//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Night-Mare Night (A Night in the Life of Princess Luna), part 1 // Story: The Crown of Night // by Daedalus Aegle //------------------------------// Even if she hadn't been compelled by cosmological imperative to sleep all day and be up all night, Princess Luna would still not have been a morning pony. Luna had a very deep emotional connection to her bed, and left it only when it couldn't be postponed any longer, and even then only with great reluctance. Tonight was the exception. Once Princess Luna was sufficiently roused from sleep to be able to think coherent thoughts, her usual next step was to ignore that fact and stay right where she was for at least another hour, eventually rising and trotting very slowly to her private bathroom to confront the labyrinthine ordeal of her bed head. Tonight, however, as soon as she realized she was awake her eyes immediately opened wide and she stared up at the ceiling, her face slowly taking on a manic grin as she rubbed her hooves together with excitement. Tonight was her favorite time of the year. Tonight was the beginning of Night-Mare Night. Luna flipped over on her stomach and leapt from her bed, her wings extended for a short glide. Tonight, there will be feasting, she thought, as she skipped happily across her bedchamber to her magically prepared bath. There will be music. There will be cake. There will be offerings and gifts! All across the land, ponies will be celebrating in my honor. Ponies will be out, together, in my night! A night that will last through the whole day, while Celestia holds her sun below the earth and my beautiful moon rules the skies! There is only the matter of dealing with our regular royal duties first. She shook her head. No matter. Tonight, nothing will spoil my mood. Half an hour later she emerged from her private quarters adorned in her regal vestments, stepping with grace and poise through the halls of Everhold Castle. The royal guard ponies saluted her as she passed, and she met them with smiles. She made for the dining hall for her breakfast, where she found Princess Celestia having her dinner. The door was closed behind her, and the two sisters were alone in the hall, not even a guard to intrude on their private time together. "Good evening, Tia,” Luna said cheerfully as she took her seat opposite her sister at the table. Celestia looked up from the report she was reading as she ate and smiled. "Good evening. You sound in good spirits tonight. Is there a special occasion?” Luna stuck out her tongue at her sister, who suppressed a giggle. "Really though, happy Night-Mare Night, Lulu, I hope it's the best one ever.” "We can hope,” Luna said, as she picked her breakfast from the two dozen exquisite dishes laid out on the table. "Though it would be difficult to top last year. Do you remember, when the clowns turned into fireworks? And the great dance?” "I don't think I could ever forget,” Celestia said, and laughed. "Remember Prince Argo? That thing he was wearing?" She snickered. "His flank looked spectacular in it though," Luna said and they both exploded into laughter. After close to a full minute they quieted down, and sighed in unison. "But, first there is the old business,” Celestia said, magically passing over a stack of papers, letters, and appeals. "Night-Mare Court will be busy. Are you going to be alright?” "Do not worry,” Luna said, her voice muffled through a daisy sandwich. "Everything will be fine. This is my night, after all.” She gave her sister a teasing glance. "How about you, Tia, will you survive leaving the sun down this year?” "I think a day off would be nice, actually. I haven't taken one since...” "Since last Night-Mare Night, I think you'll find,” Luna said. "If I recall correctly you spent ten hours straight pacing in a circle in your chambers.” Celestia blushed ever so slightly at the reminder. "I rather enjoy my work,” she sputtered. "There's nothing strange about that." Luna merely looked at her, smirking. "Anyway," Celestia said, "as a reward for being the most wonderful of sisters, and never doing or saying anything to make your sister feel self-conscious or awkward about her ways, I have a little surprise for you..." Celestia clapped her hooves together, and a door opened. An earth pony servant rolled in a cart with a single covered platter, and pushed it to Luna, who waited with wide eyes and a childlike grin. The servant bowed. "Your Highness,” he said, and lifted the cover with his mouth to reveal a single slice of cake. Luna's eyes widened further, her pupils growing to twice their normal size. The intoxicating aroma of the cake drifted over her and her mouth fell open as she inhaled it. "Is that-” "It is,” Celestia said, grinning at the sight of her sister's rapture. "A Zebrican Night-Time Voyage cake, prepared in the traditional manner with real Zebrican ingredients. One slice now, the rest at the party. Just a little present from your sister. Happy Night-Mare Night, Lulu.” After they had eaten, the two sisters left the dining hall together, and all the guards saluted them as they passed. They made for the spiralling staircase that led to the highest point of Everhold castle: the Tower of the Turning Skies. Everything else in the world changed, but this did not. For time out of memory, the royal sisters had performed this task every turning of the clock. Nations would rise and fall, glaciers grew and receded, but Celestia and Luna were forever. Atop the Tower was a round platform, open to the heavens, its floor a stone map of the hidden workings of the skies plotted out by ancient sages. Two circles lay opposite one another on the western and eastern points of the platform, and the two sisters positioned themselves on them, Celestia to the east and Luna to the west. They stood facing one another, as each of them worked in unison to carry their celestial bodies to its allotted place. Luna watched the sun set behind her sister, and her sister watched the moon rise behind Luna. The brilliant red sunset faded, and Luna's black and blue drew over the world, and when the fierce sun no longer gripped the heavens, her army of lesser lights dared to come out and let their slight and soothing glimmer shine. Luna almost wept at the sight of her beautiful moon and stars. The sky was perfectly clear, not a cloud would mar her night, and her moon was a crescent so sharp it could cut her shadow from her hooves. When the turning was done, the two sisters stood beside each other in silence. Luna looked up with a warm grin, while Celestia simply enjoyed the sight of her sister at her happiest. After a while of watching, Celestia cleared her throat. "Come, Lulu, we have work to do. There will be time for pleasure later.” "Just one more minute...” "Lulu...” Celestia said in her 'stern sister' voice. Luna tensed up at the sound, and pouted. "Oh alright, fine." She cast one last glance up before they descended back down the tower stair. There will be more later. But now... She almost squealed at the thought of the next item on their agenda. – – – The throne hall was the culmination of Everhold Castle. From the entrance of the castle, a series of antechambers and broad corridors led inwards in a straight line, slowly rising on stairs with shallow, rounded steps that even the oldest stallion could scale without exertion. The first antechambers were large, simple places of public business, but each new chamber was smaller and more ceremonially decorated, growing more exclusive as a visitor entered deeper within. At the end of a long procession carefully designed to convey to the visitor that they were passing from the world of mortal concerns into a home of deities, who shaped the fate of the entire world with their actions and their words, they would come at last to the throne hall with all its pomp and splendor. Yet, all of that was only a small part of the sprawling castle, that part which was open to the public. All around and below and above were the places where the minutiae of governing took place, the offices of civil servants, clerks and accountants, bureaucrats and functionaries, lawyers and legislators, and the servants of nobles and ambassadors who kept an eye on every happening of Court and made sure the Princesses did not forget them when they were away, however hard the Princesses tried. The Everhold armed forces occupied huge chunks of space, complete with great training areas inside and outside the castle walls. The Royal Archive had a whole wing of its own, and employed a small army of scribes and librarians to keep it running, and the kitchen and storerooms to keep them all fed was like a city to itself. The throne hall was as far as an ordinary subject of Everhold could hope to see, and beyond it was the Princesses' private palace, their sanctuary where no-one except those specifically invited on particular occasions could enter, no matter their office or status. To do so was punishable by banishment, and imprisonment in a dungeon the Princesses maintained in the place to which ponies were banished. Here