The Goddess of Winter

by PoneStudios

Chapter Seven: Preparations

In the Royal dining room, sitting across from Empress Winter, Celestia and Luna watched Winter in complete and utter silence as she took a thorough sip of her tea. It had been almost forty-five minutes since a word had been said, and the silence was beginning to irritate Celestia. It was so quiet that one could hear the clock ticking, and a pin dropping at the same time.

Celestia felt her left eye just barely twitching due to the utter lack of conversation. Luna saw her sister’s ever-so-slightly exasperated expression and couldn’t help but put a hoof up to her sister’s wing. Celestia looked at Luna. Luna motioned for Celestia to take a deep breath. Celestia did so, making sure to keep it subtle so as not to alert Winter to her distress. After several more minutes, Celestia couldn’t help but speak.

“So…” Princess Celestia took a sip of her tea. “What brings you here, Empress Winter?” Celestia smiled gracefully. Winter sighed.

“I am here for the Gala, Princess. The Gala that you sent me an invite for?” Winter raised an eyebrow. Celestia blanched.

“Ah, right. I… forgot.” Luna cleared her throat.

“Yes, well. While you’re here, we have a room prepared for you, if you would like to use it.” Winter smiled.

“Thank you for that, Princesses. I appreciate your hospitality on such short notice.” Luna smiled.

“It’s our pleasure.” Celestia nodded.

“Indeed.” Celestia hummed. “Out of curiosity, why is it that you’re here so early? Surely you could’ve waited a week.” Winter raised an eyebrow.

“I never took you for the mistrusting kind, Princess Celestia. I must admit, though, the Gala is not the main reason why I’m here. I have questions that can only be answered here, in your Royal Archives, and I was hoping to look through the books there.”

“What kind of questions? I’m sure we can help you with answering them.” Winter hummed.

“There are many questions I would like answered, Princess, but the one I am most curious about is this: What do your soldiers have to do with the Eastern Ring?”

“The Eastern Ring?” Celestia tapped a hoof to her chin. “I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with that. Perhaps you could inform me of what that means?”

“The Eastern Ring is a group of bandits that have been plaguing my citizens for quite some time, now. Until recently, I was quite sure that they were acting independently. But a few months ago, I was informed that several of your guards were collaborating with them. I do not believe that they are doing so under your orders, but I would like to know what their part is in this, if you will oblige.” Celestia raised a hoof to her mouth. Luna did the same. They shared a look of concern.

“Royal guards collaborating with a group of bandits?”

“This is concerning. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Empress Winter. We will get to the bottom of this, and, if necessary, arrest those guards.”

“You’re welcome, and thank you. I do not appreciate bandits ransacking my ponies’ homes, but I can handle them. Royal guards, I cannot without risking a potential relationship. That said, I would’ve dispatched them myself if I could.” Celestia smiled.

“Of course not. I appreciate you coming to us first. I had no idea that any Equestrian Guards were gone!”

“Perhaps you should conduct an investigation.” Winter sighed. “I would like to see my quarters now. I am tired from the long journey and wish to turn in.” Celestia nodded.

“Of course. Luna and I can show you your suite.” Celestia and Luna stood up. Winter followed suit. She walked with the royal sisters out of the throne room, and down the grand hallways. As the three walked, Luna couldn’t help but notice that Winter was gazing at a particular stained glass window. Winter noticed Luna.

“Interesting window. The mare it depicts must have been flattered when you made it.” Winter gestured towards the window with a wing.

“Yes. It is of Princess Twilight Sparkle, one of our fellow rulers. She was one of six mares who helped to heal me.” Winter raised an eyebrow.

“Interesting. I’ve never heard of this ‘Princess Twilight Sparkle’.” Luna sighed.

“No, you wouldn’t have. She disappeared, three hundred years ago. We have been unable to find her. Still, we know she is alive, because somehow, when I’m asleep, her dreams find their way to me.”

“That is unfortunate. I am sorry for your loss. You seem as if you were close to her.”

“She was the first mare to trust me. I will forever be grateful for my friendship with her. Even now, I miss her dearly. Still, though, one must continue on.”

“Indeed. If you cannot move on from your loss, you will be consumed by it. I imagine that she would miss you, though, if your description of her rings true.” Luna smiled. Even through her smile, Winter could see barely unshed glistening tears.

“I certainly hope so, Empress.” Winter and Luna continued walking. Luna wiped the tears away. “Excuse me. My sister and I tend to become emotional when speaking of her. She was very dear to us both, Celestia especially.” Winter nodded.

“It is understandable. You both seem to have lost a very special mare.” Luna nodded.

“Indeed she was.” Luna and Winter stopped when Celestia did.

“We are here, Empress Winter. I hope it is to your liking.” Winter smiled and nodded.

“I am sure that it will be quite fine, Princess Celestia. I am going to turn in, now.” Winter walked into her suite.

“Until tomorrow, then, Empress.”

“Until tomorrow indeed…” as Winter closed the door behind her, Luna and Celestia couldn’t help but let out a sigh. They had much to discuss concerning their unexpected guest.

