Chapter forty two

Pinkie goes to a storage pantry being manned by a few guards as they help to pass out supplies to the various parts of the castle. Rarity uses her magic, along with the unicorn guards there, to bring down a hefty sack of mortar and tile to rebuild a few parts and get things to at least some degree of normal. Loading what they can on the various ponies that come to help along the process, the pink sugar high mare places a few jugs of water on her back while Rarity takes some of the building supplies.

Now taking to the halls to bring them where needed. Walking in to a rather clustered room from the others working in there, the two recognize quite a few working in this space. Discord and Luna use their individual magic to place up a set of bricks to the wall as they start the patch work, all the while Rainbow and Apple jack use their own strength to put mortar on point and set them.

“Excellent work all of you…” Rarity says to them as they put down the very materials they need, “the castle is already starting to look like its old self again, other than the few spots here and there.”

“That it does, Ms. Rarity…” Luna backs her opinion as she looks around after wiping her brow of sweat clean, “thankfully we got to this early and Chrysalis didn’t have a lot of troops, otherwise we’d still be here for days longer.”

“That much I can agree to…” Discord twists his back around and feels the crack clearly through his skin of every possible joint to pop, “…ugh… I’m getting to old for this.”

“The millennia’s getting to you there?” Luna pesters him.

“Oh shut it,” he answers, “or do you feel like taking another vacation to the moon.”

“You don’t have that power on you,” she calls his bluff.

“You’re right… but then again, with a snap of my fingers I can put you anywhere in the world, or off it, I want,” Discord’s eyes narrow down to her, “I hear Pluto is rather nice this time of year.” He rests his case as Luna just flops down on the ground and plays dead.

Applejack uses her hat to start fanning herself, thankful that Pinkie brings the jug over to her friend so she can get a drink in as they pass it around the room to the various ponies there. Rainbow rests next to her as she starts to rub her wings at the moment, feeling the tension in them from the hard day’s work.

“How much more is left to go now?” the blue Pegasus asks.

“Well judging by the work we’re doing and the others doing the same,” Luna springs back to like before she looks through the window and can even see the other parties working together below to see this through, “there are a few more rooms to take care of,” she answers as the moon princess takes a sip of water. The door to them slowly creeks open as a royal guard comes in and steps up to both the prince and princess of the castle.

Bowing his head at the regal pair, he raises it before speaking, “your majesties… She has been asking for the prince to come to her side.”

Both of them look at each other, knowing full well who he is talking about while the others remain out of the loop for the time being. “She’s awake?” Discord asks the obvious, getting a nod from the guard in response. Sinking down to the ground, the prince of chaos’s face hits the floor as he thinks, “I have to get this done… at least give her and the others of Canterlot some stability, in seeing their castle in one piece again,” he says to no particular pony, soon feeling a gentle hoof rest on his shoulder.

Dissy looks up and sees his sister in law standing there, with a slight smile on her face, “Don’t worry… I’ll go see her.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course… I’m sure she’ll understand,” Luna nods to him, giving him a gentle hug in response.

Although he may have a past that rivals her own. The two in laws have grown to live and love one another over time. Even if at times they are at the others throat more often than not, but let’s face it, it’s just the way they work best around one another. Then again there isn’t much that Luna can say to him, seeing as he is now married to her sister.

No matter though, Luna is happy to help him when she can. The princess of the night starts to walk out of the room. Leaving them for now to take care of business while she attends to other matters, soon being followed by both Rarity and Pinkie Pie close behind her as they catch up to her side.

“You mean that Celestia is awake now?” Rarity starts to bite her lip.

“No… sadly not. She still won’t be up till the morning most likely…” Luna feels the corners of her mouth start to slip down to the side, “this is the other princess…” she answers as they walk down the hallway.

Now both mares watch the princess before them force on a smile to her loving face when they enter a new pathway and see a single room before them. Two guards stand by either side of the door and at the ready in defense of whoever is behind it, as they have both sword pulled tight along them and armor held firm.

“Princess Luna,” one guard stands at a salute, “She is waiting inside …” only getting a nod in response from the princess with a smile on her face that, at least to him, it’s obvious that she painted it on herself.

Opening the door for the mares as they walk inside, the two youngest realize who this room actually belongs to. A few toys scattered about all over the ground, youth books on the shelf along with a several that would fill the mind of a young filly with information and expand their brain. Two beds make up the room, one with a moon decorated above the headboard as the frame has a darkened blue color to it. The second having the opposite setting, a bright yellow and orange sun in place of the moon while a radiant pure white makes up the frame.

