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Prologue: Wedding Prep656 words
Chapter 1: Duel in the Darkness1,536 words
Chapter 2: Machinations of Night4,057 words
Chapter 3: The Black Battle4,784 words
Epilogue: Auspicious Eventide1,435 words

Prologue: Wedding Prep

Luna yawned as she got up, feeling more than a bit groggy. It had been a fairly uneventful night, but with the threat against Canterlot and the upcoming wedding of Cadence and Shining Armor, there had been a definite energy draining tension in the air.

She slapped at her annoyingly chirping clock, this device high on her list of “new” inventions she wanted to destroy every one of. She looked at the now silent alarm clock: early afternoon. Luna mumbled a curse upon the fact that almost everypony else was diurnal. She had only been asleep for four hours, having fallen asleep late in the morning. It was natural, really. Contrary to popular belief, she didn't pass out just because her moon went down, and she certainly didn't wake up during the night she herself brought to the world each day. She got a typical, 8 hour rest except during the longest of winter days, when there were precious few hours of restful daylight.

She had only an hour to prepare for the wedding, but she didn't feel any rush, she had plenty of time to do what she needed to do before attending. Unlike her dear sister, the servants didn't make so much of a fuss about her actions and how she would look on special occasions such as this. It wasn't so much that they didn't care as it was that they were still uneasy around her. Still, they were a lot better around her than they were at first. The first night back she had caused an actual panic among the castle staff; the following weeks, a noticeable habit of trying to leave whatever room she entered as quickly and quietly as possible by all but the bravest and kindest of ponies. These days it was merely leaving her to her own devices unless ordered otherwise, and a general avoidance of direct eye contact.

Luna got out of bed and trotted over to her bathroom, running the sink and splashing some cold water on her face in order to help wake her up. It didn't work particularly well in truth, her knowing it to be primarily the placebo effect of an old mare's tale. Quickly brushing her teeth and taking a brisk shower in both senses of the word, she dried herself off and stepped out of the bathroom, the silvers and navies of her room greeting her once more.

Luna selected to wear an ornate shoulder guard and breastplate for the occasion, adorned with the same eye her lunar guard wore. She glanced at the clock. Still another fifty minutes. Plenty of time considering that even at the most leisurely pace she was five minutes from her destination, zero by teleport. “What now? Should we- I, should I go back to bed, or should I go and stand in place or should I go and wait for the ceremony” she said to herself, bringing a hoof to her chin. Her eyes fell to her desk, a dozen books lying on it. Two on astronomy, three on casual speech, five on history, and two on modern wedding practices. “Nah,” she answered herself with a smile as she trotted over and sat down. She would NOT make a fool of herself again after the horrible start of the last Nightmare Night. “That's going to hang over my head forever” she thought with a shudder, opening her copy “Weddings and Things”.

“FOREEEVERRR!” a voice called out. Luna looked around. “WHO KEEPS DOING THAT?!?!” she yelled to nopony in particular, her Royal Canterlot Voice accidentally slipping out. A lunar guard opened the door a crack and poked his head in. “Is everything okay, your highness?” he asked. Luna blushed a little in embarrassment and coughed once. “Um, yes, Fletch, carry on.” she replied. Fletch bowed and ducked out, closing the door behind him, Luna returning to her book.

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