She paced. She’d counted out every single hoofstep in this room so many times now while her thoughts tumbled one over another until she wasn’t sure she knew up from down. Should she do it? It would open a great many doors she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready to open. There would be consequences, of that she was sure, but she was ready to face them. The question remained, though, was he?

She was getting ahead of herself. She wasn’t even sure he would be interested in her, it wasn’t like they had spent much time together but what she had seen of him had piqued her curiosity enough for her to make some discrete enquiries. The report from her Night Guard had been a little dry, somewhat lacking in the details she’d been craving, but it painted a clear enough picture. A solid, reliable member of the community, someone who spent a great deal of time listening and watching to the world around him before he offered an opinion, an opinion more often than not expressed in a single word.

A hard worker, seemingly content with his life, but apparently he had been seen gazing upwards at the Ponyville weather team with a somewhat wistful look on his face, as if he dreamed of soaring up above the orchards he tirelessly worked. No ordinary pegasus could hope to offer him that, he was simply too large for any but the strongest to hope of bearing and even then their flight would be laboured and slow. But she could. She could show him the world as only the residents of Cloudsdale saw it, she could…

She stamped a hoof down angrily as she felt that strange fluttering in her breast once more, that tightening deep in her belly when she imagined the feel of his body atop her own. She was no callow filly, flush with the first heat of a new romance. She was, she was… She was lonely. It had been so very, very long since she’d been with anyone.

She made to begin her pacing once more, then paused, lifting a hoof to her mouth as she considered exactly how long she’d been on her own. How long had it been since the last? Before her banishment, before her slip into madness, there had been one and she was grateful he had passed before her descent into the nightmare but other than him? Try as she might, she couldn’t remember.

Oh, there’d been the occasional tryst in those years between lovers, when the urge had been too strong to resist. She would slip out into the night to find herself some willing stallion, influencing his dreams just a little so that when he woke to find her atop him, he would react in the way she desired.

She gave a little grin as pleasant memories briefly distracted her. Funny how tales of her midnight exploits and spread and changed, becoming the legends of the succuponies, demonesses that would seduce stallions in the night. She wondered if Tia realised she was the cause, thought she suspected her somewhat prudish sister would likely not give the matter much thought. Of course, all that nonsense about her rutting her lovers to death was just that - nonsense. She was an alicorn, she didn’t need to feed on semen or on life energy for that matter. Well, she was getting distracted.

She resumed her pacing around the room, occasionally glancing up at the huge glass ceiling to study the slowly shifting night sky above. How long had it been? Ah. Now she remembered him. A unicorn, a particularly talented one at that. What was his name? Swift something or other? That sounded familiar but try as she might, she couldn’t bring his full name to mind. She felt a little twinge of guilt about that, remembering promises made as he lay dying, old and frail, wishing he had but one more day with her.

He would be the same. In time he would grow old, wither and die and she would be left alone until she eventually forgot him as she had the others. Was that reason enough to leave this alone? Would it be easier to remain in solitude and spare herself the inevitable pain she knew waited at the end of this particular story?

She stepped out onto her balcony, turning her gleaming brass telescope towards the lights of Ponyville gleaming on the horizon. There, just on the other side of town, there was Sweet Apple Acres. All sleeping, she could sense the threads of their dreams and it would be so easy to just slip into his, to speak to him, to be with him even if it was only in a dream, fleeting and near-forgotten by waking… But no, she wanted more than that, needed more than that. He deserved better than some brief, illusionary fling and with that, a decision was made.

He did deserve better. He deserved a mare who was willing to court him, to pursue him if needed, who would seduce him. But there were ways to do this, protocols and etiquette to be observed so she would need to begin with the head of the household.

First, she would need to get Applejack’s permission to court her brother. There was, she supposed, little time like the present and it would be a simple matter for her to slip into the mare’s dreams to speak to her before simply arriving on her doorstep. Yes, a conversation in the dreamscape would be the best way to begin this, to make sure that her attentions would not be unwelcome. She had no wish to discomfort the Apple family, not when they were so close to Celestia’s prized student.

