Silver strode along with her wives, almost bouncing as she went along. She was whole! There was still some healing to do, and she could feel some parts of her felt tired, but they were all her parts. She'd recover, and be happy.
Night smiled a little. "I haven't seen you that happy in a while."
Silver tilted her head. "Even when I tried to cook something new and you all liked it?"
Night seemed to consider that. "Close, but this is higher, I'm certain." She gently swatted at Silver with a wing. "Are you done being such a housemare?"
Silver stuck out her tongue a little. "A little. I like making you all smile. That wasn't not a part of me."
Fast suddenly slipped under Silver and rubbed along her undercarriage before popping out the other end. "Naughty housemares get caught by naughtier ponies."
Twilight snagged Fast's left ear in her magic and pulled her lover. "Fast, I hereby revoke Silver's studding to you."
Fast blinked. "W-what? Seriously?"
Twilight nodded. "Oh yes. You need to be punished. No more running away." She snorted softly. "You ran off without even talking to me. We're either a family, forever, or we're not."
Fast sank her head shamefully. "I said I'm sorry..." She suddenly grinned. "Besides, if she can't hop on me, that won't stop me from climbing on her."
Twilight put a hoof to her face. "I suppose it doesn't, but the punishment stands. One week."
Night snickered softly. "You're quick to flex your new power."
Twilight glanced aside at Night. "Shouldn't I? For once, I'm the one in charge of it. Not Luna, not Celestia. I'm going to handle this properly."
Silver quirked a smile. "Is there a manual on this?
"As a matter of fact." She nudged open the door to her castle. "There is, and I'll be reviewing it tonight."
Rough Tumble smiled at them as they filed in. "Hello! You all look happy. Did something happen?"
Silver remembered what she had done, faking her time with Rough Tumble, and felt a fury of mixed feelings. "Rough, I have a confession."
Rough tilted his head at her.
She smiled and moved up to bump noses. "I was feeling out of it, last time... You know."
He looked confused. "Were you? You were so excited..."
Silver snorted out a bit of a snickering laugh. He truly hadn't noticed the fakeness of her noises at all. "Oh, I was. I... I hope you enjoyed it."
He glanced nervously at the remainder of the herd. "Uh, yes..." He glanced away, then back at them. "Am I your stud now?"
Night looked ready to reply, but Silver put a hoof up in front of her quickly. "That's quite a question you're asking. Would you want to be a stud?" She circled around Rough Tumble slowly. "Are mares enough to your liking? Don't fib to us. If you prefer finding a nice stallion to rub against, we understand."
He erupted into a fierce blush. "I-if it means I was... part of the herd. Part of you, Silver... I... I enjoyed our time. I meant it." He looked to Fast Change. "At least two of you know what it's like to be a stallion... I don't have to give that up... You know?"
Twilight cleared her throat. "It sounds to me like you want to be our stallion, not our stud. Officially, a stud is separate from a herd. Is that what you're asking, Rough Tumble?"
Rough squirmed with increasing anxiety. "W-would you want... me?"
Fast flashed a bright smile. "I'd have to show you the ropes, but I've seen you work. I can whip you into shape."
Night shook her head. "The threads of destiny have brought you back to us so many times... Stallion or not, you are my friend, our friend, forever and more. Whatever you decide, I'm glad you're here, and want you to always be here."
Rough Tumble sagged. "That was so... It's true. Even when I thought you were long gone from my life, we always found each other. Even when you... died... Here you are. You refuse to leave my life. I refuse to leave yours..."
Twilight smiled gently. "Friends forever, but remember that friends don't need to be romantic. You've met my other friends, united by destiny. We don't... do that kind of thing, and that's just fine. If you think you have to take on the title of stallion, or stud, just to be with us, you're wrong." She sat on her haunches. "You are our friend, as bonded as firmly to Silver's path as any of the girls are to mine, and I wouldn't think to even dream of interfering with that."
Silver nodded lightly at Twilight before she leaned in and kissed Rough on the cheek. "Think it over. There's no hurry."
With a numb nod, he wandered off, looking both happy and terribly uncertain.
Night tilted her head lightly. "His joining would solve one legal issue ahead of time. We would have a stallion, allowing for legal herd status."
Twilight snorted softly. "Silver Stars is still on the books as a prince, and I don't plan on changing that. Do you, Silver?" When Silver shook her head, she smiled. "Good. Besides, she can do what's required of a prince just fine. Those nobles can... I won't cave to them."
Silver remembered something and rose to her hooves fully. "I'll be right back." She trotted off to find Shei, who was preparing a meal. She crept up on the Saddle Arabian and nuzzled a flank gently. "Hello."
Shei jumped at the unexpected touch. "S-Silver! Hello. Have you come to cook?"
Silver shook her head. "I came to apologize, for the hurtful things I said. I didn't remember everything clearly, but it's all coming back now." She extended a hoof. "Do you forgive me, wonderful jewel of the desert?"
Shei glanced left and right before stepping in and nuzzling at Silver. She was tall for an Equestrian, even taller than Silver, but not by too much. "It's so good to have you back... Are you all better now?"
Silver nodded. "I think I am. Some parts of me, inside, are sore, but it's all there." She smiled. "I'm whole."
They gently rubbed snouts before she backed away. "Do you feel as a stallion again?"
Silver tilted her head. "And a mare. Do you mind a princess for your master?"
She gave a little titter. "You are clearly a mistress, but if you are restored, I am happy to serve my mistress well."
