Act XXVIII - The Best of Intentions*
The sound of the door slamming shut woke David with a start. “Luna?” he called out, sitting up in bed.
“Sorry, dear. I did not mean to wake you,” Luna replied.
There was an edge to her voice.
“Is everything okay?” David asked.
Luna walked over to her dresser and took off her regalia. “Court was quite infuriating. I just need a hot shower to relax.”
“What went wrong?”
“I should not bother you with it.”
“Please, tell me,” David pleaded.
She grunted. “Do you recall the research I did earlier?”
“Yes.”
“I was keeping up with the policy decisions made during the Day Court. I did so to keep apprised and make sure Celestia and I present a united front.”
“So what happened tonight?”
“They dared to set me against my sister.”
“Huh?”
“Tonight, they looked to request my ruling on an issue that had been decided on during the day, not even two nights prior, and made the presumption that I would not know of the record, trying to have me make the initial ruling! How dare they!?”
Luna huffed off toward her bathroom.
David cringed at his lover’s displeasure. “Sorry to hear that. People can do the most devious things.”
Luna did not reply, at least not in a way that could be understood. Instead, she could be heard cursing and struggling as she plodded through the bathroom. Eventually, the shower turned on, and a low, somewhat angry growl resounded as she drowned out her anger in the steaming water.
‘I’ve never seen her worked up like this. I wonder if there is something I could do for her.’
David got up from the bed and walked over to the bathroom door.
Luna continued to grumble loudly in the shower, muttering things to herself as she attempted to work out her frustrations.
“Ahh!” Luna screamed as David grabbed her hindquarters from behind.
David chuckled tensely. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you… much.”
Luna looked rearward and shot a fierce glare. “David, I am not in the mood for games.”
David started kneading her rump slowly with his fingers. “Yes, I understand, but I thought I might relieve you of some of your tension with a nice, relaxing massage.”
Luna paused, and her face portrayed an epic journey in the span of a few seconds. First, she traversed the hot boiling pools of lava in her eyes. The pits of fire closed, but left behind the tumultuous hills and valleys of her furrowed brow and the corners of her scowl. Slowly, a barren wasteland was revealed as the mountains gave way to a featureless expanse. Finally, gentle, rolling hills of hard-earned mirth appeared—a long-lost home of peace and quiet as a smile appeared on her lips.
“Mmm. You… are… forgiven.”
David grinned, grabbed the body soap, and lathered up his mare. Using his powerful hands, he both cleaned and tended to her body. His own brow furrowed as he continued his work, sensing the tension locked in her muscles. He worked diligently with a steady rhythm until he had made his way to her front, and wrapping his arms around Luna’s neck, he pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss.
Their lips finally separated, and Luna opened her eyes to look at David. There was still frustration present in her beautiful teal eyes, and David turned back to her body to continue his efforts.
He massaged her neck and shoulders, putting his considerable weight into her as he fought to tire her out. As he continued back down her frame, he scrubbed under her wings and around her barrel.
Luna grunted and moaned as David washed her. But his tender motions and the firm massage were doing more than dissolving her tension, and her tail rose in a testament to her growing arousal.
This did not go unnoticed by David, and surprisingly, he found himself stiffening as well.
Working from her rear, he battled the temptations of the flesh as Luna’s wet tail teasingly swished against his exposed manhood. Occasionally, her rump bumped against him as she shifted anxiously back and forth on her hind legs, making the struggle ever more difficult.
Finally, David could take no more, and he moved his hands from her barrel back to her rump, where he gripped it fiercely.
“Ahhh!” Luna yelled once more as David dug his fingers into her again.
Her utterance was quickly followed by a grunt as David guided her to the stone wall in front of her. Luna braced herself against the wall with her neck and shoulder and looked back at the man. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of fiery passion and the last remnants of angst from her toils at court.
Another sharp gasp came from the royal mare as David forcefully speared her waiting honeypot from behind, claiming victory for their surging hormones.
David slid inside, but quickly met a gripping resistance; Luna had purposefully clenched her muscles, making David earn the victory laid before him. He fought against it, pushing himself through the incredible tightness of the mare’s muscular passage. Now, having almost completely hilted himself, he stilled his charge and gave pause—his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.
The respite gave Luna a moment to think. She reopened her eyes and looked up to her lover, still holding her against the wall. Her look was filled with passion, eyes half-lidded and mouth hanging open as she gasped for breath. “David… more…”
At the sound of his name, he steeled himself and began the arduous task of rutting his mare.
Luna slammed her eyes shut as she endured the onslaught. As the pleasure rolled over her senses and took control, her tongue lolled out completely without care and her body went slack, no longer able to keep pace.
David, on the other hand, was alert and in control, slamming into her marehood with reckless abandon. Every sloppy stroke he made under the steaming hot water sent fluids flying everywhere.
His senses were under constant assault. He could feel Luna trembling against his body. Her privates winked incessantly around him and her internals strangled and pulsed against his manhood as they sought their eventual release.
He grunted as he screwed into her, pulling her rearward just to slam her back into the wall as he hilted himself over and over again while his testicles slapped loudly against her engorged clitoris.
