Prince of Zebras

by RandomBlank

Betrothed

This time the reception at the Grand Galoping Gala was held by Luna and me, together. We greeted one noblepony after another, Luna bored to death, me giddy to meet Nadir, who, as my guards reported, has arrived already. Finally, the reception was almost over, and there he was, the last guest. “Prince Nadir of Hippotigria” the ushers announced.
He wore an ornate silver-and-white sash across his chest and a simple diadem of silver on his forehead, climbing the stairs to us in a confident, regal stride. We stood above the crowd while ushers hushed and called attention of the gathered.
“Princess Celestia,” Nadir bowed, speaking loudly enough that at least these gathered near would hear him clearly. “Please allow me to extend sincerest apology for actions by citizens of my country. I begrudgingly must respect your request that they are not punished further beyond what your merciful judgment decided. But please, accept my solemn oath that I adamantly oppose their intentions and wish for the best possible relationships between our nations.”
“Prince Nadir," I smirked. "It would be dishonorable to doubt your oath, but how far would you dare to go as to prove your dedication to friendship between our nations?”
He bowed, with a well played pained expression and just a merest hint of sly grin in the corner of his mouth. “Princess, no treaty or gift would be valuable enough to prove the truth. There is only one way I can think of how I can prove my dedication to the crown of Equestria.”
He produced a ring from behind his ornate sash. He held it between his fetlocks, kneeling.
“Fair Princess Celestia, will you marry me?”
The gasps, the whispers, the murmur of the crowd, even some laughs! I could make out “he's bluffing”, “she'd never...”, “that’s ridiculous...” amongst the whispers.
I gave my best, graceful, shining smile to the crowd, then bowed slightly, lifted the ring with my magic, and put it on my horn. “I accept, Prince Nadir. May our nations profit from this union.”
He made his best startled and smashed impression, ears down, a step back, but I could see his eyes laughing.
The silence was absolute.
Then I heard rhythmical knock of hooves. My sister was applauding first, and was soon joined by others, nobleponies stepping rhythmically one after another. Then the voices joined. “Kiss her! Kiss her!”
Nadir approached me, almost crouched, raised his face to mine, with his eyes closed. I lowered my ears, hunched my shoulders trying to appear hesitant, but there was no hesitation in our lips meeting. And I could see his disappointment when we pulled away all too early.
The applause! The crowds were ecstatic!
I gave a perfectly bland interview for the press. Nadir was playing getting drunk on soft cider and non-alcoholic punch. I was playing pestering him. We were giving photo opportunities for the journalists.

* * *

The gala was entering the late night low gear and we could retire to our quarters. The shadow guard patrols made sure no journalist would try to invade our personal space. I just gave the journalists enough space to allow rumors that the princess visited the prince in his personal quarters, as I locked the door behind us.
Then I tackled him in a kiss. To his credit, he intercepted me and landed with grace on the soft carpet instead of crashing. We paused kissing for a moment.
“At last, Celestia, I missed you so much!” he was stroking my mane out of my forehead. “That gala, it was a purgatory, seeing you so close and unable to do this!” he pulled me into another crazy kiss.
I felt hardness on my stomach. He was surely happy to see me! And my creeping doubt and reservations were back.
“Do it. Do it before I start having second thoughts.” I whispered in his ear.
But he smiled gently and shook his head. “Didn't I promise I won't make it worse?”
A sudden roll, a grip, a buck, and I was flying through the air, upside down, back first. I tried to flutter my wings to turn around, but they aren't of much use in an upside-down backwards indoor flight... I crashed *softly* on the bed, bounced and rolled. And there he was upon me ...all my weeks of training in vain. He's better, simple as that.
Wow. His hooves pushed my shoulders in wonderful massage. He used his teeth too, squeezing my neck. He lifted the horse collar off my neck using his teeth and put it down carefully. At least the physical part of the burden was removed. Next went my tiara and my hoof-overs, while I helped him out of his sash and diadem. He massaged the overly sensitive, soft undersides of my hooves. I couldn't help noticing that despite not doing anything sexual, he was quite excited and... you know what they say about zebras, what they don't have in the way of girth they more than make up in the way of length. Long, black, shiny and smooth, with visibly flared tip. And Nadir was tending to me in such a way as if he wasn't paying any attention to that treasure between his legs.
The old reservations fought in me with a temptation. I was curious about the taste. I wanted to touch it with my tongue. To feel the texture with my lips.
I started carefully though, with my magic. He did pause for a moment when the glow enveloped his maleness and tugged slightly, but then he resumed massaging the wing muscles on my chest, trying to appear totally unfazed.
I leaned out to him and there was a glistening drop on the tip.
Old memories made me shudder, that old swine would force his smelly pink cock down my throat till I choked. And I had to, or the things he would do to his subjects, my subjects...
My throat locked up.
Then the long, black stallionhood vanished from before my face, replaced by the most beautiful pair of green eyes.
“Don't, Celestia. You don't have to. I can see how you tense up, how you struggle. Sure it would be nice, but just being close to you is enough for me, I don't need more.”
I pulled him into a tight embrace. I felt his shaft on my belly, and squirmed, pulled him closer, ground my body against his. This wasn't uncomfortable. That was tender intimacy. There was nothing in my past that could tarnish this feeling.
I rolled on top of him, then slid down along his body until his shaft was just under my chin.
I don't have to do it.
And just that thought allowed me to do it. I gave it a long, slobbery lick.
Musky. Leathery. Firm. Salty.
Harmless.
Nothing bad happened. No hurt, no fear, no shame, no disgust. It wasn't even feeling like anything special. I was half surprised, half exhilarated at the anticlimactic effect.
I looked up at him and met his gaze. Green. Beautiful. Happy.
I do have to do it after all. Not from fear. Not as a duty. Just for him.
I licked down and gripped the tip with my teeth gently. Big, firm, but not hard enough not to squeeze it into my mouth. A big chew toy, I thought humorously.
He squirmed and gasped a little. I moved my magic along his shaft, and chewed gently, bobbed my head a little, licked at the flared tip. Funny, I wasn't finding this arousing at all, but it was totally fun. And the little groans, yelps, nickers, whines he was making were so adorably cute!
And then I felt a gentle tug on my horn. A flash of panic shot at the memory of my horn being grabbed crudely to give leverage, to make me choke and gag unable to move away. But this one was gentle, soft... smooth brushing touch of short fur, the horn held between the soft fur of his fetlocks, a sudden stimulation making me gasp out in surprise.
“Is it as sensitive as they say?” he asked. “Lower your head a little more. I can't quite bend my neck that far.”
oh...
“You'd better not. It's quite sharp and I could stab you by accident.” I smiled. “Just lay back and enjoy.”
“But I don't want to be the one having all the fun!”
“Do you think I'm not having fun doing this? Lay back and don't interrupt.”
“May be hard not to...” he gasped loudly as I pulled his length in and pushed my tongue against his urethra. “...if you don't slow... down...” he squirmed as I squeezed the length with my magic, making the tip flare and harden in my mouth.
“I'm about to...”
I retreated and gave it a long lick, starting at the base and moving up, rubbing with my lips, nibbling, wiggling my tongue over engorged veins, massaging in the rhythm of rapid throbs, ending at the flared tip, taking its edge between my teeth when he shot his load over his chest. Spurt after spurt, he was coming with my magic milking his length and my teeth holding the rim of the flared tip, guiding it like a fire hose all over his chest.
At last the flood subsided and his member softened, retreating to the sheath.
I still wasn't ready to swallow or even taste the bulk of it... and he produced quite a lot, his chest drenched in the sticky liquid, but... a splash left a drop of it on my nose.
Hesitantly I reached with my tongue, licking my nose tip.
Rather bland. Gooey. A little bitter. Nothing I'd choose for a meal, but...
I licked the long drop forming at the opening of his urethra.
All right. The memories of foulness and disgust got invalidated. It's not bad at all!
“Now lookit what you've done” he pointed at his drenched chest with a sigh. “You got me all guilty. Never mind the sticky, but it's been totally wonderful and totally selfish of me. Come on, let's take a bath together.”
“Sure you get started, I'll join you in a moment!”

* * *

“What do you mean they are not good for taking?”
“Late night music! Cloppin's Concerto, right next to Banquet Hall! The ballroom is packed with the worst of snobs, and the party animals only start getting noisy in the Banquet Hall! We can't remove the talismans!”
“Luna, help me! You know what happened last time!”
“What?”
“That thing we promised never to speak about again!”
“What... oh! You're right. That would be bad. What can we... all right, I should be able to set up some new noise cancellation wards around the place. Go on, don't make your stallion wait, I'll take care of everything!”

