Chapters Getting into the School for Gifted Unicorns was big enough of a feat for Burnie. He had spent months honing his magic, reading, studying, anything to push past the small expectations every pony had placed on him. Many told him he would make a good assistant to a higher ranked unicorn, or to become something simpler. Like a librarian, his magic would have made moving books easy and fast. But Burnie had dreams beyond that, beyond the small boundaries of his town, beyond what other ponies believed what he could do.
And he did it, got in, devoted himself to his studies. Watched as his peers fought for the highest titles, the highest grades. Watched as Twilight sparkle gained the watchful gaze of Princess Celestia. Burnie couldn't help the bitterness at that, the sting in his simple cutie mark. He wanted their gaze, specifically the gaze of Princess Luna. He remembers when he was a small foal, how he spent hours reading books about her. His only company the small glow from his horn, and the stars above. Burnie had pondered the weight and burden of being destined to control the moon, devoting utter admiration for anyone that tried. Maybe that's when it started, his drive to push forward, to leave his small town for bigger and greater things. To hone his magic farther than anyone in his town could reach.
That's how he ended up here, far from the center of Canterlot, trotting through the walls of the castle. His hoofs echoing on the polished, pristine floors. Princess Luna had sent for him, requesting a personal audience with Burnie. Him, of all ponies, she called for him. He can feel the buzz of anxiety in his legs, in his head, as the halls widen. Closer and closer to the throne room, nothing was disclosed in the letter regarding what this was about, Burnie is walking in blind. With no clue how high, or low, he should hold his horn. Had he made a mistake? Had his magic been deemed too weak for his position and required a Princess to tell him so, to remove any idea of becoming a pony who matters fully from his head. Or perhaps it was the opposite, maybe his magic was something great, maybe the hours of work had finally paid off, maybe this was it. The start of something new, something bigger and better. Is he reaching farther than even he thought possible?
The throne room doors slide open without the assistance of a pony, the guards stationed on either side do not spare Burnie a glance. Eyes forward and heads held high. Burnie almost falls over his hoofs when he sees her, Princess Luna. Seated on her throne, mane flowing in a breeze he can't seem to feel. Her gaze is not unkind as it settles upon him, but it is not soft either. It's not often you see softness in the eyes of Alicorns, fighting to earn the title does not end once it's reached. Fighting to retain that status is just as important, Burnie almost shudders at the idea. His steps slow until he comes to a stop in front of the throne, lowering his head, almost enough for his horn to brush against the carpeted floor.
“Princess Luna.” He greets, remaining bowed for a moment longer before he lifts his head. His cutie mark practically burns below her assessing gaze. And he watches as she shifts in the throne, can feel the air humming with her magic.
“BurnieGav, I am pleased you made it. The ride here was smooth I hope?” She drawls, the velvety sound of her voice fills his ears, and he nods.
“Yes- Yes it was fine.” He says immediately, almost cursing himself for how eager he sounds. He shifts on his hoofs, forcing himself to maintain eye contact.
“I was very surprised when I received your letter, and I’m honored, Princess.” Burnie says, tilting his head to the side slightly as he continues, “May I ask what this summons was about?” Burnie questions, hoping his asking isn't considered out of line. But he can't help it, he’s itching to know what it is she needs, what it is that he did to garner her attention.
“Ah, yes of course.” Luna says, her gaze shifting elsewhere as he pauses to gather her words properly. “I am in need of a personal assistant.” Luna says, and Burnie’s whole world comes to a screeching halt. A personal assistant.
“The castle receives regular updates on any gifted pony, and your name was mentioned enough to make me take notice, Burnie.” Luna says, her gaze shifting back to Burnie. She doesn't miss the way he's practically vibrating with excitement. Her eyes narrow slightly, and Burnie stiffens.
“Do not take this offer lightly, Burnie. My duties run long, require more magic than you may have needed to use before. It's a taxing role, my last assistant quick after a week.” Luna says, standing from her throne, taking slow steps down the set of stairs.
“It will require your full attention, focus, and utter dedication.” She says, circling Burnie, who turns to keep his eyes on her. “I will not stand for mistakes, nor will I make up for what you may lack.” She mutters, coming to a pause directly in front of him. She lowers her high held head, getting on his level. And Burnie swallows.
