Twilight was tearing through ‘101 ways to impress a dinner guest’…again. She didn’t know what else to do. It was almost like a stress relief trigger. She didn’t think it was a bad habit. In her mind there was nothing out of the ordinary with reading four volumes worth of diplomatic history and griffin social etiquette within a couple of hours.
There was also nothing out of the ordinary with her hair was standing up perfectly straight or that she was sweating bullets. All that mattered was the soft, crisp sound that was made as she turned each page of a book. It also didn’t matter that her magic was acting erratically making it extremely difficult to stop herself from ripping the pages from the book.
In fact she barely noticed when Luna walked into the chamber with her head hung low. Twilight only turned when Luna bumped into one of the many piles of books stacked up around Twilight. Luna glanced down briefly at one of the titles of the books. Twilight glared at Luna with great ferocity.
“Where have you been? I mean you just upped and disappeared! Why didn’t you tell me about what’s going on? I mean I know you’re busy and all but this is like the newest, most important, world ending test ever! And I only have a few days to study!” Twilight pulled viciously on her mane with her magic as her jaw clicked in and out and her pupils shrunk to an almost impossible size. "I mean it's not like I've been left completely in the dark here by you and Celestia!!!"
“I’m sorry,” replied Luna. Her voice almost monotone as she walked past Twilight to the bed.
“That’s okay. I mean we just need loads of preparation work. If you take piles eight through seventeen and I take piles twenty seven through forty we should both possess sufficent knowledge enough to…” Twilight stopped after realising that something was amiss. Her features returned to a more normal state though her hair was still spiked up. She turned her gaze over to Luna who outside of apologising had said nothing. Instead she found Luna staring up at the artificially starlit ceiling of Twilight’s room on her back. Twilight’s anxiety ridden face was replaced by a mask of concern as she tentatively walked over to Luna, who still was fixated with the ceiling.
“Hey kind of having a panic attack over here.It'd be nice to have a bit of acknowledgement." Luna remained unmoving. Twilight moved over to Luna's side. "Luna snap out of it I'm not done giving out to you yet." Luna still hadn't moved. "Hello Earth to Luna." Twilight poked Luna's side with her hoof. "I need you help to prepare for this damned meeting!"
“So you know,” responded Luna melancholically. “I’m sorry Twilight. I should have known sooner.” Twilight could not hold back a massive frown.
"Sooner? Wait, what do you mean by sooner? I thought you knew."
Luna’s silence was answer enough for both of them. The uncomfortable conclusion hung in the air like a thick fog. Twilight was unsure how to formulate an emotional response to the situation. It was quite obvious that Luna was not well, though she didn’t seem angry just…tired. Worn out, as if a burden had been placed on her shoulders. The signs of this were not lost to Twilight.
It was also obvious that Luna’s emotional response was of a direct result towards what Luna perceived as another attempt by the ‘system’ to isolate her from politics and the day to day running of the goverment. At least that was what Twilight’s rational thoughts made of the situation. Twilight momentarily let a bit of anger enter her system. The council had no right to treat Luna like this. No matter what the nobility said.
Twilight was well aware of the nobilities views on Luna. She had picked up on the occasionally scrap of stray gossip during her stays in Canterlot before her coronation, usually in the bars and the high class diners in which the nobility nestled themselves into. When Twilight was but Luna’s friend she had felt offended and disgusted by what the nobility had said but now that the two of them were much more than that now, in retrospect it made her blood boil. Though Twilight made the decision that it was best to discuss what happened rather than stew in anger.
"You want to talk about it?" Twilight moved closer to the bed.
"There is nothing to talk about Twilight. I…" Luna thought carefully before she spoke her next few words. "I dealt with it for now. Just some old animosity is all. Nothing to fret over."
"It’s clearly something to fret over considering you didn’t even acknowledge the mess I made." Twilight waved her hoof over to the mass piles of books that were now currently occupying the floor.
"Truth be told I was more impressed with the fort you have created over there out of the old encyclopaedias." Luna moved her head to show where a rather large looking stack of books had been built into a small hut. "A most impressive structure considering some of those books are more than three hundred years old." Twilight’s face fell in outrage before her magic quickly destroyed her creation and placed each of the books in an orderly fashion back on the shelf.
"I didn’t know that," hissed Twilight. "Oh Faust I hope I didn’t damage them." Twilight began dancing in place like she needed to use the toilet. Despite her sour mood Luna could not resist laughing. She sat up and pulled Twilight over with her wing. Twilight yelped and sprawled over into the covers losing her balance because of Luna’s actions, in the process accidently impaling one of the pillows on the bed with her rather sharp horn. Twilight eventually got her bearings together and raised her head with a feather in her mouth. Luna could only giggle madly before removing the pillow from Twilight’s head.