each Princess had their own office, connected by another, larger office they shared between them. The princesses sat in the shared office then, hard at work: Celestia doing paperwork, and Luna attempting to do paperwork but finding it difficult to concentrate and tapping her hoof impatiently on the stone floor. "It will get here when it gets here,” Celestia said. Luna harrumphed, and was about to reply when there was a knock on the door. The night princess immediately turned, face beaming. "It's here!” "Possibly,” Celestia said, and turning to the door said more loudly, "Come in.” The door opened and two armored earth pony guards saluted, and entered. One of them was carrying a big sack over his back. "Mail call, your majesties,” the first guard said. "Yes!” Luna leapt in the air. Celestia rolled her eyes. The guards made no response whatsoever. "Put it on the table there, please,” Celestia said. Luna had made sure to have a conference table kept clear of everything for this moment. The guard poured the contents of the sack onto the table in front of the eager princess, and then withdrew from the office and closed the door behind them. Luna's smile dampened. "It's not very much. Last year it covered the table.” Celestia glanced over to her sister. The table was very large. The pile of letters and parcels on top of it was not very large. It was a respectable pile by any ordinary standard, but “annual tribute to the Princess of Night on Her holinight” was not an ordinary standard, and positioned as it was on the huge conference-style table, its inadequacy was apparent. Luna pored over the mail, separating the simple letters and cards from the gifts and tributes. Celestia watched with some concern as her sister's smile turned to a frown as she quickly reduced the pile to a few neat stacks. One of the stacks stood off to the side, and was noticeably larger than the rest. “Is something wrong?” “This,” Luna said sharply, gesturing to the lone large stack, “is just ordinary mail. That was half of everything. This cannot be right, there must be a great calamity of some sort occurring in the mail room!” “This is only the first mail call of the night,” Celestia said. “I'm sure most of it will arrive in time for the big party.” “You think so?” “I'm sure of it.” Celestia joined her sister by the conference table and began going through the ordinary mail. It was the usual stuff, mostly: pleas for special gifts, bloated proclamations from self-involved nobility, letters of thanks for decisions the writer had agreed with, letters of condemnation from decisions the writer had not agreed with, sometimes from the same writer... Luna had been reading through the letters of tribute, and slowly her smile had returned, along with a few chortles at particularly witty, or particularly daring messages. Halfway through she looked up and saw Celestia rearranging her half of the mail into smaller stacks. “What are you doing?” Luna asked. “This is for me,” Celestia said, pointing to a small stack on one side. “This,” she pointed to the second stack, the largest, “is for both of us, and this,” the third stack was smaller again, “is for you. The rest is for any councilpony you feel has not been suitably respectful of late," she finished with a smirk. Luna looked skeptical. “I took everything that was for me already.” “Perhaps you should take a second look.” Luna harrumphed and picked up the top letter and began to read it. “To Princess Celestia, Ruler of the Day, we express our endless gratitude to you for ensuring the speedy construction of the floodbanks by our shores. In the few years since they have protected us from the storms and floods that claimed lives and did massive damage to our town every hurricane season..." She stopped reading and turned a glare on her sister. Celestia sighed. “They're giving thanks for things you did, Lulu. Be gracious.” “But they're giving you all the credit!” “They're just confused,” Celestia said. “Nopony out there pays much attention to Everhold and royal concerns, they're busy enough with their own affairs. Look on the bright side. You've touched their lives and made a difference.” Luna winced. “...Fine.” Celestia yawned. “It's getting late for me. What's next on the schedule?” Luna brought up the plan and searched it. “Several nobles have requested private audiences with us. They have requested them most... generously.” "I see. Do you want me to go with you?" "Nonsense, Tia," Luna scoffed. "This is your night off, remember? I will attend to this." "If you say so," Celestia said, rising to her hooves. "I will be retiring to my chambers for tonight then. I'll see you in the morning." Luna smiled. "It won't be morning," she said. "But yes, I will see you later. Have a good sleep, Tia." She waved. Tia smiled, and left. Luna remained in the shared office until, all too soon, she had read through all her mail. She brought it with her into her own office, threw open her window and took a long gaze up at the sky. The stars looked down at her, and again she felt it: They are unhappy. They are waiting for something that they wish to avoid, and they look to me... She sighed, and turned away, no closer to solving this mystery than she had been for years. She took a seat behind her desk, and called for the first noble on the list to be sent in. After close to two hours, Luna was beginning to regret that she hadn't accepted Celestia's offer, but she quickly shook the thought from her head. There had only been a few of the nobles insisting – and accompanying their insistence with gracious offerings – that their business deserved the private attention of the Princesses rather than the open discussions of Court, but though they were few in number they excelled at filling the time. Their requests were nothing very interesting or special: the usual petitions and disputes, the usual assortment of petty complaints she had heard a hundred thousand times before over her long life... “Upon consideration, Lady Bluebell, we have decided that thou may have the fields west of the river, but acorn harvesting rights to the forest shall revert to the farmer's league. Is that all?” “Yes, your highness,” Lady Bluebell, a richly bejeweled unicorn, bowed before Luna and then left. Luna sighed. Think of the party, she told herself, and smiled. She looked at her list. Only one remained to see her tonight. “Send in Baron Whiteblood.” The door was opened and a tall earth pony stallion with a regal bearing entered. “Your highness,” he bowed. Luna looked him over: the Baron was a white earth pony with a golden mane and a crossed-spears cutie mark, dressed in a red suit, “dyed in the blood of his enemies,” he would say, as was the tradition of his house. Luna nodded. “Arise, Baron.” He rose. “Thou hath requested a private audience with a Princess of Everhold, rather insistently. What is it thou wishest to tell us?” “Your highness, I come to speak on behalf of the assembled Baronies of the border marches, to bring news and humbly request Everhold's support,” the Baron said. “There is unrest along the border, I am sure this has not escaped your notice.” It had. “Is there?” Luna asked. “What manner of unrest is that?” “Griffons,” the Baron said. “Your highness, griffons are massing across the border in great numbers. Excursions into our lands are becoming more frequent. Crime is rising, ponies do not feel safe travelling the roads. Our militias are stretched thin and our resources run low. I come to request the support of Everhold in confronting this challenge and upholding the integrity of the border.” I can see where this is going, Luna thought. “And what manner of support didst thou foresee Everhold providing?” “The aid of the Royal Everhold Air Force in patrolling the border. A correction in the laws to allow us to expel griffon indigents more efficiently. A toll on cross-border trade, the proceeds of which to go to strengthening and expanding the Barony militias.” Luna sat silently for a moment, her face unreadable. The Baron watched her carefully while copying her calm. “Permit us to ask a few questions, to clarify, Baron,” Luna eventually said. “We are not at war with the Griffon Kingdom, are we? We are certain that we would have noticed.” “Perhaps not officially, at this moment,” the Baron said calmly. “And yet-” “We have watched, with interest, the growth of griffon settlements near to our border. We understand it opens for great trade opportunities, but beyond that we fail to see why it should concern us. Thou speakest of excursions into our lands. When last we checked, there was a treaty which permitted open crossing of our borders, no? So griffons visit and travel in our lands, and ponies do the same in theirs.” “That is indeed part of the problem-” “We am quite familiar with the criminal statistics as well, but we do not recall any rise in griffon involvement. Perhaps thou knowest something we do not... but we doubt it.” “I know only what I see and what my subjects tell me,” the Baron said. “Perhaps from a thousand miles away you have a better perspective, but I am alas confined to