//------------------------------//
// N° 4 
// Story: The Luna Papers 
// by CoffeeBean 
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	Parliament day was always an exciting day. As of current, the session had been going on for a full hour, and the late morning sun gave the big, ornate space a grand warmth. Normally, when Parliament wasn't in session, the smallest peep in the tall-ceilinged, mostly windowless room echoed several times over, but with the many ponies now occupying the tall, hardwood grandstands, center table, and the 'Highness level', so named for it being both the tallest seating in the room as well as the bearer of the two grand thrones, speech echoed not.

From the top row of the leftmost grandstand, Cadance occasionally brought her attention to Luna, who sat regally and silently upon her deep blue and silver throne, flanked by her guards. Still, her strange actions continued on, minus her horn's aurora. She would occasionally grind her hoof at her throne, flutter her wings, tap her back hoof, flick her ears, or close her eyes for quite some time. It looked as if she were impatient, tired, or bored, but for some reason, Cadance couldn't see either of those three being the case.

She was certainly paying attention and she called out her vote when a motion was done being discussed. She even occasionally spoke with her guards, whispering them things that elicited either a snicker, nod, or shake of the head. 

Cadance brought her attention down to the on-going dialogue as a quick burst of laughter broke out. It made her happy to see so many ponies of different opinion gather in harmony and, for the most part, have a peaceful discussion. Parliament day never went without its fair share of arguments and berating. Even the high Princesses themselves weren't safe from that. There had been a few times Cadance had witnessed a House seat-holder or law-maker gain enough courage to take a jab at Auntie Celestia, who normally responded quickly and wittily enough to put them back in their place. 

All in good fun. 

Though, she had never once seen anypony gain the courage to directly engage Auntie Luna, which was primarily her own fault, as she didn't talk much during the sessions. It took Cadance quite a deal of courage to casually speak with Luna, she couldn't imagine how proud and confident one would have to be to attempt jabbing or joking at Luna. 




The courtyard of the Parliament building rumbled with the chatter of the great number of the day's attendees, many now continuing on down the yard's grand staircase to return to the castle. Cadance stood quietly by the leftmost set of three doors with a few House members as she waited for Auntie Luna, her ears occasionally tuning in on the chatter of the officially dressed stallions and mares around her. She noticed their attention turn to the interior of the building, moments later their poses dropping in a bow as Luna approached. Cadance poked her head inside, smiling at the always imposing and somewhat frightening trio that was Luna and her two guards.

"Hey, Auntie."

"Aye."

Those who had bowed came upright as Luna continued on, Cadance fitting herself in between Luna and her right guard. Her hoofsteps seemed a little slower than usual, as did her guards. 

"Tired?" Cadance inquired as they made their way down the gradually sloped staircase.

Luna gave off a soft groan, nodding. "Aye. Wide-eyed from Lunar morning's start."

"I assume you're going to sleep when we get back?"

Luna nodded, her wings spreading and giving a little flap to adjust her feathers, Cadance and the two guards following suit as they too spread their wings, taking to the air in a little formation.




Curiously, Luna had not led her flight to the front gates of the castle, but to the tranquility of the grand castle gardens. They touched down at the center of a grassy clearing, surrounded on all sides by trees and other flora, most of the said flora providing enough cover to where one would have to be rather close to ground level to see the four. Beyond lay the castle proper, its dome-topped towers and grand, curving walls seeming more like a mountain that a structure. Of course, though, there was a mountain; a rather tall one upon which Canterlot itself was built, a mountain that peaked high into the purely blue noon sky. 

Cadance raised a brow as Luna dropped to her haunches, stretching and yawning before sliding to her stomach. 

"Are... you sleeping here? In the garden?" inquired Cadance.

"Blue skies replace the ceiling of stars I do always rest beneath, covers and blankets fall on me as simple rays of sun..." Luna smiled, stretching her wings out and keeping them in that outstretched position. "Aye. I shall sleep here, in the garden."

Cadance returned that smile. "Well, I hope you have sweet dreams."

"Dreams... never sweet nor bitter, niece. Dreams are as they are." 

Luna's forelegs stretched out before her, crossing as she lay her chin upon them as if they were a pillow. Her eyes remained locked with the idly standing Cadance for a time before they were hidden away behind their lids.

Finally, Cadance turned and began on her own way, looking over her shoulder. "Love you, auntie."

Luna nuzzled herself further into her own hooves, seeming to hug Cadance's words. "I love you, too, dear niece."

As Cadance made her departure past some of the high bushes and tree trunks her ears caught Luna's speech, though It was not Equestrian. She paused, looking over her shoulder again as Luna spoke a strange, quickly spoken language with rolled 'R's to her two guards. It had only been a short dialogue, one that most certainly meant 'join me', as the two guards, still flanking their commander, lay to their stomachs, the leftmost one rolling onto his side as he tucked his forelegs to his chest. 

That lying guard returned Luna's words, his deep, almost regal voice singing his strange tongue quietly and precisely. It was like music, yet far more beautiful in some ways. It was not like music in the ways music had rhythm, tempo, and beat, but now music tickled the ears and brought warmth to within. Somehow, that strange language had the same effect, and Cadance felt a little empty having not been gifted with more of it. 

She remained for a while, staring at the trio as they drifted off to sleep under the noon sun. A few calls from the many birds in the garden chimed out, their tunes that once sound so beautiful to her now seeming somewhat lackluster in lieu of the tongue Luna and her two guards, nay, friends shared. She had always seen Luna as a lonely creature, one purposefully isolating themselves for some unknown reason, but she now saw how wrong she had been in that assumption.

Be it her guards, her secretary, or her absent sister, there was companionship in Luna's life. Cadance spread her wings, lifting off from the grassy patch she stood upon, hoping her previous day's assumptions and theories about her Auntie Luna were false.