Exhausted. In her eyes, an understatement. She was so tired she could barely see straight. The heavy clop of her hooves to the hard marble of the floor echoed through the hall. Her body sagged some, yet remained upright enough so as not to disrupt her precious cargo. Her eyelids hung low, having been perusing over an endless stream of paperwork for hours on end.
Princess Luna prided herself in her work ethic. Her duties required every possible ounce of her attention that she could spare. She only wished to help her and her sisters' dear little ponies in any way she could. But lately, her drive had been depleted significantly.
The alicorn felt truly blessed to have the little life currently developing in her body. She took pride in knowing she carried the seed of her beloved and that she, in a few months time, would birth their first child.
But her energy was severely depleted as of late. As the weeks passed, Luna could feel herself becoming tired earlier during her sessions of Night Court. This day was particularly tiresome. There were a number of times when she had to receive a gentle nudge from her assistant to keep herself from passing out on her throne.
The previous night, Celestia had received a sudden notification of a group of centaurs traveling without the Everfree. They appeared to brandish a strange insignia on their shoulder. Twilight Sparkle, fearing that these centaurs might be loyalists of Tirek, wasted no time in notifying her former teacher.
When her elder sister had informed her of the situation, Luna offered to take up the sun princess's duties. Though she had expressed how much she admired her little sister's dedication, Celestia strongly protested this. She had pointed out that she didn't want Luna doing so much work, to which the princess of the night stated that she had handled worse.
This began a discussion lasting nearly two hours. Many times over, the ivory alicorn expressed her displeasure with her younger sister taking on such a lengthy session of duty. And just as many times, Luna reassured Celestia that she could handle it. Eventually, exhaustion from the day had driven Celestia to begrudgingly agree.
Now, Luna had begun to regret her decision. Her hooves ached, as did her temples. As dhe trudged along toward her chambers, only one thought was able to ease the mental stress she felt.
For the past several hours, the dark alicorn's thoughts were filled with her husband, a human named Anon. Her heart swelled a little as she let the image of Equestria's sole human enter her mind.
Three years ago, he had mysteriously appeared in the streets of Canterlot. The nobles didn't give him the warmest welcome. Having never seen such a strange creature, they at best ignored his existence. But the more xenophobic of them regarded him with harsh glares and snideful remarks as he passed by, even going so far as to strike him should they find him in their path.
Luna remembered the rage that filled her heart when he had told her of this. She didn't want to believe that the ponies she protected with all her might could be so cruel.
Anon eventually found himself confronted by two guards, who had been informed of his arrival. Alone and now in fear of the local populace, he had tried to run, only to quickly be brought down by a Pegasus guard. They brought him to the dungeons of Canterlot Castle, later notifying both princesses.
When they had found Anon, he was in a pitiful state. What little clothing he was clad in were tattered and dirty, and he had noticeable cuts and bruises in various locations on his body. As the princesses approached his cell, he backed away as much as he could, not wishing to incur their wrath.
The dark alicorn saw that this creature was frightened, and wished to know why this was. When he had finished the story of his arrival, the alicorn sisters expressed their great pity for his situation, and quickly reassured him that he would no longer be treated in such a way.
They promptly released him from custody, taking it upon themselves to see to his wellbeing. Providing him with answers to any of his numerous questions, as well as a warm bed and food, they did their best to make him feel welcome.
The human and two ponies would share stories of their respective worlds when they were able to meet during meals. The sisters were fascinated by the tales of his people, their minds boggled by the technological feats they could achieve without the aid of magic. The three soon became good friends, laughing and caring for one another.
As the months passed, Luna began to notice that Anon spent a lot of his time on the balcony of his room, gazing up at the night sky, or wandering the castle gardens. One night, she had decided to accompany him on his balcony. He welcomed her presence, and she asked him why he spent so much time looking at the stars. He revealed that he admired the hard work she put into her star-crafting. Every night, he would look amongst the stars, eager to see what new constellations he could find.
Luna was touched that her work was able to bring joy to her new friend, and she found herself drawn to his company more and more. They would regularly go on walks amongst the gardens, sharing their interests, or discussing their dreams. She was rather fond of his sense of humor. Though rather crude and vulgar at times, he was a welcome reprieve to the stuffy nobility that resided in Canterlot.
