In Service to the Princess

Celestia was in her study. The fire in the hearth had burned to embers, casting a dark red glow in the already dim room. She knew she was dreaming, because she remembered doing this already. This was during her talk with Gilded Bracer last night; except he wasn't standing on the other side of her desk as he had done then, and it wasn't Gilded Bracer.

Instead, it was the dark maned, dark eyed stallion the bat pony had reminded her of in that tense moment of confrontation between them, and he was at her throat trailing heated kisses upon it. Her stomach clenched at his intense, fiery passion, as real as it had been so long ago.

She snapped wide awake with a deep, sharp gasp.

"It's time to raise the sun," she murmured with a heavy sigh, as much to the apparition from her past as to herself , feeling a telltale ache between her hindquarters as she got up. The dream had felt startlingly real, and the princess felt as though she hadn't slept at all. She would have to tell the maid to skip the Earl Grey and bring her black coffee instead.

Celestia made her way wearily to her balcony, and looked out over Canterlot, toward the north. "Are you stirring as well, my old master? Do you sense her, too?" Her gaze lowered from the horizon to look to the Moon Gate, magenta eyes softening as they settled on the tightly closed blooms that all but concealed it from view.

Quicksilver woke at dawn, just as the morning sun streamed through his bedroom window. He had asked the maid to open his curtains for him in the morning, so the sun would wake him. He loved waking with the sun.

He ate something small, an apple and a few carrots so he wouldn't be working out on an empty stomach, and also drank his morning coffee while he waited for Bracer to come for him.

Silver had just finished with his light snack when he heard a knock at the door. Knowing it was Bracer, he trotted over and opened it, finding the bat pony on the other side, as expected. Bracer looked a bit worse for wear, as though he'd been up all night, and didn't say anything as Quicksilver left his room and fell into step with him. Bracer had his typical dour expression, but something just seemed off about him, and Quicksilver couldn't place what it was.

Today, they walked in silence to the courtyard where they trained together. Silver wondered what had crawled under the bat pony's armor, so early in the morning. Aside from wondering if he would take it out on him during their training though, he wrote it off as Bracer being Bracer and used that time to quiet his mind.

He had always been fascinated with the concept of meditation, but his mind operated on so many tracks, and his thoughts always seemed to jerk around so much that he found completely clearing his mind difficult, unless he wasn't actively trying to.

Keeping his mind clear as he and Bracer trotted through the twilit, abandoned hallways of the moon side of the castle was easier than when he tried to do it sitting in the middle of his sitting room. At least he could focus on the movement of his hooves and on modulating his breathing.

When Quicksilver and Bracer got out to the courtyard, the pegasus saw a suit of armor like the ones usually worn by pegasus members of the royal guard, sans the shoes and helmet, but instead of being made of gold plate like theirs, this was gleaming white enameled plate. Part of him instantly knew it was his armor and fell in love with it, while another part of him shied away from what it represented.

"You want me to wear that?" he asked incredulously, eying it skeptically. Although the guards seemed to wear it easily enough, he knew it had to be heavy.

"Of course I want you to wear it. What else would I have you do with it? Look at it?" Bracer replied sarcastically. "Members of the Guard are expected to be able to train in their armor, so that is what I expect of you," the former guard said, helping him into it.

Quicksilver shifted and ruffled his wings. The armor rested on his back and went right down to his wing joints, and he tried to adjust to the weight. It was, perhaps, a little lighter than he had expected it to be, but it still had to weigh at least seven kilos. While he sometimes carried that much as a courier, it was distributed differently, which Silver thought made all the difference.

They warmed up as usual, and even though seven kilos would hardly seem like anything, it already slowed Silver down, and he found it difficult to keep up. He felt a little pathetic, as Bracer was even wearing his armor, too.

He and Bracer did their usual calisthenics routine, but they didn't trot around the courtyard as they usually did between sets. Instead, they rested periodically so Silver could catch his breath. If it weren't for that small kindness, Quicksilver would have been certain that Bracer was trying to kill him. He wondered vaguely if this was payback for him telling Celestia about his history assignment. He felt awful about tattling on him, but he couldn't have just lied to her!

Once they were done with their calisthenics, which Silver had survived, even though the armor was hot and he could feel sweat collecting beneath it and soaking into his coat, and he was all but panting when they were through, they drank the cool, sweet water of the stream that ran through the courtyard.

"Don't drink too fast, or you'll get stomach cramps," cautioned Bracer.

It took all of Silver's self-discipline (not much, admittedly) to sip the water rather than gulp it.

To his surprise, once they were done drinking, Bracer said, "We're going for a run."

"In this?" Quicksilver protested, looking down at his star-crested breastplate.

"Yes, in that, How often do you insist on making me repeat myself?" Gilded Bracer demanded flatly, an undertone of exhaustion tinging his voice. "Never mind. Don't answer that," he said as Quicksilver opened his mouth to reply.

The consort was surprised again as they left the courtyard and trotted through the moon side of the castle, out to the sun side. They drew quite a few looks as they trotted by, and Quicksilver noticed they were mostly from guards, and mostly directed at him. He tried to hold his head high as he trotted beside Bracer, who wasn't paying any of them any mind. The two of them left through the Moon Gate.

"Follow me, and keep up," Bracer said.

Quicksilver thought the bat pony looked out of place in the bright light of the day, but Bracer must have read the weather team's schedule, because as they trotted down the cobbled backstreets, Silver saw special weather team unicorns for within the no-fly zone directing angry-looking dark clouds into the sky with their magic, blotting out Celestia's beautiful sun.

At first, the former guard set a pace that wasn't too trying. Despite the weight on his back, Quicksilver was able to keep up fairly easily, but the bat pony increased the pace gradually. Eventually, they were almost at a full gallop, just as the rain began to fall.

"Horseapples," cursed Quicksilver. Bracer seemed unperturbed by the rain. At first, Silver followed his instinct and scanned the street for any kind of shelter, but he couldn't find any, and eventually, he gave into the rain falling on his head. In fact, once he had surrendered to it, it felt kind of nice. He ruffled his wings as he and Bracer ran, like a bird in a birdbath, enjoying the cooling drops falling on him from the sky. The rain made pinging, pattering noises on his armor. Some sneaked beneath, running down his sides in cool rivulets, the contrast against the heat of his body making him shiver.

They stopped a ways from the castle for a short rest, and Quicksilver tried to catch raindrops on his tongue.

Gilded Bracer wore an expression that clearly said, Grow up.

After they had rested for a bit, they headed back to the castle, trotting briskly, their hooves splashing in puddle in the cobbled road, distorting the images reflected back as though part of some dream world.

