Night's hoof slapped down, trapping the almost-settled die against a smooth portion of the floor. Silver raised a brow at her. She leaned towards him, "First, a few questions."
Silver lifted a hoof a moment, then set it down, "Rolling that die was your idea, just to remind."
Night turned her muzzle up at Silver, "And these questions are mine too. First question, 'Why?'"
Silver rolled a hoof slowly, "Why... you? Why... the Luna thing? There's a lot of good whys."
Night settled down on the die, trapped under her hoof as she looked up at him, "I have time. Start with me. I'm not saying yes or no until I know what I'm getting into."
Luna raised a brow, "Must this take place in my room?"
Both Silver and Night glared at her before Silver looked back to Night, "Alright, why you. You're cute. You're smart. You're delightfully, refreshingly, stable."
"Stable?" asked Night.
Silver nodded, "Your quirks don't send you running off to do something insane or dangerous. To run down the list of other mares I've looked at, we have Lyra, who was quite willing to throw around magic she wasn't ready for. We have Fast Change, who's one hoof away from becoming a changeling, to say nothing of her really obvious nymphomania and outright need for attention. Hell, let's look at my adoptive mom. Trixie's wonderful, but she has a pride big enough to swallow this city and can go off the deep end if it comes down to proving why it's justified." He lifted a hoof to point at Night, "You start boiling things down to probabilities. That's adorable, and pretty harmless."
Night shook her head, "So I'm cute and not crazy? That's not sounding convincing."
Silver frowned, "There's more... You also don't mind a stallion that likes meat, also, you left off smart."
Night tilted her head, "Liking a little meat isn't that odd for a lunar pegasus."
Silver bobbed his head, "Which I am not. You didn't even think about it. You like a lot of things I like, and..." he wobbled a hoof, "I like you? It's hard to define that, but I'm happy when you're around, and just a little sad when you're not. I think of a future where I'm old and grey and you're old and grey with me and that hardly seems like a bad future to have." He took a slow breath, "So, will you?"
Night shook her head, "Not yet. More questions." She pointed with the hoof not holding down the die, gesturing at Silver, "Why now? Luna didn't do anything new to you, but suddenly here you are, attacking her, in her own room. Why?"
Silver's ears sunk a little, "I... just thought... Well, I felt like I could pull in magic, so, you know..."
"I don't know," said Night flatly, "Tell me."
Silver nodded slowly, "I thought if I could suck Celine out of Luna, I could fix it." He sank slowly to the floor, "When you told me it wasn't Luna's faith that was gone, but Celine's... it just... died. If..." Fresh tears began to fall as he pawed at the tile, "If... she decided to go, then... fine... I'm sorry I wasn't a good enough stallion for her to have faith in, to believe in." He looked at Night, blinking through the tears, "I hope I will do better with you."
Night started to look distinctly uncomfortable a moment before she nodded her head, "Princess Luna?"
Luna nodded at Night lightly, "Yes?"
Night pointed a hoof at Silver, "Are you aware this would-be assasssin spent the entire time while Tirek was here crawling around the city, tending to ponies too weak to even get water? Are you aware he carried ponies around, even when it looked so painful for him to do? Are you aware that, not knowing how long it would be, he pressed on, even when I was scared to go outside?"
Luna shook her head slowly, "I was not aware of this."
Night pulled the hoof with the die under it away, but there was no die, "That was a miscalculation on your part. You have lost what would have been a great squire, but you've given me what I hope will be an even greater stallion."
Silver's face lit up, and he rushed for her. They rubbed snouts together gently but eagerly as they lay, belly down, on the ground.
Luna gave a soft snort, "None of this excuses his attack. He still has penance to pay." She rose to her full height, wings spread wide, "I will not be left alone!" The two looked up at her with confusion as what she said creeped up on her and she began to darken through her already dark fur, "What we mean is..."
Silver sat up on his haunches, "Are you... jealous?"
