Two Lonely Mares

1. Initial Difficulties

The sense of smell awoke first. The scent was godly. Was that water lilies, honey and butter? Sizzling of a frying pan. A song quietly hummed.

I cracked my eyes open and turned my head to the source of the noise.

She looked like an angel in the morning light falling in through the kitchen window, wearing a short apron, a spatula in her magical grasp stirring something on the stove, her mane sparkling in the sunlight.

She turned her head to me and her face bloomed in the prettiest smile in the world.

"Not often do I say this, but... good morning!"

My mouth grew a big smile. I needed a few seconds for the rhyming spell to wake up too.

"Good morning, love.

What's on the stove?"

I groaned inwardly. The spell was definitely still asleep.

"A dish seemingly long forgotten. Caramel lily toasts."

"Smells delicious, my precious."

And there, the scent of honey shifted into scent of caramel, and the lilies got a special aromatic tint too. Luna moved some toasts from the stove onto a big tray, then poured the contents of the pan over the toasts.

She trotted up to me with the tray in the tow, and sat by the bed. She brought one toast to her mouth, taking a bite, then levitated it to me. I reached with my hooves, but her magic rapidly withdrew the snack out of my reach.

"Nay, touch that not! Tis unicorn food, so sticky it takes hours to remove from the coat by lesser races..." her voice trailed off. "I believe t'was why it was forgotten, equality and all. But mind that not!" She brightened again. "Today a princess is your servant. Open wide!" she brought the toast to my mouth.

I noticed how her magic continuously kept sweet, sticky substance from dripping down, bringing the strands back onto the toast. I took a bite and my eyes shot open wide. No wonder that was the food of elites! It was simply godly! The thick syrup, the slight bitterness from caramel, the smooth aroma of the lilies, crunchy toasts, all basking in golden goodness of the sweet honey.

Bite after bite, we worked our way through the tray of toasts, often sharing the last bite, lips to lips.

"You hast some syrup on your mouth." Luna said, as we swallowed our last bites. "We must not allow it dry!"

"And I guess your choice of meal,

And in feeding me, your zeal,

was innocent and quite pure?

I can guess this problem's cure!" I laughed.

Luna blushed. "Sister was always one of subtle games," she said, her cheerful mood somewhat diminished.

"So much work to steal a kiss?

If subtlety you do miss,

In your tender, loving care,

by strides better you do fare.

Deceit may be a fun play,

but I'll choose love any day."

This didn't quite placate her, that gentle face marred by a small frown. Stupid, stupid me. Next time just play along!

"Noble princess, forgive me,

On your lips, I think I see

little drop of honey dew.

May I, please, clean that off you?" I gave Luna my best bedroom eyes, and as her gaze met mine, finally the frown dissolved. And we didn't try to hold pretense of cleaning. Her lips still tasted of the honey and lilies, and her tongue played on my lips like they were made of lollipop candy. I grabbed her around her chest, and pulled her into bed, to lie on top of me.

I lay on my back while Luna covered my throat with gentle kisses. She reached my neck and my rings on it. She'd move one ring, and sink her tongue in, caressing my neck where it has been pressed by the metal for years now.

I reached up with my mouth, to lick her horn currently looming just out of range, and I heard panicked, pained yelps. I tried to see what's going on, bending my chin to my chest and the yelps intensified. Oh! I quickly flexed my neck back. "Sorry! Sorry! Oh my deary!" I shouted. The yelps stopped and I dared to look towards my chest.

"Ouch." Luna looked at me, with a complaint in her eyes. "That thmarth" she slurred, her tongue tip sticking out of her mouth, marks of where my rings pressed it quite evident. I winced. My poor love! I held her to my chest.

"My poor princess! I'm so sorry!

I've got salve, so do not worry..."

I dug myself out of my bed and trotted to the shelves, picked the right jar and brought it to Luna in my teeth.

"Wait-" she held me with her hoof. "Doth it dethen... dethenth..." she rolled her eyes in frustration "make tongue numb?"

"I said, worry not in vain.

It reduces only pain."

"Good." Luna gave up speaking for a while, extending her tongue while I opened the jar and applied the salve with a small spatula. I could see her relax as the salve began acting.

"Now, to finish up the rest,

Put your tongue to a test!" I suggested, then turned to the jar, and replaced the lid. I took the jar in my mouth... and promptly dropped it.

Luna just stuffed her mouth under my tail and was licking my privates in the earnest. I stood there frozen, torn between protesting, saying something witty or just enjoying. Then my own tail answered for me, going up and to the side, all by itself. I couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride for my salve. That tongue was certainly fully healed. Lick by lick all of me was turning to jelly of pure bliss.

