The Susurrations of a Pale Star

by the7Saviors

Prologue

On the highest balcony of a lofty castle that hugged the uppermost reaches of an even loftier mountain, a Princess stood alone in the blissful silence of the night. Bathed in the pale white glow of a full moon, she closed her eyes, raised a placid smile to the starry sky above, and let a soft evening breeze brush along her midnight blue coat. She stayed that way for some time, stretching the tranquil moment out for as long as she dared before allowing herself a quiet sigh of contentment.

She opened her eyes and cast her cyan gaze upward toward the celestial body that shared her name. The moon had no eyes with which to return her adoring gaze, but Princess Luna liked to believe that it did so, and just as fondly. Not even a thousand years trapped within its cold embrace had been enough to erode the Princess' affection.

No amount of time would ever be enough to do such a thing. It was this very affection that made it so hard to perform the final task of her nightly obligations. At the end of each and every night, she reached out to the heavens to coax the moon into its descent below the horizon.

At the end of each and every night, she felt that same small touch of sadness to see it go. But in the end, she was just half of a single whole. Only one part of an endless cycle. One partner in a heavenly dance of two.

Princess Luna had to bring about the end of her wonderous night so that her solar half could break the dawn. And so, with one last wistful sigh, she did her duty. Reaching out to the moon above with supernal magic ingrained within her very soul, she wrapped her will around it and gently pulled it down, down, down until it disappeared below a far distant mountain range.

The deed was done before long and the Princess of the Night waited for her older sister to play her part. After several long seconds, however, she found that the sky was still painted the same midnight blue of her own coat. When another few moments passed with no sign of the sun's light, Luna began to worry.

It was her sister's duty to raise the star that illuminated Equestria, and Princess Celestia was nothing if not punctual in her role. Not once since her return from her millennia-long banishment had the younger Princess seen the sun falter in its majestic ascent.

Celestia had always ensured its rise at the appointed hour each morning... until today it seemed. But just as Princess Luna's mind began to buzz with worried ruminations, the star-strewn sky finally changed. Dark and dusky blue gradually gave way to a stunning view of pale pink, brilliant orange, and fiery red.

Dawn had finally broken over Equestria and the sky was at last filled with the morning light of the sun. The sight sent a wave of relief rushing through Luna's mind, but the worry refused to leave her heart entirely. It was that lingering worry that creased her brow as she turned away from the balustrade and made her way back into the castle proper.

On the opposite side of the castle on that same floor was another balcony. This was the balcony Solar Princess stood upon as she raised and lowered the sun and it was on this balcony that Princess Luna found Princess Celestia.

The alabaster mare sat with her back to the balcony's entrance. Luna was unable to see her sister's expression but noted the almost unnatural rigidity of her posture with no small amount of concern. Save for the gentle undulations of her ethereal mane and tail, Celestia was as the very stone statues that adorned the castle's gardens.

"Sister?" Luna began as she took a tentative step out onto the balcony, "is all well? I could not help but notice an unusual delay in the ascension of the sun."

Celestia didn't shift an inch at the sound of Luna's voice, nor did she respond right away. It was only once she moved to stand by Celestia's side that Luna saw her sister's face. Celestia's gaze was fixed on the horizon, her fuchsia irides tracking the sun as it finished its rise over the distant mountain tops.

Unlike the happiness and tranquility, Luna herself felt when she gazed upon her moon, Celestia's expression was wholly and unnervingly unreadable as she watched the morning sun. The younger alicorn had only ever seen Celestia wear this kind of inscrutable mien during the early months following Equestria's rather turbulent founding.

Such an expression did not bode well in Luna's mind, and yet when the older alicorn finally spoke, it was with her usual airy grace.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Luna," she replied, her eyes still firmly locked on the horizon, "I'm fine if a bit tired, but tell me... does the sun look in any way different to you? Brighter or... dimmer, maybe?"

Luna's troubled frown deepened slightly as she followed Celestia's gaze to the far-off star. It was generally understood that staring directly into the sun's light was ill-advised but the radiant glare posed no such problems for the two Princesses and their alicorn nature. With that in mind, Luna examined the sun, trying to see what her sister saw, but nothing in particular stood out as queer to the Princess of the Night.

"I am sorry, sister, but there is no change as far as I can see," Luna finally said with a shake of her head, "perhaps the stresses of attending the Day Court are finally catching up to you?"

"Perhaps so," Celestia agreed with an indulgent chuckle that broke the eerie stillness of her visage. She turned to her younger sister with a small smile, "perhaps it might be best to take some time for myself before heading once more into the battlefield of everyday politics."

"It just might be at that," Luna agreed after searching Celestia's slightly weary features, "take as much time as you need, dear sister. I will take responsibility if anypony comes to inquire of your whereabouts."

The Solar Princess opened her mouth as if to protest that it wasn't necessary, but seemed to think better of it and gave her younger sister a grateful smile instead.

"Very well then, thank you, Luna," she said, then stepped past Luna to make her way back into the castle, "I'll be in my study if any issues arise that need my attention, and I know you must be tired so I'll try not to take too much time."

Princess Luna turned to watch the other mare leave, her brow once more creased with worry. There was an unease she couldn't shake when she thought back to the look on Celestia's face. Ultimately, the Lunar Princess decided to let the matter rest for now. After all, She knew her sister would tell her of any concerns if they were truly that great.

Just as Luna was beginning to convince herself of that fact, Celestia suddenly paused right before the entryway into the castle, as if a thought had just struck her.

"If you are planning to remain awake for a little while longer, I suggest you find a way to keep yourself cool somehow, sister," she advised before moving once again through the entryway, "I think that this day will be an especially warm one."

Luna blinked at that, but in the time it took her to decide what to make of the unexpected recommendation, Princess Celestia had already disappeared down the hall and around a distant corner.

Comments

[BleuBlooms]

Interesting beginning. I really felt the descriptions and dialogue though not long ,really, captured a mood and had a lively, painterly feel.

[TheAncientPolitzanian]

The moon had no eyes with which to return her adoring gaze

I'm not entirely sure Celestia's sun can say the same. Actually, it "saying" anything is probably a red flag, now that I think about it.

Judging by Twilight's "I was right" in the description and the "Susurrations" in the title (AKA "whispering sounds" - thanks for the tip, Merriam-Webster!), I get the sense that this story's pinning heatwave delirium on some solar parasite out to make maddened puppets of everycreature. Said abomination's already dug its claws into Tia, if her abnormal numbness, cryptic advice for Luna, and posture in the cover art are anything to go by, so things are almost certain to heat up going forward. Hopefully Twilight and Co. can get to the bottom of things and fight off the darkness — or in this instance, I suppose, the light — but this is a 7Saviors horror story, so I might just have to jettison those hopes into the sun. Either way, it looks to be an entertaining voyage! :)

Let the hot summer commence.

[AgentKorpsman]

Sunbutt what did you do?!