When they got back, Bracer went with Quicksilver back to his room and helped him out of his armor. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?" he asked.

"No, I guess not," Silver conceded.

"This armor is yours. I suggest you learn how to care for it," the bat pony told him. He found a place for it, and Quicksilver decided the first step would be to find a pony form for it, so it wouldn't just lay on the floor. To his surprise, there was also a helmet with a white-silver plume, and golden shoes waiting for him as well.

As he showered, Quicksilver thought maybe Bracer didn't hate him, after all. He knew the bat pony wanted him to act like a guard, but he liked to think it was a sign of some kind of respect that Bracer gave him the armor.

As Quicksilver was finishing his shower, grooming, and preening, a knock came at his door. He hurried to answer it, finding Cherry Limeade on the other side. "Good morning, Master Quicksilver," she greeted perkily.

"Morning," the consort replied as the maid handed him a yellow envelope.

"Her Majesty regrets that she cannot join you for breakfast this morning, as an urgent matter has been brought to her attention." Her brows were knitted in sympathy, as though she hoped she could make it up to him, however she could. "If you'd like, I could deliver something to your room," the pretty maid suggested brightly.

"Uh, sure. That would be great. Just some eggs, hay bacon, toast, and a cup of coffee, if you don't mind," he requested distractedly, looking down at the envelope he held in his hoof. A simple sun seal held the flap closed, instead of Celestia's official royal seal.

"I'll bring it right away," the maid said happily, before turning to depart.

Quicksilver slowly closed the door after her and used his wing tip to cut the seal, walking over to his coffee table and taking a seat on the couch. He pulled the letter out of the envelope with his teeth, and spread it out on the surface of the coffee table with his hooves, trying to flatten it. It was written in lovely, flowing, slanting script, and he thought it smelled faintly of linen drying in the summer sun.

Quicksilver,

I am sorry I won't be able to join you for breakfast, and most likely, dinner. A matter of great import has come to my attention, and I believe it will take most of the day to attend to. Unless Gilded Bracer had any plans for you today, you may consider yourself at liberty.

In light of this, I request your presence in my chambers tonight, several hours after moonrise. Please come well rested, well-groomed, and pleasantly scented.

Have a very pleasant day!

-Celestia

Wide-eyed, Quicksilver read the last part again out loud. It wasn't like this would be the first time he'd been in Celestia's chambers, but even written on a page, in Celestia's neat, slanting script, he knew they weren't just going to be cuddling tonight.

He gazed at the letter, his eyes unfocused. Last night, she had planned on wooing him with berries and champaign, now she was inviting him to join her with words on an impersonal slip of parchment. He wondered what had changed, what this urgent matter was that would be taking up her whole day. Silver wished things had gone according to plan last night. Then, it would have just happened, and he wouldn't have had to be anxious about it all day.

Silver took a deep breath. "Hoo-boy," he said out loud, leaning back on the couch, a ball of nerves settling in his stomach like a lead ball. He'd known this time was coming, given how things had been between them yesterday. "It's no big deal, Silver," he said to himself. "You're a virgin, not a foal. You know what goes on between mares and stallions between the sheets."

By now, he knew better than to think Celestia would judge him in any way. She truly was the kindest, most generous mare he had ever met. He knew he did a lot to help her, but she was the one who had given him...he looked around his opulent sitting room. Well, she had given him all this. He wanted so much to be able to thank her, to be be able to please her.

He was broken from his thoughts by a knock at the door. "Great, breakfast," he said. He was feeling ravenous.

He went to the door, and as expected, Cherry Limeade was standing outside, holding a covered, silver platter on her back. She smiled at him as she brought it into his room and placed it on the table for him. "Thank you, Miss," he said politely.

"You're very welcome, Master Quicksilver. If you need anything else, I'd be happy to help," she said cheerfully.

"This is great for now. Thanks," Silver said. The maid gave him a little curtsey and departed. The consort sat at the table and tore into his breakfast, not thinking about anything as he ate. He'd do that once he had a full stomach. He was happy to see that he had been given a small, silver pot of coffee, and cream and sugar to go with it.

Once he was done, he leaned back, satisfied, his eyes drawn once again to the letter sitting on the coffee table, and his problem coming back to the forefront of his mind. He knew Celestia understood he was a virgin, that she wouldn't hold it against him.

"Ah, stop your whining already!" he said to himself. "If you're worried about it, do something about it!"

He nodded to himself. That's what he'd do. He might not have experience, but he could talk to somepony who did. He put the cover back on his dishes for a maid to pick up, got up, and resolved to find Gilded Bracer.

Quicksilver never thought he'd be the one looking for Gilded Bracer, usually, the bat pony came and got him. He wasn't even sure what Bracer even did during the day, when he wasn't spending it lecturing him. Maybe he was asleep?

Silver wandered into the moon side of the castle. Aside from his training with Bracer, he never came here. He was still a little unnerved by how abandoned it seemed, without the hustle and bustle of guards and servants, especially with the Summer Sun Celebration coming up. Still, there was a feeling of anticipation in the air that he couldn't place, an energy that, even though his eyes reasoned that this place was abandoned, it didn't feel like it was.

Regardless of how creeped out he was, he was still slightly awed by the moon side of the castle. It felt a bit like some sort of cathedral or shrine in its sort of reverent silence, and the more time Silver spent on the sun side with Celestia, the more...wrong it felt for him to be here, somehow.

He wandered around, peeking into rooms. He thought it might be more effective to walk around calling, "Braaa-ceeerrr!" but that wasn't very dignified.

"What are you doing?" A voice asked from behind him as Silver poked his head into yet another empty room, making him jump out of his skin. By now, he thought he ought to be used to being snuck up on.

"Aaahh!" he shouted, spinning around to see the very bat pony he'd been looking for standing behind him. "Ponyfeathers! Bracer, I really wish you'd stop doing that!"

"And miss the opportunity to hear you scream like a filly? Not a chance," replied Bracer sardonically. He seemed to be in higher spirits. Maybe he had taken a nap?

"Doesn't it ever get old?" demanded Quicksilver.

"No, not really," replied Bracer flatly.

"Ass," muttered Quicksilver.

"So, you haven't answered my question," the bat pony pointed out dispassionately.

"I was looking for you," admitted the pegasus.

"Whatever for?" Bracer asked in a voice that suggested he got that a lot.

"I...uh...can we talk somewhere more private?" Silver asked nervously.

Bracer looked around the abandoned hall. "Nopony's here," he pointed out.

