By the time that Princess Luna had gone from a tiny foal to a ten year-old pony the world had changed quite vastly. Although the war between Everfree and Treeshroud had long been over, harmony never seems to be constant and it wasn’t long before trouble of some sort emerged into Equestria. Other than the occasional chaotic outbreaks (all of which were quickly quelled by royal peacekeepers) all was peaceful. Both Princesses continued with their lives, developing skills diligently for their future without much event. It was only a decade before King Orion and Queen Sola passed on their throne to their daughters and both Celestia and Luna embraced it almost instantly. Although they were inexperienced they still had their parents around to give them a guiding hand in their rule, while still making sure not to overstep their places. Naturally the loving alicorns brought about a new era of prosperity to Equestria and the citizens were thankful for it. Celestia had become the daytime deity while Luna had taken her place as the starlight sentinel, just as their parents had before them. All was well; or at least it was to everypony but Luna.
~*~
It was dusk; the time of day that neither day nor night controlled. Orange twilight blanketed Everfree castle as the inhabitants finished their work for the day, making way for the night guards. Far above the castle was the Equestrian Spire; a sacred meeting place for the royal family. Within the chamber were two ponies; one with a topaz tiara decorating her glorious pink mane and another with a cobalt mane and a similar tiara, except formed from sapphire.
“Good evening sister.” Queen Luna said politely, greeting the entering alicorn. Queen Celestia beamed back.
“Good evening Luna.” Celestia responded with a lot more enthusiasm. “You wished to talk to me?” Luna nodded in acknowledgement.
“Just before you set off to sleep.” Her words sounded serious but it didn’t daunt Celestia in the slightest; it wasn’t out of the ordinary for her. “I would just like to voice some concerns of mine.” The alabaster pony blinked before taking her seat on a nearby pillow.
“Then voice away sister.” She almost sang, her interest clearly piqued, Luna standing shortly after.
“It has been just over a year since mother and father abdicated their throne to us.” The dark filly said simply. “How do you think our reign has been judged so far?” Celestia tilted her head curiously.
"In mother and father’s eyes?”
“No. In the public’s.”
“Uh...” Celestia took a moment to think. “Well, we haven’t done badly. Our little ponies have visited and thanked us.” Luna shook her head.
“For what?”
“Well...” Celestia was cautious at what her younger sister was getting at. “They’ve said ‘peace and prosperity’.”
STAMP
The older alicorn jumped in shock; Luna had slammed her hoof heavily against the floor.
“No.” Another shake of the head. “They’re thanking us for what mother and father did. They were the ones that brought about the ‘prosperity’, not us.” Celestia lowered her head slightly; it was a slightly harsh truth, but it had only been a year.
“But we’ve upheld it, right?” Celestia pointed out. “And we haven’t been leaders for long.” Luna stared out of the transparent wall at the quickly darkening landscape ahead.
“Anypony can uphold traditions and expectations 'Tia.” Her voice had calmed when she finally caught a glimpse of stars among the purple sky. Celestia relaxed a bit; if Luna had used her nickname then surely she wasn’t too anxious. “But without something to define us we just fall into place among the other chapters of Equestrian history.” Celestia finally understood what she was saying.
“Luna, are you worried that we are seen as incompetent?” It was a blunt way of saying it, but it got the right meaning across.
“Not so much incompetent as untalented.” Her voice took a slight monotone, much like the one that her father was known for. “Queen Europa gifted us with the night sky and father filled it with suspended diamonds. Each had their purpose and I’ve no idea how to go about reaching that level of expectation.” Celestia could now see where she was coming from, but she merely laughed softly.
“Luna, we’ve been on the throne for less than twelve months.” She stood up and walked over to her sister, nuzzling her gently. “Mother didn’t give her blessing until years after she was crowned.” Luna looked up at her and the tough outer shell she donned usually seemed to melt away.
“If it worries you so much, try to think of what you have that none of the previous rulers had.” Celestia continued, looking out the glassy window that led to Equestria with Luna. There was a few moments silence. Celestia could see her sibling deep in thought; it felt good when she managed to bulldoze Luna’s serious defences and got her to spill the beans. It gave her an opportunity to actually be the caring older sister she had imagined for so long.
“You really think I can do it?” Luna asked sheepishly; her voice sounded nothing like its previous incarnation and had been replaced with the somewhat higher voice of a filly. Celestia nodded confidently.
“How about this?” She suggested. “We both revise the thought and come together each night to share our ideas with one another?” Luna stared out thoughtfully at the sky again, now casting a deep blue blanket over the room, seeming to dull Celestia’s fur. When Luna looked back up Celestia thought that her fur almost had a slight shimmer to it.
