It took almost an hour for Luna to lead Rarity from her cell and up through the castle passages to the castle proper. Part of that was due to a stop in Luna’s personal washroom to allow Rarity at least some time to prepare herself, though the unicorn just took the opportunity to use the bathroom and drink some from the tap. The curls had not returned to her tail even after it dried and Rarity declined to have it re-curled.
When the two of them entered the great court the room was already filled with ponies in the wings whispering about the mysterious criminal that had the sun princess so worked up. None of them knew who she was, only that she had been imprisoned in the dungeons for many years now. None of them recognized the former element, of course, when she and the princess entered, and some seemed puzzled. Rarity appeared a young mare, nowhere near fifty, much less older.
Rarity ignored the crowd and just walked up to the steps before the thrones. Luna passed her to take her seat as the unicorn, much to the disapproval of Celestia and the ponies gathered, sat on her haunches right on the royal carpet.
“Stand, criminal.” Celestia ordered while Luna took the seat to her right.
Rarity lifted her head to look up at the princesses as she answered dismissively, “I have stood for you princess, for the last fifty years. I think I will enjoy sitting while I can.”
Luna’s ears dropped as she looked over to her sister. She didn’t like seeing Celestia angry, and she looked absolutely furious at the uncaring unicorn. “I vote banishment from Ponyville.” Luna said softly, knowing that her sister would be upset, but she just couldn’t bring herself to go along with death after all they had put the poor pony through.
Celestia looks scandalized at her sister for a few tense moments before she is able to force out, “If that is how my sister feels, then she will be banished to the badlands.”
Luna was shocked, “The Badlands?” she asked, “But sister, the terms were just banishment from Ponyville or death”
Celestia nodded, “Yes, but I also said that she would live out her life alone in a place of my choosing.” She answered, accenting the word ‘alone’ to make her point, “I think she will be very alone in the badlands.”
Luna looked at her sister with pleading eyes, she wanted to be merciful, allow Rarity a place in one of the pony cities, where she could have a chance to build herself a new life. The badlands, that was almost a death sentence in itself.
Celestia, did not look like she was going to budge, however, and Rarity did not seem fazed by it, “I have one last request before my banishment” she said, “I want to visit my sister’s grave. I need to say goodbye before I go.”
“You don’t have a sister.” Celestia answered coldly, to the shock of Luna and the sudden hiss of whispers in the wings. She frowned at her sister not only in disapproval but not understanding why Celestia was being so cruel.
Rarity looked down at her hooves and for the first time since being freed of her diamond prison showed emotion. Wet drops fell on her hooves, though she didn’t shiver, shake or sob; she just cried quietly.
“Then I would like to amend my request.” Rarity said after a few moments, looking up with wet eyes full of contempt that Luna, unfortunately, felt was justified.
Rarity, however, did not amend her request with words, but with actions. She suddenly shot up and charged at a Pegasus guard. The magic damper ring was still firmly on her horn, but while it was useless for magic she lowered her head and obviously was intending to use it as a spear.
She never got far enough however, as Celestia’s magic surrounded her and stopped her in her tracks before she was even in range of the guard’s spear.
“Kill me! Get it over with and just let me die!” The unicorn screamed, the dam broke and she sobbed horribly as she struggled in the grip of the magic, still trying to charge the guard and force him to spear her. “Haven’t I earned death! Have you not an ounce of mercy?”
Luna reached up to bush away a tear from her face. She took in a few firm, deep breaths before she said sternly and loudly, “Sister, I ask you to recuse yourself.”
Cerlestia looked at her sister, once again scandalized, so much so that her magic faltered and she dropped Rarity from where she floated a good ten feet off the ground.
There was a thick thud as the unicorn hit the floor of the hall. Rarity just remained in a heap and sobbed bitterly and mumbled incomprehensibly to herself. “What?” Celestia demanded.
“I don’t know why you are so upset, but it is obvious you are letting your personal feelings override your better judgment.” Luna answered firmly, though she softened and went quiet to say to her sister alone, “Please, go calm yourself, trust me to see that justice is done.”
Celestia looked from her sister to Rarity and back again before she angrily rose from her throne and began stalking off, leaving with, “Remember little sister, she broke our laws and Twilight’s heart.”
Luna nodded as it finally made sense to her. Celestia held a grudge over the pain Twilight had felt for Rarity’s fate. Both of the royal sisters had felt the pain of each and every pony when they erased their memories of the unicorn all those years ago. The pain of her most faithful student had obviously soured in Celestia over the years.
Once Celestia had left the hall Luna motioned for her guard to get Rarity up. Two of the armored bat ponies took the sobbing unicorn under each foreleg and helped her sit as the princess spoke, “Unicorn. You have paid for your crimes in full. You will be allowed to visit the grave of the pony you ask, but I must impress upon you: it will be a short goodbye, and then you will be banned from ever setting hoof in Ponyville again, there is nothing there for you any longer.”
Rarity’s sobbing slowly stopped as she looked up at Luna with confused, bloodshot eyes, while the princess continued, “You will be placed in an apartment in Baltimare at the expense of the royal treasury. There you will be provided with the basics of life with which to start anew and prove that you have reformed.”
It took a moment, but Rarity was able to quietly murmur, “Thank you, princess.”
“The lieutenant,” Luna added while motioning to the bat pony holding Rarity up on the left side, “Will accompany you, escort you and assist you until such time as I deem you fit to live on your own.” The bat pony she referred to saluted with his free hoof to make it clear he understood and accepted his charge.
Rarity had fallen silent again and her eyes were once again unfocused, seeing something other than the room she was in. “Do you understand, Rarity.” Luna asked and snapped Rarity back to reality.
“Yes Princess.” Rarity answered. The answer gave Luna hope; that dead tone in Rarity’s voice, for a moment, was gone. She couldn’t place what the new sound was, but at least it was something.
“Take her from this place. She knows where the grave is, take her to it and give her no more than fifteen minutes for her goodbye, then see her to Baltimare.” The lieutenant saluted again to the order and took Rarity from the other bat pony. He led her from the hall and quickly from the castle to carry out his task.
After they had gone Luna’s eyes lingered on the far doors and while the ponies in the wings moved more into the hall proper to restore normal business she murmured softly, “Good luck.”