Chapter 11: The innocent lost

The morning after mine and Luna's... intense encounter was, lets just say...

Luna was practically dead to the world at breakfast call. I did my best to wake her, but she was completely out. With the thought in my head that I had put my wife to be into a sex vegetative state, I smiled happily as I made my way to the breakfast hall. The guards I passed blushed and nodded to me as I entered the dining hall, getting warm smiles from Celestia, Cadence and Shining Armor.

"Morning, everypony." I said happily, taking my seat. Celestia gave me a dirty grin as she took a bite out of her salad, chewing it slowly as she eyed my body language.

"So, where is Luna?" She asked curiously, still with a hint of mischief in her voice. "You two are usually attached at the hip."

I shrugged and dug into my apple, giving it a satisfying chomp. "She isn't feeling all too well today. Probably a bug or something." I stated. Celestia continued to stare at me. She knew what had happened last night and she was just playing coy.

"How was it?" She asked. Before I could play innocent, she stopped me. "And don't think I don't know. You're as transparent as a stain glass window." She giggled.

"Ah, but the stain glass isn't all too see through, is it?" I retorted, taking a final bite of my apple. Celestia's grin turned into one of someone who was playing a game of chess and winning.

"Indeed, but it is still transparent enough to see what lies on the other side." She countered. She was two moves ahead in this guessing game.

"What's on the other side may be distorted." I said back. Celestia giggled and put a hoof under her chin.

"But, it is still easy to tell what it is." She leaned in, giving me her best shit eating grin. "Do you concede?" She asked me, her tone challenging, but playful nonetheless.

I relented. "You win this mind game, Celestia." I pointed at her with a laugh. "But, to go back to what you said before, it was amazing. I think Luna thinks so as well."

With that, the doors to the dining hall opened slowly to reveal Luna. Her gate was awkward as she shuffled into the room, trying to hide a severe discomfort in her lower half. Her mane was to its short, light blue bob and was no longer in ethereal form, as was her tail. She did not care for appearances for today. She took a seat in the chair beside me and slammed her head down, groaning. Cadence couldn't hold back the fits of laughter.

"Shut it, Cadence!" Luna warned. Cadence snapped her lips shut and went back to eating, trying not to make eye contact with her Aunt.

"How are you feeling, hun?" I asked, kissing the top of Luna's head sweetly. I held it there as long as it took to get her to smile. It took five seconds.

"Thou should know..." She mumbled. "Either that was the dumbest idea I had last night or the absolute best. I cannot decide." She lifted her head up off the table and placed it on my shoulder. "Thou art now my pillow for the day... You should feel honored and privileged."

I chuckled and stroked her back. "You think you're going to be okay for the wedding?" I snickered, Celestia and Cadence joining in as well. Shining just rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

"Yes, I suppose I shall be alright." She winced as she adjusted her backside on the cushion on the seat. "Yes... quite alright..."

Cadence flashed me a glance and a wink as she stared at her Aunt, nestled deeply into my shoulder. I returned it and continued eating. Luna really didn't eat that much. She took four bites of her salad and felt like she was going to puke. So, it was going to be an uneventful day with Luna, I guess.

Once breakfast was done, I brought Luna back up to her room. She used me as a crutch the entire way there, saying the back end of her body either hurt like Tartarous, or was completely numb. I took that as a signal for a job well done, since it is what she asked for.

"So, you think you're just gonna sleep the rest of the day?" I asked Luna as she snuggled up into the mattress and sheets.

"Hmm, yes. That sound's wonderful. Twas a very good job thou did last night. Now I do not have to work tonight!" She beamed up at me, flashing her pearly whites. I rolled my eyes and kissed her tightly on the lips. She sighed happily as she sank deeper into the bed. "Hmm! Now go, before thou gets me excited again!" She said, shooing me out.

I chuckled as I made for the door. "Alright. I'll handle your duties for today and tonight. Just remember you aren't skipping out on me next time!" I said, pointing at her.

