When one thought of Princess Celestia, they often imagined her dwelling in places of comfort and elegance. Sublime palaces, or walking the streets of Canterlot, surrounded by her adoring public. However, such surroundings were not where she currently walked today. Instead, the pristine marble of Canterlot was replaced by burning sand, jagged red rocks, and a sun that beat down immense heat upon her at all times. Such an environment was not where anypony would ever want to find themselves, and yet, here she was, alone, with an expression of pure determination. Quietly she travelled, accompanied by no guards or entourage, navigating a veritable labyrinth of rocks and stony spires, all of which conspired to give an air of danger to this place. But the alicorn remained undeterred, and so on she marched, never once speaking a word as she did so.
Eventually, however, her travels yielded fruit, and after turning a particularly sharp-looking set of boulders, she stopped, looking ahead at what, undoubtedly, was her destination. It was a clearing, quite large, right in the middle of the aforementioned labyrinth, and at its centre was a raised section of stone. But this was no natural formation, but carved, like a stone slab, engraved in a language unknown to most ponies. For now though, the Princess' eyes turned to the figure who dwelt beside it. A towering being, who, like her, stood upon four hooves. But this was where the similarities ended, for this person had a torso that bore strong and muscular arms, and whose head sported an impressive pair of antlers. His fur was jet black, and his face a bright red, and all over he was adorned with the garment of royalty.
"I thank you for your presence, Princess Celestia."
The voice was deep and commanding, yet still restrained. Celestia, for her part, nodded in response, though the figure still had his back to her. Quietly, she made her way onwards, her eyes never once leaving the slab he stood beside. Eventually, she too stood next to it, and looked down at the inscriptions seen there. Again, few in her nation could read such words and characters, but she could, and in this moment of silence, she did so in her mind.
"Here lies Tirek, son of Vorak, Crown-Prince of Centaurs."
She did her best to restrain herself, but even so, a hint of sadness crept into her eyes. Her companion, for his part, was incredibly difficult to read, and for a long while, Celestia simply allowed him this moment. But there came a time when, at long last, she felt no choice but to ask a question that had clearly been bothering her.
"...Your wife and son will not be joining us this year?"
The centaur shook his head briefly.
"No. My beloved has felt a touch unwell these past few days. Scorpan offered to remain behind and care for her while I..."
He paused, but only for a moment.
"...while I visited...him."
This time, Celestia could not keep herself from allowing her sense of regret to take centre stage in her expression.
"King Vorak...nothing I can ever say to you will ever be able to make up for...for what happened."
Vorak hung his head.
"I know, Celestia. You have said as much...many times over."
His eyes narrowed.
"But what's done is done. There is no point dwelling on it."
Another silence fell, but when it ended, Vorak turned to Celestia and spoke softly.
"All these years...and not once have you ever failed to come here and pay respects. You've honoured my son, in spite of what he once attempted to do, and I...I've never once said thank you."
Celestia looked to him, surprised, but remained quiet as he continued.
"So...thank you."
Naturally, the Princess was taken aback by such words, but not so much that she couldn't return the smile and nod in response. Again, a long quiet followed this moment between them, and they contented themselves with simply staring at the resting place of the young centaur. But there came a time, with Celestia being hesitant all the way, where she eventually spoke up once more, clearly looking concerned as she did so.
"Your Majesty...I realise that seeing a pony here, in this place, must be very difficult for you. What my sister did was..."
But she was halted, as Vorak raised a single hand, causing her to stop speaking. He seemed deep in thought, and soon let out a long sigh, before lowering his hand and speaking up in a low tone.
"It is true...there was a time, a thousand years ago, when I bore hate for your people...including you."
Celestia looked away, seeming very much ashamed, but Vorak soon continued.
"Your sister had taken my son from me. A new Queen of a new nation...so many centuries ago...and she struck him down."
He frowned.
"But as much as it pains me to admit to it...it was Tirek who erred...not her."
Celestia looked to him, surprised, but said nothing as he carried on.
"When Tirek first learned of magic, I knew what that knowledge did to him. The desire, the thirst for power. It grew in him every day. I did what I could to stay his hand, warned him that this desire would doom him...but it was too little too late."
He closed his eyes.
"A day came when he strayed from my command, and left our domain to find the ponies who held this magic he coveted so much."
Gently, he placed his hand upon the tombstone.
