Author's Note

So, first thing i want to address with this chapter, is that it is a little lengthy and possibly wordy in some places. I do also want to address the slow update, I originally had planned for a double update today, but the best laid plans often go awry. So, for tomorrow look for two additional chapters being added! Thanks again for the support, and for taking an interest in the story! Have a good night everyone.

Chapter Four: Answers and Questions

Dreams: A series of images, thoughts, or sensations occurring in a persons mind.

Dreams. The changeling woke slowly, upon opening his eyes he was once more greeted with the grey and white walls and the fluorescent lights that hummed gently with energy. Sixty-four wiped away tears he had shed in his sleep, the memory haunted him, even in the land of unconsciousness it didn't allow him to rest. taking a deep breath and looking around his room, he noticed nopony was currently with him.

The morphine drip had run dry and hadn't been replaced, after the soreness and aching in his body had gone, Sixty-four denied any further treatment, because he felt fine. Visitors to the I.C.U. flooding with love, among other emotions, such as hate, sorrow, happiness, joy and hurt. As to why such emotions like anger and hurt would even be here puzzled Sixty-four, it didn't matter to him, his personal love storage's were full and that mean't he could freely move. He could move to guard the new queen that claimed him.

Removing the heartbeat monitor sensor from his finger, he swung his legs around and stood up. He let energy flow into his horn as he searched for his new queen, letting the familiar pull guide him. Sixty-four didn't say anything before leaving, only leaving behind an empty bed as he walked outside his room. Sixty-four felt his horn pulling him toward the hallway, so he followed. Many nurses and doctors stared at the changeling, some females blushing at his muscular structure that flexed with every step he took, some staring in curiosity or fear of the many scrapes and scars that accompanied his body.

As he moved through the set of double doors ahead of him the pull got stronger in his horn. However, the closer he got, the more aware he became that he was being followed by a few guards at a time. Upon reaching the closed doors that held his queen however, crossed spears blocked the door, looking down at the guards he stared at them.

The guard noticed his stare and sighed. "Go back to your room please, Princess Luna is currently sleeping. Why are you even up anyways? It's three in the morning." The guard both asked and stated, now looking at the changeling. Sixty-four simply took a few steps back until his back hit the wall, sliding down he positioned himself to sit. He looked back at the guard and hissed out an answer. "Queen has qquestionss...I hhave ansswerrs..." He took a deep breath and reached out, with his magic, accessing the hive mind link.

"My Queen? Can you hear me?" Sixty-four asked, wanting to confirm that she had established a connection with him. A few moments passed before he heard shuffling from inside the room, the door opening to reveal a partially nude Princess Luna. "What do you want? We were try-..." She let her words die on her vocal cords as she stared at the changeling staring back up at her. Sixty-four hissed gently "Sorrry to disturb you my Qquueen...but I sennssed you had quessstions for me?" He finished as he was crouched down, a balled fist and bent arm resting across his chest as he bowed before the lunar diarch.

She blushed gently, the bow reminding her of old knights from before her banishment. Shaking her head she sighed and nodded "Yes..Yes of course, please come in." She motioned for the guards to stand aside as Sixty-four walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Luna turned to the rooms balcony and pushed it open, levitating a bottle of wine to her as well as a glass, she began to speak as she poured the drink.

"So, Sixty-four was your name, correct?" She asked before taking a sip of the wine, sighing contently as she swallowed. Sixty-four moved to stand beside her, pausing to admire her beauty against the night time sky. "Yess my Queeenn..." He gently hissed as he stood beside her, staring out over the city. Luna chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment before taking another gulp of the wine. "Why do you keep calling me that? I'm no queen Sixty-four. I'am the lunar princess, i move the moon and watch over the citizens of Equestria. Plus, i'm not married." She took another swig from the wine glass and took a deep breath afterwards.

