//------------------------------//
// 210 - Nightfall 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Silver returned to his room, head full of thoughts, to find Night Watch. She was curled up in front of his door, miserable and... "Are you alright?" He approached on uncertain hooves.

"No..." She sat up slowly. "I've been a jerk, a huge jerk." She wiped her face with a fetlock. "And before you say 'I forgive you', I know. It's not... I really messed up."

Silver kissed her cheek. "Too bad. I'm your stallion, and your prince. Come inside, tell me how you messed up."

"You know what I did..."

"The way you say it means a lot." Silver nudged open the door with his magic. "Come on."

"You still want me?"

Silver blinked softly. "I never asked you to leave. Come on."

She went in and crashed on the bed limply before she turned to show off her extra bit with a raised leg. "I thought I could be a stallion. I... thought I could protect you better than yourself."

Silver moved up and kissed her nose. "And you're not wrong. I feel safe with you there, to protect me, but as my wife, not my stallion." He hopped up and laid belly to belly with her. "Not that I mind you with or without extra parts. You are my Night in any event."

She quirked a little smile. "Did I really abuse Samantha?"

"Yes," admitted Silver flatly before he nuzzled her neck. "But if you explain what the miscommunication was, she and you will both grow for it. You didn't try to do it, you just did." He drew her close and hugged her gently. "Are we done fighting?"

"Do you still want me?" She quirked a smile. Her numbers said likely yes, and she was calm enough to check them.

He rolled over her as his magic pulled up the blankets, covering them both. "I talked to Blueblood, about me, and us, and how to be best at being Prince and not force you..."

Night blinked at that. "We're not getting married?"

"You're willing to?" He nuzzled along her snout.

She was mostly still, looking thoughtful. "What was the alternative?"

"Well, he said the herd wasn't official until we had more than one mare with a stallion, and we only have one. Samantha doesn't count."

Night twitched an ear. There were... several females. She had tossed them to the side. She... "I'll do my job."

"Hmm?"

"As First Wife." She kissed his nose. "I will bring a mare for your approval."

Silver flushed softly. "O-oh! I mean... alright, but... No more inequality, I hope? Whoever joins, we can all love, or shouldn't join." He cleared his throat. "He suggested I follow my 'theme' and get one female from each tribe I negotiate peace with."

Night raised a brow, considering that a moment before she nodded. She knew which female she'd approach first. "We can work with that..."

"We can?" He expected much stiffer resistance to the idea.

Night sat up beside him. "Look, I've been a total... I've been terrible. You might be alright with that, since it's your thing, I have to make up for it." When Silver sat up, she leaned in and smooched an ear. "I have... someone in mind. It may work, or not, and involves me eating some humble pie, but I need some of that in my diet right now." She tapped at the jewel hanging around her neck. "Speaking of which, you can take it away now, really. I don't want to be the stallion."

Silver took hold of the spell with his magic and carefully undid it, restoring Night to her natural form. "You shouldn't blame this on mare vs stallion. You wanted to be in charge, or at least..." He paused as he considered it. "You just wanted to protect me, but that's not how I want protection."

She nipped an ear and hugged him before hopping down. "The mare protects the stallion. I forgot that." She shook herself out. "There's a reason being your bodyguard just feels right. Now you relax, because I'm going to do my job, which does not involve trying to be the stallion." She moved for the door and opened it, only to scamper back and give room to Celestia.

Celestia entered with a nod. "This isn't a bad time I hope?"

Silver smiled. "You have amazing timing." He hopped to the floor lightly. "It looks like I will be doing the herd thing after all."

She smiled thinly. "I thought you might. When you went to Blueblood...."

"Did he wager with you?"

"Did he mention that? Scallywag." Celestia rolled her eyes.

"I'll be back, Silver, Princess." Night nodded at either before fleeing out the door and closing it behind herself.

Celestia sat beside Silver. "If you insist on going through with this, perhaps we should do it as safely as possible."

Curious, Silver gestured for her to continue. "How do you propose that?" Did she mean the same thing Blueblood suggested?

"I wasn't entirely speaking in jest before." Celestia sat up. "Royalty in closed relationships are more stable. Few consider even approaching Cadance for 'that' with her marriage, and, let's be honest, I want that shield. Luna wants to join, we both know that, but so do I. Not out of any... Look, you're a fine pony, but this is not about love. I loved once or twice, and it turned poorly. I'm happy loving all the country now. I am their mother, and I want a father figure." She leaned in. "Will you marry us?"

