//------------------------------// // Chapter 21. The Princess Luna // Story: Learning to see Luna, the story of Vivid Colour. // by Hope //------------------------------// Queen Victory reviewed the paper quickly, speaking with her advisors before turning back to Princess Luna. "We receive this proposal gratefully, and with the hope that we will find a middling point at which we may be allies. But you did mention a desire to convince us of the unjust nature of some of our laws. Am I correct in the assumption that you refer to the laws regarding deviant sexuality?" Luna seemed so calm, but Vivid felt like her blood was boiling, and had to look away so that she would not meet the queen's gaze with a glare. "Firstly, to better understand the subject, we would request the court refer to the trait as Homosexuality, a word recently created in Equestria to refer to those who love and are loved by the same sex as their own. We are certain you will recognize the Latin inspiration," Luna said smoothly, diplomatically. "Very well, so you refer to the laws regarding Homosexuality," the queen nodded. "This would be counter to Heterosexuality, the normal course," she said, showing off her own understanding of Latin. "Indeed," Luna nodded. "Homosexuality is a trait of a pony, which is as natural as the color of their eyes. In the seven hundred years of my life we have seen many ways to define or understand it and the things which fall near it in our minds, but none perfect. The best we can say is that in no case in our sight has the existence of such persons been a detriment to the society in which they live. Rather, a vitriol that springs up around them, given different natures and excuses, is what causes the harm. It were not so many hundreds of years ago, after all, that the same reaction was had when a unicorn's magic had a pale hue, said to be a lacking characteristic. But now we see that such a trait has no harm on society, but is rather a noticeable difference." "A noticeable difference which blurs those lines upon sex which allow ponies to behave properly in society," Queen Victory said sternly. "For if a mare were to act as garish and overblown as a stallion, surely the mare would not be worthy of the dignity our sex holds upon the world." "Ah, but your definitions don't hold up when you have the time to observe them," Luna said. "Sometimes they are even the opposite of truth as you see it. Even my sister Celestia acted like a stallion by today's standards, and at times dressed like one, but from what i hear your people don't deride her for that. If we make every definition include any spare similar things we want, the definition becomes meaningless. For now, can we concern ourselves only with Homosexuality and not the other behaviors connected to it?" Queen Victoria hesitated, and clearly the court held its breath as the queen pondered Princess Luna's words. “So, to consider Homosexuality in isolation,” the queen said hesitantly. “One could punish as they see fit, were a stallion to behave as though he were a mare, but refrain from punishing the bare act of intimacy with another of the same gender.” Luna hesitated, clearly ill at ease with the proposal. “In our mind, even that behavior is not so troubling, but they are separate, yes.” “Then we will change the wording to our laws, and allow your homosexuals to exist without the law’s guidance in that matter,” the queen nodded. “We thank you for your candor, Princess Luna. Certainly it would not be a simple thing to discuss, when it applies to you and your consort as well.” Luna hesitated a moment before gesturing for Vivid to step closer, and putting a wing over her back. “We endeavor, in all things, to remain impartial,” Luna said, in a slightly more gentle tone. “It is a leader’s duty, and an Alicorn’s charge from birth that they will not use their power to enforce their own desires. In this subject we have spent many years of thought, and study. Of nations and cultures beyond all ponies, and even beyond all creatures who now live. To know our past, to know the complex tapestry of the world, is a far more enlightened way of living than to see only… in Black and White. Or in Day and Night.” She sighed, and brought forth a golden crown, which Vivid had never sensed before. It was dense with magic, as though it had been soaked in it for decades. “This crown once graced the brow of our sister. Our sister, who held such high regard among your people that she was nigh unto a goddess. In a gesture of faith, I pass it back to this land she once admired for safe keeping, and in the hope that we can also share the truth of her absence, and the hope for her return, rather than relying on legend and myth.” The court session became a history lesson, as Luna provided the truth of her sister’s disappearance to Bitain for the first time. She phrased it more gently than how she’d told Vivid, explaining that Celestia was saddled with far too much responsibility and stress for any one pony, and that she had attacked Luna, only for the mythical elements of harmony to seperate them, putting Celestia into exile. “Some day, she will return,” Luna said firmly. “And it is up to us to ensure that the world she finds then is one she may be proud of. It is