Book Two: Chapter Three: The Pleasures of Family
Myths and Birthrights
By Tundara
Book Two: Duty and Dreams
Chapter Three: The Pleasures of Family
Celestia stared down her long muzzle, the intensity of her gaze making the pony on the other side of her desk squirm and wriggle. To her left, Chronicle watched with a growing, secret smile hidden behind his clipboard. Long practiced in the art of hiding her emotions, Celestia let none of the mirth bouncing in her chest show as she instead clicked her tongue softly.
“So,” Celestia said, drawing out the word, “you wish to join me for Court?”
Looking rather small in the chair, a chair usually reserved for Luna or Cadence, Tyr bobbed her head. “Yes,” she replied quickly, leaning forward in excitement. “I’m the Goddess of Justice, so, it makes sense for me to assist with any courtly judgements to be made, doesn’t it? I could help you. See if a pony really is guilty or not. Or, if there is some injustice behind their petitions. Like yesterday, when that business pony wanted to build a new mine, but was trying to steal the rights to the land away from the poor ponies who lived there. I saw that right away!”
Tyr shifted in her chair to show off her cutie mark, a set of scales balanced on the point of a sword, all surrounded by a laurel wreath. She made a point of showing off her mark, chest puffed out in pride and happiness, to every pony she met. Often with a quick beat of her wings and toss of her mane to highlight her long horn.
“Mmm Hmm, and then you started yelling at her, and worse. It was quite the black eye you gave Lady Gleam.” Celestia hummed, a slight uptick of amusement entering her voice.
Tyr’s cheeks darkened and her gaze darted to the paperwork in front of Celestia, a neat little stack dealing with the repercussions of that minor incident. The beginnings of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and Celestia almost gave in and let it spread. Almost.
Recovering quickly, Tyr tapped a hoof on the edge of the desk. “You also owe me for the Fostering fiasco, still, you know.”
Ah, there it was.
Celestia’s inward amusement only grew at the blatant attempt to manipulate her guilty conscious. Fostering Tyr was, without a doubt, the worst decision she’d made in an exceedingly long time. Up there with attempting to fight Amon alone when she was barely two centuries old, or burying herself in ruling Equestria and ignoring Luna’s pleas for help in the run-up of the Nightmare’s emergence. She could not even say the consequences of her actions this time had, at least, been less dire.
It’d be years before the full repercussions were made known. Tyr was fine, this much was true, but Celestia had set a cascade of events tumbling down the hill that night, and where they led, only Faust knew.
Outside, Selene could be seen approaching Sol, the moon half dark and half silver as she went through her phases. Somewhere on her desk was a letter from the Astronomer’s Guild berating her, Luna, and Twilight for yet another upheaval to the heavens and the night sky. An incomplete response sat elsewhere, waiting to be finished. In truth, her letter was little more than a few placating remarks and assurances that their grievances were at least being heard. A few years and they’d grow used to the new order.
Or, perhaps she, Luna, and Twilight would restore the diametric positions of the sun and moon. Reforming Nauta Anar Isilye, the ancient sigil that had kept order in the heavens for most of the last three and a half thousand years, would be bothersome, but it had been done before. In the meantime, there were new tidal almanacs to print and distribute, the Astronomer’s Guild to placate, again, and a worried populace to soothe.
“What do your parents say on the matter?” Celestia pointedly picked up one of the scrolls and flicked her signature along the bottom after a quick glance across the flowery words on the page. “You have asked them, correct?”
Bristling, Tyr sank back into her chair, hooves crossed and unable to look away from the bust of Faust along the wall. “I don’t have to ask them for everything.”
Celestia glanced up from her paperwork, brow raised into a perfect, slender arc.
“What about when you travel to the Crystal City? Cadence does have her own nation to tend. Perhaps you could sit with her.”
“But, the Crystal City is so small, and Cadence has delegated all her power to their House of Ladies and Duke Blueblood.” A long whine came with the protest, Tyr slumping further in the oversized chair. “I looked it up, thinking the same thing. Did you know Cadence hasn’t actually held court in a hundred and sixty three years! How can you rule a nation if you never do any ruling?!” Chin landing on the edge of the desk with a soft thwap, Tyr glared over the rolling hills of paperwork. “None of the gods back home ever did this sort of mundanity. How do you put up with it?”
“Patience and experience,” Celestia responded, her quill scrawling three signatures and some alterations to wording on a land-lease in the Heartlands. Red scatchmarks and flowing script made, the scroll was bundled and tossed onto a tray set next to Chronicle for those missives that were more urgent than those that went out in the evening. As she picked up the next in the apparently endless stacks of paperwork, she asked, “Wouldn’t you rather spend time with your cousin? Shyara could use a friendly, familiar face.”
Tyr’s face scrunched up. “She’s has been pouting in her room and yelled at me when I went to see her.”
“Well, it has been a difficult few weeks for her. I hope you’ll be able to help her through things. You are the closest family she has on Ioka.” A pointed look was added, one Tyr brushed off.
“We never really saw much of each other until our parents started warring with the Olympians.” Tyr shrugged her wings for added emphasis. “And she’s not the only one who has had it difficult lately. It’s not like she had her wings and lustre stolen, was almost torn to pieces by a ritual gone wrong, and had to fight her way back.”
A strong glare was added at the end, and it was Celestia’s turn to shrug off a jab.
“Or,” Tyr muttered, “suffered what the ponies did in Ponyville.”
Celestia’s quill scratched a jagged line across the page in front of her, a sharp intake of breath quickening her heart. Quick to seal the crack in her composure, Celestia turned the topic back to Shyara, saying, “No, she merely lost a pony as dear to her as Shining has become to you. Was almost consumed by a shadow demon, and if not for the vagaries of fate, would be dead.”
