I open my eyes to see I'm in Luna's room, I'm no longer in my armour and Luna is sleeping next to me. I look out the window to see the moon high in the night sky.

My mana has recharged and I'm feeling better. I remember the events of the rescue and quickly get out of bed making Luna wake up from my sudden movement.

"Hmmm? Adrian!" she says and also gets out of bed. "What is the matter?" she asks.

"Where's Shella?" I ask her.

"She's in the medical wing, why?" she replies.

"Is she okay?" I ask her. I'm not sure why I'm so worried about her.

"She is very malnourished. Chrysalis drained her of her energy to strengthen herself to capture you," she tells me. "It appears you are able to feed a changeling without them draining you of your love."

"Can you take me to her? We can test if it is the life element that is feeding her," I say.

"Very well. If it is true, then we may have a way to get the changelings on our side instead of the gryphons. We'll just have to figure out how to reproduce thy life elements effects," she tells me.

We get dressed and I bring my stave with me. Luna leads me to the medical wing where a Nurse greets us.

"Oh, hello your Majesty. Are you unwell?" the Nurse asks Luna.

"Nay, we art well. Adrian wishes to see the young changeling filly, we have something we wish to confirm," Luna replies.

"Ah, I see. Then please follow me," she tells us.

We follow her to a room in the back of the medical wing. We enter the room to see Shella laying on a bed looking rather pale. She has holes all over her arms and legs. They look so bad that she probably can't even move them herself anymore.

I make my way beside her and lightly shake her shoulder. She slowly opens her eyes and looks at me, her eyes look whiter as well. "Hello, Shella. Do you remember me?" I ask her.

She slowly shakes her head left and right.

"My name is Adrian, I healed your arm remember?" Her eyes widen and she smiles.

"I remember... you're not a changeling?" she asks me slowly, all the energy she spoke with last time is nowhere to be found.

"No. I'm a human... listen, I'm going to try and heal you again okay?" I tell her.

She nodded and I point my stave at her. I cast a healing beam at her and her holes start to close, her chitin returns to its black colour and her eyes shine with a deep blue. She lets out a loud belch again. "Excuse me," she says politely.

Luna and the Nurse look stunned and I just smile. "Feeling better?" I ask Shella.

She sits up and smiles, but then looks upset as if she just remembered something. "She killed momma..." she says.

"Who did?" I ask her.

She sniffles and looks at me. "The Queen... she took me away saying she needed me to capture a strange creature. Momma begged her to let me go... but she just... just..." She breaks down and starts crying.

I sit on the side of the bed and hug her. She wraps her arms around me and cries her eyes out. I look at Luna to see her with a conflicted expression.

"You're safe now, no one's going to hurt you anymore," I tell her. She calms down and lets go. "Try and get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning alright?" I tell her.

"Okay. Thank you again, Mister Adrian," she replies and cuddles her pillow. I smile at the adorable sight and tuck her in. I then leave the room with Luna and the Nurse.

"So thy life element can feed a changeling... we shall have to begin research on this and try to replicate it," Luna tells me.

"What happened to Blueblood, the girl, and the changeling they were with?" I ask her.

"They're here for a check up. The changeling named Thraxx is stable but still in poor condition, even after the small amount of healing thou gave him. Blueblood, while a bit thin and dehydrated, is making a full recovery. The little filly named Fleur Lily, has faired better than the others as Blueblood gave half his food to her while imprisoned," Luna tells me.

Huh, I really want to get to know the real Blueblood now. Compared to the imposter, he sounds like a saint.

I then turn to the Nurse. "Can you take me to their room please?" I ask her.

She looks at Luna who just nodded to her. "Alright, they're in room fifteen," she says and we follow her.

We enter room fifteen where three beds are set up, the left has Thraxx, the middle has Blueblood and the right one has Fleur Lily. The girl is fast asleep while Blueblood is eating a piece of fruit. Thraxx is just staring at the ceiling with a blank expression.

"Hello, nephew. We hope thou art feeling better," Luna says to Blueblood.

"Much better now that we are no longer in that horrid place. Though not to insult you and aunty Celestia, but, how did you not notice that I was replaced?" he asks.

Luna frowns in thought. "We thought thou was... getting pig headed with all the parties thou started to throw before thy Manehatten trip. As if thee were becoming like all the other nobles. So when thou returned and slowly became more arrogant... we thought thee just gave in to the other nobles," she replies.

Blueblood hums in thought. "I can see how you would come to that conclusion. I guess my attempts to get the nobles to follow the old traditions backfired on me... I shall refrain from any more parties from now on and stick to small social gatherings with my friends. How is Fancy Pants and his wife doing since I was away?" he asks her.

"They have been doing well, but have been upset at thy imposters attitude..." she replies and then looks at me. "If we recall, we have an invite to Sir Fancy's home in a few days," Luna says and looks back at Blueblood. "Would thou like to join us?" she asks him.

"If I am fit enough, then I would be delighted," he replies.

I walk over to Thraxx who looks like he's in pain. "How you feeling?" I ask him.

He looks at me with whitish blue eyes, his chitin is also pale looking. "Been better," he replies emotionlessly.

"I'm going to heal you okay? Just lie still and relax." I tell him.

"Don't bother, pony healing magic doesn't work on changelings," he says.

"I'm not a pony," I state and point my stave at him. I channel three life elements and fire a beam at him.

He gasps as his black colour returns along with the blue in his eyes and the holes start closing. After ten seconds he belches loudly and I cancel the spell.

