Daughter of the Moon

by CartoonNerd12

Chapter 7

Author's Note:

Bear with me on this one, I was trying to stay close to the original fairy-tale as much as possible, with a slight twist...

Luna grumbled as she headed towards the throne room that afternoon. She was summoned from her bed because Celestia requested her presence. She got there and glared at her sister.

"This had better be important, Tia…"

"Luna, I just received a letter from Twilight that she and the girls are coming back to Canterlot and that she needs to talk to you about something. What I want to know is do you know what that could be?"

Luna shook her head, "Afraid not. I'm not sure what my niece wishes to discuss with me."

"Alright, I just thought I'd give you the heads-up."

"Thank you for that, though you could have waited until tonight to tell me this, you know…" she glared at her again.

Celestia smirked, "I know…"

She grunted while turning back towards the door and slammed it behind her. Sombra turned to his queen.

"You could have waited until tonight…"

"And let my sister have it easy? Not a chance!"

He shook his head and then he said, "So, do you think the thing that Twilight wants to talk to her aunt about is Cadence?"

Celestia sighed, "I told her to let Luna make the first move… Oh, Twilight… I really hope it's something else entirely…"

"And… if it isn't?"

"Expect the royal Canterlot voice filling the entire castle…"

He shuddered.

The end of week came faster than any pony expected as the princesses and their husbands were on the train heading for Canterlot. Cadence was in her birdhouse as Fluttershy held on to it. Their children did not accompany them this time due to it being more of a business trip than a visit to Grandma's castle.

Twilight occasionally looked at her husband, wondering what could have gone wrong all of sudden. Then she remembered that he wanted to talk to her about something, but then they had to prepare for the Breezies' arrival, only to find Cadence and began a mission to break her curse. They hadn't had a chance to sit down and just talk.

"Flash…"

"Yeah, Twi?" He turned to her.

"Um, wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh. Well, you see…" he rubbed his neck, "It's about-" He was interrupted by the train screeching to a halt and the train whistle signaling the stop.

The conductor shouted, "Canterlot! Any pony getting off?"

The royal family went out in single file onto the station and the train whistled again and chugged away.

Fluttershy handed Cadence over to Twilight as the alicorn addressed her sisters and in-laws, "Alright, we're heading to the castle. We'll see you guys later." She and Flash headed off as the others waved and wished them good luck.

Once they were gone, Rarity turned to the group, "The girls and I would like to head to the spa. You boys can do whatever in the meantime. Come on, girls!"

The girls pecked their husbands' cheeks and headed off. The boys quickly got into a huddle.

"Perfect!" said Discord. "While they have their little get-together, we can put Operation Find the Best Anniversary Present to action!" They put their hooves-or claws-together before splitting up.

The girls were already down the main street and passed the spa. Then, they came across a large department store.

Rarity declared, "Time to put Operation Find the Right Anniversary Gift into play!"

The sisters nodded in determination as they entered the store.

Twilight and Flash entered the throne room and there stood Celestia, Sombra, and Luna.

Luna went to her niece, "Twilight Sparkle, what is it you need of me?"

"Well… it's a long story, but to make it short…" She slowly turned the birdhouse around to show Cadence popping out.

Luna gasped and tears began welling in her eyes, "Cad… Cadence…?"

Cadence released a few tears, "Mother…"

"My darling!" she held her hooves out as Cadence fluttered to her mother's chest plate and Luna gently held her, "My darling… it has been so long…"

"I know…" Cadence replied, "Too long…"

Celestia, Sombra, Twilight, and Flash exchanged happy glances.

"But…" Luna frowned as she had Cadence face her, "…what are you doing here? You know it's too dangerous!"

Cadence sighed, "I knew you were going to say that…"

"Well, I am upset that you would leave the safety of a land of those in the form you are in!"

"But I couldn't take it anymore! This is my home! I am a pony like you and everyone else in this room! When I found my cousins, they took me in and wanted to help me!"

"How long?" Luna scowled.

"A week." answered Cadence.

"Aunt Luna, please. Don't be upset with Cadence because she wanted to stay with us instead of going back with the Breezies…" Twilight said.

