The Royal Belly Scratcher
“Guards, would you please send for Josh? I have had the most stressful of days, and I require his services at once!” Celestia said, her head hung low as she stood just outside the throne room. The thick doors slid shut behind her with a dull thud, the two guards on either side of it lifting their heads back up from a bow.
“At once, Princess,” one of the guards said right before he trotted away.
“Thank you.” She fluffed her wings and stretched, and right before she started the long walk back to her quarters, she heard the other guard clear his throat as if he had something to say. Celestia looked at him and waited for him to speak up.
“Um...” The guard glanced away for a moment, then looked back up at her as his ears flopped down. “Would you like an escort back to your bedroom, Princess?” he asked in a hopeful tone, taking a couple of steps towards her.
Celestia cocked her head to the side as she thought. “Actually, yes,” she said, letting a small smile grace her lips. “That would be a nice change of pace.” She beckoned him forward with a wing and started walking. A minute passed in silence, and she began to wonder if he was going to strike up a conversation with her. “So, Bright Shield, how are things going with Aurora?” she asked.
“Great!” Bright Shield said with a wide grin. “Things are great, but...”
His smile faltered momentarily, but Celestia noticed it immediately. “But what?”
“Things are going great, but... I feel as if they’re going a little too great.”
Celestia’s eyebrows narrowed, but she kept her tone light. “How so?”
“Well... she’s been dropping hints about getting married, but I’ve just been waiting for the perfect moment to pop up... I don’t even know how I’m going to ask her to marry me!” he said with a snort.
Celestia trotted in front of him, then stopped. She looked down upon him with a serious, yet calm expression. “Do you love her with all your heart?” she plainly asked.
“Yes, of course I do!” Bright Shield retorted. “More than anything in the world!”
“Good!” Celestia grinned as she stood back up. “It has been a while since I have presided over a wedding, so... if you propose to her within a week’s time, I would be more than happy to marry you two lovebirds.”
Bright Shield’s eyes went wide, his wings fluttering at his sides. “You... You’re serious, aren’t you?” he asked breathlessly. Celestia nodded. “Wow, uh... I’ll have to see what I can do!” He bowed before her. “Aurora always dreamed of a beautiful wedding, and I cannot think of anything more special than having you tie our bond together for eternity.”
“Excellent! I shall order my servants to begin preparations, then!” Celestia chuckled, then turned around. “I hope you have a nice ring, for a beautiful mare deserves an even more beautiful ring.”
Bright Shield nodded, then laughed. “She’s gonna kill me if she finds out how much I spent on it, though...” Several seconds passed in silence before he spoke again. “So, uh... how’s having a belly scratcher?” he asked, wondering if asking such a question was even appropriate.
Celestia chuckled. “Absolutely wonderful, and it is something I look forward to after a long day of work. His fingers have a magic of their own, one that I can only wish to replicate.” She glanced up as they turned the final corner, her bedroom door sliding into view a little ways away. “Ah, there he is now,” she said, a smile of relief tugging the corners of her lips upwards, for she was only moments away from getting what her mind, body, and soul yearned for.
Standing in front of her bedroom door was Josh, the only human in all the land. He had appeared in the mountains of Canterlot in the middle of winter, and had she not sensed the odd type of magic for the split-second that it existed, he would have most likely frozen to death. She took him in under her care, and now he had the most coveted job in Equestria: the royal belly scratcher. Many ponies loathed him, and to a small extent, her, for she would only employ one being in a single generation to occupy such a luxurious position.
“I hope you have a wonderful evening, Princess,” Bright Shield said, breaking her from her thoughts.
“I wish you the same. You may head home for the night, as I am certain your soon-to-be wife is waiting for you to pop a certain question,” she said with a light-hearted smirk. With a quick spell, she unlocked her bedroom door and trotted inside with Josh hot on her hooves.
“How was your day, my princess?” Josh asked as he sat down on the bed. He patted the space next to him and shot her a warm, inviting smile.
“Ugh...” Celestia groaned and used her magic to shed herself of her heavy regalia. “Horrific. I feel as if ponies sometimes forget that I am a princess.”
“Somepony raise their voice at you again?”
Celestia rolled her eyes as she slumped down next to him. “Yes, though it was more than just one time.” Her eyes slid shut as she spread her wings wide. “I try to be as fair as I can with all of my subjects, but... let us just say that I am very glad you are here.” She shot him a grateful smile and chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Could we, um... start with a massage?” she squeaked out. “I think I carry all of my stress on my wings...”
“Oh, but of course!” Josh got on his hands and knees and rubbed Celestia’s back, focusing on where her wings met her body. “How’s this feel?”
“Wonderful...” Celestia took a deep breath and slowly let it out as his hands worked their magic. She tensed up as he worked his hands a little higher, just below her shoulders.