I stood frozen like that for another two minutes or so, unable to think about anything but the feeling between my thighs, when the caress stopped.

"I hope I impose not, by asking you returnst the favor?"

I think a few cogs broke in my brain as it shifted too many gears at once. "Yes! As you sez!" I squeaked, as the rhyming spell flailed desperately, and my wobbly jelly legs wiggled their way towards the bed.

Warm blue glow enveloped me, lifted me off the floor and placed on the bed. One hind leg of the princess under my left shoulder, the other on top of my right, her forelegs holding around my rump.

The tongue returned, and I began forcing my dizzy head towards that loveliest of cunnies currently right in front of my mouth. A shudder ran through my body after the mouth closed on my nub and sucked a little.

"Art fine?" Luna asked, concern audible in her voice.

"Never better in my life..." my voice escaped my mouth in a desperate whinny,

"Luna, will you be my wife?"

Luna stopped, baffled by my sudden offer, while I gave my rhyming spell several really firm mental kicks trying to wring it back into shape.

"Tis rather fast, thinkst you not?" She gave out a pearly giggle.

"My stupid tongue I cannot hold.

That's why I made this rash statement bold..."

"Hush, sweet. Worry not. Tis quite enciting proposal, yet many art its consequences. We have time aplenty. Ask a year hence and I shall give ye mine answer."

And then she returned her mouth between my thighs and the gentle licks reignited the spark into wildfire.

I lowered my mouth onto her rump, and probed with my tongue tip. Smooth, silky, slightly musky. Minimally sour, mild. Taste of a mare. Not honey. I was a little afraid I'd freak out if she tasted like honey for real. Luna moved her legs, exposing her back better to me. The black labia contracted in a wink, exposing a pink clitoris, and I used the moment to suck it in between my lips.

It wasn't easy. Her attention down there would make me gasp, shudder, yelp, and each of these would mean the little nub escaped my lips and I'd have to hunt for it with my tongue, pull on her flank with my hoof to make the shell open to reveal its pearl. Then a careful suck and it was back in my mouth, to caress with my tongue - and while doing that, I had a little advantage - Luna would lose focus, her licks going more erratic, her body tensing, shivers running down her belly pressed to mine... until she landed a particularly good stroke, like that little spot a few inches in... and then I'd lose focus and she'd keep licking my clit in small circles that made me unable to withhold yelps...

This competition lasted a little while, but after Luna's little button escaped my lips one more time, I thought about changing the tactic. I probed with my tongue deeper, trying to find Luna's counterpart for that little point that made me lose it... and sure enough, just at the end of reach of my tongue, not distinct in any way, was the place that made Luna stop and squirm. She gave out such cute little yelps!

And then I felt her trembling legs close on my loins, her mouth pressing against my hindquarters hard, seeking stability, and her tongue reaching inside, erratically.

She added two plus two and found that point in me. I struggled not to stop, overcame by pleasure, arousal peaking beyond what I could stand.

I held to one thought: don't disappoint her, don't stop. And as my orgasm blanked my mind, I kept licking. I felt her insides throb rapidly, a small gush of her juices washing through my mouth, and I kept giving - and receiving, her caress never stopping through her orgasm, despite roads rolling like cloth in the wind, grass tangling in black knots growing purple flowers that hold stars, and the stars fly to the sky in a curly path, all above orchestra of buffalos preparing celebration of sainthood of wind and rain... ah, my mind going away in wild tangents again...

And so as the caress wouldn't stop, so wouldn't the pleasure. Barely would one peak end, I'd get thrown into another, and I rode the orgasm after orgasm, feeling Luna's peak diminish and reignite again, her firm flesh tickling my tongue, and trumpets emit white smoke, and doves, who connect into one huge bird - is it a stork? A crane? No, it's Celestia, embracing the world with gentle wings... and so images flowed as my mind wandered...

At last my tongue refused to work, numbed by continuous exertion, and I felt Luna's peak slowly fading - and then I was thrown into another orgasm as her own efforts intensified! The world shone with green sparkly lights and rose, bright and powerful as Celestia spread her wings, and dissolved into lights, and there was Luna in the shadows of the background, but she gave me a mischievous grin and...

With no intention of stopping, Luna kept teasing my special spot, holding my labia parted by her magic, her tongue tip touching there, probing, wiggling - and me, raising to one top after another, and my mind... going places.

Maybe two minutes later finally my mind and body gave out, my next orgasm went somewhere through left field, some pony in a black suit and red tie shouted at me, and I got angry at him, and wanted to shout something back, and jerked myself out of the trance, gasping hard.

I shook my head rapidly, looking at Luna, who raised her head from behind my back. Her whole muzzle was damp from my juices and bore a huge grin.

"Most peculiar visions you hast when you comest, love. We ought to study them more." She grinned.

