“What do you mean you couldn’t find anything?”

“I mean I found nothing. Not so much as a library fine or ticket for littering. The Apple family are as squeaky clean as they come. Every business dealing, every financial transaction, every contract, everything is above board. Their attention to detail is quite astonishing, really. Even with the most meticulously kept records there’s usually one or two things you could nitpick, minor paperwork errors that can easily be ignored or overlooked, but here there’s not even that. It wouldn't surprise me if they were using Princess Twilight's Royal Scribe to double-check every document, and even dot their 'i's' and cross their 't's' for them. The latter of which is probably a lesson they learned during my...past dealings with them."

"The 'Royal Scribe'?" Blueblood queried with a raised eyebrow before a look of realisation followed. "Of course. The talking lizard that faux-noblesse 'princess' keeps around as a pet." He sank back into his chair, glaring at the papers arranged before him. “Two weeks you’ve been at this,” he snarled as he swept the papers from his desk with a wave of his hoof, staring at Red Tape while the fruits of his labours fluttered down around his hooves. “Two. Weeks. And you come back to me with nothing.”

“Because there’s nothing to be found, Prince,” Red Tape patiently replied. “If there was, I would have found it. There’s no evidence of any illicit deals, no evidence of favouritism from the royal court. You have no avenue of attack, not this way.”

Blueblood opened his mouth, a hoof raised in protest, then paused. His jaw snapped shut, eyes narrowing as he tilted his head slightly, tapping his hoof on the edge of his desk. This was, he had to concede, not entirely unexpected. Surprising to find them so clean, but it would seem the influence of the Element of Honesty was not something to be taken lightly. “Well then. If we have nothing on them then we have only one option left to us. Make something up."

Red Tape blinked. Twice. "I...What?"

Blueblood gave a small exasperated sigh. His magic wrapped around the mug of coffee sat on his desk, levitating it to his mouth as he took a sip. "Make," he said slowly and condescendingly, pausing between each word as if addressing a child, “something up."

He took another took long sip of coffee before he continued, "We’ll need something scandalous enough to grab ahold of the media's attention, and perhaps even severe enough to have their assets frozen while a thorough investigation and audit is conducted.”

Red Tape's mouth moved soundlessly for a few moments. "But,“ he began, "what good will this do? If the charges are found to be fictional then--”

Blueblood cut him off with another wave of his hoof. "It hardly matters if it’s true or not. It doesn’t even matter if the Apples are eventually cleared. The intensity of the media spotlight during the investigation, the stress it will put on them combined with the loss of business from their customers distancing themselves from the Apple Family,” Blueblood took another sip of his coffee, not even trying to hide the malicious glee infusing every word, “will achieve the same end result. I will, of course, be sure to voice my concern over such allegations of impropriety to my fellows among the Canterlot Elite, who will naturally follow my lead on this. Nopony would want to be seen doing business with anyone with a pall of suspicion hovering overhead.”

Red Tape knew Blueblood’s reputation as little more than a prancing fool, a social gadabout more concerned with the latest styles rather than the ins and outs of the noble court but here in this office, seeing the look in his eyes, hearing the intensity in his voice? Nothing could be further from the truth.

"You see," Blueblood went on derisively, "simple-minded concepts like 'honesty' and ‘fairness’ are for the low born. They cling to these ideals because that is all they have available to them, never once grasping the truth of the world. That those with real status and influence are the ones who truly decide what is fair and what is not, what is true and what is not and that," he finished, "is the proper order of things. That is what we are working to maintain, you and I. This is all for the best, you’ll see.”

At that moment, it all became so clear to Red Tape. What this was REALLY about. This wasn’t just about Luna and Mac, this wasn’t even about Blueblood himself. This was about Canterlot itself. This was about the nobility, and protecting the status quo at any cost, regardless of who that might impact. Somepony like him? He was just a tool. His only value to Blueblood was what he could offer him, what use he could be, and the moment he stopped being of use he’d find himself clapped in irons and in the dungeons before he could blink.

“I...see,” he ventured, mind racing as he considered just what sort of falsehood would stir up enough media attention to disrupt the Apple’s business dealings. Concerns about the future of this particular curious relationship could wait, there was still work to be done. “We could accuse them of offering bribes and taking kickbacks, attempting to leverage their position of fame for personal gain, accuse them of attempting to manipulate the market for their produce to the detriment of other suppliers. It probably wouldn’t be hard to find some traders out there with an axe to grind about the Apple family.”

“And you think that will exert enough pressure on them?” Blueblood sounded unconvinced.

“No, not at first, and not on its own.” Red Tape began pacing back and forth in front of Blueblood’s desk. “But once the media starts paying attention we can leak further rumours to them. Accuse them of, I don’t know, illegal use of magic to enhance their crop, growing of illegal produce…”

“I must admit I’m somewhat surprised.”

