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// Chapter 4: Idle Princesses are Curiosity's Playground 
// Story: Until Dawn 
// by MidnightScribble0914 
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Luna was so very bored.  She sat upon her cushion in the throne room, just to the right of Celestia’s grand seat, forcing herself not to simply slump to her haunches and rest her cheek in her hoof with an exasperated sigh.  It was torture to even attempt to listen to every single one of the nobles and aristocrats bring their troubles before the sisters.  Everything from personal slights to property disputes.  Ridiculous disputes.
“His shrub is just over the property line and in my garden!  I take great pride in my landscaping and the pony he calls a gardener does not prune the shrubbery to my taste!  I demand he remove the bush or at least have his staff properly care for it!”
Luna set her jaw, using every last bit of her will to keep from either bursting out laughing or rolling her eyes.  She glanced at Celestia, who still graced her petitioners with her kind smile.  The Princess of the Night would never understand how her sister controlled herself so easily.  She had not always, as Luna recalled.  But Celestia was now a gracious and stoic leader of her ponies, and apparently shrubs.
“Mrs. Pennyworth, surely if you spoke with him cordially, Mr. Plush would be more than willing to listen to your concerns.”
“I have spoken to him!  He refuses to act, merely laughing at the slight against me!”  
Luna tuned out the shrill voice of the noble-mare, letting her mind wander to other matters.
Matters such as the fact that she had not left the castle in two nights.  After her first excitement filled excursion into the lives of the common ponies, she awoke to find her longing temporarily sated.  Especially being that she wanted to give her sore body a few days of the palace’s mundane routine to heal.  Now she was rejuvenated and the desire to once again venture out was becoming overwhelming.  The barn raising party at Sweet Apple Acres had been an excellent opportunity, but a similar one had not presented itself.
“Very well,” Celestia said, bringing Luna back to the situation at hand, “Guard, please send a messenger to the estate of Opulent Plush.  Ask him if he would be ever so gracious as to honor me with the gift of his superb shrub.  Tell him that Mrs. Pennyworth raved of its… presence, leading me to decide that such a bush should bear the honor of being planted in the royal garden.”
The royal guard bowed, promising a quick execution of her request and trotted out of the throne room, escorting a hesitant Mrs. Pennyworth.
“There!  Now that such matters have been attended to, I shall need to draw petitions to a close for today.”  The sparkling white alicorn looked to her steward.  “Are there any reports from the cities and townships that we should be concerned with?”
The steward glanced through his scrolls.
“Nothing of great importance, Your Highness.  Griffonstone sends reports of snows clouding the North.  Cloudsdale has informed you that the late summer gales scheduled next month might be delayed.  Ponyville has sent word that their farmer’s market has a few open stalls if any vendors from Canterlot wish to vendor their goods…”
Luna perked her ears at this.  A farmer’s market?  She had never been to a farmer’s market before, and she found the idea simply delightful.  Ignoring the rest of the steward’s reports, she lost herself in her plans.  She would need a saddlebag, for any goods she might procure.  Perhaps she would bring a shawl in case of cool weather.  And bits.  She would need to bring bits.
“Luna?” Celestia asked.  Luna shook her head and looked to her sister, who was already halfway down the steps descending from her throne.
“Sorry?”  
Celestia raised her brow and smiled knowingly.
“Court is over, sweet sister.  You are free to turn your attentions elsewhere.”  She leaned towards Luna to whisper.  “I know how much you dislike court.”
The Princess of the Night joined her sister, slowly descending the steps with her.
“I do not dislike court.  I just find it…”
“Dull,” Celestia finished, chuckling lightly.  “It can be rather tedious.  Just be grateful there are not more pressing matters to discuss, and that shrubs are our greatest concern.  I do not wish for a day when conflicts of consequence demand our attention.”



Luna was in the clouds, donning lavender and periwinkle once again as she soared towards her destination.  Her saddlebags hugged her snugly as she flew, the flaps whipping in the wind.
Escaping the palace unnoticed had required a different approach, as it was daytime and she would be easily spotted leaving her tower in a form other than her own.  She had decided to disguise herself as a royal guard, trotting with purpose to the treasury to procure a plain brown saddlebag and a modest amount of bits.  After all, nopony would question a royal guard requesting bits to compensate Mr. Opulent for his glorious shrubbery, especially with a scroll signed by Princess Luna herself.
After leaving the gates in her façade, it had been too easy to sneak into the labyrinth of tall hedges behind the castle, morph into Moonlight Breeze, and ascend from the maze to begin her journey.
It was late afternoon before she finally drifted into Ponyville.  She landed on a street in the center of town at a trot, looking this way and that for the market she sought.
“Excuse me,” she asked, approaching two ponies.  They both stopped their stroll to face her.  The mint unicorn smiled.
“Yes?”
“I am so very sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the farmer’s market?”
The cream coated earth pony with bright pink and indigo locks scanned the neighborhood.
“Oh yes!  It’s just on the other side of town.  Keep trotting down this road until you see the green banners and turn left.  The market is just through the trees in the clearing beyond!”
Luna gave her thanks to the two ponies before excitedly cantering her way down the street towards the market, nodding in greeting to ponies as she passed.



