Later that Evening

Luna awoke from her slumber with a start at the sound of a hoof banging against her door. She jolted upright and spun toward the door, tangling herself in her bedsheets immediately. She quickly lost her balance and fell right out of her bed, falling onto the floor with a *thud*. She let out a long, annoyed groan as she ignited her horn and teleported a few feet to the side, standing on her hooves.

The moon princess looked down at her sheets with a glare before making her way over to the door that was still being pounded on. She grabbed the handle with her hoof and yanked the door open with all her alicorn strength, fully intending to reprimand whoever was outside making so much noise and showing such a lack of respect. However, before she could even utter a word, a white blur bolted into her room, knocking her down to the floor once more.

Celestia immediately magic'd the door shut and grabbed Luna with her hooves.

"Luna! I'm so sorry! I know you were still trying to sleep for another hour, but I just couldn't keep waiting. I have something urgent I must tell you!" Celestia exclaimed, her muzzle just an inch from Luna's.

Luna's brow furrowed, "Sister what, pray tell, could be so important that you'd barge into my chambers like this? We're not under attack, are we?" She asked.

"No, nothing like that. It's something far more... difficult." Celestia replied.

"Then what is it?" Luna asked with a flippant sigh.

Celestia released her grip on her sister's face and quickly took to pacing in front of her, "I'll tell you, but Luna, please understand that when I wrote it, I was so depressed and alone after what happened that I made a mistake. I didn't want to find somepony, but every single advisor for two centuries straight kept telling me to move on and that it would make the stallions upset if I didn't agree, and I was so lost and desperate for our ponies to be happy, b-but I could never be with one of them because of our promise... and I just... I didn't mean to forget about it, and-" She began.

"Tia!" Luna shouted, freezing the larger alicorn mid-step.

Luna rubbed the bridge of her muzzle with her hoof and fixed Celestia with a steady frown.

"What did you do, exactly?" She asked.

"Well... Like I was saying, it happened a long time ago, and I just really didn't think anypony would still know of it after so long-" Celestia continued, only to be cut off again.

"Oh for the love of-," Luna facehoofed, "Will you just spit it out already!"

Celestia flinched at her sister's harsh tone. She sighed quietly before taking a deep breath and starting again.

"Alright. I'm sorry, I'm just... it's just a lot to take in and I want to make sure you understand that I didn't ever intend for this to happen." She dejectedly replied, her gaze falling to the floor.

Luna's harsh gaze softened almost immediately. She quietly walked up to her sister and nuzzled her cheek. The contact was soft and tender, forcing a gentle sigh from the solar princess as she inhaled the scent of lavender from her sister. After a few moments, they pulled apart enough to look at each other once more. Luna leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Celestia's muzzle, earning a tiny gasp before she pulled away once more.

"I'm sorry that I was being so harsh. I'm just not a morning pony, you know. Please, tell me what exactly is the problem." Luna said.

Celestia nodded, "Okay. Did you by any chance read over the 'Paired Sister Act of two hundred and sixty two'?" Celestia asked.

Luna's brow furrowed in concentration, "I... don't think so. I don't recall reading any law with that title yet. Although, I have been focusing more on the modern laws, not edicts written well over seven hundred years ago." She said.

Celestia nodded slowly, "Lulu, what I'm about to tell you will almost certainly infuriate you. However, please understand that I did what I did because I love you so much... I wanted you back and I did what I thought I had to do to keep our ponies happy." She explained.

Luna tilted her head to the side, "Just what did you do?"

"I wrote a law that specified a date after you were destined to return. On that date, I agreed to choose one stallion for us to be married to-" Celestia began.

"WHAT!?" Luna shouted, cutting her off again and making the walls shake.

Celestia winced and her ears splayed back against her skull for a moment before she was able to speak again, albeit with a slight ringing on her ears.

"Lulu, please understand that the reason I even agreed to that, was because the ponies back then would not stop asking for my hoof in marriage. I had over two thousand marriage proposals in one year at one point! I thought that if I wrote a law into place, agreeing to what they wanted, but so far in the future that literally every single one of them would have passed by the time it came around, that nopony would remember or even try anymore. I didn't think they'd keep tabs on that law for over seven hundred years!" Celestia responded, frantically.

