I noticed an aged stallion sitting in the corner, scribbling furiously on a parchment. I hadn't even noticed him.
I pointed at him.
"What is he doing here?" I asked the two rulers.
Celestia answered giving me a gentle smile.
"This is the Royal Chronicler, pay him no mind, he will be recording the proceedings", she replied, gesturing for the chronicler to continue.
Luna addressed Celestia, with a thoughtful look.
"Sister, do you not think it would be beneficial to relay parts of our tale, as well?"
Celestia considered the notion, her wings fluttering as she thought.
I assumed they were communicating in some unknown manner because they seemed to be making body language gestures at each other without actually saying a word in the conversation exchange.
Celestia tilted her head.
Luna leant forward, then sat on her haunches.
Celestia tossed her head.
Luna stamped her hoof.
Celestia smiled serenely.
"Yes I believe there is no harm in telling our side of the story", she answered, finally.
I was curious, what was their side of the story? Perhaps I would get some details.
I threaded my fingers behind my head and waited patiently for them to begin.
-----
Princess Celestia, the Princess of the Sun, diarch of Equestria and eater of cake, was fed up with this meeting.
The diamond dog ambassador was growling and posturing and demanding that diamond dogs be let further into Equestria, where they could dig for much more precious gems.
At first, Celestia was happy to negotiate, thinking that this time Rex Canis would finally be reasonable about employment of ponies rather than enslavement.
Instead, her hopes were dashed as soon as Rex’s mouth opened and let forth a spew of borderline insults to her and her ponies and all that was apparently wrong with how 'intolerant and cruel and greedy' her ponies were to diamond dogs.
Celestia entertained briefly the notion that Rex had some sort of mental issue as a result of less than favourable upbringing that resulted in such blatant projection of his internal moral compass. Eventually, she got bored and instead decided to create a small whirlpool in his teacup of which he had not touched since the beginning of the meeting. She dragged his teacup stealthily over to her side of the table and began her little simulation of what would happen if a whirlpool spun at five hundred times a second in a teacup filled with cheap ambassadorial tea.
So self-absorbed was Rex that he did not notice that Celestia had no longer held any interest in the conversation. The occasional absent ‘mmm’, ‘yes’, ‘alright’ and occasionally when a longer response was necessary, ‘I can see why you would believe that but I’m of the opinion that the matter must be resolved harmoniously in the interest of my little ponies’.
The last response would usually buy her an extra minute or two that she could spend making whirlpools in his teacup, which spun in different directions and could battle each other in a series of death defying combat and aquatic acrobatics.
So absorbed in their own actions, it came as quite a surprise to both of them when the small wooden side door slammed open to reveal a moderately frantic Princess of the Night.
Celestia recovered first.
“Ah it is my dear sister, it seems an emergency has come up and I will need to address this immediately.” She threw an insincere apologetic glance at the diamond dog and subtly changed the direction of flow of her shimmering mane.
Luna caught the change and dipped an eyelid slowly in a barely disguised wink. Fortunately, the diamond dog had his attention on Celestia and didn’t catch the exchange.
“Yes, there are some important matters to discuss, it seems the palace may not be safe. You must leave. I will get some guards to escort you out unharmed”, Luna bluntly dismissing Rex. “W- I recommend you appeal your case in a few w- months when the security issue has been sorted.”
Rex grimaced, showing barely concealed canines. Growling, he left reluctantly, the guards closing the doors behind him.
Celestia exhaled and gave her sister a grateful look.
Luna chuckled but then remembered why she had come.
“There have been reports of strange occurrences throughout Equestria, dear Tia”, she began, nervously pawing her left hoof, a bad habit since she was a filly.
Celestia glanced at the hoof, considering her sister’s reaction. Usually if it were a monster or night creature terrorising the inhabitants of Equestria, Luna would be well within her element and she would deal with them with relative ease. Something was making Luna uncomfortable and that conclusion left a dull pang of unease flicking down her muzzle.
“It seems that magic is not functioning quite so normally”, Luna continued.
“How so, Lulu?”
Luna swallowed, feeling beads of perspiration form at her brow.
“I cannot enter somepony’s or some being’s dream.”
Celestia frowned, that had never happened before.
Luna pointed her hoof at Celestia’s teacup.
“Even your tea moves on its own, don’t you see Tia? Magic is being disrupted!”
Celestia looked at Rex’s teacup and forgot she had left the whirlpools spinning, they were slowing down to be sure but she had let them build speeds unheard of for the liquids.
“Oh uhm, ha. Lulu, that was just some fun, that ambassador was insufferable.”
Somewhat mollified, Luna shrunk back a bit.
“Oh well yes, I suppose I may have been overreacting a little”, she confessed, a blush springing to her cheeks.
Celestia nodded sagely but was nevertheless concerned.
“Perhaps in your haste you may not have confirmed that what you visited was not sapient?” Celestia asked but almost immediately regretted it at the look of indignation on Luna’s face.
She stamped a hoof. “I’m not a child anymore, Tia! I know what I felt! It was sapient!”
Celestia waved a placating hoof.
“I think it would be in our best interests for you to try again. Find that pony or creature if all else fails. Oh, and try and get some sleep Lulu, you get cranky when you don’t have enough sleep”, she teased.
Luna huffed and regally exited the premise, not quite slamming the doors behind her. Celestia rolled her eyes. She was not an expert on dream spells but she was fairly sure she had heard of such an instance before.
Trotting out of the meeting chambers, Celestia pondered what information was causing that nagging sensation. She knew there was something but where?
Unbidden, her path had taken her to Royal Canterlot archives but upon entering the library she paused and felt as if it was the wrong place. She wondered why. All the information here was current and up to dat-
Wait.
Suddenly Celestia remembered exactly what it was that was bothering her. Only once had this happened before and it was just before the appearance of her sister as Nightmare Moon. She shuddered. Thousands of years did little to stifle fear and regret. The book she was looking for was in the old castle and she would rather not go there and fetch it herself, there were too many memories.
Catching a glance at a small mirror she saw her expression of uncertainty and immediately felt a sense of self-loathing. Shaking her head stared back hard at the mirror with an intensity that if tangible would shatter the silvered glass.
I learnt from my mistakes. It was long due time to move on.
She cut around the staircase and headed back to her chamber. Quickly she drew a quill, ink and parchment.
My Dearest Most Faithful Student Twilight,
Though I wish it weren't so, I have not good news to bring.