“Oh, sweet Rainbow.” Sky mutters in his sleep the following morning.

Rainbow sighs and looks at the stallion wrapped around her. “A little help, expecting mother?” Rainbow asks looking to Spitfire.

“Shut up.” Spitfire mutters at her.

“Our husband has a hold of me and I need help.” She whispers to her.

Spitfire rolls her eyes and reaches over to Sky and hugs him before starting to whisper something in his ear and makes him slowly grin and let go of Rainbow and start to hug her.

“Thanks. I am going to go start whipping the flying cavalry as they call themselves now into shape.” Rainbow says getting up.

“Yeah…good luck with that.” Spitfire says as Rainbow leaves and she feels Sky moving closer to her.

“So looks like you will be seeing my mom with somepony.” Sky says.

Spitfire rolls her eyes now. “Are you humping me?”

“No, but we have confirmed you are pregnant and your family will rejoice for having a new heir.” Sky says.

Spitfire hums as she tries to relax. “You really want to have a go at me now?”

“No need. You are carrying another right now.” Sky says petting her.

Spitfire tries to resist before purring as she moves under his hoof.

“This also means you can no longer be here on the front lines.” Sky says.

“Great…” Spitfire groans.

“After all, you are caring for two lives right now.” Sky says rubbing her stomach.

“Two?!” Spitfire yells picking her head up.

“Yours and this one’s.” Sky says continuing to rub her stomach.

Spitfire sighs in relief. “Don’t scare me like that.”

“Oh, hush now. You’re going to be a mother…how will your father take this?” Sky asks after a pause.

Spitfire blinks confused for a moment before a smirk form. “I don’t know, but mother…well, that is a different story.” Spitfire says smirking at him impishly.

Sky is a bit surprised. “I haven’t seen your mother. I would actually love to meet her.”

“Oh, you have. The lord is my mother and she likes you.” Spitfire informs.

“Wait, the lord…? You have to be…!” Sky was about to yell.

“Shh. Momma is tired.” Spitfire teases.

Sky frowns annoyed now. “I hate you.”

“I am in charge.” Spitfire informs smiling.

Time passed relatively slowly as the army worked to take care of the wounded; be they enemy or friend and prepared the castle in case of a retaliation attack to recapture the castle. In that time, Spitfire’s troops took to guard her around the clock until at last Raven arrived with five hundred mages and, to Sky’s surprise, Twilight.

“What is she doing here?” Sky asks.

“Why don’t you go ask her?” Rainbow asks as the mages were let in.

Sky raises an eyebrow toward Twilight as she walks up to him. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to show you…” Twilight stopped, noticing Spitfire was showing signs of pregnancy now.

“Show me what?” Sky asks tapping his hoof against his hoof.

“You got Spitfire pregnant in the middle of a war?” Twilight asks in disbelief.

Sky shrugs. “Love happens on the battlefield. Besides, I am sending her back to safety anyway.”

“Good enough. Anyways I have worked out a way to enhance the arrows you use.” Twilight says taking out a few arrows.

“Oh?” Sky asks as Spitfire was helped into an armored carriage.

Twilight nods as she lights up her horn and encases the arrows in her magic before a seal spell appears on the arrows as she ends her magic. “Now it can be much more devastating.” Twilight explains as she grabs a bow and notches an arrow and sends it flying. Having everypony watch before it explodes in an empty field. “But on one condition I do this for you.”

“That is?” Sky asks.

“I don’t want you to use this on Archmage Celestial or Luna or their students.” Twilight says frowning now.

“I agree to Luna, but what if Celestia attacks us and you forget Celestia takes students from nearly everywhere so you basically saying you can’t use it on anyone.” Sky says.

“I would never attack her. Not now, now ever.” Twilight declares stamping her hoof on the ground.

“But if she attacks us or have you forgotten that is how she got the providence of Wales?” Sky asks.

“Shut up!” Twilight yells getting frustrated as her magic lights up.

Sky raises an eyebrow and waves a hoof before the whole room was engulfed in darkness and only left them alone in the dark space. “Twilight, who are you now?” Sky asks.

