Tears of a Princess
Luna stood motionless, her eyes staring down at the wounded mare with her blood pooling around Luna’s hooves. Luna looks down feeling a warm liquid against her, she felt her body shake realizing what it was. Tears started to drip down her navy coat, failing into the blood. Luna tried but failed miserably to hold back her tears at the upcoming sounds of approaching hooves.
"Princess!" a guardpony shouted. He ran over when he was suddenly blasted against the wall. He shouted with his body creating spider web cracks on the wall from the impact.
Luna shouted in desperation, grief, pain, and anger. She fell to the ground and gently held Twilight in her hooves with the princess of the night's cries fill the castle.
Lu… Luna, Twilight managed to open her eyes ever so slightly. She looks at her crying princess, seeing the pain in her facial expression was too much. Twilight closed her eyes as she shed a few tears of her own. When Twilight opened her eyes once more, she widens in shock. Staring back at her were cat slits, No.... there’s... no way-! Twilight groan feeling Luna tighten her grip around her wounded body, shooting pain all throughout.
"PRINCESS LUNA!" a group of guardpony shouted rushing towards them.
"Wait!” A Lunar guard shouted spreading his wings out, stopping all but one solar guard. "WAIT! COME BACK!"
The solar guard ignored the warnings, he went closer to the two Princess when he was suddenly blasted against the wall. The sounds of breaking bones, metal bending from the impact could be heard throughout the quiet night.
"What... Princess Luna...." a solar unicorn said. The remaining guardpony watched Luna rose up to her hooves after she had placed Twilight down. They saw the very familiar cat eyes staring at them; they were able to see the outline of two bat shape wings, gone were the traditional Pegasus wings. The guardsponies stood alert with the moonlight slowly disappearing with the arrival of another cloud.
"Go get Princess Celestia! If anypony can stop this.... it’s her" the Lunar guard said glaring.
"I thought the elements had defended Nightmare Moon?!" one asked with two guards rushing to the solar princess chambers.
"They did! There must be some darkness left, which would explain why only Princess Luna’s wings and eyes have changed and not the rest of her body!" The Lunar guard explained or at least theorized.
"What do we do?" a Pegasus asked watching the Lunar princess glaring at them, waiting for a foolish pony to approach her.
"And why isn’t she attacking us?" the unicorn from before asked.
"I don’t know.... but we stand guard until Princess Celestia can get here" the Lunar guard replied glaring at the princess of the night.
Celestia followed the two solar guards as they lead her to the castle wing her sister was in. She felt her heart racing! She had heard those screams earlier, but she desperately hope her ears were playing a trick on her. There’s no way her sister would fall to the darkness like this! She wouldn’t allow Nightmare Moon to return after spending years trying to redeem herself. No... Luna wouldn’t do this! This must be a mistake.... there’s no way Luna would becoming Nightmare Moon again!
"We believe princess Twilight is wounded!" a solar guard shouted snapping the solar princess from her thoughts.
"Wounded?" Celestia asked quickly turning a corner
"She’s on the ground motionless. We believe she’s wounded and is unable to move" the guard said.
Could that be it?! Did Luna witness or found Twilight wounded? Is that what pushed her to the darkness? No! It’s not the time to think about the how’s. I must.... somehow stop Nightmare Moon. The elements of harmony can’t help us this time! Without the element of magic to initiate the other elements.... they’re just gems! Celestia slowed down seeing her sister guarding over Twilight like a predator would when facing scavengers. Celestia took a deep breath. The only thing she could possibly do was to talk to her sister and bring her back.
"Luna... it’s me, Celestia" Celestia said as she cautiously approached her.
"Princess! Don’t! She already took down two guards already!" a guardpony said glancing over at his wounded comrades.
"Quiet!" Celestia snaps glaring at the guard before returning her attention to the dark alicorn. It was rare for the solar princess to snap or be short tempered towards any pony, but what they were facing... the possible return of Nightmare Moon. She couldn’t allow this to happen!