Pale beneath her coat, Tyr shrank in her chair. “I-I know that! Okay, so, she had it bad too.”
Looking away, Tyr caught her lower lip in her teeth for a second before pushing on. “I think Shyara would do better with the fillies from Ponyville. Elegant and Melody Sparkle helped me adjust. She needs to make her own friends, not be given mine, and she doesn’t need the reminders of the Citadel seeing me brings. They know better what she is going through.” Looking towards Chronicle, she asked, “How are they?”
He cleared his throat, and after receiving a slight nod from Celestia, said, “You could go and see for yourself, if you want. They’re still in the guest suites with Lady Apple, Lady Posey, and madam Zecora.”
“No,” Tyr quickly shook her head, then looked pointedly up at Celestia. “I’d rather stay with you. I need to learn about the laws and governance. I’m Justice, but that means little, really. I don’t want to be a figurehead on high, untouchable in a mountain temple-palace like the gods on Gaea. Will there be priests in my service? What would they do? Or…” Again she gave a slow shake of her head and a weary growl. “Finding my domain was supposed to give me answers. That is what Athena always told me. Instead, all I have now are more questions, the biggest being what do I do with myself? Where do I fit in the world? Does Ioka even have need for a Goddess of Justice?”
Wings drooping, Tyr began to drift off into her own thoughts.
Laying her quill aside, Celestia gave Tyr her full attention. “I suppose it can’t hurt for you to join me as a guest. Twilight did so a few times when she were younger.” Tyr’s face brightened, a wide grin spreading from the corner of her eyes in a white flash. “But, you have to behave yourself.” Standing before Tyr could break into gratitude, Celestia indicated for both her and Chronicle to follow.
Walking at a dignified pace, one that allowed Tyr to keep up on her much shorter legs without running, Celestia asked Chronicle about who’d come to make petitions.
“There are the usual; Lord Parallax is back,” Celestia didn’t even attempt to hide the roll of her eyes or low grunt of displeasure, “with the rest of his coterie. The Hackney Ambassador sent a letter early this morning that he’d need some of your time today. Depending on how long those run, I’ve put aside as much as a half-hour for the usual walk-in petitions. Since it is that time of year, the normal requests for blessings on unborn foals is to be expected. I’ve kept the number down to just five today, since afterwards Arbiter Precedence and Judicator Temperance have a case involving Lady Rheum of House Dust and a local farmer for your attention. They’ve been at odds for some time over land ownership.”
“It’s not like Precedence to bring something like this to Canterlot,” Celestia mused as they left the royal suites and entered the bureaucratic wing.
“I’ve been given to understand a body was found that turned out to belong to the farmer’s mother, and foul play is strongly suspected, with each party accusing the other, and a fair bit of evidence to corroborate both interpretations. Given the long lasting dispute and animosity, both parties requested you judge the case, ma’am. I have a packet here with the details, if you’re interested.”
At the mention of ‘a body’, Tyr’s ears perked up, and she gazed expectantly between Celestia and Chronicle. If she were another mare, Celestia would have sighed and quipped about it being, ‘one of those days’. As it was, she gave a slight nod and readied herself for what would be an unusual day of court. There was just enough time for a reassuring smile that she wasn’t going to send Tyr away for the trial.
A promise was a promise, and she was curious about what the nascent goddess would do in regards to the case. How would Tyr respond if the guilty pony was before her and denied culpability? Would she be able to see the lies and guilt? Was she truly ‘Justice’, or something adjacent?
Questions upon questions, and time enough for them to be examined later.
“Remember that you are only an observer in court,” Chronicle said, giving Tyr the same instructions he had Twilight years before. “Sit quietly, unless asked a question by the princess. Answer any such questions succinctly. Never interrupt, neither Her Highness or the petitioner. And, try not to embarrass the crown.”
“I know, I know.” Tyr gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “It’s no different than when Aphrodite and Apollo would parade me in front of their faithful.”
Amused by the exchange, Celestia swept into the court from the side entrance while the herald was half-way through announcing her arrival. The hefty buzz among the crowd that had come to witness or petition the court faded, all eyes moving to watch their princess and her great-niece.
After the usual fanfare, the ceremonial little dance that was the opening of Daycourt, Lord Parallax took center stage at the bottom of the stairs to the throne.
He bowed low, sweeping one leg to the side. So very low. Almost to the point of mockery.
“Your Royal Highness, Princess Celestia Invictus, as always it is an immense pleasure to bask in your radiant company.” He purred in overly honeyed tones. Lord Parallax turned his attention to Tyr next. “Your Highness, Princess Tyr. It is fortuitous that you are here, as the matter I wish to bring to court involves you.”
Already not liking where the conversation was destined, Celestia asked, “What about my great-niece concerns my court?”
“She’s an alicorn, ma’am,” Lord Parallax stated, as if it answered all questions.
“Yes, she is,” Celestia agreed. “And?”
“She wasn’t a week ago!”
“Yes, I was,” Tyr piped up, her wings ruffled with indication. “As I have been since I was born a—”
Chronicle cleared his throat. Clamping her mouth shut, Tyr gave Celestia an apologetic smile, one that was answered by a little wink.
“Lord Parallax—”
“Princess, it has simply become too much to bear!”
Eyebrows pinched at being interrupted, Celestia allowed Parallax to dig himself a deeper hole.
