The extensive meeting hall was trashed immensely, the floor nearly covered with shattered wooden furniture fragments and broken stained glass shards peppered in here and there. Warm, afternoon sunlight peered into the Canterlot castle, highlighting the extent of the damage. Tufts of coarse, dark brown fur clung to jagged edges of the large, caved-in round table at the center of the circular hall. A faint autumn breeze rolled into the hall as the lone alicorn princess sat amongst the wreckage on her own unmarked royal throne, a small section of relatively usable table still standing in front of her.

She propped herself up on elbows atop of the table fragment, frustration etched deeply into her expression as she continuously rubbed her temples with her forefingers. The golden crown she typically wore atop her flowing poly-chromatic mane was nestled in her lap.

A set of parchments and documents covered the remaining surface of the table fragment in front of her, a single, lavender purple feather quill laid across the top of the pile. The alicorn princess eyed the pile of parchment with a fevered look of disdain, the signature of the exhausted princess elegantly scrawled at the bottom of countless lines of writing.

"Princess Celestia, your presence has been requested at the castle gardens by His Majesty, Monarch Sayyid of Saddle Arabia. There's been.... another stampede by the Yak Delegates."

The charismatic voice caught Celestia's attention, bringing her light magenta eyes up from the signed proposals to the meeting hall's entrance. There stood a stallion clad in his golden chestplate armor, coat pristine white and maintained, his dual-tone electric blue and teal mane ruffled loosely from the helmet he held at his side.

"And it's good to see you too, Shining Armor." Celestia greeted wearily, offering a weak smile. "I assume I'm going to be replacing my garden as well?"

Shining Armor rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I'm afraid so, Princess. I hope you have good sculptors and gardeners at the ready. I'm sorry to say this, but I think it might be better to leave this alone and let them figure things out."

"And leave them to escalate to a war?" Disgust hung onto Celestia's words, a quick flash of grief shone in her eyes. "You've seen how they behave and what they demand. On one half, the Monarch unbearingly bolsters his pride and demands nearly total control over resources the Yaks need to maintain their economy, thereby overextending Saddle Arabia's land control and overstepping their boundaries. On the other half, the Yaks refuse to accept any deals until Saddle Arabia has relinquished their trading taxes on all Yak goods and increase crafted gem exports to Yakyakistan on Monarch Sayyid's bits, which severely strains Saddle Arabia's primary source of income. They act as though they're on a personal vendetta."

Shining Armor let out a low whistle, scratching at his untidy mane. "That does sound like one mess of a negotiation."

Celestia picked up one of the parchments from the pile and held it up in front of her, shaking it for emphasis. "I've signed documents to have Equestria offer reparations to each nation in order to maintain peaceful relations and even with this, I'm not sure it'll solve the issue and keep war from storming our horizons."

She unceremoniously tossed the parchment back onto the pile in frustration, slumping down into her throne seat as she sighed grimly. "It's like having two of your friends hate each other while you beg and plead for them to set aside differences. Then, they turn around and ask you to support them against the other, despite you being the peacekeeper."

Another voice chimed in from behind Celestia. "Then allow me to be the voice of reason, dear sister. I could surely quell this petty dispute on your behalf." Celestia recognised the familiar cooler presence step closer to her right side and rest a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"If you can do it without inciting a war, then be my guest Luna." Celestia turned aside to find Princess Luna smirking confidently back at her, Luna's sparkling deep blue eyes certainly filled with determination. "Try not to scare the aristocracy too much, I need them mentally sane enough to function in our government."

"Worry yourself not, dear sister, for I shall subdue and cause them to fall prey under my cunning intellect and prowess." Luna said smoothly before turning towards Shining Armor and clenching her other hand into a fist, raising it high and mightily. "Then, we shall convince those rowdy troublemakers to settle this insignificant dispute on Equestria's terms! For this, we shall reign victorious in diplomatic affairs!" She rallied with pride, standing proudly beside Celestia's throne seat as her midnight blue wings burst out from behind her in a grand display of superiority.

