No More Secrets, Sister!
It was a normal winter’s morning in Canterlot where both the princesses sat eating their breakfast. Celestia watched her sister rant, stirring her oatmeal dreamily. The snow fell softly outside and throughout the room, even though a fire was lit, she was cold.
“And that’s why I’m worried… sister? Sister! Did you even hear a word I said?” Luna sniffled. She sneezed before quickly grabbing the tissue box and pulling out a tissue for her very red nose. She then let out a groan.
“Oh! Um…” Celestia tried to remember what she was even talking about. “I’m sure your cold will pass in no time. Nothing the Princess of the Night can’t handle,” she warmly smiled and took a sip of her tea.
“I wasn’t talking about that sister.” Luna pulled the blanket that was around her shoulders across her chest tightly. “I was talking about you. Are you sure you’re not coming down with a fever yourself? You are less coherent than me today! Not to mention you haven’t touched your food.”
There was a pause and Celestia dropped her spoon looking down at her food and back to her sister.
“You’re right. Maybe I should just get going-”
Luna frowned. “I don’t think so!” she said. “We promised not to keep secrets from one another and I’ve kept my half to the truth… now I believe you must.” Playfully, she pulled the blanket over her head and grinned mischievously.
“Ugh! What secret!? I don’t HAVE any secret!”
“I’m ruler of the night, Tia.” She then stood on the table, a few guards and other ponies who worked around the kitchen staring at her as they walked by, and leaned close to her sister and tried to say darkly -although it came out rather amusing with her cold-voice- “I have seen your dreams, sister. Something bothers you!”
Gasping a little, she suddenly pulled Luna off the table. “I have told you a thousand times NOT to look into my dreams! Unless somepony really needs help, you don’t bother or interfere!”
Luna rolled her eyes. Yes, yes… she HAD heard it a thousand times from her. She hadn’t really looked into her sister’s dreams. She simply said that to make her ‘spill the beans’. However, this time, none spilt and Celestia was now left a little peeved in thinking that her sister had invaded her privacy.
They both glared at each other for a short time in silence.
“…Don’t you have a night to watch later this evening?”
Luna sniffled and wiped her nose with a hoof quite unladylike.
“Yes, I do.”
“Then you should get going to bed… get some rest, you are still unwell.” Celestia headed for the door. “You don’t want to wake up late.” So Luna followed her big sister’s orders and headed straight for bed.
She tossed and turned, trying desperately hard to get to sleep… but she couldn’t. All that was on her mind was her big sister. She just knew something was wrong.
The clock ticked, and her eyes felt heavy as the hours went before her.
There was then a creak from the door. Luna’s ears pricked up and she quickly tossed herself over, nearly getting caught in the covers, and as a beam of light shone through into her room from her door way, she kept still- eyes shut tight. She pretended to be asleep.
Celestia stood in the doorway. Philomena, perched on her shoulder was holding something in her beak. Carefully, Luna lifted an eyelid just to peek. She recognised the shadow instantly.
Letting Philomena drop the object from her mouth and into Celestia’s hooves, she quietly crept up to her younger sister’s bedside and slipped it under her pillow.
“A true sister always tells the truth… Please don’t think any different of me,” she whispered and then gently kissed Luna on the forehead. She left the room, letting her pet phoenix fly out first and closed the door gently behind her.
Luna sat up straight, and pulled out the mysterious object that her sister had put underneath her pillow. She raised an eyebrow at the whole scene but was also excited wondering if it was a late Hearths Warming Eve present or maybe she had decided to play as the tooth fairy tonight. Luna sniggered to herself, making an odd sound as she suddenly remembered she couldn’t breathe well through her nose at the moment.
With her magic she then lit a candle nearby.
Oh… It was a boring old book. Okay, maybe it wasn’t as exciting as she had thought. But Celestia would have put it there for a reason. Although she scanned for the title -that was just the thing: there was no title.
She shrugged to herself and opened it to the first page and began to read in the dim candlelit room...
After the exact one hundredth stroke of the comb through the little alicorn’s beautiful pink mane, she smiled to herself in the reflection and set off to go outside and play. It was winter and the snow fell heavy that year, leaving the castle gardens a complete field of white and a perfect playground for the filly.
