Maid of Honor
By: Sniper125
Act I
"Time to rise my princess!"
The royal ruler of the night let out a loud yawn and shrugged her bed's heavy comforter off from her shoulders. She turned to the source of the voice; a small blue unicorn stood at her bedside with a cheerful smile that complimented her glowing purple eyes.
"Aah, a good evening to you Sapphire. Has my sister retired to her quarters?" The small servant nodded her head as she waited for the Princess to arise from bed.
"Yes, she sends her apologies but she felt the need to turn in early today. She hopes you understand." Luna shrugged but smiled at Sapphire and started towards the other side of her room.
"It is alright Sapphire I'm sure it must be hard on my sister working with the brunt of the problems through the day." She was about to open the door when Sapphire appeared in front of her.
"Allow me my princess." She swung the door open to reveal a large bathroom. Black tiles covered the floor and went up the wall but slowly transitioned into white as it reached the middle of the wall.
Luna thanked her and walked up to a small sink across from the doorway and examined her face through a tall mirror that hung on the wall. She examined her face closely and sighed when she noticed small circles underneath her eyes.
"You seem stressed, would you prefer to use the bathhouse this evening?"
"Yes, that sounds nice..."
The pair's horns suddenly glowed and they both found themselves in a dimly lit chamber carved out of stone. Sapphire's horn glowed once more and candles that surrounded the room lit on their own with a bright blue hue that revealed an enormous rock formation.
Water flowed down the black stone and collected in a pool at the bottom. Steam rose and left droplets on Luna's fur as she waited for Sapphire to begin preparing everything for her bath.
It didn't feel like it, but this had become rather regular routine. Sapphire would wake Luna and start the process of preparing her for the royal court. Said process began with the royal bath followed by manestyling and helping her dress.
Luna never really thought it necessary for Sapphire to go through so much work just for her but the thought of having somepony there to care for her made her burden a little easier to bear.
It hadn't always been that way though. Ever since her return almost a month ago, the population had been rather reluctant to accept her into their lives. They had spent all of their lives with one ruler and the idea of having the subject of old horror stories returning to power didn't sound to encouraging it seemed.
Luna would have passed it off as a simple transition phase if it wasn't for the behavior of her staff. Almost every servant, maid, even the guards would avoid eye contact at all costs and shrivel in fear if they had done something wrong in her presence. It had almost destroyed her hopes of returning to the status she once held until a certain day that her usual servant had taken ill. Her replacement was a tiny mare younger than who she thought would qualify to serve the princess directly.
She had expected the unicorn to wilt at the mere sight of her like all of her other subjects but was shocked to see the pony stand by her side without a hint of nervousness but confidence instead. After a few days of her service Luna had asked what it was that made Sapphire so brave...
One Month Ago...
"Brave? I wouldn't say that your highness. I just don't see what there is to be so scared about that's all." Luna simply gawked at her servant who stifled a giggle.
"But has thou not heard stories of our past? The apparent reign of Nightmare Moon who crushed those who opposed her dream of endless night!"
"Of course I've heard the stories Princess. But I don't see any Nightmare Moon roaming this castle, just Princess Luna. I think you have focused so much on what the childish population thinks of you that you've convinced yourself that everypony fears you!" Luna sat on her bed and thought about what her assistant had said.
"Thou has shown great wisdom. We thank thou for speaking with us."
"It was my pleasure Princess. If you want to talk I'd be more than happy to chat." Sapphire gave Luna a small smile which the princess shared.
"Thank you Ms. Sapphire, we would like that..."
Present Day...
Luna sighed in relief as she slowly slid into the steaming water of the hot spring. As she rested Sapphire approached from behind with a small basket of various mane-care products designed especially for Luna's celestial mane.
She squirted a small amount of shampoo into her hoof and began to gently lather the soap into the princess' mane. Sapphire then began to massage Luna's scalp which elicited a soft moan from her lips. Luna brought a hoof to her mouth after she heard the sound but was too late as Sapphire giggled lightly.
"You... didn't hear that Sapphire."
"Here what? I haven't heard anything." Luna glanced back at the smirking unicorn and sighed as water poured over her head.
"Alright Princess, we better finish up before the courts begin!" At that Luna stood and stepped out of the bath. She then made her way to a small wooden bench and a rack with white towels draped over it.
With a little magic Luna lifted two towels off the rack and proceeded to wrap one around her waste and one around the top of her head. She then took a seat on the bench as Sapphire approached from behind with a dark blue brush that glowed purple.
