Dusk Shine's New Gleam

Dusk was deified.

Gleaming Shield didn’t know the circumstances, outside of it having something to do with Dusk Shine’s stallion friends in Ponyville and a spell, but the outcome was undeniable. There stood her own little brother on the podium, with wings. But he wasn’t quite her little brother anymore. Even before he had left to Ponyville, Dusk was already taller than Gleaming herself. Now, he seemed to have added a few inches to his withers.

She took a brief chance to look around the ceremonial hall. It was only the second event in a year that Gleaming Shield had delegated most of her duties as Captain of Canterlot’s Royal Guard, coming after the wedding between Princess Cadance and Prince Blueblood, in which Gleaming had served as one of the bridesmaids for her childhood friend.

Speaking of those two, Gleaming took a side glance at the happy couple, standing next to her. While they both seemed in good spirits, it was clear from their baggy eyes and overdone grooming that rulership over a sovereign state a thousand years out of history was exhausting.

As Princess Celestia began to talk again, announcing Dusk Shine’s new status as Prince, Gleaming Shield paused. Did that mean she was a Princess then, now that Dusk was crowned the newest Alicorn monarch of the realm? She was certain to receive a title at least, even if it was perhaps something like Duchess or Marchioness instead. Gleaming wondered how her role as Captain of the Royal Guard would play in there as well.

Princess Celestia called for applause, and even as she cheered, Gleaming Shield suddenly let out a hiss. Thankfully, it was lost in the stomping of hooves and wild hollers. It occurred to Gleaming that after Princess Cadance had ascended, she had soon started dating Prince Blueblood, and she was now connected to the royal family by marriage instead of merely adoption.

The only two unwed females in the royal family were Princesses Celestia and Luna.

Even as her heart and hooves went out to her brother and his successes, Gleaming Shield started thinking. It had been so long since she had seen her brother for more than a couple of days at a time, not since Dusk Shine had left to Ponyville. She didn’t know if the chemistry could still be there between him and her, but Gleaming decided she would have to check. If it was, she would need to move in before any other mare could snag him, even if they happened to be the royal diarchs who raised and lowered the sun and moon.

One day later, after shaking off the hangover from the alcohol she had been easily plied with by family members and friends alike, Gleaming Shield had returned to work. After chewing out her subordinate for all the minute flaws she had seen in security during the wedding, the white-coated mare decided to take a patrol around the castle. There was nothing like seeing their captain walking around and doing inspection to keep the guards alert on their hooves.

If her patrol happened to take her by her brother’s room, well, so much the better for Gleaming Shield.

Donning her half-armour, Gleaming started at the training grounds, smiling as the new recruits squirmed under her gaze, before giving them a nod of approval. From there, she wandered around the barracks and to the mess, making sure nopony got any ideas about sneaking in unauthorised contraband. Afterwards, she briefly stopped in at the royal treasury, making certain its defenses against most conventional threats were still up to snuff (Discord was another thing entirely), before her path finally took her up several floors to where Dusk’s quarters were located.

Then Gleaming stopped as soon as she cleared the stairs.

“Oh, hello, Gleaming Shield,” said Princess Celestia, her smile as warm as the midday sun itself.

Gleaming skidded to a stop, and dropped down in a bow. “Princess Celestia,” she greeted the Princess back.

“Now, now, there’s no need to be like that anymore,” said the other white-coated mare, continuing to smile. “Cadance’s parents received the title of Duke and Duchess, but they were her adoptive parents. We still haven’t decided what your parents and you shall receive, but from one Princess to potentially another, you need not be so formal in private anymore.”

Gleaming Shield raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Truly? I would have only expected as high as a Duchess.”

“Well, like I said, we still haven’t decided yet. It’s up to Luna and I alone, but we are still receiving input from a few historians,” Princess Celestia said, before her smile suddenly took a turn for the mischievous. Craning her head down, the Princess shuffled beside Gleaming Shield so she was pressed in right next to the smaller pony. “Of course, if you move fast enough and Dusk is receptive, you would be a Princess anyways.”

It took a couple of seconds for Gleaming to realise what the Princess meant, but when she did, she nearly cleared the floor, jumping up in surprise as her hackles rose in reflex. “P-princess-I, I can explain!” Gleaming stammered.

“Oh, there’s no need to explain,” Celestia coyly said, moving away from Gleaming. “Even though Dusk tried, he could never quite clean off the smell of sex entirely. It took a little bit longer to figure out who he was with, but since he was always so shy to making new friends, there was logically only one mare he could’ve been with.”

“P-p-p-please, Princess,” Gleaming begged. She couldn’t even look Celestia in the eye anymore. Instead, she found Celestia’s multi-coloured, flowing mane suddenly fascinating.

“Ah, I can see why he would like you, you certainly look so cute when you’re flustered,” Celestia continued to tease her. “Your parents raised two fine foals, one who became my student and eventually the newest Alicorn Prince, and another who became Captain of my Royal Guard at a young age. I look forward to seeing what your own coupling brings.”

Gleaming Shield was sure she must have resembled a tomato at that moment.

The Princess continued, no doubt aware of just how much her Captain was squirming. "Your parents no doubt will want first dibs on foalsitting, but Luna and I wouldn't mind, either. Now that my niece and nephew are in the Crystal Empire, it's less likely I'll be hearing the pitter-patters of their own foals, so you two will have to give this pony some hope."

Gleaming felt like finding a corner to go and curl up and die in from how embarrassed she was.

“Ah, but I should stop, you are my Captain, and it wouldn’t do if you’re so flummoxed when you meet Dusk,” Celestia said. “In any case, take care. I’ll keep Cadance and Blueblood busy and too distracted from coming up to talk to Dusk.”

With that, the elder mare strode away, walking back down the stairs.

Gleaming rushed for the nearest mirror, just about hyperventilating. Using the breathing exercises that were ingrained in her very being, she steadily got her body under control, moderating her heartbeat.

She knew! Gleaming thought to herself, trying to will away the red blush in her cheeks. She knows! She knows Dusk and I have sex like, well like I was always in season!

Then Gleaming Shield corrected the present tense in her thoughts for a past tense. Ever since Dusk Shine had left to Ponyville, Gleaming had found herself needy, unwilling to accept any other stallion but for Dusk. She had only seen him a hoofful of times in the last year, with only barely enough time during each reunion for a brief fling. This was quite possibly the most amount of time Gleaming would be able to spend with Dusk since the wedding, alone.

She would use it productively, Gleaming decided.

Sastisfied that her face was no longer red with embarrassment, Gleaming trotted down the hall. Putting a hoof up, she knocked on the door to her brother’s new royal quarters.

“Who is it?” Dusk asked, his masculine voice clear even through the thick doors.

“It’s me, Gleaming Shield, Captain of the Royal Guard,” said Gleaming.

There was no hesitation as Dusk Shine said, “Come in.”

Taking a look to both ends of the hallway to see if there was anypony else around, Gleaming pushed the doors open, entering Dusk’s room.