Blueblood’s comment interrupted the flow of ideas and Red Tape blinked quizzically. “By what?”

“How quickly you’re taking to the idea of defaming the Apples. Finding legitimate evidence of wrongdoing is one thing, but what we’re proposing now is the deliberate and systematic ruination of honest ponies. I didn’t expect you to jump on board with that idea quite so...willingly.”

“I have...my own issues with the Apple family as you’re well aware,” Red Tape snapped. “But they’re nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just rest assured that seeing them destitute will bring me a certain amount of personal satisfaction.”

“Well, far be it from me to comment on your reasons as long as you get the job done. How long will it take for you to put things in motion?”

“I’ll need time to make some discreet enquiries. I have a list of the main towns and outposts where the Apples do business, I’ll need to speak to the traders there to gauge their feelings and opinions, see if any of them would be willing to make a complaint about the Apples. While I’m doing that it would be useful if you can begin to seed rumours about their business dealings, hints of wrongdoing and so forth that we can build on.”

“Me?” Blueblood snorted quietly. “I think you’ve forgotten who you’re speaking to. I don’t sully my hooves with that kind of thing.”

“And I think you’ve forgotten that this is a joint endeavour, Prince,” he shot back. “I’m not doing all the work here. You have contacts and resources I can’t draw on. A low level bureaucrat isn’t exactly the most well connected of ponies. You’re far better placed than I to leak information to the press or to the nobility.”

Blueblood tapped his hoof on the rim of his cup, a toss of his head sending his perfectly coiffured mane spilling back over his shoulders. “A fair point. It’s good that you understand your limitations. Very well.” His horn glowed as he pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill, scribbling down a few notes. “I will reach out to certain of my contacts in Canterlot to intimate that more scrutiny should be placed on the Apple family’s business interests. It will seem innocuous enough at first to them, merely requests for paperwork, additional checks on inventory and crops that can easily be discounted as a bureaucrat flexing their muscles. We build the pressure on them little by little so that they’re already off-balance and under stress when the first allegations reach the press.”

"And the royals? What’s to stop one of the Princesses from stepping in here?”

Blueblood shrugged disinterestedly. “Celestia is too canny to intervene directly. That one has been playing the game for longer than all the nobility put together so if she truly wanted to she could easily foil any scheme we put in place. But at the same time she always did look at the bigger picture, the long game. I suspect that any willingness to help the Apples will be tempered by her reluctance to open herself up to allegations of favouritism. She knows that can be turned back on her all too easily. Luna, on the other hoof, is little more than a blunt instrument. Almost charmingly naive, she will be easy to mislead and misdirect and any actions she takes to intercede on her coltfriend’s behalf can be quickly turned to our advantage.”

He pursed his lips, leaning back in his chair again as he finished the last of his coffee, setting the cup aside. “Twilight Sparkle is the wildcard in all this. She’s shown remarkable intelligence and determination over the last few years. She is, of course, also close friends with the Apples. That one will need to be watched closely. Her parents still reside in Canterlot… House Sparkle was never a particular well-off house, but they’re far from destitute. Still, there are certain pressures we can apply to them if it becomes necessary to encourage our newest Princess to back off.”

For one brief moment, Red Tape could almost feel the floor growing unsteady beneath his hooves. The more Blueblood spoke, the more he realised he was standing on the edge of a precipice and once he chose to take that final step there was no going back. It was becoming obvious that this was a pony who would sweep aside anything that stood between him and his goal… Was this what he truly wanted? Even as he thought about it he remembered the hidden smile on Fluttershy’s face as she’d brought the bats into his home, the smug look on Applejack’s face when she passed him in the street. The patronising look on the Mayor’s face when he’d taken his complaint to her personally…

“Are you quite alright? I must say the look on your face is positively murderous.”

Red Tape blinked, realising he was gritting his teeth till his jaw ached. He forced himself to loosen up and smile. “Nothing’s the matter. Just working out what needs to be done. If there’s nothing further right now, I’ll get everything moving on this.”

Blueblood waved a dismissive hoof. “I’ll expect an update in two weeks.”

“I’ll have something for you by then,” Red Tape promised as he bowed low to the Prince and trotted out.

“Thank you, Canterlot! You’ve been SEEEENNNNNSATIONAL!”

Sapphire Shores reared on her hind legs, waving at the crowd before she dropped back to all fours and cantered off stage one last time. The house lights came back up and the crowd of ponies began to head for the exits, chattering happily.

“Well, Princess? Whaddid ya think?” Mac smiled as he sat up a little in his chair. A private box was something he’d never dreamed of experiencing, and the royal box had the best view in the entire place.