"I still feel...exposed." Silver shuddered and Bracer rolled his eyes.

"Come with me," instructed the bat pony, and Silver trailed behind the older stallion.

Bracer led Quicksilver some ways until they stopped at a plain, mahogany door, which he pushed open. It swung open silently, and the bat pony preceded Quicksilver inside. Once Silver came in, Bracer closed the door behind him.

They weren't in some empty, abandoned room like the last time they had truly spoken. In fact, they were standing in a sitting room very much like Silver's, but the large windows were covered by heavy, midnight blue drapes that kept the sun's rays out, making it feel almost cave-like, or like it was nighttime.

Where all of Silver's furniture was made of light woods, Bracer's was crafted from darker woods. Although Quicksilver only had a passing familiarity with wood, he thought he recognized mahogony and ebony. The cushions on the couches and chairs were deep purple, and the carpet they stood on was a blue so dark, it was nearly black.

"Is this your room?" asked Silver.

"Yes," replied Bracer. "What did you want to talk to me about?" the bat pony asked, indicating that Silver should sit down.

The pegasus looked around a bit as he took a seat on the couch. Although Bracer's room seemed lived in, it still felt kind of new. He thought he detected the faint smell of furniture polish. Quicksilver reasoned that maybe Bracer just didn't spend a lot of time here, or maybe it had been recently cleaned, but he had been in the castle only a few days himself, and his room felt more lived in than Bracer's. Then again, being a soldier, Gilded Bracer struck Silver as the type of pony who would keep his living quarters immaculate, and he would do it himself, instead of relying on the maids to tidy up after him, like Silver did.

"Well, uh," he swallowed nervously as Bracer watched him expectantly. He never really realized it before, but the bat pony hardly ever blinked. It was a little unnerving. "Princess Celestia has requested my presence tonight in her chambers, and I want to be able to please her, but I've never been with a mare before, and I know what to do, but I don't know what to do, and I need your help," he blurted in a single breath.

Bracer regarded him for a moment, his expression unchanging, then he burst out laughing. "A consort who's never been with a mare before?" chortled the bat pony.

Quicksilver blushed hotly, his ears falling flat against his head. He should have realized Bracer would laugh at him.

Bracer grew quiet as he saw Silver's expression. "I thought you were joking," he said. Silver shook his head. "My apologies. I should not have laughed at you. That is cruel, even for me."

"It's...it's okay," he breathed.

"No, it's not," Bracer said. "I have...changed...quite a lot from how I used to be. I must admit that I have lost some of my empathy towards others, so you must forgive me if I come off as being cold or cruel."

Silver's ears perked at this little revelation about Bracer, but he remembered how the bat pony said he wouldn't tell him anything Celestia refused to talk to him about. "I...understand. I think I have enough empathy for the both of us," he joked.

To his surprise, Bracer cracked a smile. A little one, but definitely a change from his usual straight-faced expression.

"Your problem is one that is usually best cured by experience, but I will do my best to help you," the bat pony told him.

Silver nodded eagerly.

"First, tell me, how do you feel for the Princess?"

The pegasus hesitated. That was a question he'd been thinking about himself lately. "Well," he said, wondering what kind of answer Bracer was looking for. An honest one, he decided. "I...care about her. You can't be in her presence and not love her. I'm concerned about her well-being, but that's also a part of my job." He thought a moment. "I don't really love her romantically though," he decided. "I mean, I haven't even known her that long, but..."

"I understand what you are getting at," said Bracer. His voice didn't hold any of its usual derisiveness or sarcasm. "You see what you do for Celestia as your job, your duty."

Quicksilver hesitated. He didn't like making it sound like he had absolutely no emotional connection with the princess, but he supposed that what Bracer suggested was, in essence, true. "Well...yeah. I guess that's right," he said after a moment.

"You needn't feel ashamed if you do not love her romantically. That sort of feeling develops over time, if at all. There have been consorts in the past who have only ever regarded what they did as a job. That truly is all that Princess Celestia asks of you. You provide her the service of listening to her, supporting her, and satisfying her needs. In exchange, she provides you a comfortable life and the pleasure of her company."

"Bracer, I know you said you wouldn't tell me anything that Celestia wouldn't talk to me about, but...if you weren't her consort, then...whose were you?" Quicksilver asked.

"Is it really such a difficult question? Or, perhaps you know the answer, but you think it can't be possible."

Quicksilver knew what Bracer was doing with this. If he let Silver figure it out himself, he wouldn't have said anything directly. It was the sort of misdirection he had witnessed Celestia doing when she wasn't being entirely truthful, but not entirely dishonest, either. "But if that's true, you'd be a thousand years old," he protested.

"Yes, and no," Bracer said in that maddeningly emotionless voice of his. "You have your answer. When all other possibilities have been eliminated, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth," he reminded him.

"I didn't know you liked Sherclop Holmes," Silver said.

"I heard what you said in the dining room the other night, and Princess Celestia recommended him to me. Said I would appreciate him."

Silver chuckled. "She's got you read."

Bracer smirked. "You think you know me?" he asked.

"Well, I know what I've seen, and if you've read Sherclop Holmes, you know appearances can say a lot about a pony." Silver pointed out.

Bracer arched an eyebrow. "You think you're a master of deductive reasoning?" he inquired.

The pegasus faltered. "Well, obviously, not as much of a master as Holmes," he said.

"Indeed, but we have strayed off-topic. Does the subject cause you discomfort?"

"I think this particular subject causes a lot of ponies discomfort," Silver pointed out, shifting in his chair and ruffling his wings uncomfortably, as though to emphasize that statement.

Bracer sighed. "Ponies weren't so prudish, back in the day," he said almost wistfully.

"So, what are you getting at anyway?" Silver asked.

"What I am 'getting at,' is that many ponies feel as though there needs to be an emotional connection before they can give their body to somepony else. Weren't you paying attention?" the bat pony said flatly.

"Of course I was! But what does that have to do with anything?" protested the consort.

Bracer rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why have you decided to stay a virgin so long?" he asked.

Silver flushed. He wanted to say that was none of Bracer's business, but he had been the one to come to him. He knew he should at least do him the courtesy of answering his questions. "I don't see what that has to do with this, but it's just because the right mare never came around," he huffed.

"It has everything to do with this," Bracer said, his gold eyes boring into Silver's blue ones. "What qualifies the 'right mare?'"

"I dunno...I wouldn't just sleep with some stranger," Silver hedged.

Bracer seemed to be growing more exasperated. "So, you were 'saving yourself,' as it were. You were hoping to sleep with somepony you felt an emotional attachment to."

