> Two Lonely Mares
>  by RandomBlank
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Most Wonderful of Nights
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


1. Most Wonderful of Nights


I snuck another peek at the broken-hearted princess. Yet another Twilight's attempt thwarted by that stupid, insensitive Pinkie. I'm going to add ricinus oil to her next batch of fennel when she comes to order it, the stupid jerk! How's that for a prank!? She got to a point where Luna canceled the whole holiday!

But now to help the princess... How will she react to me? In her times we were nothing but dumb savages! Will she even see me as anything more than a freak? I forced my hooves to move. I certainly wouldn't make things worse than they are now...

And then Twilight poked her head in, through a bush right by me.

"Zecora? Here you are! I must ask you a favor," she whispered, while observing depressed Luna. "We must approach it from completely opposite direction!"

"You are right, but to that wit,
do you have a dungeon, pit,
Obliquette where we can sink
for the night, the mare of pink?"

"What? No! Why would you want to imprison Pinkie?!"

"Then how will that messy mane
not thwart our plans again?"

"I have this covered... I think. Although I guess... I should tell her I won't ever lie to the health inspector that Gummy's droppings are a special kind of spice, if she tries her shenanigans again. Or that case where the anvil gave Mr. Flint a concussion, I might review my testimony..."

"Then you tell me what to do,
I put all my trust in you."  

* * *

"T'was the most wonderful of nights." Luna sat with a blissful grin by the table in the center of the library. "We thank thee, Twilight. Thy help was immeasurable."

"It was an honor and a pleasure, princess!" Twilight grinned over her cup of spiced tea from the other side of the table. "...and a little shame. Ponyville ponies still seem to still have a very... little-town mindset. We're working on it."

"That you do, and do it well,
From experience, I can tell.
Last year I aroused worst fear
Now I'm welcomed as guest dear." I smiled from my place by the table, then I lifted the teapot and refilled the three cups on the table. I  scratched my head with my hoof. The long-haired wig with faux spiders was a bit itchy.

The three of us were all that remained from the Nightmare Night after-party, after Pinkie finally left, hiccuping soap bubbles after one "special candy" I sneaked into her bowl. Twilight fought a yawn, then took a sip from her cup.

"Tis a pity four hours of night remain, yet ponies to sleep retreat." Luna sighed a little. "Nay, regret I must not. My night received more attention than was its due. T'was a memory to behold."

I watched her dreamily. She was so beautiful. Such a pure heart, poignant pain of loss, stranger in a strange world. I saw her sadness many times today before she found her place. I'd be damned if I let her sadness return.

"Oh yes, it was." Twilight nodded. "I will never forget Rainbow's yelp when you zapped him!"

Luna grinned, then turned her radiant face to me, a little frown marring its fine contour.

"Pirthee, Zecora, how shall you reach thy home this late? The Everfree Forest hast grown wilder and scarier past razing of our palace, and monsters reign its night."

The thought set itself into rhyme in my mind, as it always did. A spell that seemed to live a life of its own, that let me speak the pony language - but only in rhyme.

"True, I dare not go this late.
Till the morning I must wait.
Through night forest trips I make
only when some life's at stake.
Idle travel I delay,
In the town hall I shall stay."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay at the library?" Twilight offered. "I do have a spare bed and it would really be no problem at all."

I shook my head. Too much at stake, and I'd wake them up rushing home at dawn. I cursed myself a little for accepting the offer to act as a storyteller.

"I must run for home too soon,
barely princess sets her moon,
for a brew I left to simmer,
and the coals must stay aglimmer.
Months of work would come to flop
if I let the flame to stop."

"This cannot be! Thou entertainst the town selflessly, at own risk so grievous? This shall not stand. I shall go to thy place to resupply the coals in your stead."

I liked Luna more and more. She'd selflessly risk running through Everfree just to save my project? Too bad explaining the details of what had to be done was beyond reach of the rhyming spell. The princess seemed smart enough to be able to understand the requirements if I was only able to convey them. Unfortunately, that was not an option.

"More than coals to light I must,
Too much would be my work's bust.
Add ingredients, spells, and stir,
You can’t do this all, I fear.
Thanks sincere, but its for naught,
Only I can save my draught."

"Then I shall escort thee on the way, light thy way and keep thee safe."

I brightened at the prospect. Walking through the forest with Luna? We'd be able to talk... maybe I'd...

"But princess...!" Twilight interrupted my train of thought. "Who would keep you safe? A stray glance at a basilisk's eye, a snap of prowlerweed's jaws, and you won't have time to save yourself! I learned my lesson not to travel through the Everfree Forest at night the hard way!"

Luna smirked. "Have faith, Twilight Sparkle. I swear my royal oath that no harm shall befall us, nor our charge."

Smart! I could see Twilight struggling, unsure how to proceed - continued opposition could be counted as doubting the royal oath! "Please, be cautious!" she pleaded.

"Nay, Twilight." Luna grinned. "No time for caution! Let us go, Zecora, and fare thee well, Twilight!"

I stood up with a smile, and proceeded to gathering my belongings. The satchel of herbs went in my sack, followed by wooden spoon and shaker with spice-herb. I hung the sack on my shoulder and trotted towards the door, looking at the princess over my shoulder.

"Stay your hooves, Zecora. Travel on hoof bears dangers."

What? Is she going to... carry me? As much as I'd love to, I couldn't keep the spike of fear at bay. Heights. Damned foalhood accident that left me deadly scared of heights. Zebras are not made to climb trees, period. And even less so to fly on alicorn backs.

"Shall a princess strain her wings,
Carry Zebra, of all things?"

"To gamble dangers of air, currents fickle and predators winged? Nay..." Luna closed her eyes, her horn glowed, and a spell went off, without any visible effect - but I could see Twilight standing with her mouth open. She tackled her lectern in a predatory leap, pen whirling over parchment making notes on the spell she had just observed. But Luna didn't pause. Her horn glowed again and I felt myself dissolving into thin air...

* * *

I took me a second to gather my bearings, before brightening in a smile. I pushed the door of my hut, inviting the princess inside. Luna trotted in, proudly, in a regal stride (Hey, she just fulfilled an oath, even if it took her all of three seconds!) and I followed her in, daring to throw a glance at the shapely flank.

I busied myself lighting candles, then as soon as the hut was somewhat lit, I checked my cauldron. More wood. I added firewood and charcoal to the fireplace under the cauldron, stirred the content one time left, two times right, sprinkled some Sparrowling Weed, added a few drops of Liquid Pride from a vial, and finally sighed contently. The cauldron wouldn't require my attention for another twelve hours or so. That was close! Luna really helped me!

"Not an hour of time remained,
or the power would have waned."

Satisfied with saving the brew, I invited Luna to have a seat, then proceeded to remove my long-maned wig and witch dress. I lit a fire under the pot with root broth on my stove. While Ponyville enjoyed rather mild weather assured by the pegasi, here, in the deep Everfree Forest late autumn was filling the air with deep chill, and only the warmth of the cauldron chased cold away from the hut.

"Some hot broth, to warm bones old,
Nightmare night brings winter's cold."

"Aye, the old bones of mine will accept that fondly." Luna answered. But that was not what I meant! I... but the broth was so good...

"Oh, that would I not imply!
But the broth, sure, you can try."

Luna giggled. "Thou art but a little foal by me, and nary a year past thy youth yet."

Only then I realized it was true. She was so cute, so youthful and beautiful, and yet she was so much older! No, reminding her of that would just cause her undue worries.

"Your majesty, you're too kind.
But let's put at ease our mind."

"Nay, zebra. We spoke truth, many a finest zebra servant would desire to have thy body... nay, wait, that meant we not. Thy fitness and strength, we meant. Fine muscles, bounce of step..."

I knew history. I knew what the euphemism "zebra servant" meant in times of Luna. I sighed.

"Your majesty, times are gone,
when you'd assess muscle tone
of a shackled zebra slave.
I'm from land of free and brave."

"Nay! No, no, no!" Luna waved her hooves. "T'was not what we meant! Never wouldst we think of thee that way! We treasure thy independence... and wisdom... and perseverance in this forest of dark. We find thy ways fascinating! And thy wisdoms, and thy body..." Luna caught her mouth with both front hooves silencing herself.

What?! Did she...? And I suspected her... Oh. I was so embarrassed. I felt blush reach my cheeks - but then, I observed crimson peek from the dark blue fur on Luna's cheeks.

"Is it true? Can it be?
Princess has a crush on me?"

"Tis nary but a... fascination. Solitude and fear of others is our life, our... yours and mine."

yours and mine.

In the language of the old, "you" existed along with "thou", but it was reserved as an expression of respect, uttered to those of superior, or at least equally noble stance. And Luna dropped the majestic plural. She simply lowered herself to my level! Three simple words, but they changed everything. I felt tears in corners of my eyes. She truly did value me. For her... for her I would do everything.

"Princess, thank you for kind words.
Hostile glares wound hearts like swords.
If you want me as your friend,
I will serve you to the end.
And if lonely do you feel,
I'll try that loneliness fill."

"Tis noble of you. I see now what hath Twilight found in ye when she saw ye first."

I recalled how I met Twilight first, and against my emotion, I snorted with laughter.

Luna raised her eyebrows, a bit hurt, seeking explanation for my sudden humor, so I explained, chuckling a little.

"Tip my cauldron will you now?
Call me witch, start mighty row?
Demand lift your curse you will,
blaming me that you are ill?"

"Tis what she did first?!" Luna joined me in laughter. "Truth be told, she charged me with her horn, then blasted me with the Elements the first we met. But I blame her not, for I was possessed by evil spirits."

"Charge with horn, on Nightmare Moon?
Twilight really is a loon!" I couldn't help laughing.

"Tis I thought! But t'was but a clever ruse to get past me to the Elements. She shall be a princess one day, I tell ye! No smarter mare have I seen as live I long!"

True, true... mostly!

"But so much she has to learn!
Under teacher who's more stern.
Knowledge, goodwill - flawless track.
But self-control she does lack.
Lets her fears guide her, does she,
Winds can uproot such weak tree."

"Tis true, Zecora. Her fear of failure crippleth her, and to fail my sister wouldst break her. She needst another teacher. Willst you teach her?"

"Me? Fine princess, you must jest.
Me, to put her fears to rest?
Would my dozens years of life
surpass your millennial strife?
Stars you rule, Moon you rise,
Where are my pathetic tries?" I swept my hoof in an arc over my humble collection of potions.

Luna saddened. There was ire in her voice. "So, what hast you done terrible, Zecora? What deed haunteth your sleep? What evils of the past killed your confidence? Why art you incapable of harshness? For I can show scorn no more, as no fault of others ever surpasseth my guilt!" she shouted out, anguished.

I sat there with my mouth open in a voiceless "o" as I absorbed the words. So this is her pain! This is that ugly nag that chases smile away from that beautiful face! This had to be dealt with, now! Chase that thought away!

I stood up, resting my both front hooves on the table, and glared at her, scrunching my eyebrows. The words of the curse rolled off my tongue all by themselves.

"Why you spit in sister's face?
You've recovered rightful place.
Ponies give you their love
Your moon shines on us above.
They forgave you, all but one
One still mad at what you've done.
Spiteful stupid wretch, that harms
princess wise and full of charms.
Snake that whispers filth untrue,
and that monster lives in YOU!" I pressed my hoof against the alicorn's chest.
"Seeping poison in your veins,
Hopes to put you back in chains!
You are mighty, wise and brave!
I won't let you be its slave!"

With these words I jumped and tackled Luna, making her tip over, then as we both collapsed on the floor, Luna on her back, me on top of her, I held her with both hooves embracing her tightly and letting my curse take root.

The curse of guilt will fade, but only if we don't let it surface. Now to cast a curse on a curse is a tricky business, but this seemed to sink in. Her guilt about past surfacing will trigger my curse, guilt of blaming self against good wishes of others. That would push the original curse deeper and starve it - and then, with it dead, my curse would starve and remove itself from Luna's mind by itself. Now just to fertilize the soil I planted my curse in - convince Luna that she is loved. How lucky that I didn't need to say a single word of lie about that!

"So silly... such old filly..." I grumbled, still aggravated, burying my face in Luna's chest. "Guilt surpass... what an ass..."

Luna lay on her back with all her hooves up, a ridiculous expression of shock and confusion on her face, and completely at loss how to proceed. I was fairly sure she thought me insane at that point. Still, the way she squirmed under my weight... as if to settle me more comfortably.

Very tentatively she wrapped her hooves around my back.

We lay like that for a good minute, Luna still chewing through the rhymes of the curse, me still grumbling about her being stupid to blame herself.

"Your competence teaching Sparkle surpasseth mine hundredfold." Luna broke the relative silence. "You didst mo' for me this past minute, than my sister in past dozen fortnights, and not for her lack of trying - and she was always my better at teaching."

I smirked. Taking a student was a fair price for healing this wonderful pony.

"One condition I must set:
Regrets crippling you won’t let."

"I... shall try." Luna said, hopefully. "You sayeth ponies love me, yet tonight so many cowered in dread!"

"Some of them don't know you yet.
Some ask, love them will you let?"

"Why? Who?" Luna asked confused. Surely for her this conversation under the zebra was getting strange.

"You don't see? Ones like me?"

"But I... but..." Luna at first wanted to protest, but then she looked at my face. I was smiling wide, observing her through half-closed eyes. I was fairly sure I blushed. "...ah! That you meanst!" she exclaimed in humor. Her face suddenly dropped into seriousness. "Meanst you that really? For I am..."

"A princess? A goddess? A noble? A mare?
And despite all this, to love you I dare."

Luna blushed. "Nay... I... Yes. A mare. Such perversions were persecuted in my times."

"Not just lay and take her cherry,
Now two mares can even marry!"

Luna opened her eyes wide. "But that... that... Foals! And... and..."

"When heart’s open for love blind,
just small bumps for open mind."

Luna stopped and chewed through the news in her mind. It seemed like one worry after another was vanishing from her face, but then she paused, puzzled.

"So... I am fascinated with your strength of mind and body, mysterious ways of yours, your humility hiding immense power, and your looks - which please mine eyes greatly. What findest you in me?"

Honesty. Honesty for honesty.

"What my heart is striving for,
mending souls, and giving more.
For your soul I have a cure
And your body's such a lure.
It's not noble, but it's fact
Helping is not selfless act.
Saving ponies in need dire
often sets my loins on fire.
And your beauty, and your plight,
chance to set the things all right,
sends wild jitters up my spine.
Please, my princess, please, be mine!"

"So if I were happy, wouldst you even spare me a thought? As my life groweth content, willst you find me attractive no longer?"

Oh, no. For her I would sacrifice my life. And still... I wouldn't hold her my prisoner.

"Would you, in bountiful life,
worry about matters trife,
like old zebra picking buds,
when surrounded by young studs?
Forget me, and I won't fight
Happy, that your life is right.
But as long as you remember,
Love will burn like glowing ember.
And just whisper once my name,
and my love will burst in flame!"

Luna smiled gently. "Zecora," she whispered. And without a second of hesitation my mouth met hers. The lips hungry for each other nibbled and pulled, the tongues touched tips, then mingled, hot breaths mixed. And the eyes carried joy, happiness and deep relief. The worry that the solitude would last long, maybe forever, that bitter, nagging feeling lurking at the back of minds of both of us got snuffed and uprooted entirely.

We lay in each other's embrace, smiling, kissing each other's mouth from time to time. I adored the look of Luna's face - a look that carried adoration for me too. It was a true love from first sight.

And then I fought a yawn. My treacherous body! Here I am with the most beautiful mare in the universe, and she desires me, and I'm feeling sleepy! My mind ran through a dozen various stimulants scattered over my shelves, trying to think of one without nasty side effects but still strong and efficient enough... and then I felt a gentle hoof run through my mane, I saw the serene smile.

"Let us retire to sleep. T'was a long night..."

"I don't want this night to stop.
Let me just to drink... a drop..."

I rolled off Luna and stumbled towards my medicines struggling with drowsiness. Then I felt enveloped by magic and carried through the air. Quilt of my bed moved away and I was placed gently on the sheets. And a second later wonderful warmth of Luna's body surrounded me as she curled around me, spooning against my back tightly. She covered me with her wing before drawing the quilt back over us. I felt a gentle kiss on my forehead and it felt too good for me to fight any longer.

* * *

It was a night on a glade in the forest. I felt a small jolt of fear, but a quick look assured me it was not the dreaded Everfree. Or at least not this Everfree. It was friendly. It didn't have any of its ominous, dark atmosphere.

There was a spring, a waterfall splashing down tall rocks into a pond below. Lilies and ferns covered the rocky shore. Mist of steam rose over the water. I recalled the place - I knew it. It wasn't a mile away from my hut, but in reality a tangle of thorns covered the whole glade and the pond was a nasty, bubbling bog.

"T'was one of my favorite places of old." I heard. The princess emerged from the mists over the lake, and stood in shallow water next to the waterfall. "Nowadays but brambles and thicket of weeds."

My heart pounded heavily. Her mane hung long and straight, wet from the water, and her face was beautiful beyond measure, framed by the mists and lilies.

"I shall help you in your herbal research. Willst you help me restore that piece of Everfree?"

"Such memories..." I made a double-take at my voice. It was deep and masculine. I looked over my body. It was bulkier, heavier. "...do deserve
to recover and preserve." I finished unsure of the new development.

"I am... still new to this... 'mare love' thing. I hope you mindst not?" Luna raised her eyebrows.

"This is surely something new
But if that's what pleases you...
Later please reverse the fate.
Make Prince Lucian be my mate!" I smiled mischievously.

"Who is Prince Lucian?" Luna asked in full innocence and a little hurt at thought of me choosing some stallion. Only a few seconds later she gasped, raising a hoof to her mouth. "Me? As a stallion?"

I grinned and nodded. Luna's blush was so cute! Then a grin spread on her mouth.

"Come hither!" She splashed some water with her hoof.

I ran to her and dipped my front hooves in the water. It was warm. Without another second of hesitation I plunged into the pond, head first and swam like a fish dashing by the bottom - my brass rings would weigh me down, making diving easy. I breached the surface by Luna and threw my forelegs around her neck. She held me close, laughing as we sat in the shallow part of the pond, water barely reaching Luna's belly

"You art a feisty one!" she held me close and we kissed. It felt weird, in the dream. Our lips, our tongues were half-material, half-yielding like pegasus-made cloud-crafts. Yet I knew the taste of Luna's mouth by now, and the dream was no worse than the reality. Dark wine, exotic spices, breeze, smoke, jasmine, chocolate. That was Luna's taste and scent.

She extended her wings. Normally just slight bumps on her sides, fully extended they were truly enormous. She closed them forming a shelter around me, my protective goddess. I held her tenderly, feeling for her heartbeat, seeking any signs that would need my attention and care.

"My striped healer," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Cease your worries. I am the happiest of ponies in all of Equestria. Is there anything in the world I could do for you?"

Such a sappy mood. She was about to get tears in her eyes. No way, won't let you cry.

"Though that might sound little crass,
Let me tap your perfect ass."

I winked and she burst in laughter, tucking back her wings. She lectured me in mock scorn. "Tis not how one speaketh to the princess! You shall speak: 'Pirthee, your majesty, may I humbly beg permission to tap your perfect ass?'" She extended her back over the surface and slapped it with her hoof, making a loud smacking sound.

"I'll remember that next time.
Problem is, it does not rhyme." I answered, laughing.

"We, Princess Luna, hereby grant thee, our faithful subject, the right to tap our royal flank now and for all times hence," Luna announced, pressing her forehoof to her chest in a gesture of an oath. She then stood up and turned around, in little dainty steps, exposing her rump to me, tucking her tail to the side.

I stared in stunned silence, filled by awe. It was so perfect! The roundness, the color, the dainty yet firm nether lips with the little pucker above forming an upside-down exclamation mark, the dark blobs of her cutie marks almost, but not quite meeting, the curve of the tail dividing the composition with sparkly ideal... I felt a stirring under my belly. Oh... that was such a new feeling - a maleness extending and hardening rapidly. I stood there transfixed.

"Less gawking, mo' tapping!" The beautiful rump swayed hypnotically.

Completely mesmerized, I raised my front hoof up, stiffly, rotated it ninety degrees, then applied it firmly to the side of that perfect flank. The loud "smack" and a fountain of droplets ejected from the soaked coat, connected with a quiet "oof!" from the princess sobered me up a little. I had my hoof on that perfect flank, right in the curl of the moon mark! My mouth curled up in a grin.

I removed my hoof and kissed that spot, nibbling on the moon shape softly. I saw her turn her head and eye me with a rising blush and grin. Half a dozen unsaid puns and jokes floated in the air unsaid as I separated my lips from her plot 1). Her hips swayed again,and this time I planted my mouth right under her tail, grabbing her small pucker with my lips and screwing my tongue tip slightly inside.

The pun of kissing up hung heavy in the air but I resisted, even though the rhymes buzzed angrily in my head, demanding release. Instead, I pulled my lips down, letting my tongue tip separate the labia and sink inside.

I stopped, making a double take. It was sweet like honey. My mind protested a little, that it was just the dream making it up. Surely Luna wouldn't taste... ah who cares! I got to licking in the earnest, as Luna danced in place, pushing her rump against my mouth. The taste intensified, the sweet nectar coating the labia, mixing with my saliva, dripping and licked up. Again, rhyme about a bee formed in my head 2) and I swallowed it, washing down with more of the sweetness. Too good to stop!

My male part was fully extended, rigid, pressed against my belly hard, and demanding attention. Still, Luna was simply too tall! As if sensing my problem, she turned around, standing on her hind legs, pressing her back to the rock of the waterfall. Her wings extended, one of them entering the flow from above and scattering the falling water into a fine mist. I stepped up to her and stood on my hind legs, put my forelegs by her sides, on the rock behind her, and pressed my chest to her own. Our mouths met, hers directed down, mine - up. She giggled a little, probably tasting her sweetness on my lips, but we kept kissing, as I stepped closer, the tip of my maleness pressed against her abdomen. Her breath was heavy, rasping with desire. Her eyes half-closed, didn't so much permit, as demand.

I crouched just a little and felt my tip sliding down, first between her nipples, then along her groin and ending pressed against her soft back. A little thrust, the tip sunk in, and I inhaled sharply. That was...

"After lifetime being blind,
I see rainbow, princess kind."

Luna just smirked from under her half-closed eyes, and lowered herself onto my shaft, hard, fast. She leaned to my ear. "Make it into a rain-boom then!"

I put my forehooves under her thighs, leaned on her, pulling her up from the ground - she was light like a small filly! - and I thrust my hips, until my groin met hers, and the wonderful tingling tightness embraced the base of my shaft.

