Royal Beginnings

Apple woke, her eyes practically glued shut with sleep and her wing cramping hard beneath her. Groaning, she rolled off the bed and crawled on the floor towards the bathroom with her eyes closed, bumping into furniture along the way. Her head ached fiercely and her mouth felt like she had been eating sand, her tongue swollen and dry.

Toilet taken care of, she rinsed her face, ungluing her eyelids and blinking in the darkness. Soft motes of light wisps were floating around the room, softly illuminating the bathroom. She looked horrible in the mirror, her mane greasy and frazzled, her fur rough and spiked. How long was she out for? What time was it? What day? She felt panic rising, no one had woken her to care for Luna! Almost immediately she felt a soothing presence in her mind, a caress of concern and comfort. Apple breathed a sigh of relief, leaning into the phantom touch. Luna was awake, and was alright. The touch left her, and she shakily leaned against the sink, mentally checking herself over. She was hungry and dehydrated, but otherwise okay. No sign of injury after Luna’s loss of temper, the healing spell did its work well. Apple turned on the faucet, drinking cold water straight from the bathroom tap until her stomach was tight and painful. She needed food, to be clean and most importantly, coffee. And to maybe find out what night it was.

Heading back into her room, she saw a pile of scrolls on the table. As she watched, a new one appeared in a flash of purple light and dropped onto the pile. Why would anypony be sending her mail, her presence here was hardly public knowledge. Ignoring the stack, Apple requested some food and started making herself some coffee. A knock came at the door almost immediately, too quickly to be room service. Frowning, Apple hobbled over to the door and peered around it to find Raven standing there holding a tray of food.

“Good evening, Apple Harvest.” Raven said primly. “May I enter?”

Still not entirely awake, Apple gestured Raven in with a wing before going back to making her coffee. Raven stepped through the door, immediately taking in the stack of scrolls, each bearing a seal of a six pointed star. Another scroll flashed into existence, dropping onto the stack.

“I see Miss Sparkle has wasted no time in attempting to discover all there is to know about Thestrals and your relationship with Luna.” She said, setting down the tray next to the stack. “She was most distraught after her conversation with Princess Celestia.” Raven’s tone was clearly disapproving.

“Mmph.” Apple drained the cup of coffee in a single gulp, the hot liquid burning its way down her throat. “Mmpgh?” She gestured vaguely at the tray in question.

“You collapsed outside your room three days ago after a magical surge in Luna’s chambers.” Raven began unpacking the tray, revealing bagels, fruit and an assortment of spreads. “The guard you threw food over dragged you into bed and called for assistance, to which resulted in Princess Celestia herself casting a high level healing spell over you.” Apple raised an eyebrow. Raven began to spread cream cheese on a bagel. “Princess Luna’s spell was effective, but no stronger than basic first aid. You had several cracked ribs and a skull fracture. You have been asleep for three days.” Raven floated the bagel over to Apple, who grabbed it from her magic, considering. Three days? Possibly exhaustion, on top of her injuries. She had barely slept for a week of hard travel.

“How did you know I was awake?”

“I was alerted by my own spell which I hung on your door once we had put you to bed.” Raven was very matter of fact about spying on her, Apple thought. “I know you are still recovering, but I must know what you spoke with Princess Luna about before the magical surge caused your injuries.” Raven looked directly at Apple Harvest, her eyes piercing. “Luna has refused all visitors, she hasnt left her room or spoken with anypony. I must know what she is plotting, if she is a threat to Princess Celestia.”

Apple chewed, returning Raven’s stare thoughtfully. Celestia said she wouldn't ask her to spy, but here was her minion sniffing for information. “I won't tell you what we spoke about.” Apple scooped up some strawberries, savouring their sweetness and ignoring Raven’s protest. “But I can tell you Luna is no threat. She has simply been away from others too long.”

