Night before the Summer Sun Celebration
In these spacious marble halls it was never entirely dark, even at night. The silvery moonlight was pouring from the high vaulted windows. It reflected off the white walls and ceiling, decorated with frescoes and gilded stuccoes and spread throughout the room. There weren’t any luminaries at all. Neither long yellow wax candles, nor multi-colored opaque crystals, nor pot-bellied lamps. The Sun Princess could see well in any light. And where there was no light — her mere presence was able to dissolve the darkness.
Here and there red velvet pillows, intertwined with gilded cords, laid scattered on the floor. But the huge fluffy carpet occupied most of it. It was an ancient gift from many grateful subjects, woven from their own fur. They shaved it and brought to the once famous carpet master from Saddle Arabia, along with a considerable amount of gold as a pay for commission. But as soon as the master learned, who was the intended owner of the future carpet, she only raised her eyes to the sky with reverence. The master bowed deep, took the material, without even touching the money.
For all this years Princess, with the help of magic, assured that the carpet remained the same as the day when it was woven. Celestia was fearless even of the cold black void beyond the boundaries of the world, but appreciated gentle warmth of this carpet very much. For it was remaining warmth of those who were gone centuries ago.
Massive desk stood in the corner, along with enormous shelf of folders, scrolls, books and sheets of paper . One hard-working earth pony made both in the times immemorial, much earlier than the carpet. He lived in a village near the castle, ruins of which were now absorbed by the Everfree Forest.
Furniture was also preserved by magic, but needed very little of it. The carpenter made it so hardy and with such quality in mind, that it could as well survive on it's own.
On the table stood the inkwell, made entirely of a huge yellow diamond. Even though the light was dim it shimmered with sparkles of gold. A conciliatory gift from the one of the Dragon Lords She defeated long ago. He processed the hardest crystal in the world with his own claws and teeth to make it. Next to the inkwell, there was huge white feather in a cup of yellow beryl — the Princess used her own for writing.
Each item of this luxury (except pillows) yet had a value far superior to its cost. There was entire epoch in each of it. Entire epoch of somepony's life. And among all it resided timeless mistress of the Royal chambers herself.
Celestia was lying majestically on the carpet. Her elegant legs tucked under her stomach. Her large snow-white wings relaxed and opened, surrounding her like two clouds. They twitched in time with the smooth, calm breathing, raising and lowering her voluminous sides in a gentle rhythm. Her head rested on one of the pillows. Multicolored mane enveloping her graceful, but strong swan-like neck was almost motionless. It splashed over her broad forehead like a glossy silk wave, almost touching her closed eyes. The tail flowed over the carpet like a colorful river , resembling a rainbow waterfall.
But only her body was asleep.
Her colossal, mighty, eldritch mind always was in touch with anything happening around — both in physical and astral realms. There were no dreams for Celestia. Except for the ones she would consciously conjure by pretending with the part of her essence that she is an ordinary living pony.
And when the mind decided that body had enough rest, her eyelids twitched and eyes swung open, flapping with long eyelashes. Princess folded her wings, shifted weight a bit and then slowly and gracefully rose up, straightening her legs - front ones first, then the hind. With mischievous expression she shot her eyes around in as if to make sure no one was watching, and shook herself like a n ordinary field worker.
Her wings fluffied up. Tail and mane lashed through the air, spreading like a sail. Their smooth flow on a nonexistent wind, interrupted by her rest, resumed.
Celestia walked to the window, where on a small table stood her favorite tea set. Polished copper kettle, with a long curved nose and a figured handle for mouth-holding, surrounded by a strainer and cups to match. Long ago, they used to make things like this in Trottingham.
Her horn blinked. Pure spring water filled the kettle immediately, with a quiet clap of teleportation. The strainer became filled with tea leaves, in a similar fashion.
Celestia looked sternly at the teapot, the horn barely lit up again, and in a few moments the water began to boil. She took the strainer with her telekinesis and lowered it into the cup. Picked up the kettle and poured boiling water from it. Clot of honey materialized above the cup, waited until the tea finished brewing and then fell into.
She lifted the cup to her mouth and turned to the window. The moon lit up her beautiful elongated face, turning her horn silver.
Her nostrils flared, breathing in the cold pre-dawn air mixed with the warm aroma of brewed tea. She took a sip from the cup, eyeing up the horizon, visible for dozens of miles from the height of Canterlot mountain. Then raised her head up to look at full moon.
Her gaze lingered on it for a long time, considering the terrain of mountains and valleys that formed the silhouette of the alicorn head. She even stopped sipping tea as if it would intervene in her silent dialogue with the moon. At last she closed her eyes with a rueful shake of the head, and gulped down the tea at once.
Then she felt her secretary. Unicorn mare was approaching, still far away. Her aura of thoughts was moving among motionless souls of Royal guards surrounding the chambers. After a minute or two there was a polite knock on the door.
“Yes, you may enter.” said the Princess
A young unicorn mare -- gray-coated with a thick brown mane -- entered through heavy double door , carrying a tray with a porcelain teapot and a cup.
