Chapter One

The Mare of Stars

Cold.

The cool breeze of night blew softly against my face as I stepped out through the worn, creaking door of the dilapidated building I called home. All around me lay the small, crumbled, and moss-covered ruins of a forgotten era that had long since passed. Tall dark pine trees stretched around the small clearing in all directions. The wonderful moonlight pierced through their branches ever so delicately as if reaching out to softly hold me in its embrace.

I let out a sigh, it had been over a month now since I moved camp, I was letting myself get too comfortable here. Stealing food from towns tends to put a target on ones back and with winter setting in I needed to find some place warmer, sooner rather than later.

I leaned down and grabbed the bucket I had left next to my campfire from the night before. I let the bucket hang by the handle from one of my wings as I trotted away from the clearing. Slowly, I made my way through the thin forest to a river I knew rested at the base of the valley. My stomach growled at me in protest, I was starving. I hadn't been able to find anything to eat the night before, not even a squirrel! I knew ponies shouldn't eat meat; it always made me feel ill, but eating something, anything! even meat... was far better than the alternative of starving to death.

The trees finally gave way, and I was soon greeted by the soft moonlight that stretched across the valley. Its light reflecting in brilliant ripples along the river, everything was still and quiet, it was beautiful.

I smiled as I approached the edge of the river, setting down the bucket I looked into my own distorted reflection. My white coat, once beautiful, was now dirty and matted. My barding was torn and stained, my silver mane unkempt, and my normally light blue eyes were now the dull and tired eyes of an exhausted mare. My gaze drifted back towards my cutie mark; a small black crescent moon surrounded by streaks of black lines that wrapped around my flanks like dark claws.

I sighed in discomfort as I recalled the night I had gotten my cutie mark. I had been tired, so tired… I remember I had stolen some rope from the local artisan pony. The mere thought of being strangled to death made me shutter as a filly; unable to breathe as I kicked helplessly in the air wondering why I had been such a fool. No, I had wanted something quick. With my wings bound by the rope I had stood at the edge of the orphanage roof gazing down at what would finally be my release from all the abuse, from all the pain and disappointment. It would be so quiet… so wonderful to just finally relax in the endless sea of black.

I remember the moonlight had caught my eye. I don't remember why I hesitated, but I had taken a step back. I gazed up at the moon for what I thought would be the last time. It wasn't until then that I truly noticed how quiet everything was. How comfortably the crisp night air was and how nice it was to feel the moonlight on my coat. In that moment, I realized there was no pain, no sorrow... I sat down hard as I realized what I desired in death was already all around me. Letting out a breath of sweet relief, I had gazed up into the beautiful night sky, for the first time in my life, I had finally felt like I truly belonged.

I broke my gaze away from the river to look back up at the moon as I took in a deep breath of fresh air. I really am happy out here, I thought with a smile before returning my attention to the battered metal bucket in need of water.

After a small hike, I had made it back to my camp. I sat at the burned-out fire pit with a painful grunt and hung the bucket from the hook that sat above it. I leaned down and grabbed my cobbled together fire starter. I held one end down on the dried wood and kindling with my hoof as I bit down on the other end and jerked my head back and forth until I started to smell smoke.

“Eeep!” I yelped as the fire leapt to life! singing my mane and nose.

“Luna damn it!” I cursed.

I squinted my eyes against the heat and the rapid change in lighting. I laid down with a groan as I looked up at the stars. My annoyed expression curved back into a forced smile as I took a breath.

“I may be cold, hungry and maybe not entirely sane but,” I let out another long breath, “but I am happier out here, I belong,” I told myself with a firm nod. Maybe if I kept telling myself that-- as true as it was-- eventually I might stop feeling so alone...

A good while went by as I just sat there watching the water boil. The rippling and bubbling water popping and sometimes spilling out the sides. The low drum of the boil captivated me as I just continued to stare. Eventually I blinked, returning to reality, I shook my head. Sitting up, I grabbed a branch in my mouth before lifting the smoldering bucket off the fire and setting it off to the side to cool down.

