Empty Heart, Full Heart

by CommissarAJ

First published 17th of February, 2013

A thousand years of neglect; a thousand years of regret. A Princess' last chance to finally find peace...

A thousand years is a long time to neglect one's heart.

A long time ago, a young princess opened her heart to a pony she thought she loved, and in doing so, she doomed an empire and forever changed her kingdom. Now a thousand years later, Celestia finds herself haunted by the memories of her past failures as she faces an uncertain future. As she struggles to keep her guilt from consuming, she finds support in the most unexpected of ponies.

But can a heart that has remained closed for a thousand years be reopened, or is she destined to repeat the mistakes of the past and doom a kingdom once more?

Ch. 1 - For Want of a Teacup

It should never have gone this far.

Nobody was supposed to get hurt.

As Princess of Equestria, Celestia had always maintained a degree of control over situations. Every action was carefully calculated with options weighed against the experience of a thousand years of rule. A dozen lifetimes had taught her the virtues of compassion and benevolence. And yet as Celestia sat on her throne, guards and advisors standing before her, all she could feel in her heart was rage - at her own blindness; her own foolish actions; and her impotence at protecting that which was her sacred duty. Shining Armour, her most trusted officer and Captain of her guards, looked up at her in stunned silence. Even Twilight Sparkle seemed to be reeling in shock.

“Celestia, you can’t be serious!” Twilight said as the first to realize the implications of her mentor’s orders.

“I am serious, Twilight,” the Princess replied as she rose to her hooves. A steely gaze fixated on the Guard Captain before she directed at him with her hoof. “Send out the call. Rally every guard that is available and prepare them for battle.”

“But your Highness,” Shining was quick to respond, “the Royal Guard is charged with the protection of Equestria. They’re not trained to be used as part of an invasion.”

“Then train them!” The resonating crunch of Celestia’s hoof stomping at the floor was loud enough to make every pony jump back an inch as well as leave a small crater in the floor. “Send out recruiters to every town in Equestria. I want an army ready to march before the month is over!” Every word of hers was laced with her hate and frustration. It was so completely alien to every other pony in the room that many of them were hesitant to act upon her commands.

But while Shining and the other guards were reluctantly agreeing to their instructions, Twilight Sparkle remained stubborn in her objections. “You can’t do this, Princess!” she insisted, taking a step forward when every other pony was stepping back. “I know you’re upset, but we can’t let this derail everything we’ve achieved. This isn’t right...it isn’t fair!”

“Fair?” Celestia repeated. “There was a time, Twilight, when a citizen of Equestria could walk from one end of the world to the other without fear of harassment. So certain and universally understood was my devotion and dedication to the protection of my people that not a single living soul on this world would dare bring harm upon even one of my subjects.” Slowly, the Princess descended down the steps with her voice growing ever louder with each hoofstep. “But it would seem that the many years of peace and goodwill have made folks forget this. They seemed to have forgotten that I was waging war when they were still carving their homes out of the mountains!”

Twilight visibly recoiled when the Princess leaned down and addressed her face-to-face, which amounted to little more than being yelled at, point-blank-range. “Please, Princess...don’t do this,” the unicorn whimpered. “They’re just scared. They don’t know what they’re doing.”

“They knew exactly what they were doing! This was not the knee-jerk reaction of a scared child, but a cold and calculated act of hatred.” When the Princess turned and began walking towards the balcony, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a small tinge of relief that the anger wasn’t being directed at her any longer. But that still didn’t solve the greater dilemma. “I will not brook these insults any longer.”

“And you think conquest will do that?” Twilight rebutted as she pursued the Princess.

“No, Twilight Sparkle, not conquest,” Celestia responded. “I want them gone; I want them annihilated! I want their fields burnt to ashe, their homes leveled, and that mountain they call a fortress turned into a memory. I want them to be crushed so completely and so utterly that every living soul that is and shall ever be will look upon that scar of the land and know that I will never, ever, allow my kingdom and my subjects to be made victims again!”

Clattering china and hollow hoofsteps echoed down the empty halls. Beneath the pale white luminescence of the wall-mounted crystals, a lone guardpony journeyed through the royal castle with slow, cautious steps. Upon his back and supported by outstretched wings, a small tray of fine china was balanced with great care and delicacy. Faint wisps of steam wafted from the spout of the floral-patterned teapot, leaving behind a serpentine trail as each step jostled the precious cargo. As the Royal Guard reached an intersection in the hall, the gold-adorned pegasus came to an abrupt halt. With his eyes never swaying from its forward-fixed gaze, he crossed his front right leg ahead of his left, and his rear-left ahead of his right. With three hooves in position, the pegasus made a swift, split-second pivot that threw his entire orientation to the left that didn’t even raise the slightest clatter from his cargo.

Taking no time to reflect on the machine-like precision of his march, the guardpony continued forth. Though his task and payload may seem trivial, the Royal Guard carried himself with all the dignity and pride one would expect from Canterlot’s finest. His dedication was singular; his focus unwavering. Though his outstretched wings ached from repeated cramps, the guard’s stoic visage did not betray his discomfort. His journey through the castle took him from the lower levels of the castle to the top of the main spire. Past fellow guards and through winding corridors, the pegasus guard moved with military precision and speed.

And then came the final great obstacle to his mission - the stairs. A lesser guard might have called for a unicorn to make the final leg of the journey, but to admit defeat was not the way of the Royal Guard. To keep his back perfectly parallel to the horizon, the pegasus stooped low at first. Step-by-step, he crept his fore legs up the stairs, keeping his hind legs on ground level and his back level. Only until his hind legs were completely straight did the rest of his body continue up the stairs. And so the guard continued his climb, step by precarious step, with his fore legs three or four steps ahead of the rest of him and his chin low enough to almost kiss the steps. Though an awkward position, it allowed the guard to make good progress. When every second meant a colder product, time and efficiency were crucial.

After innumerable steps, the guardpony at last reached his destination. The opulent gold-trimmed doors, its contours and etchings outlining the ubiquitous solar heraldry of Her kingdom, called to him like the sweet melody of an awaiting lover. The thump of a steel-plated hoof against the massive door resonated through the spire and the chamber on the opposite side. The guard held his posture as he awaited the response. One...two...and...

“Come in.” The Princess’ response came as reliably as the morning sun, which wasn’t due for another seven hours and fifteen minutes by the guard’s last count. A subtle yellow aura enveloped the brass handle and the door eased open with the dulled groan of centuries-old hinges.

“Your tea is ready, your Highness,” the guard stated as he walked into the room. It was a needless statement to make as the state of her tea was apparent from a casual glance. Even without looking, Celestia would have known as the arrival of her tea at half-past ten was so routine that one could set their watch to it. The Princess found a small bit of comfort in the routine - a pot of tea at the same time, delivered to her by the same faithful and punctual guard. It brought about a sense of solidity and familiarity to a world that could so often be random and chaotic.

“Thank you, Dust Off,” the Princess replied from her spot on a couch at the far side of her bedchamber. There were few guards who were allowed into Celestia’s chamber after night, but Dust Off and his penchant for brewing tea had managed to garner him enough favour for that particular honour.

“A hard day, I take it?” Dust Off asked in a casual manner that seemed improper for a Royal Guard. It was, however, a part of the rapport the two had built through this nightly routine. He was observant enough to notice when the Princess had a bad day or a good one or whether it was busy or sparse. Celestia was still in the process of removing her ceremonial jewelry, setting them aside on the nearby vanity, which meant that she had only recently retired to her room. The tea she requested was also a good indicator of mood, and her order of virgin white lotus tea was her usual when she wished to relax. Thus with having spent only a few seconds in the room, Dust Off could deduce that the Princess’ day had been long and strenuous.

