Life isn't fair; but, as long as you keep going and never give up, you can find the moments that make it worth living. That is what my grandmother always told me when the barbed arrows that had perforated my life since the day I was born hit me for yet another blow. It's hard to live with a family surrounded by wealth and privilege and be excluded due to the circumstances of your birth.

My name is Aria and I am a bastard. Not in the sense that I'm a mean pony, some ponies think I am quite nice, but in the sense that my father was not my mother's husband. To make it worse my family, if you could call them that, were members of Canterlot royalty. Appearance, position, and stature mean everything to nobles, especially my Uncle Blueblood. But before I get ahead of myself, I should start my story at the beginning. Let's start at the point where the shame, that was no fault of my own, began.

I was born on the longest day of the thousandth year. To some ponies that might not mean anything, but many remember it as the return of Nightmare Moon and her salvation at the hands of Twilight Sparkle and the other bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The friendship those six ponies shared had allowed the sun to finally rise and for Princess Luna to be returned to Equestria. I was born, just before dawn, on the day Princess Luna was reborn. You would think that would be a sign of good things to come or maybe an omen of a great destiny.

Nope. Not to my family. The baby born on the day of Princess Luna's return was not their child. She was not a princess because of her mother's sin. My mother, Elegant Star, was Prince Blueblood's older sister and a princess in her own right; had given birth to a reddish-brown baby unicorn with an equally dark brown mane, accented by a streak of dark blue. The only thing about me that seemed 'royal' were my violet eyes, but they were flecked with green spots. My grandmother always told me that my eyes had been kissed by dragon fire before I was born. My uncle said I was cursed.

Now you may be asking, 'Aria, what's so bad about being brown? Lots of ponies are brown.' And you would be right. The only problem is that my mother and her husband were both white coated and had golden blond manes; as did my Uncle Blueblood and Grandmother White Rose. My grandfather had had a light blue mane and a dark blue coat so maybe that was where the streak came from. My Aunt Celestia had purple eyes, so maybe mine came from her. But no member of the royal family was brown. Brown was not a royal color. Purple, cobalt, red, white, and gold. Those were the colors of nobility. Brown was the color of commoners. It's the color of the lower classes. It's a color, for my mother and me, of shame. And that wasn't where the unfairness ended.

My mother was forced to admit her adultery, but would not reveal the name of my biological father. Having her confession in hoof, her husband quickly divorced her and left Canterlot for his estate in Manehatten, taking my older brother with him. A few days later, my mother flung herself from Canterlot's highest tower and was gone. She had committed suicide and left me, a helpless little girl not even a week old, all alone in a frightening world. War was brewing with the zebras and the shame of a bastard in the aristocracy was a distraction that the royal family did not need. I don't know what happened next, but by the grace of Celestia, I was adopted by my elderly grandmother.

Grandmother White Rose was kind, yet firm. She took very little lip from me, nor would she allow any undue complaining, but still treated me like I was her own daughter, not her daughter's mistake. She was tough, but fair, and trained me in the ways of Canterlot nobility even though I had no chance of ever being considered a real member of our family. I was trained in etiquette, fencing, fashion, poise, and speech, but my favorite lessons were something I took to on my own. I'm a unicorn, so every unicorn knows a few spells. The easiest spells that most unicorn foals learn relatively early are levitation and casting light from our horns. I had mastered those by the time I was only five years old and wanted to learn more. I needed to learn more. That was when I first met her and my life changed forever. That was the night I first met Princess Luna.

I had just finished reading my book on 'Levitation and Lighting for Foals' for what seemed like the hundredth time, and I decided I wanted another book to read. Did I mention that I love books? They're amazing. Fiction allowed me to escape my fate as the shunned bastard and become a hero like Daring Do while Non-Fiction allowed me to expand my mind and learn anything and everything about any number of topics. Magic was what I wanted to learn more than anything else, but there was a slew of topics right behind it to interest me. Books about the developing arcane sciences were interesting, but well over my capabilities as a filly, and tomes on history were almost as enrapturing as the stories of fictional characters. I especially liked the old tales of the valiant knights of Old Equestria like Sir Golden Lance the Bold or Sir Swift Strike the Gallant. I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry. Um, where was I? Oh, yes, the night I met Princess Luna.