I wanted to say something but voice died in my throat. My rhyming spell was nowhere to be found. Dead, expired, misplaced - no clue. I just pointed at my throat, making small choking noises.

"Made I my darling speechless?" Luna's grin grew bigger.

I just nodded in reply, smiling sheepishly.

Luna just laid her head on the sheets, purring contently, while I kept probing my mind for traces of the spell. Aw, dammit, I can do that later. For now I followed Luna's example, just relishing the afterglow.

"Aww, it is so pretty!" sounded from under my tail, and I felt a very delicate kiss on my nether lips. "Never paid I attention to these parts, never saw them for their beauty. Stallions, ever stallions. Stallion knowst not of mare's needs!"

I had no opinion on the subject, and even if I had, I still couldn't speak any language Luna would understand, so, instead, I laid my head by her backside. Drippy. A ray of sunlight fell through the window and right onto the little black slit, making the droplets shine with rainbow reflexes. I extended my tongue and licked the droplets that formed along the edge of the slit. Luna squirmed a little. I pushed my stomach closer to her. She extended her wing and covered me with it.

The rhyming spell dared to peek from some forgotten corner of my mind, now that the barrage of visions and feelings subsided, and I coaxed it gently back into place.

"Would you like me wings your preen?

I've got oil to give them sheen,

and a salve of various blooms

will lend power to your plumes."

"Yes, tis wonderful idea," Luna murred.

I freed my hind hoof from under her shoulder, and crawled out of bed. I picked the jar of salve I had used on Luna's tongue and brought it back to the shelf. Some coals under the big cauldron with my mystery project, and some "spice" into the cauldron, stirring. Then cloth, oil, salve, a small brush, a pair of pincers, all into a small basket, and the basket onto the bed.

Luna spread her wing, apparently no strange to having them preened by others, and I saw them in condition less demanding pegasi would consider perfect. I felt a tinge of jealousy. She must have a servant for that... damn lucky pony! Then a smile spread on my mouth. Now I was that lucky pony!

"Not much work need your plumes.

Some skilled pony, seems, them grooms."

"Aye, that she is." Luna muttered. "Sis hath the most tender of mouths. I tend to her wings, as she doth to mine. I missed her dearly, and yet rarely we spend time together and this little caress we afford."

Now I felt like a thief stealing the rightful privilege from Celestia. But then, preening or not, my oil and salve would surely improve Luna's wings condition, and if anything, I could gift the jar and the flask to Luna so that she could share them with her sister.

For now, to work. I put a little of the aromatic, flowery waxy salve in my mouth, letting my saliva mix with it. I started closest to the body and worked my way outwards, trying feather after feather with my mouth, giving each a lick, setting them straight, then applying little oil with the brush on a newly preened section, and rubbing it in with the cloth gently.

The work was pretty standard, maybe except for sheer size of the wings - preening pegasus wings was an important skill for my job - many salves against various problems had to be applied just the way I was using the strengthening one - by being mixed with saliva and distributed through preening. Normally I didn't like the task very much, even though I'd always see the pegasi in question enjoy it immensely (and I'd charge enough to assure they wouldn't come back just for pleasure). But this was Luna, and giving her pleasure was my delight. These little dainty gasps, the tiny yelps when it almost hurts as a loose feather is removed, and the resulting feeling is a subsiding itch, the moments when a misaligned feather is put back in place, Luna arching her back like a cat, when I'd give her wing a stronger nibble, massaging it. I reached the wing tip and discovered one of the flight feathers to be quite loose, though still a bit from the point when it would definitely need to be removed.

"I found one a bit loose pinion,

I must ask for your opinion.

If I pull it now, it might

hinder you a bit at flight,

But if left, high in the sky

it might break right while you fly."

"Pull. Now." Luna muttered in a tone that carried no hesitation. I went to bring another piece of cloth and disinfectant, fairly sure this would draw a little blood. I cleaned the base of the pinion thoroughly, then gripped it with my teeth and pulled - fast, casually, before Luna could tense up and see it coming. She yelped. "Ouch, ouch..." she mewled quietly until pain subsided and I applied the disinfectant on the spot left after the feather. She did hiss through her teeth a little - the disinfectant did sting a bit.

"I thank ye. Tis a skilled service. Celestia tarrieth past due time, and often I lose one mid flight. Not nice, let me tell ye. Then... at times I am angry with her, I pull her feathers too early and too many." Luna chuckled. "Like a plucked hen she appears, I'm telling ye!"

I couldn't hold laughter imagining our dear ruler with half-plucked wings.

"I should laugh not," Luna suppressed her laughter, "Tis petty. Celestia never dost that unto me."

"Gets you angry, does she not?