Breathless, Luna fought to speak. “I am close! Cum for me!”
David smiled at her words. He redoubled his efforts with his goal now in sight. He too had been close to release and was secretly fighting it off for her benefit.
Luna’s horn became lit with her magic as it flowed out of her unwillingly. Her climax came, and she shuddered under David, her horn throwing sparks and her juices squirting out to paint David’s crotch. The old castle walls shook under her powerful emanation as she squealed in delight.
Her orgasm and the magical stimulation pushed David over the edge as well, and he slammed deep within her, then stopped as his manhood held a gentle kiss with her cervix and poured copious amounts of his semen deep into her womb.
As the hormones and sensations washed over her, Luna collapsed, pulling David down with her. There they lay gasping on the floor as they recovered from their simultaneous release.
After withdrawing himself, David crawled forward and pulled Luna into his arms, embracing her tenderly.
She lifted her head wearily, and looked into his eyes, then darted forward, stealing his lips in an impassioned kiss.
After a few moments, she broke her hold on him.
David smiled as he looked at her. “Feeling better, my love?”
“Quite a bit, thank you. I believe you have successfully diffused my anger and prepared me for bed, though I may not have the strength to make it there.”
David kissed her nose. “We’ll manage.”
After a few moments of cuddling together on the floor under the still-running water, they collected themselves and re-washed before heading back to Luna’s bed for a good night’s rest.
***
The next morning found Celestia sitting at her desk in her chambers, a scroll unfurled in front of her. It was a letter from her former student, Princess Twilight Sparkle.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I hope all is going well in Canterlot. I, myself am feeling a lot better. I have to tell you, it was pretty touch-and-go there for a while. The complications from my first alicorn estrus felt indomitable and were it not for the support of you, Luna and Cadance, I feel I would have gone mad after the first day.
While I understand your position of “patience is best” for dealing with the unavoidable issues of our elevated cycles, I must admit that I took a different route.
‘A different route? Oh, Twilight, what have you done?’
I simply found that this time, I required a bit more proactive measures. I hope you are not disappointed with me.
Well, time to cut to the chase. After consulting with both Cadance and Luna, I determined that my estrus symptoms warranted treatment. That is when Luna suggested something that Cadance had alluded to, but I was honestly too stubborn to consider before… studding.
Celestia gasped and tore her eyes from the page.
‘Oh, heavens, no! Twilight, I would have gladly sought medical attention for you if I had known you were so desperate!! Ohh, I— Be calm, Celestia. Let us hear her out.’
Sorry, I know that might have come to you as a shock, but I want to assure you that it was not as radical a thing as you might be imagining. I am in no danger of pregnancy, as the stud I chose was not… compatible. You see, after corresponding with Luna, she made a very unusual suggestion. Her solution was for me to take David to stud.
‘What!?’
Yes, I said David.
Luna and David had been intimate, and she had… testified to his abilities. She approached him, and he had expressed a desire to help me, though, as Luna said, his intention was wanting to try his newly-acquired healing magic.
I didn’t really think going this far would be necessary, but as my symptoms got worse, I pleaded for her to ask for his help.
Well, one thing led to another, and Luna and David visited me. He was rather shocked by my condition, and after talking with Luna and me, I believe that he became overcome with compassion and, well… helped me.
Please do not think less of him for this, Celestia. It apparently was not clearly explained to him of what he was to do to help me, even as he approached me in my chambers. He even went as far as to use his healing magic in an attempt to cure me, but that didn’t improve my condition, and only gave me a moment of clarity. During that moment, he learned of my true condition. Though he was shocked, he was a perfect gentle-stallion and fled before any inappropriate conduct, and only returned later after speaking with Luna. I then pleaded my case to him, even in the state that I was in. He accepted.
The act was, well… sufficient, and was done with great care and the best of intentions. I’ll spare you the details. Though, I suppose for a first time I was lucky to have someone as caring and close as David to tend to me.
Again, do not hold it against him. It was still my decision. If there is somepony to be reproved, it is me. I was not strong enough to endure as you said to do, and I am sorry for that.
Please forgive me.
Sincerely,
T.S.
“Oh, Twilight, you must have suffered so! Why did I not stay closer to you and monitor your condition!? But, for you to have gone to such lengths… and for Luna, of all ponies, to make that suggestion!”
Celestia huffed as she looked over the letter once more, cementing the facts into her memory. Her cheeks burned as she read it again and her mind swam with thoughts of confusion and frustration.
A small, familiar tingle brought her out of her thoughts—it was time to raise the sun.
Celestia re-rolled the scroll and locked it in her desk before rising and heading to her balcony.
Breathing in the crisp, cool air reinvigorated her mind and helped her forget her troubles. She stood quietly for several moments, staring out across the dimly lit landscape.
“Good morrow to you, Sister,” Luna called from above.
The voice brought a thought back to her mind causing Celestia to furrow her brow. “Good morning, Lulu.”
Luna soared down to the elder sister’s balcony to join her. “I am sorry if I am late. Please, feel free to make the exchange.”
“As you wish.”