Gathering her magic, it was an easy task to step from this world to the other. The castle and city faded away as Luna found herself standing on an open plain with an infinite starry sky spread above her, a gentle wind brushing through her mane and over her body as the dreamscape welcomed her back.

She studied each star in turn, each one linked in turn to the heart and soul of one of the little ponies she protected each night, letting her instincts draw her to the one she desired this night. Ah, there it was. The bearers of the Elements were easiest to find, each glowing subtly brighter than the ones around it, tinged with the colour of their particular Element.

Applejack’s star pulsed a slow, deep apple red as Luna extended a hoof and beckoned it to her with a gentle tug of her magic, “Come, little one. Let us see what brave Applejack dreams this night.”

The star descended, glittering brightly, brushing to her hoof and a heartbeat later she found herself standing amongst the trees of the orchard. A quite ordinary seeming dream, at least so far. She could hear voices somewhere up ahead and so she followed them, glancing quizzically about as she walked.

“…can get the damn bits! Ya just need t’give us more time!”

“Regretfully, Ms Apple, the bank is no longer prepared to extend any further credit to Sweet Apple Acres. If you cannot repay the debt by this time Friday, your farm will be forfeit.”

“Why you no good, two-faced, broke-backed…”

Luna emerged from the trees to find Applejack face to face with the one thing she truly feared – Losing her farm. She was glaring angrily at what could only be described as a large weasel dressed in a business suit, one that was currently giving the fuming earth pony a distinctly supercilious look over the rim of his glasses. So that was how Applejack truly saw her creditors? Well, she supposed she wasn’t really surprised, the bankers were hardly the most popular of ponies, especially not to small farmers like this.

“Please, Ms Apple. There’s no need to resort to name-calling,” the weasel replied. “I’m merely doing my job. I hope to see you at the bank this Friday with the money otherwise our next visit will, regrettably, be a far less pleasant one. Good day.”

He turned and disappeared into the trees, fading into nothingness as the dream moved on and Applejack was left staring helplessly at her farm as a tear trickled down her cheek. Luna winced inwardly, this was hardly the best time to be interrupting a dream but….

“Applejack?” She called. “Might we disturb thee for a moment?”

“Who the-? Princess Luna? What the hay are you doin’ out here? Have ya come t’help me keep mah farm?”

“Not directly, no. This is merely a dream, brave Applejack. You are in no danger of losing Sweet Apple Acres.”

“A… But it feels so real.” She trotted over to knock a hoof against one of the trees, then frowned to herself. “But ah guess the folks from the bank ain’t really giant, snobby weasels are they?” Realization flashed across her face and she sighed in relief, “Damn. For a moment there ah thought… So, if this is a dream, how come you’re here?”

Luna cleared her throat, scuffing a hoof against the ground as she tried to find the right words, her star-filled mane drifting down over her face, “We were hoping to ask thy permission to court thy brother.”

“Say wut? Ah… Don’t think ah heard ya quite right there, Princess?”

“We wish to court thy brother!” She blurted out. “As head of the Apple family household in Ponyville, it is only right that we should seek thy permission afore we make our affections known to McIntosh.”

Applejack stared, unblinking, at the Princess for so long that Luna was starting to wonder if the earth pony had suffered some terrible, catastrophic brain storm and was getting ready to summon aid to Ponyville. Finally, the earth pony spoke again. “But WHY?” Was all she could find to say, “No offence t’mah brother, Princess, but of all the ponies in Equestria that must be fallin’ over themselves t’catch your eye, why Big Mac?”

“Because he loves the night.” Was the simple answer. “That was what first drew us to him. There is much that thou dost not know about thy brother, brave Applejack, much he keeps to himself, revealing only when he is alone in the darkness. That is no detriment to thy character, McIntosh keeps much hidden within himself.”

“But we’re just borin’ ole farm ponies!” Applejack continued to protest, waving a hoof at the illusory farm that sprawled behind her. “What could he have to offer t’royalty? We ain’t got titles or land or money or anythin’. All we got is apples.”

“Do we, that is, do I look like I need titles or money, Applejack?” Luna countered, her voice gentle as she dropped the Royal “we” that so often slipped into her speech when she wasn’t concentrating. “What I seek is a companion. McIntosh has a strong heart, a pure spirit. He is… Still.”

