Twilight hummed as she trotted to the throne room of Canterlot castle. Her mentor, Celestia, was supposed to be there to help her grow into her role as the Princess of Friendship. Twilight stopped in front of the large golden doors and took a deep breath before pushing them open with her magic. The doors opened slowly and revealed the red carpet with gold trim and the many stained glass windows leading the way to the golden throne. She stepped inside and found that only Luna sat on the throne and Celestia was not. Twilight trotted up, a bewildered look on her face.
“Princess Luna, where is princess Celestia?” Twilight asked. Luna sucked in a breath.
“She is out today Twilight,” she said in her characteristic near monotone.
“Oh, where?”
“I cannot say I’m afraid. Celestia makes the same journey every year and will return in the morning, so please wait until tomorrow. I’m sure she would be glad to answer your questions and aid you in any way then.” Twilight looked at the Matriarch of the Night and rubbed her front left leg against her right. She looked at the floor and then back to the Princess. She opened her mouth and began to speak. But, Luna cut her off.
“You were going to try to get me to tell you weren’t you?” Twilight nodded. Luna sighed and grinned a little, “very well Twilight Sparkle. I will tell you the story behind Celestia’s annual pilgrimage, but first I must show you something.”
They walked out of the throne room and into the many passages of the Castle. Twilight recognized many of them as she had played in the castle as a foal many times. They neared a room that Twilight remembered easily and it held some of her favorite memories, Celestia’s bedroom. Celestia had read her stories before bed and had had mini sleepovers with the Princess of the sun. They played together and the princess had treated her like her own. Luna opened the door and let Twilight walk inside before herself.
Luna closed the door behind them with her hoof while charging magic into her horn. The curtains closed and a section of the wall illuminated with the midnight blue aura. Twilight watched as a stained glass window appeared, extending from the ceiling to the floor. On its painted surface was an unmarked gravestone with a black colored sun symbol behind it.
“This, Twilight Sparkle, is where Celestia has gone,” she said somberly.
“I don’t understand princess. Who is that window for?” Twilight asked.
Luna looked up at the window and sighed heavily, “this window is for my nephew Twilight. That gravestone is for my sister’s son,” she said sadly.
Twilight stiffened. “Celestia was a mom?” Luna nodded. “I don’t understand princess, what does this have to do with Celestia being gone?” Luna walked up beside Twilight and sat down.
Celestia has gone to visit him Twilight. Today is the day of his birth and his passing.”
Twilight thought for a moment, “He didn’t survive did he?”
“No sadly he did not. She named him Solarian before she had to bury him.”
“How long ago was this princess? Why didn’t Celestia tell me? I’m her most prized student! We share everything! And…” Luna put a hoof over her mouth, as Twilight became more frantic.
“Settle down Twilight.” She pulled a seat over and set it beside herself. Luna got up and sat in the ivory and silk chair. “Long ago Twilight, before Equestria was as grand as it is now and shortly after we had become Alicorns ourselves, as all these stories go, Celestia had fallen in love with a handsome young colt. He was a fine stallion, good build and dedicated. They married and later were expecting a child. They were so excited. They had turned a room of the castle into a nursery and everything. They purchased clothes, furniture, toys, and even picked names for their soon to be son or daughter. The three-hundred and thirty five days passed and Celestia was due in the morning.” Luna smiled and began to chuckle, “She was bigger than could be, her belly almost dragged on the floor! He was going to be a big baby,” she said, her cheeriness fading slightly. Luna stood up and went over to the bed and sat down on it, by the large pillows and beckoned twilight to join her. “In fact, we didn’t have time to take her to the hospital, so we brought the doctor here. Celestia was in labor for twenty-four hours. Myself, her husband at the time, and a large part of the royal staff were all outside the door.”
Luna smiled again but her smile was betrayed by her eyes which began to let tears run down and escape.“We heard Celestia screaming and grunting as she gave birth to the newest member of the Royal family. We were all on edge, waiting for the cries of our little prince.” She began to sob quietly. “We…We waited and waited, but nothing came from the room. We began to get worried and I was about to open the door when the doctor came out.” Luna was crying heavily. Twilight snuggled up to the princess and wrapped her hooves around her. Luna did not return her hug, she only cried, while doing her best to continue her story.
