"Your Majesty! Are you alright?!"
I smiled, "I am fine, Pepper. It wasn't as bad as it might have sounded."
Flower Rain looked at me with suspicion.
I smiled at her as well, "Don't look at me like that. I'm here and I'm clearly all better. How's everypony else doing? I saw a crowd on the square outside when we came in for landing."
Flower nodded, "Everypony was worried for you, Your Majesty."
It had been a long night and I much rather just go rest. But I really should address this first.
"What rumors were there?" I asked her with a small frown, "I know how these things usually go."
She hesitated so Pepper spoke up, "The usual you are thinking of. Mostly ponies were angry and worried. We... they thought we might have lost you."
I nodded to them, "I best go address everypony then," I said with a small smile and headed for the balcony, making sure not to show even a hint of being injured. It was easy, because the most I got was a slight ache where I had been hit.
As I walked out, the ponies beneath grew quiet, looking up towards me.
I smiled out at them, "Hello, everypony. It's good to be back home again. As you all can see, the reports of my horrible injuries may have been a bit exaggerated."
Nopony spoke.
I continued, "No need to look so disappointed!" I said with a grin.
That did get a reaction of soft laughter.
"I feel like I should tell you all that happened," I then continued, "As I'm sure news will arrive from Canterlot soon anyway, likely just as accurate as the ones that reported my horrible mangling in a wagon accident."
More laughter.
I shifted my wings, "What happened was a pony shot me with a crossbow in the middle of the street in Canterlot while I was on my way to visit a friend."
Silence again. But not just silence this time.
This time it was the kind of silence that spread through a crowd just before something got violent.
So I continued, "My guard drove them to escape and stopped my bleeding, getting me to the hospital with assistance from the Solar guard to get my wound tended to. After an investigation, the pony in question was caught. He was ill, seeing conspiracies and evil everywhere. He was sent to the hospital where he will remain until he stops being a danger to himself and others."
"So he's just getting away with it?!" a voice somewhere in the crowd yelled.
I shook my head, "I was the one to suggest it over the regular punishment for such a crime," I said firmly, "This pony is ill and deserves our pity and compassion, not our scorn. Because it was lucky it was me he hit."
Shocked silence.
I shook my head, "Because I could take a hit like that. If it had not been me, it could have been a poor griff or 'ling. Or a minotaur. Or if none of those had been available, maybe a pegasus or earth pony."
"What about next time?!"
A different voice.
"There may be a next time," I admitted, "Alicorns live for a long time. But I doubt it will be anytime soon. There is no grand conspiracy, it was a single ill pony who's delusions latched onto me because of what I represented in his mind. If I could do everything again, I would not change anything.. well, almost anything. I would admittedly likely have used a shield."
That did raise the mood a little I felt.
"So instead of focusing on the pony that did it," I continued and glanced back over my shoulder, "Let's instead focus on the ponies that drove him away. Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade, come out here."
Shade and Leaf both looked at me with wide eyes.
I smiled at them and motioned for them with a wing to join me.
Visibly swallowing, they shared a look before walking slowly out onto the balcony to join me as the crowd cheered for them.
I waited until they stood next to me and the crowd quieted down before I smiled, "Some of you know these ponies. Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade. Or rather some of you knew them, now you all know them. But there is something you don't know yet," I continued and looked out over the crowd, "I expect the news to arrive in a couple of days or so. But I wanted you all to know that Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade have both been awarded the Star of Equestria. The first recipients in well over a century."
The crowd started quiet. Then it grew. Those that knew what that meant filling the ponies around them in on it.
Soon I had to press my ears against my head from the cheering.
"So tonight we don't spend it in anger over a pony that needs our compassion!" I yelled, one hoof on the railing, using a spell to make myself heard, "Tonight we celebrate the ponies that deserve it! So break out the barbeques and the drinks! Because tonight we will celebrate the Night of Shadows!"
As usual when food and drink were mentioned, ponies cheered even louder.
Shade and Lead looked slightly pale. I smiled and spoke to them beneath my breath, "Just smile and wave, girls. Smile and wave."
They hesitantly did and the cheering renewed.
##############
The sun was almost at zenith before the celebrations started to calm down.
