1000 years after Equestria was split by cecession a single day may decide if the history books tell a story of war or peace.
Equestria has not been whole for a millennia. Celestia sits alone, ruling over her kingdom, while her sister Rules over the smaller nation of Shadow Veil. After a thousand years without communication with her sister, a sudden letter from Princess Luna brings back old memories and new concerns. Will old wounds be reopened, or will the tenuous peace between the two nations hold?
The full moon shone through the windows onto the twin thrones, making the banners that hung behind them look lonely and forlorn.
“Where could she be?” Celestia asked out loud.
As of late, her sister had been speaking to her less, but she wouldn’t raise the moon without telling her goodnight. Even with the tension between the two, Luna would still tell her older sister goodnight. But already the moon was starting to climb high in the sky and Celestia still had not seen hide nor hair of her.
As Celestia began to wonder if something happened, the wind picked up and with it came a foreboding rustling. Just as she was about to send for a guard to search for her sister, the large double doors to the throne room flew open, letting in a chilling autumn breeze.
The wind was but a herald, as following after it came Princess Luna, wearing a set of blue-grey armor.
“Luna?” She had to take a second look to confirm that the figure that was striding towards her was indeed her sister.
“Yes, sister,” the night princess replied, her voice carrying a tone almost as icy as the wind that had preceded her.
“Luna, what’s wrong?” Celestia asked, slightly distressed by her sister’s demeanor.
Luna stopped just short of the stairs that led up to the twin thrones, “It has become obvious that there is only room enough for one princess in Equestria, and that is...”
Celestia tensed her muscles, fearing the worst.
“You.”
Celestia’s mouth fell open in a look of shock and disbelief, “What?”
“All the ponies of Equestria honor and worship you and the day you bring, but shun the night and the princess who brings it to them. There is no longer the royal ‘we’, but the royal ‘thee’.”
Luna flared her wings, “I will not stand for this injustice anymore and stand in your shadow. I am leaving Equestria, and making my own kingdom, one where ponies will not shy from the dark, and will relish in the glorious night!”
Celestia was taken aback. “L-Luna, what are you talking about?”
“How can thou beist so blind? For years now I hath been living in thy shadow!”
“Luna, I don’t know what you mean...” Celestia was at a loss for words.
“Do not use that pet name with me any longer,” Luna snapped, “I do not wish violence, so do not try to stop me, sister.”
And with that, the night princess folded her wings and walked back out the double doors, taking the dying wind with her.
“Good morning, your majesty.” A voice drifted into Celestia’s consciousness.
The white alicorn sat up groggily, her mane somewhat disheveled and yet to begin billowing in its mystical breeze, “Is it morning already?”
“Yes, Princess. Were you having dreams again?”
Celestia turned towards the source of the voice, now recognizing it as one of her hoofmaidens, Gilded Rose. The pony’s coat was a burnished gold, while her mane was a lighter shade of blonde with a single mauve streak running through it. She wore the standard uniform for the castle’s female service staff, a rather unremarkable maid outfit.
Celestia rubbed her eyes, “Nothing to worry about,” she said offhandedly, brushing away the question, “Is there something you wish to tell me?”
Gilded Rose nodded as the princess retrieved a comb with her magic and started to smooth out her mane.
“Yes, actually. Last night, a messenger arrived from Duskdale, a batpony.”
Celestia stopped her brushing at the news, “A batpony?”
The mare nodded. “Yes. She delivered this scroll before departing.” She grabbed a dark grey scroll from a pocket in her maid outfit and held it out for the princess.
Celestia took the wrapped up parchment and looked at the seal. A crescent moon, her sister’s personal insignia. She quickly broke the seal and unfurled the scroll, reading the contents carefully.
Princess Celestia,
As I’m sure you are aware, this coming solstice marks the 1000th year anniversary since the split of Equestria.
Celestia paused, thinking back to her dreams, and her memory of that night. It was one she remembered all too well.
A delegation will be arriving to observe the festivities. As diplomatic envoys, I expect that they will be provided for, and that no harm will come to them. As a show of good will, my personal student will be with them as well.