“Come on, Solis, you have to play with me! I’m older than you after all so you have to listen to me!” the little white alicorn commanded as she jumped a few patio steps. She skidded across the snow with a giggle and lightly bounced around, falling into snowdrifts up to her neck. “Don’t be such a foal.”
“I am NOT a foal. Luna is a foal,” he retorted. Carefully, he took a step out onto the icy patio, his white coat almost camouflaging him with the snow, but with only his mane, a few handsome shades of pale orange and blue, that stood out. He was only a young colt but whenever his blue eyes sparkled like the very ice that covered the land, it reminded others that he would grow up to be a great stallion one day.
“Luna can barely even walk yet… and nor can you seem to.” Raising an eyebrow the little princess sighed. He gave a weak smile before Celestia glided back to push him back down where he fell into a snowdrift. She giggled and now a little provoked, Solis shot back up and growled.
“C-c-c-cold! W-well you won’t either after I’ve finished with y-you!” he yelled through chattering teeth. Tia quickly dodged a snowball by inches as he then began to chase after her out of the gardens and into the forest which is where they spent most of their time to play and explore.
From one of the castle’s towers, two unicorns watched upon them from out on the balcony. One of which quite old with a long beard and funny hat whereas the other younger and in fact one of his former students.
She gave out a long sigh and looked to the wise wizard. “I have a bad feeling. I don’t think little Tia will understand. I fear of her reactions.”
“Oh, Clover. It’s always you who’s the pessimistic one.”
She scowled before turning her head to try and spot the children again. “It’s not about being pessimistic, Starswirl. It’s about the reality of all this. She’s still just a filly. She was originally told different and now… now it’s going to be something she won’t be able to comprehend. We don’t know how she will react here.”
Starswirl patted her on the back. “I understand yes, yes. But it’s too late to worry about that now. She has to know and we both know what the prophecy says.”
“What if the prophecy is not true?”
“We can’t avoid truth, Clover. Don’t get me wrong: I adore the filly… annoying to teach but no less annoying than how you were when you were just a filly.”
“Well, excuse me!”
He cleared his throat. “What I mean is that I have nothing against her. It’s just truth needs to be spoken of. Trust me.”
He then went to leave but stopped in the doorway. “We shall both tell them tomorrow at breakfast then.”
Clover suppressed a frown as he then walked off, leaving her to ponder on what he had said for a long while until she had lost sight of both the children in the snow in the distance.
The next morning came sooner than Clover had expected and she sat down at the dinner table, beside Starswirl and opposite little Tia and Solis.
“Sorry, I hope I am not late,” spoke a serene voice from the doorway. Everypony turned to face her.
“Mother! You are late!” Tia quickly spoke up, waving a hoof frantically at an old clock that hung on the wall. The queen herself then warmly smiled as walking in, idly lighting a flame in the nearby hearth with her magic before taking her own seat.
Starswirl then cleared his throat. “As you may have noticed, Clover and I are here to tell you both some important news. We have both decided that you are old enough to know and be able to understand.”
“Have you caught a cold?” Solis asked.
“Um, no.”
“Are you here to say a way I can find my cutie mark?” Tia beamed, leaning half way across the table, eager to know.
“No. Now sit back down and listen.” With a slight glow from his horn she was pushed back and fell into her seat.
“Um, Starswirl, I really don’t think they are ready to know yet-” but Clover’s voice wasn’t heard from the old pony.
“A prophecy was foretold about our future ruler.”
“Did it say anything about my cutie mark!? Will I be a good ruler?” Celestia asked, now eager.
There was then silence in the room. Starswirl went to speak but he couldn’t find the words he wanted to say. In the end, Clover put a hoof on his shoulder and gave a small nod, ready to speak for him.
“Little princess… you are a very bright and beautiful young filly. However, now that Solis is old enough, a prophecy has suggested that, well… he is to be the ruler of Equestria.”
The little filly stared for a moment, her eyes a little unfocused.
“Y-you can’t mean… me!” Solis sputtered in utter shock. “Celestia is first born! She is going to be the next Queen!”
