With diplomacy accomplished, and his body feeling restored, Silver was feeling far better that evening, but he had a task to do. He kissed Celestia goodnight and settled beside her before allowing himself to slip off into the dream world. He focused on the vision of Luna and trotted forward until he found her in a dream he couldn't access from so far away.
He waited for her to emerge, and she recoiled in surprise at seeing him. "Silver! I hadn't expected you to come for me."
Silver perked an ear. "Oh? I hardly would have thought that'd be alarming. Unless there's something you're worried about?"
Luna turned her gaze downwards. "Mayhaps there is. We have not done as well as we promised... We fear we may have cost you greatly, dear one, and we were not sure how to bring it up." She shrank a little, terrified of the result of her failure. "From your words, we assume you are already aware of this?"
Silver was, but finding Luna being in the unsure position for once felt oddly good. He nudged the feeling aside. "Tell me how it happened, entirely."
Luna nodded her head slowly. "I visited her dreams, as I said I would, and spoke gently of the benefits of your position, but she saw right through it in a few nights, and demanded I reveal myself. She knows everything, and... she wept as she banished me from her mind. I... I fear I have hurt her... I, who she worships... or worshipped. I fear I have done a great wrong, and I do not know how to fix it. I tried visiting in person to beg forgiveness, but she would not speak to me."
Silver frowned with thought. "Can you bring her dream closer to us, so I can visit?"
"We may..." Luna looked off, full of uncertainty. "Do you think it will help, or only make matters worse?"
Silver smiled. "I will try. She deserves to hear directly from me in either event. I love her enough to be rejected face to face, if she wants that."
Luna lifted her feathery wings. "You stand with new confidence." She leaned in a little. "I like it. I take it things are going well, but I will not trouble you for that. Let me get her." She turned away and focused, and a new door came closer, drawing in to where Silver could reach it. "I will hold it here until you return."
Silver nodded to Luna and kissed her nose before slipping into the dream.
He slipped into what appeared to be his old house, with Rough Draft and Trixie. Night Watch was in the living room, playing Fallout as she had the first time he brought her back to the house, which meant he was in the bedroom, playing with Celine. Silver trotted towards the computer and the bat playing with it. She was aggressively headshotting everything that came into view, grunting softly with vindication on each kill.
"Hello, Silver," she said without turning around. "You have five seconds."
Silver perked his ears. "I love you, but that's not enough. I've been a terrible husband, but I haven't given up. Please, turn around, and talk to me."
Night Watch swiveled in the chair as she snorted. "This chair really is uncomfortable."
Silver smiled at that. "Isn't it? Worst chair I ever had." He spread his wings wide. "Every time I look at my wings, I think a little bit of my favorite mare who shares them with me. Do you have room in your heart to forgive me one more time?"
Night brought her wings up and out, then brought one down to smash into Silver's nose, making him yelp. "You keep asking that. I'm not angry that you're being a prince. I am furious you didn't think I was mature enough to be talked to. I am livid that you'd send Luna to mess with my dreams. I am beside myself with the idea that you think so little of me."
Her eyes quickly found the new bits of jewelry on him. With the barest of thought, she banished his clothing and spotted the one between his legs. "I can't make them go away. They're special. Speak."
Silver looked back over himself. "They are a large reason why I was beside myself with acting like an idiot. The first one I got was the one back there, and it made me hornier than anything. Every spell I tried made it worse. I was awful to be around."
Night raised a brow. "Fast Change is going to want to see you using that when you get back."
Silver nuzzled gently against Night, which she allowed. He nibbled along one of her ears. "I care most about what you want. I made a promise, and it remains at my heart. If you want something of me, just ask."
Night drew back, then hopped to the ground before sitting again. "And if I told you to leave all the new mares behind?" She raised a brow. "If I told you to go back to being what you were?"
Silver shook his head. "We can only go forward, not backwards. I'm not that stallion, but I still love you more than I can adequately explain. I want us both to be happy. What do I have to do?"
Night nuzzled into Silver's chest. "Can you come home? Can you leave the world to solve its own issues and just come home? You've done your part, as a prince. Come home, and do your part... as a father. She doesn't admit it, but Twilight hurts terribly. She wants you too, as a father. The entire herd needs you. Come. Home."
Silver remembered other foul visions given to him, but he'd already turned one of these visions aside, which gave him hope. "I will talk to Celestia. They'll just have to find someone else to hunt the Anubians and--"
Night perked an ear. "THE Anubians? Have you met one? I read some books on them."