observing up close.” Luna gave the Baron a glare that would freeze the blood of lesser ponies. “Griffon King Blaze is a friend of Everhold, who has ruled honorably in all his years on the throne,” she said in a voice that could cut through steel. “We do not imagine that we will have cause to fear him in his lifetime. Beyond that, thy wishes are unreasonable, short-sighted, and contradictory to all the principles of Everhold's rule. Thy request is denied, Baron. Do you have anything else to say?” The Baron looked irritated rather than angry. “That is regrettable, your highness, and I would ask you to reconsider. I will happily answer all your questions and provide any proof you may require.” “This decision is final, Baron. Do not waste your efforts.” “With all respect, your highness, I fear you are letting your friendship with King Blaze cloud your judgement. Perhaps it would be best to ask for your sister's opinion?” The room suddenly grew colder, until the woodwork holding the stone began to creak. A powerful gust of wind howled through the open window, where previously the night air was peaceful and still. The candles flickered and died, and Luna's mane began to grow and shift of its own volition. Her shadow grew and flowed over the room, surrounding the Baron. Luna stepped forward as though she were part of the darkness itself rather than a physical being, closing until her snout was right in front of the Baron's eyes. She bared her teeth, clenched together in barely-contained fury, and hissed: “Get. Out.” The door creaked open behind the Baron. Slowly, he turned and trotted out without another word. The door slammed shut behind him, and slowly the shadows faded away, and the light returned, and Luna crossed over to the conference table and sat down, staring at nothing. Taking deep breaths, she composed herself. She telekinetically pulled a rope that set a bell ringing in a nearby chamber, and shortly afterwards a servant entered, and bowed. “May I help you, your highness?” “I will have my luncheon now. Have it brought here.” She watched him bow and leave the room, noting the nervous tension in his step. Outside Luna's office, Baron Whiteblood calmly brushed a speck of dust off his suit, and stalked away down the hall, smiling to himself. – – – After eating her lunch, Luna picked out and put on the richest of her ceremonial vestments: the Crown of Night, a constellation of jewels, her finest silver slippers, and her black, silver-threaded dress that glimmered and sparkled wherever the light caught it. Thus attired, she entered the throne hall just as the castle bell tolled the hour one in the morning. It was time for Night Court. An ordinary Night Court consisted of a sparse and scattered assortment of supplicants, often the ones who were the most desperate: those who could not leave and wait for Celestia to hear them in the day, and could not afford to bribe their way to a private audience. But this should be no ordinary Night Court. “Her Royal Highness Luna Selena Artemis Phoebe Noctis, Night-Mare Moon, Princess of the Night!” the royal guard announced as she entered, and every pony in the room bowed. She scanned the assembled ponies, not recognizing anyone. She ascended the steps to the throne and sat down, and the crowd rose back on their hooves. Luna took a deep breath. “We hereby declare this Night Court opened!” The Chamberlain of the Night Court, an ancient stallion in thick green robes read the name of the first petitioner of the session. A young civil servant from somewhere in the bowels of Everhold Castle emerged from the crowd and rose to the speaker's podium, and began to speak: “Your highness, I regret to inform you that a complication has been found in the execution of Royal Edict PCB45, section eight sub-section twenty-nine paragraph fifteen which requires your urgent attention.” The civil servant continued talking for half an hour without pause, explaining in his best legalese the minute details of Everhold cargo transport law. The problem seemed to revolve around two contradictory pieces of paperwork that a certain type of cargo, being shipped to a particular place, under specific circumstances, would invoke. Luna proclaimed an exemption from one of the two forms in the event that the situation ever come about. It took her four seconds. The civil servant left, breathlessly offering his everlasting gratitude for so decisively and expeditiously resolving this perplexingly insurmountable conundrum. “Step forth the next petitioner!” The Chamberlain read the next name, and a middle-aged mare approached the podium. Luna studied her face. She was of the desperate breed, nervous and unaccustomed to Court, having no idea what to do. "Thou hast something to ask of us, subject?" Luna suggested, and the mare shivered in fright before falling to her stomach. After a few seconds of silence she began to speak: "Your highness, I come to beg for mercy for my husband, he's imprisoned in the dungeons!" Luna glanced to the side of the throne, where the Court Archivist was already ready. "A mister Artful Trotter, your majesty, he was arrested while burgling a house two nights ago." "Why, then, should we restrain our justice for your husband, subject?" Luna asked, and prepared to listen to her tale of woe. It was a good tale, all things considered. It had broken families, great misfortunes that nopony could hope to overcome on their own, and true love that bound the mare together with her husband and drove him to commit his crime in order to support his family. As such it was a #16 on Luna's mental list of such stories, but she was mildly surprised to note, after some subtle mental prodding, that the mare was being completely truthful. Luna thought back wistfully to her young years on the throne, when the Court was new to her and everypony had wanted to kiss her hoof, and hear her thoughts on the weighty matters of the night. She had been young and naïve, and had shown such mercy as this mare was asking for to far too many, far too easily. Yet she remembered how it had warmed her heart, in those distant nights, to think that she was touching the lives of her subjects and giving them joy and happiness. Whereas tonight, she instead had to respond: "Step forth to the Court Archivist and he shall givest thee a form to fill out. Thou qualifiest for Dependent's Relief for ponies whose relatives are serving a gaol sentence. It may takest a number of weeks before thy application is fully processed." Compassion and mercy, thou art regulated to within an inch of thy life, Luna thought. To be sure, all ponies are equal before the law, and it helps ensure that aid goes where it is needed, but still... thy noble spirit is choked by chains of bureaucracy. I did not help you, my subject, I merely shuffled you along. She sighed. "Let the next petitioner come forth!" Dear Faust, give this one something important to say. “Your highness, I require two thousand bits to restore my father's house, or else it will no longer be the twelfth finest house in Trottingham and my family's standing will collapse.” – – – By the start of the final hour of Night Court, everypony had already made their pleas, and Luna only sat on the throne, leaning her face on her left forehoof, waiting. Eventually the bell tolled six in the morning, and the night princess declared the Court closed. She descended from the throne and trotted back to her chambers slowly, her head drooping. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of her heavy chamber doors slamming shut behind her. She looked around her private living quarters: just the way she had left them, dark and silent. The grey stone of Everhold Castle symbolized the blending of light and darkness. While other nobles sought to make their palaces forbidding, with dazzling, blinding bright and splendor, Everhold was made to be soft and easy to behold. The private chambers of the two princesses were the exception: Celestia's rooms were pristine marble, filled with gold and fire, while Luna's own chambers were ebony, indigo, and ornamented all around with silver and dark gemstones. Tall vaulted windows stood open, with thin silken curtains that were enchanted so that sunlight could not pass through them, but starlight and moonlight could. With every gust of wind that sent the curtains billowing, the silver and gemstones all around the room flashed and glittered as the light hit them. This was Luna's inner sanctum, and apart from her sister, no creature then living had ever set hoof inside it. Luna crossed the chamber to the couch just inside the windows, and lay down flat on her stomach, and stayed there watching her night sky. She remained that way for a very long time, not moving, barely even blinking, as the stars wheeled overhead, and the moon... The moon was still, locked in place high above the horizon, not sinking. Tonight, it was allowed to rule, while the sun remained below the earth. Luna gave a brief glance towards her bed. On any other night, she would be sorely missing it and longing to return to its warm embrace. But while the moon remained