Son of the Moon

by Aurora Hope Healer

The Royal Sisters

Luna felt a strange pull at her heart as the sun set and the moon rose. Tonight was one of the rare nights that Celestia had offered to share with her sister. The two cherished these times after they had a thousand years without the other. Luna made it to the throne room and the night court started, if it could even be called that. Anypony who hadn’t had the time to talk to Celestia and didn’t want to wait till the next day came through the night court to bring matters up to the princess of the moon, not that many dared to do this. While the younger, Luna was the most intimidating of the duo.

Tonight only one mare seemed to enter to talk to the royal sisters. They came with gifts apparently. The mare had luminous turquoise eyes and a bright summer night blue coat with a dark blue mane. They bowed before the sisters with respect as was a custom that was known for the ages, and waited for the princesses to tell them to rise.

“Arise, young mare, and tell us what brings you here.” Luna always appreciated when ponies used the old customs, as she was still getting used to the newer things.

The mare rose and lifted her hood off, showing her pin to the sisters. Luna’s eyes widened in surprise at the old pin, knowing what it was. “I am Moonstone, and I bring tribute from the Garden of Shadows.”

“Garden of Shadows? I’ve never heard of it. It sounds... dangerous…” Celestia frowned slightly.

“It is not a dangerous place, dear sister. It is a safe haven.” Luna smiled as she stepped down from the throne and made her way to the young mare. “What pray tell have you brought for us, young child of the night?”

Moonstone smiled and brought out some gifts from her cart. “For the princess of the sun who brings us the light for our crops, I have brought some of our finest sunstones from the caverns near our homes.” A small bag of sunstones was laid out before the sun princess as she came down from her throne as well, curious as to who the strange mare was and where she was from.

“Thank you, Moonstone.” Celestia said with grace.

Moonstone nodded and then brought out another bag that was larger and had a crescent moon on the side. She placed it in front of the moon princess and bowed her head once more. “For the princess of the moon, who’s light protects us from the darkness and guides us home, who’s cool summer nights fill with stars and fireflies for fillies and colts to gaze upon, and she who protects us from the monsters in the darkness; I have humbly brought our brightest moonstone necklace as a gift to welcome you back from the moon itself, and a little something extra that the leader of my clan put together for you.”

Luna’s magic opened the bag and pulled out the necklace first. She smiled softly as she placed it around her neck with no fear of the stones’ origins, and then looked at the other object in the bag. It was a book with a crescent moon on it touching a star, one of her various symbols. She put a hoof to her mouth as she opened the book and recognized the signatures of all of her “Children” and that each one who had been born into her colony or had even made it originally, had left her a message, promising to be there in spirit if they died before she came back, and thanking her for protecting them as she had. A tear fell as the book closed and she hugged it close to her chest. “We… thank you kindly for these wonderful gifts, Moonstone of the Garden of Shadows. Mayhap we may accompany thou on thy journey home? We have yet to see the garden in over a thousand years. We wish to see the changes that we have missed…”

Moonstone beamed. “I would be honored to have thou accompany me on such a journey, my Princess. I shall be leaving for home by tomorrow’s moonrise, after selling my wares here to the city. If it pleases your majesties, I must take my leave.”

“We shall see you next evening then.” Moonstone bowed and then dragged her cart behind her and out of the castle. Luna turned to her sister, who was still confused. “We apologize for making such a decision without your consent, dear sister, but we feel that this is too good of an opportunity to pass up on. There are ponies in Equestria that mainly live by night, and we have watched over them for generations, even upon the moon.” She glanced downcast slightly. “They respect me as much as normal ponies have grown to respect you, dear sister. Please allow me this.” She looked up at her older sister with such hope in her eyes.

Celestia thought about it for mere moments before smiling softly at her younger sister. “Only if I get to come along.”

“YES!” Luna jumped and performed a flip in the air before regaining her composure, much to the court’s surprise. “I mean… of course, Dear Sister….”