“More so than usual,” Celestia answered with a weary smile. It was moments like these that made Dust Off feel particularly proud of his task. Seeing the Princess’ spirits uplift with his delivery was a source of self-gratitude that none could deprive him of. The Princess moved aside several scrolls to clear the table for her tea. She set all but one aside, unfurling the one that remained levitating.

“Another letter from Twilight?”

“Actually, this one is from her friend, Applejack,” the Princess answered. “Apparently she had a little bit of trouble organizing an event for her family.”

“Since when has accommodating family ever been easy?” Dust Off commented as he continued arranging the tea set.

“I imagine your eight brothers and sisters taught you that lesson quite well.”

“Also taught me a hundred different ways to get stains out of your uniform,” the pegasus added with a small chuckle.

“How is your family, by the way?” The tea was not the only thing that provided a means to relax for the Princess. Dust Off had often proven to be worthwhile company, and he always had something new to report about his sizable clan.

“Innumerable and about to get even bigger,” Dust Off reported. “Looks like I’m going to be an uncle again. My Hearth’s Warming shopping list is almost as long as my wing now.” To be honest, Celestia had lost count of the number of nieces and nephews the guardpony had, and she was too polite to admit that the detail had slipped her mind. With the tea set properly arranged, Dust Off’s duties for the night had concluded. “Have a good night, your Highness.” Another night, another pot of tea, and another job well done, which meant it was back to the monotony of patrolling the second floor’s southeast sector.

However, just as the guard turned and headed for the exit, Celestia spoke up, “Could you stay for just a moment?”

The unusual request caught the guard by surprise. Given that the Princess’ day was spent surrounded by guards and ponies, her evenings were often spent in seclusion. “I really should return to my rounds,” Dust Off insisted.

“I’m sure the kitchen will be safe without you for a little while,” Celestia said. She was persistent, the guard had to admit, but castle security was important even if the Princess thought otherwise. “You can take a short break, Dust Off. Come and have a bit of tea with me.”

“It...it wouldn’t be proper, your Highness.”

“Please don’t make me order you to.” The Princess’ ultimatum was enough to coax the guardpony to return. It wasn’t that he was afraid to defy the Princess’ order if he felt it was warranted, but rather than any situation that compelled her to pull out the trump card had to be of great importance.

The relief was visible on the Princess’ face, though the guardpony still did not know what troubled her. He took a seat on the floor on the opposite end of the table, and before he could object, Celestia used her magic to materialize a second tea cup and began to pour the pale amber brew. As duty dictated he accept anything given to him from the Royal family, Dust Off took the offered cup. The faint aroma of the lotus flowers was carried upon the small wafts of steam, and filled his nostrils with the sweet fragrance.

“Tell me, Dust Off, where did you learn to brew such lovely tea?”

“Trial and error for the most part,” he answered modestly. Perhaps if he had been younger, he might have earned his cutie mark in tea brewing and opened up a fancy cafe in town. But at the same time, it was the many long nights patrolling the castle that gave him the time to practise his hobby. “Mostly error, of course.”

Dust Off knew that this sudden desire for company was more than just a curiosity for his tea brewing habits, but he said nothing as he waited patiently for Princess Celestia to get around to the real reason. “So...did you hear about the big news?”

As a low-level Royal Guard, ‘big news’ rarely reached Dust’s ears and he answered as such. “If by big news you mean the sous chef’s recent spat.” Once again, he doubted that his joke was anywhere near the truth.

“King Ravenfeather died last week,” Celestia answered. The Princess didn’t appear to be distraught over the news, but her listless stare out the nearby window hinted at troubled thoughts.

“Did you know him well?” Dust Off hid his surprise behind his beverage. He didn’t pay much attention to gryphon politics but he had always figured news as big as the death of the Gryphon king would have made it to his ears sooner.

Celestia slowly shook her head before taking a quick sip of her tea. “I met him once during a trade negotiation some years ago,” she answered. Truth be told, Celestia doubted that she would even be able to pick the aforementioned king out of a line-up. When one lived as long as she had, memories of faces had a tendency to blur together into unrecognizable messes. “He had only just become king and he was asking me for advice,” she continued as the memories brought a faint smile to her lips. “He asked if me he should focus on siring an heir, and I told him that he’d have plenty of time and opportunity to worry about romantic dalliances. And now he’s gone...”

“I take it he had no heir?” the guard inquired. A quiet nod confirmed his suspicion. While he had little inclination for understanding political machinations, there were plenty of examples in history stressing the importance of clear lines of succession. “Do you think this will become a matter of concern for Equestria?”

“It’s possible,” Celestia said but did not appear to be worried about that particular matter. “I trust the gryphons will be able to find a quick resolution.” Once again, Dust Off got the impression that the Princess’ casual dismissals of such matters meant that this was just more preamble to other concerns. “You have a son, correct?”

The child question. Dust Off almost felt silly for not seeing it coming given the previous remarks. “That’s correct, your Highness.”

“And how did the birth of your child make you feel?”

“Relieved,” Dust answered tersely.

“Really?”

“My wife had been in labor for almost thirty hours. By the end of it, I was ready to go in and get that kid out myself.”

“I...hadn’t thought about having children in a long time,” Celestia admitted before letting out a tired sigh. Given that this was sounding more like what the Princess had been leading up to, Dust Off kept silent and lent an attentive ear for her Majesty’s musings. “I’ve spent so many years putting all my effort in taking care of the kingdom that I had never given much thought to the idea. After my sister was...banished, I had so much work assuming both of our responsibilities that I just had no time for it. If I ever met somepony interesting, I would ignore it and tell myself to worry about it another time. But then the next thing I knew, decades had passed and the pony I had found interesting was now long-dead.”

Dust Off wasn’t sure what support or advice he could offer the Princess. The only other pony in the castle that could even relate was Princess Luna and, for whatever reason, Celestia had decided not to raise this concern with her.

“Well, your sister has proven capable of assuming a number of your duties,” Dust Off commented despite his suspicion that he wasn’t saying anything that the Princess wasn’t already aware of. “Have you considered allowing yourself more free time to pursue such...dalliances?”

“And do what, exactly? Should I take out an ad in the Canterlot Chronicles? ‘Single white princess seeks like-minded companion. Must be comfortable with millennia-wide age difference.’” Sounded as though the Princess had given it some thought in the past. She let out a quiet, self-depreciative chuckle. At least she saw the humour in her less-than-ideal situation. “I’ve led a long life, and I have accomplished much. Yet, I look back and I wonder how much living have I actually done? I always tell myself that I have time for it later, but...I imagine that is what King Ravenfeather kept telling himself as well.”

“You can’t go comparing your life to that of an old king.”

“He was half your age, Dust Off,” Celestia corrected.

“Ah.” There went all the basis for his counter-argument. In the end, the guard resigned himself to the fact that the Princess was not going to find answers in one evening to something she had contemplated for many years. He didn’t want to say that she’d have time to think things through because that was half of her argument. There was one thing that came to mind. “Love isn’t something you can force just because you want to find it,” Dust Off said. “Like death, great moments tend to fall upon you in an instant without warning.”