“She appears at Princess Cadence’s side, right after the Sparkle Heir became a goddess—one we all are forced to accept has dominion over the stars—and you give a haphazard and ludicrous story of her being the daughter of a friend of Prince Armour. A friend who, conveniently, died in a shipwreck along with his herd so no pony can verify the truth. Except, we can, because of the lineage records kept on all the noble bloodlines. Well, I did look into the records, and know what I found?”
Lord Parallax paused, then stamped his hoof to an emphatic, “Nothing!”
A few in the crowd rolled their eyes and whispered to their neighbours, obviously acquainted with the lord and his antics at court. There was a light smattering of curiosity in little pockets, a few ponies leaning closer so as to avoid missing anything that was said. Hardly necessary as the marble walls amplified everything said by a petitioner so that a whisper could be heard in the furthest corners.
Puffing himself up at the murmur of approval from those nearest, Lord Parallax swept around to address the rest of the court. “Where did she come from? Does her reappearance, and apparent ascencion, have anything to do with your disappearance from Canterlot over the holidays? Many didn’t notice, what with the Season, but—”
“That is a rather personal line of enquiry.” A subtle smile lifted the corners of Celestia’s mouth, and a smattering of laughter rippled around the crowd. “Since it seems inevitable the rumours will begin; no, I didn’t sneak off to visit a paramour. I was dealing with some of the consequences of a hastily made decision.”
“Surely, you can not think that enough of an explanation!” Lord Parallax sputtered.
Growing very tired with the conversation, Celestia let it show in a long sigh. “It will have to be enough, as it is all you are going to receive.”
“That is unacceptable!” Lord Parallax tossed up his hooves, and then swept them towards the windows. “Should little fillies and colts all over the nation dream now of sprouting wings and horn? That they will be whisked to the palace and proclaimed as your niece, nephew, cousin, or perhaps foal?”
“If they so desire.” The answer was emphatic as it was simple, bringing Lord Parallax up short.
He recovered quickly. He always did.
“And, of course they will, won't they? It seems every other week some new relative of yours is just popping into existence.” A long sneer twisted at Parallax’s features. “It would be little surprise if Princess Luna’s seneschal turned out to be a half-sister, the speed with which she was advanced following the Nightmare Incident.”
Celestia had rarely been as disappointed with a conversation. Lord Parallax was far too predictable and self-absorbed to be a decent verbal sparring partner. His predecessor, for all his quarrelsome ways, had been capable of interesting debates. The current Lord Parallax was too self-aggrandizing to be a worthy foe.
“And now, to top it all off, rumours swirl about the city that you have another such filly locked up in the palace. It would be all too easy to discount these rumours as being about Tyr, except they are adamant on this filly being black coated and silver maned, and even the least astute could not mix pink for black. Is this new filly some illegitimate daughter of Princess Twilight? Is that why Princess Twilight was sent to Ponyville in the first place? To keep this foal hidden from the rest of the nobility? Or, did she leave of her own accord to keep the filly hidden from you?”
Beside her, Tyr alternated between gaping at Lord Parallax, and shooting fearful glances up at Celestia.
‘Dear heart,’ boomed a whisper into Celestia’s thoughts. ‘May I be allowed to address that annoying, little leech? The way he is speaking to you is not right. I will set him straight for you, love.’
There was a giddy edge to Sol’s voice, one that brought to mind a manic grin plastered onto the golden face of the sun, coronal ejections stretching out to encompass Canterlot like arms. Responding through feeling alone, Celestia asked the sun to wait. Patience was not Sol’s forte. Through the windows the sun took on a deeper tone as she pouted, shifting from her overwhelming, luminous yellow, to a still overpowering marigold.
Focused as they were on the confrontation between Lord Parallax and Celestia, few in the court took notice. Celestia was certain that would not be the case across the entirety of the disc.
“Lord Parallax, I do not appreciate any pony using rumours to attack my cousin,” Celestia said with a voice that cracked across the room. She was aware of Tyr’s cringe, and the momentary fear that flickered from pony to pony. Even Lord Parallax took a partial step back, his ears twisting towards the great doors as if in preparation of flight.
Taking a deep breath in order to control her voice, she paused, then said, “Who my sister chooses to promote is her own purview. As for whether the little fillies and colts of Equestria should imagine and fantasize about being whisked into the life of a princess, or prince; I see no harm in allowing them to dream. The pattern has played out before, when Luna and myself awakened and claimed Selene and Sol, respectively, or Cadence appeared at the end of the Nightmare’s reign. There have been books and poems, plays and songs on the subject for centuries.”
‘I believe I claimed you, and not the other way around,’ giggled Sol.
‘Hush, love, please,’ Celestia sent along the private connection, and to the crowd continued, “There were many a pony, some daughters of friends and acquaintances, who dreamed and played at being alicorns. Some took the dreams too far, and were left disappointed. Ponies may think that because Twilight was my personal apprentice, that the role had some significance in her ascension. It did not. I have taken many, many apprentices, and I will take many more. For the past few years I’ve been keeping a lookout for ponies with potential, and there are a few young, upcoming magicians that have the necessary combination of latent talent, skill, and personality to make a fine apprentice.”
“And, let me guess, it will be one of the younger Sparkles? Or perhaps a Dust? Or one of your other favoured Houses.” Parallax either couldn't, or refused, to keep the contempt from his voice.
An indignant growl rippled into Celestia. ‘Oh, and what if it were? I mean, Twilight’s little sister… Star? Yes, Star. She certainly has talent. More talent than has ever come from House Lulamoon.’
“I understand that the last few weeks have been tumultuous. The eclipse has left every pony a little on edge, as has Selene being present during the day.” Celestia paused.
‘Intruding into our special time together. Our sisters really have no shame.’ Sol huffed, and the light flooding through the ancient stained glass windows, and across the disc, dimmed a little more.
