Hello,
Yet another chapter. Not many things to say about this one.
Enjoy!
…Into the stillness, I'll bring you a song…
The three fillies played together in the grass. The oldest flew away from the other two, pink mane dancing in the breeze as a heavy laughter build its way past her lips. Behind her, a younger alicorn struggled to catch up with her, a small unicorn giggling on her back.
"Faster, Staria! Tia's going to escape us!"
"I'm trying, you ungrateful brat! But I'm not nearly as used to my wings as she is!"
"So you're weak, then?" The playful inquiry was met with a snort.
"I'm not weak. She's stronger and more experienced, that's all."
"Then you're weak."
"Am not!"
"Are too."
"Am. Not!"
"Then prove it and fly faster!"
Staria groaned aloud before urging her wings to beat faster and faster. There'd be hell to pay for it later, but it was really worth seeing the dumbfounded expression on Celestia's face, and Luna's delightful grin as they crossed the two trees that signalled the end of the race. The, "I won, Tia! The last cake is for me!" and the crestfallen expression her sister wore sent her in a fit of hysterical laughter, letting Luna tumble to the ground with a small 'eeep!' while she rolled over on the ground. The youngest jumped on her and tickled her to death, yelling "you did it on purpose, you meanie!" and the dark blue alicorn mockingly tickled her back, until they were both out of breath and covered in grass.
Celestia joined them a short while after, a serene and proper expression back on her face – but if one looked closely, they could still see the annoyed tick of her left eye, and traces of the pout that should have been there after losing her favourite cake. But she had grown to understand the duty she would bear soon; Celestia was slowly loosing her carefree attitude in favour of a more adult-like one, all seriousness and less fun. Such games with her had already started to become scarce. Both her sisters had wordlessly decided to try and coax her playful side back out, though Staria knew it was only a matter of time before it disappeared completely –and she followed suit. But for now, as the eldest approached them, no doubt with a slight reprimand on the tip of her tongue for getting dirty, Staria and Luna shared a look.
"On the count of three?"
"Three!"
With a battle cry, they both tackled the oldest to the ground. Celestia let out a yelp as she lost her balance, tumbling down the hill in a tangle of limbs and tickles. A fierce struggle started between the three, each side unwilling to back down until the other gave in –but Celestia was stubborn, Staria determined and Luna playful; it was unlikely it would end anytime soon. At some point during the mock fight, she gave up trying to be the responsible one –and mercilessly retaliated, magic messing manes and tails, creating knots full of twigs and patches of grass and mud. Luna lost her grip on the eldest first, falling on her back on the soft ground, trying to catch her breath. Staria followed not too long after with Celestia, leaving them laying on the grass, out of breath under the afternoon sun. They stayed in comfortable silence, the three of them, staring out at the horizon as the afternoon slowly faded into twilight. Their laughter echoed endlessly on the meadow, among playful banter and teasing. Staria really missed those days where she could forget about duty and just be with her sisters, playing like the fillies they no longer were. No one to judge them, no sun, stars or ponies to take care of –their crowning had yet to come and, with it, the full brunt of their responsibilities.
Eventually, Luna's breathing eased, and her tired eyes closed. She was no longer a filly, not really, but she wasn't a grown mare either; she hadn't the same stamina.
Staria gazed over Luna's sleeping form. She was slowly loosing her filly's forms, growing into a mare. Soon, just like them, Luna would earn her cutie mark, her alicorn wings –and there would be even less games now. They would enter the world of ruling, and bear the duty of protecting the ponies, of taking the best decisions for their kingdom. It was a terrible responsibility, one she wasn't sure she could handle.
"I'm afraid, Tia." Staria confessed suddenly. "Afraid of what the future has in store for us."
Celestia turned around to gaze at her. The eldest looked so calm and confident, so serene…as though she had no worries whatsoever. Staria wished she could more stoic like her –or have Luna's carefree attitude.
"We'll always be sisters no matter what, Star. We'll always be there for each other." She spoke with a solemnity that did not quite reassure her.
"But what if…what if we don't get along?" She worried. "The crown isn't a light burden. Our bond is strong, but…power just might be enough to break it." Celestia chuckled.
"Do you want it to break, Sister?"
"Of course not!"
"Neither do I. " Her smile was as bright as the sun. "And neither does Luna. As long as we know this, we will fight to keep this bond. And as long as we do…it won't break."
Staria didn't reply, pondering over her sister's logic. Was she right? Could they really fight to stay together, if the need arose? Looking at Luna's peaceful face and Tia's confident gaze, she finally felt her fears ease a bit. Yes, she thought. With these two by her side, she would stay strong, and everything would be all right. Even with the weight of the crown resting heavily on their shoulders.
Or so she had hoped, at the time. But none of them could have known of the hardships and the terrible struggles to come –the ones that would succeed in breaking their bond.
XxxX
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