I Don't Remember

by nitelight

Chapter 8: Close Relations

The changes that Celestia had mentioned went quite in depth. The whole day that she had spent away from her had to have been full for every second for all of the things that she had arranged. She had started to list off everything she had done before deciding on just simply showing Luna. Her confused expression was probably what gave her away.

Starting out first was the installation of her own room. Not that her sister had minded Luna taking up her chambers. She had claimed that it was modeled after her rooms in their old castle, but was free to change anything and redecorate as she liked. Eventually, she would. But for now, the darker hues and sense of nostalgia she was getting was enough. It was modeled similar to her sister's, having many of the same attached rooms and wardrobe. Though sparsely filled with outfits that reminded her much of the one she had been wearing after she had been freed from the Nightmare, she was sure that it would fill up sooner or later, with either her own personal styles or more luxurious garments befitting of her station.

The main feature that Luna loved, however, was the enchanted painting of the night sky that covered the entire ceiling, changing just as much of the stars themselves. The constellation of Cancer was currently the most prominent collection of stars imprinted at the moment, right above her bed; which was a whole masterpiece to itself. While her sister's had been more traditional, four posters, and covered in gold, her own was open at the end and the head curved, covered in an assortment of curtains and strings of light. She had to stop herself from jumping onto the mattress and the welcoming pillows hiding under a thin layer of silk. There was also a balcony, again similar to the one Celestia had, also pointed in the east for her to easily raise the moon for when she was able to. Too bad the rest of her day had already been planned out for her, or she would have spent the majority of it in her new room, simply enjoying the cooler tones of it.

Her sister had also given her a few gifts for her to enjoy, hopeful that Luna liked them. It had been a thousand years, after all. Neither really remembered what Luna liked. One such gift, however, was her crown. She vaguely remembered wearing one upon her separation from the Nightmare, and it seemed like it had simply vanished after that. It was a simple design like Celestia's; tri-pointed and easy to slip onto her head without it hurting or falling off too easily. The material, however, was mostly of obsidian, silver, and had details of moonstone in the forms of stars. It felt almost too pretty, and expensive, to wear, no matter how much Celestia insisted.

Next on their list was breakfast, which was just the same as yesterday, albeit both sisters eating together rather than after one another. The chef had also seemed to warm up to Luna more, in less of a hurry to get away. Though that also could have been because of Celestia's presence. No matter where they seemed to go, her sister was welcomed with a warm smile. But she had no place to judge. Up until the other day, Luna had been a monster that threatened the world. She would have to find more modern writings of the legend to better understand how the people saw Nightmare today. She had remembered what she did, mostly anyway, but that did not mean history did in full accuracy.

After breakfast was the beginning of the reinstatement of a proper Lunar Guard. There had been guards for the night shift before her return, obviously, but they did not specifically fall under Celestia's rule like her Solar Guard, more simply for just extra security during the hours no one was awake. The sisters had met up with Lieutenant General Elion, the current overseer of the Night Guard, and Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard as a whole. With their help, they were able to explain and lay out plans for what they had in mind for the new legion.

Most of it was technicalities, nothing of interest. Luna had to stop herself from falling asleep or zoning out during their long speeches. She knew it needed to be done, but was she really needed for these little conversations? What was important that she gained, however, was the changes that affected her personally. She would get her own personal guards, like her sister, along with the enlistment of more elite groups that would be sworn to her over her sister. They had already started the process, though the advertisements had been left vague until everything was to be officially announced to the public. She would also get to choose her own 'special forces' as she liked to call them. Guards that would be sworn to her specifically, and would be closest to her with specialized skills to aid her personally. It would take some time to gain the friendship of such people that she felt close enough to share her thoughts with and trust like she did her sister, but it would prove useful. Other than that, she could also choose, if she so desired, her own designers in any area she wished. Whether simply for cleaning her room, helping her dress, or be at her call at any hour, she could position specific people to those positions. She had complete control over her new guard and what it would be.

For now, Nightingale and Datura would be temporarily transferred to her guard as her personal escorts, much like they had been before, except with an oath to Luna now as well. For the other guards, she was able to pick anyone that she knew... which at the moment was not a large sum. Though there was that one girl she met in the courtyard. What was her name? Karmi. Perhaps she could request her. Until the positions could be filled with those that she trusted, placeholders would fill in the spots, picked by Celestia, Elion, and Shining Armor based on qualifications. She had heard them discussing an increase in Thestrals upon the job advertising for the new guard. Is that what they were called? Those with the leathery, bat-like wings she saw?