“Wh…wha…what?” Twilight asks suddenly afraid now as Luna is one of the only ones to use shadow magic as her magic fizzled out of fear.

“Are you now as the queen of this empire or Celestia’s student?” Sky asks.

“I…I…” Twilight tries to say frightened as she slowly backs up while Sky gets up and walks toward her.

“Answer.” Sky says leaning onto her.

Twilight jumps a little as she sees the shadow magic swirl around him. “I…I don’t…”

“Tell me.” Sky says.

Twilight gulps before closing her eyes and looks down. “I am the queen of the empire…I’m sorry.” She sobs quietly.

“Shh, it’s alright.” Sky says patting her.

Twilight sniffs and sobs as she slowly leans against him and buries her head in his chest now. “I’m sorry…it’s just…I love Archmage Celestial.”

“It’s ok, but you now have a duty. How many ponies do we rule over now?” Sky asks.

“Exactly two million eight hundred thousand four hundred and twelve with the current civilian count…what?” Twilight asks the smirking Sky.

“That’s the Twilight I know.” Sky says hugging her with a hoof.

“What?” Twilight asks almost offended.

Sky chuckles. “You and your ways of saying smart things. This is the Twilight I know and love deeply.”

“Very well…I guess it was a foolish requirement. Now that I think of it, how many of her former students were spread all over the place.” Twilight says before he raspberries her neck.

Sky smirks as he watches her giggle and tries to push him away now. “Who’s a sexy queen?” He asks teasingly.

“Sky, seriously.” Twilight says laughing.

Sky grins and keeps raspberrying her neck. “Not going to stop until you kiss me.”

“Fine. Here.” Twilight says kissing him.

Sky smiles and kisses back before dropping the shadow field and let’s go of her. “Alright. Get going to your new room. I’ll set up some rooms to make those arrows.”

“What about Spitfire?” Twilight asks.

“She will be escorted back by two thousand of her personal troops and the rest will remain with the army for now.” Sky informs.

“Oh…I see.” Twilight says simply.

‘And that doesn’t include the vampires watching over her.’ Sky thinks walking over to Raven.

Raven looks up from her book. “Need something?”

“How are you?” Sky asks leaning onto her.

“Fine.” Raven says simply.

“We won the first battle barely, but we now need to prepare for what comes next.” Sky whispers to her, knowing her mages will be a cornerstone in this fight and would need her to convince them as the deity they worshiped most in the pantheon had set this task against him and his new empire.

“You need to work hard for it now.” Raven says closing her book.

“And I need you as my wife to get your mages to fully back this. They have been iffy on fighting with us in Libya last time we used them.” Sky says laying his head on her’s.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Raven says.

“Thanks.” Sky says before going to Twilight. “Twi, you like organizing things, right?” Sky asks.

“Yeah…why?” Twilight asks.

“Can you find a way to manage over eight thousand prisoners of war?” Sky asks issuing a challenge he was sure she would love.

“Wha…sure…” Twilight says almost surprised at the request.

“Then the job is yours.” Sky says smiling at her.

“Okay…I’ll go handle it.” Twilight says.

“Thanks, dear queen.” Sky whispers to her, making her smile.

Twilight just kept smiling now.

Sky and his army waited for nearly a month securing the Buttercourt fief, every so often skirmishing with the military units of all kinds of the Belgica province when the word finally arrived in the form of one of the mares Sky was married to but had had little interactions with Maud. She brought with her word that the two armies to the north were at a standstill with the enemies mostly from the air forces. This lead Sky to make a choice he didn’t want to make, but had to, and divided up his air cavalry units and sent most to join up with the other two invasion armies while Maud stayed there to his surprise.

“Why stay? You are no longer needed here.” Sky mentions.

“My father said I should stay with you to make up for the lost of numbers.” Maud says stoically.

“So…um…we have not spoken much, have we?” Sky asks.

“No.” Maud says blandly.

“So…um…what do you like to do?” Sky asks.

“I like to study the land.” Maud says.

“Oh…?” Sky asks.

Maud nods slowly. “All the lands.” She clarifies.

“So…what is your thoughts on the land around here?” Sky asks.

