Shadows of Dusk

Chapters

Chapter 1: Eclipse
Chapter 3: A New Day for the Blade
Chapter 4: Through the Night
Chapter 2: Cleansing Blade

Chapter 1: Eclipse

As the moon nestled itself into the welcoming arms of the horizon, its sister, the sun, rose from behind me, bathing the waiting world with morning’s first light...effectively chasing away the night.

I let forth a smile of contentment as the breeze caressed my bronze locks, the fabric of my shirt and pants ruffling ever so slightly as well. It was because of mornings like this that I woke every day. It was for days like this that I had waited centuries as my true sight was bestowed upon me for the first time.

It was for a world like this that I lived.

I watched from my solitary balcony as the many people of the city began to wake as well, opening shops, escorting children to school, or, like me, simply enjoying the morning of a new day...a better day.

“Another job well done.” I whispered to the air. I then straightened my cloak and the rapier along my waist before making my way back inside to begin my day of work.

My stroll through the hallways that made up my home was slow and quiet, and I allowed myself to run my fingertips along the smooth marble that made up the many walls of the massive structure. It was a wonder that such a thing was built by the hands of men, and even more so that it was done as a gift. It was strange in a sense, but then I did not understand many things about the world. Perhaps with time, I would understand this too.

Time will tell.

“Your highness!” shouted a voice from behind me.

I turned to see a young man in his teens with a penchant for writing and a talent for interrupting times of relaxation for me. All the same, he was simply doing his job, so I did not fault him for it.

I offered a smile to the young man and responded, “Ho there Quickwrite, it is good to see you this lovely morn. What news do you bring?”

The obsidian-haired boy made his way to me before stopping and catching his breath, having obviously been trying to find me for a good while now. After a few deep gasps he responded, “Well first you are due in the throne room, as it appears that-”

“I know, I know.” I responded dismissively.

“Right.” Quickwrite replied with a nod. “Very well, the next order of business on the agenda is swordplay training at midday with Armsmaster Shining Armor in the Bloodletter’s Grotto.” At this, he cringed a bit. “By Celestia, they could have named it better than that.”

I allowed myself a coy grin as I stated, “It is said that the ground is red not by the rock, but from the countless drops of blood that have been shed there, both by friend and enemy alike.”

“Charming.” my companion commented with a look of disgust. “Anyhow, it appears that other than a request to attend a knighting ceremony, you are free for the day.”

As we continued to pace the halls I turned to my company with a raised eyebrow. “Really? Are you positive there is nothing more?”

“Would you like there to be?” Quickwrite asked with a wry grin.

I rolled my eyes and said, “Not particularly. I just am surprised to have nearly an entire day to myself. Whatever shall I do?”

“So long as you don’t meet up with dragonboy...” the young man grumbled from beside me.

I turned to him with a frown and shot back, “This ‘dragonboy’ is a dear friend of mine, so I would appreciate it if you did not disrespect him.”

“Right...apologies milord.” he responded meekly. “Just...please try and refrain from destroying everything this time. I thought I was going to be beheaded or something.”

“A beheading has not occurred since before the princesses ruled, Quickwrite.” I corrected him with a chuckle.

“Fine, banishment then, whatever.” he growled.

I just laughed louder as I remarked, “All of this stress will give you an ulcer. Perhaps you should learn to have some fun.”

“What I consider fun is being able to sit down with a good book and not have to worry about you breaking anything.” he responded with a huff. “Do that for me and I’ll be having fun.”

The two of us walked for some length of time before arriving at a familiar set of double-doors.

My companion bowed his head slightly before stating, “I shall await you at the knighting ceremony. Good luck.”

I offered a smile and a nod to my charge before he retreated, so I nodded to the two armored guards and they opened the doors and escorted me inside.

The room was very familiar, and yet foreign each time I walked the plush line of carpet that spanned the door to the steps leading to two specific thrones. Even as I did so yet again, it still felt new to me, and fresh. An odd sensation to be sure, but not unwelcome. It simply reminded me of my pleasure to be here, and the joy I felt every time my feet fell upon the stone floor.

Most of all, it reminded me of how privileged I was to be here again...as a loved one.

“Nightblade!” shouted a young voice just before I was nearly knocked over by a small body barreling into me.

I caught the force and cradled the small child against my chest with a laugh. “Cassie, it is wonderful to see you again. It feels like many moons since last I have gazed upon you. Have you grown?”

The young bronze-skinned girl nodded furiously. “Mmhmm! Mama said I grew bigger since last month! Soon I’m gonna be as big as you!”

“I believe it, dear sister.” I responded with a loving grin. As I continued to make my way to my destination I asked, “Have you done as Ms. Shade asked? Have you done your homework?” The young girl averted her eyes and I sighed. “Well I guess if it is unfinished I cannot take you to the Lunar Tower tonight...”

She gasped as her golden locks fell upon her face. “Oh, I’ll do it right now!” The child jumped out of my grasp and ran down the hallway beside me, a guard trying his best to keep up with the youthful female.

“You always did have a way with children, my son.” quipped a gentle voice from behind me. “Though I must admit I am pleased that it is with joy this time instead of heart-wrenching fear.”

I barked a laugh and nodded as I turned to face the speaker. “Yes indeed. My, how times have changed, yes?”

The target of my weak joke stood, her long multicolored hair wafting in an ethereal breeze that was as eternal as time itself. Her golden-wrapped sandals made no sound as she quickly descended the stairs and embraced me tightly. “I have missed you, Nightblade.”

I smirked as I returned the embrace and remarked, “It was for but four months, mother...but I appreciate the sentiment.”

The dark-skinned beauty pulled away from me with a playful grin and said, “I miss you every day you are away, dear...whether it be one or one-thousand”

I looked down at the slightly shorter woman and asked, “Is it too much to hope that she missed me as well?”

The sun goddess’ smile wavered and she trailed her hands along my sleeves. “Please give her time, my son. This is very complicated and very difficult for her to handle. It has only been a year since this happened. Please understand...”

I gave a smile to the pleading woman and grasped one of her hands in my own. “It is alright, mother. I do understand and I will wait as long as it takes.”

The skin of a soft bronze hand caressed my pale cheek as she responded, “I only regret that father could not see you before death took him. You are so much like him.”

I sighed and dropped my gaze. “Not enough for some to forget the past, it seems.” Beloved mother was opening her mouth to respond, but I shook my head with a smile. “It is fine, really.”

The princess of the sun smiled warmly and nodded before stepping away and taking her place upon her large throne. “Well, I assume you know why you are here then, yes?”

“Unfortunately.” I quipped with a sigh of resignation.

The solar princess rolled her eyes with a grin. “Come now, you act as if I am sentencing you to death or something. It is your birthday tomorrow!”

“I do not have a birthday.” I corrected.

The powerful woman’s dark hand found my own as she answered, “You were born the day I discovered you. It was the day that your new life began, which is a birth in itself. It is a special day for me and I wish to celebrate it. Is it not special to you as well my son?”

“Of course it is, mother.” I responded with a warm smile. “Forgive my need to be precise.”

The glowing monarch shook her head, causing her multicolored wavy hair to ripple softly. “Do not think ill of it. It is that logic that makes you so special to everyone you meet, along with so much more.”

No matter how many times it was said, praise from her always made me feel better. It made me feel loved...and important.

If only the truth were similar.

I gazed back at my loving guardian and gave her a warm smile that spoke of love and affection. “Thank you, mother. It always bring joy to my heart to hear such things from you.” I then smirked. “So when am I to meet this famous protégé of yours? I have befriended her loyal assistant, but have yet to meet the young woman herself.”

“It is ironic you should speak of her, as she will be here at the knighting ceremony today.” the solar goddess responded happily. “The man to be knighted is none other than Armsmaster Shining Armor, her older brother.”

I raised an eyebrow and asked, “Wait, is she named Twilight Sparkle?” A nod was my response. “Wow...I am now so much more eager to meet her now. Shining Armor speaks very highly of his younger sister.”

“Cassiopeia speaks of you the same, Nightblade. You are more loved than you believe...a trait you and Twilight Sparkle share in common.” the princess responded gently.

I sighed and lowered my gaze to the steps in front of me. “I will allow myself love when I have atoned for my past, mother. Merely having the love of you and dear Cassie is far more than I deserve.”

“What would calm the storm in your heart, Nightblade?” she asked with concern.

I leveled my gaze with hers - icy blue eyes staring back at warm magenta - and said, “The acceptance and forgiveness of Princess Luna. Though it may be impossible, it is all that will sate the hunger within my soul...the desire to do what is right.”

A knowing smile crossed her face. “It is that desire that will assure your victory in that endeavor, my son.” She then inclined her head towards the far door leading to my next destination. “Shining Armor will be waiting for your arrival at midday. Get yourself some breakfast and see to him next.” The sun princess looked into my eyes pleadingly. “And please go easy on him this time. I would wish to do without a verbal tongue-lashing from his wife.”

I smirked and replied, “I will try, princess.”

“Very well...off you go.” the warm monarch replied with a smile.

As I took my place at the large banquet table, a young servant was beside me nearly immediately. She smiled warmly and asked, “Is there anything I can get for you today your highness?”

I placed a finger on my chin in thought for a moment before nodding. “I fancy a roasted tomato sandwich on toasted rye with oregano and olive oil, along with a glass of Canterlot Special Reserve 1042, please.”

“Very good, your highness. I shall pass it onto the royal cooks and they will have it out to you in just a moment.” she responded happily.

I waited until the young woman left before slumping in my chair a bit, letting out a loud sigh of mental exhaustion. It was times like this that I truly loathed...times that allowed my mind to wander of its own accord, mostly down dark paths that lead only to suffering. It was not a second later, however, that I felt another presence approaching, but this one very familiar and friendly.

I smiled as I heard the subtle footsteps of my company approached and greeted, “Good day, Spike.”

“Hey, Prince Nightblade. How have you been?” the young drake-blood asked with a grin.

I turned my body to face the young man and responded, “I have been well, my friend. How have you been since last we met?”

“Twilight’s been working me pretty hard, but it’s all good.” was my response.

I smiled and added, “I am to meet her today...or so I have been told.”

“Yeah,” he started with an excited smile, “she’s going to be there with her brother when he gets knighted. Finally you get to meet her!”

I chuckled a bit and closed my eyes. “If she is a friend to you, then I am most excited to do so. I have heard great things about the young mage.”

“It’s worth the wait Prince Nightblade, I promise.” my companion said with a grin.

I noticed a cook approaching from the culinary hall and nodded towards him. “Have you eaten yet Spike?”

The young drake-blood nodded with a fanged grin. “I have. Twi and I had some breakfast at Sugarcube Corner with our friends before we came here.” His emerald green reptilian eyes then eyed me curiously. “Are you really excited to see her or are you just saying that?”

I shook my head with a smile as the plate of hot food was set down before me. “I am being completely truthful, Spike. I have heard much of her and I am most interested in making her acquaintance.”

“Cool.” he responded with a simple smile. “I’ll be sure and tell her that she’ll get to meet my friend at the ceremony then, okay?”

I nodded as I levitated a fork and knife to the plate and began cutting. “Of course, my friend. I am looking forward to it.” I then lowered my voice and questioned, “You have not told any of my true identity, have you?”

“Of course not.” the green-haired boy assured. “Who you are is your own business, and when you’re ready to tell everyone, then I’ll stand by you.”

I looked to the confident young man and nodded with a smile. “And I thank you for that, my friend.”

“Well, I’ll be heading out then. No doubt Twilight’s going to want my help to make sure everything’s on the up and up before the ceremony starts.” he replied with a groan. “Will you be good without me or do you need anything?”

I chewed and swallowed a bite of the perfectly-seasoned meal and shook my head. “Not at all. I am capable of handling things, Spike. I appreciate your readiness to assist me though.”

The young man nodded once more before standing up and jogging out of the banquet hall, leaving me to finish my meal alone.

The noonday sun was shining on my pale skin as I made my way to Bloodletter’s Grotto, confident that this activity would allow me to expend my excess energy and clear my mind at the same time. It was a simple practice that came as natural to me as magic or even breathing, but it still offered enjoyment.

As I entered the manmade cave, I let my eyes wander over all of the others gathered there. Some were not much older than Spike, while others had clearly seen battle on more than one occasion. It was a sad truth of the era our world was in, but one that warriors relished all the same.

The age of peace was at an end...now, was the age of war.

By what mother had explained to me, it was not always so. In fact, the last enemy before now to rise against the kingdom of Equestria was...well, me. A tad depressing when I thought about it, but a truth I had come to terms with in order to cleanse my soul. Even King Sombra’s return had not caused as much upheaval as I had, but it was a past that I was bent on atoning for now.

It was why I felt so indebted to her...to Luna.

