When Quicksilver's alarm went off in the morning, he thought he was back in his apartment, and that everything that had happened yesterday had been a dream. A beautiful, glorious one, if not a bit surreal, even by dream standards, but a dream, all the same.

Except, this bed was far too soft and comfortable to be his. It was so soft, in fact, that it was like sleeping on a cloud. He didn't remember having such a soft bed since he left his cloud bed behind back in Cloudsdale. A hoof quested from the covers and groped around the bedside table, finding his alarm clock, and shutting it off. His head was amazingly clear as he cracked a cerulean eye and took in his surroundings.

His bedroom was still dark, due to the heavy drapes pulled over the windows, but this was, in fact, his room in the castle. He yawned hugely, turning from his back, which he'd been sleeping sprawled out on, to his side.

So it hadn't been a dream, after all. He didn't know whether to be relieved, or terrified. He really was the consort. He wouldn't have to worry about flying around crowded Canterlot, making deliveries and dealing with pompous unicorn nobles as a subservient pegasus ever again. He hadn't even realized how much that had bothered him. Instead, he would get to enjoy the company of the ruler of all of Equestria, be the one to hear of her troubles and keep her secrets, and please her in bed. He groaned. Dealing with the nobles certainly wasn't preferable, but...

But what? To most stallions, sleeping with the solar princess would be enough to make this whole job worthwhile.

He abandoned that train of thought as he willed himself out of bed. He had a busy day ahead of him. He had breakfast with the princess, after which, he was to meet Gilded Bracer. He wasn't particularly looking forward to seeing the bat pony again. He wasn't entirely sure Bracer liked him, even though he had implied that he was the one who volunteered to help him.

He didn't know how long he'd be with Gilded Bracer, but after sunset, he was going to meet Lightning. That was the part of the day he was really looking forward to.

As his hooves hit the plush carpet his bed was resting on, Silver thought about how excited he was to see his friend. His whole life had been turned upside down! The only problem was that he couldn't tell Lightning about any of it. He definitely didn't like the idea of lying to his friend about being the royal messenger. What if Lightning asked him about all of the exotic locales he was delivering messages to? For now, he could skate by and say he had all sorts of things to do before he started traveling to Griffonia and stuff like that, but that felt like stalling.

"One thing at a time," he reminded himself. He still had his day to get through!

He went about his usual morning routine, taking a shower, getting himself groomed and nice and presentable for the princess. When he looked at himself in the mirror after his shower, he was amazed to see an alert, handsome stallion looking back at him. "Looking good," he told himself.

With that, he headed out of his room and toward the dining hall, humming to himself.

He was almost there when he saw a large, white unicorn stallion headed his way. He wore a tie and lapels with a rose through the buttonhole. The stallion's mane was long and blond, draped artfully about his powerful neck. Cool, blue eyes met his and fixed upon him as they drew closer.

"Well, if it isn't Auntie's new plaything," drawled the stallion as he drew closer.

Quicksilver didn't know who this stallion was at first, but he had called Celestia 'Auntie,' and everypony knew about her nephew, Prince Blueblood. He wondered how somepony like Blueblood could possibly be related to somepony as kind and wonderful as Princess Celestia.

He wanted to say something along the lines of, 'Well, if it isn't Prince Plothole,' but thought better of it. He didn't want it getting back to Celestia that he'd been rude to her nephew. Instead, he said, "I guess you could think of it that way, but I hope Princess Celestia doesn't think of me like that," in the most polite voice he could muster. "My name is Quicksilver," he offered.

"Charmed, I'm sure," said Blueblood, affecting an air of disinterest. "I am Prince Blueblood. I can see why Auntie might see you that way. You're strong, athletic, not entirely bad-looking," said Blueblood suggestively, his eyes evaluating Quicksilver appraisingly. Quicksilver felt himself flush when Blueblood's eyes roamed to places that weren't strictly considered polite. "If you ever don't find Auntie to be enough, come find me."

Quicksilver wasn't sure whether he should feel flattered, or offended, and what he was more surprised about, that Blueblood would try to pick up his aunt's consort, or that his barn door swung that way. No, scratch that. He should have realized his barn door swung that way the moment he saw him. He remembered Blueblood's obsession with nobility, which he'd read about more than a few times in the headlines of the gossip rags, and said, "What, a commoner like me?"

Blueblood tilted his head and appraised him critically. "Well, if you're good enough for Auntie..." he said.

"Uh...I have somewhere I need to be," he said uncomfortably, and trotted past the prince. He felt Blueblood's eyes on him, and glanced at their reflections in the huge window he was walking by, seeing the white unicorn stallion eyeing his hindquarters as he walked. Quicksilver's stomach roiled from the idea that he'd managed to attract the prince's attention, but he was almost to the dining room. He'd just have to avoid Blueblood around the castle, if he could.

Relieved that the exchange was over at the very least, he headed to breakfast in the dining hall. He saw that Celestia was there already, sitting at the head of the mahogany table. The dining room looked much different by day. The sun poured through the huge windows, bathing the whole room in its golden glow, and he noticed details he hadn't noticed in the moonlight.

"Good morning, Quicksilver," Celestia greeted cheerfully. She was seated at her place at the head of the table, wearing a fluffy bathrobe. "I hope you had a pleasant rest."

"Yeah, it was great. My bed's like sleeping on a cloud," replied Quicksilver. "How was your rest?" he inquired as he joined her at the table.

"Truthfully, I don't sleep much," replied Celestia as some unicorn butlers came with the food levitated before them on silver platters.

Quicksilver was amazed at the sheer amount of food that was brought. There were plates of pancakes, eggs, hay bacon, and toast. They were each given a bowl of oatmeal, and there were pitchers of both orange juice and hay juice, as well as coffee and tea.

"You don't?" asked Silver as Celestia poured herself some tea and he helped himself to the coffee. Coffee was always something he splurged on, so he always had high-quality beans, but this coffee tasted better than anything Silver had ever tasted. It was some kind of light roast, but even though he drank it with plain cream and sugar, it had a chocolaty finish. "Mmm," he hummed appreciatively as he sipped.

Celestia smiled as she watched him and said, "Well, they say you need less sleep as you get older, and the moon is a little more willful than the sun. Usually, the sun stays where I put it and follows its course. The moon likes to drift off sometimes, and I have to put it in its place."

Even the oatmeal was delicious, and Silver started tucking in as Celestia spoke. "Can't you sleep in between? Sounds almost like a foal," he observed.

Celestia chuckled. "I suppose it is," she agreed. "I used to wake up every few hours to check up on it, but I have some difficulty sleeping sometimes, anyhow. I take the time to catch up on my reading, or finishing any work I didn't get to during the day," she explained.

