A Dubious Welcome

by Maonyman

CH24: Prince

Princess Luna watched as Starlight vanished into the portal, still yearning to go through herself instead, but there was no point wasting time on useless fantasies. She could not leave, and that was that.

Besides, Starlight was now more than capable of defending herself, and she did have quite a knack for being... persuasive. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more her confidence in Starlight grew. After all, it had been a very long time since any one pony wielded so many enchantments simultaneously. What could possibly stand a chance now?

Bounding out of that dank dungeon where the artifacts were kept, she soared gracefully into the sky and aimed directly for her bedchambers. As she glided silently toward the balcony, she tried to keep her hopes in check. The plan she and Starlight had concocted was a good one, but it was far from foalproof, and she knew better than to assume all would go well. Still, at least she would have some limited communication this time. The spell was one way only so she couldn't respond, but having some idea of what was going on over there would be a tremendous help for her nerves. She was looking forward to receiving Starlight's first report.

Her mood lightened further as she alighted on her balcony and Bastion immediately came out to greet her, still without armor just as she had asked.

"Greetings, Mistr--" He hastily corrected himself, shuffling his hooves awkwardly, "Er, welcome back, Luna. Did your plan go well? And, uh, will you tell me what that plan actually is?"

His use of her name caused a giddy flutter in her barrel that did little to help control her blossoming mood. She even smiled as she fluttered her wings to settle the feathers before folding up.

"It has gone well so far, at the very least. We will see how it plays out over the course of a day. I have sent Starlight Glimmer to rescue both Celestia and Twilight."

She found herself suppressing a giggle at his confused expression and he slowly said, "Uh... Starlight Glimmer? Isn't she... uh, Mistress, no offense, but I am not sure--"

Unable to withstand it any longer, laughter bubbled up from her chest before she could control herself again.

"I did not send her unprotected! Starlight is one of our most powerful unicorns, true, but I have further bolstered that strength to launch her well beyond the power of Twilight, or yes, even Celestia as she is now."

"Oh! Y-Yes, okay, that makes more sense. I--"

"You were trying to think of a tactful way to say it was a bad idea, were you not?"

She grinned at his awkwardness and walked past him into the bedroom proper.

"Fear not, my Bastion. Why, with all the enchantments and amulets adorning her body, she would have been a decent match even for me."

Starlight's voice abruptly filled her mind and she closed her eyes to listen, silencing Bastion with one raised hoof.

"Princess Luna! I ported in near a large city of the local population. They have not attacked and seem deceptively harmless for now, panicked even, but because of how quickly you said Celestia was overpowered, I remain vigilant against the slightest threat. Also, as you feared, the detection spell was not able to pick up either Twilight or Celestia. Fortunately these creatures do seem to understand me and I have commanded them to bring them to me or face the threat of an overwhelming magical attack, just as you suggested. I will send another message the moment anything changes."

Luna lowered her hoof and grinned at Bastion's confused expression, explaining, "One of the spells we prepared Starlight with allows her to send verbal messages to me telepathically. I cannot send anything back due to the inherent instability of targeting another dimension, but she can target me within her home dimension with relative ease."

"I see. And...?"

"We are not off to a great start, I must admit, but it is acceptable. I have every faith in Starlight Glimmer."

Bastion nodded and took a cautious step closer, "I can tell, you seem... quite pleased with yourself."

She nodded and lowered herself to the floor, crossing her hooves before her.

"Indeed I am, Bastion. I feel hopeful again for the first time since Celestia was injured. It has been quite a nerve-wracking couple of days, and I find myself far more relived than I expected to have a plan that I can feel confident about."

She tilted her head up and let out a little sigh.

"To tell the truth, I am having a hard time containing myself."

"Yes, you are positively radiant tonight."

Her ears perked even as his flopped down and he took an awkward step back.

"Er, forgive me Mistress, I misspoke."

She tilted her head and gave him a little pout.

"Oh, it was a mistake? So you do not actually think I am beautiful?"

"What? No! Uh, I-I mean--"

She giggled again and gently tugged at his hoof with her magic, her buoyant mood giving her courage she typically lacked.

"Peace, Bastion. I am only teasing. Will you please come and sit with me, as before?"

With a somewhat surprised expression, he replied, "Of course, your word is my command."

"No, dear one." She raised a hoof as he stepped forward and he halted, his brows furrowed in confusion. "This is not an order. I want you to do this of your own accord. If you wish for a command, let it be that you must refuse if you are not comfortable accepting my request."

