A Goddess' Sorrow

Chapters

You Were to Be My Dawn
Bits and Pieces
Sun and Moon

You Were to Be My Dawn

Eternally serene, the moon ruled over star-strewn vaults of cloudless sable night like a round shield of flecked amber, casting a faint, pale light upon the verdant land below. A vagrant, salt-heavy breeze which blew in from the distant Sea of Gryphonne languidly drifted through the Everfree Forest’s southwestern most margins, cooling the stifling warmth a bright summer day had left in its wake.

It was in this calm silence, which was disturbed only by the occasional crack of distant, fading thunder that the one and only Princess Celestia found herself standing alone amidst the devastation of what looked to be an impact site of all things, entranced not by the dark rift carved into the land, but by the vast, boundless heavens above her.

Around her, the once beautiful grasslands of Equestria and their lush, rolling waves of vibrant life were now heavily marred by wide expanses of smoldering flora and dead, cracked earth, out to, and likely beyond the horizon. The destruction seemed to emanate from a dark grey crater, which itself seemed to be the center of an immense series of spiderweb-like cracks that reached outward, tearing through the charred earth.

Legs quivering with fatigue, she stared blankly up at the moon, her one good eye drifting languidly about the night sky, unfocused, as if lost. The sound of a dozen or so hoofbeats rapidly squelching through the dewy grass echoed throughout the humid, summer night air as they neared, though they didn’t faze the royal mare in the slightest.

“Princess! Princess, are you wounded?” A voice, near hoarse from shouting for goodness knew how long prior, cut through the warmth of the stuffy air and disturbed the otherwise fragile, almost uncomfortable stillness which had befallen the area.

Soldiers bearing the insignia of Celestia herself approached with haste, worry and confusion etched into the typically stern and stoic faces of those not obscured by tufted helmets and their visors. Though they were armed to the teeth and heavily armored in a fine golden suit of full plate-mail, they crossed the distance with surprising speed, driven on by the sight of the solar diarch.

Much to the dismay of each and every one of them, however, their cries fell on deaf ears. She ignored them in favor of staring up into the expansive night sky, though whether out of malevolence, or simply because their concern was lost on her in her current state had yet to be seen.

Upon drawing near, the armored guardsponies slowed to a cautious, but hurried trot and pressed close to one another to form a semi-circle, eyes wide and ears perked, scanning from side to side for any sign of a threat. A maneuver which, while taught to most guards, was very rarely seen in action, though mostly due to the peaceful nature of the nation.

By the time that they crossed the threshold of the desolation, where grasslands met charred, blackened ground which crunched and crackled beneath their hooves, it became clear that something was awry. The air was heavy and each unicorn present seemed to cringe and falter with the thick saturation of magic stagnating about the area which only a powerful caster could hope to conjure up.

Her form became more and more clear with each step taken despite the sight-obscuring dust rising up with them, until they could make her out; body hunched forward, wings limp at her sides, neck craned backward and crownless head turned upward.

Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

The Captain, a handsome white unicorn stallion fully clad in the ornate armor of an elite guard, flicked his golden tail off to the side, kicking up another swathe of ashen dust, then nodded slowly at the other soldiers flanking him, motioning for them to circle their charge in a way that would not startle her. The approach was key.

With the dexterity few ponies could possibly even hope to manage, the gathered mares and stallions beneath his command, six of them in total, split down the center and spread to either side, their armor only making the faintest clicks and clinks as they shifted, swayed and steadily surrounded Celestia, while still giving her a comfortable berth.

With much care, the Captain approached the princess, taking caution not to frighten her in her distracted state, nor draw too near. “Princess…?” He gingerly called out, hoping for any sort of positive reply at all. The princess said nothing, making no move to acknowledge his presence. “Princess, we’re here to return you to the temple.” The Captain informed her, stepping closer.

Nothing occurred. There was no response, no motion from the mare even as he slowly closed the gap between them. It wasn’t until his hoof rose in an attempt to make contact with the royal body that she finally showed any sign of life beyond the faint rise and fall of her chest. Wordlessly, Celestia pried her eye from the night sky for just long enough to peer at the guards, a hint of curiosity in her expression.

The Captain froze, his icy blue eyes wide in shock. “Oh sweet Celestia...” The stallion just barely refrained from turning his head away and instead swallowed the lump forming in his throat, though not all of his fellow guards showed such impressive self-control and were unable to look directly at the alabaster mare.

Some were able to hide their shock more effectively than others, nearly cringing and drawing back under the vacant gaze of their benevolent ruler, who observed them quietly through her one functional eye. The mare was either ignoring, or simply unaware of the sticky crimson liquid trickling unabated from a wide gash upon her brow, glazing the eye beneath in a layer of red and sealing it shut with each passing moment as it congealed.

With nothing said in the moment of shock shared between the guards, Celestia seemed to quickly lose interest and looked away despite their close proximity, her one fully functional eye turning upward to once more wander the skies, like clockwork.

A concerned, yet knowing glance was shared amidst the gathered soldiers, who were left to wonder just how she was still breathing in such a broken and battered state. From the horn to hooves, the tall and slender mare looked like she had outright been through hell, and then some.

While her the majority body was mostly in tact, she had doubtlessly taken quite a beating in the time that she was away from the royal temple. Most of her golden regalia, which was nowhere near as sturdy as her wartime armor, was bent by excessive blunt force and dented severely. Shards of metal curled this way and that in jagged spears, rising from her dull neckpiece and breastplate.

The bits which remained whole and unbroken which had not dug into her flesh by the sheer force with which she’d been repeatedly struck were scuffed and tattered, smeared in dirt and a healthy coating of blood and other, unidentifiable debris.

But the Captain, a veteran of war and a soldier who had long served directly under Celestia herself feared that her physical wounds were the least of her concerns—there was no telling the extent of the mental trauma which she had sustained, or if she would ever recover.

He had seen such cases several times before, usually in other guards. Some ponies were not cut out to experience such violence and, when their first real fight occurred, they would simply shut down. A knowing look aimed toward one of his fellow guards made it clear that he wasn’t the only one thinking such things.

Celestia had endured a fearsome battle without the support of her soldiers, her guard and her people, the likes of which no mortal pony had likely ever witnessed, and she still stood before them in some sort of miracle. It was as relieving as it was worrying.

Celestia was, of course, almost entirely unaware of her surroundings and still looked to be in a daze, lost deep within the inner workings of her own mind and, if he had to hazard a guess, hidden away from the terrors of the real world as she attempted to process everything which had occurred and cope with it. She was likely to stay that way for quite some time, until her mind felt that whatever trauma had caused such a reaction was gone and it was safe enough to allow her full consciousness again.

They could only hope that it would be soon.

An odd mix of relief and further concern filled the stallion, but it was not the time to let such things distract him. He could ponder later, when the princess was safe. Her health was the number one priority, unsurprisingly. Stepping forward once again, the stallion drew the attention of his weary ruler with a soft clearing of the throat.

“Princess…” He began calmly, speaking in as soft a voice as he could manage so as not to startle the emotionally shaken mare. “Give me your hoof. It‘s time to go back to the temple now.” He instructed her, removing his helmet and setting it aside so she could see his face as he reached out and turned the frog of his armored hoof upward.

The alicorn drew back apprehensively, fearful of his approach, but appeared somewhat calmed by his voice and the sight of his face. Perhaps she recognized it, perhaps she was simply content to see another pony, nopony could really be sure. No matter the case, his gentle tone seemed to have swayed the shocked princess and she slowly obliged with a nod of her head.

Saying nothing, Celestia raised her hoof and slowly held it out for him, her lone magenta eye seemingly boring a hole into his own two, patiently waiting. Or, rather, what could be considered patience, which was about all that she could manage at the moment. Carefully, so as not to further injure the very obviously swollen, fractured joint above it, the guard slipped her hoof from its heavy golden, amethyst-studded shoe and took it in his own.

Taking this as a sign of her trust, his horn went alight with a soft blue magic and he began to root about in his saddlebags. The heavy magical presence in the air made it difficult to maintain his concentration, but he managed for the sake of his ruler. Returning his focus forward, the stallion gently pressed a cloth rag to the gaping tear in Celestia’s throat with his magic, whispering calming things to her and thanking all of the deities he could remember off the top of his head that her life had been spared by a scant few centimeters and an astounding bout of luck.

While doing so, he sent a silent look to his fellow guards over Celestia’s shoulder, conveying the dire nature of the situation—as if it actually needed to be spoken—and reassuring them that she would be alright, physically. With a gentle tug, the Captain gently led his charge by her hoof, taking great care not to let anything frighten her in her dazed state while they slowly started to make their way back to the castle.

“Swift Wind,” He looked toward the lone pegasus among the gathered ponies, his voice still low and his tone still soft. “Fly to the temple. Send word to the others, the Nightmare is dead.” He commanded, though the way he spoke it made it out to be some sort of grand achievement.

Celestia jumped at the mention of “the Nightmare,” pulling at the Captain’s hoof, her head whipping furiously about from left to right as she searched for the one it belonged to. Swift Wind took several preparatory steps, flapped his lengthy grey wings and promptly launched himself into the overcast skies, fading into the horizon in the blink of an eye to spread the news that the tyrant of the night had been killed to the other soldiers.

Having been left behind to calm Celestia and ensure safe transport, the Captain sighed wearily as he began a gentle trot in the direction of the castle with his fellow guardsponies hot on his hooves and Celestia following equally as close behind, almost like an obedient child.

Though she seemed unresponsive to most things, the skies still seemed to call out to her, drawing her attention back to them. Celestia chanced a look up and flinched, her ears folding back against her scalp, pinning her soft, pastel-rainbow mane against her head.

The moon hung low and wide in the sky over Equestria, sturdy and unmoving. It illuminated the heavens in a peaceful, almost otherworldly golden-white glow. However, the surface appeared to have shifted in the time that Celestia had been distracted by her personal guard and a startlingly familiar dark shape had formed upon its surface, which seemed to glared down upon her menacingly.

Tears began to well up in her eyes as memories of her recent battle resurfaced, which rolled down her cheeks and carved thin troughs through her coat, staining the white fur a dark pink with thin streaks of scarlet.

Frowning, the Captain gave Celestia the most sympathetic smile he could manage and paused, leaning in close and kneeling down before her. Carefully, he wiped away a few of her tears and lent her his hoof once more, which the mare gratefully took. Her expression was broken, though not quite as much as it had been a mere ten minutes ago. Judging by the look that she gave him, weary smile and all, she was already beginning to return to her regular state.

“Come on, Princess, let’s get you home.”

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Colder than the winter wind howling its dirge through the Everfree Forest. Colder than the snow blanketing tree, rock and earth in its silent shroud. Colder than ice that lay in water and hung in shards from branches amidst the chilliest winter. Colder than these was the frozen heart of Nightmare Moon!

A cruel and wicked tyrant with a soul as black as a moonless night, the monstrous nature of Nightmare Moon was only matched by the cold and unforgiving surface of the celestial body upon which she was trapped.

Beneath her cobalt-clad hooves laid a barren wasteland, devoid of any notable features save for the occasional outcropping of jagged moon-rock off in the distance, atop a few hundred craters of varying sizes. Greyish white and dull, the dusty lunar soil blanketing its crater-flecked surface shimmered in the distant sun’s light. Nearby, a pile of discarded cobalt armor laid on the ground in a heap, broken and spattered with the blood of more than one pony.

Not far from the ruined armor stood the spiteful and pitiless Nightmare Moon herself, her shadowy black coat rife with freshly coagulated wounds and coated in dirt and grime. The tattered remnants of the wretched alicorn’s near-spectral mane no longer held its ethereal form in the vacuum of space and instead had flattened out, clinging to the sweat-slickened hide of her neck and back, wreathing her head in what looked to be a coiling miasma.

The otherworldly silence was suddenly broken by a low moan, which steadily rose in pitch to become a spine-chilling scream, resonating from the shaking form of Nightmare Moon. Without pause, another series of anguished wails bubbled up within her and escaped from her hoarse throat. Considerable pain, the likes of which she’d never quite experienced before, tore through her body in sudden, piercing bolts, each accompanied by yet another harsh shriek.

Piteous cries of suffering intertwined with low, quavering groans as the spiteful warlord wildly flapped her wings in agony, craning her long neck downward and gritting her teeth. Another sharp stab of pain and the mare stomped stomping at the ground with her nearly bare hooves, which were steadily worn away more and more each time they were dragged through the lunar soil.

Even through the soles of what remained of her heavy cobalt shoes, the coarse, razor-edged dust that blanketed the moon’s surface had swiftly rent the ornate hoofwear into scraps of useless metal—more akin to anklets than anything else now—that hung loosely from her hooves.

Nightmare Moon shrieked once more, this noise louder than any scream that she had let loose yet, quaking violently. As the scream reached its climax, a noisy, wet splash sounded out from behind her. The source of her agony hit the ground with a dull, wet thud and began to wiggle, kicking up a cloud of the coarse dust and partially obscuring the sun’s light.

The alicorn slowly turned around to peer at the cause of her suffering, before finally allowing herself a deep sigh of relief. Suddenly, it was as if the weight of the world itself had been taken off of her shoulders and the tension surrounding her had vanished entirely. Wearily lowering her head, the “Terror of the Night” closed her eyes and sucked in a long, yet unsatisfying breath, glad to finally have the unbearable experience behind her.

With a low, throaty moan, sweat beading on her brow and tears dampening her face, she finally relaxed, shoulders slumping and ears tentatively rising back up. Never before had she experienced something so physically and emotionally draining, yet, despite this, Nightmare Moon could not hide the satisfied smile spanning her lips. It was faint, but there was no denying the upward curl of her lips and the faint flash of pearly white teeth.

Though painful and exhausting, she had never experienced something so rewarding in her life. Nothing of the sort had happened to an alicorn in centuries, nay, millennia! It was a miracle that it had even occurred in the first place!

Nightmare Moon slowly glanced about, her draconian eyes sweeping across the frozen landscape, traversing its many craters and outcroppings, before finally landing on the squirming bundle of fur and feathers. Lying in a pool of rapidly cooling blood and amniotic fluids and coated in the sticky scarlet liquid that had come from her mere moments prior was the writhing form a small foal—a filly, to be precise, brought on prematurely by the stresses of all that had occurred that night.

Her tiny wings were rough and disheveled, but still extended to their full length, and her horn was little more than an underdeveloped knot upon her forehead. Lumps of lunar dust clumped together with the viscous fluids coating her warm, golden-orange mane and tail, leaving her light violet coat similarly matted down from her recent entry into the world.

For a moment, Nightmare Moon allowed that tiny smile gracing her lips to grow into a full-blown grin. Then, the thought occurred to her.

Air... My baby needs air! The new mother quickly realized, her eyes wide in panic.

She was strong and quite capable of handling the harsh lunar surface. A newborn foal, however, would have little chance of survival in such an environment. Even an alicorn.

“Breathe! Please breathe!” She cried, towering over the foal’s feeble little form. “Take my last breath, little one!” Nightmare Moon lurched forward, forcing her lips around the other pony’s comparatively tiny muzzle and exhaling deeply. As if she were taking a breath of her own, the filly’s chest rose and her lungs inflated with fresh air, magically stored away within the alicorn’s large form. Tentatively, the mare withdrew, gazing over the small figure with the faintest hint of a smile as its struggling began to weaken. “It’s the last from Equestria... I held it just for you.” She finished her thought, tongue whipping out to moisten her cracked lips.

Heart still racing from the impromptu adrenaline rush, the nightmarish pony closed the gap and gently nuzzled at her little foal, nosing at her cheeks. “That’s it, my little one. Breathe... Shh...” Nightmare Moon whispered to her filly in her most soothing voice. For a moment, it seemed to work. Then things took an abrupt turn for the worse.