Luna scowled, "I am not jealous, certainly not of you, once-human."
Silver stepped towards Luna, quietly rejoicing at muscles that obeyed his command without complaint. Luna went rigid as he came closer, which only grew worse when he leaned in. He gently nuzzled into her ribs and she jerked away, "What are you doing?"
Silver flashed a bright smile, "It all makes sense now."
"What does?" demanded Luna, turning with wings still extended. She was in a predatory stance, eyeing Silver as if he were a danger. "Speak clearly."
Silver approached her again, only to be softly bopped on the nose by Luna, "Speak first."
Silver snorted softly, "You're just as alone as I am. Maybe more so, since you've had longer to perfect the art."
Luna shook her head violently, "This is a lie! I am--" Silver moved in while she hotly defended herself and gently nuzzled into her ribs.
"You're as pretty as a full-moon night," he spoke gently.
Luna looked to Night sharply, "Restrain your stallion! He has clearly taken leave of his senses. We have caused nothing but pain for him at every turn, and yet he is here professing love."
Night shook her head slowly, "I... think he's being serious." She sat up, peering at the both of them with obvious confusion and thought in her eyes.
Silver wrapped his forelegs around Luna, only getting partially around her. "You deserve to be loved, just as you are."
Luna swatted at Silver with her wings, but it was half-hearted at best, "Stop that! I am the Princess of the Night. My subjects fear me... Even when I try to be with them. It is not... fate for me to be..." Her words came slower and slower as Silver began kissing and nibbling through her fur. "Stop it! You are not well! You should hate me!"
Silver paused a moment, "How can I hate you? You gave me Celine. You are Celine. Her love is in here." He poked Luna in the side, "Even if you keep saying no. If you didn't like me, you couldn't have made Celine."
Luna's feathers went on edge as she nudged Silver back an inch, only for him to advance immediately back on her. "It is at my hoof that you have known shame, ostracism, love, and the loss of it. I have seen you wail." She leaned in, coiling around to be nose-to-nose with Silver, "You are insane. There is no other reason I can fathom."
Night shook her head, "I think I understand."
Luna looked up at Night, "Please, share." She grunted as Silver snuggled into her, but she didn't shove him away again, "Quickly."
Night nodded then, "Alright. The way I see it, Silver seems to gravitate towards those who are themselves lonely." She pointed a wing at Luna, "You are almost the loneliest pony in Equestria. That colt he was with for that short time was terribly lonely. His parents, before they got together, were both very lonely ponies."
Luna pointed, "And you?"
Night flushed gently, "Married to my work..."
Silver provided, "Lonely."
Night huffed, "Fine, lonely. I didn't have a lot of off-duty friends until I warmed up to Silver. He's a big... lonely vortex, sucking in lonely ponies."
Luna growled softly, "I am not drawn to him! He is being drawn to me. Restrain him, Night Watch, or I will be forced to do so."
Silver let go of Luna and shuffled back a little away from her.
Night glanced at Silver before stating to Luna, "I think he's ready to go."
"Almost," said Silver. "I haven't finished collecting my favors."
Luna frowned, "I have forgiven your assault, to say nothing of this most recent intrusion on my person. What else do you want?"
Silver pointed at Luna, "A kiss, right on the lips."
Luna's wings went wide, "This is..." she huffed and leaned in, pressing her lips into Silver's roughly, almost violently. Silver found himself tilting backwards as Luna pressed against him. Soon he was on his back with Luna over him, the kiss deepening by the moment. Her teeth were felt as she began nibbling at him before she sealed the connection and his snout was invaded by her. This was far better than he could have hoped, and he just held onto her front as best he could, riding the sudden intense passion being poured into him.
Night blinked softly, as did the guards outside that had been gawking for some time. None of the three had ever seen Luna act this way. Luna pulled back with a soft breath. "Why?"
Silver smiled from underneath her, "That's a popular question... Can you stop hurting me, and just be happy?"
