//------------------------------// // 1 A Good Vintage // Story: Luna's First True Love // by Bronyxy //------------------------------// Peace reigned over the newly formed Equestria.  The peace that had been brokered between Clover the Clever, Smart Cookie and Private Pansy had been holding for many generations, and year on year those bonds had only grown stronger as marriages blossomed between the tribes.  The ancient animosities that existed since the dawn of recorded history and had been perpetuated by the likes of Commander Hurricane, Princess Platinum and Chancellor Puddinghead had been consigned to history, as even the Windigos had been relegated into mere legend to be retold every Hearth’s Warming Eve. The two leaders who had emerged to preside over the new era of prosperity ruled well, but were still both coming to terms with their immortality, a fact of their lives that they both addressed in different ways.  The younger sister revelled in her eternal youth and developed a reputation as a party girl, flitting from one shallow encounter to another with an endless stream of willing playmates.  The older sister however, was much more contemplative in outlook and had entered into a number of lifetime relationships, all of which had inevitably ended up in a graveside farewell whilst she herself had not aged a day. The older sister was a consummate writer and thinker, and the more perceptive politician of the two, so gravitated to the role of protecting Equestria by day, where the threats that arose were typically those which had to be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.  The younger sister had a much greater flair for the artistic and displayed her talents to all across the vast expanse of the night sky. Indeed, she had adopted the night as her realm and every night defended Equestria in its sleep, both from monsters of the darkness and the torment of their own dreams.  Thus, the two sisters worked in an endless cycle to defend Ponykind through day and night as the Yin and the Yan; equal yet opposed, a paradigm respected on the flag of Equestria to this day. For all their obvious differences, the two were the closest of friends, each always looking out for the other as nopony else could, even though they only usually ever met every sunrise and sunset.  Sometimes they would pair up in each other’s realm if there was a particularly challenging threat or if one needed the company of the other as sometimes everypony does, because even immortal alicorns still have feelings. Their reign had not been without incident and they had tackled a number of serious threats from those who would seek to disrupt the idyllic existence of their subjects.  Most recently, they had stood together in facing down a draconequus who threatened to invoke disorder and chaos throughout the land.  He now stood ossified in stone as a statue in the sculpture garden, serving as a warning to those who may consider the Princesses a soft touch.  They were not, and had proven to all that they would stop at nothing to protect the ponies of Equestria. It was during this time that Luna, the blue coated younger sister found herself taking a break from her duties and partying hard at the Castle of the Two Sisters with likeminded ponies, drawn principally from the younger members of the Court and their friends.  This particular event was an informal dance where two popular bands were taking it in turns to play sets of the most contemporary music while some of the audience danced, some listened, and others looked for an opportunity to seek a little intimate companionship with a new or established partner in one of the many private rooms nearby. The kitchen staff had laid on a good spread and ensured that supplies of wine and cider would not run low.  This was far from the white coated older sibling’s idea of fun, but she endorsed her sister’s indulgence, whilst dreading the clean-up bill that would inevitably land in her in tray a few days later. Luna had long ago discovered that immortality did not bring with it any immunity against intoxication and was loudly regaling a group of friends and admirers one of her stories, comedically embellished for good effect and acting out scenes with caricatured accentuation to raise a laugh.  She was the centre of attention and she knew it, casting her eye around whilst telling her stories to see who was paying her most rapt attention and shortlisting those most starry eyed and most attractive for possible conquest later on.  She was in her element. It was already fairly well on into the party and the guests had all been indulging.  Luna was acting out her story about an unusual new recruit to the Wonderbolts with just a little too much theatrical flair for her alcohol content, and a bottle she held seemed to be on the point of turning into an unguided projectile when a stream of pink magical aura reached out to grab it.  As the bottle suddenly froze in space, Luna turned abruptly in mid flow to see what was happening and overbalanced, falling onto the ground with the bottle still levitated safely above her. Everypony gasped at the spectacle of the Princess sprawled unceremoniously on the floor and rushed forward to attend to her and pick her up.  Fully anaesthetised with her sum of her earlier indulgence, she didn’t feel a thing, but broke out in a raucous laugh at her predicament.  