* * *

Wow, I never thought he could be so totally great looking with his mane flowing down his neck and not the (admittedly cute) brush sticking up between his ears. He was in the tub, just finishing scrubbing his chest under a downpour from the showerhead above. He noticed me and waved to me to join him. The bathroom wasn't as spacious as the Royal one, but the big, ornate iron tub in the middle would still fit us both easily with room to spare.
“What urgent business held you up?” he asked, while embracing and kissing me as I let the shower soak my mane and lowered myself into the warm bath.
“Noise cancellation. I must warn you, I'm a screamer.”
Without warning the far sounds of music vanished and we were left only with the sound of water raining on us from above, warm and soothing. I let it soak my fur and drench my mane, making it hang down from my neck in heavy long strands.
“Celestia...” Nadir's eyes shone as he gazed at me dreamily. “You are beyond beautiful. I'm feeling like I don't deserve you. That it's a luck beyond reason that you'd want me. A beautiful unreal dream”
I bowed my head down low. I let the water drench me, carry my mane over my eyes. “Don't think like that. Please. I don't want to be lonely ever again.”
He moved my mane off my face with his hoof and gazed into my eyes. Green is the color of hope, right?
“Forever is not an option. But for as long as I can, for as long as I will last. This much I can promise.”
I imagined the eyes grey and dull from age, weary and lost. The face faded, the fur molting, old bones sticking out through the skin of his cheeks. And even in that image I still saw my reflection in his eyes, always presentable and looking young. And I still saw the same spark of love and the same disbelief that I could still love him back, as today.
“And not a day less.” I whispered and leaned into his embrace.
“And let's not waste another moment” he answered, a smile returning to his face. Then he pulled my neck lower, turned his head sideways and without further ado caught my horn in his mouth.
A long lick along the length sent a shiver down my body.
“Rather phallic, isn't it?” he said while returning to the base. This time he held it with his mouth and pulled his lips along its length, holding it tightly.
“Not that I mind. You're feminine enough for me.” he continued before proceeding to lick the tip, suckle on it.
“Still, I guess I could get some tips from Zephyr and try them...” he returned to the base and drew his tongue around the very edge where the horn was growing out of my head.
“He likes stallions as much as mares. I guess most techniques would apply.” I felt his mouth screwing into my ear and couldn't help giggling. Not only was his attention very arousing, his silly blather put my mind completely at ease. But tongue in my ear was too much. I grabbed him and we splashed into the water, surfacing for a breath before sinking back to kiss under water.
“Damn you Nadir, now I'll never be able to think of my horn and not imagine a huge stallion phallus on my forehead!” I said, laughing, when we surfaced again.
“Don't tell me no symbological writings in Equestria make the connection” he said, while pulling my horn back to his mouth. I let him.
“Sure they do but it's a different thing to read about the dry theories in a dusty tome...” I caught a breath rapidly as his teeth just lightly grazed the surface. It was bordering on pain but on the pleasant side. “...than to have a partner apply techniques you used on his cock a moment before.”
“I bet it is. Care to help me with a different question from old dusty tomes?”
“Now?”
“No better time than now.” he grinned, then raised his head, giving my horn tiny, light licks, just flicking the tip of his tongue at it.
“What would it be? And will it make me embarrassed too?”
“I don't think so. It's the matter of chakras, special nodes in the body of every living being. Zebras use them actively to stimulate and heal, meditate and seek inner self.” he explained, making short pauses now and then, his tongue probing my horn, tickling it pleasantly. Suddenly the feeling intensified, the touch was sending rapid arrows of stimulus somewhere to my head, and I was feeling as if I was opening up for magic on the outside, drawing it into me. He paused the probing licks and the feeling faded.
“Our mystics have found extra chakras in the bodies of unicorns and pegasi, but we never had an opportunity to study an alicorn. Some believe they just have chakras of the two, others think it's an entirely different set.”
“And what do you think?”
He continued probing my horn with his tongue in silence, reaching closer to the tip, and suddenly I gasped as I got a sudden flash of clarity, awareness of my own self apart from my body or the world.
“Both are wrong.” he said.
“So what's the truth?” I said, gasping heavily after the sudden experience.
“This is Sahasrara,” he said and placed a deep kiss on that point of the horn. The touch of his tongue was slow and light. The sense of awareness returned and filled me. It wasn't obstructing or conflicting with my normal perception, it was as if I gained an additional sense. “It is located at most an inch above the head of every unicorn. You have it near the end of your horn. And this is...” he placed a kiss on the other spot on my horn, and suddenly I felt multiple small wisps of magic flowing into me from all around, “...a chakra no other live being has, I don't know its name or purpose.”
COLD! Suddenly the water slowly raining on us turned completely cold! I turned the valves quickly, checked again... no warm water. Well, the heating talisman must have gone bad. Somepony will fix it in the morning. Anyway, with a tub full of hot water we didn't have to worry about more for a while.
Still, the interruption didn't disrupt the two newly open senses.
Nadir bowed to me and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, between my eyes. “Ajna, the third eye” he said and suddenly I could dream and travel outside my body, explore my imagination and limitless possibilities with all the clarity of a lucid dream.
He traced my throat with his kisses as I explored images of us together... none of my dreams were better than the present moment and suddenly they shattered and reality returned with unusual clarity. I could still call upon my dream sense, but now the clarity gave me a sudden wave of confidence. I could put the past aside and no demons from ages ago could hurt me. I could now jump Nadir and make love to him without reservations, but the new game he started was too fascinating to interrupt.
“Your Vishuddha is located higher than in other ponies. Let me...” he pulled me close into an intimate embrace, kissing the length of my neck, probing. And there it was, the origin of Royal Canterlot Voice, now open, capable to command obedience or inspire trust and confidence into any live being. I didn't have to use it but the awareness was valuable.
“Another new and unnamed one.” he smiled.
He reached to my chest and rested his mouth over my heart. I felt warmth, kindness, love towards my little ponies and all live creatures. A strong power to protect them...
Nadir was puzzled. “It's odd. There's another one there, right on top of Anahata and I can't open it. Why could it be?”
He traced lower, over my stomach and I could feel it, his tries in vain. “This is Manipura and I can't open it either, I don't know why.”
“I know. It is where the burden of my horse collar is anchored. It cannot be removed this easily.”
“Oh, so this puts a limit on your power?”
“On how I can use it. I can't be a tyrant. It would grow in weight with my bad intentions and snap my neck if I truly turned evil. The ancients were careful when granting us the power.”
“But the Nightmare... ah, doesn't matter I'll ask later. Could you stretch your wing?”
I gave him my right wing and quickly he traced a point near the joint, which commanded truth, honesty, justice. And another near the tip, with sense of loyalty embedded deeply. My left wing carried good humor and lightheartedness by the joint, and selfless generosity on its tip. I became aware of another one on my spine, on heart level, which carried my love for all that lives. Suddenly I knew I could wield and master the Elements of Harmony all by myself once again.
“Don't open the one on my heart. You should be able now, but don't. It would overwhelm us and... it is not necessary now.”
“All right, there are two major classic ones left. Swadhisthana”
He dived to reach between my nipples, his kiss under the surface of water barely perceptible. The chakra opened in a pang of empty need. It was my power to have offspring, and it was unfulfilled, unrealized, empty. Still, the node he opened on my lower neck gave me enough confidence not to be devastated by the void. It was the past, but it would change, it would be filled.
Then the grinning zebra told me to turn around. I knew that grin. I knew what was coming.
“Muladhara, is it?” I asked, the knowledge from dusty old tomes suddenly becoming very real and very near.
I turned around, holding my back exposed to him. He kissed, he probed, seeking the chakra, trying... far more seeking, probing and tasting than with any of the prior ones, the joint of my left wing tingled.
“Celestia, did anypony ever tell you're perfection incarnate?” He paused, then sucked on my clit, his lips closing on it.
“No, why?” I managed to gasp out... he was good! And my new hypersensitivity was making my knees weak with the intensity of the sensations filling my body with fire.
“Because what I'm seeing here is almost as beautiful as your face.”
The rude ruffian! Must be a zebra thing! Still, done in good humor it gave me a blush and a smile, instead of cold rage from a somewhat similar but much more malicious slur by his ancestor.
Besides, I was beyond the point when I could give him a snide reply...
But he slowed down, licking me almost lazily...
“Loosen up. Nice and easy, don't tense a single muscle. There...” he massaged a section of muscles somewhere by my sternum, and I let go of a tension I hadn't been aware of. “Abdomen, let it loose.” I did, and he resumed licking. “Anus. It will hold, don't worry.” and I let the pressure vanish. “Dock. Let the tail drop.”
With each section of muscles getting loose I could feel the excitement inside me drop a little bit, then Nadir's gentle caress would build up back to where it was a moment before. I was relaxed as I hadn't been in years, and the wonderful feeling was growing within me despite that. I could feel my cervix relax and loosen up. The feeling dropped a little again, but the gentle caress of the tongue brought it back and... I got there. The feeling grew to a wonderful climax and suddenly I could feel every section of muscles I had relaxed to involuntarily clench, while exciting a fountain of pleasure, a wave after wave of orgasm hitting me, new areas re-igniting the fading feeling... and then that tongue inside me, and that spark of magic... it was like what Luna did to me, but not dulled by travel through my whole body from my horn, but right there, a node in my body opening - a node dedicated only to sexual pleasure - and filling with strong magic instantly.
My mind protested the overwhelming flood of ecstasy, I was blind and deaf but I could feel the magic escaping me through my eyes, horn... throat...
The kiss vanished from my nether lips, and my senses began returning slowly, as I collapsed, exhausted. I could feel getting lifted and carried. Sheets, pillows. Sleep.
Noises? Voices?
Too tired.

