Silver awoke, tired and sore. It had all been a dream, of course, so why did it hurt to much? He rolled up to see Night slowly moving her wings in smooth circles. "Feeling better?" he asked even as he slid to the ground on shaking legs.
Night raised a brow at her husband. "You look like you didn't get any sleep at all." She swung a wing over his snout. "I already know. You were not quiet about it. I don't... know what you went through, but you were very brave to do it."
Silver darkened in his cheeks as he gave the wing before him a little nuzzle. "I'm not sure how much progress I made."
Night brought her wing back, folding both as she leaned in to nuzzle properly. "If I know you at all, you won't give up until it's settled." She reached up and poked the slime perched on Silver's head. "Are you going to use that?"
Silver looked up at the jello on his head. "Ah, yes, of course." The magic played along his horn, and the worst pains began to ebb away. It wasn't nearly as smooth and instant as it had been in his dreams, but he clearly didn't actually do it right in his dreams. "Dreams are deceptive."
Night snorted softly as she pulled Silver forward into an embrace, her legs locked around his withers. "That's sort of the definition of dreams. Did you get to talk to her at all? Was it hard to find her?"
Silver shook his head. "Finding her wasn't hard, at first. And I did get to talk to her, but not for long. She's pretty determined to avoid me."
A loud and firm clop on the door brought both of their attentions to it. Night parted from Silver and trotted briskly to it. "Who is it?"
A deep male voice spoke from the other side, "Orders for Ambassador Lining."
Silver shook his head at the door. "That's Ambassador Watch, and I'm off-duty."
"I still have orders for you, sir. From Princess Luna."
Silver perked his ears and Night returned the gesture before she reached for the door with a wing and pulled it open to reveal a night guard standing there with a note tucked under a wing. "Thank you, sir." He extended the wing, letter held within. "Here you are, sir."
Night accepted the letter. "Thank you."
The guard departed quietly, and she closed the door behind him even as she tore the seal of the letter. "I presume you don't mind if I look." Silver didn't, and a little shrug was enough to communicate that as Night Watch flipped it open and laid it on the ground, reading quickly. "What?" A brow raised. "She's crazy."
Silver approached the letter. "What'd she say?"
"She's sending you to the middle of nowhere." A scowl developed. "Alone."
Silver crossed his arms. "I refuse. You're not leaving my sight, certainly not for that long."
Night tapped at the paper. "Like it or not, she is kind of one of the diarchs of the land."
Silver clopped a hoof against the ground. "Then we'll approach the other diarch, the one that approved my time off."
Night leaned towards Silver. "Do you really think it's wise to put the two against one another?"
Silver tensed and shuddered. "But... This isn't fair... You're... No!" He approached Night, his magic rubbing over her belly. "Not again..."
"Again?" Night recoiled a step. "Did this happen in your dream too?"
"Not exactly..." Silver lifted the letter in his magic. "She's not sending me to the Far East this time, and it was Celestia before, but it's still away from you. I hated it then, and I hate it now even more. If I can't go to Celestia, I'll have to face Luna herself. I won't do this." He threw the letter down to the ground and stomped it with an angry hoof. "I won't!"
Night drew a slow breath. "I doubt she'll let me come in with you to challenge her."
Silver felt an urge to argue it, to fight against everything. A tremble ran through him before he sank to the ground, still tired from the restless night. "Probably not... "
Night wrapped Silver in her soft wings and they went quiet for a moment before Silver rose up to his hooves. "I have to go." He set his teeth. "I won't accept this. She can banish me in the dreamworld, but I won't be so casually brushed aside, not like this." He leaned in and kissed Night's cheek. "I'll be at your side, promise."
She flashed a fanged smile. "I'm coming with you."
Silver raised a brow. "I thought you just said she wouldn't let me?"
Night shrugged softly. "Too bad for her. I'm not letting you out of my sight." She bumped against his side. "Let's go, together."
Silver felt warmth spreading through his body and bumped against Night with a smile that refused to go away. "Let's."
As one they emerged from the room and marched with determination towards Luna's quarters. Silver felt a presence and looked up to see Discord hovering there to his right. "Hey man."
Discord wriggled a few fingers. "You're looking awfully serious today."
Night tried to pull Silver along past the chaos spirit, but Silver made time for him. "Talk while walking? Luna's trying to send me away from Night."
