Fading Eclipse

Chapters

Under the Stars
Into the Castle
Across the Town

Under the Stars

“They scorn me, Celestia! Can you not see?” Luna shouted, her hoof slamming down on Celestia's desk.

Celestia said nothing, her lowered eyes complementing the worried look on her face.

“The moon heralds all the ponies to sleep!” Luna ranted, her gaze desperate yet unable to meet Celestia's. “Hardly a soul exists past midnight. I may enjoy the ambiance of my night, but surely you know I do not enjoy the chronic loneliness.”

“Perhaps... if you tried giving your night more light?” Celestia's voice quivered, her eyes shifting to the stone and mortar walls of the ancient castle. “I know you have said before that-”

“Yes, and surely you know I am not interested in your suggestions to make my night more like your day.” Luna hissed softly. Celestia frowned, looking now into her sister's eyes. Luna stared back for a moment before sighing and raising her hooves.

“I know you mean well by your suggestions, Sister, but you must try to understand...” Luna turned her gaze to the moon through the window, pointing with her hoof. “The moon— it is as bright as it desires to be. Any more, and the sky would be drowned in it's light.” She waved her hoof along the night sky and smiled. “And the stars— they are fickle. Each desires to be known independent from one another. How can I ask them to bleed their light wider, and encompass their brethren? Or to disappear completely beneath the moon's light?” Luna stood now, walking over to Celestia and raising her chin to look out through the window.

“Look, Celestia, but do more than look. See. How could I ask the night to be different than what it truly is?” Luna said in a strained whisper.

Celestia sighed, and frowned. “Because, Luna, it's not working.” Celestia stood up and walked over to the far side of the room, staring at the wall. “Do you not understand? The ponies need light to perform their duties in Equestria each day. The ponies do not need a wistful allure from the cosmos they can never truly know.” The older princess looked back at her sister, her eyes now hard with the weight of reality.

“It is you who does not understand your night, I feel.” Celestia challenged.

Luna's eyes narrowed as she stomped to her hooves. “Oh?”

“Yes. While the ponies need light to work and play during my day, sleep is just as fundamental a need.” Celestia countered, taking a step towards her sister. “I say perhaps you do not understand your night because you seem unaware of the fact that it is suited perfectly for the ponies to rest.” Celestia shook her head. “Luna, do you not see? You have succeeded! All the ponies enjoy your night as a time for rest and respite— as a place they can lay their worries and trouble and gain peace! Without your night, the ponies would never be able to love my-”

“No!” shouted Luna, her eyes narrow behind a mask of utter detest. “I refuse to believe that asking for the love and appreciation of my people is something I should simply give up on,” Luna hissed, taking a step forward and staring down her sister. She huffed in anger before closing her watering eyes.

“You will never understand,” Luna whispered menacingly, her deep breaths transforming into choking sobs. Shoving her sister out of the way with a flash of her horn, she stomped towards the door.

“Sister, please!” shouted Celestia.

It was the first time the princess of the sun's words were met with a slamming door.

Guard work had always come easy to Shield Bearer. It was only natural to him— growing up in the castle, he had always idolized the flashy-looking palace guards. Flashy, however, was the last thing being a guard initiate was. When they had told him he would be guarding the Princess' themselves room, he practically burst with pride. He was a quick learner, though. After less than a day he had begun to question why the immortal princesses even needed guarding at all and, being a Pegasus, all he had to look forward to was a career full of ferrying them around. Life had become a game of 'hope the cute kitchen-mares are willing to talk when they deliver food to the princesses'.

Shield looked over at the other stallion guarding the door. He had fallen asleep hours ago— the night shift was not kind to some ponies. Shield yawned, only to prematurely stifle it as he heard hoofsteps coming from the hallway beyond the slumbering stallion.

“Lancer! Wake up!” he whispered frantically, but the pony was too deeply asleep to heed his warning. Hearing the hoofsteps draw closer, he resumed his stalwart gaze forward and stood at attention, not daring to look.

“Hm... he must be quite the guard to be able to defend my sister while asleep...” a soft voice said. Shield looked over, now being addressed, and felt the blood drain to his hooves as he saw a smirking Princess Luna examining Lancer. He had never seen the princess of the night before, despite working the night shift. His eyes were drawn immediately to her mane, complimenting her tall, pronounced figure with it's star-speckled, flowing form. For a moment he was too shocked to speak, imagining the punishment that would come from slacking off so severely and being caught by a princess.

He bowed, rose back to his hooves. “N... No Princess. I... me and Lancer here were... fighting earlier and... I- I beat him so badly, he said I must be strong enough to guard the Princess all by myself! I... I told him I could handle it, and that he could go to sleep.”

Luna cocked an eyebrow and gave Shield a toothy grin. “Is that so? Well, I'm glad to have such a prestigious guard attending to my sister, then.” She stepped to open Celestia's door, but paused a moment. “Don't worry. I won't annoy Iron Helm with this. More guards than not have trouble keeping their eyes open at this time of night. You must be pretty awake to throw together a story like that so quick, though. What did you say your name was?”

Shield's eyes widened and he felt immediately ashamed of his lie. “S...sorry, Princess. My name is Shield Bearer.”

“Well, Shield Bearer, I appreciate your commitment to being awake for your duties during my night, and for your willingness to take such a blame from your friend.” Her royal blue lips curled into a warm smile.

Shield gazed in disbelief at the Princess, before nodding, words not forming in reply. He watched in wonder as she slipped her slender form into Celestia's room, accompanied only by the clicking of the large wooden doors behind her.

Shield couldn't help but wonder why he had never seen the princess of the night before; he was sure he would remember a goddess like that. He had been trained extensively to be a disciplined soldier, but he was unable to help his mind from replaying her dark curves slipping through that doorway over and over again. After all... it was okay to think the Princesses were beautiful, right?

“Not beautiful like that...” his moral compass grunted. He bit his lip, unsure of what to think exactly, but was quickly distracted by a shouting from within. He tried to listen in, but could make out the same voice that had comforted him minutes ago now strained and angry.

Now, it seemed, it was Celestia's turn. He knew the voice of the solar royal all too well; in the palace, you were taught to idolize everything about Celestia. Now, however, her voice was not understanding, but harsh and argumentative.

He had never even thought the sisters argued about anything. But the shouting coming from within was most certainly-

The doors flashed dark blue as they swung open and pushed his head aside. Luna came galloping out, rushing down the hall and slamming the door behind her. Snapping his head to see what the princess was running from, he just barely made out that there were... tears in Luna's eyes? He shuddered, unable to envision his princess in a state of sadness, deeply disturbed by the notion.

Shield's contemplation was broken by a tired moan. “Ugh... what just happened?” grunted Lancer, picking himself off the floor.

“I think the princess may not be alright, Lancer.” Shield said with a worried frown.

“What... like... the one in there?” grumbled Lancer sleepily.

Shield sighed. “No, the other one.”

“Oh... like... aren't we supposed to make sure they don't get hurt?”

Shield nodded, and took a step down the hallway. “Exactly what I was thinking. Lancer, stay here and keep my post. If anypony asks, tell them I needed to go to the bathroom really badly.”

“Whatever...” Lancer grumbled, leaning back against the wall.

“Thanks Lance. You're a real pal. I'll be back soon.” Shield said, galloping after the princess of the night.

Luna ran faster than she had ever ran before, fueled by her sadness and anger, barely stopping herself from crashing into the castle walls as she navigated it's hallways. She sobbed heavily, tears flowing from her eyes as her mind solidified the notion that she would always be alone.

She reached a spire in the castle and took off, flying into the night. She knew a nook in the Everfree forest where nopony would come to look for her. Even with tears and sadness clouding her flight, she found the direction she was looking for and sped off into the horizon.

Shield threw off his helmet as he saw Luna take flight, and plummeted off the edge of the castle just in time to open his own wings. He looked forward, hardly able to make Luna out against the night, but was able to keep up with her despite her enormous wingspan.