"Oh you have to be kidding me! You honestly thought that mortal ponies wouldn't keep records of laws that they wish to exploit?! Why couldn't you just say 'no, I'm not interested in anypony' and just leave it at that!?" Luna shouted, her face contorted into a snarl.

"Because I love them too much to say that! I don't even believe that myself! There have been literally thousands of stallions I would have thrown myself at if not for our promise. A promise that I've kept and cared for every single day for over a millennia!" Celestia shouted back, a steady frown on her face.

"I know that!" Luna snarled, "You've seen quite fit to remind me every time it comes up! Either way, that doesn't change the fact that you could have just told them no!"

"I couldn't! If I did, I would lose my position as princess of the sun!" Celestia screamed.

Luna stepped back, an aghast look on her face, "W-what?! What are you talking about?"

Celestia took a moment to catch her breath and sigh, her entire form wilting as she exhaled, "I... I made a mistake."

Luna walked over to her sister and eyed her cautiously, "What happened?"

Celestia swallowed her nerves back as she looked back up to the lunar alicorn.

"I... I signed the Act with blood. Apparently the runes in the Act have binded me by my position as a princess of Equestria. I'll lose my power as an alicorn, and simply... fade away." She admitted, her eyes misting slightly.

Luna's jaw dropped, "What? Tia, why would you do such a thing!?"

"I don't know! I was so distraught after I lost you that I just... I don't know... I didn't want to be here if something went wrong and you didn't..." Celestia trailed off, tears spilling from her tightly closed eyes.

Luna frowned as she looked away from her sister for a moment. She bit her lip in frustration before sighing and pulling the larger alicorn into a hug. Celestia immediately wrapped her hooves around Luna and squeezed her tightly against her chest. The pair held each other as the Celestia sobbed into Luna's wither.

The younger alicorn gently stroked her hoof through her sister's mane while she whispered gently into her ear, "It's alright, sister. I understand... I'm sorry I got so upset, I just didn't know."

Celestia nodded in her sister's embrace before pulling away and sniffling a few times, "T-thank you, Lulu. I'm sorry about that. I don't mean to cry... it's just that when I think about those days, all I can remember is the pain." She explained.

"Fear not, sister. I am always here for you," Luna replied, planting a gentle kiss on Celestia's cheek, "Just know that what happened back then will never happen again, I promise."

Celestia nodded and returned a soft kiss on Luna's muzzle before the sisters pulled apart completely. Luna eyed Celestia curiously for a second before igniting her horn and magicking away any tear streaks from her cheeks.

"Thank you, Lulu." Celestia smiled.

"Of course, Tia," Luna returned the smile before her expression turned serious once more, "So tell me, what stallion has wormed their way into day court and demanded to be wed to you?"

"...Us." Celestia whispered.

"Pardon?" Luna raised an eyebrow.

"Lulu... the act binds me by title, but it's the Paired Sister Act. It also binds you by blood." Celestia elaborated, a large pit forming in her stomach.

Luna shook her head, "I must be mishearing you, sister. Are you actually saying that I have to marry this stallion as well?" She pressed, her eyes squinting in disbelief.

Celestia gulped, "I... I'm afraid so. I reread the Act over a dozen times since this morning and... it does refer to you several times by name."

Luna fell to her haunches, "T-Tia... you can't be serious!" She exclaimed.

Celestia's ears pinned back against her skull at Luna's volume. She closed her eyes and shook her head, sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Lulu... I am." She admitted.

Luna's breathing quickly accelerated and she forced herself back to her hooves.

"B-but, Tia! I don't even like stallions in that way!" She cried, a frantic look on her face.

"I know! I know. I don't want this to happen any more than you do. Trust me, I've been doing my best-" Celestia began.

"Don't give me that! It's easy for you to say that! You've always been fond of mares and stallions! The last time I even attempted to woo one, he screamed and ran in terror!" Luna shouted, thrusting an accusing hoof toward her sister.

"I know! I remember that, but Lulu, that was over a thousand years ago! Times have changed, and Anonymous is actually-"

"Who the buck is Anonymous!?" Luna screamed, her voice cracking slightly.

