1005 years ago
It was with relief that Luna landed back on the balcony of her home. The negotiations between Equestria and the Kingdom of Griffonstone went on much longer than planned. She was eager to return to her family, especially her Little Star. She quickly changed back to her preferred form and opened the balcony door.
“MOMMA!” a small voice cheered, and Luna heard the sound of small hooves galloping on the stone floor. A smile came to her lips as she saw her three-year-old daughter appear. She was carrying something in her mouth.
“MY LITTLE STAR!” She lowered herself and picked her daughter up with her magic and hugged her. She then saw what her daughter had. It was a plushie alicorn that bore her very first form. 'Where did she get this?'
“Welcome home, honey.” She saw Darkwing come out of the kitchen. With her eyes she asked the question, and Darkwing nodded in understanding. “I found an old painting of you and your sister. You looked cute like that, by the way.” That caused Luna to pout, which brought a chuckle out of her husband. “So, I decided to have a pair of plushies made in your images' likenesses. That one is her favorite. She calls it 'Woona'.”
“Well, it is nice to know my Little Star has good taste. So, Twilight, were you good to deserve your new toys?”
“Yes, Momma.” Luna looked over to Darkwing questioningly.
“She actually was," Darkwing confirmed, "The worst was when she wanted you.”
Luna lifted Twilight so they could be face-to-face. She gave her daughter a sad smile before saying, “I am sorry, Twilight, but my duties as princess sometimes take me away from here. I cannot avoid that, but I do not have to go anywhere for a while.”
“Yay!” Twilight cheered. Luna gave a deep smile and nuzzled her little Twilight. She then carried her daughter to her room and played with her until supper.
At dinner, her husband asked, “So, how did the meetings with the griffons go?”
Luna groaned before answering, “I don't know what's worse. The griffon representatives or our nobility. If I could, I would put both in an arena and watch them fight each other. It would be very entertaining. Sadly, as much as I would like to ignore them, we can't anymore since they unified themselves.”
“You and your sister have protected us from worse, so we'll be okay.”
“Again, such optimism. I wish I had that.”
* * * * * *
The hours after dinner found Luna in her daughter's room, playing with her. Luna had the pink-maned Tia plushie in her magic.
“Beware! The big sister is coming in for your cake!” she said, having the toy fly down at Twilight. Twilight swung Woona went it got close, and Luna had Tia fly to the side. “And the younger sister saves the day again!” Luna then grabbed Twilight and, with her black wing, tickled Twilight on her stomach. Her Little Star laughed uncontrollably under the attack, Luna joining in the laughs.
“Sometimes, it's hard to tell which one of you is the foal.” Luna looked over to see her husband leaning against the doorway smirking at the sight before him.
“Just because I know how to have fun at times does not make me a child. Hay, I should take you to our castle in the Everfree.” Then, an evil idea came to her head, and she smiled widely. She saw Darkwing look on with fear, and her smile grew wider. “In fact, I think you should join us. Twilight! Tickle attack on Daddy!” Luna said as her mane grabbed Darkwing and pulled him in. He made a valiant effort to escape, but it was all for naught.
“WAIT! NO! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!” he screamed as she and Twilight dove in and began the tickle attack. “HAHAHAHAHAHA! NO, PLEASE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MERCY!”
Luna paused and looked at her daughter. “Well, should we?”
Her daughter looked like she thought about it, before she answered, “Nah.” And she began tickling her father again.
“Good choice!” And Luna joined in again.
A few hours later, Twilight was asleep in her bed with Woona in her hooves. She was so adorable. Luna herself lay in her bed with her husband.
“I'm gonna get you both for that,” Darkwing said.
“Promises, promises.”
She felt him shift in their bed. “Still, despite the tickle torture, I am the luckiest stallion alive to have two wonderful mares in my life.”
Luna kissed him and replied, “You are not the only one who is lucky.” Before either could say more, they fell asleep, and the sun continued rising outside for a new day.
* * * * * *
An alarm woke the couple up, and, after some stretching, Luna went to the balcony and raised the moon as her sister lowered the sun. Her royal duty done, she went to check on her Little Star. Entering the bedroom, she found that Twilight was still asleep and looking as adorable as ever. She hated waking her up, but she had to.
“Twilight, dear, time to wake up.” She nuzzled her daughter's head, only to have Twilight swat her face and turn in her bed. She nuzzled harder, and again Twilight swatted her. “Okay, no more Mrs. Nice Mare.” With her magic, she pulled the blanket away, causing a yelp from her daughter. She then took Twilight in her magic and took her to breakfast.
Breakfast was a simple affair. Yes, it could be as fancy as any in Canterlot, but dealing with the waste that went by the title of "nobility" has actually driven Luna from most of the fancy dishes. And anyway, her Little Star adored the pancakes they had.
After breakfast, Luna entered her throne room. A great, blue throne with her cutie mark in its original white dominated the room, but a small, lavender throne was added a month ago for her daughter. Celestia NEVER came to the Citadel, so it was safe to give her daughter the throne she deserved. Luna sat on her throne and saw her daughter sit on hers with Woona in her mouth again. Her daughter hardly went anywhere without the plushie, it seemed. That's fine; it will keep her busy as Luna dealt with her Night Court.