After five minutes, though, Shield was immensely appreciative for his aerial training as a guard. He had to fly at top speed and keep an eye on a near-invisible target for an extended period of time. After a couple more minutes though, he saw her descending into a clear spot of trees against the side of a small ridge where a stream turned into a waterfall.

Suddenly, though, he was unsure of himself. With the ramifications of approaching Luna in front of him, he realized his utter lack of any sort of plan. He landed some distance away, where he could see the princess from behind a spotty wall of forestry.

“Should I... even be doing this?” Shield asked himself, turning his gaze to the ground. If the princess flew away from her own sister, then why would she want to talk to some nopony like him?

“She... she probably wants to be alone...” Shield told himself, stepping back for a moment. He looked up at the princess and saw the tears streaming down her face as she sobbed openly in the nook. The look of helplessness and despair was something that devastated his idea of what being a princess encompassed.

“No...” he thought, dispelling his worries and feelings of nervousness with a strike of guard's determination. “The princess needs my help more now than she ever did just guarding her door.” He thought to himself, furrowing his brow at the prospect. This was his duty.

Taking a step forward, and around the brush he was hiding behind, he approached the princess. “Princess Luna... are you... all right?”

Luna looked up, her eyes popping, and brought her hooves to her face immediately, wiping away the tears as quickly as possible. “Wh.. Uh... Yes, I...” she stammered from behind her own forelegs.

“No, it's alright... please... I'm sorry for following you, but I saw you flee from your sister's room so quickly that... I feared you were hurt, somehow.” Shield explained quickly.

“No... no I'm not, um, hurt.” she stammered quickly, continuing to try to hide her eyes.

“You... don't have to hide your tears from me, princess.” Shield saw her watery eyes, now, and she lowered her hooves slowly. He took a couple steps forward, and sat in the grass in front of the much-larger Princess Luna. “You just seemed... really nice, with the way you let Lancer off like that. I couldn't not fly after you and at least try to see what was wrong. I just want to try and help, I guess.”

Princess Luna let out another sob, and lowered her nose to the grass underhoof. She cried softly, the sound of the small waterfall accompanying her sobs, a minuet of tears. The forest's sounds were just barely soft enough to allow her whimpers to carry to Shield's ears. He lowered his head, pointing his eyes at the grass, a sympathetic lump forming in his throat.

Then he felt a warmth over his head, and saw Luna had reached out to embrace him. “Oh, thank you Shield. Thank you... thank...” she sobbed slowly a couple times over before pulling back and smiling soft, beautiful smile at the grass. Different now, though, were her turquoise eyes, smiling along with her dark lips. “Your words mean more to me than you can ever know.” Luna said after a moment, dipping her eyes forward to look into Shield's. A shiver went down his spine, looking into her bright eyes directly for the first time.

He was speechless. All he could do was gape momentarily as his mind worked furiously to enamor the memory forever into his mind.

After an eternal moment, Luna looked down. Shield's trance was broken, and he began to realize the implications his stare could have held.

“What's wrong, princess?” he asked softly.

“You cannot begin to know, Shield.” Sighing, she turned her gaze to the side to distract herself with the nature around her.

“A guard is allowed to be a little more than just a statue. Just like a Princess is allowed to be more than just happy. Please,” he pushed.

“Lancer is what's wrong, Shield,” she said softly, letting her hair fall over her eyes. “Lancer, and the Guards, and Celestia... everypony.” She sighed, and rose to her hooves once more. “Come, stand up Shield,” she asked softly, and pointed with her hoof to the sky. Shield stood up and looked up into the night. “You can not begin to understand the magic of the cosmos. Surely all you know is that I herald the moon. The stars and galaxies all speak to me with their energies as well, though. They wish to remain as they are,” she explained, motioning with her hoof across the sky before turning to look at Shield, “and I most certainly agree with them.”

“Why would it even be a question, then?” Shield asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Tell me— If Celestia had fled the castle during her day in such a stupor as I did, how many ponies would have followed her?” Luna asked. Shield considered it in his head, and came to a draining conclusion. His eyes lowered, and Luna finished, “Yes. You know as well as I. And perhaps had I picked another night to flee, nopony would have followed me.” She raised Shield's eyes to hers with a hoof. “I consider myself lucky that you are here, Shield.”

Shield wanted to protest, to quell the princess's worries, or most of all to hug her again, but all he could do was frown and droop his ears.

“The ponies stay asleep, Shield. The ponies don't care. They see my night as a time to shut themselves away, and nopony stays out to live... laugh... anything under my stars. Can you...” she paused and looked away, “can you understand?”

“No.” Shield said matter-of-factually, causing Luna to gape and turn her head quickly back to him. Shield simply looked the princess in the eyes and continued. “No, I cannot understand why anypony would neglect a princess that should be beloved in such a fashion,” his eyes hardened, and he put a hoof on Luna's shoulder, “...I cannot fathom how they cannot see the gift they have been given. And I cannot comprehend how you must have felt all these years feeling so under-appreciated,” Shield's eyes lowered to the ground, and he kneeled. “On behalf of all the ponies I can speak for... truly, I am sorry.”

For a moment, the sounds of the forest finally reigned supreme. After just a short while, Shield heard Luna lie on the grass again, presumably to continue crying. Still, he remained bowed, hoping his words could—

Lips pressed against his softly, and his eyes fluttered open in surprise to see Luna's muzzle against his own. Her eyes were half closed as she kissed him sweetly, and he returned the kiss, pushing against Luna's warm lips with his own. Luna closed her eyes all the way, and pushed his mouth open, turning her lips and kissing him sideways. Shield did the same, his heart beating like a kick drum against his ribcage. He laid down, then, and felt a shoeless, soft hoof on his cheek, encouraging him to kiss her more deeply, leaning forward and tantalizing her lips with his tongue.

Her tongue met his, and she moaned ever so slightly as their kiss evolved into a passionate dance. His lips tingled, and he opened his eyes to see her beautiful dark face, her eyes still squeezed close in excitement. He explored the sweet insides of Luna's muzzle with his tongue, feeling her own do the same, and let out a moan himself. Luna's hoof crawled to the back of his neck, tugging ever so slightly for more, and he put his hooves around her neck, pulling her lips into a wonderful pressured embrace with his own. They kissed deeply, Luna letting out moans when Shield would pull them closely together.

Luna opened her eyes and stared into his half-lidded, before lightening the kiss and pulling away completely after a few moments. She smiled a wide smile, the edges of her mouth curling, and her eyes brightening. “That was the most wonderful thing anypony has ever said to me...” she whispered, her muzzle still against his, the hot breath of her words mixing with his own slight pants.

Once again, Shield could not speak. His mind should have been overloaded with the feelings associated with the previous actions, but all he could do was simply absorb the sensory barrage he was getting.

Instead, they stared into one anothers eyes, muzzle against each other, hooves in each others hair, breathing on one another for minutes. Shield found himself stroking her silken mane, in wonder with the way it felt against his hoof, and playing with her ears. Lying with... kissing the princess was everything he thought it could never be.

Finally, he found words. “I just didn't want you to be alone, Princess.” he whispered, gazing in the turquoise pools of her eyes.

“Luna.” she whispered, and closed her eyes and kissed him again. More quickly, her hooves wrapped around Shield's shoulders and pulled him close. Now, their bodies were sharing warmth with one another, entangled in one another's hooves. Shield put his hoof around the princess's back, but fluttered his eyes open when he felt a force pulling it further down her frame. He saw her staring lovingly into his eyes, her horn glowing slightly as it guided his hoof to her flank.

Shield kissed her more deeply, pushing into her flank now and making her moan and open her mouth. He guided his tongue deep into her mouth, and continued to knead her flank, procuring deeper and deeper moans the more pressure he applied. He felt Luna's own hooves making their way to his flank, and he broke the kiss, moving in closer to Luna and kissing her neck, causing her to moan deeply and wrap one hoof all the way around his shoulder as she held him close. Kissing her neck caused her to begin breathing sharp, hot breaths into his ear between moans, and he began to hear whispers of “yes...” ever so softly coming with them.

