> Champing at the Bit > by Some Leech > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Reign with Reins > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Step aside, mares and gentlecolts,” Luna loudly proclaimed, cutting a swathe through the assembly of townsponies. “Your heroic knight and her faithful steed demand your utmost respect.” Keeping her head lowered, Celestia listened to the residents of Ponyville laughing to themselves and yielded to her sister’s clearly comedic request. The air was abuzz with excited and speculative murmurs, setting her nerves alight, yet she dared not look to see exactly what had everypony so excited. As she slowly trotted along, gazing down at the cobblestones beneath her, she only halted when the bit clamped in her jaw was pulled. “Woah, intrepid beast,” Luna commanded. Celestia stopped dead in her tracks. The metal bar in her mouth wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as she would have assumed it would be, nor was any of her other attire for the occasion, although that did little to ease her frazzled nerves. Waiting patiently, unable to see what was happening to either side of her, she swallowed hard when Luna’s legs came into view directly before her. Raising and bringing a forehoof to her sibling’s chin, Luna lifted her sister’s head. “Fair ponies of Ponyville, I trust you’re all doing well this fine Nightmare Night?” The throng howled in adulation, mares and stallions of all ages whooping for joy - all save one. Celestia’s eyes darted from pony to pony, drinking in the myriad of costumes arrayed before her, and anxiously champed at her bit. It was the one night of the year that celebrated absurdity, a time when anypony could dress up and go out in any fashion they so chose, and it afforded her the opportunity to do something so wild and scandalous that it had taken her centuries to summon the courage to do it - even then, were it not for Luna’s insistence, she more than likely wouldn’t have been able to bring herself to put such a shameful scheme into action. “Love the costume!” a bystander shouted, causing her to turn her head. Smiling broadly, Luna turned and proudly held a hoof to her chest. “Many thanks, my good stallion, but are you referring to me or my faithful beast?” The confused whispers and giggling which sailed to Celestia’s ears made her hair stand on end, but she remained silent. The blinders to either side of her head robbed her of her peripheral vision, the wrap on her tail served as a subtle reminder that her backside was completely exposed, and the weighty saddle on her back may have been the most demeaning thing she’d ever worn out in public - nevertheless, despite her less than regal regalia, her heart thundered in her bosom. She turned her head and shifted her gaze, shaken from her thoughts by a sudden movement just to her left. Ordinarily speaking, she would have been able to glance over without any trouble - sadly, the blinkers on either side of her eyes meant she had to turn her head and face what she wished to look at. Sheepishly smiling at the young stallion who’d approached, she fought to keep drool from slipping past the metal bar in her snout. “What’s she wearing?” the stallion inquired, looking the Princess over. “I’m so glad you asked, my fine stallion,” Luna exclaimed, practically leaping to the pony’s side. “She’s wearing tack.” Seeing that the stallion’s attention lay on her flank, Celestia willed her tail not to flag. It only took her a moment to recall who the young, well-built pegasus was, but she called who he was after only a moment.  While she took some small comfort from remembering his name, Thunderlane, the knowledge she had met him before did nothing to slow her gradually racing pulse - if anything, the fact that she recognized him and most of the ponies gathered around her made her mouth go dry. As she uneasily smiled at him, she was unceremoniously yanked to the side. Luna held the reins as she trotted around her sibling, causing Celestia to turn in a circle while causing the townsponies to step back and give them room. “This,” she began, waving back at her sister, “is tack.” “The stuff she has on?” a mare asked from the throng. “Indeed,” Luna demurely replied. “Tack is what a creature known as a horse wears.” Inching forward and creeping into Celestia’s view, a young mare named Bonbon, if her memory served, cocked her head. She knew what was coming next, that the youngster had at least one burning question, but there was nothing she could do. Even if she could speak, anything she could say would be slurred while trying to talk past the polished rod lock behind her teeth - that and saying anything would be an egregious breach of character. As she slowed to a halt and peered over her shoulder at her sister, a knowing smirk split Luna’s muzzle. “Have none of you ponies heard about horses?” she scoffed, feigning surprise. A quiet din of confused muttering rang from the growing mass of spectators