The Passage of Night

by JujubeLand

First published

Luna's night flight leads her to the company of a cowpony in Appleloosa.

The land of Equestria is peaceful under the watchful gaze of the princess of the night, but a certain stallion near the small town of Appleloosa will prove to her that nighttime is a precious time, for more reasons than one...

Please reserve your judgment until you've actually read the story; preemptive thumbs-downs are not welcome here. Yes, it's a slightly absurd pairing, but don't let that turn you away.

The Story

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Cool air hung over the desert landscape, a welcome relief for the many creatures that made their homes under the vast canopy of stars that dotted the sky above them. The myriad of twinkling lights, accentuated by a waning moon that emitted a soft glow, was far preferable to the single star that beat down its oppressive heat over the wide, sweeping sea of sand each day. None of the beasts that ventured from their hiding places once the sun had relinquished control over the sky were sentient, but if they had been so blessed, they would be treated to a breathtaking spectacle: an unbroken horizon, stretching farther than any eye could discern, nestled under a canopy of dancing pinpricks of light, uncorrupted by the dull illumination that plagued the cities of Equestria. On this particular night, an astute observer, perhaps tracing constellations, could see a rare addition to the night sky in the form of a silhouette that flitted through the vastness of space, its mysterious shape wreathed by an ethereal glow, but vanishing before any details could be determined. That same observer might simply shrug off the glimpse of that object, little knowing that the very view they enjoyed was the product of magic that emanated from the fleeting form, a magic that had been perfected over eons of practice by the Princess of the Night.

Luna inhaled a deep, satisfying breath. The chill of the night thrilled her as it ran its course through her lungs and back out again, and she smiled softly as her wings lazily tore a path through the open air. While Canterlot Castle was her home, and she dearly loved Celestia and all their subjects, certain nights were just too perfect to pass up, and every once in a while, she simply had to get away from the royal trappings and the claustrophobia of the ornate structure that housed the royal sisters. The whole of Equestria was bathed in her exquisite night, peace and calm settling over the lands where ponies lay asleep in their beds, delightful dreams frolicking through their minds and promising a restful slumber. Since her return from exile in the moon, the alicorn of the night had garnered a new appreciation for the quiet nature of the night, and the bitterness and resentment that had spawned a creature of nightmares had all but vanished from her heart.

Luna breathed in once again, relishing the freshness of the air, and scanned the desert beneath her. A small settlement was close by. Silently, she swooped down until she was above the tallest building, a clock tower whose massive hands portrayed the lateness of the hour, and she settled into a hover over the small set of structures beneath her. If memory served, this was the frontier town of Appleloosa, and a glance to the south revealed the town's namesake orchard, an impressive, sprawling undertaking given the unforgiving climate. A narrow path wended its way through the trees, a testament to the treatise that had brought peace to both the pioneer ponies and the wandering buffalo tribes, their conflict ended by – of all things – apple pies. Luna chuckled softly as she recalled her sister's recount of Twilight Sparkle's letter that highlighted the details of the disagreement and its eventual resolution amidst the chaos of a vicious pie battle.

For now, the town was silent, the only sounds coming from the creatures who were beginning their nightly rituals of hunting, gathering, and...mating. Luna sighed, a brief pang of jealousy twitching through her body. Her thousand years of imprisonment had been lonely for a number of reasons, and loathe as she was to admit it, a lack of intimate, physical contact had been a prominent one. While she welcomed the return of her older sister's affection in the form of long hugs and tender nuzzles, her heart still ached for a much more personal kind of touch, one she had not experienced in...a very, very long time. Fleeting memories of a stallion, his name and face long forgotten, danced through her head, and Luna felt a shiver run through her as she attempted to recall any small details other than the heat and pressure that wracked her body, the brief moments of pain leaving their mark but culminating in indescribable pleasure.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound that drifted through the night, the silence gently giving way to a voice. Luna shook her head to clear her mind and quell the blush that had begun to form at her cheeks, and she listened intently to the new sound, attempting to discern the unintelligible words. She flapped her wings lightly, propelling her south towards the source of the noise, while continuing to focus on the lyrics; they were melodic, and the alicorn quickly realized that what she was hearing was somepony singing. As she flew beyond the edge of the town and drew nearer to the apple orchards, the words became clearer, and they were soon accompanied by strums from a guitar. At last, at the very edge of the grove of apple trees, Luna spotted her quarry, a cowpony stallion seated on a stump before a flickering campfire, a guitar resting on his lap and a stetson hat pulled down over his eyes as his hooves manipulated the strings of his instrument. The melody arose once more, and Luna paused to absorb each word, the stallion's accented voice entrancing the princess.