Luna giggled. "Of course. Now, let us rest our backside after thine relentless pillaging of it." She winked, making me laugh.

"Alright. Sleep tight, hun. I love you."

"And I love thou as well." She said as I shut the door. No sooner had I did than a light throat clearing behind me brought me back to attention.

"Cadence, you gotta stop doing that." I chuckled lightly, looking at the mare standing in the hallway. "So, what's up?" I asked.

Cadence shifted on her hooves, forwards and back. "Mmm, nothing really." She said, looking at everything but me. "Mind if I spend some time with you?"

I saw no harm in that. It'd be good to get to know Cadence more, since she was going to be family in a few days. "Sure. I was just about to head out to the garden for some fresh air. Tag along, if you wish." I smiled lightly, making her smile as well.

"Why thank you."

The two of us walked on in silence, making our way out to the beautiful peace and tranquility of the garden. The birds were chirping, the animals were frolicking, and the sun shone brightly, reflecting off green leaves and crystal clear water.

Cadence and I took a seat at the edge of the pond and just let the warmth of the sun relax our bodies. It was a long while before Cadence finally spoke.

"So... Last night with Auntie Luna..." She began, looking up at the clouds.

I turned quickly to Cadence, raising a brow. "Do you really want to know what happened last night?" I asked her, chuckling. She giggled and shrugged.

"Dunno. It sounded passionate whatever it was. I'm the Princess of love, and I can tell you two are falling deeper and deeper into that wonderful pit as each day goes on." She said, looking down on me with a smile. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" I asked, sitting up on my elbows.

"You know what. How is your smile and good nature so contagious? When I'm around you, I can't help but feel... I don't know, at ease. I feel like I've known you my whole life; like I can share anything with you." She sighed happily.

I chuckled. "You haven't shared anything with me yet, missy. And, it doesn't help to know that mine and Luna's love making is heard far and wide because she can't concentrate on a sound proofing spell in the middle of sex." I sighed, looking up at her window. "God, do I still love her though."

"Luna was such a secluded one when she got back from her banishment." Cadence began with a sigh. "She barely left her room, ponies were mortally afraid of her, and she was criticized and chastised by the media. No one trusted her, and she trusted no one. I think the day she met you was the longest I've seen her out of her room."

I stared intently at Cadence as she went on. "You are the one who broke her shell of mistrust and pain. You gave peace to a troubled mind by giving your heart, the most precious thing anypony can give, to her. What drew you to Luna?"

I just stared out at the water, contemplating the question. I couldn't say looks; that's pretty shallow... She is beautiful though... I turned back to Cadence.

"It was her smile." I stated. It was Cadence's turn to stare at me now. "When I saw her smile, it looked like such a foreign thing to her. Then I thought, 'how else can I make her smile'? So, I complimented her; her personality, her wit, her charm, her beauty... I didn't leave anything off limits because I wanted nothing more than to see that beautiful mare smile; to let her know that that smile is one of the most treasured things in the world to me..." I looked to Cadence, who's smile was soft and loving. "That's what drew me to Luna. But, now it's more than just her smile that makes me like her- love her."

Cadence pulled me in for a hug, crushing me against her soft, pink fur. "That was one of the sweetest things I've heard in such a long time. If there was anypony who was going to marry Luna, I'm glad it's you. You're going to make her happy forever."

I smiled and hugged Cadence back. "I'm going to try and make you all happy. I'll be the best Prince I can be. I'll give Shining Armor a run for his money!" I laughed.

Cadence winced and looked away at the mention of his name. I noticed it pretty quickly. Cadence needed to learn the fine art of subtlety. "Hey... What's up?" I asked. Cadence regained her composure and smiled.

"It's nothing. I... have to go and do some duties. I'll see you around." She said, quickly teleporting away. I stared at the spot the Princess of love once occupied, thinking over what just happened. It had to do with Shining Armor, that much was certain, but what was going on between them? They seemed perfectly fine to me...

