Just before she hangs her head to cry I sing to her a lullaby.
Chapter published 14th December 2013
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October 1218 AC
As the first rays of the early morning sun began to spread their light across the rooves and parapets of the fair city of Canterlot, a lone figure made his way along a quiet cobbled street.
Passing the darkened windows of shops and cafes, he would occasion spot a fleeting sign of life within. Passing a bakery he spotted a baker hard at work setting out her goods behind the glass while at a breakfast bistro he spied some annoyingly sprightly staff preparing tables ready for their first customers of the day.
Every now and then he’d catch sight of a lone Lunar Pegasus of the Night Guard passing overhead, but for the most part the city was his own private stage, the gentle clicking of his heels against the cobbles echoing back at him with every step, the street singing its own song of life with the sounds of his feet.
After reaching the end of the street he passed through a park, stopping for a while to listen to a particularly vocal group of birds as they serenaded him with tweets from the tree tops. Lero didn’t know how to speak bird - that was Fluttershy’s domain - but he could easily gather the basic message behind this dawn chorus all the same. These tiny impresarios were full of the joys of spring, and really wanted to tell him all about it. It was just a shame that it was autumn, Lero thought, though he didn't have the heart to tell them so.
As he stood listening, a strong breeze ran over the park, blowing loose leaves from the trees which span and danced before fluttering to the ground around his feet. Raising a hand he caught a seed pod as it fell from the tree, arresting its fall with his palm as it helicoptered its way down towards him.
Years ago, a lifetime away now it seemed, he and his friends had played with seed pods like these back in his carefree youth. A time when ‘tweeting’ had held such a different meaning in his day to day life.
Tugging at the thick strap across his chest, which in turn pulled the large bag on his back tighter to his body, Lero tore himself away from the chirps and warbles of the miniature choir and continued his journey towards the centre of the city.
Canterlot Castle in all its glory loomed over him as he approached, all ivory white and vibrant gold, the occasional highlight of mauve or purple poking through in places. According to his unicorn herdmates, who were both born in or around the city, the few purple elements of the city had been gaining in boldness these last few years, perhaps to signify the growing importance of the Princess of the Night. Be this as it may, the city was still primarily adorned in white and gold, colours associated solely with the Alicorn of the Day rather than her younger sister, and this fact showed no signs of changing any time soon.
It occurred to the human, as it had a number of times before, that the Princess of the Night was as much a ‘stranger in a strange land’ as he was; he a creature from another world, she a princess from another time. Over the last few years they’d both had to become accustomed to this brave new world, so different to the worlds they had known before, so alien to the lives they’d left behind.
A thousand years had changed this world, of that there was no doubt - even this noble and ancient castle’s age could ‘only’ be measured in centuries. Not as much as the human’s homeland could change given a thousand years, this was true, but the changes were still there. Lero could see, perhaps better than any other mortal on the planet, how this land would appear to the ebony princess’s eyes, being as initially unfamiliar with the ‘norms’ of modern Equestrian society as she.
At times, Lero could see the concern, the worry and doubt, behind the mighty alicorn’s smile, the fear behind her eyes. She came from a different time, a time of uneasy alliances and civil wars, of instability and disharmony. To her all this ‘peace’ and ‘friendship’ seemed like nothing more than a fragile veneer, painted thinly over the world she had once known. At times it was as if Luna was worried that this peace would not last, that it was some kind of cruel and elaborate joke being played on her, that the curtain would eventually be whipped away to reveal that nothing had really changed.
A thousand years apart had given her a different perspective to that of her sister, a different way of looking at the world, different eyes with which to watch over their shared realm. To Princess Luna’s mind, her sister had become soft and complacent, her resolved weakened, her edge dulled from centuries of peace and opulence... and a few too many slices of cake.
As the castle gates came into view, a pair of Night Guards standing proud at their station, Lero considered his own relationship with the Alicorn of the Night. They certainly made a strange pair of friends, the alien and the princess. Maybe it was their mutual strangeness that had brought them together. That and their shared interest in the Running of the Moon Festival, though they were interested for different reasons. If there ever was an ‘odd couple’ to be found, then it was them. But friends they had become and, Lero hoped, friends they would remain.
She had come to him in his dream last night, not so many hours ago now. In her dream form she’d been so small in stature; little more than a foal, much less than a mare. He had only ever seen her like this once before, when the two of them had held their first dream vigil in the Field of Foals. Together they had guided many a young soul lost to the blank plague, remaining with them as they took their final journey to the great beyond, watching over them as they left the land of the living far behind them.
