Celestia stared over him as his chest rose and fell, Cadence present just next to her.
"When is he gonna wake up?"
"Auntie, it's only been two moons."
"Two moons too long."
"You really are smitten."
"You'd be the one to know."
Celestia inhaled and exhaled deeply, "it's even more concerning that Sunset hasn't been seen for this entire time either."
Cadence looked to his bag, "I have a feeling that Arctus knows the truth and that we'll get the truth soon."
"Is that well wishing?"
"It's hope."
Arctus flapped his eyes open, swinging his body up as he had done a handful of times in the healing dens of Aeternia.
He looked about, seeing his now beaten and shoddy armor and quickly began to don it as he always does, equipping his full gear despite his lightheadedness.
And he was out of his recovery room, walking down the halls, not caring that the IV's that had been supplying him were ripped off by his own hands as he put clothes on. Nurses were running at him, all blathering for him to lay back down.
"I've. Lost. Enough. Time," and he marched, unfazed by their words and not a single one dared to stop him, in fear of killing the one man that stood against the darker shadows in Equestria.
Let alone the star that puts a shine in Celestia's eyes.
"Call her, call the Princess right now!" A doctor screeched at the front desk receptionist.
Arctus pushed open the door and began walking down the street, right toward the castle, even as his vision faltered in black. He did not yet complete an assignment until he gave his report.
He made it the entire way there, nurses harassing him the whole way, but his hearing was short at the moment, his vision holding as he went up the steps on his hands and feet and pushed open both doors, finding his way to the throne rooms with guards also harassing him the way, but the moment he opened a door they stopped and he proceeded into throne room. Celestia stood at the platform alone with guards next to her. The townspony words were caught in his throat as Arctus approached.
He stood in front of her, swaying before stabilizing himself.
Celestia did receive the call from the hospital, but she knew him very well and knew this is what he wanted before he took his rest.
And he wouldn't take no for an answer.
"The kingdom in the Bone Dry Desert is subdued, all military force has been defeated alone with much of the civilians. They know not who did it."
"Well do-."
"Another piece of information. Litzrer Kanna, another Aeternian has been found and slain there. There may be other Aeternians, who away from home, have turned to more mindless war and violence to satisfy the purpose they were trained and made for."
The guards had a small opening in their mouths.
"Arctus...you killed one of your...comrades?" He nodded.
And Celestia thought back to when he first came to Canterlot as her beacon of hope.
"I was incapacitated from the wound, apologies for not delivering this report earlier," he drew the small sword and greatsword Kanna used, almost falling over, "take these weapons and inter them into a clay urn after you melt and grind them."
He let them clatter to the floor.
"I have more information of this report," he approached the platform and climbed up it, handing Celestia the note Sunset wrote, "Sunset Shimmer has escaped from Equestria to a different world. Would you like me to pursue?"
Celestia smiled at him, "dutiful to a fault. You couldn't chase her if you wanted, that portal is closed and will be for a very, very long time."
"You know where she went?"
"I will tell you later, you need to rest."
"Cancel court for the rest of the day, I ne-."
"Princess, you can't be seri-!" The townspony was cut off with a sharp look from Arctus, swallowing material fear back.
"I need to take care of Arctus."
"Princess, we can send the infirmary to-."
"No no, this is simply something that I must do."
Arctus looked to the gathering of guards they we behind the throne room door, "send some sheet metal to my quarters again, and some wire. I need a sewing kit and some fabric as well," and they went about.
He was the Scout of Equestria, even if nopony wanted to mention it. He brought his Aeternia with him.
Celestia went along as he walked, covered his back with one of her wings, but not touching him.
"Arctus, show me that wound," Celestia demanded.
"It's healed."
"Show me it anyway."
He was already stripping out of most of his gear and had left his tunic off, lifting an arm to show the great slash that went diagonal along his ribs.
"Ponyfeathers," the ruler cursed, "you should not have made it back at all."
"A Scout-."
"Enough with that, I already know what you're going to say before you say it," she lit her horn, organizing his equipment away for him just the way he liked. She already had a special small bed made for the egg of Glacegere and used her magic further to heat the bed just a little, "you're so proud that even in your almost dead state you want to speak your ideals to me," she pushed him to the bed and laid him in it, using more magic to cover him with the warm blankets, "you. Are. Resting. Understood?"
"..."
"I take that as agreeance, I've already sen-," a knock came to the door, "come in," Celestia was still at the bed side.
Cadence entered, wheeling in a cart of foods for him.
"I hope you don't mind, but I went back to your home myself and fetched some of the food you make to sustain your proteins."
"Auntie, are you sure this is a good idea? You did let him walk the whole way here and he just needs more rest, you can still-.""
"And he wouldn't have let me stop him, Cadence. Sunset Shimmer is gone and I have grief for my student who rejected my teachings, but right now Arctus needs me, his true friend, in this moment. Equestria can wait."
Powerful words, Arctus' senses were coming back slowly after the long walk and climb up the stairs to the bed, he made out those last three words of hers.
