//------------------------------// // Chapter 20. New bonds // Story: Learning to see Luna, the story of Vivid Colour. // by Hope //------------------------------// Vivid was quickly bustled into a side room with Lemon, and guards at the door. The queen and the rest of her retinue seemed as shocked by the sudden revelation as Vivid was, and it made sense to split everypony up and sort it out to avoid another outbreak in a public court session. But Vivid was almost alone now, Lemon patting her back in a cold room half a world away from Luna. It felt like she'd only made mistakes, coming here. All the lauded effort Lemon had guided her to had only gotten her here. "I wish Luna was here," she finally admitted out loud. "Could we contact her?" Lemon asked, hid voice betraying that he was as uncertain and nervous as her. "I don't... maybe. But I shouldn't bring her right now. Even if I do ask her to come here, I should wait until the court is back in session and the queen allows it," Vivid explained, putting her head between her hooves and sighing. "It's like being in purgatory," Lemon said, moving closer to her. "No, no, remember? No purgatory," Vivid said bitterly. "No heaven either if Luna and Celestia aren't gods." That took the last bit of wind out of Lemon's sails and he started sniffling, crying quietly. Vivid put an arm around him after a bit, and held him. They were both lost, but at least they'd see this through and she'd see Luna again. It took quite a while before the door opened. Long enough that Lemon stopped crying and dried his face. "The queen shall see you privately, Lady Colour," the guard said. But Vivid paused and put a hoof to Lemon's side. "I need my assistant." The guard looked between them before sighing and nodding. They were led down the halls to a separate room, in which Vivid and Lemon found the queen sitting on a cushioned seat. The queen gestured, and both of them sat down to face her. "You have been sentenced to death, Vivid, but that death was avoided. I have made the choice to commute your sentence as served." Vivid felt a horrible weight vanish from her back. Tears sprung to the corners of her eyes, and she smiled just a little. "This decision has not been popular among my assistants and advisors," the queen said before Vivid could speak. "But I've grown accustomed to following my intuition. My intuition tells me that your story has more to it than the impulsive murder of two colts." Vivid's stomach dropped, her mouth suddenly dry. "Of course, your majesty..." The queen arched an eyebrow. "Elaborate." Vivid, feeling very small, and very hurt, looked down at the floor before speaking quietly. "The Nail boys were only kind to me until I stopped giving them sweets," she started. "When I moved into my own home, I no longer had the coins for sweets, you see... Grew my own food. Sold carvings for the rest. I'm blind and back then my magic could only let me see a small distance around me, so I could not do many kinds of work... They thought I was just cruel. No longer giving them those gifts. Such a small thing..." Her voice was trembling, but noone stopped her, as she caught her breath. She had to continue. "They took to dropping clods of dirt on me when I would walk by. I never knew when it would happen. By my house or middle of town, none stopped it so I was alone in it. I struggled, yes, I asked them to stop, but they just laughed..." She fought against tears that threatened to fall, and Lemon's hoof gently rested on her back. "That day, they decided dirt wasn't enough." Her fearful expression had turned to rage, and her shoulders hunched tight as though she was being pummeled again. "Stones. pebbles first but then larger. They wouldn't stop and I'd heard of unicorns casting out shields before. Shields that would make them stop, that would protect me like no pony seemed willing to do. So I sent out my magic in a bid to make them stop and... And it made them stop," she concluded with a bitter tone of finality. "So you didn't intend to kill them, and were acting in self defense," the queen concluded. "But you did not use that line of reasoning in court, why?" Vivid sighed, hanging her head. "I... felt that it would be even worse for me if it came out that they were bullying me for a longer period. Their mother may have then brought up the reason they were bullying me. I'm..." She found it physically hard to speak. So many ponies knew, but this was the queen of the country she'd grown up in. This was the mare that had made the laws that Vivid was breaking, just by existing. "I prefer mares to stallions, and the boys heard a rumor, and took to bullying me for it," she said nervously. The queen frowned, regarding her with something close to disdain, until she finally asked a question that Vivid had not expected. "Why have you chosen to remain as such, even now? You have power, position, and magic powerful enough to have brought you here, why have you chosen not to find a stallion? It seems such a waste." Gaping, stunned by the queen's lack of understanding, Vivid shook her head. "Your Majesty, I... It is not a choice I've ever made. It is the calling of my heart, the only love I've ever known has been to mares, and with stallions I feel... Nothing but friendship," she insisted. "Lemon here, is a fine stallion, and as a friend he has helped me greatly, but I have no interest in that form." The queen's frown faded to puzzlement, and she stared at Vivid as though trying to understand a very complex puzzle. Vivid let her vision fade slightly, so that she couldn't see the queen's stare in quite as much detail. It was a pale blessing. It seemed like ages until the queen spoke again. "I need to understand this better, clearly. You've tried associating with stallions before?" Vivid grimaced, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "Sort of. But... He held no interest when I was with him. It was miserable, painful