Darkness and Night
Chapter 1
Canterlot is beautiful during the day, but it shines under the stars, and no one knew this better than Luna, princess of the night. Certainly there was a pleasant quaintness to be had in the warmth of Celestia's day, drenched in golden light as it was, but how could that compare to the intrigue of playing shadows and night things? How could one sun compare to an infinity of stars?
The alicorn's silver hooves made a sonorous echo as they met the humble cobblestone of the Canterlot road. With her royal duties done and only precious little time left until her sister's turn to reign over both earth and sky, Luna had decided to take a pleasant trot down the city's streets. Air that smelled of moisture and purity gathered in her starry mane and refreshed her, and the sinking moon shed silver tears on shops and homes. The stars showed cold and brilliant above her, gentle pinpoints of light in a sea of darkness. The earth was alive with soft and secret sounds, like the symphony of crickets with its thousand tiny voices raised up. There was one who sang loud and boisterous enough to be distinguished against the rest, and Luna respected him for it.
She had to stop. The beauty of it all was just too much for her then. This, Luna thought as she surveyed the nightscape, is what she had defeated Discord for. This is why she took on the titanic labor of setting moon and stars in motion above the earth, why she took on the even greater task of ruling and government. Water touched the corners of her eyes as she smirked quietly; In truth she wanted to sing psalms of rapture, to run down the streets and wake all the sleeping ponies, to demand her subjects begin a grand festival to the glory of her gift to them. Oh and how she would do it too if only it were possible. Of course such things simply weren't done. It's not like she could just go and wake up somepony to celebrate the night with her …
What was she thinking? She was royalty, she did what she wanted. Luna went up to the nearest house and rapped her hoof against the door. "OPEN THINE EYES AND ANSWER CITIZEN!" Luna called in her best royal Canterlot voice. She persisted more eagerly when there was no answer. Perhaps a festival would be a bit much, but she would not be the only one to appreciate this beautiful night.
Finally, a simple brown earth pony opened the window from the second story of his home. There was sleep in his eyes and a look for murder on his face, but both dissipated when he noticed who it was that addressed him. "Thy princess hath a thirst for the sweetness of wine and thy company. Kindly supply both post haste!"
He was in stunned silence, probably trying to figure whether he was still dreaming or not, before he finally answered, "Certainly milady. I shall come open the door for you."
"Neigh, we shall drink out here," she answered. He stared blankly for another few seconds before nodding and going to rummage about his house. "Quickly citizen!" she called after him. He was going to miss it if he did not hurry. The black of night was already beginning to lighten into blue, and the stars were losing their brilliant edge.
The door to the brown earth pony's home opened as he nudged in front of her a table surprisingly ornate for a mere peasant. As he turned to go back and get the wine, Luna spotted the hammer on his flank; A carpenter then. He came back out with a bottle and glass and poured for her.
"Thou didst not get a glass for thyself," Luna commented.
He stared blankly. "Do you want me to go get one?" he asked.
"No, there is no more time to waste," Luna said. Her horn glowed as the goblet came to her lips and she drank. The wine was swill, but she ignored it. What need was there for wine anyway when you were already drunk on moonlight?
"So what dost thou thinkest?" she asked the brown colt nervously pawing at the ground.
"Think of what?"
"This," She said gesturing her hooves out to the grandeur around her. "Is it not beautiful?"
The earth pony blushed fiercely and dropped his eyes to the ground. "Well of course it's beautiful milady, I just didn't think you would appreciate my saying so."
Luna cocked her head curiously. Why wouldn't she appreciate his praising the glorious night, and why was he blushing so fiercely? She then realized that the carpenter thought she had been gesturing to her own body.
"NOT US YOU FOOL!" she roared in the fierce tones of royal outrage. "WE ASK THOU TO COMMENT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL NIGHT WE HAVE CREATED FOR THEE!" Other ponies were beginning to rouse and peak sleepily from their homes at what all the commotion was about.
"The … the night?" he stammered, "Why, it's lovely princess."
"Lovely?" Luna asked, "Lovely? A fine dress or a nicely arranged floral bouquet or a pastry is lovely. We ask thee to comment on the night, that stage upon which half of thy entire existence is played. Is thy experience so mundane that the best thou canst think to say is lovely?"
The dumbstruck pony's jaw hung open as he searched for his words. Luna was starting to get irritated. Day was swiftly approaching, and there was no time for this cotton brained colt to find his wits. "QUICKLY, BEFORE THE STARS DISAPPEAR!" She grabbed his head and pointed him to the sky, directing his eyes at the constellations as she roared into his ear. "SEE HOW THE LATE SUMMER URSA SHEPHERDS HER CUBS? SEE THE WATER BRINGER POUR OUT A SEA OF NIGHT?"
"It's ... It's ... It's lovely princess! That is I mean…"
"WHAT DOST THOU THINK OF THE HUNTER?" she battered on. That was always one of her favorites. The carpenter didn't say anything. Luna could feel him shaking under her grasp like a lamb in the lion's jaw. She let go of him. He backed away from her, rubbing at his neck.
Luna sat down somberly. "You do not recognize the constellations, do you?" she asked quietly. What had been elation a small while ago was transformed into grim despondence as the first orange rays of dawn broke the horizon. He didn't see it, he didn't see any of it. Oh he might have seen some of the light of the stars, but he had missed the Ursas and the hunter. He might have felt the cool air, but he knew no refreshment from it. He might have heard the crickets, but he didn't hear the proud strains of the loudest little victor. None of them saw it. They worked and lived in Celestia's day and elected to merely sleep through her night. Oh cruel irony, she had written a beautiful story in a language that no one understood.
No. If they did not understand, she would make them understand. "What is thy name carpenter?" she asked.
"Ebert milady." He peeped.
"BE READY THIS EVENING EBERT THE CARPENTER!" Luna announced as her wings spread. "WE SHALL RETURN AND THOU SHALT LEARN TO LOVE THE NIGHT!" Luna leapt and took flight, leaving Ebert again gaping for words.
Ebert again gaping for words.