“...Okay, ‘Tia.” She smiled more confidently and chuckled as she was nuzzled lovingly by her sister again. Luna took a glance back at her flank; there was nothing there.
“It’s the same with all foals, Luna.” Celestia said, settling a little more, a hint of a suppressed yawn evident in her voice. “We may be Queens of Equestria, but we are fillies all the same. Our cutie marks will appear eventually.” Luna nodded almost sadly before standing.
“Father did always say that good things come for those that are patient.” Celestia smiled at the quote and nodded. “I guess the only thing I can do is be patient and live life like normal until my mark reveals itself; there’s no point in fussing over it.” Luna looked round at her sister. “Thanks for reminding me ‘Tia.” Celestia chuckled at her praise.
“In all honesty Luna, I just wanted to go to bed.” She teased. She laughed slightly louder as Luna blinked at the sudden change of tone before laughing heartily at the comment too.
“Oh! I’m so sorry my liege!” She joked as she bowed her head mockingly and took a few steps back towards the exit. Celestia laughed at her and stood as well. “Please, don’t allow me to waste any more of your time.”
“Oh, it’s nothing, my subject.” The white alicorn’s horn shone as the door magically opened in front of her and she stepped out.
“Sleep well ‘Tia.” Celestia stopped on the spot and turned, a small smile spreading across her face as she noticed the sincere look that Luna was giving her.
“Good night, my beloved sister.” She responded quietly and started descending the staircase. Luna turned back to the transparent wall opposite and stared out at the star-dotted sky watching over their Equestria.
~*~
Luna had never understood the need for courts of both day and night; ponies need sleep so nopony would attend one of them anyway. Day in and day out she found herself attending the event, waiting fruitlessly for even the slightest interaction. It was rare that she did get company and when she did it was always from either a sleepless sister or a guardpony.
“Good evening your highness.” Came a familiar voice. Luna looked around to see a cream-coloured earthpony stallion dressed in glorious gold and black armour.
“Rightheart!” She sat up straight immediately, beaming at the newcomer. Sir Rightheart smiled warmly back.
“I hope this night sees you well?” He asked politely, responded with an over-enthusiastic nod from the Queen.
“Well, I am now that you are here...” She stopped and the stallion curiously. “You are staying, right?” Rightheart laughed heartily.
“Indeed I am my liege.” He trotted up the altar and stood to attention a few feet from the throne. “I’ve been ordered to bodyguard you for the night.” Luna rolled her eyes exasperatedly.
“Number one, we’re friends Rightheart, please call me Luna. Number two; you aren’t a member of the guard anymore, so why do you still keep taking orders?” The points made the stallion chuckle amusedly.
“I call it ‘spice of life’, my liege.” He explained, ignoring the disapproving look from using another honorary. “I may be a knight, but if I’m left to my own devices I would soon lose interest in doing what I love.” Luna looked a little confused. “Being told what to do means that I always have a reachable target. It’s the same with a baker or an artist. We all need something to help us keep going. A baker strives to make finer bread while an artist would want to refine their style and constantly improve their quality of artwork.” He looked forward again having finished his explanation. Luna had understood what he had meant in the first place, but had just taken some time to straighten her thoughts out. She had been thrown back to her conversation with Celestia.
‘Is that the reason why I’m so eager to live up to those standards? Do I simply wish to become stronger?’ She glanced down at her undecorated flank and bit her bottom lip in thought. ‘Could earning a cutie mark prove my strength and competence to the world? Would it make me more renowned than father and Queen Europa combined?’
“Uh...my liege? Are you feeling alright?” Rightheart’s voice sounded concerned as Luna snapped her attention back to the world around her.
“O-Of course!” The Queen exclaimed, using her serious tone to make her sound more confident; Rightheart wasn’t convinced.
“Are you sure?” He asked again. “It is widely known that you are quite quiet, but I haven’t seen you so hushed in years.” Luna tilted her head in confusion.
“Hushed up?” She said defensively; it was ridiculous to get such a notion from such a short time without talking.
“With all due respect, my Queen, I do consider two hours without talking quite hushed up, even for you.” Luna gaped; ‘two hours?!’
“Is something on your mind?” Rightheart whispered. Luna blinked, managing to shrug off her surprise and thought for a second.
‘Well, if I was out of it for two hours without realising I guess it may be smart to voice it. It can’t hurt.’ Luna nodded slowly.
“I’ve been worrying a lot about my place as Queen recently.” Rightheart smiled with an almost relieved expression.
“How so your majesty? Is there any way I can be of assistance?” He asked curiously.
“It’s silly, really.”
“But can I help?”
“Well...I guess.” He had a way of grabbing conversation topics and not letting them go. “All of the kings and queens of Equestria supplied our little ponies with a blessing, like father and the stars.”
