Responsibilities

by pyrobug0

Chapter 1

The hallway was dark. Dark and empty. It had never been completely empty before. There were no guards, or nobles, or servants. The sounds of her hoofsteps echoed back to her uninterrupted, each one tightening the vice of dread wrapped around her chest. Why was she afraid? Why did the pale moonlight that normally comforted her only add to the forebodingness of the hall? The blood began to pound in her ears. She tried to shake the feeling away, tried to walk faster. But the fear seeped into her, straining her muscles and churning her stomach. As she finally reached the door at the end of the hall, she could hear nothing but her deafening heartbeat, and her own mind repeating a single thought in a terrified whisper.

‘This is wrong.’

Celestia’s magic flung open the doors to the throne room. Luna was sitting on her throne, meeting her entrance with a stony stare. Nobility’s helmet rested on her head, and her mane flowed from beneath it. But where her mane had once been a single, flowing wisp, it had now begun to billow and disperse, rising as though it were about to burst into smoke. The helm’s golden luster remained, but it was slowly being overgrown by an iridescent shadow. Luna’s eyes were different – wrong. Her pupils had shrunk, and her irises shone eerily in the pale moonlight. Luna made no motion to acknowledge Celestia’s entrance. She only continued to stare with those wrong eyes, emotionless but for a glimmer of contempt. There was no surprise, no uncertainty, not even irritation. She’d been expecting this. She’d been waiting for this. The dread that had been gathering in Celestia’s stomach began to spill over, and she had to fight her legs to move further into the room.

“Luna? Why are you alone? Where are the guards? Where is everypony?”

Luna’s glare didn’t waver. When she spoke, her words dripped with hatred.

“I sent them away. I won’t have your conspirators in my court.”

“What are you talking about? Luna, the night is over. You have to lower the moon now.”

Luna never faltered, never blinked. The weight of her silence filled the room, smothering Celestia under her own confused emotions until her answer finally brought them all crashing down.

“No.”

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Celestia jolted awake with a gasp. The pounding of her heart followed her into reality, but slowly faded as she stared into the darkness. She lay still for a few moments as her mind fought away the fog of her nightmare. Finally, she closed her eyes and shook her head. She took a few measured breaths to calm herself, then climbed from her bed and stood by the edge.

The room was dark and still. Lingering drops of sweat chilled her as she struggled to think clearly. It was incorrect to call what she’d just experienced a “nightmare”. A nightmare was a dream, and nothing more. Everything she’d just seen had been a reality for three months now – a night whose events had been replaying in her memory almost constantly ever since, even when she slept.

A knock at her bedroom door focused her attention.

“Princess, are you awake?” a voice called from the other side. “Court begins in thirty minutes.”

“Yes. Yes, I’m awake.” Celestia tried to steady her voice as she answered. It clearly didn’t work.

“Are you alright, Princess?” the voice asked, evidently concerned.

“Yes, Silver, I’m fine. It’s nothing. I’ll be ready soon.”

“Do you need any help? I can call for your hoof maidens…”

“No, that isn’t necessary. Just inform the court I’m on my way.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Slowly, Celestia willed her body to move forward. She’d retired after raising the night sky, but her respite was meant to be brief. She still had the lunar court to conduct. She didn’t mind the nearly constant workload. She’d always had a knack for it anyway, and a twenty-four hour day was of little concern. Alicorns didn’t need sleep like other ponies did. It was entirely a psychological comfort for her, and right now there wasn’t much comfort waiting for her there.

Celestia walked towards the dressing table on the other side of her room. She glanced at her window as she passed it, but left the curtains drawn. She didn’t want to see the night that lay behind them. She focused on her reflection in the mirror. She gripped several utensils in her magic and floated them towards herself. They set to work brushing her mane, coat, wings, and tail. She tried to focus her thoughts on the mundanity of the brushes’ movements, desperate to keep them from wandering back to her memories – back to her nightmare. But she couldn’t. She hadn’t been able to for three months.

When Celestia emerged from her room, an earth mare stood waiting for her. She had a light-grey coat and a lighter-grey mane. A cutie mark of an ornate dish adorned her flanks. Only her eyes stood out – a deep midnight blue, like the sky of a brilliantly lit night. When she saw Celestia, she turned and bowed to greet her.