It felt so strange to feel pleasure with a body part I didn't have for real... but it felt so exquisite! And there, against my chest was the one mare whom I wanted to live for, and now she was giving me...

Time to give back!

I began working my hips in the earnest, searching Luna's face for what worked best. She arched her chest, flexed her buttocks, and I felt her inside resisting, holding hard, flowing against my length as I pushed. Her mouth tensed, she bit her lower lip, and I could see her nostrils flaring with exertion. I felt her nipples on her stomach rub against mine every time I'd bottom out in her firm flesh. Hard as a rock, I'd grind my groin against hers, and as the exhilarating sparks of pleasure from nipples traversed my body, I could feel my tip flex its way in her, a bulge on her slim abdomen appearing, moving with my thrusts, dipping showing up again...

I raised my eyes to hers. It was lust - carnal desire so primal and irresistible I just knew I'd be in trouble if I stopped now. Not that I'd want to stop. Luna, consumed by passion, was different than her usual, cute self. She was strong, dominant, wild - and irresistible. The irises of her eyes glowed with a dim emerald light. Her mane didn't so much flow, as it was shooting like crackles of dark lightning. Her mouth, now half-open, her chest working hard, and her ears curled back, as if in anger.

She put her forehooves on my shoulders, and held my head firmly. "Give me thy seed," she rasped. "Fertilize my womb, for it was barren too long. Spill no drop of thy seed, I crave it, I need it. Rut me, I bid ye!" She pulled me wrapping her hind legs behind my back, impaling herself and grinding against my groin.

"This for you, my gem of night.
Brace yourself and hold me tight!"

I pushed her against the rock wall, and retreated my full length. The water from above splashed on my head and my maleness, but then I threw myself forward, driving my rod deep, impaling Luna mercilessly - adding a little upstroke so that I rubbed her clit along the way. She yelped hard and I felt her inside gripping me, hot and strong. That was it for me, the organ throbbed and I felt orgasm like never before - d'oh, first time as a male, my blundering mind insisted, totally dazed by the intensity of the experience. There was moonrise in this experience, and ocean waves, and ageless tree growing within seconds, and a monsoon storm, and wildfire consuming a forest... my mind goes strange places when I'm coming, and I never came this hard yet. I heeded Luna's request, pushed snugly, pumping her, throb after throb, not stopping a second, riding my orgasm endlessly and keeping her orgasm running. I could feel her inside literally sucking my semen, drinking it rapidly. Luna held me tightly, pressed against my chest, and sobbed quietly. "My precious. My dearest..." she cried, brushing my mane with her hoof.

And crying again. No way. No crying into my chest!

"My sweet darling, don't you cry.
Keep moist pussy, but eyes dry."

She snorted, mixing laugh and cry. She punched my chest lightly with her hoof. "You art the rudest romantic to ever walk this world," she half-sobbed, half-snorted. "But you keepst me laughing, tis good." She embraced me again and pulled close. "I thank ye."

"Hush my cherished, time to rest
Let me hug your lovely chest."

We lay there, in the water, embracing. The murmur of the waterfall, the waves, the touch... and the dream dissolved slowly, transforming into other, senseless images - normal dreams.





1) "It's just little tap for me,
but great tap for zebrity!"

"Kissing up to royal plot
lets my tongue into slot."

"That's no moon, in a fashion.
That's a 'place your hoof here' station"

"Where night stars of beauty's unmeasured
Hide Equestria's greatest treasure."

"Why look I so handsome, you ask?
Why, in the moonlight I bask!"

"Where the dark blotches meet,
lies the world's cutest slit."

2) "Like a finest flower is your little cunny
And me, like striped honey bee, collecting its honey."

> Initial Difficulties
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


2. Initial Difficulties


The sense of smell awoke first. The scent was godly. Was that water lilies, honey and butter? Sizzling of a frying pan. A song quietly hummed.

I cracked my eyes open and turned my head to the source of the noise.

She looked like an angel in the morning light falling in through the kitchen window, wearing a short apron, a spatula in her magical grasp stirring something on the stove, her mane sparkling in the sunlight.

She turned her head to me and her face bloomed in the prettiest smile in the world.

"Not often do I say this, but... good morning!"

My mouth grew a big smile. I needed a few seconds for the rhyming spell to wake up too.

"Good morning, love.
What's on the stove?"

I groaned inwardly. The spell was definitely still asleep.

"A dish seemingly long forgotten. Caramel lily toasts."

"Smells delicious, my precious."

And there, the scent of honey shifted into scent of caramel, and the lilies got a special aromatic tint too. Luna moved some toasts from the stove onto a big tray, then poured the contents of the pan over the toasts.

She trotted up to me with the tray in the tow, and sat by the bed. She brought one toast to her mouth, taking a bite, then levitated it to me. I reached with my hooves, but her magic rapidly withdrew the snack out of my reach.

"Nay, touch that not! Tis unicorn food, so sticky it takes hours to remove from the coat by lesser races..." her voice trailed off. "I believe t'was why it was forgotten, equality and all. But mind that not!" She brightened again. "Today a princess is your servant. Open wide!" she brought the toast to my mouth.

I noticed how her magic continuously kept sweet, sticky substance from dripping down, bringing the strands back onto the toast. I took a bite and my eyes shot open wide. No wonder that was the food of elites! It was simply godly! The thick syrup, the slight bitterness from caramel, the smooth aroma of the lilies, crunchy toasts, all basking in golden goodness of the sweet honey.

Bite after bite, we worked our way through the tray of toasts, often sharing the last bite, lips to lips.

"You hast some syrup on your mouth." Luna said, as we swallowed our last bites. "We must not allow it dry!"

"And I guess your choice of meal,
And in feeding me, your zeal,
was innocent and quite pure?
I can guess this problem's cure!" I laughed.

Luna blushed. "Sister was always one of subtle games," she said, her cheerful mood somewhat diminished.

"So much work to steal a kiss?
If subtlety you do miss,
In your tender, loving care,
by strides better you do fare.
Deceit may be a fun play,
but I'll choose love any day."

This didn't quite placate her, that gentle face marred by a small frown. Stupid, stupid me. Next time just play along!

"Noble princess, forgive me,
On your lips, I think I see
little drop of honey dew.
May I, please, clean that off you?" I gave Luna my best bedroom eyes, and as her gaze met mine, finally the frown dissolved. And we didn't try to hold pretense of cleaning. Her lips still tasted of the honey and lilies, and her tongue played on my lips like they were made of lollipop candy. I grabbed her around her chest, and pulled her into bed, to lie on top of me.

I lay on my back while Luna  covered my throat with gentle kisses. She reached my neck and my rings on it. She'd move one ring, and sink her tongue in, caressing my neck where it has been pressed by the metal for years now.

I reached up with my mouth, to lick her horn currently looming just out of range, and I heard panicked, pained yelps. I tried to see what's going on, bending my chin to my chest and the yelps intensified. Oh! I quickly flexed my neck back. "Sorry! Sorry! Oh my deary!" I shouted. The yelps stopped and I dared to look towards my chest.

"Ouch." Luna looked at me, with a complaint in her eyes. "That thmarth" she slurred, her tongue tip sticking out of her mouth, marks of where my rings pressed it quite evident. I winced. My poor love! I held her to my chest.

"My poor princess! I'm so sorry!
I've got salve, so do not worry..."

I dug myself out of my bed and trotted to the shelves, picked the right jar and brought it to Luna in my teeth.
"Wait-" she held me with her hoof. "Doth it dethen... dethenth..." she rolled her eyes in frustration "make tongue numb?"

"I said, worry not in vain.
It reduces only pain."

"Good." Luna gave up speaking for a while, extending her tongue while I opened the jar and applied the salve with a small spatula. I could see her relax as the salve began acting.

"Now, to finish up the rest,
Put your tongue to a test!" I suggested, then turned to the jar, and replaced the lid. I took the jar in my mouth... and promptly dropped it.

Luna just stuffed her mouth under my tail and was licking my privates in the earnest. I stood there frozen, torn between protesting, saying something witty or just enjoying. Then my own tail answered for me, going up and to the side, all by itself. I couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride for my salve. That tongue was certainly fully healed. Lick by lick all of me was turning to jelly of pure bliss.

I stood frozen like that for another two minutes or so, unable to think about anything but the feeling between my thighs, when the caress stopped.

"I hope I impose not, by asking you returnst the favor?"

I think a few cogs broke in my brain as it shifted too many gears at once. "Yes! As you sez!" I squeaked, as the rhyming spell flailed desperately, and my wobbly jelly legs wiggled their way towards the bed.

Warm blue glow enveloped me, lifted me off the floor and placed on the bed. One hind leg of the princess under my left shoulder, the other on top of my right, her forelegs holding around my rump.

The tongue returned, and I began forcing my dizzy head towards that loveliest of cunnies currently right in front of my mouth. A shudder ran through my body after the mouth closed on my nub and sucked a little.

"Art fine?" Luna asked, concern audible in her voice.

"Never better in my life..." my voice escaped my mouth in a desperate whinny,
"Luna, will you be my wife?"

Luna stopped, baffled by my sudden offer, while I gave my rhyming spell several really firm mental kicks trying to wring it back into shape.

"Tis rather fast, thinkst you not?" She gave out a pearly giggle.

"My stupid tongue I cannot hold.
That's why I made this rash statement bold..."

"Hush, sweet. Worry not. Tis quite enciting proposal, yet many art its consequences.  We have time aplenty. Ask a year hence and I shall give ye mine answer."

And then she returned her mouth between my thighs and the gentle licks reignited the spark into wildfire.
I lowered my mouth onto her rump, and probed with my tongue tip. Smooth, silky, slightly musky. Minimally sour, mild. Taste of a mare. Not honey. I was a little afraid I'd freak out if she tasted like honey for real. Luna moved her legs, exposing her back better to me. The black labia contracted in a wink, exposing a pink clitoris, and I used the moment to suck it in between my lips.

It wasn't easy. Her attention down there would make me gasp, shudder, yelp, and each of these would mean the little nub escaped my lips and I'd have to hunt for it with my tongue, pull on her flank with my hoof to make the shell open to reveal its pearl. Then a careful suck and it was back in my mouth, to caress with my tongue - and while doing that, I had a little advantage - Luna would lose focus, her licks going more erratic, her body tensing, shivers running down her belly pressed to mine...  until she landed a particularly good stroke, like that little spot a few inches in... and then I'd lose focus and she'd keep licking my clit in small circles that made me unable to withhold yelps...

This competition lasted a little while, but after Luna's little button escaped my lips one more time, I thought about changing the tactic. I probed with my tongue deeper, trying to find Luna's counterpart for that little point that made me lose it... and sure enough, just at the end of reach of my tongue, not distinct in any way, was the place that made Luna stop and squirm. She gave out such cute little yelps!

And then I felt her trembling legs close on my loins, her mouth pressing against my hindquarters hard, seeking stability, and her tongue reaching inside, erratically.

She added two plus two and found that point in me. I struggled not to stop, overcame by pleasure, arousal peaking beyond what I could stand.

I held to one thought: don't disappoint her, don't stop. And as my orgasm blanked my mind, I kept licking. I felt her insides throb rapidly, a small gush of her juices washing through my mouth, and I kept giving - and receiving, her caress never stopping through her orgasm, despite roads rolling like cloth in the wind, grass tangling in black knots growing purple flowers that hold stars, and the stars fly to the sky in a curly path, all above orchestra of buffalos preparing celebration of sainthood of wind and rain... ah, my mind going away in wild tangents again...

And so as the caress wouldn't stop, so wouldn't the pleasure. Barely would one peak end, I'd get thrown into another, and I rode the orgasm after orgasm, feeling Luna's peak diminish and reignite again, her firm flesh tickling my tongue, and trumpets emit white smoke, and doves, who connect into one huge bird - is it a stork? A crane? No, it's Celestia, embracing the world with gentle wings... and so images flowed as my mind wandered...

At last my tongue refused to work, numbed by continuous exertion, and I felt Luna's peak slowly fading - and then I was thrown into another orgasm as her own efforts intensified! The world shone with green sparkly lights and rose, bright and powerful as Celestia spread her wings, and dissolved into lights, and there was Luna in the shadows of the background, but she gave me a mischievous grin and...

With no intention of stopping, Luna kept teasing my special spot, holding my labia parted by her magic, her tongue tip touching there, probing, wiggling - and me, raising to one top after another, and my mind... going places.

Maybe two minutes later finally my mind and body gave out, my next orgasm went somewhere through left field, some pony in a black suit and red tie shouted at me, and I got angry at him, and wanted to shout something back, and jerked myself out of the trance, gasping hard.

I shook my head rapidly, looking at Luna, who raised her head from behind my back. Her whole muzzle was damp from my juices and bore a huge grin.

"Most peculiar visions you hast when you comest, love. We ought to study them more." She grinned.

I wanted to say something but voice died in my throat. My rhyming spell was nowhere to be found. Dead, expired, misplaced - no clue. I just pointed at my throat, making small choking noises.

"Made I my darling speechless?" Luna's grin grew bigger.

I just nodded in reply, smiling sheepishly.

Luna just laid her head on the sheets, purring contently, while I kept probing my mind for traces of the spell. Aw, dammit, I can do that later. For now I followed Luna's example, just relishing the afterglow.

"Aww, it is so pretty!" sounded from under my tail, and I felt a very delicate kiss on my nether lips. "Never paid I attention to these parts, never saw them for their beauty. Stallions, ever stallions. Stallion knowst not of mare's needs!"

I had no opinion on the subject, and even if I had, I still couldn't speak any language Luna would understand, so, instead, I laid my head by her backside. Drippy. A ray of sunlight fell through the window and right onto the little black slit, making the droplets shine with rainbow reflexes. I extended my tongue and licked the droplets that formed along the edge of the slit. Luna squirmed a little. I pushed my stomach closer to her. She extended her wing and covered me with it.

The rhyming spell dared to peek from some forgotten corner of my mind, now that the barrage of visions and feelings subsided, and I coaxed it gently back into place.

"Would you like me wings your preen?
I've got oil to give them sheen,
and a salve of various blooms
will lend power to your plumes."

"Yes, tis wonderful idea," Luna murred.

I freed my hind hoof from under her shoulder, and crawled out of bed. I picked the jar of salve I had used on Luna's tongue and brought it back to the shelf. Some coals under the big cauldron with my mystery project, and some "spice" into the cauldron, stirring. Then cloth, oil, salve, a small brush, a pair of pincers, all into a small basket, and the basket onto the bed.

Luna spread her wing, apparently no strange to having them preened by others, and I saw them in condition less demanding pegasi would consider perfect. I felt a tinge of jealousy. She must have a servant for that... damn lucky pony! Then a smile spread on my mouth. Now I was that lucky pony!

"Not much work need your plumes.
Some skilled pony, seems, them grooms."

"Aye, that she is." Luna muttered. "Sis hath the most tender of mouths. I tend to her wings, as she doth to mine. I missed her dearly, and yet rarely we spend time together and this little caress we afford."

Now I felt like a thief stealing the rightful privilege from Celestia. But then, preening or not, my oil and salve would surely improve Luna's wings condition, and if anything, I could gift the jar and the flask to Luna so that she could share them with her sister.

For now, to work. I put a little of the aromatic, flowery waxy salve in my mouth, letting my saliva mix with it. I started closest to the body and worked my way outwards, trying feather after feather with my mouth, giving each a lick, setting them straight, then applying little oil with the brush on a newly preened section, and rubbing it in with the cloth gently.

The work was pretty standard, maybe except for sheer size of the wings - preening pegasus wings was an important skill for my job - many salves against various problems had to be applied just the way I was using the strengthening one - by being mixed with saliva and distributed through preening. Normally I didn't like the task very much, even though I'd always see the pegasi in question enjoy it immensely (and I'd charge enough to assure they wouldn't come back just for pleasure). But this was Luna, and giving her pleasure was my delight. These little dainty gasps, the tiny yelps when it almost hurts as a loose feather is removed, and the resulting feeling is a subsiding itch, the moments when a misaligned feather is put back in place, Luna arching her back like a cat, when I'd give her wing a stronger nibble, massaging it. I reached the wing tip and discovered one of the flight feathers to be quite loose, though still a bit from the point when it would definitely need to be removed.

"I found one a bit loose pinion,
I must ask for your opinion.
If I pull it now, it might
hinder you a bit at flight,
But if left, high in the sky
it might break right while you fly."

"Pull. Now." Luna muttered in a tone that carried no hesitation. I went to bring another piece of cloth and disinfectant, fairly sure this would draw a little blood. I cleaned the base of the pinion thoroughly, then gripped it with my teeth and pulled - fast, casually, before Luna could tense up and see it coming. She yelped. "Ouch, ouch..." she mewled quietly until pain subsided and I applied the disinfectant on the spot left after the feather. She did hiss through her teeth a little - the disinfectant did sting a bit.

"I thank ye. Tis a skilled service. Celestia tarrieth past due time, and often I lose one mid flight. Not nice, let me tell ye. Then... at times I am angry with her, I pull her feathers too early and too many." Luna chuckled. "Like a plucked hen she appears, I'm telling ye!"

I couldn't hold laughter imagining our dear ruler with half-plucked wings.

"I should laugh not," Luna suppressed her laughter, "Tis petty. Celestia never dost that unto me."

"Gets you angry, does she not?
She deserves this then a lot." I grinned.

"Nay, she... I am often wrong. Or weak, lost. Or envious. Then I hurt her, and yet she endureth the abuse quietly."

"Then just watch out for your wings,
'cause she owns great many things,
but in vain you'll search her trove,
to find faithful zebra's love."

Luna laughed and cheered up. "Take that, sis! I have a special somepony!"

I got to work on the remainder of the feathers on that wing, while Luna lay quietly in thought. As time came for her to turn around and show me her other wing, she broke the silence.

"Celestia deserveth a special somepony of own, in despite of all her vice... or even for them. Pirthee, ought I help her?" she asked, as she stood up, and turned, extending her other wing.

"Yes, sentiment this is kind,
We should help her love to find,
But be cautious in that deed.
Faithful love is what we need.
Not some stud to fill her bed,
or one who'd too soon be dead,
some prince vain, or boring snob,
This difficult will be job!
It's quite easy to break heart,
we must plan before we start!"

"Thinkst you Twilight Sparkle right? Smart, caring, open-minded..."

"And the moment her she sees,
she falls down right to her knees.
Twilight for her would be great,
but we have to change her state,
wake desire, stop her fear,
bring her near, as friend most dear,
To make her Celestia's mate,
give our Twilight Princess fate."

I got to preening the other wing as I finished, letting Luna think of that.

"I had... I meant it... more figuratively..."

"Jealous? Or callous?" I muttered over the brush as I applied oil over the first row of feathers.

"Nay! I... Aye. I should not. If she hast skill, she deserveth the title. And yet..." I felt a shudder run down Luna's spine.

"What is it, dear?
What do you fear?"

"The princess title cometh with alicorn wings, and alicorn longevity. Yet you, with all your wisdom... art mortal."

"And when my time here is past,
Twilight will forever last?
No, my princess. Worry not.
Long before my bones would rot,
I will give you some insight,
that will make the future right.
Trust me, in a dozen years,
you will laugh at today's fears."

"This jest giveth me no joy. To live alone again? I found my life's treasure tonight. I love ye, Zecora and to think you may die brings me fear beyond measure!"

"You will never live alone,
You will never fear your throne.
I will spend my life to teach,
how you can happiness reach,
When my body's but dust pile,
I'll keep living in your smile."

And there, moody again.

"Oh, don't mope, it will be fine.
Need I say some dirty line?"

I didn't even need to come up with one, as Luna blushed and smiled. There, my mouth free to preen. She lay down and muttered something incomprehensible about "the rudest," but then that changed into happy purring interrupted by satisfied "oofs" whenever I'd remove a loose feather.

Half an hour later I inspected her longest pinions, deemed them all healthy.and applied the salve and oil. And in the end, I picked the big pinion I had removed from the other wing, and asked Luna if I'm allowed to keep it."

"Aye, but brag of it not, lest ponies pluck me bare for want of these," she said with humor.

She stood up and spread her wings to full span, adoring my work. They truly were outstanding,

"Tis a wonderful work. Mindst me try them?" she beat her wings a couple times for a test, arousing some dust from the floor.

"I have given them my best,
Will you give them a small test?"

We headed for the exit, and moments later we stood in the clearing in front of my home. Luna spread her wings even wider than before, and examined them in the sunlight. Then without another word, she picked me up with her magic and placed me on her back.

"Whoa, wait! I'm scared of height!"

Another spell got me pretty much glued to her back, and then with a couple beats of her wings she shot above the trees. Whoa!

"Tis most amazing!" Luna shouted, then shot up into the sky, her shape lean, her wings beating fast, her legs curled under her belly. I lay my head flat on her neck, afraid the wind could peel me off her back. The speed was simply insane!
I saw the forest above me. I specifically, below me as I hung upside down from Luna doing a barrel roll.

And then the upside-down horizon line fell, and the forest filled my vision and rushed at me at insane speed. My scream was drowned by the rush of air. She was not going to make it! "Pull up! Just stop!" I screamed at top of my lungs, while Luna rushed straight down faster than death.

She did not intend to pull up! She found a hole between the trees and aimed right at the forest floor below! I closed my eyes and screamed until a sudden shock came...

...and then everything was silent. There was a gentle breeze and warmth of Sun, and magic lifting me off Luna's back and placing me on slightly moist, cool, soft surface.

I cracked my eyes open. White clouds, blue sky. The clouds under my hooves felt like finest silk. And there stood Luna, her mane sparkling wonderfully in the sunlight.

If that's what afterlife is like, I could live... err, be dead with it. Although I was a little angry. That was so selfish of her. Her sister would really take it hard.

"Please, forgive me being gruff.
But your treatment was bit rough.
I get purpose of that ride,
Eternity by your side,
But to commit suicide,
Just to stay with dearest bride,
bringing grief to those behind,
without asking if I mind...
That was selfish and unasked.
Luna, sometimes you're...." and I trailed off seeing her cracking up with laughter. Cheerful tears streamed from her eyes as she rolled in the clouds kicking up and laughing.

I turned away indignantly. I heard Luna stop laughing. She stood up and put a hoof on my shoulder.

"Forgive me this little jest my love..." she muttered in my ear. "We art very much alive." She punched the cloud in front of us with her hoof, making a hole to reveal the world below. I could make out the shapes of ponyville and Canterlot, and the span of the Everfree Forest between them.

"T'was my favored trick of losing winged chase: teleporting in the nick of time. That mixture of yours made my wings so perfectly slick I sped like never before!"

I still didn't speak to her. She really scared the living daylights out of me! I was sure she did kill us both!

