Prologue - A Story Never Told
The crackle of flame snapped and popped softly in the darkened room, the only light within the secluded space besides the dim embers belonging to a lone candle burning warmly upon the desk in the far corner. The dark ironwood stood out in stark contrast to the white marble that formed the walls of the room, the lacquered surface reflecting the cool silver light of the full moon shining high above in the star-scattered sky. The soft scritch and scratch of a quill against parchment punctuated by the intermittent pops of the fireplace lent a soothing and comforting aura to the otherwise dim atmosphere, though the room’s lone occupant cared little for her surroundings, so absorbed in her work as she was.
“It is not healthy for one to stay up all night working.” The quill dropped to the desk and a sharp intake of breath escaped the mare’s muzzle, her gaze whipping around to face the intruder before widening in surprise.
Princess Luna, Mistress of the Night, smiled softly as she stepped through the open doorway and into the room, “You are rarely up at this hour, Lady Quill. Might I inquire as to what has kept my most trusted aid from her nightly respite?”
Lady Quill, or Shadow Quill to those that knew her well, averted her golden eyes as her tufted ears wilted against her head. Her slightly curved horn lit with her soft blue magic as she placed the quill back in its proper place on her desk.
“It is nothing much, My Lady,” Shadow’s words were soft, barely above a whisper yet still clear in the quiet space, “merely some midnight musings that my mind could not lay to rest.”
“Seeing as it has kept you up long into the wee hours of the morn,” Luna pressed, “I say it is a fair bit more than nothing to be troubling you so.” A navy wing gently lay over the back of the smaller mare, soft, almost motherly eyes locking with her own, “I will not force you to tell me, but as your friend I would be willing to lend my ear, should you be willing.”
The deadlock lasted for barely a moment before Shadow turned away, her own, leathery wing pushing the princess’s from her back, “It is a long tale, Your Highness, one that I have not shared with anypony before.”
“Please,” a caring hoof lifted Shadow’s muzzle with a gentle force under her chin, “none of that. You are my most trusted aid, one of my few true friends. There are no nobles to fluster nor servants to gossip here. Call me Luna, there are no titles between us in private.”
A sigh escaped Shadow’s lips as she nodded, “As you wish, Luna.”
The serene smile that seemed to shine brighter than any star returned to the Princess’s face, “There, was that so hard? Now, would you be so kind as to share what has been bothering you?”
For a moment, Shadow wanted to refuse, it wasn’t an order, it wasn’t even that big of a deal, but the worry and genuine care in the alicorn’s expression swayed her. If she couldn’t trust her Princess with this tale, then who else? Her horn lit once again, the parchment that had been resting upon her desk floating up and between the two mares, the words still drying from the fresh ink’s application.
Luna raised an eyebrow at the smaller mare, “You do realize that the pages of a book would be much more efficient than using roll after roll of parchment.”
“This is merely to gather my thoughts,” Shadow replied, “I’ll put the full story into a proper book after I get my ideas sorted out.”
“It must be a grand tale to be worthy of a book all to its own.” The Princess’s other eyebrow rose to join its twin, “What story could warrant such detail and planning?”
Now it was Shadow’s turn to smile, even if it was one filled with pain and sadness, “My own.”
Silence fell over the two mares like a heavy blanket, the implications of Shadow’s words hitting the alicorn like a runaway train. It was a story even she knew little about, save for her own parts within it, but she knew that it was not a happy tale that her aid spoke of.
“Are you certain?” Luna’s words were quiet, yet carried the weight that such a topic demanded, “It may not be received well if it is shared with the populace at large. Few will truly understand.”
Shadow nodded, never losing her smile, “I know, but that isn’t why I’m doing this. I am sharing my story because of the ponies that are out there, somewhere, who are going through similar things. I want to give them hope, to inspire them in a way that I never had.” Golden orbs, glistening with unshed tears, rose to meet the turquoise gaze of her Princess, “I want to show them that they aren’t alone, and that there are others out there who understand, who believe in them.”
Luna’s smile returned as she embraced Shadow with both forelegs and wings, the startled “Eep!” of the smaller mare being muffled by her chest fluff, “Then would you do me the honor of sharing your story with me? I only know the ending of your tale, and it would be my pleasure to better understand the mare who has proven to be my most loyal and caring supporter.”
Shadow’s cheeks burned with embarrassment at the unexpected hug from her Princess, the mare’s mind overwhelmed with the soft embrace of the alicorn’s wings and the gentle pressure of her hooves around her barrel.
“I-I guess I could tell you first.” She finally managed to force out, “You are the reason I’m here and able to do this after all.”
“Splendid!” Luna’s volume reverberated slightly in the small room, making Shadow’s ears fold against her head as her sharp hearing was overwhelmed, “Oh, excuse me,” Luna’s embrace loosened as she stepped back, a sheepish smile and a faint blush overtaking her own features, “I was merely excited to finally understand you better, even though we have been friends for a good while.”
Shadow’s smile widened slightly as she placed the parchment back on her desk, turning around and having to stifle a fit of laughter at what her eyes beheld. Princess Luna, one of the Goddesses of Ponykind, was sitting at the base of her bed with an eager grin nearly splitting her face in two, her tail wagging behind her flank like an eager puppy.
Swallowing her mirth with some difficulty, Shadow walked over and sat down across from the Lunar Princess, her heart hastening within her chest as she realized what she was about to do. She had never told anypony her full story before, never believed that it would really matter to anypony else. Yet, even so, it was a tale that deserved to be heard, and it would only be fitting to tell her best friend first.
After all, Luna had saved her life, it was the least she could do to repay her after all that the alicorn had done for the smaller mare. The thestral-corn took a deep breath, doing what she could to ready herself for a long night. It wasn’t going to be easy, but for Luna, her Princess, her Savior, she would do anything.
Author's Note
This is a story that has been long simmering in my mind, a tale that has been begging to be shared but I could never truly put into words. While the events within this book are going to be from the perspective of Shadow Quill, they carry a deep and powerful meaning to me and the events of my own life. To be clear, they will not match up with events in my own life, but the feelings and the struggles that are carried within these pages will be no less important, as I see Shadow as another side of myself, a reflection of my true being that has been through similar, if not the same, struggles.
I ask only that you read this story with the gravatas that it deserves and know that I do not take offense if my readers do not care for this type of tale. As Lady Quill stated, this is a story for those that need to hear it and will not be fully understood by most. My desire is to tell my story in my own unique way, and only wish the best for those that may gleam hope, strength, or inspiration from my tale.
Thank you, and I wish you all the best if you continue beyond this point. I will be updating my other stories just as I always have, so don't worry about my focus being diverted from your favorite book.
See you all next chapter, wherever that might be,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