“Defend yourself!” shouted a gruff voice from in front of me, and I had just enough time to draw my sword before a large battleaxe nearly crashed down on my head. I flourished my rapier and deflected the powerful blow to land on the stone beside me, and was met with the smiling face of the armsmaster. “Well done, Nightblade.” He then turned to the others gathered and added, “You see? A true warrior is ready at all times, even when deep in thought.” The blue-haired man then turned to me with a smile. “If only I had another twenty men like you...”

I chuckled. “If there were any more similar to me, you would be out of a job, Shining Armor.” I then reached forward and grasped his wrist firmly, as he did the same. “It is good to see you, armsmaster. I trust the past month has treated you well?”

He grinned. “It has. I got married, fell under a changeling’s mind control spell, and defended all of Equestria from a changeling invasion...not to mention I helped Cadence repel the return of King Sombra.”

I raised an eyebrow and asked, “Changeling invasion? Of what do you speak?”

The battle-hardened man grinned and asked, “Has Princess Celestia not told you of the changeling invasion?” I shook my head with confusion. “Well, it was all planned around my wedding to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. The changeling queen herself imprisoned and impersonated my bride to be, feeding off of the love I held for her and thus, becoming stronger. Eventually she had the power to attack Sun Princess Celestia head-on and win.”

“Mother has not told me of any of this.” I mumbled with growing concern.

Shining Armor smiled. “Possibly because she didn’t want you to worry. Well, it’s no big deal really. Twilight found my fiancé and freed her, which broke the spell over me and allowed my magic to come unhinged. Princess Cadence then offered her own energy to me, which allowed me to recast the barrier spell and banish the changeling threat from Equestria.” He then lowered his eyes to the ground. “Many were lost that day, though.”

I patted the commander’s shoulder with a smile. “You did what you could, Shining Armor. If the changeling queen’s magic was so strong to possess you, there was naught anyone could do. If not for you and your sibling’s quick actions, all of Equestria would have fallen that day.”

“Thank you Nightblade.” he responded with a smile. The tall man smiled and gestured to the crowd that had gathered. “So what do you think?”

I rubbed my chin and replied, “I think four will be fair for today.”

Shining Armor nodded and pointed to four tall recruits in front. “You four, front and center! Grab a weapon and prepare for battle!”

A young brown-eyed female of the four chosen asked, “You want all four of us to fight against the prince? Are you sure that’s smart?”

I watched as the armsmaster thought for a second before nodding. “You’re right.” He then pointed to a tall burly man with eyes of solid black. “You there, get in there as well.”

Without hesitation the giant of a man nodded and strode over to the weapon rack, grabbing a sword that was nearly as large as I was.

“Alright Nightblade, are you ready?” the armsmaster asked, and I nodded. “Combatants, are you ready?” The five gathered around me nodded. “Very well, begin!”

At that statement, all five fighters rushed me at once with weapons raised high with intent to kill.

”By Celestia Nightblade, it seems you get stronger every time I see you. Tell me what you eat so I can feed it to my men.” Shining Armor quipped as he tended to a large gash on my forehead.

I shrugged with a smile. “Same sustenance that you consume, armsmaster. I simply have had a much longer life with which to perfect my skills.”

“Right.” the two-tone blue-haired man said with a grin. “I forget about that from time to time. I have to remind myself that you’re unique in that respect.”

I chuckled and said, “Unique is as good a word as any. Though I would-OW!”

I turned my eyes to the man tending to me and he smiled sheepishly. “Sorry...still getting used to healing spells.”

I sighed and closed my eyes. “It is all as well, armsmaster. I thank you for your assistance.”

Shining Armor looked me over once more before wiping away the blood from my forehead with a dry rag. “Okay, looks like you’re all set.” He then narrowed his eyes at me. “You better be there tonight, Nightblade. If I go up before the princesses to be knighted and you’re not there, I’m going to come after you with a vengeance.”

I raised my eyebrow at the soldier with a smile. “You may be the only one who could possibly make that sound like a threat to me, Shining Armor. Well, worry not...I shall be there.”

The tall man patted my shoulder with a smile. “Good. Now go and get cleaned up and dressed. The princess will have a fit if you show up in those tattered clothes.”

I looked down at my noble suit to see that it was indeed nearly cut to ribbons. I smiled sheepishly and responded, “Yes, perhaps a change of clothes would be wise. Very well Shining Armor, I shall see you at your ceremony.” I then turned on my heel and strode towards the palace.

After washing up, I opted for a flashy pants suit that I only wore for special occasions. It was a pale icy blue to match my eyes, with black diamond buttons. The outer seam of the slacks were embroidered sapphire thread (to offer magical support), and the collar of the jacket rose low over my neck. Lastly (and my most favorite part of the suit) was the starfire silk cloak meant to go with it, that while a darker blue than the rest of the suit, it shimmered in light with the colors of the rainbow.

After getting dressed and fixing my hair into the wild style I commonly wore, I fixed my rapier at my hip and set about making my way to the throne room.

As I entered the space where the ceremony was to be held, I took a quick look over the many people who had gathered there. It was odd to see so many in one place, and even stranger that I was to be among them now.

“Nightblade!” shouted a familiar young girl’s voice. I turned towards the source to see young sister Cassiopeia walking towards me in the most lovely dress I had ever beheld her wearing.

I smiled at the young girl and said, “You look wonderful, Cassie.”

She giggled and took my hand in hers. “Thanks! You look nice too, big brother!”

I gently squeezed my sister’s hand lovingly and responded, “Thank you, Cassie. Let us see to mother.”

The two of us approached the crowded throne and made our way to the top, much to the chagrin of the many people gathered in an attempt to win the princess’ favors. I ignored the scowls and strode up the steps to our beloved princess with a smile.

When the sun princess noticed us, she smiled warmly. “Good evening Nightblade,” she then looked down at the young girl by my side, “and good evening, Cassiopeia. I trust the two of you are behaving yourselves so far?” The two of us nodded and this earned us another smile. “Good.” She then looked back to Cassie. “Dear, could you please go play with Philomena for a moment? I would have a word in private with Nightblade.”

“Okay mommy!” my younger sibling exclaimed before bounding away to chase the mythical phoenix.

Mother then stood and announced, “Please excuse me for a moment. I will return momentarily.” She then nodded to me and I followed her off to a room behind the throne.

When the two of us arrived to the private room, the solar goddess levitated a glass container to her hands and opened it, smelling the brown liquid inside before pouring some into two drinking glasses.

I took the glass in my hand and watched as mother sipped the liquid, so I did the same...and immediately regretted it.

As I coughed and sputtered, her soft hand patted my back as she remarked, “It’s meant to be sipped, not gulped. Take your time, son.” She took another sip of her drink before releasing me. “Now...we need to talk about tonight.”

I cleared my throat and slowly sipped the sharp liquor before asking, “What must we discuss, mother?”

“Well,” she started, sporting a warm grin, “I would present you to my...our people tonight...as my son.”

My heart quickened and my mind raced at this declaration. “R-really? I mean, are you sure that is a good idea?”

“I am.” she responded calmly. “It has been far too long already, keeping you a secret from everyone.”

I nodded slowly before asking, “Am to be introduced as Nightblade or...?”

“I do not think they would be ready for that just yet.” she answered solemnly. “For the people to accept your true self, you would need the backing of both ruling monarchs of Equestria...and as you know, Luna is not quite ready yet.”

I sighed in defeat. “I understand mother.”

The solar princess moved closer to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “My son, I am sorry...but unfortunately my sister’s emotions are one of the few things not under my control.”

“At least one of you is proud of me. That is more than I can ask for already, I suppose.” I voiced to the air.

“I have been proud of you since the day I truly knew you, dear.” the comforting woman said from beside me. “And Luna shall be as well, with time.”

I nodded slowly with a smile. “I suppose I can live with that for now.”

“Good.” she responded with a loving smile. “Now then, let us return to the waiting masses. I would have you stand with Cassie until the ceremony is over, and then I shall announce your importance to the gathered crowd.”

“One question, mother.” I pleaded, to which she nodded. “Everyone was aware of the birth of Cassie, and so she is no surprise...but how are you to explain a grown man as your son?”

The sun goddess reached up and touched her index finger to my nose playfully. “You let me worry about that, Nightblade. You simply focus on being the kind and respectful man that you are, and all will be fine.”

“I shall try.” I returned with a playful grin of my own.

The both of us finished off our drinks before readying ourselves to reenter the throne room. Before we could do so, my elegant partner stated, “Remember, wait for me to call you. Until then, keep Cassie safe and occupied.”

“Understood.” I responded quickly.

As the two of us made our way back to the large throne room, I calmly took my place amongst the crowd next to Cassie, who was busy conversing with none other than Spike. The three of us made “small talk” while we awaited the beginning of the ceremony, mostly about Spike and his draconic abilities. True dragons were rare on the planet, but drake-bloods like Spike were even rarer. In fact, he was the only known living hybrid in almost two-thousand years...which made him the most exciting subject in the world to a certain young girl.

After a few minutes of aimless questioning between Cassie and Spike, both princesses took the thrones and Celestia cleared her throat in preparation to speak. “Citizens of Equestria, we must thank you for gathering on a most momentous occasion.” She then gestured to the younger sister that sat beside her. “Luna and I wish to commemorate this as a day when the noble actions of Armsmaster Shining Armor saved Canterlot and likely all of Equestria from the might of the changeling swarm. Captain, if you will.”

At this request the burly man stepped forward to the two princesses with a stoic expression. He was dressed in full Celestial Guard armor, along with the finest sword that Steelhead, the palace blacksmith, had made in ages.

As Shining Armor arrived at the foot of the steps leading to the princesses, the two monarchs descended as he kneeled, and arrived to stand just in front of him with swords of their own ‒ one of gleaming platinum, and one of the darkest voidsteel.

“Captain Shining Armor,” Princess Luna spoke loudly, “you have saved us all with your courage and dedication. Even in the face of insurmountable odds, your unshakable will to protect and even your love for the crowned Princess Mi Amore Cadenza allowed you to cast out the evil that had befallen our beloved home.” The normally stoic princess of the night nearly lost her mask of indifference as she gently added, “We...I am eternally in your debt.”

I thought that the amount of emotion in her voice was odd...perhaps I would ask mother about it later.

Luckily, before the illusion of stoicism was lost on Luna, the solar princess stepped forth to stand beside her younger sister. “That was beautiful, Luna. Thank you.” The taller royal sibling then looked to the kneeling man with a smile. “Captain, I could not have said it better myself. Your heroic deeds that day saved our home...and all of our subjects. You have my eternal gratitude for going above and beyond the call of duty that day.”

Both princesses then coated their swords in magic, one aura of gold, and the other of a vivid blue. As I watched, both blades then became part of a swords dance between the two monarchs. Their metallic waltz symbolized exactly what Equestria was as a kingdom – beautiful, graceful, and deadly.

The dance between the two princesses ended with a clang of steel and a wave of power as both blades clashed with each other. I watched as the eyes of both goddesses became an opaque white with power, and they spoke as one.

“Captain Shining Armor, your heart is pure and your diligence true to Equestria and her people. Forevermore you are a Celestial Knight, the ever-watchful eye of the kingdom. You are the blessed shield that protects her.”

Both swords were then leveled at the kneeling man and the auras commingled as they wisped towards the armsmaster. The powerful magical energies swirled around his body for a moment before coming to rest on his forearms. Where once there was bare skin, his forearms now bore ancient Equestrian word...from the time when the people of Equestria were permanently equines. It was a language only known and kept alive by the royal family, and for good reason, for within the words was the power of the heavens themselves.

For a brief moment the words flashed, but then they dimmed to become permanent markings upon the armsmaster’s wrists ‒ one of orange, and the other obsidian.

With the ceremony completed, both princesses touched their swords to the kneeling man’s shoulders as they spoke as one, “Arise, Celestial Knight Shining Armor.” He did as requested, and the two princesses again spoke in one voice. “Do you swear to uphold the laws of Equestria, to protect her with your very life?”

“I do, my princesses.” he responded with a smile.

Both of the princess’ eyes stopped glowing, and Princess Celestia smiled warmly. “Henceforth you are counted among the legendary Celestial Knights, and with that title, you carry their hopes and will for a better Equestria. Congratulations Captain Shining Armor.”

“There is no greater honor, princesses.” the cerulean-haired man responded with the utmost respect. At this point, the silent crowd erupted with thunderous applause, causing Shining Armor to beam with happiness and pride.

The solar princess then smiled and nodded as he walked away, but then leveled her gaze with the many people gathered. “Thank you all for coming to this momentous occasion, as the knighting of Shining Armor is not the only announcement I have for my subjects today.” She quickly glanced at me and said, “All of you know of my beloved daughter Cassiopeia...but I in fact have another child as well.” A collection of gasps were heard and the lunar princess eyed her elder sister with confusion and a little fear. Celestia was steadfast and continued on with, “Yes...I have another child...a son.” She then looked directly at me and motioned me forward. “Approach, my son.”