Taking a chance, he moved his right hoof to her stomach, and began sliding it down to where her marehood was.

He found that hot warmth between her thighs, hearing a “Mmmhm..” whispered into his ear, and began rubbing his hoof up and down it, feeling immediately that it was already wet. “Oh...” Luna cried, as Shield started to use the edge of his hoof to tease the inside as he rubbed up and down, and turned from kissing her neck to licking it up and down. He used his hoof on her flank to pull her hindquarters into the rubbing, causing his teasing to go ever so slightly deeper. He pushed the edge of his hoof in deeper, eliciting an “Ahh!” as he spread Luna's nether's lips apart.

Pulling Luna on top of him to let gravity help him do his job, he felt her began rocking up and down, her moans becoming labored and scattered with the staccato of her hot breaths on his neck. He pushed further with the edge of his hoof, and Luna's threw her hooves around him violently, openly moaning now, moving up and down against his hoof and whimpering in ecstasy. Her breathing and moans were starting to build upon themselves, turning to near-shouts of pleasure, Shield pushing her pleasure deeper and deeper with his hoof.

“Yes... Ah... Yes! Oh, Shield!” Luna shouted in absolute pleasure. Shield could feel her pussy quivering, leaking it's juices onto his hoof and the leg below. “Shield... I... ah I'm gonna... Mmm” she moaned, rocking bringing her flank up and down onto Shield's hoof, as her shouts of pleasure built higher.

Her body tensed against Shield's as she squeezed against him, pulling with all her might and letting out a high, elongated shout as Shield gave her neck a final bite. Her nethers pushed against Shield's hoof with all her force, and her pussy let out a squirt of her juices that covered his entire thighs. Edged on by Shield's bites on her neck, she continued to let out her shouting moan, stopping only for the shortest moments to take breaths as her marehood erupted against Shield.

Finally, after what had to be a near 20 seconds of orgasm, Luna slumped forward against Shield and began giving him a deep, passionate kiss. Her eyes were pressed completely closed, and every other kiss she would break it to moan “Oh, Shield...” into his ear softly. Shield couldn't help but to moan just as much back, returning her kiss, and calling her name out as well.

Shield realized he was now turned on past the limit of control. He had been so caught up in bringing Luna pleasure, he had completely forgot about himself. Even as she leaned against him, he felt his body undulating, his stiff member twitching against her warm body.

She giggled softly in response between sweet kisses, before whispering “Look's like somepony got a little excited...” staring lovingly into his eyes. “You know, that was my first time with another pony Shield...” she murred, smiling, caught up in her own afterglow.

Shield's eyes widened: Luna and Celestia had ruled for more than six hundred years! Could she really have been so isolated that... Shield preferred not to think about the logistics of it at the moment, instead plainly saying “I think... I mean, I hope that you... liked it.” She gave him a half-lidded look, and a huge sloppy kiss, before moving one of her hooves from around his neck to her own mouth and covering it in her saliva, then leading it down to just above where Shield's erect member was. “Luna... you don't have to if you don't feel like it...” he whispered.

Luna smiled. “Do you want it?” Shield looked down, ashamed but obviously certain of the answer to the question. “Well, I can tell you that I definitely want it, Shield.” she half-moaned into his ear. The words themselves practically made Shield pass out.

Luna moved her hoof back up to her mouth, covering it in saliva once more, before moving it down onto Shield's erect member, sliding it up and down very slowly, covering it in a wet film. She proceeded to kiss Shield deeply, rubbing faster now, stopping at the base to caress his testicles for a moment before repeating the motion. Luna seemed like she could hardly concentrate on kissing Shield, so he moved his mouth forward and kissed her, moaning as she applied more pressure and pushed his member against his body.

“M..more..” Shield whispered almost instinctively, wrapping his hooves around Luna and getting lost in her hot kisses. Obliging him, Luna rubbed faster now, caressing his entire shaft with her soft hooves and applying pressure at the base, trying to coax Shield's seed out.

“You know...” she whispered into his ear, “there's only so fast my hooves can go.” Shield nodded in ecstasy as they kissed last deep time, before Luna dragged her tongue down the front of Shield's body making him twitch in sweet anticipation. She let her tongue caress his balls at first, then licked hard up his shaft, making Shield squeal in delight. She licked the head clean of the pre-cum, moaning at the taste, before wrapping her mouth around the head of Shield's dick.

Shield could feel her sweet lips move up and down against his member, going nearly insane at how slow Luna was starting out. Her tongue moved in to caress the head, swirling around it as her mouth moved up and down. Faster, her tongue flicked around and she began moaning, taking his cock deeper and deeper into her mouth. Shield put a hoof on Luna's head, his spine flexed backwards in pleasure, and gave out deep, fast moans each time her tongue caressed his head.

Then, Luna added the hooves back into the mix, massaging the base of his cock between them as she sucked up and down the member. Shield could feel his pleasure building at a breakneck speed. “Oh, Luna...!” he called out, “Oh... oh... Oh..!” he continued, as she worked her tongue even faster, up and down the top of his dick and swirling around the head.

“Luna... Soon... ah! I'm going to...” Shield moaned, only seeming to provoke Luna to go even faster, moving her head up and down his dick as fast as she could manage. Her tongue had covered his member in saliva, and was now pleasuring everything it could wrap around at any given moment. Shield began to breathe heavier and heavier, leaning forward and placing both hooves on Luna's head as she shoved the entirety of his dick into her mouth.

“Oh, Luna!” he shouted out, bending forward and cumming into the back of her throat, his own shouts met by a moan of ecstasy as she tasted his seed. Again, he shot a stream of cum into her mouth, and again, until it was nearly full. Then, she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue, letting Shield's cum fall all across her face and into her mouth, moaning in delight at the taste. Cum shot up across the top of her face, into her soft ears, and across her closed eyes as Shield continued to shout out in utter ecstasy, shooting his entire load across Luna's face. It slowed, mostly shooting into her still open mouth and finally dribbling in as Shield panted heavily.

Luna moaned deeply as she swallowed the mouthful of spunk that had been given to her and stared up into Shield's eyes as he lay back against the grass. Slowly, she crawled up to where she was muzzle-to-muzzle with him, and kissed him deeply, letting him taste the remnants of his own seed. Shield breathed heavily, kissing Luna wildly and breathing in the smell of her body against his own.

“Luna... that was” Shield panted, spent from the huge release he had been building over the last hour, “...amazing.” he whispered fantastically.

“Mhmm...” she purred, laying against his chest, sniffing in the smell of the forest blended with the sweat of her lover. Wrapping her arms around Shield, Luna looked deeply into his eyes, whispering “you made me feel like I have someone to hold on to...”

Shield nuzzled Luna's muzzle sweetly and rubbed his hooves up and down her curvy figure. “I don't mean just that... You're an amazing pony, Luna. I've known you for so little time, but already I feel like I cant let you go. We have to...” Shield looked down as the weight of the thought imposed itself on his mind.

“Continue this?” Luna eeked out. Shield just nodded. Luna just smiled. “I was really hoping you were thinking that.” Luna murmured wistfully “But Shield... you know the implications of such an idea.”

Shield nodded, squeezing Luna tightly in his arms. “Sometimes you have to take a risk. If I hadn't, you would be out here alone and cold, and I would be wasting my life staring at a stone wall.” He thought for a moment. “Besides... something in me wants to find out everything about you. I can't let that go. Even if we have to keep it secret for a while, I--”

Luna silenced him with a kiss. Shield kissed Luna back, pushing the hair out of her eyes with a hoof.

Then, holding one another in their hooves, Shield and Luna drifted off to sleep in the grass under the stars.