Celestia performed the sacred duty of the sisters, her magic setting the stage for yet another new day. After finishing, she turned back to her sister, who sat nearby, recovering.
The sight of Luna weakened once again brought Celestia to the verge of tears.
“Tia, it is okay. I am okay,” Luna said as she nuzzled her sister.
“I hope so, Lulu. I just don’t think I can keep doing this to you much longer.”
“Worry not. If it becomes such a burden on you, perhaps we can attempt to make the exchange while David is removed far enough that he is not affected.”
“Perhaps.”
Luna smiled at her sister warmly. “Come now, chin up!”
Celestia raised her head, but her usual smile was not upon it.
“Lulu, I have need to discuss some important matters with you. Would you stay a while?”
“Of course. Is everything alright?”
“I… Yes. But it is important.”
“Should I go fetch David?”
“No. This is just between us. That, and I do not think he will see me today.”
“Ahh. I sensed as much when I spoke to him this morning.”
“Yes, well, after dinner, we had a good talk, and we have come to the point in our courtship that we must decide whether we wish to pursue each other romantically or not. To that end, he asked for some time alone and to have one last date with me tonight, at dinner.”
“I see. And how do you feel about all this, about David—or is it too forward of me to ask such things yet?”
“I admit, I have been quite cold to you in sharing my feelings. I hope you will sit with me this morning for breakfast. I have a lot to share if you will listen.”
“I am here for you, Sister. Begin.”
***
A knock on David’s door roused him from his position as he rested on his bed.
“Yes?” he called out.
A sing-song voice replied. “Room service!” It was Cherry.
David smiled and walked over to the door. Opening it, he found Cherry pushing a service cart of food.
David smiled. “Oh, Cherry, you didn’t have to do all this!”
“Nonsense! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I know exactly how many meals you’ve been skipping lately.”
“Okay, okay. Come on in.”
Cherry entered, and David closed the door behind her.
“Here, let me take that,” David said, reaching down for the tray on the cart.
David took the tray and set it down on the dresser, then turned to Cherry.
Cherry looked up at him, her usual bright smile on her face. “Is everything to your liking?”
David glanced at his breakfast. “Oh, yes. Thank you.”
There was an assortment of fruit: kiwi, orange wedges, and grapes; a bowl of steaming oatmeal, some multi-grain bars, a pitcher of milk, and various toppings for the oatmeal: brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, and various berries.
“So… are you okay? Not hungry?” Cherry asked.
David turned to her, realizing that he really wasn’t focused on the food.
“Sorry, Cherry. I am, but I’ve just got a lot on my mind today.”
“Come on, just take a break and have some food. It’ll make you feel better!”
David sighed. “Okay. I think you’re right.” David picked up the tray and turned back to Cherry. She stood in front of him, shifting awkwardly back and forth on her hooves. “Would you like to keep me company?”
“Oh! Uh, I don’t mean to bother you.”
“No bother. I hope you don’t mind me eating in front of you.”
Cherry shook her head. “Please do.”
David motioned for her to take a seat on the bed, and Cherry quickly climbed up and lay down. Having her seated, David sat at the head with his legs crossed and placed the tray in front of him. He looked at his meal, then up at Cherry.
“Go on,” she said.
David smiled and picked up his spoon. He tried a bit of the oatmeal first—he didn’t usually like to dress it up too much, but the pensive mood he found himself in that day made him act differently.
He added quite a lot of extras into the meal—a dash of cinnamon, some honey, and raspberries—definitely not his usual. He took a bite of his new concoction and smiled half-heartedly.
‘It’s good, but I just can’t enjoy it.’
“Trying something new?” Cherry asked.
“Yeah. It’s tasty, but I’m just not feeling it.”
“You must have a lot on your mind.”
“Huh?”
“When my mind is busy, things I like taste different. I bet it’s the same for you,” she said.
David set down his spoon and picked up some fruit. “I never really noticed that, but I suppose you’re right.”
“Don’t worry, it’ll pass,” Cherry said. “You either need to distract yourself, or work through whatever’s bothering you.”
“Sage advice from the cook,” he remarked.
“Hey!”
“I didn’t mean anything negative, Cherry. I know you have a pretty good handle on what goes on around here.”
“You bet I do. I also noticed how little everyone ate last night. Something you wanna talk about?”
“I shouldn’t, it’ll pass.”
“I hope so. I don’t like seeing you or the princesses so tense. The only one who finished their meal was Princess Luna.”
David continued to peck at his food. “Yeah.”
“So, mind if I ask how lunch went yesterday? I saw that the meal was mostly finished.”
“Well…”
“And I kinda talked to Princess Luna a bit about it. I hope that doesn’t upset you.”
“No. You don’t need to feel bad about that. I want you to be loyal to the princesses first. If they ask, you do what’s right.”
Cherry sighed. “Okay. At first, she was just a bit curious what all you had done in the kitchen and asked if you prepared the meal for yesterday’s lunch. I told her that the staff took care of it. I then sat with her while she ate and we chatted a bit.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. She was a bit nosy about a few things. Wanted to hear what you had prepared the night before for your date with Princess Celestia—oops.”
