Fallen Queendom

by Zeroraid

23

Patience was a virtue.

Celestia learned that lesson a long time ago.

After all, one does not rule over a ponydom for thousands of years and not learn to be patient.

She first learned patience under Star Swirl’s guidance, to learn the spells he meant to teach her.

She’d practiced patience over a thousand years in dealing with nobility and their attempts to fall into decadence.

She’d mastered patience when she waited a thousand moons for her sister to return, so she might make amends.

Patience had always been with her, and yet, it seemed that her patience was starting to run out.

For what felt like the hundredth time in but an hour, Celestia turned her gaze to the skies, her eyes seeming to look for something that wasn’t showing itself.

It had been a few days since the northern lights revealed themselves. They’d stayed since their arrival, painting the sky in hues of blue and yellow and purple.

Such a thing however concerned her, why?

The lights should have faded after the first night, in her oldest memories she could not recall a day when they shined as long as they did. Like an arcane fire burning in a winter storm, a powerful, warm magic was keeping them alight. The lights were fading, yes, but she couldn’t recall a spell, let alone a being that could keep something as old and powerful as the Crystal Heart ablaze for so long.

In her more archaic memories; old and hazy as they might be, she knew that the Crystal Heart needed love to stay lit. But even with a whole empire of Crystal Ponies, their light only shined so bright. At it’s weakest, their light, their love would shield them from the storms that frequented the North. At most, at most the provided a strong but brief light that would pierced through the darkness, ike a lighthouse for a boat at sea.

A light that burned painfully fast mind you.

As mentioned before, the light should only last a few hours to a day, not half of a week.

“What could provide such a powerful light?” She asked and got no response. “Who could create such a thing.”

Cadence and Shining Armor? No, it couldn’t be them.

Yes they loved each other deeply, but this wasn’t their light. It didn’t feel like their light either.

This was somepony else’s light. She just didn’t know who, and to be honest that little fact bothered her more than it should. Why though?

“You’re losing control.”

A familiar, poisonous voice whispered into her ears and she shook her head to try blocking it out.

“The world you worked so hard to build, your perfect world is slowly falling apart.”

“Silence.” She whispered.

“And you can do nothing to stop it.”

The voice whispered.

“Not alone.”

Celestia shivered.

“Join with me; use me and let me use you. Together we can preserve your perfect world.”

“No…” Celestia whispered. “I will not let you use me.” She paused. “Not again.”

“Why not?”

The voice asked.

“Together we built this world.”

It told her.

“Together we can preserve it.”

“The voice stated.

“We can heal it.”

“You do not heal.” Celestia muttered. “You only bring harm to this world.”

“I harm only what you want harmed.”

It countered.

“Like your enemies, like the heretic and the unclean.”

Celestia didn’t say anything.

“Use me, and I will use you.”

“I will not.” Celestia muttered to herself. “Not again.”

“Sister?” Jumping slightly, Celestis turned her attention to see that her sister Luna was walking up to her with a look of concern.

“Luna.” She muttered before shaking her head. “Luna, what are you doing here?”

“I came looking for you.” Luna muttered as she seemed to frown. “Are you alright sister, you seemed… conflicted.”

“Sister…”

“I’m fine Luna.” Celestia turned to face her kin.

“Kin… she is not your kin, not anymore.”

A poisonous voice stated.

“I’m just… thinking is all.”

“Traitorous mule.”

“What were you thinking about?” Luna pressed as Celestia turned towards the lights in the sky. “Ah yes, they’ve been shining for a while now.” Luna muttered.

“Shall we dispose of the traitor?”

“No…” Luna looked at her sister in confusion, and realizing her mistake Celestia looked back at her and gave this apologetic look. “I mean yes, they have been in the sky a while now.” Luna just stared at her before taking a minute to circle her sister for a moment as Celestia gave her a confused look. “Luna, what are you?”

“Where are you?” Luna asked as she finished her circling and just looked at her sister.

“Excuse me?” The older of the two asked. “I’m right here Luna.”

“No, you’re not.” Luna stated. “You’re body it here, yes.” She raised a hoof to her head and tapped it. “But your mind is elsewhere.” She explained. “So tell me sister, where are you?”

“Where am I not?” Celestia asked after a while. “My thoughts are on the lights, and at the same time they are turned to the past.” She admits. “At the same time they are on the destruction brought to Equestria, as well as the safely of our ponies and the progress made by Twilight’s studies.” She took a breath. “And my thoughts are with Shining Armor and Cadence.”

