Luna’s eyes shot open in shock, her heart was pounding out of her chest as her eyes scanned her surroundings. She was desperate to find a way to escape from the terror she was just experiencing. It took her a moment to realize she lay in her own chambers, and that the threat was nothing but a dream. Ever since Cielo left a few days prior, her dreams had returned letting her find little comfort in sleep. Nightmare Moon’s influence grew with each passing night poisoning her mind; Luna took her hooves and rubbed her eyes. Though she was hard pressed to admit it, she missed her loyal guard at her side. It had been but a few weeks since Cielo had been assigned to her and what a few weeks it were. She rode that stallion’s tail like there was no tomorrow, demoted him to nothing but a simple servant, and gave him the most demeaning tasks she could think of.
She was after all a princess, and unlike her sister, she felt she needed no extra protection. Luna knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Celestia’s excuse for all of this, was the changeling attack, or so she claimed; stating that she would feel safer if Luna kept at least one guard at her side. Luna however felt like this was just another way for Celestia to keep a close eye upon her. Celestia had fallen so easily to Chrysalis, Luna found it simply comical that Tia would see HER capable of such folly. However, at this very moment, she wished Cielo was there to ask her what was wrong, or to at least reassure her there was nothing to fear.
Luna never told Cielo what the nightmares were about, but he had seen her have them before. Luckily, he was a good actor and played dumb to the cause of here night terrors. He would however, no matter how mean she was to him, always be there with a smile to tell her everything was all right. This was Luna’s forth nightmare now since Cielo left her side and she was starting to wonder if his presence really could have such an effect on her. “Could he really have the ability to suppress these dreams?” She asked herself, moving her hooves away from her eyes and looking at them for a moment. “Oh I hope he’s ok,” she said, rolling over upon her bed though, her thoughts were quickly pulled to more pressing matters, seeing the sun was set to go down.
Leaping out of bed in a panic, Luna ignored her regal attire, and bolted out from her camber doors. She had overslept for the first time in months, due to her vile dreams. Normally if this happened, her guard or servant as she called him, would wake her. Yet in his absence, there was no one checking in on her to make sure she was up to ready each night. To think, moments ago she found this foolish and trivial, but now Luna would have given anything for him to have been there to wake her. Galloping out through the garden, she passed her sister whom had just come down from the altar. Celestia’s eyes met Luna’s but it was no more than a passing glance. Celestia went to open her mouth to ask if everything was ok, but Luna was in far too much of a hurry to bother with her right now. More so, when she was sure all she was going to get was a lecture on the importance of punctuality by the members of royalty.
Rushing up the stairs she reached the altar panting heavily. Luna had not run that fast in some time, but in a way it felt good to feel her heart beating so rapidly. Her normally slow heart rhythm was quite a double edged side effect from being imprisoned on the moon for so long. She took but a moment to compose herself before performing her celestial duty. Her eyes closed and her horn began to light up as the magical essence she channeled flooded down into the altar causing it to glow. Her eyes opened now a solid white, her magic essence starting to come back up off the altar twisting and twining around her body as the sun started to disappear beyond the horizon and the moon started to rise.
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Meanwhile, off in the distance, Cielo makes his approach towards Canterlot. His wings are tattered and beaten from the hailstorm he had been called to clear just north of Vanhoover. Storms were starting to move down from the Frozen North around this time of year, and though it would be safer to let them pass; they normally caused quite a bit in property and, if caught outside, pony damage. It had happened in the past several times, with one case being fatal to an unlucky 4-year-old colt unable to find any cover.
Though it took a toll on his body, he did it to keep everypony safe; including other weather control ponies. Cielo could see the altar was aglow and that told him Luna was up and well. He felt bad for having to leave her like that and he would have been back sooner, but his wings were in no condition to fly after he cleared the vicious storm. He struggled to get back, “I should have just taken the train,” he mumbled to himself landing at the bottom of the steps. He would have gone to the altar and waited for her to finish but it was forbidden; no mortal had been allowed up there to see the raising of the sun or moon in over 100 years. The reason for this was shrouded in mystery, but anyone with a grasp on strategy figured it may be the princesses are most vulnerable when channeling so much magic.
