Royal Beginnings

The door was unassuming, bland and blank. Apple knew she looked terrible, reeked of travel and was still carrying her herb bag. She could feel Luna through the door, a deep well of sadness and grief that seemed to radiate from within. Stinky or not, Apple was needed by her princess. She could hear Twilight still questioning Celestia, asking something about Thestrals, but now wasn’t the time. Raising her hoof, she knocked gently. Luna’s presence moved from the door, but wasn't unwelcoming, so she pushed open the door and stepped into the darkness.

Wordlessly Apple slipped into a deep bow, waiting for her eyes to adjust. It wasn't just dark in here, but pitch black, and the scent of deep arcane magic was overpowering. It wasn't magic like Celestia’s which tasted like sunshine and sherbert, but a slightly more heady taste, like mulled spiced wine or a deeply complex mushroom soup. Apple bared her fangs until the sensations passed, and she could smell herself over the magic. This must be Luna’s magic, her own wards put up to protect Equestria from herself.

“Dic nomen tuum.” The voice from the darkness was melodical and soft, like bells upon the wind. Apple frowned, the language was so familiar, but so different. Like a memory of a dream.

“Te ipsum nominare.” This was a command, that much was clear. Apple Harvest shook her head, her eyes adjusting to the darkness before her. She could see a mare not much larger than herself, with a horn about as long as a unicorn, standing before a large bed. The room was opulent, if sparsely decorated. Clearly, despite the prophecy, Celestia hadnt known what to do with her sister.

“My name is Apple Harvest.” Apple tried in Equuish. Luna tilted her head, clearly not understanding. Slipping into Thestrus, Apple tried again. “Your Grace, I am known as Apple Harvest.” Most ponies wouldn't even be able to hear Thestrus, but Alicorns, especially Luna, were different.

Luna stepped forward, her eyes curious but wary. “Thee art a Thestral?” Her thestrus was of an older type, but Apple sagged in relief at being able to understand her.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I was summoned to assist you in your return.” Apple’s cheeks burned at finally addressing Princess Luna, the mare who she had grown up with as a story of her tribes rise and fall. “I felt you awaken, please forgive my appearance. I have travelled far.”

“Mine own sist'r might not but has't f'rgotten basic hospitality f'r thee to taketh me in such a state. As well as basic spellcasting. I hath heard thee guarding me out thence, I thanketh thee f'r it.”

“Are you hungry? I can have food brought in.”

“I am, but I shall waiteth until thee art crisp and refreshed from thy journey”. Luna paced across the room, sitting before the large window covered by heavy drapes. The afternoon sun must be sinking below the horizon soon, Celestia would raise the moon. Apple wondered how Luna was feeling about that fact. “I might not but admiteth I am still gath'ring mine own thoughts. Thee may returneth once thee art refreshed.”

Apple didn't understand everything, but she got enough to know she had to come back clean before Luna would eat. She felt Luna’s attention turn from her, and knew she was dismissed. “As you wish, Your Grace.” Bowing deeply again, she slipped out of the room to come face to face with Twilight Sparkle.

“Was she in there? Is she awake? Can I speak with her? Can you teach me to smell magic?” The little purple unicorn was clearly very excited about something.

“Yes, yes, no, no.” Apple Harvest walked quickly back to her own chambers, hopeful of being rid of her.

“Please, I've never met a pony like you, a Thestral. Where have you been all these years? How do you fly? How can you do magic without a horn? It doesn't make sense!” Twilight was now walking in front of her, taking notes. “How big are your wings? What are they made of? Do your ear tufts serve any function or are they decorative? You have fangs, what is your diet?”

Apple Harvest paused outside her door, staring at the starry eyed unicorn. ‘You should ask your mentor where my people have been. Once you have done that, and Her Grace no longer requires me, I will be glad to answer your questions.” Apple was smug, Celestia would have a great time explaining genocide to such an eager little pupil. “Until then, I must get cleaned up.”

Stepping into her room, which was beautifully decorated, clearly the room given to travelling diplomats, she closed the door on Twilight’s curious face. The pulley system was simple, pull on the spelled rope and speak what you desired into the tube. “Her Grace Princess Luna and one aide require dinner please, brought to my chambers” Apple paused, considering. “May you please also provide dessert, something chocolate based.”

