Ember sat in her bedroom and watched the sun set. Unlike the room for her clients below, who generally valued privacy and discretion over sweeping vistas, this room had several large windows that looked out over a spectacular view of Canterlot and the valley below. It was nearly summer; more than a month had passed since Princess Celestia had visited. Ember couldn't look at sunrises or sunsets anymore without thinking about that visit. It seemed that Celestia would never return, and that bothered her a little bit. She had enjoyed their session together, certainly, but more than that, she knew that there was something still unresolved there—something that she wished she could help the princess with. Perhaps Celestia had only run away because she'd feared being revealed to the press, but somehow Ember didn't think that was the whole story. Whatever the reason was, if it was something Ember could help Celestia with, she would—if she ever got the chance.

She did what she did because she needed emotional energy and liked having sex. But as she'd perfected her trade, she'd found that more than the sex itself, the thing that satisfied her the most was helping her clients with their problems. So many ponies had troubles and issues, especially with their sex lives. Ember couldn't solve them all, but she did what she could, and slept better for having done it.

She knew could help Celestia—if only the princess would come back. She had actually considered going to the castle, but in the end she had decided, somewhat reluctantly, that that would have been a breach of both privacy and consent. Celestia would come when she was ready. That might mean that she wouldn't come at all, but it wouldn't be right to try and force her help on a pony that didn't want it.

With a sigh, Ember pushed the familiar train of thought aside. Sunset meant it was time to open for business. She would go down before then, if a customer happened to turn up, but most ponies came by night, so she didn't usually bother to prepare much before sundown.

The narrow stairs led to a door in the back of her toy closet, and from there she crossed through the luxurious bedroom where she entertained her clients and into the equally well-appointed parlor where she met them and discovered what they wanted from her—and what they needed.

She had just settled onto the couch and started grooming a bit, to make sure she was properly presentable, when Far spoke in her mind.

You have a rather important visitor, he said, sounding amused but offering no further details.

Puzzled by his caginess, Ember looked through his eyes, and nearly gasped out loud.

The pony who had just slipped in the door, and who stood now with her hoof scuffing the carpet, not meeting Far's eyes, was a very familiar tan mare with a teapot cutie mark: Darjeeling Cup, Princess Celestia's alter ego.

Have her see me, said Ember swiftly and emphatically. Whatever she wants, don't let her go, she needs to talk to me.

I'll do my best, said Far with a mental chuckle. "How may I help you?" he said out loud.

Dar coughed. "I, ah, came to return something which I... inadvertently took with me when I left last time." She reached around, pulling a packet from her saddlebags with her teeth and setting it on Far's desk. It clanked slightly, and Ember couldn’t help but chuckle at the realization that the packet no doubt held the bit and bridle that Celestia had been wearing when she vanished. "And also to thank Ember. For not talking to the press."

Far's horn lit and he opened the door to the parlor. "Ember isn't busy now; you should convey your thanks in person," he said.

Dar hesitated, then nodded and stepped through the door. Ember schooled her face to a pleasant, casual smile, though she wanted to cheer that Dar—or rather, that the Princess—had agreed to talk to her.

"Dar," said Ember warmly as the nondescript pony slipped into the room. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Come, have a seat and let me know what I can do for you."

Dar flushed faintly, and her emotions were an odd mix of surprise, gratitude, and embarrassment. She shed her saddlebags and settled herself gingerly on a couch across from the one where Ember was lounging. "I didn't come here for another, ah, session. I just wanted to thank you for your discretion."

"I said when you first came here that I never talk about my clients." Ember smiled. "I meant it."

"Some ponies seem to feel they can make an exception to such promises when it comes to the Princess," said Dar, with a small sigh.

"I can only imagine how difficult that must be. I'm sorry that I didn't have a chance to reassure you on that front before you left."

Dar looked away. "I checked the tabloids every day for weeks. The worst of them regularly print every outrageous rumor about me that anypony anywhere has ever repeated. I was afraid I would see them explode with scandal and speculation."

Ember had hoped that Dar would take the bait and talk about her sudden departure. She was still opening up a bit, though, which made Ember hopeful that she would be able to find the real root of whatever had caused Celestia to flee in panic before. "I'm sure. I am told that they have had some rather absurd things to say about myself over the years, but I avoid reading them."

"So do I, normally." Dar sighed again. "I cannot tell you how glad I am that my fears were never realized. Thank you."