"Let Princess Celestia do her thing. Just get ready for whatever might happen" the Lunar guard said.
"You sure know a lot about this?" The unicorn stallion said, staring at the bat pony with a suspicious leer.
"Upon her return. Princess Luna gave us the procedures if something like this would to occur. She told us not to confront her unless its to defend ourselves, and to get the elements of harmony. Because Princess Twilight is woinded, we are unable to use that option. Princess Celestia is our only hope of preventing the return of Nightmare Moon."
"I’m sure you would love that! Wouldn’t you, bat pony?" The Pegasus stallion commented glaring at him.
"Just what are you implying?!" The bat pony snap.
"All of you! Quiet!" Celestia snap once more. Celestia’s eyes quickly glance over at Twilight’s body. She immediately noticed the many stab wounds and the pool of blood. A sigh of relief left the princess of the shn’s mouth, at the sight of Twilight's chest slowly moving up and down. She’s alive.... for now. But, I must get Twilight To the hospital.
"Luna, we have to save Twilight. I have to take her to the hospital, Alright?" Celestia calmly said as she continued her approach. "She’s going to be just fine, dear sister. Why don’t you come with me? I’m sure Twilight would love to see you when she awakes?"
Luna’s eyes were fixed on the approaching pony, she backed away slightly allowing her sister to get closer to them.
"I’m going to pick her up now, alright?" Celestia asked stopping in front. She glances at Luna and then Twilight, "Luna.... why don’t you come with us to the hospital?"
Luna growled slightly revealing her sharp teeth. She suddenly grabs Celestia by the throat and pinned against the wall. She leaned in closer with her horn glowing, "Don’t you dare touch HER!" Luna yelled applying more pressure to the white alicorn neck
Celestia grunted and managed to motion her hoof to the guards, who were all on alert and ready to attack. "Guards, take princess Twilight to the hospital now!"
"But, Princess Celestia! We can’t just leave you" the Pegasus guard said.
"I’ll be fine!" she said seeing the hesitation in their eyes, "Go! Now! Twilight must be treated for her wounds right away! Just go!"
The guardpony hesitated for a few moments before the unicorn guard took Twilight in his magic. The Lunar and the solar Pegasus guards ran ahead to alert the medical staff. He gave a nod to the princess of the sun before running to the hospital.
Luna.... Twilight has really brought you this much happiness. Seeing her like this.... pushed you over the edge? Luna, is hardly speaking unlike our last encounter. She’s more concern about Twilight than her anger towards me. Celestia lowered her head slightly, ignoring the pain she was in.
"Luna... I’m sorry for keeping moneybags escape a secret from you both." Celestia said as tears started to overflow from her eyes. "Twilight like this because of me.... because I didn’t warn you in time... and I’m.... so sorry!"
Celestia grunted some more every time Luna pressed down on her neck. She growled and brought her face closer to the solar princess’s ear.
"She’s.... dead because of YOU!" Luna shouted. Celestia opened her eyes slightly hearing how her dear sister’s voice, was a mixture of her own and nightmare moon’s.
"S-she’s n-not d-d-dead" Celestia managed to say. She bit down on her bottom lip and felt Luna loosen her hold around her. "I failed you, Luna.... like I did all those years ago. You needed me then and now, and I didn’t help you. I tried to do everything myself instead of trusting you. I deserve this, Luna. You have every right to be angry at me, unleashing your wraith, but Twilight wouldn’t want to see you like this."
"DO NOT USE HER AS AN EXCUSE TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF THIS SITUATION!" Luna shouted quickly pushing against her sister’s neck, nearly choking her death.
"I-I’m n-not!" Celestia whispered as she started to feel light headed from the lack of air, "I-I know T-Twil-Twilight w-wouldn’t w-want t-this for y-you! A-and s-so do y-you..."
