Luna lied. It had been scarcely two weeks ago, and it was the sort of tiny white lie which seemed inconsequential at the time, but there it was. Truth was starting her in the face, illuminated in her very own moonlight, and there was little use denying it.
Twilight Sparkle did not, in fact, as Luna had so loudly and recently claimed, have the finest flank she’d seen in generations. Though now that it was pointed in her general direction, Luna decided it may have been a partial truth after all. Perhaps it was the finest flank she’d laid eyes on in the last thousand years, given that the moon had not been particularly teeming with eligible ponies, or it may instead have been the most stunning ex-librarian rump in recent history. What it most certainly was, however, was wriggling free of a shoulder-deep mound of dirt and weeds.
“Twilight Sparkle, thy landings are most unconventional,” she chuckled, “though charming in their own way, depending on one’s… point of view.”
“Thersh isnerht herppn, Lerrna!” Twilight mumbled, shaking her head and spitting out a mouthful of pebbles and grass before repeating, “This isn’t helping, Luna!”
“Oh, it hath it helped most greatly,” Luna grinned, “for my mood hath lightened considerably since the Night Court’s early adjournment. Twilight, thou wouldst not believe how many bureaucrats have petitioned for a public revealing of the so-called ‘alicorn spell’.”
Twilight glared at the smirking Moon Princess. “Remind me again why we aren’t conducting flight training in the daytime where I could, oh, maybe, see what I’m – “
“See what thou art crashing into? Learn in the night, Twilight, and thy daylight flights shall be all the more skillful.” Luna’s toothy grin withdrew into a smile as she fluttered her own indigo wings. “Also, it would not do to have the general populace observe their newly crowned Evening Alicorn and Princess of Magic carving apart the Canterlot landscape using naught but her head.”
“Thy training fell to me for more practical reasons, of course,” Luna continued as Twilight’s lips curled into a tiny, quivering snarl. “For Celestia’s wings are far different than ours – great spreading wings they are, griffon-like, and ideally suited for soaring on daytime thermals. Cadance, of course, must needs return to her duties in the Crystal Empire, and she has never been the most apt of fliers.”
Walking to the smaller alicorn’s side, Luna brushed a cloud of dust and earth off Twilight’s ruffled lavender wings. Flexing her own wings wide, she sat back and said, “Thy wings are like unto mine own, Twilight. They are compact and powerful, suited for speed and maneuverability. I suspect that in time you will supplement your flight abilities as I do – with magic.”
Twilight’s head snapped up, eyes wide, and she inhaled sharply. “Magic? You mean, all this time what you’ve been showing me isn’t natural flight? What spells are you using? I didn’t sense any enchantment residue, and I - “
Luna held a hoof to Twilight’s muzzle and shook her head. “Calm yourself, Twilight. I have shown you only that which mine own wings grant, no more. Verily, 'tis most important that you first learn unaided flight before you begin enchanting your each and every feather.” Leaning close, she narrowed her eyes and dropped her voice to ask, “Surely thou art not considering a spell to leave a trail of purple sparks in thy wake?”
Recoiling a muzzle’s length, Twilight stammered, “N… No, of course not! That’d be silly.” She turned away from the other alicorn’s piercing gaze for a few long seconds, then glanced back and said, “They’d have been lilac, not purple.”
“Indeed!” chuckled Luna as she stretched first her forelegs, then her rear legs, as if she were a winged and starry-maned cat. “I will teach you flight magics as your lessons progress. Speed, maneuver, endurance, elemental resilience - all may be enhanced to the benefit of the flier.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow and wrinkled her muzzle. “I’ve never heard of magic like that. If those spells are so straightforward, why doesn’t every pegasus ask a friendly unicorn to cast them? Come to think of it, why aren’t the Wonderbolts practically glowing?”
Cracking her neck, Luna stared up into her midnight heavens. “Thou hast never heard of such because they are the sole purview of alicorns. The natural magic of pegasi interferes with such enchantments, as does that of earth ponies and unicorns. We, as you may have guessed, are not bound by such mortal restrictions.”
Twilight sidled closer to Luna, staring intently at the midnight-blue wings as she murmured, “So do you use the flight spells constantly?”
“Nay. Sorceries of flight are difficult to maintain. They are best used in situations of dire flight or desperate fight,” Luna said. Clearing her throat and keeping her gaze skyward, she added, “Or when making unannounced long-distance flights to visit one’s mistress.”
Moonlight failed to hide the younger alicorn’s sudden blush. “Do you make these ‘unannounced flights’ often?”
“Nay, not since thy coronation,” Luna smiled. “The flight to thy suite in Canterlot Castle is but a short one." Glancing down, she winked and added, "And 'tis possible my wife may disapprove.”
The adorbs' hace been had.
so unless I'm missing something, I thought Twilght couldn't get rid of the consort/concubine (I forgot which one) title?
@Baronvonkame My guess is that being a princess changes things. Well need to wait for TheLastBrunnenG to address that
How I wish these chapters were longer xP
2193618
She just became an Alicorn AND Princess. She's the highest rank of royalty, she's equal to Cadence, Luna and Celestia. Getting rid of the concubine title just happened the second she was crowned princess.