Shining Armor chuckled at the thought of Luna taking Celestia's spot as the leading diplomat, enthralled by the idea. "This might get a little bit interesting if you ask me, Princess Celestia. I should be on standby if things turn sour in the meanwhile."

Celestia raised a curious eyebrow at her Royal Guard Captain, sitting upright in her throne seat and nodded slightly to confirm. "I most certainly agree with you, Captain. Luna will take my place in the negotiations as you shall stay closely on standby."

Luna frowned slightly, dropping her clenched fist and placing it high up on her waist, tilting her head towards Celestia. "Do you not trust that I shall do as I have spoken, Celestia?" A dangerous glint of anger flashed in her piercing deep blue glare, now turning towards Shining Armor. She growled sternly, standing more at attention and puffing out her breast, imposing a more threatening stance. "Oh? And you believe that I would require protection, Captain? Have you forgotten that it is I, Princess Luna, who shall be conducting these negotiations in place of my sister and not some sniveling underling?"

Celestia simply laughed, shaking her head. "Relax, Luna. The only ones who'll need protection is the representatives themselves. You have been known to be a bit... short-tempered."

Luna scoffed adamantly, turning her nose to the air and away from Celestia, as though offended. "I do not know of what you speak of, Sister." She denied, folding her arms across her chest.

Celestia arched an eyebrow once more. "Luna, you nearly imprisoned an elderly stallion on the grounds that he was 'meandering unreasonably slow and obstructing royal duties' for crossing paths with our carriage. Might I add that you used your Royal Canterlot Voice on him to insist he put his apple cart somewhere rather... unconventional."

Luna lowered her gaze elsewhere, pouting. "I do not recall such an event..."

"This happened just yesterday, Luna."

"Many ponies exclaim explicitly when other ponies operate slowly. This doesn't prove anything." Luna rebutted, glancing back at Celestia with a smug pout.

Celestia gave her younger sister a deadpan, half-lidded look. "You leapt out of the carriage, flipped his apple cart over, then sent him flying into an orchard tree, all of this done after quite literally lighting his flanks on fire."

"I still say that doesn't prove anything, Tia."

Celestia rolled her eyes. "Thousand year punishment by treadmill running ring any bells?" Only a pained silence reached her ears, broken only by an awkward, throat clearing cough by Shining Armor at the hall entrance.

Celestia sighed, taking a hold of Luna's hand in her own, prompting Luna's attention. "Regardless, I still believe you could try and get Sayyid and the Yaks to reach some sort of...mutual agreement in the meanwhile. I've already written down what proposals I can for the two. So, you can bank off of those, as you may have to. Just...refrain from using any exaggerated punishments for my sake, please?" Her voice trembled ever so faintly by the end of her plea. Luna looked very troubled by the sound of it, sensing a hint of regret in Celestia's eyes. She covered Celestia's hand with her other one, bringing herself to bear a comforting smile.

"I shall fulfill your duties for the remainder of this day, including the setting of your Sun. Fear no longer, Tia, for I will make you proud." Relief visibly settled onto Celestia's features.

"Thank you, Luna."

Luna inspected the pile of parchment documents for a little bit before her eyes settled on the lavender purple feather quill that rested on top, a small 'T.S.' signature engraved onto its slender bronze casing. She took a short moment to contemplate something in mind before picking up the quill with her hand, smiling broadly. "I shall be needing this in the meantime, I have an idea that may aid in this endeavor. I will return it to your possession afterwards."

Without waiting for Celestia's reply, Luna enveloped the pile of signed documents in her deep blue magical aura, levitating it into a neat stack aside her, and quickly strode across the disheveled meeting hall room to its exit, every other step accented with a crunch of glass under her metallic silver high heels. "Come, Royal Guard Captain, we have business to attend to!" Luna said eagerly, briskly walking past Shining Armor and through the doorway with unhinged, broken doors. "We shall make amends for our wrongdoings in our sister's eyes!"

"For the record, I have complete faith in your ability to handle yourself accordingly, Princess Luna." Shining added quickly as he followed Princess Luna out of the meeting hall room, leaving Celestia to herself once more.

