I found a pair of saddlebags in Celestia's bedroom that aren't oversized. I suspect they aren't hers, but they're empty and unmarked and I need some, so I've 'borrowed' them for now. This way I can keep the letters I've received on me, and tote the Journal and ink more easily.

I must assume that Celestia's last entry means she was interrupted and had to send the note back quickly to avoid detection, so she was probably telling me I should wait before sending her another note. I'm going to try to figure out what she meant about the stars... Wait, I have an idea.

Okay! So this is rather clever (and yes, I like to brag sometimes). Celestia has a large plaque on one wall engraved with the brightest stars in the evening sky. I spent a little time studying it and noticed that one of the stars is false: there's no bright star where the plaque indicates one. I doubt anypony who isn't an astronomer would be able to tell. I stood on a chair and tapped the star to feel it, and this opened a small doorway to a secret passage. I had to duck to enter so it looks like Celestia should just barely be able to fit, but perhaps she wasn't as large when the castle was constructed.

The secret passage opens and closes from the other side with a far more obvious flagstone trigger. I have to light my horn to see once the opening closes, because there aren't any lights in here. There are plenty of cobwebs. It's a narrow hallway that leads a long way into the castle interior. There are steps going down, and it bends and turns a few times.

I've discovered two uses of the passage so far. There's a small crack where you can peer into Luna's bedroom! I can't believe for a moment that Celestia would spy on her sister, but the evidence is rather incriminating. The other use is transport between three places. The other end of the hallway opens up in the castle's reading room (like a private library just for the Sisters), and there's also a separate covered trap-door near the library exit which leads into the Crystal Caverns under the foundation, via a narrow set of stairways. The cavern exit isn't explicitly hidden, but it's hard enough to notice it from within the reflective caverns that I never would have found it from the other side without a very thorough search.

Oh, there are also cracks which peek into Princess Celestia's room and the reading room at each entrance. I decided against opening the library passage because it's too likely I would be heard and/or discovered (even though there's nopony currently inside). There doesn't appear to be an entrance into Princess Luna's bedroom, which suggests this is Celestia's passage and Luna doesn't know about it. However, I find this unlikely for two reasons. Firstly, I can't imagine Princess Celestia would ever willingly violate her sister's privacy like this. Secondly, the secret to opening the doorway is one Princess Luna would immediately know! If she were trying to keep it a secret from Luna, that would be the worst choice for a hidden key. Perhaps Luna never goes in Celestia's room, but that makes little sense.

My suspicion is Luna knows about the secret passage and trusts her sister, but there's a wrinkle in that theory as well. Princess Luna would certainly insist on adding a secret door from her room, and as far as I can tell, it's just a peephole. Between the two Sisters, I would imagine Luna would be the one with more of an interest in secret doors and passageways—it maps perfectly to her personality.

Now, I'm loathe to admit this, but these are desperate times, so here it is. I just spent about a half-hour spying on Princess Luna in her bedchambers. My observations follow.

As luck would have it, it was early evening and Princess Luna was waking up shortly after I started peeping. Something unusual was ahoof already. Instead of sleeping in her opulent bed, she lay nestled in a small, navy blue pet bed (like the kind Spike still sleeps in, but larger). Her greaves were off, and in their place were what looked like silver shoes—but my trained eye (thanks to Rarity) could tell it was actually a blend of white gold. She wore a white gold collar with a ring, exactly like mine except for the material. She had on white gold wing braces, but all of her primaries appeared to be present, so the cutting attachment must not have been on them. Her horn sported an ounckse with a white gold ring stuck in the toroidal space.

One of her nightwing guards was emerging from her bed. He walked slowly over to Luna as she raised her head, and then he grabbed her by her mantle (the magical mane of an alicorn). He pulled back, forcing her head to crane upwards, and kissed her deeply. It looked abusive, but she moaned with unmistakable pleasure.

I tried to think about multiplication tables so I wouldn't become aroused enough for their sensitive vampony noses to smell me, but it wasn't working so I surrounded myself with a bubble. This obscured my vision somewhat (everything looked rose-tinted) but I couldn't take the risk of being caught (even if subconsciously that's exactly what I wanted to happen).

After a long period, the kiss broke. Luna smiled demurely and even blushed somehow through those dark cheeks of hers; I was surprised I could see it with the tinting of the bubble, and perhaps I was imagining it? Either way, the nightwing spoke first.

"My lovely Lady, I heartily approve of the new accessories. Rarity has outdone herself again," he said.

She smiled and opened her mouth slightly.

"You may speak," he whispered to her, gently scruffing beneath her chin, and she cooed like a dove.

"Thank you, Master," she said. "Please don't forget that a Lady—even an emancipated Lady—is still a cunt."

"How could I, my bitch?" he asked gently, and kissed her lightly on the nose, then sighed boredly. "Love aside, I'm sure you have a busy night."

The princess nodded. "Regrettably, Master," she said, and stood up. "Once Sister is turned, I can take a break from these awful responsibilities, but the Kingdom rests on my withers for another evening."

"Prince Shining Armor will be holding meetings in the throne room. You'll need to wake up earlier tomorrow so you can maintain a partially diurnal schedule," he said.