Though, as boring as the meeting was, it did not last as long as she thought it had, only a few hours at most. The sun outside had not yet hit its peak in the sky by the time she and Celestia had returned to the castle proper. Unfortunately, that was the smoothest part of their day.

---

As Luna and Celestia were making their way back to the palace, making small talk on the way about the plans they had just discussed in length on more personal terms, one of the solar guards came running up to the two, in a frantic state of worry.

"Your Majesties! Urgent reports from the front gates!" The man in question bent into a bow for each of them, keeping a straight and composed posture despite being out of breath from his sprint.

"What is it?" Celestia was the one to respond, her voice losing its light tone from their previous conversation.

"It seems that news of Princess Luna's return has reached the city proper already. Rumors of the new princess have been circulating around the capital, and the people are starting to take action. They are demanding answers to their questions, and some have even tried to trespass into the castle. And while there are some civilians at the gate now, it is mostly the media, which the guard is currently holding against their entrance. There have been some rumors from the nobility as well; majorly confusion over anything else. They do not seem to be close to a riot."

It should have been more of a shock that something like this would happen, but everyone standing there knew that it would. So far, the only people who had properly informed of Luna's return were the bearers of the Elements, the citizens of the small town they lived in, and the bulk of the royal guard. But news like this could not be contained for long. That proved even more true in the capital city, as the royal family was one of the main forms of gossip that circulated the area.

But the people of the city crowding the castle, demanding a public explanation? It seemed a bit much. Had the views of royalty changed more than she thought during her absence? The media was understandable, as being the first to get new information meant their viewers would increase and they would get publicity themselves. And though Luna hadn't met any of the nobles herself, unless Cadence counted, she was surprised that they were being as tolerant as they were. While usually their opinions held strong over that of the regular citizen, they were also prone to acting on them without rational thought. That, or with too much thought put into it.

Other than her confusion, the only other emotion going through her was that of fear. All of this was brought about by her return, and who knows what exactly they wanted from her. Were they angry? Simply overexcited? Did they know what she did?

Her sister's response was left unheard while Luna was distracted in her thoughts. A tap on her arm leading her back into the castle again was all she got from it. The guard had run off by then, most likely following some order that Celestia gave. But she couldn't shake the feeling that this was all her fault. She hadn't intended to cause a disruption in the city. Right? Was that what the Nightmare had wanted? Attention was at the core of it.

Celestia's attempts at striking up another conversation fell upon deaf ears, Luna letting her thoughts drive her conscious mind. The only thing that was able to pull her out of it was the sound of shouting that was heard from outside the main doors of the castle. Unfortunately from where they had been walking, going through the public areas of the castle was the only way to get back to their chambers. The guards had done well at clearing the area of any non-employees beforehand, but the hall was not entirely able to shelter the two as they walked through.

White feathers blocked her view to the side where the sound of the press was coming from. Now even if they could see or get inside, they would not be able to see Luna or get any pictures for their newspapers. Every small gesture her sister did was a blessing. A thousand years of knowledge apparently proved to be very useful in these types of situations. Meanwhile, Luna was reduced to a quiet object following along on the sides. She didn't yet have the confidence to face the public. Even Twilight and her friends were too much to be crowded by. And though Celestia was a beacon that helped her calm down, she was still majorly a stranger.

"Auntie, honestly! What is with the press today? They don't seem to understand that us royals need peace and quiet to remain as beautiful as we are!" A male voice called out to the taller of the princesses, an obvious annoyance in his voice about the subject.

Scooting Celestia's wing out of the way to get a look at the man, he seemed to completely ignore her presence. He had blond hair, short and loose waves at the ends of it. He wasn't necessarily as tall or good-looking as he seemed to be boasting about. The suit he wore, however, was the most impressive part of him, showing his station to the onlooker, but wore no crown, just ornate chained earrings on his pointed ears that held symbols of the royal crest. Was this the Blueblood that Celestia had mentioned earlier? Her adopted nephew? Just by his introduction of himself, she understood what she meant by being 'rough around the edges'.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors going around the city, have you not?" Her sister's voice was holding back an annoyance of its own.

"Of course not!" He scoffed, "I was getting myself groomed. I don't have time for petty rumors of the lower class. Nothing they say is of any concern to me!" He placed a hand on his chest, puffing it out. Luna resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the display.