* * *

“Sis? Sis, wake up!”
Another five minutes... it's still dark outside...
well, duh, I'm still asleep so it's still dark...
“Sis, I can't hold it much longer.”
All right. I forced my eyes to open. My backside was filled with wonderful numbness.
The battlefield came into focus.
Battlefield?
Or was it a natural disaster?
Broken furniture and debris of stonework scattered along the walls. Windows torn out of their panes. Floor tiles torn and broken where something heavy plowed through them... A big metal object mangled beyond recognition lay at the disastrous track, embedded in the wall.
I needed to use a bathroom. I turned my head to the bathroom door.
There was no door, most of the wall was missing, debris spread as if from epicenter of explosion inside the bathroom. Part of the ceiling above the missing wall caved in, a pony-sized chunk of it on the floor, the hole above revealing the attic. Surprisingly, the back of the bathroom was almost undamaged. I could make out the shape of a mirror on the wall, not broken.
A few wardrobes were piled over forming a barricade at the entrance door to the room.
Nadir was sleeping by me, his breath calm, his stripes a chessboard in the moonlight filtered through shards of the balcony door.
Luna stood in the middle of the mayhem, her horn glowing.
“Luna, the moon is still up...”
“And I'm in no condition to lower it. The time is due, sis.”
“Just a second...”
I trotted to the bathroom, jumping over the debris. To my luck the toilet was in the undamaged part. As I relieved my bladder, my labia ached pleasantly.
I examined the mayhem.
Did someone set off a bomb?
The remains of the tub seemed to be the epicenter, half of it broken, bent, still in its place, water gurgling from broken pipes. The other half appeared to be torn off by explosive force.
...wasn't I taking a bath yesterday? With Nadir?
I flushed the water and followed the trail of damage caused by the half of the tub. Yes, it was it, making a significant dent in the opposite wall of the room, embedded in it, smashed by an incredible force.
I approached the balcony and set my mind on the task of lowering the moon, peering at it through the haze of a solid force field.
Force field?
I spared a glance to Luna, maintaining the field, apparently opposing a violent force assaulting it from outside.
Down, down... I set the moon gently and began raising the sun. It didn't require so much attention, just more raw power... and up it went, almost effortlessly!
I took over the force field, and Luna stumbled down. I levitated her to the bed.
“Tell me what happened, sis.” I asked.
“You tell me. Suddenly all my noise wards, all magical talismans in the area go dark. I try to recharge them and they are drained faster than I can charge them. Then there's this explosion tearing the door off, barely missing me, I run into the mayhem, look for you, and then there's Nadir carrying you from the bathroom, you're wet and unconscious. He told me not to let anypony in, so I first made the barricade, then, as they began taking it apart I set a forcefield and kept it up all night. They summoned some strong mage though and they'd been battering on it. And I was already drained from trying to charge the darned talismans. That's what I know. Now you.”
“I... uh. I think... I came.”
Luna looked at me. Over the room. At the half of the bathtub making the wall concave around it. At Nadir sleeping on the bed strewn with shards of wood and brick. Then she fell on her side and laughed, tears streaming from her eyes.
Nadir stirred, awoken by Luna's laughter. Quick! I found a relatively undamaged blanket and covered the two. But he was better than that... He opened his eyes, looked around, spotted Luna by his side laying still gasping and giving out little chuckles, then he kissed her cheek, saying “Thanks for everything”, then shook the blanket off his back and trotted up to me. Wow, my prank backfired, it was me blushing furiously now.
“Hello, darling! What a lovely day! I see you've redecorated the room!”
I'd reply with something snide but a sudden assault on the forcefield nearly knocked me out.
“We have some guests! Make yourself presentable. Do I look presentable?”
Nadir just shook his mane, and it stood in its usual brushy state. “Like morning dew on a forest lilly. But maybe you'd prefer to get dressed?” he winked while straightening his slightly bent diadem and shaking dust out of his sash recovered from the rubble.
“My collar, my tiara!” I looked in a panic around the rubble. The accursed collar was easily visible on top of some broken chair, but the tiara and the hoof-overs seemed totally lost. Luna groaned and lifted her head from the bed, floating the tiara from under the sheets to me. Nadir managed to find three of my hoof-overs, and I managed to summon the fourth one with magic, despite my head throbbing a bit from the assault. I shook most of gravel out of them and put them on, then limped to the door, removing the tower of furniture. I pulled a big sheet from under Luna (making her yelp in surprise) and used two splinters of wood to affix it over the door frame as a makeshift curtain hiding the inside before removing last of the barricade.
"Wait" Nadir stopped me. "The ring."
Oh, yes. We're engaged. Try as you will, my magic was not capable of finding the tiny ring, I bit my lip, expecting the headache from my battered horn and conjured an illusion to replace the piece of jewelry. Yes, the headache was bad, and maintaining the illusion kept it throbbing slowly...
We moved outside, beyond the sheet and stood in front of the force field, beyond which figures of many gathered ponies loomed. I dispelled the shield.
“Princess Celestia!” There was Twilight, surrounded by a ring of reporters and nobleponies. “Are you alright? There was an explosion...”
“I haven't noticed anything.” I smirked, then looked at the floor strewn with rubble and remains of the door. “Oh, that little thing! Let's say I had a small disagreement with Prince Nadir on strictly personal matters. It has been resolved to satisfaction of both sides and there is absolutely no reason to discuss it any further.” (Nadir played some nice theatrics of shrinking in fear at my mention of the “disagreement” and gave a sigh of relief at me dismissing it.) “Now if you please, all night of negotiating important international issues, we are tired. Would you kindly please leave us in peace?”
The nobleponies murmured, journalists shot a few more photos and turned to leave. I stopped Twilight and asked her to come. She wasn't looking too healthy either, apparently assaults on the force field took a lot of her strength.
“You really put a lot of heart in piercing that barrier.” I touched my horn, the dull ache dissipating way too slowly for my liking. Poor Luna, she kept it up all night!
“I was really scared, Princess!”
“You realize you could have teleported in?”
“Uh...” she rubbed her neck. “I forgot.”
“And do you still remember the searching spells? I know as a librarian you should have them perfected, and I need help in finding something important...” I dissolved the illusion of the ring.
She pushed the makeshift curtain aside and walked in, and a few moments later a whole bunch of ring-shaped objects was floating in front of her totally stunned face. Among the curtain rings, gaskets, and ornate chain links I spotted my engagement ring and levitated it back to my horn, placing it firmly as not to lose it again.
“Princess, what really happened here?” Twilight asked, taking the whole scene in.
“A word of advice. Find yourself your special somepony. This is the effect of two millennia of chastity ending.”
She looked around and I watched her blush getting deeper as her eyes were fishing out new elements of the mayhem. She turned to me and Nadir. I hugged him with my wing. He smiled.
“Princess... is it... really that good?” she asked.
“Well, it took me some time to find the right partner, but yes, it is.”
“I... I'll be going now.” she gave me a quick bow and galloped out.
“She's a sweetie.” murmured Nadir. “Threesome?”
I swatted his head with my wing.