Celestia was slightly amused at Luna's sudden confidence to overtake her duties and progress the well-being of Equestria by delegation. She cracked a small grin to herself, shaking her head slowly. "You truly want to impress me and prove yourself to be a worthy leader of Equestria, don't you Luna? All you really have to do is ask..." she chuckled lowly.

Princess Celestia picked up her royal crown from her lap and returned it neatly upon her head, standing up from her seat and making her way out of the wreckage, seeking out the first guard she finds to get somepony to cleanup the mess.

The recent days had been a political nightmare for Princess Celestia, fending off the possibility of two nations, who are not too far away from waging war, dragging her nation into the throes of their aggression. The evidence of this resulted in three destroyed rooms, an injured guard, seven tense days of Yak stampedes, numerous exaggerated declarations of terminated relations, more broken glass than an opera has shattered, and what now seems like a destroyed garden and its statues have been added to the casualty listing. Only because Celestia didn't want to push the matter any further about the countless outbursts by angry yaks, she kept moving their arrangements to different, non-compromising places at her castle. But, Monarch Sayyid of Saddle Arabia kept badgering the Yakyakistan delegates into said stampedes, refusing to relent until their leader shows up for himself and gives him what 'he so rightly deserves as royalty'. As regally as Princess Celestia may carry herself, she would never stoop so low as to be so pompous and spoiled, demanding things to be handed over to her just because of her title. Although that never really stopped ponies from showering her with gifts, Celestia was at least thankful to recieve such high praises than demanding it.

Consumed by her thoughts, Celestia had reached the golden archway that led to her chambers far sooner than she expected. She pushed open the doors to her private chambers and slipped inside, bracing herself against the shut doors and falling to her knees, finally getting the moment's reprieve she had longed for desperately after this week's series of unfortunate events. She held her breath for a moment, intensely listening to the blissful quiet that warmly welcomed her into its presence, her beautifully designed bedroom in her sun motif felt pleasantly more comforting to be in.

Celestia gently bit on her lower lip, reaching down to pull off the golden heels from her feet and toss them elsewhere in the room. One by one, each piece of her royal regalia came off and was tossed haphazardly into the room, leaving Celestia wearing her simple white dress with a high cut opening up one side of her dress, held together by a brilliant ruby belt buckle.

"Goodness, how liberating it feels to be free of these shackles." Celestia swooned to herself, leaning forward and flapping her grand pearl white wings, bringing her up into a light hover a mere inch from the ground. She basked in the afternoon sunlight pouring into her room and glistening off her pristine white fur coat and feathery down, closing her eyes to settle in the sun's rays at the center of her circular bedroom, allowing her wings to twirl her around in the air a few times.

She couldn't readily remember the last time she flew for the sake of flying alone, cherishing the divine moment of flight she had to herself. Celestia's life was namely consumed by constant poise and fulfilling her royal duties that cut out a vast majority of the time she could have been flying freely, which solely never were of much fun and considered 'unbecoming of a princess' if done otherwise. With an additional twirl in the air, Celestia slowly oriented herself to a still hover, flying lightly over to a condensed glass door and gracefully planting her feet onto the soft carpet. With a gentle push, Celestia opened up her bathing room doors, stepping inside onto its marble tiles.

Celestia's private bathing room was rather large to accommodate for all of her needs in the area, in the event that she grew tired of being cleaned by staff and desired to do so herself. Decent walking space between the sinks and bathtub with ample room for her to walk with her wings fully outstretched and completely unobstructed, showers with detachable heads and the works. But, the Coup de Grace of the room was the additional in-ground hot tub sectioned off to the side by a sliding glass door, out of the way so Celestia wouldn't accidentally slip in and hurt herself privately. Similarly enough, the hot tub itself was large enough to be converted into a small pool, if willing.

Thanks to Earth pony engineering and Unicorn magic coming together did Celestia rejoice merrily around three hundred years ago, when a special combination of spells was able to properly (and efficiently) maintain hot spring temperatures while ingenuity added the bubble jets with a push of a button or spark of magic.