Raven sat back in the chair, her hoof tapping against the table. “I have been Princess Celestia’s personal aide and assistant for over thirty years. She has been planning for Luna’s return the entire time I have known her. I have seen how much she is hurt by Princess Luna’s refusal to speak with her.” Raven leaned forward, and Apple took the opportunity to shove a piece of apple in her mouth. “I know you don't like Princess Celestia, I know you feel your reasons are justified. But if you are here to restart the war, if you are here to hurt my Princess, I will make you disappear faster than you can blink.” The menace in her voice was clear, and Apple knew that Raven had done this before, threatened ponies or worse. She swallowed the piece of apple, and reached for another. She felt Luna stir in her mind, a querying curiosity. Did she need help? Sending back her own soothing amusement, Apple nibbled on the apple. It was a honeycrisp apple, if she wasn't mistaken.

“You know, before I got my cutie mark, when I was still too young to fly, I got lost, separated from my parents.” Apple kept her tone light. Raven was here not as a friend, but a threat, and she would answer her in kind. “I was found by a pegasus, who thought it was hilarious he had found a freak who had wings but couldn't fly. He picked me up, and dropped me from the sky. Several times. My parents didn't think I would survive my injuries, but I did. One of my mothers was so furious she went to find that pegasi, and tore his wings right off him with her teeth.” Apple made a show of licking her fangs free of juice, and Raven’s face paled. “We are survivors, you see. Our town has only survived because we made sure that no pony who saw us lived. I lived, and I learned to fight.”

Apple stood up, stretching. “I learned not to fight fair, but to fight hard, dirty and fast. I learned how to kill a pony before they could raise the alarm.” She lifted her wing, pointing at her cutie mark, an apple floating in a vial. The apple of her mark was covered in goo in the shape of a ponies skull. “I earned my cutie mark not through healing, but harm. You come to my room and threaten me, and by threatening me you threaten my Princess. You don't seem to realise that your continued existence is at my pleasure. I could tear out your throat faster than your little horn can cast a spell.” In a flash, Apple was on top of Raven, knocking her to the floor. The room spun around her, but still she pushed her teeth into Raven’s throat and held steady, Raven would feel a pinch, but she didn't break skin. The mare’s breathing was sharp and panicked, but to her credit she didn't cry out for the guard that Apple was sure was waiting just outside the door. Her voice was soft, cold and left no room for misunderstanding. “Just as you serve Celestia, I will serve Luna in any way she requires. You may think you are in charge, but I will be ruled by no one but her. If you threaten her again, threaten me, you will not live long enough to see sunrise. You and I can be comrades, or we can be enemies. If you choose to be my enemy, you had better invest in a taste tester, because my specialty is poison.” Releasing Raven, she staggered back into her chair.

Raven sat up, fixing her mussed mane and picking up her own chair, breathing hard. Apple sipped at a glass of water, her body definitely wasn't up for a fight just yet but she would be damned if she would let Raven see that. “Luna isn't a threat, especially not to Celestia. I don't know why she is refusing visitors, but it may be because she doesnt speak Equuish.”

“She what?” Raven paused in smoothing down her fur.

“Equuish, she doesn't understand it. She speaks high Equuish, and high Thestrus. I can understand her, and possibly Celestia, but she doesn't understand us.”

Raven’s mouth dropped. “She spoke a very clear Equuish at the party in Ponyville after Princess Celestia was released from the sun!”

Apple raised her eyebrows at that. “Did she? It was possible the residual magic of the Nightmare and the elements translate for you, or possible that Celestia had been casting a translation spell. Either way, whatever spell was allowing her to understand Equuish has worn off. Your ponies may as well be speaking Prench.”

Raven buttered her own bagel, choosing marmalade to top it. The tension between them eased in a mutual understanding of each other’s roles and abilities, neither was a mare to be crossed. Apple poured herself some apple juice, sipping at it quietly as she contemplated the issue before them.

“But if she can understand Princess Celestia, why is she refusing to see her too?”

“I'm not sure. It may be for her own reasons, or she still needs time to process being imprisoned for over a thousand years by her own sister?”

“How can she process it if she refuses to speak with her?” Raven was back to looking immaculate and holding her bitten bagel aloft.

“It's not for me to question Luna’s motives.” Another scroll appeared next to them in a flash of purple and promptly rolled off the table onto the floor. “But if you would like to help, I would appreciate you procuring books for me. Foals books, how to read, that sort of thing, and history books. Real history, mind, not Celestia’s version of history. I would get them myself, but I'm afraid wandering around the castle myself would cause a riot.”

