Interlude I – Luna

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Luna watched the sun peak over the horizon, shedding its light on all of Equestria. Her sacred night withdrew over the mountains, though she knew it would soon return to say hello again this evening. Luna tried to make a point of staying out of direct sunlight. Not that it hurt her; it just wasn’t her element. And, at times such as this almost overly bright morning, a painful reminder of the things she had done in her past.

'Bitter recriminations can wait until tomorrow,' Luna thought to herself. She scanned the horizon with a smile on her lips, as her excitement over her guest's arrival grew inside of her.

'How long has it been since we last saw each other?' Luna mused as she continued to watch the morning sky. Today's guest had been the talk of Canterlot for months; Luna herself had spoken much of them since her return and yet they had not had chance to really talk like they used to.

A small dark dot appeared on the edges of Luna's vision, and a grin immediately spread across her lips. Luna fixed her gaze on the incoming figure, her heart beating faster and faster as the guest drew near.

The winged pony had barely touched down onto the balcony when Luna rushed forward and threw her forelegs around Princess Cadance, tears of joy running down her cheeks.

“I missed you so much.” Luna sobbed happily, clutching Cadance tight.

“I missed you, too, Luna.” Cadance was shedding a few tears of her own, holding onto Luna with as much intensity as she could muster. The two princesses remained stationary for a few moments, basking in the rising sun and the warmth of each other's company. When they finally released from the mutual embrace, they looked at each other with watery eyes and giddy smiles.

“We have so much to catch up on.” Cadance bubbled, the tears done for the moment. Luna nodded happily, her mind filled with foalish delight at having been reunited with her long-lost sister. Being separated from Celestia was a torture in and of itself, but having returned from her thousand-year sojourn to the moon only to discover that Cadance was no longer in Canterlot - or Equestria for that matter - was yet another painful thorn in her side.

“How was your trip to the Gryphons? And Saddle Arabia?” Luna asked warmly, ushering Cadance back into the castle proper. Cadance rolled her eyes with a playfully exasperated sigh, nudging Luna with her hip as they plodded along.

“Long, arduous, and lonely. I missed Celestia and Canterlot.”

“And somepony else, unless I’m mistaken.” Luna had heard the news, of course. Cadance was set to wed Shining Armor come the springtime.

“Yes, him too…” Cadance blushed furiously, looking down at her hooves like a lovestruck filly who was just called out on their secret crush. Luna envied Cadance’s simple, beautiful charm, but she knew her younger sister to be anything but innocent.

“I wanted to talk to you about him… Among a few other things.” Luna alluded mysteriously, trying to sound as if she were disinterested.

“We have many, many things to talk about, Luna.” Cadance beamed, albeit with a slightly sultry undertone. “My engagement among them, I assure you.”

“Of course.” Luna blushed a little as they departed the balcony. A well-appointed lounge and a light breakfast awaited them. Cadance moved immediately to one of the overstuffed chairs, settling down into it with a pronounced sigh of relief. 'A bit unusual for Cadance to seem tired...' Luna thought as she circled around to her own chair. 'After all, muscle strain and lack of sleep mean little to us. Then again, she did just fly in from who-knew-where, so I'm sure some rest is due to her.'

“So,” Cadance beamed mischievously as Luna settled into the chair across from her. “Where to begin…”

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They covered many topics, from the everyday affairs of Equestria as a nation, to Cadance’s trip to the Gryphons and Saddle Arabia, all the way to the minute details of Luna’s everyday life on the moon. It was a sobering conversation at times, but at others the two laughed and giggled like schoolfillies. Luna was just happy to finally be reunited with Cadance, and Cadance appeared to feel the same way.

Eventually, however, the topic came around to Shining Armor and Cadance’s engagement.

“How?” Luna asked, setting her coffee down. “Since when does the throne condone marriage among the Princesses?”

“True, I had nearly forgotten about that…” Cadance mused, tapping her lower lip thoughtfully. “Last you were in Equestria, none of us married… Well, think about it logically.” Cadance beamed over her shoulder at her crystal-heart-shaped cutie mark. “I’m the Princess of Love. It’s only natural I fall in love at some point in my life.”

“Hmm.” Luna mulled that over. Truthfully enough, Cadance’s domain was that of marriage and love in relation to the throne. She handled many of the betrothals in Canterlot, and held major influence in the laws concerning domestic partnerships. While she had never truly ascended to the place Celestia and Luna occupied - effectively making Equestria a triarchy - she was still a very prominent figure in Equestrian politics, and in her own way, she remained just as influential as either of her elder sisters. She had stepped up to handle a lot over the years of Luna’s banishment, but still respectfully refused to take her place; for that, Luna was truly thankful.