The market was alive, yet calm in comparison to the vendor district of Canterlot.  The clearing was lined with tents and stands, each vendor offering their wares at a negotiable price.  Luna felt completely comfortable as she browsed the stalls, watching in fascination as ponies bartered for goods.
“Ten bits for a cherry?  You’re mad!” a mare snorted at a gruff farmer.
“Asparagus!  Asparagus for sale!  Get it while it’s fresh!”
“Oh my, these carrots are simply scrumptious looking!”
Luna weaved in and out of the makeshift shops, enjoying the simple pleasures of the moment.  After purchasing a lovely handmade blue scarf from an amiable old mare, she made her way to a tent boasting the finest crafted candles in Equestria.  The bright blue pony shook her silver mane as the disguised princess approached.
“Need a charmed candle to help you sleep?  Or perhaps a lover’s flame to rekindle a dying passion?  Look no further than Trixie’s Torches of Enchantment!  What interests you today?”
Luna browsed the wax pillars.  She smiled discretely, noting that most of the powers the candles claimed were merely devices of illusion.  However, the imperfections of the handcrafted candles delighted her, and she found herself surrendering bits for several long tapers and a few black pillars to light her chambers.
As she trotted away from the boisterous vendor, she felt a cool breeze that made her shiver.  She reached her muzzle around to her saddle bags, delicately taking the end of her newly purchased scarf in her teeth and plucking it from her wares.  With a swish of her head, the scarf wound its way around her neck, settling elegantly around her shoulders.
“Oh darling!  That is simply divine!”  A pristine white unicorn with a curled main of deep violet was trotting up to her, inspecting her scarf.  “The stitching and coloring of it!  It suits you so very well!”
Luna blushed at the complement.
“Thank you!  I purchased it at the stand over there.  The mare is quite friendly.”  
The unicorn took the edge of the scarf in her hoof, gazing upon it with admiration.
“It really brings out the blues in your eyes, which are mesmerizing, by the way!  Yes, this is such a lovely choice for you!  It will float so nicely in the breeze as you fly.
“I must inquire about her embroidery.  Have an excellent evening!”  The unicorn cantered away, and Luna looked up at the sky to see that the pink and oranges of sunset had indeed crept their way unnoticed onto the horizon.



Cloud Climber gave Big Macintosh an exasperated smile.
“C’mon Mac.  I’m sure you can give me a better deal than that.”
The large red stallion returned the smile before diligently continuing to stack the crates of red and green apples in his wooden stand.
“N’ope.”
The pale blue pegasus laughed, surrendering his bits to the eldest sibling of the Apple Family.
“You’re terrible to a good friend.”
“Eeyup.”  Big Macintosh stopped his work to gather the bits in his mouth and drop them in his tin.  “You should come along with me tonight.  I’m headin’ over to the Boysenberry Inn for drinks with Cheerilee after market closes.  Love to have you.  Been too long since we conversated.  And it looks as you could use a drink, with that shiner ya got.”
Cloud Climber slid his newly purchased apples into his saddlebag.
“I could go for some cider.  You two are heading over to the inn just after sunset?”
Suddenly, there was a squeal that erupted from the small yellow filly that emerged from behind her big brother.  Apple Bloom bounced lightly on her tip toes, gesturing across the clearing towards the candle stall.
“Oooh, oooh!  I know that mare!  Remember her, Big Macintosh?  The pretty purple mare talkin’ to Rarity?”
The scarlet stallion glanced in the direction Apple Bloom was gesturing.  When he saw the lavender pegasus, he nodded.
“Eeyup.”
Cloud Climber looked over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes as he searched for the source of the filly’s excitement.  When he saw her, he quickly turned back to Apple Bloom.
“You know Moonlight Breeze?”
“Is that her name?  She never got around to tellin’ me at the barn raising party.  She seemed really nice!”
Big Macintosh nodded.
“Eeyup.  Quiet thing.  But sweet.”
Cloud Climber looked back and forth between the siblings, his mouth hanging slightly open.
“You sure that’s her?  That one?  The lavender pegasus with the white and light blue hair?  With the scarf?  Talking to Rarity?”
Apple Bloom nodded, a huge smile on her face.
“Sure is!  How do you know her?”
The pale blue pegasus glanced back at Moonlight Breeze, who was now looking up at the turning sky with a serenity he didn’t think she could possess.
“Apparently, I don’t.”  He smiled thoughtfully.  “But I do know that I’m light on bits thanks to Big Mac here, and that mare owes me a drink.”



