When not overseeing wedding preparations, Luna spent much of her time watching and waiting, standing still on the castle's balconies and ramparts through day and night. She had entered a kind of brooding, meditative state as she attempted to make sense of where exactly she had gone wrong. It was no simple task, for there were so very many pieces.

She did not pause to eat, nor to sleep, but only to make sure her trio of apprentices were making the effort to improve Celestia's living conditions. Bitterness and hostility were still the reigning emotions whenever they interacted with the former Princess, but at least now she had pillows and a clean room.

Luna saw one of them approaching from the small, overgrown path through the forest toward Ponyville. It was hard to recognize her at first, but memory supplied the difference; it was Willowleaf, wrapped in illusion magic again, so that she appeared like the young, vibrant pony whom Luna had known from the distant past. Willowleaf was moving at a slow but energetic pace, as if trying to contain her huge, giddy smile. Luna raised an eyebrow at the image. Smiles from that one were quite rare to begin with.

The sight made Luna question her own appearance. She looked down at herself. She had removed her armor and boots, and now she was only wearing her iron-colored crown. Her body was black as pitch, black as oil, which the purple in her tail and mane served only to make more obvious. But she had already decided that she was not going to run from this; Equestria would see her as she truly was, and they would either accept her, or they would not. Luna steeled her resolve, but no amount of mental preparation could eliminate the lingering fear that even Twilight Sparkle and her friends would reject her, not to mention the rest of her subjects.

As Willowleaf neared the castle, she began making a more earnest attempt to rein in her emotions. She swallowed and set her mouth in a grim line, only for it to turn upwards again. She tried to slow herself down, only to involuntarily speed up again. She eventually shook her head and made her way across the bridge. The rapid clicking of hooves filled the silent halls, growing closer and closer to Luna's room.

“Luna?” Willowleaf called quietly when she finally reached the door. “I have some news for you.”

“Enter,” said Luna, turning her head back to observe as the suddenly lively student opened the door.

“Your blushing bridegroom has reached Ponyville,” she said. “He should be here in less than a day!”

“Is that all?” Luna asked. “Thou seemest to be inordinately happy about this event.”

“Oh, no, that's...“ Willowleaf blushed—Luna noted with respect and awe how much skill had gone into this illusion spell—and began studying the floor. “That's something else.”

“It must be important to thee,” Luna said, turning her body around all the way to fully watch the other pony. “Such emotion is passing rare.”

“Well, it, it's—kind of personal.”

“I am interested in thy life, Willowleaf, but I shall not force the matter.” Luna made her way toward the door. “Tell me, or not, as it please thee, but either way, I must begin preparations for Blueblood's arrival.”

“I'm pregnant,” Willowleaf whispered as Luna passed near her, chewing her lip.

Luna stopped in her tracks. “What—how—how is that even, I mean...”

“How is it possible, you mean? “Willowleaf smiled gently and nodded. “It's fine. That's a reasonable question, considering the state of my body. Would you like some company during your preparations? I can explain it as we get ready.”

Luna coughed and tried to speak a couple times before finding her voice again. “Very well then,” she said. “I would be greatly pleased to have some assistance.”

The two of them made their way down to the great meeting hall. Luna almost started using her magic to take down the tapestries, but then grimaced as she remembered that her regrowing horn was in nowhere near a state for such delicate work. Instead, she asked Willowleaf to help her as she flew up to remove them with her own hooves. Her goal was to have the rest replaced with the restorations Twilight's friend Rarity had done before nightfall.

“So, it's true that most of my body has decayed,” Willowleaf said as her aura of black magic began taking some of the current decorations down, “but I have made sure to preserve my womb, second in importance only to my brain. Those are the only two things my magic can't make up for. Wow, it sounds simple now that I say it out-loud, but it definitely wasn't simple to do.” She giggled softly.

“I see...” Luna swooped down to a chest she had brought up from storage. There, she began rummaging through the pile of cloth inside to find the perfect replacement for the centerpiece. “Please forgive my rude reaction earlier. I was simply surprised.”

“Don't worry about it,” Willowleaf said. “That could have gone a lot worse.”

