Princess Rain at the Castle Gates

[Crescent]

[[cont. from the outer edges]]

Princess Rain's silvery form landed before the gates of Dream Castle, the yellow muscular shape of a pegasus stallion by her side. She had never been one for fanfares at her arrival, and she had planned to sneak inside and surprise her mother. Now it appeared, however, that the entire place was locked down like never before. She stepped closer to the closed gates, a puzzled and a little worried expression spreading across her fine features. What was this?

Skydancer, who was looking around himself with a wary eye, was feeling the oppressive atmosphere as well. He flattened his ears against his neck. He didn't like this. The Dream Castle had used to be a place full of laughter and busy steps. Not this dead, almost haunted place. He stepped closer to Rain without even really noticing it, a protective air about him.

She glanced at him with a brief smug smile, and then turned her attention back to the gate. Well, this wouldn't do. She wanted to enter her home. She tossed her head back and cleared her throat.

"Hark!" she shouted, trying to sound majestic. "Princess Rain has returned!"

She expected that someone would arrive to allow her inside. How would it look like, the Princess of the realm returning home after a long absence, and there wasn't even anyone there to greet her?

[Crescent]

Inside the castle, Starshine, who was standing guard near the castle gate, pricked his ears. He thought he heard a noise from outside. The white pegasus frowned and moved to his lookout window.

Outside, Rain was frowning when there was no answer at once. Skydancer smiled a bit.

"Maybe they've forgotten about you," he said, teasing her. He knew how aware of her position as the princess she was.

Rain was instantly huffed. She turned her eyes back to the gates, a steely look to her.

"Hello up there!" she shouted, a little less regally this time. "Is there bloody anyone up there?"

Starshine, who had by now got to the window and caught a glimpse of the princess, jumped a bit. It was Rain!

"Hold on!" he shouted down to them. "I'll come open the gate at once, Your Highness!"

And then Starshine disappeared from the window, to hurry quickly downstairs. He hadn't paid much attention to the stallion with her, being too preoccupied with the thought that the princess was returning.

Outside, Rain was glowing with satisfaction. She turned to look at Skydancer with a smug grin. Skydancer only smiled politely. He was a little preoccupied with the thought that the voice of the stallion that had shouted to them had sounded... familiar, somehow.

[Crescent]

Starshine galloped to the gate as fast as he could. He told the guards there to pick up the gate at once. Princess Rain had arrived! The guards hesitated for a second, but when they heard the name Rain, they started to work at once. Starshine stood proudly waiting, when the gate opened, ready to welcome the Princess, even if the circumstances of her return weren't the best possible.

Rain took on her most regal expression and arched her neck prettily. Skydancer next to her grinned and poked her playfully, but as she scowled at him he rolled his eyes and stood more rigidly.

When the gate opened, the expressions on both the stallions faces changed, however. Starshine's eyes narrowed and his brow darkened, whereas Skydancer's eyes widened and he was a little taken aback. Neither of the brothers had expected to meet the other there.

Rain, who was too preoccupied with returning home, hardly noticed. She trotted inside, her wings prettily folded and a regal look to her, and stopped in front of Starshine.

A thousand thoughts were going through Starshine's head. His rogue, runaway brother had returned. With the Princess of Dream Valley - Rain. The reckless young one, whom the Queen had been worried over for the entire year. With his brother! He stared at Skyfire with ice in his eyes when the other stallion walked slowly after the princess, and the guards started closing the gate. He felt pain and anger so intense he could hardly breathe. It took all his effort to turn his attention back to the Princess.

"Your Highness," he said and bowed politely. "Welcome home."

He didn't look at his brother anymore. Skydancer was as good as dead to him, he decided. He had no brother.

Skydancer, who had no idea of what was going on in his brother's head, was smiling now. He was happy to see his brother had made it to the Dreamer army. Wow. That was so cool. Their parents must be proud. Especially father. He'd always lectured on about that warrior discipline. Starshine sure looked good. He didn't quite understand the strange look on his brother's face, but he thought it was just his usual grumpiness. Starshine got that way sometimes. So he went to Rain's side calmly.