Where once I was easily able to blend into the crowd, all eyes were now on me...including the very shocked and frightened gaze of the younger celestial sibling. It was nerve-wracking, and I had to force myself to continue my stride towards the thrones. It was easily the second most uncomfortable experience of my life so far, but I persevered and soon was standing beside the two princesses ‒ one with a genuine smile, the other with a confused grin.

The solar princess then looked over the crowd with a confident smile as she stated, “I present to you my adopted son, Prince Nightblade.”

“Adopted from where?” I heard someone shout out, though I knew not who.

Mother simply smiled and said, “Where does not matter. Does where we come from decide who we are? No, it does not...neither does the circumstances of our birth. Who we are is who we choose to be...and he has shown that he is deserving of love and respect.”

For a moment it looked as if a full-scale riot were about to begin...until I heard someone say, “Your princesses approve of this man...is that not enough?”

I looked to see Luna staring out over the crowd after this utterance when she added, “Thousands of years of trust you have offered Our sister, and yet you cannot trust her decision to love a man as her own child?”

Suddenly all the people gathered looked very ashamed, and began to avert their collective gaze.

The sun goddess noticed this and smiled. “Be not ashamed or afraid, my subjects. Know only that I love him as I do my dear Cassiopeia, and I ask that you please respect him as such.” Celestia then sat on her throne as the smile refused to leave her face. “That is all for this evening everyone. Please be safe on your journeys home and thank you for coming. You are all dismissed.”

As the many people gathered began to clear the room, I looked to Luna and asked, “Why?”

The lunar goddess looked to me with a sigh. “We cannot say We trust you yet...but We trust Our sister. Do not delve too deep into the meaning of my actions.” With that said, the dark-haired woman stood and left the throne room, leaving me very confused.

“Nightblade,” I heard a voice beckon from behind me, and I turned to see mother standing with a young woman by her side, “I would like you to meet my personal protégé, Magister Twilight Sparkle.”

I let my eyes take in the woman’s physical form. She was shorter than I by nearly an entire head, and her hair was solid black, save for a pink stripe that ran through it. She radiated raw power the likes of which I had only ever felt once before...

‘Wait a minute...’

With a gasp, the realization struck me. I could only stutter out, “T-the Element of M-Magic?”

I felt my knees collapse, and the entire world went black.

Chapter 3: A New Day for the Blade

As I expected, when I woke, the sun was well on its way past the midpoint of the sky, which meant I had slept upwards of nine hours...

Far more than a royal should sleep.

I nearly bounded out of my bed at this realization and spent an amazingly short amount of time bathing...just under four minutes.

As I dashed out of the washroom and into my walk-in wardrobe, I suddenly drew a complete blank.

‘I was supposed to do something when I woke up...something important...’

“Luna!” I suddenly shouted out loud, and began haphazardly pulling on a pair of pants, an undershirt, and a vest before draping my coat over it all and hurrying out the door.

“You forgot socks, shoes, your sword, and your pants are on backwards.” stated a familiar voice from behind me.

I sighed and lowered my head before opening my door and muttering, “Thank you, Spike.”

Some time later, my friend and I were making our way through the palace, thankfully with me being properly dressed.

“So what exactly had you so riled up in the first place?” Spike asked curiously. “I mean, from what I can tell, you’re a pretty chilled-out guy normally...so what happened, did you realize you forgot to wear a wrap for some fun or something?”

Among others, such a lewd comment would be grounds for a fine...but Spike was a dear friend, and it was a common way we related to each other.

I chuckled and shook my head. “Thank the stars it was nothing like that.” I then sighed as we continued to walk. “No...I have made amends with Luna finally.”

“Really?” the young dragon-blooded man asked. “Dude, that’s awesome! It’s about time, too.”

I nodded with a sigh. “Indeed...”

My friend then bumped his shoulder against mine. “It is a good thing, right?”

I nodded without hesitation. “Of course it is. I just fear that perhaps I will ruin this new bond we share.” I felt my eyes avert of their own volition as I added, “I do not know if I could survive her scorn again, especially if it was my fault.”

“That seems kind of...well, dramatic. Especially for you.” Spike commented wryly.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Luna is my other half, Spike. It was nearly physically painful to have her so angry at me.”

“So wait,” the dragon-blood began carefully, “you’re in love with the princess? Aren’t you kinda like, the same person kinda-sorta?”

I shrugged. “It has been so long since I was my own person that I have forgotten who I was. Who I became when Luna and I were merged is who I am now, and stars willing, who I will continue to be.” I smiled fondly at the thought of my new life. “I have friends again, and a family. It is more than I could have ever wished for.”

“I love how you totally dodged my first question.” Spike said with a grin.

I sighed. “Spike, I am unsure what romantic love even is. I cannot remember if I have ever cared for one in such a way, and truthfully, I do not know if I could care for Luna in such a way. Not because of her as a person, but because of who we are to each other. The closest bond we share is that of a brother and sister, as it is the only connection I can think of that relates to our unique arrangement.”

Spike shrugged as we arrived at the dining hall. “Well, is that what you want for the two of you to be? I mean, you two would be a first as far as a relationship of any kind, so there isn’t really a rule for it.”

I shrugged as I pressed the door open. “I am just unsure if that is what she wants...if that is what I want.” I then shook my head to clear the thoughts as we strode towards the table that mother and Luna were sitting at. “Besides, the eclipse is in another five days. I have more important things to worry about at the moment.”

“Whatever man. I think you’re overthinking it, but I guess that’s for you to figure out on your own.” he replied dryly. He then turned to me as we stopped beside the large oaken table. “Anyway, I’ve got some work to do for Celestia before I head back to Ponyville. You gonna be alright?”

I nodded with a smile, enjoying my good friend’s concern. “I will be fine, Spike. Thank you for your company.”

“No problem, man. I’ll visit again when I can.” he replied before walking away towards the large doors that led to the landing dock.

I watched my friend leave before taking my seat to Luna’s right, in between her and the solar princess.

“How nice of you to finally join us, Nightblade.” mother quipped.

I rolled my eyes to shoot a reply back, but Luna did so for me. “He forsook sleep to watch over me as I rested, Tia. Much as the guard wishes to believe otherwise, he is not invincible.” Luna then nudged me with a smirk.

“Yes, and I must thank you for keeping Luna company during the night.” mother added gratefully as she gazed at her sister. “Though she would never admit it to our subjects, she is lonely at night.”

I shrugged with a smile as I took a sip from the glass of wine provided to me. “In truth, no thanks is needed. I enjoyed my time with her every bit as much as she did, but you are welcome all the same.” I then looked to my left and caught eyes with the night princess. “If I have anything to say about the matter, the moon princess will never be lonely again.”

Happiness the likes of which I’ve never seen before flashed through Luna’s eyes at that moment, and she smiled so brightly it nearly outshined the radiant light in the sky.

“I am so pleased that the two of you are so close. It is more than I could have hoped for.” I heard mother comment from beside me.

I nodded as I turned my attention back to the sun princess. “And it is all I could have hoped for. I feel confident now that the eclipse will be bearable.”

“Indeed, Nightblade...and Cassie will be happy as well to know that her brother doesn’t have to hide in the palace private quarters for a half-year.” mother answered with a smile.

I couldn’t help but let a smile grace my features as I felt contentment suffuse me. I had no doubt in my mind that my unveiling was going to be difficult and awkward for the people to understand and accept who I was, especially with the way biased historians had written the story. Nonetheless, I was gladdened by the fact that I would no longer need to hide, and it would be untrue of me to say I was not looking forward to the eclipse now.

“Hopefully without armor on, our subjects will not be so afraid of you.” Luna suggested as she brought a slice of jam-topped toast to her mouth.

I smiled at the moon princess, truly grateful to her. “I do hope so, Luna.”

“So, what is on the agenda for today, my son?” the sun princess asked with a smile.

I shrugged. “I have not seen Quickwrite all day, so I am unsure at the moment.” It was then that I noticed the young man approaching with a nervous jog, and I smirked. “Ah, speak of the devil.”

He rolled his eyes as he stopped in front of me, and smiled as he bowed slightly. “Hello highnesses.” He then turned directly to me. “Prince, today you are to meet with Windwarden Celia ‒ she has requested to speak with you regarding the encroaching centaurs to the north. After that, you are to stand in for Armsmaster Shining Armor at the quarterly defense meeting, and following its end, you are to report to Princess Luna for a very important meeting.”

I looked to Luna from beside me and quirked my eyebrow as I asked, “Very important meeting, hm?”

The moon princess did not break her serious gaze as she nodded, though I could see the teasing glint in her eye. “Very important, and I expect you promptly after the defense meeting.”

I shrugged as I stood and gave a slight bow to the two princesses. “Well then, I will begin immediately. I bid you both a good day.”

“Goodbye, Nightblade...be safe.” the sun princess replied with a small smile.

”So,” I began as Quickwrite and I strode through the palace, towards the audience chamber, “what must I know in regards to the windwarden?”

My companion looked through his notes and jotted a few things down before turning the page. “Well, the griffons are a warlike race. They respect strength and battle prowess, and shun any who do not possess it. What they lack in magic, they make up for with training, military tactics, and sheer brutality. They are not known for taking prisoners and do not take kindly to disrespect. Look her in the eyes when you meet, grasp her forearm firmly, and bow without breaking gaze. Other than that, I am sure you can handle it.”

I could not help but utter a chuckle at the situation. “Meeting with predators is always interesting.”

“I hope you do not mind, but the windwarden has asked to meet with you alone, so I will not be accompanying you.” Quickwrite stated. He then added, “It is customary among her people to do so, do not worry.”

I smiled and shook my head. “I do not. I am armed with both steel and magic, so I doubt an assassination attempt would take place.”

“An assassination is not what I’m worried about.” he mumbled. We then stopped in front of an open archway which bordered the room in which the ambassador was waiting. “Alright, here we are. For the love of Celestia, please be respectful.”

I knew he was poking me with good-natured humor, so I simply smiled and nodded. “All will be well, Quickwrite. I will meet you outside when we are finished.”

“Good luck, prince.” he stated with a smile.

I watched the young man as he walked away, and once he disappeared behind the stone pillars that framed the open walkway I turned to enter the large chamber, noticing the large white griffon waiting patiently for me. She wore not a traditional garb of nobility, instead choosing to wear a full suit of armor, as was customary for her people.

She stood as I approached, and extended her large taloned limb in a gesture of goodwill. “Prince Nightblade, it is an honor.”

Her voice was as flowing and soothing as a warm summer breeze, and yet it held an undertone of strength that I took notice of. Her mere presence demanded respect, and I found no reason not to oblige.

I extended my hand and clasped her forearm as Quickwrite had advised me, bowing slightly. “The honor is mine, Windwarden Celia.”

She held my gaze until we released each other, and then she sat down at the head of the large table in a chair that was specifically designed for griffon comfort. “So, I presume the young Quickwrite has advised you of the situation, yes?”

I nodded, holding my gaze with her bright golden eyes. “He has. If the facts serve true, I am told the centaurs are once again encroaching upon your lands, correct?”

The windwarden nodded before reaching into a pack that draped over the shoulder of her silver armor, passing a few documents to me. “That is correct. From what we gather, they are not of the civilized tribes of the High Weald, and seem to wish only for war.”

I took the documents in hand and looked them over, and as I did so, my expression slowly darkened. “I see that peace talks have not gone well.”

“That is correct.” she affirmed. “Though my people live for the thrill of battle, we do not fight without reason. The most recent request for a peace talk ended in disaster. Twelve griffons dead, with over fifty wounded...and no headway made in a treaty for peace.”

I continued looking over the reports, but nodded. “I apologize for the tragedy, windwarden. Have you spoken to the Gladerunner tribe in regards to this?”

“They are distrusting of my people...though I cannot say without good reason.” she replied nervously.

I brought my gaze to hers and raised my eyebrow. “Explain, please.”

She let loose a close-beaked sigh before replying, “Our relations recently are tenuous at best, with outright hostility towards any military personnel. The previous regent-lord’s planned slaughter of nearly their entire people is the fault for this, but the criminal elements from our kingdom constantly pilfering their resources also plays a part.”

I nodded. “Very well. I will meet with them in two day’s time, at which point I will negotiate with them and will have a solution for you. Being of a different tribe nearly assures your ability to deal with the invaders at your discretion, but I wish to be positive before doing so. Neither of our people can afford a war with the centaur nations.”

The windwarden’s face lit up slightly at my words, and she nodded. “Thank you, prince. We will not forget this kindness.”

I grinned and shook my head. “Do not thank me yet, Windwarden Celia. Save such thanks for when I advise that your people are open to handle the encroachment how you wish. For now, tighten the border and warn your people to steer clear of the northeast border.”

