Caballeron's Prize

"I imagine vanilla is a fantastic export. We'll be sure to let our businesses know you're looking for buyers." Celestia loosely leaned over the large mahogany desk within Caballeron's study, almost stumbling as she hiccupped to herself.

"You know, you're a sly bastard, but you sure know how to organize a potluck. Do you have those here still? I can't recall if that was us in the pot or the beans. Luna! Were we the beans!?" The princess drunkenly leaned back while Luna stared blankly at a bookshelf.

"I think they mixed the beans with us."

"Like they thought we were beans or that we would taste better with beans?" Tia hiccuped again, floating a large wine bottle over to sip from again. "Agh who know's with griffins. They're a moody bunch."

"Sister! It's talk like that that made them hate us in the first place. Do you think those beak breathed buffoons would appreciate hearing such language!?" The darker sister tipped over, leaning to her side as a bundle of books fell off of the shelf onto her head one after the other before she broke out laughing.

"P-perhaps we should turn in for the night. You two have had a long day." Caballeron stuttered, having a drunk pair of alicorns that can control celestial bodies stumbling around your office would make anyone nervous.

"You'd like that wouldn't you, you little cradle robber! Gettin all snuggled up in silk sheets that you stole. *hic*" The larger of the duo laid back her bottle with a final swig before spilling it on the desk. "Luna! Tell Cabby his cigar smoking isn't endearing."

"I bet he puts them up his butt!" Luna slipped forward snorting in a heinous laugh, catching the falling bookshelf with her own hoof before clearing her throat. "Mmm Tai, we should go to bed."

"Good idea, sis. The boat's rocking might make me barf though."

Caballeron rolled his eyes at having his idea stolen by the younger of the two mares as he trotted around his desk. "Fabulous thought. You two should rest. I'll have some guards escort you back to your ship." The stallion almost begged, moving the bottle that was slammed down away from the edge before it could fall.

"No, we'll fly ourselves. We can dodge so many arrows!"

"Hooooh!"

The count slammed the door behind them with a slow sink into the carpet. His body exhausted from entertaining those two as he nearly passed out in the dimming light of the fireplace. "Ugh..." He tapped his head against the door before a small knock right at his ear level politely rapped. He lifted himself and made his way past the trashed desk to seat himself. "Come in."

"My count?" Scootaloo peeked in with a blink at the sight of the room. Papers, furniture and other various decorations strewn about as he leaned on his desk in the utter mess. "Should I come back?"

"Why am I surrounded by alcoholics? How was I living underground from alcoholics!?" He seemed genuinely flabbergasted, he wouldn't be surprised if Rainbow herself had a taste for cider at this point.

"Um. Because you keep serving it." She spoke bluntly, entering the room with a quick brush of her hoof from a thankfully unbroken vase rolling on the cushioned red carpet. "Also cause it's fun." The filly looked up realizing it was more of a rhetorical question. "Then it isn't."

"We miraculously managed several trade deals and discussed even a national sport event to improve relations before the conversation devolved into types of armor for winged fighters and the historical significance of beans! I'm worried they won't even remember tonight!" He tapped the edge of his hoof on the papers of his desk before sitting down with a sigh.

"I'm still learning this places history and they've got me completely outmatched. Even drunk they were running laps around me." He vented, leaving an opening for the tired filly to approach.

"They lived for a millennia. Even learning the history, you're outmatched. They lived it." She giggled, cleaning up the bottles like she would with her own habit before he put his hoof over hers to stop from grabbing the giant empty bottle on his desk.

"Leave it. We have maids now."

"Right." She gulped, seeing his only eye soften before pulling her into his lap.

"I assume you all had an interesting conversation in the baths when they arrived." He spoke gently. His deep voice tickling her ear again as she shuddered in his space. A pair of lips rubbed down her neck as she nearly melted over him like butter.

"Mhm."

The stallions warm sigh halted in expectation, blackmailing her of the warmth. "Well?"

"They plan to challenge you at our wedding like you said. They won't do it themselves though. They don't want to reignite old history." She yawned, putting her hooves around his neck while sinking over his shoulder. "You know I hate talking politics."

"I know. A challenger you say?" He pulled her over his back, getting tired himself. He prepared to bring the two of them to bed by putting his cloak above her like a blanket before heading to the hall.