our estimate that this return will occur in about four hundred years. Within fifty years of the event, we shall begin preparations in earnest, alerting the world to the potential danger and the exact date. But rest assured, Equestria has not forgotten Princess Celestia, and neither have I.” There were tears at the edges of most of the Bitain ponies, and the queen dabbed hers away with a silk cloth before nodding and speaking softly. “We believe you, Princess Luna, and we shall strive to cease more cruel rumors of you in our land. This act is truly a sign of great things to come between our people.” As the crown was delivered to her, the queen looked into the sparkling gemstones and ancient gold with wonder, before setting it back on it’s cushion and nodding. “Our laws shall be changed as requested, we shall sort an alliance within the day, and welcome you and yours to Bitain with open hearts.” The court session was concluded, and Luna was led, with the rest of her retinue, to a room specifically for visiting royalty. Luna relaxed quickly, setting some things aside and looking to Vivid, who had stopped just inside the door and was standing there, frozen. Luna had known that Vivid’s pain would not vanish through the court session, and she braced herself for Vivid to lash out or cry out, but she just sat there. "You're innocent now," Luna said softly. "Proven and ruled." Vivid felt her lower lip quivering as she turned away and tried to hold herself together. "Could we be alone?" Luna nodded, dismissing the guards, Lemon, and Fine Line before taking a few steps closer. Vivid gasped for air, before whimpering, shoving her fears and pain and guilt away frantically like a filly trying to outswim a tidal wave. "Vivid, you can rely on me. I'm here." Vivid cried out, a sob, low and guttural as she hung her head. She felt small and hurt and angry, and all at once like she should be able to just walk away from these emotions she'd buried for so long. But then Luna's arms wrapped around her, and feathered wings filled all the gaps. The warmth, the protection only easing the panic as Vivid drowned deep in her despair. But somehow just that presence assured her, she would resurface. The ragged sobs slowly abated, leaving Vivid drained and slumped limply against Luna's chest, But calmly and with practiced ease, Luna kept her mane out of her eyes and kept drying her tears and nose with a seemingly endless supply of cloth handkerchiefs. "You must think me a foal," Vivid whispered, her voice so raw she could barely be heard. "Never," Luna sighed. "My most mature nights have been spent in the grip of great emotion. I would not neglect it's meaning." Vivid buried her head against Luna, and Luna took that as a sign of defeat. Vivid would not be waging any more war against her heart that night. Despite being used to sleeping during the day, as her moon rose she guided Vivid into the bed provided to them in the royal visitor's suite, and tucked her in, sitting next to the bed as Vivid tried to get comfortable. After a bit, she seemed to calm down and Luna thought she was asleep, until she spoke. "Could you hold me?" Luna didn't hesitate in climbing into the somewhat too-small bed, and wrapping Vivid up, her moon peering through the window and bathing them in silvery light. "Better?" Luna asked, smiling a little. Vivid huffed, but nodded, as she finally was able to sleep. Luna smiled the softest fondest smile as she nuzzled the top of Vivid's head, and let her drift into dreams. When Vivid woke, Luna was sleeping still, her head rested on top of Vivid's. Her breathing was slow and one wing draped across her comfortably. She stirred a little and Luna huffed but didn't wake, allowing the smaller unicorn to slip out of bed and look around the room. It was beautiful, of course. Richly appointed and comfortable, but she noticed how everything was sized for normal ponies. They'd never had an alicorn visit in living memory. This castle could have been built after the alicorn sisters stopped visiting. Vivid sat in the plush chair in front of the mirror, mostly unimportant for her, but she did find a brush and began to tend to her mane as she thought about how much had changed in the course of a few days. "Perhaps I'll take Luna to see my old home," she whispered, running her hooves over the glossy surface of the desk. "Show her my garden." She paused, a sinking feeling, the familiar depression in her chest. "Though it'd be nothing compared to the gardens of Canterlot... Not worth her time..." "I thought I decided what was worth my time," Luna mumbled from the bed, still not opening her eyes. Vivid turned and frowned towards Luna. "You've been awake this whole time?" "No, not quite... Drifting in and out," Luna said before yawning, still with her eyes closed. "Well... Well I suppose you do get to decide if you want to see my garden." Luna finally opened her eyes, and smiled. "Of course I do. I want to know your garden, your home, your life before we met." "You will be sorely disappointed by their plainness," Vivid sighed. "I lived an ordinary life, and one unworthy of you." Luna snorted in open derision. "Do you know what I was, before I was a Princess? Before Star-swirl the Bearded selected me and my sister to