Three thousand one hundred and two years ago I, Luna, Princess of the Moon, confessed my love to a stallion I had but recently met. A dashing pegasus he was, fit and kind and laughing, and in this, but the dawn of my young life, I was smitten. I was as I am now, yet disguised by magic and paltry arts of stage and illusion, for I feared to display my true nature. We were young and foolish and whiled away our days in idle play and gentle embrace. Among the green hills we rolled, grass beneath us and clouds above, carefree and joyous.
Yet it was not to last, for destiny intervened, and I was forced to abandon my disguise. Some beast lately escaped from Tartarus found its way to my stallion’s village. Its few ponies could offer but little resistance to the monster, the spears and feeble magics they mustered paling before the creature’s otherworldly presence. Luck found me in my love’s embrace that day, and I shed my guise.
I rose up in my true form, dark and furious, and in a blaze of spellfire and wrath I smote the fiend where it stood. I rushed to my stallion’s side to see to his safety, and though I did merely my duty as Sovereign in defending my subjects, I was sure that I would find thanks and tearful joy. Instead my love was as horrified as if I had been the fiend itself. He recoiled and once he recovered from the shock of my transformation and his witness of my battle, he fell to the ground, prostrate before me. Despite my pleas, orders, and threats, he refused to rise, claiming himself unworthy of the presence of Divinity, swearing to atone for the sin of defiling my physical presence. I lingered, and visited him unseen, but never again did he speak except in jumbles of confusion and regret. My mere presence in my true form had ruined the mind and broken the soul of this handsome colt, and I resolved that I would never be so foolish as to love again.
Two thousand two hundred and thirty years ago I sat on the Onyx Throne, judging and ruling the Ebon Court as was my sacred task. Before me came a minor noble from a distant outlying province, his family obscure and his lineage unnoted. Unlike others of his ilk he bore no grand scheme, no plan to enrich himself – merely had he come to offer praise to me. This was not unusual, as many ponies sought my favor through unwanted gifts and empty flattery. This stallion, hale and strong yet showing the first grey in his chestnut coat, brought no such useless baubles.
Instead he set easel and palette and quickly and quietly painted a portrait of my seated figure, regal upon my throne, the night sky my backdrop. So perfect was the rendering, so accurate and detailed despite its speed, I was captivated. I offered him a boon yet he declined, excused himself, and returned to his province. I was intrigued and found myself staring at his canvas with more longing than the mere appreciation of art. A season later he returned. I cleared the courtroom and he repeated his feat, this time depicting the two of us side by side, before a lustrous moon. Again he departed for his province and took with him my desire.
Another season passed and again he returned. This time I dismissed my court and he produced nothing save for two brushes. I understood his meaning – that this was art we may create together, the stars and moon my own, our hearts and bodies the blank canvas. I took him to my bed, and all was passion and bliss and hearts aflutter. I awoke with his poisoned dagger in my neck, his scheme of years’ planning having come to this one penultimate moment – a demigoddess slain and this cackling stallion triumphant over half the powers of the universe. I was not so vulnerable to mortal steel and arcane toxins as he thought, and rose to slay him with his own weapon. As I towered over his broken body, the life draining from 'round the hilt of his treacherous stiletto, I resolved never to love again.
One thousand ninety-seven years ago I was blessed with the services of an able and most qualified mare to assist in the running of my Court. She was young and insightful yet wise beyond her years. Recognizing her talent, I advanced her to serve at my side. She was my castellan, my steward, my vizier, my majordomo, and my most trusted adviser. I bemoaned the burdens of rulership to her willing ears and never once did this mare complain, sitting by my hooves with patience and fine advice. I found myself taken with her, though I said naught.
Many winters passed and her loyalty was unwavering. There was behind her eyes the need for more, and through hints and rumors and dreams I knew this, yet I am ageless and took little notice of passing years. Summers passed and her fillyish looks became the beauty of a mare. Autumns passed and the intellect of her prime became the wisdom of her maturity. Winters came and went again and it was as if I had awoken from a drunken sleep, the world different and harsh and cold about me, for she had become aged and infirm and I had yet to notice the passing of our time together. In revelation I rushed to her deathbed to confess, to tell her what I had known with surety but dared not speak, and I was too late. The darkness had claimed her, and as she lay still and as I wept over her I resolved never to love again.