“I see.” Luna muttered as she settled down next to her kin. “Your thoughts truly are everywhere.” She admitted before going silent. “We still don’t know exactly what happened weeks ago.” She said after a while. “But since then our ponies have done well to adjust to the changes, not only that but Twilight is doing her best to create that spell you desired.” She admitted. “And I’m certain Shining Armor and Cadence are well.” She stated looking at her sister. “The light proves that Sombra hasn’t reclaimed the Empire. But at the same time…”

“What can make the light burn so bright?” Celestia asked. “Who has such a bright light.”

“I do not know, sister.” Luna admitted. “But I am certain they are a friend.”

“I hope so, Luna. I truly hope so.”

---

"27…"

He swore to pony God this reminded him too much about his first time hitting the gym.

Gentle thought as he kept his focus locked on the crystal ball that was resting in front of him. Magic flickered around it, steadying itself before lifting back up.

“28…”

He dropped it and took a much needed breath before trying to lift it again.

This was exhausting. He thought as he felt a straining in his magic.

"Easy Gentle." Sunset muttered as she watched from the sidelines. "You're starting to pull out too much mana." She told him.

"Do not pull at your reserves." Pale Arts spoke up. "Forcing them to exert more than they are ready to is a sure fire way to hurt yourself." She stated. "Instead guide them, direct them with your thoughts and intentions." She whispered. “Magic is part of you, like any other limb you possess.” She continues. “Merely instruct it where to go, and it will.” Gentle took a breath as he lifted the crystal.

“29…” Sunset whispered.

“Good… but do not push yourself too hard.” Pale Arts stated. “Do what you feel you can, not what you feel you must.” She stated, walking around Gentle. “If you feel you can do no more than -” As if on cue, Gentle dropped the crystal as he started to lose his balance only for Sunset to catch him.

“I got you.” She told him as he shook his head and rubbed his red horn.

It hurt. Guess he pushed it too hard.

“Call it?” Sunset looked to Pale Arts as she nodded her head.

“Yes, you did very well Gentle.” The Older mare smiled. “Two sets of 30 and one of 29.” She hummed. “For one just beginning, you have done very well.” Her smile turned humorous. “Just don’t push yourself too much. Your magic is like a muscle. You must train it to become stronger, yes, but if you push it too far it becomes nothing but torturing oneself.” She admitted as she looked to Shining Armor and saw him nod his head in agreement.

Not sure why he was here, and not with Cadence, but guess it didn’t matter in the end.

“Celestia teaches us the same thing.” He noted. “Magic is more than a force of will, it’s part of us. If you push it too far you end up hurting yourself." He admitted.

"Well it is the truth." Pale Arts muttered. "And that applies to physical training as well. Train your body, but do not torture it. Know your limits, meet them and gradually move on past them. Do not force yourself to do more than what you are capable of." She states as Sunset helped Gentle straighten up.

"So~" Sunset began as she looked at the stallion. "Why are you here exactly?" She asked. "Shouldn't you… I don't know, be with Princess, Cadence."

"Cadence… wants some space to try and figure some things out." Gentle gave Shining Armor a confused look as Sunset gave him one of regret before looking away. Pale Arts however.

"No doubt it concerns what we spoke about." She mutters nodding her head. This time Gentle found himself looking at Pale who gave him a look. "Such a topic is one I rather have both her permission and presence." Gentle seemed to think before making a nod.

He understood what she was getting at. Sharing people's business was kind of a problem back home. He didn't like it but that was just how some people were.

Still if he wanted to know what was going on… best thing to do would be to ask the person - er pony in question. So that in mind he looked at Pale Arts and gave her this look of sorts.

"You wish to see how young Cadence is doing." The mare made a face. "Well, I see no harm being done in that, but know she will only speak when she is ready." She tells him. "You can not- must not force her to speak." She looks down at the stallion. "Do you understand?" Gentle simply nodded his head.

---

Cadence made a face she wasn't quite used to making. To be honest she wasn't even sure what kind of face she was making in the rest place.

Either way, the mare couldn't help making it as she stared up at the crystal portrait that was hanging ahead of her. In it she saw who she believed to either be an ancestor with their child under the light of the Crystal Heart.holding an infant it was It wasn’t the first she had seen like that, going down the hall there were many murals depicting that same scene. A mother and father with child, Sometimes with wings, sometimes with a horn, sometimes with neither.

These murals showed the Crystal Empire’s royal bloodline; from the first Emperor and Empress to the last known descendent. A little pink pony with wings.

“Is that… is that really me?” Cadence asked, looking at the mural. “And those ponies… they’re my parents.” She muttered. “But if that’s the case. “Why can’t I recognize them?” She muttered, turning to look elsewhere. “I don’t remember… anything about you or this place.” The mare continued as she looked up. “And yet…”

“Cadence.” Turning the mare looked to see that Gentle was walking towards her, a look of concern on his face as he approached.

