Canterlot Royal Gardens
Eight Hours Into Eternal Night
Twilight
It was by far the worst tea Twilight had ever had.
In truth, it wasn't the tea itself that was ruining a normally welcome part of her routine.
It was the mare she was having it with.
Twilight was sitting on a plush blue cushion in the Royal Gardens uncomfortably, her posture stiff. There sitting innocently in front of her was a small glass table with a warm pot of tea along with two saucers and their accompanying tea cups. There was also a plate of her favorite cookies, chocolate chip fresh from the royal kitchens.
The gardens were beautiful as always, even at night. Princess Celestia always made sure that her gardens were alive at night as well as during the day, teeming with both diurnal and nocturnal flora and fauna. There were statues of various things Celestia had wanted immortalized in her garden for visitors to see. Great sculptures representing victory, harmony, happiness as well as odd ones such as the mismatched chimaera were lined up along the walkways of the garden.
In the past when Twilight went stargazing, the gardens were her favorite spot. Sometimes even the princess would join her, though Twilight realized after a couple of these impromptu get-togethers that Celestia was uncomfortable discussing the stars and the phases of the moon with her. It was very subtle and Twilight one day discovered Celestia's disquiet and had never broached the subject as to why Celestia was uneasy with astronomy.
She had always wondered why.
The answer was probably sitting across from her.
Nightmare Moon was also reclining on a dark blue cushion, although hers was much larger. She had actually removed that accursed helmet and placed it on the ground next to her, her normally billowy mane seeming to calm down to match the gentle waviness Twilight usually associated with Celestia's mane.
Although Nightmare Moon seemed to be attempting to appear less intimidating, her change in decorum didn't alter the effects of the midnight fur, the dagger-like teeth, the feathery bat-wings, and the teal draconic eyes.
"Do you want some tea Twilight?"
Why? Is it poisoned?
"No thank you, tea doesn't agree with me." Twilight lied, her voice clipped and short.
"Really?" Nightmare asked, looking skeptically at Twilight. "That's not what the castle staff told me. They also said that these cookies are your favorite."
Fiddle-Sticks
"Well...I usually don't drink tea this time of night." Twilight amended, enunciating the starlit skies above them.
Nightmare raised an eyebrow but she smiled in defiance of Twilight's non-too subtle remark.
"Oh, that's right, you're usually stargazing." The lunar alicorn zinged back at her.
Double Fiddle-Sticks
Feeling like the conversation was becoming too much like a tennis match. Twilight glared back at Nightmare and put on a wary expression, attempting to steer the discussion into perhaps more useful territory.
"Why am I here Nightmare Moon? Why the wings? Why am I not with my friends? What do you want from me?" Twilight demanded of the larger mare, lifting her head in question to stare into Nightmare's eyes.
Nightmare continued smiling smugly, like she had predicted that Twilight would change the subject and ask those very questions. She took a little sip of tea before placing her cup back down on the table with her indigo magic.
YOU ARE READING
Heir of the Nightmare
FanfictionA thousand years ago, Princess Celestia banished her sister to the moon, that much we know. What wasn't known, and what Celestia kept secret was that before her banishment, Luna had given birth to a foal. Now a thousand years later, as Nightmare ret...
