We exited the hospital and took the SUV back to Canterlot, the teleport causing some discomfort to little Velvet, who wailed upon our arrival. Trixie cooed softly to the infant filly, rocking her gently in her forehooves, then snuggled her next to Jade in the carrier. Celestia frowned somewhat, her expression appearing to show some pain. This caused me a little consternation and I raised the matter to her attention.
"Something troubling you, Celestia?" I asked as we trotted into the Castle. Trixie seemed to express a similar worry.
"Reviving Trixie may have taken more out of me than I had thought," the Solar Princess responded, her voice almost a monotone.
"Perhaps a little rest would help you," I suggested warmly, flashing a smile.
"I'm quite capable of managing my fatigue, Amethyst. Your suggestion is helpful and I would appreciate it if you would be kind enough to cover Solar Court for me until I make a full recovery."
"Of course, Celestia -- once again I thank you for bringing Trixie back for me," I offered warmly, my smile widening a little.
We continued our short trek to the Throne Room and noticed the guards had worried expressions on their faces, causing the Solar Princess to raise an eyebrow.
"Your Highness, there's ... somepony ... to see you," one of the guards noted, his voice trembling. The doors opened to reveal a very tall and large white stallion, easily half again Celestia's height. The aspect that caught my attention was the fact that he had eight legs, causing me to express a great curiosity.
"Lord Sleipnir, to what do I owe this ... unexpected visit?" the Solar Princess asked, a slight tremble to her voice.
If she's that apprehensive, I wonder how powerful he is...
His voice had a Stentorian quality to it, one which caused me no small amount of unease. He spoke in measured tones, but even that was loud enough to cause discomfort. "Lady Celestia, I have come for something you have taken from me." He glowered at the Solar Princess, even as she lowered her head and ears. I decided to approach him at this point, though I motioned for Trixie to accompany me. She appeared to be petrified of this stallion.
"Lord Sleipnir, may I present my wife, Trixie? She recently gave birth to a foal and it was Celestia who returned her to the living. I request you allow some leniency as I was distraught at the loss of my wife, though I had no idea she could be resurrected," I offered. The stallion turned his attention to me, his gaze seemingly hot enough to burn holes in my flesh.
"Fledgling Prince, your concerns are petty at best -- your wife was accompanying ME when she was taken. I was in the process of escorting her to the afterlife, and we were almost there before she disappeared."
"I apologize, Lord Sleipnir, but our youngest foal is just two days old. I beg of you, please show a little mercy on us all," I offered meekly, bowing deeply to him.
"Mercy? MERCY? Have you any idea what could happen if I do?"
"Please, Lord Sleipnir -- I was the one who acted in haste -- you may take me, if you desire," Celestia stated, bowing just as deeply as I did before him. My expression was one of shocked surprise to see this.
"Celestia, your ponies need you," I protested.
"Amethyst, you have proven yourself capable of being the Solar Regent. Remember, I told you that someday you'd become my permanent replacement. It would appear that that day has arrived," she responded.
"What about your sister, Luna? You can't just abandon her!" I nearly shouted.
"This is an interesting conundrum," Sleipnir mused thoughtfully. "Lady Celestia, do you really think he's ready to take your place? He's not even lived a century."
Luna rushed into the Throne Room at this point and went nearly as white as her sister when she saw the elder stallion. She bowed deeply before him.
"Lady of the Moon, it is indeed a pleasure to see you once again. Your sister has performed an action which has displeased me, though she has admitted she is willing to relinquish her spirit to take the place of the one she stole from me. She has informed me that this fledgling is ready to take her place."
Trixie shifted nervously on her hooves before she spoke up. "Lord Sleipnir, Trixie requests that she be allowed to return with you to her previous place, on the trail leading us to the afterlife."
"No! I can't lose you again! Trixie! Please, your foals! My love! NOO!" I wailed.
"What is she to you, fledgling? Your love? Does she truly love you in return? Do you truly love her?"
I fell to the floor on my barrel, sobbing openly, my chest heaving as those sobs wracked my body. Celestia came over to me and wrapped herself around me. Trixie trotted over to me and knelt beside me, Jade and Velvet still on her back. Marina trotted over as well, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to get in on this impromptu group hug.
"Daddy, please don't let the big bad white stallion take mommy away! Make him go away! Mommy! Please don't go!"
Said stallion stood impassively watching this scenario unfold, a grim expression on his face. He waited a few moments for some semblance of calm to return before he spoke again.
"I understand the pain all of you must be feeling, but there is the matter of justice to be done. I cannot return without a pony of some sort to take the place of the one who was stolen from me. It matters not to me whomever that pony is, regardless of their importance or relevance. Fledgling Prince, you saw me from afar not too terribly long ago -- perhaps you might be willing to accompany me?"
"That would not be fair to my wife, Lord Sleipnir, nor would it be fair to the ponies of Equestria," I responded matter-of-factly, my expression nearly matching his.
"Then Lady Celestia? Or shall it be the youthful Trixie?"
Marina couldn't take any more of this. She screamed as loud as she could as she rushed up to the stallion and began pounding on one of his legs with both her forelegs, shouting and screaming and pounding against him until she fell to the floor, tears flowing freely from her eyes, her wailing and sobbing wracking her little body. He looked down at her with deep compassion.
"Very well then. I cannot take this little one's mother, so ... it looks like Lady Celestia will have to volunteer," he stated flatly.
The Solar Princess solemnly rose to her hooves, despite Luna's and my protestations. She shook her head sadly at us as she trotted slowly to the stallion's side, tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Amethyst, I request you rule justly in my stead. Luna, I am deeply sorry to do this, but it was my mistake in the first place. Trixie, I apologize to you for taking you away from your final rest, though there will come a time when you will accompany Lord Sleipnir once again. Please break the news gently to Twilight."
Luna rushed to her sister's side to give her a tight hug, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, Tia, what hast thou done?" she asked, just barely above a whisper. The Lunar Princess turned to face me and scowled before angrily trotting to me. "Amethyst! Thou must explain this to Us!"
"I have no time for further delay," the stallion announced as he turned to face us, one of his legs draped around the Solar Princess. A blinding white light enveloped the two of them and as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone, along with both of them.
"NOOOO! TIAAA!" Luna wailed. I wrapped a wing around her in an attempt to comfort her, but she pushed me away sharply. "Amethyst! Leave us to our grief!" she snapped before teleporting to her bedchamber.
"Um, Trixie? Looks like I'm the one in charge here now," I stated glumly, a sour expression on my face. I trudged slowly to the throne and sat on it, allowing the realization of what had just transpired to sink in. Trixie trotted over to me, a tear trickling down her left cheek as she prodded Marina to trot with her.
"Daddy, where did Princess Celestia go? Where did they go?"
"To a place very far away, Marina -- and I hope you don't have to go there for a VERY long time," I replied softly. I turned my attention to Trixie. "I don't think Twilight's going to take this very well."