friend?” “We must stay within this room now Sire, and absorb the energy we first encountered when the magic formed at the party. At midnight, the magic will return and the spell will be cast. Conversation was muted, an air of expectation hanging heavily all around. Clover went to take his position on the stage where he had been struck by the magic before and began to enter a meditative state. The others followed respectfully to the positions where they had been on that night, each alone with their thoughts and fears. The King and Queen shared one last lingering look, each admiring what they saw in the other, not just a passion and a love undimmed by the years, but the strength to perform a duty that would see them parted forever. As the hour approached, a mist started to form in the room and Clover’s eyes turned moonstone white. Faint traces of auras flowed from the empty places where guests had been and converged onto the stage, just as they had before. Without further warning, there was a flash and a pulsing mass surrounded the two Princesses and the Mage who began to speak in a strange unearthly voice. “Celestia, Princess of the Sun, do you accept the gift of immortality and all that entails?” The white alicorn paced uneasily and looked around catching the eye of her father who smiled back reassuringly. “I do” she replied. “Luna, Princess of the Moon, do you accept the gift of immortality and all that entails?” “I do” she replied after only a short pause. “I call upon the parents of the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon to enter and complete the spell” summoned the voice from Clover. The King reached over to offer a forehoof as his wife rose to join them. He looked her in the eye and saw she was crying; he was too. “I love you” he said as they walked together into the swirling vortex of magical energy. Clover’s horn lit brightly, its aura reaching out to the souls of the King, the Queen and their two daughters, draining the life force from the parents and feeding its energy, magnified many times over through the power of the spell into their daughters. In acting as the vessel through which the young alicorns were being made immortal, Clover was being the instrument of their parents’ deaths. He knew it had to be this way, but even though he was in a deep meditative trance his eyes still wept, wept for the loss of two foals who had first drawn Equestria together, wept for the loss of two good and faithful friends who had walked willingly in to sacrifice themselves for their daughters and the whole of ponykind. Suddenly the spell dissipated, and the bright light vanished leaving them all together on the stage, like the aftermath of a slapstick comedy act; three standing looking dazed and two laying down. “Wow! Has it happened?” asked Celestia. “Papa?” called Luna tentatively, “Papa?” She looked down and saw him on the floor and immediately bent down to him. “Papa! Wake up!” she cried, rocking him gently. Celestia saw her mother in the same state and tried to revive her too, hugging her tightly. Clover watched in great sadness as realisation began to dawn over the two young mares. Luna hugged her father dearly and cried so hard she thought she would die. Right at that moment, she wished she could. Celestia rose and stomped over to Clover. “Bring them back!” she demanded. “I cannot” he replied, “The spell is irreversible.” “You knew!” she screamed, her face contorting in agony, “They knew too, didn’t they?” “Would you feel better if I said no?” he replied sadly, “Honestly?” Celestia crumpled at her knees wailing pitifully at her loss but recoiled as Clover tried to lay a gentle hoof on her for support. Instead she picked up her tear soaked head and looked for her mother, then staggered over to lie with her and give warm hugs to her cooling body. Long after tears had run dry, Luna looked over to Clover. “They gave their lives for us” she croaked through her dry throat. Celestia pricked up her ears at the sound of her sister’s voice and raised her head to listen. Clover had stayed with them, unsure of what they would need or even what he could do. He just felt it was his place to stay until they had cried out the immediate shock of their grief. “One way or another, that’s what all parents do” he said, “It’s an unwritten, unspoken agreement that they took seriously because they wanted what was best for you. It was also the best choice for Equestria, so their decision was the best for you and the best for Equestria. The fact they never tried to dissuade you even though they knew they would die, shows how much they loved you. Be true to their values and remember them fondly.” He turned to leave and give them space to grieve in peace. “Who is in charge now?” asked Celestia, red rings round her eyes betraying the tears she had shed. “You are, your Majesties” replied Clover.