"Please, Zecora, forgive me! T'was a stupid prank. How can I make amends to ye?"

I really wanted to be angry with her. I really did, but the more I thought about it... There's no rose without thorns. I would never want my Luna to change. So let me take the whole package... and let her suffer the consequences.

"Just beware. One day, quite soon,
you're the butt of joke, you loon."

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "I accept, humbly."

"Get me back down to the ground.
Slow and safely this time 'round."

Luna nodded, picked me up with her magic and "glued" me to her back again, then soared in wide circles, gradually, gently lowering her flight. I clung to her back, keeping my eyes shut tightly.

"Art still angry with me?"

"I know you the flight excites,
But I'm deadly scared of heights."

A little shock, and I felt the hooves of my ride touch the ground.

"Then we shall fly no more," Luna said quietly. "I am sorry for causing ye fright."

I held her neck with my forehooves and nibbled on the base of her mane a little.

"While I love aerial show,
I prefer it from below."

I decided to open my eyes at last. Luna's back shouldn't be too high, right? Whoa! Wrong!

I was not in the Everfree Forest. I could see the roofs of city and cobblestone roads far below, and the forest much, much farther below these. I turned my head around taking more immediate vicinity in. Alabaster banisters, a tall white wall, conical golden roof...

"If my understanding is right, that concoction of yours needs none of your attention until past evening?" Luna asked, and I nodded in reply.

I slipped off Luna's back and made my way to the dim entrance to the room, leaving the balcony overlooking the city of Canterlot behind me. Even places like these made me nervous.

Luna walked in behind me. She nuzzled my neck and paused, hesitant. Still worried that I'm angry at her. It took me a second but I returned the nuzzle, raising my head and touching my cheek to her slender neck.

I looked around. The inside was dim, dark blue walls with hundreds of small baubles imitating stars. Pictures, gems, jewelry, dried flowers, even minor pieces of cutlery, all of the items filled with silvery glow. Dark hardwood furniture formed a skyline of horizon around, and the center was an enormous round bed extended a little above the floor. Only a thin line of daylight filtered through  thick drapes over the north-facing balcony door, reflecting brightly in items on the walls. I looked at the few lit by the sunlight: they were ancient, relics of times long past. Often damaged by age, worn, simple - items older than a thousand years.

"We can return to your place, if you preferst," she whispered into my ear. "I want not to impose."

"No, princess mine.
This place is fine."

I saw a piece of the dim skyline crack open into a line of bright light. Outline of a head with fin-like crest peered in. "Princess! Where have you been?!" sounded a masculine voice filled with complaint and worry.

"Stay, Moon Ray!" Luna extended her hoof towards the pony. "We have a finest guest. Disturb us not!"

"Are you all right?" The guard insisted, while another one peered in.

"Nay, we art disturbed by pesky intruders in our meeting with noble Lady Zecora. Begone now!" she stomped her hoof.

The heads retreated and the door slammed shut.

"You've made me some kind of elite?
That makes my downfall complete." I shook my head.

"Dost you bear any noble titles of your land?"

"Sorry, I'm just a commoner,
hermit and improper loner."

"Then you shall be known as Esquire Zecora of the Everfree, for all times hence. And protest not! It would be improper for the princess to stay with a pony of any lower stance!" she sent me a charming grin.

I sighed, shaking my head a little. Too old for such shenanigans. Esquire Zecora. I'd scoff but my rhyming spell stumbled and failed to provide anything suitable. Luna noticed my discomfort though. She nibbled on my ear tenderly, forming a thought, and only a long moment later voiced her concerns.

"Tis no teasing nor prank, my dearest. You hast chosen no common pony to love. Had you chosen a miller, flour in your coat would bother ye. Had you chosen a soldier, fear of war would clutch your heart. You hast chosen the princess, and so you must  accept the princessly lore."

"Now I do accept this lore,
I did think of this before,
but if memory serves me well,
esquire title does compel
servitude to a knight,
without protests, is that right?"

"Sharp and bright as always, my dearest. Servitude to a chosen noble of any higher rank, and so I choose ye for mine esquire. This removes any marks of favoritism or unfairness from our relationship, just as does relation of my sister with esquire Twilight Sparkle."

"Esquire Twilight? I knew not,
that a noble title she got."

"She brags not about it, but the nobles are placated. And as for thy servitude, tis true, and allow me to issue my order and decree. Kneel, Zecora."

I decided to trust her and dropped to one knee in front of her.

"As mine esquire, Thou art-" I noticed Luna slipping from 'you' to 'thou' again, "-hereby ordered to follow thine own judgment in all decisions hence, and pay no heed to mine orders else than as wouldst thou to thy peer. And we, Luna, Princess of the Night, hereby swear this order never to revoke." She smiled to me. "Stand up, Zecora. You art now a free zebra."

So, as ordered, I trusted my judgment, and as I stood up, my lips met hers and she returned her kiss, as we nibbled on each other's lips.

"So, what plans you have today?
In your room we stay all day?"

"First, you shall meet my sister." Luna smiled.

"Oh, I don't want to impose.
Sure I'll meet her as time goes..."

There was a loud knock on the door.

"Come in, sis!" Luna called out, and the door opened. There, through the line of dazzling light, Princess Celestia practically stormed in. "Luna, where have you been!?" she practically shouted out.  "Everypony's been-" only then she noticed me, stopping dead in her tracks without words.

"Blame me, princess, for the best,
Princess Luna was my guest.
Brought me safely through dark wood,
made for breakfast some great food,
Helped me make important brew,
made me her esquire too,
and as day is nearing end,
she's more to me than just friend."

"What is the meaning of this? And why are you speaking in rhyme?" Celestia frowned at me. I'd say 'glared', but the emotion was well hidden under a shell of perfect behavior.

Luna grinned to her, her horn sparked with a spell, and she replied:

"N'dogo damba m'baga ambo
m'bali quali gamba ndambo.3)"

I would never explain it better. I felt a big grin rising on my face, as Celestia stood with her mouth open. She shook her stupor off. "Oh. Of course. Please forgive me. But I began seriously considering organizing a search, sis. You can't vanish without a word like that..."

"Asked thou not thy student? Am I a wee filly who needst oversight? Or missed I any royal duties of mine?"

"Luna, don't you turn it upside down. Thou art..." Celestia snorted with ire, "You are new to this world. There are dangers you don't know. Dismissing your guards was quite irresponsible. Not coming back... it made me sick from worry."

Luna softened a bit at that. "Forgive me sister, for thou art right. T'was most wonderful night. A night of joy, friendship, and love, so forgive me that I beheld it past my given time."

"Love?" Celestia raised an eyebrow.

I smiled and leaned against Luna, who held me with her wing.

"So you are the famous Zecora I've been hearing about..." Celestia sent me a quizzical look. "Pray tell me, what do you plan to achieve by seducing my sister?"

"I'm a healer at my heart.
Many ways are of my art.
Sometimes herbs or pills suffice,
sometimes magic, good advice,
But if longing heart you cure,
there is just one method sure.
Give your heart, then both you mend,
And suffering comes to end.
Wisdom, money, titles, might,
None I need, just set things right.
I don't have intentions vile.
Just to see my Luna smile."

Luna held me tighter, a hard smile formed on her mouth.

Celestia answered with very measured words, her smile not quite reaching to her eyes. "If what you claim is true, then you can count me as your friend." The unsaid counterpart of the sentence hung heavily in the air.

"That's great!" Luna exclaimed cheerfully. "And jealousy will I tolerate not!" she pointed her hoof at Celestia in a half-joking half-serious manner. "Thou art still my favorite sister! And same about you!" she turned to me. "You art still my favorite zebrafriend!"

"As if..." Celestia turned in mock indignity but it seemed Luna's good mood got to her too. "Let us have a dinner together, what say you?"

I looked at Luna with a question, and she nodded.

"If you offer, yes, with pleasure.
Such a gesture I do treasure."

Celestia nodded gracefully and turned to the exit, in her regal stride. Luna took a step after her, and I felt a light slap to my rump with her wing tip, encouraging me to go. And while I just grinned at that, I saw how Celestia visibly stumbled and suppressed a cough.

Past the door Luna stopped by her guards. The two batponies eyed me warily at first, but at Luna's word about me being "dear to her" they relaxed visibly and I caught a friendly glance from one of them. Luna dismissed them for the afternoon, requesting them back at her chamber before sunset.

In a brisk trot we caught up with Princess Celestia, and she led us through the corridors to the dining room. Some three turns of corridor later, we strolled into a relatively small dining room (relatively - this was the Canterlot Castle, here even broom closets were bigger than my hut.) Luxurious decor of gold on alabaster, a rather large square mahogany table, only four places by the table, one already occupied by an elegant slimeball.

The slimeball was a pegasus guard. Apparently a high officer of some sort, white coat, lime mane, a cape the color of jade and a chest plate with coat of arms involving a wing over the sun.

"Sir Percival will accompany us today," Celestia explained. "He's returning from duty at the Northeastern Border, where, as I heard, he performed heroic deeds for Equestria."

"At your service, your majesty!" the slimeball stood up and bowed.

"You certainly know my sister, sir Percival, and this is Zecora, an enchantress of the Everfree Forest."

"Charmed!" the slimeball bowed with fake respect.

"Likewise, knight wise!" I played by the rules so far, taking a place opposite from the slimeball while the princesses occupied the two remaining places. I heard scuttling of servants through the wall, while Luna started.

"I never asked ye, Zecora. What is the purpose of the mysterious concoction you have been working on, so far?"

"That, my princess, is a cure,
for a sickness quite obscure,
known as disease of pale foot,
that in pony's bones takes root,
makes them fragile, weak and prone.
Now, to help such a weak bone,
you serve calcium day by day,
but with illness it won't stay,
just bad end does forestall.
But to cure it once for all,
cockatrice's gaze of stone
must replace every bone
with petrified solid rock.
Now I'm making special stock
of dead cockatrice's eyes,
But for power that curse ties,
just to bones, and not to flesh,
of fine magic I build mesh,
which will hold the curse in place.
Now, to keep the magic lace
while the curse’s needs to feed
into aether slowly bleed,
flame must stay ablaze non-stop,
for the temperature drop
will let curse escape the bone
and turn patient into stone."

The pegasus stifled a yawn, while Celestia opened her eyes wide. "But the cockatrice eyes are known to petrify unsuspecting victims even half a year after the cockatrice was killed!"

"Four months has the flame been lit,
Two more yet my brew must sit
on the coals until it's ready
and the state of curse is steady."

The slimeball coughed. "So this is the famed patience of a zebra in action."

"Oh, yes. Scholars hypothesized this solution but discarded it as impractical precisely for this reason. No pony has enough patience to oversee the brew day by day without break for so long." Celestia replied.

"No wonder," the stallion stated. "Just think how many menaces can a skilled pony beat in the time a zebra manages to brew just one single potion. Half a year, that's almost two hundred patrols, and every single of them is two or three skirmishes!"

"Two or three per each patrol?" Celestia looked at him, impressed. "I didn't realize there were so many! Sure the reports talked about three major events, but so many conflicts?"

"Oh, usually that's just a bruise or two, most wolves know to run if they see the shadow of a pegasus already, but some still sneak into our territory to poach livestock and we must teach them a lesson. This is when we mention it in a report. Otherwise it's just a few quick kicks, a well-aimed slap to the nose with a wingtip, and they run away from the borders, crying wolf."

It was Luna's turn to stifle a yawn. "The wolves have grown senile over the centuries," she said. "In my times it took three mighty pony warriors to stay a single wolf. Without wizards of power an excursion against a pack of wolves spelt doom to a squad foolish enough to challenge them."

"That, or pony warriors grew mightier over the centuries." Percival shot Luna a toothy smile.

"We can easily test such theory," Luna replied. "We stood ground to two wolves singlehoof, but yielded to a third. If thou art so mighty, thou shouldst best me in combat easily."

"Oh, I wouldn't ever dare to rise my hoof against Princess! Not even in a sparring!" the slimeball played resistance.

Luna threw me a glance with half-closed eyes. I smiled and replied with a small nod.

"Wouldst thou have qualms fighting a champion of mine?"

"Surely your champion is a mighty warrior, one whom I could not compare with?"

It was my time to smirk.
"No such warrior, just old me.
Timberwolves of Everfree
are no match for northern kin
and from them I save my skin.
So please, show me how I fare,
in a duel fair and square."

I could see him suppressing a smirk. He nodded, playing respect. "Let us spar then... after the dinner."

Like on cue, the servants arrived, bringing a number of plates with fancy dishes half of which I couldn't even name. Celestia grinned, uttered "Let us dine", and started on her bowl of soup. Sir Percival joined after her, using his wingtips to manipulate foodstuffs skillfully. Luna took a bite of a big, stuffed baked carrot, and she sent me a mischievous grin. I shifted uncomfortably, sure to stain the pristine tablecloth with my hooves and make an ass of myself.

And then a crystal corn cob floated in front of me, surrounded with a puff of blue magic. I grinned and took a bite. Then I got a plate of fancy colorful rice, then some spicy salad...

"May I ask," the pegasus interrupted the silence, "what is the relation between Princess Luna and the zebra lady?"

"Zecora is the esquire of mine. Aspiring to the position of princess consort, and quite successful at that." Luna said, without ever pausing crunching baby carrots with her teeth.

Percival's eyes met mine. There was a cold rivalry in them. His gaze met my smirk. "Why, I am sure her deeds for the good of Equestria are countless, to grant her a title like that."

Unexpectedly Celestia stood for my defense. "Every winter flupox claims two hundred lives across the country. We expect to halve this number this year, with medicines manufactured in the Ponyville Hospital, recipe developed by this very Zecora here. We managed to raise survivability from 85 to 93 percent currently, and we expect further advances as the medicine is refined. That's a hundred pony lives saved every year from one medicine alone. The science of pharmacology certainly doesn't bear the splendor of active military duty but it serves just as important role!"

I gasped a little. All that because Granny Smith got fever and Applebloom came to ask my help! I just gave her the recipe because I lacked the herbs to make the medicine myself! How did the little rascal get the hospital to produce that? And now here Princess Celestia says...

A biscuit with some fancy cream poked me on the lips and I opened up, to take a bite. Luna's face carried a big smile. "I suppose this is but the first of uncounted medical advances with which esquire Zecora shall bless Equestria."

I excused myself from talking with my full mouth, just nodding in confirmation. I noticed the soldier picking out just the lighter treats, surely preparing for the duel. I was interested in how it would go - if even half of his boasts were true I'd be in trouble, but then - I trusted my hunch.

* * *

I had to give it to him, he was a competent duelist. He scored a few blows with dirty tricks too, though I saw how he tries to conceal them from the audience currently consisting of quite a few guards besides the princesses. The part of gardens serving as our battle arena was increasingly trodden down.

Well, time to finish the play. I switched the stance from Classic Equestrian to the Wolven Cub style.

"So far this has been quite light.
Let me fight how wolves fight."

I placed my hooves wide apart, head low, my mane sticking high. Then with a quick flop I rolled onto my back.

My opponent took only a second to shake his confusion off, he curled his wings and dove at me from his location far above, where he'd hover looking for an opening to strike throughout most of the combat. I waited curled into a ball on my back until the last moment, tense like a spring, then the spring unwound, a pair of hind hooves striking his wings, forehooves deflecting his front legs, and my head hitting his trachea. We rolled on the grass and I landed on top of him, pinning him down. One slam of my hoof could break his neck now.

Princess Celestia shouted for me to stop, not that I intended to finish it. I stood up to bow, and then suddenly hooves of my attacker swung under me, I fell on my side and felt him slam both forelegs into my chest. I thought I heard my rib cracking and the pain dazed me for a moment. I saw both his hooves risen above me for another stomp. Reflexively I kicked my hind leg at his crotch. It was too late to stop him, but still it reduced the force of impact - enough that I'd survive - although the pain of more ribs giving in dazed me.

"Foul!" he shouted, rolling on the grass by me. "Illegal move!"

Luna ran up to me and immediately used her magic to help against my pain.

He stood up, swaying on his legs. "Princess, I demand you disqualify that zebra. She used an illegal move."

"Luna, don't!"

Princess Celestia's voice snapped through the air like a whip, and as I turned my gaze to Luna, I saw her eyes subsiding from bright light and a charge crackling on her horn pulled back into it. Luna turned her head to Celestia very slowly. "We believe thy judgment will be fair, sister?" she asked in a voice so calm that I felt a shiver on my back.

Celestia just gave Luna a deep, equally slow nod., then spoke - announced her decision.

"Sir Percival, by your performance you have given a clear proof of your efficiency. Equestria's armed forces have unending need for soldiers of your tenacity in combat. Hereby you are promoted to the rank of Knight-Colonel., and reassigned for the most honorable duty."

I gazed at the slimeball's face as it brightened in smug satisfaction. Celestia continued though.

"You will serve under command of Knight-General Brutal Legend, guarding the gates of Tartarus. You are now deemed capable of opposing demons in person."

The smug grin changed into a mask of terror. Luna exchanged a slow nod with Celestia, then wrapped me in her magic and set me on my legs gently.

"I am sorry for causing you this pain," she whispered in my ear. "Never did I believe he wouldst go this far. Worry not, love. Justice found him already."

Percival limped out of the garden in silence, never turning his gaze to us. Then I followed Luna - and suddenly stomping of a hundred hooves sounded all around, the gathered audience applauding - I wasn't sure, me or Princess Celestia.




	
3) "Magic is harmony's part
Rhyming is its form of art."
> Night's Chosen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


3. Night's Chosen


I lay on the bed in the infirmary wing of the castle. Doctors finished putting me together, Princess Celestia herself had cast spells of mending bones, and now I was left to rest and let the spells do their work, given recommendation to have a nap, and a mild sedative to help me fall asleep - but it would still take a while before sleep would come, and while others would not hear a thing, a dweller of the Everfree Forest like me was capable of recognizing voices of the princesses talking quietly outside.

"Who is she?"

"My chosen."

"Don't you dismiss me like that, Luna. She is dangerous. Have you seen how effortlessly she took a veteran soldier?"
"Verteran? Pheh. Sis, art thou all out of touch now? A fancy gimp was he, seeking pass into elites through deceit and artifice. Made he blind thee with tall tales and braggartry?"

"No, Luna. I gave him a benefit of doubt but I saw through the deceit soon enough. Still, the way she fought! Wolf cub style, that art was forgotten ages ago! She could take on any single guard, or even a dozen of them. She is dangerous. And one thing more, Luna. What's with that... 'you'? Even to me you speak per 'thou'. You know this is not the modern way, you did learn that fast enough."

"I find the lack of pronouns of respect most disconcerting, sister. Thou art right, she hath more power than eye doth meet. I like to picture her a princess in exile, and address as such, though she vowed to be of common blood. And yet she hath never her power abused. She suffered abuse quietly. Even when thy student accused her falsely, ruining her dwelling, she took no revenge but gave help in its stead."

"So far she's proven nothing but help, but... she's a mystery."

I fought a yawn, the medicine was taking control, making me want to fall asleep.

"Then wouldst thou not desire this mystery to find uncovered? For her heart lies open to me as mine to her, and the lack of worthy student is all that holds her secrets in the dark."

"Hopest you... to unravel the secret of Starswirl's journal?" I imagined Celestia wincing at getting infected with Luna's speech style.

"Me? Nay, sister. Too much conflict and darkness dwell in my heart. And yet I believe in her being the key."

"Do you hope she could teach Twilight what we couldn't? Would she agree?"

I could imagine Luna's face. I grinned just as she surely did. I just loved bringing a smile to her face.

"She already did, sister."

And then drowsiness overcame my senses and I drifted off.

* * *

I was lounging in a huge throne of soft red velvet, surrounded by canopy of golden, black and white silks, with fountains and birds chattering beyond, fine light filtered through canopy of ivy overgrowing a gallery of tall columns separating the throne room from the palace gardens. With a tiara of gold, diamond and obsidian on my head and golden jewelry holding clothes of finest muslins and chiffons more revealing than hiding my body I awaited the message. A zebra guard in dusty battle armor knelt in front of the throne.

"We have captured Lucian, the prince of Equestria, Empress!"

I grinned. "So what are you waiting for?	
Don't make me wait any more!"

The huge double doors at the end of the chamber opened and three more guards led the stallion in. Tall, midnight-blue alicorn, slim but with obviously masculine outline, with golden manacles binding his legs.  I clapped my hooves with joy.
"Prince Lucian! At long last!
Guards, remove his bonds now, fast!"

"But your majesty... he is extremely powerful! He could kill you!"

"Is that true, prince Lucian brave?
Will you, promise to behave?"

The dark stallion bowed his head to me. "We only seek peace, Emperess. We surrendered willingly in a bid to parlay, averting the war."

A pleasant shudder ran through my back. That voice was deep, sensuous, it felt like smooth, hot chocolate.

"If such is your heart's desire,
Join Equestria with Empire.
With new borders far north stretched
will come freedoms quite far fetched.
You may remain at the helm,
ruling province of the realm.
Fealty you will swear to me,
and Equestria remains free.
Thought of war? It makes me ill.
Not a drop of blood will spill.
Dragons will be kept at bay,
Gryphons will need fief to pay,
While Equestria prospers, strong
Within Empire, ages long.
but these goods - I want to share'em,
Only if you join my harem." I sent him my best mischievous, alluring smile.

He pondered for a moment, then bowed low. "A steep price you set, Emperess, yet for safety of my subjects I am willing to pay it," he replied in a grave voice, though I saw sparks of mirth in his eyes.

"There, guards, unshackle the prince,
and treat him well ever since." I sent the prince a grin which I hoped didn't look too lewd.

The guards milled around removing the enchanted manacles and remaining wary of the alicorn, but I stood from my throne, walked up to the prince and brushed his chin with my mane, my flank against his chest.

The prince flinched and took a step back. I pouted, sending him a wry smile.

"Does the prince find me vile?
It’s my offer, does it rile?
Do not fear, my thoroughbred,
I won't force you in my bed.
If you want renege the deal,
I'm to listen willing still."

The prince lowered his mouth to my ears, and I heard Luna's own voice whisper. "Nay, but the rousing in my groin perturbed me. In this sensation I am learnt not." She gave my ear a little nibble, then she stood firmly, in a proud pose. "We shall not our nation endanger. Renege will I not; lead me to your chambers, Empress."

I turned in place, flicked the alicorn's nose with my tail tip, and trotted briskly towards the neighboring room.
That room was meant for relaxation, filled with pillows and soft mattresses, fine muslin curtains bathing it in soft glow of purple and orange, potted young palm trees and marble sculptures by the walls peeking discreetly at the fluffy pit of debauchery, guarding small bookshelves stocked with a choice of relaxing reading. Tall carafes of drinks and ornate bowls of fruit and snacks occupied low tables, where among scattered vessels small trails of smoke from incense curved through the air. A large hookah stood near the center, its multiple pipes reaching around the room like tendrils of some sea monster. Quiet music of strings and flutes was coming from a neighboring room, a lattice partition keeping us out of sight of the musicians, while allowing the sounds to flow freely.