---

Within the privacy of her suite, Empress Winter sighed. Even after hundreds of years of practice with national relations, talking to other rulers was tiring for her. Even just that short hour of conversation had exhausted her. She did have to admit that was because she had flown all the way here from the Crystal Empire, though.

Now that she had at least a moment to rest, Winter let out a breath and calmed herself. However exhausting the conversation had been, Winter had to admit that she had learned quite a few things through it. Talking with Luna in particular had been enlightening. She would have to learn more about what Luna had said.

“Hmm… Perhaps I will ask for more information. For now, though… Perhaps I shall simply observe.” Winter tapped a hoof to her chin and went over to her bed. She laid down and drifted off to sleep.

---

As Celestia walked down the hall with her sister, she couldn’t help but be concerned. She was unsure as to exactly why, but she, for some reason, knew that it had something to do with Empress Winter. Perhaps it was the way she had talked with Luna about Twilight, or how she had spent almost forty-five minutes without talking at all. It could also be that her general demeanor was rather guarded. Celestia sighed, and looked at Luna.

“Luna, what do you think of Empress Winter?” Luna looked up at Celestia.

“Hmm?” Luna looked back towards Winter’s suite and then up at Celestia. The Sun princess’ face enlightened her as to the nature of the question. “Oh… you’re worried about how the Empress acted, aren’t you?” Celestia nodded and sighed.

“Yes. despite how friendly she seemed, I cannot help but wonder about her intentions…”

“I am wondering the same thing, sister. She seemed pleasant enough, although somewhat guarded, but I cannot help but wonder if she is being entirely truthful about her early arrival here.”

“You feel it too?” Luna nodded.

“Yes. As I spoke with her about Twilight’s window, I couldn’t help but feel something almost familiar about her, and not in the good way. And the Eastern Ring-- our soldiers all the way up there, partaking in thievery no less? That is a rather long stretch, even for disloyal soldiers.”

“That is concerning. I will observe and we will get to the bottom of this. Did you hear anything about her that may be concerning?”

“I overheard her talking with Ambassador Snow, and, while I didn’t understand what she was saying to him, it did not sound any similar to what she said in the dining hall. I cannot say for certain, though… I only heard muffled voices.” Celestia put a hoof up to her chin.

“Hmm... what concerns me the most about winter is that she's actually here."

"How so?"

"I've been asking her to come here for so long that I had thought she wasn't going to at all, and yet... here she is. it makes me wonder why she is here..."

"Hmm. Perhaps she got tired of all the letters you were sending her." Celestia stifled a laugh.

"Pfft-- Luna!"

"Well, it could happen."

"I know. but for now, we shall have to observe and see.” Luna nodded again.

“Yes. In the meantime, I will continue my research of Twilight’s disappearance.” Celestia looked at Luna.

“How is that going?” Luna sighed.

“It is going as one would expect: slowly. I have managed to find an inscription on the fake Emblem. It is three letters, each followed by a number. S5, B2, P20. I do not know what it means as of yet.” Celestia nodded.

“Hmm. Perhaps an abbreviation of some sort. Each letter could stand for a word.”

“But where would they lead?”

“That depends on the words. It could either lead to one single place or three; we will have to see.” Luna nodded.

“Yes, of course. I will have to look at the Emblem for more information. There is still half of it that I haven’t yet scoured.” Celestia smiled.

“I do appreciate you doing this for me, sister. After Twilight left…” Luna nuzzled her sister.

“I know. It was hard for us both, losing her. But you took it the hardest, I think. Finding out why she left would help us all reconcile.” Celestia looked at Luna.

“Thank you. Now, I do believe it is time for me to turn in. Until tomorrow, sister.”

“Until tomorrow, sister.” Celestia and Luna split ways. Luna towards her quarters to oversee the dream realm, and Celestia to her quarters to sleep. Celestia entered her quarters and sighed. She stretched her wings, sighed, and laid down in her bed. And as she let her mind slip into the bliss of unconsciousness, a thought fluttered through her mind: What is Winter doing here?

Comments

[Painkiller]

Its strange. First you want her to come to you and insistently call for her for several years to the point of pissing her off and when she finaly gives in and comes, you wonder why she is here.
Make up your mind Celestia

[Vaguely Demented]

I have to question if the archives would be the place for her to look. Usually documents from the last few years would be where ever files on current events would be stored, archives typically are repositories of information from many years back that have been stored because they don’t need to be referenced or examined with any frequency.

[PoneStudios]

10151920
See, the thing is, Celestia had been asking and asking for so long that by this point she was not expecting winter to come at all. So when Winter does, she can't help but wonder why. I will edit that into this chapter for better clarity though.

[PoneStudios]

10152490
There, done.

[Mystic Sunrise]

Two things I can think of concerning Winter and Twilight. Either Twilight helped her at some point, and thus heard Twilight's slanted view of Celestia after losing her friends.

Or Twilight and Empress Winter are literally one and the same. Somehow, but they are. You're not doing a very good job of hiding the fact that they are connected in some way.