“Oh, why does this accursed spell refuse to work?” demanded the cornflower blue filly as a few stray sparks fizzed half-heartedly and then fell apathetically off the tip of her horn.
Two pairs of eyes watched her reassuringly, both spectators forcing themselves not to intervene, lest it rob her of the satisfaction of completing the spell herself.
“Come on …” she growled; the intensity of her demand being cruelly mocked by the soft juvenile tones of her young voice.
Her mother fought to control a soft smile of pride in watching her youngest daughter’s determination, but checked herself lest it be misconstrued that she was making fun of her.
“Good … you’re almost there …” coaxed the male voice gently, trying his best to lose the prickly edge that generally characterised his voice; even the omnipresent jingling of the bells on his hat had fallen unusually silent.
Her mother looked intently at the salt cellar before them, hoping to see the first hint of the transfiguration spell taking effect, but recognised the wizard’s well-meaning lie.
“No fair” grumbled the filly, stomping a forehoof and turning away from the stubborn cruet, “Tia can do it, why not me?”
“You have been working very hard” her mother chipped in softly, wrapping a consoling foreleg around her daughter’s shoulder, and drawing her close to plant a kiss on her tear stained cheek.
“Your sister could not do it at your age either, Luna” added Starswirl, “You are being too hard on yourself.”
“But I want to be as good as she is!” the frustrated filly blurted, “In fact, I want to be better …”
“All in good time” reassured the wizard, “But for now, you have earned a break. Go with your mother; I am sure she has come down to see you today for a reason.”
Luna turned her large tear stained eyes up to meet her teacher and struggled to force a smile, but the muscles in her face refused to comply and she looked away dejectedly, diving under the security of her mother’s wing where she released a few strangled sobs of frustration.
Starswirl shared a knowing look with his Royal Patron.
“Is it time?” he asked so quietly as the filly wouldn’t hear.
She looked back at him with a look of seriousness that had been absent all the time she had been providing reassurance to her daughter, but now, all that had changed. A simple nod said it all.
He bowed respectfully as she left his laboratory with Luna still hiding beneath her security, and watched as her aura reached out to close the door behind them. Mother and daughter left behind the recalcitrant salt cellar where Starswirl could chastise it at his leisure, and made their way up several flights of stone stairs .
Luna paused at some of the small observation windows located on the stairs and noticed that the Guard seemed to be more active than usual this evening. Also, she noticed that a Royal chariot was being prepared, but was still too upset about her unsuccessful transfiguration class to dwell on it any further.
After many more twists and turns around the labyrinthine corridors inside the castle, Luna followed her mother out onto the deserted Royal balcony, where the warm evening breeze counterpointed the subtle fusion of oranges and purples that had been waiting patiently for them at the western horizon.
The two of them looked out across the stunning vista afforded from this vantage point, each pondering their own thoughts.
“Tell me Luna, how do you feel when you look out across this view?” she asked, gesturing across the vast expanse of sky, “Is it sorrow for the end of the day, or perhaps something else?”
“I know Tia feels that way” she replied, “But, for me the best part is looking forward to seeing the moon and the pretty pictures in the stars. Am I wrong, Momma?”
“No Luna” replied her mother, “You are both right in your own ways, for you see, your futures are together and apart.”
“I do not think I understand …”
“The love you feel for the night is what Celestia feels for the day. Together you will grow to protect and rule this land together; it is your destiny.”
“Where is the moon, Momma?”
“Point your horn over there “ her mother directed, “Summon your magic, and call to it, like you are inviting your sister to play.”
“But what if it does not want to play?” asked the filly nervously.
“It will, Luna, it will” she comforted, “It may help if you think of yourself as a conductor standing in front of a large orchestra. Think of each aspect of the night in turn, and then wave your forehooves to encourage each of them to come out.”
The cornflower blue filly looked a little puzzled, but under the comforting smile of her mother, did as she had been told. She closed her eyes and stood on her hindlegs, imagining the moon surrounded by clusters of stars, calling to them each in their turn as she weaved mystical patterns with her forehooves in front of her.
The magic came easily to her horn in a way she had never known before, and as an image of the moon formed in her mind, so it peered tentatively over the horizon, coaxed along by the innate magical energy being focused from deep within her. As if convinced it was now safe to come out, the moon responded, inquisitively at first, and then with the confidence born of a newly forged friendship.
“Well done, Luna” said her mother.
“Did I do it, Momma? Did I really?” called her daughter excitedly, finally daring to open her eyes and look.
“Yes, Luna, you did, and I am very proud of you.”
“I did it! I did it!” called the excited filly dancing round the balcony, “I really did it !”
Her mother allowed her to drink in the sweetness of her success, the smile of happiness she felt mingling with the sad trickle of a fresh tear down her muzzle.
As soon as the improvised dance had finished, she homed in on her mother, wrapping her forehooves around her lowered neck and showering her in kisses.
“Remember, you must lay the moon to rest when the night is over, or the sun will not be able to rise.”
