War demands sacrifice of the people. It gives only suffering in return.
FREDERIC CLEMSON HOWE
Why War
Fear has gripped me. Right now I even struggle to hold the pen to the page without my hoof shaking. I can’t believe this is happening, my mind cannot process what’s going on in any rational way. I’m lucky enough to be sitting here in the basement of the bakery unharmed. The sirens are blaring, it stings my ears with every pass and takes my already shallow breath away. I know what they mean, I heard them only once in my childhood long ago and they have been silent ever since.
Canterlot is under attack.
I’ve been watching the streets from the slit window in the basement for about two hours now. Something happened at the castle, but I’m not sure what. A sizable chunk of the North Wing has collapsed. No, exploded is more accurate, a chunk of marble pylon is currently embedded halfway through my bedroom wall. The streets are flooded with creatures of all kinds, running and screaming and gawking at the chaos. The Solar Guard are out in force unlike I’ve ever seen, orders to evacuate to shelter barely cutting their way through the sirens.
My mind is too focused on the smoke rising from the North Wing. Celestia’s chambers are up on the highest point of the tower, the same place where the smoke billows from. I can’t fathom the worst in this, Celestia is strong and brilliant. Certainly no attempted assassination or coup could touch her. The worst feeling is the knotting in my stomach at the lines connecting in my head. Canterlot Castle is an impenetrable fortress at it’s best, security spells and enchantments everywhere. Only someone who knew what to look for, what to bypass or even what checkpoints to cross could get anywhere near those chamber doors.
Luna is the only word coming to my mind. Was this the war the Night Guard have been talking about in hushed whispers? Was this what she meant when she said she would pray for me? Hoping I would somehow make it out of an attack of her making? It just cannot be possible. Luna would never do that, not again. How could she even think about hurting her sister again. Or was she trying to do worse? No, no it has to be something else. Some force that is stronger than the enchantments of the best mages in the land, no spell is truly impenetrable. Something else, something extremely powerful has to be causing this. I cannot accept the signs pointing to Luna, I just can’t accept the mare I gave my life to in service doing something like this. It’s the only possibility that makes sense. I cannot reason with myself why I can’t accept that possibility.
And yet the moon has not risen tonight.
It’s not safe to go out yet, but I need to figure out why. I need to make sure Celestia and Luna are okay. They are friends to me as much as they are my rulers, even if my retired armor upstairs shines with the pale blues of the Night. I’ll probably go out after I finish writing this, it’s a stupid idea but maybe one of the Solar Guard knows what’s happening and can clarify this, ease my mind a bit.
If I do not return, I pray to whoever finds this that Equestria is still standing and that my friends are okay.
-Diary of Countess Sweet Bun, Entry 167. Hour 2 of the War.
My worst fears turned out to be true. Forgive me, little book, if my words and thoughts are scattered, but things are weighing on me heavily now.
I never worked up the courage to leave the basement, not until the sirens ended anyways. I was too busy running through the horrid thoughts in my head over and over, too paralyzed in disbelief to move. I never made it out to track down a guard to find out what madness was going on, and as fate would have it I didn’t need to. The Guard came to me.
Two of them, I recognized them as recruitment officers, came to my door at the first peak of light above the horizon. They had left behind the usual dress uniform, adorned head to hoof in shining gold armor, engraved with protective runes that put off the faintest of pale yellow hazes. Armor made for protection against powerful weaponry. They only said one thing to me before handing me a hastily written roll of parchment.
“Equestria requires your services. Report to Canterlot Castle within the next two hours. May the Sun guide you.” With that they left, I was stunned. There had never been a draft in the current history of Equestria. Names were kept on the rolls for obvious reasons, but it had never been used. It was the scroll that fully solidified that the fears I had held this night were true.
On This, the First Day of the Fourth Month, Year of XXXX.
Countess Sweet Bun, having served honorably in the Equestrian Military, who has taken an Oath of Loyalty and Honor to Princess Celestia in your capacity as a noble, are required to report to Canterlot Castle for assignment into the 1st Equestrian Army. Failure to appear within two hours of this notice shall constitute an act of High Treason.
May the Sun Guide You.
It was the lack of a mention of Princess Luna that sealed the truth that she was behind the attacks in some capacity. My Oath had not been to Celestia alone as the letter made it out to be, I had been a Night Guardsmare after all. No, it had been to the Sisters and to Equestria, I did not want to make the distinction against two of the creatures I respected the most. But a declaration of war, handed to me in the form of this damnable draft letter, without a mention of Luna made the thoughts ring with the horror I had been imagining for hours now.
I have to go, but I’m not leaving you behind again friend. Wherever this ends up leading, I need some way to vent.
I need to speak with Celestia, which could prove difficult in the current state of affairs. I hate the thought of having to use my noble standing to muscle my way into a meeting but it may be my only choice. Even if it means risking treason.
But it’s clear now, Equestria is at war with itself in a way that has not been seen for over a thousand years. And that thought is the worst one in all of this.
-Diary of Countess Sweet Bun, Entry 168. Hour 7 of the War.