He hesitated, clearly uncertain, and she began to wonder what his choice would be. But, eventually, he stepped forward again and lowered himself to the floor beside her, just as she hoped he would.

"I..." He trailed off and avoided her gaze until she gently prompted him.

"Yes? Is there something you would like to say?"

Still refusing to look at her and with a muzzle beginning to darken, he murmured, "I... do enjoy our time together like this."

Perhaps it was her recent discovery of her feelings for him, or perhaps it was the giddy hope burgeoning within her, but she felt her bosom swell at his words. Before she quite knew what she was doing, she had reached out and placed a hoof over top of his, startling his attention back to her.

"Bastion... I think it is time we stop pretending and be honest with each other."

His eyes widened and he stammered, "H-How do you mean? I have never been dishonest, my Princess, I swear it!"

She rolled her eyes playfully and squeezed his hoof.

"I know you have feelings for me. It has been clear for some time. Do you deny it?"

His muzzle opened as if to respond, but it simply hung there silently, a dumbstruck expression on his face. Luna meanwhile felt as if she were on fire. Her entire body churned with emotions and she noticed absently that her voice had begun to quaver.

"If I am wrong, please tell me now."

She eased up on his hoof and waited for him to collect himself and respond, but he only stared at her, clearly stunned by the turn of events.

After a brief silence, she decided to continue, "Because if I am right..." She inched forward and extended her neck toward him, her expression half teasing, half wistful. "I would like to say the feeling is mutual."

He inhaled sharply and his eyes widened. His muzzle closed, opened, then closed again, and she held her breath in anticipation, waiting for what felt like ages.

Then, barely above a whisper, he asked, "You... really feel that way? For me?"

She slowly nodded her head and a look of sheer wonder spread across his face.

"Luna, my Princess... I have always loved you."

Despite guessing it already, and despite fervently hoping for just such a response, still her chest lurched and her breath caught at his gentle words. Then, as if something had burst inside him, words poured out of him like a cascading waterfall.

"I loved you from afar as everypony loves our princesses, of course, but even as a colt, I held you above all others. You were the reason I joined the guard in the first place. I signed up for night duty at my first opportunity simply to get closer to you. I climbed the ranks, motivated only by my desire to see you. Then, when Captain Sternhart retired... I could not believe it when you chose me as your new Captain."

His eyes practically shone as he recalled the memory, "I worried I might find you were not what I'd hoped, but you were everything I'd hoped for and more! From that first night, I loved you, and with every passing night I have only loved you more. But I never..."

He shook himself as something approaching awe crossed his face, "Never in my wildest dreams did I expect it to be reciprocated. Neigh, never in my dreams, where you might see it! I didn't dare even hope--"

Luna could bear it no longer. Feeling as though her chest might explode, she lurched forward in one swift motion and cut him off mid-word with a small kiss. Instantly stunned into silence, he stared at her with muzzle slightly parted, eyes glistening with emotion, and Luna smiled.

"My Bastion, you cannot know how pleased I am to hear you speak thusly."

He had slowly leaned back, his face still seeming a bit dumbstruck, but she spied a blush darkening his grey muzzle.

"I know not when it began, but at some point I realized my long standing adoration for you had grown into more than mere respect or friendship. Sternhart was a great captain of course, but he was always so coarse and impersonal. But you..."

She gestured toward him with a hoof, "You were always so polite, so strictly formal, and yet still it felt... tender, somehow. I quickly became addicted to you. I loved seeing you on duty, so sharp and determined. I loved hearing your reports, so concise and yet caring. I loved the rare glimpse of you off-duty, still so proper and attentive even when you were at ease."

Now her own eyes were glistening with an excess of emotion and the fluttering in her barrel grew to an almost sickening level.

"And then earlier this evening... Bastion, I felt a fire within me. Not ignited in that moment, but revealed, like a flame previously hidden that now burst forth. I could not bear to withstand it for even one night. I cannot resist it. My Bastion, I love you."

His awestruck face dissolved into a grin of pure joy and relief and Luna felt her muzzle mirror his. They moved as one, coming together into a tight embrace, joyous with release and infinitely tender.

Amazed by this fervor within her, she spread her wings and gently floated them both onto the bed, flipping onto her back as she set down. Bastion stared down at her as if not quite believing she was real, then slowly lowered his head onto her chest and she wrapped her hooves around him.