The princess had taken a huge stack of pancakes and layered bananas in between. She drenched the whole thing in syrup and whipped cream, and Silver watched as she dug in hungrily.

He wanted to ask her about it, because she seemed to eat a lot, which he found surprising, due to her slender frame. Celestia was still considered the standard of beauty in all of Equestria, but he thought it would be rude. He didn't want to call the princess a glutton.

As though sensing this, Celestia said, "Alicorns need to eat more to keep up their strength. Raising the sun and moon takes quite a lot of energy, and I am quite a bit larger than you."

"That makes sense," the consort said. He helped himself to an egg, some toast, and a couple of slices of hay bacon. He had about three cups of coffee, and washed it all down with hay juice. "Freshly pressed," he observed after draining his glass, eliciting a chuckle from Celestia. Now that he was fed and watered, he remembered his encounter with Blueblood on the way to breakfast. "Uh, I met your nephew earlier," he said.

"Oh?" Celestia asked as she finished her pancakes and helped herself to more tea.

"He seems like...an interesting fellow," Silver replied.

Celestia laughed. "He's harmless," she assured him.

"Is he really your nephew?" he asked, voicing a question that was, quite often, a subject of debate in the gossip rags when they had nothing better to talk about.

Celestia laughed, and Quicksilver wondered how often ponies asked her that. "No, to tell the truth, his story is a little sad." Her expression grew serious, and her eyes got a little distant as she remembered. "His mother was a mare I had met on a rainy night, some years ago. I had discovered that she had been raped by one of my own guards. I was aghast that one of my guards would do such a thing, as they all know that rape is never something I condone. The guard in question was dismissed from my service and tried for treason. The mare, I took in. I adopted the son foaled as a result of the rape as my nephew, and allowed him to live here, at the castle."

Quicksilver's jaw hung open. He never would have imagined any of Celestia's own guards would rape anypony. "Wow, that was good of you...to take them in," he said, his voice quiet.

"What else could I have done?" Celestia asked, her expression pained. "As their sovereign, my guards represent me, and I am responsible for their actions. I had to offer her recompense."

Quicksilver chewed thoughtfully. He respected Celestia even more, not only because she did compensate Blueblood's mother, but because she felt as though it was her responsibility to.

Gilded Bracer came for Quicksilver as he finished breakfast, just as he said he would the night before. The bat pony looked out of place in the bright, sunlit dining room.

"See you later, Celestia," he said nervously as he followed the former guard. Celestia smiled and waved cheerfully.

As Quicksilver followed Bracer through the castle, he wondered where the bat pony was taking him. He wasn't entirely familiar with the castle yet, but he felt as though he was taking him someplace he hadn't been before.

They passed through an abandoned corridor that was different than the others. The bright sunlight faded into dimness, the carpet went from red to deep purple. "Where are we?" Silver breathed as he found himself in a part of the castle that seemed darker than the side Celestia and her staff lived and worked in. Large windows still lined the hallways, but they were shrouded with heavy, midnight blue drapes. This part of the castle felt quieter, distinctly abandoned, but not in ill repair.

"This is the moon side of the castle," Bracer said with a hint of reverence in his voice.

"It seems...quiet," observed Quicksilver. He was sure that if the flagged stone floor wasn't covered in carpet, their hoof-steps would be echoing through the cavernous hallway.

"The sun side of the castle is where the reigning monarch of Equestria lives and works," Bracer pointed out. "All of the activity is in that part of the castle, because nopony needs to come here."

"Why have it, then?" the consort asked.

Bracer deigned not to answer him. Instead, he stopped before a simple mahogany door, pushing it open with his forehoof. "Go inside," he commanded.

Silver did as the bat pony said, and went inside, only to find an empty room, completely devoid of furniture or any other sign of habitation.

Gilded Bracer joined him, closing the door as he entered. The room was almost completely dark, but for the sun struggling to enter through a crack in the drapes over the large window.

"As I said last night, I have agreed to help you become acclimated to your role as a consort," Bracer started. "But first I must make one thing perfectly clear. I will not discuss anything with you that Princess Celestia has chosen not to tell you, particularly in regards to myself."

"Okay," said Quicksilver hesitantly. He remembered his talk with Celestia at dinner, and how she had said there was much about Gilded Bracer that she was not prepared to discuss. Part of him had hoped he would be able to question the bat pony directly, but Bracer had shot that hope down before they even started.

"The things said in this room should be kept strictly between us," continued Bracer. "Everypony in the castle may know of your role as consort, but it is by nature, a position that is shrouded in secrecy."

The consort watched the bat pony, wide-eyed, wondering if he wasn't perhaps being a little dramatic, but he recalled his brief discussion with Celestia regarding his duties as consort, and that one of them had been to keep her secrets. He wondered if she and Bracer might be the only ones who actually knew everything about the consorts. "Okay," he repeated after a moments' thought.

Bracer nodded. He paced before Quicksilver, flicking his tail every time he did an about-face and started walking the other way. It reminded Quicksilver of his time at the Wonderbolts Academy. Captain Veyron used to pace as he lectured the recruits. "You may have noticed that some of the guards treat you contemptuously," Bracer began.

Silver started, pulled out of his recollections. "How could you know that?" he asked.

Bracer regarded him with narrowed eyes. "I might feel the same way, were I in their position," he replied. Quicksilver didn't even need to ask why, the confusion was written all over his face. "In days long passed, the consort used to be chosen from among the numbers of the Royal Guard. In fact, it was often an honor that was given to the captain of the Guard."

Quicksilver held his tongue, but he remembered that Bracer had once been captain of the Night Guard. He simply nodded his understanding instead.

"This was done for a number of reasons. The Royal Guard are already sworn to not reveal the Princess's secrets. You will never find one among their number gossiping about her. If such a thing did happen, they could be tried for treason, for going against their duty."

Quicksilver's eyes widened. "They'd really try them for treason for gossiping about the princess?" he asked, his jaw hanging open at the idea.

"The Royal Guard take their duties very seriously," explained Bracer, "and it is an extreme breach of protocol to do such a thing.

"The Royal Guard are highly disciplined. They do not talk with one another at their posts. They are always alert, ever vigilant. Their duty is to protect the princess, both her person, and her reputation." He looked away. "I do not know that Princess Celestia would have them tried for treason just for gossiping about her. She would likely simply dismiss them."

"I don't think so," Quicksilver countered. What she had told him at breakfast about Blueblood's mother had been very extreme, but he also remembered what she had said in her study, about having to maintain a facade of perfection. "Her subjects think of her in a certain way, and she has to reinforce that image. She wouldn't let somepony who tarnished that image just go free, so he could keep doing it," he pointed out.

