Two Lonely Mares

Bonus chapter: Waking the Sun

"Luna, I still don't really understand why the station must be in Everfree Forest. I mean, all ingredients could be delivered to it, wherever it is, and Zecora only needs to oversee the start of each batch, the remainder of duties is on the guards..."

Luna turned her head away from Celestia and to us, me on my bed and the two guards still on their bedrolls. Her gaze rested on the cast on my broken leg and she scrunched her nose in a mean grimace.

"Tis true, Sister. Mayhaps the guard ought be located in the Hotel Royale, with its staff at their every beck and call, and the luxurious facilities at their disposal? Cauldrons stationed in the grand hall, ingredients delivered by mail, and Zecora admitted upon deposing entrance fee?"

Celestia's face soured. "Please, Luna, don't be so condescending. I had a lengthy talk with the captain of the guard. If not for Cadence, I would have accepted his resignation. About half of the guard has been relocated to where their... violent tendencies are served better. I have totally bogged the administration down with evaluation process of their replacements, and the new tests are strict, very strict. And yet this all is but a reminder this is all my fault, I allowed this to happen. I feel bad for punishing these guards now, because I shouldn't have let them cross the gates of Canterlot in the first place. They were unfit for the job they were tasked with, and too blinded by splendor to oppose when given jobs they were unable to perform right. Blame me and punish me, but have mercy on them."

"Nay, sister." Luna's voice softened. "Causing thee pain was not my intent. Take no blame. Thou told me that ponies of this time decide their lives freely. These guards choose their duty of their will, and to abuse it they choose on their own. I blame you not for allowing them decide, and I consent not for thee to take their faults. Thirty adult stallions drunk with power and chase, and blind to what is right is not your failing, it is their own."

"That is all correct if you look at that event, at the scale of your room and three hurt ponies. But despite freedoms, I still guide, I suggest, encourage and discourage. I shape the whole society, and its shape is my responsibility. These thirty guards were foals when I decreed their school curriculum. They grew to be arrogant and cold-hearted for some reasons, and it is my fault these reasons exist. And even today I cannot identify all of them, I cannot trace some of them to original sources, and even if I know original sources of some, they are rooted so deeply in Equestria's society I cannot remove them." Celestia raised her gaze to Luna, and put her hooves to hers, across the table. "Luna, I failed as a princess in shaping the country. They shouldn't have grown to be like that. I regret this, and yet in the greater image of things I must change nothing or I would take their freedoms, kill their chance to choose and remove mystery from life."

Luna smiled to her sister warmly. "In a wild garden roses bloom most beautiful, sister, but thorns are sharpest too. Trim the thorns but uproot them not. You art better a princess than you thinkst."

"You?" Celestia cocked an eyebrow. "Did you decide to give up on 'thou' at last?"

"Nay, sister. You grew wiser."

"I did?" doubt was audible in Celestia's voice.

"What difference is 'tween a society so closely guiden and one in a tyrant's iron grip? Mere choice of fear paralyzing or blindness oblivious. Why grewn I bitter, Celestia? For ponies not cherishing my night, or for ponies short on time to cherish it? For ponies shunning it, or too tired after day filled to the brim? You choose the day for them, Celestia, and so had I chosen to attack you, not them."

There were tears in Celestia's eyes. "But Luna, your guards, your chosen..."

To that Luna was unwilling to answer, but we were of one mind. Time for me to speak for myself.

"For that deed I hold no scorn.
I pricked on your rose's thorn,
But the bloom's beautiful, though
if you let it freely grow."

Silver Glimmer chuckled. "Pretty mighty that rose is, if pricking on its thorn can break your chest and leg."

"That it is, strong and great.
When not known is its fate."

"Your Majesty..." Moon Ray bowed his head to Celestia, "I come from the palace night guard. I believe I would fail your current tests. I don't know if I could hold them back at the door by talking sense into them, but as a matter of fact, I did pick a fight with them. Punish them for hurting Zecora at will, but my condition is my fault alone."