“You’re Gentle, right?” Even she would admit that her voice was unusually quiet in speaking to Gentle. Regardless he nodded his head as he walked up to her and turned his attention towards the murals. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you.” Gentle stated before making a face as his hoof went to his throat. He closed his eyes and started to focus his magic as he started to write in the air.

“Shining Armor said you were… trying to figure some stuff out.”

Cadence released this smile that was more whimsical than happy.

“Honestly, such a worrywart.” She muttered. “But that’s one of the things I love about him.” She admitted. “But he’s not wrong.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“It’s nothing really, just having my world turned upside-down.” Cadence admitted as she looked at the mural. “Do you… do you know that’s like?”

“Yes actually.”

Gentle wrote.

“Twice in seven months if we’re keeping score.”

Cadence just looked at him in confusion before her eyes rested on the scars on his neck.

“You must have gone through a lot.” She muttered as Gentle shrugged.

“Bout as much as anyone else I know.”

Gentle shaked his head and looked at Cadence.

“But I’m more concerned about you right now,”

“Why?” Cadence asked. “Forgive me but… we don’t know each other, why are you worried about me?” Gentle shrugged.

“Don’t gotta reason.”

“No reason huh?” Cadence muttered as she made a humored noise. “Well, it beats having somepony being concerned because your royalty.” Cadence stated before making face and going silent. “Apparently I'm the heiress to Crystal Empire." She admitted. "Heiress to an empire that vanished over a thousand years ago." Gentle tilted his head as Cadence looked at the mural next to them. "Pale Arts says I was sent through time to survive Sombra's purge of the Royal family…" She turned to Gentle who blinked before raising an eyebrow. "Sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

"Yeah."

Gentle wrote.

"But we live in a pretty crazy world."

"That we do." Cadence agreed. "The things Pale Arts told me… about who I really am, about what I really am… I don't want to believe it." She admitted. "But… in my heart of hearts, I do believe her." She muttered looking around. "Something about this place… just feels… familiar. I don't know why, I don't know how but it does. Walking down these halls, seeing these murals…. I." Cadence fell silent for a moment. "I feel as though I've seen them before."

"That bothers you."

"Yes." Cadence muttered. "I thought I knew who I was, no that's a lie. I never really knew who I was since I was a filly." She muttered. "The village I grew up in…” Cadence whispered as she started changing the subject. “It was an Earth Pony village, there wasn’t a single unicorn or pegasi for miles at a time.” She admitted. “Being… ‘different’ I was bullied a lot, sometimes even seen as a freak. I thought something was wrong with me, I didn’t know how to be a pegasus and I couldn’t make friends. I felt… I felt so alone.” She admitted before going silent. “I’ve always felt alone.” She fell silent as Gentle sat next to her. “Do you know what it’s like?” She asked after a moment. “To have what feels like the world turn its back on you just for being ‘different’, and then suddenly try to get close to you because of what you’ve become?” She asked. “No one - not even Celestia - looked at me before I became an Alicorn. No one wanted me.”

“That’s not true.” Gentle spoke up as he looked at Cadence. “Your parent’s they wanted you.”

“Did they?” Cadence whispered. “If so, why did they just let me go when Celestia came for me?” She asked. “Why did they let her take me?” She fell silent. “I never wanted to be a princess. I just… I… just wanted someone to love me.” She paused slightly before chuckling. “You know, that's kind of pathetic isn’t it. I’m the Princess of Love, I can give to anypony I come across, but I can’t have it.” She chuckled again. “I don’t… I don’t even really know what love is.” Gentle stayed quiet for a moment as he seemed to think. “Do you think… do you think ‘they’ ever loved me?” She asked looking at the mural showing her and her parents. For a moment neither said anything. Cadence shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. I just… I don’t know.”

“Where I’m from…” Gentle spoke up. “Love is complicated.” He admitted. “It’s not something you can just… explain and describe. It’s not butterflies in your stomach and it’s not something that makes you start a song and dance.” He continued. “It’s beautiful and it’s painful, it’s full of highs and lows… love is… something I can’t explain.” He admitted. “But I can say this; your parents, your birth parents and your adoptive parents both loved you.” Gentle muttered. “Maybe they weren’t good at showing it, but I’m certain they loved you.” He stated as his voice started to fade. “And I’m certain… they’ll never stop loving you.” He smiled. “Cause your their little girl, they’d move the stars themselves if it meant making you smile.” Cadence just looked at him as he gave her a smile. “And Shining Armor’s the same. I’m sure of… Cadence?” He paused as he realized tears were starting to fall down the mares cheeks. “Are - are you ok? I’m sorry I said something stupid didn’t-” Without warning Cadence leaned down and hugged the young stallion as she started to cry. Realizing what was going on Gentle raised a hoof and wrapped it around the mares back as he patted it. “There there… “ He whispered. “I got you.”