Luna's Daughter

by KayeStar

On To Canterlot

"Canterlot Station! We are now arriving at Canterlot Station! Please watch your step!"

Selene moaned as Ivory gently shook her awake. "We're here, Selene. Time to get off."

Upon remembering she'd been riding the train, Selene burst up and hopped off her seat. Melodía and Ivory led her out of the train car and onto the platform, again keeping her close among the crowd of passengers getting off.

Selene didn't remember falling asleep, but she didn't think much of it. Wonder quickly found her again as she took in the view of the new city she now stood in.

"Cannerslot!"

"Canterlot," Melodía corrected.

"Canterlot!" Selene repeated. But despite her amazement of the city, she had no desire to explore as she usually would. "Where does Luna live?"

"Did Luna tell you her... secret?" Melodía asked.

"Yeah! She visited my dreams last night and told me she's a real princess!" Selene replied. "But I can still call her Luna."

"So, look ahead and tell us where you think Luna lives," Ivory told her, smirking.

Her caregivers gave her a boost up and Selene looked as far ahead as she could. When Ivory whispered to look ahead and up, it only took a moment for the answer to hit Selene.

"A castle?!" The two friends let her back on the ground. "Luna is a real princess and lives in a real castle?!"

The older ponies nodded as they began walking with a very shocked Selene, who remained wordless for a long while. She was trying to piece it all together. Luna, a princess who lived in a castle, who visited her dreams, who saved her, who loved her. She was really lucky. Too lucky. Selene wanted to be with Luna, but what if she couldn't be a princess? What if she messed it up? What if Luna changed her mind? What if... what if Luna stopped loving like her parents had?

"Selene, what's wrong?" Melodía asked when she and Ivory noticed Selene's usual smile had suddenly melted into a frown. They stopped to give the filly their attention. Upon realizing she was crying, they brought under a shop's awning and tried to soothe her. Ivory hugged and patted her back while Melodía soothingly shushed her in her ear.

She calmed down quickly, but she was still upset, so they again asked what was wrong.

"Luna won't love me anymore!" Selene cried, followed by a small hiccup.

"Why would you say that?" Ivory asked.

"Because! Because I'll be a bad princess and she won't love me anymore! Like my mom and dad!"

A brief flash of anger came across the older ponies' faces, though it was not directed at Selene. In that small instance, they hated her parents, but they quickly tossed aside the anger to mind Selene.

"Luna will always love you," Melodía assured her. "She wouldn't have done all she has if she didn't. We heard you were a little rowdy at the picnic she shared with you. Did she stop loving you?"

"No," Selene answered. "She said... she said everypony gets upset with their loved ones."

"That's right," Ivory agreed, nodding her head once. "It doesn't mean you stop loving them. You try to fix things and go on with your lives."

That seemed to be enough to convince Selene, so she smiled again and hugged the older ponies. "I'll always love you too." The three of them sat there for a few minutes, quiet as the small filly was lovingly sandwiched between the adults.

After the minutes passed, they continued toward the castle. Selene's wonder of the city's environment resumed, but she stayed close to Melodía and Ivory by her own choice instead of needing them to chase after her. She still enjoyed the sight of the new, unfamiliar shops, and she even begged to stop at a floral shop that caught her attention to get a small bouquet of flowers for Luna. Most of Canterlot's residents weren't known for exhibiting humility, but the shopkeeper gave her a small bundle for a discounted price since all the real bouquets he had were too large for Selene's tastes.

Their trek to the castle was longer than Melodía and Ivory realized it would be, but when they finally arrived, all three were stunned in awe. Selene hadn't thought she'd ever seen such a huge building in her life. It was almost too intimidating to believe this would be her new home.

The entrance doors opened and a very familiar mare stepped out, adorned in black regalia. She treaded gracefully down the steps until she was standing merely a few feet in front of a brightly smiling Selene.

"Luna!" The delighted cheer was accompanied by an equally delighted bounce.

"It's lovely to see all of you. Did you enjoy your trip?"

"I love trains now!" Selene cheered. "These are for you!" Selene passed Luna the bundle of flowers she bought, which Luna gratefully took in her magic's grasp and thanked her for.

"They are gorgeous, Selene. Thank you for your gift."

Selene then spotted two other ponies at the top of the entrance's staircase. They began making their way down and Selene hid behind Melodía's left foreleg. When they finally joined Luna's side, Selene hid her face.

"It is alright, dear Selene," Luna assured her, speaking gently. "This mare and this stallion mean you no harm. They also want to welcome you."

Selene uncovered her face and looked up, still apprehensive as she held tightly to Melodía's leg.

"Do you remember I told you my true identity? That I am Princess Luna?"

Selene nodded.

"I do not reside here alone." She gestured to her sister. "This is my older sister, Princess Celestia. She is the princess of the sun and day."

Despite her anxiety, Selene took a few moments to take in Celestia's appearance. To Selene, Celestia looked like Luna, except much brighter in color and with a mane that had more colors than she'd ever seen anypony with. Celestia lowered herself to Selene's eye level just as Luna did to settle Selene's anxiety when they first met. Selene slowly walked from behind Melodía's leg and moved forward until she was standing in front of Celestia.

"I'm happy to finally meet you, my sister's little pony," Celestia said with a soft smile as she extended her hoof for Selene to shake. Relaxing a bit, Selene gave her own hoof and briefly shook Celestia's.