"Oh well. I shouldn't meddle in peoples lives." I mused to myself, falling back into the grass with a sigh. It was too nice of a day to let the problems of others weigh me down. Today was my day; and my day was going to be spent the way I wanted to spend.

My way!

Jesus Christ! Spending a day by myself was just horrible! I forgot how boring I was! All I did was lounge around the garden, walk through the castle, and go through some thousands of papers that Luna had to do today! Is this what real life feels like? Can I just go back to fucking my wife to be? Goddamn it! I was so board, watching paint dry would be the highlight of my day at this point!

"I need a goddamn vacation..." I muttered to myself as Night Court got out. I sat in Luna's throne, watching the ponies leave. Nothing could have made this evening go by any faster, and I just wished I could go and get some sleep. I pressed my pointer and thumb to my tired eyes, trying to stave off sleep before I got to my bed.

"Here's tonight's paperwork, Sir." One of Luna's assistants said, pressing a stack of papers on the table. It was nearly a foot of paperwork, but it seemed to go a mile to the sky. "Have a pleasant evening." She said, bowing before she walked off, presumably to bed.

"Goddamn it..." I muttered, grabbing the fist page. Before I could even start, I felt a light tugging at my pant leg. I looked down to see a Unicorn filly, probably no more than five or six, looking up at me. She had a light pink coat and blond hair. She also looked incredibly distraught.

"Um... Hi." I said, smiling awkwardly. "What are you doing here?" I asked, leaning down. The filly sniffled, her eyes pooling with water.

"My... My mommy and I came on a tour here... and then said I had to stay... She said I was going to live here and be a princess..." She sniffled again.

Well, this night just got infinitely worse. Classic case of an abandoned child if I ever saw one. The poor filly probably had been wandering the halls for God knows how long, trying to find the mother who abandoned her. I couldn't tell this foal that she was left here by some bitch who didn't want to raise her anymore, so I had to... stretch no truth whatsoever... I had to flat out lie to this poor filly.

"Oh, so you're the new Princess?" I asked astonished. The filly seemed to react positively to the comment as I picked her up in my arms. "My, my! Somepony is quite a pretty Princess. You'll make Cadence quite jealous." I teased, making her giggle. "Do you want a tour of the castle?"

The filly nodded quickly. "Y-Yes please." She said in a whisper. I smiled as I carried her through the halls, showing her everything there was to see; the gardens, the stain glass windows, plus their stories, the royal dining hall, the kitchen (where I made her a snack: Dandelion and lettuce sandwich), the throne room, and the large balcony overlooking Canterlot.

The filly clung to my neck as she looked out over the faint lights of the land in the distance. "Whoa! I can see everything from up here!" She beamed, standing up on my shoulder, using my head as a stand.

I smiled and took a deep breath of the night air. "I come here a lot to think." I said, staring out at Ponyville. "This place helps clear my head."

The filly sighed happily and sat on my shoulder. "What are you anyways?" She asked curiously, hopping down and staring me over, scrutinizing every detail about me. "You aren't a pony, and you aren't like the monkeys in the gardens..."

"I'm a human." I chuckled. "I came from a far away land and... I was never supposed to be here." I said, kneeling down to the filly. "I was scared when I first got here. I didn't know where I was, or what to do. All I had were the clothes on my back and nothing but a prayer that someone would find me before the monsters in the forest did." The filly gulped and cast a glance at Everfree. "But, here I am. I went from having nothing, to everything I could ever want. Even when things seem their scariest, just know that there's something good just over the next horizon. When one door closes, another opens. Do you understand what I mean?"

The filly nodded and looked out towards Manehatten. "I miss my mommy and daddy..." She sniffled, sobbing lightly as she hung her head. Little tears plopped onto the stone balcony, echoing in the silence of the night. I scooped the filly up in my arms and held her tight.

