The golden sun rose gently in the morning sky, and it’s soft, warm rays pierced the stained glass of the Princess’ personal dining room. In the center of the room sat a modest table with a spread of a variety of pastries and two steaming pots of tea. Princess Celestia and Soarin’ were seated at the table, enjoying a small breakfast. The solar alicorn turned her head and noticed her guard was absent from his post and he hasn't arrived yet. She turned to her son and looked him in the eyes; he was chewing on a muffin.
“How did you sleep last night Soarin’?” Celestia asked giving him a warm smile.
The former Wonderbolt finished chewing and a hoof ran across his face to wipe any crumbs off. “I slept great…”
Soarin’ was interrupted by the loud sound of galloping hooves on the marble flooring of the castle. The doors to the dining room shot open as a unicorn guard rushed in. He looked fatigued, he had bags under his eyes and his helmet was askew. The guard gulped and looked over at the clock and he was two hours late for his post and the Princess was already here.
Princess Celestia turned her head to the door, keeping her calm, regal composure. “I was wondering when you would show up,” she joked.
The frantically galloped to the Princess and bowed before her. “My profuse apologies Princess… my tardiness is a disgrace to the Guard…” He said his voice shaking.
“Please stand, Corporal,” Celestia said gently, her hooves motioning him to stand. “Why were you late?”
The guard-pony stood and took a deep breath, as he tried to calm himself. “I… My wife and I… Our…” He stammered. “Our filly… she woke up with a high fever… I-i… we were scared and took her to… to the hospital… I’ve been there all… all morning…,” the unicorn guard nervously explained, his voice shaking. “Please… please don’t discharge me from the guard… I need this to support my…. My family…” the guard pleaded.
“How is your daughter doing?” Celestia asked with concern.
“They got the fever down, but… she is still sick…”
Celestia quickly stood and slowly trotted over to the distraught guard, and place a comforting hoof on his shoulder. “I, myself am a parent… my son Soarin’,” Celestia said pointing to the light blue Pegasus. “I understand the worry you are feeling and your need to be with your family…”
The guard felt his body relax as the Princess comforted him. “… but my duty…” he protested.
“You have a greater duty to your family… now go be with your wife and your filly. I’ll assure no punishment will come of you and I’ll send my personal doctor to assist in any treatment…” The solar Princess assured and turned to Soarin’. “I will return Soarin’…” Celestia said trotting from the room.
The guard stood there in shock, unsure if this was a test of his loyalty or not. Soarin’ noticed the guard’s unease and placed a few pastries on a tray and a cup of tea; he stood and trotted to the guard. “I’m a father too… I have a filly and colt…” Soarin’ said gently. “Have you eaten today?”
“No…” the guard said softly.
“Here…” Soarin’ gave the tray of food to the hungry guard. “Have something to eat and go to your filly…” Soarin’ said with a warm smile reminiscent of his mother’s.
“Thank you…” the guard said taking a bite of warm muffin and washing it down with a hefty sip of tea. “I need to get going…” the guard finished the makeshift breakfast and quickly headed to the door. “Thank you again, sir…” the unicorn quickly trotted out.
Soarin’ slowly moved back over to the table and sat down and sipped his tea. ‘I don’t know what I would do if that happened Dusk… or Glida’…’ Soarin’s thought trailed off as his wife and foals entered the room.
“Daddy! Daddy!” Dusk and Glida’ yelled as they rushed their waiting father.
Soarin’ felt the two foals arms violently grab hole of his body and he fought to keep his balance. “Good morning Dusk, Glida’… how did my two favorite foals sleep last night?” Soarin’ ask giving each of them a kiss on the forehead.
“I slept great dad…” Dusk answered.
“Yeah dad, and Auntie Lulu told us at a great story,” Glida’ added.
“That’s good to hear Glida,” Soarin’ said ruffling a hoof through his daughter’s mane. “Now, who wants some breakfast?”
The two small ponies quickly nodded, each of them with beaming smile of their faces.
Twilight trotted up to the group of ponies and pulled out two chairs for her colt and filly to sit in. Her horn flared as two apples and two warm, blueberry muffins flew on to two separate plates. “Here you, eat up…” Twilight said.
Dusk and Glida’ climbed into their respective seats. Dusk closed his eyes and tried and failed to pick up his breakfast with his magic. He gave a small defeated sigh and grabbed it with his hoof and began to munch on the warm pastry.
