Celestia could not sit. It was unusual for her, especially in the evening. She was often found sitting here, or sitting there, sitting most anywhere. Instead she flew. She flew, but never fast enough to escape her thoughts. Her sister drew up beside her in the sky. "It was our fault as well, sister."
Celestia glanced sideways at Luna. "It was my journey. It was my advice. He did everything I asked of him. He received the first trying to broker peace for me, for us... For all Equestria. It wasn't even his country..."
Luna swooped in front of her and cut her off, wings beating powerfully. "Never say that again. He died in service of it. If it cannot be his now, when can it be?"
Celestia's jaw tensed. "He should not have died. This is not how it should have ended. This is wrong. Utterly wrong. He should have fled, at worst, or been clever, at best, as he usually is. We... I had plans. Plans with him."
She turned her head aside and Luna drifted closer, reaching a hoof to rest on her sister's shoulder. "Do you think I did not? Even if he did prove in--"
"I did it."
Luna blinked slowly, silent save for her wings. "You did what, Tia?"
Celestia shrank back. "I did it... I poisoned him, just a little. I made him an unsuitable male."
Luna frowned at Celestia. "Thou art making little sense. Explain." Darkness danced across her form with confused and raging emotions. "Quickly."
Celestia turned to face Luna directly. "Very well. I will speak the truth and none but, if you will hear me out, sister. If you wish to see me punished, I will submit myself to you afterwards." Luna gave a terse nod, and an agreement was made. "You had your hooks in him deep, sister. You were controlling him, not as any wife, but as an owner. His heart was too soft. He would have gladly followed you to Tartarus and helped you affix the chains to his hooves, if it meant you'd smile at him and call him a good pony."
Luna gave a wry smile. "We imagine he would do such, aye. He enjoyed our task. What stallion would not? He topped all the mares he could desire, and left them gravid with foal. Why punish them so viciously? To have them miscarry... tis unfathomably cruel."
Celestia gave a little snort. "I tried other things, things that should have simply prevented him from creating foals, and yet... There they were, growing inside the mares."
Luna lashed out a hoof suddenly, catching Celestia in the chest, but she accepted it stoically. "You did not even consider asking us? Speaking to us, as we are doing right now? Are we foals that we must sneak and scheme around one another? Are we as your day court, full of lazy and entitled ponies who think direct conflict is too much risk and effort?"
Celestia dipped her ears. "I feared you would refuse. I feared he would refuse, and become angry. I didn't want a rift between either of us." She licked over her lips. "After our... the trip. I had decided to stop. I was going to let him discover it on his own, but then... Then this..."
Luna grunted softly. "But something didn't go according to your plans." She scowled at Celestia. "How does it feel? One of your perfect little plans, shattered, ruined... You were always so quick to gently pet the back of other ponies when their plans went awry, to tell them all would be well, and they should just... try harder."
Celestia's wings hung lower in defeat. "This isn't how it should have happened... This isn't right at all..."
Luna cocked her ear suddenly. "I remember something, dear sister. That strange presence that spoke to Silver with cool authority. It said there is always a path, if you find it, and you are willing to walk it. You guided him down this path. He smiled and he did his best to please you, and it ultimately led to this conclusion. Do you plan to mourn him, or will you find a path for him? Will he be rescued, for once, or will we hope. Hope and pray that, somehow, he rescues himself from beyond the grave for us?"
Celestia glanced down at Canterlot, glowing in the darkness of dusk. "What are you suggesting, Lulu? He is dead. His own wives saw his demise."
Luna frowned at her. "And so you give up, without an attempt? Without even confirmation? You have grown timid and soft, acting as gentle mother to your ponies when you are so far removed from them. Your own libraries overflow with magic that you, at your own command, have ordered sealed away 'for safety'." She advanced on Celestia and bared her teeth. "Is it time for safety?" Celestia cringed but she followed in after her sister. "Is it time for action? You say you would surrender to me for punishment? I don't want it. It's just another way for you to give up. Nay, I bid you make a decision, sister. Decide." Luna extended a hoof, holding it out in front of Celestia. "If you spread your wings and fly, I will soar with you, straight into that sun of yours, if we must, if there is a chance we will emerge victorious. You don't like the hand fate dealt you? Do something about it, or be satisfied in your tears."
Celestia went quiet for what felt like a long time, before she lifted her own hoof and set it against Luna's. "We fly."