"I miss my mom and dad, too..." I whispered. "It'll be okay... It'll all be okay."

I heard hoofsteps coming up behind me. "Ah, Nathan!" Celestia said. "I was wondering where... you..." She noticed the filly in my arms, nestling into my shirt as she cried. "Oh my..."

"Hey, I never caught you name." I said, bringing the filly up to face me. She wiped her runny nose and eyes.

"M-My name is Lilly Blossom." She said in a strained voice. "Can... you find my mommy and daddy? I don't wanna be alone anymore..." She buried her face in my shirt again. I turned to Celestia and whispered in her ear.

"Her mom left her here. On purpose." I added. Celestia sighed and shook her head. Clearly, this upset her more than I realized.

"I see. Little Lilly Blossom?" She said in a soft, motherly tone. The filly looked up at Princess Celestia, eyes wide. "Would you like to get some sleep? We have a very nice room for you to stay in."

The filly nodded slowly as Celestia and I brought her to one of the large suites. It was more of a room than a filly her age needed; large kitchen, massive living room, humongous chambers... The poor dear was probably overwhelmed already, and this took the last of the cake.

"Here you are, little one." Celestia smiled. "Do you need anything else?"

Lilly shuffled her hooves and looked up at me. "Could... could you tuck me in? My daddy used to tuck me in all the time." She said hopefully. I turned to Celestia, who gave me a loving smile as she nodded and left.

"Of course. Come on." I said, carrying her off to the bedroom. The bed was a king sized, and when I tucked the filly into the center of it, she looked like an ant on a tree leaf. The proportions were so off.

I tucked Lilly in nice and tight, making sure she was cozy and warm. I was about to leave, when she called out to me. "Um... can you tell me a story?" She asked.

I was dead beat tired already. I should be in bed, sleeping next to my wife. But, here I was, tending to a poor little girl whose asshole of a mother abandoned her here at the castle. I wanted to find where this bitch lived and give her a piece of my mind. I relented to poor Lilly's request.

"Of course. I haven't told a story in a while. I... don't know about any stories from around here though." I said sheepishly. The filly giggled and nestled into the sheets.

"Tell my any story... Pwease?" She begged, pouting her lower lip. Of course I had to say yes, but, what kind of stories did I know that were for kids? I was woefully unprepared for this.

"Hmm... How about I tell you the story of Cinderella." I said, earning a nod from the filly. "Okay then... It all began one day for young Cinderella. She was a servant for her three wicked step sisters, who did nothing but make her work, and work and work all day and night. Poor Cinderella was locked away, never being able to go out, or do things she wanted to do. One day, there was a Royal Ball, and the three wicked step sisters went without poor Cinderella. This made her very upset, and she began to cry, begging for someone to help her. And then, out of nowhere, her Fairy Godmother appeared."

Lilly gasped. "A Fairy Godmother? Really? What happened next?" She asked excitedly, bouncing a little in the bed.

I smiled and continued on. "Well, the Fairy Godmother wanted to help Cinderella go to the ball. So, she took a pumpkin and made it into a carriage, and turned mice into horses to pull it. She gave Cinderella a beautiful gown and gorgeous glass slippers, making her look like a beautiful Princess. But, she only had until midnight until the Fairy Godmothers magic wore off. Understanding this, she was off to the ball to meet her Prince Charming."

The filly was growing excited by the story, although the excitement was tiring her out. She let out a loud yawn, which got me to yawn as well. Damn things are so contagious... "So, she went to the ball, looking so, so beautiful. She met so many wonderful people, all telling her how beautiful she looked. And then, she met him; the Prince. He was absolutely taken by this mystery woman. The two spent the night together, dancing and talking. But, before Cinderella realized it, the clock tower struck midnight!"

The filly gasped. "Ohmygosh! then what?!" She spouted excitedly. I could see her eyelids growing heavier. I could feel the same happening to me.

