"I thought I told you not to set hoof on Equestrian soil again, Baron." Tia said softly, as their hoofsteps took them into the crowd of other dancers - blending in to the whirling colors, wings and manes of dozens of other ponies. He's planned this so he can get me alone. Why? Tia felt her hooves moving on automatic - this was an old dance. A simple, gentle waltz that flowed from step to step. With anypony else, Tia might have felt flushed and happy... it had been ages since anypony had danced with her, much less like this. Even worried as she was about the presence of the Baron... she could not help but smile a little.
Baron Siegfried laughed a little, his head bowed in acknowledgment. "I hesitate to correct you, M'lady - but you specified that I was not permitted back so long as you sat upon the throne." His red-purple eyes danced with amusement as he gave her a gallant little dip to the sounds of the modern thumping music. "Besides which, we both know I am absolutely terrible at following rules." He winked cheekily at her, and Tia let out an amused sort of sigh.
Tia's mind was racing, but the Baron seemed awfully... jovial. "I suppose that's true enough." She allowed, with a little nod of her head as he swept her about the grass. The two of them, dancing in the moonlight... Tia's mind ranged back to a memory she hadn't thought of in a very long time. "Baron... why did you come here, tonight?" She asked, slowly. She just could not fathom why he was here... there was no political gain to be made here. No valuable prize, except..."Baron, why did you come to see me tonight?" she asked, almost fearing the answer.
The Baron's bright eyes softened a little - the music slowing down to a gentle sort of dance. Classical, romantic music meant for couples. "Why would I not wish to see my true love?" He asked in his gentlest voice, his hooves moving slowly, perfectly in time with hers. He had always been a good dancer. "The one pony who truly understands me. We have shared the ages together, Celestia." He said, in his most whisper soft tones. "We have both lived for countless centuries. We have loved, we have lost, and we have comforted one another in our darkest times." His smile was gentle, caring. "I never properly thanked you for being there when Ruby Red passed on."
Tia felt a little smile tug at her lips in spite of herself. "And I did not thank you for being there when... when I had to send Luna away." Her eyes closed for a moment in anguish. "You deserved better treatment than you have often gotten from me, Baron. No matter what our differences might be, you are still a good pony somewhere beneath that cape." She gave him a rather stern look. "You might be a blood-sucking fiend, but you have always been the very best of your kind." She said in an acidic, almost sarcastic tone... but there was a gentle sort of caring there, for she meant every word.
The Baron gave off a soft, gruff laugh. "You still say it exactly as you see it, my dear. I have always admired that about you." Their steps minced together, back and forth gently. "I have not just come here to see you though, Tia. I intend to build my new home here." Her eyes widened a little in shock, and he grinned toothily - a glimpse of a fang in the corner of his mouth. "But I do not deny..." He started, and then hesitated. That was downright unusual for him... the Baron had always been extremely self-assured. "I do not deny that I wish you would now reconsider my offer. Now that no throne ensnares you with its chains." He said in a passionate, quiet voice.
Tia went silent for a few moments, their dancing slowing down to a stop as she gently detangled her hooves from his. "Siegfried, you know why I can't do that." She said quietly, gently pawing at the ground with her hoof. "We... I..." Tia stumbled over her words, and then felt a gentle hoof squeeze her shoulder. She sighed heavily. "So much has happened in these past two weeks. I've lost so much. My world is all tumbled about and there is no sign that it will ever be righted." She said in her quietest voice, wondering why she was telling him these things. Because, Tia - you need to tell somepony... and who else would understand? She thought with a touch of bitterness. Yes. Who else but Siegfried, of all ponies, could understand what she had lost?
"I know..." The Baron said gently, and Tia looked up in surprise at the pain in his voice. "It wounds me to see you like this, M'lady. To see the proud and powerful Celestia driven down to... this sad and lonely creature before me." He said earnestly, a hoof pressed over his heart, his voice thick with emotion. "I know you believe that you could never leave your path behind, but... My door will always be open to you. My gift..." He gently licked his fangs in an obvious way. "Yours for the taking. You need but give me the word, and I shall lift your burden from your shoulders, and give you the life you truly deserve as my Baroness."
