Chapter XL – Warmth
Twilight slowly lifted her eyelids. Or tried to, at first.
Her head was thick with sleep... warm, thick and blissful sleep, luring her back into its soft, carefree embrace. It felt almost... intoxicating.
Intoxicating... Yes, that word was somehow fitting into an unfinished puzzle of memory in her mind.
She tried to focus. She... she was in pain in the morning and... There was warmth... overwhelming, benumbing... Then, in the blackness of slumber a... familiar voice whispered her name... but she was too numb, too warm to reply. Too keen to sleep... because... because...
... she took the extract.
Oh... yes, the sensations made a lot of sense now.
She tried to stretch, though her limbs felt sluggish and heavy... so heavy. She let out a long exhale. Sleeping in still sounded enticing, though she was certain it was the echo of the brew talking... Well, as far as she knew, all of her aches, including the back one, were gone, so there was nothing wrong with more rest...
The poppy did a wonderful job. She would have to thank Rowan Berry once again, for her expert help...
After what felt like but a while... though closing one’s eyes for just a moment was always treacherous, Twilight shifted to her side. She almost immediately began to melt into the warmth of the blanket again... but her somewhat foggy gaze still managed to spot a shape, sitting by the end of the bed.
A stallion-like shape.
She gave it a soft, dopey smile.
“Midnight...”
“Good night, Twilight...” he greeted her, his own, delicate smirk becoming more and more clear as she blank away the remains of slumber. “How are you feeling?”
“Sleepy... but rested,” she replied honestly. “Especially in comparison to... how I felt in the morning.”
The stallion nodded, a shade of worry crossing his muzzle. “So I heard, yes. Your back is fine once more?”
She stretched a little, cautious for any signs of tension. Thankfully, she felt nothing that would be in any way alarming.
“Looks like it... That’s a relief, I cannot lie...”
Midnight lowered his head, raising his forelegs a little at the same time. “Bogine grata.” His loving look was back just afterwards. “I’m sorry I did not manage to see you yesternight. I was ordered to help the wartowneci, the Lord’s sentinels, organize the travel...”
Twilight smiled back at him, lifting herself up... ever so slowly. The pillow behind her was tempting her. However, she had a blatantly better reason to stay in the waking world.
“I think I saw you before I’ve fallen asleep yesternight... Though the room was all blurry and it was hard to fight the poppy effects for any longer...” she explained, rubbing her eyes. “That extract is potent, I will give it that.”
“In the right dosage. I mean, I have been here for some time now... The Sign of the Goddess is silver and high in the skies already.”
Twilight stopped abruptly. She took her hooves away from her face and looked at him incredulously. “I slept in?”
He smirked more. “It’s midnight.”
“Midnight, Midnight?!”
The doubly-invoked stallion tried to stop himself from laughing, but the amused snort ruined his efforts entirely. “Yes, to both,” he replied, getting up onto his hooves with the metallic shuffling of his armor. “Reminds me of an old ‘locksmith’ joke...”
Twilight did not get the reference. She didn’t try, to be fair, busy as she was with shaking herself awake and scrambling out of bed. Double time!
“Oh my gosh, I-I had no idea! There is still so much to do! I must get back to writing and I must look an absolute mess and—”
Midnight approached her and managed to stop her panic by simply resting his hoof against her cheek. “Calm down, my light,” he spoke with a softness that immediately grabbed her attention. “True, you are utterly bedraggled...”
“Hey!”
He chuckled, removing a strand of her surely wild mane from her forehead. “... but there is no need to rush. I have already asked for the weather reports, right after sundown actually. We will leave tomorrow night at the very earliest, we have a strong front moving westward,” he explained, his hoof cupping her muzzle again, causing warmth far greater than that of mere touch to gather in her cheeks. “Honored Lord Eye of Family Midnight has also granted me an audience. You don’t have to worry about attending anything official tonight, I made sure of it.”
“Oh...” the expression of surprise escaped Twilight’s lips. “That’s... very thoughtful of you, Midnight. Thank you,” she replied, truly grateful. “How did you manage that, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“My natural magnetism,” he replied, baring his teeth puckishly.
She would scold him for it, but he was a bit too comfortably close to complain. “Well... whatever you did, thank you again. Don’t get me wrong, but...”
“... the Lord’s a bit much,” he finished the sentence for her. “I know. But I spoke with him and he recognized that you needed to properly prepare for this next Covenant meeting, especially if a threat has been made by Lord Blessed Fang,” he spoke in a serious tone. His smile beamed back again soon enough. “You also should enjoy the Mountain further. After all, you are an esteemed guest now...”
“Now,” she accentuated. Took her a while to reach that status after all.
“Yes,” he agreed on the same note, chuckling. “But, you know, we must not let opportune moments pass.”
The way he said it gave her a pause. She wasn’t sure what he meant exactly... but a pleasant, warm tingle crossed her back.
He gently caressed her muzzle, clearly spotting her reaction.
“How much do you actually have to do tonight?”
‘Nothing’ felt like a good answer, but... Twilight wouldn’t feel right simply forgetting about her plans. Surely he would understand that.
“I... I’d want to try and finish my letter to Princess Celestia...” she uttered, hoping not to disappoint him. “I-I got stuck badly and, well, the migraine was not helping, and...”
Thankfully, his smile did not falter at all. “Then the entire night is yours, as needed...” he told her, before winking. “Well, almost.”
“Midnight?” she asked when the small glint appeared in his eyes.
“It’s a surprise. Took some convincing, yes, but I got a permission from the Lord.” His grimace widened even more and yet became... mysterious. His whisper barely reached her ears, but she could read its tone well enough. “I plan on... stretching it a little, without his knowledge...”
Twilight should have been worried. Seriously worried. If it wasn’t for the fact that it was her beloved talking about bending some rules... and that the sheer power of his whisper and those keen, saffron eyes of his made her feel warm. Very, very warm.
“Midnight...?” she asked once more, surprised she even managed to, considering she saw him leaning in ever so slowly. His hoof was taking its sweet time to trace her jawline, making her shiver in delight.
He was seducing her.
... and, oh, it was working.
“Yes, my light?” The breeze of his reply encompassed her muzzle, leaving behind more of this irresistible tingling.
“... w-what are you planning?” she managed to breathe out.
“Something nice.”
His lips brushed against her own. Her mind fogged more than after the extract. Much more. And in a much warmer way.
“H... how nice?”
“Very nice.”
A passionate kiss like theirs was certainly one way to wake up entirely. Twilight had hard time controlling the constant shudders passing through her, especially those making her wings flutter excitedly. Every second they both shared like this was stretching in her mind and yet such brief moments of intimacy always felt too short.
She simply couldn’t have enough of him. And, as his lips were telling her, vice versa.
Twilight plopped right back onto the pillow when they finally paused, feeling remarkably lightheaded. Midnight, chuckling in blatant satisfaction, stood up, checking his hoofshoes and glancing towards her luggage.
“During a certain blanket dispute,” he began, invoking yet another, pleasurable memory in Twilight’s mind, “I promised to take you out on a date.”
She needed a moment to process what she had just heard, although she knew her eyes widened at the words immediately.
“A d-date? Here? At your Mountain?!”
“Technically,” he replied with a smirk.
