//------------------------------//
// Dialogue: So Speaks the Moon 
// Story: A Circle Has No End: Volume I 
// by Gladi Writes 
//------------------------------//

Minister of State First Class paced in the dimly lit hallway, the sound of torches along the walls the only thing other than her steps in the silence. Queen Luna had called her for a private audience, only hours after First Class had finally finished preparing for her inquest. She had dug deep into the Night Guard, and interviewed a great many involved that night. She knew where the blame truly lie, and tomorrow she would publicly interview some key witnesses, and then give her judgement. It would be a moment for the history books, and her power over those she would pass judgement on was absolute.

Their lives were in her hooves, and so was something far more important. 

The truth. 

First Class was it's curator, and it's caretaker. Only she, as of this moment, knew the real truth behind Mezza Luna's treason. The rest wondered.

"Did Luna push her? Did she act alone? Was she a griffon agent, are there more like her?" 

In all of the questions were half truths, but they were all quite far from the absolute truth. Only a few loose-ends remained, those few that she was unable to interview in private. They all had good reasons, and were in rather lofty offices, but every pony lived under the law.

The door opened behind her, and First Class turned to see Malgavian.

"She will see you now," he said, and left down the hall.

He left the door open, and First Class swallowed her fear before heading inside. 

The room looked eerily similar to the place she had met Princess Luna months ago, before the war was even a whisper, despite the fact that the government had moved into Celestia's School. Princess Luna, sat in the same mahogany chair, staring intently into the same fire. Beside her was a second chair, equal to her own.

The statement was clearer than any word in the pony language. 

"Sit, let us talk," Luna said.

First Class did so, and looked to the Queen from her position. The fire cast it's light on them both, causing Luna's ethereal mane to sparkle almost as if it too, held a certain fire. 

"You have an important day tomorrow. Tell me, what have you found?" Luna asked.

First Class had prepared for this. She would be questioned on all fronts, and was ready for it.

"I have found the truth," she said.

Luna snorted. "Or so you think. Tell me, what is the truth?"

"The truth is everyone is right, and everyone is wrong. There can be only two people to blame, and yet they cannot be blamed. One person could have prevented what had happened, and yet it's impossible to truly blame them for not doing so. In the end, I have decided that they are innocent. The only party guilty of true malcontent, the only person with blood on their hooves, is Mezza Luna."

Luna seemed to roll the words around in her mind for a moment before speaking again.

"And who is this other, is it me?"

"No. You are innocent of any blame for the fact that you only arrived at the end of it all. Events were put into motion years before you returned, and could not have been stopped no matter what your actions could have been. If you had tried to remove her from power, she would have struck earlier. It was inevitable as of twenty years ago that this would happen."

"Twenty years ago. Then this other must be my sister."

"Yes."

Luna was angered by this, but managed to hide it- for the most part. A flash in her eyes was all that First Class saw, and it terrified her.

"You can't find Celestia guilty for what my Night Guard has gone. They are mine, and mine alone, and their treason is on me. I take responsibility, not her."

"I can't allow that."

The anger was more obvious this time, Luna stared daggers at First Class.

"Why?"

"It wouldn't be the truth."

"Explain," Luna demanded.

"As I said, you could not have prevented this even if you had known to, or wanted to. This was all written well before you had any ability to act. I cannot allow you to shoulder the responsibility of this because it would be a lie to say you were. Their treason is their own, not yours, and the fault for allowing them to get to this point lies with Celestia, not you. To allow you to shoulder the blame would be to make this all pointless. The people need you, and they need the truth. If I find you responsible, the people will revolt."

Luna wasn't quite calmed by this, but allowed her to continue.

"However, Celestia not guilty either, per se. She was incapable of imagining that the Night Guard could be so evil because of who she is. It is her core nature to be forgiving to expect the best of people, and to expect the best in the future. This nature is what made Equestria great in the first place, and to expect her to have been able to change it would have changed everything. The very person that made Equestria great to begin with, Celestia, is also the very person that was its ultimate downfall. I cannot find her truly guilty for that reason, because she did not act out of any malice. She acted out of kindness of heart, and that is no crime."

"My sister is not guilty, but she is responsible," Luna said, testing the idea for herself.

"Yes."

"So this is your verdict, that you will deliver tomorrow?"

First Class nodded.

"Yes, there are a few outstanding questions, but I fail to see how the few witnesses left will change anything. The only outstanding question is how Mezza Luna acquired one of Air Martial Spitfire's ships. I will also be calling all four princesses, and Field Martial Armour, to the stand. Your opinions are a matter of public record, and are important for the proceedings."

"All four of us? Indeed, you have quite the line-up tomorrow. I assume the others have been made aware?"

"Yes, and they will be here. I have the authority to subpoena them, but not yourself. I assume you will take the stand?"

Luna nodded. 

"I will, I respect the law, even if I can bend it to my whim. If the people can be served by my testifying, then I shall do so."

"Good, until tomorrow then," First Class said, and slid out of her seat.

She was rather eager to leave, and made it half-way to the door before Luna spoke up.

"Hold on now," Luna said, and First Class turned to face the backside of her chair.

"You have made quite a career for yourself, Minister, and you have served this country well. Perhaps, one day, you may even lead it," Luna said, and levitated the chair in the air so as to face First Class again.

"Today however, is not that day. Nor is tomorrow, nor is next week. I am the sovereign, and you are the minister. Do not forget that, or you will see how quickly I can reverse your incline."

First Class shuddered under the gaze of Luna's glowing eyes.

"I won't," she said.

Luna leaned back, and her eyes ceased to grow. First Class was greatly relieved.

"Good, now go fulfill your duties to the state. By the way, next time you see your husband," Luna grinned widely, and clacked her hooves together.

"Tell him I want to talk."

First Class simply nodded, and darted back out of the door. It shut before her, magically, and she breathed a heavy sigh of relief in the hall.

"Better than expected," she mumbled, and eagerly strode down the hall.