Night trotted through the hallways of the castle, a little swagger in her steps. Though she still wrestled with the emotions, Samantha's eager and guileless advances felt... good.
"What put that smile on your face?" Nefertari was there, blocking her way. "Is there good news to report?"
Night stopped quickly and frowned a little. Then there was Nefertari... "Not exactly, at least, not for you."
Nefertari inclined an ear. "Hmm? Then what is this poor news?" She frowned a little in kind. "And why would it make you smile?"
Night waved dismissively. "I reserve the right to have more than one thought." She glanced left and right to ensure the hallway they were in was otherwise empty. "Nefertari, what am I, to you? Am I in your way?"
"In a manner, yes."
Night felt a new tension in her chest. Such brutal honesty. She appreciated the honest part, but... "Is that all I am, an obstacle?"
Nefer crouched down to be on Night's level. "We don't know each other well enough. You are a warrior. It's in your walk. It's in your actions. Now that we have at least been introduced, will you meet me on a field we are both aware of? I would spar with you."
Night frowned a little. "I already know how that can turn out."
Nefer held up a paw. "I swear, with the spirits as witness, that there will be no meaning to this duel besides what we assign it. I am already duty-sworn to another. Until he accepts or denies me, I am in limbo. Come. There are some words that can only be expressed in struggle."
Night hesitated as Nefer turned and began walking away, but she got herself moving and trotted up beside Nefertari. "No magic."
"As you wish." Nefertari raised a brow. "Though I imagine you were called on to deal with unicorns, and they would hardly oblige such a request."
The taunt was obvious... and effective. Night bristled. "Fine. We'll meet with all that we have. Silver would be upset to see either us mauled, so what is the victory parameter?"
Nefer wriggled her fingers lightly. "We've tried to first blood, and it was too short. To the surrender proved too long. How about to the pin? Once one of us has been immobilized for the count of three, the match is complete."
Night flashed a fanged smile at that. She'd learned many take downs and pins as a guard and felt confident she could get that confident biped down and grappled quickly. "I can agree to that."
As they came into the training room, the guards began chatting excitedly and moving things out of the way. They knew what was coming and looked eager to see it. Poorly-concealed whispers spread through the crowd. Would the ambassador fail another time against the Watches, or would this be a surprise upset? Either way, it promised to be a spectacle worth watching.
They met in the center of the formed circle and took up fighting stances. Night's wings were slightly spread and Nefer's claws were on display. It was only a moment, but it was the sort of moment that helped crystalize things for warriors.
They met in a sudden but silent rush. Her claws aimed for soft pony flesh, but Night twisted and brought her sharp fangs to bear. They broke apart, both sporting little bleeding wounds, but with the spirit of either barely impinged. "Oh yes," crooned Nefertari. "First blood is too short by far."
Night suddenly jumped forward, her powerful wings controlling her arc and enhancing her speed, but Nefertari was faster and slipped around the pony even as she sailed. She grabbed Night from behind and squeezed her tight, claws on her belly. "I once held your husband in such a way." She rubbed that exposed belly, but Night did not giggle and squirm in the same reaction.
With a powerful twist, she turned to face Nefertari and seized her with all four legs, squeezing powerfully on her opponent. "He's mine," growled Night with an unrestrained possessiveness. "You can't have him."
The guards whispered among one another. Can't have who? What did she really mean?
Nefer suddenly brought her hands together, slapping Night between them painfully just before a stream of angry consciousness flooded through her in a purple blast of energy.
Night hissed and drew away, falling back to her hooves and shaking off the dizziness the attack brought on her. Nefer was on her in an instant, sweeping two hooves away and making her fall over as Nefer climbed on top and began to pin her to the floor. "I'm not just taking him."
Night's wings thrashed powerfully as she bucked and heaved, trying to dislodge the jackal, but Nefertari's grip was sure and only becoming tighter. Slowly they sank to the ground.
Nefertari leaned in towards a tufted ear. "There are things we can learn from one another, and our enemies will know only anguish if they think they can interfere with us."
Night let out a long sigh as she went limp. "That's three. You win."
The crowd gave appreciative stomps and clops of their hooves at the demonstration.
Nefertari rose to her feet gracefully and offered a paw, helping Night get to her hooves. "We must do this again. It was a pleasure crossing claws with another warrior."