"They are of a particular matter, Blueblood. One relating directly to your family. Perhaps you should start broadening your areas of gossip."

"Please. What could have possibly happened that I do not know of? Has my dear cousin Cadence decided to go off and get married without telling me?"

Luna could almost feel her sister's smirk at his query, slowly unfolding her wing and turning so that she was no longer hidden behind her body. He must have been oblivious to the world around him if it took him that long to realize they weren't alone. Though now that she could get a clear look at the prince, his ego was clearly etched into his face and the way he carried himself.

But after seeing the lunar princess, an audible gasp left him, some of that posh behavior he had slipping away in shock. From his place in the room with them, it was clear that she had wings and was taller than he. Did he also think that she was one of Celestia's students? Though, they were all magic users, weren't they? He didn't seem that smart to pick up the hits she was giving.

"Auntie! You didn't tell me you had a—"

"A sister." What was he going to say? He didn't think they were— gross. Besides, even if she was sneaking around a secret lover, it would not be in broad daylight strolling through parts of the castle open to the public. "Blueblood, this is Luna, my younger sister."

"A sister! I say. You've never told me about having any family. Is she a new adoption?" The glare that Celestia shot at the sorcerer could have ended a nation, the heat of her solar energy radiating off her form hot enough Luna had to take a step back. That moving apparently caused him to take a better look at her, his gaze judging. This was uncomfortable. "By Starswirl's beard! She's a demigoddess as well!"

Taking a step from her sister had made her own aura easier to differentiate from Celestia's. And while all creatures possessed magic ability, those who were able to manipulate magic had particularly strong ones, each with their own special signature. Her voice seemed to be failing her, however, only able to stand there and observe their conversation.

"Yes. As I've said, she's my sister. Biologically. And therefore, by law, your aunt as well."

"Ahem. Yes, well, it is still very strange. How come you've never mentioned her before? Where has she come from?"

"And that I will answer in due time. For now, we must be on our way."

"Very well. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess Luna," he begrudgingly greeted the younger sister, turning on his heel with his chin held high. She was able to shoot a glance at Celestia, showing her bewilderment of the interaction. That was her nephew? How has she survived and managed to retain her sanity? She truly was a wonder.

Luckily, most of their trek deeper into the castle was not interrupted for a while after that. But being the capital of the kingdom, in both the physical sense, and that of gossip, things did not stay that way for long. While most of the populace had been escorted out of the halls, there were still a few nobles that had remained within the castle, not yet located by the guard. And because of their higher statuses, had to be dealt with more delicately. Blueblood was a good example of that, as Luna had seen. Her limited knowledge of the world was being torn down by these strange variables that lingered within the castle.

And of strange encounters, they were fortunate enough to not run into more of the higher class, arriving at Celestia's rooms before too long. Sure, they could have just gone to a restricted wing of the castle, but no room was more private than that of the royalty that resided within it. That did not stop one person from already waiting for the two inside, however.

Princess Amore Cadenza was sitting on one of the lounging sofas in front of the hearth, its fire casting a warm light to the already lit room. The moment the two diarchs had closed the doors behind them, she shot up to her feet, that ever present smile brightening the rest of her features. It was almost as bright as Celestia's. Luna understood how she could be related.

"Is it true? Oh, Auntie, please tell me the truth so I don't have to rely on rumors!" Cadenza was now leaning over the back of the couch that she had been sitting on, on edge to get an answer from Celestia. Her gaze flickered between the sisters in anticipation, hands clamped together.

A lighthearted laugh is what she got in response, walking over to her niece. "While I cannot say that I have heard many of these rumors in detail, I will tell you the truth of the situation." The two were able to sit normally next to each other, Cadence reaching to grab her aunt's hands in her own. "Luna is my little sister. Due to certain... events, she's not been in Equestria for over a millennium; so I do apologize if she's a little aloof."

It was awkward standing there as her older sister explained to the Princess of Love about her, deciding to instead sit on the end of the bed and rest her feet. Her physical strength had noticeably increased over the past days, but being on her feet for so long in the castle was tiring. There were so many stairs. Resting her eyes had seemed like a good idea at first, drowning out the sound of the other voices in the room for the stillness that came with it, until she felt a gentle hand moving a strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes. The slight ghosting of the hand had yanked her out of her serenity, jumping nearly like Cadence had earlier, and quickly pulling herself away from whoever it was connected to.

