Chapter 36:
Peace Court
The throne room of Castle Canterlot was packed beyond capacity. Unicorns and earthen were packed so tightly on the main floor that anypony wishing to move had to negotiate with their neighbours, who’d negotiate with their neighbours. The air above was filled with the sound of wings beating as pegasi attempted to hover without blocking anypony’s view. The guards no longer had to shout somepony off the chandeliers. Instead any pegasus who felt tired zoomed to the balconies and hanged with one hoof clinging to the balusters. This lead to the balconies being girded with a colorful band of bodies. From the ground they looked amusingly similar to a cluster of giant fruit bats.
Technically the time was fit for Day Court, yet Celestia sat beside the Throne of Night and Day. Luna sat on the other side of the empty chair. Cadence stood behind them both, together with Shining Armor. The three princesses were nervous, but Armor looked downright depressed. Behind the royalty stood lesser nobility. Delegates from every major settlement in Equestria had arrived. The Griffon Kingdoms had sent envoys, who seemed mainly concerned with finding out just what the blazes had happened and if it could lead to adding succulent pony meat to the menu of tomorrow, via armed conquest.
Celestia flicked an ear towards Luna as she heard some whispering.
“Shining, can you make any guess what she’ll say?”
The (former) Prince Consort sighed and shook his head.
“The Twilight I knew couldn’t make an entire clergy scramble to carry out her every request. She couldn’t order us all to gather in this room. Luna, I don’t have a clue what Twilight wants.”
“Then why so glum?”
“I’m not entirely sure. Guilt, perhaps? I met her and saw the signs for myself, so I guess I feel a bit responsible for how all of this turned out. If she becomes a tyrant it’s my fault.”
“Armor, I speak to you now backed with all my centuries of experience. This situation is far too complex to assign any kind of responsibility or blame. Don’t torment yourself with regret over things that are apparent only in hindsight.”
Luna kept silent about her own judgement of Twilight’s personality: the unicorn, in her opinion, was most unlikely to be malevolent except unintentionally. She watched Shining calm down while a mischievous thought entered her mind.
“Thank you, Princess Luna. I’ll try not to.”
A soft chuckle escaped the younger diarch’s lips.
“No need to be so formal today, Shining. Who knows? Maybe she’ll strip us of our titles and do the raising of the sun and moon herself.”
Shining Armor’s face contorted into panic and he attempted to stutter out a reply, but he was interrupted by a cascade of murmuring racing through the crowd. Moments later Twilight appeared, power blazing from her windigo form as she hurtled in through the antechamber, leaving a trail of purple mist, and halted in the doorway to the throne room, gazing sheepishly at the crowd in front of her.
“Um. Hello? Sorry I am a bit late. Finding a nursemaid took longer than I thought, and finding one willing to nurse a... you know, never mind.”
Twilight flew to land in the only clear space in the room: the dais directly in front of the Throne of Night and Day. The magical mist covering her back half cleared once she made contact with the ground, leaving her looking merely eldritch instead of terrifying, clad as she was in her armor (without the headpiece), mane and tail flowing like a nebula in deep space and emitting so much excess magic that the air around her crackled and tinkled. And under her breath mumbling a litany that Celestia just barely managed to decipher.
“...Only for now. It’s all right. You’re queen and you can fix this...”
Then the purple unicorn gulped and raised her voice.
“All right. Here we are. So! First things first.”
Twilight’s gaze flickered around the room until it landed on her old babysitter.
“Cadence? I think Diamond Dust stripped you of your titles. Um, you can have them back. Please?”
The pink alicorn looked surprised for a moment before smiling widely at Twilight.
“Thank you, your highness.”
“Just call me Twi – oh wait. We’re in court and I’m qu – yes. Thank you. Next... aheh, I guess it’s time for me, as sovereign of the victorious part of this conflict, to state my demands?”
Celestia and Luna exchanged a cautious glance before the Princess of Day spoke.