Almost a year after his arrival to Equestria, Anon had approached her with the prospect of joining him on a date. She was caught off guard by his request, but quickly agreed.
The night they spent together was one she held dear. He had provided her with a meal he prepared himself, a simple salad with a side of pasta. As the night progressed, they found themselves on the balcony, watching the sky as they had many times before. But now Luna couldn't help but see him in a new light. He treated her like few others ever did: a pony. Most of the ponies she spent time with would bow to her, or speak with her as if the slightest error would have them cast into a dungeon.
But not Anon. He had treated her with kindness, but also allowed himself to be casual around her, and openly invited her to do the same. The two would chortle at crude jokes, and share their hobbies and similar interests. Before she knew it, Luna found herself held in his arms, welcoming his comforting embrace.
The two began to frequent each other's company more and more, their adoration for each other clear to any who observed them. Celestia began to tease her sister of the blossoming relationship between herself and their mutual friend. Luna would immediately seek to quell such claims, but found there wasn't much heart put into it. The alicorn had known for some time how she truly felt: she had completely fallen for Anon.
Her attitude had taken a noticeable rise, her tone being elevated as she greeted the guards and servants patrolling the castle. Often, she would let her thoughts wander to him, wondering how his day was going, what he was currently up to. That beautiful smile of his always helped to dismay any fears she expressed to him. He always knew how to cheer her up when she wasn't feeling well, and she cold hardly go a day without thinking of him. Luna had never felt this way about anyone before, and it both frightened and excited her.
When they had met up to spend some time together after a long session of Night Court, she stated that she had something to confess. As he waited patiently, she slowly explained her feelings to him. She expressed her fondness for his kind spirit, the way he always made sure the was feeling as confident as she could about herself, and how funny and sweet he could be. The lunar alicorn declared her love for him.
When she didn't hear a response from him other than muttering for several minutes, she felt her spirit sink like lead. Of course he wouldn't share her feelings, it was foolish of her to let her hopes rise so high. As she turned to leave, she stopped in her tracks when she felt the warmth of his hand on her shoulder. Gently turning her around, she gazed up into those kind eyes of his, the ones she often found herself lost in. Before she could respond, Anon had pulled her into a tender kiss. Luna was completely shocked, to the point that when he had pulled away, all she could do was stammer.
The man revealed that he was relieved that she felt this way, as he had felt similarly about her for some time. He explained that he admired how graceful, kind and downright cute she could be. After being treated so cruelly upon his arrival, he was immensely grateful that Celestia and Luna had taken him under their care. He professed how stricken he was by her gentle spirit, her dedication to her friends, the kindness with which she treated all creatures.
What started as a treasured friendship soon blossomed into a bright, passionate love that encompassed the two. For almost a year, they had forayed into the depths of their love for each other, and never looked back. And upon the approach of the second anniversary of Anon's appearance in Equestria, he had asked her to be his wife. She responded with a single word called out in the Royal Canterlot Voice with absolute joy. That one word nearly shattered half the windows of Canterlot that night.
Of course she had agreed. When they informed Celestia of the news, she wasted no time in gathering them both in a gleeful, tear-filled embrace. She had been thoroughly ecstatic, to see her dear little sister married to her best friend.
Soon after, the two were happily wed. And not but a few months after their wedding, they announced that Luna was with child, to which their friends and family reacted with utmost jubilation.
As she thought back on the events fondly, Luna's lips stretched into a proud grin. She wouldn't want to change anything.
Approaching her chamber doors, she used her magic to gently pull open the door, closing it behind her as she stepped in. Turning her neck and glancing about the room, she didn't see her husband, but she could see his armor neatly stowed away in the corner. Luna had expressed her concerns over him joining the Guard. Anon said that he had grown to love the land that now welcomed him, and wanted to offer his services in the greatest way he could. She had expressed that she didn't want anything to happen to him, even coming to tears at the thought of him becoming hurt or worse.
But after much discussion, she reluctantly supported his decision. And he quickly rose through the ranks, currently holding the rank of lieutenant, his dedication to their nation very evident. He cared for each and every one of the mares and stallions under his command, which was something she deeply admired.