She then leaned slowly in and grazed Twilight’s lips. She then caught the feather from Twilight's mouth with her lips and gave a little tug taking it from Twilight before placing the feather on the bed. Luna smiled as she moved one of Twilight’s bangs from her eyes with her hoof.
“There all better. Never change my dear,” purred Luna.
"D-d-don’t think you can escape explaining what happened missy," said the flustered Twilight whose cheeks still held the tinge of a blush.
"Must you always kill the mood with your completely relevant questions?"
"Are you going to tell me what happened or not or am I going to have to extract it from you." Twilight smiled maliciously. Luna gulped as a long feather was taken from one of the pillows. "Your sister may have mentioned to me that you may or may not be ticklish." Twilight hovered the feather near Luna’s stomach. "Maybe I should put this hypothesis to the test." Twilight flicked the feather with her magic. Luna half laughed, half hiccupped in response. "Unless you are willing to divulge what’s really troubling you?"
“Really Twilight it’s nothing –ahhh."
Luna lost her breath quickly as Twilight attacked her underbelly with the feather. Luna fell over almost paralyzed under its consistent bombardment. Twilight took pleasure in knowing Luna was at her complete and utter mercy. She decided to cease her exploit of this newly found weakness of the moon goddess in order to once again state her ultimatum.
"I ask once again Luna. What’s troubling you?" Her voice bordering on the verge of teasing. Twilight approached Luna hovering over the defeated princess as she awaited an answer.
Luna noticedthis tactical error on Twilight's part. She had removed the range of her attack. Luna quickly formulated a plan to subdue Twilight and stop her devilish assault upon Luna.
Luna quickly turned over onto her side managing to land a pillow to the side of Twilight’s face with a brief a magical brief burst. Twilight flapped her wings uselessly as she gave a delayed response to this retaliation. Luna then struck. With her opponent stunned she grabbed Twilight and dragged Twilight towards her chest, capturing her within her hooves. Luna smiled down at her the mare within her hooves. Twilight was shocked how quickly the tables had turned.
"I believe victory is mine, lover," whispered Luna. Twilight squirmed in her grasp though she reluctantly admitted to herself how comfortable of a position she was in, though that did not deter her from her goal.
"Come on Luna. Release me this instant," huffed Twilight as she pulled against the vice like grip of her partner. "You know I’m not as strong as you. Just because you have won the battle will not stop me from asking questions." Luna sighed despondently in response though she did not release Twilight. She collected her thoughts while Twilight waited patiently for a response. Luna looked down at Twilight. She did not see any signs of faltering within the mare.
"You will not leave me be till I tell you will you?"
"Noooooppe."
Luna allowed herself a small smile at her partner’s persistence on the matter. It was what had made Twilight Sparkle worthy of her new position. Her natural caring nature mixed with her ruthless need to solve a problem whether it concerned friendship or advanced magical research had truly made her a most unique pony. Luna was eternally grateful that she had been blessed with such a pony to be at her side. It made the weary toll of the immortal road she was born to take seem less dreary and dull, a lantern of light amongst the unknown darkness that was time.
Luna leaned back and laid Twilight across her chest as she returned her gaze to the roof. She was annoyed that one of the constellations was out of place but kept silent, to give way for more pressing matters.
"I had another argument with the Prime Minister. Some words were said."
"Luna I feel like that’s not the full story."
Luna cursed Twilight's ability to see past her bending of the truth. She could tell Twilight about the prime minister knowing of their relationship. But that would worsen Twilight’s anxieties. She had enough on her plate already. Luna was afraid to admit it had been all her fault. Her carelessness had cost her once again.
She could contain this if she wished and Twilight would not have to know a thing. The prime minister lacked hard evidence that she and Twilight were in a relationship. All he had was some off hoof report and wild speculation. Unless he had pictures of the two engaging in romantic activites, to which Luna prayed to the divines he did not. The very thought made her shudder.
But a part her was also torn on lying to Twilight. Relationships in this modern world were built on trust. Twilight had always been honest to her. Luna could only be expected to return this trait to Twilight.