in the sky, she would not grow tired. At least, not that kind of tired. – – – Shortly before what would be sunrise on any normal day, Celestia rose and made her way to the dining hall for her breakfast, where she found Luna idly stabbing her salad with a fork. “Hello Tia,” Luna muttered, barely looking up. “Mrrn'n Lulu,” Celestia mumbled. “Coffee?” It's not morning, Tia, Luna thought to herself, but levitated the kettle to pour her sister a cup. Celestia sipped from it, and in the span of a second her coat went from ruffled to sleek, her mane went from lying flat and tangled on her head to shimmering softly in a nonexistent breeze, and her face went from a mess of wrinkles and tension to a picture of serene radiance. “You know, sister,” Celestia said, “I don't think anypony truly realizes just how much the discovery of coffee contributes to our political stability. I honestly believe that the last Civil War was won by coffee.” Luna grunted something in reply. “Bad night?” “Nothing out of the ordinary,” Luna said. “Everything will be fine later... at the party.” After eating, they returned to their shared office and found the morning mail waiting for them. “I am telling you, Tia, the mailmares must be stealing from us," Luna scoffed at the paltry pile laid out on one end of the conference table. "Or possibly they are under some sort of chemical influence. There is no possible way that this can be all there is!” Celestia nodded absent-mindedly while poring over a report from the castle treasury. “I will go down there myself and give them a piece of my mind,” Luna muttered under her breath. “Who steals from Night-Mare Moon courts destruction...” Celestia nodded, until she caught up with what she had just heard. “Let me do that, Lulu. You should be preparing for the Court. You still want to do it, I suppose?” Luna looked up at her sister with a shocked expression. “Of course I will. Do not be ridiculous, Tia. This is Night-Mare Night. It is Our duty.” – – – On the midpoint of Night-Mare Night, Princess Luna held the Night-Mare Court, at what would normally be the time of the Day Court. In principle, it was no different from any other Court session, but some ceremonial adjustments marked the occasion. The throne hall of Everhold was lit by enchanted flames that gave off light in the colors of the night, and all the banners and curtains of the hall were coated in magical shadow that shimmered and danced and, rumour told, would steal away a piece of your dreams if you looked into them too closely. Once again Luna entered the Hall in her full regalia, and once again the guardspony announced her entrance with her full name and titles. She ascended to the throne, and looked out across the assembly. A far cry from the Night Court crowd, the hall was filled with the highest nobles of the land, and scores of ponies of all ranks besides. Luna smiled. Things were looking up. She raised a hoof, and began to speak in the Royal Everhold Voice: “We welcome thee, unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies, to our court! Tonight is an occasion dear to our heart: Night-Mare Night, when ponies across the realm celebrate our night, and ask for our blessings. Speak, and know that thy Princess of the Night will hear thee! We declare this Night-Mare Court opened!” The hall was silent again when Luna had finished. After some moments the first petitioner, an earth pony mare with gold and silver jewelry and a necklace cutie mark, stepped forward and cleared her throat. Her voice was meek and mild, and she delivered Luna's first request of the Court: “Um, to be truthful, your majesty, my request is more of a daytime concern. Would it be possible to deliver it to Princess Celestia instead?” Luna watched the mare, unblinking. Soon, she shrank and withered beneath the weight of the Princess's gaze. “On Night-Mare Night,” Luna declared, “thou speakest to us. Make thine request, or else withdraw it.” “Y-y-yes your highness,” the mare shook in fear, holding a scroll up in front of her as a shield. “I-I was hoping to offer the services of my jewellers shop to the Princess, and prepare pieces especially for the Sharing Thanks festival, in exchange for a minor royal recognition!” Luna's eyes narrowed ominously. “This is a daytime concern, subject?” “Uh – I – um -” “We regret to inform thee that thine offer is not suitable for our needs at this time! Thou may leave.” Luna gestured her away with a hoof and she was quickly ushered out of the hall by the guards. “Let the next petitioner step forward!” “First, allow me to present a humble tribute to Night-Mare Moon, upon her night,” the next in line said. He was an elderly, impeccably groomed pegasus with a pince-nez, who had clearly attended Court many times before. He held up a small package, wrapped in dark paper with a glittering ribbon tied around it, for the Princess. She accepted it with a nod, levitated it up to her and held it in her hooves. She smiled gently. The pegasus cleared his throat. “However, with all respect, your highness, are these ceremonies entirely necessary?” he asked. “In this dim light, I am finding it hard to read my statement.” A low wave of murmurs was heard from ponies across the hall. Luna bit the inside of her cheek. The old stallion was polite and respectful, and had given her the first offering of the Court. To dismiss him would be seen as most ungracious. And yet, he was asking for the ceremonies of Night-Mare Night to be held off. Did he not see how rude his comment was? She looked across the darkened hall. The other ponies had reacted to his statement, but there were no horrified gasps at an unpardonable faux pas. The murmurs, she thought, sounded more like ones of agreement, though the very notion shocked her. The pegasus was an old stallion, she thought to herself. His eyesight was weak, and she reminded herself that not everypony had her perfect night vision to begin with. She would be gracious, and make a compromise. She glanced over to one of the unicorn guardsponies standing at attention along the outer walls of the hall, caught his eye, and gestured towards the pegasus. The clip-clop of ironshod hooves on the stone floor rang loud and sharp through the hall, as nopony else made a sound. The unicorn guard drew up alongside the pegasus, and his horn shimmered with a simple lighting spell that cast a pale illumination on the petitioner. “Ah, thank you your highness,” he said, and smiled, before launching into his prepared statement. Luna did not smile. The sight of the unicorn - a royal guardspony of Everhold - acting as a lamp, was undignified, awkward, and foalish. The pegasus recited his statement, and Luna absent-mindedly assented, barely noticing as he was led away, and the next, an earth pony mare, stepped forward. With a glance, Luna commanded the guardspony back to his position, but as he trotted away the petitioner coughed, and said, “Oh, could I also have the...” Luna turned a persuasively menacing glare on her, and she squealed and backtracked. “Oh, um, very well your highness. I represent the united saddlemakers of the Reinland, and we wish to discuss a lessening of the tax on leather substitute materials.” Luna tuned her out as she delved into the details of her complaint; she knew the details by heart, having heard complaints about the law countless times before. None of the earlier petitions had been successful, and this would not be either. Luna sent her away disappointed. The next in line was a pink unicorn with a brown mane, and saddlebacks filled with scrolls of parchment, who had been fidgeting nervously almost since the beginning of the Court. Now he was pushed forward and gulped. “Your highness,” he said, and bowed, then quickly got up, then changed his mind and bowed again, only longer. “I bring a message and a request from the Earl of Derby. For the past two months, after a severe earthquake, his territory has been afflicted with dire problems...” Luna remembered the earthquake well, and nodded. "My lord wishes to express his utmost gratitude for the aid he has already received from Everhold, but regrets that the damages were even more extensive than at first appeared. The drinking water has been polluted, and disease is rampant across the territory. My lord's coffers are spent. Fresh drinking water must be transported in large quantities across the mountains to reach the victims, and a great aqueduct must be constructed for the long-term. I have brought all the plans for the proposal, with cost estimates... My lord regrets that he must ask for such a tremendous expense, but he sees no other choice." The pony levitated up the plans for Luna's perusal, and ended by saying, “I humbly ask that I receive an answer immediately, that I may return to my master in all haste, before the situation deteriorates beyond repair.” Luna glanced over the documents. Finding no irregularities, she nodded. “Very well, courier. We have heard thy master's request, and have decided. Thou mayest return to the Earl and tell him that that we will grant him his wish, and wish him good fortune in