A Princess In Mourning In The Evening
Nine Hundred, Ninety-Nine Years Ago...
It had been a year ago, today...
Celestia sat, alone in her room, in a deep depression. She'd gotten to know this room very well over the course of the last year. After all, since she never left it, there was very little to distract her, and so there was nothing to keep her from studying it in even the most microscopic detail. She knew every dust bunny, and had given them names. The cobwebs, she'd given deep and moving back stories, and had even invented a tragic romance between one of the more elegant cobwebs and the largest and fluffiest dust bunny under her bed.
And because she was Princess Celestia, and Princess Celestia was incapable of doing anything halfway, that tale would, in the not too distant future, be submitted under a pseudonym (With a few minor changes, of course). Said story would soon afterwards be hailed as Equestria's greatest romantic epic of all time, and would still hold that title a thousand years later.
Celestia wasn't insane. Oh no, not at all. That was all a distraction, you see, to keep her from going mad. She needed something else to think about, so she wouldn't think about the one thing that most certainly would drive her insane...
...That she'd failed her sister. That Luna was gone, and the raving, deranged beast called Nightmare Moon had taken her place. That she'd likely not see her sister for a thousand years, if ever again. And it was all Celestia's fault.
Maybe it was because she'd paid too much attention to everypony else, and not enough time on the most important pony in her life. Maybe it was because Celestia had gotten so much more attention than her sister. Or maybe...
...Maybe she'd not loved her sister enough.
Regardless, Luna was gone. The one pony in the world who was like Celestia, who understood her. The one pony that she had come to rely on more than any other. And now that she was gone, Celestia felt as if a piece of herself was missing. The largest and most important piece.
She looked to a curtained window, and checked the clock on her wall. Sunset was an hour past now, and while each day, she'd toyed with the idea of just not raising the sun one morning, or not lowering it one night, duty kept her from taking that final, terrible step and plunging Equestria into permanent darkness, or horrible, blazing eternal day. Still, since she never went outside, she used the angle of the light coming from the window, and her clock, to make certain that the sun rose and set properly.
A less compassionate pony might have blamed her subjects for her sister's disappearance, and punished them for it. After all, it was possible that her subjects' shunning of Luna was at least partly responsible for the lunar princess' descent into madness. However, even if that was the case, Celestia could never turn her back on her subjects. That simply was not who she was. However, she was unable to look her subjects in the face right now... and she doubted that she ever could again.
Regardless, with this one task done, and done properly, she turned towards her bed...
...And heard a knock on her door.
This was not,in and of itself, strange. There was a knock on her door every day. There used to be much more than just one: When she first shut herself away, her subjects had pounded on the door, but to no avail: Celestia had locked the door, and then reinforced it with magic, so that even a battering ram could not break it down. And they tried. After that, her subjects tried getting in through the floor, walls, and ceiling, to find those places similarly reinforced. Even her window was now reinforced to the point that it could repel a boulder flung via catapult. Thankfully, her subjects had not tried that, likely for fear of either harming their princess, or collateral damage. Either way, it had been six moons since her subjects had tried anything more than a knock each evening. They might have assumed that she'd just starve herself in here, but a... precocious foalhood had allowed Celestia to master the art of cake and ice cream summoning: While she'd put on a couple of pounds, she would not likely starve any time soon.
Still, this knock was special: It was small, soft, and low to the ground. It was the knock of a young filly or colt at her door. And if anypony knows anything about Princess Celestia, it is that she cannot say no to a little colt or filly...
The door whipped open so quickly that it briefly rattled on its hinges, and Celestia looked down... to see a tiny pink earth pony filly, clutching a book close to her chest. Without a word, she held it up to the princess.
After a moment, Celestia asked, "Do you need somepony to read you a story?"
The filly nodded.
"Alright," Celestia said with a nod, accepting the book. Then, she used a spell to hoist the youngster onto her bed, tucked her into the covers, and then took a seat on the ground besides the bed. She cracked open the book, and began reading.
"Where Is My Cow?"
------------------------------------
Chancellor Read Write was roused from his slumber by by a maid, shaking him roughly. He supposed he should have expected it: This had been the grandaddy of all bad days. There'd been a riot earlier today, from ponies demanding to see the princess, not willing to accept that the princess did not wish to be seen. While it had been sorted out, with nopony seriously injured, things were getting bad: Equestria's government was able to run, in no small part, because the ponies trusted and adored her highness, Princess Celestia. The princess not appearing to endorse any new legislation that was necessary made her subjects... suspicious. Especially the recent raise in taxes. Only Princess Celestia could make ponies willingly accept a raise in taxes, and pay it with a cheerful smile and a musical number to boot...