And with that said spark of magic from her tall and slender spire, Celestia brought her coveted private hot spring to life, steamy hot water pouring out in jets from all sides inside the tub and pooling up at the center. Towels were already prepared and hung along the outer walls of the large tub area, leaving only one thing that hindered her temporary escape from responsibilities...

"I won't be needing this anymore."

The veil of white cascaded from Celestia's womanly figure and was promptly thrown onto her bed outside of the bathing room, the brilliant red ruby buckle following close behind.

Complete freedom, at last, where all her headaches and titles can be left behind for this sanctuary.

Celestia wore a content smile as the large tub filled up with its promise of healing waters, a near golden luminescence reflecting onto the walls and ceiling tiles. She spun around and slid the condensed glass door shut, pausing to lean her beautifully unblemished and divine figure back against the glass, feeling the giddy chills roll down her entire body like a pleasurable wave of excitement.

Celestia's majestic wings sprouted forth eagerly, feathers delicately brushing the collected droplets off the glass panes in wide sweeps. Purrs of approval escaped her throat as the rivulets of collected water rolled gently down her wings to its wingtips and sensitive bases, trickling down until it met the arch of her back or dripped to the textured tiles below.

She knew the tub took a short while to completely fill itself, finding the short time of anticipation widely sensual after trial and error. Simply waiting to hop in hadn't paid off as well as enjoying the tingling sensations water had rolling off her wings and body before she got in. And besides, she became lost away in the pleasure of teasing herself to notice how slowly it filled up, once she had made her personal little discovery.

The continuous downpour of water gradually quieted down to a trickle, then silenced altogether. Steam clouded most of the room, ominously rippling across the ceiling and illuminated by the warming golden aura that radiated from the hot tub spring. Beads of water dripped off Celestia's greater feminine features, thin lines of it tracing down her accented curves and disappearing from sight to her tender pink marehood.

At the absence of the sound of flowing water, Celestia took that as the cue to begin her descent. Stepping away from the glass doors, she sat upclose to the edge of the large floor tub, keeping her body anchored with her hands planted on the ground beside her hips branded with her sun cutie marks.

Just as the water began to still itself from rising any further, Celestia carefully scooted closer to its edge and gingerly perturbed its settling stillness with her toes. Cautiously, she lowered herself further into the heavenly depths of the steamy water, licking her lips tentatively as the surface claimed more of her silken smooth legs.

"Ah-ahh-ahhhhh~" She staggered lovingly, the heat of the water claiming the sensitive flesh between her legs, stoking the flickering flame that steadily grew within it. Celestia closed her eyes and elicited a longing moan of desire as she sunk into the soothing water lapping at the underside of her breasts, allowing the rest of her body to submit to the water's alluring grasp. She slowly sank further in until she felt her rump connect with the built-in underwater seats.

"Mmmmmm, that's it~" Celestia moaned positively, leaning her head back and stretching her wings out behind her, a few faintly subtle pops punctuated the serene atmosphere.

She settled into her seated position, shifting her hips around until she felt the round bump press against her tender groin. A faint tinge of blush met her cheeks.

"There you are, my favorite little play thing~" Celestia teased with a sly grin, parting her legs and presenting herself to the rest of the smooth, oblong knob awaiting her command for release. Playfully, she worked her hips down its length and back, exploring the widening tip down to its thick base with her nethers, caressing the knob with sexual interest. She fanned her fingers out over the edges and gripped it, planting her feet at the bottom of the in-ground tub.

"I suppose there's...time for one quick session~" Celestia mused to her lover below, her mind quickly tuning in to receive its thick length. Her body quivered achingly as the tip pressed her own pink flesh knob, a jolt of pleasure seizing her body in a short flash of arousing sensations. She giggled lightly. "Now now, there's no rush. I want to enjoy the time we have together to its fullest extent."

She sat down on the protruding round knob and pressed her rear onto it, spreading her marehood about its tip and covering its length in her flesh. Taking a deep breath, Celestia started gyrating her hips, biting down rather hard on her bottom lip as she thought about her love-making companion. The warm water surface splashed quietly around Celestia's breasts, her supple wet peaks breaching the surface before diving below with each buck of her hips.

