Silver was in the library, letting his imagination run wild between spells, trying to find inspiration for something worth the ink it was written in. He perked an ear at a familiar voice. Luna was speaking to what sounded like Applejack. Silver rose and approached to hear more.

"It is good that you are confessing your guilt."

"Ah didn't use it, Ah swear. Ah brought it here for Twilight to examine and get rid of."

Silver peeked through the doorway, seeing the two of them talking. Luna nodded softly. "Of course, a wise decision. I'm certain they will be lenient in your punishment."

Applejack was clearly distraught. "What?! No! Why should ah be punished at all? Ah just found out it was bad and here ah am."

Luna leaned in. "For what reason did you have such a trinket?"

Applejack frowned, tail twitching. "Rainbow Dash got it. It weren't my idea at all."

Luna pointed past Applejack, to the lurking Silver. "Here is a better answer. He could sire any foals you two desire, could he not?"

Applejack looked up at Silver, then back at Luna. "Ah suppose? Ah weren't in no rush in the first place."

Silver approached, but heard Luna's voice in his mind, ~Be still. I wish to secure this mare for you.~

Silver frowned and thought back, ~Secure? I have plenty of mares as it is.~

~But few that will come into reception so soon. Do you not find favor in Applejack?~

He did. Applejack was a wonderful mare, both physically and mentally, but not like that... ~She is too good to force like this. You're manipulating her. Just ask, and accept her answer.~

Luna frowned, but nodded. "Applejack."

Applejack perked her ears at the change in tone. "Yeah?"

Luna pointed at Silver. "Silver would like to be your stud, is this acceptable?"

Applejack turned red in her cheeks as the question was asked in the most blunt way possible. She looked at Silver, then shook her head quickly. "Ah'd need ta talk to RD first, if nothin' else. Ah mean... no offense or nuthin'."

Silver closed the distance with a shake of his head. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way at all. You won't insult me taking or not taking it. It would be an honor to perform for you, considering how good of a friend you've been to me even before we met, but you won't hurt my feelings if you don't want to, or have somepony else in mind."

His words put Applejack at ease and she let out a breath. "Well alrighty then. The way Luna was sayin' it... Uh... so am ah still in trouble?"

Luna shook her head. "Of course not, dear Applejack. You have lived up to your honest reputation admirably."

Applejack smiled, relaxing. "Ah try mah best. Ah'm gonna take this ta Twilight now." And she trotted deeper into the castle.

Luna poked Silver in the shoulder lightly. "Now she will say no. You should have let me handle it."

Silver snorted softly. "I'd rather an honest no than a coerced yes. I'm not looking for mares to bed with randomly anyway. What brought this on?"

Luna tilted her head. "You are still the start of the lunar unicorns. You can't do that unless you breed, yes? I am aware you have no desire to break your current bonds, so lending you as a breeding stallion seems the best solution, doesn't it?"

Silver nodded a little. "That part makes sense, but the idea of tricking a mare into it?" He licked his lips. "The idea of just breeding to make a foal and never seeing it again?"

Luna shrugged. "Turns you on. You are pleased at the idea of having many foals."

Silver frowned. "There's a difference between fantasy and reality."

Luna wobbled a hoof. "So if I brought a female that wants, without trickery, to be filled with your foal and then depart, never to bother your herd again, you would deny her?"

Silver grit his teeth. It was a dirty offer, that pressed against base desires. "I don't want to hurt my herd-mates, or my circle-mates, for that matter."

Luna leaned forward. "A stallion being lent to stud does neither, assuming everyone involved is honest. It is your decision."

Silver tapped his chin. Luna didn't look like she wanted any answer but yes, and 'yes' only bothered him on a faulty moralistic level. If he wasn't cheating, didn't he want to do this? He kind of did, and he kind of didn't. "It would be completely a one-night stand? I'm not making a bunch of pretenders to the throne or legal issues later? They won't stalk me or my family trying to get me to be a father for them?"

Luna lifted a hoof over her chest. "I will bring them to a neutral place, in the dark if I must, and they need never see you, though you will see them with your enhanced vision. The contract will be quite clear. I will see to every angle. All you must do is what you promised to do. Be my alpha lunar unicorn."

Silver wasn't willing to concede yet. "Let me talk to the others."

"If you must." She smiled a little. "I will not press further if you decide against it, on my honor."

Some of the tension faded with her promise. She did seem to be learning. Silver turned and trotted away, looking for his mates. Night wasn't in the castle, so he took flight, sailing to the road-in-progress. They had cut about halfway into the menacing forest and were clearly making good progress. He landed beside her and spotted Tumble working on the road as well. Surprised at the sight, he moved for him first. "What are you doing here?"

Tumble's ears perked up and he turned to face the very male and large Silver. "W-what? Is... that you?"