“If that’s what you want, my queen.”
Twilight winced.
“Okay, that just sounds so wrong to my ears. Please, Celestia... etiquette be damned, call me Twilight. Right! Um, first... I want the additional rules and laws as stipulated by the Three Lances’ Peace Accord, as well as the mentioned Peace Accord itself, erased and made void.”
Twilight’s words didn’t echo in the packed hall, so silence ensued immediately when she stopped talking. Confused faces were evident everywhere. An elderly statespony cleared his throat and raised a cautious hoof.
“Excuse me, Queen Fulcrum, but are you referring to the Four Spears’ Contract of the year of red lightning?”
“No, sorry, that’s another agreement entirely. I’m not surprised you haven’t heard of this one, since it’s almost fifty-five thousand years old.”
The courtroom was filled by confused chattering. Twilight stood unmoving, waiting for it to die down, when a hoof rapped thrice sharply on the marble floor and a familiar voice called for silence. Trixie met her prophet’s inquisitive stare with a quick and embarrassed flicker of her own eyes. Twilight nodded her thanks.
“Yes, it’s that old and yes, Equestria is still governed by it.”
She turned towards the three alicorns.
“What do you say? I need to hear answers from all three of you.”
Celestia, Luna and Cadence looked at each other in confusion. Then the Day Princess turned to Twilight and spoke.
“How can Equestria still be governed by it, my q – Twilight? None of us have ever heard of it, so we certainly can’t enforce any of it.”
“You might have forgotten it, but Harmony never forgets.”
Another short silence developed, this time undisturbed by anything more than a slight smack of wingtip against wingtip and a whispered apology from among the chandeliers. Then Luna spoke.
“Can you show us this document or tell us about it?”
“Yes.”
All external magical emissions disappeared from Twilight, except for a bright white halo around her horn. Her mane and tail reverted back to normal hair. Then there was a rustling sound and a mass of parchment appeared in the air in front of Twilight before falling to the floor. The princesses grabbed random pieces of document and scanned the text.
“Tia, can you read this?”
“...Yes.”
“So can I, and I don’t know how.”
Twilight cleared her throat.
“To put it simply, this is a peace agreement between what then passed as Equestria and another nation. Said nation agrees to be annexed by Equestria, provided that certain parts of its laws are incorporated into Equestrian law as well. You can read it because Harmony translates for you.”
Luna looked up from the parchment she was holding and stared at Twilight.
“A cursory reading seems to indicate that most of the purpose of these laws were to forbid any excess knowledge in the general public?”
“You are correct. The higher your social standing the more you get to know. The nation in question tried to rule through obscurantism: they held that ignorant ponies were easier to govern.”
Celestia shook her head in confusion and lowered the parchment she was holding in her magic.
“This is barbaric and repugnant, and I could certainly see why it shouldn’t stain the law books of Equestria, but is it really relevant after all this time? Why bring it up?”
“I told you. Harmony never forgets! That set of laws is being enforced to this day. Ponies are encouraged not to question how society works, or why. Those that persist quickly find themselves the targets of Harmony’s ire. Those who repent are made to forget. Those that don’t are cast out of Harmony and made into targets... foes. I am queen now, and thus I can tell you anything it pleases me to... but before long, unless those rules are rendered void, those present today would be made to forget all about it. With little nudges in your minds Harmony would restore your ignorance. So I tell you again: I want that peace agreement and all those rules struck off from the books. Do you agree to this?”
The three princesses didn’t need to confer. A quick exchange of glances was all it took before they all nodded to Queen Fulcrum. What happened next caught them off guard, however. Twilight’s eyes lit in the manner they always glowed when channelling her Element, and her entire body lifted. Ripples in the air coursed out from her form and raced outwards while a deep bass tone rang as if a gigantic bell had been struck. A pressure against the temples that everypony present had previously been unaware of relented, making them relieved and confused. Twilight levitated back to the floor and her eyes closed, a serene smile playing on her lips.
