"Princess Luna?" Dark asked his beloved Princess, no...his beloved marefriend. Luna gave him a peculiar look, when suddenly she saw Dark holding a tiny box. She teared up knowing exactly where this was going. Her eyes pleaded with him to say those words\ and she didn't have to wait long, "Will you marry me?"
Luna slowly said with tears of joy "Yes"
Dark Sidewinder has replayed that moment of his life over and over again for the past month as the two prepared for the wedding. It was hectic to say the least. They hired Pinkie Pie to be their wedding planner because she did such a good job with Cranky and Matilda, and she was...enthusiastic to put it lightly. It drove Dark a little nuts, but he figured it was worth it. After all he's going to be married to the mare of his dreams, and that's all that matters. Though he really shouldn't have said he would help Pinkie out. She takes this really seriously and it drove him to exhaustion at points.
Luna, in the meantime, was busy with wedding preparations of her own. She was in Ponyville with her sister in Rarity's boutique. The elegant pony was overjoyed when Dark suggested Luna to her....though truth be told Luna was already thinking about that after the beautiful dress that she made for her at the Ball of the Alliance. However, what Luna didn't know, and what Celestia did, was how passionate Rarity was about her work. They have tried on fourteen different dresses, and Rarity still wasn't satisfied. Rarity had trotted out deciding to give Luna a little break while she gathered more supplies.
Celestia couldn't help but laugh as Dark was dragging his hooves on the ground walking in. She mocked him gently, winking as she did so Dark and said "It's bad luck to see a mare in her dress on the day before her wedding"
Dark looked at Luna who looked so tired as well and the two sat next to each other, Dark responded by "I can't feel my hooves"
"If I ever see another dress again it'll be to soon" Luna complained quietly. She looked at Dark and smiled nuzzling next to him "Totally worth it more"
Dark nuzzled her back "Yeah, I can't wait."
Celestia smiled and commented "You two are so adorable it's actually getting slightly revolting" She then noticed Dark and Luna glaring "Oh I'm teasing,"
Luna sighed and said "Yeah I guess" then gazed at Dark and smiled "We're gonna be together forever..."
"Till death due us part" Dark said with a smile.
Luna paled at that as a thought filled her head as she said "What?"
"The wedding saying, the vows always end with "Till Death due us Part" Dark eyes widened as Luna grew shaky.. "Luna, are you okay?"
"Till Death..." Luna said quietly "Dark, I can't die!" Dark blanched as now he and Luna were sharing the same grim reality.
They had never really thought about this before for obvious reasons. Eternal beings like alicorns weren't all that common. In fact, there are only four. Luna and Dark were far too busy being happy for each other, allowing their relationship to grow and prosper, that they never even considered the little fact that Luna was immortal. Until now, it hadn’t mattered to them. However, now, it was all they could think about.
Luna paused as she and Dark shared a linked vision of Dark lying on his death bed, Luna weeping as he shuffles from his mortal coil. Did a wedding mean anything if this was all they had to look forward to?
Suddenly Celestia said "Hey! You two! Look at me" Celestia's head bowed in coerncer as Dark and Luna looked at the wise off-white alicorn and she said "I was afraid of this" She said "Yes, Dark is gonna die, and Luna you are going to outlive him." Luna opened her mouth panicked but Celestia said "But that doesn't matter! That won't happen for a very...very long time"
Luna flattened her ears over her head. "Easy for you to say, sister of mine. I've been stuck on the moon for a thousand years! This is the first time I've felt something like this for anypony, I...I don't..." Dark held her, despite his own worries, and Luna released a howl. “He's going to die!"
"Not for a very long time,” Celestia once again reassured. She bit her lip. "You and I haven't talked that much since you’ve come back, have we?" she said softly. Luna paused as she realised that no...no they really hadn’t. "Well, then I don't have to worry about telling you this tale. A tale about someone I will always remember, " She gazed down at Dark with a smile "A tale about my own biggest fan that grew into someone I loved very much." She smiled and said "A tale of a stallion, known only as, Charming Heart.” Her eyes closed as her ancient memories began to surface.
Celestia smiled and began her tale* "It was nine hundred years ago, and Luna's banishing was really getting to me. Day after day I thought to myself, how could I do that? I banished my only sister to the moon. I searched for days on end, losing sleep, trying to find a way to free Luna from her eternal prison, when I couldn't.
All hope was lost. I feel into a noticeable depression. I’d tried every single method I could to free her, but nothing worked. One night I was alone in my chambers, staring at the moon, when I saw a figure scaling the castle walls. Curiosity overwhelmed me…I had to investigate. This…figure…managed to avoid all the guards in the castle grounds? Truly, this would have to be a diabolical villain that would dare to hurt my little ponies.
What I saw instead however, surprised me. It was one of my little ponies, a grey unicorn with a red mane, beard, and mustache to be precise, and his horn was...shattered. I looked at him, and looked half starved, yet...when he saw me...he was smiling.
"I knew I had the wrong tower" this strange unicorn said still beaming after all the abuse and all the punishment this poor pony went through. I never...I couldn't have thought about it, less I lose whatever hope I had buried inside of me left. Yet, he was still smiling as he said "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Princess"
I was confused and stunned at what I saw, I kept the question about the horn to myself as I asked him "Who are you? Why are you here?"