Still, this business of a marriage had her concerned. Cadance’s domain was love, and it was natural that she would fall in love with somepony, but marrying them? 'Wouldn't that technically make Shining Armor, a mere unicorn, my brother-in-law?' Luna was not spiciest or elitist by any means, especially since she had effectively taken on a unicorn lover of her own, but the implications were frightening. Should he marry Cadance, Shining Armor would have more political sway than even Blueblood, whose claim to royalty was tenuous as it was. Luna approached the topic cautiously.

“What reasoning do you have?”

“Hmm?” Cadance cocked her head inquisitively. “I don’t understand. Reasoning?”

Luna gently cleared her throat as she re-organized her thoughts. "Exactly. What purpose does marrying Shining Armor serve, either for yourself, or for Equestria as a whole?"

“Come now, Luna.” Cadance flashed her an incredibly disarming smile. “My marriage changes nothing. I assure you, the balance of power between you and Celestia will remain uninterrupted. Shining’s devoted to the Guard, and he has neither the time nor the inclination to be squabbling about in the affairs of politics. Even I have no interest in interfering with the way you two run Equestria.” She looked out of a nearby window with a warm smile. “Things have been nice since your return. Even as far away as Saddle Arabia, the echoes of your return were heard, and everypony rejoiced. I don’t want to change a thing.” She looked back at Luna with tears in her eyes. “Not now.”

“Thank you, Cadance…” Luna reached her hoof out to rest on her sister’s. “Your words mean a lot to me.” Something still nagged Luna, though, and she wasn’t entirely sure how to approach it. Opening and closing her mouth a few times, Luna finally put words to her worry.

“What about… I mean, Shining is… He’s… Not going to be around forever…”

A dark look crossed Cadance’s face and Luna immediately regretted bringing up what was clearly a sensitive subject for Cadance. She was about to wave the notion off in the hopes of salvaging what remained of their friendly conversation when Cadance smiled warmly.

“Let’s put it this way, Luna… While you, Celestia and I may be immortal, the ponies around us are not. But do we feel any less attached to them because of their mortality? I don’t think so. Their lives are like brief, fleeting shadows across the face of the marble that is our own life, but what is the light without the dark?” Cadance leaned in, her smile staying as she explained.

“Without them, Luna, our own lives lack definition. It’s like a blank sheet of paper. Think back on all the friends we’ve had, even before your banishment. Starswirl, Comet, Orion, oh my goodness, Capricorn! Do you remember her?” Cadance and Luna both broke into laughter at the memory of an old and long-gone friend. Cadance re-asserted herself after a brief bout of laughter.

“Just because we live forever and they do not, doesn’t mean we cannot grow attached to them. Granted, our attachment manifests in different forms. Take for instance, my feelings for Shining Armor versus Celestia’s student.”

“Twilight Sparkle?” Luna scrunched her nose. “You don’t think Celestia-“

“Oh, no! By the heavens, no!” Cadance waved her hooves frantically. “That’s what I’m saying! I grow attached to ponies by falling in love with them, and them with me. Celestia, on the other hoof, seems to grow attached by mentoring and tutoring them. Eew.” She scrunched her nose, almost as if she were trying to purge some very peculiar images from her mind. “Thinking about Twily like that… Egh.”

“Twily?” Luna arched an eyebrow. “You speak as if you know her personally.”

Cadance blinked at her.

“Luna, I used to foalsit her. How do you think I met Shining Armor?”

“Oooooohh…” Luna connected the dots, and a smile spread across her lips. She couldn’t have known Cadance had been Twilight Sparkle’s foalsitter. As visually stunning as it was, the view from the moon did not afford her a detailed look at Equestria's residents. “I bet she was a hoof-full as a foal.”

“You haven’t the slightest.” Cadance rolled her eyes playfully. “Shining and I hardly ever got any alone time.”

“You sly little minx you.” Luna chuckled into her hoof as Cadance blushed furiously.

“I won’t deny it… But my goodness, that stallion… He really knows how to please a mare.” Cadance fanned herself. “It’s been far, far too long since I’ve seen him… A year is too long to be absent.” She flustered for a moment at the dark look that crossed Luna’s face. “N-not to! Oh, no, I’ve said something bad, haven’t I…?” Cadance wilted as Luna’s expression turned down.