Silver thought about it and decided that yeah, Bracer was right. It wasn't like he had never met mares that he wouldn't have liked to sleep with, but he was looking for something more significant than a one night stand. "So you're saying I've been waiting for someone I love romantically," he said.

"Yes, and the reason you are nervous about making love to Princess Celestia is because you don't love her romantically," summarized Bracer.

"Well, and she's the ruler of all of Equestria, and she's at least a thousand years old, and probably had countless lovers," said Quicksilver. "She had said there were a lot of other cantidates for consort. Why me? I'm not the most handsome stallion out there. I'm sure I'm not the most...well-endowed."

"I can't fathom as to why Princess Celestia chose you. You seem mentally insufficient," replied Bracer.

"Hey!" exclaimed Silver indignantly.

The bat pony shook his head. "Suffice to say that Princess Celestia had her reasons for choosing you. It doesn't matter if you consider yourself handsome, intelligent, or well-endowed. Obviously, Her Majesty decided that you were the stallion that suited her needs. Instead of speculating about it, you should consider yourself incredibly fortunate. There are hundreds, if not thousands of stallions, and even mares, who would love to be standing in your horseshoes. She chose you."

The consort turned that over in his mind for a moment. "Yeah, I guess you're right...and I guess you don't need to be emotionally attached to somepony to be able to be physically intimate."

"Precisely," replied Bracer.

"Okay, that helps a bit. But uh, what do I uh, you know, do with her?" Silver asked apprehensively.

Bracer stared at him. "You want me to spell it out for you?"

"You're the experienced master," the consort said hotly. "You're the one who said he'd show me the ropes."

"I could show you the ropes," said Bracer, but it sounded much more suggestive when he said it, and he ran his tongue along his pointed fangs.

Quicksilver's eyes widened at the sudden shift in the bat pony's demeanor, but he flushed all the same at the tone he'd used, at the way Bracer leaned in closer to him so he was very much in the pegasus's personal space. "Whoa! I didn't know you swung that way," Silver said, leaning back away from the bat pony as far as he could, only to be stopped by the back of the couch.

Bracer laughed. It sounded odd to Quicksilver, because he'd hardly ever heard him do it. "You don't need to 'swing that way' to enjoy such things. You believe yourself to be attracted to only mares, correct?"

"Um...yeah," confirmed Quicksilver.

"Yet your body still responded to my advances."

"Well, it made me think of things," he said, flushing.

"Like what? Did you think I might kiss you?" Bracer was suddenly inches from Silver's face. He would only need to lean in a little before their lips would be touching.

Quicksilver's pulse raced and he felt his whole body flush. He could smell Bracer's breath, which wasn't unpleasant, and smelled faintly of wintergreen. The bat pony's scent also filled his nose. He had a spicy, kind of earthy smell. "Um..." he stammered uncomfortably. It didn't really take much imagination to see Bracer capturing his lips and kissing him. He could also imagine that the bat pony might be an aggressive kisser.

"They say the mind is the biggest erogenous zone," Bracer said somewhat huskily.

"I--I can see that," squeaked Quicksilver.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" he teased.

"A little," admitted the consort.

"Is my proximity unpleasant?" the bat pony asked.

"N--no. Not really," stammered Quicksilver. Especially if the warming between his hindquarters was any indication. He wondered if Bracer knew what he was doing and concluded he had to, that he was obviously doing it on purpose.

"Don't worry," Bracer said huskily. "I'll leave the prize for the Princess."

Silver's breath caught in his throat as Bracer did close the distance between them, as the bat pony caught his lips with his own. Silver whimpered in the kiss, as Bracer quite obviously knew what he was doing. His eyes had widened at the contact of Bracer's lips on his, but they closed as the kiss deepened.

When they broke apart, Silver was panting softly, his face hot. He had started to stir, and his wings began to unfurl just at that contact. He wasn't sure how to feel about this. On one hoof, he had actually, surprisingly, enjoyed the kiss, on the other, he felt violated, like Bracer had taken advantage of him, and he wondered at the bat pony's motives. Did Bracer actually feel that way toward him, or was this merely to illustrate a point?

"Any place can be an erogenous zone, if stimulated properly, from the tip of the ears to the bottoms of the hooves," Bracer told him as he stepped back a bit. "It's a combination of sensation and imagination. Your brain is quite good at making the connections."

Quicksilver did his best to cover the evidence of his arousal. If Bracer was affected, he did a much better job of hiding it.

"So wait," he said as what Bracer had been saying caught up with him. He was still feeling Bracer's lips on his. "You're saying my elbow could be an erogenous zone?" he asked skeptically.

"Your eyeball could be an erogenous zone, if you're into that," deadpanned Bracer. The bat pony closed in on him. Before the pegasus even knew what was happening, the bat pony was almost on top of him. A detatched part of his brain was amazed at his speed. He gasped as he felt Bracer's hot mouth on his elbow, making his stomach clench.

"Okay, point taken," Silver said weakly. If he hadn't already been sitting, his knees would have probably collapsed under him. His face flushed. He didn't think he was even into stallions.

As though reading his expression, Bracer said, "As I said, you aren't necessarily 'into stallions' just because your body responds when I touch you."

"Wh-what?" he asked.

Bracer chuckled. "There needn't be a component of physical attraction. The body is just a collection of nerve endings. When they're stimulated in a certain way, it results in arousal. That's just the way the body works."

"That's kind of a cynical point of view," Silver pointed out.

"I am an objectivist. I believe in what I see. Arousal is just a response from nerves firing, and emotions are little more than chemical reactions in the brain."

"How can you even know that?" Silver asked, aghast.

"Observation. I imagine Sherclop Holmes would think of it much the same way," replied Bracer.

"That doesn't mean that emotions don't mean anything," Silver protested.

"Emotions are overrated. I was a guard before I was ever a consort. My duty came first. Emotions only get in the way. They cloud your judgement, make you behave in ways you wouldn't normally. If I allowed my feelings to rule me, I and my princess would both be dead by now."

Silver was taken aback. He had definitely just touched a nerve. "How can you be a good lover, if you don't even feel love?" he asked.

Bracer's expression softened. "That is my weakness," he said softly, but he didn't elaborate.

"Uh, I--thanks for the advice, Bracer. I'll uh...I'll just leave now." Silver said uncomfortably.

"Silver," Bracer said as Quicksilver made to leave.

The pegasus's ears perked and he looked over his shoulder, surprised that Bracer had used that name.

