Celestia pondered the infant in the crib. She was getting better. She had regained some colour, gained a tiny bit of weight, and her ulcered flesh had begun to heal. Her hair had stopped falling out. It had been one week since the wager. Discord had returned and left a reminder that the infant must be placed in a loving home.
For this, Celestia felt a small mote of gratitude. The child deserved to be loved.
“And how is Anomie this day?” Luna inquired, peeking into the crib.
“Getting better.” Celestia said in heartbroken tones. “How could a mother do this to her child?”
“I cannot say Celestia. But what I can tell you is that I have found a home. A good home. I believe I have found some ponies willing to take her in.” Luna said, smiling down into the crib and crossing her eyes, making a very silly face.
“You have?” Celestia said, sounding hopeful.
“Anomie shall meet her new mother this evening.” Luna said.
“Who?” Celestia asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Night Fright has agreed to become a surrogate. She is nursing. She has a foal currently.” Luna said, wiggling her ears at the infant.
“Night Fright... Lunar pagasi?” Celestia inquired, now puzzled.
“Well…” said Luna, “they are omnivores. They are disciplined. And they are willing.”
Celestia pursed her lips and became thoughtful.
“Night Fright and Charon agreed to raise Anomie.” Luna said.
“Charon!” Celestia exclaimed. “I thought Night Fright’s name sounded familiar. Luna, Charon is the Keeper of the Gates of Tartarus!”
“Yes. And the island is populated with minotaurs, griffons, lunar pegasi, and a number of hominoids. Anomie will have some company of similar creatures. She will not be so out of place. And she will be raised by ponies, as required by your wager.” Luna looked at her sister, still crosseyed.
“Hmm.” Celestia said, ignoring her sister’s eyes. “An entire island of omnivores and meat eaters. Rich in martial culture. Luna, I believe you are on to something.”
Luna nodded, uncrossing her eyes.
Celestia looked down thoughtfully at Anomie. “I intend to win this wager Luna. I want Discord in his place. I have very mixed feelings about this. On one hoof, he brought a human into Equestria. On the other hoof, he saved her from certain death. Intentional or not, his actions showed a certain sense of charity.” Celestia fell silent for a moment. “Thinking about it, I sort of feel bad for wanting to win this wager so badly. Discord has been making progress.”
Luna did not reply.
“So she will be raised on Coffin Bone Isle in the Skeleton Keys.” Celestia said, thinking aloud.
Luna nodded.
It was late, approaching midnight. Celestia had carefully diapered Anomie and had out warm blankets for her to be bundled in. She paced somewhat, waiting, watching the door. Anomie slept fitfully, waking and crying occasionally. Celestia felt a slight pang of regret. Part of her wanted to keep the child. Not that she would admit it to anypony. It was going to be difficult to let go.
Celestia heard hooves outside the door and the grunting of the guard. The door opened.
Luna entered first, followed by an enormous lunar mare. She was dark, her coat a purple-black, and heavily muscled. Hung from her neck and harnessed to her chest was a tiny foal, looking around with wide eyed wonder. It had oversized tufted ears and its snout was almost pig-like, as some of the lunar pegasi had.
It was also painfully adorable Celestia thought to herself. She felt her breath quicken looking at it. The lunar foals were always so adorable, before they grew up into massive shaggy brutes.
“Hello again your Majesty” Night Fright said, nodding her head slightly towards Celestia. “Forgive me for not properly bowing. Foal.”
“Hello Night Fright. How are you this night?” Celestia replied.
“Excited!” Night Fright said, her voice somewhat shrill. She pulled the foal from his carrier, snatching him out by the nape of his neck, and then placed him on the floor gently. He cried a few times and looked up as his mother with hopeful pleading eyes.
“He’s hungry.” Night Fright commented. “Could somebody fetch the other babe, and place her at my teats? Might as well get started now.” Night Fright carefully laid down on the floor and rolled over on to her side.
“If you cannot pick her up I foresee some problems.” Celestia said, now worried.
“At home, we have a minotaur maid. She has the most useful hands. She will be there to assist, but yes, I doubt I could pick it up in my teeth without harm.” Night Fright explained.
Luna lifted the babe from the crib with her magic and held it aloft while Celestia laid down a folded blanket for the infant to lie upon. The foal rushed forward to feed, and Night Fright gently shoved it away. He tried again, and received another shove.
Luna gently laid the infant down, positioning so that she might nurse, something she took to quickly, her head resting on Night Fright’s hind leg.