I needed to get into the Royal Library, but first I had to get past the guards that patrolled the castle. Being a little filly who was always forced into the background and ignored at family functions and parties, I had become quite proficient at not being seen. I needed to use all of my considerable sneakiness and diminutive size to sneak into the Royal Library. Thankfully, the royal guards never looked down when on patrol and the feat was much easier than I had imagined. No pony expects the quiet little filly with the dark brown coat.

It had been a simple matter on sneaking past the guards when they entered or left the library and, with a well timed dash through the door, I was in. Surrounded by books on all sides, some on shelves reaching almost fifty feet into the air, I was awestruck. I did not know where to begin. I just stood between two massive rows of books and stared with my mouth hanging open, my eyes wide in delight. To my left were history books that chronicled the entirety of Equestria's long history and to my right were books on spellcraft and magic. I loved this aisle immediately. History or magic? History or magic? My head kept turning back and forth between the two shelves in a vain attempt to decide which section I should raid for a new book to read. That was when I heard a giggle and spun around, almost losing my balance, and was face to face with a brown, leather bound book.

Floating in an aura of dark blue magic that sparkled like the stars in a clear night sky was a book titled The Life and Works of Star Swirl the Bearded. I smiled, amazed as the most perfect book I had ever seen floated before my eyes, and then I saw her. Beyond the book, sitting regally at a table further down the aisle, was Princess Luna! She ignited a candle on her table lined with stacks of books and I took in the majesty of the Princess of the Night. Even by candlelight, her midnight blue coat made her blend with the dark library around her better than I ever could and her luxurious mane flowed on a nonexistent wind and sparkled like the night sky she commanded.

"P-P-Princess Luna," I stammered. My little filly heart was filled with a mixture of unbridled excitement at finally getting to meet Equestria's night time monarch and pure terror at the thought that she might call the guards on me. A small smile crossed her face and I tried to match it as best as I could. My eyes kept darting to the book hovering to my right. I couldn't help myself and took the book into my own light blue magical grasp. I felt Princess Luna's levitation magic dissipate and had to quickly adjust to the increased strain on my horn.

"Good evening, child. It is odd to see a little pony as young as you in the library so late at night. Should you not be in bed?" she asked so pleasantly that I had been caught off guard and almost dropped the book. She had noticed and just continued smiling at me, although her soft grin grew just a little bit more as I fumbled to keep the book aloft. Any time my uncles or aunts would find me where I wasn't supposed to be I would get the tongue lashing of a lifetime. Especially if Uncle Blueblood caught me. He seemed to hate me instead of just look down on me like the rest of my family. I don't know how many times I went crying back to the comforting arms of my grandmother after a particularly nasty comment from my uncle.

"You may not be a real princess, deary, but you will always be my little princess," she would tell me as she stroked my mane with a tenderness that only a mother could give. I would cry and she would rock me in her rocking chair until I either stopped crying or fell asleep.

"Why are you so nice to me when everypony else doesn't like me?" I remembered myself asking one time, and she chuckled sadly.

"Because I failed as a mother. I will not fail as a grandmother too," she whispered. I did not understand what she meant at the time, but it made me sad to think she had failed too. I keep getting off track, don't I? I'm sorry. It's just that when you try to condense an entire life story into a single prologue it can get a bit difficult. I'm sure you would rather hear about Princess Luna instead so let's get back to that. I'll try not to let it happen again.

"I-I wanted a new book to read," I told the princess, sitting on my haunches and hugging the book she had given me to my chest. I would have offered a prayer to her not to call the guards, but I realized that would be stupid since it was her decision to turn me in or not anyway. Praying to a goddess not to do what a goddess wanted to do seemed counterproductive and a little bit foolish. She was sitting right in front of me after all.

"That is always a good pursuit, but you do not have to sit on the ground. Come. Sit with me," she said and gestured for me to sit across the table from her.

