Silver closed the door with his magic, letting out a little breath. "She's kind of cute, once you get past the outside."
"She is." Night adjusted her glasses. "You wanted to discuss something?"
Silver nodded, his magic wrapping around his shoes. "Let's begin with these." He set them down on an end table, then lifted his forehoof with a shoe displayed. "Did I miss something extremely obvious? I'm sorry, love, but you know I'm not native to pony culture, and I wasn't very good at the one I actually came from." He leaned towards Night. "But I want to be. For you, this is a worthy topic."
Night's eyes darted away. It was subtle, for a pony, but Silver saw it easily. "Of course..."
Silver raised the same hoof, setting it on Night's shoulder. "Then let me just say it straight. If you have a pony you think is worthy of being part of this? I trust your judgement." He smiled. "I'd just want you to bring me to them and introduce us." He leaned in on her even as she looked more and more nervous. "Even if she's somepony I already know."
Night rose to her hooves. "You're taking this the wrong way. I don't want to just take on any random pony that comes across our path." She squinted. "Your friend is nice, for instance, but I'd rather not, or her little changeling friend. I know, I know, nothing wrong with changelings." She turned a little. "That doesn't make me attracted to them. Fast was as close as I got, and she wasn't... before." Her eyes darted again, betraying her rapidly flicking mind. "I'll put your mind at ease. I don't want to watch over two stallions."
Silver snorted at that, almost laughing. "If they were a good pony, I don't care if they were a stallion, but I don't think that's who your gorgeous eyes are set on." He moved to her side and nuzzled against her. "Do you want Luna? Let's be clear, between each other. We should trust one another with our feelings."
Night's ears spun back. "Yes, but not that way."
Silver started a little, confused. "You don't want Luna to join us?"
Night prodded him in the chest. "Was I unclear? There is another... You met her before."
Silver sat slowly, confused. "I could have... Alright, another mare, who I met? Were we good friends?"
"Oh, yes." Night smiled a little. "But she hurt you, and she's not sure you even want to see her anymore."
That narrowed the list. "Tell me it's not Carrot Plate? I mean, I do forgive her, really, but we don't know each other that well. We should really meet first."
Night blinked owlishly. "No! Not her... How many mares have hurt you?"
Silver ticked through the ponies he knew, and he landed on one memory. "W-wait... She's gone." Silver leaned in towards Night. "Don't tease me like this!"
Night put up her forehooves. "You said we should be clear. I'm being as clear as I can be."
Silver shivered, a deep shudder that ran from his twitching nose to his swishing tail. "Celine? Tell me we're talking about the same pony at least."
She quirked a little smile. "That's the one. Your true 'first'." She glanced away again. "Were you a virgin when you met her?"
Silver colored softly. "I-I was, yes..." He slid down to his haunches, panting for sudden breath. "How? She's a part of Luna, a drop in a sea... How?"
Night shook her head even as she moved to sit right in front of Silver. "Luna didn't tell me all the details, just that she could do it. She could make Celine her own being, permanently." Night scuffled at the smooth floor gently. "She would lose the love born of her, though you've earned respect, and a friend, I imagine. She just won't love you, not that way. But Celine..."
Silver leaned forward and bumped noses with Night, still breathing hard and feeling dizzy from the news. "I want you to know that this doesn't change anything, between us that is." He raised his hooves, and she stepped in that little bit closer to accept his hug. "She's welcome back, but you're first wife. You. I want that to be entirely clear."
Night's body relaxed in a subtle way, and she let out a breath even she was likely unaware she held. "But you do want her back then?"
Silver nodded. "I would be a horrible liar if I said no. Why didn't Luna tell me that?"
Night flashed her fangs. "Can't a mare have her moments? I asked her not to speak of some things, and she asked me the same. We were both waiting for you to be ready, and to put certain pieces together, on your own." She nuzzled under his chin, raising his head and nipping at his throat. "This all has to wait, mind you."
"Wait?" Silver looked down around his muzzle, but his head was propped up by her nibbling presence. "Why wait now? The cards are on the table, so to speak, we can play our hand."
Night hugged him softly in return. "We need to settle this." One hoof waved. "All of this, and return to Canterlot. That's where she can do what she needs to do. Besides, we're not irresponsible ponies, now are we?"