Celestia winced, "He's the stallion that I chose out of all the stallions there." She explained.

"You've already decided!?" Luna's eyes widened.

"I had to! Luna, I had to decide quickly! There were over two hundred stallions in day court today!" Celestia exclaimed.

Luna facehoofed and sighed, loudly, "Why, pray tell, did you pick this Anonymous character, then?"

"There are a few reasons. Namely, he's a human. He's not from Equestria. When Nightmare Moon returned, she ripped open a vortex in the fabric of reality, and by some unfortunate circumstance, he was sucked into our world from his. I've already put Twilight on the task of sending him home, along with some of the best and brightest from the School for Gifted Unicorns, but they've all told me the same answer. There simply isn't a way to send him home that wouldn't kill him. He's different from a pony." Celestia explained in one long breath.

"Different how?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, he's a nonmagical creature, for starters. He's a biped and has almost no fur on his body... and his face is a lot flatter than anypony you've ever seen before-"

"He sounds repulsive." Luna interrupted.

Celestia frowned, "Lulu... That was just hurtful. While he may not be the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen, I've definitely seen uglier. In fact, he has something of a charm about him if I'm being honest. He doesn't seem intimidated by me or by what's been thrust onto him. He just seems confused. In fact... if I'm being honest, I think he's probably handling this news better than either of us."

Luna rolled her eyes, "I will have to judge his appearance for myself. Regardless of that... are you absolutely certain that there isn't some way around this? Tia... We promised." She said, her tone shifting.

Celestia sighed, "I know, Lulu. I know. I'm sorry. I told him that he would have dinner with us and we would all discuss everything then. That's the good news I wanted to tell you."

"What?" Luna asked.

"Anon seems very reasonable. My thoughts are that he'll understand our situation and will agree to let the marriage just be for show. We might have to go out with him in public from time to time, maybe a few dates here and there to really sell it, but aside from a chaste kiss here and there, we wouldn't have to go any further with him. It would be just like it is now, but on rare occasion we would have to pretend to love him." Celestia elaborated.

Luna pursed her lips as she thought over the proposal. She kept silent as Celestia watched her with expectant eyes.

"Are... are you certain that he will agree to that? Every stallion I've ever met would boast to all of Canterlot that he was bedding you... and they certainly wouldn't keep our relationship a secret either, lest we force them to." Luna replied.

"Luna, we can't force ponies to do anything anymore. Those days are long gone. These days... we have much less power when it comes to our ponies." Celestia sighed.

"Before I was banished to the moon, we'd simply behead any fool that would dare try to taint our good names." Luna muttered.

"As I said, Lulu. We can't do that anymore. In fact... that's probably why stallions were so afraid of you back then." Celestia suggested.

Luna rolled her eyes, "Regardless, you still haven't answered my question."

Celestia sighed, "I... am not certain. As I said before, he seems to be quite reasonable. I can only hope that my hunch is correct. If not, then I'm not sure what we're going to do. The only thing we can use as leverage is that he's an alien creature in our world, and without our assistance, he'll be lost. Having said that, I wouldn't dare go that far unless completely necessary." She explained.

Luna took a moment to think before grunting in affirmation and looking over at the clock on the wall.

"Well, it is almost dinner right now. I should prepare for my night, and you should prepare for dinner. We'll discuss the rest of this once this Anonymous shows up." Luna relented.

"Very well. Thank you, sister. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear today... I didn't want to hear it either, but I promise I will make it up to you." Celestia smiled.

The lunar alicorn nodded and leaned in for a kiss. Celestia happily obliged before pulling away and making her way out of the room.

"I will see you soon, sister." She said as she closed the door behind her.

Dinner

Anon walked into the massive dining room of the castle with Javelin at his side. Together, they observed the almost excessively long Oakwood table spanning nearly the length of the entire room. Long tapestries hung between each tall stained glass window lining the walls of the room, providing a warm atmosphere as the sun slowly set in the horizon. A pair of guards stood at every doorway, giving a slightly imposing aura to the room as Anon adjusted his collar and glanced back and forth.

"So, uh... where are Princess Celestia and Luna?" Anon asked, looking down to Javelin.