She deserves this then a lot." I grinned.

"Nay, she... I am often wrong. Or weak, lost. Or envious. Then I hurt her, and yet she endureth the abuse quietly."

"Then just watch out for your wings,

'cause she owns great many things,

but in vain you'll search her trove,

to find faithful zebra's love."

Luna laughed and cheered up. "Take that, sis! I have a special somepony!"

I got to work on the remainder of the feathers on that wing, while Luna lay quietly in thought. As time came for her to turn around and show me her other wing, she broke the silence.

"Celestia deserveth a special somepony of own, in despite of all her vice... or even for them. Pirthee, ought I help her?" she asked, as she stood up, and turned, extending her other wing.

"Yes, sentiment this is kind,

We should help her love to find,

But be cautious in that deed.

Faithful love is what we need.

Not some stud to fill her bed,

or one who'd too soon be dead,

some prince vain, or boring snob,

This difficult will be job!

It's quite easy to break heart,

we must plan before we start!"

"Thinkst you Twilight Sparkle right? Smart, caring, open-minded..."

"And the moment her she sees,

she falls down right to her knees.

Twilight for her would be great,

but we have to change her state,

wake desire, stop her fear,

bring her near, as friend most dear,

To make her Celestia's mate,

give our Twilight Princess fate."

I got to preening the other wing as I finished, letting Luna think of that.

"I had... I meant it... more figuratively..."

"Jealous? Or callous?" I muttered over the brush as I applied oil over the first row of feathers.

"Nay! I... Aye. I should not. If she hast skill, she deserveth the title. And yet..." I felt a shudder run down Luna's spine.

"What is it, dear?

What do you fear?"

"The princess title cometh with alicorn wings, and alicorn longevity. Yet you, with all your wisdom... art mortal."

"And when my time here is past,

Twilight will forever last?

No, my princess. Worry not.

Long before my bones would rot,

I will give you some insight,

that will make the future right.

Trust me, in a dozen years,

you will laugh at today's fears."

"This jest giveth me no joy. To live alone again? I found my life's treasure tonight. I love ye, Zecora and to think you may die brings me fear beyond measure!"

"You will never live alone,

You will never fear your throne.

I will spend my life to teach,

how you can happiness reach,

When my body's but dust pile,

I'll keep living in your smile."

And there, moody again.

"Oh, don't mope, it will be fine.

Need I say some dirty line?"

I didn't even need to come up with one, as Luna blushed and smiled. There, my mouth free to preen. She lay down and muttered something incomprehensible about "the rudest," but then that changed into happy purring interrupted by satisfied "oofs" whenever I'd remove a loose feather.

Half an hour later I inspected her longest pinions, deemed them all healthy.and applied the salve and oil. And in the end, I picked the big pinion I had removed from the other wing, and asked Luna if I'm allowed to keep it."

"Aye, but brag of it not, lest ponies pluck me bare for want of these," she said with humor.

She stood up and spread her wings to full span, adoring my work. They truly were outstanding,

"Tis a wonderful work. Mindst me try them?" she beat her wings a couple times for a test, arousing some dust from the floor.

"I have given them my best,

Will you give them a small test?"

We headed for the exit, and moments later we stood in the clearing in front of my home. Luna spread her wings even wider than before, and examined them in the sunlight. Then without another word, she picked me up with her magic and placed me on her back.

"Whoa, wait! I'm scared of height!"

Another spell got me pretty much glued to her back, and then with a couple beats of her wings she shot above the trees. Whoa!

"Tis most amazing!" Luna shouted, then shot up into the sky, her shape lean, her wings beating fast, her legs curled under her belly. I lay my head flat on her neck, afraid the wind could peel me off her back. The speed was simply insane!

I saw the forest above me. I specifically, below me as I hung upside down from Luna doing a barrel roll.

And then the upside-down horizon line fell, and the forest filled my vision and rushed at me at insane speed. My scream was drowned by the rush of air. She was not going to make it! "Pull up! Just stop!" I screamed at top of my lungs, while Luna rushed straight down faster than death.

She did not intend to pull up! She found a hole between the trees and aimed right at the forest floor below! I closed my eyes and screamed until a sudden shock came...

...and then everything was silent. There was a gentle breeze and warmth of Sun, and magic lifting me off Luna's back and placing me on slightly moist, cool, soft surface.

I cracked my eyes open. White clouds, blue sky. The clouds under my hooves felt like finest silk. And there stood Luna, her mane sparkling wonderfully in the sunlight.

If that's what afterlife is like, I could live... err, be dead with it. Although I was a little angry. That was so selfish of her. Her sister would really take it hard.

"Please, forgive me being gruff.

But your treatment was bit rough.