“I have gripped the thread... and the unravelling can begin.”
Then the half windigo, half unicorn opened her eyes and gave Luna and Celestia mournful glances.
“I’m afraid this next part is going to be very painful for the both of you. My next demand is that a law be made stating that Harmony shall immediately restore to all living ponies the memories it has erased. We – we will most probably need to take a break immediately afterwards, so I want the court to be adjourned until tomorrow morning once the law comes into effect.”
The diarchs stood unmoving, glancing towards each other, expressions of uncertainty and reluctance strengthening on both faces.
“You are telling me and Luna that... we’ve acted badly while under the influence of Harmony... and then been made to forget?”
“Yes, Princess. I think Luna is even aware that much of her memory has been taken from her.”
The princess of the night sighed and nodded at Twilight.
“You have my agreement. Though the reunion might be painful, I am lesser without my stolen memories.”
Celestia nodded as well, though slowly and with wide eyes staring at the unicorn queen.
“I don’t know why I feel so afraid to do this, my q – Twilight, but... I feel I must. If I have committed wrongs I have to set them right.”
Twilight met her gaze and fought to keep away a tearful grimace.
“Princess, it – it might be too late for much of that, but we shall see.”
Finally, Cadence nodded as well.
“You haven’t mentioned me, but I too have lived a long time by now. I guess I might be affected even though you don’t know about it? In any case, I can’t deny Celestia or Luna what is rightfully theirs.”
The Ashen Queen nodded, took a deep breath and held it for several seconds before letting it rush out in a command.
“This court is adjourned. I want the room cleared except for the Element Bearers, the Princesses, and whoever else the ponies I mentioned want to stay with them. Trixie? Please find ink, a quill and some scrolls, then come back.”
The courtroom emptied quite rapidly considering how overflowing with ponies it had been. In the end the only unmentioned pony to remain was Shining Armor, standing next to Cadence and looking warily at Twilight. The Element of Magic looked at her friends and hung her head.
“Girls, when I formally create this new law the princesses are going to be flooded with, uh, unpleasant memories. I want you to help me comfort them, if that’s alright with you.”
They arranged themselves so that Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor and Twilight sat next to Celestia and Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Cadence and Rarity sat by Luna. Then Twilight turned her head and dictated to Trixie.
“Please write this down. I, Queen Fulcrum of Harmony, hereby decree that all memories taken by Harmony in accordance with the requirements of the Three Lances’ Peace Accord shall immediately be restored to their rightful owners.”
“...Got it, Honoured Queen Fulcrum.”
“Thank you.”
Twilight levitated the parchment from Trixie’s grasp and concentrated. A watermark resembling her own cutie mark appeared on the paper right before the document began to glow with a white outline. She threw her hooves around Celestia’s neck and hugged tight, while the sun princess gasped and her entire body twitched, memories dripping into her conscious mind like ink into water, staining, spreading and combining to form an ever darkening picture. The ever increasing shock and horror was evident on Celestia’s face, and her head swivelled slowly until she was staring, mouth agape, at the statues in the garden.
Behind her, Luna, the more clandestine ruler, howled with despair and tore herself from the ponies comforting her, taking flight and escaping through a doorway. Celestia shut her eyes and mouth and began to shake violently before she soundlessly turned into a ray of sunlight and passed through a window, disappearing in the air outside. The remaining ponies expressed dismay and an intention to chase after the diarchs, but Twilight stopped them.
“Let them go, for now. I will go to them tomorrow, before court resumes.”
~~~~~
Twilight found Celestia lying on the frozen ground beneath Silver Gavel’s broken statue. The solar princess lay on her back, one wing and two legs touching the worn stone and her face pointed at the sky, eyes open and unblinking. The windigo landed a short distance away and switched to her pony aspect before walking the final distance to the princess. Then she sat down on the other side of the statue, with her back resting against it. She scuffed the ground idly, cleaning the snow away from the dirt and dry grass.