The prime minister was playing a bluff. A dangerous one but a bluff nonetheless. It would be the end of his political career should the news ever hit the presses. Sadly that could not be said for one of his lackeys to which he could pass the information onto via leaving around public records. It didn't take a genius to It would be quite easy to ‘accidently’ slip these rumours to the press for a hefty fee.Luna and Celestia would be humiliated, Twilight disgraced and Storm Mount's position untouchable due to having no direct involvement. That was what Luna feared most.
She was glad Twilight had temporarily buried her head into Luna’s coat least she see the deep scowl resting on her lips. She was conflicted. She decided to tell the truth. It would be unjust to conceal her faults from Twilight so soon after revealing them last night.
“I made a mistake Twilight.”
“A mistake.” Twilight looked up at Luna with a strange look, though she didn’t let go of Luna. "What kind of mistake? One like the ones you were talking about last night or one of your slip up mistakes? Do I need to get the chart again?"
"No, the chart will not be necessary this time Twilight," sighed Luna. She returned her gaze to the ceiling hoping that it would bring her some bit of comfort. It did not.
"He knows Twilight."
"Who?"
"Storm Mount he…knows."
"Knows what?"
"About us."
"About us in what context?"
"Our relationship Twilight," groaned Luna. "He knows about us. He found out by looking at my travel records. I knew I should have flown by myself instead."
"Oh." Twilight was silent for a bit before she turned and looked up at the ceiling as well. Luna was surprised.
"I was expecting a bit more of a reaction."
"Well as much as I hate to say it Luna, I had anticipated this possibility. We weren’t exactly subtle at times. Remember that week before Nightmare Night?"
"How could I forget," said Luna blushing. "We were pretty loud. However did you explain it to Spike or the townsfolk for that matter?"
"I told them it was ghosts," replied Twilight smiling once again.
"And they believed you?" questioned Luna incredulously. She couldn’t hide her growing grim though. That had certainly been one wild night.
"Luna, within four years we’ve had spirits, parasprites, demented gods, timberwolves, and an Ursa and a sorceress bent on revenge wielding an ancient amulet attack Ponyville. I don’t think ghosts are too much of a stretch to believe in."
"I suppose it isn’t." Luna’s smile faded upon remembering the subject of this conversation. The two were silent for a while before Twilight spoke once again.
"I’ll never know how Cadence and Shinning Amor did this."
"Did what?"
"The whole secret relationship thing, I mean they’ve been dating for years and nopony was the wiser." Twilight threw her hooves up in the air in frustration. "We’ve been dating a couple of months and we got found out. I mean come on!"
"Well Shining Armor was the captain of the guard Twilight."
"I don’t see the relevance."
"Captains tend to have unrestricted access to royalty at any time in case of emergency. It would be rather easy to conceal one’s relationship by faking it through patriotic loyalty. So I imagine our dear niece didn’t exactly need much of an excuse to engage his ‘services’." Luna wiggled her eyebrows at Twilight who gaped in horror at the thought.
"No. Please never make me think of my brother and my foalsitter like that again. It’s just…uhhh gross. I swear it’s worse just knowing that they were…uh… doing it on the job, if you will. Blegh."
"I don’t know. If this whole princess thing does work out, there always a position in the guard. You would make a rather dashing little guard." Luna licked her lips. "Especially in that tight fiiting armour." Twilight grimaced.
"Thanks Luna," said a sarcastic Twilight. "Good to know I’ll always have a job around here…and a stalker at that too." Luna just grinned as she nuzzled Twilight for what felt like the thousandth time. Yet it had always felt like it was their first. Abruptly an idea flashed into Luna’s mind. She shook Twilight to indicate of her sudden inspiration.
"Of course that’s it! Why do we not consult your brother and our niece on this? Surely they have knowledge that will aid us in dealing with the stress of forbidden love," Luna cried as she swooned.
"Where did the whole ‘forbidden love’ angle come in? Our love isn’t forbidden."
"It’s far more romantic if it’s forbidden Twilight."
"No it’s inconvenient. Our love is not forbidden but…it might as well be," heaved Twilight. "Anyhow were getting off topic Luna. I don’t think I’m ready to talk to Cadence and Shining armor about this."
"Why? We were of the opinion that you and your brother got on very well."
"Oh no, we do," announced Twilight whose eyes had gone wide. "It’s just that he and Cadence would…complicate things Luna."
"How so?"
"Luna, we already have enough problems with Storm Mount breathing down your throat the last thing we need is for my brother to join him. Cadence, well Cadence is Cadence. She’ll squeal and she’ll gossip. I don’t think we need that at the moment. She is going to kill me anyway for not telling her sooner." Twilight paused for a moment. "And for not getting together with Flash Sentry."