Celestia could only manage a somber nod in response. She once again turned to her tea for comfort and relaxation, only to find that her cup had but a dabble remaining.

“Here, let me refill that for you,” the guard offered before picking up the teapot. Dust Off rose to his feet with the teapot held delicately between his teeth.

As Dust Off had said, most life-changing events came in the blink of an eye without a moment’s notice. It started with a subtle crack, sharp in nature but dulled by distance. Yet even before their minds had a chance to process the sudden noise, the teapot burst open in a shower of porcelain shards and hot tea. It wasn’t until the solid lead projectile shattered the vanity's mirror that Dust Off realized what was transpiring.

Years of military training sprang into action. “Down!” he shouted. Spoons and china scattered in all direction as the guard launched himself across with such force that he upended the couch in the process of tackling the Princess to the ground.

“What is going on?” Celestia demanded while still sprawled beneath the guard.

“Shooter. Now keep your head down,” Dust Off instructed.

“You mean somebody is trying to kill us?”

“Good heavens no,” the guard retorted. “I’m nowhere near important enough to be worth killing.”

Princess Celestia and Dust Off remained motionless on the floor for one of the longest, most agonizing minutes of their lives waiting. Neither knew what they were waiting for; perhaps another shot or some dagger-wielding assassin to enter through the nearby window. But nothing would ever emerge and the only noises either of them heard were those of other Royal Guards. Once additional guards had arrived to the scene, Princess Celestia was ushered to safety.

“Sister! I came as soon as I heard the news! Are you hurt?” Princess Luna’s arrival to one of the castle’s deepest inner chambers was the final component of securing the premises. Though the small chamber offered little in terms of comfort, with only a small number of seats around an elongated table, or a decent view, but its location made it arguably one of the most secure rooms in Equestria. More than a dozen Royal Guards and officers surrounded the surrounded, where at the head sat a very restless Princess Celestia.

“As I’ve told this doctor a hundred times already, I am fine,” Celestia insisted. The aforementioned doctor, however, was undeterred as he continued to examine a red mark just above the Princess’ left eye. “If you should be worried about anypony, it should be Dust Off. They won’t listen to me.”

“Your well-being is paramount, your Highness,” Dust Off commented from his seat off in the corner of the room.

“You’re the one that’s bleeding!” Celestia said as she waved a hoof at the guard whose face was half-stained crimson. Much to her chagrin, no other pony in the room even reacted to this revelation other than a brief glance over to Dust Off. “Nevermind,” she murmured under her breath in resignation.

A choking silence overtook the room. Only faint murmurs between guards and the subtle creek of the overhanging lights provided any kind of reprieve from the tension. Hidden away in a labyrinthian chamber deep in the bowels of her own castle, with dank and stale air and without a hint of natural light, Celestia felt more like a prisoner than a princess.

“Lieutenant Fletcher, what do we know?” Luna asked in order to break the silence.

“Only that about twenty minutes ago, an unknown assailant fired a shot through the north-east window of Celestia’s bedchambers,” Fletcher, a tall and slender unicorn officer, answered. “The bullet struck a teapot and shattered a mirror, but no major injuries reported.”

“I liked that teapot,” Celestia murmured bitterly. Once again despite being the most important pony in the room, Celestia was ignored save for a brief glance in her direction from a few of the guards who were expecting something more poignant.

“We’ve got search parties out in full force,” the unicorn officer continued, “but thus far we’ve found no sign of the assailant.”

In other words, they had absolutely nothing that they didn’t already know from the broken mirror. Luna knew that the second the journalists from the Canterlot Chronicles caught wind of this, the headline would be all about how a teapot did more to save the Princess that the rest of the Royal Guard. Equally embarrassing was the fact that this meant the assailant was still on the loose.

“Please tell me we have some clue as to the perpetrators of this foul deed,” Luna said with an exasperated sigh. Sadly, all she got in response were a bunch of blank or puzzled stares. “Really? Nothing at all? Someone makes an attempt upon my sister, your Princess, and you have nary a clue?” A few of the younger guards recoiled as the Princess stomped a hoof in her disapproval; however, her elder sister displayed the patience that came from a thousand years of rule.

“Luna, please, there’s no need to get upset,” Celestia said before her sister’s voice rose to pre-banishment levels. She understood the younger sister’s grievances, but getting upset with the guards was not going to magically yield answers. Though Princess Celestia had remained quiet for the most part, she had been contemplating a number of possibilities. Her experience in the political fields allowed her to parse between the reasonable and the paranoia. “I would like somebody to get in touch with the gryphon ambassador.”

“You believe this may have something to do with King Ravenfeather’s passing?” Luna asked with a concerned look.

“The gryphons are the foremost experts on firearms, and their ability to fly would make breaching our security unnoticed far easier,” Celestia explained her rationale. She wasn’t so brash as to make any accusations but it was a likely scenario and the recent death of a gryphon king made it too coincidental to ignore. Whether this was a lone assailant or a part of a grander scheme was another important question to answer.

“And you believe the ambassador would just tell us if they were trying to kill you?” Luna’s skepticism was understandable, but it also reflected her inexperience with the finer workings of politics.

“To catch your quarry, sometimes it is better to let them think you know more than you actually do,” the elder sister explained with a knowing smile. “We’ll fire a shot into the air, and see if anything scurries out of the woodworks.”

“In the meantime,” the unicorn guard officer spoke up again, “we should focus our efforts first on securing the castle, which might be a bit of a problem.”

“Shining Armour is still in the Crystal Empire,” Celestia said with an affirmative nod. She hoped that her Captain of the Royal Guard wouldn’t take the news of an assassination attempt as a personal affront. He took his job seriously, as a Guard Captain should, but his new duties meant he couldn’t be the royal protector that he used to be. “Send a messenger to the Crystal Empire as soon as its possible,” she instructed. Knowing Shining, a formal request wouldn’t be necessary and he would race back to Canterlot the second he heard the news of his own accord. Celestia made a mental note to send a ‘sorry for stealing away your husband’ gift to Princess Cadence when this ordeal was over. “And who is acting commander of the Royal Guard in Shining’s absence?”

“That would be I, sister,” Luna replied. In retrospect, Celestia should have clued in to that fact by virtue of the ceremonial armour her sister was wearing. She had been preoccupied with other matters than who was assuming whose job temporarily. “And I’m afraid resolving this matter will not be as simple as recalling Shining Armour.”

“Why not?”

“Because, sister,” Luna began in a stern tone, “this isn’t some vague threat against Canterlot, this is a very real and very specific threat against you. And the threat could still be in the city so an energy shield would render us no aid.” Plus a city-encapsulating shield caused problems for public morale and business. As much as Celestia didn’t want to admit it, her sister was right. Nonetheless, she still wanted her captain back doing his job.

“Well, Luna, as acting Captain what would you suggest?”

For a moment, Luna was surprised to see that her sister appeared to be asking for genuine advice. There was a moment’s hesitation as she scrutinized the elder sister. Perhaps this was just a test, she thought; an opportunity to see how much Luna had matured into her role as co-ruler of Equestria. Before doubt could set in, she straightened her posture and calmly strode to the opposite end of the table.

“I believe the castle is no longer a safe haven for you. You should be transported immediately to a safer venue,” Luna recommended. Her straight-forward forward took most of the guards by surprise. Even Celestia was a bit intrigued by the assessment, though her only reaction to the proposition was a single raised eyebrow.

