Lifting Burdens
“Excellent job sister. You always make the night look beautiful.” Celestia said watching her sister raise the moon and made the stars appear from the castle balcony.
“It’s always rewarding to know that our ponies sleep peacefully under the moons watch.” Luna said moving the last star into place.
“You’ve grow up so much since then Luna. I’m so proud of you. Come. Let’s take a relaxing bath to soothe our minds and bodies.” Celestia said as both of them walked back into the castle.
As they entered the castle, Luna looked around the throne room. Ornate cloths hung from the ceiling and also from the 2 thrones that sat in the end of the room. Beside them were a group of guards switching shifts for the night being Celestia’s royal guards and Luna’s own royal guards took their place for the night. Luna gave her guards a quick smile before walking into the bath chambers.
When she entered she could smell the scent of something sweet and refreshing coming from a large circular tub full of steaming water. At one end of the tub stood a small mare with a red pinkish coat with a long pink mane and a pink lily as a cutie mark.
“The bath is all set for you my princesses.” She said softly taking a bow to acknowledge the both of them.
“Thank you Lily. You may take your leave.” Celestia said to her in a gentle voice.
As the small mare exited the room, Celestia was the first to step into the hot water.
“Ahhhh…that feels wonderful. Come join me sister. The water is divine.” She hummed and her body sank below the water leaving only her head above it.
Luna smiled and made her way into the hot water as well. Every sore muscle that she had from sleeping all day popped back to life but felt relaxed as she descended into the pool. This was the only time of the day other than the morning where Luna and Celestia would get to spend some time together. They could both exchange briefings about the day and even talk about trival things without the worry of listening ears.
“So Tia what news do you have for me tonight?”
“Not a lot tonight actually. The only thing that was brought to my attention today was that a bit of unrest from Appleloosa.”
“Buffalos again?”
“Quite. Seems that now the Changlings share the land with them now they are starting to get antsy.”
“I’m surprised you don’t send them to the badlands with the dragons after that invasion.”
“Our alliance with the dragons is very uneasy and sending a new group to them would be a bad idea. Besides even though they invaded us, they are still living beings regardless and deserve to be treated fairly.”
“Glad to see you’re fair and not reckless in your decisions.”
Celestia paused and stared at her sister.
“I sensed a bit of hate in your words dear sister…” Celestia said to her quietly.
“I-I’m sorry I was just…” Luna said a bit surprised her elder caught that bit of anger inside her voice.
“I know I haven’t made the best decisions in my rule. Your banishment back then was one of those decisions…” Celestia said suddenly much to Luna’s surprise.
“T-tia?”
“I was reckless back then. I may have been your elder but I should have considered other possibilities before banishing you with the elements…” She said softly wanting to get a burden off her chest.
“No. It was my fault for wanting something so foolish back then. I should have known better than that.” Luna answered back.
“That doesn’t change the fact that I banish my own sister to the moon for 1000 years!” She said with a burst of anger sending her hoof out of the water and then back down slapping water everywhere.
As fast as the anger it came, it quickly disappeared.
“You did what you had to sister…I don’t hold it against you.” Luna said moving to her sister’s side and resting her head against hers.
“Still…nothing can erase that decision of mine. Even my pupil Star Swirl gave me an earful for my actions back then.” Tia said reminded by her first pupil anger for her actions while resting her head on Luna's.
Luna froze up at his name and an old memory of her first year on the moon. She looked away in sadness at the mention of his name.
“Is something wrong Luna?” Celestia asked seeing her sister looking upset.
Ever since her return to Equestria she never told her sister of her affair with him over 1000 years ago. She always kept it hidden away and had almost forgotten about it.
“Tia…How upset was he back then.” She said wanting to hear about his actions.
“Very. For a long time he hated me for what I did back then. At the time I thought I was right in what I did. After a while he helped me realize I was wrong and I wanted to bring you back, but the elements wouldn’t respond to me neither. It was like they knew as well. Star Swirl ended up leaving me and tried to find a way to bring you back. I never saw him after the day he left and for the longest time I regretted my actions and I think I still don’t deserve your forgiveness…” Celestia said starting to tear up.
“Tia…”
“I-I’m sorry Luna I ju-“
“No Tia! I should apologize to you!” Luna said cutting her off.
Celestia went silent at her sister’s increase in volume.
“It was because of me…he left. He wanted to bring me back…because he…loved me…and I loved him.” Luna said about to confess to her biggest sin.
“Luna?” Celestia said baffled by her words.
“Back then I couldn’t bear to tell you because I feared you would be enraged. We…ended up bedding with each other for several nights…” She said nervously.
Celestia’s eyes went wide but she didn’t say a word.
“Before my banishment I ended up finding out I was…pregnant with his child…” Luna said as her voice slowly faded.
“No…Luna…I’m so sorry…” Celestia said as she realized only Alicorns could survive in space.
Luna went silent as her sister hugged her tightly around her hooves.
“Are you not mad at me for bedding with him?” Luna said confused that her sister wasn’t mad at her.
“Luna. Who am I to tell you who you can and can’t love? You are allowed to pick and share your feelings with. While I’m a bit hurt you picked my own pupil I’m happy for you. You couldn’t have picked a better lover. I knew he had feelings for you but never suspected that much…If…I had known you had his child…How can you forgive me!? Because of my recklessness I sent your child to their death!” Celestia cried into her sister’s shoulder.
Luna tensed up a bit hearing her sister cry like that. She never saw her elder sister like this in her whole life. She didn’t even cry when both their parents joined the heavens leaving both of them to rule over the land.
“Tia…”
“How can you forgive me Luna!? I’m a horrible sister! I don’t deserve to have you as my sister. I sho-”
“TIA!”
Celestia stopped and stared at her younger sister very teary eyed.
“We both did things we regret from back then. Nothing could have changed. I forgive you for everything Tia. Don’t let that burden weigh down on you. Things like this happen for a reason dear sister, all we can do and continue to live on and let the past be the past.”
“But I still sent your child to-“
“NO! it…it was my own fault back then. I let power get to my head and corrupt me. For the longest time I did indeed blame you for her death, but after I returned and my evil side got banished again I realized it was my own fault.”
“But your child didn’t deserve to die…I can see why the elements didn’t listen to me after that year…a monster like me didn’t deserve to hold them”
“Tia stop it! You’re not a monster! The only monster was me back then. If I wasn’t so power hungry my child would be alive! Don’t take the blame for it. I deserved it…” Luna said erupting at her elder but slowly calming down.
“Luna…I…don’t deserve to have a sister like you. You care more for my feelings then your own now.”
“It’s because you’re my family Tia. Without you I would be alone. Even when I was on the moon I longed to see you again. Even with my mind being shrouded in darkness, I still cared for you. Even though we make mistakes we can’t hate each other for it. That’s part of the trial of being a family. We’ll have our disputes over time but they always get resolved. I rather deal with that then be alone forever…”
“Luna…Thank you. Thank you for forgiving me.” Celestia said tearing up again.
“And thank you Tia for forgiving me…I wouldn’t trade you for a different sister ever…” Luna said as a few tears come from her eyes.
The last time she cried was when she lost her child. This time she was crying tears of joy. Joy that her sister forgave her for her actions back then.
A burden was taken off the chest of both sisters that night. They both learned a valuable lesson.
Hate is Temporary, Family is Forever.