* * *

The chamberlain assessed the damages and commissioned a trusty group of ponies to repair the room. Nadir's modest luggage was relocated to a different room, not quite as representative but much closer to my own. Dozens of servants were busy cleaning up after the Gala all over the castle.
Breakfast. Luna asked just for orange juice, drank her cup rather quickly, then excused herself, claiming a migraine. I could understand that - Twilight packed quite a punch. Our unusual company at the table for today was sir Fancypants in company of his supermodel wife Fleur de Lis, the noblepony who... I didn't quite get to know them. I heard good things about him, but I heard good things about many other nobleponies I'd prefer never to meet. Anyway, he knew Rarity, and that counted for something in my book.
Nadir was sitting on my right hoof side, and we were making a small theater of playing overly well mannered, exchanging the driest platitudes we could think of, making a very stuffy small talk, paying extreme attention to each other's manners and frowning or pouting at a slightest mistake of the partner, like laying a spoon at an angle or taking two sips in a row from a cup.
“How is your most faithful student, Princess?” Fancy pants interrupted our antics, while taking a nip of his pancake.
“My dear Wispy? Same as usual.” I baited him.
“Oh, I didn't mean dear old Glitter Wisp, though I don't doubt her faithfulness in her days. I think I saw Twilight Sparkle this morning, although she seemed to be in a hurry so I didn't get the opportunity to talk to her.”
Oh. A little pang hit my heart at his mention of the full name of my student of seven hundred years ago. You did your homework, sir Fancypants, I give it to you.
“There were some... misunderstandings in the morning.” I nodded to him with respect. “I think Twilight and my sister exchanged some magical blows unwittingly.” I smiled mysteriously, changing the subject. “Miss... or is it missus Fleur, how did your Prench Philology exam go?”
Fleur's ears sprung to attention, and her eyes shone. “Missus. We're married. Honestly, I didn't expect the exam to be so thorough and advanced. It was a pleasant surprise to be able to exercise my fascination to its fullest. I was accepted with score of 82% and I must say, considering the difficulty of the questions, I'm rather satisfied with the result.”
“And what are your plans for after the studies?”
“Probably a doctorate, maybe a job at the university if I prove to be good enough.”
“I haven't pictured you as a scholarly type.”
“And I haven't pictured our noble Princess Luna as one to appear on centerfolds. It was her who inspired me. Not all of us are gifted with unending youth. Beauty is fleeting, knowledge lasts.”
I was honestly impressed.
Nadir asked Fleur about her origins in Prench. She answered fluently, about being born in a laborer family in Phillydelphia with no connections to Prance other than her fascination and frequent visits to Maris. He said it's fascinating. I asked his opinion on many Zebras emigrating to Prance. He corrected my accent. I glared at him. He placed a piece of prench toast and a croissant on his plate and claimed that Zebras have a special liking for prench cuisine which is the probable reason.
I quit the battle while I could cut my losses and asked Fancypants on how he got to meet Twilight.
“Oh, she's a close friend of fair miss Rarity. I happened to meet Twilight and her friends on her birthday party last year. Most fascinating society. With most interesting tastes in music, dance styles and general party matters.”
“So, you know her other friends?”
“Only superficially, except for Rarity that is. She's really a friend of the family. Although I correspond with Rainbow Dash occasionally, concerning bets on Wonderbolts derby events. She sends in her types, I share my winnings.”
Time to draw some big cannons.
“Tell me, sir Fancypants. How are you feeling about contributing to my sister's moral downfall?”
He appeared unfazed.
“My dear Fleur said these old socks were a crime against fashion. Miss Rarity concurred. And my own opinion? If I had the looks and status like Princess Luna, I'd never hesitate to use it to promote science and learning too. Alas, I do not, so my connections, influences and donations must suffice.”
They passed. Hooves down, they passed my exam.
“Sir Fancypants, missus Fleur, would you care for a personal audience?”
“I'd never dare to ask, but if you offer, I will certainly not refuse, Princess.” he bowed his head.
“It would be an honor, Princess” Fleur nodded graciously.
“Can I be invited too?” asked Nadir.
“Yes, you can come if such is your wish, Prince Nadir.” I said coldly. I could see Fleur's little smirk and Fancypants' face all too indifferent. The two read us like an open book. They deserved a place in the conspiracy, or at least a front row in the audience.

* * *

Politics, politics, politics, and more politics with a piece of economy on top. I sat down with Nadir in my office and we got together to an honest work of rulers of neighboring countries negotiating. The fact that each of us would be willing to move mountains to satisfy the other made the negotiations a breeze and a pleasure. We got a week's worth of work done in matter of seven hours, and enough material to provide excuses for “night-long negotiation sessions” for the remainder of Nadir's stay. There were some unresolved issues like multiple disputed pieces of the border (we'd have to consult historical records kept in Entwine, capital city of Hippotigria), or what concessions should Hippotigria give us for reopening some of the currently heavily taxed routes (our counterparts after moving to the sea appeared more profitable than formerly over the land, so there was no point to return them to the land), and reducing the border patrol’s presence (what to do with the redundant guards?). Still, we had to leave some issues to be resolved after the wedding, or our cover would be blown.
We prepared a press release on a selected portion of the contracts and I sent it a minute or two before a guard announced the arrivals. Audience time. The large door to my office opened.
“Princess”, Fancypants bowed from the door.
“Prince”, Fleur knelt a little bowing her head. She wore some fancy, lightweight saddlebags.
“Come, please.” I smiled.
Fancypants threw Fleur a little glare. They approached and knelt in front of my desk again.
Only then I realized: we were sitting on two throne-like chairs meant for me and Luna. Backs of the chairs over a floor tall, framed in fancy gold and silver with background of richly embroidered white and blue drapes, and my desk area elevated above the floor. We really sat in position of a royal pair to receive an audience of two subjects. Sure the thrones were just in the right place in front of my desk to have the paperwork discussed, and just close enough to each other to let us exchange kisses, but they looked impressive and intimidating nevertheless, and certainly gave us the looks to match too.
“Tia, we're scaring them! What do we do?” hissed Nadir.
I stood up and went down from the elevated floor surrounding the thrones and the desk. Nadir followed.
“Please, let us rest in my personal quarters.” I asked them. “Would you like some tea?”
“Actually, I...” Fleur shrunk somewhat under my quite benign look. “I thought you might like to try...” she opened her saddlebags, revealing two large, squat flasks in reed braid. “No, it was a bad idea. Let's forget it, Princess.” she closed the saddlebags with a sigh.
“At least let me know what it was.”
“Sweet Apple Acres cider. Hard cider.” sighed Fancypants.
“THE Sweet Apple Acres cider?” I asked in surprise. It isn’t becoming for a princess to stand for hours in line, and I'd never cut in front of so many ponies, abusing my status, so all I had were the stories.
“No, not the famous soft cider.” Fleur shook her head. “It's a beverage made from the original cider by Fancy.” she sighed. “I say it's very good, but it's not the same thing.”
“Nadir, what do you think?”
“Do we have anything else scheduled for today?”
“A bit of paperwork for the landscaping office. But that can be done tomorrow. And the dinner. We must seem sober for the dinner.”
“We can simply skip the dinner, but I still have to lower the Sun.”
“Could you get Luna to do it?”
“I owe her big for this morning.”
“You can take over for her over the next few days and give her and Light some vacations. We'll take care of Tempus too.”
“And what about you?”
“Give me your collar. At least two hours a day.”
“Deal.”
Fancypants and Fleur exchanged a knowing look, then knocked hooves with each other.
“Who's Light?” asked Fleur.
*BAMF*.
The four of us stood over the sea shore at the end of a winding path to a small fisherpony hut.
I was here maybe for the third time, but Luna has been quite a regular. I must admit the place was quite picturesque. Dried yellow grass, no snow thanks to warm seaside climate, a hill gently sloping away from the rocky beach and a short wooden pier with a small sail-boat anchored to it. Wide uneven grasslands with white rocks sticking out of the soil frequently, with a layer of soil too thin for farming. There was not enough demand for fish to give jobs for more fisherponies, and the hut was built over a narrow underground brook with not enough water for more houses. Plus the lands were haunted, not dangerously but disturbingly, the hut being a small safe haven in the hallowed grounds.
The hut was simple, wooden, old, not big, but well-maintained, and more sturdy than simple shacks. Whitewashed walls, thick straw roof, smoke over the chimney.
We climbed the path. Light must have noticed us because he stood in the open door inviting us inside.
“Northern Light, betrothed to Luna.” I introduced him as we stood in the bigger of two rooms. “Sir Fancypants and Fleur de Lis, nobleponies of Canterlot. And Tempus, Light's and Luna's son.” I pointed at the cradle by the window.
Fancypants approached the human with fascination. “I heard legends about your species, but there are no archaeological evidences of humans ever existing! It’s a pleasure to meet you!”
The two shook... hooves? Hands? hoof-and-hand? Meanwhile, Fleur was more interested in the foal.
“But there are two! They are twins!” She exclaimed, looking at the foals inside the cradle.
“No, he isn't. He just skipped a few hours back. Foal's wild magic.” explained Light, rocking the cradle, where one blue alicorn baby was reaching his hooves to new arrivals while the other slept curled in a ball.
I could see the nobleponies were impressed. “Amazing times may come to Equestria when he grows up”, Fancypants nodded.
“They came already.” I smiled.
“You mean he's already... “
My mysterious smile was all of my answer.
I went back to the castle to leave a note for Luna while Light and Nadir moved the foals to the second room so that our talk wouldn't disturb them, then they helped the two nobleponies to set the table.

