The Swarm

Celestia’s hooves echoed down the halls of the castle with Raven struggling to keep up with the taller mares stride.

“Your schedule for tomorrow to visit Ponyville has been set. The royal guards are preparing your carriage as we speak Princess,” Raven exhaled as Celestia slowed down to allow the younger mare to catch up.

“Excellent. Thank you Raven,” Celestia briefly smiled at the mare as she glanced at her.

“Your wish is my command Princess,” Raven bowed slightly and stifled a yawn as she watched the moon start to rise from the window nearby. “Are you looking forward to seeing your daughter?”

“Yes,” Celestia answered as she glanced at a door across the hall with a shimmering sun carved into the wood along with various other dents. It was the one door in the castle she refused to replace. “Seeing Sunset is always a highlight of my day and life.”

Raven nodded slightly as she looked at the door. She was the mare Celestia trusted most with watching over Sunset when Celestia was dealing with her court or in meetings. Raven had no idea that kids could be a hoofful until she had met Sunset.

Sunset was a wild filly and Raven was exhausted every time she got done foal sitting her.

Raven smiled slightly as she remembered how often Sunset would randomly her or run up to random guards to hug them. Not even the normally stoic guards could resist smiling at Sunset. The mare had brightened up the castle a lot as a filly.

Raven herself had been there the day Sunset had gotten her cutie mark and personally helped plan her cute-ceñeara.

“Have you gone inside her room since she left?” Raven asked and Celestia hesitated before shaking her head no. “I haven’t either.”

“It’s been empty in the castle without Sunset. I’m used to hearing her randomly laughing from her room or hearing from the guards about some crazy project she’s conducting in her quarters. During our meals, she would go on and on about the most random stuff. Philomena misses her too.”

Raven honestly felt the same. Sunset had often employed her for helping with her various studies or her more secret projects. Raven may or may not have bought Sunset her first drink, grudgingly of course. That mare was very persuasive.

“Do you remember Sunset’s rock phase she went through when she was fifteen?” Raven asked and Celestia laughed before covering her mouth with a hoof. “That was a very unique time at the castle.”

“She is still going through it. I remember very clearly being awoken by the sound of a electric guitar many nights. I remember one time she entertained a group of royal guards on their break. That was a very interesting in the castle history,” Celestia mused and a guard nearby snickered softly. “I vividly remember when she was six and she teleported inside the cake, popped out of it and was covered head to hoof in strawberry frosting. I still have the picture.”

“I remember that. I also remember she fought you viciously about taking a shower after wards,” Raven smirked and Celestia winced. Sunset and her had fought for almost an hour, the filly teleporting away and Celestia having to teleport her back each time before Sunset quit. “I really love that mare. She’s changed a lot from that excitable foal you found on the doorstep.”

“That she has,” Celestia admittedly with a fond smile. “I’m proud of her. I don’t tell her that enough.”

Raven scuffed her hoof against the crystal flooring before she and Celestia resumed walking to Celestia’s quarters for her to sleep for the night.

“Permission to speak freely?” Raven asked and Celestia glanced at her.

“Of course. You’ve earned that right, Raven,” Celestia chided playfully and a guard opened her bedroom door and saluted her. “At ease, Corporal.”

The stallion nodded curtly and shut the door behind Celestia and Raven softly.

“Maybe you trying to keep things professional between the two of you isn’t wise. Maybe you can tell her that tomorrow,” Raven suggested and flicked her tail as Celestia laid down on her bed, tossing her crown onto her night stand and started to remove her golden shoes and necklace, levitating them onto the dresser.

“Maybe. Thank you Raven. You’re free to go rest for the night,” Celestia told the mare and Raven bowed her head gratefully. “Good night.”

“Goodnight, Princess.”

Silverspeed laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling as light from the moon and stars spilled into her room across her dark purple sheets that covered her up, her silver curtains blowing slightly in the wind.

She always liked sleeping with the windows half opened. It always helped her sleep. The sound of the wind was calming to her. But tonight, nothing helped her sleep.

“I’m such an idiot,” Silverspeed muttered to herself and her eyes fell briefly on a picture of her and Roseluck with the other four. “Ugh.”

“And why do we think that tonight?”

Silverspeed jumped slightly and glanced at Princess Luna standing next to her, idly examining an award Silverspeed had earned years ago. For what, she didn’t even remember.

“Oh, it’s just you,” Silverspeed gave a brief sigh of relief.

“Indeed.”

“Well, I mean aren’t I an idiot? I never really knew how Roseluck felt. I called her a traitor for crying out loud. She was just angry because she felt we didn’t listen to her ever. She’s anything but a traitor. She was being loyal to her friends. Naturally, I respect the heck out of that. I should have tried harder to understand her.”

“Aren’t you being too hard on yourself?” Luna questioned and set the award back on the book shelf. “You can’t do anything if she doesn’t talk to you. Communication is a two way street, we think the term is?”

“Yeah, that’s the term. And I guess but still. I feel like an idiot. Roseluck has been acting off the last few times we all got together. Now I know why,” Silverspeed grumbled and leaned over to her nightstand to sip her water. “Just because she’s the youngest doesn’t mean we ignore her.”

Luna stayed silent as Silverspeed continued talking to herself and Luna faintly made out words.

“I take it you know what to do now though, right?” Luna questioned and Silverspeed nodded as she stared at the picture again.

“I’m gonna tell the others and we’re gonna make it right. Hey, are you really here or am I dreaming?” Silverspeed asked suddenly and Luna smiled slightly at her.

“That is for you to decide,” Luna answered and her horn glowed before she disappeared with a pop.

Well, that happened, Silverspeed thought to herself as she curled up closer to her pillow and closed her eyes with a small smile.

That night, Silverspeed slept better than she had recently since this week started.