The little pony beneath her began to struggle once more, despite the breath of semi-fresh air it had received. Tiny blue eyes were revealed as lavender lids peeled away, whirling wildly about in their sockets in search for the cause of their owner's suffering.

"No, sweetie, no!” Nightmare Moon exclaimed, the corners of her eyes watering up. “Look at me! Look at mama!"

As if by instinct those pretty blue eyes came to rest upon the alicorn’s black-coated figure and the foal began to grow still, its little kicks becoming less frequent as the chilling grasp of darkness enclosed upon it. A little hoof weakly brushed against Nightmare Moon’s cheek before going still, the foal taking a final comfort in being in the presence of her mother.

“Breathe! Breathe my little one! Why aren’t you breathing? Why...?” Nightmare Moon whispered, her voice hoarse from all of the prior screaming. When silence reigned, her face scrunched up into a horrified expression. Between her trembling legs, shadowed from the sun’s relentless light, lay the nearly lifeless form of her one and only, beloved child.

“Please, no...” A hoof rose to meet her mouth, covering it in shock. “It… It can’t already be gone!” She exclaimed, realizing that the air she provided had failed to sustain the little pony for more than a few fleeting seconds. “It was supposed to last longer!”

“Celestia! Please!” She called out with desperation saturating her voice, turning toward the lush presence of the world behind her, silent and unmoving. “Send some air! Can’t you see that she’s suffocating?!” A fresh wave of salty tears began anew, matting down the grainy, coarse fur upon her cheeks as they were steadily soaked. “If not for me, do it for her! Please!”

Almost mockingly, the thickly-forested, ocean-heavy mass of earth which was once her home continued to remain off in the distance, very much visible, but seemingly just out of reach. Her pleas for mercy fell upon deaf ears.

Nightmare Moon whipped around as the sound of scuffling behind her kicked up once more, then diminished into stillness. Vainly, she nuzzled the face of the pony below her. “Stay with mama, baby... Stay with mama. It’ll be alright. Everything will be alr—” Nightmare Moon’s voice faded.

“No...” She mouthed, her eyes slowly screwing shut and her brow furrowing. A silent sob wracked her body.

The newborn, who had gasped and heaved for a scant few seconds longer, quickly became still, unmoving and pale. Nightmare Moon simply stood over her, still enduring the sharp, piercing pains stabbing at her more intimate areas, which still dripped freshly with bodily fluids, pooling beneath her hooves.

For several minutes, the alicorn continued to try and nuzzle her little one back into the world of the waking, desperate to see those beautiful, innocent blue eyes open once more. To see her little hooves reach out for her mother.

Even in the dead stillness of the moon, the wretched mare called out for somepony, anypony at all to assist her, despite knowing that her pleas would go unanswered.

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Hopelessness and an air of foreboding had settled over the royal temple, casting their somber pall over the land. The air was tense. Everypony could feel that something was wrong, though none quite realized the magnitude of just how wrong it was.

In her bedchamber overlooking the general populace, Princess Celestia sat upon her bed, feeling as ancient as the forest the temple and the sprawling town surrounding it was built in. What felt like centuries of weariness weighed heavily upon her shoulders, all courtesy of the evening’s earlier events.

The princess’ crown had long since been tossed away into a corner in a haphazard manner in a fit of distress, while the rest of her battered golden regalia was laid out across her bed. Celestia herself was lost in a daze once more, peering out through the window at the cloudless night sky.

A pale, late summer moon returned her gaze, adorned with the silhouette of a dark alicorn mare. It cast its wan light down upon the Everfree Forest, acting as a harsh reminder of the atrocity that she’d committed not even a few hours ago.

Princess Celestia wiped a tear away from her puffy red eyes and turned to the sound of slow, deliberate hoofsteps approaching. Without bothering to knock, an armored stallion shimmied his way into her bedchamber around the heavy doors, leaning the majority of his weight upon a small cart which he gently wheeled in. He stopped just short of the princess’s bed and allowed himself a second to take it all in, how different the usually strong and matronly Celestia seemed, even after gathering her composure once more. He cleared his throat to speak.

“Your Highness? It’s one hour past dawn, yet the moon is still up.” He informed her with a soft frown upon his features. “Ponies are beginning to worry.” He picked up a kettle off the cart and poured the warm liquid into a cup, before sliding a little pouch into it. “The public needs addressing.” With a flicker of soft amber magic, the stallion hovered the teacup in front of her face, waiting for her to take it.

Celestia allowed her eyes to pass over it, but otherwise made no move to obtain the tea from his telekinetic grasp, choosing instead to stare behind him for several silent moments. Finally, she spoke. “Solstice, did I do the right thing?” Celestia asked, her gaze shifting down toward him. Her wings, still somewhat tattered, stretched out, then simply fell limp at her sides again.

The stallion donned a thoughtful look, though it was quickly replaced by the seemingly ever-present half-scowl that most of the guards wore. It was unreadable for most, but Celestia could see right through them. “I’m... Not at liberty to say, Your Highness.” Solstice answered, before motioning toward the balcony with a forehoof. “Please, everypony is worried that there’s some sort of crisis. They need you to calm them and raise the sun.” He shook the cup in front of her face one last time, before realizing that it was a lost cause and returning it to the cart.

Celestia didn’t respond at first. When she did, it wasn’t quite what Solstice wanted to hear. “I’m not meant to rule alone. I don’t know if I can do it.” She sighed, once more feeling the weight of the world pressing down on her. The telltale rumble of ponies gathering in the courtyard outside the temple grew louder. She had little doubt that the cause of the din was a mix of panic and concern.

Solstice mirrored the mare’s weary sigh and reached up, gently unbuckling his helmet. It was placed upon the cart, next to her cooling tea.“Forgive the insubordination, Princess, but like it or not, we need you.” He told her, a stern bite to his voice. It was quite out of character for himself and most of the other guards and it was enough to draw her surprised gaze. Half expecting his forward approach to be met with verbal retaliation, the guard winced subtly and turned his face away from Celestia. He was relieved when she remained silent.

Princess Celestia let the weight of his words sink in and considered them for several moments more, little more than the sound of the worried ponies outside disturbing the stillness. Drawing in a deep breath through her nostrils, Celestia slowly rose up out of bed and approached the opposite end of her room. Slowly exhaling a shaky breath, she retrieved her crown and promptly settled it atop her head once more.

She looked over to the cart with the teacup, briefly pondering on how wonderful it would be to simply sit back down, relax, sip at the soothing tea and have another moment to think. Just... Think, in the peaceful silence, with no pressure to concern herself with anything. It was a tempting thought.

No. Celestia told herself, straightening her back and turning her nose upward. If she didn’t act now, she’d surely slump back to her bed and leave her subjects to freeze in the everlasting night.

“Solstice, have the crowds gather beneath my balcony. I shall address them shortly.” Celestia ordered, stern and commanding in her pose. As if by magic, the mare’s usually confident voice had returned to her and a new sort of liveliness flickered within her eyes.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Solstice acknowledged, bowing once before quickly trotting off to do as he was told.

Celestia stood in her room for a brief moment more, fidgeting ever so slightly, anxious of the daunting task ahead of her. She hastily put together a rather rushed, but concise speech which she was certain would get the point across as necessary and went over it several times in her head. There was very little time to plan or plot and regal elegance was hardly an aspect of it. If she was going to be in charge of everything, she needed to be true and honest, she reminded herself.

Time seemed to pass far too quickly to the alicorn, who found herself pacing back and forth within her room. Celestia wished for more time to think about what she was going to do, but before she had the chance, Solstice had returned and poked his head in through the doorway, nodding to indicate that everypony was ready for her.

Celestia tilted her head and looked out to her balcony from within her room. With one final inhale, she steeled herself and didn’t hesitate any longer. A flicker of magic opened the glass doors leading to her balcony and she stepped outside, immediately aware of the muggy air and the incoherent cacophony of several hundred ponies speaking at once.

Princess Celestia looked down upon the massive gathering of ponies with a frown upon her features. Many, if not most did not notice her. They were too busy conversing amongst themselves down in the courtyard below, likely sharing concerns and questioning one another for information. Celestia looked up to the moon, still floating high in the sky.

Forgive me Luna, not only for exiling you... but taking your duties as well. She closed her eyes and her horn went alight with a golden aura, the familiar tingle of conjuring up her magic and feeling for the lunar body filling her. She reached out slowly and grasped at the moon, swallowing audibly.

Feeling the cold, hard surface within her magical grasp, she gave it a firm tug and, shuddering, sent it along its path, though at a far greater speed than normal. The sudden shift in the moon and the shadows cast by its diminishing light drew everypony’s attention. Rather than burst out into even more questions, the crowd went deathly quiet as they stared up at their monarch, who returned their gaze.

Here I go...

Celestia inhaled, then started to speak. "As some of you may be aware, rumors of Princess Luna rebelling against the nation got out earlier this evening. According to those in Cloudsdale, they spread like wildfire throughout most all of Equestria and its settlements.” Closing her eyes, the mare brought a single hoof up to rest on the stone railing. She choked on her words for a moment, before finally managing to force them out. “It pains me to inform you all that these rumors were true.”

The many ponies below, who had been waiting with baited breath for her to assure them that nothing was wrong, immediately fell into a panic. Cries of worry rang out, and the pathways began to grow overcrowded with ponies looking to scatter to their homes for safety. Guards in heavy golden armor reigned them in and turned their attention back to the princess, however, and Princess Celestia’s booming voice halted the rest. “However, she is no longer a threat!" An uproar of questions and concerns came from below, but Celestia paid them no heed.

“From here on out, I shall take control of both the sun and the moon, and control them both in the stead of Princess Luna.” She motioned toward the ponies gathered below her and the surrounding populace with a sweeping arc of her forehoof. “I strongly urge that you all go home and continue about your day as usual. I apologize for the delay in your daily routines and assure you that it will not occur again. Thank you for your patience.”

Turning away from the confused ponies, Princess Celestia entered her room, where the guard was still standing, closing the doors behind her. For a moment, she stood completely still, staring down at the stone flooring and her hooves. Then, she sighed.

Why does it feel so... numb? She wondered silently, raising one of those forehooves and pressing it to her chest. She looked up at Solstice, who was staring in her direction, stunned at her emotionally detached declaration, and worried about the hurt expression on her face. Though he refused to meet her gaze, she still addressed him.

"Fetch me Atlas. I need to speak with him immediately."

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With a distant expression on her face and her head lowered to the ground in sorrow, Nightmare Moon cast one final look back into the darkness behind her before moving onward. The child to whom she had given her own breath laid there, buried beneath a small mound of rocks with nothing more than her tattered armor and a spattering of blood to mark her location.

She was gone. Dead.

The word echoed within her head, reminding her even as she turned her teary eyes forward and pushed onward that there was no bringing her back. Through her celestial connection, the mare could sense that her moon was going to set. When the light being shone upon it slowly began to recede, Nightmare Moon couldn’t help but realize the sad truth that she had to leave her child behind.

The decision to leave her lifeless filly for good stung far more deeply than any wound she’d ever experienced. She blinked away another tear and reminded herself that her only option now was to follow the light, in some desperate hope that her sister would be able to see her. To free her.

As such, Nightmare Moon fought against her weak and wobbly legs with the relentless light of the sun upon her back to cross the desolate wasteland that was the surface of the very lunar body that she represented.

As long as she kept the darkness at her back and remained in the light, there was still a chance.

The going was tough, however, and the glow of the soil beneath her reflecting the sun was nearly blinding. Nightmare Moon hissed as she stepped upon a particularly jagged rock, collapsing onto the cold, hard surface of her lunar prison. Coughing violently, she swung her hoof in an arc at the cloud of dust kicked up by her fall, idly clouding around her, though it was in vain.

Despite her best efforts to wave the dust away, it clung to her fur in clumps, slipping into open wounds and rubbing sections of her coat completely raw. Minuscule granules, insignificant to all but those who were exposed to it, were attracted to the openings in her face, slipping into her mouth and nostrils, burning the tender flesh within and scraping away at her lungs like sandpaper. Not even her icy blue eyes were safe, which were assaulted by the dust with each and every blink, partially blinding her.

Pausing momentarily, Nightmare Moon realized that the moon’s descent was speeding up, and the darkness was quickly approaching her from behind. Wearily, the alicorn forced herself back up onto her aching hooves, willing herself onward to the fleeting light ahead. She wanted so desperately to use her magic to dispel the grating lunar dust and heal her filthy open wounds, but her magic reservoirs were already stretched to their limits at present. It was a strain to simply keep herself alive, let alone dispel such unpleasantries.

Emotionally and physically drained from the task of giving birth, Nightmare Moon’s only choice was to endure the discomfort. However, even that was beginning to seem impossible and, in her mind, her trek grew more and more pointless with every passing moment. Pausing for just a few moments, she hacked up a few small drops of blood into her hoof.

Startled, the Nightmare realized that she might soon be joining her child in the afterlife! It was a harrowing thought, one which she drew all the more motivation from to push on. But even that wasn’t enough. Having been slowed by her faltering strength, Nightmare Moon lost ground on the receding light, which served as a beacon for her last hope of returning home.

Suddenly, Nightmare Moon’s world was eclipsed, plunged into the shadows. Looking around frantically, she quickly became aware that the darkness had overtaken the portion of the moon she was currently on. Peering far off into the distance, she realized that the the light was fading away beneath the crushing wave of blackness enveloping the moon and stretching on toward the horizon.

She fell back onto her haunches, mouth agape.

It was over.

No longer was she within Celestia’s line of sight. The light was gone, and with it, any chance of her being spotted.

Nightmare Moon glared down upon the verdant planet that was once her home, rage bubbling within her chest. Her banishment to this accursed cosmic ball would not be forgotten, nor the tragic passing of her daughter.

No... Murder. She corrected, her eyes alight with fury. Celestia would see the error of her ways. Nightmare Moon would make sure of it. Her sister would rue the day she dared to challenge the fury of the night.

Without warning, Nightmare Moon grimaced, holding a hoof to her chest. She felt out of breath, thin and light. Not the weightlessness that she had come to know simply being on the moon, but as if something within herself was suddenly missing. It felt as though she was in the grips of her own magic, being cradled within it. A mysteriously hot and heavy daze flooded her mind, making it difficult to think.

An indiscernible amount of time passed, and Nightmare Moon began to notice a strange sensation washing over her. She felt like she was fading, being stretched from head to hoof. The black alicorn stood completely still, perplexed. Looking down through her blurry vision, she could even see herself thinning, becoming partially translucent. The odd feeling spread across her entire form, then, just as suddenly as it had occurred, it dispersed, leaving Nightmare Moon confused and uncertain, drowning in her bitterness once more.

Her stone-cold gaze was once more directed at her old home. “Celestia, hear me now! I will return, and I will have my vengeance!” Turning away from the planet with a snarl, she knew what had to be done. Her sister’s magic was taking effect, gathering to finally bind her to the surface of the moon, once and for all.

She wouldn’t allow that to happen.

With the last of her will—her rage, her fury and the hatred that she had for her sister—Nightmare Moon called upon her remaining magic, refusing to fade silently into the night. Her horn lit up, reflecting eerily off of every surface around her, and she began to cast the spell, prepared to seal herself within the moon by redirecting and utilizing Celestia's much stronger magic to augment her own in one last act of spite.

"You can't hide in the light forever, sister.” She spat, her lips curled back to reveal jagged white teeth. “One day, the sun must descend, and on that day, the moon, I, shall replace it."

Bits and Pieces

Bright, searing light, whirling this way and that, grasping her from every which way as it tugged and pulled at her very being.