I sighed; I suppose there is little point in sitting around waiting for it to cool off. I could go for a fly, I thought as I stood up. I took a moment to stretch before spreading my wings and taking to the skies. Besides, I desperately needed to find something to eat, with winter quickly closing in, not only would food be more scarce, but stealing fruits and vegetables from the nearest town would prove even greater a challenge.

I stayed a good distance above the trees as I went. Not particularly going in any specific direction, gliding whenever I could to keep from getting too sore. Sometimes I aimed for a few of the clouds, getting a refreshing splash of mist to the face as I flew through them. As I flew, I caught sight of a brilliant bright light in a huge clearing below me. Curiosity got the better of me and I flew down to get a better look at what had drawn me in.

Below me I saw a huge perfect circle of perfectly still water that reflected the moonlight as if it were a mirror. I had been out this way more than once, why had I only noticed this now? I glided down, landing ungracefully next to it. The pool was enclosed by a circle of smooth gray stone. The water was like looking into the sky! In fact, I had to poke it with my hoof just to make sure it was water. My hoof broke the stillness and sent out a small cascading ripple through the whole pool. Upon further inspection I noticed for having been in the middle of nowhere, the water looked surprisingly clean. Almost if it had been maintained...

Ignoring the implications, I leaned down over the stone and took an experimental sip before beginning to drink. The water was nice, cold and clean! I swear it almost felt too good to drink, like there was something in it besides just water, but I couldn't quite put my hoof on it. Not that I cared, so much for the crappy river water I had collected earlier, I thought. Lifting my head up for a breath, I looked up at the moon and smiled.

“Who are you?” the soft voice of a mare spoke out from behind me.

I jumped startled; I hadn't expected anypony else to be out here! I turned, wiping the water from my muzzle. An excuse was already formulating in my mind as I spun around. Though the moment I turned all of my thoughts shattered into tiny pieces, and I almost lost my balance as I saw who stood there in front of me!

Her beautiful dark blue coat glistened in the moonlight, her dark blue and purple mane fading into and ending in swirling starlight. She was wearing a slick black dress coat, it looked so light I imagined it didn't do much for her in the cold. I saw her black cutie mark with a bright crescent moon upon its center. Her narrow, bluish teal, bright piercing eyes glanced me up and down, her wings bristling slightly. The dark alicorn stood there awaiting my response.

“I umm, you!” I stammered, “stars! I umm, I mean,” I quickly tried to sort out my mane and matted coat before throwing myself onto the ground.

“Princess Luna...” I breathed; my head bowed.

She tilted her head, “yes that is who I am,” she stepped closer, “but I believe I asked who you are?” She averred, gesturing for me to rise.

I felt my heart running a million miles a second! I was still trying to process that the Goddess of the Night, Princess Luna of all ponies was talking to me! Me! I mean what in the stars was she even doing out here!?

“I, my name is Cresce-, uhh Crescent Feather,” I stuttered looking up into her beautiful eyes.

“Well then,” she started, trotting past me with an eyebrow raised, “what are you doing out here all alone in the dark Feather, shouldn't you be inside somewhere? Asleep, where it is safe?” She scoffed indignantly, rolling her eyes before turning to look at the moonlit pool.

“Not exactly,” I responded hesitantly, “I don't actually sleep during the night,” I shuffled my hooves nervously. “Let alone really have a place to sleep,” I added quietly to myself.

That seemed to catch her by surprise, “oh, is that so?” She murmured, turning to look at me.

It was then that I saw her notice what I had hoped she wouldn't...

“Oh, stars what's happened to you?” she gasped, eyes wide, as her professional demeanor dropped to one of worry and concern.

I looked down at my hooves, “I'm so sorry, if I'd known that I'd meet you out here of all ponies, I would have made more of an effort to clean myself up,” I murmured, looking away with shame.