as ponies looked to one another and shook their heads. “Well then, allow me to regale you with a long forgotten tale… Millennia ago, before ponies even existed, there lived a race of creatures known as humans - tall, barbaric, ghastly things that conquered the land and brought any and all who opposed them to heel. With their physical might and technological prowess, they dominated the world - still, as clever as they were, they were not without aid. A cornucopia of beasts served them, but there was one which stood above the rest - horses. Horses were by far the most majestic, graceful, and intelligent of all the creatures to step hoof on the earth. Though they were loath to serve such a dreadful race of beings, they were given two choices: submit or perish. In the end, they served the humans, yet fate would eventually smile upon them. The humans put them to task on a whole host of endeavors, ranging from hard labor to acts of war, and their toil seemingly went on without end, until their masters had an eventual change of heart. War-plate and yolks were replaced by finery and elegant attire, opening their eyes to a beauty they’d never known. They grew smarter and more intelligent, raised to be so by their lords, until their time truly came. As time passed and the race of man died out, the horses came to rule. Though they were large, lumbering, and dull-witted, they sowed the seeds of friendship, harmony, and love wherever their hooves tread. They may have been little more than animals,  but it’s said that those kindhearted beasts were the progenitors for all ponykind! “That’s a bunch of bologna!” a pony shouted as the Princess of the Night finished speaking. “Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn’t - regardless, my dear sister and I thought it would be a fun and educational twist to reintroduce a myth of old ~” Luna tutted, slowly shifting her focus back to her sibling, “isn’t that right…?” Celestia nearly responded, moments from answering her sister, but she stopped herself. She was a horse, not a Princess nor even a pony, so she responded in the only appropriate manner that she could. Giving a small whinny, she vehemently stomped a hoof to the ground beneath her. Her reaction sent a shockwave of laughter through the onlookers, with some ponies guffawing and others merely smiling or shaking their heads, yet everypony took some level of amusement from her actions. She bashfully smiled, looked over at Luna. Though the story her sister had told may have sounded utterly absurd, it wasn’t a tall tale at all - in fact, it was founded in truth. “As you can see, horses are rather simple creatures,” Luna continued, waving a hoof at her sister, “but they were quite captivating. Celestia, be a dear and show yourself off for these good, civilized ponies.” Celestia nickered, held her head high, and proceeded to prance past the circle of spectators. The hushed oohs and aahs of the ponies sent a thrilled shiver up her spine and spurred her onward. Gracefully showing herself and her attire off, she faltered when she came around Luna’s side and caught sight of her reflection in the front window of Sugarcube Corner. She’d only inspected herself briefly before leaving Canterlot, more concerned about the fit and utility of her outfit, so seeing herself being marveled at by dozens of ponies instantly brought her presentation to an end. The myriad of dark leather straps fastened around her head, neck, chest, and hindquarters contrasted sharply against her snow-white coat, appearing more like a bondage gear than anything utilitarian, while the brass rings and clasps securing the tack glinted in the low light. In and of itself, the apparel would have been provocative in a number of ways, although what she wore was only one facet of her aesthetic. Her mane had been braided and hung to one side of her neck, while the lower third of her tail was tightly bound. The pressure on her dock alone would have been enough to excite her, knowing that anypony and everypony who dared to look could see her rump and marehood did nothing to quell her exhilaration. Keeping her eyes on the reflective surface, noticing several stallions gazing upon her in a less than flattering fashion, she bit her lower lip. “Missus Luna,” the inquisitive filly began, bringing her back to the present, “could - um - could horses do any tricks?” Celestia gulped as her eyes sailed back to her sister. She’d fully anticipated making a spectacle of herself - heck, half of the reason she’d dressed up in such a disgraceful fashion was because she’d make a spectacle of herself, but she wouldn’t have guessed that her sister, her knight, would be asked something so ridiculous. Shuffling around to face her sibling, she held her breath and was left to speculate what was going to happen. Without skipping a beat, Luna trotted over and patted the young pony’s head. “As a matter of fact, they can! Celestia, rear for your adoring fans.” Struggling to comprehend