“Could we not just increase the guard patrols along the perimeter walls?” Celestia asked. Her question, however, sounded less like a genuine inquiry and more like a challenge to see if her sister could defend her decision.

“Sister, this castle is more than a thousand years old.” If it was a challenge, Luna was swift to answer its call. “These fortifications were not designed to deal with the threats that we face today. Once upon a time, an assassin would have to be within a few feet to pose a threat. Today we almost lost you to an assassin from a hundred feet away. A century from now, these walls shall be be naught but for aesthetics.”

It had been a long time since Equestria faced a threat from an army. As of late, threats to the kingdom had come in smaller and deadlier packages. Gone were the days of marching grand armies across the landscape and laying siege to towering fortresses of stone. Luna might have been inexperienced, but she offered the perspective of somebody who didn’t have the gradual changes of a thousand years influencing her decision. Celestia had to admit that her way of thinking was slow to change, as opposed to her sister who returned from a thousand-year absence and was forced to make radical changes.

“So we should overhaul our security procedures.” The fact that Celestia was made it sound more like an order than a suggestion gave the impression that she was reaching the same conclusions as Luna was.

“Correct, and in the meantime, you should not remain in the castle.”

At first, Celestia said nothing. The Princess tapped her hoof against the ground with her lips pursed in deep thought. Her eyes scanned slowly from one side of the room to the other before settling back on her sister. “I would like a moment in private with my sister,” Celestia finally spoke. As it was less of a suggestion and more of an order, the Royal Guards filed out of the room one-by-one until there was only Celestia, Luna, and a heavy oak table. The contemplative look upon the Princess’ face soon changed a defiant frown. “I am not going to slink away and hide every time somebody threatens me.”

“It is only temporary,” Luna insisted as she stepped out of the role of acting-Captain and into that of the younger sister. “It’ll only be until we’ve put a stop to this current threat and secured the castle against future ones.”

“And what of you?” Celestia’s voice grew louder as she rose to her hooves. “What if this assailant returns and picks you as his target?”

“That is a risk I am willing to take for you.” Luna matched her sister’s volume in kind. “Your safety is what is paramount here and you are no longer safe here!”

“It is my life, Luna, and I shall dictate the terms of it!” Celestia was beginning to put concerted effort into her voice now, which rattled the table ever so slightly.

“It is not just your life, but that of the kingdom. Equestria lives and dies with you, sister!” Fortunately for Luna, she was able to match her sister’s volume decibel for decibel. It was also lucky for the both of them that the walls surrounding them were quite thick and kept their argument from spilling into the hallways.

“I will not jeopardize the lives of others just because it is convenient for me!” In her growing frustration, Celestia slammed a hoof against the tabletop, which silenced the room with a resonating crackle as fissures split through the wood. Her temper had apexed and realizing the damage she had just done, Celestia fell back to her haunches with a sigh. “I won’t do it...not again.”

Luna quelled her own temper and instead trotted over to her sister’s side. She remembered the last time she saw such anger in her sister’s voice, and going on that hunch she asked, “You still think about Crystal Hills, don’t you?”

“Wouldn’t you?” came the answer after a brief lull.

“That was a thousand years ago, Celestia,” Luna said as she placed a supportive hoof upon her sister’s shoulder. “No one blames you for it...especially not I. You did what had to be done.”

“It’s hard to put that much death behind you,” Celestia answered in a barely audible whisper. As sordid memories swirled in her mind like a violent storm, the princess took a deep, calming breath to restore tranquility to her spirit. “Where would you have me go?” she acquiesced at last. “I don’t want to be shoved into a broom closet at the far corner of Equestria.”

“Wasn’t it you who said that sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight?” Luna said with a knowing smile. “Do you still remember Dawnflower?”

Dust Off had always considered himself to be a steadfast and loyal member of the Royal Guard. He followed his assignments to the letter even when it was something as mundane as bringing the Princess tea late in the evening. He was always punctual when reporting for duty, and his superiors all had good things to say about him. He rarely, if ever, complained about his work even when it was tiring or even painful to endure. Anypony with good sense would not have considered it to be an unfair request to at least have a few hours of rest after almost taking a bullet to the head.

But apparently even that was too much to ask for. Not even twenty minutes after being shuffled off to see the castle doctor to get his head patched up, Dust Off was summoned by the Princess again. He half-expected another order of tea to be requested, but instead all he got was a rather cryptic message asking for him to report to Celestia’s bedchamber. The location was just as curious to him since a few trickles of his blood were probably still wet on the floor.

Thankfully, without a load of tea to carry, the pegasus guard was far more prompt in his arrival.

“Come in, please,” a voice replied after Dust Off knocked upon the chamber door. He noted that it didn’t sound like Princess Celestia, but he just shrugged it off as a side-effect of his head injury.

Stepping inside, he noticed that a few precautions had already been taken to keep the room safe. Most notably the lights were dimmed and the curtains were drawn, which would make it hard for anybody outside to get a visual. The most stark change, however, was the unicorn standing in the middle of the room. She was tall and slender, lithe for want of a better word, with a coat that made her look as though she was sculpted from ivory. Beneath a rather unkempt mop of auburn hair were eyes as wide and blue as the sky, and for a brief instant the pegasus guard found himself captivated by them. Fortunately for him, guard instinct kicked in soon afterwards. She appeared to be helping herself a number of the Princess’ possession and he would have none of that.

“Stop right there! Identify yourself immediately,” Dust Off warned as he took an aggressive step forward.

“Calm down, Dust Off, it’s just me,” the unicorn replied with an oddly familiar genteel tone.

“Wait a second,” the guard muttered as he took a few steps closer. “Is that...you, Princess Celestia?”

The unicorn responded with an amused giggle as she continued packing things into a small suitcase. “Technically, I went by the name Dawnflower when in this form,” she explained. “I haven’t been out like this in...oh, four hundred years. Feels like slipping on an old dress.”

While the Princess seemed to be content as always, Dust Off was still having trouble believing his eyes. He knew that Celestia had magical abilities that she rarely displayed in public, but such a radical change in size and appearance was remarkable. Granted, being a pegasus what he knew about magic couldn’t even fill up a cocktail napkin so anything was possible. The possibility of an imposter crossed his mind, but a changeling would’ve taken the Princess’ form and no other pony would’ve had the sheer bravado to pretend to be the most important pony in Equestria. Besides, who else would’ve been able to identify him so easily?

“I take it a plan has been decided upon?” Dust Off inquired as he trotted over to help the Princess pack.

“Until the current crisis is resolved, I shall be staying in Ponyville,” Celestia explained. She stopped her packing abruptly when she realized she was about to place her jewelry into the suitcase as well. To her, it felt strange to put her crown and crest aside, but it defeated the purpose of going incognito if she wore the telltale signs of her true nature.

“I wouldn’t consider Ponyville to be a very safe place, your Highness.”

“If you were trying to kill me, would you look for a humble little unicorn living in a quaint little village?” Celestia proposed. The process of packing her things was quick and simple as there was little she could take that wouldn’t make her stand-out. She had packed away some basic writing supplies, a few simple outfits if need be, and a few random baubles to help her adjust to living like a common pony. There was, however, one last thing she’d need to make her relocation more comfortable. “I have no desire to wait this matter out cowering in the dark corners of my own castle. In Ponyville, I’ll be able to carry out some of my duties, and I’ll be close enough in case my presence is needed at the castle.”

“You should still take some means of protection with you.”

“Of course I will,” Celestia insisted. “That’s why you’re coming along too.”

