Luna was nervous. This was almost as bad— no it was worse than her first trip to Ponyville after the end of her banishment. The mare had done everything to make sure everything was perfect, consulting with her dearly beloved sister. There had been a great deal of painstaking attention to detail. Everything had been taken into account. All the years of work she had put in had led up to this moment.
Celestia had helped. Even now, the white alicorn was in the back of the room, watching her sister pace back and forth on tippy hooves. No matter how much she reassured Luna everything was going to be all right, the smaller alicorn was a ball of nerves. The mother of Sunshine had worked just as hard as her little sister with guiding her husband to this point. The Alicorn of the Sun had done her part. Now it was up to the Alicorn of the Moon to do hers.
Seven years of chasing was more than long enough. From the moment Celestia had announced she was pregnant with her daughter, Luna wanted to join their herd. There was one glaring problem, though. Celestia’s husband was born from a culture of monogamous marriage. Polygamy was more or less frowned upon, even against the law. Such a cultural taboo was unheard of in modern equine society, but Luna had to admit limitations on marriage was part of the problem as documented by the Tribal Wars long before the founding of Equestria.
Herd marriages were still unusual, but accepted during these modern times. Luna remembered how the implementation had helped to bring Equestria about in the aftermath of the Unification.
Two thousand years was a long time to reflect back on pony society, especially when one had a sister who had witnessed every day since.
Luna overlooked her work: A small table. A single candlestick with a fresh candle in the center of it. Settings for two. Utensils in their proper places. Napkins folded into neat triangles. She had the royal chef cook up something special; grilled sea bass with brown rice and steamed vegetables. An aged bottle of Chardonnay chilled in an ice bucket set on a tray. A pair crystalline wine glasses were set nearby.
A small voice piped up, full of encouragement. “Auntie Luna, you’re so pretty tonight!” Sunshine was dressed in pink and white pajamas, ready for bed. She sat just behind Celestia’s withers, her legs bouncing up and down excitedly on her mother’s shoulders. The little girl was trying to fight the sleep monster stalking her. It was clearly a losing battle.
Luna looked down at herself. She had forgone her usual torque and crown. The alicorn chose a simple light blue dress hemmed with silver. It hugged her form, though she worried if it left too little to the imagination. A silver circlet adorned her head, simple and elegant. He was not a fan of heavy makeup. Simple tastes with a complex personality.
For seven years she had pined after the human. Despite his strange name, it rolled off her tongue as naturally as the sweet off a caramel. Celestia had courted him for five years before that. A decade before the romantic whirlwind which had divided the nobility as neat as you please, he had spent his time adjusting to this world, trying to fit in.
His old world could never be reclaimed. A stint through the mirror in the Crystal Empire had been a journey in heartbreak and disappointment.
Luna had been his friend since his first contact with equines. It had been a casual friendship and the two had learned of modern Equestria together. She had loved him then, but never realized it until her sister unwittingly fell in love with him and he in turn with her. The guilt haunted her eyes for not realizing she, too had fallen in love for the strange creature from a parallel world. For a while, the strain had threatened to tear her apart from her sister, as well as the human she held near and dear to her heart.
Love could be a terrible monster.
“Do you think so?” she asked her niece with a gentle smile. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she thought of what she must look like. She had primped and preened herself for an hour after putting on the dress, utilizing several of her sister’s ladies-in-waiting when they were offered. The tittering girls did their best and Luna was grateful her sister had done everything she could to help (within reason, of course).
“You look as beautiful as your night skies,” Celestia told her. She flared her wings partially, casting her magenta eyes over the room. “You have worked too hard for this. I only wish it could have come sooner.” The white alicorn strode forward, her daughter astride her back. Sunshine had her father’s humanoid form and could even pass for a human herself, if not for startling eyes exactly like her mother’s and natural pink hair.
Luna nearly broke into tears. “Thank you, ‘Tia, Sunshine. You both have been wonderful.” She focused on her niece. “And you, young one, have been a great help to me.” She nuzzled first Celestia, then her beloved niece, grateful to have such family to support her. “Sister, if you are certain…”
Celestia laughed. “I fully support and endorse your pursuit! I want you happy, Lulu. I want him happy. I want all of us happy. I think everyone has suffered enough. All this bluster and talk of taboos has worn thin. It is time to move on and embrace the things which could not be said or done publicly.” She returned the nuzzle affectionately. “I don’t want my daughter to cry because she thinks her aunt is always sad and mopey.”