"Don't be afraid to let your feelings guide you. I am a cynical old stallion. You are young, and you obviously care about Princess Celestia. That's something that can only work in your favor. Listen to your instincts. They will never tell you wrong, and most importantly, take your time. It isn't a race, and it's the journey that's important, not the destination."

Silver nodded. "Thanks, Bracer." With that, he left, filled with a roiling storm of mixed emotions, not to mention, aching between his hindquarters from what Bracer had done. He felt a little guilty for the way his body reacted to the bat pony, but if Bracer was to be believed, he had absolutely no control over the way his body responded. He wanted to think that was a bunch of bunk, but it seemed obvious that there was truth in his words.

Bracer stood, watching the door Silver had just left through. It had been a long time since he had felt much of anything, let alone all of the conflicting emotions he felt now. "Perhaps I am overly cynical. I wonder when that happened," he said to himself.

Silver was relieved when he got back to the bright sun side of the castle. His head felt fuzzy with everything that had happened between him and Bracer just now. He had felt like a window had opened in the bat pony, and that he had been allowed a glimpse inside. What he saw, he thought, was a deeply wounded stallion.

What was all that about love being a weakness? he wondered as he made his way toward the foyer. He had always been taught that love was the greatest strength there is.

He left the castle through the great front doors. He had thought of making a detour to his room to get his messenger bag, but he really wanted to get out of the castle.

The sun had come out since this morning, warming him, and the fresh air did a lot to help clear his head. He wished he could talk to Lightning. He thought Bracer's advice had been good, especially what he'd said before he left, but it was pretty clear that their relationship was a bit more on a teacher-student level, if he could describe it in any way, and Silver wished he could get advice from a friend.

He looked up at the sky. It wasn't quite noon yet. Maybe he could at least take a walk around Canterlot. Lightning would still be at work, and he'd be at it until sunset. That would be too late to talk to him, because he needed some time to rest up and get ready for his big night.

At the very least, Bracer's little lecture had eased some of his nervousness, even if it had caused other problems, which he decided it might be best not to think about right now. He'd deal with that mess later.

He left through the front gates, wondering if maybe he should have brought his messenger bag, after all. He'd apparently been royal messenger for nearly a week, but nopony had actually seen him out delivering any messages. Maybe he'd ask Celestia if she had anything that wasn't too sensitive for him to handle. A cover wasn't much of a cover if anypony could see right through it.

He trotted through the part of town within the no-fly zone. Wasn't five miles a little excessive? Then again, five miles gave plenty of time for anypony who meant the princess or anypony at the castle harm to be detected and detained before they could cause any trouble. Guards were a prominent feature of this part of town. He just wished he didn't have to walk five miles before he could take to the sky. It had been a while since he had flown, and while he had taken care to keep his wings preened, they felt a little stiff from disuse. He wondered how often Celestia got to get out and stretch her wings. He knew he could have taken a cab, but he couldn't think when he was rattling around on the cobbled streets.

There were signs posted at the beginning of the no-fly zone, so when Quicksilver passed it, he spread his wings and prepared to take off.

"Silver!" a very familiar voice called.

The pegasus turned his head in the direction the voice had come from and broke out into a grin as he saw a whitish blue pegasus waving at him excitedly with a forehoof. "Lightning!" he exclaimed, trotting over to his best friend. "Hey! I didn't expect to see you here! Aren't you on the clock?" he asked once he was close enough not to have to shout.

"Faust, castle life must really be getting to you, bud. It's Saturday." Lightning chuckled. "Don't even know what day it is," he said, shaking his head.

"It's Saturday?" he asked, wide-eyed, wondering how he could not have realized that. "Wow, maybe castle life is getting to me," he said.

"So even the fancy Royal Messenger has to observe the no-fly zone, huh?" Lightning asked jovially.

"Yeah, it's kind of a no exceptions thing," Quicksilver said nervously, knowing exactly what the next thing out of Lightning's mouth would be.

He wasn't disappointed. "What if the princess has to send a really urgent message?" the other pegasus asked, appearing both curious and very interested.

"She has other methods of sending messages that can't wait," he said truthfully, remembering the phoenix fire.

"Wow. Is that like, top-secret or something?" Lightning asked, wide-eyed.

"I don't think so," hesitated Quicksilver. "She never said it was. She showed me."

"What is it?" Lightning asked.

Quicksilver didn't know if Philomena was a secret, exactly. It was true that phoenixes were incredibly rare, but he doubted it was some state secret or anything, and she had shown him Philomena after he'd agreed to be consort, so that didn't fall under the promise he'd made her.

Lightning watched him expectantly the whole time he'd been hesitating with big, green eyes. "Hey, if you can't tell me, it's okay, bud," he said reassuringly after a moment.

"I don't think it's a big secret," Silver decided. "She uses phoenix fire to send messages that are too sensitive and she doesn't want to risk being intercepted."

"Whoa! She has a phoenix?" Lightning boggled.

"Yeah," Quicksilver said.

"Aren't they like, really rare? It's rare for anypony to even see a phoenix," Lightning said excitedly.

"Yeah, they are," agreed Silver. "That's all I really know about it."

"That's cool, bud. So, what brings you out of the castle? You're not on a delivery, are you?" Lightning asked.

"No, I have the day off. Princess Celestia is attending to some really urgent matter," replied Silver.

"Great. I was about to grab some lunch. Wanna hang out?" asked Lightning.

"Sure. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something, so I'm really glad I ran into you, buddy."

He and Lightning went to a nearby café that was a favorite of couriers. They had great sandwiches and the coldest hay juice in town. The two of them grabbed their food and went out to the patio to eat and talk. They found a table overlooking the street and all the ponies just going about their day. Not for the first time since moving to the castle, Silver felt a little envious of them.

"So, what's on your mind?" Lightning asked as he and Quicksilver unwrapped their sandwiches.

Silver hesitated. He knew he couldn't just come right out and say he was sleeping with Princess Celestia. "Well, uh...let's say, hypothetically, that there's this mare that I uh...that I really like, and uh..."

"You wanna ask her out," guessed Lightning.

"No," replied Quicksilver. "I've uh, I've hypothetically been out with her a few times," he hedged.

Lightning's green eyes got huge when he realized what the other pegasus was skirting around. "No way. You wanna sleep with her?" he blurted.

Quicksilver's face burned with embarrassment, certain everypony had heard and were looking right at him. "Say it a little louder," he hissed. "I don't think anypony across the street heard you!"

Lightning ignored him, looking like Hearth's Warming had come early. He clopped his hooves in front of him excitedly. "Is she hot? Who is she?" he asked.

Silver's blush deepened, but he had been prepared for this. "Her name is Sun Chaser," he said, thankful he had never told Lightning about her, "and she's the most beautiful mare in Equestria."

