The Sun Burns Brightly

by Eakin


Everything Is Under Control

THE SUN BURNS BRIGHTLY

EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL

Celestia let out a tired sigh as the magic dissipated from her horn. No fanfare or glory this evening, she just wanted the sun to be down and the day to be over already. She rose up from her throne, startling her team of diplomats and advisors who had been hotly debating the details on the upcoming summit with the North Griffin empire. There were so many last-minute details that seemed to require her personal attention, and so many things that could still go wrong. But she needed a break.

“Thank you very much, everypony,” she said as the last echoes of their arguments faded from the great hall, “we’ll call that a night. Please send word to Ebon Beak with the final arrangements, and make sure he does not require any additional changes before we begin negotiations.”

“Very well, princess,” said Plumed Quill. She fidgeted a bit, unsure if she should go on. “Um... we do need to know your final decision on the issue of the pardon, though.”

Princess Celestia stopped in her tracks. Of course, she’d very nearly managed to force herself to forget that, but no such luck. Certain that nopony could see her face, she squeezed her eyes shut for just a moment before opening them once more. “Draft it for immediate release. I’ll sign it first thing in the morning.”

“As you wish.” Plumed Quill scribbled a note down on the scroll she held in her hooves and nodded to another unicorn, who trotted away to take care of the legalities.

“Thank you all for all your hard work,” said Princess Celestia, turning back to face them. “I have high hopes that this meeting will finally break the ice a bit between our two nations, and if it does Equestria owes you all a great debt. It may not seem like a lot, but reopened trade could be the first tiny step towards a proper peace treaty after so long.”

The ponies mumbled a bit at the praise, blushing and looking away. One of them eventually did speak up, a sandy yellow pegasus named West Wing. “We are only doing our duty, Princess. It’s no great thing.”

“You give yourself too little credit. It is a great thing to those who will benefit from whatever decisions we make tomorrow, griffin and pony alike,” she replied. That’s why you agreed to this, after all, she reassured herself. Think of your subjects who are alive in the here and now, not those who are long gone. It would be irresponsible to revisit the sins of the past on griffins who weren’t even born then.

Celestia had convinced everypony that this was the moral, rational and responsible course of action. Everypony except herself. But she was going ahead with it anyway.

Her team nodded once again and, sensing that they had been dismissed, trotted out of the room leaving Celestia alone with her thoughts. Once she was alone, her poise disappeared as she hung her head and slumped her shoulders. She removed her crown and set it on the throne behind her; It was feeling exceptionally heavy right at the moment. She closed her eyes and listened to the silence that filled the throne room. These were the moments she savored, when there were no choices, no decisions, no impossible dilemmas that everypony looked to her to somehow resolve with her supposedly-infinite wisdom and compassion.

Mind-reading spells were explicitly forbidden within the palace, and even if they weren’t Celestia had long ago learned to counter them. The official reason for this policy was to protect state secrets. The real reason was that if anypony knew the sort of panic and desperation that raced through her mind every time she was called to solve such problems, Equestria would collapse within five minutes.

Celestia smiled as she felt the moon rise somewhere outside. She brushed a hoof over her chest, settling the few out-of-place hairs in her coat that were the only sign of how stressful the day had been. She bowed her head as she slipped the crown back over her head, and trotted away towards the dining room. This was one of the best parts of her day, and after everything that had occupied her attention she needed it more than ever.

That’s why she was surprised when she reached the dining room, and saw Princess Luna had already begun dinner without her. Seated across from her was a stallion from the Night Guard, who looked tense and uncomfortable as he picked at his food. “Ah! Sister! Come join us,” called out Luna as she noticed Celestia’s entrance, waving her over. Celestia obligingly trotted up to the table as Luna’s magic pulled a cushion out for her to sit upon. “Please meet Glinting Steel, one of my guards. Glinting Steel, this is Princess Celestia.”

“I, uh,” stammered Glinting Steel, “I know who she is.”

Celestia smiled at the nervous grey earth pony, hoping to put him at ease. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Glinting Steel.”

“You honor me, your majesty,” he replied, a bit stiffly.

Luna giggled, her laughter filling the room like the jangling of silver bells. “He’s still a tad intimidated by the idea of dining with a princess. Perhaps you heard about the fire that broke out on Bridle Street last night?”

“I did, yes,” said Celestia, furrowing her brow as she tried to recall the details from the report she’d been given that morning. “Nopony was hurt, were they? There was that guard who rushed in and pulled...” her mind finally made the connection. “That was you?”

He blushed furiously. “It... it was nothing. Just doing my duty.”

“There seems to be a great deal of that going around today,” replied Celestia. “Well, I certainly can’t complain about getting the chance to learn a bit more about such a courageous pony. I’d be happy to join you both.” She sat down, and waiters appeared at her side in an instant, placing a goblet of wine next to her plate. “Oh, that isn’t necessary.”

“I insist,” said Luna. “From the sound of things, the day you’ve had today warrants it. Besides, it’s moonberry, and an excellent vintage if I do say so myself.”

