Phoebus took a deep breath as he gripped the bouquet of moon flowers and lavender in his hooves. He slowly approached the huge mahogany door that led to Luna’s royal apartment. Luna’s royal cypher, a crown above her cutie mark between her initials, LR for Luna Regina, had been carved into the center of the heavy door. Celestia’s royal cypher was styled in the same manner. The door alone was intimidating, and Phoebus felt a hint of anxiety when he was reminded that the mare he loved was a queen. His hooves shook a bit as he knocked on the door with the large gold knocker underneath Luna’s insignia. He heard the staccato click of her hooves on the marble floor as she walked to the door. She wasn’t wearing her obsidian crown or necklace when she opened her door, but her lack of royal attire did not diminish her beauty nor her regal presence in the slightest. The sweet aroma of her lavender and vanilla perfume filled Phoebus’ nostrils, and he had to resist the urge to inhale deeply as he greeted her with a soft, slow kiss that ended too soon. As she broke the kiss, Luna gave the bat pony a heart-stopping smile that made all of his blood rush downward, and he blushed a little as he felt himself harden. Luna glanced down and smirked ever so slightly as she nudged the door open further to let Phoebus in.
“Come in and sit,” Luna urged. Phoebus did as he was told, sitting down on the large black leather couch in the spacious living room. The room’s white walls were covered with priceless paintings by some of the world’s most famous artists. An enormous crystal chandelier sparkled above them, and a fire roared in the black marble fireplace. Luna dimmed the chandelier slightly and joined Phoebus on the couch, conjuring a bottle of red wine and two crystal wine glasses. Phoebus insisted on pouring their drinks, an offer that Luna graciously accepted. Chivalry had always been important to him, and he wanted to show Luna that while he would always love her and respect her status as his queen, he would not compromise his masculinity. Tonight, if she was willing, he would show her what true passion and pleasure felt like. The stallion in him longed to take Luna at that very moment, to ravish her until she was exhausted, to show the undying love he had for her in every fiber of his being, to see the side of her that she so skillfully hid from the rest of the world. The gentlecolt in him, however, respected her immensely and wanted to romance her, and that was exactly what he planned to do tonight. Though he knew that Luna had a natural inclination to take control of every situation, he also knew that her role was tiring, and that the weight of her crown must be an unimaginable burden. Duty and service to Equestria were at the very heart of everything Luna did, of every thought she had, and of every word she spoke. Phoebus had an immeasurably large amount of respect for Luna’s unwavering dedication and commitment to such duty and service, but he knew that sometimes, behind closed doors, the crown must be removed so that Luna could just be herself with him. He thought of that night at the bar, when she had freed all her inhibitions and allowed herself to have fun; he wanted her to be that way with him, vulnerable, but obviously unaided by alcohol. He revealed the bouquet that he had been hiding behind his back, and Luna’s face lit up.
“Oh, Phoebus, they’re beautiful,” she gasped. “Thank you so much! Moon flowers and lavender are my favorites.”
“I know,” Phoebus replied, smiling. “I remembered the state dinner you held for the Saddle Arabians. You specifically asked for floral arrangements with lavender and moon flowers.” Luna blushed slightly and arranged the flowers in a vase.
“I’m going to make us some breakfast,” she announced. “Celestia gave me the most delicious recipe for blueberry pancakes.”
“Mmmm, that sounds wonderful,” Phoebus said, “but I had some other plans.” He pulled Luna close, and she showed no resistance. Phoebus gently brushed a lock of mane out of Luna’s eyes and leaned in, kissing her softly. Luna opened her mouth slightly, inviting Phoebus to deepen the kiss, and he did so eagerly. He allowed his hooves to roam over her beautiful body and felt himself harden when she pushed her body against his. Phoebus broke their kiss to skim his lips over Luna’s long neck and nipped gently at the little alcove just under her cheekbone, making the alicorn moan softly. He scooped her up into his hooves and carried her over to her massive king-sized bed, still drinking in her sweet kiss. Finally, the queen and her guard gave in to the feelings they had kept at bay for so long, savoring every moment as they lost themselves in each other.
“I love you so much,” Phoebus murmured, stroking Luna’s cheek. Luna kissed him sweetly and rested her head on his chest as she looked up into his eyes.
“I love you, too,” she whispered. They had just made love three times in a row for six hours, only stopping for a few minutes to breathe each time, and they were both satiated and exhausted in the best possible way.
“Why did you join the military?” Luna asked after a few minutes. Phoebus paused and thought for a moment.
“I wanted to be part of something greater than myself,” he said. “After my brother died, I felt so lost. I had no sense of purpose, but I wanted to make my parents proud, especially after what happened. He always wanted to join the army, so I decided that I would go after his dream, since he couldn’t. It was the best decision I ever made, because if I hadn’t joined, I probably never would have met you.” He kissed Luna’s forehead softly, and she sighed blissfully.
“I want you to meet my sister and Sombra,” she said, gently tracing Phoebus’ wing with her hoof. “Their wedding is in a month, and if everything goes well with your meeting them, I want you to go with me.” Phoebus’ stomach dropped. The idea of meeting Celestia terrified him, but he nodded.
“Tia!” Luna squealed, wrapping her sister in a hug, then kissing both of her cheeks as Celestia entered one of the castle’s many drawing rooms. She and Sombra greeted each other in the same manner, then they turned their attention to Phoebus. The bat pony bowed, then waited for the white alicorn to extend her hoof to him, which she did.
“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing again, “it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Phoebus,” Celestia said, smiling warmly. Phoebus was immediately put at ease by the larger alicorn’s easygoing demeanor, and he returned her smile.
“Luna has not been able to stop talking about you for months,” Celestia said with a mischievous grin, ignoring Luna’s shocked expression as the blue alicorn blushed furiously. “I’m so glad to finally meet you.” She leaned in close to Phoebus and whispered, “If you break my sister’s heart, I’ll send you to the moon for ten thousand years.” She chuckled, but Phoebus could tell from the look in her eyes that she was dead serious. The four of them laughed and enjoyed each other’s company for the rest of the night. Celestia and Sombra treated him like family. By the end of the evening, Phoebus knew with absolute certainty that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Luna. As Celestia ascended the staircase that led to her and Luna’s bedchambers, Phoebus stopped her.
“Your Majesty, I promise you that nothing in this world matters more to me than your sister’s happiness,” he said, looking Celestia straight in the eyes as he did so. “I love Luna with every fiber of my being. I knew I had to come to you. I want to ask for your blessing to marry your sister.” Celestia’s eyes welled up, and she hugged Phoebus.
“Of course, Phoebus. Take good care of her.”