Twilight pulled a chair over to her husband and sat down, slightly leaning in to him. If you were to ask her, she would tell you it was to keep warm, but in reality she just liked being close to him and feeling his soft coat. Her head turned and she gave a small kiss on the cheek. “We have to get ready to go soon,” Twilight said.
“Yeah…” Soarin’ stated finishing his cup of tea. “I was going to go right now…”
Glida’ swallowed the last bite of her apple and looked towards her parents with a quizzical expression. “Where are you going?”
“Your father and I are going out to do a little shopping and we are meeting my parents and Uncle Shining for lunch,” Twilight explained as she poured herself a cup of tea.
The purple unicorn colt looked up at this mom, a few crumbs on his face. “Can we go mommy?” Dusk asked.
Twilight levitated a napkin over to his face and cleaned it off. “No,” she answered as their smiles soon deflated. “… but you do get to spend the day with Nana Tia and Auntie Lulu…”
Princess Luna slowly trotted into the small dining room, yawning after a long night of paper work. “Good Morning, Twilight…” Luna said groggily as she trotted towards the table. As she trotted she failed to notice Glida’ and Dusk jumping from their chairs, galloping towards her and before she knew it, the lunar Princess felt two foals hugging her. “Oh… Hello,” Luna said, startled.
“This day is going to be so much fun,” Dusk exclaimed.
The Princess gave the two foals a look of confusion. “Why is that?” Luna asked.
“We get to spend the whole day with you and Nana Tia,” Glida’ answered happily.
Luna’s face changed from one of confusion to surprise. “That sounds like… fun…”
***
The sun was high in the sky and the Canterlot gardens were filled with the happy yells of two foals. They were running around in the snowy landscape trying to evade a tired Luna.
Luna panted as she tried, fruitlessly, to catch up with the energetic ponies. “Wait…” she called out to no avail.
“You have to catch us Auntie Lulu…” Dusk teased as they reach the entrance to the castle. Dusk and Glida’ stop and look around the area. “Where is Nana Tia…?” Dusk asked expecting the solar alicorn to be present.
Luna finally caught up and took time to catch her breath. “She… she has… she has a meeting…” Luna panted. “Let’s… let’s take some time to rest…”
Dusk and Glida’ sighed and looked around. “Let’s play a new game… Hide and Seek…” Glida’ said.
“Hide and what?” Luna asked and before she could react the two foals were running off into the castle. Luna groaned and took off after them. “Dusk… Glida’… wait…”
The two foals zig-zagged through the halls of the castle trying to escape from the lunar Princess. Dusk looked back and no longer saw their aunt following and saw a large door in front of them. They sprinted into the room and took some time to catch their breath. They looked around and realized that they were in Princess Celestia’s bedchambers.
“Dusk… this is Nana Tia’s room we should go…” Glida’ says not wanting to get into trouble.
“Yeah…” Dusk stopped when he heard the door starting to open. “Luna is here… hide…” Dusk said quietly as they hid behind a large curtain.
Princess Celestia led a brown unicorn stallion into her room. “Thank you for meeting with me,” Celestia stated trotting into the room and sitting.
“Anything your highness…” The former guard replied.
“Do you wanted to know why I wanted to talk to you?”
“Yes… you wanted to know about how I have changed…” the stallion said curtly.
“I’ll let you speak…”
The unicorn took a deep breath. “Soarin’… I learned he has an amazing family and he is happy… I learned that I don’t want Soarin’ to forgive me…I don’t want to be a part of his life…” The stallion said shamefully, as he looked at the ground.
Dusk and Glida’ continued to watch and listen from behind the curtain. “Why are they talking about dad?” Dusk asked in a hushed voice.
Celestia was puzzled fearing that he didn’t change. “Why don’t you want to be a part of his life?”
The unicorn took a deep breath and held his head low in shame. “Why do I deserve to be… I used that colt as a punching bag… I had a bad day and I would give him a couple of strong kicks and maybe a bloody nose for good measure. Why do I deserve to be happy with him… I want him to hate… he should hate me.”
“Why would you…”
“Why!?! Do you know how many times I almost killed him… How many times I wish he would have died… “
The stallion was cut off by the voice of a colt. “Why…?”
Celestia and the former guard turned and saw two foals, a colt and filly, both of then crying their eyes out; a stream of tears flowing on to the floor.
“Why did you want to kill daddy…?”