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Chapter One: Shards of a Shattered Life3,538 words
Chapter Two: Reflections and Shadows3,139 words
Chapter Three: Not All That Cuts is Silvered Glass4,884 words
Chapter Four: The Chariot of Hippolytus2,108 words
Chapter Five: On Suns, and Moons, and Starless Skies5,130 words
Chapter Six: The Sun's Fire-Eating Daughter2,407 words
Chapter Seven: Amethyst Daydreams, Darkness and Flame2,142 words
Chapter Eight: Behind the Velvet Shadows of Phaedra3,999 words
Chapter Nine: A Figure in the Glass1,020 words
Chapter Ten: The Final Betrayal2,866 words
Chapter Eleven: The Mirror Cracked781 words
Chapter Twelve: After Inferno, There Shall Be Stars3,374 words

Chapter One: Shards of a Shattered Life

The twin doors were even larger than the other various portals throughout the palace. Massive, arching structures of blue oak and iron, hearkening back to the days when the Crystal Empire was a place ready for siege. Beside them, two crystal ponies in armor, one to each side, stood at attention. And before them, six ponies and a dragon hatchling gathered, waiting uncertainly.

“Now remember, girls,” Rarity whispered. “Royal manners.”

“Yeah, yeah, we got it,” Rainbow whispered back. “Just relax already.”

“What about Twilight?” Applejack asked. “She’s a princess, so she don’t gotta worry ‘bout it, right?”

“Oh, no, quite the contrary! The obligations of the noble can be quite severe…”

“Guys,” Twilight muttered, “Not helping.”

“Oh, dear. Sorry, darling.”

The giant oaken doors slowly opened inward as two lines of crystal ponies gave regal fanfare to the new arrival, lining either side of the red carpet that led the way to the dais before the seven friends. Twilight tried not to sigh as she led the way into the throne room, and tried to focus on the sisters waiting at the other side of the room. This was all so… much. New wings, new crown, new fusses made… she’d preferred it when such matters had been reserved for her teachers.

At first, such honors had been given to Celestia and Celestia alone. Granted, as Celestia’s adopted niece, Cadence had been called ‘princess’ for years… but she’d never really been thought of as royalty when she was growing up, wings or no. But then Luna had been freed from her prison. And then the Crystal Empire had returned, and Cadence had taken on the burden of its crown. So there had been three princesses. And now, she, Twilight Sparkle, was the fourth.

Looking around at the throne room of the crystal palace, and the new decorations that had been hung for the Princess Summit, Twilight couldn’t help but feel more and more out of place. ‘Princess Twilight.’ Inwardly, she groaned. Celestia and Luna had both been pleased for her new wings and new title, though of course always reserved, always dignified. Fortunately, Twilight’s other friends had been more than happy to pick up the slack. Applejack had marveled at the transformation, Rarity had been in awe, and Pinkie...

Well, Pinkie had been Pinkie.

But Twilight’s favorite moment when she had returned to Ponyville had been Rainbow Dash’s soaring, hugging, ecstatic jubilation at having, as she had put it, “a new flying buddy.” That had been pretty awesome. Twilight smiled inwardly at the memory.

As for herself, well, for a moment having wings had been exciting. Who didn’t want to fly? Only pegasi took the gift they had for granted, and not even all of them. But when Princess Celestia had announced that she, Twilight Sparkle, was herself a princess, Twilight had done her best to not be dismayed. Not just when Celestia and her friends had bowed, though that had certainly shaken her. The problem ran deeper than that: how was she supposed to handle any of this? There were no books on being a princess, the transformation was too rare. Well, maybe unheard of was a better description.

And the coronation had been… weird. Twilight tried to think of it as joining a family, being closer to Celestia, Luna, and Cadence than she had been before. And sure, that helped. But this was all very new territory. The structure of her old life had been shattered, and she wasn’t sure how to create a new one.

Plus, everypony kept bowing to her. That would just never feel right.

Still, she reminded herself, the other princesses believe in me. And if they think I can do this, then I’ll just have to trust their judgement. And besides, my other friends are all here to help. All I have to do is keep from being too awkward—

Her horn made a dull clunk! against the armor of the sergeant of the guards.

Oh, shoot! She stared up at him, aghast. Great going, Twilight. Less than ten seconds in, and you’re bumping into things like a little foal. That must be a new record.

He stared back only for an instant, though. Smiling as though her bumping into him had been rehearsed, he extended a hoof to her and said in a clear voice, “Presenting, Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

The princesses descended to meet her, plainly delighted. Cadence got to her first, and as the two of them nuzzled comfortably Twilight felt her apprehensions melt. “I haven’t seen you since the coronation,” Cadence said warmly.

Then, in a whisper into Twilight’s mane, “How are you holding up?”

"Not sure,” Twilight whispered back.

