Kissed by fire

Joan's eyes drifted lazily open, she was lying on a ridiculously comfortable bed in a very spacious and expensively decorated room. The walls trimmed with gold leaf patterns a set of double doors lead out onto a balcony wide, the large windows allowed moonlight to stream through and offered an intoxicating view of the night sky. A fire burned merrily in a small alcove leaking yellow light across the marble floor. Joan tried to rise from her feather and silk prison; she quickly became acutely aware of metal rings encircling both of her fore hooves thin chains connected them to the bed with enough slack to allow her a comfortable slumber.  Her mind was set racing by the fact of wakening up tied up to a stranger's bed she let loose a quite chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.

Joan was shaken from her thoughts by the sound of the balcony doors opening and a blue alicorn stalking through her wings slightly ruffled from her recent flight, Joan watched her progress with interest as she came to a halt before the bed eyes alight with suspicion.

"You must be Luna" Joan said matter-of-factly, Celestia had spoken at length of her sister the 'princess of the night' during their long carriage ride.

"And you must be the alicorn 'Joan' that the whole of Equestria is talking about" Luna's words were ice cold Joan was readying a verbal parry when Luna continued

"but I know who you really are...Fire mane"

The name 'Fire mane' was like a key that opened Pandora's Box; centuries came flying back at blinding speed. It was too much for Joan to handle; she grimaced in pain as her brain went into overdrive

"w-w-what did you call me?"  Joan stammered out breathlessly her vision going briefly white,

"That's your real name isn't it" oblivious to Joan's ongoing mental battle, Luna advanced on her

"those shackles are of my own design its pointless to struggle against them"

Fire mane paid her no heed and continued to strain against her bonds. Irritated and her temper rising Luna carried on,

"I know what you are Fire mane and I will not allow you to put my realm in danger..."

"And what am I Luna?"  Joan snarled back her head clearing, the flames in it hearth began to grow in intensity

"You are a monster and a traitor to the alicorn conclave fire mane and I shall see you punished for it"

Luna spat back, her words stung Fire mane a veil of anger descended on her features,

her eyes began to smoulder her once calm gold orbs had turned into a molten sea bubbling and boiling, her fur rippled turning from ash grey to pitch black, it seemed to suck all the light from the room, even the moonlight dimmed and was absorbed into the advancing darkness. Joan's mane began to blow in an ethereal tempest her red streaks coming alive into living flames. Before Luna could even take a step back from the black alicorn, the fireplace exploded outward the flames rolling out and streaking towards the pair, the night princess let out a yelp of surprise before levelling her horn at the approaching inferno and firing a powerful blast of magic.

The flames danced to the side of the bolt briefly taking the form of a phoenix flying over Luna's head and enveloping the bead in a nimbus of flame.

Luna scrambled back wards still in shock over just what happened 'it was impossible' she told herself 'the shackles were designed to suppress magic...what in tartarus was happening'

tartarus was right as two resounding cracks echoed out above the roaring of the fire, she barely had time to register it was the sound of the shackles breaking before ...

Fire mane leapt through the flame curtain and off the bead her enraged eyes noted the satisfaction the look of terror in Luna's wide eyes before the night princess fired another desperate bolt of magic missing her left side by inches by then fire mane was on her.  Luna fell backwards as the larger alicorn crashed into her pining her to the floor with her power full fore hooves.  Luna struggled fruitlessly against the other alicorns iron grip,

When nothing happened for some time she stopped wriggling and looked up. Joan stared at her intently her face so close to Luna's that she could feel her breath rolling over her ,Fire manes mouth was partially open offering Luna a close up of her pearl white teeth and fangs.

"Don't ever call me a traitor again little princess" Joan whispered softly into Luna's ear,

"I'm sorry" Luna whispered back shakily. Joan's eyes calmed and the light seemed to bleed back into the room, the fire died out leaving the bed still pristine and un burnt.