Celestia raised an eyebrow and looked at Silver.

"I did rush to Zecora's aid when they refused Princess' order." He shrugged. "I say it was a justified cause and I won't take the blame."

Celestia smirked, then looked at me.

"I did knock down one or two...
Part of blame is on me too...
And this leg, admit I must,
on the stairs did I bust."

Celestia smiled and nodded. "And yet they should have provided help instead of holding you back and fighting you. And they still don't even see anything wrong about their actions."

"If thrill they seek, thrill will they find," Luna said. "Cockatrices art no trifle matter."

Celestia nodded to that and conceded Luna's suggested location of the new watchhouse/laboratory where the guards would labor on the potion: a clearing five minutes walk away from my house. The two agreed upon some budget points, the guards given free reign in organizing themselves, and the methods of disposal of failed batches of the potion. Then came logistics of food supply, the idea of the station being self-sufficient was abandoned (a huge swath or the forest would need to be cut down to provide crops for thirty ponies, and such a large population would not survive as gatherers in one place long). The guards would still depend on their own greens, some fruit and water, but bulk of food meant for longer storage would be delivered from Ponyville once a week, except in winter, when they'd need to stockpile. Unless they prefer to maintain one of forest paths, keeping it free of snow. The two discussed what the guards could eat, with us three chiming in from time to time. The Everfree Forest is a bountiful place if one knows where to look, and I couldn't complain about variety of my diet despite not depending on Ponyville supplies, so any Celestia's doubts about risk of scurvy and the likes were quickly dispelled.

"All this food talk made me mighty hungry..." muttered Silver Glimmer.

"I'm on it!" exclaimed Luna, standing up, then looked around uncertainly. "Tis how ponies say it nowadays?"

"Yes, sis" Celestia smiled, "but I guess I could send you a few servants for help here."

"No chores of homestead art worse than explaining my needs to a servant stubborn."

"Had the servants given you any trouble?"

"Nay, sister. But how many a time one needs be told, crusty flatbread salted, and coffee black. No jam, no jelly, no huge white bread loaves, no cream, no honey, no exotic spices. Night by night would I send the meal back to kitchen and Silver wouldst bring me fresh flatbread from nightly bakers as I brewed coffee of my own. Your servants art but full of excuses. At least the allowance allows me to remedy their ineptitude and leaves a little for personal fancies as well."

"You are spending your allowance on food?" Celestia frowned. "Luna, now I understand why you considered moving to Zecora's hut. Have you complained to the chamberlain, as I told you to?"

"Mister 'this shall be remedied come next meal'? Mister profuse apology? Thrice have I complained, thrice I was met with excuses and apologies. I shan’t beg your servants nor scream at them."

"This, Luna, will be remedied as soon as I'm back in Canterlot. But for now I admit I got rather hungry as well. I'll check on our patients and then help you. Do you still make these wonderful stir-fried veggies?"

"I used last of Zecora's onion."

"You used shallot, that is true,
But plain onion I have too!
I keep it in cellar store.
There's the hatch near by the door."

Luna soon located the hatch and descended the steep stairs. I heard her squeal of joy. "Tis a bounty of ingredients!" she shouted.
Meanwhile, Princess Celestia used her magic to check on my leg and chest. "The temporary mending spell has settled by now, and you may walk and return to all normal activities. No jumping, no bucking, no straining, I made the spell to pinch if you strain it, so you will know if you are overworking yourself. In two weeks your bones will be as good as new, and the spell will dissipate."

I nodded, swallowing an especially stupid rhyme my spell tried to put in my mouth4) then I tried standing up. My joints popped and squeaked, but there I stood. I flexed my legs, made a few sit-ups, push-downs, and soon I was back in condition to challenge the world. Or in this case, a bunch of carrots while Luna took care of the onions, and Celestia was testing the two batponies. Soon the vegetables sizzled on the pan, stirred by Luna's magical glow, while the four of us (Celestia included) sat watching, with our mouths watering.