“Who is the father?” Luna asked.

“He lives in Ponyville, as you might have guessed. Did you meet anyone named Honeycomb during your visits?”

“I cannot say I have.” Luna placed a banner depicting her House crest, a blue crescent moon on a white field, behind the hall's throne, then thought better of it and put the flag of Equestria back there. Instead, she put the banner to its right, from the point of view of the entrance. “Tell me of him.”

“I don't really know what to say. He's wonderful.” Willowleaf sighed wistfully. “I'm a very lucky pony.”

“Does he know about your... condition?”

“N-No, I—“

“You should tell him.” A third voice entered the conversation. Platina, yawning and blinking her bleary eyes, entered the room. “That's a scene I would love to see.”

Before Willowleaf could even think to respond, Luna slammed her hoof into the wall, cracking its hastily repaired exterior.

“No!” Luna shouted. “I shall not suffer this meaningless sniping any longer! This is going to be a wonderful night, the happiest night of our miserable lives, even if I must drag it there kicking and screaming!”

The other two ponies stood there in silence, glaring at each other, but not daring to do more.

“Sorry, did we come at a bad time, ladies?” Another new voice appeared from the direction of the entrance. All three of them turned to stare as Blueblood strolled in at the head of the soldiers Luna had parted with less than a week ago. Even Lyra was there, limping in on a wheeled harness, with one foreleg in a cast, and with most of her body covered in bandages, but still smiling. Luna rushed toward them as Platina and Willowleaf backed away guardedly.

“What are you doing here so soon?” Luna cried out. “My last report said you had only arrived in Ponyville but a few hours ago. You should still be resting!”

“Well, we made good time,“ Blueblood said. “The roads are much quicker thanks to you, my—“

Lyra cut him off. “I ordered them to keep marching. I figured if I could make it here, so could they. And... we were worried about you.” Lyra cast a brief but meaningful glance at Willowleaf and Platina.

“That was rather foolish, Captain,” Luna said. “I could have waited another day. Still, I am quite glad to see you all again.” She smiled at her soldiers, and they smiled back. “Now, your Queen is commanding you to rest. My friend Platina will show you to the guest wing.”

“So glad you all could make it,” Platina said, recovering quickly and flashing a greatly exaggerated smile. “It's not too much farther, if you'll follow me...”

Lyra gave Luna a questioning look, and Luna nodded discreetly. Lyra then followed at the head of the soldiers with a gait slower and more cautious than seemed strictly necessary due to her injuries.

“Thou as well, Blueblood,” Luna commanded.

“But I—“

“No. Go. We shall see plenty of each other tomorrow.” Luna smiled even bigger, causing Blueblood to blush and follow along with the others. Her grin faded as she resumed her work, but some of it remained in place for the rest of the night.

“You're inviting us to your wedding?” Nickel Waltz asked as he and the other two students stood before Luna the next morning. “Me? After—after everything?”

“Of course,” Luna told him. “I know none of you are perfect, but you are dear to me, and I would be remiss if I did not at least extend the offer to you.”

“I'll definitely be there!” Platina said, laughing. “This is going to be great.”

“I think I'll sit this one out,” Willowleaf mumbled, hanging her head. Her illusion spell had faded, so she had donned her robe again, and was now trying to hide in its hood. “Maybe if it were longer than a few hours away, I could psyche myself up for it, but...”

“Aw, come on, Leafy!” said Platina as she threw a foreleg around Willowleaf's shoulders. “Live a little!”

Willowleaf grit her teeth. “Thank you for the invitation, Luna. I'm really happy for you, but even that many other ponies is too much for me to handle.”

“I completely understand the desire to keep one's own company,” Luna said as she gently extricated her from Platina's grasp. “I shall save a portion of the desserts and liquors for thee.”

All four of them shared a brief but genuine laugh.

“Wilt thou at least assist in dressing me?” Luna asked.

“I would love to,” Willowleaf replied.

They ventured to a room in the castle containing a huge mirror that took up almost the entirety of one wall. Luna's dress was already waiting there.

