Eclipse

by Hiver

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Violence, Princess Celestia, Human, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe
Length: 64414

Page is stuck. He never wanted to be a Prince. Ponies plot against him. Mostly for his own good.

Page is stuck. He never wanted to be a Prince. But he can't just... stop. Ponies are depending on him now and he's feeling the pressure.

Being a Prince isn't all that it's cracked up to be. It's all work and so much responsibility. Ponies plot against you constantly. Luckily, sometimes it's for your own good.

Other times... not.

Big thanks to Arratra for betaing this one.

Published 2023-05-14 05:50:04 UTC
Last updated 2023-08-05 06:44:51 UTC

Chapter 2

Spreading my wings, I landed on the platform overlooking the river. The sun was colouring the horizon a slight red in the distance, filtering through the oncoming clouds.

Tonight had been one of the rare nights during the rain periods where the skies had been clear and I had decided to take the time to have a look at the damage to the farms for myself.

Hooves touched down softly behind me as my pair of thestral guards landed behind me. It wasn’t a lot, just a slight creak of wood and a soft clip-clop as their hooves landed.

Crossing over to the edge of the platform to look down at the damage below. In all honesty, it likely looked worse than it really was.

We were growing rice after all, so it could have been a lot worse when the river burst its banks and flooded the forest below. The pony in charge said she expected that we lost maybe thirty or forty percent as the water was deep, but in my mind, that was the least of the problem.

The river brought a lot of… just junk along with it. Mud, branches, and whole trees now covered most of the fields and couldn’t be cleaned up safely before the water receded, which was weeks away.

“What a mess,” I said with another sigh before I glanced back at the sisters, “I guess that's what we get for having the fields right next to the river.”

My guards for the night were actually a pair of identical twins. Both of them tall for thestrals, a bit over average for a pegasus actually, their coats an almost pitch black and slightly lighter dark grey manes. With their cutiemarks covered by their armor, basically the only way I found to tell them apart was the side they wore their braided manes at and I still wasn’t convinced they didn’t switch from time to time to mess with me. In fact, I was fairly convinced of it.

Shade Leaf walked up on my left, looking down at the fields before she looked at me, “I heard it could be worse, your majesty.”

“So far, we may have lost forty percent, so it could,” I admitted as Leaf Shade walked up next to her sister, also looking down towards the dark waters, “So it could have. But that’s now and there are weeks of rain left.”

“We still have the train, your majesty,” Leaf Shade pointed out, “We managed so far. Anything we can grow only helps.”

I nodded, “We just have to learn from our mistakes,” I agreed and frowned down at the water, “...And maybe get better at building water barriers,” before I shrugged and stepped back, “Best head back I think before those clouds reach us even if it was nice to be able to stretch our wings a bit. Rain always results in being stuck inside.”

Leaf Shade nodded, “We might be better at it than pegasi, but even we can’t fly right in a downpour.”

Very true. And while our coats dried easily and our wings didn’t retain water, nopony liked being rained on. Especially here where it was less like rain and more like standing in a waterfall.

I knew that the times I ended up being caught in it outside, I always ended up feeling half drowned in minutes.

“Let’s go then,” I said and rubbed my eyes with my hoof, “When we get back, you can take the rest of the morning off. I’m just going to look at some reports before going to bed.”

“If you like, your majesty,” Shade Leaf agreed with a smile.

I spread my wings and took to the skies, circling upwards before banking off towards the village. We weren’t the only ones out flying tonight. Even a casual glance showed me dozens of bats flying about, trying to get errands down before the rain returned.

The glow of the market stood out brightly among the glimmering lights of the village. Everypony trying to get things done and then packed up again on the rare rain free day. There was talk about a covered market in the lower village, but there wasn’t space for it yet.

So during the rain period, while some ponies kept their market stalls open, most just shut it down and treated it as a holiday, staying home wherever possible and just curling up with a book.

Something that sounded really good right now actually. Reading those economic reports can wait until tomorrow. The latest Daring Do arrived on the last train and I haven’t even had a chance to look at the cover yet!

Circling down to land on the railing of the throne room, I glanced back and waved as the twins broke off and dove down, circling down towards the guard barracks.

Stretching my wings for a second, I then folded them and left the throne room for our living quarters.

As I entered the living room, Sunset looked up from the book she had been reading in the light of her horn on the couch, “There you are!” she said with a smile, poking the book closed with her hoof as the light faded away from her horn, leaving the room lit only by a couple of candles.

I nodded, crossing over to jump onto the couch next to her, “Hey,” I said and touched my horn softly to hers, “Sparks not home yet?”

Sunset shook her head, “Actually, she was back before me. She’s already asleep in the bedroom.”

I blinked in surprise, “Really?” I asked and glanced at the closed bedroom door, “She’s usually back later than I am.”

Nodding, Sunset rolled over to look up at me, resting her head on the cover of her book, “Said she was tired. I think she wanted to talk to Luna about something.”

“Ah, yes that would do it,” I agreed and shifted, resting my head on Sunset's chest as she put her forelegs around me.

One of us being asleep at an unusual time would certainly attract Luna's attention. In fact, that was the usual way Sunny or Sparks had a conversation with her as they couldn’t just go meet her in the dream realm on their own.

“Want to join her? I’m getting a bit tired,” Sunset admitted, “been a long day.”

“Actually, I had been hoping to read the new Daring Do?” I admitted with a small smile, “Been looking forward to it since it arrived.”

Sunset grinned and nuzzled, “Enjoy your book,” she said and scooted out from beneath me before rolling onto her stomach and stretching with a groan, “I have an early morning tomorrow. Inspection at the train station.”

“Are you sure we can’t relax that by now?” I asked as I enjoyed the view, “The shield bubble is up.”

“Yes, and it works for everything larger than a pony,” Sunset said and relaxed again, shooting me a knowing look, “Plenty of things pony sized in this jungle that think we look like snacks. There is a reason why we still live either behind walls or in trees. And why all houses in the lower village have thick walls and window shutters.”

I nodded. All true. I wish it wasn’t necessary, but we still needed guards everywhere anypony was on the ground. Or like on the ground village, behind tall walls tipped with spikes.

Sunset slipped off the couch and glanced at me with a smile, “Have fun, but don’t stay up too late.”

“I won’t. Sweet dreams.”

“Sweet dreams.”

As she left, I put her book on the table and floated the package containing mine over to me to unwrap it before I blinked and stared at the cover.

Daring Do, in what was clearly a jungle. Next to her, almost back to back was a batpony stallion as they were surrounded by dinosaur-like predators, each of the ponies holding a burning torch in their teeth to ward them off.

I glanced at the title, “Daring Do and the Secret of the Night,” I read slowly. Now I was curious! Opening the book I started to read.

And hoped it didn’t have an R rating. Because that may be a bit awkward.

Chapter 3

I looked at the pair of ponies before me with a small frown. Neither of them would look at me, both of the pegasi looking down and away from each other. The one on the left had a white coat and blue mane with a cloud cutiemark. The one on the right had a light grey coat and a pale green mane with a fish cutiemark. Both were bruised, both mares were in an absolutely horrible state, bent quills and all.

It was rare that ponies got into physical fights. But for some reason Zephyria and River Mist just absolutely hated each other.

So far, I have been unable to figure out why. No stallion or mare, no love history between them. No history between their families or anything like it that anybody could find out..

Zephyria moved to Nocturnis with her bat sister last year. River Mist arrived alone a couple of months later and from everything I have been able to find out, they just ran into each other one day and it was hate at first sight.

This was the second time they were before me. The first, and smaller, half dozen times dealt with by the guard on the spot.

Last time they broke some expensive bottles in the local bar. They had paid for the damages and promised to stay away from each other.

But here they were again. And this time it was more damage. I glanced at the scroll laying on the throne next to my foreleg for a second before I spoke up, “Two wrecked market stalls. Approximately eight hundred bits worth of lost produce,” I said and looked at them, “You’re lucky you didn’t knock over the stand next to it. It was full of spices, not grains,” I said and returned to reading, “And three ponies were injured, not including you two. Orange Slice broke a rear leg when she fell to a lower platform,” I continued before I raised my head to look at them again, “That could very easily have been her neck.”

Both of them flinched, not meeting my eyes.

“I don’t know,” I said quietly, “What is between you two. And quite frankly, at the moment I do not care. But it ends. Now.”

“You’re majesty, I-” River Mist said before trailing off into silence as I met her eyes. She swallowed and took half a step backwards.

I looked at her for another couple of seconds before I turned my gaze to Zephyria as well before I sighed softly, “You two had a chance last time. In fact, as I understood it, you had half a dozen chances to clear this out between yourselves before I even heard of any of them. I have already been involved in this once. Now you have dragged me into this a second time. There will not be a third.”

I sighed softly and shook my head, “We do not have a prison. We have a small jail for when a pony gets too drunk and needs to sleep it off. So you will not be incarcerated. Orange Slice will be given reparations for three hundred bits for her injuries. One hundred to each of the other injured ponies. The damages of the two merchants will be reimbursed with twenty percent markup. You will pay a fine to the crown of five hundred bits. In total, you owe a total of 1960 bits. Split evenly between the both of you, thats nine hundred and eighty bits each.”

Both flinched. I doubted either of them had anywhere near that amount of money.
“In addition,” I continued, “You are each to do six months of community service with the Nocturnis Guard. Basic training followed by whichever duties suit you.”

That got sounds of protests from both of them, “Your majest-” Zephyria exclaimed, breaking off as I met her eyes..

“You will both do this,” I told them quietly, “And you will do it side by side. You will share a room. You will train side by side. You will help each other, support each other. And you will do it peacefully. Because if I hear anything more has happened between you other than raised voices… I do not care who started it… because trust me, ladies. You will not like the results.”

Both glanced at each other before they bowed, “Yes your majesty,” they said quietly.

“Sergeant,” I said and looked at the guard that brought them inside, “Please show them to their new quarters and get them geared up.”

He saluted and turned to them, “You heard the Prince! Move it!”

They almost scrambled to stand up and leave the throneroom. I looked after them as the doors closed before I sighed and rubbed my eyes with my forehoof, “Ah buck.”

Sunset walked up next to my throne, “I’m not sure that’s going to work,” she said, putting a hoof on it, looking up at me.

“No,” I admitted, “It might not. For all I know, they’re back here tomorrow and I have to do what I really don’t want to.”

“Banishment?” Sunset asked with a frown, glancing towards the closed doors.

“Banishment,” I said quietly, “Because what choice do we have? We don’t have a prison here. We… even now we can’t afford ponies sitting around in cells. What’s the alternative here? Forced labor?”

Sunset frowned, “Isn’t that what we just did?”

“...If you look at it like that,” I admitted, “Calling it conscription is just a nicer term. But… yes. But the alternative is banishment. Even if it is back to Equestria. Hopefully this will let them work out whatever is going on.”

“Deep breaths and try to calm down, you’re close to shimmering, Wingboy,” Sunset said and jumped up onto the throne next to me and nosing up beneath my chin as her side pressed against mine.

I closed my eyes for a second, taking a deep breath before slowly letting it back out again. If I was that close, I must have been angrier than I thought.

Sunset settled down and looked up at me, “I know. I don’t like it, but… I know.”

Sighing, I rested a wing across her back as I nosed on her ear, “It won’t be the last one either,” I said quietly, “Will it? Ponies are generally peaceful, but… things happen. Tempers flare. Ponies and creatures get hurt.”

“Greed exists here,” Sunset said quietly, resting her nose against my neck, “Jealousy. Other things as well. And we don’t only have ponies either anymore.”

“Mhmm,” I agreed with a small sigh.

We were big enough now to need a justice system. The one in Equestria wouldn’t work in this environment I think either. Not as a one to one continuation anyway.

What I said was true. We just didn’t have the resources to lock ponies away. Nor did I want to go that way if at all possible. Being locked away didn’t help anypony.

At best it kept them away from everypony else for public safety. At worst, it made things worse.

I believed, I had to believe, that… at their core, ponies were ponies. Creatures were creatures. Nopony woke up in the morning and wanted to hurt the ponies around them without something being seriously wrong.

And often the fault was with the society around them, not with them. Or they were sick and needed help.

I wanted a society where that didn’t happen. Celestia had mostly managed that. I wanted to keep it going.

I shifted my hooves on my throne and bared my fangs for a second as I shifted my wings before once more feeling Sunsets nose touch against my chin, once again causing my fury of the actions of those two to dissipate.

Letting a sigh out, I rested my head against the top of hers, my nose against the base of her horn.

Maybe I should have let Twilight handle this. It was more her thing.

But it was my town. My ponies.

My responsibility.

Chapter 4

“Wife.”

“Husband,” Luna answered, looking down at me, her wings raised high as the dream realm shimmered around us.

I looked into her eyes and took another step closer as she slowly lowered her head towards me until her nose touched mine.

I looked up into her beautiful eyes, her mane shimmered beautifully. We stayed like that for several moments before we started to laugh at the same time as she sat down, forelegs and wings slipping around me as I sat down in turn, my own forelegs going around her as I captured her in a kiss.

We stayed like that for several long moments before she broke the kiss, touching her nose against mine once more with a smile, “How was your night, My Page?”

I sighed softly and leaned against her, brushing my wing along the soft down beneath her left wing, “It was a difficult night,” I admitted, “Two ponies had been arrested for fighting. Property damage. Some ponies were injured.”

Luna sighed softly, “I’m sorry to hear that. Want to discuss it?”

“Not really,” I admitted and let go, dropping down to put my hooves onto the not-floor, leaning softly against her, “Already have with Sparks. She’s miffed with me about it, she thought I was too tough on them.”

“Were you?”

“...No,” I said softly but firmly, “I don’t think I was.”

Luna nodded and noses at one of my ears as she dropped back down on all four again, but keeping one wing around me, “Then you were not. I have not known you to be hasty in your judgment, My Page.”

“I don’t know,” I said quietly, resting my head against her shoulder, “I was so furious at them.”

“What was your sentence?” Luna asked with a small frown.

I told her.

Luna shook her head, “If anything, you were lenient, you silly stallion,” she said and brushed her lips against mine, “Should I talk to our Twilight?”

“No,” I said and looked up at her, “It’s something between us.”

Nodding, Luna touched her nose against mine, “I did speak with Twilight last day,” she said and brushed her wing along my back, “She said…” she trailed off before she sighed, “...She said you needed a vacation.”

I let out a slightly annoyed sigh, “Perhaps I do, we call do,” and slipped out from beneath her wing, “But that’s not going to happen. I have already been away too much this year.”

Luna folded her wing again, moving to stand next to me, looking down at me before she sighed softly, “Page, you are allowed to relax.”

“I do relax,” I said, meeting her eyes, “I read, I started to write again. We went to Canterlot for Hearths Warming.”

Luna flicked one ear, looking down into my eyes before she nodded, “As you say.”

We walked quietly through the dream realm, side to side before I glanced at her, “How are things in Canterlot?” I asked.

Smiling faintly, Luna shook her head, “You would not enjoy it. We have a minotaur delegation visiting us. They are belligerent at the best of times and their new ambassador doubly so it seems.”

Hmh.

I had met some minotaurs I liked, but in general they seemed to be on the confrontational side of things. More so than griffons actually. I quite liked griffons in general.

“What are they on about this time?” I asked, glancing up at her, “That useless patch of grass between the Kingdoms?”

“Not this time,” she said and fluffed her wings in slight annoyance, “Trade once more. They are displeased that we have shifted a majority of our negotiated trade towards the griffons.”

I snorted, “Well, that’s their own damn fault. If they weren’t so damn stubborn about it, we wouldn’t get better deals on ore across a damn ocean than across a border.”

Seriously.

Maybe that was one reason I didn’t tend to like minotaurs. They were so stubborn. And also loud, especially since I got these bat ears.

I don’t like generalizing like that. It felt dangerously close to what ponies had done to my bats before. But fairly sure loud was very much cultural at the very least.

Stubborn might just be their negotiation style, I never actually been to their lands. And quite frankly I didn’t want to go there.

I had enough problems where I was.

“How’s Sunshine handling it?” I asked as I stopped to look up at Luna, “She never mentioned anything during our lessons.”

“We are both attending to the negotiations,” Luna said, “They are held in the evenings. My sister is… stressed.”

“Speaking of breaks,” I said and smiled up at her, “If you think I need a vacation, Sunshine needs one ten times as much. I’ve done this for a couple of years, even with the couple of weeks off she took a few years ago, her backlog is huge.”

Luna shifted one wing, slipping it across my back as she nodded, “And not me?”

“You too, My Sky,” I said, looking up into her eyes, leaning against her side with a small smile, “And I have some ideas about that.”

Luna smiled slightly, nose touching mine once more, “But you are very right. My sister needs to learn how to relax as well, she has always been too uptight,” she said before she frowned at me, “...Perhaps you should not be learning that lesson from her.”

I smiled up at her, flicking one ear and giving her a small kiss, “Perhaps you could teach me some recreational activities? Something… stress relieving?”

“Perhaps I can,” Luna murmured, her wing pulling me tighter.

Chapter 5

The sound of my hooves sounded a bit hollow against the half finished walls as I looked around. Things were proceeding nicely.

“And here are your private baths going to be,” Solid Slab said as he guided me through a missing side door into a half finished chamber.

The floor was mostly made of wood, but the bath, or maybe I should call it a pool itself, was in a half finished state and seemed made from polished dark stone. Local stone.

We’re not about to import stone. Even if some ponies, like the one giving me the tour, had wanted to import Canterlotian marble for my pool.

I nixed that so hard.

We don’t need to go get stone, we have stone at home.

In fact, I didn’t see a need for private baths either in what’s meant to be a public bathhouse, but they put it into the plans anyway, without request. Or asking about it.

They were so happy when showing us the plans.

…And Celestia had taught me one of the more difficult lessons for me. Let ponies do things for you, even if it makes you uncomfortable. It makes them happy.

So I let them build the sodding bath.

“It looks very nice,” I said, shifting my wings, running my hoof on the polished wood. No windows in here, as a rule anything we built on the ground had very thick walls and no windows.

The extra big bitey things may be held back by the shield and the walls held back the smaller bitey things. But nopony wanted to take the chance in case one of them figured out how to climb the walls while dodging the guards.

“We should be finished with construction in three to four months,” Solid said, brushing his brown mane back with a hoof almost twice the size of mine.

Solid Slab was huge. Seriously, the only other pony I’ve seen larger than him was Sunshine, he was as tall as Luna and likely outmassed her by three times and every bit of it seemed to be muscle.

“You and your crew do very good work,” I said as I walked to the edge of the pool, feeling the polished gray stone before I stood up and turned to smile at him, “What’s more, I understand that you’re within budget, which is impressive.”

He shrugged and grinned, “We’re doing our best, your highness,” before he shrugged, “And I believe we will be able to meet the finish time, assuming we can keep sourcing materials.”

I nodded.

We had stone. We had wood. Basically everything else had to be imported. Everything from fittings to nails. Technically nails could be manufactured locally, but we still needed to import the metal. Which means via train.

“If you’d follow me, sir?” Slab said and motioned towards the door.

I followed towards the main bath area with Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade silently following along behind me, their hoof steps barely audible against the wooden floor.

Slab pushed a door open and stepped to the side, allowing me past and out into an area open to the sky. There was a large pool surrounded by smaller separate pools, the smaller ones covered by canopies.

While the area was open to the skies, it was surrounded by thick and heavy walls, the entire area lit by torches and sconces of burning wood.

Slowly approaching the main pool, I looked around before stopping at the edge before I turned back to Slab, “Main pool heated?”

He shook his head, “No. Just clean moving water. Magic filtering down below. The smaller ones are heated.”

I nodded and glanced up towards the cloudy and pitch black skies above.

Rain soon. We were in one of those rare breaks in the rainstorm. Any moment now it could start up again.

They lit the fires just for the inspection.

“This will be very nice,” I said with a small smile as I looked around, flicking one ear, “Very very nice.”

Now if we could just avoid following the Romans with their wall decorations. No need to copy things quite that far.

The bath was also pretty big. Made scaled for a population three times that of Nocturnis. If we were building it in the first place, might as well futureproof it a bit.

Even if it highly strained the budget.

Turning back, I gave him a nod, “Thank you for the tour, Solid. But you and your crew has better things to do than to foalsit me so I’ll get out of your way.”

“It’s no trouble, your highness,” he said with a smile, giving a small bow, “In fact, I had thought to invite you to tour the facilities and see if you had any thoughts of changes to the decorations. This would be the time to start implementing them.”

I shook my head, “No, I have seen the plans. Everything is looking good. Keep up the good work.”

He nodded, ears happily raised, “We’ll do our best, your highness.”

“I don’t doubt it,” I said and glanced at my shadows, “Let’s go.”’

With that, we took to the dark skies, the twins following me on silent wings. Which was one of the reasons Moon Glow has assigned them to be my personal guards/shadows whenever away from the palace.

They were among the best fliers in the guard. At least among the thestrals which were generally slower than pegasi.

Shade and Leaf were almost as fast as a pegasus while also having no problems following me through the tree trunks and branches in the middle of the pitch dark night.

In fact, they were both faster fliers than I was which left very little chance to slip away.

Actually, it was completely pitch black with the clouds this thick in a night with a new moon. There were some lights from the village below, but not enough for even us to see by.

So we flew by sonar. Chirps and echos, the world was pitch black and returns. It actually took quite a bit of practice to do and I had to slow down a lot more than usual. Sonar needed to be practiced to be used, at least at flight speed.

Something both Shade and Leaf had more than me as well, letting them easily keep pace.

I closed my eyes.

They had more practice than me. Let’s see how much more.

Chirping away, I changed course, banking in among the trees as I sped up, followed by chirps and my two guards.

Chapter 6

The snowstorm howled outside the narrow glass-less window at the wall, gusts of icy wind sneaking in through the opening from time to time, sending shudders of cold running up my spine.

This was the dream realm so I could easily have ignored it or changed it. But that would have removed the necessity of the fireplace on one side of me and the sungoddess on my other. It was much better not to break the illusion.

Celestia looked different from in reality. She was smaller, actually a bit smaller than Luna in reality, barely a head taller than me, her mane and tail a pink rather than rainbow. Instead of her usual regalia, she wore a gold circlet as a crown.

Which was currently sitting to the side on a table along with my own silver one.

I glanced up at her before refocusing on the book laying before us, scooting a bit closer to her side to keep warm.

Celestia didn’t react other than to settle her warm wing across my back to ward the cold away.

I frowned at the book, turning back a page before I checked the other page again. Then I picked up a pen in my magic, dipped it in the ink before slowly drawing a design on the parchment by my side.

I double checked before I nodded, “Done.”

“That took longer than I thought,” Celestia said with a small smile as her horn lit and she took the offered parchment.

“I’m not very bright,” I said with a smile, “And considering the distractions, I think I did alright.”

“Distractions?” Sunshine asked, her sun warm wing brushing along my back.

“Well, you know the cold and such,” I said, looking up at her, “So how did I do? Okay or do I need to practice some more with you?”

Celestia passed the parchment back to me, “These calculations are correct. But I don’t think you are at quite Twilights level yet.”

“Oh well,” I said, “I suppose we just have to continue my lessons then.”

“I suppose we do,” Celestia agreed as she looked at me, “You are coming for Hearths Warming this year?”

I nodded, “We are. Sparks wants to spend it with her parents this year and… well, we are everypony getting pulled along into it. Not that I mind. But there is quite a while until then.”

Almost half a year, but we had to plan these sorts of things well in advance. We couldn’t just leave whenever we wanted to.

“And Shining Armor and Cadance?” Celestia asked.

“They’re coming too,” I said and then looked up at her, “You’re invited as well, Sunshine.”

Celestia hesitated, “I’m not sure I should, it’s a family event.”

I looked at her, “Sunshine, you’re being dumb. You are part of our family.”

She flicked one ear, shifting slightly, “...I know,” she admitted quietly, “But I’m not part of their family. Me being there would be a distraction.”

“And me and Luna wouldn’t be?” I asked, eyeing her as I poked her side with my wing, “Sunshine, if you want ponies to see you as anything but a perfect pretty pony princess, you need to actually act like a normal pony sometimes.”

Celestia sighed softly, “Page, you know they need me to be a ‘perfect pretty pony princess’ as you call it. Same as they need you to be their prince.”

“Buck that,” I said, “You also deserve to live as much as any of them. Duty and responsibility is all well and good, but you need to be able to take time off too, especially among family.”

She looked at me, raising one eyebrow.

I groaned, “Yes, I’m aware I’m the one saying it. But that doesn’t make it any less true. You need to be able to relax as much as anypony else.”

“I do try to,” she admitted, “But it’s different when there are other ponies involved. Ponies act differently around us.”

“...Yeah, they do,” I agreed with a small sigh before I shook my head, “But this is a family thing. If there are any ponies that should be used to hanging out with alicorns, it would be Night Light and Twilight Velvet.”

Celestia hesitated before she nodded, “I suppose you are right.”

“So?” I asked with a smile, brushing her side with my wing, “Want me to check with Sparks?”

“...I would like that.”

I nodded, “Good.”

“Though,” Celestia continued and smiled at me, “I don’t want you to think I think our lessons are work. I enjoy teaching and spending time with you, Page. I am ever so thankful for these moments.”

“Want to pick up an actual student again?” I asked and shifted closer to her warm side as a gust of icy wind brushed past my ears.

Celestia nodded, “I have considered it,” she said quietly, her nose touching the mane between my ears for a second, “Have even looked at the foals at my school. There are some definite possibilities. There is one filly, First Frost. Her ability to handle cold magic is great even for an adult pony. I wish I could teach her, but I am completely incapable of cold magic.”

“That would make it difficult to teach her,” I admitted.

Celestia nodded in agreement, “It would not be fair to her. I passed her details on to a master of elemental magic however. But there is another filly. Star Bright. She just started this year, but she has promise I think.”

“Bookworm?”

Ceelestia laughed, “She blew up the magic lab!”

“Wow, rea-” I started to answer before I frowned, “Wait, Sparks has talked about that place. It’s specially warded to resist magic. How in the world did a filly blow it up?”

Celestia grinned, “Because she was playing around with alchemy, not straight magic,” she said and shook her head in wonder, “Melted a hole straight through the wall.”

“Wow.”

That’s impressive. Terrifying but impressive.

Chapter 8

Touching my horn to the dream portal and following Luna out of the dream, I glancing back.

The little earth pony filly was laying in a massive fluffy bed, curled up hugging a big stuffed animal. Well, little and little, she was ten years old.

Home sick from school and having nightmares.

Luna liked to make sure the foals slept well. That’s the way we had split things once I started to patrol dreams on my own. She did the foals and I handled the adults.

I liked that split.

Adult dreams could mostly just be canceled and replaced with dreamless sleep and there were less foals than adults. Which means she could give most important nightmares the attention they deserved.

That didn’t mean I never tagged along.

Stepping onto the not-ground of the dream realm, I stretched my wings while looking at my wife. You know, there were moments when I remembered that she was actually my wife and I got all giddy.

She was so beautiful and her mane shimmered like the night sky, especially in here. It almost seemed to be made of the same kind of stuff as the rest of the realm, blending in with it..

Luna turned her head to look at me before she smiled, “...What, My Page?”

Smiling, I moved over to touch her side with mine, “Simply admiring the night sky. It’s especially beautiful tonight.”

Her cheeks reddened slightly and she lowered her head to give me a small kiss.

I smiled into the kiss. Not often I could get her speechless.

Breaking the kiss, Luna looked at me knowingly as she flicked her tail against mine, “I have been considering things.”

“That sounds dangerous,” I said, looking up at her, “May I ask which things?”

Luna brushed her wing along my back, “My sister among others,” she said and flicked one ear as she looked at me, “I may have an idea to get her to take a vacation, but I’m not sure it will work.”

“Been discussing it with Sparks?”

Luna smiled, “Actually, very much so. It will require the help of all of you to be possible. Especially you.”

I sat down, looking up at her, “What’s your idea?”

Sitting down, Luna smiled, “How’s your magic studies going?” she asked.

I blinked at the seeming non sequitur before I shrugged, “It’s going alright. A lot of it is theory as practicing magic in a dream only does so much and I don’t have a lot of time when I’m awake. So I’m not exactly a wizard.”

“As I suspected,” she said with a smile, “In that case, this may work.”

I looked up at her in thought, “What exactly is your plan?”

“My idea is that she takes you on a teaching retreat away from Canterlot. Somewhere stray magic won’t risk ponies getting hurt.”

I considered that for a second before I shook my head, “I can see a couple of problems with that plan.”

“Such as?”

“Well, for the first thing, it would require me to leave Nocturnis for weeks if not months. I can’t just be away from my responsibilities for that long.”

Luna smiled, “Which I have already discussed with Twilight and Sunset. They are both happy to cover your responsibilities until your return.”

Oh.

So it’s going to be one of those conversations. The kind where she already thought about every protest I could come up with and will end up with me doing what she wants.

Let’s play then. Where’s the fun in just capitulating after all?

“Even then, there are other things,” I continued, “For example, the entire idea is to get Sunshine to relax. You know more than most that teaching me practical magic is hardly a relaxing activity. Remember me and fire magic? Or that apple I blew up?”

Luna smiled, “I do indeed. But my sister really does enjoy teaching as you know. Getting her to relax fully may be impossible, but I think a month away to focus on what she loves would be very good for her.”

I glanced down at my hooves.

What Luna said made a lot of sense. I sure knew that if I got a month to do nothing but relax and write, I’d be a happier pony at the end of it. But it would likely need me to be away from Nocturnis for at least two months counting travel time into it.

But if there was anypony in Equestria that deserved a vacation, other than possibly Flower Rain, it was Sunshine. It was also true that convincing her to take it would take quite a lot. Last time I managed to do it by promising by taking over her duties while she was away.

“But that would mean you taking over her duties while she’s away.”

Luna nodded, “Indeed,” she said with a small smile, “But my sister did both of our duties for a thousand years, I can handle a month or so. Especially as Midnight has already promised to assist me.”

Two months away from Sunny and Sparks. Two months away from Nocturnis. Well, okay, it’d be closer to a month and a half. Six or so weeks.

A full month of focusing on my magic would likely help my skill a lot too, especially with Sunshine teaching me.

Maybe I can even get the entire shimmer thing fully under control.

“...Where would we even go?” I asked with a small frown before glancing up at her, “Any ideas? Because I can tell you, my guards are going to have opinions about anything too isolated for security reasons.”

Luna nodded, “Actually, I do. There is a small fortress a day's travel from Canterlot. I have checked and while it’s still maintained and kept supplied by the Guard, it is no longer in active use. Fortress may be overstating it a bit even, more like an oversized watch tower at the side of a mountain. Highly defensible and can be made comfortable for a month-long stay in less than a week. Including any teaching material and enough space for an attachment of both Solar and Nocturnis guards.”

I eyed her suspiciously, “So… you really have thought of everything, haven’t you?”

“I did discuss it with Twilight,” she pointed out with a small amused smile.

Sighing softly, I finally nodded, “Okay,” I agreed, “if you can get her to agree to it, I can play along.”

Luna kissed my cheek, “Thank you. I think it’d be good for her to get some time to relax.”

Chapter 9

I suppressed a yawn as I started to slowly stir awake. The last rays of the sun were filtering in through the darkness-dome that covered our bed.

Sunset was already missing. As usual nowadays, she was up far before Sparks and myself, usually before dusk.

Sparks stirred in the darkness next to me. I shifted slightly to roll to face her. What I saw was a pile of every blanket we had shifting and stirring.

They rose and then lowered. First slowly and then suddenly. The pile shifted, wiggled and then Sparks let out an annoyed sound. There was a bright flash of purple light beneath the pile, and she reappeared on top of it.

I smiled sleepily, “Did the dangerous blanket monster eat you?” I teased.

Sparks grumbled something before she yawned and stretched, arching her back, her wings raised high. I watched sleepily with a small smile.

Twilight waking up may be one of my favorite sights in the universe. Luna was beautiful all the time and Sunny was cute while sleepy, but Sparks was completely adorable with her mane all mussed up, her wings in disarray, her eyes half-closed, and ears drooping slightly.

Yawning again, she scooted closer and cuddled close, nosing in beneath my chin until I rested my nose against the base of her horn.

I wrapped a foreleg and a wing around her and then we just stayed like that for a bit, feeling her warmth against me.

“Sneak,” I whispered after a while.

Sparks shifted and I felt her smile, “Talk to Luna then?”

“Mhmm,” I agreed and ran my hoof along her mane softly, “You know, you could just have filled me in on the fact that Sunshine needed a vacation.”

Sparks relaxed with a small sigh, “I know,” she said and cuddled closer, “But Luna didn’t want me to unless she thought it could work.”

“And it has nothing to do about getting me to take a vacation either, huh?” I teased.

Sparks shifted back to bump her nose softly against mine as she smiled, looking into my eyes, “You know I've been Celestia's student too, right?” she said, sounding amused. "Which part of a month of magic lessons sounds relaxing?"

“It would to you.”

Twilight laughed and then rolled onto her stomach, stretching again, “Maybe a little,” she admitted before she flicked one ear, eyeing me in the darkness, “Well?”

I sighed and rolled onto my stomach before also stretching. I cracked my neck, causing Twilight to shudder in disgust before shooting me a glare.

“I agreed,” I finally said, pushing myself up to sit. I flicked my tail and canceled the dome of darkness over the bed, squinting against the last rays of the sun playing across the room. “If everypony else thinks it’s a good idea, I won’t stand in the way.”

Twilight grinned happily and jumped to her hooves, “Good,” she said and kissed my cheek before sitting down.

“And… “ I continued with a small sigh, “I really do need practice,” I admitted, “My spell-casting is still below par.”

Sparks looked at me strangely, one eyebrow raised, “No you’re not. Have you seen the average unicorn? They know like two or three spells related to their special talent and perhaps a couple of utility spells and that’s it. If even that.”

I shrugged. Intellectually I knew she was right and even three spells were way more than some unicorns who only had telekinesis and maybe a light spell.

But I'm not just an educated unicorn, I'm an alicorn, and I have to do better. Especially out in the world of matter, I couldn’t just throw power at the problem.

Sparks shook her head and brushed her wing across my side before jumping off the bed and using her horn to light the magic crystals as she moved over to the mirror, starting to brush her mane and tail.

I settled down to watch, running my magic through my own mane and tail, giving them both a good shake. I then picked my silver circlet from its stand on the desk and settled it onto my head.

Climbing off the bed, I moved up to Sparks, starting to work on smoothing out her feathers. She didn’t comment but her breath caught in her throat for a second as her wings spread. Smiling to myself, I worked my way along her left wing, “So…” I asked, “Think she’ll go for it?”

“I think so, she loves teaching,” Twilight said after a moment before she glanced at me, “Luna’s going to bring it up with her, you just need to say you want to do it.”

“You do know that she’s going to see straight through it, right?” I said and moved to her other wing, “She has some experience in subterfuge you know.”

Twilight smiled a bit, “I’m sure she can. But it would also be something she not only likes to do, but would be good for you. No need to call it subterfuge when it’s the truth.”

“Yes, because I have nopony here that can teach me practical magic skills,” I teased and carefully pulled out a loose feather, bringing a gasp from her.

She fluffed up her wings before folding them again, glancing at me, “Do I point holes in your plans?”

“Yes, constantly,” I said and put the feather in a box for future burning.

“Well, it’s a good plan,” Sparks said as she got up, turning to me, “She gets to relax, you get to practice magic and get time away from Nocturnis. It’s literally win, win, win.”

I just nodded and returned to her, “I know, I know. Just pointing things out,” I said before I smiled, “...You don’t need to convince me, you know. Luna already did that.”

Sparks smiled and then led the way out into the other chamber and the waiting breakfast.

Chapter 10

Breaking through into the dream, I spread my wings and swept through the air as I looked around. The sun filtered through clouds above at a fortress below.

It looked fairly primitive, this was a very old design. Basically just stone walls around a bunch of wooden buildings.

Ponies mared the walls, a mix of pegasi and earth ponies, but I could only see a couple of unicorns. Around the fortress was pinned in on three sides by mountain cliffs towards the valley and ocean below it but the path and area before the fortress was filled with an army camp.

There were mostly unicorns in it that I could see.

Hmm.

Banking around, I turned around, circling down towards a white and gold spot I could easily make out on the battlement of the fortress. She was smaller than in modern day and her mane pink rather than flowing celestial.

My hooves touched down and the dream solidified around us. Celestia startled slightly, looking around, her wings raised before she looked at me with a smile, “Page. Welcome.”

“Thank you,” I said, giving her a small bow as I looked around. She was wearing a set of golden armor, simpler than her modern one. No protection for her wings for one thing.

Everypony else was also wearing armor, so I may as well fit in. Changing the dream around me and it shifted to the bronze armor of any of the pegasi mareing the walls before also covering it with a black cloak.

Adjusting my wings slightly, I brushed the hood back, giving her a salute.

Celestia smiled, “Wrong time period,” she said as she regarded me, “Do it right.”

I lowered my hoof back onto the stone, raising an eyebrow at her, “You’re not going to tell me which, are you?”

