Silver woke with a start and looked around. His wives were looking at him, but they were far from the only two pairs of eyes. Celestia and Luna were also present, watching him. "Uh, good morning?" A glance to the nearest window confirmed that it seemed to be morning.
Luna drew in a harsh breath. "You vanished in the dream world. We feared the worst. Are you well?"
Samantha didn't ask questions. She pushed Silver over, which he allowed, and began examining him with eager eyes and a stethoscope. "A bit elevated in heart rate, but seems healthy."
Celestia cleared her throat softly. "We're overwhelming him. Good morning, Silver. We didn't mean to surprise you like this."
Silver rose up and gave both of his wives a kiss, remembering the last night with a sudden chill. He was about to say something, something like 'don't ever go' or 'never leave me', but both felt like hollow things to say. Instead he hugged the two closer and squeezed them in his legs. "I love you so much..."
Night raised a brow. "I appreciate the sentiment, but something is clearly wrong. I know you don't like to talk about what's bothering you, but I'll ask once at least. Will you tell us?"
Silver shuddered softly as he brought his legs back to himself and sat up properly. "I was... Celestia, how long do ponies live?"
The question itself was enough to know. Night Watch frowned softly. "Long enough." She leaned in and nuzzled him a little. "You'll be tired of us by the time we worry about that."
Celestia coughed softly into a hoof. "I doubt that will be the case... Silver, I'm sorry."
"As am I." Luna nodded softly. "This was entirely my fault. It seems I am unable to prevent hurting you, Silver."
Samantha was the only one left in the dark. "What are we discussing? I could research the average age of--"
Silver put a hoof over Samantha's snout, silencing her a moment before he kissed her nose. "That won't be needed." He rose to his hooves. "All of you... Thank you. This isn't a uniquely 'me' problem, not by far. Any day... any day our loved ones could be snatched away by disease, accident, or malice. I need to get myself together."
Luna glanced away and back. "If there is anything we can do?"
Silver smiled at the dark princess of the night. "Be a friend."
She smiled at that. She was forgiven, and knew it. "Prince of Forgiveness, perhaps."
Silver waved it off. "That isn't what Equestria needs."
Celestia rose a brow. "Oh? You know what your purpose is? You sound quite confident."
Siver let out a slow breath. "I think I do."
"Don't leave us in suspense." Night Wing nuzzled the closer cheek. "Share."
Silver spread his wings. "I'm here to help catch others that fell into this mess. I'm here to be a guide and friendly face to everyone shoved out of their lives and into Equestria, by their own desires or foolish errors."
Celestia tilted her head faintly. "A fine task, but you have no assurance it will continue. You are Ambassador, and so you remain. You don't need your royal title to retain the position." She reached a wing towards him, brushing his side. "I don't oppose your taking your position seriously, not at all. I'm quite proud."
Luna glanced across at Celestia and back to Silver. "My sister is correct. Your purpose will become clear to you." She quirked a smile. "Princess Twilight was given a castle by Fate itself when it became clear to her. I wouldn't expect the same, mind. We had to have our castles, both of them, constructed the old-fashioned way. Cadance inherited hers from the old Crystal Empire. Princess Fast Change, well, she was more like us, and their hive was built at their own hooves."
Samantha tilted her head. "Fast Change is a princess of changelings, right?"
Celestia nodded. "Her purpose was quite clear. There is no doubt, in her own heart or ours. She rules over them kindly, and is exactly what they needed. In time, they will be as welcome as any other tribe of pony."
Samantha perked an ear at that. "They aren't now?"
"We should think not." Luna rolled her eyes. "They are not well trusted, and can hurt other ponies far too easily."
Samantha waved a hoof and a selection of hypodermic needles appeared with a twinkle of her horn. "I could hurt other ponies."
Night Watch swatted the needles away with a wing. "And that bothers some ponies. Not us, you adorable menace, but some..."
Celestia stood up, dominating the room. "I'm glad you're alright, Silver. If you need to talk, please, come speak with me if ever you require it." She nodded low and slipped from the room.
A foal cried out, soon joined by the other. Silver slipped from the bed quickly, moving to see to his children.
Luna was left with the wives. She nodded to each. "I apologize if my presence has bothered."
Night pointed to herself. "I'm not bothered by you being here, but what did you tell Silver?" She leaned towards the larger pony. "You scared him, whatever you told him. You can try to intimidate me, but scaring him? That bothers me..."
Samantha's needles appeared. "Tell us, or we'll be forced to take action."