I get purpose of that ride,

Eternity by your side,

But to commit suicide,

Just to stay with dearest bride,

bringing grief to those behind,

without asking if I mind...

That was selfish and unasked.

Luna, sometimes you're...." and I trailed off seeing her cracking up with laughter. Cheerful tears streamed from her eyes as she rolled in the clouds kicking up and laughing.

I turned away indignantly. I heard Luna stop laughing. She stood up and put a hoof on my shoulder.

"Forgive me this little jest my love..." she muttered in my ear. "We art very much alive." She punched the cloud in front of us with her hoof, making a hole to reveal the world below. I could make out the shapes of ponyville and Canterlot, and the span of the Everfree Forest between them.

"T'was my favored trick of losing winged chase: teleporting in the nick of time. That mixture of yours made my wings so perfectly slick I sped like never before!"

I still didn't speak to her. She really scared the living daylights out of me! I was sure she did kill us both!

"Please, Zecora, forgive me! T'was a stupid prank. How can I make amends to ye?"

I really wanted to be angry with her. I really did, but the more I thought about it... There's no rose without thorns. I would never want my Luna to change. So let me take the whole package... and let her suffer the consequences.

"Just beware. One day, quite soon,

you're the butt of joke, you loon."

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "I accept, humbly."

"Get me back down to the ground.

Slow and safely this time 'round."

Luna nodded, picked me up with her magic and "glued" me to her back again, then soared in wide circles, gradually, gently lowering her flight. I clung to her back, keeping my eyes shut tightly.

"Art still angry with me?"

"I know you the flight excites,

But I'm deadly scared of heights."

A little shock, and I felt the hooves of my ride touch the ground.

"Then we shall fly no more," Luna said quietly. "I am sorry for causing ye fright."

I held her neck with my forehooves and nibbled on the base of her mane a little.

"While I love aerial show,

I prefer it from below."

I decided to open my eyes at last. Luna's back shouldn't be too high, right? Whoa! Wrong!

I was not in the Everfree Forest. I could see the roofs of city and cobblestone roads far below, and the forest much, much farther below these. I turned my head around taking more immediate vicinity in. Alabaster banisters, a tall white wall, conical golden roof...

"If my understanding is right, that concoction of yours needs none of your attention until past evening?" Luna asked, and I nodded in reply.

I slipped off Luna's back and made my way to the dim entrance to the room, leaving the balcony overlooking the city of Canterlot behind me. Even places like these made me nervous.

Luna walked in behind me. She nuzzled my neck and paused, hesitant. Still worried that I'm angry at her. It took me a second but I returned the nuzzle, raising my head and touching my cheek to her slender neck.

I looked around. The inside was dim, dark blue walls with hundreds of small baubles imitating stars. Pictures, gems, jewelry, dried flowers, even minor pieces of cutlery, all of the items filled with silvery glow. Dark hardwood furniture formed a skyline of horizon around, and the center was an enormous round bed extended a little above the floor. Only a thin line of daylight filtered through thick drapes over the north-facing balcony door, reflecting brightly in items on the walls. I looked at the few lit by the sunlight: they were ancient, relics of times long past. Often damaged by age, worn, simple - items older than a thousand years.

"We can return to your place, if you preferst," she whispered into my ear. "I want not to impose."

"No, princess mine.

This place is fine."

I saw a piece of the dim skyline crack open into a line of bright light. Outline of a head with fin-like crest peered in. "Princess! Where have you been?!" sounded a masculine voice filled with complaint and worry.

"Stay, Moon Ray!" Luna extended her hoof towards the pony. "We have a finest guest. Disturb us not!"

"Are you all right?" The guard insisted, while another one peered in.

"Nay, we art disturbed by pesky intruders in our meeting with noble Lady Zecora. Begone now!" she stomped her hoof.

The heads retreated and the door slammed shut.

"You've made me some kind of elite?

That makes my downfall complete." I shook my head.

"Dost you bear any noble titles of your land?"

"Sorry, I'm just a commoner,

hermit and improper loner."

"Then you shall be known as Esquire Zecora of the Everfree, for all times hence. And protest not! It would be improper for the princess to stay with a pony of any lower stance!" she sent me a charming grin.

I sighed, shaking my head a little. Too old for such shenanigans. Esquire Zecora. I'd scoff but my rhyming spell stumbled and failed to provide anything suitable. Luna noticed my discomfort though. She nibbled on my ear tenderly, forming a thought, and only a long moment later voiced her concerns.

"Tis no teasing nor prank, my dearest. You hast chosen no common pony to love. Had you chosen a miller, flour in your coat would bother ye. Had you chosen a soldier, fear of war would clutch your heart. You hast chosen the princess, and so you must accept the princessly lore."

