Gem Hunt

by keithsterling

Chapter 3 Broken hearted

~its early evening~

An exhausted Justice drives onto his family estate after his latest go- around with the House of Lords in Canterlot where he works as an investigator during the day while Princess Luna sleeps. The Silverlight stable is the second largest estate in the Capital City of Canterlot and run by Viscountess Ophelia Silverlight (Lord Justice Silverlight’s Grandmother) and Baroness Shimmering Diamond Silverlight (Justice's mother).

'How much I hate nobility politics! You stabbed me in the back and I will stab you in the back, over and over. At least with royal politics, you knew who your ally was, and if they stabbed you in the back, you better have a very good reason to do so because it meant war. Princess Celestia was one of the best when dealing with Royal Politics.' Justice thought as he paused long enough to glance at the white round towers of the Grand Royal Palace waving in the distance were the banners of the two regal sisters. This was once his military post when he was the Princess' Protector.

"Bah! All her talk about loving me was a lie. Where was the love when Celestia betrayed me and tossed me into the dungeon on nothing but lies?" Justice said sarcastically as he drove through the main gate of the Silverlight Stable.

"But that's all over," Justice said, sourly pulling his cell phone out of his pocket on instinct and opening it to contacts. He quickly stops his finger from pressing the contact button for Princess Cadence, his self-appointed counselor.

Suddenly, his cell phone rings and Justice answers it. On the other end of the phone was Princess Cadence asking how he is doing. After parking his car in his parking space, he spoke to Cadence for a while but she had to stop because her meeting was about to start. She promised she would call him back when she got some free time from her Royal duties and talks for a little longer.

"Commander!" Justice calls as an earth pony mare commander approached wearing the gunmetal gray combat body armor of the Silverlight stable guard. Attached to the center of the breastplate was a small white diamond jewel, the mark of the Silverlight stable troops.

"Yes, Lord Silverlight?" the mare commander inquired as she bows to Justice.

"Any trouble at the stable, while the boss mare is gone, Commander?" Justice inquiry.

"No trouble, My Lord. It has been pretty quiet." The mare commander answers

"What about my sisters and Aunt, where are they?" Justice inquiry as the mare commander thought for a little while.

"Lady Jamila Nebula left in her car a few hours ago wearing a cocktail dress and dress sandals. She was scheduled to attend a Canterlot social event this evening and will not return till late tonight. As for Lady Serena Silverlight, she has yet to return to the family stable. As for Lady Seer Silverlight, one of the guards reported that she finish a meeting with one of her business associates. So she should be somewhere in the main manor house." The mare commander explains as Justice shook his head.

"Excellent, Commander. Return to your normal duty schedule. The boss mare phones me on route, and we don't expect any guests this evening. So go ahead and shut the main gate. Only let guests onto the stable through the small door and the large door for the outstanding family members." Justice orders gesturing his hand toward the main gate.

"Yes, my lord, it will be done." The mare commander answers, gesturing two stallion guards at the gatehouse to push the massive wooden gate shut and lock it.

Justice continues through the courtyard, up a short set of stairs to the main entrance into the main manor house. The moment he walked through the door, coming down the stairs from the second floor of the manor house was a 6ft 6in angelic-looking dark blue unicorn mare with a Venetian red mane and tail. Her athletic equine figure was encased in a white color top of the knee-length dress; she smiled the moment she spotted Justice walking into the house. On her dark blue, size 15 bare feet were black straps sandals. This unicorn mare was Lady Seer Silverlight and Justice's younger sister.

"Welcome home, big brother. How did it go at the House of Lords today?" Seer inquiry in her gentle voice as she walked up to Justice and kissed him on his cheek.

"About normal, Seer. Look into this and investigate that. Find out what this Lord or Lady is planning. Sometimes I wonder how anything gets done in Canterlot and what would happen if the Princess was not the overall ruler of Equestria." Justice explains as Seer politely laughs, and Justice unbuttons the top button of his jacket.

"So it seems from what the guard mare told me outside, we are the only ones from the family left this evening." Justice comment as Seer shook her head.

"It seems so, Big Brother. I don't mind it a bit. It had been sometime since the two of us were together at the same time.

So, shall we start with dinner, big brother? Then see how the rest of the evening unfolds." Seer suggests as the two siblings make their way to the dining room to begin dinner.

"Oh, before I forget, did anything arrive at the estate, Seer?" Justice inquiry as Seer remembered the document that arrives that afternoon with Luna's royal mark on it.

"Oh, yes! A document arrived this afternoon from Princess Luna. I left it on the table at the front door." Seer explains as Justice ran back to the front door to get the document. Justice had barely broken the wax seal with Luna’s mark on it and started to read the paper when there was a knock on the front door of the main manor house.

