Chapter I

The Everfree Palace was all abuzz. Today was a special day, A very special day. The Queens daughters were finally of age, today was their coronation day. The palace was filled with all sorts of ponies awaiting the ceremony. It was still dark in the early twilight hours of the morning. The murmured quietly among themselves while they waited. Suddenly the blare of trumpets broke the stillness of the air. The Queen herself strode onto the balcony of the highest tower. She was beuatiful to say the least, a light blue alicorn, her cutie mark, and royal standard, a swirling galaxy of stars, she had bright amber eyes and a flowing silver mane. She spoke with such conviction and poise that all the ponies gathered were awestruck.

"WE OUR GATHERED HERE TODAY TO FULLY RECOGNIZE OUR DAUGHTER PRINCESS CELESTIA!" she bellowed out using the royal voice. "SHE WILL FULFILL HER DESTINY AS PRINCESS OF THE DAY! ACCORDINGLY SHE SHALL RAISE OUR GLORIOUS SUN HIGH INTO THE SKY ON THIS MORNING! COME FORWARD MY DAUGHTER!"

Princess Celestia strode out onto the balcony from behind a curtain. She stood next to her mother the queen, she was nervous. Though she'd practiced and studied she'd never actually raised the sun before, she had never even tried. The queen finished lowering the moon behind the horizon and the land was drenched in quite darkness. She glanced down at her daughter. "You may raise the Sun now darling." She said softly and lovingly.

Celestia stepped forward. She could feel the eyes of the ponies below straining to see her in the dim torch light. She took a deep sigh and began. Her horn began to glow, she felt out with her magic feeling for the sun. She soon found it by its warm glow. Celestia gave it a little tug and found it heavier than she thought, she tried again, this time it moved. She pulled again with her magic, this time with all her might and the great orb slowly began to crawl into the sky. She found it easier to move the higher it rose. Soon the golden rays crested the distant peaks the land was bathed in its warm light. The Queen stepped forward once more as Celestia let go of her control of the sun, it was moving into the heavens on its own now.

"REJOYCE!" bellowed the Queen. "PRINCESS CELESTIA HAS REALIZED HER FULL POTENTIAL AND RAISED THE SUN. FROM THIS MOMENT FORWARD SHE SHALL BE CUSTODIAN AND MASTER OF THE DAY! ALL HAIL CELESTIA!"

The crowed below echoed the Queens "Hail" and the all bowed low. Celestia stepped forward again to address the crowd that had gathered.

"Thank you everypony!" she said, "I shall try to uphold my responsibility with the utmost humility and dedication!"

She bowed low to the crowd and they let out a great cheer. She stood waving with the Queen for sometime before they retired back inside the tower.

"Daughter you did not use the Royal Voice as instructed." Said the Queen somewhat sternly.

"Mother, you know I hate speaking that way. I want to be a Princess for the ponies, not above them." Explained Celestia.

"As you wish," replied the Queen, "It is now your decision to make." As they walked they were quickly joined by Luna.

"Luna, you are up early?" Questioned the Queen to her other daughter.

"I wanted to watch the ceremony mother." She said in response.

"Yes, but you have a busy night a head of you, do not forget that tonight shall be your coronation ceremony." Sighed the Queen.

"I know mother, but if Celestia and I are to rule together should we not be there to support one another?" asked Luna.

"Indeed you should, but raising the night sky is difficult Luna and you have not practiced as much as your older sister." Replied the Queen.

"Celestia and I were born on the same date mother!" Replied Luna frustrated.

"Yet she was born sooner, during the day, and you later, during the night." Replied the Queen, "And that is besides the point, you require rest if you are to preform your royal duty tonight."

"Fine," sighed Luna frustrated, "I shall see you both tonight." She began to walk off to her quarters

"Sleep well Luna." Called Celestia after her.

They walked a little while longer and the queen let out a semi-frustrated sigh. "I created you two to be strong willed. You will need it if you are to be effective rulers. But sometimes you can both be so stubborn."

Celestia bowed her head low in shame, "Sorry mother." She said softly. She was used to her mother being stern, but she had hoped on today of all days she might relent, at least just a little.

"Don't be darling," Said the Queen, "It is only a mother's frustration, you have both grown into the fine young Goddess's I knew you would be."

