"MURDERER"
"TRAITOR"
"FIEND"
Cries of anger and hatred filled the gates of Canterlot as a dark steel framed cage was quickly whisked through them whilst a small army of guards fended off the rabble.
"Let him rot forever!" Echoed throughout the hallowed halls as they soldiers quickly shut the wooden door that stood between judgement and revenge. The small cage was still sealed as it was unloaded off the wagon and carried into the large hall where two regal Alicorns sat in their respective seats.
Twilight Sparkle sat next to the princess. She was allowed to see the going ons in court but her excitement was quelled by the looks of sadness on the Regal sister's faces.
"Stewards of Night and Day." The Herald gulped in fear. "I have brought him for judgement." Princess Luna sat in her throne beside her sister. The day was finally upon her to do what was right.
"Very well, open the door." The Herald quickly fumbled with rusty keys and magicked them into the old stained lock. He hesitated, in two clicks he unlatched the door and immediately half a dozen spears pointed at the ominous darkness within the cage.
"Th..the Princesses Honour you with their presence." One foot at a time the prisoner stepped out of his cage. What a pained sight to see, he was draped in a dozen black chains with deep seals on his skin scarring his body. Princess Luna resisted the tear escaping her eye by shifting her gaze away. It was her job to administer judgement without being clouded by personal feelings. The Dark coated pony hung his head low, his golden eyes dulled from both pain and remorse unwilling to look upon anyone.
"Princesses please give your verdict." He paused and hastily added. " We may not be able to delay the rioters much longer."
There was a short silence.
Princess Celestia spoke up first. "My sister and I have decided on a punishment. He shall be executed for his crimes against the state." She paused to compose herself. "How-"
"However I have decided that should he complete one task beset by the old laws he may retake his former title." Interrupted the dark maned Alicorn.
Tiny murmurs slowly filled the court. Scribes scribbled as fast as they could while the chancellor discussed his own opinions with the Chamberlain.
"Silence, we have not finished." Although Princess Luna did not use the Royal Canterlot voice the whole hall became deathly silent.
"Bring forth the Royal Historian." A small bearded stallion with a large framed glasses stood in the middle wielding a large tome on his back. The book in his possession was more powerful than any spell in the world. If a law was written in that large gold bind book it could not be undone.
"Please Historian search up Harlequin."
Immediately the room was in an uproar. Within moments many bowed down in fear and prayed against it. Others did strange dances to ward of invisible evils but no one was more shocked than Princess Celestia.
"I hope you know what you are doing Luna." She whispered quickly into her younger sisters ear.
" I feel its for the best." Came the short reply.
"SILENCE." Once more the court's discussion was suppressed in an instant. There was a heavy silence before Princess Luna continued "He will go through the judgement of the Harlequin and I pray for his well being."
She rested her voice. "Now leave. We wish to be alone with the prisoner." Quickly the crowd of confused nobles dissipated out of the hall leaving The two princesses and a certain Lavender unicorn left.
"I shall take Twilight out with me sister. Please take your time."
Both teacher and student left the room with their magic closing the outside world away from the prisoner and the Princess of the night.
The disgraced Lunar guard and The Goddess of the moon sat still in dense silence neither one of them willing to meet eye to eye.
The Princess broke first. "I am so sorry Moonshadow, if I had heeded your advice none of this would have happened." Tears flowed freely down her cheek.
"No Princess do not cry from my mistakes, I have shamed you and the Lunar guards. Even after my retribution I can never return to your side." His many years of war and training vanished on the spot as her felt two large dark blue wings enshroud him.
"Goodbye my brother, May we meet in this lifetime or the next." She gave a weak smile in a poor attempt to hide the gnawing feeling at her heart. He gave her one last salute before calling the guards to take him away.
Princess Luna's Lunar guards were more than just soldiers. They had waited for a thousand years honoring her name or had been with her on the moon. Almost every soldier shared the bond of a sibling due to there being so little of them, she dried her tears and sat, watching the small Lunar guard she trained side by side with disappear into the darkness of the cage.
Moonshadow stared through the bars of the small hole in his prison. He did not look for light rather he was in a daze of sadness and regret. The screams of hatred and pain filled his ears until he could take no more. He smashed his head against the dull wood giving a loud thud, he continued in a pathetic attempt to destroy the memories of past mistakes from his mind.
None of the guards dared to stop him. He was going to die anyway so let him do what he wants. they simply stared blankly ahead slowly riding to their next destination using the sound of the noisy wheels to drown out the cries of a Lunar guard.
"Sir should we do anything?" A young private whispered to the constable. "No Private let him be. After what has happened its best we let him be." They rode on the brown dusty road towards the town on the outskirts of the Unicorn range.
It was not a long trip. The town sat right on the out skirts of large open fields and mountains as well as deep thick forests under smokey mountain. It was where the Harlequin trial had to begin.
Princess Celestia retired to the inner parts of the castle library with her student faithfully worrying about her mentors mind.
"Princess are you alright?" The inquiry fell on deaf ears as Celestia bounded up and down in thought.
"Princess?" Twilight was getting worried. Not many things can upset an Alicorn but the Harlequin trial most certainly did.
The Solar goddess stopped for a second. "My apologies Twilight but this is not right."
"What isn't right Princess?" She gulped "Is it the Harlequin trial?"
The white being of the sun walked towards bookshelves deeper into the library. Despite the Amount of times Twilight had been here the Library always seemed to be forever expanding.
"Do you wonder why we never had Jesters in our court anymore?"
Twilight's large cranium scanned her thoughts before realizing this fact. "Well I always thought because we live in a more modernized society. Why is it princess?" The small Lavender pony hungered for information. Princess Celestia smiled sadly both at her students inquisitive nature as well as how the tale of the Harlequin may scar her for life.
"Well it all began many years ago......"
