//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - The Castle // Story: Luna, Mother Mine // by MlpMelodySong //------------------------------// "Oh, this is all so exciting!" Twilight exclaimed, as she and her friends made their way towards Canterlot castle. "I'm finally getting to see Cadence and Shinning Armour again!" "Yea, especially since their announcement last week about the baby!" Spike piped up Twilight smiled excitedly. "I know right! I'm so happy!" Apple Jack let out a hearty laugh. "Well, sugar cube, that's to be expected, considern' your gonna be an aunt and all" Twilight smiled. "Yes, it really is incredible!" "Yea, well, the quicker we get there, the quicker we can check on Princess Cadence and the foal, so do you guys mind picking up the pace!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, clearly loosing interest at the lack of speed. Apple Jack rolled her eyes at the Pegasus' behaviour, but Twilight didn't let her smile falter. "Rainbow is right, we should probably move a little faster, we aren't just coming here to see Cadence if you remember, Princess Celestia asked us here to help her with some important records in the castle, and Cadence is here to foresee the transfer of some records to the Crystal archives" Twilight stated, quickening her pace. The others began to follow suit as they made their way towards the Castle. "Cadence!" Twilight exclaimed, as she entered the throne room of Canterlot Castle, and rushed to embrace her sister-in-law. "Twilight!" Cadence said, Returning Twilights hug. "It's so good to see you again!" "You too!" Twilight said "How are you? How's the baby? Is everything OK?" "Woah, yes Twilight, everything is fine with me and the baby, don't worry!" Cadence reassured "Yea, take it easy Twily" Shinning Armour said walking towards them, then embracing his wife. "We're fine!" Twilight smiled and hugged her brother. "Umm, I don't mean to interrupt but do you guys know where the Princesses are?" Rainbow asked Cadence was about to answer, when Princess Celestia entered through the large double doors with Princess Luna coming along behind her, looking solemn. "Never mind" Rainbow muttered "Hello everypony," Princess Celestia greeted "So sorry if we kept you waiting" "Oh not at all princess" Twilight exclaimed "We were just asking Cadence and Shinning Armour about the baby" Luna hung her head low at these words and frowned, this seemed to go unnoticed by most ponies, except Fluttershy. Celestia chuckled slightly. "Ah yes, may I offer my congratulations to you both" Luna looked to Celestia, then looked to the ground once more as hot angry tears began to flood her eyes. Cadence smiled. "Why thank you, we are both very happy!" That was the breaking point. "Of course you are!" Luna said darkly, which made everyone look at her in surprise. "Why wouldn't you be? You have the perfect life!" "Princess Luna?" Twilight asked, concerned by the tone of voice she was using. "I am not finished yet, Twilight Sparkle!" Luna replied coldly, then turned her attention back to Cadence. "You have the perfect home, the perfect husband and soon you will have the perfect child!" Tears were now staining her face and running down her cheeks. "So don't you DARE take it all for granted, because once its gone, its gone, and your heart can never fully heal from the loss of something as precious as a child" Luna exclaimed, stamping her hoof on the ground so hard that it cracked the surface. "I can't do this anymore, I thought I could Tia, but I just can't, I have to go!" And with that Luna ran out of the door in tears, completely ignoring the cries of her fellow princesses to stop and come back, and then she was gone, out-of-sight but in no way shape or form out-of-mind! Luna didn't know where she was going, nor did she care, she just had to get out of there. She finally decided it was best to go back to her chambers for some privacy, she didn't like it when people saw her cry. There had only ever been two people in her lifetime that she had ever let see her cry, and sadly both of them were now gone. As she felt more hot tears burn her eyes, she quickened her pace in the hopes of reaching the west wing fast enough so that she didn't have to interact with anyone, as she didn't know how she would react in her current state. Finally she reached the West Tower of the castle, and made no haste in rushing into her chambers and locking the door behind her! She needed to be left alone in that moment, with nothing but her thoughts, as all the memories she tried to keep locked away came flooding back to her. Then she herd the all to familiar cry of a voice she knew she would never hear again! "Mommy!" And with that she could no longer hold back her tears, and so she lay there on her cold marble floor and wept! Luna continued to weep and paid no heed to her sister's cries of protest from the other side of the door. For she knew that no matter how hard she tried, her sister would never know her pain. No one ever does. Luna unfortunately, had learned that the hard way, which was why she didn't confide in her sister about these matters. Luna knew that her sister would never understand, all she could do was pity her, and that was not what she needed. What she needed was to be alone, as she knew that that was how it was going to be from then on, so she had to get used to it. So she lay there, weeping for her loss of love, as she reminisced about what might have been had it turned out different.