the simple command, Celestia stood frozen in place. On one hoof, rearing would be a simple affair - on the other, standing on her hind legs would give the audience an unfettered view of her underbelly and nethers. As she contemplated what to do, the tension on her bit gradually increased. “I said,” Luna firmly hissed, her smirk growing twisted, “rear…” Celestia clamped her eyes shut, threw herself back, and rose onto her back hooves. She wouldn’t - couldn’t look at the ponies around her, yet their gasps and the excited chatter sent blood rushing to her face and nethers. She was no longer a Princess - for goodness’ sake, she wasn’t even a pony, she was just a simple-minded animal, and she’d never been more turned on in her life. Nickering in delight, she threw her head from side to side. To anypony else around her, save her sister, she was simply putting on an act, something silly to celebrate Nightmare Night, yet that was far from the actual truth. Risking a glance downward, seeing a trio of stallions staring at her lower abdomen and crotch, she snorted. She was no stranger to the taboo, having done things that most ponies would never believe their illustrious and motherly ruler was capable of, but this - this was by no small margin the most scandalous. Luna approvingly smiled and pulled lightly on the reins. “Good mare. Now give your adoring subjects a bow.” Flinging herself forward and back onto all fours, she lowered her chest to the ground and dipped her head. She should have felt foolish - doubly so for refusing to properly speak to anypony, yet her welling lust made it all but impossible to think clearly. She arched her back and brought one forehoof back, obeying her sister without question, while her tail steadily flagged. “Such a well-mannered beast ~ wouldn’t you say?” Luna chuckled, trotting over and running a forehoof up her sibling’s back. Listening to the approval from the audience, Celestia peeked over her shoulder. She’d expected - hoped to find some entrepreneurial ponies taking advantage of her position to get a better look at her behind, and she wasn’t disappointed. None other than Thunderlane stood meet from her immaculately presented backside, staring openly at her sex. She tried to behave herself - stars above how she tried, yet her waning self-control took a crippling blow when she shifted her gaze lower and spotted the pegasus’ stallionhood slipping from its sheath. Even with her advanced age and all the experiences she’d had over the millennia, the sight of Thunder’s endowment struck her like a gong. There she was, one of the most illustrious and influential ponies on the entire planet, and she was presenting herself like an animal in heat. As her depths began to ache, keenly aware that her nipples were hard enough to cut glass, her repressed urges seized hold. She scarcely realized she’d moved until her hind legs were already spread. Her thoughts raced, beset by a maelstrom of sinful, wholly inappropriate thoughts, while a bead of nectar crept down from down her leg from her marehood. Her better judgment told her to bring the show to an end, to stand up and start fraternizing with the lovely ponies of Ponyville like she normally would, yet her id, the urges she suppressed on a daily basis, forced her to remain where she was. Luna babbled on throughout the spectacle, yammering about legendary horses which may or may not have ever existed, leaving her to bask in ignominy. Her sister was the only pony alive who knew about her proclivities, that this was something she’d dreamt about doing since they’d been fillies, and she’d been the motivating force behind this stunt. Part punishment for her banishment to the moon, part reward for being a loving sister - her sibling had helped her concoct the slatternly scheme from its very conception. “Up!” Luna chirped, flicking the leather strap in her forehoof. Pushing herself up, trying and failing to pin her tail, Celestia rose. Heedless of her winking marehood, quite literally drooling from both ends, she locked eyes with Thunder. Though he didn’t say a thing, he grinned at her and flexed his groin. The subtle sound of his stallionhood slapping against his belly was nearly drowned out by the throng, yet the noise and his knowing look made her weak in the knees. Her mind ran rampant as she lost herself to the mute interaction. The things he could do to her - would do to her would be unspeakable, hardly fitting for an ageless royal like herself, and yet the thought of them made her depths quiver with anticipation. Without the slightest shred of doubt, were Luna to hand Thunder her reins, she’d become more than just a festive exhibit. Taking a small step, she angled her backside at him and flicked her tail. He wanted her - oh he definitely wanted her, and he wasn’t alone. Several stallions hungrily gazed upon her, surely imagining the various ways they’d despoil her and claim her for their own. Licking her lips, she yelped when something