Fillies of the Night

by Drunk Luna

The Coronation

Author's Note:

Okay, so yes, Luna's anthem is set to the tune of the national anthem of Canada, specifically this version: https://youtu.be/xd17Af2hGh0

Neoma shook in front of her full-length mirror. Atop her head sat her tall, custom-made, platinum tiara, which was inlaid with gigantic diamonds, pearls, sapphires, blue topazes, aquamarines, morganites, amethysts, opals, tourmalines, and had an enormous oval-cut moonstone as its centerpiece, the addition of which she had specifically requested to honor her mother. She took a few tentative steps forward, making sure she kept the tiara balanced and secure on her head. Every step she took required effort. The tiara sparkled blindingly, its jewels winking at her with every move she made. Next to her, Cassie donned a silver coronet decorated with diamonds and moonstones--a placeholder until she was crowned.

"It's so heavy," Neoma marveled.

"Well, it's supposed to be," Cassie said. "Think about all of the responsibility you're about to take on."

The day of the coronation dawned clear and sunny. Neoma and Cassie woke early and trotted down the winding staircase to the castle's main floor. The staircase's banister was decorated with moonflowers, hyacinths, blush and white roses, peonies, and lavender. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of the flowers, and Neoma smiled. She knew that for the first time in her mother's life, Luna had sent a guard to stand sentinel over the night for the past week so that she could assist Neoma in directly overseeing the final touches for the flowers and decorations. Even at that moment, Neoma could hear Luna's voice echoing from the dining room.

"I asked for white table linens embossed with a gold outline of Neoma’s cutie mark," Luna said to the head decorator, her voice edged with irritation. "These napkins are clearly ecru, and that cutie mark is yellow. Please give me one good reason why I should allow you to keep your job after you've made such careless mistakes." She stomped her hoof impatiently.

"I am so sorry, Ma'am," the head decorator murmured. "I will see to it that these mistakes are corrected as soon as possible."

"Fix this posthaste," Luna said sternly. "If my daughter's coronation linens are not properly done, pressed, and folded within the next two hours, I will replace you with somepony who actually knows the difference between white and ecru. Get out of my sight."

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you, Your Majesty." The decorator curtsied and galloped off to do Luna's bidding. Luna rolled her eyes and turned around. Her face lit up when she saw Neoma.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Luna greeted her daughter. "I know you slept well, as I did not sense any distress from you last night. Our manestylist and makeup artists should be here soon. Your coronation gown is in the drawing room; Rarity is just putting the finishing touches on it now. I'll have her bring it up to you after she's done, and we'll both help you get dressed. I took the liberty of having breakfast prepared for all of us, since your new equerries will be here in an hour to swear their allegiance to you." She gestured to the gigantic spread of fruits, pastries, and coffees and teas from all over the world that sat on the long dining table.

"Wow, thanks, mom!" Neoma squealed, fixing a plate and digging in.

"Another thing," Luna said. "As you very well know, you will have a duty to mentor your sister after today. As a new princess, you are to prepare Cassie for her own coronation one day."

"I know, mom," Neoma groaned. "I've already heard this from you a million times, okay?" She rolled her eyes.

"Do not roll your eyes at me, young filly," Luna warned in her royal Canterlot voice. "Though you are about to be crowned a princess, I am still your mother, and I am still your queen."

"Apologies, Ma'am," Neoma said, curtsying.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Luna piped up later, as she and Rarity helped Neoma into her coronation dress--a white silk off-the-shoulder ballgown with an overlay of lace moonflowers hoof-embroidered across the bodice in silver thread. "I need to tell you about your coronation gift now."

"Gift?" Neoma said, surprised. "Oh, no, mom, you've already done so much for me and given me so much, you don't need to give me anything else."

"Trust me, you'll need this," Luna said. "It will be a nice addition to the powers you already have. After you have been anointed, I am going to transfer one of my powers to you: The power to control the northern lights. On the night you were born, just after the midwife let me hold you for the first time, I looked out the window and remembered that I had sent the aurora borealis up earlier, just before I went into labor. So, it is only fitting that the daughter of the Princess of the Night, who was born in the glow of the northern lights, should be given the ability to control them.” Neoma’s jaw dropped, and she fell to her knees at her mother's hooves as tears filled her eyes.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," she breathed, kissing Luna's hoof. "I can't tell you how much this means to me." She rose and gave her mother a deep curtsy before kissing her cheek. "I love you, mom," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Luna said, giving Neoma a gentle squeeze.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Your Royal Highness, just stunning," Rarity assured Neoma. "Here, let's get your robe on." Six train bearers fastened Neoma’s custom coronation robe around her neck. Excessively long and made of navy blue velvet lined with ermine, the robe was cumbersome and heavy, but Neoma had never felt more regal.