restoring safety to his lands forthwith. Good winds carry thee swiftly on thy way!” The petitioner did not seem relieved to hear his request granted. He took a few steps away from the speaker's podium, but stopped, and looked back hesitantly. “Dost thou have more thy wish to say to us, subject?” He gulped. “Your highness, it's just that... It is of the utmost importance to my master that he learns the answer to his suit immediately, and he realizes it is not a trivial request he is making... You are certain this will be alright? It would be terrible for my master if I deliver this message now, only to find that Princess Celestia disagreed and refused it tomorrow when... she... returns.” Darker shadows were now crawling organically around the throne, while Luna sat entirely unmoving, her glare locked on the petitioner. Luna was once again not entirely sure how to respond to this. She could have the pony thrown into the deepest dungeon, of course. She could revoke her acceptance of his wish to punish his impertinence. She had certainly done such things countless times over the years, to petitioners who knew no respect for the Crown of Night. But the constancy of her word was exactly what was being called into question, and going back on it now might make her feared, but not respected. She could pointedly inform him that her word was law, on equal hoofing with her sister, but that would be a humiliation, to argue with some lowly petitioner, to have to defend her position. She was a Princess of Everhold, and she did not need to justify herself to anypony. “You doubt thy princess's words.” He began to sputter apologetic denials. Luna silenced him with a gesture. “Be thankful that thy Princess honors her promises in all things, else thy master's misfortune would be all on thy head. Now begone from our sights!” The next petitioner had spent the entire time so far immersed in his papers, paying no attention to anything around him. He stepped up to the podium, saw Luna sitting on the throne, and with a look of surprise said, “Oh! Your highness. Could you deliver this message to Celestia?” The clack of Luna's hoof striking the floor echoed through the hall. With a flap of her wings she rose from the throne and hovered, surrounded by shadows, in the air. A burst of thunder was heard through the walls. “Let me be entirely clear, my – our subjects! Thou comest to the Royal Court of Everhold upon Night-Mare Night. In the Night-Mare Court, thou speakest to US, the Princess of the Night, not to our sister! If thou doubtest thine princess, if thou dost not believe that our word carries as much weight as our sister, then leave now for thy suits will not be heard, and anyone who dares ask so again will spend a long time in the dungeons! Is this clear?” Her eyes moved across the hall slowly. Nopony so much as breathed, even the aged nobles who had been to Court a thousand times looked up at her in shock. Slowly, each flap of her wings sending gusts of wind across the crowd, Luna descended again, and returned to the throne. “Let us proceed,” she said coldly. – – – The tower bell rang once, announcing the passing of the first hour of the Court. It is bound to improve now, Luna thought to herself. There was a point of contention involving just about every noblepony in the realm that featured prominently in the Court that night. A wealthy duchy in the center of Prance had lost its duke; the old pony had died from the feather fever, leaving behind no heir. A multitude of distant relations had laid claim to the position, and from there things had rather gotten out of hoof. Now multiple noble families were at each other's throats about countless barely-related issues, and ancient slights and feuds were rekindled. Luna got to be intimately familiar with every detail as a long line of nobles attempted to use her as a club with which to bash their rivals' heads. One by one they came before her to have her reaffirm their various ancestral claims, name them the Lord Protector of this or that, the legitimate descendant of one historical ruler or another, or give them monetary support or authority to carry out various projects that would enrich themselves at the expense of a hated distant cousin's businesspartner's sister-in-law's uncle's property values. Luna didn't know which of those ponies was hated. Possibly they all were. In addition to that, there were the sundry other opportunities that the aristocracy always leapt at. Rich land to be mined, fishing rights to be conceded, a city in need of a royally sanctioned shoesmith... Luna bore it all with stoic dignity, answering each request swiftly and justly. It didn't take long before the assembled courtiers began to grumble amongst themselves again. Luna paid it little heed at first, but as the second hour drew on she noted the courtiers began to address her more sharply, even confrontationally, and their attention to royal etiquette faded. “...for which purpose my family should be given the concession for the gem mines that have recently been opened in the Withertop Hills.” “We will consider your proposal alongside the others who have requested that concession,” Luna said, stifling a yawn. This mare was the third pony tonight to make that exact request, and Luna knew there had been others in the past few days since the news of the gem node's discovery had been made public. Luna caught sight of the mare's scowl before she turned away and retired to the nave of the hall. Why are they all so grim, Luna thought to herself. The next was a pegasus stallion dressed in the fashion of a Prench officer, a Cavalier. He stepped up to the podium and made his statement: like so many others, a request for special favors for his benefactors, expounded at great length and with much rhetorical flourish. Luna gave him the usual, reasonable concessions. The Cavalier scowled at her response, nodded curtly, and turned to walk away. “Stop,” Luna said. He halted. “Wherefore art thou unsatisfied?” The stallion turned back to face the princess, his plain resentment tempered with a nervous tension in his stance. “Your highness?” “We asked thee a question, cavalier. Dost thou think thou art treated unfairly? We would have thee tell us.” The cavalier hesitated, clearly unhappy at the question. Luna's eyes narrowed. “Well?” “Your highness...” he began, “is swift to command... and demand, of the Court toda- tonight.” “Are we not thy Princess?” Luna asked. “Dost thou not come to us seeking our time and our favors?” “...Yes, your highness.” “We hear thy petitions and give them our full consideration, and if they have merit, we rule in thy favor. Why, then, dost thou frown as though whipped like a diamond dog?” The cavalier glanced to his sides, catching the eyes of various other nobles who looked equally unhappy. He sighed, and turned back to Luna. “Your highness, there is a certain courtesy afforded in Court. It is in the word, if you will. This Court is filled with the noblest of ponies, who have proven our worth in service to the Crown, and who feel that we have earned the right to be addressed with respect, rather than...” his face scrunched up in disgust. “Than as mere commoners, to be processed and left behind as soon as possible. You have been answering the great peers of the realm the same way you answer the petty concerns of the peasantry.” The silence was interrupted by the bell tolling the end of the second hour. “Respect?” Luna said, turning the full concentration of her anger on the cavalier. “Thou speakest to us of respect? Thou, who come to us upon our night, and make thy petty demands for honors thou have not earned and do not need? Who would use us as a weapon in thy little squabbles for wealth and power? If any here should ask for respect, it is us! This is Night-Mare Night, foal, and we have watched over it since before thy most ancient ancestors were born!” She rose from the throne as she spoke with her most commanding tone, a spectacle that commonly reduced whoever she was addressing to whimpering apologies. Luna was shocked to find that it left the cavalier unmoved. He actually rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, Night-Mare Night,” he said, as though addressing a petulant child. “We have already heard. But the governance of the realm does not pause for your amusement. Our business is not tailored to Night-Mare Night. We are here to concern ourselves with the governance of the realm, not with holiday celebrations.” “And yet this is the night thou comest before me,” Luna said. The cavalier waved a hoof dismissively. “I did not check the calendar. That it was tonight was completely unknown to me. I am here to resolve an issue of importance to the governance of my home, not to tell the Princess what she wishes to hear.” "Enough!" Luna roared, and the blast of her stamping hoof rang through the hall. Now we are arguing with the courtiers. Well done, Lulu. Most regal, most dignified. “This... disorder, this frivolous display of tawdry bickering will cease immediately! If thou canst not comport thyself with dignity appropriate to thy station then