//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 // Story: Moonlit Romance // by Lux //------------------------------// Chapter 17 The trip back felt more like a death march as you finally approached the gates of the castle. The close you reached the place you were so familiar with the more painful the memories echoed in your mind, memories of what could have or should have been but now never would take place. In that short time of happiness your restraint was at its weakest and to your dismay it finally broke. Part of you knew that it was inevitable that this moment would come, a time when your heart overtook your mind. The closer you were with Princess Luna the stronger your heart became and the harder it was to suppress your feelings for the Princess. Even with the eventual response with her, you still felt terrible about what happened. There was still the lingering idea that if you only suppressed your feelings a little longer and bonded more with the Princess that then she would be more open to your feelings and maybe, just maybe, respond in kind. Again it was silly to think that you could hold out with your emotions or that Luna would be any different a day, week, or month from the present. It was merely a fleeting dream, like the ones Luna saw on a daily basis, one that you now knew wouldn’t come true. “What will I do now?” you asked yourself as you passed by the empty throne room and into the halls devoid of anypony else. Your hoof steps echoing across the marble only further expressed the emptiness in your heart now that the one thing you hoped to be was now gone. There was no way of going back to your life as a guard after being friends and declaring your love for Luna. You heard the stories of former lovers trying to be friends, but despite that the memories of that former life still resonated in their minds. Even being a guard again would be uncomfortable as the castle held memories of places you went and fun things you experienced with the Princess. You reached for the moon and now felt yourself not among the stars like you were when given such a great opportunity guarding a Princess but back on the ground. There was no choice in your mind now other than to quit guarding the castle. “Maybe I can be a guard patrolling the city, or guarding some wealthy family,” you said disbelieving that you even were thinking up such bad notions, “Oh what have I done? I had all this opportunity, a perfect job and a perfect friendship, and now I’ve destroyed it all for love. Why must my heart be fond of a Princess, something I could never reach? To think that Luna could ever love me!” Tears began to well up in your eyes as you found yourself in that familiar floor of the castle where the Princesses lived and where you once lived. The last thing you wanted to do was to meet Celestia and explain what you did as doing so would be like opening wounds up again. You knew that eventually you would have to explain yourself as a simple declaration of quitting wouldn’t suffice the Princess of the Sun. If only there was a way for Luna to see how you felt, but that was yet another dream. You paused as you approached the great door leading to Princess Luna’s chambers, thinking about entering in and hoping to explain how you felt. But you felt that things already were tense between each other and invading her privacy would be the last nail in the coffin. With a sigh of defeat you turned and proceeded towards your room, settling your mind on packing your things. As you approached the door to your room, you noticed that it was ajar. You couldn’t remember whether you left it open like that in your haste to meet the Princess or not, but usually being a guard you were more careful with such things like security. Perhaps Luna took it upon herself to pack your things, a parting shot to your former friendship. As you opened the door, you could hear in the darkness the sound of something or somepony moving. If it was truly somepony like Luna moving out your things, why all the secrecy of the darkness? “Hello?” you said fumbling for the light switch, “Is somepony there?” Suddenly the room became lit as you gasped, for there sitting on your bed was Princess Luna looking solemn in her pose. “I was wondering when you would come back,” she said looking up at you, “You had me worried.” “Princess Luna I…” you said but Luna silenced you by raising her hand. “Please,” she said, “Let me speak. You were right; my mind was still in the past, playing back the memories of my past love when I couldn’t see the present and you standing there. I admit that I had a stirring of feelings for you since the day I met you, as you reminded me so much of him from the past, and much more. But every time I thought of loving you my mind thought about the past and not wanting to repeat the same mistakes. And so I kept my feelings locked away, and for that I was a fool. My sister told me that we must rule with our minds but live with our hearts, and I didn’t listen to my heart once again. Instead I turned you away, and that was the greatest mistake of all. Can you forgive a silly mare like me for breaking your heart?” “Of course ,” you said without hesitation even though you weren’t sure exactly what that meant. “Thank you,” Luna said, “and now I declare that I Princess Luna do you love you and I am unafraid to express that to you or anypony else.” “So you mean…” you said as she reached over and kissed you on the lips as time stopped and your once saddened heart awoke. “You talk too much,” Luna said with a grin as she parted your lips, “So, are you ready to try this relationship again?” You didn’t need to reply with words as you kissed her again on the lips, taking the mare by surprise as you watched her wings suddenly flare up. All the feelings of doubt and despair melted away, giving way to joy and pleasure. "I've had many a stallion kiss me," Luna said as she rose from the bed, "But you are definitely one of the best. Keep stealing my heart this way and maybe I'll let you into my private bedchambers, if you know what I mean." She sashayed her way slowly past you, letting you drink in the fullness of her body. She opened the door and made her exit, but not before turning and giving you a cute wink that reminded you that even Princess could forgive and love conquers many mistakes. As you pondered how the night changed from good to bad to good again, for once you didn’t care about the future or what others though as long as you were with the Princess of the Night and now the love of your life. The End!