"You have nothing to thank me for. I will always treat you like any client."

Dar looked at Ember, flushing faintly, then looked away again. "I do not really intend to become a regular."

"Why not? You came here in the first place to get some much-needed relief from your stressful job, or so you told me. I somehow doubt that ruling Equestria has suddenly become stress-free."

Dar let out a short bark of almost involuntary laughter at that. "No, it hasn't."

"Then stay a bit, let me help you blow off a little steam tonight. It wouldn't be the first time I've given a freebie to a client whose sessions I've enjoyed."

Dar flushed again at the implication, her eyes flickering to the side, "Well..."

"You should at least get a massage, or have a relaxing soak; I have excellent spa facilities here too."

Dar chuckled. "You know how to go for a mare's weak points, it seems."

Ember gave her a wink. "I can even make a fairly decent cup of tea."

Dar laughed out loud at that. "I think my tea steward plies me with enough of it. I modeled this disguise off of her." She gestured at herself with one hoof. "With a few differences, of course, so that ponies wouldn't assume things of her if they saw me here."

"You can drop your disguise if you like. You did me the rare honor of wishing to be with me in my true form. Surely you would be more comfortable in your own."

Dar hesitated, her ears going down. "I don't know..." She tasted suddenly of shame and nervousness, as she had when she'd first visited.

"Would it be too intrusive to ask why you're reluctant? I already know who you are, and you already know that I won't tell anyone."

"It's not that. It's just... Darjeeling can do things that Princess Celestia cannot."

Ember filed that point away as important, but did not press it just yet. She didn't want to make Celestia uncomfortable. "Surely even princesses can get massages," said Ember coaxingly.

Dar's ears flicked back and forth. Then finally, her shoulders sagged before she shrugged. "Very well, then—I suppose they can."

Golden magic once again flickered over her, burning away the drab tan and brown as her form expanded, and a moment later Ember found herself looking up—a sensation she wasn't used to—into the eyes of a pony who was just a bit taller than she. They were violet rather than hazel, but she could still see the pony she'd come to know as Dar in the vulnerable look that lurked within them.

Looking over the rest of her, however, Ember was prompted to say, "I'm sure ponies have often said that you're beautiful. That sort of flattery comes with power. You are, though. You are stunning, and I say that with no need to flatter."

Celestia flushed just a bit. "I, ah... thank you."

Ember chuckled. "I won't push myself on you if you don't want it, but I felt the need to let you know how extremely tempting you are. But come!" Ember's voice was cheerful, and she grinned at Celestia, "Even if nothing else happens, you've agreed to let me put my hooves all over you, and I am certainly looking forward to it!"

Celestia flushed a bit more, but rose gracefully when Ember did and followed her to the second of the two doors leading further into the building. Inside was a small but well-appointed spa, including a large tub, one big enough even for the princess, though if Ember wanted to join her it would be a bit of a squeeze.

"So, would you like a scented soak first, or shall we go straight to the massage?"

Celestia, looking around at the provided amenities, once again noticed a detail that many missed. "You have feather oil?"

Ember grinned. "I do! And I'm told I give a very good preening. Would you like to start with one?"

Celestia partially spread her huge wings. "Preening these is a lot of work."

"Which means you haven't had it done in ages, I'm sure, since you're not the sort to fob off work on your servants. I can see that you keep the feathers in good order yourself, but there's nothing like relaxing and letting somepony else do it for you. I don't mind the work. It's my job, after all. And even if you haven't paid me in bits, those aren't my real payment anyway."

Celestia smiled a bit at that. "True enough, I suppose. Very well."

Ember pulled out a cushion and directed Celestia to make herself comfortable on it. Celestia settled into place and spread out one large, swan-like wing. Ember seated herself as well and began to work. She started with a traditional preening, simply using her teeth to groom the feathers. She'd had to learn how to do this—changelings groomed their wings somewhat differently—but by now she was very skilled at it. Celestia let her eyes slide half-closed and sighed. Ember could taste that she wasn't actually fully relaxed, but she had let go of a little bit of her tension, at least.

She finished with the first simple preening on one wing, and moved to the other. She sat a bit closer this time, letting her side touch Celestia's flank as she worked. Celestia tensed a bit at the touch, then immediately relaxed again. Ember smiled and continued her grooming. By the time she'd gotten to the second round and was working the oil carefully over the feathers with a combination of her teeth and her magic, Celestia had let go of much of her tension. She still was not entirely unguarded, but Ember felt like she was making progress. "Ready for your massage now?" she asked after finishing the last feather.