I let out a relieved sigh and nodded before climbing back to my hooves. I took the book back into my magical levitation aura and struggled to keep my focus on both lifting the precious literature and keeping my enamored gaze on the alicorn princess sitting at the table before me. She magically pulled the chair back for me and I climbed into the tall seat as quickly and carefully as I could. The chairs in the library were not made for a filly like me; I had to set the book on the table, stand on my hind legs, and place my forehooves on the table for balance just to see over the table. I stared at Princess Luna in silence, unable to think of anything to say to her. She was a princess... no, the princess. She and her older sister ruled all of Equestria and they were both practically gods! Princess Celestia raised the sun every day and Princess Luna raised the moon and the stars every night. As I watched Princess Luna, she furrowed her brow and pursed her lips before nodding to herself.

"You are our niece, are you not?"

I almost lost my balance and fell out of the chair right then and there. Princess Luna knew who I was! She even called me her niece! This was a dream come true. I nodded happily before remembering my true place and looking away.

"No. I'm not your niece. I'm not a real princess like my grandmother or a prince like my uncle or bro... my half brother. I'm a mistake," I said sadly, echoing what my family always called me. Princess Luna's eyebrows shot up as she seemed to be taken aback by my statement.

"Who told you this?" Luna asked, her cobalt eyes filled with concern.

"Uncle-er, Prince Blueblood," I replied, staring at the book on the table before me. "Keep your eyes low when addressing nobility, Aria. You may be from their blood, but they will most likely never accept you." I remembered my grandmother telling me once. It had hurt so much to hear, but she had been right. None of the nobility I had ever met gave me more than a passing glance. Well, besides Grandmother White Rose, of course. I felt a hoof placed on mine and looked up to see Princess Luna smiling at me.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked, and I nodded.

"I do not very much care for your Uncle Blueblood," she confessed, and I could not help but giggle. Princess Luna let out a small, breathy giggle of her own. "What is your name, little niece."

"Aria," I whispered, barely able to speak after she called me her niece for a second time.

"Aria. That is a good name. Would you care to read with me, Aria?" she asked, a kindness I had never known emanating from her words. I nodded and she watched me open the book and dive into the history and magic of Star Swirl the Bearded. Sitting in the candlelit library, reading about an amazing unicorn from before the founding of Equestria, I was happier than I had ever been. Whenever I came across a word that I didn't know, like 'amniomorphic' or 'temporal,' she would explain the meaning until I understood and we would both return our books. I liked this. For once I wasn't Aria the mistake, but just Aria, Princess Luna's niece and reading partner. I never wanted this night to end, but after a few hours my tired eyes could barely stay open and I let out a loud yawn that even startled me. I quickly clamped my hooves over my mouth and wobbled precariously on my chair while a dark crimson blush flooded to my cheeks.

"It appears you have been awake far too late, Aria. You should go to bed," Luna told me, and I pouted.

"But I don't wanna go to bed. I like reading with you," I whined before my mouth released another yawn. I tried to clench my mouth shut, but it hurt and I had to let the air out. I had to blink a few times to force my eyes open for her. "See. I'm wide awake!" Princess Luna let out a breathy chuckle and shook her head.

"I'm sure we will be able to read together again. Perhaps your talent is magic and you can come to my school at Littlehorn when you get older?" she asked me, and I nodded profusely.

"Yes! I'd love that!" I shouted before throwing my hooves over my mouth again. Princess Luna simply smiled.

"Well, if I'm going to be your teacher some day, then you're going to have to be a good little girl and go to bed. Understood?" she asked and I smiled.

"But what about your book?" I asked, looking down at the amazing tome laying open on the table in front of me. I had only made it to the second chapter and I wanted to read it some more. Grandmother had a dictionary back in our suite that I could use to figure out the big words.

"Keep it."

"What? Really?" I asked, my eyes sparkling as the little emerald stars on my violet irises danced happily for the princess.