“A wise deci-wait! What?”

The guard’s startled response proved to be source of amusement to the Princess. Her guards were typically so stoic that it was hard to get any kind of a rise out of them. She laughed his surprise off. “You can’t expect me to go without my favourite tea, now would you?”

“O-of course, not, your Highness,” Dust Off stammered in a hastened attempt to regain his composure. “But wouldn’t having a guard with you defeat the purpose of hiding?”

“Only if you go dressed as a guard.” Without warning, Celestia used her magic to pull off the guard’s helmet, revealing a flattened mat of blue hair. Like a colt suddenly parted with his favourite toy, the guard made a desperate attempt to grab his helmet back. Alas, it was lifted beyond his immediate reach and tossed aside. “Tussle up your mane a bit, and nopony will be the wiser.”

“Guess I’m not going to get a chance to see the missus tonight,” the pegasus murmured under his breath.

“Shining Armour and Luna will have this matter resolved in no time,” the Princess reassured him, “and then we’ll be back to enjoying tea just like before.”

Ch. 2 - A Day was Lost

Dawnflower...

There was a name I thought I had done away with a long time ago. While the ability to radically alter my appearance was nothing strenuous to a pony of my magical prowess, it was always easier to shift into and maintain a more familiar form than making one from scratch. I never enjoyed deception, but as Princess of Equestria it was sometimes the only option left to me when I needed to escape the obligations and responsibilities that came with the crown. For every moment of glory and there were a hundred nights sitting alone in my room with only letters and books to keep me company; a hundred instances where I felt cut off from my fellow ponies; chained by protocols and walled by expectations, I always felt like I was adrift in a sea of tapestry and uniforms.

The real Dawnflower lived and died more than a thousand years ago back when Equestria was half the size it was today, and I, a young Princess, was trying my hardest to bring together a world that had been torn asunder by Discord’s magic. It wasn’t an easy task; at best it felt like I was yelling at stone walls, and at worst, like I was beating my head against one. My newly-founded kingdom of Equestria was but one of many regional powers that sprung up in the power vacuum that followed Discord’s defeat. Putting Discord stone-locked body on display in my garden did help rally some followers to my cause, but it didn’t take long for ponies to forget the accomplishments of my sister and I. We learned the hard way that it took more than just removing chaos to bring harmony back to the land.

Everypony was looking to me for leadership, and I had to pretend I knew what I was doing.

The years following Discord’s defeat were arguably more chaotic than during his reign. Chocolate may have not been falling from the sky, but without something so universally feared keeping the scores of ponies across the land in check, greed and ambition took hold. As few witnessed the downfall of the great Discord, even fewer believed that it was due to the actions of two young sisters and a relic known as the Elements of Harmony.

And if one were to step inside the castle at Canterlot, the seat of power of the new kingdom of Equestria, they would be even less inclined to believe that Celestia had anything to do with defeating the greatest evil ever known.

“What do you mean I shouldn’t use the word ‘I’ anymore?” the young Princess Celestia asked as she walked through the sun-lit halls of the castle. “It’s a nice word, and I’m hard-pressed to think of how I’d go about my life not using it. See? I just used it four times just now without even thinking about it.”

Alongside her was a bespectacled unicorn who carried along with him a large number of scrolls and ink pens. His name was Book Worm and his job as special advisor meant he was always running to the Princess with a new issue to bring up. “It’s not that you can’t use the word ‘I’ anymore, your Highness,” Book Worm explained as he swapped out the scroll that was hovering alongside him, “it’s just that it lacks a certain...leadership quality to it. You’re the ruler of Equestria, and you need to act like it.”

“Yes, because the castle, the guards, and the jewelry don’t scream that already,” Celestia replied with playful sarcasm. “Seriously, Book Worm, I don’t see why this is so important. I’m not the one that insisted on being made ruler of Equestria after Discord’s defeat.”

“But it is important. I’ve conduct polls and everything!”

“How in the world did you conduct a poll from the castle?” Celestia inquired as the two stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Is that why there were so many pigeons flapping through the hallways last week?”

The rotund little unicorn, at least compared to the much taller Princess, was trying to think of a convenient excuse to deflect the issue away from himself, but when he pulled out the next scroll, a couple of pigeon feathers fell out from it. From there he could only manage a sheepish grin. “B-back to the subject at hoof,” he stammered while adjusting his spectacles, “I’ve conducted a survey of the kingdom’s populace. It shows fifty-eight-point-eight percent of ponies are in favour of you adopting the use of the ‘Royal We.’”

“So in order to sound like a leader, I need to sound like an egoist?” the Princess quipped with a raised eyebrow.

“But it’s tradition.”

“If I recall correctly, Discord’s traditional means of addressing the public involved using a duck as a megaphone,” she reminded her advisor. Why anypony felt it necessary for her to address her subjects like she was some all-encompassing entity was beyond her, but she wasn’t going to blame the ponies who had lived under subjugation for so long. They wanted strong leadership, but she wasn’t sure if that’s what they needed. As the two continued on their way to the throne room, Celestia made up her mind on the matter. “The royal ‘we’ is an anachronism from an age where ponies were ruled over. I want to guide them to a better future, not control their lives.”

Their conversation paused for a brief second upon reaching the throne room. A pair of unicorn guards opened the door for them and a second later a loud trumpet announced the arrival. By the heavens, did Celestia wish they didn’t have to do that every time she stepped into the throne room. She was certain that the guards and numerous dignitaries waiting in the room would’ve noticed her arrival without the help of a brass section, and it would save her ears the strain. Out of politeness, the dignitaries held their ground and allowed the Princess to enter, but she knew that they would come swarming the second it appeared her business with Book Worm was concluded.

“If you won’t consider the royal ‘we,’ then could you at least speak a bit louder when addressing the public,” the advisor continued undaunted in his suggestions. He unfurled yet another scroll from his seemingly endless supply. “At least forty percent of respondents state that they have trouble hearing you during your weekly addresses.”

“Okay, now that is far more reasonable advice,” Celestia conceded with a smile. “If I didn’t know any better, Book Worm, I would suspect that you tossed me the ridiculous request first to make sure I agreed with you on what you really wanted.”

“You give me far too much credit,” Book Worm insisted. “How about I run the royal ‘we’ idea by your sister? She’s always been interested in taking up public speaking.”

“Fine, you do that,” Celestia waved him off. The idea of her little sister using the royal ‘we’ made the Princess chuckle quietly under her breath. Her little sister had always been eager to find a role in the expanding Equestria government, though her age and brashness made it hard for Celestia to find a suitable role outside of her duties as Princess of the Night. With Book Worm and his poll results finally gone, Celestia was soon swarmed by the legion of dignitaries and officers that had been waiting for her arrival. How they imagined she would be able to answer their requests when they all spoke at once was a mystery to her, but it was a chore that she did not want to indulge in.

Thankfully for the Princess, she caught sight of a familiar face nearby. The only pony not to mob her stood near the throne - a pegasus clad in a combination of colourful finery and heavy chainmail. She stood with a sort of quiet and patient dignity, as though she was above the idea of trying to vie for anyone’s attention.

“Captain Storm!” Celestia called out, which immediately silenced the crowds around her. Pushing the ponies aside like branches of a tree, the Princess strode over to the military pony and delivered a friendly slap on the back. “I’m surprised to see you back so soon. I thought the issue with the Crystal Empire would’ve taken longer.”