“You got a little knot right here. Just relax and lemme do all the work...” Josh whispered.
“Hmm...” Celestia hummed happily, her tail flicking to and fro of its own accord. She pushed her forelegs out in front of her as she stretched, rising from the bed a little bit. All of the day’s stress slowly slipped away, her worries replaced with a warm sense of satisfaction and content. “At least I have a wedding to look forward to...” she murmured, hoping he’d bite.
“Oh? Do tell.”
Celestia folded her wings then rolled over onto her back, exposing her soft belly to his wonderful hands. “I promised a guard that I would marry him in my throne room if he proposed to his marefriend in a week’s time. They have been dating for at least three years now, and he has mentioned that he has been waiting for the perfect moment for a long while now. What most ponies do not understand is that there is never a perfect moment to ask for one’s hoof in matrimony.”
“So you wanted to give him a little push?”
“Exactly. Aurora works in the kitchens, and a mare can only wait so long.” Celestia’s right hind leg kicked a little bit as Josh’s warm hands graced her belly. “Gods above... I wish you could have been by my side all throughout today.”
“What, so I could give you belly rubs in front of your subjects? In the throne room?” Josh gasped. “Now, that would surely be a sight to see! Just imagine your hind leg thumping against your throne whenever I find your tickle spot!”
Celestia couldn’t help but let a blush tint her cheeks a light rose. “...Yes, yes it would.” She let out a soft sigh as she felt sleep start to tug at her mind and body. “I am grateful for your services, Josh, but I think it is time that I lower the sun and retire for the evening,” she said, unable to keep a hint of regret from slipping into her tone.
“Very well, your highness.” Josh scratched her belly with both hands as fervently as he could for a few seconds, then patted her belly. “Anypony ever tell you that your belly is the softest thing ever?”
“Why, no, I do not believe anypony has said such a thing.” Celestia’s blush deepened as she licked her rather dry lips. “Would you please wait here for a few moments? I have but one more request of you.” She hurried to the balcony, performed her last daily duty to the land, then smiled as she watched the moon rise up into the night sky. Celestia glanced at the adjacent tower and saw her sister smirking at her, making a sheepish smile slide on her face. She stuck her tongue out at Luna, then trotted back inside.
“Well, that was a very royal thing for you to do,” Josh said with a light chuckle.
Celestia rolled her eyes and giggled as she slumped back down onto her bed, her head finding her favorite pillow. She used her magic to tuck the silky white sheets in around her, then lifted an inviting wing as her cheeks burned red in embarrassment. “W-Would you care to snuggle with me? I think it would be a suitable reward for your services.”
Josh’s jaw dropped. “Uh...” He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as his gaze fell to the floor. “I wouldn’t dare to ask such a...” He looked back up and noticed Celestia’s smile starting to falter. “Well... if that’s what you want...” he said, an excited smile forming on his face as he climbed into bed beside her. He settled down next to her rather awkwardly, his fingers nervously tapping his leg. “So... who’s gonna be the little spoon?”
“Would you like to be the little spoon?” Celestia giggled, hiding her grin behind a hoof.
“...Maybe,” he admitted, pointedly avoiding her piercing gaze. He rolled onto his side, snuggled up against her warm belly, and pulled a pillow over for himself. Celestia’s wing settled down over him, and pulled him a lot closer than he had expected. A wondrous warmth enveloped his whole body, quickly lulling him ever closer to the world of dreams.
“So does this mean that I’m the royal snuggler now?”
“Very much so,” Celestia whispered with a hum of content. “And I shall require your services from now on.”
Heh, I could get used to this... Josh let his eyes slide shut as he listened to Celestia’s breaths slow, and as he teetered on the brink of falling asleep, Celestia’s bedroom door slammed open wide, jerking him awake. He begrudgingly opened his eyes and saw Luna staring at the two of them with a look of shock upon her face.
“C-Celestia!” Luna said with an exaggerated gasp. “What are you two doing?!”
“Uh... I-It’s not what it looks like?”
Bonus Chapter: The Royal Snuggler
Luna kicked the door shut as she trotted forward with a small pout on her face, her eyes locked on Josh and her sister. "I knew you gave my sister belly rubs most nights, but this? If you really wanted to snuggle with somepony, then you should have asked me..." She sat down next to the bed, her tail flicking back and forth as she pursed her lips. Luna glanced up into Celestia's eyes and smirked. "Because we both know that I'm the better snuggler."
"R-Really?" Josh stammered, pushing himself up with his arms. There's no way that they're going to have a competition to see who can snuggle me better... right? he thought, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. The idea of snuggling with Princess Celestia had crossed his mind many times, but he never once dared to ask something so personal of her, and here he was, potentially about to be snuggled by the two most beautiful mares in all the land.
Preferably at the same time, but he'd take what he could get.