Raven lifted the scroll, balancing it on top of the others. “I can do this for you. But I would like a guarantee, that should Luna become a threat, should the Nightmare appear to be returning, you will not hide this information from me.”

Apple learned back, patting her stomach. “I serve Luna.”

“I understand that but-”

“No, I think you are misunderstanding. I serve Luna, and Luna alone. I do not serve the Nightmare. Should I see the Nightmare returning to harm my Princess, I will stop at nothing to protect her.”

Raven considered this, tilting her head. “You believe they are separate?”

“I know they are. I can't tell you how, but Luna and the Nightmare are completely different beings.” Anypony who had felt their presence in their mind would understand, but she didn't want the knowledge that thestrals could feel the emotions of a Princess spreading further than necessary.

Raven seemed satisfied with this. “Very well, I will trust you with this. I think we can be of great use to each other.” She offered her hoof to shake, a truce.

“Provided we don't kill each other first.” Apple grinned, leaning across the table to shake her hoof. “But I must ask, what are these ever mounting scrolls on my table?”

“Twilight Sparkle.” Raven couldn't keep the exasperation out of her face. “She has an insatiable curiosity about everything, I have never met a pony more dedicated to learning. She spoke at great length about your ability to do magic without a horn, it seemed to bother her greatly. These will be letters to you, imploring you to divulge everything, perhaps subject yourself for testing in some form. Be warned though,” Raven picked up a scroll, examining the seal. “She will not take no for an answer. If you choose to give her nothing, she will do everything in her power, including spying, to understand you. She was always a curious little foal.”

Apple smiled, imagining a tiny Twilight spying on the unflappable Raven to see how she ticked. “Speaking from experience?”

“She decided that my ability to make Princess Celestia’s schedule always run seamlessly was worth investigating. I found her in my bathtub, trying to establish if I knew time magic.” Raven smiled at the memory. “She was most disappointed to find out that it wasnt time magic, but extreme organisation as a part of my special talent, but then she got excited about organisation. The castle was ‘organised’ in every way it could be for months until Princess Celestia confined her to only reorganising her room and the library.”

Raven began to clear the table. “I must be getting to my duties. I will have the books requested sent up to you.” She looked again at the mountain of scrolls. “I really do recommend telling her enough to satiate her curiosity. She will be relentless otherwise.”

Apple laughed, “I will take your advice, thank you.” She could feel Luna’s presence in her mind becoming a pressure. Clearly, Her Grace was impatient to see her. “I must attend to Luna, she must be awake now.”

The pair parted ways, Raven heading into the depths of the castle and Apple Harvest knocking on the door of her Princess. The door opened on its own, Luna smiling with joy and worry. “Are you well, Apple Harvest? I understand that Celestia had to cast a more powerful healing spell on you.” Luna patted Apple down over her body, worrying over her. It felt nice, and Apple indulged for a moment before stepping back.

“I am well, Your Grace. I was just exhausted from my travels, and needed rest.” She paused. “You are using common Thestrus!”

Luna looked slightly guilty. “Whilst you were unconscious, I stepped into your dreams. I was most worried about you, and wanted to assure myself of your wellbeing. Whilst there I observed your dreams, and learned the common tongue. It is not so different from High Thestrus.” Luna paused, considering her next question. “You dream of foals often. Do you have children?”

Apple looked away. “No, Your Grace. I simply miss my tribe. We may be small, but we are close. I’m glad my dreams were of use to you.”

She could tell Luna wanted to press, but was grateful when she didn't. “Your Grace, I wish to teach you Equuish, or the common tongue used by Equestrians. I will have some books sent up so you can also learn to read them. Will you allow me to teach you?”

Luna patted her mane once more before stepping back. “I would be most grateful, young Apple Harvest. I fear I have shunned the outside world since my return.” She spread her wings, opening the curtain to allow the moon to illuminate the room. “And as to your unasked question about my sister, I’m afraid I am as yet unable to control my rage at the knowledge of the massacre of my children. I will see her, but not until I am ready.”

Apple bowed, she truly couldn't hide a thing from Luna. “Yes, Your Grace. If you will it, we shall begin.”