[SOLO] Light of Guidance [Finished]

[Daisicle]

Celestia sat in her room, her tea set perfectly arranged as if there might be another coming to join her, even if she very well understood there would be none. How many weeks had it been; how long had it taken for her to progressively become like this? It had been slow, gradual, each further step of isolation hardly noticeable from the previous.

At first, it had just been the constant nightmares awaking her in the middle of the night covered in a film of sweat and her heart racing. It developed into a growing fear, not just for her own safety, but for the safety of each faun she passed, any mention of the blood pae causing her heart to race. This became a paranoia, her thoughts more and more becoming consumed by thoughts of what would happen, when would the blood pae reappear, what would they do to hurt them this time?

When the nightmares began to spill into her real life, when she began to see the horrors of war plaguing each and every faun she passed...

That was when she closed herself in.

By now, it was just her thoughts that keeping her company; it had been solely her thoughts for some time now. How long? She had forgotten some time ago. If she stayed away from others, surely, with time, they would just leave her be, and the princess could try and return to a normal life. Nobody had to know about it, she didn't need to worry them. It was not a problem.

"Whatever am I to do with you?" the familiar, condescending tone echoed from the side of the table opposite of the princess. "You strain my patience, princess. While you have at last rid yourself of that baggage of a binding, you have unnecessarily weighed yourself down yet again." There was a sign before the light came into sight.

"Really, princess, why must you act so ignorantly so often? You know I cannot teach you of your power when you act as a child."

Calmly reaching to take her cup of tea, the princess brought it to her lips and look a drink before addressing the melon. "Afternoon Clairvoyance. Are you here to join me in tea?"

"Lady Clairvoyance to you. Must you always be so rude?"

The princess sighed. "Lady" there was an unnecessary amount of emphasis on the honorific "Clairvoyance. What is your reason for blessing me with your presence?" There was a clear tone of sarcasm lacing her words. After all, the damn thing only seemed to appear to mock and manipulate her, and she was growing tired of it. Perhaps if she was a bit friendlier, more useful... Perhaps they could have been friends.

The ball was silent before shaking back and forth, as if it were a head shaking in disappointment. "It seems you misunderstand my intentions." A sigh of her own. "Not that you have a right to the knowledge of them. Due to your action... or perhaps inaction... you haven't a right to most knowledge. To your title. To your power."

With a light shrug, the princess set her cup on the table. "If that is all, then why are you here?"

Another sigh. "It is a shame that you should be your calmest only by detaching yourself from reality. While this is a necessary skill when making decisions, it leaves one cold. A princess must always be empathetic to her people and engage in their lives." It came closer, mere inches from Celestia's face. "What has happened in the tree as of late?

If you can answer this, I shall leave you to your isolation. When you fail, as you will, this pride of yours will again bend to my will."  

[Daisicle]

What had been happening in the tree? Had there been anything of particular importance? Surely, even in here, she would have been aware of anything. Perhaps this light was just trying to play tricks with her mind, to make her second guess herself? To doubt her own resolve to wait thought the troubles alone?

No... She never did seem to appear without a reason, did she? Surely there must be something, anything? No, there wasn't...

"So... what is your answer, my princess?"

Biting her lip only slightly, Celestia looked away to word her response before looking back. "There has been nothing so particularly important that it is worth mentioning. The days have been as the past were, nothing more nor less."

She smiled lightly, hoping her answer would be enough to pacify the mellon.

There was a pause. A long pause before the light spoke again. "I suppose, in a sense, and for most, your answer would be correct." Another pause. "Though, for you in particular, it is strange you should say nothing of importance has happened. That a change in your family is not worth noting."

"What do you mean...?" The princess tilted her head, thoroughly confused.

"Oh, you really are cruel to speak like that. You really have been unaware, have you not? You niece Cadance, her husband Shining Armor. They have given birth to three little ones; quite cute, really." A small pause before she continued, a strange cheeriness in her voice. "But, remember, it is nothing important, as you said yourself. Simply the same as the tree has been."

The princess blinked, slowly looking down to her hand. Her voice was quiet. "I was unaware they were even expecting..."  

[Daisicle]

"Is that so, princess? It appears I was right; you are much too detached for your own good. Whether you wish it or not, this must be remedied at once before it becomes a permanent aspect of your personality." Floating beside her, the ball moved as if to pat Celestia on the shoulder. "Fret not, my subject. I come with more than empty words. I, perhaps, have a solution to remedy this issue."

The princess's eyes remained in place, her voice a similar softness as her mellon continued on in its speech. "What is it you speak of?" Not knowing of her family, the most precious thing to her, had been a devastating blow to her resistance and her confidence. Even pleading for forgiveness could do nothing in such a situation, she understood this. Clairvoyance was right, her mind was tainted and she hadn't a right to call herself a leader in any sense of the word at this moment. She just couldn't get a break; the mistakes simply piled on top of one another over and over.

The tone of the light seemed thrilled that Celestia was feeling more compliant now. It may have been a harsh way to get things done, but it was the reality of the situation. "Good girl." It praised, flying to catch her eyes. "There are a number of fairies organizing a hike through the Loka Nei Jungle. Fresh air and an adventure should help to put your mind back in its correct sense" One would hope, anyways.

And if Clairvoyance understood those fairies well enough... Oh, it wouldn't be a simple hike. Not that she was going to tell the princess that. "Now, Celestia. Have we an agreement, a promise, that you will attend this. It really is for your own good."

Without speaking another work, the princess simply nodded and moved her hand to take another sip of her now-lukewarm tea.

"Good. Well, that was all I needed to discuss with you this day. Until I am needed next, princess."

With that, the light vanished, leaving Celestia to herself and her thoughts once again. She would attend this retreat, she would beat these nightmares, and she would regain her composure once more. If she could do that, then maybe she could regain the right to call herself a princess once again.