Carpe Diem

by Helrael

3 - Tension Rising

Carpe Diem

Chapter 3 - Tension Rising

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Breaking her fast in candlelight had taken Celestia some getting used to when Luna had first returned, but it seemed only appropriate that if they shared their supper at sunset, they should share their breakfast in the final light of the moon. Even now, in her time of distress and lethargy, Celestia still maintained the resolve to get herself out of bed an hour before sunrise if nothing else than to please her sister.

Said sister looked anything but pleased at the moment, however, and Celestia suspected that she was still in a bad mood from Celestia and Twilight's excursion the previous day. She had remained silent for the duration of the meal, a behavior that would normally be typical of her, but after having been the most talkative of the sisters for three weeks, it sparked a sense of unease in Celestia. It was not a silence born of her usual placidity in the company of her elder sister, that much was clear to her. Luna was staring intensely at her oatmeal, her spoon attacking it in jerky movements that belied her otherwise calm demeanor. No, the silence was likely born of a lack of words rather than a lack of the need thereof.

The silence was enough to make the sound of a dropped silver spoon seem like a racket, and Celestia turned her attention to the source of the noise and what she believed to be the cause of Luna's unwillingness to speak. Seated at the middle of the table, between the two sisters, was Twilight, who jolted upright in her chair, shaking her head slightly and blinking slowly.

"Sorry," she muttered, stifling a yawn. "Dozed off there."

"You stayed up reading all night, didn't you?" Celestia chided her student, wearing a teasing smile. "I can easily arrange for you to be served breakfast later if you want."

"I haven't seen you raise the sun in ages," Twilight complained, rubbing an eye sleepily as her magic took hold of the spoon again.

A dull flash drew Celestia's gaze to Luna once more, and she eyed her sister suspiciously, trying to determine what she had done. "Oh dear," the dark alicorn muttered to herself, then looked at the unicorn at her side. "Twilight, We may have forgotten Our tiara in Our private chambers. Could you do Us the favor of retrieving it?"

The unicorn frowned in confusion, but nodded. "I could have sworn you were wearing it a second ago... Do you remember where you left it?"

"The nightstand," Luna answered, sounding rather certain for a mare who had allegedly forgotten the tiara.

Twilight failed to notice, and simply nodded her head again. She rose from her seat, stretched her legs, and, with another yawn, trotted out of the dining room.

"You could have had one of the guards fetch it," Celestia pointed out to her sister when the door had closed. "Something is on your mind, Luna. A few moments longer, and even Twilight would have noticed."

"Why is she even here?" Luna asked pointedly. "This is the private dining hall of the royal sisters. It is not meant to entertain guests."

"You know Twilight is much more than a guest," Celestia admonished her sister. "At this rate, she will be a royal sister within the year."

"Royalty, yes. I do not know if I can call her sister just yet."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Why the sudden hostility towards my student? This is the mare who assisted you during the Nightmare Night festivities, who freed you of Nightmare Moon."

"Why this sudden friendliness?" Luna returned. "You have always spoken of the importance of balancing our relationships with mortals."

"Temper love with reservation, yes. But love them, Luna. Nothing drains an immortal life of its color like loneliness. You of all ponies know that. Besides, if she becomes immortal, reservation won't be necessary."

"If," Luna stressed. "Her fate is still uncertain."

"I have great faith in her‒"

"Perhaps your faith is misplaced," Luna offered cynically, her gaze dropping at the subtle insult. "It would not be the first time."

Celestia didn't answer at first, looking over her sister instead, trying to read her expression. Was she speaking of the wedding and the changeling queen's deception? Or was she referring to Nightmare Moon? "Perhaps, Luna, you should have more faith in those around you."

Her suggestion only served to worsen her little sister's mood, and Celestia groaned at the reaction. "Why are you even bringing this up? Are you still angry about yesterday?"

"Of course I am!" Luna replied with a frown. "Th­‒ you knew perfectly well that the entire castle was searching for you, yet you refused to reveal thyself! 'Twas foalish and, given circumstances, dangerous! And you still will not tell me where you were!"

"It is a retreat I'd rather keep to myself," Celestia defended herself resolutely.

"Then what ab‒" Luna caught herself and gave a snort. Her lips pressed together for a moment as she held back her anger, but it wasn't long before she seemed to relax. "Never mind that, then," she sighed with a shake of her head. "I worry about th‒ you. I admire your skill at making friendships, but perhaps you overindulge yourself. I have seen you walk the statuary many times since the wedding. You cry. A hundred years from now, your student may be among those statues, and... and then what will you do?"