For her to have come to him in this tiny, much diminished form, he knew she must be feeling down to visualise herself as such even within her own realm. It had been an awkward conversation, the unusually reserved alicorn had asked him to come to the castle when he awoke, and then departed from his dream just as quickly and as quietly as she had arrived.
As he reached the gatehouse the guards waved him though without challenge - after all, who’d need to double-check the identity of the only human on the planet - both stallions saluting the human as he passed them by with a nod. He’d met a large number of the guards over the years - mares and stallions, both in and out of uniform - and he was still embarrassed to say that he could not for the life of him tell them apart whilst their armour’s enchants were still in place.
Passing through the courtyard and into the castle itself, doors were opened for him as he walked and he returned nods and waves from the occasional guard or member of staff, every now and again receiving a friendly greeting all along the lines of ‘Good morning, Master Lero, Sir’.
The human had long since gotten over his dislike of that particular honorific, which was probably a good thing as it seemed to be catching on all across the castle. He’d been offered the newly created title of “Master of the Realm” a few years ago - and also a number of times since - and had turned it down every time. Princess Luna however would still refer to him in public as ‘Master Lero’ and the title had caught on with both the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts - both organisations that considered Lero to be ‘one of theirs’, honourary member or not - before spreading to the rest of the castle.
It was ironic, Lero thought as he reached the spiral stairs at the base of Luna’s tower, pausing outside of the dark wooden door of her ground floor reception room, that the castle and its denizens had become so used to him over these last few years - and he to them - but that even now the same could not be confidently stated of the nation’s ‘other’ princess.
Taking the stairs he soon passed the night princess’s private office on the first floor, its own dark wood door standing in sharp contrast to the white walls and marble pedestal standing alone on the landing opposite to the door, the golden vase positioned alone on its pristine top holding a vibrant display of bright purple moon lilies.
Moving swiftly up the next flight he reached the second landing, the door to the princess’s private chamber guarded by a huge Night Guard earth pony as well as the Captain of the Lunar Pegasi himself, Captain Spartan Shield.
“She awaits within,“ Captain Shield rumbled before stepping aside so Lero could approach the large ebony wood door.
As the human reached for the door knob, the imposing pegasus leant closer.
“You will not be disturbed, Sir.”
Saying no more, the captain turned and moved to the top of the stairs while the his fellow guard moved to the other side of the landing to watch for any pony who would try to enter the princess’s tower via the Royal Observatory at the top of the stairs, both positioning themselves so that no-pony could hope to get past their impressively large forms.
Letting himself into the princess’s private chambers, Lero quietly closed the door behind him.
Finding the Princess standing with her back to him, gazing as she was through the chamber’s largest window, taking in the view as the sun began its slow daily journey across the sky, Lero gave her a moment.
Glancing around the room, he was always taken by how... cozy it always felt in here. Cozy and homely. Unlike her sister’s rooms, Luna’s private chambers were modestly furnished with dark wood paneling along the walls and a few simple but sturdy items of furniture scattered around.
Ebony wood was the most common material to be found, the near black of its grain most evident in the floorboards, but there was a fair amount of the reddy-browns of mahogany and rosewood all across the room with the occasional glimpse to be had of the deep purple of Amaranth.
A small modest table by the door held the royal accoutrements, the glittering platinum and brushed titanium of her current set so different from the smaller, darker set she had worn just a few short years ago.
Luna’s only real call to decadence to be found was a large and intricately detailed bed, probably one of the largest and most ornately appointed beds in the whole of Equestria. And Lero knew exactly how much care and attention had gone into its creation, he and his apprentice had hand (and hoof) built it themselves.
As happened every time he was here, Lero’s eyes were drawn to small patch on the floorboards by the bed. It still looked to him as if someone had dropped something like paint-stripper or varnish-remover on the floor which had then tarnished the finish. He’d offered before to see if he could refinish the affected boards but Luna had always insisted that the blemish be allowed to remain.
From within the fireplace a burning log shifted, the sudden rearrangement of the victims of the roaring blaze’s affections causing one of the pieces of wood to let loose a sudden ‘pop’. Turning her head towards the fire, Luna caught sight of her guest with the corner of her eye.
“Lero,” she hurriedly turned to face the human, “We are sorry to have left you standing there ungreeted, we... I did not hear you come in.”