“Are you willing to accept this?” She asks, her head tilting to the side slightly, and Burnie leans away to keep their horns from touching. And he takes a moment, a very needed moment. This is everything he has ever wanted, everything he could dream of. To be at the side of the pony he has admired for his whole life, to work alongside one of the strongest forces in Equestria. He’ll do it, no matter what it may take from him. He will devote his magic to this role.
“Yes, of course I will, Princess.” Burnie says, steeling himself, straightening his body and holding it a bit higher. He watches as he does the same, a flicker of what he could swear is relief in her gaze. And she turns away, nodding towards one of her guards, they present a small box.
“Good.” She says firmly, her horn glowing slightly as she commands the box to open, necklace floats out of it. Thick, branded with her mark, a moon. And it floats towards Burnie, over his head to settle around his neck.
“This will allow you access to anything you may need in the castle, and mark your status.” Luna explains, returning to her spot on her throne. And Burnie wordlessly nods in acknowledgement, his gaze drifting down to take in the necklace. Luna continues,
“Your personal items will be moved here to the castle, you will take the empty chambers in my wing.” Luna says, and Burnie’s gaze snaps up, he can't help how his eyes widen. He will stay in her wing of the castle? That close to her chambers? He knows that's most likely standard for a personal assistant, to be close when she calls, but he can't help but be nervous. Any pony would be nervous of course, but Burnie most. His admiration had turned into something else, something he had refused to name, when he grew from a small foal into a matured unicorn. Something he finds utterly embarrassing, but you can't control what your heart yearns to reach out to.
Eventually, Burnie remembers to nod once more, to acknowledge his Princesses' words. And with a flick of her horn, Burnie is leaving the throne room. Following a silent guard to where he will be spending the next however long. He takes in the castle as they trot, the stained glass windows that hold more history than he can learn about. The scenes the glass paints, the sun drifting through the glass, casting the halls in an array of colors. Burnie turns his gaze forward once more when they reach a large door. This one is different from the others in the castle, the unique design signifying where they are entering. The painted moon, intricate details of silver across the handles. The doors swing open
Burnie can't ignore the distinct mark of Luna’s magic in these halls, the way it sits heavy in the air. The hallway is long, branching off to other sections, but there are only a few doors. One, he can tell is a library, which he is itching to enter and spend hours in. another is clear to be Luna’s room, at the cusp of the hall, the door large but tightly sealed. He distantly wonders if he will ever enter through those doors. But his attention is shifted when a different set of doors is opened, the guard he had been following steps to the side, not saying a word. Burnie enters, looking around the room that is now his. His items have already been moved, the boxes sitting off to the side.
The room is breathtakingly nice, lavish curtains to frame huge windows. A bed bigger than his previous room, a desk, and many shelves. It is sparsely decorated, leaving the personalization to whoever resides inside this room. Burnie wonders if he’ll last long enough to fill the empty corners and bare surfaces, he hopes so. Burnie spends the rest of his day unpacking, putting away his things, filling the mostly empty shelves with what little he has. A plate appears on his desk, dinner, and a book. Assumingly something Luna wants him to read to start his journey as her assistant. Below that is a letter. Burnie will have two days to settle in, prepare and get used to the layout of the castle before his job fully begins. It's Luna’s handwriting, which makes him tuck that note somewhere safe to keep, even though he should throw it away. But the whispers of her magic that still linger on the parchment soothes a part of him that was off put by the silent halls. So it sits in the drawer of his nightstand.
Distantly, as Burnie lay in bed slowly drifting off to sleep, he felt a presence outside of his door. Hears hooves come to a stop, linger there for a moment. He could have sworn the door creaked open for a brief moment, a pair of eyes on him. But he drifts off before he can think too long on it, the relief of sleep taking him quick. He does not dream of anything in particular that night, just the stars and the distant, soft voice of Luna.
Burnie started his day slow, his eyes felt heavy as they opened. The warmth of his bed and the heaviness of his body threatens to pull him back to sleep, but the smell of wood wakes him right up. Burnie’s stomach growls loudly, and he turns his head to the side. Searching for the source of the smell, which is a plate seated on his desk. Mixed with the smell of bacon and eggs is a hint of Luna’s magic, a feeling Burnie won't admit he's already memorized. His heart beats faster at the knowledge that Luna was in his room and took time out of her day to bring him food.