"I shall remember the lifetime I shared with an amazing pony, and all the things she accomplished that made me proud to be a part of her life," Celestia answered matter-of-factly. "I may miss the friends I made during your absence, but that isn't what makes me sad. Twilight understands that. She understands me, Luna. She may be the only pony in all of Equestria who does so."

"If you would only take the time to explain to me your grievances, she would not be the only one!" Luna countered, her spoon bending ever so slightly in her telekinetic grip. "I am sick and tired of your helplessness, sister!"

"I'm trying to‒"

"I try!" Luna erupted, and the candles on the table went out and toppled over from the force of her outburst. Her eyes sparkled with tears yet to be shed, visible only in the light radiating from the two sisters' horns. "I try to help thee but thou pushest me away! Thou art hurting, and there is naught I can do!" Luna caught herself again, remembering that guards were posted just outside the dining hall's door. There was a clatter of metal, and she brought an unshod hoof to her eyes to wipe away the tears. "Why will you not let me help you?"

There was an overwhelming sadness and ache in her little sister's eyes, and Celestia couldn't bear gazing into them. She looked everywhere but at the alicorn before her, but the room had been cast into almost complete darkness, broken by the brief flickers of gold and blue that made the shadows seem all the more dark. Her eyes eventually settled on her half-eaten oatmeal. Still pondering what to say, she levitated a spoonful to her mouth.

"Answer me."

Celestia swallowed. "You have too much on your mind already, Luna," she finally answered. "You have more important duties than tending to me."

"I want my sister back." If Luna had had anything more to say, it was interrupted by a knock at the door. With a faint groan of metal, the younger princess straightened her spoon, then righted the candlesticks and returned the discarded shoe to her forehoof. Celestia, in turn, pushed everything else into place which had been set askew by Luna's outburst and relit the candles just before the door opened and Twilight trotted in, carrying the black tiara in her magical grip.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, Twilight Sparkle," Luna told the unicorn as the headwear was transferred to her own magical grip, soon to be placed upon the top of her head where it had been only moments before. The sadness and the enmity that were in her voice moments before were still there, but hidden behind a wall of courtesy and a false smile Twilight failed to see through. "Thank you."

"No problem!" Twilight chirped happily, seating herself at the table again. "After a quick trot through the palace, I'm hardly sleepy at all anymore!" Despite her words, she ended up yawning again, but otherwise dug into her oatmeal at a much faster pace than previously.

Celestia remained silent, watching her sister carefully as her sister watched Twilight. After a moment, Luna's eyes met Celestia's, a strange, subtle hostility within them putting Celestia on guard. Their gazes met for but a second before Luna's returned to Twilight, and she gave the unicorn a strained smile. "Twilight, you know a spell for detecting changelings, do you not? What sayest you to joining our sweep of the city today?"

"I, uhh... Sure, if it's alright with Celestia‒"

"Her time would be better spent with me," Celestia replied curtly. "You usually sweep the city every two days, sister. The guards must still be exhausted from yesterday."

"If any of the parasites remain in Canterlot, they will be cunning," Luna explained. "They will be expecting us tomorrow, but not today. The swifter we can sift through the city, the more likely we are to surprise the remaining vermin. Twilight would be of great help, no doubt."

"You have the majority of the royal guard at your disposal," Celestia argued. "One unicorn will do little difference. She would be of greater help with me."

"But this is the mare that defeated an ursa minor singlehoofedly," Luna pointed out to her sister in an almost innocent tone of voice. "How could she be of little difference? I am sure she would be so much more efficient than any under my command‒"

"She's not a royal guard!" Celestia snapped. "She didn't come here to partake in meaningless searches through Canterlot! Isn't that right!?" Celestia's gaze turned to the unicorn in question, who sunk further into her seat as the discussion between the two sisters turned to her.

"Y-yeah? I mean, yes, I-I did technically come to see if Celestia needed anything. No-not that I think your searches are meaningless, Princess Luna."

Luna frowned at Twilight, who only grew more and more nervous under the lunar princess's gaze. "You could always join the hunt, sister," she suggested coolly, looking to Celestia. "You could spend time with your student and quicken our pace markedly."

"You know I can't do that yet."

"I know you will not," Luna returned with an impatient huff.

"I'm not ready for the public quite yet."

"And when will you be?" Luna's eyes narrowed. "Three weeks, sister‒"

"I don't need to be reminded."

"It would seem you do. It has been three weeks, sister! 'Tis a long time for mortals to be left in uncertainty. When I tell them that you are well, they doubt my word! They believe I conceal a grimmer truth! That you are weakened from thy clash is but the kindest of rumors! Others speak of poison and deceit! Betrayal within the very walls of our castle! They see the sun and they say you are dying, sister!"