“It’s not a problem,“ Lero assured as he moved over to the fireplace, dropping his carry case onto an overstuffed armchair on the way. Plucking an old cast iron poker from its hook he used it to prod at the fire. For some reason keeping this fire going always gave him a feeling of comfort, like indulging in an old habit or going over and over an old, familiar task.
Selecting two pieces of wood from the nearby scuttle he tossed them into the fire with a deft flick of the wrist that only could only have come from many hours of practice. Satisfied that his offerings had landed exactly where he’d wanted them to, he replaced the poker and turned back to the princess.
Watching her closely as she paced the length of her private chambers, Lero could easily tell that the princess of the night was deeply upset. He'd seen her like this a few times before - not many but more than enough - and deep inside he had a feeling he might be the only mortal alive today that ever had.
Sitting himself down on the arm of an ancient leather sofa - real leather too, a fact that would shock many among the population if it ever got out - Lero waited for her to speak her mind, knowing full well that pushing her too far or too fast would cause her to retreat back into herself.
“We... I have a favour to ask,“ she began after a short moment of awkward silence.
“I find recently I have been unable to sleep.” She turned to him with a crooked smile, as much emotional unease as embarrassed humour. “Odd is it not, that I who is in charge shepherding the dreams of so many cannot herself gain peaceful sleep? I guide so many others through the dreamtime, protect them, defend them... but who supports me?... who comes to my aid?”
Luna ceased her pacing for a moment, pausing to run a wingtip over the the back of the ancient deep red sofa, possibly considering the rich history held in such an old - and macabre - piece of furniture.
“Feel free to refuse, it will be a strange request I know.”
“What is it you want me to do?”
“I... would like you to sing for me.”
“You want me to sing to you?”
Luna shook her head slowly.
“No, not to me, though I will admit that I would like that as well. You sang to me before if you remember, that night when we- well... You reminded me that although at times I must shoulder a heavy burden, that there is no shame to be found in tears shed for others, that to reveal my inner self is not to lessen myself. But most importantly you helped me to see that it is not a weakness to request assistance from my...”
‘Shy’ was not a word that could often be used to describe the usually bombastic princess of the night, but as she looked away from him, it was the only word that would come to Lero’s mind.
“...friends.”
As she moved away, back to the window, Lero could easily see the myriad of glimmering stars in her mane, the great nebula that swam around the edges, contrasting beautifully against the deep, glossy black of her coat.
“That was the first time in over a thousand years that I have been sung to... I alone I mean. But no, today I would ask that you would sing for me, to sing in my place, to be my guide as I enter the world of my dreams, to delve into my very own dream time. She says you would be able to.”
Turning away from the window, Luna came to Lero and faced him head on.
“Oh it sounds so silly and I feel such a foal for asking this of you but...” the mighty princess of the night took a deep breath, “Mother says that I should ask you to sing me to sleep. There, I have said it. You may laugh now if you wish.”
Turning her head as if to look away, Lero couldn’t help but notice that Luna kept flicking a large cyan eye back to take him in as her ears started to droop.
“No, I wouldn’t laugh,” Lero reached out and turned his friend's head back to face him, “and it’s not silly, it’s quite...”
Don’t say ‘cute’... Whatever you say next, don’t say ‘cute’.
“...an honour. I’m touched that you’d ask, really.”
“So thou doth consent?” Luna asked, her ears springing back to a happier position.
“Of course, why would I ever say otherwise?” Reaching across to the nearby armchair, Lero pulled over his luggage and began to undo its straps. “But what should I sing?”
Luna’s ears drooped once more.
“In truth I do not know. She says you will somehow know, She was quite insistent on this.”
Fingers worked deftly with pull-ties and drawstrings as the guitar that she had last night requested he bring with him was produced from its carry case.
“Perhaps you could tell me some of what troubles you? Then we can see if anything pops up?”
Luna nodded, there was logic in his words.
“With each passing day ever more of my memories are returning to me and as time passes I learn more of my love. But with every precious moment of our time together that I recover it is yet more I learn that I have lost.
“I.. I have lost much, and each memory regained is yet another element of him that I will never have the untold pleasure to experience again. Oh, what I would give to see him again, to tell him all the ways in which I miss him, for I do miss him so.
“As I treasure each returning memory, they also bring home to me just how much I threw away in my madness; every fleeting moment of joy returned just to remind me that he is gone, taken by my own hooves. The separation that I so feared, the very fear that gave birth to the Nightmare, I brought upon myself."
Luna sighed, a sigh available only to those who have seen more, experienced more, than any single mare should.