“I have always thought my petty jealousies have held me back,” admitted Luna. “It has been so difficult learning new ways. Equestria has changed so much. The culture I once knew has been gone for so long, I felt for the longest time a stranger within my own borders. The Equestria that once was long ago slid into the mists of time. This new Equestria had frightened me… I have you to thank for being there for me.”
Her sister shook her head. “Luna. I love you. You had someone to share the same growing pains as you in the one we both have come to love and cherish. He has been as much your guide as I, at times better, I think.”
Luna smiled and went in for one more soft nuzzle. She leveled her gaze at Sunshine and saw sleepy eyes smiling back at her. “I think it is time for the other sun in your life to set and get her rest,” she noted quietly to Celestia.
“I’m not sleepy!” grumped the girl sleepily.
“I’ll visit you in your dreams,” promised Luna.
“M’kay,” sighed the little girl with smile. “Love you, Aunt Luna.” She managed to grasp the princess by the end of her muzzle with both her tiny hands and pulled the compliant alicorn in for a goodnight kiss.
“Good night, my little sunshine,” Luna whispered. She pulled back and felt Celestia’s hug. Instinctively she leaned into it and hummed happily. “Good night, ‘Tia.”
“Have fun, Lulu.” Celestia had a twinkle of mischief in her eye. “I’ll mind the moon in the morning, so you don’t have to worry about your duty in the morning. I imagine you’ll be quite exhausted.”
Luna gaped at her sister in shock. “Celestia! Young ears present!”
Celestia noted her daughter was already fast asleep after a casual glance over her shoulder. “Oh, I said nothing scandalous. Now, you go and do something scandalous tonight!” She leaned in. “Don’t make me watch. You won’t like it if I have to watch and make sure you get him to say yes. Or make you pop the question. You have my permission! You have my blessing! Stop being a silly filly and just do hi-, er, it!”
Luna squeaked, her ears having laid flat against her skull.
The elder alicorn trotted off, chuckling as she disappeared from the room.
Luna then heard the voice of the human she had spent seemingly a lifetime pining for. He was greeting his wife, his voice a quiet murmur as he was mindful of his sleeping daughter. She spoke his name with all of her love and affection. Celestia wished him luck and giggled in the awkward silence following. Luna’s heart pounded in her chest, her wings going into a kerfluffle as if to make her inner conflict come out into the open. Quickly, she forced them down by shaking them out, straightening her dress and smoothing out imagined wrinkles. The room felt suddenly stuffy and warm!
Her horn lit up and the windows opened, letting in the nighttime breeze. Inhaling deeply, she exhaled as her ears perked towards the sound of padded feet stepping across the marbled floor. It could be very hard to make out his footsteps, as he was wont to wear footwear during warm weather months.
He was easily taller than Celestia, who in turn was a head taller than Luna. His rugged face was smooth; his aftershave was not overbearing. He had opted for a formal suit and tie, now a rage with business ponies. It was a dark blue, his tie red. The dress shirt was white and made of silk, like his tie. The apprehensive smile on his face told Luna he was just as nervous as she was about this dinner. He knew this was important to her, as Celestia had been dropping hints to him for the past month her sister was planning something big. His eyes were wide and exploring, his shoulders rolling as he set himself determinedly for whatever the night had for him. He saw her and stopped dead in his tracks.
The courtship had made Luna felt like a filly. The chase had been wonderful. Her sister had been wonderful. Her niece had been adorably supportive. He… he had nearly blown it several times, but each time recovered just as Luna had herself stumbled along the journey.
Both learned a great deal about each other in the years before the courtship. As he stood there, staring in slack-jawed awe at her, Luna understood everything had changed when their friendship had finally blossomed into a love Celestia enjoyed with him. Even more wonderfully was how the Princess of the Sun had gently (and quite firmly at times) pushed them together as if their relationship was a personal war she was determined to win.
“Oh, my God, Luna, you’re beautiful,” he said when he finally found his voice.
She caught her breath before smiling. “And you are as handsome as the day I met you. Please, come in. Have a seat. I have prepared a meal for us.” Approaching him, her neck stretched out and up as she nuzzled him affectionately. In response, he cupped her head in his hands, his fingers tracing gently along her jawline, bent down, and kissed her.
“This still feels weird,” he admitted when he pulled back.
“In a good way?” she asked.
“In a good way.” He released her from his loving grasp and allowed a wing to guide him to the table and his seat.
Slowly and deliberately, she moved towards the wine once her human was seated. Wordlessly the wine was poured, her horn aglow as her magic softly filled the air. The glasses moved effortlessly at her will, the bottle of Chardonnay responding to her command. Luna offered her love the first glass. He took it, considered it for a moment and waited until she had hers. Then, he leaned forward, having studied pony customs. This was an old one, which Luna had thought the nobility had let fall to the wayside like a forgotten fashion.