“We’ll talk later.”

“’Kay.”

“We have so much to discuss,” Celestia smiled at them all. “But it can wait until tomorrow, if you like. You all look tired from your journey.”

Rainbow Dash stared at her. “Are you kidding? Sleep, now? We just got here! And besides, this is the first Princess Summit in the history of ever! How more awesome can you get?”

“An’ besides, Yer Highness” Applejack pointed out, “If Princess Luna here was gracious enough to stay up to meet us, I reckon we can spare you ladies a few minutes.”

“I am feeling a little tired,” Fluttershy admitted. “But I’d rather stay with you all for a little. If it wouldn’t make problems for anypony, Your Highnesses.”

The sisters looked at one another, smiling.

“I am well rested,” Luna said, “though I thank all of you for your concern. I have already risen the moon, though it is day, in celebration of the upcoming event.

“Still,” she glanced at Fluttershy, “there is no reason for any of you to go without rest. There is ample time for all of you, save of course for Pinkie Pie.”

Pinkie Pie’s ears perked up with an audible poink! as the Princess of Night continued, “After all, though the Princess Summit itself is a formal occasion, who else could be trusted to bring about the after-party?”

Pinkie Pie drew in a slow, delighted gasp as her eyes grew in size, staring at Princess Luna. Finally, she managed a quiet, “After-party?”

“But of course,” Luna nodded.

The room seemed to explode in a kaleidoscope of colors as Pinkie leapt into the air, limbs splayed out in all directions.

“Yaaaaaaaaaayyy!”

“Oh, but Pinkie Pie, darling, be serious,” Rarity chided her gently as Pinkie landed in an odd crouch near the dais. “You haven’t any time, and you only brought your party cannon – at least, I assume you brought your party cannon—”

The pink-maned mare stared at her with a strange intensity from where she crouched, eyes suddenly taking on an eerie orange-amber hue. Her voice filled the throne room as she snarled through gritted teeth, “You underestimate my power!”

Then, as though she had grown wings, Pinkie leaped over all her friends in a somersaulting gale of bubbling laughter and bounced to the massive oaken doors.

She paused in the doorway just long enough to glance back and squeal, “Hot lava! I win!”

And then she was gone.

The six guards (plus the two outside the doors) stared, first at the vanishing mare, and then at the assemblage, completely at a loss. Not that long ago, the kingdom had been invaded by changelings. Before that, there had been Sombra himself. Now the sergeant gave the princesses a wide-eyed look that was part askance and part desperation.

“It’s okay,” Twilight assured him. “It’s just Pinkie Pie. You get used to her.”

Spike cocked an eyebrow. “You do?”

“Well, more or less,” she admitted. “Still, does… anypony besides me feel like we just missed something?”

Rainbow Dash made a sarcastic sound, blowing her bangs away from her eyes in the process. “Pfff! With her? Always.”

Cadence stepped towards her younger friend, her eyes filled with concern. “But… are you sure she’s alright?”

“Han shot first!” came Pinkie’s fading voice as the great doors slowly closed again.

Applejack suppressed a slight chuckle. “Heh. She’s fine.”

There was small talk, and then dinner. The older princesses enjoyed getting to know Twilight’s friends better, and as the evening went on the younger ponies were able to relax with them, sharing stories and asking questions. For her part, Twilight was able to finally talk to Luna semi-informally, and converse with Cadence, both without some impending doom having brought them together.

But after a few hours, the fatigue of their journey had well and truly caught up with the seven travelers. It was Luna herself who suggested that they break for the evening, and this time no one objected.

Twilight knew the crystal palace’s layout well enough that she could decline the sergeant’s offer to guide them, and a few minutes later she and her fellow guests were walking down yet another massive hallway to their rooms.

“Well, that went well, I must say,” Rarity observed. “Pinkie’s outburst notwithstanding, I’d say we made quite the impression.”

“Oh, my... you’re not mad at her, are you?” Fluttershy asked.

“What? Certainly not! I mean, yes, it was a bit disconcerting having her make such a spectacle of herself on her way out… but this is Pinkie Pie we’re talking about. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised she held out so long.”

While her friends continued to quietly converse, Twilight pondered. There had been no chance to speak with Cadence about her own misgivings, everything had been too public. But they’d be in town for at least a few more days, which would give them plenty of opportunities to speak privately.

Or maybe Cadence would come see her tonight! The very thought brought back images of the two of them years ago, under covers with flashlights, whispering games and stories. Twilight smiled at the memories.

“Hey, Twilight?” Spike asked.

“Yeah, Spike?”

“What’s the deal with the mirror?”

“What about it?”

“Isn’t that the one from Canterlot? What’s it doing here?”

Rainbow frowned. “What mirror?”