“Received and acknowledged. Time estimate is 30 minutes.” Came the disembodied reply. Apple sagged, her bag dropping to the floor. She wished she could speak with Vorpal, tell him everything that had happened, but he was several days flight away. The village would be on the move, and he would be anxious to get them hidden. She would have to find a way to send him a message, tell him Celestia needed to make a treaty with him, but right now she was exhausted and dirty. Making her way to the gleaming golden bathroom, Apple mustered a brief glare at the sheer display of wealth around her. The bath was already full of steaming, fragrant hot water, the scent of oranges wisping through the air. Hot water was a luxury in her village, each bucket carried from the well and warmed by a fire or manually by magic by one of their few mages, and enough for an entire bathtub was unheard of. Celestia’s sigil decorated nearly every surface in some way, in the mosaics, in the etchings on the taps. Garish, Apple thought to herself. Garish and gold. Still, waste not, want not, and time was ticking. She climbed into the bath, hissing as the hot water hit her travel weary muscles. Her exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her, eyelids growing heavy.

Apple had left for Canterlot the evening after the royal guards had delivered the letter, forgoing sleep in the day to pack her apothecary and help Vorpal with the evacuation. Star had to be coaxed out from under her desk, tearful and reluctant. Apple’s heart twinged. She had charged little Star with her store of bandages, that he should be the one to wrap up any scrapes and falls amongst the foals in her absence, she hoped the duty would ease the pain of her parting. Vorpal was moving the village deeper into Foal Mountains, away from the prying eyes of the sun. Apple had to travel constantly to reach Canterlot in time for the solstice, resting only briefly during the brightest hour of the day. The night of the solstice she had been struck down by the sudden rush of power that had radiated from the moon, the stars whirling above to free the twisted alicorn trapped within the moon. Her joy at Luna’s return had been immediately quashed by the realisation that Nightmare Moon still inhabited her body, the weak telepathic link to the Princess had opened in her head like a flower, giving her access to the Nightmare’s emotions and hateful desires. She had felt Nightmare Moon’s battle against the elements as she had struggled up the mountain, unable to fly as she knew her wings would guide her straight into the battle. Each step had been torture, fighting against the will of the Nightmare, like knives plunging into each hoof. She knew she had to reach Canterlot, lest she condemn her people to another thousand years of suffering in the name of the Nightmare. Thestrals would fight for Luna’s return, not Nightmare Moon’s victory. Apple blew bubbles in the water as she ruminated on the stories passed down their generations, how Luna’s link to the Thestrals had grown twisted and corrupted, forcing them to commit abhorrent actions against their will. She could certainly understand why, the pain she had felt resisting even the weakened Nightmare would haunt her for years to come. She had felt the building release of the elements, stripping the Nightmare from Luna's mind. If she had to describe it, the presence in her mind was cleansed from a space of malice and hate to a confused whimper. Now she had a Princess who she could barely understand, another Princess who was clearly not ready to fully trust and welcome back her sister, a protege who was dangerously curious, and no way to contact her village to let them know about Celestia. Hmm.

Stepping out the bath clean but no less exhausted, Apple briefly towel dried herself before making her way to a small kitchenette. Coffee! Coffee just sitting there in an odd neat little bag! Apple Harvest hadnt had real coffee in years, not since she negotiated trade with a delightfully odd elderly stallion with a cutie mark of pears, who had tactfully not mentioned her fangs when she had taken a sip. Mixing the instant coffee into more hot water, boiling hot from a tap, such luxury, she breathed in the bitter and rich scent. Delicious. She could feel herself reviving slightly, which she was grateful for.

A knock at the door pulled her from her reverie, a small voice calling out “R-room s-service!” It must be the food, Apple thought, opening the door to a terrified pale orange pony. They were shaking from hoof to tail tip, their eyes wide at the sight of her. A tray laden with food was carried in their magic, covered with ornate silver dishes. Apple tried to smile kindly, only for the tray to be delicately placed at her hooves and the orange pony fleeing for their life. She shook her head, ponies would have to get used to her sooner or later. They would have to get used to many changes if Celestia meant what she said about co-ruling with Luna again. She was still slightly damp, but it would have to do. Collecting the tray and her coffee, she made her way back to Luna’s chambers. It had been a long week, but she wouldn't be able to sleep for a while yet.

