Chp 20- The Sun's Memories
#20 of MLP: A Hero's Rebirth
Another week has gone by and I know that I have not written within these pages till now but my morning sickness seems to get the best of me some times. I still can not believe that such a thing has transpired. In all my long years this will be my first pregnancy. I must be truthful however, I had told Lunar that I had never taken another to my bed but that dose not mean that they have not tried to seduce me with gifts and promises of grand things. One... Orion I believe his name was, nearly got close but I just could not allow myself even if I knew that I should. It's strange, I always thought myself above such things, I mean Lunar had been gone for nearly two hundred years and yet all I could do was think of him. Every stallion that tried to court me, I had used him as a basis for. Most were just too into themselves, others only wanted the envy of others. But Orion was different... for a brief time I thought Lunar had been reborn and I would finally get a second chance at being happy.
It was mid-summer and I had just returned from a diplomatic mission with Concordia and the Elk leaders. He was there waiting for me. Before then we had grown to become the closest of friends. He would always know how to make me smile when I seemed upset or make me laugh when we drank morning tea together. It was during the days before the Gala and several years since he and I became closer then I should have let. After I had finished he asked me aside and before I could say a word he proposed to me. In that moment all I saw was Lunar, it was then that I realized that my love for him ran deeper then I had ever thought possible. I...respectfully declined, I knew that if I agreed all that I would see in his face would be Lunar and that was something I did not wish upon him. He was confused at first which was understandable. He asked why, so I told him. The feelings I had for him were not for him, they were for the one stallion he reminded me of and that, I would not put him and myself through such an ordeal. He understood and after that, I never saw him again. I suppose it was for the best
From then on I made sure to distance myself from my subject but not to the point of being detached. I still loved them all and valued each and every pony deeply but I had to cut myself off or risk regretting it later. I had resigned myself to a lone existence. When Luna returned and was freed from her darker emotions, Lunar had been gone nearly fifteen hundred years. Luna, I suppose it was my fault that she became what she did. I was too busy in my work to notice, and when I did it was too late.
I pleaded and begged her to reconsider her choice but she refused saying that if they would not appreciate her during the night then she would make the night last forever. It was then I had no choice so I gathered the Elements of Harmony and with their power, I sent her to live in the moon. The elements. The three of us found them deep within the earth. Without them I do not think we could have beaten Discord as easily as we had. Anyway after Luna's banishment...I lost touch with the Elements, they refused to obey me and became that of stone. Oh sorry I seemed to have strayed a little there. I tend to do that a lot it seems, moving from one topic to another without fully finishing it.
What was I saying? Oh right, I suppose cutting myself off from my subject slightly was not the best of ideas but the fact that Lunar was somehow returned to us, all be it in a different form was justified. I still could not believe it. I was just reading over a few documents when I first felt his power and I had dropped my tea and my heart raced. I could not breath for what seemed like an eternity. I swore that I must have been imagining it, that I was just hoping against hope. But when Luna came rushing in and informed me that she too had felt it... I knew. There had to be some reason to explain what it was that we had felt yet none presented itself. So... so as not to get my hopes up incase we were wrong I had to take steps. I had to be certain that after so long he was back.
It was a few days after I had sent a letter to my faithful student Twilight Sparkle instructing her to report to me any thing she might find within the location of where we felt the power surge. Upon her response I was not sure how to react. Humans had been gone from our world for nearly ten thousand years, to the point of becoming myth and legend. Yet somehow one remained and not only that he was able to use magic. I thought I felt my heart stop upon reading her letter so instead I rushed through the castle to Luna's room and showed her the letter. All that happened hit me at once and I could not even move. It was Luna whom had broke me from my stupor. She insisted that we go to which I had agreed, I could indeed wait no longer.
Our trip to Ponyville was a short one from all the other times that we had traveled there. Upon arriving at Twilight's she informed us that he had pasted out just as soon as they had arrived. She was begining to get worried since he had not woken yet. She told us that it the last two times it happened he awoke a few hours afterwards but this was longer then that. It turned out that it would be two days till he woke.
During then I found myself staying by his side more then the others. I still was not sure why I felt so attached to this lone human. I guess maybe I though that he and I had something in common being that we both knew the poisonous kiss of loneliness.
When he finally awoke two days later I, Luna, Twilight and all her friends were circled around his bed. He looked as though he were just coming out of a daze. The seven of them spoke for a time as Luna and I stood and looked upon him. Indeed he did give off the same energies that we had felt. See when I was with Orion I felt no such power but with this human that lay before me, he just radiated it and only ponies like Luna, myself and Cadence are able of such a thing.
He soon asked to talk with me privately. Once every pony had stepped outside, I confronted him. It was odd how his world had knowledge of us yet we knew nothing of them. It was then that he mentioned a name... a name that I knew for certain he would have never known. When I asked him how he had come to know that name, he told me. He went into detail about the images that he saw while he was out. Everything he said to me about that time brought up some painful memories that I thought were long gone. I hung my head in hopes to hide my pain from him but then I felt a gentle warmth on my cheek and looked up seeing him smile at me. My heart melted and I knew for certain that this was none other then my champion... my Lunar.