Cielo watched the moon rise high into the night sky stretching his wings out, trying to make the pain stop. Soon the sky became littered with thousands upon thousands of little stars each shining brightly. “Always such a stunning beauty,” he whispered to himself admiring the work of the princess of the night. Atop the altar, the essence left Luna’s body and disappeared into the ground below; with a sigh she stretched a little and started to head back down the stairs, not much in the mood for looking at her own work tonight. Looking down the stairs she stopped for a moment, seeing the silhouette of some pony at the bottom. Luna looked for a moment quickly concluding it was not her sister. A little smile started to appear on her face as she started down the stairs at a brisk trot, hoping that the pony waiting for her would be her guard Cielo.
Soon enough she reached the bottom and to her delight, it was the faithful guard she longed for. Though Luna did not realize it, she was smiling and looked rather happy to see him. “Cielo!” She exclaimed happily, feeling her face heat up, a light blush was forming under her coat for calling out to him like that. He even looked a bit shocked at her greeting, having expected to be scolded for taking so long to get back.
The stallion bowed deeply before her, “Forgive me Princess, I am deeply sorry it took me so long to return to you; there were some, er, complications.”
It took Luna all but a moment to notice the condition of his wings, "y-your wings, whatever happened to them?”
“It’s nothing princess, I assure you it will not get in the way of any of my duties or any task you may wish me to do.”
Listening to him say that hurt her a little bit, had she truly been so cold to him that he would think she cared not for his health. “You shall be doing no such thing, you are to report to the medical bay immediately.”
“Princess?” He looked up a bit surprised.
“No back talking, come at once!” She ordered walking past him. Cielo picked up his head and followed her as ordered. He could not help but notice her glancing at him now and again, but what was so shocking to him was seeing a worried look on her normally serious face. The medical bay was quiet for the most part, especially at this time of night, but there was always somepony on call. Wasting no time, Luna opened the door for Cielo; yet another thing that threw him off, and hurried him inside.
“Princess, you did not need to follow me here,” he said with a bit of an embarrassed tone.
“Nonsense, you are our guard correct? Thus you must be at our side at all times,” She retorted. Cielo looked over at her puzzled, this was not the Luna whom he had left alone a few days ago. The mare he remembered, would have had him scrubbing her bathroom floor with a toothbrush for being so late. One question kept playing over and over in his mind and that was ‘what has changed?"
After a moment, the doctor came out of the office looking down at his charts. Looking up and seeing Luna he quickly bowed his head. “Princess Luna, a pleasure your highness. What can I do for you?” he asked keeping his head bowed.
“We need you to look over my guard’s wings, they do not appear to be well.”
Finally looking up, the doctor seemed shocked at what he saw, Cielo’s wings truly were severely damaged. “Y-yes ma’am!” he backpedaled and opened the door for Cielo, “Please come in lad."
With a reluctant sigh, Cielo walked into the doctor’s office and hopped up on the table as the doctor closed the door behind him. Luna took a seat in the lobby and waited. She could have gone in, but he seemed already uncomfortable with the idea and princess or not everypony was entitled to their privacy. “Your wings look horrible lad.” The doctor started. “I’m surprised I don’t see you in here more, if this is how they look after a storm.”
“Hail is unforgiving,” Cielo smiled a little, thinking this was but a foolish visit. “And no offence, but I don’t care much for doctors; normally they only have bad news and I don’t care much for bad news either.”
The stallion examining Cielo shook his head, setting down his clipboard, he walked to the side of the bed and stretched Cielo’s wing out a little. Watching Cielo’s face, the doctor could see he was causing him great pain though Cielo hid it well. “Dose this hurt much?” the doctor inquired trying to validate what he knew.
“Only a bit,” Cielo lied.
“Okay, I’m going to try to rotate it now,” taking Cielo’s wing he bent it back putting pressure on the ball joint. This proved to be to much for the patient, and with a quick jerk he pulled his wing away from the doctor and glared daggers at him. “Okay, okay...easy, just doing my job,” the doctor said softly while backing up a little. “Please, be honest, is the other wing any better at all?” Cielo looked away not wanting to answer. The doctor spoke up again, “Look! I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong with you.”
“Nothing I say…leaves this room...right?” Cielo asked looking back at the doctor.
“I assure you it’s all confidential.”
Cielo let out a sigh, “no...my other wing is not any better, and they seem to be getting worse over time.”