Silver felt like a spotlight had turned on him, and perhaps it had in the radiant presence of Celestia. "A r-royal herd?"

"Well, it would not involve Twilight, unlike your vision." She tilted her head faintly. "Poor girl deserves a chance to find her own path in romance, but you're not young like her, nor do you come from as sheltered a background. You know exactly what I'm asking."

There was a problem. Many, really, but one immediate one. "You're asking the wrong pony."

"You're not interested?"

Silver pointed to the door. "Night is the First Wife."

Celestia glanced at the door. "If you made the firm deci--"

"But I won't, not even for you, Princess. The stallion is not the one that suggests new mares." He smiled a little. "I won't tell her you approached me first."

"How generous of you." She let out a small sigh. "You are correct... But I want to know, will you agree, should she nominate us?"

"What if she only nominates one of you?"

Celestia sighed gently. "I feared that might be the case... Despite her mistakes, she means well. She does love you, both of you. She will be the more passionate wife and will devote herself if given this chance."

"You don't need to convince me."

Celestia rose to her hooves. "You seem certain." She brought a wing around as if to tickle his nose, but thought better of it and kissed him between the eyes instead. "Be well."

"Walk in the sun," he replied with a smile.

"What a curious saying..." She was gone, magic opening the door long enough for her to walk out.





Night didn't have far to go, and knocked gently on the door before being allowed in. A scowling spectral figure was there. "You've come for her, but she's not here."

It was Nefertari's guard spirit. Night nodded at her. "I'll wait."

"Don't touch anything."

"I won't." Night settled herself. The fact that she was allowed in without resistance was a significant step up from the way they had met. She had won the spirit's respect for her skill and will. She still wanted to be a shaman. "Do you know when she will be back?"

"Now." The door opened and Nefertari stepped in. "I was wondering if you would return. You left the castle, your energy a mess and your thoughts clouded. Your husban--"

"--I know. We've settled that."

"Have you?" Nefertari closed the door behind her and settled before Night. "Will you share?"

"Actually... I've come for another reason." She tilted her head. "Do you feel Silver has reached peace with you and proved he can be a warrior?"

"He hides it well, even from himself, but he will not accept death quietly." Nefer sucked some air through her teeth. "Why do you ask?"

Night rolled a hoof. "At one point, you wanted to join our h--"

"No."

Night blinked. She had not expected that. "No?"

"There are a thousand reasons to decline, and the one largest reason to say yes has been dealt with. It was to my dissatisfaction, but dealt with it was." She leaned forward. "Let us begin with the most practical. To wed him is a sign to the world that my people and yours are not only at peace, but actively allied. This would be false."

"I thought you liked him?" Night raised a brow. "At least a little."

"Oh, certainly. I don't regret meeting him, or speaking with him, or you, my student. Liking someone is a far cry from being tied to them. In fact, if I were to do such a thing, I would prefer a monogamous tie. I'm simple that way. I was ready to give that up, what I wanted, to fulfill my duties." She raised a brow. "But he declined."

Night licked over her lips. "But he--" He never formally declined, but was it her place to ensnare Nefertari like that? To capture her against her will and drag her before her stallion? She knew Silver would not approve of such things... "I was mistaken."

Nefertari reached forward and placed a paw on Night's shoulder. "We all err at times, even I. Now... have you figured it out?"

"Huh?"

"You must have been truly distracted." A smirk spread over Nefertari's lips. "Samantha's mother. Have you given up?"

Night started. She had forgotten all about that. She had failed Samantha on so many levels. "I'll figure it out..."

"See that you do. It would be a shame if I was wrong about your talents."

Night rose to her hooves, faintly shaking. Her plans had been dashed entirely, again. She would have to crunch the numbers harder instead of trying to be impulsive. Being impulsive just wasn't her style. "Thank you for seeing me."

"Leaving, so soon?" Nefer looked so confident. "Sit. We have lessons to go over, dear student. You have decided to walk this path, and I will see you reach the end of it. Your family has cost me significant face at times, but this one time, I will have my honor and present to the world a fine student."