"I am not upset about that. I am more upset that I was not informed of my daughter's return sooner."

"Mom, I'm sorry, but I knew you would be disappointed in me for not staying where I should have…"

"Cadence… I am not disappointed."

"You're not?"

"No, I can't blame you for wanting to come back to the place you were born in. As you said, this is your home. In truth, I am most happy to see you again, but I do worry for the state you're in. It is why I sent you away in the first place, you know that."

She nodded, "Yes. But I couldn't help it, Mother… I couldn't…" She landed back on the chest plate and Luna carefully wrapped her hooves around her and gently rocked her. She had done this before when Cadence was an infant.

Twilight spoke up again, "Aunt Luna… I've been looking through any books there are to break spells and curses, but I am having trouble finding the right one because I don't know how Cadence got cursed in the first place… and since Cadence's doesn't remember, that leaves only you to tell us how… Please, won't you tell us?" she begged.

Luna glanced at her niece, "My dear Twilight, I have tried endlessly to break my daughter's curse. I, too, have searched for the solution to break the spell, but it's impossible…"

"No! That can't be!" Twilight pointed to her father, "Dad thought his curse was impossible to break, but looked what happened! We declared true love for him and now he's himself again!"

"Luna, she's right," said Sombra. "I could not find the solution in any book either, but because the hope and love my daughters gave me, I was suddenly free… We thought this was a powerful curse that could never be broken, but that was not so…"

Celestia touched her younger sister's chin, "The same can happen for Cadence… but we have to know what caused the curse to begin with… So, won't you let us know?"

Luna lowered her head, "For so long, I felt it was my burden to bear, for I felt responsible for what happened to my daughter…" she released a single tear.

"But why?" Twilight questioned.

"Yes, why, Mother?" Cadence looked at the alicorn, who raised her with big eyes.

"You see, my daughter, to understand how the curse came to be, you have to understand how you came to be…" Then she looked at her sister and brother-in-law. "And it all started just as Celestia was expecting her first child…"

Luna had finished setting the moon as her sister began raising the sun.

"We should do this more often, sister." Luna said.

Celestia chuckled, "We would except for the fact we're already doing it every day and night."

"You know what I mean… We don't have fun anymore like we used to…"

"Oh, Luna…"

"I know, I know… As Sombra's queen, you have other duties to take care of… Not to mention that you will have a child soon…"

"Just because I'm starting a family doesn't mean I'll forget all about you… You're my sister. You'll always be my first family…"

"As you are mine… I'm sorry, Tia, it's just… we don't seem to hang out as we usually do."

"I understand. I miss those days, too. But I promise: we will hang out when we have the chance…" The sisters touched horns.

But that chance never came when Celestia's first daughter was born. Sombra and his love were overjoyed over their baby girl. Fluttershy was so adorable and sweet. She hardly put up a fuss and didn't cry that often. Luna watched as her sister played with her niece. While Celestia didn't shun her sister, she had Luna watch her precious daughter if a certain business needed to be taken care.

Luna actually liked looking over her little niece. It made her think that maybe she should have a child of her own, but set the idea aside. But then came the day that Celestia was expecting again. While happy for her sister and her sister's husband, Luna knew it was only make her sister busier between running a kingdom, raising a daughter, and getting ready for another child. Soon, she wouldn't have any time for her sister anymore…

The Princess of the Night knew then what she had to do… She began research about how to earn a child of her own, as silly as that was. But unlike her sister, Luna was never interested in love. She was proud of being single and didn't want any stallion to tie her down. Then, she heard of a good zebra that had strange powers and potions. She visited the zebra and made her request. The zebra told her she had no such power to give her a child, but if she were to visit the Nether Lands, she would find what she seeked.

Luna took the zebra's advice, went to the Nether Lands, and found a cave that had large gargoyle creature in it. She told the gargoyle what she told the zebra.

"So, do you have anything that can help me?" the princess asked.

The gargoyle, who was named Scorpan, pondered about this and looked around the cave, which had magical potions and bags. He reached for one of the bags that glowed purple and instructed, "In this bag is a single seed. Plant the seed in a flower pot and watch it grow into a flower."