Twilight.... she would be so mad seeing me like this...., Luna slowly released Celestia from her hold, quickly backing away and ignoring her sister’s coughing. Luna back away some more, stopping in front of a glass window, staring at her reflection. "I..... What.... this isn’t me.... this isn’t how Twilight sees me.... how she wants me to be......" whispered Luna with her eyes staring at her bat shape wings.
Celestia a cough slightly more before she stood up onto her hooves. She rubs her neck slightly and walked towards her sister. "Luna, Twilight is with the best medical team in all of Equestria. She isn’t dead, so please don’t lose hope like this."
The Lunar princess closes her eyes, feeling all her anger disappear for the time being. She felt her bat shape wings return to normal along with her eyes. "I’m... sorry.... when I saw Twilight like that.... I couldn’t... I....."
"I understand, Luna," Celestia said quickly taking her sister in an embrace, nuzzling against her cheek. "There is no need for you to apologize or explain yourself. I understand... I’m sorry. Luna, I’m so sorry... this is all my fault...."
"You were only trying to help, sister.... you just wanted to help" Luna replied as she nuzzles against her sister’s coat.
"I failed miserably.... and Twilight got wounded because of me," she said with a deep sigh.
"Twilight...." Luna pushed her sister back and tried to hold back her tears, "Will she be alright? She.... looked.... d-dead....."
"Don’t talk like that, Luna! Of course, she’ll make it!" Celestia replied. She didn’t want to think of the worst case either, she had to stay positive for her sister’s sake.
"But look at the condition she was in! There was so much......." Luna said trailing off as she noticed her hooves covered in blood, "blood...."
"Don’t lose hope, Luna." Celestia said nuzzling her sister’s cheek, "Now, let's go. I’m pretty sure Twilight would like to see you when she wakes up."
Luna and Celestia entered Twilight’s room, both were a bit taken back at the sight of the bandaged-up mare. Twilight’s body was almost entirely bandaged up with a doctor finishing up his notes.
"Ah, princesses." He said placing his clipboard down, giving the two regal princesses a quick bow of the head.
"Dr. Heart Hooves, how is she?" Celestia asked gently closing the door behind her
Love…. What have they done to you? Luna quickly went to Twilight’s bedside, she pulled a chair over with her magic and gently held her hoof as she watched her wife sleep.
"We counted 27 stab wounds across Princess Twilight’s body. There were a few deep ones but luckily, they avoided vital organs. Princess Twilight lost a lot of blood, but we did a blood transfusion. She will be unconscious for a few days because of the blood loss, and the medications we used. We also closed up the more severe wounds, and a few tests to ensure the blades weren't poisoned." Heart explained flipping through his clipboard as he spoke.
"Have you received the results?" Celestia asked
Heart sighed and gave a small nod of his head, he hated this part of the job, especially telling such a thing to the rulers of Equestria.
"Well?! Tell us!" Luna yelled quickly standing from her chair, feeling her sister’s hoof gently pushing her back to her seat.
Heart took a deep breath, he looked down at Luna who stared at him with concern. Dear Celestia, I hate this part…., "Princess Twilight wasn’t poisoned thankfully, but we found signs of specific hormones which are linked to pregnancy." Heart said closing his eyes, "Princess Twilight Sparkle was with foal during the attack. The pregnancy was around 2 to 3 weeks…. the fetus did not survive the attack."
"She was what?" Luna utters quickly looking back at her wife. The lunar princess blinks a few times, remembering how Twilight wanted to tell her something before the summit. Twilight trying to tell her the spell work. The spell had finally worked…. and now they just lost their foal... all in less than week.
"Luna…. I…. I’m so sorry…." Celestia whispered placing a wing around the shocked alicorn.
"We are so sorry, princesses," Heart said placing a hoof on Luna’s shoulder, "Princess Twilight will make a full recovery. We’ll monitor her for a few more days and keep her in the hospital for about a week after she wakes up. But if she hadn’t arrived when she did..... well, I’m sure you know..."