End

Authors note: I really like this story. Perhaps I will write more of it, but much of that is dependent on the feedback I get. I've never wrote anything clop-related before. If you liked this work, please respond to whatever medium you've found it posted in with a comment regarding that and... if I see enough comments, I will definitely continue this.

Thank you
-Idylia

Into the Castle

“Shield Bearer!”

Guard instincts kicked in immediately as Shield's body snapped to stand at attention. “Yes, Princess!” he barked, keeping his gaze stoic and emotionless.

Princess Luna gave a slight smile. Shield's mouth twitched, but he refused to let it reciprocate. “At ease, guard. I must speak with you about your scheduling regarding the upcoming week. Your transfer here has thrown off some of the routines the other guards are used to.”

His heart leaped, daring to hope this had been what he was waiting for. Betraying his serious posture and years of training, his cheeks rose slightly and his eyes lit up. Luna's eyebrow seemed to rise so slightly that Shield wasn't sure it had at all.

Turning, the princess addressed the guard on the other side of the door. “Radishes, I trust you can handle the post by yourself for a while?”

“Yes, Princess!”

“Good. Then, Shield Bearer, follow me please,” Luna commanded elegantly, turning and re-entering her room.

Shield Bearer did all he could to not let his eyes trail the Princess too closely while he followed her into her moonlit bedchambers. With a glow from Luna's horn, Shield heard a click as the large door closed behind him. Luna turned, staring Shield Bearer down with her unique royal gaze. Shield Bearer's legs wobbled slightly despite concentrating all his efforts on holding his serious demeanor.

With another glow of her horn, Luna's gaze transformed into a bashful smile. Shield felt his heart leap.

"I-I've missed you so much," Shield began, his words coming out quick and unrehearsed as he began to shake, ironically unable to be still now that he had let himself go. "I-I was starting to worry that you had forgotten, Princess, and that I would never-"

Luna gave him a stern look once again, and Shield's face froze along with his heart. "Didn't I say to call me Luna?" she said, giggling slightly and taking a step towards him. He breathed a sigh of relief. "You honestly began to worry that, in only three days I would forget the voice of understanding I had longed to hear for 600 years?" she comforted, crooning her neck down to nuzzle Shield.

Shield smiled a giddy smile as he pushed his snout into Luna, nuzzling her sweetly in return, but still shaking nervously. "Three days seemed like an eternity when I couldn't even look as you walked by, or step forward to talk to you, or-"

Luna silenced him by pressing her muzzle into his, kissing him sweetly with eyes squeezed shut. Shield blinked in surprise before leaning in to kiss her back, heart leaping in joy. Slowly, reluctantly, Luna pulled back and rested her muzzle under his.

"I hadn't forgotten that, either,"she whispered.

"I... I'm glad," Shield replied, opening his eyes slowly and smiling, greeted by Luna’s intimate gaze.

"I know you're right, of course. The only reason you saw me at all is because I couldn't stand the hours between seeing you. It sounds silly, but... I had to make sure you were real. I feel as if dreams have mixed with my reality, Shield." Luna smiled, sending a contented sigh flowing down Shield's neck. "I regret that it took this long, but changing times around to get you posted at my door required I give the guards notice in advance."

"And..." she said, pulling away from Shield's face and walking slowly across the room, "While I absolutely hate to say this, our time here is limited as well."

Shield frowned, stepped forward and opened his mouth as if to object, before turning his gaze fully to the ground. "I understand. You are the Princess, after all. I... I've just..." He sighed, closing his mouth in spite of his mind's bickering complaints.

"Friday," Luna said simply, turning to him with a small smile. "Two nights from now on Friday evening the council adjourns. Castle politics and events happen over the weekends, all of which I receive invitations to, but none of which I shall be attending; they have always been more Celestia's style than my own. If you can wait until Friday, I can promise you the evening."

Shield beamed, nodding furiously in reply. "Of course I can wait. But..." he hesitated, pondering the possibilities of the night. "What will we do?"

"That, Shield, is up to you to decide. What would you plan, were you going on a date with any other mare?" Luna replied with a wink, taking steps towards Shield.

Shield blinked. "Nothing that would involve completely avoiding public eye," he said, his eyes dancing across her figure as she approached him. Well, perhaps one thing...

"Let me worry about that. Just know that you have my time," Luna said, now in front of Shield and looking down into his eyes once more. "And know that I will be anticipating the evening as much as you."

Nodding, Shield only had one question left to address. "So, how long do we have before I must return to pretending this hadn't happened completely."

Luna bit her lip, looking over Shield for a moment, before sighing. "The longer you stay in here, the more chance there is of someone wondering why you're in here at all. Not to mention..." she continued, nuzzling Shield softly as she spoke. "The longer you're in here, the more I'll want you to stay for longer."

Shield bristled at her words, returning her affections with a joyous smile. "Can I at least kiss you again before I go?" he ventured, giving a mockingly curious pout.

"Please," she whispered, leaning her forehead against his own.

Without pausing for a moment Shield leaned forward and kissed Luna, turning his head sideways as he pushed their lips together. Luna shivered with excitement, pushing back against him as she closed her glowing eyes. The seconds felt like over a minute but finally, Luna pulled back, eyes still closed. She breathed a single, shuddered breath against his muzzle.

"Now... please, like I said..." Luna began, opening her eyes only to see Shield standing at the door. With a nod and a smile, he opened it and walked through, beginning what was going to be a long two days for the princess of the night.

Finally off duty, Shield made his way through the castle courtyard and out the gates into the town beyond. Despite reaching the end of a long shift, his mind was still much too active to return home, excited beyond fatigue by the premise of an evening with Luna. His mind raced, attempting to form ideas of what the two of them would do. Since it would probably be late evening, he couldn't exactly plan something conventional. He wanted the night to be meaningful to her; sure they had spent a night close physically, but he found himself wanting to explore the mind of alluringly mysterious princess. But try as he might, no miracle ideas were coming to his head. Sighing, he walked down main street to a familiar building, a large sign atop it that read "Frothy's" in faded yellow paint.

Immediately after opening the large wooden doors, his ears were met with the familiar sound of many ponies talking, cheering and dancing, putting a smile across his face as he entered the warm tavern. The tavern was aglow with comfortably intimate orange light, provided by ever-burning torches and chandeliers that speckled the room. Straight across from Shield was a long bar, behind it sitting a large pony whose face plastered in a wide smile that was pointed directly at Shield.

"Ah, look, it's Frothy's favorite palace guard! Come sit down, Shield-- we’ve got some catching up to do!" Frothy yelled so he could be heard over the crowd. With a grin, Shield stepped forward, invited by the promise of conversation.

As he walked to the bar, Shield listened in to the music from a band, playing an up-tempo rhythm for the ponies to enjoy or dance to. At the front of the band itself was a grinning white pony, tapping his foot as he sang, a pair of black suede horseshoes on his flank.

"Spades Swings-- glad to see he's still coming by," Shield commented, nodding in approval at the choice of music.

"Why wouldn't he? It's a Wednesday night, and we've got a floor full of ponies smiling and dancing to his music. What more could a performer want?" Frothy said with a grin, reaching over and filling a glass with a dark brown ale.

"About that," Shield said, leaning forward and accepting the foam-topped glass from Frothy. "How do you manage to get so many ponies in here, no matter what night it is?"

"Well, Shield, I like to let ponies figure that out on their own; why did you come here?" Frothy asked with a grin, taking out a washrag and beginning to clean an empty mug.

Shield thought for a second, taking a sip of the ale. "Well, I was still awake. Didn't want to go home just yet,"

"Exactly the ticket, Shield. My tavern is the only place in Everfree that stays open into the night. I couldn't help but notice I found myself real awake every night, but with a whole lot of nothing to do. Wondered if other ponies thought the same way, and sure as there's a bunch of em' in my tavern, it was a success, and has been since," He said with a grin, waving his hoof to the tables of conversing ponies before them.

Shield blinked as gears inside his head began to turn and click. "You've got a building..."

"Uh-huh"

"Full of ponies..."