* * *

That was the most... wobbly sunset I'd ever seen. Sure I might cast a poison removal spell on myself and then guide the Sun down smoothly, but that would remove the pleasant buzz and waste so much of the precious drink. So, instead I watched my sister struggle with an orb much heavier than her own.
“No!” I swatted Zephyr's hoof when he reached for the bottle again. “Luna is going to join us any moment now, and I'll be damned if she doesn't get her fair share.”
The small table in the hut was somewhat crowded with Light, the two nobleponies, the three Zebras and me.  We were past halfway through the second bottle and only Light appeared to be entirely sober... “Different alcohol tolerance, I guess” he’d shrug.
The moonrise was rushed. Then Luna arrived. She looked over the table, checked the back room with the cradle, then returned, glaring at Light. “Where's Tempus?” she asked with ire.
“Relax, Lu. He told me to tell you to relax.” Light produced a note and Luna took it with her magic. He had shown it to us before.

Dad,
Tell mom to relax and have fun. I'll take care of my baby self for the time being. I know it's a stressful time for her and she really deserves a break. Take care of yourselves and enjoy your vacations.
Love,
Tempus.

ps. I'm taking all the diapers and some bits for milk.

“Phew. You got me scared for a moment there.”
“You can't panic every time he goes missing. Today I've got twins for most of the day and even triplets briefly around noon. We may need a bigger cradle for cases like these!”
“I can't understand how can you remain calm about such things! He's your son!”
“Think logically, Luna. He comes from the future to help us. That means he will be strong, smart and kind in the future, to come to help us. Which means nothing bad will happen to him at least until then.”
“You're right.” she nodded slowly. “But I still can't shake the fear off.” she rested her head on Light's chest and he held her tight, stroking her head.
Only then Luna noticed that the company included two additional guests. She jerked her head back to stand more “presentably” and hit Light's chin with a sharp spike of her tiara. Shouts, blood, apologies, healing, cleaning up. At last order was restored, overdue introductions made, and Luna received her well-deserved cup of cider and relaxed on the simple, large bed.
“It's almost shocking to see a princess lay in simple linen sheets, on a crude wooden bed, away from all the silk and marble” said Fleur. “It reminds me of my youth. My good looks bought me a place into elites, but only Fancy cared about more than my flank. Still, I don't think I'd dare to return to live in a place like this.”
Luna’s eyes tightened a little, I could almost feel the same memories in my head. Tiny makeshift shack in an underground tunnel, barely big enough to fit us both, one in a long row of many such shacks. Soot-covered walls with fire from whatever burnable could be scavenged, constantly burning, keeping the night frost at bay. This cabin was luxurious by comparison. The small town called Hope still thrived somewhere in Horsehead mountains, now filled with picturesque houses, and none of its citizens remembered its terrible past. But no need to bring the dark memories to a cheerful table...
“So, how did you get to marry sir Fancypants, Fleur?” I asked.
“The way she earned the school for orphans a new building left me with no choice,” Fancypants replied instead.
“What way?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“The diamond tiara I got on Miss Equestria pageant.” Fleur sighed. “I was supposed to turn it back in afterwards, their way of channeling funds out of the pageant. Instead, I publicly donated it to Fancy, who was running the charity auction the next day.”
“They threatened to ruin her reputation” Fancy continued where Fleur left off. “So I turned it back in. And during the auction I explained to the public why the tiara is no longer available. In detail, including a recording of the threats.
Long story short, the estate of the pageant organizer was donated. It appears he had many overdue debts to ponies present at the auction and they just signed them all off to the foundation. And to assure safety of Fleur's reputation, I married her. Best decision of my life. Best wife in all of Equestria.”
“That's not going to last.” Light shook his head slowly.
“Why?” Fleur asked shocked. Fancypants Frowned.
“When I marry Luna, Fleur will be only the second best wife in Equestria.” he winked then lay on his belly by her on the bed.
A wave of chuckles, “Oh, agreed, I can’t compete with that!” exclaimed Fleur.
“And how comes you two got together?” asked Nadir.
“I made a wish upon the star...” said Light.
“I found him and brought him in. We talked about math. We fell in love. The end.”
“Not much of a story. Sorry to disappoint, Fancy, but I come from a different universe... and I have no clue about the origins of human legends in Equestria.”
“So, what did you wish for, upon that star?” asked Fleur.
“Her.” Light kissed Luna’s cheek. “You know when you wish upon a star, Luna hears?”
I think only I noticed Nadir’s ear tips getting slightly red.
“Really?” Storm raised his eyebrows.  “What do the ponies wish?”
Luna smiled. “You would never imagine some of these wishes.”
...We were telling the tales long into the night...

