Fate Has Other Plans

Prologue - Stubborn Princess

The guards stationed outside the former monster Nightmare Moon’s/fully recuperated Princess Luna’s chamber eyed the ornate door nervously. They could hear the faint ‘click-clack’ of hooves that drifted to their ears, assuring them the Princess was still in the room, but as to what she was doing they could only imagine.

Inside, a midnight blue mare paced up and down the worn rug, stopping every now and then to glare at the offending part of her that had ruined everything. She reasoned that it was not so big a deal, and maybe even a blessing in disguise? After all, this was all she had left of … of him, and Celestia knew how much he had meant to her. Celestia would understand. Celestia would support her, she was sure.

Deep inside her a tiny voice whispered that her sister was still her sister, one who loved her dearly and would do anything for her, but another voice insisted on screaming at Luna to remember the Moon, remember how one little mistake had led to losing a thousand years of her life? The mare paused and shuddered, hearing her sister’s stern voice warning her that she could only marry the stallion on the condition that they wouldn’t do this, that it would be too risky, that it could unleash a monster – reminding Luna that she had, yet again, ignored her sister’s advice.

However, she was in trouble and she needed Celestia’s help, so summoning all the courage she possessed, Luna trotted swiftly to the door, crashing into the frame in her haste. Glimpsing the stunned guards staring at her, she regained some composure and haughtily resumed her trot to her sister’s chamber.

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A loud knock abruptly ended Celestia’s, admittedly brief, slumber. “Whassamatta- I mean, do come in!”

“Tia!” Beaming innocently at her sister, Luna entered the cosy study.  Celestia had seen that smile before, and normally she would never trust it. Now her mind, swamped with sleep as it was, failed to register it and instead returned the expression.

“Luna! Just the pony I needed. I have those papers you gave me a couple months ago – you never came back for them – and these forms need to be filled in by Friday: I tried to give them to you but your guards wouldn’t let me through. Oh, and Twilight’s reports on Ponyville are over there, I know you wanted to take a look so I saved them, and Cadence wanted to see you – she and Shining Armour have exciting news! Took me by surprise, but Twilight guessed straight away. She’s coping rather well with it, maybe it’s spurred her into thinking about a husband … oh, I bet you’re just itching to hear Cadence’s news from me, but I’ll let her tell you. If you hadn’t hidden yourself away after the accident, you’d know by now.” Celestia paused her onslaught of information to take a good look at the mare stood uncomfortably before her. “You have been exercising, haven’t you? I only mention it because … well, to tell the truth you’re a little … you’re in need of … you’re not ill, are you? Your stomach is rather … swollen, little sis.”

Luna sighed and looked up at her sister. Now was the right time to tell Celestia what the situation was. She opened her mouth and- “I’ll have a word with the kitchen staff for you. I imagine you might find it awkward, poor thing. Unless you are ill? Would you like me to arrange an appointment with Doctor Needles?” Celestia had cut in front of her sibling, and now looked expectantly at Luna.

Luna decided not to take her time this go, since her absent-minded sister’s gaze had already wondered elsewhere. She took a deep breath before watching, irritated, as her sister once more began talking.

“Isn’t the sky beautiful tonight, dearest sister? You have such a talent. Maybe you should go into painting! Ah, yes, I could introduce you to the perfect pony! We just need to sort out that stomach …” Celestia trailed off, considering the options. Reaching a quick decision and failing to notice Luna once more looking peeved at being cut off by her elder sister, she opened the doors briskly and headed to the kitchens. “I’ll be back soon! Just stay in my study, we don’t want the press getting hold of this unfortunate mishap, sister!”

Ignoring her sister, Luna followed her down the corridor and tried to direct the conversation to the real cause of her swollen stomach. “Tia, I need to talk to you!” she called, but to her dismay Celestia did not turn and instead called back.

“Not now, Luna, I just need to do this. And didn’t I tell you to stay in the study?”

“No, Tia, you don’t understand! We need to talk right now!”

Turning to face her anxious sibling, Celestia attempted to persuade Luna to wait until she’d finished with the kitchen staff. “Luna, I understand. You’re upset about something, aren’t you? That’s why you locked yourself away for so long. I’m happy to talk about it, I just need to let your chefs know you’re on a diet so you can reduce the size of that tummy you have!” Celestia smiled gently, hoping she had convinced Luna. Unfortunately for Celestia, Luna was now glaring angrily in her direction.

“You obviously don’t understand. I really, REALLY need to talk to you, and I’m not sure you’ll like what I’ve got to say. I’m not fat, or ill – it’s something else. So talking to the chef can wait, OK? Now I either tell you out here, or I tell you somewhere private, like your study. What do you think?” Luna breathed heavily through her nostrils, sending puffs of air towards the ceiling. Taken aback by this outburst, Celestia agreed to go up to her study in a trance, walking like a zombie and making the guards more than worried about the princesses’ current behaviour.

“Sit down.” Luna instructed, relaxing as her sister slid onto one of many lounges. “I’ve been trying to tell you this all evening, but you wouldn’t let me speak, and then you jumped to all sorts of crazy ideas about my present state, when in fact I’m not fat (at least in the way you think), and I’m not ill, though I have been sick. The thing is … I’m pregnant.”