//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Dreams of an Everburning Sun // Story: Dreams of a Princess // by Feenkatze //------------------------------// Warm sweat ran down Celestia’s neck. Wind as hot as a dragon’s breath pulled at her long, pink mane. She set one hoof in front of the other, her eyes stinging from the grains of sand that blew into them. The Sun glared down on Luna and her without mercy. Celestia wished she had wings, so that she could fly away and give her aching legs some rest, maybe even escape the heat as she would get to higher altitudes. But she was just a regular unicorn, so she had to slowly fight her way through the sand, barely protected by the scarf and the shabby tunic she was wearing. As she turned her head, she could see the dark form of her sister behind her. “Do you need a break?” Luna asked. Her short, blue mane was ragged from the wind, and loose strings hung from the quilt she wore around her body like a cape, ripped out by the sharp claws of the sand. Despite being taller, she struggled almost as much as Celestia did. “I am fine,” Celestia answered. “Let’s keep going.” She didn’t want to rest, even though she was barely able to hold her head up against the wind. All she wanted was to leave this place. It was hard to tell how quickly time passed, because the Sun stood still in its zenith and did not want to move ever again. They didn’t know why. All messages sent to Unicornia had been left unanswered, and rumor had it that Princess Platinum, who used to watch over the schedule of day and night with an iron hoof, was not in charge anymore. When the last river had run dry, Celestia and Luna had left their home on a quest to find out the reason. She wished she could just take the burning orb and put it away for a while, but that, of course, was impossible. A whole squad of unicorns at Princess Platinum’s court was necessary to set the Sun, and Celestia wasn’t talented enough to even dream about joining them, let alone do it all on her own. The wind grew stronger. Blasts of sand swept through the many tears in her tunic, stinging her skin. With worry she stopped and observed the horizon. “A sandstorm is coming up,” Luna confirmed. “We should prepare ourselves.” A hint of panic crept into Celestia’s voice as she replied. “Again?” “Don’t worry, Tia. We are going to be alright.” Celestia tried to control herself, seeking confidence in her sister’s words. They dug with their hooves, creating a hole just big enough for both of them to fit in it together, then lying down and waiting. Luna took the blanket she had wrapped around her waist and unfolded it over their heads, to protect them against the growing turmoil of sand. Soon, the noise of the storm and its nagging at the quilt became so loud that a conversation was entirely impossible. Their bodies were covered up to the neck in sand, and soon a heavy layer of it weighed on their makeshift tent, turning the everlasting day into night. Celestia’s insides cringed, and panic built up in her chest as they were buried alive. But her sister’s presence reassured her. Luna’s neck brushed against hers with every tiny movement, and Celestia could feel her heartbeat, slow and hypnotizing next to her own. Luna was the only thing that allowed her to endure this. She was the only thing that mattered. She couldn’t tell whether it took hours or mere minutes, but eventually the noise of the storm faded away. Celestia wanted to say something, only to find herself with a mouth full of sand. “Pf!” She spat it out, grimacing at the bitter taste. “Do you think we can try to get up?” Luna’s neck twisted slightly. “I think we are safe.” They shifted in their molds until the sand’s grip loosened around their bodies. Celestia managed to get one of her hooves free, then the next, then her upper body. She pushed against the quilt, making the sand fall off. Fresh air reached her nostrils and, even though it was hot and dry, she took a deep lung full of it, like a diver returning from the ground of the ocean. With a final effort, she pulled herself out completely. Luna followed, and they shook their bodies in an effort to get rid of the sand in their coats. “We made it!” Celestia leaned against her sister and buried her face in her side. She was near tears. “Indeed we did.” Luna stroked Celestia’s back. “It is all good now, see? I told you we were going to be alright.” “You did. You’re the best big sister in the world. I love you so much.” Luna smiled faintly. “I love you too, Tia.” With a last squeeze, Celestia let go of her. After being stuck in the ground for so long, she couldn’t wait to continue the journey. A day could have come and gone and they would not have known. They just kept walking, from one dune to the next, and the next … She was about to ask Luna for a break when, all of a sudden, the wind changed its direction. Instead of blowing into their faces, the sand now brushed against their backs. They stopped. “This is unusual,” Luna remarked, and she was right – it was the first time something like this happened. Shrugging, Luna searched her saddlebags for the compass and held it up. She narrowed her eyebrows, and when Celestia looked over her shoulder she saw the small iron needle spinning around wildly. “What does this mean, Lulu?” “I don’t know.” Luna moved a few steps to the side and the needle aligned itself, although in a different direction than before. “Something isn’t right with the magnetic field,” Luna said, going back to where she had stood before. The needle went crazy again. “What do we do now?” Celestia asked, panicking. “We follow the needle. If we don’t, we might get lost completely. Or do you have a better idea?” Celestia shook her head. “Wherever you go, I will go.” “You’re cute. Let’s move on, then.” It didn’t take long until they they found the oasis. White walls stood against the restless wind, promising safety and shelter, and Celestia’s ears perked up as they recognized the faint splashing of water. “Good that we decided to change directions,” Luna said, looking at the compass. “Otherwise we would not have found this place.” Celestia silently agreed. She couldn’t say why, but seeing this place made her feel happy. The structure had the shape of a perfect circle. Where they faced away from the wind, the high walls were interrupted, leaving a small entrance. The compass needle turned as they walked, always pointing straight towards the center of the oasis. “Any idea why it’s behaving like this?” Celestia asked her sister. “Not really. There has to be an explanation, though. Maybe the ground is rich with magnetite.” As they passed the entrance, they were embraced by shades of green, a sight for sore eyes after the vastness of the desert. Pink dots broke the image, which at a closer look turned out to be the blossoms of