“Just... in what way did you... I mean... how?!”
“I’m resourceful and opportunistic in my dedication to you.”
Twilight shook her head... and her expression must have been pretty incredulous. “That all sounds... very useful and nice, but... a date? Us, on an actual date? What... what does this mean exactly?”
The stallion sighed comically. “Do you promise not to pry too much if I but tell you what I need you to prepare, instead of being more direct about it?”
“O-okay, I promise,” she responded, trying to mean it, though Midnight’s chuckle proved that he did not buy her attempt.
“Take your time, finish your correspondence first. We will arrange its sending afterwards. When we do, wear something... nice, but practical.”
“Practical?”
“We will go outside for a moment after that,” he told her, enigmatically enough.
She bit her lower lip. She had a more... travel-ready set in her luggage, but, if he said that it would be a... nice surprise.
“For long?”
Midnight laughed, shaking his head. “I really don’t want to ruin my own plan here, iau lumn, but...” He paused for a moment, considering. “A moment of cold... for a lot of warmth later on.”
Something about the way he said it made the tips of her ears burn. She wasn’t going to... presume too much, and yet this strange sensation settled in her gut. A mixture of excitement, a little bit of embarrassed fear...
... and some... anticipation. A lot of some anticipation.
Midnight was not helping her, hiding his intent behind that crooked smile of his... and sticking out his tongue a little, just as she tried to ask for more details.
“You are insufferable...” she chastised him with a soft voice. And a smile. And a sigh of loving defeat. “Iae amate tu.”
“Ia amat tue tez, iaa Crepuscle,” he told her back, making her heart flutter even more in her chest. “I will organize some food for you and then leave you to the writing.”
“I’d tell you to stay, but I worry about being distracted...” she responded, giggling to herself. “I will try not to take too long. Especially since, well, it’s midnight already!”
She scrambled out of bed as he was leaving. But just before he closed the door she managed to remind herself of something.
“Oh, Midnight?”
“Yes?” he looked back, curious.
“If you would be so kind to tell Rowan Berry that the extract worked wonders and that I am grateful?”
Something changed in the stallion’s expression, though she couldn’t tell what exactly.
“I will, Twilight, but she won’t be joining us today. The Honored Lord requested her presence for the night,” he replied, rather blankly, before closing the door.
She felt bamboozled by such a development... and change of atmosphere... though not enough to worry. Nor to stop herself from a small celebration of squealing and trotting in place. Midnight was planning a date for the two of them?! Just how he managed to even organize that was hard to imagine, but she certainly wasn’t going to complain!
Not after his gaze. Not after his words and his kiss.
And especially not after the feeling in her stomach, though she was trying to control it.
A date could have had... many implications.
She took a deep breath, trying to focus and consider. Concentrate on the letter, get it done and get it done right.
She needed to clean herself up first, however, after a long day of sleep. To calm herself down as well. Or was it better to wait for him to bring in the food first? She wouldn’t want him to stride in when she was bathing...
... she pursed her lips when she realized that this last thought was not true. Not at all, not anymore.
Especially not after that one occurrence, just after the fateful meeting with Lord Midnight Eye, when, right in this chamber, she hinted at the two of them actually... well...
She felt her mouth dry out.
She had to sit down on her bed again. To think that she used to pale at the very thought of... of anything more serious between her and Midnight. Not in terms of the feelings of heart, but something... intimate.
She gulped. Loudly.
Well, she was still finding it hard to... intimate it to herself, in the other sense of the word, so at least she knew she was still herself and could think clearly enough.
Not that it sabotaged her motivations, nor made her get cold hooves. On the contrary. The more she tried to understand what Midnight meant by a “very nice” surprise, the more restless she felt. In a good way. In a bad way. In a warm way...
She shook her head. She wasn’t going to get anything done with said head in the clouds. It was better to leave this deliberations for later.
Managing not to linger in the bath pocket... especially considering the cold, mountain water that was not really enticing to do so, Twilight got herself presentable once more. And just in time, as not a few minutes after she dried herself and dealt with the wildness that was her mane after such a long sleep, a knock on the door announced Midnight arriving with her meal.
He thanked somepony in the corridor just as he closed the door, having a silver platter with him, with the regular assortment of fruit, properly displayed for a feast for the eyes, before a feast for the stomach.
“Is there an Equestrian term for breakfast eaten in the afternoon?” he inquired as he placed everything on the chamber’s table.
Twilight took her place, pondering for a moment. “Decadence?”
“No...” Midnight shook his head, chuckling and taking a quarter of an orange from the plate... and putting one side of it in between his lips. He then approached her, offering her the fruit in such a... specific manner.
Her inhale was a little shaky as she accepted his offering, resulting in them biting it in half, their lips meeting for a sweet, citrus moment.
“... this is decadence...” the stallion whispered when he swallowed his piece and took his seat, starting to get out of his bladed hoofshoes for the moment.
Twilight took a moment longer too speak up, savoring the refreshing taste of his lips, followed by the, equally refreshing, orange.
“You may be right,” she told him with a small, abashed giggle. “I don’t mind it, not at all, though allow me to ask... what has gotten into you, Midnight?”
The stallion grinned widely. “Whatever would you mean?”
“You behave rather... confidently tonight. And you planned... some private time for us? Only us?” she inquired, grabbing for herself another orange and placing it on her table. One whole this time. “Not that I am complaining, but... I mean, I know that the Lord... consented to, well, us, but...”
“My light,” the stallion interrupted her, pulling his chair a bit closer, “I do not know what motivates the Honored Lord, but this is a chance. Our chance... The Immaculate Moon... would turn Her generous gaze away from me if I were to squander Her obvious providence...”
Twilight bit her lip before she decided to bite into her meal. “I... well, it’s hard to deny that this seems to be an unforeseen change of heart from the Lord...”
“An impossible one, Twilight... but, it seems that what we share is blessed by the Goddess after all...” He reached out to put his hoof on hers, without the metal that would separate them usually. “I would dare claim that our love is blessed by both Her and her Sister Goddess, but I think you are the one to know better...”
“I have actually given this... fortune some thought, Midnight, though... I cannot say. Spirituality seems still way above my head... And to be fair, on the more mundane side, I have not even planned on how I am going to tell the Princesses, my family, friends and everypony else that I have... fallen in love with a batpony!”
Midnight blinked a couple of times, making Twilight realize how such a sentence could have sounded! Shame!
“No, no, not that it is a bad thing, no! No, not at all, just—”
“Unprecedented, if I remember that complex word you once used,” he aided her, smile returning to his muzzle. “I know what you meant... we are both right in the middle of this blizzard...”
“Yes, that we are,” she agreed, looking at their conjoined hooves. It was a wonderful sight. “At the moment... I’m just glad we have any chance...”
He chuckled, reaching out to cup her muzzle tenderly. “And that is what has ‘gotten’ into me, my light... I came to the realization just how much this opportunity means. I know, with renewed strength, how much you mean to me. Despite all those... doubts that would plague me from time to time...”
Twilight trembled at the memories invoked by his words. When he claimed he was unworthy. That she should have rejected him, for her own sake. That she knew nothing about him.
