The little blue foal stared in wonder up past the piles of scattered cushions arranged with random precision across the floor of the playroom, and into the window beyond. There, she could see the first traces of the rising moon just beginning to peer above the bottom of the Gothic stone window frame.
The room was illuminated by the last dying rays of twilight spilling in through the tall pointed windows, supplemented by a roaring fire that was causing increasingly abstract dancing shadows to flitter around the walls. The opulent formal furnishings that usually adorned the classically decorated room had been pushed to the walls for safety, providing a refuge for the flickering shadows to hide in and jump between. Meanwhile, the large space liberated in the centre of the room had been given over to hastily constructed defensive positions where two young fillies had deposited cushions and pillows raided from every nearby room in the castle.
Their morning had been spent in lessons to prepare them for their future roles as leaders of Equestria; today’s subjects being mathematics, rhetoric and etiquette. They were treated to personal tuition, which gave them little opportunity to drift off and daydream, but both looked forward eagerly to the afternoon which was always set aside for them to expend their pent-up energy in more carefree pursuits where their lively imaginations had free reign to run riot. But now, their highly prized period of light-hearted recreation was drawing to an end as the onset of night heralded their bedtime.
Outside, the moon was just starting to peek above the horizon, as if looking to see if it was safe to rise any further before it should announce that dusk was over for another day and that it was now time to prepare for the realm of night. The blue filly took her eye off her opponent’s military manoeuvrings and stared in rapt veneration of the large celestial body, which to her was less of an astronomical phenomenon and more of a friend with whom she could convene and share a truly empathetic bond.
It always seemed to be so much bigger and more imposing at this time than at any other point in its nocturnal journey; a time when she felt closest to it, almost as if it was reaching out to bare its soul to her, just to her. She appreciated a rare sense of privilege that this entity, which predated recorded history, should have granted in choosing to bond with her. Intuitively, she reached out to share her feelings in return, effectively entering into a reciprocal commitment that they both knew would last her lifetime.
“Tia” she called softly, not taking her eyes off the silvery orb framed by the window “Come have a look at the moon, Sis.”
“Aw, come on Woona” replied the other filly “I thought we had time for one more pillow fight before bed.”
“It’s beautiful” marvelled the blue foal, totally ignoring her sister’s rebuffal.
“Yeah, but it’s not like the sun. The sun’s a living being – you can feel it” said her sister creeping up on her with a pillow in her hoof.
“To you, maybe” sighed the blue foal “But it’s the moon that really makes me feel alive.”
“Girls!” came a familiar voice abruptly from the doorway “Time for bed; and Celestia, don’t even consider doing what I think you are planning to do with that!”
Celestia pouted and begrudgingly lowered the pillow with which she had been intending to ambush her sister, who in turn remained naively oblivious to the intent, continuing to stare spellbound through the window.
“Luna, that goes for you too” added the voice in a much softer tone.
“Just a few minutes longer” pleaded the blue pony “Pleeeeease …”
“Princess Luna” persisted the voice, adding a slightly more noticeable edge of formality “You have a strong affinity with the moon, and in the fullness of time you will be allowed to build your bonds further, as will Celestia with the sun, but for now you are both foals who need your sleep.”
In response, Luna tore herself away reluctantly from the majestic splendour of the rising moon and trotted over to nuzzle her pink maned sister, who in turn forgot immediately about any plans to hit her with a pillow and reciprocated the gentle gesture, rubbing her muzzle tenderly on her sister's coat and reaching to preen a loose feather. No matter what events and experiences had befallen the the two fillies during the day, they would always come together to share their profoundly close bond of sisterhood and deep abiding love. Neither could ever imagine a time when either would stand without the other.
Once they had been tucked up in their shared bed and the lights put out, Luna turned to her sister:
“Tia” she asked, “How does it feel for you when you see the sun?”
There was pause while Celestia thought about the question and composed her thoughts:
“It’s like being with a friend” she replied, “A very close friend who knows all about you, who you can share things with, but never judges, you know?”
“I know. Do you feel the same about the moon?”
“Not as much” said Celestia “It’s like the difference between a close friend and an acquaintance you don’t know so well and probably wouldn’t choose to tell all your secrets to.
“I feel the same, Tia” sighed Luna “About the moon, I mean.”
There was a pause as the soon-to-be Sun Princess grew sleepy and her sister, only now starting to feel fully alive, found her mind racing.
“I’m going to go there one day” she said, her young mind articulating a subconscious acceptance beyond her years.
“Where?” asked Celestia sleepily.
“The moon, of course.”
Celestia turned over to face her younger sister, now fully awake “Don’t leave me Woona, please. I’d be lost without you.”
“I feel it’s in my destiny, Tia” she replied without a hint of emotion.
The white filly reached out to give her younger sister a heartfelt embrace and felt her eyes begin to well up.
“Promise me you won’t go to the moon and leave me on my own” she whispered, a solitary tear running down her muzzle “I love you.”
Luna returned the embrace, but in the back of her mind, a future echo resonated deep within her soul. For some reason she couldn’t yet fathom, she felt a shiver run down her spine and knew instinctively that this was not a promise she would be able to make.