Bracer raised an eyebrow, a look of respect in his golden, catlike eyes. "So, you're not as foalish as you look," he said.

Silver flushed hotly. "I'm a quick study," he said.

"I see that," the bat pony said grudgingly. "Anyhow, another reason the consort was chosen from among the Guard was that it provided the perfect cover. A guard already lived within the castle, and was expected to always be with the princess. He would also be able to protect her in the times when she would be most vulnerable."

Quicksilver wondered how a guard would be able to protect the princess when she was most vulnerable, but didn't say anything, about that. "Why did she choose a courier, then?" he asked.

Bracer almost sneered at him. "I can only speculate. Princess Celestia rarely shares her reasons for doing anything with anypony. Suffice to say, she had her reasons for flouting tradition."

"I'm taking a guess here, but she doesn't seem all that traditional in general," Quicksilver observed.

"That does seem to be the case," Bracer concurred. "However, knowing these things is still important."

Quicksilver nodded. He was reminded a bit of history class. He hadn't really been a good student; he used to nod off during lectures like this, but this was different. He was actually quite fascinated by the things Bracer was telling him.

"As I am sure Princess Celestia already told you, there are certain duties a consort is expected to perform," Bracer said, to which Silver nodded. "The duties of a consort are, I believe, fairly self-explanatory. Protect her secrets, be a source of comfort so she will not be distracted from her duties, and see to her needs.

"There is much, however, that is left unspoken. A consort helps the princess bear her burden, but she must still choose to share it with him. Trust is something that develops with time."

Quicksilver rose his hoof and waved it in the air. Bracer facehoofed. "Yes, Quicksilver?" he asked.

"Princess Celestia said she hadn't had a consort in over a millennia. Why choose one now?" he asked.

"Are you even listening to me?" the bat pony demanded.

"Sure I am," Quicksilver said, resting back on his haunches and crossing his forelegs in front of him. He wings spread defensively.

"I do not know why Pincess Celestia has chosen to choose a consort now, of all times. I am not in her confidence."

Silver's ears drooped. "Oh, right," he said.

"I suggest, if you want to know so badly, that you ask her," Bracer snipped.

"You don't really think she'd tell me, do you?" asked the consort.

"That's exactly what I was just talking about. Trust. Princess Celestia has lived a very long time, and has experienced much. I may not know why she has decided to take a consort after over a thousand years of not having one, but what I do know is that she chose you because she already feels some degree of trust toward you." He glared at the pegasus as he opened his muzzle to say something, and he snapped it shut again.

"In the past, there were strict rules about how a consort would conduct himself. This was to eliminate any vestiges of there being any sort of personal feelings or intimacy between consort and princess.

"Celestia has never been a great proponent of tradition, however. She did not like treating the consort as little more than a servant she happened to sleep with. She dispensed with the rules with her last consort."

"What were the rules?" asked Quicksilver, intrigued.

"A consort was required to not make direct eye contact with the princess."

"Whoa. It must have been hard talking to her if you couldn't even look her in the eye," pointed out the pegasus.

"Yes, well, that was the first rule to go," conceded Bracer. "Most of the other rules were concerned with how a consort was to conduct himself in the bedchamber. There was to be no kissing. It was always implied, but never implicitly stated, that a consort should only mount the princess from behind."

"Well, it would be hard to mount her from the front if you couldn't look her in the eye," Silver pointed out. He thought the no kissing rule seemed a little extreme. I mean, yeah, kissing kind of implied a more intimate relationship, but he wondered where the heck they would start if they couldn't even kiss.

"The consort was allowed to touch the princess anywhere that wasn't covered by her underside or tail," continued Bracer, unconscious of Quicksilver's thoughts. "He could touch her wings if they were extended, and he could enter her only when she gave him permission to do so."

"What if she never did give him permission to enter her?" blurted Quicksilver. He was so engrossed in the lecture that he hardly realized what they were talking about.

"Then he would need to find alternative methods to please her," replied Gilded Bracer.

"Alternative methods," repeated Quicksilver slowly.

"There were even rules concerning what was to happen when climax was reached. The consort was not to spill his seed within the princess, and he was to leave no visible traces upon her."

"But I thought the princess couldn't get pregnant," Quicksilver said.

Bracer rolled his eyes. "One might say that spilling one's seed inside somepony might be considered one of the most intimate of acts," he pointed out.

"Good point," conceded Quicksilver. "So all of these rules...they aren't used anymore?" he asked.

"As I said, Celestia disliked treating her consort as an object or a glorified servant. She believed some degree of intimacy was required. After all, why should a consort support a princess that he is not allowed to care about in any capacity?"

"So, why even tell me the rules?" inquired Quicksilver. He wasn't trying to be petulant, he was just curious.

"You asked," Bracer reminded him.

Silver's ears drooped. " Oh, right," he said sheepishly.

"Besides, they may not be in use anymore, but it is important to know them. They can act as a sort of guideline as to how you conduct yourself with the princess."

"So...is it still an unspoken rule that you can only uh...mount her from behind?" he asked, his brain suddenly catching up and realizing what it was they were discussing so flippantly.

"I would recommend following that particular rule, at least until you become closer to her," replied Bracer, as ever, emotionless. "I have been in service to my princess quite a long time, and that was still something I observed," he said.

"Ohh," Silver said. "Well, that makes sense, about the guards," he said, his brain switching to a slightly more comfortable topic.

"They will not harm you. Celestia made it quite clear to all of the members of the household that they are to treat you with the same courtesy and respect that they would afford her."

"I'm on the same level as Celestia?" Quicksilver asked, his eyes widening at the implication.

"Yes, but I suggest you do not abuse your power."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Silver breathed. "I'm not used to ponies jumping to fulfill my every whim. I grew up in a house where everypony did everything for themselves."

Bracer deigned not to reply. "There is a way that you may redeem yourself in the eyes of the guards," he suggested.

Quicksilver's ears perked, and he sat up straighter. "How?" he asked.

"Learn how to protect the princess," replied the bat pony simply.

"How would I do that?" he asked, wide-eyed.

"I was a guard myself..."

"You would teach me?" asked Quicksilver. Well, at the very least, Bracer must not have hated him if he would offer to teach him to guard the princess.

"Yes. It will be difficult. I will train you the same way I trained my subordinates. You will keep up," he said.

Quicksilver nodded eagerly. "I went to the Wonderbolts Academy," he said.

"Pfftt. The Wonderbolts are lazy and undisciplined compared to my soldiers," returned Bracer.

"Come on, give me a little bit of credit," whined Silver.

"How long has it been since you went the the Wonderbolts Academy?"

"Ten years," replied Silver, hunching his shoulders, his ears drooping.