It was relatively simple to wrap the white-gold silk around her body, though the various loops and frills took time, and the shimmering, translucent train had to be carefully worked around her tail. The real challenge was the headpiece. Using magic to separate only a few strands of Luna's mane at a time, the students carefully wove dozens of tiny reflective crystals into the constantly moving skyscape of her hair. The crystals amplified the natural glow the hair gave off, filling the entire area with dark, rolling waves of moonlight. A laurel of white roses and white leaves was placed around her crown.

Luna closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the castle coming to a small semblance of life while they worked. More ponies were trickling in, close friends and family of the soldiers with her, as well as chamberlains, messengers, and servants to assist with the preparations. She heard a string band setting up and practicing, cooks shouting orders to each other, and sounds of mostly quiet conversation. She did notice a loud yelp from Lyra as soon as Bon Bon arrived, and she chuckled lightly—she had made sure to send Lyra's companion a direct invitation.

At last, the work was done. Luna stared at her reflection for what seemed like only a moment, but an hour had passed before a light tap and a quiet message informed her that all the guests had arrived. Once the food was done, they would be ready to begin the ceremony. Her trio of assistants took their leave, after spending some time staring as well. There was a strange twisting sensation in her belly, an excited nervousness she had not felt for a very long time. Luna took a deep breath, then made her way down to the main hall.

The sixty-odd guests stopped what they were doing and audibly gasped as she entered the room. She nodded to acknowledge them, then walked to the simple, cushioned stone slab she had elected to use as a throne. She sat down slowly. As Luna met the stares of each of the ponies in the hall, one by one, she carefully measured her breathing and thought through her words.

“We extend our heartfelt greetings and gratitude to all of you,” Luna pronounced. “This shall be a wondrous day, and it is an honor to have you here to witness it.”

Luna knew that all of them weren't gaping at the color of her coat, especially since most of them had already seen her with it, but it felt like it. She did her best to swallow the fear and continue speaking.

“We recognize that this is a difficult time for Equestria,” said Luna. “However, we believe the difficulty of our lives makes occasions of celebration such as this all the more important. We must not forget to search for joy, meaning, and... and happiness. This is as much a reminder to you as it is to our own royal person. We hope and pray that each of you will also find these things tonight.”

Luna cleared her throat and blinked several times. “Now, let the bridegroom approach the altar.”

The stringed instruments began to play again, filling the hall with a bittersweet melody that drove more than a few of the audience to tears. Blueblood entered at the same time, bearing a bouquet composed of a dozen unique types of white flowers in his teeth. His mane was perfectly coiffed and shone like polished gold. His suit was made of white silk cut from the same roll as Luna's dress, and it shimmered as he made his way down the carpet, drawing many envious, even lascivious stares.

Luna rose to greet him as he ascended the small platform to the throne. She gave him her best attempt at a reassuring smile, and Blueblood responded by smiling through the stems of the flowers he was carrying. Luna laughed softly and took the bouquet in one of her arms.

“Let us now speak our vows,” Luna said as she locked eyes with Blueblood. “As was tradition in our time, the bride shall speak them first.”

The couple searched each other's eyes for several long seconds. As the time passed, Luna's belly tickled with apprehension and, judging from Blueblood's expression, so did his. The crowd practically held its breath as they waited.

“I... I promise to be true to you through the inevitable changes life brings,” she said, her voice loud and clear. Perhaps a little too loud, as Blueblood winced slightly. Her cheeks flushed and she lowered the volume. “I will remain by your side in times of want and times of plenty. I promise to give you all the love, courtesy, respect, and attention a good union demands. When we are ill and when we are well, when we grieve and when we rejoice, I will love and honor you all the days of my life. I offer my trust in you, in turn vowing to be faithful and understanding from this day forward. Thus do I swear.”

She did not even attempt to stop the tears that flowed from her eyes as she spoke—that would have been a hopeless battle. Remembering every time she had heard and spoken those words, Luna reasoned that there was no other rational response. She blinked them back as the more-composed Blueblood gathered his own words.