Worse, Commander Overwatch's daughter had wandered off, when her father had not arrived at six in the evening to read her a bedtime story. It wasn't his fault: He was busy defusing the riot situation. The youngster had wandered off, looking for somepony to read to her, he supposed. However, at seven in the evening, she still had not been found, and while Read would normally have been happy to help with the search, he had an early morning tomorrow. He'd had early mornings, every morning, since the day Celestia had banished her sister, and then secluded herself in her chambers...
He worked hard to keep this country running in her majesty's absence, and there might have been three ponies in the world who might have been able to do a job half as good as he had. A few hours of sleep weren't too much to ask for, were they?
Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Read asked, "What is it? Did they find her? Did they find Magnolia?"
The maid nodded enthusiastically, and then added, 'And you'll never guess where!"
-----------------------------------
"Is that my cow?" Princess Celestia asked, still reading aloud. "It goes, 'No I haven't seen your cow. What does she look like? Where did you last see her?'" She paused, then continued, saying, "That is a pony. That is not my cow."
Read Write watched from the doorway, Commander Overwatch right beside him, as Princess Celestia read aloud from the young filly's favorite book. It was a very silly book, given that it was about a pony looking for a cow, and yet couldn't tell the difference between a cow, a chicken, a donkey, another pony, or even, in the last three pages, a manticore, a hippopotamus, or a dragon (In that order). Still, the young filly loved the story, especially when the reader did the voices.
The chancellor and the commander remained silent as the princess finished the story. When she was done, she gently lifted the sleeping filly off of the bed, and gave her over to the commander. The commander smiled, gave a brief, grateful nod, and carried his daughter off. The princess made to shut the door, but the chancellor was able to delay her by clearing his throat.
"Your highness, I hate to be a bother, but..." He paused, sighed, and then said, "There's a great deal going on that I need to make you aware of. Your subjects need you."
The princess paused, then said, "It's late. Come see me first thing in the morning. And have the commander bring his daughter. A filly her age ought to be able to read to herself." With that, she shut the door.
That was how Princess Celestia first met Magnolia, or Maggie to her friends. The filly who would be her very first student.
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NEW CHAPTER UP!!!
A new chapter? That's nonsense. This tale is much too old to be new by like 999 years.
The feels man, the feels!!!
This was brilliant!!!
Aww, what a great way to come out if hiding in her room.
Good chapter.
6698128
Lies! This is not a new chapter, it's a 1000 year old chapter!
Vimes would be proud.
Is that my cow?
It goes buggrit, millenium hand and shrimp.
6698207
That is Foul Ol' Ron! That is not my cow.
Oh my god...
That Discworld reference there...it's too perfect. Bravo.
Typo
...And heard a knock on her door.
This was not,in and of itself, strange.
No space between first comma and the word in
Needs one
PS.. Great chapter
Ah, Sir Pratchett. May the man rest in peace, and may the Great A'Tuin swim ever onward.
...That aside, wonderful chapter; It's always great to see Celestia and Luna a thousand years ago.
And of course Celestia does all the voices.
I think Terry Pratchett would be pleased.
6698128 I nearly cried. Will Sunset Shimmer be in this one? Just wondering.
Love this story! I hope it will be both long and epic as that is the promise it's making to me right now. So many questions!
So many mysteries!
Can't wait for the next update. Any chance these will be released on a schedule?
*continues to mash the like button furiously, as per usual.*
Beautiful writing, Celestia reading to the filly was adorable.
New Chapter? *reads* This is 999 years old!
I'm slightly disappointed we don't get to see more of Luna and Morning Glory. I'm quite happy we find out more about Celestia's first student that was mentioned last chapter, so overall, yay! A sad chapter and yet also a sweet one.
This made me say, "Aw," with a smile on my face.
Only moments later, it made me tilt my head and say, "Wait. Is that...?"
And now I'm shaking my head in wonder.
Thou hast overceded thyself.
Those were not words.
All the feels
Is that my pa?
It goes "Bugrit! Millennium hand and shrimp!"
No! That is foul ole Ron! That is not my pa!