“There is a mine below the castle. Full of rich coal.” Maud explains.

“Oh…and Spitfire’s family owns this fief now.” Sky says.

“You can still mine it as long as you give fifty percent to them.” Maud explains.

“Oh?” Sky asks feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“Yes. And you better hurry before the diggers from the town nearby dig into the area and try to claim it for themselves.” Maud says watching with the same expression.

“Well, coal is a good alchemical ingredient. Maud…a word in private?” Sky asks.

“Sure.” Maud says blandly as she follows.

After they were sure they were alone Sky asks, “Is it awkward for you? I mean, we are married, but we are basically know nothing about either.” Sky says.

“So did you with most of the mares you have mated with.” Maud points out.

“I at least got to know some of them and…well, after this war, if we win, we will be going to my home country the island federation and…you will meet my mom.” Sky says.

“That is true…what do you want?” Maud asks after a long pause that made Sky uncomfortable as she barely showed any expression at all.

“To get to know you better along with your sisters. After all, we are now married.” Sky says. ‘And mom would destroy me if I didn’t by the time I see her.’

“You need to take care of my sisters first.” Maud lays out.

“Well, you are the only one here so I have to start with you the eldest.” Sky says.

“I only know the land.” Maud says.

“What about you? Any likes or dislikes? Or anything you want or need?” Sky asks, the last part seemed a little foreign to her if Sky read her right.

“The stallion would be the one to ask such a thing.” Maud points out.

“Well, where I am from, the head of the house must provide for the rest, especially their spouse and children…speaking of that, have you seen Rainbow and Spitfire been under pressure to produce an heir?” Sky asks.

“Yes. They need a foal to calm the populace down.” Maud says.

“Great.” Sky says sighing, showing how annoying he found the whole issue of an heir right now.

“You need to bed then quickly.” Maud says simply.

“It’s harder than you think to make a mare pregnant and we are currently at war and to make matters worse, the general my army is facing is very good. We only won by drawing them out and burning their camp and supplies and she won’t be caught unaware like that again.” Sky says thinking hard about it.

“So she is pressuring you badly and your soldiers told me it was a major victory.” Maud says.

“It wasn’t. It was a very close one. Most of those we slew or captured were by surprise as she didn’t understand the full extent of our abilities. If she had, she would know that she would have made it a complete air battle and once she neutralized our air cavalry, we would have had no choice but to retreat back to our territory, most likely with heavy losses. Now she has measured us and will know how to counter us. We need better air forces if we are going to win…or maybe those that can dig.” Sky says getting an idea and smirks.

“What do you need?” Maud asks.

“During our conquest of Libya, we went to the Ruby Fang diamond dog tribe. We asked them to join the empire and they did, thus securing our borders. We have never used this to fight before now so it’s time to stop trying to outperform the enemy in their best field and do something they don’t expect.” Sky says getting up and starts to head out.

“I see.” Maud says waiting now for him to finish.

“Maud, thank you. You got me to think of the answer to my problem.” Sky says before hugging her.

Maud just blinks as she looks at him.

“You will make a good wife and queen.” Sky says, noticing she felt like she was completely made of hardened muscles.

“I see.” Maud says blinking again.

“So…do you, by any chance, bring any troops or is he expecting you to lead my armies?” Sky asks before trying to lift her.

Maud watches as Sky fails to lift her. “I am on my own.”

“I see. Then you will stick with my personal guard.” Sky says to his dismay as she picks him up easily.

“Fine.” Maud says to the surprised stallion.

“I completely lose to you in physical strength. The only two that may match your strength is Captain Daisen and eventually our young Vandrad maybe.” Sky says disappointed as Maud pats his mane with one hoof like he was a child.

“There…there.” Maud says as she kept patting.

“…you are definitely going to make a good mother.” Sky says now feeling a bit humiliated.

“I have no idea if this is working.” Maud says out of hearing range for everyone else.

“Ok. Let me try something. Tell me if you feel anything, ok?” Sky asks before kissing her.

Maud closes her eyes as she felt the kiss before he pulls away. “Only a rumble.”