Luna snorted loudly, "I was trying to defend you!"
Silver summoned his silver hands, gently pressing Luna back on top of himself. He was certain she could have thrown off his gentle press, but she sank in against him. "I don't want a defender. I want you."
Luna shuddered before she shook her head. She scrambled off of Silver. "This is not natural. You are not natural."
Silver slowly rolled himself to a seated position, "I'm not a pony, as you painfully reminded me. I'm a broken human." He rose up and stepped towards Night, nuzzling her gently, "I'll find my happiness, if you let me. Just stop hurting me. Enough."
Luna snorted loudly, wings giving a flap, "Are you seducing me to curry favor?"
Silver buried his face in Night's soft hair, nuzzling through it and nipping softly at her neck, "I'm seducing you because you're a lonely, pretty, princess, and I'd much rather be a solution than a problem."
Luna struck a regal pose, chest puffed out, "Why didn't you say thus before? It has been some time since I took an official concubine."
Night's wings shot open, "You can't have my husband as your plaything!"
Luna looked confused then, "What is being offered? This is his idea, not mine."
Night pushed Silver away to foreleg's length, "Yes, what is being offered. Choose carefully."
Silver gestured at Night, "I'm offering for you to consider her, and for her to consider back. If you want it, first wife, I will approve of her."
Night's wings went stiff as her eyes went wide, slits drawing tight. "You did not just propose to the princess! There's a ninety percent chance that'll end poorly."
Luna took a slow breath, "This has been a long day. We will speak no further. You are dismissed. Guards, remove them from my chambers."
The lunar pegasi gestured outwards, and they came out without having to be taken. The door slowly shut behind them, leaving Luna to her privacy. Night raised a brow at Silver, "Am I going to have to get used to that?"
Silver shook his head, "If I make a pass at Celestia, you have my permission to grab me by the dangling parts and squeeze until I come to my senses."
Night snorted softly, "Duly noted... Let's get back to the dorms. Fast Change has to be out of her mind with worry."
5746443 I hear this chapter got a rating of 'Magical Mystery Cure'. Big things change, but not enough wind up or cool down. Your review was enough to inspire me immediately to another chapter, which I hope helps smooth the rough edges? I am looking forward to knowing if I improved things or made it worse.
Fascinating....It is as strange a story as ever...
5747119 Is that good or bad?
5747123 Can't say for now...I will wait and see how it will go...This story did catched my attention and still is though....so...good? I suppose...
5747236 Don't be shy. Are there things you are hoping to or not to happen? Have you questions?
.... I think Silver just realized he can be a suave mofo when he wants to. Talking to two mares at once and ensuring that they didn't actually fight.... Damn I'm jealous. I can't even talk to one without being friend-zoned almost automatically!
5747243 Not quite sure...All I know is that I DON'T like stories with the main characters getting beat up by life constantly...And I still keep reading this...Wonder why?
5747386 Despite the bumps, Silver is actually pretty happy. He's made some good friends, found his own path, and forges ahead. Now he can get back to doing awesome magic maybe? With a cute mare at his side. Bonus! He does not regret his life decisions, even if they prove painful at times.
Now is attempting seduction of his tormentor brilliant or suicidal?
5748098 I will answer with this, take it as you will...
5748143 What's the worst that could happen?!
5748147
ok I am up to date now with the last chapter and I am feeling things are going right for silver he is still hart broken over Celine but he has accepted her decision to levee him.
I kind of saw silver and night to gather some time but not him proposing in Luna's chambers.
silver asking Luna to be his second wife, now that was a shock and she did not say no out right so she is thinking about it.?
grate plot twist super good work David Silver.
Harts Fire
The die is "almost-settled."
That should be "hotly defended herself."
I believe this should be "full moonlight."
She's "nose-to-nose" with Silver.
Considering that Night is the one saying this, I can't see her not saying "pony," rather than "person."
5748437 All fixed, with love. It's your fault! All of it! Your reply inspired this madness and my fingers wouldn't be stopped.
