//------------------------------// // LXXXVII // Story: The Lesbian: One Hundred Nights // by Undome Tinwe //------------------------------// "Have you seen Luna today?" Celestia glanced up from her cup of tea at the question. "When I awoke this morning, yes," she replied in her usual neutrally pleasant tone. "She was just heading to bed herself, and bid me to have a good day." "I see." Sappho swirled her own tea around mindlessly, staring blankly at the swirling patterns that formed. "I have scarce seen her in these past three days." "She has been occupied with her duties." That same enigmatic expression that revealed nothing rested on Celestia's muzzle. "Reports have recently come in of raids on pony settlements in the south, and there are rumours of a threat against Canterlot. My sister has been working tirelessly to try and safeguard the kingdom." "I know. Luna mentioned it in passing several days ago. And yet, she still found some time to speak with me. Recently, I have only seen her when I awaken with her still asleep in our bed." It was a testament to how worried she was that Sappho didn't even blush at the mention of sharing a bed with Luna. "She has not even visited any of my dreams!" "I am sure she will be more attentive to you in time," Celestia said. "She loves you dearly, as you love her, and would not wish to part with you for long." Sappho's eyes narrowed. "She's avoiding me." It was a statement, not a question. In the past three months, with Luna's help, she'd learned to recognize when the Solar Princess was hiding something. "And you know the reason why." There had been the smallest hitch in her voice when she had spoken, a hesitation that betrayed her. Celestia sighed. "You are far too perceptive sometimes, Sappho." That was as much of an admission of guilt as she would get. "Will you tell me the reason, then?" Had she done something wrong? Sappho wracked her mind to recall if any of their times together had gone sour, but as far as she knew, they'd been living in relative bliss since announcing their love to the world. Had one of the nobles finally gotten to her? "It is not mine to tell," Celestia replied. "But let me first ask you a question: how much do you love my sister?" "I would do anything for her," Sappho replied immediately. "I would fight for her, though I doubt she needs a protector, and I would die for her, if necessary." Was Celestia doubting her love? Was Luna doubting their love? "Anything, is it?" A sad expression flashed across Celestia's face before she could hide it. "Very well, then. I suppose we shall put that to the test. You will find her holding sentry on the top of the West Tower. I hope you can have the courage to follow your heart." With that, Celestia set her tea down, and rose from her seat, a clear sign that Sappho's audience with her was at an end. Sappho needed no further prompting, bowing quickly to her before nearly running out the door. Her heart raced as she ascended the steps of the West Tower. Celestia's words didn't seem to indicate that Luna was in any danger, but something had led Luna to avoid her. There was no possibility that she doubted her fidelity, and Sappho had thought that she had shown her love for her princess time and time again. Every night for the past month they had shared in each other's bodies, and slept in the same bed. They took their meals together whenever possible, and Sappho did her best to grace Luna with poems that pleased her while Luna showered her with affection and experiences beyond mortal capacity. Sappho pressed a palm against the crescent moon pendant at her neck as she ran, taking comfort in its presence. No, she loved Luna, and Luna loved her. Whatever storm was coming they would weather together. Of this, she had no doubts. Finally, she reached the top of the tower. Already, night had fallen, and her necklace glowed once again with the familiar light of the moon. Similarly, the love of her life stood radiant in the rays of her celestial orb, staring out at something beyond reality itself with distant eyes. She flinched as Sappho approached her. "What are you doing here?" she asked, refusing to face her. "I came looking for you," Sappho replied coolly. "We haven't spoken in days." "I fear a grave threat looms against Equestria," Luna replied. "Only I can protect my ponies from it." "I would never seek to stand between you and your duties." Sappho took another step forwards. "But this is more than that. You are avoiding me, and it puts me ill at ease." Luna said nothing, and Sappho reached out to stroke her mane. Luna flinched, and Sappho pulled her hand back as if burned. "Please," she pleaded, "tell me what truly troubles you. We made a vow to love one another, and I shall stand by you no matter what trial you face. But do not leave me alone in the dark, I beg of you." Finally, Luna sighed. "The scholars studying your journey to this realm made a breakthrough. The Veil Magic that surrounds you did more than bring you here; it keeps you anchored in this realm as well. If we remove the magic, you will be flung back to your home." Numerous emotions flashed through Sappho at the revelation. Joy, at the prospect of finally seeing her home and her family again, of celebrating Larichus' birthday and ruffling his hair as if he was still a boy. Fear, at not knowing if such a return journey would be safe, and whether she would be stranded in yet another strange realm. And finally, anger, at Luna selfishly keeping this knowledge — her home — from her. "How could you," she hissed, tears of betrayal blurring her vision. "I thought I could trust you to be honest with me." "It is more complicated than that." Finally, Luna turned to face Sappho, tears forming in her eyes as well. "Removing the Veil Magic will send you back to your home, but we still do not know where that is, and without you to study, we would have no way to make progress in that endeavour. Should you choose to leave, I could not follow you or bring you back, and we could be separated forever." Sappho's heart fell. How could the gods be so cruel? To rip her away from her home and send her to her heart's desire, only to force her to choose between the two. How could she turn her back on her home, and her family, and the realm from which she hailed? And how could she break Luna's heart, and her own, by leaving? "I always knew our union would not last forever." Luna seemed desperate to fill the silence that hung between them. "Unlike your gods, I have no power to grant immortality to those I favour. I have learned in my many years to accept that all things must pass, and to enjoy what is instead of what will be. But I did not think I would lose you so soon. "I only wished to have an extra day with you before I had to say goodbye. And then one day turned into two, and I could not bear to face you anymore, to know that this time would be the last I saw your face." Knowing that Luna had also been caught between love and duty lessened the loneliness that enshrouded Sappho's heart, but it did not lessen the burden of her choice. In desperation, she sent out a silent plea to the gods, to ask Artemis what her purposes was, to entreat Apollo for a sliver of his Prophecy so that she might know the right path to tread, to entreat Hermes to for a miracle that would allow her to live in both worlds. No response came. Sappho was alone in this world, abandoned by those she had worshipped. But that meant that she was not bound by their wills either. Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos no longer held her string of Fate, and she was free to choose her path. She looked up into the endlessly deep eyes of the Princess of the Moon, and saw that she already mourned her imminent loss. Her lover, whom she had pledged to bring joy to, now stood in misery as she awaited Sappho's judgement. And what of the others? Celestia would surely be sad to see her go, to say nothing of the sadness she would bear on behalf of her sister. Glaze Roast, Clean Sweep, Tender Heart, Shieldbearer, and so many more had opened their hearts to her, making every effort to make the Castle feel like home. In the short time she had lived here, they had become her family as well. Sappho looked down at the pendant around her neck, glowing with the Moon's magic. And she remembered why she had sought out Luna in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she made her decision. "I understand your fear," she said, reaching out to cup Luna's face with her hand. She needed to feel the warmth of her fur, to remind herself that Luna was a real mare of flesh and blood, one who needed her as much as Sappho needed Luna. "And I forgive you for your reticence. In truth, I would likely have done the same. "I have a duty to my family, one that I cannot neglect. But since I arrived in this strange new land with nothing to my name but the clothes on my back, the ponies of Equestria have taken me in and made me one of their own. The servants have made themselves my family. "And so have you." Hope flashed in Luna's eyes at Sappho's words, and as her despair begin to lift, Sappho knew in her heart that she had made the right choice. "I must stay with my family," Sappho said, leaning over to press a quick kiss against Luna's lips, savouring the feel and taste of her. "I hope to return to my home one day, but not until I can be sure I will not be parted from you. Whether that takes a day or decade, I shall wait, if you would have me." Luna's eyes widened as that small hope blossomed into something truly radiant. "It may come to pass that we shall never find another way to send you home," she warned, caution still clouding her tone. "Then so be it. I would rather suffer from homesickness for the rest of my life than be parted from you." Luna frowned. "Be very sure of your words, Sappho of Lesbos. I do not think I shall ever have the strength to let you go again. If you choose to stay, I shall do all I can to keep you here. Like your gods, I am possessive of what is mine, and will not yield unless forced." "I know, and I love you all the more for it." At this, the pair embraced, reaffirming their union and sharing a silent promise to be with each other forever more. As they broke apart, Sappho smiled. "Oh, I almost forgot!" she said, reaching into her chiton. "There is something I have been meaning to give to you for the past few days, but, well..." she trailed off awkwardly. Luckily, Luna was in possession of more wit than her at the moment. "I regret my cowardice even more, then, if it delayed the deliverance of a gift from you," she said with a glimmer of humour. "I am eager to see what you have for me." "I wanted to give you something like what you gave me last month, when we stood under the stars and first professed our love." Sappho pulled out a jewellery box and opened it for Luna. "I don't have a cutie mark like you ponies do, but I thought a quill was an appropriate symbol for myself." Luna nodded. "It suits you," she said as she stared at the quill-shaped pendant formed from pearl and amethyst, just like the necklace she had given Sappho. "And this fine masterpiece suits me as your lover." "There's more," Sappho picked up the pendant, her hands shaking. "I— I talked to Arcane Focus about providing some enchantment on the pendant, like what you did with mine. As you said, we cannot have forever, and one day I shall be forced to move on into the realm of Hades. When that happens, I want you to have something to remember me by." "I shall never forget you, my love." Luna clasped the pendant around her neck, and gasped, her eyes becoming clouded. "Sappho—?" "Arcane Focus helped me put a measure of myself into the gem, using some enchantment I do not fully understand. But I believe you carry now a piece of my soul, and with it, a copy of some of my memories." "I do indeed." Luna's horn glowed as she probed the pendant. "Yes, that is what I felt. If I just— there." Her lips parted, and her breathing grew heavy. "You little minx!" Luna exclaimed to Sappho's delight. "Our first night together? Truly?" "I wished you to know how I was yours completely, in every way," Sappho replied coyly. Luna smiled. "I shall have to peruse these memories quite thoroughly in time." Her eyes blazed with desire, and Sappho's knees went weak at the sight. "But for now, I would rather make more memories with you." Sappho gasped as Luna's magic surrounded her and lifted her onto her true love's back. "I have been a poor lover to you these past three days," she declared as she spread her magnificent wings. "How would you like to see Cloudsdale with your very own eyes?" A warm caress of Luna's neck was Sappho's answer. "I would like that very much, Luna." Sometime later, when they were exhausted from the night's exertions and preparing to go to bed, Sappho sat at the writing desk which she now called her own. She had sacrificed much today, and still her heart ached for the gentle shores of Lesbos. But she had gained so much as well. A promise of eternity with a mare who deserved the title of goddess in every way. A family who would stand by her even if she was not of their blood. And a kingdom of love and night built by the one whom she had given her heart to. With a final prayer of thanks to her gods for bringing her here, Sappho picked up her quill and wrote. Ye who have the stable world In the keeping of your hands. Flocks and men, the lasting hills, And the ever-wheeling stars; Ye who freight with wondrous things The wide-wandering heart of man And the galleon of the moon, On those silent seas of foam; Oh, if ever ye shall grant Time and place and room enough To this fond and fragile heart Stifled with the throb of love, On that day one grave-eyed Fate, Pausing in her toil, shall say, "Lo, one mortal has achieved Immortality of love!"