“Of course not.”

Hmm. I glanced around at the ponies on the walls, walking around below. No steel which meant this was fairly early. No iron either, all I could see was bronze.

So very early. Mostly pegasi and earth ponies, the modern salute came from unicorns after going through a bunch of variations, mostly to make it possible for somepony without a horn, so no lightshow.

The collection of forces indicated that some pegasi and earth pony tribes had joined in the formation of Equestria, but not a lot of unicorns. Which also meant it was before the large earth pony empires fell. So their version had not filtered in yet either.

Which meant something really early. My knowledge of this time period was really spotty, especially with these sorts of details!

And she knew that, damn it. I looked up at the smiling alicorn before I straightened up and extended my right wing, bowing it around to touch the front of my chest as I shook my mane back.

Celestia smiled, “Very good, Page,” she said, “Almost right,” and then did it perfectly, putting her left hoof forward as she stood straight, touching her wing to the front of her chest.

I studied her for a second before I nodded and did it again, copying her closer this time before I shrugged and relaxed again, “Can’t do the feather spread, sadly.”

“Indeed,” she agreed and folded her wing again, “Well, as we are here, we may as well work on history.”

I nodded in agreement as I fell in next to her as she started to walk along the top of the wall, ponies still moving all around, readying supplies or weapons.

“This seems like a bad position,” I said after a moment as I stopped, looking out over the battlements as I raised a hoof to rest on them as I looked out over the sieging camp, “They have a very good position here,” I said and then glanced at Celestia, “And with that many unicorns, I bet they can even shield one of your fire spells.”

“They could,” Celestis agreed and paused next to me, looking out over towards the enemy forces as she looked at me, “Explain why it’s not.”

Sighing softly, I looked around at the ground between the fortress and the camp. Looked like mostly grass lands. There was a forest on the other side of the sieging forces, but too far away to really be used as cover or put to flame.

Glancing up at the clouds above, I continued slowly circling the fortress walls as I looked around, studying the ponies and the gear. Plenty of food and there was a spring coming out of a rock outcrop for water.

Outnumbered by the enemy, but there were enough unicorns here in combination with Sunshine to stop any direct spell attacks on the walls.

Hence the siege.

Returning to the front of the walls, I looked out over the ground towards the unicorn camp. There were signs of spell damage on it, burnt vegetation, craters often filled with water.

Putting a hoof on the battlement, I sat down, considering it for several long moments before I smiled and turned to look at Celestia, “I figured it out.”

“And what is your answer?” she asked as she stepped up next to me, looking towards the distant tents.

“We’re the anvil,” I said, “My wife is the hammer. They are going to attack them from behind and catch them between our two forces.”

Celestia nodded, “Very good,” she said with a small sad smile, looking out towards the unicorn camp, “Two days from now, Lunas forces will hit them from behind at dusk. They’re defeated and with no way to escape, they have no choice but to surrender.”

No teleportation yet at this time.

I nodded and looked towards the tents in the distance. A time I hoped never returned.

“I spoke to my sister,” Celestia said quietly.

“What do you think?” I asked, glancing up at her.

She looked thoughtful before she glanced down at me with a small smile, “I think that getting some time to practice your magic would be very good for you.”

“Likely would, yes,” I agreed before I smiled a bit at her, “But you know what they are really doing, right?”

“Very much so,” Celestia said and shook her head, “I always was the sneakier sister.”

“Mhmm,” I agreed, “They’re not even trying to be subtle about it. But if you want, we can always go along with it because… I kinda do need practice. There is only so much practice in dreams help, that much is very true.”

Celestia nodded, “That very much is true,” she agreed before she smiled and shook her head in amusement, “And if they think we need vacations that badly, we might as well go along with it.”

I just nodded in agreement.

Chapter 11

Things progressed faster than I thought it would. Less than a week after I agreed to go, I found myself at the train station just as the sun started to rise above the trees.

Birds chirped in the trees, audible above the sound of the railway ponies and the locomotive. Ponies yelled, cargo getting loaded. Passengers boarding the train.

I stood outside the private royal carriage as I looked between Sparks and Sunny, “Are you sure about this?” I asked them seriously, “I know how much work this is.”

Sparks nodded and stepped forward, hugging me tight before she kissed my cheek, “Page, just focus on your studies. We’ll be fine.”

“We can handle this,” Sunset said with a smile as she joined us, “And don’t forget, we were both Celestia's students in the past. We know exactly how difficult you are going to have it.”

I raised an eyebrow at her, “Really?”

“She’s a good teacher,” Sparks said with a smile as she let go of the hug, “But she is also demanding.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” I agreed with a smile, “...but you’re right, this will be fun.”

“Your Majesty,” Moon Glow said as she walked up to us before saluting, “Everything is ready.”

I nodded, “Thank you, Glow. I’ll be onboard in a minute,” I said before I turned to pull Sparks and Sunny into another tight hug, “...I’ll miss you.”

“We’ll miss you too,” Sunset said and leaned against me, “But we’ll see you in our dreams,” she said before she pulled back with a small grin and a wink, “Say hi to Luna from us.”

I cleared my throat and nodded, “I will.”

While the way out would take me directly to my destination, we had decided that on the way back I’d stop by Canterlot for at least a couple of days and then continue back

Twilight blushed slightly and then poked me with her hoof, “Get going, ponies are waiting!”

I smiled and stole a kiss from her before retreating towards the rail carriage. I glanced back at them one more time before I climbed up and walked inside.

I gave Shade and Leaf a nod as I walked past the cabin they had set up in before entering my private cabin that took up something like the last half of the rail carriage.

Amber looked up from where she was sitting on one of the chairs, “We’re going now, sir?”

“We are,” I said and stretched my wings a little before jumping onto the couch as I lit my horn and slipped my circled off my head, floating it over to put on its stand next to the bed.

Looking out the window, I gave Sunset and Twilight a wave as the train jerked and started to move, slowly pulling out of the station.

They waved back as they slid out of view.

Letting out a small sigh, I shifted and leaned against the couch, trying to get comfortable. About a week to our destination.

There was something to be said about this way to travel. Plenty of time to think, to read. It felt a bit strange though knowing that I left Flower Rain behind to assist Sparks and Sunny.

Even this quickly, it made me realize exactly how much I relied on the petite batpony for… basically everything.

It was getting late though, I should think about getting to bed soon…

…or it would be normally. Now I had to turn things around to be awake during the day. Technically, Celestia could have done the same and been awake during the night, but… Alicorn of the Sun. It just seemed more practical for me to be the one to do it.

If I forced myself to stay up three or so hours longer every day until we arrived, it would be fine. It’s just that the process to do so sucked.

Blinking a bit against the increasing light, I looked around only to find Amber digging around in an open drawer before jumping off the chair and crossing over to me, offering me a pair of day goggles, “Here you go, sir.”

“Thank you,” I said with a smile and slipped them on, adjusting the strap around the back of my head. Day goggles weren’t actually sunglasses in any way.

They actually made it look like night rather than just filter through less light.

Too much light made me sleepy, so these actually helped a lot. Extending my wing, I gave the ling a quick hug with another small yawn.

The door opened and Moon Glow poked her head inside, “Alright there, sir?”

“Alright, Glow,” I agreed and folded my wing again, “Just not looking forward to being awake during the day, thing.”

She smiled and walked in, adjusting her wings, “I’m actually looking forward to it a bit,” she admitted, “One thing I do miss doing as often is sunbathing.”

“You know, you could take more time off,” I suggested, “I have literally offered it several times. And I know for a fact that you are falling behind on taking the days off you normally get as well.”

“Eh, I'd get bored.”

“Well, enjoy while you can, I guess, because I think Starlight may start to enforce that sort of thing soon,” I said with a smile, “How’s everypony else settling in?”

A total of twenty guards were coming along. And three other ponies. A maid, a doctor and a chef. The regular traveling accompaniments.

“Everyone is doing fine,” she said with a nod, “Oh, that reminds me. Sweet Slice wanted me to ask you if you would like a morning meal?”

“That would be nice I think, thank you,” I agreed, “But keep it light. And remind her that we’re shifting everything three hours a day until we’re at a day pony schedule..”

“I’ll let her know,” Glow said with a smile and a nod and turned to leave. I suppressed another yawn and looked around. Spotting the fully stocked bookshelf, I jumped off the couch and trotted over to it.

Well, I have a week to kill.

Thunk-thunk. Thunk-thunk.

The sound of the train tracks was faint beneath the carriage as we sped across the plains. Grass stretching out towards the horizon, the jungle left far behind.

I leaned against the back of the couch, resting my head ontop of the cushion as I looked out across the landscape.

The sun shone above so I had my goggles on. But quite frankly, I was so bored.

Four days into the trip. Three and a bit days left and I was about to chew my left wing off, I was so bored.

I would have suggested to go out and fly alongside for a bit, and while even Amber wouldn’t have a problem with that, it would slow us down and just make it take even longer.

“Your move.”

I blinked and then looked at Moon Glow, the pegasus laying across from me on the couch, a chess set sitting on it between us.

“Sorry,” I said and studied the board for several long moments before moving an earth-pony.

Moon Glow studied the board, frowning in thought for several long moments, her wings slowly shifting on her back before she reached out with her hoof and moved a wizard, taking a carriage.

Moon Glow was fairly good at chess.

Okay, scratch that. She was really good at it. I’m not. Sure, I knew how to play and I did even win some games, possibly even without her letting me, but most of the time she was the victor.

I studied the board.

And so it seems to be this time as well. She had me in two movies. Yes, I’d be able to protect my Princess by sacrificing a guard, but that would put her into another bad position.

One I may be able to get out of, or I might not.

Reaching out, I tipped my Princess over, “Your game.”

“You’re distracted.”

“I guess I am,” I admitted and then shook my head before glancing at the sun as it was actually approaching the horizon, “And it’s getting late.”

Moon Glow nodded, “So it is,” she agreed and started to pack up the chessboard, “Thank you for the games, your majesty.”

I shook my head with a smile, “I enjoyed it. I’m not that good at it, but it was fun.”

“If you focused on the game, it would help.”

“Likely, yes,” I admitted and flicked one ear, “Sorry. Just thinking about what’s going on at home.”

“Princess Twilight can handle things just fine,” Glow said very reasonably.

I snorted and nodded, “I know, I know. And likely better than me! Sparks’ amazing, it’s not that. It’s… I worry about my ponies,” I admitted before I shook my head, “...Sorry, Glow. You don’t need to worry about that.”

Moon Glow regarded me for several long moments after closing the lid on the chess-set, “I’m not a batpony,” she said after several more moments, “Do you know why I moved to Nocturnis? I’m not sure I ever told you.”

I shook my head, “You joined my guard when it was still in Canterlot.”

Moon Glow nodded, “I did. I always wanted to be in the guard but until you formed the Dream Legion, mares couldn’t be soldiers and I’m not good enough a flier for the Wonderbolts. But not all of the guard followed along to Nocturnis when it was created and the Dream Legion converted to the Nocturnis Guard. Many left when offered. Being a member while in Canterlot was easy, safe. We lost a large part when we moved.”

I nodded, “Half or so when all was done.”

Glow’s ears flicking in annoyance, “Which was likely a good thing to get rid of the posers.”

“So why did you come?” I asked, shifting my wings, “I know you have family in Canterlot.”

She nodded once more, “I do, and I look forward to seeing them when we visit later. But the reason I followed was not only because I enjoyed my job. It’s because I saw what you wanted to do. And not only what you wanted to do, a lot of ponies want to do good things. You actually did it. You saw a great wrong and put everything into fixing it.”

“I…” I started to answer before I shook my head, “I just did what needed to be done.”

Glow smiled, “Yes. I’m not a batpony,” she said and slipped off the couch, slipping the chess set beneath her wing, “You’re an alicorn and a Prince,” she said as she turned to me again, “And so is Princess Twilight. But being an alicorn and a prince and me not being a batpony has very little to do with why you are Our Prince,” she said and bowed, “Good night, your majesty.”

“Good night, Moon Glow.”

The door closed behind her and I looked out the window again. I’m not sure I liked when my ponies spoke about me like that.

Sometimes they just put me on even more of a pedestal that I could never live up to. Especially when away from my real duties like this.

I felt like I needed to do more. Be better. But that was one of the reasons I was doing this. I really needed the magical training.

The rest of the lessons were good for me too. Made me more capable. I may never get close to what my ponies expected from me, but I had to try.

They deserved that and more.

Nodding to myself in determination, I slipped off the couch and fetched my bag before I moved to the small desk. I could put in an hour or two of studying before sleeping.

Chapter 12

Taking a deep breath, I took in the air as I jumped off the train onto the small platform.

It really was a small platform too. A dozen meters of planks built up and a single sign announcing that it was the platform for the village of Everwater.

No village in sight though, just trees and a dirt path leading off into the forest.

On the path, there were half a dozen large carriages lined up, hitched behind four earth ponies each.

An unicorn looked away from a clipboard before he trotted over as he put it away in a satchel strapped to his solar guard armor. Coming to a stop, he bowed, “Prince Page,” he said, “I’m Captain Bronzegleam.”

“Captain,” I said, giving him a nod before I looked at the carriage, “No criticism intended, but would sky carriages not be faster?”

“They would if they could land at the destination,” he said and shook his head, “The courtyard is small and the wind along the cliff is strong and unpredictable. A pegasi can fly it with effort, but when pulling a carriage it’s too dangerous.”

I nodded in agreement while wondering what sort of place Luna really had picked for this magic training thing.

Moon Glow jumped down next to me, back in full dark Nocturnis armor.

“Captain,” she said and saluted.

“Captain,” he answered, returning it.

We’re one captain away from a comedy sketch. Leaving them to organize the embarkation and negotiate who’s in charge of what(Moon Glow in my opinion), I moved away and spread my wings, hesitating for a split second before gliding down to land onto the ground.

My hooves set down and I folded my wings as I took in the scent of the forest. But I felt tense for some reason, my ears kept twisting and turning and I kept glancing in through the thick forest.

Looking at the rest of my ponies, I wasn’t the only one that looked very uncomfortable about being down on the forest floor outside a shielded area.

I made a mental note to specifically do it as much as possible at some point in the future or I feared it might turn into an outright phobia.

Because developing a phobia of having my hooves on the ground when also living for thousands of years would suck.

…of course, living in Nocturnis it wasn’t exactly an unreasonable fear. Buck, thinking back about it I even felt uncomfortable on the ground when inside a shielded area.

Taking a breath, I consciously forced myself to relax. If my ponies saw or at least thought I was relaxed, it may help them to do the same.

We’re safe here. There are no large bitey things hiding among the trees. So instead of keeping an eye on the forest, I consciously turned my back to it and ignored it while looking as unconcerned as possible.

It made the back of my neck itch, but I stubbornly studied the train instead as ponies moved supplies and luggage from the train to the carriages again.

In an amazingly short time, everypony seemed to be ready and Moon Glow approached me, “We’re ready to get moving, your majesty,” she said, coming to a stop and giving a parade ground crisp salute.

Showing off to the solar guard.

I nodded to her, “Thank you, Captain,” and let her lead me to the second carriage where Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade were standing flanking the door, coming to full attention when we got close.

“How long is the ride?” I asked Glow.

“Captain Bronzegleam says about two hours,” she said as we reached the door.

I nodded, “Thank you captain,” I said before I climbed into the carriage only for the door to close behind me. There was a slight sound of hooves landing on the floor, meaning that Shade and Leaf had relocated onto the roof for the duration.

Meaning that everypony had decided to squeeze into the other carriages rather than make me share.

Taking a deep breath, I then sighed before laying down on the overstuffed couch. Let them do things for you.

Yes, yes, Sunshine. I know. It’s just difficult at times, especially when it inconveniences so many ponies.

Picking a book from my small satchel, I settled down to read as the carriage started to slowly move, rocking slightly as it rolled along the road.

Daring really could write a good book. What more, I liked the batpony side character. He was actually helpful rather than in the way as most of her so-called supporting side characters usually were.

I really liked that she incorporated his echolocation as a solution to finding their way out of a pitch black cave. She had done her research.

Glancing out the window, I then moved closer to it as the wagon started to slow down slightly while tilting. We were moving up along a winding road up the side of a mountain. The road was narrow and the side was steep. We were already some fifty meters above the ground below and I could look out over the trees below.

That’s frightening.

Closing my book, I sat down and looked out the window instead as we slowly climbed up the road. Well, this explained the four earth ponies pulling the carriages. One earth pony would be able to pull this thing easy enough on flat ground.

But with this road, four was definitely the right thought.

So instead of worrying, I did my best to trust my ponies. If they thought this was the safe way to do this, then I had to trust them to be right.

Forcing myself to relax, I tried to enjoy the view instead.

And it was an impressive view. The place we’re going to was clearly as high up as Canterlot.

The carriage rocked slightly and I glanced up. Leaf and Shade had jumped off and a couple of seconds later, the reason why was revealed as everything went dark as we entered a tunnel.

I blinked, my eyes quickly adjusting and I could see the grey rock moving past just outside the window, hoof beats echoing through the clearly narrow tunnel.

I found myself amused by the fact that I could actually somewhat hear the shape and size of the tunnel from the echos. Not clearly as with propper echolocation squeaks, but well enough to tell it was over a hundred meters long and still heading upwards and not much wider or taller than the carriage.

Approaching the exit, I closed my eyes to get ready for the bright sunshine. I wasn’t disappointed, quickly the cabin filled with bright sunshine a couple of moments before the carriage turned and came to a halt.

Looking out the window, revealed… a grey stone wall, just outside. We were almost pressed against it and I could see nothing. Turning the other way, the door opened to allow me outside.

The first thing that struck me was a chill wind that cut straight through my coat despite the warm sunshine from above.

Suppressing a shudder, I climbed down the stairs and looked around. While the carriages technically fit in the courtyard, it clearly took some puzzle ability to do so.

On each side was a pair of round towers that clung to the side of the cliff, seeming half built into it. The tunnel had a pair of heavy iron gates and opposite to the gate was a tall stone wall, we had parked just next to. In total, the small courtyard was maybe fifteen meters across.

Damn, no wonder this place was considered secure enough to leave a pair of alicorns lightly guarded in.

The gate at the bottom of the left tower opened and a pair of solar guards existed, followed by Celestia. All flowing colorful mane and shining white coat. She smiled as she spotted me and I moved to meet her halfway.

“Prince Page,” she said with a nod, “Welcome to Sparrow Peak.”

“Thank you, Princess Celestia,” I said, giving her a nod as well as I met her eyes, “Glad to be here.”

Behind me, ponies started to unload the carriages.

Chapter 13

The door closed behind me and I suppressed a shudder as a chill went through my coat.

It didn’t fool Celestia through, “Cold?” she asked as we moved towards the stairs.

I shook my head, “Not really,” I lied, “But that wind is a bit much.”

She nodded, “I’m told it can be cold. This was not a popular posting, especially during the winter.”

The shiver at that thought I couldn’t suppress. It was the middle of summer, the sunlight outside was nice and warm and even now the wind was chilly.

In the middle of winter, this place would have been horrible.

“How was your journey?” Celestia asked as we reached a heavy oak door set into the side of the stairs at a stone landing, the stairs continuing curving up before us.

“Well enough,” I said before I smiled up at her, “Bit boring though, but I like my train rides being boring. The alternative is worse.”

“So it is,” she admitted and lit her horn, pushing the door open, “This is your chamber,” she said and led the way inside, ducking to pass in through the door without hitting her horn.

I followed her inside and looked around. A fireplace at one side next to a desk and bookshelves, mostly empty but for some books.

A couch and a table, the chamber mostly lit by candles. The air was chilly and I shifted a bit closer to Celestia's side as I looked around.

No bed, but I could see a tail perch had been installed close to the fireplace.

Somepony had put quite a lot of thought into this to make it as bat friendly as possible. Not a lot of candles either and the only window was high and narrow.

I briefly wondered how much exactly Sunshine could see in here, it had to be pretty gloomy.

“Looks nice,” I said and shifted away from her, doing a circle around the chamber.

“It’ll be warmer once the fire is lit,” Celestia reassured me with a smile, “And there are plenty of blankets stored.”

I smiled at her and nodded, “And your chamber?”

“Similar,” she said and glanced upwards, “The floor above. It will double as our main classroom.”

Nodding, I followed her out of the chamber and up the stairs to the next level. She opened the room and ducked in through the opening. Her chamber was very similar, but with a Celestia sized bed and the bookshelves were filled.

Her fireplace was crackling away already and the air was warmer, even if I’m not sure I would describe it as warm.

I may have to wrap myself in a blanket while sleeping. Never done that while hanging from my tail, so that’ll be interesting.

“Everypony else in the other tower?”

Celestia nodded, “That’s where the main barracks are,” before she smiled, “These used to be armory, storage and offices.”

“What’s above us? There’s more than two chambers in this tower.”

Sunshine smiled, “Come,” she said and led the way up to the top floor. The stairs continued on to a hatch which likely led to the floor.

Pushing the door open, Celestia allowed me inside first.

This floor was… not anything. It was a chamber the same size as the lower ones and it was completely empty. Just bare rock, not even a fireplace. It was clean and dust free, but other than bare rocks and wood supports for the roof, it was empty.

I glanced back at Celestia, shifting my wings against the slight chill as I wondered if my cloak had been packed, “Spell practice?”

“Spell practice,” she confirmed and ducked in through the door to join me, “Enchanted similar to the practice rooms at my school for unicorns.”

“Oh, '' I said, nodding, “I just assumed we’d be doing that at the courtyard. Is the spells going to be dangerous enough to require this? I didn’t think I was at that level of spellcasting.”

Celestia flicked one ear and shrugged her wings, “No,” she admitted, “But some of the spells we will be doing are complex and can be energetic if they fail. We had the room and it’s better to keep things safe if possible.”

Ah.

Well, that makes sense. Best keep things safe I suppose. That was why we were here instead of Canterlot after all, at least according to the ‘cover story’.

“So,” I said and smiled faintly up at her, “...We’re keeping the cover story then?”

“We are,” Celestia said and smiled back, “Even if they think they tricked us into a vacation, we should make use of the time.”

I nodded, “We should,” I agreed and grinned, “...To be honest, I have been looking forward to what I will be learning. Magic is cool.”

Celestia smiled and nodded, “I see Twilight is rubbing off on you.”

“Mmm,” I agreed with a grin, shaking my mane back, “Sometimes. What about you?”

Celestia stretched her wings with a small smirk, “Maybe I will while we’re here.”

Moving up next to her, I felt the cold fade away as I got close to her sun warm side, “I rather like that idea. Do we start today?”

She shook her head, “Best start tomorrow, Page. It has been a long day for you. It’s best to learn when fully rested and relaxed.”

“That sounds kinda nice actually,” I admitted as we started down the stairs again, keeping close to the hot sun goddess to ward the chill away.

Chapter 14

“Page?”

I grumbled and held my wings tighter around myself. Sleepy. Warm. Comfortable.

“Page? Are you awake in there?”

I forced my eyes open with a yawn, “I’m awake,” I answered, looking down at the floor beneath me, barely visible through the mass of fabric wrapped around me.

It had been a bit tricky to do while hanging from my tail, but tying a couple of blankets around myself had worked perfectly and even if the room was a bit cool, I was in a nice warm cocoon.

Celestia ducked down and then peered up into my cocoon, “ Good morning. That can’t be comfortable,” she commented with a smile.

“I don’t know what you are on about, this is amazing,” I answered sleepily, hugging myself with my wings, holding my legs close to myself with a small yawn, “All nice and cozy.”

“Are you certain you would not rather have a bed?” She asked as she laid down, looking up at me as she rolled onto her back, “My sister insisted that you would prefer a perch.”

I shook my head, looking down at her, “This is crazy comfortable,” I mumbled sleepily.

Celestia smiled up at me in amusement, “And how exactly are you planning to get down?”

Looking down at her, I then smiled sleepily and cast a teleport spell, reappearing a couple of meters away, standing on the floor.

Celestia squeaked as the pair of blankets landed on her. I just laughed as she struggled to get them off her.

“That’s how,” I teased, sticking my tongue out at her.

Rolling back onto her stomach, she shot me a look before she shook her head and adjusted the blankets beneath her instead as she lit her horn and stacked some wood into the fireplace before lighting it, causing light to flood through the chamber to join the sunlight filtering in through the high and narrow window, the light playing across her pure white coat.

I thankfully moved closer, slipping in between her and the fireplace as I felt the chill starting to sink through my coat, “Thanks,” I said and raised a wing to gather more of the heat of the fire, “How is it so cold? It’s the middle of the summer!”

“It’s the wind, I’m told,” Celestia explained, “It’s coming from the snow covered peaks above.”

“Why did we pick this place, I don’t like cold,” I grumbled and folded my wings again, lighting my horn and grabbing part of the blanket to set over my back.

“Luna picked it,” Celestia said with a small frown and her wing settles across the blanket in turn, “It must not have mentioned it in the reports.”

“Or she figured it’d be fine in the middle of high summer,” I said and shrugged my wings a bit, “What time is it?”

“After ten.”

I groaned and rubbed my eyes, “I can’t decide if that’s early or late. It feels like both.”

“I can assure you, it’s late.”

I glowered at her, “Being awake during the day is not natural,” I grumbled and shifted, leaning against her to make use of her warmth, “The sun is too bright and if out in it, it can burn your wings,” I continued before glancing up at her, “...Any chance you can make it a bit less harsh?”

Celestia smiled and shook her head, “I’m sorry, that’s not possible,” she said and her nose touched my mane, “Go eat. We will start our lessons as soon as you’re done.”

“Kitchen is in the other tower?”

“Lowest floor,” she confirmed, “Or we can ask the maid to bring you something if you like.”

Shaking my head, I got to my hooves, “No, I’m not some spoiled noble. I can go get my own sandwich,” and trotted over to my bags, digging through to find that cloak.

Slipping it over my back and tying it before my neck, I then paused as I looked at Celestia. She was laying on the blanket, stretched out in the light of the fire.

She was beautiful.

Then something hit me that was strange with the sight, “You’re not wearing your regalia.”

“I’m here as a teacher, not a Princess,” she said with a smile and pushed herself up to sit before getting up, taking the blankets and starting to fold them up in her magic. She put the blanket down and raised her hoof to touch her chest where her heavy necklace usually hung, “I admit… it feels strange,” she then admitted.

“Strange good or strange bad?” I asked as I walked to look up at her as I used my wings to adjust the cloak to get them comfortable beneath it.

“Just unused to it,” she said and put her hoof back down, “I usually only take them off for sleeping or when they are being cleaned.”

I nodded, “Maybe a tradition we can work on lessening,” I said and smiled at her, “Because it’s not like anypony would ever mistake you for anypony else.”

She looked thoughtful, “Maybe,” she admitted before she shook her head, “But I like how it looks.”

“You look good no matter what.”

“Thank you,” she said and stretched her wings high, catching the light from the fireplace against her pure white feathers, before she smiled at me, “Now go eat. Then we can start working on shields.”

Ah, a subject I actually knew! I bet I could surprise her on that one, I did learn a bit from Midnight's brother in addition to what Luna taught me.

Nodding, I headed for the door and went downstairs. Blinking against the bright sunlight as I exited, I considered getting the day goggles for a second before deciding against it and quickly crossing the chilly courtyard towards the other tower.

Let’s see what food we can chase down!

Chapter 15

I thought I knew how to cast shield spells.

In theory, I did. I had cast many shield spells, I was pretty fast at it too. And absolutely nothing about casting spells normally had anything to do with what Celestia was teaching me.

The shields and such Luna had taught me was all about stopping me from getting hurt. They were very good at it.

“And again,” Celestia said from next to me as I regained my breath.

Nodding, I focused, eyes half closed behind my day goggles as I looked at the icecube sitting on a small tea saucer on the stone floor.

Casting the shield spell, I formed a slightly golden shimmering bubble over the ice, saucer and all. I kept my focus on it.

Celestia moved in, running her hoof through the bubble with no resistance. Then she lit her horn and lifted the icecube a little bit before putting it back down.

Then her horn flashed and a stream of fire struck down against the bubble. I instantly felt a strain and I added more magic into it, grinding my teeth as I held against the immense heat and bracing with my hooves against the floor.

I felt the hair getting hotter and quickly, it was like standing by a blast furnace and I was forced to take a step back. I felt the shield wavering even as I put more power into it.

Suddenly the beam of fire cut off and I gasped for breath, my horn feeling burning hot as I sank down to sit.

But for the first time, the icecube remained, the saucer was still there and not a melted pile of glowing goo on the floor. The floor, of course, was still okay because of the way it was protected.

Celestia smiled, her wings raising as she looked at me, “Very well done, Page!” she said, looking very pleased.

“H-how is that so much more effort!?” I asked and pushed my goggles up to just beneath my horn now when I didn’t risk blinding myself.

“Because you are only trying to hold one thing back,” Celestia said and faced me across the saucer on the floor, picking the icecube up, “In this case, heat. There are numerous times you want to block just one aspect, be it sound, light, heat, physical force or even water.”

“I know how to cast a water shield already.”

Celestia nodded, “Yes, but that is more like a normal shield. This shield I’m teaching you now can be used for any specific thing. Or several at once. It will serve you well.”

I frowned in thought before I nodded, “I can see the uses. But it takes so much more effort.”

“It will get easier with time,” she reassured me and picked the saucer up, putting it away, “And you will find that when shielding against very powerful things, being able to limit the thing you specifically shield against can be very useful. And in the end, use less energy.”

Considering that for several long moments, I scraped a hoof against the cooling stone before I nodded, “...I see your point. I have to practice that one.”

“Also, it has more than one use,” Celestia said with a smile, “Such as?”

I slowly tapped my hoof on the stone as I thought before getting to my hooves, “Well, it can specifically keep heat and cold out,” I mused, “It could keep food and drink cold or hot.”

“Indeed,” she agreed as she turned to me, “But you may find that there are more efficient ways of doing that. What else?”

Flicking one ear in thought, I considered that before I shook my head, “...Basically anything that needs you to filter something out that’s not disrupted by the shield itself, really.”

“It has quite some uses, especially in such things as some sensitive potion making,” Celestia agreed, “And in practicing spells.”

“Practicing spells?”

She nodded and smiled, “If you, for example, live in a wooden building up in a tree and wish to safely practice fire magic…”

“Oh!” I said, my wings rising, “That’s very useful!” I said before I folded my wings, frowning again, “Wait, how can I cast it and practice other magic at the same time?”

“That,” Celestia said, “Is a much future lesson. But you already know how to cast two spells at the same time.”

“Yeah, something like light and telekinesis,” I said and stomped my hoof, “that is a bit different! Those are very basic spells!”

She shook her head, “Not quite, but also yes. But nothing you need to worry about now,” she said and stretched her wings, “But I believe we are done with practical demonstrations for today.”

“I can keep going, we should make use of as much of this time as we can,” I said, shaking my head, “I’m good.”

“You may be able to continue,” Celestia said and stepped close, “But by tomorrow your horn will ache from overuse and if you push it then, it will be out of commission for a week or more.”

That was a good point. My horn was still feeling warm.

But I smirked up at her, “I’d have you know that my horn can keep going for a long time. All day if necessary.”

She smiled back, moving a bit closer, “So I heard. But I think we should put some other part of you to use for the rest of the day.”

“And what would that be?” I asked and moved towards her, slowly passing past as I rounded her to stand by her other side, brushing my wing against each of hers.

Celestia smiled, “We will read.”

“And what will we read?” I asked, looking up at her, “I can think of a few things you may enjoy.”

“So can I, but last time we tried that, you ended up writing me a book,” she answered with a small smirk of her own, “Instead I was thinking we would study magic circles in a continuation of the shielding theme..”

That sounded interesting.

Chapter 16

The wind tugged at my mane and at my cloak. I used my horn and pulled the cloak tighter around myself against the cold wind as I looked out over the forest below, the moon shining high in the sky above.

I could see faint lights of a village far in the distance, but mostly it was just dark woods stretching out towards the horizon.

The heating spell on me and the cloak took the worst of the cold away, but I likely shouldn’t be out here for too long anyway.

But I needed some fresh air as my brain felt like mush.

Twelve hours of studying and spellworking tended to do that and quite frankly, I was uncertain I would be able to keep it going for the next month.

Sparks had very much been right, vacation this was not. But Sunshine seemed to be really enjoying herself.

I could do this for a month if it made her happy. Sunshine should be a teacher, not a ruler. I should be a writer, not a ruler.

Luna…

…No, Luna was made to be a Princess. A warrior princess. She had hobbies, painting and the like. But being a Princess made her happy.

Out of all of us, Luna was the one happiest being a ruler.

Twilight and Midnight wanted to study, spend time with their friends and do research. Cadance did enjoy ruling too, admittedly, even if she should likely be a lot happier running a matchmaking service or something.

But out of all of us, Luna was the one most suited to be a Princess.

I turned my eyes upwards, looking up towards the moon high in the sky. My beautiful Sky. Turning around, I climbed the stairs down from the wall instead of gliding down from my wings. Keeping my wings against my sides beneath the cloak was chilly enough.

I was tired, I wanted to sleep. Luna would be somewhere in the dream realm too during the night for her patrol of ponies dreams, I’d be able to meet her there.

Putting my hoof against the door, I pushed it open and started up the stairs, giving the door a small kick with my rear hoof on the way in to close it.

Out of the wind, the chill faded away some, but it was still chilly and I hurried up the stairs to slip into my chambers. The fireplace was crackling away happily, spreading warmth through the room so I slipped my cloak off and moved up to it, spreading my wings to catch as much of it as I could for a couple of minutes.

Soon feeling less like an ice cube I let out a sigh and sat down for several more minutes, eyes half closed and just soaking in the warmth of the fireplace.

Once fairly sure I wouldn’t freeze to death, I pulled away and spread my wings, launching myself upwards, kicking off the mantle of the fireplace and twisted, slipping to catch the perch with my tail, wrapping around it firmly.

I slowly swung in place, getting comfortable. Up by the rafters it was nice and warm, but that fire would fade away in a couple of hours and then the chill would come. So after pulling my legs to myself and wrapping my wings around myself, I lit my horn and picked up my two blankets and wrapped them around myself, tying them firmly in place, leaving me into a nice and comfy cocoon of soft warmth.

Too bad ponies don’t purr. I feel like this would have been a purring moment.

Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh. All that was missing with my girls and this would be perfect.

I let myself drift off to sleep.

Opening my eyes once more, I looked out across the dream world. I’ll meet Luna later, but if she followed her usual schedule, it would be hours more until she entered the dream world.

So I had some time to kill. If I planned to join Luna for her dream patrols, doing it on my own now would be a bit redundant.

Spending a minute looking around the sparkling dreamscape, I then made up my mind and summoned my dream sphere.

Might as well get some more worldbuilding done.

Walking forward, I stepped through into the dark forest, two moons glowing in the sky. The air nice, warm and clear.

Soft sounds of night creatures in the distance. A glow rack deer passed the clearing, it’s horns shining a soft blue as it grazed along the dew covered grass.

The air was scented with moon lilies and the stars shimmered brightly in the sky. A buzz bee slowly flew past, doing a circuit around my head before continuing on its way. Almost the same as material bees, they produced honey, but they didn’t sting.

Instead they buzzed angrily and the swarm formed shapes in the air to scare you off.

Speaking of bugs, I had one of those on my list to do, so I settled down in the dew moist grass as the sun started to peek over the horizon in the distance.

Oh yeah, I set day and night to be similar to the material world but opposite. So when asleep during the day I would be able to have night here.

I could adjust that, the light was bothering my eyes. Hmm.

No, it’s better if I played by the rules, I created them for a reason after all. Conjuring a pair of day goggles instead, I slipped them on before getting to work.

Smiling to myself, I focused on my magic, starting to shift the dream with my eyes half closed in concentration.

A small spot started to glow, grow, shifting and spreading before me as a butterfly appeared. Long wide wings slowly spreading, shifting into a heart shaped pattern. Actually a bit similar to Cadances cutiemark.

Raising my hoof, the butterfly landed on it, wings slowly spreading and folding again. Pushing my goggles up, I could see the wings shimmering in the daylight, leaving faint trails of light as they moved.

Should reflect any light hitting it nicely, both sun and moon. Not to make it visible, but to confuse any birds wanting to eat it.

Raising my hoof, the butterfly dissolved into sparkles, flying towards every part of the world. Reforming into countless new ones all through the lands.

Chapter 17

I kept low, slowly approaching my prey.

Wings half spread, I moved on silent hooves, slipping forward like a shadow.

Luna turned her head and smiled in my direction, “Going to need to try a bit harder than that, My Page.”

I stood up and glowered at her, “How did you spot me!?”

“I didn’t,” she said as she turned towards me with a smile, moving to meet me, “But you have a presence in the dream realm.”

Walking up, I looked up at her before I smiled and raised my muzzle. Luna lowered her own in turn, looking into my eyes, her nose just about touching mine.

“You have a presence everywhere, my beautiful night sky,” I answered as I looked up into her eyes.

Her cheeks colored slightly and she moved around without taking her nose from mine until her side was against mine, her wing brushing along my back, “You are in a good mood, My Page.”

