I'm a Nightmare!

I couldn’t go back to sleep after that. The icy feeling of dread that seemed to trickle through my veins wouldn’t let me. I was just too focused on thinking of how to break the news to the others without Luna breaking my neck. I was sure she would find a way to twist the situation around in her head to make herself believe that I was threatening them instead of warning them.

These thoughts then gave rise to even more slightly disturbing ones. Could I actually be killed? As far as I knew alicorns were immortal, but I didn’t know if they were indestructible. Somehow that scared me. Also, if I was able to be killed, then they could be killed. If news of my death reached this secret cult, then what’s to stop them from killing the others?

My mind went through this and other completely insane scenarios as I stood out there on the balcony. The offending piece of paper held in place by my hoof as I stared off into the distance.

So, it was with a frazzled mind and half closed eyes that I entered the dining hall that morning.

Luna and Celestia were already at the table when I walked in. I got a small smile from Celestia as she sipped her tea, and Luna pointedly ignored me. I sat as far away from either of them as possible. Almost immediately a servant rushed out with a pot of coffee. She poured me a cup and left just as quickly as she came. I grabbed the mug with my hooves and chugged the whole thing, not caring that it was still scalding hot as it slid down my throat. Though, I did grab the pitcher of water from the other end of the table and chugged that as well. I sucked some of the water down my windpipe and began to cough violently

This action served to get Celestia looking at me with worry in her eyes, Luna just became even more obvious in her attempt to ignore me as she started humming something that sounded like a battle march.

“Shadow, are you alright?” asked Celestia. Setting down her teacup, she made to get up and come to my aid. I lifted my wing as a sign to keep her away, my mind was still racing with how I should tell them about the note. None of my ideas seemed appropriate.

Celestia kept glancing at me worriedly throughout the meal. I finally finished the omelet that had been brought to me, and had also figured out exactly what I needed to say, to Celestia. Unfortunately Shining Armour walked the moment I began to open my mouth.

“Princess Celestia,” he said. “I have those recruits you were asking for.”

“Thank you, Shining Armour.” she said to him. Looking at me and Luna she said, “If you two will excuse me, I have some future guards to welcome.”  She stood up from the table and left the dining hall with Shining Armour, leaving Luna and I in the room, alone.

For the next five minutes all I heard was the frantic beating of my heart. Surprisingly it was Luna who broke the awkward silence.

“You seem very different.” She said, still looking at her rather small meal. I almost choked on my tea. After swallowing it past the sudden lump of fear in my throat I looked at her and asked,

“W-what do you mean?” Yes, I was truly a master of fear.

“You do not have that confidence you had last night.” She replied, looking straight into my eyes.

“I was still in shock then. Right now, well, I am quickly realizing what this means for me. I feel so alone right now. I know the other princesses are trying to help, but I’m not sure that they truly understand what I’m going through.” I looked up from the table, and found myself looking into the stunned face of Princess Luna.

“You are-” I didn’t get to hear the end of that sentence, because at that moment an enormous explosion was heard from the front gates. Right where Celestia was with the new recruits. Luna’s eyes grew wide for just a moment, and then she teleported, leaving me alone in the dining hall. I bolted out of there soon after.

I moved as fast as I could through the halls in a desperate attempt to get to the entrance, the only problem was that I had no idea where it was. Luckily I found a group of guards going there as well and followed after them. I might not have known how to fight with magic, but I could definitely kick and bite.

That did no good though, for by the time I reached the entrance the fight was already over. Nopony was dead, but there were plenty who were terrible wounded. Luna rushed around frantically shifting through the debris looking for something, while Cadence helped Shining Armour tend to the wounded. I simply stood there for a few moments, trying to take in what I was seeing.Luna finally noticed I was there and rushed towards me.

“Please, tell me that you’ve seen them!” She said, looking frantic and desperate at the same time.

“Seen who?” I asked, as I slowly pushed her back from me.

“My sister, and Twilight!” She almost shouted, as she went back to looking through the rubble.

“No, I haven’t-” I started to reply, when a raspy voice at my hooves cut me off.

“M-my Queen.” came the voice. “I’m sorry, but we failed.” said a small colt, by the looks of him he was barely an adult. Luna simply stared, hatred burning in her eyes.

“Um, w-what do you mean?” I asked, staring down at him and the amount of blood that covered him.

“We c-could only capture two of them. T-the other two, are too strong. P-please, defeat them.” The look of wonder and hope in his eyes was absolutely staggering, but so was my fear. He continued to speak, talking about how unworthy he was for failing me, and how I should kill him on the spot. All I could do was stare, and be stared at. The whole world had been put on pause for those eternal minutes, then a guard came to pry the colt off of me and take him to the infirmary. The room was silent for a few more seconds.

“WHAT!”

Funny thing about the Royal voice, it is very good a breaking silence