My hooves barely made a sound as I entered through the castle gate, Shade and Leaf following behind me. They had joined me as I left my friend's house. I knew that they had gotten some sleep as I remembered them being replaced by Silent Sneak and Bright Belle at some point. But now they were back, following a couple of hooves behind me.
The sun warmed nicely despite the relatively early hour and I enjoyed it as much as I could as I got to Lunas tower. I gave the guards outside a nod before I paused and looked between the Solar and Lunar guards standing outside, "They're both still in there?"
"Yes, Prince Page," the Solar guard I didn't recognize said, "Princess Celestia stayed the night."
Nopony looked alarmed. The sun was up and nopony was yelling or panicing.
This is either a very good sign or a very bad sign. Taking a deep breath, I entered as they opened the door for me and started up the stairs before pausing outside the door to the chambers propper.
I strained my ears, just barely able to make out quiet talking.
Okay, that's a very good sign. Everypony seems to still be alive at least? Now I just needed to survive the day.
Pushing the door open, I slipped inside and closed it behind me. Luna and Celestia were both sitting on the couch, a small tray of sandwiches on the table. Luna has a large cup of coffee, only matched by the size of Celestia's teacup. As I entered, they both quieted and looked at me.
I froze. Do not move, their vision is based on movement.
"Good morning," I said and forced myself to continue moving. I'm not the pony in trouble here, damn it.
Luna slipped off the couch and walked up to me, "Page, I'm sorry," she said quietly, "I should have talked to you and my sister and not just-"
I stepped forward, touching my nose to hers, "It's forgiven."
Sinking down, she wrapped me in her forelegs and wings, hugging me close. I leaned into it, hugging back. Like I could ever be angry at her for long.
Finally letting go, she led me back to the couch where Celestia finished pouring a second cup of tea. I jumped up and settled down between them as I took the cup in my magic, "Thanks," I said before I looked between them, "Did you get any sleep?"
"Couple of hours," Celestia admitted and sipped her holy liquid, "We were up most of the night."
Nodding, I glanced around. Nothing looked broken.
"I think we needed that talk," Luna admitted after a couple of moments of quiet, "There were some... other subjects from the past we had avoided."
"Some very old," Celestia said with a small smile, sharing a look with Luna before both burst into laughter.
I smiled a bit to myself and sipped my tea. Thinking back about it, I couldn't help but realize that them laughing together like that had been a rare thing as long as I known them.
Luna nosed at my ear, "And some are not so old."
"Such as me," I said and glanced at her.
"Such as you," Celestia agreed, "And Luna and I came to a possible agreement about it. If you don't agree, we can go back to things as normal."
"As normal as things ever are around here, you mean?" I pointed out before I looked between them, "So what are your thoughts?"
Celestia looked at Luna who nodded with a smile before speaking up, "My sister has agreed-"
"Provisionally."
"-provisionally," Luna continued with a small eye roll, "That she has possibly been a bit silly about it."
"Luna!"
Luna grinned at her, "Or rather, that too much weight has been put on the political implications and similar matters. And that if you agree to consider your relationship-"
"or not."
"-or not to be allowed to proceed naturally without such considerations. Potential complications will be dealt with as they arrive."
I glanced between them as I shifted, getting a bit more comfortable, sipping my tea as I thought about it, "Just like if we were any other ponies?"
"Just as," Celestia agreed.
"And if anypony objects or causes trouble, they are reminded of why you are Princesses and they are not?"
Luna smiled, "We have dealt with troublemakers in the past. And to be honest," she said and met Celestia's eyes across my head, "The Canterlot nobility has gotten a bit too used to getting their way. Even now."
Now that was a thought I did like. It would be difficult, but if there could be a bit of reform when it came to the parasi- nobles, that would be good.
I slowly nodded before I frowned, "There are other concerns as well. For one, it's hard enough to be away from you, My Sky. Being away for so long from both of you would be miserable."
Luna looked at me like I was being dumb, "You already don't like being away from her, how would this be different!? At least if you are together, you’ll be even happier when you are together!"
Point to Luna.
"...There is also the matter of you, Sunset and Twilight," I said before I looked at Celestia, "I'm only one pony. I don't know how I can pay enough attention to all of you to make you happy. I'm stretched thin as is."
Luna smiled, "I think you are doing more than fairly," she teased and gave me a hug with her wing.
"Thanks," I said, smiling up at her before I looked at Celestia, "But it's a real concern to me."
"We could make that work," Celestia said with a small smile, "Plenty of larger families. Both now and in the past. In fact, the most common 'large' family when we grew up were something like seven ponies."
"Though, that was usually from two smaller families merging," Luna pointed out, "And almost always had two stallions."
I sipped my tea, thinking things through before I looked at Luna, "You talked to Sunset and Twilight?"
"When we slept before," She agreed with a small smile, "They are for it. As you might have suspected."
Well, they were in on the original plan after all. I'm still a bit annoyed at them for that and have to talk to them about it when we get home. but for now...
"In which case," I said and finished my tea and shifted to give Luna a small kiss before pulling back and glancing up at Celestia before brushing my lips against hers as well, "We're all going to bed and getting some sleep. It’s been a long night for all of us."
Celestia blinked at me in surprise at the kiss, her wings rising high before she smiled. It was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.
Luna looked smug before she nodded, "I think that's an excellent idea, My Page," she said and slipped off the couch.
I followed her into the bedroom, Celestia taking up the rear. I paused, considering things for a moment, "...We need a bigger bed."
"No we don't," Celestia said with a smirk, "We all fit. We just need to install a perch above it for our resident bat."
Luna grinned, "At least when Sunset and Twilight is here as well."
I stuck my tongue out at both of them before jumping onto the bed and settling down, "You're just jealous you can't do it."
Luna stuck hers out right back at me and then cast the bubble of silence and darkness over the bed before jumping on to follow me. Celestia was the last one onto the bed. She settled down on my free side, getting comfortable to my right.
Getting comfortable, I felt a pair of large wings settling across my back and I closed my eyes.
Alicorn wings are seriously the best blanket in the world.
Nopony said anything, we just stayed like that for a long time. But nopony fell asleep quickly..
Finally I opened my eyes a bit. Maybe it was time to... it was as finished as it was going to be for a while.
"Sunshine," I said quietly, "While you fall asleep, think about sanctuary."
"Huh?" Celestia mumbled sleepily, "Why's that?"
"There is something I want to show you," I answered, "Just... try it, I think it'll work. Just the word, Sanctuary."
"If you like," Celestia agreed sleepily, "Sanctuary."
"What are you up to?" Luna mumbled and shifted, her nose pressing against my neck.
"I'll show you. Meet me in the dream realm."