leave forthwith or else find thyself a cell in the dungeons!” “Fine,” the cavalier said. “Clearly this Court is incapable of functioning properly. I shall wait until my request can be heard by Celestia instead, at least she takes her Court seriously.” He turned and began to walk away. Luna's jaw dropped. “You dare speak to us this way? Hold!” He kept walking. “STOP!” He stopped walking. Without turning back to face Luna, he said, “I am only following the Princess's instructions.” “You insulted our Court, you insulted our Night, and you think to simply walk away?!” “Prove me wrong!” he said, turning back to Luna. “Show yourself to be sound in judgement and let the Court proceed as your sister would, with fairness and courtesy.” He narrowed his gaze on her and lowered his voice to a deep whisper. “Or don't.” Luna was pressing her hooves against the rests on the sides of the throne so hard she suspected they might leave marks on the solid stone. All around the hall, the courtiers whispered amongst themselves, eyeing her criticall, waiting to see how she would respond. There was no respect, and no patience in their eyes. Only contempt. Luna swallowed her anger and closed her eyes. “...Fine.” She slumped back in the throne, defeated. Her voice dripped with bitterness as she asked: “How may we help thee with thy cause, sir cavalier?” Over the next couple of hours, the mood changed as the ceremonial formality of Court drained away, fading into an atmosphere of triviality. “Order in the Court!” Luna commanded, and the noise in the hall dampened for at least a while. The courtiers and petitioners had begun chatting idly amongst themselves, catching up with old friends, joking and laughing. They are behaving as though they are at a garden party in midsummer, Luna thought to herself. They barely seem to remember that I am here. She stoically turned her attention to the next petitioner. “What wouldst thou ask of us, Sir Shane?” “Your highness,” he began, and Luna could actually see him skip over several paragraphs of praise and supplication from his prepared statement, “my family needs a special exemption from the Tariff on Heavy Materials Act of the Year of the Feather in order to import Saddle Arabian bricks to reinforce the foundations of Buckinghorse Palace. It is in the interests of the Realm.” “Granted. Is there anything else?” “Yes, your highness, we also wish for a five-lane cobblestone road to be constructed between the Palace and Westwhinster town, so my mother will not need to worry about traffic.” “Very well.” “In addition, we would be eternally grateful if your majesty could see clear to ordering construction of a fifty-kilotonne dam across the Chames.” “So be it.” “And for centuries now, Hoofellyn mountain has impeded travel and sight range for our scouts. The chance of succesful attack upon Glenland by sea would be greatly reduced if the mountain could be removed. This task is beyond my family's means, but with adequate support from Everhold it could be done.” Luna sank deeper into the throne. “Remove a mountain?” “It would be a great help, your highness.” “This seems somewhat excessive, does it not?” “Perhaps only the tallest peaks? They block the view of the sunset from my mother's bedroom.” “We do not believe...” Luna began, but winced at the eruption of grumbling from the assembled crowd. “Just one peak? Everything above two thousand feet? Our summer garden parties could continue for another forty minutes before the temperature drops too low. Please?” “Fine!” Luna yelled, her mask slipping. “I shall have your mountain removed! Now please let the next pony speak!” “Thank you so much, your highness!” Sir Shane said, and fled the hall with a poorly-concealed smirk. As he crossed the gate out Luna heard him snicker and say to the pony beside him, “I seriously didn't expect even one of those-” “Order in the Court!” Luna commanded again as the chatter returned, at a slightly louder volume than before. By the sixth and final hour, Luna was barely holding her head up. The Court was a circus, the remaining courtiers treating it as a social occasion, laughing with their friends. Glasses of wine and hard cider were being passed around. Her dark throne hall was illuminated by a multitude of lights, as every unicorn now threw their magic into pushing back against the ceremonial décor of Night-Mare Night. Luna had given up on stopping them; anything she did now to regain her authority only drew laughter and mockery. Yet another in the endless line of petitioners began to speak: a unicorn mare whose stilted body language and plain white dress, a scholar's robe, marked her as foreign to the nobility. Her voice was nasal and flat, her tone was dry. "Your highness, I should like to bring a proposal for a scientific expedition to your attention,” she said. Luna raised an eyebrow in interest. The mare spoke with respect and courtesy. “It has come to the attention of my associates and myself that an interesting conflux of magical energies is active around the area of Kimberneigh, in South Zebrica...” Luna nodded, dredging up what she knew of the area. Kimberneigh, she knew, was the site of one of the largest diamond mines in the world, and one of the major pony settlements in Zebrica. "My colleagues and I have designed a machine to attempt to harness these latent energies and crystallize them into a material form suitable for transport. Doing so would allow us to facilitate tremendous advances in magical studies..." The mare kept talking about the scientific benefits of crystallized magic: it could be easily shipped anywhere in the world, allowing it to be studied in the absence of unicorn sorcerers, it could be divided and quantified and distributed where it was most needed, and could usher in a new age of scholarly advances. Luna, meanwhile, was thinking that the machine the mare was describing could create diamonds out of thin air. It could hardly be coincidence that this conflux happened to be located on one of the world's largest diamond nodes. With this machine, Luna thought, Everhold would have infinite wealth, infinite opportunities... and this mare was only prattling on about dry matters of academic research, oblivious to the possibilities. "Our machine is in the preliminary testing phase, and the early results are greatly promising. We have all the logistics in place needed to begin large-scale production, but need only the resources to do so. We have prepared a proposal for your perusal," she said and levitated a thick scroll of parchment to the Princess, which opened and rolled out to cover twenty feet of floor. "All the necessary information is within. With Everhold's support, we hope to greatly increase our understanding of arcane energy flux theory and spread new knowledge about unicorn magic across the continent!" she finished breathlessly, clearly utterly consumed with the prospect of gleaning new knowledge and entirely uninterested in material wealth. Luna looked over the text of the proposal. Dry and heavy, and to her experienced eyes, sloppy in all the right ways. It would be so easy to snatch the machine and all the diamonds it would create out from under their nose, all while letting them have their pittance of scholarly knowledge. Luna listened intently as the mare explained the intricacies of their proposed operation, an explanation filled with technical jargon and unnecessary detail that stretched out to comprehensive lengths. Finally the scientist reached the end of her presentation, and concluded: “All the preparations have been made and we require only your approval for the plan before we set it in motion.” She smiled. Luna nodded slowly. “So, in summary, if we accede to thine request we will hand the keys of the Royal Treasury to thee and thy compatriots in exchange for a pittance, which we will receive from thee sometime after the sun and the moon both fall from the heavens?” The mare's smile froze. “Ah...” “Or did we mistake some aspect of thy thesis? It seems to us thy proposed we invest in a plan to conjure infinite wealth out of thin air, with no guarantee of any return beyond our own optimism, and no command upon thee to demonstrate any possibility of success. Is this not so?” “Well...” “In addition we see that for thy work in this project thine proposed contract declares in a most ingeniously circumspect and contorted fashion that there will be no restriction upon the resources allocated to thee from the royal coffers. That is correct?” The unicorn mare only gulped, sweat pouring off her brow. She glanced behind her to the open door, and then made to flee the hall, only to be enveloped in a dark magical aura. Panicking, the mare was turned back to face the princess's knifelike glare. “Dost thou think we are some sort of cretin?” Luna threw the parchment to the stone floor and tread her hoof on it. “That we are an ignorant foal, easily deceived with large words?” “I – I...” She fell silent and shook her head. “Tell me!” Luna commanded, raising the mare up into the air as she stepped forward. “Didst thou honestly believe this would escape our