There are few things more restful than a good night’s sleep on a very soft, very comfy bed. Getting a good night’s sleep after crying oneself to unconsciousness after killing somepony for the first time was likely one of those few things. Trixie’s hooves jerked a bit as, unlike in her normal cot, wakefulness hit her full in the face, instead of a gradual rise. Pinkish eyes tore themselves open, and the showmare found herself curled up in a gloriously fluffy bed, snow white sheets entwining with her limbs and tail in a vaguely risque way that made her squeak and struggle immediately. Had the Great and Powerful Trixie been captured some nefarious pervert pony who now planned to do terrible, terrible things to the helpless mare? Were the stories about a sexually devious Luna, preying on those innocent of virtue, true?! She was doomed! Her right back hoof slipped loose. ...she was free. Awww.
Blushing at her own subconscious, the Great and Pervy Trixie sat up, giving her new room a curious look over. A second bed sat a few feet away and, judging from its own ruffled appearance, it had recently been slept in as well. Trixie bit her lip nervously, ears slowly laying back. Had Luna sent her along with one of the Guard? ...was she under arrest? Was it against the law to cry on the hooves of a Princess!? She groaned, holding her head between her hooves. Why, why had she screwed up again. Twilight was never going to forgive her for wasting her generous gift. She deserved to-
“Trixie Lulamoon?”
Trixie’s head jerked up… and boy, did she stare. Princess Luna had stepped out of the adjoined bathroom, a towel gripped in a dark blue aura as she carefully dried off her wings. Her mane, a soft blue instead of the usual starry field, hung down in wet ringlets, framing a pair of curious, mirthful eyes. A small smile lifted the corners of the Royal lips.
“Bit for your thoughts?” she asked innocently, and the Greatly Aroused Trixie was wondering just how many cameras this evil game show must have watching her right now.
“I-I um… y-you… we…” Trixie bumbled out for a few moments before forcing herself to relax, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, “Prin… Princess Luna. I-it’s an honor, my lady.”
“The honor is mine, Trixie Lulamoon,” Luna replied warmly, grinning at what Trixie knew was probably a dumb-founded stare met her look, “I am serious. Princess Sparkle speaks of you often, quite proudly..”
“She’s… proud of me,” Trixie repeated slowly, feeling a bit… numb.
Pain clouded Luna’s gaze for a split moment before being forced aside, but Trixie’s finely honed “audience-spotting” gaze caught it. Something was going on with Twilight. She opened her mouth, determined to ask what was going on- when a hoof knocked firmly at the door.
“Room Service, Princess!”
Luna’s clouded gaze vanished in an instant, horn brightening to yank the door open, revealing a shaky Pegasus waiter, he and his cart flanked by dour Night Guard batponies.
“Huzzah! Our waffles have arrived, Miss Lulamoon!”
Trixie peeked out sheepishly at the group, and she gave an inward groan at the spark of interest in the stallion’s eyes. She knew that look- this story was going to be in the hooves of a reporter the second he could get himself out the door. She could already see the headline: “New Royal Concubine? Who is this Mystery Mare!” She was never going to be allowed to visit the palace again once that aired. The Guard would be far too busy- mmf!
The Great and Stuffed Trixie looked down in shock at the syrup-drizzled waffle stuffed in her muzzle, even as Luna bucked the door closed, a wide smile spreading across her face, eyes twinkling. Trying to save at least a little dignity despite this surprisingly personable and teasing Princess, she bit down into the waffle… and entered heaven. Warm and fluffy, baked just right and filled with little pieces of chocolate, it nearly made the quivery mare groan in an ecstasy usually reserved for private time in the bed.
“Delicious, are they not?” Luna asked cheerfully, levitating the tray over to Trixie’s bed and and flopping down on the fluffy surface, “I have found that the Cloudsdale Maritrot seems to make the best room service food in all of Equestria. Especially waffles.”
Trixie wanted to… squeal? Stare in shock? Staring worked. The Cloudsdale Maritrot? The single most expensive hotel in all of Equestria? She was somewhat surprised to see that the floors and walls were not, indeed, plated with gold. More waffles stuffed themselves into Trixie’s open mouth, and she finally gave an indignant squeak, sulky moving to sit beside the Lunar Princess, munching quietly on her breakfast and trying not to think about Luna’s smile. Totally inappropriate thoughts for a commoner.
“You were very brave, Miss Lulamoon.”
Trixie quickly peered back up, quailing a bit as she found Luna’s eyes meeting her own, warm and comforting.