The last of Joan's anger subsided and she relaxed her hold on the other alicorn instead lowering herself and using her body weight to keep her captive in place,

"What are you doing Fire mane?" Luna asked strength coming back into her voice, a slight hint of a blush appearing at the somewhat intimate situation,

"please call me Joan... and this is payback for chaining me to a bed princess" Joan said thoroughly enjoying her position

"I take it, that it was your idea, Celestia does not seem the type" she let out a small laugh as Luna's face flushed deeply and she tried to form a coherent response. Taking pity on her captive Joan continued

"I will let you up princess, on one condition, that you and your sister hear my story before passing judgement on me" Luna's eyes narrowed once more with suspicion

"... in return I offer my solemn word that I will not try to flee during my time here" Luna did not look convinced

"my word as a alicorn, and as a praetorian of the celestial throne" Joan added in a softer voice at this Luna relented offering Joan a curt nod.

"Thank you ... your highness" she said playfully nuzzling Luna before rising, likewise Luna struggled to her hooves her face once more flustered.  Joan made her way over to the inviting bead and flopped onto it the rigors of the evening catching up to her,  closing her eyes  she heard  the bedrooms doors closing a smile played across her lips before darkness took her and she fell once more into a deep sleep.

Joan was awoken by the sunlight streaming into her room through the windows; she rose from her bed yawning loudly before fishing feathers out from between her teeth, as she had evidently begun to eat one of her pillows during the night. Its shredded casing allowing feathers to freely spill onto the bed, feeling full of newfound energy she dived of the bed and began exploring her gilded cage.

a rather unremarkable bathroom occupied a side room slightly disappointed Joan turned her attention to the balcony upon stepping out she was greeted by a vista of Canterlot sprawling out beneath her bathed in the morning sun, she let out a low whistle it was far more impressive than any city she had seen before even Ember. The flutter of wings alerted Joan to the presence of another pony judging by the sound defiantly princess Celestia

"morning princess" she said without taking her eyes off the scenery, her guess was confirmed when the alabaster alicorn landed next to her eyes looking at her wearily with magenta eyes, Joan guessed Luna had already treated her to a retelling of the evenings discussion.

"Good morning ... Joan"   the hesitation in her voice was very telling, Fire mane had heard it many times before 'friend or foe?' it said

"Troubled by your newest guest princess" she turned to the solar goddess with a small smile.

"Luna told me about you Joan all I want to know is whether it is true" Celestia's tone was a lot harsher than Joan had ever heard it, the voice of a leader.

Joan took a moment to consider her response walking back into her chambers Celestia close behind her multicoloured mane flowing behind her

"truth is a matter of perspective, and you at this moment have none Celestia" Fire mane finally replied her voice calm and even as she stalked over to the bathroom, Celestia now slightly aggravated still on her heels

"Yes or No Joan...." her voice rising "...what are you doing?" Joan was busy playing with the levers next to the sunken bath

"Haven't got a clue... what's wrong with a waterfall or a lake? Can you help me out here?" she replied honestly now striking at the taps with her hooves.

Celestia thrown off balance by her guests behaviour stood there shocked until smiling despite herself, tuned the taps on with a brief glow of her horn, Joan let out an exclamation of triumph a hot water began to fill the large alabaster bath.

"Princess..."  Joan turned to face her, her eyes sorrowful and face serious, she clasped her hoof in both of her fore hooves sitting herself on her haunches "I have fought a thousand battles against the Queen's enemies, but never one against her" Joan's eyes burned with pure emotion, all Celestia could say was

"I believe you Fire mane"

and she meant it and she could not figure out why something about those golden orbs, a smile broke out across Joan's face as she gave the white alicorn a powerful hug, wrapping her wings tenderly around Celestia's form nuzzling her softly. Celestia felt suddenly breathless something in her chest began to flutter, until in a burst of movement Joan dived backwards into the now full bath disappearing from sight beneath the water sending waves splashing across the tiled floor. by the time Joan came up for air the white alicorn was gone and she was left alone in her chambers once more, she eyed the bottles that lined the baths edge with suspicion before beginning to lay them out ready for use, this day was going to be interesting and she resolved to look her best for her 'trial'.