"Do you go into dreams too?" Selene asked, the only question she could think of.

"No. Only my sister has that power among us. The dream realm is her domain to guard," Celestia answered. She then gave her a sister a somewhat naughty smirk. "She has peeked into my dreams before, however." Luna stifled a light giggle with her hoof. Selene laughed a small bit too, catching the hint Luna probably played not-so-nicely with her sister in her dreams. It was funny to think Luna could be a prankster.

Celestia stood up and Luna now gestured to Sombra. "This is Prince Sombra, my sister's husband." Sombra also lowered him to Selene's level, and she was less anxious as she shook his hoof."

"Husband? So, you and Ce... Ce... less... uh..." She looked up worriedly at Luna when she realized she was struggling to pronounce the older princess's name.

"Ssss... less... tee... ah," Luna sounded out for her. Selene repeated the syllables twice before she put them all together, and received an encouraging nod and smile from both sisters when she pronounced the name correctly.

She resumed her question. "So, you and Celestia are married? Like a wedding and rings and stuff?"

"We certainly are," Sombra replied.

"Do you have a filly too?"

Sombra shook his head. "No. You, small one, will be the first filly who lives in our castle."

"I thought married ponies had fillies. Why are you married if you don't have fillies?"

Celestia and Sombra were taken aback by Selene's naïve bluntness. Sombra stood back up and exchanged an awkward glance with Celestia. Thankfully, Luna spoke up, though she now sported a frown.

"Selene, it is okay to ask questions, but some questions are not to be asked," Luna explained firmly, but still in her kind voice. "Some things are private and not to be known by others. Such questions can be rude."

Selene looked downward. It was a subtle way of scolding her, but she got the hint. She shouldn't have asked.

"Please forgive her, Prince Sombra," Ivory pleaded nervously. "Her question was only in innocence."

Much to their and Selene's relief, Sombra smiled again. "I understand. She is young and does not know much better. It's not the first time we've heard an awkward question."

"I'm s-sorry," Selene muttered.

"Worry not, child," Celestia assured her. "We all make mistakes."

It was Luna's returned smile that calmed Selene the most. "Let us go inside," Luna insisted. "We'll show you to your room. Melodía, Ivory, please come along."

She still felt shy, but Selene followed the three ponies into the castle, walking between Melodía and Ivory, who stayed a small way behind. Once she entered the castle, Selene's eyes lit up in wonder, as if the castle's interior was too much for the filly to remotely comprehend. She wanted to ask more questions, but for the time being, her astonishment could only leave her mouth silently agape as she gazed all over at the castle's interior. She was not the only one who found it breathtaking, though Melodía and Ivory were doing a better job of containing their disbelief they were really in the castle of three of Equestria's monarchs.

Finally, after a seemingly endless walk for the non-royal ponies, the group stopped at a particular door. A silhouetted image of a filly hung on the door as a sign. With her hoof, Luna turned the knob and pushed the door open, allowing the group to walk inside. Selene finally managed to pull her jaw up, but had to hold it with her hoof to keep it there.

The bedroom was overly large, unsurprising for a castle, but naturally surprising for anypony who'd never resided in one. The walls were painted light blue, the same shade her room at the foster home had. A toy box and a crammed bookcase twice Selene's height took up the space of one corner while a bed larger than she'd ever seen took up the opposite side. The bed itself was ordinarily narrow, but the whole piece of furniture had the shape of a dollhouse. A third corner had a table and chair full of craft supplies, and in the center of the room lied a big rug in the shape of the letter S.

"Such a beautiful room," Ivory exclaimed. "Don't you think so, Selene?"

Selene's only response was continuing to gaze around, but the older ponies, amused, took that as a yes.

"Melodía, Ivory," Celestia began, "Luna has told Sombra and I about your work in Ponyville. For what you do and all you have given, and will continue to give, please know you are always welcome to request our help if your home should be in need of anything."

"As I promised, I will keep in contact with you," Luna told them. "You are welcome to visit Selene as often as you please. Send me a notice and I shall do my best to make the time."

Melodía and Ivory came close to joyful tears. "Princesses, you are too generous..." Melodía muttered.

"It's nothing less than you deserve for keeping Selene in your care all this time," Luna assured them. "I would not dare cut you off from her."

"We owe you thanks for bringing her to our home to begin with," Ivory replied. "Without you, we wouldn't have known her. So, we thank you too, Princess."

Happy tears were shared all around, including from Selene, who the adults seemed to momentarily forget was present and could hear. Celestia and Sombra stepped back to let the four of them exchange a last goodbye before Selene's now former caregivers took their leave.

"We love you, Selene," Melodía assured the tearful filly. "Enjoy your new home."

"Behave yourself, dear. Don't give Luna a hard time," Ivory teased, getting a small smile out of Selene.

"I will! I promise! I love you too!"

One tight hug later, Melodía and Ivory were being escorted out by Celestia and Sombra. Selene watched until they were out of sight before she turned back to Luna, who was watching her with sympathy.

"Are you okay, Selene?"

"I... I miss them. Can't they live with us?"

Luna shook her head. "They must return to care for the other fillies in their home, and help them find families. But remember, they love you. When you would like to visit, you only need to ask and we can arrange it."

Selene smiled.

"Luna? Can we read a story? I've been practicing for you."

"Have you? I'd love to hear."

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