"Equestria...can not wait. It needs a defender."
"Not you," Cadence spoke this time, "you're in the care of Nurse Celestia now and she's not afraid to put her patients back to bed."
Cadence trotted back to the door, "I'll leave for you to rest."
Celestia sighed, "I have so many questions, but for now," she levitated a utensil up and began to feed Arctus herself, "you're eating this entire feast."
Arctus was feeling much better after he ate, his body had real, actual calories to use to repair the damage done.
He burped heartily.
"If you're healthy enough to do that then I don't think you're close to death's door."
"I...I have a lot of my strength back."
"And still a lot more to get back."
"You said you have questions for me."
Celestia sighed, "so stubborn, but so...attractive. I'm kind of liking how you treat me just like you would a normal pony, but still as a special close friend of yours."
"Celestia, questions. The annihilation of Equestria's enemies is my responsibility and if you have questions, I need to give you answers to we can sort any potential threat away."
"My first; how did Sunset get away?" She inhaled before the question, letting it out in a single breath.
"I was battling Kanna when it happened, she must have pre-written the note and teleported when I used a tunnel of my spear's cold fire to prevent Kanna from retreating away."
"I see," she sighed, "she's gone through a mirror that was in the old castle in your forest. I plan to move it here soon. I was keeping a close eye on her, but maybe you've taught her something she hasn't considered yet."
"Understood, I can escort you or whoever you send to retrieve. My forest knows my authority and will bend to my will."
"I thought the Everfree was peculiar to begin with, but knowing how much you influenced it, I guess it just takes a certain amount of grit or firmness to tame."
Arctus smirked at the compliment.
"Who is-was Kanna?"
"Kanna was part of the Aeternian army, a kind of shock trooper known as a Litzrer. They're well adapted for conflicts at any range and are heavily armored. She would seek me out at times in Aeternia for favors and I her if I needed some of her reports for an assignment."
"Was she a lover?"
"No, nothing like you-," Arctus froze in his sentence. His energy deprived mind had let something slip at an inopportune moment.
But it played to his favor, something he wouldn't know. Celestia blushed at the remark, clearing her throat, "and she's dead now?"
"Yes, but there may be more Aeternians."
"Was she the head of the military there? Did she have a plan?"
"Yes, she was the leader. She intended to conquer Equestria and conscript ponies to take them to fight for her against something or someone who slighted her in this world."
Celestia stood in thought, teleporting the empty cart away and back to the kitchen, "I...well I won't ask in detail, we're thankful for you, Arctus," he continued to stare at her, "something on your mind?"
"A couple things. Please leave the Aeternians to me, I'll dispatch any who oppose Equestria and try to win over those who operate alone," Celestia nodded, "and once I'm rested...would you celebrate with me? I purchased some cherry wine from that little outpost near the badlands."
"Of course," Celestia started to head to the door, "is there anything else you need before you rest up some more?"
"This is a selfish request," the alicorn turned her body back to him, showing that he had her full attention, "would you mind staying with me? Even while I rest and sleep?"
And of course, the Commander of the Sun would indulge in this request as much as he wanted her to. She may lose her composure over some words, but she wouldn't when it came to listening to a mutual need.
"Loneliness?"
"I just enjoy your company, Celestia," she trotted back over.
"I think you enjoy me, not just having company. It's nice to know someone at least learned something about friendship with the time they spent around me," she levitated the covers up some, some spite in her voice.
"What are you doing?" Arctus propped himself up with an elbow while Celestia took her royal adornments and crown off.
"Hmm? You didn't want my presence after all?"
"I...I appreciate you being here," Arctus wised up, "oh, that's a joke."
"Don't think I haven't seen the way you look at me, nor how our whole relationship first started. Even if you don't know what this is, I definitely do," she climbed into the bed, sliding close to him and lifting the Scout up with her wings, hugging him tight, "why else would you go so far out of the way to protect Equestria with me?"
He was cold, very cold despite the blankets that she warmed. She knew he had lost an incredible amount of blood butto be almost fully coherent in conversation while he was crippled like this was a testament to his endurance.
And to his commitment.
"Your fur is comfier than I imagined it would be."
"You've never touched a pony? Not even once?"
"Not even once."
"I'm glad to give you your first hug then."
"How did you know th-."
"Come now, your inexperience is an eye sore, don't pretend like I can't see through every window you opened for me," to her...Arctus was the same record, playing over and over and while she discovered new notes, she was also familiar each time she heard something she hadn't.
And he was her favorite record, always spinning everytime it was home.
"You truly are incredibly durable, but your time for talking is over," Celestia locked the door with her magic and drew the curtains in the room as the Sun was setting a very early that day.
But Equestria would understand.
"But there are still uncertainties to discuss."
"Shhh, it's time to sleep, there will always be uncertainties but you can not face them unless you are rested," she wrapped her hooves around him as she slept on her side, giving him all the warmth he needed.
She watched him close his eyes, a glint of bright white in them and in just a few seconds he was breathing deep and asleep.