This time, the sun’s antics didn’t go unnoted by anypony present. Parallax cast a sharp glance out the windows, eyes narrowed, and then shot suspicion towards Celestia. She gave no sign that she noticed Sol’s antics, and instead just leaned a little forward, a pleasant smile gracing her fine features. “But, that is an ill excuse to take such a tone in my court, Lord Parallax.”
“Of course.” He bowed, as deep as when he’d begun the present charade. “I beg your apologies, your Divine Highness.”
‘You aren’t going to let him go with that little slap on the flank, are you?’ Sol’s indignant huff was followed by a coronal burst, an immense arch of flame curling across her surface before snapping, the energy crackling off into bleak emptiness of space.
Before the fiery wings had finished forming, the prayers began to assault Celestia from across the disc. Tens of thousands stared and whispered and begged atonement for whatever slights they had caused to give the sun grievance.
“Dear heart, you need to control yourself,” Celestia spoke with a steel softness, her gaze fixed on her charge through the windows so as no pony present could mistake whom she addressed.
Sol did not apologize, but there was a slightly embarrassed shine as she calmed and said, ‘I will get back to watching the Oranges then. Mango has been sneaking off with that Chocolate Rose again, and Mandarine just found an old letter from Uncle Eustace to Bright Seed talking about how they almost eloped, but then he went and joined the navy, as you know! So exciting! Unless you really need me to keep eye on Twilight and Faust, some more. It is so nice to have her back. Well, not back-back, since she hasn’t come to visit us yet. But, you know, where we can see her?’
Even with all her centuries of practice, it was impossible for Celestia to withhold the wild joy that burned through sinew and soul. Her heart tumbled and sped, wings gave the slightest of trembles, and a radiant grin spread from her eyes to encompass all her being.
Her composure verged on the precipice of utter destruction, an almost foalish squeal building, her eyes glowing like she were a filly on her first Hearth’s Warming Day, and wings oh-so-close to fluffing out. She bit it back, swallowed the squeal, tightened her face so it hovered somewhere between a smile and scowl, and held her wings tighter to her sides.
‘We are going to have a discussion about this later, love,’ Celestia said along her private connection to Sol as Lord Parallax resumed his theatrics, with far greater bluster after Sol’s little display.
There was almost a visible shudder from the sun. Sol had the decency to give an embarrassed series of apologies before her attention fully swung back to Manehatten, and that peculiar clan of ponies that had stolen so much of her attention the past century.
It took all her restraint not to end court right there and fly off across the disc.
It was going to be a long few hours of mundanity before she’d be able to slip away. For the first time in a long, long time, Celestia knew impatience. The gnawing in her stomach, the restless energy trickling down her back and into her legs, it was… almost novel.
Internally shaking her head, Celestia settled in for a longer than normal session of court.
Twilight paced back and forth along the Bellerophon’s stern railing. The salty wind blowing through her mane and coat gave her a tangled, wild aspect, like she’d stepped out of the forests of yore that the forgotten ancestors of ponykind had traversed. Her wings ruffled in turn, stretching out a little to catch the breeze, yearning to carry her away from all the troubles that plagued her thoughts.
To the north-east, the coast of Zebrica could be discerned through the miasmic fog. At the top of the crow’s nest, the lookout had an uninterrupted view of hundreds of miles.
“Pacing isn’t going to solve anything, Twi,” Rainbow muttered from where she sat chewing on a large cracker slathered in peanut butter and a stalk of pickled asparagus.
Coming to a sharp halt, Twilight fixed Rainbow with a sour stare. “How can you eat that?”
“You should try some. It’s rather good.” Rainbow offered a cracker to Twilight. Face pinched tight with disgust, Twilight backed away. Shrugging, Rainbow tossed it into her mouth. “So, and I can’t believe I am going to be the one saying this, but; what is eating you today?”
Throwing up her hooves, Twilight exclaimed, “I don’t know!” Her ear twitched, and then an eye, followed by the entire side of her face. “But, something is wrong. I can feel it in my wings.”
“Sky-jitters.” Rainbow concluded, not looking up from her snack. “Just means you want to get up into the big blue for a bit. All pegasi get that. Even Fluttershy from time to time, and you know how she’s practically an earth pony the way she trots everywhere.”
“No, this isn’t that. I think.” Twilight shook her head. “I know this isn’t sky-jitters. There is something else, and I can’t put my hoof on it.” She paced a few more times along the length of the railing. “Maybe Polaris will have some advice.”
“Isn’t that a bit like taking advice from yourself?” Rainbow snorted.
“What? No! Well, technically, I guess, if you follow the logic that the stars are all part of me, and I them. But they are also all individuals and, I don’t think I will ever get the hang of this.” A defeated groan escaped Twilight. “Being a goddess is confusing.” Twilight flopped down next to her friend, and took to watching the crew as they went about their usual routine.
The decks were being scrubbed, and the yardsmares were in the process of shaking out a reef from the topgallants. Up among them, Pinkie’s pink coat stood out all the more, and she moved with practiced ease like she’d spent her entire life at sea. With Twilight on deck, there was an extra crispness to the crew as they worked. Despite the losses on Marelantis, moral was high. Exceptional, really. Even after burying two more of their number just a few hours earlier.
“Princess,” a couple mares tapped a hoof to their broad sennit hats as they passed on their way to the mizzen spanker sheet-ropes. Adoration flashed in their weathered faces, and as they shimmied up the lines, Twilight heard one say to the other, “She’s at it again. Looking out for us, like.”
“Aye,” the second relied gravely, “got to worry though. What could trouble the stars after she dealt with Ol’ Levi?”