* * *

I took a stroll with Nadir in the cool night air along the seaside.
“Heh, the romantic pair, your sis and that human. Best wife in Equestria, phew!” he scoffed humorously.
“So why didn't you say “third”?
“Why should I? I imagine you're gonna be a horrible wife.”
“No, why?”
“First off, you're so much taller I'll need a stepladder for sex.”
“I can always provide some lift!” I levitated him in air a bit above my back. He waved his hooves in air helplessly.
“Put me down! See? Next there will never be any serious romance, because you'll never miss an opportunity for a prank or a joke.”
I levitated him down, dropping him only the last bit of the way.
“I thought that's why you agreed to marry me.”
“No, I agreed because you agreed to give me backrubs.”
“See? Now you're turning this into a joke.”
“So what? Did I ever complain? I'm just saying you'll be a horrible wife but I'm totally okay with that. More than okay! My brother has a perfect, great wife. Never, ever, not for me! Boooooring!”
“Look, I can be romantic when I want.” I fluttered my eyelashes. “We're having a romantic walk in the night...”
“To move away from anything you could destroy with your voice...”
“Let me try to be romantic for once.”
“Why? We already know it's gonna end in a tsunami wave, and that's hardly romantic.”
“I can try facing towards the land.”
“Poor grasslands. Aim at the sky.”
“I'll try. Besides, maybe now I'll be less... needy.”
“Hey, look. She's weaving an aurora for him again.”
“Hopeless romantics.”
We stopped, looked at each other and kissed.
“It's rather pretty.” He nodded his head towards the beginnings of the aurora. “Can you do something like that?”
“I can do solar flares.”
“I'd need a darkened glass to see them, wouldn't I?”
“Oh, not at all. A well aimed solar flare will boil the oceans and obliterate all life. You're bound to notice something like that.”
“Cool. Remind me never to drive you really mad.”
“Give me enough snow and I can do multiple Suns. Four, eight, sixteen. And what can you do?”
“I can whistle on my hooves.” he put his front hooves in his mouth and whistled really loud, startling some sleeping seagulls.
“No, seriously. I heard you're a mystic. There is this one thing... where a good mystic might help. A thing that bothered me since my youth, but I never put my heart to it. And it's about this place, these lands. Why so few ponies settle here.”
He stopped, stood still as if listening.
“Hallowed grounds,” he whispered.
“What do you sense?”
“I sense... oh I sense restless souls. This land... it's an old battleground. I know quite a bit of history but I don't know about any major battles near the sea shores...”
“The sea was far away back then. It was the time of Discord's reign and the ponies... zebras, gryphons, they were driven by insanity to kill each other.”
“Not just chocolate rain and soapy roads, was he?”
“Blood and tears. Destroying friendships was always his favorite. Driving friends to war against each other, and tormenting them even in death. They remain here bound to this land, to bother any sensitive soul with nightmares. Luna put wards on the house, but the rest of the land... there are few calm places.”
“So what would you have me do?”
“Could you put them to rest?”
“Not nearly enough power.”
“Do you have the skill? Could you put them to rest if you had enough power?”
“I... might.”
“Lay down.”
He did, and I lay in front of him. I put my front hooves to his, and I lowered my horn to his head and kept it touched there, resting in his brushy mane.
“Set them free.”
He gasped as I let my power flow freely, let him take as much as he wanted.
He called out, commanded, ruled. He was a true prince, a leader and a priest. He drew the attention of those I was barely aware of, drew them close, he issued orders and inspired confidence, giving calm, rigorous commands. He shouted out one last command and drew upon my power, dispatching it in multiple small doses, regular short bursts, sparingly but confident all the while. And I could perceive whispers of gratitude, hundreds of ethereal hooves walking in line, set free, ten, twelve, fifteen at a time, then a second of pause and another burst, efficient and sure, and another ten ghosts released, put to rest. It lasted a good while, but then I felt an odd quiet surrounding us.
“The deed is done. Their souls are free and the land is pure again.” he said.
Not even a noticeable part of my power reserve was exhausted. Once, well over a thousand years ago I came here and tried to banish these ghosts. It left me drained, with a week long headache and not even a dent in their scores. Not me, not Luna, not the Elements could help. Not power but competence was needed here. And now...
“Thank you, Nadir. It means a lot to me.”
“I'm glad you told me and loaned me your power. They deserved rest.”
“There are other such places.”
“No need to ask. It's a thing that should be done. I think my land has such places too, and...”
“No need to ask.”
...and I'm glad we can remain serious and still be a matched pair, I thought...
We kissed. A long, calm, smooth, sweet kiss of two serious lovers, hopeless romantics...
Then we walked along the shore in silence.
I thought about things I had wanted to avoid thinking about. Political consequences of our marriage. There will be trouble, but the good will outweigh the bad. And if bad comes to worse, there's always divorce... I groaned inwardly. That's why I hated thinking about that!
“What will your brother think?” I asked.
“Zenith will... take some convincing that nothing bad will happen to our country. I can expect some harsh words. My great-great-grandfather, Prince Veth didn't have a very high opinion of you, and Zenith very much follows in his hoofsteps. He's very... proud. Serious. Distrustful.”
“Veth was... mean is probably the word to describe him. He'd never miss an opportunity to offend me subtly. Say some compliment that would in fact hurt, a boast that would strike home, a praise that would offend. Is Zenith like that too?”
“I don't think so. I've read my ancestors' diaries. Prince Veth was impressed by your ability to remain cool and think analytically under pressure. I think he was doing this to make you lose focus, not from malice but as a part of his tactics. He thought his contracts were brilliant and he got totally mad about you demanding changes to them. And when you voided another long-standing contract, he was supposedly so enraged that he broke some bones of a servant who slighted him. The whole negotiations were a total fiasco. He wrote in his diary that you damaged profits of both nations just to humiliate him.”
“Now what a selective reporting. Equestria turned up with a bit of profit on that. Did you ever look at the contracts he offered? Brilliantly devious. Like, one point demands we provide full disclosure of given trade values, under pains of a high fine, and another, two pages later enforces non-disclosure of certain data, including price changes “or any data that allows other parties to derive these values” under which clause the very same trade values would fall. And similar fine. Damned if we do, damned if we don't. All his contracts were like that...”
“None of them lasted to our days. But I can believe you. Supposedly that was his favorite battle tactics, to force the opponent into a decision where both choices are wrong. I guess refusing to fight would enrage him. Well, I can surely say Zenith would never create a contract like that. He was the one to introduce the concept of crimes against justice. Nowadays contracts can't be used as means of cheating, trying to do so is a major crime against the Justice. If grandpa Veth tried to pass such a contract under Zenith's rule, it would land him a couple years of prison.”
“Nothing is lost, I still have our copies.”
“Let me borrow them and I'll ask his opinion. Zenith is completely adamant about the purpose of law. Law is to serve justice. Perverting the law to serve injustice is one of few things that can make him rage, and he made it a major crime.”
“I guess we could use a law like this. Most of ponies are simply too good-natured to ever do something like this, but some got rather skilled at abusing the law for personal profit.”
“And why don't you do something about it?”
“I've never been good at creating laws. I think I'm too trusting at times, and I tend to forget to think of scenarios where given law can be subverted to cause trouble or circumvented over some technicality. And I try to keep the law simple enough so that any pony could comprehend it without need for lawyers, so I can't afford hundreds of clauses to cover all caveats and exceptions. Luna's no better at that, I mean she can make fault-proof laws but far too complex for any non-scholar to understand them fully, and letting other ponies create law was hit-or-miss, sometimes the laws were good, sometimes... not quite so.”
“So how do we make it not seem like Hippotigria imposes upon laws of Equestria?”
Smart colt. I ruffled his mane with my hoof. “We'll think of something when the right time comes.”
The path sloped down the shore and led along the rocky beach. The aurora above our heads was slowly entering its full bloom. We sat for a while, gazing at it, then continued along the shore then back onto the rocky grasslands. There was a small copse of trees not far away, a lonely isle in the restless sea of grass, with waves occasionally crested with white rock and rare small patches of snow.
“The night is beautiful but I don't think I'll ever get used to the climate.” Nadir shivered a little. “I mean, I can cope with that, but...”
I silenced him by snuggling him under my wing.
“It's still a couple of weeks until Winter Wrap-up. Then it will be much more acceptable. To be honest, I'd much rather visit Entwine at this time of year. It's my sis who's the snow lover.”
“Feel officially invited.” He wrapped himself tighter in my wing.
As we followed the winding path, it led right to the copse, a short way through bushes, brambles and low, twisted trees to a small clearing in the middle... and it seemed to end here, not leading any further.
There was a ring of rocks in the middle, creating a fire pit filled with ash, a crude bench made from some rock and driftwood planks, and an axe next to a bigger trunk, where whoever came here would chop the wood for fire.
“Maybe we could get a fire running?” I suggested.
“Not a bad idea. I wonder who comes here. The ash doesn't seem very old.”
“I'll give you one guess.”
“We found your sister's and her lover's secret place? Do you think they... here...” he asked.
The thought of my sister and her man doing it right where I stood felt oddly kinky.
“I believe so. I hope sis won't mind us staying here for a while.”
 A weird location, a small, relatively young mixed forest, here, far from any other forests... the eldest trees aren't even forty years old. Where did this copse come from? Just as if somepony thoughtfully planted all the trees a few decades ago. The old fisherpony? No, not likely... Then a thought struck me. My baby nephew! I'll need to ask him to plant them for us when he grows up! ...unless Luna does that first that is.                
I lit the end of my horn to provide some light, then pulled some dry branches from the tangle of trees and weeds using my magic. Nadir used his shattering kicks to break them up, and I piled them in the fire pit and set them on fire using my magic. Warmth radiated from the fire and I spread my wings to soak it in, Nadir standing close to the fire, grilling his flanks with a delighted look on his face. We enjoyed the heat for a few minutes, occasionally adding some more wood.
“We want romantic walks in the night? From now on we do it in the summer.” he winked to me, switching sides and warming his other flank. The front of my wings and chest was warm, beginning to burn, while my back was still cold, so I turned around, exposing my withers to the heat. Tail to the side to let the inner thighs soak more warmth in... but while my coat soaked the heat nicely, soon my bare labia began burning. I clamped my tail down.
“Awww, it was so beautiful in the light of the fire!” complained my zebra lover.
“Sorry but it burns,” I replied, shrugging my wings a little, glad for the shadows to hide my blush.
Then I heard his steps approaching. He nudged my tail with his nose. Then warm breath on my sex, and then a long, sloppy lick all the way along my labia and anus. “There. Shouldn't burn for several seconds. Then I'll repeat the ministrations.”
“Keeping me well basted?”
“Can't say it doesn't taste delicious.”
I allowed more heat to my flanks and squirmed a little when he “basted” me some more, this time his tongue diving between my labia a little.
I felt a little like a thief sneaking into my sister's sanctuary, doing naughty things... and it turned me on a lot. That was completely unlike submitting to a husband in palace bedrooms. I was... no, saying I was okay with that would be wrong. I was not “okay” with invading my sister's private space. But I was feeling pleasantly naughty about that. And Nadir's attention... one kinky lick, then a dozen seconds of waiting in the warmth of the fire, then as warmth would transform almost into burning, another long, slow lick... that really made me moist!
“Stepladder... where do I find a stepladder at this time of night?” I muttered quietly, but not quietly enough for him not to hear.
