An Oath Made To Lunaria

20260131

Written for Luna Asli Kolcu’s “Myths of Winter - Week 9” event.

Every morning my first action is to touch the Oathgem at my neck and reaffirm my duties. But today I find crumbling, melting shards which fall from the pendent at the slightest touch.
I lurch upright, adrenaline kicking my system into a gallop. An Oathgem only dissolves when the oath is broken. And if my promise to serve my queen and defend her from our enemies has been violated while I slept…
The other guards leap up as I burst out into the hall.
“Where’s Her Majesty??” I demand, ignoring their gawping.
“Taking breakfast in the Morning Room.”
I wheel about to scrutinise the speaker. “She’s fine?”
“Aye? Saw her at the turn of the hour. And heard nothing since.”
Now as baffled as they, I wordlessly hold up my pendent, whose Oathgem has completely melted away. Comprehension dawns, and now we are all lost together.
“I’ll check on her.” They vanish into the hall and I let myself back into my room.
My mind races as my body performs the mechanical motions of dressing. What could possibly have sundered my oath, if Her Majesty lives?
Now decently attired - and equipped to defend my liege - I hurry to the Morning Room and am waved in without delay. I bow low, and in response Queen Menodora rests her left hand upon the Moon Seal at her breast.
Then, formalities dispatched, she declares without preamble “I was appraised of your Oathgem, and I believe I know the cause.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
Her gaze skitters away across the gardens, to where Luna still graces the sky. Her words are slow and careful. “The oath you swore, as captain of the Palace Guard, included defending both me and Lunaria from our enemies, with Soldarium and Peninsulum being mentioned by name.”
I nod. Taken aback. Why would that…?
“This morning I began the process of signing a peace treaty with Soldarium, one of the conditions being that we cede Peninsulum back to them.”
“What?”
The corners of her eyes twitch in a suppressed wince, a tell she’s had since childhood. Her gaze flicks close to my face than away again before our eyes meet. “In exchange, not only will Soldarium allow Moon-worship to continue in Peninsulum, they will lift the ban on Moon-worship throughout their kingdom. Naturally we will be doing the same with the bans we placed against Sun-worship. And our kingdoms will be at peace.”
I have never spoken against my ruler’s judgement before. But then, her father never tried my disbelief like this. In his memory I demand “Why should we cede anything, when they caused the conflict in the first place? Peninsulum begged us to save them from-”
Now she looks me square in the eye, her expression grim and tone frosty. “The nobles of Peninsulum, having converted to Moon-worship, begged an intercession when Soldarium attempted to replace them with Sun-worshipping families, and grandfather happily obliged. You know that Peninsulum common folk never approved of their leaders converting or defecting to Lunaria, and it has caused unrest and a headache ever since. With this agreement, the noble families will remain, but the region will be in what we all know is its cultural home.”
I take a deep breath. Measuring my response. “Your ancestors would be deeply disappointed.”
“No doubt.” She says crisply. Her chin held high. “And no doubt they - father in particular - will tell me that at length when I join them in the Eternal Night.”
“How long has this been planned?”
She sighs, tightly pleating her napkin. “Discussions began soon after Prince Sorin took the throne.”
“Ah, yes. A charming and winsome lad.”
“Please.” Her voice drips irritation and resentment. “Marrying him is not on the table. In fact, I have already set matchmakers looking for a suitable Peninsulum nobleman, from a family who remain Moon-worshippers. I wish to strengthen ties and assure them Lunaria will not abandon their community.”
I hum uncertainly. Grappling with this development. “When was I meant to find out?”
“My announcement to the court is scheduled for this afternoon. Proclamations will follow.”
“Do your generals already know?”
“Of course. They had to be prepared.” The look she gives me is not quite apologetic. “You are in the first circle to be informed. Since there are ramifications for-”
“But not ramifications enough for me to be involved in the discussions.” I struggle to keep my tone level and respectful. “My experience was not needed.”
Another suppressed wince. Then she quietly says “I would have preferred to seek your advice on the matter. But I knew you would not approve of going against grandfather’s legacy.”
How could I? I earned my stripes fighting for the rights of Moon-worshippers in Peninsulum. I cannot imagine signing a treaty with those Sol-loving brutes. They will certainly never honour it. This must be why Luna released me from my oath; she knew this action voided it in my eyes.
I look up at her shining disc. Wishing for clarity.
There will be great unrest at this declaration. Mendora must know this, and will be braced for it. She may even be ready for me to resign, forcing her to find a replacement - and likely replace most of the palace guards, for they will follow my lead.
It would be a statement.
Is it the statement I wish to make? Do I wish to stand against her decision?
My breath escapes in a pensive huff. I lift the pendent from around my neck and hold it clenched in both hands. Then I declare “I will write a new oath and have it ready.”
For a moment her formal posture ebbs and I’m shown her honest relief. She smiles at me - a raw, honest smile from a young woman burdened with heavy responsibility, towards a man she’s always called ‘uncle’. And she swears “I will be ready to accept - and prove myself worthy of it.”
I return the smile, my shoulders relaxing. And Luna beams down on us from the sunlit sky.

Prompt was “You swore an oath in ice last winter. Unbreakable. Binding. This morning, you woke up with shards of frozen promise melting in your hands. The oath broke on its own. That’s not supposed to be possible. Unless one of the conditions was violated. Unless someone changed. Unless the thing you swore to protect no longer exists.”