"I'll get it," Seer called as she walks over to answer it.

"Good evening. Your Highness?" Seer said, her face glazed with shock. She quickly bowed to Princess Celestia, standing outside the door on the landing with a single Solar Guard Trooper.

When Justice failed to arrive at the time, Princess Luna specified in the message to meet Celestia. She decided to visit the Silverlight stable in the Noble ward to find out why he didn't arrive. It was bittersweet when she set foot on the grounds; all her most cherished memories with her beloved Justice were here.

"Good evening Lady Silverlight. Where is your brother?" Celestia's inquiry in a very friendly manner as she dismissed the guard with her and told him to take the limo back to the palace. A moment later, Justice comes running down the hallway at full speed, passing both Seer and Princess Celestia standing to one side of the hall.

"I am sorry, Seer! But I am late for a meeting at the palace! Start dinner without me!" Justice called, grabbing his keys off the table and leaping into his car. He turns his car toward the main gate, and guards quickly open it.

"But!" Seer exclaim.

"Ok, fine, big brother!" Seer said bluntly, turning toward her guest Princess Celestia.

"Please forgive me, your highness. This is not the behavior of a proper noble mare of Canterlot and a Hostess. Would you join me for dinner and dessert of tea and biscuits in the sitting room? My brother should be back when he figures out you are not at the palace." Seer spoke in her well-bred, polite, gentle voice as Princess Celestia follows her to the dining room of the manor house.

After a very excellent meal made by the stable's head chef, both Lady Seer Silverlight, and Princess Celestia retire to a small sitting room in the main manor home for a friendly social visit. A moment later, two crystal unicorn ponies wearing a black top of the knee lengths dress and black pumps, walks into the room carrying two trays with them.

The first tray had a pot of hot tea on it with two ceramic cups and saucers. The second tray had a small selection of freshly baked apple tea biscuits. Once the maids set the two trays on the table, Seer dismissed the two ponies and told them to come back and pick up the dishes a little later. They shook their heads and bowed before leaving the room.

Seer reaches over and sets the ceramic cup and saucer down in front of Princess Celestia along with a small ceramic plate so she could float an apple tea biscuit on to it. She filled the Princess' teacup with the hot tea before serving herself. She watches as an apple tea biscuit surrounded by a light gold magic aura lands on the plate. Princess Celestia lifts the hot teacup between her hands and brings it toward her mouth to blow on it to cool it down.

"Did you love him, your highness?" Seer inquiry as she stirs a small amount of milk into her cup of tea.

Tears run down Celestia's cheeks and fall into her cup. A moment later, Celestia watches a dark blue, magic aura form around her right gold platform sandal. The sandal easily slides off her foot and floats to the ground gently. Celestia set her teacup back down on the saucer as two magical hands formed near her bare right foot. She raised her hand and dispelled the magical hands forming before reaching down and slipping her sandal back on her foot.

"Please, Lady Silverlight, don't do that again. It just reminds me of what your brother does for me and how much I do miss him." Celestia said heartbroken as she once again picks-up the cup between her hands and took a sip from it.

"But to answer your question Lady Silverlight, I loved him with all my heart," Celestia said, her voice wooden and distant as she took a small bite from her apple tea biscuit floating away from her mouth back onto the plate.

"Then, why?" Seer asked, taking a second sip of tea from her cup.

"A dreadful misjudgment on my part for all the stallions and one draconequus who said they loved me. Your brother was the only one that loved me with all his heart genuinely. He was not looking to use my position to further his agenda or just because he gave me a bouquet in front of every pony. He saw the goddess, gorgeous, normal mare I am and fell in love with her." Celestia explained, setting her empty cup on top of the saucer and finishing her apple tea biscuit.

"It is getting late, Lady Silverlight; I don't think your brother is coming back anytime soon. I have a feeling Luna got hold of him. It has been a delightful evening with your company, Lady Silverlight. I hope to do it again, but I must get back to the palace and go to bed. Oh, before I leave, tell your brother to come to the palace in the morning so that we can speak then. Good night Lady Silverlight." Celestia said politely as Seer bowed to her as she flew back to the palace.

Meanwhile, back at the Grand Royal Palace in the empty, lightly illuminated, Throne room, Justice speaks to Princess Luna about the royal dispatch she sent to him ordering his transfer back to her sister's Solar Guard Unit.

"Your highness? Why did you transfer me back to Celestia's Solar Guard Unit? Have I not performed my duties as Lunar Guard member, your highness?" Justice inquiry as Luna sighed slowly and unbuckled the bands of her silver adjustable strap, flat sandals from her large plush and smooth bare feet so that she may remove them. She preferred to be barefooted when she's in the throne room during her night watch.

