The night was well spent. Night seemed to be feeling her romantic oats and they cuddled fiercely. From the sound, Trixie wasn't letting Rough escape his own cuddling. It was as close to... that... they had come while their parents were sharing the same room. With a sudden pop, they had their tricky foals with them. Night scooped them right up and brought them into the snuggling without delay.
There was only one worry between them. Night fixed her glass-less eyes on Silver. "You know she won't settle for first blood this time."
Silver's ears pinned backwards. "Likely not. I'll be careful."
Night pressed close, pinning the two squirming foals between them. "Careful might not be careful enough... please. I love you. Don't get... Come home to me." She flashed a fanged smile. "I feel like one of those ponies in the old stories, hoping their partner comes home from a war."
Silver leaned in and peppered her snout and cheeks with little kisses. "I'll come home. I've lived through worse. Besides, you'll be there, with me. We're a team."
Night flashed her fangs. "Maybe, but I can't fight with you this time. I hope you have something suitably clever in mind, damn unicorn."
Trixie's voice suddenly raised, "Being tricky is something we unicorns can excel at. Show that two-legged upstart who she's facing!" She sounded nothing if not confident in the situation.
Rough pulled her back gently into his embrace. "I'm with your wife, be careful. Better you lose a match with no stakes than get seriously hurt trying to win against somepony desperate."
"He's not a nopony anymore. Everything has a stake." Trixie rolled her eyes. "Use every trick we've gone over and make up some new ones if you have to."
Night suddenly nipped at him. "Your mother's being a bad influence. As if Celestia will care if you lose this match. You keep being a sweet and effective ambassador, which is your job, and you have nothing to fear."
Silver picked up Morning Glory gently and looked the foal in the eyes, to have the attention returned intently. "What do you think? I doubt she'll be happy if I just give in. She'll know, and she'll be even more angry. I have to face her properly, I think."
Morning gave his opinion by reaching out and resting the end of his hoof on Silver's snout and smiling silently at him. It was enough for Silver. He settled into bed with his family, big and small, and prepared for bed.
The next morning, he led the way with Night close behind and Trixie behind her. "Why are you coming, mother?"
Trixie raised a brow. "It's not obvious? I want to see my colt in action."
He saw little benefit to arguing about it, so simply hastened his step towards the gymnasium that he had fought in before. Nefertari was already there and most of the room had been abandoned and cleared to make room for the battle. The guards, who would normally be using the room to train, were instead already spread out and waiting to see the spectacle.
Silver felt his heart fall a little. No, throwing the fight simply wouldn't solve anything, he decided as Nefertari smiled at him toothfully and brought her hands together with a clap. "Here he is, and he looks so eager. Perhaps he won't be so after we're done, hmm. Last time we went to the first blood, but that barely served as a warmup. None of that."
Night clopped on the floor. "My husband's body is not your trophy. I, and Equestria, need him, alive."
Nefer flashed that grin even wider. "I wouldn't dream of it. Why, he can give up whenever he wishes to. The first to surrender, or be unable to continue, loses. Those are a proper warrior's terms." She raised a brow, looking down at Silver. "Or will you give up right now? Is a real fight too intimidating?"
Silver felt tempted to do just that a moment. Perhaps showing a yellow belly would make Nefer feel superior and satiate her. He glanced around at all the other ponies who were watching him in return, waiting for a fight. He wasn't in this just for himself. "Let's do this. Keep it clean, no permanent harm or crippling strikes."
Nefer flexed her clawed fingers. "Bones mend with time. Don't let me get a hold of yours and you won't have a problem." She adopted a loose pose, but Silver could feel the tension hidden in it. She was ready to move. "Ready?"
Silver licked his lips as he formed his stately shield, even if he knew it wouldn't be enough, alone, to win the day. He reached out with his magic, feeling the area around him and playing a new song over his horn. It wasn't quite as optimized as he would have liked, but he had only thought of it the evening prior, so he was glad it was working as well as it was, even if it had no visual effect, yet.
The match was on. Nefer vanished, but Silver could feel her darting and weaving through his field. She was too fast for what he had in mind, so he held onto that and--
Trixie shouted from the sidelines, "Show her!" She was waving her hooves and looked really excited, but it was just distracting for Silver.
Nefer came from between here and there. She drove her knee into the shield even as a fist came down, stressing and testing it as it collapsed into its more solid shape and heat began to build, but she was already gone. A first blow, but not an effective one. "Eyes on me," she called, though she was moving too quickly to set eyes on.