When the light of day fades away,

Mah mind can find its rest;

The moon's allurin' glow, Ah know,

Brings out mah very best.

A temporary peace, at least,

Embraces all the land;

And if ya saw it too, well you

Might finally understand.

The words were simple, and the singer's voice was untrained, but Luna smiled all the same, the words ringing true in her ears and causing her heart to swell with pride. As the last chords were strummed, she lowered herself from her flight and landed several yards away from the campfire, its unsteady glow revealing the stallion that sat before her. While his face was not yet visible, still hidden by his hat as he concentrated on his hoof's work on the guitar strings, she observed his golden coat and large red apple cutie mark, as well as his orange and amber mane that drifted down from beneath the brim of the stetson. In addition to the headgear, he was also adorned with a brown vest across his barrel. With a delighted grin, she remembered from Twilight's letter a description matching the stallion she saw now; without a second thought, she greeted him, “Hail, fair Braeburn!”

Unfortunately for Luna, her Royal Canterlot Voice, while under much better control since her Nightmare Night experiences with Twilight and the rest of the Ponyville, still had a tendency to rear its noisy head at times, and this occasion was one of those times. It was almost comical for her as she watched the cowpony transition from a state of serene silence and reverence to one of sheer, unadulterated panic in an instant. His head shot up, pistachio eyes wide and mouth shouting something that she couldn't hear over the sound of her own voice, and his entire body began to tumble backwards, both from the sheer force of the princess' yell and his own loss of balance. His hooves flailed madly, but to no avail, and he fell off his stump seat with a dull thud, a small cloud of dust heralding his arrival to the ground. A second later, the guitar clattered to the ground on the opposite side of the stump with a dissonant twang.

Luna gasped and galloped over to the fallen earth pony, chiding herself for slipping into her overly loud tone so easily. When she reached his side, she looked down to survey the damage. Braeburn's hat had slipped off upon impact, and it lay upside-down next to his head, which the stallion was rubbing with one hoof while mumbling something unintelligible. The alicorn tilted her head and – making sure to keep her volume at a normal level – asked, “Art thou all right, fair Braeburn? Art thou injured?”

Without opening his eyes, the cowpony responded, “Yeah, Ah'm okay, jus' bumped mah head a lil'.” His eyelids shot open, and he turned to face Luna. “Now, say, what's the big deal anyw-” His eyes opened even wider than before. “Oh my.” His face was a perfect representation of shock as he stared at the princess of the night.

Luna lingered for a second longer before realizing that her close proximity to Braeburn was doing nothing at all to calm his nerves, and was, in fact, probably accomplishing exactly the opposite. She stepped back, the earth pony's gaze never leaving hers, then smiled softly and extended a hoof toward the fallen stallion. “Here, let us – me help thee,” she said.

Braeburn hesitated at first, but he finally brought his own hoof to meet the alicorn's, and she effortlessly helped him back to his hooves. His pistachio irises were still locked onto hers, and Luna stared back at him in response; there was fear in those eyes, as expected, but as she looked closer, something else, something she couldn't put her hoof on, flashed through them as well. Suddenly, the stallion's head dipped down, and in an instant, he returned to the ground, this time in a prone position, another cloud of dust kicked up as his body made contact with the earth again.

If there was one thing Luna despised about her position of power, it was the inevitable grovelling of her subjects, a reaction usually birthed more by terror than by actual respect or reverence. With a heavy sigh, she said, “Please, rise to thy hooves, Braeburn.” His head tilted up, his confused face showing plainly beneath his stetson. She gave him another soft, non-threatening smile and continued, “I insist.”

This time without any royal assistance, the cowpony slowly stood, finally balancing on all four legs as Luna watched him in silence. He was a wiry but strong stallion, his body no doubt toned by years working among the apple trees that rose in the shadows behind him, as well as all his efforts to form and preserve Appleloosa amidst its various trials. Without his hat, his two-toned mane flowed freely about his head and shoulders, and Luna found herself enthralled by its orange and amber color, like a cascade of fire. Her quick study of the stallion was cut off when he broke the silence with a nervous voice. “Ah...Ah thought 'twas proper t' bow 'fore...a princess.”