David’s face turned red, and he scowled. “I see.”
Cherry shrank away and avoided his gaze. “I’m so sorry, David. I know I wasn’t supposed to know about that, but with all the stuff Princess Luna said and asked, it was… pretty obvious.”
“Hmm.” David raised his head. “Cherry.” She tentatively glanced at him. “I’m not upset. I just need to know that this kind of talk doesn’t get out, okay?”
“So… is it true?”
“I can neither confirm nor deny such rumors.”
“So…?”
“Look, Cherry. Princess Celestia and I ate together and talked. You and I are doing the same thing right now, in my room, on my bed. Can you think of how a rumor like that could get around? It may make sense, but that doesn’t mean it’s true.”
Cherry deflated. “Yeah, I’m sorry.”
David sighed. “That’s okay. I used to be the center of my friends’ gossip. I heard everything and had to keep it straight. Eventually, I couldn’t handle it and told them to stop telling me things. I can’t help but think sometimes you may be stuck in the same situation. You just see way too much.”
“So, sorry to pry, but meeting with Princess Celestia hasn’t caused you and Princess Luna any trouble has it?”
David smiled. “No, Cherry. It hasn’t. We’re all fine, just thinking about things. There’s a lot going on, you know? Princess Twilight was ill earlier this week, I’ve still got this sensitivity to magic, and then there’s the fact that I’m completely unknown to your world and nobody knows if I can go home or not— Lots of stuff.”
“And don’t forget your relationship with Princess Luna!”
“Yeah, I haven’t. Thinking back on that lately has made me wonder if home really is that important. I mean, my life was pretty bland and routine—most of my family and friends have either passed on or moved on.”
“Oh, David, I’m sorry to hear that.” Cherry then sat up. “But I’m your friend, and you’ve met a lot of ponies here that care about you. I know, even the guards talk about you from time to time!”
“Heh. I wonder what they say. I don’t really get a lot of time to talk with them.”
“Maybe not, but you’ve left an impression on them. A good one too! They’re all pretty impressed with how you carry yourself around the princesses and how you address them politely—even some of the Lunar guards said so!”
“Wow, that is a compliment. I was pretty sure they didn’t like me.”
“Pfft. Some of them don’t like anypony. Just keep being you.”
“Thanks, Cherry.”
“Say, I know you didn’t really care for the oatmeal today, but I think you should try those multi-grain bars I made. They’re something new we’re working on—a few cooked cereals and fruit pressed into a bar, like a hard snack cake. Try one!”
David eyed the bars and picked one up. “Okay.” He took a tentative sniff, recognizing apples, oats, cinnamon and sugar, then took a bite.
‘Mmm. This is pretty good! It’s soft, yet firm. I didn’t notice before, but I think they’ve also got pureed raisins in here. Probably too much sugar for it to be healthy, though.’
David’s face gave Cherry all the information she needed. He really liked it and didn’t stop to speak until more than half of the bar was gone.
“So?”
“It’s really good, Cherry. I like how it’s soft, but still has the texture of the grains in it. It might be a bit too sweet, though, did you add sugar to it?”
“Yes we did, and I was thinking that too. The princesses have a sweet tooth, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Do you think it would be able to stand on its own without it?”
“Definitely. The apples and raisins already add enough sweetness to it. I think removing the sugar would be a good choice and a healthier alternative.”
“Thanks, I’ll make that suggestion. Anything else you can tell me?”
“I don’t know if you’ve thought about variety yet, but I’d like to see one with figs and another with dark chocolate bits and pureed berries instead of raisins—just go easy on it.”
Cherry smirked. “We’ll see. I don’t really want to make this a whole line, just a few different things here and there.”
“I don’t know, Cherry. If there isn’t anything like this outside of the castle right now, you could really have a hot product on your hands, I mean, hooves.”
“Thanks for the compliment! I’ll continue to play around with it for a bit here first, though.”
“Okay. Just don’t let me eat too many. I’d get fat and lazy in no time!”
Cherry giggled. “Don’t worry. If you did, Princess Luna and I would work it off of you!”
“Ugh. Thanks,” he said in-between bites. “Good to know.”
“So, how about that earthquake last night?” Cherry asked, steering the topic in an odd direction.
“What?” David asked.
“Last night, in the middle of the night, there was a small earthquake. All the shaking woke me up; did you sleep through it?”
David thought for a second. ‘Oh.’
“Oh. Yeah, I guess I did. I was pretty tired last night,” he replied.
“I guess so! Though it wasn’t very long or strong. The news said it was centered around the castle area, so most of Canterlot probably didn’t even feel it. We had one last week as well, do you remember that one?”
David feigned thinking. “Yeah, yeah. I remember that. It was… uh, Saturday night, the day before the outing, right?”
“Yup! That one was just like last night. Did you have earthquakes back in your world?”
“Yes, though most were outside my area.”
“According to some of the elder staff, we don’t have them very often. I think the last one I can remember before you got here was when Princess Luna came home.”
David blanched, but recovered quickly. “Huh. Do you think they’re dangerous?”