"Yes, really. But promise me you will take good care of it and be good for your grandmother, alright?" she asked, her tone gentle, yet firm. I could not stop nodding or smiling. This was the day I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. If I couldn't be a princess, I would be a princess' student. I took my future teacher's commands to heart, wrapped the book in my light blue magical glow, and jumped out of my chair. I bowed respectfully, spun around, and dashed out of the library with book in tow. I heard her giggle as I left and did not care about the shouts and nasty looks the guards shot me. I had found my life's goal and I vowed to myself that I was going to pursue it to the ends of Equestria and beyond. Little did I know how much of an understatement that vow was at the time.

Reading and magic were my new passion. I so desperately wanted to spend more time with Princess Luna, but with the war came more responsibilities for her and Princess Celestia. Grandmother told me that Princess Luna only had time for her royal duties and her students. She was hardly in Canterlot anymore, usually teleporting between Littlehorn and Hoofington, but that just hardened my resolve. If I had to go to her school to have more amazing nights like I had had in the library, then I would study my flanks off and get into Princess Luna's School for Gifted Unicorns at Littlehorn.

Grandmother supported me wholeheartedly. She even found me a tutor to teach me magic while I spent hours with my nose buried in book after book. I didn't have time to go find foals my own age. Most kids around the castle were either my relatives who shunned me or other nobles who would probably do the same once they found out my lineage. So when I wasn't learning fencing or etiquette I was reading and pouring every fiber of my being into learning new tricks. New ways to use light and levitation led to new spells all together. But one spell absolutely astounded me, I had read about it in a book on knights. Not my usual kid's books about knights slaying dragons and saving princesses, although I enjoyed those from time to time, but a history of the Knights of Equestria.

Apparently, each race of pony had a spell, even pegasi and earth ponies, that they could use that was the pinnacle of knightly achievement. In order to be considered a true knight of Equestria, a pony had to be able to master their race's natural spell-like ability. Earth ponies could slam their hooves to the ground, calling upon the strength of the earth itself, to open fissures in the ground and swallow their enemies whole. This was called the Earth Tremor. Pegasi could fly at supersonic speeds. They would fly so fast that they would break both the sound barrier and the visible light spectrum at the same time and release a blast of sound and energy powerful enough to shatter rocks and structures miles away. This was the Sonic Rainboom.

These were all well and good, and they all sounded pretty cool to be honest, but I was focused on one spell in particular. The Lightning Charge. A unicorn knight would call forth the power of lightning and wrap himself in a magical aura of electricity. The electrical barrier would act as an energy focus and propel the unicorn to speeds that only pegasi could normally attain, electrifying anything or anypony the charging unicorn knight would touch. I wanted to learn that spell. I needed to learn that spell.

For years I tried and for years I failed. The best I could ever summon up was a spark of electricity about as powerful as a bit of static shock from rubbing your hooves on a carpet and touching a door knob, but I never gave up. I needed to learn a spell so awesome that there would be no way I couldn't be accepted to Princess Luna's school. Little did I know that soon it would not matter, but I'm getting ahead of myself again.

One day, there was a visitor to Canterlot Castle and, more specifically, my grandmother. I awoke that morning and entered the living room with a yawn, stretching my legs and trying to wake up. I had stayed up reading for far too long the night before and I was still feeling the ill effects as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. There, sitting on the couch across from my grandmother's rocking chair and discussing something with her, was a gentlecolt I had never met before. He was a handsome unicorn stallion, about ten years my elder, with flowing aqua hair and a coat as pure as fresh fallen snow. He heard me yawn and turned his sea blue eyes towards me before giving me a bright smile. He looked a bit like Prince Blueblood, but he certainly did not act like my hateful uncle.

"Hello. You must be Aria. It is so nice to meet you," he told me and offered his hoof as I walked up to him. I shook it, surprised that any noble besides Grandmother would greet me at all. With the exceptions of Grandmother and Princess Luna, I had not seen any such kindness from the rest of the Canterlot aristocracy. I could tell that this dashing young stallion was a member of nobility, he carried himself as such, but he was different. "I'm Golden Star. It is nice to finally meet you."

