The true heir

“Why will you not go to her and tell her you will accept? You know it is what you want, Taira. You know it is your destiny. Everyone knows.” Hikary told her sister while the sun rapidly set in the west. It was already a week ago, the funeral, and afterwards, Regina’s silent request.
“How can I, Rain! You see how they look at you, how they look at me. We are here because Regina wants us to be, not because the others accept us!” Taira snapped.

The Friendship Lands… Hikary slowly began to appreciate it’s beauty. It was so quiet, so hidden, and yet so alive. Fall was here already, but still some young green appeared among the dead grass. She and her sister were walking along the small river Ima, enjoying the evening. Hikary had spent the day helping her younger sisters with various chores, but Taira had done nothing but think and dream.

She used to do that, too, before the funeral… but her conversation with Ivy changed everything. It made her realize she had done things wrong. Even though it had been because he had sealed her and she was under his influence, but she had still done it. And she had to make things right, even if it was not her fault. She could not live here peacefully if she did not.

“I know, Taira. But they will never respect you if you run away from your duty, your destiny. Besides, Regina asked you to. She is the queen, everyone will accept her choice. You were born to become a queen, Taira.” Hikary said.
 She was not surprised when she heard Regina wanted Taira as her heir. After all, now that she had regained the lost parts of her memory, why would Taira not be her heir? But Taira had refused, saying she had lots of things to think about before she could give her a final answer.

“Maybe I was born for this, Rain. But it is not enough, not after everything that happened! What kind of queen would I be if I would simply walk in and take over? Maybe, if nothing had ever happened, being our mother’s eldest daughter would have been enough. But no more. Too much has happened. I cannot become queen if the ponies of this country do not want me to be.”

“But I think they will accept you. The elder ponies, it is already confirmed their memories are restored as well. They remember you, they will not have any trouble accepting you.” Hikary explained while they walked along the dead grass.
“No, they remember. But what about everyone that was not yet born back then? They do not know me, they have never even heard of me. And I do not want to become queen unless everyone wants me to be. I will… I want to show them I am indeed right for this task, before I accept. I want to prove that I am who I am born to be.”

Hikary sighed. It seemed so useless, but she also sensed Taira was very serious about this. And somewhere she did understand. She, too, was a stranger, and everyone seemed to avoid them, except for Twinkle Star who seemed eager to talk. She wanted to know so much… Like that morning, when Twinkle Star asked for the stone that she had stolen. Indeed Twinkle Star had guessed correctly, as it had been her who had taken the stone from the castle a year ago. She had to disappoint her, though, as she had no clue on the recent whereabouts of the stone. She had delivered it to Aras, and she had never seen it again.

“I understand, Taira. But if that is what you think is best, then you should go and explain that to Regina… mother. She deserves to know where you stand, and what you need.” Said Hikary. Her sister nodded gravely.
 “Yes. That would be best. I guess I will tell her.” Hikary was glad that Taira had reached a decision.
Well, that wasn’t true… Taira had known all along what she wanted to do, she had simply been unsure whether she should tell it at once or not.

“Mother… Queen.” Taira bowed slightly before she approached Regina who was sitting on her throne.
“Taira, please, do come in.” Regina greeted her. Her mother looked relieved indeed to see her. Well, Taira could not deny that she did not enjoy being in her mother’s presence. It was just so awkward, and she usually did not know what to say. But she was here with a message now.

The throne room was lit only by a few candles, which made it cozy, but the long, moving shadows that the tiny flames were creating were also uncomforting. Regina put away the letter she was writing. Everything was silent and peaceful, but so unlike the memories she used to have. Her mother seemed so out of place in this small room.

“May I ask for the reason of your visit?” Regina asked kindly.
“I… Regarding the question you asked me, I have found my answer.” Taira answered officially. There were serious subjects, and they should be treated as such.
“Ah… Well, please, let me know what your decision is, then.” Regina said.

“I do want to become your heir, but only on two conditions. First, I want to prove myself worthy. I know you have said I have already done that by defeating Aras, but that is not enough for me. I want to prove those that do not know me that I am worthy of being their queen, not for who I was born to be but for who I am. Second, there are some things I have to do, before I can take that position. There is someone I have to find.”
Taira’s heart began to beat faster by the mentioning of that person. She still did not know who it was… but her emotions were enough.

“I understand. Taira, I do accept your conditions. I think it is very wise of you that you do not only seek my approval, which you already received, but also that of those you wish to rule one day. As for this person you wish to find… May I ask who he or she is?”
 “I…” How should she answer this? She did not even know herself yet. “It is someone from my past who is very important to me. I cannot live in peace until I have found that person. And sooner or later, that memory will be restored to me, too.”