Burnie eats slowly, wondering if Luna cooked the food herself, but he doubts it. No one spared that kind of time for him, not even his parents. He pushes that thought away, focusing on the task at hand. He only has two days to settle in, read as much as he can, and prepare to work alongside the Princess. So he gathers the books she left him, ignoring how the pages smell like her, and he exits his room. Burnie has always preferred to read in different settings, like the forest behind his old home, or next to the creek out of town.
He wanders the halls, occasionally ducking his head into rooms when he gathers the courage to. He eventually steps fully into one, his attention caught by what was inside. It's a hall of tapestry and paintings. Each depicts another scene, a story laid out across the walls. One side of Princess Celestia, how she earned her powers. The other holds imagery of Princess Luna, and Burnie follows the story.
He sees depictions of her childhood, her relationship with her sister. And her time as Nightmare moon. Burnie knows all about her already, he spent his childhood reading every book he could get his hooves on. It was an obsession, Burnie will admit that. But it's tamed down now, shifted more towards admiration rather than a flat out obsession. And maybe, now that he's actually met her, it may be more than admiration. The flutter in his stomach, the pounding of his heart. It feels as though something has sprouted in his chest and is growing flowers. Burnie refuses to name it.
He pauses in front of a certain tapestry, something about it makes his hooves halt, the tapestry itself isn't something grand, or remarkable. It's a depiction of Luna, silhouetted by the moon, her hair lifted by the wind. It's normal, a typical depiction of a royal pony. But for some reason, Burnie steps forward, closer and closer, his legs moving on his own. And he suddenly comes to a halt when his horn brushes against the woven fabric of the tapestry. And he blinks, his face twisting up in confusion. But when Burnie takes a step back, the distinct sound of stone shifting against stone fills the room. And Burnie jumps.
Hesitantly, he steps around the tapestry, his horn glowing to light the dark space. What he finds surprises him, he hadn't expected the castle to have hidden passages, but he's certainly looking at one. The wall had shifted to open a small doorway, he could see the start of stairs in the dark. And given the dust, he can tell this door hasn't been opened in a long time. And with a conflicted frown, Burnie turns back towards the exit of the room. He should leave now, head to the royal garden and read like he planned. But a small voice in his head beckons him forward. And Burnie listens.
Slowly, he makes his way down the seemingly endless stairs. There is no railing, and in the center of the spiraling staircase is a hole, one wrong move, and Burnie would go tumbling down into the abyss. So keeps his head forward, horn alight, and hooves carefully as he descends further into the dark. After what feels like thirty minutes or so, the air starts to feel heavier, and the stairs flatten into a platform before continuing down. Alongside a simple doorway.
Tired from the stairs, Burnie opts to step into the room. The moment he does, he feels as though the air had been sucked out of his lungs, and his legs tremble. Burnie makes a small noise, his head falling as he attempts to catch his breath. But that only makes him freeze, because what he sees staining the brick floor looks suspiciously like blood. It's old, dried and seeped into the bricks, but its there.
Burnie stumbles away from the stain, his heart hammering in his chest. And his back bumps into something else, making him jump once more and whirl around. He squints at the glass display case, the room too dark for him to see inside. So he leans closer, hoping maybe whatever is inside will give him an explanation to the blood stain. His horn bumps against the glass, and suddenly the whole room is filled with light. Rows of now burning torches sit on the wall of the long room. And Burnie freezes when he can finally see what was in the case.
It's a helmet, the dark gleam of the metal, the intricate design. Burnie immediately recognizes it, the cold in the air all makes sense now. Because the helmet of Nightmare Moon stares right back at Burnie. And he takes a slow, calculated step back.
This must be an old storage room, locked away so no one could get their hands on it, so the Princesses could erase the stain of Nightmare Moon. The rest of her armor is displayed similarly in the room. Alongside old tapestry and items dedicated to her. Nightmare Moon had worshipers, people who believed she was what the world needed, that eternal night was a gift rather than a curse. The history books Burnie read had taught him of that, portraying the distorted view of ponies all those years ago.
Burnie is snapped out of his train of thought when he hears distant steps going down the stairs. And his heart pounds, because he knows he should be here. If he gets caught, what if Luna sends him away? What if she revokes her request before he even had time to start? So, as fast as he could manage without making noise, Burnie steps further into the room. Ducking behind a tapestry, tucks himself into the small alcove and holds his breath.
Slowly the footsteps become louder, approaching the room. And they stop for a moment, before stepping inside. Whatever pony is here, Burnie knows they’re looking for him. Looking for the potential intruder. So he presses himself tighter against the wall. Silently prays to whatever god is out there at the pony leaves.
