Celestia stared into her fireplace. The dying embers of the logs crackled and popped in the smoldering ashes, casting their soft glow on the Princess's face; her stare was steady and unbroken – a mind locked in deep concentration.
She brought the edge of her tea-cup close to her lips and sipped the hot liquid before laying it on its plate on the table.
Outside, the wind sighed gently to the sound of crickets and the occasional owl hoot. The stars of the night overhead still glistened and in the sky, but there were dark clouds moving in from beyond the mountains.
Suddenly there was a brilliant flash of light that filled the entire room and then quickly vanished into darkness.
Celestia didn't flinch.
She brought the the cup up again and took another sip.
“Rain,” she said offhandedly.
Then, almost as if on cue, the faint rumble of thunder could be heard echoing off in the distance.
Having lived for so long, Celestia almost knew the weather of Equestria down to an exact science; yet there was always an element of uncertainty about it all. A storm might blow off course or a snow storm might produce hail instead. Once a system left the confines of Cloudsdale, it was at the mercy of the elements, and those elements weren't always predictable.
Celestia finished her tea and looked out side to see the first few droplets of rain wet the balcony as she pondered Shining's words from earlier.
Celestia shook her head.
It was all so absurd, ridiculous even. Twilight, the pupil she had personally tutored, her own adopted kin, a traitor? It was too good to be true. She had no reason to. She had always treated her kindly, never had acted unfairly towards her, never asked anymore than she herself would have done. No, Twilight couldn't wouldn't...could she?
Celestia closed her eyes.
“Who can know pony's intentions?” she asked. “No more than you can the weather.”
She couldn't shake the idea though that somehow, someway, Shining Armor was right; maybe Twilight was conspiring against her.
But then she remembered Twilight's character: the sweet, innocent, bookish student she had always known and cherished; who had always gotten top marks and never caused any sort of trouble.
It just didn't seem possible...
Celestia got up from her chair and stoked the fire as the rain began to come down harder outside.
Maybe Shining misheard something? Maybe Twilight had an off-moment and said something she didn't mean – those sorts of things happen after all – but somepony overheard and it escalated from there? Surely Twilight wouldn't do something so vile and treacherous.
The Princess turned away from the fire and headed towards the door.
There was only one way to find out...
Celestia slung on her nightgown and made way down the hallway, passing by the Royal Guards.
“Princess!” one of them exclaimed startled. “Where are you going?”
“Out,” she answered plainly.
“Do you want us to follow you?”
“No,” she said, motioning to them. “Stay here. I'll be back shortly. In the meantime, stand to your post.”
“Yes, Princess,” they both replied and snapping to attention.
“But...what if you don't come back?”
“Oh, use you heads!” Celestia exclaimed as she rounded the corner.
The Princess of the Sun descended several flights of steps until she reached the floor where Twilight's room was. She passed through the murky hallways, levitating a torch in front of her, so she could find her way through the darkness.
At last, she reached Twilight's room and knocked softly on the door several times.
“Twilight...” she whispered.
No reply.
She knocked a few more times.
“Twilight...”
Celestia stood a few moments in the darkness, waiting for her to answer, only to be greeted by silence.
“She must be fast asleep...” Celestia mumbled.
She knocked a few more times and waited, and still there was no answer.
The Princess began to turn away before the door slowly creaked open.
In the doorway, a weary, half-awake Twilight stood with a candle levitating next to her.
“Princess?” she asked yawning. “What are you doing up at this hour?”
“I wanted to have a word with you, Twilight,” she said sternly. “If that's alright.”
“A word?” Twilight asked, clearing her eye. “About what? Is everything alright? Has something happened?”
“No, no,” Celestia reassured her. “Nothing like that. I just wanted to chat about some things with you. May I come in?”
Twilight stretched.
“By all means,” she said, turning back into her bedroom.
The young alicorn walked inside, lighting one of the lanterns to dispel the darkness.
“You'll forgive me for not answering sooner,” she apologized to her former mentor. “I was asleep.”
“I guessed as much,” Celestia said, nodding.
“So,” Twilight said, sitting down. “What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Twilight...” Celestia began. “Do you remember what I first taught you when I took you in as my student those many years ago?”
“Um...let me think,” she said, wracking her mind. “The first thing you taught me was... the creed.”
“That's right,” Celestia said. “And what does the creed state?”
Twilight pondered a while, her chin on her hoof.
“I am a student of the Royal Court,” she started. “I am to take responsibility for all my deeds; to be respectable and show kindness to all ponies; to be humble, knowing I am a servant to all; to be honest, to myself and to others; to be pure in my thoughts and my deeds; and most importantly, I am to be loyal, first to my heart, then to my Princess.”
“That is correct,” Celestia said, nodding. “And do you still believe in that creed?”
Twilight seemed taken aback.
“I...I...of course, Princess! I've always tried to live and serve as close to the creed as I possibly could.”
“And would you say you still do?”
“I don't understand...”
“Twilight...” Celestia said. “I don't think I have to tell you that things are different for Royalty than they are for the common ponies. There is an order to things: the lowly account to those above them, and then those account to those above them – but as Princesses, we account to no one. That being said, loyalty to one another is what keeps our land from falling into complete chaos and disharmony.”
“Do you have cause to doubt my loyalty?” Twilight asked, her voice cracking, tears welling in her eyes.
Celestia shook her head.
“Now Twilight, please don't get upset, it's nothing like that.”
“Then why are you saying all this?” Twilight said in a small voice.
Celestia moved next to her former student and held her close.
