The reception was rather quick for a wedding. Everypony congratulated Twilight and my mother for their marriage as well as me for gaining such a wonderful family. I was gracious to everyone, simply nodding politely or saying a “thanks” here or there, other than that I didn't say very much during the reception.
It was really pretty in the Canterlot gardens that night. The trees were decorated with little lights along with flowers of all sorts. The tables, which had white tablecloths and glass vases filled with small flowers arrangements, were arranged in a small circle around the dance floor.
Fluttershy and I sat by one another at our dinner table when the dancing commenced on the dance floor. Everyone else was excited as DJ-Pon3 played some sick beats to dance along with, but I wasn't really in the mood to dance. Besides, half the ponies here I didn't know, so why embarrass myself? I had partied in the past, may have even gotten into a bit of trouble, but I tried to stay away from doing activities like that nowadays. I'm sure nopony would be happy to bail me out of jail.
I was happy to see Twilight and Sunset happy though. It was amazing to see the two waltz alone in the floor, mesmerizing everyone that watched them. It made me proud to say that I had any relation to them at all. Here they were, the most popular couple, second to Shining Armor and Aunt Cadence, and I was a part of that.
Hmm. How times have changed. A few years ago I had no family name, no reputable ties, nor anything to live up to. Now I had more than anypony could ever wish for.
“Well, if it isn't Solstice Shimmer.” A voice spoke, breaking me away from my thoughts.
The voice struck me as quite familiar, so I turned, a bit surprised to see a dark brown unicorn with a neat blonde mane and blue eyes looking back at me.
It took but a split second to recognize who it was.
Oh no. Ethan.
He looked rather handsome tonight in his suit and top hat that he wore, but I tried to ignore his unfortunate good looks and not be led astray. This jerks looks were completely deceiving.
“A pleasure to see you, my lady.” He said with a smile.
I nodded, trying to force myself to be a bit polite. “I assure you, it's not mutual.”
He laughed wryly, an obvious look of slight annoyance on his proud face.
“Seems that you haven't changed.”
I gave him a look. “Something we have in common for once.”
“Ha. Indeed,” ,he said, knowing that I wasn't going to be wooed into anything.
“Solstice, I was wondering, oh!” Fluttershy was returning to our table with a couple of slices of cake. “Who is this?”
I was about to introduce him to Fluttershy, but the young snob stepped in front of me and bowed to her.
“I am Ethan Drakescale. Son of Lord Drakescale.”
She smiled shyly, allowing him to kiss her hoof.
“Well, it was nice to meet you, ma'am. Solstice.” He nodded in my direction before he walked off.
I nodded back at him, putting on the fakest smile I possibly could. Once he was gone I groaned.
“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked as she sat back down next to me. “He seemed to be a bit, well um...that is, he seemed to be acting a bit rude to you.”
I sighed. “We met during my senior year and dated for about six months, which I have no idea how I even lasted that long. He acts like he's the best pony in all of Canterlot, just because of his family name. Honestly the only reason he wanted to date me was because of my own family ties. Anyway I grew tired of his snobbish, cruel ways and broke up with him.”
“Oh. I see,” Fluttershy whispered.
“It's alright. No need to dwell,” I said.
“Come on girls! Let's get dancing!” Pinkie Pie yelled as she dragged the two of us on the dance floor.
Once the reception was over the two went off to their carriage, where they would be headed off to their honeymoon. They both turned, waving to the crowd again as Twilight threw her bouquet into the air into the waiting hooves of Derpy. Twilight glanced to the crowd again and saw me, lurking in the back of the crowd. She beckoned at me to come closer.
I left Fluttershy's side and walked up to her.
“Will you be alright?” Twilight asked.
Of all things, on her wedding day even, she was worried I wouldn't be able to sleep at night because of some silly nightmares.
I rolled my eyes and hugged her.
“I'll be fine, Twi. Go have fun.”
Twilight hugged me tightly and kissed the top of my head.
“See you in a few days.” She whispered before she stepped up into the carriage.
I stepped back from the carriage, looking up at Twilight as I did so, suddenly startled on receiving a hug from Sunset that I did not expect.
“Try not to get into jail while we’re gone. I'm sure Princess Celestia has better things to do than bail you out,” she joked as she ruffled my mane, much to my annoyance.
“I'll be good,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“I mean it, filly. No partying, no drinking, and no boys.” Sunset gave me a suggestive look as she winked.
“Mooooom! First; I don't have time for boys. Second; I'm 18 years old, I'm not a filly anymore.” I groaned.
“What?! Did somepony just say ‘No parties’?!!” Pinkie yelled in the distance.
Sunset laughed then kissed my cheek. “Love you, baby girl. See ya!”
“Bye,” I said, chuckling.