The Queen hugged her daughter tightly for a moment. "I am proud of you Celestia, don't forget that in the time to come."

"I won't mother." Said Celestia, a single tear forming on the edge of her eye.

"Do not weep daughter." said the Queen, "Rulers do not weep, besides, this is a happy date, after tonight you and your sister will be fully realized rulers. All is going according to plan."

The stood in the embrace for sometime before continuing to the banquet hall. As they entered the large room the trumpets blared again and once again they were greeted with applause, although this was the much more reserved sort of applause used by the high class noble ponies. The Queen and Celestia seated themselves at the head of the table. Before they started the feast the Harold read out the names of all the notable guests. The Baron and Baroness from the Griffin kingdoms, the Changling King, the Zebra high Cheif and various others all stood and bowed before the Queen and princess. It seemed to take forever and Celestia quickly lost interest. It was only the last announcement that snapped her our of her boredom induced daze.

"From the Norther Provinces, King Borealas and his son Prince Alumbrar!" The Harold's voice rang out. They both stood in front of the long table and bowed before taking their seats. The King was somewhat un-noteworthy, just another noble, but the prince cause Celestia's eye. There was something about him, it took her a while to figure it out, it was his eyes, the way they pierced her. She couldn't help but stare at them, they were unlike any eyes she'd ever seen, a deep emerald green. Celestia watched him as he took his seat. He carried himself differently than any pony she'd seen and was devilishly handsome. At some point during the breakfast feast he noticed her staring at him, he gave her a wink. This was something that did not impress Celestia, How arrogant! she thought and with that her infatuation ended.

Soon the banquet ended, it was noon and the servants set about changing the decorations for Luna's coronation later that night. Celestia mulled about the palace, there wasn't much for her to do until tomorrow, after all there wasn't much for her to do, her mother was still in charge, if only for a little while longer. She decided to take a walk around the gardens to cure her boredom. It wasn't long before she saw him standing there. Alumbrar, as soon as he saw Celestia he came trotting over, Celestia was not looking forward to speaking with him.

He trotted over holding a beautiful rose for the Princess. "A gift for the Princess on her special day." he said enthusiastically as he reached her.

"You are bold to approach a Princess without being properly introduced." said Celestia, trying her best to act haughty.

"I beg your pardon Princess, I have been too forward." Said Alumbrar blushing, "I am Alumbrar, Prince of the North."

Celestia hesitated for a moment before accepting the Rose, "Thank you Alumbrar." She said rather shortly before turning to walk away.

"Have I done something to offend you Princess?" Asked Alumbrar, trotting after Celestia.

"No," Lied Celestia, My he is persitant. she thought.

"I see than I suppose I shall see you tonight, during your sisters coronation?" He asked hesitantly.

"I suppose you shall." Replied Celestia still walking through the gardens.

"Well, until next time then." Said Alumbrar and he turned and walked away.

Celestia noticed her self watching after him. Maybe he's not SO bad. she thought. And he was pretty handsome.

The rest of the continued rather uneventfully. About and hour before sunset Celestia met Luna and her mother at the top of the tower while they waited for Luna's ceremony to begin. Luna's coronation was much like her sister's and despite her mothers harsh words earlier Luna was quite able to raise both the moon and the stars. The dinner feast was just as splendid as the breakfast one was, and once again the Harold read out the names of all the noble ponies gathered. Celestia couldn't help but stare at Alumbrar again, this time he didn't wink, which Celestia greatly appreciated.

Soon the dinner came to a close as well. The Queen stood and cleared her throat.

"THIS DATE HAS LONG BEEN AWAITED!" she began, "MY DAUGHTERS HAVE EACH REALIZED THEIR FULL POTENTIALS AND HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES WORTHY TO BE CO-RULERS OF EQUESTRIA! IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT I NOW RETURN TO THE HEAVENS, BUT I LEAVE YOU IN THE CAPABLE HOOVES OF MY DAUGHTERS CELESTIA AND LUNA!"

Then the Queen began to levitate above the ground and glow. She grew brighter and brighter, soon everypony save the princesses had to look away. Then she was gone, vanished from this world. "Goodbye mother." Whispered Celestia to the Queens empty throne, a single tear rolling from her cheek.

392 views