“The free-standing mirror with the amethyst frame, jewel inlays, and blue silver backing,” Rarity answered. “She had it to her right, near the dais. It’s a beautiful piece. You know,” she mused, “I thought it looked familiar.”

“It’s the same one,” Twilight affirmed. “Celestia keeps it in the throne room during the day, and has it moved to a secure location at night. If she travels for any length of time, she takes it with her, though that rarely happens. She’ll probably ask Cadence to put it somewhere safe, or have it moved to her room.”

Spike considered this. “Huh. Funny, Celestia never struck me as the mirror type.”

Rarity looked at him in surprise. “Whyever not? A princess must look her best, after all.”

Twilight hesitated for a moment. Would this be saying too much? Celestia did keep it in the public eye, after all.

“I think it was given to her by somepony close to her,” she said at last. “I asked her about it one time, and she didn’t want to talk about it.”

Applejack just nodded. “Yeah, probably a gift from somepony passed on. I bet it was her mama’s.”

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t think so. I mean, if that were the case, why wouldn’t she want to talk about it?”

“Well, remember how old she is. Things were pretty rough n’ tumble back then, Twi. Discord, changelings, Sombra, an’ whatnot… maybe somethin’ bad happened.”

“Maybe it was given to her by an admirer,” Rarity suggested. Then, with a delighted gasp, “Maybe it was a courting gift from someone dear to her! Some fine, dashing stallion, who pledged his heart would ever be hers.”

Her expression turned dreamy as she went on, “And even now, years later, she remembers him fondly… his fine, strong shoulders, his coursing mane, his strong hooves, his deep, resonant voice… I bet he was a pegasus, someone she could fly with, all alone in the sky.”

Rarity gave a deep sigh. “How romantic! Just imagine the two of them, alone above the clouds, surrounded by the stars. Or even better, a unicorn, someone she could talk to about magic, rulership, and fashion… and at night, he would look deep into her sapphire eyes with his own dark, flashing ones and say, ‘Rarity, my love…’”

Twilight gave her friend a bemused smile, but Fluttershy only looked dismayed. “Oh, gosh, I hope not,” she murmured, “That would be terrible.”

Rarity blinked. “What? Why?”

“Well, because he’s not here now. I hate to think of the princess being so sad.”

“Oh. Oh, yes. Of course.”

“And it is magical, whatever it is,” Twilight said. “After a while, I just figured it was some kind of protection device. Maybe a huge amulet that would protect Canterlot, reflecting an enemy’s attacks back at them, or maybe a scrying device that let her see places far away. Buuut after everything that’s happened recently, I think we can rule all that out.”

“Aw, it’s probably just a long story,” Rainbow offered as she floated lazily above them. “I mean, I bet you were just a filly when you asked, right? Probably she just didn’t wanna take the time to explain it.”

Spike looked back at Twilight. “Didn’t you ever try to find out?”

Twilight gave a small shrug. “It wasn’t any of my business. Besides, she seemed so sad when I asked.”

She sighed a little. “Granted, this was when Luna was still imprisoned as Nightmare Moon, so she was never exactly super happy anyway. But, still.” She shook her head again. “Well, whatever it is, she’ll tell me if I need to know.”

A short time later, Twilight and Spike were in their room, preparing for bed. It still puzzled her friends that the dragon would insist on sleeping so near her. Spike always said it was in case Twilight needed anything, and she never contradicted him. And his assistance was certainly invaluable to her in many ways. But, though he had matured swiftly since he’d first emerged from the egg, it remained: he was still a foal.

Of course, since they’d moved to Ponyville, she had noticed that his bed had been quietly getting further from her own. She had every confidence that the day would come that Spike would arrange to have his own room.

Twilight sighed. She had occasionally mused that, aeons from now, Spike would be a wise and powerful dragon. She had wondered what he would be like then, what wonders he would see. She had hoped he would remember her fondly from wherever he finally established his lair. Becoming a princess had changed all that.

Still, for tonight Spike was a baby dragon, humming to himself, smiling broadly as he puffed his pillow and made everything ready in his own small bed on the floor near her own. It was only when he noticed her looking at him that he paused.

“What?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing.”

Spike cocked an eyebrow.

Twilight sighed again. “Everything,” she admitted. “Well, okay, not everything, but… Spike, I never asked for any of this!”

She gestured around her, including the coronet he had placed on her nightstand before continuing, “It’s just being thrust upon me. And it’s like it comes in waves. Sometimes, like at dinner tonight, everything’s fine, I’m talking with Celestia and Luna. And then I stop and say, wait a minute, when did they stop being Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?”

“Well, you are a princess.”

“Easy for you to say. But what does that even mean? Cadence has the Crystal Empire to rule over, Celestia and Luna rule Equestria—”

Twilight stopped, staring at him in horror. “What if that’s part of being a princess? What if, now that I'm a princess, Celestia expects me to rule a kingdom of my own somewhere?”