"Can't I just do it myself this time?" Luna moaned as Sapphire began to slide the brush through her mane.
"Now now Princess, I'd much rather do it myself."
"But don't you think this is a little far? It's strange having somepony taking care of me after all this time." Luna was caught off guard when she heard a sigh coming from Sapphire.
"Well, maybe that's why you deserve to be taken care of now." They both sat there silently as Sapphire continued to brush.
"Sapphire..."
"Yes, Princess?"
"Why did you become my assistant?"
"What do you mean Princess? I did it because I wanted to spend time with you and help you!"
"But why? I can't imagine being the assistant to the Princess of Darkness makes you sound very peasant to be around."
"True, but I don't really care what other ponies think about me."
"But why?" Luna turned to look at Sapphire who was silent for a moment.
"Because it means I get to spend time with you..."
End Act I
Maid of Honor
By: Sniper125
Act II
"The courts have now been completed for the night! Please make your ways home safely!" A royal guard bellowed from his spot next to Luna's throne as the rows of ponies sitting across from them began to hastily file out of the court room.
The princess stretched her forelegs and stood up to head towards the large door. Soon after she left the courts Sapphire appeared behind her.
"You did very well tonight Princess. You made a lot of ponies happy today."
"Thank you Sapphire, it's nice to see somepony that appreciates me..."
"What do you mean? You did so many good things tonight! I'm sure the school children will appreciate how you approved the building of a new playground for the public school!"
Luna stopped and turned towards Sapphire.
"Yes, and what else have I accomplished tonight? I've settled numerous carriage parking violations, charged half a dozen mares for prostitution, I've even had to deal with a deranged farmer who attempted to sue aliens for drawing crop circles on his land! Do you see what's similar between all of these cases?"
Sapphire could only reply with a shake of her head.
"They're pointless! Equestria is not going to collapse because a pony didn't fully pay for his breakfast at some diner in Lower Canterlot! Can you not see it? Ever since my return to the throne my sister has given me nothing but the bare minimum of duties in ways of relevance to our government!" Luna turned once again and resumed her walk down the hall.
"Well Princess... maybe your sister just doesn't think you should rush back into such a high role. You have been gone for a thousand years..."
"Perhaps you're right... but it has already been over a month since my return! I can't imagine why she would still believe I am incapable of ruling over my subjects."
Sapphire hurried in front of Luna as they reached the door to her chambers.
"I say we save this conversation for another night. Because now we must prepare you for bed!"
Luna nodded and quietly entered her room with her servant close behind. Sapphire waited for Luna to take her seat on the side of her bed. She then began to remove each glass slipper, placing them on a small stand next to the night stand. The next article to be removed was a large necklace colored so black that it seemed as if no light could touch this ornament of night.
Luna shivered slightly as a breeze blew across her body, cooling off the spot of her coat where the necklace had laid the entire night.
"It's a shame that these must be removed my Princess, you do look lovely in them." Sapphire smiled at Luna when she turned her head to look the maid in the eye. Luna quickly brought her gaze forward again to hide the hue of pink forming in her cheeks.
Sapphire giggled lightly to herself and removed the final piece of Luna's attire: the crown. The symbol that showed all her subjects that there were now two rulers in their land once more. Sapphire lifted the headpiece up and stared into the very same material that made up the very necklace she had removed earlier.
But something about the crown was different from the necklace. While the materials used claimed to be identical as the necklace. The crown had an ability unique to itself... When peered into by a select few ponies, it was believed that they could see the Princesses emotions, thoughts, even her memories.
Luna had admitted to her servant that while there we indeed ponies that could read her mind, the only ponies who could were those that she deemed the closest to her. She never understood why the crown acted the way it did, but considering it never brought her harm she had decided to leave it be.
Another effect it had on other ponies besides herself was arguably magical in its own way. Even if somepony could not make use of its telepathic abilities, the very design by itself seemingly pulled the viewer into a trance with its it's intricate design that flowed and swirled around the crown.
Sapphire loved Luna's crown, it was almost a nightly routine for her to peer into its dark expanse until she was brought back to the real world by Luna. Luna remained quiet and smiled as she watched Sapphire. It felt like nothing would be different this night as she brought the crown close. But as her eyes traveled across the ornament's surface... She noticed a small object floating just behind the clouds that swirled within.
Sapphire blinked, believing the object she saw was just her imagination. But even as she turned her attention to another part, the object simply floated to that spot. Sapphire didn't want to believe it, but the object was indeed visible and it was definitely inside the crown. It wasn't the fact that she could see inside but it was what she could see...
A heart...
