“Come in,” said the commanding female voice from the doorway. Gulping in nervousness, Thunderlane made one last check of his appearance and then walked into the private audience chamber of Luna, Princess of the Night and Diarch of Equestria.
“You asked to see me, Your Highness,” he said, bowing low to the Princess. Luna could be a stickler for protocol so he decided to absolutely follow every courtesy he could remember as being suggested for a Royal Audience. To that end, he held the bow, keeping his eyes on the floor.
“Rise, Thunderlane. You may look upon me,” said Luna, arching an eyebrow at the deference the pegasus was showing her. But she didn’t want him to be comfortable either, so as he rose and met her gaze she added, “If it does become that you should meet your doom this day, it would be best that you look it in the eyes.” Thunderlane’s eyes grew wide at that and he took a step back as his face began to grow alarmed.
“Ha—have I done anything to offend you?” he asked, stammering. “Have I done something wrong?”
“Nay,” Luna said, “But thy actions have become a cause for great concern.”
“What have I done that concerns you?” Thunderlane asked, ears flattened to his head.
“You have become involved with two Bearers of the Elements of Harmony,” said Luna, her gaze stern and her voice even. “You have assumed mastery and dominion over them, albeit with their consent. To further complicate matters, a third Bearer and my Sister’s beloved student has become as an apprentice to your tutelage.”
“They aren’t my prisoners, Your Highness,” said Thunderlane, finding his mental footing at last. “They can ask to leave me anytime they want. I...I care for them too much to break their trust and hurt them like that.”
“It is for those reasons, and others, that you yet draw breath, Thunderlane,” said Luna. “I, personally, owe those mares much, and I would not see them become thralls to one who would use them against their natures or those they love.”
“But...but, I would never—” gasped out Thunderlane, in equal parts anger, shock and surprise.
“Do not interrupt thy Princess, pegasus,” said Luna, dropping a near foot thick stack of papers in front of Thunderlane. “I have had thee thoroughly investigated. Financials, criminal records, known deviances, known associates, anything that could be used to make thee a tool against the Bearers.” Thunderlane looked at the stack in shock. That was his life, in that pile of paper.
“Are you a loyal servant of the Crowns, Thunderlane?” asked Luna, with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course, Your Highness”
“If I asked you to part company with fair Fluttershy and daring Rainbow Dash, for the good of Equestria, would you do so?” asked Luna, leaning forward. Thunderlane felt like his heart was suddenly being squeezed in an icy grip. He looked down, and he was not surprised to feel tears begin at the thought of never seeing either of his beloved pets again.
“Please, Princess,” he begged. “Don’t make me choose between Equestria and them. I...I love them. It started out as a game, but now...it would be like tearing out a piece of my heart to leave them.” He looked up at the implacable gaze bearing down on him and finished simply with, “Please.”
For a long minute, the Dark Princess of the Night looked deep into the eyes of the stallion before her. Thunderlane felt that she was looking through his tears, through his eyes, through his very soul. Luna seemed to find what she was looking for, as at the end of that long minute she nodded in satisfaction, saying, “We had to see for ourselves what sort of stallion you are. We are satisfied by what we have seen, and so we shall not ask that sacrifice of thee.” Thunderlane collapsed to the ground in relief, but then Luna went on.
“We will require three things of thee, though,” said Luna, almost smiling, to Thunderlane’s shock. “First, should any of them ever state that they wish to depart from their particular relationship with you, you shall not stand in their way.”
“Of course, Princess. That goes without saying.”
“Second, should anypony, power, or entity begin to try to push you to influence the Bearers in some way, you will come to me immediately,” said Luna. “I can forgive much if you are prompt in this.” Thunderlane nodded.
“Finally,” Luna said, and her demeanor changing from implacable monarch to, almost a friend. “You will ensure thy pets are properly licensed and tagged when playing in Canterlot.” As she said that, she floated a small velvet box to Thunderlane who grabbed it automatically. “Open it,” Luna commanded.
Inside were two round discs, about the size of a bit each. Solar sun disk on one side, lunar crescent on the other. The numerals “083” were stamped on both sides of both discs and Thunderlane looked up in surprise.
“My sister and I are no strangers to such play amongst our ponies,” said Luna. “At times, we have even been participants. To that end, we issue one hundred of these every year. Those who bear these tags, and their owners, are granted the right to ‘play’ without fear, in the parks, castle grounds and even select locations within the castle itself, as long as thou ensures foals do not come upon you and yours.”
“Thank you, Princess,” said Thunderlane, smiling. “I’m sure they will be overjoyed to wear these.”
“Then I bid thee, good day, Master Thunderlane,” said Luna, smiling. Something in Luna’s voice made Thunderlane pause at the door. Perhaps it was Luna’s choice of words, perhaps some way that she had said it, but something made Thunderlane pause.
“Princess, you said that you and your sister were no strangers to pet play,” he said. “Might I be so bold as to ask whether you played yourself, and in what role?”
“Impertinent stallion,” Luna said, with a broad smile, to show she was not angry. “The answer to both your questions is ‘yes.’ Now, be on your way. You have a train to catch and presents to give.” Bowing, Thunderlane closed the door behind him, and headed on his way. His heart warmed his smile as he thought of the future and the possible future to come.