A/N: This is not connected to any of my other stories. Similiar names are due to laziness on my part.
What Princesses Need
Princess Luna lay in her bed, scowling idly at the ceiling. It wasn’t that she was angry about anything, she just didn’t have any reason to smile. Gravity tugged her lips down, so that’s where they rested when she wasn’t expressing emotion. It gave her a rather hawkish look about the muzzle and eyes, for her eyes were always as sharp as a bird of prey’s.
She glanced around at the four poster bed, all of its plush midnight velvet inviting her off into dreamland. But no, there was no rest for the weary this night. Luna had once more held the night time court and, much to her dismay, had received no visitors or errands. Sure, there was plenty of paperwork to take a load off of her sister’s works, but Equestria had yet to understand that they had two Princesses again, and that she could be trusted with matters of state as well.
Sighing, the dark alicorn thrust herself from bed, shaking out her ethereal mane until a cosmic breeze caught it and it began to blow about idly. Cantering across her room, she went the balcony and looked down at Canterlot below herself. Even the city was asleep for the most part at this hour. Heaving yet another sigh, she turned and made her way back inside and to her chamber door. When she opened it with authority, the two stallions posted as guards outside startled awake, panicked. “Aegis Shield, Stalwart Hide.” She said with royal authority, addressing both stallions. They had the decency to gain color in their cheeks at the sounds of the Princess speaking their names.
“Yes, Princess Luna?” They both turned in perfect unison to salute and inflate their chests impressively. The sleepiness showed in their eyes, though. Luna smiled gently. They hadn’t yet become fully embraced by the night, at least not in terms of their sleeping hours.
“The night court is over tonight and we cannot sleep, pray tell what activities happen at this hour around the palace?” Luna asked, looking back and forth between them. The two stallions looked at each other, and there was a long silence. “We see.” She said softly, wilting a bit. “Never thou mind then, perhaps we will have more fun at next year’s Nightmare Night with Twilight Sparkle.” She turned slowly back into her chambers and quietly shut the door. Perhaps there was a book on one of her shelves she had yet to read. Probably not, though.
Both stallions wilted. It wasn’t their fault the palace basically ran itself during the day and almost everypony slept through the night. Sure there was a scrubbing maid here and there, plus night security to keep riff-raff out—but beyond that there really wasn’t much in terms of fun activities to be had.
Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide stood stoically at their posts, a neutral frown affixed to both of their faces. Suddenly, Stalwart Hide looked over at his fellow Lunar Stallion, “Who’s Twilight Sparkle?” he mumbled, as not to disturb their charge.
“Dunno.” said Aegis Shield in a low murmur. “Was just puzzling that out myself.”
“I’ve heard the name before, but I don’t know where. I feel like I should know who that is.” Stalwart Hide’s intelligent golden eyes glittered in the dark. Aegis Shield shrugged a little, and there was another long silence between them as they stood there. Finally, the Lunar Stallion looked over at his fellow and spoke again, “The Princess said she had fun with this ‘Twilight Sparkle’ on Nightmare Night, weren’t we in Ponyville that evening?”
“Yeah?” Aegis Shield said, glancing over at him.
“Well then, she must be from there.” Stalwart Hide grinned with his piranha-like Lunar Stallion teeth. “We should go get her.”
“Eh-what?” Aegis Shield furrowed his brow. “Why?”
“The Princess said she had fun with Twilight Sparkle on Nightmare Night, right? Why’s she gotta wait for the next Nightmare Night to see her again?” Stalwart Hide said, his smile growing. Aegis Shield looked thoughtful. He did have a point there. Stalwart Hide opened his black, bat-like wings and then refolded them for comfort. “I mean, she’s…” he glanced towards the door with honest concern. He lowered his voice so Luna wouldn’t overhear. “She’s kind’a meek compared to Princess Celestia, y’know?” Aegis Shield nodded in a private way. The two of them had spent enough time with the night time Princess to know that she was guilt-ridden, shy, and had low self-esteem. After having been gone for a thousand years, banished for her sins, she was understandably meek and slow to make any friends. The two stallions stared at each other for a bit, the gears turning in their heads. They looked at the door, then at themselves. It was silently decided right then and there. Princess Luna wanted Twilight Sparkle? They would have to go fetch her, and bring her back to the palace. Whatever a Princess wanted, she got. It was their duty as royal guards to see to the health and happiness of their charge. Defying physics to play rock-paper-scissors, they decided it was Aegis Shield who would go to fetch a squire and set things into motion.