He easily took notice of her trepidation, for he immediately reached out to hold her face with both hooves, looking deep into her eyes. With a gaze that was making her feel strong and weak at the same time.
“I am aware that you know it already, but... I want to use this chance to show you that I love you. Forever... and entirely...”
She was already melting from his touch, but those words pushed her even more into that sensation. She let out an elated, shaky exhale.
“I want to show you the same, Midnight...” she managed to utter, almost overwhelmed by the emotions in her heart, mind and body.
Their kiss was short, but that did nothing to lessen its wonder...
“Then you better write that letter quick,” he told her with a smirk right after.
She giggled... then pecked him straight on the nose. “You are keeping me distracted from progressing to it, you know.”
“So, you’d prefer me out of the chamber after all, to avoid my diversions?”
“You can stay, if you won’t be too insufferable...” she whispered back, though nothing in her voice sounded like a warning. Quite the opposite. Still, she hesitated before her question. “But... uhm... will you be fine with me... helping myself with magic a little? I am used to writing with my quill held by—”
“Repeat after me – I love you entirely.”
She gave him another kiss, which more than sufficed for the repetition.
The stallion indeed decided to practice restraint instead of lovingly disturbing her. He remained by the table, checking his gear tirelessly, even procuring for himself a small cloth at some point to take care of his breastplate. But, aside from occasional, caring glances, he left Twilight to the writing by the desk.
And she did not delay, never forgetting about the importance of the letter in front of her, even with him and his promise of the date at the back of her mind.
First things first, however.
Which meant taking care of this dreadful opening from yesternight, in favor of something far more appropriate.
Twilight took a deep breath, enveloping her quill in the raspberry hue of her magic.
‘Dear Princess Celestia,
‘I deeply regret the fact that we had no chance of talking before I took on my latest task, one that has me among the peaks of Noctraliya. A mission unique and monumental, it has to be said, perhaps even more so than I initially imagined. As such, my message could be seen as unhealthily delayed. Yet I want to believe that the contents of it will act as a proper explanation... and a plea for aid and counsel.’
She examined this paragraph for a moment. It was, perhaps, a bit official, considering their cordial relations... but the gravity of what she desired to include further warranted that.
Still, it was better to prove that it was really her writing it, other than quillmanship.
‘You’ll be happy to learn that I am well, healthy and eating enough. Especially oranges...’
Twilight wasn’t certain how long it took her to compose the rest of the letter. Three hours, perhaps? She had to put in everything. Everything she had learned about the history of Noctraliya. Everything regarding Radiant Glory, Shades’ Hollow, the rest of the Crusade... Everything she had gathered about the batponies... She even asked for advice on how to, delicately, handle a small filly whose father had lost his sight.
She made sure not to overlook any details, any observations she had made. She put in, with blatant, honest words, the batponies’ approach to Equestrians, their beliefs and even their misconceptions.
This was not the time to consider half-truths, that was not her way. It might have been for at least some of the noctrali, but definitely not for her.
She finally put the quill down, just before signing the letter. She let out a pregnant sigh... then jumped a little, feeling Midnight’s forelegs on her shoulders, soon encompassing her neck. She leaned into his cheek as his muzzle appeared right next to her and closed her eyes for a second.
“Does this mean you are finished?” came his question.
“I think so... I might read through it one more time, but, for the best part...” she told him, stretching her neck. She felt the tension in her horn and even some small buzzing. Natural, considering how long she had maintained concentration, but this was not her first session of extensive writing. “I tried to be as precise and honest as possible... For the sake of everypony.”
Midnight planted a gentle kiss on her temple. “I am more than certain of it, my light...”
He stayed silent for a moment afterwards... though Twilight could easily tell that something was on his mind. She felt it almost instinctively.
“What is it, Midnight?”
He didn’t reply at first, taking in a few breaths. “Remember when I told you that... well, I cannot be certain of... the rest of my kin and their motivations?”
Twilight furrowed her brow, listening to him very carefully.
“Well, I was considering this and that. I suppose we would be sending this letter officially, so that everything is, uhm... honest-to-Goddess...”
“ ‘Honest-to-goodness’, we usually say, but... I like that expression as well, Midnight,” she told him, leaning more into his embrace. “That was my intention, considering my negotiations with Lord Midnight Eye. But I understand you have your reservations.”
Midnight remained almost motionless for a while. “I am the batpony here, indeed... And, considering what we have already been through... Deep Mist and the like...” he said and Twilight felt his forelegs tensing up for a moment. It put her even deeper into his hold, however, so she could not truly complain. “I thought about something of a... safety measure?”
“I’m all ears.”
“I invoked Altu Opar for a greater reason than a... warning,” Midnight began, his voice quieter than before. “Do you remember the dagger that I took from him? The blade of the occultani?”
Twilight felt an unpleasant shudder. “Considering that he wanted to stab you with it...”
The stallion said nothing for a breath, still and tense. “Yes... It is constantly in my possession. Not planning on getting rid of it until my task of safeguarding you is complete. As a reminder.” He inhaled deeply once more. “But, as far as I know, its significance is more than just a symbol of performing one’s tasks. It can be used to send missives through... more covert ways.”
“Oh? Interesting.” She thought for a second. “I know your bats carry letters, so... I assume it somehow gives one access to... specific bats?”
“And trusted handlers that can get the message where it needs to go, without anypony... undesirable getting their hooves on it. A small, but unique stab mark on the wax of the seal is all that is required to do that.”
Twilight furrowed her brow. This proposition... had its merits. Considering all the details that she had put on the parchment, she would not be opposed to it reaching the Royal Castle and Princess Celestia without any prying eyes having access to it. She tried to be absolutely straightforward about everything she had witnessed and learned, yes, so even if somepony were to see the contents she doubted they would actually misunderstand her aims...
Then again... private requests for aid were not something that anypony, especially one without context and with ignoble intentions, should have had a chance of freely interpreting.
She took a moment longer to ponder, weighing her options.
“So, you say that it is an... occultanu way of exchanging information...”
Midnight, his muzzle still resting on her shoulder, nodded a little. “Indeed, my Twilight.”
“Well, if we were to try and do that and not reveal that it is my letter we are sending, then Lord Midnight Eye will finally ask about it, no doubt. It will be a little strange to tell him that I haven’t sent it, considering the exchanges we already had... or, even worse, that I have used one secret way or another. I think that would be more than insulting to him and his assent, to show such distrust. Even if I expect a part of him to understand and maybe even praise such... guile.”
A moment of silence followed her words, before the stallion finally spoke up, in a slightly resigned tone.
“A fair point...”
“And if I were to reveal that it’s my letter that is being relayed, it will seem even more peculiar to see it marked as occultanu correspondence, since... how could that have happened?” she asked rhetorically, making Midnight hiss.
“That... kirwe, that is logical too...” he whispered.
She reached out to stroke his cheek. “Don’t worry. Thank you for considering it, however, I know you want to help,” she said softly. Then blinked as a thought crossed her mind. “But... how would you know how exactly do occultani handle their letters?”
“I’m a nocferratan, Twilight. I told you before, Nightguardians learn a bit about them, just so we do not step on one another’s hooves...” he told her, blankly. “Though... Deep Mist is still a sore topic. Let’s not dwell on this, please.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” she immediately agreed, leaning into him for a moment longer. “Alright, let me check this once more, just to be certain it’s all clear and ready.”
