Moonstone – Chapter 13 “Wedding Bells and Broken Spells” - Part 2

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”Fleur,” The whisper could just as easily have come from somepony else in their little group. But just then, they were listening to Rarity bubble on about some dress or another she was making. Everypony was listening to her, none of them were paying attention to Fleur. She turned her head about, but saw no eyes searching her out. ”It’s me. Luna.”

’Oh goodness,’ Fleur stifled a groan as she realized Luna was speaking to her with magic.

”Something’s wrong. I need you to come to my room immediately.”

Fleur froze. There was a sense of urgency in Luna’s magical voice, something that made her eyes go wide and her heart thunder against her ribcage. She glanced around at the small gathering of ponies, wondering if Luna was speaking to any of them or if it was just her.

’What do I do? What’s going on? Should I go, or should I stay? No… Being closer to Luna would be the safest thing to do.’ Suddenly, the dome of magic above them didn’t seem so safe anymore. She swallowed her apprehension and leaned in to Gemstone.

“I need to use the mare’s room… I’ll see you at the ceremony?” She got nothing more than a glance from Gemstone, who smiled and nodded before turning her attention back to Rarity, who was busy explaining the intricacies of embroidery. Fleur slipped away all but unnoticed and was able to nonchalantly trot back to the castle.

Once inside, she surreptitiously slipped past all of the designers and guards, nodding wordlessly to the one stationed by the service entrance she usually used. She had become intimately familiar with the path to Luna’s room over the past several months, and while there was more traffic in the halls today than there had been previously, nopony questioned her presence among the caterers, wait staff, and gardeners bustling about.

She arrived at Luna’s room promptly, and the door swung open before she could knock. Fleur froze at what she saw. Luna stood surrounded by her elite guard - intimidating ponies that, long ago, had been a herald for Nightmare Moon’s arrival. Now, they were Luna’s personal bodyguards, and were involved in shadowy matters of national security. Luna looked up from an intense conversation with what she guessed was the guard, and a wave of relief passed over her features before her expression became stone once more.

“Check her.” She said gruffly. Fleur gasped as two of the guards swept up to her, their horns glowing already. Before she could protest, their magic gripped her firmly, lifting her off of her hooves. She felt a field of energy shiver over her entire body, probing, seeking out every nuance of her form.

“H-hey!” She gasped, writhing against the iron grip of the ponies’ magic. “Let me go! Luna! What’s the meaning of this?!”

“She’s clear; she’s the original.” One of the unicorns set her down and shut the door behind her, standing with his back to it protectively. Luna’s face changed once more as she beckoned Fleur closer.

“You mind telling me why your bodyguards are frisking me?!” Fleur spat as she crossed the floor, feeling rather violated all of a sudden. Luna gave her a look that commanded silence, but implied that an explanation would be forthcoming. She didn't want for a response before turning back to her guards, speaking quickly and quietly.

“Protection is our main priority. If they seem like they’re just capturing, let them be. Search instead for any of them intent on causing harm. They are to be stopped first - by any means necessary.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“Good. You have your orders. Two of you, in here. Two of you down the lift with me. Fleur, come now.”

“O-okay…” Fleur had barely begun to move when she was shepherded up against Luna’s side, the two of them winged by burly-looking guards, both of them with spears. Fleur gave a soft whimper and clung to Luna, suddenly feeling very much out-of-place. Most of the other guards – there were easily twenty of them – filed out of the door she had been ushered in just a moment ago. Two remained behind, flanking those doors, while the two escorting Luna and herself made for the lift going into the basement.

“Luna…?” Fleur asked quietly, whispering in fear of the two guards escorting them. “What’s happening?”

“Shh,” Luna urged, sparing her a quick glance. “I’ll explain in a moment.” The lift descended into darkness, the candles that normally lit the shaft having been snuffed out. Even the warm wood-paneled hallway was rather intimidating at that particular moment. The guards led them out, glancing furtively around the hall before nodding to Luna.

“You two remain here. I will barricade us inside one of the rooms. To protect ourselves, we won’t tell you which.”

“Yes, princess!” The two guards saluted crisply before turning to face the lift. Luna ushered Fleur down the hall, half-trotting, half-walking. Fleur swallowed her apprehension and pressed closer to Luna. The whole ordeal, from the sudden shift of chatting with socialites to being frisked by bodyguards, had her feeling very nervous and uncomfortable. Only once Luna turned a corner and picked a door at random for them to enter did Fleur speak again.

“What’s going on?”

