Luna did something she had never done before, and the media would have a field day with it if they saw this. She scooted closer, and draped her wing around him, pulling him closer. "You have done so much and come so far, there is no giving up now." She said. "You've done wonderfully, and you're going to let a tiny little thing like this stop you? I don't believe it for a moment."
His body was shaking, he rested his head against her large shoulder.
"I can't, Luna, it doesn't work like that. I've seen it too many times. Colts don't have a long time on the stage. I wanted to end with this show, maybe a few runs over the summer. It came too early. What am I going to do? Is there a spell you can perform?" An Age spell? No, he'd still sound the same only be a lot younger looking. She was not a plastic surgeon, though she knew flesh altering spells subtly enough, but it was a field too much like an art and magic that almost no one got good enough at for practical purposes.
Luna thought for a long time, and eventually, she nodded. "There is one." She said. "But because of the way it works, it would not take effect until right before each performance, and only last for the duration, meaning that practice and rehearsal would be fairly difficult. But I would do it for you," She said evasively.
A long life, a good memory and a close approximation to great magicians, as well as being a talent of her own. Luna knew many spells that ought never to be cast. This was not one of those, but neither was it one that unicorns needed to know about. It had its own risks and dangers. Comet was silent, reading her evasiveness.
"What do you have in mind?" He whispered. Outside she vaguely heard Gluon and Painted whispering to each other, flattening their ears against the door.
She had always been mischevious, not as big a prankster as Celestia, but she knew how to retaliate. But this was a serious matter, and one that she would not do for just anyone. Slowly, and calmly, she replied to him. "I give you my voice."
Outside, Painted and Gluon heard a "What?!"
Comet's expression was enormously surprised. He looked moved and worried. "Can... you do that? It sounds very dangerous, and, you're a princess, we'll be rehearsing a lot many hours a day, and you're awake at night… its too much pressure on you… is it safe? How does it work?" He looked conflicted.
Luna smirked. "It's not dangerous, it's exactly what it sounds like. I give you my voice. I work alone at night, so it's not like my voice is needed, and I can always use telepathy with Celestia. And it might give your performance a bonus degree of realism. But this is absolutely only between us, you understand." She warned. "It's no pressure at all."
He was moved to tears. "I won't even tell Gluon and Painted, they'll suspect, but they won't believe it. Although something tells me they already know. I... Princess Luna... I don't know what to say. This is quite an honor. I won't ask of it from you for long, three shows, then the Mask theatre gets a new staff and I'll start giving acting lessons, or perform comedic rules, you don't have to have a good voice for that. Its what all my ancestors would have done." It was a great gift to bestow, and he genuflected before her shortly.
Princess Luna was never one to be short of kindness, and nudged him up to stop his genuflect. "Stop that. You have worked so very long and hard, and come so far, I refuse to let you give up on your dream now." She commanded. "You may use it for as many shows as you wish, but I insist upon a full schedule detailing every location and time for every show. That much is nonnegotiable." She instructed.
"It won't be many shows, this was the last one, it will be performed here, in Canterlot and perhaps in Evodia. Then the traditional theatre will close down and I'll find something else to do. Even if I borrow your voice, which I'm blown away by you offering, I won't even be able to look the part." He didn't sound bitter, but it was obvious that the future held some worry to him. The ending of an era, it was inevitable, they had touched on it before, most of the colts that could perform the roles of mare were trained by stallions who had been in those roles. It was getting farther and further between, mares had decided that they could perform those roles just fine, which they could. Luna would never know the anxiety of suddenly having to find something else to do, or the freedom. Barely beginning to be a stallion and already having to decide on new career paths.
Luna could not help offering. "Young stallion, if ever you find yourelf in need of work, there are always jobs available at the castle. Some not quite as important as others, but paid jobs just the same. If ever you find yourself on hard times, I will personally put in a word for you for an interview. Perhaps you could even start a drama department in the castle."
Comet nodded. "Perhaps I can teach your majesty some oratory skills, she might be as good a Luna as me." A polite joke. There was of course also quite another solution to his problems. A very complex spell, hard to do, and all but impossible to undo. Though it wasn't clear whether that solution was what he would look for. He was trying to perform his best in this kind of theatre. But that spell might just be the only solution to this problem.
"We'll see, Comet." Luna said. "We'll see."