Midnight nuzzled her tenderly before asking to leave the chamber and take something from his belongings. In the meantime, she double-checked the letter... then triple-checked it. Just in case. Thankfully, it did not take her too long before she finally placed her signature on the bottom and secured the scroll with a ribbon and sealing wax, using a quick spell to form her own cutie mark in the hardening substance.
Despite her efforts, however, her late start must have pushed them even closer to morning, so Twilight wasted no time to grab for herself a more practical, travelling dress. She had not been expecting to use it too often, truth be told, but the plum, simpler garment seemed like a perfect choice for the moment. It had a certain grace to it, fit her frame in a way not to disturb flying, yet still protected from more unpredictable weather.
If there were to be cold before a lot of warmth...
She would have to thank Rarity for that particular wardrobe expansion.
Making sure her attire had all the hooks and eyes secured, Twilight awaited for Midnight to return. He himself did not delay, appearing outfitted in his full gear, as well as possessing reasonable sack, strapped and secured neatly to his person.
“What’s in there?” she asked after locking her chamber.
“Some necessary supplies,” the stallion replied with a smile as mysterious as before, leading her down the corridor. “No, nothing strange, I promise,” he added when she gave him a look.
“I’m just trying to break you, do not mind and carry on.”
He chuckled at her, shaking his head. “You look stunning enough to maybe succeed.”
She tried to stop the blush, especially since they were now in the corridors of the palace. Thankfully, other than that remark, Midnight kept a stoic expression, leading her out of the complex, then through the bustling main cavern, towards what she presumed might have been the way that led outside of the Mountain.
As she soon found out, the egress was accessible through many different tunnels, reserved for carriages, flocks of sheep housed in inside cotes, travelling merchants and the like. All of those routes met in the entry cavern protected by a massive, solid, steel gate, with its wings proudly forming the motive of a tome and lunar discus. The place was, at the moment of their arrival, relatively calm, with but a few local militiaponies posted nearby, taking care of the ancient looking mechanisms that operated the passageway. Massive chains were hanging on both sides of the entry, ready to be pulled and again open the home of Midnight Family to the world.
Twilight suddenly realized how happy she would soon be, finally leaving the rocky caverns and seeing an open sky above her.
However, before that happened, the two of them took a turn towards a solid doorway just nearby, Midnight exchanging glances and customary salutes with the militia. She was herself not far behind, politely nodding towards anypony offering her hospitable smiles... but felt her expression quite quickly changing. She even scrunched her nose, despite her best intentions.
A rather... potent smell was permeating the space before these particular doors. And she could hear a remarkable quantity of high pitched cries from the inside.
It was all too easy to deduce what this must have been.
“Let me guess... bat enclosure,” she asked of Midnight, trying to battle the stench valiantly.
“Well, kiroptidom. ‘Bats house’, but, yes,” the stallion nodded, trying not to chuckle at her struggle. “I see you are not one for animal droppings.”
“Considering the... vigor of the scent, not in vast amounts, no.”
He shook his head, smiling. “It is fine, I can understand that. I can send the letter myself, I’m pretty sure old Blackwing has been instructed already where it needs to go.”
Twilight retrieved the scroll, checking the seal and passing it to Midnight with a deep breath... that almost made her choke.
“Here goes nothing, I suppose... Don’t dwell inside for too long, please. I wouldn’t want that smell clinging to you and soiling our date...” she whispered to him, considering the presence of the local patrolponies.
He just smiled wider. “I thought about it already, don’t you worry...” he assured her, stepping away and knocking on the door, which caused the cries from inside to momentarily increase in volume.
After a moment, the passage opened and Twilight could spot a scruffy, grey beard poking out, followed finally by an elderly stallion. His eyes seemed a bit... crazed in their yellow hue.
“Kwi bid to—ha, fyatalu Maednoc Wentr! Wena, wena! Osobliwu pism, ia banuy?” he greeted Midnight with an enthusiastic shriek to contest the bats, opening the door a little wider.
Twilight peeked inside, spotting a net, behind which a thicket of branches was constantly shifting with what must have been the strength of many leathery wings.
“Innu roday, ale tac,” she heard her beloved’s response before the door closed again.
It did not seem like the elderly stallion even spotted her presence, but considering his state, he already had a lot on his head.
Quite literally.
She stayed where she was, trying not to garner too much attention, though she felt batpony eyes on her. At least this time they seemed far less concerned and distrustful. It was encouraging to know that her actions were shifting the opinion about her presence and mission.
Patiently awaiting for Midnight’s return she started to further consider what he had planned. Turned out that he already thought of risking the stench of a “bat house” on him and had a remedy prepared in advance. She furrowed her brow. It was supposed to be a surprise, he brought some supplies with him... It was a date in the Mountain “technically”... and there was to be cold before a lot of warmth...
... it all had something in common, surely, but...
She shook herself away from the deduction as the doors opened again and Midnight trotted out of them briskly.
“Done, Honored Princess,” he told her, keeping up the appearances. “The letter shall be sent with the first available bat. I made sure that Blackwing chooses one of the swifter ones. It should be but a couple nights before the letter reaches our Nocferratyi handlers. They will know what to do.”
Twilight inwardly exhaled at the news and the fact that the smell of the bats was not really that bad on him and would most likely dissipate in but a moment.
“Good, I’m very glad,” she replied, bringing forth a more regal tone herself. “Where to now, then?”
Midnight’s wing pointed towards the gate. “This way, naturally.”
She tried to hide a smile of joy at finally getting to that part of their night.
The most... exciting and nerve-wracking part.
Midnight wasted no time to approach the guards and, after a brief exchange that suggested they too had been notified accordingly, have them open a small but secure wicket in the massive, steel gateway.
A cold gust invaded the stale air of the cavern, bringing with itself the smell of snow, fog and cloud. Twilight shivered instinctively, feeling the embrace of frigid wind, but welcoming its strong, fresh smell. Her dress would do just well enough against this gale.
Still, Midnight shielded their exit with his muscular wings, pushing outside through the current.
Twilight recalled well how the domain of Midnight Family looked from the terrace, way up underneath the peak. Imposing, harsh and breathtaking, for more reason than the altitude she had been at. This time, however, she had found herself right among the rock and snow. Walls of grey extended on her left and right, descending majestically into the humble vales. Clouds, much closer than she was used to even considering flying, hanged around those granite enclosures, like glittering, frosted over cotton balls. And past them, stars of the batpony ancestors shined in untold numbers, safeguarding their old homeland from the domain of the Immaculate Moon.
Midnight pointed down the slope, where a serpentine, gravel road led down into the valley, supported on artificially widened, stone ledges.
“We can trot down for a while. I suppose the wind up here might be a bit too harsh for your liking.”
“I think I could manage, but I won’t object to caution. I suppose this is the main route from the Mountain?” Twilight asked, taking in the vistas all around her despite the howling gusts.
They were pushing her closer to Midnight’s comforting heat, so she could not really complain.
“Well, one used by shepherds, but also heavy cargo that cannot be transported by flying. It reaches the hali and then ventures through tunnels further south. We will be abandoning it before, however.”