I haven't read the next chapter yet, so I can review this one on its merits.
What's going on here is...intriguing. There's still an awkwardness to the presentation, but in this case I chalk that up to Silver's awkwardness in general, along with the fact that talking about feelings - especially feelings towards others - is rarely done without some embarrassment and uncertainty.
The interplay between Night and Silver felt like something she'd do. She's the cautious sort, and won't rush head-long into anything. It's that same levelheadedness that let her stand there and not fly off the handle at Silver hitting on Luna mere minutes after he'd proposed to her, something I'm not sure many other mares - even in the context of this story - would have approved of (after all, it's the first wife that nominates others, otherwise it's an affair).
Insofar as Luna goes...by this point, it's exceptionally clear, both to us and to Silver and those around him, that she and Silver are inextricably bound together. They simply have too much history not to have some sort of relationship between them, so it makes sense that Silver would say "let's try and make lemonade out of these lemons." I was also wondering how Luna's re-absorption of Celine would affect her mentality towards Silver, since Celine was quite clearly in love with him. Those feelings might be diluted, but they came from Luna to begin with (even if they were artificial, from her seeing his soul) and wouldn't be lost upon the return.
The description of Silver as a lonely vortex, pulling lonely ponies towards him, was an amusing-but-apt reference to a much more germane point; that while Silver's worst side is submissiveness and weakness, his best side is his high degree of empathy. Because he's suffered a lack of love, he's very sensitive to that in others, and can't help but try to fill that void for them. It's why he can't seem to remember Fleur's lesson of "never touch a mare without permission" and keeps leading with hugs.
What's most interesting to consider is how they're going to formalize Silver's relationship to Luna, now. She simply can't be the second wife in his herd; that would cause all sorts of political problems. At the same time, Night is quite right in her declaring that Silver being a concubine to Luna is unacceptable. Simply put, there's an incompatibility between the type of relationship that (they all seem to intuitively understand, even if they don't consciously realize it) Silver and Luna want (and that Night would accept), and the type of relationship that the difference in their social status would demand.
That incompatibility is that, insofar as interpersonal dynamics go, Silver is the dominant partner to Luna. He understands more about how relationships work, about how to weather loneliness, about being emotionally mature enough to admit vulnerability and deal with the pain that's an unavoidable part of being with somepony else, than Luna does. She, by contrast, is still a little filly, teasing the colt she likes because she doesn't know how to say "I like you." In fact, that thought puts her actions towards him so far in a whole new light. She's much more scared of love than Silver is; this chapter demonstrated that quite clearly with how she assumed a defensive posture when Silver went to embrace her. Insofar as a relationship is concerned, she's weaker than him.
At the same time, the Princess of the Night - Celestia's ostensible equal - can't be the second wife in a herd to an "ordinary" stallion. She couldn't even be married to a mortal stallion one-on-one without it causing serious problems. Likewise, she can't really take him as a concubine without it screwing up their relationship before it ever gets off the ground - if she falls back into "I'm royalty, and you're my plaything" territory, things will break down between them very quickly; that dynamic would be so at odds with how they interact that it would cause things to go off the rails.
It will be interesting to see how they resolve this conflict between feelings and obligations.
5748478 I am your muse, commanding you to dance, puppet! Dance!
Okay I am slightly less sad now but I will still miss Celine.
Silver is a Jerk with a capital J. What kind of person asks a girl to marry him and then makes her stand there and wait while he makes romantic overtures to someone else right in front of her? Night is indeed very levelheaded, but even she should be wanting to murder him after that.
It would have been sadder if Celine' s last words were more like "I don't want to go"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sVEY5AL5zzk
6287449 Her departure is exactly as it was meant to be.
Slightly disappointed with Luna shutting him down.
Would have loved the Silver X Luna Ship.
Also, being a squire is not that bad. If I were him, I would have kept that position.
Either way. Loving this so far.