A Revolution [ In Love ]

--- Chapter Sixteen - Royal Encounters ---

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A guard walked through the long hallways of the east wing, balancing a tray on his head, and another on his back. It seemed to have a degree of difficulty, but do something enough, and you learn to get good at it, as all the guys said.

It was questionable, why all the guards were male. Not all of them were hired for brawn, but most were. Even some who were could easily be replaced by some of the females, but the job description very clearly read: Colts only.

Even at that, there was no favoritism for any of the weaker colts, or any that were too intimidating. There was a fine line in between, that most colts fell directly on, and so they were, per say, requested, to become a guard in terms of five years, living in accommodations provided by Celestia, and they received a hefty bonus at the end of said five year terms.

Some say it was more so a sense of security for the Princess, being a higher priority than most others, but she gave her guards the slip more often than not, instead of simply dismissing them. A possible element of fun? Nopony knew.

Ah, well, is was his job, best do it.

He knocked lightly on the door he stood before and, receiving no response, he announced his entry, and walked in. At first the room looked deserted, but closer study showed a large lump covered by blankets beside the bed, huddled in a corner.

With reborn alertness, the guard set the trays beside the door, and began to approach. Something stopped him. Ere was a breeze, but there were no windows.

He froze. Yes, there it was again, was it wing beats? 'There's a Pegasus behind me,' he realized, spinning around, drawing a small dagger from a concealed leg compartment, and prepared to lunge.

There was indeed a pegasus behind him, except, not quite. He dropped the dagger, immediately taking a bow, for Princess Luna was before him, and proper respects are due in any circumstance. He didn't move when he felt somepony patting him on the back through clinking armor.

" Good work, General, your instincts still do you justice. " Celestia walked to his front, and smiled lightly, as per her usual expression.

" You may rise once more. " Luna said, grounding herself to the carpet.

General Battleheart was their February runner, meaning any requested and scheduled errands to be transported was either done by him, or under his immediate jurisdiction. This way, if one of them were theoretically poison one of the princess' there would be somepony to blame.

" A test of skill, if you will, General. You may see yourself to your quarters for the remainder of the day, tell the other gentle colts to take a day for themselves as well. " Celestia spoke.

He simply nodded, and backed out of the room in something of a daze. His hoof steps became fainter and fainter.

Luna, once sure they were out of earshot, tackled her sister to the floor, holding her horn, glowing with a spell to be released, at her throat.

" You did not notify the royal guard to leave us undisturbed?! " She barked in her face, teeth gritted, almost snarling.

" It did not occur to me somepony might disturb us, but what's done is done, let us move on. " Celestia said in a calm matter, as she always did.

" Move on? You nearly had us walked in on while we- " Luna stopped, and lowered her voice. " We... Don't need any pony to know of this, they need not to know of any inconsistencies in their ruler. "

Celestia closed her eyes and nodded agreement.

" ...Thank you, sister. " Luna said, leaning down and kissing her sister's forehead.

The motion was unexpected, but both smiled anyways. It was agreed upon to not speak of the night before to any pony else.

---------- The night previously ----------

Celestia sat in a small observation room, overlooking a cyan and a golden mare playing a game of Gems. She remembered playing it once with Night, who associated it with strategy and foresight, and Lit, who associated it with fun and entertainment.

Either way, Celestia had never been any good at the game, and it seemed these two weren't either.

The objective, to flick gems into a circle in the center of a table with a circle drawn on it, and knock your opponent's pieces out of said circle. More points for the closer to the middle your pieces are. The game is over after each player has taken the amount of shots agreed upon before starting.

They were roughly tied, with twelve points for Dash, and fourteen for Applejack. Is was Dash's turn, as she flicked a larger emerald into the center, knocking one of hers, and three of Applejack's pieces clean off the table, and moving one of her own to the two-point zone,

The score was now eleven for Dash, seven for Applejack.

" Gal'dern-it, Rainbow. " Applejack said, shaking her head, and resting her head in her hooves, mouth slanted in disappointment.

Dash grinned, and leaned over the table. " You can give up, if you want, but then you gotta pay up. "

Applejack frowned, that was NOT an option, they agreed a clean night, and a clean night it would be. No sex.

Taking a ruby roughly half the size of her hoof, she searched for some way to turn the tide...

2 center, clustered, one in second, three in third. She had three in second between hers, and Dash's.