Luna laughed briefly, her mirth echoing through the night, then said, “It may be proper, but that does not mean it is always necessary.” She watched him intently, searching his eyes for any sign of calming down, but the same fear from earlier was still present. Determined to alleviate his trepidation, she spoke again, making sure to keep her volume low. “And how does this night find thee, fair Braeburn?”

Her attempt at casual talk quickly met a roadblock when he answered, “Um...Ah'm doin' fine, but, uh...beggin' yer pardon, princess...how d'you know mah name?” His eyes flashed again, and again, Luna couldn't tell what it signified; all she could see was the fear that refused to abandon its grip on the poor earth pony.

Her explanation was brief and to the point. “From Twilight Sparkle's letter. My sister shared it with me, and I recognized thee from her student's description.” Desperate to move the conversation forward, Luna added, “And it is a pleasure to make thy acquaintance, Braeburn Apple, even if my introduction was a bit...intense.”

At long last, his expression lightened, and Luna did her best to stifle a soft giggle at her triumph, though she was pleasantly surprised by his change in demeanor. His smile was soft and friendly, and the terror in his eyes was replaced by a calmness that revealed his gentle nature, but with a spark that showed his excitability and fervor for his work and his town. Almost on cue, the stallion said, “Well, it sure is a pleasure t' meet ya, princess, and lemme be the first t' say, welcome ta Appleloosa!” He reared up on his hind legs and waved his front hooves about, landing with a goofy grin.

Luna chuckled, but raised an eyebrow and said, “Dost thou always perform this action when introducing ponies to thy town, Braeburn?”

With a sheepish smile, the cowpony answered, “Guess it's just a habit o' mine.” After a moment's pause, both ponies burst into a short but satisfying laughter, the tension between them quickly dissipating.

Luna's revelry gave way to concern, however, and her horn glowed softly as she reached out with her magic to grasp the two objects that had been displaced during Braeburn's fall. His hat was unaffected, save for a small spot of dust, but the guitar had sustained a sizable crack near the bridge, extending all the way to the sound hole. The princess' face fell as she beheld the damaged instrument, and she said, “I am deeply sorry, Braeburn; it seems my overeager greeting hath left thy guitar in poor shape.”

A brief look of sadness on his golden face was replaced by an understanding smile as his stetson settled back atop his head, guided by Luna's magic. “That's quite all right, princess; 't ain't nothin' Ah can't fix up.”

The alicorn responded quickly, her volume higher. “Nonsense! It is I who caused this unfortunate incident, and I shall make it right. Surely, there are artisans in Canterlot skilled in the repair of such a fine instrument; I shall commission the most talented at morning's first light. 'Tis the least I can do to make amends.”

His reaction was most unexpected. Luna raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the cowpony began to laugh again, his high-pitched merriment ringing through her ears; it was an infectious laugh, and despite her confusion, the princess could not resist cracking a smile at the sound of it. After several seconds, the stallion regained control, though his features still displayed a wide grin, and he said, “Ah'm sorry, princess, but...Ah jus' never thought, in all mah days, that one o' the two royal sisters would be apologizin' t' lil' old me!” He chuckled again, shaking his head, before continuing, “Well, if y'all insist on fixin' up mah old guitar, Ah ain't gonna say no. Thank ya kindly, princess.”

Luna grinned back, taking delight in the stallion's disbelief. Her heart was lightened by the sounds of his laughter and his jovial nature; she resolved to mingle with her subjects more regularly, though she would have to take care in the future to not damage their personal property. She said to the earth pony, “As I stated before, 'tis the least I can do.” As she delicately propped the guitar against the side of the stump, she added, “Also, it would please me greatly if thou would call me 'Luna,' fair Braeburn.”

In the dancing firelight, his expression was clear. His mouth turned up in a grin, left over from his earlier laughter, and his pistachio eyes sparkled with mirth and contentment. As much as Luna had been entranced by his orange and amber mane, his stetson seemed to make him even more...well, attractive, she thought with a measure of nervousness, tracing her eyes along his two-toned mane as it descended from beneath the hat and flowed across his shoulders. She looked him over swiftly, trying to remain subtle, and found that her heart skipped a beat as she drank in the sight of the strong young stallion. A few untoward thoughts began to swirl in her brain, but thankfully, Braeburn's voice sent those ideas to the back of her mind. “So, prin- Luna, what brings y'all here ta Appleloosa?” The mention of the town sent a spark of excitement through the cowpony's eyes, but all four of his hooves remained on the ground this time.

