My Beloved Sister

by Deil Grist

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sad, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Celestia
Length: 1662

A heartfelt poetic letter from Princess Celestia to her sister Luna 700 years into her banishment after her attempt to make nighttime eternal.

A heartfelt poetic letter from Princess Celestia to her sister Luna 700 years into her banishment after her attempt to envelop the world in eternal darkness. What regrets, memories, fears, and unspoken words are hidden within the heart of a princess who has defeated three of the most powerful tyrants in history, formed a great nation, and led it through the longest age of peace and prosperity that any has ever known?

Published 2013-06-07 19:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-06-07 19:00:02 UTC

The Letter

My Beloved Sister, Princess Luna,

Tonight I tremble in our castle ruin
Amid the shards and scars of our battle,
Burdened by thoughts of three hundred more years
Without you, stained by cold guilt and hot tears.

Life’s promised joys and wonders to come
Are empty, wholly devoid of meaning.
My purpose is merely a hollow shell,
A beautiful perfume without a smell.

I thirst for your presence again, wilted
Like a flower from summer’s driest heat,
Which turns over outstretched leaves as it waits
For the storm to open its dark gates.

Never did I realize I wronged you,
Consumed whole as I was by the limelight.
They considered you merely history,
Like pale Moon, dim reflection of Sun’s glory.

What we accomplished, we did together.
Until that day, we were never apart.
How easily we forget things that last;
How easily we forget our own past!

We grew up together in bleak chaos
Enforced by Discord’s rule of tyranny.
Our parents wished for us a better world:
Equestria, before bleak despair whirled.

Together we clung for stability,
For some sense in a world without true sense.
You were the rock that kept my mind grounded,
And in me, your source of hope was founded.

Our fellow ponies lacked motivation,
Their spirits imprisoned, crushed, and weary.
We took solemn oaths for the good of all:
Our gifts would be wielded for evil’s fall.

Despite our potential, we lacked strength
To overthrow him with our own magic.
We scoured the land for hints, tales of old
Which could return us Nature’s loving fold.

Our friendship grew deep roots during our search
Through ages of rich, long-forgotten lore.
Communion and harmony filled our souls;
Magic coalesced the Elements’ Scrolls:

Secrets of the talismans’ history
And how they might be found by destined few,
Contained by the delicate yellowed rolls
In penmanship ornate and letters gold.

“Equestria was born under the blaze
Of Hearth’s Warming Eve’s bright Fire of Friendship.
Founders’ jewels to Elements were forged
In flames magical harmony had gorged.

When her time had come at last, they were sealed
By Venerable Clover the Clever.
If, by the Spark, the Fire is ignited,
There they will once again be united.”

A great deluge, as if by fate’s decree,
Soon separated us after our find.
Rain and wind washed us apart in a flood
Of howling gales and a river of mud.

I awoke at dawn battered by debris
And began my long search, calling your name.
Oh how frantic were my cries that rang out;
My mind was racing and was clouded by doubt.

I scoured the strange desolated land,
Driven by precious memories of you.
When night came after searching long and far,
I caught a glance of your bright guiding star.

That ray of hope gave me new direction
And fresh wind underneath my tired wings.
I trusted and followed your twinkling light
Full haste, for fickle was Chaos’s night.

The hot breeze at my back always slowed me,
Avalanches drifted up in my path;
Thus unnatural order resisted,
But by our strong bond, still I persisted

At last I came upon your safe haven:
A small cave nestled in the midland hills.
We called our names, running into sweet embrace
Our muddied forms quite a dirty disgrace.

Reunited safe with my dearest friend,
The ice of worry melted from my chest.
My one treasure, my precious cornerstone.
Filled by radiant warmth I’d never known.

It didn’t just come from inside myself;
It circulated within and without.
We looked around, for you felt it as well
And such a sight met us that our jaws fell.

Along the ground lay five great jewel orbs
With markings matching those in scrolls we read.
Straight out of the myth, a sign from the start,
Lighting the cave was the great flaming heart!

We were renewed by the glorious light,
Cleansed of filth, wounds, and new vitality.
The fire shone like a brilliant beacon,
Attracting old Discord to the region.

He mocked our efforts, told us to bow down,
But our sojourn had come too far to end.
We had five elements, missing just one,
But legends decreed the deed would be done.

We harnessed our love for all, great and small,
Unlocking the Elements’ sacred force.
Gathered creatures gasped in awe and wonder;
Timeless magic tore his reign asunder.

Though his rule was over, the war was won,
Nature, like a newborn must learn again
Its natural rhythms, its old refrains.
Our system of aid to this day remains.