Grimacing, Twilight twisted away from the sailors so she didn’t catch the response. Her insides wriggled a little at receiving such undeserved praise. She’d done rather little but blunder into Leviathan’s traps, and only because of Faust everything had turned out as well as it had.
She could have done more. Should have done more. Rarity was dead because of her inaction. Fluttershy grappled with the same issues of ascension as Twilight, but with none of the lessons Twilight received growing up. At least Applejack was unscathed.
Twilight didn’t even want to know what had transpired with Trixie. What Leviathan hoped to gain by showing Twilight’s one-time-rival still eluded her. At least no pony was lost in Sparkledale thanks to… Tyr? Celestia and Luna? Iridia? Perhaps all of them to some extent or another. Again, Twilight didn’t wish to know the details. Only that there wasn’t any lasting damage there, at least.
Worse, her confrontation with Leviathan was hardly the most dire situation she’d ever faced. Discord still took the top of that list. A wave of revulsion for the entity rippled up Twilight’s spine, and it was several more minutes of pacing before she felt composed again.
Sadly, there was no time to enjoy the return of calm before it was hurled over the side of the ship again. Her ears twitched at a growing pressure on the nape of her neck. Wings reflexively extended, and a tingle danced across her back teeth.
Twilight scanned the sky, and settled on a point just off the Bellerophon’s stern when there was the tell-tale crack of air being displaced and Celestia appeared.
Near pandemonium broke out on the deck and in Twilight.
Orders were shouted. The midshipmares snapping to attention where they’d been lounging near the windward rail. The ship swung to port so she’d ride at a steadier angle with only a slight roll. Sails were shifted to support the effort to luff the ship. All this as every pony attempted to stare towards the stern without actually casting an eye in the direction.
Twilight’s prodigious mind went over every possible reason for Celestia to come, in person, to the Bellerophon. Her first assumption, quickly abandoned, settled on the usual question, ‘Did I do something wrong?’ In rapid sequence, this idea was replaced by the worry that the storm she’d subdued had caused enough havoc elsewhere that she needed disciplining. This too was cast aside, as Celestia couldn’t know about that mistake, yet, and worry that she’d been too slow too many days in putting the stars to sleep.
The most obvious answer didn’t even begin formulating before Celestia was settling down through the rigging with all her usual grace.
“Celestia!” Twilight gulped, her wings spreading into a defensive posture she could not contain.
“She’s gone again,” Celestia stated after settling on the deck. “It was too much to hope that I’d at last get to speak to her, after so many centuries. I just don’t understand why she avoids Luna and I. Did she just leave? Or…”
A few blinks, and realization bloomed. Celestia wasn’t there for Twilight at all. She’d come for Faust.
Whom Twilight had forgotten to mention at the funeral.
Or any of the times they’d shifted day and night for the past few weeks.
Panic, which had barely time to start to settle, came back in full force.
Tapping her hooves together, and unable to wrench her gaze off Celestia’s shadow, Twilight gave a sheepish grin. “Uh, a few days ago now, actually. I kind of… used magic to quell a storm, and that might have caused problems elsewhere, and she maybe went to fix my mistake?”
Twilight found herself correcting her earlier assessment; Discord was not the worst crises she’d faced. The disappointment, the slight way Celestia sagged, the glow of excitement melting into a tepid pool of melancholy were far more potent blows.
Mouth dry. Ears pressed back. Twilight didn’t know what to do or say.
It was only a fleeting moment before Celestia regained mastery of her outward emotions. Short enough that Twilight alone noticed the subtle queues from the years she’d known the princess.
Clicking her tongue, Celestia gave her head a slight shake. “Or, that is simply what she wants you to believe, Twilight. She could have prevented you from using your magic if she so chose. No, you’re just an excuse to go off and do something. Mother has always been this way.”
Daring to look at Celestia for more than an anxious glance, Twilight asked, “Y-you’re not angry, are you?”
Celestia’s feathers trembled at the tips just enough for Twilight to know the truth, and there was just the faintest hint of bitterness in her voice as she said, “No. I am disappointed that I allowed myself to get my hopes up, again. Why should this time have been any different. She’s avoided me for nearly sixteen hundred years, after-all.”
“But, I didn’t tell you—”
Celestia held up a hoof to forestall any further explanations, and Twilight fell quiet at once. “It makes no difference. Luna and I had our suspicions already. We’ve been too busy to press you for details of what happened on Marelantis, and gave you the space and time to tell us on your own. You’ve been grieving, and it wasn’t the time to poke and prod you. I really shouldn’t have come.” Celestia shook her head, with far more force than before. “This was a silly, foalish errand from the beginning. Seventeen, seventy, or seventeen hundred; it doesn’t seem to make a difference. Mother is… mother, and I am ever her foalish daughter.”
There seemed to be no other way for Celestia to describe her feelings.
Twilight didn’t know how to respond. Anypony else, and she’d say they needed a hug. But, not Celestia. And not in front of hundreds of eyes.
Not that Celestia seemed to notice the crew and officers of the ship. Even Captain Hardy, prim and proper near the wheel, with attention firmly fixed on the conversation happening just a few feet behind him. They didn’t so much as dare glance further aft than to check the lines of the mizzen staysail. Twilight was not fooled, and it’d have taken several layers of illusion and sound dampening enchantments to attain anything approximating privacy.
Celestia hesitated, then asked, “Has… she asked about Luna or I?”
Putting on a thin, hesitant grin that was closer to a grimace, Twilight said, “She does mention you and Luna. A lot. Well, every now and then. But in a good way! She’s proud of you, I think, but…”
“It isn’t time for our reunion,” Celestia concluded with a heavy sigh. “Does she say anything else?”