Luna turned around and giggled seeing the four of us sitting orderly, waiting. "Perchance ought I forfeit princessing and start a cook's career?" she chuckled.

"Canterlot's chefs could surely learn a thing or two from you," Celestia said.

Luna smiled and returned to tossing the vegetables over intense flames, sprinkling spices and pouring sauces, then she extinguished the stove and filled five bowls with the food.

Without waiting for others, without any royal manners, Princess Celestia dipped her mouth in the bowl and began practically gobbling the veggies. "mmmm!" she paused "Luna! I missed this so much!" she mumbled, pieces of broccoli sticking to her lips, expression of absolute delight in her eyes.

I got to eating. Oh yes, even better than the last time! I recalled the royal dinner - despite being fancy, the dishes tasted... generic. And this here had passion in it! I met Luna's eyes and without words she knew how much I liked it.

Luna nibbled on her food, observing us feasting on ours, with a little fond smile. "I fathom it not, why ponies find my food so agreeable. No special ingredients do I add, nor spells I cast. Tis but plain grub braised on high fire, spices of common, and sauces plain."

"And yeth..." Silver swallowed before speaking, "And yet it tastes better than food made in best restaurant. My mom would make food like this when I was a wee colt."

"I think I know what the special ingredient is," Moon Ray muttered.

And so did I. "When you're cooking tasty food,
your love makes it taste so good."

Luna scoffed but she didn't protest. We all got back to eating, and before long the bowls were empty. We all sat, content for a while, then Moon Ray picked the bowls and went to wash them.

I walked to my chest near the bed and found my own hookah in it, a fancy squat vessel of dark clay with painted patterns of my land, copper stem, porcelain bowl, and two long hoses, covered in braid of colorful strings.

"This excellent mood, I'd wish
to continue with some shish."

Princess Celestia raised her eyebrows. "I received such a contraption as a gift from guests from Saddle Arabia, but I never got around to trying it, especially after hearing it's used for burning some poisonous herbs. Why do you intend to use it? Is there some poison you wish to dispose of?"

Luna giggled. "Sis, tis a pleasurable implement for incense, taste and brightness of mind, not a waste incinerator." She put her front hooves together, a gleeful smile filling her face. "I wish to try it very much!"

Celestia coughed a bit and looked around uncertainly, while I carried the hookah to the table. Refilling the jar with water, adding the shisha to the bowl, then I brought a burning ember from under the cauldron and placed it on top. I gave it a test puff. Celestia watched me distrustfully, while the two batponies seemed rather curious.

I passed the mouthpiece to Luna, who sucked the smoke in, slowly. The hookah gurgled happily. Luna sucked the smoke and more air in, then breathed it out, a cloud spreading over the table.

Celestia, distrustfully took the other mouthpiece and sucked just a little. She frowned, letting the smoke roll over her mouth. "Do I spy apples?"

"Yes, two apples, red and green
The best shisha world has seen." I nodded.

The day princess put the pipe in her mouth and sucked at her earnest. Sure enough, she exploded in coughing fit making Luna giggle."Less of smoke and more of air," she instructed. "Lightly, just a kiss."

Celestia squeezed the tears off her eyes and passed the mouthpiece to Moon Ray, who followed Luna's instructions. The hookah gurgled quietly as he took a slow, long puff. He blew the smoke out through his nose and leaned back, relaxing.

Silver Glimmer took the mouthpiece and pulled rather hard, expertly. I could see him choke a little bit but he suppressed it and breathed out. "Excellent shisha." he squeaked, his eyes watering a bit. "Strong. Not the cheapo crap they served in The Wubs."

"The Wubs?" Luna cocked her head.

"A nightclub. Music, lights, dancing, drinks, smoke. Not the soft neat style music too. Noisy, hard."

I watched Luna perk up while Celestia's face twisted into a scowl.

"Well, it's been closed four years ago. The owner never managed to obtain the concession, and one night we got order to close the place down, we raided it, wrecked as ordered..." Silver shrugged.