notice?!” “Honestly...” the unicorn said, her voice quivering, “I thought you would be easier to scam than your sister.” The only sound that could be heard in the hall was the grinding of Luna's teeth. Tendrils of black smoke rose from the shadows around her. Luna's whole body was shaking with barely contained fury. “You wretched...! Insolent...! impudent little... THROW HER IN THE DUNGEONS!” Two guardsponies swiftly clapped the unicorn in magical restraints and escorted her out of the hall. The Chamberlain of the Court moved to summon the next in line, but Luna gestured him to hold off. Luna took a deep breath and said nothing for the next minute while she attempted to calm her feelings. The Court was drawing to its close. There would be time for only a few more at most. Luna steeled herself with all the resolve she could muster. She was not going to let them beat her. She was going to remain until the time ran out, then leave the hall solemnly, with regal grace, and if the courtiers were going to giggle like foals and mock her most sacred Night, then she would simply let them wallow in their own disgrace. “Let the next... petitioner... come forth.” Luna looked to see who would step forward next. Margrave Baron Whiteblood emerged from the crowd and stepped up to the podium, immaculately groomed and dressed as always. “Your highness...” Baron Whiteblood said with his customary voice of barely-concealed cold disdain and matching facial expression. “Whiteblood,” Luna mimicked his tone. “What dost thou ask of us now, that thou could not ask earlier?” “I come to ask for the support of Everhold in securing the border to the Griffin Kingdom.” “Thou mean to prove the old adage about madness, then?” Whiteblood chuckled, the corner of his mouth curling into a grim smile. Then he spoke, raising his voice so it rang to every corner of the hall. “Your highness, the cities and towns of the border duchies are being overrun. Travel is not safe. The markets empty out, as merchants and farmers cannot bring their goods unstolen. The economy suffers, distrust grows, all other work falls behind, all for the supposed friendship of Everhold to the Griffon Kingdom.” “We are not interested, Baron. You waste our time, and thine own!” “I do not think it is wasted to plead the cause of my subjects,” Whiteblood said. “Even if I am not heard, if the worst comes to pass the Court will know I made the effort to protect my vassals from those who would harm them. Your highness, we are moving towards war against the Griffon Kingdom. You may believe that King Blaze is as pure of heart as a newborn foal rather than the blood-drenched tyrant so much of the world believes him to be, but I fear you are in the minority.” Luna knew, of course, that the vast and mighty Griffon Kingdom had been to war with all of its many neighbours over its long history, including the pony realms, and that enmities between nations endured for generations with little fuel, and that small events could reignite conflicts that had laid dormant for many decades. She also knew that King Blaze was a mighty warrior and a ruthless general, swift and decisive in battle. You had to be, in order to remain on the throne of the Griffon Kingdom for long. But she knew more than that, having had the chance to get to know him more closely than almost anypony else living. She knew that he was an honorable leader, who did not engage in petty treachery. She knew that over many years of careful diplomacy Everhold had earned his respect, and his trust, and that a war with ponykind would cost him greatly, and win him nothing he could not get peacefully. Luna knew that she trusted King Blaze more than she trusted Margrave Baron Whiteblood. Luna knew too that Court, most of all Night-Mare Court, was not the place to discuss such matters of careful diplomacy. “We have heard all your pleas and justifications before, Baron. Our answer has not changed. We will hear no more of this.” Luna's ear twitched at the unhappy murmurs that passed through the Court. “My princess, you did say earlier I should present proof of my claims, and I am here to do so. Your highness, only earlier today did I hear news from my homeland that in the city of Steeds a great warehouse was set ablaze! Those responsible were griffons. After their arrest, many other griffons have assaulted ponies on the streets in broad daylight. They make a mockery of your diplomacy and flaunt our laws!” The crowd of courtiers grumbled in agreement. Luna clenched her teeth. I never asked you to present proof of anything, liar. "That is enough, Baron," she said sharply. “I fear I must insist,” Whiteblood said, his head bowed low, pacing side to side before the podium. “I would feel gravely negligent in my duties as a servant of Everhold if I did not attempt to help you see the threat we face more clearly.” He sighed, as though weary of dealing with a stubborn child. “I understand that you may not want to face facts, and that from distant Everhold the day to day occurrences in the border duchies seem trivial, but in my home the pattern is unmistakeable.” “We will hear no more of this,” Luna growled. “You are dismissed from the Court, Baron.” He ignored her. "If we do not keep our cities safe then we all but invite foreign powers to invade us. We must send a message to demonstrate that we are not to be trifled with. What would be the consequence, should the buffalo, or the dragons, or the griffons, say to themselves, 'the ponies, look at them: vast wealth, and they will not fight for it. They are ruled by weak women who think that making friends will save them from the dangers of the world'?" "Guards!" Luna roared. "Remove this pony from my throne hall!" The guardsponies stepped forward as a gasp rang out across the hall. "You would dare to lay a hoof on a peer of the realm?" one courtier asked. "This is unconscionable!" A dozen other nobleponies called out in agreement. Several ponies ran forward to stand beside Whiteblood, and more followed, emboldened. The guardsponies hesitated, faced with a wall of nobles blocking the Baron. Whiteblood only looked at Luna and smiled. "Is my princess displeased at my words? If I speak harshly, it is only because I am concerned and wish for our rulers to have all the information necessary to make the right choices." Luna could feel her blood beginning to boil. She imagined smoke coming out of her nostrils with every breath. All around her the shadows grew darker... "If Celestia were here she would tell you I only wish you well, your highness." That did it. "Coprophage!" Luna erupted. "Fornicator of thine own progenitors! Thy mind is addled and diluted from the use of addictive compounds and thy aspect is so revolting that even the worms shun thee! Mewling quim! I pity thy wife, for in thy cups thou leavest her unsatisfied and drive her to other stallions' beds. Tis an affliction familiar to thy house; thou bear thy father's name but his gardener's face!" The hall fell deathly silent, the only sound that of Luna's ragged, heaving breath. Well then, Luna thought to herself, All bets are off. The throne hall exploded in shouts of indignation by the crowd. "This is outrageous-" "A foalish outburst quite unworthy of the Court-" "Reminiscent of the famous rant by Captain Maregan the Unsteady on the occasion of-" "-should immediately apologize to everypony present with the utmost-" "-seems very clear that the Court should consider doing away with certain traditions-" "Be silent!" Luna cried, her voice cracking, the Royal Voice refusing to come. "All of you, I command you be silent!" She heard a few mocking jeers and piles of laughter amid the heckles. Her eyes locked on one pony in particular. Baron Whiteblood had not moved from the podium, and did not speak, but only looked directly at her, with a smile of perfect contentment. "-that Princess Celestia alone can be trusted to take the Court seriously-" "-speak to Princess Celestia instead, and-" "-Princess Luna is only the younger sister, and lacks the experience and judgement necessary to rule-" "-Princess Celestia will-" "-demand that Princess Luna will yield-" "-Princess Celestia will decide justly." "My sister's word is law," a melodious, yet sharp and undefiable voice suddenly pierced through the noise of the great hall, and everyone immediately fell silent. "Her decisions carry as much authority as my own, and will be obeyed." Before Luna's eyes, Whiteblood's smile curdled and turned to a scowl. Luna raised her eyes from him and saw the entire court turned to face her sister standing in the open hallway, looking very displeased. The Chamberlain of the Court stood beside her, fear in his eyes. Luna had not noticed him slip away in the chaos. "Your majesty," one slow-witted courtier began. "You will not believe what your sister has done in the..." Even before Celestia turned the force of her glare on him everypony around him had already begun to clear a space. When it came, he froze in place, and began to shiver as her eyes pierced through him. "I know exactly what has happened here tonight," she said, her voice