“I talked to Luna just now. She’s actually happy: she’s remembering something of her parents.”
The following silence lasted for several minutes. Twilight was prepared to wait, however. Even without looking at Celestia’s face she could tell that her words were stirring something within the princess. When Celestia did speak her voice was weak and cracked.
“Her parents?”
“Yes. It turns out you’re not sisters by family. You are much older, born from an earlier dynasty.”
“I don’t remember anything about my parents.”
“I’m sorry about that. Time, not Harmony, took those memories from you. I could teach you divining spells that will let you look into the past and let you find out what you’ve forgotten. Now that knowledge of Harmony no longer is so volatile, many of the spells in Luna’s library can be released to the general public. Would you like that?”
“Yes. I’d like that very much.”
“All right. There’s another spell I also think you might be interested in right now, Celestia. I used the library last evening to do some research and came up with a way to pull a spirit into a temporary body, letting it interact directly with the material plane.”
“Wh – why would that interest me?”
When Twilight didn’t answer, Celestia turned away from the sky and looked at her faithful student. The purple unicorn was looking at her, craning her head around the corner of the statue, but when their eyes met Twilight switched her gaze up to the empty air above the statue base. It didn’t take long for Celestia to understand, and the realisation made her dizzy and nauseous. She sat up and brought her head close to her student’s.
“I want to see her! Cast the spell!”
Twilight did as told. Her horn erupted in golden fire at the same times as a brilliant mote of light appeared above the stone block. Guided by Twilight’s horn, the mote floated down off the pedestal to hover above the ground. Grass, snow, sand and dirt erupted from the area around it and hid it from view, forming a pony-shaped shell that quickly gathered mass and solidified. It was prone, lying on the ground as if sleeping.
Silver Gavel opened her eyelids slowly, revealing dull, glassy eyes lit from within by a golden glow. She saw purple legs walk in front of her, and a sympathetic face lowered itself to meet her gaze.
“Hello again, Silver.”
“Twilight Sparkle?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ve cast a spell that gives your spirit form and lets it act.”
The construct looked down upon her body, noting the materials it was composed of, prodding it and turning it this way and that before looking back up with apparent trepidation.
“If you can do this... then why not just release me?”
Twilight shook her head and smiled sadly.
“You are sharp. We could’ve been such good friends! Two reasons. One, your spirit is much too old. The instant I returned you to your biological form you’d die of old age. Two... I’m afraid item one is academical, really. Your body... your statue... see for yourself.”
Silver Gavel’s head swivelled in the direction Twilight pointed. Then she stood and walked slowly up to the empty pedestal. She sat down in front of it and peered, mouth slightly ajar, down at the four imprints of stone hooves on its upper surface. She had ignored Celestia, who was nailed to the spot where she sat, staring at the construct with a mixture of woe and horror, but after a while Gavel’s eyes turned to meet the princess’ gaze.
“Silver... I’m sorry.”
A hoof of hard-packed snow and dirt reached out and gently wiped away the tears from the princess’ face.
“Oh Celestia. It’s not your fault. The False Harmony did this to us.”
The princess of Day lost her remaining composure and embraced Silver Gavel in a powerful hug while sobbing loudly. Twilight chose to remove herself discreetly and walked over to the balustrade at the edge of the gardens. She gazed down and out over the lands, drinking in the view.
Verdant green was everywhere, faded almost to black in the pre-dawn gloom. The white of snow was only visible where the ground was bare, such as the places where naked mountain pushed through the soil. The passing fire of the phoenix had caused everything alive to grow a bit, shaking the snow and ice from every tree and plant and making them sprout unseasonal greenery. Twilight had already decided that Winter Wrap-up would be rushed forward this year: half the work was already done anyway. It was time for spring to arrive and for the land to awaken.
