//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15 
// Story: Moonlight Promenade 
// by Valorousspectre 
//------------------------------//

"Princess Celestia. A word?"

The stiff voice of Gild reminded Celestia he was still miffed at her, and she sighed. Nevertheless, she stopped where she was, and looked at him.

"What is it Gild? I'm late for breakfast as it is."

"Reports are in," He replied stiffly, "The fugitive's been found. Septimus is being brought in. He and his detainer are due in a matter of minutes."

Celestia felt a stab of irritation. Gild had stopped her before her breakfast... for this? This... paltry excuse for news?

"Gild," she began slowly, "I'm aware that my dismissal of your want to imprison Septimus, and then the further dismissal of you yesterday from the throne room, and from your authority, has grated upon your patience. I'm aware that you want nothing more than to imprison, try and then sentence him with impunity."

Gild said nothing, his bandaged wing stiff against his side, his face like stone. For some reason, this irked Celestia more than his wasting her time did, and it was her who'd suggested the guard remain impassive!

"Regardless of this, you are forgetting," She continued, trying to keep her voice in check, "It is not in the hands of you, nor me, to capture or try Septimus anymore. I gave my sister twenty-four hours to prove she could handle it. At the end of these twenty-four hours, I'm sure I'd have been notified of her failing or succeeding in her quest herself. What you have done here is not only unnecessary, but very annoying. You have interrupted my walk to breakfast, and thus delayed my breakfast and morning coffee for a petty reason and, to be frank, you're lucky I'm not dismissing you on the spot. Thank you for the news, but I'm afraid you've done nothing but prove yourself a shallow, stubborn stallion, and that you're willing to waste my time."

If it were possible, Celestia would have thought that he went even stonier at her accusation, and it brought her a surprising warmth. A burst of satisfaction, as it were.

"Your time would be spent better training your guards to follow orders and respect the authority who gives them to them. Go do that, and stop wasting my time."

Gild, stiff faced, thundercloud eyes and rigid back, nodded, mumbled his assent, and left her presence. Celestia, feeling a little better about her morning, continued on her way to breakfast. It was the best she could do with such a horrible start to her morning. As she entered the grand dining hall, she saw Luna, awake early for the first time in a long time, looking decidedly pleased with herself.  Celestia tried not to let that affect her as she walked briskly to the table, and hurriedly picked up the still-steaming mug of coffee waiting for her, and downed it in record time, putting the mug back on the table, and noticing that, for the first time, the staff had left the entire pot for her.

Her breakfast was extravagant, as usual. She didn't like the idea of having meals so much larger than her people, but she'd become used to them, and a little too fond of sweet treats. A stack of four pancakes the size of her hand with spread fingers, covered in whipped cream, a scoop of icecream and a carnation of strawberries. As well, was a several blueberries and blackberries.

Faced with the idea of Luna rubbing her face in the idea that her guard were better, Celestia sighed, and poured herself another cup of coffee before sitting down opposite her sister. The table was narrow, but long, widening out into a sun shape in the center to accomodate platters of food. Both sisters declined the heads of the table when in private.  The bathrobe she was wearing was not very princess like, but it was comfortable, and didn't hurt her neck or give her a headache.

"Gild has informed me of your success," She began, trying to beat Luna to the punch, "I must say, I'm surprised. I'd been told your guard were mostly misfits and renegades that had problems with authority."

Luna, mouthful of pancake, laughed in her throat before swallowing to answer primly, "They don't have a problem with authority, they have a problem with his authority, and that he's an arrogant snob, actually."

Celestia wanted to defend him, but given his recent behaviour, found herself agreeing with her sister, for once.

"I... must agree," She admitted, and for a moment the hall was silent even of chewing, as Luna stared at her, eyes wide. Celestia frowned, "Is there something on my face? Did I miss something when I showered?"

"No..." Luna said slowly, "But you're agreeing with me. You never agree with me."