Luna was slowly trotting back to the road, watching as vendors began to pack up their wares.  The sun would be setting soon, and the princess felt a twinge of regret that her day out of the palace would be so very short.  She spread her wings, lifting herself into the air to begin her flight back to the castle.
She had only reached the treetops when a blur of blue and feathers swooped in front of her from above.  She skidded to a halt midair, hovering in place as she looked up into the smiling face of the tall pegasus stallion she had encountered earlier that week.
“Well, if it isn’t the newest mare to grace Ponyville with her lunacy!  Hello again, Moonlight Breeze.”
She immediately noticed his formidable black eye, only in the early stages of healing, and lowered her head, maintaining eye contact.
“Hello, Cloud Climber.”  
He seemed to be looking down at her leg in interest.
“Looks like you’re on the mend.  Must not have crashed into any other flyers lately.”  Luna pulled her formerly wounded leg behind her other front leg, attempting to hide behind her periwinkle and white streaked mane.  She lowered herself a tad bit closer to the treetops, backing away from him as he hovered over her.
“Yes, Fluttershy did an excellent job binding my injury.”
“Well, that’s fantastic,” the stallion noted, flapping his wings to edge himself back into conversation distance.  “And what excellent timing that I run into you like this.”
Luna met his gaze with confusion.
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Well, I just happened to stroll into the market today to purchase a few tasty apples.  Big Macintosh was kind enough to invite me out for some cider and conversation at one of the local taverns, The Boysenberry Inn.  What an excellent opportunity for you to repay my valiant deed of saving your life by buying me a drink!”
Luna eyed him with hesitation, lowering herself even closer to the ground.
“I had not realized you were serious when you suggested this before.”
Cloud Climber tilted his head, appraising her thoughtfully as he swooped closer.
“To be honest, I wasn’t.  But then, that little filly there caught sight of you while I was bartering with Big Mac,” he continued, pointing across the clearing to the bouncing Apple Bloom, who was excitedly waving with a large smile at Luna. 
Luna brightened a little, waving back.
“So what does Apple Bloom have to do with me accompanying you to a tavern?”
“Well, she got really excited, talking about the ‘nicest mare’ she met the other evening at her family’s barn raising bash.  And I thought, surely such a ‘nice mare’ would not turn down the opportunity to reward the actions of the stallion that saved her life, especially since he was initially rewarded with only rage and threats.”
Luna lowered herself once more only to find her hooves hitting the ground.  Cloud Climber landed in front of her and folded his wings against his sides.
“So what do you say?  You up for a night of guilt trip induced drinking?”
Luna glanced up at the sky, the horizon now bursting with scarlet and deep purples.
“I… have things I must do… perhaps another time?”
“No time like the present, Moonlight,” he said casually, reaching into his saddle bag to retrieve a bright red apple.  He toyed with it, tossing it from hoof to hoof before tossing it to her.  Luna fumbled with the apple slightly before finally grasping it tightly to her chest.
“C’mon now,” he continued, “You’re new around here, I’ve gathered, and could use a night out to meet a few ponies.  Unless, you know, you’re too scared to spend a night out on the town with the stallions.”
“I am not scared,” she retorted, raising her chin defiantly.
He grinned at her slyly, and in that moment, Luna made a decision.
“Very well, Cloud Climber.  I will attend your little get together at the tavern.  Please tell me where this establishment can be found.  I have a quick errand I need to attend to and then I will meet you at the inn.”
Cloud Climber narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.
“You’re not going to show up are you?”
Luna glared at him.
“You question my integrity?  I said I will be there and I shall.  Now where is this inn?”
After giving her brief directions, he spread his wings and beat them softly, rising into the reddening sky and away from her.
“Eat that apple.  You’re going to need something in your stomach.”  He winked at her before taking off like a shot in the direction of the inn. 
Luna stared after him for a few minutes before quickly glancing around the horizon.  She burst into the air, flying quickly towards a formidable cliff face in the distance.
Coming to rest on a grassy outcropping high above the earth, the princess morphed back into her dark blue self.  She looked down at the apple in her hooves, pursing her lips.  She then took a large bite of the crisp fruit, chomping loudly as she summoned her magic, bringing the waning gibbous of her moon high into the sky.



Luna circled above the treetops, once again disguised as Moonlight Breeze.  She saw the lights of the tavern, the candlelit windows blinking at her in the darkness as she approached.  To her surprise, she could see the silhouette of a tall pegasus stallion in front of the establishment, leaning against a lamppost.
She touched down softly, folding her wings back as she trotted up to him.
“You waited outside for me?”
Cloud Climber shrugged.
“I thought it would be the polite thing to do.  Plus I didn’t want you to lose your nerve at the idea of having to trot in alone when you hardly know anypony.”  He motioned towards the large oak doors.  “Shall we?”
Luna stared at him blankly, not sure whether to take his words as a kindness or insult.  She decided it didn’t matter, and quickly spoke.
“I only have until dawn.”
He grinned wickedly.
“Then we’d better get started.”