“Yes, Momma!” the filly nodded happily, not really taking in anything beyond her having raised the moon into the night sky.
“Luna, I have to tell you something.”
The tone was enough to stop the carefree filly in her tracks. Suddenly, she stopped her celebrations and sat obediently in front of her mother, waiting attentively for her to impart whatever important message as was on her mind. It was then that she noticed the pink maned white filly in the doorway to the balcony. She was about to call out a happy greeting when she saw that her elder sister had been crying and was clearly trying hard to retain her composure. She turned to look back up at her mother, whose unexpectedly serious expression froze her to the spot, and her mouth fell open in shock as she felt her world begin to implode.
The staccato sound of hoofsteps on stone made Luna turn her head quickly to see that Celestia had chosen that moment to run out onto the balcony. The closer she got, the more obvious were the tear stains on her sister’s white muzzle, but that was as nothing to the intense sadness burning behind her eyes. Luna knew that whatever was coming was not going to be good.
“Oh, Lulu, Lulu …” she sobbed, rushing to the side of her younger sister and draping a pure white wing protectively over her.
A yawning chasm felt like it had just opened up under her and her stomach fluttered as if it were in freefall.
“Momma …?” she asked tentatively, wide eyes betraying her fear, but as she looked to her mother for reassurance, she saw that her eyes were red with unshed tears.
“Luna” her mother began falteringly, fighting to sound normal despite the presence of a large lump that had appeared in her throat, “You know your father had to go away some time ago?”
Luna missed her father, and the comment struck to her heart, bringing back to her the awful finality of his last goodbye. He hadn’t let them know how long he would be gone, of course; she had only come to find out with every passing day that it was so much longer than she had been expecting. She hadn’t been prepared for how long it had been.
She felt her older sister squeeze her tighter and heard a stifled sob close to her ear, and knew she felt the same way too.
“I am so sorry, my beautiful daughters, but I have to go and join him” she just managed to get out before she felt her voice crack.
“When?” asked Luna, fearing the worst.
“Tonight”
“No, Momma, please stay! Surely you can stay a little longer. Papa will understand …”
Their mother couldn’t afford to tell them the truth; that he had been captured whilst trying to negotiate with a warlike enemy on their borders and his fate was unknown. It had always been a risky strategy, but he had accepted the responsibility with the courage and determination that had always underpinned his character. With every passing day, his continued absence only served to confirm that he had not been successful and it had become clear that the only way he stood a chance of being returned now was if Equestria could muster an army to free him.
Of course, she knew that it may already be too late for him, but she was not prepared to do nothing; she wanted him back for his family, but most of all for Equestria. However, this rescue attempt came with a price; the fledgling alliance between the three pony tribes demanded that she, as de-facto monarch of Equestria in her husband’s absence, would lead the army herself, even though that meant she may not be coming home either.
She thought fleetingly about the immortality Starswirl had told her had been bestowed upon their children, but such a privilege had not been extended to her or her husband; they were only mortal, just like every pony before them.
“Goodbye my children” she said calmly, mustering all the self-control she could find and reaching out a foreleg to give them one final embrace, “Starswirl will guide you until your father and I return.”
Luna struggled free of her sister’s wing and rushed forward, wrapping herself in the outstretched foreleg and feeling herself drawn close to the tender warmth of her mother. Although she tried to be brave, her lip began to tremble and she didn’t even try to keep up the pretence, but buried her muzzle desperately into the familiar soft fur, sobbing with such sadness that her mother felt her own heart break.
Celestia staggered to her hooves and hugged them both tightly, her tears mingling freely with those already being shed.
None of them wanted to be the first to break away for what, they all feared, may be the last time, but a polite cough from the balcony doors drew their mother’s attention towards the armoured form of her top General.
“I must go now” she whispered softly, “I will be back soon. Be good to each other.”
“Please, no …!” the fillies cried as they felt their desperate final embrace being pulled apart.
“I love you” she said and gave them each a tender kiss before turning and walking towards the doors that led down to where her chariot waited.
Her legs wanted to buckle, but sheer willpower kept her walking straight. She wanted to turn back for one last look at her two fillies upon whom the hopes of Equestria now rested, but knew that if she did, she would weaken and the mission to save her husband would be compromised. She walked on past the General, her glassy eyes fixed rigidly ahead, numbed to everything around her, just focused on putting one hoof in front of the other.
The fillies recovered from their stunned paralysis and made to run after their mother, but Starswirl appeared apparently from nowhere to intercept them and gave them the most paternal hug he could manage.
A few minutes later, they all watched as the Royal chariot took off into the night sky escorted by squadrons of heavily armed pegasi and bat ponies.
Luna watched the battle group depart through a veil of her tears, knowing that her mother was in the chariot, leaving her behind.
She tried to muster the energy to call out one last goodbye, but couldn’t make the words sound; all she could manage was a half-hearted wave.
The young Princess did not understand the gift of immortality she had been bequeathed, but was sharply aware that a piece of her had just died.
