After the defeat of Nightmare Moon… Princess Luna had established a new routine.

At least once a week she would teleport or fly to Ponyville to have breakfast with Midnight and Anon instead of having breakfast with her sister, like she did the other six days a week. This served to allow her to spend more time with her former fiancé and his new wife and to try to reestablish ties to him and establish ties to her. The end goal was to be comfortable in joining them in a herd marriage instead of the single marriage they had planned originally.

Not that it was going well.

Anon seemed more than willing to share her husband but it was Midnight that seemed shy about it. He had claimed not to mind herds in the past, but he still seemed stubborn in not wanting to betray his new wife, given that her culture had little to no herding, or polygamy, as she called it.

It had been a month since Nightmare Moon had been banished and this was Luna’s fourth breakfast with Midnight’s family. She found herself troubled by the fact that despite Midnight not having traditional royal duties, and with the recent peace he wasn’t engaged in warfare, he still seemed so busy. He barely seemed to have time for her.

Or maybe he was avoiding her.

That thought gave her both pause and sorrow. Of course he forgave her, and his prank, cruel as it was, evened the score… but he had to be bitter over what they lost. 1,000 years isn’t forgotten overnight, and she knew that.

It was a dark and ominous morning in Ponyville, with thick dark clouds that seemed to block the sun and a steady rainfall that was both calming and hushed. Walking up to the estate brought her back to her younger years. Midnight had always claimed he was going to build such an estate in the countryside, in the middle of nowhere, as a retreat for both of them to escape palace intrigue for a while. An estate near Whitetail Woods and not far from the Everfree Forest, less than five miles from the Castle of the Pony Sisters… was far from the middle of nowhere… at least while the Castle was in use. After the fall of the Castle of the Pony Sisters, with Canterlot Castle taking its place, built within the old sovereign territory of the ancient unicorns, this estate was in the middle of nowhere. At least until Ponyville was founded roughly four generations ago.

It seemed like a bad joke in its own right that Midnight had tried to find peace and get away from it all, only for civilization to creep back up on him and force him to interact with society. Not one to be rude, Luna knocked on the door and Anon answered it, looking like she hadn’t slept at all.

“Good morning, Luna. Would you like some coffee?”

Luna nodded slowly, clearly tired from her own nightly work. “I would like that, yes. Are you okay?”

Anon shook her head. “Midnight had a mission last night. I can never sleep when he’s out there doing dangerous things. I know he can handle himself but still… I worry.”

Luna smiled weakly. “You worry because you love him. The only reason why I don’t worry is because I’ve seen firsthoof what he can do. It would take an army to stop him… come to think of it… entire armies have failed to stop him.”

Anon laughed gently and showed the princess in. Despite only having been here a few times, Luna already had the place memorized. She had been shocked to find her old night throne in Midnight’s miniature throne room, but she didn’t need it as her sister had already secured her a newer one for the throne room in Canterlot.

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Luna sipped on the delicious cup of coffee Anon had provided. The coffee itself was no different than she had remembered but the way the human made it somehow made it taste better. She would have to inquire about that at some later time.

Luna cleared her throat. “So… did Midnight say what his mission was?”

Anon deflated. “…No. Only that it has something to do with the investigation that he’s been working on for the last few months. He managed to save me two months ago during an earlier part of the investigation into slavers illegally passing through Equestrian territory. All I know is that it’s something that has been happening for a long time and with your return he can finally put a stop to it. I’m not sure what he means about that… what can you do that Tia can’t?”

Luna sipped her coffee quietly, thinking about the clues presented. “Me and my sister are equal but opposite. She raises the sun and I raise the moon. She deals with the hassles of daytime politics, and I deal with the hassles of nightmares and the dreamscape. The only real difference is that I was always fond of foals whereas my sister never had time for them. I think that had something to do with me always having to calm their nightmares though.”

Anon looked confused about that. “What about Tia’s school for gifted unicorns?”