After a moment, she saw opportunity. She aimed briefly, and flicked the top of the ruby towards her pieces in the second zone, hoping for the best.

The ruby flipped through the air, and landed with a sharp *Crack* on the table, and in between two sapphires of her own. This launched them outwards towards the one point zones in opposite directions, but both struck opposite pieces, and instead of falling, the momentum carried to the larger gems, as they flew over the table.

Nine-thirteen, AJ's lead.

" So, reckon' ya wanna pay up yet? "

Dash had only two pieces left, both very small ones that she should have used in the beginning. Going against Applejack's still-reserved two extra large pieces, there was no way to win.

She sighed, rubbing the side of her head, and cursed her luck under her breath.

Applejack reminded her of good sportsmanship and, after an apology, they retired to sleep, talking and laughing beneath the sheets.

" Quite a fun game, very tactical. " Luna spoke from behind Celestia, making her jump. She hadn't heard her enter.

" Yes, I suppose so, but I would think one would play the game for a factor of entertainment, not to hone their own battle strategies. "

Luna countered: " It could seem to be a compromise of the two. "

Celestia looked down at her sister, whose eyes trained through the one-way pane, unblinking, at the two. Somewhat ironic she would call it a compromise when the compromise wasn't truly their own.

" Come with me, I think it would be best that we spoke. " Celestia said, leaving Dash and Applejack to their nightly routine, which is a bit too much to be said.

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Luna and Celestia sat beside each other on a large ornate bed. They were in Celestia's room once more, and neither could figure what to say, and so they sat silently for some time, before Celestia initiated conversation.

" We need to let them go, you know. They've been gone hundreds of years, even their memory has faded. " She let her head slump lightly, as she felt the truth in her own words. It was a realization they both knew, but seemingly refused to accept.

Luna said nothing, but leaned on her sister lightly for support, humming a few lines from 'Battle of the Republic.'

" Where did you hear that, Luna? " Celestia asked softly.

" Dad sang it, it was the only time he ever sang to me... " She said reminiscently.

" We must forget that, Luna, it is a memory that will only corrupt..." Celestia choked again. Why was it that she could talk to any citizen of the land without so much as a quiver in here voice, but two people always silenced her charismatic skills.

Her daughter and sister...

" Luna, have you ever felt different around me? As in, churning emotions, uncertainty, lost? " Celestia suddenly asked.

Luna looked up at her, but her face was to distorted to read. It was a mix of... She couldn't tell, was there anger, or understanding?

" Yes... I feel the same way, sister... " She said. " I just did not wish to say anything, I did not know how you would react... "

Celestia smiled, knowing she was not alone in these emotions. She leaned down to embrace her, Luna leaned forwards toward her, but as she began to lift her hooves, Luna planted a kiss firmly on her lips

Celestia's eyes darted open, and she fell to her opposite side, shocked.

" Luna! What- You... Explain this! " She demanded.

Luna shook her head. " Oh no. No no no... I'm so sorry sister, I... "

Celestia understood now that the conflict was mutual, but different.

Without another word, she rose, and left the room to her own chambers, so as to leave Luna to her thoughts.

It wasn't long before there was a light rasping on her door.

Celestia didn't respond, but Luna entered anyway, and slowly eased the door back into it's place, turning to face Celestia.

There weren't really words to be said, but regardless, Celestia moved to one side of the bed.

Luna accepted the unspoken invitation, hopping on the bad, laying beside her.

So once more they were silent.

" I wonder what it is like, for those two... And for you... " Celestia said.

Luna shook her head. " Imagine the best thing you can, now lock it in a safe and destroy it. That is how it feels, sister. "

Celestia pitied the smaller Alicorn. The feeling was to a point mutual. It was heartbreaking to deny Luna her own affection, but this was a step further than she found acceptable.

" Dear Luna, you know that I love you, but not as they do. It's not possible. " She felt she should say more, but nothing came to mind.

Instead of responding, Luna said, " The guard will be here to serve breakfast soon... I should be going. "

" It is the day after Hearts and hooves day, leave has been extended. You may stay or go as you please. "

Luna took the initiative, lying once again beside her sister, flicking her tail from under the sheets.

Celestia rested her head atop Luna's, laying a hoof over her side in a comforting manner, close as she had done to comfort Twilight.

" I love you, Cel... " Luna whispered into the covers.

" I know. "

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End chapter 16

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If you didn't get what happened w/ Princess' Luna and Celestia, L2Internet.