“Not a chance. If they were, the princesses would’ve made a statement or done something about them. Just a regular part of life on the mountain I suppose!”
“I guess so. Well, I’m feeling quite a bit better, Cherry. Thank you for your company, and for breakfast, as usual.”
Cherry laid her head on her hooves and looked up at David. “You’re welcome!”
‘Hmm. I don’t think she wants to go.’
“So, how are you doing, Cherry?”
“Me? I… I’m good, I suppose.”
“That’s good. I honestly haven’t thought about it much, but you’ve been exposed to a lot of different circumstances due to my arrival. I just want to make sure you’re doing okay.”
“Oh. Yeah, it’s been a bit different since you arrived, but nothing too much. My staff has been kind of rowdy, though. They tease me a lot about you, especially since they haven’t been cleared to meet you directly.”
“Hmm. I didn’t think about that. They’ve seen me at meals, why aren’t they allowed to talk to me?”
“I think the princesses and the guards just want to reduce your exposure for now.”
“Well, I hope that can change soon. I’ve been here almost two weeks, and I’m still confined to the royal wing of the castle. I know it’s probably not easy to plan for this—for me—to be introduced to the rest of Equestria, but unless they send me home soon, it will have to happen sometime.”
“Don’t worry, David. I’m sure it’ll be handled soon. Also, I’ll take care of my staff, they’re a good bunch of mares. All it takes is a little tidbit to keep em in line, but it does make them come back for more.”
“Sounds a bit dangerous to me.”
“Maybe. When they’re finally given permission to meet you, I’ll be sure to have Princess Luna around to keep ‘em in line. I don’t want it to become a feeding frenzy at the trough.”
“Thanks,” David said smugly.
“Hahahaha!”
Knock, knock!
David and Cherry’s heads swiveled to the door.
“One moment!” David called out.
He stood from the bed and moved to the door. Opening it, he found a pegasus royal guard.
“Excuse me, Sir David.”
Hearing the guard, Cherry leapt down from the bed and headed to the door. She walked up next to the man and looked up at him.
“Sorry, David. I think it’s time for me to go. I hope you enjoy your day!” she said, then pushed her cart past him and the guard to leave.
“Sorry. Thanks, Cherry,” David said.
David then turned his attention to the guard. “Sorry about that. How can I help you?”
“Oh, it’s no inconvenience, Sir David. I came to deliver a letter for you.”
“For me?”
“Yes, sir.” He pulled a letter out from under his wing and offered it to David.
David received it and smiled at the guard. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”
“It’s nothing, sir.”
“If I may ask, how did you get the letter? Mail carrying doesn’t seem like a royal guard’s duty.”
“Oh, but it is. I am a guard and a royal messenger. I even serve in Princess Celestia’s chariot corps, when needed.”
“I see. That’s a lot of duties!”
“Not really, sir. I’m just glad to be of service. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be off.”
“Of course. You are dismissed.”
“Thank you,” he said, nodding politely before leaving.
***
The kitchen staff left Celestia’s quarters after depositing their wares and then the door was once again closed. Luna lit her horn and cast a spell of silence on the room, then turned to Celestia. “So, Sister, breakfast has been served, and we are alone. My time is yours. What did you wish to speak with me about?”
“Honestly, I want to talk about a few things. The first comes from a disturbing letter I received this morning.”
Luna twitched nervously as her sister said the word ‘letter,’ knowing there was only one pony who wrote Celestia on a consistent basis.
Luna put on her best poker face and took a bite of her breakfast. “Oh, my. Whatever could be wrong!?”
“Luna, this is about Twilight. She explained everything. You cannot feign ignorance.”
Luna’s countenance fell. “Oh.”
“Yes, well, mind telling me why in this great world you thought that was an appropriate solution to her heat!?”
“It did work, did it not?”
“Luna! Twilight was a virgin! How dare you suggest such a method that would take that choice away from her!”
“First, her choice was not taken, and it was not I that planted that seed, sister. Only once it had sprouted and become a real consideration did I offer my advice. That, and she is a grown mare who has started to express interest in the opposite sex and interactions with them. Both your niece and I will not have Twilight stigmatize sexual relations. We do desire, though, that she be actually interested and willing in her choice of intimate partners.”
Celestia’s eyes were wide with anger. “You both conspired to advise my student—”
“Former student, current princess,” Luna interrupted.
“Yes, my former student and friend, and you did not care to involve me?”
“Yes, well, forgive us that, Tia. I believe you will agree that you have certain personal feelings about relationships and intimacy that are far more reserved than most. You even went as far as to not teach dear Twilight about sex—”
“Uugh!” Celestia snorted.
“Yes, Tia. Seeexxx! I know even you are not beyond thinking about it or even desiring it, but again, you should not have withheld the knowledge of it.”
Celestia calmed herself with a bit of juice. “Lulu, you think I do not know that!? My shortcomings fill a long list, and the lack of preparation I have left Twilight with, on many things, ranks near the top of my regrets. I am sorry for that, but I am not perfect, I can only strive to improve.”
