Lullaby for a Princess

Chapter Fifteen: Jubilee

Four hundred ninety-nine years, three hundred and sixty-four days. That's how long I've been Princess of the Sun. Celestia was standing once again behind the great doors that led outside. Once again, she would go out to an enormous crowd. Once again, both Celestia and Luna wore fine gowns especially made for them. Once again, there would be dancing, festivals, and feasting throughout the day and night. But two things were different. One was that both sisters were five hundred years older. Fully grown alicorns. The other was that they didn't act completely like sisters that morning. Co-ruler, maybe. But sisters...that was stretching it. Neither had said a word to the other all the time of preperation, which now totalled about twenty-four hours. But that wasn't really anything new. Over the past hundred years or so, Celestia had been more and more requested. A noble threw a dinner party, a festival was in need of an organizer, a trial needed special attention. In all these circumstances, only one name was suggested: Celestia. And being the good ruler I am, I attend every event. But a nagging voice in her head said "Not all of them..." And it was true. There had been one event she had missed. Or two. Or maybe three...All in life of a single mare, besides. But it wasn't just "a single mare" whose life events she had missed. It was Midnight Winter, Luna's friend. Celestia had a festival on the night Midnight's second foal was born. She had a road planning meeting on the night Midnight's third foal was born. When Midnight's 100th birthday came around, and her foals and grandfoals and great-grandfoals gathered with Luna to celebrate, Celestia was discussing a trade agreement with the Griffon Kingdom. And lastly....when Midnight Winter lay dying, and asked for Luna to come to her bedside, and Luna returned in tears, Celestia was not there. She was in Zebraca, visiting dignitaries there. I did try to go to the funeral. I did try. But Luna didn't want me to come. So I didn't. I only did what she requested of me. That's all I ever did. The words echoed in Celestia's mind. That's all you ever did... That's all you ever did... That's all you ever did.... The words had a double meaning. But Celestia missed half of it. She was already anticipating the opening of those doors. When at last they did, the creatures below sent up a roar of applause. Some laughed, some cried, but all were joyful. Celestia closed her eyes. Surely there is no greater feeling than this. She could hear nothing but the loving applause from the crowd, see nothing but their admiring faces, feel nothing but the grandiose gown she wore, her freshly dyed mane blowing in the wind, and the magic that would let her raise the sun. This was paradise. This was jubilee.