An apology was uttered from her sister while the weight of another on the bed with her sunk it down. She was glad it was Celestia. She did not know what she would have done if it had been Cadence so close. Her heart was already beating hard enough. But with Celestia in front of her and Cadence to her side—what had they been talking about? Had she accidently fallen asleep fully?

"I never would have guessed it." Cadenza's chipper tone cut her thoughts. "Celestia's sister." Apparently, that sentiment was shared with just about everyone. No one knew that she had existed. And those who knew of the Nightmare, did not know of Luna's connection to any of it. Had her sister cut her out of history purposefully? Had it just been so long that people had forgotten and twisted it so that a monster was not related to their sun goddess? Was she that easy to forget? She certainly didn't remember herself. Maybe there was nothing to remember. "Excuse me for how I treated you earlier when we met, Luna. But how could I have known when you refused to tell me anything, huh? Did I mention that you're absolutely beautiful? Honestly, you could give your sister here a run for her money! Genetic jackpot, I'm almost jealous."

The woman was definitely expressive with all of her emotions. She wordily let out everything she was feeling in the form of compliments and questions. But she was hard to read. Was this simply a mask she was putting forth, or was she actually just that genuinely happy? Luna hadn't realized that she had been staring at the princess, not even saying a word since that morning. Is that why Celestia apologized for her being aloof? Was her quietness strange? Probably. With how much everyone in this castle seemed to talk all the time.

"Thou talk a lot." She hadn't even meant to say it, mouth opening just hardly enough to get it vocal. She had mumbled out her thoughts, biting her lip to stop another, causing the other to stop for a moment before falling into a fit of laughter. So she had heard what she said. Even Celestia was laughing quietly. All that time just for her thoughts to slip out on accident.

"I was wondering what was going on in that head of yours! Sorry about that. Sometimes I get caught up in it and don't know I'm being annoying." She cleared her throat, sitting up straighter and scooting ever so slightly closer. "Let's start over. It's nice to finally meet you properly, Luna. As I've said, I'd love to get to know you better. And since we're family, just you know that I'll always back you up on anything you may need, okay? Can't imagine how much the world's changed since you've been gone. But I grew up in this modern age. And even though by law I may be your niece as well, I'm gonna call you my sister too. We look too close in age to see you as some elder figure. Either way, I am honored to be a part of your family. So let me be one of the first to welcome you back, Princess of the Night."

---

The rest of that day had mostly been spent as the same, Luna retiring early for the night and traveling over to her own room. As much as she was starting to feel comfortable around the two women, she was exhausted from being around them for so long. What had Cadenza called it? A social battery? Whatever that was, Luna's had died long ago. She had learned that she was fairly easy to talk to, though, getting in more of a conversation when talking about her childhood and how she had looked after Twilight when she was younger. Funny how things went full circle like that. Striking up conversation of Blueblood had gotten the three of them to connect on things they found annoying, but there wasn't much Luna could contribute with only a small portion of her own recollections available. Cadence had said she would do her best to help her transition into life, which she was thankful for. But for now, she needed to step away from it all.

The balcony that was connected to her chambers provided an open space where she could get fresh air with the view of the setting sun in front of her. Like most things she had seen in this world, it was beautiful. How much had things really changed since she had been gone? She wished she knew. But at the same time, maybe it was for the better that she didn't. Almost every time she remembered something of her past, it was negative. Every time she talked to Celestia, that voice in the back of her head was screaming at her; she hated her, she was the one that did this to her. Was it her subconscious trying to remind her of how she felt? Was it the Nightmare, trying to poke its way into her head again? It was exhausting, and she didn't understand it. All she wanted to do was have that feeling of home, to go there and relax her mind. But nothing felt like home. Nothing felt right. She couldn't feel comfortable around her sister, but she couldn't show her that. She had originally been the one to banish her, hadn't she? What if she did not fully trust Luna, or was trying to use her memory loss against her— no. Stop.

Thinking like that only made her feel sick, the breeze making her feel cold. Wrapping her wings over her arms could only do so much to help her physical body. Shaking it out, Luna leaned her arms on the cool railing, looking out to the lands beyond. The distant shouts of the people in the city were being drowned out by the winds coming from the mountainside. They knew what they needed about themselves, had everything figured out. It would have been one thing, if she was just trying to readjust into a new time, if she remembered how things were a thousand years ago. Bumpy, yes. But easier. As things were, she had nothing to go on but those nagging thoughts in the back of her head. It was hard to separate the good from the intrusive. Hard to seem normal, whatever that meant in this age.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." A deep voice startled her out of her lamenting, causing her to grip the rail for stability. Apparently she'd leaned over a little too much. "Far as I know, you wouldn't be able to catch yourself on those wings." The voice in question was coming from her right, a man dressed in dark armor and his own wings folded against his back, bat-like. He must have been one of the thestrals that had joined the new guard. Luna flashed him a look. He was being awfully blunt, considering their stations.