Baron Siegfried looked off to one side, then took her hoof gently in his and kissed the tip of it. "I sense your companion for the evening approaching. For now then, I must beg my leave of you M'lady." His eyes glimmered in the moonlight. "And if ever you need me, you need but whisper my name upon the wind - and I shall come to you. For whatever you may require." His cape whirled in a flash of red silk... and he was gone in puff of smoke.
Tia sighed heavily. Still the showpony. she thought bemusedly, looking at her hoof in silence for a moment. It would be so easy. Her thoughts whispered traitorously. He would give you everything, Tia. Treat you like a queen. Love you unconditionally. You would be free of all of your responsibilities. He knows you in a way nopony else does... You could be happy, and all at the low, one time only price of your soul. She shook her head slowly, setting her hoof back down to the ground as a voice spoke up gently behind her. "Geeze, sorry about the wait there, Tia." Cloud Chaser said in an aggrieved tone. "I had to shake loose a coupla old colt-friends who didn't know how to take No for an answer and... hey, you okay?"
Tia started and turned to face the concerned looking Cloud Chaser, with a soft smile. "Yes." she said with quiet conviction, which brought a slow smile onto Chaser's face. "And it's quite alright." She titled her ears to the music - hearing the thumping dance beats of before blaring out across the grassy plain outside of the library. "So. Would you be so kind as to show me how the young people dance these days?" Tia joked softly, in her stuffiest Canterlot tone. I will not dwell on him tonight. No. I deserve a few moments of undimmed joy.
Cloud Chaser just laughed. "It'd be my pleasure, Tia." She grinned and swept Tia up in her hooves and across the grass.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The saddlebags were packed and tightly clasped shut, the house was clean and the fridge was empty. "Thank you for understanding, love." The mare quietly said, her horn lighting up a silvery blue as she gently lifted an ancient wooden trunk out from under the bed. "I know she's going to want to meet you, but it will be easier if she just has to deal with me for now." The trunk latches hadn't been opened in a long time, but a touch of magic on each and they popped with the same metallic tinkle as they had so long ago. "You're going to be staying up in the palace then?" the mare asked quietly as she gently ran her hooves over the old, smooth fabric within the trunk.
The stallion nodded once. "Yes. Queen Cadence has generously provided me a room in the royal wing. I guess all those years of loyal service were worth something." There was a distinct pause as he stood there - the mare swinging that smooth fabric over her shoulders with her hooves, clasping it around her neck with a twist born of old habit. "You're sure you want me to tell her?" He asked quietly, wrapping his hoof around her neck. "I'm worried she won't take it very well."
The mare nodded once. "She deserves the truth. I am tired of waiting for Celestia to do the right thing and tell either of them the whole story." She lifted a few more things and strapped them to the saddle bags - and a sense of warmth and love flowed over her as the enchantments upon the cloak took effect. She looked over into the mirror, and lit her horn up to unweave a spell she'd cast a very long time ago now. There was just the barest glimmer as her eyes changed color, her coat lightened and her mane reverted.
The stallion took up a place next to her, turning her head with his hoof he kissed her firmly on the lips. For a few long moments they remained that way, each returning the passion of the other - until he pulled away with a roguish smile. "I like your eyes." He said simply, and the mare blushed a little. "I'll tell them both. They both deserve to know the whole truth." He sighed deeply. "I can only hope they'll forgive us."
The mare nodded and smiled softly at him. "They'll hardly be cross at you. But Celestia or myself on the other hoof, well." She exhaled deeply. "I cannot tell. I can only do what is right. At the very least, she has been safe from my enemies..." she fell silent then, and gently nuzzled her cheek to the stallions, a few tears gently streaming from her eyes. "I am so scared love... what if... what if she doesn't want to talk to me?"