Bowing as deeply as she could while carrying a tray on her back, she waited again for her eyes to adjust to the pitch black darkness.

“I have dinner, I hope it is to your liking, Your Grace.”

“I has't not eaten f'r ov'r a thousand years,” Luna was still nothing more than a shape in the darkness. “It smells delicious, though strange.”

Apple slid the tray onto a small table and began to unpack it. “I imagine so. It appears we have garlic greens, loaded potato, a quail egg salad and,” Apple sniffed in gratitude, her stomach rumbling. “Pasta.”

“Pasta?” Luna’s tongue rolled around the unfamiliar word, tasting it. “What is Pasta, pray tell?”

Apple considered how to describe pasta. “Wheat, sifted and processed into a soft white flour that had been shaped into a dough, then boiled and covered in a sauce. In this case, butter, cream and garlic.”

“Yond sounds decadent.”

“Hmm yes, perhaps start with the salad, see how your stomach handles it. It’s your first meal in a long time, I don't want you to get sick.” Apple felt a flash of amusement from Luna as she sat down across from her.

“Getting sick is doubtful f'r me, but I shall hark to thy sage counsel, healer.” Luna delicately took a small bite of salad greens, chewing thoughtfully. Apple sipped at her coffee, stabbing a potato with a fork.

“What is yond utensil?”

Apple looked down at her fork, her tired mind struggling to catch up. “My fork?”

“May I seeth?” Luna was staring at the fork, her face furrowed.

“Yes, Your Grace.” Apple could have facehooved as she realised why Luna was interested. Forks hadn't been invented in Luna’s time, ponies used to graze directly from the plate, or use small knives or spoons. “Forks became popular a few hundred years ago, when ponies realised it helped keep their hooves cleaner.” Apple grabbed the fork that she had set aside for Luna, holding it aloft on her hoof. Luna’s eyes glittered with interest as she turned the fork over in her magic, testing the prongs.

“How curious.” She hovered the fork over the plate. “How doth it w'rk?”

Apple picked up her own fork, then demonstrated the various ways a pony could pick up food with it. Luna delightedly mimicked her, giggling when the fried greens refused to stay on the fork.

“It appears much hath changed in mine own absence if the words thee hath used upon arriving art indication.” Luna spoke through mouthfuls of food. “Pray tell, what of the other Thestrals? I cannot feeleth those folk, only thyself.”

Apple sputtered on the remains of her coffee. Heavens, Luna had only just been released and already was asking the difficult questions. “F-feel them, Your Grace?”

“As thee can senseth me, I can senseth thee. Tis a trait I built into thee upon thy creation.” Luna had sipped at a chalice of water, blue eyes piercing Apple. “I may has't been gone f'r a thousand moons but I wouldst knoweth mine own bairns art well.”

Apple couldn't speak, she simply sat there gaping at Luna. This was not in the histories. They spoke of Luna being the mother to thestrals, not that she had created them by her own hoof!

“This tidings is a surprise to thee. I created thestrals of mine owneth blood entwined with the clearest moonlight,” Luna explained. “I wove deep arcane magics and spoke thee into existence, thee art as much a parteth of me as mine owneth heart.”

Apple sat, stunned. Alicorn blood, moonlight and magic, they were a part of Luna herself!

Luna put her fork to the side, leaning forward. “I bid thee tell me of the animosity between thee and mine own sist'r. I findeth it curious yond mine own sist'r wouldst setteth me an aide who dislikes h'r so. Is it related to the fact I cannot feeleth thy brethren?”

Apple swallowed, her wings shifting anxiously. She was not the one who was supposed to bear this news to Luna, but if what she said is true, and the link went both ways, it would be impossible to hide it.

“Well, as the elders have told me, after the battle of the Long Night, you were gone.”

“This I knoweth.” Luna said dryly, clearing the last of the potato.