“You look...” she lost her words, “are you all alone out here?”

I nodded as I scrunched back, not wanting to look her in the eyes.

“Stars, for how long?”

“Years…” I replied quietly as I looked away with shame.

She looked shocked, and I shuffled my hooves in embarrassment. I've looked up to Princess Luna since I was a little filly, this was the one pony in all of Equestria who might understand! I would have killed to just be able to talk to her! But now that she’s here… Right here in front of me… What could I say? Why would someone like her ever care about someone as filthy and broken as me? How silly she must think I am.

“What about your family? What about your home? Friends?” she queried.

I shook my head and spoke hesitantly, “all I have is your night,” I murmured. I looked back at my cutie mark, I caught her looking at it as well.

“What do you mean?” She asked, her tone shifting from one of pity to rather one of surprise and curiosity.

“I... Well,” I paused, should I tell her? I've never told anypony before. Would she even care? “It’s fine Princess, really,” I stammered, “you need not trouble yourself.”

The little pony in my head screamed at me to just turn and run away! The demands from my panicked mind, however, didn't seem to translate to my legs which were completely locked in place.

“I will be the judge of what I should or should not be troubled with,” she growled, “now I believe I asked you a question.”

I backstepped a little at her tone. but her gaze wasn’t one of cruelty or impatience, instead she actually looked, hopeful?

I shuffled my hooves again before taking a long breath, hesitantly, I told her the story of how I had gotten my cutie mark, wincing in certain parts as I told her. Her gaze remained nothing but respectful as she listened intently. It was as though she had me in some sort of trance. I just couldn't stop myself as I poured my heart out to the dark Princess, whom I had only just met.

I looked up and saw she was now watching me with curiosity and a degree of sadness towards me that I had never seen on another pony before.

“Please go on,” she urged.

I looked away, knowing what I was about to say was just going to sound either silly or insane. “I…uh, I ran away, and I, I've lived in the dark ever since.” I murmured nervously.

I had never told anypony that before, why was I telling her! Why had I told her? Was it just because I hadn't talked to anypony in so long? I suppose being who she was, I guess it was just easy for me to talk to her?

Without warning she threw her hooves around me in a hug. I swear it felt like my heart was about to explode from my chest! This was the mare who I had idealized my entire life, I had only ever dreamed of meeting her! And now I was here in her arms of all things!

In her arms!

It just seemed so surreal. My mind was squeeing like a little filly who just got her cutie mark! I finally relaxed and let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. She smelled... Clean, was all I could think, clean and sweet, I felt ashamed that I was so filthy in comparison. Still, I wished she would hold me like this forever...

“I thought I was the only one,” She breathed. Only a moment passed but it felt like an eternity, “sorry,” she stuttered, shaking her head and letting go. Taking a step back, she wiped her eyes before returning her gaze to me.

I had to take a moment to compose myself as well.

“What do you mean the only one?” I asked.

“You’re saying you're nocturnal, are you not?” she replied with a hopeful smile.

I nodded and she regarded me for several moments before continuing, “my entire life, I assumed ponies like you, ponies like me, didn't exist anymore. I had never found any, so I stopped searching, I thought I was the only one.”

She took a breath before closing her eyes. A second later and she opened them again. My own eyes widened as I stared back at her. Princess Luna now looked at me skeptically with sharp nocturnal slitted eyes, It almost reminded me of a cat's eyes, or a snake’s…

“Does this frighten you?”

I backstepped and sorted myself before taking a calming breath and looking back up at her.

“No, of course not, you just caught me off guard, I've never seen eyes like those before.”

The dark mare smiled, “these are my real eyes, what you saw before was simply an illusion I portray to avoid any… harsh, reactions from others.”

I could understand that, most ponies might be terrified if they saw eyes like that, I suppose I don't really know why I wasn't. Perhaps it's because I've always dreamed of meeting the Dark Princess? The more I looked at her eyes, the more I actually began to like them better; and besides, I knew what it was like to be different.

