Celestia’s ear twitched as she heard it, swallowing the irritated groan she opened a single eye. Her ear twitching as she heard another knock. Why was it that the guards only needed her when she was so tired she couldn’t think straight anyway? She pried her other eye open and got to her hooves, grabbing her crown and haphazardly setting it on her head before opening her door. “Yes? What is it, my loyal Honed Edge?”

The large white pegasus stallion lifted his fore leg in salute. “Princess, we have a problem.”

Celestia blinked, stretching her wings out before folding them back against her sides. “A problem? What sort of problem is it that it can not wait until after I have raised the sun?”

Honed Edge shook his head. “Princess, I think that you should follow me.” He turned and headed down the hall at a brisk trot.

Celestia sighed letting out a small yawn and followed Honed Edge down into the bowels of the palace, a place Celestia hadn’t had the need to visit in over a century. “Honed Edge, why are you leading me into the dungeon? D-did something happen?” She felt herself awaken, hoping that the day of Luna’s’s release had not been marred by something so awful as to need the use of Canterlot’s dungeon.

“It is not what you are thinking. No Princess, though it may in fact be worse.” He came to a stop before a door Celestia had hoped to never see again; the door to Death Row where ponies would stay before execution.

Celestia strode forward. “What is going on here?”

“Your sister is within,” Honed Edge answered quietly. “Once you retired she slipped from her room and broke into the dungeons. I don’t know if she is hurt or…” He trailed off as Celestia slowly approached the door, lifting a hoof to touch it.

Celestia’s horn glowed and she released her held breath. “Luna is unharmed, her magic is holding the door closed. I beg of you leave me here with her. If ponies have need of me, make excuses.”

Celestia smiled gently. As he trotted up the stairs Celestia looked around the hall and shivered before sitting down on her haunches. “So, an interesting place you’ve found to sleep, Luna.”

Silence

“Why did you come down here, Luna? Was it the bed? I know that it’s softer than you are used to.”

Silence.

“Maybe the room? I tried to make it as similar to your old room as I could, though I regret having forgotten much about it. I never went into your room that often.”

Silence.

“I should have... I should have gone into your room more often, even if just to say goodnight or hello. I should have… I should have come in just to spend time with you to laugh to enjoy your company.”

Silence.

“I should have noticed! I should have seen! Oh Luna, I asked you to accept my friendship but that’s not what you need… I mean, yes, I wished to be your friend. I always wished to be!”

Silence.

“Luna, I’m so sorry I never noticed. I’m so very sorry I allowed the limelight to blind me! I never should have allowed being Princess to come between us. We were always meant to rule together and I swear that is what we will do! No more of my ruling the day and sleeping at night and you ruling the night and sleeping in the day. Please, Luna... Please rule beside me always. I want you with me, Luna. Today, tomorrow and for the rest of our lives, no matter how long that may be. Please? Come out, Luna?”

Silence.

Celestia’s ears pinned back as tears slowly began dripping from her eyes. “...Lulu, I love you.”

Click. The door slowly opened, revealing Luna. Her eyes red, the fur under her eyes wet from tears. “Y-you mean that, Tia? Everything you said?”

Celestia nodded eagerly. “Every word, Luna. Every single one... Please, you have no reason to stay in this dungeon. In fact, I pray you will never even need to set hoof down here again.”

Luna rubbed up against Celestia’s side. “Let’s go back to our room… I’m tired, Tia.”

Celestia smiled, wrapping Luna in her wing. Having her little sister beside her in the same room was a dream come true. “Yes, Lulu. Let’s go to bed.”