“Yes, and you have. I see your efforts, truly, and I will always stand beside you, but with Twilight—you still coddle her, sometimes stifling her so.”
Celestia sighed. “I know. In this situation, I restricted her, gave her a task to perform that was not fair: to fight against her own body’s needs in a way that could have harmed her.”
“So you understand. She was in so much discomfort, Tia. It was either this or medical treatment. It was not the time to take a stand on your values. But I digress, I do not hold it against you and neither does Twilight. Cadance and I took it upon ourselves to help her where you could not. We advised her of all of the possible treatments, and Cadance appropriately advocated the natural approach. I simply suggested she might be more comfortable being treated by somepony she was close to that could not impregnate her. In the end, David was the obvious choice.”
Celestia’s brow twitched. “And it helped her?”
“You know the same as I do. She is feeling quite herself again. I imagine she agonized over the decision on whether to tell you, knowing how you feel, but she does not want to hide anything from you.”
The great white mare sighed uncomfortably. “I owe her an apology. Now, about David. You did not feel uncomfortable with the arrangement?”
“With David and Twilight? No. My issues with it would only be how he viewed it and how it might change our relationship. Honestly, I did not handle the situation quite as well as I should. In the end, I somewhat pressured David to do it; taking him to Twilight’s castle without fully disclosing why or what was expected of him.” Luna paused. “No, it was a lie. I lied to him. He called me on it as well, and we suffered our first altercation as a couple. I was brought low with grief and pain and resolved not to hide from him again, and he has graciously forgiven me.”
“I think you are quite lucky in that, Lulu. I presume there are not many, of his kind or ponykind, that would accept such a transgression and offer forgiveness.”
“Yes, I feel so as well. I am a lucky mare. I have been forgiven for many things, and I hope many more. Like you, it is my desire to be better, not only for David, but for myself, for you, and for all of Equestria.”
Celestia smiled at Luna warmly. “And I know you shall, Lulu.”
Luna returned the smile, but it soon broke into a neutral expression. “Now that this is settled for the moment, I think it is time that we discuss the more pertinent topic.”
Celestia nervously turned from Luna and looked instead at her breakfast. Hesitation showed on her face and in her actions. After a short moment, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Finally, her eyes opened again, and she spoke. “Lulu, I am scared.”
“Whatever for?”
“I… I do not know if we can have a shared relationship as you suggested.”
“Perhaps not, but I am willing to try.”
“And if it ends all of our relationships? What if it only comes to drive a wedge between us!?”
“Sister, I will not let that happen.”
“It is not always that easy, Lulu. I have seen it too often with our subjects, and more often than not their relationships are not nearly as complicated as the one we are suggesting.”
“I will agree with all you have said. I have seen failures of marriages and splits between family, though most often it occurs due to a lack of true love and communication.”
“Yes, and while your love of David might be strong now, can you say it is true?”
Luna scowled. “That, I believe, is not a fair question.”
Celestia bit her lip. “No, it is not. Forgive me.”
“It is okay. I know you did not intend to inflict pain.”
“Thank you, but let us take a moment to relax and take a few bites of our meal.”
The sisters agreed on the temporary recess and tried to lose the bitter taste through their favorite breakfast foods. After a few moments, though, Luna looked back to her elder sister.
“So, are you concerned of my feelings for David?” Luna asked.
“No, Luna. I am not. I believe you are developing an honest and true relationship.”
“Then, do you think my relationship with him will sour our relationship as sisters?”
“I would not expect it to, no. I believe we are strong enough together.”
Luna furrowed her brow. “Then, what exactly are you afraid of?”
“I suppose I am afraid of myself. I am afraid I will be the weakest link in both of our relationships.”
“Oh? My grand and wonderful sister, sole ruler of Equestria for over a millennium, bringer of the sun and life itself thinks she is the weakest link!?”
Celestia scoffed. “As a matter of fact, yes. You know I have shied away from relationships, and I am not quite as open to everypony with my private life as a relationship requires. I also have spent so long turning away from my feelings, that it is often difficult for me to properly express them, even sometimes to accept them. That has made some of my time with David quite… ingenuine.”
Luna squinted. “Are you suggesting that you have led David by pretense!?”
“No! No, not exactly. I believe the term is ‘leading somepony on,’ as well. You see, our first encounter, the dinner, I was rather not myself. I, regrettably so, came only to him as a friend, as Princess Celestia.”
Luna relaxed. “Oh, I see. You could not engage him honestly. I do remember counseling you against such a thing, I believe.”
“Not in so many words, but yes. I failed to let my guard down and have fun. In the end, he felt the need to force a change of pace, which luckily worked out in his favor.”
“Did he? I would very much like to hear the details!”
“Has he not told you of our meetings?” Celestia asked.
“No, scarcely a word. He values both his and your privacy in this.”
Celestia smirked. “That does seem like him. Well, I think it is fair enough for us to talk.”
“Excellent! Now, tell me of his deeds and actions. Bare no secrets you wish to keep, I will understand.”
“Very well. That night, after giving a poor showing to him as a romantic partner, he called me out to the garden at the observatory.”
“Oh! I do like that garden.”
