//------------------------------// // 3. Night-Time // Story: The Name of Our Mistakes // by ObabScribbler //------------------------------// 3. Night-Time Celestia hated administration but understood that it was part of being a proficient ruler. Monarchs who allowed all decisions to be made by somepony else were weak and feeble, usually out of touch with their subjects and risking inadvertent tyranny through their own laziness. So much could be done in a ruler’s name without them being aware of it, and who suffered in those instances? The populace. She had sworn that would never be the case in Equestria. This country was to be a paradise and would not fall into the same traps as the Crystal Empire. She was still hounded by guilt over the Empire. They could have been great allies. Instead, they were her biggest regret. Luna had said she wanted to investigate stories of what was happening there several months before Celestia finally agreed to go. She hadn’t wanted to leave Equestria; worried that without the steadying influences of its princesses it would fall to wrack and ruin. What if they were to be killed in battle? Equestria was too new, too defenseless to be left alone while they went to risk their lives dealing with another nation’s problems. The doors to her study clanked open. She really should talk to somepony about oiling those hinges. Metallic hoofsteps told her exactly who had come to see her. “Good morrow, dear sister.” “Yes. Good morrow,” said Luna. “Sister, I do bring to thee a request.” Celestia looked up. “Oh?” From whom? There were plenty of the nobility too cowardly to ask her for things themselves. It was possibly they thought the younger of the two princesses would make a good messenger on their behalf. “I wish to extend the night.” Celestia blinked, unsure whether she had heard correctly. “Thy request is … peculiar, dear sister. Pray tell wherefore this request doth originate?” “Neither the where nor the wherefore matter,” Luna replied. She blinked rapidly, her eyelids appearing parched and wrinkled. She looked a great deal older than when Celestia had last seen her, though that was only a few hours prior. This sickness had taken violent hold and was no apparently affecting Luna’s mind, too. “What say thee to my request?” “What should I say but nay?” Celestia rose from her table and trotted to her sister’s side. “Luna, thou art unwell. Thy judgement be much clouded if thou thinkest such a supplication wouldst meet with ought else.” Luna backed away, hissing. Celestia halted abruptly. She had never heard Luna made such a noise before. It was almost feline. “And thy judgement is much impaired by thy self-regard,” Luna replied. “Ponies slumber through my night and forego its beauty. Their dreams are all of daylight and the glory of sunbeams. Fairness dictates that this be rectified, if we are truly equals in our ruling of this land.” She narrowed her eyes at Celestia. “Or be that another untruth?” “Dear sister, I know not what thou sayeth,” Celestia protested. Did Luna truly think she had placed herself above her in their diarchy? They were equal in all things. “Your tongue speaketh of equality but their hoof rules alone. What scrolls are these that I have not seen?” She gestured at the paperwork on Celestia’s table. “Mere triflings – farmer disputes and suchlike,” Celestia started to respond. Luna brought both forehooves down on the stone floor in a bone-jarring stamp. “Mere triflings by thy estimation! Not mine! I was not even allowed to judge whether I would wage my interest in their outcome. How canst thou speak of us ruling as equals when thy thoughts turn not to me over even such a small thing? Ponies do not bring their ‘disputes and suchlike’ to my Moon Court. They reserve them for thy attention at the Sun Court and lay them before thee for thy judgement. How, then, am I ever to look upon and comprehend the manoeuvrings and intricacies of ruling Equestria when Equestria chooseth thee and thou dost permit it? Wherefore didst thou not call me to see these documents? Wherefore didst thou think to look upon and solve them alone when the moon is high and I am awake?” Celestia bowed her head – something she would have done for no other pony. “My apologies, dear sister. I’ll allow that I thought not of thy feelings in this matter, nor in those others thou hast mentioned. I will not affront thee again in this manner.” Luna nodded imperiously, staring down at her sister with her chin tilted high, like she smelled something bad. “Good. And what of my request?” “Luna, it would be ruinous for Equestria if we were to give more hours to night. We have made our calculations to best suit the seasons and crops to feed our ponies. The pattern is set. ‘Twould be dire if our personal sensibilities were to affect those who look to us for protection and guidance.” “They look to thee,” Luna snarled and stalked out, lashing her tail like an angry cat. Celestia was left stunned behind another slammed door.