“Only about how Rares is still alive,” Rainbow growled from her place a short distance away, and drawing a scathing glare from Twilight.
To Twilight’s surprise, this caught Celestia’s attention entirely. The princess’ ears perked right up, and her eyes widened. Her lips moved to soundless words as she went over some thought. And then she returned to her usual state.
“Interesting. I could look—”
“Rarity is dead! Why can’t anypony accept that?” Twilight snarled, the flaring anger consuming all her anxiety and hesitation.
A small voice in the recesses of her thoughts cried out in shock, a voice that could not overcome the heat crawling along the contours of reason. A subtle current of unease rippled across the Bellerophon, the crew and officers making an extra effort to appear occupied with anything but the conversation happening but a few steps away. Even Hardy turned away, squinting at a blob on the horizon. He, in a voice that both carried yet was unobtrusive gave an order for somepony to get his telescope. Twilight snorted, anger only growing, thin curls of smoke drifting from the tips of her mane and tail.
Celestia did not react beyond lifting one of her perfect brows.
“Hey, at least you got to say goodbye to her, Twi,” Rainbow shot as she got up and marched towards her friend. “Me and Pinkie didn’t even get to do that. You left us here while you sent that astra-project thing.”
“You wouldn’t… If I had…” Twilight’s face scrunched up, the beginning of a crystal tear forming in the corner of an eye. When they snapped open again, there was a hard, red tinge to her usually violet gaze. “The casket was empty, Rainbow! It didn’t matter if either or none of us went. I would have stayed here, but Faust insisted I go. I wish I hadn’t sent that silly astral construct.”
Rainbow rolled her wings in a long shrug and growled. “We’re hurting too, Twilight. But you are so wrapped in your own head to notice.”
Disapproval heavy in her voice, Celestia said, “We all grieve in our own ways.”
Twilight’s head snapped back and Rainbow looked away, her face turning a sharp crimson underneath her coat. Ears falling, anger doused as thoroughly as a candle dropped into the sea, Twilight apologised for how she’d spoken.
“It is alright, Twilight. I’m actually relieved that you don’t believe mother without evidence to support her claims. She is only trying to help, in her own way. Mother is a meddler, afterall. It is unwise to doubt everything she says as equally as it is to trust her at face value.” Celestia bent down just a little to take Twilight in a gentle hug.
The act froze Twilight to the spot. Both at how little Celestia had to duck, and at the unusually tender public display. Nearby, four bells were struck, giving the signal for the changing of the watches. A clamour rose, though one greatly subdued as compared to other times, as one set of ponies went below, and another made their way on deck. Celestia did not so much as bend an ear in their direction, and may as well have been as far removed as Equestria.
Releasing the hug, Celestia looked meaningfully at Twilight. “Take the time to heal your hearts. Rely on your friends, don’t push each other away. Holding such anger as you do is dangerous.”
“I will… I promise.” Twilight rarely gave a less assuring oath, gaze fixed down at the deck, and little life in her voice. She was eternally thankful when Celestia did not press the point further.
Moving towards the railing, Celestia said in parting in a voice meant to be heard by all, though it was hardly necessary, “There is little like a long trip to allow one to clear their mind. I envy you being able to have this escape. Enjoy this time as much as you can, as I am certain that any chance at peace will be lost once you arrive in Zebrica. I’m very proud at all you’ve accomplished already, and have every faith in you. Oh, and I was never here.”
With a sharp snap, Celestia vanished as she teleported back to Canterlot.
Laid on her back, legs tucked up against her stomach, Shyara stared up at the fading night sky. Dawn fast approached, the stars winking out one-by-one as they were ushered to sleep in a twisting wave. It was a rather pretty, if inefficient, display. Coupled with the golden glow along the eastern rim as Sol yawned, it was one of those blissful mornings.
Her mother would have scoffed at such a display. Next to Astraea, Twilight was a rank amatuer. Letting some of the stars dance? Or the constellations play and romp as if they were alive? It was unheard of! The astrologers must be beside themselves trying to decipher the meanings hidden within the stars’ erratic movements.
Arrayed around her, the hemmravn whispered amongst themselves, the twin headed birds voices’ sharp where everything else was soft. They too watched the sky, pointing here and there to particular motions within the constellation draco, or how Orion stalked Ursa Major, before returning to their appointed homes and vanishing until the next night.
Few others noticed the small number of key stars that disappeared during the night amidst all the chaos.
Her own eyes were drawn to the unaccountably dark spaces. Shyara noted Sirius, Mintaka, Rukbat, and the trio that formed Orion’s belt among those who’d vanished before Sol at last rose and the remaining stars went to sleep, painting the sky in cherry pinks, oranges, and then the powdery blue of morning.
“She needs to stop letting them push her around,” Shyara huffed, and rolled to her hooves.
Unbrushed mane dangling over one half her face, Shyara was rather unkempt, and moved with a slouched indifference to her appearance. Mechanical motions brushed away the dew clinging to her back and wings before she headed inside.
Her room had a door to the garden, along with several others in the guest wing. It was one of numerous gardens, really, the palace sporting many large and small from the wide gardens where state functions could be hosted, to a private arboretum for Celestia and her phoenix, a rooftop garden Luna tended, and this garden, situated within a semicircle of rooms intended for the entourages of state guests.
The other rooms were all occupied by the ponies from Ponyville at the moment.
A servant arrived, brushed her mane for her, set her room in order, and then departed with only a few words spoken.
On the corner of the vanity, Trixie’s ratty old hat stared at Shyara.
