Sentinel of the Everfree

Spike hissed softly as Celestia gently dabbed at his bloody snout with a wet cloth. Pulling the cloth back Celestia tries to smile at her son but when he refuses to meet her gaze she sighs. Reaching out with her hooves Celestia gently drags Spike across her bed into her forearms and kisses the top of his head.

“What's on your mind?” Pushing himself deeper into his mother's embrace Spike keeps silent. For Celestia however he may as well have burst into tears.

"You couldn't have stopped her no matter what you did, my little flame."

“She wanted to kill you…” Celestia squeezes Spike gently.

"Yes she did." Celestia’s overly calm demeanor makes Spike flick his tail nervously.

"Why?” When Celestia doesn’t answer Spike pushes back against his mothers chest until he can look her in the eyes. When Celestia chooses to turn her head away as well Spike growls and nips at the air in front of her muzzle. The loud snapping sound is enough to make her flinch but also relent and finally look at him.

“I wish I knew for sure. A very long time ago we were friends, family even… When tensions started to rise between the different races with the war we still managed to stay close.” Letting his forelegs collapse Spike relaxes back into his mother's embrace. Celestia squeezes her son tightly the second he falls back into her. A heavy sigh of relief escapes her muzzle as she shifts her position around so that she can see her son's face as they speak.

“The war? Is that when you and aunt Luna fought?” Celestia shakes her head slowly, a pained expression obscuring her usually cheerful face.

“No, this was a different war. Easily the most destructive and costly war in all of unrecorded history." Spike frowns.

"Unrecorded? Why wouldn't you want pony's to know about such a war? Why wouldn't you want anyone to know? I thought you said history should always be recorded, no matter how dark." Celeatia turns her head away from Spike. Unsure whether to be proud or annoyed at his memory of her own words, especially with how hypocritical they now seem.

"It wasn't a decision I had a hoof in. All the surviving leaders came together after the war and voted unanimously to strike both the war and all that happened before it off of all records." Ruffling her wings anxiously Celestia is forced to look at her son again as he starts to poke into her ribs with a claw.

"How long ago was this war?" Sighing deeply Celestia leans down and kisses Spike on the forehead.
"Mom?"

"What I am about to say will never leave this room. Do you understand Spike?" Pouring magic into her horn Celestia closes her eyes to concentrate on her spell.

"I do but wh-"

"Promise me Spike." Without looking back down to her son Celestia releases her magic and following a loud snap the two are encased in a solid sphere of her golden energy that cuts them off from the rest of the world. Suddenly uncomfortable Spike tries to shift about but is held firmly in place by his mother's wing.
"Please Spike. Promise me."

"I promise."