Twenty-two months ago I returned from my exile, my banishment deserved and just. It was at the hooves of a little unicorn, barely a mare, that the Nightmare was exorcised. Even through the haze of the Nightmare her brilliance, her leadership, and her bravery stood through. Never before had I encountered a pony so extraordinary despite her scant years. I spent the intervening seasons eagerly awaiting every letter she sent and every visit she made to grand Canterlot.
Six months ago at my sister’s behest I came to little Ponyville to grace their Nightmare Night festival, which I soon learned was neither held in fear of Nightmare’s reappearance nor in honor of my return, but was its own celebration of the evening and the joy of fright. To my surprise and delight my guide was this selfsame unicorn lately responsible for my salvation. At festivities’ end we returned to her home and spent the night in talk and companionship, securing a fast friendship. Soon I knew this would not be enough, and I refused to let the years pass unnoticed again.
Ten minutes ago I arrived on this windswept midnight hilltop, an invitation to my little Sparkle to meet at this spot delivered days earlier. I wrote only that I had a most urgent and pressing matter to discuss and that it was for her ears alone. Now my heart pounds, my breath is short, and I know not what the morning will bring. There are hoofsteps approaching behind me and I hear her voice carried on the nighttime breeze. O Moon, give me strength! O Stars, give me courage! O Sister, forgive me, for I have resolved to love again!
Aw... cute, dark, beautiful and sweet all in one. Perfect.
Oh Luna... this time's going to be soooo different...
May I ask why you keep putting the chapters in random places?
Luna is best pony. Loved this chapter and her characterization.
Nice, I like the part when she woke up with the knife in her neck, surely a special situation
The burden of being an immortal in a mortal world is that only if you are very fortunate will you find a love with which to share your entire life. This is even worse if your position in society is that of a goddess. I can see why Luna probably has innumerable... issues regarding love, commitment and daring to open her heart to anyone less immortal than she.
But it is in the nature of love to be optimistic; so it is that Luna will make the same choice that she did so many times before... and pray that this time it is not a mistake.
A lovely opening to your story!
1897638 I'm guessing because the chapters now occur in chronological order.
Luna, I'm so happy for you.
Dude, this just keeps getting better and better!!! Loving the world building in the background of these vignettes. Please, keep'em coming!!!
Love is the must powerful emotion and leads to the best and the worst things in life and history.
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Each of these chapters is a Thirty Minute Ponies prompt. They weren't written in order. The author is keeping them in chronological order for when each chapter actually happens in relation to the others, though.
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Even in our own societies there are many blossoming, beautiful and long lasting relationships that end abrubtly by some reason or other... Even if that should happen, many of us are advised to try and let the past go and move on.
Is there any reason why it should be different for an immortal Goddes? If anything, that just means that she'll get the chance to meet and love many and be loved by many in her existence!
Of course, we can all agree that the pegasus was sadly too severly hung up on 'tradition' to see past something so simple(something that is somewhat reflected in our world) and that the "noble" deserved to be thrown in a prision similar to the one we have here in Puerto Rico, where any man that was arrested due to domestic abuse(whether towards a woman or a child in ANY way) is met with constant abuse by people(the "Ñeta", specifically) who, despite being criminals for different reasons, retain and enforce their own version of the 'Gentleman's code of Honor' till their death.
Holy balls. This is the best chapter yet. I love
youit.D'aww... That was a lovely (and somewhat sad in its own way) introspection of Luna's past and feelings.
i don't even know what to say so... i decited to follow the meaning of 1897578 and 1897599
I'd fav this again if I could^^
Honestly though, I hate nobles... Where is a Yuri Lowell when you need one?
"THOU HAST STABBED US IN OUR THROAT!"
"Err... Sorry?"
"You- Sorry? Thou is SORRY?!"
"I was trying to be spontaneous and romantic!"
"Thou stabbed us in the throat with a poisoned dagger, cackling like the hyena over its kill."
"Roleplaying, sweetie, I was just, ah, trying to be... Kinky? Yeah, that totally explains it."
