Heir of the Nightmare

Flashback IV: The Knights of Ra

Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters

The Night Before Nightmare Moon's Banishment

Luna

It was nearing the end of her Court of the Moon, and Luna was glad for it, for it had not changed at all in the slightest.

They were still extraordinarily dull, as nopony ever came.

She was once again sitting on her jaded blue throne, her expression neutral as she gazed across the empty room. Luna had become even more impatient with these sessions of court lately, as she imagined the time she wasted sitting in an empty room waiting for nopony could have been time she could have well spent with Twilight instead. However much she wanted to be with Twilight though, she had to keep going to court and attend her other regular duties so as to not to arouse any suspicion that something was amiss.

Normally, most ponies didn't pay attention to her and didn't care what she did, but it wasn't them she was concerned about.

It was the nobility.

They had become even more hostile towards her lately, as they had a figure to rally around, a unicorn named Moloch.

Lord Moloch was from the trading hub of Rainbow Falls and the great-nephew of the late Princess Platinum. He was a very ambitious lord who had risen through the ranks of the nobility through a combination of cunning and aggressive political tactics. Luna also suspected that no short amount of Black-Mail was involved, since many of his opponents either backed off or fell out of power in disgrace. She couldn't prove it however, since she and the Night Watch had not been able to find any evidence of any wrongdoing on Moloch's part.

He was also the leader of a radical extremist group called the Knights of Ra, a movement started by some of the elite nobility to oppose everything that had to do with Luna and the night.

Of course, it was not widely known that these nobles had sworn to oppose Luna, in fact, to the common pony they were known as the Gentry Society. The Gentry Society was a front for the real secret organization the Knights of Ra, and only Luna and her top officers in the Night Watch knew their true purpose.

Luna couldn't confront them directly; not only would that vilify her in the eyes of the public, who viewed the disguised society as a group of esteemed nobles, but they had not actually committed any crimes against the law. For now, they had merely obstructed Luna's efforts to reach out to the common pony and try to restrict her freedom through various and subtle laws. The only thing that stopped the Knights from just outright trying to depose her, was their almost god-like worship of Celestia, whom they venerated.

A knock on the door to the throne room interrupted her musings, and with a raised eyebrow Luna looked over to her seneschal, a Lunar Pegasi mare, who looked back at her in equal surprise.

"I am not aware of any visitors, your highness, nopony has scheduled time in your court."

Intrigued, Luna looked back towards the door, and awaited the pony on the other side.

I haven't had a petitioner in years. Who could it be?

The doors opened, and whatever hopes Luna had for a petitioner dropped instantly as she beheld her visitor.

Speak of the devil...

It was Lord Moloch, looking haughty and self-important as he strode across the silent hall. Moloch's coat was the color of bones, pale and white, lacking any luster or sheen. He was wearing the robes of House Platinum, white and royal blue trimmed with silver.