6698209
Drat! My comment was too late. Alas :(
I kinda want to read that cobwebxdustbunny story.
6698713
Sadly, the story of 'Lady Lace' and 'Dustin Fluff' is something that would require at least three internets to handle without exploding, rather than just the one we currently have.
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
I don't know Terry Pratchett, but I'm a bit under half way through reading the Dragonlance annotated chronicles! They're in the same world, right? Along with (at least some of) R.A.Salvatore's works? I dunno. They all seem to be based on DnD. I've read most of the Drizzt books by Salvatore. I like 'em!
Tl;dr: Books are fun! I've read some that are at least tangentially related to a reference this chapter!
I WANT MOAR PLEASE
6698836 Nope Terry Pratchett is responsible for the Disc world series and it's set in it own (slightly shaky) universe. I more of half comic, half serious, half sideways view of a fantasy world instead of just high fantasy. Fantastic series though.
6698986 Ah. That seems neat, I think?
6698994 Its hard to ex-plane. Its a fairly unusual series to books.
6699026 The spelling of that word is "explain".
6699026 Seems legit though.
To express my joy, I shall now sing a bout a Hedgehog at volume while being quite sloshed.
Being sloshed is important you see. It is to remember all the words!
Lovely slice of life chapter. I eagerly await more that I hope tocome.
Send in the children! They must be sacrificed to the glorious sun goddes for the well being of Equestria! Praise the sun!
imgbase.info/images/safe-wallpapers/miscellaneous/funny/50880_funny_keep_calm_and_praise_the_sun.jpg
Another enjoyable chapter. Great job.
6699046
It was likely an intentional pun, since the Discworld is, well... a disc. A planar surface. A plane. The Disc rests upon the backs of four elephants, which stand on the back of the Great A'Tuin, a giant star turtle.
vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/vsbattles/images/b/bb/Paul-kidby-disque-monde-the-great-a-tuin-2.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20141029164342
Glorious!
Where. Is. My. Cow!
Too freaking cute!
The reason Celestia takes students is so she doesn't go insane from loneliness and what she did....
6699129 That makes sense. Not having read the source material, I didn't pick up on it.
6699047 God dam it. This is why I hate my self sometimes.
6699251 Now that I read your comment again, I think instead of "to books" you meant "to read".
...I am genuinely needing of a quiet tea and sitdown now. DW readers will understand.
6699052 and don't forget the wizards and their staves!
6699052 It's nice seeing all the discworld fans around this story, here's to Sir Terry Pratchett.
May he rest in peace
When you said her name was "Magnolia", all I could think of was: "So she's going to have problems with either dragons, fairies, wizards, or all three...?", it's probably not a reference to Fairy Tail, but rather to the plant genus, still though.
I wonder if Applejack knows how to make Scumble. I hear it's made of apples. Well, mostly apples.
I really enjoyed this chapter, though I can't wait to see how it links up with Morning Glory's story.
missed a space
RIP Pterry.
Wait...so you're telling me that Princess Celestia started to take students under her wing because she was lonely?! Sheesh...don't tell Twilight or she might take it the wrong way.
6698461 It's called "setting the stage". I'm willing to bet that within the next chapter or two will be an encounter between Celestia and Morning Glory (or another one, anyway), or a revelation relevant to Luna and her new apprentice which is also connected to this bit of information.
6699564
Lonely as she might have been, I believe that was more the objective than the issue that plagued her. The way I took this is not that solitude would drive her mad but the fact that she blamed her "children" for the loss of her sister, yet could not bring herself to act on it. More than anything else, this was Celestia the mother we saw in this chapter. She hated and grieved over the fact that Luna was gone but the bigger conflict was that she would not, could not, punish her "little ponies" for driving her to that state which forced Celestia herself to send her away. In a way, it likely felt as though she had lost her "sweet innocent children" to the ordeal as much as her sister. They had wronged her, not in a logical sense, but emotionally. She could not bear to aim her repressed anger at them so she cut them out of the picture, aimed it at herself and tried not to think about why.
Then along comes a little filly. A literal child to draw her attention away from her surrogate children. Someone she could not possibly blame and what's more, someone who might just need her to mother her, to nurture her as her very nature wanted to do. And so, she's going to mother hen the hell out of that little filly and use her as a much needed distraction until time heals the old wounds and tempered anger she keeps hidden away.