Luna smiled as she explained. “I relish the opportunity to observe all the realms which my sister and I govern, and on this night, my flight brought me to thy lovely town. I confess myself impressed by the hardiness with which thee and thy fellow Appleloosans live here in this harsh desert climate; to not only settle here, amidst such hardships, but also to plant and sustain such an expansive orchard are certainly feats worthy of praise.” She gestured a hoof toward the shadowy trees, then looked back at Braeburn. “What drew me here, however, was thy song. While I am not familiar with that tune, thou didst perform it admirably, and I found the words to be most...intriguing. Tell me, where didst thou learn such a song?”

The stallion's eyes softened, and he took a seat on the stump again, his eyes drifting toward the starlit canopy above the ponies. Luna stepped close and sat on her haunches beside him, following his gaze. For a moment, all was quiet, but Braeburn soon began his tale. “Mah daddy taught me, when Ah was just a colt. Showed me how t' play it on the guitar, too; took me ferever ta get it right.” His gaze grew distant, and Luna turned her eyes away from the starry sky and watched the stallion beside her with rapt attention as Braeburn told his story. “He used ta bring me with him, some nights, and sit me down under the stars. We didn't have a lot, but when Ah was there, with him, just gazin' up at the night sky, he'd tell me he felt like the richest stallion in all Equestria. He'd show me all the constellations, tellin' me legends 'bout 'em and the ponies they were about. Ah was young, and Ah didn't really understand all o' what he said back then; truth be told, Ah was just happy ta be able ta stay up past mah bedtime. Ever since Ah've been out on mah own, though, Ah got a whole new 'preciation fer what he shared with me all those years ago. Ah ain't seen 'im in a long time, but on nights like these, sometimes Ah pull out mah guitar and sit under the stars, an' Ah know he's prob'ly doin' the same thing back in mah hometown.” A comfortable silence spread over the ponies at the edge of the orchard, and the cowpony's eye glistened in the glow of the campfire. Luna smiled and returned her gaze to the night above them.

The crackling of the fire and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures were the only sounds for a while as both the alicorn and the cowpony took in the sight of the twinkling stars and the glowing moon. Finally, the princess spoke again, her voice soft without any effort on her part. “I'm sure thou art aware of my past imprisonment, Braeburn.” Out of the side of her eye, she saw him turn his head toward her and give a single nod. “'Twas envy that led me to rebellion; envy of my sister's sunny day, in which all the ponies of Equestria reveled and frolicked, only to lock themselves away when I raised the moon and brought forth the night. A foal's jealousy, nothing more, and yet, enough to drive me to insanity and force Celestia to do the unthinkable. I shudder to think what might have happened had the Elements of Harmony not restored me to my former state upon my return. Now, as I rule alongside my sister in my rightful place once again, I realize the truth, and the importance of both day and night. It no longer stirs resentment within me that Equestria slumbers under my moon and stars, and though nopony may be awake to witness it, I still strive for beauty and order when I perform my duty, that the night may be peaceful and provide my subjects with rest.

“Even with that knowledge, though,” Luna continued, her eyes still studying the heavens, “thy story still fills my heart with joy. To know that my dark and jeweled sky holds such a place of significance to thee and thy father...such tales reassure and invigorate me, and I admit, I felt a swell of pride upon hearing thy song. Allow me to express my deepest thanks to thee, fair Braeburn, for proving to me the importance of my night.” She bowed her head slightly.

“Ah...Ah'm glad ta help ya feel better, Luna,” the cowpony said slowly, and the princess looked up once again. One of his hooves was scratching at his withers, and she spied the faintest hint of red across his golden cheeks. His eyes were looking away from her, though a subtle spark danced in their pistachio irises. His voice had a slight shake as he continued, “Daytime has its place, Ah know, but Ah've always thought the night was much more...well...” He trailed off, his eyes still refusing to meet Luna's.

The alicorn raised a hoof and placed it on his shoulder. His eyes ceased their wandering, and at last, the two ponies locked their gazes. Luna's heart skipped as she sank into the stallion's pistachio eyes, the reflected light of the fire casting its flickering glow across the enrapturing orbs. A rush of heat, not caused by the flames, coursed through her body, and she felt her own blush beginning to spread across her face. Her voice was a whisper as she slowly but steadily moved her head closer to the earth pony's. “More what, Braeburn?”

Never tearing his eyes from the princess, the cowpony answered in just as quiet a tone, “Beautiful.”

