The night sky had hardly a cloud in the sky, the silver glow of the moon free to brighten the earth below.The city of Everfree, home of the Castle of the two sisters. Considered the most beautiful city in the world, a loving tribute to the two ruling sisters. Buildings made to please the eye with gleaming alabaster and dark obsidian. Designed by pegasus architects, supplied by unicorn mages and shaped by earth pony builders. It was a unique city that shared so much features between the three tribes making it different from all that has come before. It was a proud city, it deserved it.
The light of the moon was bright enough that one was able to walk the streets without aid of a lantern. The streets were empty though, no one wanted to be out tonight. There was fear in the air. There was a nervousness that haven’t been felt by ponies ever since the three tribe’s union.
here was one lone traveler tonight though, a lone robed form, with her dark mane one could see the alicorn for who she was. Despite the wind remaining still for this solemn moment her mane continued to wave. The stars sprinkled in her mane a dim mirror of the sky above. She finds herself before a pristine headstone. It is to be a temporary marker until a statue could be sculpted for the one resting here. One could still draw in the scent of freshly turned earth, a reminder that the one beneath only died a week before.
There was silence for the alicorn didn’t want to disturb what little peace remained these recent nights. With a quiet whisper escapes her muzzle she finally breaks the still air, her voice muffled with emotional turmoil, “Why? Why did you do it?” It was the first thing she could think of to say.
Her eyes close shut, she can still see it... she could still hear all so clearly. The thoughts making her shudder with tremors of the past fear. Her memories were jumbled, it all happened so fast but she cannot forget she would never forget what happened after he... She could hear his words but not the content. What did he say to her?
The princess continued silently, “Why did you make such a sacrifice?” She could only ask such questions. She hated whenever one of her guard died fighting for her cause. But this was the first time in her many years she has had one die so unnaturally before her, right in her court before so many ponies... so openly.
Her memories continue to flood her mind with sound and images. Despite being echos they were so bright and crisp. She could see the sharp contrast of red on black. She could hear the courtiers screams around her, the stallions and mares both. The youngsters who were so proud to have been able to stand with their parents before the princess of night. But what disturbs her the most was the surprisingly quiet sound of a knife penetrating flesh... a gurgle.
Luna drops herself so heavily upon her knees, a single hoof touching the cold stone before her. She could no longer keep herself standing, she never felt so helpless. Never before has she felt so utterly hopeless. “Was I worth it? Did you need to die for me my knight? Why did you leave me alone? The night cries for your return, why did you have to go?”
She could picture clearly the muscular unicorn that now rests beneath her in the ground. She remembered his stature, he was strong for a unicorn. He could even best a few of the earth pony guards in terms of unaided strength. Such memories bring a fast fading smile to her lips. She was to remember the good things about him, the stories the feelings but she can only think of what she has now lost forever. She could still picture his eyes locked on that assassin with determination, it was the last thing he saw.
“Your eyes were once very kind, full of life. I shall never look upon them again... Will I..Will I ever remember them that way again?” the princess shuddered once again for fear she would never recall that warm gaze again. Feeling her body chill she had pulled her robes around her tightly, a hood hiding her from the world. Allowing her tears stain her cheeks unheeded.
She can remember the assassin so well even though it was over so quick.She could recall his eyes as well, they were full of desire and hate. They were full of a certain dark joy. He wanted to hurt her, he wanted more than that he wanted to truly kill her. He was an earth pony of no traits of note, perfectly average other than those eyes of his. On his wrist there was a blade designed to remain concealed until the last moment. His courtly garb at the time favored long billowy sleeves and cloaks it was easy for such a device to be smuggled in. Besides it was a time of peace, why would anyone want to kill her or her sister?
Her mind then turned to that dagger. A blade that was infused with dark spells of death even her own shadow casters would never dare use. An edge coated with the deadliest poison known to the earth pony herbalists. A killing knife that could only be made by the most skillful of pegasi weapon-smiths that hint of a rainbow-like sheen telling her such. It was designed for one thing killing, the spells making it impossible to heal one struck by the blade. The poison making even a glancing blow a mortal one.The construction making it able to pierce the toughest of protections. She could remember that it had golden highlights, the flat of the blade etched with a stylized sun. It was more than enough to kill an Alicorn like her. Her cherished guard would never... could never survive from it. It had a name, the captured of conspirators shared the knowledge before they took their own lives, “The Nightmare’s Bane.”