His jaw dropped in sheer delight. “That – would – be – Awesome!”

“No – it – would – not! My Element of Harmony manifested as a coronet. Now I’ve got wings. None of that has anything to do with leadership!

“And that’s just the start,” she went on. “Celestia and Luna are over a thousand years old. I don’t even know just how old; reliable history books don’t go back that far. What if I…” her voice trailed off.

“I love Celestia and Luna,” she whispered. “But will I be like them? Will Cadence?”

“Uh, Twilight?”

“Do I just outlive everybody else now? All my friends? Centuries rolling past, empires vanishing and being rediscovered, and I just…”

“Twilight,” Spike said, very quietly. “You remember I’m a dragon, right?”

“Right, but what… oh.”

“Yeah.”

She looked at him, looking at her. Most of the time he was just a foal (hatchling, she reminded herself). Well, almost always, really. Sometimes, though, he seemed much older than he was. Or than she was, for that matter.

“I get it,” he said in that same quiet voice.

She lowered her head. “I know you do, Spike.”

The dragon nodded, reverting to his usual voice. “Right. Difference is, this is new to ya.”

Then he shrugged, wandering a few steps away with a careless gesture. “Most of the time I don’t think about it. Dragons’re loners most of the time, even from each other. Me, I like the pony life better.”

“Me, too. But Spike, that’s my point! Cadence is only a few years older than I am – well, basically – but Celestia is way older, and she’s almost isolated except for Luna. Well, and sometimes Cadence.”

“And you.”

“And me. And tonight, my other friends – I mean, I think it was pretty obvious how much she was enjoying talking to everypony tonight, and that was great – but tonight was the first time I’ve ever seen her do that. And even then, Celestia’s never completely relaxed with anypony, even with her sister. They’re always so formal, even with each other.”

Twilight looked at her reflection in the mirror, at the young mare who looked back at her with worried eyes.

“Spike, am I going to be like that? Distancing myself from everypony because they keep growing old and dying, and I don’t? Or like Luna… I mean, she’s gotten a lot better with the last couple of Nightmare Nights – not to mention less deafening – but she’s still so removed from everypony personally. Even tonight, it was like talking to Celestia, Cadence, and me was something she was doing so… carefully. And with anypony else, it was just a strain.”

“Huh. Sounds like you’re worried more about them than you.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it off and on for a while.” Twilight admitted. “Ever since I met Luna on her first Nightmare Night, actually. I mean, she knew nothing about dealing with modern ponies-- how much talking can they have done? But this whole princess thing really brought it home to me. They’re sisters, but Cadence and I are closer than they are. Any of our friends are, really.”

“I dunno about that,” Spike pointed out. “I haven’t seen you and Shining Armor being real close in public lately.”

"That’s different.”

Spike waved off her concerns. “Aw, you’re just worrying too much. Besides, when do we see ‘em together when they’re not doing rulership stuff? Maybe they’re just close in private.”

“Wellll, I suppose that would make sense…”

“Sure it does.” He considered her for a moment, then asked, “Who else have you talked to about this?”

“About the princess thing? Nopony. It’s not like I can just go up to them and say, ‘Hey, I was thinking I might outlive your great-grandchildren. Thoughts?’”

Spike gave her a knowing look. “And about the princess’ friendship?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack…”

“Pretty much everybody, right?”

Twilight made a frustrated noise.

“Right?”

She rolled her eyes again. “Right,” she conceded.

“And what did they say?”

“Pretty much what you just said,” she admitted.

“And you know who you could talk to about the other stuff, right?”

“Cadence,” Twilight sighed. “Which I will while I’m here.”

“So okay, nothing to worry about. You’ve got this. Meanwhile, I’m tired, you’re tired…” he interrupted himself with a yawn, and went on, “everypony’s tired. So let’s sleep. Big day tomorrow.

“And besides,” he hopped back onto the bed next to her, “Worst case scenario, there’s one change you forgot about.”

Twilight looked at him again.

The dragon smiled. “I don’t have to worry about my best friend going away anymore.”

The room got a little blurry to Twilight just then, and she smiled back. “Aw...”

He hopped up into her embrace, and the hug helped hide her tears. Then, as suddenly as he had started the hug, Spike was done. He hopped down again and went back to fixing his bedding. Twilight watched him, head cocked to one side. I seriously need to find out more about how dragons mature one of these days, she reflected. There’s got to be a way to conduct a field study…

After a few seconds, Spike curled up in his own tiny bed. He started snoring almost immediately. Twilight smiled to herself, her horn glowing a gentle violet she reached out with her magic and tucked him in a little more snugly.

Still a foal after all, she thought. At least for the moment.

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