A testament by Brome the Exile

The fortitude and mercy and wisdom of the Thrice-Blessed Mare are beyond measure. In my grief I lost sight of that.

I made penance in my exile. I was contrite. I suffered for my crime. But it is not Her will that I die. Not yet. I see that now. Even as I walked until the hobbles cut my fetlocks, even as hunger and thirst maddened me, I strode in Her guiding hoofprints.

Her will has brought me to an unlikely ally: an elder Pegasus, scarred by warfare, who found me before the wild beasts could and who saw me nursed back to health. He often visited and spoke to me while I recovered, and though I did not reply, he told me much.

He does not trust the Blasphemers, even though he does not cleave to the Old Faith, and even though they defeated the Demon of Chaos. When he explained how the battle was won, I realized why the Thrice-Blessed Mare spared me and led me to him.

Not content to merely defile the sacred woods with their castle, the unholy Alicorns have now plundered the most sacred relics of all. They tore the Elements of Harmony from their eternal home in the World-Tree like so much harvested fruit!

I see now, O Dam of my Dam. I see why You have shown mercy on this unworthy soul. You have given me a new purpose. I am to see the Blasphemers brought down. It shall be so.

I will find like-minded allies. We will walk the path You have set. We will see Celestia and Luna punished for their sacrilege.

O Dam of my Dam, O Thrice-Blessed Mare… Your will be done.

The secret diary of Princess Luna

I’m in love!

What better way to begin a secret diary than a juicy confession?

Ever since Celie and I took the thrones, everything’s been about her. All the parades and processions, all the meetings and affairs of state. She keeps saying she isn’t trying to push me into the shade, but that’s hard to believe when the Sun itself bends to her whims.

Well, now things are different. Now I have something all my own. Just for me.

Somepony to share my night skies with. Somepony who understands me. A companion in the dark.

I see him whenever I can. As soon as the Moon’s risen, I hit the sky like an arrow and soar to his palace in the North as quick as my magic and my wings can carry me. I stay until it’s nearly dawn, and then I race back in time to drop the Moon. It’s exhausting, but it’s so worth it.

We talk for hours and hours, about the night and about magic and about me. He wants to hear everything about me. Everything. He isn’t afraid of Alicorns.

It feels so good to have somepony listen at last. To have somepony understand.

I’m in love with him, diary! I’ve never felt this way before. He’s the one, I know it. Oh, and one more thing — even if Celie finds out, she won’t be able to raise a fuss. You see...

He’s a King!

Personal correspondence, from Calyx of the Hills to Star Swirl the Bearded

Dear Star Swirl,

I wanted to write and thank you for coming to Clover’s seedling ceremony. I know Unicorns don’t ken Earth Pony ways by and large, but her Daddy does. And so do you. You always did right by my little filly. You taught her what Moonstone couldn’t, what with his mining work keeping him so pressed. You helped her be a great wizard, and she and her friends kept these lands safe and sound from the Windigos.

I’m sure most of the wizarding folk wanted her to have a big tomb with a statue. I’m glad they didn’t do that. That’s no way to spend forever, hidden away in cold stone. I’m glad they let us give her back to the good earth, and give her a memorial tree. It’s what she would have wanted.

The way you talked at the ceremony, I reckon you blame yourself for what that monster did. If that’s so, you mustn’t. You can’t spare everypony from everything. There’ll always be cruel and dangerous things. What matters is how you face them, and how you weather them — bending like a reed, or snapping like a twig… or standing tall like a redwood.

Thanks to your teaching, my little filly met her end bravely, on her own four hooves, standing up to a powerful wrong. There’re many folks under trees now who can’t say the same.

Also, I’m sending back what you gave us. We don’t need it. We’d been saving up for when Clover a rainy day. We have enough to get by. Just take care of yourself, Star Swirl, you hear?

I’ve a mind that you don’t do that near enough.

Calyx

The diary of Glory, Young Lady of House Galaxy

I apologize for my long absence, Diary, but things have been in a terrible state of late for Canterlot, with all sorts of dreary funerals and memorials and wakes and such. I’ve had to have three extra sombre dresses made, and my favourite seamstress was turned into a collection of spools of brightly coloured thread! It’s been a frightful strain.

Other than that, though, I suppose it hasn’t been all that bad.

Everypony who matters in my life was spared the worst of Discord’s depredations. Mother, Father, Auntie, Grandmare, Uncle Star Swirl. And although it’s unseemly and ill-fated to gloat over another’s downfall, I should point out that the Demon even saw fit to murder Clover the Clever. He slew Star Swirl’s precious apprentice as easily as I’d snuff a candle. Just to make Uncle suffer. While I maintained a safe vantage point inside a wicker basket, Clover dropped dead. It’s gauche and macabre to gloat about such a happening, so I won’t. And besides, something still bothers me —

If Uncle had chosen me, I’d be in the family tomb right now.

I’ve spent so long hating that insufferable, common-blooded little upstart for stealing my rightful position. But now Clover’s dead and I… I’m still alive. And it’s all because she was Uncle’s apprentice. Now that the dead are entombed and burnt and whatever the Earth folk do, now that the Demon is defeated, now that life can finally go on, I should be happy. But I’m not. I can’t stop thinking about what happened to Clover.

Uncle has used magic on time itself. Some say he’s stolen glimpses of the future. And ever since Clover’s death he’s avoided all of us and barely said a word. So now, after all his mistreatment and unfairness, after he cost me everything I thought I’d wanted in life, after years of him embarrassing our House, I look back and one question drives me mad:

Did he know?

The private journal of Princess Celestia

I think I may have misjudged Luna.

Nopony’s mentioned any new pranks since before Discord arose. The servants have nothing bad to say about Luna. They’re less afraid, at last. It looks like Luna finally listened to me!

Did gathering the Elements of Harmony help her as much as it helped me? We hardly see each other lately. Overseeing the recovery efforts has me run ragged, but I need to make some time for her. If she’s become a more mature mare, if she’s taking her duties seriously, then I really have to show her that I appreciate it.

I could have a greenhouse built for her night-blooms. Force a few so they’ll bloom in time to show her. She’d love that.

Now that Discord is sealed away and the damage is being dealt with, things are looking up. Equestria is healing. Luna and I are healing.

For the first time in a while, I’m excited to see what my next dawn reveals.