Thou are moderately skilled as using such language. Furthermore, I did enjoy the writing which thou hast graced mine eyes with, especially such a prompt gives a strong addition to such a wonderful text. I require thoust hand to maintain penning such an exemplary story which you have thus far created. Please.
Commence read.
2193654
“A pronouncement from Celestia or from me would alter future encounters between citizens and Princesses but would not reverse our current situation. If I recall, the decree did not apply to ponies who were already members of the extended Royal family, only to those seeking a shortcut into it. If you were royalty, then the Royal Concubine title would not apply and we would be free to continue our relationship. Sadly, being Celestia’s student does not count, nor does bearing an Element of Harmony.”
She lost the title of concubine when she became a member of the royal family through law (AKA Shining and Cadence).
Interesting idea. Of course, most fans expect Rainbow to get this job. However, the idea that one of the other alicorns might do it works just as well and, of course, in this story, it works particularly well.
Nice suggestion that everypony and their uncle wants the 'alicorn spell' (Starswirl's last spell), not realising that what Twilight created was only a spell to reveal one's true destiny and then only to he or she who has reached the right moment of realisation in their life. Of course, no doubt, this won't be rammed home in everypony's mind until some foalish unicorn vaporises themselves trying to duplicate the process. Even then, idiots will continue to fry or squib themselves in the attempt for years to come.
(The Smart and Cautious Trixie denies this last comment was aimed at her)
But, wait, what? Is she thinking that Twilicorn has a better butt than regular (relatively speaking) unicorn Twilight? Or is it because she ate dirt?
I am confuse.
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They got married a few chapters ago. It was hella sweet.
Kinda wondered when Twilicorn would show up^^ nice chapter as always^^ Gotta say though... you kinda lost me with that last joke^^; I kind of get it... but I don't get it.
2193618 They officially married each other a while back^^
2193618
Since she became a member of the extended royal family when "Shiny" married Cadance she lost the concubine title.
There now Twilight's parents can't bitch about the whole consort thing anymore. Poor shining armor... he best give them some grandchildren.
Very nice. XD
It took me a minute to realize that Luna was not in fact seeing somepony on the side.
2193737
Still doesn't change the fact that her becoming a Princess herself beat the dead horse called 'Concubine'.
I started with this series, but have basically lost interest after reading Rustic and Romantic. Sorry.
2194382
To ascertain whether the season finale is treated as canon or as executive meddling at its worst by the author in advance.
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This is a squee moment for me! 18 chapters in, someone asks a question that goes WAY back to almost the beginning of this collection. Before I can answer, other readers have not only explained it, they (that's you, blahx3) actually went back and quoted the relevant passage. Bravo! So yes, that's correct: by sleeping with a Princess before marrying her, Twilight accidentally made herself a Royal Concubine, which renders her ineligible for marriage. She got out of that when Shining married Cadance, making the Sparkles part of an extended royal line. If that hadn't happened, then yes, her ascension to alicornhood would have fixed it, because that instantly made Twilight royalty on her own.
2193645
One day! One day...
2193655
Yea verily we thank thee!
2193762
It's a fun bit of fridge logic: the "alicorn spell" itself was a one-shot. Twilight didn't cast Starswirl's spell, she completed it, the act of which caused it to take effect automatically. There isn't a spell to learn or cast, which is something all the power-grabbing dolts trying to copy her will never figure out.
2193973
Twilight is learning to fly and has just crashed head-first (probably not the first time). Luna's just admiring the scenery. Something like this:
th07.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/i/2013/048/c/1/twilight____crash__le__i_just_can_t_work_with_that_by_invidlord-d5vbmuf.png
2194069
Removed the links. They should have gone back to a chapter in Rustic & Romantic.
2194108
You caught the Tyrantlestia/Corona reference! I only recently started spelling out all the in-jokes and shout-outs in these chapters.
2194802
Twilight might still do so, too. They can adopt, or given that they're probably the two most powerful sorcerers in Equestria, they can likely magic up a foal if needed.
2195255
Glad you liked it! I don't plan on stopping it any time soon - there's too much story to fill in.
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Yeah, that didn't come across as clear as I wanted it to. I might reword those last few sentences. Kids, that's why you never leave home without a pre-reader / editor!
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I don't have a problem with Twilicorn. I'm reserving long-term judgment to see what they do with her in Season 4. Everything I've heard says the Princess Twilight / Alicorn Twilight story is a three-parter, and that we have to wait until the Season 4 two-part opener to get the rest of the story. The icon is just there to make searching easier.
2196550
Sorry to hear that! If it helps, I'm posting a new Rustic & Romantic chapter in a couple of hours.
wonxderfull chapter as always
lunas "old fashion english" was written very good and sounded just like luna should
Never a dull moment with these stories of yours.
2197126
Well that least now we know why Twilight's parents were really crying at her coronation.
Mom "Finally a child who managed to be something more then a consort. "
2196320 Speaking of, am I the only one who thinks 'Evening Alicorn' sounds like a euphemism for an extremely high-end prostitute?
Uhm... you do realize that Cadance was originally a pegasus?
3813108
Yeah about that, I've never seen any proof of that.
Sure, a Princess named Cadence were not originally planned as an Alicorn. But that is not her,
I think that would look cool, along with the wavy hair? I would love it if that happened.