"Glad you're still with me, Shield."

"Who all love being awake during the night!" he shouted, an obvious answer that was the missing puzzle piece of Shield's task at hand.

"As elegant a business model as they get. I've got a feeling you're going to tell me anyways, but let me ask: just why is this such a revelation to you, Shield?"

Shield nodded, eyes wide in excitement. "You see, Frothy, there’s this mare,"

"Ha! You have no idea how many stories begin with that line," Frothy said, laughing heartily but doing nothing to sway Shield's excitement. "Fill me in, Shield; what have you got planned for this mare that's gonna win her heart over?"

"That's just it, Frothy. This mare-- more than anything, she's a night loving pony through and through. Trouble is, she doesn't think anyone else sees it the same way, considering everypony's jobs have them going to sleep right when the moon rises."

"So..."

"So, I've got an idea of where to bring her to prove her she's wrong!"

"Shield, buddy, I hate to break it to you, but my bar ain't exactly the most romantic place in town," Frothy questioned, his eye cocked.

"Not to most mares, but I think this is right what she needs. I wonder if she likes to dance..." Shield questioned, his thoughts now turned inward at what other things he could plan.

"Sounds like you've got some thinking to do. I've got some glasses to fill up, but I hope our little chat has been enlightening to you. Good luck with the filly, lovercolt," Frothy said, dismissing himself with a grin.

Shield hardly noticed, mentally crafting the pieces for was what was sure to be the best night ever.

Princess Luna stood poised on her balcony, overlooking Everfree as the last slivers of the sun cast an auburn light across the mountains of Equestria. Feeling the excited energies of the night sky, she closed her eyes and began channeling their energies through her horn. A great weight placed itself across her back as she closed her eyes and focused on the pale orb that lay dormant past the horizon. Her breaths came long and heavy as she began to lift, the sky darkening ever so slowly as the paintbrush of her magic swept across the sky. Orange became purple, highlighted by the silver glow of the rising moon. Pinpricks of luminosity twinkled into existence as the stars grew brave enough to defy the dark tapestry of the evolving night sky. After minutes of concentration, the literal weight of the world began to ease itself from Luna's shoulders, content on carrying itself for the remainder of the journey. With a final slow breath, Luna sat down, resting from the ritual she was destined to undergo each night.

"My, that's quite a task isn't it? I hadn't ever given thought to how different calling the night must be," Celestia commented, watching silently from inside the balcony doors.

Luna continued resting for nearly a minute, her eyes closed and her head lying between her hooves. "If all I had to beckon was the moon each evening..." Luna replied slowly, finally raising her head and addressing her sister directly. "Contrary to what you might think, it's the stars who are the most fickle. It's almost as if I have to chase them down to get them to show up-- and the constellations wouldn't be correct without each and every one present." Luna looked upon Celestia with a serious gaze, before slipping free into a small smile. "Though, I appreciate you taking notice."

Celestia returned her smile warmly, stepping through to the balcony and lying down with her sister. "If only I had time each evening, Luna. Recently the councils have gotten even more erratic than normally. It might surprise you how... unsatisfied they can be, despite my best efforts."

A small laugh came in reply from Luna. "You don't say? The ponies of the castle dissatisfied by their great Celestia? I almost can't imagine..."

"Ah yes. Always about taking a more active approach to the problems they believe afflict the castle. Even as a ruler, though, I simply cannot be everywhere at once," Celesita mused, turning and looking at her sister. "Speaking of which, I wish I had come only to watch you raise the moon. Unfortunately, there is another order of business I came to speak with you about."

Luna cocked an eyebrow. "There always is. Well, no use keeping you here any longer-- what is it?"

Celestia looked her sister in the eye, now. "Surely you remember that next week the castle will be hosting the Grand Galloping Gala?" Luna blinked and cocked her head, eliciting a sigh from Celestia. "The Grand Galloping Gala. Or, as you affectionately called it last year 'The day I am forced to have royals suck up to me'." Now it was Luna's turn to sigh, once again burying her head between her hooves.

"Oh, night. That's next week? Does that mean I'll have to..." Luna grumbled from between her hooves.

"Correct. You'll have to have somepony escort you. It is customary to pay tribute to our subjects by picking a representative who we believe is an exemplary asset to castle life," Celestia explained, raising her chin slightly, before cocking an eyebrow. "Which of course means for you, whomever you feel is least prone to call attention to you."

Luna gave a devilish grin.

"Which is why this year, I've taken it upon myself to put an end to that tradition," said Celestia, now adopting her sister's grin as it faded into a look of confusion. "You see, I've taken it upon myself to call the nobles for a meeting-- one which you will be attending. Hopefully I can trust you to at least talk to some of them, and perhaps select someone you feel is actually deserving of the title."

Luna groaned, standing up and slouching dramatically into her room. "The nobles? They're the worst out of all of them! Why, they're content with only associating with me so long as it makes their family look good!"

Celestia followed her sister, walking around her and keeping her gaze. "Which is better than you picking somepony at random again to simply spare yourself the horror of actually talking to anypony!" Luna scowled, turning away from her sister and walking back to the balcony defiantly "I won't hear any word to the contrary. I know you may not like it, but I'm going to insist that you attend the meeting this Friday, so you can make an educated and--"

"Friday?!" Luna said, wheeling around in shock.

"Yes. Friday. The day you designate to do practically nothing all day, while the rest of--"

"N-No, Celestia, you don't understand. I do designate Friday to do something. Or, at least this Friday!" Luna stammered, her eyes darting around the room as she furiously formed arguments within her mind.

Celestia cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? You've got something planned the only Friday I need you to meet with nobles, hmm?"

"Well, I haven't got to meet with the nobles," Luna claimed, smiling awkwardly.

"Oh? And why is that, Luna?" Celestia said, her eyebrows now furrowing as she took a step towards her sister.

"Because... well, I didn't want to have to tell you this just yet, but," Luna began slowly, before gulping. "I-I already have somepony to escort me to the Gala this year."

Celestia cocked her head, her mouth opening slightly in disbelief. "What? You never go to any social events, much less get to know ponies well enough to have ever actually picked somepony. Who is it?"

Luna turned away from her sister, letting her eyes sweep across the walls of the room. "Do you remember four nights ago?"

"The night you fled my room in sorrow?"

"Yes! Only, after I fled your room, there was a Guard who ran after me believing I had been harmed," Luna began, unsure and unwanting to continue. "W-Well, after I assured him no harm had been done to me, he expressed worry for my state. He... He shared stories with me of how the guards above him often did not appreciate his work!" she began, turning to her sister with a smile as the story formed in her head. "I, being in the state that I was in, of course could sympathize, and I expressed how much I appreciated his worry for me. After hearing his stories, and seeing his kindness, I felt there would be nopony better to represent the hardworking demeanor that many citizens have!"

"To... to be able to represent a party who is under-appreciated in general, I felt, was a gift the citizens would appreciate," Luna finished, smiling as she nodded her head at the still-dumbfounded Celestia.

"You... wish to have a palace guard escort you to the Gala?" Celestia said, her eyes slanting in disbelief.

"I see nopony more fit to represent the hard work that goes unrecognized daily!" Luna replied, smiling at her perfect patchwork justification.

"Luna, that's... that's... genius!" Celestia exclaimed, taking her sister in her hooves and giving her a hug. "Oh, I knew you cared about your subjects! Why hadn't I thought to represent the everyday citizen before? And how tiresome nobles can get after weeks and weeks of just hearing them talk!" she rambled excitedly, before shaking her head and looking Luna in the eye. "The point is... I'm glad you've found a part of the populous you can get behind!"

Luna's eyes widened at her sister's uncharacteristic outburst, simply smiling and nodding in agreement. "Yes, well, certainly a part more suited for me than nobles or councilponies. I'm glad you feel the same way," she replied, hardly stifling a giddy smile.

"I agree! Well, I'm glad to hear it. So what about your plans this Friday, then?" Celestia asked. Luna felt the blood drain to her hooves.