Sixty-four nodded and said nothing, his horn lighting up as he channeled energy into it, once again accessing the hive mind.
"Because my Queen, You have established a hive mind with me. After banishment any changeling Queen could have taken another praetorian guard. You established the connection first, so you ARE my Queen"

Luna gasped softly and looked at Sixty-four, mouth wide in surprise. "H-How..? We have never heard of any sort of spell! We only...gave you power..." The lunar diarch took another sip, quickly followed by the whole bottle of wine. Sixty-four nodded slowly. "Doinnggg so...connectted us...we can sspeak with thhee hive miiind. Ffflawless communicattion my Queen.." He hissed softly as his horn stopped glowing.

Luna turned and walked toward the bed, and climbed into it, a slight blush playing across her cheeks. "Then your queen requests that you come and sleep with her tonight. We have not felt the company of another in...quiet some time." Sixty-four turned and stood, unsure of what she meant.

Surely she didn't want to start a hive with him? While not unheard of in the hive it would be extremely rare for such things to happen. Slowly, he approached and much to his surprise, he felt...a very faint strain of stray love coming from inside her. Frowning, Luna turned to look up at him. "Well? hast thou never snuggled before?" She asked, the blush slowly becoming more apparent. Sixty-four shook his head and stared down at her. "No my Qquueen...I have not." Upon those words the sleek but powerful lunar princess pulled him on top of the covers next to her and settled her head on his chest pulling his arm around her.

Luna smiled softly as she quickly found that he was surprisingly warm for being covered in a thick armor. Sixty-four simply stared and tightened his arm around the lunar diarch. Closing his eyes as he hissed softly. "Goodnight my Qqqueen..." He slowly faded out of his conscious state and began sleeping soundly.

**The Next Morning**

Luna stirred and slowly opened her eyes, pausing when she noticed the gentle rise and fall of the changeling chest that her head currently resided on top of. Slowly she moved but found his arm draped over her, she heard a loud knock at the door and felt the familiar weight that had accompanied her through the night suddenly shift. Sixty-four stood with his attention toward the door, a low hiss starting to come from his open jaws.

Luna stared at his actions, his teeth were bared and his lips slightly oulled back in a snarl, his wings shifting in what appeared to be agitation. She spoke up as the door opened "Sixty-four what are you doing?" Sixty-four channeled magic into his horn. "I must protect the Queen from all threats. By any means your highness."
Luna nodded and understood, somewhat what this changeling was now, a guard of some sort. "You can relax Sixty-four. We are in an allies empire, no harm will come to me." Luna spoke as a maid came in, who after seeing the towering changeling before her, promptly retreated from the room. Two new guards quickly filled the room and looked to their princess and the changeling.

Luna waved them away and sat up, getting out of the bed she walked over and placed a hand cautiously on the changeling's shoulder. A new thought came to mind, because this changeling saw her as his queen, perhaps she could use this to her advantage when telling to do something. "Sixty-four, as your queen, I order you to stand down." Luna stated fixing him with a steely gaze. As if afraid of something, he quickly dropped to one knee, putting his fist and arm in the same position from the night before, bowing to her.

"Yesss my Queennn.." He hissed gently, standing as her hand left his shoulder. Luna went to the wardrobe and pulled out a dress, it was a slightly darker shade of blue, her cutie mark displayed on either side of the thigh portion of the dress. The dress itself was stunning, it dazzled in the sunlight, and came up over her shoulders in the form of straps each strap crossing at the chest to form a neat loop that would use her neck as the holding place. Luna slipped into the dress and paused as she spotted Sixty-four staring at her. "It's quite rude to stare Sixty-four."

Sixty-four quickly turned away, and quietly hissed his response. "Soryy my Queenn..." He moved to the door and slipped out side, figuring it best to not be in the room when his queen dressed herself. Moving to his position against the wall, he heard the sound of armor clattering together, a chorus of footsteps followed the sound. Looking to his right he tensed up at the possible threat approaching the queens room.

Princess Cadence rushed down the hall, flanked by twelve guards. When the I.C.U. had told her that the changeling was no longer present she had gathered the crystal guards and set out for Luna's current room. Upon turning and seeing the changeling standing outside her aunts bedroom door, along with the guards, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least they wouldn't have to turn the empire upside down to look for it.