Luna wasn't normally bothered by discussion of her banishment, but the sudden throb in her chest reminded her that even old wounds can remain sensitive long after they have healed. She clamped her eyes closed, barely holding back a wave of tears.

“Luna,” Now it was Cadance’s turn to reach out to her sister. Luna felt the younger alicorn’s hoof wind around hers, drawing her out of her dark reverie. “Please tell me you’ve found somepony?”

A pair of violet eyes flashed in the back of Luna's mind as she struggled to respond. "H... How do you mean?"

“Well… Back, you know, before, you would often have brief… Ahem… ‘Relationships’ with ponies.” At Cadance’s insistence, Luna averted her gaze, stalling for as much time as she could. Such relationships were not foreign concepts to either of them, but Luna knew that something had changed inside of her. She stared intently at her hooves as her mind replayed the centuries worth of dalliances with dozens of paramours. Yet even the memories were different; instead of the ponies that she expected, she saw flashes of luxurious tails and flowing manes, long legs and silken coats... And all of them were shades of white and pink. The same pair of violet eyes flashed across her mind, and Luna's breath hitched in her throat.

The sound of Cadance over-doing a cough snapped Luna's mind back to the present. "Well, have you?"

“I have…” Luna eased into the statement, smiling faintly. It had been only three days since she last saw Fleur, and already, Luna was anxious to meet her again. Still, the presents would keep her pet busy. For the most part.

“That’s good.” Cadance smiled warmly. “I’m happy for you.”

“Why.” Luna narrowed her eyes at Cadance, talking low. “What interest do you have in it?”

“Well, not in the deed itself.” Cadance scrunched her nose again. “A little rough for my tastes, but it’s good that you’re indulging,” She waved her hoof to re-assert her point. “Like I said, the way we attach ourselves to ponies manifests in different ways.” She laid a hoof on her breast. “I have Shining...” She gestured vaguely towards the door. “Celestia has Twilight...”

Cadance pointed at Luna.

“And you have Fleur.”

Whatever response Luna had prepared died in her throat as her mind froze in place. Her eyes went wide as dinner plates. "...How do you know her name."

Cadance blushed and raised her hoof to her lips.

“Oops.”

“Cadance…” Luna rose to her hooves, her tone playfully dangerous. “Tell me, how do you know her name?”

“I, eerm… I…” Cadance squirmed a little, obviously flagging. She glanced about furtively. “Well…” She seemed to hover on the cusp of saying something, something obviously incriminating. Defeatedly, she sagged into her chair.

“Celestia told me.”

“Oh.” Luna sat down again, her frown gone. “That’s fine, then.”

“Really? You don’t mind Celestia, keeping tabs on you?” Cadance spoke cautiously.

“She means well.” Luna alluded with a wave of her hoof. “I’ve learned not to question what my sister does, but I do know that she does it out of her love for me, and only has the best of intentions.” Luna sighed then, shaking her head slowly. “I just wish she’d tell me before she divulges certain facts to other ponies. Then again, it’s just you-”

“What do you mean just me?!” Cadance pouted playfully, puffing up a little in her seat. Luna chuckled and reached across the space between them to ruffle her mane playfully. “Hey! Stoppit!”

“You’re still a little filly, Cadance.”

“Yeah, well, this ‘filly’ needs to go see her fiancé.” Cadance grumbled, rubbing her hooves into her head to sort her mane back out. “It’s been far too long. What about you?” Cadance asked, nudging Luna as she stood. “Been a few weeks? Months?”

“Days,” Luna chuckled warmly. “Three, to be exact.”

“Th… Three days?” Luna watched Cadance tick them off in her head. She arrived at the date with a fiery, sultry grin. “So, sister, what did you do on New Years?”

“All due respect, Cadance.” Luna lifted her coffee for a sip. “None of your damn business.” She grinned at her little sister over the rim of her mug.

“Aah, I see.” Cadance grinned back at her deviously. “Well, all for the best, I suppose… But I’m not about to let you out-do me. I need to go see my fiancé.” She nuzzled Luna’s neck lovingly, and Luna returned the affection readily. Cadance pulled away, intent on leaving, but Luna heard her stop on the threshold.

“Luna?”

“Hmm?”

“… She won’t be around forever. But don’t let that get in the way of your feelings for her. If you care for her, tell her. You never know when it might be too late.” With that, Cadance left. Luna stared down into her coffee for a few long, thoughtful moments.

’Feelings?’ Luna thought. ’A dom doesn’t have feelings for her sub…

Does she?’