Princess Luna
Celestia’s face grew slightly darker as she rolled up the scroll and placed it on an end table.
“Is something wrong, Princess?”
“Go fetch Ink Well and Shining Armor as well. I need to speak with both of them.”
The golden mare nodded and hurried off to find Celestia’s assistant and the Captain of the guard.
Celestia heaved a sigh and massaged her muzzle with her hoof. “Five hundred years without so much as a word and now this?”
Celestia wondered if her sister had changed since they parted. Celestia tried to recall how her sister had looked, but found the details fuzzy. A tear formed in the corner of her eye at the fact that she couldn’t remember exactly what her sister looked like. Would she even be able to recognize her sister if she did see her?
Tears began to roll slowly down her cheek as she regretted not stopping her sister. Originally, she was too shocked to do anything before Luna left, and for the first few centuries, she let Luna rule her own kingdom, hoping that she would come back, but to no avail. It wasn’t until five hundred years after she left that Celestia even heard from her sister, and that was a disaster; their kingdoms had almost gone to war.
Celestia wiped the tears as she thought back to the incident. She was grateful that war was avoided. It was hard enough being isolated from her sister, but there was no way that Celestia could wage war against Luna.
Celestia walked out to the balcony and looked out over the small stretch of the Everfree between the castle and Ponyville, and mount Canterlot beyond. The small city of Canterlot caught her attention briefly as she looked towards the horizon, raising the morning sun.
As the sun peaked up above the horizon she wondered if Luna was watching. As fillies they used to watch each other raise the sun and moon. Celestia wondered if Luna ever thought of the times they shared as she did.
“Why wait until now, sister?”
A knock at the door caught Clelestia’s attention and she turned around from the balcony, the glow of the dawn behind her.
“Come in.”
Shining Armor, in his full guard armor and a smaller, older looking unicorn with a grey-blue coat and a greying mane stepped into her chamber.
“You wanted to see us, Princess?” Shining asked.
“Yes, it seems that my sister has taken an interest in the Summer Sun Celebration and is sending a delegation to observe the ceremonies.”
“Oh my...” the older unicorn said, his eyes growing wide and pulling a scroll out of his saddlebag.
Celestia nodded, “Yes, this is concerning, but I don’t want to risk offending her. Ink Well, I want you to make sure that there are accommodations for the delegation.”
“Of course, Princess.”
“Shining Armor, I want you to keep your guards on a tight leash, I do NOT want a repeat of five hundred years ago.”
He snapped a salute, “Understood.”
“Oh, and tell Twilight I would like to meet her in the throne room,” she added, putting on her royal adornments.
“I will see to it, Princess” Ink Well replied, rolling up the scroll he had been writing on.
Princess Celestia watched the two ponies leave her chambers and then turned to look at the balcony towards the rising sun.
“I hope everything goes smoothly....”
~~
Princess Luna paced about her throne room.
“Is something bothering you?” asked a pale blue earth pony with a black vortex for a cutie mark.
“You know very well what’s bothering me, Eclipse,” Luna snapped, shooting him a pinning glare.
The stallion appeared unfazed by the daggers her eyes were shooting him, “Five hundred years is a long time. I’m sure nopony even remembers it on the other side of the border.”
“You of all ponies should know that ponies don’t change,” Luna shot back.
Eclipse cracked a slight smile at the familiar exchanging of broadsides, “But that’s half the fun. If ponies were as malleable as clay, we wouldn’t have this wonderful kingdom with you as its ruler.” His words seemed to calm her a bit.
“Of course you would be so eager for this expedition, you get to be at its head.”
Eclipse feigned shock, “I would never have such underhoofed motives, Princess.”
“What would I do without you, Eclipse?”
“Find somepony else to arrange all your trips to the spa?”
Luna rolled her eyes, “Just make sure that the others stay in line, you know how Midnight and Spitfire are.”
Eclipse laughed, “Compared to Black Guard, she’s downright playful.”
“And of course Echo will be accompanying you.”
Eclipse gave a smug-ish grin, “Of course.”
“And now I must go speak with Wisp.”