Celestia scoffed. "Oh please, when you were young, who did you go to for snuggles after you had a nightmare, hm?" She sat up, her wing still possessively draped over Josh. "Me. I have more experience, so I am surely the one most qualified in this regard,” she said, a smug smile sliding onto her face.
Luna humphed, fluffed her wings, then looked at Josh. "My sister talks a big game, but I am the perfect size for snuggling. Let's just say that my sister's affection for certain baked goods has made her a little, uh... large?” She hid her growing smile with a hoof as Celestia blushed furiously. “I have maintained a perfect form after all these years.”
Celestia's eyes went wide at her sister's words. “Well, we shall have Josh pick who the better snuggler is!” She folded her wing back to her side, letting Josh sit up.
Luna climbed up onto the bed and blushed as she shot Josh a soft, comforting smile. “So, from the way I found you two, it seems that you like to be the little spoon. That is perfectly fine with me.” She stuck her tongue out at Celestia. “She never lets me be the big spoon.”
“Dare I ask why?” Josh asked, scooting over to where Luna lay.
“Well... she was always the bigger pony. I could never really be the big spoon when it came to snuggling with her, and... I tend to like being the little spoon, but since you’re smaller than me, I think it would be proper for me to be the big spoon tonight.”
“Um... okay.” Josh rubbed the back of his neck as a sheepish smile slid on his face. “So, um... what did you have in mind?”
“This!” Luna pushed herself up to where the pillows lay at the head of the bed, then propped her head up on a particularly thick and plushy pillow. Why does Celestia always have the softer pillows? I might have to steal some from her bed when she’s not here! she thought with a smirk. She rolled over onto her back, spread her wings wide, then lit her horn. “You ready?” she asked softly, gazing into Josh’s eyes with a warmth that only a mother could have.
“Y-Yeah, I think so,” Josh said.
“Excellent!” Luna focused her magic on Josh and lifted him up into the air, then placed him down on her belly, his head settling down just below her chin. She rolled over onto her right side, draping a hoof over his body as she tugged him in close. Feeling him curl up, she did the same, her hind legs grazing the backs of his legs. Unfurling her left wing, she draped it over his body and tucked the tips of her feathers underneath him. She closed her eyes and hummed in content as he adjusted himself within her warm, loving embrace.
Josh tucked his head underneath the crook of Luna’s neck, a glorious and all-encompassing warmth surrounding him. Her wings were ultra soft to the touch, and yielded a comfort that only a few ponies had ever experienced, or so he figured.
After a minute passed, Celestia spoke up, breaking the calm silence. “So...? Who’s the better snuggler?” she asked, a bit of hesitation slipping into her tone as she fought the urge to squirm in place.
Jason lifted his head up and rubbed his eyes, pointedly avoiding Celestia’s piercing gaze. “Well... I’m gonna have to say that Luna’s got you beat. I dare say her feathers are softer than yours.” He flicked his eyes up to Celestia’s, waiting her response with bated breath.
“Hmph...” Celestia huffed, her ears flicking back as her hopeful smile disappeared.
Josh groaned internally, rubbing his face with his hand. Of all the things I had to say, I just had to tell the pony who saved me that her little sister is a better snuggler than her. “But I’d be more than happy to teach you to become a better snuggler?” he offered with a lifted eyebrow, his breaths coming quick and short. After several moments of silence, Celestia’s smile finally returned and her ears flicked back up. Phew!
“That sounds lovely, though it would require you to move out of your quarters and into mine,” Celestia said as she inched across the bed, slowly closing the gap between them. “Would you be fine with that?”
“Uh… yeah, of course?” Josh chuckled. “How would I ever turn down snuggling every night from a pony as adorable as you?” he asked. He lifted Luna’s wing off of him a little bit and gestured for Celestia to come closer. “I think we should begin with something a bit more complex for my first lesson: snuggling with three. That is, if Luna agrees, of course.”
“I think I’d enjoy that very much,” Luna said softly, nuzzling the back of Josh’s head. “But only if you promise not to snuggle with her every single night. I have needs of my own, after all.”
Celestia lay down on her side and tucked Luna’s head beneath her chin, then laid a wing over their bodies as she curled up around them. She flicked her tail over Luna’s, then used her magic to pull the sheets up over them. “I think we should work out the details tomorrow when we wake up.”
“Very well…” Luna sighed as she relaxed, the warmth from Josh’s body and Celestia’s wing lulling her to sleep.
“Um… not to be a downer or anything like that, but…” Josh bit his lip wondering if he should keep speaking. Everything was simply perfect, and he feared that if he uttered what lay on the tip of his tongue, Luna might have to leave.
“But what?” Both Celestia and Luna asked.
“Don’t you have to go watch over the dreams of everypony in Equestria?” Josh hesitantly asked.
Luna whimpered.