I saw my new stud take the room in, quite impressed. The throne room and the empress' prisoner setting were all a dreamscape of Luna's creation, but I used my imagination in calling this location to life. I didn't let her...him dwell on it too long, as I lay by a table.

"Please, come closer, eat a treat.
Feed me dates and grapes, my sweet."

Prince Lucian lay on the other side of the table. Two grapes levitated in his magical glow, one for his mouth, one for mine. Next came a carafe and two cups of refreshing Jallab. I found the mouthpiece of one of the hookah pipes nearby and took it in my mouth. The hookah gurgled quietly as I inhaled deeply and paused, enjoying the aromatic smoke. I released it slowly, blowing the puff into a beam of light falling through a gap between curtains, observing swirls and strands it formed as it passed the bright gap.

"This implement I know not. Pray tell me, what was that activity?"

"May your land barbaric rot,
Smoke of shisha know you not?
Tickling lungs, relaxing mind,
finer taste you'll never find!
If you want, come, try it out.
See what hooka's all about."

The prince accepted the mouthpiece, sucked at it eliciting a loud gurgle from the bowl, and sure enough exploded in cough so hard it shook the reality of dream. "What is that infernal contraption?" he exclaimed, squeezing tears out of his eyes.

"Less of smoke, and more of air.
Give it tender, loving care.
Just a little puff, a kiss,
or the pleasure you will miss."

Prince Lucian first drank from his cup deeply, then he tried the pipe again. The hookah gurgled quietly and soon I saw his eyebrows tense in attention. Mouth half-open, little puff escaping through the lips, sucked back in, in a cautious long breath. I nodded with approval. He frowned a little after breathing out, a question painted on his face.

"That is an acquired taste.
Try again, there is no haste."

He did so again and I realized the tobacco made of dreams has no chance to act all by itself on a pony who never tried it before. I concentrated on instilling that special feeling of sudden release of weight on your mind, typical to smoking for the first time. I succeeded apparently, as Luna... well, Lucian - smiled, cocking his head. "I believe this shall be one of my favored leisures."

"Do not fall into its snare.
It's relaxing, but beware:
While the shisha taste I bless,
it is poison in excess."

A fig covered with poppy seeds floated from the tray to my mouth in the puff of blue magic. I held it with my teeth, and my lover bowed his neck to me. I leaned to him, and as our lips met, we held out, neither of us willing to take a bite and split the fruit - and let our lips part. His breath was hot, his gaze - adoring. Even though the square of his chin, the broader nose was very handsome, I decided I preferred the face of my beloved princess. But she put so much heart into this play I would not tell her to stop, no matter what. And besides...

It seems we came to the same conclusion at the same time. The middle of the fig fell on the floor as our lips pulled away. We both stood up and met halfway trying to run around the table to each other, nearly colliding. We both burst in laughter.

"Emperess, if I may, I bid ye to relax, and let me be your servant."

"Is that what my prince so wishes?
Mop the floors and do the dishes?" I winked.

"If such is your order, Emperess. Too many do serve my fancies in far Equestria. So scarcely do I give of my self."
I stood up and turned around. A few golden rings clanged as I swished my tail.

"No, my stud has but one duty.
Which is worship of my booty!"
I wiggled my rump, and dozens of rings of my jewelry rang.

"This duty I shall perform with utmost zeal." Lucian bowed low, and then covered my buttocks with gentle kisses, slowly zeroing in on the center. I lay with my eyes closed and concentrated on the sensation, not allowing my body to tense, but relaxing in a bliss instead. The touch of the tongue centered on my little nub and it felt like spark of pleasant fire drilling its way into my body in a special wonderful itch.

Not letting the feeling overwhelm me, I raised my head turning it to Lucian.

"That's enough good for my plot.
Now come, show me what you've got.
I see something down there, thick.
Give me taste of your big dick."

Lucian gulped loudly and stood up. Step by step he approached me, a crimson blush spreading from under the blue of his cheeks. He stood stiffly in front of me.

"My sweet prince, just please relax.
I see colt experience lacks.
In my land, when colt is shy,
mare like me will with him lie
just to teach him how it feels
when his cock a cunny fills."

I sent him a sly grin. No, that didn't help. Ears turning red. Not an improvement. Well, let's try this. I buried my nose under his stifle, reaching with my lips to his sheath. There it was, still small and wrinkled but already halfway out, musky and with a few bright blotches, the very tip completely pink. And there was a darker semicircular marking on the edge of the slightly flared tip.

"Prince, despite the bright on dark...
this looks like your cutie mark!"

Lucian squealed and jumped away. He looked at me with a complaint, tears in his eyes. "Just do your deed and taunt me not!" He stomped his hoof.

"I'm so sorry my prince brave.
I'll stay silent like a grave."

Without waiting for reply I crawled up to him and pushed my nose between his legs, where the small organ was beating a hasty retreat into the sheath. I nudged it gently and breathed warm air on it. It hesitated, and another breath later reversed its direction.

Still without so much as nudges, just breathing on the maleness I brought it to a semi-erect state. I raised my front hoof and made a horizontal circle gesture with it - the prince read it right and turned obediently, stepping over my back with one front hoof, me now positioned below him, facing his back.

I put the semi-hard organ in my mouth and raised my head, taking more of it. I bumped my nose against the groin when the tip rested against my throat. The stallion above me shuddered and bucked his hips lightly. The maleness throbbed and I felt it filling out, gaining firmness. I took a few deeper breaths, relaxed my throat, closed my eyes, concentrated - and soon enough I felt the tip sliding deeper, past my tonsils, and then down my throat. I touched my throat with my hoof and massaged it gently, feeling the stiffening flesh on the other side. I moved my head a little back, and was suddenly met with a buck of hips, groin meeting my nose, a moan coming from above.

Oh, prince starts to like that! Well, my love, I'm happy you're enjoying it but I need to breathe from time to time too.
I closed my teeth. Not too hard, but hard enough for making it uncomfortable. And sure enough Lucian jumped back, apologizing profusely. I just chuckled, took a few deep breaths and dived under him again, swallowing his length. I could feel it slipping past my throat, the tip resting somewhere halfway down my chest, stiff and throbbing slightly. I heard quiet gasps from the prince, his groin shuddered but he didn't buck.

"I feel..." he rasped, "I feel your heart."

Well, I certainly could feel his, the pulse making the shaft stiff, stretching my gullet.

Carefully I let my control slip a little bit, triggering the swallowing reflex. My throat squeezed the shaft, pulled on it, pulled it deeper in. It stiffened in a prolonged throb. I swallowed again.

"Wait... my love... or I..." a desperate voice sounded above.

I swallowed again.

This time the shaft straightened, firm like steel, filling me, unyielding. Lucian gave out a long moan and suddenly I felt thick cum flowing through the shaft and shooting straight into my stomach. I felt the rapid throbs and massive amounts of cum pumped directly down my gullet, filling my belly with satisfying warmth. Hot, sticky semen, so thick it felt chunky, tickled me pleasantly. My throat swallowed a few times more, squeezing whatever remained in the rapidly deflating stallionhood, then I gripped it with my lips and pulled, sucking and pushing the last of it onto my tongue.

A few deep breaths, and I smeared the stallion juice over my palate, delighting in the taste, with my eyes closed.
I felt warm breath on my mouth and as I opened my eyes, I found my prince smiling to me from inches away. His mouth met mine and with a naughty grin I sneaked my cum-coated tongue between his lips. He sucked on it, licked its surface and shared the naughty grin, reveling in the taste.

He pulled back, a sticky string stretching between our mouths, then snapping in the middle, the two stringy halves snapping back and sticking to my chin and his nose respectively. We licked them out of each other's face, then paused, gazing at each other lovingly.

"It was me supposed to service you, Empress," he complained.

I licked my lips and rubbed my belly. "You did well, my stallion sweet.
That was some delicious treat.
Now please rest, my stud agile.
Then, when rested, in a while,
if it's not too much of strain
you will service me again." I gave him my best grin.

Lucian snorted with laughter. "Your rhymes never cease to amuse me."

We went back to the table, took a drink, and Lucian took a puff from the hookah pipe. I observed the smoke circling in his mouth.

Then suddenly he looked around, a little panicked. "Duties call, love. I shall come later!" he called, then he dissolved into trails of smoke, and soon my dream lost focus and clarity too, erring into common, silly realms of normal sleep.

* * *

I woke up with a start. My brew! The sun was below the horizon already, shadows of dusk filling my hospital room. I tried standing up, and my bandaged ribcage protested with violent pain in several places. I collapsed back onto the bed with a yelp.

Maybe five seconds later a female doctor in a long apron was by my bed. She glared at me. "You cannot move for another couple days at least!" she admonished. "Your bones need to mend."

"Such restriction cannot be!" I gasped out. Speaking was painful.
"...I must go to Everfree!"

"Out of question! Here, You are healing now, and surely in pain, and shock, I'll give you a sedative and you'll be able to sleep through the worst of it." She produced a filled syringe from somewhere. "Besides, you must be in shock. There is nothing that needs your..."

"If you move me disallow
then bring Luna here right now!"

"You are obviously unwell and you must rest more. This will not hurt the least bit..." she reached with the syringe in her mouth.

I knocked her mouth with my hoof, bowed my neck, gripped the falling syringe in my teeth, then jabbed it into her neck. A push from my hoof emptied the content. I added a quick chop to her neck to make her unconscious right now, then rolled out of the bed. My ribs protested the actions in sharp pain, but now, adrenaline-fed, I was able to ignore it. Two short breaths, I pulled the apron from the doctor and draped it over my back, while recalling the route I was carried into the room. I walked out, trying to look relatively inconspicuous.

I walked through the medical ward undisturbed, passing the empty rooms and cases of equipment, then I pushed the exit door and stepped out. Not two steps later I heard a firm voice from behind.

"You are not a doctor. You are a patient. You cannot leave like this."

It was a royal guard, white a unicorn in armor stationed by the ward door.

"I'm a prisoner, am I not?
Locked in there, left to rot?"

"No, but... patients are not supposed to..."

And then suddenly from behind the door a shrill call sounded. "She's gone! Find her! Bring her back!"

I dashed, the apron flying off my back and draping itself over the face of the guard who rushed after me. I had to find Luna!

I tried to recall the layout of the castle, and guess connections between its wings, Luna's tower, the dining room, the gardens, the medical wing - I knew too little! I decided to try the long route and backtrack my way to Luna's tower through where I went. Down to the gardens first.

Two guards crossed their spears across my way to the stairway down. I jumped over the spears, feeling the broken bones grinding in my chest, sudden wave of pain dazing me. I screamed, landing on the stairs, my legs buckled under me and I rolled down. I tumbled down, each hit of the stairs causing another increase of agony in my chest, not to mention added bruises. At one point I felt a sharp pain in my foreleg, but there, my tumbling stopped. I stood up, wobbling on my legs, my right front leg protested violently but I limped to the exit. Through the gardens, to the central wing. Dazed, I limped on. Hedges, paths, turns. At last I stopped in front of the gate of the main wing. Somehow, nopony chased - until now.

Two guards. They looked at me with fear in their eyes.

Three others, pegasi, landed behind me.

"Come on, get her!" one of the two at the gate shouted out to the three.

"But it's her!"

"She's badly hurt! She won't..."

I leaped, knocking the guard's helmeted head with my hooves, and rushing inside. My front leg protested violently, and my ribs gave out a disturbing creak, but I steeled myself to keep running. Up the wide staircase I remembered descending after the dinner.

The pegasi guards caught up and blocked my way. They raised their front hooves and swung them in rapid kicks, forming a barrier of hooves that was sure to get me kicked bad if I continued, surely a riot control technique.

Too bad the technique was meant for flat terrain. Here, on the stairs, it was less than optimal.

I stood for a second, then pivoted on my front hooves. Three quick kicks of my hind legs to their exposed underbellies and they tumbled, shouting in pain - me too, all of my weight on the injured hoof momentarily. I ran.

Was it two floors or three? Luckily, on the second floor I noticed a familiar sculpture, and I turned into the corridor. I took a turn I hoped would cut on the travel to the tower, letting me skip the dining room, and yes, to my relief, I soon recognized a familiar corridor. Two more turns, another staircase and stumbling from fatigue, with my front leg throbbing bad, with sounds of chase hot on my back,I ran up the stairs. Two landings, and there, Luna's room. Two dark gray stallions in blue armors, with bat-like wings stood at the tall dark blue gate.

I stopped, my mane standing hight, trying to make them balk. They looked at me in surprise, making no motion to step in either direction, raising their eyebrows. I rushed ahead, attacking the door with my shoulder. I stumbled back as the pain in my ribcage exploded violently, but the door budged. And then, one of the guards pushed the door open for me.

Confused I stepped in.

The room was entirely dark, barely a stripe of purple on the gap between curtains of the balcony.

"Luna?!" I called out. "Are you here?
I need you, I fear!"

"She's out, on a meeting with Princess Celestia and some nobles." I heard from the door. Two slitted irises in shining eyes gazed at me from the doorway.

I felt sinking, all the pain suppressed so far rushing to me. No! I have to find her!

"But she requested to be informed..." voice of the other guard chimed in.

"Sure she did!" the guard from the door answered. "Lady Zecora, will you wait a moment? I'll bring her in a jiffy. She wanted to see you as soon as you regain consciousness."

I nodded, then allowed myself to collapse.

The guard ran through the room, to the balcony and out into the dusk, spreading the leathern wings.

Then I heard the stampede on the stairs. The door slammed shut. I heard muffled voices.

"Step aside!"

"No."

"She's inside!"

"So?"

"She was not supposed to leave the medical ward!"

"So?"

"There's thirty of us."

"So?"

"Move, you bat freak!"

"No."

"Then have it your way."

I heard sounds of fight erupt behind the door. It lasted a while. At last the sounds quieted out. The door opened. Many guards in golden armor stepped in.

I forced myself up, to make my stand.

They formed a circle around me.

I gasped, wobbling on my legs.

They rushed me.

I tried to fight. I bit, I kicked, I struggled.

There were too many, and they managed to twist my hurt front leg at an angle it was not supposed to bend. I felt my consciousness slipping from pain.

"Let her go."

Luna's voice. Oh sweet Luna's voice. Still, the legs holding me didn't budge.

And then I was released and fell to the floor, as a fury of bat wings and teeth fell onto my captors. The fight didn't last long though - even if the Luna's guard had more dedication and skill, he could not oppose so many. The commotion stopped. I felt hooves pinning my legs, including the broken one to the floor.

"I shall not repeat. Let her go." Luna's voice felt like ice razors in the air.

"Princess Luna, she was not supposed..."

I saw a bright light coming from where Luna's voice came before.

"Luna!" - the same whip-like voice of Celestia as before.

The light dimmed.

"Release her," Celestia spoke, in the usual, calm, gentle tone. The hooves lifted off my body and I raised my head.

"Sister," the voice of my love bore a shrill calm. "They hurt her badly. Look at that leg of hers. They assaulted my guard at the gate and invaded my sanctuary. They refused mine orders and took down guard who rushed to enforce them."

"Luna, they are still not used to... You must understand..."

"Then they shall have no such need. Zecora, please." the cold changed to warmth uttering my name. "Will thy hut welcome me?"

"You want live in my poor shed?
I will need a bigger bed." I grinned.

"Then, sister, my presence shall bother thy guard and nobility no longer. Zecora hath me welcomed warmer than all of Canterlot, and I find no safety in these walls, amongst tormentors of my chosen."

"Luna, please!" Celestia's voice suddenly trembled with fear.

"Am I the prisoner of Canterlot?"

"No, of course not! But Luna, I..."

"Thou art a guest most welcomed in Zecora's hut. Thou shalt leave thy guard at the forest borders though. We shall also establish royalties on all medicines developed."

"Wait, Luna. Another chance? Please?" I felt Celestia's voice break.

"I listen."

Celestia stood firmly, regaining her composure.

"A single batch of medicine against pale foot will not suffice to supply Equestria. Hereby, I, Princess Celestia decree. A task force shall be established. The solar guard present in this room currently shall be its core, with Esquire Zecora as their direct superior. Their task is to produce the medicine continuously, until relieved from this duty but no shorter than until ten working batches of the medicine are produced successfully. Their duty will include brewing, collecting the ingredients and personally testing - tasting the produced medicine."

"Umm, we're to make some drug?" the one who apparently was the superior of the group asked.

"Yes, that's it," Celestia said.

"Collect some herbs, brew something, how hard can it be?" I heard a mutter behind me.

"Zecora?" I heard Luna's question.

I raised my head.

"I would rather work alone,
than chance ponies turned to stone."

"I prefer all of the royal guard turned to stone for sure than a sliver of a chance of you meeting that fate."

I pondered this. I was in no condition to ponder anything deeply really, but still... I imagined Luna's grief in case she finds my petrified body. I shuddered. The pain of the image exceeded the pain of my broken ribs and my broken leg, by far.

"Yes, agree to this I must,
and the judgment is quite just.
But precautions let us take
Medicine we shall make.
But this duty is your own,
that no pony turns to stone."

"Then it is agreed, sister." Luna nodded to Celestia.

"Then it shall be so." Celestia's firm voice sounded, as she turned to her guards. "Esquire Zecora is your direct superior, and failure to follow her orders will be treated like desertion from active duty at wartime and punished accordingly."

"By me, in person," Luna confirmed.

"And now, sister, let us take Zecora back to the medical ward."

"I find no mirth in thy jest, sister."

"Luna, but she needs to..."

"...to assure her potion be right. Or willst thou decree her struggle thus far be in vain?"

I grinned to Luna. She smiled back to me.

"It is past sunset. The Everfree Forest is exceptionally dangerous now. Travel on hoof, or on wing would be unwise. I can send Zecora there. Will you join her on your own?"

"Yes, sis."

My world turned upside down, and then I lay in front of my hut. I heard a low growl. I groaned.


> The Best Medicine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


4. The Best Medicine


I tried to stand up. I wobbled on my legs. So close to the door, but the timberwolf would reach me long before I'm inside. It growled, salivating, preparing to pounce.

I checked my self-defense chances. About none. My right front leg was completely out of use, and my ribs were way out of alignment, I could barely move.

The wolf jumped.

Bright light exploded next to me, and the wooden creature exploded into pieces. The pieces rose into air and exploded into flames. The flames got snuffed into bright sparks, and the pieces squeezed together into a ball glowing dim red. Darkness covered the red ball and it crackled landing on the forest floor.

"Charcoal is right for your cauldron, my love?" I heard. The black ball tumbled to the wall of the hut.

Blue glow surrounded me, the door opened and I was levitated inside. Luna followed close by. She used her magic to light the candles and close the door. She set me gently by the cauldron, then she approached.

"Guide me through the motions," she said.

I ordered removing old ash, adding new coals, blowing at the the cinders, adding ingredients, stirring. Ten minutes, and the medicine was safe for another several hours. Then the glow surrounded me again and carried me to my bed. Luna followed closely behind. My whole body hurt but it was a relief to lie in my own bed.

"I shall set your bones, but afore that I shall send you to sleep. Is that right, love?"

I just nodded.

* * *

"How may I serve you, Empress?"

I was back in the leisure room of the palace of the Empire, and Lucian was leaning against my hooves.

"Luna, is this necessary?
This day made me rather weary."

"Bodily pleasure reduces physical pain, and as pain will haunt your waking time, I wish to fill your dreams with bliss." Lucian grinned to me, whispering in Luna's voice.

"Better take care of your guards,
and please give them my regards.
One stood ground like hero there,
Other brought you back, my mare."

Lucian's face suddenly gained a rather mischievous smile. And then in a blink he was a she - I faced my Luna.

"Deemst you inviting the two stallions into this dream of ours be a reward adequate?"

"That sounds tempting quite to me,
Although, jealous won't you be?" I asked, with humorous grin.

And then two bat ponies appeared out of nothing.

"Silver Glimmer, Moon Ray, I summon ye for us three to serve Empress Zecora."

The two looked around, confused. They looked at each other, then, as one, they moved in front of Luna, standing to attention, guarding her against me. We both exploded in laughter, only adding to the confusion of the two.

"My faithful guards," Luna explained, not trying to conceal her grin, "Tis a dream of my creation, a little private place where our relation is reversed and our love can flourish. We invited ye in appreciation of your faithful stance and bravery. Shall our wish disturb ye, wake now and cherish my high praise. Or stay, and partake in the gift we wish to impart on ye."

The two exchanged confused glances, but I could see their ears perk up to attention. I lay on the pillows, stretching sensuously. Then Luna walked around them, flickig her tail over one of them, and lay by me, stretching in a similar fashion.

"I can't..." the one Luna addressed as Moon Ray muttered. "I cannot defile the sacred body of my goddess."

A big grin spread on the mouth of the other one. "Then, my friend, Lady Zecora is all yours. I believe our princess deserves all we can give of ourselves."

"I... I didn't mean it like that!"

"Dibs is dibs!"

We watched the two, amused. I winked to Moon Ray. He stepped up to me tentatively. Silver Glimmer trotted up to Luna briskly.

"How would my princess wish me to serve her?" he asked.

"What service wouldst thou give?" Luna gave Silver a sultry look.

I didn't pay attention to the reply as I found myself face to face with the batpony.

"Are you sure? We hardly know each other," he muttered. Seeing my slight frown he continued. "I mean, to me it's clear why Princess choose you. You are day and night, clear truth and secret, danger and comfort... I am no little colt and still I'm feeling overwhelmed. If you feel obligated to pay some debt, don't. It is our honor to serve the Princess, and by extension, to serve you with our lives."

"Thank you, Moon Ray, for your deed,
for your help in dire need,
and for that compliment fresh.
Still, I'm made of bone and flesh.
I have dreams and vice and fears,
I get angry and shed tears.
Luna has my heart, that's true,
but we like to try things new.
You are handsome, noble, strong,
able to tell right from wrong.
Don't feel under any pressure,
but we like bodily pleasures.
If you're liking what you see,
Then feel free to be with me."

He was about to say something but we got interrupted by a loud squeal and a giggle. Luna was on her back, kicking her hooves up, laughing loudly, and Silver was tickling her belly. Moon Ray was staring at the scene, aghast. I tried, and failed to withhold a burst of laughter at his terror.

He turned his head to me, seeking support, visibly his image of the goddess shattered. I put my hoof on his back and pulled him close.