A gentle touch on my fetlocks, a sudden pressure on my flank, a shift of weight, and I flew, hooves over head, and fell on my back, giving out a girlish yelp. The landing was surprisingly gentle despite rather lethal snake-mantis technique he used on me... my hooves up in the air, my head facing towards the fire, Nadir laying on my chest, holding me down by my wings and leaning to my neck. He kissed gently, and I felt the source of my inner sense of security open up under his mouth.
“Stepladder won't be necessary,” he muttered. “And no need to levitate me.”
“You realize I can plant my hind hooves on your ass, and send you flying right into the fire?”
“Sure but why would you do that?” he said, kissing my chest and moving down. I could feel a bulge against my groin and slipping down.
I was nervous, feeling like a thief, exposed, vulnerable, embarrassed, but I think that anxiety kept the other kind, the really bad one at bay and let me give out just a little shudder when i felt the little pressure on my vulva.
“Relax” he said. “I'm not doing anything until you're completely comfortable with it. Just relax and if you can't, tell me and I'll back off.”
I recalled how I relaxed all my muscles yesterday. I let go, one after another, clenched muscles, latent tensions, suppressed flows.
“Celestia?” His green eyes flickered in the light of bonfire, and the lights and shadows gave his striped face otherworldly look. Savage and wild, but still friendly, faithful, adoring, concerned. “Would you prefer I use my mouth instead?”
I shook my head weakly. “Just... be gentle.”
He pressed and I felt my labia part, letting him in. My inside stretching a bit, yielding under the gentle pressure, relaxing. He stopped maybe an inch inside, seeking my eyes, my reaction. I smiled weakly and he pushed a little deeper.
Suddenly out of nowhere old images flickered in front of my eyes. I clenched my insides, tensed up.
He rapidly pulled out, then lay on my chest, holding me tightly, reassuringly.
“I'm sorry...” I whimpered a little.
“Don't,” he said, smiling reassuringly. “I'm completely okay with you feeling reluctant. It's only natural.”
His face tensed, the smile gone.
“When I daydreamed of being with the number one mare of this world, it was obvious it wouldn't be easy. When I was dying and there was no chance of saving me, you didn't give up, you broke the rules of this world to heal me. Then you gave me the most precious gift you could offer even before I realized its true value. What a fool was I to ever hesitate on your offer, the chance to marry you! And when I finally learned the true beauty of your heart, the fancy and infatuation changed into true love. I love you, Celestia, I love you and it hurts... it hurts so much when you are sorry for who you are. When you apologize for being hurt. You gave me so much and you feel bad for not giving me more? My silly, beautiful, wonderful Celestia, be angry, be scared, be disgusted, but never be sorry!”
I smiled weakly.
“Try again. Don't retreat this time.”
“But...”
“I'll be fine. I promise.” I wrapped him in my wings and gave my best reassuring smile... not very good one considering the circumstances but still...
The gentle pressure was back. My body opened up for him. And there he was... stretching me lightly.
I gazed into these beautiful big eyes, so full of concern, concentration, so protective. And with a hidden hint of anger. He would give his life for me. Oh, if that pig Brandy Hall was here, my Nadir would so kick his ass!
Come, my hero. Claim your princess.
I relaxed, laying my hind legs splayed to the sides. I took a deep breath and smiled.
And there he was, slowly sinking in, his eyes sparkling with joy. And I was giving myself willingly, happy to see him happy and my inside feeling not invaded but fulfilled. Slowly, inch by inch, the long, black stallionhood was sinking in me. Memories of me licking and caressing its length came, to me, and the friction lessened as I felt my insides getting more moist.
I was feeling young, naughty and happy. I sung out my love in Old Ponic, a long forgotten language of my youth. Nadir's eyes widened, and I could see his mind wander, stumble, brighten...
And to my surprise, he replied in a verse about springtime blooming, from a popular song from times of my youth. Just two short sentences but I felt the carefree times of my early youth in the Everfree Gardens, from before the times of politics and strife. Thousands of years later a piece of my youth was happening, a piece of life that was missing from my original youth. To love and to be loved, to have my own special somepony and to discover each other and be together.
There I was waiting for him to sink to the hilt and reach my bottom. I knew it would feel weird, hurt a bit, but with him here, I'd still enjoy it. And there he was, resting his tip oh-so-gently against my depth, it didn't hurt, it felt exhilaratingly itchy, sent a spasm down my vaginal walls, gripping him. He stopped, looking concerned, my face soon filled with bliss. Yes, filled completely, giving him all of myself...
“Tia? Are you ready to go on?”
“Yes, my love.”
“Relax, loosen up, don't tense and it won't sting a bit.”
What? What was there more to sting? It was at the bottom already.
I lay, enjoying him in me, trying to follow his advice, feeling the fullness and the exhilarating itch.
Then I felt him suddenly thrust. It stung, it hurt! And I felt a place in me touched where I never felt touched before. He was sinking in some more, and I was there with my eyes open wide, gasping for air at the sensation of being touched there for the first time in my life, oversensitive walls getting unstuck from each other, parted, stretched and brushed against his tip, making me cry out a little.
...echoes of realization came, long forgotten texts about it being standard with wild equines to penetrate a mare's cervix. Shunned as barbaric and dangerous to health in the modern society of Equestria, not to mention it practically assured stillbirth when done to a pregnant mare, but not a big concern nowadays, as very few contemporary stallions were still sufficiently endowed to be capable of this. And as I recalled the text, zebras commonly practice this even in modern times.
Poor modern girls. They didn't know how much they miss out.
“You okay?” Nadir asked, and didn't move until I caught my breath and gave him a nod.
“You sure?” he asked, concerned by my prolonged pause. “I can back off if you want.”
I felt a blush rise to my cheeks. “You barbarian!” I said with humor. “This is not how one treats fancy Equestria girls. That's completely, unforgivably improper!“
“Me simple black-white zebber! Me not know. Me sorry!” he said with a fake accent and a wide smile.
“Now make me your zebber wife and make love to me like you would to one!”
“Seriously, Tia, I'm sorry! I completely forgot you ponies...”
“Hush” I interrupted him. “Finish what you started. Judging by how it feels, don't let me roll over. This forest wouldn't survive it.”
“Don't hesitate to tell me to slow down if it gets too intense. The girl sets the speed. That's how we do it in the barbaric Hippotigria.”
He pushed deeper and I hissed a bit.
“Too fast?”
I nodded.
He inched his way in, painstakingly slowly, letting my womb adjust to the sensation, taking frequent pauses as his shaft sometimes throbbed making me cry out.
The touch changed, I felt he reached my bottom for real this time, and I felt a ring encircling the base of his shaft to move past my vulva. Last inch of his shaft pushed my bottom womb wall and stretched my whole womb length-wise a little.
I was panting a little. That felt good. I was truly, completely filled. He paused, letting me adapt, then pulled slowly. Again I whispered to slow down when it was getting too much. His flared, wide tip reached the inner side of the opening of my cervix and he stopped. A gentle push again, slightly faster than before, but my inside was gradually getting used to it, as my womb relaxed and the sensation of “touched for the first time ever” was replaced with just “touched in an extremely sensitive place”. And his whole length along my vagina, and the gentle friction against my clitoris, this all was driving me to the edge.
He reached my bottom again, and I was holding back. “I think I'm about to...”
“Don't hold back. Let it flow, let it go, and let it come back. It's for you, accept it.”
“And you?”
“I'll join in at the right moment.”
He pulled and.... oh, yes, I let go, I let the sensation sink in, it elicited a long spasm, and the spasm excited more of the sensation, and I cried out as the orgasm sent my mind swimming, my inside gripping his shaft, each vein, each bump exciting more of that. That warmth and tingling flowing outwards, making my whole body clench...
I relaxed as it passed, and then he pushed. He thrust towards my bottom, sending me into another wave of orgasm, my insides flailing, trying to squish that organ inside when it tore a burning trail through my womb, and the fire spread out and ran up my spine and broke out in a shout.
He kept the fire burning, pulling slowly, grinding that tip against the virgin walls of my womb, and it faded a little when his tip stopped at my cervix.
I gasped for air and got dunked in orgasm again, the push replacing the fire with a deep chill, my insides nearly numb from strain, unable to contain and limit the rapid throbs of my muscles. A pull, and more spasms, aching so wonderfully, making me scream again.
Too much. Too much of a good thing. My heart fluttered wildly from overwhelming pleasure fading at last. And then he pushed again, faster again, in a specific upwards motion. It caught my clitoris by surprise, pulling the soft hood off, and making the nub rub against the surface. The feeling shot out with incredible intensity, a star being born inside my little nub, There was no holding back, I screamed at my earnest when the whole world was reduced to that single point of ecstasy.
This time it took two long, smooth strokes until the feeling began fading and clarity of the world returned.
And then it hit again, not quite as strong but extremely satisfying again, and when he reached the bottom I gave out a yelp at a sudden spike of excitement.
Smooth, relaxing retreat and a thrust again. This time it didn't excite the spark of orgasm again. Not at first. He had to retreat and push once more, and I was back in the throes, my body arching, my insides clutching, and rekindling the fading spark, making me come once again.
Over. It's over now, for sure. I gasped, as he retreated, then pushed again, three, four, five times in fast succession. His shaft tensed, hardened, grew thicker. His tip flared, pushing my tormented walls further apart, stretching my aching womb, the ache bringing the feeling back. And then I felt the throb and the first spurt of semen hit. And I was lost to my orgasm again, feeling his cum soothing the sore walls and invigorating them for more effort at milking the hard organ, changing the smooth slippery friction against my insides to something thicker, more stuffy, A realization that I don't feel his shaft in my womb, that it's completely filled and stretched by his cum. A smooth wave of another spurt hitting my back wall. Each of them was another wave of orgasm, and each made me scream out. And he was not stopping, filling me, spurt after spurt. The trickle of his semen leaking over my anus. The sticky touch of his balls on my buttocks. A sudden realization that he pulled back past my cervix, and pushed it back in, painless but exhilarating. A realization that he worked me so hard there's no way I'm not going to show effects tomorrow. A splash of his cum suddenly reaching my opening, staining my tail... all small, wonderful orgasms, coming one after another, fading slowly to a wonderfully relaxed state.
He lay on my chest, motionless, still filling me, and I could still feel his maleness sending thick, almost chunky cum inside me in small, short spurts.
I wrapped him in my wings, gazing in his emerald eyes.
“Did I tell you I love you? I love you, Nadir. And you're awesome.”
“We... we did it!” his sudden outburst of joy was rather surprising. “We totally did it. I'm still within you. Celestia! You...” his eyes went suddenly serious. “You really love me! I... I couldn't wish for more. You really returned my love!”
“Oh, but you can wish for more.” I smiled to him, biting my lip. “Do you wish a son or a daughter?”
“A... wait, what?”
I couldn't help chuckling at his expression.
“What do you... can we even...?”
“A zony, a pony, a zebra? Alicorn, unicorn, pegasus or Earth pony? I must enchant your semen now, before conception takes place, and our child will be whatever we desire, besides being similar to both parents.”
“This is... I haven't thought about it really...”
“Too fast? I can make it infertile, and then we can try again, when you have your answers ready.”
He nodded. “That would be best for now.”
“But we will have... you will give me a child?”
“Right now I'm still hesitating. I really haven't thought about that. But it's so tempting that... probably next time I'll call myself a fool for hesitating now.”
I nodded, and somewhat regretfully summoned a contraceptive charm.
“I'll let you know through official channels when I make up my mind, all right?” he joked, but I was still a little saddened. But soon the bliss and happiness removed last of my sadness.
He was completely soft inside me. He pulled, and a flood of his cum followed after his cock. Soon he lay by me, as I put more wood into the fire, turning my back to it, wrapping him in my wings.
“Your sister will be mad.” he muttered.
“Why?”
“Look up.”
I did.
The aurora looked like a rag, torn, tattered and full of holes.