Lightning looked shocked and leaned back slowly, as though seeing his friend in a new light. "My little Quicksilver has grown up," he said, miming wiping a tear from his eye. "Seriously. You've really got it for her, don't you? It's barely been a week since you moved to the castle, and you're already getting farther with a mare than you have in 27 years."

If it was possible, Silver blushed even harder. His face felt distinctly hot. "If you knew her, you would understand," he countered.

"Maybe you should introduce me sometime. I'd love to meet the mare you're gonna lose your virginity to," said the white-blue pegasus.

That stopped Silver in his tracks. Oh, horseapples, he thought, a bit panicked. I hadn't even thought of the possibility he'd want to meet her! "We'll see," he said hesitantly.

"Anyway," Lightning said dismissively, mistaking his sensitivity about her identity for hesitance about the topic at hoof. He leaned forward eagerly. "What do you want to ask me? How to make sweet, sweet love to your marefriend?"

"Well, uh. Yeah, I guess you kinda hit the nail on the head, there." Silver said.

"It's good that you came to me. I've been with countless mares," gloated the whitish pegasus.

"Will you be serious for a second?" pleaded Quicksilver, his tail flicking in irritation at his friend's flippant attitude.

Lightning looked hurt. "I am being serious!" he protested, his bottom lip sticking out a little, but his expression sobered up. "Look, buddy. There's nothing to be nervous about. Sometimes the first time can be the best, most mind-blowing sex you'll ever experience. If you think she's hot, show her. Take your time exploring her. Don't rush. Build her up and make her beg for you to take her. You only get one first time, so make it memorable."

"Wow, Lightning, that's actually pretty profound," praised Quicksilver, just a little embarrassed at what his friend had just said, but impressed because for Lightning, that was actually very deep. This was the stallion that still told ponies to pull his hoof, and laughed whenever he passed gas, after all.

Lightning looked a little bashful, and it was his turn to blush. "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure my first time was in the bathroom at the Trough."

"What do you mean, 'pretty sure?' Weren't you there?"

"I don't really remember much about that night," the light blue pegasus confessed.

They spent the rest of their lunch talking and gossiping about work as they ate. The food was excellent, and Quicksilver was feeling in much higher spirits. Lightning told Silver that Penny Lane had ended up getting with some earth pony named Paperback Writer. Quicksilver was surprised, both by the revelation, and that she'd gotten with somepony so soon after he left. He wanted to think she had been waiting for him to get up the bits to ask her out, but that was kind of conceited of him. Nevertheless, he wasn't actually all that disappointed, considering he had had a crush on her for seven years.

Quicksilver looked up at the sky, noticing how the sun was more than halfway through it. As usual, he and Lightning had spent a lot of time talking, and he knew he should really get going if he wanted some time to go for a fly and get some rest before this evening. "It's been great chatting with you, bud, but I'd better get going," he said during a brief lull in the conversation.

"Oh, right, your date," Lighting said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"That was hypothetical!" Silver exclaimed.

"Pfft. Whenever somepony says that, it's just because they don't have to bits to own up to it," his friend pointed out.

Silver flushed.

"Anyway, have a great time, Bud. Let me know how it went! I've gotta get down to the Trough. There's a big polo match tonight."

"Yeah, sure," Silver said nervously as Lightning waved cheerfully goodbye, and he waved back, watching his friend spread his wings and fly off back toward the part of town Silver had once called home.

The consort spread his own wings and took off with a powerful flap, thinking of today's events. He felt as though his nervousness had eased a bit, but he didn't think he'd really stop being nervous until it was all over. He definitely thought Bracer and Lightning had given him useful advice, and for the most part, he was sure he'd know what to do when the time came, but that lead ball had settled back in his stomach.

He flew high over Canterlot as the sun began to make its trek to the horizon, wondering what Celestia was doing now. He couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking about him, the way he was thinking about her.

As the sky began to be tinged with shades of orange and pink, Silver made his way back to the castle. He still had time to shower and take a nap before he saw Celestia tonight. She hadn't specifically said when he should come, after all, just several hours after moonrise.

Quicksilver returned to his room just after sunset. He caught a maid and asked for a simple dinner, nothing with onions or garlic. The maid smirked at him, as though she knew why, and left to carry out his wishes.

Although he felt much more relaxed about the idea of being with Celestia, he still felt his gut tighten with nervousness as he thought about it, but he couldn't help but note that the nervousness was tinged with anticipation.

"I've been wanting this for a while," he reminded himself as he waited for his food to arrive. He had been admiring Celestia from the moment she invited him to attend her in the morning. No, he realized, he had been admiring her from the moment he first saw her. Even as Sun Chaser, he had admired her.

He had thought this was going to be what was going to happen last night, what with what he overheard Celestia saying to her secretary as she left the dining room that morning, but he thought whatever had happened with Twilight had jarred her. He felt a little guilty about that, because even though Twilight had been the one to go to her, he was the one who had instigated it.

He was torn from his thoughts, as usual, by a knock on the door, and when he answered it, a maid he didn't recognize was waiting with his food.

"I'll take it, thanks" he said, taking the tray in his mouth and bringing it into his room. He set it down on the table and lifted the lid off. It was a simple, decently-sized salad. He didn't think he'd really be able to eat much more than a few leaves. He was nervous, and his stomach roiled a bit at the thought of food. Besides he'd had a pretty big lunch. He was mostly eating out of habit, because he always ate dinner around this time of night.

He ate a few of the crunchy, sweet leaves, a slice of cucumber, and a couple slices of carrot, then took a short nap, and when he woke up, he jumped into the shower, washing himself thoroughly, especially down there. He wanted to make sure he was nice and clean for his princess.

When he was done with the cold portion of his shower, he felt awake and alert, and he stood before his mirror, brushing his teeth. He could hardly believe he was about to do this. He'd dated his one and only marefriend for close to three years, but they had never gotten this far. They had kissed and made out a few times, sure, but they never really got out of the cute, snugly phase of their relationship. Now, he was about to go make love to a mare that, by comparison, he hardly even knew.

"It's okay, Silver," he said to his reflection in the mirror after spitting out his toothpaste and rinsing his mouth. "You might not have known Celestia long, but that's alright," he reminded himself.

He rinsed his mouth with mouthwash as he combed and styled his mane, using a tonic that kept it soft, but also helped it stay where he put it. He spit out the mouthwash and appraised himself in the mirror. A handsome steel gray pegasus with a silver-white mane and deep blue eyes gazed back at him.