“It will be done.” the griffon ambassador assured.

I nodded. “Good. I will likely opt to arrive directly at the Cloud Temple to meet with you after the talks have concluded. As I said, I cannot promise you anything at the current time, but I am optimistic. You can expect me to arrive in the late afternoon of Wednesday. I will attempt to conclude my business in the Weald with all haste, so I ask you please notify your soldiers of my visit. I would prefer to not have any more scars.”

The griffon nodded with a predatory grin. “Oh I am sure you could handle things, but very well, I will advise our forces of your visit.” She then stood and reached her clawed hand out to mine, which I again took and grasped firmly. “Thank you for your time, prince. It was an honor.”

“It was an honor to meet with you as well, Windwarden Celia. Safe travels.” I replied with a nod.

The griffon left the room, and was joined by her guards outside before flying away. I also left the room to meet with Quickwrite, who was awaiting my return in the garden next to the meeting space.

The young man looked up at me as I approached, and stood up from the stone bench. “Hello there, prince. How did it go?”

I shrugged as I made my way to follow him towards the Lunar Tower, where the defense meeting was to be held. “It went as well as I could have hoped. It appears the rogue centaurs are causing more trouble than we believed. I worry that if we do not handle this diplomatically, we could have a war with the Centaur Nations on our hands.”

“Yes...that would be a pity.” Quickwrite replied sarcastically.

I stopped abruptly and sighed, a little disheartened. “Quickwrite, I know that you do not think much of the centaurs, but they are an honorable people that have been civilized longer than our people have. You do not have to like them, but I ask that you still show respect.”

Understanding his folly, my assistant readily nods. “Understood, my lord. Apologies.”

I shook my head with a smile. “No one is perfect, Quickwrite...not even we royals. To ask you to do and think nothing wrong would be asking the impossible. I simply ask that you strive for perfection. Do I expect you to attain it? No, I do not...that does not mean, however, that you cannot fight to be the very best you can be. Is that understood?”

Again he nodded. “Yes...and thank you.”

“Anytime, Quickwrite.” I replied with a smile.

The defense meeting was drab, even as far as a meeting with nobles went. For the most part, the different members of the Equestrian Defense Security Force advised me of that which I already knew: the rogue centaur clans were becoming more and more of a problem across the land. Thankfully for the moment, the radical centaur faction was currently pinned against the North Sea, and with a dragon settlement in the islands of the coast, they were rather restricted in their movements.

I was quite pleased when the meeting was adjourned early, on account of the fact that there was little to discuss besides the centaur encroachments.

As I left the meeting chamber, I was flagged down by Luna herself, who was waiting for me outside. It was still a rather novel feeling, having the night princess so friendly towards me, but instead of resisting such a change, I relished it.

I approached the princess and smiled happily, greeting, “Good afternoon, princess. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Luna smirked and quipped, “A pleasure simply to see me? My, you are easy to please.”

With any other woman, such a remark would have immediately been interpreted as flirtation, but I shrugged it off. After all, two days before, the princess could barely stand to be in the same room as me. So instead, I assumed the princess was simply “busting my balls” as Spike would say.

With this in mind, I simply smiled and accompanied the princess to wherever she had in mind, confident it would at the least, be entertaining.

The next thing I knew, I was standing upon a cloud high in the sky with my wings disabled with a spell, and my magic inhibited with an inhibitor ring.

How do I get myself into such situations?

“Luna, this is a very bad idea!” I exclaimed as I looked over the edge of the cloud surface.

The princess rolled her eyes and tapped my forehead gently. “Come now, Nightblade. You will be fine, I promise.”

I grumbled, “I better be. If I perish, I will be sure to haunt you for the rest of your days.”

The night princess shrugged as she replied, “Eh, you will tire of haunting after the first hundred years or so. I will take my chances.”

I gazed over the edge of the cloud again and found that we had moved away from Canterlot, meaning that there was no mountain to buffer the distance...only a straight drop from sky to ground.

I backed up and shook my head. “Woah, I am not alright with this anymore. There is no way I am jump-”

A soft hand pressed on my back firmly, and I fell.

“-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnng!!!” I yelled as I fell.

Contrary to the way most stories portray a falling person, I did not scream in terror the entire way down. Instead, after a few hundred feet, I resigned myself to the loss of my own “safety net”, and realized I was putting my life in Luna’s hands.

I never should have worried.

A hundred or so feet off of the ground, a spell exploded in front of me into what looked like a very viscous material, and when I impacted it, it felt as if I were being cradled by gelatin of some sort. As soon as I slowed to a stop, the spell dissipated, and I dropped to the ground, landing on my behind rather clumsily.

Luna, by her token, landed some distance away from me, laughing quite loudly and without restraint. Tears were dropping from her eyes from how hard the laughter was shaking her body, and the few guards that were watching from different parts of the palace were also laughing.

I rolled my eyes and stood, thrusting my hand towards Luna. “Alright fine, have your laughs. Get this ring off of me, please.”

My tone must have been more scathing than I believed, because as the ring was removed from my finger, I caught sight of a very worried look in the night princess’ eyes as she stopped laughing. “You are not upset, are you? Apologies, Nightblade...’twas a jest, nothing more.”

Once the ring was gone, I quickly thrust the magic-cancelling device upon Luna’s own ring finger before casting a spell on her and smirking. “I do not get upset, princess...I get even.” With that, I teleported both of us to a point where only the icy cirrus clouds called home ‒ nearly ten miles into the sky, with nothing but open air below us. Without any sort of warning, we both began to fall.

With no magic to save her and no wings to stop her fall, Luna panicked and screamed.

I fell next to her, reclining as if on a comfortable chair, enjoying the revenge I was giving to the night princess. “Ah. I have always enjoyed the crisp air of the stratosphere. It is unfettered and clean.” I then looked to my left with a smirk and shouted, “Are you well, princess?”

She leaned her body forward and floated over to me, grasping my collar with both hands, even as ice crystals began to form on both of us. “Get us DOWN Nightblade!”

I grinned nonchalantly. “Oh we’ll be down soon enough, princess.”

I waited for a few seconds longer until the ground would soon be upon us, at which point I grasped the night princess and pressed her against me before opening my wings and slowing our fall. After a moment of gliding, we landed softly upon the ground in front of the palace gates, much to the confusion of everyone present. The two guards, by their token, were unable to contain their guffaws, and it was likely all they could do to stay standing. I could not fault them for this, as until now it only Cassie and Cadence who they had seen acting so candidly.

It was only after a few moments of watching the guards that I noticed I was still holding Luna tightly against me, and also found it odd that she could do little else besides look up at me with a smile. I released her gently to avoid offending her, and stepped away, sporting my own smile.

Her smile softened a bit as she commented, “Well, I suppose we are even now.”

I was subtly relieved that she chose to spare me her ire, but opted not to show it. “I believe we are. Now, what have you planned for the night?” I forced myself to keep from cringing at the question. It had simply slipped out, with no forethought put into it. I could only hope that the princess would not be put off, seeing as how-

“Nothing, Nightblade. Would you join me?” she answered happily.

I fought to keep from gaping at her in surprise, and instead returned a smile before nodding. “I will, if you will have me.”

Luna walked forward and extended her hand, allowing me to remove the dampening ring from her finger. Once that was finished, she looped her arm in my own and gently guided me through the palace gates. I could see the confusion clear on the faces of the guards as we passed them, but they offered no comments one way or another. That was besides the fact that I was not entirely focused on much, other than the feel of Luna’s soft warmth pressed against me as we walked.

Night had fallen hours ago, and Luna had little to do this night other than look over some scouting reports from our border with the gryphons, so she was currently spending time in her quarters as I washed, changed, and then made my way back to her. Perhaps a fluffy violet evening robe was not what one would normally consider appropriate to wear outside one’s private quarters, but being royalty had its perks. No guard would say anything in regards to it, and I was treated the same no matter my clothing.

What did garner a few curious eyes was the fact that I was dressed as such ‒ complete with silk pajamas and a violet nightcap ‒ while making myself from my quarters to Luna’s. This was likely a surprise for a few reasons. The first was that until recently (earlier in the day, to be specific), it was a well-known fact that Luna and I were completely at odds with each other. Also, Luna was known for being extremely solitary, no matter the time of day. Lastly, Luna was sexually pure ‒ a “virgin”, I believe is the term used nowadays ‒ and was expected to keep any and all men at arm’s length for that reason.

So, from the outside observer, it likely seemed quite odd that I was approaching her chambers in my nightclothes, having advised my guards to leave me undisturbed until morning.

I did not mind, however. I had explained to my own guard captain the situation between us, and thus had convinced him that no unbecoming activities came from my time with the night princess. Although, I will admit I likely looked rather odd with my sword still clasped to my side.

The guards at Luna’s door simply nodded to me before knocking, the left one announcing, “Princess, your guest has arrived.”

A few moments passed in silence before the large ebony doors opened, revealing Luna, dressed in her own personal nightclothes. She looked me over for a moment before opening the door wider, beckoning me inside, then turned to her guards and said, “Thank you. Shift break is in two hours, so do not forget your evening meals.” The two guards offered her a nod and smile before settling back into a stock-still stance in front of her doors.

As I entered the princess’ private quarters, she gently shut the doors behind us, and strode in front of me before flopping unceremoniously face-down onto her bed, causing her soft blue hair to haphazardly splay around her head.

I cocked my head to the side as I approached, and smiled as I asked, “Are you well, princess?”

She blindly reached around on her bed until her hand contacted an unrolled scroll, which she thrust toward me. I accepted the parchment and opened it before reading aloud:

“With attention to all royals of Equestria:

The Eclipse is fast approaching, and we must take precautions against a dire threat.

Each solar eclipse has brought rumors of the Nightmare returning to Equestria, and while proven sightings have not come about, such rumors are dangerous to the public’s safety and peace of mind.

Thusly, the Merchant’s Guild of Equestria has seen it prudent to call for aid from the Gryphon Kingdoms in case the Nightmare decides to attack once again. The people of Equestria will rise up and protect our home, fear not.

With respect, we ask that the royals of Equestria pass on any new information regarding the validity of said rumors, so that we can confirm or deny the plausibility of the Nightmare’s return.

-Guildmaster Filthy Rich”

I set the parchment down and looked with worry to Luna. “Well now, this could be a problem.”

Luna turned her head and looked up at me with a sigh. “It will be no problem to deal with, Nightblade. My concern is the very fact that such rumors are passing around the populace. There are so few that know of what you truly are, and even fewer have direct access to you during the solar months. With that in mind, this means that someone has been talking a little too much.” She then rolled to her side and propped herself up, and I couldn’t help but stare at how amazing she looked in her own moonlight. “I only worry that the truth will be leaked before we wish it to be, which will not be a good thing. It could cause mass panic or a full-scale revolt.”

It took me a few moments to tear my eyes away from the lunar princess, but I did so before hanging up my sword on the bedpost and sitting down beside her with a shrug. “Clearly whoever spoke of such things either drank too much or knew too little in order to pass on any dangerous information. Rumors are simply rumors, and the coming eclipse will allow us all to put them to rest.” When I turned my eyes back to her, Luna was gazing at me with a grin on her face, which only made me confused. “What?”

She brought a hand up and batted at the end of my nightcap. “A nightcap? Really? Those haven’t been worn by the general public since before I was born.”

I frowned and pulled the cap off, inspecting it. “It is not that out of date, is it?”

Luna gently pulled the cap from my hands before running her hand through my hair with a smile. “You need not dress up for me, Nightblade. You are in your nightclothes, in my room, with me and me alone. Truthfully, I would not care if you showed up only in your smallclothes, were it not for the fact that these bodies are so much more revealing than that of a pony. So I believe it is safe to say a nightcap is not needed around me.”

I suppose normally I should have been a bit embarrassed about what Luna had said, but then again, the relationship we shared was far from typical, in any terms. I honestly do not think anyone knew another as intimately as Luna and I knew each other. With that being the case, certain things that would normally be embarrassing were...well, not.

What I knew for sure was that I loved it whenever she touched me, though I couldn’t place why. It felt almost as if the contact with her was returning to me a part of myself that I had lost, which considering the specifics of our connection was rather close to the truth. All I knew was that if I could spend every day with Luna without causing certain rumors to arise, I would. Still, I was pleased that in the privacy of the palace, I did not need to censor my actions as I did in public, nor did I have to worry about what the general public would think about how close Luna and I were. Not to mention the fact that I was in my nightclothes, in her bedroom, with her.

“Nightblade?” called Luna, causing me to again focus my attention on her. She eyed me quizzically for a moment before asking, “Did my comment about your smallclothes offend? I did not mean it in an insulting manner.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “Not at all, Luna. I was just thinking how odd it would sound to the outside listener should they have heard such a thing. Indecent rumors would spread.”

