The jet black canvas of Luna’s night sky normally brought a measure of warmth to Princess Celestia’s heart; she would often gaze at its myriad sparkling jewels and recall nights spent teaching her most recent pupil their names and meanings. Tonight, however, those happy memories were laced in bitterness, their brilliant glory seemingly mocking those very same memories. Celestia herself was sequestered in one of the small briefing chambers near the Throne Room, seething with uncharacteristic impatience as she waited for the arrival of her Captain of the Guard to report as he had been ordered nearly half a candlemark ago.
As she waited she had little respite from the thoughts that had haunted her for most of the day. Silently she observed the bitter war that had been waging in her mind and heart with no clear victor in sight. On the one hoof, she was the immortal ruler of Equestria; the number of students, friends and lovers she had lost over the millennia were too numerous even for her to remember. She knew intellectually that she should not be so badly affected by one more. That cool, aloof part of her was dismayed by the heartache caused by the probable loss of one more in a long line of the dearly departed. In fierce counterpoint, however, was the unceasing and unholy union of anger and fear that writhed inside her. This aspect of her own self knew the truth that the other side of her argument would not admit; that Twilight Sparkle had become more than a student to her, even more than a friend. Somehow, out of all those who had come and gone from her limitless lifespan, that lavender unicorn had become, for all intents and purposes, her adopted daughter.
That, right there, was the crux of her confusion. Daughter . . . even though she was born to others, I’ve come to regard her as my own daughter. I practically raised her, I taught her, I brought her together with the Elements of Harmony. I’ve watched her grow from a filly. I’ve made her part of my life in a way no one else ever has been, not even Luna.
I made her my daughter, even though I never intended to have a child. Without an alicorn stallion for me to be with, any child I could have would be as mortal as its father. I couldn’t bear the thought of a child like that. I couldn’t stand to watch my own offspring grow old and die while I remained eternal, so I swore I never would have a child.
But now, I have a daughter. I adopted Twilight in my heart and never even noticed. And now, losing her hurts just as badly as I feared it would.
Her reflections were halted by the sound of shod feet approaching. Celestia mustered a trickle of magic to open the door, surprising a gold-armored chestnut pegasus whose hoof was suspended in midair, poised to knock on an empty doorframe. “Report, Captain,” Celestia ordered softly. With the mandatory bow, the pegasus entered the room, closing the door behind him, and drawing himself to attention before speaking.
“Your Majesty, I have consulted in depth with the Equestrian Intelligence Service, analyzed the findings of the forensic examination of the Ponyville Library and consulted reports of the actions of various dissenters and criminal organizations who are known to employ such tactics. What I’m about to report is tentative but has strong evidence behind it.”
“Understood, Captain,” Celestia murmured.
“Several months ago, Intelligence became aware of a small cell of anti-monarchists who have the agenda of overthrowing the rule of yourself and your sister. They are small and poorly funded and equipped, but have excellent propaganda and have been quietly recruiting and amassing weapons. For a time we had an operative in their midst and he provided us with considerable information before he was compromised. Our understanding is that their central doctrine is that since you are unassailable, they would focus their efforts on eliminating those close to you, as an attrition-based strategy to force you to abdicate.” Seeing Celestia’s eyes narrow in sudden anger, he quickly continued. “Because we became aware of them around the time Princess Luna returned, we thought she would be their main target. Several days before the incident in Ponyville there was a brief flurry of activity from them and several known members were reported as being in the general vicinity of Ponyville within hours of the explosion. “
Celestia’s Captain of the Guard concluded his report, trying desperately to remain stoic despite the barely contained anger blazing in Celestia’s eyes as she seemed to gaze right through him. An interminable time passed before the Princess addressed him. “Do you mean to imply that these criminals have killed Twilight Sparkle because of how close she is to me?”
Swallowing a surge of fear at the naked venom and loathing underlying Celestia’s words, he found his voice to answer. “Yes, your Majesty. Recent intelligence suggests that they are lying low, celebrating a victory in their campaign against you.
“Does Intelligence know their present location?”
“Yes. They are known to inhabit a large cave network in the mountains beyond the Everfree.
“Very well, Captain. I want you to prepare a detachment of the Guard, of whatever size and composition you deem sufficient to handle this. You will position your men in preparation for an assault on my command. Do not engage immediately; for now your orders are to contain and observe the situation.”
“I understand, Majesty. Our forces will be in place by dawn,” the Captain affirmed.
“Then you may go and see to this matter personally,” Celestia said, with the clear air of a dismissal.
The Captain’s departure left her again to her thoughts, and she returned to watching almost idly the conflicting feelings inside her. They were mostly at a stalemate. She hardly noticed the smaller dark blue figure that emerged almost from the shadows around her, flowing mane indistinguishable from the stellar sky.
“Luna,” Celestia addressed the newcomer, “are there no matters for you to attend to as Princess of the Night?”
“We hast heard the petitions of our subjects. There art no other matters that shalt not bide a time. It is obvious to us that thou art most distressed, sister. Perhaps thou shalt confide in us?”
Celestia stared at her sister, hesitant to confide her feelings to her younger sibling. Younger? She is a few years younger than you in a lifespan measured in millennia. She’s not some immature filly you have to coddle and protect.
“Luna, do you remember back when we decided that neither of us would become mothers to a mortal child?” At Luna’s mute nod of agreement, Celestia continued. “I think I broke that rule.”
Luna’s face showed considerable confusion as she replied, “But sister, surely we wouldst have known if thou wert expecting.”
Taken aback, Celestia hurriedly replied, “Oh Luna, I didn’t mean like that. I’m talking about Twilight Sparkle.”
“But, she is thine student, not thine daughter. I do not understand thine meaning, sister,” Luna replied, still confused.
Sighing, Celestia continued, “I have had many students over the years. But Twilight is unique; she is the only one I took so young, still a filly. I raised her in her parent’s stead. I taught her, I provided for her, I made her a part of my daily life. She gave me her affection; I couldn’t help but give her mine. I didn’t realize until now, but I have come to love her as my own daughter. And now she’s dead or hurt or worse, all because of how close she is to me. This is my fault, Luna. I swore I wouldn’t have a child so I wouldn’t suffer from their loss. I never thought that she could be hurt because of me.”
Luna, surprised by such a rare outpouring from her sister, could do nothing but gently nuzzle the side of her elder sibling’s face, silently offering what support and comfort she could. They stood thus for a time, until Luna broke their reverie. “Sister, what wilt thou do?”
Celestia drew in a deep breath before answering, “Intelligence thinks that this was a deliberate attack on my student, and they know where the perpetrators have gone to ground. I have already dispatched the Guard and I will be joining them shortly. I will ensure that they answer for their crime, and they will tell me exactly what they did to her. If she is alive and unharmed, I may be inclined to mercy.”
Quietly Luna asked, “And if she is not?”
“Then they will regret the day they thought to use the ones I love as a weapon against me.”