When Princess Luna’s unthinkable cry shook Castle Everfree, we servants hastened to shelter. Rich Bouquet, the sommelier, guided us to the wine cellars. The unicorn understood ’twas better to hide where the earth could block errant spells.

It blocked more than that. We had nary a hint of the battle’s progress, any signs reduced to slight shakings. We spent perhaps an hour there, aided by choice bottles, before the senior staff decided to send somepony to check for safety.

They chose me, then but the youngest and most expendable of the scullery maids. Though my legs trembled with my ascent, though I lacked wings to speed my escape and horn to defend myself, I ascended nonetheless. 'Twas my duty.

Unnatural night still reigned. I edged through the eerie silence, my own hoofsteps echoing like catapult stones striking the battlements. I saw no sign of life, scarcely heard one. But in the silence, with all the beasts of Everfree cowed by the Sisters’ fury, the sound of alicorn-sized lungs drew my notice. I followed the faint breaths to the front hall.

There, Princess Celestia slumped before a curious device, five stone spheres arranged around a central pillar. The Princess Herself did naught, saw naught, lying like insensate flesh before it. Moonlight shone upon her from a hole in the ceiling.

I approached Her cautiously, licking my dry lips. Speaking to Her would be a gross violation of my station, but there was nopony else. “Your Highness?”

“What?” The word sent a chill down my spine. There was no feeling there. It was simply a sound the flesh made after hearing one.

“Should You not raise the Sun again, Your Highness?”

“Why bother?” Now there was feeling, purest sorrow. “Why, when I have lost the one who completes me? What purpose has a Sun with no Moon?”

I tried not to think too much about that. “Equestria needs You, Your Highness.”

The Princess shut Her eyes. “Luna needed me. Lookest thou upon her Moon to see how well I looked after her.”

The profile splotched across the heavenly sphere actually brought relief. “She lives.”

“Perhaps.” Only after the Princess spoke did I realize I had as well. “I know not. Mayhaps I should follow her, seal myself in my Sun. Surely mortal ponies would rule with more wisdom than I.”

Fool that I was in my youth, my thoughts found the leastmost fault there the most interesting. “Should You not raise the Sun first? It seems an easier journey when it lies above the land than beneath it.”

The Princess stared at me, the corners of Her mouth set to twitching, Her breathing stifled snorts. Just when I thought She would smite me for my impertinence, She erupted in belly-laughs. She rolled onto Her back and kicked Her legs like a foal playing in the grass.

I feared I had driven the Princess mad, especially when I could no longer tell if She were laughing or sobbing. Still, I stood by Her. Mad or not, She was Celestia, all Equestria had left.

In time, She collected Herself. She wiped at her eyes and said, “What is thy name, filly?”

“Mince Pie, Your Highness.”

She bowed Her head to me. I bit the inside of my cheek and felt pain. “I thank thee, Mince Pie. Thou hast done me a great service.”

As my mind struggled to fathom the nod, my mouth said, “Not ‘We,’ Your Highness?”

Princess Celestia shook Her head. “Neigh. Not while one half of the We is lost. But thou hast reminded me that one mare's problems, even mine, pale before the good of a nation.” She sighed. “I am not yet through this long darkness of mine.”

My fool’s mouth thrust again. “Neigh. You've still not raised the Sun.”

She smiled. “True. But even then, I will need to heal. Losing Luna was like tearing off mine own wings.” She looked up at the moon. “But I have faith that Harmony will redress this imbalance. I must or all is lost, and none can afford such.” She turned back to me. “But though I will be without my sister, I will have others to support me.”

I knelt. “I am ever Your servant, Your Highness.”

“And, I would hope, my friend.”

I started at that, mine eyes bulging open. “I…” I swallowed and nodded. “Aye.”

“I thank thee again.” Celestia turned once more to the sky, her horn aglow. “Now, to my duty.”

And thus the morning came.