“...I am,” I admitted and gave her a soft kiss before leaning against her with a smile, “It’s been a good day.”

“Enjoy your lessons then?”

“I am,” I admitted before I smiled wider, “It’s only been a day though and my brain feels a bit mush. I’m not sure I can keep it up for an entire month, I’m not Sparks. But I will try.”

Luna smiled and nosed at my ear, “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. You deserve it and more.”

I shifted, nosing up for another kiss before I looked up at her, “...And not to complain, but the place is freezing.”

Luna looked at me with a small smile, “Oh? Truly? Even during the summer?”

“Yeah,” I said and cuddled against her, “Something about the wind flowing in from the snow on top of the mountain. It’s not too bad though, the fireplaces makes it nice and toasty and… well, I do have a literal alicorn of the sun teaching me.”

Nodding, Luna sat down and slipped her forelegs around me, pulling me closer, “I’m glad it’s not too bad.”

I leaned against her, giving her a small kiss, “It’s not. In fact, it’s pretty cozy being bundled up in blankets like this.”

Luna looked amused, “Did they install a bed?”

“Perch,” I said with a grin, “I tied a pair of blankets around myself and hang from my tail. It’s open in the lower half but keeping the heat in as it rises.

Grinning, she touched her nose against mine again, “Bat.”

“You have no idea how comfortable it is,” I countered, looking up into her eyes.

Luna looked doubtful and shook her head, “How is the fort otherwise?”

“Pretty nice,” I admitted and cuddled against her, “My room is about the size of our home in Canterlot. Not as furnished, but there is a comfy couch, a big fireplace and some bookshelves. And a very nice perch.”

Nodding, Luna slipped a wing around me, “Have you talked to Sunset and Twilight?”

I shook my head, “Not today, they’re awake now. Maybe I’ll have a chance after sunrise, but I bet Sunshine will wake me early.”

Luna nodded and gave me a small kiss, “Want me to ask them to take naps during the night?”

Considering it for a second, I then shook my head, “No… It’s difficult enough for them to switch being nocturnal anyway.”

She frowned at me, “Page, you have to stop that.”

“What?”

“Let the ponies you love make their own choices. Stop deciding what’s good for them.”

I cringed and sighed, “...Sorry… It’s just that I know it’s dif-eep!”

Luna let go of my ear and looked down at me firmly, “What did I say, Page?

“Sorry,” I said and reached up, rubbing my ear, “I guess you’re right. Not my choice to make… I would like to see them.”

Luna smiled, “Good colt,” and gave me a small kiss.

“You know,” I said as I leaned against her, “Your plan failed.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” I said and looked up at her with a small smile, “This is not a vacation in any way. If anything, I think I’m actually working harder than before.”

Luna looked like she was suppressing a grin for a second, “I’m sure,” she then said and bumped her nose against mine, “But even so, I think the change might be nice.”

“It is,” I agreed and frowned in thought, “...It’s only been a day and while I said it is exhausting, it actually makes me consider a degree or something.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm,” I said and noses at her neck, “Not sure what in, but I bet it would help me get a job once ponies finally figure out the entire democracy thing.”

Luna smiled and gave me a squeeze, “Silly bat.”

“But seriously, I think it would still be good,” I said, “I like learning things and will make me a more capable ruler.”

Then I shook my head and reached to stroke her wing, “Enough about me,” I said and looked up at her, “How are things in Canterlot with Celestia away?”

Luna hmmed softly, “I’m sure the nobles are annoyed as I followed your advice and kept to my schedule. If they want to talk to me, they have to adapt to me.”

“Good.”

Serves them bucking right.

“But it is going well,” Luna said and then smiled, “I have a couple of hours until I have court, but until then…”

She shifted closer and closer, one hoof on my chest, pushing me backwards until I was on my back with her standing over me as she smiled down at me, “I have some ideas about how to pass the time, my knight.”

I used a bit of dream magic to give myself a set of Nocturnis armor, “But of course, your highness. How may I serve my Princess?”

Chapter 18

I focused, feeling the magic flow around and through me, focusing through my horn as I poured power into it. I trembled from the effort, planting my hooves wide against the stone beneath them, wings half spread as I gritted my teeth.

I had a split seconds warning as I felt the spell starting to unravel and the next I knew, a force threw me backwards and upwards and the wall came in and smacked me hard enough to make my ears ring before I collapsed down onto the floor in a heap.

“Page!”

“Ow,” I groaned and started to push myself onto my hooves.

“Stay down!” Celestia's voice snapped in a tone I never heard from her, one made of pure command and from somepony completely certain it would be obeyed.

I sank back down onto the stone floor.

“Guard! Bring the doctor!”

“Not so loud,” I whined, folding my ears against my head.

“Stay down,” Celestia ordered again firmly, her voice worried, “You may have hit your head.”

“I’m fine,” I grumbled, “I know how that feels. This isn’t it.”

The door opened and Steady Beat entered, the unicorn catching sight of me before he sighed and shook his head, “Again, your majesty?” he asked as he trotted over, opening his satchel.

“I’m fine, there was just a sudden wall,” I sighed but stayed put as he started to check me over, his magic working along my head and neck before continuing to check every bone in order of importance.

“Does anywhere hurt?” Steady asked as he carefully extended my left wing.

“Everywhere. But considering I hit a wall, that makes sense.”

“A spell malfunctioned and he was thrown across the room,” Celestia said with a frown, “Is he injured?”

Steady shook his head, “Prince Page will be fine, Princess,” he said as he checked my other wing before guiding me up to sit so he could check my ribs, “He has some heavy bruising and he will definitely feel it tomorrow, but he didn't take any serious damage. Just bruised.”

I nodded and smiled, “Thanks Doc.”

“Just be more careful, your majesty,” he said and started to put his gear back into his bag, “I heard walls are in a hunting mood this time of the year.”

“I’ll remember,” I said and folded my wings again and he gave me a nod before he left before I turned to Celestia, “Give me a minute, I’ll go borrow a set of armor and then we’ll try again.”

“No, we’re done for today,” she said and stepped up to me, “We can try it again tomorrow.”

Shaking my head, I pushed myself up to stand, “I can keep going.”

“I know,” she said to my surprise before she smiled, “But you don’t need to. We have only been here for four days. We have plenty of time.”

“...I guess you’re right,” I admitted with a small sigh, rubbing the side of my head. Steady was right, this would hurt tomorrow, my entire body ached.

“So, theory time?” I then asked, looking up at her.

To my surprise, Celestia shook her head, “Not today. Like the rest of you, your mind needs time to rest and recover. So no more studying today.”

I hesitated, “...Sunshine, it’s only been four days and we only have so much time.”

“Yes, and you want to actually retain what I teach you, do you not?” she asked with a small smile.

“...Yes…”

Celestia smiled and poked my chest with her hoof, “So listen to me, I know what I’m doing. I have done this a couple of times before.”

“So,” I said with a smile, looking up at her, “Spend a lot of time working with stallions, have you?”

“Mmm,” Celestia agreed and moved up closer and I pressed my side against hers to help ward the creeping chill off in turn, “Many times. Would you like to hear about them?” she teased back.

I smirked, “I think experiencing it is better. Don’t need to hear about it to make use of all that experience.”

“So listen to me.”

Nodding, I then looked up at her, “...Okay, fine, we take a break for the rest of the day,” I agreed, “”So what will you be doing?”

Celestia looked thoughtful for a moment before she smiled, “I think I will read a book.”

“...That sounds kinda nice actually,” I admitted and shifted my wings, “Or maybe do some writing,” and then smiled, “And before you ask, it helps me clear my head, it’s not work.”

“I wasn’t going to, I have known more than a few authors in my time,” Celestia said as we exited the spell chamber and started down the stairs.

I nodded, “What are you going to read?”

Celestia looked thoughtful before she smiled, “I have a book of poetry I have not looked at for a long time. I brought it along with some others. I think I’m in the mood for it today.”

“I never got into poetry,” I admitted and shifted my wings in thought, “I have read some, but they all felt…”

“Felt?” Celestia asked as we stopped outside her door.

“...I don’t know,” I admitted before I shook my head, “The poetry I have read has always felt forced. Like trying to distill emotions onto a page, but in such short format that it can never do it justice,” I said before I looked up at her with a small smile, “Words can contain emotions, but short formats are a lackluster way of doing it. I’m not saying it can’t do it, just that it never really clicked for me.”

Celestia smiled, “You are so wrong.”

“Oh really?”

She nodded, “Let me read some for you. I’ll prove it to you.”

“Okay,” I agreed with a smile, “You’re on. You read, I’ll write.”

Chapter 19

“A statue standing strong and tall
Amidst the ruins, standing tall
The stars above, they twinkle and glow
As a feather falls, oh so slow

Once a mighty city full of life
Now just ruins and endless strife
But the statue stands, a silent sentinel
Guarding the city, forever eternal

The feather falls, a gentle breeze
A reminder of the city's ease
Before the fall, before the strife
When the city was full of life

Now just a memory, a distant dream
But the statue stands, a silent gleam
Of a time gone by, a forgotten past
But still standing strong, until the last.”

I rested my pen on the page before me, looking at the fireplace. I was laying next to Celestia, her warmth on the opposite side of the fireplace.

“Who wrote that one?” I asked after a couple of moments, glancing up at her.

Celestia smiled, “It’s from a pegasus named Silent Mind. He lived just over two hundred years ago. What do you think about it?”

I shifted my wings in thought, pushing my notebook to the side so I could rest my head on my hooves for a couple of moments, “Read it to me again?”

Smiling, Celestia did so.

“It’s sad,” I said a minute after she finished, “Was it written in a time of strife?”

“No. It was a peaceful time.”

Nodding, I rolled onto my back, looking up at her, “It’s written about you. Or somepony like you. Or maybe the idea of a timeless pony remembering better times. Standing strong against the harshness around them, for the ponies around them.”

“Maybe. That’s one of the things about poems. They give back what you bring into them,“ Celestia said as she looked down at me.

“But it is written about you?”

Celestia shook her head, smiling a bit sadly, “As an alicorn, you will find that quite a lot of poetry is written about you.”

“I guess it could also be about Equestria itself,” I said, looking up at the ceiling in thought, “What did he mean?”

“I don’t know.”

I blinked at her, “You don’t know?”

Celestia smiled sadly, “Never met him. Never even read anything of his until a hundred years ago.”

Oh.

Shifting a bit, I tried to relieve my aching back. Something that Celestia didn’t miss.

“Are you feeling okay?”

I nodded, “I'll be fine, but Steady was right. I am going to feel it in the morning. Maybe we should take it a bit easier then?”

Sunshine nodded with a smile, “Of course we can.“

Rolling over I slid my notebook back before me before I frowned and shook my head, closing it and sliding it away.

“Not feeling like writing?”

“No,” I admitted, “Didn’t get anywhere anyway,” I said and rested my head on my forehooves, “What do you have in mind for tomorrow?”

Celestia smiled at me, “I’m considering fire magic.”

“I thought we would not blow me up tomorrow?” I said and raised my head to frown up at her, “I don’t do fire magic.”

“Which is why we will start it easy and with simple spells. I suspect a lot of it is in your mind, there is nothing about your domain of stories or imaginations that is against fire, Page,” Celestia said and brushed her wing across mine.

“...Maybe,” I admitted, “I am hesitant about it… well, being on fire sucks.”

“So I’m told,” she said a bit dryly with a small smile.

“Okay, we’ll try it.”

“Do or do not, there is no try.”

I snorted, “I never should have written that thing,” I chuckled, “I’m never rid of that,” I said before I bundled up the blanket a bit and stole one of her pillows from her bed before I settled down, rolling onto my back to look up at her again and shaking my mane back to keep it out of my eyes, “...Do you have any more poems from him?”

“A few,” she said as she smiled down at me before she picked her book back up, turning pages before she nodded, “Here’s one.”

“A cloud, losing wisps of mist
In bright sunlight's golden kiss
A happy sight to see
As the cloud is set free

It dances in the sky
A joyous, happy cloud
As the sun shines down
Its wispy tendrils proud

It twirls and spins
A playful, carefree dance
A sight to behold
In this happy, sunny glance

The cloud may fade away
But its memory will remain
A happy moment captured
In the warmth of the sun's reign.”

“Are you sure you never met him?” I asked her with a smile.

Celestia shook her head, “If I did, I never knew his name. Or he wrote under a pseudonym. I wish I had known him, I like his poetry.”

“It is nice,” I admitted and flicked one ear, “...I’m still not sure I’m the right pony for it though. I can tell that it’s good, but it’s just… a single scene. I want more.”

Celestia smiled down at me, “My sister does not have patience for poetry either.”

I shook my head, “No, that’s not it. It’s nice, I just don’t have any experience in it. And it’s so… short. It leaves you with emotions but no substance.”

“Page,” Celestia said, sounding amused, “I think you may be missing the point of poetry.”

I smiled back, “Maybe I have,” I admitted and stretched out slightly, shaking my head a bit to stop it tugging on my mane, getting comfortable as I looked up at her, “Read me some more?”

Meeting my eyes, she did.

Chapter 20

I entered the dream and spread my wings, gliding down along the air as Io felt around for the dreams inhabitant.

Passing along the main bridge in Nocturnis, I banked around before coming in to land on the middle of the main street where Sunset were trying in frustration to move a humongous grape the size of a house sitting in the middle of the square while also warding hungry batponies off as you don’t eat food off the floor.

Grinning, I watched in amusement for a couple of moments before tapping my hoof and solidifying the dream.

Sunset sank down to sit, “Oh,” she said before she groaned, “It’s a dream!” and then looked up at the gigantic grape, “Why didn’t I ever realize it was a dream!?”

I grinned and trotted up to touch my horn to hers, “It’s what dreams do.”

“I just figured I’d start to recognize it, not like you haven’t done this enough,” she said and then looked into my eyes with a small smile, “How’s practice?”

I smiled at her, “I only blew myself up once.”

Sunset leaned back slightly, raising an eyebrow, “You do know that’s once more than you should, right?”

I sat down and smiled at her, “Was barely an explosion, just threw me back a bit.”

She looked up at me with a small smile, “What were you doing anyway?”

“Force spell,” I said and shrugged my wings, “I was meant to make a sphere of force to throw, causing a concussive effect.”

She grinned, “Sounds like Starwhirls bombast. That’s pretty advanced actually. Did you forget to throw it?”

“No, I lost control before I could,” I admitted, “I'll try again tomorrow, but Sunshine made me quit for the day.”

“So one pony there has some sense at least,” Sunset teased and scooted closer.

I smiled and bumped my nose against hers, “And how’s things in Nocturnis?” I asked, glancing at the giant grape, “This caused by something.”

“Oh, other than needing to herd bats around?” Sunset commented and then shook her head, “No, it’s actually going pretty well. Everypony is just antsy for the rain to stop.”

I nodded. More than understandable that. The rest of the year was significantly warmer, but even for non-bats it was easier to deal with that than being confined indoors at all hours of the night.

“And the fields?”

Sunset frowned at me before she poked my chest, “Don’t you worry about that. You have more important things right now, leave Nocturnis to Twi and me.”

I frowned at her in turn before I sighed and shook my head, “...Can’t do anything from where I am anyway,” I admitted and scowled, “I’m not used to being out of the loop.”

“I know,” Sunset said, smiling softly up at me, giving my lips a small kiss, “But if Princess Celestia can take time away, so can you. So focus on what’s important right now and let us handle your ponies.”

My ponies.

I flicked one ear and glanced down before pressing my nose against her mane, pulling her close with a foreleg.

Sunset shifted closer, resting her head against my neck.

We stayed like that for a while before Sunset shifted back to smile up at me again, “So… you’re dying to eat that grape, aren’t you?”

“Oh yeah,” I answered with a toothy grin, “I would love to eat your grape.”

Sunset’s cheeks reddened slightly.

“Of course,” I then added and nosed at her ear, “I’m not in Nocturnis, so I suppose I have to leave that duty to Sparks too. Make sure she does it properly and thoroughly.”

Sunset blushed deeper as she glared a bit up at me, “Stop th-”

“I think tha-”

Sunset pounced, pushing me over onto my back, her hooves on my chest pinning me down, “Page!” she exclaimed, blushing to the tips of her ears.

I grinned up at her, “Yes?”

Still blushing, she settled down, “You are impossible,” she said as she slid off me to lay next to me.

Smiling, I rolled onto my side to face her, “...And I also want to eat the grape.”

“Bat,” she said, rolling her eyes before she sighed and scooted closer. I pulled her close, nosing at her mane.

“So how are things really?” I asked softly.

“Page!”

“Okay, okay!” I agreed and sighed, “No questions. Sparks going to have a nap later as well?”

Sunset shook her head, “No,” she admitted and rolled over to face me, touching her horn to mine, “She has court tonight. But she told me to tell you that she’s going to tonight.”

“I’ll look for her then,” I said and stroked her mane, “Now go wake up before you won’t be able to sleep this morning.”

Sunset nodded and smiled, “Say Hi to Princess Celestia from me and Twi.”

“I will.”

I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself as I looked out over the forest below, lit by the noon sun before I glanced at Glow as she stood next to me, “How’s everypony doing?”

“Everypony is doing well, your majesty.” Glow answered with a nod, “There was some friction with the solar guard during the first couple of days, but things smoothed out soon enough.”

I smirked, “Presumably around the time they realized that two thirds of the Nocturnis guards were mares?”

Glow looked amused, “Perhaps.”

“Is that going to cause trouble?”

She hesitated and then shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. Everypony is being professional. Maybe if we stayed longer than a month,” before she grinned briefly, “Besides, privacy is at a premium here.”

I thought about my empty chamber in the other tower. The same size as one floor of the barracks holding twenty ponies.

Should I share with Celestia? Or maybe we could move some beds over.

I ruthlessly stomped that impulse into the ground. They would go for it if I told them to do it, but none of the guards would be comfortable with the arrangement.

Not with me in the room anyway… or even if I shared with Sunshine, they would be uncomfortable, feeling like they displaced me.

“Not too cold?”

Glow shook her head, “It’s a bit chilly, for the bats especially. But the barracks are nice and toasty. Fireplace and ponies make a good amount of heat and we did bring winter gear for the bats,” she said and then shrugged her wings, “Wouldn’t like to be here in the winter though,” she admitted, “I understand the majority of ponies stationed here were earth ponies other than some messenger pegasi.”

Which made sense. Pegasi could handle the cold fairly well, but earth ponies were just plain tougher. During a longer period, earth ponies would in general be better at it, if nothing else because they were larger and sturdier and with thicker coats.

“Me neither,” I agreed and pulled the cloak a bit tighter against the wind.

“We are getting a bit low on wood though,” Glow then said and pointed down towards the village at a distance in the forest, “We’re sending a group down to the village to bring a pair of cart loads back tomorrow. My solar counterpart has already prearranged things.”

I nodded, “Sounds good,” before an idea struck me, “You know, I have to check with Celestia, but perhaps we could do tomorrow's lessons down in the forest.”

Shouldn’t be cold down there! Down there, it should be just normal summer warmth. I should have thought about this earlier!

Glow thought about it for a second, “As long as you bring guards I have no objection, your majesty.”

I nodded before I smiled, “...And I think that’s my lunch break over. Back to my studies I think.”

“Good luck.”

I gave her a nod and a smile before I moved to trot back inside and up to Celestia's chamber. Stopping outside, I raised my hoof to knock.

“Enter.”

I pushed the door open and slipped inside, closing the door behind me as I slipped my cloak off. After having been outside, the room felt outright hot.

“Had a nice walk?” Celestia asked from her place by the fireplace, three books and some papers spread out before her.

“I did,” I said with a smile, slipping around to lay down between the sun goddess and the fireplace.

Now I was nice and warm, the chill that trickled through my coat while I was out despite the cloak, quickly evaporating into nothing.

“Ready to continue?”

“Actually,” I said, “Before we do, I talked with Moon Glow while I was out. They are going to do a firewood run tomorrow and I figured we could go down from the mountain as well, have our lesson for the day there?”

Celestia nodded, “That’s a good idea,” and then she shifted slightly, “...And I think I should have suggested it earlier, but I noticed that you…”

“...Am not comfortable on the forest floor,” I agreed and shifted my wings, “And neither are most of my guards. A hazard from having lived in Nocturnis before the shield went up. And for those that venture outside of it. But it’s something I need to work on as well.”

Celestia nodded and settled a wing across my back, “And it will get you away from the cold,” she said with a small smile.

“That too,” I said with a small smile, “But it’s not that bad. Honestly, Canterlot is worse in a normal winter. No snow, no moisture. No nobles.”

Celestia laughed and shook her head, “No nobles,” she agreed and then touched her nose to my mane, “Just a noble pony.”

I shifted my hooves a bit uncomfortably, “So what are we going tomorrow? Anything planned?”

“Actually yes,” Celestia said with a smile, “Fire magic. Let’s try again.”

I suppressed a groan and sighed, “You know I can’t do that.”

“I’m sure you can,” Celestia said and folded her wings again, “There is no reason why you wouldn’t be able to. All you need is practice.”

I just sighed miserably, “Shall we return to something I may actually be able to do.”

“Spell calculations,” Celestia agreed and slid the paper over to me, “And if they work out, we can try casting it this afternoon.”

Now that would be awesome, a custom light spell. My first ever self created spell! If I did it right, it would create a bit of candle light following me around.

If I fucked it up, it might set me on fire.

Better not fuck it up, setting me on fire was for the schedule for tomorrow, not today.

Chapter 21

I hung from my tail, wings wrapped around myself as I looked at the object of my annoyance. The wind ruffled my mane slightly as it moved through the forest.

The rock sat there. Like a rock.

"Try again," Celestia said, standing next to me and for once, our eyes were at a level.

Half closing my eyes, I focused on the rock sitting on top of a fallen tree trunk and worked my magic, taking it slow and careful. Working the spell as she had taught me before I cast the spell. The bolt of fire dissipated a meter from me, three meters short of its target.

Sighing, I flicked one ear, "Well, at least I stopped setting myself on fire."

"You didn't before either," Celestis said with a smile, "And you did a lot better this time."

"Lets face it, fire magic is just not my thing," I admitted and turned to look at her, "I'll think I'll leave being hot to you."

"Oh, I think you manage it pretty well on your own," Celestia countered with a smile of her own, "Everypony has problems with some schools of magic. Nopony is got at everything and nothing in your domain keeps you from using fire magic."

"...Even Twilight?"

"Even Twilight," Celestia agreed and flicked one ear in thought, "she always had problems with transformation spells. Even now, to my knowledge."

I slowly nodded, "Thinking about it, she has not used a lot of transformation magic. And she's the alicorn of magic... I suppose I shouldn't feel bad about being bad at fire magic if she's having trouble with another branch."

"Not that it justifies giving up on it," Celestia reminded me, "She can still do it. And so can you. It's different with me and ice magic or my sister and light spells."

I frowned at that, "Wait, I saw Luna cast light spells multiple times."

"Maybe I should differentiate between spells that cast light and light spells," Celestia clarified, "You know about dark magic, correct?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Didn't feel worth using over normal spells. So?"

"There is also light magic. It's the opposite of-" Celestia started to explain before she looked at me in alarm, "...What do you mean, didn't feel worth using?"

Hesitating for a second, I then shrugged, "I found a book in Luna's room in the old castle. It had a bunch of dark magic in it and I tried it out. This was way back before I ascended even, actually the same trip I found Fern. I tried a spell and it didn't feel worth the extra effort to cast it, so I stopped using it. Luna destroyed the book when I returned."

Celestia stared at me for several long moments.

Then she bit my ear.

"Ow!" I exclaimed before I glowered at her, rubbing my ear, "What was that for!?"

"For being a stupid colt!" she snarled, "Do you have any idea how many unicorns have fallen to it for less!?"

I shook my head, "No idea," I admitted as I met her eyes, "Somepony doesn't have them in the history books."

That was an old argument.

Celestia raised her wings in annoyance, "Luna knows?"

"Luna knows," I said as I regarded her, "She looked me over after in fact, finding no trace of dark magic."

Celestia hesitated as she looked at me strangely, "Truly?" she finally asked.

"Yep," I agreed and then glowered at her, rubbing my ear, "And I already have been bit for it once before, I’ll have you know!"

"Well, you deserved that one too!" Celestia answered before folding her wing as she studied me, "Do you remember what spell it was?"

I considered it for a second and then nodded, "Yeah, some cutting spell. Don't remember the name of the spell, but it made the stone I cast it on dissolve around the cut."

"Do you think you could cast it again?"

"...I mean, maybe?" I admitted before I studied her hesitantly, "Why? Especially after being that upset about it."

Celestia shook her head, "I won't apologize for that. But I have to see it for myself, I have never known a pony not to have some trace after casting a dark magic spell."

"Know a lot of dark wizards?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"...Some," she admitted, "Every one became corrupted by their craft eventually."

"Do you know dark magic?"

To my surprise, she nodded, "Some. I know how to use it. I don't for obvious reasons."

"Well, as long as you don't bite me again, I suppose I can try to remember the spell," I said and swung around back to look at the stone that was the bane of my current existence.

Focusing on the anger I felt when Midnight revealed how exactly we returned home, on those two idiots fighting in the market, I started to channel my magic into the spell. Feeling myself to start to get agitated, I let it fly.

A dark slash of night flew through the air and split the rock in two, the two halves halfway dissolving into smoke and power as they flew with a hissing crackle.

I let it go and let out a breath, "I forgot how hard that was to do."

Celestia stared at the rock before turning to me, running some sort of magic beam from her horn across me. Once, twice, three times.

She slowly sat down, looking at me with wide eyes before doing one more scan, "The dark magic has faded away. Completely."

"Told you," I said and turned to look at her, putting my wings around myself again, "But too much effort to be worth it, a normal cutting spell does almost as much damage and if you want to hurt something, there isn't a lot of difference."

Celestia shook her head as she looked at me in turn, "You are a very special pony, Page."

"I'm not sure the pony part of me is the one that makes it work," I said and then shrugged, "I have no interest in dark magic. Seems like a waste of time for very little real results and quite a lot of risk. Very much not worth it."

Celestia smiled sadly at me, "Too many ponies in history have disagreed with you. Which is why I got worried."

"Well, they were idiots then,” I said and got comfortable, my wings around me, pulling my legs against my body.

Chapter 22

“You know,” I said from my place by the fireplace, having just finished my breakfast “I have an idea for what to do today:”

Celestia smiled from across from me where she was stretched out on the couch, taking up most of it with her forehooves hooked over the armest, “And what may that be?”

I smirked, “Okay,” I said, looking up at her, “I have more than one idea right now. But this one is magic related.”

“What would you like to do?”

I got up and stretched, wings raised high before I folded my wings, “You know the spell you and Luna are going to burn excess magic?”

“Our manes and tails,” Celestia said with a nod, “You would like to learn it?”

“...Better than shimmering,” I admitted, “But I was thinking maybe we could try for a… cooler version or something? Something more manly.”

Celestia looked amused, “Oh?”

I nodded, scraping a hoof against the stone floor, “You know, the entire flowing mane and tail feels just… kinda girly?”

The alicorn of the sun smiled, “Oh does it?”

“Kinda?”

“What would you prefer instead?” Celestia asked before she eyed me thoughtfully, “...You know, I think you would look good with a longer mane.”

I blinked, “Really?” I asked and glanced up before I shook my head, “Never mind that now. What instead… I’m not sure,” I then admitted, “I was thinking something with shadows?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, “A bit cliche, isn’t it?

“Yeah, maybe a bit,” I admitted with a shrug, “But also kinda cool?”

Celestia eyed me and then her horn flashed. Her mane and tail stopped being their usual flowing ethereal self and settled into strands of mane as they sank down to hang normally.

Still celestially colored in multiple colours and she moved off the couch. The effect was almost instant. I could feel…

…Without the spell burning of excess magic, I could feel the temperature increasing, radiating from her. It was like standing outside on a warm summer day at noon.

“You are so hot.”

She smirked, “Give it thirty minutes and I’ll be hot enough to melt gold,” she said and spread her wings. It was almost like a warm wind emitted from her.

“If you get upset enough, it bleeds through anyway?”

Celestia nodded, “It does. As it does for Luna. As it will for you, Cadence, Twilight, Midnight and Flurry.”

I nodded, pressing my wings against my sides, protecting the somewhat sensitive skin as much as I could from the heat. It was starting to quickly pass hot summer day in Nocturnis and heading towards bonfire.

“Actually,” Celestia said with a smile, “The spell for our manes weren’t the first one Luna and I attempted. We actually went through a number of spells before we settled on the ones we did. In the end, those turned out to be the least disruptive ones.”

“Such as?”

Celestia smiled, “Give me a second, I’ll try to remember. I haven’t used this one since… oh, it has to be thousands of years.”

She looked thoughtful for several long minutes. I could feel the heat starting to feel burning hot from meters away, but I refused to step back even as my eyes started to feel dry.

Finally she nodded and her eyes flashed… and started to glow.

I had to narrow my eyes, but I couldn’t look away. She was absolutely radiant. Her white coat shone softly, sunlight spreading through the chamber, her wings and horn glowing even brighter and I couldn’t look straight at either of them, her mane shining with an interior light, turning from pink to a glowing white.

“Wow…” I said as I was finally forced to push my night goggles down as my eyes started to water, which helped, but she looked radiant even through them and I still couldn’t look directly at her horn and wings, “And you wonder why ponies worshiped you like a sun goddess.”

She looked like a goddess normally, with her shining like that…

…I felt like building a temple. Wow.

Celestia smiled, her wings raising high and wide, “Indeed. That is one of the reasons we stopped using these that took too much inspiration from our domains. If you think mine is attention grabbing, you should see my sisters. Hers made her look like she was made from the night sky.

Oh wow.

I totally have to ask to see that at some point.

“Also, mine made it a bit difficult to sleep for everypony else,” Celestia then added with a smile.

Pushing my goggles back up a bit, I snuck a glance at her before I had to look away again, “You look amazing.”

“Thank you”, Celestia said before focusing and her horn flashed. The glow faded away and her mane and tail returned to their normal state, fading away from individual strands to the flowing ethereal mane. I had to blink, trying to clear sunspots from my vision.

“...We can start with the normal spell first?” I asked, pushing my goggles fully back up onto my forehead, “See how it works?”

She nodded, “It will be a while until you will need it. Candace doesn’t even need it yet. Likely at least a century until ponies start to fall in love with her as soon as she walks into a room. But we can work on it today, if you like.”

And some ponies though my domain was scary.

“Yes please,” I said and then glanced up at her, “If I have it running, it will start in case I get agitated enough to start manifesting, right?”

“Correct,” Celestia confirmed, “Assuming you are already outputting enough base magic to keep the enchantment intact. Which I am far from sure you are.”

“Let’s start there then,” I said with a determined nod, “Flowing mane and tail is still more manly than shimmering.”

Celestia laughed.

Chapter 23

In the end, we ran into two problems.

One, I didn’t actually give off enough passive magic to keep it going. The enchantment wouldn’t hold, even in ‘passive mode’ where it didn’t do anything unless I actively focused on magic. It just broke. According to Celestia, this was expected. Even Midnight or Twilight didn’t give off enough yet. Cadence was old enough to be just over that limit.

Two, when cast, the spell caused the feathers and lock of mane braided into a lock of mine to drop straight through and onto the floor. Apparently that was not expected and according to Celestia, hilarious.

That more than the first version made this version of the spell a non-option. So eventually I would need a different spell unless I wanted to have…

…The dream realm overlaying on top of reality around me. Which was fucking scary and still less scary than Cadance.

Which brought me to this.

I frowned down at the papers strewn across the floor before me, pen floating in my magic as I considered the… okay, pretty crazy looking scribblings.

It was meant to be the first draft of a new spell.

I wanted to try the entire ‘flowing shadows from wings’ thing. But there was no spell like that which meant I had to create it.

Celestia thought it was a good exercise so here I was, doing math. Fireplace on one side for more than enough light and Celestia by my other, making sure I kept on task.

Not my best evening. But far from the worst.

Glancing to the side, I spotted Celestia looking at me closely.

“What?” I asked, putting the pen down, “Looking at the feathers?”

Celestia smiled and shook her head, “Actually, no,” she admitted, shifting her wings, “Your ear.”

I blinked in surprise and turned to look at her fully, “My ear?” I asked, glancing upwards and flicking my ears, “What about my ear?”

“No, nothing,” she said with a smile, “I just noticed how different it was in detail to a pegasus ear.”

“...Pegasi have different ears?” I asked with a frown, “Wait, no I know they do. Do all the tribes have different ears?”

“Of course they do!” Celestia laughed softly, “Earth ponies tend to be a bit thicker and, pegasi a bit smaller, unicorns a bit narrower. Bats are apparently large with a cute little tuft of hair at the tip.”

I watched her in amusement, flicking my ears again.

“What, surely you noticed that ponies differ more than earth ponies larger, pegasi wings, unicorns horn?” Celestia asked with a grin.

“Uhm,” I admitted, “Well…”

Celsetia stared at me for a long moment, “Seriously?”

“I have only really studied unicorns and alicorns in that close detail!” I protested with a blush.

Celestia looked amused but nodded, “Understandable,” she finally said with a smile, flicking her own ear.

“...I can however tell you the difference between how I look now and how I looked before,” I said, “I assume that’s similar to the difference between a bat and a pegasus?”

“Should be, yes,” she agreed.

“Well, starting top to bottom,” I said and glanced up, “You already noticed the ears. Larger than a pegasus, little cute tufts of hair at the tip and more mobile than pegasi ones.”

I demonstrated by twisting them back and forth, “Excellent for echolocation.”

Celestia nodded, grabbing a spare paper in her magic and stealing my pen.

Smiling, I turned a bit towards her, meeting her eyes, “Then we get to the eyes. Adapted for low light, excellent night vision. Slitted pupils as you can see.”

“I can,” she agreed as her pen moved across the paper, “Noticed any difference in color sense?”

“Not really,” I admitted, “So I think it’s similar at least. Size is also similar to pegasi. Maybe slightly better at detecting motion. Moving on, we have a muzzle full of big scary teeth.”

“Stop,” Celestia said, “Forgot the nose.”

“The nose?” I asked, glancing down at mine, “I haven’t noticed anything different.”

She raised an eyebrow, “So I haven’t seen you literally sniff out which apple is the freshest in the fruit bowl?”

“...Okay, so maybe it is a bit better,” I admitted, “But it seems tuned to food. Useful in a jungle setting I would think.”

Celestia nodded, “Indeed it would. Please continue.”

“Then we get to the muzzle,” I said, opening mine, “Sharp fangs, cutting teeth.”

She studied my teeth, “You have very little in the grinding teeth all other tribes have. Bat ancestors didn’t eat a lot of grain.”

I shook my head, “In my experience, it seems to have been a mixed diet of fruit and meats. At least that’s what my nose keeps telling me to eat.”

Nodding, Celestia scribbled it down.

“Also, the tongue is longer and narrower than before,” I continued and stuck it out, giving it a small wiggle.

“Useful,” she said with a small smirk.

“Some think so,” I agreed with one of my own, “Continuing down,” I said as I moved to sit up, “We get to the general bodyplan. Very similar to that of a pegasus, but generally smaller in size. As an alicorn, I am the exception, but I still expect I’ll never reach even Luna’s current size. I noticed the last six months or so that my growth seemed to have slowed a bit already. It’s possible I won’t get as big as Cadance even.”

“Not sure you can count on that,” she pointed out, “Alicorn growth is sporadic. I’m not even sure I have reached my full size yet.”

“True,” I admitted and stood up, “Continuing on, while size is smaller, there is little in the way of difference in proportion to a pegasus.”

“I’m not sure,” Celestia said, studying me with a practiced eye, “I think your barrel may be slightly narrower.”

“Well, it would make it easier to fly in the forest,” I agreed, “Which brings us to the wings!”

I spread and raised mine, “Even ignoring the easily seen things such as lack of feathers and the bare flight skin, they are also larger than pegasus wings compared to body size. Not only longer, but also wider. In short, they are made for slow and very maneuverable flight.”

“Made to fly through a dense forest,” Celestia agreed.

“An equally skilled and athletic bat will never beat a pegasus in a distance or speed race,” I agreed, “But I bet there are bats in Nocturnis that could beat even Rainbow Dash through the forest.”

I flexed my wings, shifting them and spreading them, folding and stretching to let them see before I folded them to my sides again, “Continuing on my tail,” I said and shifted it to the side, curling and flexing it, “While I have seen some earth ponies able to use them to hold things, they aren’t made to take their weight like ours are. Bat tails are also more flexible and outright prehensile.”

Celestia nodded, “Made to be hanging from when sleeping.”

“Yep,” I agreed, “So comfortable. And on, we have the legs. Pretty similar to pegasi until we get down to the hooves.” I said, raising a forehoot to let her see, “A bit smaller, a bit narrower than a pegasus hoof. Also, the surface is a bit grippier.”

Celestia glanced down at her hoof before reaching out to touch hers to mine, “So I feel.”

I smiled at her and nodded, “Actually pretty useful during the winter, which is ironic because bats hate the cold.”