Celestia looked down at her reflection in the ruby red wine, and licked her lips at the prospect. She really shouldn’t. She had a full day tomorrow, and the last thing she needed was to go into the negotiations in a half-addled state.

And yet...

“Well, I suppose one glass can’t hurt,” she said, lifting it to her lips and taking a small sip. The pleasant burning at the back of her mouth as the wine slipped down her throat was more welcome than she’d expected. “I decided to sign the pardon, just so you know.”

“What pardon?” asked Glinting Steel, looking back and forth between the princesses.

When Celestia grew quiet and declined to answer, Luna spoke up. “Tell me, Glinting Steel, what do you know of Equestrian history? Specifically, our war with North Griffonia?”

“Umm...” Glinting Steel bit his lip, eyes darting to his lap as he tried to recall, “didn’t that end a long time ago?”

“Technically, it never ended at all,” said Celestia. A salad was placed before her and she took a bite, savoring the rush of flavor as a ripe, juicy cherry tomato burst between her teeth. She washed it down with another sip of wine, this one a bit bigger than the last. “The cease fire signed eighty years ago is still in effect, though.”

“Indeed. It is our hope that with a new generation of their leadership, we might return to more normal relations. Although...” Luna glanced over to her sister, “...some of us are more optimistic than others.”

“There’s no sensible reason for them to go on as they have,” said Celestia. “At some point, they have to realize that it’s an irrational waste for us to go on glaring at one another across the border. Surely they have better things to do with the money.”

Glinting Steel frowned and furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand, though. Who are you pardoning?”

“General Sharpclaw,” answered Luna. “Though you may better remember him as ‘The Butcher of Baltimare.’”

“Isn’t he, y’know, dead?”

Celestia nodded. “He is, and good riddance frankly. He was responsible for...” she shuddered. “Forgive me. Such things are not appropriate fare for dinner conversation. Suffice it to say that those were dark days for Equestria.” She paused, and gulped down more wine. Luna had been right, it really was good. “But the griffins consider him to be a hero, rather than a villain. A formal pardon for his crimes was their precondition for agreeing to attend this summit at all.”

“If he’s gone, why does it matter?” asked Glinting Steel.

“My point precisely,” said Celestia. Her eyes met Luna’s, their icy blue depths betraying nothing but impassivity. “Everypony who lived through that time is long dead. It is a symbolic gesture that costs nopony anything. Well worth it.”

“Not everypony who lived then is gone,” Luna said quietly. “I can think of one, in particular, and I believe that she’s kidding herself.”

“I’m not so selfish that I’d let my feelings jeopardize a real chance for peace.” Celestia felt her ire beginning to rise at the implications of Luna’s rebuke. Down the hatch went another gulp of wine to quash it. “But I’ve been dwelling on tomorrow’s summit all day. Why don’t we talk about something else?”

Luna shrugged. “Very well. Glinting Steel, I hope you don’t mind my asking you to restart your tale from the beginning. Much as I’m eager to know how it ends, my sister should hear it told properly, don’t you think?”

Over the next hour, Glinting Steel began to unwind a little bit. Centuries of diplomacy had taught Celestia all the little secrets for making her guests feel welcome and appreciated, but she found she didn’t need to fake enjoyment for the benefit of her unexpected dinner companion at all. The stallion was genuinely charming, when he wasn’t terrified.

The wine was probably helping with that, too.

Sometime during the third course of the overly-lavish meal, she happened to look down at her glass, and something occurred to her. “That’s odd,” she said. Focusing on the thought was proving surprisingly difficult. Despite her size, she was a bit of a lightweight when it came to alcohol.

“What is?” asked Luna.

“I just noticed that my cup is still full,” said Celestia.

“Well, we’ll soon fix that. Cheers!” She floated her own glass over the center of the table, and Celestia rolled her eyes as she brought her goblet up to meet it. Glinting Steel joined them, and all three of their glasses clinked together before they each took a large gulp. Celestia shrugged off her concerns. It was so much easier to not worry about something for once.

After the fourth and final plateful of food was gone, she laid down her knife and fork, utterly stuffed. “No dessert for me, I think,” she said to her waiter. “My compliments to the chef, as usual. Everything was very...” she paused, noticing for the first time that her words were coming out a bit slurred.

“Feeling a bit tipsy, sister?” asked Luna. She grinned across the table, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “It’s been too long since you properly relaxed. You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Huh?” Celestia tilted her head to one side. It wasn’t like she’d been drinking to excess. She’d only had a single glass.

A single glass that she noticed once again was completely full.

“Glinting Steel, do you play chess?” asked Luna.

“Ooh! I love chess!” exclaimed Celestia, louder than she’d really meant to.

“I’ve played before, but I’m not that good,” admitted Glinting Steel.

“Well, my sister is not that sober. Why don’t you two play a few matches before she settles in for the night? I’d play her myself, but if I tarry any longer the Night Court shall begin late.”

Celestia frowned at her sister, sensing something amiss. It was so hard to focus on, though, and why were there three Lunas all revolving around one another? “I’m not as think as you drunk I am.”