to my heart, and despite being so young I knew in that moment that I was not made to pleasure males." "And the harm of this sin, it has not caused you grief?" Vivid huffed, shaking her head. "The only grief I know from my nature is the grief caused by laws and poor view on my person. Even Luna, who I once worshipped, finds no fault in it and in fact supports me. She... Is similar." "Well that is hardly a shock," the queen said with a coy smile. "The books tell of this Alicorn, Luna. The dark sister, who gave herself to spite and bitterness. That she would give herself to mares as well is not so much a stretch." Vivid felt her nose twitch, nearly into a sneer before she regained control of her anger. "May I suggest that we summon Her royal Highness, Princess Luna, and then you may ascertain for yourself if she is as sinful as you believe, your Majesty." "An excellent proposal," Queen Victory nodded, gesturing to the door. "Summon her, and we will have ourselves a meeting of leaders." Vivid stood, bowed and left with Lemon following nervously. "Um... Are you actually going to summon her?" Vivid just nodded. "Is that... Normal? Is it safe?" Vivid shrugged wordlessly as they walked out of the castle and into the garden. "Do you want to... Talk this over?" Lemon asked, a hopeful tone only making him sound more nervous. "No," Vivid replied before finding a large enough area and lighting her horn. With a crack of lightning, her spell formed a viewing pool on the ground in front of her, two pony lengths across. In the surface, depicted in magic, was Princess Luna. "You have called out to me?" Luna said softly. "Her Majesty, Queen Victory of Bitain requests an audience with Princess Luna, as soon as convenient." Luna raised an eyebrow before leaning out of view of the spell and speaking with someone, then leaning back. "I am available. She insulted you in some way, didn't she?" Luna asked grimly. "The laws of Bitain are quite inconsiderate of filly foolers and fops," Vivid said sarcastically. "So some minor disagreement was had." Luna sighed and leaned in closer. "I'll not start a war over it, Vivid. I do hope you know this." "I do," Vivid snapped, ears flat back against her head. "But I do not have the right words or weight to counter what the queen believes. You know better than any I've heard, how to speak on the subject." Luna hummed and then nodded. "Ten minutes, I will relocate to the source point of this spell." "Thank you, your Highness," Vivid said quietly. Luna chuckled. "Do not begin referring to me as such now, thank me as you should." A hot blush grew on Vivid's cheeks. "Thank you, my love," she said more quietly, more earnestly." Luna blew her a kiss, and the spell ended. "She... Adores you," Lemon said softly. "I don't know why I expected anything less. But to see it... I will look forward to meeting her," he said with a smile. When Luna appeared, the moon briefly blacked out the sun, winds sprung to life around the castle, the air suddenly cold. The sun burned like a ring of flame around the black moon and, with the roar of the wind and silvery light, Princess Luna appeared in front of the castle doors, accompanied by a scribe, two guards, and an attendant. Vivid stepped forward as the moon passed the sun and returned to the horizon, and Luna embraced her. "You are safe?" Luna asked. Vivid just nodded, not wanting to speak. "Good. Now let us sort this old law from the books," Luna said firmly before leading the procession up to the door and then knocking. As Princess Luna, her retinue, and Vivid entered the hall again there were audible gasps from every corner of the great hall. Ponies hidden behind tapestries and peeking around door frames as a living god, straight from their history, entered the castle. Queen Victory stood, on her throne, and still just barely stood over Luna's height. Vivid wondered if Luna was magically enhancing herself, but with a quick glance at her love, she could see nothing had changed but her bearing. Princess Luna stood proud, and walked with such grace and sureness that every hoofstep's sound seemed deliberate. The swirling cloud of stars that served as her mane and tail seemed to billow out behind her like a banner, and her simple gleaming silver regalia seemed to outshine the impressive jewelry and shining gems that covered the queen. They stopped at an appropriate distance from the throne, and Princess Luna smiled ever so slightly. For a bit, the queen seemed frozen, before finally blinking away the shock and nodding to Princess Luna. "We welcome her royal highness, Princess Luna of Equestria, to the great land of Bitain. This session of court will now begin. Princess Luna, you are permitted to speak." Luna bowed, just a little, before looking back up to the queen. "The land of Equestria greets you and yours, fondly and with hope for the future, Queen Victory," she said with smooth and untroubled tone to her voice. "In this visit it is our desire to address three matters of importance to ourself and our country. Firstly, and of the greatest importance, is the peaceful and beneficial relations between our lands. Secondly, we would like to endeavor to change your mind in regards to certain laws of morality which may be unjust. Third, we should become friends. Equestria is a place of friendship, of care and love for eachother." She looked briefly to her assistant, and Vivid realized it was Fine Line, her Castilian. Fine stepped forward with a scroll and passed it to the Queen's assistant, who delivered it to the queen herself. "This document outlines a proposed limited alliance between our lands," Luna continued. "One which will not require any military intervention between us, but will establish trade regulations, communication methods, and normalization of certain diplomatic laws. In this way we can begin bringing the world together in harmony under our joined banners. For the good of all peoples."