Luna shook her head with a grin. “Worse things have happened. During Twilight Sparkle’s early tutelage, rumors circulated that she was being loved in an indecent way by sister. It took her unveiling of her consort, Pine Winds, for the rumors to abate.”

I remembered meeting mother’s consort before, though he was often abroad, doing work for the crown. He was a giant of a pony (and thus, a giant of a man), and was known to be undefeated in battle. Equestria’s enemies fled at the very sight of him, and it was he that inspired me to take up the sword for my home.

I looked to the night princess with a smirk and asked, “So what do you think it would take for rumors of an incestuous relationship between aunt and nephew to abate? Because technically speaking, by your sister naming me as her son, that is what we are.”

Luna opened her mouth to retort, only to close it again as she scrunched her face up in thought. “Hmm...you are not wrong.” She then looked to me with a sly grin as she said, “I suppose we will have to keep all indecent activities to a minimum until the eclipse then.”

Had I been drinking something, I would have choked.

She held her grin for a moment before bursting into laughter, a sound which I relished. Luna truly had a beautiful voice, and her laughter was like a song flowing through a lush forest. So rare was her true laugh, that it was a treasure in itself, and I silently vowed to myself to find ways to bring it out of her more and more.

A few moments later, she caught her breath and smiled at me before patting the bed beside her. “Come, lay down and relax.”

I complied with her request and eased myself onto my back, turning my eyes towards the moon, which was easily seen from Luna’s bedroom window. My ears picked up on some shuffling of the sheets before I felt and saw Luna lay her chin upon my chest, turning her eyes towards her moon.

“You know,” she began in a near-whisper, “I used to look up at the moon as a filly, wondering what it was like up there. I used to make-believe that it was made of snow, or even ice cream.” She was silent for a few moments before she continued. “I wish I never had to find out that my beliefs were untrue.”

Without thinking, I lowered my hand and began running it gently through her hair, trying my best to comfort Luna as she spoke.

“I was foolish.” she continued sullenly. “I believed that ponies saw my night and I as unneeded and unimportant. It was only after I allowed my hatred and anger to possess me that I realized my mistake, but by then it was too late. Sister was forced to send me away, and I had to atone for my crimes.” She then sighed sadly and mused, “I wonder if things might have been different had none of that happened. Would things have gotten better, or worse? A part of me wishes to know, but another part of me is fine with the way things are now.” I watched as her eyes dropped to me. “I am pleased to know you as you are now, and I am sorry for treating you so coldly for so long. You did not deserve it, and I have no excuse other than the need to blame someone other than myself.”

I let a smile cross my face as I answered, “I forgave you as soon as you apologized the first time, Luna. There is no need to keep apologizing.”

Luna sighed through her nose as her eyes glistened slightly. “It hurt me to treat you that way, likely as much as it hurt you, but I could not stop myself. I was ruled by my anger and unresolved faults, and you were an easy target for it all.”

I offered her a gentle smile as I said, “I forgive you for all of that, Luna. I have let that past die, so please, do the same. Let us forget our past misdeeds to each other and move on.”

She sighed again, but this time it was with a smile. “Why could I have not met you before my transformation into Nightmare Moon? Things could have turned out so much differently.”

I shrugged, allowing my fingers to massage her scalp as I lay my head back and stared at the moon again. “Truthfully, I do not even remember what I was before you came along. I am unsure how I even exist now, but that is not to say I do not enjoy it. What I do know is that we cannot change the past. All we can do is keep in mind the lessons we have learned, and forge forward to a better tomorrow.” I felt as Luna’s fingers began drawing circles upon my chest, and could not help but recognize just how close our actions were to that of a courting pair. Still, Luna did not seem uncomfortable with any of it, and truth be told, it was nice just to be in contact with her. Besides, I was rather sure that Luna was simply acting in the same way that I was: doing what felt right.

We were both clothed, so all was well.

A soft knock at the doors broke the relaxing spell that seemed to have descended on us, followed by a soft female voice calling, “Princess? Your evening tea has arrived.”

Luna and I untangled ourselves from each other, and she stood and strode over to the door to open it. When she did so, a young servant girl entered and handed a tray of teaware to the princess. Luna looked over the assortment before smiling and nodding at the girl, causing the servant to bow before leaving us.

Luna turned on her heel and brought the platter to her bed, setting it down beside me and quickly pouring a cup of the steaming beverage, and I couldn’t help but pick up the scents of spearmint and fire lily nectar. The scent alone induced a feeling of peace within me, which I assumed was the reason Luna had chosen to have it before sleeping.

After she was finished, I poured myself a cup of the drink and added a bit of milk and sugar before taking a sip of the steaming beverage. The cooling effect of the mint was counteracted by the warmth of the tea itself, which gave a rather curious sensation of both warmth and cool as it flowed down my throat and into my stomach. The nectar within it left behind a tingling sensation in my mouth, and caused a pleasant warmth to spread throughout my entire body.

I hummed in delight, causing Luna to giggle at me. “Wonderful tea, is it not?”

I nodded happily. “The best I have had.”

She and I locked eyes and smiled at one another before silently enjoying our drinks.

Hours later, the two of us once again found ourselves laying on the large bed, and again with Luna taking the position above me. The tea had done its job wonderfully, and I now simply closed my eyes as the pleasant haze of relaxation suffused me. Luna had once again taken to slowly running her fingers in small shapes upon my clothed chest, which in honesty felt quite nice.

“Nightblade?” she called to me, at which I opened my eyes and looked to her. She had a nervous expression on her face as she asked, “Will you stay again tonight? I um…” she swallowed thickly, “I slept better with you here than I have in longer than I can remember.”

Truthfully, I was perfectly content doing so. Perhaps it was the effect of the fire lily nectar, but wherever Luna touched me, pleasant tingles seemed to dance upon my skin. I did not want to leave, so if Luna asked me to stay, I was more than happy to oblige.

“I will stay with you, princess.” I answered with a soft grin.

As I closed my eyes again and felt as she moved up to lay her head next to mine, I could not help but notice how the soft curves of her body pressed against me. I enjoyed it, probably more than I should have, but yet again, she saw no issue with it.

For a few moments we laid in silence before she nestled herself beside me and extended her arm across my waist, squeezing me tightly as one would a stuffed animal. “Goodnight, Nightblade. May your dreams be pleasant.”

I smiled again and settled my head to rest against hers. “And you as well, Luna.”

Sleep took me almost instantaneously, and my last thoughts were on the woman at my side.

Chapter 4: Through the Night

A sea of stars, powerful and beautiful.

Warm arms’ embrace, gentle moonlight guiding my path and calming my heart.

The fleeting kiss of the cool night’s air upon my cheek.

“Nightblade…” it beckoned, its voice as comforting as the bed of lunar roses that caressed my skin.

I responded by reaching my arms forth, welcoming it into my embrace. Never again will it be cast aside, and never again would the majesty go unloved.

The dark beauty falls within my arms, its eyes twinkling with trillions of stars. I hold it firmly, in the way only a lover could. A lover of the night ‒ a lover of true beauty.

The night takes shape in my own image, allowing me to hold it close, whispering into its nonexistent ear that it never need be alone again. That I love it...that I need it.

“Mmm…oh…” it pleads to me softly, the need for words being lost in newfound pleasure.

I oblige and answer the unspoken pleading with a stronger hold, running my hands along the glittering stars in the skin. Kneading, groping, conveying love the way only actions can.

A sharp gasp is awarded to me, followed by…

...a pinch to my throat, driving my mind to wake from the dream, my hand still kneading the soft, firm pillow I held within it. The warmth of the blanket I was wrapped in soothed me to near-sleep again.

Until a soft, pleading moan woke me faster than a pitcher of iced water.

My eyes shot open with a start, and I turned my head to gaze at the sleeping form next to me. I was met with the contorted face of Luna, her breathing coming in short pants as she writhed against me. One by one my senses returned to me, and I realized my right hand was still kneading the pillow…a pillow which just so happened to be the rump of the night princess, a place more private and guarded than the royal treasury.

By the stars, sun, and moon, what am I doing?

Taking care to keep the awkward situation directed only at myself, I gently removed my hand and used a small burst of magic to levitate Luna off of my arm. I then extracted myself from her weak grasp and gingerly set her upon her bed again, covering her with the discarded duvet. I stood from the bed, not even sparing a glance back at the sleeping night princess as I quickly left the room.

I slammed the door to my room shut and barred it, worried that any who saw me would see the sheer amount of shame present in the expression I held on my face. I rushed to the washroom and turned the cold tap on full as I splashed the icy water upon my face multiple times, hoping to wash away the embarrassment of what I had done to Luna. An unknowing action of course, but one I committed all the same.

I wiped the water away from my face and looked at myself in the mirror. Celeste-colored eyes stared back at me, the arcing black energy running around the iris speaking of the storm within me. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a few deep breaths to calm myself.

“In,” I muttered with an inhale, “out.”

After a few moments, I noticed my racing heart had slowed, and the faint buzzing of electricity that accompanied my roiling magic had become mute. I opened my eyes to see the normal color restored, and heaved a long-suffering sigh as I dropped my head low.

“Calm thyself Nightblade.” I spoke aloud to myself, my stress causing me to be somewhat unable to stop parts of ancient speech styles from coming forth. “You dreamt a rather intimate dream. It has not been the first time, and it will most certainly not be the last. Luna happened to be there during the fact, and thy body reacted instinctively. It means nothing.” I then raised my gaze to my reflection and narrowed my eyes. “Stars-willing, she will have no idea what happened, which means the situation and memory will only reside with thyself.”

‘The feel of that lusciously firm flesh yielding to my touch...the primal whimpers of pleasure issuing forth...’

“RRRAHH!” I roared in frustration, and brought my fist to the mirror in front of me. Spiderweb cracks shot out from the impact, and I brought my hands to the countertop, bracing myself as I slumped my forehead against the glass, growling. “Stop it…” Again I took several deep breaths before pushing myself to stand up straight again, preparing to set about cleaning and grooming myself before catching sight of a rather odd mark on the side of my throat. I squinted my eyes as I ran my finger over it, only to wince in pain from the contact. I eyed the mark warily for a few moments before I recognized what the mark looked like it was caused by:

Teeth.

Again the unwanted sensations and recent memories flooded back to me when I realized where the mark had come from, and I resolved to either freeze or steam away the thoughts with either a very cold or very hot shower; whichever worked better.

Hoping to have my day occupied, I sought out Quickwrite to see if there was any important events scheduled for me to attend to. Unfortunately for me, there was no such luck. Mother confirmed to me that because of the lack of schedule for me today, she had personally given Quickwrite the day off. During that same explanation, she also scolded me for missing my own birthday celebration, small as it was. She forgave me of course, but I still felt bad about forgetting.

More important matters were on my mind though. I knew that with the Eclipse coming forth soon, all of the world would know who and what I truly was. I was still rather reluctant to have things so open, but mother still insisted. I trusted her judgement, and so would trust her when she advised me all would be well.

Sadly, the most powerful thoughts within my mind were of Luna.

An eternal being though I was, I still had mortal whims, as we all did. I wished one day to find a beautiful soul to love, male or female, and make that person as happy as I could for as long as they lived. What I did not expect, however, was for my mind to suddenly wish to put Luna in that place. The whole idea frustrated me for quite a few reasons, the most prominent of which being that I was quite sure mother would not approve. I knew in the back of my mind that I was far older than both of the princesses of Equestria. My mind and emotions, however, were that of a growing man, still coming into his own. Mother’s approval meant everything to me, and I strove to do her proud for all she had done for me.

Another reason why the whole situation with Luna unnerved me was because until recently, she could not even bear to look at me, and made said disdain quite clear on many occasions. Our bond was the polar opposite of what it had started as, but powerful as it was becoming, it was still a fragile fledgeling. I was quite sure that if Luna knew I had molested her while she slept, it would not matter if I had no conscious choice of it. I was fairly certain she would cast me away, and I did not know if I would survive her scorn again.

The most disturbing thought, however, was the dream itself when combined with my physical reactions while I slept. The voice within my dream called to me, pleaded to me. The voice within the dream ‒ the voice of the night ‒ was not Luna’s voice, and so I originally cast aside the very notion that the night princess would ever call to me in such a way, considering what I had done to her. However, I also knew from experience that one’s perception of the waking world while dreaming ‒ sounds and sensations, for example ‒ was muddled at best, and our perception could not be considered accurate. Though Luna shepherded the dreams of our people, even she did not completely understand how dreams worked, or what (if anything) certain dreams meant. So the question was: had that merely been a dream, or was I hearing Luna while in my dream? Had she truly called to me as a lover, or was my mind merely projecting words to match my abstract wish for a partner in life?

This, in turn, only caused more issues to arise.