Thanks to his training regimen and all of the castle food he'd been eating, he noticed that his face seemed fuller and less gaunt. Before, as a bachelor, had often forgotten to eat, or never felt like making himself anything, so he didn't. Now, he got three square meals a day, and plenty of exercise, and in just the week he'd been living here at the castle, it showed. He looked more lean and muscular.

"Looking good," he said to his reflection, winking at the stallion looking back at him.

By the time he was ready, Celestia had already risen the moon. He recalled that she had asked him to come several hours after moonrise, so he wasn't worried about being late as he trotted from his own room and up the stairs.

As usual, castle activity seemed to have ceased, save for the guards on their patrols, which suited him just fine. He whistled to himself as he made his way up to Celestia's chambers. Upon his arrival, he found the usual two guards posted there.

He took a deep, calming breath as he paused outside her door. The guards didn't even turn their heads at his approach. Each of them remained standing stock-still, eyes facing forward. This is it, bud, he told himself. No more being nervous after tonight. You don't have anything to worry about, just take your time. He hesitated for a second longer, then raised a hoof and knocked twice.

"Come in," Celestia's voice called.

He took one more deep, calming breath and opened the door, finding Celestia reclining on her bed on the floor, her back resting aginst the golden buttress. "Good evening, Quicksilver," she greeted. She was bare of her regalia, her pristine, alabaster coat all but glowing in the warm, flickering light from the hearth across the room. Not for the first time, Silver was caught by her entrancing beauty. He immediately noticed something different about her. Her mane, usually wafting in the solar breeze, was draped over her long, graceful neck. It was still its typical multicolored hue, but was also thick, wavy and very soft-looking. Her magenta eyes met his, dark and full of what he could only describe as hunger. She was regarding him with the same sort of look she usually gave her breakfast in the morning. As soon as he entered, her horn flared with her magic, and Silver felt a wave of magic pass through him. He knew she was casting a sound-proofing spell. The consort shivered inwardly, wondering if he'd ever get used to it.

"G--good evening, Your--Celestia," he stammered. He felt butterflies fluttering around in his stomach. It was one thing to listen to the advice of his friends, but it was another thing entirely to apply it.

"How was your day?" she asked, managing to make a simple question sound sultry.

"Very interesting," he replied truthfully, trying not to think about what had happened between him and Gilded Bracer, and taking a breath inwardly to calm himself. Celestia was laying in such a way that much of her underbelly was exposed to his view, but her hindlegs were resting neatly against each other, covering her nethers. Her tail was curled in front of her. "You look beautiful," he breathed.

Celestia giggled. "Thank you, my consort. Why don't you come closer?" she invited.

Silver hadn't realized he had been standing in her doorway, looking at her dumbly, and with a start, complied, joining the princess on her bed. "Uh--how was your day?" he asked, getting settled so he was facing her and close enough to her that he could feel the warmth of her body, but not quite touching.

"It went very well, thank you," she replied. "And you look very handsome." She reached a hoof up to touch his silver-white mane, pushing a piece back that had fallen against his forehead.

"Thank you," he said, trying to steady himself. They were just talking, for now, no more than what they usually did together, but her proximity reminded him of that morning. He was so close, he could smell her. Her scent was reminiscent of summer breezes and honeysuckle, evoking happy memories of lazy summer days.

Celestia's hoof went down from his mane to gently caress his cheek. "I hope you don't find this too sudden," she said gently to him. He nuzzled her hoof as though to reassure her.

"I knew what I was getting into when I accepted this job," he told her. "And it isn't as though I don't want..." Buck up and act like a stallion, Mister, he thought to himself. He sat up a little straighter. "It isn't as though I don't want to make love to you," he said, his voice steady this time.

"Oh?" she asked, arching an eyebrow playfully.

"Yeah," Silver said, feeling his nervousness recede again. "You're a very beautiful mare, Celestia," he said. "No, you're the most beautiful mare I've ever seen. I've thought about this ever since the moment I accepted this..." he said.

"Then, why don't you stop trying to tell me with words?" suggested Celestia softly.

Quicksilver blushed at that, but got what she was getting at, and leaned in to kiss her. The kiss was chaste at first. Celestia's lips were warm, soft, and inviting. Emboldened, Quicksilver's tongue probed at her bottom lip, and with a sigh, Celestia allowed him access. Their tongues met, and a shiver ran through Quicksilver that started in his stomach and went straight to his groin as their tongues danced together. He explored the silken wetness of her mouth and suckled on her lips until he drew a whimper from her, savoring the feeling of her hot breath against his muzzle.

They unconsciously drew closer together as they kissed, so they were belly to belly, and he slipped his forehooves around her, feeling her caressing his back and wings in return. He could feel that stirring between his hindlegs like he had earlier, his stallionhood beginning to slip out of its sheath, and his stomach clenching in arousal.

After a long moment, the kiss broke with both of them panting lightly. "Wow," was all Silver could say. She giggled softly in reply, the sweet sound making him close the very small gap between them to capture her lips again. Trailing his hoof through her long, wavy mane, Silver enjoyed the smooth, texture of it. It was thick and incredibly soft and silky. His hoof followed the flow of her mane and caressed her neck gently, prompting a small sigh from Celestia.

The kiss broke once more, and Silver did as Lightning suggested, taking his time exploring her body, paying attention to the sounds she made as he gently ran a hoof along her side; as he caressed her soft belly. He wasn't as uncomfortable with touching her as he would have thought he would be, but grooming her yesterday had certainly helped with that. She sighed as his hoof quested a little lower than he usually dared to go, just brushing her inner thigh, drawing a sharp gasp, her hindlegs spreading a bit to accommodate him. Silver ran his hoof back up along her belly, up to her chest, feeling one of her nipples peeking out from under her fur. She grunted breathlessly as he brushed it tentatively. As he touched there, caressing and rubbing the hard little nubs with his hooves, he grew more confident, especially as she arched into him, her breathing becoming uneven and panty.

"Quicksilver," the princess gasped hotly as he leaned over and kissed each one gently. She pressed her chest up into his mouth more as Silver licked one of her nipples experimentally and moaned softly from the way she responded. Encouraged, he took the little nub into his mouth and suckled lightly. "Ah," she hissed.

Her wings had spread, seemingly of their own accord, unfurling to their full, majestic span. The consort watched out of the corner of his eye, his head still lowered over her chest, noticing how glorious she looked, spread out beneath him and writhing from his ministrations. Clouded as his mind was, Silver couldn't help but be impressed, and had to reach out to touch them, too. Being a pegasus, he knew how sensitive the wings were.

