Heirs

The next morning at breakfast everypony looked much more cheerful. Steven spoke to Holo and Taiga.

“Are you ready?” Holo responded for both her and her sister.

“Ummm, ya, I think so.” Celestia watched as Steven left to show them around. It was just her and Luna left now. She could see the nervous look in Luna’s eyes.

“Sister, don’t worry. They’ll just become playmates.”

“How can you be so sure?” Celestia frowned.

“Well surely you don’t think Cadence could have been mistaken when she felt the love between you and Steven? A love like that could never break.” Luna smiled a bit.

“Thanks. And I’m sorry for giving you such a hard time before, well, you know.” Celestia hugged Luna.

“It’s okay, you were just… in love.”

Later that day the young ponies did indeed become friends, or at least that's what Celestia assumed by the way they ran through the halls playing. Apparently acting like they didn’t know each other worked because by lunch the three were covered in dust. The sun princess smiled at them.

“I see you three were having fun outside.” All three had huge grins on their faces and nodded. Steven especially seemed happy, not that he wasn’t happy before, but it was just he needed ponies to play with that were his age. They understood him better that she did. As for Luna, well she would never admit it, but it was healthy for Steven to play with them and it was good for the girls too. The amount of time they could spend playing would make Celestia's job easier. After all she was raising three young ponies. Luna would like to say that she took care of Steven, but she was far from perfect. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself.

“What are you smiling about?” Luna was looking at her with genuine curiosity. Celestia looked down slightly.

“Oh nothing.”

“...alright.” Luna accepted her words and continued watching the three young ones with a dreamy look on her face. Luna seemed to finally be accepting that Steven was safe.

Later that night Celestia ran into the three ponies and Luna in the hall. Steven was pleading with Luna.

“Aww, but why not?” Wanting to make sure everything was okay, Celestia stepped in.

“What’s going on here?” It was her duty to help all her subjects, especially the ones living so close. Luna turned to her with a look of relieve on her face.

“Good, maybe you can explain to them why Steven cannot sleepover.” The three ponies turned to Celestia waiting for an explanation.

“Well it is to my knowledge that you help Luna with dreams at night, is that right Steven?” Realization dawned on him and he nodded. “Though I’m sure that Luna could handle it herself, she is used to your help. Maybe sometime in the future you and Luna could work harder the night before and then you could spend the night.” Steven nodded.

“Yeah, okay.” He turned around to Holo and Taiga who had sat there patiently. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” He hugged the both in succession and then went with Luna to their room. Celestia watched them leave and then turned to Holo and Taiga.

“I’m sorry that your day couldn’t go on into the night, but I hope you two had a good rest of the day.” Smiles crept across both of their faces and Taiga was ready to tell Celestia about the whole day.

“It was great! We played outside and...” Celestia smiled and shhhhed Taiga politely.

“Then you better go and get a good night’s rest so you have energy for tomorrow.” The two sisters nodded.

“Goodnight!”

“Goodnight my little ponies.” They turned and ran up to their room. As she watched them leave she thought about how she would explain the idea she was getting to Luna.

The next morning after breakfast the three young alicorns were gone again, leaving Celestia and Luna together. Celestia felt butterflies in her stomach.

“Luna, I was thinking about the girls…” She trailed off. Luna had noticed that she had seemed distracted all morning.

“What is it?” Celestia gulped and took a deep breath.

“Well, I was just wondering if it would be okay with you if I gave them my cutie mark.” Luna smirked.

“It’s your cutie mark, go ahead. But what made you change your mind?” Celestia looked down.

“Well I can only take care of them so much, sooner or later they will need to have magic.” Luna decided to joke around a bit.

“Are you sure that you just want to do it so that Twilight won’t try giving them hers?” Celestia playfully pushed Luna.

“You know she wouldn’t do that.”

“I was just joking. It’s clear that you care for the girls.” They both laughed and watched out the window at the three playing.

They hadn’t even worried about anypony seeing the girls after the first day. Surely rumors had gotten around that there were two new alicorn fillies in Canterlot, Celestia didn’t care though. When the three foals came back in the castle she pulled the girls aside.

“Girls, I think it’s time you got your cutie marks, what do you think?” Both of their eyes widened.

“Please, can we?” Holo was a little less enthusiastic than Taiga.