“But there is something, right?” Sky asks.

“Yes.” Maud says simply.

“Then our marriage may not be loveless after all.” Sky says.

“You wanted to see me?” Vinyl asks smirking.

“Yes.” Sky says Maud sat with him as he showed her a map.

Vinyl sighs. “What is it?” She asks walking over.

“I want you to take most of your knights and go to the dogs who have sworn allegiance to us and get them to send us warriors for war.” Sky says

“That’s it?” Vinyl asks.

“I want no one to know this. How did you convince them to join us anyways?” Sky asks.

“Gems.” Vinyl says simply.

“Alright then. Go and round them up. I have need of them now.” Sky says.

“Sure. I’ll come back when I got a crossbow in front of me and an army of monsters behind me.” Vinyl says chuckling as she walks off.

“And that was the queen of the vampires.” Sky explains to Maud.

“I know. I showed her the problem with her castle.” Maud says.

“Oh, you did?” Sky asks laying his head on her.

“Yes. I was studying.” Maud says slowly turning her head to him.

“What do you think as a warrior looking at my plan?” Sky asks.

“Father would never suspect such an attack or at least till it was too late. I would feel it.” Maud says.

“Thought so.” Sky says smiling as he nuzzles his head against her neck.

“What are you doing?” Maud asks.

“Loving you.” Sky says chuckling amused.

Maud binks a few times with her neutral expression before holding him in one hoof again.

“Is this good?” She asks.

“Yes.” Sky says hugging her.

“Okay.” Maud says.

“You feel anything now?” Sky asks.

Maud just lays her head on top of his now.

“You want to do anything?” Sky asks.

“What is there to do?” Maud asks.

“Eat, spend time together, or something else,” Sky says.

“I do not know.” Maud says.

“Have you ever been with somepony?” Sky asks.

Maud blinks once. “No.”

“Do you want to try it?” Sky asks.

“Yes.” Maud says.

“Come with me.” Sky says.

Maud slowly nods as she follows him now.

“So?” Sky asks.

Maud looks up the ceiling as she rests her head against his chest. “Do you usually sleep on the ground?”

“No.” Sky says petting her.

Maud hums as she just lays there.

“So…was it what you expected or…?” Sky ask.

“I expected more.” Maud says.

“The process or me?” Sky asks.

“You.” Maud admits.

“Ouch.” Sky says as he felt her feeling his wing.

“Just…you.” Maud pauses for the one of the first time ever.

“Care to elaborate?” Sky asks wanting to get up but couldn’t move her.

“You are not like other stallions who would rather mate me once on a bed.” Maud explains.

“Is that a good or bad thing?” Sky asks.

“Mixture of both. You need an heir from me but you are not even trying to do the simple act of mating.” Maud explains.

“Well, the thing is with your strength. I can’t afford to lose you as we are currently at war. I already had to send a very good commander back because she is now pregnant and in no condition for battle because of it.” Sky says.

“I see. So you need me but not an heir right now. I am unsure how to feel about that.” Maud says.

Sky sighs as he rubs his hoof across her side. “Just be happy. That’s all.”

“I am happy. Can you not tell?” Maud asks.

“Um…” Sky tries to say as he looks over Maud blank expression.

Maud shakes her head before getting up and carrying him along with her.

“Okay then.” Sky just says as he doesn’t know what else to say.

“We should get comfortable. We won’t be leaving for weeks at least.” Maud says.

“Right.” Sky says relaxing on her back. “So…which do you prefer for the title, wife or queen?”

“Any would do.” Maud says.

“Alright. My wife.” Sky says almost teasingly.

Maud only hums as she kept walking.

“…do you object acting the role of a mother to any other children I have, even if they aren’t yours or your sisters?” Sky asks.

“No.” Maud answers.

“Will it take time to get used to it?” Sky asks.

“No.” Maud says.

“Do you even know what you would need to do?” Sky asks.

“I took care of my sisters.” Maud explains.

“But what about a foal?” Sky asks.

“Soon.” Maud promises.

“When we are done, you will meet all of them and their mothers.” Sky informs.

“Great.” Maud says simply.