“Which is another point,” Celestia said with a smile, “Thinner coats and better heat resistance. And you shed water a bit better.”

“Yep. It’s not all good,” I pointed out, “Also, naturally nocturnal. In fact, bright sunlight makes us sleepy and if not careful, can burn our wings.”

Celestia frowned in thought, “I wonder why. Why are bats nocturnal when no other ponies are?”

“Actually, I think it’s about where bats are from,” I said, “The jungle is lethal. But the darkness of the night makes it easier to hide when moving about than the day where we can sleep it away in a tree, away from dangers..”

“I suppose that could be it,” she agreed thoughtfully, “But once upon a time the rest of Equestria weren’t that much safer.”

“Thanks to you, it’s not anymore,” I said as I settled back down, smiling up at her.

She smiled back, a bit sadly this time, “Not me. That were other ponies.”

“Ponies you and Luna led.”

Celestia sighed softly and brushed her wing across my back, “I think we have gotten away a bit from our current task.”

“So we have,” I admitted and got comfortable, taking the pen from her magic before I scowled at my papers, “...This is not right.”

“No, no it is not,” Celestia agreed with a smile, “Can you find the error?”

Sighing softly, I got back to work.

Chapter 24

“Miss Sparks,” I said, “Can you give the answer on the blackboard?”

Twilight blinked as the dream solidified before she smiled, “That would be the square root of fifty seven.”

I glanced over my shoulder before I nodded, “If you say so.”

The dream I found her in was not an unusual one. Of sitting in a classroom with other colts and fillies. She looked like she was forteen or so. Instead of disrupting it, I just slipped into one of the roles.

Adorable too, but still alicorn in the dream.

Twilight grinned, “Page, I know you can do that math. It’s part of spell creation!” and leaned against her desk.

I stuck my tongue out at her and adjusted my jacket slightly, “Yes, but not in my head in a second! It would take me a couple of minutes and pen and paper at least!”

“Most ponies do,” Sparks agreed and then settled back down, “Sorry for interrupting, sir. Please continue the lesson.”

I eyed her suspiciously before I allowed the dream to slip halfway into the dream state once more before doing so.

It was material I knew after all, so I started to teach the class.

Sparks asked some good questions as well. Questions that made me really think at times.

“What about the metamagic coefficient, sir?” Twilight asked, her hoof held up, “Would that not affect the transfer rate?”

“So it would,” I agreed, “Which is why your horn doesn't explode when you cast a spell, there is a natural rate limit to how fast your magic can flow. This actually differs between different casters,” I said before I glanced at the clock, “And that’s all we have time for today.”

Everypony else in the class started to pack up and leave, but Twilight remained in her seat until everypony else had left.

Then she slipped off her seat and approached, “Sir?”

“One second,” I said and tapped my hoof, causing Twilight to grow to late teens, “There, a lot less creepy now, miss.”

Twilight looked across herself and then eyed me, “Whatever do you mean, sir? I hope you weren’t expecting something untowards?” she asked as she slowly moved closer, nose almost touching mine as her eyes met mine.

I swallowed, “Uhm…I…” I said smartly as my brain kinda short circuited.

Sparks grinned, taking a step back before looking herself over, “...You know, I wasn’t quite this pretty.”

“I am absolutely sure you were.”

Sparks blushed softly, “...It wasn’t that long ago either.”

“Feels like it though, doesn't it?” I asked and moved next to her, slipping a wing across her back, “So much has happened.”

She nodded, leaning against me, “Yes, sir.”

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, “Still playing, huh?”

Sparks glanced up at me, “Maybe a little,” she teased, “And it feels right for the setting. You still have the dream in… what did you call it, story telling mode?”

“Ah yes, mostly,” I admitted and nosed at her ear, “I haven’t solidified it fully. So it’s still affecting you… and me if I let it.”

She nodded and smiled, “I do know a little dream magic. But I can’t really use it yet other than for small stuff.”

I smiled, “Such as?”

Twilight focused, biting her lower lip in a rather cute way. I felt the dream shift around us and the color of her uniform changed to red from blue.

“Good job,” I said with a smile, “A plus, Miss Sparks!”

Twilight smiled, “Thank you, sir,” she said and stepped back, wings raised before she looked at me, “...How are things going with Princess Celestia? The lessons, I mean.”

“They are going well,” I said and smiled, “She really is an amazing teacher, I learned so much. Being able to learn in reality helps so much. Theory and basic practice works in dreams, but… actually in reality is different.”

“It really is,” Twilight agreed, “Theory is all well and good, but practice is as much if not more important.”

“You know,” I said and moved closer, nose almost touching hers, “When I get back, maybe we can do some lessons as well?”

Twilight smiled at me, “Would I be the teacher then?”

“Absolutely.”

“Could I still wear the little skirt?” she teased, “I can tell that you like it.”

Swallowing, I shifted my wings, “I… I think I would enjoy that, yes. But it may be a bit distracting.”

Twilight giggled and pulled back slightly, winking at me, “Or motivating,” she teased.

“You…,” I managed to say, “...has been spending too much time with Luna.”

“Would you like to know what we talk about?” Twilight teased before she smiled, “Actually, I think it’s the dream,” she admitted and turned a bit to the side, wings raised as she looked herself over, “I had these feelings back then, but no experience or confidence so I just ignored it the best I could,” before she smiled at me, moving closer to round me, wing brushing along mine as she moved up around my other side, “Now I have all of it, sir. Knowledge… experience…feelings…”

I swallowed again, mouth suddenly quite dry, “I… I could solidify the dream fully, have it stop affecting you.”

“You will not. I’m enjoying this, sir,” Twilight said before she smiled, “and before you try to distract me, Sunset told me not to tell you any details about Nocturnis.”

“Oh,” I said, “Going well then?”

“Very well,” she said and moved closer, nose touching mine as she bit her lower lip cutely again, “Perhaps earned me a bit of a reward, sir? Maybe some… extra credit?”

I took half a step back, my rear hitting the wall but she just followed smoothly without missing a step.

Gulp.

I was not used to Sparks being this aggressive. Maybe I better make sure the dream wasn’t affecting her more than I thought.

I tapped one hoof, solidifying the dream fully.

Twilight blinked at me, “Oh,” she said before she looked at me a bit hesitantly and took half a step back, “...Too much?

“...No? Just making sure yo-”

“Then turn it back on!”

“Yes ma’am!”

Chapter 25

I kept things slow, slowly turning and flying through the trunks of the forest, turning back and forth, flexing my wings.

It wasn’t exactly a challenge. Vegetation was much thicker back home.

The bright sunlight makes it harder though, but day goggles or just closing my eyes made that easier to handle. I solved it by doing both.

I needed to practice my echolocation anyway and from the sound of it, Fade and Leaf were doing the same as they followed me closely.

Three weeks.

Three weeks of lessons and I felt like I had gotten so much done! Just three weeks and I learned so much already!

I really had to put some time aside to continue my magical education. Magic is so cool! I mean, I always knew that but I had been so busy to learn more than the basics.

I highly doubted I would ever be considered a wizard, but magic was cool and useful. I wanted to learn more!

Pulling up, I threw myself over a lower than normal branch, my wings folded before I dropped, spreading my wings again, circling around a thick pine trunk before doing a hairpin banking turn and continued back the way I came.

On the way back, I beat my wings harder, flying as fast as I could.

Might as well give my shadows as much of a workout as I co-

OOPH!

I hit something hard, it hit me across the front of my chest and I felt myself tumbling, falling. I clicked and squeaked frantically, orienting myself and flaring my wings, beating them hard against the air as I pulled up.

I made it.

Almost.

My hooves hit the ground at too high a speed, I tried to run it into a gallop, but my hoof hit a root and I went tumbling until I came to a half upside down with my back against the trunk of a tree.

Coughing, I tried to get air back into my lungs.

“Your majesty!” Leaf or Shade exclaimed and hooves hit the ground next to me, “Are you alright!?”

Reaching up with hoof, I pushed my now half twisted day goggles up my forehead, looking up at the two worried looking guards.

“...I’m fine,” I said and groaned, slowly pushing myself over, “I think,” I added, carefully testing my wings and other limbs, “...Everything works, so I’m fine. What did I hit?”

“Branch,” Leaf said with a small frown before glancing back, “It was very narrow, it barely had an echo at all.”

“Teach me to fly distracted,” I said and rubbed my chest. Yep, that’s a collection of bruises. And quite frankly, if I had not been an alicorn with at least earth pony toughness, I’d likely have broken bones if not worse.

Shade pulled a cloth from a pocket in her armor with her hoof before starting to brush me off, “Are you sure you alright, Prince Page?”

“I’m sure, Shade. Thank you.”

“I’m Leaf.”

“You’re Shade,” I said with a small smile, “That may work on other ponies, but it won’t work on me.”

She looked at me, one eyebrow raised as she put the cloth away, “How do you do that?”

I checked that the feathers were still where they should be in my mane before I smiled at her, “We should head back, break over.”

“A bit slower this time, please?” Leaf said, stretching her wings.

“A bit slower,” I agreed but reached up to push my goggles back down over my eyes before closing them. I chirped and turned my ears, locating my position before taking back to the air again, heading back towards the clearing.

As we left the trees, I opened my eyes to spot Celestia pretty much where I left her, in the shade of a pavilion set up against the bright sun and resting on a spread out blanket.

Sweet Slice was to the side with a portable kitchen, getting some tea ready and half a dozen guards were waiting to the side. Two standing guard, keeping watch but the rest were relaxing and talking.

Coming down to land, I folded my wings and trotted over to her after giving Shade and Leaf a nod in thanks.

“Nice flight?” Celestia asked with a smile before giving Sweet a nod, “Thank you,” as her teacup was refilled.

“It was,” I agreed as I settled down next to her, “I try to get some flying time when I can and I have very admittedly been slacking on it since I arrived here. It’s not really practical.”

Flying from the fort could be done, but it would not be fun. That icy wind really was annoying to deal with.

Down was one thing, I would not like to fly back up against it however. Not to mention would turn me into a icecube.

“Thank you, Sweet,” I then added with a smile as Sweet passed me a cup of hot tea. She simply gave me a small bow before retreating back to the portable kitchen.

Taking in the scent of the tea, I then took a careful sip. Mmm, green. Very high quality too.

“Back to work?” Celestia asked with a smile, sipping her own tea.

“Back to work,” I agreed and took another sip before putting my cup to the side to focus on the large bowl of water sitting before us.

Water magic.

At least it was easier than fire magic and was less likely to set me on fire. Worst I could do was get us wet.

Which I did a moment later.

Chapter 27

The train was already waiting as we arrived.

Celestia exited the carriage before me, and I followed her down onto the grass covered ground next to the narrow platform. The air was filled with the smoke and steam of the engine and the yells of ponies getting things loaded and stowed away.

"Your majesty, Princess," Moon Glow said as she got to attention with a salute, "Everything is ready, you are free to board. We'll be ready to leave in another couple of minutes."

I nodded to her with a smile, "Thank you, Glow."

She nodded before she hesitated, "...There seems to have been a mistake in Canterlot however. They only sent one royal rail carriage."

I shared a glance with Celestia. A mistake, huh?

"I think we'll manage," I told Glow with a smile, "Princess Celestia can have the bedroom, I just need somewhere to hang my tail."

She nodded, "Of course, sir," she said before she flinched as there was a crash of something falling to the ground and ponies yelling at each other, "If you excuse me, I need to go deal with that," she said with a small sigh.

"Don't let us keep you," I said. As she moved away, I glanced at Celestia.

She looked back at me, "You know vacations and teaching wasn't the-"

"I know," I answered and sighed softly, "And when we get back, we're going to have to deal with it. But not now. Let's just enjoy the day or so we have left until Canterlot."

Celestia hesitated for a second before she nodded, "You are right," she agreed before she smiled, "Shall we investigate our shared carriage then, my Prince?"

I gave her my best elegant bow, wings spread, "We shall, my Princess."

So we did. Moving onto the platform, we just went towards the fanciest looking carriage

Allowing Celestia to board first, I gave the Solar and Nocturnis guards standing on each side of the door a nod before following her inside.

Inside was just as comfortable looking as the one that brought me to this place. All overstuffed couches and fine wood paneling. Actually, looking at the book selection in the bookshelf, it may actually be the same one.

Celestia crossed over to the small bar and pulled out a bottle of brandy. Removing the cork, she sniffed it and poured a pair of small glasses.

I glanced around towards the ceilings as I took the offered glass in my magic, "Hmm."

"What?" Celestia asked as she laid down on the largest couch.

"Not a lot of perches to hang from here," I said before I crossed over to peer into the bedroom, "...But the one I used on the way out here is still installed in the bedroom."

Celestia smiled a bit, "Wouldn't be the first time we shared somewhere to sleep."

"What, used to stallions hanging around in your bedroom?" I teased as I jumped onto the couch, settling down facing her.

"Maybe not in such a literal manner," Celestia teased, her wings raised, "But it has been known to happen."

I laughed, "Known, right. The populace would have a stroke."

"I'm sure they would have plenty of strokes."

I just laughed and shook my head before looking up at her with a fangy grin, "Bad Princess."

She winked and sipped her drink with a playful smile of her own.

Grinning back I sipped my own, leaning against the backrest of the couch and resting my head against it as I looked up at her, "...It's been a nice month," I said, "I learned a lot too. I liked it."

"It has been very nice," she agreed and then touched her necklace with a gold covered hoof, "But it's back to reality again."

I felt the silver circlet on my own head before I nodded, "Maybe now I can get Sparks or Sunny to tell me what's going on in Nocturnis. They refuse to tell me anything but 'it's going fine'."

"Would not count on it until you return," Celestia pointed out.

"Likely not," I admitted and then shrugged, "...It can't be that bad. if the place burned down, they'd likely tell me. And at least the rain period should be well over by the time I get back."

"Is the rain truly that bad?" she asked and smiled at me, sipping her drink.

"Oh?" I asked with a smile, "It is. I bet that if you go out into it, it could keep even you from getting too hot. Assuming you didn't drown."

"Hmm," she said, touching the flowing waves of her mane with a hoof, "Been a long while since my mane got all wet and clingy."

Now that was an attractive mental picture.

"You know, you could do that if you glowed instead."

"I could," she agreed with a small smile, "But who would be able to see it?"

I shook my head, "Trust me, nobody would be able to see it in the rain either. Even ignoring the massive cloud of steam you’d put off if not using a dissipating spell, you can barely see a hoof before you when it's at its worst. You should visit sometime."

"It would be an interesting thing to experience," she agreed before she smiled, "It sounds a bit cozy actually."

"It can be," I admitted before I flicked one ear, "But until we figured out the right way to build roofs, it was incredibly loud. Especially to these ears. In the end, we had to build silencing spells into the wood."

"I can imagine silencing spells can be useful.”

“Very useful. Are the roofs in Canterlot similarly enchanted?” I asked, “Or the walls? Cities can be loud at times.”

Celestia smirked, “So it can be. I know Luna uses a silence sphere for it.”

“And you?”

She smirked at me and sipped her drink, “They can be quite useful. When things get too loud.”

“What about the train then?” I asked as I took another sip, looking up at her.

“I don’t know…” she admitted and made a show of looking me over, “Maybe we’ll find out tonight?”

“Bad Princess.”

Celestia smiled innocently, “Going to have a stroke?”

I laughed and took a swallow from my drink, “If Cadance heard us, she definitely would.”

The goddess of the sun grinned at me.

Chapter 28

The carriage slowly moved along the street of Canterlot, approaching the castle gates. I leaned against the couch, looking out through the window as the city slowly moved past outside.

"You seem a bit melancholic," Celestia commented from her place across from me.

"Not really," I said and shifted to look at her, "I'm really looking forward to spending a week with Luna," before I frowned slightly before I shrugged, "...Okay, maybe I am a little," I then admitted, "But more in a 'vacation almost over, back to reality' kind of thing."

Sighing softly, Celestia nodded, "I know how you mean. And we still have to deal with..."

"..Yeah," I admitted and flicked one ear in slight annoyance. Not looking forward to that.

The carriage came to a stop and Leaf opened the door for us. She and Shade stood on one side of the door, a pair of Solar guards by the other side.

Celestia exited first, stepping down to the ground before I followed her out. Despite the sunlight, I had left my day goggles in the baggage. My guards wore theirs, but I didn't want to look like I needed them right now.

Stretching, I half spread my wings and soaked in the warmth of the summer sun for several moments, my eyes closed before I smiled at Celestia, "We should go see Luna."

"We should," Celestia agreed and we headed off towards Lunas tower.

It may be late afternoon, but I knew she would already be awake. I knew my Luna, she would not like to miss our return. A pair of Lunar guards stood by the entrance of the tower. They gave us a bow as we approached, one of them reaching to pull the door open for us.

I followed Celestia inside, leaving the six guards behind to decide among themselves how to arrange things.

Celestia paused by the door, glancing at me before she smiled and lit her horn, holding it open for me and allowing me to enter first.

I smiled back and slipped inside.

...It's strange. On one hoof, it was like coming home. Everything looked the same as always, smelled the same, had the same feeling to it. On the other... it wasn't really home anymore. Had not been for years. Nocturnis was my home.

But this place had such nice memories to it.

Luna looked up from her place on the couch, a steaming hot cup of coffee sitting on the table next to her and she lit up as she spotted us. Neither of us said anything, she just slipped off the couch and I crossed over to her.

I stopped, my nose brushing against hers before I hugged her tight as she sat down, her forelegs and wings going around me, her cheek resting against the top of my head and for several long moments, nothing else in the universe existed.

Finally letting go of the hug, I gave her a small kiss, "Missed you."

"Never would have guessed," she teased and gave me one in return with a smile before also letting go and getting back to her hooves.

Celestia had entered and closed the door while Luna and I were busy. Luna smiled and crossed over to her, "Sister. Welcome back."

"It's good to be back, Luna," she said and gave her a hug with one wing. Luna hugged back before taking a step back, glancing between Celestia and myself.

"Did you enjoy your practice trip?" she asked with a small smile.

"I did," I agreed as I jumped onto the couch, "I learned a lot."

Celestia nodded, "Page is a very good student, when not blowing himself up."

"Hey, that only happened once!"

Celestia raised an amused eyebrow at me.

"...Okay, twice, but I'm not counting the water thing. We just got splashed!"

Luna looked between us before her face fell slightly and she sighed, "I see."

Celestia shook her head, "Luna... neither Page nor I are especially dumb. We saw through your plan fairly easily," she said softly.

Taking half a step back, Luna looked at her with slightly wide eyes before she looked at me.

I nodded, "My Sky, I'm not as experienced as Sunshine, but I am the alicorn of stories. Lying to me is fairly difficult if I pay attention. Besides, I'm not dumb either. It was fairly obvious what you three were trying to do."

Luna shook her head in frustration before she sighed, "What's wrong with you two!?"

"Luna," Celestia said, "Page and I, we have our reasons not to-"

"But you're miserable!" Luna exclaimed loudly, wings raised in annoyance as she stomped one hoof, "You try to hide it, but I know you! I know you better than any other pony!" before she looked at me, "And you, My Page," she said softly, "You look at her the same way you look at me."

I took a deep breath and then sighed, flicking one ear, "I love her," I said quietly.

"And I love him," Celestia said with a small smile, "But it's not the right time nor place. For a multitude of reasons."

"And why is that?" Luna asked, turning back to her, "No, instead of actually being happy, you just flirt constantly and then go mope. You here, Page in Nocturnis! Just kiss for buck sake and be happy! What's wrong with you two!?"

"It's not that simple," Celestia said firmly and I could tell her own temper was starting to flare up, "We have to consider the political situation, the distances, the ponies around us. And I'm not sure how it's any of your business!?"

"Of course it's my business!" Luna countered and pointed a wing at me, "My husband!" she said and then pointed a hoof at Celestia's chest, "My sister! I want you two to be happy! And you're both bucking miserable! And it’s your own fault!"

I shook my head, "Luna, it's not that simp-"

"So?" Celestia said, interrupting me, "Even if it was so, but what does not give you or anypony else the right to try to force the issue! And don't think I didn't notice the little details about your choice of retreat for us! Chilly even in the summer, large fireplaces! One extra large bed!"

I had noticed all of that as well. One was a coincidence. Half a dozen was enemy action.

"Thou are a fool, sister!" Luna exclaimed and stomped one hoof, "We found somepony we love, somepony we both love! Somepony that will be able to stay with us! We once dreamed of this in vain! And thou are hesitating!?"

"Because of you, Luna!" Celestia answered just as loudly, wings rising in manifest annoyance, "Because I don't want to do what I once did to you again!"

Luna gasped, "How dare you!? That has-"

That's when things broke down into a screaming match. I flinched before rubbing my eyes with a hoof.

This was going worse than expected. And what's even worse, things were escalating.

Fast.

Lighting my horn, I used a spell to amplify my voice as I made every shadow in the room deepen and gather around me. If it worked on a bunch of nobles, maybe it'll work on a pair of alicorns. Enough to interrupt them anyway.

"Shut up and sit down! Both of you!"

Celestia and Luna both flinched around and looked at me in surprise with wide eyes as they went quiet before slowly sinking down to sit on the floor, Celestia's wings rising quickly behind her again.

I slipped off the couch and walked up to look at both of them as I let go of the spell.

"You two has a lot to talk about, a lot of which is quite a while overdue I think, and does not involve me," I told them quietly, "And you will do so without yelling at each other or frightening the ponies of Canterlot or I will be incredibly pissed with the both of you. Meanwhile, instead of having a nice homecoming, I'm going to go to the Pathfinder and get drunk while trying to think of a reason not to head straight back to Nocturnis tomorrow. If you two manage not to kill each other before then, do let me know."

Then I left, stalking down the stairs and out into the sunlight, leaving them both behind.

Chapter 29

Sniff.

Sniff.

Something slowly broke through into my sleepy mind and pulled me from the dream realm and back into reality. I sleepily blinked my eyes open and pushed the blanket off myself with a yawn before sitting up and looking around.

A steaming hot cup of tea was sitting on the living room table which explained why I woke up and sounds were coming from the kitchen along with a very enticing scent.

Taking the cup in one hoof, I took a sip before slipping off the couch and heading for the kitchen only to see Minuette reloading a waffle iron.

"Good morning!" she said cheerfully, "How many waffles?"

"...Three please," I said and sipped my tea, "Good morning. And thanks again for letting me sleep here."

"Don't worry about it," she said with a grin, "Family stuff?"

"Family stuff," I admitted, "No different than other ponies."

"Wouldn't expect it to be," she admitted, "Ponies are ponies, alicorns or not," and she slid a plate with strawberry jam and waffles onto the table before me, "Dig in!"

I was mostly through one waffle before I frowned in thought, "Wait, shouldn't you be at work right now?"

"You're in luck, it's my day off," she said cheerfully and completely ignored my request for three waffles by adding a fourth to my plate.

"Oh," I said and then flicked one ear, "Where's Rising and Swift? I don't remember seeing them when I showed up either."

Minuette smiled and went back to making waffles, "Deep asleep, they had a date night last night and got back even later than you did. They should start to wake up soon enough."

I blinked at her, "You didn't go with them?"

"Nope. We rotate," she said with a smile as she plated a waffle for herself, "One on one attention is important in a relationship and so is time alone. Next week, I have a date with Rising and Swift gets the house all for himself. And then we have a date the week after and Rising has the house."

I nodded, "We do something similar," I agreed with a smile, "And not everypony likes the same things."

Minuette grinned, "Nope! I can take Rising to musicals where Swift would just fall asleep."

"That too," I agreed and nibbled at a bit of waffle.

Sparks did like reading a book together a lot more than Sunny did and our reading speed matched a lot better too.

I glanced out the window. Luna. Celestia.

...Well, Canterlot was still here, so things could not have gone too much out of control. I still wasn't sure that leaving like that had been the right move, but hopefully it got both of them thinking rather than reacting. And they really needed to have a talk where my presence would only complicate matters.

There was a knock on the door and Minuette slipped off her chair and trotted out to open it. I heard muffled voices before Midnight of all ponies followed Minuette inside.

"Midnight," I said in surprise with a smile, "I didn't even know you were in Centerlot!"

"Been for awhile, I helped Luna out a bit," she said and then smiled, "Actually planning to return to Nocturnis with you if that's alright."

"Of course it is," I said with a frown, "You know you will always have a place there."

She nodded, "...It's not permanent, I just need to visit Tempest."

Minuette grabbed a plate, loaded it with waffles and jam for Midnight before taking her own and making a retreat to the other room with her own plate, giving us privacy.

I looked after her before turning back to Midnight, "She misses you, you know. As does Talon."

"We have been exchanging letters," Midnight admitted, "With Tempest. Talon still won't answer mine."

"I'll talk to him."

"No, give him some room," Midnight said, shaking her head and trying a waffle, "But I want to ask Tempest to join me for a journey."

"Where to?"

Midnight shook her head again, this time with a smile, "No idea yet. I got thinking a while after I returned to Canterlot. About thestrals."

"Oh? In which way?"

"That they were hidden," she said, "And if there were other kinds of ponies forgotten by everypony else. It took some digging, but I found two in old books and stories. After digging through old myths and such, I managed to verify two."

I blinked at her in surprise, "Like thestrals?"

Midnight shrugged slightly, "Not quite. But assuming thestrals and pegasi are related, these two are related to unicorns and earth ponies respectively. Have you ever heard of Kirin or Kelpies?"

"Can't say I have," I admitted with a headshake.

"Kirin are similar to unicorns, but their horns are completely different and are said to be able to control fire. Kelpies are like earth ponies, but... strange. Not a lot about them, not even descriptions but they are said according to legends to be able to live under water," Midnight explained, "I asked Princess Celestia, and she said it was well over a thousand years since she met a Kirin. And that she had only met a Kelpie once when she was young."

I slowly nodded as I finished my waffles, "And you want to find them."

"I want to find them," Midnight agreed, "Easier said than done, but I feel like I need to do something. What if they have the same problems as your thestrals did?"

Sipping my tea, I spent a couple of moments considering that. Could she be right? Could there be more than thestrals hidden out there? Away from other ponies?

"I wish I could help you," I said and put my cup down, "But without an example, there is no way for me to find them through dreams. And their populations have to be small or Luna or myself would have been bound to stumble upon them already. Unless they are in a completely different phase from other ponies."

"Luna said as much," Midnight agreed, "But I feel like I have to try."

I just nodded, "I wish you luck."

"Thank you," she said before she looked at me, "And speaking of Luna..."

"They sent you to find me, huh?"

Midnight shook her head, "I offered."

Sighing, I slipped off my chair, "I best get going then. Thanks Midnight,” I said before moving to find Minuette to thank her.

Chapter 30

My hooves barely made a sound as I entered through the castle gate, Shade and Leaf following behind me. They had joined me as I left my friend's house. I knew that they had gotten some sleep as I remembered them being replaced by Silent Sneak and Bright Belle at some point. But now they were back, following a couple of hooves behind me.

The sun warmed nicely despite the relatively early hour and I enjoyed it as much as I could as I got to Lunas tower. I gave the guards outside a nod before I paused and looked between the Solar and Lunar guards standing outside, "They're both still in there?"

"Yes, Prince Page," the Solar guard I didn't recognize said, "Princess Celestia stayed the night."

Nopony looked alarmed. The sun was up and nopony was yelling or panicing.

This is either a very good sign or a very bad sign. Taking a deep breath, I entered as they opened the door for me and started up the stairs before pausing outside the door to the chambers propper.

I strained my ears, just barely able to make out quiet talking.

Okay, that's a very good sign. Everypony seems to still be alive at least? Now I just needed to survive the day.

Pushing the door open, I slipped inside and closed it behind me. Luna and Celestia were both sitting on the couch, a small tray of sandwiches on the table. Luna has a large cup of coffee, only matched by the size of Celestia's teacup. As I entered, they both quieted and looked at me.

I froze. Do not move, their vision is based on movement.

"Good morning," I said and forced myself to continue moving. I'm not the pony in trouble here, damn it.

Luna slipped off the couch and walked up to me, "Page, I'm sorry," she said quietly, "I should have talked to you and my sister and not just-"

I stepped forward, touching my nose to hers, "It's forgiven."

Sinking down, she wrapped me in her forelegs and wings, hugging me close. I leaned into it, hugging back. Like I could ever be angry at her for long.

Finally letting go, she led me back to the couch where Celestia finished pouring a second cup of tea. I jumped up and settled down between them as I took the cup in my magic, "Thanks," I said before I looked between them, "Did you get any sleep?"

"Couple of hours," Celestia admitted and sipped her holy liquid, "We were up most of the night."

Nodding, I glanced around. Nothing looked broken.

"I think we needed that talk," Luna admitted after a couple of moments of quiet, "There were some... other subjects from the past we had avoided."

"Some very old," Celestia said with a small smile, sharing a look with Luna before both burst into laughter.

I smiled a bit to myself and sipped my tea. Thinking back about it, I couldn't help but realize that them laughing together like that had been a rare thing as long as I known them.

Luna nosed at my ear, "And some are not so old."

"Such as me," I said and glanced at her.

"Such as you," Celestia agreed, "And Luna and I came to a possible agreement about it. If you don't agree, we can go back to things as normal."

"As normal as things ever are around here, you mean?" I pointed out before I looked between them, "So what are your thoughts?"

Celestia looked at Luna who nodded with a smile before speaking up, "My sister has agreed-"

"Provisionally."

"-provisionally," Luna continued with a small eye roll, "That she has possibly been a bit silly about it."

"Luna!"

Luna grinned at her, "Or rather, that too much weight has been put on the political implications and similar matters. And that if you agree to consider your relationship-"

"or not."

"-or not to be allowed to proceed naturally without such considerations. Potential complications will be dealt with as they arrive."

I glanced between them as I shifted, getting a bit more comfortable, sipping my tea as I thought about it, "Just like if we were any other ponies?"

"Just as," Celestia agreed.

"And if anypony objects or causes trouble, they are reminded of why you are Princesses and they are not?"

Luna smiled, "We have dealt with troublemakers in the past. And to be honest," she said and met Celestia's eyes across my head, "The Canterlot nobility has gotten a bit too used to getting their way. Even now."

Now that was a thought I did like. It would be difficult, but if there could be a bit of reform when it came to the parasi- nobles, that would be good.

I slowly nodded before I frowned, "There are other concerns as well. For one, it's hard enough to be away from you, My Sky. Being away for so long from both of you would be miserable."

Luna looked at me like I was being dumb, "You already don't like being away from her, how would this be different!? At least if you are together, you’ll be even happier when you are together!"

Point to Luna.

"...There is also the matter of you, Sunset and Twilight," I said before I looked at Celestia, "I'm only one pony. I don't know how I can pay enough attention to all of you to make you happy. I'm stretched thin as is."

Luna smiled, "I think you are doing more than fairly," she teased and gave me a hug with her wing.

"Thanks," I said, smiling up at her before I looked at Celestia, "But it's a real concern to me."

"We could make that work," Celestia said with a small smile, "Plenty of larger families. Both now and in the past. In fact, the most common 'large' family when we grew up were something like seven ponies."

"Though, that was usually from two smaller families merging," Luna pointed out, "And almost always had two stallions."

I sipped my tea, thinking things through before I looked at Luna, "You talked to Sunset and Twilight?"

"When we slept before," She agreed with a small smile, "They are for it. As you might have suspected."

Well, they were in on the original plan after all. I'm still a bit annoyed at them for that and have to talk to them about it when we get home. but for now...

"In which case," I said and finished my tea and shifted to give Luna a small kiss before pulling back and glancing up at Celestia before brushing my lips against hers as well, "We're all going to bed and getting some sleep. It’s been a long night for all of us."

Celestia blinked at me in surprise at the kiss, her wings rising high before she smiled. It was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.

Luna looked smug before she nodded, "I think that's an excellent idea, My Page," she said and slipped off the couch.

I followed her into the bedroom, Celestia taking up the rear. I paused, considering things for a moment, "...We need a bigger bed."

"No we don't," Celestia said with a smirk, "We all fit. We just need to install a perch above it for our resident bat."

Luna grinned, "At least when Sunset and Twilight is here as well."

I stuck my tongue out at both of them before jumping onto the bed and settling down, "You're just jealous you can't do it."

Luna stuck hers out right back at me and then cast the bubble of silence and darkness over the bed before jumping on to follow me. Celestia was the last one onto the bed. She settled down on my free side, getting comfortable to my right.

Getting comfortable, I felt a pair of large wings settling across my back and I closed my eyes.

Alicorn wings are seriously the best blanket in the world.

Nopony said anything, we just stayed like that for a long time. But nopony fell asleep quickly..

Finally I opened my eyes a bit. Maybe it was time to... it was as finished as it was going to be for a while.

"Sunshine," I said quietly, "While you fall asleep, think about sanctuary."

"Huh?" Celestia mumbled sleepily, "Why's that?"

"There is something I want to show you," I answered, "Just... try it, I think it'll work. Just the word, Sanctuary."

"If you like," Celestia agreed sleepily, "Sanctuary."

"What are you up to?" Luna mumbled and shifted, her nose pressing against my neck.

"I'll show you. Meet me in the dream realm."

Chapter 31

The dream realm shimmered around me and Luna eyed me suspiciously, "What are you up to?"

"You'll see," I said with a smile while strongly hoping this would work. I had never actually tried this before.

I thought it up and I thought it would work, but I never actually tested it.

With that, I reached into the dream realm and retrieved the dream sphere. It floated it not-space before us. A smooth shimmering mirrored ball.

Luna looked at it a bit in surprise, "What's this?" she asked, "I never seen anything like it."

"This," I said, "Is... actually, I just call it Sanctuary. Think of it as a disembodied dream. A dream nopony is dreaming."

Luna looked at me dubiously, "A dream nopony is dreaming?"

I nodded, "Actually, in a way it dreams itself."

That raised an eyebrow, "Where did you find this?"

"I made it," I said with a smile, "It was blank when I created it, but... follow me," I said and walked up, touching my horn to it and stepping through into the dark forest, the two moons shining in the sky above.

Luna appeared a moment later, looking around before her eyes went wide and she turned to me, "It does not feel like a dream! It feels..."

"Real," I agreed, "I made it as realistic as possible," I said and started to walk slowly through the dew-covered grass.

I felt Luna testing her dream magic, pulling at the fabric of the dream and it responded, a cloak of dark fabric settling across her back.

"You'll find it harder the more you try to change," I warned her, "Conjuring items as such can be done easily enough if they are small, but I have enforced rules to make it feel as real as possible. Which part of which is limiting what even dream magic users can do."

Luna looked around with wide eyes, "Page, this is... I never even..."

"Page? Luna?" a voice asked from among the trees a second before a light joined it, soon followed by the alicorns whose horn was casting the light spell, "Where are we?"

Luna spun around, staring at her in shock before she looked at me, "That's impossible!"

"No," I said with a smile, "But it did take quite a bit of dream magic crafting to do. Thinking of the word 'sanctuary' while falling asleep, redirect you here instead of your normal dreams. It's not dream magic for the sleeper as such, but feels real and will allow Celestia, Sunset and Twilight to visit here safely."

Luna looked speechless as Celestia joined us. Celestia looked around, "I heard some of that," she said, "You made a shared dream you can choose to join when falling asleep?"

"Yes," I agreed with a smile, "Crafted from scratch."

"Page, this is impossible," Luna said quietly, "I never seen anything like this before."

"Well, I am an author. We do like worldbuilding."

Yep, definitely sisters. Always found it funny how their eyerolls looked identical.

"Why is it dark?" Celestia asked, "We fell asleep during the day."

I nodded, "Exactly. Day and night are opposite here compared to in reality. So you can sleep back in your bed and then spend a day exploring the forest or mountains or... wherever you like."

Luna looked around a bit uncertainly, "I can't feel the... why are there two moons!?"

"Because one moon is cool, two moons are cooler."

"Page!"

I grinned at her, "Relax. The moons and sun do not need alicorn intervention here, they just do their thing."

"...What more is in here?" Celestia asked curiously as a glowing butterfly fluttered past.

I smiled, "Nothing dangerous. No pony eating predators, no villages, no castles or towns. No roads. Just nature and landscapes. Other than alicorn specific things, magic, wings, everything like that should work exactly like in reality."

"What of the climate?" Celestia wondered as she looked around.

"There is summer and winter and such," I admitted, "And how rough it is, depends on where you are. In this specific valley, both are fairly mild. Up on the mountains you get tons of snow."

Luna still looked a bit stunned, lowering her head and nibbled at the tall green grass. Then she raised her head and smiled at me, "Page, I'm not sure what to say. I had no idea this was even possible. It appears you may have surpassed me in some parts of dream magic."

"Some very narrow parts," I said, "I bet you could do this as well now when you know it can be done. It took years and it’s not even done yet."

"Why did you make this?" Celestia asked after also sampling the grass, "A place for us all to meet?"

"...If that was all, I would just have made one room," I said before I shrugged, "Actually, I made it a place for us all to get away, I got the idea from that dream we all shared where I met your parents. I just wanted you two to get a place where you could get away from being Princesses or Lords, Ladies or Prince or what have you. If you look, you'll see it didn't even allow you to bring your normal regalia into it. I wanted this to be a place where you could be just ponies. Most plants are edible, no dangerous predators, no wars or diplomacy."