Though in this case, the former remains empty below its moon, except for the couple of stuffed animals that rest neatly under the covers. The only one that has a pony in it, is the opposite across the room… as Rosebud remains in her bed, cuddled up in her blanket. With a white alicorn plushy, sporting a red mane and tail, and an inkwell and quill as a cutie mark.

It had been the direct orders to the guards standing by the door, straight from both Luna and Discord themselves, that the young princess is not to leave the room and be kept there till the matters about are taken care of for at least the first day. Being cooped up in the room can make a little filly restless, so she remains there in her bed after trying for hours to go to sleep, and wait for the day to pass.

Eyes half cracked open, she turns her little head to see the three coming in, “Auntie Luna!” Rose beams at the sight of the mare of the night, as she sees the others and gets up on her bed. Leaping in to the princess’s fore hooves, Luna embraces the tike warmly, something that she is proud to say she looked forward to after a long day of cleaning up.

“Ohhh Rosebud… it’s great to see you,” she pulls her head back and kisses Rose on the top of her head.

“It’s great to see you to Luna,” she squeezes her tightly as she looks over her shoulder, “Hi Rarity, hey Pinkie pie!”

“Awe good evening, little princess,” Pinkie bounces up and down, bringing another smile to her face. Though as she looks about the room more, the youngest starts to frown as she comes to realize something.

“Where’s… where’s daddy?”

The question causes both Rarity and Pinkie to look at Luna, seeing how she’ll respond as the lunar princess bites her lower lip, “Ahh…” she stumbles “Daddy has to take care of a few things right now. He’s sorry that he couldn’t be here though, and asked if I could come see you.”

The obvious disappointment on her face is seen clearly to them as she starts to pout, and soon forces a smile on her face just like her aunt has done, “I understand… is…is mommy okay?” she asks.

“Mommy is…” Luna has a tear built up in her eye as he tries to hold it in, careful not to show her niece what is really going on in her head, “… she’s doing okay Rose. Though she is still resting right now, and will be till the morning likely.”

“When she wakes up, can we go see her?”

“Why yes, of course…” Luna answers, not sure if she can keep her word to the youth mare. Though after seeing the new life breathed in to Rose, she can’t say no either to her, “I’ll even take you over there in the morning,” she nuzzles the end of her muzzle with her own.

“Thank you, auntie,” She beams, giving her relative a quick hug once again. “When will Havoc be back? I haven’t seen him all day.”

The question causes the two of the mane six in there to almost drop their jaws to the floor. They look to the princess once again, puzzled at what is going on exactly for a moment while Luna stumbles about not sure what to do or how to answer that for a second or two.

“Well…ahh… your brother is still…” the dark blue mare tries to answer, but now even words fail her. After all, how can you tell a child that they will never see their brother again? That Havoc was killed in the same room that Rose had hid in? The questions in her own mind stop the moment Luna feels a white hoof tap her shoulder, looking over it, she sees the kind smile of the fashionista there.

Rarity sits down next to the bed as she looks at the filly, “your brother is about the castle. The restless prince wandered around before you were asked to stay in here, and will be back later…” the beautiful mare bites her own lip as he looks over to the aunt at her poor excuse, though it’s not like Luna is complaining. She couldn’t think of a better explanation to begin with, so long as it gets Rose to sleep, that’s all that matters at this point.

“That’s right…” Luna awkwardly backs her up, “he will be tired soon enough and will be in here to rest as well. Which come to think of it is something you should probably be doing too,” she tucks her niece in to bed, bringing a blanket over her and putting the alicorn plush back in her little fore hooves to keep her company. Though it’s still apparent the sadness in the young princess’s face, “Tell you what…” she leans in to her niece to try and give her some incentive “…I’ll go see your father, and get him to come in later before he himself heads to bed. I don’t know when that will be, after all you know how he is,” Luna watches her giggle in response, “though I’m sure if you get to sleep now then he’ll make sure to still come in and see you.”

Even the mere mention of her father coming to see her is enough to light up Rosebud’s eyes, “Okay Lulu!” she hugs her aunt one last time and kisses her neck.

Luna watches the small eye lids slowly start to fall as Rose fights the urge to sleep, kissing her atop the head once more for the night while the other two start to back pedal out of the room. “Good night, sweet pea… I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night…” Rose starts to yawn as she pulls the plush in closer, “Auntie…”

In no time at all the young princess is out like a light, while Luna watches her sleep and turns the lights out in the room for her. Holding the door for the other two mares, Luna closes it then and looks at the two guards, “Princess Rosebud is finally sleeping now, and I doubt after a day like today, she’ll wake up in the night.”

“Understood, your majesty,” the same one that greeted her salutes, “What of the prince? Will he be coming tonight?”