“I don’t believe in baby bottles.” Night Fright said. “Come here Squeaker.” She gestured at her foal, who sat there looking sullen, a scowl upon his pouting face.
Squeaker came forward on wobbling legs, squeaking shrilly, sounding a bit like a tea kettle. He came to his mother’s side, pausing, sniffing at strange infant. His nose trailed up and down her body, snuffling.
“You be good.” Night Fright said, her voice now stern.
Squeaker continued to sniff, his muzzle snuffling, and then he laid down, pressing himself up against Anomie, his nose searching for the other teat. When he found it, he began to suckle.
Celestia heaved a massive sigh of relief.
Luna came close, leaning her head down. “So adorable.” She whispered.
Squeaker lifted his head, turned to Luna, and hissed loudly, showing his tiny fangs, his ears flat against his skull. Luna cried out and stepped back in alarm.
“Good Squeaker!” Night Flight praised. “Sorry your Majesty… I hope you can understand that I cannot scold his protective behaviour.” She looked at Luna, worried.
“I am not offended.” Luna said, watching the foal.
“He’s a biter.” Night Flight said. “You’re lucky he didn’t clamp down on your nose.”
Luna nodded while Celestia chuckled faintly.
“Look at him, wrapping his little foreleg over Anomie.” Luna whispered excitedly. “Sister, your faith in our ponies is well placed as always.”
“As much as I want to stay and visit, it is a long flight, and I want to be home before dawn. It is cold outside. When she finishes feeding, make sure she is bundled and help me pack her away in the sling with Squeaker. He’ll keep her warm. I suppose she’ll need to be cleaned up when we get home.” Night Fright said. “Calpurnia will help with that.”
Celestia raised her eyebrow.
“The maid.” Night Fright explained. “Charon is going to be so happy. He likes odd things.”
“He found you.” Luna teased.
“No, I found him. And scared him nearly to death. I accepted his unconditional surrender right then and there.” Night Fright said, smiling broadly, her fangs showing.
“I do not understand.” Celestia queried.
“Charon made a public decree that he would only marry a mare that could best him in combat and subdue him.” Luna explained. “Many mares tried. The Keeper is quite a prize. Many mares left disappointed and bloodied.” Luna pointed at Night Fright’s cutie mark, an open fanged mouth. “Night Fright broke in to Charon’s home. She ambushed him while he slept. And she gave one of her special screams right into his ear. Charon wet himself and fell under Night Fright’s spell, which is one of terrible fear, caused by one of her banshee screams. He surrendered and they married.”
Celestia shook her head. “I do not understand the lunar pegasi.”
“We have different standards.” Night Fright sniffed.
“Guile and treachery is just as important as brute force. Night Fright showed that she was a worthy prize and Charon reciprocated.” Luna said.
“We didn’t bother waiting to be married.” Night Fright said. “We reciprocated all night and most of the next day.” She licked her lips in a lusty manner. “I tried to take him in combat first, and he gave me a bloody good thumping and sent me on my way. I knew right then and there that I had to have him. I want my foals strong and ready for combat.”
“I… I… I do not understand. He beat you bloody?” Celestia asked.
“He broke half a dozen ribs and fractured my jaw.” Night Fright said, smiling. “He sent a clear message that he’s the sort of stallion you want fathering your foals.”
Celestia began to stammer wordlessly.
“After I healed up, I went about bringing him down with guile and treachery. I brought him under my hoof and now he is my possession. Now that I have him, he’s never done so much as even bruised me whilst we enthusiastically try to create foals. Sadly, he’s a bit too gentle. A mare needs a good thrashing now and then.” Night Fright licked one of her fangs after she spoke, her eyes blinking rapidly.
“He is your possession?” Celestia inquired in puzzled tones.
“Remember sister, lunar pegasi are matriarchal, in honour of our rule. The mares are in charge.” Luna explained.
“What am I sending Anomie into?” Celestia said, now worried.
“A loving home.” Night Fright said defensively.
“I am not doubting that.” Celestia said diplomatically. “I am just very afraid of the future. There is so much at stake.”
“I could imagine.” Night Flight said. “I know my history. I know what the first human did.”
“So then you understand my concerns.” Celestia said.
“Like griffons, maybe not all humans are bad.” Night Fright said. “Look how long it took to build trust and allow the peaceful griffons to live within our borders.”
“I hope you are right. I’ve peered into human realms. I did not care for what I saw.” Celestia said, her tone solemn.
“Human or not, we intend to raise Anomie with our values.” Night Fright said.
Celestia couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or not.