This time Luna scowled.

"I did not order wrecking it. True I didn't approve of the place, but I wanted it closed for duration of fire safety inspection, not wrecked!" Celestia exclaimed, exasperated.

"I remember the orders," Ray chimed in. "Captain Boot Stomp was still in charge and that was one of his last orders. 'wreck it good so they never return' was what he said. I believe he held a personal grudge against that place."

Celestia frowned. "I guess at least apologies to the owner are in order. If you would like it reopened, sis, I can lend a hoof."

"Zecora?" Luna looked at me.

"Though I like such music's pace,
That's not quite my kind of place.
Noise and crowds, and liquors strong
stroke my mane completely wrong.
But if this is what you want,
That won't damage our bond."

"Aye, too many fields sown poor harvest make. First let us current endeavors complete."

I nodded and took a long swig from the mouthpiece, and let a few circles of smoke out. A foalish glee appeared on Luna's face as she reached for the pipe. And sure enough moment later we had a small pegasus of smoke flying through the hoops I had blown. Show-off.

Celestia sucked on the pipe, carefully. "I heard buffalos smoke some kind of herbs like this, but using a wooden pipe," she said, smoke mixing with her voice.

"Buffalos smoke a different weed.
Wooden pipe they use indeed.
Buffalo weed makes mind quite slow,
but helps one's imagination flow.
Dragons like the sulphur fumes,
Deer imbibe in yew smoke plumes,
And the gryphons like to smoke
mix that makes a dragon choke."

"Wait..." Celestia raised her hoof, then twisted her head oddly. "This is actually a very pleasant feeling!" Then she turned her head to me, slowly. "Uh, I didn't know about these customs. And to think... the world has changed a lot outside Equestria since I traveled last.

Luna's stare held a look of mock incredulity. "Is that so, sister?"

Celestia scuttled over to Luna and put her wing over her back. "Sis... I know comparing my life here to your time in the Moon would be a dark mockery, but... let me just say I didn't indulge in too many of life's joys over the past millennium. One glimpse at the Moon, and any joy would turn sour to me, at a thought of your suffering there. So, yes, many world's developments passed me by."

Luna leaned into Celestia's embrace, the mocking grimace replaced with a poignantly sour smile. "Aye, sister, may the past never spoil our bond."

The hookah gurgled, interrupting the moment rudely. "And now kiss," muttered Silver, hiding his face behind a shroud of smoke.

The two princesses looked at each other, then glared at the guard.

"She's my sister!" - "She is sister of mine!" they replied in unison.

"Why, princest is wincest!" he shrugged.

"Manners, Silver," Luna scorned him, though her lips held a smile. "tis a disgusting idea."

"Yes," Celestia confirmed, "Luna's breath smells like burnt tobacco!"

Luna turned to Celestia, first with indignity, then she snorted with laughter. "Nay, my fine guard," she turned to Silver. "Thinkst you in the millennia past, of the incestuous bond we thought not? Alas, my sister is cold as fish when in bed and inept at finer arts of pleasure."

"Am not!" Celestia exclaimed with shocked indignity.

Luna scrunched her eyebrows in a smug grin. "Prove it."

"I am not bedding you!"

"As if!" Luna exclaimed. "Zecora, willst you be my champion once more?"

"I refuse to do this!
I'm not sleeping with your sis!"

"Me! Me?" Silver waved his hooves in the air while Ray sat back, his face red with embarrassment.

Luna noticed her sulking guard. "Oh, Moon Ray," she said softly. "Tis but a fib, a jest of no substance. Celestia needst years of wooing and courtship to open her chambers, and we hath never laid each other, nor do we plan it."

Ray, relieved, deflated and began chuckling quietly. "Your trials are the hardest, Princess," he muttered, while Silver gave out a disappointed "awww". I had to chuckle a little too - she got me too.

Luna took a puff from the hookah, grinning. "As in times of old, sis?"