"Mmm hmm," said Celestia, sounding drowsily content. Ember chuckled softly and led her to a massage table. Unfortunately Celestia proved to be too tall for it. "Bother," she said irritably when she couldn't get into a comfortable position.

Ember chuckled. "Well, seems I'll have to drag you into my bedroom after all. The bed is large enough, at least, for you to lie on so I can rub your back."

Celestia raised an eyebrow at Ember. "For a moment there I thought I was being propositioned."

"Is that what you'd rather I do?" asked Ember, grinning.

Celestia laughed and shook her head, but she didn't seem annoyed or defensive, which Ember took as a further positive sign. They walked side by side to the bedroom, and Ember didn't have to direct Celestia to stretch herself out on the bed. Ember decided that she was quite pleased with this turn of events when she realized that she would have to climb onto Celestia in order to reach her withers and start massaging. The massage table let her do so without taking such liberties, but she wanted to take a few now. She still wouldn't push if Celestia showed any signs of discomfort—and certainly, Ember was better equipped than most to pick up on those signs—but Ember wanted both to make Celestia comfortable so she could help her, and to... see where else the evening might lead. She hadn't been joking when she'd said that the princess was a temptation. Celestia was incredibly attractive, and Ember's memories of their first session together were very pleasant indeed.

She seated herself, sitting over Celestia's legs, and leaned forward to put her hooves on Celestia's shoulders. This meant her hips were tucked up against Celestia's rump. She took a moment to take a calming breath to help from having an awkward reaction. Stimulation to that area could cause her ovipositor to come out, and Celestia would probably find that a bit disconcerting. Fortunately the reaction wasn't quite as hard for her to control as a stallion's erection.

With a firm mental grip on her body, Ember began to work her hooves into the muscles over Celestia's withers. They were a mass of knots, which was hardly surprising. She worked at the knots, digging her hooves in, and smiling as Celestia groaned beneath her. She worked her way down Celestia's back, paying extra attention to the spots that gathered the most stress, including the wing bases. When Ember first touched there, Celestia's wings flared out involuntarily. Ember smiled again, but said nothing and merely continued to work at the knots of tension there. Celestia flushed and tucked her wings tightly against her sides. Yet by the time Ember had finished, Celestia had relaxed again, her wings hanging loosely, most of her tension finally gone.

Ember ran her hooves up Celestia's back one last time, leaning over her, and then slowly settled her weight onto Celestia, nuzzling gently at her ear as she did. She felt the faintly tingling strands of Celestia's mane brush against her cheek, the sensation odd but pleasant.

Celestia tensed again as Ember began to nibble gently on one ear, using only her blunt incisors and not her fangs. "If you tense up like that, you'll ruin all my work," said Ember gently.

Celestia heaved a sigh that Ember could feel and put her head down on the bed. "I am sorry," she said, but offered no further explanation. Ember decided it was time to start prying.

"You seem uncomfortable. I don't want to upset you, but I would like to know why it is that Darjeeling Cup lets me nibble her ears, but Princess Celestia does not. Surely they should enjoy the same things."

Celestia sighed again and lifted her head. "There was a time when I would have enjoyed it freely, long ago. It was easier then, when I was young and there were still ponies alive who remembered my foalhood. They never treated me like an ordinary pony, even then I was an alicorn, but they at least knew that I was flesh and blood. Later... I suppose it was my fault, but I don't know what else I could have done." She fell silent for a time. Ember nuzzled her mane softly, but said nothing. Finally Celestia continued. "I have never had what could be called a strong sexual drive. In my youth I eschewed the complications of romance, but as I grew older I found that I craved sexual release when I was stressed. When I first began to rule Equestria, I took lovers now and again, and in those days nopony thought much of it. But there was one... He... I... I discovered that even more than sexual release, I craved the release of being dominated, and of feeling pain. He revealed that he craved such as well, and we had one wonderful night together in which I gave in to my every desire. He birched me until I was bloody. For a brief, glorious moment it was the best thing I had ever experienced. The next day, though, the rumors began. He counted me a conquest. He bragged of what he had done to me. Word of it reached beyond his social circle and into that of the nobility, who were horrified. I was more naive then, and had no strategies for mitigating the rumors. Such things were even less acceptable in those times than they are today, as well. It was a scandal that lasted nigh on a century before it faded fully. To my shame, I must admit that I censored the histories of that period, later, so that it would finally die."

