//------------------------------// // Recollections // Story: Moonlight // by Unimpressive Vagaries //------------------------------// Recollections: Princess Luna sat alone in her study. It was the same study, with the same cantankerous old grandfather clock, in the same castle, in the same city, attached to the same mountain that, a thousand years ago today, her deceased husband had proposed to her in. She could still remember that day as clearly as if it were yesterday. Gizmo had been acting strangely for a while, avoiding her inquiries about his behavior with skill rivaled only by the most primitive of primates. Every time she asked him, he'd say nothing was wrong. She had almost been worried, but her stallion was a unique one, so, for that night at least, she would give him the benefit of the doubt. They had a date planned for that night to a Sapphire Shores concert. She would, of course, disguise herself so as not to garner unwanted attention. They attended the performance, sang along, danced and made merry just as many of the other couples had. It was a good time, and it would only get better. In the early hours of the morning, Gizmo accompanied her back to her study, and, after a quick peck on the lips and a loving “Good night,” she had been surprised when he asked her if he could, for a moment, come in. She allowed it, of course, and, with a slight tremble in his step, he entered. He fidgeted for a moment before her, opening his mouth. “Luna, I...” He stopped. “I...” He averted his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. “Luna, w-would-” Luna put a hoof to his lips. She was reminded of a certain scene from nearly three years before. “Gizmo, speak. I shall not bite.” Her touch, as always, seemed to shock his brain into coherence. “Luna... I... I love you. I love you so much.” She smiled, giving him a light nuzzle, which he tenderly returned. “I've realized over the past few years that I don't want to live without you. I don't want to spend another lonely night away from you.” Her heart swelled. “What I mean to say is...” He dug around in his ever-present saddlebag, finally emerging with a small, velvet covered box clenched in his teeth. He set it on the floor, looking at her with a faint smile upon his lips. “Princess Luna, will you marry me?” A tear leaked from her eye, and one from his as well. “I would be happy to accept, my dear, wonderful Gizmo.” She sighed at the memory, feeling very, very old. Despite the millennium that had passed, her physical appearance had changed little, though her mind was becoming more ancient by the day. Fittingly, the ring which Gizmo had purchased for her was adorned with a moonstone. This had spawned her most famous creation. Every year, on the anniversary of their engagement, the moon was surrounded by four stars, forming a stellar ring with the moon as the crowning jewel. The stars had been the ones to keep her imprisoned for a thousand years, but now they were testament to much, much more. She gazed out over the balcony of her study, smiling at her night sky. Tonight was such a night, and the constellation shone brighter than it ever had before. She was glad that she had accepted his offer for a first date. It had given her pause, at first, the offer of courtship from a pony of such lower rank. In the end, though, she had decided that, because he had been nothing but sweet to her for all the time she had known him, she would accept. Ding!  She was startled out of her revere by the sharp sound of a small bell. She looked around her study, searching for the source of the noise. It took her a few minutes of looking, but she finally took notice of the small, gilded orrery resting on her desk in the same place it had been since she had first received it. A small access hatch, completely invisible when closed, had opened on its side. Her eyebrows creased as she leaned in for a closer look. There was a small bit of yellowed paper folded up and wedged inside a little compartment in the hatch. She removed the paper, carefully unfolding it. Dear Princess Luna, First let me say, I have no idea how things went between us. If you're reading this, it's probably been over nine hundred years since I died. Perhaps we didn't work out, perhaps we did. Perhaps we married and lived happily for years. All I know is that I will not let our relationship go without a fight. I love you too much. Whatever the case, I've built this orrery to open when the gem runs out of power, which, since you're reading this, probably just happened. Just in case you say no to my date, just in case we don't work out, just in case I'm not worthy of you, I just wanted you to know: I have, do, and probably always will love you. Yours, even in death, Gizmo A tear, soon followed by many others, rolled down Luna's cheek, sparkling in the dim light of her study. "I love you too, my beloved Gizmo." She gingerly refolded the paper, placing it back inside the hatch. Lighting her horn, she re-enchanted the gem, putting enough power into it to ensure its functionality for yet another millennium. "I shall always love you, my beloved pony." The End