Secrets and Lies (phase two)

by keithsterling

Chapter 16

January 23, 2026, 1000 hrs Equestria Standard Time, Main Throne room of the Palace, Old Grand Royal Palace, Capital City of Canterlot, Solar Empire.

Bright and early the following morning Lord Somnus Silverlight arrives at his Aunt Luna's bedchamber. As he enters her bedchamber steam billows from her private bathroom as she is taking her morning shower. With that Somnus walks over to his aunt's wardrobe and begin to pick out the dress she will wear for today. After a few minutes he decides on a beautiful sapphire blue colored mid-knee length dress, he carefully takes out the dress and hangs it on the hook by the bathroom door.

He shuts the top doors on the wardrobe, before opening a large drawer on the bottom. Inside the large drawer were all of Luna's shoes as instructed by her last night Somnus retrieve a pair of silver heeled sandals for her and carry them over to her bed. As he passes the bathroom door the hanger that held the dress was empty meaning she has finished her shower and would emerge from the bathroom ready.

A few moments later Luna comes pattering out of her bathroom barefooted and walks over to her bed. She sits down on the edge of her bed and begins putting her sandal on. Polishing up her black tiara and black collar with half-moon symbol on it was Somnus.

"Somnus come here," Luna called as Somnus walks over to his aunt and kneels down in front of her and lowers his head in respect to Luna.

"Yes, your highness?" Somnus said respectfully as Luna gesture her hand for Somnus to lift his head. Went he did she hands him her other sandal.

"You deserve to put the sandal on the foot of your princess as reward for serving me faithfully Lord Silverlight , my faithful knight," Luna said proudly as Somnus slip the sandal onto Luna's large dark blue plush and smooth foot and buckled it. With the sandals on her feet, Luna stands up and walks over to unicorn bust and retrieves her polished black tiara and black collar.

"Now Lord Silverlight, Lets go talk to your mother and get the answer to these accusations. Ready Somnus?" Luna asks after having Somnus place the black tiara on top of his aunt's head behind her horn.

"Yes, Your highness," Somnus answers as the Alicorn and unicorn exit her bedchamber and head to the Throne room to get an answer from Somnus' mother about Twilight.

As the two ponies walk down the hallway head toward the main throne room of Old Grand Royal Palace, along the way palace staff members bows to Princess Luna Silverlight as she passes.

At a four-way intersection, Luna and Somnus are met by Solar Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight who attired in finely made lemon-colored mid-knee length dress with light gold gladiator sandals on her light blue bare feet. She adorns in her gold Princess's regalia of the Solar Empire. After a brief discussion with her brother and aunt, the group continues down the hallway heading toward the main entrance of the throne room.

At the huge golden doors of the main throne room, Blueberry and Somnus push open the door. Allowing their Aunt to enter first. Once through the main doors, the group continues down a white-columned lined huge room toward a three-tiered raised platform with two thrones on the top-tiered.

Down at the foot of the three-tiered platform stood Empress Celestia Silverlight attired in Lilac color mid-knee-length dress with gold heeled sandals on her white bare feet. She was adorned in her imperial regalia. Since setting foot into the throne room earlier this morning she has been busy signing her name to numerous officials' documents from various advisors.

Celestia's face glazed with shock upon laying her eyes on the small group approaching her from the main door. She raises her hand up and dismisses all her advisors from the throne room as amused smile form on her snout.

"I thought, I would never again see you wearing your Princess's Regalia, sister," Celestia comments as she looks over her sister wearing her Princess's Regalia a few times.

"Not by choice, sister. I didn't expect to be remaining in the Solar Empire for an extra day so I didn't plan for an extra change of clothes." Luna explains as Somnus and Blueberry stand on either side of Luna as their mother's lip begins to twitches knowing something is going on.

"What is the real reason Luna, you have come to see me?" Celestia asked as she regards the positions of her foals on either side of their aunt curiously as if trapping her in a pincer movement.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle and attack on the Crystal Empire." Luna comment as Celestia's eyes widens in alarm, revealing that she knows about accusations against her ex-fateful student and Princess of Friendship.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, sister," Celestia said her voice pushed to edge of impatience as Luna gesture with her head toward Celestia's foals to go ahead.

