by FuzzyFurvert
***
Twilight bit her lip as she scanned her checklist for the third time. She nodded to herself as she mentally re-re-checked the strongylodon macrobotrys, the silene tomentosa, the franklinia alatamaha, the lotus berthelotii, the cosmos atrosanguineus and even the epipogium aphyllum from her book on the famous Canterlot Garden’s rare flowering plants. They were all there in glorious color, soaking up the midday sun overhead.
One plant, however, refused to be identified. It was a small, low to the ground plant with somewhat narrow, curling leaves and a single purple flower that had six petals in a star formation. It sat in the west end of the garden where it got a lot of shade from the much taller hedge and nearby fruit trees and would be easily overlooked. She only noticed it because it was almost the same shade as Celestia’s eyes.
Twilight turned to her mentor and gestured toward the offending bloom. “Princess? Do you know what the name of that flower is? I can’t find it anywhere in this book.”
Celestia looked up from her own reading and glanced over where Twilight pointed. Her eyes widened slightly and she gazed at it without blinking for a long time.
“It has no name. At least, no name in modern Equish. Very long ago, it was called “ανατολή”, in an old, dead tongue.”
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The procession slowly wandered through the streets of Everfree, eunuchs in gold and red robes chanted softly as they carved a path through the throng of ponies, griffins and dragons. In the middle of the long procession, under a cloth pavilion carried by hulking drakes, trotted the high priestess, their once and future Queen, bedecked in gold and jewels from horn to hoof.
She rattled and jingled with every step, the fortune of entire nations covered her flanks and reflected light off the close by buildings. She moved with unnatural grace as the common creatures around her suplicated themselves to the dirt, their loud chatter halting at her approach until long after her passing. She regarded the rabble as she walked, using just her eyes, careful not to focus her attention too strongly. Her gaze could set mountains on fire. Should the object of her attention not catch fire, her eunuch priests would swarm and mete out her justice.
Despite her attempts at disinterest, a flash of color in a dark alley caught her eye. She stopped and tilted her head, making her golden jewelry sing like a wind chime. A thin stallion in a dirty cloak lay in the alley next to a worn cart filled with plants. A singular flower stuck out from the rest, it’s star shaped petals reflecting the color of her own eyes. Around her, the gold and red robed eunuchs surged forward to drag the flower, cart and pony before her.
The stallion was thrown on his face at her hooves, his cart overturned and possessions displayed before her. The Sun Priestess lifted the flowering plant in her magic and breathed in its light scent.
“What is this flower called?”
“σούρουπο.” The stallion coughed into the ground, but turned his eyes to look up at her.
“I have never seen it before.”
“It only blooms when times of great change comes, Goddess. The Wild of Everfree whispers its-”
The stallion said no more. His blasphemy silenced by her faithful priests. They hauled him away and returned the other plants to the alleyway. She kept the flower. It would look good in her gardens.
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Twilight turned the word over in her mouth. It felt foreign on her tongue. “What does it mean?”
Celestia kept her eyes on the bloom and sat in silence for several more seconds. “It means: sunrise. I suppose ancient ponies named it because of it’s pre-dawn sky coloration.”
“Why isn’t in these floral catalogues?”
“Because it only blooms in time of change.” Celestia swallowed. “The last time I saw it was just before I lost Luna to the Nightmare.”
“Is that why you seem worried?” Twilight leaned into Celestia’s side, nuzzling her side.
“Yes,” Celestia lied.
“It’ll be ok. You have Luna back, you have the Elements at your command.” Twilight’s nuzzling turned into a gentle trail of kisses along Celestia’s neck. “And you have me now.”
“I… I don’t deserve you though.”
Twilight reached up with one wing and cupped Celestia’s chin, turning her away from the purple flower to the purple unicorn at her side. “Hush. Don’t let the past eat at you any longer. I will always be here to protect you now.”