Regina smiled. “I know it will. I have faith in you, Taira. And I will do all in my power to help you.” Taira smiled now, too. She remembered, her mother’s beautiful smile. The joy of being with her mother, of learning from her, of spending the entire evening outside listening to her stories… A spark of a memory lightened up inside her. One of those stories… it concerned her, had it not?

“Mother… May I ask you one question?” She asked.
“But of course. What is it?”
“When I was small… You used to take me outside, and you would talk, and tell me about the country until I fell asleep. One of those stories… What was the prophecy that foretold my birth?” Taira remembered Regina had already mentioned this on the battlefield. Thankfully, she began to smile when Taira mentioned it.

“Prophecies… They used to be a rather common thing back in the old lands, though most of them were made by fakes, and held no value at all. Yet some, born in our family, possessed that special gift. My grandmother was one of those ponies. The night you were born, Taira… I was not supposed to become queen. My sister Campestre was my mother’s heir. Until you were born and everyone felt your strength. My grandmother had predicted, when she had given birth to my mother, that one of my mother’s children would give birth to the child that was the true heir, the strongest queen, the one that would restore the country to former glory and the one that would protect everyone against the greatest danger we would ever have to face.

There was no doubt, when you were born, that you were that pony. This made me my mother’s heir, instead of Campestre. But because he took you away, you could not guide the ponies away from the danger of the eruption. And I forgot, and everyone thought Campestre had gone crazy, and that that was the reason I became my mother’s heir. Not long after Stelline was born… and named heir. But she was never born to be queen.”

So… her birth was foretold by her great grandmother. And she would restore the country… But there was no chance for that now, was there? Everything was destroyed. All that was left for her to do was to rule those who had survived as best as she could. But if that was all, she would give everything to do so. If she truly was the true heir, she would do anything in her heart to live up to that name.

When Regina noticed Taira would not respond, she began to talk again.
“Taira… there is that other thing I wish to discuss with you.” Regina got off her throne and slowly walked to the window, where she stared at the sky that had returned to its nightly blue. The stars… Taira felt it every night. They were fading, dying. But she had no explanation for it. She did not even know exactly how she felt it, because she could not see it with her naked eye.

“I still have no clue. I feel it. Every single night, I feel it. It’s not going fast, I can tell that. But they will fade, if nothing changes. The stars will die eventually. And when they do… I’m afraid we are next.” Regina sighed and shook her head.
“I feel it too, Taira. And I think there is a very good reason why we are the only ones that feel it. Only we… are connected to that crown. And that crown is connected to the heavens. I’m afraid something went horribly wrong when you defeated Aras.”

“You think I should not have done so?” Taira asked. Regina shook her head.
“Of course you should have done so. If he had succeeded it would have only been worse. But I think… he was the last guardian, after all. And now he is gone as well. What are the consequences?” Taira wished to reply but before she could even start she was interrupted by someone who entered the throne room, without even knocking.

Taira recognized the girl as Aline, the one who had lost her child and husband. The poor girl still looked so pale and upset. She did not dare to think that she was partially responsible for the girl’s suffering, for it was a thought she was unable to bear.
“My queen, my lady…” Aline whispered when she was in the middle of the room, and she bowed slightly.

“My, Aline… How are you?” Regina asked politely.
“My queen, I have a question.” Aline answered instead. She seemed so angry… Was it because of her and Hikary? She would have every right to be upset.
“But of course, Aline. What is it?” Regina answered. She was obviously startled by Aline’s behavior, but she tried to remain calm.

“Why is Câlin still in the castle?” Aline asked. This, Taira had not expected. “I am sorry?” Regina asked, also at least surprised.
“You heard me. Câlin. The girl who killed Junai and my baby.”
“Well, Aline… You have been told what happened, right? Everything happened because Aras wanted it. Junai was defending Fleur and Ivy and…”
“STOP TALKING NONSENSE!” Aline screamed, making Taira almost jump up.

“You KNOW it is not so! Taira and Hikary, they were sealed, they did not know, but Câlin did! She is his daughter, and she went to him on her own! She brought the crown to him on her own! Nobody sealed her! And she is the one that killed my husband and my child, and she is still here!”
Not even Taira could deny the truth of Aline’s words. Câlin… the child of Aras and Illuvia. She had joined them on her own. He never even touched her.

“What would you have me do, Aline? I cannot punish her for who her parents are.” Regina sighed.
“No. But you can punish her for murdering Junai on her own free will. My queen Regina, I hereby officially request you to punish Câlin for what she did.”