Not an actual heart but one a filly would draw to show love or happiness. Normally this would have meant a good thing if wasn't for the ice frost that seemed to blanket the entirety of it. Icicles also seemed to be collecting near the bottom.
Sapphire couldn't understand why, but she could not hold back a small tear as she watched the heart be chipped away very slowly by an invisible pick. Tiny pieces gradually fell in front of her down to the dark depths of the shadows, seemingly lost forever...
"Sapphire!"
The mare looked up, not knowing that a few tears were still trickling down her cheek.
"What's wrong Sapphire? You're crying!" Luna brought a hoof up and wiped one of her cheeks.
Sapphire flinched at Luna's soft touch but remained still until she had removed her hoof.
"Princess?"
"Yes, Sapphire?"
"I... saw something within the crown..."
Luna blushed deeply at this new knowledge. She took a deep breath to calm her heart that suddenly skipped a beat.
"W-what did you see?" Luna could only pray it wasn't what she thought.
"I saw something that finally explained to me what is happening to you... I saw something I never want to see happen to you again!"
More tears began to fall as Sapphire lunged towards Luna, all formalities had now been forgotten.
"I never realized how lonely you were..."
Luna's expression turned from surprise to solemn as her friend wrapped her hooves around the princess's waist.
"S-Sapphire?"
"I don't want you to be lonely... not while I'm here to help it..." Sapphire looked into Luna's eyes.
"What're you saying Sapphire?"
"I'm saying... that ever since I began to work here... I have always wanted to be that pony that you could count on to make you happy. But I was foolish and thought that simply caring for you would keep you happy... I never knew how you really felt!"
Sapphire continued to ramble until Luna shushed her with a hoof.
"You have always made me happy Sapphire, seeing you're smiling face every night has done so much for me that I could never explain the joy it brings. But after some time... I realized that I wanted more of these feelings, I wanted to see you al the time instead of just at night and during my work. I wanted you to be at my side no matter what was happening, not as a servant... b-but as something more..." It was Luna's turn to wipe her now moistening eyes.
"But I always remembered that if I did anything to you I would only end up hurting you eventually... Just like every other pony that was close to me..."
Sapphire pulled herself up to eye level with Luna.
"That's a silly thing to say, I wanted nothing more than to be closer with you." They both stared into each others eyes.
"And you would never hurt me enough for me to ever leave you because..." Sapphire paused, her throat felt very tight as she tried to force the words out.
"I-I... love you Princess Luna! Not as a princess but as somepony that I want to spend the rest of my life with! I want to be there with you through any situation; good or bad! I want to help you through all of your struggles and share the happiness when you succeed! Princess, I love you!" Sapphire pulled Luna close, tears were now flowing freely as the mare softly wept for the princess who was still comprehending what was just said.
"I-I... I love you too Sapphire..." Such words had never been uttered by the princess in so long that they felt foreign to her lips. The little maid looked up again with a teary smile.
"D-does that me you'll accept the feelings of somepony like me?"
"Sapphire, there is nopony in the entire world that could compare to you... Of course I'll accept them." Both mares were now smiling through tears when Sapphire began to fidget in her seat on the bed.
Luna moved off the bed and helped Sapphire off before pulling the covers back. Sapphire then used her magic to fluff the pillows gently.
"I suppose we should skip the bed routine for tonight Princess. I hope you sleep well tonight..."
"Well... I was kind of hoping..." Luna was now sitting under the covers and turned a light shade of pink.
"...that you would spend the day here... With me..." Sapphire blushed as well but slowly approached the princess again.
"I-i would love to Princess." Sapphire fumbled with the straps that held her uniform together until the garments eventually fell to the ground. She then slipped under the covers and moved closer to Luna before wrapping her hooves around the princess's waist once more.
The two laid together in each other's embrace as both closed their eyes.
"Sapphire?"
"Yes Princess?"
"I was wondering if you could call me Luna..."
"Of course, Luna..." Sapphire giggled at the blush that was returning to Luna's face and sighed as her lack of energy was becoming more apparent.
But Luna needed one more thing before sleep could come...
"Sapphire?" The mare looked up again just in time to receive a gentle kiss.
"Thank you for everything... I love you..."
The End
Author's Note
Not the biggest thing I've written but I think it's a good start for a return to writing! I apologize for the long delays, I have nobody to blame except myself and I do hope you will all forgive me and continue to read my stories as I try to finish them all!
Warm regards,
Snipa
P.S. - Something's in this story seemed rather random to me and I apologize to anyone who thinks that as well!