mallows. It all seemed strangely familiar to Celestia, just as if she had been here before, even though she knew too well that this was her first time so far away from home. In the very center of the oasis was a fountain, made out of artfully hewn white marble. The sisters all but sprinted towards it, dipping their muzzles into the stream of crystal clear water. Celestia swallowed in large gulps, relishing in the taste. It was as pure and soft as a morning in spring. “Is this paradise?” “It must be something similar, at least.” Luna, being larger than her, took a moment longer until she had her fill. “Let us stay here for the night.” They found themselves a nice and cool spot beneath a palm tree and settled down. Celestia leaned against her sister and felt a wing being draped over her like a blanket. She had always admired her sister’s wings – they were so soft and silky, shimmering like an ocean in the light of a full moon. “Lulu …” “Hm?” Celestia felt her sister nuzzle her neck, and a warm shiver rushed down her back. “Do you remember?” she asked. “The last time we were here?” A hoof traced the line of Celestia’s spine. “Yes. You kissed me.” “I did that.” Celestia remembered. Of course she did. How could she ever forget the soft sensation of her sister’s lips? “Why do you ask, Tia?” “Is it … weird? I mean, you are my sister. Sisters aren’t supposed to do things like that, right?” The hoof stopped, and Luna sat up. “We did, though.” “But it doesn’t bother you?” Celestia pressed. “Not at all. We were a little caught up in the moment, I suppose. But it was just a kiss.” “You’re right. I was just worried you would find it weird, is all.” “Don’t be,” Luna bid. “I do love you more than anypony, and you know that. You’re my little sister after all.” She lay down with a content look on her face. Celestia snuggled into her side. But then, after a moment, Luna raised her voice again. “Tia?” “Yes?” “About that kiss …” Luna stopped, biting her lip and avoiding Celestia’s gaze. “What is it?” Celestia asked. “Can we do it again?” Celestia twisted beneath her blanket. “Luna …” she mumbled, searching for her sister with a hoof. “Your Highness?” said a voice. With a groan, Celestia turned onto her belly and shoved the blanket off her back with a flick of her wings. That brought a sudden chill to her, pulling her out of her dream. She forced herself to get up, swaying on her hooves and squinting her burning eyes. Who would ever invent a day-and-night cycle this obnoxious? “Anything Your Highness desires today?” the servant asked. “Actually, could you have a batch of muffins or two brought to my room?” He bowed and left. Sunrise was all but overdue, so Celestia focused her magic and shoved the Sun onto its path. She stretched her legs and yawned, before leaving her room. These dreams were getting out of hoof. If it were only that one time she could put them off as a random artifact of her imagination, but twice, in two consecutive nights? She couldn’t help but worry. Just like the day before, Peachy Sweet was waiting for her in the baths, but today Celestia sent her away. She needed to be alone. Steam arose from the bathtub, and she didn’t hesitate to dive in, pushing her head under water and staying there as long as she could hold her breath. She tried to blend out everything else. Submerged in the liquid she was without weight, without shame. As she emerged from the bottom of the tub, savoring the feeling of warm water running through her coat, she felt better. Her mane became a floating pastel rainbow just beneath the surface. Celestia leaned back in the warmness of the water. The kiss had felt like the purest and most natural thing in the world. It shouldn’t, should it? But apparently, her dream self did not care about any of the implications. The only consolation was that she at least still seemed to care about how her sister felt, even if she was only a product of her dreaming mind. Celestia wondered whether there would be more dreams like this one, and what she should do if that was the case. But as she climbed out of the tub, she shoved the thought into the back of her head where it belonged. She condensed the wetness in her coat with a spell, which made it puff out and shine like the Sun itself. Her mane needed a more careful treatment, though, unless she wanted to walk around with an oversized pom-pom on her head. After letting the long wavy strands soak in a generous amount of conditioner for a few minutes, she wrapped them into an assortment of towels, creating a gigantic tower on her head. With that out of the way she headed straight back to her room. There was a lot of work to do, and today, she decided, was the day to do it. Celestia was sitting at her desk. Scrolls and books flooded the space in front of her. At the side stood a muffin tray which, aside from a few crumbs, was now bare of any muffins. Celestia could have sent a maid down to the kitchens to fetch a new one, but that would mean getting up from her work, which she was not willing to do. She was in the middle of the draft for a letter to the Supreme Court. “The category ‘force majeure,’” she recited as she wrote, “therefore clearly applies to any damages caused by non-pony-controlled beings, including, but not limited to, the aforementioned species of sentient tentacle plants. Thus, according to §34 of the Equestrian insurance law …” A knock on the door interrupted her. “For the love of me,” she muttered to herself and lay down the pen. “What is it?” “Tia? It is me, your sister.” Celestia felt heat rushing into her cheeks. She opened the door for Luna to enter. “What can I do for you?” Luna looked at her, and Celestia could see the concern in her eyes. “You did not appear for breakfast.” “I had a long bath, and had my breakfast brought to my room as to not waste any more time.” She pointed at the empty tray on her desk as evidence. “Fair. I just was wanted to check if Twilight had banished you to the Sun.” Despite her joking around, Luna did not seem completely reassured. “No, you will still have to bear with me, I’m afraid. Though, not today.” “Busy, I see. Then … well.” “Yes.” “I shall see you later. Love you, sister.” Forcing a smile, Celestia turned back towards her work and waited for Luna to leave. This was sweet of her, but at the moment Celestia really didn’t think it would be a good idea to have her around. When Luna was gone, Celestia tried to get back to work. However, it appeared that she was too tired to concentrate, especially since the image of Luna’s face would not let go of her. Celestia raised her hoof to cover her glowing face and groaned. “As if running a country were not enough trouble. What is wrong with me?” Five minutes later, she was surprised by a maid who brought a batch of still-warm muffins, with her sister’s best regards.