Twilight walked into the kitchen. "She is a prince. No one is to call her a princess." She leveled her gaze at Shei. "Am I clear?" Shei quickly bobbed her head and Twilight smiled. "Good! What's for dinner?"
A pony rushed in quickly, scanning left to right before resting their eyes on Twilight. "Message, ma'am!" They surrendered a letter to Twilight, then dashed back where they came from.
Silver tried to peek around the letter even as Twilight opened it and began reading. "Who's it from?"
Twilight frowned softly. "I'm needed, alone. It's royal business."
Silver advanced on her and nipped her cheek. "You're forgetting I'm royalty too. I've waited too long to be at your side, Twilight. I'll go with you."
Twilight smiled gently. "It may be very boring..."
Silver shook her head. "It won't be if we're together. Besides, I owe you."
Twilight let out a little sigh. "Oh very well. I won't say no to that. Pack your things. We'll head out in the morning."
Silver quickly nodded before it came to her. "Where are we going?"
Twilight pointed upwards. "Canterlot. The ride's not far to there."
Silver smiled a little. "We could just fly?"
Twilight looked over her shoulder at her wings. "We could, but there are appearances to uphold. No, we'll take the train and put on a show for the ponies on our way to the castle, so bring something nice."
Silver snorted softly. "Should I bring a dress, or go more as 'prince' Silver Stars?"
Twilight paused a moment. "That's actually a very valid question. Go with your princely attire."
Silver rolled a hoof. "They're all sized for a stallion."
Twilight glanced left and right. "Don't tell Rarity, but I'll resize them for you, just bring them."
Silver snorted softly. "Somehow, this doesn't surprise me. I'll be packed and ready, come the morning."
Satisfied, Twilight strode off on other business.
Shei gestured to the stove. "Dinner will be ready soon. Do hurry back after it's done. I'm looking forward to having you back, the real you, mi--master."
Silver gave her a final smooch before slipping off into the castle. She saw Night practicing, but she couldn't tell what, exactly. Green energy swirled around her iron-clad hooves. Earth pony magic? Night stomped down, and the green faded, to no obvious effect.
Silver strode towards her curiously. "What are you working on?"
Night raised her ironshod shoes towards Silver. "How do you work these?"
Silver peered at them. "Well, I'm an alicorn, so I have earth pony magic baked in, and they amplified it. You had it working right! I saw it!"
Night blinked softly. "I... forgot you had that talent. That's good. So if I'm doing it right, where is it failing?"
Silver frowned. "Well, to start, you're in the middle of a crystal castle. Earth pony magic is made to work with nature. Plants, for instance. I made a whole crop grow. I've made vines grab at ponies. Things like that?"
Night clopped her forehooves excitedly. "That sounds useful! Come on, help me test it." She rose up to her hooves and moved quickly for the outside, with Silver trailing behind her. "How does it work for me at all? Lunar ponies don't have earth magic, but you say I'm doing it?"
Silver frowned a little. "Maybe they generate some, and that's how they amplified mine. You're getting the amplified part all by itself."
"Logical..." Night moved over to a tree and tapped at it with a hoof. "This is a peach tree, bare and naked. Let's see if we can't change that." She rubbed her forehooves together and looked like she was concentrating intently. Silver could see the green glow gathering around it brighter and brighter. She slapped the hooves against the tree and the energy rushed into it. Night suddenly gasped. "Oh! I felt that... It did take something out of me."
Silver watched the tree as that green energy spread quickly and soaked into the wood, and a few big fat peaches began to ripen right on the branches before falling around Night Watch. "You did it!"
Night beamed with pride. "I did, though I imagine the snaring trick has more immediate uses, should we enter a combat situation." She plucked up one of the fallen peaches and sank her fangs into it before tearing off a chunk and chewing contently. "Mmmm."
Silver came up and grabbed another, crunching into the barely-ripe peach with pleasure. "I'll second that! It's been so long since I had good, hard, peach."
Night tilted her head. "I didn't recall you had that particular like. I'll bear it in mind." She crunched into the peach again. To Silver's surprise, she had driven her teeth right through the pit. "What?"
Silver shook her head. "I didn't think someone would just... bite through the center like that. Does it even taste good?"
She only seemed to notice then what she had done and spat up a mixture of peach and pit. "Oops. I'm slipping. I forgot how reinforced my teeth are and just got carried away with myself." She adjusted her glasses with her wings. "I can't slip up like this."
Silver frowned a little. "Are you still beating yourself up? Stop it! You didn't do anything wrong."
Night's wings extended fast. "I killed you. I literally murdered you. I messed up and basically told that ship thing to get rid of you. Next time, I'm going to be ready." She squirmed in place a moment, wings ruffling.
Silver stomped the ground lightly. "Night... I had one request, just one... For the love of everything--"
Night put a hoof on Silver's snout. "You forgive me. I know this. I know this, and I love you for it, but I don't forgive me. I was being too shortsighted. I should have seen that probability, and avoided it. I should have found a way to rescue you before it was too late. I messed up. I'm... I'm really glad you're feeling better." She took her spread wings and gently wrapped them around Silver. "I'm so glad."
Silver cuddled in against her and gave her a squeeze. "Do what you need to do. If I can help, please... Tomorrow, Twilight and I are headed to Canterlot for some royal things."
Night nodded. "I'll keep practicing then. Fair warning, that ship will eventually come back."
Silver blinked. "Will it? Surprised you didn't rip it clean in half."
Night huffed. "I wanted to... so badly... But even in my fury, I knew it had answers, so I just sent it away. It'll come back, eventually."