Luna sighed contentedly as she drifted across the sky, the light nighttime breeze playing with her mane. It felt good to stretch her wings. Sometimes she stayed cooped up in the castle so long that she forgot how wonderful the outside world was and how exhilarating it was to fly – such a simple thing it was, but it helped her clear her mind.

     Below her, Ponyville was silent. There were only a few lights on as the clock neared midnight. For once, she didn’t particularly care that nopony would be looking up at her sky…she had been preoccupied for the last few days and it was not her best work; the moon was not particularly bright, nor were the haphazardly placed stars.

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     At last Luna saw the all-too-familiar sight she was looking for. The graveyard was still as death. Though her beloved guard had lived at the castle in Canterlot for most of his career, he had been born and raised in Ponyville. It was therefore fitting that he should be buried there. The Princess circled a few times before her searching eyes found the small family plot she was looking for. As she landed gracefully in front of it, she noted how small and unremarkable most of the headstones were. They were simple graves for simple ponies. All but one. In the center, atop freshly-laid turf, stood a great statue of a royal guard, adorned with numerous bouquets and wreaths of flowers, some so fresh they might have been placed there that day. Here was the final resting place of the one who loved her.

HERE LIES A GREAT HERO

MAY CELESTIA REST HIS SOUL

     She supposed it was a fitting engraving; he had been Celestia’s guard, not one of her own. Yet he had been loyal to her, she knew that now. Luna wished for what seemed like the thousandth time that he had said something, anything, and yet at the same time she was proud of him. He placed honor and duty above his own desires, something she had once regrettably failed to do.

     Therein was the thought that had left Luna so crestfallen. This was her fault, her failure. It was her selfishness that had created Nightmare Moon, and it was Nightmare Moon who had turned her subjects against her. If she hadn’t made them hate her so vehemently, nopony would still be trying to kill her, and nopony would have needed to sacrifice himself for her. Luna felt tears beginning to well up, but she did not allow herself to cry. He would not have wanted that.

     She knelt in front of the grave. “I know now why you did it, why you saved me.” She felt a bit foolish speaking to a headstone, but it also felt right in a strange way. “I wanted to tell you that I know you now, and I feel the same way. I truly do. You were a great pony. If only I had been more like you so long ago, maybe things would be different now. I am so grateful; you saved my life, but more than that you saved my heart. I didn’t think anypony could love me, and you proved me wrong. I just wish you could be here to rub it in…” she smiled.

     “I made another visit to Ponyville yesterday,” the princess went on, “but nobody tried to kill me this time,” she allowed herself a little chuckle. “Tia made me take even more guards. I wish you could have been among them. I made that speech I was supposed to make the day you…well, you know. It went well. I believe the public is slowly warming up to me, and I don’t know if I deserve it. I think it’s partly your doing. They all saw you save me, and maybe in doing so you told them that I am something worth saving. I hope that’s true.”

     “I have a gift for you,” Luna continued, tears brimming in her eyes. She opened her satchel and withdrew a bouquet of deep red roses. “I know they’re your favorite; you said so in your journal. I read all of it, I hope you don’t mind. There are so many things I want to say, but I know not whether you can hear me. Still, I shall say them anyway."

     "You once wrote that you believed me to be kind and wise.  You once wrote that you thought I was beautiful. Coming from a pony like you, no greater a compliment could there be. I am not sure if I truly am all these things, but I shall take your word for it. I shall take your word for it and tell you that you were…no, you are kind and wise as well. Kind, wise and beautiful in life and in death. But do not worry my love, for you live on in my heart, and I shall never forget you. I shall remember you always, and I shall strive to be the Luna you believed me to be; this I swear upon my honor.” The dark alicorn closed her eyes for a moment, hoping for a response – a fool’s hope.

     Suddenly the night air grew warm. The breeze picked up, and the princess could have sworn, could have sworn with all her heart that it whispered to her.

     Luna…