Night accepted the paw hesitantly before she nodded. "We need to talk... without claws and teeth involved." She turned sharply towards the loudest whispers. "And you all need to get back to work!"
Properly cowed, they began moving their equipment back into place and dispersing to their duties.
Nefertari led the way from the room, her tail swaying with each step. "We have this in common. Barring one moment, you didn't allow yourself to be distracted." She gave a crooked smile. "I wish I could say the same. This conflict, this... lack of resolution, it distracts us both."
Night shook her head as she trotted alongside Nefer. "Be that as it may, I need to know what you think of me. You obviously want Silver."
Nefer suddenly snorted. "He's... not a perfect mate by any stretch. He is a pony, to begin with."
Night raised a brow. "As am I, last I checked."
"Regardless," Nefer waved it away. "He has won that right, so I must adjust my expectations. He will quicken me and produce a powerful litter, one of whom will inherit the title of Nefertari. That is what the spirits, and tradition, demand."
Night lifted an ear. "It's a title? What's your real name?"
"You are not to--"
Night raised a hoof to point at her. "You lost the right to hide beyond coy secrets. You're either completely open with me or we're done talking."
Nefer's snout wrinkled with obvious distaste as a faint growl rose up from her before she huffed. "As you wish... Nefertari is the only name any would call me by save my birth mother, just as the child I choose to bequeath the name on will be known as Nefertari to all who see her save me. While I have another name, Nefertari is who I am, and I would prefer we not complicate that."
It had the ring of truth to it, and Night nodded with satisfaction. "I will leave it to that... Should you change your mind, I will respect your privacy. Now, you realize you are not attempting to court one pony, yes?"
"There is you, of course."
"There was just me." Night raised an ear. "Samantha has proven her love is true, even if she is still learning for herself what that means in totality."
"Sam--The doctor?!" Nefertari scowled down at Night. "When did she begin courting?! I thought she was trying to get closer to her 'subjects'."
Night smiled a devious smile. "When is not important, what is important is that she's captured our hearts and it remains only for me to inform Silver of the good news that I will nominate her, and I foresee Silver welcoming her with open hooves."
Nefer began to color and tremble faintly. "I will not be beaten by that scatter-brained would-be physician!"
Night thrust up a hoof. "If you lay even a single one of those fingers on her, you will be giving up any chance with us, forever. She's a part of our herd, which means we will protect her, even from the likes of you."
Nefer's hands slowly balled. "We are already known to one another. She will not oppose my presence."
"But will she welcome it?" Night raised a brow. "You don't seem to want to be wed to me, or her. You want Silver, we just happen to be there."
Nefer's left ear twitched faintly as if hearing something. "Night Watch."
"Hmm?" Night raised a brow up at the jackal.
"Teach me." Nefertari crouched down. "My people do not have these... herds. The strong find the strong, and that is enough."
Night recoiled a step, surprised at the sudden twist in the conversation. "You're no foal. You wouldn't even..." She trailed off as Nefertari sank to her knees before Night. She licked her lips lightly. "What are you doing?"
"You believe I am too proud to lower myself." She placed her hands on the ground. "In this, you are my superior. We will both become stronger for this."
"Both?" Night settled on her haunches before it seemed to come to her. "You will show me how to fight? I know how to fight already."
Nefer smirked. "And I know how to capture a mate. Clearly, we both have things to learn. I will make you, my sister, stronger." She raised her hands and made a broad gesture. "I see this as a family. You are my sister, as would be Samantha. I could learn to value you highly, my warrior-sister."
Night flushed a little. She was an only foal, but... "How can I know this isn't another way to get to Silver?"
Nefer reached forward and rest a few fingers along Night's faintly trembling snout. "I will trust my sister to beat sense into me if I misbehave. I may not wish you as a lover, but I do not think I will carry shame to call you one of my own."
Night took a slow step back. "I need to think." She turned all the way and began trotting. "I need space." She was soon gone, briskly darting around a corner.
Nefertari rose to her feet with a soft snort. It galled her that Samantha had beaten her to this. "Don't keep your sister waiting." She was gone, off to other business.
A flash of bright light came from a darkened door nearby, and the hallway was empty.