Sooo...shortest chapter. It's part of the reason why it's out today instead of later in the week-end.
Anyway...thanks to my (few) reviewers! It keeps me going when writer block hits.
I thought I had mentioned that the chapters' titles were lines from Lullaby for a Princess, but apparently not. Well, now you know (and I'm pretty are you had already guessed). Note that while the lyrics in the song apply to Luna, here it depends on who the chapter is about.
On another note, I'm not quite satisfied with this chapter. Too short, I don't think it portrays exactly how strong the bond between Staria and Luna was before it all, and how heartbreaking it is for both that it's falling apart, and none know what to do about it. I'm not satisfied, but I couldn't bring myself to rewrite it. Or maybe I will, later.
That said, enjoy~
…Others did not give her sister her due…
"I'm so sorry, Luna."
The young Alicorn only regarded her with a sad, resigned gaze.
"You promised you'd try, Star."
"I did! But staying up all night is far from-"
"Tia and I stay up all day. What difference is there?"
"I-"
She fell silent. How could she explain to her that it was harder to sleep during the day, when there was so much light, so much noise outside? That people kept knocking on her door to ask her something, resulting in her never getting more than three hours of straight rest? Luna wasn't in the mood to understand. Staria offered her a tentative smile.
"How about I help you tonight with the Moon? I know you've been struggling, and I can-"
"You said it yourself, the Moon and the Stars are different…you can't understand what I'm going through, Sister, though I appreciate your attempt to help. It's, it's just…" Luna paused, and her sister was suddenly overcome with dread. Her purple eyes shone with a deep sadness, one she was directly responsible for. Her heart ached for her sister, wishing she could just soothe her mind, erase her suffering. She might have been the Star Princess, the ruler of Equestria, one of the Three Alicorns, the most powerful beings in the universe…but faced with her sister's unbearable sorrow, which she was directly responsible of, she was at a loss. At the end of the day, beneath their titles and their powers, they were still just ponies. No magic in the world would ever change that, could ever ease the pain that came from missing someone or being lonely. Nothing could but the love of the ponies they cared about.
And she was failing spectacularly at that.
"It just feels like…like I don't know you anymore. You're busy, we all are…but why can Tia and I make time for each other, but you can't? Raising the Stars can't be harder than raising the Sun –or the Moon, once I figure it out."
"Luna-" The younger sibling turned away.
"You're lucky. Your task isn't nearly as taxing as mine."
"Sister, I-" Luna shook her head, cutting her off.
"I'm going to sleep. I'll figure it out on my own. Goodnight."
The door closed gently behind her sister's slender form, but it echoed in Staria's mind as though she'd slammed it. She'd tried, she really had; but she always ended up passing out in her bed, never having the strength to drag herself from her room to breakfast. She just couldn't.
Now, her sister was drifting away from her.
And she couldn't do a damn thing about it.
Review~