Prologue, Beginning of Long Winter
The Life and Times of Clover the Clever
A Translation of Writings by the Unicorn Clover, Student of Starswirl the Bearded
by Lexi Con, with Foreword by Shamrock Reed
Foreword
When I was a colt growing up in central Manehattan, I would often slink away to the school's library during recess while my various classmates would gallop to the yard or gossip amongst themselves. When the bells rang to end the day's lessons, I would again settle into my usual place in that hall of books, only leaving when ponies came by to light the streetlamps. As often as not, I'd find myself reading about the history and development of magic. Magic is something that all unicorns grow up with. Actually, I suppose it's something we all grow up with. Earth ponies and pegasi may have a less direct connection, but we all see it, rely on it, and it is certainly an inextricable part of life in Equestria. I, myself, have never been a particularly powerful practitioner of spells or one to master new applications, but I have always been fascinated by the history of this incredible force. It only takes one sight of a Timberwolf turned to a pile of kindling by an iridescent blast of energy, one tale from a friend of unquestionable reliability of an Ursa Minor being lulled to sleep and carried away by a lone unicorn, one written account of the origin of teleportation (which I strongly urge the curious to go read, even if it requires putting this book down for a time) to understand the power that flows all around us. It is incredibly easy to take magic as mundane, because it is. We unicorns take to leviating objects around simply because we can. Enchanted items and magical creatures are far from rare if you know where to look. I believe, however, that it is of extreme importance to respect and understand magic. The key to understanding it is, like many things, in its history. It is an easy thing to forget, but all magic was new at one point. There was an age before leviation, before teleportation, before combat magic or cloudwalking. The forces of nature that allow it are ever-present, but all magic has pioneers. While understanding these pioneers does not change the practical difficulty or applicability of a given spell or ability, it does help us understand them and know what we should work towards in the future to develop and what we should turn away from. It was this train of thought that first brought Lexi and I together.
I was on assignment in Saddle Arabia some nine, ten years ago when I first heard of the journals of Clover. A colleague I had been working with mentioned them, an apparent discovery in an underground vault. Haughtily (and looking back, foolishly) I scoffed at the stallion. Writings from the pre-classical era were an extreme rarity at best, and someone had unearthed the journals of Starswirl's pupil? Ridiculous, I thought. And even if someone had, what benefit would they be? Miraculously, Starswirl's veritable library of magical tomes survives to current day largely intact. I did not see how his apprentice could offer us more than what he had, particularly when her involvement in history is already well-known. After all, I'm sure most of you know the name as "the Hearth's Warming Eve character" even if you didn't know the history behind it. My work there continued without incident, and it wasn't until two years later that I was contacted by a translator by the name of Lexi Con who knew me by reputation from Starswirl: The Personal Enigma. She wanted to hear my historical perspective on some books she had been studying. She wouldn't say which books, but I was curious enough to pay her a visit.
When I arrived, I discovered the very books I had once dismissed out of hoof. Soon, however, we began discussion on them, and the new information that Lexi had learned, and I was stuck to them just as surely as she had been. It is my profound pleasure to present to you her findings, and to offer my historical knowledge where appropriate. What were mere thought-keeping pages at the time have become unicorn history, magic history, and the history of Equestria. These are no spell tomes, but they have illuminated my perspective on Starswirl the Bearded in particular, and do offer perspective on magic and politics of the time as well. I strongly recommend one with interest in any one of these topics to read, and insistently urge anyone with interest in all of them to do so. It is my wish that you have the opportunity, either again or for the first time, to feel what I felt as the sunset spilled into that old Manehattan library as you read this.
-Shamrock Reed
Translator's Note: This work will note the dates of Clover's entries by the commonly accepted "PRC" notation for pre-classical timeframe events for the sake of simplicity. The exact and original numbering and dates of all entries will be listed in order in an appendix at the end of the book.
-L.C.
Marwes 27, PRC-47
Today marks my inaugural entry in my first journal. Master Starswirl seemed so aghast that I hadn't been carrying one one until today! I can't tell if that means that he has scores of them along with his magical studies or if he simply thinks it will be a good practice for me. Either way, he has given me nothing but good, if often cynical, advice until now and the journal is an easy thing to take to.