"Did you pass?" demanded Bracer.

"No, but that wasn't my fault! I was injured!"

"Still, that was ten years ago. Unless you kept yourself fit enough to join the Wonderbolts tomorrow, you get no credit for going to the Academy."

"Okay, okay. Point taken," Quicksilver said.

"I am going to dismiss you now. I recommend you spend some time in the library, brushing up on your military history."

Quicksilver was going to whine about his assignment, but he thought better of it. Gilded Bracer was already giving him the stink eye. "Okay," he agreed. "I needed something to do today anyway," he said.

"I will fetch you in the morning, before breakfast," the former bat pony guard informed him. "You may want to eat something light ahead of time." With that, he turned, flicked his tail, and left Silver staring at the empty doorway, still sitting on his haunches.

He got up and stretched. "Why do I need to learn military history?" he whined to himself as he left the room. Then, he realized Bracer had left him to find his own way to the library. He really couldn't tell now if the bat pony liked him, or merely tolerated him as a favor to Princess Celestia. "Did she put him up to this?" he wondered out loud as he wandered through the dim hallways. He made it sound as though he had chosen to help him of his own accord, but he certainly didn't act like it.

It took him half an hour, but he finally made it back to the sun side of the castle. He should have paid closer attention to where Bracer had been taking him. Sherclop Holmes would be very disappointed in my observational skills, he thought. Now, he had to find the library. Celestia had shown him where it was during their tour, but he was all turned around. He had a great sense of direction...when he knew where he was going. He knew Canterlot so well that he could get anywhere in the city from wherever he happened to be, and he had a knack for planning routes, because that had been an important part of his job. He was still very unfamiliar with the castle, since he'd literally only been there for a day.

"Well, no better way to learn a place than to get lost," he reminded himself.

As he wandered around, keeping an eye out for the library, he paid more attention to how the members of the staff acted as he passed. The butlers and maids hardly paid him any mind as he passed them in the halls. The guards, however, were a different story.

Some regarded him with a wary alertness that was simply part of their job, others with suspicion, and still others, though they were fewer, that seemed to regard him with outright contempt and hostility. He wasn't sure whether he should rely on the fact that Celestia had told them to treat him as they would her. Some of the guards looked like they very much would have liked to cause him bodily harm. Accidents happen, he thought to himself. He would just have to be careful around them, he decided. He looked every guard he passed in the eye.

Finally, after what seemed like another half-hour of wandering, he found the library. He tried to remember which hallways he had traveled through so he could construct a mental map of the castle; any distinguishing features, he catalogued.

As he entered the library, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and ran into somepony. "Oof!" came a feminine voice. The pony he had run into, being smaller than him, fell to her rump and dropped the towering stack of books she had been carrying in her magic.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" he apologized. He hurried to help the unicorn mare up and his eyes widened in surprise and recognition. "Twilight Sparkle!" he exclaimed.

"You...ow...know me?" she asked as she rubbed a bump on her head from where one of her books had bounced off of it. "Have we met before?" she asked, looking at him more closely.

"Yeah," Silver said as he helped her gather the fallen books. "I delivered a package to you the other day. You weren't really paying much attention though. You stamped my face with your hoof," he said.

"I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Twilight. "I had been waiting for that book for a week!"

"I know how it is, waiting for a new book," he said, helping her restack her pile. He noticed that most of the books she had were about magical theory. "What was it?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"The new 'Daring Do!'" exclaimed Twilight excitedly. "Daring Do and the Temple of Terror."

"There's a new Daring Do?" exclaimed Quicksilver. "How did I not know about this? I've read all of the Daring Do books!"

"Me too!" said a giddy Twilight Sparkle. "Do you live here...at the castle?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm the royal messenger," he said sheepishly, wondering if Princess Celestia had told her protégé about him.

"I'm done with it, if you want to borrow it," Twilight said, pulling a book from the middle of the stack with her magic.

"But you just got it two days ago," protested Quicksilver.

"Please," Twilight said, rolling her purple eyes. "I eat books like that for breakfast." she levitated the book to him.

Quicksilver reached out excitedly for the book, and held it in his hooves giddily. "Wow...thanks a lot!" he said. "That's really nice of you, to lend your Daring Do book to somepony you don't even know."

"I know where you live," said Twilight threateningly, narrowing her purple eyes at him.

Silver gulped. "Where do you live...so I know where to return it."

"I live in the observatory," chirped Twilight.

"Okay," Silver said, sure he'd be able to find it.

"Oh! I never asked you your name!" exclaimed Twilight.

"Oh! I'm Quicksilver! It's very nice to meet you...I mean...officially," he said awkwardly, extending a hoof for her to shake.

"You too, Quicksilver! It's always great to meet another Daring Do fan!" Twilight said excitedly.

"I promise, I'll return this as soon as I'm done reading it," he said.

"Great. I'll hunt you down if you don't," joked Twilight. At least, Quicksilver thought she was joking. There was a somewhat dangerous glint in her eyes as she said that. "Oh no!" Twilight exclaimed. "I'm going to be late for my lesson with the princess! Bye, Quicksilver!" she exclaimed, reclaiming her stack of books with her magenta magic and galloping out of the library.

"She's kinda cute," Quicksilver chuckled, nestling the Daring Do book under his wing.

He enlisted the help of a librarian to find the military history section of the library. He really wanted to crack into Daring Do, but he was pretty sure if he didn't study his military history, Gilded Bracer would know.

"What period would you like?" the librarian asked him. She was a pretty stereotypical librarian; a middle-aged unicorn mare with her jet black mane pulled back into a severe bun with knitting needles stuck through. She regarded him over the top of her glasses.

"Uhh," he thought. "Better start from the beginning," he decided.

The librarian nodded at him severely and helped him find a book. "This is a fairly general history of the beginnings of the military," she said, levitating a book to him from an upper shelf in her glittering blue magical field. "I can get you something more in-depth, if you require it."

"I think a general history should do, for now," Silver said, taking the offered book. "Uh, can I check this out?"

"Yes. Of course. Do you have a library card?" she asked.

"Uhh. No...I didn't know the castle library was open to the public," he said.

"Of course it is," declared the librarian, her voice never exceeding the acceptable library levels. "Princess Celestia believes knowledge is a valuable resource that should be available to all," she said reverently.

She trotted back to the front desk, Quicksilver trailing behind her. If he had known the castle library was open to the public...well, he would have come here a lot sooner! He could only imagine what kind of books the Royal library contained.

The librarian got him a library card, and he checked his book out. "This one's on loan from a friend," he said, regarding the Daring Do book tucked under his wing.