Her attention was diverted toward the bathroom door as it swung open, followed by Anon stepping out. He wore only a towel around his waist, the rest of him faintly wet as he appeared to have just had a shower. Luna briefly admired his figure, her eyes slowly trailing up the length of his body. His work in the Guard had kept him in fine shape, his form lean and muscular. That same form was very often the object of her late-night desires.
Before her mind could wander into more dirty aspects, she gave her head a little shake to regain her focus. The alicorn trotted up to her husband, stretching up onto her hind hooves to meet his face with hers. Her lips stretched into a small grin, giving him a peck on the lips. "Hello, dearest."
Anon had leaned forward to meet her lips with his, sporting a growing grin of his own. "Hey, sweetheart," His arms snaked down to gently pull her into a hug, careful of her baby bump. "You look tired. Long day again?"
A long, tired sigh escaped the alicorn's muzzle, giving his cheek a gentle nuzzle. "When are they not? Today proved far more taxing than I had originally thought," The mare relaxed into his grasp, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "But I'm glad that it is over. I can barely feel my hooves."
"Oh? Well, allow me to relieve your tension." Raising an eyebrow, the human's grin slowly curled into a small smirk. Moving his arms to secure his wife's barrel, he lifted her up and into his grasp. She responded with a series of giggles, her forehooves lightly batting against his chest. "P-put me down, you fiend!" She tittered.
"Not a chance, gorgeous. My mare is tired and sore, and I must rectify this." He chuckled. His legs carried them across the floor in long strides, stopping when they had arrived at their bed. He had noted that it easily dwarfed any size bed that he had ever seen on earth.
Very delicately, he set his mare on her side, bringing a pillow over to rest beneath her head. Once she was set down, Luna let out a soft groan as she felt the welcome embrace of the soft sheets. She wriggled a little into the bed, humming in delight. "Mmm, this is just what I've needed for hours."
Walking over toward a lone dresser across from the bed, Anon quickly dressed himself, having chosen a t-shirt and boxer briefs. Making his way back to the bed, he sat himself before the dark alicorn, taking her hind hooves in his hands. He slowly removed each silver slipper, doing the same with the garments adorning her forehooves. Setting them on the floor, he moved up to her regalia, gently removing the necklace from around Luna's neck. After setting them on the floor, he then removed her tiara, bringing it over to rest on the nightstand.
Anon now gazed down at his lovely moon in her bare glory. Her beauty was a sight he would never grow tired of. Even as she swelled with the child growing in her, the princess of the night was still as stunning as always. Taking hold of her hind hooves again, he moved his thumbs to the frog of her hooves, gently pressing down and massaging in circles. His actions were met with a low moan from his wife, causing him to grin. "Enjoying yourself?"
Luna gave a slight nod. "Oh, you have no idea. Those fingers of yours are a blessing, love."
"I aim to please. My sweet moon deserves the best." He said, applying a little more pressure to his thumbs.
"Ooh~ Just like that, Anon..." She whispered, her eyes closing as she asked in the gentle touch of his hands.
After a few more minutes of the massage, Luna asked if he could do the same with her forehooves, and he was all too happy to do so. Once he was done, Anon slid up beside her, moving an arm around bar and pulling her close. The alicorn brought a hoof up to rest on his chest, gently rubbing circles into the muscle. She gave his cheek a tender nuzzle, her soft fur brushing against his skin. "I missed you." She cooed.
"I missed you, too," He whispered. His hand slowly trailed down her side, fingers brushing through her fur. "You work too hard. You should spend some more time off."
"As much as I want to spend every day with you, Anon, I have my duties and you have yours. We are important figures to our ponies."
"I know," He sighed. "I just feel you shouldn't be working as much as you should. Especially with the baby. I know you're capable of doing your work, but I just don't want you to push yourself too hard."
Moving a forehoof to his chin, Luna gently turned his head to meet her gaze, her eyes locking with his. She smiled softly. "I'm sorry to worry you, dear heart. I suppose I could use some more rest. I've been feeling more tired as of late."
