Princess Mi Lucens Luna
The silver light of the full moon filtered in a series of shades at it lanced through the stained glass windows lining the hallway. The red carpet was speckled with the ends of these lines, interrupted only by small motes of dust, and the heavy sigh of a single pony.
Her name was Mi Lucens Luna, normally called Princess Luna by the commoners. In fact, the only times she had heard her full name from the mouth of another pony was at the side of her mothers' deathbed, and from the mouth of her crying sister as the Nightmare tore fur and flesh from her flank.
The Princess of the Night sighed again, a hollow noise that send the little floating specks spinning off to who-knows-where. Her eyes reflected the rainbow light shining in, each little color a single star among her beautiful irises. She blinked, turning away from the image that she had been unintentionally staring at.
She turned around slowly, scanning the intimate details in each work of art, each hidden line shimmering gently in the moonlight. The shadows seemed to raise the panels away from each other, the detailed figures seemingly moving out into the space around her.
For a few moments, the Princess fancied the idea of her own little glass figures, if only for the company. Her imaginings shattered as a stiff hoof tapped her shoulder.
She turned, teeth grinding as she prepared to unleash the fury of the night on the hapless intruder. As she reared up, she noticed one of the Night Guards standing still in front of her. She checked her posture - standing upright, one hoof raised above her head, wings almost open, scowl showing on her face - and landed back on all fours.
"We are sorry." The Princess apologized quickly, dipping her head. "You surprised us."
If the guard was surprised or humbled, he showed no sign of it. "Your court is starting in five minutes."
She scanned his face for any emotion - pity, fear, joy, respect - and found nothing. She nodded gently. "We will arrive shortly."
"Thank you." The guard turned on a hoof and marched back out of the room, back to his post. Princess Luna sighed again, succumbing to the chill of the night that the mortals would no doubt feel. With a shiver, she trotted softly out of the room, closing the door with a gentle click behind her.
Trixie Lulamoon
Her name was Trixie Lulamoon, normally called Trixie or 'jerk' by the commoners. Her mother had named her whimsically, as if hoping she would become a goddess among the ponies. This was further enforced by her mother's insistence to teach her showy magic 'for impressing lower life forms' and dressing her in fanciful dresses 'to look the part'.
That was probably why the self-proclaimed show-mare had left her childhood home at ten years of age.
She had kept very few things from her childhood; the revenue of her few jobs and childhood whims, a small caravan with a blow-up mattress, and a matching hat and cape that her mother had made for her. Other than that, she had remained stoic to her original concept.
She was going to regain what she had never had.
Greatness.
She would go to Canterlot, perform for the Princesses, and become the greatest show-mare that ever lived!
Trixie sat up on her cot, tossing her mane out of her eyes. The thin blanket she had wrapped around her earlier had shifted off, but from the numbness of her coat, she could tell it would not have changed the chill in the air.
She stood up, levitating a small comb to groom the mats from her mane. Her cape lifted from its hanger and settled on her back, hiding her messy coat and tail. Her comb fell away and her hat replaced the fuzz, edges pulled down over her ears in a feeble attempt to keep them warm.
She shivered and opened the back door, jumping down onto the dirt path. A chill wind laced through her cape and dug into her flank, sending sharp pinpricks of ice up her spine. After a quick check for witnesses, she walked around to the front of her caravan, the heavy yoke threatening her weary form.
With a tired sigh, she stepped inside of its' jaws, quickly fastening the wooden brace around her neck before she had a chance to second-guess. The wood was even colder than the air, a bond of winter choking at her throat.
Trixie grunted and surged forward, feeling the worn wheels of her home pop out of their ruts and begin to spin. As she set her pace, she looked up towards the mountain city of Canterlot, watching the few travelers pondering up the spiraling road.
The golden glow of lit homes and warm streetlights lit a spark within her chest, banishing the cold to the furthest extent of her limbs.
She grinned, the welcoming aura shining across her face. She quickened her pace, almost galloping along the packed dirt. "The Great and Powerful Trixie shall make it to Canterlot tonight!"
Princess Mi Lucens Luna
Princess Luna's throne room was quite nice, decorated in hues of black and blue, edged in beautiful silver. A pale crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, lit with enchanted candles that burned blue. The Princess herself sat in a plush throne, raised above the common masses.
She would have been quite content with whittling away the hours of the night... had there been any ponies here to talk with.
She was, once again, completely, unbearably alone.
"Guards of the Night!" She bellowed, watching her loyal servants march in from the other side of the door. "We are taking leave from our court until the sun breaks!"
"Princess Luna, your court-"
"Do you see any ponies here?!" She yelled, directing her anger towards him. "Nopony wants to speak to us! Now, we will depart!"
Princess Luna spread her wings and charged for them, waiting for their inevitable scatter. Within a few steps of hitting them, she realized they were not going to move. With a single flap of wings, she cleared their heads, landing behind them and charging for a window clumsily left open. Her hooves tucked in, her wings folded, and her head tilted forwards.
She skimmed through the metal edge, dropping close to a hundred feet before snapping her wings open and soaring out over a quieted Canterlot. Her guards had not followed her - probably knowing that she would be safe on her own, or not caring - and she was once again alone. It was a better alone, through, one that she had chosen.
She landed softly on the roof of a nearby house, casting a quick spell to summon her cloak. She preferred to go incognito among the residents of her lands, preferring a soft suspicion to the open reverence of her 'godliness'.
What kind of a goddess are we, if our subjects do not even come to see us?
Princess Luna looked up towards her starlit sky, humming a lullaby she used to hear every night.
"Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels Goddess will send thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones' watch am keeping,
All through the night..."
Trixie Lulamoon
She had crested the hill of Canterlot! The city expanded in a glittering sea ahead, the guard station only a few steps behind. With a small 'squee', she thrust her weary hooves into motion, plodding down the road towards the caravan field the guards had directed her to.
She slowed down again as she heard a sweet melody carried on the breeze. The first thing that came to mind was that she could get a job as the special effects for a concert; the second idea simply for company.
"Excuse me?" She called out, looking around for another pony. The darkened windows around restricted her stage voice, and she frowned. "The Great and Powerful Trixie enjoyed your singing!"
There was silence, and only the cold air blew through the streets.
Trixie jumped forward as she heard a gentle voice pipe up from behind her. "You... you heard us? This late at night?"
The show-mare spun around, scanning the newcomer. She was tall, and seemed to be a unicorn, most of her head covered by a large hood. The cape attached covered down her flanks, hiding her mane, tail, and most of her legs. From what Trixie could see of her feet, they were shod in silvery-blue shoes.
As the mare stared at her, Trixie regained her voice. "Y-yes. You are an amazing singer." She smiled gently and held out a hoof. "I'm Trixie Lulamoon. You are?"
"I'm..." The pony reached out, taking Trixie's hoof in her own. The action slid the cloak she wore to the side, the loose tie around her neck unraveling. The entire ensemble slid to the ground.
Trixie gaped, bowing to the ground quickly. "I'm so sorry Princess Luna! I apologize for whatever I did!"
"N-no!" The Princess unintentionally yelled. "No... we did not come out here to punish you."
Trixie lifted her hoof from her face, peering through the gap. "You... aren't?"
"No." Princess Luna replied. She offered her hoof to Trixie's cowering form. "Our... my name is Luna. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Trixie eyed the Princess, her thoughts turning once again to her career. She took the hoof, standing up again. "It is my pleasure."