She cried out, a sharp pain rushing throughout her immobile form as the light pierced through her, effortlessly prying its way into her core and dissolving the darkness within.

It was overwhelming, like the light of day crashing over the horizon, a tidal wave of searing heat which struck her from every which way, drowning out all but the most deeply rooted shadows and banishing them from the depths of her mind.

And then, it was over.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Luna felt faint.

Awareness slowly returned to her with the arrival of morning’s first light. Shafts of amber hued sunlight cascaded down upon her side, catching tiny motes of dust as they drifted by on an idle breeze, bathing her form in a distantly familiar sensation; it was not the comforting warmth of her bedding’s smooth embrace as she so distantly remembered waking up to each evening. Rather, it was the unusual sensation of feeling, both uncomfortable, but also oddly pleasant.

Consciousness was not kind to the lunar princess, whose senses were quickly overwhelmed by the many scents and sounds assaulting them as the world around her became more clear. The sensory overload was almost enough to send her back into unconsciousness, and it would have were it not for a more pressing matter which quickly made itself known.

Her head rose with impressive speed, neck crackling with stiffness. It snapped into place as she gasped loudly, filling her starved lungs with precious air, which had been deprived of the precious, life giving oxygen for far too long, quickly lifting the fog of suffocation from her mind.

A raspy groan escaped from her throat, hoarse and sore from what felt like centuries without use; cracked blue lips stung as they peeled, her dry tongue doing nothing to relieve them as it passed over them again and again.

Her nose stung at the myriade of odors all about, the most noticeable being that which came from her own breath. Luna gagged momentarily, the putrid flavor upon her tongue suddenly coming to her attention as her tastebuds awoke. Weakly, she spat, trying to remove the disgusting, stale taste from her mouth, but to no avail.

Dazed, she hesitantly cracked her eyes open, only to wince and screw them shut. Moisture began to build up beneath her lids, wetting her blurry, gunk-encrusted eyes. A shaky hoof tentatively rose to wipe away the dried goo and shield her eyes from the light.

After a few short seconds, Luna chanced a peek through them once more, attempting to catch a glimpse of her surroundings, twin blue eyes scouring the world around her.

For a moment, as was expected in her confusing state, the world was unfocused. Everything had a blurry outline to it, seeming to pulsate with the steady throbbing in her skull, like looking through a lens of dirty, broken glass. Slowly but steadily, however, the world began to take distinct shape and everything became clear.

Immediately, Luna recognized where she was.

It was the castle.

Oh, most wondrous of sights! The castle!

She was home.

Luna’s head spun as she struggled to process this new information.

For the strangest, most inexplicable reasons, Luna’s chest flooded with a pleasant warmth, and she couldn’t help but smile wearily. A feeling almost as though she had just returned home from a long, long journey filled her chest pleasantly. It was an unusual one, surfacing from deep within her subconscious mind, as she couldn’t for the life of her recall going anywhere outside of the castle lately, but she didn’t mind. She was home.

However, Luna quickly realized that not all was right.

Wait... Where is everypony? Why is the castle in ruins?!

Her eyes widened, gossamer strands of her soft blue mane slipping down onto her face as her head rose worriedly.

When did all of this...?

Mouth agape, Luna peered around, her blood chilling as she took in the devastation, the realization setting in. Support columns which had once stood firm and steady by the entrance in pairs now laid strewn about. Large sections of the roofing had collapsed into the castle, leaving gaping holes in the ceiling; bright rays of sunlight shone in through them, streaming down to the throne, where her eyes finally landed. The throne, if she would call it that, was now nothing but a pile of dusty rubble, long rotten and crumbled into a heap of wood and tarnished metal.

What happened here?!

A sudden, sharp jolt of pain scraped at the inside of her skull in response, causing her to raise her hoof and rest it on the side of her head, squinting her eyes. A distant flicker of light glowed within in the murky depths of her mind, glimmering just behind her eyes, bringing with it a small fraction of awareness; a memory rising from the depths of her thoughts. It pulsed with each throb in her head, drawing a small, involuntary twitch from her right eye.

’Ignorant foal! The time of the sun has run it’s course! Now, the time for the moon to rise has come, and you are powerless to stop it! Bow before the night!’

Luna shuddered as the light within her mind dimmed, her hoof shakily lowering to the ground. It soon faded away, leaving her laying upon the stone floor, shivering, sore and thoroughly confused.

W-what...?

Before she was able to complete her thought, a blinding white flash filled her vision, forcing the mare draw back from the light, momentarily stunned, and shield her face from it.

“Princess!”

The scurrying of unarmored hooves clopping across the stone flooring and a feminine voice that Luna didn’t recognize led her to the realization that she wasn’t alone in the ruins of the old castle. With the hairs standing up on the back of her neck, she forced herself into a crouched position, fumbling slightly along the way, prepared for anything that could appear.

Rather than the culprit for the destruction of her home that she expected, she was surprised to find several small, hardly threatening ponies. However, they were entirely overshadowed by one extremely familiar pony standing before her.

Luna’s fears that something horrible had happened to the castle in her absence were quickly crushed as the towering form of her sister came into view. One of the mares across the room whispered to another, smaller one, her muffled voice having little effect on Luna, who stared up into her sister’s eyes.

Standing over her silently, Celestia strained to hold a straight face, though it was as clear as day that she was fighting back a wave of emotions.

“Princess Luna,” Celestia said quietly, holding her position above the younger mare.

“C-Celestia.” Whispered Luna in response, fighting to hold eye-contact.

“It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this.” Said Celestia, exhaling slowly. She kneeled in front of the smaller alicorn. “It is time we put our differences behind us.

“I...” Eyes widening, Luna shook her head and drew back onto her hooves. She took several shaky steps back before falling onto her rear, sliding down the crumbled remnants of a support pillar. Silent beneath the hard gaze of the solar mare, Luna quivered, mind racing as dozens of memories surfaced at once.

In that very moment, everything came back to her.

Slowly, her features contorted with a look of horror, her mind whirling with confusion. Luna curled in on herself, shaking her head wildly as the cold realization struck her. “No... No...” She mumbled to herself again and again.

Luna pressed her hooves to her face, horrified, lost within the depths of her mind and desperately fighting to deny the truth of what had occurred over one thousand years prior. She couldn’t face her sister, not after the shame she suffered.

Celestia stepped closer, her wings extended and her face expressionless. “It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this.” She stated, drawing Luna’s attention.

Luna raised her head. She looked off to the side, unwilling to look her elder sister in the eye. “Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.”

”Sister?!”

Celestia ignored them, finally breaking her unmoving stance to kneel down close, whispering into Luna’s ear. “Will you accept my friendship?”

Conflicted, Luna screwed her eyes shut and pressed her face into her hooves, looking away from the ancient mare.

A vicious, nagging regret for the things she’d done to her sister clawed at her mind, piled on by the thoughts of the things she had plotted against the kingdom, and the genocide that would have inevitably followed.

You don’t deserve it. Whispered the little voice in the back of her mind that was her conscience, harsh and degrading. You betrayed her. You betrayed everypony.

“I... I...” Luna mumbled, sniffling.

Celestia seemed to desperately want to leap forward and embrace her sibling, but she hesitated, caution no doubt holding her back.

“I’m so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!” Luna suddenly cried, leaping up at Celestia and latching onto her neck.

“I’ve missed you too, Luna,” Celestia whispered, a tear forming in the corner of her eye as she wrapped a hoof around her younger sister, holding onto her as though she threatened to fade away with the next passing breeze.

The pink mare, idly standing amongst the others, loudly blew her nose in an exaggerated manner. Luna jumped at the sudden sound, turning her attention to them.

“Hey, you know what this calls for?” Asked the pink mare, sniffling. “A party!” She cried, her voice suddenly oozing excitement.

Luna looked up at Celestia, who simply smiled. A mother’s smile, letting her know it was going to be all right. This small sight eased her worries, banishing them from though.

“Come, Luna, let us celebrate your return,” Celestia said, nuzzling Luna.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Equestria’s midsummer sun hung low in the sky, gently warming Princess Luna’s back as she peered over the edge of the royal chariot, taking in the view of Equestria for the first time in centuries.

The marvelous sight was enough to draw yet another stunned gasp from her, temporarily drawn out of the stupor she’d been in since leaving the old castle. Awestruck, Luna gazed upon the massive Everfree forest, thick and lush from the centuries it had remained untouched. Beyond that, hundreds of vast lakes dotted the landscape of Equestria, drawing plant and animal alike to them like little beacons of life.

Winding rivers slithered their way across the grassy plains, cutting streaks of all sizes through the green waves of verdure.

“Breathtaking, isn’t it?” Celestia’s voice drew her attention, coming from beside her.

Luna leaned back into the chariot, nodding silently to her sister.

“Just wait until you see the city,” Celestia told her with an exuberant tone, receiving a tiny smile in response.

Slowly, their destination became clearer. A lone, colossal mountain, towering high above the rest of Equestria, parting waves of clouds as they passed. Luna quickly realized that there was a city built upon it, like a crown of marble and gold, giving it a sense of ancient regality.

Celestia beamed at her sister, who stared at the mountain, open-mouthed.

“Welcome to Canterlot, Luna.” Celestia said, winking at her. “Hope you like it.”

“It’s... Magnificent.” Luna gasped, covering her mouth with a hoof. “Just like we had dreamed...” She whispered, looking over everything before her.

Quietly, Celestia smiled to herself and gave orders to the pegasi guards pulling the chariot to bypass the city center and land near the castle, well aware that her sister was not yet prepared for such an ordeal.

Luna seemed to take notice of this. Turning to Celestia as the chariot slowed, she curiously raised a brow. “Sister, why is it that we are not landing here?” She inquired quietly.

Celestia mulled over her response for a moment, fearing that she would insult Luna. “The city is very busy right at this time of day.” She explained, giving her a soft smile. “I feel that it would be a bit much for you after your... Ordeal.”

Luna winced, but nodded in agreeal. “Perhaps you are right. I am not prepared to greet my...” She paused, a frown spreading across her visage. “Your citizens at this time.”

Celestia frowned. “Our citizens, Luna.” She corrected, draping a hoof about her sister’s shoulders. “Ours.”

Luna sighed, then nodded her head. “I do not feel that I deserve the crown after what has been done, sister. I am anything but a fit leader—”

“No, Luna.” Celestia interrupted her. “What you did was awful, but...” She paused suddenly, glaring at the lightly armored stallion looking back at her curiously. He hurriedly went back to pulling the chariot, ears flattening against the back of his head submissively. “We will speak of this another time.” She said with a sigh. “But do not think yourself unfit to rule. You are my sister, and you are the co-ruler of Equestria, just as you always will be.”

Luna sat silently for several moments, staring up into the sky. Then, she responded. “Nevertheless, I am hardly prepared for such an occasion.” She said, choosing not to argue on the matter.

“I’m sure that you’ll be ready after a bath and some food.” Celestia told her, carefully pulling Luna close with her hoof. “But I certainly won’t force you into anything. Whenever you feel ready, tell me.”

Luna said nothing, staring down at Equestria as it passed.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Celestia ushered Luna, who still stared, awestruck, at the vast city around her, gently guiding her into the castle with a few nudges here and there.“Come, Luna, see the castle!” She exclaimed, motioning toward the grand oaken doors which led inside. “Don’t worry, you’ll have a full tour of the city soon enough. I promise.” She assured her sister.

Luna nodded, following closely behind her sister, as though she would be lost forever if she took one stray step.

“I know it’s a bit different than we had planned, but I implemented a few of our designs into it. I’m sure you’ll recognize some of them.” She told Luna, entering the main hall with her sister in tow.

Luna froze upon entering, staring up at the large marble pillars supporting the balcony above, and the many halls and staircases all around.

“That’s not even the best part.” Celestia said, grinning. She pointed up to the ceiling, where a large glass roof sat, positioned just so for a perfect view of the sun or the moon.

“It feels so familiar.” Luna whispered, looking around at the various decorations within the castle. “But I never thought it would turn out so wonderful.”

“Ready to see your room?” Celestia asked, motioning Luna up the stairs.

“My... Room?” Luna asked slowly, turning her confused gaze to her sister.

“I...” Celestia paused. “When construction on the castle began, I had hoped so desperately that you would return to me one day in the future to rule beside me once more.” She smiled at Luna. “I had a room built in the same wing as my own, just for you. I promised myself I’d have it ready for your return.” Giving Luna no time to respond, Celestia pushed the doors open. “I hope it suits you well.”

The doors swung open to reveal a large room, its most notable feature being a large canopy bed, low to the ground and adorned with a plush sapphire blue comforter. Sheets, folded and ready to be laid, were piled atop it, along with an extra few crisp, white pillows.

Despite this, there was something missing, she noticed. Luna quietly peered about the room, taking in her new bedchambers, her expression unsure.

The room seemed nice enough overall, decorated in a way that any room of the castle would be, fancy and ornate, but it lacked a certain touch, the sense of home that Luna so desperately needed.

There was nothing upon the hearth over the fireplace and the canopy bed, what should have been elegant and flashy, had been stripped bare. No paintings along the walls or trinkets upon the furniture. There was no real care in the room’s bland design, without any real decoration to speak of. Hardly fitting to be called “home” by a mare such as herself, but more than enough for a passing diplomat who would need somewhere to stay in the castle while on business.

“I’ve already had the room stocked with everything you’ll need.” Celestia said, moving over to the door to the restroom. “The bathrooms have only the finest washing supplies, your curtains—should you use them, block light and sound from the outside, and the bedding is woven of...” She quickly trailed off, realizing that Luna was only half listening.

Luna stared blankly at the bed, looking conflicted. “Sister, I am...” She paused, thoughtful for a moment before deciding upon the proper word to use. “Grateful. Yes, I am grateful for what you have done for me thus far, but...”

Celestia smiled sadly, already aware of what Luna’s problem was. “Doesn’t feel like home?” She asked, receiving a slight nod.

“It’s very nice, but...” Luna exhaled quietly, tracing her hoof along the tiled floor. “I do miss my old room. It is just so different.”

“I understand.” She said, holding out her wing.

Luna hesitated for only a moment before she took the cue and slid up next to Celestia, feeling the thick plumage of her sister’s wing gently caressing her side, feeling inexplicably safe.

“I expected you’d miss the castle, so I had the guards bring out your things.” Celestia told her, motioning toward the boxes stacked atop one another in the corner, dusty and old. “I had this room made just for you centuries ago, but I never did decorate it. I thought I’d leave that task to you.”

Luna’s eyes widened, and she looked up at Celestia, shocked. The solar mare seemed to be straining to hold back her grin.

“It’s been a while, so they’re a little dusty, but I thought you’d like to decorate your new room with something familiar.” She explained, motioning to the other side of the bed, where a small mound of blankets lay, draped across what Luna had assumed was a chair, or perhaps bedding.

She quietly made her way over to the bed and eyed the blankets covering her things, then turned to her sister, brow raised as she stared at her, as if awaiting permission. Celestia smiled, and Luna took that as a sign to continue. Her horn grew alight with a soft, sapphire blue hue, weak from centuries of misuse, and she began to lift the bedding, slight strain clear in her expression.

As soon as she’d set it aside, too weary to bother with folding it up, her magic dissipated and she observed the boxes which it had concealed, the word Luna’s scribbled across the top of each in ancient, heavily worn ink. Carefully, she opened the first one.

Celestia sat by the door, waiting for Luna to say something. However, nothing came, and her expression quickly fell. “Come on... Smile for me, Lulu.”

Luna’s ears perked up at the nickname she’d not heard for centuries, and she turned, smiling softly at her elder sister.

“Thank you... So much.” She whispered.

“Anything for my little sister.” Celestia said, standing up. “Well... I’ll let you get acquainted with your new room. Come on down for dinner whenever you’re ready. The guards will show you the way when you’re done.”