"She ran. She ran as fast as she could back to her carriage. She made it home just in time and the spell wore out when she entered the door. What she didn't realize was she had lost one of her glass slippers at the party. The Prince, who never found out the womans name, began to go around to every woman, placing the slipper on each of their feet to find out who his mystery love was." I let out another yawn, which got Lilly to yawn as well. "It was a while before he finally made it to the ratty old cottage on the edge of the town. When he got there, each of Cinderella's step sisters claimed that they were the one he danced with. Well, he would let the slipper be the judge of that. He placed it on the first step sisters foot, but her foot was too fat to fit in it." Lilly giggled at that. "The second step sisters foot was too long and narrow, so it couldn't have been her. The third step sisters foot was way to small, barely filling the slipper half way. The Prince, heartbroken that he couldn't find his lost love, was about to leave."

"No! He didn't check Cinderella's foots!" Lilly shouted.

"But, just before he left, he noticed a young woman in the back, scrubbing the floors. She was dirty, grimy and sweaty; surely she couldn't be his Princess."

"Yes she could! Yes she could!" Lilly shouted again.

"'Excuse me, miss?' He said, getting her attention. Cinderella turned to him and smiled, wiping the grime from her face as best she could. 'Yes, Prince? How may I be of service?' She asked. The Prince knelt down, presenting the glass slipper. 'If it isn't too much trouble, I would like you to put this on.' He said, holding the beautiful, sparkling slipper to her. The step sisters began to protest, saying she was nothing but a slave and that she couldn't possibly be the one, saying that they were more than suitable to be his 'Princess'. But, the Prince ignored them, placing the glass slipper on Cinderella's foot. It was a perfect fit." I yawned again, looking down to Lilly, whose eyes began to flutter as her smile persisted. "So, the two... *yawn*... The two of them got married, and they lived... happily ever... ever after." I finished.

Lilly's light snoring and smile warmed my heart. But, I was spent for now. It was two in the morning, I was working all day, and I needed sleep. I let my head hit one of the pillows next to Lilly and was out the instant my head hit fabric.

*Chirp Chirp Chirp*

"Damn birds... damn sun..." I thought bitterly as I let my eyes lazily open. I was a bit confused as to where I was for a second, but then I remembered what happened last night. I looked to the right to see little Lilly still sleeping soundly, curled up in a little ball. Until I figured out what to do with her, she was going to be in my care.

I slowly got up from the bed and went out to the main living area as quietly as I could. Lilly shuffled and murmured cutely in her sleep when I stepped on a squeaky floorboard, but thankfully didn't wake up. Once I shut the door as quietly as I could, I turned around to get some breakfast made for her. I didn't expect to see Luna, lounging on the sofa, reading a romance novel. She had a pair of black, rectangular glasses adorning her nose.

"Since when do you wear glasses?" I snorted, making her turn to me with a smile. Luna shut her book slowly and took the glasses off. She pat the cushion next to her, signaling me to sit. I did.

"So, who is this new Princess I have heard so much about?" Luna asked, gesturing to the bedroom door. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"Her mother left her here at the castle during one of the tours. She managed to make it to the throne room and find me just as I was about to start your work. I have to thank her for that." I chuckled.

Luna smiled and shook her head. "Twas a lucky break for you. So, tell me; what do you plan on doing with young Lilly Blossom?" She asked.

"Well... She wants to go back home more than anything... But, next time her parents might leave her in a more... secluded place. I don't want to see her hurt, or worse."

Luna nodded. "I see. Why don't you go talk to her mother and father alone. I shall show young Lilly Blossom a good day here at the castle while you go and sort this out. We have found where her parents live, so it shouldn't take too long."

"How'd you manage that?" I asked. Luna gave a smug smile and puffed out her chest a little.

"I have my ways. So, why don't we spend the morning with young Lilly Blossom, and then you can leave. Dost that sound good?"

"Um... Excuse me... Princess Woona?"