"It's alright. But can you please try to take it a little easier?" He whispered, leaning in and planting a kiss on her cheek.
"Of course." She replied, giving his cheek a peck. "How was your day, by the way?"
"Eh, it was alright. The new batch seems to be doing well...mostly," He chuckled. "Today we were working with crossbows. One unicorn dropped his. The bolt went straight up through the plume on his helmet, shearing most of it off, and embedded into a wall."
She brought a hoof to her muzzle, snickering. "Oh, my. I imagine you didn't take to this very well?"
"The guy looked like he was about to piss himself on the spot as I screamed in his face. I didn't know my voice could reach that volume, honestly." Anon chuckled as he recalled the event.
Luna laughed lightly, her voice carrying throughout the room. "You're always so hard on the new colts."
"I have to be, you know that. There's a standard that has to be met, and even the slightest mistake on duty could lead to some really bad shit."
"Oh, I'm aware. You just seem to enjoy it a tad too much." She replied.
"Eh, I can't deny it's without its perks. I get a pretty kickass sword, after all."
"Oh, it's so cute seeing you play soldier." She giggled.
"Excuse me? Look who's talking, little pretty, prancing princess." He shot back.
"Hey, I'll have you know I am trained in more forms of combat than any guard ever could be," She playfully replied. "And were I not in my current state, I would show you how I earned the title, "Dreamtaker"."
"Is that so? Now I'm imagining you as a knight," He put a hand to his chin in thought. "Gotta say, your flank would look amazing in armor."
Her eyes turned to meet his, lips curling into a mischievous smirk. "Oh? I happen to have a set of armor in a secret compartment. Perhaps I could show you sometime?"
"You definitely should. You'd look so sexy wielding a sword." Anon smirked.
"Mmm, speaking of swords..." Luna gave her lower body a wiggle, her hips gently caressing a noticeable protrusion in his briefs.
"Come here, my valiant knight." He chuckled, gently wrapping his arms around her, rollling her over to where she rested atop him. Gazing up into her eyes, he could see hers filled with lustful passion.
She leaned her neck forward, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. Her lips moved with his, both of them moaning softly into the embrace. His hands caressed her sides, moving down and gently brush it over her cutie mark.
His tongue gently licked across her lips, her own tongue extending to meet with his. They danced in his mouth, caressing and stroking one another.
They quickly lost themselves in the moment they shared, desire and passion taking hold of them.
Author's Note
Whatever is in italics is a dream. I don't know how to do that line/scene transition thing that authors do. Did this chapter feel too short, or like it could've been longer? If so, please let me know.
A Restless Night
After letting themselves become engulfed by their passions, they had laid together for a while, content in basking in the the afterglow of their bliss. After some time, the couple decided that their day had been long enough. As Anon slipped the sheets over the both of them, Luna scooted toward him, her back against his chest. His arms moved to rest on her stomach, his hands brushing softly over her belly fur.
"Good night, my moon." He whispered in her ear.
"Sweet dreams, dear heart." Luna replied, turning her neck to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.
Nestling into the sheets, the two of let their exhaustion finally take them, and they quickly drifted off to sleep.
A loud cry penetrated the air of the infirmary. Though, that had been happening throughout the past few hours.
Luna rested on her side on a hospital bed, her hind legs spread as far as she could manage. She grit her teeth, tears running down her cheeks as she tried her best to follow the instructions of the doctor. Her breaths were shaky, yet steady. Remembering the breathing techniques Cadence had taught her, she breathed in deep through her nose, letting it go as smoothly as she could out her mouth.
"You're doing great, sweetheart! You can do it." Her husband encouraged, holding her forehoof. Secretly, he was grateful that Luna didn't have hands, as he felt that his fingers would be in a tangled mess at this point.
Another scream of effort passed through the alicorn's lips, followed by a series of pained whimpering. "Oh, please! Tell me it's here!"
"Almost there, your majesty! Keep it up, I can see a head!" A doctor spoke from between her hindlegs.
Soon, another series of wails could be heard joining Luna's, though these were much smaller. As the unicorn doctor backed away, his eyes were wide open, shock apparent on his muzzle. The married couple looked upon him in concern. His horn was alight, yet they couldn't see what it was grasping.