Luna coughed into her hoof. “That is more for education and the hope of finding ponies powerful enough to protect the nation and possibly ascend into alicornhood. As for myself, I simply adore foals. I was looking forward to having a few foals with Midnight…”

Anon nodded, understanding the circumstances and circular logic. “I’m still nudging Midnight into taking you as a second wife. It may be a slow process though… he’s stubborn… so I must push gently so he doesn’t dig in his hooves and refuse to budge.”

Luna nodded back in turn. “I appreciate your efforts and your understanding. Mission or not… Midnight knew I was coming today… I wonder if he’s avoiding me?”

Anon grimaced as she looked out the window towards the rain. “That’s part of what worries me. Even if he was avoiding you… he’d be here to greet you if only to redirect the accusation of avoiding you. At least during times like this when he knows your coming.”

A light tapping at the door alerted both of them to another guest. Anon left to answer the front door and came back with Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight bowed to Luna. “Your highness… I’m pleased to be able to attend one of these once-a-week meetings.”

Luna smiled. “Please rise and be at ease, Twilight. What brings you here?”

Twilight nodded towards Anon. “Anon’s offer to allow all of us to form a herd with Midnight was very compelling for me. I know that he’s my godstallion and practically helped raise me but… my mom wants me to get married and give her grandfoals, but I’ve been shy my entire life and I just don’t have a connection with any other stallions other than Midnight. I was hoping to gain both Anon’s and your consent to try to join the herd.”

Luna gulped. “I have no objection though most ponies would find the arrangement to be lewd. I would hate for Midnight to be accused of grooming you for this role.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped in shock, but she gulped and composed herself. “I suppose that could be a valid concern, but he is a good stallion. Very… righteous. I would wager that he’ll turn me down, but I still want to try so I’m not second guessing myself.”

Anon snorted. “To quote an Earth Comedian, ‘Once you go purple you never go back.’ I’m sure Midnight would love to have you… all of you.”

Twilight blushed at the implications of such an arrangement and Anon continued to smile.

Before Luna could reply, Moon Watcher burst into the room. “Anon! I need boiling hot water and clean towels, please? Hurry!”

Moon Watcher’s face practically smashed into the floor when she noticed Luna. “Your Highness! I’m so sorry…”

Luna perked up into something she referred to as ‘battle mode.’ “What’s the situation?”

Moon Watcher picked herself up from off the floor. “The mission was successful but there is a complication. We need medical attention… hot water and clean towels to clean up what’s about to happen…”

Anon quickly put on a pot of water to boil. “You know where the linen closet is, go get however many towels you think you’re going to need. Where’s Midnight?”

Moon Watcher gulped. “He’ll be here soon. We need the supplies as quickly as possible.”

Moon Watcher left the room in pursuit of the linens that she needed, and Twilight simply looked worried.

Twilight looked at Luna. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Luna nodded. “Get a fire going in the den’s fireplace. It’s the only room large enough to deal with a medical issue not being used for anything else and we’ll probably need the heat.”

Twilight trotted off to carry out the instructions, happy to be able to do anything to help.

Luna sighed. “So much for breakfast. I hope this isn’t too serious… but I’ve rarely seen any of Midnight’s personal soldiers lose their composure.”

Anon was watching the pot of water, wishing it to boil faster. “It’s hard for me to see Moon Watcher as a soldier under Midnight’s leadership. She’s always here at the Estate and he doesn’t need a personal bodyguard. I don’t get lover vibes from her and I’m not sure I’d be jealous if I did. Her bat wings are pretty. I just want him to be happy.”

Luna was unable to retort to that statement as the kitchen door opened. Midnight was standing there, holding a filly, and covered in blood.

“Is the water ready? Where is Moon Watcher?”

Anon paled at the sight. “Moon is getting the linens, and the water is almost ready. Midnight… are you…”

He shook his head. “The blood isn’t mine… but I wish it was. We need to hurry… we don’t have much time.”

Luna followed Midnight to the den and Anon brought the pot of water as soon as the first speck of a bubble appeared.

Anon looked down at the bloody filly laying there on the towels in front of the fire with Midnight and Luna fussing over her. The filly was in considerable pain and her stomach seemed to be moving on its own.