“We do mean you. And the prophecy spoke of a princess to grow up strong enough but go the wrong way: the ruler mare will fall, astray.” Starswirl explained, “Therefore, this means the ruler must be a male heir for the benefit for Equestria.”
Tia turned to her mother, for support. “Mother, tell them! You told me! Father told me! You all told me I was destined to grow into a great pony, one of which to rule a land of harmony! A place where everypony can grow and be happy…”
Her mother then bit her lip and solemnly kept her eyes to the floor. She tried to think of the most reasonable thing to say… something that wouldn’t hurt her feelings. To see Celestia cry was like a dagger stabbing her in her heart. The young princess knew how to tug on her heartstrings.
“Darling, I know what we told you before but that was a good few years ago now. I’m afraid… things change. I’m sorry…”
Celestia rested her head on the table and buried her face beneath her long mane. She remained silent.
“Don’t worry, little princess, it doesn’t change who you are,” said Clover trying to cheer her up. But Celestia didn’t respond. She didn’t even flinch.
Solis looked down at her. “What about Luna though?”
“Luna is not a male heir. And if it weren’t you, Celestia is now second inline to the throne. Royalty is like… like a game of chess. You happen to be a future king. That’s just how it is I’m afraid,” Starswirl said, trying to offer a smile. No one else gave a smile in return.
“It’s not a game of chess, Starswirl! Each pony has feelings here,” Clover interrupted, making her way out of her seat and towards Celestia. She tried to give her a light reassuring hug, but she still wasn’t moving and still had her face buried and hidden. “We told her too soon. I told you.”
“But what if I don’t want to be the ruler?”
“You have to be. You are the only male heir. You are Celestia’s brother.”
Celestia then stood up and ran out the room without a word, her mother about to follow when suddenly something in her told her not to. She gave a side glance to Clover and whispered, “I want you to speak with her. Make sure she isn’t too upset by all this and reassure her that it isn’t her fault by any means.”
Clover then nodded. “Yes, your highness,” she quickly said before galloping after the little filly.
Turning back to the table she looked towards Solis.
“Are you not going to eat the rest of your breakfast, dear?” she smiled, a gentle caring smile that warmed him through the cold moment he was currently in. He looked down at his half eaten food before pushing it aside and shaking his head.
“I am not hungry anymore. I’ve upset Celestia now. She now doesn’t like me.”
“She’ll come to understand… but do you understand? You have a destiny to fulfill. You’ll one day have a kingdom to rule when you become king, my little prince. It’s been prophesied now: set in stone.” She stepped forwards and lifted his chin to look into his sparkling azure eyes.
“Yes, mother… I’ll try my best.”
“Those are wise words for our future king to say.” And she nuzzled him caringly before going back to her seat to finish off her breakfast.
Celestia quickened her pace. She could sense she was being followed as she made it deep into the Everfree Forest.
“Stop following me, Clover!” she suddenly turned around to see no pony there. “Wait- wha-?”
“I believe you are going further than you should be going, little princess.”
Celestia swung around again to find herself suddenly face-to-face with Clover’s smug smile. She then huffed at Clover’s teleportation spell before walking up and sitting beneath a large tree that sheltered her from the snow and faced the other way, staring into the distance.
“We’re all very sorry… especially your mother.”
“You all lied to me. You said I could have potential… you said I can do good for the kingdom.”
“We didn’t know about the prophecy then…”
The unicorn took a step forwards and sat beside the little princess.
“I have helped raise you all, and from the very moment you were born I knew and still know that you can do anything if you put your heart into it!”
“All except ruling a kingdom.”
“So your brother might rule a kingdom… that doesn’t stop you from trying your best. When you find your talent, you’ll see and realise that it’s about taking life in a different way.”
Finally, Celestia brought herself to look up at Clover who was sat simply breathing in the winter air and smiling. She certainly was clever as every pony said and this made the little filly weakly smile back.
She then sighed. “Okay… it won’t change any current things though, will it?”
“Not at all. And this is not your fault, Celestia. None of it. Starswirl says it is to be, but when things are meant to be, things always sort themselves out.”