Luna walked up next to me, "What of Nightmares?" she asked seriously.

I nodded, "I spent a lot of time thinking about that," I admitted, "And that's part of why the rules of this place are so strict. If they are able to enter, which would be difficult in the first place, they would be very limited. They'd have to pick one form, no larger or stronger than a pony and stick to it. Playing by the same rules as we are. They should actually be less of a danger in here than in a normal dream."

Celestia smiled as she laid down, looking at the moons in the sky, "An entire world to explore. Can you imagine it, Luna?"

"I'm not sure I can," she admitted, looking up towards the unfamiliar stars, "This is a lot to take in right now."

I settled down in the cool soft grass next to Celestia. In here, she didn't feel as sun warm as in reality, only like a normal pony, but it was still very nice, "I can tell you exactly how I did it if you like."

"Later," Celestia said and noses at my ear, "Sister, let's just enjoy the moment for now."

Luna sank down on the soft grass by Celestia's other side and nibbled some more at the grass before her, "´...The grass is rather enjoyable," she admitted as she chewed.

"Why make bad tasting grass?"

"Do we need to eat here?" Celestia asked.

I shrugged, "Well, not needed as such, but if you don't you get hungry. Same with drinking. More enjoyable to eat if you're hungry after all."

Celestia looked amused, "What of things like tea and coffee?"

I smirked, "There is a bush for both. Well, leaves and beans. Still need drying and roasting and such. Don't want to make it too easy."

Luna looked at me in surprise, "Things we do stay behind?"

"Yep. If you build a rain shelter, it stays there until the materials decay or somepony or something removes it. Actually, same for you. If you cut your mane here, it remains like that each time you return until it grows back at a natural rate."

Luna shook her head in amazement.

Chapter 32

The midday sun shone above through the leaves of the apple tree. Shadows played across the ground as a wind brushed through them, limited as it was by the walls around the castle garden.

“So…” I said, looking up at Celestia where she laid on the blanket next to me.

“...So,” she said, looking down at me in turn.

“I don’t want to lose what we had,” I admitted, flicking one ear as I rolled onto my back to look up at her before quickly regretting it as the leaves shifted and the sun shone into my eyes, “gah!”

Celestia laughed softly and a wing rose to shade me, “Nether do I,” she agreed, “I like what we have. But nothing says we have to rush anything.”

I risked opening my eyes fully again, holding my forelegs to my chest with a small smile, “I suppose that’s one pro about the entire alicorn thing. We have all the time in the world.”

“Ideally we do,” Celestia agreed with a small smile, “I think taking things slow might be the right idea.”

Nodding, I smiled up at her, “I would like to continue my lessons too.”

Celestia smiled, “I predict that sanctuary will end up being very useful for that. From what I seen, magic seems to act like it should. I only did some tests however.”

“Luna’s testing things now and checking out what I did,” I said and I shrugged, “I’ll join her in a couple of hours. I have to start turning things around right again soon. I fully expect to have gotten some things when it comes to that wrong and have to make adjustments.”

Celestia nodded, “Well, I for one intend to visit and explore tonight. I want to see what’s in that forest we appeared in.”

“Go west.”

There was a river there filled with what I called Flitter Flish. It was a fish that caught and reflected lights like a rainbow with their scales. What more, they could fly as long as they were above water and not too high up.

“Maybe I will,” Celestia answered and studied me, “...what are you thinking?”

I smirked, “Oh, just remembering a poem. The one with sunlights golden kiss.”

“Starting to see the point of poetry now?” she teased with a smile as she eyed me, “I thought it was too shallow and without substance.”

“Oh hush.”

Celestia laughed and leaned in to touch her nose against mine for a second before pulling back, “I still think you should talk to Twilight about magic lessons,” she said, changing the subject back, “Even if your sanctuary is perfect-”

“Which it’s not yet.”

Celestia shot me a look for interrupting and I grinned up at her, “I’m sorry miss Celestia. Please continue.”

She stuck her tongue out at me for a second before she continued, “Because practicing in reality is always better. Besides,” she then added with a smile, “I think it would be good for her.”

“I think she’d enjoy it,” I admitted, “Sparks would make a good teacher.”

“With practice,” Celestia agreed, “At the moment, I think there is a risk that she assumes everypony is as smart as she is.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’d very quickly bring her out of that delusion,” I said and batted at Celestia's mane as it flowed above me with a hoof.

“Stop that!”

I lowered my hoof, “Sorry.”

Celestia sighed, “Not that. Putting yourself down!” she said firmly, “You are a very capable and intelligent pony, Page. I don’t like it when you do that and neither does Luna. So I would greatly appreciate it if you stopped.”

I glanced away from her eyes, “...I don’t know,” I finally said before meeting them again, reaching up with my hoof to brush along her spread wing shadowing me, “I think I have to continue puncturing my ego. Because with the mares around me, it’ll swell up and you end up raising me in the morning by mistake.”

Celestia's cheeks actually blushed slightly before she smiled, “...I have two things I can say to that and I have no idea which is best.”

I grinned, “Oh, go on.”

“I bet you’d like it if I’d raise you in the morning,” she said with a small smirk.

Smiling back, I nodded, “Oh, I very much think I would.”

“And the second is that I’m pretty sure we can keep your ego under control,” Celestia teased with a small smile, “if you get too big of a head, we can bring you back down.”

“I bet you’d like to deal with my big head.”

Celestia laughed, “You can do better than that!”

I stuck my tongue out at her, “Oh come on, didn’t give me much to work with here! I’m distracted by your shining beauty!”

“Are you now?” she teased, shifting a bit closer.

“Most definitely yes,” I agreed, meeting her eyes, “Even more so because I see past this,” I said and brushed a hoof through her flowing mane, “And see you.”

Celestia shifted to rest my head on my chest, her wing folding and I closed my eyes in case of errant sunbeams. “You,” she said softly, “Are a very special pony.”

“There we go, ego growing again.”

“Is that all that is?” she answered and I could hear a smile in her voice.

I laughed and pulled her closer, nosing at her closest ear, “I thought we said slow,” I teased.

“I’m not doing anything,” Celestia murmured, resting her head against my chest, “In fact, I think staying like this sounds like a rather nice idea.”

“You know… me too,” I agreed as I stroked her coat softly, burying my nose in her shifting mane.

Chapter 33

Walking out between the trees, I saw Luna watching a pair of squirrels jumping through the branches of a tree, their wings, while not capable of true flight, letting them glide between the branches in their chase.

"So what do you think?" I asked as I walked up to stand next to her.

Luna flicked one ear and then looked at me, "I think it is amazing. How long did this take?"

"Years," I admitted, "On and off. It was hardest at the start, but there were so many details. How does it look?"

Luna smiled, "I found a few details in how magic works that's not the same and I'm pretty sure real blueberries aren't that sweet, but it's very accurate."

"I like sweet blueberries," I protested before I smiled, "And I can adjust whatever isn't right with the magic if you show me later. But what do you think, safe to show Sparks and Sunny?"

Luna looked around thoughtfully, shifting her wings before she nodded, "I believe it is," she finally said, "It feels so..."

"Real?"

"Real," she admitted, feeling the soft grass with a forehoof, "Almost enough to fool me it is."

I frowned, "Almost? What did I miss?"

She smiled, "Other than some small pieces of how magic works, not really anything. I can just feel traces of the dream realm beneath it all. Not sure there is any hiding that fully from a dreamwalker."

I considered that for a moment, "...I think there may be ways to hide at least part of it, but it's just the two of us. Doesn't seem worth the trouble to be honest. I didn't make it to be completely perfect. Just a sanctuary for us to be able to get away whenever we wanted."

Luna smiled and lowered her head, giving my ear a small kiss, "Which I think is a nice sentiment. So..."

I moved closer, leaning softly against her as I looked up at her, "You're wondering about me and Celestia."

Luna smiled, "I do."

"...We agreed to take things slow," I told her, "We both like how our relationship is now. Having it be more would be nice, but we don't want to lose anything in the process."

Luna smirked playfully, "And how long will that last?"

Uhm.

"...Possibly until one of us takes the flirting too far," I admitted as I tried not to blush, "But we're trying at least. Has to count for something."

"I'm satisfied as long as you two are happy," Luna said and leaned in, giving me a soft kiss, "It's been difficult watching you two, My Page. Too stubborn to be happy."

Well, if that wasn't a description, I didn't know what was.

"I guess we were a little silly," I admitted and gave her a kiss back, "But she worried about you more than anything else. I know she.."

"My sister was terrified of doing anything to lose me again," Luna finished for me, her wing settling across my back, "Terrified of doing anything that might cause me to feel like I did before my exile."

I nodded, "I am your husband. No matter how we do things, even the matter of having less time with you while I spent time with her..."

Luna smiled and hugged me closer with her wing as we started to walk through the dark forest, lit only by the moons and stars above, "You two are very smart and very kind ponies. And also very dumb."

"I know which part is smart and which is dumb."

"Hush," Luna chided me, "While I am not in favor of spending less time with my stallion, I greatly dislike seeing him and my sister miserable even more."

"I guess I understand that," I admitted and sighed, "But she worried and I think too much like a human sometimes still."

Luna gave me a squeeze with her wing as we walked into a small clearing.

I kissed her cheek and then slipped out from beneath her wing, starting to use my magic to gather fallen branches and clearing grass away from a spot in the clearing. Using cutting spells, I separated the branches into suitable pieces before piling a good bunch into the cleared area of dirt before using a firespell to light them, without setting myself on fire even.

Luna waited patiently for it before laying down next to the fire. I slipped in next to her again, keeping between the fire and her as I got comfortable.

"Why all that?" Luna asked as her wing settled across my back once more, "Why not just create it?"

"Because why spend all this time creating rules of this place just to bypass them?" I asked and rested my head against her neck with a smile, "Do you know what this reminds me of?"

"Evenings in our quarters spent by the fireplace," Luna agreed softly, her head resting against the top of mine, "and..."

"And?"

"Thousands of evenings when I was young," She said softly, "I can't tell you how many times this is how they were spent."

I smirked, "Cuddling a handsome stallion by a fire?"

Luna laughed softly and nipped at my ear, "It happened. But mostly a mare. When one could be found that didn't mind me and my sister's strangeness," she admitted, "But mostly sleeping beside a fire beneath the stars. Only thing missing is the other fires and the rest of the tribe around us."

"We should pick a day," I said, "Or a night. Just a time where all of us could be here for a while. Just spend time together. I do know Sparks misses Celestia. They haven't really talked for... a year or so."

"That does sound rather enjoyable," Luna admitted, "I do miss spending time with Twilight and Sunset. While I can meet them one by one in dreams, it is not the same."

I shook my head, rolling onto my back to look up at her, "It's not," I agreed, "Hence, this place."

Luna smiled and leaned down to kiss me softly before she rolled onto her back next to me, looking up at the night skies, "It is strange. Looking up and seeing stars that's not mine."

I scooted a little closer, "Want me to show you the constellations?" I asked.

"I would very much like that," Luna admitted, resting her head against the side of mine, "What are the moons called?"

"Luna and Celestia."

We never did get around to constellations.

Chapter 34

“Sorry for slipping away like that,” I said as we walked along the top of the Canterlot wall.

Swift smiled, “Don’t worry about it. Minuette said family trouble?”

I sighed, “Yeah,” before I nodded, “All solved now though.”

He nodded, “Sometimes the safest thing to do is just to leave for a bit. Let everypony involved calm down.”

“Got that right.”

We walked in silence for a while before I frowned, “Say, what’s up with Cloud? I checked his place earlier and somepony else lived there now. DId he move?”

Swift laughed and nodded, “He did. The dumbass got his tail transferred!”

I blinked at him, “What, where?”

“Got too good at what he was doing, got transferred to scout training in Las Pegasus as an instructor!”

I grinned, “Cloud as an instructor? Save the guard!”

Swift grinned, “I know what you mean.”

“...He is really good at what he does though,” I then admitted, “Good for him. It does come with a raise, right?”

“Yep. Trainer positions always do. Because you have to deal with trainees.”

“Or nobody would do them,” I agreed.

Swift nodded, “Ponies are idiots. You’d be surprised how dumb soldiers can be, especially when bored.”

“Well, I have heard stories,” I admitted, “I guess some things are the same no matter which species.”

“So they are, your highness.”

I rolled my eyes and shot him a look, “Oh please.”

“Well,” he said and shrugged, “Considering I’m on duty and you are a royal alicorn, I remember something in the rule book about it being required.”

I grumbled and stopped, looking out over the view from the wall and the empty space outside, stretching all the way out to the horizon. I could see Ponyville in the distance in the light of the rising sun.

Swift stopped and stood next to me, one hoof raised and resting on the battlements as if he was posing. Why wou-

I rolled my eyes again, speaking with a low voice I knew wouldn’t carry, “Come on, dude. You have two mares already.”

“Not my fault you’re being followed by a pair of complete babes,” he answered in the same quiet tone, “We’re not all alicorns, I have to not look bad next to you. I’m representing the entire Night Guard here.”

I tried not to grin. Well, he wasn’t wrong, Shade and Leaf were both really attractive. They kept to a respectful distance, but they followed me as we walked.

“Not my fault,” I told him quietly, “I may be able to slip my guards at times in Nocturnis, but if I tried it anywhere else Moon Glow would tie a weight to my tail.”

Swift looked amused, “As she should,” he agreed before he returned his voice to normal volume, “Did Princess Luna talk to you about the plans yet?”

“Plans?” I asked, “What plans?”

“Oh. Apparently not.”

I glowered at him, “What plans!?”

Swift grinned, “An outpost for Night and Solar guards in Nocturnis. Survival training as well as difficult terrain.”

I frowned at that, “Oh really?”

He hesitated slightly, “...Nopony really told you?”

“They did not,” I said with a small frown, looking out over the lands below again. If Swift knew about it, it was likely pretty far into planning already.

“When was this planned for?” I asked, looking at him again.

“...Look, I only heard rumors and only because I’m likely getting assigned to it because of my previous experience in Nocturnis and the jungle,” he admitted, “At least another couple of months before it’s announced.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. Going with the regular timeframe for that sort of thing, that would make it ponies starting to arrive in six months or so.

On one hoof, a combined Night and Solar guard outpost in town would bring in quite a lot of ponies with bits to pour into the local economy. It would be a real boost for us.

On the other, the perception from my ponies would be a… well, the optics were horrible. It might be possible to spin it, especially if leaning into the economic angle, but this could very easily make quite a lot of ponies very unhappy.

Buck, if things went bad enough my ponies might treat them like an occupying force!

…But bits. A lot of bits. Soldiers got paid and they literally would have nowhere else to spend them than in Nocturnis.

Swift seemed content in keeping quiet and letting me think.

Lot’s of bits. A training compound/outpost was likely hundreds of ponies at the very least. Hundred times what a even a private guards pony made, even ignoring bits put away for savings, bills, sent to family and such…

We’re talking many thousands of bits a month at the very least.

Bucking damn it, despite the drawbacks… and there would be definite upset ponies by this… it was a lot of bits into the money pouches of my ponies.

But even then it would be a really, really hard sell.

“Thanks for letting me know,” I told him, “I’m sure something can be arranged, but I have to discuss matters with Luna and Celestia. I’m sure it has just been missed with the practice trip.”

Swift nodded, “Yes sir.”

Chapter 35

Slipping in through the door, I crossed the bedroom and silently moved across the floor. The balcony door was open, allowing the summer day inside.

Moving through the bubble of darkness over the bed, I smiled at the sight of Luna deep asleep on her stomach, wings relaxed against the bed next to her.

Carefully and slowly, I climbed onto the bed and scooted closer. Ducking down, I very slowly and carefully moved in beneath her right wing.

Luna mumbled sleepily and rolled onto her side, flexing her wing to pull me tight as she slipped her forelegs around me without waking up.

Cuddling against her, I closed my eyes and slipped off into the dream realm.

The dream realm sparkled around me and I turned my ears. Luna was… that way.

Not far either. Turning, I trotted in the direction of a dark and silvery dream portal. As I got closer, I could tell it’s inhabitant.

One of my ponies, a thestral filly named Solstice. I remember meeting her when she and her parents arrived in Nocturnis. She was forteen or so and last I saw her, her mane was colored in a neon pink. Literally neon pink, it glowed slightly.

I think it was some sort of potion involved. Glowing manes were a bit of a thing among the older foals in Nocturnis right now. At least it was last time I was there. Who knew if that was still a thing, those things changed so quickly. Last it was wing paintings among the thestrals.

Am I old? No, it’s the foals that’s wrong.

The dream smoothed out to shimmering silver and a couple of moments later Luna exited through it. She smiled as she spotted me, crossing over, “My Page.”

“My Moon,” I said with a smile as I stood back up, raising my head to touch her nose with mine, “How’s Solstice?”

“Sleeping calmly now,” Luna said and then sighed softly, “...Do you know her past?”

“Some,” I admitted and thought back, “I talked with her parents a couple of times. Bully problems where they lived last?”

Luna nodded, “She dreamed all her friends abandoned her and that she was sent back there and without an illusion this time.”

That would be a nightmare for sure.

Nodding, I sighed and moved up next to her, my side touching hers, “She’s feeling better now?”

Luna nodded and then smiled a bit, “She’s dreaming of Nocturnis now, leading the guard in a heroic defense against giant plants.”

I laughed,”I’m guessing she has her career all planned out then.”

“Seems so,” Luna admitted with a smile of her own, “I talked to her about it. She plans to sign up when she’s old enough. But she’s young still.”

I nodded, “Things change,” I said before I looked up at her, “Speaking of the guard, do you have anything to tell me?”

Luna looked at me in surprise, “How did you even hear about that already?”

“I have my way. Well?”

Luna sighed, “While you and my sister were away, I talked to some ponies in the guard about the possibility of a training outpost by Nocturnis. To allow the Night and Solar guard to learn from the Nocturnis guard and the other way around. It’s just in a feasibility study stage right now.”

I nodded, “Even so, I would appreciate being asked first, My Sky,” I told her, “Nocturnis may not be an Equestrian protectorate like the Crystal Empire, but Nocturnis is still my ponies.”

Luna looked at me with a raised eyebrow, “You are rather vehemently against this?” she asked in slight surprise, “I would have expected you to have welcomed the bits it would bring to the village.”

I flicked my ears, “...Sorry, didn’t mean to come on so strong,” I admitted and glanced down, “And my ponies would greatly need those bits. But I’m worried about the… implications and impression..”

“Impression?”

Nodding, I sighed and sat down, glancing up at her, “Not a majority,” I said, “but many ponies in Nocturnis do not like Equestria.”

Luna sat down, looking at me, “I am aware some ponies in Nocturnis don’t like their old lives where they lived before, but dislike Equestria?” she asked with a small frown, “And many?”

“Yes,” I told her seriously, “It’s not just how their lives were before, it was how their families lived, how their ancestors’ lives were. Needing to constantly hide their entire lives. Such things can make ponies bitter. They do not like being reminded that they are still parts of Equestria.”

“I… I didn’t experience any of that while I was in Nocturnis while you and Midnight were in the other world,” she admitted.

“Did you spend a lot of time with regular ponies or did you mostly interact with community leaders?” I asked her gently, “Besides, they very much know you are not only my wife, but also were on the moon for a thousand years and had nothing to do with how they were treated.”

“Neither did my sister!” Luna exclaimed, wings raising in annoyance.

“I know,” I said quietly, “And it’s not about her. It’s about Equestria as a whole. See it from their point of view. They have lived in Nocturnis for years now and suddenly a bunch of Solar and Lunar guards show up and cause trouble.”

Luna frowned, “They wouldn’t cau-

“They're young, dumb, enlisted soldiers, in a place they don’t want to be, doing things that suck, with a bunch of bits in their pockets,” I said with a small tired smile, “There will be trouble.”

She looked hesitant, “...You truly believe it is such a bad idea? I discussed it with Sunset and Midnight.”

I shook my head, “Not a bad idea as such, but hazardous and would need to be handled carefully. I have some ideas, but I need to think about it. And the outpost can not be in Nocturnis. It would have to be out by the train station if not further away along the rails.”

Luna frowned at me and shook her head, “Page, allowing ponies as such to isolate themselves will only cause problems. We have encountered troublemakers before, allowing them to set the parameters and tone is never a good idea.”

“And neither is just setting fire to an oil soaked house,” I said and shook my head, “And they’re not a majority, but it would cause instability in a place that just started to get together to heal from what they experienced in the past. I fear that throwing a bunch of guard ponies into it right now is a bad idea. But I will think about how it could be done,” I told her before I sighed softly, “...Because quite frankly, you’re right. Those bits and that experience would likely help a lot of ponies.”

Nodding, Luna shifted to touch her horn to mine, “I’m sorry, Page. I should have discussed it with you before I talked to anypony else.”

“It’s alright,” I said and met her eyes, “Maybe I worry about nothing. Maybe I should just trust in my ponies. But I worry.”

Chapter 36

The doors to the outside were open to the night. A slight wind from the outside brought the scent of flowers into the room.

The moon shone outside among the sparkling stars.

Luna smiled, glancing over at me before looking smug and going back to reading the paper before her in the light of her lamp.

I grumbled slightly and shifted slightly to get more comfortable, Celestia's wing tightening across my back, “Ignore her,” she said softly against my ear, “They will all be smug for a while.”

“I’m just glad it will be a while before I run into Cadance next,” I admitted quietly, ”Hopefully she'll have most of it out of her system by then.”

Celestia looked amused, “Lucky me, she’s coming to Canterlot next month.”

I grinned up at her, “Oh look, I’m leaving in a few days. Suddenly it’s not looking too bad.”

“Bat!” Celestia laughed and bumped her nose against mine, “Luna, your husband is being mean!”

“Don’t pull me into this,” Luna answered with a grin, “Now he’s your problem too, sister.”

I looked between them before sticking my tongue out at them in turn. Then I settled back down, rolling onto my back with a small sigh, “...Leaving in another couple of day,” I said as I got myself comfortable.

“Are you certain you can’t stay longer?” Celestia asked softly, looking down into my eyes.

“...I have been away long enough as is,” I admitted with a sigh, “But I wish I could.”

Celestia nodded, “We do still have Sanctuary,” she admitted, “We can move our lessons there. Twilight and Sunset can join us too when they wish.”

“That sounds nice,” I admitted, running my hoof along her wing, “But I’m not sure they can handle our lessons.”

“Oh?”

I smiled at her, “Mmm. You know, in case we get ideas for some practical demonstrations. There are some subjects we haven’t covered fully yet.”

“Is that so?” Sunshine asked with a small smile, “Is there any in particular you have in mind? I’m sure we can work them in.”

“Maybe I can,” I said, looking up into her eyes with a small grin, “If you think you can handle them.”

Celestia raised her wings in display, spreading her feathers, “I believe I may be able to do so. I may have some ideas for lessons already.”

“Really?” I teased, “that was fast. Or had you thought about them before?”

“Some… but the lessons may be pretty hard. Do you think you can deal with it?”

“As long as you can. Will there be an exam?” I asked with a smile up at her, “Is there a reward if I pass?”

Celestia smiled, her nose touching mine as she looked into my eyes, “I think we can work something out.”

“Oh for buck sake!” Luna groaned, “And I thought you two were bad before!”

I grinned as Celestia laughed and pulled back to smile at her,

“Luna, put those papers away and join us. Those can wait until tomorrow night,” she said with a smile.

Luna put the paper down and slipped off her chair, “I wanted to give you two some room.”

“Buck that, I want my Luna,” I said with a smile before I frowned and rolled onto my stomach, looking around, “But I’m not sure we all fit on the cou-yelp!”

To my surprise, I found myself pulled up by my tail, hanging from Luna's magic as she trotted towards the bedroom, floating me behind her.

“I can walk you know,” I complained as I pulled my legs to myself and wrapped my wings around myself.

“But this seems so much faster,“ Celestia teased and walked along behind me.

“So it is,” Luna agreed with a smile before she looked at Celestia, “Are you sure, sister, that you do not want to have time alone with Page? Your relationship is new and they are leaving soon.”

Celestia smiled, “Is it really?”

“Oh no, spending the evening spending time with the most beautiful mares in Equestria, oh woe is me.”

“Well, in this way in any case,” Luna answered, ignoring me as she turned to Celestia, “Things are different now.”

Celestia shook her head, “Luna, we have had the same husband before.”

Luna smiled, “I’m well aware, sister. But it is different this time which is part of why you were being dumb. For one thing, we actually like this one and it’s not simply politics.”

“I don’t know,” Celestia admitted, “I seem to remember him growing on both of us in the end.”

“...Admittedly, he did turn into a nice pony,” Luna admitted, “But I never loved him. Not like this.”

“Neither did I,” Celestia said softly and then gave Luna a hug, “Which is why I worried.”

“Was dumb, you mean,” Luna teased her.

“...Excuse me,” I said, “Please don’t drop me.”

“Don’t worry, I have you exactly where I want you,” Luna said with a grin over Celestia's shoulder.

“Oh, I think I can come up with some better places,” Celestia said and let go of the hug to smirk at me.

“Now when you mention it, so can I,” Luna agreed with a soft laugh.

Oh dear.

Celestia suddenly grinned and leaned in, “Do you remember-” she said, starting to whisper into Luna's ear.

Luna blinked and looked thoughtful before she nodded, “I believe I do,” she finally said before she looked at Celestia with a smile, “Oh, that’s a good idea, sister.”

Suddenly I felt very worried.

Luna set me back down on the floor, “Stay,” she said and entered the bedroom. Celestia smirked at me before following.

I rolled onto my hooves at the door closed.

Uhm.

Very worried indeed.

I waited, spending the time running my magic through my mane and brushing my coat down. The door opened once more and I swallowed, gasping at the sight.

Luna exited the bedroom, but she looked…

.,..She looked like she was made from the night sky, filled with stars. It wasn’t just on the surface, it was like a part of the galaxy, depth and all. Stars shimmered through her. Luna looked like a part of the night sky having come alive.

Celestia followed her out and I had to avert my eyes. She shone like before, wings glowing and white coat shining. She lit up the previously dim room like a sunrise, her light shimmering through the dark of Luna’s night sky, her light making Lunas nebula shine..

I think I have goosebumps.

“I do believe he likes it,” Celestia teased as she walked up next to me, and I felt her magic settle my day goggles across my eyes and tighten around the back of my head.

“So he does,” Luna agreed and approached, nosing at my ear, “This was an excellent idea, sister.”

“Buck likes it,” I breathed, looking between them in awe, “I feel like starting a religion.”

Luna laughed softly and gave me a soft kiss, “Which is one of the reasons why we stopped doing this. But I think that perhaps we can at times show them to you.”

“Perhaps you more than me,” Celestia pointed out, her glowing wing settling across my back like a sunbeam, “Mine can actually hurt him.”

“I can echolocate, I don’t need eyes,” I pointed out most reasonably. At least I felt it was.

Even with the day goggles on I couldn’t look directly at Celestia's wings for very long and I had to look away, her eyes and horns blazing among her shining mane. Which caused me to gaze up at Luna. Which wasn’t exactly a downgrade. The sunlight was glowing through her now no longer flowing mane, making it glow and shimmer like a nebula.

Luna laughed and gave me a small kiss, “My silly Page.”

I moved against her in turn. It was like kissing the universe and it made my wings tingle. Celestia moved to brush a glowing wing along my back and lowered her muzzle to my ear, giving the tip a lick which sent a shiver along my spine all the way to the tip of my tail.

None of us got any real rest that night.

Chapter 37

I slowly drifted back to the land of the awake ponies and for once I didn't regret it for a second as I opened my eyes, looking into Lunas star filled form. The night sky, brought into the shape of a pony.

A most beautiful pony.

Just staying like that for a long while, star gazing before I yawned and slowly stretched and scooted out from beneath her starfield wing. I pushed myself up to sit, glancing around.

Well, the lack of light was a clear indicator that Sunshine had left. Last night had been amazing, a lot of which had actually been talking, but amazing. Perhaps more so because of it.

I snuck another glance at Luna.

Yep, I still felt a strong urge to build a temple in her honor. Then again, that had nothing to do with her looking like the night sky made manifest. I always felt like worshiping her.

Maybe tonight, I'll have another chance to.

Grinning at that thought, I slipped out of the bubble of dark silence covering the bed before recoiling at the burning midday sunlight that filled the room.

Gak!

I quickly shaded my eyes with a hoof. Damn it, Sunshine, I love you but would it hurt you to at least have Canterlot be cloudy whenever I visit?

...Then again, then it would either be chilly or muggy. You know what, I can live with the horrible sunshine.

Reaching back onto the bed, I found my day goggles and hung them around my neck before I exited into the living room, finding a pile of small sandwiches as well as a steaming cup of tea waiting for me.

Speaking of ponies that should be worshiped... Maid, I demand you marry me at once!

Grinning to myself, I trotted over and jumped onto the couch, getting into my meal.

Life was good.

What to do today, Luna's going to be out until this evening. Maybe a bit earlier. Celestia I knew was going to be busy until the afternoon at least. She was still getting caught up on things.

Didn't envy her that task. At least I only had a village worth of events when I got back home, she had all of Equestria. Then again, she also had a much higher level view of things.

That still left me with most of the day to entertain myself.

I glanced towards the bedroom door.

...I had some ideas about that as well, but Luna would not thank me about waking her this early.

Maybe I could go help Midnight pack? No, I mean how much stuff could she have anyway? She was just going for a visit, she likely just brought a single bag. It would be very interesting to see what her expeditions found.

Were there really more hidden tribes other than thestrals?

You would have fought Luna and I would have run into them so far, but despite thousands of years she barely noticed the thestrals existed, so I suppose it was possible we just missed them.

They would all be welcome in Nocturnis of course, but I highly doubt many would come if they existed still. The reason we were in Nocturnis was primarily because we liked the climate in general.

If we had been... say an especially hardy earth pony tribe, I'd likely asked for land up by the Crystal Empire or something.

So I doubt Fire unicorns and water ponies would enjoy the middle of a jungle.

But they were welcome if they wanted to come.

Oh! I can visit Silver! I needed to set up some tea orders anyway and see if she wanted some samples of that locally grown not-tea stuff. It wasn't bad actually so who knows, maybe it'll sell in Canterlot.

...And I should likely visit my accountant as well...

I groaned at that thought as I finished my tea. A nice warm day was the last time I would like to spend looking at numbers, but I needed to know how my investments were doing and what bits I had that I could transfer to Nocturnis. They didn't do any good sitting around in accounts here when they could help feed my ponies.

...I really miss Flower. Making my own schedule sucks, it was so much better when she did it for me. Maybe I should stop by Raritys’ as well and pick something up. She more than deserved it and I was more than happy to keep up the bribes if it kept her happy and wanting to keep the job.

Because Nocturnis would turn into anarchy and chaos in a week without her efforts.

And at the same time, I should buy something for Sparks and Sunny. Something small and see through.

I glanced at the bedroom door again.

Let's do Raritys first. In case they had to do some rush alterations on something.

With a plan firmly in mind, I slipped off the couch and stretched before heading towards the door while putting my day goggles firmly in place.

Half walking, half gliding down the stairs, I stepped out into the sunlight, finding the two Night Guards I didn't recognize flanking the door alongside Shade and Leaf.

"Ready for a small excursion?" I asked them with a smile, "I need to meet some ponies and do some shopping."

Leaf and Shade saluted smartly and fell into formation behind me without a word.

I gave the Nightguards a friendly nod and then headed towards the Castle gates. About halfway there, I realized I didn't bring my satchel. I hesitated for a second before I shrugged and continued on.

Silver never let me pay anyway and I had an account set up at Rarity’s. And I could always visit the bank if I needed bits.

Exiting through the castle gates onto the square that held my statue next to celestias, I looked up at them for a moment. Wonder if I could hire three more made of Luna, Sunset and Twilight and how much that would cost.

One more reason to visit the accountant, damn it. Wonder how much a statue cost? Even just the marble can't be cheap.

Making a mental note to find out, I headed out onto the streets towards the district that held Raritys’ store. Today really was a bustling day, a lot of ponies out and about.

Yes, we got looks, but it was more 'oh, an alicorn' rather than 'ah, monsters!'

Which felt rather nice to be hone-

I stumbled to the side, missing a step as something slapped against my side. What the- I looked at what hit me, finding a wooden shaft with feathers sticking out of my barrel at the shoulder.

That's not right. Why would I have a crossbow bolt there? And red is definitely not my colour, I really should not be wearing that much of it.

Ponies were screaming and I felt my hooves starting to wobble. I had just enough time to see Leaf throw herself into the air before I sank down to the cobblestones.

My vision started to narrow towards a tunnel, quickly darkening.

I'm pretty tired actually, I think I'll have a bit of a na-

Chapter 38

My nose woke up before the rest of me did. I had no idea where I was, but I could smell...

...You know exactly the smell if you've ever been injured. The smell of a hospital.

Oh damn it, what did I do now? I tried to remember.

Did I startle Sunshine again?

I had been going out for something. Yes, I had been going shopping. Did I get run over by a cart of something? Now that would have been a dignified end. Alicorn Prince, cause of death: Cabbage cart.

Must be pretty bad too, my brain is all loopy. I must be on the good drugs again.

I heard a sniffing sound I recognized and hated. A mare crying.

Forcing my eyes open, I found myself looking at Sparks sitting next to my bed. She had a book with her, but she wasn't looking at it. She was rubbing her eyes with one hoof.

"Hey..."

Her hoof dropped instantly and she spun to me, "Page! You're awake!" she exclaimed and quickly moved closer, putting one hoof at the edge of my bed, "How are you feeling?"

"...not feeling a lot right now," I admitted, "Everything is full of cotton. I'm on the really nice drugs, aren't I?"

Twilight sniffed again and nodded, "You are. What do you remember?"

"I.." I started to answer before I frowned. A memory, just a flash of an image. Wooden shaft, feathers, blood, "Some fucker shot me!"

"Easy, try to relax," Twilight said, putting her hoof on my side, "You're still hurt."

"...How badly?"

"Don't worry about it," she said with a small smile, "The doctor says you'll make a full recovery."

I tried to relax again, finding it really easy to do as my eyes started to drift closed, "...How long was I out?"

"Just over a week. The doctors didn’t want you waking up earlier. Sunset and I arrived yesterday," Twilight explained, "We were lucky, a train had just arrived. Now try to get some more sleep."

"Just going to close my eyes for a second. Tired."

I blinked and when I opened my eyes again, Twilight was gone. Replaced by Celestia. She was sitting and reading a book of poems I recognized.

"Hey Sunshine," I said, my voice sounding a bit raspy. I could also tell I was no longer on the good drugs as my shoulder really ached.

She closed her book and smiled at me, "Good morning, Page."

"Always is when it involves you."

Smiling a bit wider, she leaned in and gave me a small kiss before pulling back, "We've been taking turns sitting with you," she said to my unspoken question, "I just took over from Sunset an hour ago."

"How long since I spoke with Sparks? Is she doing okay?"

"...Eight hours or so," Celestia sighed and then shook her head, "And no, she's not. She's taking it hard that somepony would do something like this. Luna’s taking care of her."

I nodded slightly and shifted my wing. It pulled on something painful and I winced, "How bad is it?"

Celestia hesitated and then sighed again, "I'll leave the details to the doctor, but in of itself the damage wasn't that great. They barely missed your heart and lungs, but you lost a lot of blood quickly. It was a wide arrow head. It had been dipped in Witches Bane."

I knew that, it was a… some herb I think. Something to do with magic disruption?

"Did they catch who it was?"

Celestia shook her head, the temperature in the room seemed to rise a dozen degrees for a second before she answered, "No. Your guard found the crossbow, but nopony in sight. We are investigating but so far the only thing we are sure of is that they were a unicorn and one that knows the teleport spell. We haven’t found any witnesses yet."

"Well, I have pissed off a lot of ponies," I admitted, "Some with a lot of bits. I suppose I should have thought about this possibility. I take it my going out in public privileges are revoked for the foreseeable future?"

Smiling sadly, Celestia leaned in to rest her head against the bed next to mine, looking into my eyes, "I would never imprison you in such a way, Page. But I want you to consider the ponies around you if you get hurt."

"So..." I started with a small smile, "...Hoof cuffs are out of the question then?"

That brought a laugh I recognized and she sat back up with a much more natural smile, "Maybe I can make exceptions at times," she teased.

"If I try to sit up, will you stop me?"

"Most definitely yes," Celestia said with a smile, "And I doubt you could if you tried."

"...Okay, yes. That's very fair," I admitted and relaxed again, "Getting shot sucks."

"I most agree," Celestia said and smiled slightly, "I have, several times. Though admittedly, the last time was before the invention of the crossbow. Not that regular bows make it any nicer."

"...My side is hurting a bit," I admitted, "Any chance I can get back on the good drugs?" I asked hopefully.

Celestia shook her head, "Steady Beat said no. Now when you have started to wake up, he wants you off them as soon as possible."

"Which I get," I said, "But I'm really bucking tired of getting hurt. It wasn't even my fault this time," I grumbled.