Eclipse nodded, “Time for the filly’s big adventure.”
Luna departed the throne room and headed towards her apprentice’s most likely hideaway.
Twilight Sparkle was sitting in the middle of the floor, several books arrayed around her, some suspended in the air by a violet hue, when a knock came at the door.
“Spike, can you get the door?” she called to her assistant, who was balancing on the top of a ladder.
“Give me just... one... second...” he said as he placed a book on a high shelf. After the book was in it’s place and Spike was safely back on the ladder, he climbed down and went to the door.
Spike opened the door just as Ink Well was about to knock again. “Good Morning Spike.”
“Oh, hey Ink Well,” Spike replied, stepping out of the way to let him in.
He walked into the library and cleared his throat to get Twilight’s attention. “Miss Sparkle, the princess would like to see you in the throne room.”
Twilight set the books she was holding with magic into neat little piles and stood up. “She wants to see me in the throne room? Did she say why?”
“I’m afraid not, though I suppose it has something to do with the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration.”
“This the 1000th anniversary since Equestria was split, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Miss Sparkle.”
“A thousand years...” Twilight said, losing herself in thought. A cough from Ink Well brought her back to reality.
“I expect she is awaiting your arrival.”
Twilight took the hint and grabbed Spike with magic as she passed him, setting him on her back as she headed towards the throne room.
“I wonder what she wants,” Spike said.
“Maybe she has an assignment for me,” Twilight speculated.
“Well, you’re her star pupil.”
Twilight gasped, “What if it is really important?”
“What?”
“What if I’m graduating? What if there’s an exam!”
“Twilight, I don’t think that the Princess wants to give you a test...”
Twilight and Spike went back and forth as they walked to the throne room but stopped before the double doors.
The guards nodded at Twilight.
“The Princess is expecting you,” one said.
Twilight pushed open one of the doors and went inside and walked towards the center of the room.
“Good morning, Twilight,” Princess Celestia said from her golden throne.
Twilight gave a small bow, “Good morning, Princess. You wanted to see me?”
Celestia nodded, “Yes.”
She got up from her throne and motioned for Twilight to follow her as she headed towards a side door.
For being a thousand years old, Castle Everfree was still kept in surprisingly good condition. Since it’s construction there have also been many additions and renovations made. There was only one room that had been untouched by architects or time was the throne room.
Twilight pushed the old wooden door open and stepped into the throne room.
Sitting upon her golden throne was Princess Celestia, while a second, smaller throne sat as it always did, without anypony to occupy it.
“Good morning Twilight,” Celestia said to her student.
“Good morning, Princess. Ink Well said that you wanted to speak to me?”
Celestia nodded, “Yes, there is something important we must discuss. Alone.”
Twilight looked at Spike and he climbed off of her back and looked nervously at Twilight.
“It’s okay, Spike,” Celestia said to the baby dragon, “It will take but a moment.”
He looked once between Celsetia and Twilight before heading to the door and slipping out.
Celestia gestured with a hoof and the guards that were posted filed out.
“Princess, what’s going on?” Twilight asked.
“I have received a scroll from my sister,” Celestia said gravely.
Twilight gasped, “Princess Luna?”
Celestia gave a slight wince at the name, “Yes. She will be sending a delegation of ponies from Shadow Veil to observe the Summer Sun Celebration.”
“What? Why would they be so interested in the Summer Sun Celebration? Don’t they celebrate the night, not the day?” Twilight asked, firing off questions as they popped into her head.
Celestia held up a hoof to stem her student’s tide of curiosity. “I do not know why they have taken a sudden interest, but my sister’s own student will be accompanying the delegation.”
“Princess Luna has a personal student? Like me?” Twilight asked, now even more curious. This was something she had never read in any of her books.
Again, a look of pain flashed across Celestia’s features. “Yes. She has a student and I imagine she is somewhat like yourself. I would like the two of you to get acquainted while the delegation is here.”
“Get acquainted?” Twilight asked.
“Yes. You should try making friends, and with somepony so like yourself, it should be easy,” Celestia said, a warm smile gracing her face.