Twilight looked further down, seeing the first signs of frail grass far below them. “We will be heading onto the meadows?”
The stallion rolled his eyes comically. “So many attempts to make me talk. Can you not wait and see for yourself?”
“No, I demand to be told now,” she teased him back in a regal tone, smiling as he huffed in indignation.
He looked up and down the route for witnesses before encompassing her in one of his muscular wings. “Bogine, here I try to be nice and take a royalty on a date and she is so nosy,” he moaned, pressing himself against her a little. “It’s like she just wants to be indulged in all and every possible way.”
Twilight felt a blush invading her cheeks. Helpful in the cold, as it happened. “I have every right to, my Nightguardian,” she played along still.
“The fact that I am assigned to protect you does not give you that right.”
“Oh, so what exactly does, Midnight Wind?”
He replied with a quick jerk of his head and an affectionate nibble right on the tip of her ear.
“The fact that I am crazy in love with you, my light...”
Her pleasured hum was surely lost in the sound of the wind, but his chuckle told her that he was close enough to hear it after all.
They continued down on the gravel for a while, enjoying themselves but keeping up a good pace. They finally reached the mountain meadows, stretching underneath the granite barriers with their green hue. Less vibrant than what Twilight knew from Equestria, but still vivid in contrast to the unforgiving stone. And, if one paid attention, they would spot small flowers dotting the landscape, with azure and gold, like little gemstones embedded in the verdant fields.
Further underneath, first bushes began to appear, patiently but surely turning into sprawling forests of conifers, descending into valleys to fill them to the brim, as if dark lakes of flora. Though, in the far distance, Twilight could also spot actual ponds and mires, reflecting the stars. Small glimpses of the sky, right among the mountains.
“This is beautiful...” she whispered, leaned against Midnight still, as the road was empty at this time of night.
For a good reason, she would say, now that more sky became visible to her. She realized that the Moon hung very low already and, on her left, towards the eastern slopes of the dale, regal blue was turning into aquamarine, heralding the upcoming Sun.
Midnight spotted her worried gaze. “Don’t worry, my light, we can make it, we will get off the track soon.”
“But we won’t have much time left to get back to the Mountain for the day!”
Urgh, she felt terrible outright. Sleeping in and taking so long to write the letter would cut their experience short. Far too short!
Midnight’s words, however, stopped her panicked thinking. And herself, for that matter, dead in her tracks.
“I never planned on getting back for the day.”
“... excuse me? We... we are staying outside?”
“Not outside, no, but we are spending the day together out here,” he replied with a smile. Then sighed and gave her a wink, seeing her expression and deciding to tell her a bit more, as it appeared. “Earlier tonight I have told Lord Midnight Eye that I believe you should have a chance at gathering yourself for the upcoming Covenant meeting. That you might wish to, for example, see some sunlight finally, after so long among the night and stone. I volunteered to endure the day and sunlight for a while, to guard and protect you then as well.”
Twilight had to shake her head rather violently to respond. “And... and he agreed?!”
Midnight just chuckled. “Reluctantly, but... he saw my point. We cannot force you to become utterly nocturnal, after all, though I suppose he would prefer that and more... Ah, yes, I forgot, I was supposed to tell you that it as a sign of his boundless generosity and all that... But, to be perfectly honest, I had and still have my own agenda that might have been the true motivation behind my words and humble requests.”
Twilight could barely believe her ears, though a smile began forming on her muzzle. “So... you actually tricked your Lord to go on a date with me?”
He gave her the roguish grin that she adored so much. “No, Goddess, never. I simply... asked my Lord for a permission, which he willingly granted, that I am going to be a little opportunistic about,” he explained, cleverly. “Would you object to my actions?”
Some part of her could have, perhaps, but what would be the point of that? She much preferred to close the distance between them and give him a firm kiss right on his lips.
“Will that suffice as my opinion, my cunning guardian?”
“Ha, quite so, my Princess!” he replied, nuzzling her. “Come, it’s not far from here now!” he declared, suddenly spreading his wings with a laugh.
He flapped them a couple of times to stretch and warm them up, prompting Twilight to quickly follow suit. Then, with a pair of powerful beats, they took to the air, less torn by the winds than higher up the slopes.
Flying side by side with her stallion was certainly a new experience for Twilight... but one that she immediately adored. Something about it screamed freedom. Joy. She couldn’t help but laugh at seeing the lovable show-off doing occasional rolls and eights, loops and spins, embellishing their travel in his own way.
She quickly realized that he was trying to showcase the real strength of his wings to her finally. Hovering in mid-air, then quickly dashing to one side, than the other, even flying upside down above her for a moment. All the time sending her fanged smirks and saffron glances. She would shake her head at these antics, but... seeing his prowess, especially considering that he was wearing armor and had a sack strapped to him too, was impressive.
And very, very satisfying. The way he maneuvered and turned without much effort only proved his natural talent... and, truth be told, captivated her. She already felt attracted to his warrior’s physique... now she could add natural dexterity to that, proven in a much more flashy and acrobatic way than guiding a chariot through a blizzard.
Still, even focused on showing his skill, Midnight never stopped leading her towards their destination, a thicket in considerable distance away from the meadows underneath the Mountain of Midnight. As the stars above began to almost completely disappear, hiding away from the approach of the Judging Sun’s symbol, the pines and firs of this copse stood tall and proud, ready to withstand the scorching rays.
They gladly welcomed the two fliers into their small, shaded and humble domain. Cut in the middle, as Twilight soon found out, by a stream playfully jumping down rocks only to disappear in a cavity at the end of a minor glade.
Midnight finally slowed down his flight, prompting her to do the same, and landed softly at the edge of this clearing, not forgetting to strike a satisfied pose.
“Enjoyed the sights so far?” he asked her with a chuckle as she joined him on the ground.
“I would have, yes,” she replied, “but a flaunting stud decided to distract me constantly.”
“How do you know which sights do I have in mind?” he retorted, which made her swat at him with her tail playfully, much to his amusement. “We will walk up stream a while. But first, put your hoof in it, if you please.”
Twilight looked at him curiously, then did as he asked... more than surprised to find out that what she expected to be water as cold as ice and her current baths put together, turned out to be considerably warmer. Refreshingly, even.
And with that she realized what Midnight might have planned. It all made sense. Warmth after cold, not worrying about the stench of bats, even if none of it remained on Midnight anyway.
“... there’s a hot spring nearby!”
Midnight laughed at her happy outburst, trying to silence her comically by the frantic waving of his hooves. “Not so loud, please, my light. It’s something of a secret of mine. Come, I will tell you on the way.”
Twilight quickly followed, openly excited about the situation. For so long she had to magically help herself when she desired a warmer bath in Noctraliya! And Midnight was taking her to a place that actually had heated, indulging water?
That thought made her consider... something.
Did he... actually know about her fantasy of sharing a bath...? Or was this another sign of providence? Maybe... it was that his thing too? Well, she... remembered when he saw her with her wet mane down. His reaction was rather... clear.
Yet another, pleasant shiver passed down her spine that night.
Midnight took note of her excitement surely, leading her up the stream’s current and towards the nearest rocky escarpment.
