"How many days has it been?" Discord asked as he fastened Celestia's necklace back on her neck.
"Only three but I am starting to worry. Did they fight?"
"Why would you worry about something so trivial? It was you who didn't want them together to begin with." Discord huffed. This wasn't going as planned at all. When he had pulled her away, he expected Luna to lower the moon and rush back to Sombra, but instead she lay in her room moping about who knows what.
"I should talk to her." Celestia took a step but stopped. "Or, perhaps we could invite him here?" She didn't like the idea but she hated to see Luna so upset.
"Oh that sounds marvelous!" Discord clapped."we can have a banquet!"
"But is it a good idea?" Celestia asked.
"I don't see what it could hurt. I'll go now!" Discord kissed her on the nose and set out towards the crystal castle.
"That man of mine." She shook her head and chuckled slightly.
"Um, sister?" Celestia started slightly as Luna approached her.
"She lives." Celestia smiled warmly and nuzzled the small alicorn. "What is it Luna?"
"It's about Sombra..."
"Did you two fight?" Celestia wanted to see her younger sister happy but her tired eyes and self isolation made her want to keep Sombra at bay even more.
"Oh, no not at all, I am just... I don't know."
"All is well, you don't need some pony like that in your life any way. He is bad news." She wanted to go and stop discord before the invitation was sent.
"Sister we didn't fight, it's -"
"You don't need to feel ashamed Luna, I knew from the start it wouldn't work. I just hope you've learned-"
"Sister Sombra and I are fine!" Luna spoke louder than she meant to but anger had built up at what her sister was saying. "He asked me to be Princess of the Crystal Empire." Her heart fluttered as she said the words aloud.
"What?" Celestia was shocked. How had all of this happened so quickly?
"Impossible. You are much too young. And you barely know him!"
"I know him much more than you think and as I've said a hundred times before, sister, I am not a child."
"Luna listen to me, I've been patient but-"
"Just give him a chance! You've never even met him!" Luna felt tears prick her eyes. How could her loving sister be so closed minded? How could she judge without even giving any pony a chance?
Celestia huffed, fine let the invitation be sent! "That is exact ally what I intend to do." Celestia said sharply. "Discord is on his way now to invite the young king to a banquet here." Luna's mood took an immediate 180 and switched from anger to nervousness.
"He's coming here?" Her mouth went dry. She hadn't even communicated with him since their kiss! Her cheeks burned at the memory. "Sister it isn't, I mean-"
"I am looking forward to meeting the young king. If he is anything like his parents then it should serve to be a rather interesting night." Luna looked at her sister in disbelief.
"You know his parents?"
"Knew, they passed, years ago in the war." Luna looked down. They must have died the same way her own parents had.
"though it is no great loss, they were mean mean ponies. His father even tried to convince mother that our kingdoms should join. He tried to force a betrothal on the next of kin."
She shuddered slightly. " why was I never made aware?" Luna asked. Perhaps it was destiny after all that she and Sombra had met.
"It didn't concern you, being the youngest. But if the Draconian king had not attacked after we over ruled Discord's army, chances are we would have gone to war with the crystal empire."
"Is that why you are so against my feelings towards him?" Luna walked to her sister and nuzzled her. "I think he truly cares for me, despite how his parents were, he is unlike any pony I have ever met."
Celestia sighed and wrapped a hoof around the young mare. "I know the feeling little sister, I my self have fallen in love despite the past, I just don't want you to be hurt."
"You'll see sister , he is simply amazing! I cannot wait for you to meet him!" Luna pulled away, her earlier worry gone, and now replaced with excitement.
" if he is so wonderful I suppose I am excited too." Celestia smiled, though still worried. His parents were tyrants, Trying to enslave all of Equestria. She sighed and looked after the little alicorn as she bounded happily through the palace.
Celestia walked along on her own out in to the forest and around the castle until she reached the back door way. Making her way inside, she immediately headed down a flight of winding stairs and stopped at another door. She opened it slowly and stepped inside. The tree of harmony glittered brightly.
It's five limbs dripped magic that fell in to the ground like a glittering waterfall. She sat against the tree and smiled. Happiness filled her as the energy from the tree exchanged with her own. A strange tingling covered her scalp ad she noticed small rainbows of energy flowing through her mane. She smiled and pulled away. It always calmed her to come here. A small stream trickled around the tree and the blissful silence of the room made her feel totally at peace.
The tree swayed slightly and the ends opened revealing the odd gems that Celestia had seen a hundred times before. " now is not the time to harvest such powerful magic." She said to the tree. It drooped slightly and the ends of it's branches twisted, covering the gems once again.
Her family had guarded this tree for thousands of years. They had a special bond with it that could never be broken. Her and Luna kept it a closely guarded secrete, but not even Luna knew of the gems. They only revealed themselves at random intervals of time or in times of danger and Celestia knew that if she harvested them something major would happen.