"Now I do accept this lore,

I did think of this before,

but if memory serves me well,

esquire title does compel

servitude to a knight,

without protests, is that right?"

"Sharp and bright as always, my dearest. Servitude to a chosen noble of any higher rank, and so I choose ye for mine esquire. This removes any marks of favoritism or unfairness from our relationship, just as does relation of my sister with esquire Twilight Sparkle."

"Esquire Twilight? I knew not,

that a noble title she got."

"She brags not about it, but the nobles are placated. And as for thy servitude, tis true, and allow me to issue my order and decree. Kneel, Zecora."

I decided to trust her and dropped to one knee in front of her.

"As mine esquire, Thou art-" I noticed Luna slipping from 'you' to 'thou' again, "-hereby ordered to follow thine own judgment in all decisions hence, and pay no heed to mine orders else than as wouldst thou to thy peer. And we, Luna, Princess of the Night, hereby swear this order never to revoke." She smiled to me. "Stand up, Zecora. You art now a free zebra."

So, as ordered, I trusted my judgment, and as I stood up, my lips met hers and she returned her kiss, as we nibbled on each other's lips.

"So, what plans you have today?

In your room we stay all day?"

"First, you shall meet my sister." Luna smiled.

"Oh, I don't want to impose.

Sure I'll meet her as time goes..."

There was a loud knock on the door.

"Come in, sis!" Luna called out, and the door opened. There, through the line of dazzling light, Princess Celestia practically stormed in. "Luna, where have you been!?" she practically shouted out. "Everypony's been-" only then she noticed me, stopping dead in her tracks without words.

"Blame me, princess, for the best,

Princess Luna was my guest.

Brought me safely through dark wood,

made for breakfast some great food,

Helped me make important brew,

made me her esquire too,

and as day is nearing end,

she's more to me than just friend."

"What is the meaning of this? And why are you speaking in rhyme?" Celestia frowned at me. I'd say 'glared', but the emotion was well hidden under a shell of perfect behavior.

Luna grinned to her, her horn sparked with a spell, and she replied:

"N'dogo damba m'baga ambo

m'bali quali gamba ndambo.3)"

I would never explain it better. I felt a big grin rising on my face, as Celestia stood with her mouth open. She shook her stupor off. "Oh. Of course. Please forgive me. But I began seriously considering organizing a search, sis. You can't vanish without a word like that..."

"Asked thou not thy student? Am I a wee filly who needst oversight? Or missed I any royal duties of mine?"

"Luna, don't you turn it upside down. Thou art..." Celestia snorted with ire, "You are new to this world. There are dangers you don't know. Dismissing your guards was quite irresponsible. Not coming back... it made me sick from worry."

Luna softened a bit at that. "Forgive me sister, for thou art right. T'was most wonderful night. A night of joy, friendship, and love, so forgive me that I beheld it past my given time."

"Love?" Celestia raised an eyebrow.

I smiled and leaned against Luna, who held me with her wing.

"So you are the famous Zecora I've been hearing about..." Celestia sent me a quizzical look. "Pray tell me, what do you plan to achieve by seducing my sister?"

"I'm a healer at my heart.

Many ways are of my art.

Sometimes herbs or pills suffice,

sometimes magic, good advice,

But if longing heart you cure,

there is just one method sure.

Give your heart, then both you mend,

And suffering comes to end.

Wisdom, money, titles, might,

None I need, just set things right.

I don't have intentions vile.

Just to see my Luna smile."

Luna held me tighter, a hard smile formed on her mouth.

Celestia answered with very measured words, her smile not quite reaching to her eyes. "If what you claim is true, then you can count me as your friend." The unsaid counterpart of the sentence hung heavily in the air.

"That's great!" Luna exclaimed cheerfully. "And jealousy will I tolerate not!" she pointed her hoof at Celestia in a half-joking half-serious manner. "Thou art still my favorite sister! And same about you!" she turned to me. "You art still my favorite zebrafriend!"

"As if..." Celestia turned in mock indignity but it seemed Luna's good mood got to her too. "Let us have a dinner together, what say you?"

I looked at Luna with a question, and she nodded.

"If you offer, yes, with pleasure.

Such a gesture I do treasure."

Celestia nodded gracefully and turned to the exit, in her regal stride. Luna took a step after her, and I felt a light slap to my rump with her wing tip, encouraging me to go. And while I just grinned at that, I saw how Celestia visibly stumbled and suppressed a cough.

Past the door Luna stopped by her guards. The two batponies eyed me warily at first, but at Luna's word about me being "dear to her" they relaxed visibly and I caught a friendly glance from one of them. Luna dismissed them for the afternoon, requesting them back at her chamber before sunset.