"Surely you tell them I'm not," Celestia answered, worried by the prospect of her subjects' fear but not enough to yield to her sister's arguments.

"And I am met by wary eyes and hesitant nods!" Luna spat, her dark temper so tangible that the candles dimmed. "The return of Nightmare Moon, they say..."

"That has to be a minority," Twilight objected. "I can't believe more than a handful of ponies could believe something so ridiculous! I'm sure they appreciate all the hard work you've been doing, Princess Luna; don't let a few cynics get to you."

"They are not few!" Luna snapped, silencing Twilight. "If such rumors have reached Our ears, they have already taken root!"

"Rumors," Celestia reminded her sister, trying to sound as calm as possible to soothe her sister. "Nothing more."

"Today they are rumors," Luna countered in a growl, "Tomorrow they are whispers! The morrow upon that they are murmurs, then common gossip in the streets! Before we know it, torches are lit and pitchforks raised, and Equestria is torn asunder!"

"You're overreacting‒"

Twilight yelped in terror as the entire table suddenly flipped over on Luna's whim and smashed against the window. The glass held, but became immediately riddled with thousands of small cracks extending from the center of impact and rendering the enormous pane of glass completely opaque. "Now I overreact!" Luna shouted angrily, rising from her seat. "Equestria is falling apart by the seams and thou bemoanest thy wounded pride! I may be overreacting, but thou art the foal! Thou art being cowardly and selfish and I can only hope thou realizest as much before it is too late!"

The doors burst open as Luna spoke, but she ignored the guards just as she ignored Twilight falling backwards over her seat in an effort to get away from her. Celestia remained seated, mostly out of shock, but all too late did she realize it translated as stoical stubbornness in her sister's eyes.

Luna huffed in exasperation and looked at her hooves for a short moment before speaking. "I shall be in Trottingham, undoing what thy negligence hath wrought." Her voice had quieted somewhat, bearing with it a hint of regret. "Good day, sister." The younger alicorn's translucent mane flared, enveloping her as she dissolved into an indigo mist that vanished through the cracks in the broken window.

"Are you alright, Princess Celestia?" one of the guards asked with urgency while the other took it upon himself to scan her and Twilight. "What happened?"

Celestia shook her head, not in the negative, but to clear her mind from the unpleasant surprise of the confrontation. "Just an argument," she assured the two stallions.

"It sounded like a lot more than that," he observed with a raised eyebrow. Meanwhile, the other unicorn went to Twilight who was huddled up against the wall, both to make sure she hadn't been hurt and to cast the detection spell on her.

"You know what Luna is dealing with," Celestia responded, turning away from the guard and using her magic to pick absently at the ruined window in an effort to fix it. "It wouldn't be fair to hold it against her if she snaps. Just... give me a few moments with my student so we can compose ourselves."

From the corner of her eye, she saw the guard nod and bow before leaving. She heard the door close and, a few seconds later, the approaching hooves of Twilight.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Celestia apologized, finishing the spell she had been casting on the window. The pane of glass flashed once, and when the light faded, all cracks had vanished.

"I hadn't expected her to throw the table like that," Twilight muttered. "But she was yelling at you. A-are you alright?"

Celestia gave a short nod. "She is right. I am being selfish. And I'm being cowardly."

"That still doesn't give her the right to say so," Twilight argued. "I-I mean, I don't think you're being cowardly," she amended.

"Oh? Is it brave to hide inside your castle? To lock yourself away in your private quarters or flee into the royal gardens? To let your sister deal with the aftermath of the first ever invasion of Canterlot while you do nothing?"

"That isn't cowardice," Twilight objected. "That's... I don't know, not cowardice. Shock. You haven't ever been defeated before; it's only natural that the showdown with Chrysalis left you shaken."

"Chrysalis?"

"Y-yeah... the changeling queen?"

"How do you know that's her name?" Celestia asked, realizing the pointlessness of her question almost immediately.

"Read it in a book," they both answered at the same time, and Celestia couldn't help but smile.

"She's the queen of the largest known hive in the world," Twilight went on. "The books I looked at listed a few other hives, but none of them should be large enough to launch an attack on Canterlot. And this Chrysalis is supposed to be unique among her kind, so the one you fought must have been her. Apparently, she's immortal. Not as old as you, of course, but she goes back at least six generations."

"Well, she's gone now," Celestia answered, her smile gone too as she looked out the window. The lingering night outside reminded her that it was past time she raised the sun. "Unless your book mentions the location of her hive, I'm afraid we can't do anything about her. Honestly, I'd be happy if I never saw her again." She unfurled a wing, gesturing for Twilight to join her at her side. "Now, it's time to begin a new day." The unicorn nodded and trotted up next to her, and in a flash of light, they were both gone.