Silver shook his head. "I haven't, but I'm supposed to, and convince them to stop raiding all the kingdoms around them, or help defeat them. I'm hoping for the former."
Night fidgeted a little. "That... sounds important..." She held up a hoof. "Alright, for the good of the eastern lands, take care of that, then come home. No more excuses, no more jobs, no more quests. You. Home. Bring home those mares of yours if you must, but they're not sharing our bed."
Silver jumped at her, but Night was as agile as ever and easily threw him to the ground, but her being on top of him worked just as well. He pulled her in for a hug, and they began to make love for the first time in far too long. Night got to experience the changes in Silver's motions, born of experience, and he brought her to several thunderous releases before he filled her dream body with the physical sign of his affection. He bit at her neck gently. "I will keep you in my thoughts, dearest Night Watch. Please forgive Luna, she meant well."
Night pushed Silver gently, helping him to his hooves. "She will have to come and beg for that herself."
Silver perked an ear. "Are you ready to hear that?"
She smiled gently. "After speaking with you at least, perhaps... Go. Take care of the Anubians, come home."
Silver was ejected from her dream and came in for a smooth landing beside Luna.
Luna looked at Silver hopefully. "You look well and refreshed. Did she accept your presence?"
Silver nodded. "We came to an agreement, and it... It was just nice to see her, and talk to her."
Luna perked an ear. "Does she forgive me as well?"
Silver pointed to the door. "That you must secure, but I suggest in person, during the day. She's more willing to hear you now."
Luna let out a slow breath. "Thank goodness. Ah, this reminds. Have you found many lunar ponies in your travels?"
Silver nodded. "There was a pretty female. You'll be pleased to know I left her heavy."
Luna nodded, but didn't look too proud. "We thank you for that, but it is enough." She held up a hoof. "You have done so much. You are free of your requirement for me. I have a few other ideas, that won't be so hard on stallions. You, my dear prince of the night, have another duty far more trying. Celestia insists that you are ready to give us foals, a feat I thought quite impossible. I will not hold the true mate of princesses to the task of siring a tribe of ponies as well."
She advanced and rubbed noses gently with Silver. "You've spread my seed far and wide, from the sound of it." She glanced off. "But it is not to be. A few of your mothers miscarried. I'm... I'm afraid it may not be the right time for the lunar unicorn, or perhaps I should have focused on a tribe mother or two instead of one wild stallion to spread his oats across Equestria. It was a mistake that lays on me alone." Her wings came in to hold Silver's cheeks. "You did well."
Silver cringed as another part of his vision was proven accurate. "Do you know where Starlight Glimmer is?"
Luna shook her head. "We lost track of her after the doctor announced she had miscarried. More the pity, she seemed so excited for her impending motherhood, only for fate to snatch it away. Do you wish me to seek her out?"
Silver shook his head a little. "She must seek out her own destiny. I feel that I shouldn't find her until she's tried her best, and maybe I can pick up the pieces afterwards. I just hope she's alright afterwards."
Luna perked an ear as her head tilted. "Wise words. The forces of destiny and harmony can be difficult to see and respect as a pony."
Silver turned away from Luna. "I should get some real sleep, then I must speak with Celestia in the morning. We'll be off to face the Anubians."
Luna looked intrigued. "Anubians? I waged war with them once, long ago. They are fierce battlers, and are not intimidated by alicorns in the slightest. It was thrilling, and terrifying, to cross them. Are you ready to face them?"
Silver looked over his shoulder, just noticing that he was dressed again. "I hope to talk to them first. Turning them friendly without resorting to violence." He lifted a hoof with its iron covering, and Luna's sight focused on them.
"What are those?"
Silver held out the hoof towards her. "A companion artifact to the one you were interested in before. This one focusing energy towards the hooves, and makes earth magic better. It's convinced me that whoever made these things was either a pony themselves, or someone made it for a pony, since who else would make horseshoes that affect such an obvious part of pony magic?"
Luna smiled gently. "You're looking much more refined with a proper set of horseshoes." She lifted a hoof to show off her own royal pair. "They add a bit of dignity." She set the hoof down, then waved. "Off with you. Best of luck, prince of the night. Be well."
Silver was banished to his own dreams, where he fell into a proper sleep for the rest of the night.