Rose closed the book in front of her with an annoyed sigh. "This is stupid. There has to be something around here that explains who and where Celestia came from."

With a flick of her horn, Rose sent the book back to its place on a bookshelf. It joined a long list of books that hadn't helped her in the slightest. Was it too much to ask that there was something on the subject?

Apparently so, Rose thought, as she thumped her head against the desk. So much for a relaxing evening after a day of court. She would be up all night at this rate. And tomorrow was the Entrance Examinations at the School for Gifted Ponies.

She couldn't stay up all night. She would never be ready for that if she did. And with her changes to how the school operated, Rose wasn't about to be anything less than her best for the big day.

Canterlot was already in an uproar about it. She wasn't about to add to it by not being her absolute best. Which was in part why she was looking for anything on Celestia's history.

Rose had always wondered about who and where Celestia had come from. Was she ever a real pony? Who had made the regalia do what it did? And if Celestia had been real, and she had created the regalia, why?

And was the same true for Luna as well? Luna's part was unknown, at least, until the banishment ended in two hundred and eighty years. Rose was more than happy to wait on that one. She had no plans for how things would go that far in the future. Not yet anyway.

So here she was, looking through every book in her study for something on Celestia and her history. With no luck so far, and Rose was beginning to think she would never find anything on the subject.

The Castle of the Two Sisters might contain something. But Rose wasn't willing to go there just yet. Not until she had exhausted all her chances here. But it was looking like she would have to go out to the old abandoned castle.

And if Rose was being honest with herself, she was rather excited about the idea. The Everfree Forest was the most dangerous place in Equestria. It would really give her a chance to cut loose and see what she could really do as Princess Celestia. No more of this holding back nonsense.

Rose had lost count of all the ponies she had wanted to vaporize since she had taken the mantle. Maybe this was what Velvet had felt like when she was her age.

She giggled like a school filly at the thought, her hoof kicking the back of the desk as she did so. With a click, a panel popped out, catching Rose by surprise as she pulled her hooves back and looked at it in shock. When had that ever been there?

Rose gave it a look. "Why is there a secret compartment? Why didn't anypony tell me there was a secret compartment?! Why didn't Velvet tell me?"

The compartment, perhaps wisely, chose not to comment. Rose snorted in annoyance, but she quickly noticed what was hidden inside the compartment. Igniting her horn, she pulled the object out and gasped at what was revealed.

A rather weighty tome floated in her magic. If Rose had to guess, there were well over three thousand pages to the book, and that was just the best guess. A leather brown cover held the pages, and while the back was unadorned, the front contained a stylized image of an alicorn in flight. It almost looked like Princess Celestia. But that couldn't be right.

Could it?

Holding it in her magic, Rose watched as a slip of paper slid out from underneath the pages. As softly as she could, she set the tome on her desk and picked the note up. Her eyes glistened as she looked at what was written. It may have been a long time. But she knew that horn writing anywhere.

To my Dearest, Rose.

If you are reading this, then I am dead, and the Mantle of Princess Celestia has been passed to you. I am sorry that I could not answer all of your questions. There was never enough time to give you everything you wanted to know. Though I wanted to with all of my heart.

I know you must have questions about Celestia. Was she ever real, was she the one to create the regalia and what it does, and why would anypony do so? I know this because I too had the same questions when I inherited the Mantle, as has every mare that has worn the regalia.

While I could not tell you everything, this tome will answer all of your questions. Contained within these pages is the complete history of Princess Celestia and the mares that have worn her Mantle. From the very beginning to the day you inherited its legacy. One day, too, your name and all you have done and all that you will do as Princess Celestia will be added to this tome.

I pray to the Mother of Life that day is far in the future, though. You are too smart and capable to let your reign be so short.

I'm sorry that I never told you about this. But I did not know of it myself until several years after I became Celestia. The same will probably be true of the mare than inherits the Mantle from you.

I hope that it gives you the confidence and pride that it gave me. Knowing all that came before me was a great help to me during the darkest of time. May it be the same for you. And may your reign be long and prosperous.

With Love. Velvet.

Rose wiped her eyes, not bothering to hide her tears. Just hearing anything from Velvet again was a boon to her. She still missed the unicorn even now, many years after her passing.

Putting the note aside, for now, Rose looked again at the book. Now that she knew what it was, she could see that the cover image was indeed Princess Celestia. But who wrote it? Or did it write itself? Spells for that sort of thing were known. But she had never seen them before herself.

Shaking her head, Rose pushed the thought aside and smiled. "Well. No time like the present," she giggled.

Making herself as comfortable as she could, Rose opened the tome to the first page and began to read.

Author's Note

First off, I need to thank Angel Midnight for the awesome new cover art. Much better than the old one that I was using for sure. Now onto the fun stuff though.

The next chapter begins the history of Princess Celestia and the mares that have worn her Mantle. Not all of them of course. This story would never end if I did every single one of them.

Who was at the very beginning though? That's for me to know, and you to find out. I might even ask Angel Midnight if she wants to do more for the story.