Quicker then she can react Somnus and Blueberry kick their mother's legs out from under her cause her to fall to her knees. Once on her knees, the two foals push with all their might her arms behind her back and Somnus creates magic shackles around her wrists.

Blueberry follows that up by creating magic wings clamps hold her wings on her back. To finish Luna slips a gold ring around her horn blocking all her magic. Celestia's foals struggle to keep their mother kneeling on the ground as she much stronger pure Alicorn mare, compared to hybrid Alicorn they are. Quickly both Somnus and Blueberry form shackles on her ankles and link them to shackles on her wrists.

"How dare you trap your Mother! Release me at once!" Celestia said bitterly struggling to break free from the magical bindings placed on her by her foals. Somnus and Blueberry are hybrid alicorn and not as physically strong as a pure Alicorn like their mother. Their magic strength is comparable to their mother's magic strength and with the gold ring on her horn blocks her magic, she at her foals mercy.

"Now with the pre-show done. Shall we speak about Princess Twilight Sparkle, dear sister?" Luna asks floating a chair in front of Celestia who has a peeved look on her face.

"Fat chance, sister, I do not speak to the pony who holds me captive, not even my own foals," Celestia said hotly as Luna shook her head.

"Very well, sister, foals relieve your mother of her shoes!" Luna's order as a chill ran down Celestia's back as she felt her foals grab hold of her feet.

"No!" Celestia screams as her skin crawls. Celestia quickly clamps down her toes onto her sandals to keep her foals from removing them from her feet. To no avail as her foals easily got her sandals off exposing her fairly large white bare feet to the warm air of the throne room.

"My dear and beloved foals please would you really tickle your helpless mother's feet?" Celestia said almost in helpless and shy tone as she looks toward her foals with innocent eyes appealing to their love toward her.

"Foals! Remember why we are doing this! She is keeping a secret from you! That could in danger pony kind!" Luna yelled as it snaps Somnus and Blueberry out of trance their mother almost put them under. Celestia's eyes sharpened on Luna as she almost regained control over her foals from her sister.

(An hour later)

"Pleeeheeaseee my foals-I-I cahahahan't take anymorhoore I'll talk Bwahahahahanonhooo!!!!" Celestia screamed with laughter as her foals stop tickling her feet.

As she lies on the ground gulp much need air into her lungs. Her foals break the magic bindings holding their mother. Fearing retaliation from their mother Blueberry and Somnus brace themselves as their mother gets to her feet and she walks up to them and hugs and kisses them. Telling them if she was very truthful to them, it would have never gone this far. She forgives them for what they did to her because her foals are the most precious to her.

With that Celestia pattered barefooted over to the three-tiered platform and sat down on the second tiered. She crossed her leg over the other and rests a single elbow on her knee, before resting her chin on the flat of her hand. She unleashes a sigh, she wouldn't admit she so proud of her foals for going that far to protect all of pony kind. They are worthy to call Princess Celestia their mother.

"All right what would you like to know my dear foals and sister?" Celestia asked as the three ponies gathered around her besides the three-tiered platform.

"Is what Somnus told me true, Mama?" Blueberry asked looking at her mother's face as she blinks excessively.

"Unfortunately my dear Blueberry, it is true. Twilight told your father that." Celestia answered as the blood drains from Blueberry's face as tears begin to form.

"You know what that means, sister." Luna comment as Celestia shook her head and reach over to Blueberry and pulled her closer, before kissing her on her horn to try to make her feel better.

"Twilight will be charged with high treason against Equestria if the charges are found to be true her sentence for the crime execution." Celestia's voice cracking as she can't believe her fateful student would do something like that.

"No pony has been charged with high treason against Equestria before and executed for that crime, correct sister." Luna comment as Celestia shook her head.

"That is correct sister, but there will be lasting repercussions for royalty in Equestria if Twilight is found guilty of High Treason. Because she is a Princess of Equestria." Celestia voice a lifeless monotone as Luna gasped.

"Mama! Will, they hurt you?" Blueberry exclaims worried with a hitch in her voice.

"Don't worry yourself, my precious foal. What I mean is that my power will be severely diminished in Equestria no one will ever trust royalty again my only saving grace is that, I am a mother. So they will not take my life and spare me. I will live in disgrace for the rest of my long life." Celestia explains as she begins to weep.