"She's wonderful, is she not?
She has such a lovely plot
Heart of goddess, through and through,
Her bright mood, though often blue,
Old as mountains, but so young,
Hero of old songs unsung,
She's so loving, like a saint,
still, she's touched by darkness' taint.
She's so frail, and yet so strong,
Very wise, still often wrong.
I guess she's quite nice as boss,
But fear, if you make her cross.
Shy and fearful, yet so bold
Warm companion for night cold
Starved for love, in friendless life
She needs help in her hard strife."

"But... but... she is not the almighty goddess. She is just... just a pony and not.." he paused, his train of thought disrupted by Luna hitting Silver with a pillow.

"'Just a pony' my behind!
Finer pony you won't find.
She's almighty goddess too.
She is both - just think what's true:
That she needs two pony guards
when she can turn world to shards?
Or that in her painful mend
She needs you to be her friend?"

"What you say... that for our goddess to be mighty, for her godhood to reach its full potential, we must make the pony side happy?" Ray asked, observing Luna and Silver hitting each other with pillows, oblivious to our exchange.

"No great future will be carved
by creator who is starved.
Princess' rule is one big error
if her heart is full of terror.
And whole world will have it bad
if time comes when god is sad."

"So... what should I do?" he turned to me, with his eyes filled in sudden fear at the magnitude of his new task.

I gave him a pillow, then picked one for myself. He looked at me, confused, when I suddenly turned and bucked my pillow at Luna. He glared at me.

"Don't stand like a cow!
Protect her now!"

This snapped Ray out of the stupor and a second later his pillow hit Silver's face.
Silver turned to the sudden assault and promptly got blown off his hooves by a pillow sent by Luna at his unguarded flank. I prepared another pillow, took aim at a cheering Luna - and got slammed up my head, the distraction making my pillow fly over Luna's head. I turned to my assailant - Moon Ray - and he took a scared step back from my glare, dropping the pillow he held in his mouth.

And then I got flipped hooves up by a pillow slamming in my side. "Huzzah! Equestria triumphs again!" sounded across the chamber.

I flipped onto my belly slowly, looking around, seeing as Silver sneaks behind Luna, with a pillow in his teeth and a naughty glint in his eye.

"Princess!" Ray shouted and leaped in the air, tackling Silver. They tumbled through blankets and mattresses littering the floor, then stopped - I was no longer sure which one was on top, holding the other down, face to face, belly to belly, gasping hard.

Luna coughed quietly. "Needst you some private time together, say but a word."

The two looked at her, then at each other, and big blush covered their cheeks as they let go, and stood to attention. Luna giggled at their embarrassment, I couldn't hold back a snort either.

"Come hither, my faithful guards and mine esquire wise." Luna sat on her flank and spread her front hooves and wings to their full span, inviting us for a hug. We accepted her offer, connecting in a warm embrace.

Luna's horn blinked with magic for a second, and then I felt a lot more body and much less metal against my body, as her regalia, my jewelry and silks, and the guards' armors vanished. I fought a second of panic, my neck rings missing would normally endanger my neck gone fragile from their constant protection for too long, then I recalled it's a dream, nothing bad would happen. Similarly, I felt two male bodies relax, and there was just one pony tense. So we snuggled up to her, we all hugged her tenderly and I felt the tension melting like ice turning to water. I felt a gentle kiss on my forehead, but the two guards received one each too.

"Princess, I love you more than life." I heard a mutter under my right arm.

"I strive to be worthy of thy love, Moon Ray."

"You are, that and thousandfold more!"

Then Luna shifted and giggled. "Silver Glimmer, mindst thou taking thy tongue out of my ear?"

"Aww..."

"Nibble the lobe to thy heart's desire, but I beg thee into my ear screw your tongue not!" she chuckled.

Luna suddenly yielded under our combined weight, flipping on her back and pulling us on top of her.
I began analyzing my position within the tangle of her embrace. Yes, that's Silver's hind hoof on my loins. That is Ray's groin on my outer right thigh. That is Luna's left thigh on my stomach. Therefore... - I moved my left thigh up and began massaging whatever it met on its way. Oh yes, it was in the right spot - Luna relaxed completely, opening her arms and wings, an expression of bliss entering her face.

Just for fun I began flexing my right thigh, rubbing Moon Ray's groin, and he gave out a small,surprised gasp. I felt his teeth on my neck, giving me little nips, traveling up until his mouth reached my ear. "Thank you for teaching me how to serve her," he whispered and I felt him nip my ear lobe softly.

Meanwhile, Glitter's leg left my loin and traveled by my hip. We both made it a game of trying to squeeze Luna's labia between our thighs, each rubbing one side and soon we had her squirming, gasping and pushing down. I didn't even notice when Ray's mouth left my ear, but now I felt his chest on my shoulder, shuddering. I looked towards his head - and found his mouth connected with Luna's, his eyes closed tightly.

Why do zebras have to be so naughty? It was such a spiritual experience for him, one that shouldn't be spoiled... and yet - I couldn't resist. I turned my head, bent my neck diving between my shoulder and his chest, then found the tip of his cock barely sticking out of his sheath and I held it with my mouth.

To his credit, he barely flinched. And a moment later he bucked his hips a bit, his member growing hard in my mouth.
Luna squirmed, and I felt moisture on my thigh. I felt Silver shifting, turning around, and his mouth soon found way to Luna's pussy, while I had to shift to accommodate Ray's growing length. At last he pulled back, exchanging a whisper with Luna, he withdrew his length from my mouth, and I moved out of his way.

"Awww, dibs, Ray" Silver complained when Moon Ray pushed him away gently away, sliding down along Luna's body, getting his hips in position between her thighs. And then Silver's eyes went wide open. "Forget it, didn't say a word!"
I stood up, and grinned, seeing the reason for his change of mind: Luna's head bobbing in his crotch. I crouched behind her back and helped Ray finding the spot, guiding his maleness with my nose, spreading Luna's labia with my hooves. I observed the tip sink in and push the firm lips from a drop shape into a strained "O". I watched it sink slowly, one could say - reverently, strained and thick, the veins bulged, the glistening skin throbbing. My own pussy tingled and flexed in unfulfilled need. I pushed my mouth forward, licking the small drops that appeared on the edge, squeezed out from the moist slit by the pressure.

"Shouldn't we give Zecora some love, my princess?" Ray murred quietly.

I didn't hear any reply, probably because Luna's mouth was full, but then I felt magic, the dream reality shifting, breaking into segments and reassembling itself again, with me on the opposite side of Luna, my back towards her head. I looked at her, and she pointed to her horn with a free hoof, her mouth still busy on Silver's shaft, Ray slowly going inside her.

This time he helped me guide my back onto Luna's horn. It's blue surface wasn't smooth, but velvety, as if coated with finest moss - that was what I felt when it slid inside, the pointed end sliding slowly down my passage, the ribbed surface eliciting a loud gasp. It moved a short distance back and forth, following Luna's mouth working on Silver's shaft. I drove it carefully, well aware the sharp tip could hurt me if I pressed too hard, too fast. Still, my excitement lubricated me so thoroughly the horn was slipping inside without any resistance.

I felt the horn reach near my bottom, and Luna's forehead push against my back. The touch was quite pleasant, although I hesitated, still afraid of it catching somewhere and stabbing me bad. But then I felt a buzz, a small exciting wave, slight throbbing. Luna's horn came to life and its surface flowed, caressed me, pulled, tingled, rubbed and pinched. The magic kept changing for a while through dozens of effects, till it settled on pulses feeling like egg-sized orbs flowing up the horn, pushing their way into me, only to dissolve with a minimal 'pop' upon reaching  my bottom. Each felt as if a stallion was entering me, but never pulling out, just dissolving, to enter me again. And on top of that, the hard horn kept moving in a gentle circular motion as Luna worked her mouth on Silver's shaft.

From half-closed eyelids I observed the three, while reveling in the sensation myself. Ray rested his chin on Luna's chest, his eyes closed, his hips moving in a gentle rhythm, only his nostrils flaring showing the hidden height of sensation. Silver's rump stared at me, his taint flexing in sudden, sparse throbs, and I saw Luna's nose  moving right by his groin, his sizable maleness all the way up her mouth - apparently my princess knew the secrets of deep throat... or at least mastered the body of her dream self.

"Oh, sweet Luna..." Silver muttered. His hips bucked, meeting Luna's mouth, hilting against her lips, his breath speeding up, short ragged gasps catching in his throat, his loins flexing, his groin hitting against Luna's nose, then I saw his taint suddenly dip, and then throb rapidly, quick pulses pumping semen down Luna's throat, her gagging a little bit on the suddenly flared shaft, as he held her head with his thighs, unmoving, against his groin. The spurts subsided and Luna pulled back, exposing his big, glistening rod, then pushed right to his groin again. He whined through his nose and I saw the taint doing its dance of another orgasm, mere seconds after the first one, trying to eject whatever the first one failed, the throbs short and hard.
His breath returned, in loud gasps, and I saw his cock sliding out of Luna's mouth, spent, limp, without as much energy as to retract back into sheath as he lay unmoving.

Luna turned her gaze to me, still unable to move her head much. The whites of her eyes gleamed. She licked her lips, sucking a droplet of cum in, smiling a strained smile. She bit her lip and shifted her hips. Ray's loins seemed to press against some strong friction, working hard to slide him inside. The magic of Luna's horn sped up too, firm spheres the size of an orange now pulsing their way every second or so into my body, in rhythm with Ray's thrusts.

Silver rolled onto his stomach and raised his head. His face was filled with a wide, silly grin. He took one more delighted gasp, then he crawled up to my backside. His mouth bowed to the place where Luna's horn entered my pussy, and giving me one more mischievous look, he began licking.

Breath caught in my throat as that touch of tongue on my clit was exactly the last bit I needed to start climbing the regular slope towards inevitable, hard orgasm. And as his tongue met Luna's horn I heard her gasping loudly too.

The pulses of her horn got more erratic, sometimes two stiff spheres of magic sent into my body at once, sometimes one following the other in a rapid sequence. They also grew, stretching my vagina to its limits. I heard Ray's ragged breath and quiet moans, Silver's tongue found its way inside me, along Luna's horn, and all I could think of was the sudden rush, the hard tingling filling my body.

Luna yelped quietly, her body flexing, strained. A continuous stream of pulsing orbs flowed through her horn into my body massaging my inner walls rapidly. Silver's teeth closed on my clit, the little spark of pain turning into the focal point of mind-blowing orgasm, and through my daze I heard Moon Ray's cry, a clear note of ecstasy, physical climax coupled with absolute happiness.

The orgasm shook my body, clenching my insides against the torrent of magic battering my inside, like walls of a canyon pushed together by an earthquake stop a river. I felt echoes of Ray's own semen spurting into Luna, deep underground rivers through caves gleaming with silver leaves glazed with colorful crystals, reflected through the magic streaming from Luna's horn, a dark spike the size of a mountain tearing through the landscape from below. Silver's relentless assault on my clit and Luna's horn made our own orgasms to return in steep waves, like blasts of magic leveling the forests around the spike, making us both writhe and thrash, gasp and yelp, land rolling like ocean waves. And Ray kept cumming, filling Luna with all he had, quiet groans escaping his throat with each spurt, unstopping, like roar of squall, wall of clouds battering the horizon with thunderbolts relentlessly.

The storm ended, the clouds dissipated over blue sky, the torrent began slowing down, subsiding to a gentle trickle, delightful small throbs still shaking my body, flowing gently. I heard Ray murmur  happily, and as Silver's head moved away, I saw the two golden eyes with vertical slits filled with so much happiness as I'd never seen in my life.

I slid myself off Luna's horn and crawled to her, Silver taking a place on the other side. We embraced, all four, and I felt tears in my eyes seeing the happy smile on Luna's face. She wrapped her wings around us and held us tightly, whispering some unintelligible, but tender words, smiling, giving us all small kisses, nuzzling our heads.

"Mine. Mine own beloved. Never shall I lose ye. Never shall I leave ye." She whispered, cried and cradled us. "No power of light nor darkness shall take ye away."

"Every night, every day,
by your side shall I stay" I whispered.

"I exist only for you," Moon Ray stated.

Silver Glimmer leaned to Luna's ear. I wondered what he was about to say, torn between eavesdropping and giving them privacy, but then Luna exploded in laughter, shaking her head rapidly. "What said I about thy tongue in ear of mine, rascal?!" she exclaimed.

"You will never get rid of me!" he exclaimed, sitting up and starting to tickle Luna's belly. She tried to escape him by turning on her side, but then she met my hooves busy tickling her belly. And then even Moon Ray joined us, tickling Luna's chest. She squirmed, and laughed, and writhed so hard the whole dream broke up, and soon we all floated away, each to their own shard of natural dreams.

* * *

I woke up to sound of sizzling oil.

Even before I opened my eyes, scent of frying onion hit my nostrils. I turned my head, and my chest protested in a dull ache.

Luna, in that apron again, by the stove, stirring fried veggies. A warm shudder ran down my whole body. So sexy. She noticed me awake and brightened in a smile.

"I hope the onion of yon container was of mundane kind?" she eyed a box on some shelf. "I dread imaging you poisoned, or a priceless ingredient wasted, and the scent is dissimilar from common onions."

"That would be some good shallot.
They don't really cost a lot.
Sharper scent, garlicky taste,
that dish surely will not waste."

"Oh, that is for sure, it smells delicious!" sounded a masculine voice from the far corner. I turned my head there. That was Silver Glimmer, sitting up on a bedroll, with Moon Ray on another, half-covered with a blanket, gazing at Luna dreamily. Silver had his wing and a leg in a sling, and a blue eye. Moon Ray had his head bandaged, a big bruise on his chin, and I could see plaster on his hind leg sticking from under the blanket.

"I hope you mind them not? The faithful guards of mine were so depressed whilst parted with me, I brought them to your abode."

"Better shared with friends good laugh,
than the best medical staff."

"As for medical staff, worry not. Celestia pledged to visit past noon, and Equestria hath no healer like my sister. And for now..." Luna's horn glowed and I felt the pain of my chest numbed. Then the spell reached the two batponies, who thanked Luna politely.

I tried to stand up and limp to the cauldron but Luna lifted me in the air with her magic and shook her head in disapproval. "Needst you any errant done, task me and move nary a hoof for you art on the mend. I studied the mixture past morn, and its gist I learn't, so worry yourself not."

Luna floated me to the cauldron and began explaining her discoveries. "A line of white around the rim would sign the potion's spoilage, but nonesuch is seen. The coals I can now kindle, and ash remove. Next comes stir uneven, so no strings build, and no ingredient remains undisturbed. One turn left, two right. Weed of sparrowling the magic empowers and last comes liquid pride, stray glances of basilisk eyes impeding. Water must be resupplied at times, but of its addition strategy have I not yet conceived."

"Impressive, quite correct.
To one point I object.
If you just add some cold coal
You will fail the final goal.
You need kindling of dry wood
Or the heat too low get could."

"Oh, this step I deemed unnecessary, for the coals I can kindle magically."

I gasped, aghast! "Risk a stray of spell your wisp
break the magic lace so crisp?"

"Mayhaps I... uh... could cast carefully?"

"Twice a day, for half a year,
You will fail this once, I fear."

"Oh, tis true. Wooden kindling is it, and hooves and teeth, no magic at stirring."

Then suddenly Moon Ray interrupted us. "Why do you question her?" he called out to me with a complaint. "Why do you allow her to doubt you?" he called out to Luna.

"For truth she spoke?" Luna cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. "A time, or a dozen magical kindling would work, for but a disturbance, a stray thought, a half-forgotten fear to destroy months of work uncounted. Great many of such burdens art held within me."

Ray's gaze was piercing into my eyes. "Can we heal our princess? Can we make her power as unwavering as the power the Sun holds?"

Luna laughed at that. "Fine jest there my faithful. Celestia was known to spill tea and let cups shatter at sight of a croissant. Great power she wields, but marred by scars uncounted. And yet never have I witnessed it waver once whilst Twilight Sparkle was her guest."

"But you, Princess Luna, can we ever heal you?"

"Scars never heal, but love is a salve most soothing." Luna sent him a smile.

"So it is, Princess." Silver chimed in, stretching his bruised body. "So it is. Pained and sore as I am, never had I a finer morning. Not even the day you accepted me into your service."

"And so," Luna sent him a smile, "let us break fast on this fine morning."

The vegetables in the pan danced in her magic once again, then got scooped into four bowls, three of which levitated to us, while Luna took a bite from her own.

And sure enough, the stir-fried vegetables were glorious.
	
> BONUS: Waking The Sun
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonus chapter: Waking the Sun

"Luna, I still don't really understand why the station must be in Everfree Forest. I mean, all ingredients could be delivered to it, wherever it is, and Zecora only needs to oversee the start of each batch, the remainder of duties is on the guards..."

Luna turned her head away from Celestia and to us, me on my bed and the two guards still on their bedrolls. Her gaze rested on the cast on my broken leg and she scrunched her nose in a mean grimace.

"Tis true, Sister. Mayhaps the guard ought be located in the Hotel Royale, with its staff at their every beck and call, and the luxurious facilities at their disposal? Cauldrons stationed in the grand hall, ingredients delivered by mail, and Zecora admitted upon deposing entrance fee?"

Celestia's face soured. "Please, Luna, don't be so condescending. I had a lengthy talk with the captain of the guard. If not for Cadence, I would have accepted his resignation. About half of the guard has been relocated to where their... violent tendencies are served better. I have totally bogged the administration down with evaluation process of their replacements, and the new tests are strict, very strict. And yet this all is but a reminder this is all my fault, I allowed this to happen. I feel bad for punishing these guards now, because I shouldn't have let them cross the gates of Canterlot in the first place. They were unfit for the job they were tasked with, and too blinded by splendor to oppose when given jobs they were unable to perform right. Blame me and punish me, but have mercy on them."

"Nay, sister." Luna's voice softened. "Causing thee pain was not my intent. Take no blame. Thou told me that ponies of this time decide their lives freely. These guards choose their duty of their will, and to abuse it they choose on their own. I blame you not for allowing them decide, and I consent not for thee to take their faults. Thirty adult stallions drunk with power and chase, and blind to what is right is not your failing, it is their own."

"That is all correct if you look at that event, at the scale of your room and three hurt ponies. But despite freedoms, I still guide, I suggest, encourage and discourage. I shape the whole society, and its shape is my responsibility. These thirty guards were foals when I decreed their school curriculum. They grew to be arrogant and cold-hearted for some reasons, and it is my fault these reasons exist. And even today I cannot identify all of them, I cannot trace some of them to original sources, and even if I know original sources of some, they are rooted so deeply in Equestria's society I cannot remove them." Celestia raised her gaze to Luna, and put her hooves to hers, across the table. "Luna, I failed as a princess in shaping the country. They shouldn't have grown to be like that. I regret this, and yet in the greater image of things I must change nothing or I would take their freedoms, kill their chance to choose and remove mystery from life."

Luna smiled to her sister warmly. "In a wild garden roses bloom most beautiful, sister, but thorns are sharpest too. Trim the thorns but uproot them not. You art better a princess than you thinkst."

"You?" Celestia cocked an eyebrow. "Did you decide to give up on 'thou' at last?"

"Nay, sister. You grew wiser."

"I did?" doubt was audible in Celestia's voice.

"What difference is 'tween a society so closely guiden and one in a tyrant's iron grip? Mere choice of fear paralyzing or blindness oblivious. Why grewn I bitter, Celestia? For ponies not cherishing my night, or for ponies short on time to cherish it? For ponies shunning it, or too tired after day filled to the brim? You choose the day for them, Celestia, and so had I chosen to attack you, not them."

There were tears in Celestia's eyes. "But Luna, your guards, your chosen..."

To that Luna was unwilling to answer, but we were of one mind. Time for me to speak for myself.

"For that deed I hold no scorn.
I pricked on your rose's thorn,
But the bloom's beautiful, though
if you let it freely grow."

Silver Glimmer chuckled. "Pretty mighty that rose is, if pricking on its thorn can break your chest and leg."

"That it is, strong and great.
When not known is its fate."

"Your Majesty..." Moon Ray bowed his head to Celestia, "I come from the palace night guard. I believe I would fail your current tests. I don't know if I could hold them back at the door by talking sense into them, but as a matter of fact, I did pick a fight with them. Punish them for hurting Zecora at will, but my condition is my fault alone."

Celestia raised an eyebrow and looked at Silver.

"I did rush to Zecora's aid when they refused Princess' order." He shrugged. "I say it was a justified cause and I won't take the blame."

Celestia smirked, then looked at me.

"I did knock down one or two...
Part of blame is on me too...
And this leg, admit I must,
on the stairs did I bust."

Celestia smiled and nodded. "And yet they should have provided help instead of holding you back and fighting you. And they still don't even see anything wrong about their actions."

"If thrill they seek, thrill will they find," Luna said. "Cockatrices art no trifle matter."

Celestia nodded to that and conceded Luna's suggested location of the new watchhouse/laboratory where the guards would labor on the potion: a clearing five minutes walk away from my house. The two agreed upon some budget points, the guards given free reign in organizing themselves, and the methods of disposal of failed batches of the potion. Then came logistics of food supply, the idea of the station being self-sufficient was abandoned (a huge swath or the forest would need to be cut down to provide crops for thirty ponies, and such a large population would not survive as gatherers in one place long). The guards would still depend on their own greens, some fruit and water, but bulk of food meant for longer storage would be delivered from Ponyville once a week, except in winter, when they'd need to stockpile. Unless they prefer to maintain one of forest paths, keeping it free of snow. The two discussed what the guards could eat, with us three chiming in from time to time. The Everfree Forest is a bountiful place if one knows where to look, and I couldn't complain about variety of my diet despite not depending on Ponyville supplies, so any Celestia's doubts about risk of scurvy and the likes were quickly dispelled.

"All this food talk made me mighty hungry..." muttered Silver Glimmer.

"I'm on it!" exclaimed Luna, standing up, then looked around uncertainly. "Tis how ponies say it nowadays?"

"Yes, sis" Celestia smiled, "but I guess I could send you a few servants for help here."

"No chores of homestead art worse than explaining my needs to a servant stubborn."

"Had the servants given you any trouble?"

"Nay, sister. But how many a time one needs be told, crusty flatbread salted, and coffee black. No jam, no jelly, no huge white bread loaves, no cream, no honey, no exotic spices. Night by night would I send the meal back to kitchen and Silver wouldst bring me fresh flatbread from nightly bakers as I brewed coffee of my own. Your servants art but full of excuses. At least the allowance allows me to remedy their ineptitude and leaves a little for personal fancies as well."

"You are spending your allowance on food?" Celestia frowned. "Luna, now I understand why you considered moving to Zecora's hut. Have you complained to the chamberlain, as I told you to?"