“I actually found this rill when I was much younger, by utter accident. A flying practice that took us further away from the Iug. The cold was prokleyitu that night. And then I thought I saw some steam rising from this thicket. Fog hanging around the forests is rather common, but I was convinced there was more to it,” he told her, confidently stepping up rocks and protruding roots at the edge of the water, helping her if necessary. “So I found an opportunity to scout this knieye a couple nights after that and found this.”
He pointed forward, towards what looked like an overgrown cavern entrance, hidden quite nicely between projecting stones and prominent shrubs, without a doubt benefiting from this water source. If not for that precise fact of the stream seeping from underneath all the foliage and rocks, Twilight would never have guessed there being a cave behind the green.
A hidden hot spring. Just for the two of them. She didn’t know about other mares, but she found that a rather romantic idea.
“You think nopony knows about this place?” she inquired, trying to spot a good access point.
“I don’t believe so. Strange, but I have never seen any evidence of other noctrali, beasts, or, which would be even worse, Lesyi. And I have visited this place many times already...” Midnight told her, putting his hoof through the bushes, looking for more loose roots and branches. “Considering how the entrance looks even now, that is the case still...”
Using the tips of his bladed hoofshoes the stallion managed to finally locate an appropriate entry, lifting the foliage to give Twilight passage.
She quickly trotted in, though was met with a wall. Thankfully, but of sheer hot air, though the difference in temperature was astonishing. And the pleasant heat of the cave was not even spoiled by the humidity permeating it and assaulting all newcomers.
However, even though the loyal enchantment on her eyes was considerably helpful, she had to rely on Midnight leading the way in the dark passage inwards. The rocks underneath were slippery and a wrongly put hoof could have meant enjoying a bath much sooner than planned, as the stream widened the further they traveled. Thankfully, but a minute into the cave, the natural tunnel opened up entirely.
Twilight could only spot the edge of the water and a delicate blanket of steam suspended above it at first, but Midnight proved that the supplies he had strapped to his person were not in any way needless. Soon, a fire striker caused candlelight, contained in a hooded lantern, to illuminate the place well enough.
A pond the color of elegant and stoic teal stretched before Twilight, contained neatly in its cavernous home, sending around fickle vapors that betrayed its surely pleasant temperature. An occasional bubble disturbed the calm surface, projecting rings bouncing around freely, in a strange celebration of natural heat. And on the grotto’s ceiling, stalactites of various, earth-hued minerals hung, smug and self-assured, protecting the waters underneath.
Twilight, bewitched by the sight, soon felt Midnight’s gentle hug and a kiss on her cheek.
“Now this is a good location for a date...” she agreed.
“I’m so glad you like it. I couldn’t have chosen another, it is... special to me. Just like you are...” he whispered back at her, making her close her eyes and hum in delight. “But, let me prepare it a bit more before we decide to indulge ourselves,” he said in an enticing tone.
She could soon observe him producing two smaller lanterns from his sack. He placed them on the sides of the cave, securing the first and biggest light to one of the rock formations, right above the center of the pond. Water reflections began dancing across the dark, stone walls, whimsical and ever-changing, sometimes muffled by the steam, sometimes allowed to pierce right through it.
“There, that’s better...” the stallion declared, his voice echoing around, as he returned to Twilight’s side again. “How do you find it now?”
“Even more stunning...” she revealed, slowly turning in place to catch all the playful glimpses. “This is just... wonderful. My first real date and already something so charming...” she told him with a gentle, loving smile.
Satisfied like never before, Midnight set the sack down and away. “Don’t thank me yet, my light. I have brought even more. A soft blanket. Some food. We can spend as much time here as we want today,” he assured. “This is our time. Our very own and private.”
Twilight chuckled lightly, looking at the pond. “I feel like enjoying the water first and foremost, I cannot lie... I long for a good, warm, relaxing bath...”
“Together, by any chance?”
She felt the blush gathering behind her cheeks... but there was no reason to be embarrassed. Not here. Not when their intentions were that clear. To both of them.
“You yourself said that it will be a very warm surprise, you brought me to a hot spring and you even set the mood with light...” She pointed at the lanterns. “Do you even have to ask, Midnight?”
The stallion laughed out loud, his echo dancing all around. He spread the blanket on a piece of mostly even rock.
“I was taught that one should ask a mare’s direct approval in such matters. It’s a mark of an honorable stallion,” he finally replied, taking off his helmet. “Even if one had a strange feeling that she would be quite receptive to the idea,” he further told her, his gaze piercing and... quite irresistible.
It was making her tingly all over. And warm.
“She is, very much,” she admitted, already fiddling with the hooks and eyes of her dress.
As she looked up from one of them, however, she found out that Midnight had another approach in mind, now that he freed his hooves from his weapons. He was trotting close to her with a smug, but loving smile. And the gaze he was granting her was... mesmerizing.
She would say that she froze up at its intensity, though nothing but warmth was spreading all over her body, hitting ever nerve that she could feel. His saffron stare was caring and... and piercing her through with its fervor... with its eagerness...
She felt it make her heart race. Force her breath to shorten and her muzzle to flush. Filling her with heat much hotter than that of the spring.
... well, she had just learned what spawned yet another part of the vampire myth in Equestria.
The said vampire was taking his time approaching her, the sound of his hooves making her body tremble in surges of nervous anticipation. As he drew closer, she couldn’t shake away the feeling that... that something incredible was about to happen that day. In this very cavern. Something desired... something craved.
Something she had realized earlier that night and anticipated more and more throughout it. With deep joy and such beautiful anxiety.
He did not say a word. He didn’t have to. He knew exactly what to do... and she wanted him to do it.
They met in a soft kiss at first. Enticing. Alluring. Hypnotizing, almost.
Twilight didn’t forget a moment of it, however. She drank from every second, every labored inhale. An electric current surged through her very core as he reached for the edge of her gown. Not to help her take it off, as one would do to clothes at the end of the day... but to undress her. Just as she was undressing him, getting him out of his armor and padding. She committed to her memory every move and every sensation of that moment, when their intentions became so abundantly clear.
And so abundantly natural.
Finally, Twilight reached out and untangled the piece of gray cloth that held Midnight’s mane together, letting it fall freely all around his head.
There were just the two of them. Their bodies... and their desires...
“M-Midnight...” she managed to find her voice and whisper shakily, as a tide of delighted angst filled her to the brim.
“Yes, my light...?” he replied, his hot breath dancing across her muzzle. His expression was tender. Soft. Loving.
She didn’t continue at first, but nuzzling him for a moment. She wanted to feel his coat, his warmth. To assure herself that it was not a dream. That it was not but a hallucination of the poppy extract, or anything else.
That the stallion she cared for the most in her life was really by her side... ready to show her just how much she meant to him.
Considering the tenderness and passion with which he answered her affection... he was definitely real.
No fantasy could have been this wonderful.
Her lips trembled with the last ounce of fading hesitation.
“Love me, Midnight...”
The warmth that followed she would never forget. Warmth of the water. Warmth of their bodies.
Warmth of their love.
I'm so glad I didn't have to make you wait too long for this particular chapter. Do let me know your opinions about it. 
The next part I am preparing shall be, as one could imagine from what's above, optional, posted as a separate story on my account, to give everybody a free choice to read it or not (and not to change Journey's rating to "Mature", naturally). Still, I plan to weave it in a way not to defile the depth of feeling between our dear characters, so if that approach would interest you in any way, stay tuned for that particular piece.
