Celestia and Luna were both very sad when they had to leave their parents and go live with their new instructor Star Swirl. When saying their goodbyes, Celestia shed a lot of tears and made their parents promise that they would come to visit. But Luna knew the truth. They wouldn't. Celestia and Luna were on their owns now. Oh, sure, they had Star Swirl -if he counted- and each other, but no one else.
No one lives forever.
Not even alicorns.
This is one thing Luna knew. No one had told her, but it had to be true. Stars died, so why should't alicorns?
The day the two royal sisters were to leave, Luna spent as much time with Loyalty as possible.
"Do you think we'll ever see each other again?" Loyalty asked.
"As long as Equestria spins on it's axis, I will never stop trying to be with you," Luna promised.
"What about when I die?" Loyalty asked, glumly.
"I will move where you are buried and visit your grave every day."
Loyalty laughed. "That's not the same."
"No, but I will still be with your bones, so it counts," Luna said, in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"What if I just come with you?" Loyalty suggested, grinning slightly.
"I don't know..." Luna dug at the dirt with her shoe clad hoof. "I don't think Star Swirl would let you."
"He'd have to if..."
Luna raised an eyebrow. "If what?"
Loyalty looked up at the sky. "If... we got married..."
Luna's head snapped up and she stared at Loyalty, who avoided her gaze.
"We've both been thinking about it for a couple of years by now, and you know it. You're not too young anymore, so you can't use that excuse," Loyalty quickly said, stringing all his words together in a rush, before Luna had any time to make excuses.
"Are you asking me to marry you?" Luna asked, coyly.
"I -uh- dunno..." Loyalty blushed. "I don't really know how..."
Luna smirked. "You say, 'Luna, I love you, and I don't want to be apart from you, so, will you marry me?'.
"Yes," Loyalty squeaked.
Luna burst out laughing.
Loyalty glared at her. "I don't think it's very funny," he said stiffly.
When the young alicorn was able to quelch her laughter, she said, "Loyalty, you're supposed to ask ME. Not the other way around!"
"And how do you know so much? Do princesses also study 'the ways of marital engagements'?" Loyalty asked, mimicking a prissy, upper class voice.
Luna blushed. "No, but... I may or may not have been reading on the subject."
Loyalty looked down. "Okay, fine. Luna, will you... -I can't believe I'm asking an immortal alicorn princess this- ...will you marry me?"
Luna grinned broadly, as butterflies attacked her stomach. "Yes."
The two slowly leaned in, their lips almost touching. Luna could feel Loyalty's breath on her face as she closed her eyes.
Suddenly, a high pitched voice called, "Lulu!! Where are you??"
The two young lovers jerked back, Loyalty silently cursing under his breath, and Luna blushing. "Oh come on!" she growled, her face bright red. Louder she called back, "Coming Tia!"
Luna started to fly off. When she realized Loyalty wasn't following her, she turned around and saw him still standing in the same place. "Well, are you coming along or not?"
Loyalty grinned and took off into the air.
***
At first everyone was horrified when Luna and Loyalty announced their engagement, Star Swirl especially - he simply could not tutor such a child of rebellion, as he put it-. But soon they all realized that they couldn't possibly keep the two apart. Luna's mother, though, begged her not to get married until she was finished with her studies with Star Swirl, and Luna agreed.
The years in which Luna and Celestia studied under Star Swirl were very long ones to Luna and Loyalty. Celestia, however, grew very close to Star Swirl and seemed to enjoy every moment with her tutor. Luna began to feel that Star Swirl's favorite was Celestia, as he didn't really seem to enjoy his teaching hours with Luna.
Luna couldn't wait, during the day, until her lessons were over and she could go and enjoy the moon with Loyalty -who was living in a little cottage, near by the castle that Luna stayed at-.
One night, the moon didn't' rise at it's normal time. Luna looked out of the window, concerned. As she looked up into the sky, trying to figure out what was wrong, she saw a star in the sky that was beginning to fade. Suddenly, Luna knew what was wrong. Her theory was right. Not even her father could live forever. The star that was dying in outer space was his star.
A tear slowly trickled down Luna's cheek as she watched the star completely fade away. Now the moon was completely her responsibility. She went out to a balcony and began to power up her magic. She felt a burst of power shoot up out of her and soon the moon was in place.
Luna looked up at it. "Goodbye, father," she whispered sadly.
She heard some pony fly up behind her.
"Luna?"
With tears streaming down her face, Luna turned around to see Loyalty standing behind her.
"What's wrong?" the pegasus asked with concern. From the moonlight that flickered down on the two lovers, Luna could see worry lines etched into Loyalty's face.
Luna gulped down a wave of tears and replied, "Alicorns don't live forever after all."