"But my son...he was blinded by that need, unable to see the danger it brought him. He strayed into the borders of your sister's lands. And the moment he drew near to his first pony...his first victim...she was there."
Celestia hung her head now, her eyes never drifting up from the inscription on the stone, as Vorak's voice kept on going.
"I don't know how long she'd been watching him...but the instant he made his move, so did she."
The King sighed deeply again.
"My son...strong though he may have been...was no match for an alicorn such as your sister."
At last, Celestia spoke, her voice tinted with anger as she uttered her words.
"Luna, she...she sent him back. I thought her without mercy, but..."
Vorak nodded, glancing in her direction.
"Yes. She'd beaten him, bruised him, broken him even...but she left him alive. He returned to us, to our family, humiliated, but still breathing."
A frown returned to him.
"I told him, then and there. I told him what he'd nearly done, and how ashamed I was. And for a time, I think he too felt it."
As before, he shut his eyes tightly.
"But my proud, brave...foolish son...he couldn't let it go. In spite of my warning, in spite of his experience...he did it again."
His eyes turned to the gravesite beside him.
"And this time...your sister's mercy was gone."
A grimace came to his face.
"That was the last mistake my son ever made...and one that cost him...everything.”
His expression, though one he tried to hide, was nevertheless one of clear anger.
"I suppose...I should not have been surprised at her attitude towards repeat offenders."
He did his best to restrain his emotions, but it would have been clear to anyone how much this memory was hurting him. Celestia wanted to console him, to perhaps offer a comforting hoof upon his shoulder. But instead, she stood there, giving him all the time he needed to get himself in order. He needed space, she knew that, and so, that was exactly what she gave him. Whether it was because she felt he would appreciate it or not, none could say. Moments passed, and eventually, the King took in a deep breath, exhaling it afterwards, before looking again to Celestia. And when he did, the Princess took her chance, and spoke.
"I don't understand, Vorak. How can you not bear malice towards my sister?"
His expression and tone were serious as he answered.
"Because she is a Queen, Celestia. Monarchs bear a grim duty. To protect one's people. A leader's allegiance, first and foremost, must be to those who follow them. She did that. And while I wish it were not so, I have no doubt that my son would have done terrible things if he'd continued."
Slowly, he looked back to the stone.
"I will forever miss him...forever mourn him...but that does not change the fact that he...he needed to be stopped."
He shut his eyes tightly.
"And if I hate myself forever for acknowledging that...then so be it."
A moment or two passed before he continued.
“His sin...was mine also. My failure as his King...and as his Father. Failure to guide him. His death...was as much my doing as it was his...or your sister’s.”
Celestia stared at him, not sure of what to do or what to say to this Father who'd lost so much by her own blood's hoof. So, instead, she confined herself to the simple task of maintaining her quiet and respectful vigil for the fallen young centaur before her, misguided and dangerous though he may have been. Vorak too remained as motionless as a statue for a good long while, his eyes fixed firmly on the stone that held his son's long-dead bones. But the blazing sun above them did not last forever, and there came a point where it began to set beyond the jagged rocks around them. Celestia looked up to the sky, to the fading light levels, and finally turned to her companion.
"My apologies, King Vorak, but I must return home."
The centaur's response was a single nod, prompting Celestia to start moving away from him. But then she stopped, and after showing some hesitation, she turned back to look at him.
"Lu...Queen Moon has taken many lives, and while she will always claim that she does it in service of protecting her people...that does not mean it hasn't caused pain. And I will forever be sorry for what my family has done to yours."
Vorak turned to her, offering a small smile.
"You have a good heart, Princess. Equestria is fortunate to have a ruler such as you."
Celestia smiled back, and began to move further away from the resting site. However, before she'd moved too far away, Vorak's voice caused her to stop.
"But tell me...what truly drives your sister?"
Celestia turned to him, saying nothing, which prompted him to continue.
"This desire, this need to protect her own that causes her such fierceness and harshness...what truly prompts this in her?"
The Princess paused, mentally wrestling with herself over that question, until, after almost a full minute of saying nothing, her eyes narrowed.
"...Fear."
Naturally, Vorak seemed incredulous at that.
"Forgive me, Princess...but I find it hard to believe that anything in this world could give your sister that kind of concern."
Celestia looked away, sighing and bearing seriousness in her face as she continued to walk away.
"Perhaps...but I never said anything about this world, Vorak."