Picking it up, Shyara said, “Well, we did it. I’m in Canterlot, and ‘safe’. Protected by the princesses. My cousin Tyr is even here, and seems to like these ponies, for some reason I haven’t been able to comprehend. They have so much power, and yet—”
It was at this point the door to her room was tossed open to a cloud of bickering.
“I’m telling you, Luna is the best princess,” Scootaloo growled through clenched teeth as she backed into the room.
“Please, Celestia is the better princess. She kept Equestria safe for a thousand years, alone.” Apple Bloom huffed as she followed her friend through the door. “Luna is nice and all, but she still ain’t found her place in the years since she came back.”
“Because no pony will let her!” Scootaloo’s dwarfish wings buzzed in her agitation. “But, have you read the Book of Selene? She killed at least a dozen demons! No, a hundred! Before she was a princess even! And, she was the one who saved Celestia from Amon at Airey… uh, Aregosy… That place in Esponya.”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Celestia can fight too! Besides, what does fighting have to do with being a good princess? Celestia is able to lead and govern ponies. She also brings the day, and Sol gives life to all the trees and plants. Selene’s light is too cold.”
“Hey, this is about the princesses, not the sun and moon,” Scootaloo protested. Turning to Shyara, she asked, “What do you think? Who is the better princess? Celestia or Luna?”
Blinking at both the intrusion and question, Shyara fumbled for an answer. She looked over the pair to Sweetie Belle, the third member of the group sitting long faced in the doorway. Sweetie just shrugged, and turned away.
Licking her lips, Shyara said, “Well, I don’t really know either. Both were spoken about with reverence by the ponies I met in the Heartlands, though. They seem to be equals.”
“Aw, come on. You’re supposed to be the tie-breaker,” Scootaloo grumbled. The argument was dropped, however, in favour of breakfast.
As had become custom over the last few weeks since coming to the palace, Shyara took her breakfast out on the patio in the garden. She didn’t like being so close to Celestia and the other Iokan alicorns, preferring the solitude the garden provided.
Or, used to provide.
Though they’d only been in the palace a few days, the Cutie Mark Crusaders all ate with Shyara. Sweetie Belle pushed her toast around her plate, eating only a few, tiny bites. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom tucked right into their cereal. Shyara prefered a fruit known as a kiwi. The mix of sour and sweet tingled on her tongue.
The Crusaders’ parents and guardians came and went, and then it was just the four fillies.
Shyara chewed on the end of her mane, unsure what to do or say.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom resumed their bickering, though the topic kept shifting. The two just liked to argue for the sake of the argument, finding common joy in their differences. Sweetie stared off into space.
Turning to Sweetie, Shyara tried to say something. Nothing came, however, and she gave up on the idea.
Getting to know the trio was pointless. They were mortals, and even if they should live to ripe old ages, they’d still leave her. She wrapped her legs tight around her sides and tried to suppress a shudder.
“Good morning!” Iridia called in a song-song voice as she burst onto the patio. There was a wide, dangerous smile on the elder goddess’ face, one that lit up her eyes in a way Shyara knew meant trouble. “Come on girls, we’re going on a little adventure!”
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Hmm... so there seems to be more to Rarity's 'death' than meets the eye...
Nice chapter!
8056970 - Um... yea... She's 'dead' but kind of in a not quite, probably temporary fashion. Her and Trixie are slated to have their own adventure. Granted... not sure if Trixie will walk away from dying, but Rarity won't rest from her Rariad till she gets back to Ioka.
Iridia and the CMC sounds like cause to move the hands of the clock a few minutes closer to doomsday.
rarity is no ded i beleve
8057244
I get so sad whenever you show Celestia and Luna's relationship, or lack thereof, with their mother. Even if Faust has very good, valid reasons for her actions, they don't really change that she's kind of a terrible mom.
I'm also kind of worried about this 'adventure' with the CMC+Shyara, considering the position we saw Iridia in last.
Interesting chapter... I feel like some of the Nobles forget that Celestia controls the sun.
Interesting tidings in the story and before the end of the month, Tundara. I agree with Shyara after seeing more than one instance of Iridia's actions and moods that it could be trouble when she says adventure.
And Twilight does need more experience with her role as Shyara indicates. Yet she is young and just getting to know the stars so far. Being a goddess at all is new to her. As for Pallarax, I wonder if Celestia allowed it if Sol would of verbally tore strips off him. And the docket of concerns. Interesting.
Then Faust being away when Celestia comes to the ship. She's up to something and I always like Celestia comforting Twilight. That's something that I hope never fades one bit. That trust and relationship the two have.
8057422
They do. There is quite the disconnect at times between Celestia the Princess and Celestia, the Goddess of the Sun. She does it to herself, trying to distance herself from being seen as a goddess.
8057427
Sol talking directly to Parallax would not be pleasant. The cleaning staff would have to work overtime to get him out of the carpet, walls, and ceiling...
Before Celestia, it took an entire cabal of unicorns who dedicated their lives and worked in tandem to move Sol and directly touch her. Even then, they didn't talk so much as combine their magic to push her. 
She was teasing Celestia, however. There isn't a mechanism for Sol to talk to ponies. The only others Sol can really talk to are Luna and Twilight. Together, Celestia, Luna, and Twilight form a triumvate that manages the heavens of Ioka. Hence, Celestia was able to control Selene, and put the stars to sleep and rouse them during the thousand years of Luna's banishment, or Luna with the stars before Twilight's arrival.
I mean, if she could talk to other ponies, Sol would so pester various members of the Orange Clan.
Sorry, getting chatty about the lore again...
8057504 I figure Celestia is changing after Sol's Rune though. Yet she does need to be firm with the nobles and their non-sense. As for Iridia she is funny in her own way based on how Shyara is acted.