“Good evening, Silver Platter,” Celestia greeted her nighttime attendant with a smile.

“Good evening, Princess. Are you ready to proceed?”

“I suppose so,” Celestia answered with a twinge of reluctance as she began down the hallway. Silver Platter fell in line on her right side. “Is the docket very full tonight?”

“Not terribly. There are a few representatives from the postal service’s night shift union, the usual adjudication requests – none too major – and Mr. Shindig has some “new ideas” for decorating for the Equinox Fair. I’m sure they’ll be brilliant,” she added with a roll of her eyes. Her sarcasm almost made Celestia chuckle.

“It can’t hurt to hear what he has to say.”

“I suppose so, Highness. Faerie Whisper also has the results from the local ecological survey. She says she’d like to present them as soon as possible.”

“That’s fine. I can see her tonight.”

“Very good, Your Highness. I’ll have her sent for immediately. Also…” Silver Platter came to a halt, hesitating before she continued. Celestia also stopped and turned to meet her gaze. “Sir Noctus Crest requests an audience with you, Princess.” Celestia failed to suppress a grimace. Of all the burdens of ruling she had encountered, few were more trying or vexing than Noctus Crest. Silver Platter quickly offered her aid.

“I can inform him that you’re unable to see him tonight. Maybe have him delayed to a later date. Your time is at your disposal, not his”

“No,” Celestia responded with only the slightest hesitation. “I won’t turn my subjects away without reason, not even the great ‘Sir Crest’. I’ll deal with him as I’ll deal with the others who come to my court.” She began walking forward again, Silver following her.

“But Princess, you know what he’s going to say. He’s only here to convince you to give him command of the night guard...”

“As he has for the last three months. Yes, I know. And, as always, I will not give him any such power. Don’t worry, Silver. I will not be handing over the ponies Luna valued and trusted to a pony like Crest.”

“That isn’t what I’m...” Silver paused, choosing her argument carefully. “Why are you even meeting with him, then, if you know what’s going to happen?”

“As I said, I can’t turn petitioners away. How would it look?”

“But Noctus Crest isn’t just some petitioner. Princess, you know dealing with him is a draining ordeal. I don’t see what you can hope to accomplish, and honestly I’m not sure that you have the energy to...” She trailed off again, her deference getting the better of her concern. She was quiet for a few minutes as they walked. Celestia didn’t turn to look at her, but she didn’t have to to know what she was thinking, or that she was wearing that forlornly concerned face she’d been wearing far too much lately. Finally, as they climbed the spiraling stairway leading to the throne room, Silver spoke up again.

“Princess, why don’t we cancel court tonight?” she offered with a hint of hopefulness. “You need your rest. All these problems can wait for a day.”

“I can’t do that,” Celestia chided her. “I have a responsibility to fulfill my duties.”

“But you have a duty to yourself!” Silver demanded, coming to a stop again. Celestia stopped as well, but she didn’t turn to face her attendant. Silver was quiet for a moment before she began almost pleadingly.

“Princess, I’m concerned for your well being. Tonight, were you…” she trailed off, thinking better of her question. “Have you been sleeping well lately?”

“I don’t need to sleep, Silver.”

“That isn’t what I meant. You’re always tired, and distracted. You haven’t been yourself since…”

“Silver,” Celestia interrupted her firmly. Silver hung her head.

Three months Silver had been doing this. She’d been Luna’s attendant up until… everything that had happened. Afterwards, she’d been one of the only members of the night staff that had stayed. She’d been an invaluable friend, and Celestia knew she would have struggled much more in taking on her sister’s responsibilities without her advice and support. Celestia also knew Silver and Luna had been very close. Losing Luna was a terrible burden on Silver. And yet, the mare always seemed to be more concerned about Celestia’s well being than her own.

“Let’s go in,” she said to Silver gently. Her magic opened the doors, and she stepped into the throne room with the usual bustle and fanfare. Silver followed loyally behind her.

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[pyrobug0]

Author's Note: This was more of a writing exercise that got out of hand than an actual story effort. So some things about this story might be a little weird, stylistically, and it's not exactly bursting with creativity. ...yes, that's why >.>. Still, since it is an exercise, all comments, feedback, and criticism is welcome.