"Oh, Your Majesty is already up!” Raven exclaimed, "would you like some tea?"
“Thanks, I have drunk some already.” Celestia replied with a trace of guilt in her voice. She knew how responsible her new Secretary was about her duties.
“Here, have a drink as well, if you want.” Without even turning back Princess picked up the teapot from Raven's tray and poured tea into a porcelain cup.
Alicorn could entirely ignore the fact that unprotected copper was rather unhealthy when digested. But ordinary unicorn pony couldn't. There was a good reason why Trottingham ponies stopped making copper cookware long ago.
Another bunch of honey teleported from the kitchen. Raven’s face beamed with gratitude for the honor. Taking the cup with great respect, she began to drink.
Meanwhile Celestia approached the huge oval-framed mirror on the wall. She picked up the golden tiara from a pillow and placed it on her head, pinning it behind her ears. Then levitated heavy gilded breastplate from the corner. She attuned it, deftly fastening buckle harness, and slipped her hooves into the golden hoof-shoes. And then examined herself in a mirror, narrowing her eyes in a critical manner.
“Is everything ready, Raven?” she asked, for the sake of decency, knowing the answer to her question.
“Of Course, Your Majesty!” answered the unicorn readily. She finished the tea and began to arrange various documents, necessary for Celestia’s today work
Celestia nodded, giving her new faithful young assistant a warm smile, then opened the door and walked away.
Canterlot castle, a masterpiece of unicorn architecture, welcomed her outside the door. She was in the corridor so huge with a ceiling so high, that a whole flight class of pegasi could play tag under it. The ceiling was supported by mighty columns with ornate capital, decorated with gold and precious stones.
The outer wall had mosaic windows, telling told the history of the country in it’s scenes. The deeds of long-gone ponies so many of which Princess remembered alive, walking this same corridor along with her…
Along the corridor, at intervals defined by columns,the Royal guards stood. Pegasus, earth pony, unicorn, pegasus, earth pony, unicorn. Well-trained, matched for height and weight, clad in polished ceremonial armor.
The “Charter of the guard duty in the Palace” was very strict. But still from time to time one or other stallion's gaze deviated from straight line and stealthily slid over her moving figure. Confused, reverent, awestruck and greedy gazes, admiring her alabaster-white flawless coat. And her strong broad wings. Flexing of her muscles that made the golden sun cutie mark on her vast thighs dance a hypnotic dance at every step. Catching every movement, every wiggle of her long tail…
But she didn’t mind because those looks made her feel alive. Not only the Ruler, the Mistress of the Sun, the Divine White Mare, an integral part of the world, of the reality — but alive, living mare. Who was able, it seems, to take over the minds of stallions without resorting to telepathy. Celestia smiled mysteriously and suppressed a laugh, remembering the social order of the ancient city-states, the harems of the unicorn princesses of antiquity...
Oh no! She had no intention of replicating anything like that, of course! For an immensely strong telepath the very feelings were real and pleasant enough by itself.
‘Lulu would disagree here, but…’
The smile slipped from the face of the Solar Princess. Not for the first time in countless years.
Noting the distance with standing guards Celestia thought. Thought about how her little ponies became like milestones for her. Marking movement of her existence like a bright buoys. Not allowing reality to freeze like a picture with only the Sun, Sky, Earth, always the same flowing Water and Her.
From an unattainable height of Her immortality the life of a pony seemed to be a book . Whether exciting or monotonous, funny or sad, in the events of which she could take or not to take part. But with the physical body comes the burden of feelings. And Celestia, since some (very long) time, had been "reading" them with great care and only when necessary. Because no matter the exciting adventures in the "book", she always knew the end from the very beginning. And it was invariably painful for her, when yet another "book" closed…
Celestia tossed her head, making her mane violently lash, resembling a solar prominence for a moment. Down with sad thoughts! They're not for the day like this.
After the corridor there was long spiral stairs. The Princess descended, passed several more rooms of the palace complex, and finally came upon a vast terrace. The guards, standing on the perimeter, blew into the horns, proclaiming her appearance. Colorful sea of Her subjects, somewhat shaded by twilight, filled spacious square. Air hummed with cheerful voices.
Celestia lifted her head to the dark blue night sky. Her horn glowed brightly. First thing, she reached with her will through distanceless astral dimension, and grabbed the moon. Not showing the feeling she felt during this, Celestia made the moon roll over the horizon.
The horn of the living goddess shone bright, like a star, illuminating the entire area. A golden aura enveloped her figure. She spread her impressive white wings and rose above the square with a single sweep, making the audience gasp in reverence.
Bright strip of golden light outlined the horizon. The radiance grew brighter and brighter. And finally, edge of a huge golden disk appeared over the horizon. Majestic sun came out into the celestial ocean. It was becoming brighter and reducing its visible diameter with each second .
The ponies burst into cries of cheer and adoration. Celestia was admiring them, bathing in their joy.
Suddenly, her eyes fell on a small lavender unicorn filly, still a foal, standing in the first row of the audience.
She smiled with a gentle, knowing smile.