As he had no magic he wished to use, he instead offered his wineglass to her, his fingers grasping the crystal firmly while she offered him her own glass. Their eyes never left each other as the wine was tipped and lips tasted a fine vintage. After a moment, the glasses were set aside and the two closed for another kiss. It was a gentle, lingering kiss, as though the touch alone was enough for now. When they parted, they found they had both been holding their breaths.
The human smiled, his heart in his eyes. Luna imitated him and let out a small laugh.
“Sunshine set the table, in case you were wondering,” she said conversationally, indicating the table setting with a hoof. Her human chuckled warmly. Luna queried, “Are you hungry?”
“What did you make? Celestia said you had something special.”
“Sea bass!” she replied, hiding the nerves of her culinary expertise at bay. A hum escaped from her throat as she wondered if he would even like her cooking. The finest chefs in Canterlot had toiled for three months in teaching Princess Luna how to cook without burning water. It had been a war of attrition. Her horn flared and the plates appeared, the fish and side dishes arranged neatly. Hot steam rose. There was plenty to eat.
“Wow,” he said, eyeing dinner. “I didn’t know you could cook.” The mare moved, looking over her shoulder as she worriedly wondered what he would think of her presentation. “It smells great!”
“A romantically inclined and determined mare would be inclined to show her prospective stallion she can prepare a meal to his liking as proof of her dedication to his happiness,” she whispered into his ear. Her warm breath tickled. Luna felt him shiver. She smiled and withdrew, making her way deliberately towards her own seat, not needing to look to know the man’s eyes were fixated upon her.
Luna seated herself, suddenly apprehensive. “Try it. I am anxious to see if you like it. Please.” It did smell appetizing.
Without a moment’s hesitation, the man took up his fork and knife, gave her an assured smile, and dug in. The alicorn held her breath pensively as the first bite was cut and lifted to his mouth. As he chewed, her worry grew.
He swallowed, took a sip of wine, and said honestly, “It’s very good, Luna!” He filled his fork and scooted around the small table. The offering was made and the princess gladly took a bite of her own cooking. She was glad she had tasted her food during the cooking process. It was so much better when her stallion fed it to her! They held each other with their eyes, the merriment of the moment making them laugh. Then, he brought his plate around, pulling his chair next to hers and proceeded feed her.
Luna took the hint and took turns feeding him from her plate. After a moment of relishing the tenderness of the moment, both alicorn and human could not help but begin laughing for no apparent reason. They found they were eating at a slower and slower pace, giving each other shy pecking kisses at first between bites. The kisses became a bit more impassioned with each passing moment. Dinner was forgotten before they could get halfway through their meal.
“I love you,” she whispered. In the seven years she had uttered those three words to him, it never felt more important for her than tonight to do so.
“I’ve always loved you,” he replied, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Every bit as much as I love Celestia. You are just as important to me as she is.”
“It pleases me to hear you say that,” she said huskily. Luna pressed herself into his side, a wing drawing out and encircling him possessively. “I only regret I never acted sooner on my feelings. I was too afraid of our differences.”
“That makes two of us.” The man wrapped both arms around the mare.
The two kissed deeply, and Luna wept openly. When they parted, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
The Princess of the Night shook her head and smiled, full of nothing but love for her human. “Nothing. I... I want to give you what my sister has already given you. Tonight. Let me do for you what I have only dreamed of the past seven years.”
“Luna,” he began, only to be silenced by yet another kiss.
The night blue alicorn broke the kiss and nuzzled into his ear. “Please, beloved. No more words. Let our passion speak for us the rest of the night. Let us worship each other beneath the silver light of my moon. Dance with this mare, my love. Make her feel as though the world moves only for her. Love me. Love me for all that you are worth. Love me as I have always loved you. Marry me. Be my husband. Let me into your herd. Show me I belong.”
“Luna, I love you. I was a fool then. I won’t be a fool now. Be my wife. Join Celestia and Sunshine in making our family whole. Join my herd and make us complete. You have always belonged. I was simply too much the idiot to see it.”
Luna tapped her chin with a hoof. She regarded him thoughtfully.
“What?” he asked, confused.
The princess made a show of mulling it over. Finally, she answered, “I’ll think about it.”
He stared at her dumbfounded. She gave him a calm deadpan in return, managing to hold it for a few seconds before bursting out with laughter. Aggressively, she darted in, kissing him soundly while her horn lit up. Instantly, they teleported, taking the wine and the glasses with her. The destination?
Luna’s private chambers.