“If it's any consolation, I actually think they're quite lovely.” I said, hoping my compliment didn't sound too weird or out of place.

“I appreciate that Feather.” Luna said with a small smile.

She paused for a moment as she regarded me. “Why don't you come back with me.” The starlit mare offered with a smile.

“Wha- what!?”

“We’ll get you cleaned up and perhaps…” she paused thoughtfully for a moment, looking up at the moon. “Perhaps I could find a place for you at mine and my sister's castle?”

I sat down hard. “But you've only just met me, how could you offer me such a thing?” I gasped, still not believing what I had just heard.

“I may have only just met you Feather, but having heard what you said, I wouldn't feel right abandoning somepony who has so clearly dedicated their life to my night.”

She was serious! She was actually serious! I can't believe it!

“I… I don't know what to say,” I stammered, feeling tears beginning to pool up in my eyes.

“You don't need to say anything,” she whispered softly, her tone somber, “I too, know what it's like to be alone...”

I was in shock; I still couldn't believe what had just happened.

“Thank you, Princess.” was all I could think to say as I bowed my head.

“Come,” She prompted, gesturing with a wing for me to follow as she pushed off the ground far more gracefully than I did as I strained my wings to join her.

___

We were flying for quite a long time; my wings were beyond sore as we made our way through another stretch of grassy hills. I could see the silhouette of Canterlot way off in the distance, but it became more obscured the further we went. The beginnings of a dark forest eventually came into view below, and I could see Luna and Celestia’s grand castle begin to crest on the horizon.

“Princess, can I ask you something?” I asked as I flew closer up to her, wobbling a little from the wind.

“Of course,” came the response.

“If I'm not being too intrusive, what were you doing so far out away from your home?” I asked. I knew she had to have been out there for a reason and as much as I wanted it to be, I knew that reason definitely wasn't me.

She looked out into the horizon, “sometimes even I have to get away from everypony, more specifically my sister,” she shook her head with frustration.

“I swear sometimes she just makes me want to-” she made a strangling gesture with her hooves before giving a little laugh, “you get the idea.”

She glanced back at me, saw the exhausted expression on my face, and thankfully slowed her pace.

“Besides,” she continued, “I found that moon pool when I was just a filly a little over two centuries years ago. I've always found it a good place to clear my head.”

My eyes widened, two centuries! I mean I knew she was immortal, but I guess I never took too much time to really think about what that meant. I couldn't imagine living forever let alone as long as she already had. In retrospect I supposed being around for two hundred-ish years was still nothing compared to the eternity that stood in front of her, I could only imagine how she must feel.

“I can't imagine what it must be like to live forever,” I commented as we flew, the castle in the distance not looking so distant anymore as I began to see the details of the grand structure.

There were several pointed towers stretching far up into the sky doubling the length of the trees below. The walls of the towers were made up of dark dull gray stone, and at their base they together joined a much larger massive main structure. The main structure was composed of a darker colored stone than that of the towers, spacing out the dull gray were beautifully stained-glass windows of light blues and the occasional reflective pink. All together the grand castle was, well… grand. Below said massive castle was a beautiful well-kept courtyard; a stone path lined with statues of the two regal sisters led all the way to the giant staircase leading to the castle's main entrance. Even further beyond that, were a collection of smaller buildings I only assumed were for staff or the royal guard.

“It is hardly as dreadful as one might think,” she responded, “in fact as daunting as it was at first, I have rather come to enjoy the prospect,” she looked thoughtfully into the distance.

“I mean think of all the things I'll be able to witness, all of the history! Fantasies of the distant future could eventually become a reality given enough time,” she laughed dryly, “and time is not a commodity that I am in short supply of, believe me.”

“I suppose I never thought of it like that” I responded, maybe thinking from that perspective, being immortal might not be so bad after all. Still, I couldn't imagine it.