The Queen of Ash was interrupted from her ruminations by the sound of two sets of hooves approaching. She turned around and saw Celestia, face still streaked with tears but smiling, and Silver Gavel, piercing stare fixed on Twilight, approach the balusters. They sat down next to her and the Day Princess’ horn flared to life. Twilight could feel the magic flow from the princess, and she coughed politely.
“Celestia, if it’s time for dawn then I wonder if you could do me a favor? Set the sun into its spring orbit. I think it’s best if we ended winter.”
The Day Princess cancelled her magic and shot her a sharp glance.
“Are you going to command the change of the seasons from now on, my queen?”
A furious string of stuttered denial and embarrassment flowed from Twilight, stopped only when she spotted Celestia’s mischievous grin. She felt her cheeks burn so hot that she idly wondered if her fur would catch fire.
“If you’re going to poke fun of me I just might.”
Celestia laughed heartily, her mood improving visibly. Then she resummoned her magic, raising the sun above the horizon. Meanwhile Silver Gavel walked up to Twilight and sat down in front of her, gazing at her with disapproval.
“I thought we agreed that the False Harmony had to go, Twilight. Yet now I hear you’ve made yourself queen? Sure, you’ve removed the obscurantist laws... but why not just end it all immediately?”
“Because simply removing it would most likely cause ponies to end up killing each other in a never-ending string of wars and other conflicts. Then something like the False Harmony would rise again. We’d end up no better than before. The False Harmony needs to change, yes, but I’m far from convinced it’s best to simply scrap it. I intend to let everypony think about this instead of deciding for them.”
Silver Gavel’s construct looked deep into Twilight’s eyes for a long time. She seemed to search for something. Eventually she backed away, face etched with deep suspicion and mistrust.
“Princess? I accept your second offer. I just can’t leave now. I need to see this through.”
Twilight gazed between construct and princess in confusion.
“What? Accept what offer?”
Celestia bowed her head and nuzzled Silver Gavel on the neck.
“I offered two things. First I offered to let her rest. I offered to – to disrupt her prison... and bury her remains. Second, I offered to enchant a phylactery for her and give her a body to inhabit.”
“What?! But Princess—!”
“Not like Libram, no. We’ll construct a proper magical body and enchant it so she can inhabit it. And she’s already existed so far past her natural life span that it just doesn’t matter anymore if we prolong it indefinitely. You do realise she’s older than Libram by more than two hundred years?”
Twilight sat back and digested the princess’ words. Eventually she nodded at Silver Gavel.
“All right. I’m happy with it, actually. When I discovered there was nothing left of your body it kinda hit me hard. I’m glad you’ll get more time to actually live.”
“Don’t be too happy. Fading away was tempting, but I don’t fully trust you, Twilight Sparkle. I’m going to keep an eye on you and what you do to the False Harmony.”
Twilight found that her eyebrows had risen as far as they could go. She shook her head and blinked.
“Uh, I guess that could be good? If you want I could recharge the spell animating your construct so you can attend the court this morning.”
“You do that.”
Celestia frowned and poked the construct with a wingtip.
“Be polite, Silver Gavel! She’s fought hard for Equestria and she’s legitimately its queen!”
“Sorry, sorry... Thank you, Queen Twilight.”
“We’ve shared the same pedestal, so we can skip formalities. Call me Twilight.”
She coughed again and looked nervously at Celestia.
“Right, then... is there anypony else I should... reanimate?”
The Day Princess froze for a moment and winced as if something had caused her pain. Then she sighed deeply.
“No... Silver was the only pony that ended up unjustly petrified. There are cases of other kinds of injustice but it’s too late for them.”
“I’m sorry for having to spring all of this upon you, Princess, but there just wasn’t a way to do it gently. Now that you’ve raised the sun it’s time to go to court again. Ready?”
“I am ready, Twilight. Lead the way, my queen.”
Celestia waited for Twilight to react and raised an eyebrow when the title she’d used seemingly went unnoticed. She smiled towards Twilight’s retreating back before following, Silver Gavel’s golem by her side.