The stallion shook his head slowly. "Don't think that, darlin." He said gently, lifting her head up to wipe away the tears. "You read the letters. You saw the report. She's going to want to see you again, more than anything." He gently kissed her cheek and smiled. "Now get going. You've got a train to catch." He snatched something from atop her saddle bags... a hat... and pressed it onto her head firmly. "There. Now you look like the first day I met you." His eyes twinkled with love. "And don't worry so much. Before you know it, we'll all be sharing a Harvest Feast together, and enjoying the incredibly awkward conversation over cranberry sauce and pie."
That startled a giggle out of the mare, and she nodded once. She lifted up her hooves and grabbed him firmly by the ears to kiss him quite thoroughly on the mouth. A few moments later, she pulled away to speak quietly. "I'll see you in a few weeks then. Don't go getting into any trouble with that dissonance power, do you hear me?" She said with a quiet intensity, and he nodded with a solemn smile. "I love you." she whispered, then lifted her saddlebags, sneaking them under her cloak before sweeping out into the dark streets.
The stallion smiled after her quietly, before picking up his own bags and starting off for the palace. Things were getting very interesting indeed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"C'mon, Tia! Shake that flank!" Chaser enthused to Tia, as she swayed her body to the rhythm - her own hips swaying the skirts of her red dress from side to side and flaring up with a flick of her tail. It was... erotic as all hell, and Tia blushed brightly. Goddess, I don't remember dancing being quite this wild! But everypony around them was dancing in a similar manner... well. When in Roam, I suppose. She thought and put a little bit more of a shake into her dance - slipping into the beat slowly.
This is... a lot like gypsy dancing! Tia's thought suddenly exclaimed as she realized the rolling hip shakes, the swaying to the deep, throbbing beat...Well, that changes everything! Tia's mouth suddenly split into a grin. Chaser blinked at her in surprise and Tia winked. "You mean like this?" She asked with an arched eyebrow... and did a little double tap of her back hooves as she backed up a step. Then smiled... sultrily. Heh. Watch this Chaser... I'll show you how we did it back in the old days. Tia thought wickedly.
She waited for the downbeat in the song before twitching her hip into it, then swayed back to twitch her other in response to the second beat. She lifted one hoof off the ground and snatched a discarded scarf from where another party-goer had laid it and twirled it up and around her head and horn, then gave it a stiff pull so it fluttered around her mane and neck enticingly, her hips continuing to sway and twitch to every slow beat of the strange techno-classical music. Tia closed her eyes, and focused on each precise and undulating movement of her body. She felt the music flow through her, slowly let the tension out of her body and just danced for the first time in a very long time.
The crowd around her began to clap and stomp with the beat, and Tia felt a flush of pleasure and pride cross her face. She'd learned a lot of interesting and odd skills over the years, and this was one of the oddest... but right now, it felt glorious to just let herself go like this. She'd have killed for a tambourine to play right now, with all the eyes of the crowd upon her and Cloud Chaser's jaw halfway to the ground as she peeked out of her eye. That made her smile widen considerably, as she twirled the scarf around her body and then sleekly drew it off as she pivoted in place.
She whirled in place, lifting off her front hooves to dance on her rear two, clapping her hooves together as she did a merry little jig in place. She skipped towards Chaser, her eyes opening up and a wicked little thought entering her mind. Oh, that'll be fun! Tia's thoughts enthused - the edges of her anxiety blunted into uselessness by the wine, she felt flush and free to do anything she might please. Who cared if she scandalized them a bit? How long had it been since she'd had fun like this? Tia couldn't honestly remember.
She whipped the scarf around Cloud Chasers' neck and grabbed the other end in her teeth - dragging her into the middle of the big circle of ponies who had gathered to watch her dance. Chaser's mouth broke into a wide, happy smile and she slipped up extra close to Tia... Close enough that the red silk frills of the dress brushed up against Tia's chest. The feel was sensual and soft, and it sent a little atavistic chill down Tia's spine. Goddess.. her thoughts were reduced to whispering, as she whipped the scarf around Chaser's neck and then drew it away in a tug with her teeth.