Finally, we arrived! I followed Princess Luna down to the courtyard and we landed-- well I basically crashed-- at the base of the stone stairs that led to the massive door of the structure that looked even more impressive now that I was on the ground.

“Ouch… that didn't look fun,” she gave me a concerned yet amused look as she helped me to my hooves, “are you alright?”

“Fine,” I responded, quickly dusting myself off and flushing with embarrassment, “just sore.”
Looking around I noticed to my dismay that all of the statues I had thought were of the two sisters surrounding the castle, were instead just that of Luna's sister. Upon further inspection, looking up the walls of the castle, I noticed the many banners; all of which boasted a sun insignia in their center.

I reeled, “where are the statues of you, where are the tapestries and banners of the moon!” I demanded, spinning about and doing a double take of my surroundings.

She gave me a look of surprise.

“This is disrespectful, it’s as if you don't-”

“Exist...” she finished my sentence for me, I blinked turning towards her.

“It's fine, I'm used to it,” she replied looking down, “but...” she perked up.

“You're different, you're not like the rest, I matter to you… Right?” she asked, giving me a look of anticipation.

“Of course, obviously,” I reassured her, “I've looked up to you my entire life.”

She gave me a look of excitement, “I may have just figured out what place you could have here,” she beamed.

“Now I know we just met, and I know it's sudden, but I've lived for over two hundred years, and I have yet to meet another pony who shares my ideals like you do, it would be foolish of me to let this opportunity pass me by.”

She took a breath, “Feather, how would you like to serve me? Perhaps in time, maybe even become my personal Regent?” she asked with a hopeful smile.

My eyes widened, I had no idea what that entailed, but I didn't care, I couldn't have been more thrilled that Princess Luna of all ponies had offered me anything at all!

“I, uhh... I would be honored!” I stammered barely managing to keep myself from bouncing with excitement.

“Just what exactly would that imply?” I asked, hoping I didn't sound too uneducated.

"It means you would serve me however I deem fit, what I had in mind is that you are to be my personal guard, assistant, a pony whom I can count on.”

“Oh,” I muttered as my head drooped, “sorry to say but I don't have much in the way of combat experience, nor am I very organized, I've also never had anypony depend on me before so I don't know how much use I would be to you,” I admitted sadly.

As much as I wanted to serve Luna, I couldn't lie to her, I was woefully ill equipped for such a position. In fact, I was surprised she had even offered it to me in the first place, I'd just be letting her down…

Stars, I was pathetic, even I was starting to look at myself with disgust. The last thing I wanted was for her to look at me with pity or judgment, the same look ponies have given me my entire life, but instead, she smiled at me with a grin nearing amusement...

“I don't care,” she said brightly as she lifted my head up with her hoof, “as utterly sad as it is to say, you have already demonstrated more loyalty to me tonight than anypony has in a very long time.”

“If you're willing, I will teach you how to defend not only yourself, but me as well, you will learn how to carry yourself with professionalism and dignity,” she stated with clarity. In a darker, more seductive tone she continued. “Given enough time, I will turn you into my weapon, my loyal soldier,” She took a step back.

“How does that sound?”

I was baffled, I can't believe Princess Luna wants to train me! I thought with excitement, I couldn't believe she would bother to take the time on somepony like me! I looked back towards the tall, beautiful dark mare who was awaiting my response.

“I would like nothing more,” I responded, bowing my head respectfully.

“Good,” she purred. “We will begin as soon as tomorrow night. In the meantime, let's get you cleaned up, and then you can tell me more about yourself,” she prompted, gesturing for me to follow her up the stairs, “and food, I'll have the kitchen prepare you the best meal of your life.”

Clearly amused by my expression she grinned back at me.
“Coming?”

I took a deep breath, finally for the first time in my life I felt like I was right where I was supposed to be. I smiled as I followed after her.

Author's Note

Oh this first chapter took me a while to get it to a place where I liked it enough to post. I have already written most of this story and will be posting more chapters soon. I appreciate any feed back and thank you for being interested in my little (not so little) story.