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“Twilight Sparkle!” BANG BANG BANG, powerful, gauntleted hooves were bashing on the public library door in Ponyville. At three in the morning. Twilight moaned, curling up in bed. Whatever it was it would wait until morning, for Celestia’s sake. “Twilight Sparkle!” it was a stallion’s voice. She didn’t know any stallions. She’d been up all night studying, practically. Eleven o’clock was late indeed for a rustic town that usually went to sleep when the sun went down. She snorted, stuffing her head under a pillow. She liked books as much as the next enthusiast, probably way more, but she wasn’t getting up at three in the Faust-foresaken morning to check something out to somepony.
“Want me to send ‘em away, Twilight?” Spike said groggily. Twilight grunted the negative and the baby dragon huffed, burying himself in blankets again.
There was some deep-voiced murmuring downstairs in front of the front door. Oh, so there was more than one of them. “Break it down.” Somepony said. Twilight jolted upright when her front door was blasted off its hinges by magic, sending an impressive shower of splinters across the room. “Twilight Sparkle!” an authoritative voice roared. “We know you’re in here!”
Twilight stuck her head out of her bedroom door, icy adrenaline propelling her body forward. Her great room was full of royal guards! Not only that, but night time guards. What were they called… Lunar Stallions? Princess Luna for some reason insisted that all of her guards be male, a sign of the era that she was from. “Eep!” said Twilight when they’d spotted her and started roughly up the stairs at her. She quickly shut her bedroom door and put a hold-portal spell on it. They knocked authoritatively. Had she done something wrong?! Why were they breaking her door down?! What could she have possibly done to warrant a dozen Lunar Stallions busting into her library at three in the morning?!
A sudden gust of night time wind signaled her balcony door had come open. Twilight wheeled around fearfully, ears turning back. A pair of dark armored ponies stood in the doorway, folding their wings as they came inside. “Twilight Sparkle, you must come with us.” said one of them.
“What? Why?” The purple mare was backing up until her butt struck her own bedroom door. There was murmuring stallions behind it, trying to figure out why it wouldn’t open when it clearly wasn’t locked. It wouldn’t take them long to find the spell and simply reverse it. Twilight gulped.
“The Princess needs you. She mentioned you specifically. By name.” said the Pegasus on the left.
“We intend to deliver you to her as soon as possible.” Said the Pegasus on the right.
“The Princess needs me?” Twilight suddenly perked up. “Oh my gosh, it must be something important!” suddenly the purple mare was all business. Well of course it was something important! If the Princess was sending a dozen of her finest to snatch her in the dead of night, it had to be something VERY important! “Spike, will you be okay here?” she asked quickly. The baby dragon nodded and saluted.
“Come with us.” the two pegasi gestured, and she nodded. They went out onto the balcony, where Twilight expected some sort of chariot or other way of transport. Instead they simply SHOVED her off of the balcony. She squealed all the way down and was clumsily grabbed by magic. She was set down on her shaky hooves while the military stallions mare-handled her this way and that. Twilight shook like a leaf as the gaggle of stallions bore her to the town square. There, she saw it.
It was quite possibly the most terrifying vehicle Twilight Sparkle had ever laid eyes on. It was dark purple with streaks of black. It was encrusted with obsidian and onyx jewelry. Spikes jutted out of the wheels and sides, as though it were expecting to be attacked. An ornate letter “L” was carved and inlaid with filigree on the back. The purple mare gulped as the Lunar Stallions lifted her bodily, trying to be gentle but mostly failing, up onto it. Two strong-looking ponies hitched themselves to it, and a pair of them gestured when Twilight was secure in the bizarre chariot. They jolted skyward and the purple mare shrieked, holding on for dear life. “How does Princess Luna ride this thiiiiing---!” her voice had faded with distance, for she was already shrinking into a dot heading for Canterlot. The Lunar Stallions that remained behind nodded to each other, and dispersed into shadow.
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Twilight Sparkle was a little woozy when she arrived at the Dark Wheel , training ground of the Lunar Stallions. Several of them were waiting for her when she arrived on the ground, shaking like a leaf as the chariot came to a jolting stop. “LAND!” She flung herself desperately upon the cobblestone, clinging to the earth like it was her only solace.