"What? What is it, doc?!" Anon yelled.
"I...I have no..." He trailed off, backing away further. Soon, he dared to lift what was held in his telekinetic grasp. Gasps of shock filled the room.
Luna didn't know what she was looking at. This creature was something she had never imagined could exist. The first thing she saw was what appeared to be the top half of a human body, from the waist up.
But the further down she looked, she caught sight of a pony's body. The barrel and four legs of an equine sat beneath the top half of a human. The hybrid cried aloud, seeking the care that it needed. As the doctor brought the newborn over to a small table, Luna found that she could hardly speak. "A...Anon?"
Turning her gaze toward her husband, she saw the same look of shock on his face as she had seen on the doctor. He was muttering something, but she couldn't tell what. Looking into his eyes, she saw a look she had never seen before. It terrified her.
His voice continued grow louder as he appeared to be repeating the same word, and Luna thought she could hear something. As the moments passed, she began to decipher what he was saying.
"A...on..."
"Wh-what, dearest?"
"Abomination..."
The alicorn recoiled slightly
as she let that word run through her mind. The baby certainly seemed unusual, but that word horrified her. Her husband, her greatest love, saw their child as such?
She was about to question him for his choice of words, but when she turned her head she didn't see him by her side anymore. Looking about the room, Anon appeared to be shoving the doctor out of the way. Delivering a sharp punch to his horn, the doctor stumbled to the floor in agony, before Anon walked over to a supply cart.
"Anon! What in the-!"
Luna's breath hitched in her throat when she caught sight of the scalpel in the human's hand. Her heart seemed to stop for a moment, only to come back with a thunderous beat that she could hear in her ears.
Her eyes followed Anon's gaze, finding that it was solely trained on the newborn writhing on the table. It's cries continued on, equine legs flailing about.
"Abomination..."
Frantically, Luna looked around the room, desperate for help. "Anon please, stop! D-don't!" He ignored her, stepping closer to the table, as if in a trance.
"Anon, stop now! You don't know what you're doing!"
"Abomination." He repeated, his voice now completely audible to any in the room. Now standing over the table, his arm began to raise. Luna tried to summon her magic to grasp the instrument, but her body was far too strained for her to focus her magic properly.
She watched on, eyes filled with fear, as Anon raised the scalpel above his head.
"Please, my love! No!" Tears began run anew, her face a mask of horror.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw him grasp the scalpel with both hands. His grip was firm, his face devoid of any emotion. "Abomination."
Faster than anyone could blink, the scalpel went down.
"Nooooooo!"
Luna's eyes snapped open, a gasp escaping her muzzle. Immediately shooting upward, she discovered she was panting, a light layer of sweat running down her skin.
A quick glance around the room told her that it was still night, about an hour or two after midnight. Turning her head back to the bed, she saw that Anon was still sleeping, his hands resting on her belly.
Gently, so as to not disturb her husband, she wriggled from his grasp. She curled up on the other side of the bed, her eyes wide open. Shaky breaths left her lips.
Never in all her life had she ever had such a horrific nightmare, let alone one that realistic. She tried to forget everything she saw, to block it out from her mind with every ounce of will she could muster.
But the images remained. Those terrible, haunting visions of her husband holding the scalpel played throughout her mind, as did that one word.
Abomination.
The word caused a shudder to slither up her spine. She tried to steady her breathing, to no avail. Her gasps soon turned into hushed sobs, tears filling her eyes and running down her cheeks. The poor alicorn cried as quietly as she could, shaking her head back and forth.
Having heard the sound of muffled sobbing, Anon slowly lifted his head from his pillow. He looked at the spot before him, not seeing his wife in his grasp. "Luna?"
Slowly sitting upright, he soon found the night princess curled into a ball at the edge of the bed. "Luna, are you okay?"
Reaching forward, he gently set his hand on her wither. Her head snapped up as she felt his touch, her head slowly turning to meet his gaze. He frowned when he saw the tear-filled eyes of his love.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Moving beside her, looked her over for any signs of injury. "Please, talk to me."
