With nothing else to do, I decide to take her advice and make my situation as comfortable as possible. From what I could see, there was not much to Luna’s room. There was an extremely dark bed that looked like it could fit an entire family, plus a few more, and it even had those little drapes on it for privacy. Over on the right there was what I believed to be a make-up stand, although it looked like it had never been used. Seeing nothing else of much interest, a thought comes to me.

“Hey Luna, where exactly am I supposed to sleep?”

Having come to the same conclusion as me, she decides upon a fast solution. “I suppose thou can sleep upon my bed until they bring you one of your own. But be aware that thou shall be sleeping at the foot of the bed, and if you try anything funny you will regret it.” She emphasizes this by jabbing her horn at me threateningly.

“Oh you have nothing to worry about, I am a gentlecolt and would never dream of taking advantage of my situation.” I say as with a big grin on my face that was more from the need to do something then actual happiness as I stepped back a few paces. “Oh, I had almost forgotten, I have yet to introduce myself.” With a deep bow I announce, “My name is Talen, and I am at your service.”

“It is nice to meet you, only I wish it was under better circumstances. With introductions out of the way I must say it is almost time for us to attend dinner with mine sister.” Taking a breath she continues, “now that I hath removed thine restriction to speak thou must not speak in the vicinity of any other pony lest they see fit to cause you more harm then thou hast already received.” With a nod I acknowledge her words and know them to be true. “Now prepare thineself, for we must leave forth with to make it to dinner on time.” With that, she leans forward picking up my chain in her muzzle, leading me towards the door and away from the safety of Luna’s room. I guess I never did get to make many choices in my life, perhaps I should really try and make the best of my situation.

As we left the dark confines of her room, moonlight shown through the windows, casting their shadows across the floor. They shifted and danced in the wind that blew them, creating many shapes, some even resembling creatures that would terrify a filly of any age. Heck, they even sent a little shiver through me; it reminded me too much of the time I spent alone in the wilderness fending for myself from all of the creatures that nopony ever sees in their safe little towns. With my memories of my time alone fresh in my head, I speed up my walk to walk next to Luna, her being there comforted me a little; at least I knew I had somepony there for me.

As I canter up next to her, she turns to me.“'Tis something wrong?”

A little ashamed, I take a quick glance around to make sure nopony is around, “I was just remembering my time alone, and the......shadows coming through the windows sort of....scared me.” I say the last part quietly, but she hears it anyway and a light laugh escapes her lips to drifting in the air.

With that amusing moment over, everything fades back to silence and we continue our walk to the dining hall. As we reach the doors, we halt in our tracks right in front of them, neither of us stepping forward. With a slight shove of encouragement from Luna, we push the door open. The hall is enormous! I can barely believe the size of it. I am shaken from my amazement with low cough from Luna, who then commences to move toward the giant table in the center of the room. This table was so big it could fit about 50 ponies, give or take a few. Yet sitting at the table alone was Celestia, with her guards standing at the ready behind her.

Since we first entered the room Celestia had been watching us -- watching me -- and she had not missed the shocked expression on my face. She bore a grin, but as soon as I noticed it, it disappeared, reverting to a more stoic one.

“Well, Luna, how does he suit you? I do hope he has not cause you any trouble; that would be rather unfortunate.” She said as we came to stand next to the table.

Containing the hate that was manifesting inside me I pulled one of the chair to my left out for Luna so she could sit, after taking her seat Luna gestured for me to take the seat to her right. However as I began to take my seat Celestia spoke,

“Sister, you can not be serious, letting it sit at the table. I doubt that it is even civilized.”

Shooting Celestia a hate filled glare I push the chair I was about to take back into place and Luna quickly came to my defense, “Now sister, art thou sure he is not civilized? From the way he hath acted in mine company he seems like a reasonable pony. So I ask you, would you please let him dine with us?”

“If it will make you happy, sister, then I will allow your ‘friend’ to sit at the table, but under the condition that two of my guards are behind him in case of an emergency.” Says Celestia as the chiefs come out of the kitchen carrying platters of salads and vegetables.