The hoof on his shoulder slid behind his head, and Luna quickly closed the gap between their heads, eliciting a soft cry of surprise from the cowpony as their lips met. Her eyes closed as she pressed against him, her mouth tingling with a long-forgotten electricity that spread throughout her entire being as it made contact with the stallion's. The heat inside her grew even as she pulled away from the brief kiss, and she looked at his face again.

His eyes were closed at first, but they shot open in a perfect combination of surprise and desire as he struggled to choke out whatever words he could manage. “Luna...princess...Ah don't...” She grinned at his stammering, then cut it off with another kiss, this time tilting her head to the side and opening her mouth wider. There was a brief hesitance from the stallion, but she soon felt him relax and push back against her, mouths intertwining. She ventured a light lick across his sealed lips, the salty taste invigorating on her taste buds; after a moment, he parted the gate and allowed her curious tongue access to his inner sanctum, their heads pressing closer together. Her pink organ went to work immediately, exploring every facet of his mouth and absorbing his taste. Not surprisingly, it was the flavor of apples, but instead of being sweet, he reminded her more of the crispness that came with the first bite of one of the ripe fruits and the tangy juice that poured out from beneath the apple's skin at that initial puncturing. It was an invigorating, exciting taste, and she eagerly licked around his entire mouth, along his teeth and over his own tongue, shivering at the sensation of their flexible organs dancing over one another. His breath flowed into her, and the heat of it only added to the growing furnace inside her body.

After their extended kiss, she drew her head back, a thin string of saliva suspended between them for a moment before it snapped and splashed delicately against her skin. She searched his face for any trace of hesitation, any indication that he was unsure; one look into his eyes, and all she saw there was a smoldering blaze that put the campfire nearby to shame. She narrowed her eyes and dove once again into a passionate kiss, this time both ponies' tongues wrestling against each other with vigorous moans as his front hooves looped around her and grasped the back of her head, pushing them close together. As they made out, her free hoof rose from the ground and began to stroke his muscular barrel, tracing small circles against the golden coat. The feel of his solid frame against her touch sent jolts of electricity through her leg, joining up with the feelings emanating from her entangled mouth and fanning the flame inside her. Long-dormant passion stirred within the princess, and the same thoughts that Braeburn's voice had cast into her subconscious earlier arose with a vengeance, stirring her with a lust that crept into her brain and began to drive her mad with desire.

Their oral wrestling match continued as her hoof began to drift lower, ever-so-slowly down his barrel and over his stomach. As it finally dipped below his pelvis, she made contact with the object she sought, and Braeburn cried out suddenly, breaking the kiss, as her hoof bumped against his sensitive flesh, already beginning to poke through his sheath. She drew his head towards hers again, joining their mouths again, as she idly stroked the hardening skin, its length expanding against her gentle touch. Their kiss was accentuated by soft moans from the stallion as she continued to rub her hoof along his member, each stroke slightly longer than the last to compensate for its gradual growth. At last, it seemed, he was at his full, impressive length, and she extracted her lips from his, their extended kiss leaving the area around her mouth moist with his saliva and both ponies panting to recover their breath. Her hoof continued its slow, even strokes, his length twitching beneath her touch, and she finally looked down, blushing as she beheld his stallionhood in all its glory.

She shifted her seating position, coming to a rest directly before the stallion, and leaned her head in again, gently kissing and nibbling at his neck. The attention from both her lips and her hoof drew a gasp from Braeburn, followed by a long groan; Luna smiled, pleased that her skill was bringing the cowpony pleasure, and began her trek down his body, delicate kisses, licks, and nibbles leaving a trail of saliva along the stallion's golden coat. Her hoof slid to the underside of his length, still rubbing against it slowly, as her head followed the path that same hoof had blazed moments earlier. She planted a soft kiss just above where his member jutted out from his body, stiff and twitching, and looked up at the stallion with a sultry smile. His mouth hung open as he concentrated on breathing, his barrel rising and falling with each inhale and exhale, but his eyes betrayed his excitement and desperation, the spark in them practically begging her to continue.

With a wink, she brought her head down once more, at last making contact with his stallionhood. A spasm ran through his body, and he moaned softly as her lips kissed the base of his shaft, then sucked lightly on the flesh, her tongue wetting the stallion's member. A soft “Oh, my...” from Braeburn caused her heart to skip, and she slowly made her way up his engorged erection, kissing and sucking gently over every inch of it and coating it in a thin layer of glistening saliva. Her hoof never ceased its soft strokes on the underside of his hardened member, and as her mouth neared the head, she paused mid-stroke and rested the hoof atop his appendage. She pulled her head back, positioning his large stallionhood in front of her face, and she looked up at him as her tongue slowly snaked out of her mouth and gave his head a light lick. His eyes rolled back, and he grunted at her gentle attention. She smiled and gave him another lick before wrapping her lips around the sensitive head.