“I would hardly call a couple of scouts to be much of a border incursion, your Highness,” the pegasus replied with a hearty chuckle and a dismissive wave of her hoof. “You should’ve seen the look on their faces when they woke up to find their camp surrounded by a dozen soldiers.” It was always important to enjoy what you did for a living, but even then there were times where Celestia wondered if the zealous Captain of the Rainbow Guard, Pearlescent Storm, might’ve enjoyed her work a bit too much.

“I hope you didn’t have to hurt anypony,” Celestia commented with obvious inferences.

“Of course not,” the captain reassured her. “We gave them a stern lecturing and told them that if they wanted to know more about Equestria then they were free to send a written request to the Princess. Then we sat down for breakfast and sent them back to where they came from.” The problem with so many new nations rising up was that the boundaries between kingdoms could vary by several miles depending on the cartographer. It wasn’t uncommon to have scouting parties skirting along their borders, and while Celestia didn’t like military confrontations, Pearlescent insisted that a show of force was needed to ensure that nopony tried to encroach on their territories.

“Next time we find somebody wandering into our lands, how about we try inviting them over for tea instead of telling them to go home at spear point?” Celestia suggested as she trotted up to her throne. As much as she enjoyed talking to her friend, there was a kingdom that needed governing and it wasn’t going to wait on her.

“What is with you and always inviting ponies over for tea?” The two ponies shared a brief laugh while nearby dignitaries watched and wondered if there was some kind of joke that they were missing.

As the laughter died down, Celestia took a seat at her throne and rested back with a contented sigh. Good news from the captain was always a good sign that it would be a good day in Equestria, but at the same time it was unusual for the captain to deliver just good news in person. “I know you didn’t come here just to tell me about your run-in with the crystal ponies. Now what is it?”

Pearlescent rolled her eyes as the Princess forced her hoof. “We’ve got reports of activity in the Moonlight Kingdom to the east,” she explained, “and our border outposts are reporting potential dragon sightings out east as well.”

“Dragons and the Moonlight Kingdom?” Celestia repeated with a quizzical brow. “I thought you’d be delighted to hear that.”

“Happier than a pig in a feeding trough, your Highness, but I also know what you’re going to say next.”

They were getting too predictable at this, it seemed. They were predicting each others responses, which means they were soon going to be finishing each other’s sentences. “No, I’m not going to let you march the Rainbow Guard out to the eastern front.”

The iridescent-maned pony scowled at the response, if only by instinctual response. It was a natural for a military commander to be in a constant state of disagreement with a diplomatic-minded leader. Captain Storm always preferred the martial solution to any problem, while Celestia preferred to avoid it at all costs.

“You know the dragons nest in the mountains on our eastern borders,” Pearlescent argued, albeit in an extremely polite manner. “With the Nation of the S’Kaip Goats gone, there’s no buffer between us and the Moonlight Kingdom. Moonlight has been expanding in all directions over the past decade, and we’re the only neighbor left in the immediate area..”

Princess Celestia wished she could dismiss such an assertion as Pearlescent being paranoid, but the Moonlight Kingdom’s rapid expansion over the past months suggested otherwise. Since the Rainbow Guard captain wasn’t going to be satisfied with a strategy that amounted to ‘please knock before invading,’ Celestia tossed a small concession forward.

“Reinforce the border outposts, and I want three military operations drafted before the end of the day,” the Princess instructed. She didn’t want to unite the land by going to war, but she wasn’t going to be taken for a fool. It would also keep Pearlescent busy for the rest of the day and out of her mane. As much as they were friends, Captain Storm would keep bringing up the issue with the Moonlight Kingdom until the Princess relented.

The guard captain bowed her head respectfully and was about to head off when a familiar young filly came galloping into the throne room. “Sister!” she called out as she screeched to a halt in front of the throne. Neither Princess Celestia nor Captain Storm appeared surprised by Princess Luna’s sudden arrival; in fact, Storm just rolled her eyes. “I have just been informed. Is it true that we may be making contact with the Moonlight Kingdom soon?”

“If by contact you mean with spears, then yes,” Pearlescent deadpanned but was soon hushed by the elder sister. Thankfully, Pearlescent’s comments didn’t seem to dampen Luna’s apparent enthusiasm.

“Yes, we do suspect that the Moonlight Kingdom will become a central issue in the coming weeks,” Celestia explained in a way that avoided implying she was committed to any particular course of action just yet. “Since when have you been so keen on such political affairs?”

“I have always held interest; you and the others are the ones who keep snubbing from discussions. In fact, I want to lead a diplomatic mission to the Moonlight Kingdom,” Luna replied with the faintest hint of annoyance that was only subdued by her burgeoning excitement. “But I have heard such wonderful things about them. I have been told that they have a moonlight festival in the winter, and that they can see in the dark! Also, it is said that they are typically nocturnal.” One did not need to be a genius to see why Luna would have such a high opinion about such a nation, as if the Princess gleeful hops about the throne room did not make it obvious. Still, Celestia was worried about such an infatuation with an unknown kingdom with a history of hostile invasions, and she didn’t want to know where Luna was getting this information.

“And in case nopony has told you, your Highness,” Pearlescent spoke up once more with mounting contempt, “that same kingdom you are so fond of just recently annexed our goat neighbors. Clearly you do not recognize the gravity of the situation we’re in.”

“I am aware that we’re presented with an opportunity to open diplomatic ties with a powerful nation,” Luna shot back. Pearlescent’s informal approach may been okay with Celestia, but Luna interpreted it as a sign of a disrespect. “We could learn much from these Moonlight ponies. That’s why we should-”

“Sister, please!” Celestia interrupted before an argument broke out. “Captain Storm is merely expressing her concern over our nation’s security.”

“So you’re taking her side? Oh, what a surprise!” Luna snapped. “You never take anything I say seriously!”

Now Luna was trying to pick an argument with Celestia, and the elder sister was not in the mood to try and downplay her sister’s feelings of neglect. She couldn’t pander to Luna every time the captain held a different opinion. “This is not that simple, Luna,” Celestia tried to reason.

“They’re our neighbors so let’s just go talk to them. How could that not be any simpler?” Luna presented a salient point, but it wasn’t as simply as just knocking on the door of their castle and asking to speaking the Lord of the house. Even just walking into their territory could be seen as a hostile incursion. Supposedly the goat nation was met with open hostility when they attempted diplomacy, but invasions had a way of warping the truth by the time it reached one’s ears.

“The goats tried that,” Pearlescent scoffed. “I hear they sent the messenger’s head back on a platter.” Celestia wasn’t certain about the veracity of that claim either.

“But Celestia! You of all ponies know the importance of diplomacy,” Luna said as her angry rhetoric turned into more of a whine. “Please! Let me have this, just this one time! Oh please, oh please, oh please!” The younger sister was utilizing the most potent weapon in her arsenal, as no amount of training or experience could protect Celestia against the sight of her sister begging.

Thankfully, the guard captain was inoculated against such tactics. “Princess Celestia, would you please tell your sister to stop acting like a child and allow the grown-ups to do their job!”

As it turned out, being called a child was one of those things that Princess Luna did not tolerate too well. Before Celestia even had a chance to defend her sister, a fuming princess stomped her hooves in outrage. “I will show you who is a child!”

“Luna, wait!” Celestia called out. Alas, her words fell upon deaf ears as the other princess stormed out of the throne room. “That could’ve been handled better,” she sighed afterwards.

