Iridescence spotted her cousin standing by one of the castle balconies, stoically looking over the view of the mountainside city below. With a silent, but deep breath, Irie put on her best smile and stepped forward.“Artemis?” she called tentatively, flinching as she sensed the sudden shift in their emotions. What was once a scent of neutrality became one of caution and slight annoyance. Irie’s confidence plummeted upon sensing this, but she still took another step forward, hoping to ease the tension.“Yes, Iridescence?” Artemis answered, not bothering to turn around. “Is there something you wish to tell me?”“Not really. I just wanted to see how my big cousin was doing,” Irie tried her best to be as casual as possible, her eyes darting around to find a conversation topic, before taking notice of the setting sun. “Waiting for the moon to rise, huh? You know, it’s been a few years since we’ve seen a sunset togethe-”“What do you want, Iridescence?” Artemis coldly interrupted.Irie flinched, taken aback by the sudden question. “W-what do you mean?”“It’s quite apparent that you didn’t come here to make idle banter with me. You might as well tell me your true intentions.“Iridescence looked down with a sigh. For someone that couldn’t sense emotion, Artemis saw right through the facade. “I just… It’s just that we haven’t talked since… that night.“The moment she said those last few words, her senses were hit with a sudden surge of emotions emanating from Artemis. It was difficult to pin down one scent, as they all mixed together into a murky mess that the heiress to the sun hadn’t seen before.“I just want you to know that I’m really sorry for what happened. I blacked out after going without food for so long. I didn’t even know I had attacked you until after I came to.“As Iridescence explained herself, Artemis remained motionless, taking in the explanation before responding. “It took quite a while to hear this from you.”“To be fair, Artie, you didn’t make it particularly easy,” Irie cautiously took a third step, being careful not to push her luck. “You’ve been spending more time on your royal duties than usual and whenever you do have time off, you’re ‘too exhausted to talk.’”“I cannot control the fact that I have responsibilities, cousin.“The princess contemplated what she was about to say, then cleared her throat. “Well, I just can’t help but feel that you’re intentionally avoiding me.“A pause. Iridescence prepared to take a step back, but then Artemis began to speak once more.“Did you perhaps consider that there was a reason for that?“At a loss for words, all Irie could do was stand there, “I… um-”“You said that you blacked out, correct? That you you were unaware of what transpired until after all was said and done?”“Yes…” Irie’s ears folded back, and she gritted her teeth as the emotions began to bubble.“I didn’t get that luxury. I had to lie there and struggle as somepony I was supposed to trust, a fellow royal, attacked me like she was some sort of beast. I wish I could have blacked out at that moment, but I had to live through the entire ordeal. Every moment of it.“The harsh, unfazed tone in their voice only made Irie feel even worse, yet she tried to maintain her composure. “Artie, I promise, it won’t happen again.“Artemis didn’t say anything at first, but after a moment, Irie noticed their shoulders tense as their confused mess of emotions became something more defined.Fear.“How am I supposed to believe that?” They asked.“Because I… you…” she tried to come up with a reason, but realized the reality of the situation. Artemis had no reason to believe her. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I do know that I’m sorry.”“I know you are.”“Can you at least look at me?” The princess pleaded.Artemis’s legs shook for only a moment. “I don’t know if I can.”*****My entry for the Month of Love contest held by Lopoddity. She’s been a big inspiration for my desire to make my own nextgens, and I saw this contest as an opportunity to show some appreciation. I really liked the history she came up with between Iridescence and Artemis, and while my original idea was to have an image where the two successfully reconciled, I felt it would’ve been more realistic and compelling if Artemis wasn’t ready to forgive Iridescence quite yet, even with the knowledge that the latter’s actions weren’t intentional.Lop, if you’re reading this, I hope you liked this piece and that the dialogue wasn’t too cheesy or melodramatic, and thanks for being such an inspiration.Here’s the piece detailing the event for context:  And here’s where the rest of the entries for the contest can be found: lopoddity.deviantart.com/favou…Artemis and Iridescence belong to