Worthy of the Sun

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and in no time at all, Radiance Blueblood returned, walking the path she had trod barely more than three years previously. In such a time, this time, gone was her luxurious fur coat, replaced with the shale-grey pelt of some large beast.

She stepped onto the plateau, and found it like stepping back in time; the wind had erased any disturbance to the snow, and the old sun king continued to sit in his throne, as if he had not moved since the last time she had stood before her.

"Hail, Solarion," she declared. "As promised, I have returned to demonstrate my worth and claim the solar crown."

"You have wasted your time," Solarion stated. "As long as you seek it, you will never be worthy. You will never hold the solar crown."

"I beg to differ," Radiance said. "I have returned from Hyperborea, where I led my soldiers in a rout of the dire wolves that plagued the people of the north; we drove them beyond the lands of ponies, from which they will never return."

Solarion didn't move. "And?" he asked.

Radiance blinked. "T- That's it," she concluded lamely. "Is that not a grand enough achievement? A dire wolf is a fearsome foe, and in but two and a half years, we have purged the north of their kind forever more. Does this not demonstrate my worth?"

"A fearsome foe, indeed," Solarion agreed. "And how many of your soldiers' lives were sacrificed for this grand achievement?"

Radiance was stunned silent. She hadn't given the notion any thought. How many had died? Six? Maybe seven? She recalled a few close shaves where a wolf had gotten one of her soldiers and not her…

"Three hundred and twelve, your highness," one of Radiance's soldiers said quietly.

"Three hundred and twelve," Solarion said. "Enough to stain the snow of the north red. Does that sound like a worthy ruler?"

Radiance squared her shoulders. "It sounds like a waste of lives," she said evenly. "But if I had the solar crown…"

"But you don't," Solarion said. "Because you were, and continue to be, unworthy."

Radiance gestured to her escort. "We have travelled far, suffered hardship; I have fought hard to demonstrate my worth! Will you allow the suffering of my men, the lives they sacrificed, to be in vain?"

"They have already been given in vain," Solarion said coldly. "They were given in vain the moment you neglected to remember the names of each life you sacrificed for glory."

Radiance gritted her teeth. "If I remember the names of my fallen soldiers, will that make me worthy?"

"It may," Solarion said. "And what of the wolves slaughtered?"

"I- what?" Radiance blurted out. "The wolves? Wolves don't have names."

"All things have names," Solarion said quietly. "Even if unspoken in Equestrian."

"Well, even if they did," Radiance dismissed, "They don't deserve to be remembered. They were monsters that fed upon my people in the dead of night, they made an already harsh environment more dangerous!"

"But they are wolves," Solarion said. "That is their way, and your people had intruded upon their land, driven away their game. Substituted themselves."

"No, that's-" Radiance shook her head. "They- we-"

"If you think blind bloodshed will make you worthy," Solarion said, "Then you think wrong. You will never hold the solar crown."

Radiance held up a hoof as her mouth worked silently, the Princess struggling to find the words to express the frustration etched across her face, and slowly lowered the hoof.

"Fine," she said. "If that's how it is, then so be it. I will return, and I will bring proof that I am undeniably worthy."

"Don't bother," Solarion said. "As long as you seek it, you will never be worthy. You will never hold the solar crown."

This time, the rejection didn't sting as much; Radiance Blueblood simply turned and walked away. Without a word, her soldiers followed her, and as the tip of the last soldier's spear dipped beneath the edge of the plateau, Solarion was alone once more, staring into a distant sunset.

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The view from the mountaintop was impressive; as far as remote, isolated thrones went, it was a reasonable choice. Radiance fancied that if she were to sit on a rock throne and wait for somepony worthy to give the solar crown to, this would be a good second pick; the first would be a castle in the middle of her land, where she could be waited on by palace staff. Waiting for a worthy soul didn't mean depriving oneself of luxuries, after all.

She stepped onto the plateau once more, her well-travelled wolf's pelt billowing; she was struck by a memory of what it felt like the first time, stepping into the territory of an immortal being, the so-called keeper of the flame since time immemorial. To approach a creature said to be older than the universe itself, and lay claim to a destined, legendary heritage.

Now she strode with confidence; the only difference between them was that he was old, and she was not -- that he had the crown, and she did not. And very soon, he would be old and without the crown.

"Solarion," she said loudly at the being resting on one elbow in his chair.

The old sun king's eyes opened, sharp blue eyes focusing on Radiance.

"You have returned," he said; the jade in his voice was astronomical, of such a high level he didn't even bother to sound jaded, and merely implied he might be with his choice of words.

It didn't phase Radiance, and she pointed a hoof. "You know why I'm here."

"Gaia forbid that you come to seek my wisdom," Solarion said.

"I have already sought it," Radiance said confidently. "I have my answers."

"Then why return?" Solarion asked.

"Because now I seek my prize."

"Then you have not found wisdom," Solaion said, deflating ever so slightly.

"I have committed glorious deeds," Radiance said loudly. "I have purged the southern lands of Arcadia, and rooted out the outlaws within; I have done so without needless bloodshed; I remember every one of those who have fought with me, or against me!" Radiance shook a hoof. "And then, I returned the land to the rightful owners, the Changeling hives, in peace and perpetuity!"

"Glorious deeds, indeed," Solarion said. "Worthy of praise."

"Worthy of the solar crown," Radiance added.

"Less so," the old sun god countered.

"Alright," Radiance said, cupping her brow with a hoof. "I went to great lengths to take Arcadia as peacefully as possible. Do you demand perfection? Worship? What would you have me do to earn the crown? What have I done wrong?"

"Do you desire the crown?" Solarion asked, leaning forward a little. "Do you really, truly desire it?"

"Yes!" Radiance exclaimed. "I want the crown! Give it to me!"

Solarion sat back. "You cannot have it, then -- you are not worthy."

Radiance looked like she wanted to scream. "Then how do I become worthy?!" Radiance demanded. "Stop running me in circles, and either give me the solar crown, or tell me what I have to do to get it!"

"You must leave and stop seeking the power of the sun," Solarion said. "You continue to be mistaken in your belief that you are worthy. You will not become worthy with conquest, no matter how noble, no matter how much or little blood you shed."

"I shall shed your blood in a minute," Radiance growled.

Solarion ignored the threat. "Violence will not sway me, nor make you more worthy," he said. "The solar crown is a tremendous responsibility, fit only for the truly selfless."

"Selfless?" Radiance put a hoof on her chest. "Was not my conquest and return of Arcadia to the changeling hives selfless?"

"But it was not you who sacrificed," the old sun king said. "It was your soldiers."

Radiance wrinkled her snout and scowled. "Very well, I see how it is.You conjure reasons to deny me my birthright."

"I need not conjure anything," Solarion said. "It is written, clear as day, on everything that you are, and everything that you do. You will never hold the solar crown."