sharp enough to strip the flesh from their bones. She turned from him, and he all but collapsed, sweat dripping from his coat. "To think," Princess Celestia said, as she crossed the hall, "of the entire royal court of Everhold behaving so despicably. To think of you all taking advantage of my sister in this fashion. I am extremely disappointed in all of you." She paused and let her eyes move over the crowd. Pony after pony shrank from her gaze. "I trusted you all to treat my sister with the respect and courtesy you treat me, and which your position demands. You have squandered that trust, and you will live with the consequences of having done so." Luna watched the court shrink before her sister's words, and felt her cheeks burning. Is this it, then? Luna thought. Saved from the Court by my sister, like some foal bullied in a playground? "Let it be known that I will place a hold on every decision from tonight, and those of you who thought to exploit my dear sister with unreasonable requests will find your gains revoked. Is that clear?" Luna's head sank again. Her words from before rang through her head: Thy Princess honors her promises in all things, her word is law... except when I mess everything up and somepony else needs to clean up after me. The entire assembled court murmured apologetically with downcast eyes, unable to meet Celestia's gaze. Celestia nodded. "I hope you will all think long and hard about your behavior. Now, the bells have rung, and this Court is adjourned. All of you are dismissed." The humbled ponies filed sheepishly out of the hall. Some of them kept their heads high, their faces locked in arrogance, looking like kindergarten foals who had been forced to finish an unwelcome meal. Whiteblood stalked out of the hall with disgust and disappointment, robbed of his prize at the moment of his triumph. Celestia turned to Luna, who sat slumped sideways and low on the massive throne. "Come on, little sister, up you go," she said, and nudged Luna up on her hooves. "You just need to be firm with them. Show them who is Princess. If they step out of line, perhaps give them a little taste of the Royal Voice. None of them can stand against it, believe me..." Luna didn't respond. "Are you alright, Lulu?" "...No. No, I don't think I am, actually." Celestia looked down at her little sister with concern. "There's still an hour before the party," she said. "Perhaps you should go freshen up." "Oh yes... the party." Luna nodded. "Everything will be great... at the party." She stumbled slightly on the steps before the throne, and loped off to her chambers. – – – I am not going to cry. An hour had passed, and the party had begun. Luna sat in the dining hall, at the head of a long table filled with a grand feast, Celestia sitting at her side. A quartet of musicians played a light, festive waltz that very nearly succeeded in covering up the tension they were feeling. I am not going to cry. For the Night-Mare Night feast, Princess Luna was decked out in the traditional garb that she wore only this one night every year. The rest of the year, it was carefully sealed in a magical locker to avoid wear and tear. It consisted of her Night-Mare Woon gown, the color of what had been young Luna's favorite bird, the flamingos in the old Royal Palace Garden, and adorned with ornamental bands of airy, draping cloth, and threads tied together in elaborate looping, twisting patterns. I am not going to cry. Around her neck, in place of the black sash bearing her cutie mark she normally wore, hung a silver necklace adorned with massive gemstones in all the colors of the rainbow. The necklace dated back to a time of dragon invasion, in which precious metals and gemstones were forbidden to own, as they were all given to the dragon lords in exchange for the ponies' continued survival. As a result, great craftsponies had learned to create jewelry by other means. One genius unicorn had managed, through a masterwork of magical artifice, to create malleable material from a thick black fluid he found deep underground, and from this had created synthetic gems and chains that were nearly undistinguishable from the real thing without close examination. As the process was slow and expensive, and the products high in demand, to own these synthetic jewels quickly became a sign of great wealth and refinement. Few pieces of jewelry had ever collected such a great collection of these artifice gems and silver as Luna's necklace, and she had treasured it ever since. I am not going to cry. Finally, in place of her crown was the unique headgear she had specially crafted by the finest craftsponies in all Everhold's domains each year. Like Night-Mare Night itself, it was timeless and yet fleeting, and would not survive long past the night. It was with a brief pang of a broken heart that Luna allowed it to pass on each year, reminding herself that next year it would come back. It was a cone of paper, with a glittering star at its point, covered in golden, shining foil, held in place atop her head by a slim strip of miraculously tensile fabric that stretched underneath her muzzle from its mooring at the base on either side of the hat itself. I am not going to cry. The ensemble was almost as old as she was, and had been gifted to her by the King of the Firmament on the eve of her coming into her full power. She still had the message that had come with it, written in the ancient magical rune-script of the pre-material earth and whose meaning was now a mystery to all but the dozen or so individuals still living who knew how to decipher its secrets: "Happy Sweet Sixteen, Lulu – With love, from dad." I am not going to cry. The musicians were playing, carefully stone-faced, not looking up from their instruments at the scene of the dinner. "Lulu – I am so, so very sorry about this..." "It's not your fault, Tia..." "Something must have happened with the guest list, it must not have gotten lost somewhere before the organizer got it-" I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry. "Tia," Luna raised a hoof to silence her. "Don't... Just... don't say anything. Please." The two of them were sitting alone at a table with seats and food set up for forty ponies. Apart from the two alicorns and the four musicians playing on the podium on one side of the chamber, the dining hall was entirely empty. Luna kept her eyes fixed on the slice of Zebrican Night-Time Voyage cake on the plate before her. She took off a bite with a levitated spoon and brought it to her mouth, chewing softly. It somehow tasted both cloying and bitter. Celestia was speaking quietly, but Luna wasn't paying much attention. "...I went down and spoke to the mailponies. It does indeed appear that everything was in the delivery that came up to us earlier." She glanced over to the tribute table which stood empty on the side of the dining hall. Luna gave a brief look to Celestia, and it occurred to her how much her sister sounded, and looked, like their mother. The musicians reached the end of their piece. Before they could begin another, Luna raised a hoof. "That will be enough." Celestia gave her a questioning look. Luna's eyes moved over the empty hall, the table of excuses, her sister's disappointed frown that reminded Luna more than anything else of how her mother had looked when she failed to adequately shield her foals from the world, and the four musicians who were now whispering nervously to one another. She made a decision. "I'm going out on a trip," she said. "You may have the servants take away the feast. I feel... the need for some fresh air." "If you give me five minutes to prepare I'll go with you-" "No!" Luna snapped, and winced at the sound of her tone. "I'm sorry. No thank you. I'd like to be alone." Tia looked at her with concern, and nodded. Luna returned to her chambers again and removed her gown, returned to her customary finery: her slippers, sash, and the simple, comfortable crown. Thus attired she stepped out on the balcony and felt the chill wind against her coat, seeming to stroke her gently. With a bound, she leapt up into the air, and soared through the night-sky above Everhold. She circled over the city, looking down at the network of lights that lay below and outside the great palace, as she mustered her thoughts. She wanted, more than anything else, to simply fly far, far away and leave the Court behind. But where? She scowled and felt anger rising in her again as she listed the places she might go. Every city she had protected in the past, had sent her no recognition. Those that did, addressed her sister rather than her. Every village full of superstition that had scorned her. She could rise up to the tallest mountain peak and relish in the biting cold and the glow of her moon, alone... But she did not want to be alone, on this of all nights. Where can I... Her eyes widened as an idea came to her. Yes! Of course! My school, founded in my honor. It has been a while since I found the time to visit, but surely there I will still be welcome. She turned, and flew off towards the distant province of Braytannia, to Cambridle.