"Mhm. Twilight rules Equestria now so they think she could step in." She nuzzled behind his neck, getting an equal shudder from the stallion count as he carried her into the hall. "New face and all that."

"Not unexpected. I'll have to prepare." He sighed, his hooves becoming heavier as he saw the dark oak door into his chambers. A stoic stallion with silver armor saluted silently next to the chamber door, his diligence in guarding the room answered with a similarly silent nod from the count.

"You're not taking me to my room?" She asked. The two of them had actually been rather busy with their new duties, and she rarely got to visit his private space. Though it wasn't required, Snowrock customs normally had fiance's sleep separately to embolden their night after marriage. Caballeron was emboldened enough for the kingdom thrice over anyway.

"We have a few days free. I've missed you." He spoke gently, giving her that same feeling Celestia tried to talk down earlier in the day.

"You too."

Opening the door, they were greeted to a much darker room with oak lined walls and a black carpet. The bed itself a dark maroon with oddly, pale pink sheets. A brown engraved frame matching the walls with privacy curtains for the bed showed just how much Caballeron was accustomed to cutting himself off from the world.

Bookshelves to the ceiling, two plush couches with a coffee table between them as well as a decorative globe filled the nearby corner. His trademark bar mixed with his immediate study area filled the rest of the back of the room. An entrance to the bathroom, mirror and dressing station lined the wall to the right of the door they entered.

Without a word, the count brought her to the side of his bed and let her climb into the silken sheets. The mattress sinking her as the firmer one underneath caught her weight. Slumping on her belly, she watched the doctor pull off his cloak and almost took off his eyepatch, before remembering he had company.

His face turned slightly red before turning away to take off the eyepatch, only to turn back with a different one with a more cushioned back that rested easier on his face. A goofy drawn on smiley face Scootaloo recognized she made weeks ago for him to wake up too when looking in the mirror. "Nice eyepatch."

"It's my favorite one.~" He flirted, climbing onto the pink blankets to join her before slipping under, bringing the filly close to his chest with ease. He snickered and pulled her closer. The pegasus seeing herself in mirror he had pinned to the roof of his bedframe. Her long mane now spread along the pillows, which he tucked his hoof into. The sight would have horrified her back then, but somehow...

"Rainbow isn't..." The warmth became still around her as she spoke, realizing what she was about to reveal. "Alive anymore. Celestia said she was found trying to save herself in the hourglass, holding Daring down to try and breathe through the top and died in a coma." Scootaloo spoke bluntly. Where did all that come from?

"So that's why you were crying." Caballeron sighed, doing his best not to let out a laugh of smugness. "Heroes are overrated. Just do right by who you can. Even if it's only yourself." The stallion muttered, leaning to her and licking her shut eyelids from the fresh tears. "Killed by her biggest fan, hm? Tragic."

"I mean, it was pretty much you." She spoke matter-of-factly. Her "mourning" finally eased and was able to speak more frankly about the events. Especially with the secret she was holding onto now.

"I know." He grumbled, rolling on his back with a huff, looking up at his reflection with the reminder over his face. Even the smile drawn on his eye covering felt almost mocking. "I expected them to escape like they usually do, working together. I even admired them for it despite hating them. Now you're telling me Rainbow made the selfish choice and doomed them both. It kind of feels like my victory was stolen."

The silhouette of Scoots climbed over with her lavender eyes almost glowing in the firelight. Her eyes half-lidded with a tender expression. "Can I fix it?" She asked sweetly, almost begging as she leaned forward, letting her fruit tasting lips peck his gently. "You won. I'm here. That should be all that matters right now, right?" She spoke gently, letting her tail brush between his legs slowly. "Didn't you want to win so you could have it all, everything Daring took?"

"Si. Si..." He gulped audibly as her flanks rolled and rotated along his lap. His length lifting slowly with every throb as she gazed and bit her lower lip lightly. "We shouldn't. This place has customs."

"I'm already showing. You can either get in while you can or you'll have to wait." The filly giggled, slowly blinking. These long years had turned her into a needy mare, now more of his partner than his toy.

"You brat. You know I can't resist you." The stallion panted, leaning up as her smaller maw opened wide, dipping her tongue out to greedily catch his in a warm, twisted embrace. His large hooves bringing her down on his chest as his length begun poking and prodding along her winking folds, now much more loosened after dozens of long, messy nights of sex."