He left, trotting excitedly through the halls. He had admittedly, been interested in military history. He had read quite a few military fiction books, particularly as a colt. He found his way back to his room, and when he got there, he asked for some lunch from a maid. He couldn't find Nina. This maid had a lime green coat and bright red hair. She reminded him of cherry limeade, which turned out to be her name!

"You look delicious," he remarked, not realizing what he was saying until it left his mouth. He flushed hotly as Cherry Limeade giggled.

"Master Quicksilver is quite a flirt," she said, flicking her tail under his chin.

"Aahh...that came out wrong," he said uncomfortably, to fresh giggles. She winked as she left to fetch his lunch, and this time, there was no mistaking what she meant by it. She brushed her tail under his barrel, making him blush.

He retreated to his room, wondering if all the maids were gossiping about how awkward he was, and when his lunch came, he was almost too embarrassed to get it. He let Cherry Limeade in, and she set it on the table for him. "I brought you something special," she said flirtatiously before she left.

He took the cover off with his teeth, setting it aside. He laughed when he saw a glass of cherry limeade, a slice of lime and a ripe, red cherry floating in it among the ice cubes. He took a drink through the straw and grinned stupidly.

He ate his lunch hungrily, then curled up on the couch with his military history book, the Daring Do book resting on the coffee table.

He read all afternoon, trying to absorb what the book was saying, but he found it very dry. It was like sitting through a droning lecture, and the dates and names floated around his head, refusing to stick. "Great," he muttered to himself as he closed the book. "Gilded Bracer is really going to think I'm mentally deficient," he said.

He looked out the window. The sun was lowering toward the western horizon. It was about time for him to leave, if he expected to meet Lightning Strike by sunset. He got up and stretched, his muscles feeling a bit cramped from laying on the couch all afternoon.

He made his way out of the castle, trotting at a brisk pace to get the blood flowing. He was almost glad for the five mile walk before he could take to the sky. The afternoon was cooling as it became evening. He closed his eyes briefly as a cool breeze washed through his coat, making him shiver pleasantly. The air smelled of a pleasant summer evening.

He knew he could take a cab, that he didn't need to walk all this way, but after reading all afternoon, he wanted a bit of time to stretch his legs and try to get what he had read to sink in a bit. Equestrian military history turned out to be a much deeper subject than he thought. Equestria had, after all, existed as a kingdom for over a thousand years. If he went back to the origins of the military, before Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon, well, that was a horse of a different color.

He groaned. He knew about the formation of the EUP protective forces. He had studied that because it was a requirement to join the Wonderbolts, but he only knew it as far as the Wonderbolts were concerned. There was also the elite soldiers who became the Royal Guard, the squads and regiments within the Guard itself, and the fact that the military, so far as it had existed back in the days of the EUP was more of a ceremonial force, as there hadn't been any major wars or threats to the kingdom as a whole since the defeat of Nightmare Moon.

All of the facts and names swam around his head until he finally got out of the no-fly zone. I'll think about all of this later, he decided as he spread his wings and took off into the cooling sky of early evening.

He closed his eyes a moment as he felt the wind in his mane and feathers. Flying was the one thing in his life he knew he couldn't do without. When he was in the sky, he felt free. There was nothing to tie him down. He grinned as he flew through a cloud and shook the tiny droplets of moisture from his mane, and did a barrel roll. Everything seemed clearer when it was just him and the sky.

It seemed like no time before he was coming in for a landing at the EPS office. The sky was deep purple, orange, and red as the sun receded down to the horizon. He didn't see Lightning yet, but he did see somepony else. He groaned as his boss, Thunderhead, a powder blue portly pegasus whose wings didn't seem like they'd hold him in the sky looked at him with narrowed golden eyes. He was chewing on the end of a cigar, as always. Everyone joked that the boss was naked without his cigar.

"Quicksilver!" he shouted in his gravelly voice. The gray pegasus always thought you could hear every cigar Thunderhead ever smoked in his voice.

"Hey, Boss," he said nervously as he touched down. Thunderhead had trotted over to meet him.

"What's this?" he demanded, fishing a letter out of the vest he was wearing.

"Uhhh...my resignation," he said.

"You promised you would stay put until Hearth's Warming," Thunderhead accused.

"I know I did, Boss, and I'm sorry, but...opportunity of a lifetime, and all that," Quicksilver said sheepishly.

Thunderhead ground his cigar between his teeth. "My turnover is high enough without you up and quitting on me. No notice! Just this, and from the Princess, of all ponies!"

"I'm sorry, Boss. I would have told you if I had known, but I didn't even know myself until yesterday, I swear!"

"Is that why you didn't even show up for work yesterday? You're lucky Lightning Strike likes you so much! He covered your deliveries too!" Thunderhead shouted.

"Uhh..." Quicksilver didn't even know what to say to that.

As though seeing how overwhelmed Quicksilver was, Thunderhead's expression softened. "Look...it's not like you don't deserve it. I'm just in a bit of a bind. You know good couriers are hard to come by. I wish you could have just let me know sooner."

"I know, Boss," Silver said. "Seriously, if I had known any sooner, I would have told you. I really hate to do this to you, but if Princess Celestia asked you if you wanted to be the royal messenger, would you say no?" he asked.

"No, I don't suppose I would," Thunderhead conceded.

"Hey, don't pick on him," came Lightning's voice. Quicksilver's ears perked, and he looked over Thunderhead's shoulder, seeing the white-blue pegasus cantering up to them.

"I'm done," Thunderhead said. "Congratulations, Quicksilver. If you know anypony who wants a job at EPS, you send them my way."

"I will," promised Quicksilver as Thunderhead trotted away. "Whew," he said. "I was hoping to avoid that," he said.

"Tell me about it," sympathized Lightning. "So, now that that's over with, where do you wanna go? It's on me. Anywhere you want, bud."

Quicksilver hesitated. He knew Lightning didn't really make all that much more than he did, but he definitely didn't want to offend his friend by turning him down. His ears flattened against his head as he thought, then perked up again as an idea came to him. "How 'bout that Neighponse place?" he suggested brightly. He and Lightning ate there all the time. It wasn't too expensive, and the food was fantastic.

"Great," agreed Lightning. The two friends spread their wings and took to the sky.

Although Quicksilver hadn't liked having to explain himself to his boss, he was glad to see him. These last two days had seemed incredibly surreal, and seeing Thunderhead and Lightning made things seem at least a little more normal, somehow.

He glanced beside him at his best friend as they flew into the oncoming darkness spreading out over Canterlot. He knew he would always be there for him, no matter what, like he had told Celestia yesterday. He knew he was incredibly lucky to have Lightning as a friend.