Maveth 11, PRC-47
~~Ugh! I hate nobility.~~
~~I strongly dislike n~~
Nobility can be difficult to deal with. Princess Platinum is well-intentioned, but she can have the most frustrating 'problems', and the unseasonably cold weather seems to only exacerbate her propensity to mope about her personal discomfort amid sessions of legitimately planning the best course of action for all unicorns. I just...do not understand her at all. Master Starswirl tells me not to try, but I find it difficult not to, especially given how sh-[illegible, page torn from original journal]
Maveth 24, PRC-47
My studies under Master Starswirl are going well, but I worry about this winter more and more by the day. In March I could pretend that it was simply a lingering cold spell from winter, or something that the pegasi planned deliberately for reasons that would make sense to those who understand weather. Now, I hear unsettling rumblings that the pegasi don't understand either, and May is completely out of the question for flurries of snow, let alone fall of several inches. Master Starswirl tells me to stay focused on my magic, and I appreciate the direction. He gives me something to look at when I need it. ~~Though I guess Princess Platinum does that t~~
~~Oh my word did I really just write~~
~~nononononono STOP!~~
Note to self: auto-dictation magic to be used on one's own quill is a terrible idea, at least for journal entries.
Maveth 26, PRC-47
Today I visited the castle for the first time in a few weeks. The princess said she wanted me as an adviser! I could scarcely believe it. I don't understand why she would choose me over Master Starswirl. He's older, wiser, and without question has more useful magic. I started to ask, but...I don't know. I suppose the tone didn't feel right. Like if I questioned or refused the decision, I'd be doing something terrible. So I accepted, said it was a great honor, as if I was reading from some pre-planned speech. I think the princess picked up on how awkward I felt, with how she looked at me, but I'm grateful that she didn't pull me aside for it. I'll be packing my things along with Master Starswirl tomorrow. Having him still nearby should at least make the transition easier.
Maveth 31, PRC-47
Blah! I really DO hate moving. The room the princess arranged for me is nice, though. It's strange, having this large room all to myself. Having a fireplace, shelves with room to spare, a large bed with satin sheets...I'll adjust, I'm sure, but it's a far cry from living in the cramped hut or library or house or whatever Master Starswirl would have me call it. The two of us tripping over each other to reach for a book seems strangely nostalgic now. The sound of the blizzard winds is almost completely dulled from here, so if nothing else, it's certainly peaceful.
Jun 28, PRC-47
Sorry for the long hiatus, journal! Things have been busy. Actually, I'm not sure 'busy' really covers it. Trying to juggle the schedule I already had with Princess Platinum's frequent meetings has been draining at best. The research Master and I were doing before has been all but officially supplanted by mandated research from the upper echelons to see if magic can be used to stimulate plant growth, or affect unusual weather. This has led us on a very eclectic and diverse search that has clearly only begun. Master once pulled me aside and groaned that the kind of results they want could conceivably take years, and that we don't have them. I hope that he's wrong, but...I don't know. I'm just not sure. Even if he is, we haven't found anything yet, and the Continuing Committee seems to grow more impatient by the day. It's so damned frustrating! They give us such a series of demands and then expect results immediately! ~~I don't underst~~
No, I suppose I shouldn't be angry at them. This long winter has everyone at their wit's end, and everyone's hoping that somepony will have the answer since this is something we've never had to deal with. I overheard one of the couriers saying that we've been unable to contact the pegasi or earth ponies because of the gales around the capital. I hope it's temporary. We may be largely separated, but it's scary to think of this as something we're completely on our own in.
Speaking of scary, there's this business with the princess. Aside from every word I say apparently able to be interpreted as a way to give me more work, this kind of responsibility is staggering. Early in the month, she asked me whether we should hold out for a magical alternative or start digging into the royal reserves for food. In front of the committee! With no prep time! Me! I paused and stuttered, but since they clearly expected an answer, I said we should go into the reserves. I know that we don't have any viable magic and that the reserves are immense, but making this kind of decision is...difficult. I'm not used to having so much riding on a single sentence. The princess seemed pleased with my answer despite some discontent with the committee, though.
I wonder if her decisions have been this difficult all winter.