He just sits up and stares at his arms, not a single hole remaining. "You...you healed and fully fed me?.." he mumbles.

"Apparently I can do that without having to give my love. My life element seems to have the same properties as love energy," I tell him.

He then looks at me with a worried expression. "Should Chrysalis ever get her hands on you... she would use you to power herself and her army..." he says.

"Already knew she wants me. Tried to grab me just before we escaped," I tell him. I then turn to Luna. "How'd that go by the way?" I ask her.

"We did battle with her. We were about to deliver the final blow, but she teleported away like a coward," she tells me.

"I see, so what will you do now Thraxx? I doubt you'll be allowed to return," I ask him.

"I plan to stay here and serve under Prince Blueblood. I was imprisoned because my mate returned with a large amount of love energy. I was so proud of her... until the Queen came and took it all from her, killing her in the process saying it was for the good of the Hive... I retaliated, and was overwhelmed. I was thrown in with the Prince and Fleur Lily," he tells me.

This Queen is sounding like a grade A tyrant. I hope I meet her again at my full strength, I'd be happy to put her down a few pegs.

"Don't worry, if I ever see her again, I'll give her a good blast to the face for ya," I tell him and he smirks. "So what will happen to Fleur Lily?" I ask.

Blueblood speaks up. "I shall be adopting her, her parents were two of the seventeen taken away two weeks ago. Until the day they are found, I shall be caring for her," he says.

Wow, I'm starting to like him already! I really can't wait to get Rarity to meet him now. "Sounds good. After everything you've all been through you deserve a break," I say.

"Yes, we'll rest for now and once I've recovered I shall repair any damage to my image and contact all of my friends and family, letting them know what has transpired," he replies.

"Alright, I'm looking forward to talking with you some more. Your imposter didn't leave you in a pleasant light," I tell him.

"I see. No matter, once this has all been sorted out, I shall continue to do as I planned and try to better the nobility like before," he says.

"Sounds like a plan. You have no idea what your imposter and the nobles have put us through so far..." I tell him.

"Oh? What could the nobles have to say to a knight?" he asks me.

"Just that me courting both Luna and Celestia is sacrilege, that I'm not good enough and the like blah blah blah... Bunch of children if you ask me," I reply.

He stares at me slack jawed. "You're courting both of my aunts?" he asks again. I simply nodded making him smile. "That is good news, they deserve somepony to love them. I've watched for too long as they've been miserable. I've noticed that since I have been back that aunty Luna is much happier than her old antisocial self," he says.

I chuckle as Luna crosses her arms and frowns at Blueblood. "Yeah, she was not the friendliest of people when we first met," I tell him, earning me an elbow to my ribs from Luna, only making me chuckle again.

"Indeed, no offence aunty, but you are much more pleasant to be around now. I remember you slapped me for speaking to you the first time, something about, 'Thou shalt not speak unless spoken to.' Or something like that," he replies with a chuckle of his own.

Luna huffs and looks away with a slight blush. "We just returned from our banishment, excuse us if we were still in our old mindset," she says crossly.

I smile. "So how's Celestia doing since we were gone?" I ask.

Luna looks back at me. "She has been searching maps and charts to find the best way into Aries Peak. So far her search has proved fruitless, but she believes she is onto something... Oh yes, she has also been worried sick about thee when we returned. She asked that should thou awaken before midnight, to bring thee to her room," she tells me. "So if we are done here, let us be on our way," she says and pulls on my arm.

"I'll see you guys later!" I call back to the two chuckling men in the room.

Luna leads me to Celestia's room and pushes the doors open. "Tia? Adrian has awoken," Luna says.

I see Celestia looking in her mirror brushing her hair and wearing her pink nightgown, her hair is also its natural pink style as well.

She turns to look at us. "That is good to hear, I was worried about you," she says. Making me smile.

"Not even a psychotic changeling Queen will keep me from coming back," I reply.

She giggles a little bit. "Be that as it may, I was still worried," she says and walks over to me and hugs me. I wrap my arms around her and return the hug.

"So why did you want me to come to your room before midnight?" I ask her.

She blushes and smiles. "I wish for you to sleep with me tonight," she says.

I look at Luna who is nodding her head, I then look back at Celestia. "If that's what you want, then sure," I reply.

"We shall take our leave then, we still have nightmares to banish," Luna says and walks out the room.

"Banish nightmares?" I ask Celestia.

"While asleep, Luna can enter the dreams of other ponies and if they are having nightmares, replace them with pleasant dreams instead," she tells me and heads over to her bed. I look around Celestia's room and notice it's the opposite of Luna's room. It's brighter than Luna's with white walls and what looks to be a realistic piece of the summer sky on the ceiling... makes me feel like I'm outside.

"Don't just stand there, come join me," she says holding up the blanket. I chuckle and place my stave by her closet door, remove my shirt, shoes, socks and climb into the bed. It's just as soft as Luna's bed.

Celestia cuddles up to me and sighs happily. "I can't remember the last time I've just snuggled up with somepony," she says and places a hand on my cheek, making me face her. "Thank you for treating me as a mare and not a Princess," she says and kisses me on the lips.

I press my lips to hers for a few seconds and pull back. "You're welcome, Tia," I reply and kiss her again.

She places her head against my neck and falls asleep with a smile. I gently stroke her hair and eventually fall asleep myself.

Next Chapter: Chapter 27: Share the Love Estimated time remaining: 16 Hours, 50 Minutes