“Always?”
“Always.”
Reassured unlike before, she leaned into her mentor and let her embrace her.
“Tell me the story… the one of Equestria and how you stopped the windigoes? I think they are trying to form a storm in my heart.”
Clover then looked down to the filly and smiled. “Once upon a time…”
A few weeks had passed and the winter seemed to drag that year. The snow was still falling from the sky as Celestia took a path, alone, into the Everfree.
The relationship between her and her brother became distant quickly. She felt slightly ashamed, but he too was just as awkward and things simply weren’t the same anymore. He feared she was annoyed by him and she feared a prophecy. To prove that he was a good leader for the land, she knew she wasn’t allowed to intervene or help. If he was going to prove his worth, he needed to do it alone.
It crossed her mind from time-to-time that maybe when Luna grows up she’ll have some pony to finally play with and talk to again like Solis. But throughout the few weeks of knowing the truth of her destiny, she found herself being told to look after and care for her little sister more than anything. And that was not fun; it was a hassle.
“TIA!” called a familiar voice. She turned her head and could just about see Solis galloping towards her, clumsily slipping every few steps. Facing away again, the filly pretended she hadn’t heard. “Tia! I’ve been looking everywhere for you…”
He trotted, trying to keep up with her pace although she could hear quite clearly that he was out of breath. She focused on her path.
“Celestia, we’ve barely talked in ages and I haven’t seen you in a whole week now. Are you okay?”
“I am fine, little brother…”
“A-are you still angry at me?”
“I SAID I’M FINE!”
She now stood over him, giving him a fiery glare. Of course she wasn’t fine. That was the face to tell him to go away. But did the little prince listen?
Of course not.
“…Mother said that once I learn how to raise the sun, I’ll have my coronation!”
“That was once to be me, Prince Solis… please leave me alone now. I don’t want to cause any trouble for you.”
She again began walking but he kept following.
“Tia… I’m still your younger brother. Just because there’s a prophecy, it doesn’t mean we don’t have to talk.”
She didn’t answer and made her way deeper into the forest where the snow still silently fell. This time however, Solis hesitated before stepping into what he suddenly realised was far too deep into the forest. He recalled the rules… but he wanted to follow his sister.
“Tia! You’re going too far! We’re not allowed to go that deep into the forest… especially in the snow,” he called. His hooves were glued to the ground and he shivered from both the cold and general vibe in the area.
“Stay then…” and she continued to walk off.
“Should I wait for you?”
No reply as she went out of sight.
“TIIIAAA!!!”
His voice echoed and that was the only sound he was going to hear back…
Celestia hadn’t really explored that part of the forest. Especially covered in snow; everything looked completely different.
She gazed in awe as she entered the winter wonderland, the trees surrounding her hung beautiful icicles and to the side was a frozen stream which she began to follow. Leading to a small open area, she stopped in her tracks. Curiously, she swiped a bit of snow aside.
“Tia!”
She shot her glance back up.
“Solis!” she snapped, “I thought I told you to stay put!”
“I’m sorry, I got scared… I want to stay with you! I don’t want you to go being angry with me…”
She sighed while backing away as he came closer.
“You don’t understand Solis. You can’t rely on me anymore. I don’t want to interfere with your life. You heard what the prophecy said! If I chose to help you, it means helping you rule this kingdom and that is no longer my job. Our lives just… have to be lived separate now. When Luna grows up, I’m sure she’ll be a great sister for you.”
Tears dwelled in the little prince’s eyes as he frantically shook his head.
“No, no! I want things to be the way they were! I don’t want things to change… I still don’t even want to be a prince or king!”
“Hold yourself together, Solis. You have to,” she replied bluntly. But the little colt, now silently sobbing was making his way even closer until-
“Don’t move, Solis! You WILL listen to me and hear me clearly.”
He froze and looked up with wobbled vision.
“You will make an amazing king for this land. Now I want you to go and make your way back home. But once you are home, and from now on… I want you to never speak to me again.”
His little heart skipped a beat on those words.
“…N-never?” he barely whispered.