“Most interesting,” Luna decided after a moment’s thought. “This Sapphire Shores has some truly flamboyant costumes, does she not? I am given to understand they are created by Miss Rarity?”

“Eeeyup.” Mac nodded. “Was the talk of the town for a bit, but now she’s been doin’ it for most of the tour folks have kinda got used t’seeing Sapphire Shores comin’ and goin’ in Ponyville.”

“Some designers in Canterlot and Manehatten were most put out when it became public knowledge that Sapphire Shores had chosen somepony from Ponyville to design for this tour,” Luna noted, finishing the last of her drink and setting the glass aside. “I believe that some of them nearly burst into flames on the spot when the designs were revealed to the public.”

Mac snorted, shaking his head wryly as he leaned over the balcony a little to watch the ponies heading for the exits. “This is still kinda unreal,” he admitted. “Bein’ here. Ah mean, the royal box? Ah’d be lucky t’even afford tah stand outside a place this fancy, let alone bein’ right inside it.”

“You do yourself a disservice, Mac. You have as much right to be here as anypony.” Luna leaned forward to join him, her wing spreading and curving over his back as she nestled herself side to side with him. He shifted his weight to lean in to meet her, eyes closing for a moment as he just rested with her, enjoying the feel of those warm, soft feathers sliding against him. He knew that all the ponies below could see them if they were only to look up, but right now he simply didn’t care.

“Not everypony would agree wi’that,” he pointed out, remembering the looks they’d got as they’d arrived. Oh, the stares, the whispers, the barely veiled antagonism. While this was hardly a highbrow affair, tickets to this particular concert were highly sought-after items and to see him walking past the queue waiting to get inside, bold as brass, well… Some ponies just found that sticking in their craws. “They’ll be talkin’ about us again, ya realise.”

“Hmmm?” Luna murmured, lifting her head. “Ah, you mean the press.”

“Eeeyup. They ain’t exactly fond o’me or mah friends right now. That article did us no favours,” he admitted with a trace of embarrassment. “Ah shouldn’t ha’thrown her off the farm.”

“Scarlet Prose is a bigot,” Luna stated bluntly as she nuzzled Mac consolingly. “Her questions were impertinent, bordering on rude. You had every right to do what you did and we do not think any less of you for it.”

Mac grunted, turning his attention back to the crowd below, trying not to flinch back as flashbulbs popped, opportunist photographers grabbing the chance to get a picture of the two of them together. They’d been stalking him around Ponyville ever since the interview was published. He could still remember the lurid headline - ‘Secrets of the Royal Coltfriend’. Other than the interviews with the folks of Ponyville it was little more than idle gossip and speculation, but it had been enough to get tongues wagging and rumours flying in the gossip columns of some of the other less reputable publications.

Most of the other Canterlot papers had been more moderate, adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach to the whole affair while there had been a handful of others roundly condemning their relationship, criticising Luna for daring to associate with such a low-caste pony as himself. “Ain’t too late t’change yer mind,” he grunted at last. “S'only gonna get worse from this point in.”

Luna frowned and Mac found his head urged round so they could face each other directly. She pressed a hoof to his chest and leaned in, sliding her cheek against his. “It will get worse,” she agreed, “for a while. This we must endure, Mac. In time the novelty will fade, the public will grow accustomed to us and the press will move on to whatever the new scandal of the week is. It pains me to ask this, but you must be strong,” she hesitated, drawing back so she could again see his face. “Unless...you would rather we break this off? The offer always goes two ways, Mac. If this is more than thou’rt wishing to endure, if this will put too much strain on thee and thine, then we can part--”

Mac silenced her with a kiss, gentle and sweet, smiling softly against her lips. “Nnnope,” he assured her once their lips parted. “No, Luna. That ain’t what ah want at all. This is still...some days ah still think ah’m gonna wake up in mah bed back at the farm an’find this was all just some crazy dream brought on by too much cider or somethin’. Till then? Ah’m gonna enjoy every moment. Let the press say what they like, ah ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Luna smiled and nodded, snuggling in a little closer to his broad flank as they returned to watching the last of the ponies vanishing beneath them, the theater falling quiet.

Mac sighed reluctantly, turning his head a little to nuzzle along the side of her neck. “Thank ya for this. It’s been a lovely evening, it really has. Ah ain’t been in Canterlot in a long time, not since ah was a foal, really.”

“Ah, but the night isn’t over just yet, Mac.” Luna hesitated before going on, glancing away shyly. “We...were wondering if you would care to accompany us back to our chambers. To spend the night.”

Mac smiled slowly, not able to keep from teasing, just a little. “T’sleep?”