Twilight scrabbled a hoof against the floor. “Friends?”
Celestia gave a warm laugh, “Yes. And before you ask, there isn’t a book about making friends in the library.”
Twilight gave a sheepish smile as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Y-yes. Princess.”
Celestia smiled and stamped her hoof against the floor, summoning the guards back into the room. “You should go prepare, my faithful student.”
Twilight bowed her head, “Yes, Princess.”
She straightened and started trotting back towards the library where her room was. She would have to go back over the etiquette books, and the manual on formal attire, and-
“Hey, what’s going on? Why the rush?” Spike asked, running and huffing along side Twilight.
Twilight swallowed. “I have to make friends...”
Spike stopped in his tracks. “What?” he said flatly.
“Princess Celestia said I have to make a friend,” Twilight said, stopping and turning to face her assistant.
Spike did not look amused. “You mean to say that the princess had to talk to you about making friends?” he accused.
Twilight frowned, “It’s not just that, I have to make friends with Princess Luna’s personal student.
“WHAT? You’re making friends with-”
Twilight, cut him off my covering his mouth with her hoof. “Shh! There must be a reason she wanted our meeting to be private...”
Spike nodded and stayed silent, a hoof still jammed in his face.
“Maybe she want’s me to secretly make sure she’s not a spy? No... she would have told me... Maybe she wants to improve relations with Shadow Veil? Or maybe...”
“Tiluf...”
“What?”
Spike pointed at Twilight’s hoof, still stubbornly clinging to the dragon’s snout.
“Or she could just want you to make friends,” Spike said. “Since when has the princess ever lied to you?”
“I guess you’re right...”
Spike perked up, “But if you’re going to have company then you might want to clean up your room.”
“What? But the library looks fine,” Twilight protested.
Spike facepalmed. “Not that room, your room. You know, the one with a bed in it?”
Twilight rarely slept in it, but it was a little cluttered. “Maybe you’re right, it has been a while since I organized my room.”
Spike began walking. “Well, we should get started then.”
Twilight picked him up with magic and brought him close before teleporting the both of them to the library.
Twilight trotted up a flight of stairs and came to a door with her cutie mark on it. “Well, let’s get started.”
As soon as she turned the handle with her hoof, the door flung open and an avalanche of books fell on top of her.
Spike rushed over to the pile of books that had buried Twilight. “Twilight! Are you alright?”
She poked her head out of the pile and sneezed. “This might be harder than I though...”
Princess Luna was sitting upon her silvery throne in the Duskdale palace. Standing before her were five ponies. At the head of the group was Eclipse, saddlebags draped over his sides. Standing just behind him was a dusky grey pegasus mare in a navy blue flight suit, her violet mane tied back in a long ponytail.
“Midnight, I trust you have your arrangements in order?” Princess Luna asked the head of the Shadow Bolts.
She nodded, “Yes, things will be taken care of while we are away.”
“Likewise,” said a large sage colored unicorn in a gravelly tone.
The princess nodded to him, “Very good Black Guard.” She then turned her gaze to a charcoal grey batpony whose ears were twitching at every sound. “Are you prepared Echo?”
Her ears both turned towards the princess as she nodded, “All of my personal affairs are in order. I am looking forward to seeing Ponyville and Castle Everfree.”
The batpony held a unique position as both the head of the royal archives but also of relations with Equestria. They were both tasks with which she performed with an unusual vigor.
Finally, Luna looked towards a filly who was sitting at the back of the group. “Wisp, are you ready?”
The young mare looked up at the princess, her coat was a light teal, bordering on white. Her mane and tail were a rusty brown with stark silver streaks running through them. She nodded, not saying anything, her light violet eyes meeting Luna’s.
“Well, if everypony is ready, then shall we be off?” Eclipse said, turning to the rest of the group.
“Yes, let’s get moving, the celebration is in three days,” Echo said.
“Take care,” Luna called to them as they exited the throne room and walked into the antechamber.
Guards closed the doors behind them as they exited the castle.
Midnight stretched her wings and flapped them lightly, lifting herself a few feet in the air. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll head over to the train station.”