As Celestia’s hoofsteps faded into the distance, Luna found herself silently staring down into the box sitting at her hooves, filled with a storm of various emotions. Reaching out, she made to remove something from it, but paused.

I can’t...

Gently closing it, she exhaled and slowly rose to her hooves, where a glint of reflected sunlight caught her eye.

The soft clopping of her bare hooves against the marble tiled flooring was the only sound that registered in Luna’s mind as she made her way over to the nightstand, planting herself upon a stool.

Looking into the mirror, she inspected herself from multiple angles, expressionless all the while.

So... This is what I look like. I’d forgotten after so long...

Semi-satisfied, her hoof fell from her face and her eyes followed it, landing on a box of various perfumes and makeups, all which filled her with a sense of nostalgia.

Lifting one of the blue bottles, Luna rested it on the flat side of her hoof and inspected the contents, half in a daze. It brought back all kinds of memories.

It was like a double edged sword, cutting into her in more than one way; a warmth flooded her mind with various pleasant memories. However, a chilling loneliness welled up within her as they passed, reminding her of her current situation—lost and alone in an entirely new world, where everypony she’d known in her past was long gone, replaced by several generations.

Luna leaned back upon the stool, eyes closing as it all came back to her; waking up early every evening to apply a generous coating of her various beauty products, only to be interrupted by somepony too impatient to wait for her to finish and exit her room, time and time again.

’Think you’ve got enough eye shadow on, Lulu, or do you think you need more?’ Came a voice from within the hazy depths of her mind, deep, strong and disturbingly familiar. ’I’m sure if you dabbed on a bit more, you’d probably have enough to blot out the sun.’

A sad smile stretched across Luna’s lips as a memory played out, a tear shimmering in the corner of her eye before streaking down her cheek and dripping down onto her lap.

Luna bit her lip, straining to fight back a sob as the memory played out. Tears shimmered brightly against her dark blue fur as they gathered in the corners of her eyes before streaking down her cheeks and dripping onto her lap, patting down her fur as they went.

“Oh, Atlas...” She sniffled, eyes screwing shut and her head turning away from the mirror, toward the floor. “I’m sosorry.”

I am a princess, therefore I must appear—

’Perfect?’

As a princess should.

’Perfection is an illusion, my dear. You are a goddess in every aspect of the word, beautiful in every way, shape and form imaginable, but not even a Goddess can achieve true per—’

A sudden, sharp sound drew her from her memories; Luna looked down to see a bottle of hoof-polish shattered on the nightstand, having loosened from her magical grasp while she was lost in her reveries. She sighed, reaching out and scraping the glass into a pile of jagged, pasty sapphire shards, scratching the nightstand and smearing it with streaks of blue.

Frowning, the mare looked about for something to dump it in. Seeing nothing, she levitated the box it had come from to the edge to the nightstand and scraped it in, leaving it to dry so she could later clean it out.

Rising from the stool onto her hooves, Luna looked down at herself and grimaced. Bits of the thick polish had dripped down onto her, seeping into her fine blue coat and clumping the hairs together in sticky bunches.

She scraped at the unsightly areas with a hoof before a gentle knock came from her door and she quickly stood, startled. She began straightening her tiara and checking herself in the mirror one last time for any blemishes or imperfections in her fur besides the hoof-polish. “One must appear perfect, as royalty.” She whispered to herself, having seen none, and turned away from the nightstand, reluctantly approaching the door.

It opened and a unicorn stood just on the other side, expressionless and at attention. “I’m here to ensure you’re satisfied with your bedchambers, Milady.” He quickly said before she could manage to speak. He seemed to stare straight past her as he spoke, almost to the point where she thought he was avoiding eye contact with her. “If anything dissatisfies you, please inform me so that I may have it corrected.”

Luna nodded, saying nothing as she eyed the pair of glimmering diamond slippers by the door. She quickly and quietly slipped into them, wiggling her hooves about uncomfortably as she attempted to grow accustomed to once more wearing slippers. They felt awkward and weighed her hooves down and they were tight around her sensitive hooves.

Luna turned and looked the guard in the eye, then spoke. “I wish to dine with my sister now.” She remarked, attempting a commanding tone. It came out as more of a weary mutter, but the stallion caught the message nonetheless.

He nodded and turned away with a simple, “Yes, Milady.” and motioned for her to follow, leading her once more into the depths of the castle.

Luna still found herself astounded at every turn as she made her way through the colossal structure, amazed by the smooth marble pillars, and the beautifully designed decor here and there.

Although the sheer scale of the structure amazed her, she was far more impressed by the work force within. Every corner she turned with her unicorn escort, there seemed to be another maid or guard, and what she assumed was the occasional politician. It was far busier than it had ever been during her time in the old castle.

Celestia certainly knows how to run a kingdom. She mused silently.

Luna’s thoughts were interrupted by the strong, low voice of the Solar Stallion at her side.

“We’re here, Your Highness.”

<><><><><><><><><><>

Luna hesitated as the guard held open the big oak doors leading into the dining hall. Immediately her ears caught the sounds of several ponies talking from within. Looking to the guard, who made no motion to acknowledge her, she quietly poked her head through the doors, looking about to find the dining hall as grand as she expected it to be.

The room was set with a pair of long, regal oaken tables draped in pristine white cloth, which shined with an otherworldly glow beneath a series of multi-colored shafts of sunlight streaming in through a dozen or so carefully designed stained glass windows that made up the majority of the eastern wall.

It looks so similar... Luna thought to herself sadly. But the depictions are so different.

The deafening silence was what brought Luna back to reality.

Blinking, she looked over to the ponies resting at the table, who stared intently at her. Luna suddenly felt a thousand times smaller as everyone in the room looked in her direction.

Ears flattening and tail tucking between her legs instinctively, Luna began to hyperventilate, standing stock still as their gazes seemed to grow ever stronger, as if scrutinizing her every move.

She shook anxiously, eyes widening as their gazes became distressingly familiar glares, reminiscent of the those she received as Nightmare Moon. They burned into her hide, causing her to feel faint, ready to curl up into a tight little ball and die.

Just as Luna was sure that her heart was going to stop, Celestia’s voice broke her from her stupor.

“Luna, are you alright?” She repeated, head tilted in concern for the jittering, panicked mare.

Looking around, Luna realized that the glares she was receiving were merely a figment of her imagination. Several of the ponies had already gone back to speaking to one another in hushed tones, leaving only Celestia and the stallion at her side to look at her curiously. She gnawed her lip, a slight scarlet hue on her cheeks as the embarrassment of her little episode hit her full force.

Luna exhaled a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, quickly regaining her composure. “Yes, sister, I was just surprised to see that we had guests.” Throwing on a small, polite smile, she approached the solar mare, circling around the grand table to the side opposite of everypony else.

“It’s nothing important, Luna.” Celestia explained, attempting to dismiss her worries. “Come, have a seat.” She told her, motioning to the spot across from her, looking up to the stallion standing beside her. He nodded and quietly slid the chair out with his magic.

Luna obliged, settling herself in the seat.

The stallion, a unicorn, smiled at her before falling back into his attentive stance.

From her spot across from Celestia, Luna silently went about observed the ponies sitting on either side of the table three of which donned modern formal attire. The odd manner of dress was lost on Luna, who turned her eyes to the others.

One looked to be a royal guard, which she made out to clearly be a captain by his brilliant purple and gold armor—a sight Luna recognized from her time, the uniform of a high-ranking stallion.

“Thank you for your time.” Celestia told the others, waving them off before Luna could inspect them. “I expect to see you again soon to finalize the arrangements.” They quickly gathered their things and rose from their seats, exiting the room whilst murmuring amongst themselves.

Luna released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding the moment the doors closed behind them, sinking back into her seat.

“I hope your room pleases you, Luna.” Celestia’s voice suddenly came from the other side of the table, drawing her attention.

Luna allowed the ghost of a smile to appear on her features. “I am quite pleased, thank you, sister. I am sure that sooner or later I will become more acquainted with it.”

Celestia smiled. “I wanted to give you the best, so I had it built with a view of the moon, just for you. but, well...” She gnawed her lip as a short silence draped itself over the table. “I... Didn’t know if you’d return...” She paused, eyes turning to the table before her. “If you’d be you when you returned.”

Luna’s smile fell and she looked away, resting her forehoof on the table. She tapped it quietly as a somber mood blanketed the room, uncomfortable and unsure of what to say.

Celestia shook her head, berating herself silently. “Forgive me, Luna, I should have introduced those ponies who just left.” She quickly changed the subject. “They were here to help me set up a celebration in honor of your return.” She explained, only to further regret her words.

Luna shot her an unusual look, anxiously shifting in her seat. “Celestia, I am happy you wish to celebrate my return, but... Are you sure this is necessary?” She asked in a low tone

“If I could have it my way, Luna, we’d have our own little private celebration for your return, just the two of us.” Celestia began, shaking her head. “As it is, however, the kingdom is rather shaken. A new alicorn who supposedly predates the very kingdom itself has suddenly appeared, and with no warning no less! The ponies are very unsure and I feel that the only way to truly assure them that everything is as it should be is to have a public celebration.” She sighed. “I’m truly sorry for putting you through this, Lulu. It’s just the only option.”

“I understand, Tia.” Luna forced a smile. “I’m sure I’ll be alright. It’s just a simple party, after all.” She said dismissively.

“That’s the spirit.” Celestia chimed, forcing a smile of her own at the thought of forcing her sister through such an ordeal. “Now, while we wait, do you have any questions about Equestria?” Celestia asked, leaning back in her seat.

A thoughtful look adorned Luna’s face as she pondered the question for a moment. “Many.” She finally responded, drawing a chuckle from her sister.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Princess Celestia stood upon a balcony, leaning gently against her sister, as if breaking contact with her would assure her disappearance for another thousand years. Smiling softly, she draped her wing over the younger mare’s back, further assuring herself that she would never again allow herself to lose Luna.

From a viewpoint on the threshold of Canterlot Castle’s west tower, Celestia watched the hot midsummer day drawing to a silent close. Late evening light mellowed on the horizon, turning a soft scarlet; across the flatlands, layers of clouds striped the horizon in long billows of purple, amber, rose and cerise as the day finally came to a close.

She inhaled a deep breath before exhaling it slowly, eyes closed and a gentle smile played about her face. “My sister is finally home where she belongs, Equestria is rejoicing for her return, and the sun is sinking to make way for a beautiful, new night, the first of many to come.” Celestia sighed, content. “A perfect summer evening, wouldn’t you say, Luna?”

Luna said nothing for a moment, contemplating her thoughts as she observed the sun quietly disappear behind a long range of mountains in the distance, bathing the world in sable night and allowing the moon its turn for full sovereignty over the skies. She turned to her sister as a gentle golden glow met the corner of her vision, watching as the elder mare carefully began to raise the lunar body, then spoke.

“Sister, how is it that you see so much yet feel so little?” Luna inquired, voice quiet so as not to disturb the peaceful stillness upon the air.

Celestia froze for a moment. The moon, in turn, came to a jerky halt in the sky for several unsettling seconds before it began its ascent once again. She turned to Luna, confusion etched into her seemingly flawless features. “I don’t understand, Lulu, what do you mean?” She asked, a tinge of worry surfacing in the back of her mind.

Though immortal, she was far from immune to her worries. Her thoughts began to run rampant, working up the worst possibilities for what her sister could have meant. One thing quickly led to another and the fear which she had tried so desperately to hide—that which insisted to her that her sister still held some sort of spite for her for sealing her away more than a millennia ago—had chilled her blood. Her silence rapidly grew unsettling. The lunar princess showed no sign that she would speak soon, quietly staring off into the distance.

Though she would never let it show, Celestia began to panic, caught by the deeply seated guilt she’d felt for centuries. “Luna?” She spoke once more, curling her lower lip up between her teeth worriedly.

Luna finally turned away from the horizon, staring Celestia in the eye. “Can you not feel the stillness in the air?” She asked, making a sweeping motion with her hoof, as though to punctuate her words. “‘Tis a precursor to something far more, I would say.”

Celestia shook her head disbelievingly. “A storm? Surely not. The weather pegasi promised that the entire day would be warmth and clear skies. I requested so myself.” She explained, placing a hoof upon the stone railing outlining the balcony and pushing herself into a standing position.

“Perhaps you have other things on your mind, sister.” Luna chided her gently. “Can you not feel the air? The cool breeze has died away and the air is now still and hot. Perfect conditions for a storm.”

An ominous grumble of thunder muffled its way over the far horizon to the northwest, proving the younger mare correct. Luna turned to her sister, stepping out from under her wing. “Perhaps we should return to our rooms before the weather gets too bad.” She said, entering the castle and leaving the encroaching storm to rage on outside.

“Perhaps.” Celestia sighed, following her sister. She gnawed at her lip as the worry once more bubbled up from within her, playing an anxious frown across her face.

Slowly, the moon and stars were obscured by roiling curtains of dark and heavy clouds rising over the horizon, bringing with them a deluge of whipping, lashing rain and powerful gusts of wind.

<><><><><><><><><><>

“Are you sure you’ll be alright alone?” Celestia asked, watching the younger mare go about readying her plush bed for sleep. “I’m sure we could work something out with one of the guard—”

“I do not wish to burden your daytime guard.” Luna interrupted, releasing her grip of the bed’s thick comforter to look at her sister. “I will be alright, Tia.”

“I know, Luna.” Celestia sighed, shifting uncomfortably. “I know.” She repeated, quiet. “I’m just worried for you.”

Luna didn’t respond, staring thoughtfully at the floor for a moment before raising her head and smiling softly. The simple act was enough to bring a much larger smile to Celestia’s expression. She approached Luna, craning her neck down to embrace her younger sister.

Luna returned the embrace before pulling away from her sister. She moved toward her bed, running a hoof gently along the smooth silken comforter atop it. “I understand your worry, sister, but I’m no longer a child.” She explained, passing her bed by and making her way toward the glass doors which led to the balcony.

“Perhaps, but you also...” Celestia paused mid-sentence, biting her lip. She pulled a thoughtful expression, wracking her brain to come up with a way to word her thoughts lightly.

“I have awoken after a thousand year slumber, yes, and I still suffer the effects of it.” Luna admitted, saving her the work. “But I am confident that I can handle myself tonight.”

Celestia sighed. “You’re probably right, Luna, but can you blame me for worrying? You’re my sister.”

“One night should not be all that bad.” Luna murmured, straightening the covers before sitting herself down before the doors. She craned her neck and began staring out at the cloudy night sky, catching a glimpse of the moon peeking out between the thick cloud cover. “After all, I was alone for one thousand years. What is one night compared to that?”

Celestia turned away, hurt from her sister’s sharp statement. She made to speak, but found nothing to say. Instead she turned and slowly exited the room, a frown played across her lips. “Very well, then.” She sighed, closing the door behind her.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Basking in the pleasant warmth the late summer sun left in the air, Luna sat upon her balcony, quietly observing the cloudless night sky. With minimal distractions, she was able to think clearly about the happenings of the day, mulling over her thoughts.

It’s all so... Different.

Luna sighed, looking down. From her balcony, she could see nearly everything; all of Canterlot, the distant light of small settlements and towns, and Cloudsdale, a shimmering silver silhouette in the moonlight, were all visible to her, clear as could be.

No matter how many times she looked out at it all, she couldn’t help but find herself in awe again and again. Never in her wildest dreams did she envision such a sprawling society to have blossomed under her and her sister’s rule.

Laying a hoof on the guard rail to steady herself, Luna stood, turning and entering her room once more.