"And we are tired of you getting hurt," Celestia said gently and brushed her wing gently against my side, "So please stop it."

"I'll do what I can," I agreed and then smiled at her, "...Read to me?"

Smiling, she nodded and picked her book back up.

It wasn't long before I was back to dreamless sleep.

Chapter 39

"Press please," Steady Beat said, putting his hoof against mine.

I winced and did so, my shoulder screaming at me as I sat on the bed.

The unicorn doctor nodded and pulled his hoof away, making a note at his clipboard, "Well, you seem to have full motion still," he said, "I was worried you may have damaged some tendons we didn't discover, but it seems alright. Once the muscle heals, you should have full capability back," before he put the clipboard down and started to unwind my bandaged shoulder and side.

"You've done amazing work as usual, doctor."

Steady Beat looked a bit amused and shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't take too much of the credit. If you were any other kind of pony, I'd say you have a long road of healing ahead of you. But I’ve seen you recover fully from burns that would have left a pony scared for life, so I have no doubt you will have full use of your foreleg back by this time next month."

Removing the last of the bandage, he revealed the injury. Didn't look like much to me to be honest. It had hit me at the rear part of my shoulder, passing through it into my barrel. They had shaved my coat from the area and sewn the injury closed.

"Good color," Steady Beat said, feeling it with his magic, "No sign of infection. Good," he agreed and uncorked a small glass bottle, pouring something that felt minty cold onto the wound.

I winced at the feeling, "...And somepony is a pretty good shot too," I agreed, "That's almost a perfect shot at a moving target."

Steady hesitated for a second before he nodded, glancing at me before starting to put a fresh compress and bandage back on, "Missed your heart by a horn's width."

Bucking hell.

I swallowed at that. Tough and long lived didn't mean immortal. Even alicorns needed their hearts.

There was a knock on the door and I looked up, "Enter."

Moon Glow pushed the door open and slipped inside, "Your majesty," she said and bowed deeply.

"Up, Glow," I said and motioned for her, "No need for that."

Steady tied the bandage off and handed me a pair of pills which I gladly swallowed with some water. He gave Glow a nod before leaving the room.

"Your majesty, I would like to tender my resignation," Glow said, standing at attention, "I have completely failed in my duties an-"

"Buck that," I snorted and then winced as I slowly laid down again, "Nopony could have seen that coming unless they could see the future. Can you see the future, Glow?"

"No, bu-"

"Then please don't make me get a new chief of security, I rather like the one I have. I don’t want to train up a new one."

She shifted slightly, shaking her head, "I should have been there."

"And I should learn how to duck," I told her firmly, "How's Shade and Leaf taking it?"

Glow shook her head, "By refusing to leave your door. I'm not sure if either has slept more than a couple of hours since the attack."

"What about you, Amber?"

A stream of ancient changeling floated out from beneath my bed. I didn't get all of it, but it sounded like she planned violence.

Okay then, I'll deal with that later.

Glow didn't even startle, apparently fully used to it by now, "Send them in here and then try to get some rest yourself."

"When it's time, your majesty," Moon Glow said, "We are conducting an investigation into the attack."

"I thought the solar guard was doing that."

She scowled, "The crossbow used was guard issue. The majority of unicorns capable of casting teleport are in the guard. I don't trust them, it is likely we'll find the suspect in their ranks."

Awesome, that won't make me paranoid or anything.

I nodded, "Thank you, Glow. And no more ideas about resigning over this. You are doing an awesome job. Now send those two bats out there in so I can yell at them for not sleeping."

"No sir," Glow said, standing up straight to attention again, "They are my ponies. If there is yelling to be done, it's to be done by me. If you feel yelling is necessary, yell at me."

I smiled at her, "And you wonder why I won't accept your resignation. Just make sure they know I am thankful and approve of their job. And that they have to take care of themselves."

Glow nodded with a small smile, "I will, your majesty," before she saluted and left, closing the door behind her. There was muffled talking through it, but I turned my attention downwards instead,

"Amber, get up here."

The 'ling scooted out from beneath the bed and climbed up to lay next to me. I brushed her back with my wing across her back, "You know it's not your fault either, right?" I told her gently but firmly, "Nopony can be everywhere at once and I don't think even Rainbow Dash would be able to intercept or tackle me out of the way of a bolt in flight. Not your fault."

"...Never my fault," she said quietly, "You always get hurt, sir, and there's never anything I can do about it."

I sighed softly and gave her a very careful hug against my uninjured side, "I know, Amber. And I'm sorry. It's not like I'm trying to get hurt."

"The Princess is mad at me."

"Skitter?" I asked and at the nod, I sighed, "I'll talk to her. Don't worry about it, let me handle it. Try to get some sleep, I can tell you're exhausted."

She looked at me in surprise, "How?"

I smiled at her, "Because I know you and I know 'lings. You always overdo it," I said before I glanced upwards, "...That lamp looks pretty strong. Help me up there so I can reach it with my tail, it'll take pressure off my shoulder."

Amber stared at me for several seconds before she slipped off the bed, "I'll get the doctor, sir. You are not hanging from a lamp, we'll get a perch installed or something similar."

Excellent. An Amber with something to do isn't an Amber feeling sorry for herself.

One thing solved, I settled down to try to get some rest.

Chapter 40

Luna sat next to my bed, looking down at me.

I laid on my back, as much weight off my side as possible and I smiled up at her, “Missed you.”

Luna forced a small smile, “Don’t worry me like that, Page,” she said, her nose touching mine before giving me a small soft kiss.

I stroked her mane with my good hoof, “I’m sorry, My Sky. But in my defense, this was not my fault for once.”

Sniffing softly, Luna shook her head, “No. No, it wasn’t.”

“But I do promise I will be more careful in the future,” I said, smiling gently up at her, “And I’m fairly sure I won’t have much of a choice in the matter either with Moon Glow on the job. Fairly sure she is going to keep me on a short leash for a while.”

Luna looked amused, “I think you may be correct, My Page,” she answered, one ear flicking.

I carefully scooted to the side, giving more space on the bed and Luna carefully climbed onto it next to me, settling down as her wing covered me protectively.

Celestias wings were nice. Very nice actually.

Okay, they may be softer and thicker and warmer than Lunas, but Lunas were the first ones I had inspected in detail.

I liked Lunas wings.

Not only because they were attached to My Luna either. Then again, I really liked Sparks wings too. Not as big, but just as soft and… well…

Beautiful.

Okay, I may have a thing for wings. Funny, is that biological? Did my form affect my mind? Of course it did. Chemicals, brain shape and everything had to affect what was running on it.

I’m clearly at the very least using pony firmware. And pony firmware all agreed that wings?

Sexy.

“What are you thinking of?” Luna asked gently as she looked down at me.

“Wings.”

Luna laughed softly, “You do like those, don’t you?” she teased a bit playfully, raising her own high and wide.

“I very much do.”

She smiled, she gave me a small kiss before she looked down at me, her nose touching the bandage across my barrel, “Are you in any pain?”

“A little,” I admitted, “The Doctor has just started me on less powerful meds. On the bright side, I’m not as loopy anymore.”

Luna looked at me doubtfully.

“...Okay, I may be a little loopy still,” I admitted, “I am on some pretty strong stuff.”

Luna nodded and folded one wing, the other settling protecting across me. I smiled and ran my hoof along the soft feathers before I looked at her,

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

She shook her head, “I… when I heard I was so afraid,” she said softly, meeting my eyes, “I…I thought I would lose you.”

“I’m sorry,” I repeated softly as I looked into her eyes, “Is there any leads yet?”

Luna let out a frustrated sigh, “The guard is investigating, but… no. Not so far. They are trying to track down who’s crossbow it is, who it was assigned to, but they are not numbered.”

That seems like a bit of an oversight.

…Then again, I don’t think they are in Nocturnis either. We really should be doing that, it seemed like a reasonable thing to do.

“I see,” I said and frowned, “Which means they may try again.”

“...Yes,” Luna confirmed quietly.

I sighed softly, “Which means that the safest thing is to return to Nocturnis as soon as I can travel,” I said, “Of course, trying again may expose them…”

“Absolutely not!” Luna thundered, looking furious, “Thou are no-”

I booped her nose with my hoof as I smiled, “I’m not,” I reassured her, “But maybe we can figure out a way to make it seem like I am. But let’s think about that when I’m not completely distracted.”

Luna settled down again with a small sigh, shaking her head, “My sister has turned you into a flirt,” she said with a small playful scowl.

I smiled up at her, “Only by the means of getting better at it. I’m not quite as obvious as I was when you literally cornered me on a picnic.”

Luna looked amused, “Well, I suppose you have gotten a bit better. From self preservation if nothing else.”

I just stroked her wing softly with a small smile. Luna shifted, gently and carefully resting her head against my chest as I did so, causing me to suppress a wince.

Apparently I didn't do a good job as she instantly raised her head, “Did it hurt?”

“...A little,” I admitted.

She shifted to lay down next to me instead and I carefully rolled to face her.

“This isn’t ba-gah!” I said as I got a muzzle full of ethereal mane.

Luna burst into soft laughter as she brushed it to flow in a different direction, “Did the bad mane eat you again?”

I stuck my tongue out at her, “And Sunshine wonders why I want a different kind of magic regulatory spell. Not exactly manly, is it?”

Luna grinned and looked me over, “I don’t know, I think you may look good with a flowing mane.”

I glowered at her, “Aren’t you a bit under dressed for a nurse?”

She smiled a bit playfully as she met my eyes and bumped her nose against mine, “And perhaps we can do something about that when you get better.”

Oh.

Now that was a mental image. I should get shot more often.

We settled down again as I looked into her eyes, “Luna,” I finally said, “...I’m not afraid, you know. Last time was a free shot. Now I know they are coming.”

“I know,” she answered quietly, “And that’s what scares me.”

Chapter 41

I tried not to wince as I slowly shifted to lay down on the couch. Sunset was hovering close by in case I needed help, but I warded her off with an annoyed look, "I'm fine."

"You're not fine!" she answered, "You can barely walk!"

"I have five other working limbs, six if you count my tail," I told her as I leaned my side against the backrest to take some weight off my right foreleg, "Just because I can't put any real weight on one hoof doesn't make me invalid."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "Oh? And we went to Celestia's rooms instead of Lunas for fun? The reason there are less stairs has nothing to do with it."

I smirked at her, "Well, if you're offering. I'm not sure how much I would be able to move though."

Her cheeks turned slightly red but she smirked right back, "Oh, you would like that, wouldn't you, Wingboy?" she teased as she jumped onto the alicorn sized couch and settled down next to me, careful not to lean against my injured side.

"I very much would," I agreed and then winced as I moved my foreleg wrong.

Sunset watched me with a worried frown before she snorted in annoyance, "When I find out who did this, I'm going to snap their horn at the base and stab them with it!"

I brushed her back calmingly with my wing, "Not sure you'll get a chance. Even if they are caught, I'm fairly sure Celestia and Luna are pissed."

Sunset shook her head, "Oh, you have no idea," she said quietly, "Twi and I figured out something happened before Luna even told us. The sun got so bright it woke us up."

Through a bubble of darkness? Wow.

Sunshine must have been furious.

"Oh."

"At least nothing burned this time," Sunset said and gently used her magic to adjust the bandages at my barrel, "Apparently, Celestia was in the bath when she found out."

I looked at her in amusement, "Well, I suppose that's one way to do it. For safety, keep wet at all times."

Sunset raised an eyebrow at me. I just smiled at her before I tried to get comfortable, "...Where's Sparks anyway?"

"With Midnight," Sunset explained, "They have an idea about maybe being able to read the magic signature from the wielder of the crossbow from either it or the site of the teleport."

I frowned, "that seems like a bit of a longshot, especially after this long. It's been almost two weeks."

Sunset sighed and looked down at her hooves, "Considering the best witness found just described 'a cloaked figure', it may be our best chance."

"You might be right."

She looked at me, "...Aren't you angry at them? They tried to kill you!"

"I likely should be," I admitted and rested my head against the couch, "But I'm mostly just tired of everything just always going wrong. You know, I was actually completely happy for a couple of days there. It seems the universe didn't like that."

"Page..."

"Everything just goes wrong. And it always ends with me being smacked about, clawed, set on fire, turned into something else or in this case, shot. Or even worse, made responsible for yet another thing. Why do I always get hurt?! …Why is it always me…"

Sunset moved around to face me. She touched her horn to mine before sliding closer until she rested her forehead against mine. She didn't say anything. I just closed my eyes and leaned slightly against the touch.

My side hurt. My Doctor wouldn't give me the good drugs anymore. Or even the medium drugs.

I felt like going to live in a hut in the forest.

Oh wait, I tried that and ended up responsible for an entire tribe of ponies.

The door opened and Celestia entered. She smiled as she saw us, "Page, Sunset. I heard you arrived but I didn't know they wanted to release you yet."

"They didn't," Sunset said before I could answer, "But Page insisted and Steady Beat finally agreed on the condition that there are daily checkups."

"...I just couldn't stay there any longer," I admitted, "I don't like hospitals."

Celestia sighed softly but nodded. She crossed over to us and joined us on the couch, taking the spot next to me that Sunset had vacated and her large warm wing settled gently across my back, "I suppose you can not be blamed for that," she said and her muzzle touched my mane.

Sunset smiled at us and I raised an eyebrow at her, "What?"

"Nothing," she said with a smile, "Just thinking it's good to see. Neither of you were fooling anypony, you know?"

"Don't tease me, I was shot you know."

Celestia smiled at Sunset, "I don't know what you are talking about. Do you, Page?"

"No clue," I agreed and rested my head against her neck, trying to do it in a way that didn't put pressure on my side. I completely failed, but did my best to ignore it.

Sunset rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine. This is a completely new thing and you didn't flirt enough to raise the temperature of any room you were in by twenty degrees before."

Exactly," Celestia said and lowered her head to give Sunset a small nuzzle, "You always were a smart filly."

Sunset stuck her tongue out at her before giving me a small kiss. She then scooted back, "Just so you know, you two are disgustingly cute. Make sure he doesn't do anything else dumb today, Princess. I need to go check on the Sparkle twins. I'm not sure they eaten anything today," she said and trotted from the room.

"It's so good there is at least one adult in Nocturnis," Celestia said with a small smile to me.

I smiled up at her, "I can show you how adult I can be if you like."

Her smile widened, "I'm sure you could," before her nose touched mine, "But what you should do is to get some rest. And then I'll help you up to Lunas tower."

"...Rest does sound pretty nice," I admitted and leaned against her, quickly feeling myself drift off to sleep.

It had actually taken more out of me that I liked to admit to making it here. And alicorns make the best pillows.

Chapter 42

The moon was high in the sky as I studied the chess board before me on the couch. Sparks were facing me across it which was just unfair.

The fact that she had even less practice than I did was the only reason I even had a chance here.

"So," I asked idly as I moved a Guard, "How much is being kept from me?"

Sparks looked at me in slightly guilty surprise, "What do you mean?"

"Investigation, political reactions from this, the general population's feelings, the ponies of Nocturnis. Everypony is very careful not to mention any of it," I commented, focusing on the chessboard, "Your move by the way."

Sparks shifted her wings uncomfortably, "Page, I..." she started before she sighed, "We just though-"

"That it would be easier for me to focus on recovering if I didn't worry about everything else," I told her gently, "And I know that Equestria is generally a matriarchal society. but I'm a big colt and can handle the truth. Still not made of glass last time I checked."

Cringing slightly, Sparks sighed, "...I know. I'm sorry."

Then she moved a sky knight. Damn I had hoped she would miss that opening.

"So?" I asked, looking at her as I moved a fortress.

Her wings shifted, ears folding back for a second, "It's complicated. The reaction to the news in Nocturnis were... negative. Ponies were beyond furious. I didn't even know Flower could get that angry."

Neither could I to be honest, Flower was almost as gentle as Fluttershy.

"Who's in charge while you're here?"

"Fluttershy and Spicy Pepper," Sparks said with a small smile, "I trust Fluttershy to be able to stop Pepper from mobilizing the guard. Luna has been sending them messages with updates in their sleep."

"We should head back soon," I said as Sparks somehow took a sky knight with a guard out of nowhere. Buck, completely missed that, "Steady says I'll be safe to travel soon."

Sparks nodded.

"...And the rest?" I then asked as she didn't volunteer any information.

She shifted before she sighed, "Page, I..." she said before she looked at me, "You know talking about Canterlot nobility will only make you angry."

"What did they do?"

Sparks scowled, "As soon as it was known, every single one of them came out of the woodwork to denounce the attack as a cowardly act by a random madpony."

"Oh yes, like they have not spent years badmouthing me and Nocturnis to anypony that will listen," I snorted, "At least in private."

"There are some decent ponies in the nobility you know," Twilight pointed out.

I nodded, "And I can count the ones I know without running out of limbs," I said and studied the board, "See, all calm," I then added, moving another fortress, taking a guard.

She relaxed again, moving her prince, taking the fortress from me.

"Which is why I wonder what you're not telling me," I continued, causing her to glance away guiltily.

"Stop reading my mind," she grumbled before she blinked and stared at me, "...Wait, is that something you can do with dream magic?"

I gave her a fang filled grin at her, "I knew you would say that."

"PAGE!"

I laughed and flinched as it made my shoulder ache before I shook my head, "No, it's not, I just know you. Besides, I think trying to mind read you would cause me to short circuit something."

Sparks glowered at me before she sighed, "It's nothing."

"Twilight Sparkle," I said, looking at her, "If it was nothing you would have no trouble telling me about it."

She flinched before she glowered at me, "Stop using my full name like that, it makes you sound like my dad!"

I smirked and opened my mouth to answer only for her to reach out and put her hoof over it,

"No!" Sparks said firmly with a glare as she blushed to the tips of her ears..

Grinning, I nodded before waiting for her to lower her hoof, "Now who’s reading minds? So, what's up, Sparks?"

She sighed and shifted, "Just... some ponies talking. Rumors. Saying that because you got hurt, you're not a real alicorn."

Huh. I guess somepony watched Iron Man Two.

...I should write that. Iron Mare. It was a good story.

I shrugged my wings, "So?"

She looked at me, "You're not upset?"

I shook my head, "Honestly, couldn't care less. Not only will not aging kind of prove it on its own, but I don't like the attention in the first place. You know that."

"I guess," Sparks admitted, "It's just so... ugh!" she groaned before she looked at me, "It's so disrespectful! After everything you have done for them!"

"I suppose if that was about one of you, I would be furious," I admitted thoughtfully and flicked one ear, "And likely less restrained."

Twilight smiled a bit at me and moved one of her pieces, "It's just ponies being dumb."

"What of the guards?" I asked, "Any difficulties with the investigation."

She shook her head, "A lot of reorganizing. Canterlot is still on a complete lockdown. Deliveries are still allowed, but nopony in or out. I even assisted in putting up an anti-teleport field over the entire city."

Now that would make a lot of ponies upset.

Sparks then smiled in a way that I could only describe as predatory, "And we were able to extract a magical signature from the teleport spot."

Chapter 43

Opening my eyes, I found myself looking up into slightly luminous green slitted eyes about a hoof away from mine.

It was only from years of dealing with ‘lings that I didn’t hit Chrysalis in the face.

Instead I looked up at her sleepily. You do not act hastily around a predator like Chrysalis. She was standing over me, head lowered to peer into my face from way too close.

“Morning Chryssie,” I said and suppressed a yawn, “What time is it?”

“You were injured,” Chrysalis said, sounding disgusted.

I raised an eyebrow at her, “It happens.”

“It seems like sharp weapons work even on alicorns.”

I raised my fully mobile foreleg and touched her cheek where my cutting spell had distracted her once with my hoof, “So they do on most things.”

Chrysalis looked amused before stepping over me, slipping off the bed and walking over to look out the open balcony doors.

The sky outside was blue but I couldn’t see the sun which meant it was late afternoon at least. Chrysalis didn’t say anything, just looking out over Canterlot.

Ugh.

It’s way too early to deal with Chrysalis right now. Why the hell is she even here? Skitter is usually the one to wake me and haul me down to the hive.

Chrysalis had never been here before. That I knew of anyway, ‘lings were sneaky.

Well, she was clearly being dramatic again and wasn’t going to say what she wanted until I played along.

So I carefully rolled onto my hooves and slipped off the bed before walking up next to her, doing my best to ignore the spike of pain through my side every time my right hoof set down on the floor.

Showing pain was a bad idea, limping was worse.

I walked up to sit down next to her, lifting my right hoof just off the floor as I looked out over the castle.

Chrysalis glanced at me with a small scowl but didn’t speak. I just sighed, “How’s Skitter?”

“Not in Canterlot, she has visited the Princess of Food and will return in a couple of days,” Chrysalis said without looking at me again, turning to look out over the castle.

I’m not caffeinated enough for this.

“What is it you want, Chrysalis?” I finally asked.

“You were injured.”

“Were you worried?” I asked, raising an eyebrow again.

Chrysalis glowered at me, “You were injured, which caused reactions from the Princesses, which disrupted your hives which may put my hive in danger!”

Ah.

“...Yeah, I don’t see how any of that is my fault,” I finally answered, looking up at her.

She glared at me like I was being especially dumb, “A Queen's first responsibility is their hive and to keep their hive under control. Your hive is unruly.”

Oh for…

“Not my hive, go yell at Celestia,” I told her and carefully raised my right hoof to rub my eyes only for Chrysalis magic to catch it and force it back down,

“Stop that! You are straining your injury!” she ordered, “And as far as the effects of your injury, it is your hive. Stop being a dumb pony!”

I lowered my hoof and glared back up at her, “I didn’t choose to be shot with a crossbow!”

“You gave them the chance,” she sneered, “I thought you were smarter than that, pony. You know you have enemies and you go walking around with three guards in public? No other defenses? None of them were even an unicorn!”

Scowling, I looked away.

I really bucking hate it when Chrysalis has a point. I just never thought a pony of all species would try something like it.

“I am assigning another of my changelings to your protection,” Chrysalis said in a tone that didn’t bear any argument.

“It was not Ambers fault,” I told her firmly.

Chrysalis smirked, “Never said it was. I said I’m assigning another changeling to your protection. As in, In addition of.”

“Oh.”

I glanced back behind me. Amber was sitting by the bed, looking like somepony had been yelling at her. Next to her was another changeling that I actually recognized. Thorax was one of those usually assigned to hive security so it wasn’t an unsurprising choice that he had been reassigned to this.

“Nocturnis already has as many ‘lings as it can support,” I told Chrysalis.

“I’m sure you can feed one more,” She said a bit dryly, “It has been decided. Unless you would like to explain why you declined more security to the Princess of the Night and the Princess of Magic.”

Sighing, I then nodded, “...Fine.”

I know when I’m defeated.

Chrysalis nodded and stood up, turning to leave through the door before she paused and looked at me, “And I approve of your consolidation of power with the Princess of Fire. This will improve the security and food generation of my hive. Well done, my little predator.”

I glared after her as she left.

Then I sighed as the door closed and I blinked at the bed. It was the middle of the day, but Luna was missing.

“Amber, where’s Luna?” I asked as I limped back towards the bed, “And hello, Thorax. Welcome to the team.”

“Thank you, sir,” he said with a nod.

“The Princess of Night was woken up by one of the night guards two hours ago,” Amber said with a small buzz of her wings,” she left quickly. I was too far away to hear what was said.”

Chapter 44

As Luna had left, Twilight, Sunset and Celestia or anypony else was also away, I didn’t really have a way to go find out what was going on unless I wanted to go limping through the castle, be carried or even worse of an idea, flying.

I could teleport, or could have but somepony put an anti-teleport field across the entire town.

So I ended up doing something actually responsible and summoned my accountant and got down to some other business.

Compound Interest flipped a paper laid out on the table between us before sliding it over to me, “And the bottom line is that in the accounts I manage, investments, royalty and various earnings ends up with eighty three thousand five hundred thirty one and a quarter bits.”

He was a short, wide unicorn. Not fat or muscular, just stocky. White coat, blonde short cut mane with a cutiemark of bits raining into a half filled money pouch.

That was a lot more than I expected.

Then again, almost two years since I checked it and he managed my investments. That combined with money coming in from various sources. Books, that small shipping company. Technically some investments I made into Silver Leafs stuff, but he had orders to pour those back into the business as soon as they showed up.

“Okay,” I agreed, studying the paper from my place on the couch, “Transfer everything but three thousand into the Nocturnis accounts. You know what to do with two thousand of the remaining. The last thousand we’ll use as necessary.”

Compound sighed softly and then nodded, “As you wish, your highness. But I do wish you would allow the accounts to grow. If you simply waited a decade or two, the bits would do a lot more to help.”

I sighed softly and nodded, “I know, Compound. I know. But we need it now. Later would be ideal, but ideal is the enemy of good enough.”

He nodded, “Very well. It’ll get it done.”

There was a knock on the door and I looked up, “Enter.”

Shade Leaf entered, Leaf Shade following her inside, “You wanted to see us, your majesty?”

Compound got up and gathered his papers, gave me a bow, “I’ll get it done, Prince Page,” and left, closing the door behind him.

I nodded to them, “I did,” I said as they moved to stand before the table before pushing myself up to sit, “I would like to thank you.”

They shifted uncomfortably before Shade spoke up quietly, “But we failed you, your majesty.”

I smiled and shook my head, “Shade, Leaf. You didn’t fail. You succeeded amazingly.”

They looked at me in slight confusion, “But you…”

I raised my hoof to interrupt Leaf, “Your job is to keep me alive. Something that you did amazingly. Not only did you stop the bleeding long enough for a medic to get on site and get me to the hospital, but you also stopped the assassin from getting a second shot.”

She closed her mouth with a frown, “But-”

“But you got hurt on our watch,” Shade said quietly.

“And nopony could ever be able to prevent that,” I told her seriously, “Seriously, nopony without pre warning could have done any better. Unless I walked around with a shield constantly around myself, that arrow would always have hit me. But what matters after is what you did after. Kept me from bleeding out, kept things from getting worse, kept the assassin from getting a second shot. Because a second shot would likely have killed me.”

They didn’t look at me and I smiled, “I asked you to meet me because I had three things to tell you,” I said and that did get them to look at me, “One is a thank you personally. Two is to give you a reward.”

They blinked at me, “A reward?” they asked as one.

I smiled and nodded, “A thousand bits each transferred to your accounts. A personal gift from me.”

Both of them looked like I smacked them with a live salmon. In fact, I think they may have looked less surprised if I did.

…Damn, I should have had a photographer! Damn it, why didn’t I think about that!

“And my third thing,” I said with a smile, “And if you thought a thousand bits was big, you may want to sit down.”

I gave them a second to process before I smiled, “No? Okay then. Princess Celestia intends to reward each of you with the Equestrian Star.”

Both Leaf and Shade sank down to sit with a thunk. They just stared at me.

The Equestrian Star was the highest award that a member of the Equestrian armed forces could receive. In fact, nopony alive had it. Buck, it had not been awarded to somepony for over two hundred years.

I didn’t even have it!

Not that I was eligible anyway, I wasn’t in the guard. War mages didn’t count anymore and I was only very technically a war mage.

By tradition, it was only rewarded for one thing. Extraordinary bravery, sense of duty and the protection of an alicorn.

Last time, it was a private in the Solar guard that discovered a plot by a small group of ponies that wanted to overthrow Celestia and… well, restore the mare in the moon. Luna worshiping cult.

And I had to admit, they had the spirit but were a little confused. Why pick one alicorn to worship? It’s much more fun worshiping several at once.

Shade and Leaf both looked like they were trying to speak, but nothing came out.

I smiled at them, “As you saved me, I thought it was only fair from me to warn you it was coming. And fairly soon too, she wants it revealed before we head back to Nocturnis.”

Leaf managed a small choking sound before the door opened and Luna slipped inside.

She smiled at Lead and Shade as she crossed over to me, lowering her muzzle to whisper into my ear, “We got him.”

Chapter 45

"Are you sure of this, Page?" Celestia asked as she paused outside the doors. Luna looked at me with concern from next to her.

"I am," I confirmed, "And I think the bit of theatrics will save us some significant headaches in the future."

Celestia nodded, "I don't disagree, but I worry you're pushing yourself too hard."

I smiled at her, "Buck, I already walked here. I can handle twenty meters more to my chair."

"...That's not what she meant," Luna said softly.

"I know. I'm fine," I told them firmly, "I told each of you before, I'm not made of glass."

"They worry about you," Midnight said as she and Twilight caught up, "Is that so strange?"

I shot her a look, "Don't you start."

Twilight smiled, moving up by my other side, distracting me by pressing her nose against my cheek, "Calm," she reminded me.

I shot her a look too before I turned to point my right hoof between Midnight and myself, "Just for the record, you and me, never a thing. Ever will."

Midnight looked amused, "Oh?"

"Yes. Because I'll never survive you and Sparks at the same time," I said firmly before I smirked and eyed Twilight, "All though, it is a nice mental image."

Twilight's cheeks turned a bit red before she glared at me, "Stop that!"

Midnight laughed, "He is your coltfriend, not mine. You deal with it."

"No thwacking with wings, it may kill me," I reminded Twilight cheerfully.

She glowered at me for a second before she shook her head, "You and Celestia really do belong together."

Celestia smiled.

Luna looked smug.

Then Celestia brought us all into order, "Everypony ready?" she asked, turning serious..

Everypony nodded and got into position. She and Luna in the front, everypony else behind them. Me to the right and Twilight and Midnight next to each other to the left. Everypony ready, the doors opened and we filed out into the throneroom. Even compared to the normal group of hangers around that usually filled it, the place was packed. Ponies standing shoulder to shoulder all the way from the open area before the thrones and to the gates.

Celestias and Lunas thrones were where they always were, but smaller ones had also been installed. A pair of purple ones, marked with a pink star and with darker purple pillows had been set to Celestia's left.

To Lunas right as another one was set up, a black and silver throne, same size and shape as Twilight and Midnights, marked with an empty scroll on the backrest and thick black velvet pillows.

Making a show of walking without a limp, I crossed over and climbed onto the throne with my mark on it, instantly missing the one back home. Mine back home was big enough that I could lay down comfortably on it, this one I had to sit on.

Also, the pillows on this one were way too soft.

All of which were things I was thinking of, doing my best to ignore the thousands of ponies staring at me. I never liked that and this was more than ever before at once.

So I did what I could and ignored them.

Celestia looked out over the gathered ponies and for once, nopony spoke for several moments before she spoke up, her voice ringing out over the throneroom clearly, “This trial has been called because of the attempted assassination of Prince Blank Page,” she said and looked towards the guards by the main gates, “bring in the accused.”

I love democracy. The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed.

Damn, I should have worn a cloak!

The gates opened and a quad of guards escorted the prisoner inside. The chains keeping his forelegs hobbled jingled as he walked, a ring fitted around his horn for security.

Neighsay looked like he had had better days. But he walked with his head raised and had clearly made an effort to look presentable. He wasn’t wearing his normal cloak, but his mane was in it’s usual brushed back style and his short beard was kept in order.

The crowd parted around him and the guards as they moved forward. Now things weren’t quiet, whispers moving back and forth across the throneroom.

They got to a halt before the thrones in the cleared area and he looked up at us.

Celestia looked down at him and I glanced at her. She looked calm. Luna looked calm. Twilight looked angry and Midnight had reached out and put a hoof on her shoulder.

Celestia and Luna looked calm.

But I knew both of them well enough to say that they very much were not. In fact, both of them were pissed. Really, really, pissed.

As in, just shy of astronomical anomalies levels of pissed.

Which, as the judges in a trial, was not the best mood, but the evidence was strong and as long as they played along with the plan, everything would not only go fine, but help change the optics of the situation.

“Neighsay,” Celestia said quietly, but her voice still seemed to reach towards every corner of the throneroom, “You stand accused of the attempted murder of an alicorn. Your magical signature has been recorded from a teleport at the site of the crime. In the search of your estate, a crossbow practice range has been discovered in your cellar, but a crossbow was nowhere to be found. The bolts discovered matching those fired from the attempted murder weapon. Your feelings towards the victim are well known. How do you plead?”

“Not guilty,” he said firmly, looking up at her, “I did not attempt to kill an alicorn, I attempted to save Equestria and its alicorns!”

The throneroom has been quiet, or at least it seemed like it had been, but a hush spread across the ponies there.

He raised an hoof as far as it could with the chains and pointed in my direction, “That thing is not an alicorn! Since it insulated itself into the court, Equestria has been heading towards ruin! Changeling infestations, attacks by chaos spirts, Centaurs! Griffons! Yetis! Monstrous vamponies!”

Neighsay looked around, “Do you all not see it! I know some of you share my view! We have to save our amazing country! With every minute passing, the very values of our society is crumbling away, eroding beneath that things influence! Corrupting our alicorns! Has there not been solar events never before recorded in our history!?”

Silence.

Nopony spoke.

Neighsay glared in my direction, “That thing is no alicorn! It’s a devil! A devil made pony flesh! It whispers secrets, corrupting the minds of our pure Princesses and leading us to ruin! We must destroy it before it’s too late! We must cast the monstrous creatures out and return to our solid traditions before the very fabric of our society is sundered!”

Celestia took a deep breath before letting out a soft sigh, “Neighsay, you have admitted to your crime. While the attempt on an alicorn's life is a rare one, thankfully, the precedent is firmly set. Banishment to Tartarus.”

He met her eyes pleadingly, “My Princess, I implore you. Please listen to me. It is not to late t-”

“And so I give my judgment,” Celestia said firmly, her voice as soft as diamond, “I sentence you to-”

“Princess Celestia,” I said, cutting her off, “I believe that in this case, perhaps a different sentence may be more suitable,” before I looked at Neighsay, “This pony is clearly… not well. I am no doctor, but his mental state is clearly unstable. Possibly paranoid schizophrenia or something similar. Banishing him to tartarus would be wrong in my mind. I understand there is a precedent in the judgment in this sort of crime, but in this case I believe we should make an exception.”

“How dare you! Monster! I’m not insane!”

I looked at him with pity, “We shouldn’t use that word.”

“I’m not insane! I’m not insane!”

Now the throneroom was no longer quiet. The whispering was back.

Neighsay spun around, looking around, “I’m not insane! Don’t listen to it! Can’t you see what it’s doing!?”

Celestia sighed softly, “I believe you may be right, Prince Page,” she said and shook her head, “I’m sorry, Neighsay. You did your duties well in the EEA in the service of the crown and I thank you, but now it is our time to take care of you. Guards, please escort Neighsay to the holding cell and prepare for his transfer to closed care.”

The guards moved to pull him away and now he was no longer keeping his composure. Yelling, ranting and raving. Ponies gave them even more room on the way back, shying away from him.

Made me wonder if I was actually right. But in the end it didn’t matter. It was not him we needed to banish.

It was his ideas.

Chapter 46

The fire happily crackled away in the middle of the small clearing just next to the lakeshore. The moons shone among the shimmering stars above, making the calm lake look like liquid silver when it hit it just right.

After today, using my dark and evil devil powers of looking tired and like my side ached to convince everypony that we should take a nap was rather easy. Mostly because I was tired and my side had hurt.

This was Midnight's first time in Sanctuary and she had a million questions. Luckily, mostly those Twilight had already asked which allowed Sparks to fill her in for me.

"Corrupting the pure Princesses, huh?" I asked Celestia quietly with a smirk as I looked up at her from my spot more or less wedged in between her and Luna with Sunset, Twilight and Midnight facing us across the fire, "Hiding so much of your personal life from your ponies? Bad Princess."

Celestia raised an eyebrow at me as she smiled, "The power of good public relations, Page."

"And the fact that you hide it when you find somepony you love has nothing to do with it?" Luna asked and looked at her with an eyebrow raised as well, "When was the last time the public knew you were married? Or had a lover, sister?"

Sunshine smiled and her wing resting on my back fluffed up slightly, "That would be... oh It has been a while since I had a public marriage," she admitted with a small fond smile, "That would be Silver Dream."

Luna looked at her in amusement, "Silver Dream, unicorn, lithe with white coat and platinum mane?"

Celestia nodded.

"I knew Silver Dream," Luna told me, "She lived fifty years before my exile."

"More has been known by the castle staff since," Celestia said in protest, "And by some other ponies. I don't sneak around in the dead of night and hide it. I just don't... announce it from the rooftops. It's better for everypony involved. They can have some semblance of normal life and I get to keep at least part of mine private."

"I'm not sure anything can be fully private anymore," Midnight pointed out from across the fire, "If an alicorn does something, everypony pays attention. Usually front page news."

I nodded, "Which is one reason why I made this place," I said and leaned against Luna's side, "Somewhere we can be away from such things, somewhere for just us, our families, our friends. It's not done yet, I need to keep adding new animals and plants, but it is good enough to be used."

Sunset stretched at the other side of the fireplace, looking at me, "Would it have killed you to add some buildings?"

I smiled at her, "Why? The weather, at least in this valley, is pleasantly warm. It may rain, but even that's not cold, especially at this time of the year. We don't need protection from the elements, we don't need to store food or hide from predators. Even the fire we have going is mostly because it's cozy."