Carefully sitting down, she sombrely lowered her head and gave him a look he had never seen from her before. He couldn’t quite comprehend it, but he feared it.
“Never,” she finished.
They both stared at each other, the little prince wide eyed, silent and unable to properly breathe with the cold air which didn’t help… whereas Celestia, eyes wide for demand rather than fear.
There was a long silence that pained both their ears as the snow silently fell.
…slowly and painfully, he forced himself to go.
He slowly walked to begin with but stopped to turn around. The look on his sister’s face hadn’t change; the demanding, solemn glare that seemed to hit him like a bolt of lightning.
He began to cry again, and this time leapt into gallop-
When all of a sudden there was a loud crack from beneath his hooves.
Desperately trying to see where it came from, he didn’t realise what was truly beneath the snow. He then looked back to Celestia and she too widened her eyes and shot an anxious look: a look of complete fear.
In the middle between them both the ice gave way before their very eyes and both of them ran.
Trying to catch her breath, Celestia faltered, tripping over her own hoof in desperation and slipped back down. Like a creature trying to chase her and with an eerie creak, the ice cracks crept closer and closer-
It gave way beneath her very hooves.
“S-SOLIS!” she gasped, unable to swim well and the freezing water shocking her body. She splashed into the cold water, thrashing her hooves around. But this was no help.
Solis panicked. Calling for help might mean it’ll be too late… Without thinking, he ran back towards the now icy water: he ran for his sister.
By this time, she began to sink. Down… and down… and down…
Solis too, but before with a deep breath, fell into the water. He tried to search for her but underwater was dark with the ice and snow mostly above. He then realised the coldness was catching him and the darkness began biting away at his vision slowly.
He noticed his sister, sinking below him.
Quickly diving down, he managed to catch her, pulling her back up to the surface where she could get free again.
Shivering violently she spluttered and coughed out the cold water. She slowly crawled to the side where she was off the ice and began to regain consciousness again. Then she rolled onto her side limply and waited for her brother to come back up from the water…
…and waited…
…and waited…
But he never made it back up to the surface and after that moment he saved her… she never saw her brother again.
Little Tia awoke the next morning and found herself wrapped in four layers of blankets yet still shivering. Her breathing felt weak and she looked around herself with blurry vision…
Tia then noticed her mother, eyes red and sore. She was sat on the floor but leaning close to Tia over, her head resting on the edge of the bed and her eyes closed. Something wasn’t right though and that was when the memory of what happened hit her.
“Mother,” the filly spoke in a tired voice. “…w-where is Solis?”
Her mother opened her bloodshot eyes and looked at the filly caringly. A tear rolled from her eye. She swallowed and took a deep breath.
“Tia… I’m so glad you are awake. I’m afraid… Solis didn’t make it…”
Her stomach churned and she shivered more as the memory replayed over and over like a broken record. Why didn’t she help him? Why didn’t she at least call for help?
“Celestia. You must tell me… What happened?”
Celestia, still frozen and her mouth open with no words spoken and tears dwelling up in her own eyes, said the only thing she could say and greatly regretted afterwards: “I-I… I can’t remember, mother…”
She was angry at herself; angry for not doing anything at the time and angry for letting irony hit her like that. And she was angry for not even letting him know that she loved her little brother before he died.
The summer came noticeably quicker that year and on the longest day, when the sun was at its highest, Starswirl spoke to her and explained that it was now her who needed to bear the crown for Equestria as she was now eldest and that the male heir had now passed. The original prophecy was quickly disregarded and she was soon crowned. Celestia didn’t dare mention it though.
In a long cape of dark silk, and with every pony around her that she knew –all but her brother- that day was one of the hardest days for the still young princess.
“…I solemnly swear upon the oath to uphold the laws of this land,” she then bravely looked to her little sister who was nearby, now just old enough to be able to sit quietly for the ceremony, “and protect ALL of my subjects… along with this, my little sister.”
Luna gave a toothy grin before being easily distracted again and in that moment Princess Celestia knew that she wouldn’t rule the kingdom alone. She wanted to grow with her sister, equally by her side, never make the same mistake as before and keep the past locked away and hidden in the past. She knew she had to move on to continue her life and she knew, remembering back to Clover’s wise words, she now was ready to take her life another way and change for good.