"My name is Charming Heart" was his response as he said "Nice to meet you in person. I see you every day when you raise the sun. It’s so bright and beautiful that it fits you to tee.“ I gave him an odd look. Noticing my reaction Charming echoed my thoughts. “That was slightly creepy wasn't it?"
“Slightly,” I managed.
Suddenly he began to show one of his signature adorable rambles, something that he showed me countless times afterwords. "I'm so sorry! It's just that I don't have much, so I appreciate what I do have. Your sun is so bright and warm and inviting, it makes me so happy and makes me look forward to the day. You're also really, really pretty but you looked so sad, so I was trying to cheer you up.” I smiled at that…creepy or not the intention was noble, "Now all I did was creep you out…I’m so sorry my Princess, maybe I should just go. I mean, you’re so powerful and so beautiful, maybe you've already gotten over what made you so sad. I mean, I got over my daddy tossing me out of my home and breaking my horn when I was little when he found out I wasn't really his son and..." I had to stop him there.
"That's horrible" I started. I sighed. I didn’t have the heart to get rid of him. And I needed someone to talk to. “I...lost someone a long time ago...my best friend in the whole world.” Luna flooded my thoughts as I remembered how I banished her away from this world to the moon. My own sister, in the moon! How could I be so heartless? "I miss her..." I couldn't help it: a tear trailed its way down my face. Suddenly, I felt a hoof wipe my eyes, which opened in surprise.
Broken horn or not, Charming used his magic to float to my height…I was always so much taller than him…and wipe my face. He floated back down to the ground. “Princess don't cry. Whoever you are talking about loves you very much, and is looking down on you so happily.” He said it so innocently. I could tell that there was so much he didn't know, yet his words still had great value.
Charming looked at me and smiled back "There it is! That nice warm smile that you deserve to have on your face. Sure beats that forced one you've been giving" I had a playful glare as Charming protested "Well it does!"
His words made me to laugh, and when I laughed, he laughed. We laughed long and loud, and for the first time in a long time, I felt joy in my heart. I never knew that I could feel it again after what I did to Luna...it was...beautiful.
invited Charming to live in the castle after he revealed to me that he had no place to live. It just felt like the least I could do. He decided, no matter how many times I protested, to become my personal butler to repay my kindness. I didn't mind. He was close, he made me laugh, annoyed me with some of his antics, and yet I would always forgive him for his generosity. I felt something odd about him during this time. I...was falling for him. Yet, I didn't realized it yet. Though I loathe to admit it, he was my first serious relationship…and I couldn’t understand how this love was different from a strong, powerful friendship. So at the time, that's all we were and for a while, that's all we needed to be.
However, an…incident…happened. A big one. I...admit...that back in the day I was too preoccupied with my own needs than the needs of others. What are now some of our longest and most durable friends were bitter rivals: the Griffins. The Griffin King at that time attacked in the night after I went to rest. He kidnapped me, and held me hostage. I am grateful that his successor was nothing like him
He was making ridiculous demands for all of our gold and bits, land for the griffin race, Griffinstone being named the new capital of Equestria. It went on and on and on…He was simply greedy, demanding more and more, and I was trapped in a position where if I didn't say yes, I would be killed.
However, when I thought all hope was lost, an unexpected voice rang out. It was Charming. ”Leave my princess...alone!" he had bellowed, before blasting the king away from me. However, he was still not combat trained, and while his efforts for nobel, he was getting his flank kicked.
However the blast he did freed me, and I saved him after he saved me. He was so beat up, luckily I learned healing spells so I didn't have to worry about him dieing from his wounds, but...I had to ask. "Why did you do that?"
With a smile, he said "Because you're my princess, and Equestria's protector, I would do anything for you"
My heart soared a thousand leaps as I heard him say that. I truly knew at that moment…that I was in love with him. But I didn't know if he felt the same, so I was quiet about it. Due to his bravery, I made him a Lord, and often, I heard guards jokingly call him "Prince Charming" due to the fact that while I was silent and subtle, he was not.
He never really did become my "Prince Charming" until one of the Summer Sun celebrations. I was stressed out and depressed, alone in my quarters as I was every year. I heard a knock at my door, when I opened it and said quietly to, who else, Lord Charming. "Oh Lord Charming, what brings you here?"
Charming looked at me and sat infront knowing I was hurting, but his eyes, it was like he figured something out and Charming smiled at me "Are you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah" I asked so curiously, his eyes told the whole story. He knew something, or figured out something, yet he wasn't sure "Are you okay?"
"In the Magical Land of Equestria there were Two Alicorn Sisters" Charming started, causing me to pale considerably more and more "The Eldest raised the sun during the day, while the youngest raised the moon at night. Over time, the younger one began to become resentful. Ponies played and relished in the Older one's day, while shunned and slept though her night."