"I-Uh," she stammered, forgetting that she had mentioned that last bit. "W-Well I'm spending the evening to... prepare him for such a formal occasion! He... he was worried that, being a guard, he would come off as unprepared and unmannerly to the other higher ups who would be attending. So I promised to... personally teach him!" she explained with a crooked grin.

"Ah! Just what I was thinking you should do! Wonderful-- I am glad you're being so suddenly mindful of the social politics revolving around such an event!" beamed Celestia, as she patted her sister's shoulder.

"W-well, you know, I was always mindful of them. Just not so caring to participate. I know how fickle the council can be, after all..." she justified smoothly.

"Of course. Well, as glad as I am to hear that you've taken such initiative to your ruling duties, mine must be attended to as well! I've got to hold a meeting, and they're always so testy when I'm late..." Celestia gave her sister a final sincere smile, before making her way to the entrance of the room. "Good night Luna. Oh, and, check your warddrobe for a dress I think will go just wonderfully with your eyes!" she called, before closing the door firmly behind her.

Luna let out a long sigh of relief, completely in disbelief of how well that had gone. Not only had she escaped a meeting with nobles but had gotten her sister to approve of Shield escorting her to the Gala! Perhaps for once it wouldn't be such an awful, stuffy event.

With a curious tilt of her head, she opened the doors of her wardrobe to reveal...

Pink. Why did she always think pink was a good color? Luna sighed, leaving the dress intact, resolving to pick another one before the week was up.

Trotting away from the wardrobe, she couldn't help but giggle at her own complaints. For once, a simple dress was the most of her worries.

It was a nice feeling.

Walking back over to the porch, and directing her eyes to the night sky, she decided she was in the mood for some painting. The night would have to be as beautiful as she could make it for the week to come.

Across the Town

Shield's mind was frantic. Friday evening had come, and immediately after getting off his shift he had realized that he had never asked where Luna was going to meet him! He refrained from bashing his head into the metal part of his bunk only because he had just combed his mane. Instead, he simply paced around his room, unsure of what he should do. Moreover, he couldn't help but feel absolutely foolish that he hadn't even thought of this, even after all of his planning.

The only thing he could think of was to follow her advice-- treat it as if he was planning as if she were just another mare. Right then! With a determined look on his face, he resolved that he would just have to prance up to the door of her bedchambers and request her presence. All he would have to do was just...

Knock knock knock.

Shield's eyes shot open, and, after frantically checking the dinky mirror on his guards-chamber wall, he rushed to the door. Taking a deep breath slapping on a practiced smile, he opened the door slowly.

He blinked in confusion. Before him stood a short, evening-blue unicorn who was smiling sweetly. Her icy-blue hair had been enchanted to fall in spirals down the sides of her face, and she was wearing a sleek dark red dress. She was absolutely breathtaking, looking like a mare who had just spent hours preparing for...

His eyes fell across a pair of crescent-moons that adorned her ears.

"Lu...na?" he whispered, leaning closer and smiling slightly in amazement. Her smile grew to a grin that only a certain mischievous princess of the night could conjure.

"Wonderful! You recognized me," she praised, prancing about and planting a kiss on his cheek. "Though thankfully, not many other ponies did if the whistles I got coming down this hallway were any indication..." she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry about the other guards... they'll keep it to themselves when they see you leaving with me," Shield commented, slightly lifting his chin. "But that's besides the point... how did you..." he bumbled.

"This is how I would look if all the magic were somehow drained from me. Thankfully, that makes transforming into it with a spell very simple, because it's still just a natural form of mine," She explained, stepping back to allow Shield to walk out of his room. "Though, that does mean I've got to wear this dress on account of having wings," she added, turning and letting Shield examine the bulge in the side of the metallic fabric.

He was impressed at how well her wings were hidden, considering the other parts of the dress were so tight-fitting. Even in a different body, Luna had a figure that could fuel his dreams for years.

"You know, staring is impolite," Luna scolded with a pout, sending Shield blushing and stammering out of his stupor.

"A-Ah, of course, I'm s--"

Pushed up against the door he had just closed, he felt Luna's lips pressing into his to silence him. She kissed him for only an instant, before sending a shiver-inducing look into his eyes and whispering "If I wanted a prim and proper stallion, Shield, I would have had a much happier 600 years," with a devilish smile. "Now, relax. I want to know you, Shield. The real you; the you that compelled you to chase after a mare everypony else seemed to forget."

Shield stood awestruck and blinking at the mare before him, before nodding slowly. "Sorry... I'm just a bit thrown off is all?"

"Thrown off? By what; how I look?" She said with a concerned frown.

"Absolutely not: you look fantastic! I just didn't really think it could get any better, and you keep proving me wrong!"

Luna cocked her head and blushed slightly before assaulting Shield with another kiss. "You know, we're not going to get anywhere if you keep making me do this,"

"I really wouldn't mind," Shield said with a grin. "Except for the fact that you'd miss seeing all the things I've got planned for tonight!"

Luna raised her eyebrow in playful skepticism. "And because I'd be messing up my mane without getting to bring it anywhere..." she teased.

Shield paused, cocking his head. "Messing up your mane?"

Luna's eyes shifted to the door behind Shield, before returning to his a moment later.

Shield's eyes widened as the message hit home coughing and laughing awkwardly in response.

"Oh, wow, you're giggling like a schoolfilly!" Luna exclaimed, laughing and rolling her eyes.

Shield stuffed a hoof in his mouth and took a moment to compose himself, Luna looking on in amusement. "All right, all right. Shall we go, then?" he said with a smile, beginning to walk down the hallway.

"I thought you'd never ask," Luna replied, returning his smile and trotting up to walk alongside him.

After walking and conversing for about twenty minutes, Luna looked to the part of town they had brought themselves to. Around were cottages, some glowing dimly from firelight inside, but that was about it.

"Not to burst any surprises that you might have for me early, but where are we, Shield?" Luna asked, confused as to their surroundings.

"Oh, couldn't you tell? We're in the western housing district of Everfree," Shield replied with a smile. Luna only blinked.

"Okay, then, why are we are in a housing district? You live in the castle, don't you?"

"Yep! We're not here to see where I live, though. At least, not anymore. The first place we're going is the one most special to me: where my mother lives," Shield explained with a smile.

Luna blinked, giving him a skeptical look. "You know, I'm not certain, but I don't think most stallions bring their first dates to meet their mothers."

"You're right! Only, I figured... I already know some things about you simply because you're the princess. It's only fair to learn those things about me. Besides, I think you'll really enjoy this," Shield said, smiling.

With a worried glance, Luna nodded, following Shield to a small cottage with smoke billowing slowly out of it's chimney. Confidently, Shield strode forward and knocked on the door, before turning and giving Luna a reassuring smile, which she halfheartedly reciprocated.

After what seemed like almost a minute, the door to the cottage opened, and a green mare stood before them. "Shield, is that you?" the mare said, squinting and leaning her head forward.

"Yep, its me!" Shield said, taking a step forward and hugging the mare. "Sorry I couldn't come out to see you until now; I had to pull extra shifts to get this time off tonight!" He said with a smile.

"Oh? Why tonight?"

Shield smiled, looking worriedly at Luna. "This mare right here!"

"Mare?" She said, turning her head back to the door, squinting and leaning forward once more. "Oh, my! Oh, please do forgive me! My eyesight is nearly gone, and you just blend right into the night," she said with a humble smile.

Luna looked worriedly at the mare, before stepping forward. "No, don't apologize! You can scold your son later for not pointing me out," she said with a smile "It's a pleasure to meet you, mrs..."

"Duskblossom. Please, the pleasure is all mine. And your name is?"

"Lulu," Luna replied softly, a wry smile shooting Shield's way.

Duskblossom gave a warm smile. "What a beautiful name. Well, come inside! There's so much I'd like to ask you!"