“Um, yes, well, Celestia, that is Princess Celestia-”

“I knoweth thee doth not respect h'r, thee doth not have necessity to pretendeth to in mine own presence. What I need to knoweth is why telling me terrifies thee. I may appeareth young but I am no foal, it is a necessity to knoweth wherefore thee holdeth such animosity f'r h'r.”

Apple took a deep breath. “After you were banished, the war didn't end. Thestrals tried to continue your will, as when they stopped great pain enveloped their bodies. So they continued to fight for thee - I mean you, and many ponies died. Celestia, in her rage and sorrow, decreed that no thestral could continue to live. She,” Apple swallowed. Somehow it was so easy to be angry at Celestia for her part in this, but baring it in front of Luna was so much worse. Like confessing a dark secret. “She ordered ponies to hunt us down, erase us. So many of us died, so many children. We ran. Over time our numbers dwindled, and eventually, there were only a handful of us left. We survived, but we hid in the shadows in a forest far from here. I don't know how Celestia found me, but she did, and asked me to come here, to be your friend, in return for allowing my people to be citizens again.” Apple bowed her head in shame, for good or ill, Luna now knew she wasn't here of her own free will, but to gain something from the posting.

The room grew cold, frost creeping along the floor and moonlight pouring through the window. Luna, her foalish body casting a shadow of a much larger alicorn, one with a flowing mane and a horn as long as Celestia’s. Apple began to shiver, both with the cold and from fear.

“I’m sorry, this was the only way I could save my people.” She gasped out from between frozen lips.

Luna turned to her, her blue eyes now a pure and dazzling white.

“SHE HADST MINE OWN BAIRNS MURDERED?” The Royal Canterlot Voice thundered in the tiny room and the force of it hit Apple Harvest like slamming into a tree. Apple collapsed to the ground screaming in pain, clutching her ears. She wrapped her wings tightly around herself, the frost floor crackling under her as she writhed in agony. “HAD SHE NAY PITY F’R THE THESTRALS AS VICTIMS OF THE NIGHTMARE?” Apple felt one of her eardrums burst, the pain in her head mounting. Blood began trickling from her nose. Am I to die here? She thought. Am I to die having restarted the war?

Warmth rushed back into the room as Luna noticed her curled up on the floor in agony. Apple Harvest groaned in pain as moonlight lit up around her. “Apple Harvest! Forgive me!” She felt a blue glow wash over her, as gentle and warm as a breeze on a summer night. Her ear crackled and mended, the ache in her head fading away. Apple gasped at the release of pain, rolling over to see Luna standing over her with worry lining her face. “I did not intend to hurt thee, I am not used to company and mine own temper raged. Art thee well?”

Weakly, Apple used a wing to push herself shakily from the ground. “I'm okay, I’m alright Your Grace. I apologise for angering you, Your Grace.” She collapsed back down into a deep bow with her head scraping the floor, tears flowing from her eyes. “I'm so sorry.”

Deep blue feathers lifted her chin as Luna gazed down into her eyes. “Doth not apologise to me, mine own child. Thee has't done nothing but bid me what I asked of thee. It is I who is to apologise.”

Luna stood, swaying on her hooves. “I hath used too much magic this night, I am still weakened from mine own ordeal. Shall thee beest able to findeth thy way backeth to thy chambers?”

Apple stood, offering her side for Luna to lean on as she made her way to the bed. “I will be alright, Your Grace. Should I send for anypony?”

“Nay, leaveth me to mine own rest.” Luna collapsed on the bed. “I shall summon thee in the eve of tomorrow. I has't much to learneth about what has transpired whilst I was exile.”

Luna brushed a wing over Apple’s face again, before leaning back onto the pillow. Apple gathered the remains of their dinner and their uneaten dessert, bowing out of the door. Despite Luna’s healing spell and the coffee, her entire body ached and the hall span dangerously. She staggered, dumping the tray of food on top of the guard standing in the hall. Food spattered down her face as she looked at Apple in shock, but she was too tired to care. Her body screamed at her to rest, but her hooves were so heavy and the door was so far away. Apple slid down the wall next to the guard, her vision blurring. “S’rry.” She slurred, right before hitting the floor.