In a brisk trot we caught up with Princess Celestia, and she led us through the corridors to the dining room. Some three turns of corridor later, we strolled into a relatively small dining room (relatively - this was the Canterlot Castle, here even broom closets were bigger than my hut.) Luxurious decor of gold on alabaster, a rather large square mahogany table, only four places by the table, one already occupied by an elegant slimeball.

The slimeball was a pegasus guard. Apparently a high officer of some sort, white coat, lime mane, a cape the color of jade and a chest plate with coat of arms involving a wing over the sun.

"Sir Percival will accompany us today," Celestia explained. "He's returning from duty at the Northeastern Border, where, as I heard, he performed heroic deeds for Equestria."

"At your service, your majesty!" the slimeball stood up and bowed.

"You certainly know my sister, sir Percival, and this is Zecora, an enchantress of the Everfree Forest."

"Charmed!" the slimeball bowed with fake respect.

"Likewise, knight wise!" I played by the rules so far, taking a place opposite from the slimeball while the princesses occupied the two remaining places. I heard scuttling of servants through the wall, while Luna started.

"I never asked ye, Zecora. What is the purpose of the mysterious concoction you have been working on, so far?"

"That, my princess, is a cure,

for a sickness quite obscure,

known as disease of pale foot,

that in pony's bones takes root,

makes them fragile, weak and prone.

Now, to help such a weak bone,

you serve calcium day by day,

but with illness it won't stay,

just bad end does forestall.

But to cure it once for all,

cockatrice's gaze of stone

must replace every bone

with petrified solid rock.

Now I'm making special stock

of dead cockatrice's eyes,

But for power that curse ties,

just to bones, and not to flesh,

of fine magic I build mesh,

which will hold the curse in place.

Now, to keep the magic lace

while the curse’s needs to feed

into aether slowly bleed,

flame must stay ablaze non-stop,

for the temperature drop

will let curse escape the bone

and turn patient into stone."

The pegasus stifled a yawn, while Celestia opened her eyes wide. "But the cockatrice eyes are known to petrify unsuspecting victims even half a year after the cockatrice was killed!"

"Four months has the flame been lit,

Two more yet my brew must sit

on the coals until it's ready

and the state of curse is steady."

The slimeball coughed. "So this is the famed patience of a zebra in action."

"Oh, yes. Scholars hypothesized this solution but discarded it as impractical precisely for this reason. No pony has enough patience to oversee the brew day by day without break for so long." Celestia replied.

"No wonder," the stallion stated. "Just think how many menaces can a skilled pony beat in the time a zebra manages to brew just one single potion. Half a year, that's almost two hundred patrols, and every single of them is two or three skirmishes!"

"Two or three per each patrol?" Celestia looked at him, impressed. "I didn't realize there were so many! Sure the reports talked about three major events, but so many conflicts?"

"Oh, usually that's just a bruise or two, most wolves know to run if they see the shadow of a pegasus already, but some still sneak into our territory to poach livestock and we must teach them a lesson. This is when we mention it in a report. Otherwise it's just a few quick kicks, a well-aimed slap to the nose with a wingtip, and they run away from the borders, crying wolf."

It was Luna's turn to stifle a yawn. "The wolves have grown senile over the centuries," she said. "In my times it took three mighty pony warriors to stay a single wolf. Without wizards of power an excursion against a pack of wolves spelt doom to a squad foolish enough to challenge them."

"That, or pony warriors grew mightier over the centuries." Percival shot Luna a toothy smile.

"We can easily test such theory," Luna replied. "We stood ground to two wolves singlehoof, but yielded to a third. If thou art so mighty, thou shouldst best me in combat easily."

"Oh, I wouldn't ever dare to rise my hoof against Princess! Not even in a sparring!" the slimeball played resistance.

Luna threw me a glance with half-closed eyes. I smiled and replied with a small nod.

"Wouldst thou have qualms fighting a champion of mine?"

"Surely your champion is a mighty warrior, one whom I could not compare with?"

It was my time to smirk.

"No such warrior, just old me.

Timberwolves of Everfree

are no match for northern kin

and from them I save my skin.

So please, show me how I fare,

in a duel fair and square."

I could see him suppressing a smirk. He nodded, playing respect. "Let us spar then... after the dinner."

Like on cue, the servants arrived, bringing a number of plates with fancy dishes half of which I couldn't even name. Celestia grinned, uttered "Let us dine", and started on her bowl of soup. Sir Percival joined after her, using his wingtips to manipulate foodstuffs skillfully. Luna took a bite of a big, stuffed baked carrot, and she sent me a mischievous grin. I shifted uncomfortably, sure to stain the pristine tablecloth with my hooves and make an ass of myself.