Sunset frowned, "Rain might not be cold, wingboy, but it's still wet. I don't like being rained on."

I shrugged my wings beneath Celestias, "So do like ponies do. Build something. I made a place to allow us to just be normal ponies for a bit."

"I believe I still remember how to make a tent," Celestia said thoughtfully before looking at Luna with a small smile, "It has been a while though."

Luna nodded, "It has. And I'm not sure the plants we wove the canvas from even exist here."

"Not sure what you used," I said, "But I did make sure there are trees that have bark that can be used for something similar."

It was a pretty brilliant idea in my opinion. If you removed it from the tree, you could split the bark into thinner pieces, flexible and pretty similar to leather in material.

Celestia raised an eyebrow at me and I smiled, "What, I knew there were ponies that wanted to build once they got here just to have something familiar that wasn't just a forest. Just because I'm not providing anything already built doesn't mean I will stop anypony from building for themselves."

"So if we want a house..." Sparks said, "We have to build it here?"

"How are you with a hammer?" I asked her with a smile.

"Not the best," she admitted, "But Applejack is pretty good. Could I invite her?"

I smiled at her, "You can invite anypony you like, Sparks. In fact, inviting your friends is one of the things this place is for. I'm sure Fluttershy would love to see the rest more often even if there isn't a lot of schedule overlap."

Sparks got up and rounded the fire, "Luna, scoot over," she said and slipped in between us. Luna smiled and did so, allowing Sparks to cuddle close, kissing my cheek, "Thank you.”

Smiling, I pulled her closer and gave her a real kiss, causing Sunset to laugh and Midnight to look away.

Finally Sparks got comfortable, resting her head against my neck, watching the fire.

"You did good, I think," Celestia whispered into my ear.

I smiled at her before resting my head against Sparks mane. Sunset got up from next to Midnight and settled down next to Luna instead who put her wing around the unicorn.

We stayed like that, just watching the fire for a long time before I spoke up, "We should do something."

"And that's me leaving," Midnight said, getting up.

"Not that," I said and rolled my eyes. Well, maybe that. But not now.

"Actually," Sunset said leaning a bit forward to look at me from across Luna, "I kinda want to explore this place more. You put a lot of thought into it."

"I do like world building," I agreed, ignoring the fact that most were fairly normal animals with glowing bits on them, "And I may have hidden secrets away for ponies to find."

"What do you say, Twi? Wanna come?"

Sparks looked torn for a second, hesitating before she nodded, "Sure," she finally said and pushed herself onto her hooves, "Midnight?"

Midnight nodded, "Sounds fun," she agreed with a smile before she frowned, "We have been here for a while though, we should wake up pretty soon."

"Another hour should be fine," Celestia told her reassuringly, "I think everypony here needs some time to relax."

"And we get as much rest being here as sleeping normally," I said with a smile.

Midnight nodded, "Well, in that case," she said with a smile, looking around, "How about those hills over there?"

"Race you there!" Sunset said and disappeared in a flash of teleport. Two identical flashes later and Sparks and Midnight were gone as well.

I looked at the spots they had been in before settling down again, "Maybe I should disable teleportation magic," I mused, "Makes things too easy."

I did put in some puzzles that would make it way too easy too. Hmm, maybe I should. Or maybe just in those areas. Oh, a mineral that stopped teleportation in an area around it, that could work!

"You say that, but what if you need to go somewhere quickly?" Luna asked, looking amused, "And I thought you tried to keep this realistic."

"Realistic just means internally consistent," I said, "not a copy of the real world."

Celestia slowly stood up, wings stretched before she glanced back over her shoulder, "I for one find that lake interesting. I think I will go for a swim. It's been... so long since I bathed in a lake."

With that, she pulled back and vaded into the cool water until it reached halfway up her barrel.

"You know, I always thought she looked a bit like a swan when she did that," Luna confided with a whisper in my ear, "I never had the heart to tell her. One of the propaganda things one of our early enemies used was to depict her as a swan with a carrot on its head. She still does not like swans."

I suppressed a smile as I watched. A bit like a swan. But with her mane and tail glittering against the silvery water in the light of the moons, I thought she looked more like a sunrise.

"Let's join her, My Page," Luna said and got up, "It has been a while since I bathed in a lake as well."

That really did sound like a nice idea. In fact, that might be the best idea ever suggested in the history of ideas.

Perfect to get my mind off the speeches I held in Canterlot after the trial. I thought I was going a bit heavy on the acceptance and the importance of mental health, but Celestia thought it was good, so what do I know.

But now, I just wanted to put it all out of my mind.

Chapter 47

"You know we should leave soon," I told Luna as we looked out over Canterlot, the moon just above the horizon.

"I'm aware, My Page," Luna said quietly before she looked at me, "But you are still injured."

I smiled faintly, "It will take a while until I'm fully healed. I can put full weight on my hoof even if it hurts and Steady Beat has cleared me for travel. I should return to my ponies."

Luna sighed softly before she nodded, "I know. Airship or train?"

"I think airship," I admitted, "It's slightly faster, if not by much."

Nodding, Luna's wing brushing across my back, "I am tempted to accompany you."

"I promise not to crash this time," I teased before I smiled, "And I would love that. For a visit or just for the journey?"

Luna considered that, "I believe I can stay for a few days," she admitted, "In fact, I will talk with my sister and see if she can come as well."

"...Can we risk that?" I asked, "Somepony may burn down the capital."

"Silly pony," Luna teased before she smiled, "It has been a while since I visited Nocturnis. Has much changed?"

"Some," I admitted, "There is the lower town now. Mostly ponies without wings which are more comfortable on the ground. Which I can't blame them for."

Luna nodded thoughtfully, "I can see why," she admitted and flicked one ear in thought before she looked up as Sunset poked her head out the door,

"Hey you two, our guest has arrived," she said before heading back inside.

I sighed softly, "Oh buck."

"Be a good colt now," Luna teased and guided me back towards the inside of the tower. Despite the fact that I could put weight on my hoof, it just hurt less to keep it off the ground so I limped along. Really not looking forward to going inside.

The door opened and Luna lead me in, "Page! Aunty Luna!" Cadance exclaimed with a smile as she, Shining Armor and Sunburst crossed the room to meet us, "So good to see you again!"

"Likewise," Luna said with a smile of her own.

I looked at Cadance. She looked at me.

The pink menace smirked slightly before going back to talking to Luna, the two mares steering away back towards Sunset and Twilight, leaving me with Shing and Sunburst.

I looked between them and scratched the side of my muzzle with a wing, "...On a scale of one to ten, how smug is she?"

"Actually, I think she looped back around to about a three," Sunburst said with a smile, holding his hoof out, "Good to see you again, Page."

"Same," I agreed, carefully bumping my right hoof against his before repeating it with Shining, "How's things in the Crystal Empire?"

"Snowy," Shining said with a smile, "We had the year's first snowstorm today."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "It's summer."

"Like I said, first of the year."

I suppressed a shudder. As pretty as the Crystal Empire was, and despite the field keeping it livable, I could never live there.

Way, way, way too cold even inside the shield.

Glancing towards the mares, I then turned to the two of them, “Pathfinder?” I asked.

“What’s a pathfinder?” Sunburst asked before Shining shook his head,

“Princess Luna would skin me alive if I allowed you out in public after the attack,” he said firmly.

I smiled at him, “Luckily, the assailant is safely in custody and it is important to show ponies that I have no fear of being among them. I already talked with everypony.”

Shining Armor looked at me hesitantly, “And if I asked Princess Luna about it?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Go ahead. If you dare interrupt them.”

Shining glanced back and hesitated before he frowned at me.

Sighing, I leaned to look around him, “Wife! We are going out!”

Luna laughed and looked over at us before making her way over, “Shining Armor hesitant to let you?” she asked with a smile.

“Just making sure,” Shining said with a smile, “Page has a history.”

“So he does,” Luna agreed before she moved over and leaned down to bump her nose against my ear, “But in this case, as long as you bring the guards, it is no problem.”

“See. I told you!” I said, glowering at him before I gave Luna a small kiss before I looked at him again, “I am an adult and somewhat responsible stallion. I go where I wish.”

“Silly Page,” Luna murmured against my ear, “Be careful.”

I nodded, “We will,” I said, glancing up at her, “have fun.”

“You as well,” Luna said and pulled away to return to Cadance. Looking over, I found that Skitter had joined them in the meanwhile. It was good to see that she was talking civilly with Cadance. What more, Cadance was smiling at her, something I wasn’t sure would ever be possible even a couple of years ago.

I raised an eyebrow at Shining, “Well?”

He chuckled, “Okay, fine. You got me. Let’s go… Cloud and Swift joining us?”

I nodded, “Eh, Swift is. Should meet us there in a bit. Cloud got his tail transferred out of the city by being too damn good at what he does.”

“Huh.”

“E-excuse me?” Sunburst said, one hoof lifted off the floor as he looked between us, “What’s a pathfinder?”

Chapter 48

You know what I should have done before now?

Gotten Sunburst drunk. Because it’s hilarious.

He was currently leaning against Shinings shoulder while using his magic to trying to build a tower out of playing cards on the table before him.

“Not much of a drinker, your coltfriend?” Swift asked Shining with a smile, sipping his brandy.

“Not much, no,” Shining admitted, “And is it too late to ask you to keep that quiet? We’re still not fully public about Sunburst having joined me and Cadance.”

I grinned, “Everypony in the bar has eyes, Shining,” I said and shook my head, “If you were that worried, you should have used illusions.”

Shining sighed but nodded, “I guess as long as we don’t actively draw attention to ourselves, it’s not that important,” he admitted and used his magic to take Sunbursts glass away from him before raising a hoof and motioning to the waitress for some glasses of water.

Sunburst sighed and shook his head, “I’m not that drunk,” he protested.

“Sure you’re not,” Shining said and shook his head, “But perhaps we should switch to water for a while. Trust me, your head will thank you tomorrow.”

“He’s not wrong,” Swift pointed out, “take it from somepony that has made that mistake too many times, dude.”

Sunburst nodded, “I guess you’re right,” he said and blinked, taking his glasses in his magic and starting to polish them as he pushed himself up to sit a bit unsteadily, “I’m not used to this sort of thing. I’m more of an O&O kind of pony.”

“Only really played that once,” I admitted, “With Spike and Talon. Was fun though.”

“You know, we should play it,” Shining said with a grin, “Maybe not tonight, but I bet we could get a real game going.”

Swift looked hesitant, “I don’t know if it’s my kind of thing. I heard about it, but not sure it’s for me.”

“I bet you would like it under the right circumstances,” I said thoughtfully, “Let me think a bit about it later, I may have some ideas.”

I bet I could have another dream world for it. Or would that be larping? Uhm. That’s also so, so much work to make a dream world. Maybe I should just make some dice in Sanctuary and we could play there. Buck, I bet I could just reuse a far away part of Sanctuary if we wanted to go the more active route. Just keep it isolated behind sheer cliff walls or something to keep any monsters from spreading.

He considered it before he shrugged, “Eh, I guess I could try it once,” he admitted and sipped his drink again, “So when are you leaving for Nocturnis?”

I shook my head, “Not sure, but soon. A week at most, it depends on how quickly things can be put together.”

The waitress joined us, putting a big glass of water before each of us. Swift ordered another brandy, I another cider. Shining shook his head and kept Sunburst from ordering anything.

As she left again, I continued, “We have been away too long as is. And I have something else to deal with when I do,” I then added, shooting Swift a look.

He cringed slightly, “So… how did that go?”

I sighed, “I think I can spin it in a way my ponies will accept. But quite a lot of them won’t be happy about it.”

“At least until bits start to flow,” Swift said.

I shrugged my wings, “I don’t know. It might help at least,” I said before I looked at Shining and Sunburst, “Sorry, I should explain. The Solar and Lunar guard want to establish a training base at Nocturnis. A lot of ponies in Nocturnis and likely somewhere else won’t be happy about it.”

Shining shook his head, “That’s a bad idea. Not only are guards not going to be happy about being posted there, no offense, Page but the climate in Nocturnis sucks unless you’re a bat.”

“Admitted,” I agreed.

“Also,” Shining continued, “you’re right about a lot of ponies in Nocturnis are going to be unhappy about this. How are you going to spin this?” he asked and sipped his water.

I shrugged and took a drink from my cider, “Money mostly,” I admitted with a small shrug, “It’s… something we don’t have a lot of. It might be a mistake, but guards on leave have a tendency to spend any bits they have. Especially if stationed away from home.”

Shining thought about that for a second before he nodded, “That they do,” he agreed, “If there is anything to spend them on.”

“Eh, we do make some pretty good alcohols,” I said with a shrug, “That’s always popular.”

“But then you have a bunch of drink guardsponies,” Shining said and rolled his eyes before glancing around, “There is a reason the owner has a heavy club behind his bar.”

As on cue, a brawl broke out at a table at the other side of the bar where a cardgame has been going on. The table flipped and chairs fell as ponies got into it and the pony playing guitar by the fireplace stopped playing.

As we watched, the barkeep, a large earth pony started to come out from behind his bar, but he didn’t have time to before somepony else stepped in.

The pegasus waitress stormed over and tossed a pitcher of ice water, pitcher and all, at the disrupters of peace. The clay jug shattered into a million pieces and the brawling ponies scrambled away from each other with yells of surprise.

Some had bloody noses but it didn’t look like anything worse had gone down. And then I learned some new words as she started to dress them down in a way that would make any drill sergeant ask her to marry them on the spot.

I grinned and sipped my drink, “I think we can handle it. I’ll let you know that the Nocturnis guard isn’t any better.”

Admittedly a lot of it never got before me, it was dealt with at a much lower level so I pretended not to notice it. In fact, I think the mares may actually be worse than the stallions. Which will be a real culture shock for any Solar or Lunar expecting things to be different.

Sunburst looked on as they were marched over the bar counter to pay for any damages and bills and then thrown out as the guitar music started up again “...What will happen to them?”

“Not much,” Shining said with a grin and gave him a nuzzle at his closest ear, “Happens all the time. They’ll be banned for a week or two and then they’ll be back. They’re guards, it happens.”

“It happens,” Swift agreed with a smile.

Sunburst looked between them, “...Either of you ever gotten in a fight here?”

“No, of course not,” Shining said with a smile.

I raised an eyebrow at him before I glanced at Swift, “You buy that?” I asked him.

He sipped his drink and shook his head with a laugh, “Not for a second. I actually remember a story about a certain captain of the guard when he was a private and a much larger earth pony making some crack about the flanks of a certain pink alicorn.”

Shining Armor had the grace to look a bit embarrassed, “In my defense, it was very crude. And I kicked his tail. We were banned for three weeks.” he said before he glanced at Sunburst, “Don’t tell Cadance.”

Sunburst smiled, “I won’t. What happened after three weeks?”

Shining grinned, “We were back at the same table, playing cards.”

Chapter 49

The sun shone bright outside.

It shone even brighter inside and Sunshine didn't even have her sungoddess spell going.

"You know," I said and leaned my head against her shoulder from my place next to her on the couch, "We're about to find out if we were right or not."

Celestia nodded, "Is that not what you created Sanctuary for?"

"...Partly," I admitted, "Eventually. First I just wanted to see if I could, but then I realized what I might be able to use it for. That's why I named it Sanctuary. A Sanctuary for all of us to be able to get away from everypony else's expectations, if just a little bit."

"You do realize that the more ponies we invite, the less it's going to be like that," Celestia told me gently, wing brushing my back, "Even if it's just Twilights friends and ponies like that, they still look on us as alicorns first, ponies a distant second."

I smiled, possibly a bit smugly as I glanced up at her, "But I thought of that. And I'm working on an area where only alicorns can enter. A lush mountain peak with a small crystal clear lake. Nopony can walk, fly or even teleport inside the barrier unless they are an alicorn"

Celestia nodded before raising an eyebrow at me, "And ponies such as Sunset, Shining and Sunburst?"

I shrugged my wings a bit beneath hers, "Still working on it, but I think I can get it to allow ponies inside if they are touching an alicorn when crossing the barrier," I said, "Adding individual ponies should also be possible, but annoying. Especially if Cadance’s family keep growing."

Looking amused, Celestia smiled, "May I see it?"

"Not yet, still working on it," I said, "Another couple of weeks at least."

"I do have one request," Celestia said, nosing at my ear, "It rained last night and Sunset is right. Put in a roof somewhere."

I sighed, "Yeah, yeah," and leaned against her. Everypony's a critic. Rain wasn't even cold in the valley and nowhere near as thick as in Nocturnis.

We stayed like that for a while. I felt myself slowly drifting off to sleep despite myself. Everything was warm and bright. Both things make me sleepy. Blinking my eyes to stay awake, I rolled onto my back, looking up at her.

Celestia smiled, raising her wings as she looked down at me in turn, "You could sleep you know," she said, "It will make things easier when you return."

"I don't want to sleep, I want to look at you," I told her with a smile.

"You know, somepony could write a poem about this," Celestia said thoughtfully, "A bat in love with the sun."

"More like an epic," I corrected her, "No poem could ever do you justice, it will take pages after pages."

Her cheeks turned slightly red, "I thought you did that already in those books you wrote for me," she said.

"Maybe I should do another sequel."

"I think I would very much enjoy that," Celestia admitted before she poked me with her hoof, "And just so we are clear, none of those are ever getting published."

I grinned, "You have the only copies."

She nodded and folded her wings before looking down at me thoughtfully,"What are you thinking about now?”

I smiled a bit sadly, “...Wondering if we were right before or now. If this was the right thing or not,” I said, brushing my hoof along her wing.

“We’re going to find out, but I have had long distance relationships in the past, they are always difficult,” Celestia answered with a small smile, “And I believe your Sanctuary will help.”

“It sucks,” I answered with a small sigh, “I done it with Luna for years and… it really sucks. Dreams help, but it’s not the same. I made Sanctuary as real as possible, but… I’m not sure it’s the same either.”

Celestia smiled softly, “It is better than letters, Page.”

“True,” I admitted and smiled back up at her, “Are you sure you can’t come?”

She shook her head, “Not this time,” she said and frowned at me, “You did too much of a good job with your plan regarding Neighsay and I need to be here to capitalize on it.”

I sighed, “Well, I expected him to protest which would only increase the perception of it, but I didn’t expect him to rant and rave like that. I think I may actually been right.”

Celestia shook her head, “I think that’s a given, Page. But that’s up for the doctors to decide,” before she scowled, “And I still believe Tartarus should have been where he belonged for what he did.”

I could actually feel her wing growing hot ontop of me as I reached up to brushed my hoof along her side, “Calm, Sunshine.”

She sighed and lowered her head, touching her nose against mine, “I’m sorry, Page. But watching you like that…”

Celestia shuddered and shook her head.

I thought about seeing her like that. Or Luna. Twilight or Sunset. I had no idea what I would do, possibly go into pieces. And then have a lot less restraint when it comes to whomever hurt them.

“Page,” Celestia said gently, holding me closer, “Are you alright?”

It was only then I noticed I had been crying. Shaking my head, I pressed against her, “I… It just struck me that it could easily have been one of you. If he had… if he had just come to different conclusions…”

It could have been Twilight Or Sunset. Twilight is slightly smaller than me, that arrow could have… and Sunset is a unicorn.

Celestia shifted, wrapping her forelegs around me, warm wings slipping around me and holding me close as I clung to her.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered against her warm coat, “I’ll be more careful. I promise.”

“We always have to be, Page,” Celestia murmured softly against my mane, “We don’t age. But we are almost as easy to hurt as any pony for those that know how.”

Chapter 50

Ponies were yelling in the background as the sun shone just above the horizon. Behind me ponies were loading the airship with the last of the cargo and supplies.

Nopony was happy.

Midnight was nervous about meeting Tempest and Talon.

Twilight was stressed about us having forgotten something.

Sunset was pissed because we were already behind schedule because the entire cargo apparently had to be restacked for a new weight balance.

Luna was unhappy to leave her sister to handle Equestria on her own for several weeks.

Celestia was unhappy because she couldn’t come.

I was just unhappy in general for a multitude of reasons. Having to leave Celestia and the ache in my shoulder being first on my mind. Followed by going back home and to my duties.

“We’ll come visit for Hearths Warming,” Twilight said and looked to Cadance, “In the Crystal Empire.”

Crystal Empire in the winter.

Shudder.

Cadance nodded, “We have everything planned,” she confirmed with a smile.

Sunset glanced back, “Loading looks like it started to get done,” she said, “We should board.”

Twilight looked up from the list she and Midnight had been going through for the third time, “We should. I think we have everything.”

Luna looked down at me and then poked me with her wing gently.

I glanced at her and then to Celestia before I stepped forward, “...Miss you, Sunshine.”

“And I will miss you, Page,” she answered just as quietly as she met my eyes, “Meet me for a lesson tonight?”

“Of course.”

Cadence facehooved, “And I thought you were bad before,” she groaned.

We both shook her an annoyed look.

“Buck off,” I told her, “We’re having a moment.”

Cadance sighed, “Just kiss him you stupid filly,” she told Celestia in annoyance before she brushed her wings across Shining and Sunbursts backs, “Come on, we have to prepare for todays’ events. Everypony, I wish you a safe trip and we’ll see you at hearths warming.”

With that, they headed towards the entrance back inside.

I glowered after her, “Nosy pink narwhal,” I grumbled and turned back before I found myself wrapped in sunwarm feathers and-

Strawberries. You wouldn’t expect Celestia to taste like strawberries. But she did. Sun warm strawberries.

I kissed back, feeling myself lean against her. My pain, my worries about going home, suddenly none of it mattered as my mind just kinda went blank..

After a split second and the lifetime of the universe, Celestia slowly pulled back from the kiss and I was able to breathe again.

“W-what happened to being discrete?” I asked quietly as I looked up into her eyes.

“Think anypony noticed?” Celestia whispered back with a small smile.

I glanced out from between her feathers. Luna looked amused. Twilight was smiling and Sunset were hiding giggles behind her hoof. Midnight were still looking at the list and may actually have missed it.

Everypony else was doing that sort of thing where you were suddenly very busy with your duties and pretending they didn’t see a thing.

“I think they did,” I admitted and looked up at her, “Are you sure?”

Celestias nose touched mine softly, “Let them talk,” she said, “Because I’m going to marry you and I think they may notice that. Not now, but eventually.”

I smirked up at her, “So sure are you?”

She smirked back, “That’s what I can do with a kiss,” she whispered and nosed my ear, “Imagine what I can do with more. You only had a small taste before.”

Gulp.

Celestia watched me for a second before she smiled and shifted. She pulled a feather from her right wing before nosing in and fitting it into the braid with the two I was already wearing, “There,” she said as pulled back and folded her wings with a small playful smile, “Now they can really talk.”

Luna smirked at Celestia as she walked up and slipped her wing across my back, “I told you, sister,” she said as I tried, and failed, not to blush as I touched the feathers in my mane with my hoof.

“Yes you did,” Celestia grumbled and glanced aside, “You were right.”

“What was that sister?” Luna asked with a smile, “I didn’t quite hear that?”

“You were right,” Celestia repeated in slight annoyance, “Now you better go aboard, our Prince shouldn’t be on that hoof for this long.”

I looked up at her, “I’m perfectly fine and still not made out of glass, Celestia.”

“No, but you were shot with a crossbow,” she told me in turn, looking down at me before she smiled softly, “And we both know you are too stubborn not to overdo it. So excuse us for looking out for you.”

I sighed softly, but in all honesty… she wasn’t wrong. And I knew exactly how much I would worry about and dote over if it was one of them.

So I lifted my right hoof off the floor, “...Yeah, alright,” I admitted, “And we should get going onboard anyway. I think everypony is waiting for us.”

Celestia smiled and lowered her head to brush her lips against mine once more, “Safe travels, Page.”

“I’ll try. See you tonight, Sunshine.”

Chapter 51

I slowly blinked my eyes open, suppressing a yawn as I wrapped my wings a bit tighter around myself. With four of us, the bed in the royal quarters was a bit cramped. Especially as my side and shoulder still hurt if I put pressure on it.

We solved the issue by me wrapping my tail around one of the beams above it instead. Hanging like that kept pressure off my shoulder nicely.

Drawbacks involved a lack of cuddling.

Pros involved hurting less and waking up to the sight of Luna and Sparks cuddling in their sleep.

Sunset was missing, but she almost always was the first one up and awake. That and while she liked cuddles, she didn’t like sleeping like it. Way too hot for the unicorn, especially in Nocturnis.

Sparks on the other hoof was a real cuddle bug in her sleep and clung to whomever was in range. Usually me back home, but Luna seemed to be enjoying it as well.

They looked very cute like that.

Watching for a couple of moments, I then suppressed a yawn as I stretched, pleasantly surprised to find that my side ached a lot less than even last night.

Amazing how much it helped not to accidentally lay on it during the night.

Yep, staying sleeping like this until I was all better was definitely the ticket. Low on cuddle factor, but getting better faster meant more cuddles later which made it worth it. Especially as it gave me a nice view to fall asleep to.

I considered for a second of risking using my wings on the way down, but felt that may put a bit too much stress on things, so instead I charged a teleport, depositing myself on three hooves on the deck just outside the darkness bubble across the bed.

Gah!

I quickly covered my eyes with a wing, blinking. Damn it, Celestia! We have to have a talk about that dumb thing you insist on having in the sky!

Blinking, I squinted against the bright light before making my escape to the narrow hallway and the relative darkness away from the glare of the sun.

“Good Afternoon, your majesty,” Shade Leaf said as I exited before she pulled the door closed behind me as I stepped out between Shade, Leaf and a pair of Night Guards I didn’t recognize.

“Good Morning Shade, Leaf, Guardponies,” I told them with a smile, “Looking forward to getting back home?”

Leaf nodded, “Yes, your majesty. Canterlot is nice and all-”

“Ignoring assassinations,” Shade interjected.

“But being awake during the days is not natural,” Leaf continued and shifted her wings against her armour, “We always got into trouble in school back in the day, falling asleep all the time. You know, Before.”

Before Nocturnis. Before the decursing. I had heard bats call it Before in the past and you could actually hear the capital B.

I nodded and suppressed another yawn, “Sunlight make me sleepy,” I confided, “Sunset leave long ago?”

“About an hour,” Shade said, “Heading to the galley with the boss.”

“And that’s where I am also heading then,” I said and gave the two Nightguards a nod before heading down the hallway, Leaf and Shade falling in behind me.

Look at me, being a good colt keeping his right forehoof off the floor.

Pushing the door to the galley open with my magic, I entered. Sun shone in through one of the little evil windows, but it wasn’t too bad.

Other than the chef, the only ponies inside so far was Steady Beat, the doctor. He was reading in one corner, a cup of evil evil coffee sitting next to him. Sunset and Moon Glow were at the other table, a pair of empty plates before them.

Sunset looked up when we entered and smiled, giving us a small wave.

I moved over, “Sunny, Glow. Good… afternoon? What time is it?”

“Good afternoon,” Sunset said with a smile and touched her horn softly to mine for a second, “And it’s just after four. Twi and Luna still asleep?”

I smiled and nodded, carefully climbing to sit next to her on the bench, “Very cutely so. Didn’t want to wake them.”

Some very enticing smells were drifting out of the small kitchen.

I knew that scent. That was frying meat! Turtle if I wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t the only pony sniffing at the air either. Leaf and Shade were both trying to look like they weren’t, but their noses were definitely flaring a bit.

Sunset stuck her tongue out a bit at the smell before she sighed softly, “Bats.”

“Ah come on, it smells good!” I protested.

“Not sure I can agree there, your majesty” Moon Glow said with a small smile, “But it doesn't bother me as much anymore.”

“Actually,” Steady Beat said as he joined us, “Pardon me for interrupting, but this is part of my interests. Non-bats can actually eat meat, it’s mostly cultural to why we don't,” he said before she grinned a bit, “Well, mostly. Too much makes our stomachs act up.”

“But not ours!” I said cheerfully.

He nodded, “Indeed. How are you feeling, your highness?”

“Really good,” I admitted and carefully moved my shoulder, “Still not healed, but much better.”

Steady nodded, “Good to hear. Visit me after breakfast and I will change your bandages.”

“Sounds good, thank you, Doc.”

“And eat some more fruit,” he told me before he grinned, “You know, I never have to tell bats that, but I still do after all these years. Reflex, I suppose.”

I grinned as he moved on towards the door, his book floating along in his magic. I turned back just in time to see the griffon exit the kitchen. He smiled and moved to put a plate with pieces of various fruits and a smaller plate of strips of fried meat before me. And a cup of ice tea.

I was about to thank him when my stomach growled loudly.

He grinned and nodded firmly before returning to the kitchen before I could say anything else.

Chapter 52

The stars and moon shone above as the wind ruffled my mane. The sound of the large slowly turning propellers behind and below was the only sound breaking the sound of the wind.

I stood alone on the upper deck, looking out over the dark jungle far below, lit only by the stars and moon. I could make out some glow from the cabins around the curve of the balloon, but it hardly mattered.

A sound behind me, a hoof against the metal mesh and I flicked an ear back before glancing over my shoulder to see Twilight or Midnight approaching from the hatch, wearing a pair of night goggles.

No, that's Twilight, her mane whipping in the wind was longer, she wore her mane longer than Midnight did.

I waited for her to get closer, looking back out over the forest gliding past below us again. Tonight. One more day and then we'll be back.

"Hey," Twilight said as she stopped next to me.

"Hey," I said and gave her a small smile, "Looking for me?"

She nodded, "Wonder if you were hungry, we're getting to lunch time."

"I'll be down in a bit."

She regarded me behind her goggles for a couple of moments, "Thinking?"

"It has been known to happen occasionally, Sparks," I said with a small smile, "Rarely, I admit, but it does happen."

"Thinking about?" she asked, "Nocturnis?"

I sighed softly, "The ponies there. How to calm things down, I understand the news of my incident made some of them quite a bit upset."

Twilight looked at me seriously, "Page, if it had been in Nocturnis, when Neighsay was identified he would never have reached the trial. He would have been mobbed by the general population, tied up and tossed outside the shield. Likely with his horn not blocked by a ring, but cut off like in the old days."

"Oh."

So quite upset.

Twilight pressed her side against mine, her feathers feeling hot compared to the wind, "...And I wouldn't have been far behind them," she then admitted, "When I saw him at the trial, I got so angry. I thought I was before, but... seeing him, I... if Midnight had not been right next to me to stop me, I may have done something."

"Sparks..." I said and slipped my wing across her back, hugging her close, "If it had been you, Sunset, Luna or Celestia, I would not have been able to be as restrained as you. You know where I'm from. My previous people can be... not nice when their loved ones are threatened."

She looked up at me, "Maybe so. But you are a pony, Page. A good pony."

"I'm not sure I am," I said quietly, uncertain if she could even hear me over the sound of the wind and propellers.

Sparks looked at me with worried eyes, "What do you mean?"

"Consider the things I have done in the past. Threatened to stab Sunset to get her to return to Equestria, exploded Tirek, tortured the Storm King. Manipulated ponies, likely ruined lives to get my way, even if it was because I thought it was for a good cause. I'm not sure any of those are the actions of a good pony."

Twilight regarded me for a long moment before opening her mouth to speak only to pause and motion me closer. I ducked my head-ow!

She bit my ear! And not just a nip as Luna does either! That hurt!

"Ow! You bit me!"

Twilight glared at me, "Saved Equestria, Saved Equestria, saved the bat ponies, saved the changelings, saved thousands upon thousands of ponies!" she yelled and poked my chest, "Saved my Kitten! I will not have anypony criticizing you about any of those, especially not you!"

"I think I might be bleeding!" I exclaimed, feeling my ear with a hoof.

"You're fine!" she snarled and stepped closer, forcing me to step back, "So you stop that right now, and I'm serious. You are a good pony and you are helping a lot of ponies. Everything you have done has been to help ponies! You put every bit you earn into doing it, you do a job you hate because it helps ponies and you are away from ponies you love because it helps ponies!"

I cringed, taking another step back, but she followed me right along, her nose almost pressing against mine.

"So you stop that right now! Would I be in love with a bad pony? An evil pony?"

"I-i… No, but..."

"Would Luna marry one?"

"No, I-"

"Would Celestia? Sunset?" she continued, taking another step forward, "Would the thestrals of Nocturnis follow a bad pony?"

I hesitated, "I mean, their anc-"

"Would Fluttershy? Pepper? Flower?" Twilight continued, cutting me off once more to stab my chest with her hoof, "So you be quiet and listen to me!"

I cringed again and glanced down at my hooves.

Twilight ducked down and met my eyes, "Are you listening?"

"...Yes, Sparks."

"Good," she said and stood up, using a hoof to guide my muzzle up until I looked into her eyes, "You, Page, are a good pony. A good Prince. Some things you have done, you and I both wish didn't have to be done. But they still had to be done. The world is not always a good place filled with nice creatures. And sometimes even good ponies have to do bad things to stop worse things from happening," she said before taking half a step forward and brushing her lips against mine, "And you, my bat, is a good pony."

I gave her a soft kiss back before I nodded, "Can I speak now?"

Twilight nodded.

"I would argue that you are somewhat biased," I told her gently before raising a hoof to forestall another assault, "But I may be beating myself up a bit too much about things. It's just that everypony is looking up to me, especially in Nocturnis. Like... like they think I have all the answers. And I don't and I know I will never measure up to what they think I am."

Twilight shook her head with a small sigh before rubbing her cheek against mine, "You don't have to. Just be you, it has worked pretty well so far."

"I guess," I admitted and then shook my head, "I'm just afraid to disappoint them. Disappoint you. Everypony puts so much trust in me and I want to live up to it."

Twilight smiled softly at me, "Do you know why?"

I shook my head and she smiled wider, reaching up to touch my cheek with her wing,

"Because you are a good pony, you stupid bat," she said and shifted around, pressing her side against mine as her wing rested across my back. I was a bit taller still, so she had to stretch a little for it.

I leaned softly against her side, burying my nose in her warm mane.

I still wasn't too sure about being a good pony, but maybe I could be a good Prince and... maybe that had to be enough.

Because thinking about the Neighsay incident and what followed... if things had been different and it had been one of my girls that were attacked... attacking me was one thing. But attacking somepony I loved...

I knew that if somepony hurt somepony I love, I would do bad things.

Chapter 54

It looked like stars had fallen.

It was the first part I saw of Nocturnis. Lights shimmering in the forest far ahead and below. Luna nosed at my ear softly before going back to look out over the forest outside the forward window.

“It’s beautiful,” she said quietly.

“It is,” I agreed, leaning softly against her with a small sigh before I glanced up at her, “How long can you stay?”

Luna smiled sadly, “A couple of days at most.”

I nodded and shifted a bit closer, resting my head against her shoulder.

Luna nosed at my ear but we stayed like that for a while, her wing draped around me before she spoke up, “How are things in Canterlot?”

“...Sunshine says she has things in control,” I said and glanced up at her, “Thinks she can use the upsurge of support to get some useful laws through.”

“That’s good,” Luna said and smiled a bit, “...she always was better at that sort of thing than I was. But I do hope you two talked more than politics in your lessons.”

“Some,” I agreed.

Luna smirked slightly, “Or is it perhaps dates and not lessons?”

I glowered at her before I grumbled and leaned against her again.

“What was that, My Page?” Luna teased.

I sighed, “I said, I don’t know. It’s a date and a lesson, I think.”

“Well,” Luna said with a small smile, “That is the best way to get you to learn things you don’t want to learn.”

“Wait, did she get the idea from you!?” I asked, looking up at her in surprise.

Luna smirked, “It worked when I was teaching you.”

I looked at her suspiciously, “...Did you tell her about that?” I asked, leaning slightly to the side to look up at her.

“I may have mentioned it,” Luna answered with a wider smile, “My sister and I do talk, you know.”

Gulp.

It made sense, but always made me feel outnumbered. Which, in addition to being outgunned, was not a good tactical position to be in.

I felt my ears turn a bit warm.

“...I miss those times,” I admitted, changing the subject slightly and smiled a bit sadly up at her, “A lot.”

Luna lowered her head, giving me a small kiss before she smiled back softly, “So do I, My Page. But one of the things that you learn when living for a long time is that times change… in all ways. We may not be living together right now, but that time will return in the future.”

“You think so?”

“I know so,” Luna told me softly but seriously, “Just like we will be living apart at some other time after that. Time is always moving forward, Page. And with it comes changes.”

“Some we like.”

“And some we don’t,” Luna said with a small smile, “Things come and go. You know this as much as anypony.”

I sighed, looking out over the approaching Nocturnis, “I suppose I do,” I admitted and leaned against her again, “I just miss it.”

“So let’s pretend for a few nights,” Luna said, pressing her nose between my ears, “That I don’t have to leave.”

I glanced up at her, “That sounds nice.”

Luna touched her nose to mine, “How is your side?”

I smiled and took a step back before trotting in a circle, “I feel almost normal,” I said and half spread my wings, posing with my left forehoof off the deck, putting full weight on my right one, “I don’t even really feel it most of the time for the last couple of nights.”

“Most?”