"What about father's family. They are royalty as well?" Somnus inquiry toward his mother who is still weeping and will not answer his question.

"The Silverlight unicorn family is so entrenched with common pony population in Equestria that a scandal like this will not affect their reputation. Matter of fact Somnus, went I adopted Silverlight as my last name. Everything change I was no longer viewed as Nightmare moon like went I simply called myself Princess Luna. That is the other saving grace for your mother, she can simply take the noble title of Marquise of Dream Valley. As your father has the title of Marquis of Dream Valley she will be protected under the banner of your Great Grandmother and Dream valley." Luna explains as Blueberry's face brightening with keeping her mother safe.

"Mama? Will you do what Auntie asks take the noble title of Marquise of Dream Valley. You will be protected under Great Grandmother's banner of Dream Valley." Blueberry asks as Celestia was unsure of her decision.

"Somnus? What do you think of having your mother take the title of Marquise of Dream Valley?" Celestia inquiry as Somnus through for a little while before answering his mother.

"If that only way to keep you safe, mother I am all for it. That means we lost are Royal title and claim to the sun throne but your safety is what important mother." Somnus comment as Celestia's pulled Somnus toward her and hug him with his younger sister.

"If that what, my babies, want me to do. I'll do it, it going to be very painful to relinquish, my old title. I've had it for a thousand years. But that old title means nothing compared to the title, I have now 'Mother.' " Celestia said as she once again hugs her foals. Before turning her attention toward her sister who has a smile on her snout.

"What the next steps in this plan, sister?" Celestia asked.

"The next step is to obtain a sponsor from the Principality of Dream Valley, which is not your spouse in my case. I was, sponsored by Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight. The title I now hold is Baroness of Dream Valley. But in your case sister, it must be a higher rank than the Duchess of Dream Valley." Luna explains as the breath catches in Celestia's throat went her sister told her she needs a high ranking sponsor.

"Who?" Celestia asked as her heart drops. Suddenly a huge smile form on Blueberry snout, knowing a high ranked sponsor.

"What about Great Grandmother her ranked is Imperial Princess of Dream Valley," Blueberry suggested as Somnus and Luna looked at each other.

"If your Great Grandmother does sponsor your mother, No other steps would be needed. She can gain the rank of Marquise of Dream Valley." Luna comments as she gestured Somnus to call his Great Grandmother.

An hour later Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight arrives at Old Grand Royal Palace attired in Emerald green slightly below the knee length dress with gray strap sandals on her morning blue bare feet. To round out her outfit she wore her imperial Princess Regalia.

"Welcome your imperial highness," Celestia said politely.

"Thank you, your imperial majesty, I was told by Somnus you what me to sponsor you, so you can take the title of Marquise of Dream Valley, along with my grandson Marquis Justice Silverlight is that correct, Celestia?" Ophelia comments as she studies Celestia closely as she waits for any answer.

"That is correct your imperial highness. I wish to be noble in Dream Valley." Celestia said humbly.

"I see, before I say I will sponsor you. You must give-up something to me, Celestia." Ophelia said as Celestia shook her head.

"That is?" Celestia asked.

"You must give up all rights to your precious foals to me (tears begin run down her cheeks). You can't have any contacts with them ever again (more teardrops run down her cheek) Live apart from them for your long life. For my sponsorship, Celestia." Ophelia said as Celestia's face glazed with shock.

"NO! I will never agree to those terms those foals are my precious treasures and the only reason I am doing this I care for nothing else. But the happiness of my family. If your sponsorship means give-up what I love the most. Then let them kill me." Celestia said fiercely as Ophelia clapped her hands together.

"What I hope to hear from the mate of my grandson," Ophelia said pleased as she placed her hand on Celestia's shoulder.

"Welcome to Dream Valley, Marquise of Dream Valley Celestia Silverlight." Ophelia welcoming as Celestia was shocked.

"What?" Celestia exclaimed.

"Why did you ask me to give-up my foals to you, Ophelia?" Celestia ask.

"I want to see if it was your heart asking for sponsorship. It was test for you, Celestia I am not simply going to hand a noble title over to just anyone. Even if you are my grandson own wife." Ophelia explains as she continues talking to Celestia about what she expects from her as noble of Dream valley.