She jumped into the carriage alongside her partner and they waved at everypony as the drove off into the beautiful sunset.
Once they left I waved goodbye to everyone else, giving a few slight words of thanks to the girls, then I walked through the courtyard up the castle to the eastern wing before walking up the spiral staircase and snuck back into my room where I began to pack my bag. As I walked I looked up into the bright night sky, admiring the moon as Princess Luna slowly rose it into the sky. I breathed in the cool night air before I sighed. This was something I missed when I moved away from Canterlot, not seeing the moonrise as closely as I used to. It's a bit...depressing.
The minute I got into my room I started to pack up my bags, hoping to slip away before anypony could notice my absence.
But before I could sneak off back home like I had originally planned, I was surprised to see Princess Celestia standing in my room’s doorway.
“Oh, Celestia! I'm ugh...well, there is a situation that,” I stuttered in hope of finding some sort of excuse to leave.
Princess Celestia smiled warmly, chuckling a bit as she walked towards me.
“Calm yourself, Solstice. This isn't the Academy you know,” she teased.
I groaned, a bit annoyed that she remembered the trouble I constantly got myself into before. Of course she'd know that I had a way to charm my way out of a few bends.
“I'm sorry.” I lowered my head in a slight bit of shame.
It caught me off guard when Celestia’s gentle aura of magic surrounded me as she lowered her head and moved my mane away from my eyes.
“No need to apologize. You’re in no sort of trouble,” she said with a smile.
She glanced over at my overflowing saddlebags then gazed back at me curiously.
“May I ask what you are doing?” she wondered.
I knew there was no point in lying to her, she'd already caught me, and I acted so guilty earlier.
“I was just headed home,” I said.
She gave me a look that practically peered into my soul.
“By yourself?”
“Of course.”
She raised her head then looked around my room.
“Walk with me?” she asked in a soft tone.
She wants to walk with me? Ponyfeathers. I hope she doesn't lecture me about anything. “Sure.”
We left my room and walked calmly down the long hallways. I walked close to her, wondering what on Equestria she wanted as I quietly admired the decor of the castle, from the long royal purple drapes, to the freshly picked flowers from the garden, it was all simply perfect.
Princess Celestia then looked down at me, her wise eyes, filled with love as she smiled.
“Solstice. You do know that you don't have to be this way anymore, right?” she asked.
I raised a brow, unsure by what she meant.
“You know exactly what I mean,” she said as if she had read my thoughts. “You've always been such a guarded pony, Solstice. There's no need to be anymore.”
“I know,” I said.
“Do you?” her voice sounded a bit stern.
I grew a bit irritated by her as I slowly turned my gaze into a slight glare. Why on Equestria did she think that she could talk to me this way?
“Of all ponies, you should know why I'm such a secretive pony. Must have gained it from my elders.” I rolled my eyes, a hint of sarcasm in my tone.
When I looked back up at her I noticed that Celestia's eyes seemed to show a bit sadness. I bit my lip, a bit uncomfortable in the situation that I had put myself in.
“I'm sorry, I-”
“I know I have hurt you in the past, my child.” Celestia spoke in a soft voice. “I did not tell you of your mother because I thought it was best for you. But now I see that I probably should have told you sooner, before Twilight took the initiative to find out herself.” Her eyes rested on the low hanging curtains as we reached the end of the hall, staring up at the beautiful full moon.
“I suppose this is another thing I must learn. To know a pony’s strength instead of assuming that you could not handle the information,” she sighed. “When I saw of your behavior in school and saw the signs of you beginning to rebel, I should have told you then. Perhaps that would have soothed your anger a bit, made you a happier pony. But I did not. I left your anger to boil inside of you, eating away at your very heart. Now, you are paying for my mistake...as have many before you.”
A heaviness filled me as I felt sympathy for the alicorn. Of course, what she did was not the best thing, but she believed it was, which is why she did it. I couldn't blame her for the rest of her life for one simple thing could I?
“I'm fine. You don't have to be sorry. I-”
“Solstice. To be honest, it was not just the possible danger of meeting your mother when she was not in the right state of mind that I feared.” She looked back down at me, a seriousness in her expression. “I feared that you would be as your mother was. A proud, power hungry unicorn that wished for nothing but her own desires. I saw bits and pieces in your mother in you as you grew, but as you became older I saw something that Sunset never had when she was your age.”
“What's that?” I asked.
“A reason to fight,” she said, simply. “Your mother became more angry after she was taken advantage of by that stallion, but then she was driven completely over the edge when she had to give you up. She wanted nothing more than to keep you safe from him, from everyone. That's when she lost her mind. Sunset believed that power would give it all to her, that if everypony feared her, that they would never dare to touch you. I wish more than anything that she would have come to me, asked for my help, but she was much too proud to do such a thing. That's why I always kept an eye on you. To make sure that your were safe, that you had everything Sunset would have wanted for you. All I wanted, ever since I knew of you, was to keep you safe.”
