Silver stepped from Luna's chambers, pleased and satisfied. The guards watched her trot off, likely wondering several things, but Silver couldn't tell what just by looking at them out of the corner of her eyes, so she tried being more direct. She stopped her retreat and turned on the two lunar pegasi. "You two." They went stiff and erect. She smiled gently. "What's on your minds?"
The one of the left recoiled. "W-what?"
The one on the right shuffled a little. "It's not our place to say, sir."
Silver shook her head. "Nonsense. Why, I imagine you've been guards since I first came here, a confused little colt, then a young stallion, then mare." She licked over her lips. "You must have quite some stories to share."
The one on the left shrank a little. "Are you seducing us, uh, sir?"
Silver tilted her head then. "Is that really where your thoughts went first? Is that how powerful my reputation is..."
The one on the right coughed softly. "Um, sir, yes, sir."
Silver snorted gently. "I suppose I deserve that." She glanced away, then back at them. "You're insulting Luna, however, if you're implying she wasn't enough to sate even my wild appetites."
They both paled at the idea that they had slighted their mistress, even accidentally. The one on the right took an uncertain step forwards. "Luna has more restraint and poise, sir."
Silver flicked her ears back a moment. "Is that so? Most every trick I've learned... It's come from her. Your mistress is an amazing pony. Awe inspiring, wise, and powerful." She leaned forward towards them. "But she is not dead... If you have bravery in you, one of you, kiss her when she's least expecting it. When she demands to know why you've done such a thing, tell her it's what you've wanted to do for a long time, and mean it."
The one on the left flopped to the floor, losing consciousness. The other was made of tougher stuff. "I wouldn't dare violate her space or person in such a way."
Silver rolled a hoof. "If it fails, you may blame me, the Stud of the Land. When she asks, I will confess to your corruption and take your punishment for you. If... On the other hoof, I have a feeling she will smile, and turn away, or perhaps even better, depending on when you try. Only you can know." She turned away from the still standing guard. "I look forward to hearing of your bravery." She strode away from the guard, feeling his eyes burning angry holes in her back.
She had a good idea her words would rattle around him for days. Would he do it? She hoped Luna would tell her. As she pondered this, she suddenly felt a weight on her back. She spread her wings sharply and looked over her shoulder to see Discord peering at her. "Oh! Discord. How's it going?"
Discord grinned. "Oh, you are back, and you're happy to see me."
Silver adjusted the weight of her visitor on her back. "Why wouldn't I be happy to see you? We are friends, aren't we?"
Discord frowned suddenly. "Tell me, Silver... Why do some ponies say they're my friend when it's pretty clear they're not really?"
Silver tilted her head. "I hope that's not referring to me. You're a cool guy, Discord."
Discord patted her gently on the head. "Oh no, not you. You've been a lovable rascal since you were a little foal. No no no. I don't doubt you..." He hugged her, squeezing her around her barrel and she smiled gently, accepting his affection. He nuzzled an ear. "But there are others. Others who say I'm their friend, but..."
Silver considered a moment. "Have you given them any reason to doubt you? You've been pretty solid by me."
Discord looked ready to deny it, but paused, and that frown came back. "Well... there was that... one time..."
"Was it bad?"
Discord shrank, literally. "Well, kinda... yes..."
"How bad?"
Discord squirmed. "If I tell you, then you won't be my real friend either!"
Silver curled around to face the cat-sized Discord on her back. "Whatever it was, you're still you, Discord. We all fuck up once in a while. I won't hold it against you, if you've apologized and put it right. If not, I'll pester you to go put it right, so we can get back to things."
Discord chuckled a little. "Fine then, if you insist. Well, you see... I might have betrayed all of Equestria and sided with Tirek before."
The incident came to Silver's mind in a flash. He had seen that episode. It was the last episode he'd seen. "And... did you apologize?"
He shrugged. "Well, yes, but how do you apologize for something that huge?"
Silver wrapped Discord in magic and brought him around to be in front of her. "Well, me and Twilight are visiting for a little while, why don't you go back to Ponyville and see if you can't make friends? Try approaching them one-by-one instead of all in one big unified herd. Make your feelings clear, and try to bridge that gap."
Discord snapped his fingers. "What a wonderful idea! Twilight's always one of the first ones to turn against me." Silver raised a brow. "What? It's true. She may be your wife or whatever, but she carries grudges sometimes... I'm going to go off and get that done. Thanks for the idea!" With a snap, he was gone.
Silver shook her head slowly. It was nice to see Discord, and she hoped it would turn out alright.
Walking down the hallway, she felt magic tug her towards an empty-looking room lightly. She easily smashed the grip, but curiosity gnawed at her, and she crept towards the room. Her slit eyes allowed her to see into the dark of the room, to see a mare staring at her, looking nervous and anxious all at once.
Silver tilted her head to the right. "Hello there." She stepped out of the hallway. "I do see you."
The mare scrambled to her hooves. "W-what? Can you really?" She seemed middle-aged, and portly. "I was just hoping to see you again, your majesty."
Again? Silver looked her over and recognized her. It was the noble that had practically drenched herself in heat scent and tried to make an artless pass at her, back when she was a he, and woefully inexperienced to so many pony cues, starting with being overwhelmed by scents. "I remember you. Why would you come looking for me now? I'm married, and female."
"And still a prince." She slowly moved around the table in the dark, feeling her way around it. "How is it you cling to that title, while being a mare?" She licked over her lips. "Unless you aren't actually a mare."
As she came closer, Silver smelled it. She was drenched again. Silver snorted softly. "I'm not as inexperienced as before. You won't knock me dizzy that easily."
She walked up to be almost nose-to-nose, that cloying, if attractive, scent wafting around her. "You have no interest at all? I've heard you've been on top of royalty. Of foreign dignitaries that weren't even ponies."