Silver tilted his head one way, then the other. "Silver Stars, in the flesh. I thought you had gone?"

Tumble stepped towards Silver, sniffing at him. "You're so big! You're bigger than me!"

Silver sat down and reached out a hoof, petting across Tumble's mane. "Am I scaring you?"

Tumble shook his head quickly. "N-No! You're... you're..."

Night came up behind Silver. "He's trying to say you're smoking hot."

"Uh, yeah, that." He sank to the ground, too flustered to say much more. He peeked up at Silver. "Do you want me to go?"

Silver shook his head. "I never asked you to go. I thought you wanted to? I invited you to stay on, as my guard, and friend."

Tumble sat up. "But you said you couldn't love me?"

Silver held up a hoof. "I said I didn't. That can change. I was trying to make it clear you shouldn't stay just for that. You are a dear friend. Stay?"

Tumble jumped at Silver, making him rock back before Silver held Tumble gently, rocking him. The powerful stallion wept quietly and Silver slowly swayed left and right with him, just holding him for a few quiet moments before setting him down. "So, guard captain?"

Tumble smiled. "Yeah." He sniffled and wiped his nose. "Uh... Night wasn't wrong."

Silver flushed a little, unsure how to handle that. Without the heady pheromone rush, he didn't feel any instinctive urging towards Tumble, or any other stallion. He was nice though, and Silver liked nice things, so he liked Tumble, and that was enough to want him around for now. Silver leaned in and pressed nose-to-nose. "Keep up the good work with Night Watch for now. We'll talk more later, alright?"

Night poked Silver. "What did you want? You landed next to me before you wandered off."

Silver turned towards Night. "Luna's giving me odd positions and I want to be sure I get some words of wisdom, and avoid hurting those I love dearly, such as yourself."

Night looked thoughtful a moment. "Is she trying to stud you out?"

"Got it in one." Silver bobbed his head. "Are you alright with that? Should I?"

Night frowned a little. "I think you need to make more of your own decisions, but this one, I understand. Thank you for not sneaking off under my nose." She rose up and nuzzled Silver's belly. "Since you've told me, I'm OK, provided I never see the mares involved. I try not to be a jealous pony, but that only goes so far." She raised a hoof. "Once a month, at most. If you don't set a limit, she'll drag a mare by practically every day at my estimate."

Silver nodded a little, but Tumble was listening in, looking all the more flustered. "You're being put to stud?"

Silver perked an ear at Tumble. "I'm apparently very in demand."

Tumble squirmed in place. "That's like something out of magazines I used to read. That has to... be good for the old ego, being such a stallion that ponies want to rent you."

Silver considered. Tumble wasn't exactly wrong in that. It was nice to be so desired. "I should talk to Twilight too, and Fast. Is Fast around?"

Night pointed down the road, and Silver took off at an energetic trot, finding her helping get a pole into position. Silver waited for her to finish before approaching her with blunt words. "Luna wants to rent me out as a stud. Does that bother you?"

Fast tilted her head. "As long as you get back in one piece, and I want to see the mares first to make sure they're alright."

Silver's ears twitched at how opposite the reply was. "If that's what you want."

Fast leaned in with a grin. "If you let me take your place once in a while, we'll call it even."

Silver flushed dark, surprised at Fast's offer. Fast laughed at Silver's reaction. "I was joking, mostly... I might join you if the mare doesn't mind, but I won't fool somepony like that. That'd be mean. Off with you."

Silver was dismissed, and took to the air, returning to the castle. He found Twilight scowling at a letter. "Twilight, have a moment for a question?"

Twilight held up a hoof. "Your attackers have come out of hiding."

Silver's thought train derailed. "What?"

Twilight lifted the paper in her magic and held it in front of Silver. "They want to talk to you."

Your Majesty Silver Stars,

We have realized the error of our ways and wish to open formal lines of communication. Show that you are a pony of your word and meet us at the place of your choosing. We will come unarmed and send earth ponies, so there will be no fear of magic. Treat us fairly and we will return the favor.

The Future Awaits,
The Lightning Wheel

Silver tilted his head. "Huh? Well if it's anywhere I want, we can pick a safe place, and see what they want to talk about?"

Twilight pointed towards Canterlot. "Right beside Celestia. I know you have feelings about her, but she wouldn't allow harm to come to you, and her guards would have the place surrounded."

Silver flashed a bright smile. "That seems like a good idea to me. I'll do that." Silver took the letter in his own silvery magic and scrawled out a quick reply. "Off-topic, but could I ask you a question?"

Author's Notes:

The plot slumbered until the end, then suddenly stuff! In the meanwhile, Luna's schemes advance, so far without making Silver rebel against her.

I hope Silver's reply doesn't have too many typos.