“I did not know you well at all when we first met,” he said, his voice steady, his smile even. “To be completely honest, I still do not. But it is my honor and privilege to begin rectifying that. Your heroism and leadership are a bright flame blazing above a murky ocean, and it has lighted my way as surely as it has lighted the ways of all your subjects. I promise that I will cherish and honor this fire of yours for all the days of my life. Uh... thus do I swear?”

Luna nearly recoiled at his words. She did not see any trace of deception on his face, and the heartfelt, personal nature of his vows caught her off-guard. She even felt slightly guilty that hers were so cold and distant in comparison. Nevertheless, she forged ahead with the ceremony.

“Then, by the power vested in me by the sun, the moon, the stars, and the great, dark void that encircles them, I declare us husband and wife.”

Leaning in carefully, Luna pressed her lips to his, and he responded eagerly. They kissed for a few moments as the audience stomped, cheered, and threw flower petals all around them. Eventually, Luna pulled her head back and rested it on Blueblood's, as he did the same. As she withdrew, she tossed the bouquet into the crowd. Lyra, deep in conversation with Bon-Bon, was smacked right in the face with it.

“Let the celebration commence!” Luna declared.

On cue, the band started playing a jauntier tune, and chefs began bringing out their dishes. All the ponies in the hall danced and cheered, doing both more passionately once Luna and Blueblood descended from the throne's platform to join the rest of the crowd.

Luna reared back on her hind legs and held a hoof out to Blueblood, which he accepted with a grin. She deliberately kept her wings folded, so that she would have to rely on him for balance during the dance, as he would have to rely on her. Each leaning into the embrace of the other, they began a series of simple steps in perfect time with the beat. As the music picked up speed, so did their dance steps. They were soon going so fast that one wrong move would send one of them plummeting to the floor, but Blueblood proved to be a capable dancer. He did start to breathe harder as they spun and dipped across the hall, but that was just as much due to excitement as effort. Luna grinned wider and pulled him closer as the next song began.

Few ponies paid attention to Platina or Nickle Waltz during the celebration, except to laugh and toast the former when she began dancing on her hind legs on top of a table. The latter simply sat in a corner, staring and nursing a small plate of greens.

Once Blueblood became too tired of dancing, Luna drew him to one of the feast tables. She found it hard to tear into the fruits and vegetables there with much gusto, but Blueblood dug in happily. Of more interest to her, however, were the various beers, wines, and liquors being served. Before long, a couple of the waiters were having to devote their duties almost solely to refilling the Queen's cups. Luna began to draw some concerned looks as her conversation and laughing grew louder and less restrained.

During one particularly raucous story she was telling, Luna banged the table, causing several of her cups to spill.

“Zecora had this trick she used to refill her cups,” said Luna as she picked up the drinks and dabbed at the spills with a cloth. “She would simply wave her hoof over the top, and it would be full again. I never quite figured it out. I wish she were—were here, so she could... so she could...”

Luna looked around in confusion. The music had stopped, and a significant portion of the crowd was staring at her. That was when she felt the heat of tears on her face, and noticed the quivering in her voice.

“Continue playing!” she shouted at the musicians through her sobs. Luna's tears fell into her cup as she downed the rest of her wine in one gulp.

The band began a hasty, initially discordant number to cover the situation, while Blueblood chatted up the ponies around him.

“Fabulous suit, sir. Oh yes, I am quite happy. No, we haven't decided on a place to honeymoon yet. Exquisite headpiece, darling. Where did you get it?”

A small, sad smile crossed Luna's mouth as she listened to him speak in that manner to anyone who approached her for the duration of the party. It made it less noticeable to their guests how melancholy and withdrawn she was growing, and she was grateful for it. It also made her less upset that her drink servers had stopped coming by. More and more, Luna simply longed for this party to be over, so she could be alone with her shame and embarrassment.

They got their chance to withdraw a couple hours later, a short while before midnight. During a lull in the festivities, Blueblood thanked the audience on her behalf and then strode confidently into one of the side passages. He had to stop shortly, however, as he had no idea where he was going. Luna brushed by him and began leading the way.

“Are you alright, my Queen?” Blueblood said as they strolled down the hallway.