"Princess Celestia is finishing up with her duties at the moment. As soon as she's done, she should be here along with Princess Luna. Just wait for the sun to dip below the horizon and they'll both be here." Javelin replied, looking back up to Anon.

Anon looked back out the window just in time to see the last of the sun sinking under the horizon. Gentle purple twilight lit the sky as night slowly took over the outside world, followed by two massive doors opening. Anon glanced to either side of the room to see Celestia and Luna entering from opposing doors as they made their way to the dining table. While Celestia gave him a polite nod, Luna didn't seem to even acknowledge his presence as she walked over to her seat on the far side of the table.

Despite the situation raking at his nerves, there was a brief moment in which Anon was completely captivated by Luna's mysterious navy blue coat, her majestic and sparkling mane that seemed to hold an entire constellation by itself, and her piercing teal eyes that seemed to see right through him. If he weren't so nervous, he would honestly be speechless.

Anon looked back to Javelin, finding him pointing toward the table, "Go ahead sir, You can sit down in any of the open seats."

Anon nodded before walking over to the center of the table and standing beside the centermost chair. He glanced over to both princesses to find them magically pulling their chairs out and sitting down without making a sound. With a small shrug, he pulled his chair out, only for the wood to squeak loudly against the tile floors. The sudden, high pitched noise echoed deafeningly in the nearly silent hall, making Anon wince and directing all eyes to him.

With a small gulp, Anon pulled the chair out further, this time producing a longer, and much louder squeaking sound. He looked over to Celestia and Luna, finding that both princesses were giving him incredibly perplexed looks. He hastily sat down in the chair and scooted it forward, making even more noise that raked at everypony's ears in the room. Finally, he found himself in a comfortable position in the chair.

The deathly silence in the room made Anon gulp nervously, his eyes darting back and forth to the princesses looking at him with confusion or distaste on their faces. After a few minutes, the silence became unbearable.

"So..." Anon began, drumming his fingers on the table.

Celestia cleared her throat, "Anonymous, I don't believe you've been properly introduced. This is my sister, Princess Luna. Luna, this is Anonymous." She announced, a weak smile on her face.

"It's uh... it's good to meet you, Princess." Anon responded, looking at Luna.

"Charmed." Luna replied, dryly.

Anon bit his tongue and looked back over to Javelin with a pleading look. The stallion only shrugged and offered a sympathetic half smile in return. Anon silently sighed before turning back to look at the royal sisters still staring at him. He awkwardly cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak just as the waiter stepped in through the doorway.

"Oh thank God." He whispered as the waiter walked over to Celestia.

"Princess, good evening. What would you like for dinner tonight?" The waiter asked.

"I'll just have the daffodil and rosemary salad, please." Celestia replied with a small smile.

"Of course, your highness." The waiter replied, bowing slightly. He quickly made his way over to Luna, "And for you, your highness?"

"Fruit salad with extra kale." Luna curtly responded.

"It'll be out shortly, Princess." He said, bowing once more.

The waiter swiftly made his way over to Anon and looked at him curiously, "And for you, sir?" He inquired.

"Uh... I'm not... entirely sure. You, uh... you guys got soup?" Anon asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"We can make any dish, sir. There are chefs from all across the country as well as a few neighboring countries that work in the kitchen." The waiter explained.

Anon's eyes darted back and forth between the two princesses as they continued to stare at him. He felt a bead of sweat drip down his neck as he nervously fidgeted with his hands under the table.

"Uh... I think I'll just stick with soup tonight... uh-" Anon's voice cracked, "-you guys do tomato soup?" He lamely asked.

The waiter nodded and bowed before replying, "Of course, sir. It'll be right out."

With that, the stallion left the table and headed back to the kitchen, leaving Anon alone with Celestia and Luna once more. The man in question eyed the lunar diarch with caution, his entire body subconsciously leaning toward the more friendly solar alicorn in the process. This only seemed to make Luna glare even harder.

Finally, Celestia broke the uncomfortable silence, "Guards? Would you please excuse us for a few minutes. My sister and I need to speak with Anonymous in private." She announced.

"Yes, your highness!" The three guards responded while they immediately saluted and turned to leave.