There was our answer. We both turned to the little filly standing at the door, her mane disheveled as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. Luna leaned down to her. "Yes, my dear? What can we do for thee?" Luna asked sweetly.

"Um... I'm kinda hungry... Can I have some breakfast?" Lilly asked as her stomach let out a little rumble. I turned to Luna and made for the kitchen.

"I got this. What would Princess Lilly like to eat this morning?" I asked, scooping up the filly in my arms and carrying her into the kitchen.

She tapped her chin and smiled. "Um... can I have an omelet please?"

"One omelet for one princess." I said tapping her nose.

Breakfast went well; Lilly enjoyed her omelet and talked about what she was doing in school back home. I couldn't see why her mother would just abandon her here. Lilly was a total sweetheart. Once breakfast was done, Luna took Lilly on another tour around the castle, mostly to go play with all the animals in the garden, while I went off to find her mother and father. Lilly was curious as to where I was going, so I told her I had some important duties to do. It was technically the truth, and I was sick of lying to this poor filly.

The Chariot ride to Manehatten only took about an hour or so, which gave me time to think of how best to give this mare a piece of my mind. We touched down in the city center, earning a wide amount of curiosity from the city folks there. Many of them whispered to one another as I left the chariot, a look of determination on my face. It probably scared a few ponies, but I wasn't here on good business.

I told the guards to wait there while I made my way through the streets, trying to find this address; 543 Epony Ln. Everyone I asked about it seemed to be a bit put off I was trying to find that place. I guess it wasn't a good part of the neighborhood.

Eventually one of the seedier ponies led me to the right place, saying her just 'delivered his product' to the mare who lived there. Okay... that didn't sound like a good living environment for a child.

And, it wasn't. The house was run down; its wood was decaying in many places and many of the windows were boarded up. A 'Do not Trespass' sign was hung on the rickety fence. Not a very child friendly environment. I went up to the door, giving it a few good raps.

"Hold your horses!" She shouted from across the house. I heard a few things crashing as she made her way to the door. Her hoof steps were erratic, letting me know she was completely trashed on something. The door flew open and I was now looking down at a very angry mare. She was a tanish color with a light blue mane. Her blue eyes were glazed over, clearly under the effects of something

"What do you want?" She slurred, staring up at me angrily. I raised a brow and crossed my arm, staring at her accusingly.

"I want to know why you abandoned your daughter at the castle yesterday?" I asked. The mare rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"I didn't even want her in the first place. Keep that little bitch. She was nothing but a money waster anyway." The mare went to close the door, but I stopped it with a violent slam of my fist. The mare went from angry to a bit nervous.

"Her name is Lilly!" I seethed. "I can see now that drugs are more important to you than your own flesh and blood!"

The mare scowled at me. "You don't know me! You don't know what I had to put up with a kid I didn't even want! Always asking for things, and spending my money! I knew I would be better off without her! So, why don't you just leave and take care of her! Clearly you like her enough to do so!"

And the door slammed in my face. See, I would have been understanding of the situation if the mare was remorseful about what she did. Not a hint of regret in her voice. That was it; I was reporting this to Celestia and Luna. Lilly didn't deserve this kind of life, and I wasn't going to send her back here.

The flight back to Canterlot was taking too long. Time seemed to slow down as I thought of what to do with Lilly. I couldn't take care of her, nor could Luna. Granted, that filly was a sweetheart... I couldn't force that mare to take care of a daughter she doesn't want because something worse might happen next time when she realizes she can't abandoned the child... Goddamn it, this was just a pain in the ass.

We finally landed at the castle. The guards were a bit perplexed by my angry storm off, but I didn't really give a damn at this point. I had every right to be angry. I was a man of strong family morals, and this incident got right under my skin something fierce. I made my way back to mine and Luna's room and stormed in, expecting it to be empty, but I was woefully mistaken.

Luna and Lilly were sitting on the rug, coloring pictures together. Celestia and Cadence were also there, complimenting the young Lilly on her drawing of the animals in the garden. All eyes were on me as Lilly ran over, hugging my leg.