“Yes. Well, it was quite cool outside and dark, with only a bit of moonlight and a few wall torches around. David and I walked just outside the door and, I have to admit, I was a bit stumped and a little perturbed at being called outside for no apparent reason. He then walked right up to me and thumped me in the nose!”
Luna balked at the news. “He struck you!?”
“It actually was not a hit, per se, but it caught me off guard, and I somewhat lost my temper. He then ran off into the darkness and laughed at me. That quite irked me.”
“Oh, Sister. I shall have words with him, you will see!”
“Wait. Let me finish the story. He called out and taunted me into chasing after him; I fell for it quite easily. Around the darkened maze of the garden, he avoided detection and had me galloping in circles. I imagine the groundskeeper was quite furious the next morning. Anyway, when I finally stopped, he assaulted me again, grabbing and pulling my tail, then ran off laughing!”
“Sister, I fail to see how this is improving.”
“Just a moment more, I promise. Where was I, yes. I ran after him, now close on his rear and I tackled him! I was furious, saddened, and confused, I wanted to know why he had done such hurtful things. But do you know what he did?”
“Go on…”
“He looked up with a smile and was happy. He said he had finally gotten me to ‘let my mane down.’ It was an eye-opening experience. I realized that I had not come to the date with an open mind and heart. Though he took drastic measures, he was able to help me see that, and that moved me.”
Luna re-settled in her spot. “Hmm. It was not what I would have expected.”
“I suppose not, but now you know what I meant when I said I was ‘ingenuine.’ ”
“Did you continue to face him, masked as such?”
“No. In fact, on our next date, during lunch yesterday, he basically made me humble myself before accepting my presence at the date at all!”
“My David did this? Forgive me, but that sounds quite rude.”
“I believe it was not intended to be impolite, he only wished us to start on an equal level. I chose to submit, as I believe that level of equality is important in a relationship.”
“And what, exactly, did he demand you do to be his equal?”
Celestia laughed. “When I attempted to join him at the table, he reproved me and said, ‘no finery at the table!’ So, after I stripped off my shoes and vestments, I joined him, and we had quite a good time.”
“That you had a good time makes me glad, Sister. Tell me more of how you enjoyed your time with him, how you feel.”
“I think that lunch was a turning point for me; perhaps for him as well. After attempting to eat a bit—he chose to try to feed me as I had some difficulty with the soup we were prepared—he suggested that we get a little more cozy. We lay together and talked, but he also startled me a bit…”
Luna leaned in. “What happened?”
“He had wrapped me in his arms—which I found quite enjoyable—but was taken aback a bit when his hands strayed.”
“Oooh! He has made a move on you!?”
Celestia shook her head. “No, it was nothing so forward. He was stroking my barrel, then moved a bit lower to my stomach. It, well… was a bit too nice, so I asked him to stop, which he did promptly.”
“Oh, Tia. You are such a prude!”
“I am not! Like I said, I was just surprised.”
Luna huffed. “So, it seems you have feelings of your own for him now.”
“Yes. I believe so. I wish to know if you still approve of this, Luna. I will not pursue anything if you do not agree, or if it would jeopardize your relationship with David. What say you?”
Luna lowered her head in thought while Celestia tried desperately to read her sister’s state of mind. After a tense few moments, Luna raised her head to meet Celestia’s somewhat worried gaze.
“I honestly did not have to think on it much, but I thought it would only be fair to examine the possible, chaotic results. Tia, you have my blessing to pursue David romantically. Tell and show him how you feel. Do not hide from him, and please try to be open with me as well. If all goes well and he accepts you, we must share and be as one. It will also be quite demanding on him, as this type of relationship is extremely rare in his world, and he has no reference on which to guide himself.”
“While I am grateful for your blessing, I am still unsure of my own decision, or how David feels about me.”
“What makes you think so?”
“He has requested one last date tonight. It feels quite… final.”
“Hmm. that is hardly enough to make assumptions on.”
“And his purposeful avoidance of me today?”
“He only wants to mull over his thoughts; you obviously have left a powerful impression upon him.”
“Thank you, Lulu, but as much as you try to allay my fears, I think I will not be sane until I hear it from his own lips.”
Luna smirked devilishly. “So you think of his lips?”
Celestia smiled. “Really now, Lulu. Is it time for such frivolity?”
“Always!”
“Well, all jokes aside, today will be a bit stressful for me. That, and it is already time for court!”
“Fret not, Tia. Go to court and put these thoughts aside for a moment. Before you know it, night will be upon us, and you will have your answer.”
“I hope I am prepared.”
“You will be. I assure it. Now, I will excuse myself to sleep. If you require me, though, feel free to wake me.”
“And David?”
“He has sequestered himself in his room. You will not stumble upon him if you seek me out.”
“Okay. Thank you, Lulu.”
“You are most welcome.”
With genuine smiles upon both of them, they engaged each other in a loving, sisterly embrace. Their caring touch warmed Celestia’s heart and helped relax her for what was to come. Finally breaking apart, they pressed their foreheads together and sat quietly, then separated for the day.
