The moon shone high over Canterlot, slender, though waxing. Luna, as she trotted through the castle gardens, did not feel the same way. It was one of those gatherings of the cream of the crop (their own words) of Canterlot, which is to say, of Equestria (also their words). Supposedly it was some kind of party, though certain pink maned friends of Luna's would have objected to that description. Luna was of a similar mind, but did not say it out loud. There was no point in saying it to Celestia, who she already knew agreed, and she could not say it to anypony else there.
She reminisced about the days when she, naive filly, had thought that being a princess meant you could do whatever you wanted. As much as she longed for those days, she also could not help but shake her imaginary head. It was so obvious now that that would never be true. Two ponies could not do everything.
So it was productive event if nothing else. She had had some nice discussions with certain ponies gathered there about a few projects she had in mind. She simply disagreed on principle with celebrations being productive; if there was anypony who was allowed to dream, surely it was her.
She looked up. Aside from her moon, the sky was adorned with a few bright stars. Otherwise, it was an empty black, tinged with the orange glow of the city lights. She sighed. At least they were awake and outside at this hour. She remembered all too well when activity like this so long after dark would have been an event in itself. And she remembered all too well when activity like this so long after dark would have been a dangerous thing.
The moon shone high over Castle Everfree, full, though waning. Luna trotted through Celestia's gardens. The nobles were gathered for another inane "celebration." They called it a party, but Luna knew those, and this was not one. She did not say that to anypony, though. Celestia would just tell her to try to enjoy herself anyway, and she could not say it to anypony else. Once she had thought that being a princess meant you could do whatever you wanted. She had quickly learned that if you wanted anypony to cooperate with you, that was not the case.
She looked up. Stars hung in her sky like a thousand silvery blossoms; the flowers around her could not hope to compare. She looked around, not one pony was paying the least attention. What was even the point of doing this at night, if nopony was going to appreciate it.
She had spent all week traipsing around the Everfree to make sure the area around the castle was safe. Not for the first time she cursed that blasted tree. Of course it had to be right in the middle of the most dangerous and inhospitable forest in Equestria. At least the wildlife didn't take sides and were as likely to eat any invaders as they were Equestrians. Come to think, it wouldn't be much of a loss if a lot of the ponies around her were mauled and eaten.
Call her an elitist, but ponies who could not properly appreciate beautiful things deserved to be punished. Oh she wouldn't be harsh on them, only make them see what kind of pains she had taken to make all this possible. As it was they might as well have had it during the day—or, here's an idea, keep the sun up late, why not? Night's overrated anyway.
Luna retreated to the edge of the party to get a breath of fresh air. Celestia would miss having her help in keeping the conversation going, but that was her problem. She could come get her if she needed to. Luna flicked one of her ears back. Yes, of course, Celestia had done this by herself for a thousand years, of course she wouldn't need help dealing with these ponies. And none of them were likely to come to seek her out. She knew her reputation; she knew she intimidated them. In their defense, it was partly on purpose. A princess should be at least a little aloof, to remind them what the order of things was. And it was still better than the alternative: utter terror.
So there was that.
—Even if they had not changed in the last thousand years, these ponies.
And what would she do about it? She would tell Celestia of course. Complaining about ridiculous ponies—that hadn't changed either. And Celestia would laugh, and she would too because it would be funny then. And life would go on, just as it always had with them, just like old times.
She walked around the lawn they were all gathered on. doing her best to look occupied, deep in thought on some thorny matter of state. She paused, coming to a path shooting off deeper into the gardens. It led directly away from the castle. That far from all the lamps and torches, it was lit only by moonlight, until farther down, the hedges guiding it arched to cover it and it was lost in shadow.
Because how much had she herself changed? Didn't it sting? As much now as it had then. But no. No. It was okay. Wasn't that what Celestia, and everypony, always said. She could say it too. She had said it. Many, many times. She looked at the moon.
Luna backed off to the edge of the grounds. It was clear to her that nopony was going to say more to her than her being a princess obligated them to. They did not think that was very much.
But what if she didn't need ponies to cooperate with her? What if she could make them appreciate everything she did?
She stopped to sip her wine at the head of one of the trails leading off from the festival area. From this vantage point she could see the whole party, all gathered around Celestia. As usual.
Bah! Let them dote on her if they wanted to. She had more important things to do than listen to ponies grovelling like foals. In a way it wasn't so bad letting them act like this, Luna supposed. If they were focused on petty distractions like manes and clothes, it kept them from thinking they could understand the deeper things with which she surrounded herself. Celestia too, to a smaller extent; she acted far too much like the mortals.
Luna left them, down the dark path. She was not concerned with scandals or whatever it was being discussed over there, that they did not seem to think was fit for a real princess's ears. Oh no, grand plans gathered in her head like clouds. She was soon lost from sight.
A thought stole into her mind, whispering that she should leave. Leave everypony and dart down that shadowed path, away from all the obligations of her position. The path seemed full of possibilities. She could slink off, and then jump out from behind somepony, give them a nice scare. It was too bad it wasn't Nigh—the right season for pranks like that. Scaring ponies was so fun when it was on purpose and not serious. Oh well.
There were other things, other places the path might lead...
Best not, Twilight was due to arrive at any moment. The lateness wasn't like her, but the letter begging pardon for it was. And she and Celestia had had a time of it explaining why they started giggling, when Twilight's second letter arrived in the middle of a conversation, to inform them that she would be an additional ten minutes later than expected. That mare was wonderful conversation.
It was just as well, Luna had a few more things on her agenda that she had been putting off. She fell in once again into the food and drink and conversation.
She had just finished a discussion about the logistics of revising the alchemy curriculum in Equestria's schools, when the sound of wingbeats drew her and her listener's attention up to see Princess Twilight descending from the sky. They (apart from Luna) bowed briefly as she touched down, and then set on her, seeking her opinion on the matter.
Many statements, "thank you"s, and polite excuses later, Twilight sidled up to Luna. "They're a chatty bunch, aren't they?"
Luna chuckled, "Always have been, always will be. You had better get used to it, for that is what it is like to be a Princess."
"Well, I'm getting used to it," Twilight said. "The chariot ride from Ponyville was very nice. Cloudsdale has been doing a good job; the sky was crystal clear." She looked up. "Down in Ponyville, anyway. It's a shame you can't see much here."
A noblemare nearby overheard their conversation, and followed their gazes up. "Ooh, but you can see the moon!" she said. "And it's so thin. I love it when it's like that, always so pretty."
And the moon shone down on Luna, and on Twilight, and on the mare, and all across Equestria.