“Oh he very well better be…” she answers as Luna leaves them now to watch over the young princess in her wake, while she goes down the hall with the other two mares by her side. It’s rather obvious at this point that there is a question on Pinkies mind, mostly because the Pink mare isn’t bouncing up and down and has the look of one deep in thought plastered all over her face. “Yes Pinkie?” Luna finally asks, “What is it?”

“Just trying to think… you didn’t tell Rosebud what happened?”

Luna starts to cringe at even the thought, “I couldn’t bring myself to do that right now, heck even Discord couldn’t… after seeing her mother in her state, learning of her brother’s fate is something that would tear apart Rose… if not tear me or Discord apart,” she wipes a tear away at the memory of finding her nephew stuck on to the wall of the parents room, still fresh in her mind.

Luna has lost others in the past, after all over the years she has worked with many ponies… considering that both she and her sister are well over a thousand years old. But that is nothing like this at the moment, losing one of her own family members. Now even with Rosebud sleeping in bliss about what has truly happened, Discord still picking up the pieces as best he can, and her own sister still knocked out from drugs after the surgery. They are the closest thing she has to a significant other. Luna never really got out a lot and met other colts, after all, being in the moon for a thousand years doesn’t help the dating game much. Because of this, she has gotten ever closer to her sister, and even closer to that of her brother in law, and her niece and nephew… which only makes it even more hurtful when it hits so close to home.

A few tears make their way silently down her soft, almost velvet like, cheek as Luna whisks them way with the flick of her wing, “Though for now it’s getting late… and thankfully we have made a huge dent just today.”

“That’s the truth…” Rarity says softly as she catches the waterworks on the princess’s face and walks in step with her a little closer to give some comfort as Pinkie soon does the same thing, watching the warm whole hearted smile on the princess’s face, “…and we’ll be here so long as you need us to be… for any reason.”

“Thank you, all of you,” Luna puts a wing around them both as they walk, “I will see to it that a meal is prepared for us all, it should be ready within the hour though. Please spread the word to the others so we can all get a good supper in before bed…” she finishes off as both mares nod to her and head off down the hall.

Princess Luna is right after all, it has been a very long day after the events, and the best thing for them to do at the moment is get a meal in their system before hitting the hay for the night.

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Although they are more than used to putting together full-fledged feasts, and far more than competent to feed an entire army. Getting the task of having to make a meal for an entire workforce in the castle as soon as possible can make any chief quiver. Though that said, the Canterlot cooks have performed admirably in that respect none the less. Breaking out the storage pantries and firing up every oven and stove top available to them, they have more than out done themselves now. Getting a full meal to go in just an hour exactly on the dot from start, to getting hot plates out to those who need it.

Chopped salad with variety vegetables tossed in, warm noodle and vegie soup, fresh nut bread put off to the side, and to top it off barrels of cider and other juices have been tapped to wash it all down. It may not be as elegant as some of the meals that have been made in the castle’s past. For now though, it will fill the stomachs of those who have worked tirelessly, and even those who have seen better days.

There is no real designated dining area in this case, seeing as many ponies are scattered all about the castle. Some decide to eat their fill in the hallway as they find a quiet corner to huddle up in, others even bask under the calm night and the stars. The gang has held themselves up in the court yard for now. The night princess herself fulfilling her promise and made sure that every guard had gotten something to eat before her own self, Discord even doing his part of passing out the food. Now leaning her head back against the cool stone wall against her, Luna almost doesn’t even want to eat at the moment, and just take a quick nap. Though that effort is thwarted when she finds a spoon of soup levitating in front of her without any magic seeming to be holding it in an aura.

Looking over to her side, she sees the chaotic brother in law sitting there with a smirk on his face, “does thine self say I should partake in the intake of sustenance?” Luna asks him the obvious.

“Haven’t heard you use that type of talk for what feels like ages now…” he rolls his eyes at the princess before following it up, “and to answer your question. No I was about to shove it up your nose.”

“Sarcasm duly noted, unrested one…” she takes the spoon with her own magic and sips down the still hot food, rather welcoming the burn to the back of her throat, seeing as it has been the first real thing to pass her lips today. Gladly taking another spoon full and soon after that another, while the others all go about their own selves eating and carrying on.

Twilight has managed to scrub off the remaining blood from the previous patient, while afterwards her and Fluttershy cleaned up soon and came down here to eat after having their hooves elbow deep in blood, guts, and broken bones all day (sometimes more literally than figuratively). Rarity and Pinkie gladly spread the word of the food to come to their need and even made their way to the kitchen to help in the matter itself after seeing to it that every pony knew.