As she passed through the glass doors, thoughts of the evening plagued her mind, mostly of dinner. Having been a wholly awkward affair for all parties involved, she couldn’t help but worry about the upcoming celebration for her return.

The thought of hundreds, possibly thousands of ponies from everywhere across Equestria showing up to observe her was enough to send a shiver down her spine. It made her feel like some sort of exhibit with everypony staring as they did.

Crawling into her bed, Luna mused on Celestia’s explanations of Equestria and how foreign it seemed. It was overwhelming to the mare, who laid her head down upon her pillow. The feeling of a bed beneath her, wrapped in the warmth of the covers and having a soft pillow to lay her head on was almost too much for her. Her eyelids grew heavy quickly and her thoughts of Equestria became hazy. Before long, she was unable to keep them open. Eyes closed, the princess of the night drifted off into the realm of her dreams.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Luna awoke to a gentle tapping upon her glass doors.

It wasn’t the gentle pitter-patter of rain she could currently hear. It was similar, but sharper, echoing through her room.

Exhaling slowly, her eyes opened, one more so than the other. Luna smacked her lips, blinking her eyes to clear some of the gunk from them and rolling herself onto her back to stretch. She turned her head, looking toward her balcony.

A blurry silhouette was pressed against the glass doors leading outside. Startled, she flew up in her bed, rubbing at her eyes. She blinked a few times and looked back, only to catch the back of the fleeing figure who’d stood at her doorway, quickly flying off.

Unsettled, Luna slid out of bed and stepped into her slippers, hesitantly approaching the door. Her horn glowed as she summoned up her magic in case whoever had been watching her returned, prepared to use it should she need to.

Reaching the doors, she looked out through them, peering both ways.

Hmm...

Nothing seemed out of place.

Equestria’s midsummer moon hung like a golden sickle in the humid night, and hardly a breeze stirred the air. The storm seemed to have mostly passed, leaving a soft drizzle in its wake.

I need to speak to the guards.

Murmuring something quietly to herself, Luna stretched her neck and turned away from the balcony, making her way toward the door, her hooves clip-clopping across the floor.

Quietly stepping out into the hallway, Luna turned and softly pulled the door closed, careful not to wake anypony. As soon as it clicked into place, she looked to her sides, surprised to find that the guard ponies who were set to watch her room as she slept were absent from their posts. Making a mental note to bring that up to her sister, the lunar mare turned away from the door, taking her first step into the hallway, only to release a sudden shriek when the floor gave out.

Crumbling beneath her very hooves, the marble tiles beneath her and the pillars which had held up the ceiling fell into a dark void, seemingly bottomless.

Her wings instinctively extended out at her sides, but to no avail. Flapping desperately to catch air, Luna screamed at the top of her lungs as she only seemed to gather more speed. The air seemed to pass right through her feathers, leaving her to reach out for the ledge she’d fallen from, growing ever further away.

Alarmed and disoriented, Luna flailed about madly, reaching for something—anything at all—to save her life as she plummeted into the abysmal rift. Wind screeched by her ears, flapping them about painfully and deafening her as she cut through the night sky, barreling toward the earth—and her imminent demise—below.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Luna caught sight of the ground between the nauseating rotations despite the vicious twists she experienced as powerful gusts of air struck her from every which way. A blur of muddled brown and black caught her eye before she was facing the sky again, spiralling out of control.

Soon enough, the constant motion grew too much for her to handle. Luna released a sickening hurk and began to evacuate her stomach contents into the air, watching dizzily as the disgusting fluids hovered by her for just a second before whipping off in another direction, carried off by the wind.

Her screams had stopped, replaced by a low, dazed groan by the time she’d come close enough to clearly make out details on the ground. The sickness had gotten to her, leaving her unable to do little more than curl into a ball, rolling onto her back in preparation for what was inevitable. Staring upward, Luna flinched as the tops of the trees suddenly invaded the corners of her vision, before everything went dark/

Luna screwed her eyes shut, plowing into the ground with bone-shattering force. Huge plates of solid earth were force up all around her as she crashed, blooming outward in every direction. An explosive boom resonated through the air, followed by the shock wave created by her impact, which bent trees beneath its force as it passed.

A deafening silence fell upon the area as soon as the dull rumble of upturned stones returning to the ground waned.

Luna’s eyes cracked open, only to shut them tightly again, finding them filled with dust. She immediately squeezed them shut, drawing tears from them as the dirt scraped against her eyes. Waving at the haze, she dared to peel them open again.

Everything was blurry.

“W-wha...?” She croaked, voice hoarse. Raising her hooves, Luna slid them across her face hurriedly. Stunned, she realized that she was, in fact, not dead. She rolled her head to the side, startled further by the fact that she wasn’t in any pain at all. Only the slight discomfort of dirt in her eyes plagued her.

Where...? She thought, worry quickly growing evident on her features. She felt about, hooves scraping against dirt and stone. What in the world happened happened?! Where is the castle?

Stunned into silence, the lunar mare held her position, staring into the sky as though it held the answers she sought. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what had happened, how she’d fallen through the castle floor and into the ground and lived.

Her worries were put aside for a short moment, however, when she noticed that a layer of thick, bloated clouds blotted out the sky, swirling overhead in a bizarre manner, whirling this way and that under the command of the powerful winds that drove them onward. Something unsettling emanated from the sky as it continued to writhe about like some sort of enraged monster, never going still.

Luna lifted her head and peered around, realizing that she was splayed out on her back in a wide crater, no doubt left by her unfortunate landing. Large portions of the foundations of the forest she’d landed in were obliterated and a dark cloud of dirt and other debris had filled the air, making it hard to determine where exactly she was.

The castle has to be nearby. It has to be.

A quiet cough escaped her throat as she languidly pushed herself into a semi-sitting position, inspecting her surroundings, an act she immediately regretted. As soon as she’d moved, the debris cloud had begun to dissipate, settling back to the ground to reveal what was beyond the edge of the crater.

Empty reaches of wooded swampland sprawled as far as the eye could see, nothing but somber decay for miles upon miles, desolate and bleak.

Luna drew back, startled by the sight.

The forest looked to have withered in decay, rotted and drowned by the intruding swamp muck all across the ground. Unsettling sounds resonated from everywhere, as though the very trees themselves were lamenting, creaking and wailing.

Dry branches rattled sharply in the unforgiving gale, making a noise that was nothing short of spine-tingling.

Luna gingerly approached the edge of the crater, ears laid flat upon her head. Her bare hooves dug into the loam as she hobbled her way up the incline, slipping several times before managing to grab onto the edge.

Hauling herself over, Luna pushed herself onto her hooves and looked around, gathering a better view of her surroundings.

Trees.

As far as she could see, the miserable forest rolled on, no sign of ending.

A silhouette moved quickly through the shadows to her side, drawing the lunar mare’s attention. Jerking her head to the left, Luna scrutinized the tree line, staring into the shadows.

Hidden beneath a tree, the form—barely visible, stared back at her, dark and mysterious.

“You!” She called out, watching as its ‘ears’ flattened at the sound of her voice. “Where am I? What are you?” She inquired loudly, to no avail.

A scowl spread across her face when she received no response, causing her to move toward the form. The moment Luna took a step, the shadowy figure had turned and bolted, disappearing into the trees.

Luna drew back, surprised that any being had the audacity to ignore—nay, to flee from their Princess of the Night. Mumbling something unintelligible to herself, Luna ignored the odd creature and turned her gaze back to the forest it had hidden itself within. An unsettling aura seemed to surround it, a stark difference to the city she had been in merely an hour ago.

The thought astounded her—just a short while ago, she’d been in a chariot high above the land, gazing down thoughtfully upon Equestria’s magnificence in admiration. She’d been awestruck as she took in the sight of its massive ancient forests, thick and lush from the centuries they had remained untouched.

Looking around again, viewing nature at its ugliest, she assured herself that she was anywhere but Equestria.

While the rustling of wind through branches seemed to be common there, an unusual sound drew her attention. Luna turned, looking up to see the shadowy form atop a tree, laid out upon a series of thin branches at the very top. She blinked, and then it was gone, instead staring down at her from further off, in a different tree.

Luna shifted uncomfortably, staring into the dark tree line. For some unexplainable reason, she felt strangely compelled to enter. Perhaps it was the thought that the creature taunting her from a distance knew the way through, perhaps something entirely different. She didn’t know for sure.

Something drew her near, whispering sweetly into her ears.

Luna shook her head, berating herself for such foolishness. The forest was clearly an unsafe place. Yet she wanted to go back to the castle, and nothing but forest reached as far as she could possibly see.

Accursed wings. She mused, frowning as she eyed the limp appendages dangling at her sides. Had they been more functional, she’d have flown high into the sky to spot her position. With nothing even vaguely familiar in sight, she willed her body onwards in the only direction she could think of going: Forwards.

Inching toward the tree line, Luna pressed a hoof to one of the hideous trees, which sunk into the rotten wood. She drew back, grimacing, then attempted to push them aside with her magic.

Nothing.

Again, she concentrated. A warm tingle formed at the base of her skull, but it seemed to fade before reaching her horn.

Distressed, Luna turned her eyes back to the darkness beyond her before stepping into it, aware that she had neither her magic, nor her flight to protect her.

The air seemed to grow significantly colder the moment she passed through the wall of trees, sending a shiver throughout her. Luna fought the urge to screw her eyes shut and stepped over another thorn-ridden root, attempting to make herself as small as possible as the branches quickly grew too dense to pass through un-touched, reaching out to grab at her.

Wind howled through the crowded avenues of massive tree trunks, whispering its otherworldly dirge through the canopy above as the lunar princess passed through. A repugnant odor was carried in on the wind, rotten and sickening.

The mangled branches of the old, miserable trees tangled with one another viciously, giving them the appearance of life when the wind caught them. Luna ducked her head down low, half in discomfort and half due to the sharp thorny vines hanging from the boughs above.

In the distance, a shadowy figure peered at her from behind one of the ghastly trees, leaning against the gnarled trunk. Luna’s head snapped toward it and she quickly changed her direction, pressing into the incoming trees with renewed vigor.

Dry bracken crunched beneath Luna’s hooves as she frantically chased after the figure, gasping for breath. Her weariness had begun to take its toll on her, but the inexplicable desperation she felt to catch the silhouette drove her on. She broke into a gallop, desperate to find the creature that could lead her out of the forest and to safety.

Luna grunted, pressing into the thick of the woods on determination alone as the sharp branches began snagging into her fur. The piteous, gnarled trees groaned with the wind, their branches swatting at her, scratching her, as if to stop her from venturing any further into the hellish forest.

Dead branches rattled together in the wind, sharply swatting at Luna’s face. Her eyes clenched shut against the stinging pain, the thorny, razor-like briars whipping at her from every which way.

Almost mockingly, the form was always just a few trees ahead of her, watching her silently.

Luna growled as she was suddenly tugged to a stop. Turning back, she realized that her wings had been snared by the briars and vines. Unable to extend or retract them, the lunar mare attempted to break free, keeping one eye focused on the silhouetted she’d followed to ensure it didn’t escape.

She pulled at her bindings, only to gasp as the sharp pain ran up her wings, feathers being torn from them as she went tumbling forward into the awaiting limbs of another tree. This time, however, she couldn’t pull herself free, thoroughly tangled in the thorny grips of the trees.

Luna’s scalp was in tremendous pain. Branches and thorns tugged sharply at her ethereal mane. Her wavy hair was pulled violently, tangled and ripped from her head as she blindly struggled her way through. The princess made to pull away from the flora, to turn back and follow the path of debris she’d left, but it only served to further her suffering.

Deformed faces etched into the rough bark of a thousand trees met her vision, blocking out even the smallest spears of fleeting light for miles.

Finally she relented hung up in the branches just above the ground and unable to struggle any further. Luna saw the world through a filter of warm scarlet, which oozed from cuts along her forehead, courtesy of a gruesome hooked scourge of a branch.

Suddenly, a familiar shadowy figure caught her eye. Blinking the blood from her eyes, she looked up, unable to move her head. Elation rushed through her veins at the sight that met her. The burst of adrenaline was enough to allow her to lift her head, following the silhouette with her gaze.

“F-finally!” She whispered through cracked, bleeding lips, her voice excited, but weak.

The figure slithered closer, approaching the bound mare. It came close enough so that she could make out its features, or rather, the lack thereof. Little more than a dark, hazy mass, the figure had no distinguishable expressions. However, a pair of chilling white eyes were set into what Luna assumed was its head.

Without warning, the shadowy being burst into a cloud of black smoke when it stepped into a patch of moonlight piercing the canopy, splattering dark stains into the lunar mare’s coat.

Luna moaned despairingly, lowering her head hopelessly as the last chance of her believed escape floated off on the breeze.

The cloud slowly dissipated, revealing something she hadn’t seen before. As the wind carried the last of the haze away, Luna squinted to see the form of a pony lying still before her, hung up in the sharp barbed vines and branches and illuminated by a lone shaft of moonlight.

She quickly recognized the still and unmoving shape to be that of a filly, one who looked to be very young, smeared in dried blood and resting among a pile of jagged stones. Beneath the layer of dark rusty red, she noticed a coat of short, fine lavender fur and a warm orange mane.

Startled, Luna drew back, a sick, horrified expression on her face.

Memories of a blinding light, then sudden darkness abruptly came to the forefront of her mind, sending an involuntary shudder along her spine. An agony not felt for centuries by Luna gripped her mind, her very consciousness, in the form of a building pressure, which filled her skull. It had pressed outward, seeming to crush her brain against its bone cavity, giving Luna the migraine of a lifetime

A million blinding lights flew by, and the sensation of butterflies filled her stomach, leaving her in a place far, far away from the forest. The forest was gone, nowhere to be seen, only darkness in its place.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Luna flew up in her bed with a loud gasp, throwing her comforter to the foot of the bed as she rose. Sweat dripped from her brow, matting her fur as it streaked down her face and onto the bedding beneath her. Breathing heavily, she looked around the room, searching for signs of the miserable forest she’d just been in.

Nothing.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, the lunar mare rested a hoof on her chest in an attempt to calm her racing heart and fell back onto the bed, her head crashing back into the pillows with a quiet fwump.

The room was hot and the air still, leaving Luna to quietly stew in her own bed, nought but her quiet breathing to keep her company as she became lost in thought. What in the name of Equestria was that about? She asked herself silently, piecing together bits of her nightmare.

A forest, horrible, piteous trees, thousands upon thousands of them looking to be souls trapped in wooden prisons, screaming to be released; Luna released a quiet shiver and turned her head to the glass doors, eyes focusing on the moon.

“What a terrible place.” She whispered to herself, rolling her head to the side and staring out through her window at the stormy sky.

A low hanging moon met her gaze, suggesting that it was soon to set. In a few hours, the sun would promptly replace it in the sky. Staring at the moon, a thought began to form in her head. Slowly, her eyes began to narrow and her head tilted ever so slightly. Luna examined the moon blankly, more and more of her dream becoming clear.

Then, it struck her. A memory buried in the furthest depths of her mind, finally released after centuries of lying in wait. Her eyes widened as images of her daughter’s body laying on the surface of the moon, lifeless, in a pool of her own blood flooded to the forefront mind.

“N-no...” She whispered, clutching onto her chest with her hoof. “No! No!” Her heart raced and her eyes widened, blood turning to ice in her veins as the memories finally resurfaced to haunt her. Luna quickly brought her pillow in front of her and pressed her face into it.

“No!” A heart rending shriek escaped the mare as all of the details returned to her, muffled somewhat by the plush, feather-stuffed pillow. Another drawn out cry followed, with many more to come.

Luna leaned forward in her bed, releasing a fresh wave of tears. Her nose ran and tears poured from her eyes, streaking down her cheeks and soaking the sheets. “Celestia! You, you...” She trailed, her voice fading into a murmur as she buried her face into her hooves, shaking violently.