“He was covered in blood and he pulled myself and my brother in law into the room. A curtain surrounded the bed, we couldn't see anything through it but blood was on the floor all over the place and we could hear crying coming from the other side. He told us the baby did not survive the birth.” Luna was almost wailing as she crushed Twilight into a hug of her own and she cried into Twilight’s shoulder.
“We were robbed Twilight. Robbed of a life, a son, a nephew, and a prince.” Luna released Twilight from her death grip and leaned against the head board of the large bed. “We all wanted to hear the cries of a life being born Twilight. Shrill to our ears as they would have been, it was going to be a new life entering the world.” Luna wiped the many tears from her eyes and from her fur with a swipe of her leg.
“He permitted us to see Celestia. She was cradling him in her forelegs, crying, and nudging him with her nose. She was whispering, ‘wake up, wake up.’ She held him up to us, smiling, ‘his name is Solarian,’ she told us.” Luna lightly chuckled and smiled a small smile, “she didn't want to believe it and neither did we.” Twilight sat quietly contemplating everything she had just been told.
“Princess, how could that have happened? Why?” she asked.
“Neither myself nor Celestia can answer those questions Twilight. We may never know why or how it happened, or what the purpose of her miscarriage was, but what I do know is that he is not forgotten nor will he ever be Twilight. Even though we can only imagine what his cries would have sounded like or what life would have been like for us should he have lived, we came together like never before to rally around Celestia and to do our utmost to comfort her as she mourned.”
“And as time moves forward you must move with it, even though it can be painful and difficult. And for us all it was very difficult. To lose one so young and to be robbed of the joy he was to bring to us, it will and always will feel that a piece of your soul has been torn out. You will never fully recover from a loss like it. But as life goes on, you begin to live not just for yourself but for the one that was lost as well.”
Luna stood up and walked back over to the window and covered it again in her magic and it dissipated form the wall, becoming invisible once more. She motioned Twilight to come near her. Twilight got off the bed, still stiff from her own shock at Luna’s story. Luna sat down and cupped Twilight’s face in her hooves lightly. Luna looked at Twilight’s eyes.
“Do you know what the main purpose that the princess’ office holds?” she asked lightly. Twilight shook her head. “The purpose of the princess Twilight, is to bring joy to those she rules over. To give hope and happiness to those who have none to look after those who have nopony to look after them. There will always be much loss in the world and sadness will find a way in at any time, in a small way or drastic. But the Princess’ duty is to give them that which has been taken from them. Celestia realized this as she grieved for Solarien and she has made it her mission to do just that.”
She released Twilight’s face and they sat as teacher and student would. “Her work will never end but to be able to bring joy to just one pony is a reward all its own Twilight. That’s why you were chosen for your role as Princess of Friendship because friendship can create bonds that can withstand the vilest of life’s challenges and hardships.”
“But that’s a lot of responsibility princess! How can I even accomplish something like that?”
Luna looked at Twilight softly, “you have five ponies in Ponyville that will aid you in your task Twilight, never forget that. You have friends in Canterlot as well who are always willing to aid you in any way should you require us. Keep them close Twilight, you may need them yourself in ways you never could have imagined.” Twilight nodded slowly and stood back up. “Go back to the guest room Twilight; Celestia will see you in the morning.” Twilight left the room and closed the door behind her. Luna smirked and smiled.
“How long have you been there Celestia?” Celestia walked into the room from her balcony door and stood beside her sister.
“A while actually.” Celestia looked at her sister and smiled at her, “Thank you Luna, I would not have been able to tell her all that you have.” Luna nodded her thanks.
“How was your trip?” Luna asked somberly.
“It was nice. Twilight’s grown into quite the mare, hasn’t she?”
“Yes she has, and she has you to thank for that.”
Celestia levitated a picture to herself of Twilight playing with her Smartypants doll. She smiled at the photo remembering what was contained in that picture.
“I’m glad the somepony got to play with it,” Luna said quietly as she left the room, closing the door behind her. Celestia sat down and pulled the picture closer to her chest.
“Solarien would have loved it too.” A single large tear rolled down her cheek.