“One downside of my great longevity is that I know it will be an eternity before I can join him within the source. That is the truth that only now, after more than a thousand years on which to ponder my actions, am I finally beginning to accept.”
Bringing herself to her full height, standing tall and proud, her ethereal mane billowed around her head, the morning sun pouring in through the window catching her coat and her wings, making them shine. This was the Princess that the world knew, this was how she was to be seen, in all her radiant glory and majesty.
“We all have our place, my friend, our place and our time, and now is not my time to be by his side. That is my punishment, and my curse, and I will accept it gladly, as that is the way of things.
“So I would like you to sing to him, in my stead, to speak aloud the words that I would dearly love to say but find I cannot, for they elude me. I would like to sleep, perchance to dream of him again. For in that sleep that so escapes me, what dreams may come?”
As he took in the sight of one of the most powerful beings in all of Equestria, Lero could feel a small... tingling in the back of his mind as a flash of inspiration worked its way to the surface of his subconsciousness.
“I think,” he said as a small smile made its way to his lips, “that I know exactly what will do the trick.”
As the human pulled a chair over to the side of the princess’s large bed, the princess herself settled down on top of the layers of deep purple sheets - her head towards her human friend - and levitated pair of cushions over from by the headboard before laying them in front of her.
Seating himself comfortably at her bedside, Lero positioned his instrument on his knees, letting his fingers rest easily on the strings. Once he was sure that all was in place he let his fingers fly. As the confident yet mellow notes swam their way around the room, Luna crossed her hooves on top of the pillows and let her head rest upon them.
As the princess of the night listened, Lero began to sing.
Stars shining bright above you;
Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you'.
Birds singing in the sycamore tree.
Dream a little dream of me.
Eyelids drooped and breathing slowed as the words made their way to her ears, the soothing sounds lulling her towards sleep, the land of dreams opening the way for her to enter.
Say nighty-night and kiss me;
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me.
While I'm alone, blue as can be,
Dream a little dream of me.
As sleep took her, a contented smile graced the alicorn’s face, her mane settling around her neck and back, the infinite number of stars within cradling their dark mistress in their embrace.
Stars fading but I linger on, dear -
Still craving your kiss.
I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear,
Just saying this...
As the princess slept, creeping shadows and a chill air began to pervade the room despite the early morning sun streaming from the window. All the while Lero continued to sing and to play.
Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you -
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you.
But in your dreams, whatever they be,
Dream a little dream of me.
Lifting his fingers from the strings, Lero listen to her breathing, slow and steady. He knew that she didn't need to breathe per se, it was just a hangover from days long past when she was still mortal, an old habit of the flesh that she would never truly be rid of, even if she wanted to be.
As the room grew colder Lero’s breath began to come in small clouds. Luna continued to sleep deeply. At the back of his brain, the human felt another small, fleeting tingle, and strangely the glorious scent of a faraway cup of his mother’s coffee in his nose.
Putting down his guitar, Lero rose from his chair to sit on the edge of the bed. Gently he stroked the princess’s mane as he sang for her once more.
Someday I want to run away
To the world of midnight
Where the darkness fill the air
Where it's icy cold
Where nobody has a name
Where living is not a game
There, I can hide my broken heart
Dying to survive
There, no one can see me cry
The tears of my lonely soul
I'll find peace of mind
In the dark and cold world of midnight
His friend had many demons to work through, this was for sure - centuries of nightmares would take many years to chase away - and she had to work through those demons herself, that was just the way of things. But he’d help where he could, they all would. She wasn’t alone... no one should be alone.
After quietly packing his guitar back into its case and securing it to his back, Lero closed the curtains before pulling a large blanket over the princess’s sleeping form.
“Good night, my princess,” leaning over he planted a soft kiss upon her forehead, “and sweet dreams.”
Letting himself out of the room, he carefully pulled the door closed behind him, cutting off a small low-laying roll of fog that had followed him out, letting it dissipate silently around his feet.
As he made his way to the top of the stairs to begin his descent, he nodded to Captain Shield, the Guardstallion still standing tall and alert in the exact spot that Lero had left him in.
As the human came abreast of the captain, a wingtip caught his sleeve, the expression on the usually stoic stallion's face somewhat akin to that of a concerned father worried for his beloved child’s welfare.
“Thank you,” the stallion rumbled, releasing the human’s arm.
Lero nodded again.
“Any time,“ he replied as he took the first step on his journey homewards, “after all, what are friends for?”