<><><><><><><><><><>

A series of quiet sobs racked Luna’s body as the sorrow began to dull, but only slightly. Though she didn’t realize it, she was subconsciously blocking away some of the pain, just as she had centuries before. She wanted to stay in her bed, wait for it to pass like a storm, but something inside told her otherwise. Her usual manner of coping with something on her own didn’t stand up to such a difficult task.

I need to see my sister... The lunar mare told herself. But she has always been there for me. She admitted reluctantly. Luna slid part of her blanket over her side, a part of her wishing it was Celestia’s wing. However, the soft comforter was no substitute for the real thing.

The prolonged thought of Celestia brought other things to her mind as well.

How can I even look at her after what she’s done!? Her nostrils flared. The blanket she held close in loving thought of her sister found itself tossed across the room. Luna glared at it angrily, unsure of how to handle her emotions.

The silence of the room closed in on her, uncertainty setting in once more. The alicorn crossed her hooves and laid on her back, staring at the ceiling with a conflicted expression.

I never want to see Celestia again! Luna huffed and kicked more of her bedding away. After a few moments of glaring into the darkness, she felt her body loosen up, and tears began forming again.

No… I don’t need her to feel better. She rolled onto her side, forcing a scowl on her face. She tried to hold onto her anger, her hated, but her need of comfort came back in the form of loneliness. There was only one pony alive that could help her, but it was the last one she wanted to see.

What am I going to do...

Luna—having made her decision, rose from the bed laboriously, wiping her face with a hoof and smearing a mix of tears and snot into her usually pristine coat. Unbothered of her surroundings, the princess of the night crept quietly across her room, head hanging low in despair.

Exhaling a shaky breath, she quietly opened the door, sticking her head out and peering both ways to ensure she wasn’t dreaming once more.

A pair of solar guards sat quietly on either side of her door, drowsy in the warmth of the summer’s night, their armor gently illuminated by shafts of moonlight reaching through the skylight above.

Luna ignored them, stepping through the door and closing it behind her. Biting her lip, she hesitantly touched a hoof to the tiled flooring with a quiet clop. When it didn’t collapse, she inhaled deeply and took a step out into the hallway, cautiously making her way along.

Luna passed through several short hallways, noticing the light of one or two guards as she searched for her sister’s room. All of them seemed to blend together to the mare, having lost the decorative charm they’d had earlier that day, now all looking alike. Bland, empty stone hallways with a piece of armor here or there and a set of colorful windows every now and then, over and over again.

Hurrying toward the fork at the end of the hallway, Luna’s destination came into sight. A short distance off to her left, she could see the entrance to the room in which her sister currently slept; a pair of wide doors, set within an ornate frame which held an image of the sun carved into the wood above it. She approached it hesitantly.

Reaching out to the doorway, Luna paused, her hoof inches from the large, engraved doors, staring at them silently. Slowly she drew her hoof back, pulling it close to her chest. Her expression grew thoughtful, unwanted memories of her dream resting in the forefront of her mind, taunting her.

Swallowing audibly, she turned her head away and reached out once more, knocking softly on one of the doors.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Celestia yawned, blinking repeatedly as she rose in her bed. Looking about, she noticed that her door was resonating with the muffled knocking of a hoof knocking on it.

“One moment.” She called out, stretching out her hind legs before sliding from beneath her covers. As her hooves hit the floor, she pulled her nightgown onto herself tightly with a little bit of magic, her expression growing worried. Very rarely was she awoken at such a late hour by her guards.

As her horn lit up, Celestia gave a simple, silent command and the doors began to inch open; stumbling in through them, Luna barely caught herself from collapsing face-first onto the floor.

“L-Luna, what are you doing? It’s so late!” Celestia whispered, leaning into help her sister up. When she received no response, she looked out through the doorway. With not a single pony in sight besides her sister, she turned her curious gaze back to her sister. “Are you alright? Luna?!”

Regaining a small bit of her composure, Luna looked to Celestia wiping the tears from her eyes.

Celestia hurriedly leaned in to grab her sister in a hug, squeezing her younger sister protectively. Over time, Luna’s sniffling died down and she rested still in the solar mare’s embrace before pulling away. “What happened?” Celestia asked quietly, worry etched into her features.

“Forgive me, sister.” Luna apologized, rubbing her shaky leg with a hoof. “I have had a terrible nightmare and rest eludes me.”

“I’m so sorry, Luna.” Celestia frowned sadly, leaning forward to nuzzle Luna’s cheek. “I should have known this would happen.”

“I did not know what else to do.” She murmured, eyeing the floor as embarrassment filled her.

“I understand, Luna.” Celestia smiled, resting a reassuring hoof on Luna’s shoulder. “You needed comfort, and you don’t know anyone here yet.”

“It is rather lonely in my room, yes.” Luna admitted shamefully.

Celestia eyed the younger mare for several moments before she released a quiet sigh. “So what you mean to say is... You want to sleep with me tonight?” She inquired, amused, smiling at Luna. “You haven’t asked that since you were just a little filly.”

A crimson hue spread across Luna’s cheeks, creating a gentle purple glow through her fur. “I-I am no filly, Celestia.” She murmured.

Celestia half-sighed, half chuckled while motioning to her bed. “Come on, Lulu, hop in.”

Luna hesitated, looking anywhere but at her sister as she debated with herself on whether or not to go through with it.

“There’s no need to be ashamed, Luna.” Celestia assured, lowering herself onto her bed once more. “It’s just one night.” She added, reaching down with a hoof and raising the edge of her covers. She patted the open spot next to her, smiling.

Wordlessly, the lunar mare approached the bed. Biting her lip, she attempted to ignore Celestia’s gaze and rested her forehooves on the edge of the bed, raising herself onto it. Pausing for just a moment, she crawled onto the mattress and laid on her side, feeling the covers slide over her, tucking themselves around her.

Laying still, Luna quietly stared into the darkness of the far wall. Thoughts of her last moments in her dream still floated idly about her tired mind, reminding her exactly who she was currently sharing a bed with.

She doesn’t even know, does she? Luna asked herself, listening to the calm, slow breathing of her elder sister.

“See? Not so bad.” Celestia murmured over her shoulder.

Luna nodded her agreement, adjusting her position and laying with her back to her sister. She closed her eyes and tightened her wings to her sides, comforted by the warmth Celestia was putting off.

Perhaps tomorrow I shall speak to her about it…

Slowly cracking one eye open, Celestia exhaled a contented breath and stretched her wings out. Silence filled the air once more, and she looked to the side to see her sister, little more than her chest rising and falling as she slept. Smiling to herself, Celestia lowered the feathery appendage and draped it across Luna’s side. Luna released a quiet murmur and curled herself up beneath the wing further, blanketed in a comforting warmth.

Sun and Moon

The day dawned humid and grey, a stark contrast to the warm and sunny day prior, upon which Luna had awoken from her millennia-long slumber. The castle was surprisingly quiet considering the number of its equine inhabitants, save for the stifled clop-clop-clopping of armored hooves echoing throughout its long, winding hallways every now and then. Soon, however, huge dark masses of clouds bunched together in a lowering sky, occasionally cut through by flashes of forked lightning searing the air over to the west. The dull rumble of a distant thunderclap signaled the approach of a storm, before drops of rain, cool and heavy, began falling over the city.

Luna found herself up exceptionally early, having been awoken shortly after her sister’s normal morning routine of rising to raise the sun by the distant grumble of thunder. She stood on the balcony outside of her elder sister’s room, quietly basking in the soft warmth of a rainy morning. She exhaled quietly, looking down upon Canterlot in all of its regality, taking it all in.

One thousand years. She mused, watching as the many little ponies down far below scattered beneath the sudden drizzle, looking like ants from her high angle. Could she really be blamed for brooding? It had been so very long, far longer than she could have ever imagined.

Moreover, thoughts of the prior day weighed heavily upon the lunar princess’ mind, threatening to topple her already fragile neutral mood into something on the more unpleasant end of the spectrum. Her return, primarily, but also the night which followed and just what had occurred. Her cheeks took on a purplish hue and she turned her head downward, embarrassment bubbling up within her.

I can’t believe I was so foalish. The thought had been resonating throughout her mind for hours now, growing louder and louder each time it passed through until it was simply impossible to ignore. She was the princess of the night, for goodness sakes! She was nigh immortal! She was the lunar diarch of an entire civilization! How could she possibly even—

Luna curved her train of thought straight into the ground with a deep breath and buried it there, forcing herself to relax both physically and mentally. Though she hadn’t even realized it, the frustrated princess had begun gritting and grinding her teeth subconsciously. A hoof rose up to stroke at her jaw, which faintly ached from the strain.

One thousand years and I still haven’t kicked the habit…

A single droplet of icy cold rain struck Luna on the nose, bringing her back to reality. She gave a little twitch of her snout and looked up into the sky, seeing little more than the underbellies of the grainy, overstuffed clouds. A dark, billowing blanket of monotonous grey which blotted out any sign of the sun and skies. It reminded her, in a sense, of her time on the moon, where all she saw, felt, heard, smelled and tasted was darkness. Dreary, empty darkness, everywhere, all the time.

However, there was no breeze there, as she so very clearly recalled. As the wind passed through her somewhat frazzled mane, Luna found herself smiling ever so slightly. Despite yesterday’s various unpleasantries and the effect the embarrassing scene she’d made in the presence of her sister had had on her mood, she couldn’t help but enjoy it, especially after having been deprived of her senses for a thousand years.

Her aforementioned senses were alight with all sorts of old, yet seemingly new sights, sounds and smells, not quite forgotten, but not fully remembered, either. There was that familiar scent of the rain, of the city and the local, well-tended flora within when damp, the wet streets below, a scent so soft it barely registered. The steady, light pitter-patter of raindrops tapping away at the curved roofing of her room, tickling at her ears ever so gently, leaving them twitching this way and that to gather up as many sounds as they could.

Thunder roared and Luna found herself staring down at the empty streets once more. It only served to remind her of the times long past, when she stood upon the balcony from her room in the old castle, looking down upon the beginnings of a small, blooming village just a short walk away. So many familiar faces wandering the streets, going about their daily lives and greeting her and her sister with broad smiles.

Filled with a myriad of bittersweet memories, Luna’s smile waned.

That which was once a small, budding village lined with those simple dirt paths and small cottages here, there and yonder was now replaced with the view of towering spires of fine marble and brilliant gold, wide, sprawling buildings, ornate statues and paved pathways which seemingly reached everywhere. The occasional patch of greenery here or there was mostly overtaken by yet another marble pillar, which held aloft the balcony on some grandiose, multi-story estate that seemed stuffed with elegantly dressed unicorns who came and went in a blur of unknown faces.

The rain steadily grew heavier, enough so that the princess was eventually forced to retreat indoors, though the break from her thoughts was a relief, if nothing else. Pushing herself from the railing , Luna turned and entered the castle once more, sliding the glass doors shut behind her with a quick flick of her magic.

Thoroughly soaked, Luna left a trail behind herself as she made her way into the restroom to retrieve a pair of soft white towels, one for her body, the other for her mane. Wrapping them around herself and securing them, she found a comfortable spot beside the unlit fireplace—a force of habit more than anything—and laid down to rest and dry off.

Think positive. The mare reminded herself. Her shoulders lowered as she calmed, sapphire eyes fading behind dark blue lids.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Returning from yet another stressful meeting regarding the suspicions surrounding her sister’s return and all which it entailed, Celestia quietly, yet gratefully slipped into the blissful peace and quiet of her own room, though the reprieve was likely to be short-lived. Although the majority of her larger and more serious meetings were canceled in favor of spending time with her sister, there was simply no getting out of explaining to her council and the many higher-ups of Canterlot that they had a new ruler to defer to.

As she entered, she was expecting to find her sister sleeping in total darkness, only to draw back as a bright light met her magenta eyes, followed by a gentle breeze which carried the chill of the Canterlot mountain air. Blinking the spots from her vision, she glanced at Luna, who she was surprised to find sitting up in her bed, leaning against the fancy, hoof-crafted wooden headboard—expertly carved with the design of a rising sun—and absently flipping through a book.

Luna turned her curious gaze up to her sister, ducking her head low and drawing the covers closer to herself. There was a momentary silence before she lowered them, allowing the solar princess a chance to approach. Celestia raised a brow as Luna carefully marked her page with an unnecessarily intricate bookmark and closed it. She sat it aside, then looked back to Celestia, flashing her a smile, which the elder mare returned.

“How did you sleep?” She inquired after a brief silence, in which the other mare shimmied down into the covers further, pulling them snug to her upper body as if to hide her figure. Celestia found the behavior a tad odd, but passed it off as one of those unusual quirks that everypony had.

“You mean before or after the nightmares?” She inquired dryly. A shake of the head and the alicorn placed both forehooves over her chest, her gaze turned upward toward the ceiling. “It was not a very restful night, but I am prepared for the day ahead, sister.” She explained, receiving a soft nod in response.

“I honestly didn’t expect it to be so bright in here, Luna. Enjoying the daylight?” Celestia half-teased, eyes scanning the room from left to right before turning back to rest upon the other alicorn’s form. Her lips pursed. It was a tad odd, was it not? Luna was once notorious amongst the servants for her inky-black, dark-as-the-void room. “That’s unlike you. Why all the light?”

Luna shrugged in response, rubbing her forelegs together. “I do not know, I have found that I dislike resting when it is so dark out.” She explained, only to receive a particularly surprised look from her sister—unsurprising, all things considered. Expected though it may have been, however, it was still upsetting to be reminded just how much the mare was affected by her incarceration. Celestia frowned.

“Well that’s something I never thought I’d hear.” The alabaster mare said slowly, grasping at the window with the translucent golden glow of her ethereal magic, sliding it shut and drawing the blinds closed shortly thereafter, draping the room in a soft, comfortable darkness. “Why not use a lantern, or candles? I’m sure the wind must get a bit irritating up here, with the windows open like that.” She suggested, turning her gaze back to the sapphire-coated mare, who seemed to blend in with the bedding now that it was darker. “I’m certain that I had some brought up to your room yesterday.”

The response she received was hasty and somewhat forced, which furthered the frown upon her features. “Oh, no, I prefer to be able to see the sunlight while I rest and the sunrise was so pretty.” Luna told her, returning the window to its open state from her place in the bed, the strain audible in her tone as she conjured up her magic. Exhaling slowly, the mare sank back into the bedding, her eyes closing. “It makes me feel like...” She trailed off, breathing somewhat more heavily than usual. A crimson hue spread along Luna’s face, giving her a gentle violet glow. “Like somepony is always there, watching over me.” She whispered, quickly looking away to hide the blush upon her cheeks.

Celestia’s cheery mood from the prior day’s events wavered slightly, her brow furrowing, though only for a fraction of a second before returning to the usual calm and pleasant expression that she always seemed to wear. Making her way over, she raised herself up, then sat down on the edge of the bed right beside her sister. A broad white wing unfurled from her back and, as if by instinct, the blue mare slowly leaned forward, making just enough room for the wing to slip in behind her. It was hastily draped along Luna’s back, feathers tickling at her coat in a most pleasant manner.

“Luna, I...” Finding herself at a loss for words, the solar princess simply gave her beloved sister a reassuring squeeze and reluctantly changed the subject.

The pitter-patter of a steady drizzle gave her an idea with a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips, she leaned in close and nuzzled at her sister, who seemed to flinch away from the contact. Luna wanted to enjoy it, she really did, but she was still a tad uncertain and wasn’t quite feeling like her usual self. She gave her sister an apologetic look and simply leaned back into the plumage of her sister’s wing, whispering something incoherent under her breath.