I gazed up at her, admiration simply dripping from me as I let her words sink in.
“Solstice. With this new chapter in all of our lives, I just wanted you to know that no matter what, no matter when, if you ever need me, I'll always be there for you. Okay?” Princess Celestia brushed my mane away from my face again as she wrapped a hoof around me.
“Okay.” I smiled.
Satisfaction was clearly on her face as she nodded before letting me go.
“Good night, sweetness,” she said, walking off towards her own bedchambers.
I started toward the direction of my room, smiling after her.
“Good night, Celestia,” I said then trotted back to my room.
I opened the door with my magic then entered my room, noticing upon entering that a couple of maids were in there, cleaning and organizing the suite. I smiled, when they both turned their heads to see who had entered the room.
“Oh! Oh dear. Our apologies, ma'am,” one said as she stumbled over a couple of books she was dusting.
I chuckled then picked up the books she had dropped with my magic, placing them back into the shelves. “No worries. I'll go out to the balcony so you two can finish.”
I stepped out onto the balcony that overlooked part of the courtyard. It was a bit chilly, but it felt nice, the cool wind blowing through my mane. I sat down and looked up at the sky, mindlessly looking for a few constellations in hope to pass some time.
“‘Tis fascinating, is it not?”
I jumped slighting at the sudden voice that broke me out of my thoughts, but I relaxed when I saw that it was only Princess Luna, flying down her own tower’s balcony to join me.
Well, seems that all the Royalt want to see me tonight, hmm? Next will probably be Cadence.
She smiled as she landed softly on the ground.
“Princess. You startled me.”
“I apologize.” She lowered her head a bit before she walked towards me, taking a seat next to me.
“It's fine. I'm easily scared,” I said. “What's up?”
“Oh. Nothing worth mentioning,” she said. “Could I ask you, ahem, ‘what is up’?”
I chuckled under my breath. “Sure.”
“Well, I have seen your dreams, dear Solstice,” she said. “And, I do wonder; you truly believe that she will return?”
I gave her a grave look. “Why wouldn't she?”
“Well, I suppose she does have reason to, but-”
“She just wanted to use me, Luna. All she's wanted is to gain the perfect child, and I guess that's what she saw in me.”
“But she has failed in manipulating you, hasn't she?”
“It doesn't matter. I know she'll come back. That look in her eyes, the sound of her voice...that promise. It was more of a threat than a promise.”
Princess Luna sighed as she looked up at the moon.
“Solstice. I'm worried, about you. I feel as if you are going to drive yourself to insanity with this fear. You need to relax for a time, take your mind off things.”
“I don't need to-” I began to argue.
“I have seen what fear can do to ponies throughout my lifetime, my little pony,” Luna interrupted. “You are no exception to this, I am sure.”
“But, Princess… I-”
“What ever is the matter? Do you not have friends you could associate yourself with?” she asked, curiously.
I pawed my hoof on the ground, a bit nervously before I answered.
“Of course. I have Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow-”
“No, no.” Luna cut me off once again. “Not your parents’ friends.”
“What do you mean? They are my friends,” I asked, confused.
Luna shook her head, giving me a look that made me feel as if I were a filly being scolded for some reason.
“Solstice, do you not think that you need friends your own age, perhaps?” Luna asked. “It helps many ponies to be around ones that they may be able to relate to.”
“Well… maybe, I see your point. I guess, I do have my old friends from school, but I haven't seen them in a while.”
“Do you think they would be pleased to see you here in Canterlot?” she asked.
I thought to myself for a second.
Hmm. It had been quite a long time since I had seen them. Besides, me being here around town and all, I could go see them.
“Maybe.”
Luna smiled a bit as she rose from her sitting position to stand in front of me. “It is settled then. Tomorrow you should go see them.”
I smiled. It had been a long time, maybe they would be happy to see me. Of course, things were quite different back then, I was an arrogant young teenager that was only concerned with my studies and drinking myself stupid when I wanted to take my mind off things. Who knows, had they changed as much as I did? No. There's no way anypony could have had a life changing experience close to mine. “Perhaps.”
Luna nodded in approval before she looked to the stars again. They seemed to be calling to her, beckoning her to come and do her work.
“I have to go.” Luna said. “I have a night to tend to.”
“Alright.” I nodded then looked over my shoulder, seeing that the maids had left my room..
Luna hugged me gently, smiling.
“I'll watch for your dreams. Ok?”
“Ok.” I pushed my mane away from my face, trying to not think of the nightmares that may come to me in the night.
“Goodnight, Solstice,” Luna whispered as she flew into the night sky.
“Goodnight, Luna,” I whispered back before I rose and walked towards my bed.