“I take it that you feel pressured to make a blessing as good as theirs and merely need some advice?” Rightheart was answered with a shake of the head. “I have no worries of that, but I do worry about not being able to surpass them like I’m expected.” Her serious tone seemed to melt away again without her noticing. Rightheart shook his head.
“You aren’t expected to outmatch your predecessors, especially so soon after your coronation.” He had obviously not changed her mind by the look of her frown.
“A year isn’t ‘so soon’, Rightheart! I don’t even look like a queen.” Her last comment had ended with a hint at her flank; Rightheart followed the signal and sighed.
“A foal must find their special skill before their cutie mark will appear to them. But you are an alicorn; a pony destined for greatness. Most ponies will have received their cutie marks by now, but your full potential is yet to be seen, which is saying something.” Luna was stuck for words; she had been told the same thing dozens of times, but it never seemed to make any difference. There were ponies half her age with their cutie marks in Everfree city.
“I know...” Luna muttered in frustration. “It just seems so ridiculous that a pony as ‘special as I’ should be without a special talent.” Rightheart sighed exasperatedly.
“You do have talents your highness. You’ve proven yourself efficient and timekeeping, focussed and resourceful. Not to mention that your artwork and magical ability is spectacular.” He grinned at the young alicorn. “The list goes on.”
“Then why do I not have a cutie mark for timekeeping or art or magic?” Luna argued. Rightheart sighed once more.
“Like I said, your majesty, you have yet to reach your full potential.” He smiled lightly as Luna finally realised his point. “You have skills innumerable that will get even stronger as you grow, but you have yet to find the one skill that only you can do.”
“...My blessing?” Rightheart nodded in response to the suggestion. Luna looked up at the door for a second of thought before consulting Rightheart once more.
“Rightheart, do you think I could go?” She asked sheepishly.
“I don’t see why not Queen Luna.” The stallion had gone back to facing forward as he was supposed to.
“I mean, night court has not finished yet.” She continued, causing Rightheart to laugh.
“An advantage to being Queen is that you can do anything you want.” Rightheart said, visibly looking around the ornate, yet empty hall. “Besides, I have my doubts that you’ll have any other visitors tonight.” Luna grinned; that was as good an answer as she had hoped for.
“Thanks Rightheart!” She stood up from the throne and walked down the steps, looking back for a second. “You can go for the night.”
“Thank you your highness.” Rightheart said stamping one hoof and saluting with another as guardponies do. “Goodnight and sleep well.” Luna smiled back and waved her hoof before trotting off in the direction of her quarters.
‘Thank you indeed, now I have some ideas to share with ‘Tia.’ She thought as she walked up the castle halls.
~*~
When Celestia had finished reading through Luna’s list of ideas, she looked thoroughly impressed.
“Luna, did you spend all of night court on this?” She asked, still skimming through some of the more elaborate points.
“Rightheart gave me some advice.” Luna said, reclining upon the pillow beside Celestia’s bed.
“Rightheart thought it would be better for us to be princesses instead of queens?” She asked in disbelief. Luna shook her head.
“Of course not; that was my idea. Ponies are still accidentally referring to us as princesses; after all, I’m only ten.” She elaborated with Celestia listening intently, subconsciously reaching over to her dresser and levitating a brush over to quell her bedmane. “Plus, there are two of us. I’ve never heard of more than one king or queen at the same time.” Celestia chewed her lip and rested her head on one of her hooves.
“Well, okay, sure. I just wanted to clear that one away; it’s fairly irrelevant.” She said with Luna shrugging in response. “’We could derive our blessings from father and mother, but multiply the effect.’” Celestia continued reading. “How do you mean?”
“I drew an example on the back of the scroll.” Luna pointed out, turning the parchment over so that her sister could see. There was a dark blue sky decorated with numerous detailed constellations. The only difference to the night sky was what appeared to be a large orb in the centre.
“It looks...lovely Luna, but what is it?” Celestia said without looking up; her eyes scanning the image over and over, trying to decipher what it could possibly be.
“Well, father created the stars as guardians of Equestria. This is a similar concept, except larger.” She explained in hushed excitement. “It not only protects us from frights of the night but also collects wishes from the populace and sends them to me and lights the way for the lost or frightened.” By the time that Luna had finished explaining Celestia was staring wide-eyed at her.
“Wow...that’s...complex.” She pointed out. Luna nodded in acknowledgement.
“It is, but also entirely possible,” Luna stated matter-of-factly. “Although I may need to practice before attempting the real thing.” Celestia chewed her lip again.
“What if I were to help you?” She asked suddenly. Luna tilted her head in confusion. “What if I made something similar, but to light the daytime sky without magic?” Luna smiled at the idea.
