Ask Not The Sun

Flying high over Equestria Celestia takes note of towns, cities, remembering when the lands were new, unclaimed, to the very first settlements. Her ponies never failed to inspire a awe within her heart.

As she flies she lets herself take in the simple joy of flight, doing loops and barrel rolls, skimming the clouds like water. It had been a very long time since she has flown any great distance with her own wings. Dipping and rising, her sun to her side, almost as though it flies with her, warming her wings and back. She feels at peace for miles.

Landing outside of the Crystal Empire brings nostalgia, pride, and pain. Along with regret. The last time she had been was the funeral of Prince Shining Armor.

The mood was one of somber mourning throughout the Empire. It had been two days since the passing of the Prince, a large funeral was to be held.

Celestia stood just outside of the throne room, her eyes downcast. She could hear quiet sobs through the door, surely Cadence. However she could not bring herself to enter, not with the feeling of regret and guilt gnawing at her gut. She should have come sooner, she should have visited, should have been there. But it was to late, now she had to comfort her niece.

She tried to stand tall, she is Princess Celestia of Equestria, her niece will be looking to her for security and comfort. She took a deep breath, swallowing the lump forming in her throat, and opened the throne room door.

Inside was a scene found in her nightmares, a very aged Shining Armor dressed in his best encased inside a crystal coffin, Cadence slumped over the top tears streaming as her body shook with the force of her sobs, their daughter Flurry Heart sitting to the side with her wings wrapped around their second child, their son Crystal Lance.

Her heart ached, her throat closed up. There was nothing to say or do. This was out of her power to fix. Not since Tirek had she felt so helpless. Her usual calm broken and washed away in the tides of grief.

Celestia was almost afraid to walk into the throne room, an illogical fear that she might open it to a similar scenario gripped her heart.

She forces it to the back of her mind as the door opens to reveal an almost amused Flurry Heart. “Hello Aunty Tia, it's nice to see you again.”

Flurry Heart and Celestia sit in one of the many rooms just off the throne room, tea cups in front of them.

Celestia clears her throat,”I.. I am so sorry for not being here sooner. With Luna more than capable of seeing to the Kingdom I have no excuse.” She bows her head over her cup.

Flurry smiles,”It's alright Aunty. But I sense you didn't come all this way alone just to apologise.”

“No. Though I had hoped to speak with your mother. It's very important news.”

A teacup hits the table a bit to hard. “Mother is not in good health so you will speak to me.”

Celestia flinches at the harshness. “Very well, it started with a letter”,she levitates the scroll over,”from Twilight.”

Flurry all but snatches the scroll, her eyes moving rapidly across the parchment. Her face paling as she reads.

She quickly rolls it up and shoves it back to Celestia. “Mother can not know.”

“But Flurry Heart-”

“No Celestia! She can not know! My father's death nearly took her with him, if she loses Twilight again it will kill her!” She punctuates the statement by pounding a hoof on the table. Her ears back, nostrils flared, and feathers ruffled up.

Celestia looks down at her tea, it's long cooled and barely touched. “Forgive me. You are right Princess Flurry Heart, I shouldn't have even thought of putting such perilous hope in front of your mother.”

“No forgive me Aunty, I shouldn't have lost my temper. I'm sorry. I just can't take the risk of false hope, not now. Not when mother is finally starting to smile again.”

“I understand. All I ask is permission to pass through your lands to the far North.”

“Granted.”

It's outside of the Empires protective influence Celestia is forced to land. Here there is no protection against the Eternal Winds of Winter. It whips at her face and mane, biting and cold. She dares not put up a barrier for this far out is more dangerous than the Everfree. Any magic beyond a simple warming spell a beacon for the things lurking behind the white vale of snow.

It would be my luck to arrive during a storm, she thinks, struggling to put one hoof forward. Even with her alicorn given endurance it's nearly impossible to make headway. She chances a location spell to find shelter, locating a low cave.

As she rests safe from the storm she takes a moment to eat and write Luna. But even alicorns need sleep, she drifts off with a parchment under her hoof.

“Ster-....siii.. SISTER! PLEASE!”

Celestia bolts awake. “Luna?...” She peers out into the howling winds, certain of what she heard. But it was impossible, right? Luna was safe in Canterlot.

The wind whips to the side and there standing with frozen tears running down her muzzle, is Luna. She reaches out a broken hoof towards the cave, it makes a wet cracking sound as her leg moves.

“Sister….Tia, please help me, please I'm so cold!”

Celestia rises fully intending to bring her sister in, but stops at the edge of the cave opening. Something is not right. This looks like Luna, painfully so, it sounds like her, however…
“Luna,use your magic.”

“W-what? Tia I'm too weak, I need your help!”

Glaring Celestia brings up a shining golden barrier over the mouth of the cave.
“You are not Luna, be gone Feeder! I know what you are, you will shatter should you cross my barrier!”

“Luna's” form begins to crack and shift, wings popping and twisting grotesquely, eyes turning solid white as the jaw opens far to wide, the horn cracks and shatters to dust. Finally the coat turns the blue-white of ice.
“Giiivvee giiivvee maaagiiicc!” It gargles out.

Celestia turns away. “No, I'm sorry for the pegasus you must have been, but I will not be feeding you. Go! And I will let you continue to exist!”

It screeches and charges at the barrier recklessly. It hits with all of its might, shattering into pieces as Celestia warned. Within the chunks of ice can be seen the creamy coat and ice cloud Cutie Mark.

Feeders, ponies lost to the Eternal Winter, consumed with the need to devour all magic. To give themselves the illusion of warmth. Celestia knew disturbing things lurked this far North, but to have Feeders so close to the border...Something was driving them out of their normal territories.

The thing Twilight spoke of? So soon? No. It can't be.

Either way I shall find out...sooner or later...Celestia thinks solemnly.

The storm continues to rage as Celestia hunkers deeper into the cave. Hoping her rations can hold just a little longer. Just enough for the storm to ease.