Having received no response, he grew increasingly worried. Her muffled sobs were still apparent, but that look in her eyes...he knew something must be really messing with her. Something really bad.
"Luna, please. I can't help you if you don't talk to me." He whispered, his voice soft.
Suddenly, Luna began to cry once more, tears flowing anew. Her sobs grew louder, breaths uneven and short.
Snaking his arms around her barrel, Anon hugged her close to his chest. He gently shushed as he slowly rocked her back and forth, trying to calm his mare. He had never seen her like this before. It made him want to cry, but he had to stay strong. For her.
"It's okay, sweetheart. You're okay." He whispered, gently nuzzling her mane. Soon enough, her sobs became quieter, and her breathing began to steady. He slowly brushed a hand along her back, soothingly.
"Anon..."
He looked down at her, her eyes bloodshot and staring up into his. "Tell me what's got you so shaken up. Please."
Taking a few deep breaths, Luna let out a shaky sigh, her gaze moving to the wall. "I-I had a nightmare. A horrible, dreadful nightmare."
He frowned, his heart aching to see her in such a state. "Care to share what it was about?"
"I...th-..." Another sob left her lips, and she buried her head into his broad chest. "It was...about our baby..."
Anon waited patiently, nodding to indicate that he was listening. His hand gently brushed down her long, elegant neck.
"It was...different."
"Different how?"
"I don't quite know how to say," She whimpered, tears building up in her eyes again. "B-but..."
"It's okay, take your time." He eased, bringing his hand up to softly caress her mane.
"Y-you...you hated it," She croaked out, turning her eyes upwards to look into his. Searching for the words, she managed to croak out, "You tried to...kill it."
This caused Anon to recoil, his jaw slightly agape. He was expecting bad, but this...he could hardly find the words to speak. "That's...that's awful." He whispered. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry."
His hold around her grew tighter, and he rested his head against hers. Luna lightly sobbed into his shoulder, her tears staining the fabric of his shirt. She cried into the arms of her beloved, seeking his comfort.
"I...I don't know why I had this nightmare, but..." She paused, her eyes clenched shut.
"Luna."
The alicorn slowly opened her eyes, looking up at her human. His eyes seemed to shine in the low light of the moon coming in from the window. "You know I would never do anything to harm you. Or our child. I don't care if it's different."
"I know. I wouldn't dare ever think that. But I just..." She trailed off, unable to think of what to say. "It was so real."
"I love you, with all my heart. And I will love our baby." He stated. "I don't care if it's a pony, human, or purple space duck."
Despite the tears still streaming down her cheek, Luna couldn't help the little giggle that left her lips. He always knew how to make her laugh.
"There's nothing in the world that will keep me from being here with you. With our child." His hands drifted down her body, caressing her soft fur. They came to a stop on her belly, gently rubbing in slow circles.
He felt the fullness of her body, soothingly tracing his fingers over the curves that had filled out over the last few months. He had watched her body grow to accommodate the little life growing within her. Their child.
"I love you, Anon. I love you so much." She whispered, voice weak from the emotional stress.
"I love you too, Lulu," Leaning down, he gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. "Maybe we should take a few days off. We could visit the Crystal Empire, spend some time with Cadence and Shining. I bet Flurry Heart would love to see you."
"Yes, I think you may be right. Some time away from work would be good. For both of us." Luna nuzzled into his neck, inhaling his scent. She let out a sigh. His scent always helped to calm her, letting her know that he was there.
His hands continued to stroke over her belly, delicately caressing her baby bump. "Do you want to go back to sleep? Or do you want to stay up a bit more?"
"Please, let's just stay like this for a while."
"Anything for my sweet moon." He smiled.
They were content to remain as they were, cuddled together as they whispered little comforts into each other's ears. Anon reached a hand up to gingerly scratch behind her ear, that one spot that always made her purr like a kitten. She nuzzled into his touch, cooing softly in his embrace.
A whole hour had passed before Luna felt comfortable enough to return to sleep. Resuming their cuddling position, Anon held the lunar princess to himself, a little closer this time. His warm breath and calm words in her ear helped to soothe her worries, a small grin on her lips as she finally felt sleep take her. He joined her soon after, giving her a tender kiss on the top of her head.