“Killing is never an easy thing, the first time,” she told Trixie quietly, experience showing in the sad hitch in her voice, “It never should become easy. But you had to do what you did, and I am impressed. Few ponies would have engaged armed foes in so time timely a fashion.”
A small frown wormed onto Trixie’s face, and she studied her hooves sadly.
“The Great- ...Trixie didn’t know what they were going to do, at first,” she explained shyly, “You… you were in danger, Princess. I couldn’t do… well, nothing.”
Trixie shyly ground her hoof into the carpeted floor, enjoying the soft feel on hooves that had felt nothing but rocks and dirt for too long.
“You’re all important,” she trudged on, tail swishing back and forth on the carpet, “Especially… especially to me. I’ve done horrible things… and you all have given me a second chance. I-I’ll never be ungrateful for that. I-”
Slim forelegs wrapped around Trixie’s neck, and the shell-shocked mare found herself hugging Luna, Princess of the Night, and Warmistress of Equestria. What the hell had she eaten last night and why was she having this dream?
“And we are grateful for your faith,” Luna replied softly as she pulled away, shooting Trixie a warm grin, “And for your change. Twilight’s faith was well-founded.”
The remote to the flatscreen on the wall suddenly raised, and Luna’s grin turned cheeky.
“Now come! We have a meeting with Pegasi Intelligence in an hour, and I’d like to catch a little news first.”
Trixie blinked, nodding dumbly as she climbed onto the bed, mind giving a little race. We? They were both going? What in Equestria… The remote clicked out, and the mood of the room changed in an instant, with one look at the wild-eyed reporter staring back at them through the screen.
“ -not sure about the details here in Canterlot, but we have confirmed reports. Shots have been fired in Celestia’s Day Court, with our Crown Princess in session!”
The remote crashed to the ground, sounding all the world like a sky-sailer slamming into the earth.
*******************
The bullets hovered mere inches in front of Celestia’s stunned eyes, still quivering and smoking from their short, violent journey. A deep golden glow surrounded the throne, its divine field mixing and mingling with dozens of other fields from fast-acting unicorns all over the room. Some still stood, panting and shaking. Other were collapsed on the ground, crying or shaking from powerful magical backlash. Celestia’s wards had, in her long, stored life, saved her from everything from dragonfire, flights of arrows, to cannon shot. She had always relied on their aid, even more than her mithril-lined armor plates during war. And the two bullets from the Crystal Pony’s rifles had penetrated them all, and her Guards’, and the unicorns’ of the Court. Pierced all… but Twilight’s. A simple spell, really, but one of the new breed of magic she had been ushering in through her alicorn studies, and one that Celestia had been more than willing to have cast on herself. She was now quite glad that she had.
The would-be assassin lay crumpled in a pool of glittering blood, a bit-sized hole having pierced just below the unicorn’s horn, blowing brain matter out the back of his head. Three Royal Rangers fluttered down from the rafters, their batpony-made invisibility runes switching off.
“Are you alright, Princess?” one, the countersniper, asked worriedly, wincing as the bullets finally dropped, pinging off the marble steps.
“Clear the Court,” Celestia whispered, willing herself to keep her voice calm and collected, “Call in the Solar Guard, and send word to my sister. The castle must be made safe. ...and all Royal Rangers are recalled to protect my chambers once you are finished.”
“At once, my lady.”
If this assassin could get that close Celestia in her own Court, who knew how far they could penetrate the castle itself. And if they found Twilight, wounded and helpless as she was… No. Celestia shook the depressing thought from her mind as she finally sat up from her throne, nodding to her subjects as they filed out, whispers and whimpers reaching her sensitive ears like knife-blows. This wasn’t what her subjects needed to see, not since word of what happened to Princess Sparkle had spread. This wouldn’t put their minds at ease.
Celestia turned away quickly, trotting back for her chambers, trying her best to give polite nods to worried servants and guards alike. Their concern was nice, but she hated to tarnish their rock, their anchor in a world that quickly changing around them. With a warm smile, she gave Peppermint, one of the pages for the kitchens, a gentle nuzzle along her laid back worried ears. The smiles from all her servants warmed Celestia’s heart, and her head rose once more.
The attack had been made to strike fear into pony hearts… and it had failed. And would fail all the more. A slow smile spread across Celestia’s muzzle as ideas began to strike her, and she couldn’t help but let out a sly little smile. Whoever these Caribou and their pony helpers were, they would not win. The spirits of ponies would never falter, and once roused… well, there are only few ways to stop a stampede before it tramples one underhoof.