Celestia was curled up in a plush, large pillow which was laid in the center of the Resting Room, which was where she and her family would gather to relax and talk about their day, and also served as a good place to talk or spend time with a friend if you didn’t want any other ponies intervening. Vibrant Sunrise was beside her, busy braiding her soft pink hair.
“How was your day, little one?”
Her mother murmured in that soothing voice that Celestia always cherished; It had always helped her feel safe and calm and at peace, like she and her mother were in their own little bubble apart from the rest of the large, stressful world.
“It was fine,” the filly answered, “I got into a magic contest with Starswirl.”
She could sense her mother’s disquiet at the mention of Starswirl’s name; Celestia knew that Vibrant always worried about what other alicorns would think of her being close to a unicorn that ponies weren’t quite generally fond of because of who his parents were.
Celestia knew her mother had nothing against her friend; It was only her natural motherly desire to protect Celestia from being the object of scorn.
Still, she continued to braid Celestia’s hair casually and maintain an unwavering expression of calm and nonchalance. Then Vibrant continued,
“How did that go?”
“It was fun. Starswirl said that I won, but I think we both did, because we’re friends.”
Vibrant nodded, and Celestia caught a flash of a smile.
Celestia continued,
“He put a rose in my hair and then went to the library, and then I watched the clouds and came back here.”
A spark of curiosity appeared in her mother’s eyes.
“Where’s the rose? I didn’t see it with you when you came in,” she said.
“Oh, it’s in my room,” Celestia explained, “I put it in a vase so that it would last longer.”
Vibrant nodded.
Once Vibrant finished braiding, Celestia laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, while her mother began to stroke her hair gently. Suddenly she felt her mother’s hoof tense slightly, and the vaguest grunt escaped her.
Celestia lifted her head and sat up, looking at her mother with large, concerned purple eyes.
Vibrant put a hoof to her stomach and her eyes softened a little, then she looked back at her daughter.
“It’s nothing to be worried about, sweetie,” she assured her quickly. Then after a short pause, she said, “but … mommy has a bit of a surprise that may make you very excited.”
Celestia’s eyes grew with curiosity, and playfully she flipped onto her back and looked at her mother upside-down, her hair splaying out onto the pillow.
“What is it?” She squealed.
“Well, Little One…” her mother began, “In a while... you’re going to have a little sister.”
Vibrant made a slight but visible wince, as if she expected the news to either be received very well, or very badly.
A long gasp escaped Celestia and her eyes widened even broader meanwhile. Once she could finally speak, she breathed,
“I’m… getting… a sister?!” The last words rose to a squeak with the absolute shock and excitement she was overwhelmed with.
Vibrant laughed and a glimmer of relief flashed in her eyes.
Celestia leapt to her hooves and, full of excitement, she bounced around the room saying,
“I’m getting a sister! I’m getting a sister!” then finally flopped back onto the pillow once the energy was spent and exclaimed,
“Does daddy know?!”
Vibrant snorted in amusement and then said warmly,
“He will pretty soon.”
Another chuckle escaped her and Celestia smiled; she enjoyed seeing her mother laugh. It was a bit of a rare sight since she had to maintain a very calm composure as the High Princess of Alicorns. Sighing, Celestia laid her head down again and held close to her this moment in her heart.
Once the excitement of the news had died down, the two decided to rest on their own separate pillows; It had been a long day and they both had felt the need to take a nap.
Celestia nuzzled the pillow and brought her hooves closer to her chin as she curled into a comfortable position, busy dreaming about what it would be like to have a sister of her own.
She envisioned her little sister as a tiny copy of herself, and pictured them playing together in a field or flying among the clouds during sunset, and then settling on a cloud to watch the sun fall until their father took over the night sky.
“Oh, look! Daddy is putting the stars in the sky!” The mini Celestia exclaimed.
“Yeah; Now he’s forming a constellation,” She imagined herself replying.
“Oh, wow, this is so amazing! I’m so glad I get to watch this with you,” Mini Celestia said.
“I’m glad too.”
“You’re the best big sister ever!”
Celestia smiled and rested the side of her head on her arm, curling up tighter.
Then suddenly three loud knocks erupted from the door.
Celestia’s eyes flew open and she woke up with a jolt, leaping to her hooves and instinctively sprinting over to her mother’s side.
Vibrant wrapped one wing reassuringly around Celestia and then calmly plodded over to the door, and then turned the knob with her magic and opened it slightly.
The worried eyes of a Royal Guard were on the other side; Curious, Vibrant opened it further so that he could enter the room.
“U-uh, er… your majesty…” The Guard stammered, bowed quickly, and then returned upright and began,
“There’s been an attack on the farthest sector of the kingdom.”
Vibrant’s eyes lit up in shock, and the Guard continued,
“It was within the area where Princess Cloudwhisper was stationed… We’ve lost several soldiers and civilians, and there have been a number of casualties.”
Celestia’s heart lurched. Dreading the answer, she queried,
“...What happened to Princess Cloudwhisper? Is she okay?”
The Guard ducked his head and squeezed his eyes shut, gulped once, and answered,
“She’s… gone missing, your highness.”