So why would I settle for you? Or so Silver thought, trying to avoid any hostile expressions. "Ma'am, enough." She raised a hoof and ran it slowly over the noble mare's cheek. "Use your charms on your stallion."
She flinched back. "I don't... have one of those. Not anymore. Why do you think I was so eager to find another? Mares may run things, but married mares have even more clout. You should know that, whichever title you keep for yourself."
Silver shook her head. "I won't be that husband for you. I'm sorry. I have enough wives, and they deserve my attention and my love. Please, go. We can part as friends, but not as lovers."
For a moment she looked angry, perhaps petulant? Her expression sagged suddenly, and tears began to escape from her. "I've been trying... Why... Even the Stud of the Land doesn't want me..."
Silver felt conflicted. She was an easy mark to satisfy this noble mare's insecurities, but she didn't want her crushed either. She reached out and gently placed it on her shoulder. "Have you tried coming clean?" She looked with a bit of a glare in the dark, but Silver continued, "I mean it. No scents, basic, if flattering clothing, and speaking honestly to others. See who's drawn to you. The real you."
She suddenly shoved the hoof aside and moved in at Silver. "It's easy to say that!. You're just trying to get rid of me!"
Well, maybe a little, or so Silver thought to herself as she smiled gently. "Try it first. Dress well, but not provocatively. No heavy scents. Talk about things you enjoy. Find out what others enjoy. Talk to them. Don't try to capture them. Just learn about them, and maybe yourself."
She drew back, then took a slow step away. "You're not angry?"
Silver smiled in the dark. "Go. Go and find your partner. Who knows, they may be a she. Whoever they are, I hope you complete each other."
The noble mare hesitated a moment in silence, then scurried out of the darkened room, vanishing down the hallway in quite a hurry.
Following after her, Silver emerged and began walking through the halls quietly. She felt she had handled that well, and really did hope that the noble mare would find a companion for herself, and stop chasing ponies down so forcefully.
"Silver!" Twilight hurried down the hall and half-tackled Silver, hugging her firmly. "There you are. Did everything go alright?"
Returning the affections, Silver nipped along her snout a moment. "Yes. It was nice catching up with Luna about things, and I saw Discord as well."
Twilight stuck out her tongue a little, her wings ruffling. "He didn't give you any trouble, did he?"
Silver shook his head quickly. "No! No. Me and Discord have always gotten along. Hay, I met him before I 'met' you. He was happy to see I was whole and well. We talked a bit."
Twilight shook her head slowly. "Just like that? Seriously, how can you just... have a chat, with Discord? He's impossible."
Silver wriggled her nose lightly and nodded gently. "He is, but he's also a person. Have you tried talking to him like one?"
Twilight scowled and recoiled. "What? Of course I have!" She spread her wings in defiance. "I've tried talking to him plenty of times!"
Silver leaned in, touching her nose to Twilight's cheek. "What's his favorite book? What does he like for a snack at Hayburger? Does he like watching sports? Which ones?"
Twilight stammered and sputtered as she backed away. "I... I don't know! How should I know? ... Do you know?" She peered at Silver with disbelief.
"All of that, no." She smiled gently. "I know he likes a cheeseburger with extra onions, and he likes ice hockey, but he'll watch anything if there's company to be had while doing it. As for favorite book, well, even I failed to get that out of him."
"Ha!" Twilight pointed accusingly.
Silver reached for the hoof and gently pressed it back towards the ground. "That puts me up two out of three, not awful. Discord is a friend. Is he yours?"
Twilight grunted softly. "Fine..."
"That isn't really an answer."
"Fine!" Twilight turned away. "So... How did things go?"
Silver tilted her head. "With Luna? I told you, very well."
Twilight moved in suddenly. "Details." There was a bright flash of her magic, and she whisked herself and Silver away to her chambers. "Tell me. There's no way she got you alone and nothing happened at all. You're my stud, remember? Your idea. Now spill."
Silver considered a moment before a little devilish smirk spread across her snout. "Nope."
Twilight grunted. "You promised! You swore! No more games. Tell me."
Silver leaned in and kissed Twilight on her heated nose. "I did nothing with Luna that involved studding to report to you, my beloved wife."
Twilight blinked in surprise. "W-what? Nothing? Wait, you're not broken again, are you? You remember what it's like, right?"
Silver snorted. "I do, but I can make a choice, Twilight. We spoke of other things, and did other things..."
Twilight clasps her hooves together. "Tell me! Silver, please..."
Silver relented before the adorable face. "You know I can't say no to you." Twilight turned to a brilliant smile. Silver gently nipped her cheek. "I showed her the spell, you know the one. I have an idea, that I think will work..."
Twilight tilted her head with confusion. "You gave her the stallion spell? She already had access to that, if she wanted it. What do you think that'll do that we can't already do?"
Silver sat up on her haunches and put a hoof at her belly. "When a cosmically-tied alicorn tried to breed, what happens?"
Twilight frowned with thought. "Nothing."
"Not nothing, something. The stallion tries to power her womb, but it's basically impossible. It requires ridiculous amounts of energy. We haven't even figured out exactly how much that is." Silver rubbed her womb gently. "So we need a stallion with untold amounts of energy. Who are the most powerful ponies we know."
Twilight waved a hoof dismissively. "Celestia and Lu... na... Silver! What are you suggesting? That's disgusting!"
Silver blinked in stunned silence before it came to her. "No! No no no. Twilight, really? No. Not each other. Luna will, with the herd's full permission or not at all, give me a child, empowered with all the might of the moon."
Twilight worked her jaw slowly. "Then... Oh. Me?"
Silver leaned in towards her. "Only if you wanted to. We discussed this earlier."
There was much to consider, but it was dinner time.