"H-Hel..." I stopped. Grandmother had told me that name before. My eyes widened with realization, I took a step back in shock, and I could hardly breathe. This stallion sitting in my living room, talking to my grandmother, was also sitting in his living room and talking to his grandmother. This was my older brother, Golden Star. "No, my half brother." I told myself.

"Don't be rude, Aria. Say hello to your brother," Grandmother scolded me and I tensed up.

"H-Hello," I stuttered and Golden Star grinned.

"How about you come give your big brother a hug, sis?" he asked and opened his hooves to me. I took a deep breath and tried to take a step forward, but I couldn't. I just couldn't bring myself to hug him. My entire life he had never come to see me and now here he was like we had grown up together. Golden Star must have seen the anger in my eyes because his smile melted and he climbed to his hooves. As he approached me, tears began to well up in my eyes and I held my breath. He was mad at me. All of my family hated me and he, for whatever reason, had wanted a hug that I refused to give him. I was a lesser pony, the bastard, and I had denied his request. Grandmother had always told me to do whatever a noblepony asked of me unless it would get me hurt, but I knew hugging him would hurt. Did my emotions not count?

He towered over me, making me realize that he was a very tall, very strong looking unicorn. I could feel my knees shaking and was about to run when he knelt down to my level and took me in his hooves. I cried. I hugged his neck and cried my little eyes out, but this time it wasn't like when Grandmother hugged me after Uncle Blueblood's verbal abuse. This time I cried happy tears because I knew I had a brother. He had been eight years late, but he was finally here for me. My big brother, Golden Star. After a few minutes, he pulled away and wiped the tears off my cheeks. "So I hear Grandmother has been having you take fencing lessons, but I wonder..."

"What?" I asked, sniffing loudly against the snot that threatened to run down my nose.

"I wonder how my little sister is with a shield?"

I rode my brother's back all the way down to the castle gardens, giggling like a little school filly the entire time. Don't judge me, I was eight at the time so I think that it was justified. Nobleponies, many our relatives, stared as a prince carried a bastard on his back and were baffled as he laughed along with me. They did not understand why he would show love towards what they saw as a stain on the royal family's reputation. I didn't know the words then, but if I had I would have told them to 'Kiss my flank!'

The gardens had always been a great place for me to read. The soft singing of the birds and playful skittering of the squirrels in the trees was always peaceful and would not distract from your reading. Coupled with the lovely flowers that gave the gardens a wonderful potpourri of smells, they were the perfect place to crack open a good book, hide behind a hedgerow or a tree, and consume all the knowledge the book had within its leather bound pages. But Golden Star had other things to teach me on his mind.

My big brother was a captain in the Equestrian military. I know, how cool is that? He even had a cutie mark of a saber with a golden crown for its hilt. He was a born warrior and leader. While most of the nobles of Equestria supported the war, very few had actually joined the fight. Golden Star had and he was one of the best when it came to close combat on the front lines. His magically enchanted shield, a triangular silver aegis with a lustrous gold trim and backing, could actually deflect bullets and magical energy blasts and he was an expert with a long sword. His troops respected him for his ability to lead the charge and defeat any enemy in his path, but that didn't matter to me. It was cool, but I marveled at the spellcraft that had gone into his magical weapons as he showed them to me. I could feel the power radiating off of them. I wanted to know how they were made and who made them, but before I could ask, he put them away.

He then pulled out two pairs of padded swords and shields with a grace that I simply did not have yet when carrying something with my telepathy. Golden Star's golden aura lifted a set over to me and I gingerly accepted them into my own light blue magical grip. I was comfortable with the sword. It was a short sword and similar to the fencing sabers I had used during my lessons. I just had to keep reminding myself it was made for slashing and piercing, unlike a fencing rapier.

The shield, on the other hoof, had a completely different feel to it. It gave me a feeling of power and a sense of protection at the same time. When I lifted the wood and cloth shield I felt strong for the first time in my life. I lifted both sword and shield in a defensive posture and smiled nervously at Golden Star.