No matter what, things were going to be very awkward for me around the lunar diarch. Whether my new thoughts and feelings on the matter were real or merely the product of a random dream mattered not. I knew that regardless, Luna’s presence would feel strange to me until or unless the mental images (and primal urges, unfortunately) withered and died. In this way, the only thing that would matter to me would be whether Luna had spoken the words, or whether they had merely been a construct of my subconscious. Unfortunately, I was not willing to bring such a thing to light. Ever. I wouldn’t, couldn’t risk the tenuous bond I was forming with Luna. It wasn’t worth the torture I would feel should she turn her back on me again.

‘But what if she felt the same way?’

I shook the thought away as I continued trudging through the halls of my home. It was impossible, not to mention practically inscestuous. I pushed all the thoughts to the back of my mind and locked them away, vowing to let them fade. They were foolish thoughts, and I was no fool.

Instead, I busied myself with inspecting the guards and the safety measures within the palace. As the only living member of the royal family that had regular contact with conflict, it was my place to make sure our kingdom’s security was running smoothly. True that my subordinates were the ones that actually enacted the changes or orders I asked of them, but it was my job to spot any weaknesses or issues and bring them to their attention.

Much to my annoyance, the guards were strong and alert, and all security policies were efficient and in effect. None of the magical wards around the palace were in danger of failing, nor was there any evidence of an attempt to infiltrate the palace. All this meant that I was going to be unable to find a meaningful distraction from my disturbances.

“You alright over there, prince?” called a familiar draconic voice.

I released a sigh of relief as I turned to Spike. “I do not think I have ever been happier that you are here.” I then raised my eyebrow and asked, “Speaking of, why are you here? I thought you were leaving for Ponyville.”

The young drake-blood shrugged as he strode over to me. “Pinkie Pie told me that you needed me, though I’m not really sure what she meant. So, I got Twi to send me here using the portal glyph she has in the basement.” He then eyed me with concern and said, “Come to think of it, you do seem pretty out of sorts.”

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him. “Who is this ‘Pinkie Pie’ and how could she possibly know what happens within the private halls of the palace?”

Spike shrugged. “Pinkie Pie’s a good friend of mine. As to how she knew, that’s a little more difficult to explain.” He rolled his hands in the air, gesturing to nothing in particular. “She has this special ability she calls her ‘Pinkie Sense’ that allows her to just know things. I don’t know how it works and neither does Twi; all we know is that it’s too accurate to be coincidence. She gets these weird ticks or thing that happen with her body, and supposedly each one means something different. The one she got this morning apparently told her that my best friend needed my help.” He shrugged again. “I’m good friends with all of them, but you are my best friend. It kinda narrowed things down after that, and I trust Pinkie’s sense. So spill it.”

I was still unwilling to accept the fact that a normal person could seemingly predict the future or know things without being able to observe those involved, but I trusted Spike, and that was good enough for me.

I sighed and slumped against the wall next to me. “I was...I was privy to a rather disturbing event this morning.”

Spike smirked and asked, “Did you catch Celestia naked or something?”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “No, although if I had, it wouldn’t have been the first time. Mother hates wearing clothes, and wears minimal amounts whenever she can. Honestly, I do not know how her personal guard keeps from leering at her every moment of the day.”

“Yeah,” Spike muttered dreamily, “I can understand that. I mean that toga she normally wears is see-through, and sometimes she doesn’t even wear anything underneath. And with how short it is…” He started drooling a bit.

I snapped my fingers in front of his face in annoyance, bringing him out of his daydream. “Spike, I know that she is seen as a symbol of beauty and fertility, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t speak such things in my presence. She is still my mother, after all. It would be akin to me speaking of Twilight Sparkle the same way.”

He looked up at me and grimaced a bit. “Right. Point taken, Night. Sorry about that.” I nodded curtly before pushing off of the wall and continuing to walk down the corridor, toward the dining hall. Hopefully the promise of a good meal would lead to Spike forgetting- “So are you going to tell me exactly what happened or am I going to have to bug you until you crack? And keep in mind, dragons are very patient creatures.”

I grumbled to myself as he took his place at my side. I quickly shot him a glare as I said, “What I speak to you is not to be spoken to another soul, do you understand?”

Never before had I given a command to Spike. I considered him my best friend as well, and best friends did not order one another. So I knew that such a strong statement would catch his attention.

His eyes widened a bit as he nodded. “Y-yeah. Sure thing, prince.”

I eyed him warily for a few moments before turning my gaze to the corridor again and motioning to the door ahead ‒ my bedroom door. Spike understood and walked ahead, opening it to allow us to enter and then closing it behind us. I strode to and sat down on my bed, falling back onto the soft mattress.

“So…” Spike voiced as he paced toward me.

I released a stale breath of air and prepared to regale my tale of shame. “Luna and I are connected from our time together. It is as if my possession of her left an imprint of each of us on the other, and it is through this connection that I find the issue.” I sighed and closed my eyes. “I cannot be far from Luna, not anymore. Once she forgave me and chose to let me into her life, our bond quickly progressed beyond what I could have hoped for. I need her, though I never realized how much. Even now, I feel hollow just being away from her.”

“So why do it?” Spike asked in confusion.

I kept silent for a moment, organizing my thoughts. “The past two nights, I have spent the night with her.” I then turned my head to see Spike raising his brow at me, and scowled. “Not in that way, Spike.” I frowned for a bit before turning my gaze to the ceiling, letting out another wistful sigh. “Have you ever met someone you wish to spend every second of every day with; someone that when you are apart, you cannot think of anything but them?”

“I have.” Spike confirmed, his voice full of emotion. “Rarity. She’s one of Twilight’s friends, and one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met. Not to mention she’s drop-dead gorgeous.”

I felt a chuckle rumble through my chest, which lightened my burden just a bit. “Ah yes, the beautiful seamstress in Ponyville. I believe mother has mentioned her once or twice. She supplies mother’s clothing during the months following the lunar eclipse.”

Spike rounded me and flopped himself down onto the bed, next to me. “Yeah, she told me. When she got the letter from Princess Celestia, she passed out straight away.” I felt him shift next to me before he prodded my shoulder. “So are you going to tell me why you’re avoiding the princess now?”

My jovial mood quickly subdued again, and I took a couple breaths through my nose before continuing. “Luna and I have been sharing her bed. There is no intimate contact involved in it ‒ we just enjoy being close to one another. It feels right somehow.” I grunted in frustration. “It is difficult to explain.” I cleared my throat and added, “We speak of anything and everything. She laughs with me, and smiles in a way I have only ever noticed when I am around. She feels as complete around me as I do around her.”

“I don’t see…” Spike voiced with confusion.

I sighed and said, “Last night, I dreamt of the night. Of stars, the moon, and the beauty of the night sky.” I then shifted a bit uneasily. “The night was sapient, and made its way to be held in my waiting arms. I kissed, caressed, and showed my love for the night.”

“Okay,” Spike said, confusion still clear in his tone, “I’ve had dreams weirder than that before. So what’s the problem?”

“It called to me, Spike.” I answered nervously. “By name. In my dream, the night called to me.” I turned my head to look at him before continuing. “I woke to find that I wasn’t simply fondling the night within my dream, I was fondling Luna as she slept beside me. Thankfully, she did not wake, but I knew what I did. After waking, I quickly made my way back here and have been trying to purge the memory from my mind ever since.”

For a long few moments, Spike was silent. Then, with the utmost tone of nonchalance, he spoke, “Why?”

I shot my own look of confusion at him. “Why what?”

“Why are you trying to forget about it?” he clarified.

“Are you serious?” I asked with a small amount of contempt. “Luna has just begun to trust me, and I violated that trust in one of the worst ways imaginable.”

Spike rolled his eyes before turning onto his side, facing me. “Okay, look at it like this: you caught the eye of Princess Luna, one of the most beautiful and intelligent people in the world. She wants to spend every waking minute with you, and doesn’t even want to sleep apart from you. Now I don’t know about you, but if Rarity ever felt that way about me, I’d be doing everything I could to make sure she was happy and loved.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Spike, you do not understand-”

“No,” he interrupted, baring his fangs at me, “you don’t understand. You always whined to me about how much it hurt that Princess Luna always treated you like dirt, and now you’re whining because you felt her up in her sleep and kinda had a sex dream about her. Dude, I’ve had a sex dream about Twilight for Celestia’s sake. You have no idea how traumatizing it is for a young guy to have a dream like that about someone who’s basically his older sister.” He then poked me in the chest with his finger. “You on the other hand dreamt about one of the hottest and most desirable women in the world, and guess what? She’s not related to you. I don’t care how you try to spin it, the fact of the matter is that the two of you are not family. You’re older than her by like a bazillion years, and the two of you didn’t even know of each other until the two of you became Nightmare Moon.” He chuckled dryly as he continued. “I mean, she lets you sleep in her bed with her for Celestia’s sake! You can’t get more comfortable with one another than that without rutting!” As I was about to retort, he held up his hand to silence me. “And don’t say anything about incest or anything. Like I said, you two aren’t related, and after this next eclipse, everyone’s going to know you’re not really Princess Celestia’s son...or completely a man, for that matter.” Before I could even begin to speak, he cut me off again. “Or here’s a novel idea: why not just talk to her about it? If the two of you are really as close as you say, then why not-”

“I CAN’T!” I shouted in frustration. I held Spike’s gaze for a few moments before averting my eyes shamefully. “I can not. If she were to shun me for this, I could not survive it...not again. I would rather let the memory and corrupting feelings die than risk losing her. It is not worth the risk.”

Spike regarded me coolly for a moment before stating, “Y’know, for a skilled and experienced warman, you can be a real coward sometimes. You can slaughter an entire legion on your own, but throw Luna into your emotional storm and suddenly you lock up tighter than a griffon’s meatlocker.”

I glared at my decidedly annoying (but honest) friend. “You do not understand. I can not lose her again. I will be a coward if it means she will stand by my side.”

Spike glared right back at me as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. “With how much you want her to stay near you, I’d usually say you love her. However, I know that with the way you’re denying everything else even hinting in that direction, you’d deny that as well. So instead, I’ll say you should just ignore it, like so many other people in the world do.” He pushed off of the bed and stood, walking away. Before leaving, he stopped in front of the door, and without turning around said, “Rarity ignores it too, you know. I once heard her telling Twilight that we’re just too far apart in age, and it would never work. She said she will forever see the little dragon that hung on her every word, and delighted in helping her any way he could.” Spike then turned to look at me, and I could see the glistening of unshed tears in his eyes. “You don’t know how much it hurts to know that someone would rather use a bullshit excuse as to why they can’t be with you, rather than face the fears they have and explore the unknown. If Luna cares about you even a fraction of what I do Rarity, I hope she never has to find out that you’d rather make excuses than take a risk for her.” A single tear dropped from his eye. “Luna is worth the risk, Nightblade. I wish one of my friends would tell Rarity that I was.” With his last piece said, Spike left the room and shut the door behind him.

I stared at the door for a few moments, letting Spike’s parting words wash over me. His argument was convincing, but I still could not take such a risk without any proof that I felt that way ‒ about my adoptive aunt, no less. That was completely before the fact that I was quite positive Luna would hate me for what I had done, and what I was even thinking about. No, in this case, it just was not worth the risk of losing her. I feared so little in life, but losing Luna was one of my only and greatest fears. I would not put stress on a new friendship with her, just as I would not try and run with a newly-mended leg. ‘twould be foolish, as the negatives far outweighed the positives.

No...this too would pass.

Chapter 2: Cleansing Blade

The first thing I could hear as I awoke was the sound of my own breath, and then a very soft breathing coming from my right. I opened my eyes to see dear Cassie laying beside me on a bed, and while at the moment I was confused as to why I was here, I was glad to know she was unharmed. I leaned to my sister and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before sitting up in my bed, noticing that night had fallen outside. Suddenly, it was as if the Ponyville Express had hit me as the realization dawned upon me...

The Element of Magic.

She was here, and more importantly, she had already met me...my, what a first impression I had made upon the young girl. Thank the stars that she did not know who I am, or else it could cause a catastrophe.

It had been years since the incident at the Summer Sun Celebration, but I was still confident that learning of my true heritage would cause the young mage to become fiercely defensive. It was no secret that the woman was rather suspicious of newcomers, and was rather impulsive in her tendency to overreact. I was sure if I absolutely needed to, I could defend myself, but at the moment it was not something I even wanted to entertain. It had been years since I had faced the young mage in combat, and I did not wish to do so again.

My wrath was for my enemies, and Twilight Sparkle was not one of them...not anymore.

Still, the young woman was very intelligent, so if I offered even the slightest inkling of who and what I really was, all would be undone before its time. I would not wish to place too much faith in the trust the young woman has for her mentor, as it could put immense strain on the relationship, or even break it...and that was not something I would do.