"Nnngh~"

"Just like that~"

"Goodness, such a passionate lover~" she praised, grinding her marehood about the length with a bit more desperation.

"Oh yes, its been too long since I've ridden you..." Celestia whimpered.

Celestia hadn't realized she was panting doggedly already, but she was privy to her body's indefinable need for pleasure. As a passing cooler sensation caressed her erected wings, Celestia's exclamations of praise became more scandalous, making longer and deeper thrusts on the knob, defiantly fighting her urge to release the swelling inferno of lust burning in her loins.

"......yes, please...I can feel it coming..."

"Do you...like it when....I ride on top?"

"I-I love taking your...stiff cock... It certainly...gives me...."

Celestia's horn glowed bright with magic, a spark tingling below her aching nethers, the oblong bubble jet erupting a thick white jet of bubbles between her thighs. The warm burst blasted her nethers and rear, the sudden eruption forcing a yelp of excitement from behind Celestia. She peeked down at the bubbling jet stream frothing in front of her supple breasts, sporting a mischievous grin.

"Already? Couldn't you have waited until I came with you? Surely you didn't want to disappoint me, since you've lasted this long." Celestia teased, running a hand over the jet's still erupting tip, playing with the white stream of bubbles. She turned her head around and winked at her perverse audience.

At the slightly opened glass door, a deep blue eye that peeked into the room shrunk in fear, the rest of the dark figure obscured by the condensed glass door and a faint glow at its legs. Blurred obstructions stuck out from behind the thinner figure. Celestia beckoned to the observer with a finger, a sultry look in her light magenta eyes. "You know the rules, Luna. Bring it here."

Princess Luna slowly opened the glass door, blushing madly. She wore a two piece dark swim suit with the bottom half at her knees, an erect member enveloped by Celestia's luminescent magic stood stiff between Luna's legs, her own white essence smeared down its length. Celestia squeezed the throbbing member again, watching Luna wince in response.

"H-how long have you kn-known?" She muttered meekly, attempting to hide her shame with her forearms.

"Luna, you know I can tell when you try to sneak around me. I have my ways." Celestia knowingly fluttered her spread wings. "You're a dead giveaway, once I figured it out. Now, why don't you share some quality time with your dear sister, hmmm?"

Princess Luna sighed in embarrassment and stepped into the tub room, sliding the glass door shut behind her. She held up her swimming shorts with a hand while she addled her way towards Celestia. Once she stood close to Celestia's wings, Luna dropped her shorts and shook them off to the side.

Celestia cheerfully turned herself around and knelt on the seat in the tub, water rippling about her. She glanced up at Luna's essence-coated member towering well above the tip of her illuminated horn. Luna had magically augmented herself with a dark stallion's member right above her taut marehood, apparently only to pleasure herself as a stallion would. "On your knees...I need to have you cleaned up before you enter my domain."

"But Tia, is it not a self-cleansing tub?" Luna weakly protested.

"Yes it is, but who said anything about getting in the tub, Lulu?" Celestia mocked, twisting a lock of her poly-chromatic hair around a finger while she bent over and propped herself up with her elbows. "I know you're playing innocent with me, Lulu. Don't pretend that you don't like it when I do this. You've been caught too many times for me not to notice~." Her horn flashed again, causing Luna to groan sensually. "Now, you know the rules. If you're caught pleasuring yourself to me, I get my fair share. Knees, please."

Luna pursed her lips together and nodded, kneeling down and presenting her endowment before Celestia. "Doth this posture suit thee?"

"Oooo, much better~" Celestia swooned, craning her neck and opening her mouth, pulling Luna's member closer to it. Luna gasped as Celestia dragged her tongue down its length in long, tantalizing licks, cleaning off the ejaculate. Celestia made it a point to linger at Luna's tip, wriggling her tongue on the hole before continuing her cleansing process. Once every drop of her younger sister's ejaculate was swallowed, Celestia giggled to herself and kissed the tip, noticeably red in her face.