“She needs to understand her role in the kingdom,” Pearlescent scoffed as she began to trot off in order to attend to her own duties. “This isn’t like the old days where the two of you can just run off and fix every problem on your own.”

“No...no, I suppose that time has passed.” Celestia couldn’t help but feel a small pang of envy at her sister’s passion. She remembered when she felt a similar strong calling when first seeing Discord’s tyranny over the ponies of the world. When did she become so passive in her rule? When did delegating tasks become her life? A few years ago, Celestia would’ve been out the door en route to the Moonlight Kingdom before Pearlescent even had time to voice a protest. She could only hope that Luna would exercise some restraint.

“So let me get this straight - Luna went out for a stroll, in full gear, and not only did nopony bother to stop her, but nopony even asked where she was going?” Unbeknownst even to Celestia, her voice had risen in volume by the time she finished her sentence to the point where Book Worm was almost cowering behind his bundle of scrolls.

“Y-yes, your Highness, that is an excellent summary,” Book Worm replied. Celestia had only just finished raising the sun when delivered the news, and there were few things as discouraging as getting bad news before your morning tea. It was also one of the easiest ways to make the Princess cranky. “C-Captain Storm has already s-sent out search parties.”

With a dismissive wave of her hoof, the Princess sent Book Worm on his way. “Well that was fast,” Celestia muttered under her breath. In fact, the only thing that was surprising about this situation was that she hadn’t been more prepared for it. Were the roles reversed, Celestia would’ve done the exact same thing, and probably would not have waited as long as Luna had. The only question now was what she going to do about her little sister. Celestia had half a mind to just tell Pearlescent to track the errant Princess down and drag her back by the tail, but that would only make things worse. The last thing she needed was to make it seem like both she and Captain Storm were Luna’s enemies. Princess Celestia concluded there was only one way to fix this mess, and that was to get Luna herself.

But Captain Storm would never let her just run off on a wild chase. Celestia wouldn’t even make it as far as the outer wall before somepony saw her and reported her to the captain. Once Pearlescent caught wind, it’d be ten, maybe fifteen, minutes tops before the Guard Captain caught up and dragged her back to the castle. In retrospect, making the fastest pegasus in Cloudsdale with the longest record of bucking the chain of command her ranking military officer might not have been the wisest decision of her political career. Like many of her decisions, it seemed like a good idea at the time to have a guard who was more concerned with their duty than politicking.

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing,” Celestia mumbled as she paced about her room. She did have the authority to override Pearlescent, but she suspected that the guard captain wouldn’t hesitate to subdue her ‘in order to protect her from herself.’ At any other time, Celestia would’ve applauded such dedication, but now it was just going to get in her way. After several minutes of pacing failed to help, she trotted back to her bed and laid down. “Pearl would just tell me to be patient and let the guards handle it.”

An idea suddenly flashed to mind. Pearlescent would stop the Princess from joining the search, but she wouldn’t stop another guard going on Celestia’s behalf. Hopping from her bed, the Princess opened her bedroom door to see who had been assigned guard duty for that day. Fate was smiling upon her as a young unicorn mare was standing watch outside of the door.

“Excuse me, could you come inside for a second? I need to have a word with you,” Celestia spoke.

Not expecting to be addressed so suddenly by the Princess, the guard was actually startled by the summon. “Y-yes, your Highness,” she stammered in response before following Celestia inside. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Yes,” Celestia began. “I need you to take off all your clothes.”

“M-my clothes?” the guard repeated.

“Are you questioning my orders, guardpony?” Celestia shot a stern glare back at the guard.

“No, your Highness!” With all the speed and precision the Princess expected from a pony of the Rainbow Guard, the unicorn had her entire uniform off and in a neat pile at her hooves within a matter of minutes.

“By the way, guardpony, what you are about to witness is not to be mentioned outside these four walls,” the Princess warned as she began to levitate the various items of armour and clothe. She began to focus her magic, creating a brilliant golden aura around her body. The light from the aura continued to intensify to the point where the guardpony had to avert her eyes to keep from being blinded. When the light dimmed, a copy of the guardpony now stood where the Princess once had. The only difference between them was that the copy was now wearing the guardpony’s armour.

“M-may I ask what this about, your Highness?” the guard asked with a cautious tone.

“I am going to be you for a few days,” Celestia explained as she took a moment to adjust her helmet. “I just need to head for a while without anypony bothering me. In the meantime, you will stay in here and lock the doors. If anypony comes looking for me, tell them that I am not granting any audiences and that any state matters can be brought to Book Worm’s attention. Oh, and when the servants come around, feel free to order whatever food you’d like.”

“Um...a-as you wish, your Highness,” the guard replied. It was clear that the guard was still in a bit of a shock, but the promise of being able to rest, relax, and take advantage of the Princess’ personal chefs made for an enticing offer.

“Try not to make a mess, but otherwise feel free to make yourself at home,” the new guardpony explained as she trotted for the door. “Oh, and before I forget to ask, what is your name?”

“Dawnflower.”

A long and exhausting day scouring across the lengths of Equestria had turn up little for Princess Celestia. In hindsight, taking the appearance of a unicorn might not have been the wisest idea since the armour prevented her from enabling the use of her wings again. The occasional overpass of patrolling pegasus guards made her reluctant to drop the disguise either, lest she risk Pearlescent crashing down from the sky in a storm of thunder and rainbows. With those limitations, Celestia was forced to travel by foot like the humble soldier she was disguised at. On the bright side, or so Celestia kept telling herself, the exercise could do her good. It has felt like the past few years have been spent sitting around eating cake with the only gains being the size of her royal tush.

Knowing Luna, the impertinent little princess would be making her way towards the Moonlight Kingdom so that meant heading east. Since traveling in the open would’ve made Luna easy to find, then the canopy of the woodlands made for the most logical place to search. That meant an even longer and more tiring search through the forests.

Her once-brilliant planned seemed more and more foolish as daylight dwindled. By the time the sun was beginning its descent, Celestia had probably covered only a quarter of the forest. By her estimate, she was somewhere east by slight northeast of Canterlot in a stretch of woodlands that straddled the new boundary Equestrian and the Moonlight Kingdom. The cartographers labelled it as the Hollow Shades due to the thick canopy that made even midday feel like dusk. Were it not for Celestia keeping track of time in her mind, she could’ve sworn night had fallen already. The air was crisp and cool to the touch, which had originally been a welcome relief from the midday heat, but now Celestia knew that it would only serve to sap her energy during the long night.

Still, she could think of worse places to be forced to spend the night. While most forests went to sleep with the rest of the world at night, the Hollow Shades seemed more lively as the temperature dropped. Swarms of fireflies danced above the nearby streams while bats and other nocturnal creatures stalked through the treetops. It was not even as dark as the hour would predict as the local fauna was speckled with white flower and rotund fungi that possessed a faint blue phosphorescence. Were she not in such a hurry, she would’ve taken the time to admire the forest’s serenity. She hoped that Luna had passed through this forest, and not just because it meant she was on the right track.

However, the tranquility of the forest was disturbed when she heard faint voices in the distance. There were no roads leading through the Hollow Shades so chances were she was not hearing the casual chatter of some random travellers. Using a heavily wooded section of the forest to mask her approach, Celestia stalked towards the source of the chatter. Soon she could hear a bubbling creek and the voices became clearer. She could make out two distinct voices conversing.