Panzer Hoof stepped forward, a titanic pony with a barrel chest to make Big Macintosh blush. “We’re glad you’re here, Twilight Sparkle. Princess Luna needs you.” He said in a low and growly voice.
“She’s awful small.” Commented one stallion to another.
“Maybe the Princess likes short ponies?” said another.
“Quiet, you lot!” Snapped Panzer Hoof. “This way, Miss Sparkle, we’ve got a few things to do before you see the Princess. Huh-huh-heh.” With that he rather unceremoniously shoved his muzzle under Twilight’s undercarriage and tossed her onto his back like a sack of potatoes.
“Wh-HEY now!” Twilight squealed, wiggling. “Where are we going now?!” she demanded, lighting her horn and teleporting back to the ground so she could stand on her hooves. “I don’t like being jerked around like this!” Every single Lunar Stallion present turned his ears back at Twilight, and she wilted back at their mean looks. Golden eyes, all of them had golden eyes. It was a little intimidating, to be honest. And why were their teeth so funny-looking and sharp? “I mean uhm…” she said in a small voice. “I can walk for myself, thanks…?” it came out like a question, and Panzer Hoof cleared his throat a bit.
“We dun mean to be rough with you, but time is of the essence. Come along.” He said shortly. Twilight followed, and the gaggle of dark-armored ponies followed. They were a bachelor herd, it was easy to see, but the way they walked in such a random clump she was reminded of a group of eager children. “There’s much to do before you see Princess Luna.” Dangerous, predatory grins grew on the faces of the stallions behind her as they went.
=-----=-----=-----=-----=
Princess Luna yawned idly, sighing and closing her book. Somehow Mare Do Well issue #535 had made its way into her chambers, though she wasn’t sure how. She’d not really had much investment in graphic novels since she’d heard of them, but boredom had claimed her well enough that she’d pawed through it. Whoever heard of a unicorn that wore a mask and fought crime? Why not just join the royal guard or the police force? She didn’t understand it, but the story was a little fantastical so that was probably the point. “Something more to ask Tia about on the morn. Perhaps at dinner.” Luna yawned again. She could sense that her night was mostly over. Dawn hadn’t started to blush against the horizon yet, but she could sense the warmth of the resting sun on the edges of her perception.
There was a light tapping on the door. Luna’s ears perked. Who would come to see her at this hour? Getting up, she cantered to the door and magicked it open. She was shocked to see that Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide were not at their posts, but instead something much more interesting. There was a small, covered litter placed directly in front of her door. Tilting her head when she heard something shifting feverishly inside, she leaned and stuck her nose under the covering silken sheet. “Hullo?” she asked, expecting a puppy for some reason. What she got instead was Twilight Sparkle!
Luna straightened, yanking the silky veil up and off the litter. Dear Faust it was like some sort of offering! Twilight Sparkle lay on a plush pillow in a giant basket, surrounded by boxes of chocolate, a board game or two, a trio of dirty romance novels, some perfume, a bottle of cheap wine, a two-pony cake and a pile of little candies. The purple mare looked up at Luna fearfully, wiggling and mumbling against a cloth gag. Luna’s eyes flicked up to see the inhibitor ring on her horn. “Oh… my.” said Luna, eyeing her up and down with an open mouth. Twilight’s fur had been brushed to a shine, her mane dotted with tiny pink ribbons, and there was a giant scarlet bow around her neck. She looked like a Hearth’s Warming present! “Oh my.” said Luna a second time in shock. The purple mare looked up at her with big soft pleading eyes, begging to be released. “How did thou end up like this?” she leaned into Twilight’s face with concern, eyebrows up and completely caught off guard. Twilight grunt-mumble-mrrf-gurgled into her gag, trying to explain. Luna stared at her, then turned her head to look down the hall. At the end of the dark corridor was a smattering of glowing, golden eyes. They scurried away quickly in a loud thundering of herd-like hooves… then peeked at her curiously from around a corner. They blink-blinked at her and she blink-blinked back. Those were her Lunar Stallions… right? She looked down at the giant basket of nice things, and at the wiggling Twilight Sparkle. Were they serious? She turned on her night vision with a flick of alicorn magic to get a better look at them. They were all crammed up against the wall, trying to be stealthy and failing rather badly. They looked like a gaggle of hopeful children, presenting a gift to their mother for mother’s day or something. Luna found a rather shy smile gathering on her face, and she blinked back to her normal vision. “Oh! How nice!” she said loudly so they could hear her, pulling the basket into her room and shutting the door behind her.