"Mister 'this shall be remedied come next meal'? Mister profuse apology? Thrice have I complained, thrice I was met with excuses and apologies. I shan’t beg your servants nor scream at them."

"This, Luna, will be remedied as soon as I'm back in Canterlot. But for now I admit I got rather hungry as well. I'll check on our patients and then help you. Do you still make these wonderful stir-fried veggies?"

"I used last of Zecora's onion."

"You used shallot, that is true,
But plain onion I have too!
I keep it in cellar store.
There's the hatch near by the door."

Luna soon located the hatch and descended the steep stairs. I heard her squeal of joy. "Tis a bounty of ingredients!" she shouted.
Meanwhile, Princess Celestia used her magic to check on my leg and chest. "The temporary mending spell has settled by now, and you may walk and return to all normal activities. No jumping, no bucking, no straining, I made the spell to pinch if you strain it, so you will know if you are overworking yourself. In two weeks your bones will be as good as new, and the spell will dissipate."

I nodded, swallowing an especially stupid rhyme my spell tried to put in my mouth4) then I tried standing up. My joints popped and squeaked, but there I stood. I flexed my legs, made a few sit-ups, push-downs, and soon I was back in condition to challenge the world. Or in this case, a bunch of carrots while Luna took care of the onions, and Celestia was testing the two batponies. Soon the vegetables sizzled on the pan, stirred by Luna's magical glow, while the four of us (Celestia included) sat watching, with our mouths watering.

Luna turned around and giggled seeing the four of us sitting orderly, waiting. "Perchance ought I forfeit princessing and start a cook's career?" she chuckled.

"Canterlot's chefs could surely learn a thing or two from you," Celestia said.

Luna smiled and returned to tossing the vegetables over intense flames, sprinkling spices and pouring sauces, then she extinguished the stove and filled five bowls with the food.

Without waiting for others, without any royal manners, Princess Celestia dipped her mouth in the bowl and began practically gobbling the veggies. "mmmm!" she paused "Luna! I missed this so much!" she mumbled, pieces of broccoli sticking to her lips, expression of absolute delight in her eyes.

I got to eating. Oh yes, even better than the last time! I recalled the royal dinner - despite being fancy, the dishes tasted... generic. And this here had passion in it! I met Luna's eyes and without words she knew how much I liked it.

Luna nibbled on her food, observing us feasting on ours, with a little fond smile. "I fathom it not, why ponies find my food so agreeable. No special ingredients do I add, nor spells I cast. Tis but plain grub braised on high fire, spices of common, and sauces plain."

"And yeth..." Silver swallowed before speaking, "And yet it tastes better than food made in best restaurant. My mom would make food like this when I was a wee colt."

"I think I know what the special ingredient is," Moon Ray muttered.

And so did I. "When you're cooking tasty food,
your love makes it taste so good."

Luna scoffed but she didn't protest. We all got back to eating, and before long the bowls were empty. We all sat, content for a while, then Moon Ray picked the bowls and went to wash them.

I walked to my chest near the bed and found my own hookah in it, a fancy squat vessel of dark clay with painted patterns of my land, copper stem, porcelain bowl, and two long hoses, covered in braid of colorful strings.

"This excellent mood, I'd wish
to continue with some shish."

Princess Celestia raised her eyebrows. "I received such a contraption as a gift from guests from Saddle Arabia, but I never got around to trying it, especially after hearing it's used for burning some poisonous herbs. Why do you intend to use it? Is there some poison you wish to dispose of?"

Luna giggled. "Sis, tis a pleasurable implement for incense, taste and brightness of mind, not a waste incinerator." She put her front hooves together, a gleeful smile filling her face. "I wish to try it very much!"

Celestia coughed a bit and looked around uncertainly, while I carried the hookah to the table. Refilling the jar with water, adding the shisha to the bowl, then I brought a burning ember from under the cauldron and placed it on top. I gave it a test puff. Celestia watched me distrustfully, while the two batponies seemed rather curious.

I passed the mouthpiece to Luna, who sucked the smoke in, slowly. The hookah gurgled happily. Luna sucked the smoke and more air in, then breathed it out, a cloud spreading over the table.

Celestia, distrustfully took the other mouthpiece and sucked just a little. She frowned, letting the smoke roll over her mouth. "Do I spy apples?"

"Yes, two apples, red and green
The best shisha world has seen." I nodded.

The day princess put the pipe in her mouth and sucked at her earnest. Sure enough, she exploded in coughing fit making Luna giggle."Less of smoke and more of air," she instructed. "Lightly, just a kiss."

Celestia squeezed the tears off her eyes and passed the mouthpiece to Moon Ray, who followed Luna's instructions. The hookah gurgled quietly as he took a slow, long puff. He blew the smoke out through his nose and leaned back, relaxing.

Silver Glimmer took the mouthpiece and pulled rather hard, expertly. I could see him choke a little bit but he suppressed it and breathed out. "Excellent shisha." he squeaked, his eyes watering a bit. "Strong. Not the cheapo crap they served in The Wubs."

"The Wubs?" Luna cocked her head.

"A nightclub. Music, lights, dancing, drinks, smoke. Not the soft neat style music too. Noisy, hard."

I watched Luna perk up while Celestia's face twisted into a scowl.

"Well, it's been closed four years ago. The owner never managed to obtain the concession, and one night we got order to close the place down, we raided it, wrecked as ordered..." Silver shrugged.

This time Luna scowled.

"I did not order wrecking it. True I didn't approve of the place, but I wanted it closed for duration of fire safety inspection, not wrecked!" Celestia exclaimed, exasperated.

"I remember the orders," Ray chimed in. "Captain Boot Stomp was still in charge and that was one of his last orders. 'wreck it good so they never return' was what he said. I believe he held a personal grudge against that place."

Celestia frowned. "I guess at least apologies to the owner are in order. If you would like it reopened, sis, I can lend a hoof."

"Zecora?" Luna looked at me.

"Though I like such music's pace,
That's not quite my kind of place.
Noise and crowds, and liquors strong
stroke my mane completely wrong.
But if this is what you want,
That won't damage our bond."

"Aye, too many fields sown poor harvest make. First let us current endeavors complete."

I nodded and took a long swig from the mouthpiece, and let a few circles of smoke out. A foalish glee appeared on Luna's face as she reached for the pipe. And sure enough moment later we had a small pegasus of smoke flying through the hoops I had blown. Show-off.

Celestia sucked on the pipe, carefully. "I heard buffalos smoke some kind of herbs like this, but using a wooden pipe," she said, smoke mixing with her voice.

"Buffalos smoke a different weed.
Wooden pipe they use indeed.
Buffalo weed makes mind quite slow,
but helps one's imagination flow.
Dragons like the sulphur fumes,
Deer imbibe in yew smoke plumes,
And the gryphons like to smoke
mix that makes a dragon choke."

"Wait..." Celestia raised her hoof, then twisted her head oddly. "This is actually a very pleasant feeling!" Then she turned her head to me, slowly. "Uh, I didn't know about these customs. And to think... the world has changed a lot outside Equestria since I traveled last.

Luna's stare held a look of mock incredulity. "Is that so, sister?"

Celestia scuttled over to Luna and put her wing over her back. "Sis... I know comparing my life here to your time in the Moon would be a dark mockery, but... let me just say I didn't indulge in too many of life's joys over the past millennium. One glimpse at the Moon, and any joy would turn sour to me, at a thought of your suffering there. So, yes, many world's developments passed me by."

Luna leaned into Celestia's embrace, the mocking grimace replaced with a poignantly sour smile. "Aye, sister, may the past never spoil our bond."

The hookah gurgled, interrupting the moment rudely. "And now kiss," muttered Silver, hiding his face behind a shroud of smoke.

The two princesses looked at each other, then glared at the guard.

"She's my sister!" - "She is sister of mine!" they replied in unison.

"Why, princest is wincest!" he shrugged.

"Manners, Silver," Luna scorned him, though her lips held a smile. "tis a disgusting idea."

"Yes," Celestia confirmed, "Luna's breath smells like burnt tobacco!"

Luna turned to Celestia, first with indignity, then she snorted with laughter. "Nay, my fine guard," she turned to Silver. "Thinkst you in the millennia past, of the incestuous bond we thought not? Alas, my sister is cold as fish when in bed and inept at finer arts of pleasure."

"Am not!" Celestia exclaimed with shocked indignity.

Luna scrunched her eyebrows in a smug grin. "Prove it."

"I am not bedding you!"

"As if!" Luna exclaimed. "Zecora, willst you be my champion once more?"

"I refuse to do this!
I'm not sleeping with your sis!"

"Me! Me?" Silver waved his hooves in the air while Ray sat back, his face red with embarrassment.

Luna noticed her sulking guard. "Oh, Moon Ray," she said softly. "Tis but a fib, a jest of no substance. Celestia needst years of wooing and courtship to open her chambers, and we hath never laid each other, nor do we plan it."

Ray, relieved, deflated and began chuckling quietly. "Your trials are the hardest, Princess," he muttered, while Silver gave out a disappointed "awww". I had to chuckle a little too - she got me too.

Luna took a puff from the hookah, grinning. "As in times of old, sis?"

Celestia closed her eyes, and sat silent in thought. She opened them slowly, and I saw fatigue in them.

"These times are gone. They will not return. I let go of them."

"Nay, sister."

And then Luna sang. I didn't understand the words, but the voice was more beautiful than anything I  heard or saw in my life. It was slow, calm, like a lullaby.

"No, Luna!" Celestia flinched, moving away from her sister. "Don't. Please. I sealed these memories away." Like a cornered animal, she struggled under the assault of the most beautiful voice.

Luna stopped singing. "Thou forgotst? So the last words thou hath utter'd then, were a vain lie?"

Celestia's eyes filled with tears. She turned away from her sister, and Luna resumed singing.

The song sent us into a trance, serene and yet heart-wrenching. I saw Celestia's cheeks getting moist with tears.

Then something broke in her. She raised her head, and joined Luna's song. At first the voice trembled with tears, choking, but soon it joined Luna's voice, strong and pure. The two voices entwined, the song running two melodic lines, a spell of beauty. The song ran into tones of greatness, royal magnificence, and ended with a note of hope, of optimism.

Celestia lowered her head. "Why, Luna? Why did you do this to me? It cost me so much to put it behind me. To make my heart impervious to these feelings."

"Because, my beloved sister," Luna smiled gently, "you need to love and be loved again. And this time I shan't let grief to follow."

"Why, Luna?" Celestia raised her eyes.

"The midnight cakes? Your ear twitching as you give a hearing? The long minutes in your throne spent motionless, till a servant disturbs ye? Fool me not, sister. Whence your temper sits calm as windless sea, monsters lurk below. I know this path, Sister, for I have trodden it right down to the bottom. Starved for love I was, and I denied it till I broke."

"Why, Luna, but I do have the love of my subjects! Countless ponies love me all over Equestria!"

"Do they love ye? Or do they love your image, of a princess calm, gentle and composed, confident and steady?"

"Why, but this is me, I must be such for them." Celestia protested, and I recognized the signs of exactly what Luna mentioned: the calm, dismissive demeanor, eye corners narrowed, ear just barely twitching.

Instead of replying, Luna sung the first phrase of her song. Celestia flinched.

"Luna," she said, her voice filled with fatigue. "I have found my calm. It may not be the happiest life, but it is not overly unhappy either. Why do you insist to break it?"

"For I want my sister returned. Not this smiling wraith, a crying ghost wearing a mask twisted in a grin. Ponies love you not, for they know you not. Not yours are their praises and songs, for they cheer a fraud."

"Is that so?" Celestia turned to the two batponies, angered. "Would you shun me if I ever cried in the court? If I screamed or raged at an idiot? Would you consider me a stranger?" she almost shouted at me.

"It's not so, my princess kind,
ponies are not deaf nor blind.
Smiles so soft and frowns so mild
will not fool a little child.
We can see how hard you work,
in your eyes how shadows lurk.
How so tired and so strained
is your life, to your throne chained.
Working hard as our slave,
Surely respite you must crave.
I would be quite glad to see
our princess being free.
Break the shackles made of gold
Stand strong, proud, unyielding, bold!
Dare to love and dare to feel!
Dare true feelings to reveal!"

Both princesses stared at me, surprised.

"To the dot!" Silver exclaimed. "You know, Princess Celestia, what was the hardest part of service? Standing by your side in the audience chamber and listening to some idiot rambling and seeing you grind your teeth and force yourself not to drop the smile, and force oneself to stay there, motionless instead of beating the clue into said idiot's head with my own hooves! And then the idiot wouldn't take the clue and they'd return a week later to argue the same crap all over again! To see you suffer through this! Aaaaaugh!" he raised his hooves in the air, howling in anguish.

"Moon Ray?" Celestia turned to his other guard, who was visibly distressed.

"I... uh... Please forgive me... what Silver said is entirely true. And then, at times... if the idiot was exceptionally insistent, I'd pay them a visit at night... to... clue them in, so to say."

"You?!" Silver exclaimed, "So that was you! Our nice, impeccable Moon Ray! It's always the quiet ones!"

"Uh?" Luna raised the eyebrows.

Silver Glimmer reported the story with a smug grin. "At times we'd receive reports from ponies, about a vampire pony visiting them at night, scaring the living daylights out of them and at one occasion delivering a rather savage beating. The vampony was reported always to demand them to cease harassing Princess Celestia."

"Really?!" Celestia gasped.

"It was the one who insisted on national breeding program." Moon Ray hung his head.

"But... surely he wasn't the worst!"

"He... You don't know what he said about you behind your back. What he said should be done to 'abominations like you', as he put it. And he was trying to put his program into action... planning to start with his daughters... and when I tried to persuade him, he shouted that he tries to eradicate such horrors at me from the society. And he grabbed a baseball bat to beat me..."

"And? And?!" Luna cheered, earning a deep frown from Celestia, thoroughly ignored.

"I asked him 'do you know how forced breeding feels to the mare?' and then took the baseball bat from him and stuffed it where the sun doesn't shine. Narrow end first, and warning him next time I'll use the thick end first, for better realism."

Luna snorted with laughter. Meanwhile, Celestia seemed to hold her mild frown of displeasure. Then it failed and she joined her sister. Then she stopped the laughter abruptly, regaining a somber expression. "I should have you fired from the guard. This is unacceptable," she stated, scornfully.

"Tis good he is mine now," Luna grinned. "Considering the circumstances I declare Moon Ray not guilty."

"Thank you, Princess." The batpony bowed low, accepting the judgment with gratitude.

"Luna... we can't have royal guards stick baseball bats up the behinds of nobleponies."

"Can nobleponies force-breed their daughters to stallions of their choice? What steps took you to prevent it? Outside declining his scheme, intended you barring him from circumventing you?"

"I... uh..." Celestia's frown deepened. "I didn't really know about it, so..."

"So your punishment would come long past his daughters' lives lay ruined?"

"Luna, what could I have done? I didn't even know he had daughters!"

"You could have given him a piece of your mind!"

"But I did! In every single of seven or so audiences!"

"Didst you? Or stated you your position in the matter?"

"What is the diff... oh, wait. No. Using the RCV during audiences is very rude. And the language..."

"Sis."

"Luna?"

"Cease your stubbornness. Dare feel, dare speak your mind. No ponies who love you will think less of you."

"There are ones who will oppose me. Ones who, once disillusioned, will defy my orders."

"They art yours alone to face no longer, sister."

"Can just the two of us face them all and tell good from bad?"

"The five of us, meanst you, sister?" Luna grinned.

"The... uh... five?" Celestia looked over us with a very uneasy smile.

"Five of us will get this this goin',
Later we'll get others join.
Let me suggest just one highlight.
We should recruit your smart Twilight."

Celestia visibly perked her ears at this perspective.

"Say what you want, Your Majesty," Silver spoke, smirking, "while we failed to find the rogue vampony... maybe because we didn't really put our heart in it..." he grinned sheepishly, "I have to say none of the threatened idiots returned to harass you again. They would only ever present reasonable cases afterwards, and accepted your judgment without protest."

"I... I'm still afraid." She ruffled feathers on her wings, as if feeling cold. "What if we fail?"

Luna put her wing across Celestia's back. "I understand your fear. Fear not, for I shall not abandon ye, nor let grief befall ye ever again."

"Can you?" Celestia raised her eyes, they were large, shining with a small gleam of tears, and suddenly she looked so vulnerable, so helpless.

Luna threw me a glance and I answered with a deep nod. She looked at her two guards. They sat to attention, saluting to her. She turned back to Celestia.

"Yes, we can, sister."

Celestia's smile, for the first time in a long time, turned solemnly, honestly radiant.

The hookah gurgled loudly.

We all glared at Silver.

"What?" he smoked out.



4) "Thank you, dear Princess Celestia.
May dragons never digest ya." Seriously? Spell, wtf?
> BONUS: Assert
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you insane, old hag? We were just to make a potion! There was nothing about catching or killing cockarices!"

"I think you took it quite wrong.
The ingredient list is long,
Every of them necessary,
of some you should be quite wary.
With your wit or artifice,
obtain eyes of cockatrice."

"And the other thing, that schedule! Not a single day off in six months? What if I get sick?"

"Then replacement you arrange.
Do you think this matter strange
that a potion doesn't care
how do its caretakers fare?
Twenty minutes, twice a day.
Can you find another way?
One can tend ten cauldrons freely.
It is not difficult, really.
Thirty of you have the task.
Is it really much to ask?
You're Celestia's famous guard.
Have but a dignity shard!"

"Uh..." he frowned.

"Guard, Wing push-ups. Now." Cold, indifferent voice of Luna sounded from behind me. "Three hundred."

The guard got to doing the push-ups immediately.

"And for thy reference, thou shall address Lady Zecora as "ma'am" or "my Lady." The expression "Old hag" shall not be tolerated. Or preferst thou having replacements for thy job forbidden, to repeat thy failures 'til thy potion is made, by thy single hoof alone?" 

Luna said, then she covered my back with her wing, giving me a warm smile.

"No, your majesty!" the guard exclaimed, without pausing the push-ups.

"We might disavow the complex tests of potion safety, giving thee a dose to drink in their stead. Thine failure to petrify wouldst prove the potion's proper make. Is't thy wish?"

"No, your majesty!" the guard squeaked in fear, doubling the effort at the push-ups.

"Then remember this: Thy mission bears no less peril as guarding the gates of Tartarus. Zecora is thy one guide and hope for survival. Ire her not, lest thy wish is to serve Equestria as a statue in the Canterlot Gardens. Hers was the order that none of you meet that fate, and patience of Zebras is truly legendary, but test it not, for her ire spells thy doom."

I saw the guard's eyes open wide. He paused the push-ups for a second, then resumed them with a firm determination. I couldn't help grinning.

"Better slow down, save some breath,
We don't want premature death.
You're at push-up forty two.
this pace will not see you through."

He threw me a glance - at first, a glare but soon it turned into expression of fear. His situation began sinking in, and he slowed down to a regular, determined speed of the exercise.

* * *

"Sir Finery, is it too much for me to ask my palace staff to follow a simple request?"

Celestia stared at the plate with what looked like a fancy, wide, squat cupcake with elaborate decor, accompanied with a tall, narrow chalice surrounded by accessories and snacks. It sat on her small bedside table, the most sophisticated out of seven other similar sets sitting on the big table of her chamber, untouched.

"I am so sorry Your Majesty," the chamberlain groveled. "The cooks did their absolute best! I... I'm at loss as to why you don't find it to your satisfaction yet."

"This one is worst of them yet. What ingredients did I request be used?"

"Sourdough of universal grade flour and plain baker's yeast with water for the flatbread, hot water, ground coffee beans for black coffee."

"And?"

"And... uh... I think that's all?"

"I added one specific phrase at the end of the request."

"And absolutely nothing else, is that right, Your Majesty?"

"Yes. And what ingredients were used?"

"Uh... the cooks might have taken some... liberties with the recipe."

"Look, if I request twenty wagons of grain delivered to Fillydelphia, my staff delivers twenty wagons of grain to Fillydelphia. Not sixty airships of rock candy to Ponyville. Then why, if I request a flatbread and black coffee, I am getting a cupcake and caramel caffè latte? How do you expect me to trust my staff to run the country if they cannot get a simple flatbread and coffee order right?"

"But Your Highness! This is far superior to plain coffee and flatbread!"

"Sir Finery," Celestia rubbed her temples with her hoof. "Ponyville may be happy to receive sixty airships of rock candy, but that will leave Fillydelphia without grain, and no amount of explaining superiority of rock candy airship transport to Ponyville is going to fix it. Let us imagine I decide budget part spent on kitchen staff salaries would serve Equestria better if redirected to hospitals. It would be superior way of spending this money, would it not?"

"If you are saying so, Your Majesty... We are merely trying to do our absolute best to please you! Anything less would be demeaning to your stance!"

Celestia sighed. "Such a dedication... and what you are getting in return is measly gold. It is demeaning to such dedicated faithful servants. It almost looks like I were buying your dedication. From now on, I shall pay for your services in goods much more superior to gold. Health - I shall sponsor two hours of mandatory physical exercises every day, Knowledge - every day for an hour you shall be taught Advanced Thaumaturgical Mathematics, and Culture - as you work, you shall be read Experimental Poetry by renowned authors like Pink Verse or Metaphor Struggle."

The chamberlain swallowed loudly. "Princess, but... I have a mortgage to pay!"

"And I have a younger sister to placate."

"I am sure Princess Luna would accept the superior meals if she only tried!"

"I am sure your bank will be equally accepting of poetry reading as a payment."

Chamberlain looked around for help. His gaze met mine. I smirked. He sent me a loathsome glare but he didn't say a word. He stood up.

"Princess, allow me to try once more please," he muttered.

"Of course." Celestia gave him a graceful nod.

He scuttled off.

As soon as the door closed, Celestia slumped on her bed, exhaustion visible. "Negotiations with dragons are easier," she muttered. "It really looks delicious, but if I take even a bite, it will be all for naught."

"Yes, your struggle would be lost.
Think of Luna's lilly toast.
Do you want it? Tell me, please.
Or you'd rather prefer this?"

"Caramel lilly toast..." Celestia swallowed loudly. "The thick syrup dripping off the edges. That crunchiness..." her mouth moved in a munching motion. Her levitation magic grabbed the plate and the cup, and set them firmly on the table next to seven previous attempts. She picked up a notebook. "So, that Ngozi of the Isikhumba tribe seems to be quite a villainous character. Why would he be touted a national hero?"

"That he isn't, nowadays
Quite ambiguous is his place.
Monster against monstrous foe,
won no freedom, but more woe.
It was fifty years of grief
till his death brought us relief.
Still, his mighty, boastful tribe
bought him fame with spear and bribe.
Talking ill of him was slander,
with banishment to offender.
Only two centuries later
came a hero with deeds greater,
who then dared to loudly speak,
how famed Ngozi was a dick."

