Dear Spike,
I thank you heartily for your letter. I must admit that it came at just the right time, which is nothing short of a miracle. Be assured that you are fully forgiven for spending time with new friends and experiences as opposed to writing letters en mas.
Even though two decades have passed since we last exchanged views and opinions, you are as observant as ever, Little Dragon. I should have never doubted that, to begin with, why with you being the ever loyal companion of Princess Twilight Sparkle, even before her transformation into an alicorn.
Obviously, you are right; my mood has been a bit on the downside lately. I have not long since recovered from a severe case of the stomach flu while at the same time trying to keep Princess Cadence sane around the anniversary of the death of her husband. Admittedly, this has left me tired and mildly irritated.
I do not wish to sound ungrateful for the forgiveness of the other princesses and their willingness to welcome me back to the family with open hooves. After all, I did wrong my dear sister greatly back when I became Nightmare Moon. However, living an immortal life surrounded by royalty either too consumed by work to really enjoy themselves or entirely consumed by grief that has yet to be resolved after many years can feel lonely. Therefore, your letter and the story you shared about the three fillies and their tea party was a much-welcomed change of perspective. It gave me hope for our continued existence. Moreover, just between the two of us, it sounded like a much more agreeable party than the Gala itself. In all confidentiality, there hasn’t been a good Gala since Pinkie Pie retired. Cantalot ponies can be excessively boring. The Grand Galloping Gala always makes me look forward to Nightmare Night when I get to scare the fillies and give them a laugh. It is my favourite time of the year.
I should probably find a much better hiding spot for your letters. Princess Celestia may be a Goddess-like alicorn Princess, but she is also, at heart, a nosy older sister, who loves to go through my personal properties out of sheer childish curiosity. Her discovery of your letter made for some hilarious conversation afterwards about our own memories of being much younger. Still, I am a little offended that she read a private letter, to begin with. I should really think of a way to lovingly tease her for it.
If you will allow me, I should very much like to visit you in your keep and learn more about your travels and adventures. Evidently, you have met many an interesting pony wherever life has led you. Moreover, while every pony has his or her own story, so does every city of this grand kingdom. As princesses, we have many duties but unlike Princess Twilight or Princess Celestia, my duties rarely leave much room for partaking in such elaborate travelling. I must admit that while I have no intention of being jealous or envious, I should very much have loved to see a larger portion of Equestria myself. Knowing you, Little Dragon, you will have an entire arsenal of stories to tell. If I am to judge your merits as a storyteller from your letter, I should say that you would be the right dragon for the job.
Going back to your original letter, I noticed the warmth of tone when you wrote about Apple Cider, Pumpkin Pie and Moonbeam. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that those three fillies have stolen your heart and take good care of it. Personally, I have never met a blind unicorn, but as you describe Moonbeam, she does not strike me as weak in any sense of the word. She seems like a very capable young filly if she can come up with solutions and systems to make life a little less complicated for her friends. I wonder how she manages to get around without the help of other ponies and still remain unharmed. I should very much like to hear more about this in person if you would grant the opportunity.
In all honesty, I admire your ability and willingness to keep on making friends and gamble with your heart as the centuries pass you by and our world changes. Technology and medicine are developing ever faster, yet ponies have a limited lifespan compared to alicorns and dragons. We all witnessed the sorrow you and Princess Twilight went through two centuries ago when your friends from Ponyville passed away one by one. The mere fact that you are prepared to go through that kind of pain repeatedly shows me just how strong and caring you really are. Perhaps, you are the strongest of us all, Little Dragon.
You mentioned that Pumpkin Pie already has her cutie mark. I cannot help but ponder over what it looks like. With a special talent for storytelling, it could be anything from a simple quill to an elaborate fairy tale landscape. I find myself intrigued by your descriptions of her personality and I can fully understand how you have grown to love her so intensely. Indeed, I already look forward to next year’s Nightmare Night, where I plan to listen to her tales from a distance with which she is comfortable.
Overall, I feel the need to thank you for your most welcomed and appreciated letter. Reading your heartwarming story about three small fillies that genuinely love and support each other is, in its essence, nothing short of inspiring. I do not know if you could possibly know, how much hope your letter has restored for this, at times, lonely alicorn. I can fully understand why you love being “Uncle Spike” as opposed to spending every waking moment at the Castle of Friendship doing chores and writing letters for Princess Twilight Sparkle, even if you are still friends. It must allow for much more love.
Sincerely yours
Princess Luna