And then a crystal corn cob floated in front of me, surrounded with a puff of blue magic. I grinned and took a bite. Then I got a plate of fancy colorful rice, then some spicy salad...

"May I ask," the pegasus interrupted the silence, "what is the relation between Princess Luna and the zebra lady?"

"Zecora is the esquire of mine. Aspiring to the position of princess consort, and quite successful at that." Luna said, without ever pausing crunching baby carrots with her teeth.

Percival's eyes met mine. There was a cold rivalry in them. His gaze met my smirk. "Why, I am sure her deeds for the good of Equestria are countless, to grant her a title like that."

Unexpectedly Celestia stood for my defense. "Every winter flupox claims two hundred lives across the country. We expect to halve this number this year, with medicines manufactured in the Ponyville Hospital, recipe developed by this very Zecora here. We managed to raise survivability from 85 to 93 percent currently, and we expect further advances as the medicine is refined. That's a hundred pony lives saved every year from one medicine alone. The science of pharmacology certainly doesn't bear the splendor of active military duty but it serves just as important role!"

I gasped a little. All that because Granny Smith got fever and Applebloom came to ask my help! I just gave her the recipe because I lacked the herbs to make the medicine myself! How did the little rascal get the hospital to produce that? And now here Princess Celestia says...

A biscuit with some fancy cream poked me on the lips and I opened up, to take a bite. Luna's face carried a big smile. "I suppose this is but the first of uncounted medical advances with which esquire Zecora shall bless Equestria."

I excused myself from talking with my full mouth, just nodding in confirmation. I noticed the soldier picking out just the lighter treats, surely preparing for the duel. I was interested in how it would go - if even half of his boasts were true I'd be in trouble, but then - I trusted my hunch.

* * *

I had to give it to him, he was a competent duelist. He scored a few blows with dirty tricks too, though I saw how he tries to conceal them from the audience currently consisting of quite a few guards besides the princesses. The part of gardens serving as our battle arena was increasingly trodden down.

Well, time to finish the play. I switched the stance from Classic Equestrian to the Wolven Cub style.

"So far this has been quite light.

Let me fight how wolves fight."

I placed my hooves wide apart, head low, my mane sticking high. Then with a quick flop I rolled onto my back.

My opponent took only a second to shake his confusion off, he curled his wings and dove at me from his location far above, where he'd hover looking for an opening to strike throughout most of the combat. I waited curled into a ball on my back until the last moment, tense like a spring, then the spring unwound, a pair of hind hooves striking his wings, forehooves deflecting his front legs, and my head hitting his trachea. We rolled on the grass and I landed on top of him, pinning him down. One slam of my hoof could break his neck now.

Princess Celestia shouted for me to stop, not that I intended to finish it. I stood up to bow, and then suddenly hooves of my attacker swung under me, I fell on my side and felt him slam both forelegs into my chest. I thought I heard my rib cracking and the pain dazed me for a moment. I saw both his hooves risen above me for another stomp. Reflexively I kicked my hind leg at his crotch. It was too late to stop him, but still it reduced the force of impact - enough that I'd survive - although the pain of more ribs giving in dazed me.

"Foul!" he shouted, rolling on the grass by me. "Illegal move!"

Luna ran up to me and immediately used her magic to help against my pain.

He stood up, swaying on his legs. "Princess, I demand you disqualify that zebra. She used an illegal move."

"Luna, don't!"

Princess Celestia's voice snapped through the air like a whip, and as I turned my gaze to Luna, I saw her eyes subsiding from bright light and a charge crackling on her horn pulled back into it. Luna turned her head to Celestia very slowly. "We believe thy judgment will be fair, sister?" she asked in a voice so calm that I felt a shiver on my back.

Celestia just gave Luna a deep, equally slow nod., then spoke - announced her decision.

"Sir Percival, by your performance you have given a clear proof of your efficiency. Equestria's armed forces have unending need for soldiers of your tenacity in combat. Hereby you are promoted to the rank of Knight-Colonel., and reassigned for the most honorable duty."

I gazed at the slimeball's face as it brightened in smug satisfaction. Celestia continued though.

"You will serve under command of Knight-General Brutal Legend, guarding the gates of Tartarus. You are now deemed capable of opposing demons in person."

The smug grin changed into a mask of terror. Luna exchanged a slow nod with Celestia, then wrapped me in her magic and set me on my legs gently.

"I am sorry for causing you this pain," she whispered in my ear. "Never did I believe he wouldst go this far. Worry not, love. Justice found him already."

Percival limped out of the garden in silence, never turning his gaze to us. Then I followed Luna - and suddenly stomping of a hundred hooves sounded all around, the gathered audience applauding - I wasn't sure, me or Princess Celestia.

3) "Magic is harmony's part
Rhyming is its form of art."