Unrestricted by limits as never before,
Bounteousness in our talents grew clear.
We lavished them upon the entire land,
The expanse of sky was ours to command.

I brought forth Day, for I loved all things bright,
You, Night, loving its pliability.
The ponies rejoiced, insisting we lead.
We humbly refused until seeing need.

Through skirmish, famine, growth pains, and the storms,
We were confident in our commitment.
The nation soon enjoyed tranquility,
The symbol of hope and fertility.

As we matured as individuals,
Our bodies and manes morphed in reflection:
Mine like the Northern Lights, flowing pastel,
Yours, sparkling evening waves that softly swell.

You were loyal, honest, and generous;
Adorning evenings with such great splendor,
Such detailed design I couldn’t repeat.
Your thoughtful insight made our rule replete.

However, as the golden years kept on,
They adored me reverently for Day.
Though we shared the throne, habit stole your fame.
They slept through your wonders; great was the shame.

Regretfully, blinded to the patterns
Of daytime celebrations and events,
I did not see how their eyes only knew
Me, since you slumbered after morning’s dew.

Of course you were lonely, all on your own!
None but cold, stony guards for companions.
“Not now Sister; I have someplace to be.”
If life is not shared, is one truly free?

Fate struck again with news from the far north:
A lone rogue enslaved an ancient kingdom.
We marshaled our forces and took the lead,
For we could not stand for such blatant greed.

Marching forth were our Earth infantry
With winged cavalry and horned mages
As the epitome of martial might,
But we faced a different kind of fight.

As the battle waged against King Sombra,
His dark magic enveloped our forces.
Despite mages’ shields and your storms, even we
Could not tell between friend and enemy.

Visions of fallen nations filled my mind.
Only by my shield had I resisted.
When all seemed lost in his bleak corruption,
I released light in a fierce eruption.

The spell burned through his fog on our army,
Leaving him thunderstruck, a brief reprieve.
Filled with the spirit of desperation,
The Elements once more saved our nation.

When defeat neared, he sealed the Empire,
Which was quite a disheartening result,
But the dire consequence of winning
Was that your once firm resolve was thinning.

The whispers of demons during his spell,
Planted seeds of doubt in your fragile mind.
I should have listened to you, should have seen
How great the neglecting of you had been.

All the ponies said I broke the dark tide,
Yet hardly acknowledged you fought there too.
Had I listened to your words as before,
We would have avoided what was in store.

You had nowhere to turn, no shoulder firm,
Only my glory’s shadow to reside.
I see now what lead to your darker form
And confrontation that left our bond torn.

Our bitter conflict destroyed the town,
Crumbled the palace and ruined the peace.
What if that calamity’s energy
Had been used to nourish the harmony?

No lives were lost, for that I am thankful,
But I still lost you for what I had done.
Like the Elements, once bright sparkling orbs,
My heart has turned to a cold, grey, stone sore.

We rebuilt upon the tallest mountain
A great new capital: Canterlot.
Security is better, and the view.
I love more that I am closer to you.

From on high, on the regal mountain side,
The expanse of all we’ve worked for spreads out,
But all its honor, bounty, and treasure
I would give to be with you forever.

Tomorrow they will celebrate my rule
And adore me as “Princess of the Sun,”
Yet I hide behind my long practiced show
The gaping hole devoid of your soft glow.

I deserved no title, no glory, no fame,
For on my own it was hopeless to start.
I ask your forgiveness, humbly submit
For all the crimes I, not you, did commit.

I will not resist your future return,
For I know brute strength will not reach the heart.
I hope my words or this letter will speak
And break through the chains that made us so weak.

You remain my rock, my guardian moon,
A pearl in the core of my foundation.
I love you sister, more than I can say.
Indeed even more than the light of day.

May the gates open soon,
Celestia

Author's Note

First off, I would like to thank DreamWings* and Luminary* for pre-reading this story. Their insight was both helpful and encouraging, and I look forward to potentially working with them again on my next fanfic. I'd also like to thank cathykitcat* for allowing me to use her artwork [link in the source].

This poem was supposed to serve as an interlude during the timeskip in the main fic, but I decided to release this on its own to get my feet wet. If you like the premise of this story, I hope you'll keep an eye out for the main fic that is currently a work in progress. More info can be found in my blog post. *

As many of you can probably tell, this poem was heavily influenced by "Lullaby for a Princess*," however "Lily's Theme*" also played a major role in inspiring me throughout the writing process.

Links:
http://www.fimfiction.net/user/DreamWings
http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Luminary
http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/173138/my-beloved-sister-notes-night-knight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4tyvJJzSDk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfU_sC7m2cA