“Nightblade...” whispered a voice from my left.

I turned to see the princess of the night herself, Luna, facing away from me towards a window. Her presence within my chambers made me nervous for some reason. “Greetings, princess...w-why are you here?”

The princess turned her head to look at me in surprise. “Oh, you are awake.”

I rubbed the back of my head a bit, which was somewhat sore. “Yes...I am.”

She stared at me for a moment before adding, “To answer your question, Tia asked Us to. She was preoccupied with royal duties, and there was none other to watch over you as you slumbered.” She then shot a mild glare my way. “As We have already explained, We do this for our sister...so do not look too deeply into our actions.”

I rolled my eyes in frustration and sarcastically remarked, “Right, because I would never be able to see just how much you loathe me otherwise.”

The lunar princess’ glare hardened. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

Her increasingly hostile attitude caused my attempt at understanding to crumble, as I snarled. “I believe you are intelligent enough to know, princess.”

My condescending remark caused her eye to twitch slightly in barely-contained anger. “You would do well to remember who you are speaking to, Nightmare...”

“That is Nightblade now, Luna...and you would do well to remember that.” I shot back angrily. “I have tried to be cordial with you, tolerant, and even kind, but it has been nearly four years now, and you still treat me as an enemy...even after your sister has taken me under her wing as her own son.” The princess attempted to speak, but I cut her off, not finished yet. “No...I have more to say, and you are going to listen.” Her mouth shut in shock of my order, and she waited for me to speak. After a few moments, I continued with a sad sigh as I calmed down a bit. “You are a part of me, Luna...just as much as I am a part of you. Regardless of what you may think of me, that is the truth, and neither of us can escape that. Do you have any idea what it feels like for someone who is literally your other half to hate you? Imagine what it would feel like if Celestia hated you.” The princess tried to hold a stern gaze, but I saw her face quiver for just a m\oment as her eyes filled with sadness, and I said, “Exactly...it would break you. Now you have a slight understanding of how I feel when you scorn me.”

I could tell that my words had reached her, but her grudge did not abate. “The things you made me do...”

“Were a mistake, Luna.” I finished sadly. “The person that did those things was me...but I made a mistake, just as we all do. We know better than anyone else that who or what we are does not matter...we all make mistakes.”

“My ‘mistake’ was your doing...” the night princess responded coldly.

I chuckled darkly as I raised my gaze to meet her eyes again. “If you truly believe that your only mistakes were made because of me, then you have far more to learn than I ever imagined.” I stood slowly and placed my hand upon one of the support bars of the bed. “We are all fallible, princess. It is a lesson you would do well to remember, as we live too long for knowledge simple as that to pass us by. My greatest mistake thus far is in letting my jealousy, rage, and greed overtake me, and thus, you. Your greatest flaw is that you truly believe that without me, you are perfect. No one is perfect, Luna...not even us. If you wish to live a truly enlightened life of wisdom, that is something you must keep in mind at all times. Your sister knows this, for if she did not, she would not care for me or you as she does. Do not hold to the standard of perfection that which is imperfect, and cannot be perfect.” I sighed and walked over to the princess, standing beside her at the window as we both looked out over the city. “I have lived far longer than you have, princess. Once, many eons ago, I was my own being, much as I am now. It was by the curse of a vengeful unicorn that I was forced to become a disembodied entity, and those thousands of years in solitude and detachment drove me mad.” I then turned my face to look at Luna, who was still staring out over the city. “I sensed the weakness within you, wrought by your emotional turmoil...and as any predator would, I pounced. You may believe otherwise, but I was once in fact a priest of the ancient gods of Equis, and bearing ill will towards any living thing was simply not something I was able to feel.”

“Then why...?” the princess asked curiously.

I sighed and turned my gaze back to the view outside the window. “Insanity will make us into what we are not, princess. In both form and function, I am a shadow of who I once was...a mere shade of the light and joy I once served. The Elements of Harmony cleansed us both ‒ you of my influence, and me of my mental illnesses. It did not, however, wash away the memories that plague me. The guilt I feel for what I had done to you...it is something I will have to live with for the rest of my days, I fear.” I again turned my eyes to the princess and added, “So if you feel the need to place blame on the one responsible for our actions, then place it upon me. True though it may be that your jealousy and hatred allowed me to overtake you, but our actions were not your fault. I chose to rise up against Celestia, I chose to bring forth eternal night.” Finally, those twin cyan eyes looked back at my own, and I smiled sadly. “Someday soon I will announce to the populace the truth of who I am, so that their fear may be redirected to its rightful target...me. Though it may be too late to have your forgiveness for the sins I have committed against you, it is something I must do, if only for my own piece of mind.”

I then stepped away and picked up my sword, which had been placed along with my belt upon the bedpost, and then turned around and muttered a “farewell” before leaving the room.

I arrived in the throne room some time later to see mother speaking with a few of the palace staff, but upon seeing me she quickly dismissed them and stood. “Good afternoon, Nightblade. Sleep well?”

I chuckled lightly and shrugged. “As well as one could after fainting in shock.”

The sun goddess clasped her hand on my shoulder softly before retreating to her throne and eyeing me curiously. “Why were you shocked, exactly?”

“Let it simply be said that I was not planning on meeting my saviors anytime soon.” I responded plainly.

Mother raised her eyebrow curiously and asked, “So you recognized her?”

“Her magic is unique.” I replied with a sigh. “I would never forget it...it gave me my life back.”

The solar princess smiled softly as she added, “And it returned my sister, and gave me a wonderful son. It appears we both owe a debt to Twilight.” She then took a serious expression. “And what of Luna...is she still...?”

I nodded with a sigh. “She will tolerate me, but it is quite clear she only does so for your sake. I believe I have given her something to think on, however.”

“Oh?” she inquired with a smile.

I shook my head and replied, “It is rather personal for her, so I will not divulge that information without her consent. I am sorry.”

Mother considered this for a moment before smiling and nodding. “It is fine, my son. I of all people understand the need for privacy. I will ask her at a later date, when the tension is not so high.” She then folded her hands in her lap and asked, “So, would you wish to meet Twilight again?”

I smiled and nodded. “I would. It would be wise to attempt to make up for our first meeting, in which I no doubt made a fool of myself.”

The sun goddess placed her palm over her mouth to stifle the giggles that threatened to erupt, but quickly composed herself and nodded. “Yes, I believe it would be best to try the meeting again.” She then looked to a guard near the large doors behind me and nodded. He nodded in return before leaving the room.

A few moments of waiting later, the guard returned...along with the Element of Magic. Even from my place of nearly one-hundred paces away, I could feel the powerful magic practically dripping off of her, but this time I was prepared, and so I merely smiled warmly as they both approached.

Mother approached as well from behind me, and stopped to stand by my side. As the young woman stopped a few paces in front of me, mother cleared her throat and smiled.

“Now, for a proper introduction...without the fainting this time.” she began with a light chuckle. I glared at the sun princess, but she continued with, “Twilight Sparkle, this is my son, Nightblade. Nightblade, this is my personal protégé, Twilight Sparkle.”

I did a slight bow of respect and greeted, “It is a pleasure, Lady Sparkle.”

The young mage giggled and nodded. “The pleasure’s all mine, Prince Night-”

“Please,” I began with a wave of my hand, “no title. You are the famous Twilight Sparkle, who helped cleanse Princess Luna. If anyone is worthy enough to call me by name, it is you, Miss Sparkle. I thank you for your valiant efforts in protecting our world.”

“O-oh my...” the young woman muttered, blushing furiously. After a moment of composing herself, she looked up at me with eyes of the most radiant violet. “W-well I appreciate your praise on the matter, but I certainly didn’t do it alone. It’s thanks to all my friends that I was able to pull it off. I’m just a single player in a much larger game.”

The girl had quite a way of expressing things...I liked her already.

“As we all are.” I mused softly. I then extended my hand to her, which she took without hesitation, and as was custom in times past, I gently kissed her hand in respect. Without thinking, I then whispered, “Thank you.”

“For what?” the young mage asked curiously.

I stepped back and stammered out, “F-for doing such good for Equestria.”

The mage eyed me curiously for a moment before smiling and nodding. “Well thank you, Nightblade. I appreciate that.”

I composed myself and smiled as well. “It is an honor to meet you, but regrettably, I must be going. Fare thee well, Twilight Sparkle.” I then quickly left the room and made my way towards the Royal Gardens.

I had been walking through the rather large hedge maze for hours now, just letting my mind wander. I felt rather horrible for leaving Twilight Sparkle so rudely, but had I not done so, I would have further made a fool of myself.

Fear.

I feared the young woman for some reason, or at least it felt like I did, and I had no inkling as to why. By rights, I should feel naught but gratitude and respect for the mage, but for the first time in my life, I was actually afraid of someone...and it was a rather disheartening feeling. I thought it rather foolish that I reacted in such a way to her, but then there were many things these days I did not understand.

I pushed the thought of Twilight Sparkle out of my mind and instead focused on something more important: the coming solar eclipse.

Eclipses were nothing new to Equis, but they no longer were something to simply be awed and praised for beauty. After the assimilation of Discord into normal society, an outlet of sorts was needed for his chaos magic, or else it would build to the point of danger. And so, to sustain his need for entropy, on every sixth month, an eclipse would occur. During a lunar eclipse, we would be humans...

But on the day of a solar eclipse, we would become ponies until the next eclipse.

In honesty, it was not a large change. After all, all of us had originally been ponies in any case, but the worldwide change sated Discord’s need for chaos. For most, it was no problem whatsoever, and after being explained by their princesses, all the people of Equis understood the need and went on with their lives, adapting to life as a human.

For me, however, it was different.

As a human, none knew who or what I was. I was simply another human, who just so happened to be royalty. As a pony though, I was to be feared. My black coat, cosmic mane and tail, and fangs saw to that.

I was the dreaded Nightmare Moon.

Or at least I was...before being given love understanding by a certain sun goddess. Celestia’s infinitely understanding heart allowed her to see me for what I truly was, looking beyond what I had been and what I had done to her sister. She understood exactly what being cursed as I was had done to me, both mind and spirit...and she forgave me.

All the emotions from my past bubbled to the surface at that point, and I wept uncontrollably for days. Rather exaggerated by a normal person’s standards, but I had been alone for many millennia before I found Luna, and even then, she was poor company at best. Not that it was her fault of course, but she was wallowing in misery because of the misguided belief that her sister no longer loved her. With all of that having been the case, when I was given a clear mind and a body again, many things washed over me. First was regret...regret for what I had done to Luna. The second was a strong feeling of loss. After all, my entire family and all of my friends were no longer present in this time. Had Celestia not taken it upon herself to watch over and care for me, I would be truly alone in this world.

After all, who would accept me otherwise?

“Six days.” whispered a soft, nervous voice from beside me. I did not have to see the face to know who it was, and a moment later, I caught sight of Princess Luna beside me. “Are you nervous?”

A part of me wanted to shout at her for her seemingly nonchalant attitude after our argument earlier, while another side of me relished in the company. Instead of doing anything rash, I simply sighed and nodded. “I am more nervous than I ever have been, princess. Perhaps I should simply banish myself to the moon this time, so that mother will not have to do it.”

The princess said nothing, and instead simply looked up at the half moon with me for a few long minutes. Silence reigned, with only the sound of the early evening crickets to break the silence, along with the subtle flowing of the Royal Gardens fountain.

“You were right...” whispered the princess, and as I turned to look at her, I could see the glistening of tears in her eyes. “You were right, about everything.” Her bright eyes met with my own, and she drew in a shuddered breath. “I cannot hold you accountable for my own emotions...my own sins. It was not you who had come to hate sister...it was me. It was not you who entered a jealous rage, using your power as an outlet. All of that was my doing...you were simply the facilitator.”

I turned my body to face the moon princess, and gently brushed the tears away before smiling and kissing her forehead softly. “Though frustrated I may have been, I never blamed you for your anger. Denial can make us do many things, and can warp reality itself.” I gently wrapped my arms around the goddess, and felt as she leaned into the embrace. “As I said, you are my other half...I could never hate you or blame you for my own evils.”

Princess Luna then pulled away from me and asked, “Can you forgive me for being so...”

“Prejudice?” I offered with a smirk.

She smiled and nodded. “That is as good a word as any.”

I grinned as I released her. “Of course.”

“I will stand by you on the day of the solar eclipse.” she stated firmly.

“Truly?” I questioned with a surprised smile.

Princess Luna nodded. “If our people are to accept you for what you are, their deities must stand together with you...to show that no matter the storm your visage may bring, we will weather it with you.”

I huffed in disappointment. “You make it sound as if I am a liability.”