The solar princess gave a thankful nod to Heart, who simply return the gesture with a smile before leaving the room.
We…. We were…. About to have a foal…. And now…. its…. dead…., Luna closed her eyes with tears overflowing once more. She gently held Twilight’s hooves with her own, and placed her forehead against them, crying softly at the foal she never got the chance to know. Their foal she had already loved so much, even though she had learned of its existence moments ago.
"I’m here for you, sister…. For both of you," Celestia softly said sitting beside her sister, wrapping her hooves and wing around the smaller alicorn.
Twilight slowly opened her eyes, she squinted slightly with the sun’s rays hurting her eyes. She let out a soft groan, as she slowly sat up and moan slightly in pain, "Uh…… what…. Happened?"
"Love," Twilight looked down at her bedside and was surprised to see Luna there. Her mane was a mess with tired bangs under her eyes; tears quickly fell from the lunar princess’s cheeks with her hooves quickly embracing her wife. "I was so scared…… I thought…. I lost you…." Luna cried burying her face into Twilight’s mane.
"Luna," Twilight smiled wrapping her hooves around her wife’s neck. The two parted from their embrace with Luna kissing her wife on the lips. The two kissed each other with tears dripping onto the blanket, "I’m so happy to see you," Twilight said once they had parted.
"Twilight, do you remember what happened?" Luna asked noticing Twilight had moved to the side of the bed, allowing the lunar princess to join her wife. A smile appeared on her muzzle as she wraps her hoof around Twilight, making sure to take care where she was placing her hoof.
"I was stargazing…. Then I felt something being put on my horn…. and then a cold, sharp pain…." Twilight said closing her eyes with the memory flashing in front of her eyes, "And that…. Cold…. Warm breath…. Whispering those horrible wounds into my ears…."
Luna sighed softly and gave Twilight a reassuring nuzzles, "I’m here, love," Luna said whipping some tears away with her hoof.
"I…. I was so sacred, Luna…. He was over me…. I couldn’t defend myself. Those monsters placed a spell on me…. Blocking my earth and Pegasus magic. I was completely helpless…." Twilight muffled through her tears, her hooves covering her eyes.
Luna wanted to cry as well but she couldn’t. She needed to hold back her tears and be the support her wife desperately needed, "Twilight, I never want you to experience this ever again…. I failed to keep you safe. There were supposed to be a solar guard in those wings…. And.... it's strange there wasn’t any…. Not a single one....."
Luna hadn’t noticed at first because she allowed her anger take over. But now, thinking back to that night. There wasn’t a single guardpony. Every inch of the castle was guarded, and yet one wing was empty..... the very wing the attacked occurred. There should have at least been three of them? Luna frown slightly and starting to fear the worst. There’s an enemy among us..... I must tell Celestia about this!
"Luna," Twilight mutter clenching the blanket in her hoof. She started to breathe heavily, trying to figure out how to tell her wife they had conceived a foal only to lose it days later. "I…. before the summit…. we…."
"Twilight," Luna placed her hoof against Twilight’s lips, "Dr Heart told me…. about…. the foal…. you don’t have to say it."
"I’m so sorry, Luna! This is all my fault…." Twilight cried clenching down onto Luna’s coat. Luna rested her head on top of Twilight and rub her hoof along her back, "Its all my fault…. I should have been more careful!"
"Love, this is not your fault. Please don’t think like this," Luna reassured as she tightened her grip around the mare, "Don’t you dare think like that. None of this is your fault…. I don’t blame you for this…. I blame myself. I should have done more to keep your safe, and because I was careless… you paid for it."
"But the foal…." Twilight whispered lifting her head up slightly
"We’ll get through this, beloved…. I promise…." Luna replied placing a gentle kiss on her wife’s forehead, "We’ll get through this…. together…."