"I can't blame you for that," said Ember.

"I can," said Celestia bitterly. "For nearly three hundred years after that, I took no lovers. Indeed, I did all I could to present myself as beyond such desires, until ponies believed that I was an untouchable goddess. But that did not make the desires go away. I did finally take a lover again, but I was disguised. The stallion I found was gentle. We played no dominance games, but he was strong, and a considerate lover, and for a time it was enough. I visited him for years. He never wed, and I think perhaps that was my fault. I... I also think he guessed, near the end, though I took care that my disguised persona aged as he did. Some of the things he did made me think he knew, but he never said anything. I watched him die. I... After that I only visited professionals, such as yourself, and that rarely. Save once."

Celestia heaved another deep sigh. "That was just before the Gryphon Wars, when diplomacy was falling apart and I felt that I was failing Equestria. I craved release so badly that it was driving me mad. Mad enough to not turn down an unexpected offer, though I should have. She was a gryphon." Celestia gave a little laugh. "A gryphon, on the eve of war! I met her by chance, while disguised. She was... I haven't the words, even now. She was fierce, and primal, beyond anything I have ever known. She brought me to a state where I lost control, as I never did before or since, save with you. She fled, when she saw who I was. Fled all the way back to the gryphon kingdoms. I wondered... well, I still wonder. Some of the propaganda arrayed against me by the gryphons seemed to hold hints that there might have been some rumor of what I had done with her, circulating among the aeries. I told myself that if she had truly spoken out, I would have known—Celestia herself, lying in submission to a common Gryphon molly? It would have been too good for them to have ever let go of it, but there was only ever vague accusations of..." Celestia made what might have been meant to be a vague wave of her hoof, but it only came out as a wiggle of her hooftip, in her current state. "...depravity—along with the usual rumors that I eat gryphon egg omelets for breakfast, and it has been decades since I have heard even that from a gryphon's beak. So I never could be sure if she had kept my secret or not. Either way, I never saw her again. She was probably killed in the war, effectively dead at my own hooves." She put her head back down, and Ember could taste bitter sorrow hanging thickly in the air.

"You have suffered much," said Ember.

Acidic guilt joined the bitter flavor of sorrow. "No. How could I say that? I have had a few troubles, spread out over centuries. I am Celestia Sol Invictus-" her lips twisted as she pronounced the name, "-I have power and wealth beyond the dreams of most ponies. I have and have had many friends. I even have family again! How can I say I have suffered? My life is a good life. I have everything I need."

"You don't have everything you need. You're not made of sunlight, you're flesh and blood, as you've said. You're a pony, like any other pony, and nearly all ponies need sexual fulfillment to be happy."

"I should be Darjeeling again. Princess Celestia is responsible for the whole nation. She can't be... submissive. She can't need sex. She must be above such things."

"Must she really?" asked Ember. When Celestia said nothing in response, Ember nuzzled the back of her head again. "Everyone, every pony and dragon and gryphon and diamond dog, has a right to feel sexual desire. You are no exception. If one of your little ponies came to you, and told you that they had too many responsibilities to take care of their needs, you know what you would say in response. I know it makes you vulnerable, and I know you have been hurt badly before. It must be terrifying to think of letting go so thoroughly. But if you don't, you deny yourself something that you truly do need. You can trust me—I hope I have proved that already. Please, let me give you, Princess Celestia, what you need. I would be happy to be with Darjeeling as well, if that's what makes you happy, but I would rather be with you."

"I don't know if I can. After so long, I don't know how to let go."

"I can help you. We can take small steps." Ember smiled and gave Celestia's ear a light nip with her fangs, leaning down on her with all her weight as she did so, knowing that being pinned beneath somepony nearly her own size would probably be a little bit exciting to Celestia, even if she wasn't consciously aware of it. "We have taken a few steps already, I think."

Celestia shivered beneath her, her breath catching. "Yes..." she said, a little uncertainly.

Ember nibbled a bit more, gently, but letting her fangs prick lightly. Celestia shivered again. Ember knew she was walking a tightrope now. If she pushed, she might scare Celestia off, and pressuring a pony skirted close to violating her own principles. Yet if she didn't, Celestia would no doubt go back to denying her needs. "If you're still not certain, I can wait," Ember murmured softly in Celestia's ear. "I also meant what I said about consent, as well as what I said about privacy. But I want you, I want to give you every kind of pleasure. Only if you are certain you want it, though."