Anon desperately turned to Javelin as he trotted out the door. He weakly reached for the stallion as the doors closed behind him, sealing him inside with the two alicorns.

"Don't leave me... I'm scared." Anon weakly muttered as his hand fell to his side.

If Celestia and Luna heard him, they made no indication that they had. The larger alicorn cleared her throat, quickly gaining Anon's attention.

"Alright, Anonymous. As I promised, you'll have your answers. My sister and I will explain everything we know and then we'll offer you the position, provided you haven't already decided you don't want any part of this. Please hold any of your questions until I'm finished." Celestia explained, her calm, soothing voice easing Anon's nerves slightly.

Anon nervously glanced over to Luna one more time, finding her gaze was still much the same as earlier, before giving a nod of acknowledgment to Celestia.

"Thank you. Now, as I'm sure you're wondering, no, the Act that Comet Star referred to earlier this morning does not in any way bind you. Should you refuse our offer, you'll be free to go without any kind of negative retribution. As for the Act itself, what happened was simple. A long time ago, I promised my ponies that I would choose a stallion to be the royal consort after my sister returned from her banishment to the moon." Celestia started, cautiously aware of how Luna frowned upon the mentioning of her banishment.

"The deadline for me to choose a partner has come this morning. Obviously, I chose you-" Celestia elaborated, before Anon raised his hand, "-Um... yes, Anon."

Anon lowered his hand and awkwardly coughed into his fist, "Right, uh... I need something clarified if you wouldn't mind. You keep mentioning the position as the royal consort... not your royal consort. I'm uh... a little confused as to what that's implying."

Celestia sagely nodded, "As the royal consort, you will be wed to me and my sister. While we've had separate lovers before, almost all of our lovers were the same pony. It's not uncommon for a stallion to have two or more mares as lovers." She explained.

Anon wilted as his gaze drifted over to the intimidating lunar alicorn on the opposite end of the table, "Oh... great. More madness." His voice came out like a small squeak.

"Now, the reason for me choosing you is... complicated. For you to understand that, I need you to understand my relationship with my sister." Celestia continued.

Anon looked over at Luna with a curious eyebrow raised.

"Our relationship is... not exactly what you would consider common. As you know, we're both well over one thousand years old. As far as we know, aside from ancient beings imprisoned in stone, we are the oldest living creatures in Equestria. Over the millennia... we've seen everypony around us die from any number of causes. Be it war, famine, disease, or simply old age, we've lost everypony we've ever known or cared about... except each other." Celestia gave Luna a small smile, which the smaller alicorn hesitantly returned.

Anon looked back and forth between the two alicorns curiously before Celestia continued.

"A long time ago, we both had lovers. Stallions and mares alike that we both truly loved... until they were gone. I know this might be hard for you to understand, Anonymous... but there's only so many loved ones a pony can lose before they can't take the pain anymore. That... that was what happened to my sister and I." Celestia continued, a sad smile on her face.

Anon frowned at the look on the alicorn's face, "I-I don't think I follow." He admitted.

Celestia sighed, "My sister and I made a promise, over a thousand years ago, after losing the ponies we loved on the same day... to never love a mortal pony again." She mournfully recounted.

Anon's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between the royal sisters. Even Luna's frown had softened into something more sorrowful than displeased from the story.

"You... you both lost the ponies you loved on the same day?" Anon asked, incredulously.

For the first time in a while, Luna replied, "They were both in the Royal Guard... We were facing an invasion from the Griffons and... they both died in the battle." She explained.

Anon looked back over to Celestia just as she started to continue once more.

"Yes, that was one of the saddest days of our lives... so it was after that day that we promised each other that we would never again fall for mortal ponies. We would only fall for each other." Celestia finished.

Anon nodded at her words for just a second, before pausing and holding up a finger, "Now, when you say 'fall for each other' do... do you mean like..." he trailed off.

"Romantically." Celestia responded.

Anon owlishly blinked, "...Wut?"

Author's Note

Just to clear this up before anyone gets confused, Luna is bisexual in this story. She's just kinda given up on dating stallions since they're always so scared of her. I'm not doing the "gay person suddenly turns straight when the find the right partner" kind of thing.