"No thanks, trying to cut down on walking." He hovered along easily beside them. "Now why would she do that?"
Silver snorted softly. "I'm making her nervous and she's sending me away from her and everything else."
Discord looked too happy at the news, giggling a little. "She has a real temper, that pony. Have you tried making up?"
Night threw a leg over Silver's withers and brought him closer while lowering his head. "We're taking care of it right now, Discord."
Silver nipped at her chest and bumped against her. "Don't be rude to Discord, he's alright. Hey, uh, man, we should get together."
Discord raised a brow. "Maybe after you're done talking with moonbutt. Good luck with that." He vanished, imploding on himself with a little pop. A paw reached out of the air and grabbed Silver's slime. "This reminds me of someone I know. Thanks!" And the slime and Discord vanished away.
Silver blinked softly. "I... Huh, first time Discord just stole something from me like that."
Night rolled her eyes. "What you get for having friends like that."
As they approached the final hallway to Luna's chambers, the night guards posted there dropped their spears to bar the way. "The Princess is sleeping and isn't to be disturbed."
Silver frowned at them. "She just sent us a letter and we have to talk to her about it."
Night nodded firmly. "Let us past."
"Her orders were very specific." The guard frowned at Silver. "You, in particular, are not permitted here."
Silver put a leg around Night, pulling her in tight. "We're here to see Luna, together. Tell her we're here." He knew they wouldn't. With Night drawn close, he played the magical song of transportation and they both vanished in a bright flash of silver.
They appeared inside Luna's room, mildly singed from Silver's inexpert use of the spell, but intact. Luna looked up from her cushions, her eyes widening a moment before a deep scowl marred her features. "Silver... Will you haunt me even during my waking hours? You've gone too far."
Night pulled out the letter and threw it to the ground with an angry flick of her neck. "What's the idea of trying to send him away?!"
Luna rose to her full height, towering over her two intruders. "He is needed."
"Alone!?" demanded Silver as he took a step forward. "I'm on leave, and I won't leave my wife's side. She's pregnant, damn it all. I won't abandon her, or my future foals."
The door to her room exploded inwards as her guards shoved their way through. "We're here, Princess Luna!" they cried in unison, spears and teeth brandished as they made to close with the interlopers.
Night spread her wings as she went to a defensive position. "We're here to talk, Princess Luna, don't make it like this."
"You did that to yourself." Luna glowered down at them. "Take them away!"
Silver's horn danced with magic as he hopped away from the guards, appearing beside Luna. "Talk to us!"
Luna raised a hoof and brought it down in a savage motion, kicking Silver away. He slid across the ground, taking several cushions with him. "The time for talking is over."
Silver tried to scramble to his hooves, but that kick had broken something, he was sure of it as fresh fiery pain rushed through the kicked side and left him to flop bonelessly to the ground. "Luna... not like this..."
Luna's mask of fury softened a little. "Now you can see me for what I am. Stop chasing me."
Night ducked under a swing of a spear and bit down on the shaft, snapping it in half. "I don't want to fight fellow guards, but I won't back down. Let us talk." The two guards met one another's gaze. They dropped their spears and exposed their fangs, jumping at Night with feral cries of predation.
Silver reached towards Luna despite the pain. "It's not... that bad. You don't have to keep hiding... I've seen what you fear, Luna."
"Stop taunting me!" Her wings went wide and she reared up, fore legs pedalling in the air.
"I've seen it... and I understand. Please..."
Night went down under the bulk of the two guards, fangs against her throat and pinned despite her attempts to thrash and free herself. Another two guards rushed into the room. One went to help hold Night down as another casually placed a hoof on the already broken Silver. "Secured, Your Highness."
Luna took a slow breath, folding her wings at her sides and composing herself. "They are guilty of assault on Royalty. Take them away." She turned away from the scene, hiding her face as a few tears forced their way hot from her eyes.
The guards saluted with their wings before hefting up their prisoners, one struggling more than the other. Every movement brought new stabs and flashes of pain for Silver and the only sounds he made were tortured gasps and groans even as he tried to quiet himself.
Night glared at Luna's back. "Damned fool of a princess! Maybe you deserve to be alone and miserable."
Silver winced at the words, though his reactions were little compared to how well it pierced into Luna. She didn't face them, or anyone else. They were taken away, to leave Luna to be alone.
Alone and miserable.