"I'm not certain, no. But..."

"Your body is certain. That flesh and blood wants fulfillment."

"Yes," breathed Celestia.

"Then let me give you that much, at least. No pain, no restraints, just pleasure."

Celestia hesitated a moment further, then suddenly said, "Yes."

"You're sure?" said Ember.

Celestia nodded. "Yes. Please."

Ember chuckled. "Please, hmm? I almost want to make you beg for it. But that would be a bit much, this soon." She nipped Celestia's ear one more time, hard, making Celestia gasp and twitch under her, then lifted a hoof to pull Celestia's head around, meeting her lips in a soft kiss that swiftly grew demanding. Ember was the aggressor, pushing her tongue into Celestia's mouth, but Celestia met her with matching fervor, her tongue twisting around Ember's, venturing forth to caress her fangs and slip between her lips. Ember tasted both arousal and determination from her. She seemed to have decided that if she was going to do this, she would do it wholeheartedly. Ember made a low, purring sound of pleasure and started to grind her hips against Celestia's rump, letting go of her self control a little bit and allowing her ovipositor to begin to emerge. It had been a long time since she'd last let herself feel this kind of arousal with a client. But she wanted to trust Celestia, just as much as she wanted Celestia to trust her.

She broke off the kiss with a low moan as Celestia pressed back against her eagerly. Ember ground her hips harder against Celestia and bit the back of her neck, letting out a low, feral growl.

Celestia gasped, and the taste of her suddenly increased arousal flooded over Ember. Ember drank it in eagerly, even as she growled again and bit harder, letting her fangs dig in until she heard Celestia's whimper of pleasure and pain. She let go and simply lay atop the panting princess for a moment while she decided what to do next. Inspiration was swift to come. She knew just what she would like Celestia to do, and given everything that she knew about her, Ember thought that Celestia would probably like doing it.

Feeling a pleasant thrill of anticipation, Ember rolled off of Celestia, to lie on her back on the bed beside her. Celestia turned her head to look at Ember curiously, her eyes a little glazed, but not yet fully given over to lust. Ember wanted to change that. She reached out a hoof and grasped Celestia's horn firmly. She had a sudden awareness of the surreality of the situation. Here she was, a hiveless changeling queen with no particular claim to power, dominating the ruler of all Equestria. But it was what said ruler needed, so without hesitation, Ember yanked Celestia's head around, dragging the larger mare around until her muzzle was positioned above Ember's hindquarters.

The princess was intelligent enough, and willing enough, to need no further direction; when Ember released her horn, she bent her head and nuzzled along the length of Ember's ovipositor, exploring it gently. It was a little smaller than a stallion's member, and somewhere simpler, being merely a tube of flexible, cartilage-like chitin. The cylindrical shape was sliced off at an angle, creating a flat head that came to a blunt point. A narrow slit in the flat surface was its only other feature. Celestia nuzzled up to the head and licked at it. "Good girl," breathed Ember, panting fast already. Celestia's arousal spiked again at the words, and she set to eagerly lapping at Ember, her eyes half-lidded and glazed with pleasure.

Celestia took the head of Ember's shaft into her mouth, her lips closing over it, and sank slowly down. "Mmm, very good," said Ember. She grabbed Celestia's horn again, holding her head in place, and rocked her hips, pushing her shaft slowly into Celestia's mouth, then pulling it back again. Celestia let out a muffled moan. Ember set up a slow, steady rhythm, and Celestia cooperated with it, her tongue working against the underside of Ember's shaft with each stroke. Her eyes were tightly shut now, and she made soft, needy sounds as she worked. Ember could taste the intensity of her need, and could guess that Celestia wanted the fulfillment of satisfying Ember, but Ember wasn't ready to finish yet. Not without making sure that Celestia could finish as well.

So after only a minute or so, she pushed back on Celestia's horn, forcing her head up. Celestia looked at her, panting, her expression dazed and a little bit confused. "Get on your hooves," said Ember firmly.

"Yes ma'am," said Celestia unthinkingly, starting to rise. She flushed a moment later, the taste of embarrassment mixing with her arousal, but Ember merely kept smiling and got to her own feet as well. She kissed Celestia again, hot and hard but brief, then circled around her, pressing close as she moved, nuzzling down one folded wing, nipping lightly at her cutie mark, pressing her body along Celestia's side, and finally standing behind her and giving her tail a hard tug, right at the base.