Chaser began to dance along with her - following her rhythm and swaying in time with her. All worries about Siegfried, about the race laws, about fitting in or making friends... all of it melted away as she whirled around the pegasus mare with bright red cheeks and a giggle in her throat. And clearly, Chaser was enjoying herself too - their hooves pressed up together, Chaser's voice whispering hotly. "Follow my lead." And then she took Tia's hoof in hand and spun her around, dipping her down low before whirling her back to her hooves and then spinning her into Chaser's forehooves - Tia felt dizzy and elated, her back pressed up to Chaser's dress and wiggled against the soft silky frills of the dress. Chaser held both of Tia's forehooves in her own and smiled wickedly, and began to dance with their bodies pressed together...
Tia had to admit it now. This was incredibly arousing. So much so that she began to fear she might show signs of it right in public. Her own forehooves wrapped around her chest as Chaser held them together, leading her along in an intricate step as their hips swayed together to the beat... it was all too much. Tia felt her breath coming in short pants, and just before she could take no more, Chaser spun her out into her own at the climax of the music, and took a bow. Tia followed suit and the crowd burst into thunderous applause and stomping. Ponies whistled and cheered, and no few calls of "Encore!" assaulted her ears.
Tia had never before performed on a stage, or for any group - large or small - of ponies in anything like dancing. She felt the heady rush of pleasure, and wondered if this was what they meant when they said 'there's no business like show business.' She wiped the sweat off her brow and waved a little, giggling like a school filly until Chaser tugged her back towards their table. The both of them were breathing heavily, and Chaser's wings looked... just a little bit stiff. "By the skies, Tia! You didn't tell me you could dance like that!" Chaser exclaimed, almost collapsing into her chair with a heated look in her eye. "Where in Equestria did you learn that?"
Tia's flushed cheeks grew a little redder, as she seized upon a passing tray of water pitchers and dragged one to her table - pouring a healthy dose of clean, cool water and downing it in a single go. "I ah... When I was rather young, a Gypsy Fair passed through Canterlot" She smiled softly, pouring another glass of the water as she continued to speak. "I saw the older mares dancing, and I told them I really wanted to learn how to dance like that. They offered to teach me for a little money and..." She waved her hoof as if in explanation. "I learned the rest over the years, every time a fair would pass near Canterlot." She felt her smile widening, all nervousness forgotten. "That was nothing, by the way... You ought to see me do it with a proper band and the proper costume." Tia winked cheekily at Chaser.
Chaser shook her head with a chuckle. “I don't think my heart could survive that, Tia." She smiled slowly, her eyes settling into a gentle heat... Tia's heart began to beat very quickly at that look. "So..." Chaser drew out the word slowly, a smoky smile settling on her lips. "I'd love to get to know you... a little more intimately." She whispered softly. She leaned from her chair over to Tia, who licked her suddenly dry lips... Chaser was still talking in a soft whisper. "It's alright... You don't have to be nervous. You can say stop any time..." She said with a slow smile - they were inches away now...Tia's lips met Cloud Chaser's softly, and a gentle heat pressed between them. Tia leaned into that simple kiss, stirring up old feelings deep inside her body and mind. Her eyes closed and she just... let it happen.
It felt good to do that, for a change.
~~~~~~The Everfree Forest~~~~~~
A small swarm of changelings buzzed hither and yon, gathering up piles of supplies and distributing them amongst the greater swarm that now camped along the edge of the forest. Tonight, no changeling was going hungry - for the city before them was radiating so much love that it was providing a feast all the way through the swarm. Though they only nibbled a bit at the edges of it - no need to arouse the ire of their Queen by feeding more fully. Some of the swarm had thought this to be foolish... until they were reminded of what had happened the last time they'd gotten greedy for that love.