Rain was smiling happily.

"It's good to be back," she said and looked round. "Where's mother?"

Starshine's expression became a little graver.

"The Queen is... resting. I... I shall inform the royal family of your arrival, Your Highness..."

But Rain waved it off.

"No, no," she said. "I'll just go and surprise them. You take care of Skydancer here for me. Show him one of the best rooms of the castle."

Then she started off towards the royal quarters, leaving the two brothers, whom she didn't realise to be brothers, staring at each other.

[[Rain cont. into Rain looking for the Queen -thread]]

[Crescent]

After Rain had slipped away, the two brothers stared at each other in silence. Skydancer was the first to speak, as he had missed his brother, and didn't realise Starshine's silence was not promising good. He stepped forth and reached out his other hoof, to embrace his brother.

"Stars!" he said. "I've missed you!"

But Starshine stepped away, and lifted his head up high, staring at his brother coldly.

"I missed you too," he said icily, "about twenty years ago."

Skydancer stopped, and let his hoof drop. He blinked, surprised and not understanding what the other was talking about. He frowned.

"Well, I'm back now," he said, a little hurt that his brother would behave that way.

Starshine tossed his head and turned away.

"It's too late now," he said with a low voice. "I don't need you anymore."

Skydancer felt as though a stake had been driven through his heart. He gulped and stepped back, confused and hurt.

"But... I don't understand."

It was all he could say. This wasn't the homecoming he had expected, not at all. He had thought, somehow, that once he'd come back and step into the valley again, everything would be like old times... like he'd never left. His mother and father would be there to greet him and wonder at how big he'd grown, and how handsome, and they would be pleased to hear he had served the Princess, and his brother...

But Starshine turned away. There was a dark expression on his face, one filled with anger and pain. He got tears into his eyes, but quickly turned his head, so that Skydancer couldn't see them. He would not cry in front of his brother. He would not.

"Just go away, Skydancer," he said with a low voice. "There's nothing for you here."

Skydancer gulped again. Then his eyes caught on a fire, and he stepped closer to his brother.

"This isn't fair, Stars!" he said harshly. "I was away, I know, but you know why I left as well as I do. Father was pushing me to a mold I could never fill!"

"Well, I guess you don't have to worry about that anymore!" Starshine shouted, wiping away the tears and spinning around, to stare at Skydancer with all the anger he had stored up inside him. Skydancer had to take aback. "Because father isn't there anymore! Or mother, for that matter! They are both dead, Skydancer! Dead, you hear me?"

Skydancer shuddered and took a few more steps back, swallowing uncomfortably. The news took their time in hitting the mark. He couldn't understand it at first. What was he saying? Their parents... dead? How? When? Why was Starshine blaming him?

"We would have needed you here, Skies," Starshine said, his voice low and choked. He was trembling. "I would have needed you. To protect them. You know how old father had got. He couldn't defend himself anymore the way he had used to. So I had to fight for the both of us. And I lost. So now they're gone."

Starshine turned away again, staring at the ground.

"Just go, Skies," he said quietly. "Just go. There's nothing for you here."

Skydancer was about to disagree, say "There's you", but then he couldn't speak. He stared at Starshine's stiff shape, and swallowed. He realised that this wasn't the right time to speak. Perhaps, later, when they had both had the time to calm down - when Skydancer had taken in all the information, most importantly - they might attempt to patch things up. Right now, Skydancer had to go.

He didn't say anything more to his brother. He turned around, and asked the guards to open the gate, and then left, galloping until he got the wind under his wings, and then he zoomed off into the air, flying furiously. He needed to forget. He needed not to feel the pain.

Starshine watched his brother go, his ears laid back and his posture rigid. He wasn't sure what he felt. But after a moment's quiet staring after the other stallion, he turned around and walked away.

[[cont. elsewhere for the both of them]]