New Moon (My Little Pony)

23 The Story of Thestrals (2/6)

I wasted no time collecting a small calvary of pegasus guards to escort Luna and me to Equaid Mt. I saw an opportunity to resolve two issues at once and I grew impatient to have them done. However, my eagerness failed to account for Luna's feelings.

Luna had mentioned to me that she received brief glances from my guards. Their eyes garnered discretion and ire. Back then, I assumed that she was filled with her own fairs of paranoia. Besides myself, there weren't any pony that could solace in her presence. Her quiet demeanor around others had always sparked an aura of discomfort in others. Looking back, however, it's likely they believed that Luna setting us up in a trap.

It took me a long time to truly grasp how cautious they were of Luna. Her abilities frightened them and my involvement with her made ponies concerned if she was somehow manipulating me. Perhaps it was the demise of that criminal that validated their fear.

The criminal was a conniving and dastard that relished in my humiliation. I never discovered why he detested so much. Perhaps he didn't. Perhaps he did it simply out of the thrill of opposing my goals. Luna was sympathetic to the irritation I held towards that stallion. She was determined to exact justice against that stallion, but events do not go the way that any of us would have liked.

That event happened years ago, but that moment remained fresh in ponies' minds for all of those years. They never forgot what she did to that stallion.

Luna kept her sights down to her hooves within the carriage we were pulled in. I assumed that she was growing nervous. So, as her teacher and companion, I wrapped a wing around her to provide her comfort. I failed to realize how much she needed a hug.