Midnight was doing his best to help her. “What is your name, miss?”

The filly answered, short of breath. “Silver Tears.”

Midnight winced. “Appropriate.”

Twilight was standing by, having nothing to do now that the fire was going. She whispered to Anon. “That is the fattest filly I’ve ever seen.”

Anon was going to reply when Silver Tears cried out in pain. Midnight cast a spell on her that seemed to deaden some of the pain but then positioned the filly in a way that left nothing to the imagination of what was about to happen.

Anon gulped. “She’s not fat… she’s pregnant… and it appears that she is in labor.”

Twilight frowned. “She can’t be pregnant… she doesn’t even have a cutie mark.”

Midnight sighed and spoke in Twilight’s general direction. “Oh… you sweet summer filly. The world is far darker than you know in the places that Celestia’s sun doesn’t reach. This is why Death Lords exist. The need for justice sometimes outweighs the need for friendship or kindness. Fillies start going into heat far younger than it is safe to conceive but that doesn’t stop some stallions from sticking their cocks inside of them anyways. This… atrocity… must be stopped.”

Midnight scanned the filly with magic and then a tear rolled down his cheek. “The foal is too big… or she is too small… She is going to die and there is nothing I can do to prevent it.”

The room stilled as Silver Tears continued to try to push the foal out with no success and the weight of the situation seemed to settle onto all the adults in the room.

Anon spoke up. “What about a C-section? Can you do that?”

Midnight turned to her with a frown. “What’s a C-section?”

Anon gulped, not realizing that a C-section wasn’t a thing here. “Well… on my world, when a child can’t be born naturally, a C-section is used to cut the foal out of the mother through the belly area. I imagine that I will need such a thing myself as I have no hope of pushing a foal through my birth canal. Just cut her womb open and take the foal out, and then sew her up or heal her with magic. Easy… right?”

Midnight looked at Luna. “Should I try? I’m not a doctor, officially, and unless we can get one from Ponyville Hospital in the next 20 minutes… she won’t survive.”

Luna gulped. “I trust you… do what needs to be done.”

Midnight opened his magical storage portal and pulled out a set of daggers. He used a spell to sterilize them medically and then set to work.

“Okay… so I gut the filly like a fish and get the foal out…”

Anon screamed. “NO!!! Gentle. Do a light incision over the womb, pull the foal out and then sew her up. Don’t spill all of her guts! I doubt even your magic could prevent death at that rate!”

Midnight snickered with a smirk. “Killjoy.”

Anon watched very pensively as Midnight cut the filly open at the spot that his magic told him to. The magic holding the daggers seemed very precise and the foal practically fell into Luna’s forelegs once the incision was completed. Luna worked to clean the foal up while Midnight cast healing spells to close the wound he had created.

In a matter of moments, the newborn foal was crying for his mother and Luna gave the foal to Silver Tears.

“Congratulations. It’s a colt.”

Silver Tears held the newborn with absolute fear. “No! Colts are killed! Only fillies are allowed to live…”

The statement shook the room as Silver Tears began to cry.

Anon stepped up. “Hey! Silver Tears! Nopony is going to kill your colt. You are safe here. Now… he’s hungry. Do what instinct tells you to do and feed him!”

Silver Tears shook in place and then slowly lowered the colt to her teats to nurse. The colt latched on and started to suckle. Silver Tears sighed as relief vacated her swollen underdeveloped teats.

Midnight walked a few paces away to give her the illusion of privacy and the rest of the household followed him.

He cleared his throat. “I am taking Silver Tears and her unnamed foal into my household as my wards. If anypony has an objection, voice it now.”

Twilight nodded. “I would lose trust in you if you didn’t.”

Anon nodded. “They are welcome. I will raise them myself as a daughter and grandson… even if I am too young to be a grandma.”

Luna frowned. “You didn’t just stumble across this… this is part of a larger problem… isn’t it?”

Midnight sagged, clearly exhausted. “Yes. I am working to fix it but it’s not as easy an issue to fix as it should be. Give me a few weeks and I might have something in place.”