Although nervous glances were exchanged all round, the party resumed and Luna’s friendly gaze fell upon the source of the magical pink aura that still held the bottle aloft. Far from being intimidated by Luna’s focused gaze, the pink unicorn just looked back and raised an eyebrow. “It would have been a shame to have wasted such a good vintage” she said casually with a smile starting to form across her lips. “Thank you” replied Luna “I guess I was getting a little carried away.” “Sorry I cut off your story” replied the pink mare with no hint of being unsettled in the presence of one of the two most powerful alicorns in Equestria “But I should very much like to hear what happened when the giraffe finally got into the Wonderbolts flight suit …” Here was somepony different from the usual crop of sycophants and fawners, and Luna was immediately intrigued, suddenly discarding her brash, unreserved persona for one of rapt attention in this new acquaintance.  She was pretty, but unremarkable with her pink coat and yellow mane, but she had a spark of character that shone through her deep blue eyes, radiating a different type of beauty that she had rarely encountered.  She wanted to learn more, but in an environment that she could control on a one to one basis, an environment that encouraged intimacy. “I have a fine collection of rare artworks if you would be interested” Luna said by way of invitation. “I think I can manage to fit it into my calendar” replied the unicorn with a coquettish grin. Luna liked what she saw, and the two mares turned to walk side by side through the revellers towards the main doors. Their hoofsteps echoed more loudly as the sound of the party gradually dissipated into the distance until the thick stone walls absorbed it completely, leaving the two mares alone.  Two guards stood smartly to attention by either side of a well-built wooden door that led to her private chambers. “Shall we?” said Luna opening the door with her magic and the pink mare entered, taking in the sumptuous beauty of the period décor. Once inside and with the door closed behind them, Luna led her guest into her bedchamber and mounted the bed, reclining languidly as she surveyed her prey like a spider in its web. “I missed your name” she whispered. “My name is Peach Blossom, Princess” “Oh, we can dispense with such formality now, don’t you think?” “Why did you invite me here” she asked. If Luna felt irritated by the question, she didn’t show it.  The aching in her loins told her exactly why she had invited Peach Blossom into her bedchamber, but she was prepared to play a waiting game, if that’s what it took. “I admired your pluck.  You didn’t demean yourself to me when I fell; anypony else would have.  You have a quality about you that I find refreshing and would rather like to get to know you better.” “Do you intend to seduce me?” “Well, that rather depends on you” Luna replied, unused to being put into a position where she had to work for her pleasure.  She stroked her fur and gently tossed her mane back, shooting a sensual glance towards Peach Blossom.  It was very clear that she was available. “There’s a particularly beautiful mural on the ceiling” she prompted “Come to me.” Peach Blossom had now received a direct order from the Princess, even though it had been issued at a whisper, it could still be interpreted as a command. “Much as I desire you Princess, you could have had any one of the others around you, and I don’t doubt that each one would have succumbed to you in an instant, but I’m not like that.  I respect you for your good work, the way you selflessly protect Equestria, and I believe I could be good for you.” Luna felt the prospect of easy gratification slipping through her hooves, but although this frustrated her, she was intrigued.  What had she meant by ‘I could be good for you’?  To compound the issue, the pink unicorn was clearly unmoved by the spread laid out before her; she couldn’t remember ever having been turned down before by a stallion or a mare, but somehow felt strangely unable to banish her for the affront.  There was some annoying quality that endeared her and she couldn’t put her hoof on it. Peach Blossom knew she was playing a game that could result in either acceptance or rejection and forced herself not to let her eyes wander over Luna’s perfect form, lest she weaken in her resolve.  She had a longer-term goal in mind, and if successful there would be plenty of opportunity to submit to her desires on other occasions, but for now she had to show the Princess that she couldn’t always have what she wanted, whenever she wanted it. “Princess, do you have any of your artwork in here?” she enquired breaking the deadlock “I’ve seen your artistry upon the night sky, but believe you to be talented on many more media besides.” This carefully crafted request allowed Luna to get off the bed without losing face and indulge her greatest passion, her creativity, to an appreciative audience, appealing to her mind rather than her body. Still reeling inwardly at her rejection, she rose and realigned herself to entertain her guest with her artwork, showing off a side to her that nopony had ever seen before.  Although still feeling an unrequited desire for physical satisfaction, her enthusiasm was soon absorbed in displaying a much more unseen and far more intimate side of herself represented through her portraits, landscapes and even wood carving. The two got on famously with each other until Luna had to announce that it was time for her to attend to the duties of her office.  As she was being shown out, Peach Blossom turned to the Princess and planted a kiss unexpectedly on her lips.  Before Luna could respond, the kiss had ended and the pink mare had pulled away leaving her hostess startled. “Thank you for a lovely time Princess.  I hope we may continue on another occasion.” Luna was surprised, and rendered temporarily speechless, responding only with an astonished, albeit lame “Of course.” With that, the two mares parted, each to consider in their own ways what had happened during their time together and both looking forward to meeting up again soon.