raise the sun and the moon? A curiosity in the eyes of my fellow villagers, malformed in shape and without a cutie mark, who did her best to help with the movement of clouds but ultimately did a poor job of everything." "I cannot believe that," Vivid scoffed, standing and walking over to the bed. "You have far more skills than just control over the moon." "Ah yes, Princess Luna's great skills that do not pertain to being a princess, or Luna, or her magical skill, or any of the education she's received," Luna said with a slight tone of sarcasm. "Such as being temperamental, demanding, and reclusive." "You're... a kind and good pony," Vivid insisted, kissing Luna briefly as she stood next to the bed. Luna nodded, still smiling. "Indeed! In a time when Kind was not reason enough for employment, and employment determined those who lived or died. Celestia may have been the meeker of the two of us, but by far she was the harder worker. I actually was declined from a scribery for drawing poorly made birds in the margins of the texts. If the birds had been at all visually enjoyable, they wouldn't have cared, that is just how bad my drawings were," she said at the verge of laughter. "Your simple home will be fine to see, Vivid. Please, don't fret." "Very well... Though I still find it hard to believe that you were anything less than amazing," Vivid mumbled while Luna stood and quickly dressed herself. "Then I will have to work very hard to uphold that view of me that you have," Luna chuckled, leaning down to kiss Vivid on the lips, and then stroke her cheek with one hoof. Vivid blushed, but gestured to the door, and Luna followed. The guards opened the doors for them, and then outside their door a second local set of guards snapped to attention. Luna nodded to them and waited for them to speak. "We are to escort her Royal Highness, Princess Luna, in her visit to our nation of Bitain," one of the guards explained. Vivid stepped forward. "We will be visiting Suffolk, the village of my foalhood. Will you accompany us that far?" The guard nodded. "We will simply need to fetch a cart of supplies to assure you are both supplied for, in the two day journey." "It only takes two days if you follow the road, there's a shortcut which cuts it to a single day, but it's impassable by cart," Vivid insisted. The guards looked to eachother before the one who had been speaking repeated himself. "We will simply need to fetch a cart of supplies." Sighing yet again, Vivid tapped her hoof on the stone while the two Bitain guards checked the loaded cart yet again. Luna's guards had added more equipment to it, and then Fine Line had added in another small bag to the load. With each change to the load, the guards diligently resecured and organized the cart. Vivid was seriously considering just walking away when finally one strapped into the harness and they started off. "We aren't on a schedule, dear Love," Luna said softly, a slight mirth in her tone. "No, I suppose not, but I will not live forever," Vivid grumbled. "They waste precious minutes." Luna brushed her wing across Vivid's neck oh so gently. "Yes, but it is for a cause I find worthy." Vivid blushed and slowed her angry stride. Slowly she drifted closer until she was walking side by side with her. “I still don’t understand it.” “Love?” Luna clarified. Vivid shook her head, stepping over a rut in the road as the guards struggled with it. “Your determination to spend precious time with me when you could be doing literally anything else. Running a country, meeting new ponies…” “And what makes you think I’m not also doing all of that?” Luna asked playfully. “You do not occupy my every waking hour, and on the nights when you do, it so happens that I prefer an occasional time to my own desires rather than the endless machinations of a seven hundred year old princess. Much simpler.” Vivid rolled her eyes. “Seven hundred years old. It’s hard to even tell it, if not for your clear appearance and the legends. You speak just like anyone else.” “And how much time doth thou regard it hath taken for me to wot to speak thus?” Luna asked in a vastly different accent, that took Vivid off balance with how similar it was to the Bitain accent she’d grown up with. “What… What was that?!” Vivid asked, astonished, as Luna smirked. “I wot nought of what thou speak, yet thou seem confounded,” Luna continued on in a tone of complete innocence. The guards looked back at her with raised brows. “Did people really speak like that?” Vivid asked incredulously. “For a very long time, though honestly that was quite modern six hundred years ago. Only twenty years before that… Well, you wouldn’t understand it at all.” “Try me,” Vivid dared her. Luna looked at Vivid, before looking straight ahead and speaking with a low and even tone. “Duguð ðêode orgilde ûser wita gnêðen hwæðere elðêodiglic.” Vivid was completely lost. “How could it change so vastly, so quickly?” Vivid asked, astonished. “Mostly the land of Prance having a language our king fancied at the time, and the two intermingling in a bizarre way,” Luna shrugged. “It happens.” Vivid took to staring at the road ahead, suddenly thankful for the cultural and linguistic stability that was enjoyed by the two countries she’d called home.