"Parade! Royal salute! Present arms!" Resplendent in their scarlet coats and dress uniforms, the assembled soldiers of the Royal Equestrian Sovereign's Guard stomped their booted hooves in unison and saluted at Silver Shield's command, a soldier lowered the flag of Equestria and lay it flat on the ground, and the massed military bands began to play the national anthem of Equestria as Neoma’s golden carriage pulled away from the castle for the short procession to Canterlot Cathedral. Celestia, Sombra, and Summer’s carriage had led the procession of royals that had left earlier for the site of the coronation, and directly behind them was Luna, Phoebus, and Cassie’s carriage. The carriage carrying Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart had followed Luna's, with Twilight Sparkle's carriage behind them. Because she would be the last to enter the cathedral, Neoma’s carriage left the castle after all the other royals had entered the cathedral in procession and taken their seats.

As she rode through the ornate iron gates that separated the castle from the city of Canterlot, Neoma’s mouth fell open. Thousands of ponies lined the procession route, cheering, waving Equestrian flags, and holding up their phones to take pictures and videos of the pomp and ceremony for which Equestria was so renowned. Photographers pressed against the barriers as battalions of the Royal Equestrian Army, Navy, and Air Force marched past in formation ahead of the royal carriages. Neoma felt a huge smile creep across her face, and she waved enthusiastically as the carriages rolled through the wide cobblestone streets towards the cathedral. She could hear the cathedral's bells pealing out across the city. The ringing got louder as the carriage slowed to a stop at the west door of the cathedral. Neoma’s six train bearers took their positions, and a guard held her hoof as she stepped out of the carriage to a deafening roar of applause. A fanfare of trumpets signaled her arrival, the snapping of millions of cameras filled the air, and a reporter from the Equestrian Broadcasting Corporation, or the EBC, proclaimed, "It has now been officially confirmed by Canterlot Castle that Princess Neoma’s coronation gown was designed by Rarity, as many royal experts predicted. Princess Neoma’s coronation robe is six meters long and was custom-made for this occasion by the same designers who made the coronation robes for Princess Luna and Princess Celestia." Slowly, she ascended the cathedral's staircase, which was draped with red carpet.

The coronation ceremony passed in a blur, up until it was time for Neoma’s crowning. She sat down on her new throne alongside the other princesses, took the oath of allegiance to her mother and aunt, and solemnly promised to serve the ponies of Equestria according to the laws agreed upon by Parliament. She swore to do everything in her power to cause law and justice to be executed mercifully in all her judgments. Neoma was then anointed with holy oil, as her mother, aunt, cousin, and friend had been anointed before her. Then, Luna walked up to her and turned to face the crowd.

"Mares and stallions," Luna announced in her royal Canterlot voice, "the filly before you has proven herself worthy of the title of Princess. I have no doubt that she will make all of Equestria proud, because I--" she paused, took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and looked lovingly at her eldest daughter, her eyes welling up with tears. She quickly composed herself and continued, "--because I could not be prouder of her. Now, I will transfer one of my most precious powers to her: The ability to control the aurora borealis." She lowered her head, aiming her shimmering horn at her daughter. Neoma suddenly felt a warm, tingling sensation engulf her entire body as she was lifted from her throne, and multicolored, watery streams of light began to swirl around her. The lights rippled in waves, filling the entire cathedral before soaring downward and encircling Neoma until they dimmed and seemed to be absorbed by Neoma’s horn, which permanently changed to a crystalline rose gold color as she was lowered back onto her throne. Then, Luna levitated Neoma’s tiara from its resting place on a dark blue pillow and slowly lowered it onto Neoma’s head.

"Citizens of Equestria," Luna said, "it is my greatest honor to present to you, for the very first time, Her Royal Highness Neoma, Princess of the Northern Lights." The congregation rose to their hooves, and the state trumpeters played a fanfare before they, the orchestra and pipe organist played the national anthem.

Then, because Neoma was Princess Luna's daughter, the orchestra and organist immediately segued into Princess Luna's royal anthem:

O Lunar Queen!
Our sovereign of the night!
Watch over us and bless us with moonlight.
You ensure our dreams are protected,
From nightmares we are free.
We greet each dawn well-rested,
Because of none but thee.
Keep all our dreams pleasant and free.
O Lunar Queen, we thank the stars for thee!
O Lunar Queen, we thank the stars for thee!

After the ceremony, the royal family processed back to the castle for the coronation luncheon. During the entire meal, however, all Neoma could think about was how excited she was about the ball that would take place that evening, because somepony very special had agreed to be her date there.