"What art thou speaking of?"

He sat himself down on top of the railing, head resting in his knuckle. "Just saying it wouldn't be very fun for the both of us if you decided to—"

"We w'ren't thinking of such a thing."

"Could have fooled me." The princess stood up straighter, avoiding his eye contact and pushing off the railing back to the main floor. Annoyingly blunt as he was, at least he was doing his job. She could practically feel his triumphant smile burning into her. "Much better. You want to tell me what you were thinking about?" She shot him a glare. "Guess not. That's fine. But it would be nice to get to know my princess a bit better now that I'm in her service."

As strange as his behavior was, it was in stark contrast to most of her other interactions, save for the only other thestral she had met. Maybe it was part of their differing culture.

"What is thy name? Certainly there is more to thee than just thy wits."

Smirk ever present on his face, he hopped down to stand straight, bowing at the waist in her direction. "You may call me Nathie, your Majesty. Currently, I am a Major in my division of your Night Guard. Pleased to meet you."

"One wouldst think that with thy rank came more curtesy f'r thy superiors."

"I'll have you know, I have nothing but the utmost respect for the crown. Especially for you, as ruler of the night."

"And why is that?"

"We thestrals are creatures of the night. We're nocturnal, and have abilities that help us to traverse the land with only the help of the moon. And, if I may be so bold to say, much like yourself, we're not used to living in these types of societies. Not exactly outcasts, but different."

He was right. And that annoyed her. His attitude was off-putting at first, coming off as cocky and too forward. But that wasn't it. He was just hard to read. Friendly, though, even if approached in a different way than Cadence. Luna turned to get a good look at him, now sitting with his back leaning against the bars of the rail, watching in his silence. He was almost handsome. His skin was dark, much like hers, and his hair was shaggy. It would have been curly if he took care of it properly. That was easy to see. Most of his features, however, were different, more tilted. If that was the word for it. His eyes were thinner, pupils almost slit, teeth holding sharper fangs than her own. But while hers had been an aftermath of a transformation, his seemed more natural, befitting of his character. His armor was another story, though. The metal was silver, in contrast to those of the Solar Guard, and fitted differently to allow for more stealth than show. He also was not wearing his helmet, it tucked under one of his arms while he engaged with her. They looked similar to one another. That was a first. But it was refreshing. The strange looks some of the castle's staff had given her could be for this reason. Looking more thestran than the regular citizen would be strange, especially since her sister held no resemblances to the minority.

"There's a lot of us that were excited to hear that we had a new princess, one that actually related to us." He stopped talking when he noticed her staring. But it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Behind him, the sun had fully set below the horizon, and the moon was steadily rising to its place in the sky, stars following suit. "I want to get to know you, Luna. I've always longed to know someone like you, connected to the one thing I hold dear."

She did too. She wanted to know herself. But unlike the others, she felt a connection with him. It was something that she hadn't felt in another since her return. His presence was comfortable. Despite his lack of decorum, his aura was gentle. As if they had been friends for years already and built up a bond. It was more than what she felt with even her sister. And perhaps this comfort would help with regaining those memories. Stress would only lock them deeper into her mind. But did he know? As far as she knew, only Celestia, Cadenza, and herself knew of her amnesia. The look on his face, the intuition behind his eyes, told her that he wasn't entirely oblivious.

Comments

[Wooden Wheel]

They are demanding answers to their questions, and some have even tried to trespass into the castle.

I can totally believe that this is something that happened out of camera in the show.

"Of course not!" He scoffed, "I was getting myself groomed. I don't have time for petty rumors of the lower class.

I can see that Blueblood is presented in an arrogant and spoiled way (which is fine), but with that said, I think the two sisters act very harshly towards him here.

He is as ignorant of what is going on as anyone and yet they were quick to look down on him for coming up with valid assumptions, even if they are wrong, given the circumstances.

The voice in question was coming from her right, a man dressed in dark armor and his own wings folded against his back, bat-like. He must have been one of the thestrals that had joined the new guard.

Oh, thestrals will be a thing in this AU story?