"She tried to set you up with Flash Sentry? When was this?" barked Luna. She deemed it betrayal on her niece’s part. Twilight gazed up at Luna in surprise. Luna turned her head to hide her embarrassment at her outburst.
"Before we started dating," stated Twilight. Luna sighed in relief. "I never got around to going on the date anyway." Luna felt rather smug about that part too. "Cadence was so disappointed."
"Why couldn’t you attend?"
"Spike got sick that day and I had to deal with one of Cutie Mark Crusaders escapades again. Twilight leaned back more so into Luna’s coat again. Needless to say I had my hooves full for the day so we never got around to it. He was reassigned shortly after then I started dating you."
"Well it’s good to hear that I and I alone am the mare that conquered the great Twilight Sparkle!" declared Luna. Twilight blushed again."Despite my nieces meddling."
"I-I am no prize and I am most certainly not something to be conquered!" Twilight protested weakly.
"Oh let me have my fun," said Luna as she hugged Twilight like a giant teddy bear. "So I take it my solution is out."
"Yes. Let’s deal with one problem at a time. We still have the Storm Mount to deal with. Do you think he’ll do anything with this information?"
"No. I don’t think so," replied an unsure Luna. "He’s loyal to Tia, Twilight." Luna scowled. "But no doubt he’ll use this news to keep me silent for now... It’s in his interest to keep me out of his way. He has bigger issues to deal with."
"Like what?"
"You."
"Oh." Twilight’s face flattened at her naivety. Luna shifted to get into a standing position. She released Twilight. Twilight was at first relieved to be free of her soft prison but was disappointed at the absence of warmth.
"Well more of you and the relation to the nobility corrected Luna. I do not need to tell you Twilight that they are some less…accepting members of government." Luna’s scowl deepened. "Storm Mount will no doubt have trouble preventing an open revolt with his cabinet since he supports you. For once I actually almost feel sorry for him." Twilight’s face deadpanned at the deliberate lie just told." Luna smiled sheepishly. "Almost being the key word."
"What if he doesn’t keep silent?"
"Well the statue garden has been lacking since Discord left," chuckled Luna menacingly.
"I seriously hope you’re joking."
“We’ll see.”
Twilight shook her head. She then turned to the carnage that had been her previous study session. She sighed realising that the two would have to waste more time reorganising the books, time that Twilight was intent on perfecting her mannerisms for the meeting. Twilight could just leave it for the servants to clean but the idea made her feel uneasy. Twilight didn’t think it was right for others to clean up after her mess.
"It’s going to take ages to reorganise these books. I really need to get these panic attacks under control."
"I find them rather charming in a way," chirped Luna. She walked over to the books with Twilight in tow and examined them carefully before waving a hoof dismissively. "It’ll be fine. The help won’t mind a bit of extra work." Luna moved behind Twilight slowly brush her wavy tail along Twilight’s flank. "Besides you’ll be leaving soon and this day has been soooo hectic. I think we both need to relax." Luna whispered the last part in a way that made Twilight shudder in excitement. But it would still not deter Twilight.
"Luna as much as I would love to…relax. I don’t feel comfortable leaving all these books out in the open. Plus we have work to do. I must be sure I can make a good first impression. The fate of Equestria hangs in the balance."
Twilight began picking up the books with her magic but was stopped as her gaze returned to Luna who was walking to the bed once again. Well less so towards Luna and more so to her lover’s bouncing rump. Twilight blushed furiously.
"Ohh but Twilight you’ve been working so hard already," pouted Luna as she swayed her hips back and forth. "And you never got me back over last night over my what was it, unacceptable teasing. I think it may be time to repay the favour." Twilight suddenly felt her gip over the books slipping.
"I have been…uhhhh, working hard lately,"said Twilight in a distracted tone. Her mouth moving from opened to closed as her eyes never left Luna as she crawled onto the bed once more but in a sultrier manner that made Twilight’s heart race like a jackhammer. "I guess it wouldn’t uhhh, hurt to relax for a little while. I did make a promise didn’t I?" Twilight began walking towards the bed as the books in her magical grip fell to the floor forgotten.
"Yes you did. Now it would be must rude to break a promise Twilight. You wouldn’t want to break a promise would you Twilight dearest?." Twilight nodded as she moved closer to Luna who was wielding a wicked grin. Twilight moved in towards the kiss to which Luna recuperated tenfold; Twilight was set in her mind to fulfil her promise and so she did. Needless to say the guards posted outside the chambers decided quickly to take an early leave for dinner in response.