While his mouth remained engaged upon her, licking and suckling, he traced every visible feather with his hooves, and gradually, her soft moans turned into pleading, hot grunts.

For his own part, Silver had already slid out of its sheath, and dripped with arousal. He was ready, but he ignored his own body for the sake of his princess. Celestia's hooves roamed frantically over his body, digging in places almost painfully in time with her gasping breath. Distracted, his hooves ground harder than he had intended into her wings as she traced the shape of his cutie mark, making him groan into her fur. Nopony ever touched him there before, and the sensation of it provoked the memory of how she had reacted to it yesterday. Learning from that, the consort moved to touch her cutie mark, slowly tracing it all the way from the rays of the sun and inward.

Celestia clenched her teeth, her breath coming out in a sharp hiss as her rump moved to meet Silver's hoof more fully.

He leaned in and kissed her jaw, working his way downward. As he hotly kissed the side of her neck, Celestia gasped. "Quicksilver," she said, her voice pleading. "I'm ready for you. Now." She was practically rutting against the mattress.

Groaning in reply, he bit down on her neck distractedly, his mind a white-hot blur.

By now, he was so stiff it was almost painful. Silver grunted against her neck and got up shakily, allowing her to roll onto her stomach. Celestia hiked her hindquarters up eagerly for him and her flowing tail flipped aside as he mounted her, exposing her flushed, dripping marehood.

The consort pressed his hooves into her cutie marks as his forelegs settled over her hips as he got into position. The tip of his shaft, dripping with how ready he was, brushed along the length of her eager opening, making both of them cry out. He could see her marehood, deep red and soaking wet from arousal, winking in eager anticipation. The overpowering aroma of warm butterscotch filled his senses once again as he slipped against her, unintentionally teasing her, sending shocks of pleasure through them both as his head was coated in her slick wetness. Celestia's gracious rump moved into him urgently, and as good as it felt, she had half a mind to kick him for his insolence, and she told him as much.

"Sorry," Silver gasped breathlessly, his already flushed face warming more in mild embarrassment. He wasn't sure if he was really all that sorry, since he thought it felt amazing.

Finally, he aimed himself and slid into her, his eyes almost rolling back into his head from how good Celestia felt as her heat surrounded him. She was so wet that he glided within her with almost no effort, and despite how large she was, her marehood was tight and hot. "Ohhh, Celsetia," he grunted huskily. "You feel so good." In fact, this felt even better than he could have imagined.

"You do too," she said breathily into the pillows, her hips moving back to meet him, to take him in more fully.

"Ahhhh," he breathed, eyes closed, as he slowly pulled out, feeling her muscles clenching around him, as though trying to keep him there. He pulled out until only the tip of his cock was left inside her, then slowly plunged in again. They cried out together.

Silver was trying to take his time, as Lightning and Bracer both suggested, but Celestia was impatiently rutting against him, making him want to just go at her like some kind of wild animal. He was trying to control his instinct to just pound into her, and truthfully, it felt so amazing, he was willing to drag it out a bit.

"Silver, please," moaned Celestia shakily.

Silver's ears perked. "Wha--what did you just call me?" he asked pleased.

"Silver," moaned Celestia as he drove into her.

He grinned, but as eager as he was to please and do what his princess asked, he pulled out, even slower than before. Celestia's moan was also drawn out as he very slowly plunged back into her. He wasn't sure how much longer he could possibly last. She felt so incredible, and the noises she was making were driving him crazy. "I'm the one who's up here," he said huskily. "I'm the one who's calling the shots."

She looked back at him, and Silver nearly panicked, his own words shocking him. He thought he had crossed some kind of line, but there was no anger in those lust-filled magenta eyes. "Yes," she whimpered in agreement. "Please, Silver...faster," she pleaded.

He gave her a quirky grin and increased the tempo of his thrusting, and Celestia moved her hips in time with him, taking him as far as he would go each time. "Oh, Faust," moaned Quicksilver. He could feel a mounting tightness that just begged for release. He was thrusting so hard into Celestia that his hips were slapping against her hindquarters. She was panting and moaning until...

"Ohh, yess," she cried out triumphantly, releasing her juices all over him.

That did it for Quicksilver. He groaned hotly as her juices coated him. Now she was so wet that there was hardly any friction as he thrust deep inside her. "I'm--I'm gonna--"

"It's okay," panted Celestia.

His world went white and he felt like his head was exploding literally as he released his seed deep inside her. His cock was pulsing with the intensity of his release, and he groaned so loudly, he was sure the whole castle could have heard, if not for the sound-proofing spell.

He collapsed against her, withdrawing from her, completely spent. He felt like his whole body was made of jelly.

To his amazement, Celestia was crying softly. Her whole body shook with the intensity of her sobbing.

"Celestia?" he panted, still trying to catch his breath. "I--I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, slightly panicked.

"N--no, Quicksilver. I--I'm o--okay," she assured him shakily.

He waited for the tears to subside, gently rubbing her back as she cried. Within a few moments, she was just sniffling softly, then she composed herself.

"I'm sorry, Quicksilver," she said softly. "What you did just now was wonderful. I was just a little overcome by it all."

"It's okay," he assured her, still stroking her back gently. He caressed the feathers of her furled wing, causing a shiver to run through her. He wanted to say he understood, but he couldn't, because he didn't. "I didn't know mares cried when..."

Celestia giggled shakily. "That isn't always a typical reaction," she told him. "It had just been...a very long time since I've had that sort of a release," she assured him, snuggling closer to him and arching her back into his hoof.

Celestia rested her head against his chest, as they both lay together, sweaty from their exertion.

Quicksilver looked down at her, thinking she looked captivating in the flickering, warm light of the hearth. Her whole body just seemed to glow, and she looked more radient than he had ever seen her. He gently nuzzled the top of her head, feeling her soft mane against his chin.

"I didn't know you could do this," he said after a long moment of silence, during which the only sound had been the logs crackling in the hearth, trailing his hoof through her multicolored mane again.

"It's something I do when I just feel like relaxing. Letting my mane down, so to speak," she said with an ironic chuckle. "Besides, it's a little hard to wash it when it keeps drifting along in the solar wind," explained Celestia.

"Mmm. I think I like it better this way," he said, feeling the silky strands gliding against his hoof.

"I'll wear it like this for you then," she said softly in reply.

A sleepy, content silence fell between them. Silver felt her breathing against him, felt the steady beat of her heart somewhere around his stomach. He had never felt so content, so satisfied in his entire life.

It wasn't long before princess and consort drifted off to sleep, curled against one another, in spent bliss.