"Princess Celestia," said the young unicorn mare from behind her school desk. "What if the dragon's riddle isn't about a gemstone at all, but something else? The riddled says the object doesn't have a name."
"No, it says the stone isn't a nameable stone. Like not an emerald or ruby, you know?" interrupted a unicorn stallion from the other side of the lecture hall. "I don't think it's an object at all. It's a concept or an idea. The whole riddle's a metaphor."
"That is a valid point, but please don't interrupt your classmates," said Princess Celestia kindly.
"Sorry," responded the young stallion.
"What I was going to say is, what if the object is actually a pony?" continued the unicorn mare. "It could be a princess, because the riddle says the object is envied by many."
"Very good, Seashell," responded the alicorn professor. "Do you think the phrase 'sought by some' might be significant too? Being a princess, I will attest that my position is absolutely 'envied by many' and 'sought by some', as the riddle says. The 'some' could refer to those who have tried to overthrow my sister and I in the past."
A murmur grew in the grandiose lecture room as students talked between themselves. Things like, "She's got to be right," and "Leave it to the teacher's pet," came to Seashell's ears and she brimmed with glee.
The grand lecture hall in Canterlot castle was where the top students in their last year took a class from Princess Celestia herself. The very small school was called Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. The class, the students had found, was often cancelled because of political affairs or emergencies.
Ponies like Twilight Sparkle and other unicorns had graduated from the school to become very magically-adept. As magic was a skill of the mind, the students were used to thinking assignments. It came as no surprise to them that they were now given a difficult riddle to solve. Being used to assignments such as this, the students assumed it was hypothetical and had no idea that the Dragon's riddle assignment, was actually real. Nor did they know that finding the riddle's answer would reveal why Salazar had become a permanent guest of Canterlot, or that the future of Equestria could be at stake.
"I've got it!" said another mare, waving her hand in the air.
Princess Celestia acknowledged her.
"The riddle says that the thing 'sparkles' like a gemstone," said the pony excitedly. "Seashell was right! It's a princess, it's Twilight Sparkle!"
The din of voices grew even louder.
"Could that actually be right?" wondered the princess.
"Quiet please class. Quiet please. You will all have a chance to tell me what you think in the paper assignment due next week. Give me your best guess on what Sal… on what the dragon's riddle is saying. And be sure to support it with original research," said Princess Celestia.
"But, professor, the archives have been closed for weeks," protested a student.
"Yeah, of all the times to do renovations, they do it during midterms. How are we supposed to get any of our work done?" piped another unicorn.
"You managed last week, and you'll manage this week. Part of being a powerful unicorn is being resourceful and creative. Means by which to solve a problem won't always be handed to you," said Princess Celestia. "I think our class time is about over. I'll see you all next week, my faithful students."
The sun princess smiled at her students as they left the class. Some waved and said goodbye; others were tired after a long day of academics and passed by silently. The last unicorn exited the room, ending Celestia's class for the week. Her students left their princess alone with her thoughts in the lonely, aging room.
She closed her eyes and memories of this room returned to her. She recalled the scaffolding crowded with carpenters and stone masons when this section of the castle was being built… nine hundred years ago. She had seen many generations of unicorns pass through classes in this lecture hall. She watched her fillies and colts grow and learn. She watched them graduate and go about their lives wherever fate took them. She tried to keep in touch with her students, and follow up with their active lives… But she also watched her students grow old and pass away. Hundreds upon hundreds, generation after generation. They lived and died under Celestia's motherly guidance. Most names and faces had faded into oblivion, despite Celestia's efforts to remember. Their personalities and thoughts had become forever lost to the world. When she was young, Celestia used to cry. She used to cry a lot, for the innumerable loved ones passing away around her. Both she and Luna did. But now Celestia shed no tears. After thousands of years she had learned to cope with it. She had to. Her sister chose, long ago, to cut herself off emotionally from loved ones. She couldn't handle the pain, and Celestia did not blame her for that decision.
Her current students made up a decent class. While all exceptional students, none shined above the rest like Twilight Sparkle had when she attended just a few years earlier. She might as well put more minds on solving the riddle, what harm could it do? Only a few ponies in Canterlot, whom the royalty trusted, knew the secret that was hiding in plain sight in Canterlot's main tower. The secret that Salazar was not actually a prisoner. The dangerous situation demanded action. Sometimes a young, unclouded mind offers insights that an older pony, however wise, can not.
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The princess made her way out of the old building and returned to the heavily guarded area of the castle where the royalty lived. Her personally selected white pegasus guards greeted her as she passed. Princess Luna was sleeping at this time of evening, and her sister was keen not to disturb her. Luna couldn't be expected to wake up for daytime emergencies, just as Celestia couldn't be expected to wake up in the middle of the night to deal with them. Rather, the two sisters worked as a team to administrate their empire around the clock.
Celestia entered the royal chambers. A grand ceiling with overarching wooden beams extended above her, and a big hearth lay in the middle of the room which was kept burning day and night by servants. As the sun was moving lower in the sky, rays of orange light shined through the stained glass far above.