Luna raised a brow at Samantha's action before shaking her head. "I made a mistake. I apologize."
Night snorted. "That's not an answer. What did you say?"
Samantha sent one of the needles flying, which Luna blocked effortlessly with a swipe of her wing. This suited Samantha just fine as she sent the second needle plunging into the flesh of that offered wing. "Tell us."
Luna hissed with pain even as things got a little fuzzy. She had been drugged and staggered back away from the cooly angry mares. "I told him... the inevitable truth. He will outlive you."
Samantha snorted at that. "I'll figure out how to be young as long as he is." She nudged Night roughly. "You're coming with us."
Night felt warm. Her newest wife was a good one. She reached with a wing to gently hug Samantha. "We've defeated worse getting this far. We won't give up that easily."
Luna took a step back towards the door, then collapsed to the floor. The drugs coursing through her robbed her of consciousness and she was soon asleep on their floor.
Samantha tilted her head. "I thought, being larger, she would require a heavier dose..."
Night blinked with concern. "How much more did you use?"
Samantha did some quick calculations in her head. "About ten times the usual dose."
Night paled. "She isn't ten times our size! Tell me you have an antidote."
Samantha gave a nervous little laugh.
Silver emerged with a blink, seeing an unconscious Luna sprawled across the floor. "What happened?"
Samantha raised a hoof. "I made a medical error in the dosage amount for this patient."
Silver approached Luna quickly and reached out a hoof. Luna was still breathing. Her heart was beating. She wasn't dead, just knocked out. But would she stay that way? "Let's get her to the infirmary right away." His horn glowed brightly as he lifted the considerable mass of Luna into the air. "Samantha, you're with me. Tell the doctor what you filled her with. Night, you're on foal duty." He pivoted to the door and practically barreled through it into the hallway, Luna floating behind him.
Samantha mouthed a quick 'sorry' before she dashed after Silver and the door shut behind her with her magic.
Night let out a little sigh and shook her head. "Boredom will never be an issue in this family." She shook herself out and moved for the shower. "May as well get ready for the day..."
Silver was a curious sight, charging through the castle with the limp form of Luna floating behind him. He danced around ponies in the way, and soon entered the infirmary. He set Luna gently on the closest bed. "She's pumped full of tranquilizers of some kind."
Samantha had a much more precise description of the cocktail used and began describing it in exacting detail as the doctor and nurse got to work making sure Luna remained stable.
A guard entered with a frown. "The night guard will hear about this soon."
Silver perked an ear. "Why do you bring that up?"
"They're very... defensive about Princess Luna, just as we are about Princess Celestia."
Silver put the picture together. "Luna's alright, and Samantha's not a criminal. Let's keep calm heads about this."
The guard nodded. "She is dangerous, however, as the doctor here is aware. They will use that as leverage to have her detained."
Samantha rolled her ears back. "She was--"
The guard held up a hoof. "You don't need to convince me." He rose and departed with the quiet shuffle of metal armor.
Silver put a leg around Samantha and drew her close. "We'll work through this. At worst, Luna will wake up and settle everything. Until then, we play nice and cooperate."
Samantha heaved a little sigh. "I suppose I did perform incorrectly..."
Silver kissed her between the ears. "I still love you."
She smiled at that. "Then I didn't do too--"
Two lunar pegasi in dark purple armor entered with clear scowls. Both stallions approached Silver. "Ambassador Silver Watch, we must take your wife into custody. We trust you will not interfere?"
Silver hugged Samantha closer. "She's coming."
Samantha nodded. "I made a mistake." She rose to her hooves and slipped from Silver's grip. "I will await judgment."
The guards seemed disarmed by her compliance. One stepped forward and nodded at her. "Do you swear to comply with our orders?"
She nodded silently, and was led away.
The other guard looked at Silver curiously. "We expected more resistance... Thank you, Sir, for keeping this civil." He turned to the doctor. "How is Princess Luna?"
The doctor looked up from where he had been working. "She's about as stable as she's going to be. I'll have a working counter-serum as soon as I can." He glanced away and back at him. "She's.. a bit unstable, but she did provide the information needed to create the antidote. She's not a bad pony."
The nurse snorted softly. "She's stuffed us in closets how many times?"
Silver hissed softly. "She's grown since then. Let's just keep our heads on straight, take care of Luna, and move from there."
The guard nodded at Silver. "Wise words. See to her treatment as if your very life depended on it." He turned and strode out purposefully.