Rarity can hold her own in the kitchen, after having cooked for her younger sister many a times. As for Pinkie Pie, she works in Sugar Cube Corner… nuff said on that matter. Spike and Flash were more than happy to get the word on supper and cleaned up as best they could for the occasion as they scrubbed off the dirt, grime, and dried blood from handling bodies all day. Though some of it came off better than other bits. Rainbow and Applejack have already downed their third bowl of soup at this time, something that is more than welcome right now seeing as the cooks have managed to make so much of it to start with.

All of them, even other ponies that have come out to join, lay about in the yard propped against whatever they can to make themselves comfortable. Some against bushes, some leaned against the wall, even others against each other. Twi meanwhile is having a hard time looking at her guard with a straight face while he has blood still on his coat, “…If it makes you feel any better, none of it is mine,” Flash answers as he watches the look on her face carefully.

“Actually that doesn’t help the matter, though you could have washed up before now,” she snickers at him while finishing her bread.

“Oh trust me I tried…”

“It’s true,” Spike calls over to answer and backup for him, as the dragon turns his attention to his own unicorn, “we both tried out best to get this off of us… though something’s are easier than others.”

“Well…” Twilight leans down in to Flash’s ear, “we’ll just have to see if we can get it off later on tonight,” she whispers while catching his ears perk in response as they both start to turn a mild shade of red in the face, not even hearing a similar comment from a unicorn to a dragon. However, at the moment, that conversation is cut short by Luna and Discord getting their attention as she puts something out to them.

“I have to thank every single one of you for doing your part in this recovery from what’s happened…” Luna says softly but still gets their attention. The sorrow in her voice still there, while at the same time the gratitude that she has showing more than ever to them in her words, and even that of Discord’s a he himself picks up for her.

“We have the power in numbers to do what we can, but to have you all here helping by our side is more than I, or my sister in law,” he nudges Luna, “can ever thank you for.”

“Well ya couldn’t have expected us to go back to Pony Ville and leave y’all here hangin?” the resident country gal explains to the princess as she gladly pounds back another bowl, and even a glass of cider.

“We are always here to help when the time comes,” Fluttershy nods to her and the prince as the others follow suit soon after towards the night princess.

A small tear wells itself up in Luna’s eye at their grace when it comes to helping in the time of need, for not only Canterlot, but her family itself. “I cannot expect you all to go home after something like today…” she stands up, gesturing over a pony from the corner of the court yard. The young mare that trots over at the princess’s command, is clearly a maid to the castle, judging by the outfit she wears. On top of that being in care of the rooms themselves. “I require several rooms to be made ready for the guests, after a day like this, there is no way they should be urged to go home, when they are more than welcome here.”

“Understood, your majesty” she bows respectfully, “how many rooms should be prepared?”

Luna looks back at the group, doing a mental count in her head. ‘Let’s see… Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie pie, Fluttershy, Spike, Flash and Twilight…’, “Eight rooms…” she looks back at the last two ponies listed there in her head. “Err… actually make that seven…” Luna remarks to the maid before she heads off to see to it that it’s fulfilled. Now even Twi and Flash look at one another in a deep crimson, before the princess takes notice, “What? I was never properly informed of your current…ahh…”

“Relationship…” Applejack mumbles out under her breath, finishing the sentence. While getting giggle out of the others, as the Twilight just buries her face in Flash’s neck as he starts to chuckle.

“Precisely,” Luna nods to them as she sits back down, and winks at the couple, “Celestia should be awake in the morning and I know that you all would probably like to see her… though I don’t know how her state will be after finding out the operation and the news of her son completely sinks in…” she lowers her head slightly for a moment, feeling those words hit her even more, “No matter though, Rose is sure to want to see her as well…” she scratches the back of her head, getting a slight nod from both Rarity and Pinkie as they know what was said to the young princess.

“Speaking of Rosebud…” Fluttershy speaks up about the absence of the young foal, “where is she? I haven’t seen her sense we first saw Princess Celestia, is she alright?”

“I managed to get her to bed… with a little help,” Luna smiles lightly at both Pinkie and Rarity, “I don’t think she’ll be awake right now, but I’ll see to it that some food is brought up for her if she wakes up and is hungry.”

“Neither of us wanted her walking about the castle while the brunt of the clean-up was being done, so she has been in her room all day,” Discord tacks on to her sentence without missing a beat, all the while cleaning off his plate, “Though thank you for seeing her when I couldn’t,” he remarks to his royal cohort.