Celestia cried out, a shudder going through her whole body, and lifted her tail eagerly. Ember wasted no further time, she reared up and mounted Celestia, first putting her hooves on Celestia's rump as she lined herself up, then moving forward to clasp Celestia around her barrel, just in front of her wings, as she sank into the ready, dripping wetness of Celestia's entrance.

They both cried out together as Ember thrust in. Ember rested there for a moment, then began moving slowly, rocking her hips back and forth, paying close attention to the feel of Celestia's warmth around her. It was good, but it could be better. Ember concentrated, beginning a slow, careful shape-shift. With each thrust, her shaft grew a bit larger, a bit more like a stallion's member. Celestia groaned as it began to stretch her, filling her far more completely than the smaller ovipositor had. Satisfied with Celestia's moans, and with the tightness of Celestia around her, Ember started to move faster, more forcefully. She thrust in hard and deep with each stroke, making Celestia cry out repeatedly beneath her. The taste of Celestia's arousal was strong in the air, heady and intoxicating. Ember drank it in, giving herself over entirely to taste and sensation and desire.

She bit a chunk of Celestia's mane close to her neck, pulling her head back. Celestia cried out, a sound of stunned bliss, her body shuddering beneath Ember. Ember growled, yanking harder, her hips bucking, pounding into Celestia hard and fast. Celestia moaned loudly, her wings half-spread, her front hooves bracing against the floor, pushing back into Ember's thrusting.

Ember groaned. She was very near, the physical sensations and the intense taste of Celestia's emotions combining to nearly overwhelm her. She thrust harder, almost frantically, no longer capable of thinking of anything, only desperately needing to reach her peak. Then she was there, pleasure jolting through her as her shaft pulsed, spurting thick, hot fluid deep within Celestia. Ember cried out, and Celestia echoed the cry, shuddering intensely beneath her. Even as the pleasure of her climax thrilled through her, Ember tasted the intensity of Celestia's pleasure, white-hot and wonderful, and wanted more. She shifted her hooves back, grasping Celestia about the hips and she thrust once more, emptying the last pulse of fluid into her, and slid one hoof between Celestia's legs, rubbing against the wet, swollen nub of her clit. Celestia gasped, then moaned. Ember rubbed rapidly, her own pleasure slowly ebbing, but before the last waves of it had vanished, Celestia cried out and shuddered, the taste of her pleasure suddenly so overpowering that Ember was momentarily completely overcome, energy flooding all her senses, as dazzling as the noonday sun. Bliss washed through her, so strong that it was no longer a taste, but a feeling—as if it were her own. She'd never felt anything like it.

The feeling soon began to fade, ebbing back to a normal flavor, and then draining away, leaving Ember draped limply over Celestia's sweat-soaked back, both mares panting hard. Celestia slid down to lie on her stomach on the carpet, her wings fanned loosely out around her, her mane and tail hanging flat, too tired for the moment to flow as they normally did.

Ember withdrew from her and rolled over to lie beside her. Celestia shifted a wing and draped it over Ember. Ember sighed deeply, feeling both energized and exhausted, floating in a blissful euphoria of far more energy than she could ever need. "That was good. Very good," she said muzzily.

"Mmm hmm," agreed Celestia. Ember was no longer drawing on her emotional energy, but she could taste a trace of the utterly relaxed contentment that Celestia was currently radiating. She smiled, feeling pleased. Mission accomplished, she thought to herself.

Ember? Far's mental voice intruded on her thoughts.

Huh? Finding the mental focus to reply was difficult, but Ember managed.

There are two ponies here, waiting for you. When shall I tell them you'll be available?

Ember nearly laughed out loud. Never. Never, ever. I feel like I could go a thousand years without feeding again.

Far's mental chuckle echoed pleasantly in her head. Somehow I doubt that.

I suppose, you're right. But not tonight. Definitely not tonight. Give them both a coupon and tell them to come back tomorrow. Tonight... Ember pressed a little closer to Celestia's side, and Celestia sighed warmly and rested her head on Ember's withers. Her eyes slid closed and her breathing deepened, the taste of her emotions fading as she fell almost instantly into a deep sleep. Tonight, I believe, I am spoken for until dawn.

Author's Note

This segment now has a sequel! If you want more interactions between Ember and Celestia, check it out. https://www.fimfiction.net/story/401649/amator-solis