They had been through everything together. When Quicksilver's dreams of joining the Wonderbolts had been shattered, Lightning had been there to help him pick up the pieces. He let Silver move in with him when he moved to Canterlot. He had been the one who had helped Silver get his job at EPS. He was the closest thing he had to a brother. That was why Quicksilver felt bad about not being able to tell him the truth about why he was living at the castle now. He had to admit that it was tempting, but he had promised Celestia he wouldn't tell anypony his actual role, and even though he was positive Lightning would keep the secret, he knew he couldn't betray her like that.

It was a short flight to the Neighponese restaurant. One of the reasons he and Lightning always ate there was because it was close to the office.

Quicksilver couldn't help but grin as they went inside and were seated by their favorite waitress, Cherry Blossom. She was a pretty, pale pink earth pony mare with a very pale red and white mane and tail, tied in a Neighponese-style bun. Her beautiful brown, almond-shaped eyes crinkled in a smile when she saw them.

"It's been a while," she commented as she set out a menu, a sushi menu, and chopsticks for them.

"Too long," agreed Lightning with a wink as they sat on their cushions at the table. "We don't need these," he said, pushing the menus back to her. "We'll just get the usual, and two bottles of hot sake."

"And green tea," chimed Quicksilver.

Lightning chuckled and shook his head as Cherry Blossom took the menus with a smile and a bow and went to fill their order.

"You and your caffeine," Lightning said with a grin.

"You and your alcohol," countered Quicksilver. "I can't get drunk tonight. I still have to get back to the castle."

"Pfftt. Take a cab."

"Cabs are expensive!" protested Quicksilver.

"Aren't you getting paid for this?" asked Lightning. "You've gotta be making more than you did at EPS. You're the bucking royal messenger, for Faust's sake!"

"Well, yeah," he said, though he and Celestia had never discussed monetary compensation. For him, it was almost enough just to live in the castle, but he supposed having some money would be nice, too. He resolved to ask her later.

"So, how did you, of all ponies, become royal messenger? Did you apply, or what?" asked Lightning, his green eyes alight with curiosity.

Quicksilver chuckled and shook his head. "No, they found me," he replied, thinking of the Royal Guards at his door the morning before. That almost seemed like it had been a lifetime ago.

"Well, they picked the right guy for the job," said Lightning as Cherry Blossom brought their drinks on a tray on her back.

She expertly grabbed the tray with her teeth and set it on the table, then put out the two bottles of hot sake, two small cups, a pot of green tea, and a teacup for Quicksilver.

"Thanks," Lightning and Quicksilver said at once.

"Welcome," replied Cherry Blossom. She gave them a small bow and left.

"Aren't you jealous at all?" asked Quicksilver as Lightning took one of the sake bottles in his mouth and poured them each a small cup.

"Why would I be? I'm happy with where I am. I've been there long enough that the pay is decent, and they're talking about making me a supervisor. I'm set. Besides, I know you, Bud. You may have been content, but you weren't really happy. I can tell you're happier now. You've changed, just since I saw you yesterday." He pushed a cup of sake to Quicksilver with his hoof and picked up his own. "Kampai," he said after Quicksilver had picked up his sake, and they both threw them back.

"That's pretty good stuff," commented Quicksilver as he put his sake cup down on the table.

"You think I've changed that much? In just a day?" asked Quicksilver as he grabbed the handle of the teapot in his mouth and poured himself a cup.

"Yeah. You seem more cheerful, if not a little spacier than usual," agreed Lightning.

Quicksilver wasn't sure what to say to that. He supposed he did feel happier. He had hated being stuck in an endless routine, with his days all blending together. It hadn't been that he was bored with his job. EPS had been challenging. In fact, he always wondered why Lightning was more content with it than he was. Flying fast was Quicksilver's special talent. He'd gotten his cutie mark in flight camp when he realized that racing was what he loved to do, and flying fast was essential to the job of a courier. "Hmm," he said.

He was spared the need to say any more by the arrival of their food. Quicksilver and Lightning had been coming to this restaurant for years. They'd been coming here together since Silver moved to Canterlot, and they pretty much always got the same thing: Two Fillydelphia rolls, an asparagus roll, a tempura sweet potato roll, and these lemongrass creamcheese rolls with asparagus and some lemon peel, which was Quicksilver's favorite.

Quicksilver let himself forget about what they had been talking about as they split up the food and poured more sake.

"To the royal messenger!" declared Lightning, holding his sake cup aloft. They toasted and threw back their drinks.

Quicksilver had insisted on only having a few cups of sake, but when he and Lightning finally left, he was so full, he knew he'd get stomach cramps if he tried to fly, so he ended up catching a cab. The whole day had been a blur to him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had such a busy day, and he was pretty sure this was only the beginning. He was looking forward to getting back to his room and going to bed, wondering what tomorrow had in store for him.

He got off about half a mile away from the castle, wanting to walk the rest of the way. By now, Celestia had risen the moon, bathing Canterlot in its cool, bluish silver light. The streets weren't so crowded this time of night, and aside from guards on their patrols, Quicksilver didn't see anypony out wandering, like him.

He wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings, and was taken completely off-guard when a white and blue hoof clamped over his mouth. "Mmph!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening with shock, wings spreading instinctively as he was dragged off to a side-street, kicking, and trying to bite his attacker, who managed to deftly avoid his teeth. "Stop struggling, idiot," a voice he didn't recognize commanded, but it didn't sound like whoever owned it meant him harm. Once they had stopped in a darkened side-street, his assailant said, "I'm going to let go now. Don't run away."

Quicksilver nodded slowly, debating whether or not he should run away anyway. His heart was pounding against his ribcage, and he felt like he might throw up, but he figured if his attacker meant him any harm, he would have done something by now.

The hoof slowly withdrew from his mouth, and Quicksilver spun around. He almost expected to see Blueblood, but the voice hadn't sounded like him, and his hooves were white and gray. Instead, he saw a large unicorn stallion, roughly the size of Blueblood, if not just a little smaller. His coat was pure white, and he had a dark blue mane with lighter blue highlights. He wore the armor of a member of the Royal Guard, but his was different than the standard gilded plate armor worn by most all of the Guard. His armor was a purple enameled plate, with a shield shaped chestplate with a magenta-colored spark design on it.

"Who are you?" asked Quicksilver as his heart rate returned to a somewhat normal pace..

"My name is Shining Armor. I'm the captain of the Royal Guard," the unicorn stallion replied. As though seeing his next question on his face, Shining Armor said, "Princess Celestia sent me to find you. It isn't safe for you outside the castle at night. You should have taken a cab straight back to the castle."

"What? Why?" asked a confused Quicksilver.