* * *

“No, I'm not mad,” she lied through her teeth. “I mean, you can't contain a scream when you come, right?”
“...right” I blushed. I was the elder sister but I didn't feel that way currently.
“So whenever you come, you need to scream it out.”
“yes.”
“And you shouted at the sky to avoid damage to the landscape.”
“yes.”
“Look sis. I don't mind. The aurora is gone with the morning light anyway. But. Light's fingers can do wonders. Real wonders, I mean, I... okay, real wonders, that's it. But if you scream out once. Every time you come.” she hesitated.
“Yes?”
“Get Nadir to teach Light to do that and we have a deal.”
uh.
“It may be hard. It involves... you know... size.”
“I know, I know. Light is a human. He's not a stallion. I don't know. Use some magic, or something. I mean, I'm not complaining. The times he gave me were wonderful. But.” she looked up.
I tried to count the holes. I lost count past twelve.
“I'll talk with Nadir. I'll see what can be done. I can't promise anything.”
“That will be satisfactory.”
Luna. I just couldn't understand her at times. So many thousands years together and she'd still baffle me.
We were back at the palace, she was past lowering the Moon and I was about to raise the Sun.
Don't rush it. Make it seem casual. Up, along its standard route, a little leverage, a little effort...
Slow down. Just like yesterday, slow down and make it gentle...
“Are you fine, sis? Do you need help?”
“I'm fine... I'm more than fine. I don't want to make it seem rushed.”
“Why would it... wait, did my yesterday's moonrise,..”
I'm not good at lying. My face told it all. Luna facehoofed.
“Was it really that visible?”
“No, not really.”
“You can't lie, sis.”
She hid her face in shame.
“Luna, it's not your fault. You really did both my work and yours and a really, really big favor for me and Nadir, all while I was slacking off.”
“This is not an excuse. I rushed it. I made it look sloppy. I know I botched the sunset, I was trying too hard, it was all jerky, all right, I was never good at it. But to rush the moonrise! And now this disaster with the aurora!”
“Luna, look, you can't...” I turned to her.
“CELESTIA!!!”
I turned around and saw the Sun plummeting down towards the horizon. I grabbed it seconds before it would crash down, stabilized it, soothed the flares that erupted from the mistreatment then began lifting it majestically back up. Still, my heart was pounding madly. We just dodged by seconds a disaster that would irrevocably mean the end of the world.
“Sorry, sis.” Luna stood there, beaten. “I... I just... This is too much.”
“Yes, and that's because I've been slacking off.” I affixed the Sun to the beginning of its daily route and turned to Luna. “Luna, what you did for me is amazing, wonderful and truly a heroic effort. I'd never meet Nadir without your aid. I'm so deep in your debt it's not even funny. Let me repay a bit of it by taking over for a while. Take a few days off. Take Light and go somewhere nice. Tempus took himself for a reason. You must really need it.”
“Tia, will you manage without me? The last few days... were rather hectic.”
“Contrary to what you might think, Nadir is a help, not a liability. I can manage without you. No drinking, no sleeping in, no demolishing bedrooms, trust me, I can last a week without doing any of this. And no dropping celestial bodies.”
She ran up to me and neck-hugged me. “To think I'd be doing the responsible elder sister routine” she cried a little. “My big sis is growing up... Thank you, Tia.”
“Any plans?”
“Me, not a clue. But Light claims he's got an idea. But he says he wants it to be a surprise. Bro-neigh-con, does that ring any bells to you?”
“Not a clue.”
She smiled and trotted on her way. I walked to Nadir still asleep on my royal bed. We still had some time before ponies would get inquisitive and I'd have to zip him to his quarters. I nuzzled his cheek and he stirred, waking up.
“My Sunrise” he smiled. “You are a true ethereal miracle in the morning light. Can I sleep a little longer?”
“Yes, in a second. Just a word of advice, and take it in, it's really important. Do not disturb me while I'm raising or lowering the Sun or the Moon. Really.”
“Sure, but why this all out of sudden? Did something happen?”
“No, nothing at all.”
Did I mention I'm hopeless as a liar?

* * *

I'm a hopeless liar when trying to hide things from friends (maybe because I have so few and so rarely need to lie to them), but I'm a master politician and diplomat, and that requires quite a bit of lying of a different caliber.
Gone for a day and the press goes wild with speculations. Clarification is in order. In fact, obfuscation is in order, if I was to be completely honest, but that's not the politically correct way of saying things. So, a press conference right after the breakfast. But before that - a good-bye to the new friends.
I promised to accept “requests for audiences” from Sir Fancypants and Fleur de Lis as often as they like (as long as duties allow... but duties can usually be rescheduled.) They had one more issue though.
“There's a matter, Princess. We'd like to purchase a plot of the new land. No need for starmetal, just maybe some scenic sights.”
“You would?” I asked in genuine surprise.
“They are currently considered to be something like... a token of allegiance. That would put us beyond suspicion.”
“Oh, of course! Too bad Luna is gone, she'd pick something wonderful for you. Right now all I know are simple descriptions... Follow me please.” I led them to my office, then flipped through a ledger with first batch of plot entries. “There, two plots together comprising surface of a plateau. No starmetal, bordering with what was already given away on one side, what is not to be prospected in a few hundred years on the other...”
“A few hundreds?” gasped Fleur. “But they... You surely wouldn't sentence them to that long!”
“Sentence?” I chuckled a little while filing the paperwork in. “But they just work for their own profit! They are free to return any time, with a mere month of severance. Of course they'd have to waive all rights they would obtain by finishing the work, all that effort wasted, but that's their decision. And there will be others willing to take over after them...”
“Oh, devious.” chuckled Fancypants. “Imprisoned by their own greed. My deepest respect, Princess.”
“Just don't forget to pay the property tax when it is due.” I gave them my generous smile #1. “Standard punitive charges for overlooking the deadlines apply with no exceptions!”
“This... All this land you gave away is taxed?” Fleur covered her mouth with her hoof, suppressing a snort of laughter.
“Standard rate based on the estimated land value. Of course your plots, devoid of resources, are worth a pittance.” I said, while filing two forms of land purchase in the ledger and floating the land title documents to the two.
Fancypants knelt on one knee accepting his scroll. “Princess, it's a pleasure and a honor to serve under your generous rule.” he said, mirth filling his eyes. “I'd never dare to skip paying my taxes.”
“Thank you, Princess.” Fleur bowed courtly. “We will surely visit soon again if you allow. I hope the cider was to your liking.”
“It was delicious, and I definitely request you bring some more next time.”
The two smiled and left. I set the ledger and papers back in order, and headed for breakfast. With my fiancée. Things were looking up.