The great balcony of the Canterlot royal palace was a site upon which Celestia had composed thousands upon thousands of sunrises and moonrises. Its floor was a mosaic depicting the night and day melding into each other, constructed shortly after Nightmare Moon's defeat from enchanted pieces of obsidian, lapis lazuli, gold, and pearl. A semi-circular platform more than twenty feet in radius, it had been a costly project, but ultimately doable through the gratitude Celestia had earned from the entire world for having banished her sister.

It had been necessary as well. The innumerable enchantments hidden within the mosaic had helped ease the heavy burden of both the sun and moon, functioning as a magical crutch until she was strong enough to handle both day and night on her own. It had become tradition that she raised the sun from this balcony, but lately, it had once again become a necessity.

It was upon this platform that student and mentor materialized, the latter giving a deep sigh as she beheld the east horizon. "Let's hope the sun is brighter today," she muttered, more to herself than Twilight. Before she could do anything, though, they were joined by a quintet of royal guards.

"You're a bit later than expected, Princess," the unicorn of the group addressed Celestia, his horn glowing a bright blue as the detection spell swept across her.

"Just a minute or two," Celestia protested halfheartedly while the stallion cast his spell on Twilight. "Leave us, please. I know," she broke in quickly when a pegasus guard opened his mouth, "that you have to keep an eye on me. But do so somewhere where I can talk with my student in private. Or we'll have a repeat of yesterday's disappearance."

The unicorn chuckled, finishing with Twilight. "You don't make things easy for us, do you?"

"These aren't easy times," Celestia returned, turning her gaze toward the east horizon. The unicorn nodded and motioned for his colleagues to follow him as he left the balcony.

Celestia took a deep breath, closing her eyes and envisioning the horizon in her mind's eye. With another steady breath of hers, everything beneath the horizon fell away before her, leaving only a black line and her blazing sun beneath it. There was a tingling in her hooves, and she knew the mosaic she stood upon was slowly coming to life, glowing brighter and brighter as Celestia summoned her magic. With a third deep breath, Celestia took hold of her charge, straining herself to lift it clear of that black line.

The sun was as lethargic as she was, unwilling to move, but Celestia willed herself to keep going. After an indeterminable amount of time spent struggling with the blazing sphere, it was finally above the horizon, slowly setting into motion on its own to begin its long trek across the sky.

Celestia opened her eyes, and the flickers of light playing across lapis and obsidian faded away. There was no blazing sun. In its stead was a pale orb, perhaps brighter than it had been yesterday, but one that provided little light and but a fraction of the warmth her usual summer sun would bring. She huffed in annoyance and closed her eyes again, tilting her head skywards.

"I was so sure it would be brighter," she muttered, not knowing whether she was complaining or apologizing to Twilight.

"I'm sorry."

She opened her eyes in surprise and looked down at the unicorn at her side. Twilight did indeed look apologetic. "Sorry? You can't possibly blame yourself for my shortcomings, Twilight. It's my job alone to raise the sun. If anything, I should be apologizing. All of Equestria is suffering because of my silly depression."

"We're not suffering," Twilight objected. "And it's not silly. You feel like you've failed Equestria. That's a big thing."

"I feel silly," Celestia muttered, throwing a baleful glare at her sun. "I want to raise the sun properly, but... At the same time, I don't want to raise the sun. As harsh as her words may be, Luna's right. I'm being foalish, I'm being a coward, and I'm being selfish."

"Don't suppose you'd listen if I disagreed," Twilight answered dryly, inspecting the masterful craftsmanship of the giant mosaic while Celestia stared at the sun. "But I'm pretty sure you and Luna are the only ponies who think so."

"We're the only ones who would dare say it to my face," Celestia observed darkly. "Even you wouldn't, and we've known each other since you were a filly. Go ahead," she urged Twilight. "I dare you to say something unflattering about me."

She stole a cursory glance at the little unicorn, confirming that she did indeed look more than a little uncomfortable just by thinking about insulting the princess. "You're... a coward?" she managed after a moment of struggling, practically choking on the words.

"I've already said that."

"Do I have to... insult you?"

"I'm merely asking you to point out a flaw of mine," Celestia simply stated, walking slowly toward the edge of the balcony. "You don't have to, but I might be a bit disappointed if you can't."

"You're mean," Twilight answered with a pout, taking a few swift steps to catch up with her teacher. "Does that count?" she added hopefully.

"No."

Comments

[Sunny]

This story is cute and not getting nearly enough attention

[Helrael]

3766912 Thanks! I'm sure it'll come in time.