“To sleep, yes...eventually,” she replied with a brush of her wing down over his haunches. “We wish this. We wish to share ourselves with thee in the waking world as well as the dream. Thou dost not need to agree. If thou wouldst rather we wait until-mmph!”

Mac silenced the rambling alicorn with another kiss, his hooves lightly cupping Luna’s muzzle as she leaned in towards him. He leant back, drawing her down till they slid from their chairs to the floor of the private booth. She lay atop him, straddling him as their tongues met and twisted together, breath coming in increasingly hot and urgent little gasps and moans as the kiss drew out. She shivered, her hindquarters shifting, tail dancing upwards until she was forced to drag her mouth from his with a shuddering cry. “Mac…”

"That enough o’an answer for ya, Luna?” He whispered.

“My room. Now.” And the world disappeared in a flash of blue light.

They reappeared a heartbeat later in Luna’s bedroom, Mac staggering in surprise from the unexpected teleport. “Urp… Damn, Luna. Ah think ah left some o’that fancy champagne back at the theater.” He blinked as he didn’t get a reply, looking blearily around the darkened room. “Luna?”

“One moment, Mac,” her voice sounded from an adjoining room. “We are…freshening up. Make thyself comfortable.”

He grunted as he slowly looked around the room. Large, circular, the roof a window that allowed a near perfect view of the night sky above. There was not a great deal in the way of decoration or furniture. The stone floor was covered with heavy rugs leading up to a large, plush bed big enough for the two of them with room to spare. Double doors lead out to the balcony and that was where he slowly stepped out, gazing down over the castle and the city beyond.

“Well now, lookee here.”

Mac blinked at an unexpected voice, craning his head up and back to come near snout to snout with one of the Night Guard. The grey-haired mare was perched on the rooftop above like a gargoyle, a broad toothy grin on her muzzle as she looked him over, sizing him up.

“Aren’t you just a dish?” She all but purred, her voice low and sultry. Her smile got a little wider, tongue sliding lazily over her lips. “I can see why the Mistress fell for you. Oh MY yes. You know, if things between you and Mistress don’t work out, handsome, I bet there’s any number of my sisters who would be more than willing to warm your bed or anything else you might have in mind.”

“I...er...that is…Ah mean that’s a right generous offer Miss, uh?”

“Belfry, handsome. Shady Belfry. You can just call me Shady.” She slunk along the rooftop towards him, her leathery wings twitching. “MmmHMMM. You can ring my bells any day.”

“Shady. That’s quite enough.” Luna’s voice was gentle and amused. “Stop teasing the poor stallion.”

Shady sighed melodramatically, clasping the back of one hoof to her forehead. “Ah, unrequited lust. Well, just keep me in mind for your herd, right handsome?” She winked at Mac, saluted Luna and promptly vanished into the night, mischievous giggling following her all the way.

Mac snorted softly, shaking his head as he watched her go. “Yer guards sure ain’t what ah expected, Luna.” He turned to face her at last and his jaw promptly went slack, his eyes wide. “Holy cow…”

“Hardly holy, Mac,” she purred. "But you can feel free to worship me if you like."

The Princess of the Night was leaning casually against the doorframe, her wings half-spread. She had shed the crown, torc and horseshoes she usually wore and was now clad in little more than white silk stockings that clung to her legs, accentuating every curve, and what appeared to be a pair of frilly panties that most definitely did little to hide anything beneath her tail; the smooth fabric hugged so tightly against her nethers that every contour was perfectly outlined. Suddenly, Mac began to understand just why some folks found clothes so much of a turn on.

Mac swallowed hard, his mouth and throat suddenly so very, very dry, a rush of blood towards his hindquarters leaving him shifting shyly in place. “Did it suddenly get hot in here or is it just you? Er, me. Er… Ah… Wow.”

Luna giggled as she slipped out onto the balcony to join him. She didn’t say a word, she simply paced slowly in front of him then turned and headed back inside, her tail flicking up to brush against his chin. Mac didn’t need telling twice. Near falling over his own hooves, he followed Luna inside, the doors closing behind them.

Author's Notes:

And that's it, folks.

End of part one. Holy crap. I started writing this in August last year as just a cute little thing where Luna asks Mac out. Not once did I expect it to turn into a 100,000 word plus story! I'm going to be taking a little break for a while now. I've been spending soooo much time working on this that I need a breather.

I'm going to get part two plotted out, get some chapters written before I start posting again rather than posting them as they're completed as they have been. The current working title for the next part will be "Dreams of Falling" and I'm going to TENTATIVELY schedule it to begin at the start of August. That gives me a couple of weeks off to catch up with some of the books I've got waiting to be read, then get started with the plotting/writing!

I've also got a couple of one-shots in mind that I'd like to fit in as well, so we'll see how things go.