They held each other for a long time then, silently taking comfort in each others' embrace, and may have done more, but abruptly Luna bolted upright and raised her hoof, just as she had done the first time Starlight messaged her, trusting Bastion to understand what was happening.

"Princess Luna! I confess this happened just before my previous report, but I wanted to wait for any more incidents before reporting it. I felt an ether pulse, followed by another which felt different a few moments later. I have thought it over and the only thing that makes sense is that one was Twilight and the other was Celestia. I don't know why they can send that pulse but don't just return home, but I intend to find out. I will update again soon."

Luna lowered her hoof and turned to Bastion, surprised to find her eyes damp.

"Oh, Bastion! They are both alive!"

"She found them!?"

"Well, no... but she felt them!"

And as explanation, she let out a gentle pulse of her own, causing his horn to flicker dimly. He beamed at her, then almost immediately sobered, looking puzzled.

"If they can pulse, why can they not return?"

Luna shook her head, "I do not know, and neither does Starlight Glimmer, but surely they have good reason. Reasons which I expect to hear from their own snout before long!"

And she crushed him in her embrace again.

* * *

It was a long time before either were concerned with conversation again, but eventually Bastion finally pulled free and asked, "Mistress, what becomes of me now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if this is... truly real," He smiled sheepishly at her before continuing, "Then what of my position? Surely I must be considered emotionally compromised? And I do not want to spend even a single day apart, now. I am not sure I could bear it."

She hummed softly, "Well, I imagine whatever I desire to happen will happen."

"Uh... and what is it you desire?"

His sudden wariness made her grin and she nuzzled his ear affectionately.

"Bastion, I want you by my side tomorrow. I want to know I can rely on you as I have done these past years. I do not wish to be separated any more than you do."

"I... well, I cannot do that as Captain of the Night Guard."

"Exactly."

He just looked confused now," Then... what will happen?"

"Well, I imagine I will need to find somepony else to be captain."

The shock that crossed his face made her burst out with laughter.

"You are not being replaced, dearheart, you are being promoted!"

"O-Oh. Then... Silver Spear?"

"Oh no, he is Tia's favored guard. Nothing romantic, I am certain--indeed my sister has not had much interest in such affairs for some times--but they are certainly very close friends. I could not replace him, no."

His brow furrowed, "Then... what? Surely there is no higher position than his?"

"Oh Bastion... must I really say it so plainly?"

She gently released him and sat up, and he mirrored her actions so that they sat facing each other.

"It may have been mere moments since our love was expressed openly, but we have both felt this way for years now. As such, I feel no shame for 'rushing' into this, as some ponies might say."

She bowed her head low, pointing her horn at his chest as was tradition, not able to see his face but smiling as she guessed his expression once he realized what she was doing. Her throat suddenly felt tight as she voiced what she had been yearning to ask.

"Bastion, my love, I beg your hoof in marriage."

He gasped and she felt the shift of weight as he reeled from her question.

"B-But... you're a Princess!"

She hummed without looking up.

"...How long since a Princess has married?"

"Aside from Cadance? Not since I was young."

"But Luna... you truly mean to make me a... a Prince?"

She did not even answer, simply waiting for his response. There was a long silence punctuated only by their breathing.

Then she felt the bed shift again as he lowered his head to hers, and she felt a jolt as his horn touched hers. That jolt of the pure magical essence inside their horns beginning to harmonize. That jolt which she had only ever shared with her sister.

To call it a tingle would be an understatement. It was as if his horn was brushing her soul, and her soul was what tingled. She knew he felt the same as their two horns buzzed against one another.

Slowly, they lifted their heads, careful to maintain contact, their horns sliding smoothly across each other, until their heads were high enough that she could look into his eyes.

Then, his eyes glistening in the moonlight, Bastion replied, "Luna, my love... I wish for nothing more than to be yours."

The buzzing of their horns shifted ever so slightly, then slowly synchronized with the other, their harmonies joining and now vibrating as one. The ancient binding ritual of love complete, they pulled their horns apart, then immediately lurched into each other's embrace once again.

Luna looked up at the ceiling, her eyes damp with joy, and she thought to herself that Celestia had no choice but to return now.

She would need a maid of honor!

Comments

[tranhdxrbntd]

what is /aie/?

[Real Solaris]

This was bucking adorable, I loved it