It was a cool, crisp autumn's morning. The wind blew softly through the leaves and rustled them like a soothing alarm. Songbirds began their melancholy call from atop the trees and provided a relaxing sonnet of sounds with which to rouse the two figures sleeping by the lakeside.
There on the soft sand and dirt, there existed, beneath the tangle of hooves and mane, a pair of lovers who had spent much of the night before celebrating their love in the most carnal of ways, yet also the most tender, falling asleep against the other to share the warmth during the cold night. The princess was the first to rouse herself from the slumber, her eyes fluttering open and a yawn threatening to burst forth.
Waking up was never easy. Especially when you knew you had to leave somewhere you really liked that morning. Fortunately for her, or, unfortunately, she had been disturbed by much of last night by tremendous nightmares. Yet she could not remember what they were about. Oddly enough, she could remember one thing, a most inconspicuous thing; a song. Not a soothing one, it was oddly, hauntingly poetic, and it had been sung in a whisper as quiet as an evening wind. The nightmares made it particularly easy for her to wake that morning.
That, and she had spent too much time away from her home. Her duty. Her life. It was times like this she would sigh, try and get a few more precious minutes of sleep and attempt to stave off the thoughts relating to the thought track of; if only I was a normal unicorn.
Alas, she was not. She was a princess, and even now she felt the tell-tale pull in her gut that reminded her of her duty. Habitually, she lowered her moon to make way for her sister's brazen sunlight, wishing for one minute that she could freeze time and continue on this moment, where Twilight, the one thing that held her close to any semblance of a normal life was now sleeping soundly, oblivious to the world.
A quick nuzzle to the cheek, and the lavender mare stirred, curling up into graceful coils before stretching and opening her luminous amethyst eyes unto the world.
"Morning" she said simply, yawning as Luna smiled and stretched her back, staving off her own show of fatigue once more.
"Good morning Twilight" she curtly replied, leaning down to plant a kiss on the mare's cheek. She smiled and stretched herself out much like Twilight did not one minute earlier and rested back beside her lover.
Twilight watched her curiously then turned her attention to the lake.
"Princess... what happened last night was..." she began, only to be cut off by a nuzzle from the Princess. That very muzzle that not hours before had showered her with affection of a less chaste nature. The thought made her blush once more.
"Last night was wonderful, and I do not regret it." she said with a smile as she pulled back from her lover's soft lavender coat. Twilight smiled and sighed.
"I don't regret it either, but, what do I tell my friends?" she asked and Luna raised an eyebrow.
"Do you have to?" she tilted her head and Twilight giggled gently.
"Well, Rarity tends to have an eye for such things. Once she sees the, no doubt noticeable, change in demeanor, as I've heard that's a trait after a particularly... I'm rambling aren't I?" she asked and Luna, who had, until that point, been successfully holding in her laughter at the unicorn's rant, burst into a fit of laughter. She was promptly joined by Twilight, and after a few minutes they both sighed. Luna looked towards the shining cliff-city of Canterlot, just visible as an outlined blob of colour on the mountainside.
Twilight followed her gaze and sighed, making Luna look back at her.
"You have to leave don't you?" she asked and Luna smiled gently, nodding.
"I am afraid so. Duty calls, and while I love spending time here, I am still a princess." she solemnly whispered the last part as though the thought still caused her pain. Twilight slumped gently.
Luna looked up and trotted over to Twilight's side.
"I'll miss you" Twilight said and Luna smiled to the lake, wrapping a wing around Twilight and pulling her closer.
"I know, and I will miss you. But, I hear the Summer Sun Celebration is coming up soon, perhaps you and your friends could come to Canterlot? I would love to see you there" she said, marked by a kiss upon her lover's cheek.
Twilight smiled and leant into the kiss.
"I would love to, Princess"
The rest of their time at the lake consisted of merely watching the waves lap the shore. Every now and then a breeze would ruffle their coats and, in the case of Luna, her wings. They, however, had to eventually go back to town. Luna's chariot had already arrived, the two night-black guards with their serpentine wings had drawn quite a crowd.
Almost as one the ponies turned and smiled at the Princess, some even waving. She smiled back, happier that she had come to the town amidst bows and respectful, even fearful looks, but left with smiles and even waves from friends.
As she climbed into the chariot, Twilight waved her off as the guards began to flap their wings as they ran, the chariot rising into the air back towards Canterlot.
As Twilight watched her go, she heard the tell-tale footfalls of her assistant, Spike.
"Twilight! Where have you been all this time, hmm?" he asked, and Twilight giggled and tapped him on the head.
"Tell you later. Now come on, I'm in the mood for some apple pie, let's go annoy Applejack for the day."