Luna’s frown became more pronounced. “A few weeks? I remember when you would have had something like this mopped up in a few days. Losing your edge?”

Midnight shook his head as exhaustion started to overtake him. “I’m as sharp as ever, it’s the laws that are different. Celestia has been refining laws continuously over the last 1,000 years. She needed to be able to govern without the steel hooves of the Death Lords, which largely belonged to you. While I legally can still spill as much blood as I wish, it’s kinda frowned upon nowadays. Strictly speaking… only you or another Death Lord has the power to create new Death Lords. Only Fluttershy and I remain as Death Lords… and I only made her one to save her life. I seriously doubt that she will ever forge a new Death Lord herself, so it falls back to you. I’m doing the work of twelve Death Lords and even with less to do than there used to be, it’s a lot of work for just one pony, no matter how capable.”

Luna nodded slowly. “How many Death Lords do we need?”

Midnight considered the question. “Six Death Lords should be enough for the amount of work that exists for us. I would recommend making five more… given that I don’t expect Fluttershy to work much, and she needs to be available for Element of Harmony business.”

Moon Watcher joined the conversation, clearly as tired as Midnight. “If you don’t need me for anything else, I believe I could use some rest.”

Midnight walked over to her and nuzzled her, something that Anon had never seen him do before. “You did good work tonight, Moony. Get some rest.”

Moon Watcher nuzzled him back, as if forgetting that there were other ponies in the room. “Thanks… good night dad.”

Moon Watcher stumbled back to the part of the estate that had her room. Anon looked at Midnight with wide eyes. “I could have sworn that you said you had no children.”

Midnight snorted. “She’s so tired that I doubt she realized that she said it. It’s a long story. If Twilight wants to come back over tonight, I’ll tell both of you the whole story, but I need some sleep first.”

He returned to Silver Tears. “I’m going to set you up in one of the bedrooms. It’ll give you and the colt some privacy. How does that sound?”

Silver Tears gave a weak smile. “Sounds nice. Thank you…”

Midnight lifted her in his magic and started up the staircase to where all the bedrooms were. He paused and turned back to Luna.

“Do you want to join us in the master bedroom? The bed is large enough for three.”

Luna blushed. “I… would like to but I don’t want to overstay my welcome. I want you to let me join the herd… not just sleep with me.”

Midnight rolled his eyes. “And cuddling is a nice bonding activity that might put me in a better frame of mind to invite you in. Suit yourself. I know Anon stayed up all night worrying about me, and Silver Tears is going to have her hooves full with the colt.”

Midnight disappeared upstairs and Luna was left fretting in the Den. “What should I do? I hate being indecisive!”

Anon frowned. “Midnight is right, you know. If you can’t cuddle with him, how can he trust to believe that you still want to marry him. If this is the time of day that you normally go to bed anyways and he did invite you to join us, turning him down would be sending mixed messages. Besides… it’s raining… you don’t want to fly back to Canterlot in this. Twilight can stay and read books in Midnight’s library and otherwise make herself at home if it pleases her and we can try to start acting more like a family. It really is that simple.”

Luna bit her lip. “Are you sure?”

Anon rolled her eyes, mimicking Midnight. “He said cuddle, not threesome. I’m sure that he’s too tired to even consider sex. He’s giving you a chance; you shouldn’t walk away.”

Luna nodded shakily. “Okay… let’s go cuddle and get some sleep.”

Twilight smiled. “I’ll be in the library reading if anyone needs me. I’ll also check up on Silver Tears throughout the day, so you don’t have to worry about her.”

Anon gave Twilight a hug before leading Luna to the master bedroom. “Don’t worry too much… it’s going to be okay.

Luna nodded but still hesitated. “I sure hope that you are right.”

* * *

Author's Note

After a super long hiatus, this is making a return. Be sure to leave a comment if you want to see something specific happen in the story, I am open to suggestions.

Also... https://youtu.be/AlNw8GZzGoc?si=j41oBkGCPPzutKov