The doctor rubbed the back of his head trying to think of a way to put this that would not bother Cielo to much. “Do you feel pain in day to day flight, training and any other tasks that cause you to use your wings?”
“yes sir.”
“Cielo, I don’t have any other way to say this, but you must quit clearing storms...immediately!”
Cielo’s head snapped back, and his eyes locked onto the doctors. “You’re joking me,” He growled angrily.
“I wish I were lad. In addition, I get that you’re angry at me, but I’m telling you the truth. You display symptoms of muscle deterioration around your ball joints as well as the muscle that pads the joint from the bone. Cielo, at this rate, your wings will give out on you entirely. You must stop any and all tasks that put excess strain on your wings.”
Cielo laid in silence for several moments; taking a deep breath he knew what he was being told to be true. Deep down he had already known for some time, but he kept convincing himself it was nothing but a little ache or it was natural to get aches as you got older. He was the young age of 23, and knew that no healthy stallion his age should have pain like this. “How long do you think my wings have do?” He asked softly.
“Well…if you heed my advice, quit and go about some daily changes and exercises you could have several years ahead of you without worry. However, if you keep pushing yourself like you have been, and putting your wings under such stress and abuse, they will be useless within the year.” Walking back to his desk, he took out a little med kit. “As of right now, the best thing you can do is rest your wings for a few days.” Cielo stood up a little so the doctor could wrap up his wings. “And you need to think about finding a replacement, training somepony new for your weather duties. I know your line of work is not one that is desired, but still, if you plan to keep flying--”
“I get it doc,” Cielo interjected, as the doctor finished wrapping his wings up. “Not a word of this...to anypony,” he looked back at the doctor once more with a serious glare and a jerk of his head signaling even the princess was not to be made privy to this information.
“No need to give threatening glances lad. As I said, it’s confidential, but at your rate it won’t be long before other ponies start to take notice. If you don’t stop putting so much stress on them, a foal will be able to out fly you.”
Jumping off the table Cielo gave the doctor a little nod. “I will consider it, but if something comes up; I’ll do what I have to in order to keep others from harm. Other weather ponies have families to go back to. I’m just an expendable solder. It’s what I chose to do.”
The doctor shook his head a little. “There are ponies here who would miss you more than you know Cielo. Every life has value, don’t think less of the value in yours.” Cielo rolled his eyes at the doctor’s advice. As far as he knew, there was really no pony that would miss him at all. “Cielo, I want to see you back in three days time okay? We can make this and your wings work.”
“I will come back in three days time, but I don’t know what I will do yet. This is a big decision, and I will need time to think it over; to pass this burden on to another is not something I will take lightly.”
“I understand,” The doctor replied as he opened the door for Cielo. Walking out, the doctor stayed in his office to finish his paperwork on Cielo. Luna jumped up quickly, seeing the bandages, she feared the worst.
“Are you...okay?” Luna asked, unable to hide the worry in her voice.
Forcing a smile, Cielo did what he always did when somepony is worried about him, he lied. “It’s nothing to worry about princess, my wings were just a tad sore so the doctor thought I should stay off them for a few days. After that I will be as good as new.” Cielo forced as confident a smile as he could, but his aura sold him out.
Normally Cielo was an excellent liar, but with this lie, Luna saw right threw him. She could tell he was putting on a front for her and he was in quite a bit of pain; even his pride had taken a blow. At this point, she did not call him on it, assuming he had been through enough already. Rather than pry into what he was trying to hide, Luna accepted the lie for now and smiled. “Good to hear, but to be safe I think you should rest up a bit, now come.”
With a soft and caring smile she opened the door for him once more, and out they started walking, back towards her chambers. She was not sure why, but she felt like she needed to be there for him right now. The truth, in a way, she was doing this for herself as well. Though she did not want to admit it yet, she needed him too. She would get the answers she sought one way or another; though she would have to do so without his knowing. Luna knew if she pried, she would get nothing out of him and she could tell Cielo was hiding something from her.
It was then she hatched a plan, though simple it would be effective. Once more she opened the doors for him, her actions only further messing with his mind. “Don’t worry about a thing tonight,” she said softly closing the door behind her as she followed him into her chambers. “You deserve a nice easy night my brave guard.”