“Sisters of Equestria’s throne giving a combined blessing?” She asked her to confirm, sounding almost poetic as she said it. When Celestia nodded the dark alicorn hopped to her hooves. “It’s perfect, Tia!” Celestia laughed at her sister’s excitement. “Tia, what if we did it tonight?” She almost shouted, gripping Celestia’s hoof tightly and hopping on the spot. “T-Tonight?!” Celestia spluttered, going wide-eyed again.
“Isn’t that a bit soon?”
~*~
From the very tip of Everfree castle’s pinnacle the two princesses could see the entire royal city. Lights littered it almost as much as the sky where ponies had come out to watch the spectacle that they had been promised while atop the castle the royal family had also collected to see. Princesses Celestia and Luna stood at the edge, looking down over their subjects. Both had dressed for the occasion, donning their most ornate attire. Luna stood with her mane whipping in the wind while Celestia had tied hers back (it looked less impressive at night); both wore their tiaras, differing only in colour and stood tall and proud. They were a sight to behold. Behind the princesses sat their parents, Prince Orion and Princess Sola waiting patiently for their daughters to begin.
“Woah...” Luna whispered so that only Celestia could hear. “This is scary.”
“I don’t know.” Celestia said, sounding more cheerful. “I think it’s less scary and more exhilarating.”
“M-Maybe I’m not ready for this yet.” Luna moaned worriedly, shaking a little bit.
“Of course you are!” Celestia nuzzled Luna comfortingly. “We just need to get started and you’ll be fine.” Luna glanced up at her sister nervously and saw her smiling with anticipation. Her eyes caught with Celestia’s and the alabaster unicorn nodded. Luna swallowed the butterflies in her throat and nodded back. When both alicorns jumped from the spire and hovered beside it a mighty applause rose from the city below. They took a second to collect themselves and fortify their composure before flapping their wings and moving in a clockwise circle, their heads pointed inside the shape that they had formed. Seconds passed and the applause of the ponies below began to vanish. Luna and Celestia both closed their eyes and focussed their energy into their horns. It was a few seconds more before they opened their eyes but once they did a feeling of success immersed them; an orb had formed in the centre, blue and yellow waves covering its surface. All was going to plan. As they continued moving in their spiral the sphere inside began to grow larger and larger. Before they knew it it had grown to a size barely containable within their range. Steadily they widened the area and the orb grew even larger. The effort was starting to give Luna a huge headache, but she kept channelling the energy through her body and up into her horn. Soon the orb had grown to an incredible size and Luna was glad they had started so far away from the castle; after all, their creation was very quickly growing larger than it. Both Celestia and Luna were feeling the strain that the spell was putting on them; Luna had started developing a migraine and was slowing her flight and wobbling from side to side.
‘No! I have to keep focussed!’ Luna told herself, but it had been strenuous even holding that thought. Within a few seconds she lost her focus and broke off from the circle, hurtling backwards and down toward the city. She managed to make out a large booming sound before her vision and hearing went blank.
“Luna!” Luna instantly recognised Celestia’s voice; her hearing had obviously returned. As she came to her senses she found herself lying back on the pinnacle of Everfree castle where they had started. Above her was Celestia’s tear-sodden face.
“Oh my Equestria!” Celestia pulled Luna into her a relieved embrace. “Luna, I’m so sorry!” Luna blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting before she looked properly at Celestia.
“D-Did I ruin it?” She asked, concerned with her sister’s choice of words. Celestia slacked her grip and shook her head, wiping her eyes with a hoof before pointing up at the sky behind them. What Luna saw drove her to complete silence. Suspended in the midnight sky was not just one, but two globes; one silver and covered in craters resembling a pony head while the other was covered in fire that illuminated the entire right side of the horizon, also covered by a pony head, this time from bright flames.
“W-We did it!” Luna broke out suddenly in a smile and pulled herself up to her haunches and hugged Celestia tightly. “We did it ‘Tia!”
~*~
“Our little ponies and citizens of Equestria! On this night we gift you with our blessing! May the Sola light your days with prosperity and peace and may the Orion watch over your nights and keep you safe for eternity! Long live Everfree! Long live Equestria!”
The night was filled with fireworks and seemingly endless celebration. Atop the castle Prince Orion and Princess Sola sat watching the celebrations, discussing the pride that was their daughters and suppressing the tears that had developed from the honour of being the inspiration for their blessing to the world. The princesses had already left the scene however; departing for Celestia’s quarters, they had almost immediately fallen asleep, their heads resting side by side. They felt accomplished by their work and wished for nothing more than to slumber in each other’s company. They slept so soundly that they didn’t even notice the images of their creations form on their flanks.