"You should take the initiative. Make the first move, Aria," he said while returning my smile. I nodded and thought back to my books about knights. What I had read in books had been my only experience when it came to fighting with a sword and shield and I was unsure as to what I should do. Most jousts and tournament battles began with a grand charge so I swallowed hard and did the only thing I could think to do. I charged. Pumping my little legs, I ran at Golden Star as fast as I could, sword at my side while my shield floated in front of me protectively. Golden Star simply side stepped my charge and delivered a light rap against my side with his padded blade. Although it was buffered, his sword stung as it nicked my side and I jumped away more out of fear of the pain than any real planned maneuver. "Good job, princess. If you had been wearing armor, then that blow wouldn't have phased you."

"Please don't call me princess," I said softly as I turned around to face him.

"What's that, princess?" he asked with a goofy grin on his face.

"Please don't call me princess," I repeated, this time louder and a bit annoyed. I wasn't a princess. I could never call myself that. Even Grandmother had told me I wasn't a princess and I did not want him calling me that. Not just because I might get in trouble, but also because it genuinely hurt.

"Well then, come and get me to stop, princess," he teased and I growled. Looking back on it, I'm sure it was just some good natured teasing from an older brother to his younger sister, but I didn't see it that way. How could I? I hadn't had a brother for more than thirty minutes! Him calling me a princess brought back all the hurtful memories of what my family had said to me. It made me have to face that which I could never be; I could never be a princess or a full member of our family. How was it my fault that my father wasn't his father? Why was I tainted by my mother's sin? Why was I considered a mistake when I had done nothing wrong? Sadness and rage welled up inside me like never before. I felt power in that anger and, coupled with the strength I felt holding the shield in my magical grasp, a surge of energy flowed to my head. A spark of static popped off my horn, giving us the smallest window of warning, and the magic surged through me.

"BZZZAP!"

A bolt of lightning shot off of my horn, followed immediately by a small clap of thunder as the oxygen in the garden was vaporized by the electrical blast and the air filled with the thick smell of ozone. Golden Star raised his shield reflexively, probably thinking he had his magical shield instead of the padded one he was now wielding, and the bolt slammed into the wooden shield with an arcane force I didn't know I could manage. The shield burst into splinters and the lightning bolt continued its path through his broken barrier to strike my brother square in the chest. My eyes widened and I dropped my weapons as I galloped to him as fast as my little legs would carry me. Then I heard him laughing.

"Aria, that was amazing! You really have a talent for magical combat," he told me as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. His light blue hair was standing on end and he had a brownish black mark on the breast to his red uniform, but he seemed alright. He grinned at me, reaching out his hoof and tousling my mane. I giggled, happy to see he wasn't hurt and even happier to receive the praise. Then he whistled, impressed as he stared behind me. "Oh! I see fate had the same idea too."

Following his gaze to my flanks, my smile brightened at the sight of a golden triangular shield, two blue bolts of lightning crossing the shield's surface, as it lay on a bed of bright green flames. I had gotten my cutie mark!

"I got my cutie mark! Golden Star! I got my cutie mark! Let's go tell Grandmother! Oh my Celestia! It's a magical cutie mark! Do you know what this means?" I cried, hopping up and down with an excitement that electrified my body even more than I had just done to Golden Star. In a metaphorical sense, of course. When it came to actual voltage coursing through somepony's body, he had me beat at the moment. But that didn't matter. I felt happier than I had ever felt in my entire life.

"No, what does that mean?" he asked, climbing to his hooves with a ginger steadiness that betrayed his bravado. My lightning bolt spell had been weak and unfocused so it was only a minor shock, but it still took its toll.

"It means I can go to Princess Luna's school now! Quick! Let's go tell Grandmother so I can send in my application! Come on, big brother!" I urged and he followed at a slow canter that would not be able to keep up with my excited gallop. I ran past the adults that all sought to tend to Golden Star's wounds, each one he sent away with a smile and a wave of his hoof, and continued into the castle. I was so excited I didn't even realize I had left my older brother behind in my quest to show Grandmother my cutie mark and get my application in the mail as soon as possible. My dreams were finally about to come true. But you know what they say about dreams. They're fleeting, and they can quickly turn into nightmares.