" now is not the time" she repeated ," but I'm sure you can feel something big is coming?" The tree swayed and opened the branches again. Celestia touched the tree and turned to leave. As she stepped out if the room the unexplained feeling of dread washed over her.
"Sister, he will be here any moment, should we wait for him in the dining hall, or the lounge, or the entrance, umm, should I wear something nicer? My crown? Or no crown?" Celestia chuckled as her little sister trotted nervously.
"Luna my dear, calm down before you give ME a panic attack." Discord joked.
"You look fine sister, Discord and I will wait in the dining hall while you greet him at the door. Please do calm down." Celestia smiled at the moon pony who was still looking around nervously.
" or if you'd like," discord pipped, "I could greet him" Celestia shook her head as discord adorned a dress and too bright lipstick, "welcome home darling ." He mimicked in a girl's voice, kissing at the air. Luna laughed as Celestia grabbed his tail with her magic and pulled him towards the dining hall,
"take your time, I'm gonna try and do something with sad excuse for a man." Celestia picked up discord in her hazy yellow beam and continued to drag the pouting draconequus in to the dining room.
Luna smiled, finally feeling a little less stressed and a lot more excited. Her sister would finally meet the colt of her dreams! No doubt Celestia would love him, he was sweet, charming, Luna's thoughts were interrupted by three loud knocks at the door. And he was here. Her nervousness returned as the palace guards swung open the large ornate doors. Sombra dipped his head as he walked in and smiled as he made eye contact with Luna.
"Mi Amore!" He trotted to meet her and nuzzled her cheek.
"Sombra, I'm so glad to see you again." She smiled.
"I was hoping the other night did not scare you away?" He looked in to her eyes searching.
"Uh, no.. Um I've just been busy." She stammered. She looked away awkwardly for a second but Sombra didn't miss a beat.
"I bring gifts for you ad your sister." He said excitedly. He turned to look over his shoulder at two of his own guards that followed behind him, both holding an elegantly decorated chests. The guards wore dark purple armor an their helmets had a bat wing design on it. Their tails were cropped short, and unlike the Equestrian guards, they weren't unicorns, but Pegasi.
"Your armor is lovely!" Luna exclaimed, looking in to the large sapphire at the center of the chest piece.
"Ah, thank you, I designed them my self." Sombra smiled. "Shall we go now?" He asked. Sombra looked around the entrance hall and smiled.
"Oh, yes, Celestia and Discord are waiting for us." She said turning towards the dining room.
"One moment," Sombra said, catching her attention. "There is something.." Sombra brought his face closer to hers and lightly kissed her. Luna's cheeks flamed and she squeezed her eyes shut just as he pulled away. "It feels as if I have waited an eternity to do that." He winked and smiled, then walked ahead.
Luna barked out a surprised laugh and shook her head, trying to dispel the grin that felt stuck on her face. "I must say, I am pleasantly surprised."
Celestia smiled as she walked the two young ponies to the door. "With the way your parents behaved I expected this to be a rather distasteful meeting." Sombra bowed and smiled but his eyes darkened at her comment.
"I am very glad that I can make such an impression on the familia of my beloved." He smiled. Luna nuzzled him and turned to her sister.
"Thank you both for the wonderful evening. It was quite splendid and I truly hope we can do it again soon." Celestia smiled and turned towards the dining hall where Discord still sat smiling and waving to them from afar.
"I will go so you two may say your goodbyes. It it time for Luna to watch the night." Luna smiled at Sombra and he kissed her softly.
"I do wish I could stay but there is so much preparation to still be done."
"Preparation? For what?" Luna inquired. "I am making plans to convince your sister to join our kingdoms. I have been working on my strategy for a while now."
"Wasn't that what-"
"I do not plan on going about it as my parents did. Their methods were unruly and poorly thought out."
Luna smiled. "Well, you have at least one supporter. If the kingdoms do join then we could start expanding them both through the meadows and make all of this land one big nation."
"Exactly, how lucky I am to have such a smart bride."
Luna flinched. "W-what did you just say?"
"Maybe I misread what tonight was about? When I asked you to be my princess I assumed this dinner was an answer as yes. Am I wrong?"
Luna's head spun. He truly wanted to marry her? She would be a queen. She would be His queen.
"Mi Amore?"
"Yes?"
"Are you alright?"
"Yes."
Sombra smiled, "and your answer?"
Luna's eyes glowed brightly and her heart raced. When in her life time would she ever find somepony as wonderful as the stallion in front of her? When would somepony show her the love and tenderness that Sombra did? She had never felt like this before. Could she really be his bride? Could she stand to leave her country for this stallion? The answer danced through her head and edits she could think any more she uttered an excited,
"Yes."