Celestia had recovered fully from the Darkfoal's nightmare curse within a month. The doctors weren't certain why, and attributed it to Celestia's remarkable magical power. The dream creature she descried as "Discord" was obviously the result of a young imagination and a powerfully reactive immune system. Later, it seemed odd to her that when only three of her wisdom teeth came in, but that wasn't really all that unusual.
True to her word, she spent more time with her mother, which seemed easier now that she and Starswirl were officially a couple again and spent a lot of time studying together. They would frequently visit the Royal Observatory together to have lunch with Star Gazer, though she did seem rather distracted by her experiments sometimes. They also managed to get pick up Luna from school a few times and took her to the Royal Museum. She was especially fond of the classical weapons and armor exhibits. She stared at the phalanx of earth pony statues from the Battle of Thermapony exhibit, imagining herself standing with the 300 against the draconic invasion.
Now that she was twelve, Luna had started to grow taller also, but not at nearly the same rate as Celestia. She also seemed to retain something more of normal pony proportions, without the long tapering legs and neck that her older sister was blessed with. She was as tall as a full grown mare, while at the same age, Celestia was as as tall as a large stallion.
In some ways, this made her life more difficult than Celestia's. Adult stallions, and some mares, would sometimes approach Luna, assuming her to be an exotically beautiful adult when she was actually an exotically beautiful child. Most of them were surprised and politely bowed out of conversation when she opened her mouth, but there were a couple of stallions who didn't seem to mind too much about her age, claiming to want to be "friends", and one that seemed positively fascinated. That one grabbed her and kissed her and tried to get her to come to the park with him, but fortunately one of Press Force's co-workers saw them. They arrested him when he woke up in the hospital with four broken legs.
One time they went to surprise Star Gazer with lunchtime visit, only to find she was having an audience with Princess Platinum herself.
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"So, Professor Star Gazer. You are certain?" Princess Platinum felt the sickness of fear growing in her stomach. The throneroom had been emptied except for a few necessary and trusted servants so that the recipient of the Solar Fellowship at the Royal Observatory could relate her latest findings. Torchlight glinted off polished granite and gem-encrusted accouterments of office.
"Yes, your highness. The last seven winters have been mild in comparison with the one that is coming. We shall have snow on the ground from September to May. Perhaps even into June. In the depth of the winter, it will be so cold that most of the apple trees will die. Ponies will freeze to death in their homes and livestock in the barns unless a great many preparations are made." The cream colored unicorn with the lavender mane regarded her monarch with a pitiless gaze that allowed for no possibility of error. She was certain.
"But the year after, it will be better, right?" Platinum ran figures in her head, wondering how many of her subjects would survive the coming crisis.
"No, your highness. This next year may be the last spring we ever see." The fear and horror in Star Gazer's hear only barely crept into her voice, but it made the Princess want to hide under her throne. Wake up and it was all a dream and here's the morning paper, your highness.
"So. This is it then? Can nothing be done?" The Princess stared at the Royal Astronomer, her white coat ashen under her silver mane, her garnet colored eyes wide in shock.
"To re-ignite a dying star? I am certainly open to suggestions, your highness." Tia's not even started high school yet. Luna is still in grammar school. They are going to die and I can't do a damned thing.
"Suggestions? Suggestions... I take it nopony in the Observatory had any suggestions." The monarch was weighing her options. Even faced with the ultimate disaster, this one did not go down without a fight.
"No, your highness. Some of them refuse to believe these findings, but the majority agree with me. Convection is slowing down in the star's heart. Our world will die in the next two years."
"Has the Academy been informed?"
"Discreetly, through Stellar Conjunction. We don't want widespread panic. The archmages have met and concur that the my observations appear to support my conclusion, but nopony has any idea of what to do.
"Then perhaps we should ask somepony who isn't in the Academy or the Observatory." She struck her staff to the ground. "Scribe!"
A dun colored functionary wearing the trappings of a royal scribe cantered up to the princess, a scroll case, pen and inkwell suspended in a field of red. "Take this down. People of Unicornia, a crisis unlike any other has struck our kingdom, our entire world in fact, and all unicorns must pull together to come up with a solution. We need a spell. A spell that will warm the sun so the sun may warm the world, our crops, and ourselves. Otherwise we will all be dead. Any suggestions are welcome. The Grand Council will convene at court tomorrow and every day until the solution is found, or until our sun dies, and we with it. There is no point in panicking. There is nowhere to run. We fight now against our doom, and we win, or we die. I expect all unicorns to do their utmost. If you are not able to work on a possible solution, work to support those who are. Until such time as the crisis is resolved, I declare martial law. Rioting, looting and the theft or destruction of food will be punished with summary execution. There will be no disorder. Signed into Law this day, Princess Platinum, Ruler of Unicornia, Defender of Magic, etcetera, you know the rest."
The scribe stared at her in utter horror. "You did write that down, did you not?" He nodded, his mouth unable to work. "Then have a copy made for each city, town and village in the kingdom, have it sent immediately, with a detachment of guards, and post it in the square. Read it aloud every hour for the next week. If anypony has an idea, they are to approach a guard and they will be brought here to court to present it. That means anypony, even if they are a child, even if they are a prisoner. Do you have a suggestion for a spell to re-ignite the sun?" The scribe shook his head no. "Then I suggest you help me find somepony who does."
"Yes, your highness!" The scribe finally found his tongue and ran towards the scriptorum at top speed.
"Perhaps a cup of tea, professor?" Platinum clopped her hooves together.
"Your highness, as you have decided on immediate public disclosure, may I please tell my family now? I don't want them to hear about it from the town crier."
"Certainly. There will be plenty of time for tea tomorrow, and the day after, until we produce a solution."
"Your highness gives me hope that a solution my be possible." Star Gazer bowed, tears in her eyes at the thought of having to tell her children. Press Force had already been told; she could not keep it from him, not when he begged to know why she had been crying herself to sleep. He had agreed with her that nopony else could be told and he kept himself cheerful for the children's sake.
But what if a solution was possible? What if somepony came up with a brilliant idea? But everypony knows that hope is the cruelest emotion.