Celestia closed her eyes, and sat silent in thought. She opened them slowly, and I saw fatigue in them.

"These times are gone. They will not return. I let go of them."

"Nay, sister."

And then Luna sang. I didn't understand the words, but the voice was more beautiful than anything I heard or saw in my life. It was slow, calm, like a lullaby.

"No, Luna!" Celestia flinched, moving away from her sister. "Don't. Please. I sealed these memories away." Like a cornered animal, she struggled under the assault of the most beautiful voice.

Luna stopped singing. "Thou forgotst? So the last words thou hath utter'd then, were a vain lie?"

Celestia's eyes filled with tears. She turned away from her sister, and Luna resumed singing.

The song sent us into a trance, serene and yet heart-wrenching. I saw Celestia's cheeks getting moist with tears.

Then something broke in her. She raised her head, and joined Luna's song. At first the voice trembled with tears, choking, but soon it joined Luna's voice, strong and pure. The two voices entwined, the song running two melodic lines, a spell of beauty. The song ran into tones of greatness, royal magnificence, and ended with a note of hope, of optimism.

Celestia lowered her head. "Why, Luna? Why did you do this to me? It cost me so much to put it behind me. To make my heart impervious to these feelings."

"Because, my beloved sister," Luna smiled gently, "you need to love and be loved again. And this time I shan't let grief to follow."

"Why, Luna?" Celestia raised her eyes.

"The midnight cakes? Your ear twitching as you give a hearing? The long minutes in your throne spent motionless, till a servant disturbs ye? Fool me not, sister. Whence your temper sits calm as windless sea, monsters lurk below. I know this path, Sister, for I have trodden it right down to the bottom. Starved for love I was, and I denied it till I broke."

"Why, Luna, but I do have the love of my subjects! Countless ponies love me all over Equestria!"

"Do they love ye? Or do they love your image, of a princess calm, gentle and composed, confident and steady?"

"Why, but this is me, I must be such for them." Celestia protested, and I recognized the signs of exactly what Luna mentioned: the calm, dismissive demeanor, eye corners narrowed, ear just barely twitching.

Instead of replying, Luna sung the first phrase of her song. Celestia flinched.

"Luna," she said, her voice filled with fatigue. "I have found my calm. It may not be the happiest life, but it is not overly unhappy either. Why do you insist to break it?"

"For I want my sister returned. Not this smiling wraith, a crying ghost wearing a mask twisted in a grin. Ponies love you not, for they know you not. Not yours are their praises and songs, for they cheer a fraud."

"Is that so?" Celestia turned to the two batponies, angered. "Would you shun me if I ever cried in the court? If I screamed or raged at an idiot? Would you consider me a stranger?" she almost shouted at me.

"It's not so, my princess kind,
ponies are not deaf nor blind.
Smiles so soft and frowns so mild
will not fool a little child.
We can see how hard you work,
in your eyes how shadows lurk.
How so tired and so strained
is your life, to your throne chained.
Working hard as our slave,
Surely respite you must crave.
I would be quite glad to see
our princess being free.
Break the shackles made of gold
Stand strong, proud, unyielding, bold!
Dare to love and dare to feel!
Dare true feelings to reveal!"

Both princesses stared at me, surprised.

"To the dot!" Silver exclaimed. "You know, Princess Celestia, what was the hardest part of service? Standing by your side in the audience chamber and listening to some idiot rambling and seeing you grind your teeth and force yourself not to drop the smile, and force oneself to stay there, motionless instead of beating the clue into said idiot's head with my own hooves! And then the idiot wouldn't take the clue and they'd return a week later to argue the same crap all over again! To see you suffer through this! Aaaaaugh!" he raised his hooves in the air, howling in anguish.

"Moon Ray?" Celestia turned to his other guard, who was visibly distressed.

"I... uh... Please forgive me... what Silver said is entirely true. And then, at times... if the idiot was exceptionally insistent, I'd pay them a visit at night... to... clue them in, so to say."