"Thou honestly expects us to believe thou paltry lies?"
"Here, if you don't believe me, we can try it again a few more times!"
"..."
"Err... Well, it was worth a shot."
"We agree."
"I gu- Wait, what?!"
"We agree to thou protests of foreplay. Here, let us try that again."
"I... really?!"
"You first."
"I don't know ab- argh my larynx!"
So... is this where I become the mood killer and reminds everyone that Twilight will die of old age?
Nightmare Night ... Huzzah!
Fluttershy's bird friends never want to hear the word Huzzah ever again!
I listened to "Many Meetings" from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack while reading this...do it. Do it now and enjoy. Trust me.
Excellence every update.
Dark, sweet, and slightly bitter - just like the way I like chocolate.
I'm afraid I have to sympathize with the first stallion. It must be rather mind-bending to have the mare you were cuddling with suddenly reveal Herself as the ageless and puissant Goddess of the Night.
I love the little micro-stories about Luna's past loves and not-loves.
1899166
Hmm, I wonder how many people caught the Futurama reference?
1902763 WHERE?!
This is bittersweetly beautiful, this one.
This chapter deserves to be featured on its lonesome.
Just started to read this story and I already love it.
Strange, I am actually writing a one shot of Luna where she falls in love with her Captain of the guard but Maintains a disguise because he's so duty driven.
That was almost...poetic, in a way. It could certainly be adapted as such.
I think this is beautifully written. The chapters may be short but they make up for that in their quantity. I can only hope this fic last a long time or at the very least gets finished as i have been taken by many a fic to only have the authors stop or forget them.
Wow this was fantastic writing.
The previous chapter was, frankly, kinda "meh". For all I know, all the other chapters could be "meh". But this chapter, that line: totally worth the fave all by itself. Excellent, excellent, excellent.
2316984 *And Luna awakens with Twilight's poisoned dagger in her neck...*
Luna glares at Twilight, "Seriously?"
Twilight grins, "Trololololo!"
(And so ends another delightful April Fools Day.)
Luna just can't win can she. I don't think I've failed that many times, though I've never been laid but I haven't woken up with a dagger in my throat either.
Best chapter. This is great enough to work as a one-shot all on its own.
Stabs Luna in the throat
Expects her to be dead...
Dumbass.
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Agreed!
Planning on killing a goddess with a pointy stick and plant juice?
Good luck with that.
3879106 of course not, he wasn't that stupid. He planned to kill a goddess with a pointy bit of metal and magical poison, though if he had used a pointy stick and plant juice he might have had a better chance of passing it off as roleplaying gotten out of hand.
AMAZING! SO POETIC! i caught myself reading this entire chapter in my 17th century voice and it was great!
this chapter needs a rewrite in old english dialect only that could make it better
Sunchaser helped me get in the Early Modern English mindset early on.
But I tried to be careful. I am a devotee of Donne and I enjoy Elizabethan drama, and I didn't want to do in haste what others had done in ignorance that had driven me to distraction
Heheh actually, in my head, they speak another language and I'm just "translating" in Tolkien style. I thought of how in Empire of Ashes, Alexander and the Macedonians' archaic backwoods Greek dialect was sort of "represented" by the old secondary address thee and thy
This was both sad and beautiful and Luna calling Twilight her little Sparkle was adorable.
TwiLuna? Best ship. Check!
Fantastic characterization? Check!
Beautiful writing? Check!
Like and favorite for this one chapter? Check!
I'm putting this in my twiluna folder. Thanks for creating a great story to you the athor.
Outline? What is this outline you speak of? Is it some sort of eldritch tool one uses while writing?
I'm sorry; I couldn't resist. I'm currently writing a pair of fics right now without bothering with an outline.
What's odd is that, despite Twiluna being my favorite ship, the stories actually feature Twidash.
Go figure. At least that's my second favorite...
Well, maybe not; eh, guess it depends on my mood.
going through all my stories ive read over a year ago and ill post a new comment mainly about the timeline i believe you are indeed correct since winter wrap up happens before the gala episode in season one
this part of the book is so funny had tears of laughter in my eyes so good