Luna nodded slowly. "Of course. Thank goodness he has taken most of the logistics, at least. I suspect soon I may need to raise the Sun, depending on whether Celestia is captive indoors, or if she chooses to create a panic."

"Since you're getting up earlier now, I'll wake you at the time of dawn—to be safe. You can go back to sleep as soon as you've performed your service," said the nightwing.

"Hopefully the change in my sleep schedule will allow this cunt to merit her golden markings—Master willing, of course," she said, and smiled. Curiously, I saw no signs of her being a vampony. Is it possible she isn't one yet? But if that's the case, why in Equestria would she be submitting to one of her guards?

"Very willing. I'd like to watch you in action with the Mayor, after she arrives tomorrow," he said, and Luna's eyes lit up like shiny little candles.

"Oh, marvelous!" said Luna. "In my short time back with the living, I've gotten to know Ms. Mare reasonably well. That darling cunt is smart as a whip. Breaking her will be immensely pleasurable for both of us."

Then, for the next twenty minutes, I watched them, um... I probably shouldn't have watched them. But it was reconnaissance, and any little clue could have been important. The short version of what I saw: the nightwing placed a saddle and bridle on Princess Luna, both with matching white-gold accents.

Then he, er, rode her I guess? He mounted her and led her slowly around the room (which was rather spacious). Is that what saddles are for? Dear Celestia. I had no idea. Rarity made and sold saddles long before becoming a vampony! She was always trying to convince me to fit for one, too. Was she... hitting on me?

No, no. That's totally impossible. Erase the thought.

After a short ride, the nightwing hitched Luna to a post and then a lot of things happened that I don't want to describe here. It was very reminiscent of seeing Brother and Sis-in-law together, but this time it wasn't freaking me out as much. I suspect I'm becoming numb to these sorts of horrible experiences. Although, my body didn't feel numb at all—it felt... something else.

I'd rather not think about this right now.

Anyway, I carefully cast some spells to filter the air and clean my vulva before dropping the shield and walking quietly away. Loud, erotic horse noises followed me down the corridor, threatening to bring my (ick) juices back to the fore.

It was a little tiring to keep the light up (I had it off while watching the show, of course), but I decided to write back to Celestia while remaining safe in the hidden passageway. I might even decide to sleep here, but it's not exactly comfortable—I suspect I'll risk getting caught and return to Celestia's bed. It's unbelievably comfortable, as you'd probably imagine, Journal. If books could imagine things, I mean.

Ugh, I really made a mess in her bed last night (I discovered after waking up). It wasn't my fault, of course, but hopefully she'll think it was somepony else, like Princess Luna. Technically it was Luna's fault, anyway.

I took a nap on the hard stone flooring, but couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour or two. Upon waking I decided it was time to message Princess Celestia once again.

Dear Princess Celestia (Roaming),

Your sister is definitely with the vamponies, and she has submitted herself to one of her Night Guard stallions. I suspect she might not be a vampony yet, but clearly there has been some sort of mental manipulation because no sane pony would act this way of their own free will.

I'm not sure why this place I'm in isn't accessible to her. Hasn't she seen the, er, "key to it"? (I'd rather not risk saying more, in the event this is intercepted.)

I think we might want to rethink our strategy of being silent about the vampony crisis (originally I thought it was your idea due to a coded message I suspect Luna faked and sent to me). As much as I don't want an all-out war, at some point we need to get the public on our side to shut this operation down and things don't currently look too optimistic for the home team.

Capturing you-know-who seems more difficult than I'd anticipated, since he's apparently taken on many of the royal duties you and your sister share. I will try to catch him in slumber. I think I can teleport to several possible safe locations if things go sour. It's fortunate I know this place so well (you recall why).

Let me know what you think. I'll await your response.

Your faithful student even now,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Reading back in my Journal I realize now I sent you the same spell twice, oops. But you probably noticed that already.

P.P.S. Below is the sketch of my Journal that you requested. Feel free to link to it.

I started to get worried when there was no response for around an hour, as it doesn't take Celestia long to compose and write a letter. (It would be a Very Bad Thing if anypony else was able to form a synecdoche link with this book, but very few mages are powerful enough to pull it off with such a limited connection.) When she finally sent it back, I quickly realized why it had been delayed...

It was written in her blood.

(Header omitted),

Now stuck here >1 wk, HAD to try escape.

Almost did. Now in lock'd cell. SEND SPIKE.

I sent NO coded msg. Go public on vamps now!

Don't reply. I contact ltr.

–P.C.

Well... horseshit.

I guess it's time for Spike to save the day, yet again.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle (Personal) and Spike the Dragon,

Spike, we need to go public with the vampony menace as soon as possible.

But there's a more important mission for you first. If you have any way to get to the Crystal Empire, you'll be able to free Celestia. The crystal ponies will listen to you and revolt against the guard. We need her, so do everything you can to rescue her.

Counting on you. And I love you (non-sexually, of course).

Good luck,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

Screw this hallway. I'm going back to Princess Celestia's bedroom to sleep. Tomorrow I'll make my way through the caverns, do some recon in Canterlot, then find my brother's quarters.

By which I mean his sleeping quarters, and his hindquarters. For a hard spanking, because he's been a very naught—

Wait, no. No, no, no. Please ignore that (facehoof).

This time, it was totally accidental and not perverted, I'm certain.