“Something bad,” Luna frowned as she focused on the closed door behind them. Her horn began to glow, sending a dense hum through the room. Fleur shuddered as she backed away from the powerful display of magic. The door seemed to waver in the air, like a very hot gust of superheated air was passing over it. Then it began to darken until the whole thing was as black as a starless night.

“Luna…?” Fleur stepped away with a frown on her lips.

“Allow me to explain,” Luna finished casting the shield spell before turning to face Fleur, who instantly recognized the look of relief on Luna's face.

'Was this all just for me? The guards scanning me, putting four of them between me and the rest of the world, locking me away behind a dense field of princess magic?'

A spark flashed in her mind as she put the pieces together. 'She's not just concerned about my safety... She's protecting me, and me alone.'

“I witnessed something just a few minutes ago. Something that made all of our efforts thus far futile.”

“Wh… What happened?” Fleur whimpered. Luna looked at her seriously, her face both intimidating and concerned. Fleur suddenly found it hard to swallow, or breathe.

“Cadance is a changeling, and Twilight Sparkle is missing.”

It took Fleur a minute to process that information. She blinked several times, trying hard to reconcile her thoughts. Nevermind that Luna had pulled her into one of the bedrooms they had utilized in a previous session, or that she was wearing skimpy panties, or that the neckline of the dress could very easily be argued to be a collar.

Luna had just exposed something very worrisome to Fleur, and had taken a rather peculiar course of action in response. Fleur found her heart beating faster.

’If Cadance is a… Whatever a ‘changeling’ is, and Twilight’s gone missing… I… I don’t know why Luna would possibly bring me here, or shield us in. I mean, I know she’s protecting me, but couldn’t she have sent me somewhere else with a guard or two? Couldn’t she have shielded me in alone and left to go handle the threat? Why does she feel the need to be here with me? Locked in with me?

… Does she care for me that much?’

“Luna, I… I don’t know how to react to this.” Fleur admitted, blushing as her heart tried its hardest to escape her chest. “You drag me away from the wedding, shield us in here, post guards… I… I don’t understand… Why? Why all the protection? Why are you here with me? Shouldn’t you be out handling this? What even is a changeling, I don’t-“

“Fleur,” Luna’s soft voice cut her off as effectively as a door slamming shut in her face. “I’ve brought you here and kept you with me for my own reasons. What those reasons are don’t need to be said. Just know that I care enough about your protection to see to it personally. My guards and Celestia can handle one changeling inside Canterlot.”

“If it’s just one changeling,” Fleur questioned her immediately. “Then why all this protection? It’s just one, and you know where it is. Can’t you just… I don’t know… Stop Cadance? Get that changeling to tell us where the others are-“

Fleur was cut off with a soft ‘eep’ as the floor shook. Dust sifted down from the ceiling, as the reverberating sound of whatever had caused the shake reached their ears. It sounded like breaking glass; a very large pane of breaking glass.

Large enough to cover a city.

Fleur found herself tucked up against Luna, the princess’ legs and wings wrapped tight around her. Fleur could tell immediately that Luna was crying - she could feel each heave of Luna's chest as she sobbed, tears falling into her mane as if another star had thrown itself from the heavens. Fleur cried too, though she wasn’t entirely certain why.

’Luna’s hugging me so tight. I… I don’t know what to think of all this. The kiss a few sessions ago, now this… She’s here protecting me when she ought to be out there protecting everypony against whatever this 'Changeling' thing is. She should be out there investigating whatever made that horrible sound just now… Instead, she’s here, and she’s crying, and I…’

“Luna,” Fleur pushed away from the princess’ embrace, frowning up at her intensely. Luna looked down at her, her tear-stained eyes welling with unshed fears. Fleur stared into those magnificent orbs for a few long moments before speaking quietly.

“I think it’s about time you tell me why we’re down here.”

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Fleur emerged to the sound of joyous cheering. She managed a quick smile at Luna before the Princess vanished from her side. She watched her dom wing off into the sky, landing somewhere else on the castle grounds. Fleur slunk away slowly, her lips curled into a permanent smile. Her heart continued to beat against her chest, and she greeted everypony who came up to her with a grin.

The reception appeared to be in full swing. Somewhere off in the budding night, she heard the strains of upbeat music rising up. Ponies all over began dancing and cheering, and Fleur felt herself swept up in the emotion. Both her own and those of the ponies all around her.

’Love is in bloom!’ The music shouted, making Fleur shake and laugh with the beat. ’A beautiful bride, a handsome groom! Two hearts, becoming one!’ Fleur laughed to the night sky at the irony,

At Luna’s last words to her.

”I’ve brought you here because I can’t stand the thought of losing you, Fleur. Because you being hurt scares me more than anything…

“Because I love you, Fleur.”