“I believe we both know just how much of a stir your mere image will create among the public.” the lunar goddess commented dryly. She then placed her hand on my cheek with a smile. “But you are worth it. You have given sister a wonderful son that she loves, and have given Cassie a brother she can look up to and be proud of. More than anything though, you have shown that what we are does not make who we are. The hatred and fear will come...it is inevitable...but Tia and I will stand by your side the entire time.” The princess then smirked. “That is assuming of course that you do not begin referring to me as ‘aunt’ Luna.”

“As long as you do not give me reason to, I will not.” I replied with a smirk of my own. “That means no water balloons in my bed, and no ‘oatmeal on the door’ practical jokes...oh, and no liquid rainbows in my soup.”

She gasped at this and asked, “H-how did..?”

I shrugged. “We were together for over a thousand years, Luna. I know you better than I know myself.”

She giggled and nodded. “Very well. Come...let us meet with sister for the evening meal.”

I extended my arm to the goddess with a polite, “My lady.” Luna again giggled before taking my arm and walking with me to the dining hall.

As the two of us entered the dining hall (much to the interest of the palace staff), we were met with the sight of mother eating a slice of cake in a rather voracious manner...and she stopped with her eyes slowly creeping over to us when she realized someone had entered.

The sun princess blushed brightly before wiping her mouth with a napkin and standing. Once she realized the position Luna and I were in, however, she smiled radiantly. “My...I cannot tell the both of you how happy this makes me.”

“Nearly as happy as it makes me, mother.” I replied with a generous smile. I then pulled out the chair for Luna and seated her, before seating myself beside her. “It was a rather uncomfortable start, but it has worked out beautifully.”

“Indeed Tia.” Luna added with a smile. “We have come to terms with the past...as well as the future.”

The day princess raised her eyebrow with a smile. “So during the eclipse...?”

I nodded. “Luna will stand beside me. I worry no more with the two of you at my side...and I am confident Cassie will as well.”

“As am I.” Luna confirmed. “We are prepared for the hardship, and will face it together...as a family.”

The sentence sent a delightful flutter within me, and I could not help but smile as I lovingly looked to the two women. “Thank you...both of you.”

The evening meal was wonderful that night. Never in my life had I felt more accepted, more loved. Even Cassie’s appearance to bid us all goodnight was a joy in itself, as her face instantly lit up in happiness at seeing Luna and I happily sitting beside one another.

As the night wiled away, it left Luna and I relaxing on the vaulted roof of the throne room, looking at the stars, hand in hand. Perhaps it was the warmth of her hand, or perhaps it was just the happiness of knowing that Luna had accepted and forgiven me. Whatever the reason, I knew that I wanted to be in contact with her as much as possible. After being separated from her for so long, I did not realize exactly how much I had missed the closeness. There was nothing to be lewd or indecent about the contact on either of our accounts...it was just simply the fact that we were literal kindred spirits that were reunited, and the contact felt as if it grounded us to the world we lived upon.

After an hour or so of silence, Luna scooted over to me and looked up at me questioningly. “Nightblade?”

I turned my face to the princess and smiled. “Yes Luna?”

“I...” she began, only to swallow nervously before continuing, “I wanted to thank you...for showing me my error. It is rather unbecoming of a princess to hold so petty a grudge as I had...even after Tia willingly accepted you.”

I shrugged with a smile. “It is of no consequence, Luna. It would be untrue to claim I was not frustrated with the length of time I had been forced to wait for you to realize your mistake, but it is in the past. What is important is now, and the future. Our past may have helped to mold us, but it does not rule us.” I nudged her gently with my elbow as I added, “Your loving attitude towards your people is proof of that.”

Luna leaned her head against me and sighed happily. “I have Tia to thank for that. I learned such behavior from her. As you well know, such behavior is rather unnatural for me. I love our people, but I find it more comfortable to do so from afar, for fear of making a fool of myself.”

I chuckled and placed my free hand behind my head. “Armsmaster Shining Armor has more than enough stories to tell you about my own foolishness, Luna. If ever you are feeling insecure, simply ask him to tell you of my first sparring session with him.”

The princess giggled and nodded. “I will keep that in mind should I need cheering up.”

“Princess Luna! By the moon, I finally found you!” shouted a young male voice, followed by gust of air as the guard landed. “I feared the worst when...oh.” The guard then blushed a bit. “Am I...interrupting something?”

Luna sat up off of the cool roof and shook her head. “Not at all, Trailblazer. The prince and I were simply reconciling our differences in the night air. I apologize for worrying you so.”

The youthful lunar guard smiled and shrugged. “It’s no problem, your majesties. I simply ask that next time, you let one of the lunar guards know where you will be, even if simply to sate our need to keep your location secure from a distance.” The guard then looked to me. “As the prince knows, the world is not completely at peace, and an assassin could ambush you.”

I let a smug grin cross my face as I responded, “If an assassin can approach and best me, he deserves to take our lives.”

The guard smiled at this and nodded. “I understand, Prince Nightblade. Will the two of you be coming down anytime soon?”

“Actually, it is getting somewhat cold.” Luna murmured.

I nodded to the guard. “Yes...we will meet you on the ground, Trailblazer. Thank you for keeping our well being in mind.”

“Tis my duty, highness.” he replied with a smile. The guard then spread translucent gray wings from under his cloak and took flight.

I stood up on the roof and offered my hand to Luna. The two of us spread our wings ‒ mine of black, and hers of evening blue ‒ and took flight into the sky, heading towards the private quarters of the palace.

For the first time since my return from the moon, I found myself in Luna’s room. It was rather spartan in comparison to her elder sister’s room, though it held a sort of simplistic charm to it. The walls and ceiling were painted a blue that matched her eyes, and the plush velvety carpet was a soft midnight blue, like the coat of her pony form. There was a single desk, large round bed, a few sitting cushions here and there, and a simple wardrobe. The only item in her quarters that was not simple, was the bookcase. It was solid oak, and held dozens of books on astronomy, biology, psychology, and even a few novels.

I now understand how Luna spends her free time.

Tonight, however, she spent the progressing night speaking with me about anything and everything. Our pasts, our upbringing, and our hopes and dreams for the future. There were many times that her presence gave me the strength to tell some of the more painful memories of my life, and her comforting aura lulled me into a state of happiness that I had only known when spending time with mother or Cassie.

Now, I had Luna as well.

Contrary to the rumors that circulated around Equestria, Luna did not spend the entire night awake. It was a rumor that we had all allowed to continue, as Celestia believed it would cause quite a stir if our subjects knew that although she did require less sleep than her sister, Luna did sleep through the night, just as everyone else did. A rather foolish instance to be upset about, but our subjects could be rather unpredictable in that sense...so we allowed them to believe what they wished, and the guards were sworn to secrecy.

And so, as Luna slept beside me as I sat against a cushion and read a book, I could not help but imagine what sorts of things our people would fabricate regarding us if they knew of our decidedly “normal” behaviors. We all could tire, we all felt fear and sadness, and we all could be killed, though it was rather difficult to do so. Still, it reminded me of exactly how much like our people we were, and it was one of the many things that allowed me to remain grounded to this world, and the mortals that we oversaw.

As the hours passed by, I was nearly startled by a soft knock at the door, and I instinctively brandished my sword before standing and approaching. I opened the door just a crack to see the sun goddess on the other side, along with a smile on her face.

“Good morning, Nightblade.” she greeted. Mother then realized the place I was in and raised her eyebrow in confusion. “Might I ask why you are in Luna’s chambers?”

I looked back at the sleeping princess and then turned my attention back to the worried sister. “She asked me to stay, so I stayed. Many times I attempted to leave, but as soon as I would approach the door, she would awake and call for me.”

“Nightblade?” Luna called worriedly.

I felt as the night princess brushed against me, and I simply grinned at the elder sister. “See?”

The sun goddess smiled and looked to her younger sibling. “Good morning, Luna. Did you sleep well?”

Luna craned her neck to peek around the frame of the door at her sister. “Yes Tia...wonderfully.”

Celestia nodded with a smile and gestured to the two of us. “Both of you groom yourselves and dress in clean clothes, then meet me at the Twin Pedestals. I shall meet the two of you there.”

As mother left, I noticed the very curious glance she gave me, but simply it must have been due to the startling speed with which Luna and I forgave each other.

Before my mind could dwell further on the matter, I respectfully excused myself before making my way to my own quarters.

After thoroughly cleansing and grooming myself, I arrived at the Twin Pedestals within the Royal Garden to see Luna and mother already gathered, the two sipping a beverage known as “coffee” and chatting happily.

It was then that the solar goddess noticed my approach, and she sipped her coffee with a smile. “Hello again, Nightblade.” She then looked to her sister from across the platform. “Are you ready Luna?”

“I am, dear sister.” Luna replied happily.

I watched as the two of them drew their swords ‒ the same two used during Shining Armor’s ceremony ‒ and pointed them into the sky. Luna pointed hers towards the moon to the west, while mother pointed her gleaming blade towards the brightening east. I was awed by the sight of two differing magical auras firing off towards the horizons as the princesses held their blades out in front of them, as if pointing to an unseen enemy.

Slowly, the moon set behind the western horizon, and the bright sun rose in the east, casting the first light of day across Equestria.

The two princesses sighed as their auras of magic dropped, and they sheathed their blades before turning to me.

I smiled brightly at the sight of the morning and clapped softly in praise. “Very well done, princesses. A perfect beginning of the day, if ever there was one.”

Both of them did an elegant curtsy before smiling. Celestia then approached me and embraced me lovingly before asking, “Would the both of you please join me in the dining hall? We have some things to discuss before I must depart.”

I nodded with a smile. “Ah yes, you are to travel to meet with the master shaman of Zebrica, yes?”

The multicolored hair of the sun goddess wafted in the breeze as she smiled. “Yes. I will return before the eclipse, so don't worry.” She then gazed directly to me and added, “Luna will take over my duties for the next few days, and I ask that you assist her with whatever she needs, Nightblade.”

I smiled and nodded. “It would be a pleasure.”

The sun princess nodded curtly with a smile. “Good. Then follow me and we will have breakfast together before I must leave.”

A short time later, the morning meal had been finished and we were seeing the day princess off, while she explained our duties and what we could expect.

“Now today will be rather calm, save for the fact that Luna will need to attend a few day court cases beginning at noon.” she explained as she made sure all of her necessities were being brought. “My personal assistant, Silver Lining, will provide both of you with the schedule of different things you must attend to. Nothing too difficult, I promise, but important nonetheless.” She then stood and placed her hands on her hips, nodding in satisfaction before turning to us. “Well then, it appears I am ready. Now, I ask that the two of you watch over Cassie for me.”

“That goes without saying, mother. She will be protected and will not be lonely. That I can promise you.” I assured gladly.

“Indeed.” Luna added with a grin. “Cassiopeia will be well tended to, sister. Worry not.”

Mother smiled before giving us a tight embrace and kissing us both on the cheek. “Good. Keep each other safe, and enjoy yourselves. I will return soon, and will bring a souvenir of some sort from our friends in the savannah.” The sun princess then climbed into the carriage and closed the door, waving farewell to us both before the two guards that pulled it took to the sky.

As the royal carriage faded off into the distance, Luna turned to me with a concerned expression. “You did not sleep at all last night, did you?”

I shrugged with a grin. “Many times I will go without sleep for two or three days, Luna. It is of no consequ-”

She interrupted me by shaking her head and yanking my arm down the corridor leading to the private quarters of the palace.

My door was opened and then closed, with Luna pointing at the bed after pushing me upon it. “Dress into your pajamas and sleep. I am not taking ‘no’ for an answer.” In a flash, she had removed my sword, belt, and jacket before I pushed her away in embarrassment.

“Luna, I am quite capable of undressing myself, thank you.” I grumbled.

The night princess giggled and smiled. “That may be true, but you are apparently not capable of knowing when you must rest. Long-lived though we may be, we still must sleep.” She then stepped forward and placed her hand on my chest with a soft grin. “When you wake, come and find me.” She then stepped away and began to exit the room, but paused at the door and uttered a soft, “Sweet dreams, Nightblade.”

After the princess left, I quickly changed into soft silk pajamas before lowering myself onto the plush bed.

Luckily, only a few thoughts ran through my mind as I allowed myself to begin resting. The most prominent was the complete reversal of Luna’s demeanor toward me. Through our reconciliation and forgiveness of each other, a door of sorts had been opened within my heart, and I once again felt whole. The night with her, for example, was simple and yet special. It marked the first rather large step in repairing and furthering a strong positive relationship with each other, which was something I was keen to do. After all, we royals were a part of a grand machine, and if two parts did not work together, the entire machine could destroy itself from malfunction.

As my eyes began to close and I felt the familiar lightheadedness of sleep begin to overtake me, I smiled at the thought of my life becoming infinitely better, and hoped that with time, such a bond would allow for great things in Equestria, and for her people. Finally my eyes closed completely, and the smiling face of Luna was the last image to be seen in my mind’s eye.