"Not so," Celestia argued, "We've agreed to things in the past."

"Name one," Luna replied flatly. Celestia frowned, but pointed with her fork at her sister as she began.

"The legislation for nobles' taxes," She put forth as an example, "We agreed it best to change it to higher than it was. It boosted the economy six percent on its own."

"I wasn't part of that discussion actually, you're thinking of your secretary," Luna reminded her. Celestia faltered, then tried again.

"Our decision that Cadance should learn to take care of her new Empire without our influence," She put forth a new angle this time. Luna shook her head this time.

"Your decision, I never opened my mouth because I wasn't entirely sure I knew what was going on, and don't know anything about ruling as far you're concerned anyway," came Luna's sharp reply. Celestia's frown deepened, and she tried again.

"The movement to open up a grand orphanage and homeless shelters to prevent ponies begging for scraps on the streets!"

Luna winced at that one, "You mean the one that got shut down in congress because you were outvoted by the rich majority and were told that since you didn't recognize me as a co-ruler, my vote didn't count?"

Celestia's frown deepened and she nodded painfully. Luna sighed and nodded, "I suppose we agreed on that, but I didn't know what it was until after the meetings when you explained it to me and why you were trying to use my name with yours."

"I thought it'd be something you thought was a good idea," Her older sister explained, "Besides, that's one thing we agreed on."

"Once," Luna replied, "And only after it was shut down. If you'd brought me in before, the movement would have passed and there'd be less homeless on the streets."

Celestia winced and looked at her half eaten breakfast.

"I suppose I deserved that one," She lamented, "Alright, fine, we've made some mistakes..."

"No sister," Luna replied firmly, "You have. You're a great leader, don't misunderstand. You've had over a thousand year's practice and you've gotten very good at it," She locked eyes with Celestia, "But you've gotten good at it alone, and I don't think it's fear for me that you've kept me from a rightful throne beside you. I think it's because you're afraid of the change I'll bring. I understand your concern, but I don't think I deserve such unfair treatment either."

"I've kept you from the throne because you're still not ready!" Celestia protested weakly, "I mean no disrespect from it, and I know I've been hard on you..."

"Hard on me?" She demanded, "Is that what you call it? A strict curfew and guard detail twenty-four seven, not allowed out in my own beautiful night to enjoy the darkness, to meet all these ponies you insist adore my skies? Putting everything I say down, or calling me out on how childish you think I'm being? Is that what it's like to be 'hard' on somepony?"

Celestia winced again, and took a draft of her coffee.

"When you say it like that..." She said weakly. Luna sighed.

"Sister... I love you," She began earnestly, "And I know you want to protect me, and you want to protect your people, and they are your people, regardless how many times you insist otherwise, but I can't grow or mature without more challenges to push me. I need responsibilities back, to learn from mistakes, like you did, so when I'm as old as you, I can rule as well as you. But not on my own."

She reached across the table and took her sister's white hand in her own.

"I want to rule beside you sister," She explained, "As an equal. I know... in the past, my jealousy got the better of me, but I promise, I'm older now, I'm a little more mature, and I understand that my reasoning was... foalish, and above all, not worth the pain it caused us both. I don't want a throne to myself..."

She smiled, an honest and sincere smile that melted Celestia's heart.

"I want to rule beside you big sister, side by side. Guardians of the day, and of the night. Protectors of our little ponies, in spite of anything that strikes, we'll strike back twice as hard. I promise you, I won't let you down."

The pair stayed that way for a long moment, before Luna, finished with her meal now and in pajamas much like her sister, stood up.

"Think about it," She said softly, "And remember, I love you sister, no matter what."

And she left, leaving Celestia to ponder her words. Her food was forgotten, only the cup of coffee in her hands being consumed mil by mil.

Perhaps... I have become blinded and fearful of change... Maybe she is ready, and it's me who isn't.

Maybe it's time I stopped being afraid, and showed a little faith of my own.