The mare just kept up the cheerful facade and continued, acting as though it had never happened. “You know, you always did love a rainy day.” She remarked, looking out through her window at the storm outside. “Most ponies assume that I don’t because the clouds block out the sun, which I did, but when you were gone, I really took the time to take in the sights and smells just like you used to. I find them very soothing now. What about you, Luna?” She asked, turning to her sister with the very same soft smile played out on her lips. “Do you still enjoy a nice rainy day?”

It wasn’t to last.

Luna would have none of that, changing the subject once more. “I dislike them.” She interjected in a disinterested manner, despite the fact that she had, in fact, basked in the beginnings of a light storm not all that long ago. She quickly spoke again, making known what was on her mind and likely her sister’s as well. It was still gnawing away at her despite her sister’s reassurance the eve prior that there was no issue with it, if only due to her slightly wounded ego. “Celestia, about last night...” She began rather suddenly, then trailed off after only a few words. Tucking her lower lip between her teeth, the lunar princess shifted upon the bed uncomfortably. “I do not know what came over me. I apologize for invading your personal space and—”

“Luna, please.” Celestia cut her off abruptly with a stern, but caring voice, resting a gentle hoof on her shoulder and tightening her feathery embrace. “You had a nightmare and you’ve only just returned from a long, long time away from home. Please, don’t feel that you can’t come to me.” She explained, trying to convey that she was there for her beloved little sister. “It’s completely understandable that you would be uncomfortable in a new room, after...” She hesitated, features dropping for a moment, then finished her thought. “That.” Her tone was that of distaste, as though she’d eaten something which was bitter and destined to be thrown out—the mere thought of what had happened all those years ago nearly made her ill, as it were.

Luna was prepared, however, and spoke up with a certain bite to her voice which caused her sister to draw back, if only slightly. “It is hardly alright, Celestia.” The dark-hued alicorn told Celestia, sliding out of the bed and rising onto her hooves. “Only foals are afraid of the dark... Of their own dreams.” She explained, turning toward her sister with a frustrated snort. If her expression was anything to go by, she knew she was pushing the facts a little bit, but in her upset state it was to be expected. “I am a grown mare, for goodness sakes! I should be able to handle such problems myself.” She said, watching Celestia’s expression fall yet again. It struck a chord deep within her, which only further led to her dismal mood shift.

“Luna, please, you don’t need to feel that way.” Celestia quickly went about making the bed whilst she tried to ease Luna’s mind, horn glowing a brilliant golden amber as the comforter and sheets began to fold and tuck themselves in tightly. “Everypony needs a helping hoof every now and then—you and I included.” She told Luna, laying the pillows in place at the head of her bed, positioning them just so.

Celestia’s little speech fell on deaf ears, however, only furthering Luna’s ire. “What kind of princess am I? Luna, the Night Watcher.” She started, stomping her forehoof. The younger alicorn began to list off a series of names which she had been given long ago by both her people and the people which she had shared strife with, friend and foe. “Luna, the Iron-Hoofed. The Black Heart. Deae Lunae.” Within mere moments the mare’s little rant grew entirely incoherent, her words twisting and shifting into a language that the celestial mare hadn’t heard in centuries. “I can’t... I can’t even...” She whispered. Catching sight of her sister’s distressed look, the lunar mare finally curved her frustrations into the ground and exhaled a shaky breath, her head lowering. Already another pang of guilt was striking away at the back of her mind, this one for similar, but different reasons.

After several moments of slow, steady, measured breathing, she looked back up and shook her head. “I refuse to believe that it is “alright” as you say, Celestia.” She explained, giving the gist of her impromptu rant, stubborn as she was, in one simple sentence. “You and I are leaders of a nation, sister. How fit am I to do just that if I cannot accomplish a task a filly could?” She inquired, looking away. “We are to set an example, are we not? What sort of great leaders go about making their flaws known to friend and foe alike?”

Celestia’s rebuttal came in much less aggressively than Luna’s, her tone almost motherly as she craned her neck downward to meet her sister’s gaze. “A great leader is able to admit their weaknesses so that they may find aid and conquer them. It strengthens not only them, but also their people, knowing that their leader is another pony. They find them relatable.” Celestia stepped closer, golden slippers clacking against the smooth flooring. “Believe it or not, Luna, not all ponies find comfort in some sort of all-powerful, perfect being ruling over them. Times have changed.”

Luna, yet again, said nothing, remaining quiet and thoughtful. Celestia, meanwhile, tapped her hoof at the floor, a small frown upon her features. She was trying her best not to argue, she really was, but Luna was making things very difficult. Truth be told, the princess wasn’t exactly used to having ponies so openly disagree with her, let alone with such poor, flimsy backing such as this. It was the stubbornness of her sister, however, and the combative and aggressive nature that she’d had since she was young that made things difficult. Celestia knew she should have expected as much, but it she had sincerely hoped otherwise.

Perhaps I was foolish to expect everything to return to the way it was.

Before long, Luna shook her head and rubbed her hoof at a foreleg, her tone low. “I’m sorry, Celestia.” She apologized, breathing out. Her eyes faded behind blue lids, then appeared once more, her nose turning upward. Celestia’s ears perked, though her hope was quickly dashed away by the lunar mare’s next comment, which was far more sharp than she intended for it to be. “However, I believe that we will have to agree to disagree.” She said, stepping around the bed and walking toward the door where her sister stood. “Perhaps we should partake in breakfast now, I’m famished.”

Celestia released a disappointed breath and gave a nod, her magenta eyes closing for just a moment. She was frustrated and, to top it all off, wounded now and it was beginning to show, but she reeled any comments that she could have made in. “Yes, of course. Let’s show you the dining hall.” She said, her smile as hollow as could be. “You’ll love the decorations.”

<><><><><><><><><><>

The early morning sun beamed down upon Canterlot Castle from just overhead, illuminating that which wasn’t already alight via the gentle glow of candlelight. Golden shafts of light streaked into the dining hall through fancifully designed stained-glass windows, bathing the room in a plethora of brilliant colors and warming it to a comfortable temperature. It was a similar effect to the one Luna had experienced night before, though the morning’s light felt far more lively.

Breakfast began silently, quickly becoming a wholly awkward affair as Luna tentatively took her seat across from Celestia, nearly jumping out of her skin as a finely dressed, moustached stallion slid it into place with a gentle application of teal magic. After shooting a look of displeasure at the sheepish stallion—who quickly looked to Celestia for some sort of aid, only to receive an apologetic glance in response—Luna sat her forehooves upon the table and gazed at her sister once more, her eyes slightly narrowed.

“The servants are quite bold, I’ve noticed.” She commented, peering at the unicorn that had seated the royal duo from the corner of her eye in an almost contemptuous manner. The stallion took it as his cue to leave and promptly skittered off with his tail between his legs.

“Luna, be nice.” Celestia whispered with a frown, despite the fact that there wasn’t a soul to be seen within hearing distance. “He’s just doing his job.” She berated, though it was somewhat half-hearted. She couldn’t quite be angry at her sister for being rude, not so soon after her return. Shaking her head, the alabaster mare leaned back and sighed. “Just think before you speak.”

Luna mirrored her sister’s frown. “He startled me.” Came the younger alicorn’s response, followed by a near-inaudible huff. She had no desire to deal with snooty servants, especially so soon after returning. Luna paid him no mind after he turned his back to her and focused once more on her sister, the grand dining table and the warm light streaming in, which shimmered in the metal of her shoes.

The food arrived in short order, with several ponies bringing out a wide variety of platters, trays and other such objects being sat down upon the table before Luna. By the time at least a half-dozen were laid out in front of her, she was simply at a loss for words. Luna shifted in her seat with mild discomfort, slightly anxious to be in the presence of so many ponies so suddenly, but they were gone just as quickly as they’d arrived after a quick compliment from the alabaster alicorn across from her.

She looked up at her sibling, curious. Before Celestia, oddly enough, was a mere single platter of fine silver and her glass which had been there before Luna arrived. It looked to be foreign if the designs upon it were anything to go by, though these days there was really no telling where something of the sort came from.

Celestia lifted the top from it to reveal a mere salad, dashed with various fine cheeses and breaddings and a potent, vinegar-like topping of some sort which Luna could smell from across the table. The portion was generous, but there was little else in comparison to what she had received. The mare didn’t begin eating, but she did take a sip of her water and set the rounded lid to the platter aside.

“Well, go on.” Celestia encouraged, a small, coy smile played out upon her lips. It quickly disappeared behind her glass with another sip of her water.

Still, the knowing look drew a half-frown from Luna. If there was one thing that hadn’t changed about her elder sister, it was her obnoxious, playful mannerisms. “What is all of this, Celestia?” She inquired, her head tilted ever so slightly to the side in curiosity. Her look of uncertainty successfully dispelled the majority Celestia’s grin and Luna herself smiled a little bit inside. She knew her sibling far too well sometimes.

“Well, I wasn’t sure what you’d want for breakfast and I didn’t want to interrupt you while you were sleeping...” Celestia paused, then gave her sister an almost disapproving look, akin to something a mother would give a disobedient child who was caught red-hoofed. “Ahem, when I thought you were sleeping. Anyhow, I didn’t want to make a blind guess, so I asked the head chef to cook up some of his best breakfast dishes.” She explained, that small smile appearing upon her features once more. “Have whatever you’d like, but don’t feel obligated to finish anything. They’ll completely understand if it’s not to your liking.”

The corners of Luna’s lips twitched in the slightest beginnings of a smile, but it didn’t quite make it there and her expression shifted back into its neutral state, tinged with that very same curiosity. It was still more than enough to draw a larger smile from Celestia, however, because progress was still progress to her no matter the case. “Well thank you, ‘Tia.” She commented somewhat off-hoofedly, already looking down toward the various dishes laid out before her. Celestia’s smile only grew at the sound of her nickname, which, while clearly spoken subconsciously, still warmed her heart to hear.

The solar diarch’s ear flicked in her sister’s direction as Luna’s horn flickered to life, a light blue aura forming around the spiralling appendage. It was quite similar to the glow around the handle of a lid to one of the many trays, but it fizzled out within moments and the metallic lid clattered back to the table.

Flattening her ears and acting as if she hadn’t just made quite the ruckus, the lunar princess simply reached out and removed the lid by hoof, gazing down upon a rather generously stuffed omelette. Onions, peppers and other such vegetables were all visible within the perfectly folded egg, with cheese practically oozing from every visible crevice.

“I was going to have them whip up one of your old favorites, but, well...” Celestia went on, encouraged by the apparent positive shift in her sister’s mood. She cleared her throat, cheeks taking on a light pink hue. “It’s been quite some time and most of the recipes no longer exist. As you know, I’m no chef myself, so...” She admitted, trailing off in a somewhat embarrassed manner.

There was no response.

She looked across the table and found that Luna was quietly inspecting each and every dish one by one, raising the lid, taking a deep breath and either sampling it, or placing the lid upon it once more with a look of dissatisfaction upon her face.

Eventually the dining hall went entirely silent once more, save for the stifled sound of lunch being prepared for the rest of the castle’s staff behind them, in the kitchens, and the equally distant sounds of ponies moving to and fro throughout the many halls. Celestia simply couldn’t stand stewing in the silence, however, and cleared her throat somewhat forcefully after several minutes, as if to draw attention, though it was unsuccessful.

Celestia quietly picked at her food, growing more and more disinterested with her own by the moment, a sad expression across her face as Luna seemed to almost entirely ignore her presence. The air between the duo steadily became tense again, though less out of some sort of unseen strife and more simply due to the way that Celestia was fidgeting every now and then and how Luna sat across from Celestia, wordlessly nibbling on various foods.

“Yes, sister?” Luna finally spoke up, not even bothering to turn her gaze upward. She continued to chew upon... Well, goodness knew what it was, but it was particularly tasty! Unfortunately, much like the day prior, she found it hard to eat a full meal without getting an upset stomach.

“Hm?” Came the solar mare’s response, her head tilting. She hadn’t yet let her line of sight on Luna break. Celestia almost frowned. Luna didn’t seem to ever want to draw her gaze away from the various foods which she was content to sit and sample one tediously slow bite at a time.

“You seem more restless than a filly on Hearthswarming Eve.” Luna commented with slight concern, her tone somewhat facetious, but it carried an undertone of something more serious.

Celestia was uncertain as to what she meant by it entirely, though a brief moment of introspection reminded her that she was growing quite restless with the silence and it likely showed. A followup glance off to the side at one of the guards standing by the large oaken doors revealed it to be true, if his expression was anything to go by. “Ah, yes, forgive me. The day has felt particularly long and yet it’s only just started, it seems.” She explained.

“And?” Luna motioned with a hoof for her sister to continue, though when she heard nothing more, she finally looked up, gently dabbing at the corner of her mouth with a napkin. “Is there something that you wish to say?”

The alabaster mare made to speak, only to pause, setting her fork aside. She pursed her lips and began rubbing her forehooves together, drawing the golden rim of her shoe along a few amethysts set in the other. She debated simply going silent for several brief moments, but she felt that it would be in bad taste to ignore her sister.

Just... A quick apology. It can’t hurt. She told herself, nodding internally. The last thing that she needed to do was make Luna feel like she wasn't welcome. She was silent for a moment more before speaking up, her usually strong tone unusually soft. "I'm sorry, Luna. I didn't mean to argue with you earlier. I really am so happy to have you back, I just—"

"Sister, please. Not now, you'll spoil my appetite." Luna interjected rather forcefully, looking mildly upset. She quickly caught the look upon her sister’s face and let out a soft sigh, slumping back in her seat some, somewhat guilty. "Please, just drop it." She told Celestia, her fork shaking within her magical grasp from the mere thought of their earlier conversation.

"Yes, of course. Forgive me." Celestia swallowed the lump forming in her throat and nodded, picking her own utensils back up. The mare was well versed in forcing emotions to seem sincere and to put on a near-genuine facade, but that never did make it hurt any less, especially in such a situation as this. Reminding herself that a change in the subject was for the best, she retrieved her utensil and took a quiet bite of her otherwise untouched salad. “How is breakfast?”

“A little heavy on the salt, but acceptable.” Luna responded. She paused, then looked up. Chewing another mouthful of egg, she quietly swallowed it down and straightened herself. “Give the chef my compliments.”

Celestia’s not-quite-so-sincere smile grew. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted to hear that you enjoyed it. Cordon Bleu is a wonderful cook. He’s been with us for nearly a decade now—he’s retired from the guard service, believe it or not.”

Luna simply nodded, already far more invested in dining on her cuisine than listening to stories of the hired help who she didn’t even know. “I see.” She nudged at a leafy meal of some sort with the tip of her fork, vaguely intrigued by the toppings upon it. Though unintentional, her tone stung the elder mare, who subconsciously turned her gaze toward the floor.

It was as if any and all desire to speak within the lunar princess had died off, though why was unspoken, leaving Celestia to stew in her uncertainty. As such, the rest of her explanation died on her tongue right then and there. The desire to inquire if she was boring her sister was strong, but she didn’t want to seem short with her, so she set the concern aside. For the time being, anyways. “Right, well... Yes, he’ll be delighted, I’m sure.”

Luna hummed in acknowledgement, but said little more. Within the span of several moments, the duo lapsed into an uncomfortable silence for the third time that day. Celestia decided to let it go, albeit reluctantly, and accepted the fact her sister just wasn’t up to talking at the moment.

<><><><><><><><><><>

“When do I get to see the city?” The thick and uncomfortable tension blanketing the room was finally breached when Luna spoke up, her voice shattering the silence. “You said yesterday that I was to receive a tour, correct?” She canted her head, sliding a large glass platter aside, all the while silently cursing her feeble magic for being forced to deal with such simple tasks by hoof.

