The Royal Attendant

Dulcet looked up into the darkness that loomed over her, and the darkness looked back. Only the silence of the night kept her company as she lay in her bed. Sleep wasn't an option, not tonight. Occasionally, Dulcet's gaze would drift to her night stand, where a blue bottle of mouthwash stood. Dulcet glared at the bottle.

*Is she mocking me, now?* Dulcet thought to herself. *She must be... This must be another one of her sick jokes...*

The more Dulcet thought about the princess, the more she began to notice the lingering taste of cum in her mouth. She looked back towards the mouthwash. A cautious hoof reached for the bottle.

*No!* She thought before retracting her hoof. *I... I can't... It's from her... Nothing good can come from that...*

The taste lingered, the taste of Luna. Dulcet found herself wanting the mouthwash for her own good. The servant let out a muffled groan as she slid out of her bed. Using her horn, she grabbed the mouthwash off of the nightstand. As quietly as she could, Dulcet made her way through the rows of beds. Through the darkness and by the soft glow of her horn, Dulcet reached the bathroom. At the sink, she removed the cap and took a quick swig of the blue liquid inside the bottle. The substance burned slightly inside her mouth, but it was a satisfying feeling. She swished the liquid around inside her mouth for several seconds before spitting it into the sink.

"Ahhhhh..." Dulcet moaned as cold air escaped her mouth on the taste of peppermint.

For good measure, Dulcet took another swig. Like before, she swished the sweet liquid around before spitting it into the sink. She watched the blue and white bubbles slide into the drain.

"Are you feeling better?" A soft voice asked from behind her."

Dulcet tried to cry out, but a dark blue mist covered her mouth, preventing any sound from escaping.

"Shhhh..." Princess Luna whispered. "Do not scream. I did not mean to startle you."

"Wha-What are you doing here?!" Dulcet demanded in a hushed voice. "The servant's quarters are private. Get out, now!"

Luna looked hurt.

"Out? I only just arrived, Dulcet." She said, giving the servant a silly grin.

Dulcet glared at the princess, and her grin faded away. Luna let out a deep sigh as her gaze softened.

"I... I wanted to apologize, Dulcet..." Luna said, at last.

Dulcet looked up into Luna's eyes. Her own we're wide and full of surprise. Dulcet was speechless. Luna watched the servant's lower lip quiver slightly. At last, Dulcet found her voice.

"Y-You... are apologizing?" She asked, her voice full of shock,

"I know..." Luna said with a deep sigh. "This is unlike me. It... It is not easy, but I am... s-sorry... for the treatment you have received by my hoof."

Dulcet stayed quiet, but her eyes were fixed on Luna's.

"I do not have many friends, you see..." Luna muttered. "Social grace does not come easy..."

A weak smile cracked along Dulcet's lips.

"Apology accepted, I guess... Oh, and... thank you for... the mouthwash... It was very thoughtful."

Luna beamed, expressing her joy. A muffled chuckle escaped Dulcet's lips.

"How... Um, How was your slumber? Shall I help you back to your bed?" Luna asked as she walked with Dulcet towards the door.

The servant shook her head.

"No... I wasn't getting any sleep. I don't feel all that tired anymore..."

Luna eyed the floor under her hooves.

"Then, would you like to come with me, to drink coffee, perhaps?"

Dulcet cocked her head as she looked up to meet the princess' gaze.

"Coffee... With you?" She asked carefully, giving Luna a strange look.

"Yes..." Luna muttered. "Please, Dulcet. Do not make this any harder than it must be. You only need to answer..."

Luna turned her cheek to hide the burning red, but it was obvious to Dulcet. The corners of the servant's mouth twitched as though they were trying to smile.

"I... I suppose so..." She answered. "I can't really say 'no' to a princess, can I?"

Luna grinned wildly, causing Dulcet to rethink her decision.

"Come with me." She said in a hushed voice.

Dulcet followed her out of the bathroom and into the darkness where the other servant's slept. Like a gentle breeze, the two mares slipped past them and out of the servant's quarters.

"This way." Luna said hurriedly as she lead Dulcet down the corridor.

The servant tried her very best to stay by Luna's side, but it was challenging to keep up with the princess' long stride.

"W-Where are we going?" Dulcet demanded.

"We are going out of the palace..." Luna answered softly. "There is a place I know of, a café. It stays open until the small hours of the morning."

Dulcet remained silent as she followed Luna down the palace stairs and through the courtyard. The streets of Canterlot were barren and dimly lit by the lamps towering above. Dulcet looked to her left and to her right. Every building was dark. Then, she saw their destination. In the distance, on the corner of the street, sat a lonely donut shop. Pink letters above the door spelled out:

Joe's Donut Shop

"I've been here before..." Dulcet said in awe as they neared their target. "Many times when I was a little filly..."

Luna gave her an approving nod.

"This establishment has aided me through the nights ever since my return to Equestria. It is a wonderful place."

The princess opened the door, and Dulcet followed her inside.

"Joe, master of donuts and coffee!" Luna announced. "I have arrived!"

But there was no answer.

"Is... he here?" Dulcet asked nervously as her eyes scanned the eatery.

Then, the sound of gentle snoring answered her question. Dulcet peaked her head over the counter. Sure enough, a stallion was behind it, fast asleep on the floor.

"Should we come back?" Dulcet asked the princess.

"Nonsense." Luna answered. "Joe, awaken!"

The stallion let out a startled yell as he stumbled to his hooves. Then, he saw the princess.