“We’re a family Dissy…” the Alicorn playfully snickers at him, “It’s what I’m here for after all,” she finishes up her own meal, followed by the others just in time for another maid to head towards them. The glance that she gives Discord is enough to tell him that all has been taken care of for the guests, as the rooms are prepared, in what seems like record time.

“Well it seems to be about that time now…” he cracks his back, and fingers, and neck. Wiggling his whole body as they all pick themselves up, “… get some sleep, Tia knows you’ve all more than deserved it.”

They all thank the pair for their hospitality and go to the castle to get some much needed shut eye, or in the case of a particular Pegasus and Dragon, to wash up, again. Discord takes care of their plates in the quick snap of a finger as he even starts to head off to the sack. Laying vacant for now, as his wife remains in the med bay. Though he is stopped when a magical aura grabs ahold of the end of his tail and drags him back in to the court yard, but this time to a more private spot behind a set of bushes.

Turing around to see Luna standing there in front of him, as she starts to look around to make sure the gang has left out of hearing distance. The mare turns back to the chaos spirit, “I need to talk to you…”

“You don’t say…”

“Discord, for once can you take me seriously?!” she hushes her breath while still conveying the concern in her voice, watching the in law lower himself a bit and calm down.

“Okay…” Discord puts up his fore limbs in defense, “What is it Luna?”

“It involves Rosebud…”

“What? I thought you said she was asleep?”

“Well not exactly…” Luna starts to regret what she said to her niece about her father coming up to the room to see him. At the same time, she knows that Rose wouldn’t have stayed there any other way, “she should be after all… but I may have told her that I would get you to come see her… before you go to bed.”

He watches the look on her face fall like a foal that just got caught by a parent, “You didn’t…”

“I did… though you really need to go see her,” Luna tries to rationalize what she did, after all he is her father, “besides you are going to bed now anyway? Go in there, see your daughter, and let her be loved.”

“I know, I know, I know,” Discord hushes her with a raised eagle claw.

“You aren’t mad that I told her that? Are you?”

“No, of course not,” he corrects her misjudgment on his reaction, “just would have liked to have a little notice before, heck I could be the one to bring some supper to her before she’s completely out.”

“Good plan…” Luna nods at his comeback, almost not even wanting to bring up the next subject with him. Never the less though, it’s something that needs to be talked about, “now what about the news of Havoc?” she stops to gauge his reaction.

In reality he is doing the same thing to her at the moment, and even looks a little closer to her as he picks up the subtle twitches in her face, “you made it worse, didn’t you?” he asks bluntly.

“What? No! Of course not, it’s just something…” she starts to trail off as he folds his arms and gives her the simplest look of ‘you’re so full of shit’ plastered on his face, “Oh… alright… but it was only to get her to try and get some sleep.”

“Ugh… what did you tell her?” he face palms himself.

“Well technically it was by me and Rarity, but only that he would be in later…”

“…Luna-a-a-a,” he trails off, almost scratching the temples of his head with the claws.

“What?!” she tries to back herself up, “something had to be said… and she has to be told at some point…” Luna watches as he puts both hands to his side and looks up at the sky.

It seems like an eternity while he stands there motionless and silent as she tries to figure out what’s going on in his mind. Which at any one point in time, can be several million things, as she watches those crazed eyes of his twitch about. Instead of words though, the only thing Luna gives him at first, is a gentle embrace.

Not a crushing one like Rose or Havoc would give when they see him in the morning. Nor like one that Celestia would wrap loosely around him at night, while nuzzling in to his neck before bed to hold him close still in their bliss. But one that only a relative can give to another family member… the type that lets them know, even in the worst of times, the whole world hasn’t ended. With a smooth pair of silver slippers rubbing on his back, Discord returns the embrace as, he pats the back of her with a paw. With that, the sister relaxes the nurtured hug, and delivers a tender kiss with her soft cobalt lips, to the side of his cheek… leaving him stunned for a moment.

“Did you really just…?” the prince rubs the kiss mark with an eagle talon as Luna permits the warm hearted smile of a sister in law to come over her face. Leaving him with a lone hoof over his lips, to halt any more speech.

“You may be my ‘brother in law’ by technical terms… but like it or not, you are my brother,” she drops the hoof before taking a step back and gives him some breathing room to get to the task at hoof, “I do have the ability to play the nice Nightmare from time to time. But right now, your daughter needs you…”

With only a nod Discord takes the advice, and her words close to heart, and in his leave starts to mumble in hushed tones. ‘Dear Celestia, I know you are there even in your slumber…’ he talks to not only himself, but also his sleeping wife, ‘give me the strength to tell her the truth…’ he calms down, and picks up a plate of food from one of the serving trays for the young one in her room. Placing it to his side as his own tail holds it for him.