Luna turned to the next page –the last page. It was blank. She then closed the book eyes wide and her mind churning on what she had just read. She would have never guessed… she never even remembered. How did she not remember?
Confliction of anger and shame boiled before she let out a long sigh. She took a long look at the book one final time before tossing it across the room. It landed, open and clear on the very page which told about how Solis died.
She flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. The clock still ticked and she knew for sure she wasn’t going to get any sleep now.
Later at dinner time, Luna scrambled out of bed in a rush to get ready. She shot past the book a few times, remembering the whole story… each word. Her head ached. After a long pause of staring at the open book, she took the decision to take it to dinner with her and confront her sister to ask about it.
She performed her usual raising the moon routine before making her way down to the dining room. But to her surprise, Celestia wasn’t there. She asked around and a couple of kitchen servants told Luna that she had already eaten and made her way to her chambers early. So following the long corridors up to Celestia’s chambers, Luna walked in without even knocking and found her sister staring out of the window, watching the snow which gently fell.
Her ears pricked up when she saw Luna frozen in the door way in the reflection.
“You read it then… I assume.” There was a dark tone in her voice and in response Luna slowly nodded.
There was silence.
“…The book was a diary. It was to release the shame I held. I needed to let it out some way after the coronation. I couldn’t talk about it to anypony… I feel ashamed as it was also my fault that he was forgotten.” She then closed her eyes and let a tear trickle down her cheek. “It was my entire fault.”
Luna desperately wanted to console her sister. Instead, still glued in the doorway, she simply said, “Why now?”
“I swore to protect my subjects… I wanted them to be protected from the truth, including you. But when you knew this morning, and when you said we don’t keep secrets from one another, I knew that I can’t hide the truth forever and that it does no favour to anyone of us. I knew sooner or later you would ask who the pony was in my dream.” She opened her eyes and gave eye-contact through Luna’s reflection on the window. “I’m sorry… I truly am…”
Luna took a step in. “Well, to be honest… I never did look in your dreams. I just said that get you to tell me what was wrong…”
Celestia’s ears then flattened back.
“Anyway, how come I had never heard of him before? How has his legacy of saving you and being royalty not been remembered?”
“I never told anypony what happened. No pony knew of how brave he had been to rescue me. And he was so young. He was only remembered by those who knew him and even they didn’t know how he died... I didn’t even tell mother…”
Luna then frowned. “I knew him. He was my brother too. Yet, I was never told…”
“I didn’t want you looking into things. I didn’t want you finding the prophecy. The prophecy spoke of a mare that would go astray… that mare was you, Luna, as Nightmare Moon. I didn’t want you reading it wrong like how I did, and I didn’t want to be a bad sister. I’m sorry little sister. I promise now; no more secrets.”
Luna looked at the book and examined it for a moment before suddenly tossing it into the fireplace where the hungry fire ate it gladly, crackling and burning each page that existed. Celestia’s eyes widened as she turned to the fire, watching her painful memories being burnt.
“Good,” Luna said. “And now I believe it is time for ME to tell the truth…” She turned her sister’s face to face hers. “None of it was your fault. When things are meant to be, they always sort themselves out…”
Celestia then threw her hooves around sister and embraced her as tightly as she could. Finally, the weight from her heavy heart had been lifted. Luna smiled and returned a hug, glad that she was able to help make her feel better and able to say the right things. But there was one thing that was still on her mind.
“So a brother, huh… what was he like?”
“I’d describe him as the little brave prince who was simply… not meant to live in this world…” She gazed back out at the snow, shedding one last tear. And that night, Celestia opened the doors to the past for the one last time, but this time to share in knowing that her sister would never tell another soul.
“Never?”
“Never.”
Author's Note
A short story I came up with a while ago... I think it was when I couldn't sleep that it popped into my head one night. I want to thank my boyfriend shadownight and friend KingMonoChrome for proof reading it and suggesting to upload it here. ^_^ It's my first story submitted here so I hope it's alright for my first.