"Ah... Princess Luna..." Said Joe with a weary smile. "Wel... Welcome back..."

Luna beamed at him.

"A fair evening to you, my precious maker of coffee. I require three cups of your best."

Joe gave the princess a small nod before turning around to prepare her order.

"Is he open this late every night?" Dulcet asked in a hushed voice.

"He is..." Luna said dreamily. "This faithful stallion is always here for my coffee needs."

A few moments later, Joe returned with three large cups, each filled to the brim with a steaming brown liquid.

"There you are, your highness." He said with a bright smile. "You and your friend enjoy."

Dulcet grinned as she accepted one of the cups.

"Thank you, Mister Joe." She said.

"Yes, many thanks to you." Luna added as she accepted another cup while leaving the appropriate amount of bits on the counter.

Only one cup remained. Joe quickly noticed and raised a hoof to stop the princess.

"Your highness, you're forgetting one of your coffees."

Using the magic from his horn, Joe held the cup up for Luna to take, but the princess shook her head.

"No, you are mistaken." The princess said with a sly smile. "That coffee is for you."

Dulcet watched the look of surprise on Joe's face as he lowered the cup. Joe took a deep sniff of the aroma emanating from the brew before lifting the cup up to his mouth.

Dulcet looked at Luna as they took their seats and grinned.

"That was... really cool, princess." The servant said as she took a long sip from her own coffee. "So... What did you want to talk about?"

Luna exhaled, releasing steam and the smell of coffee on her breath.

"You are a clever mare, Dulcet..." Said Luna in a soft voice before she took another sip. "An invitation to coffee does not come without a wanting for conversation."

Dulcet beamed.

"So, what is it?"

"I... wish to know more about you, Dulcet..." The princess said as she cracked a smile. "You are my personal attendant, after all. You have been for... a year, correct? Yet, I feel as though I know so little about you. I... I now realize this pains me, and I wish to know you better..."

Dulcet's cheeks instantly began to burn.

"Wha-What did you want to know?" She asked in a soft voice.

Luna's bright eyes were twinkling in a way Dulcet had never seen before. She was so entirely fixated on the princess' eyes that she did not notice her leaning forward.

"I... I wanted to know if... you would care to give me a chance..."

Before Dulcet had any time to think about what Luna had just said, the princess' lips brushed against her own. Dulcet froze. The feel of Luna's lips on her own was a tender one. Ever so slowly, the princess leaned further forward, pressing her lips deeper into Dulcet's. The servant found herself leaning across the table to meet Luna's lips as she sank into the kiss. When Luna pulled away, a thin strand of saliva connected their bottom lips. Dulcet sat back in her seat, utterly speechless.

"I... apologize for being so forward..." Luna muttered as she looked down at the table. "I have always liked you, Dulcet, ever since you were hired to be my personal attendant..."

Then, she looked up and gazed into Dulcet's frozen expression.

"As I said before, words of grace do not come easily to me, and it is most difficult to make a proper conversation to one who makes you feel so... so..."

"Happy..." Dulcet muttered, finding her voice again. "I... I make you feel this way?"

Luna nodded her head quickly, grinning wildly as she did so.

"Oh... Yes, Dulcet, more than you may realize... I want you to know that... every time I used you for my own personal pleasure, I meant to tell you how I feel... I... I was just never brave enough to speak the truth..."

Dulcet laughed sweetly before taking a long sip from her coffee.

"You used me?" The servant asked with a playful chuckle. "How do you know for sure it was not I who was using you?"

"Were you?" Luna asked quizzically, not picking up on the joke.

Dulcet laughed at the princess' question, and a hinting smile creeped onto her lips.

"Well... I enjoy swallowing your... your mess..." She said at last in a low voice.

Luna's cheeks flushed bright red, and she quickly lifted her coffee of to her lips. Dulcet watched her embarrassed expression as she set the cup back down.

"You said it was simply to be polite..." Said Luna.

"It... It was..." Dulcet agreed. "But... I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy myself just a little bit..."

Luna grinned sheepishly. Her private regions were beginning to tingle in a spectacular way.

"Have you finished your coffee?" Luna asked her quickly.

Dulcet observed the cup and nodded her head.

"Yes... Why do you ask-"

"I believe it is time for us to retire to bed." Luna said as she took Dulcet's cup with her own and discarded them both. "Come, Dulcet. Let us hurry to the palace."

Dulcet cocked her head as she raced after the princess. Luna was already at the door.

"Why?" Dulcet asked. "I... I'm not tired..."

Luna quickly spun around so she faced the servant.

"You will be, my dearest, once I am through with you..." Luna said in a suggestive voice.

Dulcet immediately caught on. She and Luna were going to bed, but neither mare was going to sleep. A wide grin formed along her lips.

"Farewell, my good stallion!" The princess waved to Joe.

"Good night, your highness..." He replied sleepily.

Dulcet waved to the stallion as she followed Luna out of the eatery and onto the Canterlot streets. The moon shone brightly, illuminating their path to the palace. They didn't stop running until they were outside Luna's bed chambers. Both mares were out of breath.

"You... You changed... the bed sheets... right?" Luna asked her as she regained her breath.

Dulcet gave the princess a cold glare, but it quickly faded into a dirty grin.

"Of course, I did..."

Luna let out a hearty chuckle as she opened the door, motioning for Dulcet to enter.

"Good, because we are going to fix that..."

Then, the door slammed shut, leaving the corridor dark and quiet once more.

***Up Next: Fresh Start***