Braeburn's breath came in gasps as Luna's hoof resumed its strokes, only slightly faster than before, and she began to suck on the tip of his member like it was a hard candy. Her tongue danced across his head, wetting him further, as she milked his erection with her gentle suckling. His chorus of groans and gasps chimed like music in her ears, encouraging her to proceed, and she began to slide her head forward, taking his length into her mouth. Her hoof rested at the base of his shaft as her mouth engulfed more and more of his impressive stallionhood, her tongue rubbing against its underside. He moaned deeply as his head made contact with the back of her throat, and she stifled her urge to choke, instead worming her tongue up, down, and around the erection inside her mouth, thoroughly soaking it in her saliva. Her lack of oxygen began to take its toll, and she released his member with a wet pop, inhaling the cool night air deeply. She looked into his eyes, the heat in her body now a raging inferno. He met her gaze, and in a soft, breathy voice, the stallion said, “That...was amazin'.”

She blushed and grinned, then looked back up at Braeburn with a mischievous grin. “Thou hast experienced only a taste, fair Braeburn,” she said slyly. “Prepare thyself.” His eyes flashed with excitement as he grinned, and her heartbeat sent a fresh wave of heat through her body. Turning her attention back to the hard object before her, she once again gave his head a lick, the entirety of his member now glistening in the firelight, dampened by her exploring tongue. Her lips wrapped around his thickness again, and her hoof and her head began to work in unison, sliding up and down his length, slowly at first, but with increasing speed and vigor as his grunts of pleasure encouraged her attention.

Her own arousal had not gone unnoticed, and the hoof that was not currently stroking the cowpony's stallionhood soon crept down her own body with a light touch, sending a shiver through her as it made contact with her lower lips. She closed her rear thighs around her leg as her hoof commenced its gentle assault on her already-soaking passage, tracing circles around her swollen entrance. Each brush of her hoof over her sensitive nub drew a cry from the excited alicorn, its sound muffled by the stallion's erection that still occupied her mouth. As her oral ministrations ran their course, the hoof between her legs matched the increasing pace of her mouth, rubbing over her slit and sending waves of pleasure through her aching nethers, desperate for attention after so, so long without satisfaction. Her internal temperature rose again, sending her mind into a frenzy of pleasure as her hoof continued its self-pleasure.

The strokes of her mouth along Braeburn's erection soon became a steady bobbing of her head up and down his entire length, her hooves matching its speed with strokes of both her and the cowpony's most sensitive areas. His grunts increased in frequency and intensity, accompanied by an occasional hiss or moan of pleasure, until he was crying out with each descent of her head over his twitching member. Gobs of precum leaked out from his tip, and Luna lapped them up, their taste similar to that of the stallion's mouth, but with an added twinge of bitterness. Braeburn's wordless shouts were suddenly interrupted by coherent words, gasped out with each breath. “Ah'm...almost there...Luna...so close...” She looked up at him, his face contorted as he struggled to hold back, and she closed her eyes and increased her pace to an incredible speed, her head practically a blur as it slid over his thick, slick stallionhood and her hoof drifting down to gently caress the stallion's balls. Her other hoof sank slightly into her passage, her juices flowing out to coat the infiltrating appendage.

Finally, Braeburn let out a long, strained cry that echoed through the empty wilderness, and Luna felt his member twitch inside her mouth one last time before the first spurt of hot, sticky cum burst into her mouth, its salty taste sliding against her tongue as she rapidly swallowed his initial shot. She ceased her head's movement and concentrated on her mouth instead, quickly swallowing each surge of semen as it poured out of the stallion and into her throat. Each spasm of his stallionhood, followed by a fresh deposit of cum, sent a pulse of heat through her mouth and down her entire body, and she eagerly gulped down each load as the cowpony cried out again and again. At last, the last deposit leaked out from his head, and Luna swallowed the final bit of seed before releasing his member from her mouth; the earth pony collapsed backward onto the stump, panting heavily from his exertion.