I looked down as I finished "The Eldest one tried to reason with her sister, but the jealously filled the young one's heart, and transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon." With a heavy sigh I finished the tale "Reluctantly, the eldest used the most powerful artifacts known to Equestria, the Elements of Harmony, and banished her sister permanently in the moon." Tears filled my eyes, as Charming held me.
"Princess..." Charming started "What happened back then wasn't your fault" Shattering any illusion, he figured out my darkest secret.
"Yes it was!" I wept into his shoulder. "If I just listened to her! If I listened, instead of just saying she was being paranoid...maybe...maybe..."
"Your sister was jealous of you, there was nothing you could have said or done to fix that" Charming reasoned with me. "You made this holiday to protect her memory didn't you" Slowly I nodded "Than you've done more for her than you will ever know. Like I said a long time ago, she probably misses you a whole lot...she's just angry right now"
"I miss her" was my only response to that.
"She probably does too" Charming said, so warm and comforting. "But being here all by yourself, it's not healthy, even she wouldn't have wanted this" I looked away at that, he was right but Charming did something that shocked me. He extended his hand and said with a warm smile "How about instead of you being miserable...I do my best to make you smile"
That’s…that's when I broke. I leaned forward and kissed him while tears openly flowed. He was not expecting it, but slowly, Charming melted into my embrace. Embarrassed by my actions I broke the kiss, but Charming went back and kissed me again before breaking away once more. I told him right there and then: “I love you"
"I love you too" was Charming's response, and from that day forward, Lord Charming became Prince Charming, my Prince Charming.
We had a very healthy relationship, we were kind to each other, we both strongly loved each other, there was an undeniable attraction to each other, and we could get on each other's nerves.
It wasn't perfect and we never did get married, but to this day, it is a “what if” that I will never forget. However, in time I noticed something…while I stayed young age hit Charming. I tried to find something to make him stay young, but sadly, I couldn't. Age spells could make you look young, not be young
He was ninety seven, and it was...on the day I met him. I went to find him, when I heard wheezing. I went to our room and found Charming lieing down. I could see he was growing ill, but I was to busy trying to save him to pay attention to him. I went to his bedside, and Charming smiled at me. I was about to have my own adorable ramble when Charming gingerly kissed my cheek. He smiled as he said something that stuck a cord with me. "Don't cry, you gave me the best life I could have ever had"
I did cry though, I cried through the whole thing. Through him trying his best to comfort me to his...final words They were just two "Thank you."
I haven't really dated all that much since him, I wept for a week after his demise. I cursed age, I even cursed Luna for not being there for me (Though that I wish I didn't). I loved Charming, I missed him, and I still do to this day. "
Celestia smiled as Luna and Dark stared at each other in sadness because they knew that one day, that would be them. “However,” she continued. “Charming taught me something important, something that was...the reason I have gone on a few dates since then." She smiled. "He can never die" Dark and Luna frowned in confusion. He was ninety seven years old and probably deep in the ground with a private grave. How could he not be dead?
Celestia grinned. "I still remember him, and that's what I can do to keep him alive forever: remember him and move on. That's when someone truly dies, Luna, if you forget who they even are. Now tell me…are you going to forget Dark?
Luna shook her head. "I could never forget what he's done for me. He's my loyal knight, Sir. Dark Sidewinder"
"Than he'll never truly die,” Celestia said, smiling. “Dark…you want Luna to be happy, don’t you?”
"Of course" Dark said quietly.
"Than just live your life with her. Make her happy, be her husband, her knight, and her best friend." Celestia said softly. “That's something I’m sure you can manage. When your time does come…it will be tragic…that I can reassure you. But you don’t want Luna to be miserable when you're gone, do you?”
"Of course not" Dark said sharply. He held Luna close to him. "As long as she's happy, then I will be too"
Celestia sighed peacefully. "Than live your life, both of you. Dark isn't going to die for a long, long, long time. Even as old as we are, a year is long there are so many days, so many memories that you can make together. So make the most of it, love each other. That way, dear sister, you can never forget him"
Luna drew away from Dark and smiled tearfully at her sister.“Thank you, sister...silly question, but...for the wedding. Will you be my Maid of Honor?"
Celestia nodded. "I would love that" She stood up gracefully. "Enjoy your life you two.” She turned her head, concealing the ghost of painful joy which crossed her features. “I am going to see what’s keeping Rarity…She’s been gone for a while now.”
Author's Note
After this story is the One Year Anniversary special. It will be Moon Worshiper related, and it will be another After the Fact story that comes as no surprise as what it is.
The Moon Worshiper series holds a place in my heart, and honestly without that first story I would not have learned to grow as a writer.
Don't worry, these three will be the last Moon Worshiper thing for a while, it just felt appropriate for a one year anniversary.
Oddly I have two people to thank for this edit: Oak Sabletwist and Harms Way.
Long Story short: I thought Oak Sabletwist was ONLY going to be doing the cover art for this story not the editing. So I asked Harms Way to help me because he helped me with Early Parole and that was a SMASH hit.
However, Oak edited anyways so, I took the best elements from both and gave em both credit for their hard work.
From now on, to my knowledge, it'll be Oak as the Cover Artist, and Harms as my new editor, unless I get told otherwise.
* Had to do this because I needed this to pass moderation.