I barely noticed Celestia's lip twitch. She was getting used to my vocabulary. You'd see the indignity when I first described the sixth king of the Udomo tribe as "in his head's place he had a dick veinous / which he kept stuffed up his anus." I could see her face going crimson as she struggled to suppress laughter. Currently that was just a barely noticeable smirk.

"That would be Idwala, of the Kuphela tribe," she half-stated, half-asked.

"No, Kuphela's not a tribe.
If you want it to transcribe,
'Tribeless Loner, who walks free',
For example, one like me."

"So, Idwala, the Kuphela?"

I nodded in approval.

"I still don't quite see the magnitude of his actions. I mean, how summoning rain can top forcing the lion empire to back down?"

I began explaining, how drought, and not lions, was the worst enemy in the savanna, and how teaching zebras to summon rain not only helped their own survival, but provided a service the tribes could sell to other savanna dwellers in exchange for goods, safety, help - and in specific cases it allowed to drain all water from whole wide areas, a mighty weapon against hostile species. Before Idwala, it was constant skirmishes with the lions. After Idwala it was the Scorched War, ending with lions suing for peace.

We got to the terms of lions' surrender, when the door opened and Sir Finery entered, followed by a cart with two silver plate covers. He removed the covers revealing a tall cup with black coffee with a small dab of cream forming a small fancy lily floating in the middle, and a loaf of flatbread, sliced, buttered, and with various ingredients on it forming small open-faced sandwiches.

Celestia frowned.

The chamberlain balked in fear.

"This is... actually pretty close." She levitated a spoon to the glass, picked out the dab of cream and scooped it out. "This is how this coffee should look like. And keep it in a mug. Do you know what a mug is?"

The stallion nodded.

"And this is..." Celestia looked at the bottom side of a sandwich - actually quite correct flatbread, but it's been made into sandwiches. I didn't request sandwiches. Just the flatbread. Try again, but without cream and without sandwich ingredients. Just the coffee and just the flatbread.

Ninth pair of plates floated to the table.

"Princess, are you sure this isn't..." the stallion interrupted when a book knocked him on the shoulder. Surrounded by golden glow, the moderately-sized book floated to the pony.

"That's a tome of poetry by Metaphor Struggle." Celestia sent the chamberlain a pleasant grin. "This is from his early period, before Discord's attack. It is considered to be more mainstream, than the newer ones. Would you care to read a poem or two?"

The pony opened the book at random, then coughed.

"Extrapulchritudinous governationalizatoristess unreplacatidiousally clairavoidanting..."

"No, no. Not out loud. Just read it and tell me what you think."

Sir Finery began reading. I saw sweat forming on his forehead. He licked his lips, then winced painfully. He flipped the page.

"Your Majesty, do I have to read a whole poem?"

"No, two whole poems. Or would you rather discuss my requested meal with the cooks?"

The stallion wiped his eyebrows with the sleeve of his uniform. "With your leave, Princess, if I may  borrow this tome and present it to chef Cherrypicked, we might reach an agreement at last."

Celestia nodded gracefully and the stallion left, the cart and the book in the tow.

"I seriously hoped it wouldn't come to this," Celestia muttered, "but some ponies don't leave me much choice. So, back to the terms of Lions' surrender in the Scorched War?"

I smiled and nodded.

> BONUS: Visions and Nightmares
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna bowed courtly, entering my designated chamber at the Canterlot castle. A mix of Canterlot and Zebra styles, the room was gradually becoming my second home. Pot of curry boiling over the fireplace, pillows scattered around a low table, shelves filled with books, masks and goods from my homeland adorning the walls, a chandelier of twisted, dark roots of trees forming a fancy canopy under the marble ceiling, potted ivy climbing over alabaster columns, its flowers filling the air with aroma, a tall, ornate hookah by the wall.

"Oh, wise seer, will you share your wisdom? Will you let this humble princess look in your third eye?" Luna asked, playing a meek supplicant, though I could easily see the naughty spark in her eyes.

I snorted. "I can allow this, I think.
Your sight makes my third eye wink." I winked with one of my two eyes, then turned around, raised my tail and "winked" at Luna with my sex.

"Oh!" Luna raised a hoof to her mouth, blushing. "This would be most pleasing."

"But first, if there's not much hurry,
Would you try some of my curry?"

Luna sat up, clapping her hooves. "Your legendary green curry? Oh, I'm going to regret it sooo much tomorrow!"

"You may reap what I sowed.
Royal potty may explode."

Luna giggled and nodded eagerly, as I walked up to the pot slowly simmering over the fire in the fireplace. I poured two bowls of the green goo from the pot, placed them on a tray next to two scones and two spoons, and brought them to the table. Luna was sitting there already, rubbing her hooves eagerly, staring at the bowl with glee. "Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh! My eyes art watering from the scent! Uh... are watering."

"You're quite good at modern speech.
Soon mastery you should reach," I said, placing the bowl in front of Luna, who didn't reply, putting a spoonful of the curry to her mouth. Her face slowly took that special expression of pleasure mixed with suffering as she swallowed and waited a few seconds, sweating profusely, before yielding and taking a ravenous bite of the scone. Some munching, and she sat back, with expression of delight on her face, sweatdrops shining on her eyebrows. I ate a spoonful from my bowl. Hot. Hot hot hot. A bite of the scone, and the burning subsided into a pleasant rush.

"I tried to get the royal cooks to make it. The master chef, after seeing the recipe, wanted to report you to the guard for attempted poisoning." Luna grinned, raised the spoon to her mouth, then tipped  it onto her tongue with a suicidal determination. This time she didn't wait, a piece of scone went in her mouth, and a very unprincessly munching commenced. A gulp, a sigh. "Ist...hat sweet corn? You didn't add sweet corn last time."

"Quite uncanny is your taste.
Corn and some tomato paste.
Add ingredient, change a spice,
makes a dish that's new and nice," I rhymed, before eating some more. I felt perspiration on my skin as the burning subsided. Yes, the corn and tomato made it still palatable despite bumping Green Devils content by ten percent. These little peppers required me to wear a respirator, protective glasses and rubber gloves when I worked with them.

Luna ate another spoonful, then, even before getting the scone to her mouth, she hiccuped loudly. "Sorry", she said, embarrassed, and took a bite of the piece of bread. "Actually, besides the prophetic seeing matter, I came to inform you that LeHIC! Lemon Slice finished his batch of the pale foot cure yesterday successfully, and he decided to HIC! remain in the Everfree Division, to help us make other dangerous medicines, while HIC!..." Luna took a deep breath, holding her hoof to her chest. "Oh my..." she whispered, then hiccuped loudly. "While his batch went to the Unshod Cape hospital, where it will keep saving ponies' lives for years to come," she stated urgently, managing to finish before next hiccup.

"This is really some good news.
His skill surely will find use!"

Luna waited for another hiccup to come, then quickly lifted the spoon to her mouth. Too bad the next hiccup came right when she was swallowing.

"Ow, ow, ow..." she complained, taking a bite of the scone. She swallowed it. "It got in my nose and burns theHIC! ...there."

"Try to sniff, to stop your grief."

Luna tried sniffing loudly. A bubble came out of her nose. "Tis so undignified. If my subjects ever HIC! saw me... Why is this delicious food so torturous?" She put another spoonful of the curry in her mouth and raised her eyes in delight.

I ate for a while in silence, trying to think of an answer and exercising best of my discipline to appear stoic as the curry burned its way down my gullet.

"Pain and pleasure often mix.
This is used in many tricks
that enhance good bedroom fun.
Want to try that later, hun?"

"Mayhaps... later later." Luna looked all miserable with snot marking her nostrils, star mane frazzled, eyes reddened and fur damp with sweat, and yet she scrapped more curry from the bottom of the bowl. "How do you maintain this much composure?"

"Make no mistake, it's a feat.
I don't sweat as much from heat,
With discipline I endure,
but it burns me, that is sure.
I seem calm tonight, but morrow,
will bring me some quite fierce sorrow."

I winked while Luna giggled - what caused her to hiccup very painfully. She wiped the bottom of the bowl with the last piece of scone, then ate it, looking all miserable. My poor love, that hiccup must be terrible!

I reached into my inner discipline, shedding my shadow and leaving it at the table in my stead, while shrouding my presence. I crept around the table sneaking behind Luna. Step by step, quietly I sat behind her while the illusory duplicate pretended to fiddle with the spoon. The copy felt like me, while not really looking like me - if you'd just pay reasonable attention to its looks instead of accepting my presence, the illusion would quickly shatter, but ponies rarely suspect their conversation partner might get replaced by shadowy spectre.

I leaned to Luna's ear, taking a breath...

"BOO!
Scared you?"

Luna jumped, turning to me, startled, shocked, holding her chest with her hoof.

"That's one method old and sure,
that is for the hiccups cure."

Luna looked to my place, where my shadow dissolved in the air already, then back to me, then she spoke with worry. "Zecora, I know the trick of curing hiccup by spooking, but to use shades of the underworld for such a purpose? If Celestia knew you can do this you'd be banned from the castle!"

"Underworld I'm touching not.
Undead shades are ugly lot.
I'm just dropping my own shade,
While I sneak, I let it fade.
That's dark art, you got it right,
Not of Death though, but of Night."

Luna opened her mouth really wide, her eyes filled with colorful stars. "Really? You must teach me!" She grinned making huge puppy eyes to me.

I smiled internally at her enthusiasm. Never grow up, my princess!

"Seek the anchor of your soul.
From it, find the one thread sole
That strays into empty aether.
Follow it to end of tether,
And then pull, like bated breath,
as if aether was of death.
As if void was underworld.
This will pull your fears of old,
Regrets lost,your mental trash,
Things your mind has turned to ash.
Do not touch that nasty dredge.
Just place it by your soul's edge,
Let it lean against its shield.
In its shape create a field.
Then silently sneak away
let your soul-shaped dummy stay,
and fool every mind around,
with illusion firm and sound.
Just don't touch that nasty matter.
Let it flow back into aether,
Things forgotten, passed away
better are not touched that way."

Luna sat still, her eyes closed in focus, her horn sparkling slightly from time to time. I saw her drawing her breath and holding it, then she breathed it out. Her eyes opened, her mouth cracking into a smile. A naughty smile? A nasty one? Sinister?

I watched her coat turn a shade darker, and her pupils narrow into vertical slits. In fear I watched her grow. As Luna was always tall, this new creature was practically huge and radiated anger.

Then gentle hooves embraced me from behind and I felt warm breath on my ear, followed by a gentle nibble, soft touch of cheek on my cheek. "Tis' a truly interesting trick. I never knew how many shades trailed me through the aether, and how mighty some are. That is one powerful illusion," Luna whispered in my ear, embracing me from behind, as I stared at Nightmare Moon leering sinisterly at us.

"Illusion I am, you say?" the dark menace rasped, standing up and spreading her wings. "A figment you think me?"

"A very stupid idea, so silly it makes me blush to think I even thought it worth realizing," Luna answered, her voice free of fear - more with an edge of humor.

"Pathetic! Dreams of power and grandeur forgotten, for what? For the place of Celestia's pet?"

I turned my head to Luna. She had that look of an amused adult watching a child trying a childish deceit. I turned back to Nightmare Moon and, filled with Luna's confidence, I answered with scorn.

"You really don't know any better?
Now go back into aether."

"I shall not! I will not rest until the night lasts forever!" Nightmare stomped her hoof.

"That's an amusing side-effect, love." Luna kissed my cheek, then leaned on my shoulder. "Gosh, was I stubborn back then!"

I gazed at the majestic black creature, so full of helpless rage and I felt pity for its plight.

I whispered my suggestion into Luna's ear. "She's quite lovely, that black bird.
Would you like her as a third?"

Luna nodded eagerly. "Listen, snooty!" she exclaimed, as Nightmare snorted indignantly. "The eternal night was not an end, but means of gaining love of ponies, is that not true?"

"Oh, but, yes! They didn't love us, so we would make them love us!"

"Now, my dear Zecora here is quite inventive and has love for me in abundance. She is even willing to spare a good deal of it on my past self twisted with jealousy and greed. In short, you're invited for a threesome."

"This... this is not..." Nightmare made two scared steps back.

"Oh come on!" Luna exclaimed. "Do you want to be loved or not? She loves me, so she loves you by extension. Yes or no?"

"This is... not the kind of love we desired!"

"Oh, no." Luna shook her head. "I forgot. Back then I was such a prude."

"I'm not a prude!" Nightmare Moon protested.

"You are."

"Am not!"

"Prove it."

"I will!"

Luna gave me a smug grin. Gaming her own old weaknesses seemed to bring her a lot of joy. Meanwhile, Nightmare stepped up to me, all her cocky demeanor gone now.  "But... she is... a mare."

"And you art a prude." Luna blew Nightmare a raspberry. "Watch and learn!"

Luna brushed my mane with her wing, I nipped her cutie mark lightly, we danced for a bit around each other. We lay on the pillows, facing opposite directions, leaning on each other in a blue and striped yin-yang. Belly to belly, Luna pushed her head under my thigh and I buried mine under hers.   Gentle brushing of her nipples with my chin, her warm breath on my groin area.

I felt her hot lips grasp my sex, and her tongue slide in. I returned the favor, sliding my tongue along her slit, pushing my mouth to it, inhaling deeply. Her mouth burned with desire, hot like flames, the caress feeling nearly like cinders exciting me. I sucked on her clit, teasing it with my tongue, nibbling and circling.

Luna squirmed away, and I could feel where her mouth touched me, it felt as if someone kept some fire, burning way too strongly.
"It burns! It burns! Luna sat up, squirming, trying to rub her back on a pillow. I was in no better condition, my back wiggling as if trying to extinguish the fire. Realization dawned on me.

"Oh no! It's the curry spicy!
Quick, let me find something icy!"

I made a beeline for a chest with my reserve of potions and got to digging, scattering them haphazardly, and sweating profusely as my backside felt immersed in live flames. "Hurry up, please!" I heard Luna's pleading voice.

There! a jar of Icy Salve.

Luna was by my side already, stepping from hoof to hoof, her beautiful butt pointing at me, tail far to the side, the irritated, reddened, puffed up labia throbbing and shivering. Ignoring my selfish need, I took a scoop of the salve on my hoof and applied it to Luna's sex, spreading it in a thick layer, then carefully coating her clitoris with it, my hoof shivering as I endured the violent flames under my tail.

I heard steps, then felt a tentative touch on my sex, cold salve extinguishing the wildfire, a gentle caress spreading it over my privates. I turned my head around. There, Nightmare Moon, a glob of the substance on her hoof, and expression of deep amusement on her face, worked the salve into my sex.

I gasped in relief. "Thanks, Nightmare Moon,
for saving my poon."

Both mares exploded in laughter. And I really couldn't get angry at my rhyming spell. I flopped onto my back and laughed with them.
They both bowed to me and my mouth met two pairs of lips, both loving and happy. All of the sinister edge, all anger and jealousy was gone from Nightmare's expression. Her kiss was hungry and intense, none of Luna's reserved, dreamy, slow tenderness.

For a moment Luna retreated, letting Nightmare have me for herself alone, passion filling the reptilian slits of pupils of her eyes.
Nightmare broke the kiss. "I would have given up my Night for a love like this," she whispered, with a tear in her eye. "Why haven't I met you a thousand years ago? Tonight I am but a wraith, a discarded memory that can't let go, an unfulfilled wish."

"Tonight, then, the wish shall be fulfilled," Luna whispered.

I touched Nightmare's lips with mine, then coaxed the rhyming spell gently, to turn my feelings into  words.

"My Luna is sum of her parts, and more.
All parts of her I love and adore.
Her smiles and frowns, her laugh and tears,
I love her joy, and rage and fears.
Demons of past, her errant ways,
And all the trials she had to face.
Thoughts she discarded without regret
I still hold dear and won't forget.
So, Nightmare Moon, you are her past.
I'll love you too, as long as I last.
So claim my body, and drink of my kiss.
Yours is this night of respite and bliss."

Nightmare held me tightly to her chest, and kissed me with passion of a thirsty wanderer finding water. I returned the kiss and let her drink from it freely. And counter-intuitively, the kiss didn't make her stronger, but quite opposite, the spectral body was losing cohesion and power.

But long before she'd vanish, she broke the kiss. "That dish you two shared was certainly spicy!" she muttered, licking her lips. "I can taste it on your tongue. It truly tastes like passion."

"And next-day regrets," Luna added with a grin. "Let me try the cleansing magic, I know not if it can help, but trying will not hurt."

I felt Luna's magic wash over my face, and suddenly a heat I didn't quite realize, a subliminal burning of my mouth was gone. I licked my lips, and they responded in little sore tingling of oversensitive flesh. The spell reactivated in my nether regions, the cold of the salve and residual burning vanishing together, then Luna cast the same spell on herself.

The two mares of the moon stood face to face, hesitant.

"So should we...?" Nightmare began.

"That would be pure narcissism. You art me, after all. I could kiss my own hooves for similar effect."

"Oh please. Who is being a prude now?" Nightmare smirked. "Lunar dust turned to mud in places, as we'd kill boredom with thoughts of handsome stallions."

"I forfeited this unseemly behavior after my return."

"You shed that part along with the rest of me. I am all that you are not."

I smirked to my blushing darling. "I adore your will so strong,
but good clop is nothing wrong!
It is healthy on occasion.
Luna, don't shun masturbation."

Nightmare Moon laughed loudly, while Luna turned to me, her face completely red. "Zecora!" she choked out. "You will bring my downfall, corrupting fiend! What would my subjects do if they ever learn?"

"Nothing worse, my buttcheeks tight,
than some furious clopping," I raised my eyebrows to Nightmare, "right?"

Nightmare moon guffawed as Luna glared at me, filled with indignity.

"That horrible moniker is unacceptable! And my buttcheeks...(!)" Luna broke off, with expression of utter shock on her face.

Nightmare Moon surfaced from under Luna's tail, her lips dripping with moisture. "I concur, loose and willing down there."

At least half-dozen couplets that would embarrass Luna further ran through my head,5)  but no matter how cute Luna looked in hues of pink-purple, I knew anything more would start feeling like we're picking on her. So I silenced her with a kiss instead.

Luna broke the kiss as Nightmare settled by her side. "Snooty?"

"Don't call me that."

"Well, I found that name cute. Black Snooty."

"Remember I'm the part of you that found it despicable."

"Fine, I won't. Anyway, your spectral form..." Luna continued to whisper in Nightmare's ear. I did overhear the words but the language she used was not known to me.

Nightmare Moon only nodded, then stood up and walked around me. I felt a small shiver of fear as her bulk loomed over me. She was twice as tall as me, and made of magic which, according to all of my knowledge, shouldn't have lasted more than half a minute. And yet, I knew there was only one way to put Luna's old anger to rest.

I felt the sharp fangs hold my neck, careful not to hurt. They pulled, and I stood up, leaning my back against the black chest and belly. Nightmare Moon held me around my chest with her foreleg. I felt something long and firm press against my groin and stomach... and chest... I looked under my belly.

No.

I stared at Luna, mortified.

"Luna, I'm just mortal mare.
Shaft this big take I won't dare."

Luna peered under me, then she stood up and bopped Nightmare Moon's nose with her hoof. "Tone it down, will you, megalomaniac! Are you trying to prove something?"

"Oh. Forgive me." I felt the gentle nip of my ear tip. "You carry so many mysteries, I forget you still have mortal limits."

"I could take it up my ass,
but this time I must say 'pass',
for this curry's bad enough.
My tomorrow will be rough,
and with anus stretched and torn,
I'd wish I was never born."

"Oh... she is so..." Nightmare Moon rasped.

"Flexible? Creative? Insightful? Talented?" Luna gave me a radiant smile, lying down in front of me, gazing at me happily.

"Dirty-minded." Nightmare chuckled.

I felt the hardness on my stomach get smaller, then Nightmare took a step back and then I felt a gentle pressure on my nether lips. I pushed against it and felt them part and accept, the exhilarating sensation of hard shaft sliding into me, and Luna biting her lip, gazing into my eyes.

I wiggled my rump, impatiently. The teeth locked on my neck again, and I braced myself, as the thrust followed. My eyes shot open wide and my mouth gave out a muffled "Oh." That was not considerably smaller from what I'd seen!

She bottomed out in me in one smooth thrust and I gave out an involuntary yelp.

Nightmare Moon froze. "Oh... oh... did I...?" she muttered, filled with worry.

I squirmed a bit, adjusting to the girth that was bordering on painful. I relaxed slowly, then I couldn't hold back a small chuckle as the pain subsided leaving a wonderful feeling of fullness, a hot pleasure not unlike after a spoonful of the hot curry. 

Luna bit her lip and squirmed a little, just from the sight of my face. I grinned.

"I see your arousal bare.
Rub your pussy, silly mare."

"But... but..."

"You can rub your pretty butt,
if so strong is now your rut."

"Zecora, but I..."

She paused as Nightmare Moon grew a little impatient, withdrew her shaft and drove it to my bottom hard. I yelped, and my eyes bulged as she began pounding me hard, one thrust after another.

"I can't ... pleasure... your sweet... pussy...
While I'm... pounded... by this... hussy..." I gasped out in between violent thrusts.

Luna's hoof wandered down along her belly, and I just felt my own arousal spike as she opened her mouth a little, gasping a bit as her foreleg began making small circles.

Nightmare slowed down, she bowed to my ear, nibbling it gently. Her new pace brushed me just the right way, making me gasp hard with pleasure.

"Oh yes, like this, my sweet Nightmare Moon.
If you keep this pace, I will come hard, soon."

Luna stuck out her tongue a bit, gasping, whole shaking with the motions of her hoof, gazing into my face as if it was a best porn magazine centerfold. 

Nightmare Moon's teeth brushed through my neck, grazing it slightly, with trails of almost-pain, I felt her struggle to keep the grip of a scruff of my skin on my neck light, her breath hot, ragged. Through her teeth she whispered one word, "love". Her jaw twitched and I felt the sharp fangs draw a little blood, but the pain, the look of Luna's face, and that wonderful fullness, that hard shaft slowly moving through my inside, flaring, growing, stretching me, throbbing, that all added up. The gathered tension suddenly let go, and I flowed on waves of incoming orgasm.