***
David closed the door and inspected the envelope he had been given. It was a fine, ivory colored linen envelope, sealed with wax. It only took one look at the seal for David to know its sender.
‘Twilight.’
David’s lips contorted and his brow furrowed. “Great. That’s all I needed to think about today.”
He returned to his bed and pushed the serving tray with his breakfast off to the side a bit, then stretched his legs out as he sat against the headboard. David stared at the envelope quietly, then took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. Finally, he broke the seal and pulled out the letter from within.
As he opened the folded paper, a familiar purple glow emanated from the page. Soon, the image of the Princess of Friendship appeared before him as a small translucent hologram.
Twilight fidgeted a moment, then looked at him with a smile. “Uh, hi, David! So, I wanted to let you know that I’m doing alright now,” she started. “After you visited… by the next morning, I started feeling better, so, um, thanks.” She shook her head. “No, that’s not right,” she said to herself. “I want to thank you. What you did for me… it means a lot. It went way past being just a friend, and I just want to let you know how much that means to me. I’m not sure if I could properly face you right now, I’m such a bundle of nerves! Sorry, I just—it’s new, that’s all, and I feel a bit awkward, but that will pass. I want us to be friends, really. Let’s not let that get between us okay?”
David smiled at the awkward display his friend gave. ‘We’ll be fine, Twilight. I’m sure of it.’
“Whew,” she started again. “That took a bit out of me. I’ve been thinking about it all, and I really can’t talk to anypony here about what happened, what we did. What you did for me. That part bothers me a bit. With your permission, I’d like to talk to Cadance about it. She’ll be discreet, of course, but she’ll also tease me mercilessly. I don’t look forward to that part, but she is the best counselor for these types of things. Think about it, and have Luna send me a message with your decision. I’ll understand if you don’t want me to talk about it, though.
“Speaking of talking to others… Applejack has been asking about you. It seems as though you really made a good friend in her! I didn’t have much information to give her, but she wanted to know how you’re doing and if your magic sensitivity is getting any better or not. She also seemed pretty interested to know when the other princesses and I are going to introduce you to the rest of Equestria. While I didn’t have an answer for her, or for you, on that matter, I’ll be sure to bring it up in my next letter to Celestia or Luna. She seemed a little disappointed in that, but I doubt it will get her down, she has enough to do on a daily basis. I did say that if she wanted to, she could write you a letter and I’d make sure it gets delivered.
“That reminds me… you were trying to learn Equis, right? How is that coming along? If you want some help, I’d be glad to teach you! I could set up kit for you as well, with flashcards and some pre-recorded lessons if you’d like! It could be fun! Anyway, think it over and let me know. I’m sure I could find time to visit you, if you’d like.”
‘Hmm. Not sure if ‘Twilight the tutor’ is a good thing or a bad one. I’m pretty good at learning, but she’d definitely put me through a crash course. Maybe I’ll humor her a bit and see how it goes.’
“So, I guess the last bit is more of the first bit. I just want to let you know that it was okay for you and Luna to leave after… you know. Luna took care of everything. When I finally came to, I was really tired and a bit sore. It reminded me of when I first learned to fly, so many muscles I hadn’t used before, hehe! Anyway, Luna had sent a really nice batpony mare to take care of me. She cleaned and fed me… I mean she cleaned the castle! Right. But she was really nice and took care of everything while I recovered. I didn’t get her name, only that she was a royal handmaiden of Luna’s. She didn’t even take off her uniform, so I didn’t get to see her cutie mark! She only stayed a day, until I started feeling better, then left last night without saying a word. At first, I thought she was being rude, but later, I found that she had left me a heartfelt letter in my room, and now I understand. So don’t feel bad or anything, like you should’ve stayed, okay?
“I guess that’s about it! I hope to see you again soon, just forgive me if I act a bit odd. Oh, there is one other thing… I’ve written Celestia about what happened. I explained it all and made sure that she doesn’t blame you for anything. Please don’t be mad at me for this, it was going to come out sooner or later, especially after I recovered so quickly. I just thought it was best if she heard it from me, that it was my choice, that you were my choice. That’s what’s important, and I’m sure she’ll understand. If anything, she’ll be more upset with me.
“Well, sorry to drop that bale of hay on you like that! I can’t say much more in this letter, but if it or something else bothers you, have Luna send me a message and I’d be glad to come over, and we can talk about it face to face.
“Again, thank you, David.” She bowed politely. “You really are a good, true friend, and I love that. I hope I can be just as good to you in the future. Please let me know that all is well with you. I look forward to your reply!”
With that, and a smile, Twilight’s image stopped moving and then disappeared. David closed the letter and put it back in the envelope, before letting out a breath he had been holding.
“Wow,” he said to himself. “I’m glad to hear she’s doing better, but she could’ve picked a better time to tell Celestia, not that it’s her fault.
David slumped down on his bed and turned over on his side. He looked at the envelope next to him as his mind wandered through the many thoughts he had. Soon, though, his mind grew tired of pondering and looked for an escape. Instead of relationships, he daydreamed of running through the forest again, and holding tight to that dream, he napped.
***