That night was the night of the Littlehorn Massacre. Hundreds of ponies, most of which were only fillies and colts around my age, were slaughtered by the zebras. The school I had dreamed of going to for years was destroyed, Princess Celestia stepped down and Princess Luna was the new leader of Equestria. You all probably know what happened next. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash were made leaders of their own branches of the new Equestrian government. They were the Ministry Mares and they had turned the political and social norms that had held Equestrian society together for over one thousand years upside down. Mares that had no royal blood were the second most powerful ponies in Equestria, right behind Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. I saw first hand how much this infuriated my family, especially Uncle Blueblood. Something about the Mare of the Ministry of Image really got to him.

I did not have to worry about my uncle's problems though. I had problems of my own. Do you know how horrible it is for an eight year old filly to have to face her own mortality? Princess Luna's school was gone and, if my cutie mark had come earlier, I would be dead with all of her other students. My life's ambition had been taken away from me by those stupid, evil zebras and they could have taken away my life just as easily. They could take away Golden Star's or Grandmother's life too. There was a war going on and I had been so busy trying to go to school that I had forgotten about it. I knew I had to re-evaluate my life. I could always go to Princess Celestia's school in Canterlot, but it wouldn't be the same.

I had loved spending time with Princess Luna in the library that one fateful night. She had been the first pony to actually treat me like a pony and a member of her family instead of a lesser pony. Even Grandmother hadn't been that kind. She always reminded me I wasn't a princess. For every bit of love she gave me, I knew that a part of her might still be blaming me for my mom's dishonor and death. But Princess Luna had called me her niece. Just like Golden Star calling me his sister, she had named me a member of her family without even a thought of my parentage.

One night, as I sat on a bench in the castle gardens, I thought about my life. I hadn't gone far from Grandmother and my suite, I could see the exact open area where I had gotten my cutie mark just shy of a month ago. Grandmother had actually allowed me to go out into the garden by myself; I didn't have to sneak out. As long as I promised to only go to the garden she let me leave without a fight. I didn't know if she was letting me go because I was more grown up now that I had a cutie mark proudly plastered on my rump or if she understood my feelings, but it felt comforting that she trusted me. I still wished Golden Star had been here. The massacre and the government shake up had forced his leave to end early and he was called back to the front lines. For a pony who I had never known until a few weeks ago, I sure missed him a lot. I worried for him even more now that I had discovered the realities of death and war. I had lost a part of my innocence to the zebra who had killed my dreams along with Princess Luna's school and all the innocent ponies inside.

I looked up to the moon, wondering how Princess Luna was doing now that she had taken her older sister's place, and sighed. I knew I felt an emptiness now that I had lost my purpose, but how did it feel to suddenly have the fate of an entire nation thrust onto your shoulders after losing so much. The burden must have been great for her to have needed to create the Ministries. Now I not only wanted to spend time with Princess Luna, but I also wanted to help her. If the Element Bearers could help her, then so could I! (The overconfidence and energy of youth, huh?) The real question that gave me pause as I stared up at the golden full moon floating slowly across the heavens was 'How?' Fate must have been smiling down on me because, up in the sky, I saw my answer.

At first I had thought it was a bird or a bat, but, as it drew closer, I saw it was a pony. He was a pegasus pony, for lack of a better term, but I could see the strange, leathery black wings that propelled the stallion through the starry night towards the castle. He was wearing a very distinctive armor, and I felt my lips curve into a smile. He was a member of Princess Luna's personal guard. Clad in purple and light blue armor, the bat-pony landed gracefully onto the balcony of Princess Luna's tower and trotted in with all the authority of his station. I knew right then and there what I wanted to do. Looking down at the golden shield, the lightning, and the fire on my flank, I smiled. The war had reached a new point and would probably get worse from here on out. My new goal in life was set. The student was gone, destroyed by the war that loomed ever present on the horizon, and had been replaced by the knight. I was going to be a member of Princess Luna's personal guard.

Footnote: Level Up
New Perk: Intense Training (Endurance) - Through your intense training, your Endurace Stat increases by one.

Author's Footnote: Special thanks to my editor/pre-reader Chimpso for the help with editing.