"Lord Silverlight, you have done everything I asked of you. There's no doubt in my mind that you have performed your duties in my name as a Lunar Guard Commander, but my sister needs you and your skills." Luna explains as a wounded look appears in his eyes.

"But Luna? She tossed my loyal service aside and put me in the dungeon on lies. How can I forget that?" Justice said hurt as Luna struts her way down from the top platforms as the balls of her bare feet plop-plopped as it made contact with the finely made marble tiles of the throne room floor.

"Believe me, Justice, we both felt Celestia's brand of law, but in my case, I deserved it. Trying to bring the eternal night to Equestria as Nightmare Moon because I was jealous of Celestia's day." Luna comments as she rests her hand on his shoulder.

"Are?" Justice said, stopping in mid-sentence as Luna did an intentional clearing of her throat to stop him from responding.

"No Princess Protector or lover deserves their loyalty and duty questioned. Not after receiving the right from both Princesses allowing him to wear both marks on his sleeve. You gained the loyalty and trust of both Princesses of Equestria to not only protects her but us as well. Unfortunately, Celestia forgot about that and tossed you unjustly into the dungeon. There no changing what happens in the past, Lord Silverlight. All you can do is learn from it and put aside your dislike toward Celestia and help her find that kidnapper." Luna said diplomatically as she removed her hand from Justice's shoulder.

"Yes, My Princess. I will help Celestia stop that kidnapper. Thank you, Luna." Justice said she reassured as Luna's face glazed with a shock when he grabbed her hand and kissed it, causing her to unleash a peal of nervous laughter with the gesture.

Watching the whole scene unfolds from beginning to end; from just outside the throne room was Celestia. A moment later, the clicking of heel of her Gold platform sandals echoes into the room, drawing Luna's attention toward the opening, surprising her.

"Celestia! How long have you been out there?" Luna's inquiry surprised as butterflies form in her stomach.

"Not long, sister. I just got back from a delightful evening at the Silverlight stable. Justice's little sister, Seer, is what a Canterlot noble mare should be like when you visit their home. Unlike most of our nobility who thrive at being phony. (Yawn) if you would excuse me, sister, I must turn in now. Good night Luna." Celestia comments wearily as she leaves the throne room and heads to the second floor of the Palace where her bedroom is located.

"Celestia!" a familiar stallion voice called to her from the foot of the grand staircase leading to the second floor of the Grand Royal Palace. Coming up the stairs to meet her at the halfway point was Justice.

"Justice! Yes?" Celestia said surprised as she yawned once again.

"Oh! I am sorry, your highness. I didn't know you were heading to your bedroom. So it can wait. Good night Tia." Justice said politely as he turned around and started to walk back down the staircase to the ground floor.

"Justice wait! You called me Tia." Celestia said, surprised as a single tear formed in her light magenta eye.

"It is your nickname, or have you changed it since I last served you as your Princess' Protector, my Princess," Justice said respectfully as Celestia had a huge grin on her snout.

"Of course not, it's been a long time since you last called me by my nickname, but anyway, is there something you wanted?" Celestia inquiry as Justice shook his head.

"I was hoping you have time to talk. I want to clear the air before I start investigating the Ponyville kidnapping case file." Justice comments as Celestia slowly shook her head, and her tiredness vanished.

"Oh? Of course, Justice. Let's go talk in the sitting room, neutral ground for both of us." Celestia suggests as Justice follows her to a small sitting room on the second floor.

In the room, both Justice and Celestia take a seat on a large sofa. Before starting, Justice gestures toward Celestia's feet. She instantly knows what Justice is asking her to do. She reaches down and begins to slip her sandals off her feet. When they are bare, she brings them up onto the sofa and onto Justice's lap. He wants to rub her feet for her, so she can speak more freely to him as a way to clear the air between them.

In the room, Justice, and Celestia continue to reconcile their differences and rekindle the love between them. By the time Celestia had to raise the sun for a new day to begin, an engagement ring decorated the fourth finger of her left hand.

"Now, with that engagement ring on your finger, Celestia. You promise that you will marry me when the time is right and become Mrs. Silverlight, correct?" Justice comment as Celestia regards with an open fondness toward her Princess' Protector and new fiancé.

"Oh, of course, I will marry you, Justice, when the time is right. It will be my honor to bear the name of Silverlight as my last name." Celestia said as her exhaustion finally caught up to her, and she fell fast asleep in the arms of her beloved.

Comments

[Jhonn]

Wtf?

[keithsterling]

10040972
Huh?