Luna and Twilight were being adorable talking quietly on the couch. Sunset was already in the bedroom. Yawning, I slipped off the chair I draped myself across and headed into the bedroom.
Sunset was stretched out on the bed, reading a book. When I entered, she glanced up before smiling, “Giving up?”
I nodded and climbed onto the bed, sinking down with a small sigh to lay next to her, “It’s getting very late,” I admitted and rolled onto my side to look at her.
“Mmm,” Sunset said just as sleepily with a small smile, “Luna and Twi still looking as adorable as when I went to bed?”
I couldn’t help but grin, “Very much so. I know they liked each other for a while, but this is pretty new. Assume it developed while I was having my nap. Do they know?”
Sunset smiled, “Luna does. Twi, I’m not too sure yet. But it's nice to see.”
They were being very cute. While selfishly I may have preferred more Luna time, I’d more than happily give some of it to Sparks if she kept My Sky looking that cute and happy. After all, admiring her was almost as much fun after all.
Also, the effect it had on Sparks was just as clear and made me just as happy.
…And admittedly, it was also a very enjoyable visual. Smiling to myself, I closed my eyes and started to slowly drift off to sleep.
“Mmm…. Page?” Sunset mumbled quietly.
“Mhmm?” I asked, more than half asleep.
“I want foals.”
My eyes snapped open and I suddenly didn’t feel sleepy at all as I looked into her eyes, “huh?” I asked intelligently.
“I want foals.”
“...With me?”
Sunset gave me a d’uh look, “No, Shining Armor. Yes, of course you!”
“Oh,” I said quietly and swallowed.
“So?” Sunset asked and bumped her nose against mine, looking into my eyes, “What do you think?”
I hesitated, “Sunset… I-I’m not sure it’s a good idea…”
She pulled back, looking hurt, “What? Why?”
I cringed slightly, “Sunset, It’s…” I started before I sighed and shook my head, “Sunset, we don’t even know if it’s possible. And if it is, the foal usually takes after the tribe of the mother.”
“And?”
“And I don’t want to watch them grow old and die!” I exclaimed, rolling onto my stomach and raising my head to look at her.
Sunset glared at me, “So I suppose I best just get out too, huh?”
“What, no! Suns-”
“Buck off,” she snarled and jumped off the bed, drying tears away with one hoof.
Before I could say anything else, the door slammed closed behind her, leaving me staring at it. What the buck just happened?
The door opened again and Luna slipped inside, closing the door behind her before she looked at me, “What did you do?” she asked in a not quite accusing tone, “Sunset just stormed in and is crying her eyes out against Twilight's shoulder.”
I cringed and sighed, “I… could have handled that better,” I admitted quietly and pushed myself up to sit, rubbing my hoof at my forehead, “Sunset brought up that she wanted foals. Just kinda sprung it at me. I told her it wasn’t a good idea as I didn’t want to watch them grow old and die.”
Luna shook her head, “Oh Page, please tell me you didn’t put it like that.”
“...Think it may have been worse actually,” I admitted and sighed, “I should talk to her.”
“No,” Luna told me firmly, shifting to stand before the door, “I will talk to her. Before you put your hooves even further into your mouth.”
“Luna, I think-”
She glared at me and I trailed off before I sighed and nodded, “Okay,” I admitted, “You three take the bedroom. I’ll find somewhere else to sleep,” I said and slipped out of the bed.
Luna sighed softly and walked over to me, brushing her lips against mine, “Page, you are a good stallion, but sometimes you need to think before you talk.”
“I know,” I admitted and sighed softly, “...I’m sorry.”
Luna smiled faintly and touched my side with her wing, “Go get some sleep, I’ll talk with Sunset. We’ll all talk tomorrow.”
“Are you sure I shou-”
“Yes.”
Sighing, I nodded, “Sweet dreams, Luna.”
“Sweet dreams, Page.”
With that I left through the balcony. Spreading my wings in the sunlight, I took to the air. I didn’t fly far though, just rounding the small palace and pulled up to the throneroom. I banked in through one of the openings and pulled up hard. I turned it into a flip and wrapped my tail around one of the supports of the roof.
Using my wings to stop the worst of the swinging, I then pulled my legs to myself and wrapped my wings around myself, closing my eyes, trying to sleep.
I felt like a dick.