There were a handful of spells Silver had memorized to the point of true proficiency, and mixing those spells came easier and with more elegant results. He unleashed one such out and the room became a haze of fire with him at the center. Everywhere he could feel was now heating and exploding, sucking the heat away from the rest of the room that chilled dramatically. The guards started with surprise even as his shield faded away. The field of scorched air was too much to hold up alongside the shield. He knew she was in it, suffering.
She rushed him despite the heat and suddenly he was bowled over backwards, one of her hands at his throat, the other at his belly. "Fuzzy sorcerer, there's more to a fight than new tricks." Her fur was singed, blackening by the moment even as she dug claws painfully into that soft belly before she suddenly spread her hand out and began rubbing him like a family dog fiercely and vigorously.
It felt better than it had any right to and he could feel his right hind leg kicking into the air. The heat faded as his concentration lapsed, but he wouldn't give in so easily. He vanished from her grip in a flash of light, appearing in the air wreathed in his magic and quickly reforming his shield.
Nefer laughed as she spun to face him. "You have limits, little pony." Despite smoking a little from the assault, she moved, and was gone from sight.
Pain exploded from behind as he heard the screams of angry spirits. His body was intact, but his head felt like it was in a vice. He blinked away, only to see her focusing the beam of angry magic towards him. He blinked again, not away, but towards. He appeared just behind her and grabbed her with all four legs, clutching tightly.
He realized his forehooves were feeling something he hadn't ever experienced before, at least while awake. He had her by the chest and it brought a fierce blush to his cheeks.
Nefer effortlessly threw off the distracted stallion and sent him flying to the ground to crash roughly. "Nice try." She licked her lips. "This is what I wanted." She was on him in an instant even as he stood up and brought a fist in. His head snapped back from the powerful punch. The second wasn't as successful as he desperately raised one of his most lethal shields.
She yanked the hand away even as angry lines of red sprung up along it and the arm it was attached to. The scrambling shield was no joke, but it was also grossly inefficient. Silver staggered from the effort, trying to stand up and doing a poor job of it.
"Give up!" shouted Night, but she was one voice in a room full of excited shouts and cries.
Nefer gave the injured hand a little shake, sending droplets flying. "I remember that one. Now I know you're serious, but you're getting weaker." She took a step forward. "Now's the time to roll over."
That felt like a very good idea indeed, but Silver had a few more tricks up his non-existent sleeves. He reached with his magic, surrounding Nefer even as she approached him slowly.
"Can't fight anymore?" She took another slow step. "That means I win."
Silver solidified his grip suddenly and threw her upwards to crash into the ceiling before he let go of her, heaving for breath.
She fell from where he lifted her, landing flat. She was panting as well. He wasn't the only combatant tired from their scuffle. "I can keep this going longer than you." She pushed up to her feet. "You won't win, not three times." She darted for him and he could really see she was feeling the pain by the fact that she was perfectly visible as she charged.
"Stop!" boomed an authoritative voice. Magic wrapped around Silver and Nefer in dark bubbles and pulled them apart as Luna strode into the room confidently. "As speakers for peace, you two certainly know how to make a mockery of the idea. That is enough."
Nefertari hissed violently at the alicorn. "Release us! We're almost finished. We have every right!"
Luna shook her head. "Perhaps where you come from, this may be true, but in Equestria, a brawl of this magnitude can be, and is, called to an end."
Nefer glared with deadly fury at Luna, to little effect. "Very well then, princess... Declare a winner." She gestured at Silver, who was sinking to the ground of his bubble, weak and tired. "Clearly I am more prepared to continue."
Luna gave a little smile. "I have no doubt if I let you go, he would struggle onwards. Since neither of you have surrendered, it is a draw, per your own terms." She set Nefertari to the ground and released her. "This fight is over."
The crowd made some noises of unhappiness over the ending, but began to disperse and get the room back into its usual order, burnt training mats notwithstanding. Night and Trixie moved to Silver's side and helped him stand.
Trixie was all smiles. "You gave a Great and Powerful display, colt of mine. They'll be speaking of you for years, Trixie is certain."
Night nuzzled into his cheek. "Why didn't you give up? I'm glad you're alright but that stubborn streak will get you hurt."
Nefertari attempted to move towards Silver and his family, but Luna interceded. "I think that's quite enough for one day."
Nefer scowled. "I won't hurt him. You've called the fight." She shook her injured hand lightly. "Striking him out of the blue would bring no satisfaction."
Luna sat before Nefertari. "You've been rather insistent about three."
Nefer glanced away. "It's not a pony issue... I didn't technically lose."
"You did not win."
Nefer balled her fists, injured or not. "No... I won't shame my lineage like that. I didn't lose..."
"You did not win." Luna raised a brow. "Will you--"
Nefer was gone.