"Princess Celestia isn't so naive as to think there aren't members of the Guard who resent that she chose you as the consort. Nopony has displayed such hostilities openly, and nopony would dare do anything to you in the castle, where it would definitely get back to Princess Celestia, but out here, she can't protect you, so she sent me."

"If anypony was going to resent me for being chosen as the consort, wouldn't it be you? Gilded Bracer told me that the honor was usually given to the captain of the guard," Quicksilver said, nervously eyeing the abandoned back street Shining Armor had dragged him to.

The captain of the guard actually laughed. "No. I'm completely loyal to Princess Celestia. Besides, she's my sister's mentor. I couldn't be her consort."

"You're Twilight Sparkle's brother?" Quicksilver asked, shocked.

"That's right," Shining said. "You've met Twili?"

"A couple of times," replied Quicksilver. "So Celestia sent you to find me."

"Yes. She understood that you were going out to meet your friend, but as you may have noticed, it's gotten pretty late. She was hoping you had just ended up staying out later with Lightning Strike, but she was also concerned something may have happened to you," Shining Armor said. "She asked me to find you and bring you back to the castle."

"Ah...I'm sorry I worried her. I meant to be back sooner, but Lightning and I always have something to talk about," he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly with his forehoof.

"No harm done," Shining Armor assured him. "Just remember, it's dangerous out here at night. If you're going to be out late, take a cab directly to the castle."

Quicksilver nodded and the two stallions began walking. Silver thought Shining Armor would take him back they way he'd come when he dragged him back here, but to his surprise, the captain of the guard kept walking down the side street. "Where are we going?" he asked. "Isn't it that way?" He pointed his hoof to the mouth of the alley.

"We're going a different way," Shining Armor assured him. "I don't usually go right in through the front gate. Besides, at night, it's locked, anyhow."

"Ahh...I didn't know that," said Quicksilver. He couldn't help but think that if Shining Armor hadn't found him, he would've been screwed. He hadn't paid all that much attention to where Strongbow and Bright Shield had been taking him yesterday, so he doubted he would have been able to find the postern gate on his own.

"You do now," Shining Armor said with a sardonic grin.

The two stallions walked in silence for a while, the only sound being the clopping of their hooves on the cobbled road. The night was cool, and the moon was bright enough to illuminate the street. Quicksilver was a little uncomfortable with the silence. "How long have you been captain of the guard?" he asked at last.

Shining Armor didn't turn his head to look at Quicksilver as he walked. Instead, his sapphire eyes kept scanning their surroundings. "Since just recently. Being a member of the Royal Guard had been my dream since I was a colt. I went to the Guard Academy around the same time Princess Celestia took my sister as her protege."

"It must not be too easy," Quicksilver remarked.

"It's not," replied Shining. "The Guard are considered the most elite of Equestria's military forces. It takes a lot of fortitude just to get through the Academy. Maybe a third of those who go to the Academy actually go on to become members of the Guard."

"Wow, that's pretty steep," boggled Quicksilver.

"Being a Guard is more than just being able to march in formation and do drills. If you want to be a Guard, you have to be willing to sacrifice your own life for the Princess if need be." He glanced back at Quicksilver now. "Do you think you'd be able to make that kind of sacrifice?"

That gave Silver something to think about for a while as they traveled down another side street. He barely even knew Princess Celestia, but all things considered, none of the Royal Guards even knew her that well, either. Sure, they saw much more of her than anypony else would, but they didn't know her. "You would give your life to save hers?" he asked.

"That's my duty," said Shining Armor.

"You don't really know her...you'd sacrifice your own life for somepony you don't really know?"

"I don't need to know everything about her to know her," Shining Armor said. "I've been guarding her for several years now. I know that she gives a lot of herself to keep this kingdom running. She makes a lot of sacrifices; does things that she doesn't necessarily like, agree with, or even want to do for the sake of her subjects; millions of ponies she has never met, but whose happiness she cares very deeply about. Knowing that she would give herself for all these ponies she'll never know...that makes the idea of sacrificing myself for her that much easier to swallow."

"Wow," breathed Silver. "I didn't think of it like that."

"I love Princess Celestia as my sovereign. That's all I need."

Quicksilver thought about that as they walked together down the silent streets. Before too long, they arrived at the gate Bright Shield and Strongbow had brought him through yesterday morning. The moon flowers were in full bloom. A soft, sweet smell drifted on the breeze with a hint of jasmine mixed with the scent of ozone and evening breeze.

"The Moon Gate," Shining said. He didn't knock, but instead, produced a key from beneath his breastplate. It was a silver key that almost seemed to glow in the light of the moon.

"Whoa," breathed Quicksilver. The gate was covered in thousands of moon flower blooms, their glossy, dark green leafs shining in the moonlight.

Shining Armor levitated the key to the gate and inserted it in a keyhole that was almost obscured by the moon flowers.

"Just one question," Quicksilver said as Shining Armor used his magic to open the gate.

"Yes?" the stallion asked, looking back at the pegasus.

"Why did you have to jump me like that and drag me down the street?" he demanded.

Shining Armor laughed. "Well, you weren't really paying attention. If I meant you harm, you could have been seriously injured, or dead. Pay attention next time."

"Right." Silver said, hoping Gilded Bracer never heard about this.

"Princess Celestia asked me to bring you to her chambers when we got back," Shining said as they walked through the guards' barracks.

"To her chambers?" repeated Quicksilver.

"She usually retires after moonrise," Shining Armor elaborated.

Quicksilver gulped, but followed Shining Armor. The castle was silent at this time of night. Pairs of guards patrolled the hallways, and every patrol they passed nodded to Shining Armor, who returned their greetings with a curt nod of his head. They went up a huge staircase, bypassing the floor Silver's rooms were on, and going one flight higher. Silver followed Shining Armor, his tail drooping low between his haunches, until finally, they arrived at Princess Celestia's room.

Shining Armor nodded to the two guards posted there, and raised a hoof to knock. "Your Highness, I've brought Quicksilver," he announced through the door.

"Let him in," she called back.

Shining armor opened the door with his magic, which, Quicksilver noticed, was a shade of magenta just a little lighter than his sister's. "Goodnight, Quicksilver," he said.

"Yeah, goodnight," Silver said nervously, going inside.

Celestia's room was large and rather simply decorated. The Princess was reclining on a large bed on the floor, her back resting against a gold, tasseled buttress. A scroll was suspended before her in the golden glow of her magic, and her magenta eyes were scanning it. The door closed as Quicksilver stepped inside. The consort gulped nervously.

"Come in, Quicksilver," the Princess invited. "Why don't you join me?" She rolled up the scroll and levitated it over to a table. The room was dark, but for the flickering of the fire set in the huge fireplace.