Slowing her approach as the changeling looked at them and slid into a more tactical stance. This puzzled Cadence, many of the same questions returning as answers, she recalled the changeling calling Luna queen, and staring at her for a majority of the time he was in his assigned I.C.U. room. Quickly she connected the dots, it was protecting its 'queen' from any threats that might trouble her. Cadence walked up the guards that were posted outside of Luna's room and began to speak, but the door opening stopped her.

Luna looked like an actual goddess, the dress mixed with her etheral mane and slender body complimented her well. Cadence smiled at the sight and hugged Luna, and Luna hugged her back. "Good morning Luna, sleep well?" Cadence asked and noticed a slight blush across the older alicorn mares face. "W-Well, it was a most enjoyable sleep, yes, you could say that." Luna stated and adverted her gaze from Cadence's looking at the changeling. "Now! I do believe we have a trip to Canterlot planned for today, but first we should eat. Wouldn't want to be hungry on the train ride back would we?"

Cadence raised an eyebrow at the quick and sudden change of topic, and at the fact that Luna rushed off, the changeling staying right behind her. Cadence followed quickly, waving off the guards as she did so. As they entered the royal dining room, several crystal pony servants came out with already prepared meals came out of one door and set the table, not seeming to mind the changeling that followed the two rulers.

As Cadence and Luna took their seats, Sixty-four stood firmly next to Luna. Cadence raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat. "So, Luna, what did you find out from our friend here? I'm sure Princess Celestia will find this...intresting at least, and not to mention he wasn't found in his bed this morning?" She said and wiggled her eyebrows at Luna, giggling as the lunar princess blushed deeply.

Luna finished the food in her mouth and let out a small giggle at the antics, clearing her throat as she looked at Cadence. "Yes, well. Your first question, I have indeed found out why Sixty-four here keeps calling me queen. It's because when I gave him energy, we somehow formulated this 'hive mind' as he calls it. It's some form of telepathy, but apparently, he was without a queen at the moment so, I suppose he latched onto me." Luna stated and pushed more food into her mouth.

Sixty-four suddenly spoke up as the two rulers ate. "I wasss...banished frommm my home hive...my Queen." The two rulers stared at him, silence passing over the group. Sixty-four could sense the unease and spoke up again. "FForgivve my oouut burrsst...my queen" He hissed gently and remained quiet afterwords, but Luna spoke up. "What did you do to get banished for Sixty-four..?" Luna now looked up at him as she asked.

Sixty-four looked back down at her and channeled magic into his horn. "I was given important objectives to complete and failed to complete them my Queen." Luna raised her eyebrow and motioned for him to keep going, Cadence simply looked between the two. "The first task was to protect a messenger to Queen Chrysalis. We were ambushed by rival changelings, and I couldn't save the messenger. Shortly after this i was assigned to guard a entrance with another praetorian guard, we notified Queen Frostbite about intruders and she gave us orders to get rid of them, I also failed this and as punishment I was banished to whatever fate would befall me, and I believe that you found me shortly after I collapsed to love starvation. My Queen."

Luna had finished her meal as had Cadence albeit quicker than Luna did. The changelings voice faded from her mind and she sighed softly, unable to see how the changeling before her had possibly failed any of the given assignments. She spoke after giving it some thought. "You said you were...what, a 'Praetorian Changeling'? tell me, were you some form of guard?" Sixty-four nodded softly.

Cadence spoke up and looked to Luna. "Whats a 'praetorian'? it sounds quite powerful." Luna nodded and looked back to the younger alicorn across from her. Indeed it is my dear niece. In the old days before I was banished, elite guards were given the name of praetorian, it was a badge of honor and one not easily gained. Usually they protected the nations ruler, with little thought they would give their lives without hesitation even, for their leaders. So for Sixty-four here to acclaim such a title..." Cadence widened her eyes at the new discovery, the changeling before her guarded a queen.

Luna stood and cleared her throat, smiling softly. "Well, I do believe we have a train to catch back to Equestria." Luna turned and looked at Sixty-four. "And you, Sixty-four will have quite the story for everyone back in Canterlot" Luna said as the group left for the train station. Sixty-four would as he had guessed, have to reveal his actions against the ponies sooner or later, but he was not one for lies unless absolutely necessary. Cadence was just excited to see her husband and favourite sister-in-law.