Exactly one thousand years ago, Canterlot had been nothing but a small mining town on a rocky outcropping. There was direct access to the Crystal Caverns, which is why the area was of interest. Immediately following the banishment of her sister, Celestia established Canterlot as her new capital city. Plagued with grief, the Sun princess could not bear to rebuild the Everfree Palace in which she and Luna had ruled, and where she had been forced to banish her. Canterlot was by all means Celestia's city, built in honor of the sun. The architecture and decor emphasized light and warmth, and paid no attention to the moon.
The Sun Princess proceeded to her compartments to prepare for dinner. She then made her way to the banquet room. Princess Luna was already there, groggy from just waking up. Several servants moved around the table, placing silverware. Princess Luna yawned apathetically.
"Good evening sister," said Celestia. "It looks like it's going to be a warm night."
"'Tis indeed. I'm rather looking forward to it," said Princess Luna, watching her sister approach.
Servants had already prepared Princess Celestia's spot at the table, across from her sister. The long table had a big, soft cushion at every setting. Ponies were expected to fold their legs beneath them and lay on their bellies facing the table; it was traditional etiquette. Having guests or large banquets here had been rare lately.
Princess Luna's breakfast and Princess Celestia's dinner were brought out of the kitchen at the same time. Two servants set the silver plates before them. The servant earth ponies received a nod from Princess Celestia. They each took a small piece out of the meals, and ate them, then stood off to the side and waited.
"Sister," said Celestia, "One of my students has offered an idea for our riddle. It's a bit farfetched, but it's worth thinking about."
"I'm curious. I'd like to hear what it is," said Princess Luna, glancing at the earth pony to her side.
"I'm sure it's just fine, thank you," said Celestia to the servants. The servants bowed and left.
"Sister, when was the last time somepony tried to poison you?" asked Luna as she watched her poison tester walk away.
"I'm not sure. Probably a couple hundred years ago," said Princess Celestia, "but one cannot be too careful."
Luna said nothing. A couple hundred years ago she was still in exile. She tried not to think about it.
"A student proposed that the riddle is a metaphor not for an object, but rather for a pony," began Princess Celestia. "It could fit with the riddle. It would be a pony who is envied by many, and sought by some."
"But sister, how can a pony be sought?" asked Luna.
"I am coming to that, hear the rest of my thoughts," said Celestia. "This pony would be one of a kind, and like a gem, and sparkles like one."
"This does not sound like a pony to me sister," said the critical Luna.
"But look Luna, could 'sparkle' refer to Twilight Sparkle? I explained to my student that a princess would be a good candidate for fitting the 'sought by some and envied by many' line in the riddle, since our thrones are as such," she explained. "As for comparing a pony to a precious gem, I think any princess would fit the description."
"It's interesting that Salazar's coming is so shortly after Twilight's coronation. Perhaps she does have something to do with it," admitted Princess Luna, "but could sparkle also refer to Princess Cadence or the Crystal Empire?" she asked. "The riddle's theme of gems and stones certainly fits there. It could easily refer to the Crystal Heart. And Cadence's cutie mark is of the heart-shaped stone as well. Not only does it's capital city physically sparkle, but it's citizens do as well."
"Sister, that's another good thought," said Celestia.
"But," continued Luna, "the question is raised. If the riddle does refer to a pony, what need has a dragon for a pony? Say we are correct that the dragon wants this pony. Why? What is he to do with her?"
"Luna, I don't know. It doesn't make sense to me either," said Celestia.
"The Crystal Empire was always contested by the dragon folk. T'was but a month ago that Cadence had to cast out another dragon that had wandered too far south," continued Luna. "If Salazar wanted the crystal empire, would he not simply attack it? Or if he wanted, say Twilight or Cadence, would he not simply take them? Would he intend to kidnap them or kill them, and to what end?"
"It is puzzling indeed, sister," said Celestia. "Whatever he wants, it seems he expects us to find it for him."
After a moment of silence Celestia continued, "It was clear to me on that day, when he came, that he knew precisely which of my ponies represented the elements of harmony. When he took one element away from the others, it shows he intended to prevent the elements from uniting."
Luna nodded.
"The Great Wyrm is very wise," said Luna. "How knew he which ponies were the elements?"
"As you said, he is very wise," continued Celestia. "You have read Twilight's report. She discovered that the dragon had offered Rarity her greatest desires, so that she would not use her element against him. Gems, popularity, even being a princess - things that any giddy young mare has dreamed of."
"What did he intend to do once the girls were separated?"
"I don't know, Luna."
"I didn't think the elements could harm him, but apparently they can," said Luna. "He has some reason for wanting to separate the girls; that much is for certain."
Celestia sighed, "We can only keep searching. I know we will find the answer, we always have."
"How long have we, dear sister, until this ordeal comes to a front? Let us be vigilant, and wary," said Princess Luna as she stood up. "I must attend to my duties, the moon must soon rise. I bid you a restful night 'Tia."
"Goodnight, Luna," said Celestia.
The two alicorns left the table and went their separate ways, until they would meet again for opposite meals twelve hours later.