Yes.
I hate my husband... may he rest in peace.
I hate my sister-in-law... though I don’t envy her right now.
I love my son.
But yes, I hate you, worst of all.
I didn’t always hate the others. But how can I not when I blame them... can’t help to blame them? I did my duty and he is fulfilling his calling. So you say. I should be proud, you say.
I always was. I was proud the moment I first felt him move. I was proud when I found I was pregnant with him. I was proud even before he opened his father’s eyes to me. I know what it is to be proud, Celestia. I can be proud of my child even if you’ve never felt such a thing!
I took a risk that you never dared... are you punishing me for it?
I actually loved. Something you have never done. What have you loved that you haven’t locked up to keep? Like Shining Armor’s letters that I can go back to and read even though he’s dead. Even if I didn’t lock him up to enjoy all of Equestria with me I loved him and if I truly hate him it’s because I couldn’t die with him! I refuse to marry another or try to find and alicorn... I am his wife. You cannot take that away from me.
But you took him away. Were you jealous I had a child? Were you unhappy to see me enjoy this beautiful... this colt... this pony who is now a statue in front of me? Did it hurt, Celestia?
His heart used to beat. I remember listening to it. I remember how he would crawl in between Shining Armor and I when he was too scared to sleep. He used to breathe... loudly. I had trouble sleeping because he would breathe so heavily... but I miss it. He was all that was left when Shining Armor... I knew he could die at any moment. I still wasn’t ready.
Midnight Hymn lost his father. And he was all I had left to be some living breathing part of him.
Then, I realized why you were the one who came to tell me Shining Armor was dead... you had come for Hymn.
Why did I not fight you? I kick myself over that ceaselessly. I should have died then and there. I should have fought you until you would have been forced to kill me. That’s why I hate them... they didn’t fight so I never knew I had to!
And now... and now I’m left here, in front of the statue on my son to mark where my husband is buried... one monument to represent the worst day of my life... how considerate of you.
Despite all this, I’m still too scared to tell you this to your face.
Are you happy, Celestia? Are you happy I’m a widow? Are you happy I’ve lost my son? That he’s being stored up as a museum piece to be killed later on? I knew I would have to bury him... did you have to prolong the time while taking it away? I have anything anypony could desire... but I have nothing because I lost what nopony else could ever have. Shining Armor as a husband... and Midnight Hymn as our child.
Don’t accuse me of overreacting. You don’t know what you’ve put me through! You’ve taken away something that you’re not powerful enough to take from me! Even you can’t give me back the time lost... yet you still pretend you are the ruler of all things.
What could shake your perfect rule? What would ruffle your feathers and rub your horn the wrong way? What catastrophe could match the absolute... loss you made me feel?
Would you be proud of me, Shining Armor, Twilight, Midnight? Are those of you who are still able, watching me? Can Statues see even if they can’t move? I wonder... standing in front of this different statue... How many of you are screaming for me to do it? to shatter Discord’s statue and set him free? To ruin the world Celestia loves...
How many of you want me to do it?
How many of you would stand here, in my place, if you could?
I wonder, Discord, can you taste freedom so close to you? Can you pity a foolish mother’s rash action and spare her your wrath? Can you forgive her if she let you go and destroyed Celestia’s world?
You can.
I can’t.
Because my son is looking at me.
And I love my son.