Celestia was both upset and relieved in equal parts, the former due to the inevitable conversation which would likely ensue and the latter for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, the alicorn jumped at the chance to converse with Luna once more. “Yes, of course! We’ll visit any part of the city you wish!” She began, perked up in her seat in her enthusiasm. “Oh, you’ll just love it. There’s so much to see.” She explained, though she quickly began to regret it.

“I shall prepare to depart after breakfast, then.” Luna informed her, reaching for a dark cloth napkin and wiping at her mouth with it, more out of habit than a real need to. It went to show just how deeply ingrained some things, were in the lunar princess considering the length of her absence, simple or otherwise.

Celestia nearly cringed, drawing both forehooves close and resting them on the edge of the table before her. “Oh, no, I’m afraid we won’t be able to go today.” She reached up to rub at her neck, already receiving a very slight slump of disappointment from her sister. “I’ve just got so much on my plate right now. You understand, don’t you?”

The silence was deafening, even if it only lasted for a mere thirty or so seconds. Luna certainly understood, but that didn’t make it any less unpleasant. But such was the duty of a ruler, always looking after their subjects and putting their needs and concerns over their own, personal desires. Even when such desires involved showing their little sister around after a lengthy trip away from home. The lunar mare’s expression fell further.

“I see.” She said quietly with a nod of her head. She rested her hooves on the table in a manner not that dissimilar to her sister and leaned back in her seat, releasing a soft breath. “That is understandable. Politics are important.”

Celestia looked away, stung by Luna’s comment. Was it just a bout of passive-aggressiveness? No matter the case, it hurt, intentional or otherwise. “Oh, Luna, please don’t take it that way. This is something I can’t simply overlook. I have to set up the Gala or—”

“Gala?” Luna interrupted, raising her hoof. “What is this?”

“A celebration here in Canterlot we hold once a year. The Grand Galloping Gala, it’s a staple of our culture, these days.”

The lunar diarch’s response was a quiet, “Ah.”

Celestia was hoping for something slightly more verbose from her sister, but when she received none, she went on. “I have to work out several details with that and the sooner I take care of it the better. Ponies will be coming from all across the world for it and I can’t have them going unnotified.” She explained. There was a pause, then she perked up slightly. “I’ll also need to send tickets to my student and her friends, come to think of it.“

Goodness, I’ve certainly been scatter-brained as of late. The celestial mare thought, shaking her head.

Luna didn’t seem very concerned with the Gala anymore, nor did she seem all that invested in her food. In fact, she looked quite intrigued by something that her sister had said. “You have a new student?” She asked rather suddenly, her brow raised. “Whatever happened to—” The mare stopped herself just a little too late, raising a hoof to cover her mouth. It’d been a thousand years, far and beyond the lifespan of any common pony. Of course that student was long gone. “Ah, I’m… Sorry, ‘Tia. I spoke without thinking.”

If Celestia was upset, she didn’t show it. She raised a hoof and gave a dismissive little wave with it. “Think nothing of it.” She reassured, before lowering the limb once more. “It’s been a long time, I can’t hold that against you at all. But in answer to your question, yes.” She paused, then released a long, drawn out breath. “Yes, I do. She’s an aspiring...” She trailed, donned a thoughtful look, then smiled. “Well, she’s a sweet young unicorn with a lot of promise and some lovely friends. I don’t see her nearly as much as I used to, but we still speak to one another through letters.”

Luna tilted her head, intrigued. She made note of Celestia’s form of communication with her student and gave a brief little nod in acknowledgement. “I would very much like to meet this mare some time.” She leaned in slightly, her expression somewhat coy. “After my trip to the city, preferably.” She added, putting extra emphasis on her last statement.

Celestia chuckled under her breath, quietly so as to not be overheard. This was the Luna that she knew and loved and missed so very dearly. Well, if her sister wanted to play that way then she was happy to oblige! “Breakfast was wonderful, wasn’t it, Luna?” She asked in a swift turnabout of the subject, sliding her half-eaten food aside and clopping her hooves together in a most distracting manner. “Monsieur Bleu, how about something sweet for a dessert?” She called out, before turning back to her sister. “Luna, would you like something sweet? A slice of cake, perhaps?”

“No thank you.” Replied Luna, a single brow raised in bemusement. “Would you care to remain on subject?” She inquired, the slightest hint of impatience carried upon her tone.

Celestia sighed yet again, her soft white ears flattening. “If there’s one thing that’s endured since your... Departure, Luna, it’s leadership. In fact, with the population steadily on the rise, it’s only become more difficult.” The mare explained, giving Luna a look. “My schedule is far too busy. I can’t just outright wander off and leave them hanging. What if we set a date to tour the city instead?” She suggested, her smile ever so hopeful. It grew after a moment, becoming more playful. “I’m free for the afternoon in three days, how about you?” She asked, facetious.

“No, sorry, I will be busy then.” Luna deadpanned, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hoof. The other rose up to sway from side to side, as if to say “how droll.” Needless to say, the lunar princess was not very amused by Celestia’s antics. “Perhaps you could send an escort with me toni—”

“I’d rather not.” Celestia cut her off, looking apologetic. The playful aura about her died out, replaced by an air of genuine concern. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, or them for that matter, but ponies... They don’t know you yet.” She leaned back, exhaling softly. “There’s no telling how they’ll react.”

It took all that Luna had to rein herself in and refrain from groaning aloud. She was hardly the diplomatic type and it showed, both in her expression and her exasperated tone. “Celestia, I’ll be fine. Anything that I can’t handle by myself can easily be taken care of by the guards.”

Unsurprisingly, Celestia would have none of it. “It’s not just that, Luna.” She tucked her lower lip between her teeth and bit it, then sighed. It desperately needed to be said, but she’d been so hesitant to bring it up. She was just content to enjoy her sister’s presence now that she was finally back and she didn’t want to upset her further. “I’m also worried about how you’ll react to being around them. I worry about your mental health, Luna. I know you’re a strong pony, but you know as well as I do that they’ll all crowd around and stare. I just have a lot to do before I can accompany you and I don’t feel comfortable letting you go alone, with or without a royal escort.”

“Excuse me?” Luna’s head snapped up, her sapphire eyes trained upon Celestia’s face. “I can handle myself just fine.”

“Luna, you looked ready to keel over last night at dinner and there were only a few ponies present! I won’t be there to usher them away if you get uncomfortable out there.”

The tension between the duo seemed to grow until Luna outright stood up, leaning over the table. The guards standing at attention over along the eastern wall shared a look, then slowly stepped toward the doorway, not all too keen on getting caught up in the imminent fight between the royal siblings.

“Yes, and I’ve just returned, therefore that makes me incapable of taking care of myself, right?” Luna retorted, cheeks tinged purple out of anger. She took a single calming breath and quietly dabbed one final time at the corners of her mouth before pushing her seat back with a loud creak. The sapphire alicorn rose up and turned her nose up at her sister, stepping away from the table. “I have had my fill. I shall retire to my quarters for the day. Send for me if you need anything.” Her tone was firm, but quiet and very clearly restrained.

Then, just like that, she left, her hoofsteps quickly fading into silence.

Celestia watched Luna leave with a regretful expression on her face, already berating herself for her tactlessness in handling the situation. Good work, Celestia. You’re driving her away. Again.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Luna stepped out into the halls with a quiet huff, sterling silver shoes clacking into the marble floors with her steps, her frustration evident in her stance and doubly so on her face. She wasn’t angry at her sister, for the most part, she was simply frustrated at the fact that she was being babied about such trivial matters. Knowing Celestia, it wouldn’t just be from her, either. The entire staff would be treating her like a feeble little foal.

Surely she could handle a simple trip to the city, right?

Of course she could.

Another sigh and the princess wandered off through the halls. The mare made the occasional turn and sidestepped a few guards and maids here and there as she wandered the expansive castle’s halls, no real destination in mind. She wasn’t quite ready to go to her room despite the late - for her, anyways - hour, but where else was she to go? More than half of the castle was still new to her and she was already woefully lost, if a quick peek at her surroundings was anything to go by. She simply decided to wander about until she spotted something interesting, or had simply worked her frustrations out.

Tilting her head in the direction of a nearby maid, she called out, her voice resonating through the empty hallway. The poor mare jumped, as if startled, and turned to Luna, clutching at her chest with a forehoof. Her expression quickly went from breathless to apologetic when she realized just who it was standing behind her and a bright red hue overtook her cheeks. “O-oh, Princess! Forgive me, I hadn’t heard you approach! Is there anything that I can do for you?”

Luna replied with a quiet tap of the hoof upon the ground, bemused. “Yes. You can inform me how to get outside. I wish to leave the castle.”

“Oh dear...” The mare’s hoof shifted upward, moving from her chest to her mouth. She looked even more apologetic, if that was even at all possible.

Go on, then. Say it. Prove me right. The sapphire mare thought with a mental scowl, which may or may not have appeared outside of her thoughts, if the blanched look that appeared upon her face was anything to go by.

“I, uhm, well... You see, Princess, your sister...” She trailed off for a very short few seconds, searching for the right words to use. “Princess Celestia informed the staff this morning while you were resting that you were, erh...” Whatever it was that she had to say, Luna didn’t catch it. Her voice was but a mumble, low and nearly spoken under her breath.

Luna scowled harder. “Do go on, subject.” She said, her brow furrowing. She seemed not all that unlike a wound spring waiting to snap at a moment’s notice, just waiting to hear exactly what she knew the mare was going to say.

The mare nearly flinched and took a step back, setting the vase—which depicted a bright sunrise over Canterlot Mountain and the castle nestled into its side—she’d been polishing aside. “You’re to be confined to the castle grounds.” She stuttered, tilting her head away from Luna. She was hardly used to being spoken to in such a manner, but then, nobody around the castle really was. Celestia was a wonderful employer, but the new mare on the other hoof, well...

“P-perhaps I could guide you to the gardens instead? They’re still technically considered to be on the castle’s grounds. Would that please you?” She suggested, very clearly intimidated by the other mare.

There was a most uncomfortable silence in which Luna simply stared at the younger, smaller mare with an unreadable expression upon her features, which left the poor pony practically writhing with anxiety under the scrutiny. Finally, the alicorn sighed, but nodded all the same. “Very well. This is an acceptable substitute.”

For the time being, at least.

The maid’s worries seemed to visibly leave her figure in the form of a full-body slump, a soft, shaky, hissing sigh escaping her maw. Relieved, she gave a swift nod and turned on her hoof. One final gentle dusting of the vase and she motioned for the alicorn to follow her. “This way, Majesty. The gardens are simply beautiful this time of year.”

Luna kept her gaze locked forward as she followed behind the mare, her armored hooves clop-clop-clopping upon the hard tile flooring. “We shall see.”

<><><><><><><><><><>

Long after Luna had left and breakfast was complete, Celestia still found herself resting at the table, slumped back in her grand, red-cushioned golden throne of a dining chair. Both eyes were turned forward, seemingly focused upon the stained glass windows lining the wall. However, the solar princess couldn’t have been any less focused on the brilliantly designed decor, lost deep within her thoughts. It was only when a hoof lightly tapped her upon the shoulder that her awareness was returned to her with a slight start.

“Hm?” Celestia blinked once or twice, her ears rotating toward the offending pony’s direction. It took the princess a moment to gather her composure, but when she finally turned to view whoever it was that dared to touch the royal body, surprise was evident upon her features. “Oh, Monsieur Bleu!” She relaxed slightly in her seat, magenta eyes landing upon the chef, of all ponies.

“I am terribly sorry to interrupt your breakfast, Princess, but it’s nearly noon.” He stated in a particularly thick accent, which indicated that he was likely native to Prance. ”Were you not to have a meeting today? “ He drew back several steps, stopping a more respectable distance away now that he had her attention. “Perhaps I was... Misinformed?”

If there was one thing that Celestia had learned in her centuries of time ruling over a nation of thousands upon thousands of individuals, it was that keeping up a facade did wonders for reassuring everyone that all was well, thus preventing potential dissent before it could even begin. In response, Celestia donned that ever-peaceful, almost motherly smile that always seemed to grave her features in the presence of her subjects. She shook her head lightly. “You’re correct, I’m simply feeling a tad distracted today.” She slowly pushed her seat back and rose, placing the lid upon her plate once more.

“Very well.” Cordon nodded, though his gaze briefly shifted to the mare’s nearly untouched meal. He could clearly see that it was as much a truth as it was a complete lie, of course, but outright saying as much, besides being treachery, simply felt wrong. He opened his mouth to speak, surprised, then closed it. After a moment of careful thought, the Prench stallion spoke once more, though this time far more tentatively. “Forgive me for asking, but were these dishes not to your liking, Your Highness?” He began, motioning toward her plate and the tray beside it. “My Lady has not even touched her tea, and to my recollection, that is her favorite part of her morning meal.” He licked at his lips, pausing for just a few seconds, as if collecting his words. “I noticed that Princess Luna also left before finishing her meal. Surely, if there’s an issue we could attempt to rectify it, yes?”

“Ah, no, Cordon. Your cooking is as wonderful as ever, I’m simply not in the proper spirits to dine today.” She explained, slightly apologetic. “However, Luna did ask me to inform you that she found the meal exquisite.”

Cordon stood patiently with a quizzical gaze upon his features, though it was laced with a hint of personal concern for his princess. He didn't want to pry into her life, but he could tell that something was awry, and the way that Luna stormed out concerned him greatly. As per usual, the nosy stallion didn’t press for any details beyond what the princess was comfortable with sharing, nor did he offer any assistance of his own. To some it may have come off as cold and distant, but everypony needed their space sometimes and worrying ponies with issues they couldn’t even hope to fix was guaranteed to upset them. Such were the woes of appearing perfect to one’s subjects.

“I’m delighted to hear as much, Your Highness. I’m sure the others will be as well.” The stallion knew that it wasn’t his business and he hated to pry, but Luna had returned and everyone in the castle had so many questions! Many of the castle’s staff had so very many questions, himself included, but he refrained from bringing anything up out of respect for his Princess.

Space was what she needed at the moment, not nosy ponies poking and prodding for information. She’d likely have enough of that to deal with when the media sunk their claws into her. “Shall I call in the others to clean up whilst you prepare for your meeting?”

“That would be lovely. I'm very sorry that I didn’t sample any of your fare, but I just can't keep anything down right now.” Though Celestia didn’t waver, she remained in place, standing beside the table with a semi-thoughtful expression upon her features. The day’s events had left quite the mark on the princess and it showed in her almost weary expression, as well as the way that her ears pinned back against her scalp.

The stallion caught sight of her drooping features and clopped his forehooves together. “It’s no trouble at all, My Lady. It will be my pleasure to whip something up for you the moment your appetite returns.” He informed her, bowing down in a traditional, albeit old-fashioned manner. Pushing himself back up onto four hooves, the stallion turned and quickly, but quietly went about his duties, grasping the handle of the cart between his teeth and dragging it back into the kitchen while a pair of pretty young maids trotted in to clean up the remnants of the meal.

Celestia hated to make her subjects worry about her well being. Usually stifling her emotions—particularly the negative ones—in their presence was as simple as simple could be, but given the circumstances, she found hiding her somber disposition particularly difficult. Her smile softened and she took took several steps toward the doors before pausing, glancing over her shoulder at the cook and mouthing an inaudible, “Thank you, Cordon.” before disappearing into the halls.

Author's Note

A year later and Moonhorse is finally back to being all sad and dreary in chapter 3 of A Goddess' Sorrow!

I'm not entirely pleased with how this chapter turned out, but I'll blame that on my being rusty after such a lengthy hiatus and work on remedying any issues in the next chapter. 'Til then, I hope you enjoyed!