Luna licked her lips, the strong taste of Braeburn's essence tingling in her mouth, and withdrew her hoof from her marehood, the absence of contact sending a warm wave of longing through her body. Her brain pulsed with desire, a need to be satiated after years of inactivity, and with a quick burst of magic, she slid Braeburn's body farther back onto the stump, his formerly erect member flopped off to one side and his breaths long and slow. He looked up in surprise as Luna placed her front hooves on the stump's edge and leaned down to his limp stallionhood, and he gasped as she gave it a gentle lick. “Y'all...wanna go again?” he asked in a voice that was equal parts disbelieving and hopeful. She gave her answer in the form of another slurp against his sensitive skin, and she looked up at him with pleading eyes, his face a lascivious grin.

Only a few brushes of her tongue against him were enough to rouse his member from its dormant state. Her eyes lit up and her cheeks flushed red as he once again reached his full hardness, this time sticking straight up, the moisture from her earlier attention catching the flicker of the campfire. With a brief kiss of his head, the princess of the night flapped her wings and hovered over the top of the prone stallion, then lowered herself slowly onto the stump, her front hooves planted beside his head and her soaked, eager lower lips positioned above his waiting erection. She leaned her head down and kissed Braeburn again, his hooves wrapping around her head and pressing her close to him. A buzz of energy pulsed through Luna's body, her excitement climbing to new heights as the heat in her body, especially her loins, continued to simmer. She pulled away from the kiss slowly, nibbling the stallion's lower lip in a playful gesture, and stared deeply into his eyes. “Art thou ready, fair Braeburn?” she said softly.

“Sure am, Luna,” came his quiet response, and the alicorn smiled and swiveled her head around. Slowly, carefully, she lowered her hips towards her prize, gasping as the tip of his stallionhood made contact with her entrance and sent a shock of pleasure through her loins. She rocked back and forth, rubbing the sensitive head of his member against her wet marehood, the sensation of the intimate touch wracking her body with heat. The stallion below her released a gasp as well, the pleasure surely driving him wild as well, and Luna grinned as she teased him with her gentle strokes. His hips bucked up desperately, prodding against her lower lips; she looked at his eyes again, the pleading pistachio irises betraying his anticipation. With a sly smile, she finally lowered her hips.

After over a thousand years of absence, the sensation of something thick and hard filling her sensitive passage and rubbing against her inner walls nearly sent Luna toppling over the edge right then and there, and she threw her head back and screamed, her eyes shut tight as she sank lower and lower onto Braeburn's throbbing stallionhood. Each inch, each instant of blessed contact was absolute bliss, an unrelenting assault of pleasure on her mind that she was barely able to hold back. His erection, slick from her saliva, entered her easily and smoothly, and more and more of it penetrated the alicorn's wet, eager passage, which clutched and twitched desperately at the hard object. Her juices coated his length with another layer of moisture, and Luna felt no pain, only glorious pressure as he descended deeper inside her. If he cried out at all, it was drowned out by both her own shouts of pleasure and the throbbing of her head as her heartbeat quickened.

Just when it felt like he could sink no deeper, her hips made contact with his, and, panting, the princess looked down to see that the entirety of his member had vanished inside her. She moaned with lust and pleasure, relishing the feeling of being absolutely filled in the most intimate way imaginable, and gazed lovingly at Braeburn. His eyes were clenched shut and his teeth were gritted, and a guttural grunt issued forth from his throat. He looked absolutely determined, and Luna felt the heat within her swirl and roil at the sight of the golden-coated stallion with the two-toned mane, causing her heart to pound with renewed intensity as she drank in the view below her. Of all the stallions to quench her thirst after such a long absence, she didn't think anypony else could do the job quite like this unassuming cowpony who reminded her of the importance of her beautiful night, but who was also willing to embrace the beauty of the one who had formed it. Her wings flared out and flapped once, the rush of air doing little to cool the heat that was building in Luna's body.

His eyes opened, and she blushed at his hungry gaze as he looked her over, from her flowing starscape mane to the point where the two ponies were joined together. His voice came as a whisper. “Y'all really are stunnin', Luna.” He reached his front hooves up and began to stroke her sides. “Ah'm ready t' keep goin', if you are.”

She smiled softly down at the stallion. “And so we shall.” She tensed her back legs and slowly rose up, his erection grinding against her inner walls as she slid up its length. The pleasure assault returned, but she kept it under control, releasing only a soft moan as the friction sent spasms through her emptying passage and through her whole body, the heat rising once again. From below her, Braeburn grunted, and she felt his hips move upward, wanting to keep himself buried inside her, but she continued her rise until just his head remained in her. Her inner walls tensed and pulsed; the absence of the cowpony's stallionhood after having been filled so completely sent desperate pleas to her brain, begging her to descend once more, to occupy that space with his hard member again. After a moment's hesitation, she gave in and lowered her hips again, a coo of pleasure escaping her lips at the familiar feeling of penetration.