Silver smiled a little. "No we're not. We'll make sure the umbrum get their rainbow, even if we have to manufacture it by hoof for them, then we'll leave the Crystal Empire better than we found it."
Night nodded firmly, allowing Silver to lower his chin. "We'll do just that." She separated from him, rising to her hooves and walking away a few steps. "I'm starting to show more every day... I don't want to admit it, but I should, for their sakes." She looked over her shoulder. "Twins... Curse you for your virility." She quirked a smile. "Maybe after this, we should retire from active duty and let our family grow and settle."
Silver smiled at her. "You're looking more radiant and enchanting by the day." He clopped his forehooves together, metal against hoof. "I said I'd take a vacation when you did, so we'll enjoy some time off, together, and greet our foals, together." He licked over his lips. "Wait, so does this mean Luna is completely backing off?"
Night raised a brow. "She will be our friend, and our princess, as she always should have been, but the lust, the passionate love... She said she'd pass that back on, and leave our relationship pure."
Silver appreciated the sentiment, nodding, though the thought that saying she would, and it working flawlessly... "She should do what is natural. I don't think either of us will begrudge her some feelings." He remembered how lonely Luna could be, and would return to being, but he was no prince, and he could not be her solution. "For now, we'll do what we have to do."
With the ambiguity between them resolved, they called for those waiting for them, and began to see representatives from around the city again, but they weren't there to discuss plans or ask for favors. Most had only one thing on their mind.
"She's allowing them to just... wander around freely. Monsters!" The stallion clopped a hoof. "I'll have nightmares just from looking at them! Why aren't you condemning them on behalf of Equestria?"
Silver raised a brow lightly. "Princess Celestia would be very disappointed with me for condemning a tribe of ponies in their time of need, and they are ponies. Not appealing to our eyes, perhaps, but there can be no doubt that they are ponies."
The crystal stallion shuddered. "They're twisted mockeries of the very idea of ponies. How can you call them one of us?" He rose to his hooves. "We won't stand for this! Princess Cadenza has got to show these 'guests' out of our kingdom, forever."
And so it went from one representative to the next. The only one to break the chain was the mare in charge of agriculture. She was smiling. "My ponies are overjoyed. Sure, their gardens aren't as large as they'd like to be tending, but they're bountiful, close, and safe. Your advice was spot on, and I'm here to extend their thanks for them." She set a basket filled with fruit down before them. "A gift, from them. As soon as things calm down, I'm sure we'll gain the option of real farms, but this more than makes ends meet until then."
Silver grabbed the handle with his magic and gently lifted it up to the same end table where the unclaimed engagement shoes rested. Filled with curiosity, he rolled a hoof. "No thoughts on the visiting umbrum refugees?"
She blinked. "They're a little... homely, but you haven't led us astray yet." She leaned in. "Are you going to take them with you? I can't imagine they'll be happy here, with all the sour things ponies are saying about them."
Silver nodded. "You're being very diplomatic in your choice of words." He smiled a little. "But you're right. We have to help them first. There are many more than the three you've likely seen."
She rose to her own hooves. "I feel confident you'll handle this well. If it means we don't have to fear the darkness, then this is well worth it."
Night closed the door behind the mare and turned back to Silver. "That's the schedule. Another day, another bunch of irate ponies."
Silver nodded. "The last one, she was very mature about it. I guess I won her trust a little." He shook himself out. "I feel like we should try to be on top of things. Want to visit court and listen in?"
"After you." She opened the door again with a clever wing, then swung the same one to wave forward. Her other wing was still busted, held firmly to her side.
Side-by-side they trotted through the castle. They were unchallenged as they found a spot to sit in the court. Silver leaned against Night gently. "Funny thing, in my dreams, her court was always empty or near empty."
Night snorted at that. "Well, that's clearly not the case. Imagine that, a full city of ponies and an empty court? That would be a very bad sign, I think." She tilted her head. "Dreams are funny sometimes. Nopony around in crowded places, but everypony crowds around when you're trying to be alone. I wouldn't worry too much about that one."
He nodded in agreement with her and, as one, they turned their full attention to the front, listening to the news of the day in the form of pony's concerns, complaints, and requests.