"J--join you?" he stammered.

"Yes," Celestia said, patting a spot on the bed beside her with her forehoof.

Quicksilver cantered over nervously, his ears flat against his head.

Celestia noticed his expression and giggled. "I don't need you to make love to me tonight," she assured him, and the consort sighed in relief. He joined Celestia on her large bed, curling up beside her with about a foot between them. Celestia spread one of her great, alabaster wings and pulled him closer, so their sides were touching. Her coat was very soft, and she was warm. "There, much better," she said.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," he said uneasily, looking up to her. "I meant to be back sooner, but Lightning and I always end up talking for hours."

Celestia laughed lightly. "I understand. I truly should have told you if I expected you back at a certain time, but I'm afraid it slipped my mind." She nuzzled him gently, and Quicksilver returned the gesture. "How was your celebration dinner?" she asked.

"Great!" replied Silver enthusiastically. "I...kind of feel bad about not being able to tell him the truth, though. I owe him a lot. He's always been there for me."

"I understand," Celestia assured him. "But I'm sure you understand the need for secrecy? I must admit, I have had many potential suitors, and while I do not mind irritating them by choosing somepony who is not of the nobility, I am afraid it would make things very difficult for you."

"So, wait...all of this secrecy is for my benefit?" he asked, shocked. He had figured that all of this secrecy was to avoid some kind of scandal, but he hadn't counted on it all being for him.

Celestia laughed. "For the most part. I truly have no desire to be embroiled in a scandal, though I could weather it. One does not rule a kingdom for a thousand years without knowing how to deal with such things. You, however, would not be in such a good position. When I took Twilight Sparkle as my protégé, there were quite a few that resented how close she got to be to me. There were many nobles that asked why I didn't see fit to take any of their children as my personal protege, though Twilight does come from a rather well-to-do family. Then, when they found out I made her brother captain of the royal guard..." she shook her head. "If it got out that you are my consort, there would be many nobles that would be...angry...to say the least. They have been clamoring for hundreds of years for me to either take one of them as a consort, or to marry one of them, which I have had no desire to do."

Quicksilver rested his chin on his forelegs. "Why not?" he asked. "You said it was hard to run the kingdom by yourself. Surely, one of them would be able to help you?"

"True as that may be, none of them want to marry me or become my consort out of interest in helping me bear the burden of running the kingdom. They are far more interested in improving their own status and position. They want all of the power with none of the responsibility. They want to style themselves King or Prince while I do all the work," explained Celestia.

"I guess I can understand that," Quicksilver said. "Bracer told me that consorts used to be chosen from among the Guard. Why didn't you choose one of them?"

"That may have been a better choice," admitted Celestia. "There wouldn't have been any need to go to all of the trouble I've gone to with a cover story, and an angry EPS manager asking why I took one of his best employees," she said, making Quicksilver flush. "I trust all of my Guard implicitly. I hoof-picked them myself, which is why it hurts so badly when they betray the trust I place in them." Quicksilver winced, remembering what Celestia had told him that morning. "Though they are all very devoted, there is only one other I would have chosen, and I would not have felt right doing so."

Quicksilver had a feeling he knew who she was talking about, but he didn't say anything. He could imagine Gilded Bracer at her side, but he thought he might have been too stoic for somepony like her. He imagined them wrapped in one another's forelegs, and had to shake his head to clear the image. No, he didn't need that particular image in his mind. "But why me?" he asked.

Celestia chuckled lightly. "You're still hung up about that?" she asked, nuzzling him and nipping at his ear, making him squeak.

"I was just a courier...and something of a failure," he said. "I keep asking myself what you could possibly see in me, and I keep coming away empty-hoofed. I just don't understand."

"You are a wonderful stallion, Quicksilver, and far from a failure. Your dream of joining the Wonderbolts may not have come to fruition, but perhaps that wasn't your destiny."

Silver's head shot up, his ears pricking at the thought. "What do you mean, it wasn't my destiny to join the Wonderbolts?" he demanded. "That's all I ever wanted when I was a colt. My father was the Wonderbolts' manager!"

"Sometimes what you want, isn't what you need," Celestia told him softly. "Are you sure you didn't want to join the Wonderbolts because that was what your father expected of you?"

The consort's ears drooped. "Well, he always said I could do something else if that wasn't what I wanted, but I thought it was what I wanted."

"You thought it was what you wanted?" asked Celestia, her eyebrow arching.

"I--" started Quicksilver.

"Why don't you think about it for a while?" suggested Celestia.

"Does this have to do with why you chose me?" he asked.

"Not much," admitted Celestia. "But I have a feeling that joining the Wonderbolts wasn't what you were meant for. If you were meant to join the Wonderbolts, if you had truly wanted it that badly, would you have allowed an injury while you were at the Wonderbolts Academy stop you? When Shining Armor attended the Royal Guard Academy, he was badly injured, but he didn't allow that to stop him. He knew being a member of the Guard was his destiny."

"I--hmm." Quicksilver rested his chin on his forelegs again. "So...what made me so special? You said there were many other candidates."

Celestia laughed. "You won't be deterred, will you?" she asked. The pegasus shook his head. "I was looking for somepony who was, above all else, kind. Somepony who was willing to put somepony else's troubles above their own. I wanted somepony who could remain optimistic, no matter what it was life threw at them."

"I guess I do qualify there," admitted Quicksilver. "But I get discouraged easily. I might be optimistic, but that's because I can't stand the idea of the alternative. Who wants to go through life being depressed or angry about things they can't control?"

"And that is a very good philosophy to have," Celestia assured him. "Though I argue that you always have control over your life. You choose how you perceive and react to situations. You always have a choice."

"Sometimes, it seems the choices you make aren't really much of a choice," Silver said sleepily, the food and the sake starting to get to him.

"That may be true, but it is still a choice," said Celestia, resting her chin against the back of Silver's neck. She glanced out the window, at the moon hanging high in the sky. "It was my choice to banish you, Sister," she said so softly that Quicksilver barely even heard her. "It may not have seemed like a choice at the time, but it was my choice, nonetheless."

"Mm," replied Quicksilver. His eyelids felt heavy, like they didn't want to stay open anymore. Vaguely, he was aware of something warm being draped over him. He could feel Celestia's chin resting on his neck, could feel her sides moving as she breathed. She was warm and comfortable, and smelled of summer. Vaguely, he thought he enjoyed talking about philosophy with her. Being thousands of years old had to give one a different perspective. "Goodnight, Celestia," he said sleepily.

"Goodnight, Quicksilver," replied the princess. He just barely felt her lips brush the base of his ear

Author's Note

This inspired the rules that consorts were to observe, and was actually what got me thinking about the whole idea.