Eclipse shrugged, “Do whatever you want, you usually do.”
“We should stay together,” Black Guard said flatly.
Midnight scowled at the two of them and flew off in a huff.
“Why do you always insist on antagonizing her?” Black Guard asked his earth pony companion.
Eclipse smiled, “It’s fun to make her angry. She has such a cute little pout.”
“Oh!” Echo said, suddenly bolting upright. “I forgot something in my room. I’ll be right back.” She spread her wings and took off before anypony could argue.
“Hurry back!” Black Guard yelled after her. “Mares...”
Wisp looked slightly offended.
“Present company excluded,” he corrected.
Eclipse tried to stifle a laugh and failed miserably.
Wisp gave a smirk and gave a mock scoff, “Stallions.”
Eclipse stopped laughing and looked at the unicorn who was giving him the most serious look.
After a silence that seemed to last hours, both of them started laughing. Black Guard cracked a smile and rolled his eyes. “Are you two about done?”
--
Echo padded silently into the throne room from a side entrance and trotted up to the side of Luna’s throne.
“Did anypony suspect you?” the alicorn asked, not looking down at the batpony.
“No, Midnight went ahead to the train station and I told the others I forgot something.”
Princess Luna produced a small scroll with magic and placed it on the armrest of her throne. Echo picked up the scroll and read over its contents thoroughly. “You are to tell no one,” she said to the batpony as she scanned it.
Echo rolled up the scroll and tucked it under her wing, “Are you certain, Princess?”
The Princess of the night looked down at the batpony and met her eyes, “Yes, if anypony were to find out, everything may be ruined.” Echo held her gaze for a moment and nodded.
“Now go, before you are missed.”
Echo nodded again and quickly made her way out of the throne room.
--
In Echo’s absence, the rest of the group had started walking towards the train station and were almost halfway there when she finally caught up with them.
“Jeez, Echo, what did you leave, your whole room?” Eclipse jibed.
She landed next to him and folded her wings, “No. If you must know, I brought a copy of the Abridged History of Equestria and Shadow Veil. I was hoping I could get it signed.”
“By who?” It was Wisp who asked this time.
“Well, since we are going to be Princess Celestia’s guests, I was hoping I could get her to sign it. And I’m sure they have an archivist at Castle Everfree that could sign it too,” she answered.
“Echo, tell me about Equestria,” Wisp asked.
Echo’s ears twitched, the question catching her off guard. “Don’t you read about it?”
“A little, but you’ve been there before, right?”
“Well yes, but not to Ponyville. This will be my first time seeing the capital myself,” Echo said.
“What’s it like? Do pony’s really worship the sun all day?”
Echo giggled, “No, silly filly. They work during the day just like most ponies here in Veil and sleep during the night.”
“But don’t they miss all the beautiful stars in the sky?”
“Some do, but there are many ponies who stay awake for part of the night. There are probably as many ponies who like the night as the day.”
“Really? Then why do most ponies not like Equestrians?” Wisp asked.
“Because they’re ignorant.” It was Eclipse that answered, his usual levity forgotten. “Most of them don’t know anything about us, so they’re afraid of us. They think we’re all boogeymen that hide in caves all day and come out at night to steal away foals in the night.”
Wisp looked at him with a look of shock and worry.
Eclipse’s serious tone shifted to his usual casual attitude. “But that’s only an old mare’s tail from a few hundred years ago.”
“The ponies in Ponyville are quite reasonable,” Echo said.
Wisp looked relieved.
As they continued walking, Black Guard sidled up to Eclipse. “What was that all about?” he whispered.
“Whatever do you mean?” Eclipse asked nonchalantly.
“You know what. Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Eclipse placed a hoof on Black Guard’s shoulder, “It’s nothing. It won’t cause any problems for us or our mission.”
Black Guard eyed him suspiciously. “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly.”
“That can be arranged if it does,” Black guard said, putting on some speed to catch up with Wisp and Echo who were walking a short way ahead of them.
“Let us hope it does not come to that,” Eclipse whispered.