They hurry about in their over sized chief hats that bobbed and dipped the whole while. The dishes they set on the table dazzled and amazed me; there were a blend of fruits and mixes of different salads with vegetables that had an aroma that made my mouth begin to water. A light laugh from Luna and a stern glare from Celestia brought me out of my daze to realize that I had a strand of drool hanging from my mouth. With a hoof I wipe it away and swallow all the saliva in my mouth. After that was done I glanced toward Celestia to see that she had taken some of the fruit mixture and spooned it onto a plate that the chiefs had placed in front of her, then I look to Luna to see that she to had taken some of the various salads for herself.

Seeing this as my cue I move to take some of the various mix of salad, fruit, and veggies in front of me, only to be stopped by the two guards behind me. Confused, I swiveled my head to see their heads turned toward Celestia.

“Sister why are you stopping him from eating?” Luna asked looking up from her meal.

“I don’t see the point in wasting our good food on one such as him,” Celestia said, gesturing toward the kitchen, “so I had our chiefs whip him up something.”

At her beckoning two chiefs came out of the kitchen carrying between them a platter with a cover on it so I could not see what it was they were carrying. As they neared me, a horrible stench filled the air, making bile surge up my throat, but with pure force of mind I was able to hold it down and keep myself from choking on it.

When they reached my seat they set the platter down in front of me and hurried as far away from the platter as possible, gasping for breath as soon as they got a good ways away. With a hoof over my nose I look briefly to Luna worriedly then focus back on the platter.

“Now you may eat to your hearts content.” Says Celestia going back to her food because she was far enough down the table for the stench not to effect her.

So hesitantly I reach a hoof out and hook the handle on top of the platter and lift. The sight that it revealed was horrible It was a mix of vegetables and fruits but all of it was rotten and pulpy from age. That wasn't the only thing either; maggots and many other various insects and creepy crawlies surged around on the food. Before the sight and stench made me hurl whatever was in my guts up, I slam the the lid back on the platter.

Standing up Luna’s horn glows and the platter flies away from the table back to the two chiefs that had originally brought it in, “You two shall take this horrible excuse for food away from mine table and dispose of it properly, and you mine sister. How could you give that to anypony? That wasn't even food; it was garbage!” Says Luna, giving Celestia a stern look as the chiefs hurry out of the dinning hall choking on the stench.

“Come now, sister, it was only a joke. There is no need to be upset, if it will make you happy he can have some of our food.” Saying that Celestia gestures to her guards and they move a plate in front of me and step back.

Now with that disgusting dish still in my mind I had lost most of my appetite but not all of it. Even that could not get rid of the hunger I was feeling, so I begin to take pieces of each dish that was presented at the table trying to not take to take too much of one dish but still taking enough so I could get a taste of everything.

With my plate full I hold myself back so as to not start shoving the food into my mouth from the hunger I was feeling. As we eat the hall is silent but for the munching from our eating. It would of been enjoyable but for the constant gaze of the guards and the occasional glance of Celestia. Finishing her meal Celestia steps away from the table without a word and leaves the hall flanked by four of her guards leaving Luna and I with two guards in the hall to finish. Eating the remainder of our meal Luna and I both stepped away from the table and Luna picks up my lead and takes me to and through the door out into the hall. Walking in silence we reach her door which I open for her letting her in before I step inside.

As the door closes she turns to me, “Now I have some business to attend to so I shall be leaving you in here while I am gone. So do try and get some sleep.” with that said, she turns opening the door and leaves me to my own devices.

So with nothing else to do I canter over to the bed and lay down at the end trying not to think of of what will be and what has been, because in this place it no longer mattered. The only thing that does matter now is how I will keep myself out of trouble and alive. After minutes of restless sleep my mind begins to fade again into the welcoming arms of the dark land of sleep.

Author’s note: I would like to thank my friends DaBeejees and MusicSlave for their help on the grammar in my story. Without them this would have actually been a giant mess. So once again, thank you both.      Next Chapter: Chapter 3: Strange dreams and a promotion Estimated time remaining: 8 Minutes