slapped against her flank. “Of course, since they weren’t too bright, horses occasionally needed a bit of correction,” Luna snickered, levitating and bringing the riding crop down on her sister’s thigh. Celestia shuddered and ground her thighs together. The trace of pain, though slight, only served to elevate her arousal. She always harbored some masochistic tendencies, relishing particularly intense carnal sessions, yet the physical discomfort paired with her depraved exhibitionism was almost enough to make her climax on the spot - almost. Glancing to Luna, she watched as her sister casually trotted over and offered the crop to Thunderlane. “Would you like to give it a go?” she hummed. “There’s no need to be concerned. If this was my sister,” she explained, motioning back at the trembling alicorn, “I wouldn’t allow such a thing, but this is a mere horse.” “Far be it for me to deny a knight’s request to help tame such a creature,” Thunder chuckled, nonchalantly trotting forward while taking the corp in his wing. It was at that moment that Celestia fully understood how dire the circumstances were. While most, if not all of the ponies around her were ignorant to her true intentions, that her costume and behavior were anything but innocent, Thunder had seen through her charade. He’d figured out that her performance was little more than an act of self-indulgence, and he seemed more than eager to lend her a hoof. Walking up her side, drawing the tip of the crop from her flank to her shoulder, he came to a halt with his muzzle next to her ear. “Somepony’s been a naughty little horse.” His voice was faint, so quiet that there was no chance anypony else could hear him, yet his assertion was electrifying. She gave a small squeal and turned her head to the side to neck him. As much as she wanted to reply, it was all she could do to let her actions speak for her. Rocking her hips to the side and into him, she earned herself a firm smack on the rear for her efforts. “You gonna cum in front of all these ponies?” he whispered, his hot breath tickling her ear. The growing warmth in her abdomen radiated through her while she neared her limit. She hadn’t so much as touched herself, the only physical stimulation she’d received being the small number of strikes from the crop, yet the psychological onslaught was too much to bear. As she teetered on the cusp, mere moments from answering his question in the most deplorable way possible, she found herself at a crossroads. She should have fled and galloped off to save what little pride she had left, yet she was beyond saving. A lifetime’s worth of fantasizing about this moment bore down on her, compelling - no, forcing her to stay. This may have been the only chance she ever had to make her dreams a reality, to slip the bonds of her duties and rank to indulge herself in such a debased way, and there was only one way for her to see it to fruition. “Cum,” Thunder hissed. “Cum like the needy animal you really are.” Her eyes shot from the ponies circling her, drinking in their reactions, and she was undone. She grunted past the bit, ropes of saliva hung past her lips, and she was wracked with pure, unadulterated ecstasy. Though she tried to contain it, a small deluge of climactic juices gushed from her marehood and pattered to the cobblestone of the street upon which she stood. “Good girl,” he purred, withdrawing and giving her flank a parting strike. “I believe my steed may be in need of a small break,” Luna seamlessly announced, pulling on the reins. “I hope you all have a wondrous Nightmare Night!” Celestia was only barely aware of the throng dispersing, the families and ponies scattering enjoy themselves with the various activities available for the occasion. She couldn’t say if any of the onlookers realized she’d just weathered one of the most powerful climaxes of her life, nor did she particularly care, but she had the clarity of mind to make a mental note to come up with an excuse for her behavior should any speculation begin to circulate. On unsteady legs, struggling to simply walk, she wearily followed her sister through town. She was an absolute mess, panting and covered in sweat, yet she was satisfied - exhausted and slightly embarrassed of what she’d done, but satisfied nonetheless. As she was led to the outskirts of Ponyville, she lifted her gaze and noticed her sibling looking back at her. “You know, this has me thinking,” Luna mused. “Since everypony here is so enthralled with the concept of Nightmare Night, we should begin celebrating the occasion in Canterlot…” Celestia’s marehood clenched as the implications sank in. Such an outrageous and admittedly hedonistic display had been overwhelming for just a few dozen ponies, so she shuddered to think how profound the experience would be if she had an even larger audience. Giving an approving grunt, she nodded. This Nightmare Night had been everything she’d hoped for, but next year - next year would be even better…