Still, Blackedge was worried. With the Hivemaster gone, marching towards the city of Canterlot to pledge formal allegiance to the Queen, He was the highest-ranking warrior brood still here. That made him nominally in charge of the swarm in the absence of any changeling Nymphs to direct her will. Likely, the Hivemaster would ensure Queen Twilight handled that need soon. And there were no few members of R'akk Hive here, still stinging after their bitter defeat here a week ago...
Sure enough, as though the thought of them had summoned trouble, three drone-scouts scurried up to his command post. He didn't even need to read the physical report they'd made - the Hive Mind told him all he needed to know. A group of R'akk warriors and drones had left the forest ahead of time. They'd taken up random disguises and were intending to crash one of the larger parties in town to feed deeply on the surfeit of love. Blackedge wanted to crush something - so he stepped very firmly on a large buzzybeetle with a satisfying crunch.
"Sssend word to Scrolls!" He commanded, grabbing one of the messenger drones by the throat. "Ssshe must be warned! The Guard must be sssummoned! We cannot have this alliance dying in the clutch!" He snarled, and the messenger drone flew off at astonishing speed towards the town. He sighed softly, then turned to one of the warrior drones under his command. "Put together a sssquad of Hunters. We shall show these Equestrians that we will sssshow no mercy to our own who flaunt the law." He said with a snap to his tone. The warrior saluted and buzzed off down the line to find the right warriors for the job.
So much for his night of Celebration. He dearly hoped the Baron was having a better time.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Baron Siegfried sat at a quiet table outside a peculiar structure in Ponyville - not terribly far from the Library, where he could hear the music and cheering going on behind him. Despite the late hour, this 'Sugar Cube Corner' was still doing booming business due to its sale of liquor and other sweet delights under the supervision of a tall, lanky looking earth pony stallion. They made the most marvelous cupcakes that the Baron had sampled in more than a century. Then again, it was being run by the legendary Cake family - a family of bakers that was nearly as old as Equestria itself - so perhaps he needn't be so surprised.
For tonight though, his focus was on the tall glass of bright red cherry wine, which he sipped at moodily. She had been there, in his own hooves. Dancing with him, as though it were a millennium and more ago. As though the years and the pain of loss had not driven a wedge between them... although perhaps that wedge was long gone now. She had not banished him from her sight, nor railed at him and his race. She had given him a smile. She had apologized no less! Clearly, the events of the last few weeks had deeply harmed Celestia's psyche.
It truly had set an ache in his heart for her, made him want to just... reach out and take away that pain. Her divine magic was all but gone - sealed away from her use. He could have done it - could have bent his power against her will. In her current state, she might have even given in willingly if only to feel a little respite from the pain and anxiety and the loss. But he had not, he would not - as he had vowed to himself twenty centuries ago. Celestia deserved better than that. She was not some tavern wench to be played with for a time then returned to her life with newfound youth and vigor. She was not some haughty noblepony to be broken down and laid low for her arrogance.
No. Celestia was his love, as she had always been. Since the very first day he had seen her glorious form. Even now, even without her wings - that strength, that beautiful soul still shone through. Her eyes had been saddened, but not broken. Her shoulders sagged with weariness, but not bent with defeat. Had anypony else been put through what she had, the Baron had no doubt they would have been a quivering, weeping wreck.
But not Celestia. Not his Baroness. No. He would woo her to his side, and grant her his eternal gift. They would dance through the night together, an eternal flame of Love upon the world. Surely, the Queen would approve as well - Celestia could finally let all of that Passion she held so deeply in her soul free, and she would be a worthy addition to the Nightmare Court.
For tonight however, The Baron needed to seek his comfort elsewhere. He took a deep pull of the wine and scanned the crowd with a lazy eye. Nothing here to suit him. He would need to return to the celebration. Perhaps that distressed looking grey pegasus, with the beautiful golden eyes. He had felt her sadness even in the presence of Celestia's radiance. Clearly, she needed an infusion of confidence and life.
The Baron smiled - Dissonance would provide for her. Since Harmony clearly could not.