Dust awoke from his dream, panting heavily and sweat streaming down his face and back. For minutes he stared into the ceiling above, his head banging like a drum, almost the same way it did when he had a bit too much to drink. The bed sheets got soaked in his sweat, and he felt the need to get up despite his head.

He reached up a hand and ran it over his face, wiping away a few beads of sweat before running his fingers through his hair. He needed to clean up. Turning his head to his right, he found that Luna wasn’t in bed, and instantly the dream came back to him. It almost made him want to scream, but he settled with slamming his fist into the mattress.

“Something wrong, sir?”

The question caught Dust off guard. He turned around and saw Silversoul sitting in the small sofa on the opposite wall, looking over a small stack of parchments.

“Just a bad dream.” Dust responded, sounding like he’d been smoking his lungs into nothing but smouldering ash. “A really, really bad one.”

“I see, sir.”

“Where’s Luna?”

Dust sat up straight in bed, brushing a few strands of dirty hair out of his eyes. Looking down upon the bed, he saw fresh stains of sweat, as well as a few dried ones in the middle of the bed, reminding him of what they’d done after the dance the night before. He could really use a bath.

“The queen left early this morning.” Silversoul said as Dust stood up from the bed. “Some urgent business over in Vanhoover, I believe.”

Dust mumbled a response as he stretched his arms and groaned as his back snapped slightly. He didn’t really care for the fact that he was in the nude; being best friends with Silversoul for so many years, and since he was his personal assistant, there wasn’t anything the stallion hadn’t already seen by accident.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Dust asked, walking across the room towards his closet. His bare feet slapped against the marble floor as he did.

“She told me to relieve you from any and all duties, my lord.” Silversoul responded from behind the parchments. “Apparently she thought you deserved a day off, after what you did last night.”

“Yeah, it was a long night. Oh, and speaking of which, have some of the maids change the bed sheets, will you?” Dust said with a chuckle as he pulled his pants up over his hips and buckled them.

“Very good, sir.”

Dust looked through his clothing for a while before finding what he was looking for; a black linen tunic with lacing up the sides of the sleeves. He took it out and pulled it over his head, with some difficulty.

“Well, I’m off for a walk.” He said as he adjusted the sleeves. “You gonna come with me or are you going to stay there?”

“Might as well.” Silversoul said, rolling up the parchment he had in front of him. “I was just about done with this anyway.”

Dust nodded, and awaited his friend in silence by the door as he packed up the parchments and papers in a small bag that he levitated with his magic. He then trotted over to Dust and they exited the room. As they exited, Dust’s hand broke the golden aura around the bag as he grabbed it himself instead. Silversoul was about to protest, but was silenced by Dust.

“It’s fine, I’ll take it.” He said. “I may be a king, but I’m not an ass.”

“As you wish, sir.” Silversoul replied quickly. They took a turn out into the courtyard, where a few of the newest maids giggled shyly as they laid eyes upon the king passing by. “Maybe you could enlighten me on this dream you had, sir? You seemed quite distraught.”

Dust sighed. He’d hoped that the unicorn wouldn’t mention the nightmare. Now that he had, it was best to just tell him. “Fine, I suppose it can’t hurt to tell you.” He said slowly. “Luna left me for someone else.”

“Are you two having any problems?” Silversoul quickly asked.

“No, not really.”

“Then there’s nothing to worry about, my lord.”

The two friends exited the courtyard, coming into the hallway that lead to Dust’s study. He thought they might as well go there, seeing as the parchments in the bag probably belonged in his desk anyway. He decided on not telling Silversoul about the white wolf, and the stallion didn’t ask any more about the dream.

“So, what did you think of those girls in the courtyard?” Dust asked his friend with a smile. “Pretty cute, huh?”

“What do you mean, sir?” Silversoul asked, frowning slightly. “You’re a married man-“

“I mean; when are you gonna get yourself a mare?” Dust asked as he held the door to his study open. “Isn’t it about time that you settle down?”

“I’m perfectly content with my life here, my lord.” Silversoul answered, yanking the bag out of Dust’s hand after he’d spoken.

“You’re kidding me, right? You never thought of having a wife, kids and all that?”

“The thought has crossed my mind, I’ll admit, but I haven’t thought of it too much.”

