The lunar princess knew many things. She knew pain, loneliness, disseat, redemption, and reclamation. She ruled over the night, much like her sister ruled over the day. The princess of the night also knew that she was unappreciated, as the ponies would frolic in the day, only to shun her beautiful night. She once grew jealous over this fact, and was banished to her moon by the only family she had. After a millennia passed, she had returned, once again her night being neglected. How she longed for a companion to relish in the night with her. Little did she know, she would find that pony who loved her night just as much as she did.
Luna had once again raised the moon to usher in another night over Equestria. To her it seemed such a mundane task; her sister on the other hand adored her job of raising the sun, just as all of Equestria did. Jealousy, that word was not new to Luna; she had experienced it before, and suffered her consequences in return. It was in the past now, but to her the memory was still as clear as a starless night. Night after night, the ponies would shun the resplendent blanket of stars just sitting outside of their doors. Luna just wanted a pony who could share her night with. She put the thought past her as she traveled to a familiar hill (familiar to her at least), just outside of Canterlot. She was often there alone, but tonight was quite different. As she slowly trotted toward the hill, she noticed what looked like the shape of a pony. She decided to investigate.
She crept closer, attempting to get a good look at what was on the hill without scaring whoever or whatever was there. She clearly wasn’t quiet enough, since as she got closer, the form heard her and posed a question.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” The form said in a masculine voice. Luna listened attentively and could only respond with “What is? If I may ask?” She grew closer as she now could identify the form as a stallion, one she had never seen before.
“You. Me. Our meeting on this ever so fateful night. Amongst the cosmic dance of the universe, we happen to meet at this very precise moment. It is a thing of rare beauty, I tell you.” The stallion answered Luna, who was taken by complete surprise at this moment. ‘Could this be the pony that I had been waiting for?’ the lunar princess thought. ‘I will see where the conversation goes, and think from there’.
“That it is. Our meeting under this vast, dark sky only lit by the few stars gracing the dark blanket. Beauty is an understatement, and unfortunately, no word could do it justice.” Luna replied to the stallion, a tone of sadness near the end. She herself could never find a word to properly describe her night, one day possibly giving her the right one.
“Nay, words are limited to the nature of ponies. How preposterous of us, ponies, to assume our limited comprehension could ever hope to fathom the true glory of such a momentous occasion? No, words would only hinder us, I say.” The stallion said with the utmost passion in his wording. Luna was amazed with how the pony in front of her was praising her night and their meeting. She was now picking her words carefully just to match the pure intellect and passion the pony had just released.
“It is true to say that. Our words mean nothing in our world. We often find ourselves at a loss for words due to their lack of meaning. Maybe one day, someone great will ponder the same, and maybe one day, someone greater will find those words.” Luna said. The words she spoke were of truth. Nopony truly understood how little our words meant, as they would just throw them around, having not a clue what they meant or made other ponies feel. Words, just grouped letters to be used at any given moment without any thought. Luna and the stallion sat in silence as she waited for response.
“Or maybe we shall find freedom to ourselves from the shackles of words? Perhaps on day, ponies will be able to meet eye to eye and, with a mere glance, share thoughts and feelings beyond our wildest dreams. Alas, it is but wishful thinking, until such time arrives, we have little choice but to resign ourselves to the tyrannical rule of semantics.” The stallion preached. ‘What he is saying is pure fantasy, but coming from him, it sounds as if we live in his possibly reality’ Luna thought to herself. The princess of the night used to fantasize of many things. Ponies admiring her night, herself, finally being treated as equal on the throne. Those were foal’s dreams, but with him there was no limit to the imagination, as if anything could be done.
“Oh the semantics that hinders us so! When we come to that day when we are no longer oppressed, I hope to find the one being able to comprehend the beauty of the majestic night laid before us. Whether near or far, boundaries and obstacles will be unnoticed as we revel in the night. And I believe I have found that one, and that would be you.” Luna expressed. She knew from the stallion’s very view of things that he was that one who she could share the night with. She only hoped that he would join her.
“I knew from the very moment you began to converse with me that you were the one to offer a true comprehension of my sentiment on this matter. You would also be the one to search for once that day comes. But why wait? We can enjoy this night and many others together under the stars.” The stallion responded. Luna’s heart almost leapt out of her as she heard those words. ‘A pony to revel in the night with me? It almost sounds impossible.’ Luna thought. But now she knew there was somepony to share the night with, one that could love the night as much as her.
She moved up to lie next to the stallion, who at closer look was as pitch-black as the night sky.
The two lay there in silence for hours, just taking in the breathtakingly wondrous view in front of them. How long had she waited? She no longer cared, as her mind filled with joyous thoughts. She finally felt appreciated for what she does. She could have stayed in this moment for an eternity, but as most know, all good things must come to an end.
Luna and the stallion had fallen asleep later into the night. They awoke in the early hours of the morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise. As they both rose off their haunches, Luna could finally see more details in the stallion. His pitch-black coat, charcoal grey mane and tail, navy blue eyes, and star cutie mark. The stallion also had just fond out who he had just spent the night with, which he met with a nonchalant expression.
“Good morning to you, princess. I hope you slept well.” The stallion said with utmost respect. He hadn’t known who exactly he was with during the night, but he was glad it had been a pony who could love the night just as he did.
“Good morning to you too. I did sleep well, thank you. Last night under the stars was wondrous, and I hope for us to meet again.” Luna replied to the stallion. She had an amazing night! She had made a new friend, and finally knew that she was appreciated for what she does. What else could an alicorn princess ask for?
“Yes, I do hope for us to do this again. I’m often here during the nights, so it won’t be hard to find me. Until we meet again, princess.” The stallion said as we starting to leave. He truly hoped to meet with Luna again, as he loved the night just as she did. Just as he began to see Luna less and less in his sight, she asked.
“What is your name, good sir? I did not get one when we met last night.” Luna asked just as the stallion moved to the base of the hill.
“My name is Orion, just like the constellation. You just have to look at it and it will remind you of me.” Orion answered Luna. He was heading back to the city of Canterlot now, but he knew this would not be their last meeting.
And it truly wasn’t. Every night after Luna raised the moon, she would meet Orion in the familiar hill and spend the night wrapped under the blanket of stars. They would converse for hours on end about anything that came to mind. Luna and Orion had found friendship in one another and they wouldn’t trade it for all of Equestria. Luna now knew of her beautiful night.
The End
Author's Note
Thank you for reading this. Once again this entire story was the spawn of a conversation I had with someone. It might have also been inspired by the song Beautiful Night by Evening Star https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQcjMDl8GWg
Have a great night,
OTN