"Yay! You're back! Look at what I drew!" She beamed, holding the picture up to me in her mouth. It was a very adorable drawing of her surrounded by birds and monkeys and lizards and kangaroos. It softened my heart and face as I picked her up.

"That is a very pretty drawing!" I gasped, holding it up. "I think we got some artwork to put in the Castle halls. What do you all think?" I asked.

Celestia smiled and nodded. "Indeed. Lilly here is quite the artist! I am so glad I got to meet her." She said, standing from the floor. "So, how was your... duties you had to do?"

I sighed and turned to Luna. "Hey, hun? Mind if we talk alone for a minute?" I asked. Luna looked to her older sister, then to me.

"Um, of course." She said as I put Lilly back down. The two of us left Luna's chambers and went to the hallway. Luna was a bit curious as to what I had to say and stared at me expectantly. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms tightly around my chest.

"So, I take it things did not go well?" Luna asked low in case Lilly could hear. I shook my head.

"No. The mare is a druggy and had no remorse for abandoning Lilly. Even went so far as to call the fill a 'money draining bitch'." Luna gasped. "Yeah, I know."

Luna took a deep breath and sighed. "So, she definitely isn't going home. I guess we have no choice but to put her in an orphan-"

"No! No we can't do that..." I said desperately. "Can't... Can't we adopt her?" I asked. Luna's mouth hung open as she mulled over my proposal.

"Nathaniel... I dost not think that is the best course of action..." She sighed. "Can you think of something else for young Lilly?"

I sulked against the wall, looking down at the floor. What could I do for Lilly to keep her here, safe and sound, away from the pain of the real world? Then, I got an idea... An idea that was crazy, but would ensure young Lilly would be in my care for a long time to come.

"Alright, Luna? I think I have an idea." I smiled. Luna stared at me curiously as we reentered the room. Lilly was smiling at me as I went over to her

"Hey, Lilly? I have a question for you." I asked, kneeling down to her level. She smiled wider and hopped up and down.

"Yeah? Whatcha wanna know?" She asked happily. Damn it, this filly melted my heart to no end with her happy-go-lucky attitude.

I smiled and rubbed my chin. "How would you like to be my personal student here, at the castle?" I asked. The little filly's smile spread from ear. Celestia, Luna and Cadence stared at me, shocked.

"R-Really?!" She gasped excitedly. I nodded, giving her the most loving smile I could. Lilly then did something I didn't expect. She tapped her chin in contemplation. "Hmm, I dunno... I might have to check my schedule."

Okay, that was adorable. "Well, I certainly hope the new Princess will agree." I teased. She giggled as I scooped her up. "Please say yes? Please?" I begged. Lilly went back to giggling as she nodded.

"That'd be awesome! Yes!" She beamed, hugging me. I don't know why I had the idea to make her my student. Maybe I was afraid of letting her go, for her and for myself. Maybe I just felt like she deserved so much more in life. And, as her teacher, I'd make sure she'd learn everything she'd have to, because I would give her the knowledge and protection she deserved.

Lilly Blossom was now family.

Author's Note

This chapter didn't exist four hours ago... I just started writing about the Luna after the brutal anal destruction, and I came out with heartbreak. Literally, I just started typing, that's all I do. I type, and whatever comes from my head, goes on the page. And, since this is a self insert story, I feel that I need to express the depths of my mind on the page.
I wanted to add Lilly Blossom as like, the essence that Nathan has lost in his life, and he didn't want the poor filly to go through some of the things he went through in his life. So, he wants to take her in; keep her safe from the horrors of the real world. To me, this was a touching thing and will, hopefully, delve more into his character. But, the next two chapters are the wedding and... the Honeymoon. Oh, god are they just full of such craziness.So, after that, we'll get to know Lilly more as she enters under the apprenticeship of Nathan. :) enjoy this early chapter, since I love you all! <3