Julraan 4, PRC-47
The princess declared this week to be one of rest. In the short term we have more than enough food for everypony, and the winds inside the bounds of our territory have died down compared to usual, though we're still unable to send or receive messages from the other pony groups. It actually started yesterday, but I slept-or rather, passed out as soon as I reached my room after the day's afternoon meeting. There was some objection to it, but I think this is something that everypony has been needing. Even for those of us who have been bundled up and had a constant supply of food, every unicorn is feeling the effects of this winter. A week to play with friends, joke and tell tales at the fireplace, read and sleep lazily in bed. It'll do us all some good. Even Master Starswirl agreed with the proposal, to my shock. This is the stallion who once smacked me with his hat for taking too long of a lunch recess! At any rate, I plan to make the most of it.
Julraan 5, PRC-47
~~I don't~~
~~What just~~
Okay, calm down. I just...I really need to talk to somepony. But there's nopony I can go to with this. The princess just came on to me, and I don't know what I should do or say or anything. Oh spirits, I just ran away from her and back here, too.
~~Will she remove me as an adviser? Will she hate me for this? Did I want this? I don'taaaaaaa~~
No, no. Just calm down, Clover. Eat. Sleep. Then go talk to her with a clear head.
Maybe after a whole lot of cider, too.
Julraan 9, PRC-47
Well, it's been an interesting few days. I feel rather silly for my freakout now, though Platinum tells me that I shouldn't. I don't think I've had serious talks that lengthy with anypony before. She has been understanding, and much more level-headed about all of this than I expected, frankly, after how this started. Maybe we both needed some time apart to let things stew before we really got into it. Tomorrow marks the last rest day. I didn't intend to spend much time with anypony. I thought I would read fiction and curl up by the fireplace, maybe drink and socialize a bit. I think I'm happy with things as they are, though. The way our situations are now...it'll make life easier when everything ramps back up again. Platinum says she wants to make tomorrow a date. I'm not sure what she has in mind, but it sounds wonderful. It will be nice to be regarded as a mare for the first time in a long time as opposed to 'you there, mage'.
Julraan 15, PRC-47
Master and I have been back to work, and whether the rest or just a stroke of inspiration gave us the push we needed I couldn't say, but we finally found a way to break through the gales at the edge of our territory! We sent a messenger each to the earth pony and pegasus territories. The winter is still an issue, though, so we cast as many protection spells we could think of and gave them saddlebags filled to the brim with supplies before sending them off. I wish them well; they have an unenviable task ahead. It doesn't really change the reality of the long winter, but it feels good. It feels like a victory, however small. More than that, I suppose it's the pat on the head that Master Starswirl gave me that feels like a huge victory. I think that was the first time in my life he told me 'you did good' without a but, however, or although. I only modified a spell he had created, but I'm happy that he was pleased. Between that and having Platinum asleep next to me as I write, I don't think any blizzard in the world could bring me down right now.
Julraan 18, PRC-47
Work never really stops as far as the research is concerned, but the committee has been quiet for the last few days. Master says it's because of the messengers, that they want to see what happens when they return before committing to anything specific. We're still working hard, but our pace is less frenetic and the whole castle seems a little more at-ease now that we've put SOMETHING into motion. It's probably temporary, but I'll take whatever I can get. It's also good for Master Starswirl. I never noticed before today just how...tired he seems. I worry about him. He tells me not to, and I suppose I'd be more worried if he responded any other way. He still smarts off even to the committee, so maybe he's not that bad off after all.
Julraan 22, PRC-47
Sometimes I wonder if Platinum listens to me when I try to tell her about opacity. Aside from the fact that I'm reasonably sure I'd die of embarrassment if this got out, the princess being in a relationship is an unstable element in the public opinion. We've done well keeping away from prying eyes thus far largely due to the castle being her domain. Even she has her limits, though, and this dress is entirely too much. It feels amazing against me and it is just...so beautiful, but everyone knows I'm not this extravagant on my own. It's suspicious. I have to go talk to her about this. I'm far from ungrateful or upset that she's showering me with affection, but this is different.
Julraan 23, PRC-47
I'm keeping the dress. Damn it, eyes like hers are not fair.
Julraan 25, PRC-47
Our scouts both returned today. The earth pony messenger seemed hopeful. He apparently got a sense that they'd be easy to cooperate with about finding a solution and getting answers. The messenger for the pegasi though...she seemed well physically, but very stressed. She says that the pegasus commander--not a chancellor or princess or prince, but commander...is preparing for a war summit, to be held here. To say that I am nervous about the meetings ahead would be a profound understatement. I hope Platinum is ready for this.
Oh spirits, I hope I'm ready for this.