"Let me guess: I must kiss its petals?"

"No, you must eat the flower."

"Oh."

"Once you've eaten it, its magic will flow through you and give you what you desire."

"Thank you… I am most grateful for your help." she took the bag and flew off, unaware that Scorpan gave a cringing look.

Luna did as Scorpan told her to do. She planted the seed in a pot by her bedside. Sleep soon overpowered her and the plant slowly began to grow. By the time, Luna woke up she saw a glowing pink and purple flower.

"Huzzah!" Luna cheered and started eating the flower. She chewed on it to get the flavor, "Mmm, tastes sweet and tangy…" Once she consumed the whole flower, she felt a magical surge going through her. When it stopped, she thought, "Hmm, I guess we'll see in time if it worked…"

When a few weeks passed by, Luna felt sick and her sister took this to notice. Worried about her, Celestia had the doctors check her over. Once she received the results, Celestia bellowed out.

"PREGNANT?! HOW CAN YOU BE PREGNANT?!"

"Sister, calm yourself! I can explain!"

"YOU HAD BETTER!"

"Well, you see…" She told her tale about how she was feeling left out of her big sis having children and wanted to have one, too.

Celestia gestured, "Luna! How could you been so reckless! Does he at least know?"

"What? Oh, sweet Celestia, if you just let me finish, then you'll know I wasn't being reckless at all!" She finished telling the rest of her tale and saw her sister shaking her head and sighing.

"Really, don't ever scare me like that again. But, sister, how do you know this will actually work?"

"I don't. But so far, everything has been what the gargoyle said it was. I am with child just as you are."

Celestia shook her head again.

"You are not happy?"

"Honestly, I'm more shocked then happy. But I am filled with joy for you, and I know you will make a wonderful mother…" she nuzzled her chin.

"You're not so bad yourself."

The two sisters laughed.

During their pregnancies, the sisters relied on each other about knowing what the other was going through.

Celestia had her child first and then Luna. Rarity was born and a few weeks later, Cadence was born. Luna was surprised by her daughter's appearance, but was happy nevertheless.

Things were going so well for the royal family: Celestia and Sombra had more daughters with each passing year and Cadence grew attached to all of them. The cousins were inseparable, especially with the youngest one.

Then came the day that Luna was in charge of Canterlot while her sister, brother-in-law, and nieces were gone. Cadence and her mother did the royal duties together and finally took a break by going into the gardens.

"At last! I thought we would never have a moment's peace!"

Cadence giggled, "Oh, Mother…"

"You would not be laughing, my daughter, if it was you being forced to stay awake during the day when you have duties to do at night."

"I know… but at least we got through it together."

"Indeed, I would have not been able to finish everything were it not for you, my darling…" she nuzzled her head.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, my sweet…" they touched horns.

Suddenly, there was an evil chuckle that filled the air. They turned in fear to see glowing eyes looking at them. Then, the eyes came forward, revealing a cloaked figure.

"Who are you?!" Luna demanded.

The figure chuckled, "I am Lord Tirek, and I am here to reclaim what is rightfully mine…"

"What is rightfully yours?" Luna questioned.

"Yes… You've stolen it from me a long time ago…"

"How dare you! I haven't stolen anything from you!"

"Didn't you? Well… I have someone who says otherwise since he was the one foolish enough to give it to you in the first place…"

"Wait… you can't mean…?"

"My traitorous brother… He thought he was being so helpful towards a poor princess who wanted so badly to have a child of her own…"

Cadence's eyes widened, "Mother… what does he mean?"

Luna scowled towards the feeble Tirek, "You have no claim here! It's too late! The seed had been planted and the flower grew! Cadence is my child and there is nothing you can do!"

"Nothing? Well, that's where you are wrong…" Magic accumulated between his tiny horns and shot towards Cadence. In a flash, the magic swallowed her and she slowly shrank down and spouted wings and an antenna.

Once the magic spell was done, Luna cried out, "NO! CANDENCE!"

Cadence lifted herself up only to realize that everything around her was so huge and big and that she was so tiny. She looked up to her mother, who was crying.