Once more Luna’s words are whispered at a chilling revelation, “Am I a nightmare to them? Do they forget the sweet dreams to them and only remember the bad? To them am I only a bringer of darkness? Does my night, my soul not bring them comfort and rest anymore? Should my night be banished?”
Her mind had flashed forward, to when the assassin was captured. The blade surrounded by a magical shield as to make it impossible to be used once more by him. She had remembered the words from him, his utterance of his pride for his attempt on her life. He was disappointed in his failure to do so. He called her many things, he cursed her name in ways even she didn't know about. She could still feel the ghost like sensations of his spittle. The stallion was clearly mad with his passionate rage of her. What did she do to him? He said that the dreams she gives are all false that only the sun could enlighten one’s path. He said that she led ponies astray from the true light.
Luna could remember her sister’s horrified look on Celestia’s face when she had ordered his mind to be arcanely ripped open, one procedure that has been illegal for centuries. It took hours for unicorns to tear into his mind and find his memories of his goals, his plans and most importantly his conspirators.The unicorn guards were not gentle since he had killed one of their own, but to her it was far more than he deserved. He was made into a husk of a pony, he still breathed but in reality he was as dead as her guard. She made sure to keep him alive there would be no rest for such a stallion. As she stared on she knew it was wrong, but was worth it to see the guilty punished.
“It was worth it, right?” Luna breathes silently to herself, her unsurety so clear.
She had found out that the assassin was from a solar cult that worshiped the sun and the sun alone. Was Celestia protecting them? She had found out that they believed her to be a demon to be destroyed so they may ‘save’ Celestia from her falsehoods. Why was she so hated?
Her sister had yelled at her, but those words went upon deaf ears. Telling her how she should let the rest of the Royal Guard complete the investigation. How revenge will never satisfy her need for closure. She was told to mourn and let her guard to rest, to let his memory fade in time. To Luna it seemed far too easy for her sister to say such words since such conspirators wore her mark.
“What was she hiding?” her own words belaying suspicion, why was a solar cultist targeting her? Her thoughts wondering if Celestia herself was involved in the plot on her life. “Maybe she doesn’t want the guilty ones found.” Her tone growing from pained to harsh. “She is known to pull the strings... Did she guide them?” The dawning thought hit her, that must be it. Her sister was always loved far more by all the ponies. She was always second fiddle. She must have thought to finally take it all for herself. A quiet growl comes from the dark mare, “Two can play that game, my sister. But I will not send another in my place.”
The alicorn turned herself away from the grave stone. “She should answer me... why did he have to die? She caused this I know it. Ponies love her day so much that they would try to kill me so that they may bask in her light all the time. Eternal daylight... No my sister the night will last forever after you’re gone.” One last look over her shoulder she uttered a final prayer towards the cold earth embracing her former sentinel, “Dream well... my beloved.”
The lunar mare’s robe hiding the fact with every step her coat darkens further, turning as black as the void between the stars. Her moon above dimming. One by one her stars disappear from view soon leaving the moon alone in the sky as she was in her heart. If those sun-loving foals believed her a nightmare perhaps she should give them what they desire. She has a sister to talk to.
Luna’s most trusted protector leaned from his traditional pose at her side over towards her. His voice deep but so full of joy as he whispers to her, “My princess, I have something to ask you. If I may beg your indulgence in my interrupting of court.”
“You know you may ask me anything my dearest sentinel. You only have to ask and it will be yours if I can give it.” Her laughter and voice just as bright as his. She can clearly see now that stallion moving in front of her, lowering onto his knees. She could see in his magical aura a small box clenched so tightly in his arcane grasp, she could so easily tell the nervousness he felt before her.
“Then I shall ask the impossible, for you have always been in my dreams. Princess Luna, the moon has chosen you to guide its path. But my own selfish desire is to have you for myself though I could only ever hope one to share the night in company.” A glint of golden metal. Movement at the edge of her vision.
“Princess Luna, will you ma...” The box opens slowly, revealing another glint of metal. This one a platinum hue.
The strike was so quick She didn’t even have time to shield herself.. her guard should not of even been able to block such a blow but there was smoke and a very audible pop... All could see was the body of the guard between her and the blade. He teleported... He killed himself for her. It was all over, a dream cut short.
On a hill overlooking the darkened ruins of a ruined city, still pristine even after such a battle and millennia of time. It’s epithet to this day could be clearly read.
Here lies Sentinelle Briller
Beloved royal guard
May your eternal rest be full of dreams