The cell to the princess opened and in stepped Hilda once more. Within her claws was the usual salad that was the princess's meal. "Oh you're up today. I hope you aren't feeling too under the weather?"
Celestia shook her head and softly smiled. "I was just writing some more since I have not been able to do so for the past week."
"Well princess I managed a gift for you." The gryphoness opened her wing and grabbed an envelope before opening it and placing the parchment on the table, unrolling it. It turned out to be a letter but from first glance she was not sure whom from.
"One of our scouts managed to smuggle this within the castle before giving it to me. H said that it was to be seen by your eyes and your eyes alone." Celestia cocked her head before looking back to the parchment.
"Are you certain this is not some sort of trick Greaves is playing at just to give me some sort of false hope?" The gryphon shook her head.
"I swear to you princess. I know this scout and he is very loyal to us, that is to say, those whom side with you." Celestia looked down and began to read but gasped as soon as she started.
To my beloved Celestia
I would like to inform you that Luna and I are safe. We have assembled a massive army and have marched through Equestria, taking back the towns and settlements that the gryphons have taken. The fighting has been nothing short of hell. Many good ponies have lost their lives to this senseless war Greaves has brought upon us. Had it not been for Gallen, a gryphon observer, we might not have ever known the extent of Greaves's reach into Equestria. It was also he that made this letter possible.
Goddesses the things I have seen and done in my short time here. I had thought once I was brought here that the sight of war was behind me, I guess I was wrong. We have saved Stalliongrad, New Saddle and Canterbury but... Dappleshore was completely razed to the ground. As we speak we have been at a stalemate with the forces that occupy Trottingham. We managed to get most of the ponies out under the cover of night but there are still more left inside the walls of the city and it's those we are trying to get to.
It has been a grueling two weeks and sometimes I fear we may break but then your sister dose her best to boost every ponies morale. I swear to you princess we are doing all we can to reach you. Once Trottingham is back within our control it will only be a trek through the Forest of the Forsaken and then to the base of the northern mountains. I promise you my dearest love, I will pay back Greaves for all he's done in spades.
I must end this letter now. Keep in mind that we are doing all that we can to reach you so just hold on for a little longer. I love you Dawnstar, never forget that.
Lunar
Celestia looked to the letter for a good while and a few tears fell from her eyes, her disheveled mane obscuring them. Hilda was not sure just what it was she was to do so she softly asked. "Princess, are you alright?"
"He's remembered Hilda."
The gryphon was not sure just what she meant so she walked around the table and looked upon the letter. In her shock, she read through the letter and felt a ping of fury well up inside her. She came to the name Dawnbringer. "I had seen this in you first entry, What is it?"
"It is my name, Celestia Dawnstar. Though over the centuries the ponies of Equestria had just addressed me as Princess or Princess Celestia. My sister is Luna Moonglow." She gently started to roll up the parchment.
"Forgive me princess but I have to make my rounds. If you want to relay a reply to him, I'll have my scout make sure he gets it. I'll be back for it come this evening." With that she walked out and closed the cell door behind her and locked it. Celestia looked to the bowl which had her food in it and walked over before slowly eating from it.
To my dearest sister and my loving stallion
Every day that I had spent here seems like an eternity. I had not had a bath since before being brought here so you can imagine just what I might look like. During the first few weeks all I heard was roars from above. I guess that is must have been from Greaves when he learned that Luna and you had decided to fight back. Though I am not sure just what his intent was on abducting me aside from hoping to leave a mortal blow to both of you plus all of Equestria.
I want you to know though that despite all of that, I am ok. I eat and even though I am within their dungeon, I still have someone looking out for me. I can not tell you for fear of them being found out but please, please both of you be careful. Greaves is ruthless and will not stop at anything. You may have had victories because you were on Equestian soil but once you cross those borders, you are on unknown ground and the enemy can and may very well come from anywhere.
I am doing my best to cope with everything that is and has gone on. Also I would like to to thank you or Luna, whom ever it was that took over my duty of raising the sun. The ponies of Equestria need that light that the sun brings to there lives. I can not stress how much I love you both and hope that someday soon we will be reunited and this awful war is over. I will hold you both within my heart.
Celestia
The princess of the sun laid down finally after pacing back and forth in her cell. Even with all the time that she had spent within that square prison, she was still restless and not accustomed to it. It was so out of her normal routine that she would sometimes have trouble sleeping. But she had to sleep, her body wanted it now. It was no longer herself that needed it but the foal that was slowly growing within her. She needed to take extra care with everything she did, that included the way she laid on the floor of the cell.
She must have been asleep for a few hours because when she awoke the letter she had written was gone and a bowl of food was on the table. "Hilda must not have wanted to wake me."
She slowly got up and walked over to the table and began to eat her meal, once she was through, she returned to where she laid down and sat before looking up to the barred window as the moonlight slowly shown through. "Please be careful you two. I do not wish to lose any pony else close to me because of this. Please take care of my little Twilight as well."