I shrugged my wings, “Pulls a bit when I twist wrong,” I admitted, “And then it aches slightly,” I said before folding my wings and returning to her again, “...I just wear the bandages to keep the missing patch of coat covered.”

“You could just use an illusion,” Luna pointed out, “As long as the doctor has cleared it.”

“I’m up for an examination before we land,” I said and leaned softly against her, “I’ll be wearing one above the bandages anyway. Don’t want my ponies to worry as it looks worse than it is.”

Luna frowned slightly at me before she sighed softly and slipped her wing around me again, resting her head against the top of mine.

Pressing my nose against her neck, I relaxed, half closing my eyes as I was surrounded by a field of stars.

My ear flicked back at the sound of hoofsteps against the deck. I recognized the gait however and didn’t move.

Luna however turned her head and I heard a smile in her voice, “Twilight.”

“Luna,” Twilight said with a smile of her own, “Page,” she then added and moved up along my other side, “Steady Beat were looking for you.”

Shifting, I kissed her cheek before I scooted back out from beneath Luna’s wing, “And that’s my cue to exit stage left, I suppose. Might as well get it done before he tracks me down on his own. All it would do would be to give me an earful.”

Twilight grinned, “He can be a bit like that, yes. So it may be safest.”

I nodded, “Yeah, don’t want to be looked at disapprovingly today. Going to be a long night as is,” I agreed with a smile and bowed, “My Ladies.”

Luna smiled, “See you by landing, My Page,” as Twilight slipped into my previous spot beneath her wing.

Oh yeah, those two are definitely getting to be a thing.

Smiling to myself, I headed back inside in search of the doctor. Honestly, getting approval to remove these bandages would be so nice.

Chapter 55

"Your Majesty! Are you alright?!"

I smiled, "I am fine, Pepper. It wasn't as bad as it might have sounded."

Flower Rain looked at me with suspicion.

I smiled at her as well, "Don't look at me like that. I'm here and I'm clearly all better. How's everypony else doing? I saw a crowd on the square outside when we came in for landing."

Flower nodded, "Everypony was worried for you, Your Majesty."

It had been a long night and I much rather just go rest. But I really should address this first.

"What rumors were there?" I asked her with a small frown, "I know how these things usually go."

She hesitated so Pepper spoke up, "The usual you are thinking of. Mostly ponies were angry and worried. We... they thought we might have lost you."

I nodded to them, "I best go address everypony then," I said with a small smile and headed for the balcony, making sure not to show even a hint of being injured. It was easy, because the most I got was a slight ache where I had been hit.

As I walked out, the ponies beneath grew quiet, looking up towards me.

I smiled out at them, "Hello, everypony. It's good to be back home again. As you all can see, the reports of my horrible injuries may have been a bit exaggerated."

Nopony spoke.

I continued, "No need to look so disappointed!" I said with a grin.

That did get a reaction of soft laughter.

"I feel like I should tell you all that happened," I then continued, "As I'm sure news will arrive from Canterlot soon anyway, likely just as accurate as the ones that reported my horrible mangling in a wagon accident."

More laughter.

I shifted my wings, "What happened was a pony shot me with a crossbow in the middle of the street in Canterlot while I was on my way to visit a friend."

Silence again. But not just silence this time.

This time it was the kind of silence that spread through a crowd just before something got violent.

So I continued, "My guard drove them to escape and stopped my bleeding, getting me to the hospital with assistance from the Solar guard to get my wound tended to. After an investigation, the pony in question was caught. He was ill, seeing conspiracies and evil everywhere. He was sent to the hospital where he will remain until he stops being a danger to himself and others."

"So he's just getting away with it?!" a voice somewhere in the crowd yelled.

I shook my head, "I was the one to suggest it over the regular punishment for such a crime," I said firmly, "This pony is ill and deserves our pity and compassion, not our scorn. Because it was lucky it was me he hit."

Shocked silence.

I shook my head, "Because I could take a hit like that. If it had not been me, it could have been a poor griff or 'ling. Or a minotaur. Or if none of those had been available, maybe a pegasus or earth pony."

"What about next time?!"

A different voice.

"There may be a next time," I admitted, "Alicorns live for a long time. But I doubt it will be anytime soon. There is no grand conspiracy, it was a single ill pony who's delusions latched onto me because of what I represented in his mind. If I could do everything again, I would not change anything.. well, almost anything. I would admittedly likely have used a shield."

That did raise the mood a little I felt.

"So instead of focusing on the pony that did it," I continued and glanced back over my shoulder, "Let's instead focus on the ponies that drove him away. Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade, come out here."

Shade and Leaf both looked at me with wide eyes.

I smiled at them and motioned for them with a wing to join me.

Visibly swallowing, they shared a look before walking slowly out onto the balcony to join me as the crowd cheered for them.

I waited until they stood next to me and the crowd quieted down before I smiled, "Some of you know these ponies. Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade. Or rather some of you knew them, now you all know them. But there is something you don't know yet," I continued and looked out over the crowd, "I expect the news to arrive in a couple of days or so. But I wanted you all to know that Shade Leaf and Leaf Shade have both been awarded the Star of Equestria. The first recipients in well over a century."

The crowd started quiet. Then it grew. Those that knew what that meant filling the ponies around them in on it.

Soon I had to press my ears against my head from the cheering.

"So tonight we don't spend it in anger over a pony that needs our compassion!" I yelled, one hoof on the railing, using a spell to make myself heard, "Tonight we celebrate the ponies that deserve it! So break out the barbeques and the drinks! Because tonight we will celebrate the Night of Shadows!"

As usual when food and drink were mentioned, ponies cheered even louder.

Shade and Lead looked slightly pale. I smiled and spoke to them beneath my breath, "Just smile and wave, girls. Smile and wave."

They hesitantly did and the cheering renewed.

The sun was almost at zenith before the celebrations started to calm down.

Luna and Twilight were being adorable talking quietly on the couch. Sunset was already in the bedroom. Yawning, I slipped off the chair I draped myself across and headed into the bedroom.

Sunset was stretched out on the bed, reading a book. When I entered, she glanced up before smiling, “Giving up?”

I nodded and climbed onto the bed, sinking down with a small sigh to lay next to her, “It’s getting very late,” I admitted and rolled onto my side to look at her.

“Mmm,” Sunset said just as sleepily with a small smile, “Luna and Twi still looking as adorable as when I went to bed?”

I couldn’t help but grin, “Very much so. I know they liked each other for a while, but this is pretty new. Assume it developed while I was having my nap. Do they know?”

Sunset smiled, “Luna does. Twi, I’m not too sure yet. But it's nice to see.”

They were being very cute. While selfishly I may have preferred more Luna time, I’d more than happily give some of it to Sparks if she kept My Sky looking that cute and happy. After all, admiring her was almost as much fun after all.

Also, the effect it had on Sparks was just as clear and made me just as happy.

…And admittedly, it was also a very enjoyable visual. Smiling to myself, I closed my eyes and started to slowly drift off to sleep.

“Mmm…. Page?” Sunset mumbled quietly.

“Mhmm?” I asked, more than half asleep.

“I want foals.”

My eyes snapped open and I suddenly didn’t feel sleepy at all as I looked into her eyes, “huh?” I asked intelligently.

“I want foals.”

“...With me?”

Sunset gave me a d’uh look, “No, Shining Armor. Yes, of course you!”

“Oh,” I said quietly and swallowed.

“So?” Sunset asked and bumped her nose against mine, looking into my eyes, “What do you think?”

I hesitated, “Sunset… I-I’m not sure it’s a good idea…”

She pulled back, looking hurt, “What? Why?”

I cringed slightly, “Sunset, It’s…” I started before I sighed and shook my head, “Sunset, we don’t even know if it’s possible. And if it is, the foal usually takes after the tribe of the mother.”

“And?”

“And I don’t want to watch them grow old and die!” I exclaimed, rolling onto my stomach and raising my head to look at her.

Sunset glared at me, “So I suppose I best just get out too, huh?”

“What, no! Suns-”

“Buck off,” she snarled and jumped off the bed, drying tears away with one hoof.

Before I could say anything else, the door slammed closed behind her, leaving me staring at it. What the buck just happened?

The door opened again and Luna slipped inside, closing the door behind her before she looked at me, “What did you do?” she asked in a not quite accusing tone, “Sunset just stormed in and is crying her eyes out against Twilight's shoulder.”

I cringed and sighed, “I… could have handled that better,” I admitted quietly and pushed myself up to sit, rubbing my hoof at my forehead, “Sunset brought up that she wanted foals. Just kinda sprung it at me. I told her it wasn’t a good idea as I didn’t want to watch them grow old and die.”

Luna shook her head, “Oh Page, please tell me you didn’t put it like that.”

“...Think it may have been worse actually,” I admitted and sighed, “I should talk to her.”

“No,” Luna told me firmly, shifting to stand before the door, “I will talk to her. Before you put your hooves even further into your mouth.”

“Luna, I think-”

She glared at me and I trailed off before I sighed and nodded, “Okay,” I admitted, “You three take the bedroom. I’ll find somewhere else to sleep,” I said and slipped out of the bed.

Luna sighed softly and walked over to me, brushing her lips against mine, “Page, you are a good stallion, but sometimes you need to think before you talk.”

“I know,” I admitted and sighed softly, “...I’m sorry.”

Luna smiled faintly and touched my side with her wing, “Go get some sleep, I’ll talk with Sunset. We’ll all talk tomorrow.”

“Are you sure I shou-”

“Yes.”

Sighing, I nodded, “Sweet dreams, Luna.”

“Sweet dreams, Page.”

With that I left through the balcony. Spreading my wings in the sunlight, I took to the air. I didn’t fly far though, just rounding the small palace and pulled up to the throneroom. I banked in through one of the openings and pulled up hard. I turned it into a flip and wrapped my tail around one of the supports of the roof.

Using my wings to stop the worst of the swinging, I then pulled my legs to myself and wrapped my wings around myself, closing my eyes, trying to sleep.

I felt like a dick.

Chapter 56

My ear flicked at the sound of hoofsteps against the wooden floor, pulling me from my barely asleep state. I wasn’t sure how long it had been, but I could feel sunlight through my closed eyes, so it couldn’t have been all day.

I recognized those hoofsteps.

They stopped not quite beneath me. “Hey,” Sunset said quietly.

“Hey,” I answered without moving.

“...Could you come down here, please?”

I forced my eyes open and blinked down at her in the piercing bright light. Sunset looked tired, and I could tell she had been crying. But the sun shimmered in her slightly mussed mane and on her coat.

She didn’t look angry, just tired.

Wrapping myself in a teleport field, I deposited myself standing in front of her.

“That’s new,” she said quietly. “Changing your position when teleporting is kinda advanced.”

“I did learn some stuff while away with Celestia; it wasn’t quite just flirting,” I admitted, eyes half-closed against the glare of the sun. “Refining my teleporting was one of them. My range and speed still aren’t the best as I can’t dump enough power into it.”

Sunset nodded and then glanced around before her horn lit, and a dome of darkness covered us. Not a full one, only leaving us in semi-darkness even to a Day Pony, but it allowed me to open my eyes fully.

“Thanks,” I told her before I sighed. “Sunset, look, I’m-”

She raised her hoof and put it against my lips. “Page, please. Let me say what I want to say first.”

I swallowed and nodded, trying not to show exactly how much that sentence terrified me.

Sunset sat down and looked into my eyes. “It hurt me, Page,” she said quietly. I swallowed again and sat down as well.

“But I also understand what you mean,” she continued softly. “Especially after having talked it through with Luna and Twilight. I don’t blame you for feeling like that.”

I shook my head. “I-I’m sorry, Sunset. I should have put that so much better.”

She actually gave me a slight smile. “I did kinda spring it on you, didn’t I?”

“A bit. But still.”

Sunset shook her head slightly and then moved a bit closer, looking into my eyes. “Page. One day… you will lose me.”

“No.”

She put her hoof against my chest. “Yes, you will,” she said gently but firmly, eyes not leaving mine. “You are an alicorn. I’m a unicorn. I know it will hurt; I know exactly how much it will hurt because when I found out you had been hit, it felt like the arrow had pierced me and not you.”

I clenched my jaw and looked at her seriously. “No, Sunset. I will not. No matter what, I wo-”

She looked into my eyes, and I broke off, finding that I could no longer speak. Nor see, really, as everything was shifting colors through tears.

Sunset shifted closer, resting her head against my neck, and I clung to her. Likely too tightly, but she didn’t protest.

“You will,” she repeated softly against my neck. “It’s what ponies do. Even alicorns, eventually. We have seen proof of that.”

I just clung to her for a long time before I slowly let go to look into her eyes, trying to blink mine clear. Sunset reached up to gently brush her hoof across my eyes. “Luna explained things,” she told me gently. “The fear of losing me was folded into the foals.”

“...In that case, I suppose she knew me better than I did,” I admitted. “She’s likely right though. I… Oh, Luna… losing you, Sunset… or Celestia or Luna or Twilight, it would… buck, it would destroy me.”

Sunset's hoof touched my cheek gently, and she brushed her lips against mine. “And me as well,” she said softly. “Like when I lost my parents. But after it all, I’m still here.”

I stroked her side with my wing. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I never wanted to make you cry.”

Sunset smiled softly. “I know. I could have handled that a lot better as well.”

“...Had this talk with Twilight yet?” I asked after a moment.

She sighed softly and then nodded. “We did. It went… slightly better. Before you and I got together.”

“Well, Sparks always was the smarter of us,” I admitted.

Sunset smiled a bit and bumped my nose with hers. “Only slightly better.”

I nodded and hugged her tightly again, nosing at her ear. “...On the subject of foals…”

Sunset broke the hug and looked up at me. “I won’t do that to you,” she told me seriously. “Nor to Twi, who it would hit just as hard.”

“But you still want foals.”

“I do,” Sunset agreed with a small smile. “But just as my foals would have been just as much Twi’s, Twi’s foals will also be mine.”

“Oh.”

Sunset smiled. “As an added upside, it would let me skip the more unpleasant parts, which… is not an unattractive idea, if I'm to be completely honest,” she admitted.

I slowly nodded. “...Now?”

Sunset smiled and shook her head. “Twi says she isn’t ready yet. But I could tell that she was thinking seriously about it, and you know how she is.”

“I do,” I admitted, nosing at her mane. “Lists, research, and checklists.”

“Exactly,” Sunset said with a small grin against my neck as I held her.

I stroked her coat for several moments before I spoke up quietly again. “...You know it might not even be possible, right? I mean, we have been careful, but not that careful.”

“I know,” Sunset said with a small sigh. “And even if Cadance helps with spells, it might not be possible still. Flurry might just have been because Cadance is Cadance. If that’s reality, then that’s how it is.”

I nodded and looked down at her.

Sunset looked up at me in turn. “And you should realize that just because it’s Twi, Luna, or even Celestia, it would not guarantee an alicorn. Even earth ponies with no other tribes mixed in for generations can have unicorns or pegasus foals.”

I swallowed and then nodded. “I know. But if it works, the odds are a lot better.”

Sunset nodded in turn and gave me a small nuzzle. “Come back to bed, Page. It’s so late, and I think all of us have an early evening.”

I nodded and gave her a small kiss. “I’m sorry for hurting you, Sunny. I never wanted to do that.”

“I forgive you, you silly bat,” Sunset laughed softly and gave me a small kiss back. “Let’s go to bed.”

Author's Note

And that's it for now! I think we should leave page for a bit before he tries to cram any more hooves into his mouth.

Thank you all for reading and more will follow in the future. :twilightsmile:

Chapter 1

Sounds rang through the forest, with birds, monkeys, and other creatures audible in the distance. Occasionally, the chirp of echolocation from a thestral flying through the forest rang out, both above and below.

Night vision or not, flying by sight in the middle of the night was a good way to lose an eye or run into something.

…Which is the entire point of why we had echolocation in the first place, I suppose.

I yawned, stretching and spreading my wings, arching my back before settling down on the thick branch again, resting my head on my hooves, eyes half-closed as I listened.

The sounds above were from Nocturnis proper.

The sounds below came from the lower town, mostly populated by earth ponies and unicorns who preferred to keep their hooves on the ground. Considering they didn't have wings, I couldn't blame them, especially now that the ground wasn't quite as lethal. It wasn't all of them; barely half had moved down so far.

What dangers remained could mostly be kept out with high walls and strong buildings. The shields kept the big ones out.

Stone and wooden walls kept the small ones out of the living areas, but that didn't mean it was safe. The guard patrolled both the upper and lower village day and night.

Since putting up the shield, we had yet to lose a pony to predators. Accidents were a different matter, but at least nopony had been eaten yet.

Fewer sounds came from below, as many of the day ponies were asleep. I couldn't blame them; it was just more natural for them to follow the cycle of the sun.

The majority were still thestrals, by far. Almost eighty percent were thestrals, and most of those still lived in the upper town, almost all following a nocturnal schedule.

So far, it worked.

I wasn't a huge fan of the separation; I had been worried it carried the risk of increasing the feelings some thestrals had about the rest of Equestria.

But everypony seemed happy so far. And it's not like everypony just kept to themselves. At dawn and dusk, there was a lot of traffic between the two halves. There wasn't a strict split either, with plenty of flow back and forth.

Everypony seemed comfortable with it, so I just let it go.

Right now, I was…

…hiding.

If I'm to be completely honest, I was hiding from my responsibilities. I was supposed to be doing paperwork right now, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

That's why I had snuck out while Flower Rain was away from the room.

In my defense, we were in the fifth hour, and I just couldn't take it anymore. I can continue later. Call me lazy if you will, but I'm just so tired of it.

That's why I was here, relaxing on a wide branch beneath the schoolhouse. I could hear laughter from inside, and it made me smile.

A reminder of why I did what I did. And why I should continue putting up with that paperwork… and everything else involved in my duties.

…Okay, I was being lazy. Everypony else was working, doing their best to keep this town, this idea of mine going and alive. From the foresters to the schoolteacher to the guards and the ponies working on the railroad.

And here I was, the pony responsible, hiding from paperwork.

“Hey.”

I startled, almost falling off the branch. Buck, I hadn't even heard her, too busy feeling sorry for myself to pay attention, “Hi Sparks,” I said and scooted to the side to give Twilight space to settle down next to me on the wide branch.

Twilight smiled and laid down next to me, her wing brushing across mine. She was wearing a pair of night-seeing goggles, “Hiding?” she asked quietly.

“...Yeah,” I admitted with a small sigh, glancing down.

Twilight leaned in and kissed my cheek, “Me too,” she said softly.

I blinked at her in surprise, "You? Hiding?"

She smiled a bit sheepishly, "Starlight is doing an audit on the budget for the lab. You know I normally don't mind lists and-"

I looked at her in shock, "What!? You do!?"

While I may not be able to see her eyes behind the goggles, I could tell what she was doing. The smack of her wing across my back helped get the point across.

"Yes, yes, laugh away," she grumbled, "But she's excessive. I think I liked her better as a villain."

Smiling, I scooted closer, nosing at her cheek as I brushed my wing along her back, "Did you meet your list match?"

Sparks muttered something that sounded a lot like "jump in the river" but she shifted to lean against me, resting her head against the side of my neck.

"…I didn't even know your lab had a budget," I admitted after a second, holding her softly.

Pulling back for a second, she looked at me before she sighed and returned to leaning against me, "You signed off on it."

"I signed off on a lot of stuff," I said before I frowned, "…Actually, thinking about it, having Starlight do audits is likely a good thing. Wonder who put her up to it."

Sparks frowned and pushed her goggles up to look at me in the darkness, "…You also did. Or rather, Tight Bit put it into the system and you signed it. Are you reading anything you sign?"

"Ah… Tight, that explains it," I admitted and bumped my nose against hers, "I have yet to see something from him less than twenty-five pages long, and it's always super dry. And in my defense, he writes like an accountant."

Twilight laughed softly and bumped her nose against my cheek, "Page, he is an accountant."

"Well, still."

She sighed and touched her horn against mine, "His papers can be a bit dry," she admitted after a second, "…We're going to have to come out of here sooner or later, you know."

"I know, I know," I said and nosed softly, "You can't see me at all, can you?"

She grinned, "Actually, I can just about see slight shapes. But it's pretty much just black without the goggles on. Mostly I can see your eyes; they glow… I like it," she said softly, and her horn brushed against mine as she cuddled against me, "I trust you won't let me fall."

I held her closer with my wing, smiling as I took in the scent of her mane. Now this was worth any amount of paperwork.

"We can stay a little longer, right?" I asked quietly.

Instead of answering, Twilight shifted slightly, getting a bit more comfortable with her head against my shoulder.

We stayed like that for several moments, listening to the laughter above before I nosed at her ear, "How did you find me anyway?" I asked quietly.

"Amber," Twilight answered just as quietly.

I love that bug.

There was a roar as it started to rain again. I guess we have to stay a bit longer, too bad. Getting myself comfortable, I pressed my nose against Twilight's mane.

Chapter 7

I laid on my throne and tried to push away my boredom. The throneroom was empty other than me and a couple of guards as I was between appointments. Flower was doing some paperwork on her desk to the side of the room.

Looking out into the roaring wall of water outside the open sides, I couldn’t help but wonder if my next audience would arrive in time or not for their appointment. And if they could swim.

The weather during the rain period was not easy to brave even for locals. Everypony in Nocturnis had the sense to just stay home when the weather was like this.

The door opened and Twilight poked her head inside, glancing around, “No trade envoy?”

“Not yet,” I said and shrugged my wings, “But if she was unwise enough to try to get here from the hotel during the rain, she may just have drowned.”

Twilight made a small thoughtful sound and turned her head to glance at the unicorn guard by the door. The guard nodded, “I’ll go make sure she didn’t wash off the city, Princess,” she said before saluting and trotting out the door.

Unicorns were one of the few that could go outside fairly safely, at least if they pull of a water barrier shield to hold above themselves.

As the door closed, Twilight crossed over to me, glancing towards the wall of water outside. Must be almost invisible to her with only the lights of the magic crystals lighting the throneroom up.

“At least it should be over in a couple of weeks,” she said and sat down next to the throne, resting a hoof on the edge as she shifted her wings a bit.

I nodded and shifted a bit closer, leaning down to touch my horn to hers, “Done for tonight?”

She shook her head and raised her muzzle to give me a soft kiss, “Almost. Waiting for a potion batch for the guard to rest. It needs a couple of hours of cooling before the last steps.”

Nodding again, I scooted to the side, giving her room and she clambered onto the throne next to me before getting comfortable.

She fluffed her wings up a bit before turning her head to adjust a feather before she looked at me, “What about you?”

I smiled and brushed my wing against hers, “Last appointment at least. But I’m fairly sure Flower has something for me after?” I said, glancing to the side where Flower Rain was sitting by a small desk, shifting through some papers.

Flower looked up, before the petite batpony then smiled at me, “You know it, your majesty.”

“You know,” I whispered softly into Sparks ear with a small smile, “I think she has misunderstood who is the boss and who’s the assistant.”

Twilight grinned, covering her muzzle with her hoof before she nosed at my cheek, “I think she knows exactly which is which,” she murmured softly.

I considered that for a minute before I shrugged my wings and slipped one across Twilight's back. I mean, she wasn’t wrong.

She had a higher salary than me, that’s for sure. Especially as I didn’t have one. Really, most of my Bits came from my book sales and I had poured something like ninety percent of what I owned into the Nocturnis treasury ages ago.

And so was most of whatever I made from it since then had also gone into it.

Thinking about it, I wasn’t even sure if I owned more than a thousand bits anymore. Then again, maybe I did.

I did leave it all my financial stuff to that company in Canterlot to handle as I had neither the time nor the effort to put into it.

I glanced at Flower where she was writing something on a notepad. Fairly sure Flower would know though.

Maybe I should stop by next time I’m in Canterlot to see how things are doing, if nothing else I may have more to transfer into the treasury.

That sort of thing really sucked to do by post. Especially with a minimum of a two week turnaround on every message sent.

Yawning softly, Twilight shifted, resting her head against my neck and I nosed at her ear,

“Sleepy?”

“A bit,” she admitted, “Was up late last morning. I think I may just go to bed as soon as the potion is done. Spend some time with Luna “

I nodded and smiled, “You two have been spending a lot of time together.”

Twilight nodded and stretched a bit, “Talking a lot,” she said and smiled a bit.

“Good,” I said and kissed her cheek.

If there was somepony other than me I could see my Luna with, it would be Sparks. Both mares were brilliant, kind and all kinds of amazing.

Sunset… as much as Luna and Sunset liked each other, I’m not sure they will end up more than friends.

But maybe Sparks. That would be really good for both of them.

There was a knock on the door and Light Shine poked her head inside, clearly soaking wet despite her ability to cast a rain shield. “I located the envoy,” she said with a smile, “Should I send her in?”

“I’ll get going,” Sparks said and gave me a kiss on the cheek before slipping off the throne, “See you later unless I’m asleep first?”

“If not, then tonight,” I agreed, looking after her as she left the throneroom.

I sighed softly and shifted to sit up, adjusting my wings a bit, flicking my ear. We were all busy, no matter what we did.

We were even all on the same schedule and not even then we all managed to spend the mornings together.

I did like that she spent time with Luna though. In my opinion, anything that made my girls happy was a good thing.

The doors opened and Light Shine showed in a white coated earth pony. This mare had been wearing what at once point clearly had been a classy blue dress at one time. Now she looked like she had been keelhauled, holding what once likely been a folder with documents in one hoof.

She looked slightly shell shocked but visibly pulled herself together as she walked inside, still trying to get her blonde mane back into a style other than drowned rat.

“Miss Retsina,” I said with a smile, “Welcome to Nocturnis. I hope you found it alright. May we offer you some refreshments? Or perhaps a towel?”

Chapter 26

I looked out over the forest below as the sun set at the horizon. I kept my eyes away from the hot ball of light. Even with day goggles on it wouldn’t be good for me to look directly at the thing.

Cloak, heating spell and the sun goddess next to me took most of the bite away from that constant chilly wind from above.

I risked a glance up at Celestia. She was looking directly into the sun without blinking, a small smile on her lips. Her wings half raised as her horn glowed and she lowered her head in pace with the sun. The red of the setting sun seemed to make her white coat glow, even through my day goggles.

“You look happy,” I said, looking up at her.

“I am happy,” she said and smiled as the sun started to dip down behind the horizon enough for me to push my goggles onto my forehead and still remain comfortable, “I really enjoyed our time here.”

“Me too,” I agreed with a smile of my own, “But it’s also going to be nice to be back. I did really enjoy this though, I wish…”

Celestia's glow around her horn faded away as the sun settled behind the horizon, “We could stay?”

“No! I’d turn into a icecube!” I exclaimed, “Seriously, the idea of this place in the winter make me cold on it’s own!”

Laughing, Celestia settled a sun warm wing across my back, “Then what?”

I shrugged a bit, scraping a hoof against the stone of the tower roof beneath us as I thought about a way to express it as I moved to press my side against hers.

“...What we’ve done here,” I finally said, “I really liked studying,” before I smiled, “And that may have been one of the first times I ever said that,” and glanced up at her, “You’re an amazing teacher, Sunshine.”

“Thank you,” she said and smiled at me, “You were a good student. A student wanting to learn makes it all so much easier.”

I smiled back, “I wonder what else you could teach me.”

Celestia smirked, “If you only knew,” she teased.

I flicked one ear, grinning at her, “...So, decide to find a new student then?” I asked.

She nodded, “I will. Not sure who, but there are several ponies with potential,” before she touched my nose with hers, “And you should keep up your studies. Ask Twilight.”

“I will,” I agreed with a smile, “I’ll make the time if nothing else. Besides, I really think Sparks will like it.”

Celestia nodded and raised her head again, turning and guiding me towards the hatch and stairs inside, “I think so too. I think Twilight could be an excellent teacher,” before she looked at me as she let me down inside first, “But she has never taught before. Not for real, anyway.”

“Good thing I’m such a good student then,” I said, standing a bit taller as I trotted down the stairs, glancing back at her.

Celestia looked amused, “I’m sure that will help.”

“If nothing else, I have other ways to keep her on track,” I teased.

“I’m equally sure you do,” Celestia said with a grin and stopped by her door, “You should get some rest.”

I paused, hesitating for several seconds before I glanced up at her, “You know, we only have another couple of days. We really should make use of as much of it as we can.”

She smiled, wings raising a bit, “Are you asking to be let into my chambers late at night?”

“Would you like if I did?” I asked, turning to face her, looking up at her.

“I definitely would,” She agreed and guided me inside, “What would you like to work on?”

I slipped my cloak off and stretched, wings stretched high as I glanced back at her as I folded my cloak and put it to the side, “I think I can think of some things.”

Celestia's horn flared and the fireplace burst back into flames, “Such as?” she asked as she walked up next to me, looking into my eyes.

“...I swear I had some in mind, but I can’t think of a single one right now,” I admitted as I met her eyes.

“You,” Celestia said with a smile as she guided me over to the fireplace, “are getting better.”

“Well, we already established I’m a good student,” I said with a smirk before settling down by the fireplace and folding my wings again, “It is a bit late to start something new. So I’m thinking reviewing something?”

Celestia nodded as she settled down next to me, her side just about touching mine as one wing settled across my back like a blanket, “How about shields?”

I got comfortable, leaning against her warm side, “Shields sound good,” I agreed, “I still find them a bit tricky. Practical or theoretical?”

“Let’s stick mostly to theory,“ she said, “As you said, it’s late.”

Nodding, I glanced around, “...My notes are down in my room.”

“No notes, no books,” Celestia said as she looked at me with a small teasing smile, “How about we play a little game?”

Gulp.

“Such as?”

“I cast a shield, you tell me what it blocks without using any magic,” she said with a smile.

I looked up at her, “And if I get it right?” with a teasing smile of my own, “does my teacher have any thoughts for a reward?”

“Actually,” Celestia said, smiling down at me, “I do have an idea you will like very much.”

“Which is…”

Her horn lit and a bowl of grapes floated over from the table, “Get it right and you get a treat.”

I blinked at her before I grinned, “You… have a very good way of motivating your students. Did you use grapes on Sparks too?”

“Hmm, library cards,” Celestia admitted with a small laugh, “Or more specifically, points. Enough points earned her a borrowed book from the royal library.”

“Yeah, that’d work,” I admitted after a minute considering it.

Chapter 53

“I thought you wanted me to study?” I asked, smiling up at Celestia, laying on my back next to her on the soft grass beneath the wide branches of a large and old looking tree, the sun shining through the leaves.

One of the few breaks from realism I had done is to make it so light wasn’t quite such an annoyance for a bat. It was still very bright, but it didn’t outright hurt my eyes. Nor make me sleepy.

Celestias nose touched mine once more as she smiled, “Well… somepony is refusing to create books or even paper, so our options are limited.”

I brushed my hoof along her wing, “Well… I have some ideas. How about… alicorn anatomy?”

“Mmm,” Celestia said with a small smirk, “Still no books… so it would have to be light on theory.”

“Are you suggesting a practical lesson?”

“Perhaps I am,” Celestia murmured, her lips brushing against mine again, “Think you can handle that?”

I smiled, “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well, it can be a hard lesson,” Celestia teased, looking into my eyes.

I smirked, “Well, I’m sure you would have it well in hoof with your experience.”

Celestia laughed softly, “Perhaps I should,” she said before she pulled back, “But as we are in a forest, perhaps we should do something more productive.”

I let out a sigh and rolled onto my hooves, “You, my sunshine, are teasing me.”

She smirked, “Oh, you have no idea how much yet,” she said as she got up, wings stretching high, spread feathers almost shimmering in the sunlight.

…Oh yeah, I’m dead.

Before, Celestia had limits on how far she would go with these things. Now, not so much.

Taking several slow, deep breaths, I then got onto my hooves and looked up at her, “And I was accused of corrupting you.”

Laughing softly, Celestia smiled and brushed her wing across my back, “Not sure what you mean, Prince Page,” she teased before she turned and walked off, flicking her tail to have the tip just about brush past my nose.

Taking a deep breath, I then followed, taking wing for a second to catch up before landing to walk next to her, “So… what did you have in mind for today?”

“Considering the current events,” Celestis said as we walked through the forest, “I thought we should discuss politics and political theory.”

“...Can we do the other thing instead?”

Celestia eyed me playfully, “Maybe a little… if you are a good colt.”

Yay.

I grinned as I followed along, “What do you want to discuss?”

“The balance of power between the common council, the nobility and the royalty,” Celestia said and ducked beneath a low branch.

Suppressing a groan, I followed her easily, the branch passing way above me, “Current or historical?”

“A bit of both,” Celestia said with a smile, “Assuming you can pay attention for that long?”

I eyed her suspiciously, “Sunshine, did you start like that to get me to sit through this lesson?”

She looked at me innocently, “Of course not, Page!” she said in surprise, “Like I would do such a thing!”

I looked at her before I sighed, “...Fine, where do we start?”

“Tell me what you know already,” Celestia said and then shifted course to avoid thicker brush growth.

Considering it for a moment, I shrugged my wings, easily slipping through between a pair of trees before I answered, “Well, while the royalty of alicorns rule equestria, a lot of the laws come from the council of commons and have to be approved by the nobility before being presented to the royalty for approval. Usually the head of each noble house or a representative, and it has to get a majority vote. The day to day running of equestria is handled in majority by the bureaucracy whose senior members, such as mayors of major cities and judges, are assigned by the royalty but can be voted out by the common council or the nobility. However, that vote can be vetoed by the royalty in an emergency.”

“And the balance of power among royalty?” Celestia asked with a small smile.

“Come on, you know I hate this stuff,” I groaned as we entered a section that held pappels. Peach apples with the best qualities of both.

Celestia smiled, “I know. But it is important to some people and you need to understand how they think.”

I sighed before I nodded at her, “While we are all alicorns and royalty, until very recently the only two main princesses were you and my wife. Cadence, Twilight, Midnight, Flurry and myself were considered vassal alicorns according to old law. Even before I became a prince and was just a lord, I was still above the rest of the nobility because of it, especially with my old title of herald because I was married to Luna. The combination actually putting me above the rest by borrowing your and Luna’s authority.”

She nodded, “And now?”

I grinned, “By giving that up and becoming a Prince, I actually went down in authority at first.”

“And?”

“I am now placed above Midnight and Twilight once more,” I said and shrugged, “Because I am also assigned what can be considered a duchy even if I am technically not a duke, but a prince. Because all of that is academic anyway. Beneath Twilight and Midnight are Cadance as she is ruling an Equestrian protectorate. Bringing up the tail is little Flurry as the heir of a protectorate.”

Smiling, Celestia gave my ear a small kiss, “Good colt. Now the nobility?”

I groaned, “I’m not going to recite the noble houses of Equestria,” I protested, “Buck that. But in short, the number varies depending on how they are splitting and joining and forming alliances this week. And while the common council represent the common ponies fairly well, the nobility has less use than a sand salespony in the middle of Saddle Arabia.”

“Page, the nobility exist for a reason.”

“Yeah, to make everypony else look good in comparison.”

Celestia looked amused and then ducked beneath another branch, her wings fluffing up in annoyance, “You could not have made these trees a bit taller?”

“They are plenty tall,” I said and trotted along next to her, passing easily beneath it, “You were the one that chose to walk through the forest.”

“Continue, please.”

I sighed before continuing in a monotone like I was reciting from a school book during a reading out loud section, “The equestrian noble houses were formed by the ruling classes of the old allied tribes that formed Equestria under the benevolent rule of the alicorns. The warrior houses of the pegasi, the knights of the earth ponies and the wise unicorns. While the original noble houses still mostly exist, the majority have been formed since then by ponies that were awarded nobility for exceptional service to the crown.”

“And their purpose?”

“A balancing force against the common council or merchants and commoners short term interests while being more in touch with the world than the immortal alicorns leading Equestria,” I said, rolling my eyes, “As well as assisting and guiding the lands they have been given to caretake. Such as collecting taxes and assisting in funding public work and institutions..”

“All of which, while the powers of the royalty are wide ranging,” Celestia said, “If the nobility get too upset in numbers, they can make things very difficult for us.”

“Bunch of bucking parasites that should be taught their place.”

Celestia smiled and slipped her wing across my back, “Their consolidation of power has gone a bit far,” she agreed, “And with the downfall of Neighsay, it gave me a wedge to do so. There are a few things in motion that will make it easier in the future. And now is the time to do it as they are currently distracted by upheaval among the factions. The progressives are furious about the attack and the isolationist group were always crown royalists and are falling over each other to show they had nothing to do with it. The rest are scrambling to catch up and try to consolidate their own power structures in turn.”

“Which will let you slip through some reforms,” I agreed and leaned against her warm side, “Anything especially in mind?”

“Perhaps, but I am not certain yet,” Celestia said and then shook her head, “Some that will only bear fruit in a few years. But it should also be possible to use it to push through additional anti discrimination laws and increase trade with our neighbors.”

“So… how did I do?”

Celestia smiled, “You did very well. But we aren’t done yet. We still have to go into details on the formation of the nobility and the common council.”

I suppressed a groan, trying to keep possible rewards in mind.

“And I hope you are paying attention as there will be a test.”

Now I did groan.