Luna stepped into the warm cottage and surveyed her surroundings. The walls were completely covered by bookshelves and drawers filled to the brim with musky artifacts. A fire on the far left side of the room provided the only light and warmth. One shelf had been entirely re-purposed into a small garden under a tiny window, and had flowers growing wildly out of the soil. Dusty books shared shelves with porcelain animals and piles of sewing equipment, shelf after shelf common only in the absolute lack of organization. The floor, however, was completely pristine, aside from a large circular rug in the room. The only exits to other parts of the house were a staircase leading upwards and a wooden swinging door that led out to a backyard. The entire first floor of the cottage was comprised of this room alone connected to a tiny kitchen that looked like it had been built into a closet.

"Ah, where are my manners. Let me light some candles for you; you must not be able to see anything in this dismal shack!" Duskblossom said, shuffling over to a drawer by the back door and rustling around inside.

"Actually, I rather prefer the comfortable lighting your home provides. I've always preferred the dark, you see..." Luna said, shooting a smile to Shield bearer.

"You don't say? I feel the exact same way, though explaining that to anyone else seems to be the chore of the century. They say it's the reason my sight is so bad, but... Shield and I know better," Duskblossom mentioned, smiling a comforting smile in her son's direction.

Luna tilted her head slightly, a curious look coming over her face for a moment, before simply smiling politely.

"Actually, mom, one of the reasons I brought Lulu here is because she wanted to hear more about my life! You see, she's been very open with me thus far, and I knew there was no one better to explain everything than you!"

"Never bring a mare home just to visit, do you? Of course you come here with some motive behind your actions. Ah, well. I always did love a good story. But are you sure this one is absolutely proper for..." Duskblossom replied with a worried smile.

"Yeah. All of it. It was you who kept yelling at me as a foal to be honest, right? Well, I figure that doesn't mean just when it's comfortable," Shield said, smiling to Luna and placing a hoof on his mother's shoulder.

"All right, all right. Just let me run upstairs for a moment. Wouldn't feel right without some pictures, you know," Duskblossom said with a wicked grin. Shield's eyes went wide.

"Y-You know, mom, I don't know if we really need--"

"Oh, yes we do! Sit tight!" Duskblossom cackled playfully as she trotted up the stairs and out of sight. Shield Bearer sighed and walked over to Luna, motioning for her to follow him over to the living room. The two sat next to one another in front of the fire, though Luna's gaze rested firmly on her own hooves.

"Calm down, Luna," Shield said with a playful nudge. "I know you're a curious little pony. I'm the one who'll be suffering baby pictures!"

Luna's cocked her eyebrow with a grin. "Little pony?"

Shield leaned over and kissed her forehead quickly. "Yes. Right now you're my little pony, and I intend to take advantage of it while I can."

Luna fought the urge to tackle Shield, instead pouting and punching his shoulder with her hoof. After a moment, she took a deep breath and turned her gaze to the fire. "This is just all... I can't help but comprehend how nice each moment is, no matter how much of an introvert that makes me seem. I've never been... well..." she smiled up at Shield, the fire reflecting off her eyes. "Nopony's ever really treated me 'normally' before."

Shield nodded understandingly, his response cut short by the sound of hooves coming down the narrow wooden staircase. "Here they are, right where I left them! You know, the funny thing about losing your sight is that things like pictures get even more important to you! I've been keeping this book for Celestia knows how long, and I haven't been able to see any of the pictures in years! Showing other people just means more to me, I guess," Duskblossom said, smiling wisely whilst somehow giggling.

Duskblossom sat in front of the two, her back to the fire, and placed an enormous wooden-backed journal between them all. "Now," she said with a cheerful smile. "Let me tell you a story of love." She opened up to the first page, showing pictures of her as an awfully young mare, her blue eyes wide open in the old photograph.

"More than any condition, love blinds us absolutely. I haven't felt more vulnerable to the world since I graduated school, readying myself to go to university here in Everfree. In the summer between, I met the stallion of my dreams: he was a pegasus, handsome and brave, who could woo better than any of the most learned poets. He was a pegasus with ambition: he wanted to gather the best fliers around the country and assemble them as an ace acrobatics team, the likes of which Equestria had never seen! Of course, he did: what we all know as the Wonderbolts," Duskblossom said with a fond smile.

Luna gasped. "The Wonderbolts? They're the royally sponsored team!"

Duskblossom nodded. "Indeed. Their formation was the work of my Wing Dancer. He was a stallion every mare's hooves wanted to be on, and yet he was mine. In light of his incredibly successful career, I dropped out of University and married him the moment he asked. Shield came soon after, and my life soon revolved around raising our wonderful child," Duskblossom said with a loving smile, turning the page of the photobook. Plastered all over the page were pictures of the wedding, huge and dreamlike, held within the walls of the castle themselves. Luna gasped to see her sister presiding over the ceremony. The next page was filled with photos of Shield as a foal, eliciting an obligatory groan from himself. While his own faces were varied throughout, in every picture Duskblossom had a smile so wide it rivaled that of Celestia herself. Luna couldn't help but find herself smiling, finding the photographed smile wickedly infectious.

"You look like the happiest mare in Equestria," Luna commented, smiling warmly as she looked at her host.

"I was the happiest mare in Equestria. I had everything I ever wanted. Good things, however, can never last forever. Wing Dancer was getting on in age; not old, but not heroically fit like he used to be. Unfortunately for him, his own standards were that of legends. The Wonderbolts told him it was time to retire just about when Shield was ten. Being a father, and their founder, they gave him more bits than he would ever need to live on for the rest of his life-- on top of his already impressive fortune. Still, I quickly found out that he had been married to his career this whole time. Even at home, he could not be a father. Depression within him grew, and depression turned to bitter anger. Each time I tried to comfort him, he would find a scapegoat. Often, that scapegoat would be me," Duskblossom said, her smile fading. Her gaze turned to the ground, and her eyes closed completely.

Duskblossom turned the page, and before them lay a few pictures, Duskblossom's smile forced and Wing Dancer bitter and angry. The rest of the page was empty.

"He told me I was the reason his career ended. I was holding him back. They let him go because of me and Shield. None of it was true, but my love for him was blinding, despite the obvious signs. Eventually, he began to take out his angers on me. He never was a drinker, until that night. He beat me until I was unconscious, but couldn't stop there. When I woke up my head hurt more than my heart, and Wing Dancer was gone. Too scared to admit what had happened to me, I didn't go to the hospital until I fell down the stairs because I was unable to see or walk straight. They told me I had suffered a concussion and had never recovered. The trip down the stairs made the effects permanent."

Dusk flipped the page, pictures of her alone on a Hospital bed, her face spattered with tears. The last picture, however, showed Shield curled asleep next to her on her bed, her smiling sweetly down at her little baby.

"Shield never cried. He had no idea what was going on, but when my husband would beat me he would scream at him to stop through our locked bedroom door. The weeks between him leaving and my trip to the hospital, I thought I had nothing to live for anymore. This little colt, though..." Duskblossom said, moving her hoof over to rustle Shield's combed mane. He only worriedly smiled at her in return, unable to bring himself to care about his mane any longer. "Shield taught me not to regret it, whether he tried to or not. No matter what I went through in the later years of my relationships, I always knew I had Shield to show for it. I would do it all over again for him."

Luna felt tears trickling down her face, leaning back from the photo album as to not smudge the pictures with her tears. "Mrs. Duskblossom, thats... that's amazing..."

Duskblossom smiled warmly back at Luna. "It's not amazing. It's what he deserved. The story, however, is not over quite yet." She flipped the page of the photo album once more, all the pictures now showing Shield as he was growing up. Some from schooldays, some with other stallions as they played around what Luna recognized as this room, and finally to his graduation. Dusk stood next to her child with that same infectious smile returned, Shield grinning a bashful grin with his hoof over his mother's shoulder.