"There, all cleaned up and ready for use. Get in here, Lulu~" Celestia teased, pointing a thumb behind her, shaking her lovely rump.

".......Tia....." Luna moaned quietly, gripping her knees and avoiding any sort of eye contact with Celestia.

"Come on, mount up." Celestia encouraged, smacking her pleasant rear, flapping her grand wings.

Without another word, Luna got up and stepped into the warm waters of the hot tub, quicker than usual. Celestia purred as she felt Luna grab onto her waist and gingerly massage her flanks. She presented herself reflexively to Luna, eagerly awaiting intimacy.

"Tia, direct us in how we shall service you, we are...unsure on which orifice of yours to pleasure..." Luna whispered.

"Why not both? I'll let you decide where you rut me and work your finger magic." Celestia said smoothly. "Don't take too long before I make my own deci-STARSWIRL'S BEARD, LUNA!!"

Luna was taking careful aim while Celestia was talking, buying herself some time before plunging her stiff member into Celestia's puckered butt, mounting her fully on Celestia's consent. It might be imagination, it might have been the water splashing up when Luna claimed Celestia's rump, but whatever the cause, Celestia's pink slit was certainly dripping wet.

Luna held Celestia's waist firmly against her own as she watched her older sister's wings, arms, and body all quiver simultaneously. She let herself smile a little, pulling her stallion endowment partly out of her claimed rear. "Doth mine sister desire more?" Luna asked, feeling Celestia's rear pucker tightly onto the retreating intruder, as though trying to convince it to stay inside longer.

Celestia looked back over her shoulder at Luna with glazed eyes and a wicked grin plastered onto her expression. Once again, she beckoned unto Luna with a lover's finger, raising her legs out of the bubbling hot tub and clambering out, her butt coaxing Luna to follow. She laid down on her back right at the edge, a leg swinging over Luna while keeping the thick member firmly inside her rear, Celestia's hands glided down her supple assets, pinching the engorged pink areola. Celestia laughed, which quickly turned into a moan of delight.

"Don't stop now. I want you rut me." She growled happily.

Luna grasped Celestia's hips once more and leaned down, coming face to face with her older sister. "If it pleases you so, then so it shall be done with love." She received a lick on the nose.

"Pleasure your princess's royal plot, for she ever so commands it~"

Luna smiled warmly, happy to acknowledge the pleasure Celestia's receiving to distract her from her excess troubles over the recent week. Although Celestia had been right about Luna secretly wanting to be caught, it certainly wasn't too much of a coincidence that Luna was caught this time. As always, Luna brought news back to Celestia whenever she took over for her, keeping Celestia informed about any changes, decisions, and declarations. But, she knew what was coming next, besides herself and Princess Celestia, so there'll be time for royal duties later. For now, Luna aimed to please the princess's royal plot.

"As you desire, Princess."

"He said WHAT?!" Celestia shrieked, abruptly standing up from her bedside in her violet silk sleepwear, fury burning within her eyes. Luna simply crossed her arms as she stood before the foot of Celestia's bed in her full dress and regalia, moonlight gleaming on her adornments through Celestia's window, frowning.

"Monarch Sayyid would accept the reparations in the form of marriage to Princess Twilight, as a way to 'secure relations and show of good faith on Equestria's part'. Then, he would consider making amends to Yakyakistan." Luna said coldly.

"Why, in all of Tartarus, would that insufferable fledgling want to marry Twilight?! I mean, that preposterous! She had nothing to do with this and-Ohhhhh, that arrogant, conniving..." Celestia raged and ranted, holding herself in her own arms and pacing back and forth by her princess-sized bed.

Luna sighed. "I should add that I mentioned asking for Twilight's assistance in this matter, considering her intellect and attributes to Friendship in order to find more common grounds between each nation. Sayyid recounted hearing about Twilight's skill and praise from the delegates that were in Ponyville for the performance welcoming them. Now that she has become an alicorn princess, he coveted her to be his bride and claim her as a trophy wife."