Sadly, her Night Court was not busy. Yes, her beloved bat-ponies did come to her when they needed help, but hardly anypony else came anymore. Hay, the last time she held it even in Canterlot, nopony came. She gave up holding it there or even at the castle in Everfree.
This night was typical for her. An hour of nothing, killing time by looking over reports and suggestions from her advisers on the running of the Citadel. She did see a few ponies seeking her help on one issue or another. She was always happy to help, unless it was a frivolous thing that never needed her help to solve, in the first place. Thankfully, after literally tossing some ponies out for making such requests, they dropped. The rest of the time she spent playing with Twilight until the court was closed for the night.
After dinner, the family played together, enjoying each other's company. Luna would admit that things could be better, but they could also be far worse. She was content with her life, right now.
* * * * * *
1002 years ago
Luna was looking over a proposal, when her husband came up to her.
“Princess Celestia has requested my presence,” he said.
Luna looked up from her proposal. “Why just you? Why not both of us?”
He shrugged and said, “Her letter stated that she didn't need to bother you with whatever she had planned. Apparently, her captain is ill, and she wants me to fill in for him on a job she needs done.”
Luna looked back to the scroll. “Well, at least she values your skill. Please be careful, my love.”
“Of course. I do have a family to return to.” With that, he went over and rubbed Twilight's hair. Their daughter, now six years old, batted it away.
“DAD!” she screeched, causing Darkwing to laugh.
“Be good for your mother, Twilight.” She nodded and held her Woona to her body. She still loved that thing. It was difficult to get it away from her if it needed fixing, but she loved seeing her precious Woona restored enough to forgive them. With that done, he took off for whatever task Luna's sister had for him.
* * * * * *
“Your Highness,” a voice said, causing Luna to wake up from her sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she saw her head maid Night Breeze looking at her.
“What is it, Breeze?” Luna asked, yawning.
“Princess Celestia has requested your presence.”
“Did she give any reason?” Breeze just shook her head in reply. Luna took on her second form and checked on Twilight, who was still sleeping. After a quick kiss on the forehead, she headed out to see what her sister wanted.
She arrived at Canterlot, as Celestia alternated between the castles every year. This year, it was Canerlot's turn. Landing late in the day, she walked into the castle. There, she saw Canterlot nobility hanging around. The all glanced at her before lifting their snouts in the air.
'Typical Canterlot nobility. Can't wait to see you run into something with that move.' She otherwise ignored them and went to the nearest guard.
“Where is my sister?” she asked.
“Follow me, Your Highness.” Luna did so, and they went through the hallways until he stopped in front of a door. “Princess Celestia is in here, Your Highness.” Luna nodded and opened the door.
“Sister?” she asked as she entered the room. She saw Celestia facing away from her. When Celestia turned around, there was sadness in her eyes.
“Oh, Luna, I'm so sorry,” she said.
Fear entered Luna's gut. “No,” Luna whispered. She raced towards her sister till she was beside Celestia's large form. There, on a bed next to Celestia, was her husband lying reposed. There were clear battle wounds all over his body. Anger and sorrow built up inside of Luna. She faced her sister. “WHAT HAPPENED!?” she snarled.
“I received a report of rogue griffons attacking on the border," Celestia answered, "Captain Iron Wall is ill, and your captain was very skilled. After hearing about the attack, I had hoped that recruiting him would start mending the rift between us. His force was ambushed, and while they manage to slay the raiding party, his wounds were too severe, and he died before we could get him to a hospital. He saved a lot of ponies with his bravery.”
Luna was in tears. Here, her husband lay dead. She knew, of course, that he would eventually die on her. That was the way of things. However, she thought she would still have decades before that happened. This was much too soon.
Darkwing was a good soldier. To be a captain of a guard, he had to be. He should not have fallen into a trap so easily. Unless the enemy was tipped off. Yes, that had to be it. Somepony did not like him, because he served her. That somepony made sure he died in the attack.
“I trusted you with his safety," Luna said coldly, "and now he is dead. Likely by betrayal, dear sister. I suggest you look closely at your forces. Never request help from my guard ever again.”
Before Celestia could respond, Luna lit her horn and teleported herself and her husband's body to the Citadel.
* * * * * *
After taking care of the details of Darkwing's funeral, Luna went to her daughter. Twilight had the right to know. Luna found her in Twilight's room, playing with the toy versions of Luna and her sister in simpler times. Twilight saw her and smiled, but her smile faded when she saw the look on her mother's face.
“Mom, why do you look like that? Why are you so sad?”
Luna looked at her daughter. “Because, my Little Star, Daddy...your daddy won't be coming back to us."
Twilight dropped her toys in shock. “What? Why? Why would daddy leave us? Weren't we happy?” Twilight asked tearfully.
“It was not by his choice, my daughter. Some evil beings took him from us. The funeral will be tomorrow so that you can say goodbye.”
Twilight said nothing, but she ran to her mother and hugged her as she cried, and Luna joined her. They spent many hours together mourning Darkwing's death.
* * * * * *
The next day, Luna was back in what she now considered as her true form. She wore her armor-like regalia, and her daughter wore a small tiara and tearfully stood next to her mother. Luna tried to look strong for everypony. A full military funeral was done for her husband. Luna said a few words to the crowd before she and Twilight said their final goodbyes. He was then placed in his stone coffin, which had the following words inscribed into the side:
Darkwing 977 AD-1002 AD
Brave Captain of the Lunar guard, and a loving husband and father.