We will return to the regular storyline just after, so don't you worry.
Yours,
~Gulheru
The aforementioned part can now be found in my stories in the Mature category under the name "Passion with a Batpony".
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My word. Is he actually acknowledging that Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's personal student, might know a tad more about Celestia than a people who reviled her for centuries?
Progress is progress, even if glacial.
Now, he just needs to understand the irony of calling her "my light" when he's obviously willing to keep her in the dark about what's happening around her, such as with Rowan Berry.
Twilight asking for permission to use a trickle of magic made me sad. Is Midnight even aware how much Princess Twilight is bending over backwards for all their sakes? I don't think he is. Too bad Spike isn't there, I would love so much for him to set Midnight straight at times.
9663046
It's actually refreshing that I can always count on your staunch censure towards batponies and their shortcomings. Puts many things in a nice perspective in a tale about prejudice and aversions.
Thx for the update
9663046
I do love how they say that the solar pony's are so bad yet they instead of being the bigger pony still go well they are evil it's like yoy sa they are bed yet you keep backstabbing each other never mind your goddess sent over her friend and you are all getting at her and not letting her use magic
9663375
Even after forty chapters, comments like these are still fascinating.
9663398
Not my fault if it's true
9663506
Wasn't faulting anyone. Just commenting on the nature of those.
There's also the issue of that occultani currently being sent off to a gulag and (supposedly) nowhere near the princess at the moment. So if the princess' letter marked by someone who shouldn't be there ends up in the hooves of one of their agents (my money's on the bat caretaker); optics be damned, that letter's getting read.
Also, Midnight, the love of your life was poisoned. By someone she considers a semi-friend. You might want to tell her about this, you know? A vital component of a healthy relationship is trusting and respecting a loved one enough to tell them these things. Does Midnight not trust/respect her enough? Or maybe his penis has taken over all higher brain functions at the moment.
9663552
:chuckles: I have to say, having the perfect perspective on all the plots does make comments like these incredibly satisfying. Thank you for those, they are telling me that the tale can still invoke strong emotions. As I always hope it shall.
A touching, romantic date with a tasteful and well timed fade to black. I like it.
Let's just hope Twilight remembers to remove her darkvision spell before dawn though. Being blinded would put a bit of a damper on the whole date.
Actually, come to think of it, wouldn't it be possible to do the reverse for Midnight? A spell that lets him experience the day and the sun the way the day ponies do without the whole going blind thing? It would be quite a breaking down of boundaries and building a bridge of understanding, letting him understand the light of his life in a way no night pony has ever understood a day pony.
9663564
:just grins, saying nothing more:
I have to say, first off, blitzed through the entire trilogy up til now tonight. Worth the read twice over if not more. Secondly, your work on both characters and storytelling, the lore, plot and intrigue, have all been handled masterfully, furthermore, finding that you have made the Noctraliyar entirely of your own accord surprised and impressed me, as most either use foreign or lesser known languages that already exist.
Likewise, the usage of 'I have given and now I have taken' while I could do well to remember the translation in Noctraliyar, is one that I thoroughly enjoy. It's a lifestyle choice I have followed, and while it isn't always purely selfless, it likewise never comes with large implications. It just is and shall be how I am.
I think my only complaint as of yet stands with the Noctraliyar itself, but for the sole reason that I can not make one of my more favorite sayings with it. An irony that isn't lost on me, given how well the phrase would fit into your tale.
"Astra inclinant, sed non obligant."
"The stars incline, but are not binding."
For me, it''s a defiance of fate. A claim that in the face of improbable and fiercely unstoppable odds, you can still 'defy' fate and forge your own path. I would argue Midnight and Twilight would find themselves quite applicable to such a phrase right now, and while it isn't a rush, I would greatly enjoy seeing such a phrase translated.
In the mean time, keep up the good work, and I look forward to seeing what literary marvel follows this chapter.
9663577
Thank you very much, it is a unique pleasure to receive such praise. I hope I can live up to it, with the diligence of my future work.
When it comes to Noctraliyar, well, it's a language I am always expanding. Your phrase would be expressed best like this in it:
Giwazdi naklanati, ale nye obligati.
My pleasure.
9663581
Of course, always glad to find good tales now that I've more regularly returned to the site. Ah, and tu braz, tu daz, a translation in return for a compliment of your language, much appreciated.
Told you I'd do well to remember that one. I'll make a fluent adept of Noctraliyar out of me yet.
Edit: Stars incline, but deny binding... Effectively the 'on the nose' translation. It's an intresting one, oddly flavorful. The latin/english translation sounds, softer, but implicates /your/ denial of fate. The Noctraliyar/english translation, however, connotates the idea that the stars themselves merely guide, but do not rob you of choice.
A beautiful coincidence indeed, given the Noctrali beliefs of the afterlife, that their tranlation paints for us, and one I find I appreciate more than the original.
A greater gift than a compliment, it would seem, after all.
Oh wow. That was... damn is she gonna have one heck of a “first time” story to share. Nice to see some old fashioned romance and not a random broom closet.
Question? In your universe is pregnancy a one to 2 times a year worry or might this have a chance to lead to foals?
9663621
Come now, true romance requires proper mood and setting, as well as a pure, emotional foundation. And, I believe, not only in a story.
As to the other matter – if the tale shall require elaborating on that topic then I most assuredly shall do so.
And will it? How would I know, I'm just the writer. I'm sure they are both responsible, right?
Romantic indeed.
But something tells me this may come back to bite them later. I hope it doesn’t, but the confrontation with Berry last chapter makes me think things will soon escalate. More please
9663657
Cause and effect, my friend. Cause and effect.
And more is coming, for certain.
9663658
Indeed
9663281
Someone has to. Twilight Sparkle won't do it because she's currently looking through the lense of a bat pony herself, quite literally.
I mean, here she is swimming in romance, and not once did she think about what Rarity would say or do if she knew. Rarity, the one who has repeatedly shown she longs for a fairytale love.
9663552
Generous explanation would be he plans to tell her later. Bringing her to this secluded spot has the added benefit of making sure they're alone to talk. After doing the other thing.
This is a good chapter and I'm looking forward to the next part.
9664123
I will do my best, I can promise that.
9663552
I think it's more the classic "I don't want to worry you more with even more political skulduggery than you already have to deal with" mistake. Which is as dumb as it is sweet, but not done out of arrogance or mistrust.
9664111
Rarity? She'd swoon, then drag Twilight to off to either her house or the longest spa session possible to press her for all the details.
Love the chapter. Good to have some romance fluff after a tense previous chapter
9665219
Everything in proper amounts in life.
9664111
True, but information such as this being held back until a "better time" usually ends up never being told as Murphy's Law goes into overdrive. It a would be a variation of the Poor Communication Kills trope, and I fear Midnight won't get around to informing Twilight until things are well and truly pear-shaped.