“Of course you aren’t,” said Luna, gently patting her on the shoulder. She stood up. “Consider it an order. You two have fun.”

“But... I...” Glinting Steel tried to sputter an objection, but before he could Luna was already walking away.

Celestia giggled and clapped her hooves together. “A wonderful idea! I love chess! Oh, I... I said that already, didn’t I? Follow me, I have a board in my study.” She got up and walked towards the door before pausing and coming back to the table, taking one more big gulp of wine before teetering back the way she’d just come. Glinting Steel obediently fell into line behind her. Celestia would say this for her sister, she trained her guards well.

“It isn’t far,” she said, more to herself than to her companion. She made a mental note to speak to the royal architect tomorrow morning; these floors were all slanted. Why else would she be finding it so difficult to walk in a straight line?

The walk from the dining room to her private study took easily twice as long as it usually did. The ponies she passed in the hall seemed to spare her a few more glances than usual, and even a double-take here and there, though none of them said anything. Soon enough, she reached her destination and pushed the door open.

Somepony had been inside since she’d last been here. The chess board was already laid out, and a log burned vividly in the fireplace radiating a pleasant warmth through the room. And along the eastern wall, a huge pile of pillows had been stacked in a disorderly heap. Celestia frowned, briefly wondering who would dare intrude on her private sanctum.

“Is everything alright, Princess?” asked Glinting Steel.

“I’m... not sure,” replied Celestia. Then she shook her head. What kind of an example was she setting? The professional mask reemerged to cover up her fleeting insecurity, and she settled on the far side of the board. “Never mind, it was just a passing thought. Now come, the first move is yours.”

Glinting Steel settled behind the two rows of white pieces, and after a moment’s consideration advanced a pawn forward by a pair of spaces. Celestia didn’t hesitate for a moment, opening with her knight. “Do you play often, Princess?”

She grinned. “Some days I feel like I do nothing else.”

“Any tips? If I’m playing you I’ll need all the help I can get.” He picked up a rook, paused, then placed it back down and moved his bishop instead.

Celestia thought for a moment, trying to keep track of the board which seemed to be moving under its own power. “I guess... I think the most important thing is to keep your feelings in check. The worst thing you can do is... is become emotional and take your eyes off your ultimate goal. Sometimes...” she pushed her rook into a position where she knew it would be taken next turn, “...sometimes sacrifices have to be made. Unpleasant ones.”

Glinting Steel looked across the board and frowned. “Why would you get emotional about that? They’re just pieces on a board, aren’t they?”

Celestia froze, and a haunted look crossed her face. “I keep trying to convince myself of just that, and for the most part I’ve been successful.” Silence filled the room. “I... I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. Maybe Luna...”

When she trailed off, Glinting Steel perked up his ears for fear of missing something. “What about Princess Luna?”

Celestia shook her head, but stopped when she felt herself starting to lean dangerously to one side. “She just has some odd ideas. A bit of a busybody, to tell you the truth.”

Glinting Steel squirmed uncomfortably. The last thing he wanted was to get drawn into a dispute between his princesses, but he sensed he was about to anyway. “What sort of ideas?” he asked in the most neutral and noncommittal tone he could manage.

“I do what I must. Those sorts of personal indulgences... the greater good is what’s important. If I have to endure a few trivial insults and injustices, that’s not so bad in the grand scheme of things.” She stared down at the board, then with a flick of her hoof toppled her king. “It seems I’m not in the mood for chess after all. My apologies, I’ve come down with a bit of a headache.”

“Oh,” said Glinting Steel, leaping to his hooves. “Of course, you probably want some privacy. Big day tomorrow, right?”

“Right, a big day. But it’ll be worth it in the end. It has to be.” She staggered over to the pillows, suddenly grateful that whoever had rearranged the room had the foresight to leave them there, and flopped down into them in a most undignified fashion.

Glinting Steel lingered awkwardly, not sure if he was supposed to stay or leave. He began to tiptoe out of the room, only for a field of golden magic to suddenly lift him into the air and pull him over towards the cushion. His eyes went wide as Celestia pulled him against her chest. “Uh... Princess?”

“I promised them,” she whispered. “I promised them there would be justice. That the responsible party would someday answer for all the carnage. For all the stupid, senseless loss. But they’re gone now too, and... does it even matter any more? If breaking my promise leaves everypony else better off? I’m the only one who even remembers it.”

The room grew quiet. “I don’t have any good answers, princess. But I think that if it were me, just the fact that you remember your promise at all would mean a lot.”

The only answer from Celestia was a gentle snore.

An hour later, Luna poked her head through the study door. She grinned at the scene in front of her. Glinting Steel perked up, looking over from where he was pinned between the slumbering alicorn and her nest of pillows. “A little help? I’m sort of stuck.” Luna just chuckled, and her head disappeared again. “Princess are you going to get help? Princess? Hello?” he asked. The door to the hallway and sweet, sweet freedom closed. “Anypony?”

There was no answer, only the warmth of the Princess next to him and the smell of moonberry wine on her breath. He sighed and settled in for the long haul. There were worse ways to spend the night.