"You?!" Silver exclaimed, "So that was you! Our nice, impeccable Moon Ray! It's always the quiet ones!"

"Uh?" Luna raised the eyebrows.

Silver Glimmer reported the story with a smug grin. "At times we'd receive reports from ponies, about a vampire pony visiting them at night, scaring the living daylights out of them and at one occasion delivering a rather savage beating. The vampony was reported always to demand them to cease harassing Princess Celestia."

"Really?!" Celestia gasped.

"It was the one who insisted on national breeding program." Moon Ray hung his head.

"But... surely he wasn't the worst!"

"He... You don't know what he said about you behind your back. What he said should be done to 'abominations like you', as he put it. And he was trying to put his program into action... planning to start with his daughters... and when I tried to persuade him, he shouted that he tries to eradicate such horrors at me from the society. And he grabbed a baseball bat to beat me..."

"And? And?!" Luna cheered, earning a deep frown from Celestia, thoroughly ignored.

"I asked him 'do you know how forced breeding feels to the mare?' and then took the baseball bat from him and stuffed it where the sun doesn't shine. Narrow end first, and warning him next time I'll use the thick end first, for better realism."

Luna snorted with laughter. Meanwhile, Celestia seemed to hold her mild frown of displeasure. Then it failed and she joined her sister. Then she stopped the laughter abruptly, regaining a somber expression. "I should have you fired from the guard. This is unacceptable," she stated, scornfully.

"Tis good he is mine now," Luna grinned. "Considering the circumstances I declare Moon Ray not guilty."

"Thank you, Princess." The batpony bowed low, accepting the judgment with gratitude.

"Luna... we can't have royal guards stick baseball bats up the behinds of nobleponies."

"Can nobleponies force-breed their daughters to stallions of their choice? What steps took you to prevent it? Outside declining his scheme, intended you barring him from circumventing you?"

"I... uh..." Celestia's frown deepened. "I didn't really know about it, so..."

"So your punishment would come long past his daughters' lives lay ruined?"

"Luna, what could I have done? I didn't even know he had daughters!"

"You could have given him a piece of your mind!"

"But I did! In every single of seven or so audiences!"

"Didst you? Or stated you your position in the matter?"

"What is the diff... oh, wait. No. Using the RCV during audiences is very rude. And the language..."

"Sis."

"Luna?"

"Cease your stubbornness. Dare feel, dare speak your mind. No ponies who love you will think less of you."

"There are ones who will oppose me. Ones who, once disillusioned, will defy my orders."

"They art yours alone to face no longer, sister."

"Can just the two of us face them all and tell good from bad?"

"The five of us, meanst you, sister?" Luna grinned.

"The... uh... five?" Celestia looked over us with a very uneasy smile.

"Five of us will get this this goin',
Later we'll get others join.
Let me suggest just one highlight.
We should recruit your smart Twilight."

Celestia visibly perked her ears at this perspective.

"Say what you want, Your Majesty," Silver spoke, smirking, "while we failed to find the rogue vampony... maybe because we didn't really put our heart in it..." he grinned sheepishly, "I have to say none of the threatened idiots returned to harass you again. They would only ever present reasonable cases afterwards, and accepted your judgment without protest."

"I... I'm still afraid." She ruffled feathers on her wings, as if feeling cold. "What if we fail?"

Luna put her wing across Celestia's back. "I understand your fear. Fear not, for I shall not abandon ye, nor let grief befall ye ever again."

"Can you?" Celestia raised her eyes, they were large, shining with a small gleam of tears, and suddenly she looked so vulnerable, so helpless.

Luna threw me a glance and I answered with a deep nod. She looked at her two guards. They sat to attention, saluting to her. She turned back to Celestia.

"Yes, we can, sister."

Celestia's smile, for the first time in a long time, turned solemnly, honestly radiant.

The hookah gurgled loudly.

We all glared at Silver.

"What?" he smoked out.

4) "Thank you, dear Princess Celestia.
May dragons never digest ya." Seriously? Spell, wtf?