Luna's horn blinked for a second, her spell touching my mind, and then I heard Nightmare Moon grunt low, like a strong stallion... Sand storm revealed a castle of diamonds, and there were batponies on the battlements, hundreds of them, shielding their eyes from the burning sun, and the throbs within me transformed into the sand rolling, swallowing the castle, as the batponies took to the air, scattering, seeking shelter in vain, the sand storm making them roll and fall, and tumble through the air, then night shot into me, and through me, over the desert, wiping the storm away, the diamond castle shone with colors of rainbow, and full moon, fool moon rose above it, and the batponies flocked to it, seeking its cool radiance, basking in it as I basked in the night filling me in rapid spurts, lending me its power, and I reached out to them and pulled them into the cry that met my face, sent them into the eyes of my beloved filled with ecstasy, made them fly against her shout, and bind with her might. Her wings unfurled, and the night covered the world in its protective embrace, while its power filled me and made my mane glow brightly with cool moonlight, and the confused batponies at first thought about choosing between my moonlight and the protective night, but then they didn't have to, because we were in union, and they settled, content, between us, filled with joy, faithful and safe. We shared the kiss, the moonlight and the night sky, the diamond castle crumbled and the desert covered with gardens.

Nightmare Moon was no more, her power within me, her anger at my command to unleash at our enemies. I wrapped it in a loving embrace and passed it to the rightful owner, for her to use at will, in need.

I broke the kiss with my beloved and we lay there, collecting our breath, tired and happy.

Luna withdrew her moist hoof and I held it with both my hooves, licking her nectar off it, kissing it. I raised my gaze to her eyes, and smiled, satisfied.

"So, what have you divined,
my princess of night?"

My rhyming spell was always in a warm state of fuzzy, inexact rhymes after that, like a changeling drone licking love off the air, drunk with the happiness.

Luna cocked her head, and licked her lips. A few deep breaths, calming down, then she answered.

"The rulers of Thestralia are afraid to admit to me that they need our help. I will offer my aid, without requesting anything in return, and I believe their gratitude will be more than anything our negotiations could buy us. True loyalty, true friendship. They fear Equestria, they fear my sister and me, they play strong and independent out of that fear. They are not, they are lost and scared, and they don't need a hired ally, they need a friend. And a true friend will they find. Thank you, wise seer, thank you, my love."

"The pleasure is mine.
"Now go, rise and shine!"

Luna laughed at that. She stood up and kissed me once more.

"We'll meet in the evening again. No more divining, just pure carnal pleasures. My faithful guards are still out on a mission, we should prepare a warm welcome when they return tomorrow, but until then..."

"I've got vibrator with seven speeds,
and a new string of anal beads."

Luna snorted, and still blushing trotted away to the exit.



5) "Such a lovely, crimson blush.
How loose is the royal tush?"

"Oh, please excuse!
My lover's not loose!"

"They say loose nether lips
can sink good relationships!"

"You say that tiny pucker of yours
can stretch as wide as the a big barn doors?"

"Oh my woe! Misery!
Princess is a slut, I see!"

"Oh no, Luna has loose butt!
Our princess is a slut!"
> BONUS: Augmentation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonus chapter: Augmentation

I kept stirring the contents of the cauldron, while Twilight observed the alembic, painstakingly enchanting every drop of the liquid that formed at the tip of the pipe, after it separated, but before it would fall into the collection flask.

The door opened silently, and Princess Celestia peered into our lab, but seeing the winged back of Twilight so preoccupied that she didn't even turn her head, she retreated, closing the door quietly.

"Put that extract aside.
Behind the door is your bride."

"Just ten more drops." She bit her lip. "I owe that to you."

"Ten drops can wait
And you don't want to be late."

The spell hit another falling drop.

"All of Equestria can wait and if I'm late to my wedding, so be it. I won't leave you with less than you gave me."

I shrugged. No arguing with that. But curiosity took the best of me.

"Which will drink it, of your pair?
Into stallion turning dare?"

Twilight didn't answer at first, focused on the drop. She shot the spell, and the drop, transformed in the midair, didn't spoil either of the two liquids.
"Which one will dare to go through pains of birth, you mean?" she muttered. "I will. We decided I can forfeit my duties for a time..." she paused, focusing on the pipe. The spell went off, the drop fell. "...easier than Celestia. Although she was more than willing to spare me that pain and take it upon herself."
I waited for another drop to fall, then stirred the cauldron once more, spreading the cinders under it to let the mushroom stew simmer slowly. There was enough for all the wedding guests. Never mind the hundred cooks, the two brides insisted I serve one of my dishes at the wedding party.
Twilight enchanted another drop of the potion.

"And you?" she asked. "Which one will bear the foal?"

"Luna has good constitution,
she likes to play good prince Lucian,
and her pussy's so perfect,
I won't let to see it wrecked."

Twilight snorted with laughter, and only caught herself at the last moment to enchant another drop.

"I hope you realize the foal will take after both of you, bigger than average? Celestia really wanted to take the burden. It would be easier for her."

"Luna has eternity,
to taste own maternity,
while this zebra's getting old.
and her need just can't withhold."

Seventh drop.

"Aren't you scared? Personally I'm scared. I heard giving birth hurts a lot."

"About birth I do not fear.
Done this twice, my Twilight dear.
My two sons stayed with their father,
but of this I'd not speak rather."

"Why? Wouldn't you want to meet them? Invite them?"

I waited till Twilight activated her spell again. One more drop enchanted.

"That brings pain and much regret.
Many things I'd want forget."

"All right, I won't press. So, for a change of subject, a colt or a filly?"

"We'll let the fate to decide.
What about you and your bride?"

"Filly. I wouldn't mind either way..." she paused and concentrated on the next drop. The spell went off, and Twilight continued. "...but when Celestia heard of the possibility, she simply squealed in glee, babbling about a daughter of her own. I wouldn't ever try to convince her otherwise after that. Once again, Zecora, you couldn't have given us a better wedding gift! That recipe, so complex, more complex than spells of greatest unicorns of all times... The very idea to enchant drops mid-flight! Thank you so much!"

I smiled. The spell went off once again, and Twilight pushed the alembic away quickly, switching off the heat. She put a stopper in the flask and brought it to me. "And here's the dose for you and Luna. Thanks again!"

"I'm glad for your happiness!
Now go, don your wedding dress!"

She pecked my cheek and galloped to the door.

* * *

Silver Glimmer and Moon Ray stood guard at the door, two icons of military firmness and confidence, but upon spotting me I saw them break into smiles. Ray's was kind and somewhat envious, somewhat embarrassed. Glimmer's - nothing short of lecherous.

"The Princess awaits," said Moon Ray, pushing the door open for me.

Inside, gone were the trinkets of ages past. Blues and purples adorned the walls, tall windows presented panorama of Equestria, the span of Everfree Forest, distant Cloudsdale, Ponyville huddled in the valleys. Luna had her room changed within a year since we met. "Why wallow in the sad past, when the present is happier than any other time of my life?" she'd say, and we never talked about our pasts, allowing their curses to starve and the painful memories to fade.

Luna was lounging on her bed, rose petals scattered over the dark blue cloth. Lights of falling sun shone in her coat with purple and orange highlights reflected on the velvety surface. She was out of her regalia, wearing a smooth, long dress of red velvet, and a single daisy behind her ear.

I galloped up to the bed, and jumped on it, crawling up to Luna. She giggled, pushing me with her hoof gently. "We have the whole night, love!"

"Your looks are so strong a lure,
longer wait I won't endure."

She laughed. "My poor guards will hear everything. As I was walking to my chambers, Silver Glimmer used his hoof to close Moon Ray's mouth.

"Their awareness may be lacking.
Do they know this mare is packing?"

Luna grinned mischievously. "Shall we invite them later, and let them serve under me?"

"If you're willing for reprise,
we can give them such surprise."

"But for now..." Luna husked.

I didn't let her finish, my mouth meeting hers.

It wasn't gentle. We were nibbling on each other's lips, biting them, almost hard enough to bruise. Hungry for each other, heaving with desire, we embraced.

"I want inside of you," Luna rasped into my ear. "This dress is getting uncomfortably tight."

My hoof wandered to her back. I found the zipper inconspicuously hidden under a seam of the red dress, its tiny pull tab far too small for my hooves. I leaned against Luna, reaching with my mouth to her back, and closed my lips on the little metal piece. A soft pull, and it slid from between my lips.

I  tried again, this time using my tongue to guide the tip between my teeth. Holding the flimsy metal gently, I tried to pull. It slid a short way down, then stopped.

I tried wiggling it a bit. It didn't budge.

"We're out of luck.
It seems to be stuck."

"Try to pull it back."

I tried, at first gently, then I applied more force. And then it gave suddenly, and clamped over my lip. I shouted out in pain, panically pulling my head back. I sucked on my lip tasting my blood.

"Let me see," Luna whispered. I pursed my lips to show the injury, and she quickly soothed it with a healing spell. "I'm going to have some choice words with Rarity later," she muttered.

I tried again, and the zipper moved an inch or two, before jamming again. I tried to pull it up again, careful to move my lips out of the way. Some more force and... I was left with half of the pull tab in my mouth. The rapid jerk sent it down my throat, and I began coughing, trying to push it out, choking in desperate attempt to stop it from getting in my lungs.

Luna hit my back firmly with her hoof. Ouch, that would surely leave a bruise! But at least the cursed tab was back in my mouth, and I spat it out, angrily.

Luna muttered something very unprincessly under her breath. 

I stood up, and straddled her back, trying to grasp the tiny piece of the tab that was left on the zipper.

"Don't chip your tooth," Luna admonished quietly.

I didn't chip my tooth. I just applied some very careful force, and the small piece was left in my mouth, detached from the slider. I spat it out.

"nope.
no hope."

"Let me try," Luna said. Her horn lit up and began tugging at the dress. I tried guiding it, brushing the right place with my hoof, but as it surrounded the slider, it couldn't concentrate on it, tugging on the cloth around along with the zipper, without letting it budge.

"I'll try to smash it with my molars.
If I fail, you'll hear my hollers."

"No, love. You'll just chip your tooth for sure. It's a nice dress, but if such is the need, let us find scissors."

I groaned, preparing to move on my way to start the quest, and sure no scissors would be found within another hour. I walked towards the end of Luna's bed, with my head low down in defeat.

"Wait, my love."

I turned my head.

"Lift your tail, please?"

I obeyed, giving Luna a nice view of my hindquarters.

"Wink to me?"

I got my labia to twitch.

"Wiggle your rump a little?"

"What are you planning, my dear?
Wait, do you want it to tear?" I chuckled, and swayed my hips left and right slowly.

Sudden ripping sound came from Luna's backside. The zipper ripped open along its whole length, only pinched together at one point - at the slider.

I turned around, my grin nothing short of predatory. I grasped the dress by the edge of the zipper near the slider and gave it a firm pull. The teeth of the zipper gave, and the dress fell open on Luna's back.

Using magic, teeth and hooves, we removed the accursed cloth from Luna's back, and judging by the sounds, it got torn in a few places in the process. Finally free, Luna tackled me, covering my chin in love-bites (and cautious not to put her tongue anywhere near my neck rings.)

I felt the pressure on my abdomen. I threw a glance there.

It wasn't big. It was actually a little less than average. Nothing close to Nightmare Moon's monstrosity. But it was real, flesh and blood, even if magically induced, and it was definitely good enough for me.

I leaned under Luna, and put my mouth around the stiff, flat tip, sucking it in hungrily.

The little throbs against my tongue made me moan with desire. Luna's breath caught in her throat.

"Wait... love... not there..."

Oh, already? I could feel how stiff it was, the flared tip resting against my throat.

I retreated slowly, giving the tip one last lick as it throbbed painfully hard in front of me. I heard Luna taking a sharp breath. She retreated quickly, then I felt her weight on my back.

She nipped my neck tenderly, and I lifted my back. Her maleness poked me, probed, sought the entrance. I helped a little, pressing back when it touched the right spot, and I felt it slipping into me, my back still somewhat dry, the hard shaft fighting its way in, the little moisture from my mouth not quite enough. Short pushes gradually spread my juices from inside over my dry entrance, and after a moment the resistance waned enough, that Luna was able to slide her full length inside.

Her breath was hard, quiet moans accompanied the short thrusts as she settled the whole length inside. She cried out quietly, as her shaft flared, almost painfully hard against my still mostly dry walls, and I felt the sudden wave of throbs, the viscous moisture reducing friction along the tip, her seed filling me and tingling wonderfully, feeding my arousal.

She lay her full weight on my back, relaxing, taking long, slow breaths, as the pressure on my inside waned.
I wiggled my rump a little.

"Already spent?
I hope it's not the end?" I purred.

"Give me a minute, love. T'was intense." She'd still forget modern speech at times, at moments like these.

She lay her head by mine, her cheek touching my own, our breaths mingling. I could smell the dry heat of her breath.

"You sure enjoyed yourself there.
But what about sating your mare?"

"Oh... this is... a little embarrassing, isn't it?"

"First time to time in mare, erect?
What else would I ever expect?"

Luna didn't answer, and we lay motionless for a while.

I heard a cheerful yelp somewhere behind the wall, followed by loud giggles, and then rhythmic whimpers, easily recognizable as coming from Twilight. They were growing louder and higher in pitch, and on top of them I recognized moans, sounding very much like the princess of the sun. Luna turned her head to me, her blushing face in a smirk, unsure whether to be embarrassed, or to laugh.

The crescendo of the voices approached a culmination, and two ecstatic screams announced conception of a new member of the royal family.

I felt Luna's loins stir, the soft tip at my entrance reversing direction, sliding back into me as it grew. I wiggled my rump a bit.

"Hold still. It's really sensitive now," she muttered. "Give me a moment."

So I lay my head down, and just rested, waiting, enjoying the sensation of the maleness slowly growing firm and expanding inside me. The tip began flaring out... I recalled some anatomy books, the flared tip being an old evolutionary mechanism meant to act as a piston removing sperm of a previous stallion if the mare is mated again in a short sequence... or in this case, own semen.

"You came enough to give me a foal.
Would you mind now to try other hole?"

I turned my head and caught a blush forming on Luna's cheek. She nodded, and pulled back, slowly. Her horn lit up, transferring a glob of our combined juices up from my pussy up to the pucker, and covered it copiously. I felt the tingling enter my tight hole and spread it lightly. The sparkly fingers of magic worked their way around, distributing the natural lubricants and loosening me up. 

"This always feels so naughty", she muttered. I recalled the first time I let my tongue inside her pucker. She said she'd never kiss me again after that. She stayed true to her word for a whole hour.

The tip pressed and slid inside, aided by her magic, and Luna rested her weight on my back, her length sliding using the generous lubrication. Her magic wandered lower, caressed my labia and surrounded my clit, the little tingling making a small moan escape my mouth.

Luna began pumping her way into me slowly. just moving her groin, her full weight still resting along my back. "I will never cease to adore the fine pattern of your stripes," she muttered. "Zecora, my love, I sure hope our foal takes after you, for you are the most beautiful creature I have seen in my long life."

She pulled the shaft back and... a loud fart sounded from my stretched anus. Neither of us could hold back the laughter. "I'm trying to be romantic here," she chuckled into my ear.

"My sweet Luna, this is real.
This you live, and this you feel.
Not some perfect made-up lies,
but a life one lives and dies.
Jamming zippers, spicy curry,
and gibbering tongue numb slurry,
This, my dearest, without doubt
is what love is all about!"

"Yes. And sex. Sweet, wonderful sex," she said, pumping her loins into me faster. "Dirty rude anal sex with the mare you love. So demeaning, and yet, my Zecora, I love you more than life itself. Squeeze?"

I squeezed, and the cock ground against my clenched anus, making us both gasp loudly.

Luna nipped a scruff of skin on my neck, tugging me against her thrusts, pushing me onto the hard cock. Her magic played on my pussy, caressing my labia, tickling my clit. I just gave all my control up, letting her drag me like a rag doll, fuck her cock with me, slam her groin into my back and then drag me back.

Her breath sped up, got hard, heavy, ragged, combining quiet grunts with loud gasps, the hot air soaking my neck with moisture. Her frantic thrusts sped up even more, and suddenly she pushed me against her groin hard, groaning loudly, and I felt the spurts, the maleness throbbing, shooting its load deep up my bowels. The magic stopped, and Luna collapsed onto my back, catching her breath heavily. She buried her chin in my mane, nuzzling me. "Sorry, love. It was too intense..." she muttered.

I bopped my rhyming spell for its weird suggestion6)  and just murred with disappointment.
"I'll make it up to you, love, I promise."

A quiet splash of water in a bed-side basin, and then cool touch of moist cloth on my buttocks. Ah, the less talked about side-effects of anal sex. The cock slid out of me, and the cloth gently brushed my backside, saving the royal laundry crew from some unpleasant experiences.

Celestia's voice sounded from somewhere, exhilarated 'Yes! Yes! Like this!', then her moans growing louder, ending in a high-pitched scream of ecstasy.

"I'm sorry," Luna whispered. "I... I... it's too intense..."

I turned around, catching a glimpse of the piece of cloth in blue magic cloud finishing its work in Luna's crotch. Nice and clean. I crawled down there and nudged the wrinkled tip with my nose.

"A little break, love?" Luna muttered, still with edge of guilt in her voice. "And it's almost due time..."

Oh, right. Royal Duty. I watched sun sinking behind the horizon, the oranges and golds yielding to blues and greys.

Luna stood up and walked up to the balcony, her curves outlined by the shine of twilight. Her horn lit up, and the sky filled with stars. Streaks of color filled the western sky, and the milky way spread across zenith.. Finally, majestically, white moon floated over the hills.

I crouched behind Luna and reached between her legs, giving her orbs a slobbery lick, and dragging my tongue up her taint and along her pussy, right to her anus. Luna stood, frozen. "Love," she choked out, "all of Canterlot can see us here."

"Let them stare, and let them see.
Let them all drool enviously.
Let them all erections pop
Let them all furiously clop.
Let them watch lovemaking wild,
see the father of my child"

A small spurt of mare cum from her pussy splashed against my chin. I sunk my nose into the puffed, aroused nether lips, biting on the exposed clitoris. Luna stopmed her hind hooves, swaying her rump, pushing against my mouth. My tongue snuck deep in, licking around, tasting her juices. I weighed the neat, smooth balls with my hoof.

"Come here," Luna rasped. "I want to rut you hard."

I walked past Luna, brushing my side against her belly and the painfully erect cock. She grabbed me with her hoof and pulled under her chest, rather hard. Her weight on my back, a quick push - not even a second, and I felt her splitting me, sliding inside, thrusting hard.

"Please slow your pace.
That's not a race." I muttered.

Luna obeyed, embracing me gently with her forehoof, and just brushing my insides gently with her stallionhood.

"Tis such a pity this potion is so complex," she murred. "Stallion orgasm is shorter, but more intense... You must try it, love."

Luna's slow pumping into my pussy created some squelchy noises, some of her cum from the first time dribbling down. Yes, the touch, the friction was pleasant, but it was the awareness that my beloved is giving me a foal was what made it truly ecstatic. 

I squirmed, gyrating my backside, letting her stop entirely, while I danced on her shaft. Her mouth closed on my ear, nipping lightly, causing a bit of pain. I literally slammed my backside against her groin in response, gasping with pleasure. Her tail flicked my flank, and I felt tingling of her magic pulling on my nipples.

Gyrating my ass firmly pressed against her groin, I breathed hard. "give me your cum, make me a mum" I gasped out.
Luna grabbed my neck with her teeth, just above the brass rings, and began slamming her cock into me.

From a corner of my eye I noticed a pegasus in the sky. One with a camera... snapping furiously. A kinky sensation made my excitement spike, and I moaned loudly, a sudden orgasm making my legs soft. If I wasn't suspended by Luna's teeth and her cock, I would have dropped to the floor right then. But instead, the ecstatic dance my vagina kept playing on her cock brought her over the edge, and as I felt the rapid throbs, reality collapsed. 

I was a young unicorn mare wearing some plastic coat in a dusty field under three suns, surrounded by hundreds of other ponies, all in weird, futuristic clothes. Dusty, yellow, blocky buildings dotted the horizon. A lean vessel of steel descended in front of us, landing in clouds of dust. A hatch opened forming a walkway down. Luna stepped down, surrounded by guards with weird weapons. She stood on the walkway above us scanning the crowd. I stood on two legs, waved my forelegs and shouted "Everfree!"

Luna's eyes focused on me, and she mouthed "Zecora." Blue glow surrounded me and pulled me towards my love...

The vision ended, but I knew enough. Collapsing on the marble floor, I gasped for air, feeling Luna's cum warm in my womb. I struggled to my legs, and in two or three tries I stood up, leaning on my beloved. Blue glow surrounded me and we headed inside, Luna walking, me - floating by her side. She put me on her bed, among the tatters of the red dress, and lay by me, nuzzling my face and scattering gentle kisses.

And like so often after sex, she was in a contemplative mood.

"I still fear, Zecora. I'm still afraid, how will it be when you pass away. How will I live without you? Back then, a good dozen years ago you promised you'd share some insight that would let me laugh at these fears. Was that a trick? Or do you believe just our children will suffice to fill the void after you?"

I rubbed my abdomen area tenderly. Multiple potions and spells assured the conception, and growth of a strong, healthy foal. The same magic that allowed manticores and chimeras to exist, assured the crossbreed foal would be surely as fertile as its mothers. And we'd surely protect it from harm.

"Not 'just'.
Please, trust."

I nudged my old friend gently, a mental equivalent of tender nuzzle. I knew Equestrian fluently by now. I could speak without rhyming. I still remember the panic, the distress I caused to my rhyming spell when I spoke rhymeless Equestrian for the first time. It spoke into my mind in a scared plea of most heartfelt rhymes, promising never to fail me again, begging not to be discarded. I was taken aback by that reaction, and of course I promised to keep it. My spell ceased trying to prank me, I started taking a better care of it, and on occasions like today I'd ask it for special favors.

"As twilight falls upon the stripes of my coat,
creeps moment when zebra will have to retire,
when age and bad health against me conspire,
and death's bony jaws will close on my throat.

But over my body, the reaper won't gloat.
For empty shell useless will burn on the pyre.
For elsewhere will shine of my soul endless fire,
to return to dearest from places remote.

Old curse soon will allow my soul to infest
our offspring, and haunt them, like ghost in deceit.
You always will find me in ponies possessed.

As long as some hearts of our children still beat,
I will not join others in eternal rest.
For you, my sweet Luna, my death I will cheat."

Luna lay, silent, dwelling on the revelation.

"As long as even one lives... but won't multiple generations, won't large numbers dilute, weaken you?"

I shook my head, smiling gently.

"If I'm ever exorcised,
curse has to be stabilized.
But if the family's huge
I will always find refuge."

Luna's eyes filled with joy. A wide grin spread on her face. She hugged me tightly. "The Apple family will seem tiny compared to ours!"

Did I say I loved to bring smile to Luna's face?





6) "That was rather selfish.
I feel like a shellfish." Uh, what? How does a shellfish even feel like?