MLP: Prelude pt 2
#2 of MLP: Prelude
In the weeks coming since the little foal was found by the couple, Night Hawk was called back to duty at the castle. Lunar had not yet grasped the idea that his surrogate father had work to do and started to cry softly for him. "Shh hush now my little stallion. daddy will be back come this evening." The unicorn mare leaned down into basket they used as a makeshift crib till the foal was old enough to have one. Upon her snout drawing close enough, the little colt looked up and lightly clung to her snout as she nuzzled his belly.
"You are just so precious my little one. Never change."
Once Lunar had release her muzzle, Andromeda looked for the plushie dragon that she had made for him only a few days ago. Looking under the table in which the basket was set she spied it. But before she was able to grasp it within her own magic, it was wrapped in a faint purple glow. Knowing that it was not her own, the unicorn looked back to the basket and noticed that the foal's tiny horn was glowing. The small plush toy floated over to Lunar before he clutched it within his tiny hooves and nuzzled into it.
"Well at least this you did not pick I or your father up this time."
Meanwhile, Night Hawk was trotting through the halls of the castle donned in his royal guard armor. He did not wish to be away from the newest member of their family but the stallion had a duty to uphold when he swore service to the crown.
"Hey Night Hawk. It's good to see you again."
He stopped in his patrol and turned around. Standing behind him was a filly Celestia. He smiled and dipped his head respectfully. "It is good to be back little princess."
"Is miss Andromeda going to be coming back also?"
Night shook his head. "Not as of now, which was why I was on my way to speak to your parents. Andromeda is at home taking care of our little foal." Celestia smiled wide at this and started to bound around.
"Oh wow I didn't know you were expecting."
"We aren't young princess, a foal was left on our doorstep so we took him in."
Celestia had stopped her bouncing and looked up to one of her parent's guards. "What kind of pony would do that to their foal?"
"I am not sure princess but it matters little now. Lunar is our foal and there is nothing we would not give him." Celestia nodded and accompanied Night as he made his way through the castle to the throne room. It was there that the two ruling ponies were holding their court.
"Next petition please."
Night Hawk walked in before anypony could say anything further. "Your majesties. I would like to petition lady Andromeda's absence."
Evening Star looked to his wife and then back to his guard. "To what reason do you make such a request Night Hawk. Keep in mind that you wife is one of my wife's personal bodyguards." Night dipped his head low before speaking once more.
"I understand your highness. But she is very busy right at this moment and wont be able to return to work till such time as it is appropriate."
Solaris rose from her throne beside her husband and descended the small ramp to the floor below. "And what time would that be Night Hawk?"
"Till their foal is old enough." Both of her parents and Night looked to the little princess. "Night told me that they found a foal on their doorstep some nights ago."
Evening Star rose from his throne. "Is this true Night?" The pegasus nodded. It was then that Solaris looked to her husband, could the force he felt those nights ago had been their friend?
"We request to see him if that is quite alright with you."
"I do not see a problem with it. The sight of new faces might be a bit much but I don't think is something that would be too much to handle."
Both Solaris and Evening Star nodded. "Well in light of everything so be it. We grant thee our blessing Night Hawk. May thy foal know only peace and joy."
The white mare looked up to her husband. "My love perhaps it best if one of us go. Celestia can come with me while you take care of things here." Evening Star nodded.
Back at home, Andromeda was busy in the kitchen getting lunch ready for herself and a bottle warmed for Lunar. The bottle of milk sat in a pot of slowly heating water while the unicorn mare prepared a sandwich for herself. Lunar however lay in his basket and played with his plush dragon. He held it above himself as he pretended that it was flying in the open sky, giggling as he did.
Andromeda looked back to the little foal upon the table and smiled. Eventually the young colt would become curious as to why his mother and father looked different then he did but until such time as that came about, she was just enjoying the time they spent together.
However as she was just sitting down to feed the little foal and eat her own meal, a knock came to the door. "I wonder who that might be." Lunar could have cared less, he was too busy playing with his stuffed dragon toy to even notice. As she opened the door it was the postmare delivering their mail. Some was from Night Hawk's mother in Airia, asking him why he could not have settled for a pegasus mare to which Andromeda shook her head. She knew Night's mother never truly like her because she was a unicorn and felt that unicorns should stay with their own kind. There were others from relations from either side of their family. None had yet heard about the tiny foal they found at their doorstep, least not yet anyhow. The only ones that knew of Lunar's existence were those that lived in town.
She closed the door and walked back inside and ate her meal before picking up the tiny foal in her magic, along with the bottle and trotted over to the chair before sitting upon it. She place the young alicorn is her lap and gave him the warm bottle of milk, that is before she tried to pry the dragon plush from his near death grip. The alicorn was quite stubborn when it came to what he wanted they found out but it was nothing that was not normal for foals his age.
As she was feeding Lunar, another knock came to the door. She quickly carried Lunar in her hooves and placed him back into his basket before answering the door. "Yes can I help... you?" Standing before her was Queen Solaris, with her daughter by her side.