“I have never doubted you, Twilight,” Celestia whispered. “But you must remember: our obligations do not always depend on how we feel, but what is best for our subjects. I just want to know that I can depend on you as my sister's successor, if you so choose.”
Twilight sniffed as tears rolling down her cheeks as looked down.
“Princess,” she said, quivering. “ You're the one who taught me, trained me, gave me assignments, who watched over me, and directed me. I cannot conceive of doing anything less than what I have always striven for...”
Twilight began to sob.
“Please, Princess, if I have displeased you in any way, if I have done something to earn you disapproval...”
“Ssh,” Celestia said, silencing her. “None of that now. Here,” she said, handing her a hoofkerchief. “Dry you tears.”
Twilight silently obeyed, and wiped her eyes.
“I'm sorry, Princess,” she said regretfully. “I didn't mean to...”
“It's alright,” Celestia reassured her. “I know you are faithful and dependable; your emotions prove that to me.”
“But Princess...” Twilight said, sniffing. “What prompted all this?”
“A rumor, my dear,” Celestia said. “Something I heard.”
“A rumor?” Twilight asked surprised. “What kind of rumor?”
“Court-gossip, you know, nothing more,” the Princess replied nonchalantly.
“What...what did this rumor say?” Twilight asked, her eyes looking worried.
“Some questions about your intentions,” Celestia said. “There are some who doubt your sincerity...”
“Who!?” Twilight asked, suddenly flying into a passion. “Who would say such things?”
“A confidential pony, Twilight,” Celestia replied. “I dismissed them, of course, and you've obviously proven your sincerity.”
“But who would...” Twilight turned away from the Princess Celestia and looked around the room, darting her eyes in all directions until she came to a sudden stop.
“It was my brother, wasn't it?”
Celestia remained silent.
“How did you know?” she asked at last.
“A suspicion...” Twilight replied, her voice growing low. “We talked early tonight and he told me about some of his... doubts.”
“What did he ask you?”
Twilight's eye flinched as she composed herself and turned back towards the Princess.
“He questioned me about whether I was going to take the crown or not...I told him I was undecided. Now, what did he tell you?”
Celestia hesitated.
“He merely said that you were going to take the crown for ulterior motives.”
Twilight looked down to the ground, her eyes wide in disillusionment.
“But...why would he...”
“I understand what you must be feeling right now,” Celestia said. “But let's not get carried away.”
“No, it's fine,” Twilight said, a deadness in her voice. “It seems you can't trust anyone in this world.”
“Don't take it so hard,” Celestia said. “I think your brother meant well. Sometimes, even family members let their passions get carried away with them.”
“Yes,” Twilight said, setting next to her former mentor. “I suppose that is true. But, why would Shining say such things? It's not like him...”
“Who knows?” Celestia said shrugging. “Perhaps jealousy?”
“Maybe...” Twilight said. “Was your sister ever jealous of you, Princess?”
Celestia didn't respond, at which point, Twilight realized what she had just said.
“I'm sorry, Princess. I spoke without thinking.”
“No, it's not that,” she said. “I'm just thinking of those days, many, many years ago when she and I were young. How long it has been since that time, but those memories are still fresh on my mind as if they happened yesterday.”
“I'm listening...” Twilight said.
“When I was young,” Celestia began. “My Father, Count Chevauchée, as he was known then, would always go out on long journeys to neighboring kingdoms in the area around Canterlot; either to reassure an alliance or collect tribute from some minor lord, or some diplomatic affair. This was during the time before the great forests had been cleared, so sometimes his journeys would take days or weeks at a time. All the while, though, my sister and I would wait for his return, sitting on top of the city-gate – eager to see which one of us could spot him first coming over the horizon.
“When he would return, we he would usually come back laden with gifts for the both of us; but I remember very clearly: he would always give the best to me. It was no different in other things. He was partial to me, and I think...Luna knew that too.”
“In hindsight, I think I understand now why Luna may have reacted the way she did when she realized the nature of her role as Princess of the Night. I think she felt cheated, like she had been of our father's attention. She felt this was another way of denying her her rightful place...so she snapped.”
Celestia sighed.
“It's not easy, ruling, Twilight,” Celestia said forlornly. “It's a thankless job that, despite it's few perks, is not nearly what it's cracked up to be. You have to be constantly on the alert from dangers at all times. Over time, it starts to take it's toll...”
“Any regrets?” Twilight asked.
“Many,” Celestia said. “Banishing my sister among them.”
Twilight piqued her eyebrow.
“But didn't you say yourself that her banishment was necessary to keep Equestria from falling intro darkness?” she asked.
“Yes,” she said silently. “But how easy it is to look back and say: 'I had to do this because of such and such a reason' to justify ones action. The truth is not always so simple. Had I practiced the same principles of love and kindness I have so often extolled to others, Luna might never have felt the need to rebel in the first place. But I was so busy in my own affairs, running the country and keeping the sun raised every morning, that I simply didn't care. I turned my back on my closest companion – my blood – and so she did the same to me.
“That being said, if I could go back and undo the mistakes of the past, I would; but that's simply not possible. And even though I have regrets, I'm not mistaken in my intentions: it has always been, and always will be for Equestria and it's citizens. They are the ones have given me the strength to make such hard decisions, and it's because of them that I have endured so long; despite all the hardships I've had to endure.”
Celestia turned towards her former protege.
“Take this word from me, Twilight, if nothing else: the price of ruling is not one many ponies are not willing to pay. Remember that when you make your decision tomorrow.”
Twilight looked down as Celestia exited the room and closed the door behind her.
“No need to worry, Princess,” Twilight said silently. “I made that decision a long time ago...”