“Well, maybe it’s time you think about it more often.” Dust said, walking around his desk and quickly going through some papers upon it. After a few seconds of the sounds of rustling parchments, he stopped, spotting an unbroken letter at the edge of the desk he didn’t see earlier.

“What’s this?” He asked as he picked it up. It was sealed by the usual seal of red wax, with an odd image embedded into it. A crescent moon with teeth on both sides, making it look like a gaping maw.

“A raven came with that this morning.” Silversoul answered while he picked up the parchments from his bag.

“A raven?”

“Yes, a raven. See, it apparently comes from a small island up north called Moonshimmer Island if I’m not mistaken. They don’t have any magic out there, and no means of sending mail.”

“But why a raven? I mean, what is this, Westeros?” Dust said with a scoff. Silversoul didn’t catch his joke, obviously. Dust rolled his eyes, reached over for the small golden knife net to his pencils and used it to slice open the envelope.

Your highness,

I must apologize for beings so blunt as to send this request straight to you, but I wouldn’t do so unless there was any other option. I know of the amulet you carry around your neck, and I know about its powers. I am aware that it is none of my business, but I must ask; has it been troubling you lately?

Has it caused you any stress or ill feelings?

These past few moons, we’ve seen strange things happen out here at Moonshimmer Island, things we can’t explain. Violence, murder, suicide. The kind of things you would never want to see happen to the ones you love. It is my belief that you, my lord, might have some knowledge about this that we might have use of. I’m not sure why, but I believe we might come to an answer about these tragic occurrences with your help.

You must understand that this is now a personal matter to me. My son Embershard has been afflicted by whatever curse or magic it is that is causing all of this to happen, and I fear it might drive him insane. All day he screams and yells, cries and sobs. He claims that some sort of wolf is after him, and that it’s going to get him very soon.

Do you understand any of this, my lord?

Most of the other ponies that came into contact with this curse have all said the same thing. They all feared a white wolf. Shortly after they all died.

I must ask you sir, even though I realize how ludicrous this all sounds; we need your help. Please, as our ruler we beg you for help. I hope you can find it within your heart to aid us all in this, our darkest of times.

-John Firebrink-

Dust looked up from the letter after he’d read through it several times, his brow deeply frowned. He held it out towards the unicorn, who levitated it over to himself with his magic. Once he was done reading, he gave it back to Dust.

“Firebrink?” Dust asked, raising an eyebrow.

“As far as I know, he’s the owner and proprietor of the only inn on the island.” Silversoul answered.

“Can we trust him?” Dust wondered. “All of this seems… I don’t know.”

“I don’t know, sir. I think you’ll have to decide this for yourself.”

Dust nodded slowly before turning his attention to the letter again. He read through it once more, focusing on one part in particular.

They all feared a white wolf.

A white wolf. Just like in his dream. He sighed, put the letter back into the envelope and looked over at Silversoul with heavy eyes. He was sure that his dream and this island was somehow connected.

“Tell me, where is this island located?” He asked his friend.

“Off the coast of Vanhoover actually.” The stallion responded.

Dust didn’t answer; he simply walked around his desk and made his way towards the door. Before he opened it, he looked back at Silversoul.

“Assemble a squad of Pegasi.” He instructed the unicorn. “Send word to Luna that I’ll be joining her soon. And get me my sword while you’re at it.”

“Very well, sir.” Silversoul hurried over the desk and scrambled together some papers and quills before quickly galloping off past Dust and through the door.

Dust followed soon after, hurrying back to their chambers. Once he got there, he flung open the closet again and rummaged through his belongings. He picked out a bag and stuffed down some extra pants and shirts into it, as well as a pair of boots.

Just as he was about to close the closet, a blue shimmering piece of clothing caught his eye. He smiled slightly as he pulled it out; a dark blue cloak, shimmering like the night sky above. He draped it over his shoulders, almost feeling the presence of his wife in the cloth itself. The cloak had been made out of thousands upon thousands of strings of hair that fell out of Luna’s mane and hair, collected over the years.

It offered him protection in more ways than just against the elements.

He threw the bag over his back, and left a small note in case Stardust would come here before anypony told him where his parents had gone off to. As he exited the room, he felt the amulet around his neck vibrate slightly. It could feel something, and Dust had begun to feel it too.

Moonshimmer Island was calling for him.