The Lunar Stallions looked at each other, throwing their chests out impressively and showing off. Mission accomplished! Twilight Sparkle was in Princess Luna’s possession now, and a happy Princess was a healthy Princess! They patted each other on the back, rearing up and playfully waving hooves at each other as they dispersed back to their posts. The main two guards, Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide, remained at the end of the corridor to guard the Princess from afar. Surely she would want privacy to play with all her new toys.
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“We must admit this is very irregular, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna said, plucking the mare from her gift basket and placing her onto the more comfortable basket. “We did not expect my stallions to stoop to pony-napping to please me.” She smiled rather embarrassedly, lifting the gag from Twilight’s mouth.
“Bleh!” the purple mare said to get the taste of the gag out of her poor mouth. “Princess this is embarrassing! I just got mare-handled out of my own bed, rushed here on that aweful spiked chariot, scrubbed by a group of STALLIONS, and then put in a gift basket like some offering!” Luna’s hoof hesitated at the inhibitor ring, then she turned her head back to the basket. She was safe right there, she didn’t have to untie her right away. Alicorn mischief danced in her eyes as she turned away from the unicorn. “H-hey now! Untie me!” Twilight squawked, red-faced.
“Why? Thou art mine now. We shalt unwrap our gift when we please.” She said in a sultry way, flicking her tail a bit. Twilight looked horrified. “Twas not uncommon in my era for soldiers to… requisition mares in times of war, and bring them home.” she had stuck her head into the basket, turning the bottle of wine over.
“Heheh, that’s a good one Princess.” said Twilight nervously, squirming to try and undo her bonds. “B-but serious, untie me. Those stallions were kind of rough!” The black inhibitor ring on her horn kept her from using magic to free herself, so she felt quite helpless. Luna smiled, eyes turning to look at Twilight in a sideways fashion. The squirming purple mare was on her back, her plush little belly pointed at the ceiling. Luna wondered if she was ticklish, and grinned.
“We art serious, Twilight Sparkle.” Said Luna indignantly, turning and popping the cork on the wine bottle. The cork shot across the room like a bullet, and the Princess poured herself a glass. Moving to sit on the bed, she sipped her wine and admired Twilight for a bit. “Hmm.” She said, appraising the purple mare with a critical eye.
Twilight blushed a little more deeply. “Wh-what are you going to do?” The purple mare asked, fear and anxiousness in her eyes. She watched the Princess of the Night, so very different from her mentor. She drank, she had stallions pony-napping others, she shouted and had passionate feelings and flaws. Twilight couldn’t deny she was an interesting royal, but she REALLY didn’t want to be in this position.
“Tell us, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna sipped from her wine glass, lifting up a massive hoof and placing it on Twilight’s soft belly. “What art thou thinking we are going to do?” Alicorn mischief glittered in her playful, immortal eyes.
Twilight gulped a little, turning her ears back and tucking her tail. “Y-you’re gonna h-have your way with m—EEEEP!” she suddenly shrieked with an explosion of laughter, for Luna had leaned down and blown a filthy raspberry on Twilight’s belly. Ph-hhhhhhhht! Twilight’s back arched and she let out a ragged cry of laughter, kicking all four of her tied-up hooves. “Don’t do that! Don’t do that I’m tickl-EEEEEK!” Luna was holding her down firmly and blew on her blush belly again. “I’m begging you Princess AHHHH!” Twilight writhed about, laughing like a mad-mare.
Luna snickered, undoing the ropes with a flick of magic as she clambered up onto the bed. “We would not molest thou, Twilight, thou art our one true friend.” The Princess snickered a little scandalously behind her hoof. The unicorn smiled bashfully while Luna worked the inhibitor ring off of her and tossed it aside.
“Why did you send for me, then?”
“One of my guards must’ve been paying close attention when we mentioned thou by name.” Luna said, settling on her belly. “And how much fun we had on Nightmare Night together.” She smiled in a coy, shy way at admitting this.
“Aww,” Twilight said, pinkening in the cheeks. “I had a great time too, Luna.” She said.
“Well, as long as thou art here,” Luna looked down at the offering basket full of sweets, drink, and other fun things. “Perhaps you would like to stay the night?”
“Like a sleep over?” Twilight’s face lit up into a grand smile. “Yes, of course! That’d be fun!” she said jubilantly. And it was.
End of Part 1