It's silent for a very long moment, not a sound is heard in the room aside from the crackle of torches. And Burnie almost relaxes, almost. Because suddenly, the tapestry he was hiding behind is being yanked to the side. And Burnie is standing face to face with Princess Luna herself. Her face inches from his own. Her eyes meeting Burnie’s wide ones. She doesn't look angry at least, but it's always hard to tell with her expressionless face. He swallows thickly, unwilling to speak up first.
“Burnie.” She eventually says, eyes narrowing. Her voice is flat, controlled, and his legs shake.
“Y-yes my Princess?” Burnie stammers out. Watching as she tilts her head to the side slightly, her horn brushing against his. Making Burnie jump again, her gaze softens at that as he leans away. Silently, Burnie misses the closeness.
“You're not in trouble.” She says, and he almost collapses in relief, “I'm just…surprised, that you found this place.” She continues, stepping back into the room. Burnie follows her.
“I am ashamed of this history.” She says, staring down at the display cases, and Burnie follows her gaze. Staring at the helmet, shivering at how it almost whispers to him. Begging him to put it on, the tainted magic lingering on the metal still has powers. Burnie can't imagine what it would do to a pony if they were to wear it. So he turns his gaze back to Luna, unwilling to let himself be tempted by the idea of power.
She's already looking at him when he turns, and he stiffens slightly at that fact.
“But it is a history that needs to be studied, you can learn many things from your past mistakes.” Luna says, sitting down on the floor, away from the armor, and she gestures for Burnie to do the same.
He complies easily, he's always fought against authority, but its Luna of all ponies. He’ll willingly listen to her any day. He sits down in front of her, head tilted back to maintain eye contact.
“I assume you already know the story? My sister and I made sure that it was taught throughout schools.” She says, and Burnie wordlessly nods at her words. She smiles, softly, but there's a hint of pain in her eyes. Burnie understands, she did bad things, and she paid the price for it. But many ponies still believe she should have remained locked on the moon, never to return to the earth. They doubt her ability and power.
“And what do you think of me, knowing what I've done?” She asks, nodding towards the armor. And Burnie pauses, takes in her words. He's silent for a moment before carefully answering.
“I know what you did was bad, but I also know that our mistakes don't define us. Just because you did bad things doesn't make you a bad person, especially since you were practically controlled by dark magic while doing it. And you served your punishment for it.” Burnie says gently, and he swears Luna’s gaze brightens, if for a moment.
“I also think you're making up for it, with all the work you're doing now I mean.” Burnie adds, his front hooves shifting on the ground, and Luna smiles again. Brighter this time.
“Thank you, for saying that Burnie.” She says as she stands, heading towards the door. Burnie follows after her, hardly noticing that the stain of blood on the floor has suddenly disappeared. He lets it leave his mind, because Luna is wrapping a wing over him and bringing Burnie to her side as they start to ascend the stairs.
He casts Luna a confused look, the feeling of her warmth against him makes his heart race. She smirks as if she can feel it.
“Wouldn't want you to fall before we got our chance to read together in the garden.” She murmurs, keeping him close as they walk. And Burnie mindlessly nods, head fuzzy from the feeling of her. But her explanation makes sense.
Though his gaze snaps back into focus at the second half of her sentence. Read in the garden, together?What?!
Chapter 3
Burnie’s mind is still reeling even though they’ve long ascended the stairwell, making their way through the castle walls. Towards the royal gardens. Because Luna wants to read with him, Burnie, of all people. He hadn't even proposed the idea, mainly out of fear that she'd think him a fool for even considering it.
But she had brought it up herself, while Burnie was tucked against her side and internally screaming. She had led him to her library, she picked out her own books, while grabbing a few for Burnie. And together, they walked. Together, that idea is still foreign in Burnie’s mind. He doesn't consider himself a together person, he spent his childhood, and every other part of his life, alone. He hadn't had friends in the academy, and he doesn't have friends here.
Maybe, he'd be able to consider Luna a friend, at some point. But Burnie isn't trusting, not to that level. Sure, she’s the princess, an alicorn with power beyond comprehension. Burnie allows surface level contact, light conversation. But anything deeper makes his skin crawl and his gut churn. As a filly, he learned early on no one cared to learn about his life and struggles, so he stopped talking about them. Became loud and funny to make up for that silence.