“Aye,” she responded. “My hardy constitution ensures that I recover from drunkenness quickly... My behavior will take longer to recover from, I am afraid.”

“I'm sorry.” Blueblood quickened his pace so he could walk next to her, gently nudging her side with his head as he did so.

“Do not be,” Luna replied, sniffling. “Thou hast been of great assistance to me tonight. I shall not forget it.”

Their steps grew slower as they neared Luna's room.

“Listen,” Blueblood said, his voice quiet but deep, as he stared at the brilliant display of light created by the crystals woven into Luna's mane. “You said you wanted to be sure it was more than just desire. Have I not proven that tonight?”

Luna paused and turned to regard him carefully. “I said that mostly for my benefit. But, to be completely honest, I still do not know what to do...”

“To the world, we are married,” he said, taking a single step forward. “Why not act as though we truly are?”

“Ar... Art thou sure that is thy desire? I do not know if this is right...”

“Maybe this will answer your question.” Blueblood took another step, getting close enough that he could lean his neck up and kiss Luna. She tensed, but did not resist, so he deepened the kiss with every movement of his lips. She responded with giddy eagerness, and they were soon kissing passionately.

Without breaking their embrace, Luna spread her wings and began to hover, scooping Blueblood's entire body into her forelegs as she rose. He let out a muffled cry of surprise, then laughed and kissed her even more vigorously. Luna flew out of a nearby window and began to rise through the chilly night air. She felt him shiver against the wind in her grip, and responded by holding him closer to herself. She carried her husband high into the sky, getting far above the highest tower of the castle before she even realized what she was doing. Silhouetted against the moon, the new couple shared a wild yet tender moment, before Luna finally flew him back down and through the drapes covering the balcony of her bedchamber.

Luna lay across Blueblood's back for a long time, listening to his steady breathing, smiling as she rose up and down slightly with his every breath. She concentrated on the calm beat of his heart against her belly. It had a hypnotic quality to it that sent her into a calm trance, where she was only dimly aware of the passage of time. It almost made her decide to join him in the realm of dreams. Surely they would not be so bad after such a mostly pleasant day?

The distant but rapidly approaching sound of hooves broke her from that reverie, and she sighed. Luna climbed off of Blueblood, who was in such a deep sleep that he barely stirred. She walked to the door, shaking the weariness from her body and stretching her sore limbs. As soon as the running came to a stop in front of her bedchamber, Luna yanked the door open. A pony in a hooded purple robe, caught just as she was about to knock, stumbled into the room.

“I always hated it when you did that,” Willowleaf said. She had covered herself carefully, but the stumble allowed Luna to catch a glimpse of the thin green mane and rotting body of her apprentice.

“One must always be on one's guard,” said Luna, a wry smile on her face.

“Yes, about that.” Willowleaf adjusted herself into a more dignified posture, then lowered the volume of her whisper even lower than it normally was. “We have a major problem.”

“Why does that concern me?” Luna demanded. “The moon hath not even set upon my wedding night, and already I am being bothered.”

“It's about our guest,” Willowleaf explained. “Please come with me, Your Majesty.”

“What's going on?” asked the muffled, groggy voice of Prince-Consort Blueblood from inside the room.

“'Tis nothing, my dear,” said Luna as she went over to him. She bent down and softly kissed his forehead. “I am leaving for but a few minutes. Go back to sleep for now. I shall return.”

“Oh, okay,” he murmured. “I was dreaming that I had married the loveliest pony in the world. Nice to know it's true in reality too.”

Luna rolled her eyes and returned to Willowleaf, who was staring at Blueblood with a small frown on the remains of her face.

“What is the matter?” Luna asked.

“Nothing...” Willowleaf bowed her head and turned to begin leading the way. Luna walked behind, keeping a careful yet concerned eye on her student as they quietly made their way through the halls and down into the castle's depths.

Once they were out of earshot, Willowleaf began running again, and Luna followed suit. She knew where they were going, but every hurried step she took carried more and more dread.

Finally, they reached the dungeon, and the empty cell where Celestia had been kept.

Luna sighed. “Well, the peace was nice while it lasted.”