"Your majesty I was not expecting you, please come in." Andromeda stepped to the side and allowed the two royal ponies entry while two guards stood at the door.
"Please forgive the intrusion Andromeda but we heard from you husband that you found a foal some nights ago and we came to see him."
"Why yes we did. It was raining quite heavily when my husband noticed the basket upon our doorstep. The poor thing was soaked clear to the bone, so we brought him in and took care of him. Our original thought was to take him to the local orphanage but we decided against it. We thought it must have been fate that he was given to us." She lead the large alicorn over to the basket by the warm fire. Lunar for his part just stared up at the queen with a look of confusion. That is until he saw a second face. It was Celestia's.
In that moment, something clicked between the two of them. The young princess may have only been five years old at the time but a deep connection was formed between them when their eyes locked. Solaris had seen it too, there was something about this little colt. Lunar just giggled happily, and opened his tiny wings.
"Mommy, he's like us." Solaris nodded.
"That he is my sunshine." She the looked to the unicorn mare. "What is his name?"
"Lunar Star your highness."
The shock finally hit the little princess as she squealed in delight. "Mother don't you realize what this means? We aren't the only ones anymore. There have to be more out there somewhere."
"Perhaps sunshine but for now you must calm yourself, you do not wish to startle the poor colt do you?" Celestia shook her head. "There are a few things Andromeda that you will have to know about alicorn foals. Unlike unicorns as you well know, our powers far exceed that which would be normal to the common pony. As your husband had told us, Lunar is showing signs of magic fluctuations. As you also know, unicorn foals only start showing these signs in eight to ten weeks where as alicorns show signs even as soon as they are born. Sun's light I could not tell you the trouble I had gone through when Celestia was born."
"Hey!" The filly protested.
Andromeda nodded. "Yes I had always wondered about that."
"Now then, what have you been feeding him?" The queen asked before she sat down beside the basket.
"Enriched cow's milk you highness."
"I see. While as good as a mother's milk, cow's milk lacks the magical enforcements that help ponies such as alicorns to grow. Might I suggest enhancing it with your own magic, that should suffice I believe. It need not be a lot, just a little here and there."
Using her own magic, Solaris picked the young Lunar up from his basket and gently clutched him within her wings. "Alicorns at a young age are normally held like this in their mother's wings. It is to give them a sense of security and peace. Since you do not have wings I take it that you have held him within your hooves close to your chest?"
Andromeda nodded.
"Good, he will undoubtedly make the same connection. Another thing..." A soft coo emits from within Solaris's wings to which all three look down and seen the baby Lunar snuggled into his feathery bed.
"Aww he's so cute." Celestia smiled upon him.
Solaris could not help be smile herself. It had been a long time since Celestia was able to do that and she missed it. As if by sheer instinct, she leaned down and nuzzled the little foal. She nickered gently and brushed the foal's mane from his eyes.
"Forgive me, mother's instincts."
"Oh it's quite alright your highness. I may not be Lunar's biological mother but I do know of a mother's instinct."
Solaris allowed Lunar to rest within her gentle and warm wings as the two mares continued their conversation. Celesita sat beside her mother, never taking her eyes off the little Lunar. "Once he is capable of flight I would suggest you have your husband teach him the basics. Normally even for alicorns it takes a few years before their wing muscles are strong enough to hold them aloft. Other then that Andromeda, taking care of an alicorn foal is the same as any other. With the right amount of love I feel he will grow into a fine stallion one day."
Solaris then softly placed the now sleeping Lunar within his basket and covered him up. She nods to the unicorn before she and Celestia depart.
It was early evening and Night Hawk had already retired for the day and returned home as the chariot carrying Solaris and Celestia returned. Evening Star was in the den reading one of the few books they were able to save from their homeland as his wife entered. "So what did you find out?"
Solaris was silent for a moment before she spoke in a soft tone. "Mane of the purest silver like his mother. Eyes of the heavenliest purple like his father. His coat was the deepest of blue."
Evening Star placed a bookmark in the page to hold his spot before closing the book and getting up. "The child's name?"
"Lunar Star."
"So it is Gaia's and Azure's son?" Solaris nodded.
"There can be no doubt."
"She must have used her magic to pause the pregnancy until she was sure it was safe. But why now? We left Eden over fifty years ago. Surely she could have found someplace suitable?"Even had a confused look upon his face.
Solaris shook her head. "I don't know but there is something else." She walked over to her husband and whispered into his ear. He soon jumped back with a shock.
"Are you certain of this?"
"I would not have thought so unless I seen it with my own eyes. Lunar and Celestia share a Destiny Bond."
Evening then sat where he stood. "You know what this will mean don't you?"
"Only the makers know what it means. It is not rare among our kind but it is uncommon. Perhaps our daughter has found her life mate."
Evening Star sighed softly as Solaris nuzzled into his chest. He smiled to her as he opened his large wings and wrapped them softly around the white mare as she scooted closer to her husband. "Do you truly believe what you say?"
"The eyes never lie my love. Whether they know it or not, they are connected."