"Now, hand her over to me!" Tirek demanded.

"Never!" Luna scooped up her daughter and flew her away.

Tirek cried out as Luna was flying away with her daughter in her hooves, "May there be misfortune upon the rest of your family! Let them suffer just I have!"

Luna didn't take his words to heart, but she should have, because shortly after Cadence was cursed, the Nightmares and Chrysalis attacked the sisters' old castle. Sombra was cursed, forcing Luna's sister to be alone. Then years later, her nieces were forced to be in an arranged marriage and were kidnapped by the Changeling Queen. Sometime later when everything else was thought to be fine, the younger daughters of the king and queen of Canterlot were nearly killed while being away and almost lost the ones they loved.

When Luna had found the Breezies, she saw that her daughter was shaking from the whole ordeal. She decided to ease her daughter's pain by altering her memories to make her only remember that she got cursed, but not who caused it. It was heartbreaking to see her only child go, but she knew it was for the best. She would be in a place that helped her small size, where she would be safe from Tirek from ever finding her…

Luna kept her head down when she finished her story. The entire room was quiet until Celestia said, "Oh, Luna… Why didn't you tell me…?"

"I didn't know how… And mainly because it was my fault that it was I who needed to correct the wrongs that have been done by me…"

"Luna, you haven't done anything wrong…"

"But I caused the unhappiness that has been placed on all of us…"

"Stop blaming yourself for something you had no control over!" Cadence yelled, "You did the right thing when you kept me away from him! I am proud to call you my mother! Without you, I never would have existed, and I can't thank you enough for that…"

"And I'm grateful, too," said Twilight. "We all are…"

"Yes, little sister…" Celestia had Luna face her, "Your daughter was meant to live with you and us… How she came to be will never change that… Tirek had no right to take away what you had officially give birth to…"

"So… you're not upset and angry?"

"I'm not angry, but I am upset that you didn't tell me this, then we could have found a way to break Cadence's spell much sooner…"

Luna sighed, "I'm sorry…"

"What matters is finding a way now."

"Yes…" she turned to Twilight. "Niece, I have tried using every spell I know of, but I'm not quite gifted in magic such as you. Perhaps it shall be you who breaks my daughter's curse."

"I will try, and I have been, but now that I know the whole story, it gives me a better idea of what to look for. So I thank you for that."

"You're quite welcome. Now if you'll excuse us, my daughter and I have some catching up to do." she smiled down at the Breezie as she returned it.

Once mother and daughter left the room, Celestia looked to her own daughter.

"I cannot express how happy I am to see my sister smiling like that again… I was afraid at first that the thing you wanted to talk about was just about Cadence. I didn't expect you to actually show Cadence."

"Believe me, I was very nervous about telling her."

Flash chuckled, "Yeah, her knees were buckling all week long."

She playfully nudged him, "Yeah, right."

"So where are the rest of your sisters?" Sombra asked.

"Going around Canterlot. They may be having some anniversary gift issues…"

"Ah…" Sombra nodded in understanding.

"I take it you two already have your gifts for each other?" Celestia questioned.

"Um…" both exchanged cringed glances.

"I might have been slightly busy with duties and helping Cadence…" said Twilight, giving a half smile.

"Right! And I've been pretty busy, too!" said Flash, giving off a nervous look.

"Well, there's still time before the big day, so now would be a good time as any…" pointed Celestia.

"Of course!" said Twilight as she was turning to the door. "Planning ahead, that's what helps! Well, see you tonight!" She ran out the door.

"Totally!" He bowed to his in-laws and ran out as well.

Sombra and Celestia gave each other concerned looks.

"It seems that things have been tense for the two of them…" said Sombra.

"The question is: will things get better for them…?" she asked.

"One can hope so… one can hope so…" he wrapped his hoof around his beloved wife, who looked on with worry.

Comments

[SageBrony07]

Wow. Nice chapter. I can't wait to see what happens next in the shopping department. This is going to be good.

[Stardom Freedom]

YAY! Mother and daughter reunion! You know what this calls for?

[Godslittleprincess]

Now, I'm starting to wonder what Celestia and Sombra's settling in phase looked like.