9664165
If the political skulduggery can get her killed then his attitude is going beyond dumb and sweet to dangerous arrogance. Him not wanting to worry her implies he neither trusts nor believes she can actually handle the responsibility than she's been saddled with. This attitude would prevent them from forming a united front to counter Rowan Berry and create a divide that will hinder their efforts to deal with future problems. I can see where he might get this idea from how much the council steamrolled her during their meetings and how much she seemed to be out of her element. But that's because she had no one to rely on. Throughout the whole FIM series, we see that Twilight is at her best when she can anchor herself to people that believe in her 100%. Midnight needs to understand that Twilight needs a partner, not chivalric nonsense.
9665422
Hey! Chivalric nonsense is cool!
I enjoy seeing such discussions. Makes me that much more giddy about my schemes unraveling correctly.
9665422
Agreed. Both that keeping "his light" in the dark smacks of a lack of confidence in her and that Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, has always been at her best together with her friends. Plus, she's a scientist, she needs all the data to make the most informed choices.
Though I wonder if, perhaps, he's partly doing it out of shame. Shame for failing to protect her, for how Rowan Berry made him feel. Not that I think that makes it better...
9665487
Perhaps. Perhaps not.
9664111
9664165
9665422
Unless I am mistaken, I believe you are all forgetting that Lord Midnight Eye and/or the Covenant have explicitly ordered Midnight Wind to withhold information (e.g., anything about the Soleera Cruziate and the Testimony, and possibly Rowan Berry as well), and Rowan Berry’s almost-blackmail to keep certain personal history a secret in Chapter XXV.
9665500
There is a point at which Midnight must decide whether having false friends poison his beloved is worth keeping those pledges.
9665792
Perhaps, but the consequences of being caught disobeying orders from the top of the mortal chain of authority while there is a doom and gloom prophecy of war literally coming to fruition could range from what Lord Azure Mist did to punish Deep Mist for failing in his spying mission; “Ewanecee w opari. ‘Vanished in mists’ as we say.” (see Rendezvous with a Batpony, part 2); or even rise to being charged with treason and worthy of katorge (Journey, chapter XXXVI). Midnight Wind has gotten away with it so far since he hasn’t actually done anything to contravene orders rather than societal norms (for which Lord Midnight Eye has now given his approval), but with more “eyes” on him and Twilight aside from Rowan Berry (who implied such was going on), he’d have to walk a very fine line or be prepared to somehow defend himself against a lot of potentially lethal opposition.
Also, @Gulheru, I may be misremembering, but I don’t believe there is a translation for “Azure Mist” in your Noctraliyar glossary. Can we get that translation?
9665913
Point. Probably more the threat of igniting the war/seeing Twilight pay for his breaking his oath than any personal punishment done to him.
9665913
That would be Blenkyita Opare.
9665913
There would be no need to actually disobey orders to get rid of Rowan. She's already proven herself to be dangerously unstable and would officially be unsuitable to accompany the Princess. If Midnight and Twilight can engineer a situation where such instability can be demonstrated publicly...
Getting rid of another spy would just be an unofficial bonus they can keep to themselves.
And Midnight has to be somewhat suspicious as to why Lord Eye had a sudden course correction on their relationship. He was hellbent on blood purity initially and I'm not even slightly convinced he's actually changed his stance and it shouldn't be fooling Midnight. In my mind the Lord's allowance is just to make sure Midnight's and Twilight's relationship is strong enough so when the Lords do kidnap her to use as a bargaining chip, Midnight can become a convenient hostage to ensure Twilight's good behavior. And in Lord Eye's mind, Midnight has rectified the blood purity issue by no longer considering Midnight part of the clan, allowing him to do whatever he wants to Midnight in the name of the Covenant.
He's going to have to defend himself anyway soon enough. He can keep obeying orders all he wants, that won't stop the Covenant betraying him. Better team up with Twilight now (quietly) with some prep time available rather than winging it at the last moment.
9667272
The problem is that I believe Twilight is ignorant of Rowan Berry's machinations, Midnight is currently not permitted to tell Twilight that Rowan Berry is a spy, and revealing the past relationship that ruined his marriage and indirectly caused Dusk Stream's death would seriously complicate things when they really can't afford such a distraction (they will soon have to deal with the recent declaration of war). I believe they currently have no capacity to engineer anything together with respect to Rowan Berry.
Well, back in Chapter XXV, Twilight explained to Lord Midnight Eye and Lord Consort Midnight Iris that she had received explicit permission from Princess Luna to go to Noctrailya and negotiate on Equestria's behalf, rather than being sent by Princess Celestia as was likely expected. The latter was certainly surprised, but it's uncertain to what degree the former may or may not have been aware. If he actually believed Twilight's claim after having gotten to know her in person a bit, it may have altered his approach to his scheming, as he seems to be a bit less unhinged than Azure Mist is in the pursuit of his goals, whatever they may be.
Just because Midnight's guard is up against the occultan, and he's dealt with being recently reprimanded by the Lord, it doesn't mean he's expecting a betrayal of that degree. He also may only have a general sense of what the other lords are planning, and nothing specific, other than the obvious subterfuge being perpetuated by Lord Azure Mist.
9667301
I think he didn't. Twilight never declared, either publicly or privately, she had Luna's blessing for this endeavour. She just assumed that getting Luna's blessing was common sense and something that everyone involved would expect of her, and so she expected everyone would assume she had this blessing before even giving her so much as a moment's attention.
But Twilight's common sense didn't take into account batpony common sense, which is that Twilight is a day pony and so inherently on a list of "ponies not to trust." Add on to that how she is the personal student of the Judging Sun -was, technically, but batponies don't really view a bond with a Goddess as ending- and to batponies she might as well be a priestess of the Judging Sun herself. They expected arrogance, so the idea that someone who is, in their eyes, so devoted to the day and the Judging Sun would ask for the Immaculate Moon's blessing before even showing up on their doorsteps would likely not even have entered their minds as an option.
Until Twilight bluntly told the ruling family of Midnight that yes, she had. And the Goddess had given Twilight her blessing for her mission. Which blew their minds and threw everything Midnight Eye had expected and was planning for into disarray, to the point where he at first considered assuming it to be just a lie, until Twilight showed her sincerity after the night of truths and her following declaration that she wouldn't treat this as just a political squabble to be solved with minor placations.
I think that was the point where Midnight Eye decided that Twilight was speaking the truth, and decided that helping her rather than using her was the will of the Goddess.
9684067
Thank you. Well, Noctraliyar is inspired by Slavic languages, as well as Hungarian, Romanian...
Hi yes this chapter gave me diabetes
Thank you for that
9692911
Take some insulin, next one might be even more life-threatening.
9724915
Well, I was focusing more on the Bat ponies' religious fervor and its comparison to the Caroleans and the way they understand death. But ya.
9724995
Hm, sound wisdom. Though I still stand with what I said...
And there's no more chapters...DARNIT...ergh...oh well. MORE!!!!!!!!!!
9726913
Well, you went through at a record time! But I am glad to see you excited for more. It is coming, don't you worry.
9726917
EEEEEE!!!!!
Right, so far it's been great. I really love where you're going with the story.
9782772
I mentioned it in the previous story briefly, but I do not believe there to be a popular opinion on that particular incident.
Please sir, Can I have some more?
9798774
Of course. I just need to clear my head from some personal issues I had to face during the past months. I will have more for you all as soon as I am back into shape and my work is back into its shape.
If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like?