“You sure this is wise, Sombra?” one of the voices spoke. It was a sharp, cutting tone - the voice of confidence and authority. “Shackles are no way to treat a young maiden”

“One would think the hoofprint on your forehead would be a good indication of my wisdom,” a second voice, softer and more refined, replied. “Perhaps if she had kicked lower, I would no longer have to worry about you trying to play chivalrous knight around fair maidens.” The light-hearted chuckle that followed suggested this was more of a joke between comrades than an insult between superior and subordinate.

“She was...deceptively strong.”

“And here I had worried that this Equestrian Princess was just another teetotaling dainty.”

Celestia hastened her pace when she caught the word ‘Princess’ in the conversation. Unless some other unfortunate kingdom had a runaway princess, they had to be talking about Luna. She finally tracked the source down and came across a pair of ponies standing along the edge of a small creek bed.

“I will see to our guest.” The first voice had belonged to a well-armoured pegasus. He was, however, unlike any pegasus Celestia had seen before. Instead of feathered wings, his were thin and leathery like a bat. Overlaying a slate-gray coat was a full suit of armour composed of black metal plates that glistened like obsidian. They matched the description of the ‘black armoured soldiers’ she had been given in Pearlescent’s numerous reports on the potential threat.

“Keep your head down this time,” the second pony replied. Much like how the pegasus knight was unlike the ones Celestia was familiar with, the unicorn was equally unique. Rather than a simple straight, spiraled horn like most unicorns possessed, his was sleek with a slight upward curve that reminded Celestia more of a fang than anything else. Like the knight he possessed a slate-like coat, but the only thing he wore was a simple blue cloak that draped across his slender frame.

As the knight left, Celestia lingered in her hiding spot and continued watching the unicorn. He did not follow the knight, and instead remained as his spot on the creek bed as though he were enjoying the tranquility. When he lowered his face down to take a drink, Celestia saw her opportunity to make her approach. Upon quenching his thirst, the gray unicorn lifted his head only to discover he was now staring down the tip of a spear.

“Well, this is interesting,” he said without inflection. His crimson eyes locked with the disguised Princess, and she could see no fear in them. If he did feel threatened, he did not display it; rather, he appeared almost unconcerned by the gold-armoured soldier before him as he casually brushed his dark mane back with a free hoof.

“You will release Princess Luna to me at once,” Celestia demanded.

“A bold move to make demands of me,” the unicorn replied with a slight smirk. “Unless, of course, you don’t even know who I even am.” He paused for a second and just stared at the disguised princess with a scrutinizing gaze. “No, I don’t think you do. I think you should leave before you do something you’ll regret.”

“You’re in a rather dubious position to be making demands.” Celestia suspected he was trying to psyche her out. She pressed the spear closer to assert her position. “Give me the Princess!”

“Or you’ll what? Stab me?” The unicorn made a daring move to lean in towards the spear. Had Celestia not pulled it back when he did, he likely would’ve stabbed himself in the process. “I take it you’ve never killed before? You don’t have the look of a warrior in your eyes.” Now he was calling her bluff, which would work if Celestia didn’t come up with a new plan.

While the Princess would admit that she was hesitant to kill in almost any circumstance, the application of a bit of force was not unreasonable. Celestia decided to knock the smug little smirk off his face by smashing the back-end of her spear into the side of his face. It was harsh, yes, but there were few lengths she could not go to in order to rescue her sister. The unicorn went down easy enough, which gave her impression that this pony was all bark but no bite. Perhaps this would be easier than she had imagined.

“I won’t ask you again,” Celestia warned.

The unicorn seemed more pleased than anything else. He chuckled under his breath before wiping away a small trickle of blood from the corner of his lip. “Then show me how much you want it,” he said. Celestia didn’t have time to contemplate on those words as the stallion struck with two powerful kicks that knocked out her hind legs.

Celestia fell to a half-sprawl, using her fore legs to keep herself from toppling over completely. It was a momentary victory, however, as Sombra rose up with a lunge as he tried to drive his horn into the Princess’ side. A last-second twist put armour between the horn and her side, but the impact still knocked Celestia into the water. She cursed her idiocy of underestimating her opponent; she had the upper hoof and she got careless. She could practically hear Pearlescent chastising her for such a folly.

Grabbing her spear once more, Celestia scampered back to her hooves with a few quick thrusts to make sure that her foe did not get any ideas about coming closer. He appeared to be willing to give her space, though she thought it odd that he hadn’t used the opportunity to run or call for help. Perhaps they were both being foolish today. What he did do, however, was unhook his cloak and keep it levitated by his side.

“A spear versus a cape? Perhaps you might want to reconsider,” Celestia said with the hopes that he would see reason and yield.

“If you think yourself mighty, then attack.” It was almost as if he was taunting her by the manner in which he held his cape to the side. Like a matador, it looked as though he wanted her to strike, but Celestia was still reluctant to use deadly force.

Her eyes darted about the landscape looking for an alternative and her gaze soon fell upon a few rocks at her hoof. “Perhaps I will,” she replied before using a hoof to kick a small rock into the air. A quick swing of her spear sent the stone flying towards her foe.

Yet even her speed did not catch him off-guard. The cape quickly intercepted the rock, catching it like a giant net. He then twisted the fabric around the weight until he had an impromptu flail now at his disposal. Celestia wasn’t even given enough time to act surprised as the weight-cape was now swung towards her head. Instinctively, she raised her spear to block, but that only caused the rock-and-cape to wrap itself around the shaft. One sharp tug later and the spear had been wrested from her grasp.

“Don’t suppose I could convince you to stop this foolishness?” he quipped as he now brandished the spear.

“Rescuing the Princess is my only prerogative,” Celestia replied in a stubborn defiance, “and any pony who stands in my way will be dealt with.”

The stallion relaxed his posture all of a sudden as a new inquisitive look fell upon him. “Perhaps you can be of use after all,” he said as he suddenly tossed the spear back to Celestia. He couldn’t help but chuckle upon seeing the Princess’ stunned expression. “Your Princess is not being held prisoner, she is being detained for her own safety.”

“What do you mean by that?” Celestia didn’t hesitate to retake her spear, but she was beginning to think that this stallion did not pose as much a threat to her as she had originally thought. “Is she in danger?”

“She has fallen gravely ill, and has been mad with delirium,” he explained. “We believe she was poisoned by a predator that stalks these forests. If you truly wish to help your Princess, then you will assist me in tracking down this creature so that we can brew an antivenom.”

“How do I know this is not some kind of trick?” Though her first instinct was that of concern for the well-being of her sister, the Princess had to keep her reaction in check. He could very well just be misleading her in order to buy himself time or lull her into a false sense of security. The risk of deception would have been even greater if he knew who he was dealing with, and Celestia did not want to reveal more than she needed to him.

“You are free to believe what you wish,” the stallion said with an indifferent shrug. “It will not change the fact that the Princess will likely not make it through the night without an antivenom.”

I had no reason to believe him, but beyond my own preconceptions, which had just led me into a fight with an unarmed pony, I had no reason to believe he was lying either. When it came to the safety and well-being of my sister, the risk was too great to ignore. I had to put my trust in him.

If I had known what I was getting myself into, I would have revealed my true self to him right then and there, but at the time I was still operating under a certain degree of suspicion. He held considerable power over me and I did not want to reveal my trump card just yet. Besides, how was I know who Sombra was back then? At the time, all I saw before me was a cunning and strong-willed unicorn.

But I was a young mare, equal parts daring and fool-hearted, and I thought I could challenge anything the world could throw at me. How could I have known what the forests held for me?