Celestia looked appalled, clapping a hand over her mouth, her voice suddenly failing her. "Luna, please tell me....please tell me that you didn't...agree to this..." She pleaded, her covering hand falling away as she spoke in horror of the possible revelation.

"Of course not, Sister. I would never stake another's life in matters they are unaware of." Luna softened up with a smile. "However, I have already requested Twilight's presence tomorrow to assist us in negotiating different terms once more. No teleportation and bring no one, yet bring any information on each nation, those were my requirements. Naturally, she responded with concerns as to why you weren't able to tell her yourself, but agreed to be present tomorrow morning to prepare, nonetheless."

Celestia closed her eyes and calmed down a bit, relief visibly settling on her body. Her voice, although, still noticeably trembled. "At least I won't have to break to T-Twilight that she's being m-married away to prevent a war. I wouldn't want to put my favorite student through that horror..."

"As you were, Tia?" Luna spoke softly, taking a careful step towards Celestia and placing her hand on Celestia's shoulder. Celestia bit on her forefinger and winced, a very slow and small singular nod confirmed Luna's question. Luna gently hugged her forlorn sister, Celestia burying her face into Luna's dark mane.

"I'm sorry that this matter has brought about old scars, Tia, but we must deal with this issue before it escalates any further. Twilight is on her way to the castle tomorrow morning to aid us in exploring other options. I believe...having a moment to talk with her prior the meeting to explain the ramifications should be appropriate enough." Luna comforted Celestia, who simply shook terribly in her embrace.

"Get some rest for tonight, Tia. I'll overlook your dreams in addition to the other ponies as reassurance, but you'll have to trust me. This cannot be ignored any longer. You'll have to face him yourself, he refuses any dealing with me as well." Luna removed Celestia from her mane and held her, tears streaming down Celestia's face, her light magenta eyes screaming with panic for any indication of protection and a way out from Luna. "There might not be...any peaceful resolutions to this, I'm afraid."

Celestia's eyes lowered in disappointment, her head turning towards the floor. "I just hope that there's something else that can be done without causing a war or..."

Princess Luna raised Celestia's head back to her eye level with a finger, stopping Celestia from speaking any further. "I will make sure that something else can be done and I shall support you, no matter your decision. If you formulate a plan, then I shall obediently play my part in it."

Celestia stared into Luna's determined eyes, the same eyes that cared for her in this same situation over thousands of years ago, well before she became the Ruler of Equestria. The surprising strength her younger sister had in Celestia's time of need never faltered once in her actions, always aiming to keep her happy and able to continue with her tasks. Even after being banished to the moon by her own sister, Luna remained supportive at her core.

Celestia feared conflict and what it brought about, as evident in her decisions and actions following her thousand year era of ruling peace in Equestria. Everypony took it as being a wonderful princess overall, but nopony knew why she made such bounding leaps to create resolutions to problems that will result in little to no conflicts afterwards.

Resolutions that wouldn't involve her being a part of the solution.

Resolutions that wouldn't require appeasement.

Resolutions...that didn't force her to be married to a ruthless and arrogant tyrant at such a young age...

Author's Note

Note: I'm definitely going to confront Celestia's backstory in a half chapter should it prove good enough to add onto this one. This odd ball of a story is my first shot at being sad and dark (with some smexy stuff for good times), kinda explaining why Celestia acts and responded the way she does in canon, at the same time writing a mur-Oops, said too much already. *Ahem*

Almost every action and word choice factors into what happens here, so pay attention!! I'm taking to you, stallion whipping out their private bits! I know you clopped to it!

I WILL continue the story arc of Twilight's arrival and Celestia's possible plan by the end of January (if not sooner), I'm really liking where I'm taking this thing. Celestia's Hot Tub isn't just a title, it's a resolution. Oh, and aren't tags just the biggest spoilers? No? Just anxiety builders? Geez, I'm sorry...

Note 2: Wow, I released this on my birthday (may not have been published on the same day, but whatever). Yay. I hope this one doesn't explode in my ear. Buh-duhm-tsssh

Note 3: Any mistakes, point them out and scream them at me. I did this on a phone.