He's snapped out of his thoughts when they reach the royal gardens, Luna guiding him towards a willow tree, sitting below it and gesturing for Burnie to do the same. And he does, easily, because despite his fears and apprehension this is a dream come true. He’ll allow himself this, this moment, this closeness. And maybe his hooves tremble as he gets comfortable, but Luna doesn't say anything. In fact, neither of them speak much.
Reading doesn't leave much space for conversation, both of them have books in front of them, the sound of turning pages fills the space. But Burnie isn't really reading, he can't focus. He stares at the words, turns pages and pretends to read, but he isn't at all. All he can focus on is Luna, his gaze flickering up every so often, pausing to watch her. The focus in her gaze, the glow of her magic as she turns pages. He can't help it, not when she's so close, not when she's right there.
He knows this is all It’ll ever be, someone like Brunie would never be able to have someone like her. It's not a dream because it's utterly unreachable, it's just a fantasy. His heart can ache as much as it wants, but this will never change. Burnie will remain by her side, as her assistant, but that's it. It’ll probably hurt more, if Burnie continues like this. Stealing glances, relishing in the feeling of her touch, but he's okay with that. He’s dealt with a lot more hurt than just this. It's fine, he’s fine, he always is.
“Is your book boring you?” Luna asks, and Burnie realizes he's been staring far too long. His shoulders tense and his cheeks grow hot in embarrassment.
“Ah- No, sorry Princess.” He mutters, his gaze falling back to his pages, back to the words he isn't reading. He doesn't look back up, does not see her frown at his seemingly darkened eyes.
“It's fine.” She assures him, his apology unnecessary “Are you alright?” She asks, her tone careful. She knows she could just demand an answer out of him, but it clearly looks as though he is genuinely troubled.
“Yes Princess.” He says, her frown only deepens. And suddenly, Burnie feels an invisible force tipping his head up, raising his gaze to hers.
“You need not lie to me, Burnie,” she says. “I can tell something is bothering you, though you are not obligated to share.” She says, the weight dropping from his chin as she does. The tension in Burnie’s shoulders loosen slightly at her words, they’re reassuring.
“I guess I’m a bit homesick.” He says, which is partly a lie. He misses his bed. “Er- I mean, not that I regret coming here or anything!” Burnie amends, realizing how his words may have come off as rude. And he starts to ramble, a bad habit he's not quite grown out of.
“I am glad to be here, really I am! The- the castle is lovely, and I'm excited to start my work, don't get me wrong. It's just- the castle is very far from my home town so it's weird. I mean- the castle isn't weird, it's just-” She cuts him off before he can dig himself into an even deeper hole, and Burnie is grateful for that.
“I understand what you mean, Burnie.” She says with a light chuckle, amusement dancing in her eyes. And that’s enough for Burnie’s legs to feel weak, for his head to feel fuzzy.
So he doesn't respond, instead turns his gaze back to his book with a curt nod. This time, he forces himself to read, not wanting to subject himself to the embarrassment of zoning out while staring at Luna. or gods forbid rambling like that again.
Eventually, he gets lost in the book, devouring every word on the pages. It's from Luna’s last assistant that stayed for more than a few months. Detailing tasks, somewhat like a diary. With needed information Burnie would not have known without it, so he silently thanks whoever wrote this.
The sun starts to lower in the sky, the gentle lighting in the garden flickering to life. And only when stars start to peak through the clouds does Burnie look up, only to find Luna is asleep. In front of him.
He's immediately panicking, looking around for some form of help, because he isn't sure what to do. He can't leave her here, but is it a good idea to wake her up? Burnie has no clue.
He glances down at his book, hoping there might be an answer there. Something about Luna’s preferences when it comes to this thing, if this has even happened before.
He freezes at what he reads.
‘Do not interact with Princess Luna while she is asleep, she sleepwalks. Her room is spelled to keep her in at night due to the fact that when she is sleep walking, she attacks unprovoked. Believed to be a lingering effect of Nightmare moon.’
Burnie is panicking even more now, his heart pounding in his chest. And he doesn't dare move an inch. Maybe her sleeping mind won't notice him if he doesn't move.
Slowly, he can hear her rise, and he lifts his gaze. Watching as, with closed eyes, Luna stands. Her horn flickering to life with magic, her body taut and tense.
And she steps towards Burnie with the gait of a lion hunting its prey. Crap.