By the way, why is Shyara comparing Twilight to her mother. Why is she judging a newly fledged goddess that is just beginning to learn her role and become familiar with it and carry it out?
8057383
Iridia... With shyara... Hey who wants to guess how long until shyara finds out Iridia's firstborn is still alive?
8057428
Kinda hard when your anger flares produce solar flares!
Has Luna tried the same thing? I haven't gotten a good feel for how the Nobility feels about her yet. Physical Goddess or just another Princess?
8057520
Because she's an ignorant child who is incapable of seeing things outside her perspective?
8057520
Mmm Hmm, this is post-Sol's Rune now. Trouble is, I can't just have her drastically change for those who haven't read that anthology chapter.
Shyara is still emotionally a child. To her, Twilight stole her mother's place in the pantheon. This is compounded by seeing the last vestiges of Astraea destroyed, and then losing her first real friend.
This was a nice chapter and it seems that Twilight still blames herself too much for the things that happened which is normal for her. Faust is rather odd and I wonder how long she can keep avoiding her daughters. Shyara clearly has trouble adjusting to Ioka which is understandable and I hope Iridia can help.
8057953 i understand that. Shyara is used to a status quo of her world. Can't accept even when she knows she is on a different world that her mother is not in charge of the stars yet on that world.
8058299
Faust could avoid them forever. She has the ultimate in warnings being able to know where they will be before they go there... Faust can only loose a game of Hide and Seek if she turns off her cheat powers.
8058763 Being able to see the weave does allow that. She will know of Hades and Zeus.
Oh come on, Twi. Discord's reign of terror didn't even have a body count. The Leviathan battle is by definition worse.
...I get the feeling that if Discord gets out at all, it'll be specifically Fluttershy's call, rather than Celestia. Time will tell.
guilty conscious > guilty conscience.
Sol seems to be enjoying this independence, but better not leave her unchecked.
I am going to start with the positives. The story of Myth and Birthrights is an awesome adventure story that gripped me into reading the first book in less than a week. Wonderfully created world and memorable characters. Interesting development and "mechanics" used(ponies joining into herds, polygamy explained the canonical female to male ratio and monogamous relationships being rare along with more them being more "romantic", herds of nobility joined into houses of political power and the twist on the old alicorn formula was impressive in itself). It has been a while since my love for a good adventure story reignited like it did with Myths and Birthrights.
And yet throughout most of the first half of the book the story feels a little confusing (that being a gross understatement). The constant jumping between multiple events happening at the same time provide more questions then answers while at the same time not really explaining much and leaves the reader kind of guideless. That taken with the fact that I have yet to touch the side stories(which in my guess will or at least should fill in some of the blanks that are currently missing for me). And yet there is no real mention or author's note that one should(although not required to) read the side stories at a particular point or chapter(since that is the point of side stories adding to the adventure of the main story without advancing or building upon it to much) . The comment section also not being of much help in explaining the events(which I am kind of used to when it comes to fiction on this site) or containing spoilers(which made me soon skip all comments after being done with a chapter).
So while I really enjoyed it will not get an up vote, but at the same time, the sloppiness won't earn it a down vote.
After I catch up I will do a reread to see if maybe I am to blame with the confusion that came to my mind while reading it.
Till then keep up the good work. Hopefully my critique wasn't too blunt.
8078352
It wasn't too blunt, and I thank you for being honest with what you enjoyed, and what could be improved upon.
I try to make certain that the side-stories aren't really necessary, besides maybe Longest Night. Though, I recommend that one as it's the most universally liked of the side-stories... I try hard to have everything Myths needs self-contained within. Sometimes I forget that the readers are not privy to certain details or facts, however.
Gilda and Zubu are a prime example of 'too much'. If I ever clean out the copy-righted material to publish this novel, Gilda and Zubu would be removed from the first book. I really think they are that straw that breaks the camels back, as it were.
8057953
???
Did I miss something and Astraea is no longer something being saved for a future problem?
That sounds more like Rarity than Rainbow. "pretty good" or "really good" would work.
Can Cadence not use her love connection vision to see that Rarity is still alive similar to how Faust did with her weave vision?
Did I somehow miss her finding her cutie mark or was the scene omitted? Is this related to her being saved by some kind of ceremony requiring the eclipse? I also have no clue as to her sickness or the circumstances of her being un-fostered.
8523872
Probably no (haven't read following chapters yet, guess you already know the answer) since Rares technically are dead. Her broken soul just didn't went to afterlife and/or rebirth. So, she is and she isn't. Schrodinger's Rarity. -_-
Also, Twi haven't met Cadence in person yet and I doubt Cadence can read love connections over Twi's projection.
The Oranges of Manehattan are truly Sun-kissed, are they not?
Easy, Twilight. You know Rainbow gives everything her full effort. She's being 20% weirder than any other pregnant mare!
I’m a little confused about something: what the hell is Discord supposed to be? A being so powerful that Celestia, a Sun alicorn, couldn’t beat him... I don’t see how he fits into the mythology unless he is a special case.
Which is fascinating in and of itself, honestly. I also wonder if the redemption will ever happen in this world, either: I love Discord’s antics.
10372013
The fact he doesn't fit makes him even more chaotic
11268142
He actually does 'fit'. Discord is a sliver of primordeal Chaos, which is a nod to Lovecraftian horror. Within Myths this 'entity' is Yarmalyth, the Screaming Sultan, the Blind Idiot God. Had Myths continued, the next book would have been about it stirring within its prison. This prison would have been a sun as we know it, and around it would be gathering all the world turtles.