"I took a couple menial jobs, and bought this place. It's been our home ever sense. Since I couldn't be around anymore when Shield got home, I started sending him off to my friend Shaky's place. At first, Shaky let him hang around the bar and watched over him for me, but eventually Shield picked up a job there as well," Duskblossom explained, nudging Shield. "Why don't you take over this part, Shield?"

"Not much to tell, really. Shaky and I became great friends, despite the age difference. Never really had someone to look up to like that, my real dad being working all the time before he left. I started getting to know the regulars of the bar, and Shaky thought it fit to give me a job seeing as I knew the place better than any of his other employees," Shield explained, looking over at the doodad covered walls.

"Why don't you tell her about your job, Shield?" Duskblossom said with a playful smile. Shield glared at his mother for a moment. "Oh come on, now. You're the one who pranced in here explaining the importance of honesty!" Shield sighed and groaned slightly, turning his gaze to his hooves.

"Well, like I said, I got to know the regulars. Only, most of the regulars were the live musicians that Shaky hired to come in and play. They were stars to me! Of course, being an impressionable foal, I pranced around the bar all day annoying the customers by singing the songs over and over..."

"Annoyed?" Duskblossom said, nudging her soon with a hoof.

"Fine. Some of them said my voice was pretty good for a kid. After a while some of the regulars started chanting my name when the singers would go up... you know, just to help my own ego. I was a kid, so they supported me. Thing is, so did the musicians. So they started letting me sing sometimes, and Shaky decided he'd pay me for it once I got old enough," Shield finished, his gaze still on the floor.

"You... you were a singer?" Luna asked, grinning. "I can hardly believe it! The pony sitting before me, in a staring contest with his own hooves, sang up on a stage?"

Shield nodded and sighed. "Look, I was a kid, it was more for the fun of it, but once I started getting paid I jus--"

"Hehehe. Look at how red he is," Luna giggled and nudged Duskblossom with a hoof, who stifled her own giggle. Shield buried his head in how own hooves. "Oh, come on Shield. I honestly don't know what you're so embarrassed about! I'm sure you were great at singing!"

Shield grumbled. "Anyways," he continued. "With the money from that, mom was able to drop one of her jobs. Eventually, I graduated school and went on to join the Royal Guard. Paid a lot better-- and provided housing. So now mom can afford this place without working." Shield now turned a page in the album, showing him as a young Stallion in training, his helmet nearly too big for his skull.

Duskblossom frowned slightly. "Thank Celestia, too. My eyesight is so bad, I can't really work anymore at all. If I could do anything else, I wouldn't have him pay for--"

"I'm sure Shield is proud to help such a wonderful mother, Mrs. Duskblossom," Luna said, smiling widely at Shield, who grinned bashfully in return.

"Even so, I do what I can. Because of Shield I was finally able to follow my own dreams, and started gardening again."

"Gardening?" Luna asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yes, if I had gone to University I would have studied floral design. Gardening has always been my passion, and even with horrible eyesight the colors and arrangements of flowers still comes naturally to me," Duskblossom replied, standing up. "Which is one of the reasons this room is so small-- so we could make room for the garden out back. Would you like to come see it?" Duskblossom said with a proud smile.

"I'd love to!" Luna replied.

"Wonderful! Shield, could you bring this photo album back upstairs while we head outside?" Duskblossom requested politely as she stood up. Shield nodded, picking up the book and heading up the stairs.

Luna rose and followed Duskblossom to the wooden door. Duskblossom opened the door with her snout, and immediately the inside of the house was lit with a soft white glow. Luna blinked in surprise and stepped out of the door.

Luna's eyes went wide and her mouth went slightly agape as she stepped into the garden. In front of her was a sea of glowing petals that lit the humble garden path around to where a river flowed naturally through the small enclosure. Many of the flowers she recognized: tulips, roses, chrysanthemums-- but she had never in all her years seen the glowing flowers before. Each flower had four white petals that curved before ending in a point directed away from the center, spaced evenly from one another. In the center, though, was a glowing phosphorescent bulb with no defined edges, as if it were a star suspended freely above the flower.

Duskblossom stood smiling off to the side. "I take it you're surprised by the Moonglow, aren't you?" Luna blinked, slowly turning her gaze to the gardener.

"Moon...glow? Forgive me, but I've never heard of such a flower before!" Luna said, her awe shifting from the garden to the gardener.

"Nopony has. I named them myself for that very reason. I came across them on the edge of the Everfree forest walking home from work one night. They caught my eye immediately with the way they put off actual light of their own. I found a patch of perhaps a dozen growing next to a large field of what I found out was poison joke. My personal theory is that these flowers were once tulips before the weedlike Poison Joke invaded their growing place," Duskblossom explained, leading Luna along the tiny path that led to the river.

"The joke, I guess, is that they only bloom at night, yet all creatures that would pollinate them only move around during the day," Duskblossom said, fondly picking one of the flowers and hoofing it to Luna. "Thankfully, I brought a few home and noticed this the following night. I knew plenty about flowers from my days of gardening while Wing Dancer was out of the house-- enough to pollinate these using a cuetip. Unfortunately, they'll never grow outside my garden here because of their peculiar nature."

"How tragic... these are the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen!" Luna admired, turning the flower over with her magic. It continued to glow even though it had been picked.

"I agree. I've always loved watching them bloom each evening, and even though my sight has all but left me, I can still see the beauty these flowers radiate. I feel as if Luna herself has blessed me with them," she said with a caring smile.

Luna's eyes widened. "You know... I don't think Luna had any part in creating these flowers," Luna said, sighing and returning the flower to the ground.

Duskblossom's retained her complacent smile. "Yes, I guess it's silly to feel as if a goddess was looking out for solely me,"

"I am here for you, Duskblossom. I am here for all my subjects," Luna said, a glow of pale blue from her horn returning her form to her.

"Luna?" Duskblossom gasped, her eyes widening before immediately dropping her snout to the ground and bowing.

"Please, Mrs. Duskblossom. Do not bow to me," Luna pleaded, craning her neck over to comfort Duskblossom as she rose. "Your garden is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on, Duskblossom."

Duskblossom smiled widely and a tear streamed down her cheek. "Oh, Princess, that means the world to me. Thank you so much," she said, tears continuing to form around her eyes.

Luna twitched before sighing and looking down upon the mare. "Please, Duskblossom. Call me Luna. I am not here as your Princess, I am here as your son's--"

"Lulu?" Shield called as he stepped out the door. Immediately his eyes widened in shock. "Uhm... Lulu, are you aware that--"

"Oh Shield, my honest little stallion," Duskblossom said, turning with a grin. "You have some explaining to do."

"That explanation can come later, Duskblossom. For the moment, I'd like to propose an offer to you," Luna said, smiling benevolently. "As I'm sure you know, Celestia practically covers the castle with gardens. I've come to realize that I don't have any gardens of my own-- for good reason. Grandeur certainly is more Celestia's game than my own. However, this..." Luna swung her hoof along, gesturing to the garden before them. "This is wonderful. Small, intimate, and a unique and beautiful gem."

Duskblossom blushed and smiled in pride.

"Which is why I'd like to ask you to tend my personal garden in the palace, Duskblossom. Do you think you would like that?" Luna asked with a smile.

Duskblossom gasped, her behind hitting the dirt of the pathway in shock. "M-Me?" she bumbled. "A... A royal gardener? Oh my... that would be the most wonderful thing in the world, Princess! It's all I've ever dreamed of!" Duskblossom ran to Luna, embracing her in joy spouting her thanks over and over.

Luna could only smile at the mare's joy. "Every pony should have the chance to follow their dreams, Duskblossom. For a time, you gave your own up so Shield could have a better life. For that, let me thank you, Duskblossom."

Luna bowed her own head to the ground, a tear trickling down her smiling face and onto the dirt floor below.

Author's Note

This took far too long, and I sincerely apologize for that. I am but a hobbyist writer, and recently my free time has turned predominantly to College, Music, and Programming.

I don't know when I will write more, or if I will. Thank you for all your kind words.