Down and up, down and up; the princess soon settled into a rhythm, gliding along the stallion's length at a steady pace as her body surged with pleasure at their lovemaking. Her eyes shot open in surprise, however, when a new sensation added itself to the already incredible feelings emanating from her eager loins. The source of this new pleasure was another sensitive area on her alicorn body, and she swiveled her head slightly to see that Braeburn's hooves were indeed responsible for this new excitement. The earth pony had been stroking Luna's sides and back, but his hooves had found their way to the base of Luna's outstretched wings, and he was currently rubbing vigorously at the point where her purple back and her long, feathered wings met. Such a spot was known to be a point of arousal for pegasi, and it held true for alicorns as well. Luna moaned loudly as the cowpony continued his strokes against her skin, the sensation of both his stallionhood plunging into her passage and his hooves rubbing against her wings combining as waves of pure pleasure that crashed through her body.

When she dipped her head down toward Braeburn's, however, the last vestiges of her self-control quickly evaporated when she felt his tongue trace a long, slow lick along her lengthy horn, followed quickly by his mouth as it wrapped around her appendage and began to gently suck. Thus, the threefold assault commenced, and Luna found herself helpless against it; the steady pumping of the stallion's member into her desperate marehood sent waves of pleasure up through her body, which met the sensation of his strokes of her wings and combined into an even greater feeling, only to be compounded to an unbelievable degree by his mouth and tongue as he licked and suckled at her sensitive horn. The fun had been tripled, and Luna felt a steady pressure building in her loins as the intimate motions continued, the pace of her hips increasing rapidly and drawing strained cries out of her mouth between panted breaths and gasps.

She resisted as long as possible, but her body soon succumbed, and with one final scream of pleasure, the wave of ultimate bliss washed over her, from her hooves to the tip of her horn. For a brief moment, the moon and the stars pulsed with a surge of light, then returned to their normal states. The princess of the night, however, rode out her orgasm, grinding against Braeburn's stallionhood even as her legs began to tremble, and she felt the rush of juices pour forth from within her to soak him with her essence. A moment later, he pulled his mouth from its attention to her horn and emitted his own cry, his hooves ceasing their motion as well as he came for the second time that night, his member unleashing his load deep inside her. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth as she moaned loudly, relishing the intensity of her peak after so long. Shot after shot of semen coated her inner walls and mingled with her own fluids, filling her passage quickly before leaking out onto the stallion's erection, all while surges of pleasure rocked Luna's body. At long last, the final wave of her orgasm tore through the alicorn's body, and her shaky legs gave way as she collapsed atop Braeburn's prone form.

She lay there for some time, breathing slowly and evenly as she basked in the delicious afterglow, the stallion's body beneath her heaving with his own breaths. His member remained inside her for a while before finally flopping out of her passage with a wet, sticky pop, the evidence of their frenzied lovemaking soaking both their bodies and the stump below them. A silly grin crept across Luna's face, and she idly traced her hoof over the earth pony's barrel, marveling once again at his strength. She looked up into the night sky above them and smiled softly, the heavenly bodies twinkling merrily as if in approval. Eventually, Braeburn stirred, and she stood up and stepped off the stump as he raised himself up back into a sitting position. He tipped his hat with a grin. “Princess Luna, Ah dare say that was incredible.”

She smiled back at him. “I wholeheartedly agree, fair Braeburn. I thank thee for showing thy love for the night...in more ways than one,” she said with a smirk. Her horn glowed as she picked up the guitar from its resting place and levitated it beside her. “Now, I must return to Canterlot Castle; soon, the night shall end, and I must ensure its peaceful transition alongside my sister.” She flared her wings out, preparing for takeoff.

Braeburn's voice delayed her departure. “Fergive me fer askin', Luna, but...d'ya think we'll see each other again?” A blush crept across his golden cheeks, and Luna felt her own cheeks redden as well.

With a sly smile, she answered, “Of course, Braeburn. After all, I must return thy instrument to thee at some point, mustn't I?” She nodded toward the levitated guitar, and the cowpony's eyes widened as a humongous smile came to his face. The alicorn laughed, and with a wink, she lifted off from the ground, taking wing into the cool night air again. As she soared over the orchards of Appleloosa, a voice drifted to her over the apple trees, and she smiled.

“When the light of day fades away,

Mah mind can find its rest...”