Celestia awoke to the impeccable roar of voices near the palace. Shining armor stood at her bedside solemnly declaring that it was time to begin. In a daze, the tall alicorn picked herself up and out of the bed and levitated her jewel encrusted tiara softly onto her head. Her eyes drooped as servants brought her tarts upon silver trays while they hastened to the courtyard. A purple aurora encircled one of the treats and delivered it to the sun god's mouth.
"They are assembled?" She asked between chews.
"Yes m'lady." The captain of the guard responded formally.
"Really now shining, you mustn't act so stuffy all the time. If I didn't know you better I would say you might be a changeling." she chuckled.
"That isn't something to joke about princess..." he responded rather cautiously.
"Quite, how is our ace in the hole?" She said, eager to change the subject.
"Ready for you to signal him." He remarked indifferently. "A crafty one, that guy is."
"Indeed he is..." her voice trailed off as they rounded a corner and climbed the steps that lead to the balcony. Celestia looked left to right and noticed something. Where is Luna and the minister? They always accompany me to speeches. Before they could make it fully up the stairs they were cut off by a distressed looking Cadence.
"Celestia, Luna and Ferdinand have betrayed us." Her look of distress was slowly turning into one of delight. "I saw them speak against you last night. I knew they were traitors auntie!" Celestia thought about what her neice had just told her after raising an eyebrow. They both were mysteriously missing, and what reason did she have to doubt the pink princess? As the thought of her betrayal swept over the snow white alicorn anger welled up inside her.
"And exactly why didn't you say something to me?" The she asked, outraged.
"I-I didn't think you would listen to me..." She muttered.
"Foolish child." The princess breathed in disgust. Cadence watched her aunt walk away not believing what she had just said to her. Celestia's gauntlet clad hooves clacked loudly on the marble floors until her face could be seen by the audience and the sound was completely drowned out by shouting. The guards struggled to hold the furious crowd inside their perimeter. A few pegasi threw fruit at the princess, but it was cut off mid flight by a magical barrier. Celestia looked indifferent, yet annoyed as she saw her subjects openly display their defiance in such a crude manner.
"Quiet my subjects." Even in the monotonous drone she had used, her royal Canterlot voice hushed the entire crowd. She breathed in sharply and through her own willpower she cracked a benevolent smile.
"My subjects, my friends..." Her voice came off light-hearted and friendly. "What has been forced into your heads to make you so unhappy with me?" She received a plethora of answers. "Alright, alright... " She waved her hoof. "I heard someone talk about how we were defenseless against the changelings. Did you ever stop to think what might be the reason? If I didn't cut military spending last fall your taxes would have to be ten times higher." A look of apprehension spread across the face of many.
"VILOTYNE IS THE FUTURE HIGH KING OF EQUESTRIA." A pony holding his foal's hand screamed "TYRANNY SHALL DI-" He was cut off as two guards took him by the legs and dragged him away with his foal tagging along. A haughty laugh pierced the scene and Celestia wiped a tear from her eye as she asked the crowd through giggles.
"Do you even know where this Vilotyne is?" She waved a hoof towards Shining armor and a rattling of chains was heard. Escorted by two guards, the revolutionary was battered and his hat had apparently been lost. Vilotyne's feet bore heavy iron shackles that sprinkled rust which ever way he was directed. On his mouth, an iron muzzle had been placed to make sure he couldn't object. As he stepped into sight the crowd collectively gasped. Don't fail me now, you idiots. He thought nervously, a bead of sweat ran down his neck.
"As some of you may have forgotten," Celestia said. "I am the most powerful alicorn in existance." Her horn glowed and the sun flared brightly. "How exactly is this rat" She threw her hoof in the direction of the prisoner. "Going to benefit you more than me?" He could see them in the back of the crowd now, pushing their way to the front as fast as possible. Hurry up!he screamed in his mind. The audience seemed to be split on their allegiance at this point. This is not how it ends. We are not done here. Vilotyne chanted in his head.
"All of these accusations against me are complete fabrications and I simply can not let such destruction go unpunished."
Celestia levitated an apple that had fell from the fruit barrages and lifted it a few feet away from her face. They're near the middle. Come on, hurry up. The white alicorn's horn illuminated even brighter and the apple exploded in a ball of flames. Turning her head to the guards she ordered Vilotyne to be unshackled. The irons dropped to the floor with a loud thump then Celestia used her magic to take off the muzzle and levitate him in the air.
"Any final words sir?" The sun goddess yawned. Come on, just get set up already!I have to stall...
"Not to you ma'am." He made his voice as smooth as possible.
"Very well then-"
"But to my public, I would like to say that I'm sorry for not being able to save us."
"Right, uh-huh... well may the afterli-"
"I wasn't strong enough to save an entire country."
"Just die." She squeezed her eyes shut in concentration and her horn began growing brighter when she was knocked to the ground by an intense beam of light.