Applejack’s blank look was all the indication the Princess needed that she wasn’t explaining herself very well and she sighed. “Brace thyself, Applejack. I am about to show you that which few ever see.” She raised a foreleg and swept it in an arc. The farm and orchard flickered and vanished, leaving the two mares standing alone on the bare, windswept plane of the dreamscape.

Applejack snorted in surprise, staring down at her hooves, noting the soft, purple grass that tickled at her fetlocks, then lifting her head to gaze in wide-eyed amazement at the starfield above, “What is this place?”

“My realm,” the Princess replied. “This is the dreamscape. From here I am able to watch over the dreams of all our little ponies.” She suddenly smiled and pressed her hoof to Applejack’s cheek, pressing her head round. “Look! Look there, thou’rt most blessed, Applejack. Even fewer ever get to see this.”

“Ah don’t see anythin’ but….” She trailed off as a new golden star suddenly flickered into life just above the horizon, blazing bright and pure, “Ah don’t understand? What is it ah’m lookin’ at here, Princess?”

“Each of these is a pony. Each star is their spirit, their life force if you will. The younger the pony, the brighter the star. That, dear Applejack, is a pony that has just been born. A unicorn colt, born to a small mining town near Appleoosa. His parents have yet to decide on a name for him.” She smiled softly, then turned her attention back to her guest. “This is my refuge from day to day life. This is not something I share with everyone, but it is important to understand why it is that thy brother has caught my eye and stirred my affections. You have been to Canterlot, yes?” She paused and looked back at Applejack, though she already knew what the answer would be. “You know what the ponies there can be like. In the court there are always plans and schemes, the dance of politics never ceases and when you are newly returned from a thousand year banishment after attempting to plunge the world into eternal darkness.” She offered Applejack a wry smile, “Then it can become quite a strain to deal with, especially when you are alone.”

She began to walk slowly through the grass, closing her eyes a moment to just enjoy the feel of it brushing against her legs, spreading her wings a little to enjoy the breeze that brushed over her feathers. “But in this place, I can find peace. Stillness. Your brother is not brash, nor a show off. He is not too diffident, nor over confident. Fools mistake his silence for a lack of intelligence but you and I, we know better. He considers each word before he speaks and only speaks when needed. Your brother would help me find the stillness I crave in the waking world as well as here.” She paused a moment, “There is more, but I feel it perhaps not my place to say. Things I have seen in his dreams, things he has said when he speaks to my night. They will remain just between the two of us but please do not think that I am interested in your brother for my own selfishness. I believe there is much I can offer him in turn.”

Applejack just nodded as she walked silently beside the Princess. “He ain’t seein’ nobody.” She confirmed, “Ah mean there was that whole incident with the love poison, but him and Miss Cheerilee ain’t nothin’ but friends as far as I can tell. He ain’t no coltcuddler neither, so that ain’t gonna be an issue.” She swept her Stetson hat from her head and rubbed at her mane, “Shoot, ah guess ah can’t see any reason why ya shouldn’t at least give it a shot, then it’s up t’him whether or not he wants to see where it goes.”

Luna could barely contain her delight as she swept Applejack up in a hug and squeezed the farmer tightly to her breast, “Oh THANK you, dear Applejack! Thou shalt not regret this! I shall be sure to treat thy brother with the kindness he merits!”

Applejack could only wheeze a quick “You’re welcome,” as she struggled for air in the Princesses exuberant grasp. “So… When you gonna do this?” She finally managed to force the words out once the Princess loosened her grip.

“You will see me soon, Applejack.” Luna promised as she stepped back, “For now, it is time for you to return to your dreaming.”

“Well, uh, have a good night, ah guess. Should ah let Big Mac know that you’re gonna be comin’ callin’ on him?”

“I would appreciate it if thou didst not. Not yet. There are certain preparations I wish to make before I see him.”

“Fair’nough. See ya, Princess!” With that, Applejack faded and was replaced by the glittering red star. With a flick of her horn, Luna sent it back to its proper place with the others and smiled a triumphant little smile.