The end of suffering

by Sawtoothetherium

Stalker

Polaris stood guard outside princess Luna’s chambers that night, he had heard faint sobbing coming from inside and was deeply worried. He stood on shaky legs as he listened to his princess sob quietly, suddenly he heard a crack inside that sounded like breaking furniture. He burst into the room thinking that somepony got in and looked around, but he only saw the room and the weeping princess on her bed. He felt his heart wrench at the sight of her, she had suffered much, that he knew, but still she suffered more.

She sat bolt upright in bed tears streaming down her face. She wiped her eyes and looked around, her eyes landed on him and the pain he saw there nearly dropped him on the spot. He slowly approached her and she flinched slightly.

“Are you well princess,” He asked. What a stupid thing to say.

“Yes,” She lied to him, “I’m fine.”

“Princess,” He said with a pained heart, “You are a horrible liar. Is there anything I can do to help?”

She looked at him, “What is your name?”

“Polaris ma’am.”

“Well Polaris, I thank you for your concern but there isn’t anything to worry about. Return to your post.”

“Yes princess,” He said before leaving.

He closed the door to her chamber and stood there the rest of the night. When morning came princess Celestia came to the chamber and entered telling him to go to her meeting room. So when Celestia finally came to the meeting room he stood at attention.

“At ease,” She told him.

“I believe you have orders for me,” He asked.

“I do,” She said, “I am worried about my sister, as many of her guard are. I need someone to follow her, and report to me what they find.”

“You want me to spy on princess Luna?” He asked.

“Essentially yes, I want you to keep an eye on her, and stop her if she attempts anything...drastic.”

He knew what she meant by “Drastic”, if she was having this nightmare every night for ten years, something bad must have happened. Still, he didn’t want to believe that Princess Luna would attempt her own life, but it was a possibility he couldn’t ignore. He saluted and nodded.

“I will do what I must ma’am.” He said.

“Thank you.” Celestia said.

Celestia pulled out a document and gave it to him. “If any of your fellow guards catch you and attempt an arrest, show them this, it will make sure that there will be no legal rebound.”

“Princess, isn’t there somepony else better suited to this task?” He asked.

“You dont want the job?” Celestia asked.

“I will take the job ma’am,” He assured quickly, “I am just stating that there is likely somepony that will be more successful than I.”

“I am sure there will be,” She said, “But they wouldn’t succeed in the other half of the job at all. You on the other hoof, would be successful in the see and report portion, as well as the... other half of the job.”

“I’m sorry princess,” He said, “What is the other half of the job.”

“If I told you, then it wouldn’t work.” She said with a mischievous grin.

He took the document and bowed before leaving, “I will give my first report on the first of next month.”

Celestia sat at her desk for a moment, i hope this works. If it doesn’t, then I may lose Luna again. Please, do this right Polaris.

*****

Polaris followed her at a distance, he was always twenty five feet away or more and he drew no attention. He would hide in plain sight, at a guards post or with a patrol. He followed Luna to her duties and meetings, she seemed disheartened after the last one and went to the library once there was time. He followed her there and sat on the opposite side of the room while keeping her within eyesight.

Luna went into the botany section, and began looking through some older books. She flipped through pages and read a few passages before taking a few notes in a small notebook. She put the book back then moved to another one, then another, then another. She then left the botany area and entered the enchantment section and began to read up on different spell that could be contained in objects. When she finished she left for her chambers.

Polaris quickly sped to each and every book he could pick out that she had read. He wrote the titles down in his own flip-up notebook. Plants with high toxicity levels, Poisonous plants and herbs, deadly greens, weapon enchantments: god killing enchatments, life drinking enchantments, enchanting: immortals bane. His worry was emmediate and heavy, Celestia had to know emmediately. He went to tell her but stopped when another thing crossed his mind.

She may be going to do it now! he realized with shock, Celestia can wait, first I need to make sure Princess Luna doesn’t do anything, I hope that I’m not too late.

*****

Luna entered her chamber and locked the door behind her, she found what she needed. She couldn’t take it anymore, she couldn’t handle the pain any longer, she would end it, now. She pulled out the three floorboards that hid her weapons cache. Inside there was a katana, a wakizashi, a couple tanto weapons, a Kama, a few smoke bombs and a belt of kunai.
She only needed one of these things, she grabbed the tanto knife and put the boards back.

She went out onto her balcony then took off to the mountain, where the perfect cave was waiting.

*****

Polaris ran through the halls fast as his legs could carry him, he stopped and saw Princess Luna flying off to the peak of the mountain. He emmediately found the nearest balcony and took off after her, he sped to catch up with her, his bat wings flapping wildly. He saw her enter a cave and soon followed. He didn’t want her to succeed here.