“Steven told me how he got his and then we tried, but it didn’t work.” When had the two even been alone without Taiga? No matter. Celestia didn’t want to tell them that she had blocked it. She'd just make up an excuse as to why it didn't work.

“Well it wouldn’t have worked because Steven is too young. How would you like a cutie mark like mine?” They looked at her cutie mark and nodded. “Okay then, Holo you first.” She knelt down and put her horn toward Holo. Holo moved forward and light started emitting from the point of connection between their horns. Suddenly Taiga ran forward and touched her horn so that all three were touching at the same time. The light became blinding and Holo and Taiga both floated midair, wings spread out and eyes glowing. When they returned to normal they both had cutie marks. Although they both resembled Celestia’s own, they were both different. Maybe because they had touched her at the same time? The girls danced with excitement. Celestia smiled at them. “Maybe we should go show the others?” They both nodded and ran to the door.

Steven was amazed that Holo and Taiga now had cutie marks.

“I didn’t think you wanted them to have one like yours though.” Celestia simply told the truth.

“Well Steven I didn’t at first, but after taking care of the girls this week I realized how nice it would be to raise them.” Steven nodded in understanding.

“So are they like you daughters now?” Celestia looked at the girls.

“In a way. And now that they have magic they will learning from me like you learn from Luna.” Steven’s eyes widened.

“Magic will make playing even more fun!” The three young ones jumped up and down excitedly. Celestia watched as Steven jumped with Holo and Taiga at the table. All three were playing and acting like young ponies, but it wasn’t always that way, at least for Holo and Steven. Taiga was actually still young according to Holo, so her behavior was normal. But Steven and Holo had displayed more maturity when they had first arrived. Now they acted just as one who didn’t know them would expect. Maybe it was because where they were from they had to be mature at their age, but being here in Equestia had taken the pressure off them. Or maybe they simply were enjoying themselves since they could again. Either way was fine in her book because it had happened naturally. Nature did everything for a reason. All she really cared about was that they were happy.

Early the next morning there was a knock on Celestia’s door. Still not fully awake she opened the door.

“Yes?” It was Luna.

“Sister, might I have a word with you?” Luna had a worried look on her face. Now Celestia was worried as well.

“Of course.” She invited Luna into her room. “What is it?”

“Have you seen this?” She held up a newspaper. Right on the front page was a picture of Steven, Holo, and Taiga playing on the lawn of the castle, all three with their cutie marks showing. The caption at the top read ‘The future rulers of Equestia’. Celestia took a minute to comprehend the paper because it was still so early. When she was finished the look of worry left her face. “Well, they aren't wrong. Holo, Taiga, and Steven really are the future rulers. I mean nopony that reads this today will be alive when they do become the new rulers, but it is still true. Why did this worry you so?” Luna relaxed.

“I was only worried because I wasn’t sure how you would react to this.” She laughed. “It is sort of funny how this will cause quite a stir and yet it will be hundreds of years before they are even old enough that we consider letting they rule.” They hugged and Luna turned and left to get on with the day. Celestia though for a moment as Luna left. That paper would cause a ruffle through the population because until then there had only been rumors of Holo and Taiga. She sighed and laid back in her bed, it was going to be a long day because of that news story.

It was a busy day for Celestia. Fortunately everypony in the castle had already come to know and accept Holo and Taiga, that cut down on the bombardment of questions. Celestia however was always prepared. Soon enough she laid back in her bed and moved the sun below the horizon. The day had gone by so fast and she hadn’t even seen the girls once. There was a knock on her door quickly followed by Luna closing the door behind her.

“Luna? What is it?” Her sister sat down on the bed next to her.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing. I haven’t seen you since this morning.” Celestia closed her eyes.

“Please tell me that Holo and Taiga weren’t too much of hassle for you to watch today?” Luna giggled.

“Of course not.” She looked at Celestia. “So what did you tell everypony, you know, about Holo and Taiga?” Celestia sighed.

“I made something up about nieces I think, something like that.” She looked at Luna and smiled. “This means that our made-up siblings have four total children. I know nopony believes that one anymore.” Luna giggled.

“I’m not sure that anypony believed it when we first used it with Cadence. They just know that when we say that, drop it.” Celestia nodded and nuzzled Luna sisterly. Together they fell asleep after the activities of the long day.